Part   One   "Handle With Care"

Note: 'Moving On' is the latest in a series of books that started with 'Tom's Fireworks', or possibly earlier. For all the details, visit https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book-page/52869/tamaras-tales...
 
Now available as Tammy:Spycraft on Kindle
 
Friday 24th March 2017
 

Tammy walked out of the temporary examination room at Wick Airport, slightly dazed.

"How was it?" Asked Jim, who was waiting outside.

"Tough, why do the Civil Aviation Authority make the exams that difficult?"

"To make sure the only people who should take a plane into the air know how to fly safely, land in one piece and how to cope in an emergency."

"Yeah, even so?"

"Look, next week you'll know if you've passed, so long as you meet the criteria."

Tammy had started flying lessons as soon as she'd got back to Thurso and was, hopefully, due to take her proving flight in a week or so. "I'll see you tomorrow as usual, Jim?"

"Do that, but remember you still need the hours logged and right now you're about five hours short of the ideal number. Don't forget your medical either?"

Tammy wasn't looking forward to the medical, mainly as the closest she could take it was Aberdeen. Thankfully her own medical needs were simple, she'd renewed her contraceptive pill prescription a week earlier but otherwise had no issues. Her sister, Suzie, was a different matter however.

Suzie had effectively been sacked by the Security Service on the grounds of gross misconduct. Her main error had been her choice of a boyfriend, even though she'd followed due procedure and had him checked. That hadn't raised anything odd, although it was now well known, in certain circles, that Alex Fullerton had been a mole inside MI6 for a terrorist group - True Freedom. For Suzie the issue was compounded when Alex admitted during interview that he'd been trying to get at Tammy and had to settle for Suzie as second best.

Suzie had been slowly pulling her life back into shape but her confidence had been knocked and she'd fallen into a deep depression. Keeping the sorry tale from Joan was awkward and both girls had been warned they could be called to give evidence - any leak could be construed as aiding the enemy, whoever that could be. The official line, for family and friends, was that Suzie's unit had been downsized and she'd been made redundant.

Her leaving package had been improved after the St Andrews old boy Dave Brown had made representations to Personnel Manager John Smith, Suzie would now be free of contract at the end of March, after three months of hassle, but had received a full year's salary as a tax-free lump sum as compensation. She would also retain her pension, although there were only just over two years of contributions in the pot. That was a small win, given that Suzie was now damaged goods, having gained a huge restriction on her future employment choices.

Tammy wasn't out of the mire either as she had since been told that she was officially under suspension, following an intervention from the Intelligence Oversight Committee. This wasn't totally unexpected as she and her sister had heard of other suspensions, anyone who had been involved in any of the botched investigations was being removed from active work. Given that Tammy wasn't strictly operational, the news had no real affect on her day-to-day life. This was, however one piece of information that she'd passed to Joan - after pre-warning her father.

There were actually three inquiries under-way: the original joint inquiry by MI5 and MI6, a Met Police Counter Terrorism Unit led inquiry into True Freedom's activities and the Intelligence Oversight Committee's take on how True Freedom operated under the radar for so long. A Judicial review was also a real possibility, given the depth of the treason, although this would not be held in public.

Regardless that True Freedom and been wound up, the various security agencies were reeling from the implied incompetence of senior managers and how mere scapegoating wasn't an option. In short, it was a bloody mess.

---

Tammy drove away from the Smart Aviation hanger and a few minutes later pulled into the large Tesco store just behind Wick Airport. She was perusing the ladiesware section when she felt someone was stood behind her, a look over her shoulder confirmed her suspicion.

"I'm sorry Miss Smart, but could I have a word?"

"Here, Mr Templeton?"

"Well, perhaps I'm taking advantage plus I get the feeling my office at the college is bugged."

"Well don't blame me, Sir."

"I wasn't, but I don't think I can ask anyone to sweep it."

"And?"

"Look, I'm sorry, I asked people to look into your background when you started the course."

"I got over it."

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I think I understand that I'll probably see you after the Easter break, bye Mr Templeton."

Tammy abandoned her shopping and walked straight out of the store, her distinctive car was a fair distance from the store entrance but she took a circuitous route so she could check she wasn't being followed. Once in her car she made a quick exit, picking up the B876 towards home and then pushed her right foot down. Her phone rang as she re-entered cellphone coverage on the outskirts of Thurso; she tapped the dash to answer it.

"Miss Smart?"

"Yes."

"This is Claire Reeves, I'm assisting John Smith."

"Okay?"

"We were monitoring your conversation with Donald Templeton."

Tammy had reached the 30MPH sign and was rapidly losing speed.

"Oh, is there a problem?"

"Not especially, I take it that you were going to report that conversation?"

"I guess you have it recorded so you know what I said. Need I remind you that I'm under suspension and I'm not undertaking any operational work? I've reached town; sorry, gotta go, I need to concentrate on the road."

Tammy killed the call so she could focus on the route through the middle of Thurso and the remaining ten minutes or so back to Dunbankin'. She'd already been warned that the Intelligence Oversight Committee had granted authority to the agencies to bug every agent involved in this sorry mess, in case there was undisclosed evidence available. Donald was probably correct that his office had been bugged; it had even been suggested to Tammy back in October that she should plant a listening device of her own.

Given that Templeton had also been hoodwinked by Alex Fullerton, Tammy couldn't afford to have any relationship with Donald outside of the lecture theatre, although ultimately he could even lose that job.

She also couldn't say anything likely to get herself into trouble, but at least she knew she was being observed. Tammy had managed to tell Suzie that their home was probably under surveillance but some conversations had to happen, regardless.

"How was the exam?"

"I think I passed, Suzie, what have you been up to?"

"I had another telephone interview, I'm getting tired of this, Tammy."

"At least they're not insisting you travel to London for a one hour interview?"

"Oh, a ruddy woman tried that when I said that I was being called to lunch and asked her to call back an hour later!"

"I hope you've reminded them that it wasn't your fault, you were hoodwinked?"

"Too many times, I didn't have operational training so how the hell could I know?"

"Things got past me too, Suzie, and I'm supposed to have known better."

"Yeah, at least I'll be free in a week's time."

"What about my idea?"

"What's the point, Pru handles it?"

"I'd like to move the Smart Property Management office into town, you could be my office manager."

"Doesn't the agency want the office any more?"

"No, they cleared it a few days ago, although they've left some furniture."

"Will there be a problem, will they let me do it?"

"As you're being made a non-executive director of the company, that would be difficult to get around, you do want to do it, Suzie?"

"I'd really like to get back into London, Thurso is just too quiet."

"Not always, please think about it: you could do a year here and move South after that, start afresh."

"Yeah, Tammy, but are you doing this just because I'm family?"

"Look, I have an empty office and I've bought a few more more commercial properties since the new year, so I might as well set up a bureau that's accessible to the public. Your availability is a bonus, sis, and I know I won't have to vet you!"

"Okay, I'll think about it. By the way, there was a package for you, I put it in your room."

Tammy trekked up to her room, securing the door. The package looked like a typical Ebay purchase, to the common eye at least. For the online observers she also had emails confirming her online purchase of a new speaker system for her iPad.

The package, however, contained a bug detector and a network intrusion detector. She checked the time, it was gone 4pm so Pru was just about finished for the week - by 4.30 the study would be clear. She powered up the handheld scanner and ran it through her bags, having ensured there was no audible notification. The technology was familiar, she'd used a similar device during her training the previous year.

She'd only purchased her day to day shoulder bag a few weeks earlier and wasn't surprised that it was clear, but an older bag, one that had been at Abigail Adams House in December, gave a positive response. Tammy made a mental note but left the bug in situ.

One of her coats, the heavy winter woollen coat, also gave a response. Tammy had been shown a bug that, they said, been removed from that very garment, but had they taken the opportunity to stitch in a new one? This coat had taken a bus ride to Wimbledon, without Tammy, and had amazingly survived, even though it was no longer in perfect condition. Tammy made a policy decision, that coat would have to go to a charity shop and she'd get a new one before the autumn hit the Highlands.

There wasn't much Tammy could do with her mobile phone but she had made another purchase and this was a metallic lined sock that cut the phone off from all network access when she wanted to be left alone. It muffled sound effectively too, but a side effect was that it wouldn't ring, either, when socked. She'd considered replacing her phone but worked out any handset could be commandeered remotely, her training had told her that much, so avoiding surveillance was nearly impossible. Better the devil you know! Her whole car was also bugged, so she could be easily tracked. Finally, her flying lessons hadn't remained a private matter for very long.

After a short delay she let herself into the study and plugged the network device into the main router, two green lights indicated that it was active, a minute later one flashed red before going back to green. She left the study and stowed it away, job done.

 
Friday 31st March 2017
 

Tammy walked out of the medical centre having secured her certificate in her bag. That, at least, was out of the way and she wouldn't need to have another medical exam for another five years, not for flying anyway.

The exam had been thorough, and Tammy had been questioned about her medical history - the silent question was 'which one' as her own medical records had been modified a year or so earlier. Tammy guessed that the files hadn't been fixed so insisted throughout that she was a genetic female. It wasn't queried.

The worst aspect of the day had been the 9.30am appointment; take it or leave it. She'd flown into Aberdeen the previous day on a regular run with one of the regular Smart Aviation flights but now had to get back by train - her car was parked at Wick Airport.

She had a small overnight bag with her as she called a local taxi firm to collect her, knowing that it would take hours to get home. Having said that, she had twenty minutes before the next train to Inverness and was a little surprised to see a familiar face on the platform. A finger pressed to his lips warned her to keep silent, Tammy slid her phone into a protective sock and stowed the phone into a side pocket of her overnight bag.

Once she boarded the train, Tammy put her case on the luggage racking at the end of the carriage and headed a good distance down the aisle for a seat. Marcus joined her a minute later, carrying two coffees, departure was still a few minutes away.

"Thanks, do I get the feeling this wasn't a random meet?"

"Now, now, Tammy, firstly I hear congratulations are due?"

"I think passed a medical."

"No, you've also passed your private pilot written exams."

"One, maybe two, steps closer."

"True, but only a week before you get your licence."

"Assuming everything goes to plan?"

"It will."

"Look, Marcus, am I supposed to be having this conversation, here?"

"This is just about as safe as anywhere?"

"That's not what I mean?"

"Okay, Tammy, let me give you something. If you don't want it, fine."

Captain Marcus Wade of the SAS reached into an inner pocket and pulled a small package, which he passed to Tammy. She looked inside then lost it in a coat pocket.

"Are you certain, Marcus?"

He stood, "I wouldn't be here if I and my superiors weren't sure."

The guard blew her whistle, Marcus bid farewell then quickly stepped off the train, taking his coffee with him.

 
Monday 3rd April 2017
 

In business terms, Tammy was mindful of not becoming involved in domestic lettings and wanted to stay with commercial properties. Over the past few months she, with her father's PA's help, had bought a few more empty properties in and around Thurso ready for renovation. The PA, Pru, had said she couldn't handle the increased work so Richard Smart insisted that Tammy take it elsewhere. Fortunately, one of her premises had just become available; Caithness Marine was closed for business.

It took the locksmith most of the day to make the changes that Tammy needed, working around the carpenter and the sign-writer. Of course an office supplies van arrived just as the carpenter was getting ready to install a new worktop. Tammy had planned the logistics carefully, but real life didn't run that way.

Suzie, grudgingly, was on tea-making duty whilst Tammy was explaining to the various tradespeople exactly what she wanted done, even though the precise instructions had gone out with the tenders. The aim was to make the office welcoming, and to obscure any secondary functions. The secure meeting room was now apparently just a store room whilst the space outside it would have a coffee table and four comfortable chairs instead of the operational desks.

The security services had left the CCTV system in place, at Tammy's request, but the bespoke security system and almost all the other equipment had been removed. That was unfortunate as Tammy wanted a keyless system for simplicity, and the locksmith was now re-installing almost exactly what had been removed a few weeks earlier. Fortunately the safe had been left and the locksmith was able to change the combination, although that had meant removing certain items out of sight temporarily.

By three o'clock most of the tradesfolk were leaving the building, their tasks completed, but it wasn't until nearly five that the girls were on their own and the premises was secure.

"I thought you wanted an office manager, Tammy, not a tea girl?"

"You just need to adapt to circumstances, Suzie, tomorrow you could be determining if the human race is heading for extinction!"

"If the intelligence of politicians is anything to go by, yes we certainly are."

"See, you are adaptable. Now, we need to work out how to get another secure phone, I presume one of the lines still goes into the secure room? They're both dead, though."

"I can't see the point of us having a secure phone here any more, although there's still one at home?"

"But we're not at home right now and either of us may need to make secure calls."

"I can't see that happening to me, Tammy, look at what they did to me? I've been totally stitched up for making one bad choice, even though I took precautions!"

"You're not pregnant then?"

"That's not what I meant!"

Suzie started to sob. "Why me?"

Tammy took her sister's hands.

"Sorry, look, it wasn't your fault but you were compromised."

"I didn't tell him anything!"

"I'm sure you didn't but they won't look at it that way."

"Of course they won't. Why didn't they ....."

Tammy shook her head. The CCTV system previously had a link to the Security Service in London and she suspected that link had been maintained; there was still a risk that they were being monitored and she hadn't checked the internet connection yet. "Not now Suzie, how about we lock up and get out?"

"How about a drink?"

Tammy shook her head, "I've got to drive and tomorrow I'm back at the airfield to complete my flight test.

"I forgot about that."

"I'll need you here, the stairlift is being installed."

"Great, how long will that take?"

"All day."

 
Tuesday 4th April 2017
 

"Good morning Miss Smart, I hope you are fit and well to take this test?"

"I am."

"Good, as I hate it when my time is wasted!"

To be truthful, Tammy was tired. She'd reluctantly been at Smart Properties since seven that morning as the stairlift engineer had been due around half seven, Suzie, however, had suddenly remembered late evening that she had a doctor's appointment at eight thirty. Tammy finally had escaped the office at ten, barely making it to the airfield for the test half an hour later.

Fortunately she'd done a thorough mock test with Jim, but her stomach was confirming her pre-flight nerves.

"Now, I don't have all day so here's your plan for this flight. I suggest you get organised."

Tammy checked in with the office and lodged the flight plan, after checking the weather and every other relevant variable. She was delighted that visibility was excellent; she had to get this right, first time. Jim was inside the hanger as Tammy led the examiner to the aircraft. He stood back, but the examiner was making notes as she walked around the plane, a Sonaca 200 twin seater single turboprop.

"I thought you'd be using the same aircraft as your training flights?"

"This is mine, it was delivered last week from the manufacturer."

"A little presumptuous?"

"If I don't pass then I can always transfer it to the company, I own twenty-five percent of Smart Aviation."

"I see, continue."

Tammy climbed aboard and settled into the left-hand seat, to continue her checks, the examiner sat alongside her and strapped himself in. Before long she put on her headset and radioed for permission to taxi. Two or three minutes later they were airborne.

--

Tammy was pleased to be back on the ground and had taxied to a point just outside the Smart Aviation hanger. She purposely made her post-flight checks and updated the aircraft logbook before shutting down the cockpit systems, watched closely by the examiner.

They were walking back to the lounge when Tammy asked the obvious question.

"Well? Did I pass?"

"You came in a little steep for that last landing, but otherwise I feel a pass is justified. Congratulations Miss Smart."

She relaxed, just enough to realise she needed a wee badly.

Once she was suitably refreshed, the formal part of the test was completed and the examiner issued her pass slip. "Get this to the CAA as soon as possible, with your other paperwork of course."

He then left Tammy as his next victim had arrived for their flight. Jim met Tammy as she returned to the hanger.

"All okay?"

"Yes, what's next?"

"You have enough hours, your medical was okay and he's said you're safe in the air so let's get this packaged up and sent now."

"Sure."

"How did the plane handle?"

"Easy."

"We'll see about bigger aircraft when you have your licence."

"Okay, but I think this one is good enough for me, for now."

"So long as you don't want to fly into England on one tank of fuel? There's only seven hours of flying time, so you'd need to plan refuelling stops."

"How did you know I'd want to fly South?"

"Because you always gripe about the trains and grab rides in the choppers whenever possible!"

"True. Do you have the phone I left with you?"

"In my desk, let's sort this paperwork out first." It went in her bag.

By the time she reached her car it was raining, she settled in for a careful drive home.

---

"Tammy, we had a visit whilst you were in Wick."

"Oh, Dad?"

"Yasmin arrived to remove the secure phone, apparently we don't need it any more."

"Well, apparently I'm not doing anything here that would warrant it."

"She was going to remove some kit from your car too, but you'd already left."

"Oh well, was that it?"

"No, another lady turned up at your office to speak to Suzie and you. Suzie wasn't happy and refused to deal with the woman."

"Why didn't someone call me?"

"What could you have done? You were either preparing for your flight or you would have been in the air, either way it would have ended your flying intentions."

"It doesn't sound important then?"

"Look, the woman left when it was clear Suzie wouldn't say anything, your sister came home as soon as she could, quite upset."

"Oh, how is she?"

"In her room, please leave her alone. Unfortunately, they're coming back in the morning and expect to see you too."

"Did you get the woman's name?"

"Claire Reeves, I think."

"I've spoken to her recently, What the hell is this about?"

"I don't know, Tammy, but it looks like your intelligence career is over."

Part   Two   "An Unwelcome Visitor"

 
Now available as Tammy:Spycraft on Kindle
 
Wednesday 5th April 2017
 

It wasn't yet 8am but Tammy and Suzie were already down at the office. The stairlift engineer was due anytime soon, only a day late, and wanted an early start so he could finish the job by lunchtime, he'd called Suzie the previous day to postpone as he'd been asked to repair a faulty stairlift in a residential home for the elderly.The delay had suited Suzie who then hadn't felt guilty about wanting an early departure. Tammy hadn't intended to spend the day supervising the engineer but it now meant anyone wanting to see her had to do so at the office and not at home.

By eight fifteen the guy was unloading his van and Tammy had moved her vehicle to give him space right by the door; her car was now very exposed some twenty metres away. Some fifteen minutes later a smiling Yasmin walked to the open street door and a sullen looking lady followed her up the stairs. Tammy ensured the office door was shut as the engineer was going up and down the stairs.

The woman stood, arms folded. "We've already been to your home and I don't like being given the run-around, young lady!"

"And I don't like folk having a go at me without introductions. I have a life to lead and no-one called to book an appointment with me, plus I'll remind you that this is my property and I can rightly ask you to leave."

"You'll do no such thing!" The lady showed Tammy her Security Service identity card, identifying her as Claire Reeves.

"Well Ms Reeves, you are on my territory and I'll remind you that this is Scotland. However well you think you know your rights in England, they can be quite different here."

"In that case, perhaps you should come with me to London?"

"Au contraire, perhaps you should just leave? Having said that, I know Yasmin would stay for a herbal tea, I happen to have a selection?"

"Sure, Tammy." Suzie switched on the kettle.

"I think we're leaving and you will be hearing from London."

Yasmin now looked cross. "I'm not leaving as I still have work to do. Feel free to go but I'm your transport, you begged a ride with me and we've checked out of the hotel!"

Tammy smiled, "Will that be tea or coffee?"

Grudgingly she responded, "ordinary tea, please, with milk." Claire Reeves sat down, quite unhappy.

Tammy had a feeling that their conversation was being monitored in London, a few days earlier she'd found the CCTV network link but had left it enabled, for now at least.

Suzie had become stressed as soon as the two ladies had arrived, she hadn't much experience of Yasmin and hadn't liked Claire Reeves' attitude at all the previous day. Tammy decided that they had to gain the higher ground, by fair or foul means.

"Ms Reeves You have been bullying my sister and she's lost her confidence, what did you hope to achieve?"

"The truth, just the truth?"

"You've had it, but you didn't stop when you knew it was the truth. Suzie did nothing wrong and yet you have vilified her, made her unemployable. What's your issue?"

"I'm not here to discuss that, if there are any complaints then Miss Smart can submit them through the appropriate channels!"

Suzie spoke, "Let me guess, through you?"

"In the first instance, yes, as I am your case officer."

Suzie laughed, "that's the first I've heard and I most certainly don't trust you. You're clearly just trying to make a name for yourself, at my expense."

Tammy poured the drinks, proceedings paused for a few seconds.

"I can guess what Yasmin is here to do," said Tammy, "but not why you are here?"

"I have to ensure you both understand your obligations under the Official Secrets Act and to notify you of the termination of your contract,"

"Mine? On what grounds?"

"You are resigning, it just needs your signature."

"I am not putting my name to anything."

"Then I also have the paperwork for a gross misconduct disciplinary ready."

Tammy laughed, "good luck with that! I don't like bullies so I'll repeat that I'm not signing anything, and I'd recommend that Suzie does likewise. You have wasted your time."

The woman went silent. Yasmin took the opportunity to ask Tammy for her car keys, Tammy walked with her.

"What are you doing with my car?"

"I'm removing the camera and surveillance system but I have a new dashcam system for you, straight out of the box and unmodified. It records to an SD card and only you can download the images."

"So my car won't be bugging me?"

"Nope, and I'll disable HQ's CCTV remote access when we go back."

"I'll just pull the network cable, but I wanted London to see what was going on here!"

"Don't blame you, she's done nothing but whine since we left HQ on Monday. I've told Jimmy I won't go anywhere with her again."

"How is Mr Ruddle?"

"Busy, I doubt you'll be surprised at how many premises had to be swept just before Christmas? We finished the high profile locations by New Year but we're working our way through a second list. My overtime bill is huge, I was hoping for a bit of relaxation on this trip, some chance!"

"Okay, will you be alright working on the car here?"

"No problem, but Miss Reeves had a few words about that too, she was hoping everything would be done at your house, out of public view."

"Well I have a life too and Suzie is my office manager."

"No argument from me, but you might want to check they haven't killed each-other? I have a call to make."

By the time Tammy had reached the office, Suzie had asked the stair-lift engineer if he wanted a coffee and she was pouring the boiling water into a mug as Tammy entered. Clearly Claire Reeves hadn't been able to say a thing and probably knew that she was being manipulated.

Eventually, after a few ginger nut biscuits, the engineer returned to his task.

"I'd like to check the safe."

"Do you have a court order?"

"No, I am to remove any weapons you have."

"On whose authority?"

"Mine!"

"Well, are you licensed to carry a weapon?"

"Err."

"I'll take that as a no, then. That safe will stay locked unless we need the spare packet of ginger nuts."

"I'm wasting my time here!"

"I could have told you that, or maybe I did?"

Tammy ignored the woman and picked up a phone to call her tame window cleaner, booking him for the following week. There was an incoming call querying if she had empty commercial premises available and Tammy handled that.

Tammy's mobile rang, Suzie answered it as Tammy was still busy, but almost immediately passed the phone to Claire Reeves. "It's for you."

The conversation was very one-sided and Tammy could see the woman scanning the office, perhaps looking for the hidden cameras? "Umm, yes, sir."

The phone was handed back to Suzie.

"I've been told that someone else will handle any outstanding matters, I'm needed in London. Good day."

Tammy closed the office door and watched out of the window as the woman walked back to their hire car. Suzie had a fit of the giggles, "That was John Smith on the line and he didn't sound happy!"

"The CCTV system in here is still connected to Thames House, he may have been watching, may still be watching - hello Sir!"

It was another forty-five minutes before Yasmin was done, she came back upstairs to hand Tammy her keys.

"All done on your car, now I'll remove Thames House from the CCTV system and I'll give you remote access on your phones."

"Didn't you want to get moving?"

"No, Madam Grumpy can have some time to herself."

"Did you call John Smith?"

"Who, me?"

"Yes, Yasmin."

"Well, I don't like bullies either and I've encountered enough to recognise a prize one."

"She's that, definitely."

"Sure, one last thing with your car, there's a panic button under the dash, near the bonnet release. It dials Thames House security and puts them on speaker if your phone is docked."

"Thanks, but I'm not remaining with the service."

"That's news to me, all I'm doing is downgrading your security as you're not operational up here."

"Okay, but the secure phone would have been useful?"

"Oh damn, I'll be back in a minute."

Yasmin skipped down the stairs just missing the engineer and was back a minute later, carrying a box.

"This is the latest secure phone. It uses your broadband connection and updates the security certificates automatically, you do have a data point in your secure room?"

"Sure." Suzie was definitely confused but Yasmin quickly unpacked it, connected it and made a test call. "The number's on the phone, Tammy, do you still have your secure laptop?"

"Yes, at home."

"Bring it down here and you can access the internal phone directory."

"So, what about my contract, as far as you know?"

"You're still on the books. Sorry, Suzie, but I've been told your case is different, for now at least."

With that, Yasmin was out of the door, taking all the packaging with her.

"Tammy, what does this all mean?"

"I don't know, sis, I really don't know."

The engineer decided at midday that he needed to be somewhere else but he'd be back the following morning to finish installation. The girls opted to head home for lunch, Suzie wanted some time to herself and Tammy needed to make a call.

Tammy opened the secure box that was in the bottom of a wardrobe and removed a small package, one that Marcus had left with her several weeks earlier. He hadn't explained to her at the time why she needed it but right now the military grade secure phone was essential. She had been careful not to alert this fact to her former colleagues at the Security Service, her parents or even her sister. Tammy took a seat in the recording studio behind Dunbankin' to make a call, after checking the space for bugs of course.

"That's some morning you had?"

"Definitely, Marcus, I really believe we were being played."

"I'd agree with you, Tammy, but who can you talk to?"

"Apart from you?"

"Strictly speaking you shouldn't tell these things to me, so who within the security service can you trust?"

"That's a biggie, I suppose John Smith has to be one person, he's head of Personnel Security."

""My guess is that he'll be onto you before long. Now, do you have any equipment at home that perhaps should be locked in the office?"

"Yes, and that's on my list for this afternoon."

"Okay, I just need you to be at the office at three, can you do that?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Speak later, bye Tammy."

Tammy loaded her secure laptop, and her camera bag into her car and all that was left in her secure box was her Glock 19 handbag weapon and her counter-surveillance tools. She had asked Zara to make a sandwich that she could take with her.

By two she was back in the office, the secure phone was already ringing as she let herself in.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Miss Smart? This is John Smith."

"Hello Sir, how can I help you?"

"I'm calling to apologise for any distress caused."

"Suzie needs the apologies, Sir, not me."

"I'll talk to your sister another time but you've done us a great service, Ms Reeves won't be employed for much longer, and may find herself in HMP Holloway very soon."

"I see, was she connected to True Freedom?"

"I shouldn't say much more, but there will be a press release later this evening."

"I see. Now, what about my status, and Suzie's?"

"You are on a sabbatical, I believe, and your suspension ended on Friday. You are not operational at the moment and I doubt if you'll be operational with us for a while, not until the summer."

"That's fine, Sir, and thank you for being honest with me."

"Not at all, Tammy. So far as Suzie is concerned, she was in the thick of it, albeit without realising it. There's a huge potential for damage but we have no evidence that Suzie handed over any information."

"So she was disciplined for something she might have done?"

"Indeed, because we can't be certain and neither can your sister."

"So is she going to get hauled into Parliament or the High Court to give evidence?"

"No, her identity will be protected and we'll offer the inquiries her redacted interview notes. Suzie needs to read, sign and return a few forms, that can be done by post and she can call me anytime she needs to."

"I see, is there anything else?"

"Congratulations on gaining your private pilot's licence."

"I don't have it in my hand yet."

"And when you do, I need a copy of the licence for your file."

"Understood."

Tammy put the handset down, she'd been used - again! She switched the kettle on then stowed the equipment away in the safe or the secure room, ready for whenever. By the time the kettle boiled, she was ready for her sandwich.

The intercom sounded just after 3pm.

"Package for Miss Smart."

Tammy secured the office door behind her then went down to the street. A black clad bike courier was holding an A4 envelope. "Sign here, love."

Tammy watched him leave before going back inside and letting herself into the secure room, only now did she open the package.

Inside were two sheets summarising an opportunity of detached duty, working for an outfit called Broadsword Logistics. The sheets were light on actual detail. such as what the work really was, or the hours, or locations, but Tammy was intrigued. One of her mobile phones rang.

"You've read it, Tammy?"

"Yes, Marcus, but what is it?"

"An offer, for you to join a very select group of people."

"But what's the work?"

"Whatever is needed, wherever and whenever."

"Officially I'll be on detached duty from the Security Service?"

"Yes."

"I can go back to the other lot after a year?"

"Yes, sooner if this doesn't suit you, but my guess is that you're on the point of walking away from it all."

"And after a year?"

"I think you'll sign for another term."

"But what, what is it, exactly?"

"You'll be an intern but with no defined role, is that a problem?"

"Perhaps, but does that make it completely deniable?"

"Yes, Tammy, under the most obscure of budgets. If anyone delves too deep, they'll find land reclamation or waste disposal."

"I guess I should read up on those, Marcus?"

"You should, we're putting together a number of teams that could prevent a terrorist attack by careful research, as well as pick up the pieces after an attack to work out who was responsible and prevent similar incidents."

"There are already agencies that do just that."

"But they operate under civilian rules, that restricts what they can do. We won't have all those restrictions."

"So we wouldn't aim to arrest a suspect and get them into court?"

"No, we either leave them for another agency or we deal with the suspect by other means."

"I see."

"Look, we need you for certain skills but there will be special forces personnel on every team as well as non-military specialists, Are you in?"

"When do I start?"

"We'd like to see you next month for a few days.

"Where?"

"I'll confirm nearer the time. I presume you'd like to fly?"

"It beats taking the train."

"Well, you can't fly into one of our bases, not yet anyway, so I'll make enquiries and suggest somewhere you can land nearby."

"Understood."

"Please shred the paperwork."

Tammy did as asked then checked everything was in order. She locked the office and went down to her car.

She hadn't found the panic button earlier but the daylight was failing as she docked her phone, suddenly a blue light appeared by her right knee, just under the dash. After a few seconds the light went out, but she now knew where to find it.

The fuel gauge was showing just under half a tank so she decided to go first to a filling station, but had to pull over for an ambulance on blue lights heading for the hospital. A few minutes later she was at the cashdesk at the Bridgend filling station handing over her debit card to settle the increasingly heavy bill for petrol, outside there was a racket as a low flying helicopter passed overhead.

Her phone rang as she pulled away.

"Tammy, where are you?"

"On my way home, Suzie."

"Oh, we just had a call, Tanya's gone into premature labour, they're taking her to Inverness."

"Where's John?"

"He was working in Inverness today so he's going straight to the hospital."

"Okay, do you think I should go there?"

"Not unless you're asked, Tammy. In any case, Angela's gone with her."

"Angela? Is she up to it?"

"Come on Tammy, did anyone ask you that after your surgery? I seem to recall some heavy physical exercise only a few weeks later?"

"Err, no."

"If you've forgotten, Angela is Tanya's birthing partner and has been following Tanya's pregnancy for her coursework."

"Is that still ongoing?"

"Tammy, this is your sister we're talking about, not a stranger."

"I've been distracted."

"Hey, you weren't accused of breaching national security and then publicly sacked!"

"You weren't named, Suzie."

"But everyone knew, everyone! Whilst you were distracted, I was being destroyed!"

Part   Three   "Sisters"

 
Thursday 6th April 2017
 

It was late on Wednesday night when Angela finally messaged everyone with the exciting news, but Tammy was fast asleep at the time so missed the social media frenzy that accompanies the arrival of a new life these days.

When she did comment on the birth of Jade Louise Hibbert, she was a long way down the list and wondered if that meant she didn't care? The problem was, she'd gone to bed early the previous evening and had ignored the various pings from her tablet. What didn't help was that Tanya and Tammy seemed to have drifted apart, she rarely spoke to John either. She decided she'd head down to the office early and suggested to Suzie she followed an hour or so later.

"Thanks, I will, Zara goes shopping on Thursdays so she'll drop me in town. Can we have a chat sometime about my hours, pay, pension, holidays and so on?"

"Yeah, I'll get my solicitor to draw up a contract, what's your feeling?"

"I'll do five days but not nine to five every day, how about eight to one including an hour for site visits?"

"So a thirty hour week?"

"Yes."

"Okay, it's a start. I'll check what your rights are and incorporate those into the contract."

"Cheers, Tammy."

In the first instance she'd actually ask her father's PA, Pru, to draw up a standard contract of employment then perhaps get one of the solicitors at Smith, Smith and Smith to check it. Now, how much to pay her?

The engineer was back by eight thirty to finish the job that should have taken one day, and was gone by ten after watching Tammy ride up and down to test the lift.

"Now, I've seen how you run up these stairs so you don't really need this!"

"No, but knowing my luck, the next customer through that door would; it's probably cheaper than a legal argument!"

She spent the rest of the mid morning arranging for contractors to paint and carpet a suite of offices she'd recently acquired. An electrician and plumber had been in over the past few days to check the systems out, with both advising only minor remedial work, which Tammy had pre-authorised. This was work that her sister could probably do, even with her eyes closed.

Suzie eventually arrived at eleven whilst Tammy was in the middle of a phone call and hissed when an empty coffee mug was waved in her direction. "Do it yourself!". Tammy, however, was still negotiating the days that her tame decorator was available.

"Look, I need it for next Monday?"

Suzie couldn't hear the other side of the call.

"Okay, Saturday and Sunday at time and a half, no more, and a bottle of malt if you finish the job to my satisfaction by five on Saturday."

Tammy put the phone down, satisfied. "I think I deserve that coffee, he told me he couldn't get in there before next Thursday so we'd lose a week. Now we can advertise it as available from Monday."

"What about the carpets?"

"He's coming Monday morning, we can take viewings from Monday lunchtime."

"So you booked the carpet fitter before the decorator?"

"Sometimes it works like that, Suzie, but a bottle of Scotch is worth it to get the earlier listing."

"Who'll pay for the Scotch?"

"I will, we can hardly put bribes through the books?"

"What if we call it entertainment, Tammy?"

"Somehow the tax man might disagree, but I'll order a half case from a local distillery so we can get a discount. Maybe I can be reimbursed through expenses."

"I don't remember doing it like this in accountancy school, or the agency?"

"Real life is always different to Government work."

"Do you still want that coffee?"

"Yep, please, Suzie."

"I heard from Angela just before I came down, Tanya had a normal birth so they're keeping her tonight and looking to discharge her tomorrow. Mother and baby are doing well, apparently."

"What about their wedding?"

"It seems they're not in a hurry now."

"But the babe has John's surname?"

"I think that shows commitment? When was the last time you actually talked to Tanya?"

"Umm, at New Year? Only seen her a few times since, in passing."

"So maybe, Tammy, you should speak to her before making assumptions? At one point you were like a sister to her!"

"I'll do that, do you think she'll be home tomorrow?"

"I doubt she'll want many visitors for a few days, and John has paternity leave so she won't be on her own at all. Drop her a text but don't try to interfere!"

"Okay, okay, where's that coffee?"

---

There hadn't been anything in that morning's paper about Claire Reeves but a quick look online brought up the story.

She showed Suzie the article.

"Tammy, are you sure this is about Claire Reeves?"

"Yes, a friend said she would be arrested. Unfortunately that also means we've been used as bait."

"Again?"

"Yep."

"So what now?"

"With the agency, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Look Suzie, you're out of the game right now but that might only be for a year or so, until True Freedom is flushed out of everywhere. If you went back now you'd still be tainted with the same stuff. In a year's time you can go back and they'll assume you were part of the sting."

"I didn't consider it that way?"

"No, you didn't, and it's only just becoming clear to me what's going on. If I was supposed to be out of the Service then would I still have my weapons, would we have a brand new secure phone?"

"So your position is secure?"

"I wouldn't claim that, intelligence is not a safe game to play, but I don't believe anyone senior in the Service is genuinely out to get me right now."

"So is this just the office for Smart Properties or perhaps another covert office for the Security Service? Estate agents and letting agents don't usually have a Glock and several hundred rounds of ammo in the safe?"

"No, it's a registered lettings agency and that's all we'll use it for. Mind you, I'll keep a few things here so they're not in the house anymore."

"Out of sight?"

"That's right, Dad thinks we're both out of the intelligence game."

"That's not completely true?"

"Maybe not, but he doesn't need to know that, neither does Mum, especially Mum."

"Won't he join the dots when he reads that article?"

"No, he wouldn't connect that woman with a terrorist group."

"Oh, okay. Here's your coffee, boss, but next time it's your turn!"

"Fair enough. What I don't understand is who the male is, the one in the article?"

"I have no idea, Suzie, and I don't think it's good to speculate. Why don't I go get us some lunch?"

"Sure, a cheese and onion roll? Maybe a cake?"

"Aren't you on a diet?"

"No, whatever gave you that idea?"

"You seemed to have a smaller portion at dinner last night."

"My appetite wasn't brilliant, so I asked Zara for a little less than normal."

"She got to you, Claire Reeves, didn't she?"

"Of course she did. Now, I am feeling a little hungry?"

"Sure, sis."

Tammy headed to Reids' Bakery, she didn't recognise the girl behind the counter but clearly the reverse wasn't true.

"You're Tammy?"

"Yes."

"I'm Kira, I have a commission to do a portrait of you but so far I've been working from photos. I wonder if you'd be willing to sit for me?"

"A painting? I've not heard anything about it."

"Oh, damn, I thought you knew? I'm so sorry."

"Well, who commissioned you?"

"The governing body at St Andrews, it's to hang outside the sixth form common room, I'm told. Oh, I really shouldn't say anything."

"If it's supposed to be a surprise, then I think you shouldn't have me sit?"

"I understand, but could I take a few photos? The ones I've been given are all from a year or two ago."

Tammy consented and was finally able to leave the bakery a few minutes later.

"What took you?" Asked Suzie.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe it."

"Try me?"

"Maybe later, after I've had a word with someone to confirm it's true."

Tammy suggested to Suzie that she walked around to one of their empty properties to make certain it was secure as there had been reports of trouble in that area overnight.

Tammy, meanwhile, unlocked the secure room and sat at the phone before calling John Smith.

"Ah, Miss Smart, I wondered if you would call?"

"I've sent Suzie out on an errand, I thought it was prudent to do so."

"It is, and thanks for telling me. On that subject, a large envelope will be on its way to your home marked for Suzie soon, there's a separate envelope marked for you."

"Is there anything to be concerned about?"

"No, but I hope it will help Suzie find some closure."

"Good, that woman hurt her."

"She was remanded to Holloway this morning."

"Thanks, now who is the guy who was also arrested?"

"You knew of him as Carl Templeton, not that he uses that name any more."

"I didn't think anything would stick?"

"Well, I can't tell you any more than that."

"Understood, thanks John."

"Anytime, Tammy."

She finished the call then checked her secure emails, but was interrupted by her personal mobile phone.

"Hi, there's a small pane of glass broken around the back of the premises, what do you want me to do?"

"Right Suzie, photograph it then call the glazing company, I'll text you the number. If you can, clean up any glass but don't take any risks."

"Okay, I had wondered if you just wanted me out of the way and if this was a fool's errand?"

"Not at all, there was some chatter on Facebook about broken windows so I wanted to make sure. I'll get that number to you."

"Do I have to wait here?"

"They should be with you in fifteen or twenty minutes, based on past performance, and might need access to the window from the inside."

"Fair enough."

Tammy ended the call and sent her sister the number, the broken window was a pain but at least Suzie was taking this seriously. She went back to her laptop but the link had timed out, she had to sign in again. A new email had arrived:

From: John Smith
To: Tamara Smart
Date: Thursday 6th April 2017 13:45
 
Tammy,
 
As you still have your laptop we've decided to send you the documents by email as time-frames have changed, both you and Suzie need to submit security questionnaires by next Monday. There's supporting documents and you both need to print, sign and return the declarations. Apart from the declarations, none of this is protectively marked until completed.
 
Sorry for the changes, but things have moved forward.
 
Regards, John

Tammy printed off the necessary items and forwarded the questionnaire link to Suzie's personal email. Why was Suzie being vetted? Why was Tammy herself being asked to go through the vetting process again? She tried to recall the last time, it had been almost a year earlier, but on that occasion everyone in Finance had been told to submit a new security questionnaire, completed online. That would have included Suzie, but still didn't answer why she had to do one now. Her mobile rang.

"I've got the glazier coming just after two, now what's this email?"

"Not over the phone Suzie."

"Yeah, I didn't think I had to do that anymore?"

"Look, we'll talk later."

Tammy wrote an email to Pru and asked her to draft a contract for Suzie as office manager, then gave her father a call.

"What do you know about a portrait?"

"Oh, hadn't I mentioned it?"

"Come on Dad, you know you haven't said a word."

"It's a surprise, at least it was."

"Well?"

"We have some new parent governors, mostly parents of sixth-form daughters, and they thought it was appropriate to hang a painting of the first Head Girl. I declared an interest and didn't take part in the discussion."

"Let me guess, Cathy raised it?"

"No, but she supported it and offered to use some of Elsie's legacy to pay for it."

"So did I get a choice?"

"Not really, it should be ready for the upper sixth's leaving day, we're planning an open day for the day before that."

"Date?"

"Thursday 28th June, a couple of months away!"

"But when were you going to tell me?"

"Probably about the time I told your mum?"

"Oh."

"You aren't the last to know!"

"Fair enough, do I get final approval?"

"Sorry, no. Anyway, how did you find out?"

"My training came in useful."

"I see. There's some mail for you, by the way."

"Thanks."

Suzie returned at three, carrying an invoice. "Thirty quid for boarding it up?"

"Yeah, sounds right, when can they fit a replacement pane?"

"Monday morning."

"Oh well, that'll be another forty or fifty quid no doubt."

"Is there a cheaper firm?"

"Yes, in Inverness, but they charge for the two hours it takes to get here. I'll only use them for large windows as they keep that size in stock, the local firm has to order it in."

"Okay, now what's this questionnaire?"

"My guess it's because I have equipment here?"

"What if I fail the vetting?"

"Don't you think John Smith would have said something by now?"

"True, Tammy, I really don't understand what they're doing?"

"Just sit down with the questionnaire when you get home and submit it as soon as you can. I have some paperwork too."

Tammy showed Suzie the sheet, it was a standard Official Secrets Act signing form, reminding the named individual that the act still applied even though their employment had ended. Suzie read and signed, Tammy double enveloped it. "Give it to Pru, she'll take it to the Post Office tomorrow."

"I'll do it now, then it's done and out of the way."

Suzie took her purse, in her mind she shouldn't use the company's petty cash for the postage. Tammy didn't agree with the argument but Suzie was an accountant by training.

Tammy's tablet pinged, it was full of notifications. The most important one was a draft contract for Suzie, there was an explanatory message:

From: Pru Campbell
To: Tammy Smart
Date: Thursday 6th April 2017 15:15
 
Hi Tammy, here's the one I used for Zara. Just insert the relevant bits but I've included what you told me. One thing to note, today is the start of the new tax year, so starting the contract today is fine but please don't backdate it unless you're prepared to sort out the tax and National Insurance yourself! Don't forget Suzie had a lump sum payment in the past few months, but that was within the last tax year.
 
Pru

Tax? Tammy knew very little about how that worked but Pru had been managing the Smart family accounts for about three years and that included arranging all the pay and tax affairs for the staff so her advice was important. Tammy decided to pay Suzie the same rate as Pru, which was a generous salary, pro rata for the hours Suzie wanted to do. There was also four weeks paid holiday a year, plus contributions to the Smart Pension Plan. Tammy suspected Suzie had invested some of her Security Service pay-off although a recent purchase had been made possible because of the lump sum payment.

Suzie was back ten minutes later. "There was a queue. Oh, I had a call, my moped arrives tomorrow but they couldn't give me a time so I need to be at home."

"Employed for one day and you ask for time off?!"

"Eh?"

Tammy showed her sister the annotated contract and explained Pru's advice, they agreed the terms so Tammy printed a finalised version. "Sign here! You can work on that questionnaire while you're waiting for the delivery, but don't let the folks see it!"

"Mum will be at work and Dad has a meeting tomorrow morning, like every Friday."

They spent an hour going through the diary for the next few weeks, including who would cover the Easter weekend and allocated scheduled work between them, Tammy made certain Suzie had all the relevant phone numbers programmed in her own phone.

"Good, I think we can shut for the day."

Tammy's mail, when she picked it up, included her Private Pilot Licence, she scanned it and sent it to her personal email address; she hadn't been in the air since the flight test and needed to make time.

She finally had time to check her notifications, Angela was on her way home, by train, and would be in for dinner. Tammy resolved to spend more time with her sisters; she hadn't been the best sibling for Angela and perhaps she could have supported Suzie more? If she followed this through and did better, she thought, then the future was looking good for the three Smart sisters.

Part   Four   "Grounded"

 
Saturday 8th April 2017
 

Tammy had been in the air for half an hour when she declared an emergency and brought her plane back to Wick. She got down safely and taxied back to the Smart aviation hanger. Jim was waiting.

"What went wrong?"

"It didn't feel right, the engine was losing power then, ten seconds later, came back to full. After the second time this happened I called the tower and said I was coming back in, I reckon I barely made it."

"You're right to do so, let's get it inside and I'll have the fitter take a look."

Within an hour they were on the phone to the manufacturer, not receiving the answers they wanted.

"I'm sorry Miss Smart but we have no record of you nor of the engine or chassis numbers. In fact we only have a few prototype aircraft of that model at the moment."

"So what do I have?"

"It's clearly a fake, I'm sorry."

"Is there anything you can do?"

"I'm afraid it's a matter for your authorities now, but thank you for informing us."

Tammy had the call on speaker so Jim could hear both sides. "Well, Tammy, I'm sorry. We used a broker in Belgium for the transaction and all of the paperwork tallied."

"I suppose we need to inform the CAA straight away?"

"Correct. I'm truly sorry, Tammy, I should have been more thorough when buying the plane. I've let you down."

"Let's not play what-ifs. Perhaps we could hold off the calls for a few hours? I want to get some equipment from home before anyone else gets their hands on my plane."

"It won't be going anywhere, neither will I."

Tammy drove home to retrieve the bug detector from her secure box. She was on the way out of the door only a few minutes after arrival but was delayed by her father who queried what she was doing home. Thirty minutes later she pulled back into Wick Airport, parking by the hanger.

"I've done some digging, Tammy, the original engine number has been ground off and that's a new plate. Fortunately there's another number underneath that hadn't been touched. The engine goes down to a stolen plane, a very similar design to the Sonaca aircraft shown on their website."

"So a fake and stolen!"

"Yes."

"Well, let's check it anyway."

"Be quick, we need to inform the authorities."

Tammy ran her bug detector through the plane, finding a small GPS beacon under one of the floor panels.

"As it's operational, my guess is that it was fitted just before we took delivery?"

"I agree, Tammy. The plane was reported stolen in the Netherlands in January and obviously had some cosmetic work done. I guess the price was too attractive."

"Well, it looks like I need a new plane, what can we do about this one?"

"I'll inform the CAA and your insurer. Did you leave that beacon in place?"

"Yes."

"You'd best inform your friends too."

Tammy wasn't certain what he had meant by the last comment but she felt obliged to make a call. Sat in her car she docked her phone then pressed the emergency button.

"Security Unit."

"Hello, this is Tammy Smart, could you ask John Smith to call my office in an hour"

"Certainly, Miss Smart, I take it that this can't wait until Monday?"

"Given that a fan is spinning, and there's potentially cow pats in the air, no."

"Understood."

She closed the call and, as a precaution, switched off that phone. Her new secure phone was also in her bag so she switched it on and called Marcus.

"Tammy, dear, what's up?"

"I haven't said there's an issue, not yet?"

"But you never call to make small-talk and, right now, I can detect tension in your voice?"

"Indeed, looks like my plane is stolen, then refurbished and re-badged to make it look new."

"I see, are all the usual authorities being informed?"

"Yes, playing this one by the book."

"Good, who actually owns it?"

"Smart Aviation, they bought it for me and were due to transfer it to me once I had my paper licence."

"So it's not in your name yet?"

"No, the registration is still with the company and would have been transferred to me next week probably."

"Good, that takes your name out of the equation, mostly that is. Who sold it to you?"

Tammy gave him the name of the broker in Belgium.

"Leave that with me, I'll make some enquiries."

"Thanks, Marcus."

Tammy walked back into the hanger and Jim's face was rather grey.

"These power drops, Tammy, it looks like they were designed to happen."

"Oh."

"There's also a connection from the GPS beacon to the engine management unit, that needs checking."

"Okay, don't touch any more, I need to get to my office. Make sure the hanger is locked up tight and expect visitors tomorrow."

"Understood."

Tammy drove to her office and settled into the secure room with a coffee, it wasn't long before the phone rang.

"What's the emergency, Miss Smart?"

"Sorry John, it seems my aircraft is stolen and may have been modified in a way that would endanger my life." She explained what they'd discovered.

"I see, I'll speak to the Met Police and we'll get an aviation investigator up to you, where is the plane?"

"In our hanger at Wick Airport."

"Who has access?"

"Apart from myself, Jim Surtees the fleet manager, the pilots and the fitters. My father does too, as Chairman of the company."

"Do you trust them?"

"Definitely, most have been with the company for ten years, the newest fitter has been there for five years."

"Okay, leave it with me and you were right to call."

"Cheers, John."

Before she left the office, Tammy called her father and brought him up to date.

"They were out to kill you! I'm going over there!"

"No, Dad, we're handling it. Jim knows what he's doing and I have other agencies involved. Best keep a low profile for now."

"I didn't think you had anything to do with them now?"

"I still have contacts and this may relate to something I've done."

"Seriously, Tammy, what did you become involved in?"

"Look, now is not the time to go over the past few years, but you know much of it anyway. I need to get back to the airport, before anyone turns up and upsets Jim."

Tammy locked up and jumped back in her car for the run back to Wick, stopping at Tesco for some sandwiches and fresh milk.

"I guess we're not going home for lunch?"

"No Jim, let's sit and wait for everyone to get to work."

It was an hour before the first police car arrived and a young PC entered the hanger firstly ignored Tammy, then asked Jim if he was in charge?

"I suggest you ask Miss Smart who owns Smart Aviation."

"Ah, sorry, Miss. I'm not entirely certain why I was asked to guard an aircraft?"

"Where did the order come from?"

"From Ops, beyond that I don't know."

"Well, draw up a chair, I think it's time to put the kettle back on."

An hour later Jim took a call from the Civil Aviation Authority investigation unit and briefed them with what he knew.

"What did the CAA say, Jim?"

"That the RAF have been asked to assist and they won't be coming here themselves."

"Did they say any more?"

"No, most unusual."

"Indeed."

At three there was a call from the tower to say a military aircraft was inbound. Ten minutes later a Hercules touched down and taxied to the Smart Hanger.

"Miss Smart?"

"Yes."

