Accountancy Can Be Deadly Part 3

First posted here in 2014, this story had only been available on Kindle since 2017.

 
Murder In Mind
 
DS Emily Keane walked into the kitchen behind Gail. "Well done, you made it possible."

"Me?"

"It was one of the addresses that was supposed to be flats but was really a warehouse with alcohol as the cover product, Behind that we found enough firearms, grenades and ammunition to supply something very nasty. Searches are ongoing at other sites too, all from intelligence that you supplied."

"Wow."

"We do need to talk, right now, in the lounge. Nice hair, by the way."

They found Helen and Mr Brown in the larger lounge, the screen was on with photos from the raids.

Emily explained quickly, with the aid of the photos, how the raids had unfolded and why they'd caught the guards unaware. "No shots were fired, very clean, and I'm told the dogs had fun."

"Miss Jones, I'd like to express the thanks of the Security Service for the information and background information you provided." This was the most I'd heard from the now confirmed spook.

Emily took over. "Gail, I've been asked by my DI to say the same, your help so far has netted much more than the armaments, we have cash, documents and personnel. We're certain that several attacks have been thwarted."

"Do those captured include the two who were after me?"

"Regrettably, no. That leads me onto a difficult issue. We've heard that there's now a contract on your life. We therefore have to review your security arrangements tonight with a view to relocation. There's no evidence they know where you are as yet, but we feel it wouldn't take long now."

"How much is the contract?"

"Half a million pounds."

"So what do we do?"

"One solution is to kill you ourselves." Mr Brown again, he wasn't smiling.

"WHAT?"

"Calm down, we would fake your death and you'd get a new identity, completely new. That means not even Gail could survive."

"You said that was one solution."

"Yes, another is that you live in safe houses for the rest of your life and we relocate you every time someone sneezes."

"Don't like that option either."

"The last sensible option is that we convince everyone that you had a breakdown and that we found the hard drive without your help. Together with a new name and relocation that might work."

"Gail, whatever else happens, you're now the target of a terrorist organisation. That shopping trip is off-limits." Emily was very serious.

"I'll think of something." Helen was positive, what exactly was her role, she certainly didn't seemed fazed by the spook's presence.

Emily: "I'll speak to the DI and we'll call a news conference to put them off the scent, but for now, you're moving soon."

The meeting broke up, and so did Gail. Whilst Emily and the spook left straight away, Helen remained and provided a shoulder for Gail to cry on.

"Come on, lets go up to your room and repair your make-up. I'm staying here tonight too so we'll make ourselves decent then go down for dinner, it would seem to be a roast."

Ten minutes later they met up again and walked to the kitchen. DC Adam Smith was already there and it was clear he was now armed.

Dinner was subdued and Gail didn't have a good appetite, despite the quality of the food. There was a bottle of wine on the table and Gail was encouraged to have a glass, she figured it was that or the doctor shoving a needle in her arm to help her sleep.

Gail sat with Helen after dinner and slowly drew up the insurance list for the flat but when asked if she had chosen a new name, insisted that she wanted to keep Jones out of deference to her parents. "It's also not an uncommon name." Helen relented, but made it clear this was not an ideal situation and pulled a document from a folder.

"We'll use a Statutory Declaration, as it can be issued simply and right here, plus we only need to inform a limited number of people that it's been done. I want to make this absolutely clear, however, you must eventually create a credible gap between David Jones and your new name. We'll have to go through this again, in due course but I'll start creating your new legal identity tomorrow."

Gail, suitably advised, felt that she'd still got her own way and signed where Helen indication. Her official name was now Gail Jones, although she was still legally a male. One step at a time.

The rest of the evening was difficult. Outside there was a storm rattling gates, doors and windows. Helen and Adam were very twitchy. At 8pm Gail felt she'd had enough and went up to bed.

There was a tub of iron tablets by her bed and a bottle of spring water. She poured a glass of water and read the instructions before swallowing two of the red tablets.

This had been the third day of the rest of her life, question was how much longer was that life going to be?

