by Daniel Kemp
“Did it get stopped by a police car for a traffic infringement, or was your old mucker Aberman and his FBI colleagues anything to do with it?” I asked, but once again he avoided a direct answer. I tried my best at rocking his composure.
“I know Aberman never died, Jack. Your story didn't work!”
“Things are moving at a fast pace, they're about to get faster.” He looked serious after delivering that statement.
“I have to go, but we will be meeting very soon when I'll clear up some of your concerns.”
“Am I being set up?” I asked helplessly.
“If you haven't already figured that out, you're not the man I hope you are, Shaun.”
At that Jack left the room by the door opposite the one through which I had entered. He walked up one short flights of stairs before stopping to take the medication prescribed by his oncology consultant. He was handling his liver cancer the best he could, not yet suffering any jaundice or unusual weight loss, although his appetite was fading quickly, which in one sense he welcomed; it had helped to stop his vomiting.
Often, when alone, he worried about the future and the speed with which the cancer had creeped up on him. The question of how long can I go on, was never voiced aloud, but that silence would not cover its existence nor provide a reassuring answer. Exiting the stairway he inserted his security card in the elevator button then pressed for the twenty-third floor. On arriving the abdominal pain was easing, as was his sluggishness.
He took a deep intake of breath before entering an offices marked: Karl Weilham. Under Secretary to the United Nations. As he passed the reception desk Cilla Redgrave waved hello.
“Hi there again, Cecil, you weren't gone long.”
“Luckily no, Cilla. I had to phone my mother in England. She's eighty today and would have worried herself sick if I hadn't called. The old dear doesn't sleep well until she's heard from me. I didn't want to abuse my position by using the office phone.” She smiled and thought him a little eccentric along with silly, as no one cared about telephone bills.
“Oh, by the way! I won't be in tomorrow until after lunch, I have a hospital appointment at eleven. My cleaning supervisor knows of course, but I wanted to let you know personally in case you worry about our dinner date. You really are a lovely lady, Cilla. I bet you've broken millions of hearts in your time.” Cilla blushed slightly before replying, “I'm so looking forward to tomorrow evening, Cecil. You will be up for it, won't you?”
“I swear by King John's beard that nothing will keep me away.”
“It'll be my first time out with an Englishman. I'm so looking forward to it,” she declared again as if the point needed emphasising, as he walked towards the locker room blowing a kiss in her direction.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Late Monday Evening In London
Fetishes
Daniel Cardiff's first meeting with Maria was not the most auspicious of all time. On entering the taxi, where both she and Fraser Ughert sat on the rear seat, he fell on top of her as the cab pulled smartly away from the kerb.
“Oops, sorry about that,” he said. “I should have sat down quicker. I'm Daniel Cardiff by the way” he said directly to an indignant Maria.
“Well, I wasn't expecting James Bond for the night, but if I was then you're definitely not him,” she replied, straightening what she called a dress and others would have said was a handkerchief.
Maria Frankel, who originated out of Chiswick, West London, descended from a former German prisoner of war and a Polish refugee who had both died in 1963 when Maria was fifteen. She was fluent in both languages, having learned German from her father and Polish from her mother. But before her father died she learned more than just a foreign tongue; she learned how to make money from sex.
“I hope whoever it is I'm going with later tonight is less clumsy than you otherwise it's going to be a real messy night and ain't that the truth!” Daniel was left with no illusions as to what sort of girl he was dating that evening, but not all was entirely amiss as far as he was concerned.
She was an absolute beauty. The light in the back of the cab had gone out by the time he had found his seat, but it never dulled the vision inside his mind. A strawberry blonde with green eyes, facial features that could grace any magazine cover and from where he sat, a figure that he could have only dreamt of touching. Fraser Ughert allowed no time for Daniel's imagination to get the better of him.
