The call for John’s flight to begin boarding went up on the screens and he said his good byes to everybody.
James said to him ‘Thanks again for helping out, tell mum and dad I will see them soon, thanks again brother’ he shook Johns hand and John walked towards the departure gate for his flight to Liverpool. The others would not be boarding for another hour so they ordered another round of drinks.
FORTY-FOUR
The one-and-a-half-hour flight to Lisbon passed without incident. James did not have a chance to ask Delinda what he wanted to, as they were not seated together due to the late booking, however for their onward flight to New York they would be sat together in the middle row of four seats on an Airbus A340. James and Lawrence decided they would each take an aisle seat with Delinda and Ally seated in the middle.
The Airbus A340 to New York JFK got airborne and levelled out at thirty-seven thousand feet, when the seatbelt sign went out James reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out and unlocked the screen, he showed a picture of Javier Ramos to Delinda and asked.
‘Have you ever seen this man before?’
Lawrence leant his head forward and looked across at the two of them. Delinda looked at the picture for a few seconds and said ‘No, I don’t think I have, who is he?’
‘Just someone who has caused us a bit of bother whilst we were in Seville, nothing to worry about’ James answered with a smile.
He could see from the expression and genuine puzzlement on Delinda's face that she had never seen him before, she was trying to think if she had and could not recall anything, if she was lying, she would have said no straight away.
James Shaw was relieved that Delinda was not involved with Ramos, even though deep down he knew that she was not, he had to make sure. The seats in front had screens in the headrests, on them was a rolling map showing the aircrafts current location, it was showing it currently over the Atlantic heading North.
‘Wake me up when we reach Canada’ James said to Delinda before kissing her.
He tilted his head back, closed his eyes and fell asleep along with most other people on the flight. They were due to land in New York around 0300hrs local time due to the five-hour time difference so James did not want to miss out on any sleep. Sleep when you can, was one of his rules, along with eat when you can.
The two Argentine special forces soldiers who had been tailing Shaw and Sharif had decided to bunk down for the night at a motel off the A2 motorway, around two hours outside of Lisbon. They had decided not long after leaving Malaga that they would be best getting a full night's sleep and starting afresh in the morning. They would pay a visit to a police station and pay an officer to give them the name of the hotel that Shaw and Sharif were staying in by using the passport registration system all hotels and hostels used. Better to ask the day staff, as the night watch would be busy with drunks fighting and other night time criminals. What they did not know as they slept, was that Shaw and Sharif were not in Lisbon but were an hour into a flight crossing the Atlantic to New York, and their paths would not cross again.
The Falkland Islands are four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and it was currently 2200hrs and the E-3D which had left Ascension Island eight hours ago had just made contact with Air Traffic Control at Mount Pleasant Airfield, after a short surveillance trip over the marked locations on the map that they had been given. The crew in the rear of the aircraft had been instructed to send all footage back to RAF High Wycombe as soon as they landed. They had also been tasked with another reconnaissance flight departing at 0730hrs local time the next morning.
The E-3D touched down and taxied over to the dispersal, where the crew disembarked. They were taken to their accommodation, where they would rest for the night, they still had no idea why they had been sent down here except to fly over the marked areas, as it was dark, they couldn’t make anything out on the screens except the outline of what looked like oil platforms. They would have better images tomorrow, after which they were to return to the UK via Ascension Island and Gibraltar, where the footage taken was to be uploaded and sent to RAF High Wycombe as per instructions, which the crew thought was odd as all footage and images could be sent securely from the Aircraft whilst airborne.
The cabin lights had been dimmed by the crew so that the passengers could sleep, the only two passengers awake were James Shaw and Lawrence Sharif, who were stood in one of the galley areas talking to each other.
‘Delinda checks out, I showed her a picture of Ramos and she had no idea who he was, I could see it in her eyes that she was trying to remember if she had ever seen him before, it was clear she had never seen him before’ James said.
‘I told you this when you mentioned it, but you were convinced that she had set us up, they were only alerted to us because they have somebody in the police who informed them that two British men had arrived in the city, one who works for the Royal Air Force and the other the Foreign Office, they were curious and foolishly we proved them right, I wonder if they ever found that guy we put in the boot in the car park?’ Lawrence replied.
‘No, I wouldn’t think so, surely we would have seen or heard something if they had, the car has probably got a load of parking tickets on the windscreen and the police are probably too busy to go and check on an abandoned car.’
‘Yeah, your right, lets relax for a couple of days, gather our thoughts, enjoy ourselves and have fun, we deserve it.’
‘I agree, I will try and speak to Nadine again in a few days as well, see how she is, try and explain what happened to Will. It won't help but it may give her some closure.’
‘I would leave it for about a week, to let her process what has happened, she will still be associating you with his death and you don’t want to upset her even more than she already is’ Lawrence said.
‘I suppose so.’
‘Let's go get some sleep, we have got a few hours left before we land.’
‘Good idea’ James replied.
They walked away from each other down their side of the aircraft and back to their seats, James sat down and slouched into the chair to try and get comfortable, Delinda woke up and lifted the armrest and cuddled up to James who put his arm around her and they both fell asleep.
