Accountancy Can Be Deadly Part 8

First posted here in 2014, this story had only been available on Kindle since 2017.

 
Debrief
 

Gail was alone in the pool the following morning, but decided against using the jacuzzi. She was back in her room for her shower when she realised this was the first morning she'd not seen nor spoken to anyone since she'd woken.

At breakfast she only saw Jenny, neither Anna or Helen were anywhere to be seen. Unusually Jenny wasn't talkative, Gail sensed something was wrong but couldn't identify it. She grabbed Saturday's paper and hauled it down to the conservatory.

There was a light mist but the morning had the hallmarks of becoming a decent summer's day. Gail settled down for a read, It was half past nine when the first signs of trouble appeared, in the form of Helen.

"That was hard work." She slumped into a chair.

"What was?"

"Debrief, because of our trip to Kew Gardens."

"Oh."

"Yes. Anna's still in there, with Emily Keane and her DI. I've been warned not to do that again, presumably Anna will be as well. If he had the authority I think the DI would remove Anna and me from the job."

"Whatever for? No-one could have predicted a bag snatcher."

"Indeed, but he was able to get very close to you and that is one of the problems. The other issue is that I identified myself as a Met Officer and now park security have been in touch through Richmond Police Station."

"Why?"

"The bag snatcher is known and they want a statement, from you and myself. Plainly Emily is not keen."

"I see. Does this mean I won't be leaving these walls again?"

"Not at all, but more stage management next time, whenever that is?"

"Oh bugger, I can see that shopping experience disappearing into the mist," she waved towards the garden.

"Don't pin your hopes on it happening in the near future, Gail."

Gail felt uncomfortable, yesterday's excursion into the outside world was her first taste of freedom for almost two weeks, indeed it was exactly a fortnight ago when she had found raiders in her office and the burnt remains of her home. It wasn't that she considered herself to be a prisoner, but neither was she free to walk out of the gates nor to contact anyone outside of a restricted list, in both meanings.

She then decided to look at the issue from the other side. There had been three, at least, attempts on her life in the past two weeks so without this protection she would most likely be dead. Her knowledge and skills were helping solve a complex picture of drug supply and arms smuggling involving known German terrorists. Very sobering indeed. Gail sighed, she was having difficulty reconciling the two positions.

She tried to read some more of the paper but she'd reached a page listing the weekend's festivals, none of which she could attend. The paper landed on the floor, not by accident.

Anna arrived at the conservatory doorway but decided not to add her gloom to the proceedings and headed back into the house. Gail was surprised when Jenny asked her to go to the library.

"Why?"

"Debrief, your turn."

"Me?"

"Yes, everyone is being interviewed."

Gail's day was not improving as she opened the library door. Inside were Detective Sergeant Emily Keane and a man whom Gail had never met.

"Come in Gail, take a seat. This is DI Reynolds, my superior."

"Good morning DI Reynolds," Gail tried to sound convincing, despite her reluctance.

"I'm pleased to meet you at last Miss Jones," the DI was also unconvincing.

Over the space of the next hour, Emily took Gail repeatedly through the events of the previous day, starting in the swimming pool when the excursion was initially planned. It was clear that procedures hadn't been followed but Gail was getting a different message. Emily, every time she was pushing Gail for an answer, was catching the eye of her DI, it looked as if the DI was running this show but wanted Emily to squirm. Gail finally had enough, and interrupted Emily.

"I'm sorry Emily but I need to say something. DI Reynolds, I don't know who you're trying to blame here, but as far as I'm concerned you have no respect for this operation. The first time you speak to me is when you're looking for a scape-coat. I've had enough of it. I am employed by the security service and I don't answer to you."

"You ungrateful pervert."

Emily looked at Gail and told her to get out of the room. Gail fled, in tears.

She burst out of the conservatory, not even certain if anyone had been sat there, and headed down the garden towards the summerhouse. Helen was sat on the veranda.

"The little prick!"

"Slow down Gail, who and what has happened?"

