by Sam Fintz
Andries was proficient in gaining access to computers and could break any password. A skill he learnt during the time between jobs and which was paid for by the Harringtons. This skill had been invaluable in the past and he hoped it would be now too. He was currently learning to hack remotely, but that would take a while longer as it wasn’t as easy as cracking a password.
“Consider it done. I will send the info to you via the courier as usual. Will Mr Jones be there to receive it?” Andries asked. Mr Jones was the fictitious person that courier packages were addressed to at Harrington Aeronautical. That way it couldn’t be traced to anyone there as there was no initial before the surname. Also, there were around 200 people there with that surname due to the business’s proximity to Wales. The mail room supervisor knew to take any such mail straight to Charlotte.
“Yes, he will. Thanks, we will talk after the job is done,” Mike said and hung up.
“That is so annoying,” Andries said to the dead line. He hated that Mike never said goodbye, he just hung up.
Andries spent the rest of the day doing nothing much except get his gear ready for later. He had a small shoulder bag with a pouch with his tools for the lock. He packed an external 5TB hard drive and the necessary cables for the download as well as a code breaker for the password. He had managed to get the code breaker from a Mossad agent friend of his who was at the AWB training camp where Andries was sent after he finished high school. He would be able to pick the lock in seconds and he reckoned he would be into the guy’s computer in around 3 minutes. He would need about 10 minutes for the download and then about the same to remove any trace he had been there. He would put everything back to how it was minus the video. He hated the last bit. Leaving the place. There was always the risk of someone suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
At 11 that night Andries got into his pick-up. He drove very carefully to Ben Cohen’s office in Cheadle. He parked the car a couple of streets away and put on his hoodie. He pulled the hood on to avoid the CCTV even though he knew there wasn’t any around Ben’s office. He slipped on the thin leather gloves and he walked around to Ben’s office and staked it out for a while, even though it was in darkness. He was about to go over to the door when Ben suddenly drove up to his office. He parked his car and went into the office, putting in the code as he went in.
Andries was a little annoyed. This man was meant to be a creature of habit. He was a little suspicious as to why he suddenly appeared there. He hoped he wasn’t meeting someone there, or he would have to abandon the plan and go back another night. He decided to hang back and wait a little while.
Just as Andries was about to give up, Ben’s office door opened, and he came out. He put in the code and locked the door. Ben looked around and then got into his car and drove off. Andries breathed a sigh of relief and when he was sure the coast was clear he walked over to the front of Ben’s office.
He got the little pouch out with his lock-picking tools. When he was happy there was nobody around, he walked up to the door. He was in within seconds, smiling at how good he was.
He tilted the blinds just enough so that you wouldn’t be able to see in and went through to Ben’s office. He had his tiny Maglite out but once he got the computer working, he relied on the light from the screen. He didn’t take long to break the password with his code breaker. 2 minutes 10 seconds. “Thank you, Moshe,” he said out loud.
When he opened Ben’s emails, he found the email with the footage and he removed it. He then opened the sent emails and found nothing there related to it. This was really easy. He looked into the files on the computer and he found the file he was looking for. He deleted the file from the computer and the recycle bin and replaced it with a file of the same name, but which had no data. That way if Ben were to check it was still there, he would see the file and hopefully that would be enough until it was too late. He then plugged in the hard drive and downloaded the entire contents of the computer. He then went back in and made sure he removed any trace of his having been there. Luckily for him Ben didn’t spend a lot of money on computers so there was no backup server to worry about. Just his assistant’s PC that he went into as it was linked to Ben’s. She hadn’t turned it off as usual. All he found there was an array of letters she had typed for him. He had a peak at her browsing history and all he saw was one catalogue company’s website after the other. Boring.
Satisfied that he had everything he needed he shut down Ben’s computer but left the other one on, so it would go to sleep on its own. Just as it had been left. In the darkness with just his tiny Maglite, he tilted the blinds back to how they were when he got there. He checked the coast was clear, and he left the way he came. Andries quickly made his way back to his pick-up. He left quickly and driving carefully again, he went home. He dropped the bag off in his house. He would send the hard drive over to Mike in the morning, so he put it in his safe. The safe was hidden behind a door in an enclave he had dug out in his basement. He then quietly left the house and went over to the pub where he had arranged to meet Sharon when he got back. She had finished serving and had sent everyone home. She was eagerly waiting for him to arrive when he knocked on the door.
“Hi Andries!” she said when she opened the door. “I was worried you weren’t coming,” she said.
“No man, of course I was coming. Just had a little car trouble,” he told her.
“Come in. Let me get you a brandy,” she told him. He went into the pub and she locked the doors. She had closed the curtains already and he was pleased she was alone.
Sharon came over with his brandy and a bottle of Coke and some ice as well as a glass of Lambrini for herself. The two of them lit up a cigarette and sat down next to each other. They spent the next 3 hours drinking, smoking, talking and laughing until Andries looked at his watch.
“I should really go,” he said. “That’s two nights in a row I have been here so late.”
