by Tomson Cobb
‘You have to be in it to win it, Tony. I knew Herman’s trainer. He worked at my gym for a while before he got the job with him. I just called him to shoot the breeze. He told me he was about to move home to Sydney with his new girlfriend, who was born there. I realised a run alongside Herman was better than an email to ask him for an interview. Call it guerrilla marketing.’
‘Jeez. I’m impressed. You have the luck of a gambler. That doesn’t work often, I can tell you.’
The view from the room’s terrace covered a large part of the harbour. The town had seen better days. Since the EU had stopped the endless supply of money into the bottomless pockets of corrupt local politicians, after allowing Greece to screw them for years, the place had reverted to its previous dilapidated state. The harbour was quiet for the time of year, with just a few moorings taken by sailing boats, although one large white motor vessel dominated the harbour.
‘There he is.’ Shapiro passed the binoculars to Jago. He refocused the lenses until he could see the three figures who had walked up the steps from the saloon onto the after deck.
‘I see Kruger and Herman by the rail with their backs to us. Who’s the guy with a drink in his hand by the bar?’
‘That’s Barney Michaels. Wade’s chief of staff. You spoke to him a few days ago.’
‘Ah so. Shouldn’t we take shots with a long lens camera like they do in the movies?’ said Jago.
‘No need. One of my guys is up there on the ramparts of the Venetian Fortress doing just that. There’s another on the other side of the bay, just to make sure we don’t miss any of his visitors.’
‘I feel like Captain McCall,’ Jago said as he scanned the deck of the luxury yacht.
‘Who?’ said Shapiro.
‘The British Naval Attaché in the film Battle of the River Plate. He watched the crippled battleship Graf Spee from a room that overlooked the harbour. Spread misinformation so the Germans would think there were other British battleships about to arrive.’
‘Really. That’s all good to know, Jago. Now, can we get on with our job?’
‘Sure… hold on. Who’s this that’s arrived in the launch?’ Jago passed the glasses back to Shapiro.
‘Well I’ll be. That’s Marcel Lopez. Looks like the whole gang’s in town.’
‘Pity we can’t hear what their conversation is about,’ Jago joked. Shapiro took him at his word.
‘We couldn’t import that sort of equipment into Greece at short notice. We might get some lipreader information if they decide to have their discussion on the deck. Still, I doubt they will. No. Look now. They’ve seen Lopez so they’re all going below. Shame you couldn’t get an invite onto the boat today.’
‘That would have pushed my luck too far, Herman would think it too much of a coincidence.’
‘I know. Just a fantasy of mine. When do you get to meet Wade?’
‘Tomorrow. Herman flies back to London tonight. I called him when I got to the hotel he’d booked me into to tell him I’d just had a death in the family, so his new employee Jerry had to return on the first flight.’
‘That phony name might prove a problem if you have to give evidence one day.’
‘Maybe, maybe not. I could say he miss heard my surname. I’ve also been called Jerry at times, for that matter, as well as many other names that can’t be repeated. In this operation I doubt whether it will arrive in a court of law anyway. Let’s just hope he hasn’t done real due diligence then mentioned me to his friends on the yacht.’
‘That would be difficult, I give you that. Okay. How do we play this?’
‘Wade wants me to meet him at a place called Syvota. It’s a small port across from Corfu on the mainland. Just him and me. Then I go back with him on his launch to the yacht here for a few days’ cruise in the Peloponnese. Idea is to give me some more background on his life, he says.’
‘Doesn’t sound kosher to me. Anyway, he’ll have protection with him.’
‘They won’t eat with us, I’ll make sure of that. You’ll be outside. When I give you the sign, you come in and I’ll introduce you. The three of us can have a quiet chat about his earlier life as a sailor and Mexican beach bum.’
‘I look forward to that. Let’s get started then,’ Shapiro said.
If they’d looked down at the road beneath the terrace at that moment, they would have noticed a dark blue SUV with Swiss plates drive beneath their room towards the car park that overlooked the harbour.
