Kendall (Kendall Book 5)

by John Holt

  “And yet with the government’s decision not that far off, he ups and goes away,” said Kendall. “I just don’t get that.”

  “Well it is possible that the Texas trip was in some way connected,” suggested Buchan.

  “Well of course that is a possibility I suppose,” Kendall agreed reluctantly. “But surely he would have at least mentioned that to you.”

  Buchan had to admit that Kendall was right in his assumption. “Unless, of course, it was nothing to do with the contract,” Buchan replied after some thought. “And he expected to be back before the decision was made.”

  Kendall finished his coffee and shook his head. “Either way I still think he would have said something to you,” he said. “Weren’t there any last minute instructions?”

  “None that I know of,” replied Buchan.

  “Have you heard from him at all?” Kendall continued. “Letters, emails, a phone call.”

  Buchan shook his head. “No nothing like that, only that call I told you about.”

  That made no sense to Kendall. A decision was expected in connection with a major government contract, and yet the top man ups and leaves without leaving any instructions, or making any contact.

  “What can you tell me about this Man of The Year award?” Kendall asked.

  Buchan started to smile and shook his head. “The annual shindig,” he replied. “The yearly get together, by a crowd of self important people. It’s just an excuse for patting each other on the back, drinking too much, and telling everyone how marvelous they are.”

  Kendall hadn’t expected such a tirade. “I take it you don’t approve,” he said.

  “Mr. Kendall I neither approve nor disapprove,” Buchan replied. “What I think doesn’t matter. I’m not in the club.”

  “The club?” repeated Kendall. “What do you mean by that?”

  “It’s a select band of people,” Buchan started to explain. “A kind of self preservation society and only certain people could gain admission. Either you knew the right kind of people, or you bought your way in. I’m out on both counts.”

  “I see,” said Kendall not understanding entirely. “But to what purpose?”

  Buchan heaved a sigh. “Adulation, simple as that, even though it is false adulation,” he replied. “If you can get someone to say how great you are, even though they don’t really mean it, it’s still a result. Further proof, if indeed, proof were actually needed, that you were a great person, liked and respected by all.”

  “Even though they really hate your guts,” suggested Kendall.

  “Even though they really hate and despise you,” Buchan agreed.

  “What did Mr. Fletcher think about it?” asked Kendall.

  Buchan started to smile once again. “Interesting you should ask that,” he replied. “Tony actually thought that this year the award should have gone to him.”

  “Instead it was awarded to Victor Lowry,” added Kendall.

  “That leech,” Buchan replied. “Yes he got it and a few days later he was dead. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”

  “I gather you didn’t like him,” said Kendall.

  “No I didn’t, nor did a whole mass of others.”

  “Do you think anyone disliked him enough to actually kill him?” asked Kendall.

  “Is the Pope Catholic?” replied Buchan. “I can think of a dozen or more who would have been pleased to do it. But it was Martin Gardiner who actually did it. The guy deserves a medal.”

  Kendall shook his head. “I would guess there’ll be no medal,” he replied. “More like thirty years to life.”

  Buchan nodded. “You’re probably right, but I can’t think there will be too many people grieving today.”

  “Including Mr. Fletcher?”

  Buchan nodded. “Most definitely,” Buchan replied. “There was certainly no love lost between those two.”

  “Do you know why?” asked Kendall.

  Buchan shook his head. “It goes way back, long before I joined West-Com,” he explained. “What precisely happened though, I don’t know, some business venture I would guess.”

  “One last question Mr. Buchan,” said Kendall.

  “Go on.”

  “You said that Tony Fletcher was actually expecting to receive the award this year.”

  “That’s correct,” said Buchan.

  “As we know he didn’t get it, it went to Lowry,” replied Kendall.

  “So what’s your question?”

  “I was just wondering in the circumstances would he have actually attended the evening.”

  Buchan nodded. “No question. Of course he would,” he replied. “He would have to, even more so. Not to attend would have been unthinkable.”