“Don’t worry I love your company. Since my boyfriend ran off with that tart from the Fox and Hounds, I have been a bit lonely,” she told him.
He thought to himself that that particular tart was probably better looking than Sharon. People were so shallow. He told her that it was her ex’s loss and she leaned forward as if to kiss him. He just thought, “What the hell, I have earned this,” and leaned forward to return the gesture.
It wasn’t long before the two of them were upstairs in the small flat above the pub going at it hammer and tongs. She might not look like anything, but fucking hell she was a good shag, Andries thought to himself. All that adrenalin from earlier had sharpened Andries’s senses making it all the more pleasurable.
They lay there for a while afterwards until Sharon said to him: “That was great. I have been after a bit of you for a while now. Finally got what I wanted. You are a mysterious man, Andries.”
“Nah, just an ordinary bloke. Ya, it was great. Thanks,” he said to Sharon and kissed her on the forehead. He jumped up and told her he had better get back to his missus before she creates shit for him. He dressed quickly while Sharon lay there watching him, smoking a cigarette she had just lit.
“I will see you soon, Sharon. Thanks again. I needed that.”
“Ok. See you soon,” she said, hoping that she would and that it wasn’t another one-night stand. She knew she was no oil painting. Also, working in a pub with drunken fools who just wanted a drunk fumble and a quick release, she was used to that kind of treatment. Maybe he would be different.
Andries left and when he got outside he lit a cigarette and smoked it before he went home. He hoped it would mask any smell of another woman. His missus was something of a blood hound and could sniff out another woman at 100 paces. Not that he cared, she wasn’t going anywhere. She liked the money he gave her. Nobody would give that woman that kind of lifestyle and not ask where she spent the generous housekeeping allowance. He knew she liked to while away the hours at the Bingo hall that was nearby. She was just a cheap whore when Mike Chalmers had introduced them an
d although at first it was a marriage of convenience for his visa and passport, they eventually developed feelings for each other and stayed together long after the period needed to avoid suspicion by the Home Office. What he didn’t want was the grief she gave him. Even though this really was the only time he had actually slept with someone else since they were together. Sure, he’d had some quick blowjobs from eager drunk women at the pub, but he had never gone further than that.
He finished the cigarette and carefully opened the front door. He checked that his stuff from the earlier job was still in the safe and went up to the bathroom where he showered away his lovemaking from earlier. When he was done he dried himself, set an alarm on his phone and crept into bed. Luckily tonight his missus, Tracey, was sound asleep. She didn’t stir when he got into bed and soon he was fast asleep, exhausted from the job as well as from Sharon. As he was drifting off, he realised he would probably have more like that with her. She wasn’t great to look at, but she knew how to please a man.
Chapter 52
Afew days later, Mike Chalmers was sitting in his office going over a sales contract with one of the Arab airlines that Malcolm Harrington had emailed him. He was making sure that there was little that they would be able to do to back out once they had signed. This had happened to one of his rivals recently and he wanted to be sure they didn’t suffer the same fate. Their shares had taken a hit as a result, so he needed to be thorough. Of course, you could never be certain it wasn’t going to happen, but he would do his best to ensure it didn’t.
His mobile rang, and he could see it was Max Smythe calling from his office phone. This could only mean official business. He answered quickly.
“Max, to what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked.
“Mike, hi, I have just had word from the CPS and the courts. The trial date is set for the 8th of November. I don’t know yet who the judge will be, but I will confirm once we know,” Max told him.
“Ok thanks, we will be ready. We will speak soon,” he said and hung up. Within minutes his mobile rang again and this time it was the secure mobile he had given to Max.
“Ok, so I have heard that it will be Shauna Donnelly who will preside,” Max told Mike. He obviously couldn’t say anything on the previous call. “What have you done with the evidence and the witnesses, or do I not want to know?” he asked Mike.
“I have just received the evidence from my guy and he has the witnesses under observation. They will be easy to fix. Don’t pull your footage yet. I think we need to wait until the last minute and drop the bombshells in one swoop. It will give you time to practice your surprise and your anger at your people for being the usual slackers” Mike told Max. He was playing his cards close to his chest. The less Max knew the better. Mike didn’t want anything to slip out accidentally.
“Ok thanks, that sounds fine to me. Don’t worry, I will cover my side and it seems you have covered yours. Let’s speak in a few days. Maybe I will come and have lunch with you there. I am taking a week off next week, so I will come in civvies.”
“Yeah, let’s do that. When this is over we can meet in Antigua for some golf. I have heard there is a new course opening there and I am keen to try it. It will be my treat!” Mike told Max.
“Count me in. I will need another break once this is done. It’s always a stressful time doing this,” Max said.
“You worry too much mate. Nobody can trace any of this to you. Just do your bit there and the rest will take care of itself,” Mike told him and hung up, again without so much as a goodbye.
Mike then called Aiden who eventually answered. He told him about the trial and then asked him where he was.
“Torremolinos,” he told Mike.
