Part   Eight   "Careless Talk"

 
Easter Saturday 15th April 2017
 

"Aunt Tammy, did you bring a swimsuit?"

"Yes, Daisy, but let me have a chat with Aunt Cathy first."

"Mum?"

"Yes, your mum."

Tammy found Cathy in the conservatory.

"Do you think Spring is on its way, Tammy?"

"Yes, Cathy, but you could have asked me that on the phone!"

"Well, we see so little of you. The girls are back at school in a few days and yet you haven't been here once during the school holiday."

"I've been busy, things have been going on."

"Your father alluded to that, but surely it doesn't take all your waking hours? We care about you."

"It just seems that everything's on my shoulders, but it's not as if I go looking for problems."

"I know, I've been here when things happened. Have you thought about getting out of the game, hang up your spurs?"

"I'm on a sabbatical but that hasn't stopped things happening, perhaps the bad guys didn't get the memo?"

"What if you resign?"

"Then nothing would change, except I wouldn't be able to protect myself."

"Is it just about the firearms?"

"No, Cathy, but if something went wrong then I know I currently have the backing of the law, if I resign then I am just a citizen again."

"So us citizens are beneath you?"

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way. Look, if someone attacked me then I would be able to defend myself, and others, knowing that I probably wouldn't end up in court. If I resign then I run the risk of being prosecuted for defending those dearest to me, and I doubt if my aggressors would care either way."

"Don't you think you're being a little paranoid?"

"Not when my plane was supposed to fall out of the sky and disappear into the sea. Or when a police officer sells that story to the press, and his brother accuses me of shoplifting?"

"Oh."

"Please don't repeat that, it's all under investigation and the PC will likely be taken to court."

"Does you father know all that?"

"Yes, but my mum doesn't know half of it, she'd go mad if she did."

"So they really are out to get you?"

"Yes, Cathy, and there isn't much I can do about that at the moment."

"Suzie suggested you had another job offer?"

"I think Suzie should be careful what she says."

"That's a bit nasty?"

"Sorry Cathy, but one loose tongue can evaporate the security for everyone. Suzie worked in a very insular department and none of that work impinged on her life outside work. My security, and that of everyone around me, exists out in the open, at home, in my office, at university or here. I'm sure you trust everyone here but if you recall, a year ago we had a staff problem and that caused huge issues."

"I do remember, I was here, but all those people are in prison, or ...?"

"Dead? Yes, but there are still court cases to come, and there will be debts to settle."

"You seem to be thinking an attack is imminent?"

"No, but I don't know all the facts yet so it helps to be aware, not to take risks and not to advertise my movements too much."

"Well, don't keep my girls waiting any longer, they are expecting you!"

Tammy spent an hour in the indoor pool with Daisy and Florence. The girls were now in years eleven and thirteen with exams due to start in a few weeks.

"Why don't we see you very often, Aunt Tammy?"

"Because I've been busy, sorry."

"You don't come up to the school very often either? You were seen there in December, but not since?"

"Yes Florence, that was the last time I was there but I'm not at school now, I left nearly two years ago."

"What work are you doing now?"

"I have an estate agency in town, mostly dealing with offices and shops. Aunt Suzie works with me."

"She comes to see us most weekends."

"And I would too, if I had a little more spare time. Talking of which, I have to get home, we have visitors this evening."

"Don't you know, mum arranged for everyone to come here today?"

"Everyone?"

"Tanya is bringing her baby here!"

"Your mum didn't say anything when I saw her?"

"We wanted to surprise you!"

"I left my frock at home, I can't stay in leggings and this top!"

Just as Tammy was preparing to go home, Suzie arrived with a garment bag. "Your dress, and everything else is in there. Take it, your shoes are in a different bag."

Cathy sent her up to the Rose Room "You remember the way?" to shower and change, adding that Tanya and John were due in an hour. Tammy decided against any flippant remark and went up to her old room to get ready.

