Hung Out to Dry

by Hadford Howell

  West Indies had declared at 218 for nine, their overnight score, just before play commenced. England therefore needed 473 to win. An unlikely winning target, even with nearly two days of the game to go, given that the highest and therefore world record score to win a Test Match in the fourth innings was 418 for seven, set by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003. So how would England do?

  ***

  Captain Collins touched down BDF1 at Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) in Barbados at 10:50 a.m., five minutes earlier than scheduled. A couple of hours earlier, the hanger had been secured by one dozen members of Alleyne’s BDF Special Task Force unit on Tenton’s instructions, after consultation with Jeremie and Harold Oliver. Both had given formal approval for this national security operation to take place on the airport compound.

  The aircraft followed Adams Tower’s instructions, taxiing to a part of the tarmac usually reserved for private aircraft. BDF1 was directed to taxi into a hanger where seeing activity from the outside was near impossible. This was away from any prying eyes of passengers and almost all airport workers.

  The Special Task Force unit knew they were there to receive a package – an individual from an incoming aircraft who they would take to a secure place. That individual’s name and the place they were to take them was not provided to members of the unit at first, although they soon worked out that their ‘prey’ was to be the escaped, now recaptured prisoner Power and his destination would be HMP Dodds.

  As the aircraft’s engines died down, Collins, turning around and spoke to those in the cabin.

  “Gentlemen, our job’s done here. All yours now. Good luck boys.”

  “Many thanks, captain,” said Browne as Collins released the lock for the main cabin door.

  “Yes, see you another time captain, hopefully under more pleasant circumstances,” said JJ.

  “Sure, whenever that happens. I’m always happy to accommodate you guys,” said Collins.

  “Good. Thanks again,” said JJ.

  “JJ, have a great and safe day now,” responded Collins on behalf of himself and co-pilot Annette Taitt.

  Alleyne, a long-time friend of Collins, simply added, “Well done, skipper. Thank you too, FO Taitt.”

  Smiling broadly, Alleyne gave Collins the thumbs up sign before he went back, along with Browne to focus on the imminent delivery and transfer of Power to the custody of Innis, who would now be responsible with the BDF’s Special Task Force unit for Power’s safe return to HMP Dodds.

  Innis was surprised at first that none of his BPS officers had been asked to help with completing the recapture exercise, except for himself. But on reflection, given all that had taken place with Power’s escape, the lack of BPS/HMP Dodds prisoner transport equipment and of course what was now being referred to as ‘The Telford Incident’, he wasn’t entirely shocked.

  In fact, he was secretly delighted and relieved that Barbados’ other security agencies had taken on that responsibility today.

  Innis had learnt his management lesson over the past few days. Always act promptly when any crisis threatens your organisation. In future, I’ll not wait until any situation gets out of control before initiating corrective action, he was thinking to himself. He would take his P.A.A.N.I. colleagues more into his confidence going forward, that is, if he was kept on in his position and not transferred to another post in the Public Service. The prisoner transport situation (or at least the prisoner escape) might have been avoided had he spoken up. Innis had lost a deputy but then, from what he now knew, losing Telford was probably always going to happen, sooner or later. A pity.

  ***

  The ‘unlocking’ of Power from his seat on BDF1 was a sight to behold. Once his restraints had been removed, Power was slowly eased up from his seat and moved with the help of Browne to the door of the aircraft, then down the aircraft’s steps, across the few yards of concrete and into the back of a heavily fortified, windowless BDF vehicle.

  Browne and Alleyne joined Power in the back of the vehicle before the door was slammed shut and locked from the outside. On his way into the BDF vehicle, Power noticed two men in civilian clothing who stood watching him. He recognised one of them. Innis, HMP Dodds’ Superintendent.