“Maria has done this sort of work a hundred times over so she knows the drill. You follow her lead, Cardiff. No going off at a tangent. Stay focused on the job and everything will turn out fine. We believe that the man and woman you will be meeting in Annabel's are the link between a US funding circle and the upper echelons of an IRA brigade command here in London. So this is damned important. You may know the two concerned, Daniel.”
Cardiff's mind suddenly deviated from Maria's body to the here and now.
“What's their names, sir?” he asked.
“Lord Reginald Beaufort and his wife Lady Margret. I believe she's a lot younger than him. Know the names, do you?”
“I say I do, went to the wedding last year. She is an out and out stunner! You can't be serious about an Irish connection surely? He's PPP to HRH,” Daniel exclaimed indignantly.
“Someone want to tell me what a PPP is and, come to that, an HRH?” Maria stopped checking her appearance in the hand-held mirror and asked.
“Personal private secretary to His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh,” Daniel supplied the answers.
“Oh, kinky couple then if I know what's what. Had a gent earlier this year who said he was related to a Belgian King. Loved being chained and beaten, but his real turn on was—” She wasn't permitted to finish.
“That's enough, Maria!” It was Fraser who interrupted her. “You'll have Cardiff fainting in excitement if you elaborate.” She laughed whilst Daniel smiled half-heartedly; somewhat disappointed.
“Better not give my trade secrets away, eh! How much older is he than her?” she asked, touching Daniel's knee.
“I think he's in his sixties and she can't be much older than thirty, but I'm not very experienced in women's ages,” Daniel nervously replied.
“He is sixty-three and his wife is twenty-seven, Maria.” Fraser gave the exact ages.
“Then I guess I'll have my work cut out to get him going, but if they like a foursome you should be alright, Danny boy,” Maria placed her other hand on Fraser's inner thigh, moving it closer to his groin. He stopped her and abruptly pushed it away before deflating Daniel's dream.
“The rumour is that they swing both ways, with Lord Beaufort preferring to watch his wife performing with another woman more than participating in straight sex. I'm sorry, Daniel, but he prefers men.”
“Oh dear, double-o seven here is in for a seeing to then.” Maria laughed as Daniel grimaced.
“If he approaches you then play along with whatever he says, Cardiff, but if he doesn't approach you then you must approach him. Your storyline is simple. You are out for the night with a girl whose sexual favours you have paid for, already having a good time with more to come. When you get introduced to Margret that's when Maria takes over. There is a room under your name booked at Claridge's for the night. Get them back there and your job is done.”
“As soon as we walk into that room, sir? Is that it?” Daniel asked, with a look of hope on his face.
“Don't be as daft as you look, Danny boy. Not until we've put on a show for the cameras can we go home.” It was Maria who supplied the truth. “I hope the Queen is paying you enough to lose your cherry, as she certainly is paying me enough.”
“Are you sure, sir, that there's no other way than this?” Daniel asked, pleading for his virtue.
“There isn't, Cardiff. We've looked at everything.” A doleful look descended on Fraser's countenance as he continued. “This is the only way we can be sure. You are doing a great service for not only this country but also yourself. This will put you in th
e spotlight for future counter-intelligence work. You'll go far if you pull this off!” Fraser said, neither believing nor disbelieving his reply.
“'Ere, I just thought of something.” It was Maria. “The girl this lord married weren't an escort like me, was she? I might know her if she was.”
Ughert laughed before adding, “If she was then maybe we wouldn't be in need of your skills, would we?”
“Suppose not,” she replied, before opening her handbag and replacing her mirror, satisfied that all was okay with her face. Daniel made sure all was in place with her body, as once more his mind went into overdrive.
* * *
At nine-twenty pm precisely Dicky ordered his second apple crumble of the day.
“Had one of these at the Travellers for lunch. Bloody horrible thing, full of crumble and no apple. This one had better be different or I'll start to believe that someone in Europe has put an embargo on the apples from Kent.”
