Saving Tara Goodwin (Mystery Book 1) (7 page)

She nodded, but was thinking of her useless appraisal for Tonabie. Pouring coffee, her housecoat fell open and she noticed him staring, and looking down, saw her breasts and remembered Maggie’s death, ‘So how are things, you know. It’s been a long time.’

He looked away, ‘Yeah, but I’m alright, it’s just a bit difficult sometimes, that’s all.’

‘Yes, I suppose it must be. But ... well ... would it help, I mean, if we went to bed.’

‘Sally.’

‘What’s wrong, we’re friends aren’t we, there’s no harm in it.’

‘But I’m old enough to be your father.’

She laughed, ‘You are funny. So what on earth has age got to do with making love? Oh, come on, it would do you good, and anyway, I’d like to.’

Walking round, she pulled him up and felt him melt away when she kissed him.

‘Come on then, let’s unwind those long years while you tell me lots of lovely secrets.’

Mike Frederick drove the Jaguar across town, then out through Charlton Kings and on towards Oxford, but after a while he steered off the road and came to a halt at the gates of a picnic area, and looking around, Frank saw a rough sign,
‘Closed for repairs’,
a battered pickup truck and two hard faced men with shovels.

One of them walked over, checked Mike’s ID and waved back to the other man, and with the truck and sign moved out of the way, they drove inside.

Driving along a tree lined road they came to the open expanse of a leisure area, and Frank thought Christian’s guess was probably correct when he saw three cars already there, and although two of them were empty, in the third was Tonabie with a face like thunder and three other people he didn’t recognise.

There was a tough looking driver, an immaculately dressed, thin hawkish man, and a very attractive woman wearing a chic, grey suit, and she appeared to be unhappy.

As Mike parked the car, Frank saw at least four armed men patrolling the perimeter, and about thirty yards away, two wooden tables had been arranged to face each other.

Frank gave Monty a questioning look, but all he could see was a sad, cynical smile, and looking back, saw Tonabie, the thin man and the attractive woman in grey getting out of their car, and as Frank’s group stepped out onto the gravel, Tonabie gestured coldly to the tables and walked away without a word of greeting.

Frank thought Monty would have trouble walking across a room, let alone thirty yards, so settling him back in the Jaguar, got behind the wheel, skimmed past Tonabie’s group and drove away to the tables.

Mike and Archie grinned as they stood watching, because Frank Lewis was a law unto himself, not that anyone bothered to argue the point.

Parking the car, Frank gently settled Monty at one of the tables, and sitting down, watched Tonabie’s group walk over, their faces even less happy now.

‘Right then, Monty, be quick and tell me what you know.’

Monty coughed, his chest gurgling as he looked down exhausted to the table.

‘I’m sorry, old friend, but the gods have deserted us and Mount Olympus is no more. So all I can say, is prepare yourself for a rather large surprise.’

Tonabie’s group arrived, and without a word, he and the woman sat down at the table while the thin, hawkish man positioned himself to one side of the woman, and he seemed quite content to keep his hands in the pockets of his dark blue overcoat.

Tonabie stared hard at Frank for a moment, his eyes cold and shiny like a dead fish, but when he lifted his briefcase to the table he glanced nervously to the woman in grey, and taking out a file, let it slip while glancing to her again, his fingers twitching.

Frank flashed a questioning look to Monty, because this nervousness was a side to Tonabie he hadn’t seen before, and the more he watched him, the more it became obvious that he wasn’t just on edge with this woman, he was almost terrified.

So it begged the question, just who the hell was she?

Well she was obviously from the hierarchy, so something pretty damned important must have happened to make this city woman leave her executive office and travel way out here to sit down at a picnic table in the middle of nowhere, and as she began tapping her shiny manicured fingernails, more and more impatiently on the table, Frank found himself studying her even more closely.

He guessed her age to be early forties, and her body language suggested an attitude of intolerant aggression, but at the same time there was a certain self-possessed serenity, and although it could seem that her patience with Tonabie might explode at any moment, it could also appear that she was actually enjoying his discomfort.

