Part   Twenty Four   "Let It Rain"

 
Thursday 11th May 2017
 

Tammy escaped to the office, mostly to keep out of her mother's way. It seemed that Tammy had overstepped her authority when talking to Linda, even though it was Cathy who had sought advice. Regardless what Tammy had said at breakfast time, by way of explanation, she was apparently in the wrong. Joan had added that Tammy hadn't considered the bigger picture, whatever that was.

It was earlier than usual but by seven thirty she was in her car and heading into town, out of reach of criticism. She drove carefully as the roads were now flowing with rain water and it certainly looked as if there had been no break in the weather overnight.

The unplanned extra time allowed her to finish off her guide for Joey without being interrupted by the phone. Of course the additional work time meant there was more than the usual damage to the latest packet of cookies and the stock of coffee granules went down quicker than normal.

An email arrived mid morning from the Dounraey Nuclear Regeneration administration team confirming they had deposited the fees into the Smart Properties account and were accepting the contract in full. Tammy was pleased by this, most of her clients wanted to niggle about one item or another just because they could. Tammy replied, agreeing they could pick up the keys on Monday from eight thirty.

She gave Joey a call.

"Are you still planning to start here on Monday?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"No, but it looks like Monday will be a bit hectic, and I have to be in the university by ten."

"Oh, so you won't be there?"

"No, Joey, I'll be in the office from eight, can you be there at the same time?"

"Sure, but why not nine?"

"I think we'll need the extra hour together."

"Oh, okay."

"Now, given that I won't have any time on Monday to show you the ropes, can you come here tomorrow for a few hours?"

"Err, I'm in Dundee with Mum but I can catch a train back this afternoon, unless you can do Saturday instead?"

"No, sorry, I'm already booked on Saturday. I'll be paying you for your time tomorrow, of course."

"Cash would be useful."

"Okay, just this once. Meet me at nine."

"I'll see you in the morning, I'll ask Mum if she'll get me to the station for the 1551 so I'll be back in Thurso tonight."

Tammy needed to buy some more milk but It was still raining so she decided to clear the backlog, opting for black coffee until nipping out of the door was a sensible option. Tammy was printing off a couple of emails she wanted Joey to work on when the doorbell sounded, on the camera Tammy could see the postal van was outside.

"Hello, two packages to sign for." Even with his wet weather smock the postman was clearly soaked.

Tammy signed the postman's handheld device before he handed over the two packages, plus a stack of the usual mail. Back upstairs she opened one and found the two sets of multi-tools that she'd ordered. The pink set went into her normal shoulder bag and she put the blue set to one side.

The other package was addressed to her but she was perplexed when she opened it.

A note had been tucked into the pouch which Tammy emptied onto the desk.

Tammy,
We're tidying up Room 40 before a major refurbishment and I came across this practice lock-picking set. It's similar to the one you used a while back and I guessed you might need a refresher? Anyway, have fun.
 
James Townsend

"Damn!" The package had been sent nearly three weeks earlier and had got delayed because it had been sent via GCHQ and MI5 - James clearly didn't have Tammy's address, and someone at Thames House had chosen her office address instead of home.

She went to pack it away in the office safe, finding ammunition in the bottom.

"Bugger!"

She cleared that out and transferred it to the empty packaging that had held the various tools, then dropped it all into a shopping bag. She already had two hundred rounds at home so this was currently surplus. Of course there was probably a better way to transport the ammunition but right now there was no-one who could give her advice, or grief, over the matter.

Tammy got onto her knees and emptied the remaining contents of the safe onto the office floor; her plan was to clear out anything that might disclose her secondary role. She found a few documents that could be shredded to create a bagful of cabbit hutch bedding.

There was a half-eaten packet of HobNobs which had gone soft and a whole packet of ginger nuts. Tammy decided they needed checking and, after a few test samples declared that the packet was fit for her consumption.

Her gun cleaning kit was also in the bottom of the safe so that had to come out, remembering that she hadn't cleaned her weapons for a while. She put the kit next to the ammunition. She returned to the, now empty, safe and grabbed a couple of cloth wipes to clean it. She returned the remaining items, deciding that a few didn't need the security of a safe. She deliberated, however, over the biscuits before deciding that only unopened packets needed secure storage.