"I'm Squadron Leader Harry Palmer, pleased to meet you."

"Right, what's your plan?"

"We are removing your aircraft to Farnborough for examination, but it's a short hop back to Lossiemouth tonight though."

"I see."

"I have a small team with me but I'd appreciate if your fitters could assist to expedite matters. We need to get it inside the C130 and I'd like to be airborne by 1700."

"Sure!"

Jim took Tammy aside. "Who ordered the military?"

"My friends, probably, my guess is that they're treating this as an attempted assassination."

"What I don't understand is why you didn't have any problems before today?"

"It was the first time I took the plane North towards Shetland, beyond that I don't know."

"Oh."

"Now, Jim, do you think you could find me a plane? I need something that will take me to London on a single tank?"

"New?"

"One or two years old with a verifiable history?"

"A two seater?"

"Yes."

"Leave it with me."

It took until nearly five for the fitter and the RAF team to take the wings off the plane then wheel it into the fuselage of the Hercules, aided by a tug.

Tammy signed over the aircraft and waited until the RAF plane had lifted into the darkening sky before making her own departure. She was almost home when her secure phone rang, Tammy pulled off the road.

"Hello?"

"It's Marcus, I have some information for you."

"Okay."

"The Belgian company had a large injection of cash in January and took on a consultant, one Penny Lane."

"Damn, Penny Lavoska!"

"The same."

"Thing is, how did she know I'd need a plane?"

"I can't answer that for you."

"But I think I have an idea. Thanks for the update Marcus, my plane's gone to RAF Farnborough."

"To be pulled apart, no doubt!"

"The wings are already off."

"Of course. Be careful Tammy, Miss Lavoska will likely have a back-up plan and has almost certainly moved on."

 
Sunday 9th April 2017
 

"What are you planning today?"

"Not much, James, and when did you get back?"

"Yesterday teatime, Tammy. Did you miss me?"

"I've been a bit busy."

"I thought you'd have been enjoying yourself?"

"I have a business to run!"

"How about lunch?"

"Sure, where?"

"Italian?"

"Okay, I'll pick you up at one."

"I can walk, I'm in my office."

"On a Sunday?"

"I didn't get much done yesterday but I'm only planning on being here until lunchtime."

"Okay, Tammy, I'll see you at one."

She put her phone down and connected it to the charger, she might need it later. James' call had been a bit of distraction as she had that day's Sunday Standard newspaper open, and Tammy didn't know what to do. A very small article queried what a Hercules had been doing at Wick Airport and was offering money for information. Although she knew she had shares in a newspaper group, this particular paper wasn't one she could put pressure on. The office secure phone broke interrupted her thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Miss Smart, it's John Smith."

"Oh, hi."

"Our press team have picked up on a story in one of the Sunday papers."

"I have a copy of it in front of me."

"Well, the paper's website has further information, someone took video of your operation yesterday and you are very recognisable."

"Bugger! There wasn't a sole near the hanger apart from my team and the RAF guys, plus the copper."

"Did you get the officer's number?"

"No, but my car was next to the hanger so my dashcam should have some images."

"Can you get those to me, as a matter of urgency?"

"I'll try, but Yasmin didn't show me how to download from the device."

"I'm sure you'll work it out, bye Tammy."

"Err, bye."

It was easier than Tammy had imagined and she returned to the office a few minutes later with the SD card. A short while later she had isolated the relevant frames and sent these to John Smith.

She had an anxious wait whilst the laptop had transferred the files, meanwhile the clock was edging past midday. She put the kettle on for a cup of tea and was about to pour the water when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"It's John, I've gone through the first few images and it looks like the officer shot the video."

"Damn, who can we trust these days?"

"I doubt he was given a suitable briefing but I've sent a message to Police Scotland as, regardless of his excuse, it looks like a case of gross misconduct."

"Can we get the story taken down?"

"That's a bit more difficult, we'll see if the local Police can handle it."

"In the meantime, I'll be named."

"Probably."

"Great. I'm told that the Sunday Standard has a reputation for dishing the dirt and sorting it out in court later."

"That's one of the risks when you have a free press."

"Thanks John, very reassuring." Tammy could hear a mobile ringing. "Sorry, got another call."

Tammy grabbed her personal mobile phone. "Yes, Dad?"

"The press have turned up here, a female reporter."

"Already?"

"You knew?"

"It looks like a copper sold some video to the Standard yesterday and my face was in it."

"Damn, where are you?"

"In the office. What have you said to the reporter?"

"I've sent her away, don't be surprised if your office is their next call."

"Okay, Dad."

She kept an eye on the door entry camera but was still caught off guard when the door buzzer sounded. A glance told her it was James, she pushed the external door release but closed the secure room door before he reached the top of the stairs.

"Have you checked Facebook?"

"Not since breakfast time."

"What's all this about your plane?"

"My plane, James?"

"Yes, Tammy, don't play games with me." He showed her a photo of herself looking on as the fuselage of her plane was being loaded.

"I had a problem with it."

"And called the RAF?"

"Actually no, but the CAA asked for their help."

"That's not the story I heard."

"Really?"

Tammy's secure mobile decided to ring. "Yes, Marcus?"

"I've dug a little deeper, It's a bit of a mess Tammy!"

"No kidding! I'm stuck for ideas, Marcus."

"We'll see what we can do from here."

"Okay, thanks."

She hit the button to end the call.

"Marcus? Who's he?"

"A friend, James, a professional friend."

The office phone rang next.

"Smart Properties."

"Is that Miss Tamara Smart?"

"Speaking."

"This is Abi from the Sunday Standard, I'd like to ask you a few questions about your plane."

"No comment!"

Tammy hung up.

"Damn, James, now they know I'm here."

"I'm sorry Tammy, but if they're on their way then I have no wish to be seen in a newspaper. Call me when, or if, you get your life back in order."

He left without giving her a kiss, her lunch date cancelled. Worst than that, she had run out of biscuits and it looked like she might be staying in the office longer than planned when the buzzer sounded.

The doorcam showed a girl in her early twenties, a large satchel was hanging from her shoulder. The buzzer sounded again, Tammy relented and answered it.

"Smart Properties, can I help you."

"Miss Smart, I'd like to ask you some questions."

"And I'm not answering anything until I'm told I can."

"Who by?"

"No, Abi, no further comment."

"We pay for stories."

"I'm afraid there isn't a story here, goodbye!"

She put the handset back in the cradle and ignored the buzzer, followed by the office phone. Her personal mobile could just be heard above the cacophony.

"Yes Jim?"

"The press turned up at the airport gate, security wouldn't let them in."

"Okay, I just had a reporter here."

"Oh? The Police turned up just after the reporter and they want to speak to everyone about yesterday afternoon."

"When?"

"As soon as possible, including you."

"Great!"

"Don't shoot the messenger, Tammy!"

"Do you know who the Police officers are?"

"The older one says he knows you, he's in uniform, and there's a young one in a suit with him."

"Damn, another kiddie who thinks he knows the ruddy law!"

"Come on Tammy, give them a chance - not that I know why they're here?"

"Have you seen today's papers?"

"Only the Sunday Mail."

"Oh well, I'll grab some lunch on the way over."

Tammy locked up and set off in her car for Wick airport. She stopped at the Tesco store for food and was checking through the sandwich fridge when there was a noise behind her. She ignored it and took her lunch to a self-service checkout.

"I told you, it's her!"

Tammy continued to ignore the commotion that was starting and just managed to pay for her food when a store security guard arrived.

"I'm sorry Miss, but you're causing a disturbance."

"I haven't said a word to anyone."

"You have to leave."

Her food was in her arms. "Have you paid for that?"

"Yes, I bloody well have."

A small crowd was now observing her and Tammy sensed this wasn't going to end well.

"Will you excuse me, I have an appointment to keep."

"I'd like to see your receipt for these items."

"It's in my purse!"

"If you would come to the manager's office?"

"I'd like to leave the store."

"If you do that, we'll have to call the police."

"For what? I haven't done anything."

"Then I'm sure someone who owns a plane should be able to afford a sandwich?"

"Get me the manager!"

Part   Five   "Reconciliation"

 
Sunday 9th April 2017 (Continued)
 

Tammy felt humiliated when she left the store, albeit via a staff exit to avoid the baying crowd. She made it to her car safely without being spotted by anyone and drove out as quickly as she could. The duty manager had promised to deal with the issue, although Tammy had doubts that anyone would be disciplined.

She showed her airside pass to the security guard and drove into the airport before turning left towards the Smart Aviation hanger. A few vehicles were already parked there, including her father's Range Rover.

"What took you?"

"A problem at Tesco. I was accused of being a shoplifter!"

"I hope you kept your temper?"

"What are you suggesting, Dad? I was civil throughout but if I see that security bod again I'll wring his neck!"

"That sounds like a threat, Tammy," suggested Iain Davison who had just emerged from the hanger.

"It would have been well deserved, Iain. What drags you here?"

"You did, dragging me from home on a Sunday again! DC Lomax is interviewing Mr Surtees at the moment and you're next."

"I still don't know why you were here though?"

"Why don't we go find a quiet corner inside?"

Tammy followed Chief Inspector Davison into the hanger, they both grabbed a coffee from the tiny kitchen then walked to the far side, away from anyone else.

"So what just happened in Tesco?"

Tammy recounted the event.

"So they just started having recognised you in the Sunday Standard?"

"Presumably? The article didn't paint me in a very good light, something about wasting RAF resources for a faulty plane."

"The press do have a habit of jumping to the worst conclusion when they only have half the story, that's a fact of life. The Sunday Standard does take it to a new level though."

"But now another journalist is sniffing around, so will I be in the Scotsman tomorrow, Iain?"

"I can ask our press office to put out a release, stating that an investigation is ongoing and that you aren't a suspect."

"So my name appears again?"

"They probably won't print anything, it'll be a non-story, Tammy."

"Fair enough."

"Now, what about the Tesco security guard?"

"He definitely had a issue with me, I think his aim was to humiliate me."

"Did you get his name?"

"His badge said 'Stephen', no surname."

"Okay."

Tammy needed to change the subject, "Iain, is DC Lomax cleared, just how much can I tell him?"

"Leave out any references to Government agencies, but give as much detail as possible. He's based in Aberdeen so has no prior knowledge of you or your family."

"Was that deliberate?"

"Very much so, especially as we may also be dealing with a case of gross misconduct."

"I guess that's connected to the PC who was here yesterday?"

"Correct, he was suspended a few hours ago and sent home pending interview."

A suited man approached, a Police Scotland ID was hanging from his neck. "Miss Smart?"

"Yes."

"Will you come with me, please."

They used Jim's office.

"If you don't mind, Miss Smart, I'm going to record this interview but you are not under caution and can leave at any time."

"Fine, if you don't mind then I'll make a recording of my own, I take it you'll supply me with a transcript?"

"Yes, if that's what you want."

"My solicitor will be informed about this tomorrow, they'll want to know what's been said."

"I've been told to mark the interview as 'Restricted', that will limit the number of people who can see it."

"My solicitor is cleared for most matters concerning my activities."

"Okay, Miss Smart, shall we begin?"

The beginning, for DC Lomax was the purchase of the plane, although he took an opportunity to ask a relevant question.

"Why did you need a plane?"

"It was suggested I should learn to fly, and a pretty simple idea as I have a substantial share holding in Smart Aviation."

"Do you intend to become a commercial pilot?"

"No, it's just a means to get around. I frequently need to visit places in England, Cornwall and London for example, flying saves many many hours."

"What is your work?"

"I have my own property business, and I'm studying at the local university."

The interview turned towards how Tammy realised there was a problem with the plane.

"The engine shouldn't have cut out like that, given that I was over water it wasn't a good situation to be in."

"So you declared an emergency?"

"Yes, and the tower gave me priority to bring the plane in."

"Was it a normal landing?"

"It was, and that added to the evidence that something was really wrong."

"Miss Smart, I've been told that you ran a bug detector over the plane?"

"It's an RF detector really, and it easily identified the GPS beacon, the rest of the avionics were switched off at the time."

"You already knew the plane was stolen, but you tampered with the evidence?"

"I left it in place, untouched, but I needed to know what was going on. Once I found the beacon, Jim identified the link to the engine management unit and that points to this being an attempt on my life. I can let the CAA investigate the rest."

"You seem quite calm, despite nearly having an accident?"

"Firstly it wouldn't have been an accident, as I just said this was an attempt on my life."

"Why do you say that, Miss Smart?"

"The plane had been modified to cut the engine, that's no accident."

"Why did you suggest it was an attempt on your life? Anyone could have bought that plane?"

"No, I believe this plane was sold to Smart Aviation purposely."

"But why would you believe anyone would try to kill you?"

"Because I've lost count of the number of attempts on my life, on the lives of my family and friends too."

"Really Miss Smart?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid that's off-limits."

DC Lomax shuffled his notes.

"Who decided the RAF should collect the plane?"

"I presume it was the CAA."

"They said the request was from the Counter Terrorism Unit in London."

"Fair enough."

"I see, have they been in contact with you?"

"Not recently."

"So you have been in contact with them?"

"Not recently but that's also off-limits, sorry."

DC Lomax finally asked Tammy about the PC who had arrived the previous day and that morning's press coverage, leading to the incident in Tesco.

"Do you believe that your experience in Tesco is linked to this?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't believe in circumstance."

"Thank you Miss Smart."

He stopped his recorder, Tammy left her's running a little longer.

"DC Lomax, my guess is that you looked me up on your systems before coming here?"

"I did, and I didn't learn a great deal."

"Good."

"Why do you say that?"

"Knowledge can be dangerous in the wrong hands, A few police officers have accessed my records in the past and used that information to attack me, or those close to me. That's why my records are restricted."

"I didn't know."

"You didn't when you arrived here, but I have decided that you needed to know just enough so you don't go digging when you get back to your office."

Tammy switched off her recorder and put it away in her bag. She walked out of the office just as Iain Davison was entering the hanger.

"I have an answer for you, Tammy, about Tesco."

"Yes?"

"The security guard is the the brother of the PC who was here yesterday."

"I knew there was a connection!"

"We've taken him to Inverness to be interviewed."

"Okay, who'll do the interview?"

"Undecided, but I might hang onto DC Lomax for a while longer."

"He asked a few awkward questions."

"I'll see the transcript first so leave that with me."

"Thanks Iain."

Iain returned to his vehicle and DC Lomax joined him, having concluded his interviews. Richard Smart was stood with Jim Surtees and the pair beckoned Tammy over.

"How about we pack up for the day, Tammy?"

"Sure, are the press still near the gate?"

"No, but you can't let the press dictate what you do."

"Okay Dad."

"I suggested that we could have dinner a little earlier than normal tonight, I don't think you had time for lunch?"

"My appetite went for a walk, it's still in the car and can go straight into the bin."

"Keep the receipt, you can get a refund."

"I really don't want to go in there for a while, plus it was under a fiver."

"The amount is irrelevant, but let's get home."

"Sure Dad, bye Jim."

 
Monday 10th April 2017
 

Tammy was back in her office by half seven, anxious to get some work done before the flak started flying again. Coffee had to come first, however, and no emergency would change that. Whilst the kettle was boiling she nipped to the nearest shop to get some newspapers plus something to accompany her coffee.

She was back a few minutes later and finished making her drink but she also now had a packet of Hobnobs biscuits to open.

Suitably refreshed she scanned through the Scotsman looking for any story about herself or her plane, although she found nothing so put it aside to read through at a more leisurely pace. She'd also picked up a copy of the Scottish Sun for the same purpose, although this went into the recycling bin as soon as she'd finished checking the pages.

She then looked for the original story on the Scottish Standard's website but that couldn't be found, Tammy forced a smile, were they winning?

Although it was rarely used, the office fax machine burst into life, she grabbed the printed sheet when it was spat out.

She was holding the fax, trying to make sense of it when Suzie arrived in the office.

"Any chance of a cup of ... oh, what's that?"

"I just received it, Suzie, I don't know."

"Did you check the log, to see what number it came from?"

"Not yet. There's some text at the bottom though - 'Sent via email2fax gateway id 7f6d5530e' whatever that means."

"What are you going to do, Tammy?"

"I need to speak to Iain or DC Lomax, could you put the kettle on?"

Tammy couldn't reach either Police officer but was instructed to put the sheet in an envelope and to wait for an officer to collect it. First, though, she scanned it into her secure laptop.

"Why are you doing that, Tammy, that's a work laptop isn't it?"

"It is, I'm still on the books Suzie."

"But I thought ..."

"That I had finished? Not yet, not quite yet."

"Then what?"

"I don't know, and I don't know if I can say anything."

"I'm your sister!"

"Who should understand the concept of 'need to know' better than most peeps?"

"I suppose so."

"Look, I'm being honest when I don't know what I'll be doing, but I still have a business to run here and a university course to finish."

"Oh."

"Of course, it doesn't help if there's attempts on my life, like this weekend. Too many of those and I won't get any more work."

"Seriously? Mum said it was a fault in the plane?"

"That was Dad keeping her from freaking out."

"Nothing was said at dinner last night, Tammy?"

"No, that was deliberate. I had to endure a police interview yesterday - ah! I need to make a call."

"We're low on milk, I'll go get some."

"Thanks, Suzie."

Tammy called her solicitor, Jeremiah Smith.

"How can I help you Miss Smart?"

"I was interviewed by the police yesterday after an attempt on my life."

"I see, did you ask for representation as there wasn't an entry in the weekend log?"

"It wasn't under caution and I will have the transcript checked."

"Even so, that was a little foolhardy?"

"Perhaps, but it was sprung on me."

"Even more reason for representation?"

"I took a recording of my own, if you'd like to hear it?"

"Yes please, you said it related to an attempt on your life?"

"All the salient details are in the recording. I've also had a threatening fax today."

"Any chance of a simple argument with a neighbour, Miss Smart, that's what our normal clients call about!"

"I'm not normal, Mr Smith, not in any sense! I'll email the audio to you, along with a brief explanation. The police are handling the fax."

"That will do for now, thank you, although I feel we may need to meet?"

"If I can spare the time?"

Tammy had just sent the email when Suzie returned, a young PC was in tow.

"Tammy, I found PC Reith outside."

"Good, do you have an evidence bag?"

"Er, yes, Miss Smart."

Tammy picked up the fax and dropped it into the waiting bag.

"I don't think that was wise, handling it without gloves? We'll have to take your fingerprints to establish who else handled it."

"PC Reith, this arrived by fax and not by post."

"And?"

"Have you ever used a fax machine?"

"No."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"Ah, a millennial, explains everything."

"If that's all?"

"Yes, thank you PC Reith."

Tammy settled down to clear some work whilst she sent Suzie out to inspect a recently vacated property.

"I've just got back in, and it's not warm out there!"

"I need to be here, Suzie, but the place is all yours when I'm back at university next week."

"Great, double the work!"

"Hey, I'm paying you to be here!"

"I haven't had any pay yet, though."

"The payroll is done next week, when Pru processes all the other staffs' pay."

"Yeah."

"I thought you were still getting your money from the agency?"

"That's not the point."

"It's tax free as well, isn't it?"

"Yeah, even so?"

"I'm not out to enslave you, Suzie, but I really do need to know if there's any cleaning needed in that office and flat?"

"Okay, okay."

Tammy tidied up the office and put away her secure laptop, it probably wouldn't be needed again today. She did a reconciliation between the company bank account and the extant clients payments. She spotted that a final payment hadn't gone through yet, although it was only a few days overdue. Otherwise it all looked good.

She was feeling pleased with herself when her mobile rang.

"Hi Suzie, all okay?"

"I'm at the property. I think you should get down here, bring a camera."

"Is everything okay?"

"You need to get down here, Tammy, just get here! I'm scared!"

Part   Six   "Fatherly Advice"

 
Monday 10th April 2017 (Continued)
 

Tammy decided to leave her car outside the office and walked to where Suzie was waiting. She found her sister stood outside, beside her new moped.

"You rode around here?"

"Yes, I'm getting used to it! I've only had it since Friday! Anyway, Tammy, this gives me the creeps." Suzie opened the office door and left Tammy to enter.

"Oh!"

"Quite, what the hell is this all about?"

A pin board was covered in photos of Tammy, taken near her office, in the town, at home, at the airfield and outside Tesco. There were also newspaper clippings, some of which referred to terrorist events in London over the previous two years. There was a faint smell of chlorine in the air.

"Shit!"

Tammy backed out.

"Aren't you going to search the premises?"

"No, Suzie, we need help and I'm not certain the local police are equipped to deal with this."

"But?"

"Leave that with me, can you get back to the office and bring me a spare door lock and the small toolkit? I'm going to secure the door as it could be a few days before help arrives."

"I still think the Police would be better?"

"And what would they do? I'd have to brief them on every potential stalker, anyone with a grudge, potentially compromising ongoing cases. Apart from that, we know that the police force leaks information, and I want to keep a lid on this. What do you think mum would say?"

"Yeah, I see."

"Scoot, I'll take some photos. Oh, can you find the file for this lease?"

"Sure, do you want it here?"

"No, just leave it on my desk."

Tammy waited for Suzie to leave, suitably helmeted, before pulling her secure mobile out of her bag.

"Marcus?"

"I only have a minute Tammy, I hope this is urgent?"

"One of my properties had been rented for a few months and we'd come here to check it. What we found was that a wall was covered with photos of me."

"It couldn't be a fan?"

"Please be serious, this freaked my sister."

"Have you informed the police?"

"No, that would complicate things."

"Understood, what is the property?"

"Ground floor office and a flat above that, both were rented. It's number twelve Fore Street in Thurso."

"Okay, lock it up and I'll get a forensic examiner to you."

"Thanks."

"Take precautions, Tammy."

"Will do."

She took her camera and quickly photographed the interior, without stepping inside the office. Fortunately the windows were covered with heavy netting and nothing could be seen from the outside.

Suzie was back ten minutes later.

"I met the glazier, he's finished replacing the broken window on the place I visited last week."

"Did you pay him?"

"I couldn't find the company cheque book, not that I think I'm on the account yet?"

"Sorry, I'll get around to it. Do you have the things I asked for?"

Tammy replaced the lock and tested the door, only taking five minutes to complete the job.

"When did you learn to do that?"

"Years ago, when I occasionally spent time in North London, Dad had me help him with odd jobs."

"Oh, I was never shown."

"I'll show you again, next time I change a lock, you'll need to be able to do this on your own."

"I hope I get extra for that?"

"I hope you're joking, Suzie? Here, take the tools and the old lock back with you?"

"Now I'm a ruddy donkey!"

"Better than being an ass!"

As she walked back to her office, Tammy received a text from Marcus:

So, Tammy thought, a Dr Webster was arriving in two days and she'd been appointed as taxi driver. She sent an acknowledgement.

Back at the office she opened the file on their Fore Street property. It had been a three month lease by a research team, monitoring whale activity in North East Scotland. The contact had been a Dr John Ritchie, she tried his mobile but it was disconnected. an email bounced and their website no longer existed.

"Damn."

Suzie was still in the office as Tammy opened the safe and took her Glock 29 out, plus a spare clip. Both went into her bag.

"Woah! What the hell are you doing, Tammy?"

"Protecting myself, Suzie, I think I know what's going on."

"What's that?"

"We've had Penny Lavoska on our bloody doorstep for the past three months!"

"Lavoska, I though she was in prison? She tried to kidnap me."

"That was her sister, Paula."

"Well, you're not doing anything to make me feel safer?"

"Just be careful, we have no idea where she's gone."

"We had no idea she was here in the first place!"

"Come on Tammy, you're guessing. What evidence do you have that Penny was here?"

"Err, yeah, none."

"That's it. Until we have some real evidence we can't jump to any conclusions."

"You're right, Suzie."

"I thought you had training as an analyst? You shouldn't have made that assumption."

"I guess I'm a bit stressed."

"That's understandable but I still don't know what happened at the weekend?"

"Sorry, Dad and I didn't want to scare Mum."

"Understandable, but I think I need to know."

"Okay, why don't you listen to the police interview - almost everything's in there." Tammy reached for the recorder that was still on her desk. "Do you have some earphones with you? I don't feel like listening to it again."

Tammy sat at her computer and transferred the high-res photos from her camera as she wrote up that morning's events. Across the office she could see Suzie's facial expressions as she listened to the interview, realising how dangerous Tammy's life was.

Suzie gave no reaction when she'd finished listening, and digesting, the recording, she just grabbed her bag and coat and walked out of the office. Tammy said nothing as Suzie left, she just assumed that her sister was trying to clear her head.

Tammy had finished composing an email to Jeremiah Smith of Smith, Smith & Smith when the special phone rang.

Tammy unlocked the secure room and answered it.

"Ah, Tammy, it's DI Edmunds."

"Hello Kevin, long time no speak?"

"You weren't wrong when you told DC Lomax that you hadn't spoken to us recently!"

"You've heard it? I suppose Iain Davison sent you a copy?"

"Yes, I have news about your plane."

"Okay?"

"It's at Farnborough, by the way, with the Air Accident Investigation Branch*. They've classed your event as a Serious Incident."

"Okay, but what about the reason for the engine cutting out?"

"Give them time, Tammy, they're dealing with several investigations right now and, because you survived, it isn't a priority."

"Great, if she'd managed to kill me I'd get better service!"

"Maybe, Tammy, but don't go testing that hypothesis."

"Oh, I have a new problem. Someone's been keeping tabs on me."

"I thought you were trained in counter-surveillance?"

"I probably let my guard down."

"That's a dangerous approach, especially given your history."

"Thanks, I hate to think what my mother would say!"

"Seriously, Tammy, you need to be on your guard. What's the latest?"

"One of my own properties was rented for whale watching but the place contains photos of me, taken in loads of places over the past couple of months."

"That's a concern. Have you told the local officers?"

"No, it's doubtful what they could do."

"I detect a measure of distrust?"

"Sure, Kevin. The PC who was sent to guard my plane took photos and sold them to a Sunday rag. His brother tried to stitch me up as a shoplifter."

"So what are you doing with the property?"

"I've arranged for a forensic examination."

"How?"

"Using a military contact."

"Be careful Tammy, you're not above the law."

"I'll make the report available when I get it, I need to know who's been there."

"I hope you know what you're doing, this isn't a game."

"Sure, but I don't want a load of police activity here either, that generates media coverage. I've been in the news enough recently!"

"Fair enough, keep me informed please, and be careful!"

"Will do, Kevin."

 
Wednesday 12th April 2017
 

Tammy waited by the Smart Aviation Hanger until the scheduled 1600 flight to Edinburgh had left, carrying Dr Elizabeth Webster.

"So what was that all about, Tammy?"

Jim Surtees had emerged from the hanger, wiping his greasy hands on a paper towel.

"I had a problem with one of my properties and asked for expert help."

"Okay,ave you heard any more about the plane?"

"Only that the Air Accident Investigation Board have it, nothing more. How about a replacement?"

"I'm looking at a couple of aircraft at the moment. There are some Pipers available at very reasonable prices but they're 1970s models, albeit well-maintained."

"I'd like something a little newer?"

"I have my eye on a Czech Sports PS-28, built in 2014 and has one verified owner. It's at Perth right now and I'll have one of the helicopters call in there to get some photos for you."

"Thanks Jim, I'd best get home."

She walked over to her car and a minute later was on her way out of the security gate.

Her father had caught her at breakfast the previous morning and had told her that he wanted 'a word' that evening. She'd escaped the inquisition when he was called to a meeting at St Andrews School, but he was now waiting for her.

Suzie had admitted the previous day that she'd told their father what was going on, her excuse was that he knew something was up. Tammy suspected he could have been bluffing, but that was irrelevant as now he knew for certain.

She needed petrol and pulled into the Tesco filling station adjacent to Wick Airport. She opted to use a self-service pump so she didn't have to go into the forecourt shop, it had only been three days since the incident in the main store. She had felt quite exposed stood by her distinctive racing green Mini Cooper and only relaxed once she was back on the road.

She'd barely walked indoors when her father appeared.

"My office, now."

Tammy kicked off her shoes and padded upstairs in stockinged feet before hanging her jacket, replacing it with a light cardigan. A few minutes after arriving home she made it to the study.

"Yes?"

"Sit down, Tammy, we need a little chat."

"About?"

"Don't think that I didn't know what was going on, but I need to know what the hell is going on?"

"I'm not certain I can tell you everything, as I don't know it all myself."

"Suzie seemed sure you knew more than her?"

"I'll have to remind her of the confidentiality clause in her employment contract, plus the Official Secrets Act she signed last week."

"Tammy, I need to know whether we are in danger, is there a threat?"

"Possibly, but I really don't know."

"Let's start with today, who flew in this morning?"

"Dr Elizabeth Webster, a forensic examiner."

"I understand she went to one of your properties? What did she find?"

"Not much, the whole place had been wiped down. She's taken a few hairs away for DNA analysis."

"So you don't know who was there?"

"No. We've worked out that none of the photos was newer than the middle of last month."

"So the place has been empty for a month?"

"Yes."

"Suzie says you didn't want to tell the Police?"

"Correct, I really don't know what they could have done apart from generate more publicity about me, us. I did however tell the Counter Terrorism Unit in London."

"Did they organise Dr Webster?"

"No, I used a military contact."

"Ah, Suzie seems to think you are planning leaving the Security Service, although I thought you were no longer shackled to them?"

"I've been offered an advisory position with a joint civilian/military unit. I haven't agreed yet."

"What's the role?"

"Mostly technical, but I'd have to adapt. It might not even mean leaving Thurso, some work could be done from here. I'm meeting them in a few weeks, but I don't have a date or a location yet."

"Who is your contact?"

"A military officer, sorry but you don't need to know his name."

"Okay, my guess is that you'll want to fly if the meeting is in England?"

"That's the plan."

"Jim called me this afternoon, asking if we could divert a chopper to look at this Czech Sports PS-28 he found."

"He said he'd try to get it inspected."

"I'm still waiting for the insurance company to agree terms over the fake plane, any news on that?"

"It's at Farnborough, otherwise I've heard nothing."

"Look Tammy, please let me know what's going on, especially if it affects our lives as well? "

"Will do, Dad."

"Just to let you know, your mother has invited Tanya, John and Jade Louise to lunch on Saturday, be here!"

"Yes, Dad."

--

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Accidents_Investigation_Br...

Part   Seven   "Photo Evidence"

 
Thursday 13th April 2017
 

"Good morning Miss Smart, I'm calling from Tesco in Dundee."

Tammy was suspicious, the number displayed on her phone didn't offer any confirmation.

"Really, I've never used the Dundee store?"

"Oh, sorry, my name is Katie Fuller and I'm a Customer Services manager for the Highlands and Islands."

"I see."

"I've been looking at your complaint, following an incident at the Wick store last weekend?"

"I doubt I'll ever be going back there."

"I understand and, on behalf of the company I'd like to apologise for the way you were treated."

"It's a shame no-one could have dealt with it properly on Sunday?"

"I appreciate that, but our staff tried their best."

"Including falsely accusing me of shoplifting, despite there being no evidence? Did you know that your security guard was subsequently arrested and the duty manager couldn't have managed his way out of a paper bag!"

"I'm sorry but we can't discuss personnel matters."

"So you aren't taking responsibility?"

"We've reviewed the CCTV footage and taken statements from staff members so we're satisfied that the matter can be closed."

"So I get half an apology and no promise that I can safely use that store again?"

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Miss Smart."

"I think I'll be talking to my solicitor, if that's the best you can do?"

Tammy ended the call, she was angry. Until that call she'd been prepared to leave the incident behind her, but now the company was making excuses?

Suzie was out of town, inspecting a property in Inverness, so thankfully wasn't privy to that conversation. Tammy decided to take a walk before taking any further action.

It was icy out, the last vestiges of winter were holding on, even though the holiday weekend forecast was for spring-like temperatures. She made her way to the bakery and collected a tuna mayo roll. On a whim she bought two Danish pastries as well; one was for Suzie - if she was back in time.

Back in the office she put the kettle on and spooned coffee granules into a mug. A few minutes later she was back at her desk with a steaming drink, opting to eat one of the pastries.

Suitably refreshed, and calmed, Tammy called Jeremiah Smith of Smith, Smith & Smith Solicitors.

"Good morning Miss Smart, how can I be of service?"

"Do you recall my experience at Tesco?"

"Yes."

Tammy recounted that morning's call with the customer services manager.

"I see, what are you aiming to get out of this, a financial settlement perhaps?"

"No Jeremiah, but I need assurances that I won't be targeted if I ever feel like returning to that store. I'd like a formal apology with an acceptance that they were to blame."

"Compensation might be easier than an admission of blame?"

"No, I'd like an unreserved admission that they are at fault."

"Could you write this up and send it to me?"

"I guessed you'd ask that."

"I'm sorry, but it is necessary. Do you have any updates regarding your plane?"

"Only that it's at Farnborough, nothing more."

"Understood, if you can let me have that statement then I can get hold of Tesco later today, although you do know that all our offices will be closed until Tuesday?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for your call Miss Smart."

Tammy hated to think what her legal bill would be for just this week, but she couldn't leave the issue hanging. Should she have gone for the financial solution? Firstly she didn't need the money and secondly this was mostly a point of principle.

She'd wound herself up again, perhaps not the best idea if she had to write a statement that would likely end up with the store's legal team. She picked up the other pastry and started to eat, at this moment Tammy's mental needs were paramount whilst her waistline would just have to accept this state of affairs.

Her sister was back at three.

"Oh good, Suzie, I could do with a hand."

"Hey, I was on the road at eight this morning! Six hours travel for one hour's work! I'm knackered, hungry and I need a wee!"

"Come on, Suzie, this won't take long."

"What is it?"

"We need to go to Fore Street."

"Ok, but I still need a wee, and a cup of tea. Did you get any cakes?"

 
Good Friday 14th April 2017
 

There was just a hint of a thaw this morning, perhaps it heralded the start of the Highlands Spring? The roads were clear and she hadn't spotted a single pedestrian on her way to the office.

Tammy was taking advantage of the Easter holiday weekend to work in peace. She'd received the forensic report the previous evening but there was nothing new; nevertheless she sent a copy to DI Kevin Edmunds. She also wrote an explanatory covering note and sent a copy, with the report, to her solicitor and to Chief Inspector Iain Davison. No doubt that would incur more legal charges.

The previous day the sisters had gone to the 12 Fore Street property in order to clear the property and make certain the place was clean. They had missed potential rent and wanted it available to lease as soon as possible.

The biggest questions remained, who had been at the property and why were they observing Tammy? She still hoped that the forensics would answer the first question but, what about the other one?

The photos and newspaper clippings had been brought back in a large envelope and she now tipped them over the desk in the secure room. She grabbed a stack of sticky notes and allocated each item a number. On a sheet she tallied the characteristics of each item.

Several of the photos seemed familiar, Tammy kicked herself and reached for her phone - some of the photos were seemingly ripped from the social media accounts of Tammy's friends then printed on photographic paper.

Since the events of December Tammy had temporary shut down her social media accounts, much to the chagrin of her so-called friends, but during her stay at Abigail Adams House she had been reminded, alongside Suzie, that her activities could be tracked very easily.

With some reluctance she re-enabled one of the accounts so she could check the dates of the Facebook photos, the newest was six months old but most were much older. It took her fifteen minutes to identify a large number of the photos, although her phone was now regularly pinging from notifications she didn't need or want. Finally, peace resumed when she account was again disabled.

Looking at the remaining photos, Tammy had a hunch and picked up a one that she hadn't managed to identify yet, She snapped it with her phone and used an online service to search for the original.

It took a minute, but the search retrieved an article from the local weekly paper, dated two years earlier, when Tammy had been photographed at a school event. What was odd was that the original photo had included Dr McIntosh and another other student, but the one in her hand just contained herself. Given the quality, Tammy realised that there was no way this evidential photo had been printed from the newspaper website or duplicated from the printed newspaper.

She rang the newspaper office but, unsurprisingly, there was no answer. Time for Plan 'B'.

"Dad, do you still own shares in the Highlands Newspaper Group?"

"Yes, why?"

Tammy explained her findings.

"So you think someone bought the photo, scanned it and printed a cropped version that just included you?"

"Yeah, the newspaper should have a record of who bought the photo, shouldn't they?"

"Indeed, I guess you've tried the office?"

"Yes, but it's Good Friday."

"Unfortunately there's a good chance we won't be able to do anything before Tuesday."

"Oh, great."

"I'm sure a few more days won't make much of a difference, Tammy."

"Fair enough."

"Just to let you know, one of the engineers took a look at the PS-28 earlier this morning. He says it's sound and the history has been verified."

"Did he take it up?"

"No, there wasn't time, but did you fancy a trip there on Monday?"

"Sure, don't forget that I'm back at the university on Tuesday."

"Any news on your trip?"

"No." Tammy was a little abrupt, her father should have known that this topic couldn't be discussed on a phone.

"Oh, okay. See you later."

"Bye, Dad."

Tammy stared at the file, it was dated 10th January, Tammy tried to recall how this client had been handled, and by whom. Her first task was to recall what had happened around Christmas and New Year.

She and Suzie had flown back from Hertfordshire on 12th December in the aftermath of the inquiry into True Freedom with instructions to lay low. That was a good idea in practice but she was back at university two days later trying to account for her missed lessons. She suddenly remembered getting a call about renting an office just before the Christmas break but it had been dumped to voicemail as she'd been in the vice-principle's office at the time.

When Tammy had listened to the message, she had simply called back and asked the caller to contact Pru, although was this the first contact from the fake whale watchers or another speculative client? She started going back through her phone's history but recalled that she'd upgraded to a newer handset a few months ago.

Tammy had been running her lettings business from home, with Pru's help, and had finalised the purchase of 12 Fore Street a few days before the pair had returned from Abigail Adams House. She'd busied herself getting it ready for rental, using the work as a distraction to Suzie's woes and had declared the work finished a few days into the new year.

She recalled that she'd barely listed the property when the formal enquiry had come in from the whale research team, there was a little euphoria when the lease had been agreed, albeit for just three months. It was clear from the file that Pru had signed the leasing contract, on behalf of Smart Properties, that was normal practice at the time. There was a signature for the keys, which was illegible, but her father had noted the file that day, so had he met the client? A photo would be useful! She needed to talk with her father, again.

Tammy's concern was whether there could there be a repeat of this mess? Now that her office was fully up and running they no longer had Pru's superb experience available, but surely two intelligence analysts should be able to detect fraud?

She wondered if perhaps she should have checked the so-called whale watchers more thoroughly, but what could she have done beyond the basic checks that didn't require government accreditation?

She suddenly recalled the small print on some of the forms she'd completed in the past few years that made reference to credit agencies, could she use one? Should she use one? A little web search brought up a list, she selected a recognisable brand name and clicked on the link to sign up.

Fifteen minutes later she'd finished applying for access but it would take a couple of days to process. Why hadn't she done this before, would that have prevented her problem? She honestly didn't know, but at least she was doing something that could prevent a repetition.

A few recent comments from various sources had reminded Tammy that her, and her family's, operational security wasn't as good as it should be. She'd let her guard down, Suzie was worse, this had to be addressed urgently.

Common sense kicked in and over the next hour she produced two documents: a draft procedure for checking all potential lessees and a guide to operational security. She'd pondered putting references to the secure telephone but she really wanted to pin it on the board. In the end she decided that the 'secure storeroom' should remain locked whenever it wasn't needed, if you can't see the phone then it isn't at risk!

That took her to lunchtime but the bakery was closed, as were almost all the stores in the Highlands. She decided she'd done enough for the day so opted for lunch in the Castletown Hotel once she'd put everything away.

Tammy looked around the hotel lounge but didn't identify any of her friends, although she had vaguely recognised a few faces. The barman was new, he took her order but didn't ask where she'd be sitting. She decided to head for the quiet corner, furthest away from the bar and most of the other patrons.

Tammy picked up a discarded newspaper on the way and hadn't noticed Francis, the hotel manager, approaching her seat a few minutes later.

"Good afternoon Miss Smart, did you order the tuna jacket?"

"I did, Francis, is there a problem?"

"No, but my employee needs to be more careful when he takes food orders!"

"I don't think I've met him before?"

"I doubt he'll be here long, unfortunately he's the son of the regional manager and is undertaking 'work experience' at the moment."

"Oh dear, I guess you didn't have much of a choice?"

"I didn't, but please don't repeat this!"

"Your secret is safe with me, Francis."

"Good. Now, I wonder if you might help me with a small problem?"

"Sure?"

"Back in early February, a guest stayed for two nights but left without paying."

"I thought you took their card numbers when they checked in?"

"We did, but no card was recorded, the member of staff claimed he wasn't properly trained, it was his second day on the job."

"Can I make a guess as to who that was?"

"You can, but I couldn't possibly confirm it."

"Oh dear, didn't you get the guest's name?"

"We did, but it turns out to be false. It's unfortunately we are still looking for the person but our enquiries have come to nought."

"How can I help?"

"The guest asked for directions to Fore Street. We've shown a picture of the guest to everyone who lives in the street, but we didn't get a response at number 12. It's been suggested that you own it?"

"I do, but I'm not sure if I can help?"

"Could you take a look at the CCTV, it's a bit more helpful than the picture we've been showing everyone?"

Tammy followed Francis into the office, leaving her jacket but taking her bag with her. Francis pressed the play button and Tammy gasped.

"That's Sharon Gainsborough!"

"Do you know her well?"

"I was on a course with her last year, but the last I heard was that she's wanted by the Met Police. I had no idea she'd been up here."

"Do you know where to find her?"

"No, but could I have a copy of that video?"

"You'll let me know if you get an address? I don't like bad debts."

"If I can help you, Francis, I will."

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."

Part   Nine   "A Day Like This"

 
Tuesday 18th April 2017 (Continued)
 

"Ben? Yeah, I do know him and I think that would almost certainly cause me problems in class. You said he was starting on Thursday?"

"Yes, but why would this be different? You seemed to know Donald Templeton quite well?" Offered Freddie Flint.

"It's not the same, I didn't know Mr Templeton before my course started but I've known Ben professionally for a few years and it won't take long for him to drop me in a pile of shit, even if he's careful."

"I'm not sure your language is appropriate but is he likely to do that, Miss Smart, I mean is there a current or past issue between you two?"

Tammy laughed. "No, no, and there's definitely no relationship in case you were thinking that! I've known his wife, Sandy, for a few years as well, longer in fact! I can't go into details, but Ben knows rather too much about me and he might let something slip, even accidentally. That would only give ammunition to Lorna Kirk and her cohorts as well as present both Ben and I a major security problem."

"Excuse me Miss Smart, but are you currently under investigation or have been convicted of an undisclosed offence?"

"No, certainly not. What I'm trying to say is that I will have to inform senior police officers, amongst others, that he's here, to cover myself in case of future allegations."

"Is that necessary, I mean it sounds a little like paranoia, very far-fetched?"

Tammy paused and gathered her thoughts, she needed to be certain how much she could tell the tutor, as 'need-to-know' definitely applied at this juncture.

"I'm not overstating the potential for fall-out from this, even if it's on the first day. Should word reach his previous management, or certain acquaintances of mine, then I could be in the mire very quickly. I can't be specific but I have a serious job offer from a law enforcement agency and that is a major reason why I'm on this course. I could lose that employment opportunity because of one slip of the tongue. My security clearance would evaporate very quickly so it would also make me unemployable in that environment thus negating the benefits of this course."

"I see, but I also understand that you have a property agency, I would have thought you'd go into that sphere as an alternative?"

"That's a simple one to answer, I already owned a few properties, as investments, and I was paying someone else to manage them although they couldn't devote much time to it. This way I can maximise the property availability, as it happens my sister is my office manager so she deals with the day-to-day work."

"So you aren't likely to be swamped by work from your company, which puts your coursework in second place?"

"No. Now, what are we going to do about Ben Franklin?"

"Frankly I'm not totally convinced but I'll talk to the Vice Chancellor, this one's above my pay scale."

"Fair enough."

There was no sign of Lorna Kirk as she walked away from his office but, when she reached the far side of the student car-park she could see that her distinctive Mini Cooper had a deep scratch about a foot long in the driver-side door.

Tammy's anger would have been evident to anyone who witnessed her slam the door as she took refuge in her vehicle; her eyes welled up as she sat there, feeling helpless. She considered whether to head back to her office before taking any further action, although that might cause her to take it out on Suzie - probably not the best idea. She dried her eyes and tried to prioritise, deciding that the first task was a call to the garage. It took some time for the phone to be answered.

"CV's, John speaking."

"It's Tammy Smart, my car has been vandalised, when can I get it repaired?"

"Good morning Miss Smart, we have a full load right now, what's the damage?"

"Someone scratched the driver's door, it looks deep and I can see metal."

"Can you bring it here and we'll see if it can be filled or whether a new door skin is required. It'll take a week for a skin so we would best book you in?"

"Okay, I can swing past after lunch?"

"See you then."

The next call was less easy.

"Dad, my car's been keyed."

"Where?"

"The university car-park."

"Was it covered by CCTV?"

"I'm down by a wall a fair distance from any building as I didn't have much choice where to park this morning, I'm not certain there's any coverage in that corner."

"What about your car's cameras?"

"Damn, I forgot about them."

"Okay, but don't try to take the law into your own hands, my guess is that you suspect someone?"

"I do. Er, do we still have any of that Racing Green touch up spray, from the little scratch earlier this year?"

"Not sure, I'll have a look."

"Thanks."

"Now, what's your plan, it's just gone half-past ten and you're already out of class?"

"I don't know, it's not been a good day so far."

"Don't do anything rash, why not come home?"

"Hmmm, I think I'll report this here just in case."

"Tammy climbed back out of her car and took a photo of the damage with her phone before walking round it looking for other damage. She ensured the vehicle was locked then walked back into the university to speak to the Help Point.

"My car has been damaged in the car-park, at some point in the past half hour."

"I'm sorry but the university doesn't accept any responsibility for vehicle damage on the premises."

"Even if a student is responsible?"

"Do you have proof?"

"I would hope your CCTV would show it."

"I'm sorry, but under the data protection legislation we can't disclose any video."

"So you won't help?"

"I'm sorry but it's policy."

Tammy's mood hadn't improved much by the time she returned to her car, now finding similar gouge on the front passenger door, which she was clear hadn't been there earlier. She photographed it then took a look around the car-park but couldn't see any likely miscreants. A text from her father confirmed he'd found a spray can in the correct colour, but he was now heading out.

She drove to the repair workshops, having to park in the street as the place was, indeed, busy.

"Ah, Miss Smart, I wasn't expecting you so soon?"

Tammy recounted the previous half-hour. "I'm hoping my car's security system will help identify the person responsible."

"Well, the driver's side is pretty deep and I'd suggest filler won't be appropriate so I recommend you should replace the skin, the other side isn't as deep and has only touched the first two layers of paint, that's a simpler repair. I'd suggest using touch up for now, for cosmetic purposes as well as weather protection, and I'll order a door skin as well as the correct paint. Needless to say, young lassie, you might want to speak to your insurance company as this will be a few hours work; the police too if your dashcam is any good and you can identify the toad?"

"Insurance is my Dad's department, I'll talk to him later, go ahead and order the skin."

"I'll book you in for next Wednesday at nine. Did you need some spray? I don't have it in stock but it'll be here in two days?"

"We have some, thank you."

Tammy drove home and parked in the paddock behind the house, noting that Suzie's moped was already there. Inside, however there was no sign of her and Pru hadn't seen Suzie since nine o'clock that morning. "Can you pull out the car insurance paperwork, please, I might need to put a claim in." Tammy showed the photos to her father's PA.

"Your father mentioned this before he left and left the can with me."

Tammy's first task was to remove the SD card from her car's security system before using the spray her father had left with Pru. She wasn't entirely happy with her handiwork but the spray can instructions did suggest that it would take an hour for each coat to dry so the colour might be off when it was first applied. It also advised not to apply in direct sunlight, there was no chance of that as the clouds were already rolling over the land to the South, blocking what little sun had been evident that morning. So much for Spring!

Up in her room she inserted the memory card and brought up that morning's video. There was nothing on the front or rear cameras, the standard arrangement for 'dashcams', but Tammy's car also had wide angle pinhole cameras mounted beneath each of the front doors. Two videos clearly showed Lorna Kirk approaching, crouching low, then squatting at which point a metal on metal noise could be heard. The time-stamp identified the first of the videos was a few minutes after the class had been dismissed. A second activation was ten minutes later, at the time Tammy was in Student Services, once again Lorna had tried to evade the obvious cameras.

"Got you!"

Tammy, at first, decided to copy only the relevant videos onto her laptop, but backed up the whole memory card just in case. She then accessed the Police Scotland online 'report a crime' facility. That got her nowhere so she called the '101' non-emergency line.

She reported the incident, made it clear that she had video and could identify the girl concerned, for this she was given a crime number. "You'll need that for any insurance claim."

"Okay, but when will I see an officer?"

"They are very busy Miss Smart, it may take some time."

"Meanwhile they'll be free to damage my car again."

"In which case, please report it."

She concluded the call, it was nearing midday and she was feeling peckish. Outside it had turned dark grey and Tammy could see precipitation.

Zara was just coming in through the kitchen door, shaking the weather off her jacket as soon as she'd put two bags of shopping down.

"If you're after lunch, give me half an hour, sorry but I'm running late today."

Tammy nodded but made a coffee before going back up to her room, in a drawer she found a new packet of Hobnobs that would hold off her hunger for a little while. She'd just nibbled the first one, after dunking it of course, when her mobile rang.

"Hello?"

"Hello Miss Smart, it's PS St James, I've just seen your report."

"Oh, hello, I wasn't expecting an officer yet, if at all."

"We are overstretched at times, but your name was flagged on our system, can you run through what happened?"

Tammy explained, adding how Lorna was connected to the incident at the Mill Theatre the previous year, as well as their encounter that morning.

"I see, have you spoken to the university?"

"Yes, they're claiming they have no responsibility."

"I'll make a request for the CCTV, meanwhile can you send me your video clips?"

Tammy made a note of his email address.

"Now, how severe is the damage?"

"Enough for one of the doors to be re-skinned. I took it to CV Recovery & Repair, John had a look at it and it's booked in for next week to be repaired. I've already sprayed the doors though, that'll hopefully prevent weather damage."

"Oh, did you get photos beforehand?"

"Yes."

"Good, please send them. Is there anything else?"

"No that's everything but I'll put a summary in the email. Oh, I'm not sure if I need to let the Chief Inspector know, but Ben Franklin is due to start work at the university this week."

"I had heard."

"He's teaching my course."

"I see."

"Lorna is on my course, Ben could make things very awkward for me."

"I don't think we should be having this conversation, Miss Smart."

"If not you, then who?"

"The university?"

