Part   Twenty Eight   "The Oldest Profession"

 

Tammy's Tales Book 6
 

 
Tuesday 27th October 2015
 

Tammy reflected on the previous evening, it certainly hadn't turned out how she'd imagined it. Her initial thoughts on meeting Penny Lane, or Penelopa Lavoska, was that she wished she had backup. That feeling wasn't helped when she was asked to turn off her phone and remove the battery to prove it was off. The final straw was the wand that Penny waved over Tammy and her bag.

"Just to make certain we don't have any unexpected guests with us this evening."

Tammy had tried to giggle at that comment but knew it was false. Her brooch was turned off when she arrived so passed the inspection. A trip to the ladies loo gave her the opportunity to enable her recording device.

Strangely enough, she hadn't felt threatened once the initial dramatics were out of the way. By agreement they had abstained from alcohol and set about ordering, making small talk. Tammy had started to relax, something she knew to be dangerous.

What had concerned her was just how much of her life was known to the Lavoska sisters, although Tammy was being careful not to disclose information about Penny that could only have come from intelligence sources.

"I met you once before, in Lausanne."

"Did we, Paula? My mother was there rather alot."

"It was in the summer of 2011, but you looked a little different."

"I've grown up."

"Plainly you're not the tomboy any more."

Tammy hadn't been comfortable and it probably showed. Thankfully that topic wasn't pursued and, oddly, there was no other reference to her transition during the evening.

Once home, at a respectable ten o'clock, she'd uploaded the evening's video onto the Security Service secure website. There was too much of a risk for Tammy to be seen with Hilary, both had to assume Tammy was being monitored.

She'd arrived at the shop at half seven that morning in order to retrieve the crate for Kirkwall Fashions. That had meant going without breakfast so she took herself over to the Castletown Hotel for food once Paula Lavoska was on her way. She found the manager as she crossed the bar.

"Good morning Miss Smart, this is unexpected."

"Hello Frances, I guess it is. I'd like the full Scottish breakfast."

"Tea or coffee?"

"Coffee please."

"Please take a seat in the restaurant."

Penelopa Lavoska beckoned Tammy over. "My apologies for the subterfuge last night, I needed to be certain you weren't being followed or bugged."

"Was that likely?"

"That's irrelevant, I don't take risks."

"Neither do I but I try not to be paranoid about it, or at least not show that I'm paranoid."

"Fair enough, have you considered any more about my offer?"

"I'd like to discuss it with my father but it was too late last night and I was out too early today."

"He's a retired merchant banker so I would agree that he is worth talking to, but please don't discuss it with anyone else."

"Okay, but why?"

They were interrupted by Frances as he brought Tammy's coffee and Penny's breakfast.

"In my business there are many who simply don't understand the business as well as those who might be seeking to derail me."

"It sounds cut-throat?"

"It can be."

Tammy was uncertain how to take the comment, Penny's words seemed flippant but there was an edge to her voice that sounded equally menacing. She'd heard the same the previous evening, from both of the Lavoska sisters.

Frances brought a plate of toast over, "your breakfast will be a couple of minutes, Miss Smart."

She sipped her coffee and surveyed the room, wondering if any of her friends were there to rescue her, however unlikely that would be. A familiar waitress brought her plate over, although Penny didn't give any sign of recognition.

"Your breakfast Miss."

"Thank you, Martina."

Tammy set about tackling her plate, regretting that she hadn't ordered the croissant option. Penny, of course, finished her plate first, so restarted the conversation.

"Tammy, how is that other girl, the one who modelled with you?"

"Tanya?"

"That's her."

"Working, engaged and pregnant."

"I guess she's rather occupied these days?"

"I don't see her a great deal."

Tammy continued her efforts but the plate was winning, she eventually admitted defeat.

"I'm told you've been in a few scrapes so far this year?"

"I wouldn't call them that."

"The staff here say otherwise, they admire the way you fight your corner. I looked up the local newspaper website and you've had a few mentions. Some stories didn't name you but the articles were plainly about you."

"My PA shows me any relevant articles, I don't usually read it as I don't like the local rag."

"Even though your father's a shareholder?"

"His shares are in the holding company."

"So you could suppress any awkward stories?"

"Which would give others due cause to investigate further, no, most local newspaper journalists won't do any more than print a superficial account of an event. That's safer than than telling them to brush it out of the way. I'm a non-story most of the time."

"Interesting, I shun the press, I couldn't do my job if I had a journalist looking over my shoulder."

"You didn't say last night exactly what your job was, other than it involved finance and logistics."

"I'm a co-ordinator, accountant, arranger, 'Jane of all trades'!"

"It does sound interesting."

"It is, until you find yourself on a four hour flight at just three hours notice, sometimes less."

"Okay, but where do I fit into this?"

"I need an assistant who can handle herself."

"You could hire a PA in any city."

"True, but I'm after certain qualities that are hard to find, and very hard to retain."

"I've just started a degree in the university here, plus I have business interests. In short, I'm anchored here."

"That could be accommodated. It seems you also have an interesting part time job."

"I don't do much in the clothes store these days."

"No, Tammy, I was referring to Caithness Marine. What is your role there?"

"Some data gathering, port visits, minding the phones - that sort of thing. I'm a paid intern."

"Data gathering? That sounds interesting?"

"Not really, it's just another way of saying statistics or business intelligence."

"So you handle intelligence?"

"I do research and write reports, if they need writing."

"What's the agency's main business?"

"Researching and selling maritime-related data for clients."

"What sort of clients?"

"Ferry companies, harbour authorities, fishing fleets and the statutory agencies."

"Specifics?"

"Sorry, Penny, but that's confidential." Tammy did her best to smile. "I'm afraid I need to get back across to the shop."