  * * *

  An hour later Kendall was back at his office, twenty minutes later he had told Mollie everything that he had found out.

  “So no one knew him at the bar, no one saw him,” said Mollie.

  “Correct,” said Kendall. “Some alibi.” Was he wasting his time? It all seemed so clear cut. Everything pointed to the guy’s guilt. The police had it all sewn up, and had no doubt whatsoever.

  “He must have done it,” he announced to no one in particular.

  Mollie looked up from her magazine. “If you say so,” she replied.

  “I said he must have done ….”

  “I know what you said,” replied Mollie. “If you think so.”

  Kendall looked over at Mollie, a frown slowly spreading across his face. “I said that he was guilty.”

  “I heard you the first time,” replied Mollie as she slowly turned the page of her magazine.

  “What, no argument then?” said Kendall bewildered. “No strong protests that he’s innocent?”

  Mollie looked up from her magazine. She looked at Kendall and shook her head. “No argument,” she replied, turning back to the article she was reading. “It’s odd though, don’t you think,”

  Kendall looked at her. “What’s odd?” he asked.

  She closed her magazine and looked at Kendall. “Why was Lowry at home that day, the day he was murdered?”

  “Go on I’m listening,” said Kendall.

  “Normally he would have been at his office during the week wouldn’t he?” Mollie continued. “I mean a busy man like that. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of a man who would take a day off.”

  “I’m still listening,” said Kendall.

  “But that day he was home. Why?” Mollie continued. “How would the murderer have known that he would be at home anyway?”

  Kendall thought for a few moments. “Perhaps he had made an appointment,” he suggested.

  Mollie shook her head. “Possible I suppose, but if he had that must rule out Gardiner. Lowry would hardly have made an appointment with him after the outburst at the hotel.”

  “Agreed,” said Kendall. “That makes sense.”

  Mollie smiled, she felt pleased with herself. “And it seems to me that if such an appointment was made and we find out who it was with, then ….”

  “That’s the murderer,” said Kendall. “A visit to the Sentinel might prove useful.”

  “It might indeed,” said Mollie. “I’ll ring and make an appointment for you shall I?”

  * * *

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Tony Fletcher

  “Former Sentinel editor Colin Masters and the paper's former legal manager, James Crowther, appeared before the Warwick Enquiry today. Mr. Masters has testified that Victor Lowry must have known that hacking was widespread, and most likely gave the instructions for it to be carried out.”

  Kendall pushed the newspaper to one side. “What did I tell you?” he announced to no one in particular.

  Mollie looked up and shrugged her shoulders. “I imagine you intend explaining that statement further,” she said.

  Kendall looked over and tapped the newspaper. “It’s all there, in black and white,” he replied. “I said it long ago.”

  “Said what?” asked Moll
ie becoming impatient, and trying hard not to sound bored.

  “About Lowry,” Kendall started to explain. “He knew all about the ….”

  Kendall was interrupted by a loud knocking on the door. “Come in,” he called out.

  The door opened. “Mr. Kendall,” a voice said. “I’m Tony Fletcher. I understand that you are looking for me.”

  Kendall looked up from his desk. “Well this is quite a surprise I have to say, a welcome one, but a surprise nonetheless. To be absolutely accurate it is your wife who is looking for you,” Kendall started to explain. He looked over at Mollie and shrugged his shoulders. “She came to see us a few days ago. It seems like my job is finished.” He reached for the telephone. “Let me give her a call and tell her the good news.”

  Fletcher shook his head. He reached across and placed his hand on the handset and pressed down, cutting the dialing tone. “Mr. Kendall, don’t make that call.”

  Kendall looked at Fletcher, and frowned. “But I don’t understand,” he said. “She was quite worried.” He looked over at Mollie, who just glared back.

  “It just happens that it suits my purpose to be, shall we say, unavailable for a short time,” Fletcher continued. “In other words I do not want anyone to know of my whereabouts.”

  Kendall was puzzled. “But I have to tell her.”

  “Could I sit down?” Fletcher asked.