"Yeah, tried that. It's difficult to explain given the security issues!"

"Sorry, but you'll need to resolve that conundrum yourself, speak to Ben and set boundaries? Sorry, but that's as far as I can go."

"Thanks anyway."

Tammy grabbed a sandwich once she'd sent Stuart St James the promised email.

Another phone call interrupted her lunch.

"Miss Smart? It's Jim Surtees, I have an update for you?"

"Sure, I hope you're going to brighten up my rather grey day?"

"The Czech Sport two seater checked out; we've gone through the log book, checked the registration with the CAA, confirmed the chassis and engine numbers with the manufacturer and have verified the previous ownership."

"Oh good, can we go ahead?"

"It's already being handled, your father approved it this morning. He said you were in class, otherwise I'd have called earlier. I guess you're on a lunch break now?"

"Yeah, when is it going to be ready?"

"We'll fly it up here in the morning, when are you free to come over?"

"Tomorrow I reckon, thanks Jim."

"No problem."

Tammy was in the paddock to apply the second coat, between showers, when she heard a vehicle pull up. She didn't recognise the car but it sat out the front for a minute before she spied Suzie emerging. Tammy ducked back behind the house to conclude her inspection of the Mini Cooper, it certainly looked better than a few hours beforehand. It only took her a few seconds to replace the SD card as the next shower threatened to arrive. She made it inside as Suzie was taking off her jacket.

"Oh, you're home?"

"Clearly, Suzie."

"I thought you'd be in classes until four?"

"And it's just gone three? That's a short day for you too!"

"Hey, stuff the job! Find yourself another slave!"

Tammy's day wasn't getting any better, but she left Suzie alone. Her sister's employment contract allowed for a four week induction period, if Suzie quit at this point then she would be paid for the days she'd worked and that was it. Tammy knew it was best to leave Suzie for another day and, in any case, Tammy wouldn't be back in the office before Friday. She checked the diary, there wasn't anything outstanding, Suzie had at least cleared the urgent work during her day.

She remembered a conversation with Sandy Smith from the weekend and called the salon.

"Any chance of fitting me in?"

"Hmmm, sorry Tammy, not for a few days, I've got bridesmaid groups tomorrow and Thursday. I could squeeze you in Thursday at nine, just for a trim?

"I'm supposed to be in class then."

"That or the middle of next week. Do you need Joanne as well?"

"Okay, okay, I'll take it, and yes."

Angela came by Tammy's room at four.

"I've decided I couldn't be a mother, even if I could."

"Oh?"

"My tutor dumped a new project on us then after lunch I was in the crèche for a few hours, one babe peed on me, another threw up and they all screamed. I changed into clean clothes then went to see Tanya but Jade just cried all the time and Tanya had nothing good to say about John. To top it all I got soaked walking from their cottage up to the school for a ride here on the minibus. It's not been a great day."

Part   Ten   "Plane Sailing?"

 
Wednesday 19th April 2017
 

Tammy had finished breakfast and was back in her room when Suzie knocked on the door.

"Look, sorry Tammy, I let things get on top of me."

"Do you still want the job?"

"Well, yes, I think so, but please keep off my back."

"Suzie, please give me an example of when I've upset you?"

"Having a go at me yesterday?"

"Because you were back here just after three? When, last night, I checked the CCTV remotely there was a familiar face in the office just after one. You left together a few minutes later, that's barely three hours work, although you did seem to achieve the most important tasks."

"You were spying on me?"

"Just verifying a suspicion, how long have you been seeing James?"

"I haven't."

"Last time I checked I was his girlfriend."

"He might have mentioned that yesterday."

"Did he drop you off here?"

"Yes."

"I suppose you had lunch together?"

"No, Miss Perfect, I had a hospital appointment."

"Oh."

"I've been having problems, including cramps, heavy periods and headaches. The GP took me off the pill in February to see if that was the problem. Then my cycle went haywire, barely two weeks between periods and some wonderful migraines so I went back to the GP on the 4th, if you recall?"

"Yes, it was the morning the stairlift guy was coming back but I don't think you said why you had an appointment?"

"You didn't ask and it's not the sort of stuff I'd normally discuss. Anyway I saw the gynaecologist yesterday and James was kind enough to offer to take me to the hospital for the appointment then bring me home afterwards."

"I'm sorry, Suzie, I didn't know."

"Just be grateful you won't have these problems!" Tammy trusted that Suzie wasn't being vindictive, but it was a sharp reminder of the difference between them.

"Is this why your emotions have been all over the place?"

"Yes."

"So what happens now?"

"I'm on a different pill, but it might take a few weeks to settle things down. Meanwhile I have a fortnight's worth of pain and mood pills to help me through the day."

"At least you're getting help. How come you spoke to James?"

"He offered yesterday when he came to see you at the office, but you were out. I asked Dad to drop me in town and I made an excuse about not wanting to use my moped. Thing was, I didn't know if I would be able to ride home from the hospital, since I didn't know what they would do. So my plan was to walk to the hospital then get a cab home. Then James came by and offered to take me, given the weather that was a nice gesture from him."

"Are you seeing him again?"

"Err, we haven't arranged anything."

"But I bet you exchanged numbers?"

"Hmm, yes."

"So where does that leave me, Suzie?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do I still have a boyfriend?"

"You'd best ask him. He said to call him if I wanted a lift this morning as the weather is looking like it'll turn horrid again. As it is, I felt dizzy on these new pills so the moped definitely isn't a good idea right now. Anyway, I thought you'd be down there by now?"

"I wasn't going to be there this morning but I can drop you off as I'm going past the office, on my the airport. Does this mean you're working today?"

"Yes, if you still want me?"

"As far as I'm concerned you're still my office manager."

"But, what I said yesterday?"

"I didn't get it in writing!"

Tammy arrived at the airport just after ten having dropped Suzie in town, she knew she needed to deal with James but how? As she pulled through the security gates she could see a plane landing. a few minutes later it had taxied to a position in front of the Smart Aviation Hanger, G-TMYS was sign-written on the fuselage. Jim stepped down from the plane and walked over.

"Well? Here's your new Czech Sport PS-28."

"She looks great, almost new, but what's up with the registration?"

"Your father thought it would be a good idea to re-register it, we found that G-TMYS was available so your Dad thought he'd grab it for you."

"Hell, now everyone will know it's me without having to look it up!"

"I'm sorry, Tammy, but it wasn't my decision. Did you want to take her up?"

"The cloud level doesn't look too good?"

"Well, check with the tower, I can go with you if you wish?"

"Okay. I know she's just come in but I'll do the checks myself?"

"I'll put the kettle on, there's some biccies in the office too."

Tammy checked the weather and it looked like they were okay until mid afternoon. Next she undertook a visual inspection of her new aircraft, starting and finishing in the cockpit. She'd checked out the specs the previous evening so had a good idea what the controls looked like, how they were arranged, but it was always good to see in person.

She was back in the office as Jim was pouring a pot of tea through a strainer into two mugs.

"I thought you were making coffee?"

"Ay, but I changed my mind. I hope you didn't mind?"

The biscuits were her favourite, but had milk chocolate on one side that melted slightly if you dunked them for too long.

After a quick wee they were strapped in, with clearance to take off.

Tammy let Jim take her up but then he passed control to her; with a little hesitation she turned North and headed over the water.

"Are you sure, Tammy?"

"I don't want a phobia about flying over water and this is the best way to deal with that."

She first crossed the Orkney Islands then continued across open sea to the Shetlands, keeping high. Out at sea visibility was good and she started to enjoy herself. She checked in with Kirkwall & Sumburgh towers as she passed near those airports but after an hour she was turning South. At Jim's insistence she brought the plane safely down at Wick, about two hours after taking off.

"Well done, I don't think you'll have a problem on your own."

"Thanks Jim, I best get the paperwork done."

"I'll get a tug so we can tow it inside."

"Good idea, I'll refuel before I next use her."

Tammy needed lunch but wasn't going to use the supermarket next to Wick Airport so headed back to Thurso. She was going to ask Suzie if she wanted lunch in the hotel but deliberately didn't call, deciding that a surprise was needed. When she stopped, however, a familiar car was parked near the office door. As Tammy reached the top of the stairs and was about to enter the office she spied Suzie in an embrace with James, which looked much more than a friendly gesture. She hadn't been noticed so went back to her car, the idea of lunch was evaporating.

What could she do? It was clear that Suzie wasn't working but it was lunchtime, in the vaguest meaning, so she could have been using her own time. James, however, had crossed a line and would not, could not, return to any relationship with Tammy.

She drove around to the quayside car-park before making a call to the office phone. It was eventually answered, on the third ring.

"Suzie, he has to leave and James is no longer welcome in the office."

"You're wrong!"

"I came up the stairs just now and saw both of you. I don't want him there ever again."

"If he goes, so do I!"

"Leave your keys and door pass on the desk please. You clearly have no idea how to work in the real world."

"Bitch!"

Two more calls followed.

"Pru, please terminate Suzie's employment at Smart Property Management. She's resigned." "Will do."

"Dad, I've had to let Suzie go. I need you to know before Mum gets wind of it."

"I guess it's something about her conversation with you this morning?"

"You heard it? It sort of like that, anyway she's been abusing the office when I've not been there, having visitors there, working short hours ....."

"I used to get visitors all the time."

"Did they push their tongue down your throat?"

"No, is there more to this?"

"Yes, she's welcome to my ex boyfriend."

"Tammy, you are taking this rather personally."

"If she can't find the time to answer the phone then that is bad for business, my guess is that emails haven't been dealt with either or the website updated."

"Find evidence of that and I'll support you."

"Thanks Dad."

The bakery was out of filled rolls so Tammy drove to a nearby supermarket and bought provisions to make up a lunch, it was two pm before she was back at the office. She unlocked Suzie's computer and saw that it was open on a gossip news site, as well as one of the social media platforms. The last email Suzie had dealt with was timed at 10 o'clock that morning, whilst fifteen messages remained outstanding, and there were three voicemails.

She made up some salad rolls and opened the bottle of orange juice she'd purchased before tackling the emails. By four thirty she had caught up but several site visits were now needed and one building had lost a roof tile overnight. It took her until six to get hold of a roofer who could attend, although the earliest was on Friday; she just prayed there wouldn't be much rain in the meantime.

Tammy continued working until nearly seven and that included posting a job vacancy on her website. Once she arrived home her father quickly took her into his study.

"What does it look like?"

"She's done hardly any work done again today. James arrived at midday but she'd done very little before ten and virtually nothing since then. Frankly Dad, I don't think she's ready for work."

"I'd have to agree with you. Think about this though, she left an abusive home at seventeen to study and went straight into work. Last December's problem knocked her about and she lost her confidence, she also started having a life again, outside of the cocoon of the agency."

"Yeah, I hoped I could give her back some confidence."

"She's a qualified accountant who's done some heavy analytical work and you've got her answering the phone, reading emails and making the occasional house call. She's bored, Tammy, she needs a challenge and this job is just wrong for her."

"I guess so."

"Please don't write a bad reference for her, even if it is only a few weeks worth or employment."

"I'll do my best. What about Mum?"

"Suzie cried her heart out to her mum but I'd already spoken to Joan. She's at the school in a meeting and asked me to let her know if you'd be prepared to help her?"

"Why?"

"I'm not certain, but it involves a year 11 student. Grab some food and I'll call her. Oh, there's a package in your room that arrived today."

"Thanks."

Tammy found a large home-made Cornish-style pasty in the kitchen, still lukewarm. She popped it into the Aga's warming oven then found steamed new potatoes and veg, as well as a gravy. All was reheated gently and after twenty minutes she sat to eat it, interrupted by her father.

"I just got off the phone, can you get there now?"

"I've just sat down!"

"Okay, I'll tell her you'll be ten minutes?"

"Complete with indigestion!"

"Twenty then!"

Tammy tried not to eat too fast otherwise her tummy really would be complaining later. She concentrated on the pasty, she could always microwave the tatties and veggies but a proper pasty shouldn't ever be zapped if you want to keep the pastry crisp.

At eight she parked outside the front of St Andrews School and walked into the main hallway. A member of staff, who Tammy didn't recognise, came out of the secretary's office.

"Hello, the school's closed for the night."

"I've been asked to come here by Joan Smart, I know where her office is."

"I'm afraid I'll have to verify that."

"Look, I'm Tammy Smart, School Ambassador, former Head Girl here and daughter of Joan Smart. I was asked to come here to deal with an issue that's arisen. I don't know how long you've been here but just about every other member of staff here knows me."

"You can't just go walking, and I still have no evidence of who you are!"

Tammy ignored her and briskly walked away, she had reached Joan's door before the girl caught up. Tammy knocked as the light was red. When the door opened Mike Thompson was behind it, "Ah Miss Smart, thank you for coming."

Tammy entered and Mike Thompson left, she could hear voices through the door but her concern was Joan and a St Andrews boy in uniform, complete with a kilt.

"Sit down Tammy, I'm hoping that you'll be able to reassure Lyndon that he's not in any trouble."

Tammy nodded and smiled at the schoolboy, trying to remember the face.

Joan asked Lyndon, "do you remember Miss Smart when she was a prefect a few years ago?"

"Not really, this is only my third year at the school."

"Well, Tammy was the first girl at St Andrews."

"Okay."

"Can you tell Tammy what you told me?"

"Not really, I don't think I can."

Tammy could feel a touch of wind and unfortunately both Lyndon and Joan heard it. Lyndon giggled.

"See, I'm human too!" Said Tammy, "I don't bite and I won't pass judgement. I also have a good idea why Mrs Smart asked me to be here but you should know that's because she's my mum."

"Oh."

"Let me help you, what name do you call yourself?"

In a quiet voice, "Linda"

"Okay, Linda, that's a lovely name. How long have you known about yourself?"

"Since I was eleven or twelve."

"That's about the same age that I was, when I found out I should have been a girl."

"You?"

"Yes, Linda, I used to be Thomas but I've been Tammy for a few years now, including my last year at St Andrews."

"So you changed over whilst you were here?"

"I transitioned whilst I was a student here, yes."

"I don't think I'll be able to."

"Why not?"

"I don't think my parents would want me to stay here, not after they found my clothes."

"When was that?"

"This morning. They emailed me a photo of a bonfire, all my clothes were on it." Linda started to cry, Tammy reached for a box of tissues and offered a few to the student.

"If there's one thing I know about this school, is that if you reach for the impossible then there's every chance you'll get it. I'm sure Mrs Smart and Mr Thompson have already said that to you?"

Joan and Linda nodded.

"Did your parents say anything else?"

"They were coming this weekend to remove me from the school, Dad would probably have come sooner but there's work to do on the farm."

"Do you want to leave?"

"No! I like it here and I start my GCSE exams next week. Thing is, I can't afford to stay."

"Let the people here worry about that, I'm sure that you'll be looked after and there are safeguards for situations like this. Please make a note of any phone call and show Mrs Smart any email that you get, as they need every bit of help you can give them."

"Yes."

"Good girl!"

Tammy headed home and didn't see anyone near the school office but there was a note on her car windscreen, under a wiper blade.

So the employee knew Tammy was expected, what was her problem?

Back indoors she finally opened the package her father had mentioned, revealing a pair of spray cans. A month earlier she'd been warned not to use the law enforcement certified pepper spray that she'd previously carried so had invested in a different, fully legal, method. She slipped the discrete cans into her bag.

Tammy climbed into bed, hoping, beyond expectation, that she would have an easier time the following day.

----

Disclaimer: The aircraft registration G-TMYS wasn't in use when I checked the CAA database on 27th Nov 2018.

Czech Sport Aircraft official site

Part   Eleven   "Sub Judice"

 
Thursday 20th April 2017
 

Tammy was determined to get through the day without incident and decided to make an early start. Her first stop was the bakery then she continued to the college. One advantage of her early arrival was that she bagged a premium parking spot next to a designated walkway and confirmed it was covered by cameras, assuming they were working!

She arrived in the lobby shortly after nine although her first class wasn't due to start until ten so Tammy bought a coffee and was going to take a seat when Freddie Flint spotted her. "Come to my office please, bring your drink."

Waiting there was Ben Franklin.

"Good morning Tammy."

"Morning Ben, how's Sandy?"

"She's fine, how about you?"

"Ups and downs."

Freddie looked as if he was uncomfortable with this intimacy between tutor and student.

"Look, Ben, Miss Smart, it was brought to my attention that you were familiar with each-other and there might be a problem in the class? I spoke to the Vice-Chancellor and he's said he wants to see evidence of an issue before he'll do anything, ok?"

Ben and Tammy nodded.

"It might help me if I knew your connection?"

"As I said before, I knew Ben's wife before I met Ben. Later on we had some security issues at home and Ben attended in a professional capacity."

"Now, Tammy, I understand you had a problem when you left here on Tuesday?"

"Someone keyed my car."

"I am told you demanded video from the car-park CCTV?"

"'Demanded' is the wrong word. I asked, but they refused."

"So you can't positively identify if the culprit was a student?"

Tammy smiled, "despite their unhelpful response I have been able to provide the police with video, from another source, of the vandal in action. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to say who it is in case it prejudices their imminent appearance in front of a Sheriff's court. All I will say is that I won't be intimidated and I won't let this be swept under the carpet."

Ben smiled. "I've seen Tammy deal with some serious problems, I wouldn't get in her way if I were you!"

"I wasn't planning to get in the way, Ben, but we have rules here and I hope Miss Smart won't be making allegations in class. Similarly, talk of your previous escapades is definitely inappropriate."

Tammy and Ben both laughed, Tammy took refuge in her coffee leaving Ben to answer.

"Freddie, between Tammy and myself we probably have enough experience to deal with a zombie attack, but I don't think we'll be discussing or rehearsing that in a classroom."

"I'm glad to hear it, although I've slightly perturbed by what you might imply about Miss Smart's 'experience'."

"Which I am not allowed to say and you're not allowed to hear." Tammy finished her coffee. "If we're done?"

"Yes, I think that's all Miss Smart, thank you."

Tammy let herself out but left Ben Franklin in the room. Tammy was acutely aware that Ben had not been completely careful with his choice of words, Tammy was supposed to be a normal 20 year old girl and not some zombie hunter.

Tammy needed a wee so chose the ladies room just off the lobby. Of the three cubicles, two were occupied and the third had an 'Out Of Order' sticker on the door. Tammy didn't have time to find anywhere else so checked the third cubicle, deciding it was safe to use.

A short time later she heard the other two cubicles empty and the occupants left, Tammy was just about done when two girls entered the room.

"I checked she was still in the building so you could do her car, I thought you messaged me to say both sides were done?"

"Yes, I did."

"Well, there was nothing on the passenger side when I came past just now."

"That's impossible."

Tammy was in the cubicle nearest the door and the two girls took the remaining cubicles, she had recognised Lorna's voice, but not the first speaker. Tammy looked down and saw a bag on the floor, but didn't recognise it as Lorna's. She grabbed one of the new spray cans from her bag and, using the flush to disguise the sound, lightly sprayed the corner of the black and cream bag. She quickly left, and heard a cubicle door open as she exited into the corridor. Tammy headed up a floor to another washroom to clean her hands.

She made it down to the coffee bar with a few minutes before the first class, walking into the lecture room as the bell sounded. Tammy took her usual seat at the back as Freddie Flint and Ben Franklin walked in.

"Good morning everyone, my apologies for the problem earlier this week but we now have Ben Franklin who will lead your classes on law and order. Ben is a retired Police Officer with several decades of experience."

There was a muted sound that came from Tammy's right, she couldn't quite work out what it was, or who made it.

Freddie walked off and Ben stepped forward.

"Good morning everyone. As you know, we're only a few weeks away from the first year exams so we will be concentrating on revision. Today we'll concentrate on the causes of criminality."

There was another noise from her right, with an apparent echo from a few rows in front, "pig" was the word. Tammy was certain that Ben had also heard it, but he continued.

"Let's have some suggestions for the causes of criminality?"

Slowly suggestions started to come and Ben wrote the more sensible ones on a whiteboard. His eyes were darting across the room and at one point settled on Tammy. She shook her head just enough for him to get the message. Unfortunately one or two of the class noticed.

Ben ploughed on, almost losing control at one point. A suggestion of 'envy' was offered as a reason for criminality.

"Can you give me an example?"

"Yeah, when someone else can afford a private plane."

A group, including Lorna, turned and pointed at Tammy, "like that bitch!"

"Stop that! I will not tolerate behaviour like that in my class,"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"This is your last chance to keep such opinions to yourself."

"So it's true?"

"Stop that now!" He pointed at the miscreant, who Tammy now identified as Corinne.

She tried to argue, swearing profusely, so Ben pushed a button on the lectern. "No, you cannot use language like that in here. You can wait to see me after the class or go home and see me tomorrow. Either way, you are out of this class for the day."

The door opened and a college security guard was stood waiting. Ben pointed at Corinne, "she's leaving."

Lorna looked as if she was also going to argue but simply whispered something to Corinne who now started walking towards the door. A minute later the room was quiet, although Tammy made a note of the bag Corinne was carrying and confirmed she was most likely the second voice in the loo that morning.

"Let me make it quite clear that this is a place of education. When one of you decides you don't need an education, everyone suffers. I'd also remind you that a pass in each module is required for you to continue to the second year of this course. Those who have no intention of behaving can leave now."

No-one moved or spoke. "Okay, let's continue, can I have some more suggestions for causes of criminality?"

There was a knock on the door half an hour later and Sgt St James entered the room, firstly to speak with Ben.

"Miss Smart, this officer would like a word?"

Some noises were heard as Tammy walked down to the police officer. "Could you come with me, please, Miss Smart?"

She could hear laughter as the door closed.

"What's up Sgt?"

"I was coming here to deal with another issue when I found a female loitering by your car. When I questioned her she claimed she knew nothing about the damage to your car. Strange, seeing how I hadn't mentioned it."

"Indeed, by the way do you have a UV lamp in your car?"

"Not normally but one of the SOCOs left one there yesterday, why?"

Tammy told him about her experience in the loo that morning.

"You used a UV-reactive spray?"

"Yes, it comes off after a few washes and can't be seen in normal light."

"She's in the back of the car at the moment, I can check her bag."

It didn't take long for the UV lamp to show the corner Tammy had sprayed.

"So, young lady, what's it to be?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Perhaps not, but you clearly knew about the damage."

"No I didn't."

"Really? When I found you, your finger was following the line of a scratch in the door, one that's been covered over by a coat of paint? That makes you an accessory."

"What's that bitch been saying?" She pointed at Tammy.

"Not a lot so far but I'm sure she'll make a statement, plus the video evidence of course."

"Video, nah, there's no way we were on any video!"

Sgt St James arrested Corinne for criminal damage, although that charge would likely change. He called for support. "Miss Smart, you can go back, I'll come along when another officer arrives."

"Sure."

Tammy arrived back as the lecture room emptied for the morning break. She walked up to Ben and quietly told him what had just happened.

"Stuart has arrested Corinne, but he's not finished."

"Is she responsible?"

"Not exactly, but I think I need to review the footage that I downloaded. I might have missed something."

"Well, don't say any more."

"I won't. I think I'll get a coffee."

First, Tammy needed another wee so she went upstairs and used the facilities there, avoiding the loo nearest to the coffee bar. She used the stairs on the way down and looked through the glass wall at the car-park. A police van arrived and Corinne was being transferred from the Sgt's car, A minute later Stuart St James walked back into the college.

Tammy continued her descent and went to queue for a drink, hoping that the officer wouldn't gravitate towards her. She needn't have worried as Ben was in the queue ahead of her, the pair immediately walked away without waiting for a drink, leaving Tammy third place in the queue.

Fifteen minutes later the class resumed although Stuart was already stood with Ben. Lorna was one of the last ones to return.

"Could you come with me please."

"I'm busy."

"This isn't negotiable."

"Sod off, pig."

He pulled out his set of cuffs and quickly restrained her. "You are under arrest for criminal damage, you do not have to say ......" He continued the caution as she was led, unwillingly, out of the lecture room. Lorna wasn't happy, but she couldn't get away.

Ben regained control of the room one the door was closed.

"That's a first hand example of an arrest, and we'll cover that in revision next week. Needless to say, please do not say anything about what you witnessed in case it prejudices the case. Also do not presume guilt, that is a key factor of Scottish law, under which you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Now, let's explore the causes of crime in more detail."

Naturally, by lunchtime, the whole college was awash with rumours about Corinne and Lorna. Ben was seen heading upstairs to the senior management suite and Tammy could only shrug and claim she knew nothing.

She found a quiet spot and called her solicitor.

"Jeremiah, there's been a development."

"I see, what has happened?"

Tammy summarised the previous few days and promised to email over the photos, video and supporting information.

"I take it that you've not used any illegal methods to gather the evidence?"

"Not at all, I'll happily say that in court if necessary."

"Good, I hate surprises in court. I guess you'll be making a statement?"

"Yes, but I don't know when."

"I'd appreciate a copy, as soon as possible."

"Of course."

The sun had broken through the clouds so she settled on a picnic table outside the café, her bakery visit had meant she had a filled roll and a cake for her lunch. Gradually others came outside and it wasn't long before Tammy was noticed.

"Hey, how do you know that new tutor?"

Tammy looked up, the questioner was Gillian.

"His wife was the musical director at the Mill Theatre when I appeared in West Side Story a few years ago."

"Is he still married?"

"Yes, and, for the record, I am not his girlfriend."

"I thought I'd seen you with James McInlay?"

"Not any more, I dumped him."

"Oh, I might have a go at him myself?"

"Don't bother, he's already moved on."

"Anyway, what did that copper want you for? You didn't seem particularly bothered when you came back in?"

"He needed to clarify something, then he said he was here for another reason."

"Like nicking Lorna? What's she done now?"

"Umm, remember what Ben said about discussing the case?"

"Yeah, but he can't hear us? I mean, she was a right bully at Thurso High."

"I didn't know. sorry but I need a wee."

Tammy didn't need the loo but it was a convenient escape option. She went to the ground floor loo, now that Lorna and Corinne were out of the way. Although Tammy wasn't sure anyone else was a part of Lorna's group, she checked around her before going into the washroom. As a precaution she set her phone to record, something she should have done earlier.

Back in the college foyer, Ben and a suited man found her.

"Tammy, this is Mr Ford, he's a vice-chancellor here and would like to ask you a few questions about what's been happening."

"I'm sorry Ben, Mr Ford, but my guess is that the matter is now sub judice or will be shortly. I'd also want my solicitor in any official meeting and I haven't yet fully briefed him."

Ben nodded, "as you heard, Miss Smart has the same opinion as myself on this matter."

"I want evidence that you are not bringing this University into disrepute by having someone arrested without evidence?"

"Then check Tuesday's CCTV for the car-park, around 1020 in the morning. I would have been able to tell you which camera but your very helpful staff refused me access and insisted that the University has no responsibility?"

"They were following policy."

"But my guess is that you can check the system yourself? Please don't delete it as the police will no doubt want a copy."

"I don't like your tone Miss Smart."

"Just remember that none of us is above the law, check with the University Legal Advisor if you need clarification of that point?"

Tammy walked away before the Vice-Chancellor could answer her riposte, remembering that her phone was still recording, she'd save that for later just in case it was ever needed. Whilst her phone was in her hand she realised she'd missed her morning appointments.

"I'm sorry Sandy, it's been a mad week, can I rebook?"

"I've got nothing before next week."

"I'm free on Monday?"

"We're closed for staff training, sorry."

"Wednesday?"

"Nine o'clock?"

"Hmmm, I have to take my car in next Wednesday and then I'm on foot."

"Next slot is at two, that's for your hair and a wax?"

"Okay, I'll take it."

"Don't miss it, I hate having a stylist doing nothing for half an hour."

"I'll put it in my organiser, I promise I'll make it."

She spent the afternoon in a group of six students discussing that morning's education, particularly the causes of crime, although it wasn't long before they were all asking Tammy questions.

"For the last time, I'm not saying anything and I told the Vice-Chancellor the same thing."

"What do you have against Lorna?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to say anything."

"Yeah, but ....?"

Tammy picked up her bag and headed to the door. "I'll revise at home where I won't be interrupted by questions."

Her phone started to ring.

"Hi Mum?"

"We have a problem, Tammy, we've just found out Linda's father is on the way here and Linda has asked for you."

Part   Twelve   "Linda"

 
Thursday 20th April 2017 (Continued)
 

"Lyndon's - err - Linda's father is already on the way, Mum? I thought he wasn't going to be up here before the weekend?"

"We had a call from his wife, apparently she didn't agree to anything and they had a huge argument. She didn't want her son, or daughter, pulled out just before the exam season starts as it would ruin their life."

"At least she's not going along with this, but haven't you applied for a court order to protect Linda?"

"I spoke to the school's solicitor, there's insufficient grounds so far."

"Do you think we can sit down and discuss it with him when he gets here?"

"Linda's mother now thinks he took their shotgun with him as it's not in the gun cabinet."

"Did she see him leave with it?"

"No, she only noticed a few hours ago and he sometimes leaves it elsewhere."

"Oh, when is he due?"

"Tonight, coming up by train and then hiring a car apparently, she doesn't know which station he's using or what time he might get here."

"Are the police aware?"

"Yes, but they simply said to lock the gates and to phone if he turns up armed."

"He could be stopped on a train or at a railway station if he's carrying a shotgun with intent to threaten?"

"But we don't know which station he's using, or which trains he's catching, Tammy."

"Great. What if Linda isn't at the school? Perhaps on a trip?"

"It's difficult to arrange something like that at no notice?"

"Not if she's at Cathy's place learning about forest management from the gamekeepers? I'm sure Daisy's clothes would fit her."

"Well Lyndon is doing Environmental Studies as one of his subjects."

"So that's believable."

"Yes. I'll get Mike Thompson to agree it and then work with Cathy."

"What would you like me to do?"

"Can you be at Cathy's, stay the night there if necessary, so that you can re-assure Linda? Officially, only Mike, myself and you know the full circumstances."

"Sure, Mum, I'll collect a few bits and head over there. If Cathy says she can't help, let me know."

"Will do, thanks."

Tammy stopped at her office and put in an hour's work just to keep the business ticking over. There were a few applications for the vacant office job but the deadline for applications was a week away so she saved the few that had arrived, although she didn't recognise any of the names.

Whilst there she sent her solicitor the videos of Lorna damaging her car, plus a summary of events so far. Tammy then remembered to go back through the car videos for the whole day, and not just the time slots she'd previously looked at. Tammy started playing the front camera's recordings at the time she'd driven into the carpark on Tuesday morning, but hadn't seen anything. She then played the rear camera for the same time period.

This time she spotted Lorna and Corrine trying to hide behind her car as she was waiting for a parking space. Lorna was pointing at the car, then was scanning the surrounding area with her finger.

Tammy saved this clip, then sent it to Sgt Stuart St James as well as her solicitor.

Finally, Tammy accessed the safe and withdrew both weapons, placing them carefully into her bag. She made a mental note to store her firearms elsewhere as her new office manager would likely need access to the safe and shouldn't know about any extra-curricular activities.

Tammy parked behind Dunbankin' and went to her room to check with Cathy.

"Has Lyndon, I mean Linda, arrived?"

"Yes, she's upstairs with Daisy and Florence."

"Excellent, I'll grab a few things then I'll be over."

"I know what your mum said but is that necessary?"

"It's a precaution, but I'd also like to get to know Linda a little better and reassure her that she's safe."

"Okay, I suppose it's just one more mouth to feed!"

Tammy packed an overnight bag, then added a second set of clothes as a precaution. She showered and dressed in a skirt and top before heading downstairs, right now she didn't need to look threatening if she was to win Linda's trust. She told Pru where she was going then took one of the golf carts through the connecting gate to the McPherson home.

Tammy was met at the rear door by the butler, Thomas. Tammy asked if she could deposit something in his safe.

"Of course, Miss Smart, I'll be happy to help."

She handed over the Glock 19, which he secured.

"Will madam be carrying anything else?"

"Yes, Thomas, my Glock 26, but that will be in my bag." Tammy unnecessarily patted the small shoulder bag she was carrying.

"Does Madam McPherson know you are carrying weapons?"

"No, and it's best that Cathy and the girls don't."

"Understood, Miss Smart. Are we expecting trouble?"

"I hope not, we have moved the young lady here to avoid trouble at the school. My hope is that the issue will be dealt with quietly and well away from here. Could you advise the groundsmen that the main gate is to be shut, as a precaution?"

"That has already been taken care of, Miss Smart. Let me show you to your room."

Thomas insisted on carrying Tammy's overnight bags. She'd barely made it to the door of the Rose Room before there was a scream.

"Aunt Tammy!"

"Hi girls, just give me a moment to get settled."

"We'll help!"

"I know you want to, Daisy, but I don't want anything creased. Please give me a moment."

"Did you bring a swim suit?"

"Yes."

"Oh good! We can go swimming" She took the hand of the new girl, "Linda, let me find you something you can wear ...."

Tammy hadn't seen Florence yet and barely caught sight of a timid Linda outside her room before the latest feminine St Andrews student was dragged away.

She changed into a plain black one piece and wrapped herself in a cotton dressing gown before re-opening her door. Daisy was just coming out of her room, Linda was in tow wearing a luminous green swimsuit. She didn't look happy.

Tammy remembered the first time she'd worn a woman's swimsuit, she hadn't felt as if it fitted her, but had been desiring the experience for so long she had put aside any doubts. It had helped that this was the same pool they were using today.

"Daisy, I'd like to have a chat with Linda? Go and change."

Tammy shut the door after inviting Linda into her room.

"I'm scared, Miss Smart."

"Firstly, Linda, my name is Tammy although Daisy calls me 'Aunt' Tammy. Secondly, what scares you?"

"Everything."

Tammy sat on the bed and patted a space next to herself. Linda sat but was starting to shiver; Tammy told the girl to wait whilst she fetched a towel.

"Put that over your shoulders, you can take it down to the pool when we go down there."

"I didn't see a pool when I arrived?"

"It's in the basement. So, what's the scary issues?"

"No-one has told me why I was taken out of school this afternoon, or why Florence and Daisy had to come with me?"

"Typical, no-one's said anything?"

"No. Whose house is this?"

"Cathy McPherson owns the house, Florence and Daisy are her adopted children. This house has been in the McPherson family for over a century."

"There's a memorial in the main hall at school to an Elsie McPherson."

"Elsie was Cathy's mother, she was a close friend of mine and she looked after me when I first transitioned. This room was my bedroom for several months."

"That doesn't explain why I'm here?"

"Maybe not, but I can assure you that this house is safe."

"You're talking in riddles, Tammy, what's going on?"

"You're hiding here until tomorrow, probably. We've been told your father is on his way here."

"I know, I told that to Mrs Smart."

"Well, your mum phoned up the school later and said he might have shotgun with him, she didn't agree with what he was doing, or of the suggestion you left school. My guess is she didn't go along with burning your clothes stash either."

"There were only a few nice things that actually fitted me, the rest was stuff I couldn't wear but I dare not put in the rubbish."

"Well, we'll have to let you develop a proper wardrobe?"

"I had a very small allowance and, even if Dad lets me do my exams here next month, there's no way he'll pay for the sixth form. I guarantee my room will be searched daily when I get home."

"Well, as you're over sixteen your view matters. That's the law!"

"Dad does things his own way, he always has done."

"Well, right now he's probably on his way to the school with a shotgun. That's why you're in this house and not in the school."

"It doesn't explain why I'm wearing this."

"Well, this way you can be a girl for a few days."

"But what's Dad going to say? What's he going to do when I'm not at the school?"

"So far as your form tutor and all of your fellow students are concerned, you've been given a two day special trip because of your Environmental Science course. That puts you back in school by Saturday, which is when your parents initially said they'd be in Thurso."

"He won't believe that."

"He won't have much choice, and if he thinks that a shotgun will open doors, forget it."

"Still?"

There was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Come on, Linda, let's go swimming."

"But?"

"Enjoy it, it's just us girls this afternoon."

Florence tore herself away from her revision and joined them for the half an hour before Anna arrived with important news.

"Dinner is in twenty five minutes."

There was a groan from Daisy but all made their way towards the poolside showers.

"Who was she?"

"'She', Linda, is one of the staff here. Her name is Anna and she was Elsie's chambermaid. Rinse off here then wrap yourself and put back on the clothes you were wearing earlier."

"Where?"

"In Daisy's room? Use the bathroom if you need to."

"Is she like me, and you?"

"Errr, no."

"Can I use your room?"

"Hmmm, okay."

They hurried upstairs. Tammy wanted to take a proper shower and wash her hair but Linda had raced ahead to collect her clothes and had now bolted herself in Tammy's bathroom. The time was quarter to six, dinner was at six.

Tammy removed her swimsuit and slipped the dressing gown back on. She brushed her hair out, wondering if she'd get her shower. Her phone was flashing so she picked it up whilst waiting for the bathroom.

1715:Police have identified Linda's father bought a ticket to Inverness using a credit card but haven't been able to identify exactly which train he's on. No news on any car hire yet

1725:Police cannot find any record of a car being hired in his name

Tammy replied:

Is it possible he'll continue onto Thurso and buy a ticket on the train? One train is due right now and the next is gone ten tonight. I suggest locking the school gates

Joan replied a minute later:

1749:We've come to the same conclusion, I'll head home at seven assuming nothing happens

By the time Linda reappeared there wasn't enough time for Tammy to do anything for herself. Linda, however, was not ready for the dinner table.

"I guess you haven't had much experience with girls' clothes?"

"Not really."

"Hold your arms up, I need to take the dress off you."

"Why?"

"Two things, it's back to front and I can see you have twisted straps."

"I couldn't work out how to ..... and there wasn't a label to tell me which way round the dress went."

"It's in the seam in the left side. Arms up!"

A few minutes later Linda was more presentable. "You're good to go."

"What about you, Tammy?"

"Well, my hair still needs washing and I really need to wash everywhere else as well."

"Oh, I hogged your bathroom!"

"Yes, you did."

"Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry!" Linda started to cry, it didn't take long for Daisy to knock.

"Why are you crying Linda?"

"I messed up, Daisy, Aunt Tammy didn't get a shower."

"Oh. Leave that with me!"

Daisy went out of the door and straight downstairs, Florence went after her "No, Daisy, don't!"

Tammy gave up.

"Look, Linda, I'm going to have my shower regardless. I have no idea what's going on but please give my apologies to Cathy, but I'll be late for dinner."

Tammy turned and went into the bathroom, locking the door. She turned on the water and a few seconds later was under it.

Ten minutes later she had a hair dryer to her head when her bedroom door opened, revealing Cathy.

"I knocked but I guess you didn't hear it?"

Tammy had by now shut off the dryer, and when looking at her phone for the time, noticed that she'd missed a call.

"Your mum called the house phone, the security lights have gone on by the school gates but the grounds staff didn't see anything."

"So it could be nothing?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'll get dressed and I'll come down for dinner, sorry I'm late."

"Daisy went to the kitchen and put a hold on the meal, she explained what happened and Linda is very embarrassed."

"She's new to this, all of it, and doesn't know how to react."

"That's clear, much like yourself?"

"I guess so."

"So, make yourself presentable and we'll eat shortly."

"Cathy, why didn't Linda have her own room?"

"We hadn't got around to it, trust Daisy to put a spanner in the works! I'll ask Anna to make a room available."

Tammy finished her hair then redressed in the skirt and top she'd arrived in, she arrived downstairs as the clock approached six thirty.

Daisy spent dinner time trying to get Linda to open up. Although they were in the same school year it seemed they didn't know each-other. Tammy put this down to Linda's shyness and wish to stay under the radar. As soon as dinner was over Florence made a beeline for the stairs, to continue her revision.

"Daisy, don't you have revision to do as well?"

"Yes, Linda and I can do it between us."

That left just Cathy and Tammy.

"Where's Michael?"

"He's working in Wick and will eat at work."

"Working, what does he do?"

"He's the manager of the new gay bar that opened last month."

"I saw something about that opening. How did he get the job?"

"He bought the place with his share of Elsie's legacy."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"You never asked, plus we haven't seen you very often."

They walked into the lounge where an open fire was burning.

"How's your life, Tammy?"

"Not great at times. It looks like I make enemies easily but can't get or keep friends."

"It would help if you called every now and again."

"Sure, sorry."

"Forgiven, but what's this about your car?"

"It's a local issue that's being dealt with. Two girls have been arrested for criminal damage."

"Nothing more than that?"

"It's something to do with boyfriends and has been brewing for a while. It boiled over this week."

"I hope you won't be taking the law into your own hands, Tammy?"

"Not at all, Cathy, this is in the hands of the police and my solicitor."

"Good."

Tammy's phone started to ring.

"Hi mum."

"Tammy, it's gone seven and nothing's going on. Mike's told me to go home."

"Fair enough. I guess there's no more calls from the mother?"

"No, how's Linda?"

"Getting the full Daisy treatment!"

"Okay, we'll talk in the morning."

"Sure, bye mum."

Tammy put her phone down.

"I reckon this is a lot of fuss about nothing?"

"Perhaps, Cathy, but a child's life could be ruined in so many ways depending on how we handle the next twenty-four hours."

"But nothing's happened at the school?"

"There's another train at ten tonight."

"Anyone going into that school in the dead of night needs their head examined!"

"The gates are locked, so perhaps nothing will happen but he could still be in Inverness, or even further South. Damn, I should have asked mum if Linda's parents had been here before."

"Surely they must have?"

"Not necessarily, there were boys in my year who never saw their parents unless they flew to Geneva or Strasbourg."

"But don't they check out the place before sending their children up here?"

"The school holds regional meetings for parents and guardians who are interested, there's a wealth of material available on the website as well."

"I don't think my school could operate without the parents' support?"

"My guess is that just about all the children in your school were born in the town?"

"That used to be true, but there's a few Sassenachs now, as well as those from further afield. All of the families come into school several times a year, we make sure of it."

"You know that St Andrews has to be a surrogate family, that's the way the school has always worked."

"Elsie said as much. Why don't you check on Linda?"

Tammy headed upstairs but couldn't hear anything. She knocked on Daisy's door and, after a few seconds, pushed it open finding the room empty. Tammy knew the next room along was Florence's and found her in there with her head in a book,

"Oh, hello Aunt Tammy."

"Do you know where the other two are?"

"I think Anna came for them, try the end of the corridor?"

Tammy continued past several more bedrooms but knew these to be Cathy's and Michael's. The end rooms were Elsie's personal quarters and included an ante-room. Tammy had been down here only a few times and wasn't comfortable but she could see a light under the door of the ante-room, formerly used as a private office and occasional dining room for one. She knocked.

"Hi Aunt Tammy, isn't this wonderful?"

The room was now a twenty first century bedroom and completely unlike the traditional four-posters of the other bedrooms.

"When did this happen?"

"Mum decided we needed a modern guest room, Florence and I helped choose everything."

"Well, it's certainly different."

"It's cool. I wish this was my room."

"That's a conversation you will have to hae with your mum. I'd like a word with Linda, in private please."

Daisy reluctantly left, it was clear that they hadn't done any revision as Tammy couldn't see any textbooks or folders. Linda was sat on the edge of the double bed with her hands folded on her lap, still in the white dress. Tammy pulled up a chair and sat facing the girl.

"You want to ask me something?"

"Yes, Linda, when was the last time your parents came to the school?"

"Five years ago, when I started here. Dad couldn't stand the place but, by then, he'd paid the fees for the year. Mum wasn't keen on the wind and the rain so they were only here for an hour."

"So he wouldn't know the school very well?"

"No, I used to move classrooms around to test him!"

"If Why did they put you in a boarding school?"

"I was getting bullied in primary school, I was small and quite girly, the local secondary school would have been a death sentence for me. Mum could see it, but Dad took some convincing."

"There must be hundreds of boarding schools in England you could have gone to?"

"Dad reckoned I wouldn't try to go home at weekends if I was hundreds of miles away and so St Andrews was ideal."

"My mother felt the same way."

"Oh."

"Linda, did you want to continue into the Sixth Form at St Andrews?"

"Well, maybe ....."

"Look, I'm trying to gauge how best to help you, let's assume that there are no reasons why not?"

"Yes, if I can, but ... what about the money? Dad won't pay, I'm sure of it, and Mum doesn't have access to his money."

"Don't worry about the money, this comes down to what you want. What if I told you there was a scheme to help girls like you?"

"Really?"

"Yes, and the lady who used to use this room was responsible for setting it up. Aunt Cathy looks after the admin."

"So this isn't just somewhere safe, whilst my Dad creeps around the school looking for me?"

Tammy laughed, "yes, I mean no, I mean it's an ideal environment for us to have a talk and for you to get comfortable. No-one will judge you here."

"Thank you!"

Linda jumped off the bed and put her arms around Tammy and sobbed into her shoulder. Tammy let the girl recover and sit back down.

"Sorry, sorry, I don't know what came over me?"

Tammy reached for a box of tissues and offered a few to Linda.

"So I could stay at the school until I'm eighteen?"

"That's the way the Sixth Form works, yes. After that you can get a job, or go to university, anything that you fancy."

"And no-one would mind if Linda does all of that instead of Lyndon?"

"Nope. It's just a question of getting the medical confirmation sorted out, that's your legal protection."

"Doctors?"

"'Fraid so."

"Shrinks?"

"Sort of, gender counsellors probably. Anyway, that's a little way down the line, although St Andrews is well-versed in helping young adults be the person they want to be."

"So there are others?"

"Yes, but everyone's story is different and some, like me, have left the school. Remember never to judge others based on rumour or supposition."

"I'd heard that before. What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"We'll ask the groundsmen to take you into the woods and show you how to track the wild animals, and see where that takes you."

"I can't go into the woods in a dress!"

"Why not?"

"Ummm, I'll probably ruin it."

"I think that's something to worry about tomorrow and hopefully the the worst problem to deal with tomorrow. Now, where's your books?"

"In Daisy's room."

"I suggest you retrieve them and work on your own."

"I usually do, Daisy can be a bit intense."

"Definitely."

Tammy checked the time, it was half-past seven, where had the time gone? She followed Linda as she went to find her schoolwork and checked that Linda was on her own as she walked back. Tammy slid into her room but left the door ajar to listen for marauding children.

She checked social media, as well as the news media, for any relevant reports but there was nothing of note.

Her phone rang close to eight, her phone claimed the call was from the Castletown Hotel.

"Hello?"

"Is that Miss Smart?"

"Yes, who's calling?"

"This is Frances, I'd like some advice please."

"Well, if I can?"

"An Englishman has arrived and he's been asking everyone in the bar about your old school."

"Oh, when did he get there?"

"About an hour ago, maybe longer. He ate in the restaurant before asking for a room."

Part   Thirteen   "Broadsword"

 
This chapter is a collaboration between Shiraz & Snowfall
 
 
Friday 21st April 2017
 

Tammy was a little disorientated when she awoke, it had been several months since she'd slept in the Rose Room. The previous evening had created a minor panic when an Englishman had arrived in the Castletown Hotel, not that it was a rare event under normal circumstances.

The trouble had started when Andrew & Neale Fraser, part time police officers and shinty players, had arrived in the bar at the end of a shift patrolling the area. They had been briefed that an Englishman was due in the area that evening and may be armed. The name of the hotel guest they'd been given was John Smith. Unfortunately, Linda's father was John Smythe, this type of co-incidence is rare, but not completely uncommon.

Given the potential for misidentification the Fraser boys had suggested to Frances, manager of the hotel, that he verified if the man in their bar was, or wasn't, the suspected armed parent. The aim was to avoid the unnecessary inconvenience of an armed response team, as well as potentially incurring forced overtime, although the boys were keeping a very close eye on the man whilst the situation remained fluid.

The hotel manager listened for a short while and did consider it strange that an existing St Andrews parent would be asking such questions as how often the boys were seen wearing skirts in town. Frances hadn't wanted to alarm the school so had called the one person who might be able to answer his dilemma.

"As you can see, Miss Smart, I'm out of my depth here."

Tammy hadn't wanted to be the arbiter so had called Mike Thompson.

"According to the computer diary I have an appointment booked tomorrow with a John Smith, but I have no idea who or why. I'll have to check the main appointments diary, to see if there's more information there. I'll call back."

That had taken an agonising ten minutes.

"Tammy, it appears I have a nine o'clock meeting with a journalist and this is the first I've heard of it. We got rid of that girl on Tuesday, by the way, after she upset a few of the governors. I've had no secretary for a few days."

"So she probably booked it, where's Janet?"

"Somewhere in the Caribbean."

"I guess you wouldn't have easily acceded to an interview with a journalist?"

"Not without knowing the reason for their request and agreeing what line to take, beforehand, with the governing body."

Tammy called Frances back.

"Is he still in the bar?"

"Yes, what's the verdict?"

"He's a journalist, it would seem, perhaps it's for the best that he isn't at the wrong end of an armed response team?"

"Indeed Miss Smart."

Tammy's recollections were stopped by a quiet tapping on her bedroom door.

"Coffee, Miss Smart?"

"Yes please."

Tammy slipped into the en-suite bathroom and freshened herself in the shower whilst the maid delivered her hot drink and tidied the room. By eight she was in the breakfast room.

"Good morning girls."

Daisy and Florence were dressed for school, although Daisy was wearing a female version of the traditional kilted uniform. Florence, as a sixth former, had a wider choice of clothes but was in a long black skirt with a fitted jacket, a tartan cravat was around the neck of her ivory blouse.

Linda was in a gingham summer dress, not by her own choice it transpired. Cathy and Michael had already headed to work so one of the groundsmen was driving Florence and Daisy into school. That left Tammy and Linda.

"What am I doing today?"

"Hopefully putting on something warmer, it's hardly summer out there!"

"Daisy put me in it, I didn't feel right going through her wardrobe and she said she didn't have time to choose, so she just grabbed this and said it was her sister's old one."

"Well, we'll need to find something else. I'll have some breakfast then we can head over to my home."

They left twenty minutes later. Linda was now wearing a pair of tights under her dress and her school blazer over it. Tammy had retrieved her firearm from Thomas whilst Linda was upstairs.

"Is this your car?"

Tammy laughed. "No, we just don't need cars to get between my home and Cathy's. Put the belt on, it can get a bit bumpy."

Tammy had to unlock the connecting gate before the golf cart could pass through. She parked it up and connected the charging cable. She led Linda indoors and passed her father in the hallway.

"And who is this young lady, Tammy?"

"Don't you recognise Linda Smythe, a year 11 student at St Andrews."

Linda suddenly realised who he was.

"I'm sorry, Mr Smart, Sir, I'll change straight away."

Richard shook his head. "Fortunately I know what is going on and I'm sure my daughter has matters under control?"

"Of course, Dad."

"In that case, welcome to Dunbankin'."

