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Over the few weeks since Jinnie returned from the grand opening of the Ennios St James Bay, it had been a busy time in the De Luca house. There had been the preparations for Izzy and George’s wedding, which was now to take place on the last Saturday in July, with the family leaving for Barbados almost immediately after. Both Izzy and Jinnie were delighted with the dresses that Wedding Dress Bargains had produced for them. But Millie wasn’t so sure about her dress, it was a bit too ‘fussy’ for her liking, she was never happier than dressing in her jeans and a tee shirt like her brother. Willie rather liked his suit, it was a mini morning suit just like George, Uncle Nigel, the best man, and his daddy and Uncle Dan, who were ushers.
The twins were now seven and had been spoilt something rotten on their birthday. There were huge piles of presents waiting for them when they came downstairs for breakfast. They both now had mobile phones, thanks to Uncle Nigel. He had consulted Jinnie and Izzy about what to buy and they both said they had been talking about phones. Jinnie had been adamant that they were too young for smartphones and the internet, but Izzy had suggested that a ‘dumb’ phone was an option. It was Uncle Nigel who had found the new version of the Nokia 3210. It looked a bit like the original 3210 but worked on 4G, had a big colour screen, allowed them to make calls, send text messages, take photos, had a calculator, calendar and games to play, but they had no internet access.
Willie’s phone was bright red and Millie’s phone was gold, and the twins loved them because they were a step up on the walkie talkies they had received at Christmas. It didn’t take long for them to master the phones, and they soon had the numbers for Mummy, Daddy, Uncle Nigel, Granny, Grandad, Izzy, George, Aunty Penny and Uncle Dan in the contacts list. The day of their birthday party had been warm and sunny and all their school friends were invited. It was a mad afternoon with a crowd of children and parents milling in and out of the marquee where the food was laid out and a DJ was playing the current hits that all the children knew, and the parents didn’t.
When the partygoers had gone home, the twins revealed that they now had the numbers of a couple of classmates in their phones. With their birthday over, the next big event on the horizon was the wedding of Izzy and George and Izzy helped them add it, and the day they were flying to Barbados for their summer holiday, in their calendars. Izzy also reminded them that phones were banned at school. But she agreed to bring them with her when she came to pick them up, so they could have them as soon as they came through the school gate.
Jinnie was now using a new version of the in-house video messaging software, and it had a much-increased list of uses and the ability to add people to an existing conversation. Nigel had been delighted with the uptake of the software and promised the board there was a lot more to come, and it was a very cheap development. Jinnie had found that while many of the directors used it to save getting up and walking into a fellow director’s office, she found it best for talking face to face with people not based in Potters Bar. Talking to Monica, Jorja, Ro, even Rick and Brooke, was now easy.
It was mid-morning when Jinnie’s computer screen started to display the flashing bar across the top of the screen that indicated an incoming call. Looking up, she saw it said ‘Incoming video call from Rick Pett, press F10 to accept or F1 to ignore’. Jinnie pressed F10 and the screen filled with Rick’s face. Rick said “Good morning Jinnie, I promised to keep you up to date on the possible Miami hotel. Well, I have been talking to Monica, and we think that we could easily share some of the infrastructure she has got in place for Aunty JoJo’s. It will benefit both companies to share the cost of things like purchasing and HR.” “Consequently, I have rehashed my costing spreadsheet, and it has moved the hotel from marginally profitable in the second year of ownership to profitable in the first year of ownership. With this in mind, I have reviewed a couple of other Floridian hotels I had previously rejected, and they both come in making a profit in the first year. I wonder if you would mind having a look at the spreadsheet. If it is OK, I propose having a look at the hotels and if I like them, then asking the board to approve a purchase.” “Send it to me and I’ll have a look,” said Jinnie “But I’m not a spreadsheet expert, I can check the inputs. If you don’t mind, I will have Brian check the sheet’s calculations, he is an expert. I intend to visit Monica in Tampa next week, so if the spreadsheet passes muster, perhaps I could join you looking at the hotel.” “That works for me,” said Rick.
