Cherry Picking

by Tim Heath

  Making good progress through the always crowded streets, the taxi dropped him off some twenty minutes later and Robert went up the stairs to what at some point had clearly been a warehouse but now hadn’t been a working building for some time. Robert had acquired most of it around eight years ago, doing all the repairs himself and now used it as his city pad.

  Two flights of stairs took him up to his front door and where his living space started. In a labyrinth of stairs and rooms his generously proportioned apartment spread itself over three further floors. Up on the top floor, now far away from prying eyes and nosey neighbours, Robert housed his own special room. In it stood, shining in solid stainless steel, a giant metal doorway whose form, though much improved and developed, still echoed its early versions. Though the technology was much developed in its sophistication, the current version still had all the wonder of the original WENTWORTH DOOR and as testament to its origins the same name was more modestly stamped onto the front top left corner of the frame.

  This was not just the doorway though. This version was housed completely in a metal cube and the doorway itself sat directly in the middle of the cube.

  Turning the power on, the device made its usual noises while electricity was highly charging the metal framework. Anyone touching it would be sure to die from such a voltage but Robert took every precaution, as always. The cube sat on a six inch rubber base and had nothing else within twenty feet of it, including the ceiling which stood open all the way up to the now rotting wooden joists. Robert carefully put everything he had with him in a bag, and since the device was now fully charged and ready for the pulse, he pressed the green button on the control pad and walked through the doorway as the pulse of electricity shot through the steel metalwork, making it glow red hot.

  **********

  Thirty minutes later back at the police station, DCI Jack Derry pulled into the car park just as a courier van was pulling in, the driver getting out. They walked through the main doors together and Jack was about to walk on when he heard the guy saying to the main desk that he had a package for a DCI Jack Derry and PC Chambers from Head Office that they needed to sign for and then he could leave.

  Jack spoke up and went over to the courier, taking a look down at the package that was for him. He led the courier through the main door on the look out for PC Chambers. Spotting him on the far side, Jack went over to him, courier in tow, and caught PC Chambers’ attention just as he was finishing on the telephone. They all went together to a spare desk to open and sign for the package.

  The courier stood there waiting, eager to get off home as this was his last drop of the day. He looked around the room, pieces of paper on all of the walls, each relating to different cases. They must have meant something to someone but to his eye they just looked messy. Glancing back around he saw PC Chambers glaring at him, as if to threaten him by saying; “What do you think you are looking at?” He straightened and watched DCI Jack Derry undo the protective paper and cut the tape that had HEAD OFFICE specially written over it, sure proof that it had indeed come from the HQ in the city centre. PC Chambers looked on eagerly now as well to see what they had been sent. As Jack pulled out the small metal box, it wasn’t obvious that there was more than ten kilograms of highly lethal explosives inside it. Nor was it obvious that the box was wired to explode as soon as it was opened. Neither man had time to think as the flames and explosion ripped the whole building apart, such was the power of it. The building collapsed within seconds, fire coming from every part, with every person inside the station killed instantly.

  The explosion was heard for miles around. By the time the emergency services arrived ten minutes later there was little to show of the station, a huge crater in the ground marking the place where the bomb had exploded. It would go down as a terrorist act and no doubt many leading ‘candidates’ would come forward admitting responsibility for it. After all, such an explosion within the city limits on such a target made it very high profile in the news — the real answer would likely never be found.

  Chapter 14

  Back again safely in the country house, Robert Sandle sat quietly on the large sofa in the lounge, the remains of a strong drink evident in the glass that sat next to him on the table, a half finished bottle of expensive Scottish whisky beside it.

  For Robert, the morning had seen his worst fears come true. He would probably need to go back very soon to find out all he could and assess the level of damage but it already looked very bleak. First he planned to start making some telephone calls, to start pushing hard to find the man responsible for all this trouble. Gone now was his tactic of staying low. Gone was the need to keep in the shadows, building his case and understanding his target. No, now the tables had been turned on him well and truly. He’d been the victim one too many times and he knew that they were now onto him as much as he was onto them. Action was required. His options had already been dealt a serious blow with the loss of Simon Allen. The things that would surely take place over the next few weeks would shape everything that was to follow.

  Robert got up and paced around a bit to clear his head. He opened the kitchen door that led into the garden, the wind blowing a little, carrying with it the distinct country smell that brought fresh air and focus to his fuzzy mind. Having stood there for five minutes just watching the world go by, he finally walked back into the lounge, now feeling a little more alert. Robert flicked through his contact cards until he found the number he was looking for, that of Tommy Lawrence. He knew that now it was time to start speaking to some of the main players, he had very few options left anyway. Before picking up the telephone, he scanned through some notes he’d written up on the activities at Nottingham Forest over the last couple of weeks, making sure he was fully aware of all that had happened so far. He’d also been interested to read about Clint Powers, who had been rumoured to have been interested in a move to join up with Tommy Lawrence again, before Manchester United became aware and signed him for a much bigger fee than they previously felt happy about. With all of this information fresh in his mind again, Robert picked up his telephone and dialled the number, waiting for a few seconds before the call was answered.