  Kendall nodded and pointed to a chair.

  “I would rather she didn’t know, just yet.”

  “She has to know,” said Kendall. “She is paying me a large sum of money to find you.”

  “A minimum of $5000 I understand,” said Fletcher. He paused for a moment and smiled. “I’ll pay you twice that amount to say nothing, for the time being.”

  Kendall heaved a sigh. “I’m a simple guy Mr. Fletcher,” he replied. “You’ll need to go through that one more time, slowly this time.”

  Fletcher shook his head, and smiled. “Mr. Kendall I’m sure that sometimes you like to get away by yourself,” he replied. “To do your own thing, as the modern youth say. Well I’m trying to keep out of sight for a while, that’s all. It’s no big deal.”

  “Why?” asked Mollie. “It doesn’t make sense.”

  Fletcher shook his head once again. “I’d rather not say at present.”

  “Not even a hint?” pressed Kendall.

  Fletcher took a deep breath. “I have a number of business rivals,” he started to explain. “Perhaps you have some of your own.”

  If Kendall had a dollar for each of his business rivals he would have been a wealthy man. He said nothing.

  “Anyway, it just suits my purpose at the present time to keep out of sight,” Fletcher continued. “To keep my rivals in the dark so to speak, I’m sure you understand.”

  Kendall shook his head “No I’m afraid I don’t understand,” he replied. “Can you give me any more details?”

  “Not right now,” Fletcher replied. He looked at Kendall. “What do you say?”

  Kendall heaved a sigh. “Mr. Fletcher would I be right in saying that you are being blackmailed?”

  Now it was Fletchers turn to look puzzled. “Whatever gave you that idea?” he asked.

  “I’ve been looking through your bank statements,” Kendall replied. He looked at Mollie. “We’ve been looking though your bank statements.”

  Fletcher looked at Kendall, indignant. “I didn’t think you could do that, Mr. Kendall,” he said. “I thought that kind of thing was illegal.”

  Kendall smiled and nodded. “Ordinarily you are quite correct, strictly it is illegal,” he replied. “But I pulled a few strings.” He paused for a moment. “I still have a few friends you know,” he continued. “Besides you are a client of mine, but what’s more important there is another client who is paying me to find you.”

  “My wife you mean?”

  Kendall said nothing but merely nodded.

  “She gave you permission?” Fletcher asked.

  “That’s right,” said Kendall. “She gave permission.”

  “Oh I see,” said Fletcher. “Alright so you’ve been checking into my finances, so tell me what did you find? And what’s all this about blackmail?”

  Kendall shrugged. “It’s nothing definite,” he replied. He opened the top drawer of his desk and took out a folder. He placed it on the desk, and opened it. “The bank was very helpful,” he continued. “They gave me copies of your statements going back six months. They are all here.” He took hold of the top sheet and passed it to Fletcher. “I noticed that in the last month or so, there have been some rather large withdrawals on a fairly regular basis.” He reached across and pointed to one of the entries. “See that one there and that one a few days before?”

  Fletcher looked at the entries for a few moments. He then looked back at Kendall. “I see them Mr. Kendall.”

  “Well can you tell me something about them?” he asked.

  Fletcher hesitated for a few moments. “Mr. Kendall, I feel that I owe you some kind of explanation after all.”

  Kendall smiled. “Oh no, you don’t owe me a thing. After all you’re paying me to keep quiet aren’t you,” he said. “What you get up to is your own affair, besides I’m sure that you have your reasons.”

  “Kendall, you are right. I am being blackmailed,” Fletcher replied. “That’s the reason why I wanted to keep a low profile.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me before?” asked Kendall.

  Fletcher shook his head. “You know how these things work Mr. Kendall. I’m sure you’ve seen it before.”

  “Maybe, but I’d still like to hear your version, if you don’t mind.”

  “Well I’m afraid that somehow they got hold of some very sensitive information about me,” Fletcher explained.

  “What information was that Mr. Fletcher?” asked Mollie.

