Day Nine
The train was busy, it was Monday morning, they sat in silence, Olivia had twice called Sally during the evening, she had waited until Michael was in his office, she wanted to know how she was. Sally had said to forget it. They had a suitcase, two laptops, a briefcase and Dave’s battered backpack, inside it were two Glocks. At Flemings hotel their room was available, when they left for MI5, they carried the two laptops and the briefcase. They made directly for Jane Goodley’s office, she was waiting for them, there was no coffee, I need an office for today, can you make an appointment for me to see Graeme Rogers this afternoon, I will be back here before you leave this evening, please do not go without us talking.” “I also want to talk to you.” In the office allocated to them, he closed the door, Sally was to go through the paperwork she had been sent but told not to look at, “Read it first, see if it can be put in some sort of order, we can look at it either later today or tomorrow, if Jane asks where I’ve gone, don’t tell her, I still don’t think we have been told the full story. Dave left just after 11:00, he was in the station fifteen minutes later, he walked round until he found the place he wanted. Sitting on a bench, he could see the entrance to Costa, it looked like he was reading the paper he had picked up. His eyes were everywhere, he thought he was being followed shortly after he had left the MI5 building, in the station, he spotted a couple sitting on a bench across the concourse, there was another single man standing a short distance away, none of them looked at the board with arrivals and departures. Dave looked for others, he saw only those three until midday, two more arrived, they stationed themselves near Costa, they were Americans, Dave knew no matter how much they tried, they couldn’t blend in. At 12:30, he saw Cyrus go in, at the counter, he ordered coffee, with it, he sat down. Dave followed him in, with his coffee, he sat at the next table, he didn’t acknowledge Cyrus. Without looking at him, he asked how many he had brought with him, “only two,” “there are three more watching me, are they yours?” Cyrus shook his head. “I will head to the toilet at the back of the shop, give me a minute and follow me.” As Dave pushed open the fire exit, an alarm sounded, he and Cyrus were outside, they made their way out onto the street, Dave hailed a taxi, “The American Embassy please,” he spoke to Cyrus in a low voice, “I wanted it to be a private meeting, I thought you would bring company, but I have no idea who the other three are.” Dave paid off the driver, “I’m not sure if I can go in, I only have my MI5 ID.” Cyrus led him away from the entrance, they stopped at a café nearby, Dave sat so he could see the door. “What’s going on?” “I hoped you might be able to tell me. You know what happened last week, it was a major drugs manufacturing operation, I had a look round before I left, there were drugs everywhere.” Cyrus said there was over $200m worth, too much for the UK market alone, “put that much on the streets and prices would drop, we think it was heading for the US, probably on a ship from Ireland into New York or somewhere else on the East Coast. Ships heading to the south of the country are scrutinised, especially those from Latin America.” “Why do you know all this, and I don’t, I’m meant to be the main investigator.” “Dave, dig too deep and you will open up a can of worms.” “Do you know that for a fact, or have you been told to say it.” Cyrus didn’t answer, the door to the café opened, the two from the station came in. “I’m being tracked as well.” Dave took a serviette and wrote ‘Flemings Hotel’, he passed it to Cyrus, it went directly into his pocket. It was now nearly 14:00, he had thirty minutes to get to the MI6 building. They walked back towards the Embassy, there were plenty of taxis about, shaking hands Cyrus thanked him for the coffee.