Gail repeated what she'd just experienced and her analysis of DI Reynolds. Then she recalled a comment Emily had made some twelve days earlier.

“I'm the case officer but I report to my DI and he's signing off everything. I can't say he was too understanding about you as Gail when we showed him a photo of you. That prompted him to call in the shrink."

Gail repeated this to Helen. "That explains a few things."

"Does the DI know where we are, the building I mean?"

"No, although Emily is cleared."

"Could he insist that I went with him? I feel he's going to try and remove me from here."

"Only if it was because of a criminal investigation, even then he doesn't have the final say. Why do you ask?"

"I have a horrible feeling about him, as if he was just looking for an excuse to have a go at me, at us."

Helen spoke, but not to Gail. "Anna, if you are listening, could you get down here - we need your input."

To Gail, "let's have some ice cream, I think there's a few in the icebox of the fridge." She returned with three as Anna was walking down the path.

They concentrated on their ices for a minute before Anna spoke, "we have a problem."

"Obviously!" Said Gail and Helen together.

"No, we have another problem, DI Reynolds wasn't brought here in one of the security vans but in a car. It doesn't have a GPS jammer fitted and I think I saw him on CCTV checking his phone. He was getting frustrated as it wouldn't send a message, obviously he hasn't been briefed about our security devices."

"Need to know?" Asked Gail.

"Exactly," said Helen, "he may be in charge of this Met Police anti-terrorist investigation and will receive intelligence from the security service but that does not allow him access to security service premises or files except where there is a well defined need to know."

"So what do we do?"

"We have to tell Jenny."

"What can she do?"

"Plenty."

Helen was elected to go to Jenny, Gail assumed there was an urgency as the DI could ask to leave.

"Oh, he could ask but I suggested the driver took a meal break. That gives us half an hour." Anna was smirking as she said this.

They sat there for a few minutes longer before Helen was seen walking back out, enjoying the sunshine.

"We have a plan."

That was it, the fewer that knew the plan, the better. The three sat there for almost an hour before walking back to the house so they couldn't be implicated. Lunch followed, but there was no sign of the housekeeper.

***

Jenny walked to the conservatory doorway mid afternoon looking pleased. "Ah Gail, I believe we've solved a problem." She turned and walked back into the house.

Some time later Helen arrived with a huge smile on her face.

"What's up?"

"We thought DI Reynolds was going back to central London, but his driver told us he was to take the DI to Chelmsford."

"Chelmsford?"

"The HQ of Essex Police is in Chelmsford."

"Oh."

"So she asked if he could drop her at Enfield, which wouldn't be too far out of the way. She then took two portable jammers in her bag and watched while he tried to get the information out of his phone. Apparently he become quite irate. Jenny said she could fix his phone and convinced him to hand it over but confiscated the phone instead. When the car pulled up in Enfield, instead of the railway station they were at Enfield police station, Jenny had arranged to have the DI arrested for a breach of the Official Secrets Act."

"Sweet. What's the Essex connection then?"

"His step-brother is a Detective Inspector in Essex Special Branch, who are still actively looking for you."

"No German connection then?"

"None that we've found so far. But there's some worrying news, on his phone were several photos of you taken here today."

"Great."

"Look, we've got the phone and we don't expect that he would have been able to send the photos anywhere. There are two major issues here, firstly that he was going to supply the location of this house, and you, to a third party plus his obvious personal dislike of you."

"What's next?"

"We need to make sure all vehicles have jammers fitted. In the meantime I need to find Emily and brief her, especially as we've just had her boss nicked."

 
Acting Up
 

After the hassle on Saturday, the fallout from the Detective Inspector's arrest had been measured. His Essex-based step-brother had been temporarily relieved of command too, although it was unclear which of them was the driving force or if a third party was actively involved.

Gail decided that a low profile was needed, after catching up with Helen and Anna in the pool, so she slipped down to the summerhouse veranda with her Sunday paper and a coffee; there was a rumour that the ice creams had been restocked, almond and pistachio apparently.

