by Matt Johnson
My heart sank. Kevin was bluffing, buying time, but only I knew that. Howard would now need to know if there was any truth in what he had just said. And there was only one way he was going to get that confirmation. For Kevin that would be a one-way ticket to hell. Unable to reveal a location he didn’t actually have, and with Howard unlikely to believe he had been bluffing, torture was never going to work. It would be suffering simply for the sake of it. And, no doubt, I would follow him.
And something else was troubling me. On the floor between Howard’s feet sat the paper bag Grady had brought in. It kept calling to me. Howard had said, ‘Bring me the gun’ – the gun. What was it about the gun in that bag that made it the subject of such individual attention?
Then, as I thought more about what Shabat, the Minister, had said, about what he’d been asked to do, about Maggie Price going missing and why on earth someone would kill Sandi and then make Kevin look like the killer; it came to me. And I realised why Petre Gavrić was here.
And I knew we were never going to leave that bothy alive.
Chapter 60
‘Where are we going?’ Toni asked.
Dyer didn’t reply. Instead, he simply marched ahead and out through the revolving doors. She followed, obediently. To one side of the exit, three armed officers from the Diplomatic Protection Group watched the street outside New Scotland Yard and all the people coming and going from the building. Two were armed with what looked like Heckler and Koch carbines. The third, a supervisor it appeared, had his thumbs tucked into the shoulder straps of his body armour. He looked extremely bored.
And long may it stay that way, Toni thought as her Assistant Director approached the rear of a waiting car, opened the door and indicated for her to get in.
She did so, and as Dyer sat down beside her, she asked him again where they were heading.
‘Thames House,’ he said. Although whether it was in response to her question or as an instruction to the driver, she wasn’t sure. In any event, the car pulled way and headed towards the river.
The journey continued in complete silence. ‘Make sure you cooperate’, she recalled the words of instruction that Dyer had given to Nell and Stuart. What exactly had he meant? Some sort of investigation, it had to be. But what about? The obvious answer was Al Anfal and that cursed document.
The streets were crammed. Taxis, delivery drivers and the ever-growing number of cyclists all contributed to slow their progress. Eventually though, they entered the underground car park beneath Thames House. A security guard waved them through – suggesting they were expected, as even Directors were normally stopped and questioned – and they pulled up adjacent to the lifts.
‘With me, Fellows,’ said Dyer – his first words since they had set off.
The lift arrived quickly and, as they entered, Toni glanced to see which floor button he pressed. The fourth, Director level. They were heading to his office.
She was wrong. As the lift doors opened, they were greeted by Clare Bowen, the new secretary to Director ‘T’. Clare remained impassive as they made eye contact and, like Dyer, who was now stood behind Toni at the rear of the lift, she remained silent as she turned on her heel and headed back to her office. Toni felt the muscles in her thighs twitch and, for a self-conscious moment she fought hard to resist the urge to dive out of the lift and head for the emergency stairs. The Assistant Director used his open hand to indicate they should follow and, as they reached the Director’s office, Clare opened the outer door. Standing to one side, she then opened the door to the Director’s office itself. He was standing just inside, waiting.
The Director smiled as he thanked Clare. As she retired and then closed the door behind them, Toni felt herself shudder.
‘I’m not sure whether to be angry with you or not, Toni.’
Uncertain as to whether she should reply to the Director’s leading remark, Toni scanned the papers in front of her for any clues as to what was coming, but the font was too small, and he was being careful not to place them so close that she might be allowed the chance. Two photographs were pinned to the inside front page of one folder he held up for her to see. One was of Chas Collins – the author she had gone to so much trouble to try and locate. The second was Maggie Price, his agent, now the subject of a missing-person’s enquiry by the police.
‘You do recall our last meeting, I trust?’ he continued.
Toni swallowed as she tried to overcome the tension in her jaw. The muscle twitch had stopped, thankfully, but a creeping sense of anxiety was still welling up from her chest. She felt warm, uncomfortably so. ‘Yes … of course,’ she muttered.
‘Then you’ll remember I gave you my email together with instructions to keep me personally updated on the Hastings enquiry into Colonel Monaghan and any other developments surrounding it?’
‘Of course, I’m sorry. I’ve been a little wrapped up in it.’
The Director paused, and took a single, deep breath. ‘Very well. Perhaps we’ll return to that in a moment. For now, we have a very serious situation we need to discuss with you.’
Dyer took the file containing the photographs and placed it in a briefcase at his feet. ‘You’re aware the agent Maggie Price and her author, Chas Collins, have been of interest to us?’ he said.
‘I am, yes.’
The Director took over. ‘Two weeks ago, we were contacted by our colleagues in Belgium. Chas Collins, as we now know him, was found dead in a dilapidated garage, where he had, apparently, been living rough. At first, they thought he was a simple tramp who had died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning from a small cooker he had been using. It was only when they ran a precautionary search through Interpol that his fingerprints came up with a match.’
‘The CIA will be pleased. That book he brought out last year caused a lot of embarrassment.’