Sleep did not come easily, despite the wine.
Hide & Seek

Gail was not well rested when she was woken at 7am on Tuesday morning. She'd gone to bed following news about the contract but had woken twice sweating and needing a wee. Both times she used a cold flannel to cool down and went back to her restless sleep.

Jenny, delivering an unwelcome cup of tea, only said that Diane would be there at 8.30 and breakfast was, again, at 7.45, before she quickly left.

Gail dragged herself through the bathroom, choosing linen trousers and a blouse. The new breast forms were still sat on the dressing table in their box and Gail contemplated wearing them but really wasn't too bothered. Even her hairbrush didn't want to behave, giving her a couldn't-care-less look. This was not the same Gail as the previous two mornings.

She played with her cereal at the breakfast table and left half a cup of tea. Her spirit simply wasn't there. Jenny knew not to interfere but that didn't stop her observing and making two calls from the small office behind the kitchen. The sign on that door said Pantry, but Gail hadn't paid much attention to the areas she didn't use.

Diane found Gail in the kitchen staring at her wasted cuppa. "Come on girl, let's finish off what we started."

"Forget it."

"Don't play that game with me, this is something to cheer you up, I hear they'll send for the shrink if you don't have a smile by lunchtime."

"Look, just leave me alone."

Diane walked out, but only as far as Jenny a little down the hallway. Gail could overhear the conversation, probably deliberately.

"What's up with her?"

"She had a bit of a shock yesterday. You may be wasting your time today, leave it for now, I'll let the DS know."

Diane shrugged and left the house.

***

Helen Bell found Gail, still sat in the kitchen, an hour later. If Gail had put any make-up on that morning then it would have surely streaked by now.

"Gail, we need a chat."

"Go away."

"Listen to me, girl, this is not the end of the world."

"Not the end of yours, but pretty well the end of mine."

Helen started to answer but was cut off. An alarm started ringing everywhere, followed by an announcement, "Code Red."

Helen's tack changed suddenly and she grabbed Gail by the arm.

"Ouch!"

"Come with me NOW!"

"Code Red" went the announcement.

There was running in the hallway and several officers appeared in the kitchen doorway, weapons drawn.

Two of them took over from Helen and lifted Gail, kicking the chair away. They carried her through the kitchen, past the pantry and down a short flight of steps. Gail started objecting but the "Code Red" announcement and the pandemonium was still creating confusion in her mind.

Helen kept pace with the officers and Gail. "Gail, can you walk, we have to get away from here RIGHT NOW and I need you to co-operate."

Gail agreed and was allowed to put her feet on the ground, permitting the two officers to head back towards the kitchen. Helen took Gail's hand and dragged her along a corridor that seemed to continue for 100m, followed by another short flight of steps. Several doors were opened as they passed, finally ending up in the back of an open garage. A van sat here, engine running, and Helen helped Gail into the back. The door was shut and they were on their way immediately.

"What, what happened?"

"We were compromised."

"Compromised? You mean ....."

"Someone found out where you were; you were told that was a risk. Once we know what happened I'll try to give you some more information, but that will have to wait."

The van's windows were tinted and it was difficult to see where they were going, so Gail slumped in her seat, restrained by the belt Helen had attached. Also in the back of the van were two men she'd never seen; they were clearly armed. Helen checked her bag and pulled out a 9mm handgun, ejected the magazine, checked it and re-inserted it.

"Whoa, is that what I think it is?" Gail wasn't certain what question she wanted to ask right now, the obvious one was 'am I safe?' but she wasn't sure she'd get a positive reply.

Helen nodded and dropped the gun back in her bag, keeping her bag on her lap.

Gail had neither a watch nor her phone, or even a handbag for that matter, so had no idea how long they were travelling and eventually drifted off.

***

"Gail, we've arrived, wake-up."

She slowly tried to orientate herself, as Helen helped her out of her seat and out of the van. They were clearly inside a garage, possibly underground or something similar; Gail was not taking it all in.

Helen helped her through a doorway and along two corridors, finally entering a drawing room. She pointed at a sofa and suggested Gail laid on it. The two armed officers followed, checked the room and stood outside as Helen sat across from Gail, who fell promptly back asleep.

