Part   Fourteen   "Banking On Trouble"

 
This is the seventh book in the Tamara's Tales (formerly Tommy & Tamara) series. For the whole saga visit Tamara's Tales
 

 
Tuesday 29th December 2015
 

The year was drawing to a close but there were still too many questions. John and Tanya were to be discharged, the hospital had received a glut of serious respiratory disorders so was emptying the wards of anyone who would otherwise be discharged very soon.

Tanya was in a bad place; she hadn't wanted her pregnancy but an act of violence had robbed her of motherhood, for now. At least she was fully mobile, John couldn't lift or carry for a while and found it difficult to get himself dressed, according to Tammy's father.

"Tanya was just stood there, expecting someone else to help John, but we all waited. Eventually, after he'd been struggling with his pullover for a few minutes, she went over to help."

"Having to look after John will change her, will change their relationship."

"If they can survive this, then they should have a future together." Richard didn't sound convinced.

"How were they at the cottage?"

"I'm told John just sat down, he's still in pain and tires easily. Tanya waited, again, for him to get up and do her bidding; this time it was putting on the heating and making a pot of tea. Your mum left just as John was falling asleep."

"He'll be off work for a bit, how's his car?"

"The Police will release it in a few days, apparently, so we'll work out how to return it. John won't be driving before next week in any case."

"I hope Tanya realises the shops are closed on the first and the second!"

"Don't be cruel, Tammy. I know their relationship isn't ideal but you aren't being constructive."

"I suppose not, when will Tanya be going back to work?"

"Best ask your mother that one, it's not a straightforward question."

"Okay, I'd best get back over to Elsie's."

Since Dave Brown had headed back to London, Tammy had slept in the larger house. One reason was to support the children, another was to help in their security. Finlay had now copied the most recent audio, video and documents relating to his parents' work, although Dave had taken this back to London with him and Tammy had been instructed not to read, listen or watch any of it.

An alert had gone out for Paula and Penny Lavoska, Penny had been seen in Wick's Highland Hotel a few days earlier. Unfortunately the school's CCTV images were too low resolution for a positive identification. Elsie and Richard, both school governors, had asked for quotes from a few contractors to improve the perimeter cameras, hoping to get the upgrade done before school restarted on the eleventh.

Of course there had been no further sightings of the Lavoska women. Tanya, when interviewed, hadn't provided much new evidence and some of it contradicted John's recollections. It seems she was complaining to him about some minor thing when their car was forced to stop, John thankfully had been able to filter out his fiancée's moans and concentrate on the road.

John now recalled being asked about the O'Shaughnessy children, but knew nothing about them. Tanya, it seemed, hadn't been at school for the last few days of the term so had no idea where they were, their attacker hadn't taken this answer easily.

This morning Tammy had been asked to be with Finlay before breakfast. Alison had donned her nurse's outfit for the occasion, Tammy silently wondered if this was for a professional reason or if she was appealing to Finlay's male side?

"I'm hungry, can't we do this after?"

"No, it's a fasting blood test so we need to do it now. I promise it won't take long."

"You've got how many tubes? Five? Can I live without that much blood?"

"Of course you can, in your case we'll test everything as a precaution."

"Everything?"

"We need to know what's going on inside your body. If we do all the tests now we might not be asked to do another test for at least a week. Now, hold your arm still and you shouldn't feel a..." "ouch" "....I haven't done it yet."

"Haven't you?"

He was finally brave enough to look, Alison had fibbed, the first phial was being swapped as it was already full. Within a minute all five were done.

"Okay, leave the sticking plaster on there for a few hours, you can have breakfast now."

"I thought it would take longer?"

"Never mind, off you go!"

Tammy wondered if Florence would have found the situation easier or if her response would have been the same; certainly there was a marked difference in his/her behaviour and interaction with others.

Finlay, today, was in his school kilt, paired with a t-shirt. That, at least, was how he started the day, by the afternoon he could be Florence. Some days the reverse was true, he was genuinely fluid and content with himself.

Tammy knew from her own experiences that going out in public as the opposite gender was fraught with worry and lack of confidence, however Finlay didn't seem to be concerned. From his point of view, when he adopted his Florence persona, that was all people saw. What he disliked was common knowledge of his fluidity, although he recognised that desire for privacy couldn't last.

"Look, I could go to school as a girl and do it well. I already attend as a boy and there's no issues. If, however, news leaked about me and Florence being the same person, life would be uncomfortable in school and could be hell elsewhere."

"So you don't plan to switch in school?"