FORTY-FIVE
James Shaw only woke up as the Airbus A340 was on its final approach to New York's JFK airport, the jerking around had stirred him and he fastened his seatbelt and sat up ready for landing.
‘Hey, sleepyhead, I was going to wake you but you looked so peaceful so I left you, are you OK?’ Delinda asked him.
‘Yes, thank you, how about you, have you been awake long?’
‘Only about a half hour’ Delinda answered.
The cabin lights went out fully for landing and it was pitch black outside, except for the faint orange glow of the sprawling city below, the lights became brighter as the aircraft descended and the main undercarriage touched down on the asphalt. After shaking and jerking around the aircraft taxied off the runway towards terminal five at JFK airport.
After disembarking and getting through a lengthy immigration queue James and Lawrence re-joined Ally and Delinda and they headed off to get a taxi to the plaza hotel.
‘I need cash, I have just remembered I don’t have any dollars’ James said.
‘This is on me; you can buy breakfast in the morning’ Delinda said to him with a smile.
They arrived at the Plaza hotel thirty minutes after leaving the airport and Delinda payed the driver fifty dollars, which included a tip.
After getting inside the hotel, the night clerk got them booked in to their rooms and they left the lobby in search of their rooms having declined the clerks offer of going to find a porter. The rooms were on the tenth floor so they took the lift up. They stepped on to the corridor and looked for their rooms.
‘Set your alarm for ten, we can go get some breakfast before we go and do whatever we want’ Lawrence said.
‘Ok, see you in the morning, goodnight Ally’ James sai
d.
‘Good night’ Ally said before she followed Lawrence in to the room, James and Delinda walked a few doors down the corridor and let themselves into the room, James dumped his bag next to the door and put Delinda's next to it.
’What do you want to do when we wake up then James?’ Delinda asked.
‘I don’t know, I am going for a shower then some rest’ He said getting undressed and walking to the bathroom and turning the shower on before stepping in to the stall, he used the hotel shower gel and was out in about two minutes. Delinda stepped in after him whilst he brushed his teeth. Delinda finished up in the shower and cleaned her teeth before they both climbed in to bed. Delinda rested her head on James’s shoulder and asked him.
‘Are you nervous about meeting my parents?’
‘A little yes, it must be a surprise for them meeting me after we have only known each other a short time.’
‘We can postpone, if it’s a problem.’
‘Of course not, I look forward to meeting them’ James said.
‘They will love you for sure.’
They fell asleep in each other's arms just as the sun was beginning to rise over the big apple.
Javier Ramos walked out of the Seville court house a free man after his lawyer managed to convince the judge that the prosecution only had circumstantial evidence and nothing concrete to prosecute his client. The judge told the prosecution that unless they could come up with any solid evidence within the next forty-eight hours all charges would be dropped and the case would not be heard in this court. Ramos had been released on bail, but once the forty-eight hours were up, he would be a free man. Free to continue planning his assault on the Falkland Islands, he did not yet know that he no longer had possession of the drilling permits.
At 0800hrs local the crew of the RAF E-3D sentry were at their consoles onboard the aircraft, as they flew over the target area. They could see small arms fire coming from the platforms, not towards the aircraft as they were at forty thousand feet. It was target practice, one of the operators zoomed in on his screen and he could see small targets had been placed in the ocean about one hundred yards from each platform. The operator informed his commanding officer what he and the others had seen, the Flight Lieutenant came over to look for himself, after a minute he went back to his own console and dialled a number on the secure phone, he informed Air Command about what they had seen and he was instructed to send all footage immediately to High Wycombe and to inform his crew of a job well done and inform the flight crew to head for home.
In the UK, Air Command informed the defence secretary who in turn informed the Prime Minister what it was that the E-3D crew had seen, he also informed him that there was a Royal Navy type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless on routine patrol within seventy miles of the platforms. The Prime Minister thought for a moment and said to the defence secretary.
‘Bring her to within twenty miles, and to be on standby for further orders.’
‘Yes Sir, I will inform the admiralty right away’ the defence secretary replied.
He went off back to M.O.D (Ministry of Defence) headquarters opposite Downing Street to inform the admiralty of the situation in person.
Having been in the job for only a year, this was the PM’s first real challenge, the economy had begun to stabilise and people were beginning to have faith again but he could undo all of that by making one wrong move with this situation. A war would be a disaster, he would lose support quickly as a lot of the electorate had no appetite for war. The best solution was swift action and to stop anything before it starts.
FORTY-SIX
James Shaw and Delinda Saint Germain walked through central park together hand in hand having just left the Plaza hotel. Lawrence and Ally had left in a taxi to go to the Guggenheim museum.
‘Just think in a few months' time, you could be calling this place home.’
‘Maybe, if I get a job with a firm, I have had no offers yet’ Delinda said.
‘Somebody will get back to you, you went to Harvard, it is early days yet, you will get something don’t worry.’
Dressed casually, James in Blue jeans and a polo shirt with his Clarks desert boots, Delinda in a white vest top with blue jeans and white converse pumps, they strolled through the park talking and laughing. Delinda's phone pinged, it was an email, she stopped to read it and after about thirty seconds shouted ‘OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD.’