"By all means. Here's my business card, I have a new number you'll want to note."

Tammy reached for her purse to settle the bill.

"Don't worry, Tammy, I think I can chalk this breakfast down as a business meeting."

Tammy nodded, collected her jacket then left. She just hoped that her phone had picked up the conversation.

---

"Tammy, it's Sarah, I wanted to catch you before you opened."

"Hi, I've been in town over an hour! How are you feeling?"

"Much better than last night, I've just seen the surgeon and he seems quite happy with me."

"Great news, how long are you going to be there?"

"I might be out tomorrow but Thursday looks more likely, are you looking after my business?"

"Of course! I had a visit from the CEO of Lava Fashions yesterday and had dinner with her last night."

"Oh, the rep mentioned a few weeks ago she might be coming up here, then she turns up while I'm in the operating theatre! What did she say?"

"She might be offering some extra discounts, I have the details in the shop."

"I hope she realises that I have a seasonal trade, it could be quiet until late November."

"I think she understands."

"Do I need to know anything else?"

"Oh, it's David Stewart's funeral on Friday, I'll have to close the store."

"Don't worry, Emily is staying until Sunday so she can look after the place on Friday. Did Lori help?"

"No, but she might be free on Saturday."

"Okay, thanks for all the help."

"No trouble, Sarah."

Tammy closed at two, briefly, in order to pay the bank a visit. She'd taken a few hundred pounds so far but trade was sporadic. Added to Saturday's and the previous day's takings that meant there was just over a thousand pounds in cash that deserved to be in the bank and not in Sarah's safe.

She spotted Fleur as she made her way back to the store.

"I need to talk to you, can you come with me back to the shop?"

"I'm only in town as I had to go to the pharmacy, I don't want to spend any time outside."

"Where you might be seen?"

"Yes."

"Look, come back with me and I'll put the kettle on."

Fleur was plainly on edge, checking up and down the street. "Ok."

Tammy unlocked the door and guided Fleur to the rear of the shop floor, behind the counter. "Can you put some more water in the kettle, there's not enough for both of us?"

A few customers started to drift in and it look like they were going to need frocks, there was a dinner party at the Thurso Golf Club later in the week. That kind of event was good for trade, so Tammy had to concentrate on the customers, leaving Fleur in the background. Fifteen minutes later all was quiet.

"Sorry about that."

"It's okay, I just didn't want to be any trouble?"

"You're not, I had a visitor yesterday who was looking for a boy in a frock, is your mother in town?"

"Yes, she can't seem to get it into her head that I don't have some mental health problem, or that my situation is going to ruin her social standing."

"My mother wouldn't accept me, but she's come around now."

"Why?"

"I'm transgendered, Fleur."

"Oh, I never guessed. I take it you're doing your RLT?"

"No, I'm post-op."

"You look so natural."

"Thanks, look, what about your father?"

"He just goes along with her, I gave up trying to talk to him on the day I walked out of there and into A&E."

"He hit you?"

"No, but that woman slapped me regularly. I was ready to end it but I finally sought help."

"You said Social Services helped you?"

"Yes, I'd been able to see a paediatric psychiatrist through the school without my parents being told, the school nurse took me. The shrink saw me at the hospital and her opinion was that I would harm myself if I was forced to go back there. The social worker was satisfied that I was at risk."

"Were you dressing as a girl?"

"Not often, back then, but I was able to swap a school kilt for one of the girls' kilts, a skirt really. I never put it in the wash basket so mum didn't see it."

"Didn't the school object?"

"No, they had a single uniform policy, but it was enough for me to be seen by the nurse, she suggested I saw the shrink. She was really scared for me, but I implored her not to tell my parents, not even to ask them any questions. She showed me how to use make-up to hide the slap marks, but she really wanted my mother to be prosecuted for abuse."

"Didn't you?"

"I just wanted to get out, so on my sixteenth birthday I went to find help. I knew that the police would become involved but I didn't want them prosecuted, just to scare them. The policeman who interviewed me wasn't very considerate."

"Didn't you have an appropriate adult with you?"

"It wasn't a formal interview, just some words in a side room at the hospital. I was just pleased to get away from the copper. PC Treth-something."

"Trethgarwyn?"

"Yeah, I think so. Anyway, a social worker looked after me, got me out of Inverness. They gave me a grant to get myself set up and I bought my new wardrobe from that."

"So what does your mother think she'll get out of this?"

"I really don't know. Seeing as I'm over eighteen now, she can't do anything. She lost all parental rights and responsibilities on my sixteenth birthday."

"But she could make life difficult for you?"

"I don't have any friends, not many, and you seem to have survived an encounter. My landlady is a lovely person who understands my need for privacy. I would hate to have to move home again."

Tammy had to serve a few customers so didn't notice Fleur's departure. She wondered if Hilary had been monitoring the conversation, or if Martina's bugs still worked?

Tammy closed the shop at half past four, she still had no real idea what job she was being offered. She wanted to speak to Hilary but that was just too risky. Her mobile rang as she made the climb out of Thurso town centre.

"Miss Smart, it's Jeremiah Smith."

"Oh, hello, how are the trials going?"

"Slowly, there's plenty of legal argument and naturally some disagreements over the locations."

"So has there been any progress?"

"None, in fact there's a challenge in the High Courts of London and Edinburgh to dismiss the trials on a technicality. Until that's resolved nothing will happen."

"Great, will I be needed?"

"Ah, good question but right now I don't have an answer. The way this is going, it's anyone's guess."

"Once again the law is as clear as mud."

"Hopefully my invoice will be clearer."

"Ah, legal prostitution?"

"Indeed."

True, thought Tammy, but don't forget spies and rogues as well in that list of the oldest professions.