Part   Thirty Six   "Mudchute"

 

Tammy's Tales Book 6
 

 
Tuesday 10th November
 

Tammy spent Monday night back at Abigail Adams House and was finally allowed to make a short call to her father, using the secure phone in the study. "Don't let them scare us like that again, Tammy, your mum doesn't know what to believe any more."

She found Sophie in the pool on Tuesday morning.

"You weren't at dinner last night?"

"I ddn't get in until ten-ish. Kevin and I grabbed a take-away before I drove here."

"What's the latest?"

"We'll hold a briefing later, now is not the right time."

"I'd like to have a long call to my folks."

"Clear that with Kevin, that's outside of my remit."

Tammy opted for a light breakfast, and kept the coffee to a minimum. Outside, autumn was stirring up the leaves then drenching everything in sight, so much for a walk into the garden. Her grey sweats would have soaked up the rain in seconds flat!

The morning papers all carried the mortar attack but, despite multiple demands by the press, all they could say for any certainty was that a passenger had suffered life-threatening injuries, and even that was wrong. There was speculation about the target with confusion abound, if Tamara Smart had appeared in the courtroom then who was in the vehicle?

More than one of the newspapers surmised that this was an intelligence operation but no-one in authority would confirm. "We do not comment on intelligence matters" was the standard response.

Tammy spent an hour in the range, proving that she could pass the annual assessment anytime. There was just one small problem.

"I have your weapon in the armoury, Miss Smart, I've been told it can't be released."

"Not even for practice?"

"No, and I don't have another Glock 26 you could use."

Tammy reached into her bag, "what about this one?"

"Where ....?"

"Military issue, on their authority. I only have one clip though."

"I wasn't told that your licence had been suspended, only that your weapon might be needed for judicial purposes, so I'll accept this but I need to make a note of the serial and enter it into the log. I'll also ask you to leave it here until you leave the house or require it for operational use, understood?"

"Yes."

"I won't be a mo, I'll issue you forty rounds as soon as I complete the log, can you sign in and grab a set of ear defenders? You do remember the range rules?"

"Yes, Sir."

She spent an hour in the gym after that, exercising herself into a heavy sweat, it had been a few days since her last decent workout. The microwave meals over the weekend hadn't helped, either and she'd woken feeling a little bloated.

She showered and dressed casually before seeking her second caffeine drink of the day.

"Ah Tammy, could you bring that coffee and join us in the study?"

She followed Kevin, finding Sophie and Jenny waiting for her.

"Good morning everyone," she dropped into one of the leather chairs, "what's the news?"

Kevin started, "firstly, Mr Lupo is co-operating, it seems he'd been promised that you would be killed and he would get a bonus for a full acquittal, that makes him an accessory to a terrorist act. He'll go down for that, but the Law Society could even close that Chambers as they've announced they will launch an investigation in the next few days."

"Okay, that's one bad guy out of the equation, what about the attack?"

"Yesterday was a success on several fronts, we have Ibramovich in custody and the dead man has been identified as a cousin of Kelmendi. We found two other vehicles in the sweep up operation, one had two hired hands of Kosovan origin, the other contained two members of the Trethgarwyn family."

"Bloody hell! Is that why you're here, Sophie?"

"No, that was an unexpected bonus and it's taken the investigation off into a new direction. Heather's assisting in Cornwall with background information but we have no prior intel on these two, first step is to confirm their identities."

"So, Sophie, if they were a bonus what were you aiming for?"

"I'd rather not say, yet, but we have located your mother."

"Where, when?"

"Someone paid her a visit and she got scared, leaving London without telling anyone. Fortunately she needed cash so we were able to narrow down the search area considerably."

"Okay, where is she now?"

"On her way here."

"Woah, whose plan was that?"

"Mine, she can be managed more easily here."

"But, Kevin, my presence will be a problem, she'll start to make connections!"

"I know, we all know, so I have a proposal for you."

"I'm listening."

"You can stay at your flat in Docklands."

"So from maximum protection to zero, just like that?"

"No, I've insisted on some security for you and you can have a weapon back."

"So how do I get to the court tomorrow?"

"On the tube."

"That leaves me open prey?"

"No-one will know where you are and it's easy to hide in a crowd, the main threat to you was taken out yesterday, comprehensibly."

"The flat is registered in my name, so wouldn't someone look there?"