  Fletcher looked over at Mollie and shook his head. “I’d rather not say at the present time.”

  Kendall looked up at Fletcher. “All right, I’m not happy about it, and I hate being kept in the dark, but we’ll play it your way, for the time being.”

  Fletcher said nothing and reached into his inside pocket. “I received this a few days ago.” He handed an envelope to Kendall. Kendall looked at it for a few moments. “Open it” said Fletcher. “It’s a threatening letter. It’s the third one.”

  Kendall took out a sheet of paper. On it was a series of words cut from a newspaper. The message was short and to the point. It simply said “Pay up or else.”

  “Or else?” repeated Kendall. “What does that mean?”

  Fletcher heaved a sigh. “Mr. Kendall, I really think it’s obvious what it means, don’t you?”

  “Have you been to the police?” asked Mollie.

  Fletcher looked down at the desk, and shook his head.

  “Why not?” continued Mollie.

  “Because they told me not to go anywhere near the police,” Fletcher replied. “I shouldn’t even be telling you.”

  “They?” said Mollie.

  Kendall looked at her and smiled

  “The people who sent that letter,” replied Fletcher pointing at the letter lying on the desk. He paused for a moment. “They want money, and if I don’t pay up they are threatening to kill me.”

  Something didn’t quite fit. There was definitely something not right. People didn’t usually threaten to kill the person they were blackmailing. There was no profit in that. Usually if you didn’t pay up they threatened to divulge some dark secret.

  “Where are the other letters?” Kendall asked.

  Fletcher reached into his inside pockets and withdrew two more envelopes. He handed them to Kendall.

  “Have you any idea who wrote these?” Kendall asked.

  Fletcher shook his head.

  “Judging from your bank statements you have been paying them, and paying quite a lot.”

  “That is correct, Mr. Kendall,” Fletcher replied. “It’s close to a hundred thousand I would guess.”


  Mollie gasped. “That’s a lot of money Mr. Fletcher,” stating the obvious.

  “How did you make the payments?” Kendall asked.

  “A regular drop off point,” replied Fletcher. “There’s a clearing off of the Kelvedon Road, a few miles out of town. I would just leave the envelope in a hollowed out tree.”

  Kendall knew the spot. “Can I keep these?” he asked tapping the envelopes.

  Fletcher seemed hesitant. “I don’t know, Kendall,” he replied. “I was told not to go to the authorities.”

  Kendall shrugged. “They are talking about the police, not me.”

  “That’s right,” said Mollie. “Kendall doesn’t count.”

  Kendall looked at Mollie and glared.

  “Okay,” said Fletcher. “I guess it’ll be alright.” He looked at the three letters lying on the desk. “Go on, you take them, for what good it’ll do.”

  Kendall collected the envelopes together and placed them in the top drawer of his desk. “Incidentally, changing the subject, I understand that you were due to attend at the Tey Hotel a few days ago.”

  Fletcher looked surprised. “That’s right,” he said. “It was The Man of the Year Award, what about it?”

  “Were you there?”

  “Oh yes, I was there alright,” Fletcher replied.

  “So were you a friend of Victor Lowry?” Kendall asked.

  Fletcher smiled, and shook his head. “It’s not a term I would use Mr. Kendall.”

  “So was he an enemy?” Kendall continued.

  “Certainly Lowry and I were hardly the best of friends,” Fletcher replied. “As for enemies, all I can say is that he had a lot of enemies.”

  “I’ll ask you again Mr. Fletcher. Was he an enemy?”

  Fletcher nodded. “You could say that. Lowry was trying very hard to ruin me. My company was a threat to him you see.”

  No, Kendall didn’t see, but it was probably not relevant anyway. “Are you saying that it was more than normal business rivalry,” he said. “More than healthy competition?”

  Fletcher frowned. “Mr. Kendall I can assure you that it went far deeper than purely competition. Lowry hated me, has done for years.”

  “So why did you go to the dinner?” asked Mollie.

  Fletcher looked at Mollie and heaved a sigh. “That’s simple, Miss er.”