by John Morris
“One moment Ma’am” He tapped his phone. “Felicity, you still okay for tonight? … Great, pack that dress we bought, you’ll need to wear it tonight, with all the trimmings … yes, I passed, but came in second to a career bureaucrat … miss you too.”
“How sweet Dan, but she better not become a threat or liability. Eight for eight-thirty I believe, dismissed.”
Dan worked from his new office, calling Alison. Work was going well. Next he called the Land Registry at Peterborough and informed the director their net was growing larger. He also called Tom and officially requested satellite tracking and identification of all aircraft, sending a memo countersigned by the director.
Due to the demands of work, Felicity was running late, and one train behind schedule. Dan whisked her away to the club. She would need to change and prepare in the washroom.
The evening went extremely well. Dan and Felicity made a dashing couple that were well received by all. They spoke with the Director before leaving. “Well played you two, mission accomplished. You’ll stay in the capital?”
“Yes, I’ll show Felicity around, and we’ll head back on Sunday evening. But first I need to check with my team.”
“I have tickets for a box at the London Coliseum for tomorrow evening, would you like them?”
Dan looked at Felicity. “Yes please Ma’am.”
“Good, we all need a bit of culture in our lives. Enjoy the break, I have a feeling it will be your last for some time.”
They returned to his apartment. “It’s provided by the company. All this block is most secure.”
He opened the door, and she walked in, looking around and even checking the fridge. “Is everything all right?”
“Perfect. This is a man-cave, and there hasn’t been a woman in here for a long time.”
“How can you tell?”
“I’m female. We know these things. A nightcap before bed?”
They enjoyed a brilliant time in London, and Felicity snuggled up to Dan on the long drive home. She was sleepy when they arrived, and they stayed the night at her house.
Monday arrived with a buzz of activity. Dan joined Felicity to catch up with Percy, Dick, Chad, and Phil. “How’s it going?”
Percy spoke. “We’ve covered some ground all right, and worked late, but we virtually wrapped up all the outlying areas on Saturday. There are only Upper and Lower Meddlington to do. It’s been a bit taxing. Not the work, but the hours. I could use another day off, but will soldier on. I presume the time in lieu can be taken later?”
“Before your retirement I presume. Yes, I’ll make a note of it. Percy, you are with Dan again, but I need you today. There are a couple of minor rural issues I need you to follow up. Finish for today when they are attended to. Dick?”
“I worked yesterday to catch all those we missed earlier in the week. There weren’t many, but we covered some miles. I could use a break. I’ll work with the lads and local cops today, and then take my due time off.”
“Hmmm. Yes, all right then. I remember you wanted a Wednesday off. Take two days beginning tomorrow. I need you to cover for Percy, so I need to stagger your time off in lieu.
“Chad, Phil, what about you?”
Phil spoke. “Ma’am, we would prefer to finish if that’s okay, and then take the rest of the week off.”
“Good. Here I can rotate the officers that accompany you, even have one working in advance to save time. I’ll also check out the new housing estate, you have figures for that?”
“Yes Ma’am. They appear to be fully documented.”
Dick said, “There are a few older houses near The Wreck that should be checked out, Ma’am.”
“I’ll attend to it. If there’s nothing else, dismissed.”
Dan accompanied Felicity back to her office. “So that’s almost this station’s area of jurisdiction covered. Thousands of people now own their own homes, and large families of Muslim asylum seekers do not.”
“Where’s this going, Dan?”
“The same applies to the bordering police areas. They all need doing, just as we have done here.”
“Gosh! That’s a big ask. I’ll speak to the Chief later.”
Chapter 23 ~ Widening the Net
“Good morning Alison, how are you?”
“I’m fine Dan, and congratulations on your promotion.”
“Thanks. It won’t make much difference, except for greater responsibility, and higher clearance. What’s been happening?”
“I got the next thirty mile circle completed, and it follows the same pattern. I’m currently associating the usual information, parishes, electoral role, et cetera. It should only take an hour or so to complete. Except for the towns, the pattern we established appears to repeat.”
“Good, I’m working on covering that angle. What of Anglo-Asian Holdings, Ali Brothers?”
“I struck lucky there as well. V. J. Ali is the business partner, the one associated with both the solicitors, and AAH. The other two brothers are actually nephews. They come from an educated background, and are residents of Luton.”
“Okay. What about Mohammad and Hussein?”
“Similar to the Ali Brothers directors. Well-schooled, but renowned as heads of local gangs. Their culture is nepotistic, and all are related via greater family, and village roots in Pakistan. The fourth director is usually local to the area, and a gang lord.”
“So, he has a lot of influence over the local Muslims, but his area of coercion is relatively small.”
“Hmm. Good summation. I’ve put a file together for you, with full names, addresses, telephone numbers as applicable. I suggest you monitor only. I’ve included all I have regards interlinked and family backgrounds. They are all Pashtuns. Think northern tribes. Afghans also. It unravels like fork full of spaghetti bolognaise.”
“Ah, turned but not twisted. Good work, anything on Luton?”