Richard walked into the study and shut the door before Linda could find a response.

"He's your father?"

"Yes, Linda, is there a problem?"

"Er, yes, no, I don't know."

"Look, let's get upstairs and find you something more appropriate."

The three Smart sisters had been ordered a week earlier to find any clothing that didn't fit any of them and to make it ready for the charity shops. Tammy judged that Suzie was only a little bigger than Linda so dived into the room where the bundles of clothes were waiting.

"That's Suzie's throwaways, some of which I suspect she only wore twice. There should be a pair of jodhpurs or jeans, a sweatshirt, that sort of thing."

Tammy couldn't recall having seen Suzie on the back of a horse, but had seen her in jodhpurs and boots a year or so beforehand. Unfortunately her shoe size hadn't changed in recent years so the boots were still in occasional use.

"Where can I try these on?" Linda was holding a pair of stretch jeans.

"Right here, we don't have all day!"

They ended up with a few choices in tops, bottoms and a pair of pink training shoes that were of the 'never worn' variety. "I think she was bought these and never liked the colour, or something like that!"

When they returned to Cathy's place Linda was dressed in a sweatshirt, jeans and the pink trainers. Tammy had put together a few make-up items and quickly did a 'less is more' job on Linda's face.

Thomas found them in Linda's temporary room.

"Excuse me Miss Smart, but the school has been trying to get hold of you. Also the groundsmen are waiting for Miss Smythe."

Tammy reached for her bag, realising it wasn't with her. "Have you seen my bag, Linda?"

"You had it at the other house."

"Damn. I need to go back and your lesson needs to start."

Tammy found Thomas and explained she'd left her bag, and phone, across at Dunbankin'.

"You didn't, Miss, your bag was left on the buggy when you arrived back here. I've secured it."

"Oh."

"I suggest you don't contemplate what could have happened."

"Indeed Thomas, many thanks for being discrete."

Tammy's phone showed several missed calls from her mother when Thomas handed her bag back to her. Tammy called.

"I've been trying to get hold of you?"

"So I gather, sorry. What's up?"

"The police have picked up John Smythe at Inverness Station."

"Oh, so he didn't make it here?"

"Apparently he stayed in Inverness last night. He arrived at the station at nine and was carrying his shotgun in a shooting bag. A railway employee queried what he was doing and he told them he was going on a deer hunt. The railway employee phoned the police as it's a few months before the hunting season starts for most classes but Smythe couldn't confirm which hunting class he was going for and didn't have a Scottish Game Licence."

"So what's up with him now?"

"The Police have interviewed him and although he initially denied he was coming here, he can't give a good explanation of why he is carrying a weapon, especially to the school. He'll go in front of a sheriff tomorrow, and they'll probably confiscate the gun."

"Is that it?"

"Not quite. Mike tells me you spoke to him last night?"

"Yes, a journalist was at Castletown Hotel."

"It now seems that journalist knew about Smythe's visit and basically accused the Headmaster of turning the male students at St Andrews into girls."

"That's ridiculous."

"It didn't help that Florence and Daisy arrived at the school at the same time as the journalist."

"Did he identify Florence?"

"No he used Daisy as an example of our 'conversion' policy and was a little put out when Mike explained that Daisy was all-girl, and attended the school due to her extenuating family circumstances."

"Did he infer the whole conversion allegation from meeting Daisy?"

"No, it's not exactly a secret locally, is it? Having said that, you do realise the number of transitioning students is well above the national average so would definitely get noticed?"

"Is it?"

"You know it is, our sixth form is quite small yet there's three in transition at the moment, and it looks like we'll have a year eleven in transition for the remaining few weeks of the year. I doubt many other schools have that number."

"True, who are the sixth formers?"

"Florence, you know, but sorry, confidentiality means I can't disclose the names of the others."

"Okay, what about the journo?"

"He's gone, but where is Linda now?"

"I think she's with the groundsmen."

"Leave her today, I'll ask Cathy if she can stay for another night. Meanwhile I'll talk to Mike about whether Linda could stay as a boarding student, and I still need to talk to Linda's mother."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not for now."

 
Saturday 22nd April 2017
 

Tammy had decided she needed to get away, she had become far too involved over the previous week, either as a victim of crime or as a protector, trying to avoid a crime. Right now her phones were both off and she was at 15,000ft heading South.

She'd already decided to take her plane for a ride but a phone call the previous evening had altered her plans, sat on the adjacent seat was an overnight bag and a printed confirmation of her hotel booking.

She'd been told to head for Durham Tees Valley International Airport, commonly still known as Teeside Airport, and to await instructions. Just under three hours after leaving Thurso she was on final approach, thankfully there was virtually no wind and visibility was perfect.

Once down she taxied towards the private aviation sheds and then sought out the fuelling point, it made sense to top up now. Twenty five minutes later she'd done her checks, fuelled and paid for overnight parking, she locked her plane and walked to the main terminal.

"Miss Smart?"

"Er, yes?"

"I've been asked to collect you, could you follow me please."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going anywhere until I know who you are?"

"My apologies, Miss Smart." He took a military ID out of his pocket. "Captain Wade sent me to collect you, he's waiting for you back at the barracks."

"Barracks?"

"I'm sorry, but this is not a secure environment, Miss."

Tammy acceded and followed him to a van parked in in a nearby bay. He had offered to take her bag but she'd declined. Her driver opened the side door and Tammy slid into a seat behind her escort, her bag alongside.

Tammy was watching the scenery go past and had no idea of the time, both of her phones were still off in order to prevent tracking. She'd also used her 'bug detector' that morning on her clothing, bag and plane, just in case. It was securely stowed in the plane in case it was needed before the return journey.

It was a thirty minute ride to Catterick Garrison, at the gate she had to go into the security point and produce her ID. Her weapon was secured in her overnight bag, along with spare ammunition, so she wasn't going to give the bored security team a fright. Tammy was issued with a pass that described her as a 'contractor', valid for a year.

It was another fifteen minutes of driving before they reached their destination, Tammy was completely disorientated but her driver said they were near the North West corner of the site.

"How big is it?"

"Two and a half thousand acres, home to about fifteen thousand soldiers, families and support staff."

"A small town, then?"

"Yes. This is as far as I've been told to bring you, go through that door over there." He pointed.

Tammy collected her overnight case and her shoulder bag before bidding her driver farewell. There was a small sign next to the, otherwise, plain door.

The door wasn't locked but inside was a small lobby and the next door was secured. Tammy waited a minute then Captain Marcus Wade appeared.

"Sorry Tammy, I was caught on the phone."

"Where's the loo?"

"Oh, come with me. Coffee?"

"Yes."

By the time Tammy returned from the ladies room, a hot drink and biccies were waiting.

"Right, what am I doing here? I haven't a ruddy clue!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, but we just gave you enough information to reach your escort. He didn't know how you'd flown into the airport, and you didn't know where he was bringing you, and yet you still arrived here safely."

"I'd expect to be briefed on everything that affects me."

"That's not how we work."

"Okay, not that I really know what it is?"

"Well, this is a getting-to-know-you weekend, at the end of which you can walk away. Until you sign up we can't give you any operational knowledge, and it's not fair to ask you to do that without some give and take on both parts."

"Fair enough, what's first?"

"The fitness suite."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope, did you bring a leotard or joggers?"

"Er, no."

"We'll come up with something, finish your coffee."

--

Catterick Garrison info

Part   Fourteen   "Evaluation"

 
This chapter is a collaboration between Shiraz & Snowfall
 
 
Saturday 22nd April 2017 (continued)
 

"Seriously, Marcus, what was the aim of that?"

"We needed to test your fitness, why not grab a shower whilst the numbers are crunched?"

Tammy locked herself in a shower cubicle and peeled out of sweat-ridden army vest and shorts. She didn't smell too brilliant either. Her overnight case was already there, on a bench, but first she needed to get clean and fresh.

Fifteen minutes later she was back, opting for a long skirt in place of the jeans she'd worn when flying down. The fitness suite technician was waiting.

"Miss Smart, your breathing was too quick and too shallow, you need to work on that."

"Was it?"

"Yes, so your muscles tired too quickly, insufficient oxygen."

"Are you saying it wasn't any good? I put everything into those tests."

"Sorry Tammy," answered Marcus,"but as you were just told, your fitness isn't there yet. We'll run the test tomorrow as well, in case today wasn't truly indicative."

"So what next?"

"Lunch."

Food was a tray of sandwiches, on wholemeal bread.

"Are you suggesting I need a diet?"

"No, Tammy, you wouldn't have had any bread if that was the case, although there's no harm in losing a few kilos."

"You really know how to wind a girl up."

"Look, it's important that you're fit before we sign you up for this unit, you are no use if you your stamina or endurance are low. You realise this isn't a desk job?"

"I did get that, but I still don't have much idea what it will be."

"It'll be whatever is needed to get the job done, no more and no less. We can't have part-time operatives, whether you're at the sharp end or backing up."

They drove across the site after lunch to the indoor ranges, although Tammy hadn't been told her destination beforehand.

"I left my weapon back there."

"You won't need it, come."

The armourer had clearly been informed in advance and had a weapon ready for Tammy.

"A Glock 22?"

"Have you been perusing weapons catalogues, young lady?"

"No, I used one of these recently. It's a .40, isn't it?"

"Yes," replied the armourer, "please use the ear defenders, saftey glasses and observe the range regulations at all times. You have lane nine for the next hour, sign here."

Tammy put the ear defenders on before Marcus could question her further so he grabbed a pair for himself and followed her into the range as soon as the light went green.

--

They had a mid-afternoon coffee back in Building U7, Marcus had brought her score sheets back and handed them to Colonel Sean MacTaggart who had now arrived.

"Not bad, young lady. Marcus tells me you used a similar weapon before, we thought the higher calibre would be a problem?"

"I was a little rusty, the last time I got on a range was a few months ago."

"You recovered well, your second set showed improvement."

"Not enough to qualify though!"

"True, that's why we didn't do that today."

"What's the point?"

"Our standard personal weapon is a .40; back at Hereford we have the P320 but this range doesn't have it yet so we settled for the Glock for now."

"I still like my P19."

"Ruddy peashooter, it's no good against armour!"

A bell sounded in the distance, Marcus went to the investigate and returned with a suited lady.

"Tammy, this is Dr Georgia Rouse. She works with us when needed for debriefs, and is fully cleared. I'd like you to sit with her for a chat."

"Marcus, Sean, is that a way of saying you want me psychoanalysed?"

Sean laughed, "The lassie got you, Wade, tell it as it is from now on!" Sean stood and walked away with his Captain, leaving the victim with Dr Rouse. Tammy had been sat in a low chair by a coffee table and now stood. "Okay, Doctor, where's the torture chamber?"

"Please, call me Georgia, why don't we sit here if you're comfortable?"

"I'm Tammy." She held out her hand and it was lightly shaken, both then sat.

"Now, Tammy, I have had a chance to read your file. For someone so young, it's somewhat larger than I expected."

"Please don't assume anything, Doctor, Georgia."

"Plainly. Let me explain what I hope to achieve here, if you join the unit then some of your work will come with issues and the commanders need to know that you can do the work and then deal with the issues. Breaking down in the field is not an option."

"I don't yet know what the work is?"

"True enough, but this is a two stage interview and right know I just need to know what drove you to make certain decisions."

"I've explained all that before."

"From your file; you had genuine counselling just once and even that was really part of an attempt to remove you from the Security Service."

"After I killed Anita Gore in self defence?"

"Yes."

"How did you feel after you'd shot Mrs Gore?"

"Relieved."

"How come?"

"It had been her or me, and that was no longer an issue. Her hostages were also free and the wounded could get medical aid. I knew she couldn't challenge me again."

"Did you have an emotional response after she went down?"

"If you mean, did I cry or freak out, then no. I stayed focussed, even when I was arrested."

"Why do you think you were focussed?"

"Training and experience."

"Such as?"

"Training with Special Forces, attempts on my life, boarding school, that sort of thing."

"Boarding school, why did you include that?"

"You didn't go to a boarding school then?"

"No."

"Imagine being eleven years old and not seeing your parents for three months at a time, having no-one to run to or trying to fit into a system when you don't know how the system works."

"So you keep your head down and accept your situation?"

"Yes. Very soon you're indoctrinated and you find going home is a struggle. Fortunately I didn't go home much, instead it was frequently a hotel somewhere in Europe or further afield."

The conversation then turned to when Tammy and Kerri Emerson had taken down a bunch of True Freedom terrorists in a West London coffee shop.

"How did you assess the situation?"

"I didn't, Kerri did that."

"Were you prepared?"

"Absolutely not, my weapon was in my bag and that was on the floor by my feet. It took me a few seconds to retrieve it once the shooting started. Kerri had a plan within seconds. She recognized threats walking in the door. I had no idea until the first shots came."

"How did you feel when you decided to take out the terrorists?"

"Upset, I was just supposed to be there for a drink!"

"Anything else?"

"Yes, most of the customers had taken cover but two or three were hurt, by then Kerri had opened up and took a few terrorists down and that got their attention away from the customers. I joined in and we took them all out."

"Just like that?"

"No, they were wearing bodyarmour under their coats but all I had was an M&S bra under my blouse. It took time to take them out, wheras one hit on me would have been curtains."

"So you were frightened?"

"No time for that, I had suddenly found myself protecting my friend, the public and moi! Training and a desire to keep breathing took over."

"What about when the shooting stopped?"

"An anticlimax, but you can then hear the coffee shop customers crying out and you can see that some have severe wounds. Then came the confusion."

"What confusion?"

Tammy chose her words carefully this time, she wanted to make sure she only said what she wanted to say.

"I didn't grasp it at the time that Kerri wasn't some technician, as I'd been led to believe. She was much more than that, she was trained for situations exactly like the one we were in.

"A teaspoon, she used a Bloody teaspoon to get the upperhand. Kerri knew immediately that they wore body armour and how to exploit their vulnerabilities. I was furious; one that I hit paid no mind to me and the other had rallied himself, seemingly unhurt. I should have known she was more able when she carries two large calibre pistols and said her daily work out was a triathlon."

"I see. Were the paramedics there quickly?"

"Yes, someone had called the police and apparently they asked for paramedics."

"Were you still there when the police arrived?"

"Yes, and I had the usual arguments with uniformed officers about carrying a weapon, or even having access to one. That wound me up."

"How much did you declare?"

"I had my firearms certificate with me and one of the officers recognised me, Kerri and I walked out of there."

"Then there was the incident at the inquest for the same terrorists?"

"My brief was killed, and I shot the toad who did it."

"How did you react?"

"Immediately, he wouldn't even have seen my weapon."

"So it was in cold blood?"

"No, he was raising his arm and would have shot me as well."

The conversation covered a few more incidents in Tammy's life and then they were done.

Marcus and Sean walked back in almost as soon as Dr Rouse had put her notepad down.

"Marcus, Uncle, were you both listening?"

"No Lassie, not all the time. How about we think about dinner?"

"The three of us, Uncle?"

"No, just the two of us. I understand there's a lovely restaurant just outside the base."

"Really? If I didn't know better, I'd suspect you were coming on to me?"

"Of course not, Tammy?"

"Do you find me attractive?"

"Well, yes, I mean no, I mean ...."

"Speechless? Are you sure you're not trying to get into my knickers, Colonel?"

"Of course not, that would be highly inappropriate. In any case, I doubt very much they would fit me."

 
Sunday 23rd April 2017
 

Tammy awoke in the on-base Premier Inn, having been told to report to Building U7 by seven in the morning. Marcus had given her another shorts and vest set with instructions to take her case with her. Transport was waiting outside the hotel for the ten minute ride.

"Good morning Tammy, did you sleep well?"

"More or less, Colonel. I guess I'm back in the fitness suite first?"

"No, there's a five mile run before that. Your target time is thirty-five minutes."

"On my own?"

"Wade will accompany you, he's on his way over."

"Anyone else?"

"The Lads aren't with him this time. They'd try to help you."

"Really? That's not good?"

MacTaggart shook his head. "They'd mean well, but it wouldn't work right. Their idea of motivation would only wind you up, making you try to chase them down and strangle them for it. Bad show. Going with Wade is enough."

They set off a few minutes later although Marcus insisted Tammy did some warming-up exercises first. Tammy knew their initial pace was fast but assumed it would reduce as time progressed; she took on the advice from the previous day and lengthened her stride whilst improving her breathing. It seemed to work.

There seemed to be a regular running route as they came across individuals and groups as the ran. Tammy started to greet them as runners passed them but found it disrupted her breathing. A nod seemed sufficient and took less energy.

The first twenty minutes had been on the flat but, as they rounded a building, she saw the ground rising ahead of them. Marcus, just ahead of her, seemed to increase speed just before they hit the start of the rise, Tammy followed but was starting to feel her leg muscles tighten.

Previously she would have slowed at a hill and, most likely, would have ended up walking. That didn't seem to be an option so she dug in, going over the top thirty seconds after Marcus.

She started to sprint to catch him up but quickly realised that wasn't the most sensible idea so opted for a pace a little faster than before in order to gradually catch the Captain.

She didn't quite catch him by the time they returned to their starting point, but stayed in touch for the remaining two miles, arriving just ten seconds later. Marcus was jogging on the spot and suggested she did the same.

"Warm down, then we go inside."

A few minutes later his pace dropped to nil and he told her to stop, they walked inside.

"Well done, Tammy, that was thirty four minutes."

"Thirty-four? Do you run like that all the time?"

"No, for such a short distance I'll normally do it in twenty eight."

"Jeez, Marcus, thanks for the consideration."

"Seriously, I wasn't expecting you to stay with me for so long."

"Maybe I'm fitter than you thought? I used to do a lot of running at school, in London I was running for the bus or the tube, but I drive everywhere in Thurso."

"Don't you have a pool and a gym at home?"

"Yes, but hardly touched it during the winter, we still have snow on the ground in the Highlands."

"I know, I was in Thurso recently."

"You didn't say!"

"You didn't need to know. Now, I'd like you on a running machine to check your oxygen intake and then we'll do breakfast."

"I need water first, and a wee!" "Use a sample pot please."

Compared to the run, her time on the running machine was quite sedate, although she spent three short periods at sprint speeds before slowing back to a comfortable jog. All the time her heart rate, CO2 and oxygen intake were monitored.

The technician was complimentary.

"That's quite an improvement, Unfortunately I'll need a blood sample."

"Really?"

"Yes, we should have done one yesterday but, given your improvement, one is essential today. A nurse should be waiting for you."

"What about my improvement? I haven't taken anything so something else must be the cause."

"Well, my guess is that you improved your technique or were more motivated. The bloods will help confirm that."

Tammy was sweating profusely and desperately needed a shower but the nurse was waiting for her, three phials were taken in a procedure that took under two minutes. It was still only eight in the morning.

She'd been warned to wear jeans once she was showered and queried this as they walked to an officers' mess to get breakfast.

"You're back on the range after lunch."

"I'm sure I could have worn shorts, or even a skirt, without it affecting how I shot?"

"No, it's an outdoor range and a skirt might cause an incident."

"Oh, okay."

She was warned not to overdo her food but a cooked breakfast was demanded, along with coffee and toast - Tammy was hungry.

Next up was actually another session with the shrink. "Good morning Tammy, how are you today?"

"At the wrong end of a run, a demonic fitness technician and a trainee Dracula!"

"I'll try not to add myself to your list."

"Thanks Georgia, what do you want to do this morning?"

"Some follow up questions and a few role plays but I want to be away by ten thirty so I can attend the service."

"Service?"

"I thought you'd realise it's St George's Day, oh you're Scottish!"

"Born in Enfield, North London, schooled in the Highlands and now an adopted Scotswoman."

"So did you ever celebrate England's saint?"

"Two years ago I was asked to give the reading at my school's St George's service. If I recall it was a piece from Gandhi."

"You said yesterday that you survived secondary school, was it a trial?"

"No, but I transitioned during my upper sixth year and not everyone was happy with that."

"I wondered when you were going to raise that."

"Is it relevant?"

"Yes, in terms of how you feel about it and no in terms of your suitability for this unit."

"How I feel is fine; I am female and have always been female. Now my body agrees with my head."

"So were your school problems caused by your transition?"

"A few, but some people can't avoid being idiots, regardless of the circumstances. I had a good deal of support from friends and family and it didn't affect my A Level results, as far as I can tell."

"No regrets at all?"

"Are you kidding?"

"Just asking."

"No, not at all."

"How do you deal with anyone who queries your past?"

"That all depends on what they ask, but I finished school as Tamara Smart and all of my records say that. My NHS record even says I was born female."

"I checked, yes it does. How did that happen?"

"Someone was playing with my medical records a year or so ago and somehow the base data was altered. The agencies know it's been changed but they've not asked for it to be fixed, it removes a possible conflict of information, doesn't it."

"It does, although in my case it caused me to dig deeper."

"And what did you find?"

"That Tammy has only existed since 2014 but has done so much in the past two and a half years that it completely obscures what went on before."

"So I'm hiding my past in plain sight?"

"Quite. How did you find the mess this morning?"

"Full of officers needing breakfast."

"Did anyone query your presence?"

"No."

"Do you ever have to justify yourself to get in somewhere?"

"Not that I can recall."

"I guess you have business suits?"

"Yes, and designer frocks, why?"

"So, on an operation you could be an executive, a model or just another woman?"

"It's what I do in real life."

"I don't doubt it, which designer do you wear?"

"She's Scottish and only sells through my friend Sarah's shop, I think I have one of her cards."

"Okay, now I'd like to do a little role play with you."

"Such as?"

"We'll go through a few scenarios and I'd like you to give me honest answers as we progress through each exercise."

"Sure."

Georgia kept the role play short and by ten they were done.

"Is that any indication of what I'll be doing, Georgia?"

"I don't know as I haven't been told what your role will be, but the exercises were generic."

"Okay."

Marcus returned as Georgia left, he was carrying a tray of coffee.

"No Sean?"

"He has other duties, I doubt you'll see him again before you leave."

"Oh, okay."

"How did you get on with Dr Rouse?"

"Fine, she's easy to talk to. One of the better shrinks."

"Good, because she'll be talking to you at the end of each mission, if you join."

"Understood. What are we doing now?"

"Firstly, finish your coffee, then we'll drive over to the ranges. Have you shot with a rifle before?"

"The school had some .22 rifles that I used a few times."

"Well, we'll be sticking to NATO standard hardware here, your rifle today will be the L118A1 or Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle and it takes a 7.62 round."

"I guess this is so that I am comfortable with it?"

"Yes, although that's not the rifle we normally use in the field."

"Okay, give me a moment then I'll be ready."

"Wrap up, it's quite exposed on the ranges."

Tammy had another lecture on range safety when they arrived, before signing for the rifle. This particular model had a ten round magazine and she took three of them.

She found her allocated position and checked her ear defenders were positioned correctly. Marcus explained.

"The targets are movable. We'll do one at fifty metres, one at a hundred metres and finally one at three hundred metres."

"Three hundred? That's three football's pitches long! I won't be able to hit anything!"

"Try. I hear some of your friend Kerri's playmates can shoot a kilometer on regular basis."

The first shots were just about getting comfortable. Tammy was on the ground in the prone position and by the fourth shot had managed to get the stock into a good position on her shoulder as well as hit inside the rings of the target for the first time. Five of the next six also landed in the right area on the target.

"They were all going to the right, I had to target to the left."

"Did you check the windspeed?"

"No."

"You should have asked, it's one point five metres per second across the range."

"What's the speed of the bullet?"

"Typically eight hundred metres per second."

"So the fifty metre range takes a sixteenth of a second to read the target. That means it could be off by almost ten centimetres."

"Exactly, but how did you work that out so fast?"

"Once I knew the velocity, the rest was easy. Putting that into implementation may be a different matter though."

"Right, I'll reset for a hundred metres. What will the drift be?"

"Up to twenty centimetres, or eight inches."

"Okay, change the magazine first."

Tammy found the release clip and dropped the empty magazine out before replacing it. She settled into a firing position and looked through the scope. The target looked smaller. She adjusted for speed and let the first round go, it was still over to the left so she adjusted and shot again, this time it landed on the second ring - the wind had dropped.

This target was better but she was now comfortable, as comfortable as you can be laying on your stomach with a rifle wedged in your body.

Finally she had a three hundred metre target and had trouble hitting it, with only two shots inside the rings.

"Damn, that was hard."

They were back at building U7.

"How have you found the weekend, Tammy?"

"Interesting, but I still have no idea what the work is."

"We'll be evaluating your performance over the past two days and, if we like what we see, then we'll invite you back for training and induction. Are you still interested?"

"Yes."

"Okay, get your stuff and I'll drive you back to the airport. Remember, you do not repeat anything you heard or saw."

"Understood."

"Good and well done Tammy, we'll be in touch. Okay, let's go. Oh, you still owe dinner in London."

Tammy finally laughed. "I haven't forgotten Marcus. I can't decide on a frock, especially as you won't tell me where you'd like me to take you!"

Part   Fifteen   "Family Ties"

 
Monday 24th April 2017
 

Tammy took her usual seat in the lecture theatre and winced as her posterior met the seat.

"Welcome back everyone, in case you've forgotten my name is Ben Franklin. I would like to point out that two people from this course have been permanently excluded from the University following prosecution for criminal behaviour."

He paused.

"Some, if not most of you, will by now have read the newspaper reports from last Friday and I strongly advise against anyone taking any action in the misguided support of friends, as exclusion will follow swiftly.

"I think that's a good starting point for today's work; the non-judicial consequences of a conviction."

In Tammy's opinion, Ben led the discussion well and was able to get many students to become involved, some of whom had always sat near Lorna Kirk but seldom participated.

At break Tammy noticed a few of the girls making a bee-line for her as she headed for a coffee but the Vice Chancellor Mr Ford was waiting for her. He suggested they moved away to a quiet corner, freeing them from inquisitors.

"I would like to speak to you about the car-park, Miss Smart, if you don't mind?"

"Do I need to contact my solicitor?"

"I doubt it, but perhaps I should first apologise for my own overreaction and the unhelpful response of the staff?"

"I'm pleased to hear that, Mr Ford, but what brought this on?"

"It appears there was a family connection between a member of staff here and one of the two students who were arrested last week. I did ask for the relevant footage to be checked and oddly it had been erased, although only a few individuals should have that authority."

"So you couldn't watch it?"

"I did, but that meant retrieving the secure backup and only a very small number of personnel here even know that there is a backup, it's in case of circumstances such as this. I hope you will keep that information to yourself?"

"I will. I take this means that I'm vindicated?"

"Yes and I'm again sorry for the way your issue was handled. We naturally supplied the Police with our footage and I provided an audit trail linking that, and other, CCTV erasures with one staff member who has now been dismissed."

"I'm glad that's been resolved, but I haven't been asked by the police to do a statement yet so I don't know how they were in court so quickly?"

"That's between yourself and the court, perhaps you should call your solicitor?"

"I will, later. Thank you."

Tammy was back in the lecture theatre ten minutes later via the loo and the coffee bar. Ben walked over to talk.

"I saw Ford out there, was there a problem?"

"No, he was very contrite and helpful."

"Oh, I heard a few things last week, rumours, but I'm too new here to know what's true and what's not."

"I thought your previous training meant you had to find evidence to support anything, good or bad?"

"Not always, providing you didn't take executive action."

"True, I s'pose."

"Anyway, you looked surprised when I talked about Lorna and Corrine?"

"I was away all weekend and my phone was off the whole time, I only turned it back on this morning just before I drove down here, I haven't even had a chance to check newspapers or social media."

"Did you go somewhere nice?"

"It was warmer than here.

"I see."

"Indeed, Ben. How's Sandy?"

"She's good. Are you doing a production at the Mill this year?"

"I haven't been asked, plus I have a feeling I'll be busy."

"That's understandable."

Ben walked away and left Tammy to sip her coffee and try to make herself comfortable. She'd woken this morning with aches in places that corresponded with laying in the prone position with a rifle butt recoiling against her shoulder. It hadn't been easy dragging herself into the shower, but she would definitely run a muscle-relaxing bath when she reached home.

The second half of the morning reinforced the earlier discussion and some differences between Scottish and English law were highlighted.

"As you can see, your actions, whilst perhaps not resulting in a conviction, can lead to serious consequences such failing to obtain a Disclosure certificate -that alone would mean that you would be barred from many jobs or education. Other remedies the courts can issue include being fined, having freedoms curtailed or even losing your home. Any court appearance could have a traumatic influence on you future life even if you walk out of the place as a free person."

He paused again.

"When you leave here, please log into your course online and complete the work that's there. I expect it to be submitted by Friday."

Tammy headed to the loo on the floor above as she didn't want to be questioned about Lorna and Corrine. It had been fortunate that the vice-chancellor's mid morning chat had prevented any inquisition but she would have no such excuse now. She took the rear staircase downstairs and slipped out of a different exit, one that was conveniently closer to her car.

Tammy's next stop was her office in town although, once parked, she immediately sought out her lunch as well as fresh milk for coffee. A packet of biscuits accompanied her purchases, just in case she was stuck there for a few hours. She picked up the post as she stepped inside the building.

Her first task was check the faxes and the first few were quotes from contractors for works she'd requested. Unfortunately there was another anonymous threat.

Tammy scanned it then put the original into an envelope. She put the kettle on then reached for the office phone.

"Smith, Smith and Smith, how can I help you?"

"John?"

"Yes, is that Miss Smart?"

"Guilty as charged! I'm after Jeremiah if he's in the office?"

"I'm afraid he's out at the moment, meeting with Tesco management."

"Oh, okay."

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Maybe, do you know anything about two girls at Wick Sheriff's Court on Friday?"

"I know a little but I can't give any information, sorry Tammy."

"Oh well, I'll drop Jeremiah an email."

Tammy also dug out the email address for Sargent St James and sent him a copy of the threatening fax and added her concern that she hadn't been interviewed about the damage to her car the previous week. An out-of-office reply appeared a few seconds later, he was on days off until Wednesday.

There were several more job applications, or at least some sparse CVs. She printed them off and added the new ones to the application folder she'd started the week before. The deadline for applications was Friday so she would wait until then before selecting candidates for interview.

Tammy looked through the diary, she had to make some visits in the morning and chase one tenant for late payment. There was a load of general office housekeeping to be done, including giving the place a good clean, certainly before any interviews.

Finally she opened the post and filed the items appropriately. One letter was from the credit reference agency she'd applied to join. The letter included a code to type into the agency's website, validating her address. Then she reached the screen to pay for her first year's access.

Tammy wasn't convinced it would be good value, but it could help her avoid a bad client or locate missing ones; she paid the annual fee.

A minute later her account was fully active, but she had no name to check. It might have been useful if the vice-chancellor had given her the name of the sacked employee but he'd not said and probably would refuse on privacy grounds.

Tammy opened up the local newspaper's website and quickly found the article from the previous Friday where Lorna Kirk and Corrine Travers had appeared in front of the Sheriff. The indictment was for the supply of class A drugs, with no mention of the university or criminal damage. Once convicted the pair had been bailed pending family circumstance reports prior to sentencing. The report suggested that bail conditions had been set but didn't specify what they were. A third person, Terry Travers had appeared with them and was apparently twenty four years old, an older brother of Corrine perhaps? He was currently languishing in a cell somewhere.

The drugs charge was unexpected, the pair were bitches but Tammy hadn't suspected they were dealers, or users, but what was Terry's involvement?

Tammy fired up facebook and found Corrine quickly, that led her to Terry and a few online rants complaining about losing his job at the university. Tammy knew the two girls had attended Thurso High until they were eighteen, but was there a deeper connection between them? Regardless of that, they had both been kicked out of the University and Tammy had yet to get her day in court.

Two hours later she'd caught up with the work, although in some cases that simply meant putting it into a 'to do' pile. Tammy knew she couldn't do all this work on her own and, more than once, regretted the words she'd exchanged with Suzie. Her father had been correct, however, Suzie was not suited to the job of an administrator. Tammy's real concern was whether she could find someone who could firstly do the job and secondly ignore Tammy's extramural activities. It would be a tough call.

Tammy called St Andrews and was pleased to hear Janet's voice on the line.

"I'm so please you're back!"

"I heard there were some problems, it's taken me all day to get things straight in my office!"

"I'd like to come up, if that's okay?"

"It's not down to me, but I think the Head wants to speak to you?"

"Oh?"

"He said it wasn't urgent and I think he was going to call you yourself this evening, but we didn't know what your hours would be today."

"Okay, I'll be half an hour or so."

"I'll make sure Mike doesn't leave the building!"

Tammy decided to tackle the waste bins. She'd been shredding letters, bills and documents as she went along and now had a bag of rabbit bedding but no rabbits, or even cabbits. Her document policy was simple, scan everything and keep anything that's in date, although contracts were kept indefinitely. Everything else was shredded. Her secure room had a cross cut shredder for classified documents but she hadn't handled any of that stuff for a while.

She grabbed the bags and walked outside, she had a business waste bin by the rear door which she shared with Sarah's shop but much of her garbage was recyclable, that led her on a walk across to the nearby public car-park for the large green bins.

Having done her environmental duty, Tammy strolled back towards the office. As she rounded the final corner she spotted Lorna and Corrine, together with the girl who'd temped at St Andrews. They'd reached the corner the far side of the office and were keeping away from the very obvious racing green Mini Cooper.

"That's the bitch's car!"

"Yeah, and her office is over there."

"The light's on upstairs so she's in there, fancy giving her a bit of advice?"

"Nah, why not just trash her car." That was the former temp.

"What about the cameras? There's a few hidden ones."

"But you didn't get done for that, Jude, maybe it wasn't admissible in court?"

Lorna shrugged. "Our brief didn't mention it, and I'm hardly likely to cough to it, am I?"

"Look, she's probably got cameras outside the office door, and I bet that would be admissible! Did you know she's advertising for a new office manager?"

"Is she? Maybe one of us could get in there?"

"No Corrine, she'd clock you in a second but she's only met me once. I'm having my hair coloured next week and I'll put an application in."

"Wouldn't she recognise your name?"

"If I used Travers I would, but I'll go by my maiden name instead - it's hardly an alias."

The trio wandered away, back the way they'd come. Tammy made certain they were out of sight before leaving her hiding place. A few minutes later she was on her way to the school.

"Hello Tammy, I'd hoped you would see me."

"Sure Mike, but Janet didn't know what it was about."

"Well, it's really just to say thank you for your help last week."

"I didn't do anything!"

"But you did, Linda stayed calm and is more resolute that she wants to be Linda in school."

"Instead of dithering and distracting herself?"

"Correct, her GCSE exams aren't far away and any issue could disrupt her revision and exam performance. I didn't mind whether we were teaching Linda, or Lyndon, so long as he or she made that choice. The two days you spent with her have cemented that."

"Are there any issues in school?"

"Not really, her form tutor reports there were a few words exchanged but it was mostly good humour."

"Okay, what about her education after the exams?"

"We've invited her mother to come here for a meeting but right now she's dealing with a divorce. Linda is torn between supporting her mother and continuing her education here."

"I guess the finances aren't a worry?"

"That's down to Cathy, but Elsie's trust fund would seem to be applicable and would allow Linda to stay here, safely."

"That's true, does she have a female room yet?"

"No, there aren't any available until the A Level and Highers students leave. Linda is staying with Cathy and attending as a day student for now."

"Fair enough, but she'll miss out on the after school activities that way."

"I realise that, but it's been less than a week so far!"

"Of course, Mike."

"Could I call you to help again? Linda trusts you and you're not staff, which can cloud students' judgements."

"Sure."

Tammy stopped by Janet's office.

"Was Mike okay, Tammy?"

"Sure, why ever not?"

"There was a kerfuffle last week and I heard him mention your name in connection to it in a governors meeting this morning. I wondered if he was going to have a moan?"

"You didn't say anything on the phone about that!"

"In which case you might not have driven up here?"

"Maybe not, but he was fine."

"Good, so I don't have to go in there and tell him off?"

"No Janet, you don't. Now, I wonder if you could help me?"

"Sure, if I can."

"Do you have the paperwork for the temp?"

"Yes, I'm finishing off the payment to the agency."

"Did she complete a Disclosure form?"

"No, her agency supplied a Disclosure Certificate, otherwise she couldn't have worked here."

"Could I see it?"

"Why?"

"I've heard she's going to apply to work for me but is going to use her maiden name."

"What about Suzie?" Janet was sifting through a pile of paperwork.

"She resigned, I advertised about two weeks ago for a new office manager."

"That's what happens whenever I go away on holiday, I miss all the key gossip! Here it is."

"Can you copy it for me?"

"Hmmm, I'm not sure I should?"

"Please Janet, I really don't want that girl in my office but I can't prevent her applying unless I know the name she'll use."

"As it's you, I think it'll be okay. Just don't put a copy on Facebook?"

"As if!"

A minute later Tammy was scanning the document, the girl's name was Judith Travers, nee Kirk-McDonald. So, was she Lorna's cousin as well as Corrine's sister in law?

Tammy's only thought as she reached her car, however, was that she still needed that long soak in a hot bath.

Part   Sixteen   "Distractions"

 
Wednesday 26th April 2017
 

Tammy drove up to CV Recovery & Repair and found the owner, John, stood outside. He waved her to drive into the main workshop.

"I'm glad you're early, Miss Smart, my lad can get started on you straight away."

"Thanks John, when do you think it'll be ready to collect?"

"I'll be spraying several layers of paint and need to leave enough time for each layer to dry so I'd say four thirty. Can you leave me a key?"

Tammy was prepared and handed over a spare key before setting off towards the town. She knew the route, Sarah Bonney lived close by and Tammy had stayed for a few days with Sarah in 2014. Her phone rang as she passed the end of Sarah's road.

"Miss Smart, it's Jeremiah Smith."

"Hello, I guess you've seen my email from Monday?"

"Indeed. I'll be chasing the police to move this forward."

"Good, I've just left my car at the repair shop so there will be a bill by the end of today."

"Send me a copy, please?"

"Of course, but do you know what went on in court last week?"

"I do, but that's because we were representing one of the accused."

"Not Lorna or Corrine?"

"No, the male."

"Ah, so what was the offence?"

"My client was found guilty of selling narcotics from his car at the University. The co-accused were with him on several occasions."

"I didn't know about this, how did it come about?"

"The university did an audit of their CCTV system and found evidence of his activities on CCTV footage that had been deleted. My client admitted deleting the CCTV to cover his activities."

"The university only discovered this because of my complaint."

"Indeed, although in court the Vice Chancellor said that an internal audit had been carried out, I decided against cross-examining him."

"What about sentencing?"

"My client had a previous conviction for dealing, as a youth, so he received a custodial sentence immediately, the girls will be sentenced next month."

"They are still a problem, I happen to know they're still out to get me." Tammy recounted what she'd overheard.

"Please be careful, Miss Smart, don't coerce them or bait them."

"I won't, but Judith Travers said she's going to apply to work in my office. She wasn't a part of last week's court case and isn't connected to the criminal damage to my car."

"I think you're splitting hairs, Miss Smart. Because you know there's a family connection, you can't claim that you are operating in ignorance."

"I suppose so, but I am wondering about using my office for any interviews."

"Then use a neural location, don't leave yourself open to any counter accusations."

"Sensible advice."

"That's what you pay me for, by the way I have a clerk preparing your latest account at the moment."

"Thanks, I think."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Tesco?"

"Ah, apparently it's with their HQ in Dundee."

"I spoke to them, I didn't get a proper apology or an admittance of fault."

"I've spoken to one of their legal team and suggested we met in court, he told me they are taking a look at the staff statements and CCTV again. Don't be surprised at an offer of compensation."

"I already said I'm not after money."

"Even so, that is the likely outcome."

"Well, I'll donate it to a worthy cause - no publicity of course."

"Naturally, Miss Smart."

Tammy picked up a roll and a cake for lunch before heading to the office. There were a few items of post which weren't urgent, no new faxes and a load of fresh emails. Tammy could access office emails on her phone but rarely touched anything other than urgent matters when she was out of the office.

As predicted one of the emails was from Judith, although she'd dropped the 'Kirk' element of her name and was now Judith McDonald. Tammy ran the attached CV through the anti-virus programme, taking no chances, before taking a gander at the quoted employment history. According to the CV, she had finished at the school only a few days previously, which Tammy knew to be false. The rest of the CV was also suspect, Tammy decided she couldn't even verify the home address.

The email went into a newly created 'No' folder, a rejection email would be generated once the deadline passed a few days later.

Tammy dealt with the paperwork she'd put aside on Monday, even though that meant paying a variety of invoices. She had all the best intentions of tackling that the previous day but she'd decided, after morning classes, to get herself fit.

Of course, this wasn't something that could be achieved overnight, but she had to start somewhere. After a light lunch she'd hit the running machine in the gym at Dunbankin' and spent forty-five minutes at an increasing speed. Once she was done with that she dived into the pool and attempted twenty lengths, giving up after fifteen when cramp attacked her legs. Tammy wasn't planning on using the running machine today as she'd walked down from CV's workshops and would be walking, or even jogging, back later to collect her car.

She had one property inspection to do and had planned to leave the office at eleven to do that. She had reached the outside door when she heard female voices outside.

"Her car's not here, you sure it wasn't at the university?"

"Yeah, I called Gary and he had a look for me."

Tammy felt vulnerable and decided that confronting the girls was a bad idea, perhaps an early lunch was a better idea?

"Shit, it's the police!"

Tammy made her way back up just as the door buzzer sounded. She glanced at the CCTV and saw Sgt St James waiting by the street door. She pressed the remote release and allowed him inside.

"I came by yesterday, but you weren't here?"

"I was at the University in the morning and I was busy after lunch."

"I was hoping we could take your statement?"

"Sure."

"Do you know how much the damage will cost to fix?"

"A few hundred, for sure, it's in the garage at the moment."

"Have you notified your insurance company?"

"Yes, but I haven't put a claim in yet."

"Okay, let's go back to when this started."

"Fine, but I think we need to include the incident at the theatre, for context."

"Of course, but I only have an hour!"

--

Stuart St James overran his hour and, thankfully, already had Tammy's signature on the multi-page statement when his radio peeped.

"Sorry, got to go, but I reckon there's more than enough to charge them both with criminal damage."

"I'd like them to leave me alone. By the way, what's happening about the strange faxes?"

"That's with CID, I passed on the one you forwarded but do you have the original?"

Tammy found the envelope and handed it over.

"Did you print a call log off the fax machine?"

"No."

"Can you do one now for us? It needs to cover the time this fax was received."

Tammy did as asked and the Sargent was soon on his way to his next job.

Tammy quickly locked up and took herself to the house on Fore St, the place had been redecorated in the past few days as Tammy fully intended to lease it, although this time she wouldn't be fooled. The building smelt of fresh paint but was otherwise clean, with a warmer colour scheme.

She took a few photos and decided the place was ready to be advertised. Back in the office she uploaded the pics to the website and updated the entry, which led her to freshening several of the other properties listed. She munched her roll as she worked, interrupted by her mobile.

"Tammy?"

"Er, yes?"

"It's two o'clock."

"Oh ... sorry Sandy."

She grabbed her bag, locked up and hurried along to the salon.

By the time Tammy was done in the salon it was gone three in the afternoon, and there was still plenty of time before her car would be ready. Joanne had questioned how long it had been since Tammy's last visit to the torture chamber and had impressed on the lassie about having her legs 'ready for summer'.

Summer indeed! It was nearing the end of April but temperatures rarely made it into double digits. Joanne hadn't stopped at Tammy's legs however and made certain that the girl was ready for the beach, wherever that was. Tammy did want a swim but that would ruin the hairstyle that Sandy had fussed over.

She walked around to the Castletown Hotel but didn't see anyone she recognised. For a change she slid onto a barstool.

"What will it be, Miss?"

"OJ please."

"Ice?"

"Sure."

The barman was new, or at least she hadn't seen him before. Her drink was delivered quickly.

"Will that be all?"

Tammy had left half of her lunch back in the office. "Any chance of a sandwich?"

"Cheese, ham, tuna, prawn, beef and cucumber?"

"Tuna please."

Whilst the barman had been dealing with her, two other persons had joined her at the bar. She hadn't had to look around to see who it was.

"Just finished boys?"

"No Miss, we're on late turn today."

"Keeping us safe?"

"That's the idea."

A few strangers had walked up to the bar so the conversation was curtailed, Tammy knew that law enforcement officers were never really off duty, but that didn't include announcing that Andrew & Neale Fraser would be patrolling Thurso and Wick that night.

The bar was getting busier when Frances arrived with Tammy's plate.

"Are you eating at the bar, Miss Smart?"

"No, I don't think so. Somewhere quieter perhaps?"

Tammy picked up her bag and went for her glass but Frances was ahead of her, he signalled the barman as they walked towards a table on the edge of the restaurant.

"Enjoy!"

Tammy's glass was quickly finished before she tackled the sandwich, a fresh drink arrived a few moments after Frances had left her table.

"Oh, thanks, but I hadn't ordered a refill?"

"Mr Ernesto asked me to bring you a fresh one. It won't be charged to your tab."

"Oh, okay. Thank you."

Tammy's phone pinged with a security alert, she accessed her office CCTV and spotted someone trying the outside door, the noise must have been enough to trigger the sensor. She started to record it on her phone but unfortunately the image wasn't too good as the offender was dressed in black with a hood over their head. A moment later her phone rang.

"Hi Sarah."

"Tammy, there's a load of noise coming from the back of the shop, but the delivery door camera isn't showing anything."

"I know, someone's having a go at my office door."

"Are you going to call the police?"

"I wasn't, but hang on, I'll call you back."

Tammy could see that the Fraser brothers were looking at her, Tammy beckoned them to come over. The live image showed no one, they had obviously left during Sarah's call.

"I had an unwelcome visitor at the office." She showed them the recorded video.

"There's not enough to identify who that is." Suggested Neale.

"I realise that, but it's scared Sarah Bonney and I know that her rear delivery door isn't as secure as my stairwell door."

"I'd suggest improving security then, don't you own the whole building?"

"I do, is there anything else I could do?"

"Keep yourself safe and try not to take any questionable actions." Andrew tried to smile as he teased Tammy.

"So I can't put them out of my misery?"

"I don't know what you mean, Miss Smart, but be careful."

The pair walked back to their perches at the bar, although they hadn't sat down long when Neale slid off his stood, swiftly followed by Andrew. Tammy was obscured behind a pillar but could now see that the barman was by the hotel main door, although she was no closer to knowing what was happening the other side of the bar. Frances had now come out of his office and was heading for the bar, he signalled for Tammy to stay put.

Tammy knew that, if she stayed seated where she was, she couldn't be seen from the far side of the bar. That didn't mean she wasn't wondering what was going on, of course, and whether she could help. She now heard a few shouts and could see customers retreating. A moment later there was a grunt, followed by a muted scream. Tammy fought against the urge to stand up but ultimately failed.

Andrew and Neale Fraser were stood talking to Sgt St James and Tammy could now see blue flashing lights outside but there was no sign of any miscreants. Frances Ernesto was directing the barman to fill glasses whilst assuring his customers that they were perfectly safe.

Tammy spotted that her phone had several missed calls from Sarah and was now ringing again.

"Hello?"

"Tammy, an urchin came in and stole from me whilst I was talking to you."

"I think I know where they are, Sarah. Could you identify them?"

"I only saw a girl, in a blue hoody."

"I'm in the hotel and I think the police have someone, but it's the other side of the bar and I've been told to stay put."

"Well, I've had enough for the day. I had two customers all day, and only one of those actually spent any money, and now this."

"I'm in the Castletown, near the back."

Sarah took ten minutes and arrived at Tammy's table with a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio, she poured two glasses and took a large swig. Tammy did likewise.

"It was awful, I chased her out of the shop but she had a load of tops off the rail by the door."

"Hopefully you'll get it back."

"As I was locking up, that nice Sargent came back with some of the tops, unfortunately they had been dropped and I doubt I'll be able to sell them. He said he'd detained two persons but the police car was pulling away from here when I came around the corner, so I'm still none the wiser."

Tammy put her glass down, she was already half way down it. "I saw virtually nothing. The Fraser brothers said they were off duty, but I'm not so sure. Plus, that police car was here rather quickly, like it was waiting."

"What were you doing in here?" Sarah reached for the bottle to refill their glasses.

"I've been in to see Sandy and Joanne, it wasn't worth going back to the office plus I wanted a sandwich."

"Your hair looks nice, what did you have done?"

"Just a tidy up, we're leaving the colouring and heavy duty cutting for another time."

"I don't see much of you, Tammy, and you're only on the floor above me!"

"I'm at the university too."

"I haven't seen your sister Suzie recently."

"She doesn't work for me any more."

"Oh?"

"It's complicated. Oh shit!"

"What?"

"I'm supposed to collect my car at half four."

"There's plenty of time - oh. I shouldn't have poured you that wine."

"It's not your fault Sarah, you didn't know."

"What are you going to do?"

"Order a second bottle."

"About the car?"

"I'll phone John at CV's and ask if he can run it home."

"Okay, get another Pinot, it's quite good."

Part   Seventeen   "A Following Wind"

 
Thursday 27th April 2017
 

Tammy reached for the aspirin after waking.

Richard had shrugged off her inebriated state the previous evening but Joan was definitely not impressed. Tammy's sin was that the second bottle had morphed into three, or four and she hadn't had the will to stop.

It wasn't all her own fault, Frances had reached Tammy's table when compensating everyone for the earlier disruption and the third chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio was in his hands. Tammy suspected that a few of the customers were ready to leave after the police removed the thieves and Francis was determined to make it worth staying, even if it cost him a few free drinks. Sandy and Joanne had joined them, without knowing about the earlier incident, and that was when the fourth bottle arrived. It all got a little messy, but the girls had fun. Finally Tammy was able to ask Frances what had happened.

"We had a bag snatched last Wednesday afternoon and an attempted snatch the previous Wednesday, so we were being extra vigilant today. The police have two in custody so hopefully that's the end of our little trouble."

Tammy's car had been delivered home by the time the taxi dropped her at home but there was no way was fit to drive on Thursday morning. Fortunately she had outstanding coursework and opted to stay at home to work on that.

It was late morning when Pru had brought a couple of letters to her. One had been clearly posted in the UK but the return address was: P.O. Box 1142. Arlington, Virginia.

The envelope contained a single piece of paper with a printed eight character code. There were no instructions, nothing. Tammy put it down and went down to get a coffee. By the time she was back, her email had a new message that simply told her to follow a link. Under normal circumstances any message like that would be instantly confined to the spam box but the URL looked familiar. Tammy clicked and the nearly blank screen asked for an authorisation code, she entered the one received earlier and watched as her instructions appeared:

Wattisham? Tammy looked it up, 405 nautical miles South but that assumed a straight path, and that straight path was mostly over the North Sea. Her theoretical range was 515nm on a full tank but Tammy knew she shouldn't take chances and, most importantly, what if she couldn't refuel at her destination?

