“Be careful, I might just change my mind. You’re having an effect on me, and, like I said, it’s a new experience. Anyway, how are things? Have you been out?”
Without realising, he was checking up on her.
“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know? Of course not, where would I go and with whom? My fella is off gallivanting somewhere, allegedly working, and I can’t even contact him. It’s a good thing that I’m a patient lady, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is, and that fella is one lucky chap. Anyone I know?”
Her voice changed; she was little melancholy. “When can I see you again? Will you be away long? Can you please tell me if you’re in the country?”
“Rebecca, I thought that I’d explained this. My work is confidential, and I can say very little about it. In fact, I can’t tell you things like I will be away long or when we’ll see each other again because the truth is I just don’t know. Each project is different and dependent upon some variables beyond my control. I truly wish I did know, and I promise that I will tell you as soon as I do. I can’t wait to see you either.”
“I know, I know. I knew when I asked you. It’s just that I love having you near me and it’s tough feeling like this and not knowing where you are and when you’re coming back. Will it ever change?”
Jago didn’t know what to say; it had been like this all of his working life. It was all he knew, and he couldn’t imagine it changing anytime soon. He did have feelings for Rebecca, feelings he never had before with anyone else.
“Listen, Rebecca, all I can tell you is I am in the country, and I’ll try to call you more often. That’s as much as I can offer at the moment.”
She replied immediately. “Then I accept your offer. I accept that you can’t tell me what I want to know. And I don’t want to know what you’re doing. I just want to know that you’re there, that you’re all right, that your day is going well, and that we can talk and share. I don’t need to know the detail, just those normal things between us. Do you think we can at least do that?”
“Now you put it that way, I don’t see why not. Look, I have to go now, but I promise I will call you more often and we can discuss those things at least. How’s that for a start?”
“That’s a good start, much better than we had five minutes ago. I’m happy with that, are you?”
“Yes, yes, I’m thrilled with that. Anything that allows me to speak to you more often will make me happy.” He bit his lip and looked up as if he were asking for some kind of divine intervention to help him express his feelings. “I miss you, and I hope to see you soon.”
“I miss you too, and I’m waiting. Bye for now.”
“Bye, Rebecca. We’ll speak soon.”
Jago ended the call and, no sooner had he opened a file on his computer to complete a Declaration of Relationship Update form, Bernie called.
“Boss, we’ve got some info for you. It’s raw and incomplete but gives us something to go on.”
***
Abi read what they had managed to glean in the last hour.
“Boss, some of this is sketchy but it’s the best we have in the time we’ve had. It seems that Jedidiah Slater enlisted into military service at the age of eighteen, entering into the then Worcester and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He was promoted after four years to Lance Corporal then to Corporal Class 1 three years later. He applied for and underwent selection for SAS training and was badged at the age of twenty-eight. He served in various parts of the world and, due to his linguistic abilities, concentrated on building links in South America. He mainly worked in training Colombian Special Forces and conducted drug enforcement liaison, which we all know means covert ops against the cartels. There are a couple of blanks in the information here, which I thought you might be able to clear up with his ex-commanding officers?”
“That’s no problem, just let me know who to contact.”
“The thing is, he was returned to unit under a cloud at age thirty-two. And there’s nothing in his paperwork to suggest any wrongdoing or any prior warning. Don’t they normally give a warning to anyone who is say, a little overzealous in their work?”
“Yes, it’s usual to get a warning about one’s conduct. But to be returned to unit straight off the bat is unusual. I’ll see what his ex-OC has to say.”
Abi continued, “And then he was placed in the main wave of phase one military redundancies. I can’t imagine that would have gone down well with someone like this. And his profile fits our target profile.”
“And what about now?”
“As far as we know, Slater is currently a civilian. He hasn’t joined the French Foreign Legion or anything, like many of the others. He did attend a clinic for treatment for severe PTSD but refused to take his medication and join in the group work. He was removed from the programme. That ties in with the information from Fi’s contact.”
“Do we have any idea where he’s living?’
“Nope, his whereabouts are currently unknown. The last address we have for him is his father’s house in Bristol. That’s the address for his driving licence and social security. It seems that he didn’t accept any of the resettlement training packages. He told them that he preferred to arrange his own thing. He was obliged to sign for unemployment and turned up at the office on the first day and hasn’t been seen since. We’re still checking his finances.”
“Okay, that’s quite comprehensive. Do we have anything on known associates or family?”
Bernie chipped in. “About known family, his father is still alive and works as a security guard in a retail shopping outlet. I have no information on the mother. As far as we know, he has a younger brother by two years, Marti Slater. Interestingly, he joined the Signals Regiment and was posted to Germany for his first five years’ service. He then served as a Special Forces Communicator for six years, attached to Hereford. He then returned to his regiment and underwent further training and served two years in the Electronic Warfare Unit.”
“I need to know more about their personalities, and can you get the profiler back here ASAP?”
“Boss, another interesting piece of information is that Marti volunteered for redundancy and resettlement during phase two of the redundancies.”