***
The following day, Jinnie had her six-monthly dental check-up and hygienist appointment, so was enjoying a coffee with Izzy and George before heading to the dentist and then to Maple House. George had his uniform on as he was going on shift later, and they were talking about the upcoming wedding. Suddenly, Jinnie’s mobile started ringing, displaying a number she didn’t recognise. She wondered whether to answer, as it was probably an advert or a scammer. On about the sixth ring, she finally answered and found herself talking to Willie.
A very excited Willie said, “Mummy, there are bad men with guns at school. One shot Mrs Milgate because she wouldn’t let him in the classroom, and we have piled up desks in front of the door.” “Is she still breathing?” asked Jinnie, switching the phone to loudspeaker so George and Izzy could hear. “Yes,” said Willie, “she was shot in the right hand and is using her left to try to stop it bleeding. She asked if anyone knew how to use a phone, and Millie and me said yes, so she asked me to call a policeman, so I phoned you because George is there.” Jinnie said, “You stay safe, George and I will be there in a few minutes. Now keep quiet so the bad men don’t know you are there.” “We are hiding behind some desks,” said Willie, and rang off.
Looking up, she saw George had his mobile out and was calling a number, saying, “Izzy, dial 999 and tell them what is happening. Be sure to tell them that armed officers from the post at the end of the road are responding and will be there first. Come on, Jinnie, I have guns in my car’s firearms locker.” As they ran to George’s Range Rover, Jinnie heard him talking into the phone, saying, “Dick, it’s George. There is an armed incident at Hadley First School, at least one casualty. Nine double nine are being informed right now. I am on my way in the Range Rover, say three minutes. Warn two of the armed barrier guards to be ready to get in the back of the car, ballistic helmets. Turn out everyone resting, it might be a bluff for another go at Sir Nigel. Warn the army on the heath and use the emergency number to warn Hertfordshire at his house. Yes, I know he’s not there, warn Hertfordshire they need to get armed response to Maple House. I’m leaving with Dame Jinnie now.”
The Range Rover roared up the road to the raised barrier and skidded to a halt as two armed officers jumped in the back and then shot off again. George parked in the next street to the school and the police jumped out, leaving the door open. Jinnie was just behind. George ordered the other two officers to head for the back of the school and approach via the sports field. He and Jinnie would enter from the front. George scrabbled in the boot and found Jinnie a ballistic helmet that was a little too large and a police flak jacket. Jinnie put them on as George unlocked the firearms safe and took out two automatic rifles, two Glock 17s, four loaded magazines and a couple of boxes of ammunition. He handed half to Jinnie, who checked the rifle and shoved the spare magazines into pouches in the flak jacket.
They ran together to the corner of the street in which the school’s main entrance was located and halted. George dropped to one knee, behind a brick garden wall, and peeped around the corner before pulling back and saying, “One man, all in black, with a balaclava. Long gun, too brief a look to see exactly what. But it had a curved magazine. He’s too far away for me to take a successful shot.” “Let me look,” said Jinnie, lying flat behind the wall and edging forward to get a view. Jinnie said, “He’s not out of my range. Do you want me to take the shot?” The instant reply was, “Do it,” and Jinnie’s double tap to the head dropped him to the pavement, where he lay lifeless.
George and Jinnie used parked cars as cover to make their way to the school entrance. George approached the body and kicked the gun away, and feeling for a pulse, said, “Dead.” They quickly slid behind the wide stone gateposts, one on either side of the entrance. They paused to get their breath back and heard automatic fire from the rear of the building. “I hear two MP5s,” said George. “And AK-47s,” said Jinnie. “How many?” asked George. “Hard to tell,” replied Jinnie, “I reckon at least three, maybe four.” “I think four,” said George, “they are badly outnumbered.” “How long for armed response?” “I reckon at least ten minutes, and there could be a massacre before then,” said George. “We need to get in and attack those shooters from behind. Have you seen any movement?”