***

Gail woke to find DS Emily Keane and Mr Brown had joined Helen in the room. Gail was offered a glass of iced water and took a sip but her first need was a wee and a wash. Helen showed her to the nearest bathroom but didn't leave her alone. Gail used a cold flannel to wake herself fully, daring to look in the mirror at her bloodshot eyes.

Back in the drawing room, she sat and tried to gather her thoughts. She'd been forcibly moved and still didn't really know why. She turned to Emily first.

"What happened?"

"Diane never made it into her work after she left us. A patrol found her car abandoned half a mile from the safe-house and there was no sign of Diane. We received notification from our control first that she was missing, then we spotted two vehicles making sweeps of the area, trying to identify the house. That was enough for the Code Red alarm."

"Diane?"

"We're still looking."

"Oh, my." Gail started to sob. Someone handed her a tissue. Emily waited for Gail.

"One piece of good news, one of the vehicles contained the two males we've been looking for. We have them although they did get injured."

"Injured?"

"The car crashed when we shot the driver, the other car left the area but we think it'll be back, patrols last saw it on the A127 heading into Essex. Regardless of that, the house has been compromised and we can't use it again."

Gail wasn't certain that firing weapons in the leafy suburbs of London was a good thing, although if the two who'd been bothering her were now out of the game ....

"Do you know who they are?"

"Yes, we've ID'd them."

Gail felt she'd not get much further with this line. "Where am I now?"

"You're out of London and very secure. This will give us time to work out how to proceed. We're also arranging for your clothes and things to be brought here later. Please also be assured we're doing everything to find Diane."

"Thanks, Emily."

There was a knock on the door and girl brought a tray in, laden with tea and biscuits. A clock chimed midday, the first confirmation of time since breakfast, as well as the first welcomed cuppa of the day.

Helen suggested she and Gail went to the conservatory at the rear of the house, although she had no idea of the layout of the house as yet. They walked from a dimly lit hallway into a bright, glass covered room looking out onto a large lawn and flower beds.

"Is this safe?" Asked Gail?

"Yes, we only use this house for very special guests."

"We?"

"This is owned by the Security Service*."

"So you're ...."

"A spy? No, no, I have many roles but spying isn't one of them. In fact MI5, as you know it, doesn't have any spies, just surveillance specialists, intelligence analysts, and even more intelligence analysts."

"Why am I being told this?"

"Because I've been told that I can now tell you. You need to realise that the information you've given us so far has implications across many investigations. Later this afternoon, when the rest of the team arrives, you and Dave Brown can go through the data again. We have a new laptop for you and there's a copy of your data loaded onto it."

Gail started to realise that the game had changed.

"Let's go for a walk." Helen stood and walked over to a pair of doors, throwing them open.

"I'm in slippers."

"Never mind, the grass is dry."

Gail stepped out and breathed her first fresh air since Sunday lunchtime. It felt good.
 

Clearance
 
Gail's stroll around the gardens with Helen certainly helped relax her, as well as re-enforcing the message that this location was indeed safe. They walked back into the house close to 1pm and a buffet lunch was set-up in the conservatory.

Gail helped herself to a small plate of sandwiches and pastries, plus a glass of OJ. With the familiar faces around her she was now much more comfortable, although she realised out loud that she hadn't put any make-up on so must have looked a mess.

"Don't worry Gail, your clothes, make-up and personal bits have arrived, Jenny has also arrived here and is now putting everything away in your new room. After lunch go and have a freshen up."

Helen always sounded re-assuring, putting Gail at ease, at least when she wasn't dragging Gail through a house.

After lunch, Jenny arrived to show Gail her new room on the next floor, although there was first a short guided tour of the ground floor, including the library, games room and swimming pool.

"A pool? I don't have a swimming costume."

"Don't worry Miss Jones, we'll obtain one for you, we know your size."

They were soon at Gail's room, Jenny left her on her own. First job was a shower and a fresh start to the day. This time she used the new breast forms in her bra, although it might take a while for her to get used to the change in her centre of gravity. She also put some light make-up on, especially to hide the lines under her eyes.