It was strange, everything about her seemed to be in conflict with itself; it was as though she were two people at the same time and a contradiction of herself.

At first glance her hair seemed light auburn, but flecks of dark flame also caught the eye, and although she wore it demurely, the stepping waves of hair fell down almost sensually, and within this frame of ever changing colour was a face that could change with every trick of the light as it fell on delicately shaped contours of cheekbones, nose and chin, and this was made all the more fascinating by hypnotic eyes of deep liquid brown and an erotic mouth of full red lips.

He remembered that when she’d walked to the tables, she’d carried herself with such an indifferent confidence it was as if she’d found the whole affair to be an utter bore, and yet, at the same time she’d chosen to wear a figure hugging suit and cobalt-blue, high heeled shoes that displayed the curves of her shapely legs in a wanton vision of sexuality.

Tonabie sat up straight, and clearing his throat, shuffled his papers into order.

‘Mr Lewis, I see no point in stating the obvious, except to say your failure to attend yesterday, as ordered, shows a continuing trend of insolence and lack of respect I will not tolerate, if not to mention the acute and personal embarrassment it caused to myself in having to inform the Chiefs of Staff we were unable to proceed on time with the highly sensitive matter in hand.’

Frank stared back, and thought,
The bald, arrogant little fart hasn't changed at all.

‘Well, Mr Lewis? Have you nothing to say? No explanation? No apolo …’

The lady in grey had looked briefly into Frank’s eyes, and reaching over, placed her hand onto Tonabie’s file and silenced him.

‘Gentlemen. Time is of the essence. So shall we proceed?’

Tonabie sat red faced, his composure now scattered, ‘Yes, of course ma’am.’

‘Well for god’s sake get on with it.’

He flustered, his hands now shaking as he flicked through the pages of the file.

‘Now then, let me see …’

Selecting two forms, he checked them carefully and slid one back into the folder.

‘Here we are. Jolly good.’

He thrust the remaining form out towards Frank.

‘As you will see, Mr Lewis, as of this date you no longer work for Mount Olympus, therefore, please sign at the bottom.’

Frank looked at the form held out in Tonabie’s feminine hand, but ignored it.

‘Mr Lewis, may I remind you, your contract does not permit a choice.’

Frank sat for a moment, then took the form and signed where it said ‘Operative’.

‘Splendid, and now I require your Section ID card.’

He tossed it over, then Tonabie added his own signature and locked it in his case.

‘Phase one is now complete, ma’am. So you may proceed if you wish.’

The woman cast her gaze despairingly to the sky, ‘Very well. Goodbye’

Staring as if trying to understand, he suddenly burst into life like a clockwork toy.

‘Yes, of course, ma’am. So I shall wish you, au revoir.’

The lady in grey looked down to her fingernails, ‘I doubt it, Mr Tonabie.’

Tonabie walked away, his delicate hand flying up and down in a never ending dance as his ridiculous wig was lifted with every snatch of the breeze.

The lady in grey, watched, and with a long sigh, lifted her own case to the table. ‘Unfortunately, Mr Lewis, I’m afraid there’s yet another form for you to sign.’

She handed it out to him, ‘Place your signature at the bottom, if you please.’

Frank looked at the form, and knew what it would be, another EX 1.

The official secondment form that had taken him out of the Section and into the wastelands of Afghanistan, the same form that had taken Robin Sheverill out of the Section and on a one way trip down the Rhine.

Leaving her to hold the form out in mid-air, he wondered what level of authority she carried, and if he had to make a guess, she would be a senior management, projects designer from the CoS, Planning Office, but unlike Tonabie, she was holding the form perfectly still as she looked back from clear, calculating eyes.

‘Mr Lewis. I have to inform you, although I surmise it to be quite unnecessary, that just as that idiot Tonabie has said, the terms of your contract are non-negotiable, so you are therefore not permitted a choice in the matter of secondment. Unless of course you wish to resign, and take your chances ..?’