  Browne secured Power again to the BDF vehicle before starting to chat with Alleyne. The vehicle’s engine purred into life. A dimmed light inside the vehicle came on, along with the air conditioning system which made breathing a lot easier. Power remained as quiet as a mouse. He realised that he was about to make the journey he had not anticipated having to make for a long time, if ever and certainly not within a week of his leaving a HMP Dodds prisoner transport vehicle. Power expected no rescue from this particular vehicle or scenario. Only a dog returns to eat his vomit, he thought. Recently, bad situations had followed him (being in prison, indebted to The Organisation, escaping from Castille, escaping from the prisoner transport vehicle, escaping with his life after the Vincie accident), and soon he was going to be right back where he had started – HMP Dodds. God, what a mess!

  Of course, Browne and Alleyne’s jobs would not be complete until they had accompanied and seen to it that Power was secured again in HMP Dodds.

  The original letter of authority Browne had received via Colonel Burke from Commissioner Jeremie had been handed over to Gomez on arrival in St Vincent. He now held the signed copy of that document in his possession and would personally deliver it, not to Colonel Burke but to his Commissioner before the day was out. Various RBPF and BDF personnel had also been engaged to provide support elements across Operation ‘Fishhook’, although BIB was ultimately responsible for and in control of the operation’s execution from beginning to end.

  The BDF vehicle exited the covered airport area and set off towards one of the restricted but lesser-used airport compound’s gates at 11:25 p.m. It was a rapid fifteen-minute drive to HMP Dodds in St Phillip. The BDF vehicle was escorted by a heavy BDF and RBPF escort. Their convoy would not be stopped.

  Fred noticed JJ’s BIB vehicle was neatly parked at the back of the hanger. Colonel Burke’s work!

  JJ pulled a key for his vehicle from his backpack. “Want a ride to HQ, Fred?”

  “No thanks, my vehicle is up here. Can you give me a ride to where it is and I’ll meet you there?”

  “Sure.”

  JJ found his BIB phone in the driver’s seat of his vehicle.

  “Excuse me Fred, but I must make a couple of calls.”

  “Go ahead boss.”

  JJ’s first call was to Vanessa.

  “Hi, V. I’m back in Barbados. All’s well with you and the kids?” he asked.

  “Happy to hear your voice JJ. Everything is well with me, the kids and at home. We’re all looking forward to seeing you later today,” she stated.

  “Me too love. Gotta go now, so be good till I get home.”

  “Fine. Bye.”

  JJ’s second call was to Colonel Burke.

  “Hello chief, we’re back in Barbados. I can confirm that I’ve brought Power back and he is on his way back to HMP Dodds.”

  “Thank you, JJ. Wonderful news. Look, we’re having our Operation ’Fishhook’s debrief at 12:30 p.m. here at HQ with Commissioner Jeremie and Brigadier Tenton. I’d like you, Fred, Mohammed and Jayne to join us.”

  “Okay. Fred and I are about to leave the airport for HQ, chief. We should be there in another…twelve minutes.”

  “That’s great. Tell Fred to come in with you as I’ve had his BIB vehicle brought down to HQ. His personal vehicle leant to you is now also back at his house. Well done again boys. See both of you shortly,” said Colonel Burke.

  JJ told Fred what Colonel Burke had told him about his vehicle before turning on the vehicle’s engine. Playing on the radio was a Trinidad calypso JJ had heard but did not own, Organiser The Bandit. What a fitting song, given the operation he had just completed.

  During their twelve-minute journey to BIB HQ, the two operatives surprisingly did not say much to each oth
er. Fred assumed that from JJ’s standpoint, having conducted his two necessary conversations, he was probably still thinking about his suspension letter from HOPS. Fred hoped the successful Operation ‘Fishhook’ assignment would help turn that situation around in JJ’s favour.

  Unknown to Fred, JJ’s mind was not on the suspension at all. He was simply tired after his ordeal over the past four days. He was looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep in his own bed that night.

  ***

  Vickers received an important call from Inspector Melanie Gray at RBPF HQ.

  After listening for a minute, he responded, “That’s interesting. That’s another string to our bow. But are you sure Wharton understood what he was saying when he mentioned the firearm?”