“Yes,” replied Jinnie, “there are two men in black with balaclavas and long guns in the reception area behind the glass doors.” “That’s a problem,” said George, “that glass is tinted, so it makes a clean shot difficult, and it bends the light, making it even harder.” “Here’s an idea,” said Jinnie, “you spray the glass doors and shatter them. I’ll take out the two behind the glass.” “Can you do that?” “Yes,” said Jinnie confidently, while thinking, ‘I hope so’. “OK,” said George, “tell me when you are ready.” Jinnie checked her MP5 and slipped in a fresh magazine. She wanted to be sure she had plenty of shots. She said, “Just a second,” and refilled the part-used magazine before slipping it into a pocket in her jacket and making sure the selector was on single shot. Jinnie lay flat, with the gun between the railings, settled herself, took a couple of deep breaths and said, “I’m ready.”
George said, “OK, here goes,” and with the gun on full automatic, shot out the glass doors. Before the glass stopped falling, Jinnie fired, and the first man went down. The second man started to move behind the reception desk, but Jinnie was too quick and hit him. But she didn’t think it was a kill shot, so she fired again and saw the impact slam him back against the desk. Jinnie called, “Two down,” and George was off, sprinting across the playground. He jumped through the shattered doors, and by the time Jinnie caught up with him, he confirmed they were dead. The first one had a bullet hole in his balaclava, seeping blood, and the second, two holes in his chest.
The sound of the AK-47s was louder now, coming from the rear of the building. George asked, “I guess you have been here before, do you know how to get to the back of the building?” “Through that door,” replied Jinnie, pointing to one, “and down the corridor, but be careful, all the classrooms are off it on the left and the main hall is at the end. The headmistress’s office, the medical room, the teachers’ common and the caretaker’s room are all on the right.” The door Jinnie had indicated was at first sight a solid single-leaf door with a closer. As she looked at it, Jinnie realised that it was a fire door, but it also had a tiny second leaf, maybe 250 mm wide, that was bolted shut but was designed to make it wheelchair accessible. To comply with fire regulations, both doors had to open in the direction of the exit, so they opened towards them. Jinnie suggested to George they crack open the second leaf a fraction, just enough to see down the corridor. Hopefully, it would be enough to see down the corridor, but they could stay protected behind the solid one-hour fire door.
The fire door had a small glazed vision panel, but the glass was patterned, allowing someone to see if anyone was immediately on the other side but not further down the corridor. George silently pulled the upper and lower bolt stopping the small door leaf from opening and eased it open a fraction, just enough to see down the corridor. Two gunmen were in the corridor, one outside a classroom on the left and the other outside a room on the right. Both were looking towards the double doors at the other end of the corridor that led to the school hall and where heavy firing was coming from. George was thankful that his colleagues were obviously laying down enough fire to distract the gunmen.
Jinnie peeped through the gap and saw the back of one gunman outside the reception classroom and one outside the staff room. Jinnie suggested to George they should take one target each. She would take the furthest target, outside the classroom, and George the slightly nearer one outside the staffroom. George nodded his agreement and whispered, “You happy to shoot from prone?” Jinnie nodded ‘yes’ and poked her MP5 through the crack between the door leaves. George stood above her and whispered, “Ready,” and then, “3, 2, 1, fire.” Jinnie went on the F of fire and the double tap went through the back of her gunman and his balaclava. She was sure he was dead before he hit the ground. George’s man had a bullet through the back of his head and one through the side where he had started to turn.
George opened the door, revealing the two bodies, and from behind heard a voice say, “Nice shooting George, I’ll lead now.” Without turning his head, George said, “Yes, Sir,” and stood aside as four officers stepped past them into the corridor. Hugging the sides, they edged first towards the bodies and then past them to the glazed doors into the hall. The inspector said, “Nice work, George, but who is your colleague?” “Dame Jinnie De Luca, Sir,” replied George, “SIS and a trained marksman. Her twins are in one of the classrooms.” “They will be safe there for now. We’ll get all the kids out as soon as we sort out this last lot.”
The inspector used his throat mic to answer a question from an officer at the door to the hall, saying, “Yes, a couple of flash/bangs first and hit them while they are disoriented.” He gave a cease-firing order over the radio to what Jinnie guessed were more officers in the playing field. Seconds later, there was a huge flash and bang as the special grenades exploded, and the four officers disappeared into the hall. It seemed an age to Jinnie before the inspector turned and smiled and said, “Four in custody, one with a bullet through an arm not sustained in the final assault, so it’s one for your guys, George. Now let’s get to the staff and the kids.”