She walked downstairs and went towards the conservatory but was intercepted by Dave Brown.

"I've set-up in the library, can we take a look at the data please?"

Although Gail had looked in the library earlier, she hadn't realised that apart from the usual bookshelves there was also a projection system and a screen that came down from the ceiling. A laptop was sat on a desk and the desktop was replicated on the projector's screen.

"This is your new laptop. I'd like you, when you have time, to go through the data starting in 2005, and look for any anomalies, I'll supply you with an internal email address to keep me and my team aware of what you find."

"So I'll have internet access?"

"Limited, no social media sites and don't be surprised if certain other sites don't work. There's no wifi so I'm afraid you'll have to use the data points in the library and a few other rooms."

"Okay, what do you want to do now?"

"Let's go through the last full year again, try to find any other buildings we haven't already identified plus any rogue payments. I'd also like you to track down the £170,000 that originally caused your concern."

They spent 4 hours going through the spreadsheets, bank statements, invoices, and myriad of other documents, to & fro. They located two more buildings and started making headway into the missing funds. One invoice was for machine parts, from a supplier near Düsseldorf. That got Mr Brown's interest and he made copious notes on a laptop of his own.

They saw a pattern with some of the invoices, very similar amounts but different suppliers. Looking at the banking records, funds were being transferred to the same account each time. That account number, a German account he said, was noted on the second laptop.

"This is excellent Gail, you have a great advantage over my own team in that you've been handling this data for so long so know the documents and data."

"Glad I can help. Do you have any idea what this could be?"

"It looks like arms shipments, but I'm unsure right now about those payments, they're fortnightly and to the same destination account but raised against multiple sources. Definitely an attempt to hide the payments, albeit crudely."

"I'll leave that for your team to work out."

"They'll enjoy themselves with this, I'm certain. I've already sent the data over. Can you promise me you'll find the time to go through all of this."

"Certainly, doesn't look like I'll be going off on holiday soon!"

"Great."

There was a knock on the door and Helen put her head into the library. "Dinner is in 30 minutes in the dining room."

Gail went up to her room and freshened herself, it had been a little warm in the library. The view from her bedroom window looked out onto the long driveway leading away from the front door, although she hadn't come into the building that way. It was certainly the size of a stately home, but where? She had no idea. More questions.

She walked downstairs and easily located the dining room, due to the voices coming from it.

***

Gail was sat with Helen again, this time in a lounge, having finished dinner. She was sipping from a glass of Chablis, her second, whilst Helen and her made small-talk. Gail was intrigued by Helen, she seemed to be many things, but none of her cover stories seemed to fit exactly.

"Gail, it's pretty clear that we can't go shopping, but I think we have a compromise available?"

"What's that?"

"I have to do some work in my office tomorrow but I'll be over later in the day. If we do some online shopping, I'll have it delivered to my office and I'll pay from my account, just in case. It can come off any money I get for you."

"Sounds like the best we can do?"

"Exactly. Oh, I have some interesting news for you."

"Go on."

"There are several cash rewards for information on drugs and arms shipments that lead to prosecution, plus previously unsolved murders, so far you would have earned £5000 based on the information you supplied."

"Wow, in just a few days?"

"Yes, the raids yesterday morning uncovered much more than we first thought. There's a problem, however, the rewards are handled through Crimestoppers, a charity, not through the police."

"And you're worried about my security?"

"Yes, so we've come up with an alternative idea. You'll be paid an allowance direct from Security Service funds of £2500 per month for every month you're with us, and the balance of any money owed from the various rewards when you're on your own feet again."

"That makes it sound like I'm on the payroll?"

"That can't be done until your security clearance has been completed."

"Eh?"

"We're doing a full background check to clear you to DV level, that's sufficient for Top Secret. You're cleared to SC right now which is why we can have this conversation."

"I had wondered. What's SC?"

"That's clearance to Secret. Consider yourself a contractor rather than an employee! Anyway, final clearance should only take a few more days at the most."

