The Innimincka Affair

by Robert Chalmers

  "Regulars sir. Their offices are just around the corner."

  "Thank you, really." Cooper said.

  "Glad to help sir, in fact if you are in here about six, one or the other of them, sometimes all, will probably be here after work." This was even more startling.

  Cooper picked up the phone and dialled Rebecca's number direct, right there on her card.

  The ring tone was slightly different but ringing none the less.

  "Rebecca Boucher, how can I help?" She said.

  Cooper was nearly speechless, but quickly gathered himself.

  "Rebecca, it's Cooper. Please listen. Don't hang up." He could hear her breathing quicken.

  "Yes Cooper. These long distance calls will be costing you a fortune. Really."

  "Not long distance, I'm in the hotel just around the corner. Apparently it's the regular haunt of your team. Can you meet me here...? Please." He knew that the two men were just sitting over there, and he knew Rebecca would not want to see them but a plan had formed in his mind. It meant Rebecca had to walk in here unsuspecting.

  Rebecca was still hesitating. He could hear it in her silence. Finally, she replied.

  "I can meet you there in ten minutes if you like." Rebecca was not hesitating because of any wish to not meet Cooper, but rather stunned surprise that he was here in London, and just around the corner at the Metropole. Nothing for months, now he was here in person. Did he think he was going to step back into her life just because of some misguided feeling of having to do the right thing. 'How quaint.' She thought. She would manage quite well enough alone thank you very much. She was quite wealthy, with a fantastic career ahead of her. There was no reason why with the help of good nannies she couldn't continue just as she was.

  "Good, and Rebecca...." Cooper hesitated. "Can you ask your friend from the... Firm... to meet you here. Urgently. Like now if he can." Cooper hung up.

  Rebecca stood looking at the handset. That was different. He had obviously meant her friend in MI5, the organisation often referred to as The Firm by those connected with it. He had had a warning tone in his voice as well. Rebecca was very very good at reading people. It was one of the reasons she was at the top so young. Something was up. She didn't think Cooper was the sort to cry wolf, so perhaps he wasn't here for the reasons she thought. She speed-dialled her friend Kali. Kali answered immediately, she must have had the phone in her hand.

  "Kali, who is your friend in MI5?"

  "Benjamin." Kali replied.

  "Can you ask him to meet me in the Metropole immediately? Something is up. Can you join me? We can go together, Cooper is there and has asked me to meet him there - with Benjamin. He thinks Benjamin is my friend."

  "Give me a few minutes." Kali hung up. She was in the building, and was in Rebecca's office in less than five minutes. They gave each other a quick hug as Kali looked at her friend. Rebecca was quite pale. Kali didn't ask, but just looked at Rebecca.

  "It's ok Kali. I'm just a bit surprised to find Cooper here. I thought I saw him this morning as I was coming in, and suddenly here he is. He is also asking that Benjamin meet us there. There was something in his voice..."

  "I called Benjamin on my way to your office. Luckily he was in, and can be at the Metropole in thirty minutes. He is very curious about Cooper I must say." Kali walked in a circle, thinking.

  "Can we... Stall? Just to give Benjamin time to get there. No wait. Cooper doesn't know me. I'll go now, you come over in fifteen minutes. Benjamin should be close by then. Ok?"

  "Kali, are you sure?" Rebecca was worried for her friend. She needn't have been.

  Kali grinned from ear to ear.

  "Sure I'm sure." She bounced on her toes. Kali was very fit, and the tight jeans and faux leather jacket she always wore over a tight fitting pull on vest showed clearly just how string taught fit she really was. Dark short hair and dark and intense eyes gave her a real look of ... danger, if seen in passing. Kali didn't talk about her personal life, not even to Rebecca much, but Rebecca knew she worked out a lot, and was often in the company of a very big man, with the spring in his step of a martial arts specialist. Rebecca smiled.

  "Sorry Kali. I just don't seem to be able to register things properly at the moment." Rebecca shook her head.

  "Ok, then, give me ten minutes and then start over. How will I know Cooper? I never did get a clear look at him past you on Skype." Kali gave a throaty chuckle. Rebecca coloured a little and replied.