Tammy considered the options for a refuelling stop then remembered that Durham Tees Valley International Airport, where she'd flown a week earlier, had an easily accessible fuel point and she knew where it was. It also made sense to book her destination as Teeside Airport, the local name, even if it was just going to be a refuelling and wee stop.

She called Smart Aviation and spoke to Jim.

"I'll need my plane all weekend, is it fuelled?"

"You did that when you flew back last Sunday. Having said that, you should check your plane before every flight, where are you going?"

"Teeside again, maybe onwards from there."

"Okay, when are you leaving?"

"By seven thirty tomorrow morning."

"I'll be here at seven so it'll be ready."

"Thanks Jim."

"Oh, Tammy, the fitters have finished installing that safe box you requested."

"Brilliant, cheers Jim."

Tammy tore open the other letter that was personally addressed, this one was from Smith, Smith and Smith and even Tammy baulked at the cost of her legal advice over the past few weeks. She separated the charges, as best she could, between personal costs and business costs then reached for the two chequebooks.

Her phone pinged and Tammy unlocked it with her fingerprint to see what the alert was about. Her office security system had registered movement in the stairwell but the camera looking down the stairs showed everything was okay, although that day's mail was laying on the internal mat.

It seemed clear that the motion detector had caught the postman delivering. She watched for a while and saw a figure come to the outside door, then move away. She accessed the cameras outside the door but these had a limited view with several blindspots. She'd queried this months earlier but had been told that CCTV overkill would be counter-productive.

Clearly, whoever had been outside had either moved quickly or knew how to avoid the cameras.

After lunch, which she took in her room, Tammy was very aware that some of the applications could be spurious or even fake, given the hate campaign that had been going on. She already knew that Judith Travers had applied, as Judith McDonald and this had been an immediate 'no' but two other applications also seemed odd, with neither of the names appearing on any of the systems she checked. The 'no thankyou' emails also bounced, confirming her suspicions.For other applicants, an inability to complete the form or even write English, a stated requirement, had Tammy binning the vast majority of the applicants.

Tammy found two more job applications in her office inbox, one was from Suzie.

"Hi Sis, look, I've been silly. can I have my job back?"

She hadn't expected this, how could she handle it? Tammy needed to sift the applications for interview but did she have to include Suzie? Over the next hour she'd eliminated all bar five of the applicants, four plus her sister. One of the interviewees was Fleur Younger, who Tammy knew from the University. Fleur had said that her coursework would take up two and a half days a week but she was happy to work Saturdays or later shifts to keep up her hours. In fairness, Suzie had only been there for twenty five hours in a typical week and had, when bothered, kept on top of the work. Tammy decided to contact all the interviewees and explain that although the job had been advertised for thirty five hours a week, it was now twenty five hours with the pay reduced pro-rata and did they wish to continue?

She had a reply almost straight away from Karen Smith, whose CV had looked impressive, possibly too good.

Sorry, but I can't live on that.
You should be ashamed of yourself!

Tammy didn't reply, but she realised that Karen's response showed that Tammy hadn't thought it through.

An email arrived from Fleur.

Hi Tammy
That suits me fine, and by my calculation I won't be paying any tax, or maybe just a little.
Thanks
Fleur

She decided to schedule the interviews for the following Friday, with two in the morning and two in the afternoon, leaving enough time so the applicants shouldn't meet each-other. She emailed the four remaining applicants: Suzie, Fleur, Michael Goss and Joey Cooper. Joey's CV showed that they had left school a year before and had most recently worked for an estates agency in Wick as maternity cover. What was unusual was that Joey had clicked the U option for gender. Tammy had searched social media but found no-one locally matching that name.

Michael Goss was the oldest applicant, in his sixties. His CV was extensive and he'd worked in aerospace for many years. In explaining why he had applied for the job he'd written that he was "bored".

She updated her calendar with the interview arrangements, but also booked Saturday morning as an overspill should anyone need it.

Suzie came to Tammy's room after dinner, having said nothing during the meal.

"Look, I'm having trouble getting a job right now, there's aren't many openings for accountants around here."

"Well, I'll interview you but don't assume you can walk back. It's less pay as well."

"Yeah, so I would have to find another job to make up the money."

"In which case, who was the stupid one?"

"I've already said I was. Isn't that enough?"

"No, you are one of four I have short-listed for interview, although I debated whether to even include you."

"Who are the others?"

"No, Suzie, I'm not telling you who else is being interviewed and you should know that."

"Whatever." She turned and walked out, closing the door loudly.

 
Friday 28th April 2017
 

Tammy was out of the door by six fifteen and drove down to the office to retrieve the mail from the previous day and checking that the place was secure. There were a couple of faxes but she left those for after the weekend.

She pulled up at the hanger at seven and parked her distinctive green Mini inside, out of sight. Her plane was outside and a fitter was checking it, even though Tammy was obliged to do the same checks herself. She walked into the office and checked the weather then called Wick Tower on the phone to lodge her flight plan. Jim was making a coffee.

"I don't suppose you want one?"

"It's difficult to find a loo when you're at fifteen thousand feet."

She went back into the fresh air and took the plane's clipboard from the fitter who told her there weren't any concerns. Regardless she walked around the plane then checked all the fluids, instrumentation and emergency kit. Satisfied, she started the engine then called the tower on the radio for permission to taxi. A few minutes later she was in the air flying south, a few minutes ahead of schedule.

She landed at Teeside at ten, helped by a following wind. Here she refuelled and was back in the air twenty five minutes later. She had lodged a new flight plan to Ipswich Airport, although this was just for subterfuge.

It was close to midday when she made radio contact with RAF Wattisham and requested permission to land. The controller initially refused permission before reversing that decision and granting permission, although a helicopter had priority. Tammy made her final approach a few minutes later and was on the ground by twelve fifteen. She hadn't used the loo at Teeside so her first concern was her bladder, but first she had to find out where to park her plane.

A military Jeep containing two men approached her and a large "Follow Me" sign was mounted on the rear, so she did as requested, ending up outside a hanger. She was told to cut the engine, she made a note of the fuel remaining before one of the guards told her to step down.

"Your ID and orders, please, madam?"

Tammy reached into her shoulder bag and retrieved her Security Service ID.

"Thank you. Are you armed?"

"Yes, it's in my plane in a locked box. I have two Glocks with me."

"We'll need your civilian licence and we'll have to impound them."

"Licence yes, impound no." Tammy was already removing the necessary paperwork from her bag, including her 'get out of jail free' warrant. "Now, if you could hurry up, I really need the loo."

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Captain Marcus Wade approaching.

"Hold on everyone, I think we can resolve whatever is keeping Tammy here?"

He was holding an envelope which contained an ID card and a single sheet of A4.

"I have your orders and this is going to be useful, it's a NATO military ID."

One of the guards examined the ID and declared it genuine, whilst the other examined the single page of orders that specified she would fly into RAF Wattisham for up to five days and was required to carry her weapons.

"That appears to be in order."

"Is that all? No, forget that and tell me how to find the nearest loo?"

Marcus pointed inside the hanger, "in there, on the left."

Tammy was back five minutes later having freshened herself. The guards and their Jeep had gone and Marcus was stood by her plane.

"It's not too bad, what's the maximum speed?"

"A hundred and thirty eight knots, but I think I was doing close to a hundred and fifty this morning, there's a strong wind coming off the Arctic and it gave me a bit of a push."

"Okay, but you're still behind schedule. Where's your case?"

"Behind the pilot's seat. I'll have to get it as my weapons are in a box set into the floor there."

"Okay, leave the plane unlocked, it's quite safe here."

Marcus led Tammy off to a building a few hundred metres away and had her sign in at the base reception. "I'll show you to your room for the next few days then it's lunch and your briefing."

"Who else is here?"

"You'll meet the crew at the briefing."

Tammy found a small safe in her room and put her Glock 26 in it, along with spare ammunition for both weapons. Her '19 stayed in her shoulder bag.

"Lunch?"

"Sure, lead on."

Tammy was full of questions but there were civilians as well as Army personnel on the base. Then she spotted a pair of police officers.

"What is this place used for?"

"Come on Tammy, didn't you do any research?"

"I've been busy since I received notice that I was supposed to come here."

"It wouldn't have taken a minute to have found the answer to your question."

"Okay, okay."

Marcus took her into a canteen that was adjacent to the main reception, she wasn't hungry so just grabbed a filled roll and a bottle of water. She looked around the room and spotted a face she vaguely recognised.

"I think I know that pilot?"

"Personally?"

"I'm not sure, I've just know that I've seen his face before."

"Considering that he's a ruddy Prince I should think you would recognise him?"

"Oh, what's he doing here?"

"He flies an air ambulance out of Cambridge but they can refuel here, rumour is that he's packing it in later in the year."

"Oh, who else is here?"

"The Army Air Corps, RAF, Suffolk Police's helicopters, two Air Ambulance and a gliding club. There's a museum as well, from when this was a fighter base and a USAAF base during the second world war."

"Before yesterday I'd never heard of the place."

"Ignorance is a luxury you can't afford, the key to any mission is being prepared and that means research."

"Not that I know what I'm doing here?"

"That will become clear, we're due in the briefing in ten minutes."

"Okay."

The briefing room was a bunker, several levels down, that was almost certainly EMP proof. Tammy's phone was displaying 'no signal' but several WiFi networks were available.

"Turn that off."

They reached a closed door with an adjacent display board, the board said the room was booked for Broadsword from 1pm to 7pm. Marcus opened the door an ushered Tammy inside, locking the door behind him. He took a sheet from a wall dispenser and wrote the date and time on the top before signing it.

"This session is classified Broadsword Top Secret. Please sign here."

Tammy scanned the simple sheet, it simply warned her not to disclose any information she might be privy to, on pain of prosecution.

"Okay, so what am I doing here?"

"You will be evaluated and so far I'm not impressed."

"So I'm wasting my time?"

"No, Tammy, you might be wasting my time, but let's see if you can recover from that?"

"Point taken."

"Good, now we'll put you through exercises, go over previous mission reports and see whether you're a good fit for the team."

"Talking of which, where are they?"

"They're here." Marcus picked up a remove control and pressed a button. A black wall was revealed to be a bank of monitors, the main central image was of a chair in a nondescript room. Tammy watched as a figure walked to the chair then sat down.

"Kerri!"

"Hello Tammy, what are we going to do with you?"

Part   Eighteen   "Operation Saracen"

 
Friday 28th April 2017 (Cont)
 

"Perhaps it's best I leave?"

"No Tammy, that won't fix anything."

"But, Marcus?"

"Right now you should be calling me Captain Wade, Lieutenant Smart."

"Lieutenant?"

"Lieutenant, Sir!"

"Lieutenant, Sir?"

"Yes, well, perhaps you should have looked at your ID card?"

"Err?"

"What the hell is going on with you Tammy? Where is that sharp mind of yours? That analytical brain? What has happened to the young lady we wanted to recruit?"

"I've been distracted, do we really have to use this rank business?"

"Given that you wouldn't know who to salute, or how to behave, perhaps not."

"So why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do I have a rank?"

"Come ON!", Marcus banged the table and almost shouted, "work it out for yourself!"

Tammy looked stunned, she wasn't used to the Captain being aggressive. "Erm, so I can get past checkpoints, into bases, that sort of thing?"

"Yes, but it's more than that. Now pay attention; you now exist in the NATO staff database."

"In my real name?"

"Yes, but we'll cover that. Kerri?"

"Right. Tammy, you need to fill us in as to what's going on? Right now; opinion is that you're not fit to join up. Are there aspects we can help with?" Kerri asked, then seemed to give a subtle signal.

Tammy shook her head. "I don't know, I don't......"

"Let's start with your office." Kerri remarked, but she wasn't looking at the camera. It seemed she was paying more attention to something else.

"My office? What about it?" Tammy asked.

Kerri replied, now it was obvious that she was reading a file off screen. "Looks like you lost your Suzie."

"Yes, she wasn't pulling her weight." Tammy said quickly.

"Yeah? Is that all?" Kerri was keeping a poker face.

Tammy frowned. "She nicked my boyfriend."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Was he a liability?"

"A distraction, perhaps? I don't think he was a security risk?" Tammy shrugged.

Kerri looked directly at her. "Really? He checked out? Did you submit a clearance request?"

"No." Tammy sighed.

Kerri gave Tammy a very hard look. "So how can you say he isn't a security risk; or won't be in the future?"

"I guess I can't." Tammy replied.

"Correct and don't make assumptions! The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions; A, When they're ready. B, When you're not." Kerri stated flatly.

Tammy nodded. "And do the research?"

"Yes. Now, why did you change the terms of the job?" Kerri asked, looking at something else again.

Tammy was shocked. "How the hell did you know that?"

"How do you think?" Kerri asked.

Tammy was stumped. "One of the short-listed applicants must have said something? I didn't tell anyone else."

"Come on; think!" Kerri demanded.

"Karen Smith had a go at me. Her CV did look like it was written to match the job. Hmmm, was that you?" Tammy guessed.

Kerri nodded. "Of course it was. If you'd have checked the headers of the email I sent you yesterday, you'd have seen that I wasn't even in the Highlands, let alone Scotland."

Tammy swore. "Damn. Do you have my place bugged, Kerri?"

"No, don't need to. You put a job advert out on your website, it was pretty clear that Suzie was out, or on the way out." Kerri aswered.

"And from that piece of information you now have a ton of information from me?" Tammy asked.

Kerri nodded."Correct, Tammy. And you gave freely. All because I wanted it."

"Bugger." Tammy groaned.

Kerri sighed. "Hold up, it's not as bad as it may look. You're not FUBAR yet."

Tammy processed the acronym whilst Marcus nodded, "It's useful to have a verifiable back story, but this information has to be properly managed. Right now; there's no harm done, but you should still carry out some checks?"

"I was able to check all the interviewees had local addresses, including Karen Smith." Tammy tried to redeem herself.

Marcus reminded. "But was it really Karen Smith? You now know that was Kerri, but what about the others? Did you carry out any more checks?"

"Yes, voter lists and credit agencies, but that doesn't explain how Karen passed those checks." Tammy said.

Kerri answered that. "Karen Smith exists, she's a real person. If you were writing to her address then you might have discovered something was off, but that's not how job applications work these days. That meant all I had to do was create a CV for her and a spurious email account. The phone number redirects to voicemail for all calls, so you wouldn't have been able to speak to her."

"It all sounds like that was a fishing exercise, only that is was against me?" Tammy groused.

"Yeah, one with very little risk. Now, why do you think you have been a lousy analyst?" Kerri asked.

Tammy sighed. "I was dumped by the security service, I guess I lost my confidence."

Kerri seemed to mull that over. "In a way, that's understandable. But all that happened five months ago. Were you offered counselling?"

"No, I just wanted to get out of there and back to normal life." Tammy replied.

Both Marcus and Kerri laughed as she asked. "Normal life, Tammy? Who's kidding who? You actually think that'll ever happen?"

Marcus continued. "Seriously Tammy, you've been targeted by persons unknown, unless you know any more?"

"You must mean the faxes?" Tammy asked.

Marcus nodded. "Yes, didn't you dig further?"

Tammy explained. "It was done through an online fax bureau, so I couldn't get the source."

Kerri visibly rolled her eyes. "Come on, they all have logs that record the IP address of the sender. That can give you a physical address."

"But, I've officially been a civilian since last autumn; remember? I wasn't allowed to use any privileged information." Tammy reminded.

Marcus pointed out. "That doesn't mean that we couldn't."

Tammy thought about that then asked. "And if I had to explain how I obtained the address?"

"Fair point, maybe, but there's always a way around these issues. The point is that if you don't ask, you don't get. If you don't research, you'll fail." Marcus said.

"And, when we identify who was responsible, what then Marcus? A tactical nuclear strike?" Tammy asked.

"We do have that option, Tammy." Kerri deadpanned then smirked when Tammy's jaw dropped. "Just kidding."

Tammy groaned. "Please do not say things like that. I have no idea when you are telling the truth. Alright. I'll sign on, but what am I getting myself into?"

"Okay Tammy. All jokes aside, pay attention. You want to know what you'll be doing, in truth; whatever comes up. You could be working espionage one day, Assault Operations the following week. A courier, a money-manager, sniper; you're going to have to be flexible. Learn new things. Some things you'll be doing all on your own, others you'll have support." Kerri listed.

Tammy was gawking. "All THAT? Seriously?"

Kerri nodded. "You might be needed to move gold from Dubai to Zurich. Maybe pose as a flight attendant to be a point of contact, or chaperone. You could get orders to go to Kuala Lumpur to run a financial audit, vacation for a week in Cartagena, Colombia just to take a picture of a guy on the beach. You could even go to Moscow for a ballet just to give or receive a flash-drive. Plant a bug in a hotel room in Delhi, India. Take out a surveillance team in Glasgow; bite one guy, set the other on fire. You know, miscellaneous tasking."

"So long as I bite the right one? Pyrotechnics aren't my thing, nor is cannibalism!" Marcus was actually laughing at the statement

Tammy started laughing too. "Couldn't you just see the official report? "Witnesses reported a strange smell."

"If it works." Kerri smirked.

"So, I'll be working with you from now on?" Tammy asked.

Kerri shook her head. "Not exactly. We trade favors from time to time. I'm not in the unit, or even a branch of it. Think of it like this, if there was a family, we'd be cousins on the same line. My uncle and your uncle."

"Oh, okay." Tammy now remembered the explanation of back-channelling.

Kerri looked off screen and nodded.

"Things to do, Captain Wade." Kerri's screen went black.

"So what do we do next?" Asked Tammy.

Marcus reached under the table and pulled out a folder and a writing pad.

"This is a mission briefing. You need to take in everything that's there, work out what's missing then see how you can fill in the gaps."

Tammy took the folder and was about to start when there was a buzz. She rapidly turned it over as Marcus rose to open the door. He took a tray off the uniform stood there, but Tammy couldn't say what the rank was.

"Some liquids and fruit. You have a couple of hours, I have work to do."

"Where's the loo?"

"That's another observational failure."

"I didn't see it."

"Clearly, or rather clearly not. It's just outside, there's a guard on the door."

"Is that to keep me here or to keep others out?"

"Both."

With that Marcus left.

Tammy's first surprise, after she returned from the loo, what that the mission brief was one of the cases she'd been involved in. In fact it was the case being built to incriminate herself, from the previous autumn.

This was the mission proposal for "Operation Saracen", to identify a rogue agent and secure evidence of interfering with an investigation or contact with persons of interest. Tammy's name wasn't on the document but she was used to seeing redacted documents in the Security Service and at the National Crime Agency; however there was still enough there to give Tammy no doubt.

"Bloody hell."

She started to read the preface and the original justification for the operation was there, in front of her.

"The subject has shown poor regard for procedure and insists on bypassing established communication channels. They are known to have been in contact with identified suspects and with overseas agencies without official sanction. The subject has also discharged a weapon several times, resulting in the death of at least two persons, all of whom should have been interviewed and dealt with judicially. No disciplinary action has been taken and it is possible this has been avoided by ex-officio means.

"Authority is sought to investigate the subject whilst restricting their activities to minimise further harm."

"Damn!"

Tammy reached for the water jug and poured a glass, she needed thinking space.

She picked up a banana and started to read the details, noting that Suzie was mentioned only once, in that the subject had a family member in the Service who was not under suspicion.

It took another thirty minutes to read the six pages of text, as Tammy kept stopping to recall the events being described. It was clear that whoever had compiled the mission proposal didn't like her, and wanted her out of the way. She went back to the front page and looked at the information there, to identify the originator but there was no name, no department. Her eye caught the file number and EXT/76124/0/16 was not an internal Security Service reference, it was a reference allocated to external verified reports.

"It has to be Alex Fullerton or maybe even Sheila Fitzgerald?" Tammy spoke her hunch to the room, even though she believed she was on her own.

Her instruction was to work out what was missing then see how she could fill in the gaps, but Tammy's first instinct was to simply rubbish the proposal, to defend her reputation. This was old news, however, and she knew that none of this would ever be made public. Tammy took another sip of her water, picked up a pen and started to write her proposals. The only way to do this was to treat herself as a third person, objectively not subjectively.

Tammy felt she'd put enough effort into her deliberations and put her pen down for now, picking up a piece of cake that was on the tray.

"I wonder what the time is?"

"Probably close to three over there."

"Kerri?" Tammy tried to speak whilst she had fruitcake in her mouth, ladylike it wasn't. The screen lit up to show Kerri holding a pot of ice-cream.

"Yep, how's it going?"

Tammy picked up a napkin. "Getting there, hey I would kill for that!"

"That's a bit extreme, Tammy. Lethal force should only be used when authorized or necessary. I don't think that ice cream comes under that heading. However, this is Magnum. The GOOD stuff." Kerri licked the spoon

"It's an expression!"

"Come on girl, where's your sense of humor?"

"I think I left it at Wick airport this morning! Wait. If it's three for me isn't it just around breakfast time for you?" Tammy asked.

Kerri nodded as she dug into the ice cream. "It would be if I wasn't going on twenty-eight hours now. Not what you really want to know though."

"Right, why did I have to be given an investigation into myself?"

"To see how you'd deal, isn't it clear?"

"Yeah, but it's not fair."

Kerri set the container down and glared at her through the camera. "You need to hang up that line Tammy. Nothing in the intelligence game is fair, and it isn't really a game at all, it's war. We don't get to choose what we're given. There probably will be times when you have a conflict of interest and you'll still have to work around it. We get what we get, deal with it."

"Sure, but this file was making me barbecue ready, all I needed was the apple in my mouth!"

"I think you mean ready for a hog roast? I prefer apple sauce on the side personally."

"So how long have you been listening, Kerri?"

"Whole time, I just turned off the camera and my mic. I could still see and hear you while I was working."

"So I was being babysat?"

"I'm not your babysitter or keeper. Why?"

"I was wondering if you were getting any weird enjoyment from it?"

"Not in the slightest, it's standard practice to observer if you leave someone in a room seemingly by themselves, but normally the observer doesn't reveal themselves."

"Well, I'm grateful for the break."

"You wanted to know who wrote the proposal?"

"I was trying to work out the motivation."

"That's a reasonable approach, work out if there's an agenda. Usually is."

"Yeah, so the first name that came to me was Alex, but I don't believe he would have put himself forward, although I don't doubt he had an input."

"Correct."

"So my money's on Sheila Fitzgerald; she was a horrible interviewer, in fact I can now see that she had an agenda."

"Correct again, but that's with the benefit of hindsight. So what do you have so far?"

"I wasn't interviewed, simply chucked out."

"Interview isn't always viable. Tends to tip off the subject, too."

"Okay, but Suzie wasn't going to be interviewed, nor any of the others involved in the operations that were being questioned. How did MI6 know about all those operations, anyway?"

"That's something I can't answer, Tammy."

"So this proposal basically says I will incriminate myself if I'm cut loose?"

"Well what you have to remember is that you fought back and therefore justified their action."

"And what a mess that turned out to be, I had my own sister lying to me and even conferences were shut down to spite me."

"They were running scared, Tammy, scared they'd be found out."

The door opened and Tammy spun her head around to see Marcus coming in.

"Hi Tammy, Kerri."

"Marcus, when is Alex Fullerton's trial?"

"That's in June."

"Okay, what happened to Sheila Fitzgerald?"

"She's turned crown witness, Tammy."

"So she'll get away with it?"

"No, she's already been found guilty of misconduct in public office and sentenced to two years, suspended for five years."

"So she's free?"

"If you accept that she now has a big X on her back."

"Hey, so do I!"

"Talking of which, you have an appointment on the range."

Kerri nodded. "Yeah. You need that girl."

"Don't you go through a pile of ammo weekly? We can't all be so trigger happy as you all, Kerri." Marcus remarked.

Marcus collected Tammy's scribbles and they bade farewell to Kerri. It was a fifteen minute walk, all subterranean, to the smallbore range. Tammy was given a set of range instructions to read then signed the log.

"I understand you have a weapon with you?"

She handed over her Glock 19, the range officer wasn't impressed.

"That's not standard issue!"

"Maybe not, but I'm qualified on it."

"When?"

"Last December?"

"With who?"

"I think the range was operated by the Met Police."

The officer went to a laptop and typed a new enquiry. "Found you, I just need to check the serial number of your weapon."

"Feel free."

Marcus was glaring at her but Tammy decided she wasn't going to play the rank and privilege game when a little female charm could work.

"That's the same weapon. Right, you have twenty rounds to warm up and then you need to post a qualifying score."

"I haven't used it for months."

"That's not my problem, you should stay proficient or lose the right to carry a weapon."

"Yes, Sir." The female charm had run out.

"I don't like having civilians down here, so I suggest you get started before I change my mind. Lane 1 is available."

"Thank you, Sir." It wasn't worth arguing the point and, in any case, she would have lost.

Tammy picked up her ammunition and put on a set of ear defenders before settled into the lane, very aware that someone was using an automatic weapon near her; this was a world away from the range at Abigail Adams House and she wasn't getting any special treatment.

The target was ready, Tammy fired the first ten rounds, managing to hit the target each time, but her score would have been pitiful. The next ten rounds were better but she wasn't comfortable.

"Please, Sir, can I have another twenty rounds?"

"No."

She was up against the clock and had no time to wallow in self-pity.

Part   Nineteen   "Nightingale"

 
Saturday 29th April 2017
 

Tammy wasn't happy, not one jot.

She'd surprised herself by qualifying on the range with her handbag-sized Glock 19 but had then been reminded that she needed to re-qualify with her larger Glock 26, and the threat was that she wouldn't leave the base with it if she didn't have an up to date ticket. She'd protested in vain that her civilian qualification was only six months old, apparently the military liked to do things its own way.

At dinner, Marcus had warned Tammy there would be an early call for an exercise and that she should dress for the next day in the uniform that had been left in her room. She showered and pulled a set of fresh undies from her case, choosing a sleep tee.

It was half past two in the morning when there was a bang on her door, she woke startled.

"Lieutenant Smart, you're needed!"

"Errr, yes."

She had no idea what the emergency was but quickly dressed in the combat uniform that was folded on a chair. She had no long socks, only liners and tights, so made do before pulling on the trousers and the boots. There was another bang on the door as she was tying the knots.

"Almost ready!"

She slipped her phone, Glock 19 and her ID in pockets when walked out, a soldier was waiting. A cap went on her head, although she hadn't had a chance to do anything with her hair.

"Come with me."

She was let through a door that said 'Quartermaster'. A backpack, helmet and SA80 automatic rifle were handed to her, but before she could ask anything she was led to a waiting jeep, the soldier got into the driver's seat after directing Tammy to the rear. A female officer was waiting for her and spoke as they pulled away.

"Finally, you need to be quicker than that Lieutenant Smart."

"I have no idea what I'm doing or who you are?"

"Didn't Captain Marcus warn you to be ready for an early call?"

"Yes, but not half past bloody two, and who the hell are you?"

"If you were really a Lieutenant I would break you for insolence like that. I'm Captain Nightingale."

"Well, Captain, err, Nightingale, what am I doing here?"

"This is day two of your evaluation for Broadsword."

"Yeah, I get that bit, but why the firearm and the rest of it?"

"You'll be in a scenario with a team you don't know, doing a job you haven't prepared for."

"So I've already been bollocked for not doing research but you tell me that's exactly the plan right now."

"Yes, you won't always have the luxury of even ten minutes to read up on the job in hand."

They rode along in silence for a while. Tammy tried to see where they were going but the road wasn't lit and the headlamps weren't illuminating any signs; all she could determine was that the road was lined with trees and hedgerows with no sign of civilisation.

"So why do I have this?" She lifted the SA80 before dropping it back onto her lap.

"Standard equipment. Were you given the introduction course to the Mark 2?"

"No."

"Why didn't you say?"

"Like I had a choice?"

"Right now you shouldn't have that weapon."

"Who's idea was it that I should? We're here now so let's just say that I am familiar with the SA80."

"When?"

"Sorry, need to know. It's in my file but I bet you haven't seen it."

"I could order you to tell me?"

"Please don't try anything stupid, I'm ratty enough already as it is."

"Are you threatening me?"

Tammy carefully released the magazine but was holding the weapon so the magazine didn't appear to detach. Her right hand went to her pocket. "That's not the intention, but I have been in very difficult situations before and I react according to instinct, usually, not because of any training. That makes me a little unpredictable. Having said that, you should also know that I have a very wide range of experiences, despite my apparent young age. Given that Captain Wade didn't tell me anything about today, how do I know that I am not in jeopardy?"

"You should consider yourself on a charge for even suggesting that!"

"Not likely. Better that we turn about. I'll continue on with Captain Wade."

The Captain reached for Tammy's SA80, but she held it with one hand whilst retrieving her Glock with the other, then levelled it at Captain Nightingale.

Tammy barked, "Stop the vehicle! NOW!"

The driver was already pulling over, Tammy had noted back at the base that he hadn't a sidearm.

"You are making a big mistake." Nightingale snarled

"Really? I've no idea as to who you are or in which capacity you are acting."

Tammy's attention turned lightly to the driver. "Leave the keys, get out and wait." He did as asked.

Nightingale made a lunge and was met with the butt of Tammy's pistol to her forehead.

"That was stupid, I did warn you. Now, would be the time for explanations. What is going on?"

Captain Nightingale said nothing and stayed silent. Outside, the silence was interrupted by the sound of another vehicle approaching. Tammy suddenly remembered the incident in the West End coffee shop with Kerri, a teaspoon against the window created a diversion to give them an edge. Diverted attention was indeed deadly.

Slowly she acted as if turning to look. As suspected; her prisoner made a lunge for the SA80. Tammy let her manage to snatch it away, only to realize too late, that the magazine was in Tammy's left hand. The rifle was now simply an expensive club. Tammy leaned slightly forward, closed her right eye and fired close to the officer's head. The bullet passed through the side window only, but the shot had her desired effect. Captain Nightingale was now disoriented, deafened and flash-blinded. Quickly Tammy exited from the vehicle.

A jeep slid to a stop as Marcus bolted from it. "Hold your fire!"

Tammy glared. "WHERE the Hell have you been?"

Marcus Wade waved her toward himself. "Come back here, Tammy."

She took a hesistant look at Captain Nightingale, who had now opened her door and was leaning on the vehicle. Tammy had no answers and did not like that.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Wade asked, noting the clearly dazed officer.

"Single shot close to her head. Threat neutralized."

"Jesus! You're not safe with a weapon!"

"I haven't killed anyone, yet. I believe she is a True Freedom supporter, or similar, and she was about take me out for certain."

"Bloody hell, she's been a part of this unit for nearly a year."

"Shouldn't we check the personnel, in case any more are terrorist sympathisers?"

"You need to write this up immediately before any detail is lost and then we are going to work out how to handle it."

"What about me?"

"Indeed, what about you?"

"Shouldn't I be in shock, or something? After all, I just had an attempted kidnapping incident."

"Any normal person would be, Tammy."

"Yeah. Anyway; how come you got here and where were you?"

"I went to collect you at three for the exercise and you'd already gone. The quartermaster told me you were only a few minutes ahead so we came after you."

"Exercise?"

"It's a search and locate exercise near Thetford Forest, the rest of the team are probably there by now."

"They are? Let's go then."

"What?"

"Apparently it is training time, we should go to it."

"Are you off your head? There's a mess here to deal with, and you want to carry on as if nothing happened!"

"Right, the mess, should I just shoot her?"

Marcus stepped in close. "NO. She's on the team."

"Not according to my information."

"So, that's your justification, judge, jury and executioner?"

"Look, Marcus, I have a weapon to defend myself. That's how it'll be written, if I make a report. I'm not sorry about your officer, but it was her or me. I know I made the right choice and yet she is still alive and relatively unharmed. As it is, I wasn't even supposed to be in that vehicle at all, was I?"

"That was the designated jeep, but you should have been with me."

"So, what's the problem?"

"You're the problem, Tammy."

"How so? You said an early call, yet now you say that I was brought out before correct time. That is the vehicle I was supposed to be in, with you, yet you were not in it. In fact, you were nowhere to be seen until just now. At this moment; I am more confused as to what is going on than before I set out from home. In fact, it's starting to look like I was brought here to mop up after 6's cock-up, so don't call me 'the problem'!"

Marcus glared at her, "That is not the case here."

"Really? Just exactly who is Friend and Foe? Those are starting to blur. Kerri said that there would be agendas. Mine is simple; Stay Alive. You seem to be promoting to the contrary right now and it is not in my best interest."

"You should go back to base to be interviewed by the MPs."

"So you play by rules in the unit? Well, so did I; do you remember my personal warrant?"

"This is military, not civilian?"

"Really? The range officer didn't accept me as military, except when it suited him, and I won't accept that a Military Policeman is cleared to deal with me. Either you handle this or I'll get the local Counter-Terrorist unit involved. Meanwhile I really should be meeting the team for the exercise."

"Just like that?" Wade growled.

Tammy finally had enough. "I am not going to put up with everyone having as many ways as they want whilst setting me up as their scapegoat! 'Life isn't fair'. So be it! Not one explanation as to what is going on. Who is she? What is her objective? Why are you all over me and not her for breaking YOUR protocol? What was that saying, 'I smell a rat'? Is this where I shoot her in the knee to prompt answers?"

Marcus spoke to his driver. "Call back to Base; inform them I'll be returning. Take the Lieutenant on to Stanford and walk her to the briefing room." Marcus then turned to the driver of the other jeep. "You will drive myself and Captain Nightingale back. Captain, get in. Ride up front. Not one word from either of you!"

Tammy climbed into the jeep and was driven on, it was a very quiet half an hour through the middle of nowhere. Finally the driver pased through a security checkpoint then stopped at a building front, walked her inside to a door marked Briefing and sent her in.

"Becky?"

Tammy turned and saw a familiar face walking towards her.

"We met at a training camp, a year or two back?" He kept his voice down, across the room others could see them but not hear.

"Did we? You might have me confused with someone else?"

"No, no, I'm pretty sure? You had a boyfriend called Daniel in Newquay?"

"No." Tammy did recognise the tall Kiwi from the camp in Hythe, Kent, where she'd succumbed a flesh wound. She unconsciously rubbed her shoulder.

"Yeah, sure, Jimmy almost took your arm off when you popped out of a doorway unexpectedly."

"Look, firstly I'm not Becky and secondly I don't you shouldn't be discussing this."

"Sure Becky, or whatever your name is these days. There's more of the crowd from Hythe over there."

"Shit!"

Tammy looked across and recognised a few more, although a few were putting camoflage make-up on.

"Okay, I was there, but Becky doesn't exist, right?"

"Sure, whatever, nice to see you again. By the way, why do you have live ammo?"

"It's what I was issued with."

"You should have a blank magazine, check in your pack."

"What am I looking for?"

"A magazine with a yellow mark on the side."

"Found one."

"Good, swap it over." She did as asked.

"I don't know how that happened. Anyway, where are we?"

"This is the Stanford Training Area, haven't you been here before?"

"No."

"Then you're in for a surprise."

The Kiwi turned and raised his voice. "Attention! Change of Order; Captain Wade had been delayed so I am the ranking officer. For those who don't know me, my name is Captain Fielding. Today's mission is to find the insurgent. Please collect your briefing papers from the table over there." He pointed.

Tammy retrieved a copy, the insurgent was apparently born in Birmingham but had joined an Al Qaeda affiliated sect. He was intent on enacting revenge on any western assets. A photograph was attached and he was described as 5'10" with olive skin. He had a full beard and shoulder length hair.

"I hope you've all memorised that as I want every copy left in here. Any questions?"

There weren't any, although Tammy still wasn't sure what they were doing. A door was opened and they walked along a dimly lit corridor to a further door. The rest of the guys were putting on helmets so Tammy detached hers from her backpack and did likewise, losing her beret.

The lights were dimmed lower and then the outer door was opened, Tammy followed the dozen or so men into a village, but not one she was familiar with. As her eyes adjusted to the moonlight she saw a minaret above the single and two storey houses. Captain Fielding walked back to where Tammy was stood.

"Get out of the square and take cover!"

"Where the hell is this?"

"Just outside Kabul."

"Hang on, am I dreaming?"

"Nope. Keep your voice down, we don't want to disturb the locals."

"Locals?"

"Yes, remember that mock up in Hythe?"

"Yeah?"

"This is an Afghan village training base, complete with locals, IEDs, the lot."

"Shit!"

"Exactly."

Tammy stayed with the Captain whilst they patrolled the area, suddenly the air was full of the sound of chants.

"What's that?"

"Call to prayer, in Pushtu. It's about five o'clock."

"This is too real."

"I said you'd be surprised!"

Suddenly there was movement and the locals started to come out of the houses. Some had prayer mats so put those down and started to pray. Tammy and the Captain walked on, he suggested that she smiled and made welcoming waves.

"You're playing this for real?"

"Too bloody true, you use all the training you can get, that way you won't get any nasty shocks."

"I have no idea why I'm here, then."

"You don't have a posting?"

"I'm a civvie, although that seems to be open to discussion right now."

"There's no way a civvie would have been at Hythe, much less here."

"Yeah, it's complicated."

The Captain touched his ear. "Affirmative."

"You're needed back in the briefing room."

"Oh? Any reason why?"

"No, that was all the message said."

The Captain called one of his men over and told them to escort the female Lieutenant back from where they'd come.

She could hear muted shouts, in English, as they walked across the site. The shouts got louder but her escort kept going, ignoring the operation that was seemingly in progress. As they rounded a corner, a male stepped out in front of them, Tammy recognised the face and raised her weapon. "Down!"

The insurgent had something in his hand as he went down and Tammy hadn't had a chance to clear it. Her escort didn't want her to hang around but Tammy reached into her pack and pulled some flexicuffs out, having seen them earlier. She secured the ankles and then went for the arms. "Cover me!" Her escort grudgingly raised his weapon towards the prisoner as Tammy reached for the hands, hesitantly until she spotted the small fruit that he was carrying. Reinforcements arrived just as the insurgent was about to kick off, at least that was how Tammy read it.

"I thought you were on your way out of the training ground?"

"So did I until this gift popped up in front of me."

"Not too bad, well done."

A few minutes later she was back inside, removed her helmet and went to find a loo. Captain Wade and Colonel Sean MacTaggart were waiting for her.

"One thing I do not like in the middle of the night, young lady, is a helicopter ride across the country to deal with a mess that wasn't my own making!"

"I'm sure you've heard the interim report?"

"Yes, and you took her down without any verification or real justification!"

"In which case perhaps we should be having this conversation elsewhere, 'Uncle'."

"I know, but it's still a mess."

"It turns out I should have had blank ammo in my SA80, and not live rounds, that also needs to go into my report."

"And the MPs are waiting for you."

"No they bloody aren't, is this how you reward someone who was kidnapped by a terrorist? Treat me as the villain?"

"It's just a formality."

"Really? My guess is that they've already searched her quarters, without waiting for anyone from the Special Ops team, and have probably declared her a 100% honest officer?"

"That's not their job."

"And I bet they're not used to counter terrorism investigations?"

"That's not your concern."

"It's my arse on the line and given recent history I have every right to be careful!"

"How did the exercise go?"

"I found and detained the insurgent."

"You helped?"

"No, I found him and he had my flexicuffs around his ankles when the others turned up, I was just about to tie his wrists."

"So you found it useful?"

"Yes, although if you even suggest I fly out to Afghanistan....?"

"You wouldn't be aby use if we had a problem in the UK, plus somehow I think you wouldn't qualify to go."

"Because I'm trans?"

"No, silly girl, because you're not fit and you're not trained. We don't put untrained personnel in dangerous positions."

"Clearly you haven't read my file either!"

Sean laughed, "No, no, we'll give you all the training you need, once we're satisfied you are committed to join us and we're committed to have you in our unit. Right now an untrained operative is more dangerous than an insurgent."

"So there is a plan?"

"Yes, come on, I'll travel back with you and maybe we can sort this mess out?"

Sean walked with Tammy to a waiting helicopter, Tammy belted herself in before any of the crew could intervene.

"Be careful boys, she part owns a helicopter company!"

It wasn't a long ride back to Wattisham and, by the time they landed, the sun was up. Sean walked with Tammy down to the briefing room she'd spent the previous afternoon in.

"What's she doing here!" Tammy near exploded.

"Captain Nightingale is here to help you understand what went on today."

"Really?"

"Yes, Tammy." Her head span around to the monitor where Kerri was looking down, holding a mug of cocoa. "All is not as it may seem."

"Well, my stomach tells me it's breakfast time and my head tells me I should still be in bed. Those I can process, but not terrorist sympathisers?

Marcus wade suggested Tammy sat down. "We've put you through the mill this morning, and my apologies, but I think it worked out quite well."

"What?"

"Captain Nightingale is not a True Freedom operative or follower, she was simply following my orders to put some confusion into you. We didn't know, however, that you would have a Glock with you and we are grateful that you showed restraint."

"I was tempted to put one between her eyes."

"And that would have been a real sod to deal with."

"So it was all a ruse?"

"Yes, and you passed the test."

"Good, I'm hungry and then I'm going back to bed!"

"Oh no, you are going on the range with your Glock 26."

"I'm tired and hungry."

"Doesn't matter, sleep is a luxury you might not have in the field."

"Sod that, I'm resigning."

-------

Stanford Training Area (inc Afghan village) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_Training_Area

Part   Twenty   "Etiquette"

 
Saturday 29th April 2017 (Cont)
 

Tammy spent forty minutes on the range but failed to get a qualifying score with her Glock 26.

"I knew I wasn't up to it."

"Not good enough, young lady, you decided in advance you would fail. Keep up that attitude then you will fail every time."

"Marcus, I'm shattered."

"And did you think that the military runs on a Monday to Friday nine to five basis? With guaranteed time off for meals and sleep?"

" Well, no, but ...."

"Then you need to adapt, go back in there and this time make an effort!"

"I'm still tired."

"And still going to fail. How long did Kerri say she'd been up when you spoke yesterday?"

"Err, twenty eight hours?"

"And how much sleep did you think I got last night?"

"Probably the same as me?"

"Less. Am I complaining? Was Kerri moaning? She actually confided to me what she was doing while her camera was off. She was penetrating a hostile array. Alone; she engaged, stripped it then destroyed it. Not her words though. She simply said she had to deal with an array."

Tammy's eyes widened. "No shit? An array? You mean a super computer, like government services have?"

"Yes." The SAS Captain nodded. "Though she did not say, I read a report from our own this morning and found out who it belongs to."

"Who?"

"That array belongs to a narcotics cartel in the South American region known as the Tri-Borders. Or rather, it did belong to them. That array is now a three tonne paperweight. We do know they used it for penetrating U.S. and Interpol anti-drug forces. Estimated value of the array; twenty-five million U.S. Dollars."

Tammy was completely flabbergasted. At Room 40 she had heard of such people, but never did it dawn on her they were real and she had met one.

"Can you actually be fine with intentionally failing? Do you really accept that?"

"No."

"So get your rear end back on that range and actually try this time!"

"Yes, Sir."

Tammy reported back to the Range Officer half an hour later.

"Much better Lieutenant. You're booked to test with the SA80 tomorrow morning."

"So I passed?"

"It was acceptable."

"Thank you."

A minute later Tammy arrived in the canteen looking for breakfast but was too late for the cooked offering so settled for cereal and OJ.

"How are you feeling now?"

"Better, Colonel."

"I'd like to say that I'm sorry we pulled that stunt on you, but you are going to be pushed to the extreme when you join this unit."

"When?"

"The decision has been made, all I need to know is that you are ready. Right now my team suggests that you aren't."

"No argument here, Sir."

"Good, I do hate listening to those who don't know when to agree with me."

"So, what happens next?"

"How about you get an hour or two of sleep then join us in the briefing room for a lunch session?"

"I thought I had to work through, to show I could cope?"

"We're not sadists, well officially we're not, so now you can go clean up and have some rest. Nice score by the way."

She grabbed a banana and munched as she walked back to her accommodation block, one designated for visitors. She locked her '26 away before showering and slipping under the duvet.

---------------

Tammy showered again and opted for a suit when she dressed, as the uniform was now very dirty. The fuchsia seemed to be an good choice amongst all the khaki, brown, navy and green that seemed to dominate local clothing choices, her nails now matched, as did her eyeliner. She still had her backpack and SA80 automatic rifle when she'd returned to her room, the pack had her name on it so she assumed she was keeping it. The rifle, meanwhile, had to be returned to the quartermaster so she slung a bag over her shoulder then walked out of her room with the weapon across her white blouse, still loaded with the blanks.

A few heads were turned as she crossed the parade ground to reach the Quartermaster's building.

"Ah, Lieutenant, I was wondering when I would get this back?"

"It's surplus to my needs right now."

"Okay, now where is your ID card?"

Tammy opened her bag, moved her Glock 19 to one side then extracted the plastic card, as well as the live magazine.

"Ta da!"

"Not good enough, I'm surprised you haven't been put on a charge yet."

"Why?"

"Typical civvie!"

"In real life, yes."

"So, despite looks, this is a high security environment, right?"

"Yes."

"So we all wear our ID around our necks on base?"

"I don't have a lanyard."

"Oh, you weren't issued with one? Fortunate smiles; I have one or two, thousand, spare." He reached under the counter and tossed two at her. "Use one now, the other one is a spare for when your rifle gets caught and snaps it."

"Okay, but how did you recognise me without it?"

"There aren't too many twenty year old ladies around here going around with loaded SA80s, and even fewer with an attitude that kicks ass!"

Tammy made her way back to the briefing room.

"Ah, Tammy, you're out of uniform."

"Is my skirt too long, Marcus?"

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"You're not taking this seriously!"

"Earlier today I was serious enough that I could have killed."

"Yes, that exercise didn't go quite to plan."

"Especially as I didn't know it was an exercise, so I treated it for real. Add to that the fact that I have been in many life threatening incidents a few times, and that it was likely I would be armed with one of my Glocks?"

"Quite, we didn't plan as well as we might."

"Good, so we both gained from your flawed exercise."

"That reminds me, Captain Fielding commended you for the exercise at Stanford. He called you 'Beccy' though."

"We met once before."

"Do you often liaise with special forces?"

"Only when they're in uniform."

"Eh?"

"I was on a course with him, and a few others, two years ago. That's all you need to know, sorry."

"Understood. Look, we'll convene for a full debrief in a few hours', once everyone is available."

"I need a clean uniform. Perhaps that problem can be resolved along with the one of the ammunition early this morning?"

"Remind me."

"The Captain escorted me to the Quartermaster who issued me with a back-pack and rifle. The magazine was already attached. I didn't realise until I reached Stanford that I had live rounds and everyone else was using blanks or that there was a different magazine for blank rounds."

"You certainly shouldn't have had live rounds at all."

"Fortunately there was a blank magazine in the back pack."

"What kit do you still have from last night?"

"Just the dirty uniform and the backpack, I've just now returned the SA80 and the magazines. Nobody said I had to return it, but I thought it was probably the best approach."

"Okay, but I'm not certain we'll be able to find anything out."

"It might be nothing more than a simple mistake, Marcus."

"Indeed. Why don't you go and grab some lunch?"

When Tammy reached the canteen there was a full spread available, she opted for a full plate given that she didn't know what she'd be doing later, she figured that information seemed to be a rare commodity this weekend.

Her suit caused a few heads to turn, just enough for a senior officer to walk over.

"Why are you out of uniform?"

"I'm on my own time, having lunch!"

"You're on a charge!"

"You don't even know me."

He grabbed for her shoulder but caught the chair, then yanked. Tammy's hand was already in her bag as she rolled with the chair and knocked the uniform onto the floor. Her Glock was now in her right hand.

"I have so had it!"

Behind her there was quiet applause. Tammy picked up her chair and continued with her lunch. It was barely a minute later when four military police arrived.

"You are under arrest for insubordination."

"He was a prick and I was eating, I still am. Sorry boys, you'll have to find your fun somewhere else."

A moment later she was on the floor and handcuffs were being wrapped around her wrists.

"Resisting arrest has been added to your charge sheet."

Tammy was taken to the guard room and dropped into a cell, that was when she noticed that her skirt was marked but her jacket had been torn.

It was only a few minutes before Captain Marcus Wade and Colonel Sean MacTaggart arrived.

"What the hell happened, Tammy? They're talking about a trip to the Glasshouse*!"

"Sorry Colonel, some prick got in my face whilst I was eating, first demanding to know why I wasn't in uniform and then accused me of insolence. The final straw was when he grabbed my chair. What is it with everyone around here? "

"That's behaviour likely to earn you a court martial, damn Tammy!"

"At which point did you, or anyone else, school me in army etiquette?"

"I'm sure it's not normal to pull a bloody weapon on a senior officer?"

"He grabbed at me first! Oh, so this is a pastiche of 'Animal Farm'? 'All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others'."

"That's an irrelevant comparison."

"Maybe, but you have had years of training, knowing when your nostril hairs are just too long and have to be trimmed, even on the battlefield? Something tells me that had I been wearing the filthy, only, uniform I have; the bastard would have come after me for that! I didn't look about, but I definitely didn't notice anyone wearing a uniform as dirty as mine."

Sean smiled. "She has a point, Captain. How would this go in court?"

"My arse would be on the line. Inadequate supervision, training and equipping."

"Exactly. Let's go sort this out."

"Wait. I have a question that still has no answer." Tammy called out then added. "He didn't know who I was. Why did he assume he had charge over me? I wasn't required to be in uniform and only told to take lunch. Am I the absolute, only civilian on this base?"

The big Scot frowned. "Fair point, you are not. There are others and some personnel not required to be in uniform. Never mind Captain, I'll sort this out myself. You will take our Tammy to procure proper kit. Barracks Dress, four Field uniforms and a copy of the dress orders. Lieutenant; after you have said uniforms, you will be in them from that point on while on base. Is that understood? This is when you answer 'Aye, Colonel'."

"Aye, Colonel." Tammy said.

MacTaggart went on. "This is also where you learn that officers have authority here. If their rank is higher, they do expect you to take their orders. Speak in respectful manner; the man may not matter, but the rank always will. Contrary to popular belief, more than most officers actually earn that rank, it's not a given. Cases like yours are the rare exception, not the standard, don't forget that. One other thing, no talking back, speak when spoken to, otherwise keep your trap shut. On your way."

An hour later Tammy stood in the briefing room in Barracks Dress uniform, skirted version with sensible barely-there heels. Her make-up was also toned down to barely-nothing. whilst her hair was in a bun, no longer free flowing.

