The Godson's Legacy

by Gait, Paul;

  ‘Perhaps you’re right.’

  ‘I’ll help to raise the subject with him, if you like?’

  ‘Thanks.’

  At that moment Andy came around the corner. ‘This place is amazing isn’t?’ he said, trying to put a happy face on it. ‘I’ve just been to the Throne Room. Its decoration is incredible and you should see the fireplace. It’s from the Renaissance, I think.’

  ‘Yes. In my former life, I’ve been to several social functions here,’ James informed them.

  ‘Really?’ said Ben, impressed.

  ‘Yes. They hold functions throughout the year, especially at Christmas, for the local Monegasques.’

  ‘The what?’

  ‘Monegasques. Sorry, natives of Monaco,’ James explained. ‘It really is a fantastic experience. I’ve even rubbed shoulders with Royalty.’

  ‘Wow,’ Ben said, open mouthed.

  ‘Andy, Ben and I were just talking. He’s a bit concerned about things.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘He’s wondering about that woman’s accusation…about you being in Nadine’s room. I hope you don’t mind us asking about it?’

  Andy shuffled uncomfortably, clearly embarrassed that the topic was in the public domain.

  ‘We appreciate it’s nothing to do with us, but we’re concerned about you. I was telling him about establishing facts before making judgements.’

  Andy cleared his throat, clearly mortified. ‘I’m not going to lie to you. Yes I was in Nadine’s room. But,’ he added quickly, ‘believe me or believe me not, I had only gone in to get a gift that she bought me.

  Unfortunately the combination of too much wine and little sleep…well I fell asleep on the sofa. Instead of waking me, Nadine left me there.

  I wish she’d woken me and…. Well she didn’t, and I guess the wicked witch saw me leaving later on. That’s the truth. Honest,’ he said, looking at each in turn.

  ‘So you didn’t…? You weren’t…being unfaithful to your wife?’ Ben said, looking intently at his eyes to judge the truth of his response.

  ‘No Ben. Nothing happened, I promise. Unfortunately it sounds like Sue videoed me leaving the room. As I left, I did kiss Nadine. It meant nothing. Just one of those goodbyes the French do, you know.’

  ‘See Ben, I told you. If you get the full information you can make an informed judgement. Feel better now?’

  ‘Well…Yes, I think so,’ Ben said, thinking over Andy’s explanation, wondering whether to believe him.

  ‘The next thing to do, is to find out if she has actually taken a video, or if she’s bluffing. If she has, we need to find it.’ James said, purposefully.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘To stop her using it for her own purposes.’

  ‘How do we find out?’ Andy asked, perplexed.

  ‘We ‘borrow’ her phone and look at it.’ James said, patiently.

  ‘Borrow? You mean steal?’

  ‘No, we borrow it for a short time. Check it for compromising shots and give it back… after we’ve deleted anything which might be embarrassing for you.’

  ‘You really don’t need to get involved. It’s my problem. I’ve got to sort it.’

  ‘Andy, I…well, we all owe you. You’ve helped us. Now it’s our turn to return the favour.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes of course.’

  ‘I don’t know what to say. Thank you.’

  ‘Let’s hope we’re successful.’

  ‘When did you have in mind?’

  ‘We need to do it sooner than later, before she downloads it onto a Laptop.’

  ‘Easier said than done! How do we get our hands on it?’

  ‘Rupert will have to help us.’ James added.

  ‘No chance. He’s petrified of her.’

  ‘It’s the only way. At least we’ve got a chance now she’s got him back in her… their room.’

  ‘Just as well that the hotel has allowed us to keep our rooms until this evening’s flight. I’ll go and have words with Rupert,’ Andy said, ‘as it’s to my benefit.’

  ‘Good idea,’ James agreed. ‘See Ben, it’s not all doom and gloom after all is it? Another of life’s lessons. Tackle things head on; question things, don’t just accept them.’

  ‘Yeah, I see. But what about her telling the Police she saw me doing all those things?’

  ‘Well, let’s think about it as we walk round the Palace. You’ve got to seize the initiative. Do you know what I mean?’

  ‘I think so,’ Ben said, starting to feel happier.’

  ‘Come on, let’s see the rest of the wonderful marble Palace staircase.’