  "Just look out for the Australian."

  Kali left with a flicking wave of her fingers. "Ten minutes." And was gone. Rebecca collected her grip and her coat, ran a brush through her hair and did a double take at her reflection in the mirror. She rarely wore much in the way of makeup, not really needing it, but now! OMG she thought. She found her lipstick and smoothed just a little colour on her lips, and just a touch of colour base on her cheeks. She stood back and looked. 'Hmmm, not quite like a corpse now, but close.' She resolved to start modifying her diet. She would never make the distance, she thought, if she was being drained by something as trivial as someone turning up unexpectedly. A quick shuffle of some paperwork and an unnecessary desk tidy, and the ten minutes was up. She set off for the Metropole. The lift swished to a stop and the doors opened, and there beside was one of the partners. Willet - James Willet. Senior partner. He looked at Rebecca as though seeing her for the first time that day.

  "Something upsetting you Rebecca? You look terrible. I do hope you aren't getting something." He said.

  Rebecca laughed, a slightly brittle laugh, and swallowed.

  "Sorry James. No, I haven't caught anything. Not as such, just been a bit busy with a case that is particularly troublesome. I'll be fine, thank you for asking." They travelled down in silence. Rebecca was struggling to hide the giggles. Did being pregnant count as 'catching something'? She hoped no one else was going to comment on her looking terrible. She felt bad enough as it was. The lift opened into the foyer, and James Willet strode away to the reception desk with a "Take care." In Rebecca's general direction. He had his own problems.

  Rebecca headed for the street, wrapping her coat tightly around her and pulling her fur cap down over her hair so her ears were covered. It looked cold outside. She lowered her head and stepped out. The cold bit into her like a knife, finding any chink in her covering to sting bare skin. It was never like this in Australia she thought and headed down the street. What was she going to say to Cooper? Other than he was not under any obligation to her.

  She was convinced that she didn't need him in her life. He was nice. Very nice in fact, but she was in no way willing to give up what she had worked so hard to achieve over the last few years. Cooper wanting to walk back into her life would undo everything. Child or no child. He would have visiting rights, the whole deal in fact, just she didn't come as part of the package. She would have to make sure he clearly understood this, right from the get go. She put her head down against the biting wind and struggled forward. The hotel was not far, but in these conditions it may as well have been at the North Pole. Finally, the building shone out across the wide street, the lights all on to display a warm welcome to travellers out in the gathering gloom. It was not particularly late, just dark. 'This is crazy!' Rebecca muttered. She pushed through the massive revolving door, into the warmth of the vast foyer, the plush understated grandness of the place always pleasing to her senses. She realised Cooper hadn't said which bar he was in, and she hesitated a moment. So it had to be their usual, because he had rung from there, and she only ever went to the same bar which was the one here on the ground floor, around past reception. A nice comfortable day bar, evening drinks, casual, oriented toward the after work office crowd. There was a small restaurant in the other direction from the bar. Nice. She thought she might eat there tonight.

  Cooper was unmistakable, sitting slightly hunched over at the small bar. Unusual, she thought. He also looked as though he hadn't yet changed from the trip over, nor even shaved. Rebecca hesitated, her eyes f
ixed on Cooper. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Then she saw that Cooper was watching her in the mirror behind the bar. His right hand was on the top in front of him, his index finger pointing to his left, so that only she could see it. She involuntarily looked left and immediately spotted the two heavies from New World. She missed a step, and her heart missed a beat. What was Cooper doing, getting her to the bar? He must have known they were there; they had obviously been there some time. She didn't know what to do suddenly. She was rooted to the spot, one foot slightly forward as she had been about to cross toward Cooper. Suddenly she nearly jumped out of her skin as an arm went about her shoulder and a strong voice said softly.

  "Hello Rebecca, Kali tells me you may be needing some ... assistance? I'm her friend from the Firm. You can call me Charles." He looked down at her, a faint smile on his lips. "Shall we go and talk to Cooper? Kali will be with us momentarily." He had not so much as glanced at the two men, both of whom were slowly sitting back down, having half risen at Rebecca's entrance.