"I've had a moment to think about this, in short, this random Lieutenant Colonel happens to be a first class sexist jackass that thinks women in the military are only for admin, coffee service and the odd Bivouac-Boogie, right?" Kerri asked.

Tammy wondered why Kerri was now wearing what looked like a flightsuit, but kept quiet.

"Tha's it in a nutshell. He clearly thought Tammy was an easy target, it's not good that we still have that attitude in the Army." Sean growled, he may be an old dog, but he definitely wasn't a pig.

Kerri rolled her eyes. "The UK doesn't have a monopoly on idiots, for sure. But Tammy dropping his ass in the restaurant, really got his nose out of joint. That figures."

"Sad to say, but those types are still mucking things up for everybody. I'm open to suggestions, how do we take it from here?" Sean sighed.

A voice off camera was heard and Kerri repeated to them. "Have her go police some brass on a range and let numb-nuts get a glimpse to know it's punishment for her, but don't allow him to interact or interfere. After that; Tammy is put out-of-sight, out-of-mind."

Marcus considered that then nodded. "Sounds about right. That would be embarrassing enough to satisfy an officer but must be something Tammy can do."

Kerri then looked directly at Tammy. "Not one gripe. If I pulled anything remotely like that, I'd have to shoot them or else be in for 'remedial hand-to-hand'. That means getting my ass BEATEN three times a day for two weeks solid. You need to develop a quick case of Act-Right or your ASS gets nailed to a cross. I have a check-ride in 15."

"Understood. We'll get a move on then. Consensus is; Tammy can be useful, but not for Direct Actions. However, there may be incidents that just fall in. Murphy, as you say." Sean stated.

Kerri shrugged. "Shit does happen, I can't even go for coffee over there. Keep her on the back-burner. Tammy reacquaint yourself with analysis and off-site intel. However, I do suggest you join a sky-jumping club and get scuba-certified. Scuba is useful, you can claim you can perform inspections of any location you have water-fronted. Paying somebody costs quite a bit, learn how to do it yourself."

"And the sky jumping, how do I explain that?" Tammy asked.

Kerri smirked. "You saw somebody with a pink and purple chute, matching wind-suit, you found it SOOOO adorable."

"I guess everybody assumes I'm quite the odd-one that I probably could get away with that." Tammy considered it.

"Okay. I'm out." Kerri said then her screen went black then a multi-colour screen to signal her connection was closed.

That evening, still in the Barracks Dress uniform, Tammy spent two hours picking up spent shells from the pistol range in what was obviously a ridiculous manner. She had been given a small bag, large enough to hold a pint of liquid, to put the casings in then empty into a crate. Twenty minutes in, the Lieutenant Colonel passed within sight and noted her activity, he wasn't able to stop as Colonel MacTaggart was walking him past.

Tammy tried a glimpse at his name, "looks like his name's Couper." she thought. "Sod off you evil git." Tammy whispered to herself, but mentally admitted that things could be worse.

 
Sunday 30th April 2017
 

Tammy was back in a field uniform and was was keeping an appointment on the range. Firstly, the range officer had a task.

"Before you go and waste any brass, you are going to strip the weapon down and rebuild it."

Tammy recalled having done that at Hythe and quickly had it apart.

"I should ask where you learnt to do that."

"On a range in Kent, Sir."

"Not a civvie range, for sure."

"No."

"Okay, close your eyes and put it back together."

Tammy fumbled but had it back inside thirty seconds, the range officer was trying hard not to look impressed. "Adequate. Okay, you have the five hundred metre range for the next twenty minutes. This isn't a test, but I expect you to do your best?"

"Yes, Sir."

By ten that morning she was in a training room being schooled on military etiquette by Captain Nightingale, just enough to avoid being put on another charge for any minor indiscretion. Tammy had to fight her natural need to challenge everything she was being told and Nightingale was not giving any leeway.

Once lunch was out of the way, which she took in the briefing room, Tammy spent a few hours alone on paperwork, reading and digesting. Finally Marcus made an appearance.

"All of your previous alias identities are burnt, and you must destroy any ID you still have."

"Understood."

"It's important that that your Beccy identity disappears and you don't interact with anyone who knew her."

"Okay, what about the special forces guys, like Captain Fielding?"

"They can be trusted. Okay, listen, your new alias is Theresa Robbins." He handed over an envelope.

She pulled out a mobile phone, passport, driving licence, bank cards and a few other bits. A crib sheet put her age as 23, born in Edinburgh, relocated to London at 10 years old. Parents were deceased, she had no siblings or other known next of kin. She was currently living in North West Essex near Stansted Airport.

"Read, memorise and then securely destroy that sheet. One other thing, the address exists, but it's simply a mail drop. Any snail mail to that site is redirected to Broadsword then we decide if it's sent onto you. There's an email account and a disabled social media account on the phone but do NOT switch that phone on anywhere near home."

"Okay."

Finally Marcus dropped the bomb. "Your evaluation is classed a Fail. You hesitate when you should act, you act when you should freeze. Your analytical skills have taken the chute and your ability to prioritize...that's nowhere to be found at all.

"All that said; the reason for that is due to lack of actual training. Most of the training you have received, were done as salvage. Arse-covering by higher-ups. Your so-called operational training wasn't beneficial. The truth is you were setup to fail by your seniors, you weren't meant to be operational, probably for the same reasons I've just given. The only plus I can see is that your self-protection skills are good, but you're still a danger to anyone near you."

"Am I done? After all this, I'm done?" Tammy was confused.

Marcus shook his head. "You're not 'done' as you say. You will have to be rebuilt from the bottom-up. The main thing; don't expect to be invading a country, or even an apartment. The most travelling you can expect for some time; is to and from training sites. You have to be taught the right way to do things, including nothing. Have your kit ready, you go home tomorrow morning."

"So what next, Sir?"

"We'll be in touch, but don't expect things to move along quickly."

---------

* Glasshouse - Colloquial term for UK combined services military prison.

Part   Twenty One   "Interviews"

 
Friday 5th May 2017
 

Tammy had been back at the University on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a day of coursework at home; she was actually happy to be back in that stable and predictable environment after her weird weekend. The end of year exams were approaching and that certainly focussed everyone's mind, or at least the one who wanted to succeed, regardless of her career options she still wanted a meaningful qualification. By midweek Tammy had stopped contemplating on the previous weekend.

She'd made it into the office a few times to deal with urgent matters but Friday was the first time she could spent the whole day there, given that she needed to find the right employee to handle the day to day work. Her first interview was at ten and that was Fleur, she had an hour so wasn't rushing, she'd read Fleur's CV nearer the time so it was fresh in her mind. She'd only just managed to put the kettle on when her mobile rang. Tammy answered, seeing the caller was the Mill Theatre. "Hello?"

"Ah. There you are, Tammy." Stephen McIntosh returned the greeting. "This may seem odd, but there is a large package for you at the theatre. Might I ask why you would have that delivered here? I was under the impression you had offices of your own."

Tammy replied. "I do Sir, er, Stephen, and I wasn't expecting anything. Could you tell me whom the package is from?"

"Certainly. It's marked as coming from Amazon in the States." Stephen replied. "The return address is P.O. Box 1142. Arlington, Virginia."

Tammy wanted to laugh into the phone, but managed to contain to only sound amused. "My apologies for the confusion, someone obviously got their wires crossed. I'll come right down and collect it."

"As I said, it's quite large, I hope you're not on foot as even the courier complained!"

It only took a few minutes to drive to the theatre but it had been a while since her last trip along Mill Lane and it now looked as if the businesses near the theatre weren't doing as well as she remembered, with various signs of vacant premises. Stephen seemed to be on his own and had the package on a trolley, to make it easier to handle.

Tammy felt she was fighting the traffic on the way back, even though it was barely ten minutes since she'd left the office. When she did get back even her parking spot had been grabbed and she ended some distance from her office. Her former headmaster's warning was very apt as she struggled up the stairs with the package. "Okay Kerri, what have you sent me this time?" She took the package into her secure room and dropped it on the desk.

Inside looked to be some type of backpack, although Tammy didn't recognise the brand. She carefully opened the catches, making mental notes as she went.

The logo stated it was made by Osprey and was the Tempest 30 model, Tammy didn't know the brand but it seemed to be specifically for women that day-hike. When she opened it, however, increasingly curious as she lifted each item out of the bag. In separate pockets she found a satellite phone with a 220V charger and a handheld GPS unit. In the main compartment; a laptop in a padded weather-proof bag with charger, what looked like cellular stick and a cord that could connect to the satellite phone. A rolled up object turned out to be a flexible solar panel that had ports to charge via USB cables.

Tammy lifted the backpack out of the packaging and found another bag underneath. Things came into shocking reality when she opened this bag to find a women's bullet-resistant vest; accordingly to attached tag it was the kind worn under clothing as a last resort. She dug further, under that were four hard-cases: two black, one orange and one white. One contained boxes of .40 calibre ammunition called Black Talon by Winchester. The other box contained a pistol and loaded magazines. The white held generic medical supplies and the orange held survival equipment. Hidden at the bottom was a packet of money of various countries and several credit cards in the name of Theresa Robbins. Tammy checked the shipping label, it had been sent the previous Friday so Kerri must have been told Tammy's alias before the weekend.

The door buzzer sounded. Tammy went to the CCTV monitor and spotted Fleur outside, fifteen minutes early. She pressed the door release. "Come on up." She quickly looked around the office, closed the secure room's door and made certain she had nothing untoward on show just as Fleur reached the top of the stairs.

"Come in." Tammy finally put the kettle back on.

"I'm a bit early, but did you get my message?"

"No? I've been busy." Tammy reached for her phone, there was a missed call and two text messages. Fleur was withdrawing her application.

"Oh, sorry, I've been pre-occupied, but you didn't need to come round here."

"When I didn't get an answer, I thought it was better that I told you as soon as possible."

"Why don't you want to do it?"

"Stephen's got an arts council grant and he can afford to employ me for sixteen hours a week, that suits me."

"Oh, I didn't know about the grant?"

"It's not been announced, but I've been told I'll get paid until April next year."

"That's excellent news."

"Yeah, apparently Stephen's been itching to tell me for the past fortnight but he finally phoned me this morning, I've just come from the theatre."

"Oh, okay."

"Apparently you had a package delivered there?"

"Some mix up with an American distributor, still not sure how it happened."

Tammy started to make her coffee. "Drink?"

"No thanks, I've got a few things to do."

Fleur left so Tammy decided to read up the next candidate's CV. Her eleven o'clock appointment was with Michael Goss, the oldest of the applicants. He certainly had claimed to have had the most experience, although it would have been difficult to verify his educational certificates from nearly fifty years earlier, Tammy also suspected the companies he'd worked for had gone out of business or subsumed into global conglomerates.

By eleven no-one had arrived and by ten past the hour Tammy was pretty sure he wouldn't be coming. She put the kettle back on and pulled out Joey Cooper's CV for later that afternoon. When the buzzer did sound, at eleven twenty, Tammy looked at the monitor but couldn't see anything. The buzzer sounded again so she answered.

"Hello, can I help you?"

"It that Smart Properties?"

"Yes, just as the sign says over the door. I can't see you on my camera, apologies."

"You're bloody difficult to find!"

"I have a unique postcode, you just google it and your phone tells you were to go."

"Google?"

Tammy opted to walk down to the street level, outside was a four wheeled mobility buggy and a gent was astride, his walking stick behind him.

"Well, help me out and tell the manager that I'm here, young lady."

"I am the manager, in fact I own the company and the building, Mr Goss." She offered him an arm, although that was causing her some issues.

Michael Goss grabbed his stick roughly and walked towards the door, which had swung shut. Tammy used her pass to unlock it.

"Stairs?"

"It's a first floor office. I do have a stair lift fitted, however, so I'm fully compliant."

"I can't stand stairlifts, got a bungalow so I don't need to go up."

"All this information was in the email."

"My daughter handled that for me, I don't want to touch any technology, why is life so complicated, tell me?"

"I can't argue", replied Tammy, "but a necessary evil these days."

"Bah! Fiddlesticks! The kids in school don't even know how to use a sliderule or log tables, what would they do if their calculators stopped working?"

"Would you like to come up? I did just boil the kettle."

"With the best will, this doesn't sound like my cup of tea, I told my daughter I was bored, not that I wanted to go climbing!"

Tammy felt a few drops of Highland rain and guessed that much more of the wet stuff was imminent, the sixty year old felt the same.

"Give me a hand, dear, I'm going home. The rain cover is in the box at the back."

Ten minutes later Michael Goss was trundling along the road whilst Tammy was trying to dry out. So far, her day had been a literal washout.

She went back into her secure room plugged in the devices in order to charge them up. She opened the laptop but found a note instructing her to go to an area out of cellular range before turning on, and to turn nothing on until it was needed. That would have to wait.

The rain was easing so she grabbed an umbrella then locked the office, and walked around to the bakery.

By two she was nearly dry, although the streets outside were still very wet with continuing drizzle. It wasn't a great surprise when Suzie messaged to say she didn't have a lift so couldn't get down to the office, from wherever she was. Tammy decided to do nothing, not even to reply, Suzie had had a week to make her arrangements and there was no special favours because she was family.

Back in the secure room Tammy repacked all the equipment, although the hard shell cases wouldn't all fit in the backpack and she would have to come up with another solution. Getting the weapon and the ammunition out of sight was, however, paramount.

The buzzer sounded bang on three, Tammy could see a teenager on the monitor and pressed the release.

"Hi, are you Miss Smart?"

"Call me Tammy, you're Joey?"

"Yes, err, can I hang this somewhere?"

Joey was slipping out an anorak and Tammy wasn't surprised to see it was wet. Joey's t-shirt and jeans looked fine, everything was a neutral colour.

"Hang it over that chair." Tammy pointed across the office.

Joey returned and sat in a chair Tammy had made ready. "So, you left school last year?"

"Yes, I'm not ready to go to the college."

"So you did a gap year?"

"Sort of, I've been mum's office administrator full-time since last summer, she owned Cooper's Estate Agency. I've been working in that office since I was twelve."

"So how are you with the usual software packages?"

"I do have certificates from online tests, but I can promise you I can build a relational database with my eyes closed."

"Okay, so why are you after work with me?"

"Mum's sold out to a national chain, she's decided to retire."

"I don't remember Coopers?"

"Mum's business was in Dundee, I needed to get out of there and I chose Caithness as I had heard it was a safe area."

"Problems?"

"Yeah."

"Clean break?"

"Yes."

"I did look for you on social media, but couldn't find you."

"I closed my accounts down, it was getting too much."

"Is there anything that you want to tell me? Convictions, trouble with authorities?"

"No, none of that, unless you count teachers bullying me."

"Ah, that I can relate to. So, your only reference was your mother, wasn't there anyone else?"

"There's my father, but he's working away and I rarely see him. Mum and Dad separated a few years back."

Tammy grabbed a pen. "Name?"

"Lieutenant Colonel John Cooper, he's in the army in Suffolk. Mum's paying him off from the business and the next stage is to finalise the divorce, in my opinion he's a bit of a bigot and a chauvinist. Once I'm eighteen I don't have to see him, if I don't want to."

"Oh."

"I went down to see him a few months ago, visiting rights and all that, place called Wattisham. I'm not doing that again."

"Oh, damn."

"Eh?"

"I remembered something, need to go somewhere before it gets too late."

Joey wasn't convinced, "Okay."

"Is there anything you'd like to ask me?"

"How much travelling is there?"

"An occasional property inspection, or letting people in. Most of the properties are commercial, not residential."

"That sounds good, do you get personal callers coming here?"

"Not as a rule, I get emails, calls and a few faxes."

"Fair enough. Are there any other employees?"

"Strictly speaking no, but I have a PA back at home who does the payroll, pension scheme etc. When can you start?"

"I'm still moving my things here, how about a week from now?"

"That suits me, welcome on board."

"Thanks, by the way my Dad doesn't know where I am."

"Okay, but I will have to do some background checks, by the way, but unless something comes up I'll see you at nine on the fifteenth." Tammy held out her hand, which Joey gently shook.

"Oh, do you have a driving licence or passport with you? I also need your national insurance number."

"I have my provisional licence, only had it a few weeks. I'll have to email my NI number to you." The plastic card came out of a jeans pocket, Tammy copied both sides and handed it back. "Okay, See you in a week."

Once Joey had left the building, Tammy made a call on her secure landline.

"Personnel Security."

"It's Tamara Smart, I need a few checks done, please."

"I'm sorry, you're not authorised." The call was ended.

A minute later the secure phone rang.

"Miss Smart?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Lorna, I look after any odd requests from staff and former staff. Apologies, but I understand you needed a few checks done?"

"I do, and I wouldn't call unless it was relevant."

"I see, as far as I can see you're still on a sabbatical?"

"I am, but I am still employed by the Service?"

"You are, but you're not operational and that is where the confusion is."

"Right, look, I'm about to employ a new member of staff and I need a basic counter terrorism check done."

"I see. Name?"

Tammy read from the driving licence. "Joey Cooper, no middle name, born 31 August 1999 in Dundee."

"Male or female?"

"I don't know, driving licence doesn't say."

"Yes it does, tell me the long driver number."

Tammy read it out.

"Okay, that was issued to a female. I can see she has an address in Dundee, but you're in Thurso?"

"Joey has just relocated. Her father's in the army, by the way."

"Yes, the army cleared her for access, basic only. What's your connection?"

"Joey will be my new office administrator."

"Do you leave restricted items on show in your office?"

"Not as a rule, but I don't want to be watching my back all the time."

"Understandable. Right now there's no flags, but if you want any real security clearance then she'll have to submit a security questionnaire."

"That probably wouldn't be desirable right now."

"Indeed."

Tammy finished the call, then dropped Pru Campbell an email with Joey's personal details, although her NINo would have to wait. An out of office reply reminded Tammy that Pru was on holiday and wouldn't be back until the end of the following week, at least that still gave enough time to process the end of month payroll.

She looked out of a window and spotted a parking space close to the street door. She hurried to her green Mini Cooper to move it closer.

Her new toys were loaded into the well by the passenger seat and she drove out of town, initially towards Scrabster but turned onto the A836 which headed away from the coast. After a few miles she pulled over and checked her mobile, seeing that she was out of range; it didn't even offer 'Emergency Calls only'.

She pulled the newly charged laptop out of the backpack and turned it on, a moment later the boot-up screen came on and she heard an automated voice.

"State Full Name." The Laptop ordered.

Tammy spoke clearly. "Tamara Smart."

"Voice Print confirmed. Access Authorized. Network test initiated, no network found."

The main screen came up and she saw a small dolphin icon in the middle of the desktop. Tammy clicked on it.

A video window opened and the image of Kerri smiled at her. Tammy's eyebrows shot upward to see her acquaintance wearing a form-fitting black outfit and loaded with weapons for an assault on some fortress.

"Hey there Tammy." Kerri greeted.

Tammy gawked. "Jesus, Kerri; you're all tooled up!"

Kerri smirked. "Gotcha! This is a recording, not a live feed."

Tammy rolled her eyes, but continued to listen.

"I sent you a Bail-out bag. It has all you need if you have to get out Dodge, fast. The electronics have been modified. Only you can use the laptop. The Sat-phone has encryption feature. Not NSA, CIA or any other alphabet agency you know, but it can adapt to any network you connect to." Kerri explained.

Tammy smiled and said to herself. "That's helpful."

Kerri went on. "The survival and medical gear come from all over the world through civilian vendors and untraceable. The pistol and ammo come from...uh, you don't want to know. The laptop and phone as well. Let's just say that I was able to get them and can't be traced back to me."

A young voice from off-screen commented with a giggle. "Since we don't exist."

"Call it a 'bureaucratic deniable absence of existence'. We're around, but we're not anywhere. We don't have a black budget, no-one knows what color our budget is! Your situation isn't much different. You'll do things, you just won't be operational for anybody, fully deniable, even between sister intelligence agencies.

"Now, you're wondering where to keep the bag. Answer: do not store it in a place people would know you keep things. You have to hide it in a place easily accessible to you, but nobody will find it. Examples of places not to; any of your properties, neighbours, the theatre, your old school or that local hotel. Put it somewhere that has no connection to you at all, but you know very well and check without being noticed as checking on it." Kerri instructed.

Tammy sighed. "My brain is going to melt sorting that out."

Kerri continued. "Despite what you might think, there's some room left in the pack that's for you to add personal items, change of clothes and some shoes. Go casual. A pair of running or hiking shoes and the clothes should be what you don't care if you get dirty in. Jeans and shirt. Also a lightweight jacket to keep off wind and rain. Basically, this is to get you to your bolt-hole. A safe location to initiate your own exfiltration plan. Sorry, couldn't get you a ghost-passport."

"Wrap it up. I need to get in the air." A male voice said off-screen.

"Aye, Sir." Kerri nodded to the speaker the turned back. "Okay Tammy. That's it. Good luck. Buy Marcus and the Colonel a drink for me. Just say it's from your 'American Cousin'. Head on a swivel, girl. You're aren't paranoid, people ARE out to get you. OUT."

The video stopped then disappeared, as did the icon for it.

"How am I going to sort that out?" Tammy asked, knowing that she wouldn't get a response. She started the car and turned it around, heading back into town and straight past home. There was one sensible option, but Kerri might not like it.

Part   Twenty Two   "Going Nuclear"

 
Saturday 6th May 2017
 

Tammy went back to the office as she hadn't managed to clear the current backlog of work. She'd worked enough Saturday mornings to know that the phone wouldn't normally ring, it certainly helped that the office was advertised as closed at weekends.

She'd cleared the email inbox by eleven and was on top of the snail mail, although she was already scheduling visits for the next week, trying to fit them around her university course. A couple of potential new clients required time that she'd have trouble finding.

The secure room was unlocked and the grab bag was sitting on the floor in a corner, very contrary to Kerri's instructions. She had a few other ideas but was pretty sure that her American friend wouldn't care for them either. Right now, only Tammy had access to the office, which gave her a week to find somewhere better.

She'd noted that there wasn't a tool kit in the bag, no knife, scissors, screwdrivers or even a bottle opener. She logged onto her usual online shopping website and ordered a pair of multi tools, one for her usual shoulder bag and one for the grab bag. There were a variety of colour options so a pink and blue pair were ordered, delivery would be five days apparently.

Tammy had her second mug of coffee, and a half eaten packet of Hob Nobs in front of her, when the secure phone rang.

"Err, yes?"

"Tammy, it's Marcus."

"Oh, hi."

"I got a notification from the base security office at Wattisham that someone had checked on Lt. Colonel Cooper?"

"It wasn't me, or at least it wasn't really me."

"Tammy, I can't watch your back if you don't keep me in the loop."

"I know, but I can't always know where you are or what number to call. In any case, it seemed appropriate that I called the Security Service with my query."

"Which was?"

"I held interviews yesterday for the post of an office administrator. At least I invited four but only one got as far as an actual interview. It turned out that John Cooper is her father, at least I think she's a she."

"Didn't you ask?"

"No, but does it matter? Gender is largely irrelevant these days, isn't it? Anyway her driving licence goes down to a female, or so I was told."

"In that case, there's a problem waiting to happen."

"She doesn't like her father, he's separated from her mother."

"Even so, if the connection is made then Cooper might decide to pay you a visit."

"Is that likely?"

"He's made enquiries of his own, but was warned to keep his nose out. He does think you got off lightly."

"Perhaps he'll think twice before pulling a stunt like that?"

"Unlikely, but the suggestion is that he won't be made up to full Colonel anytime soon."

"And will no doubt blame me for his problems?"

"Yes, although his ego came off worst so he might be transferred."

"Whereas the MPs ruined my suit, that's two hundred quid I'm owed!"

"Look, right now you are leaving yourself open to a major security breach."

"I've done a counter-terrorism check but I can't do any more without Joey's co-operation."

"Then, Tammy, we'll clear her, or not."

"How?"

"Do you have any government clients?"

"Not at the moment, but I've picked up an enquiry from some of the Dounreay decommissioning team asking for office space and accommodation."

"Well, given that it's a nuclear site you can tell Ms Cooper that she'll need clearance in order to handle that."

"Okay, but if you ask me to consider hiring anyone else then she was the best qualified. She applied two weeks ago, that's well before I met Lt Colonel Cooper."

"True, but it's still a risk. If your security is compromised then you are history, understood?"

"Yes, Marcus."

"Now, is there anything else of note?"

Tammy glanced to the backpack. She made the decision to keep that to herself.

"Just what you know."

"Fine, I hope nothing else comes up."

"So do I."

"Now, do you have details of those threatening faxes?"

"Yes."

"I'll send you an email with a five minute code, follow the link and upload the images. You do have them scanned?"

"Yes, which email account are you using?"

"For simplicity on this occasion it'll be your office email."

"Okay, that's the PC where the images are stored."

"That I guessed. Got to go, bye."

"Bye."

So, Kerri had sent the bag without telling Marcus. Tammy wondered; did Kerri know something Tammy should, but couldn't tell, or was she just simply trying to help without being obvious? Also, was she being sensible in employing Joey?

Marcus had a vested interest in keeping Tammy out of trouble whereas she knew she was very capable of causing mayhem without even trying.

Her office email pinged but the first one was from Joey with a National Insurance number. Tammy quickly replied.

From: Smart Properties
To: Joey Cooper
Date: 6th May 2017
Subject: re: my NINo

Hi Joey,

Thanks for that. Can you let me know how you'd like to be addressed. I need to order some business cards for you?

Also I have a new client who's insisting on security clearance for anyone visiting their offices, so I'd like you to complete a security questionnaire. I'll forward the email when I get it.

Yours,

Tammy

Her emails pinged again as two emails arrived. The first was a weird email address but it did have a time limited link, she clicked on it and let the antivirus package check the site for malware. A button asked her to upload documents so she did as asked.

Back in her emails was a link from the Government Security Directorate with a request to complete a security questionnaire. She forwarded this without further comment.

Another ping sent her back to the inbox.

From: Joey Cooper
To: Smart Properties
Date: 6th May 2017
Subject: re: my NINo

Hi Tammy,

For the business cards I'm not a fan of Miss, Ms, Mr or anything else, I'm just plain simple Joey. Okay for the clearance, I guess you have already done yours'?

Joey

By midday she'd had enough and packed up, ensuring the doors were locked and the alarm was activated; outside puddles were forming. Before she went home, however, Tammy decided to do a bit of shopping. She did like known brand names, labels that meant something, but right now she needed a set of nondescript clothing in order to merge into the masses.

That meant avoiding Sarah's boutique and hitting the other clothing stores. She paid attention to what she was spending in each store and used her card once, otherwise using cash. Within an hour she had a complete outfit with a change of tops and undies. She'd found soft non-wired bras that could be folded into a small bundle and put into a zip bag, taking up minimal space whilst keeping them fresh. There wasn't a brand logo on any of her new clothing or her simple trainers, nothing to make her stand out.

As an afterthought she picked up a pair of glasses that had minimal correction and a pair of common sunglasses. Tammy next went to the cosmetics and hygiene section to put together a small cosmetic bag and toiletrie kit. All off-brands, but suitable. At the last minute she went into a food store to replace the Hob Nobs that she'd nibbled on, purchasing some food storage bags at the same time.

For once she was grateful for the inclement weather as it had made her shopping easier in the quiet town centre. She dropped the bags in the boot of her car and headed home.

 
Monday 8th May 2017
 

"I'm not writing another prescription until we've checked your bloods."

Tammy's supply of HRT had run out over the weekend so she made an urgent phone call to her GP as soon as it opened on Monday morning. The receptionist had refused to process a repeat prescription and Tammy was now mid-argument with Dr Adelaide Sutherland.

"But Adi, I've been busy."

"It's Dr Sutherland, and I seem to recall that when you're busy your body takes a hit. You're seeing me at ten tomorrow."

"I ..." The line went dead.

She gave up and drove into the University. Tammy had enjoyed an easier time the previous week and that continued, with more of the students being pleasant. Tammy did wonder whether Lorna and Corrine's forced absence has improved the atmosphere. She spoke to Ben before the class got under way.

"I have a Doctor's appointment in the morning, I'll be late."

"Oh, couldn't you reschedule?"

"My GP was quite insistent."

"Okay, we're revising all week so hopefully you won't miss much?"

"I should be here by half ten."

"Fair enough."

Ben called everyone to order and reminded them of the next few weeks.

"First year exams start on the twenty-second of this month and we start the second year from Tuesday the thirtieth. Term ends on the seventeenth of next month."

"What about half term?" Asked one of the lads.

"You're not at school now, you are expected to be here from Tuesday the 30th, the Monday is a bank holiday."

"Yeah, but I'm going away."

"Then you should have checked, sorry but if you're absent then you could be refused permission to return in September."

Ben returned to his papers. "Right, today we're examining the method by which laws are created, particularly those with judicial powers. I believe you touched on this in October last year so do check your own notes."

Tammy had her notebooks with her so skimmed back to the right pages, the tutor for that session had been Donald Templeton, or whatever his name was currently. She thought back to that time when Tom Lucas had tried to prevent a show in the theatre, to spite Tammy, and a man had been electrocuted in the process. It hadn't been an easy ride through the university this year, but she hoped the second year would be easier now that the real troublemakers had been removed and that, maybe, she could move on with her studies in peace.

Her agreement with the Security Service included making herself available for training, and perhaps some work, during the summer months and she was now six weeks away from the end of year. They were still paying her, albeit a reduced salary, so she wasn't in a hurry to take money out of her business, but what of Broadsword? She couldn't be in two places at once.

She'd also agreed to work with the Security Service for a couple of years once she graduated, would that cause a problem for Marcus and co?

Over by the lectern, Ben was talking about government committees and white papers, it wasn't an enthralling subject.

She was done at the University by twelve thirty so went off to the office. Joey had emailed to confirm she'd completed the security questionnaire but still wasn't certain why an estate agency administrator should need one. Tammy had an email from the Government Security Directorate confirming they had received the questionnaire. Tammy knew what her clearance was but wasn't certain what level had been applied for Joey, she found it in the original email from Saturday morning - Joey had applied to be cleared to 'SC' level, meaning she could potentially handle Secret material. However, that was on a need to know basis and there were many things that Joey didn't need to know.

Tammy's supply of business cards was running low so she pulled up the design and decided it didn't need any changes. She hadn't ordered any for Suzie but thought Joey should have one, a quick update to her own cards added Joey's mobile number and the standard admin email, alongside the office number. She pinged both to her printer on Mill Lane, ordering two hundred and fifty of each card.

 
Tuesday 9th May 2017
 

Tammy dropped by her office and took the contents of the boot inside. She had removed all the tags and washed them, after checking that the fit was okay, although she'd deliberately bought the sport top a size bigger than normal. She folded everything and put it into bags, sealing them. She had to thread the laces on the trainers. Velcro fasteners may go quicker, but wouldn't ensure a secure fit. Everything went into the grab bag. Tammy made note to add some kind of sport bars and energy gels for snacking. The hip belt pockets seemed to be right for those.

She locked up and drove around to the surgery.

"Those bruises are about a week old."

"More like ten days ago, Doctor."

"What have you been doing?"

"I can't say, sorry, and I doubt I'll be doing that again in the near future."

"Well, I should be grateful for small mercies, but you don't look after yourself."

"I'm fit."

"That's to be determined, let's have some blood."

Tammy left the surgery with a prescription for a month but was to call the surgery in a week's time to get the results, she dropped into the pharmacy on her way to the university, spotting a familiar face by the counter.

"Oh, Mum, what are you doing?"

"I could ask the same, but as I'm in a pharmacy holding a bundle of prescriptions, what do you think I'm doing?"

"Yeah, I guess that's the school's lot?"

"Yes." Joan folded the paperwork over so Tammy couldn't see any of the names.

"How's Linda doing?"

"Fine, she's starting her GCSE exams shortly."

"Oh, okay."

"You could come up to the school every now and again?"

"I'm short of time, plus it doesn't seem right, I'm not there any more."

A pharmacy assistant had finished dealing with another customer and took Joan's bundle.

"Some of these will take time to put together, can you pop back in half an hour?"

"That's a bit awkward."

"Mum, I'm only going to be at the university for an hour and a half, two hours at the most, so I could pick this up on my way back into town."

"Hmmm, okay."

Joan spoke to the assistant and left, giving Tammy a wave. Tammy handed over her prescription and offered to pick that up at the same time. She walked outside as Joan pulled away, although Tammy didn't recognise the car.

Her phone rang as she pulled into the carpark at the university. "Hello?"

"Hello Miss Smart, it's Tom Miller at Miller's Copy Shop. I have your printing ready for collection."

"Okay, I'll be with you at lunchtime."

"Fine."

Tammy hadn't appeared to have missed much when she arrived at ten thirty, although Freddie Flint was looking after the group.

"You're late."

"I had an appointment, Ben knew."

"Mr Franklin isn't well today."

Tammy took her seat, they were still going through the passage of bills through parliament, so it was clear Ben had at least been able to pass that information on. Tammy's noted from months earlier confirmed the group had only gone one page further than the previous day, slow progress indeed.

At least there weren't any interruptions, at least none of the major disruption that Lorna and her troop had created, maybe that was why progress seemed to be so slow?

Tammy hadn't been there long when the morning break bell rang. Freddie wanted a word.

"I did have permission."

"No, Miss Smart, I believe you. What I wanted to know is whether any of the problems that you predicted have happened?"

"With Ben?"

"Yes."

"Only over the first few days after he started here, there's not been a problem since then."

"So your concerns were groundless?"

"Not at all, I guess I've been lucky."

The door opened and two of the university security guards walked in.

"Miss Smart?"

"Yes."

"We'd like to search your bag."

"Why?"

"There's been an allegation you are carrying a weapon."

"Who?"

"We're not at liberty to say."

"Go on, take a look." Tammy took the bag off her shoulder and handed it over.

"What's this?"

"A rape alarm, it's single use and over a hundred decibels."

"And this?"

"A security marker, it's only visible with ultra violet light."

The rummage continued but it was clear that Tammy had no weapons.

"Sorry Miss."

"Now will you tell me who accused me?"

"It was anonymous."

"So you didn't think it might be vexatious?"

"Yes, but we have to take all threats seriously."

"Do you remember Lorna Kirk and Corrine Travers, who damaged a car last month?"

"Yes."

"That was my car."

"I see."

"Yes, someone is trying to make my life difficult. If I find out who that is, it'll be my turn to make their lives lousy."

The two security guards decided to withdraw, Freddie had been stood behind Tammy throughout.

"Is that the sort of thing that happens to you?"

"Not often, but that's pretty mild compared to some things that have happened to me."

"Like what?"

"Attempts on my life, attempted kidnapping, assault, that sort of thing."

"And your only protection is a rape alarm?"

"Yeah, it's not as if I could walk around with a firearm, is it?"

"Not in this country, fortunately. Go get yourself a coffee, don't worry if you're a few minutes adrift."

Tammy opted for a hot chocolate, with extra cream and sprinkles. She needed comfort food and this was the closest she could find.

The session continued but Tammy was adding very little to her existing notes and she was pleased to get out at lunchtime. As she was exiting the room, the Vice Chancellor was on his way in. He nodded at Tammy and headed for Freddie Flint. Tammy continued heading out but walked around her car before getting in.

She drove across to Mill Lane and pulled up outside Miller's Copy Shop. A large sign outside said there was a unit to let.

"I'm here for my business cards."

"Sure, Miss Smart, that's twenty quid."

Tammy handed over her office bank card and tapped in her PIN when the terminal asked.

"VAT receipt?"

"Yes please. I see you have a unit to let?"

"Yeah, it's a store room I don't need any more, it's five metres square and has a rear roller door."

"And it's shut off from the rest of the property?"

"It's bolted on the inside, but a separate bolt could be added on the other side, in addition to the key lock."

"I'm after somewhere to store a couple of hard discs for disaster recovery."

"Sure. There's a floor-standing safe in there, by the way. Would you like a look?"

Tom let Tammy through the counter and took her towards the rear of the building, past a couple of the large printers. They reached a door which he unlocked and unbolted.

The space wasn't huge but more than suitable for her needs, a simple concrete shell. The safe was a large, ancient, design. The roller door wasn't much over a metre wide, but was adequate.

"How much?"

"Fifty a week?"

"Forty, cash?"

"Done. I'd like a month up front."

"Sure, I'll even do two and get that to you tomorrow or the next. Can you fit an extra bolt?"

"Yeah."

Tammy collected her printing and headed for the pharmacy. She collected the bag of prescribed drugs. Tammy couldn't help take a peek in the process at the names, spotting a bag for Lyndon Smythe, although the label sealing the bag didn't specify the drug.

Part   Twenty Three   "Stormy weather"

 
Tuesday 9th May 2017 (Cont)
 

Tammy parked up behind her office and tucked the pharmacy bag out of sight under the passenger seat. The sky was looking ominous, although the path was still dry. She walked around to the bank and opted to use the ATM inside the branch, even though the surveillance meant her transaction could be monitored. She took £400 out of her personal account and tucked the stack of £20 notes away in her purse then strolled a few doors down to a stationers. Tammy went off a short mental checklist; buying a stack of blank discs and a pack of jewel cases with labels, paying with cash but ensuring she kept the receipt. By now the threatened rain had arrived so she briskly took herself back to the office.

Tammy burned the user file contents of the office PC onto a disk, then repeated the task onto a second disk. She printed labels with that day's date and slipped them into cases once she'd verified the data. One disk went into the office safe, the other into her bag. The secure phone rang.

"Tammy, it's Kevin."

"What can I do for you?"

"The Air Accident Investigation Branch were in contact with me this morning, they wanted to let me know what they're putting in their final report."

"Oh, okay?"

"Basically, the engine management unit was supposed to shut off the fuel supply once you were ten miles from land. It was a fairly complicated GPS device running on a Raspberry Pi micro-computer."

"So nothing different from what we found when Jim Surtees took a look at it?"

"Actually there was, the frame had been weakened so the plane could have broken up if you hit the water or suffered major G force."

"Damn, so no chance of getting out alive?"

"That was the intention, clearly. Tammy, none of this would have been known. So much would have been destroyed with a heavy ground impact or lost to the sea had you went down over water, there would have been no indication of sabotage. It could well have been ruled accidental or pilot error."

"And that would be the end of it. Is there a proven link to Penny Lavoska?"

"Yes, we had a forensic team examine the plane before the aircraft team took over. Although we only found your prints on the console, etc, we found some hairs under the pilot's seat. They've been linked to Ms Lavoska, and before you ask, we still don't yet know where she is."

"That's a shame."

"I said we didn't know where she is, but we do now know some of the places she's been to. Right now our theory is that she's out of the country."

"Hold on, I thought you could put a stop notice on her, valid at all the ports and seaports?"

"We did, but she used the channel tunnel last week and bought a ticket for cash at the terminal in Folkestone. She then passed through the French passport control and as she wasn't on their system, the Schengen database, she wasn't flagged up. The images we have aren't goood enough for a positive ID either."

"Great."

"Unfortunately whoever put the All Ports Notice out had forgotten that we don't operate a border point at Folkestone, but that's been fixed now. Officially, for the Schengen database, she's a person of interest; it wasn't easy to get her on that system but it definitely helped now we have evidence she was in your plane."

"My guess is that she won't come back using the tunnel?"

"No, our border controls are on the French side of the tunnel and she would likely be spotted. That is all the intel we have currently."

"More than what I had an hour ago. Thanks for keeping me in the loop. I promise to make it mutual."

"Best that can be done. I'm off." Kevin replied and disconnected.

Tammy leaned back in her chair and sighed. "Head on the swivel, people really are out to get me. Training up is definitely in order for me, plain simple training."

Tammy locked up then drove up to St Andrews School and parked outside the main entrance, finding Janet Adams as she walked inside.

"Oh, Tammy, long time no see?"

"It's been a while, Janet, how was the Caribbean?"

"It was wonderful, but I hear my temp wasn't any good?"

"I had a run in with her, but it seems the Head got the short straw."

"So he keeps telling me!" Janet looked down at the pharmacy bag, "I guess you're delivering?"

"Yes, I collected this lot for mum. Is she in?"

"Yes, but I just took a visitor in to see her, so she could be some time."

"Oh well, can I leave it with you?"

"Of course, Tammy. What are you doing with yourself these days?"

"I'm just about to finish the first year of my degree and I'm still running my company in town, it's above Sarah's shop."

"Okay, are you still involved in the theatre?"

"Not at the moment, my last production was Deathtrap, last year."

"I didn't get to see it, unfortunately."

"We had a few problems during the run."

"So I heard. I'm told that the Head's planning to do Macbeth in school in the autumn, it's next year's Shakespeare for the GCSE students."

"Really? I'll have to buy a ticket when they go on sale."

Tammy walked back to her car, she didn't feel as welcome in the school anymore but it wasn't because of anything that was said. In the past Janet would have taken her into the office, made her a coffee, instead of standing in the entrance hall. The bell for last period sounded as she pulled away.

 
Wednesday 10th May 2017
 

There were no classes scheduled for the day so Tammy went down to her office, a phone call came in as she was making her first coffee of the day.

"Smart Properties."

"Hello, it's James McNaughty at Dounraey, is that Miss Smart?"

"It is, how can I help you?"

"Is there any chance today of us looking at the property we asked about?"

"Sure, what time?"

"Eleven, is there parking outside?"

"Yes."

"That's a plan then."

Tammy got on with some work and made a dent in the inbox's unread queue. At ten forty-five she locked up and walked to Fore St. She unlocked the front door of number 12 and waited inside. After a second of thought she took out her phone and readied for a photo and video recording. Seeing two people exit a car and make their way toward the door, she took a picture of both the set to record video and audio.

"Miss Smart?"

"That's me, you must be James?"

"Indeed, and this is Kelly." He introduced the red head next to him. "If we take the property then Kelly and I will be based here."

The redhead nodded. "Hello."

"Well, why don't I give you the tour?" Tammy invited with a casual smile.

In the month since Tammy had been to the property it had been deep cleaned and redecorated. Any soft furnishings had been laundered or replaced and it had been aired so didn't have a lingering smell of new paint or detergents.

"Is the internet live?"

"Yes."

"Very good, I just need to run the plan past the senior manager."

"I'll email you a standard contract."

"Okay. What's the earliest we could get in?"

"If payment is made by Friday then how about Monday? I'll have my new assistant working with me by then."

"Fair enough, but I can't guarantee that the managers will move that quick."

"Well, I'm prepared to hold the place for you until next Friday but I would need confirmation by then. Shall I?"

"Understood. Yes, please."

Tammy checked through the building then locked up. She felt a few drops of the wet stuff as she walked back to the office and was grateful to get back inside before the deluge arrived.

A couple of new emails were waiting for her, the first confirmed that Joey had been security cleared and the second simply said "call me, Marcus" and a number.

She opted for the secure phone and was justified in her choice when the appropriate symbol lit on the display.

"Hi Tammy, I have an update for you."

"Okay."

"Those rogue faxes came from yourself."

"What? No way, Marcus!"

He laughed. "Got you!"

"Seriously, where did they come from?"

"From an internet connection that goes down to your own name."

"Shit. A guess; 12 Fore Street?"

"Correct on the first."

"So that was when Penny had the place?"

"Indeed, although she could likely have had someone else there?"

"Like Lucas or one of the girls who did my car?"

"Indeed, there's every chance she only stayed for a day at a time but provided keys to whoever else had it in for you?"

"The locks are high grade but I provided three sets of keys."

"For what it is worth,I hope you changed the locks?"

"Yes, of course, but what do you mean?"

"Old saying, 'locks keep the honest out'. Familiar with it?"

Tammy sighed. "If they really want in, they will."

"Locks can be bypassed. You had a course, did you not?"

"More like an introduction. They gave the impression that such skills would be of real use to me. Honestly I am surprised they even showed me a kit. Another addition for my list then? Perhaps a call is on order"

"Not a bad idea. What of CCTV?"

"On the office, not my properties."

"You should consider it."

"No, this is Thurso not Los Angeles."

"In any case, do you think those kids would have been so brazen unless an adult was pushing them along, providing money to harass you?"

"I suppose so, but the original problem with Lucas was last year?"

"Perhaps he didn't have Ms Lavoska's help then, in any case this is all speculation."

"Extrapolated from the known facts."

"Indeed, Tammy."

"Apparently the CAA's report on my plane will confirm what we knew, it had been tampered with."

"Source?"

"Met Police."

"Okay, was that it?"

"No, the frame had been weakened."

"So, she was taking no chances. That woman really doesn't like you."

"It's mutual."

"Fair enough. Now, are you busy the weekend after next?"

Tammy checked the calendar on her phone. "Saturday the twentieth?"

"That's it. I'm booking you on a course near Glasgow."

"Oh, okay. What's it for?"

"You'll need a swimsuit, basic black one-piece. Fly down there on the Thursday for a Friday start and it finishes on Sunday at lunchtime. I'll send you the details in a day or so."

Tammy finished the call and noted it was lunchtime. Outside it was still raining but she still had jobs to do. She called Tom Miller.

"It's Tammy Smart, is the room still available to let?"

"Yes, I'm closing at two today though."

"I'm on my way."

Tammy walked to Reids bakery first, dodging the raindrops. Suitably equipped she returned to her car and drove around to Mill Lane.

"Now, what did we agree?"

"Forty a week, cash. Here's eight weeks' worth." She handed over £320, which Tom slid under the counter before retrieving two keys.

"The small one is for the security shutter and the large one is the safe. I'll walk you round so you can see which door it is."

The rear had a concrete loading dock with a four metre roller door and a smaller adjacent one. A set of steps was to the side of the dock, by the smaller door. Tom unlocked the shutter and gave it a tug.

"It's a bit stiff, nothing a good spritz of oil won't sort. Be careful you don't catch your hand when you pull it up." He closed and locked the shutter. "Have a go."

Tammy found that it was indeed a problem to open, but either brute force or lubrication would resolve that problem. Once inside, Tom pointed out the light switch and, as Tammy still had the keys, he suggested she opened the safe.

That lock was easier, much easier.

"The shelves are at the bottom, if you need them and the clips are in a bag in the corner."

The space was smaller than she'd imagined but would do. She reached into her bag and dropped the DVD case into the safe before locking it. She'd come back and set some of the shelves to keep organization.

"Are you sure that's all necessary?"

"If I lose my office computer due to theft, fire or some other disaster, then at least I won't lose the data and I can continue in business with only a little inconvenience. I'll be dropping a disk into the safe a couple of times a week."

"It still seems like a lot of effort, not that I'm complaining about the income!"

"Well, my family has other businesses so I'll suggest we do a data dump for each of them."

"And share the cost?"

"Something like that."

"Okay, by the way the connecting door is bolted on both sides and is deadlocked. I have a spare for the roller door but that's the only key for the safe, so don't lose it."

"Thanks."

"By the way, did you want a receipt?"

"No need, call it a holiday fund; I won't tell the taxman if you won't."

Back outside Tammy noticed a light above the door. "Where's the switch for that?"

"It's automatic, triggered by anyone walking on the loading dock or by a high vehicle stopping here. You'll need the light if you come down here after dark."

Tammy took herself back to the office and started to put a guide together to help Joey ease into the job, munching her cheese roll as she worked. Her first task was a list of the various trades folk she used for cleaning, repairs or redecoration. She then extracted a list of the current occupied properties, together with a list of those vacant. Of course that list could well change over the next few days, it was then she remembered to email a leasing contract to James McNaughty. She updated the property database accordingly and took it off the website.

Outside the rain was coming down heavily and it looked like it was set to rain through to the morning.

Tammy continued to prepare an 'idiot guide' for Joey and came to a section about backing up the office files and where to store the discs. If Tammy intended to use the safe for her grab bag then it couldn't be used for the discs. She couldn't think of anyone in Thurso who might stock what she wanted so she pulled up the Argos website, a box shifting firm that still had physical stores across the UK.

The Wick store had a safe for under £40 so she put a reservation on the item and locked up the office. The drive over to Wick wasn't pleasant, with reduced visibility and too many idiotic drivers. It was near three when she pulled up outside the store, having had to cross the town. It was nearing twenty minutes later when she walked out of the store carrying her purchase, it wasn't the speedy 'click and collect' service that was advertised. The box was secured in the boot of her green mini and she drove back across Wick, just as the schools were emptying.

Tammy showed her pass at the gate to Wick airport and drove down to the Smart Aviation hanger. Her plane was outside, getting wet.

"Err, Jim, what's going on?"

"We needed to move several planes out in order to get one from the back of the hanger, yours wasn't needed so we're leaving it outside until the space is available. I have one helicopter inbound that needs an overhaul so that takes precedence at the moment. Did you need it today?"

"No, but I'm flying South next Thursday."

"Okay but try to fly a few more hours every month, so if the CAA check your logbook they can see that you are making good use of the licence."

"It's not that long since I flew down to Suffolk and back, and in a week's time I'm off to Glasgow. I don't think my hours are a problem."

"But that's only a handful of take-offs and landings; they count as well."

"Okay, point taken. I'll take her out at the weekend, perhaps over the water to Kirkwall or Sumburgh?"

"Is there any news from Farnborough?"

"The AAIB's report will be out soon."

"Good, maybe we can then deal with the insurance company."

"Is that wise, they'll be asking awkward questions."

"Talk to your contacts then, but don't expect an easy ride from the insurance company."

Tammy frowned the saw something strange. A man wearing what looked like a cowboy's hat and riding boots walking around an old Huey helicopter.

"Jim. Who is that?"

Jim eyed him warily. "Doug Rowe. Crazy Yank."

"Is he seriously wearing spurs?"

"Fraid so Tammy. He's over here for that American service Petroleum Helicopters Incorporated. He dropped off some people early this morning and had to take a break. He's mostly up at Aberdeen."

"Don't they use the same helicopters we do?"

"For the service, yes. He's a contractor though, owns his outright. The man is insane they tell me. Ex-military."

"What's that painted on the nose?" Tammy pointed to a yellow and black shield with horse head to the upper corner.

"An American Army regiment. Cavalry. Tammy, take my advice on this. The man has several violations, the only reason they keep him, is because he won't refuse a flight no matter how bad the conditions are. He's not safe."

"I was just curious." Tammy replied.

People watched Tammy and now she knew for certain they would at least try to compromise her plane. A complete stranger with a reputation that made people want to not even associate might be helpful in a time of serious need. She made a note to find out more about him.

Tammy's phone rang with a call from Cathy, she waved goodbye to Jim and climbed back into her car.

"Yes Cathy, what can I do for you?"

"Do you have anything planned for the evening?"

"No."

"Right, dinner at mine. I'll let your cook know."

Tammy drove back across to Thurso and witnessed a few near misses as impatient drivers took irrational chances in front of her. The rain was easing but spray from other vehicles made visibility even worst than earlier.

