Double Cross: A gripping political thriller (The Cadre Book 3)

by Stephen Edger

  The Chairman smiled. There was nothing he liked more than keeping the head of the British intelligence services guessing. ‘Surely you recognise the secret location of the 2015 Bilderberg Convention, Dillinger?’

  The Bilderberg is an annual conference designed to encourage dialogue between the heads of Europe and the United States. It is a meeting steeped in secrecy for security reasons. Its guest list includes political leaders, and leading experts from the media, finance, agriculture and academia. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss global issues and trends facing the world. Each attendee is granted permission to use any information they learn at the meeting however they see fit, though the identity of the convention’s members must not be revealed. Due to the private nature of the conference, the participants are not bound by the conventions of their office or by pre-agreed positions. As such, they can take time to listen, reflect and gather insights. There is no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued.

  ‘You know they finally invited me this year,’ The Chairman continued. ‘For years I tried to get an invitation and now, when I’m about to realise my plans, they decide they should listen to me. Well it’s too late!’

  ‘So you’re not going to attend then?’ Dillinger asked, stifling a yawn.

  The Chairman took a long sip from the coffee cup before him. ‘I’m not. But that doesn’t mean the convention doesn’t present us with a grand opportunity.’

  ‘Opportunity for what?’

  The Chairman broke into a broad smile. ‘The conference is being held in June. General Greig’s new armed forces will be fully operational by then, and when the Taliban come forward and murder the Bilderberg’s attendees in a calculated blast, Britain will come to the world’s rescue. It will be the catalyst we need and what’s more, they’ll never see us coming.’

  As much as Dillinger feared the unyielding attitude of The Chairman, he couldn’t help but admire the man. ‘I have some sour news, Mr Chairman. It appears that Dylan Taylor may have avoided the fate you had planned for him. Facial recognition software picked him up boarding a DLR train yesterday afternoon.’

  ‘I am already aware of his escape. I have been told he has returned to his home in Southampton to lay low. I want you to use your people to find and eliminate him once and for all. Do it quietly and ensure that the body is not discovered. Is that clear?’

  ‘Crystal, Mr Chairman. I have a small crew in place in the city already. They’re watching two detectives who have come to our attention.’

  ‘Two detectives?’

  ‘That’s right. They’re the two who ran the investigation into the May attack.’

  ‘I thought Eve was handling that.’

  ‘She has been, but I think she may have been compromised.’

  ‘Compromised? How?’

  Dillinger paused as he tried to find the best words, certain The Chairman would be just as inclined to shoot him for being the messenger. ‘Eve’s office was broken into yesterday and her laptop was stolen by a homeless girl. My team picked her up late last night, but she refused to tell us anything. She eventually cracked under pressure and revealed that she had given the laptop to the D.I. on the case, a Geordie called White.’

  ‘White? Why does that name ring a bell?’

  ‘He’s the same guy who kept pestering McManus in Newcastle. He was transferred to Southampton to keep him away from that part of the operation.’

  The Chairman erupted. ‘Who sanctioned that? That’s like taking him out of the frying pan and dropping him directly into the flames! Whose bright idea was that?’

  ‘It was all dealt with in-house, Mr Chairman,’ Dillinger pleaded. ‘Someone in McManus’ network sanctioned the move. I agree it wasn’t ideal, but at least Eve can keep an eye on him there.’

  ‘Or not. What does he want with her laptop? Does he know of her involvement?’

  ‘That’s why I sent a team down there, sir. I found out on Tuesday that they were asking awkward questions, which is why I deployed my team. They’ve made contact with White’s D.S., and they are going to apply pressure on him to learn how much they know. Eve swears that there is nothing incriminating on the device, but I still think it would be wise for us to get it back.’

  ‘Make it happen, Dillinger! I have more important things to focus on. I am holding you accountable for making sure that Taylor, White and this D.S. are taken care of. Do whatever it takes, Dillinger!’

  ‘What about Eve?’