  “Hello, Tommy speaking,” came the reply, his voice instantly recognisable, bringing a buzz of excitement to Robert.

  “Mr Tommy Lawrence, what an honour this is to speak to you. My name is…,” He paused, thinking for just a moment, but wanting this conversation to be listened to later on, he carried straight on, “Robert Sandle.”

  “Are you a reporter?” Tommy did not sound impressed. “How did you get this number? Stop all the flattery anyway, it isn’t going to get you anything!”

  “Oh no, Tommy, I’m not in the media.” Robert paused, still trying to pick his words carefully. “I do know a lot about you though. You are the great Tommy Lawrence! Didn’t Brendan Charles tell you that?”

  Tommy paused, having been about to hang up fearing it was just a prank call before the name of his boss had been mentioned. It was, however, a widely known name as well so it was still not out of the question that this was a prank call.

  “An interesting array of young talent he’s got in for you, wouldn’t you say?” Robert said, carefully changing the pace and subject of conversation.

  “I don’t know what you mean, I got them all myself,” he said, rather pathetically Robert felt.

  “Come on, Tommy. We both know that you’d never heard of them before they arrived. Not many people had! Tell me, was it Brendan who got them in for you, or was it Brendan’s boss?”

  “Look, this conversation is over. If you call me again there’ll be trouble for you, mark my words!”

  “Tommy, Tommy, calm down. Trouble is never far behind me but that’s not my worry at the moment. You seen Jessica lately?”

  The sudden change of subject stopped Tommy cold. Who was this man and how did he know so much?

  “Who?”

  “Come on, stop playing me for a fool! I know everything and much more. We ne
ed to chat in person. There’s a lot I need to tell you.”

  “Cut the crap. I don’t know who you are and there’s nothing you need to tell me. I don’t know what you’re talking about and I don’t really care, I have a team to manage and things to do, so if you don’t mind I’ll....”

  “Did you know Jessica works for Brendan? Always has since before you met?” Robert said, cutting in on Tommy, who now was silent on the other end.

  “Of course, that wasn’t how I remembered it. Your wedding was front page news, the talk of the whole country. You’ve lived in Brendan’s pocket long enough now though, Mr Lawrence. It’s about time you started to learn the truth.”

  “The truth? What truth? What are you talking about? Brendan has been nothing but professional with me,” Tommy said, rather weakly as he rolled through his mind the number of run-ins he’d had with him over the years.

  “Look, I know it’s tough for you. You know you are really the boss and yet he’s always kept you under wraps. You know you can do your job and yet he has you over a barrel so that you do all he wants. Tell me, since when did an office worker become a football manager over night anyway? When Tommy? Never before, that’s when! Never. So why are you there? All these questions you must have, my friend. You must have thought them through yourself a hundred times by now. You see, if we meet I can give you some answers…,” Robert deliberately trailed off.

  There was silence for about twenty-seconds before Robert continued.

  “You still there?”

  “Yeah, look, I need to go.”

  Robert lowered his head, straining for the right thing to say knowing that he might not get another chance. He didn’t want to lose the opportunity. It was Tommy though who seemed to hold out his hand giving Robert the opportunity he wanted.

  “OK, if it’s the truth you know, tell me about Clint Powers.” Robert had been waiting for something like that to come up. “That must have been really confusing for you, mustn’t it!”

  “Confusing? What really do you know?” Tommy was about to hang up. Robert replied quickly to keep him speaking.

  “Confusing with what happened I mean. You wanted him and I think you would have got him from all that I’ve read and yet he didn’t come. You must have asked yourself why that was many times. Why didn’t Brendan want him, because I know it wasn’t you that pulled the plug on the deal? It was Brendan, wasn’t it?”

  “Yeah, how did you know?”

  “Oh, I understand it very well. Let’s meet and we’ll talk some more. I’ll be in contact with you soon. You’ll know straight away it’s me. When we meet face to face I’ll tell you everything you need to know and answer all those questions you must have burning away deep inside.”

  Robert hung up, happy at how things had finished and he pictured how Tommy would be feeling at that moment sitting in his office. No doubt he’d be pondering all he’d just heard. Tommy was a tactician at heart so Robert knew, having given him enough pieces, he’d now be processing all that information in his head and that would increase his desire to know more. The seed had been firmly planted. Making personal contact would be the next danger and he’d have to get it spot on to avoid being caught. That would take a little planning but should be easy enough. First though, he planned to make two further calls and picked up another contact card, dialling the number into the keypad on the phone. After two rings a female voice answered.

  “Hello Jessica Lawrence, it’s me, Robert.”