Tammy pulled into the McPherson driveway just after four, pulling in behind the St Andrews minibus.

She parked up, out of the way, so the minibus could continue its journey into town.

"Ah, Miss Tammy, the mistress is waiting for you in the conservatory."

"Thank you Thomas."

Cathy waved for Tammy to close the door as she entered.

"The girls have been told to get changed out of their uniforms and do their homework, so we have a few minutes of peace."

"Okay, is there a problem?"

"It's Linda, things aren't moving quickly enough for her."

"Like her name change hasn't gone through?"

"Yes."

"And I guess she's only on blockers?"

"Yes, how do you know?"

"I saw something earlier this week and put two and two together. What's the hold-up?"

"Her mother doesn't want to relinquish her parental rights so the school can't intervene."

"I would have thought her mother could apply for the name change, but is her father interfering?"

"He's been convicted of a firearms offence and they're divorcing, so the mother should be able to apply by herself but it seems the father isn't going to let this go. Instead of being a simple administrative exercise with a solicitor it'll have to go to court."

"Oh dear, so it could get messy?"

"Yes, and Linda is stuck in the middle of this."

"Is Linda over sixteen yet?"

"Yes, her birthday was a few weeks ago."

"Well, she could apply in her own name, leave the parents out of it."

"Can she?"

"Pretty sure." Tammy looked it up. "She needs a form, her birth certificate and it's £40 if you're born in Scotland."

"She was born in England, near Coventry."

"That complicates things but I'm sure your solicitor could sort it out, so long as Linda makes the application."

"Can't the parents change her name back?"

"Not without Linda's agreement, that's the law."

"Understood but right now she's petrified her exam results will have the wrong name on them, the exam papers have Lyndon on them."

"Because the papers are all printed months in advance. It doesn't matter if the exam board issue the GCSE results in Lyndon's name but can reprint them, let the school handle that once the name change comes through. As she's staying on for sixth form it's not an issue."

"Okay."

"Now, why isn't she on hormones yet?"

"Her mother didn't want to upset her father in case he used Linda as a weapon in the divorce."

"What? Sod that, Linda is the most important one here. She really needs independent legal advice. Does my mother still have in loco parentis power?"

"Yes."

"Then get hold of Professor Roberts."

"He's retired, Tammy. In any case I think your mother can only go through the GP. Don't forget you were over eighteen and that makes a huge difference."

Further discussion was impossible when three teenage girls arrived in the conservatory.

"Aunt Tammy!"

"That didn't last long." Cathy remarked.

"I am done for, it seems." Tammy joked as all three clamoured to hug her.

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."

Part   Twenty Five   "Cloudy Outlook"

 
Friday 12th May 2017 (Cont)
 

Tammy put the handset down on the desk and opened the door of the secure room.

"Joey, we have a problem; best you come in."

"What?"

"Your father is on his way here."

"How do you know?"

She pointed at the phone. "I have just been told."

"Who by?"

"The source isn't relevant but is trusted. Do you know anything that might help?"

"He wouldn't be coming to Thurso, he doesn't have a reason or my address."

"Be that as it may, he's made a reservation at a local hotel."

"Where are you getting this? I wonder what mum knows?"

There was a shout of "Stop!" from the handset. Tammy picked it up.

"Don't let her call her mum, we have a bad enough security risk as it stands."

Joey hadn't moved, so Tammy waved at her to close the door before putting the phone in conference mode.

"You're on speaker now."

"Okay. Joey, I am Captain Marcus Wade. Firstly, do not call anyone and secondly I am going to email Tammy a form which you are to read and sign then send back. Understood?"

"Yes."

The line went dead.

"What the hell is going on, Tammy?"

"I'd best not say anything until we receive the form."

Tammy printed it off when it arrived.

Joey picked up up. "Bloody hell, the 'Official Secrets Act'!"

"Yes, I suggest you sign."

"Do I have any choice?"

"Yes, but a failure to sign does not exempt you from the Act, all this does is to remind you of your obligations."

"Yeah, how come you know so much about this?"

"I was dragged in when I was just over your age, terrorists tried to kill my family."

"Bloody Hell! Why didn't I find that in the press?"

"You might have seen it, only my name was kept out of it."

Joey looked back at the sheet and signed in the two places.

"That's it, they have me for life? This beats a boring estate agency job!"

"An attitude like that can get you killed, Joey. Or at least, put both of us at great risk of harm. This is deadly serious stuff."

Tammy scanned then emailed the sheet, noting that the email address was Marcus' official Ministry of Defense account and not some anonymous one. The door to the secure room was wedged open with a chair open so Tammy went to the phone as soon as it rang, answering with the hands-free mode. Joey followed Tammy in, deciding to close the door behind her.

"Now, Joey, are you there?"

"Yes, Sir."

"What you are about to be told is classified Secret. You do not repeat this information and only speak to Tammy or myself about it, absolutely no-one else. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Did you hear about an incident concerning your father being humiliated at Wattisham a few weeks back?"

"Yes, there was mention, although he wouldn't go into detail about it."

"Tammy was involved, the focus was his attitude, to which he took personal offence over."

Joey laughed, "Most likely, he deserved it."

"Regardless of that, he has a problem with Miss Smart. It's likely that he's found her and is coming to Thurso to settle his personal grudge."

"So it's got nothing to do with me?"

"He's a resourceful person so don't make assumptions. You notified a few government agencies to your new address, didn't you?"

"Of course, I updated my electoral roll entry a week ago.....OH. That's me, buggered."

"So, either you work with Tammy to resolve this or cast yourself adrift to fend for yourself. Remember that you can't tell anyone what you know or how you know it."

"And Tammy will keep me safe?"

"Safe being a relative term, she'll do her best. She's been quite good with collateral damage recently, which is saying something."

"I think you're complimenting me, Marcus?"

Joey shrugged, although the effort was mostly wasted. "That doesn't fill me with confidence."

"She's good and always seems to get out of a tight spot. Most importantly, keep your eyes and ears open as things can move fast."

"Yes, Sir."

"Good, now I suggest you go put the kettle on as Tammy and I have some things to discuss."

With Joey out of the room, Tammy went back to the handset. "How much more can I tell her?"

"Only enough to keep her safe, she's your problem now."

"Brilliant."

"Look, it was your decision to hire her and you have to take full responsibility. It's known as 'duty of care' in civvy land."

"Don't rub it in, Marcus. She was the best for the job and this morning, until you rang, proved it. She'll be able to look after my business whilst I'm playing soldiers with you lot."

"There's one of your problems, Tammy, you're leaving yourself wide open to threats as you are putting yourself and your business above security."

"Need I remind you Marcus, I don't have the luxury of putting myself behind a military grade firewalls and barbed wire fencing."

"Both of which can be defeated by a trained operative."

"And Lt Col Cooper isn't one of those."

"True enough, his biggest operational decision would be choosing which fountain pen to use for reporting anyone he deems to be 'lacking essential decorum' usually female personnel."

"So is there a risk?"

"Of course there is, what if he sits in the bar of your local hotel and asks where to find the girl who violently attacked him?"

"Then several people would start asking questions."

"Especially if he mentions you pulled a weapon on him?"

"That could be awkward."

"So it has to be avoided."

"How?"

"That's your play, let me know what you decide." The line went dead.

Tammy walked out into the office, allowing the secure room door to close behind her. Joey was just finishing a call on her mobile.

"That was mum."

"Did you call her? What did you say?"

"Calm down, Tammy, she phoned me as Dad is at York on his way North. He'll be in Dundee in a few hours, he has some papers for mum to sign and I think she has a few for him. She wanted to know my intentions."

"So that was planned?"

"Not really, it all depended when he could get enough time off-duty."

"Okay, so that's his reason for travelling to Scotland. However; Thurso is over two hundred miles from Dundee and six hours by rail."

"So we stop him leaving Dundee?"

"Really? How do you propose that?"

"Can't we just feed him something to make him ill?"

"Firstly, that's illegal. Second; I've no idea how to go about that."

Joey laughed. "You have a secret squirrel phone, in a sealed room. You have connections to the military, but pretend to run a properties business."

"If I was pretending, I wouldn't need you. This isn't a joke or a game. This business is real, as am I. You work for me, I work for myself."

"But all this other bit is nothing like what mum did. She had government clients and Dad is military, yet nothing like this. That tells me you're a spy."

"Don't be so stupid. I was telling the truth, when I said I was targeted by terrorists a few years ago. It was very complicated and very dangerous for a while. I have the means to keep in touch with people who can help me. It also means I occasionally do courses other than those offered at the University. I was on such a course at Wattisham when I met your father, not that I knew who he was then nor cared."

"So what's this next course?"

"I have no idea, and won't until I get there. That's the truth."

"Okay, do you go around with a gun?"

Tammy did a twirl. "What do you see? I couldn't hide a thing in these clothes!" She reached over and opened her handbag. "Look, no ray gun or blowpipe."

"Okay, okay, fair enough. It's still a bit weird."

"Yes, but we'll sort through. We still have the issue of your father. Does he drive?" Tammy researched the train times.

"Oh, no. And he insists on First Class on every train."

"Well, he's booked for Sunday night and the only trains that make sense are the 1408 and 1443 from Dundee, both of which arrive in Thurso at 2146. That suggests to me he won't be looking for either of us before Monday morning."

"Which means I'll be here on my own once you go to the university."

"I realise that. Hmmmm, what's your father's actual job?"

"Logistics."

"That's useful to know."

An incoming call distracted Joey from her questions. "That was the glazier, he's boarded up that window and will be back next week to replace the glass."

"Right, can you update the call note on the PC?"

The time was passing midday and there wasn't much more for Joey to do. Tammy made a drama out of opening the safe, deliberately getting the combination wrong. She took out the petty cash box and put £50 aside, the cash box went away but she left the receipt book out on her desk. Another object in the safe caught her eye.

"On a Friday we do a backup of the files. We'll make that your last task for today."

"What do I need to do?"

"Take two blank DVDs, as well as two cases and a sheet of disk labels, from the stationery cupboard. Use the backup software to make two backups and labels."

"Okay."

That took half an hour to achieve but Joey had two verified disks in the end.

"One goes in this safe, come here, Joey." Tammy opened the safe, at first attempt, and showed the girl where to drop the disk, ensuring she had a clear view of the contents before Tammy shut it.

"The other disk goes to an off-site storage facility. I'll take it there myself."

"Okay, where is it?"

"You don't need to know, yet."

Tammy counted out £50 and wrote out a receipt slip, asking Joey to sign for it.

"This is more than you would normally get for five hours, so please don't expect it every time. Well done for today."

"Thanks."

"And a reminder, do not discuss anything you learned this morning with anyone, not even your mother. I have no idea what he is capable of or who his friends are."

"You're scaring me, Tammy."

"Have you ever heard the adage to prepare for the worst and hope for the best?"

"Yes."

"Well, this is where we are, Joey."

"So plan for everything in the hope you won't need to do anything?"

"Yes. Now, can you remember the lock up procedure as I need to go into town?"

A minute or so later they were out on the street. Joey wanted to say something, but Tammy shook her head and walked away. Joey headed in the opposite direction.

The bar clock said it was just after One as Tammy entered the Castletown Hotel, she took a seat towards the back of the bar after acknowledging a few familiar faces. A barman came to take her order, returning with her OJ and lemonade a short while later.

She'd ordered food, despite having bought rolls earlier, but the ends would justify the means, in her book. Frances Ernesto, the manager, passed by her table a short while later.

"Frances, could I have a private word with you?"

"I'm busy now, a little later perhaps?"

"Of course."

Tammy's lunch was taking its time, but she could see a large group in the restaurant with staff running to and fro with dishes. A barman confirmed there was a coach party staying for a few nights on a full board basis most days.

"It's great for business, but we're short of staff for a few more weeks until the students are available all week."

Tammy's Spanish omelette arrived after half an hour but was hot and fresh. She'd just finished when Frances appeared at her shoulder. "I'm free for a few minutes."

Tammy grabbed her bag and followed Frances to his office.

"Is there a problem, Miss Smart?"

"I believe you have a booking for a John Cooper on Sunday night?"

"We do."

"How many nights is he staying?"

"Two. I recall speaking to him after he made the on-line booking, he said he wanted to stay Saturday night as well, but we're full."

"When did he say he would arrive?"

"On the late train."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Shall I presume we didn't have this conversation, Miss Smart?"

"Yes, please, thank you. Lovely lunch, as always."

"A pleasant afternoon, Miss Smart."

Tammy used the loo then went back to the office. After checking the fax machine she called Marcus.

"Cooper has booked two nights in the Castletown hotel, arriving by train just before ten on Sunday evening."

"So he'll become a problem on Monday morning."

"Unless he never reaches Thurso."

"Come on Tammy, putting him on the floor was one thing, but taking him down is completely out of the question."

Tammy laughed. "No, I intend him to travel back to England in a healthy state."

"That's something to be grateful for, we're not in the business of arbitrary assassinations."

"Except when you are?"

"No idea of what you mean."

"Okay, okay. What are we going to do?"

"Do not include me in that 'we' Lieutenant Smart. This is your problem and you will find a solution."

"In which case, Sir, I will do what I can to protect myself and Joey."

"Noted; I will not defend any inappropriate actions. You really will be on your own."

"Yeah, but what options do I have?"

"Primarily, the town must be standing and no personnel are dead or grievously injured when you're done. Those are your parameters. You'll think of something. Just make sure that teenager does not drop us all in the mire! I took one hell of a risk briefing her earlier."

"Understood, Sir."

Tammy needed another coffee before she could concentrate on a solution to the problem. surprisingly, Joey was back at her desk fielding calls and emails as if she'd worked there for months.

Finally Joey put the phone down. "Well, where do I begin?"

"We'll sort this out. But why are you back here?"

"I needed answers and I'm not looking forward to the weekend."

"I'm not sure I have any answers right now."

"Well, what did he mean about collateral damage?"

"A few people have been hurt, mostly because I didn't have the right training, wasn't prepared or both."

"Hurt? Do you mean killed?"

"In one case; yes."

"And you didn't get prosecuted?"

"No, as I said it's very complicated."

"Like why you were at Wattisham?"

"I was on a course."

"With the military?"

"Yes."

"So what was the course about?"

"What to wear to lunch."

"Go on, really?"

"Remember that sheet you signed? Well, I've signed one exactly like it, too."

"Yeah, so you can't tell me if you're a ruddy Jane Bond with an arsenal of weapons and a licence to kill?"

"Correct, I can't."

"But you didn't deny anything, so you are Jane Bond!"

"Really? All I did was tell you I couldn't answer the question. Semantics matter."

"So how will you protect me?"

"By being observant, listening to advice and telling you only what you need to know."

"Why not tell me everything?"

"As that would have the opposite result, being dangerous and reckless. Anything you know could ultimately be used against me and I need to do what I can to mitigate that risk."

"But?"

"No, I've learned the hard way that information has to be managed. I'm sure that the Captain will call if he knows anything relevant. Meanwhile, go home, I'm locking up for the day.

The sun had come out so Tammy walked to the sea wall, buying an ice-cream on the way. She stared out to sea letting the morning's stresses waft away.

"Aunt Tammy!"

She turned around and found Linda in a kilt and blouse, accompanied by Richard.

"Oh, hi Dad, hi Linda."

"I have a solicitor of my own now!"

"Good, your voice needs to be heard, just don't shout please!"

"That's what Miss Masters told me. Can I have an ice-cream, Mr Smart?"

Richard pulled a tenner out of his wallet and sent the schoolgirl over towards the ice-cream van.

"How come you got lumbered, Dad?"

"No-one else was available and we didn't want to spread the knowledge about Linda's legal situation amongst too many of the staff."

"So it was you, Mum or Mike?"

"Basically, yes. What are you doing here?"

"Decompressing, it's been a stressful day. Thought a bit of air would clear my head."

"Pru said you have a new member of staff?"

"She started today."

"Hard work?"

"No, other things happened. I can't talk about it, unfortunately."

"Oh, that?"

"Yes."

Linda was on her way back with a couple of cornets so the conversation ended. For Tammy at least, the sight of a happy schoolgirl was a relief given that only a few days ago she had been desperate for answers.

"Aunt Tammy, that Miss Masters was so nice, she says she'll sort everything out for me!"

"That's good news, did she say how long it would be?"

"My name should be sorted in a week or so and she'll look after everything else but it might take longer."

"It will probably take a month or more to have your name changed everywhere, and that doesn't change anything else - yet."

"So I'll still legally be a boy over the summer?" The smile had gone.

"I don't see any boys here?"

"Except Mr Smart!" Linda giggled.

"Oh, he's no boy; he's a gentleman and my father."

Richard chuckled at that comment.

"Oh, sorry!"

Tammy tapped her head. "The important thing is who you feel you are, are you a girl Linda?"

"Of course I am!"

"Then that's all sorted. Anyway, how many boys do you think are called Linda?"

"None?"

"That's the right answer, as far as I know."

The smile was back. "Yeah!"

"So what are you doing next?"

"I'm meeting Aunt Cathy soon and we're going shopping."

"That is always fun. What for?"

"A dress, I'm going out tomorrow night!"

"Where?"

"I think she said it was the Italian place."

"Have fun, I've got to go."

"Bye Aunt Tammy."

As she walked away she couldn't help feel sorry for her father, who had drawn the short straw. Linda's emotions could swing either way in seconds and one wrong word could send her from happy girl to a frown on legs. So far as the meal was concerned, what were the chances? Tammy had booked for four, although she didn't know if Suzie was in town for the weekend. Cathy's entourage was another four, assuming Helen was still away.

 
Saturday 13th May 2017
 

Tammy woke with a nagging doubt about keeping Joey safe. There was also the small problem of keeping Joey's mouth closed. It was only just seven but she made a call.

"Yeah, what?"

"Joey, it's Tammy."

"And it's early."

"What are you doing today?"

"Nothing much."

"How would you like a ride in my plane?"

"Plane?"

"It's only a two seater."

"Where are you going?"

"Over to the islands and back."

"Okay, can you pick me up?"

"I'll come past at eight, where?"

"On Olrig St, just before the crossing."

Tammy was down for breakfast after she'd showered.

"Going out?"

"Yes, mum, taking my plane up for hours. Are you still ok for the meal tonight?"

"Yes, I forgot to say that I invited Cathy along, with the girls."

"Did you speak to the restaurant?"

"Cathy said she would."

"What about transport?"

"Oh, we'll sort something out."

Tammy chose slim jeans, knee high boots and a sweater for the day, from experience Tammy knew her plane's heating wasn't very efficient. She found the jeans and sweatshirt clad Joey beside the road and stopped just long enough for her new employee to hop in.

"Buckle up, we're off!"

Tammy threaded her way past the traffic lights and took the back road to Wick.

"Why are you going this way?"

"This road goes straight past the airport, otherwise I'd end up in the town and would have to cut back across."

"Oh, did the military teach you to fly?"

"No, I learned by myself, for me."

"I spoke to mum last night."

"Oh, how did that go?"

"She called me to tell me my father is arriving later today and asked if I could get back."

"And?"

"I told her I had to be at work on Monday morning and didn't fancy spending the whole weekend travelling."

"What's she going to tell your father?"

"That I'm with friends, which is true isn't it?"

Tammy spoke to the security guard and obtained a day permit for Joey before they parked over by the hanger.

"Smart Aviation?"

"Family business."

"Wow."

Tammy's plane was sat on the concrete a few yards from the hanger. One thing caught her eye immediately.

"Jim?"

"The CAA confirmed me could transfer the registration and your dad agreed. This plane is now G-TMYS."

"But?"

"Talk to your father; I only work here!"

Tammy fumed but got on with her pre-flight checks, leaving Joey standing by the car. When she returned with the current Met information she announced they were nearly ready to go.

"I was wondering if you'd get off the ground?"

"Just a few more checks to do, climb in."

A few minutes later they were taxiing. "G-TMYS you are cleared for take off."

They were flying into the wind so had extra lift and were off the ground quicker than normal. Tammy rose to one thousand-five-hundred feet and levelled off as she headed across open sea. The cloudbase was at 2500ft and Tammy wanted to keep well under it.

"Wow! I should have brought a camera."

They were over the water and Tammy was very conscious of what had happened the last time she took this route. The plane, however, wasn't showing any signs of trouble. It wasn't long before they were over the Orkneys and Tammy had to talk to Kirkwall Tower, who advised her to climb to 2250ft. As they continued across the Orkneys Joey were wide-eyed.

"I never knew how many islands there were, it just looks like two or three on the maps I've seen."

"Things do have a habit of looking different when you take a close look."

Soon they were back over open sea with one speck of land ahead.

"That's Fair Isle."

"I've heard that mentioned on the shipping forecast."

The Shetlands now rose out of the horizon. Tammy flew over Lerwick for Joey's benefit before turning South.

"Do you fancy a coffee?"

"Sure, is there in-flight service?"

"No but there's an airport near here with a cracking coffee shop, or so I've been told!"

Tammy contacted Sumburgh and requested permission to land, although first she had to lose altitude and seemed to confuse Joey.

"Haven't we just been past there?"

They touched down about ten o'clock. Tammy first completed her log, noting the fuel reserved and meter readings before picking up the Highlands & Islands Airports registration card.

"What do you need that for?"

"I don't pay landing fees here as we're based at Wick, but the plane's registration has changed so I'll go check just in case."

That wasn't a problem and soon they took a stroll over to Caffé Volare, taking a seat in a quiet corner with their hot drinks.

"What did you think of that?"

"It's amazing."

"What did you have planned for later?"

"Nothing, why?"

"Did you want to join us for Italian, this evening?"

"Who'll be there?"

"My parents, my sister, aunt Cathy and the three girls."

"So almost all girls?"

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it'll be best if I'm not there?"

"No pressure, I'm booked to get my hair done this afternoon."

"Did you buy a new dress?"

"Yes."

"Well, Miss Girly, that's not my scene."

Tammy bit her tongue. "So what's the real reason you don't want to join us tonight?"

"I can't afford it."

"I'm paying, what's the real reason?"

"You've met me three times, what have I worn each time?"

"Blue or black jeans and a black sweatshirt or t-shirt."

"Yeah, that's more or less my entire wardrobe."

"Don't you ever want to look smart, or even pretty?"

"Pretty? No, and all I want is to be invisible. I don't want to be noticed and I don't want a relationship so I'm not going to turn myself into a pastiche of someone I'm not."

Joey stood. "Excuse me."

Tammy watched as Joey walked across the café towards the toilets. She looked around before going through the female signed door.

When Joey returned she had two requests. "Can we drop the subject, please, and I want to go home."

Tammy left her employee alone whilst she herself took herself to the loo. She took her time to check her hair and make-up before walking back into the café. She signalled Joey to follow as Tammy turned for the door.

The cloud cover had descended so Tammy kept at 1500ft for the return trip to Wick. A crosswind caught the nose of her plane as she came down, Tammy compensated and landed safely but with a substantial bump.

"Oomph! You did that on purpose!"

Tammy kept quiet until she'd brought the plane to a standstill by the hanger.

"How many times have you flown?"

"Twice, last time I went to Wattisham I flew from Edinburgh to Norwich and back."

"And neither of those airports is as exposed as we are, here. The planes were much larger than my one, too."

"Yeah, I counted forty seats, including the crew."

Tammy completed her log before leaving the aircraft.

"How was she, Tammy?"

"Fine, Jim, although I kept her down because of the cloud."

"Understandable, I had a call from Sumburgh to say you'd landed there."

"I can't go anywhere!"

"Correct, and don't try to fly under the radar. Does she need refuelling?"

"Yes, but I'll do that on Thursday morning."

"What time are you off?"

"I have a two o'clock landing slot at Glasgow, so leaving at midday?"

"I suggest you leave a little earlier."

"Okay, I'll see you around half ten that day."

Tammy finally unlocked her car and soon they were heading to the gate. A glance at the fuel gauge directed Tammy into the Tesco petrol station a short distance for the airport.

"I just want to top the tank up, and I have no plans to be here any longer than is necessary."

Part   Twenty six   "Four inches"

 
Saturday 13th May 2017 (Cont)
 

Tammy checked the pump before pulling the nozzle away as she intended the pay at the pump. Unfortunately the display told her that this facility wasn't available, therefore paying at the kiosk was necessary. She looked to see whether she could move to a separate pump but cars were now pulling onto the forecourt so she was stuck.

As soon as the pump's valve shut off she removed the nozzle and placed it back in the pump. Her bag was already on her shoulder so she set off towards the kiosk to join the queue, grabbing her sunglasses out of her bag in an attempt to hide herself in plain sight. Fortunately the queue was moving quickly and payment was made without incident.

Back at the car, Joey had gone. Tammy couldn't sit there as other vehicles needed the pump so she moved her green Mini away to the left, parking close to the forecourt exit. She looked across the forecourt but Joey was nowhere to be seen. Tammy checked if anything had been left under the passenger seat but there was nothing. She'd never seen her assistant carrying a bag and Joey hadn't taken or worn a jacket. She opened the doors and stood by the car to get a better view.

A shout from behind caused her to swing around. "That's the bitch!"

She initially didn't recognise the man until he had almost reached her car.

"You cost me my job!"

Tammy could see that a few heads had turned so her options were limited. Off to the left she could now see Joey, she waved the youngster away. Tammy still had the car door open so she jumped back in and moved away, Joey had positioned herself so Tammy could pause to pick her up, taking the opportunity to put on her seatbelt before accelerating out of the Tesco site and back towards the A99.

"What was that all about?"

"I don't know, he seemed to have a grudge against me and I didn't want to hang around to find out what it was. If you hadn't have wandered off then I'd have avoided him completely."

"I'm sorry, I needed a wee. I had to go over to the main store."

"You should have let me know."

"My phone was still off, I didn't want roaming charges."

"Roaming?"

"In the Orkneys."

Tammy laughed, "good grief, that's still a part of Scotland."

"Mum told me to switch off before I got on a plane and not to switch back on unless I was in Scotland or England."

It didn't make sense to Tammy, but she'd lived in the Highlands for over a decade and had no idea of Joey's real-world exposure, or what caused her move to Thurso in the first place. A roundabout was coming up so she concentrated on that.

"Er, Tammy, what was that all about? Why was the guy shouting at you?"

She waited until she was well away from the roundabout then checked to see if anyone was tailing her but couldn't be certain. The nearest vehicle, a blue saloon, was a few hundred metres behind her. She had, however, realised that the antagonist was the copper who'd taken photos of her plane and the RAF Hercules a month beforehand.

"Err, it's complicated, Joey."

"Does that happen often?"

"No, but normally I wouldn't have used that filling station."

"So what was his problem?"

"He was a policeman who sold photos to a newspaper, photos of me and my property. He was being investigated for misconduct, that was the last I heard."

In her rear view mirror she could see that the following car had gained some speed and closing the gap, it was now only a few car lengths behind her. Tammy was already doing a decent speed, but the narrow road wasn't usually suitable for throwing caution to the wind. Ahead she could see a large cargo vehicle and she was gaining on it.

Tammy could now see the face of her tail, it was the former copper, although he had a female passenger who didn't look happy. The freight vehicle up front had disappeared over a hump, but Tammy would need to slow herself soon or run into the back of it. Needing some time she reached for the lights and flicked them on for a second then off. The driver behind reacted to the rear red lights, believing Tammy was braking hard and dropped back suddenly, just as she had hoped. Tammy had slowed as she went over the hump and found the road beyond empty, over to the left the heavy goods vehicle was moving along a narrow lane. She put her right foot down and accelerated away, going down a gear first before making it into fifth.

Joey had been playing with her phone and looked up as the car bounced over a bump in the road. "What's going on?"

"We seemed to have garnered interest. I believe we are better off without it."

"You're going too fast."

"I want to put some tarmac between us and be on our own."

"I'm scared."

Tammy glanced t the mirror again and there was a different car in the distance, she couldn't work out what it was but it was red not blue. She relaxed and lifted her foot to reduce speed. "He's gone. That was a quick sort."

"You didn't seem to get worried?"

"Training."

"I don't remember seeing courses for that?"

"Those courses exist, but you have to look for them."

"So what other courses have you done, Tammy?"

"More than my fair share of boring ones. It's only been two years since I did my A levels so I can't say I've done many."

"What about guns?"

"Do you think I've handled guns?"

"Well, probably not."

"Fine, let's leave it like that. I have heard they are rather loud."

Ten minutes later they passed through the village of Castletown and soon after they were back in Thurso. Tammy parked behind the office.

"I'm going inside to check for any messages. I'll see you on Monday?"

"What about Dad?

"If he gets here then we'll deal with him as appropriate."

"That's easy for you to say." Joey looked as if she was going to burst into tears.

Tammy went to give a comforting hug but Joey withdrew.

"What's up?"

"I don't want to talk about it. Bye."

Tammy let herself upstairs after checking that the street door was secure. The fax machine was devoid of anything newly received and Tammy decided not to worry about her PC. She hadn't looked at her phone since their stop at Sumburgh so Tammy withdrew it from her bag and took a quick look at the screen. The time was twelve thirty and there was a message waiting.

07700900875
Call me.
Marcus

The number was unknown to her but she called it regardless.

"Hi Tammy"

"Hello, what's up?"

"Our friends at the DVLA have intercepted a trace on your vehicle, you've been reported as making off without paying for petrol."

"Jesus! I paid at the kiosk and I paid by card so there will be a record of a transaction."

"Where?"

"Tesco at Wick, I had to leave in a hurry when that copper saw me, the one who caused me grief when the RAF visited. He followed me down the A99 and onwards towards Thurso."

"Bloody hell, Tammy, won't you please try to keep a low profile?"

"Damn you Marcus; I do NOT go about simply looking for problems to cause! I have quite enough to be going on with, so don't you dare start with me!"

"Alright Tammy, calm down. Do you have the receipt?"

"Of course I do. It's in my purse."

"Right, don't be surprised if Police Scotland give you a tug."

"I don't need that."

"None of us do, but is there anything compromising in the car?"

"No, Marcus, it's clean."

"You should be able to deal with that on your own then. On other news; I might be able to help with the Lt Colonel."

"Good; all I've come up with, only I would like. One idea I had was to promote him and post him overseas."

"Seeing how he failed his last board and can't re-apply until later this year that's a non-starter. Just out of curiosity, where were you going to suggest?"

"How about Antarctica?"

Marcus actually laughed. "Vicious Tammy."

"The rest I doubt would be received well."

"Oh? Such as?"

"I have options. A plane. A car. Pointy things. Heavy things. Noisy things. I can make a final decision when I get there." Tammy said airily.

"I hope you're joking?"

"So what's your idea?"

"He'll be invited to a regimental dinner with the Black Watch."

"When and here?"

"Tonight at Fort George, near Inverness."

"Will he go?"

"There's a risk that he'll turn it down, but he's Scottish and this would be a rare if not unique invitation to a prestige event."

"So if he turns it down, we'll know his intentions in Thurso are more important?"

"Yes."

"Has he been told yet?"

"No, that will dealt with once he's on the first train. He gets into Inverness around half-past five so that's ideal."

"As it's the Black Watch he'll be expected to wear a kilt, and I bet he's not packed one?"

"That's all in hand."

"What's to stop him coming here on Sunday?"

"There will be a break-in at that needs his personal attention. I've had to call in a few favours for this, Tammy, and you owe your 'uncle' a big thank you."

"Okay, understood. One case of Wolfburn Reserve for Uncle, noted."

Marcus rang off and Tammy relaxed, although that was short-lived when the door buzzer sounded. On the CCTV she spotted a Police uniform. She used the intercom and suggested they came up.

One officer spoke to her whilst the other stayed silent, although he was clearly looking around the office. "Are you Miss Tamara Smart?"

"Yes."

"Are you the registered keeper of the green Mini parked outside?"

"Yes, please get to the point."

"Your vehicle was seen making off from Tesco at Wick an hour ago."

"I needed petrol. I paid for my fuel. Paid for that fuel with my card, at the kiosk, and I DO have a receipt." Tammy reached for her bag and found the slip.

"This doesn't prove anything."

Tammy glared at him then reached for her debit card. "I used this, the last four digits should be on the slip. Note the date and time; that will tally with my statement."

The officer asked her to copy the slip and card, keeping the copy.

"I suggest you check with the garage kiosk and ask them why they filed a fake report. Ask for the CCTV whilst you're at it. By the way, one of your former colleagues has a starring role."

"Oh, who would that be?"

"The one who sells photos to the media when they are supposed to be on protective duty at a security sensitive location. I believe that would be a breach of the Police Code of Ethics? Oh, their brother also works at Tesco as a security guard. Chief Inspector Ian Brown is up on the background and particulars."

The officers decided they were satisfied this wasn't a straightforward matter but the second officer spoke before they left.

"What were you doing in Wick?"

"I took my plane up. The airport will have a record of my flight. Any further inquiry is to be through my solicitor; Smith, Smith and Smith. Good day."

Tammy could hear him muttering as they went down the stairs but she couldn't work out what they were saying. Her stomach was rumbling as she copied the past fifteen minutes of CCTV, the interior cameras, onto a memory stick and put that in her bag as she dialled.

"Smith, Smith and Smith; how may I help you?" A young voice answered.

"Tamara Smart for Jeremiah Smith please." Tammy replied whilst composing an email. She attached a digital copy of the receipt then added the video as well.

The voice apologized. "Mister Smith is out of office, Miss Smart, may I have your message please?"

"Certainly. As follows; Tesco filling station issue. Accused of not paying. Fuel was paid by card at kiosk. Digital copy of receipt and video of inquiry sent to your email. Advised any further inquiry directed to you. Tamara Smart."

A moment later the woman came back. "Noted, anything else Miss Smart?"

Tammy couldn't think of anything else at the moment and said so. The receptionist rang off politely. It was gone one when she arrived in the Castletown hotel, spotting Tanya and John at a table, a pram was next to Tanya.

"Why don't you sit with us? We've just ordered."

"Okay, thanks." Tammy's attention was drawn to the pram, finding a tiny infant.

"OH! Hello, you must be Jade Louise?"

She didn't get much of a response.

Tammy caught the attention of a waiter and ordered a tuna jacket then took her seat.

"She's, err, six weeks old?"

John replied. "She was six weeks earlier in the week, but today's the one month anniversary of her coming out of hospital. She was three weeks premature and had some breathing problems."

"How are you finding parenthood?"

"Sleepless nights and constant cleaning up...."

The waiter was back with Tammy's drink and brought John and Tanya's meals. A minute later the babe started to whimper and then cry, it was John who walked over to the pram, unzipped a bag to retrieve a bottle and then picked the tiny girl. He carried both to his seat then fed their daughter. Tanya meanwhile continued eating, ignoring the littl'un, directing the odd comment to Tammy.

"How come you haven't been up to see me?"

"Constantly on the go. I've been busy, really busy. Work, Uni, the lot."

"You could have called?"

"I wasn't sure if it was ever the right time, I mean I rarely see Angela and no-one else tells me much."

John asked. "Why do you say that?"

Tammy shrugged. "Out the door before morning tea, rarely back in time for dinner. Lucky to sit down for lunch most of the time."

Tanya looked over her glass. "Really?"

"Maintenance services, builders, cleaners, lease agreements, pay information, credit verifications. Estate agencies don't run themselves, it takes people. Uni doesn't hand out degrees either, you have to take the classes."

Tanya looked confused. "But I thought you were doing the cloak and dagger?"

"That didn't go so well. In fact; would you, Tanya, not agree that it went very badly? They're trying not to tell me I'm done, indefinite sabbatical, but the writing on the wall is there. It has been chapter of life and not enjoyable. I'm moving on. I like dealing properties, but as in any business or occupation, it has days on the good and bad sides."

"No more Jane Bond?" Tanya asked.

Tammy sighed. "I never was. What of you? I am curious? Think about it a moment, for initial training you'll be staying in a dorm with what? Two hundred girls? Sharing a room? Showers, changing clothes and so on, all as to whether or not John is still doing everything, waiting on you hand and foot, or have you finally decided to become an adult and shoulder your fair share of responsibility?"

"You think I don't?" Tanya asked angrily.

Tammy looked at her flatly. "I have no idea, hence my asking. There was a time you did not and we all remember that. Have you changed?"

"Yes." Tanya replied heavily then looked down at her lap. "Mum was going to report me as 'Unfit' and our baby would have been taken. I want to be like I was, but I can't. I have had to learn how to do everything. We even have checks done on us."

For a moment Tammy felt sorry for them, then remembered how bad Tanya had been.

"Everybody has to grow up sometime, Tanya. It isn't fun and games for me either. All the problems I have had, have not gone away. They stay. I have to live with the fact that there are people that want to do bad things to me, still. I'm moving on, but the past never goes away. Not for me. Any and all just go digging into it and there goes the day for me." Tammy explained then felt like she had just had something heavy dropped on her.

That's when it dawned on her. If someone accessed her data, it had to be known whom it was. How secure was she? This was a question she had never addressed.

"Tammy?" Tanya nudged.

Tammy looked over. "Sorry, what was that?"

"Tanya and I have to go now. Your plate is here though." John said and nodded to the waiter.

"Oh! So sorry, I suddenly worked out a question from my course at Uni. Media exposure does influence business trade negatively."

The waiter sat her plate down. "Quite right, Miss."

Tanya turned back and hugged Tammy. Tammy returned it then gave John a nod and watched them leave. She started to eat but her appetite wasn't there now. Her brain shifted focus immediately after and she called Marcus.

"Yes?" The S.A.S. captain answered.

Tammy wasted no time. "Find out who accessed my file after I left the base and what they learned."

Marcus was silent for a moment then asked. "Giving me orders?"

"I have a problem coming from your end. I should be fully aware of the who, how and what. You want me to ask these questions so I am now asking. Only your people should have access, but this colonel seems to have done it."

"What makes you think I want you to ask those questions?" Marcus asked.

Tammy shot right back. "Because you did not give that information immediately. Another test. Do I accept problems coming at me and desperately call for help, or do I find out exactly what the problem is, how extensive, what repercussions there may be off the mark before I begin trying to come up with any possible solutions that would never work to begin with?"

Tammy could swear Marcus actually looked at the receiver before saying. "All that on one breath? I'm impressed. That said, request denied. Any idiot can use Google to find you, your Scottish accent narrows the search parameters."

"What jackass told him my full name then?" Tammy asked, her ID card had been issued to Lt. T. Smart. "And why wasn't an alias used?"

"Shit. I'll get back to you." Marcus said then disconnected.

Tammy still had half an hour before her hair appointment and lunch was losing its appeal fast so took the opportunity to download the car's CCTV imagery, starting with the drive from the airfield until the present. As an afterthought she also grabbed the footage from the morning run from home to Wick Airport.

Back in the office, on a whim, she phoned Cathy and asked if one of the staff could collect her car.

"Jonathon has taken Anna across to Wick to collect some new bedding, I suppose Anna could drive your car?"

"She does have a licence, doesn't she?"

"Yes, but doesn't own a car. I have her on the insurance for the vehicles here so that's not a problem. Where's the keys?"

"My spare set are indoors but I can leave my keys with Sarah in the shop."

"Okay, how will you get back?"

"I'll grab a lift with whoever's heading back. I'm off to the salon now and I'll get changed down here. I didn't want to leave my car overnight and I'll have a glass or two of wine later."

"Okay, I have three teenager girls to deal with!"

As she left the office all the footage was being uploaded to a private Youtube channel. Tammy's next stop was the shop under her office.

"I was thinking of closing, Tammy, it's very quiet this afternoon."

"Damn. Can you stay open a bit longer?"

"If it's worth it?"

"I need a dress for tonight."

"You have one."

"It's at home and I'm not heading back that way until late. When I bought the dress it was an all adult meal, now there's teenagers as well."

"I didn't think it was indecent, but what do you have in mind?"

"Sophisticated, and I need to look a few years older."

"You're old enough to get into the night clubs."

"Most of them but I'm not 21 for a few more months."

"Oh, I thought you were older?"

"Nope, I only left school two years ago."

"Oh well, let's see what we have."

Tammy's bank account was eighty pounds lighter when she left with the outfit in a bag. Anna had arrived just as Tammy was paying so, fortunately, Sarah didn't have to hang around.

"Ah, Tammy, we were wondering if you'd forgotten?"

"I was held up, Sandy, I needed an outfit for tonight."

"Well, let's see?"

Tammy took the dress out of the bag and held it up.

"That's nice, but it's a bit retro, and you really need heels."

Tammy reached into the bag and pulled out the matching jacket. The floral pattern on the bodice of the dress continued across the lapels and sleeves of the jacket.

"Yes, yes, that'll work. Now, what about your hair?"

"I was thinking about a colour change?"

"We don't have time to do a full colour, but how about a temporary one for now and we'll book you in for next week?"

"Temporary will do, perhaps red?"

"No, but how does a strawberry blonde sound? We have a new tint from Matrix that would work for you, you'll look a bit older too with the right cut."

"Okay, go for it."

Tammy's retro look continued, ending up with a pixie cut that screamed sixties. "Come back next week and we'll fix the colour."

"I haven't had my hair this short since ...I was at school."

Tammy stepped into the consulting room at the rear of the salon, where Joanne had her torture chamber. She was directed onto the table.

"Okay girl, what's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tammy, I'm not blind or stupid. What's going on?"

"It's a family meal tonight."

"Some might buy that, but I don't."

"It's true."

"Okay, I'll accept that but you normally plan your treatments well in advance and a colour was not on the cards for today. Most clients would have been told to rebook."

"I needed a new look."

"That colour will wash out by Wednesday."

"I know, Jo, it just needs to last the weekend."

"Ah, we're getting there."

Joanne had reached Tammy's thighs. "Since you had an added service in there, do you need more than just your legs?"

"I hadn't planned on wearing a bikini in the near future."

"Good, as I have somewhere to go. Roll over."

Joanne continued, mostly in silence, and only five minutes later was done.

"You'll need to scrub those legs, but not before tomorrow night."

"Okay, thanks."

"Now are you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Damn it, Tammy, why do you need a total new look tonight?"

"Someone's coming into town who might recognise me."

"You Tammy, or ...?"

"Me, as Tammy. I met him a month ago and I managed to dent his ego."

"A brush off?"

"No, I threw him on the floor and was pulled off by military police."

"No shit! Is he after revenge?"

"Yes, probably."

"You need to tell the police, dear."

"No, it's in hand, but I want to be able to observe in plain sight."

Tammy's phone rang before Joanne could ask another question.

"Hold a mo, I'll be a minute."

Tammy escaped back into the main salon and paid her bill. She took all her bags, checking that nothing was left behind as Sandy was locking up behind her. Joanne sidled up alongside, "where are you going?"

"The Castletown."

"I'll join you."

Tammy's hands were full so she couldn't speak to Marcus. They reached the bar and Tammy dropped her stuff on a chair. "Get me a glass of Merlot, plus whatever you're having and open a tab for me please."

Tammy walked to the back of the deserted restaurant.

"Sorry Marcus, what's up?"

"Cooper caught the train from Dundee as is due into Dundee in about twenty minutes."

"Okay, so when will you get confirmation that he's taking the dinner option?"

"In about an hour. Are you armed?"

"No, but thanks for the reminder."

"What?"

"Heels."

"You're not making sense Tammy, have you been on the alcohol already?"

"No, my first glass is still waiting for me."

"Girls!"

Tammy's next call was to Joan."

"I'm busy, your father can't find his favourite shirt."

"It's probably on the same hanger as the suit he last wore to the golf club?"

"Oh, okay, what do you need?"

"Can you go into my wardrobe and retrieve a shoe box please, it'll say Christian Louboutain on the box."

"Christian who?"

"Loo boot in."

"Okay, and I guess you want them brought down?"

"Please, I'll be in the hotel bar. Can you grab a small black bag and a pair of nude tights as well please."

Tammy finally went back into the hotel and found her glass was a tad larger than normal."

"I figured it would get busy so I ordered a 250ml measure."

"That's a third of a bottle!"

"So? Is everything sorted?"

"Yes, I just asked mum to bring me some heels down. I've been in flats all day as I was flying earlier."

"Heels?"

"Christian Louboutain."

"Fricking what?"

"Not you as well? Mum didn't know who he is."

"I know exactly who he is, those shoes are not cheap. Two pairs are about a grand!"

"They were a gift."

"A really good gift. How high?"

"Four inches, T bar in black."

"You don't wear higher than two inches usually."

"True, but I normally don't need the extra height."

"So you do tonight?"

"Given the frock, heels are essential."

"I didn't mean that."

"Please, Joanne, leave it alone. I had a bad experience earlier and it could get much worse later. I just want to relax whilst I can."

Part   Twenty Seven   "Age matters"

 
Saturday 13th May 2017 (Cont)
 

Tammy had received one further call from Marcus at six. He wasn't happy.

"Bloody Cooper. He turned down the dinner proposal with the Black Watch."

"So he's on his way here?"

"Correct, unfortunately. He won't have made himself popular with the regiment."

"What was his excuse?"

"Urgent family matters, he said."

"So I will get to have some fun, after all."

"Tammy, if I could get up there; I would."

"In any case, if I recall wasn't he due here tomorrow?"

"That was the original information, but he obviously moved his plans up."

"Well, I spoke with the Hotel manager again. Cooper does now have a room booked for tonight, athough at first he only had tomorrow night booked."

"Regardless of that, Lieutenant Smart, you are ordered to stand down and do not engage him."

"Really, Marcus?"

"That's Captain Wade!"

"Sod off, I'm on home ground and surrounded by people who know me. If I stand here and do nothing then it would look very difficult for me."

"I remember what you said earlier. Are you armed?"

"Not unless you include the heels I'll be wearing later."

"Sometimes ...."

".... you'll let me do it my way, which usually works."

"Can I have a promise?"

"What for?"

"You will not take the law into your own hands."

"Sure."

"That doesn't fill me with confidence, Tammy."

"That's the best I can do. Ultimately, nothing could happen."

"Unlikely, but true."

"Equally, Cooper could be a total arsehole?"

"More likely, but I'd guess that it'll be somewhere between the two."

"Fine, I'll let you know. Bye, Marcus."

Tammy had no intention of getting herself inebriated so her single, albeit large, glass of wine had survived Joanne's departure and wasn't quite finished when Joan arrived.

"Tamara Smart, what are you doing?"

"Waiting for you, Mum."

"And how much have you drunk?"

"One glass, just this one. It's lasted well over an hour. I've been drinking water as well, check with the bar if you don't believe me."

"Calm down, young lady, and put that attitude away. I suggest you go and get yourself changed, so long as you're still capable?"

Tammy took the shoebox and bag off Joan then picked up her new dress and personal belongings. A set of keys remained on the table and Tammy now struggled to pick those up as well.

"Would you like a hand?"

"Please."

"Where are you going?"

"Frances has let me use a room on the first floor."

Joan took the shoes and dress whilst Tammy carried the rest. Over by the bar she could see Richard and Angela, but mother and daughter headed for the lift.

Once Tammy was zipped into the dress she sat to apply her make-up, using what she carried daily, but taking more time and care. The intention was for an older and more sophisticated look. The frock and haircut would add to the final product. Joan decided to head back to the bar although she first had a question.

"Those are quite the stilts. Are they necessary?"

"For tonight, yes."

"You could have got away with three inch heels, possible less?"

"I would rather not keep picking up the hem."

"I've not seen them before."

"It's the first time I've worn them out actually, and the perfect choice for tonight."

"Where did they come from?"

"A gift, from an American I worked with last year. They came for my birthday."

Joan accepted this and left the room but Tammy wasn't assured by her own words. She left the shoes until last, taking a moment to find her balance. She transferred the essentials to her smaller evening bag then took everything down one floor. She found the hotel manager, Frances, by his office.

"Quite lovely, Miss Smart. Was everything acceptable?"

"It was, thank you. Could I place these in your office until later?"

"You'll be back before the bar closes?"

"I will."

Tammy returned to the bar just carrying her small bag. Her feet had adjusted to the Christian Louboutain pumps and she confidently strode to where her family was waiting. Cathy had also arrived, accompanied by the three girls, Daisy, Florence and Linda.

"Wow!" Was the collective opinion of the teenagers. Richard wasn't entirely certain that Tammy's attire was suitable, even though she was covered from neck to ankle.

"What's this in aid of, Tammy?"

"What do you mean, Cathy?"

"I know plenty of women who will change their hairstyle and buy a new frock just for one dinner, but you're not like most women."

"Maybe I'm not, but I would never ask you, or mum, to justify your clothing choices - even perhaps where a wardrobe malfunction was possible?"

Richard was sat between the two girls and stood quickly, his face full of displeasure. He looked first at Cathy and then at Tammy before excusing himself. Tammy watched him cross the bar towards the gents loo.

Cathy was smiling and pulled Tammy into a hug. She whispered into the younger girl's ear. "You do look wonderful tonight, and maybe just a few years older. What's it all for?"

"I needed a change of look for the weekend."

"That haircut won't grow back in a few days."

"I know, but it's just tonight or the next few days that matter."

"What's going on?"

"Hopefully nothing, but potentially an antisocial problem."

"Look after yourself."

"Yes Aunt Cathy."

It was approaching seven thirty so the group walked the short distance to the Italian restaurant on Trail Street. Tammy ended up at the back, walking with Angela.

"I heard what Cathy said, what are you really doing tonight?"

"Hopefully I'll have a nice meal. I don't want any complications."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"Whatever. Where's Suzie?"

"In Inverness, she had a job interview earlier today and won't be back until late."

"I didn't know."

"She didn't want you to know, in case you decided to call the company."

"Ouch, as if?"

"Yes, why do you think we don't tell you what we're up to?"

"To be honest, I don't ask as you have your own lives."

"Well, you wouldn't have been told anything, we don't want to become involved in your games."

"Thanks, but I don't play games."

"Really, like us being shot at and kidnapped?"

"I don't choose when and where things happen?"

"Really? Where shall I avoid tonight?"

"You don't want to know."

"If it concerns the safety of everyone here, then I think I do."

"Look, if you are going home from the restaurant then you have nothing to worry about."

"That doesn't help."

They'd reached the tiny Italian, so Angela stopped her mild interrogation. Tammy ended up with her father and Linda for company.

"How are the exams going, Linda?"

"They haven't started yet, I thought I'd be revising tonight."

"There's the rest of the weekend to do that."

"Yeah, but my mum is coming up tomorrow so I'm expected to be with her."

"That's understandable, but she won't arrive until late morning?"

"Eleven, I was told."

"So you still get some time to study. Is she on her own?"

"I hope so, I doubt Dad will try to come here."

"Did you hear from your solicitor?"

"Yes, that's why Mum wants to see me. She has some papers from her own solicitor that I need to see. Miss Masters has said she will be there."