  ‘I’ll see if I can find Rupert,’ Andy said, heading off in the opposite direction.

  CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

  24th January

  Within a few moments Andy came across Rupert who had joined Kay and Tim in the magnificent State Apartments, well known for its 16th Century frescoes, antique furnishings and decorative gildings.

  ‘Hi, where’s the wicked witch?’

  ‘Don’t know, gone to commune with Lucifer, I’d imagine.’ Tim said, unhelpfully.

  ‘Ok. Well at least we’ve got some space. Rupert, I wonder could I ask you a favour?’ Andy asked awkwardly.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘I need to get Sue’s mobile.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I need to see if it’s got some video of me on it.’

  ‘Why would she video you?’

  ‘She caught me saying goodbye to Nadine in the early hours of this morning.’

  ‘Guilty conscience?’ Tim interjected.

  ‘No, I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. My concern is that she already knows that I hold one of the ‘theoretical’ keys to releasing Geoffery’s legacy; and she’ll force my hand. Coerce me!’

  ‘I got no problems with that,’ Tim said, quickly. ‘I’ll join her, if she can persuade you to give us the money without going through this stupid scheme of his,’ Tim added, too enthusiastically for Andy’s liking. ‘Let’s have the money now.’

  ‘You know, it doesn’t work like that.’

  ‘I suspected that might be the case.’

  ‘There’s a hint of blackmail in her threat too.’

  ‘Bit overdramatic isn’t it? It’s only a minor indiscretion. The world isn’t likely to suddenly got to war over it,’ Kay added calmly.’ What would happen if you called her bluff?’

  ‘You’re right of course, but I don’t want to antagonise her. I could do without the grief if she shows it around.’

  ‘Such as?’

  ‘Such as work, Scouts and most importantly, the wife.’

  ‘You made your bed mate.’ Tim added, unhelpfully. ‘I look forward to seeing it on YouTube.’

  ‘That’s just it. My bed was the sofa. Nothing happened, I swear. YouTube! Oh shit! I hadn’t even thought about that.’

  ‘Don’t listen to him Andy. You know what he’s like. A ‘windup merchant’,’ Kay said, giving her son a withering look.

  ‘It’s not me you’ve got to convince,’ continued Tim, ignoring his mother.

  Rupert suddenly joined the conversation, ‘Sorry, I don’t think I can help you, I don’t know where she keeps it.’

  ‘In her handbag is the logical place, I would have thought,’ added Kay.

  ‘What if Rupert phones it and hangs up when she answers?’

  ‘I haven’t got my mobile with me, sorry,’ said Rupert, miserably.

  ‘What about one of us?’

  ‘No, she’s bound to smell a rat. She’ll call back to see who called her.’

  ‘What if I get Carrie to call her from the hotel?’

  ‘No she’d guess it was her.’

  ‘What about a callbox? Then it could be anybody.’ Andy said, in desperation.

  ‘Well…If that’s all we can think of, I’ll call Carrie now.’

  Tim called Carrie and gave her the number Rupert had given him. Carrie went to a local pay booth and called them back sho
rtly after to say her call had gone straight to voicemail.

  ‘That hasn’t helped. It could be switched off in her bag or…’

  ‘Out of signal range…perhaps it’s in the room safe,’ Rupert volunteered.

  ‘Room safe eh? Could Carrie get into your room?’ Andy asked earnestly.

  ‘Probably, but why do you ask?’ Rupert queried.

  ‘Can she crack a safe?’ Andy said, expanding, his thoughts.

  ‘Probably. That girl is always amazing me with her talents,’ Tim said, proudly.

  ‘If it’s anything like ours, it’s a four number combination which you can change everytime you lock it.’ Kay said.

  ‘Yes it is,’ Rupert confirmed, ‘she has a few favourite numbers that she might have used.’

  ‘Let me have them and I’ll get Carrie to give it a whirl.’

  Rupert gave Tim several likely numbers, but Sue arrived before these could be texted to Carrie.

  ‘So what are you ‘children’ looking so furtive about?’ Sue’s voice cut through them like a knife.

  ‘Conspiring to overthrow me, or to thwart my plans? Well you’ll have to get up early in the day, if you want to do that.

