Book 11: Tammy Interludes     "Shakespeare takes a break"

This chapter takes place after the end of Moving On.
For all of Tammy's adventures ---> click here

 
September 2017
 

Tammy walked into St Andrews School on the first Thursday of September just as the bell for first period went off. There was already a flow of kilted boys in the main hallway and the bell caused a few of the slower ones to make a dash to their first lesson. She thought she saw a long black skirt in the distance, but it was a fleeting glance.

"Don't run!"

The shout came from a teacher Tammy didn't recognise. In fact, she hadn't recognised a single student either, it was amazing how much had changed in the few years since she'd left the school.

"Good morning Miss Smart."

She spun around, finding her first familiar face. "Oh, hi Janet."

"The Headmaster has someone with him right now, but you're next."

"Thanks."

"Coffee?"

"Sure." Tammy followed the school secretary into her office and sat in a vacant seat whilst Janet Adams put the kettle on to boil.

"You were a little distracted out there, Tammy?"

"I thought I knew the place, knew everyone?"

"I know what you mean. The new lower sixth were in year nine when you left. Even if you recognised their names, you might struggle with their faces. Then there's the two years of students who weren't even here when you finished your A Levels."

Janet poured the boiling water into two mugs and handed one to her guest.

"Did you get away, Tammy?"

"No, everything went wrong."

"Oh?"

"I was busy through July then my assistant went off on holiday in the middle of August."

"Didn't you know?"

"Her mum booked it, didn't think about me or her job."

"What about Suzie, couldn't she help you out?"

Tammy laughed. "She's working back in London, so, no, it was just little old me and I couldn't get away."

"I'm sure you can find the time, and, don't forget, it's cheaper when the children go back to school."

"Right now I can't see that happening, I was talked into helping the school out. That's why I'm here today."

The Head, Mike Thompson, put his head into the secretary's office.

"I'm ready, Miss Smart. Bring your coffee."

Tammy followed him into his office and they sat in a pair of armchairs, Tammy put her mug on the low table.

"Mr Thompson, Sir, do you still need me for this play?"

"Please, it's Mike whilst we're on our own. And yes, I'm still short of an English master with the right skills."

"Is it really a problem?"

"Yes. Try persuading them to move all the way up here, and then not be able to get away except between at Christmas, Easter and over the summer. We also want a certain calibre of tutors and newly qualified teachers are unproven. I'm thinking about employing a drama teacher who can take English, instead of finding an English teacher who can take drama. Even if I find someone, they won't be here before January."

"So you still need someone?"

"Quite, Tammy. We'll put off several other drama projects until the new year, but this one with the lower sixth is essential."

"What makes you think I can help you?"

"You have a proven record, as an actress and as a director. You'll do fine."

"I hope you don't expect me to mark the students, I'm not a teacher."

"I have a teaching assistant who can help you, you'll know her."

"Really?"

"Miss Anders has qualified as a teaching assistant and applied to work here."

"Jeri?"

"Indeed."

"Okay, I'll need scripts for everyone. How many are there?"

"Twenty two."

"Okay, so make that twenty five scripts. What about costumes?"

"You have a budget of £1500 so spend it wisely, put your requests through Miss Anders and she'll make the purchases.

"When do I start, and what room do I have?"

"You can have Room 8, it's booked for each Wednesday evening from seven to nine for you, starting next week."

"I just hope I can do a good job?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Have the boys been told?"

"Yes, and you have two female students in the group."

"That makes things easier."

"Never prejudge, Tammy. I'm sure you'll get on with all of them though. They have all taken English for their Highers or A Levels and all scored high in their summer exams."

"Okay, thanks."

Mike Thompson rose, but left Tammy to find her own way out. She returned her mug to Janet's office, finding another familiar face. Tammy recognised the girl's long skirt from fifteen minutes earlier.

"Florence?"

"Hi Tammy, excuse me if I don't get up."

"Oh, you had your surgery?"

"Yes, just over four weeks ago."

"Shouldn't you be at home?"

"I get pampered and there's work to do here, although I'm only doing a few hours a day for now."

"How's Daisy?"

"She's in the lower sixth, and enjoying it so far. You haven't been to see us for a while?"

"I've been busy, sorry, it's not as if Janet sees me very often either?"

"Yes, but you're family."

"I know Florence, but I've been short of time and I've barely seen my own sisters."

"Well, pop in one afternoon?"

"I'll try."

