* * *
Rob and Laura were cradling mugs of coffee early that morning in Thames House, waiting for the man from IT to finish the start-up routine of the flickering, pale blue screen of the video conference facility. It was essential that the conversation was recorded but that the location of their unit could not be traced.
“I wonder what Lars will make of my face?” Rob pondered as they waited.
“Possibly not a lot given our supposed work!”
Moments later, Lars’ face filled the screen with a Logistics Arranged logo looming large behind him. “Good morning, Lars,” Rob said. “Forgive my appearance, we ran into a spot of bother, but nothing we didn’t handle.”
“Good, I’m pleased to hear that, I really appreciate your assistance. So, what can you tell me?”
“We thought we would start with a sequence of apparently linked journeys where vehicles required repair work,” Laura started. “So we visited a repair shop with recent, quite serious repair works.”
“Good plan. And?”
“The people there didn’t want to help.”
“Really? Have they said anything?”
“Nothing helpful, yet. Apparently, he was called by a Logistics Arranged operator and promised a sizeable bonus if he would falsify the worksheet.”
“Any names?”
“None at all. But he does remember the number on his phone’s display was that for your UK operations centre. We would therefore like an introduction to visit and investigate there.”
“So to conclude,” Rob started, “It is clear that you have employees who are also working for, or colluding with another party. We want to find those people, understand their outside connections and decide what to do about it.”
Keen to improve his own profile and be known as a loyal man, Lars remarked, “That sounds an excellent plan. I will, of course provide the necessary introductions, but how else can I help? Maybe I can use my contacts to dig about here as well.”
“That’s good to know, thank you. For now, please do not do anything. Once we find aspects you can help us with, we will let you know. Before then, it is important that we do not risk crossing each other’s path and potentially causing confusion.”
Laura and Rob glanced anxiously at each other as Lars paused. “Absolutely. I will wait to hear from you, but please do keep me informed.”
“We will and thank you for your time.”
Once the connection was cut, Laura said, “Oo! For a moment at the end I thought he was going to insist on being involved.”
“I know. He could still dabble, so we need to move fast!”
The rest of that day passed rapidly as Laura and Rob planned their objectives for the following day when they would visit the Logistics Arranged operations centre in northeast England. Finally, they also agreed to the long drive instead of going by train: that way they could talk openly and not worry about being overheard.
19
Another dull day dawned for Demir cooped-up at the MI5 secure holding facility. He knew there was a debate going on at Thames House to decide where he should be held securely for the long-term to prevent him absconding again. This temporary facility was not ideal for anyone.
Demir therefore spent the majority of his days working on his fitness, watching the news and reading books, as well as frequently reminiscing about his lover, Evelyne Dubois who had been murdered by Emilio Arroz.
Therefore, whenever his phone rang, it was a pleasant distraction. All calls were now monitored – his protestations that had won the day before he had absconded had now fallen on deaf ears. The only leniency was that a computer monitored the calls, highlighting key words that then required him to explain the call if the full content was not to be listened to. This was the only way he could maintain a degree of separation between the authorities and his continued management of his network. Gurning accepted that their inclination would be to target every criminal activity which would very quickly be recognised by Demir’s wider team. That would lead them to simply dump his leadership, fragment and continue their activities without any hope of the authorities infiltrating the operations again. It was a delicate balance and Gurning had to rely on him to flag the significant opportunities to dismantle a substantial part of his network in one go. So far, that had been achieved.
“Morning!” Demir said brightly, answering a call absentmindedly.
“Morning, Burak. Jim here. I need help, or at the very least your advice.”
Burak sat up alert, as though he had just taken an injection of caffeine straight to the brain. He wrinkled his face, concerned at Siggerty’s tone. “Absolutely, that’s what I’m here for.” It had been a very long time since Jim had sounded so troubled. “What’s up?”
“Have you seen any British news over the last couple of days?” Burak was Turkish and had started his criminal career there before expanding internationally. His tendency to travel extensively meant that his henchmen never quite knew where he was, and he liked it that way, managing matters remotely, or through a loyal army of heavies to keep people in line.
“Some,” he admitted.
“Well, you may have noticed that a number of drugs dealers have been killed. The media say ‘under suspicious circumstances’, but the truth is that they are being assassinated.”
Burak’s mental radar was rapidly scanning every word he heard now, as well as any recollection of what he had read in the papers. He recalled some articles, but all had been sketchy. “Yes, I read a bit, although it was all rather vague.”
“That’s because no one on the outside understands what’s going on. Quite a few of the dealers were mine.”
“So what is going on?”
“Well, I’m sure it is all linked to Henrique’s assassination.”
“Really? Why?”
“Do you remember when you helped me secure the lines of supply?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, even though the Mexicans wanted a larger foothold in the UK, I thought there was more than enough for everyone. Therefore, I worked with both the Mexicans and my traditional sources from the East.”
“Yes, I remember. And I thought part of the Mexican deal was that you were to reduce prices and you were happy to do that?”