“Oh, he did, did he? So, one gets deliberately axed and the other volunteers, what a strange set of circumstances. But it does mean that they’re both free to cause havoc, doesn’t it? That’s assuming that Marti is working with him. We need more on his resettlement, training, employment, address, et cetera.”
“We’re on it, Boss. As soon as we get anything you’ll get it.”
“Right, Abi, send me the contact details of those OCs. I’m off to see Jed’s father. While I’m travelling, can you find out if he’s at work or home, please? Let me know en route. Oh, and one more thing. Don’t tell Dom anything just yet, in case his location is compromised. I know he can go secure, but we don’t know about the building. But do let Fi know, and get a photograph for us ASAP.”
Chapter 26 – Charity Begins at Home
Jago was roaring down the motorway on his Silent Hawk motorcycle when Abi called.
“Hi, Boss, can you go secure?”
“Give me five, Abi, and I’ll pull over at the next service station.”
“Will do.”
Within a couple of minutes, Jago pulled up into the car park of the Membury service area.
“Hi Abi, going secure now … secure. What do you have for me?”
“Okay, his father’s name is Dennis Slater. He’s currently on shift at a retail shopping centre called Cribbs Causeway, just outside of Bristol. I’d say it’s approximately one hour from your location. I’m sending you the coordinates now. We have no news on the younger brother yet, but we do have a photo of Jed. It’s not very up to date, about four years old, but it’s the best we have at the moment. I’m sending it through to you and Fi now.”
“That’s great, Abi. I’ll take a look. If I can manage to get a photo from the father I’ll send it on. Wa
s there anything else?”
“Nope, that’s all for now, Boss.”
***
Cribbs Causeway was a sprawling shopping centre surrounded by car parking for those ready to part with their money. Jago didn’t frequent such places very often, preferring to shop when needed, and in a small selection of mainly independent stores. He parked the Silent Hawk outside and took a look at the photo of Jed that Abi had sent him. He’d seen thousands of pictures in his time and had a knack for retaining the image in his head from all the years of practice. He fixed his earpiece and collar microphone and checked in with Abi.
“Abi, I’ve just hooked up my comms gear. Testing. Over.”
“I have you loud and clear, Boss. Shall I keep the channel open?”
“Yes, for the moment. You never know what will happen.”
“Will do, Boss. Over and out.”
Jago walked up to the information board beside the entrance doors to assess the building, as was his usual practice. Once inside, he turned immediately to the left into the management offices, looking for anyone who could give him the whereabouts of Dennis Slater. The door was open, and a man dressed in a black suit was sitting staring at a computer screen. Jago tapped the door and entered. The man didn’t turn around or acknowledge his presence.
“Hello, can I speak to a manager please?”
The curly-haired man maintained his gaze on the computer screen.
“If it’s another customer complaint, I don’t want to know. Take it to the central information point and register your complaint there.”
“What if my complaint is about you and the service that you’re providing right now? Where do I take that complaint? To your boss?”
The man turned abruptly to face Jago. “I am the boss, you donkey. Who do you think you are? Now be a good chap and go and bother someone else.”
Jago quickly peered over his shoulder to see if anyone was nearby and, seeing that there was no one, stepped into the office. He closed the door behind him and the man went to get to his feet. Jago was too quick for him and pushed him back into his chair. The chair was on wheels and he rolled backwards. Jago grabbed the man’s throat and wheeled him along the office until his head rammed into the back wall.
“Now, you listen here. I’ve come here with a reasonable request, and you’re just plain rude. That is not acceptable in any walk of life. And if you are the boss of this place, isn’t it your job to set an example of excellent customer service? I think it is, you know. I also think that you’re in the wrong job. You need to think about what you’re doing. Now, I am only going to ask you this once. Are you listening?” He applied pressure to the man’s throat. “Where will I find Dennis Slater, one of your security guards?”
He released his grip to allow the man to speak.
The garbled reply came. “He can’t deal with anything personal, he’s on duty.”
Jago tightened his grip and pushed the man back into the wall. “Wrong answer. I asked, where will I find him?”
He released the grip once more, but not entirely.
“He’s patrolling the upper deck on the far side near Marks & Spencer.”
“That’s better. I only want a couple of minutes of his time. It’s a family issue. That’s okay, isn’t it?”
He tightened the grip somewhat before releasing once again.
“Yes, yes, it’s okay. Take as long as you need. Just leave me alone, please.”
As the manager was finishing his sentence, Jago hooked his foot around the upright of the chair and simultaneously applied pressure to the manager’s throat backwards, the result of which left him still in the chair but on his back on the floor with his feet in the air.
“Thank you so much for your cooperation. Have a nice day,” said Jago as he made his way out of the office.
Jago walked past busy shoppers and fancy displays in shop windows galore, none of which interested him. He was focused on finding his man, and it wasn’t a social visit. Jago looked up, scanning the upper floor for Dennis Slater as he headed for the escalator. He spotted a uniformed security guard who appeared to be in his mid to late fifties, about five feet seven inches tall, with a dark, rugged complexion. He looked around to see if there were any other security guards in the area and saw none. Jago went up the escalator and turned right into the path of the security guard.