“You must watch your waistline, Dicky. I'm fed up telling you not to eat so many sweet things. They're not good for you. I suppose you'll be having a brandy and cigar to finish?”
“I hadn't planned to, Sheila. It's been an extensive day with everything that's going on. Thought I might have a brandy with the cheese at the table and a smoke in the car going home.”
“No, you don't! You know how much I hate being closed in around cigar smoke. In a room it's fine, but in the car, then no. And cheese after a crumble will only keep you awake.” She turned from her husband to address the maître d'. “Sir Richard will take his brandy in the cigar room, Marco, and I'll have a large glass of port. One from your Dow's collection, please. I will, however, allow my husband a small part of the stilton at the table as it is our anniversary.” She smiled in the way that only a woman who cared could, knowing all along that she was in control. Dicky returned that smile but not as brightly; he had other things on his mind, and his wife's predicable nature was not one of them.
Wednesday Afternoon New York
Thirty minutes after leaving Jack I was walking into Karl Weilham's office with both Richard's letter in my hand and the gun that Job had pushed upon me nestled in the rear waistband of my trousers, feeling cold and awkward against my skin. He was a tall, imposing man, short on hair but not charisma.
“It will be a wonderful day for the world when the two pharmaceutical companies merge, Mr Redden. A huge step forward in eradicating life threatening disease for the less fortunate in the poorer countries. Please, take a seat whilst I read what Richard has to say. Would you like a coffee while you wait?”
I declined his offer but not the invitation to sit, my curiosity allowed nothing else. A paperknife was used to slit open the envelope, then, with a pair of reading glasses balanced on the end of his broad nose, his thick fingers withdrew the sheets of paper and he began to read.
I could clearly see that the first sheet was a photocopied list of some kind with a blurred insignia at the top. Clipped to the back of this one was a black and white photograph. What followed was in type and unreadable from where I sat. As he finished with each of the three pages he placed them in a neat pile on the right side of his desk. He gazed at the paper pile when the task was completed, breathed deeply then spoke:
“It would appear that your employer has an appetite for power beyond the advancement in drug manufacture for the betterment of others.” His elongated nostrils flared wildly as he removed his spectacles and glared at me.
“You can go now, Mr Redden, and if I were you I'd go far away from New York. By your association with Stockford's company you are compromised and therefore a target for retribution. My reach is long and my forgiveness is short.”
Any sense of an increased security that the Smith and Wesson had given me disappeared on hearing his solemn dismissal and seeing the vehement anger in his grey eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Monday Night In London
Annabel's
“My word, it's Cardiff isn't it? Old Mildred Cardiff's son Daniel if I'm not mistaken. Saw you and your mother at my wedding bash last month. Knew your uncle Maurice more than your mother, of course. Attended his funeral, poor chap. Sudden affair, wasn't it! What brings you to such a fleshpot as Annabel's, dear boy? Not your usual stomping ground, London, I wouldn't have thought. Marked you down as a member of some young farmers club more than a member of one of London's trendiest nightclubs.” Lord Beaufort saw Daniel standing at the bar about to order his and Maria's drinks.
“Ah, you've caught m, Lord Reg. Membership here was one of my twenty-first birthday presents. I hope you don't mind the familiarity but it would seem pointless to stand on ceremony. I'll tell you what brings me here only if you promise not to ring Mother and spill the beans.” Daniel took up the challenge with all guns primed and ready to fire.
“Mum's the absolute word in my business, Cardiff. I'm doing your late uncle's job now you know, looking after you know whose private concerns. Secrets are imbedded in every single syllable of my name.”
Daniel smiled liked the expert he was becoming. Keep the conversation moving, Fraser had said.
“I came into a bit of luck at the racetrack on Saturday, backed the first four winners then cashed in before Lady Luck left me. Decided on a night of passion with the girl I came in with.” Turning, he nodded in Maria's direction who waved dutifully back.