The sun broke through early in the morning and by ten o'clock it was very warm. It had taken a few days for Gail to realise that the photo-chromic layer on her glasses really did work, the change was barely susceptible to the wearer. She also found herself continually touching the glasses to make sure she was wearing them.

As far as she knew, the day was free, but that word had a strange meaning within this cocoon. Having said that, if a senior police officer in the anti-terrorist team can seemingly go freelance, then who could she trust? Walking towards her was Emily Keane.

"Fancy an ice cream?"

"I'd heard a snippet there was a secret stock down here."

"Lies, all lies! I'll deny everything!" Gail used a false Italian accent, badly, but Emily laughed regardless. Gail went into the summerhouse and retrieved two ices.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, Gail, I was under orders to conduct the interviews but it was on his terms."

"I guessed that you weren't comfortable."

"I wasn't."

"What will you do now?"

"I have to go back to New Scotland Yard this morning to see one of the Assistant Commissioners, can't say I'm looking forward to that, but it's not optional."

"Well good luck, anyway, do you know what they're going to say?"

"It could go either way, most likely is a full investigation. I could even be suspended."

"Is that likely?"

"Again, I don't know. I just have to accept my fate, although if it's bad then the Federation will become involved."

"Federation?"

"The Police Federation is a staff union for police officers."

"Okay, so you wouldn't have to deal with anything on your own?"

"That's the idea. I have to go, I'll try to let you know later what happened."

"Thanks."

Emily finished her ice cream and walked slowly back to the house, to Gail it was hard seeing the pressure that was on Emily, but as a serving police officer she knew the rules. Gail tried to read her paper but couldn't concentrate. She closed her eyes and dropped off to sleep.

The sound of a phone ringing woke her. "Hello?"

"Ah, Gail, found you. Lunch will be served shortly."

"Thanks Jenny."

Gail gathered herself and headed across the garden then up to her room. She had a wee and a wash then remembered that she hadn't taken her pills that morning, she wouldn't want to get pregnant accidentally, would she? She was also running out of the iron tablets she'd been taking for most of the past fortnight.

She was alone for lunch, it seemed that everyone else had left the house. This reinforced her view that she was a form of prisoner here, even if it was in her best interests, apparently.

After lunch she decided to head into the library to spend an hour on the accounts. She first checked her emails, there was a new one from Dave Brown.

 

To: Abigail Adams
From: Dave Brown
Subject: Tour
 
Hi Gail
 
Thanks for everything so far, there are some very interesting leads affecting investigations in the UK and Germany. Our sister agency in Germany, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) have asked if they could speak to you. If you're willing we could combine a tour of Thames House with the meeting. They'll be over on Wednesday so could you let me know asap.
 
Regards
Dave

 

Gail hit reply and quickly typed an acceptance, with the caveat that she'd need to make sure her minders wouldn't object. She then started on the 2009/2010 accounts, making notes as she went. By four o'clock she'd finished that tax year and was now seeing a definite pattern. She opened a new email.

 

To: Dave Brown
From: Abigail Adams
Subject: Black hole
 
Dave
 
As I mentioned previously, I have long suspected there was a tax avoidance scheme running across the accounts. Within one year it might be mistaken for a regular set of transactions but there's a pattern emerging across multiple years. What I've seen is payments for goods with a refund several days later. I don't believe any goods were actually shipped so this is a cover for moving funds, as the refund is always 80% of the original sum. The goods themselves vary, as does the amount. The paperwork specifies different addresses and business names, but one occurred several times, Iranischen Zentrums für Kulturaustausch (Iranian Centre for Cultural Exchange), in Düsseldorf.
 
The account number changed only once, I'll attach a sample of the documents but the total funds effectively transferred run to over £500,000 annually.
 
Regards
Gail

 

Satisfied with her afternoon's work she shut down the laptop and walked towards the stairs. Jenny caught her just before she could head for her room.

"Gail, I'm working on this week's appointments and meetings, is there anything specific you'd like to do? Within reason of course!"