She shut and locked the safe and was then able to get off her knees. Her next issue was the secure room, just how much could she tell Joey? The room didn't have much, currently there were two chairs, a table, the secure phone and Tammy's Security Service laptop. She could take the laptop home but it was more useful in the office. Equally the phone wasn't much good if it was unplugged and hidden away.

Perhaps she could tell a half truth by way of explanation? Maybe the full truth was a better idea but with what consequences?

A look around the rest of the office didn't reveal anything that was out of place. Her mobile rang, it was Joan.

"Yes, mum?"

"Look, I'm sorry, I had a go at you when I shouldn't have done."

"Yeah."

"I thought Cathy was bypassing me."

"Well, Linda isn't getting anywhere. Cathy has no legal support and you're doing almost nothing."

"I've been trying to keep the peace with her parents."

"Which does nothing to help Linda except prolong her waiting."

"Which is why she came to see me this morning and told me virtually the same."

"So, did you do anything?"

"I called Kelly Masters and asked if she could take Linda as a client."

"Okay, although I thought you might have used Smith, Smith & Smith?"

"They're the school's solicitors and it's useful to have a degree of separation. Plus Kelly handled my affairs when George died so I know her."

"Oh, okay, was anything else decided?"

"Yes, Tammy, Linda phoned her mother and said she was getting her own solicitor. She wanted to be a party to the divorce and wanted to know her mother's solicitor's details."

"Where does this leave Linda?"

"Kelly will meet her tomorrow afternoon and get things moving next week."

"Okay mum, I hope Linda is feeling a bit better?"

"She is."

"Okay, what time are you finishing work?"

"My last meeting is at five, why?"

"How about eating out tonight?"

"Thanks for the offer but your father has a governors' meeting tonight and I'm giving the meeting an update. That means I won't be home until eight at the earliest."

"Oh well."

"How about booking a table for all of us for Saturday at seven? Your choice."

"Sure, I should be free."

The call ended and Tammy called the Italian place to make the booking, before it was forgotten. She glanced out of the window as she ended the call and realised the rain had finally stopped, she grabbed her coat and bag before heading out of the door. First stop was the bakery for her lunch and then to a general store for a carton of fresh milk and a few packets of cookies.

The next shop specialised in home decoration and DIY.

"Hello, can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for an adhesive that will bond to metal."

"Is there any loading involved, you're not planning to mount anything on a wall?"

"No, it's a metal box on a metal surface. It's to stop it moving, that's all."

"Understood, I think this will do the job." He directed Tammy to a wall display with over a dozen different adhesives, picking up a tube of 'No Nails'. "It takes twenty four hours to set but you'll need a hammer and chisel to separate them after that."

Tammy parted with a tenner for the tube, getting the feeling that she could probably have bought it cheaper elsewhere. She put the tube into the boot of her car before heading back into the office. A quick online search gave a price of £6, delivered, but it probably wouldn't arrive before the following week thanks to Thurso's location at the extreme end of Albion.

After lunch she was running out of jobs to do, so set about tidying the office, followed by cleaning the kitchenette and bathroom. By mid afternoon she'd had enough. She peeled off her rubber gloves and left them over the bathroom sink to dry, getting them further wet as she washed her hands.

Tammy picked up the bag of ammunition, the gun cleaner and the lock set and took that down to the car, returning to check and lock the office. The rain hadn't returned as she walked around to the front of the building and pushed open the glass door.

"Tammy!"

"Hi Sarah."

"My guess is that you need something?"

"Yes, I need to replace a suit and I need a dress for Saturday night."

"What's the event?"

"Family meal at the Italian."

"I see, subdued or full on?"

"I want to be noticed."

"I think I have just the thing."

Sarah came back with a deep red mini dress, with tiny straps and a small rose motif embroidered above the left breast.

"I'll never get into that!"

"Trust me, it's your size. Try it on."

Tammy came out of the changing room a few minutes later. "Can you zip me up?" Sarah did as asked then Tammy turned to the full length mirror. "I'm not sure."

Sarah took a look. "You need to lose your bra, plus you'll need a thong and some heels, otherwise it's a knock-em-dead frock."

Tammy looked down. "My legs!"

"Tights?"

"Maybe, Sarah."

She parted with £40 and asked Sarah to sort out a replacement for her peach suit.

"What happened to it?"

"It was damaged when I had an encounter with some military police."