The staff had been released from the staff room first, and with their help, all the children had been passed out of the classroom windows into the arms of policemen waiting in the playground. That way, they did not have to see the bodies in the corridor and reception, waiting forensic examination. A blue and white police tent had been quickly erected over the body in the street, that was now swarming with officers. The police had set up an exclusion zone to keep the rapidly growing crowd of public and press back. Parents arriving were directed to a side gate Jinnie didn’t know existed but realised was the staff entrance, to be reunited with their children.
Jinnie was the exception. She and George, minus their guns, were there to greet the twins as they came out of the windows. Unlike most of the other children, who seemed to be crying, Willie and Millie were smiling, and Willie said, “I told Mrs Milgate everything would be alright. Mummy and George were coming to save us.” Jinnie just hugged them so tight that Millie complained.
***
A police car dropped Jinnie and the twins at their front door. George was being debriefed, but the Gold Commander had considered it more important that Jinnie should get the twins home first before her debrief. She would be visited by someone that afternoon. Of course, Larry was waiting for them all, and a tearful Izzy hugged the twins, saying, “Thank God you are alright.” Millie said, “Of course we are alright, we told everyone Mummy and George were coming, and George had a gun and Mummy was a soldier.” They then ran off to put the TV on a news channel to see if they could see anyone they knew on the TV.
Izzy said, “Those two never cease to amaze me. I had the TV and the radio on for news, but there was nothing. I was so worried I didn’t know what to do. I phoned Paolo and he said he was coming home. Do you know who they were and why they attacked the school?” “They seem to be German,” replied Jinnie. “The theory is they were to hold the children hostage and exchange them for Sir Nigel. It was going to be another helicopter landing in the playing field, but it was intercepted and forced to land somewhere in Essex, the Gold Commander told me.”
Jinnie and Izzy joined the children in front of the TV and watched, fascinated, as the twins recognised person after person on the TV. There was Miss Manson, the headmistress, Mr Smailes, the caretaker, Mrs Salmond, who played piano for music lessons and in assembly. There was Lucy’s mummy and the back of Simon’s head getting in his mummy’s car. Willie and Millie started making a list of everyone they saw who they knew and moaned when the same video loop was played for the third time.
Finally, the man in the studio went over to a Metropolitan Police statement by a uniformed Chief Superintendent outside New Scotland Yard. The senior officer said that “Following an incident at a first school in the Borough of Barnet, I can report that there are five dead gunmen and four in custody. There were no casualties among the police, army officer and children involved in the incident, however, I understand that one teacher suffered a minor injury and is being treated in hospital locally. In an associated incident, the RAF forced a helicopter to land in Essex and the two crew have been detained. Now I will take a few questions, but I may not be able to answer them due to security.”
First up, the police officer was asked the nationality of the gunmen and was told it was still being established. He was asked about the injured teacher and said he understood she was a form teacher and would not be detained in hospital. He was asked what the purpose of the attack was and refused to speculate. Then a reporter asked if rumours that the soldier involved was in fact the mother of one of the children and was a reservist marksman. The officer said he couldn’t comment.
The press conference moved on to the next questioner, who asked if the Chief Superintendent could confirm that the first police officer on site was the same one who came to the assistance of Sir Nigel Farage in the recent incident at his house and were the two incidents connected. Once again, the Chief Superintendent said, “I am not in a position to comment on that,” and turned and walked away, leaving the media calling questions after him. Izzy whispered to Jinnie, “So when the questions got a bit difficult he walked away.” “True,” said Jinnie, “I wonder how long it will be before the media get on to us.”