  Rebecca was feeling distinctly out of control, and she didn't like it one little bit. She approached Cooper, Charles still with his arm draped casually across Rebecca's shoulders. Charles spoke quietly in Rebecca's ear, leaning down slightly. "Forgive my familiarity Rebecca. Give me a little laugh please, as though I've made a small pleasantry." Rebecca did so, almost without being able to stop. The two men at the table were focused intently on her and Charles. Cooper still just sat there, still looking vaguely like he didn't belong in this place. The two men ignored him. Rebecca and Charles reached the bar beside Cooper, but Charles totally ignored him, as did Cooper to Charles and Rebecca.

  The two men sitting over to the side had their heads together in whispered conversation and didn't notice the arrival of three others all wearing neat grey suits, dark ties and highly polished shoes. They weren't particularly big men but the air of menace about them was unmistakable. They sat down at the same table as the two Eastern Europeans, much to the surprise of those two men. Their focus on Rebecca and Charles had allowed the newcomers to insinuate themselves into the scene almost unnoticed. The two henchmen went to rise, but a quietly spoken "Sit," from one of the men in the grey suits had them both back in their seats. They were boxed in really. They had been sitting with their backs almost to the wall so they could see the bar area clearly, and the arrival of the three now had them fairly effectively trapped there. Cooper was watching this and now stood up, stepping around Charles to Rebecca's side he brushed his hair back and said.

  "Thanks for coming to see me Rebecca. I wasn't sure you would. I... We need to talk. This situation is under control finally. Cooper glanced at Charles. "I don't think I've had the pleasure." His outstretched hand was taken in a brief shake by Charles and introductions made. Charles said.

  "We've been looking for this pair for a while now, and your arrival seems to have brought them to the surface. We'd love to find their boss as well."

  "Upstairs," Cooper smiled. "The bar tender here knows the room number. Just ask him." Cooper took Rebecca's elbow and invited her to step away a little with him.

  "Rebecca, what can I say? I had no idea of your... Situation. Under the circumstances I will of course support you financially as well as, as well as... Our child." The normally self assured Cooper stumbled on the last few words.

  Rebecca wasn't impressed. The look on her face said it all. Even in his current state, he was very much a man, and Rebecca had to struggle to keep the look of him out of her thoughts. She had already determined her course and it didn't involve Cooper in any way, not financially, not physically.

  "What do you mean? Under the circumstances. There are no circumstances. None that involve you directly any more at least." Rebecca lost her sharp tone half way through the sentence. It was after all not Cooper’s fault that he had only just found out. She hadn’t known herself all that long.

  “Cooper, can we save this for later please?” Rebecca glanced across the room at the men sitting in a circle almost, around the two heavies from New World. Charles had let Rebecca and Cooper move aside slightly, but now encouraged them to move back alongside him.

  “Cooper, Rebecca, I have to thank you for drawing these people out. We had actually lost track of them in Australia. I know, I know, but we are stretched very thin at the moment. Budgets and all that. It seemed that the native people who live on your property Cooper, harassed them all the way nearly to the border of their country. The intruders ended up getting out on foot to a support vehicle that came to collect them. The local people had disabled their truck.” Charles chuckled at the memory. “Do you know, they speared the tyres of the truck. Such ancient weapons, and they still disabled a modern vehicle. There’s lessons to be learnt there.” All the time, Charles had his attention on the others across the room. Soon the team who had come in with Charles stood up, indicating to the two that they had literally cornered, that they needed to accompany them. Charles nodded to the one in the lead, and turned back to Cooper and Rebecca.

  “Would you mind waiting here please for a while? I hope to be able to have Usman Abbas accompanying me when I return. I would rather that you were somewhere open and in public - as we are here.”

  Rebecca looked around for Kali. She had left the office ahead of Rebecca, and was supposed to be here.

  “Have you seen Kali?” She asked Charles.

