The de Vere Deception (David Thorne Mysteries Book 1) (32 page)

            Linsdame ignored the ruse and sat down. “You know who I am, but I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care. Let’s keep this short, I’m busy.”

            “Of course, Mr. Linsdame, you and I share the same goal. Fortunately, I’m not involved to the point where I could be suspect of having an interest in having the documents suppressed. Neither of us want the de Vere documents found—or analyzed—if for different reasons. Now  that they have been discovered, they’ll only add fuel to the controversy, whatever they disclose. Your motives are obvious. The discovery—if proven to be authentic—will draw visitors away from town, and your side of the river and . . .”

            Linsdame shifted in his chair and said gruffly, “Don’t tell me what my interests are. Let’s move along. You have your reasons—it’s not necessary to discuss mine.” He became impatient, “So, what’s your point—and your reasons?”

            “My point is this. I think both of us would like to affect the outcome and see the documents—or at least some of the documents, those that apply to de Vere—disappear before they can fully be authenticated. If we could acquire them, we both would like to see them destroyed. Correct?”

            “And . . .?”

            “Our problem is Thorne. As you know, he was rehired by Bada to head up the search. He’s a smart, thorough, and qualified man.”

            After a thoughtful pause, Linsdame asked, “What do you propose?”

            “I’ve checked on your background, Mr. Linsdame,” he said from behind the handkerchief, “I think we both know you have never hesitated to act and do things when you felt your interests were threatened. For example, the disappearance a few years back of the CEO of the company that had planned a major project in Stratford. Also the fatal injury of . . .”

            Linsdame leaned forward. “What are you trying to do, blackmail me?” There was menace in his voice. “I can tell you it’s been tried before and has proved disastrous for the blackmailer. Follow?”

            “It’s not necessary to threaten me, Mr. Linsdame. I have as much interest in squashing this as you do. We need for Thorne to go away permanently, or . . .”

            “You want me to kill Thorne? Do you take me for a fool?”

            “No, I meant find someone qualified to do it. The most desirable result would have been the documents never being discovered. However, they have, so the next most desirable result is that we have to assure their destruction. We need Thorne to furnish us with the documents
, then
have him
and
the documents go away. After your designee takes care of Thorne, my man will take charge of specific documents and deliver them to me, where I’ll dispose of them. I assure you, I never want them to see the light of day. I’ve said nothing about you
personally
removing Thorne. So . . .” He reached into his bulky overcoat and took out five bundles of one-hundred pound notes.

            “I’ll participate in our project. That is, I’ll furnish the funds. I have limited connections for this sort of thing. I’ll compensate my man separately. I don’t think he has the experience to complete the—the elimination of Thorne. I’m sure you can find a professional from the continent, or the U.S.—a man more qualified who could assist in performing the service on short notice.”

            Linsdame looked at the four sheaves of notes. “That looks like a lot of money. Maybe twenty-thousand Pounds.”

            “Twenty-five thousand to be exact. That should buy sufficient services from your end. As I’ve said, I have my own man and I’ll compensate him separately as it’s a two-man job.”

            Linsdame asked, “How do I know your man is qualified for this type of work? I would only use a professional from my end.”

            “I’ve used my man for this type of work before. He’s well-qualified for a lot of things, but I would prefer your specialist be in charge of this event.”

            Linsdame arose and pushed away the untouched beer. “Just make sure he understands this is important. It has to be a precision operations—no loose ends. I want my man to direct all the procedures.” He picked up the money. “Don’t have any of your people contact me again. This will be our first, last and only meeting. From here on out we let our respective people handle the job.”

            Linsdame took out a ballpoint pen and reached for a paper napkin. “Have your man stay at the Briarwood Inn in Bridgetown under the name Carson and wait for my man Brent to call him. When your man speaks with Brent, he’s to give him this identification number for confirmation. This is the number they’ll both use for communication.”

            Linsdame scribbled a six-digit number on the napkin. “My man Brent will run the operation. Make sure your man understands this. We also need your man to find a safe house in Bridgetown—not Stratford—where both our men can stay until the job’s finished. Brent will have his own car.”

            He leaned over the table. “None of this gets out—not to anyone. This meeting never took place. Follow? Just remember what happened to that CEO who disappeared.”

            He went through the door and closed it quietly behind him..

Chapter 79

Linsdame returned to his office in Stratford and sat behind his desk. He called his secretary in and said, “I’m not to be disturbed—not by anybody—understand?”

            His secretary nodded and closed his office door.

            He took a cell phone from a locked drawer in his desk and dialed a number in Copenhagen.

            A voice with a Scandinavian accent answered. “Good afternoon, Steenberg Financial, Mr. Steenberg speaking,”

            “This is your client, Newcastle 6265.”

            There was a pause as a keyboard clicked away over the line. “Ah, yes. What can I help you with, Sir.”

            Linsdame said, “I need full service on a matter.”

            “Location? Time? Duration?”

            “England. Stratford-upon-Avon. Tomorrow or the next day. It’s a rush job. The job must be finished in two days or less. Your man will have assistance.”

            “Contact?”

            Linsdame read off the phone number of the Briarwood Inn in Bridgetown and the confirmation code number he’d given to the man at the R and G. “Your man should identify himself as Brent to my man we will call Carson here in Stratford.“

            “Is your man in Stratford a professional? My man would not want to work with a non-professional.”

            “My man is a professional—at certain things.  However, your man Brent is to run the operation. He’s to choose the time, location and method of elimination. My man on this end will provide a safe house, and only assist your man as needed. The safe house will be located nearby and both men should stay there. We don’t want anyone staying in a hotel after my man leaves the Briarwood, and they are not to have a presence in Stratford, so the safe house will be in Bridgetown.”

            “Good.”