As she finished speaking, her mobile rang. “Already,” said Jinnie, not immediately recognising the number displayed, pressed the ‘Talk’ button and said, “Hello,” listened a moment before saying, “I’m sorry I was totally distracted. I don’t know if you have heard the news today, but gunmen attacked the school my children were at, and I considered it more important than a dental appointment.” Jinnie listened again and Izzy could see Jinnie was getting more and more annoyed. Eventually, she said, “I’m sorry that I didn’t phone you to give you 24 hours to cancel the appointment, but yesterday I didn’t know my children’s school was going to be attacked today and I was going to be called upon to defend over 100 children’s lives. If you wish to charge me £50 for a missed appointment, so be it. However, I suspect when the story gets into the Potters Bar Press you will lose a flood of patients. I suggest you talk to the dentist, as I happen to know that his daughter attends the same school.”
“You sound very cross, Mummy,” said Millie. “I am,” replied Jinnie, “the dental receptionist thinks I should have kept my dental appointment and not gone to help George at the school.” “That’s just silly,” said Willie. Izzy smiled and said, “I don’t think you need worry, Jinnie. I phoned the practice after I had phoned the police and then Sir Nigel and spoke to the dentist. He thanked me and said he was going to the school. I doubt he would have been there if you had turned up for the appointment.”
Jinnie’s next call was Bill Furr. He said, “Good afternoon, Jinnie, it’s Bill. My reporters have been talking to parents at First School following this morning’s incident. Several are telling me that your twins are in the class where the teacher was shot, and they called the police because Mrs Milgate couldn’t. Any comment?” “You have put me in a difficult position, Bill,” said Jinnie. “Yes, I can’t deny the twins raised the alarm, I’m sure umpteen parents have confirmed that, but I haven’t spoken to the police yet. They are coming round this afternoon, and I might be able to tell you more later.” “Can you ring me when they have gone?” asked Bill. “Of course,” said Jinnie, “but I still may not be able to tell you what I know.”
***
Jinnie saw the police out of the house and sighed. The inspector, who had done most of the talking, had basically asked her to let the police tell the tale at a press conference the following day, but she could talk to the press in general terms or if she imposed an embargo until after the press conference at 14:00. Jinnie talked it over with Paolo and decided that she should invite Bill Furr round and tell him the story with the provisos that he didn’t identify her or the twins and that he didn’t publish the story until after the press conference.
Bill arrived shortly after four and sat down with Jinnie and Paolo in their rear lounge while Izzy sat with the twins, who were still looking for people they knew on the TV. Larry decided he was going to listen to Jinnie’s story and carefully made himself comfortable in her lap. He pretended to sleep but listened intently as Jinnie first got Bill to agree to her conditions before taking him through the events of the morning. She was careful not to give much away, but told Bill how Willie had volunteered to call the police because his teacher had been shot in the hand and couldn’t use her phone. He had phoned her because he had memorised her number and knew that his nanny’s fiancé, George, was a firearms officer and was with her at Jinnie’s house that morning.
Jinnie explained she was a Major in the Army Reserve, having been in the cadets since her university days where she had learnt to shoot, had been on the shooting team and had won many competitions. So, she accompanied George and two more armed officers from the barrier at the end of the road while her nanny dialled 999 and warned Sir Nigel to keep his head down. She explained how they had split into two teams, one went to the rear to try to get access via the playing field and one to the front.
Jinnie told Bill how they had taken out the man on the front gate, two in reception and two in the corridor. Jinnie then said they were about to take on the four in the school hall when the cavalry arrived in the form of an Armed Response Unit. They took over and attacked with flash/bang grenades, resulting in the final four arrests. It took a while to establish that all the children and school staff were OK, with the exception of the one teacher who had taken a bullet through her hand and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.
Jinnie went on to tell how forensics wanted to keep the gunmen’s bodies in place, so as not to expose the children to them they had been lifted out of the classroom windows when parents had arrived to collect them. Of course, she was on site, and consequently her twins were some of the first to leave the school. They were driven home in a police car, so she didn’t know what had subsequently happened at the school. Bill asked a few questions, which Jinnie did her best to answer, but had to admit she had no idea what the purpose of the attack was, or how the gunmen had got to the country, or how their guns had been got into the country.
Bill eventually thanked Jinnie and said he would write up the story without identifying her, the twins or George. But some of the parents might be able to work out who she was. Jinnie said they probably had done so already, as loads of the kids had seen her. In any case, she understood the twins had been reassuring their classmates that George and their mummy were coming to rescue them. Telling them that George was a policeman and had a gun, and their mummy was a soldier who had won prizes for shooting.