"I've had an invite to Thames House on Wednesday so that's one thing and I could do with a visit from a hair stylist, plus a waxing is needed."

"I'll arrange transport for Wednesday, presumably I'll receive a formal request tomorrow. As for the other bits, leave that with me and Helen to sort out. Anything else?"

"I'd still like a trip to Brent Cross or another shopping centre."

"I'll take that one under advisement! Oh, dinner's at six."

Jenny turned to head off so Gail took this as a cue that she could continue up to her new room, remembering to turn the correct way at the top of the stairs.

As she had two hours to kill she figured using the fitness suite was an idea, She changed into her leotard but left the tights off because of the warmth of the day. She put some sweats on over the leotard and headed back downstairs.

She was alone in the suite with every machine at her disposal but chose the running machine, she could do with getting into shape! One thing Gail noticed was that several of the machines had been moved towards the walls and an area, approximately 10mx10m, had been created. A pile of exercise mats sat in the space.

She shed her sweats and climbed on, starting at a sedate walk and slowly building it up to five miles per hour, holding that for twenty minutes.

Sweat was pouring off her as she stopped and she kicked herself for forgetting to take a towel. She gathered up her sweats and carried them back to her room, using the jacket to mop her brow. Once there she filled the bath and slid in, enabling the water jets. She didn't want to get out but dinner was fast approaching. She quickly washed her hair in the shower and dressed simply, in a frock she couldn't remember ordering. Maybe it was one of Helen's little extras.

Given that she'd seen very few people during the day, she was a little surprised to find Emily back, along with Helen and Anna. Anna, it turned out, had requested a day off to do some shopping of her own and Helen had gone to her own office in Stoke Newington to catch up with some work.

Emily was the one person Gail had feared would not return. "How did it go?" she asked hesitantly.

"Not as bad as I thought, the Assistant Commissioner wanted my opinion on the Kew Gardens incident but agreed, apart from some procedural issues, nothing could have been done to prevent a determined bag snatcher. He'll deal with the Kew security office by paying them a visit, he's a keen amateur botanist as it happens."

"So was that it?"

"Not quite, whilst the DI is suspended, pending dismissal it would seem, I've been given the acting role."

"Acting? As on a stage?" Gail was now confused.

"No, I'm now the Acting Detective Inspector responsible for this terrorism investigation."

"That's great news."

"Unfortunately that means I'll have plenty of work back at New Scotland Yard so my visits here won't be as often. I'm back here tonight as we need to give you a briefing in the morning and I don't fancy the Monday morning traffic."

"You can't do the briefing tonight?"

"No, I'm shattered and there's no immediate urgency."

Dinner was served and chatter reduced to a minimum as the traditional Sunday roast was devoured.

After dinner Gail went first to her room to freshen then for a walk down the length of the garden, perhaps she'd eaten more than was good for her? There was a little walled area on the far corner that she'd initially thought was a part of the boundary wall but where a tree had been lopped she could now see a small gate.

Inside the enclosed space were flower beds, a herb garden and a vegetable path but set in the centre was an open space, currently occupied by Anna. Her nurse and close protection officer was going through a range of exercises that looked like a martial art, Gail waited until she'd completed the latest sequence of movements before speaking.

"Anna, that looked interesting?"

"It's Tai Chi, I'm using it help me concentrate, that guy shouldn't have got so close to you on Friday and it's my fault."

"Don't beat yourself up Anna, it could happen to all of us?"

"It mustn't happen to me again, or I'm out of the business. That's why I'm doing the exercises."

"Is it self-defence too?"

"No, for that I use a form of Taekwondo. I'd be happy to teach you some defensive moves."

"Here?" Gail waved around the garden.

"No in the fitness suite, I've arranged for some exercise mats to be delivered."

"I saw them earlier."

"How about we have a taster session tomorrow, but have a very light breakfast!"

"Fine. What do I wear?"

"Leotard and tights, or sweats, will do for now, but we'll get you a dobok if you want to continue the training."