"It's registered to Thurso Properties, one of your companies."

"Is it? I suppose my PA must have handled that?"

Jenny answered that, "your father sorted it. Anyway, the sweep team are there at the moment checking it out and you'll gain a secure phone as well. Your laptop has arrived from Scotland, I'd expect you to earn your pay when you're not in court, young lady."

"Okay, okay."

"You'll be allocated a close protection officer, for now it's WPC Straight but that may change."

"Fine, when do I leave?" She addressed the room but Kevin answered.

"Immediately, your room is being cleared and a car is waiting to take you to Enfield Railway Station. Go to the Armourer and retrieve the weapon you deposited this morning. Nice scores, by the way."

"I don't get my own one back?"

"It's subject to a judicial inquiry, so no. I'm also not happy with you carrying it in your bag, but I can't see you comfortable with a shoulder holster strapped on?"

"I do wear a bra every day, a BH if you prefer, but I think a holster would look rather odd under a lace cardigan."

She was hurried out of the room, apparently her mother was only fifteen minutes away. The armourer returned the military Glock, then found the spare clip from her own weapon plus a box of a hundred rounds. "Sign here, and here, and here."

She headed straight for the carpark, using the pass that had appeared in her bag. Justin was sat in the driver's seat of a waiting car, Diane Straight was in the back.

Her Oyster card was also in her bag, she suspected that her father had sent some of her belongings down, just in case they were needed. A further dig through her bag revealed most of the usual identification and financial bits and pieces, all in Tammy's name.

"Can we go to Cheshunt instead of Enfield?"

"Why?"

"Easier to get a connection for the Docklands Light Railway."

"Okay."

Justin parked right by the door as Tammy and Di unloaded their cases before extending the handles. Cheshunt Station was quiet by midday any morning, the usual commuter rush had ended hours earlier. This was not familiar territory for Di Straight, but Tammy had been here before.

"Next train to Stratford, okay?"

That was an easy ride in a near empty carriage, although that made Tammy's companion a little nervous. Arrival at Stratford, next to the 2012 Olympics Park, brought some relief but instead of heading to the DLR platforms Tammy decided to walk out of the station.

"Where are you going?"

"Shopping!"

"What?"

"The flat's been locked up for months, my guess is there's no fresh milk, bread, fruit, anything. Normally we'd get my London PA to sort this out but I reckon no-one told her?" They'd reached the road and waited for the lights to change. "There's a Sainsbury's in this shopping centre, plus a few clothing stores. I could do with a couple of new bras, knickers and some jeans, I'm still missing a large chunk of my wardrobe."

Di took responsibility for Tammy's suitcase whilst a trolley was sped around the supermaret. Thankfully Tammy kept it to one bag, albeit a large reinforced one. Next they found one of the clothing stores, it was well gone one thirty when Tammy was done. Her phone rang.

"This is Jimmy Ruddle, where are you?"

"Stratford High Road, just about to grab lunch."

"I need to show you the new security system."

"What was wrong with the old one?"

"It wasn't compliant, you're linked back to the main control room now."

"Great. What's the code?"

"Sorry, no can do. I'll have to leave someone here. Fortunately she found some teabags and doesn't need any milk."

"Yasmin!"

"Indeed, don't take too long."

So much for the burger, Tammy dived back into Sainsbury's and raided the Meal Deal shelves, a few sandwiches, potato crisps and a chilled drink for a fiver each.

"Cheese or Chicken?"

"No other choice?"

"Sorry, I didn't know your food requirements."

"Come on, let's lug this lot back across to the station."

Their journey to Mudchute station was fairly easy, with a simple change at Canary Wharf. The apartment was conveniently near the station in one of the many blocks in that area; it wasn't quite the penthouse apartment but pretty close, Tammy had her keys ready and let them in.

"Yasmin, it's me!" Tammy called.

The six foot girl put her head around from the kitchen, grasping a frying pan. "Us techies don't get weapons," she moaned.

"Hey, put that down and help us with the shopping."

"I don't get paid for that!"

"I'm not signing off this system until all of these bags are dealt with! Oh, sorry, Yasmin, this is Diane, Diane this is Yasmin."

"Coffee, Tammy?"

"Excellent plan, there's milk in one of these bags."

"Any lemon? I found your Earl Grey."

"Sorry, but there's a Spar about two minutes walk from here."