"Perhaps I shouldn't ask any more details?"

"That might be for the best. Right now I can't see them compensating me for it."

"Insurance, Tammy?"

"I don't think I'd be covered."

"Okay, I'll speak to the supplier and see if they can get one to me, I should still have the original order."

Tammy made her way back to her office, unlocked it and went up. She opened the secure room and collected the grab bag, dropping the blue multi-tool into a side pocket. This was put into the car boot once she'd locked everything up again.

Tammy drove around to the printing firm in Mill Lane, swinging around to the rear of the building. She opened the boot and extracted the mini safe, tucking the adhesive under her arm. She had to put it all down once she reached the shutter door, which was still stiff to open.

She pulled the door down once she was inside then took the mini safe from the packaging, placing it upside down on the large safe. She spread the adhesive on the two surfaces then turned the mini safe over to bond it to the large safe. After from straightening it out, she followed the instructions to open the safe using the supplied keys. She programmed a key code then locked it and tested the code.

Satisfied she unlocked the large safe and extracted the single DVD, transferring it to the smaller safe. She removed all bar one of the loose shelves in the large safe and fitted this near the top of the safe, leaving a 20cm gap. She returned to her car then brought in the grab bag and the spare ammunition. The grab bag went into the bottom of the safe and the ammo went on the shelf. She just hoped Tom Miller was telling the truth when he said there was only one key for the safe.

Back in her car she called the salon and booked to have 'the works' done, set for four on Saturday afternoon. "You're lucky, Tammy, we had a cancellation."

 
Friday 12th May 2017
 

In the brief moment that Tammy had seen her mother that morning, a smile was back on her face. Tammy forewent a full breakfast and just had a bowl of cereal then grabbed a banana. By eight she was down in her office and was fretting as the clock eased towards nine. Joey arrived a few minutes adrift.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to empty the washing machine."

"Okay, but sometimes we'll have clients to see at nine or even earlier, so punctuality matters."

"Mum said something similar to the staff at her agency."

"How is she?"

"She's seeing her solicitor today to move the divorce forward. Dad has threatened to come up to see us this weekend. He's been calling mum to speak to me but I was in Thurso and he doesn't know my latest mobile number. Mum was just telling him that I was out, or busy. He called a few times this week and, for once, I was there each time. Mum wants me to be there if we knew he was coming up."

"You don't sound happy that he's checking on you?"

"No, what's worse is that he wanted me to go to stay with him, he reckons my mother is a bad influence on me."

"Why?"

"Because I don't conform to his idea of a girl. I hope you won't have a problem with me?"

"Not at all, was that why you left school?"

"Yeah, it was pretty unbearable at the end."

"Well, you won't have a problem with me or any of the people I deal with."

"I did some research and you've appeared in the local press a few times."

"I'm not exactly low profile."

"Whereas I don't want my name mentioned, just in case."

"I can't imagine there would be a problem around here."

"Right, can we drop the subject, please?"

"Okay." Tammy paused, "I'll walk you through our procedures but first there's the matter of security."

"Actually, do you mind if I make a drink? I didn't get one before I left home this morning and I don't function 100% without at least one coffee."

"Sure, I take mine with milk and without sweetener."

Tammy left Joey to that whilst she retrieved Suzie's door swipe and a set of office keys.

Once they each had a hot mug and a few biccies, Tammy explained the security system.

"There's a deadlock on the street door but make sure you swipe this card before you try to open the door. So long as there's someone in the office you can just swipe to open the outside door."

"Okay."

"At the top of the stairs," Tammy pointed for effect, "there's another card swipe and a deadlock. If you're going out then make certain all the locks are engaged."

"So if you're here, all I have to do is swipe twice?"

"Yes."

"Is there an alarm?"

"Yes, but the cards disengage the system. It's re-energised by locking the two doors, they're separate zones."

"So no codes?"

"No, except to reset the system but that shouldn't ever be necessary. If you hit a problem, lock everything and go out, wait a few seconds then swipe your card and the alarm will stop. You'll have to open the door then relock it to re-engage the system."

Joey acknowledged this information then Tammy moved over to emails, faxes and her electronic filing system.

"Wherever possible, scan and save a document before putting it into a pending folder. Once a week I purge the folder, anything a month old is shredded. One exceptions are contracts and invoices, there's separate folders for those."