Tammy drove down to the town, as she hugged the coast road the sky was blue and she could easily see the ferry inbound from Kirkwall. First she walked around to the bakery and bought their lunch before taking herself to the office. Joey wasn't there, but it was clear she had been and had done some work; a note on Tammy's keyboard listed the premises her assistant was checking that morning. Tammy reached for the kettle and filled it before switching it on.

At eleven, the door buzzer went off. She took a look at the monitor and spotted Yasmin waving at her. Tammy released the door and waited at the top of the stairs.

"Yasmin, what are you doing here?"

"Jimmy sent me, you knew I was coming?"

"No?"

"I left a message with your assistant, four or five weeks ago."

"Ah, I didn't get a full message. Why didn't you call my mobile?"

"No idea, Jimmy was handling the arrangements and only told me two days ago I was the one who was coming up here - it takes two days to get here!"

Tammy laughed. "It can't be that bad? I remember taking the sleeper and doing it overnight."

"Maybe that's where I went wrong?"

"Okay, tea? I don't think we have any herbal teabags though."

"Ordinary tea then, but no milk and not strong!"

"I remember!"

Tammy sorted out Yasmin's tea and found a pack of Hob Nobs biscuits.

"So, why are you here?"

"To remove your secure phone."

"Oh."

"I thought you knew? It's clearly not needed at the moment, you've made under ten calls so far this year."

"I suppose so."

"And these premises aren't really suitable, your assistant isn't connected to the Service at all."

"I know she isn't, but she has been asking about it."

"So it's a liability. I'll do you a security audit whilst I'm here, but there shouldn't be anything that reeks of an intelligence agency."

"I'm grateful for your expertise, Yasmin, it seems a long way to come when I could have just posted it back to you?"

"You're not my only customer on this trip, fortunately."

It took her barely two minutes to disconnect the phone, tidy up the cabling and make it ready to take down to her car. Joey came back in as the phone was being put into a box.

"Is that the special phone?"

Yasmin glanced at Tammy, "no, it is a secure digital communications terminal."

Joey went to the kettle and poured a coffee,

Yasmin looked around the office then went to pick up the box plus her small toolkit.

"I'm done here, Tammy. I'll email you if there's anything else."

"Thanks Yasmin, give my regards to Jimmy."

"Will do, bye."

The door to the secure room was wedged open and Tammy saw no point in shutting it. In fact, leaving it open seemed like a good idea.

"Why did she take the phone?"

"Because it's not being used and I don't need it."

"Oh."

"My job here doesn't need it."

"What about those threats against you?"

"Remember when I went to London a couple of weeks ago? One of the things I was told was that several people had been given prison sentences for their crimes against me. As far as the folk down South are concerned; I am not at risk now."

"So no more calls from the spooks?"

"No, Joey."

"You were telling the truth then?"

"Always, Joey, I always tell the truth."

Tammy's phone pinged, the message looked simple enough.

Now, what time did she mean? 1600Z meant 1600GMT, but the UK was on summer time until October so, that made it 5pm. As for the call, Tammy made a guess but kept it all to herself.

Joey wasn't interested in Tammy's message and had work to keep her occupied. Tammy's assistant grabbed her bag and went back out to check on another property, so Tammy busied herself with the diary for the following week. It didn't look onerous but there was enough work to keep two of them occupied, albeit not busy. She wondered if she could get a day in the air if nothing cropped up.

Joey was back by one and they stopped to have lunch. Joey kept looking into the former secure room, but Tammy ignored her.

"It's strange, Tammy."

"What is?"

"Now that phone's gone; there is nothing here, nothing at all, that suggests you have had anything to do with the spooks."

"Well, I dealt with counter-terrorism officers and they don't think of themselves as spooks, so neither do I."

"So you're not a spook?"

"No, and for the last time; no!"

Tammy decided, although it was still Thursday, it was a good time to do the weekly backup so found a couple of blank DVDs and started to burn the business data. Whilst that was running, she accessed the business website and checked the listings were correct. Most of the time she let Joey handle the online listings, but Tammy was trying to keep herself busy.

It wasn't her intention to lie to Joey, especially after telling the girl that she was always truthful, but was there a justification if it helped keep Joey safe? Tammy had tried to protect her parents the same way, if they didn't know then they couldn't ask questions or worry .... and it had worked quite well, apart from a few incidents. Tammy's phone rang.

"Yes Dad?"

"We had that lady from the security service up here, she's just gone."

"Jasmine came here first."

"And?"

"She removed the secure phone."

"Oh, does that mean you don't need it?"

"That's what she said. What did she say to you?"

"She just asked to do a security survey, I have nothing to hide so I left her to it."

"She did something similar here, I'll get the results by email."

"So she didn't say anything to you at the time?"