Tammy ordered a glass of wine and suffered a glare from Joan.

"Take it easy, Tammy."

"Dad, not you as well?"

"I'm a little concerned."

"I've had one glass of wine so far tonight, and that was the first all week. I don't see anyone else being chastised and yet all the adults had a drink back at the hotel?"

"Well, just be careful."

"I am, but it does no harm to have a glass or two with a meal."

"That depends on what you're doing after the meal?"

"That much I'm not too sure about, yet."

"Are you expecting trouble?"

"Possibly but I'm hoping to just be an observer."

"So that's the reason for the new hairstyle?"

"Perhaps, although I was due for a change anyway. I just want to sit in a corner, out of the way, and watch to see if anything happens."

"That doesn't sound like you? Are you, um, carrying, um, something?"

"No."

Tammy turned he head towards Florence and listened as best she could. The girl had already started her A Level exams but wasn't heading to university in the autumn, Tammy resolved to find out what was going on.

It wasn't long before the starter dishes arrived and the conversations dwindled.

Tammy went in search of the loo once her dish was clear. She was washing her hands when Joan came in.

"Don't give your father a hard time."

"Hold on, I didn't. We didn't have an argument and we don't have a problem." Tammy left before Joan could answer.

When she returned to her seat she found the table had been swapped around and Cathy was now to her right, although the main course was now being served.

Tammy decided not to raise anything with Cathy, but to wait to see if she had anything to add. Tammy was very aware that if she had whispered conversations with the adults at the table then the three teenagers would soon realise that something was afoot.

There was another pause after the main course and Tammy again took advantage of the ladies' loo. Florence was waiting when she exited the cubicle.

"What's going on?"

"Pardon?"

"I'm not blind, and neither is my sister. We know enough that there's trouble brewing."

"And you both will be going home once we've finished the meal."

"What about the hotel?"

"No under eighteens after nine in the evening."

"I am old enough! My birthday was in January!"

"Daisy and Linda aren't."

"Damn."

"Look, it might ..." The door opened and Cathy put her head in.

"Dessert is being served, if you're finished?"

Florence needed to dash into the cubicle whereas Tammy washed her hands and returned to the table, gaining a stare from Daisy.

It was approaching nine when they exited from the restaurant.

"Can we stay with Aunt Tammy?" Florence asked Cathy.

"No, I have called Jonathon and he's on his way here to collect us."

"But Aunt Tammy will make sure we get home?"

"No!"

Cathy turned to Tammy, "what have you said to them?"

"That it's too late for them to go to the hotel and they are going straight home."

"Is that true, Florence?"

"Yes, but ... I wanted to stay."

"Then the answer is definitely no. All three of you have revision to do in the morning."

"But I'm eighteen!"

"And I still say you're coming home. Ah, what timing! Here's our transport."

A second vehicle pulled in behind, which Joan and Angela headed towards.

"Did you want me to stay?"

"No, Dad."

"How will you get home?"

"A cab."

"Please tell me you'll stay safe?"

"Of course I will."

Tammy watched as the two vehicles pulled away, leaving her on the pavement. Suddenly she felt very alone and wondered if she was being watched. She picked up her skirt and made her way back to the Castletown Hotel.

Although most of the tables were in use, the only people she recognised in the bar were Andrew & Neale Fraser who were on their usual high stools next to the bar. Tammy noticed their glasses were empty so grabbed the free stool next to Neale and ordered a round.

"You shouldn't do that Miss Smart."

"I want to, plus it's fortuitous that you're here."

"We're usually here on Saturday night."

"Except when you're working."

"Including when we're working. And especially when you are spending the evening down town."

Tammy got the hint. "Okay, then we can both ignore that we're here on business?"

"Perhaps, but I hope you're not going to cause any trouble?"

"Far from my plan, but someone is due on the next train and they may be a problem?"

"Do you have a name?"

"Lt Colonel Cooper."

Neale looked at Andrew and then back at Tammy.

"You did say Cooper, Miss Smart?"

"Yes."

"I see."

"Right, boys, what's up? Are you waiting for him as well?"

"Err, that's an operational matter."

"So, who called? Military Police?"

Neale stared at Tammy then looked around to see who was in listening range. "Yes."

"Did they say why?"

"No, at least we don't know much except there might be an altercation. Your name wasn't mentioned."

"Good." Tammy decided to change the subject before they were overheard. "Tell me, do you have a game this weekend?"

"Yes, we were away in Inverness today."

"I must come to a shinty game soon."

"It's the middle of the season so there's plenty of time. We're playing at home at Viewfirth Field, next Saturday."

"Okay."

Tammy was careful that she just sipped her wine, it had to last a while, although she now also had a glass of iced water to chase the wine.

From her position she couldn't see the hotel's main door, but knew that the Fraser brothers would let her know if anything was happening. She took to people watching and exchanged the odd word with the boys.

"One thing, Neale?"

"What's that, Miss Smart?"

"Please call me Tammy tonight, Cooper only knows me as Lieutenant Smart."

"Understood, what about the bar staff?"

"I haven't said anything to them, Frances knows I'm waiting for him though."

"Leave that with us."

Neale had offered to refill her wine glass but she turned him down, deciding that she had reached her limit, for now. Tammy took herself off to the loo without choosing her next drink.

She decided to freshen up and spent longer in the ladies than planned. As she left the loo, she was almost hit with a case.

"Idiot! You nearly hit that lady."

Tammy kept walking and didn't look back. Cooper was stood in the way whilst a porter brought cases from a waiting taxi through the side door, Cooper was distracting the porter and that was causing issues for foot traffic in and out of both rest rooms. Tammy settled back on her stool and ordered a blackcurrant and soda water.

"There's no charge Miss Tammy."

She put her purse away. The Fraser brothers were now watching the ongoing situation the far side of the bar. Frances had arrived and Tammy guessed he wanted Cooper to go up to his room but Cooper pulled out a hip flask, demonstrated that it was empty and ordered a double Scotch.

The Army officer took a seat and Frances hurried to the bar, Tammy spotted that the barman was using the 'house' whisky instead of one of the many single malts. Frances caught her eye and briefly shook his head before taking the glass across to Cooper. Other guests had arrived near the same time and Frances wanted to deal with them but Cooper wasn't finished.

Tammy couldn't hear what was being said, at first, but he clearly wasn't happy with Frances, especially when the hotel manager shook his head. "But I haven't eaten since lunchtime and I need food!"

Frances expressed with his hands that the kitchen was closed, pointing at the bar clock.

"I don't fecking care!"

Frances withdrew and Tammy saw him go through the kitchen door. All conversation had ended and eyes were now directed at the small guy with the loud voice.

"I should tell him to mind his manners!"

"No, Miss Tammy, we'd prefer you don't. Frances will tell us if he needs us, it's his place."

"Understood."

Tammy just watched, albeit partially hidden behind a wooden pillar. It wasn't long before Cooper was waving his empty glass at the bar, a barman went over and quietly spoke to him.

"Of course I want another bloody double!"

The barman looked at Andrew and shook his head but continued to prepare the drink. Tammy tried to size the hip flask and guessed that it had contained eight to ten shots of Scotch, so this was probably Cooper's sixth or seventh double. It was purely a guestimate, but would do for now and fitted her perception of his current state..

A plate was delivered and was clearly not what Cooper had asked for, but he seemed to calm down and started to eat. Frances came to the bar and spoke to the barman. Andrew seemed to hear what was going on but gave no hint as to what was discussed.

Behind Tammy the street door opened then closed, Andrew looked over then looked at Tammy before resuming his gaze on the person who had entered. Tammy's bag was on the floor so she slipped off the stool and bent down to obtain a tissue from it. This gave her the opportunity to turn around.

She spotted Joey stood near the door and looking around the room. The barman was clearing glasses and walked over to her.

"Excuse me Miss, we don't allow under eighteens in here after nine o'clock."

"I was looking for someone."

"Josephine!"

She froze and turned towards the voice, spotting her father. The bar went quiet.

"Josephine, you come here right now!"

"No!"

"I gave you an order!"

"Sod off! I'm not one of your soldiers to bully! I hate you! I don't know why I came here." Joey made for the door.

Behind Tammy, the Fraser brothers had also slipped off their stools, but Tammy was blocking access to the door. Cooper now ran across the bar and went to grab Joey, who screamed. Tammy faked loosing her balance, throwing herself at Cooper and floored him.

"Clumsy fecking woman, this isn't your concern. Get off!" Cooper demanded.

Tammy hissed quietly. "Au contraire, Lt Colonel Cooper, it is my concern. You are harassing my employee."

Tammy felt a tap on her shoulder and reluctantly got off the small man. He struggled to his feet and was then handcuffed.

"What? Release me! I..am a Lieutenant Colonel, do you hear?"

"You do not have to say anything but ...." Cooper was cautioned.

Tammy reached Joey, pulled her out of the way, then led the seventeen year old to low seating away from the bar entrance.

"I didn't recognise you at first."

"The plan was that your Dad couldn't recognise me too quickly. Why did you come?"

"I don't know, maybe I thought he'd changed. Mum said he had."

"Leopards rarely change their spots."

"Yeah."

"What did he do, why are you afraid of him?"

"I don't like being near him."

"Did he touch you?"

Joey shivered. "No, not really."

"Look, I really think you should see someone about this. The police are going to want a statement from you, and me."

"Do I have to?"

"No, but that's up to you. I can still say that he was going to assault you, there's plenty of witnesses."

Andrew now walked over. "Excuse me Miss Smart, you are not coaching the witness?"

"Victim, surely?"

"Well, Miss Cooper, could you come with me? Our Sergeant would like a word."

"If Tammy stays with me."

"She needs to stay here so I can arrange for her statement as well."

"Oh."

"Joey, I'll be here. If it's Sergeant St James then you're in safe hands."

Cooper was taken away fifteen minutes later, he was subdued and it looked as if the alcohol was working. Conversation in the bar was returning to normal levels, but newcomers were surprised to see Police in the bar.

Frances came over. "He wasn't a nice man."

"I won't argue with you."

"He asked if you were in the bar, I said I hadn't seen you for several hours."

"Oh well, so he now knows I use this place."

"He's barred, of course."

"Fair enough, Frances."

"Was that his daughter?"

"Yes, she works for me."

"I see. Would you like your belongings?"

"Please Frances."

Tammy's blackcurrant and soda was refreshed and she sat waiting, pondering if she could call a taxi.

Joey returned after fifteen minutes, with Sgt Stuart St James in tow. "Good evening Miss Smart."

"Good evening."

"It's rather strange that you're involved in this, Miss Smart, and I'm told you knew several days ago that Mr Cooper was coming here."

"Perhaps." She glared at Joey.

"Well, I'd like your statement, but we are purely going to concentrate on the events here and not anything that happened yesterday."

Tammy's statement turned out to be rather short. She identified herself as an employer of the victim who was enjoying a post-meal drink when the incident happened. Stuart seemed happy with the finished version and Tammy concurred. "Sign here, and here, and here."

"Miss Cooper, could you come along to the police station in the morning?"

"Why? You have my statement?"

"We'd like a further chat with you."

"Am I in trouble?"

"No."

Tammy decided to intervene. "What time is she due there?"

"I need to confirm, but ten or eleven."

"I'll arrange for a solicitor."

"That's quite unnecessary."

"From a Policing point of view, perhaps, but I believe my employee is vulnerable and at risk, she therefore needs legal support. By the way she's seventeen."

"Are you? You told me you were older?" Joey nodded, and blushed.

Tammy continued. "The solicitor will also be the appropriate adult, in this case. However, you need to tear up her statement, don't you."

"Indeed. So we'll have to redo that as well, tomorrow."

Tammy decided her night was over and needed to call one of the local cab companies for a ride home, although she'd get Joey to her door first.

"I don't want to be alone."

"Come back with me then." Tammy suggested then turned to the barman. "Could you call for a taxi?"

"Where are you going?"

"Dunbankin."

"By the McPherson estate?"

"That's it."

"I'll let them know that two young ladies need a car urgently!"

"Thank you."

 
Sunday 14th May 2017
 

The rest of the family had gone to bed by the time Tammy and Joey reached the house. Tammy wasn't sure if the guest room was available but she'd put her head in the door and smelt fresh paint so that was out of the question.

Tammy woke, finding Joey wrapped around her. Tammy's bladder rang the morning alarm so she needed to extract herself soon. She left Joey asleep and nipped into the bathroom. The clock said it was just before eight. Tammy hadn't completely cleaned her make-up off the previous night so spent a couple of minutes wiping away smears. A shower would fix the rest. Tammy dried her face and went back into the bedroom.

"Good morning."

"I thought you were still asleep?"

"No, but I was listening to your breathing until you got out of bed!"

"Err, I'm having second thoughts that this was a good idea."

"Why? Nothing happened."

"Joey, one, you're under eighteen, two you're an employee and three ...."

"Look, Tammy, that was the best night's sleep I've had for months."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I don't trust the locks on the flat I rent and I was petrified Dad would turn up at Mum's."

"Okay, I need coffee before any hard thinking. Get yourself freshened and grab the wrap on the back of the bathroom door."

Tammy slipped on a wrap that was in the wardrobe and matched the nightie she was wearing. Joey had asked for pyjamas but Tammy didn't have any available, two pairs were in her grab bag. Joey had ended up in a sleep tee with a feminine bunny image on the front and Tammy had expected an argument but hadn't received much more than than "ta" when handing it to her late the previous evening.

They landed in the kitchen at just the same time everyone else did. That meant all the introductions could be done in one go but Suzie was clearly shocked. She took Tammy to one side.

"So she replaced me and then you screwed her?"

"No, she needed a safe place for the night. She has to give a statement, probably two, later."

"Oh."

"How did the interview go?"

"Dunno."

"Eh?"

"I did it by phone so didn't go there."

"You told Angela you were going to Inverness?"

"That was for your benefit. Anyway, what did I miss?"

"Nothing much."

Tammy left Joey in the kitchen and went into the study. She pulled up Kelly Master's phone number.

"I'm sorry to trouble you on a Sunday, but I need your services."

"I already have a booking today Miss Smart."

"With Linda Smythe and Cathy McPherson."

"Yes, I'm due there at eleven."

"One of my employees is seventeen and was involved in an altercation with her father last night in the Castletown Hotel. She needs an appropriate adult for the interview but there is also a suspicion of abuse, which the police want to investigate."

"I see, does she have an interview booked?"

"It's down for today but there's no time yet."

"Leave that with me, can you bring her to the McPhersons at, say, one?"

"Sure."

"What's her name?"

"Josephine Cooper, known as Joey."

"Okay, thanks."

Tammy returned to the kitchen where Joan was interrogating the young lady. Tammy suggested they had breakfast then went down to the office.

"Hold on Tammy."

"Mum?"

"Cathy has invited us to lunch."

"Oh."

"I'm sure one more won't be a problem?"

"Probably not, can you let Cathy know?"

They had a bowl of cereal and took toast upstairs.

"You need a shower, but we'll have to find you something to wear."

"Can't I just put my jeans and sweatshirt back on?"

"They'll be in the washing machine by now. I know my jeans won't fit you."

"Oh."

"I have a new pack of knickers, but there's no way you're the same bra size as me."

"I wear a minimiser, Dad used to tease me about my boobs when I was growing up, I think he was obsessed by them. I started using bandages and then found these minimiser bras." Joey reached for a strap and pulled it, to show Tammy. "I'll put this one back on."

"It at least needs washing, but constantly wearing them isn't good for you. What's your real size?"

"34b I think."

"Hold on."

Tammy went digging through her drawers and came back with a plain size 36b. "Try this." She pushed Joey into the bathroom with the undies.

Meanwhile Tammy went through her racks and rails looking for something that would fit the girl, brewing a plan in the process. She left two outfits on her bed and went to the toast, which of course was cold. She spread some marmalade and had a munch whilst checking the day's online news.

Joey came out of the bathroom with a towel around her neck, Tammy pointed at the outfit and suggested she tried that, or found something for herself. A moment later Tammy was in the bathroom and the shower went back on.

Tammy realised, as she was drying herself, that she hadn't taken any clean undies with her. She carefully wrapped a towel and ventured back, a little surprised to see Joey dressed as Tammy had suggested.

"I guess you really don't have any jeans that would fit me?"

"Nope, but how does that feel?"

"Comfortable. I think I need some new bras."

Tammy found what she wanted and turned about as she shed the towel to pull on her knickers and bra. She reached for the leggings and slipped the jumper over her head. Whilst not identical, the pair were dressed very similarly. For Joey this wasn't a full-on feminine clothing exercise but it was a nudge in that direction.

What surprised Tammy the most was the total lack of objection from the youngster.

"Did you want to do something with your hair?"

"I just tie it back usually."

"Why not use grips instead, there's a load of them on my dressing table."

"Oh, it's been a long time."

"Just be comfortable, if you want to tie it up then do that."

"Okay, thanks Tammy."

Part   Twenty Eight   "Walking On"

 
Monday 15th May 2017
 

Tammy checked her phone as the class hit the mid morning break. There was a text from Joey:

Please call me

Tammy grabbed a coffee then headed for one of the benches outside, tapping the call button.

"How did it go? Just the headlines please."

"He made an arse of himself."

"No surprise then."

"You should have been here, the Procurator Fiscal was red-faced with rage."

"Okay, Okay, what happened?"

"Dad came in with his solicitor and pleaded guilty to the charge of drunk and disorderly, an assault charge had been dropped for some reason. Anyway, he was fined two hundred pounds plus a hundred costs. It was obvious he desperately wanted to say something but his brief wouldn't let him, and he was told to leave the court. When the door opened there were two military police officers waiting for him, they arrested him but he lost his temper before they could cuff him.

"He came back into the court and swore at the Procurator Fiscal, so he was summarily convicted of contempt and fined another two hundred with a warning to keep quiet. He refused to stop and then he saw me in the gallery and decided to go for me.

"The court bailiffs got him before he reached me and then the MPs cuffed him. The court went into recess and I asked a bailiff where he was being taken, apparently it was to Fort George in Inverness."

"Fort George? That's the Black Watch regimental home."

"Yeah, I think they said that."

"So he gets dinner with the regiment after all! What did the MPs arrest him for?"

"That might have something to do with my interview yesterday. I'm just glad he'll not hurt me again."

Tammy decided not to pursue the obvious line of questioning, not least because other students were now within earshot. "Okay, what are you doing now?"

"I'll get the next bus back to Thurso then I'll go to the office."

Her mobile trilled almost immediately after Joey rang off.

"Good morning Marcus, I heard the news."

"Can you go secure?"

"Nope, I'm heading back into class soon."

"Ah, there's been a development."

"Already?"

"Yes, but we'll know more when he's been re-interviewed."

"And when I'm in the office?"

"Indeed."

Tammy's phone conversations were now of interest to those near her so she signed off and put her phone away, whatever Marcus's news was it would have to wait. She finished her coffee and tossed the cup into a recycling bin before heading back into the building.

There was a reminder from Freddie Flint that the first year exams were only a month away and that unless certain individuals had hitherto hidden talents then they wouldn't be progressing to the second year.

"The exams should be taken as an opportunity to impress me with your knowledge. I can warn you now that a major part of the exam will be a case study that tests your learning. It may have a connection to a case we covered early in the year, whether fictional or factual, so don't skip those notes when you are revising."

Freddie had glimpsed at several groups during his speech and Tammy could guess who he was looking at but there was no doubt he had looked straight at her when he said 'fictional or factual' as Tammy was sat by herself.

"I suggest you spend the rest of the week revising at home. I will be here if you have any questions but please email me before you think about coming onto the campus. Tammy, can I see you before you leave?"

There were sniggers from the far side of the room but Tammy could have guessed that some take pleasure in others' grief, not that she knew what Freddie wanted. Several of the students were taking their time to leave so the tutor suggested she went to his office. Tammy triggered her phone to record.

"Now, Tammy, it seems there is a problem."

"I don't believe I've done anything wrong?"

"Sorry, this isn't necessarily a problem of your creation. It concerns the first year exams and, in particular, the case study."

"Okay."

"Now, we share resources with other universities so the exam papers are the result of discussions several hundred miles away and no-one could have considered there would be an issue."

"You haven't told me what it is?"

"The case study is based on the terrorist attack in a London coffee shop last year and the subsequent inquest."

"I see, but you shouldn't have given me advance warning."

"Would it have mattered? Your name was mentioned in one of the court hearings."

"Really?"

"Your role isn't clear, but were you involved?"

"I can't say."

"Then why would your name be mentioned?"

"I have no idea." Tammy sensed that her tutor was fishing and that he didn't have a great deal of information. "In any case, why are we discussing it"

"There's a second case study so you'll be getting that one."

"Did you check all the students in case of a conflict?"

"No, most have never left the Highlands."

"What was the reference to me that you found?"

"One of the solicitors for the terrorists told a newspaper that you had a death sentence on your head."

"Any chance it was a different Tammy Smart?"

"None."

"Any other references?"

"None that I found. Question is, do I need to tell the Vice Chancellor that you're a security risk?"

"Why? Because some terrorists' solicitor allegedly said a name to a newspaper and my guess is there's a few Tammy Smarts in the UK?"

"There are, but the connection is no coincidence in my book."

"It wouldn't stand up in court and I'm sure my solicitor would eat you and the Vice Chancellor for breakfast."

"You have mentioned your solicitor in the past, is this an idle threat?"

"Not at all, it's Jeremiah Smith of Smith, Smith and Smith," Tammy smiled, "I pay him enough each month to get very good service."

"I hope you're not showing off?"

"As if?"

The meeting seemed to have reached a stalemate so Tammy opted to leave, she'd deal with whatever the tutor decided in due course. A phone call to Jeremiah Smith was however needed, Tammy waited until she was sat in her car before calling.

"Miss Smart, what can I do for you?"

Tammy recounted the conversation with Freddie Flint.

"I see, but did you at any point confirm you were involved?"

"No, of course not."

"Then continue that approach, but I am concerned that you may have be given an advantage, or disadvantage, in the exam. That, if it were to become known, could be a problem for other students."

"Perhaps a letter to the Vice Chancellor might be in order?"

"Indeed, I will draft one this afternoon."

"Thank you."

Tammy drove to the office expecting to find Joey there but the office was empty and fully locked up. She fired up her PC and started to check through the emails that Joey had already actioned. A noise from the stairwell dragged Tammy's attention to the office door.

"Oh, hi Tammy, I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

"The session after break turned into a non-event, well, almost a non-event."

"I've been to the bakery and I got you a roll for lunch, if you want it?"

"Thanks."

Tammy munched as she worked, with Joey taking on the job of allocating jobs to the contractors, a call on Joey's mobile interrupted the proceedings.

"Oh, hello?"

Joey walked out of the office and down the stairs but Tammy didn't hear the street door open. It was a few minutes before the younger girl returned and she was clearly flustered.

"What's up, Joey?"

She burst into tears, Tammy went over and wrapped her arms around her employee.

Joey's face was buried in Tammy's shoulder. "Why, why?"

Tammy stayed quiet but gave Joey a little squeeze.

"Why did ...?"

Tammy led Joey over to the coffee table and low seats at the far end of the office, sitting next to Joey but taking her hands.

"I want to help, Joey."

"I don't think you can."

"I can't help if I don't know what's going on, please trust me."

"They told me not to tell anyone."

"Who?"

"Kelly Masters."

"I think Kelly would be okay with me, I asked her to represent you."

"I suppose."

"What's happened?"

"That prick has denied the charges and now the military want to interview me."

"I thought they already did?"

"It was a police interview but one of the military investigators was present. Dad's been allocated a hot shot advocate apparently and they're claiming the interview has to be redone."

"That sounds ridiculous, was your interview recorded?"

"I think so."

"Phone Kelly and ask, but don't agree to an interview unless Kelly's there and it's on neutral turf."

Joey stepped back out of the office to return the call. Tammy meanwhile recalled what Freddie Flint had said and walked back to her PC. An online search brought up several references to herself but when she restricted the results to those in London there was nothing.

She tried several more searches, concentrating on the inquest but there was scant information in any of the newspaper articles. The death of her solicitor, and his assassin's death, was reported without giving Tammy's name.

Tammy's contribution to the trials had been by anonymised statement and she hadn't been made available for cross-examination, so she wouldn't have expected her name exposed. However Freddie had received his information, Tammy couldn't find the source.

Joey came back in.

"She wants me to see her in the morning to go back over Sunday's interview and to see whether a notarised statement can be submitted."

"That's a good approach, but I sense Ms Masters might be out of her comfortable zone."

"She said she hadn't dealt with the military courts before but she phoned a friend for some advice earlier today, she said his name was Jeremiah."

Tammy laughed, "It sounds like she has an idea how to play it after all."

"Do you know this Jeremiah?"

"I suspect she called my solicitor, Jeremiah Smith."

Joey looked confused. "Why do you need a solicitor?"

"I need one for the business, but I've had a few problems over the years. I only spoke to Jeremiah this morning so I can expect am invoice at the end of the month."

"Kelly hasn't said anything about having to pay?"

"I don't think you'll have to pay, you're a witness in a criminal case plus you're under eighteen."

"Oh, I hadn't asked."

"Ask her if you are seeing her in a day or two, she should have had you sign a financial agreement by now."

"There were a few forms, she said they were just the standard stuff."

"Do you have your copies?"

"In my flat."

"Would you mind letting me have a look, just in case?"

"Sure, I'll be fifteen minutes."

Joey grabbed her hoodie and headed out. Tammy sent Marcus a text whilst she waited for the kettle to boil. The secure phone started ringing as Tammy poured the hot water into her mug.

"Afternoon, Captain."

"Hello Lieutenant, I have some news for you."

"And I have a conundrum for you."

"Oh?"

Tammy recounted her conversation with Freddie and her subsequent Google search.

"What's your suspicion, Tammy?"

"I don't think Freddie's gone bad but it looks like he's been got at. It's also odd how Ben Franklin has gone sick, I've not seen him for a week now."

"I would be very careful with Ben, his security clearance is used as target practice by a few folk at New Scotland Yard."

"Yeah, unfortunate, but regardless of that it does look like someone is trying to play me. I have asked my solicitor to write to the University on my behalf, the Vice Chancellor will get the letter in the next day or so."

"Okay, but I wish you had spoken to me first."

"Marcus, my solicitor has a simple job to do, to ensure I don't get thrown off my course for something that's not my fault. He won't trample on anyone else's toes."

"But your tutor will be called into the VC's office to explain himself and then it's your word against his?"

"I have an audio recording."

"Oh, email it please."

"Will do, Marcus. Now, what about Colonel Cooper?"

"What do you know about Joey's case?"

"Very little so far, she's just very relieved that he's been arrested."

"But you staged the arrest."

"Not really."

"Don't play with me, Tammy, you could have stayed away from the hotel on Saturday night?"

"I had to be there, and it didn't complicate matters."

"That depends, Cooper was told to keep quiet at his hearing this morning and just accept the court's decision. Your actions may come into focus later on."

"Really? The guy's an ass and may well be an abuser as well?"

"Tammy, you can't justify interfering just because you don't like someone."

Tammy heard the street door slam and the pounding of feet on the stairs, she put the phone onto speaker mode. Joey burst into the room in tears.

"My flat, it's been turned over, My stuff is ruined, broken or stolen." She collapsed into Tammy's arms.

"Marcus, we have a situation."

"Understood, keep me informed."

Tammy put the handset back onto the phone and took Joey over to the soft seating.

"What happened?"

"The street door was closed but the door into my flat was open, it's a mess inside, I don't feel safe."

"Okay, but you need to report it to the police."

"I don't want to go back there."

"Okay, okay, but you still need to speak to the police."

"Can't you do that, Tammy?"

Tammy reluctantly called the police to report the break in, although Joey had no idea yet what was missing. Tammy told the operator that Joey was a witness in a current investigation.

"What's your involvement, Miss Smart?"

"I'm her employer and a friend of the family."

"Is Miss Cooper there?"

Tammy handed the phone over then put the kettle on, preparing two mugs of tea. Joey had just finished her conversation with the Police.

"Why, why me?"

"We don't know Joey, it might be connected to your complaint and it might be random. Does your landlord know?"

"No idea, I wasn't happy there in any case."

"But it was home?"

"Not really, just somewhere to sleep. Mum sorted it out."

"Now, what are you going to do for tonight?"

"I don't want to go back there."

"Fair enough, but what are you going to do?"

"Can't I stay with you?"

"We're right out of town and you don't have any transport. Is that place on West St ready?"

"It'll be finished in a few days. The painters go in tomorrow, the electricians are there at the moment."

"The shop and the apartment have separate entrances so we can lease the shop without the accommodation. Why don't you have the apartment?"

"I can't afford it."

"We'll worry about that later, but what about the next few days?"

"Can't I stay with you?"

"I'll ask mum, but our spare room isn't available. I really don't think it's appropriate for you to share my room again."

Joey looked as if she was going to cry again.

"I suggest you call Kelly and ask her for advice, then call your mum."

Tammy grabbed her bag and walked down to the street, she needed Joey to take command of her own life. Having your place broken into wasn't good news but it was Joey's responsibility. Tammy recalled the audio recording from that morning and emailed it to Marcus.

She walked into one of the cheaper clothing stores and picked up a pack of knickers and a pack of bras in Joey's size. She added leggings and a long sleeved top. Tammy really didn't want the girl to get too close to her but the problem of a bed for the night was high in her mind. That came down to the Castletown Hotel or maybe the McPherson household, but it was about half past one so Cathy would still be at work.

Tammy recalled that Joey had complained only two days earlier about her flat's security, so was this an opportunist crime?

She picked up some fresh milk and a packet of biscuits before heading back. Joey was talking to her mum and it was clearly a difficult conversation. The secure phone rang so Tammy went straight into the windowless room and shut the door behind her.

"Hello, Marcus."

"We were interrupted, what's going on?"

"Joey's place has been broken into but I don't think we can say it's connected to Cooper."

"Correct, we can't, and you can't. Leave this with the police."

"That's my intention, but I'm already involved."

"That's a part of the problem, Tammy, you're already involved by the time you ask for advice."

"I can't help that."

"You didn't have to employ her."

"I didn't know her connection at the time."

"You didn't know much, except how to drop yourself into the middle of a mess!"

"Not fair."

"Now, going back to your tutor's conversation this morning, did you check what he'd said?"

"Yes, I couldn't find any record of my name in conjunction with the True Freedom idiots."

"Neither could I, and that brings me to my original reason for calling you. We've arrested Captain Nightingale."

"Let me guess, she passed info onto Cooper?"

"Yes, it seems she didn't care for you either so gave him your home and business addresses and then dug out the daughter's address for him."

"Is there any chance she's got more on me?"

"That's a risk, the MPs are dealing with her but it's not looking good."

"Bugger, I did have concerns."

"Yes, Tammy, you did."

"And you didn't believe me."

"I know, Tammy, but let's move on."

"Good, so long as you stop dredging up my faults. Now, has anyone else lodged a complaint about Cooper since he's been incarcerated?"

"Yes, two junior females have spoken to the Military Police here."

"What did they say?"

"I don't know and, as it's now a criminal case, I don't want to know. How much do you really know about him and Joey?"

"Not much, very little in fact."

"Good, keep out of it."

There was a tap on the door, Tammy reached over and opened it.

"Mum suggested I went home."

"When?"

"On the next train, just over two hours from now."

"Okay, that's probably best."

"What about the office?"

"I'll cope, I'm not due in class for the rest of the week."

The buzzer for the street door sounded so Joey went to investigate.

"It really would be best if she goes to her mother's, Tammy."

"Indeed, Marcus, but I suspect I won't see her again."

"Would that be all bad?"

"Yes, I'll have to re-advertise the job!"

Tammy finished the call and went to investigate. Kelly Masters was now in the office.

"Hello Miss Smart."

"Hi, this is all a mess, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't put it like that, it's more of a search for the truth."

"Errr, doesn't the truth depend on who you ask?"

"That's not the way the courts work. In any case, we're due round at Joey's flat to see what's missing and collect any personal items. The police are meeting us there in ten minutes so we should get going."

"Are you coming back here, Joey?"

"I'm not sure we'll have time before my train leaves, apparently I need to do a statement."

Tammy glanced at the shopping bag in the secure room, none of the bits would fit her and it didn't seem right handing over underwear in front of the solicitor.

"Oh, okay. Keep me informed please."

"If I can." Joey turned to her solicitor who just nodded. All this time the secure room door had been wide open and Kelly had clearly had time to look inside, although all she would probably have seen was a desk phone partially obscured by Tammy's shoulder bag and that afternoon's shopping. Tammy fetched her bags and closed the secure room's door but her employee had already reached the street, on the CCTV monitor she could see the pair walking away.

Part   Twenty Nine   "Keep 'Em Peeled"

 
Wednesday 17th May 2017
 

"Now Miss Smart, this is a serious allegation."

"On that point I agree with you, Mr Ford."

"Your tutor absolutely denies this and I'm minded to exclude you from the university."

"Really? So how does he explain the five minutes I spent in his office on Monday?"

"He told me that you wanted to speak to him, no doubt to put some credence to your spurious allegation?"

Tammy smiled at the Vice Chancellor.

"So, as it stands, it's my word against his and you'll side with your staff?"

"In matters like this, I will always support my staff."

Tammy reached into her bag.

"This is a sworn statement by an Army captain who is currently under arrest. In this statement she confirms she spoke to Freddie Flint and passed on false information concerning myself."

The Vice Chancellor read it twice and put it down.

"I have no evidence that this is genuine."

"Feel free to call the Military Police to confirm it?"

"It strikes me as rather unusual that firstly, the British Army would be in touch with you or that your personal security has been compromised as a result of the actions of an army officer. How did you become aware of this?"

"I can't give you any background, but the Military Police would be able to confirm certain details."

"I don't believe that is necessary, Miss Smart, as I feel you are trying to muddy the waters. Accordingly; I am still minded to suspend you pending exclusion."

"In which case I'm afraid I need to play this." She picked up her phone and accessed the audio recordings. Monday's conversation came out of her phone's speaker.

"Can you play that again?"

"Certainly."

"I'd like a copy of that, was Mr Flint aware that you were recording him?"

"No."

"I am concerned that you are recording conversations without informing the other party."

"With respect; I was in that room as a vulnerable, lone female and I'm afraid I don't care what you would say on the matter but I suspect you have never been a vulnerable lone female."

"I would never describe you as vulnerable, Miss Smart."

"Unfortunately, the crime statistics show that a quarter of all females are likely to be assaulted during their lives. That was mentioned during my course."

"I take it you are recording this conversation?"

"Yes, although I do hope it won't be needed, in which case it will be deleted."

"I would hope so, but I will take advice on that point and get back to you."

"Understandable. Now, getting back to my issue, it seems to me that someone is out to get me and Mr Flint has been used. I don't know why I am being targeted, but I will not let the matter rest."

"I see, but I can't give you an answer right now, Miss Smart."

"Curious. You were quite happy to suspend or exclude me off simple hearsay, despite the evidence to the contrary."

"These are not normal circumstances and in some respects, these are matters that I would never have expected to deal with."

"Fine, but I'd expect confirmation in writing that my place here is secure."

"I'll have to take advice on that."

"As will I. Is that all, Mr Ford?"

"Yes, thank you coming in."

Tammy left the VC's office and took the stairs down to the university reception, spotting Freddie Flint by the coffee bar. She felt sorry for him, despite his attempt to skewer her course, but didn't know his motivation or whether he felt any malice towards her. Worst case for him was that this was the end of his career, meanwhile the worst case for her was that she was forced to leave, although she would challenge it.

She drove to the office and dealt with that day's mail as well as a few urgent emails. The property in West Street would be finished tomorrow so she could make it available from Monday.

She transferred the last few audio recording to her PC and backed them up on a cloud service. She then penned an email to her solicitor and included a copy of the statement from Captain Nightingale. She stressed in her email to Jeremiah Smith that she still didn't know why someone was trying to ruin her education.

Joey had only worked with her for a week but already Tammy was missing her. She'd tried to call the previous afternoon but Joey's phone was off, Tammy had sent a text message asking if the girl was okay but hadn't had an answer as yet.

Her phone pinged with a new email.

From: Wade, Marcus Captain
To: Smart, Tammy
Date: 17-05-2017 1215BST
Subject: Exercise Dolphin

Please see revised joining instructions

Marcus

 
So, the timings had changed. She used the secure phone to speak to Marcus.

"I just saw your email."

"It's self explanatory."

"It still doesn't tell me what I'm doing for the next few days."

"You'll get full instructions once you arrive on base, you should check in by two in the afternoon."

"Will my NATO ID get me in there?"

"Yes, don't use any alias otherwise they won't let you in, it's a pretty secure site."

"Okay, I had an interesting chat with the Vice Chancellor this morning."

"I hope you kept to the script."

"I did, was Nightingale given a sweetener in order to admit she'd got at Flint?"

"Possibly, but please don't speculate as the enquiry is widening and others are still being sought."

Tammy phoned the airport and spoke to the fleet manager for Smart Air.

"I'm flying out at ten in the morning."

"Is this the Glasgow trip?"

"Yes, Jim, another long weekend."

"We'll have her fuelled and ready for you."

"Thanks."

Tammy still had no idea why she was going to Faslane the following day, it was the home of the UK's nuclear subs but it seemed very unlikely she'd be going anywhere in a sub. Once again, and probably not for the last time, she was being kept in the dark and had no idea what she was doing.

She walked around to the bakery and picked up a hot pasty before heading for the waterside, thinking aloud. "How can I contact Kerri without going through everybody else? How do I get only her attention?"

Tammy did have an address, but it wasn't for actual use. What she needed was a phone number, email or messenger. "Not like she'd have a social account or blog." Tammy laughed at the idea of a social network for spies.

That's when an actual idea began to creep into her mind. What if she posted on a blog, using certain keywords that would catch Kerri's attention if she scanned for them to be used. The main topic they had really talked about had been fashion, it seemed innocuous enough and appropriate in a public coffee shop. Tammy didn't want to use a net connection that went down to herself or her family so walked back into town and into the library.

Almost an hour later she found a discussion group of semi-sponsored advisors geared toward independent businesswomen. Mostly fashion and styling for women in Marketing, Insurance, Property and Legal fields. Tammy created an account using a nom de plume 'The Northern Flyer'.

I frequently get offered business and fashion advice, but mostly it's lacking Intelligence or Targeting. Some time ago, however, I Encounter a lovely lady called Kerri. She was professional, charming and tooled for any eventuality or Incident. A real Emerson standard for any Agency I'd say.
 
As casually as having a Coffee, she recommended I Shoppe a couple of American designers and added that Louboutian and Manolo were must-haves, especially if in London. I would love to hook up with her again but I've lost her business card.

Tammy closed the session, logging off and accidentally rebooted the library PC in the process. She returned to the bakery and picked up a cake before walking back into the office.

She put the kettle on and made herself a coffee before succumbing to the apple and fresh cream turnover that had 'eat me' written large.

An couple of emails arrived so Tammy tried to reply without covering her desk and keyboard in shards of the puff pastry, failing badly. She was also painfully aware that there was no polite, ladylike, way to eat such patisserie items. In short, she made a mess. She'd just managed to clean her face with a wet wipe when the secure phone started to trill.

There was no number. "Hello?"

"You got my attention, Tammy-girl." Kerri's voice answered. "What's on your mind?"

"Kerri! It was a long shot, but you saw it?"

"Not bad. Pretty slick, you did use the right words that I'd notice. I do suggest you remove that account."

"Sure."

"So; what's up?"

"Did you know I'm on a course this weekend?"

"Of course. I suggested it, remember?"

"Oh, what is it?"

"Come on now, where's the fun if I tell you everything? You'll enjoy the weekend, I promise that, provided you're in shape and haven't gotten on the wrong end of something."

"Another fitness test?"

"Yeah, it's a prerequisite from the Royal Navy. You'll need a swimsuit too, one-piece, black if possible."

"Okay, but what's it all about?"

"Think back to when you were at Wattisham."

"I'd rather forget that experience."

"Don't be like that. You dropped that dumbass, Cooper, in the Mess Hall and became a C-list celebrity!"

"Oh no! Let me guess; it's on Youtube?"

"It was. But, yes, I already removed it. I kept a copy for us, of course. You got applause." Kerri snickered.

"Thanks Kerri. Will I ever actually see you again? You can come back, can't you?"

"Anything's possible, but maybe it's your turn to cross the Pond? Might do you some good to get out more."

"Maybe in the summer, but where do I go?"

"Toronto's good. We'll take it from there."

"Toronto? In Canada?"

"It's a convenient place to drop off the grid, not your final destination. You'd be able to enter the States from there in a way to be discreet."

"Okay."

"I've got to go now kiddo."

"Sure, what time is it?"

"0630. I have to get the daily briefing ready then breakfast and a shower."

That sounded very involved to Tammy. "Wow! Sorry I woke you up so early then."

"Woke me up? I just finished morning PT. A good day usually starts at zero-five girl." Kerri said casually.

"Oh good Lord!"

Kerri sighed. "Listen up Tammy. I get the feeling that you want to have a back-channel. Yeah?"

"To be honest, yes." Tammy admitted.

"Ok. It can be done, but don't abuse it. I'll set something up in a day or two and let you know AFTER you come back from training. You have business. Places to go, things to do. Handle it. Out." Kerri disconnected.

Tammy walked back into town and went in search of a black swimsuit. She was pretty sure she had one but had she checked it recently? When she did find what she was looking for she bought two. She picked up a matching wrap at the same time as well as a pair of poolside sandals. Even if she didn't use them over the coming weekend they might be useful over the summer.

She went to a cashpoint and took £200 out, figuring that she wouldn't have many out of pocket expenses on a military base. She was on her way to her car when her mobile pinged, she stowed the shopping before reaching for the handset, Joey's name popped up.

I've been busy and was told to leave phone off

Tammy quickly tapped a reply.

What's the latest?

Kelly has warned me not to say anything about the case. The police say the break-in was random, not much is missing. They think the toad was disturbed.

Okay, when do you think you'll be back.

Right now, I don't know.

Let me know if I can help.

Thanks Tammy.

Tammy locked up her car and went back into the office. She logged into the security system and disabled Joey's pass, right now she didn't know if the girl would ever return.

She opened the safe and checked the contents, there was nothing there that she needed. The cashpoint had spat out a stack of £20 notes so she changed up some of the office petty cash in case she needed to pay for parking somewhere. She shut up the safe and took a look around the office before leaving. Perhaps she should employ a cleaner?

Her father was at home when she reached there.

"I took a call on the house phone, a woman called Kerri was after you."

"She phoned me in the office, I may have an invite to fly out to the United States later this year."

"American? Have I met her?"

"No, I met her on business in London a year ago."

"Okay. Can you make sure you're available for the Sixth Form leaving day next month, Mike Thompson has invited you."

"When is that?"

"28th of June."

Tammy took herself upstairs and decided her military rucksack was the most appropriate bag for the weekend. The instructions included her uniforms, she had two so folded both and left by her rucksack ready for the morning. For off-base clothing she went for sensible wear over fashionable and included only one pair of heels, one frock, one pair of trousers and one skirt, a few white short sleeved tops could be worn with anything.

Her swimwear was next to her lingerie drawers and she quickly found her existing black swimsuit, albeit with a wide white stripe. It was looking faded in a few places, probably a result of chlorinated water and detergent. She put it back away, it would only suffice for their home pool.

Opening the secure box in the bottom of her wardrobe she removed the smaller Glock plus two spare clips. Those went in a side pocket, she was nearly ready.

 
Thursday 18th May 2017
 

Tammy was up early and decided against dressing in her combats, she considered that until she reached the base she was a civilian and should appear as one. On base was a little different, even then she was still really a civvie, a fake junior officer in the British Army. The combats were folded into her bag, breakfast was next on her list.

She opted for the full Scottish affair and worked on the principle that lunch might not happen. One thing she had to remember though was that her plane didn't have certain facilities. By eight she was fed and watered so finally jumped in the shower.

It may have been mid-May but the mornings were still crisp and a frost was not unknown. Tammy knew there was a small chance that the sun was out in Glasgow so some common sense was needed in the clothing department. She opted for jeans and a t-shirt plus a black leather jacket. Black knee high boots completed the look.

She applied minimal make-up then did a final check for her passes, licences, weapons, devices, cash and cards. Her plane keys were at the airport so she'd collect them there, right now all she needed were her car keys.

It was nine by the time she walked downstairs with her backpack and shoulder bag. Suzie was in the kitchen getting her brekkie and otherwise the house was quiet.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"Glasgow."

"Right now you remind me of someone from a 60s TV show, The Avengers, I think Emma Peel was the character's name."

"Really? Since when would you know all about 60s telly?"

"It's amazing what's available on the channels, even all the way up here."

"I never watch it, I don't have the time."

"I heard your latest slave walked out on you?"

"Then you heard wrong."

Tammy picked up her backpack by the carry handle and headed for the rear door and her car. Why was Suzie so bitter?

The drive other to Wick Airport was relatively peaceful, the road had a little traffic but everyone was flowing nicely just under 60mph. She pulled off the road just after the Tesco store and stopped alongside the airside security control.

"Pass please."

Tammy looked up, having expected to be waved in but didn't recognise the lad in the box.

"I think I left it in the boot."

Tammy had stopped too close to the security control to get her door open so had to shuffle the car back and forward to make enough space. Another vehicle pulled up behind her before she could shuffle back again. It was a squeeze to climb out of the car.

Tammy had the boot open and was going through her two bags looking for the relevant pass. Meanwhile the car behind was getting impatient. Finally she pulled out her pass that identified her as a director of Smart Air.

"There you are."

"It expires at the end of the month."

"So it does, can I go now?"

The barrier went up whilst Tammy was still out of her car, which didn't amuse the one waiting behind. She ignored him and drove over to the hanger.

"Good morning Jim, how's things?"

"I'm a pilot down and one of the choppers is out of action with a gearbox fault."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so sorry but I haven't got your plane out or fuelled yet."

Tammy left her bags in her car, collected the aircraft keys then jumped onto the battery powered tug, manoeuvring it to the nose wheel of her plane. Thankfully she hadn't needed to move anything out of the way. Once it was outside she returned the tug and started on her pre-flight checks. She became aware that someone was watching her.

She racked her memory as she felt certain she knew the guy but couldn't place him.

"Miss Smart?"

"Err, yes."

"Kyle Fielding."

"Sorry, do I know you?"

"Thetford Forest or Hythe Ranges?"

She pictured the guy in uniform and clocked his Antipodean accent. "Captain Fielding?"

"That's me, Lieutenant Smart."

"What the hell are you doing up here?"

"I'm asking you for a lift to Glasgow, that is where you're going?"

"Yeah. Look, I'm happy to give you a lift but I must finish these checks. Stow your bag behind the right hand seat."

Tammy next checked the fuel, the tank wasn't full but she could get to Glasgow and still have a hundred and fifty miles to spare. It wasn't ideal but she really didn't have the time to refuel. All of her other checks were fine and she recorded that in her logbook. Next stop was the Met office and the tower to book her flight.

She was back after ten minutes and the weather gods were smiling on them that morning, the cloud base was at twelve thousand feet.

She grabbed her own bags and stowed them away before returning to her car to move it. Jim intercepted her.

"Leave that with me, when are you back?"

"Sunday afternoon, probably."

"Okay, have a good flight."

Tammy walked back to the aircraft and strapped herself in. She turned it over then radioed for taxiing clearance.

Once that was given she readied the plane for take-off, and was airborne barely five minutes after strapping herself in. She climbed to 10,000ft and levelled off.

"What were you doing up here?"

"I had a small team in the area, some training and some work. They're on rest days for the weekend and will spend that in Aberdeen whereas I don't get any time off."

"So why are you going to Glasgow?"

"I'm going to Faslane, same as you."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm your instructor."

"I don't even know what the course is for."

"I'm told it's to fill in one of the gaps in your training."

"Great, but why you? Why not Royal Navy?"

"I'm in the New Zealand Special Boat Service but over here I'm seconded to the Army. Someone decided it was better to use me than brief a Royal Navy instructor. You get familiarity and I presumably get contempt!"

"I doubt that!. So it's got nothing to do with submarines?"

"Not likely, that wasn't in my brief for the weekend."

"So what do you know about me?"

"That would be telling, but I was warned not to wind you up."

"Oh, you haven't seen a certain video have you?"

"It was in the briefing pack. Tell me, were you out to kick ass today? I doubt I've ever seen a pilot in knee high boots, you're certainly fitting your profile today."

"Kick ass? Not necessarily, but I'm prepared to make an exception for you if you keep this up."

Kyle Fielding kept his mouth shut and stared at the vista. Tammy guessed he'd flown many times but wasn't usually sat up front. Her route was to follow the A9 to the North Sea then hug the coast as far as the Moray Forth.

She contacted the tower at Inverness Airport and informed them of her plan before turning SW and following the lochs across to the West Coast. At the Tower's request she dropped to 8,000ft.

"I don't suppose we'll see the Loch Ness monster?" Tammy wasn't sure if he was taking the piss but went with it.

"Loch Ness is directly ahead, look carefully."

Before long they were flying over white topped peaks and Tammy had climbed to 12,000 over the cloud base. Loch Lochy was invisible under the cotton wool. Tammy checked in with the tower at Glasgow as they passed over Loch Linnhe. The clouds had gone and the blue waters of the West Coast were gleaming. She turned South at Oban and crossed into the Firth of Clyde.

Tammy checked the fuel, she'd used less that she expected so far but would still have to fuel before the return journey. Time wise she was ahead of schedule, but she still have to get on the ground. The tower contacted her and told her to hold, there were several passenger jets due in and they had priority.

A minute later Glasgow ATC called.

"You have been diverted to Glasgow Prestwick. Contact them on 129.45 for further instruction."

Tammy acknowledged and changed radio channels, Kyle was watching intently. "What's up?"

"I don't know, but now is not the time to confuse me."

She contacted Prestwick ATC and was told she was cleared to do straight in. Out a side window Tammy spotted movement, a military jet was approaching and took up a position just aft of the portside wing.

"G-TMYS do not make any sudden turns."

A second military jet now took up a position off the starboard wing.

Kyle recognised the planes. "Typhoons, I don't suppose you normally get a welcoming committee?"

"No, and I might need clean knickers very soon."

The descent into Prestwick was incident free, if you ignored their escorts and they were on the ground within ten minutes. An airport vehicle with a "Follow Me" sign was waiting for them, alongside a military vehicle.

Tammy taxied and noted they were going away from the terminal, away from any buildings, but towards a number of military personnel carrying weapons. She stopped where directed and wasn't surprised to see her door being opened and a weapon in her face.

What was odd was that the uniforms were American.

"Get out, slowly!"