“That's her sitting at the table behind us on the edge of the dance floor. She came from a very expensive escort agency I was recommended to use by a university friend. Does all sorts of tricks! I've got a room at Claridge's where I've sampled some but as I've paid for her services for the whole night I thought I'd get as much out of it as I could. Must admit that she's got me horny as hell. I'm in two minds whether to stay here or toddle off to the hotel.”
“Bully for you, young chap. I can quite understand where you're coming from on that score. Does no harm to shop around for a bit of fun from an expert before one settles down into the respectable charade of married life. My Margret keeps me busy on that score. She's in the middle of that crowd on the floor dancing away. A popular lady, my wife, if you know what I mean. Leads me into all sorts of trouble. Stay and I'll tell you what, why don't you and your lady friend join me at our table. It's in an alcove on the first terrace, bit out of sight. I'll get your drinks fetched over by our waitress. Put the night on my bill, Daniel. I might even go half with you on your friend if you're up for a spot of sharing. She's caught my interest by just looking at her.”
“Wouldn't Margret get a mite peeved if she caught you looking, Lord Reg, let alone propose such a thing?”
“Oh no, dear boy! If she likes the merchandise, which I'm sure she will, she would want to do more than merely look. Likes to get her money's worth, does Margret. What's her name this escort of yours?”
“Maria, and she's half German. I requested someone into a spot of leather bondage, but perhaps I shouldn't have told you that.”
“Au contraire! I'm licking my lips. Both Margret and I enjoy that fetish very much indeed. Margret actually employs it on occasions, but I have to have been a good boy for that to happen. If you're a good boy, Daniel, you might have two delectable beauties toying with you tonight.”
As long as it's only the women that are toying with me, Daniel silently prayed, but if God could hear anything above the music being played in Annabel's that night he never answered Daniel's prayers. He returned to Maria and whispered in her ear, “We're on, he's taken the bait.”
Moments later Margret joined the three of them in their booth. Both Daniel and Maria rose from their seats to greet her. Reginald sat gaping at his two guests in anticipation. It was Maria who opened the conversation.
“Ein Vergnügen, zu erfüllen. Ich hoffe, was Sie sehen, gefällt Ihnen beides.”
“Oh I'm sure you can please us with something, darling,” Margret replied to Maria, kissing her passionately on the lips whilst sliding her hand down Maria's bare back.
When all were seated Lord Reginald
leaned over to Daniel, placing his hand on his thigh before moving it to his flies and started to toy with the zip.
“Prefer me to do this or Margret, whilst I have first go at Maria in that room of yours? Either way, you can watch or join in if you want, only the wife and I do like a prolonged experience, dear boy, nothing finishing hastily.”
“Would you like to dance, Margret?” a blushing Daniel asked.
“Only if you're imagining me naked and right now having sex with Maria,” she replied.
“Getting hard, Daniel, are we?” Lord Reginald asked, moving his hand up and down Daniel's groin.
It was Maria who saved Daniel from his tormenter, at least for the time being.
“I'm sure you two are well versed in this sort of thing, but my client is patently not. I would suggest another round of drinks and a discussion as to my fee before we go any further. I was hired by Danny boy here. I was not told of a foursome which seems to have come as a surprise to him as much as it has to me. Offers on the table, please, or I'm taking my Danny off limits.”
“She has a point, Lord Reg,” Daniel managed to say.
“Yes, I can see that,” he replied removing his hand and calling for the waitress.
“I'll match what he's paying you, Maria.” Reginald opened the bidding.
“Not enough. I want double the fee he has paid. Three hundred and then you get my avid attention along with my practised skills.” She reached down to the floor and retrieved her bag. Inside was a pair of handcuffs, leather gloves, mask and wrapped in a fishnet thing was a black whip of leather throngs.
“Does this lot seal the deal?” she asked, opening it just enough to tantalise Lord Beaumont's imagination.
Reginald looked at his wife, who nodded her approval before turning once more to Maria's lips and tormenting body.