Gail wished Anna a good evening and walked back to the house. She'd never thought about self defence before but perhaps it would be sensible now. She did wonder, however, what was a dobok?

 
Salt
 

Monday morning found Gail and Anna in the fitness suite on the exercise mats that had now been laid out. Despite the relatively soft landing, Gail wasn't convinced this was a good idea.

"The first thing we need to cover is how to fall."

"Fall?"

"Yes, how to fall safely so you can be up straight away. You can use a fall to gain the upper hand. Let me show you."

They spent half an hour doing exercises before Gail called a halt, she was panting badly.

"Same again tomorrow morning then?"

"I'll think about it!"

She reached the stairs to head up to her room when she realised that the muscles in her legs were aching badly. She pulled herself up to her room using the hand rail, finally reaching her bathroom. She was aching even more after that climb, even taking off her exercise wear was difficult as she couldn't stretch legs nor arms. She dragged herself into the shower.

Gail was more relaxed when she left her bathroom and decided on a long linen skirt to hide any bruises that might be forming; Lisa found her in the conservatory with her legs up and quickly arranged refreshments. She'd barely taken the first sip of coffee when Emily bounced in.

"Where have you been, we need to do this briefing?"

"Self defence class with Anna."

"Oh dear, you're going to feel that all day."

"I gathered that. Can we do the briefing here?"

"'Fraid not, it will have to be the library for security."

Gail eased her way out of her seat and winced more than once as newly formed bruises rubbed on the chair. She carefully picked up her coffee but felt too insecure in her current state to carry the biscuits as well.

Once in the library, and not comfortable at all, Emily brought Gail up to date, concentrating on the attempts against her.

"There's no new intelligence that suggests anyone else has been given the contract on your life but there's still a concern that information gathering is ongoing. To that end we can't rule out a connection to the Essex investigation, although that has been firmly shut-down."

"What is it with Essex?"

"I don't know, it could be a personal motive based on transphobia, homophobia or something deeper. The West Midlands major incident team have been brought in to dig through the mess."

"Why the West Midlands? What's Birmingham got to do with this?"

"Nothing, as far as we know, so there's no contamination."

"So right now, there may or may not be something in this."

"Yep."

"Great. What about the ones arrested for the RPG attack?"

"They're talking now, it could be the difference between ten years or thirty years to life."

"When do they get to trial and will I be needed?"

"The trial won't start until the new year, at the earliest, and because you weren't there at the time you aren't needed.”

"What about that nurse, Fatima?”

"Fatima is remanded at the same prison as her mother, who was recalled from parole. They're both charged with kidnapping, actual bodily harm and false imprisonment plus we have Janet Davis on a serious drug charge, she'll be inside for some time."

"How long before that trial?"

"Dr Fox is not currently fit so we're using the time to investigate further, there's every chance we'll find something else to pin on them."

"Sneaky."

"Perhaps, but it's how we have to play the game these days, in any case we'll want to tidy up some other loose ends first."

"What about the Fourani's businesses?"

"We've obtained a winding-up order and closed everything other than his residential properties, although we still can't be certain we know about every property."

"I'm working on that, Emily."

"Yes, I know. It's still rather a complex situation but as we search the buildings we're coming across more ammunition and cash, hidden in otherwise ordinary places, some of which Fourani didn't own any more. The caches, that we've found, are spread across North and South London several miles apart."

"That sounds like advance planning for a revolution?"

"We guess it's an insurgency that was being planned, but when and by who? Maybe you'll find something?"

"I might have already, it's being analysed."

"Okay Gail, don't tell me as I'll only be briefed if it's relevant."

"Fair enough, but I've been warned not to say too much."

"Sensible advice. We're done unless you have any questions?"

"Nothing I can think about."

"Okay, can I suggest you get into the jacuzzi?"

"Good idea."

***

A soak, followed by lunch and Gail was starting to feel better. The self-defence workout was a good idea, as a woman she'd guessed she would be bound to encounter more problems than as a man. Add to that her security services role and she could become a target.