            “It needs to look like an accident—maybe drugs.”

            “Of course. Will you be able to provide my man with the necessary equipment?”

            Linsdame said, “No. He will have to furnish his own equipment.”

            “That should not be a problem.”

            Linsdame cleared his throat. “Before we proceed, I think I need to tell you it’s a multiple.”

            “Hmm, it sounds a little out of the ordinary, but I am sure my man can handle it. How many? Can you give me more information?”

            “Total of three targets. Here’s the way it should go. Brent will contact Carson and get the pertinent information. Both will contact Target One—a man in Stratford—an architect named David Thorne—and get materials from him, then eliminate him.

            “Carson will take possession of a stack of the materials and deliver them to Target Two. Brent is to shadow Carson and eliminate Target Two—and then Carson, too.”

            Steenberg said, “Excuse me, did you say Brent is to eliminate your man after Target Two is eliminated? That is a bit unusual, but it can be done.”

            Linsdame said, “Brent will take possession of the material, put it in a British Airways flight bag and place it in a locker at Gatwick Airport in London. He’ll give the locker key to you. After you confirm you have received the balance of the fee in your Zurich account, you’ll send the key to me. Send it to me by registered mail to the box we’ve used in the past in Newcastle. At that point you’re out of it.”

            Steenberg was quiet as he digested the information. He put his pen down and said, “Just to ask, do you really think one man from me is enough to satisfy the entire contract? Since there are three targets.”

            “No, I only want one man, and he needs to be your top man. I’ll pay you, as I have in the past, and you in turn will pay your man. I have your account number, and I’ll make the transfer to your account in Zurich, the same as before.”

            Steenberg said, “Yes, that will do just fine. The job is out of the ordinary, three targets on one assignment. The fee will be fifty-thousand Euros. I recall you prefer to work in Euros instead of pounds. One half deposited in the account in Zurich within twenty four hours, same as before.”

            “Mr. Steenberg, you’ve always provided me with top men in the past. I expect this to be the same.”

            “Yes, it will—and thank you, Sir. It’s always a pleasure to do business with you.”

Chapter 80

The small non-descript, middle-aged man in a gray suit and black raincoat bypassed the baggage carousel on his way to the Gatwick Airport rental car counter. The rimless glasses and a small carry-on bag, identified him as just another traveling businessman.

            Inside the car, he adjusted his glasses, ran a small soft hand through his short blonde hair, and dialed his cell phone. “I understand a Mr. Steenberg from Copenhagen has ordered a piece of equipment for me—a Walther with a suppressor and clips. The name’s Brent. Please give me directions from the airport to your place. I should be there shortly. I would also appreciate directions to Stratford-upon-Avon.”

The cell phone rang. Kelly wiped wisps of the shaving cream from his chin, and flipped it open. “Hello.”

            The voice on the other end had an undistinguishable accent. It could have been British, American or Canadian. “Hello, this is Brent, is this Mr. Carson?”

            Kelly said, “Yes, I was told to expect your call. Do you have anything for me?”

            Brent recited the confirmation number and said, “Where can we meet and discuss our plans?”

            Kelly said, “There’s a place called the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Inn on the road from London to Stratford. After you pass it, the next street on your right will take you into a parking lot. To the rear of the lot is Winnie’s Restaurant and Bar. It’s small and quieter there. I’ll be in a booth away from the bar, and I’m wearing a white golf hat and a dark blue windbreaker.”

            “I’ll be wearing a black raincoat, and I have short blonde hair. I’ve left London and should be there in about an hour. I understand our job needs to be done in a timely manner, so I’d like you to have the information ready for me.”

Inside the bar, the sullen barmaid brought the two men their drinks, and Brent paid the check, casually waving off the change. In a voice implying command, he said, “Now, you understand, don’t you, I’m to call all the shots in this matter?”

            The big man looked at the unimpressive little man across from him and chuckled. “Yes, that’s what I’ve been told.”

            “All right, now that we have that straight, tell me what the situation is.”

            For the next half hour, Kelly repeated the information given him by his boss. “I have been directed to secure a safe house a mile or so off the main road for us to operate out of. I’ve been very cautious about giving any information about my interest in the short rental time.”

            Brent ignored Kelly’s self-congratulation. “As long as we have a safe house. That’s the main thing. In the meantime, we have to move quickly. The first thing we need to do is snatch this woman, Gweneth Bada, and secure her at the safe house. What’s the story on her?”

            “She’s blind and in a wheelchair. It shouldn’t be that difficult. The only problem is going to be her guardians. She’s got a personal nurse and a big bodyguard. He’s always close by.”

            Brent was writing down notes. “We need to get used coveralls and pose as workmen—plumbers or gardeners or such. A needle should put both of them out of commission while we make the snatch. Are you familiar with the manor house?”

            “Yes. I went up there yesterday in coveralls to check the gas meter. I thought you might want . . .”

            “Good. We’ll go back under the same guise today.”

            Kelly asked, “Once we’ve got the woman, what then?”

            “Then we’ll call Thorne and notify him of the situation. He does what we say or the woman’s history. He’ll have to furnish us with badges and take us in with him to get the materials from the castle. After we leave the castle, we’ll take him to a remote location and get rid of him. Then you can deliver the materials to your boss and I’m out of it.”

            Kelly grinned. “You’ve thought it all out, haven’t you?”

            “It’s what I do.”

Chapter 81

Brent and Kelly drove their van around to the tradesman’s entrance of the manor house and rang the bell. A woman looked out the window before opening it. “What is it you want? Wasn’t you here yesterday to look at the gas meter?”

            Brent said, “Yes, ma’am. My man here said it was acting up, and I just wanted to have a look at it myself.”

            “Oh, all right. Come on in, but wipe your boots first.”