"No."

"Okay, I won't be around when you get back, I'm off to a governors meeting and it could be a long one."

"Fine, see you later."

Her desk phone rang and Joey took the call. Tammy's backup had ejected the first DVD and now wanted the second one before continuing. She did that then put the kettle back on.

"That was the painter, the place in Harlech Street is finished. He'll drop the keys back in the morning."

"Fine, let's leave it over the weekend to dry out properly then pay a visit on Monday."

"Okay."

"It's nearly three; why don't you finish early?"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, I'll be going soon myself. I'll see you in the morning?"

Tammy made herself a drink whilst Joey finished off, but the girl was ready to leave in just a few minutes. Tammy waited until Joey was out of the building before turning off the lighting, leaving just her low powered desk lamp on.

It was another twenty minutes before the second DVD popped out of the PC. Tammy wrote on the labels and popped them into cases, before dropping them into her bag. She spent some time cleaning the office; emptying bins and wiping the handles and surfaces. If Joey had one fault, it was hygiene. Sure, she was always clean herself, but couldn't keep her environment clean.

By four, Tammy was happy with the place and all rubbish had been deposited in the bins outside. She washed her hands, grabbed her bag and soon was in her car. First stop was the printshop on Mill Lane. Tammy unlocked the rear door and let herself into the store room she rented. She unlocked the safe and dropped the latest DVDs in there then pulled out her sat phone and laptop.

Back in her car, she plugged it into the 12Volt power outlet then drove out of town towards Scrabster, passing the turning for St Andrews school and home. She pulled into a layby, killed the engine and switched to the passenger seat. Finally she powered the phone and checked the battery level, noting that she really ought to give it a good charge.

She took the laptop, powered that, and connected it to the phone. Once it had booted, and she'd logged in, it opened the default webpage using a data connection. At 5pm the phone rang.

"Hi Tammy-girl"

"Hi Kerri."

"Actually; it's Krystel. Do you have your laptop online?"

"Sure."

"Good. Standby, we'll send you a link."

Tammy stared at the secure phone. The caller, obviously Kerri, had introduced herself as Krystel for some reason. Tammy's first thought was whether this was a wind-up call?

Soon enough, though, she was staring at her friend Kerri and being corrected on names.

"Kerri is actually Krystel?"

"One and the same, Tammy-girl. Now that you're being inducted into our operation, it's high-time you know who's actually who. As for me; yes, I'm Krystel Evanson."

"Sure, Krystel, but I might call you Kerri a few times!"

Once she was satisfied who she was talking to, Tammy relaxed.

"Err, did you say 'inducted'?"

"Yes I did."

"Are you serious?"

Krystel nodded at the monitor. "That's right Tammy-girl."

"How?" Tammy asked, unsure where this was going.

"Didn't Colonel MacTaggart explain it to you?"

"Well, he said that due to certain problems over here, I'm now affiliated with your group. Hopefully that by working with you and your people, all the attention I've been getting will subside. He said I 'acquired attention of negative aspect, due to bureaucratic lack of diligence'. Kerri, I mean Krystel, what exactly does that mean?" She asked.

Tammy heard Krystel sigh. "That's a very political way of saying that during the screwing of a pooch, you got fucked too and it went beyond recovery."

"So what happens to me now?" Tammy asked.

"Kind of like divorce. Joint custody of the kid. You live there and play nice, but all the paperwork is in our name. The upside, you get more help than before. The downside; MacTaggart deals with you directly and you have to behave yourself more." Krystel explained.

Tammy thought for a moment as she absorbed this new information. "So I work for both Broadsword and you?"

"More like, you work for yourself and do side projects for us both, but it's our name on the listing."

"Okay. Do I need to do anything right now?" Tammy asked.

Krystel nodded. "Yes. Get two weeks free and pack lightweight clothing. You're going to visit Freeport, Bahamas, for meetings."

"So, I won't be going to Canada." Tammy remarked.

"No, you're coming to our operational base. How are you fixed for the next two weeks?"

"Nothing I can't get out of."

"Good, you'll get a packet in your email with the itinerary. Go through it before you tell anybody anything. Gotta go now. Later Tammy, welcome aboard." Krystel said and signed off.

"Well, that was interesting." Tammy said to herself as she put everything away.

Tammy remembered being told that Kerri didn't exist, even though Tammy had spent several days with the girl in 2016 and a few hours earlier in the summer. So was Krystel another alias as well?

Then there was the radio conversation when they took off from the Highlands airport. She had spoken to someone called Vendetta-something and identified herself as India Delta. She remembered those two words were used to specify letters. India was the letter I and Delta was for D. The letter V was Victor, not Vendetta. Did the Americans actually use code-names? If they did; would they assign her one as well and what would it be?