Chapter 39
‘You sure about that, Nik?’ Jago paced the floor of the small guest house he’d checked into after checking out of the one that Herman had arranged for him.
‘Absolutely. The phone chatter we’ve listened to confirms this Corfu trip by Kruger is about more than just a holiday. The delegates from the conference are booked into several five-star hotels on the island. Yesterday was the last formal day, the next two days are supposedly for networking and cultural activity, it says in the brochure. From what we’ve heard from Wade’s conversations many will stay on to talk about the Organisation’s plans for “global strategic leadership”, as they put it.’
‘How the hell do you lot manage to get all this from eavesdropping calls? Surely they use encryption as well, don’t they?’
‘They do, Jago. We are the best at this, remember. You should know this by now. You’ve worked with me for years, after all,’ Nik said.
‘Yeah, I know, but sometimes I wonder whether the Brits’ reputation for intelligence gathering is all it’s cracked up to be.’
‘It is, Jago. I could tell you stories that we’ve learned about that would make your hair curl. Don’t believe all you read about Silicon Valley being in cahoots with the CIA. Even with that horde of techies at their command, they’re years behind us here in Cheltenham. It’s why they still need us so much.’
‘Okay. So what else were the Chetwynd recruits interested in while they’re here in the sunshine?’
‘Only how they’re about to be made Ultra High Net Worth Individuals by the Organisation, being given personal rewards of obscene levels of wealth for their help in the transfer of assets from their own countries. They won’t be staying on there for the local culture though, it’s the bloody Chetwynd Annual General Meeting.’
‘Any particular agenda items they talked about?’ Jago said.
‘One got plenty of mentions. The EU has proposed an MIT. It stands for Multilateral Investment Court. They want to set one up for settlement of investment disputes or treaties between states.’
‘So what’s the link?’
‘The present way is through arbitration. If the MIT idea is taken up, with independent judges, it would mean a legal court-based system, so big problems for corrupt leaders of countries like the bosses of the guys you have there for the conference.’
‘I can see the problem for Chetwynd. Sounds just like the unelected commissioners of the EU to think up another wheeze to extend their power and build an even bigger bureaucratic state. I’m almost in sympathy with this mafia crowd. So they plan to coordinate a pushback on the idea, you think?’
‘Sounds like it from what we’ve eavesdropped. There are also a lot of big places like the US, China, India and Russia who have serious doubts about this idea. Even the UK needs some persuasion,’ Nik said.
‘That I can also believe. With their multifaceted views on British-run tax havens, plus a transfer of yet more power to the EU, the government won’t want to rubber stamp an idea like that without careful thought.’
‘Precisely. There’s lots of discussions here about the possible security ramifications as well. We could lose yet more influence over important defence decisions if this gets passed by the UN.’
‘Nik, can you send me details of the people you’ve monitored here that you suspect are members of the Organisation? Also what they’ve discussed so far?’
‘Sure. Just remember you can’t quote GCHQ as the information source, Jago. I hope that goes without saying.’
‘I
t does mate. Don’t worry, I just want to know who or what we’re up against.’
‘We?’
‘Figure of speech. Me, I meant. We as in you guys and me, the one local down here.’
Careful, Jags old man. You slipped up there.
‘Okay, Jago. I’ll have to get it approved first. If upstairs is cool about approval, I’ll email it over later today.’
‘Where do you understand this meet will take place?’ asked Jago.
‘There’s been mention of a big luxury hotel up the coast, day after tomorrow.’
‘Okay. Send me details of that as well, please.’
AGM. MIT. EU. Too many bloody acronyms in this business. Any business, for that matter.
Once he’d finished the call, Jago realised he now had new factors that needed to be fed into his ad hoc, swiftly constructed plan of action. He called Shapiro to tell him he was on his way back to the harbour view hotel.
‘What do you think, Tony?’
‘I think you’re being used.’