  The Chairman let out a sigh and shuffled uncomfortably on his seat.

  ‘Sir? What do you want me to do about Eve Partridge?’ Dillinger repeated.

  Ever since she had proved herself in May, The Chairman had been secretly considering her for a place by his side when the New World Order arrived. ‘Monitor her movements for the next few days. Don’t do anything without my prior consent.’

  41

  SOUTHAMPTON, UK

  09:00 (G.M.T.)

  It wasn’t often that Kyle was woken in the morning by the smell of fresh coffee and an unfamiliar voice whispering ‘Morning, tiger.’ It took him a few seconds to remember where he was, and it was at that precise moment that his guilt kicked into overdrive.

  Kate, the redhead whose dog he had saved the previous day was lying next to him, with only a thin cotton sheet protecting her dignity. He checked the time on his watch and realised he was going to be late meeting up with White for breakfast.

  ‘I’ve got to go,’ he said, pushing his own section of the sheet away and quickly standing. It was then that he realised he was naked, and made an awkward job of covering his modesty.

  ‘It’s nothing I haven’t already seen,’ Kate smirked. ‘Relax, will you? You can just tell your boss you were stuck in traffic.’

  ‘You don’t understand,’ he said dismissively, looking around for his discarded clothes. His head was starting to develop an ache.

  ‘You’re probably not even sober enough to drive yet. Why don’t you take a shower, get dressed and I’ll cook us some eggs for breakfast. You can’t go to work on an empty stomach. It’s not healthy.’

  ‘And who are you, my mother?’ he shot back, regretting it immediately. ‘I’m sorry,’ he offered when he saw the hurt look on her face. ‘It’s not your fault. I don’t do…things like this. I’m sorry, okay? I just really need to find my clothes and get to work. I’ve got a really big case on at the moment.’

  ‘Your trousers are on the chair over there and I think you kicked your shoes and socks off near the front door. I seem to remember you pulling your shirt off in the kitchen.’ Kate got to her feet, wrapped a robe around herself and headed out of the door.

  Kyle found his trousers where she had suggested and quickly pulled them on, feeling the phone in his pocket as he did. He pulled it out and saw he had a dozen missed calls. He opened the list and saw that half were from his wife and the rest from White. He quickly typed a message to the D.I., telling him he was stuck in traffic and would try and call back in a bit. He deleted the rest of the list, unsure exactly what to say to his wife Megan. He didn’t even have time to think of a good excuse for why he hadn’t returned any of her calls since nine the previous night.

  He wondered whether he should quickly shower Kate’s smell away, but again decided there wasn’t the time. She had been messaging him all day long about meeting up and, although he knew he was making a huge mistake, he’d been unable to resist visiting her. When he’d arrived at half past seven, she had answered the door in a pale cream negligee that stopped just above her knees. She had leaned on the door and welcomed him in, quipping ‘What took you so long?’

  He had half-expected her to pounce on him as soon as the door was closed, but she had seemed to take pleasure in delaying any such behaviour, and had offered him a glass of wine, which he had gratefully accepted. He had felt like a giddy school child: nervous and excited in equal measure. He had made a flirtatious comment about the food she had threatened to cook. She
had pulled the oven door open and shown him the burnt offerings and suggested they move straight onto dessert. He had begun to step forward, only for her to turn away and walk towards the fridge, pulling out a glass bowl of some kind of chocolate mousse. She’d placed the bowl on the counter before him and seductively dipped her finger in, before removing it and licking the gooey mess with her tongue.

  He had lost control.