She spoke dispassionately, like a loaded gun, her words carrying their death sentence, and now this woman would lead him down an inescapable route, and most likely, straight into the murky world of Cardinal.

There was no choice, so he took the form, because just as Mount Olympus lay hidden under the cover of the NSA and therefore did not officially exist, neither did Cardinal.

And if people disappeared? Well ... they’d never existed anyway.

Frank half smiled as he looked at the form already completed, his life described, so all he had to do was add his signature.

Oh, it was true he could resign, take his chances and run for it, and as his escape route was already waiting in Ted’s attic it was a tempting thought, but as he could never leave Monty to the wolves, there was no choice, so he signed.

The lady in grey, smiled, and picking up the form, checked it over, and taking a brown envelope from her case, placed it down neatly in front of him.

Looking at it for a moment, he tore it open and found a new ID inside.

‘You now work for me, Mr Lewis, and I bid you welcome to Cardinal.’

6

The devious simplicity took him totally by surprise, because although it had been obvious she was a powerful woman, he could never have imagined, or even guessed she was who she really was. Cardinal, herself.

So this was how it was done.

And resign now? Now he knew who she was, and what she was? No, the trap was sealed.

Glancing to the thin, hawkish man, he thought it was much too nice a day to make holes in a long blue overcoat.

Mike Frederick walked up to the car, but not once did he glance in their direction, instead, he just got in and drove back to the tree lined avenue, and when Archie O'Neal drove away with Tonabie, Frank Lewis felt as though he’d been separated from the world.

The woman in grey sat quietly for a moment, her fingernails rapping on the table.

‘Gentlemen, for the sake of normality, you may call me Angela.’

She turned to the thin man, ‘Weapons please, Edward.’

He blinked, and taking his hands out of the overcoat pockets, Frank saw a Browning and a Walthar, both in sealed plastic bags.

She glanced casually to Lewis, ‘Do you have a preference?’

He looked back into her deep brown eyes, ‘I have my own.’

She regarded him carefully, ‘But these are non-traceable.’

‘Neither is mine.’

The lady in grey, thought for a moment, ‘And what, exactly, would that be?’

‘Exactly? Well she’s a World War 1, trench pistol, a Webley & Scott .32 automatic, non-traceable.’

The woman raised her eyebrows, ‘But isn’t that, rather ancient?’

He shrugged, ‘I guess so, but she doesn’t jam and she’s good for house clearance, and I don’t ask anymore from a pistol than that.’

She became thoughtful, ‘All right then. Agreed.’

The thin man blinked and put the guns away, but Angela was studying Frank carefully.

‘Mr Lewis, your colleague, Mr Montague, was briefed yesterday in your absence, so as there is little reason to keep him here, I would like his medical condition to be evaluated at my own clinic, and by my own physicians, but you may rest assured you will see him again tomorrow when you start work, so is that acceptable?’

Frank looked round to Monty, ‘Is that okay with you?’

Monty was sweating as he wearily wiped a handkerchief across his brow.

‘Yes, I’d rather like that - Tonabie left my medication at the clinic.’

He began to pull himself up, but she waved him down and turned to the thin man.

‘Edward, bring the car over for Mr Montague.’

The car was brought over to the tables, and while Frank carefully settled Monty inside, the thin man called two men over from the bushes, and as they all got in and drove away, Frank gave Monty a wink of encouragement and a long staring goodbye.

Angela watched the scene, ‘Don’t worry, he’s in good hands, he’ll be quite safe.’

Frank sat down. ‘So who are the men, yours?’

‘No. When I need manpower I borrow them from SO19. So I think you’ll agree he’ll be perfectly safe.’

Frank lit a cigarette, ‘Yeah, okay. So what happens now?’

‘First things first, Mr Lewis. So why, exactly, did you fail to arrive yesterday?’

Seeing the bright questioning sparkle in her eyes, he knew there was no point in lying, this lady was far too clever for that.

‘My car’s being rebuilt, I wanted to see if it was ready.’

‘And was it?’

‘No.’