  “Yes sir. Our boys think he regretted mentioning it though,” said Gray.

  “Very well. Thanks very much. Great work. We’re already looking to pick up this guy. Back-up’s being arranged,” Vickers said.

  “Good luck with that, sir.”

  “Roger that.”

  ***

  Colonel Burke had waited to hear from JJ before calling Prime Minister Motby. He gave him a ‘head’s up’ on Operation ’Fishhook’s outcome. The basic facts about Power’s recapture were then passed to Giles Archer, Communications Director in the Prime Minister’s Office. These would form the basis for a short media release Archer would prepare and, after passing it through Colonel Burke for approval, release it through the Government Information Service (GIS). The media release would be withheld until 12:45 p.m. The GIS release indicated that Hon. Sebastian Smith QC MP, Attorney General and Minister of Residential Affairs, would hold a media conference at his Wildey, St Michael office at 4:00 p.m. that afternoon. He would be joined by Commissioner Jeremie from the RBPF (if available) and Superintendent Innis of the BPS.

  Colonel Burke also decided to call Dr Winston Smith to advise him of Power’s overnight recapture in St Vincent and return to Barbados this morning. That way, Dr Smith would not be surprised when a GIS media release hit the airways in a couple of hours or so.

  Colonel Burke deliberately did not report JJ’s involvement in Power’s recapture. That would come later.

  ***

  By 11.50 a.m., the convoy carrying Power had arrived inside HMP Dodds. There, Power had been removed from the BDF vehicle and personally escorted by Browne, Alleyne, Innis and two BPS officers into the reception centre for new or returning inmates.

  Browne and Alleyne had brought Operation ‘Fishhook’ to its conclusion. For them, mission accomplished.

  Power was back behind bars in HMP Dodds. For him, the opposite. What a pity.

  ***

  Castille had completed the major task he had earlier set himself to undertake. There had been no complications.

  He did not hear from Wharton again. Castille was of course unaware that Wharton could no longer call him. Or that he would not be able to reach Wharton by phone even if he had tried, for Wharton, like the other three Pressure Group gang members, were all sitting somewhat uncomfortably in separate interview rooms at RBPF HQ in central Bridgetown.

  Castille had sat quietly for well over half-an-hour on one of the airport benches. During that time, he watched persons checking-in at various airline counters before he headed for the AA check-in area to secure his boarding pass for the seat he had re-booked for the afternoon AA flight to Miami.

  Castille decided to call his boss to report the failure of his Barbados mission. There was a prompt answer.

  “Hello.”

  “It’s me. Look, I’ve not gotten anywhere here. Our debtor’s been caught overseas and should be brought back to Barbados later today. It will now be impossible to get close to Power to either collect or finish the job without causing an uproar, so I’ve decided to return home this pm. We’ll need to find another way of resolving our issue. I suggest in slower time, eventually getting paid. Working from the inside is unlikely to work.”

  “I agree. Don’t worry. Time longer than rope.”

  “Eh?”

  “I’ll explain when we meet…tonight?”

  “Fine. Usual venue?”

  “Yes. Goodbye.”

  The line went dead.

  ***

  Pilessar was disappointed, but not unduly upset. Her session with her Barbados host had gone extremely well. Much better than she had expected in fact. As a result, she was relaxed about their future sub-regional collaborative relationship.

  When Power got back to Barbados would not matter. Once he was in a secure environment, there could always be a way to get at him. This was one occasion where she and Castille were thinking differently on the way forward with a client. Power’s not paying back what he owed The Organisation would be costly to him, if the prison in Barbados was anything like those in the US. She could arrange for someone to take Power out, accidentally of course. The option of waiting until his eventual release to effect recovery of his outstanding payment with interest, did not appeal to her. What was certain was that The Organisation’s debt would not be written off. Should word get out, it would send the wrong message to our clients, especially our new potential Caribbean ones, thought Pilessar.