By the time she was presentable, Suzie had returned along with Joan and Richard. Tammy spotted Michael McPherson across the hall but there was no sign of the new parents.

Tammy could see that a buffet was being prepared, Cathy must have been prepared? The doorbell sounded and as she was stood close by, Tammy opened it.

"Sarah? I didn't know you were coming?"

"If you'd have come down to the shop, I might have let you know!"

Thomas arrived and politely suggested to Tammy that she joined the others in the conservatory and that he would handle the door.

"I'm sorry Sarah, I haven't had much time, plus I didn't want to get caught by the press again."

"One came in to ask if I knew you."

"Was her name Abi?"

"Might have been, she left me a card."

"That card might be useful, can I collect it?"

"Sorry Tammy, I recycled it a couple of days ago. You really should have paid me a visit."

Over the course of the next hour Tammy spoke to everyone present, including Sandy Smith.

"When was the last time you paid me a visit?"

"Weeks ago?"

"Try nearly two months! Phone me on Tuesday and make a booking. I guess you'll need to see Joanne too?"

"I can't remember the last time I was waxed."

"Tammy, dear, you aren't looking after yourself very well."

"I guess not."

Joan wasn't looking very happy when she approached Tammy.

"I'm hearing stories from others that have left me very worried."

"Oh, mum?"

"Don't 'oh mum' with me, young lady, you've been keeping things from me?"

"Just so you won't worry."

"Well, I know now and I am bloody worrying!"

"I can take care of myself."

"That's what concerns me, you're reckless with your family's safety."

"There's not been a threat against the family for ages."

"What about your plane?"

"Well, I got it back down safely."

"But one of us could have been in the plane with you!"

"Mum, please don't play the 'what if' game. It was just me and I walked away from the aircraft."

"Why do you need one anyway?"

"So I can travel South in four hours instead of fourteen! I don't lose a whole day."

"Use a commercial flight then!"

"I take it you won't ever be asking me for a lift anywhere?"

"Absolutely not! In any case, the police have your plane?"

"The RAF have it, and we'll let the insurance company handle it."

Joan was interrupted by a baby crying, followed by Tanya issuing commands to a harassed John. Tammy thought she could also hear Angela, although she hadn't seen her sister yet,

Cathy decided this would be a good time to declare the buffet open.

 
Tuesday 18th April 2017
 

Tammy had a 10am start at the university so had arrived at her office by 8am in order to check if she had any urgent work to deal with, although she was particularly interested to see if there was a response from DI Edmunds after sending the hotel's CCTV featuring Sharon Gainsborough. There was nothing from Kevin but she did find an email from John Smith that consisted of just two words: "PHONE ME".

She made herself a coffee before letting herself into the secure room, the desk was still covered by the photos from Friday's research.

"John Smith."

"Hi John, it's Tammy."

"What the hell is going on up there?"

"Nothing right now."

"Really? I've been told that an outstanding terrorist has been on your doorstep, in one of your properties!"

"That was months ago, I never saw Sharon and only spoke once, maybe twice, to the tenant by phone. Anyway, it looks like the place has been empty since February."

"And you didn't check on it?"

"That's not how the property leasing game works, this was a three month lease so there's no midterm inspection. Hindsight can be wonderful, Sir, but it's not an easy concept to implement."

"Yes, well, you need to be more careful."

"I've already revised my business procedures, but my primary concern is that my clients pay their rent in full and on time, whilst paying due regard to the other terms of the contract. In any case, John, you know that I'm on a sabbatical. I supplied Kevin with the video in case it helped his ongoing investigation and I do not want to be told how to run my business."

"So I take it that you don't want to know about your plane?"

"I wasn't aware that you were involved?"

"Of course I am."

"And?"

"Well, you correctly identified a tracking device and it's been confirmed that it was designed to cut out the engine when you were ten miles or more from land."

"I wasn't ten miles out, more like two."

"The GPS had an offset error apparently."

"I see."

"Anyway, the Belgian police have visited the agent who sold the plane and they're no longer in business."