  “No.” He replied as he left. Cooper was looking about the room. He hadn’t seen anyone else enter the room in the time he had been there, but he wasn’t surprised. After noticing the two thugs, he hadn’t been looking for anyone else.

  Rebecca couldn’t help smiling. She was thinking back to the circumstances where Kali had certainly got to know Cooper, if not actually face to face.

  “Yes Cooper, Kali knows you, but I don’t think you really know Kali. Do you remember the laptop was open with Skype running one day back at your home…? Kali was on the other end of the link.”

  Chapter 15

  Cooper had the good grace to blush slightly and twirl his drink. He remembered only too well. Suddenly he felt like he had been travelling for days, and he was very aware of his current state of dress and appearance. He looked across the room. The others were in heated discussion. It was then he noticed a dark haired young woman sitting in the shadows created by a tub of palms in a little used corner of the room. He touched Rebecca on the shoulder. The touch sending waves of emotion through him.

  “Is that Kali?” He asked quietly. Rebecca looked across to where he was indicating. Surprise lit up her face.

  “Of course it is. Kali!” She called out. “What are you doing over there. Come join us.” Rebecca stepped forward to welcome her friend over, and to introduce Cooper. It was just like Kali to wait in the background until she was invited in, or was actually needed. Her purpose after all had been to make sure the way was clear for Rebecca. Finding the people from New World on the scene had given her the idea that it may be better to wait and watch, and not let on that she knew any of the players in the room.

  Introduction were made, as Kali looked Cooper up and down. ‘Well,’ she thought. ‘He looks a bit rough.’ Rebecca saw the slightly raised eyebrows.

  “Kali, Cooper has not long landed, he’s just arrived from Australia. We got caught up in this business, and he hasn’t had time to unpack even.” Rebecca checked herself. What was she doing making excuses for Cooper? Was it her fault? No. Nobody but his. She turned back to Cooper, and asked.

  “Have you unpacked yet?” He was a bit flustered, but answered politely enough.

  “Not yet Rebecca. Obviously.” His speech was a little clipped. It was just too much.

  “I’m going up to my room now. I don’t care what Charles wants us to do. You two can join me if you like, or wait here for reasons that Charles couldn’t be bothered to explain to us.” Cooper turned and started to leave. Rebecca took hold of his arm.

  “Wait Cooper. Do you think we should wait here really?” Suddenly she shook herself slig
htly. “No, we are coming with you. Kali?” She looked at her friend.

  “I’m with you Rebecca.” Kali replied. They both turned and followed Cooper who was by now half way across the room. Nobody looked across at Charles and his team. Cooper was in no mood now to be bothered with something what was no longer his problem. He was also feeling very guilty because he had asked Rebecca to come to the bar, knowing full well the men who had rough handled her in Australia were right there in the same bar. Well, it had to be brought to a head, and this had been as good a time as any. Now finally it looked like the powers who looked after that sort of thing were back in control. She had been perfectly safe in any case. He would have seen to that. Now finally he could relax a little, although it looked like Kali was going to stick to Rebecca like glue from here on. Well, so be it. They were obviously good friends, and Cooper had things to talk about, that he was sure a good friend would need to know about anyway. It was apparent that Kali had come ahead of Rebecca now that he though about it. That meant she was watching out for Rebecca, and it also meant that Kali’s first loyalty was to Rebecca. They seemed to be very close, and it would do him well to remember that Kali apparently knew all about some of their most intimate moments. He noticed Charles hurrying after them, his hand raised as though asking a question. Charles caught up with Cooper who had now stopped in the entrance.

  "Charles?" Cooper said in question. Charles stopped a few feet from Cooper so that he could keep the others still in the room in full view.

  "Cooper - thank you for your help." He said rather stiffly. "Without your warning, delivered as it was, we may never have caught up with this team. Not just these men, but their boss. He's also in our care now, up in his room. We had... other team members go up there directly we arrived." He looked at Cooper, perhaps expecting congratulations. Cooper was not about to congratulate anyone.

  "You mean," he said. "That even when you entered the bar you knew where they all were? Then what was the meaning of that little charade about the bar tender knowing the room numbers?"