The office Graeme Rogers had was similar to Jane Goodley’s, he accepted the offer of coffee, Dave asked why MI6 were involved, “There may have been the possibility of the drugs being sent to a foreign country, it was his department’s job to monitor any deliveries abroad. The people on the island were foreign, it’s MI6’s job to investigate” “Will you send over copies of the information you have uncovered?” “I’m not sure there is much, but I will send what we have.” Dave realised he would get nothing from the meeting, as he left, he could see people waiting for him, he walked away from the building, about one hundred yards along the road, he suddenly turned and walked back, as he neared the building, he turned again, he was now face to face with one of those following him. Dave pushed him up against the side of a building, his hand was round his throat, “why are you following me, who are you?” The man protested, Dave reached inside his jacket and pulled out his wallet, inside was a Metropolitan Police warrant card. He let the man go and handed him his wallet, two police cars pulled up, the officers ran over to Dave, handcuffs were put on him. Dave looked at the one who had been following him, “tell them who I am, if you won’t, look in my wallet.” A policeman took out his wallet, he saw the MI5 ID, he compared the picture to Dave, the handcuffs were removed. He said nothing as he sat in the back of a taxi, Sally saw the look on his face as he came into the office, “pack everything up, leave all the files here, lock them in the filing cabinet, we’re going, just bring our stuff.” “Dave what is it?” He didn’t reply, five minutes later they were out in the street, “Stop, tell me what’s going on.” “We’re being set up, everything we have been told is a load of shit, fuck them, unless they tell us the truth then we are finished working here.” They never spoke as they sat in the taxi taking them to the hotel, before they arrived, his phone was ringing, he looked at the number, he didn’t answer it. “In the room, she asked him again what had happened. “I’ve been followed since I left the building this morning, I managed to lose them in the station, but they were waiting for me outside MI6, I grabbed one of them, his colleague must have phoned for assistance, I was arrested, it was only when they saw my ID I was released.” “Who were they?” “Met Police.” Sally rang for room service to bring up coffee, his phone was ringing again, “she’s calling me again, if I speak to her, I will say something I will regret later. Don’t answer it.” Dave went into the bathroom, he ran a bath, “I have to think, the bath will help me calm down.” She had never seen him as angry as this, she didn’t know what to do, room service brought the coffee, he took his cup and went into the bathroom, he lay in the bath with the light out, the water was as hot as he could bare, every so often the hot tap would run topping up the water. As she sat drinking her coffee, it was her phone which rang, Jane Goodley wanted to know why they were in the hotel and not in the building. “If you know where we are, then you must still be following Dave,” there was a silence at the other end. Sally looked at the screen, the call had ended. She went into the darkened bathroom, “I’ve just had a phone call from her, I said you knew you were being followed, she hung up. There was no reply, although his eyes were closed, she knew he had heard her, she noticed his breathing was calmer, as she was leaving, his hand reached out for her, he gently squeezed her hand. Half an hour later Dave came out, his skin was red, a towel was wrapped round his waist, he looked at the time, “Cyrus may be here this evening, can you book a private room, if he doesn’t turn up, we will use it to plan our next move, I think I know what we will do, but we will discuss it away from any distractions.” Sally booked the room and a table for dinner, she ordered more coffee. “The table is booked for 19:00, we have about an hour.” She put her arms around Dave and hugged him tightly. Dave kept looking as they ate, at 19:45, he saw Cyrus, a waiter brought him to the table, He kissed Sally before sitting down, “Are you here on official business, are you wired?” “No, this is private time, however, depending on what is said, I may have to write a report.” Dave asked if he would like a drink or something to eat, he wanted water. “I have a private room for us,” “What happened after you left me, were you arrested?” “Does nothing escape your attention?” “Your name is on a flag list, it said you were arrested then released.” There were more people waiting for me when I came out MI6, I grabbed one by the throat, they were from the Met Police.” When they had finished, Dave asked for coffees to be brought up to their meeting room. On their own, Dave asked if Cyrus would tell him what he knew. “All I know is somewhere along the line the CIA are involved, what part they play, I