Pushing his cigarette packet around with her fingertips, she looked up sharply.

‘That wouldn’t have taken all day, and all night.’

Frank felt the tentacles of interrogation coming and knew the only safe territory was around the edges of a true story.

‘I’ve been away for a while, I was in need of a woman.’

Sitting quietly in thought for a moment, she swept her brooding gaze up to him.

‘That would seem reasonable, and I understand the Section has a lady counsellor to cater for such needs. So was it her you went to?’

‘Yes.’

‘I see. And I suppose it’s a good system really, from a security point of view.’

But she seemed annoyed and began drumming her fingertips, heavily on the table.

‘Mr Lewis, I must confess this particular requirement of yours hadn’t exactly occurred to me, and unfortunately I can’t offer you the same facility, so if this is going to cause me problems, I would prefer to hear about it now. Do you understand?’

The sudden power of her voice took his thoughts straight back to the Boy’s House.

‘Well, Mr Lewis, are your carnal desires going to cause me problems?’

He looked away from the aggression in her eyes, ‘Don’t worry, it won’t be a problem.’

She stared at him, ‘It’s a pity I need you. Men are usually nothing but trouble.’

Rosemary was busy gardening, when over the hedge she heard the postman talking to a posh sounding man, but she thought nothing of it.

She was thinking of Sally and the older man who had gone inside with her, and it was a worry as he wasn’t on the official list.

But they’d seemed friendly enough together, so maybe he was family, her father perhaps, or even a private client.

Naughty girl, now that would be breaking the rules.

Standing in the doorway, Ted made his reluctant goodbyes as Sally reached up and kissed him while straightening his tie.

‘Well, Mr Willis, that was interesting, in fact I wasn’t quite sure which way to turn next.’

He looked down, embarrassed, ‘Sorry about that, it’s been a long time.’

She smiled saucily, ‘Well you certainly made up for it, and I did say we could play, so I suppose I got what I asked for, didn’t I.’

Sitting quietly under the Lilac tree, Rosemary watched Sally with the older man, their body language telling her that Sally had probably been a naughty girl again.

Driving away, Ted smiled and waved goodbye to Sally, and he didn’t notice the young blond talking to the milkman across the road in a bushy driveway.

‘Yes mate, now you come to mention it, I did see a big fella, like what you said, ‘cos his bloody mini-cab blocked half the road while he chatted to that other fella. They were at that house over there, it’s two flats, with a crazy old bat downstairs and a really tasty woman in the flat above.’

The young blond twitched as he thought of the big man, flowers, and now a woman.

It all fitted together, he was almost there at last, and although it was probably far too late for GCHQ, he might still get his real name from that damned woman, and with any luck, the bastard’s address as well.

Walking quickly across the road, a sheen of hot sweat appeared on his face, his heart thumping like a trip hammer.

There still might be enough time, enough time to save him from the assassin.

Looking up from tidying the border, Rosemary saw yet another visitor who’s face wasn’t on the official list, and lines of worry formed on her brow as she watched the blond man hurrying up the drive.

If Sally had started a private business it would make her job of security officer just about impossible.

She would have to speak to that young lady, which would be a shame after all this time, and with her cover blown, their friendship could never be the same again, and their cosy little world would be exposed for what it really was, Sally, the government slut, and Rosemary, the tired old madam of the whore house.

It was an ugly thought, but she could see no other way, and just hoped Sally could keep her mouth shut, if nothing else.

Walking round to the main door, she was just in time to see the blond man hurrying up the stairs, and knew this breach of security ought to be reported, but, oh dear, Sally was such a kind, sweet young thing.

Later, she thought she heard angry voices, and straining to listen, heard the sounds of breaking china, and then came the heavy thud of crashing furniture.

She flashed a glance to the bureau, but there just wasn’t time, so grasping the handle of a fireside poker, began climbing the stairs to the second floor landing, and then a scream came through Sally’s open door, followed by a man’s vicious and ugly words.

‘I want his name and address, so tell me, you fucking cow, or I’ll break you in two.’