Tammy said to herself. "I never heard one mentioned before, so I must not have had one. Unless, it was so bad or cliché they didn't want me to know it."

Tammy drove home and took the kit up to her room, she needed to charge both the sat phone and laptop.

Krystel had asked about the next two weeks, it certainly felt like it was a last minute arrangement? It was early September and the Highlands were just cooling down after a hot summer, but how warm would it be in the Bahamas? How soon would she fly?

She logged onto a major clothing website and started trawling for summer wear, she almost put an order for £200 through but checked the estimated delivery dates, she wouldn't receive it before Wednesday the following week.

Tammy started going through her wardrobes, looking for beachwear, or at least near-the-beach wear. She had more than she remembered, and a few items still had tags but Tammy had gone up a dress size over the previous year so some items didn't quite fit.

That generated a pile which would go to a charity shop, unless one of the other girls wanted anything. Ultimately, she needed shorts and a better range of tops.

Tammy received an email overnight and found it on Friday morning:

From: [email protected]
To: Tammy Smart
Subject: Booking Confirmed
 
Dear Miss Smart
 
Thank you for registering to attend Elegant Executive, the foremost supplemental seminar for women in the executive field! We apologise for the short notice but we have matched this seminar to your needs. Your Flight information is as follows: London Heathrow (LHR) to Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA). Connecting Flight: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport(ATL).
 
Please checkin at LHR Terminal 5 by 1300 9th September for your 1600 flight to Atlanta (BA227). See attachment for your tickets.
 
Accomodations are Bell Channel Inn, Freeport, Bahamas.
All flight and hotel Reservations under Tamara Smart and pre-paid.
Message service for your use: +1242-555-8686 ext. 44 passcode: 100114
Please download and print the included itinerary packet.
 
Bon Voyage

Tammy downloaded and printed the attached information; it looked, to her, like a real packet for an Executive Women's seminar. The course names and descriptions almost had her laughing. The subjects listed had catchy names such as Best Impressions(Wardrobe and Styling), Top Tables(business meal and nutrition), Social Strategy(casual and formal event attendance and hostessing) and Expressive Solutions(verbal, facial and body language techniques). It seemed she may need to bring some business and swimwear. If for no other reason, to seem attending such a seminar. Tammy looked up Elegant Executive online and found an actual website for it; based in Freeport, Bahamas.

She printed it off and took it down to breakfast, leaving it on the kitchen table whilst Tammy poured a coffee and grabbed a cereal bowl.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes mum, it arrived this morning."

"What are you planning, young lady?"

"It's an invite to a trade seminar."

"Where?"

"The Bahamas."

"I'm not sure you should go, it might be a scam or worse?"

"I know what I'm doing, Mum. I checked it out and it's safe."

"Well, in any case, you'll need Factor 50 or more. I suppose it's not a holiday?"

"Not exactly, but I guess much of the activities will be outside."

"Insurance, passport, vaccinations?"

"I have excellent travel insurance, my passport has plenty of years left and no, I don't need any jabs."

"What about the new clearance thing for the States?"

"The ESTA, visa waiver? I don't know, I'll have to check, but the flight's tomorrow?"

Joan seemed to have missed the reference to the flight, but once breakfast was done Tammy logged into the ESTA website and started an application but when she entered her details it rejected her saying she was already registered.

A text message arrived soon after, telling her to leave the ESTA site alone. It was signed Kimberly, but who was she and how did she know?

Tammy showered and dressed and pondered what to do. Whichever way she thought, the answer was always 'shopping'. First though, she needed to sort out her logistics. Her flight was tomorrow, but how should she get to London Heathrow? She looked and saw there was a morning flight from Glasgow but that still meant some travelling very early in the morning or even a hotel overnight. She knew there had to be a better way.

Tammy pulled a set of suitcases from the store cupboard but decided other tasks took priority. She picked up the phone and called the salon.

"Hi Tammy, what do you need?"

"A trim, today."

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes, in the morning."

"Right, I can fit you in at one and you can see Joanne at half past twelve."

"I didn't say I needed waxing?"

"My guess is that unless you have an Arctic trip booked, you'll be near a beach or near a pool. That means waxed legs."

"Okay, I'll see you at half past twelve. I'll grab lunch once you're done with me."

She drove into town and went straight to the office, meeting Joey by the door. Tammy's face clearly announced trouble and even Joey could see it.

"What's wrong, Tammy?"

"Let's get in ...."