don’t know.” “Can you find out the code name they have for the operation?” “If I did, there is no way I could tell you, all I would say, and you know this, ‘follow the money’.” The phone in the room started to ring, Sally answered it, “Dave there is a car downstairs for us,” “Say to tell them we aren’t in.” Sitting back down Cyrus said to Sally he had read she had been involved in the raid. He asked her if she coped with the aftermath of the shooting. “I’m fine about it, I was upset when they shot one of their own when he wanted to surrender. Heartless bastards.” Changing the subject, he asked about Marybeth and the children, “Hopefully I will be back home in a couple of weeks to see them, it’s hard missing school events.” He asked Dave what he was going to do next, “I’m not sure, Sally and I are going to work on a plan when you have gone.” “I’m going now, I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful but my hands are tied. If there is anything I can tell you, I will.” They shook hands in the room, he kissed Sally again before leaving. Dave went downstairs with him, as they walked towards the door, Dave stopped, he pulled Cyrus back, “there’s one in the lounge, watching, the guy in the ill fitting suit and the bottle of water, he looks out of place, I’m not going any further, will you ask one of the porters to come and see me, I’ll wait here.” “Mr. Stretton, is there something you want?” “Yes, there is a man in the lounge, sitting with a bottle of water, looks like he should be in a Premier Inn, do you know how long he has been there?” “I’ll find out,” he returned to say he had been there since 18:00, he hasn’t bought another drink.” Dave gave him a tip and thanked him, he returned to Sally, “there is another one sitting downstairs.” “Who sent the car for us?” “I can only guess it was Downing Street, there must be a meeting tonight.” “What are we going to do?” “Until we are satisfied we have been told everything, nothing, we will go home tomorrow, return to normal life.” “You know that’s not going to happen.” “OK then, let’s just wait and see.” Dave looked at his watch, it was 22:15, “shall we have a drink in the bar then go to bed.” “You’re up to something,” He tried to look shocked, “I don’t know what you mean.” Dave ordered a gin and tonic for Sally, he had a bottle of lager, Sally followed him as he walked into the lounge, “do you mind if we join you, you must be bored sitting there with your bottle of water, I’m here now, you can report it to whoever wants to know.” “I don’t know what you are talking about.” “you’ve been sitting there since 18:00, if you are hungry, would you like something to eat?” The man stood up and walked away, finishing the drinks they went to their room. As they were undressing, there was a knock at the door, Dave didn’t answer, he pulled his trousers back on. He took out a Glock from his backpack, he passed it to Sally, she aimed it at the door. There was another knock, he switched off the lights, “Yes,” “David, open the door,” “are you alone?” There was a pause before he heard her say yes. “Tell whoever is with you to fuck off, they are liable to be shot.” He opened the door, standing back in case someone rushed through, Jane Goodley stood there, across the corridor was Graeme Rogers. “You can come in, he stays outside,” the door was closed as soon as she was in the room, Sally tucked the Glock into the back of her jeans. The lights were put back on, “Where were you tonight, a car was sent for you?” “Why not ask your man downstairs, no doubt he reported in saying we were in the bar. If those are the best you have then God help us.” “They are nothing to do with me.” “That’s rubbish, only you, Sally, and Graeme Rogers knew about my meeting at MI6. I was followed the minute I left the building this morning, I gave them the slip, but they were waiting for me later, the poor sod downstairs sat there all evening with a bottle of water.” Jane Goodley picked up the phone and ordered coffee, “who did you meet today?” “None of your business, it was a private meeting.” “Was it anything to do with the case you are working on?” “We aren’t working on anything, we are going home tomorrow.” They both saw the look on her face change, she was now sitting on one of the chairs, there was a knock at the door, Sally automatically pulled out the Glock, “room service,” Sally held the gun behind her back as Dave opened the door, he took the tray, the corridor was empty. “Are you recording this conversation?” “Yes,” she poured out three coffees, “the Prime Minister wanted to see you tonight,” “would he have told us the truth?” There was no response, “that sums up everything about this case, as far as I can see, we are being set up to be blamed for whatever it is that’s going on, I would rather we never worked again than work any more on this job. It has stunk from the first meeting,” neither he nor Sally had drunk the coffee, only Jane.
© 10210ken 2026
