As soon as his grandma started to show signs she was dealing with life without her husband of fifty years, the first cogs of the plan would start spinning and start a chain of events that would not stop until Connor was totally satisfied they had all suffered. He would be then committed to fulfilling his and his dying granddads wish.
Avenge and destroy them.
*
June 2011.
It was 7am and Connor had not slept at all, in fact he was still sat up in the same position on the bed as he had been a few hours earlier. Dozing was as near as he got to sleep but then his mind would wake with a start before his gaze would re- focus on the street lights outside of his window. He quickly dressed and headed for the coffee shop at the end of his road. It was another warm autumn day but Connor could tell it was only a matter of time before it would rain. Sitting down with his coffee near the window he watched as the streets started to come alive with people going about their everyday business. Men and women dressed in suits, kids dressed in uniforms on their way to school, men of varying ages wearing high visibility jackets on their way to a building site nearby. A young man of a similar stamp to Connor walked passed dressed smartly carrying a leather folder. It reminded him of his self a few years ago when the first seeds of his plan were being sewn in London.
*
4th October 2006.
“Connor could you do me a favour?” asked Gary, Connor’s office supervisor.
“What is it?” replied Connor with a knowing look on his face.
“I now you have only been here a month but do you think you could take a look at this category A client’s books for me. They need to be completed before the end of the week and I just don’t have the time”
Connor paused before he answered because he knew company policy prevented him from dealing with category A clients. As a junior accountant he was only allowed to deal with category B clients and below.
“I don’t think I am allowed......sorry Gary”
Connor watched and waited because he knew Gary was a worrier. He would always panic when he fell behind with category A clients tax returns and would rather pass them on to someone else to do instead of taking a bollocking from his boss. These clients were category A for a reason. They were people who had large companies or vast amounts of money to pay tax on so their returns and paperwork had to be in order because they paid a hefty sum for the service. If it was wrong the accountancy firm would take the responsibility but it would not stop the Inland Revenue checking the bank accounts of the clients.
Still watching Gary with a manipulative eye Connor bided his time and pretended to carry on working at his computer. Gary was now studying the room figuring out who else he could trust amongst the 10 other people working away, his dark tight curly hair producing sweat that was now running down his forehead, almost steaming up his glasses. Connor waited then picked the right moment because he knew Gary was now desperate. A casual glance and eye contact for a split second was all that was needed for Gary to ask Connor once again for his assistance, knowing Connor was more than capable of doing them for him.
“Ok I’ll do them for you but you owe me big time” sighed Connor.
“Connor Jordan you are the best. Thank you and yes I do owe you one”
Connor took the paperwork off Gary and placed it on his desk. He scanned the room to see if anyone had seen what had happened but everyone was busy with their own returns. The name on the front of the folder meant nothing to Gary but to Connor it meant everything. Little did Gary know that Connor had wanted this folder in front of him since he had started working at the accountancy firm and through clever manipulation had managed to now get his hands on it.
Staring at the name on the front sent his adrenalin on a high as a crude smile appeared across his face.
ACCOUNT DETAILS FOR; MR PHILLIP REGINALD NEWTON.
“Well, well, well Mr Newton what have we here?” whispered Connor to himself as he took his phone off the hook so he would not be distracted.
Chapter7
*
“Excuse me sir would you like another coffee?”
The voice of one of the girls who worked in the coffee shop awoke Connor from his thoughts. He stared at her for a couple of seconds before answering her.
“Yes please” replied Connor softly before he returned his gaze to the window and what was outside.
It had started to rain now but people could still be seen walking around in tee shirts and summer clothing. Connor did not notice the young girl return with his latte as his mind was back in London, Wandsworth to be exact and the journey home after obtaining Philip Newton’s Revenue details off Gary
*
Whilst working in London as an accountant and doing vital research Connor rented a room in a house in Ebner street. With him lived two other guys who he never seemed to see much of, much to his relief. It was an end terrace house and was a one minute walk from the railway station where he would catch the train to Waterloo.
It was on his journey home from the city the day Gary had given him the Phillip Newton papers that Connor could not stop staring at it in his leather folder. On arriving home he immediately sat down at the desk in the lounge and opened up the file. He had glanced through them at work but so as to not arouse suspicion had left thoroughly reading them until he was at home behind closed doors.