“Hello, I wonder if you can help me?”
“I’ll do my best, young fella, what are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for Dennis Slater. You wouldn’t happen to be him, would you? He’s the dad of one of my mates.”
“Oh, well, that’s me! You found me. How did you do that?”
“It wasn’t difficult. I went around to your house, and one of your neighbours said that you were a security guard in a shopping complex. Seeing that this is the biggest one in the area, I thought I’d try here first.”
“Resourceful, aren’t you? Are you still in, or have they let you out?”
“I left a few years back. I thought as I was in the area I might catch up with Jed, or Marti. I know them both, but I know Jed better. Have you seen either of them?”
“As a matter of fact, I saw them both together last week. Marti had to go off early to a conference. You know they’re both working together in a consultancy, and Marti’s the IT expert. He seems to be in great demand, as he’s always zipping off to a conference here and there. You just missed Jed.”
Dennis pulled out a business card and handed it to Jago. It read ‘M&J Security Consulting’ and gave an address and a mobile telephone number.
“Oh really? That’s a shame. How long ago was he at home?”
“At home? No lad, he was here about ten minutes ago. His car’s gone in for a service, so he wanted to borrow mine because he’s got a job to complete before he heads over to the States for another one. They’re good lads, they are. They’re working hard. They’ve paid off my mortgage for me, they have. They wanted to move to a new place, but I know all the neighbours and the area. So, I wanted to stay put and they paid my mortgage off and told me to work less too. Mind you, I like the work. It gets me out of the house, you know.”
“That’s good of them, looking after their dad like that. What a shame I’ve missed him, I’d like to have caught up with him over a couple of beers. It’s a bit of a coincidence I know, but I’m off to the States myself next week. Wouldn’t it be funny if we were in the same place? Do you know whereabouts he’s going?”
“I can’t remember if it was New York or that other place where the White House is. That’s it, it must be where the President lives because he joked about going to visit him for tea and cake.”
“Oh, that’s a pity, I’ll be on the other side in LA. Did you say that he’s using your car? If you let me know the details maybe I’ll bump into him.”
“Well, he only left about ten minutes ago to do some shopping, and then he’ll be going down to the staff parking area. My car’s a Nissan Juke, nippy little thing it is, and I managed to get it in gunmetal grey cos I knew that the boys would appreciate that.”
“I’ve heard that they’re good cars. What’s the registration?”
“Let me see now. I have it in my wallet cos I can’t remember anything these days, not since the wife died.”
He rummaged in his pockets for his wallet and took out a small piece of paper with the registration written upon it. He showed it to Jago.
“I tell you what, my memory’s rubbish as well. I’ll just take a photo of it with my phone. I won’t forget it that way.”
Jago snapped the number and sent it directly to Abi, who was listening in and eagerly awaiting the details herself.
Abi confirmed receipt of the number. “Got it, Boss, and I’m tapping into the traffic and shopping centre cameras around your location now, over and out.”
Jago had heard the message but continued with Dennis.
“Dennis, it’s been great talking with you, it has, but I’d better get off now. Which way is out, Denn
is?” As he spoke, he noticed that Dennis was speed dialling on his mobile phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“I thought that I’d give Jed a try. Here you go, it’s ringing.”
Jago thought quickly. “If he’s still here, why don’t you tell him that you have something for him and meet him in the centre, and then I can pop out as a surprise?”
Dennis nodded in agreement and the call connected. “Hi Jed, it’s Dad. I’ve got something for you, are you still in the centre?”
“Yeah, Dad, I’ve just been doing some shopping. I was just about to leave. Where are you?”
“I’m at the top of the escalators by the coffee shop. Where are you?”
“I’m on the ground floor on the main concourse near Pret a Manger. I can see you, Dad, I’ll be up in a minute.”
Jago hadn’t had time to move away from Dennis.
“Who’s that with you, Dad?”
“Oh, Jed. You’ve gone and ruined the surprise now. It’s one of your old mates from the military.”
Jed advanced and fixed his gaze on Jago. “It’s an old mate, is it? I don’t recognise him from here. Tell him to hold on, I’m on my way up.”
Jago held his position. “Abi, have you got the cameras for the main concourse leading to the escalators? Our target is approaching now.”
“Looking now, Boss, looking now … wait … okay, I think I have him. Blue jeans, white T-shirt, brown leather jacket, carrying two shopping bags.”
“Correct. I’m out in the open here. Maintain a visual on him. We may need some good facial shots if you can get them.”
“I’m trying, Boss. I have control of the cameras.”
Jed advanced further and stepped onto the escalator, maintaining eye contact with Jago who was smiling at him. Suddenly, he leapt over the side of the escalator and ran under the bridge towards the other end of the mall. Jago took after him on the upper level.
“Abi, he’s on the move.”
“I’ve got him, Boss, he’s going straight to your left, towards the M&S store.”
“Is there a way out of that store directly outside?”
Shades of Loyalty Page 21