  Pushing the bowl away he had stepped closer to her, flipping her around so that she was facing the counter and had then begun to move his hands all over her body, tentatively kissing her neck as he did. His fingers had continued to touch her and her groans had encouraged him to continue. He had pulled his shirt and tie over his head, before lifting her carefully onto the counter and embracing again. There had been no doubt that both had wanted the same thing, and after some fooling around in the kitchen, he had carried her to the bedroom, where they had made love twice before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

  He had only been so passionate once before in his life, when he had started a dangerous affair with a stewardess, several months before he was due to marry Megan. That the stewardess had been his future wife’s best friend had only complicated matters. He had sworn he would never be so stupid again. Two children later, the truth was: his marriage was in a rut. He loved Megan dearly and didn’t regret a single day they had been together, but he missed the passion they had once experienced. He knew his behaviour with Kate was not only selfish, but, if Megan ever found out, it would be the end of his life as he knew it. She deserved better and, as he made his way to the kitchen to look for his shirt, he vowed that he wouldn’t be so weak again.

  ‘What’s her name?’ Kate asked as he fastened his tie. Her question caught him off guard.

  ‘Who’s name?’

  ‘Your wife you idiot…I’ve seen that white band of skin before. It’s where married man usually place their wedding rings as soon as they leave my flat.’

  ‘When did you notice?’

  ‘Your ring? I saw it when we met yesterday.’

  ‘But you still invited me over?’

  She shrugged. ‘I figured that if you turned up, then you weren’t that fussed about your vows, so why should I be.’

  ‘So you seduced me even though you knew I was married?’

  ‘Hey! Who seduced who? It was you who made the first move!’

  Kyle decided not to argue the point, as the throbbing in his head returned. ‘It doesn’t matter. Have you got anything I can take for a headache?’

  She threw him a small box of painkillers and he tossed two of them down his throat without a drink.

  ‘So is this it?’ she asked, her voice betraying her emotion.

  ‘Uh, I don’t know,’ he said reluctantly. ‘I had a really great time, you should know that, but my wife and my kids…I just don’t know that there’s any kind of future…I’m really sorry, Kate…’ his voice trailed off as she turned her back on him and wiped her cheek with her hand. ‘I’ll let myself out, okay?’

  He didn’t wait for her to reply and moved to the front door where he found his socks and shoes. He put them on, and left.

  *

  ‘What bleedin’ time do you call this, man?’ White demanded, shaking his head and staring at his watch.

  ‘I’m sorry, Guv. I’m here now. What’s the plan for today?’

  White had been standing outside his hotel when Kyle had pulled up in the car and wound the window down. Although they hadn’t formally agreed what time they would meet that morning, White looked like he had been waiting for some time.

  ‘Mercure phoned me just before eight. She’s had a change of heart.’

  ‘What do you mean, Guv? You think somebody got to her?’

  ‘What? Don’t be daft, man! She’s still on board with the op. I meant she’s decided we should get Partridge in for that little chat.’

  ‘Why’s she changed her mind? I thought she said we’d be mad to bring Partridge in?’

  ‘Well, apparently she’s sent her husband away to visit family for a few days and now she wants the bitch at her house.’

  ‘And you think that’s wise?’

  ‘I don’t see why not! What is wrong with you today, man? You need to get your head in the game!’

  Kyle nodded. ‘Sure. You’re right, Guv. I’m sorry, I didn’t sleep very well.’

  ‘Well get your shit together. I need you to be clear minded today. Is that clear? I need you to use that piddly little brain of yours. Do you think you can manage that?’

  ‘Yes, Guv. Sorry, Guv.’

  Kyle leaned across and unlocked the passenger door and White climbed in.

  ‘So you want me to drive us to Mercure’s place again?’

  ‘No, not exactly. She wants us to listen in, but doesn’t want us at the house. She doesn’t want to spook Partridge, and she doesn’t want to let on exactly who is in the loop of the investigation until she knows more. She’s concerned that the Home Secretary will get Payne to reassign us if she learns we’re involved.’

  ‘So how does she figure us listening in?’

  ‘Mercure has set up some remote microphones and transmitters in her house.’

  Kyle stifled a laugh. ‘She’s bugged her own house? She’s been watching too much television!’

  ‘She’s left a laptop at her neighbour’s house. We are to drive to the neighbour’s house and collect it and then park up further down the road. She reckoned you should be able to get the software on the laptop working. She wants the whole meeting recorded.’