  Rupert, it’s time we headed back to the hotel,’ she said, pushing him away from the group. ‘But first, we’ll see today’s changing of the guard. It’s nearly quarter to twelve. We’ve got ten minutes to get a good place in the square in front of the Palace,’ she said, unnervingly and uncharacteristically excited.

  ‘It’s not like the changing of the guard at home. The Carabiniers du Prince wear white uniforms and English Police type helmets. We’ll hear them coming because they’re led by a drummer,’ she continued.

  ‘Bugger,’ thought Andy, ‘the best laid plans. There won’t be any time for Carrie to get into their room and try the combinations, let alone find Sue’s phone, and delete any compromising pictures.’

  Rupert looked helplessly at Andy as he walked away from the group.

  As Sue and Rupert walked out of sight, Andy said.’ We’ve still got a chance. How long does the changing of the guard take?’

  ‘Not long, quarter of an hour, something like that,’ Kay suggested.

  ‘Quarter of an hour and then there’s the walk back.’

  ‘Huh, that lazy cow wouldn’t walk. She’d get a taxi. No, It’s too risky.’

  ‘What’s the worst thing that can happen? Sue finds Carrie in her room.’

  ‘Yeah and beats the shit out of poor Rupert in revenge. No, let’s think of something else.’

  ‘I reckon your best bet is Rupert, while she’s off somewhere,’ Kay suggested, thoughtfully.

  ‘Yeah, perhaps you’re right. We might as well join the crowd watching the changing of the guard too, in that case.’

  CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

  24th January

  Tim reassessed Andy’s request and instead of joining the others watching the ceremonial changing of the guard, he called Carrie.

  She agreed that a lightning raid on Sue’s room was possible. They set a maximum time of twenty minutes for the mission based on fifteen minutes watching the changing of the guard and a five minute taxi ride.

  Immediately after hanging up, Carrie grabbed a towel and a cordless hair dryer from the room and raced off to Sue’s room. The corridor was empty; she was relieved to see, although she was aware of several surveillance cameras.

  Winding the towel around her hair, she strode purposefully to the door and pointed the hair dryer, which she’d switch to the hottest setting, at the card entry slot.

  After a few minutes, she turned the dryer on its side so it lay on the now hot reader. She then switched the dryer on and off rapidly four or five times, at the same time putting her foot against the base of the door and pushing it.

  The electronics of the card reader went into fail safe as the induced current and heat from the hair dryer upset the delicate circuitry. The door opened.

  Her SAS learnt skills had come to her aid once again. The covert entry course had been a good investment, although the army might not have had this particular operation in mind.

  The reader electronics would start to work again as soon as it cooled down, so the room occupant would be unaware that anyone had gained access.

  Quickly Carrie hurried in, closing the door behind her, and securing it with the manual internal lock. ‘No surprises by unexpected visitors,’ she recalled the instructor emphasising.

  She went to the usual location of the room safe and was pleased to see it was in the cupboard where she was expecting to find it. Checking her watch, she saw that five minutes had already gone.

  Carrie prided herself in being methodical. First she checked that the safe was actually locked. Many of her colleagues had failed the course because they’d missed the obvious - the safe wasn’t locked in the first place.

  She put the hair dryer down and got her mobile out. After their conversation, Tim had texted her the possible combinations that Rupert had given him.

  Carrie punched the first combination into the electronic keypad. The LED indicator remained at red. Quickly she punched in the others. Still red. Still locked.

  Using the knowledge from her training course, she started methodically going through other easy to remember patterns, when she heard voices in the corridor.

  Someone was putting a card in the reader. She looked at her watch. It was only ten minutes. They had obviously come back early.

  ‘Oh, this is very warm,’ she heard Sue say. ‘It’s not usually warm is it?’

  Rupert stood impassively by the side of her like a naughty school boy and said nothing.

  ‘I’m talking to you,’ she shouted. ‘Feel that.’

  Rupert did as he was bid. ‘Yes it’s a bit warm. Nothing to worry about, I shouldn’t think. Sometimes the chips get hot.’

  ‘Well it doesn’t appear to be working,’ she said, putting the card in and out of the reader quickly.