"No, because I really don't like staying as Florence, or Finlay, all of the time. I'd have to keep changing and that could confuse or annoy some folks. School wasn't ideal, but I could be Florence in my room at weekends when my room mate was at home. Being here, being free to choose, means I don't want to go back to that secretive arrangement."

"I had trouble with some people when I transitioned." She deliberately didn't mention Elsie's son, John, who had first tried to chat Tammy up before discovering she was still legally male.

"How many times did you switch, to and fro?"

"Every Saturday when I was working in Sarah's shop for about a year. I was many years older than you when I transitioned."

"I'm not transitioning."

"No, but you were seven or eight when you first went out as a girl, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"I was sixteen and I was inside a shop, not in the street. I was seventeen before I went to the bakery as a girl and eighteen before I had the confidence to go any further."

"You disappeared from school when I was in Year 10."

"Do you remember when the kitchens closed in November last year, because of the health problem?"

"Yeah, mum and dad were in Manchester on a job so I met them there. I got a load of Florence time."

"Well, I stayed as a girl and was treated to a salon visit. I also ended up as the supporting actress in a musical. Oh, I changed my name as well."

"So what happened when school re-opened?"

"I stayed here and had work sent here, Grandma Elsie looked after me until my father arrived. I went back to school just before last Christmas."

"As a girl?"

"Yes, but there wasn't any female boarding so I lived here until my father and I bought the house next door?"

"You bought it as well?"

"A company owns it, we all put money in."

"That's something I've meant to ask, do you know how much Daisy and I will get? I mean I'm not really wanting money right now but Daisy and I will need somewhere to live, and she'll need new clothes real soon."

"I shouldn't worry about that, for now I'm certain that Elsie will look after you but we're planning to go to see your parents' solicitor within the next few weeks to read the will."

"Do we have to sell the house?"

"That depends on many things, and it's difficult for me to give you an answer without knowing all of the relevant information."

"That sounds like a politician's answer!"

"Well, it's an honest answer and I bet you won't find many of those from politicians!"

"Well, thanks for being honest, Tammy."

"I don't mind, although I hadn't planned to tell you my story."

"I heard bits of it, but when are you having the operation?"

"Which one?"

"To cut off, I mean invert, you know ..."

"Why, are you thinking about it?" Tammy wasn't comfortable, but Finlay had clearly done some research.

"It had crossed my mind, ages ago when you and Angela first came back to school."

"But now?"

"I'm not planning on any alterations, maybe just a little decorating?"

"Home improvements, not a rebuild?"

"That's it."

"Such as?"

"This beauty salon, when can we go?"

"We'll be pushed to get an appointment this side of the New Year, so let's give it a week."

"Nothing that'll be noticeable in school?"

"Unless you want to attend as a girl?"

"I don't know, I really don't know. There are times when Daisy will need her big brother so it would be selfish for me to become her big sister all the time. If I was a girl I could go over to the female boarding house, maybe."

That afternoon Tammy was called over to Dunbankin' to use the secure phone.

"Hi Tammy, you're in a conference call with myself and DI Kevin Edmunds."

Tammy dealt with the greetings then asked Dave Brown for an update.

"We had started listening again to the bug you put in Martina Gore's bag, back in October, but it seems it was in the bottom of her bag as the sound was muffled. What's more interesting is the GPS data."

"I see, where's she been?"

"All over the place, including to the Ragmore Hospital."

"Oh, why?"

"Unclear, anyway Finlay's bug seems to have been more effective but we don't have live audio. What we do have is a record from the last day of term until last night."

"Does she say much?"

"She does, but there's a fair bit in Russian too, she and Martin Gore seem to use it as their preferred language."

"I didn't know Martina could speak anything other than English?"

"Her Russian's not brilliant, I'm told, but passable."

"So what did we learn?"

"Martin is most definitely involved and Martina would seem to be looking to continue her parent's work."

"But what was their work?"

"Whatever was needed, it seems, we're having the recordings transcribed and translated. Anyway we're straying."

"Sorry, what have we learned so far?"

"Paula and Penny Lavoska have been in Wick for a week."

Kevin took over. "The feed from both bugs ceased at 0100. Based on this information we executed a search warrant on Martin Gore's house early this morning but it was empty, they've gone. Both of their mobile phones are off, so we can't track them that way. "

"Are they still in the area?"

"It's impossible to know, although my guess is that they won't be seen in public. The local police have checked all the local hotels and guest houses again, as a precaution. We're following up with background research into both Martin and Martina."

"Okay, what do we know about the murders in Sofia?"

"Sorry Tammy, those recordings are still being examined."

"Okay, what about the two Russians who were arrested at the school?"

"Still not talking and we're trying to identify them."

"And the two who attempted to abduct Angela?"