‘Indeed it did. Anyway, you’ll be aware that the other photograph on that file is his agent, Mrs Price. Mrs Price has also been missing for some time now.’
Toni nodded. Her heart rate was easing as the sensation of panic subsided.
‘Good. You’re with me so far?’
‘Yes.’
‘What you won’t be aware of – unless you’ve been discovering things even we don’t know about – is that there is strong evidence to believe Mrs Price was killed on the doorstep of her home.’
‘Killed? I thought it was a missing-person enquiry.’
‘The police have been cooperating with us. We have forensic evidence to link the Price case to an incident nearby on the same night she went missing.’
‘An incident?’ Toni asked.
‘A drug dealer who ended up on the mortuary slab with a bullet in his skull.’
‘Yes, I’d heard about that too. I thought the two events were supposed to be unconnected?’
The Director’s lips curved upwards, just slightly. Not a smile, more in recognition that Toni was up to speed and paying attention. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘That is what has been released to the public. In truth, the two events are very much connected. A .22 calibre firearm was used at Mrs Price’s house. We know this because a damaged hollow-point bullet of that type was found in the frame of her front door. It was badly damaged but there is every indication it came from the same gun used to kill the drug dealer.’
‘A forensic match that couldn’t have come from a Glock?’
‘A smaller calibre, Toni. It isn’t a match good enough for a court, but good enough for us. We have been, shall I say, looking into the circumstances of Mrs Price’s disappearance, as we understand that Collins had been working on a new book that exposed the Al Anfal organisation.’
Toni remained silent, trying to recall who knew what. Howard Green had warned her not to talk about it, and yet here was her Director discussing that very same organisation. He had to be testing her, she figured. If she denied any detailed knowledge of Al Anfal, he would recognise the lie. Best to be brave.
‘That could be a good reason for discomfort in some quarter
s,’ she replied.
Dyer leaned forwards in his chair. ‘Ms Fellowes, we are well aware you made the connection between Howard Green and the former soldiers who first discovered the Al Anfal document. You know, as do we, that he was responsible for silencing any potential leaks.’
‘By murdering them, you mean?’
‘Murder is a crime. Green’s actions were lawfully sanctioned at the highest levels.’
‘Well, I’m sure the relatives of those soldiers will be relieved to hear that, sir.’ For a moment, Toni had forgotten herself, and the two men clearly heard the bitterness in her voice. That they were minded to forgive the outburst fractionally eased her anxiety levels.
After a short pause, the Director continued. ‘And you warned Robert Finlay that any contact he had with the soldiers trying to sell the document could place his own life at risk?’
‘As ordered, yes I did. But you know that already, I was given to understand. Finlay told me the document was destroyed.’
‘By Dr Armstrong?’
‘Yes.’
‘Who quite recently came by another copy.’
‘Yes, so I’m told. The copy Mr Dyer here produced at a recent Long Room meeting.’
‘And after which, you approached Miles Chadbourne?’
‘You’re well informed, sir.’
‘It’s my bloody job to be informed, Toni.’ The Director spat the words. His lips narrowed, his brow tense, it was the first time he had shown any sign of temper.
Toni’s stomach lurched in response to a sudden adrenalin rush. She was sweating now.
‘OK, let’s carry on,’ said Dyer. ‘Several months ago we were approached by an agent who informed us he was being put under pressure by one of our officers to arrange the murders of two men.’
Toni felt a feeling of déjà vu as she heard the words ‘two men’. ‘Does this have anything to do with the Al Anfal clean-up operation?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ replied the Director. ‘The two men are the police officers you have been looking after, Jones and Finlay.’
‘Someone wants them dead?’
‘Please don’t play games, Fellowes. We also know that agent recently passed a warning to Inspector Finlay who I’ve no doubt told you.’
‘Er … yes. He did, sir.’
‘Then you’ll know the Minister I’m referring to?’ The Director looked straight at her, as if he were daring her to lie.
‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘And the officer who wanted Finlay dead is the same man who ran the post-Monaghan clean-up operation – Howard Green.’
‘We hoped you might come up with Howard’s name without prompting … and it seems you haven’t disappointed. Rather helps with confirming we are on the same track.’
‘Same track?’
‘Stopping Howard Green.’
‘From going after Jones and Finlay? I thought you’d specifically warned him off?’
‘You are correct. But, as with all such orders, one must ensure they are complied with. So, you see, I’ve been keeping an eye on Howard for quite some time.’
‘I didn’t realise,’ Toni answered, humbly.
‘And not just due to my natural sense of caution, I needed to know if there were others involved with him – others who knew of Al Anfal.’
‘Others?’
‘Yes, others. Hence my allowing the production of the document at the Long Room meeting. We wanted to see if anyone took the bait.’
‘What bait?’
‘The bait that you took – Miles Chadbourne. He reacted to the mention of the document and, although you weren’t the only person to spot it, you were the only person who followed it up.’
‘So, I gave myself away?’
‘Not really. As I said, I was already aware of your interest.’
‘And Miles is working for you?’