‘Just what I thought. Looks like Wade plans to keep me out of the way while his Chetwynd bosses run the AGM here. I reckon they knew after I went to interview Kruger that we’d keep a close eye on him while he was here in Europe, so they decided to send me on a cruise around the Greek islands. Wade’s goons would make sure I couldn’t get off to do any harm to them for a few days while their meeting takes place here.’
‘Maybe they have other, more permanent plans for you?’
‘You mean like the story about Robert Maxwell? You think I’ll be pushed off the back of Wade’s yacht in the dead of night?’
‘Could be. Why not. It would take out a problem for them. Just like the young researcher at Real World Analysis who got wasted in Egypt,’ Shapiro said.
‘No. It’d be bad publicity for the potential president to be associated with that sort of accident. More likely that he’ll keep me occupied while someone else looks after the delegates.’
‘Lopez?’
‘The very same. Look, I think we stick with Plan A. You and I get over to Syvota by separate ferries. We meet up as planned at the restaurant, have our chat with Wade, then you and I each make our own way back here to Corfu. At that point we take a close look at our stay-over visitors up the coast.’
‘I’ll go for that. Let’s do it,’ Shapiro said.
Less than a mile away, Belette had just finished a fine meal. She’d found the small restaurant on Tripadvisor. Located in the centre of the old town near the market, the place was renowned for its fresh fish. Its customers selected whatever they wanted from the small fish shop next door, which was also run by the restaurant owner. She had decided on a large lobster, pan cooked with a small side dish of salad accompanied by a half bottle of their best white wine. It had been an excellent choice.
The view through the curtains was one of disorganised chaos, as a bus tried to navigate through the badly parked cars that littered the narrow roads joining the small, busy square outside. Noise from the horns of at least ten vehicles competed with each other, with the additional din from each new arrival drowned out by the obscenities shouted from the open windows of the others already stuck in the jam. Pandemonium in any other country but here, the norm.
She still had plenty of time. The owner of the boat in the harbour had been hard to bargain with, but he had eventually agreed a price for the night-time trip. It would be more discrete than using one of the cruise boats that criss-crossed the area of water between island and mainland. Those were operated for booze-fuelled men with tattoos and large bellies, accompanied by spouses who often displayed a similar capacity for alcohol, she remembered.
A more discreet crossing would also allow her to get to Syvota before Hale.
Chapter 40
It had been a long time since Jago had been on a tourist excursion. He and Tony had found that a ferry to the mainland wouldn’t get them to Syvota in time to meet Kruger, so the best alternative was one of the day trips. Tony took the cruise that departed first, Jago the later one.
It had its advantages though. A blisteringly hot June sun and a free bar were often a dangerous mix for tourists unwilling to exercise caution. Still, the loud pop music from the speakers, together with the added bonus of a plate of fresh grilled lamb and Greek salad, took him back to his student days. As they came into Lefkimmi to pick up a couple of additional passengers who could be seen on the dockside, Jago watched the skipper from outside his bridge.
He squeezed the boat through the narrow breakwater with a skill born from years of practice. The problem he was about to find, though, was that he hadn’t waited for the boat already there which had the right of way to leave. That resulted in the arrival by scooter of an angry young uniformed harbourmaster, who proceeded to harangue the skipper from the quayside. He in turn responded with lots of shrugs and hand gestures.
‘What was that all about, Captain Thanos?’ asked Jago as the boat departed again on the next stage of its route to the mainland.
‘Imbecile. As soon as these guys are given a uniform they think they gods.’ He took out the cigarette from his mouth and spat in disgust. ‘I’ve been bringing boats in here since before that boy was born. The Thanos family have run services along this coast even before his father was pulled out screaming from his own mother.’
‘I take it you don’t like authority, Captain?’ Jago smiled.
‘You take it right Mr…?’
‘Hale. Jago Hale. I have a small yacht myself, so I can tell a good sailor when I see one.’
‘Thank you, Jago Hale. Here, come into bridge, have beer. You look thirsty.’