Bill chuckled and said, “There’s my headline. ‘Everything will be OK, Mummy’s coming to rescue us’. I’ll have this ready for publication the moment the press conference is over. I doubt the conference will change anything you have said, but I’ll be careful to toe the official line. This can be a first-hand human-interest story. One last thing, I assume it was you and George who saved Sir Nigel. Do you think this attack has a connection?” “I honestly don’t know,” said Jinnie, “but I can’t stop you speculating.”
***
Jinnie had the choice of BA or Virgin non-stop to Tampa and, as usual, told Travel to book her the Virgin Premium Select fare with the knowledge that she would almost certainly be upgraded to Upper Class under the arrangements with the SIS. It had been a pleasant flight, and she was relaxed as she queued for immigration, as she had a B1 business class visa stamped in the passport and didn’t foresee any difficulties with Customs and Border Patrol. But she had been pre-warned that CBP can be awkward if they suspect you of wanting to overstay. Jinnie had the address she was staying at memorised, she had a flight back to the UK booked, she had ample funds available with both personal and company credit and debit cards, and a reason for the visit.
When her turn came to present her passport to the CBP officer, he put her passport through a reader and read the screen, carefully eyed her up and down, got her to place her hand on the fingerprint scanner and said, “It says here you are a Dame, is that Royal?” “No,” said Jinnie, “it is a high honour for serving the country. I am a restaurateur and hotelier.” “Interesting,” came the reply, “only there is a marker against the passport that is only normally there for VIPs and politicians.” Jinnie smiled and said, “Well, I can assure you I am definitely not a politician, so I guess the US Embassy in London considered me a VIP.” “I guess so,” said the CBP officer, before stamping her passport and waving her through.
Jinnie collected her small suitcase from the luggage carousel and walked past several officious-looking uniformed men and out into the arrivals building where Ro was waving at her. “Hi boss, it’s lovely to see you,” said Ro. “Hello Ro,” said Jinnie, “but I’m not your boss anymore, that’s Monica.” Together they walked to Ro’s Volvo S90 Recharge. “Gosh, this is a bit of a step up from the company Citroën,” said Jinnie. “Here everyone drives big cars,” replied Ro, “they are much cheaper than at home, as the tax is much less, the gas is much cheaper and I have had to get used to buying in gallons. Anyway, as we drive to Clearwater, tell me all about the attack on the school, it even made the local TV news here.”
Jinnie told Ro a potted version of events similar to the tale she had told Bill Furr and had been all over the UK media. But she was able to add a few bits that had been released by the authorities. It had been established that the Germans had flown in singly from all over Europe, the guns had been smuggled into Ireland, across the border into Northern Ireland and then in a van to London. The plan had been to hold the children hostage and exchange them for Sir Nigel, then fly him out of the country by helicopter.
Ro pulled into the drive to her rented company house in the Clearwater suburbs. Jinnie said, “This looks nice, did you get the garden for the dog you were talking about?” “Yes and no,” said Ro as they walked to the front door, “we got the garden, but we decided that it would be unfair to leave a dog home all day when we were both at work, so we got a house cat. I think you will love Syd, he is a beauty.” Ro opened the screen door and then the front door and Ro called, “Syd, where are you?” A ginger cat came padding towards them and Ro said, “Meet Syd, our kitten, he is three months and eats like a horse. He is a Maine Coon and is growing fast.” Jinnie dropped to her knees and said hello to Syd, who sniffed her before rubbing his head against her. “He likes you,” said Ro, “maybe he can sense Larry.”
“Gosh, he is big for three months,” said Jinnie. “Yes,” said Ro, “he weighed over three pounds when he got his shots at the vet and he has a lot of growing to do, look at the size of his paws, I bet they are bigger than Larry’s. He is free to roam the house, and we have started taking him out on a lead and he loves it. Jed is building him a catio so he can go outside whenever he wants.” “He is absolutely gorgeous,” said Jinnie. “And doesn’t he know it,” replied Ro.
In Chapter 24 – Business in Florida grows
© WorthingGooner 2025