‘He is, yes. His posting to the dungeon has been part of our gambit.’
‘Did you know his office has been cleared out?’ said Toni.
‘We were looking for a clue as to his whereabouts. We found nothing.’
‘Well, well,’ said Toni. ‘He certainly fooled me. And would it be too much to conclude that Suze Bickerton is in on this as well?’
‘Correct. Which brings us quite neatly onto why we are here now.’
‘You want me for something?’
‘We do, yes,’ replied the Director. ‘But before that I should apprise you of the background.’
‘The background?’ asked Toni.
Alex Dyer reopened his briefcase and placed a file in front of her. ‘Take a minute to read this,’ he said.
Toni glanced at the Director. He nodded, as if he were reassuring her that she had his blessing to do as was being suggested. She began to read.
A few minutes later, as she began to flick through a series of financial reports appended to the document, Dyer continued where he had left off. ‘So, you see you’re not the only one to have maintained an interest in Howard Green.’
‘I do see,’ she replied. ‘You’ve been monitoring his activities for some while?’
‘We have,’ said the Director. ‘It became apparent to me that Howard was working, at least in part, to an agenda not set by us. He pays lip service to orders, but it seems that on occasion he has a predisposition to do his own thing, as it were.’
‘A loose cannon,’ Toni commented.
‘Indeed. I’ve been concerned that the operation to stop the sale of the Al Anfal document to the press had gone off track and that more was going on than I was privy to. After Finlay and Jones appeared with you on Howard’s radar last year, he wanted to have all three of you taken out.’
‘Me as well? I was aware of the threat to the policemen, but…’
‘And as you’re aware. Howard was given clear orders to drop his plans. I wasn’t sure about him, though. So I decided to try and get an officer close enough to him that I might be reassured as to his loyalty.’
‘So Miles has been undercover, within the Service itself?’ Toni asked.
The Director glanced at his number two before replying. ‘The tethered-goat trap, to see if Howard would follow correct protocol on discovering another potential leak. Miles was aware of the risk.’
‘Quite brave considering his target’s track record. Howard didn’t do what you expected of him, presumably?’
‘Howard Green only does things for his own betterment,’ said Dyer.
‘Through questionable business interests?’ Toni asked, tentatively, all the while wondering if she were taking a step too far. But now that she knew she too was at risk, the game had changed.
‘You’ve discovered something?’ he asked, as he leaned forwards in his chair.
‘This very day.’ Buoyed by the Assistant Director’s apparent enthusiasm, she decided to go for it, to say what she knew. ‘Howard’s interests in the Cristea family seem to extend beyond monitoring them in the interests of the state.’
‘In it up to his neck, you might say, Toni.’
‘You know?’ she asked as she realised it was a statement rather than a question.
Dyer turned to the Director as if seeking approval to answer. The slightest of nods was all Toni saw before he continued. And she’d noticed something else: Dyer had switched to using her first name.
‘We’ve had concerns,’ he explained. ‘Shall we say … irregularities in Howard’s financial dealings have been brought to our notice. It all seems to relate to this Al Anfal organisation he is supposed to be monitoring. Our evidence suggests they pay him, and very handsomely. In return he makes sure we turn a blind eye to what they do, how they generate income and all manner of other activities.’
‘Including the trafficking of women?’
‘Yes, including the generating of cash through the sale of people.’
‘How long have you known?’ she asked, avoiding eye contact with the Director and doing her level best not to make her question sound like an accusation that they should have acted more promptly.
If the Director took her inference that way, he didn’t show it.
Dyer continued. ‘For some while now Miles has been putting Howard under pressure,’ he said. ‘To see if he might make a mistake, expose to us what he is really involved in. We have yet to discover the scale of his operation and whether he is working on his own or with others.’
‘Others in the Service? As opposed to what you said a moment ago about others outside who may have known about Al Anfal?’
‘Miles’s brief was to discover if there are others within the Service, yes.’
‘Did it work?’ Toni asked.
‘We really don’t know. Miles Chadbourne’s absence from his office isn’t our doing. We have no idea where he is and we fear that Howard has grabbed him.’
‘And we have no contact method for him?’
Dyer turned once more to the Director. He looked sombre, even a little worried. When he finally spoke, Toni understood why. ‘He has a GPS locator in his phone. Two days ago, it stopped transmitting.’
‘So, you’ve lost him?’
‘We have. And, as of yesterday, we also lost track of Howard Green. We don’t think it’s a coincidence.’
‘And is Howard still after Jones and Finlay?’
‘We believe so. We fear he may already have them as well. Someone with considerable skill was behind the Jones escape from court and we have just learned that a surveillance team the police set up to follow Finlay has reported there is no trace of him anywhere.’
‘So, we’re too late?’ Toni asked.
The Director looked resigned.
‘Unless he wants to question them,’ she continued. ‘To find out what they know and if they’ve told or involved anyone else?’
Dyer closed the buff folder in front of Toni. ‘This file is for you. If you can find our missing officer and the two coppers, then so much the better, but you can still have it.’