"No surprise then. Have the Belgians supplied any further information?"

"We're analysing it. In any case, if you'd done your job correctly, we'd have been able to follow Miss Gainsborough back to her handler?"

"Sir, with respect, if someone had done their job properly then Alex Fullerton wouldn't have been employed by 'Six' and definitely wouldn't have ended up as Suzie's boyfriend."

"As you say, Miss Smart, hindsight is wonderful."

"Fine, then we can agree to disagree?"

"Indeed."

Tammy finished the call, although she hadn't gained a whole lot of information about her plane. She hadn't heard any more about the Czech Sport model either, wasn't someone having a good look at it?

She decided it wasn't a great idea to take firearms into an educational establishment, plus the threat seemed to have diminished somewhat. She opened the safe and deposited her Glock 19 next to the '26. She hadn't shot since December and worried that her aim might slip, some time on a range was needed.

Suzie arrived just after nine-fifteen.

"Oh, I thought you'd be in a lecture?"

"And I thought you'd be here on time?"

"As it's Tuesday I reckoned it'll be a quiet day?"

"Despite everyone having been off work for the past four days? There's a pile of faxes to look at and according to the diary, the Thurso offices of Smith, Smith & Smith need their six monthly inspection this morning."

"Won't I get any peace today?"

"If you want peace, hand in your resignation and don't expect a good referral!"

"Hey, you can't say that to family?"

"Suzie, this is business and I'm sure I can find someone else to run the office."

"But then you'd have to hide those toys? Are they in the safe?"

"I'm sure I could manage, question is whether you'd like to keep this job?"

"I've had my eye on going back to uni?"

"I presume you're looking at starting in September or October?"

"Yes."

"Well, between us, we should still be able to cope."

"Ummm, I was thinking about Edinburgh or Dundee?"

"Give me enough notice to sort out staff, please."

"Yeah."

Tammy presented Suzie with the two sets of revised instructions before making her escape, perhaps it had been a mistake to involve family? In any case, Tammy didn't want to have a full-blown argument right now.

She had trouble finding a space in the university car-park, nabbing a space as one car pulled out.

Her course, a degree in Criminology, had started with forty five students enrolled at the Thurso campus, with a few dozen more at satellite campuses. When she reached the lecture theatre it was just a few minutes before ten but it seemed that there were a few more empty seats than there had been a few weeks beforehand. Tammy settled down in the back row in order to observe those present.

By fifteen minutes past ten she felt that something was awry. One of the tutors, Freddie Flint, finally arrived.

"Ah, good morning everyone. I'm afraid we've had a change of plans today as Mr Templeton has resigned." He paused as questions arrived. "No, sorry, I don't know any more than that, I'm afraid we won't have anything ready for you before Thursday."

There were more requests for information but the tutor just replied to say he know no more than he had said. With that, he left the room; there was a noise as bags and jackets were grabbed, everyone was quickly on their way to the door.

Tammy held back and waited for the room to clear before she started walking towards the exit. Lorna Kirk was waiting for her.

"I was hoping you'd get the hint and stay away?"

"Really, Lorna? I'm here to get an education, that plan hasn't changed."

Freddie Flint had reappeared and Lorna kept her next words to herself. "Ah, Tammy, could you see me for a minute?"

She followed the tutor to his tiny office.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, but Mr Templeton left a note about the group and your name was prominent."

"I see."

"He wasn't detrimental, but I just witnessed Lorna Kirk waiting there and you were her target."

"Unfortunately her boyfriend got himself arrested when he tried to stop a production at the Mill. The Sheriff has him on a very tight leash, one more mistake and he could be heading back to court."

"So I gathered. Donald came in this morning to brief me personally and tell me a few things he couldn't put in writing."

"Okay, what's the plan for the course?"

"We have a retired police officer joining the teaching staff, he already had a teaching qualification and has been doing a refresher course."

"What's his name?"

"He's been in Inverness for the past year, so I doubt if you'll know him, but it's Ben Franklin."