The burly sun-dried Corfiot put his arm round Jago’s shoulder and walked him up into the wheelhouse. He knocked the tops off two beers, gave one to Jago, then sat in the centre seat reserved for the skipper.
‘Want to take over from my son for a while?’ Thanos laughed.
‘No thanks, Captain. I’m happy for you guys to do the work. I’m just a tourist.’
‘A tourist, you say. You don’t look like one if I may say. What’s your real business?’
‘I’m a writer. Investigative journalist. I do stories on crooked businessmen and politicians.’
‘Well there’s lots of them here in Greece, hey Nico?’
‘Too many, Papa. We could write lots of our own stories, Mr Hale,’ the young man on the wheel said over his shoulder.
‘We could. That includes that Malakas in the harbour for one. How many times he try shake us down, Nico?
‘Too many, Papa. I lost count. We never pay him, Mr Hale. He give us hard time every time we dock there. If we pay him just once, we would never stop,’ Nico said.
‘So Jago is your name, you said. Who you investigate then? A politician? One of those idiots in Syrisa perhaps. Or crooked judge maybe? We have plenty of those as well. There no justice for honest people who work hard here. Who you after my friend?’ Thanos said as he lit another foul smelling cigarette.
‘Like I said, I’m a tourist.’
‘Have it your way. I can see you’re not type to visit us just for delights of Blue Lagoon. If you need help, let us know. Nico and I always available to help other honest people. For a price, of course.’ Thanos winked at his son, who had turned from the wheel at the mention of money. They both burst into spontaneous laughter.
‘I’ll bear that in mind, Captain. Thanks for the offer.’
Their conversation was ended by the arrival of a crew member with two large plates, one of grilled lamb on skewers, the other large prawns.
‘Come, Jago. Stop your business for an hour. Enjoy some of best food in Corfu waters.’
Three hours later, after a brief stop for the other tourists to enjoy a swim at the beauty spot mentioned by Thanos located on one of the small islands nearby, the boat arrived in Syvota. Jago took his leave of the captain and his son, but not before he accepted a business card produced by the father with his cell number highlighted and a promise to meet them back in Corfu town
for a night of excessive beer, plus of course the promise of many stories of local corruption.
At the bottom of the gangway Jago turned to wave at his new friend, who was still surrounded by a fog of cigarette smoke in the wheelhouse. He returned the farewell with a gesture of his own. It could have had a multitude of meanings, though Jago took it to be encouragement.
The whole place was empty of people. In these parts only mad dogs and tourists went out in the mid-afternoon sun. The heat was intense now the breeze from the boat ride was gone, so Jago was glad to enter the air-conditioned haven of the restaurant by the quay. The place was deserted apart from a couple of old men at the back of the room. Their attention was split between the domino board in front of them and the TV showing a basketball game on the wall opposite. He told the owner behind the bar he would be joined by a friend soon, ordered a beer of the local brew, and took a seat that overlooked the harbour.
He didn’t have long to wait. Half an hour later a large powerboat announced its arrival with a bow wave that would have resulted in a large fine from the harbourmaster in the place he’d recently visited on Thanos’s boat.
‘Jago. Good to see you again. Glad you could come.’
The American flashed his familiar phony smile. He was dressed in a loud red Hawaiian shirt, white shorts that looked a size too big, finished off with a pair of immaculate brown deck shoes. His two minders wore similar attire, although a touch less garish. They also had the requisite dark shades combined with a look of menace as they took position either side of the entrance. One faced the ranks of moored fishing boats outside, the other one glared inside at Jago.
‘Good trip so far, Mr Kruger?’
‘It’s Wade, Jago. I told you, no formalities. Mighty fine. Mighty fine. It’s good to be able to take a break before all the hard work starts soon on the campaign. We’re having lots of fun, aren’t we boys? ’ Kruger said as he kept his attention on Jago. The two unsmiling grunts didn’t respond.