Although calm, Connor could feel the rage building up as he read what a certain Mr Newton had accumulated over the past year. His attention was drawn to the figure in the box at the bottom of one of the pages. It was what Phillip Newton had in one of his five bank accounts at the time and it was the amount he would be paying tax on. Connor remembered what his grandfather had told him about Newton’s company owing Connor’s father Millions and since then Connor had found out more about them as a family. Connor betrayed no emotion as he read out the sum of money printed in ink.
“£5.6 Million”
This is what Newton had gained in profit over the past year. Connor wasted no time and got to work on the tax return straight away.
The next morning before leaving for the office Connor locked away in his box safe a copy of the tax return he had completed the night before. He would need this at a future date but now he had to concentrate on the next part of the plan.
“Morning Gary I have something for you”
“You are joking. I can’t believe you have finished it already. You’re a life saver Connor cheers”
Connor passed Gary the file and waited to see if he checked it then sat down at his desk and watched as Gary the flustering idiot picked up the Newton file and opened the first page. Connor was relying on Gary not looking at it because if he did he would realise things would not be as they should.
“Is everything alright?” asked Connor glaring at Gary.
It was said in such a tone that Gary froze. In a split second Connor had gone from being his friend to someone who looked like they were going to kill him. Gary looked up from the pages with a false smile and laugh.
“Yeah cheers Connor”
“Good” said Connor smiling, changing his demeanour once again.
Connor watched as Gary placed the file into the outwards tray knowing no one would be looking at it again until it was in the hands of the Inland Revenue.
It was two weeks later that Connor received orders from the accounts manager to see him in his office. He had expected this request and it wasn’t because of the Newton file. As good as he was at this job he also knew how to make small mistakes that would be noticed but not punished too harshly. Connor knocked on the large wooden door to the office. On it was the name of a person who Connor had longed to meet and taking a deep breath to gather himself he tried to push out the memories of his family and his grandfather.
MALCOLM STEWART ACCOUNTS MANAGER & CEO.
“Come in” said a very pompous sounding voice of authority.
Connor entered the office and there in front of him was a person that up until now was someone he ha
d learnt to hate even though they had never met. To drive a knife through his throat would have been too easy. Connor had better plans for Mr Stewart but they would have to wait.
“Are you Connor Jordan” said Stewart not even looking up at Connor.
“Yes sir I am”
“It has been brought to my attention that an error was made on your part whilst filling in a valuable client’s return. We have standards here young man and I am sorry to say that you are not meeting them”
“Well I’m sorry to hear that sir” replied Connor who was now sat like he was the one asking the questions in the smaller chair opposite Stewart.
Connor took an instant dislike to him regardless if he was one of the men to blame for his families demise. Just by looking at him Connor could tell he was not to be trusted. His neatly combed greyish brown hair and the sun blemished skin gave him the aura of a car salesman. The fact he enjoyed
eating out at fancy restaurants and knocking back the wine was obvious with his red pitted nose and cheeks and his stomach trying to burst out of his shirt. The smell of cigar smoke filled the room and so did the finest whiskies. His bloodshot but piercing blue eyes looked down on Connor as he lectured him. Of course Malcolm Stewart had no idea who Connor was. He was just another employee who needed reprimanding. Connor listened as Stewart informed him of the long tradition and trust his company had and how valued by their clients they were. It was detrimental that standards were not allowed to slip.
“Do you understand me young man?” said Stewart tersely, pointing to the error Connor had made on the return forms.
Connor lifted his head slowly as though to study him thoughtfully. For a split second Malcolm Stewart paused and stared back almost waiting for Connor to say something. He didn’t say anything but just moved his eyes to break eye contact. Connor could feel his heart pounding as though it was telling him to get up and grab the man. As much as this was an opportunity to punish Stewart this was not the moment Connor had waited patiently for.
“Is that all sir” asked Connor still maintaining eye contact with Stewart.
Stewart refused to maintain eye contact with Connor any longer and proceeded to carry on with what he was doing before Connor entered. A grunt was all he could muster to let Connor know he was finished with him.
“It was nice to meet you Mr Stewart” said Connor as he opened the door to leave.
Again Stewarts’ head remained buried in his paper work. A sharp wave with a flick of the wrist was all Connor received. He didn’t see Connor nod his head confidently and smile as he closed the door behind him.
Connor walked back to his desk and sat down to carry on with his work. He knew Gary was watching him but pretended he had not noticed. It would be a matter of seconds before Gary would be over to ask what went on in Malcolm Stewarts’ office. It didn’t matter to Connor what happened. At last he had met one of the people who had been occupying his thoughts over the last few years.