The kettle was needed and Tammy wondered about taking the emergency biscuits out of the safe. For now, they would stay locked away.

"So what is it?"

"I'm going away for a fortnight."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"What?"

"I received an email overnight, it's a seminar on presentation, amongst other things. I got it through an executive club I belong to."

"But tomorrow?"

"The conference starts on Monday, so I have to fly tomorrow."

"Where?"

"The Bahamas."

"WHAT?"

"It's a fair distance, but I've flown further."

"Hey, I only got to Cleethorpes this year."

"And you told me on a Friday last month that you wouldn't be around for a week or so."

"That was mum's fault, she booked it before I started working for you but didn't tell me. You're not doing this to get back at me, are you?"

"Not at all, hey, I'll show you the email."

Tammy had nothing to hide, and didn't want to have to feed Joey any lies; she had to believe this was genuine. Tammy poured their coffees but the phone had rung so Joey was handling the first call of the day. Tammy retrieved her phone and made a call to Smart Air at Wick Airport.

"Jim, it's Tammy, are my planes available?"

"We don't have any bookings for Katie this weekend."

"What about the next fortnight?"

"Yes, there's three confirmed bookings. Why?"

"I thought about flying South."

"When?"

"This afternoon, and I won't be back for two weeks."

"You could take your Czech Sport, but we need the EPIC to earn money."

"Sure, and I accept it wouldn't do that if it was parked up at North Weald. One thing though, I'd have to refuel somewhere if I took the two seater."

"Well, what if someone flies Katie back?"

"That might work, is Pete free today?"

"Yes, what time?"

"Make it half past two."

"Fine, I'll book it all for you."

"Thanks Jim."

Tammy drove home and packed her cases, as best she could, somehow finding all her documentation, and making certain none of it was in her aliases. She was back in town by eleven and finally hit the shops. Looking for summer wear in September would be challenging in most locations, in the Highlands it was nigh impossible. She did manage some Factor 50 and raided Boots for a variety of tubes, sprays and lotions, plus a new toothbrush. It was midday before she made it back to the office.

"Where have you been?"

"Home, to pack, then shopping."

"Where's your cases?"

"In the car, I'll drive over to the airport once I've been to the salon."

"What about lunch?"

"Somehow I doubt I'll get any."

Joanne was running a few minutes late with her previous client, but got Tammy in the room as quickly as she could.

"The works, Tammy?"

"Yes, but I'm short of time."

"Okay .... Sandy tells me you're going away?"

"Yes, flying in under two hours!"

Joanne stopped the chatter and got on with the job, she finished just a minute before one o'clock.

"I want to see the tan when you get back, and don't let anyone else touch you!"

"Yes ... of course not."

Tammy's cut was a maintenance trim, she didn't have the time for a style or anything else, and this was eating into Sandy's lunchbreak. Small-talk was therefore kept very small and she was done in twenty minutes.

"We're going to the hotel for lunch, if you want to join us?"

"Another time, yes, but right now I need to fly."

Tammy was back in her car by half past one and set off after docking her phone and setting it to call a London number.

"European Desk."

"This is Tammy Smart, can you put me through to Suzie Smart please."

"This line isn't secure."

"I'm aware of that."

"Okay, transferring you."

Suzie took a few seconds to pick up and announced herself.

"It's Tammy, I'm flying down."

"When?"

"ETA North Weald is about five o'clock."

"I won't be back until near six. You don't have a key yet, do you?"

"No."

"Okay, I'll meet you at the pub, we can eat there."

"Okay, thanks, Sis."

---

Tammy stepped off the tube in the new Terminal 5, having ridden across London on the Saturday morning; she checked in with plenty of time available. Her business class ticket had been upgraded, Tammy guessed that a Dior suit did have advantages and on this occasion it was worth a first class seat as far as Atlanta.

She passed through security without any problems and took a wander around the shops. They may have been tax free but the clothes on offer were definitely not profit free, it's strange how removing twenty percent VAT leads to adding thirty percent mark-up in an airport terminal? She picked up a bottle of a single malt and one pair of shorts, then took shelter in the Club Lounge.

She took out her phone and sent Jeri a text message.
"There's a slight problem, can you handle everyone without me for two weeks?"

Tammy boarded BA227 to Atlanta, settled into the seat and followed the usual instructions, however her phone was already off. She decided that she could take a nap before they served dinner, although sleep didn't come easy.

After she stepped off her second flight she followed the other passengers into the terminal, but all she could think about was "what does Krystel have planned for me?".

The story continues here:

 
Iron Dolphin Book 3 by Snowfall