The next twenty minutes were easily eaten up, clearing the entrance of bags and pointing Di towards a bedroom. There was evidence that the apartment had been cleaned recently, that would have to be queried.

"So, Tammy, the code is 362834. Not my idea."

"Jimmy's joke?" Yasmin nodded.

"It's the same design we have at the house."

"That's right, but you should use your pass to set it on the way out, that way we'll know you've left, there's a proximity detector fitted so present your pass to the panel by the front door on your way in as well."

"And if I don't?"

"The cameras will be activated and one of the security team will have to verify that you are here and the place hasn't been compromised."

"Okay."

Yasmin grabbed her bag and left.

Di looked confused.

"I thought you were a witness in a terrorist trial?"

"I am."

"But this?"

"It's my apartment, I just don't use it very often. I think my mum and sister were here last in the summer."

"Yeah, but?"

"Look, it's probably best for your safety that you don't know too much, plus I suspect everything we say is being monitored?" The secure phone rang a few seconds later from the study.

"Hello?"

"It's Jenny."

"We're not secure, hold on."

Tammy opened the apartment's wallsafe and found the encryption key, there were a set of keys for the apartment in there as well as Tammy's passport.

"Okay, we're secure now."

"Good, firstly you're right that your close protection officer doesn't know more than is necessary."

"So, you are ....."

"Just to make sure everything was okay. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Your laptop is locked in the bottom of your wardrobe, did Yasmin show you?"

"Yes, the large steel container is hard to miss."

"Your camera equipment is also in there."

"Good."

There was a scream from the lounge, Tammy dropped the phone and rushed out. Di had opened the curtains and could see the view across London.

"Wow! How much did this place cost?"

"About half a million, brand new. I must finish that phone call!"

Tammy started to explain the interruption but it was clear Jenny still had the live video on her screen.

"Just be careful, Tammy, okay?"

"Sure, what about tomorrow?"

"That's Kevin's department."

"And the two Trethgarwyn guys?"

"Not your concern, understood?"

"Yes, Jenny. Am I allowed to talk to Suzie?"

"She's back with me, so I don't see why not, but strictly no business."

"So is the Thurso office shut?"

"Bye Tammy."

"Err, bye."

Tammy rejoined Di in the lounge. "I can see for miles, it's fantastic!"

"I guess I'm used to the view, Di, did you want to have a stroll around?"

"Sure, let me just freshen up first."

"Good idea, I'll use my en-suite."

---

The girls walked first towards the water's edge at Clipper's Quay before following the water North to Millwall Basin.

"Tammy, I saw a large green area out of the bedroom window."

"That's Mudchute Farm."

"A farm, I didn't think we were that far out? So where are we?"

"In the old Docklands, on the Isle Of Dogs. If we walk South from here we could cross over to Greenwich."

"I was brought up in Acton, on the West side, so I don't know this area at all."

"What's your normal police station?"

"Edgware."

"Oh, how long have you been there?"

"Only six months, why?"

"Some of the trial deals with things that happened last November in Edgware."

"I see, were you involved?"

"I don't think I can answer that question, sorry. Err, what are we going to do about dinner?"

"I'm easy."

"In that case, let's walk over to Asda, it's ten minutes that way," she pointed East, "I only picked up essentials in Stratford, do you fancy a pizza?"

---

"Hi Dad, yeah, just eaten, how's everyone?"

"Fine Tammy, I understand you're at the flat?"

"Yes, but don't broadcast it, please, otherwise I'll have to move again."

"Sure, I asked Tanya to pop in at the weekend to make sure everything was okay, just in case."

"How much work does she still do for us?"

"About half a day a week, sometimes a bit more, I think Pru sends stuff down once or twice a week."

"Okay, I don't think we'd like to lose our London PA. The place was clean, how did the security team get in?"

"Tanya's keys, hopefully they have been returned to you, can you get them back to her?"

"I reckon so, Dad."

"Oh, Suzie collected some of your stuff when she left Thurso, have you spoken to her yet?"

"No, it's on a long list of things to do."

"Okay, how long are you going to be there?"

"No idea, I've been moved several times so far in the past week."

"Are you on your own?"

"No."

"Fine, when are you back in court?"

"In the morning, I've got to go, talk tomorrow?"

"Yes, maybe you can talk to your mum and sister too?"

"That would be good, bye Dad, love you."

"Love you too."