  ‘But why? It won’t be admissible in court. It’s a honey trap. Besides, I’m not even sure that Partridge will even admit her culpability. She’s got too much to lose.’

  ‘Mercure reckons she can get her talking. For once I’m inclined to believe her. Mercure will show her that we’ve got her laptop and will hint at what we were able to recover. That ought to be enough to get her to admit her complicity in the operation.’

  ‘I’m not so sure, Guv. I was thinking about it last night after we’d left Mercure’s place. Would you turn so easily? I mean, if you were part of the conspiracy, would you confess all? I certainly wouldn’t.’

  ‘You got something to tell me, Davies?’

  ‘No,’ Kyle laughed. ‘I just mean that admitting that kind of betrayal would take a lot of guts.’

  White considered the response before pushing it from his mind. The chance that Partridge would implicate McManus was too good to pass up. He’d been after the Glaswegian for so long and now he was sure this was the light at the end of the tunnel. The chance to be vindicated for all the accusations.

  ‘Hey, where’s Dylan?’ Kyle asked, remembering the previous day’s events.

  ‘He’s back at the hotel. He’s safe,’ White said.

  ‘You don’t think he’ll do a bunk?’

  White put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. He looked agitated. ‘No.’

  ‘What’s going on, Guv?’

  White wound the window down a fraction and tapped ash through the gap. ‘Nothing’s going on, man. What’s with all the questions?’

  ‘You just seem off. Did something happen with him? What aren’t you telling me? He did stay in your room last night, didn’t he?’

  ‘Yes, yes.’

  ‘He’s done a bunk hasn’t he?’

  ‘No, man. I told you: everything is fine. Dylan Taylor slept in my room last night and he was still in there when I left this morning.’

  ‘But that doesn’t mean he’ll still be there when you get back. Why didn’t you bring him with you?’

  White pushed the cigarette out of the window and reached for another. ‘He’ll be there, okay?’

  ‘But how can you be so sure?’

  ‘Because I flamin’ handcuffed him to the radiator in the room,’ White erupted.

  ‘You locked him up?’

  ‘Yes, man! What else could I do?’

  ‘I don’t imagine he allowed you to do that quietly.’

&nbs
p; ‘It’s fine,’ he said, lighting the cigarette. ‘He’ll be there when I get back; that’s the main thing, right? I couldn’t run the risk of him changing his mind and fleeing. He might be cross, but I’ve got him under control.’

  ‘I just hope you haven’t alienated him altogether.’

  ‘Shut the fuck up, Davies! How about that! Your lame questions aren’t helping anyone so just shut the fuck up!’

  Neither spoke for the rest of the journey, though both were considering just how much of their case would disappear without Dylan.

  42

  Eve checked her lipstick in the rear-view mirror of the taxicab. It was frustrating that she had woken early that morning with the intention of investigating the previous afternoon’s theft, only to be called away so soon. She’d reported the theft to Dillinger, as was the protocol in these situations, but she’d rightly assured him that there was nothing on the hard drive to implicate any of them. She’d made sure that all correspondence had been deleted. The last person she’d expected to call her was former D.C.I. Jan Mercure. She’d been speechless just hearing Mercure’s voice after so long. The former detective’s tone had been less than cordial, and she’d insisted they meet immediately.

  Eve had attempted to blow her off, as she had neither the time nor the inclination to speak to the woman who had ordered the execution of a traffic warden in the misguided belief that he was about to detonate a bomb. She had been about to disconnect the call when Mercure had mentioned the missing laptop. Given that the theft had not been reported to anyone but Dillinger, it was fair to assume that Mercure was somehow involved in the snatch.

  It amused Eve that the embittered former detective would be so vindictive. Sure Eve had been the root cause of Mercure leaving the force, but there was no way she could know of Eve’s involvement in those events in May.

  No way, Eve reassured herself for the umpteenth time that morning.