Rosemary rushed across the landing, but stepping through the open doorway, faltered as her eyes were suddenly filled with horror.

Sally’s beautiful face was now swollen and hideously bloodied, the violent smashing of bare knuckles had closed one eye and torn her cheek while her broken teeth stood out through her lips as torrents of blood ran from her broken nose, and as Rosemary stared in disbelief, Sally’s good eye bulged in fear as a strong hand gripped and crushed her throat.

‘Tell me his fucking name. Say it, you miserable bitch.’

Rosemary lunged forward, her nostrils full with the stench of fresh blood, but her fear was merging with anger, and as the blond bent Sally over backwards, Rosemary’s ears became dull with the terrifying sound of blood gurgling in Sally’s throat.

The blond raised his fist again, but Rosemary was rushing towards him, and was barely five paces away, when from the corner of his eye, he saw her.

He froze, his fist held in mid-air while the look from his mad eyes caught fire, his lips parting in a snarl of bared white teeth while a howl of frustration erupted from his throat, and cursing, punched Sally full on the jaw and threw her away like a rag doll, and even as she tumbled to the floor, he turned to face Rosemary.

She stopped, and bringing up the long poker, swung it in a slicing arc to his head, but in one movement he caught her wrist and felled her with a punch to her left eye. Dropping down, he knelt astride her body and took her neck in his strong hands, and while his thumbs began to strangle, his wild, blood splattered grin became frozen.

Rosemary held her breath, and sliding her hand into the pocket of her apron, drew out the switch blade knife, and pressing the button, felt the razor sharp, six inch blade snap firmly into place, and slicing up between his legs, the blade ripped into his groin, sliced through the pouch of his testicles and slashed along the length of his penis.

The blond’s trousers filled with blood, his mouth gaping, agony blazing in his eyes.

Rosemary felt his grip loosen and fall away from her throat, and pushing his hands away, stared into his face as she sent the long blade stabbing deep into his chest.

She struck him three times, and when she found his heart, watched his jaw drop, and he made not the softest whisper as he fell stone dead on top of her.

Heaving him away, she crawled over and eased Sally into the recovery position, and leaving her, made her way down the stairs to unlock the bureau. Taking the phone, she tapped in the number, and asked for the duty officer.

As Frank watched, the lady in grey once again carefully read through her files, and it seemed as if she were uncertain of something, and trying to come to a decision.

It reminded him of a pre-ops briefing with Tonabie, where he would scan through every item on the job requirement form in case he gave too much away, and to him, the games were almost too secret to be discussed with anyone.

It was pathetic, and probably the main reason why they’d wanted him out of MI5.

He had taken the games to a ridiculous level, and just when everyone had enough, Edward Rheinhard, the Director of Operations, NSA, Executive Section, had been killed in a horse riding accident, and seeing their chance to finally get rid of the useless Tonabie, had persuaded the ring master to promote him and put him in charge of the Section.

The grey lady carefully studied a large red file, over and over again.

‘Mr Lewis, I can only tell you just so much about this operation, which I know will make things difficult, but as I explained to Mr Montague, the situation we have is of a highly sensitive nature and I cannot over stress that fact, do you understand?’

Frank wondered if old Monty had understood when they’d dragged him out of hospital, and had Sheverill understood when he found himself floating down the Rhine with an ice pick in his brain, and did anyone care? Did they bollocks.

‘Yeah, I understand. So just get on with it.’

She stared at him, her eyes suddenly cold. ‘What did you say?’

‘You heard.’

She pursed her lips, ‘I am not accustomed to being spoken to like that, but I suppose it could be argued, your insolent and blatant contempt for authority is one of the reasons you’re here.’

He lit another cigarette, ‘I am, as I am, but you already know that.’

‘Indeed. And you smoke too much.’

Frank smiled cynically as he slowly turned the Zippo around in his fingers.

‘And you, I suppose, are having a day off from the convent.’

She stared back to him, ‘Mr Lewis, I didn’t say I was without certain vices.’

‘True, but some like to lecture while including themselves out.’