  Jessica went quiet, rather puzzled by the name but knowing exactly who it was.

  “Oh, did I say Lawrence, I meant to say Ponter. Forgive me, my mistake.” It was clear to both that it was no such mistake, Jessica wondering why he’d made such a reference but happy that at last he’d made contact again.

  “Where are you?” That was not the response Robert expected from her which quickly told him only one thing.

  “Oh, I see. They have you looking out for me do they?” Robert smiled to himself.

  “No, I just mean you haven’t been around here much lately. I wanted to see you again, you know, maybe we could go for a drink?” Her act was surprisingly poor for someone so talented and it didn’t fool Robert in the slightest.

  “Very good, Jessica, and what would Tommy say about that? Or Brendan?”

  She sat there quietly for a moment before asking: “What do you want?”

  “I want to know about your boss, Brendan Charles, and anything you know about his boss.” There was only silence at the other end now. Robert continued: “You see, Jessica, Brendan hasn’t been telling you the truth all this time and I have some answers for you.”

  “Brendan has done nothing but be a father to me, and hell knows I needed one and that’s what he now is to me. So take your lies and whatever else you think you know and go somewhere else!”

  “Brendan’s a father to you? What does your daddy have to say about that then? I’d imagine that would be enough to make a man a little jealous?”

  Jessica went very quiet, clearly emotional now. Robert didn’t quite know what was going on. Taking a deep breath Jessica said.

  “If you knew anything about me you’d know that my father died some years back and that Brendan was very helpful to me at the time. But you clearly know nothing about me, so why am I even talking to you! Goodbye,” and she hung up, not able to hold the tears in any longer, sobbing quietly at her desk, the past just too painful to revisit.

  Robert sat there a little taken aback. Not that he’d done much recent research on Jessica but the last he knew was that her father was very much alive and still meant to be a part of things in her life. Something had changed therefore and that must have meant Brendan or whoever had done something. Robert knew he’d missed his chance this time with her but for now he needed to check the facts as best he could and see what happened. It wouldn’t be as easy now but surely there’d be something. He noted some things down on his pad to look into later, before again picking up the phone one last time. It had been ten minutes since he’d first called Tommy so he reckoned he had about five more minutes before the conversations would be listened to and no doubt some action taken to stop him.

  This time dialling Brendan’s mobile phone, he waited quite a while before it was answered.

  “Hello, who is this?” Brendan said, rather aggressively, as he didn’t take many unknown calls on that telephone.

  “It’s Robert, Brendan. We need to talk!”

  “At last, the man of mystery. And what precisely do we have to talk about?”

  “The man you work for, your boss. Let’s start by talking about him shall we?” Brendan made some type of noise under his breath, clearly not impressed at all by what Robert had just said.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m the boss here!”

  “Come on Brendan, this is me you’re talking to here. I know all about you.”

  “Yeah, you do, do you? Well, I’m learning a lot about you as well.” Robert took that as a cheap, but empty threat.

  “Don’t you feel he’s clipped your wings rather?” Robert said. The question was worded in such a way that it was clear it was also a statement and it took Brendan by surprise, leaving him speechless for a moment.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “Well, after all, Brendan, you are quite able to run all these businesses yourself and yet you report everything back to him for his agreement, though you are more than capable. Don’t you ever wonder why he approached you in the first place?”

  Brendan was confused. The voice inside his own head was desperate for answers and he had indeed felt completely limited and frustrated by the way he was now working and yet this was how it always had been. It was fear of the consequences that stopped him saying anything out of turn.

  “Look, Robert, if that’s your real name, I don’t know what you want, but I am not going to be intimidated by anyone, especially you!”

  “Relax, I’m not after you. I want to know about your boss.”

  “I sa
id I don’t know what you mean! You call this number again and you’ll live to regret it.”

  “Oh dear Brendan, what have you become? What has he done to you?” There was no response from the other side. Robert continued, feeling he was really touching a nerve now.

  “What have you done for him? Maybe that’s the more relevant question here? Look, we’re going to have to meet someday, my friend, and then you’ll give me what I want to know. Until then, I’ll be seeing you.”

  With that Robert hung up, having said enough already. Again he was left feeling a little frustrated at not having got further. Clearly there was a lot of fear being shown by all involved. Maybe his approach had been wrong, but he couldn’t change what had gone before. His earlier encounters with Jessica at the Department of Information had now made him a perceived threat and there was no way of knowing that things would have moved on in the way they did. Clearly, Brendan’s boss was doing everything to stay hidden. He was obviously aware of Robert’s presence and that had rattled his safe little cage enough for things to start getting serious.

  Planning his next move was crucial. It was while sitting there thinking, with the television on quietly in the background, that Robert suddenly realised he was looking at his own picture on the screen.

  “You have got to be kidding me!” he said aloud to himself in disbelief.