"Bailed on Christmas eve, they were due to report back today but haven;t done so yet."

"Can someone get them?"

"Not until they're in breach of their bail conditions."

"Damn, so we have nothing?"

Dave took over. "No, Tammy, what we have is a ton of information that hasn't yet been fully analysed. We'll find these people in due course."

"Are they likely to head to Egbaston and the studio?"

"I would hope they don't know about the studio yet, but they could be headed for the O'Shaughnessy family home."

"Mother's been in touch with the family solicitors today, we're heading there on Friday 8th and we have an appointment with the solicitor on the 9th. Hopefully we can get back on the 10th as school starts the next day."

"Okay, we'll have to start setting this up, how are you getting to Birmingham?"

"Dad's thinking about hiring a private plane from Wick, given the number travelling it won't be overly expensive."

"Better security too."

"Exactly, we'll take a chopper to Wick Airport."

Kevin took over. "Who's going?"

"Both Daisy and Finlay, my parents, Suzie and myself."

"I'd like an officer with you as well, plain clothed."

"DS Franklin?"

"That's who I was considering, Tammy. I'll meet you at Birmingham with a local officer, I suggest you use the cargo terminal?"

"I'll mention that to Dad. Okay, where are we going to stay?"

"There's plenty of hotels near the cricket ground and I'd reckon on them being pretty vacant. We'll need a booking for ten?"

"I'll get Pru to do that. Oh, Dave, Finlay's given her access to the studio bookings."

"Okay, thanks. We'll review in two days."

Tammy was pleased to get off the call, Kevin and Dave didn't seem to be concerned that most of the criminals, alleged criminals, were missing sand the other two weren't talking. Of course, neither Dave Brown nor Kevin Edmunds were directly responsible for the two children.

She made her way back to Elsie's, it wasn't long before dinner.

 
Wednesday 30th December 2015
 

Elsie had decided that Tammy herself couldn't be held responsible for any decisions regarding the security of Daisy and Finlay.

"No, Tammy, if they need to go out then everyone will have a say."

"If there's a hint of trouble, we won't go."

"Seriously, if you took that attitude then we'd be cooped up for weeks, at least!"

"I'm not banking on trouble, but I'm not being complacent either."

Thus the decision was taken that they would go into town. She sent Dave Brown a text, informing him of the plan.

A short while later the O'Shaughnessy-McPherson pair climbed into Elsie's Range Rover along with Cathy. Tammy was up front with William driving. Elsie herself said she was not feeling ready for a stroll around town so remained indoors, although Tammy noted Helen was not looking comfortable. Richard rode ahead with Suzie, in Tammy's own car, checking for rogues and vagrants.

Tammy was a little jumpy when they pulled in behind Sarah's shop. Cathy went to open the car door on one side, Florence on the other.

"Wait!"

Her bag was unlatched as Tammy stepped onto the tarmac, scanning the area for anything unfriendly. There was nothing, nothing at all, although she flinched when a mother came into view - pushing a pram.

"Okay, it's safe."

Cathy took Daisy by the hand whilst Florence walked with Tammy, Richard and Suzie had gone ahead and were waiting outside the shop for them.

"We'll have a walk around the town, check the bars and so on."

"Okay Suzie, I'll let you know if we're going anywhere else."

Sarah was naturally pleased to see everyone.

"Now, who are these lovely girls?"

"Sarah, this is Florence and her sister Daisy. They're guests of Elsie's."

"Thank you Cathy, I hope you're feeling better?"

"I'm not sure I'll ever get over it, Sarah, but we're here to improve the wardrobe for these girls."

That mean a flurry of activity, although Florence could fit adult sized clothing, Daisy's waist was too small for many of the ranges that Sarah carried.

"I'm sorry, I don't have an 8 in that."

It was also clear that Daisy had started to develop, Suzie was called back.

"Can you go along to HP Bazaar, Daisy needs a few 30A soft bras."

"Colours?"

"White plus whatever they have?"

"Okay Cathy."

They loaded the good from Sarah's into the Range Rover then all of them went to HP Bazaar, Florence needed undies, hosiery, a make-up bag .... From there Tammy and Florence went into Superdrug for cosmetics, whilst Cathy and Suzie continued with Daisy.

Unfortunately, the group was now spread across several shops as Richard had not yet returned.

Tammy had reached the sales desk and was paying for Florence's items, although some of those were ultimately destined for Daisy. She ignored her phone as she was in the midst of the transaction. Florence, meanwhile, had wandered towards the street door.

"Tammy!"

She gathered the bags and quickly joined the fifteen year old.

"What's up?"

"There's something happening in the bank, I think it's a robbery."