“You shouldn’t be out of the country. Anyway, no big deal. Those monkeys at Manchester Airport wouldn’t notice even if their lives depended on it. Call me when you are back, and we will meet to plan the strategy. Just so you know, everything is being taken care of here so don’t worry. Have yourselves a fun time there and stay out of the papers for fuck’s sake,” Mike told him.
“Thanks Mike, I will do my best, see you soon,” Aiden said and hung up, playing Mike at his own game for once. He was also having too much fun to be distracted by the case.
Amused by Aiden’s cheek Mike laughed out loud. He called Charlotte in and asked for a coffee and told her to come and take notes. She went and got his Nespresso and a couple of Cantucci he liked so much. She went into his office and placed it on the desk. She then went and got her iPad and went back in and sat opposite him. He dictated a few letters and when they were done, he told her to order lunch for them. Steaks and fries and some of that expensive Chardonnay from the vineyard in Italy where they had been on a ‘business trip’ in July. He was in an upbeat mood because he knew that in a few months this little bit of shit Aiden had created again would be over with and he could do what he did best. Look after Malcolm Harrington’s business.
Chapter 53
There was a meeting going on at Greater Manchester Police Headquarters. Sarah Blake from the CPS was there with D.I. Wilkes and Chief Constable Smythe.
“So, I have run through your evidence folder and I have to say we don’t have an airtight case,” Sarah told the two men. “However, I am hoping that what we have will stand up. Now, are you sure there is nothing we have missed?” she asked. Like Max, Sarah didn’t like surprises.
“No, I am sure we have it all” Max told her, trying to sound confident.
“Ok, so we will be ready on the 8th of November. The judge is a stickler for details and if she isn’t happy with the whole presentation, she will throw us to the wolves. Not somewhere anyone wants to be. I hope we get a good jury this time. I have spoken to prosecution counsel already and of course they have said they are confident. I am not sure what defence counsel will be like, but my experience tells me they will try their usual tactics. Our counsel knows this, so they had better be ready. I am expecting the defence to have a few surprises for us, which means they will have to work hard to limit damage,” Blake told them.
“I am sure they will do fine,” Max told her, knowing full well that this time they wouldn’t. “I will need to meet with them as well to run over things. I will leave that for you to arrange, Sarah.”
“Yes of course. We can do that the week before trial, I think. No point before that as they will be preparing the case and I don’t want any distractions,” she told him.
“Ok no problem. Thanks. If there is nothing else, I have a pile of work to do. The new mayor thinks we are his personal bodyguards, so we are under pressure. Sometimes I miss the last guy, even though he didn’t manage to achieve a damned thing in his short tenure,” Max said.
“No, nothing else. Thanks for your time gentlemen. I will leave you to get on with it,” she said and left the meeting room.
“I am off to check on that robbery in Cheetham Hill. Its looking more like an inside job for insurance. I think that since they lost their hygiene licence they haven’t been doing too well and are looking for a claim to get some cash in,” Wilkes told Max.
“Yeah I thought the same when I saw the file. Off you go,” he told him.
Max left the meeting room and went to his office. He stepped onto the balcony and called Mike.
“Mike, that bitch from CPS was here. She is so confident of a conviction. I had to almost swallow my tongue to stop laughing. You still up for lunch next week?” he asked.
“Yeah, sure. Come here Tuesday at 1 and we can grab a bite. I will get them to do you a T-bone and I have some really good wine from Malcolm’s vineyard. Also got some really good cigars from my guy in Cuba. See you then,” Mike said and hung up before Max could utter another word.
Chapter 54
Rose and Fat Pat were at the hospital waiting to see Doctor Bhakari. She was running late, which wasn’t unusual. Jim’s funeral was in a few days and Rose was waiting to see if Stefan was going to be able to go. He hadn’t made very good progress over the past few weeks and he
wasn’t speaking.
Doctor Bhakari came into Stefan’s room and asked the ladies to join her outside. They went into the family room just a few doors away and sat down.
The doctor was the first to speak: “Mrs Winters sorry for my tardiness. I am afraid I don’t have the best news for you. Obviously, we have continued to run tests on Stefan and while he has been trying to break through he still has no feeling below the waist at all. The speech also worries me still as by now he should have shown some sign of improvement. Basically, we are also concerned that his heart has been damaged just after the accident when he had those heart events, so we have started him on a course of IV drugs to try and stabilise that. They seem to be keeping his heart stable currently, but I have to warn you that this could change at any time. We are monitoring him 24/7 and any change will be carefully considered. The head of department has been to see him as well as our top neurologist from Salford Royal. They are going to continue having input until we can find a solution.”
“Oh no, I had hoped he was getting a lot better. He had more colour in his face today,” Rose said, sounding defeated.
“Yes, he has more colour, which is a good sign. Basically, he has only been able to manage liquids so far, but he has had more than previously the past couple of days, so obviously that is one good thing. We will continue to try and move him to solids, but it’s still early doors,” Doctor Bhakari explained.
Fat Pat spoke for the first time and asked Doctor Bhakari: “Will he be able to come to his father’s funeral, Doctor?”
“I am afraid not. He is still too weak to move, and I am worried if he is transported anywhere it could mean total paralysis or worse,” she said.