  That would not be good in a new geographical business area. She would reflect further on the action she would need take regarding Power on her return to the USA.

  ***

  Castille collected his boarding pass from the AA self-check-in machine and was leaving the AA area to head towards the airport security checkpoint and beyond that the Immigration departure area when he noticed several men watching, or were they waiting for him?

  Keep cool, he thought, as a couple of serious-looking men now approached him. He felt no need to run – indeed there was no place for him to run to. No one to seek assistance from either. He had no weapon of any kind that might even have encouraged him to take someone in the immediate area as a hostage. With no options available to him, he kept his calm and limited his actions.

  “Mr Rhohan Castille?” It was the man who appeared to be the most senior of the two that were now standing before him.

  “Yes.”

  “Can you come with us please?”

  “Why? Who are you? Airport security? Police? What have I done?”

  “Mr Castille, please don’t make a scene. I’m Chief Superintendent Johnny Vickers of the Royal Barbados Police Force and my colleague here is Inspector Byron Moss. We just want to ask you a few questions concerning your stay at the Rising Sun hotel…”

  “Oh? What questions?”

  “We’d prefer not to do this here in public, Mr Castille. It really would be better for everyone concerned if you came with us please,” answered Vickers.

  The few passengers standing at the AA self-check-in machines and assisting AA staffers looked over at them, concerned but not too alarmed. This was none of their business.

  “Look…just give me a minute to put away my documents –”

  “Please don’t reach into your bag, sir. In fact, let me help you carry that –” said Moss.

  “There’s no need for –”

  “No, but I must insist, sir,” stated Moss as he took possession of Castille’s pull-along.

  Castille saw no point in resisting, so walked co-operatively with the two RBPF officers towards the Arrival hall area of the GAIA compound where inside, a couple of Customs back rooms were located. He had also noticed four other men close by who he felt sure were supporting the two officers.

  ***

  The news that Vickers, Moss and a team of four other non-uniformed RBPF detectives had nabbed Castille, at GAIA and that he was now sitting in a Customs back room at that location reached Jeremie at BIB HQ around 12:15 p.m., just as he started to tuck into lunch ordered in by Colonel Burke from Rita’s Kitchen.

  If, as they all thought, it was indeed Castille who was responsible for the murder of George Telford, the former Deputy Superintendent of HMP Dodds and so a high-ranking public servant, then they had struck gold. Jeremie asked
Colonel Burke if his officers could bring Castille to BIB HQ to conduct the interview there, rather than doing so at the less secure airport. There was no objection and so the order was given.

  ***

  Operation ’Fishhook’s debrief commenced in BIB HQ at 12:30 p.m. as planned. The SNARL Cycle (Situation; Normal – or not; Action required; Result achieved; Lessons learnt) was used to conduct an initial operational debrief of its success (or not) by the time Vickers, Moss and another RBPF officer arrived with Castille just after 1:10 p.m.

  The first stage of the operational debrief was adjourned at that time. It had been decided to continue the debrief session at 3:00 p.m. when the persons required for the first stage of the debrief would all be back at BIB HQ. Then they would endeavour to preliminarily complete their review of Operation ‘Fishhook’ so as to enable Colonel Burke to provide a final written report to Prime Minister Motby for the record.

  The adjournment also allowed for Joe and her three fellow BIB operatives – Riley Morris, Ivan Forde (code number Y50) and Steve Rogers (code number T30) to undertake another assignment which, as it turned out, was also connected to Operational ‘Fishhook’.

  What was it, where and why? To catch a ‘big fish’, as doing so should help tie up everything nicely.

  ***

  The announced capture of Power, broadcast by media houses in ‘Breaking News’ packages just after 12:45 p.m., caused the four diplomats to hold back on issuing their second dispatches. They knew from experience, that this action would result in a major government statement in the next few hours. Also, because of this development, other ’shoes might drop’. They did know and could not imagine what these might be so decided, following their round robin telephone call, to issue their second dispatches the following morning.