“Yes, but in process. I may need you to go down there, plus I think we may need Percy back with his gift of the gab regards the local police.
“ His contact called me from Newmarket, after Percy referred him to me. I’m still chasing leads. He was a goldmine of information, but none of it official. Let’s just say he told us what was actually going on, not the politically correct view.
“What was most interesting, was that each of the new influx, has a local leader, or should I say, ethnic overlord, who controls them, and what they do. Unofficially, the Pakistanis and Syrians are already fighting over turf, commodity, and drug supply, that sort of thing.”
“It makes complete sense. The other cops?”
“Both the Muslim police officer in Thetford, and the other at Cambridge came up clean. The former only just scraped through his English exam, so that may be the reason for his enthusiastic evasion. I also have no record of him speaking Pashto, which the local Pakistanis do, so that would be a shot in the foot for English law enforcement, right nationality, wrong language. Try him again with an Urdu speaker in tow.”
“So, we are up against tribal mentality, but on an international stage. And they are determined to inflict their culture on this country, Sharia Law. I do not like that. I think it is time we diversified, and also honed in on what we have got so far.”
“Dan, that does not make any sense. Explain.”
“We need to do what you are doing here, at four other airfields, and work outwards, but closing in on the greater goal.
“A second branch is to follow up on the paedophile gangs, because they are Muslim, Pakistani overlords of the local gang culture. You read the press no doubt. This information needs correlating, as I believe there are links.
“A third branch, is to look closely at hotbeds of Islamic extremism, which is why I asked you to look at Luton. There are others, Tower Hamlets, Dewsbury, Birmingham schools…”
“Wait a minute Dan, I may have something.” Alison worked her computer wizardry. “Got it. You mentioned schools, and we know there are many new children. Well, there has been no cor
related influx of new children in Wymondham, one or two new faces at best.”
“What are you saying?”
“These children of the new inhabitants are not going to the local schools.”
“Humph. I think they will be going to Muslim schools, and after Birmingham, they will not be registered schools.”
“I’m already on it, needles in haystacks, right?”
“Yes, that sort of thing. We’d be better with satellite monitoring. I could try a drone for tomorrow morning. See what turns up. Alison, I have the distinct impression that this operation is going to become quite big, rather soon. To monitor everything we have talked about so far, how many staff do you need?”
“One each for the airfields, to work outwards as we have already done here. One more to follow different angles, like the paedophiles, and Luton. They all need to be internet intelligence experts.”
“Can you make me a list for later this morning?”
“Yes, I’ll do it now, but Ma’am will never sign off on it, you do understand.”
“I think she might, at least some of it. Give me a chance here. With my new authority, it is worth taking this operation up a peg. I could do with email and phone logs, text-messaging traffic of Ali brothers, and AAH. I now have appropriate clearance for GCHQ, want to come with me, say tomorrow?”
“Absolutely. Count me in.”
“You have friends there?”
“Let’s just say I know one or two from college, SIS induction. I have a couple of wormholes. I am the best at what I do.”
“Deal, it may be Wednesday, but I’ll tell you as soon as I know. I need to speak with the Director first.”
“Deal done. When you speak to her, ask if Veronica is free to assist us, she’s exceptionally good.”
“Veronica? I don’t know of her.”
“No, you wouldn’t. She’s semi-retired, teaching the next generation, the junior likes of me. She has nous for focus, and I do not have that skill. Well, as much as she does.”
“Oh, Martin Edwards will be joining us later in the week. You know anything about him?”
“Yes Dan, a little. He seems a bright young man with a lot of potential. He’s similar to you in many respects, but has a lot to learn. Good, he will be useful.”
Dan set to work checking the airfield logs, and discovered a couple of new planes that landed. He noted the times, and spoke to Alison, before calling Tom, explaining what he had found.
“We’ll follow up on this. We will also have some information coming through later regards the wrong transponder signals, the net is widening.”
Dan finished the call and said, “Transponders, damn.”
“What is it Dan?”
“With all this new information, I doubt anybody has been tracking the vehicle logs.”
“I have actually. It’s an automated process. I’ve glanced through it once or twice, but nobody has studied it.”
“I better take a thorough look, can you send me the feed?”
“You already have it. Click the coach icon on your desktop.”
Dan examined the log and associated map that showed the routes taken, and destinations. “So, in Newmarket they were taking residents from the old tenement blocks, and transferring them to Cappel Moor. They pick up incoming from the airfield, and deposit them back at the flats. Some are different blocks. There will be a time lag so the property can be readied. It fits what we thought.
“There are a growing number of destinations, as one area completes, at least one stage, they move on to the next. Clever. A comparatively small influx, spread in phases, so much in Thetford, change to Newmarket, Cambridge, and several other towns. I can confirm they are headed west and south. I’ll put a map of East Anglia on the corkboard, and stick pins in it.”
“You practising voodoo now?”
“I may as well. It can’t hurt. Well, us at least.”
“I’ll do similar, but using the computer.”