Gail was stunned and not entirely certain what she was hearing.

"However, it's important that we complete one outstanding item tonight. I'll accept that you want to keep your legal name as Gail Jones for now, but we need to arrange for a credible alias for you."

"So, you're not insisting on me changing my name?"

"No, only that you will have an alternative name for professional purposes."

"I've been thinking and I like 'Abigail', so that could be 'Abi' or 'Gail'. Perhaps 'Johnson' as a surname?"

"That could be Gail Johnson, which is too close to Gail Jones."

"How about Abigail Adams then? 'Miss A. Adams' has a nice ring about it?"

"That sounds good. Write it on this sheet and can you do some trial signatures for me?"

That seemed to conclude the evening's business, she wished Helen a good night, finished her wine and went upstairs. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

 
Briefing
 
Although Gail had only spent two nights in the first safe-house, waking up in a different room on this Wednesday morning certainly disorientated her. There was a soft knock on the door and a maid brought in a cup of tea.

"Good morning Miss, breakfast is at 8 o'clock in the dining room."

"Thank you ...?"

"Lisa, Miss."

"Thank you Lisa."

There was a clock in the bedroom, which now read 7.15 so auto-pilot took over. Gail walked into the dining room a few minutes early to be met by Jenny.

"Good morning, Miss Jones. I believe you asked for The Guardian newspaper a few days ago, we'll now have a copy for you each morning."

"Thank you Jenny, what's my schedule for today?"

Jenny nodded, "Helen will be here sometime this afternoon, otherwise you have a free day. I've obtained a swimsuit and will put it in your room in case you want to use the pool later."

"Thank you."

Breakfast was quiet, with only DC Adam Smith in attendance, although he was pre-occupied with a wad of documents. Gail retired to the conservatory with a coffee and her newspaper for an in depth read of which parts of the world were keen on killing each-other. Two UK stories caught her eye, the first was about further raids but in south London this time; more firearms, drugs had been recovered and two Germans detained.

The other one was report of an armed police operation in Hornchurch, near Romford, and a separate but apparently connected incident near Southend. One person was dead, two injured in hospital and a fourth at an undisclosed London police station. The story reported that this was a suspected kidnapping as a distraught, unnamed, woman had been found in the back of one of the cars and was reported as receiving medical treatment.

There was a noise behind Gail and she spun around.

"Oh, Diane!" Gail rushed towards her stylist and threw her arms around the bruised woman. "I'm so sorry for what happened."

They moved onto a two-seater settee.

"Gail, it's not your fault. I've got some ideas as to who gave them my name and I suspect I was followed. I didn't check if I had a tail and then parked too close to the house because of all of the stuff I had to carry. It was enough for them to identify the house. When I left they blocked me in and wanted to know everything, but I wouldn't tell. They hit me a bit but reckoned they knew enough anyway. I was in the car that the police chased from the area and we were eventually stopped by Essex Police. It's not nice having weapons pointing at you, but I was bound up so couldn't raise my hands! I also couldn't say anything about why I was there, which was awkward, until Special Branch intervened."

"Special Branch?"

"They're the part of the police who run counter terrorism and security service special operations outside of London, they use me sometimes."

"Okay, it looks like I've much more to learn! When did you get here?"

"I was brought late last night, but I'm not certain where we are."

"I don't know either. When your car was found, everything went into panic mode and I was driven away very quickly. What about your real work?"

"I've taken sick leave, but as I'm self-employed it's immaterial really. I'll get paid for anything I do here, so I don't mind a few days break."

"I'm sure my nails can wait, and I'm sorry about my lousy attitude yesterday morning."

"Don't worry. Anyway, fancy a walk in the grounds?"

The pair set off and went further than Gail had gone the previous evening, finding a small lake. There were also several grounds-persons who all checked out the two women as they walked.

"Diane, I get the feeling we're being watched."

"We are, get used to it."

"How can you be so calm?"

"Because I've been doing this kind of work for several years and I've seen most things, none of which I can repeat, of course."