Helen was missing again, although no-one seemed to know why. Jenny found Gail.

"I've managed to get you an appointment for your hair but there's a slight problem."

"Problem?"

"Yes, given that I guessed you would want your hair done before Wednesday, I haven't been able to arrange for a stylist who has clearance to come here, I do however have someone who can see you at her salon after five when they normally close."

"So the problem is that I have to go out!"

"Yes, Anna is available and I'll arrange for a driver. Given that you're not known the risk is minimal and you're booked in under the name of Abi."

"How can you be certain this is safe?"

"The lady, Wendy, is my sister."

"Oh, is that allowed?"

"Yes, although it can be frowned upon. We've used her before for makeovers and she doesn't ask questions."

"Right, is it far?"

"About fifteen minutes away in Hitchin. Be ready to leave by 1645. You'll get dinner when you return."

Gail headed out into the garden and sneaked an ice cream from the summerhouse. Instead of sitting there she walked to the walled garden and sat in the central area on a bench, stretching her tortured legs out. It was so peaceful, there was just the sound of birdsong and the occasional bee dancing amongst the flowers. The air was heavy with scent, it was the closest to the perfect environment she could get.

Bang!

Gail spun around to see what had made the noise, dropping off the seat into a crouch as Anna had shown her. Across the far side, stood by a second gate, was a man carrying a shotgun. Gail decided to get out quickly and fled out of the garden. She realised she didn't have her bag so didn't have a pass for the security door. She ran straight into Jenny.

"Man with gun!" She pointed down the garden, panting & hysterical.

"Calm down Gail, did he have a peaked cap and a shotgun?"

"Yes."

"That'll be Bert, he's the vermin control man. He's been doing this for years, sort of came with the house. I obviously forgot to warn you he was going to be here today."

"Thanks." Gail was not sincere.

"Don't worry, he never hits anything because his eyesight's not too brilliant and we give him salt cartridges not buckshot."

"Even so? How was I to know that?"

"Well, I'm sorry. You won't see him again for a few weeks, if you're still here."

"I'll be in my room, I presume there's no marauding mole-hunters up there?"

"Unlikely."

Gail spent an hour upstairs, trying to kill time rather than get killed by projectile salt. She put the radio on but became depressed when all she could hear was wall-to-wall political rhétorique! She switched to a station with music output and flopped on the bed.

Gail stirred to the sound of a phone ringing.

"Hello?"

"Miss Jones, I was asked to let you know it's half past four."

"Thank you Lisa."

Gail's hair was a mess and her make-up needed work, but given she was going to a stylist, minimal war paint was needed. This time she remembered her bag and switched on her mobile, although there was no signal yet. She was downstairs and in the car-park by the appointed hour, just.

Expecting to use a van she was surprised to see a standard saloon car sat there, although she couldn't name the make. Anna suggested she sat in the back and they were off. This was the first time she experienced the drive through the underground roadway, coming out into the open air at a pair of serious looking gates, topped with barbed wire. The gateway was next to an apparent abandoned farm building bristling with Keep Out signs.

The car came out onto a typical country road, lots of bends and the occasional short straight bits. Signposts were strangely lacking although eventually she did spy a sign for Hitchin. They pulled up outside the salon just after five, Anna told Gail to remain in the vehicle while she checked the place out.

Wendy was the spitting image of Jenny and welcomed Gail as if she'd known her for years, "my sister has told me everything about you," she gushed. Gail wasn't so sure so just played along.

"Now, what are we going to do?"

"Could I have a tidy up and maybe lighten it, blonde perhaps?"

"With your hair I'm not sure that blonde would be sensible, why don't I darken the auburn you have but create highlights using foil?"

"That sounds right."

"Good, over to the sink then."

Two hours later, Gail was back in the car heading towards the house. The changes were subtle but screamed woman. Wendy had also found time to wax Gail's legs, from the knee down. Unfortunately the morning's bruises would be certain to show if she didn't wear tights.

It was a weary Gail who ate alone in the dining room, Anna had disappeared again.