“We will need to contact all of the community officers in all of these towns and cities. That’s a lot of work. I’ll ask Percy be released for another week, but after I have made contact, confirmed appointments, and have a proper plan in place.”
Dan gathered his thoughts, examining the diverging directions the enquiry was taking. He made notes to support his report and forthcoming conversation with the Director. Rising to leave he said, “I need quiet time alone. I’ll be at the inn if you need me.”
Dan began his report. His main problem was finding arguments the director would respond favourably to, regards his application for more staff and resources. Having covered all aspects since he had been away, he waited for a phone call.
The call came in from RAF Trimingham. “Dan, we have just completed the first tracking of several aircraft. There are three that have used different transponder signals, briefly, before reverting to those known. The other aircraft using them are unknown to us, but match the information and timestamp you sent through earlier.”
“Have you managed to trace the other destinations?”
“Yes we have. That was the delay. There are four on the continent: France, Luxembourg, Italy, and Poland. There is also one in UK, Luton.”
“But that’s in controlled airspace, how are they managing that?”
“The aircraft in question is a cargo plane, and satellite shows it entering a secure hangar, and it is locked in.”
“Like a bonded warehouse, but including the plane. No doubt customs come along to check it later, but perhaps after specific cargo has been offloaded. Good.”
“There’s one more thing Dan. The Air Vice Marshall is making noises about coming down to inspect the operation on Thursday. Is your Director available to attend? It is most important. The meeting was mentioned when this operation began.”
“I’ll see what can be arranged. Thanks Tom. Ciao.”
Dan sent through his report, requests, and waited to see if the Director would come online. He did not have to wait long.
“Dan, are you mad. We do not have the staff. And even if we did, we are far too focused on the atrocities these animals are continuing to create. My hands are tied, sorry.”
“I had to ask Ma’am, you do understand. What about Veronica, is she free?”
“Alison has been speaking to you no doubt. Let me check … yes she is actually. I’ll ask her to report to you, but it may take a couple of days. That’s your lot.”
“Thank you, Ma’am. I am planning to ask GCHQ for their support, tracking specific mobile numbers, text messages, and email accounts. I believe it may give us the breakthrough we are seeking and access to the higher thinking of the group.”
“Yes, I see it here in your report. I’ll support you with this, and add a helping hand since you are relatively new to them, as a Commander that is. Make your official request to Doug Simmons, he and I go back years, and I’ll ask him to support you fully.
“Moving on to the properties, there are thousands of them, I never realised this was so big a task.”
“Our information suggests this being repeated both south and west. There are numerous districts like the one we have almost covered, and all under different local police jurisdiction. Felicity is following this up with her line manager, and she is well thought of. She has been asked to put herself forward for promotion. Which I gather is the same job, if based in Norwich, but a larger catchment area, including her present one.”
“Humph. Too big. I had better see the Chief Constable. Then afterwards I will visit the Land Registry director in Peterborough. You also mention the Air Vice Marshal, and I remember that commitment. I’ll see him first, say nine-thirty a.m., Trimingham.”
“One moment Ma’am … Message passed on via the Group Captain. We should have confirmation shortly.”
“Let me know as soon as possible, and before I arrange these other appointments. You will attend Trimingham, and take Alison with you. I’ll keep her for the duration. I’ll take the helicopter, and drop her back to your villag
e. Ask your girlfriend to join us for lunch. I hear the pub food is very good.”
Dan chuckled. “As you wish, Ma’am. Ah, I have Tom on the line, one moment please … “
Dan spoke on his second line, and then returned to the Director. “The Air Vice Marshal will arrive at nine a.m. Thursday.”
“Good, early start, early finish. I suggest you arrive at GCHQ for midmorning on Wednesday, I always found that a particularly good time for a visit. Keep up the good work. Bye.”
Checking the clock, Dan rang the Inspector. “Felicity, I need to speak to you at once, it’s about work.”
“I was about to leave for the canteen, care to join me?”
“We need to speak privately, fancy fish and chips in my car?”
“Wow! You really know how to impress a girl, not! Okay, get here as soon as you can, I’ll be waiting.”
They spoke through mouthfuls of kebab, chips, and cola. “My Director is meeting the Air Vice Marshal at RAF Trimingham on Thursday morning. This may confirm your father’s promotion.
“Later she will speak to your Chief Constable, and afterwards, has an appointment with the Land Registry in Peterborough. She’ll return to the village for luncheon, and has requested your attendance.”
“No doubt to discuss plans for the future.”
“Yes, we have accomplished such a lot here, with the local people now owning the houses they live in, and she wants to take it everywhere north and east, to begin with.”
“But that’s a massive area. You’re joking right?”
“I wish I were. She is going top down at this. I suggest you work bottom up. Hopefully you will meet near the middle.”
“I will meet the Chief tomorrow evening for dinner in Norwich. I’m wondering if the Super and you should join us.”
“Up to you, give me a call. I would bring Alison with me, she has facts and figures at her fingertips. Now what about tonight?”
“Sorry Dan, I need to catch up with me, this is a busy time.”