What had Connor expected from his meeting with Malcolm Stewart?
Not even he knew. What he was sure of is that in a few months, maybe years it would be all over and Connor could get back to living his own life. First though he had a few more tax returns to modify and then he would be meeting his friends for a drink. They didn’t yet know they were his friends but Connor was good at introducing himself and he knew where Rachel Stewart would be drinking at 5 0’clock.
“Next please” said the barman to the group of people stood waiting at the bar.
“Yes could I have two pints of Guinness please and a gin and tonic” replied the woman stood next to Connor at the bar.
Connor waited until the drinks were poured and the woman had paid before he made his move.
“Would you like a hand with those?” asked Connor politely.
“Yes if that’s ok” she replied.
Connor told the barman he would also like a pint of Guinness and made his way over to the table where the woman’s group were sat, the gin and tonic in one hand and a paper in the other.
“Oh thank you”
“That’s ok no problem. Do you live around here or are you here on a visit”
“Here on a visit” replied the tall ginger guy sat with his back to the window.
“Oh nice well I hope you have a nice time. The food in here is great by the way” said Connor smiling then turning around to walk back towards the bar.
“Oh right,thank you very much. You are welcome to join us if you like” said another voice.
Connor paused as though to think about his answer then agreed.
“Only if you’re sure”
“Yes no problem”
“I’m Keith by the way and this is Rachel my other half and this is Simon”
“Hi nice to meet you all I’m Connor Rogers” he replied shaking everyone’s hand.
“So what are you doing here then Connor?” asked Keith.
“I’m visiting too. Just for a few days. See a few friends and all that”
“Where are you visiting from?”
“From Hereford”
The whole table gasped with delight at Connor’s answer.
“No way we’re all from Hereford......that’s unbelievable. Where in Hereford do you live?”
“Whitehorse road it’s just off the Brecon road going out of the town”
“Wow we live just off Belmont road” said Rachel with an exited tone.
“Do you work in Hereford Connor?” asked Keith who was starting to make a roll up cigarette to take outside to smoke.
“Yes I work in the Hospital as a porter.......well to be honest I don’t actually work there yet I start in 2 week’s time”
Rachel could not hide her amazement at the coincidences that Connor was revealing to them all.
“This is just weird. My friend Sarah works at the hospital as a nurse. Maybe you will see her there”
“Wow that is weird. Perhaps I should introduce myself if I see her”
The chatter descended into who they all knew in Hereford and where they went for drinks. Connor was taking a risk introducing himself to Malcolm Stewarts’ daughter Rachel but was happy with the odds that they would never be in the same room at once until near the end. He also knew that Stewart and his daughter didn’t really get on that well and he saw this as another opening. Although Connor knew Malcolm Stewart was very well off he also knew that nothing much filtered down to his family. This was because it was all hidden away in secret bank accounts because as Connor knew most of it was illegal profit gained from fraud.
Connor was also telling the truth when he had told them that he would be working in Hereford as a hospital porter. He had two weeks left in London to tie up a few loose ends then he would be there starting the next part of his master plan.
A few more drinks were had until Connor made his excuses and left.
“Nice to meet you all and I look forward to meeting you for a few more drinks when we get back to Hereford”
“Yes Connor definitely you have my number so give me a ring” said Keith.
Conner made his way back to Wandsworth on the train with a face that ached from all the false smiling and the pretend laughing. One thing was certain and that was he would be seeing them all again very soon.
A hot warm shower beckoned so he could wash the filth of today off his body and out of his mind. It was the only way he could feel normal again after mingling and being around people whom he despised. The sky was still light but the sun had disappeared as he stared out of the train window, his thoughts getting darker and his mood spiralling down as visions of his family and in particular his father became clearer in his mind. He was an adult now but oh how he longed to hold them all tightly again and especially feel his father’s arms around him when he wanted to feel safe and protected.
The sky looked similar to an August night Connor waited in the garden for his father to return home from a late meeting at the office. The sun had long gone but the sky had a slight warm hue but this did not stop
the cold chill filling his body. As much as Connor’s mother pleaded with him he would not come in until his father came home. It was as his father carried the three year old up the stairs to bed he woke to feel the warm kiss on his forehead and a reassuring smile from his loving father.
The train arrived in Wandsworth station with the voice on the intercom startling Connor from his dream that was warming his heart.
LUCIFER'S ANGEL Page 6