  Meanwhile, Carrie had quickly scurried back to the door and stealthily undone the manual lock. She had already chosen a suitable hiding place when she entered the room, in case it was needed. All about thinking it through to avoid detection, the instructors had told her. ‘Think of it as a sort of deadly game of hide and seek. They find you and you’re history.’

  Quickly she slipped behind the long drapes and listened to the now very ratty Sue berating Rupert.

  ‘Let me have a go,’ she heard Rupert say.

  Carrie heard the click as the solenoid released and they entered.

  ‘Well it wasn’t working was it? You saw,’ Sue prattled on, trying to repudiate herself from blame. ‘I need some more painkillers. My neck is killing me.’

  ‘I wish that were actually the case,’ Rupert thought, but said nothing and instead walked to the large balcony window to gaze out on the Mediterranean, thinking about Joanne and their baby.

  Meanwhile Carrie heard Sue entering the bathroom and locking the door.

  ‘Rupert, don’t say anything,’ Carrie whispered.

  Rupert jumped involuntarily from the sudden shock of hearing a voice.

  ‘It’s me Carrie,’ she whispered.

  ‘Thank God for that. I thought I was hearing things.’

  ‘You’re back early.’

  ‘Yes, she was moaning about her neck.’

  Carrie smiled, ‘I’m pleased to hear that she’s suffering.’

  ‘Yeah, beware. She’s after your blood.’

  ‘Look, Ah’ve been trying to get into the safe. Those numbers you gave Tim didn’t work.’ Carrie continued.

  ‘I’ve thought of another set she might use,’ he whispered.

  ‘Let’s give it a whirl,’ Carrie suggested, stepping out from behind the drapes.

  They both went quietly to the safe and Rupert punched in the code he’d thought of. Success! Green light. He opened the safe and to their dismay there were only passports inside. No mobile.

  ‘Damn. What about her handbag?’ Carrie said, quickly. ‘Where is i
t?’

  ‘Over there.’

  Quickly they made their way to the handbag, Rupert handed it to Carrie. This was forbidden territory for him to even look into Sue’s bag, let alone go rummaging through it. Carrie quickly searched through the bag, turning over its contents carefully.

  ‘Hurry,’ he urged. ‘You’d better leave before she comes out.’

  As if on cue, they heard the toilet flush and the sink tap gushing water.

  ‘No, it’s not here,’ Carrie said, disappointed. ‘Where the hell could she have put it?’

  Carrie ran across the room to the door and opened it ready to leave, followed closely by Rupert. She had just stepped into the corridor as Sue emerged from the bathroom.

  ‘What are you doing lurking around here?’ she barked, seeing Carrie in the corridor.

  ‘Ah came to see if Rupert was OK,’ Carrie replied, firmly. It was then that she spotted her hairdryer. ‘Bad girl,’ she thought, the instructors would have ripped her apart for making such a stupid basic mistake that could unravel all the previous stealth.

  ‘Well, now you’ve seen him, you can clear off. By the way you would have loved the Princes Palace,’ Sue said, bitchily.

  ‘No problem, I’ve worked there many times before, when I was in the Services. Ah’ve been everywhere that Tourists aren’t allowed to go,’ Carrie said, boastfully.

  Sue slammed the door. Carrie smiled at getting one over on her.

  ‘But where the hell’s that bloody phone?’ Carrie wondered.

  CHAPTER FORTY NINE

  24th January

  ‘What were you talking to that woman about,’ Sue said, advancing on Rupert.

  Rupert stood his ground. ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Don’t take me for a fool,’ she said, lifting her arm to smack him across the face. Rupert lifted his own to deflect the expected blow.

  She stopped in mid swing, as her eye caught sight of her upturned handbag.

  ‘What have you been doing ferreting in my handbag? I’ve told you before. You don’t touch my things.’

  Rupert moved back behind the sofa to get out of range.

  Sue in the meantime went to her handbag and started examining the contents.

  ‘Ah, I get it,’ she said, glaring at him. ‘You were looking for my mobile weren’t you? Has that Andy put you up to it? He’s desperate to get his hands on the video I took of him isn’t he? Well you can tell him to think again,’ she said, pulling the mobile out from her trouser pocket. ‘This is my guarantee of becoming a millionaire sooner rather than later,’ she said, waving it at him.