"So not quite a paperless office?"

"No, Joey, but it's getting there."

"What's that?" Joey pointed at the secure room.

"Ah, that's a special room. A few of my clients insisted on a private meeting room."

"In Caithness?"

"Yes."

"Mum never had that problem, and she had a few government clients."

"Well, I'm different."

Joey seemed satisfied so Tammy got on with the office diary, adding access to Joey's phone.

"What about email on my phone?"

"Leave that for a few weeks, I'll handle anything out of hours."

"Okay, what hours do you want me to do?"

"I know I said nine, but can you start at eight each day, work until one?"

"Five hours a day, twenty five a week?"

"Yes. There could be some overtime, like if I'm away."

"Is that likely to happen?"

"Yes, I won't be here next Friday, can you work until four?"

"Okay, but what if I need to get hold of you that day?"

"It's unlikely I'll have my phone on. Just send me a text and I'll deal with it when I can." Tammy handed over a business card with her number, remembering that week's printing. "Oh, I had these done for you."

"Thanks."

"Now, I've put this guide together for you, it includes the numbers for our usual contractors plus the police, insurance and banking information."

"Will I have access to the bank account?"

"Not as yet, but you might need to tell clients the account information if they've forgotten or lost it. If a contractor needs paying, leave that for me."

Tammy went through the list of names and explained who the people were and what their best and worst aspects were. "Don't call this guy after lunch on a Friday as he'll be propping up a bar in Wick! The next one's no good before ten in the morning."

Tammy picked up the work she'd set aside the day before and handed it to Joey. "I've printed off a few emails but normally just action them from the screen."

Joey worked through the sheets and noted her suggested actions before handing them back to Tammy.

"Well done, now please make the calls."

One of the jobs was a small broken window that needed repairing. It wasn't a security issue but rain was coming in. Joey called the glaziers and asked for the window to be boarded. Tammy listened to the conversation and could tell Joey had done this before, so far she was happy with the new hire.

Shortly after ten a call came in from Rick who had finished plastering a property. Joey noted the information and he rang off. "What do I do next?"

"Well, what happens after plastering?"

"Painting?"

"Yes, give F&P Painting a call and give them the address, they know what to do. They'll take all next week so give the carpet fitter a call for them to come in the following Monday if possible. That way, once photos are done, we can get that property available to let by the middle of that week."

"I see, did you pre-book the tradesmen?"

"Yes, I bought the place at auction a few months ago. It needed some repairs, new doors, windows and electrics, that sort of thing. I worked out that it would take up to a month to get the repairs done and booked everything to follow from that."

"What if your timings are out?"

Then I tell the carpenters and the electricians to work on securing downstairs first and have the plasterer work behind them, hopefully the carpenters only need a few extra days."

"So you take a chance?"

"Yes, because if you wait until after the carpenters leave the property then you might find it's another month before a plasterer is available. The sooner a property is ready the sooner it can earn money."

Tammy's PC pinged with an incoming email. The source was unknown and contained just a link. Contrary to normal behaviour she clicked the link. The screen asked for a code and her mobile duly announced a new text message, with a code. She typed the code in.

Joey happened to pass by Tammy's desk. "What's that about?"

"Nothing." She locked the PC.

"Come on Tammy, this reeks of cloak and dagger stuff, what's Exercise Dolphin?"

"It's training."

"For what?"

"I don't know."

"Really?"

"Yes, I don't know. Now, please, don't ask any more."

Tammy locked her PC. "I'm going to the bakery, did you want anything?"

"A cream bun?"

Tammy took a wander once she had left the bakery, leaving Joey to look after the office. She returned after nearly half an hour.

"Oh, Tammy, a ringer was going off but the normal phone wasn't ringing."

"Strange."

On cue the secure phone rang, indicated by a ding dong from beside the secure room door.

"Damn."

"That was it."

Tammy tapped the code and let herself into the room, quickly closing the door behind her.

"Hello?"

"Tammy, it's Marcus."

"Yes?"

"We have word that Lt Col Cooper is on his way to Dundee but has also booked himself into the Castletown Hotel in Thurso for Sunday night."

"Has he found me?"

"Unknown, but it's possible he's looking for his daughter?"

"Great! He finds one of us and then he's got us both!"

"I warned you she'd be trouble."