"Naturally." Gail had not as yet had a security briefing so just agreed with Diane out of deference rather than ignorance.

Their route brought them back to the house after an hour. "Fancy a swim, Gail?"

"I thought you didn't know this house?"

"I said I didn't know where it is, but I've been here before and know there's a great pool. I keep an emergency overnight bag in my car that includes a swimsuit, just in case, and it was delivered here with me. Have you got one?"

"I don't but Jenny said they'd be one in my room. I'm not certain how it will look though?"

"Let's go up and see. I'll get some bits from my room."

A short while later, Diane had glued the fake breasts into place and helped Gail into her first swimsuit, although this was really a tankini and shorts, chosen for modesty no doubt. Diane then nipped into her own room to change, appearing a few minutes later in her own bikini.

The pool was located at basement level, under the conservatory. Gail found it warm but not too humid, then spotted the jacuzzi and was desperate to try it, but Diane told her to wait.

"Let's do some lengths first Gail, then we can sit in the tub. There's a steam room too, if you fancy that."

"I can see myself down here before breakfast every day?"

"Right, seven tomorrow?"

"You're on."

They swam for half an hour before getting into the jacuzzi.

"How long are you going to be here Diane?"

"Probably just a few days. As a precaution my flat has been emptied and I'm planning on renting a new one elsewhere in London. My car is being changed too. Diane is just a name for my work in these circles, I have a different professional name so I can get back into the swing of it easily."

Tannoy: "Diane, please report to the housekeeper."

"Oh well Gail, that's my free time finished! I've got to be debriefed."

Gail and Diane grabbed the towels and went to their bedrooms to shower. It was gone 10.00 when she made her way back down, heading for the library.

***

By lunchtime Gail had gone through most of the 2005/06 data, quicker than she thought as the businesses were much smaller at the time. Hamiz Fourani had owned a dozen buildings, listed either purpose built as flats or converted from warehouses, Victorian factories and large houses.

One storage facility intrigued Gail, armed with a new suspicion of her deceased client’s activities. The premises had been sold to Bader Logistik Dusseldorf GmbH in March 2006, right at the end of the financial year for £250,000. Given the size of the premises, and the location, this was cheap - very cheap. She logged this information using the email address provided. At 1245 she logged out of the laptop and headed upstairs to wash.

***

After lunch Gail headed back to the library and started work on the 2006/07 data set, she'd been at it for half an hour when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

A stranger walked into the room, clutching a document wallet. "Good afternoon Miss Jones, I'm John Smith and I'd like to speak to you about security."

"If you must, I hope the library's comfortable enough?". John brought a chair up to the table where Gail was working.

"Certainly. Let me explain, I'm a personnel security manager for the Security Service. As you should have been told, we've been obtaining high level security clearance for you."

"Yes, but I don't understand why?"

"There's no way you could continue dealing with my colleagues or remain here if we had any doubts about your identity or background."

"I understand."

"Good. Firstly, I can confirm you have been cleared to DV level. That gives you several privileges but also carries responsibilities."

John then put a form in front of Gail, it was already addressed to her.

"Please sign this, it is an acknowledgement that anything you see or here here is subject to the Official Secrets Act and that you could be prosecuted if you breach that act."

Gail signed, concerned that she might accidentally release the dinner menu and end up in prison!

John Smith laughed, "I hear that one all the time!"

He continued by explaining the rules, regulations and limitations of her new official tag.

"It's really just common sense, all in all. One thing I must make clear, no-one here or indeed anywhere in Government is cleared to read every secret or top secret document, and you must not assume that someone else here is cleared to know what you and Dave Brown talk about."

"Understood."

"Right, give me a few days and we'll arrange a tour of Thames House for you."

"Thames House?"

"The HQ of the Security Service."

"Wow."

He stood, "welcome to the Security Service Miss Jones."

They shook and he left.

Gail sat back down, still trying to come to terms with what was going on around her. On Saturday morning she was an accountant struggling with a few clients, now she was a contractor, or even an employee, of the Security Service with an invite to their HQ. There was also the small matter of a contract on her, or rather David's, head.