‘What is it?’ Shaw asked.
‘Goldstein Sullivan have just offered me an interview a week today, I can’t believe it, they are one of the biggest Law firms in New York City.’
‘Congratulations, well done’ James replied before he hugged Delinda and picked her up and spun her around, she kissed him and they held the embrace for a few minutes. They left the park near to Fifth Avenue and walked down the busy shopping street. The city was bustling with people and the traffic got busier as they approached Tiffany’s. They stopped outside the store and looked around before walking inside, it was crowded, mostly with people just looking not buying, but James Shaw, was buying.
‘Wait here’ He said before going to speak to one of the assistants.
‘OK, what are you doing?’
James Shaw did not hear Delinda’s reply as he was out of earshot.
A few minutes later he fought his way back through the crowd to where Delinda was stood looking at a display case.
Delinda was giddy with happiness, as James presented a box to her, inside the box was a white gold necklace with a diamond pendant.
‘Thank you it is so beautiful, what is it for?’ Delinda said deliriously.
‘Just a present from me to you, to say well done for getting an interview with a big firm.’
‘Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.’
‘I know but I wanted to.’
‘You're the best.’
‘What kind of law do this firm specialise in?’ James asked changing the subject.
‘Corporate law, so finance and that kind of business’ Delinda answered.
‘Big money to be made there then, shall we go to Nashville in the morning, then we can fly back here before your interview?’
‘Sure, I will book a flight with Delta, my parents aren't expecting me for another couple of days, a surprise will be nice, I cannot wait for you to meet them.’
‘Yes, I look forward to it, what is it your parents do? you never mentioned it’ James asked.
‘My father is a corporate lawyer, he is a partner in a firm down there, which is sort of why I am going down that path, and Mom is an Opthalmic surgeon.’
‘Very skilled work, did you not want to follow in your mum’s footsteps?’
‘Oh no, I think what she does is wonderful but it is not for me.’
‘Why don’t you work at your dads' firm?’
‘He asked me, but I want to make it on my own, make my own name here in NYC, all the major firms are here because all of the major banks and companies are based in the city’ Delinda answered.
‘Well I hope it all works out which I am sure it will, please excuse me whilst I make a call.’
‘I will call the airline and book those flights.’
‘OK’ James said before pulling his phone out of his pocket, he dialled a number from memory and waited for it to be answered.
‘This is Wing Commander Shaw, informing you that I will be returning to the UK next week ready to take up my new post at RAF Waddington.’
He listened and waited for the other person to finish before saying.
‘Yes, a week Monday is fine, goodbye’ he ended the call and dialled Lawrence Sharif's number who picked up after only two rings.
‘That was fast, listen in, I begin my handover at Waddington a week Monday so I am flying to Nashville tomorrow then going back to Liverpool for a few days.’
‘Good luck, I am flying back the day after tomorrow myself, enjoy Nashville. Hopefully your car will be waiting for you when you get to Waddington’ Lawrence said at the other end of the line
.
‘It better be or somebody will have some questions to answer, we will catch up when I am settled, see you back at the hotel later anyway’ Shaw ended the call just as Delinda had finished on the phone to Delta.
‘Any joy?’ James asked.
‘Eight ten tomorrow morning form LaGuardia, we will have an early start.’
‘OK, well I would have liked to have seen more of New York but it is what it is, shall we go and get some lunch, are you sure your parents won't mind me coming to stay?’
‘Of course not, I have told them all about you.’
‘I see, nothing bad I hope.’
‘Of course not, I spoke to them before you got us in Malaga.’
They walked back towards central park down Fifth avenue amongst the crowds of people, a mixture of shoppers and tourists who were getting in the shopper's way by stopping and taking pictures in the middle of the pavement.
‘Shall we lunch in the hotel?’ James asked.
‘No, why don’t we try a proper American place, get you schooled up for all that Southern food and hospitality.’
‘It's your country, why not’ James said.
They got back to the hotel and packed their bags for their flight in the morning, Delinda carefully placed the box containing her new necklace from James on top of her clothes before zipping up her bag. They asked the concierge to arrange a car to take them to a steakhouse. The driver said that he knew just the place.
They ate a big steak each with all of the sides, James was surprised at how much Delinda ate as he himself felt as though he could explode at any moment. Once they had finished, they arranged for the car to pick them up to take them back to the hotel. As they had an early start, they said their goodbyes to Lawrence and Ally in the evening. James and Delinda fell asleep in each other's arms.
James’s alarm woke them both up at five A.M. they hustled down the corridor and in to the lift. They checked out at the desk and the clerk arranged for a car to take them to the airport.
At Nashville airport James and Delinda picked their bags off the carousel and headed outside of the terminal to get a taxi to take them to Delinda's parents' house. It was a few degrees hotter than New York outside and a lot more humid than it was up north. They were greeted by a driver who got out and put their bags in the boot of the cab, Delinda told him the destination, the driver said sure no problem. Twenty minutes later they arrived at a big set of gates which had a drive way running up to some kind of mansion house.
One Last Time Page 21