The Hunt For Rose

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER THREE

  For the first time Stanton was going to ask questions of Winston Blake, why did he know so little about his daughter's employment background? Stanton turned it over in his mind, he had never asked questions in that area himself, why? He shook his head as he drove on, was it Faversham that had spurred the obvious that was not so obvious.

  He pulled up at Shangri La winery, the place was in lockdown, a military style transportation operation, two years in the planning was about to be initiated. Transporting a horse by road is something most owners do frequently, but moving it by air is different matter. Horses are flown in 'jet stalls', square, padded boxes that resemble a three-horse, forward-facing lorry. These can be adjusted to accommodate two or even one if necessary, but although this is better for the horse, the cost will spiral. Each shipment will have one professional flying groom who is certified with the Animal Air Transport Association per three horses. Flaxmead was flying with Flushing Meadow and Celtic Storm. Three horses would indeed travel in a jet stall on a jumbo transport plane from Sydney airport but it would not be the untouchables. As Graham Harper was a vet and strapper Jessica Flametower had been registered with the AATA as a flying groom, Flaxmead's float was far more sophisticated than a jet stall, the trio of equine power would not leave the float until they touched down in the UK, cost was not a KPI. An alternate jumbo commercial transport aircraft would swallow up the float, Stations Mustang and another support vehicle and drop them at an airfield far from the maddening crowd while the media and Jodi Stanton kept the eyes of the world firmly on the decoys. The problem of different reaction to flying by some horses had also had plenty of attention, pseudo flights around Australia with the three valuable items of livestock had ironed out expectation to realisation and implementation. The team was a well oiled machine.

  Stanton isolated Winston by asking him to accompany him as they drove the convoy toward the airport in the darkness of the night, he asked a burning question. "Rose worked for the government, I can't remember you ever mentioning the fact."

  Winston looked sombre; his jowls hung low, a bland look of thought brought on by the mention of his daughter. "No, yes, possibly." he shock his head staring through the windscreen at the rear of the float as they powered down the F3 freeway towards Sydney. He looked round at Stanton. "She was involved in real estate, never really discussed work with her a great deal, she never brought the subject up. I just made the most of the time I got with her. I remember asking about work congenially, she just said it's a job far as I can recall."

  "Did you ever meet a Rhiannon Faversham?"

  Winston raised his eyebrows. "Yes, at the Melbourne cup, she was with Rose, a dear friend no doubt, spent the entire day with them both."

  "Did you know Rhiannon Faversham disappeared at the same times as Rose and is currently still missing?"

  "Good lord, no I had no idea, what makes you think the disappearance is related."

  "A witness to the event."

  Winston leant one ear toward Stanton with a look of utter concentration. "Go on."

  "A one Bradley Faversham, Rhiannon's father." Stanton waited for a reply his concentration at times drawn to the road ahead and vehicles around Flaxmead's float but Winston just remained silent and still awaiting more information. "He confirmed Rose and Rhiannon had been taken for some reason together, probably linked to their work."

  Winston blinked profusely and shook his head in disbelief. "What an earth would you do in real estate that would constitute abduction," he looked at Stanton. "Is the lead of any use to us?"

  "Possibly."

  "Explain."

  "I don't have enough information to explain anything, just facts that tell us we are looking for two women and they are still alive."

  Winston sat back in his seat with a relieving sigh. "Oh god, she's alive, I've always believed it and so have you, your support kept me going."

  "Rhiannon's father claims the girls were taken by the American Secret Service, they have information that could be damaging to someone somewhere. Faversham passed it on to them when he was attaché to the American Embassy in Canberra."

  "Good god. Why would this man suddenly come forward, you must have had contact by what you know."

  "He's dying, has six months to live and wants to see his daughter before he dies."

  Winston looked down. "Thank god I'm not in such a position, I would be devastated and try anything. Why has this Faversham not come forward years ago?"

  "He claims he's being black mailed into silence, should be divulge any information his daughter would suffer."

  "Oh my god Rose."

  "Calm down, Rose is pretty smart. The girls apparently stashed the information out of harms way."

  "But it's been years, makes no sense this Faversham may have held back for no reason."

  "I can confirm to this day he is tailed by American officials."

  Winston looked solemn; his mindset slumped to rock bottom. "I thought she had just disappeared, perhaps Id neglected her and she held a grudge. In a way I did, she needed me and I wasn't there. Will our attention court disaster?"

  Stanton hesitated. "There's a risk."

  "Perhaps we should let sleeping dog's lie, my efforts may lead to her being harmed."

  "If they were going to harm Rose or Rhiannon whoever is involved would have done so long ago, there is far more to this. I need ask no more questions or expand on what I have already told you. What I can tell you is this is no longer you and I looking for your daughter, this has crossed the line, MI6 are now involved. You remember Porter the minister for defence whom committed suicide."

  Wilson nodded with a pouted jowl. "Yes, his family still claim he was murdered by MI6."

  Stanton hesitated, reassured by his questioning he continued. "Makes no difference, fact is Porter is dead and dead men tell no tales. In the course of cleaning one thing up a mess can be twisted elsewhere. I have to sideline you from any further involvement in the hunt for Rose."

  Wilson looked around slowly and solemnly at Stanton. "You'd do that to me?"

  Stanton looked at Winston with a smile then back at the road. "I'd do that to anybody I loved, the hunt for Rose is a matter of international importance linked to government bodies involved in international military affairs." Stanton was quiet for a few seconds. "However, I promise to return your daughter to you alive, regardless of any circumstances. Should things go pair shaped, this conversation never took place."

  Winston had concern etched into his face. "Sound like revenge, should we take such a path without knowing more, not that I don't feel a sense of reprisal myself."

  "Nothing to do with revenge Winston, justice, difference between justice and revenge I am fortunately well aware off, things can quickly escalate to war, only the dead are free of war. We must make sure Rose is only free of tyranny, not war. Sounds ominous but the fact remains Rose will need help, whatever that involves then so be it."

  "All this for a horse."

  "No, all this for six black horses."