Shallow Water

by Hunter J Walker

  ‘Why did Annabel claim on her insurance policy?’

  ‘Doherty says she was being followed. He doesn’t know by whom.’

  ‘Did he suggest anyone?’

  ‘MI6, MI5, Special Branch, the Russian mafia, the bank’s security and the SCDEA.’

  ‘The usual suspects…where is Annabel now?’

  ‘He wouldn’t, or couldn’t, say, but Kenny and Danny Shaw are going to hand themselves in. I guess they’re just a couple of freelance hardmen and not part of the Doherty clan, and they won’t lead us back to Tony Doherty.’

  ‘Does he know who killed Marcus?’

  ‘He says not, but his bet is on the Russians hiring a couple of Bulgarians as hit men. He advised me to check the flights back to Sofia for the days after the killing.’

  ‘Does he have any evidence?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘And the stuff that disappeared from Marcus’ flat?’

  Douglas pursed his lips and considered his reply. ‘Doherty’s reaction was one of surprise. He said: They must be worried his dream came true. Not me, if I were you I’d look closer to home.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘I have no idea…I hoped you did.’

  Nicola threw up her hands. ‘Damned if I know.’

  ‘What now?’

  ‘That, Douglas, is the million pound question. In the meantime go and prepare your interview plan for those two Muppets, what were their names?’

  ‘Kenny Shaw and Danny Shaw.’

  ‘Off you go,’ Nicola said and picked up the pencil to note the names on the pad in front of her. After she’d put down the pencil she picked up the envelope to squint at the contents, then she grinned at him: ‘Wouldn’t do to drop a suspect packet on the ACC’s shiny desk.’

  *****

  Douglas looked up at the sound and saw Nicola standing over him. ‘Boss?’

  Nicola looked at him. ‘Did nobody tell you? The Shaw brothers appeared twenty minutes ago: which one do you want to start with?’

  ‘You’re not doing the interviews?’

  ‘Edinburgh will graciously allow two of us to witness the arrest of Samuel Sutherland. The DCI decided he couldn’t miss the opportunity to appear on TV and he wants me there in case blame needs to be applied when it all goes pear shaped.’

  ‘You sound confident?’

  ‘They’re turning it into a media circus – the press and TV just love a good opportunity to duff up a banker in print and a ringside seat at the arrest is just too good an opportunity to miss. Edinburgh will have their media relations lot passing out tickets to their tame journos as I speak.’

  Douglas grimaced. ‘So, what are the chances of Sutherland being forewarned?’

  ‘Pretty good I’d say,’ she paused and fixed him with her gaze. ‘Now you decide which Muppet to grill first, Dougie.’

  Douglas looked down at the file on the top of the pile and read the name on the label. ‘Kenneth Shaw?’

  ‘Fine, start with him and you’ll be pleased to know both of them have all their appendages attached and in good working order.’

  ‘When do I start?’

  ‘For some strange reason Slippery Sam is already here, she’s in interview one.’

  ‘Right, I’ll get them to put Kenny in there.’

  ‘Take Julie in with you, Slippery Sam isn’t so vicious when she’s there.’

  *****

  Douglas had a decided sense of deja vu; it was the same interview room and the same aroma of sweat, fear and cheap aftershave, although Slippery Sam wore a different perfume this time. She looked up from the papers in front of her as they entered. ’Where’s my client?’ she snapped.

  Douglas took the seat diagonally opposite, making Julie take the seat opposite. He waited until they were both seated before replying. ‘Your client will be along shortly.’ He gave her a thin smile. ‘In the meantime would you like a cup of tea or coffee?’

  Douglas caught a brief look of surprise in Slippery Sam’s eyes before she recovered. She unbuttoned her jacket revealing a pale green shirt. ‘I had coffee not long ago.’

  The door opened, stopping any further conversion, and a constable escorted Kenny Shaw into the room. Old denim jacket, jeans, cropped dark-brown hair and an angular face – even in a crowd Douglas would have fingered him as a man to watch carefully. When he was seated he glanced at Douglas and then at Julie with a bored expression. Slippery Sam didn’t impress him either. He yawned in her face as she explained her role as his solicitor. ‘Just get on with it,’ he drawled.

  ‘Kenny, do you know Anthony Doherty?’ Douglas said.

  ‘The Big Man, yeah, from a while back.’

  ‘Have you met him within the past six months?’

  ‘No, she told us that Tony Doherty was her boyfriend and we left it at that.’

  ‘Who was this she?’

  ‘Annabel Sutherland.’

  ‘Did you meet her face to face?’

  ‘Yeah, at the Maltman.’

  ‘That’s in Renfield Street?’ Douglas asked to be sure of the location.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘How did she make contact with you to arrange this meeting?’

  ‘She phoned and said she wanted to meet.’

  ‘How did she know your name and phone number?’

  ‘Not a clue and she never said.’

  ‘What exactly did she ask you and your brother to do?’

  ‘She wanted a piece of street theatre staged to look like a kidnapping. Told us to turn up at her flat, chuck her into the back of the van and drive off. We met her again the night before it happened and she read us the script.’

  Douglas paused before asking the next question. ‘Was Tony Doherty at these meetings?’

  ‘No, no sign of him, she told us what was wanted.’

  ‘Who paid you?’

  ‘She did, in used notes.’

  ‘Where is this going Constable?’ Slippery Sam interjected.

  ‘Kenny has given his account of the false abduction of Annabel Sutherland but we still need to hear everyone’s account of this incident. In the meantime we need to discuss last Sunday night at approximately 11.10 pm.’

  ‘No comment,’ Kenny automatically responded.

  Douglas leaned forward to emphasise the point he was going to make. ‘Kenny, we have CCTV of two men and Annabel Sutherland attempting to break into the Market Lane Cash and Carry in Edinburgh on Sunday night at approximately 11.10 pm. If we do not get your version of this event the only person we have for it is Annabel Sutherland.’ Douglas waited to see his reaction.

  Kenny glared at him for several seconds before he spoke. ‘She came along for the ride. She didn’t know what was going on.’

  ‘What was going on Kenny?’

  ‘I was going to break into the place, she knew nothing about it.’

  ‘Where did you last see Annabel?’

  ‘At the house in Edzell Drive.’

  ‘When was the last time you had any contact with her, that is: phone calls, emails, texts, or anything of that sort?’

  Kenny shrugged. ‘Yesterday evening at the house.’

  ‘Do you know where she is now?’

  ‘If she’s not at the house I haven’t any idea where she is.’

  The afternoon sun beating on the side of the building warmed the room and Slippery Sam removed her jacket and deftly placed it on the back of her chair.

  Douglas started thinking about the other brother. ‘Ms Price, are you also acting for Daniel Shaw?’

  ‘Yes, but first, I request a word in private with my client.’

  Douglas stood up and motioned for Julie to get up as well. ‘OK, five minutes.’

  Outside in the corridor Douglas walked a way down the corridor and waited until Julie joined him. ‘I think Danny Boy will tell exactly the same story as his brother.’

  Douglas’ guess was correct and Danny’s confession differed in a few words from Kenny’s but the stated facts were the same. He exonerated Annabel S
utherland and said he didn’t know where they could find her.

  After Danny was led back to the cells Slippery Sam said: ‘Confession seems to be the in thing with you Douglas Ashburner.’

  ‘They will both be charged concerning the Cash and Carry Warehouse and I guess they will be released on bail.’ Douglas said and checked his watch. ‘Probably tomorrow morning, but unless we can speak to Annabel Sutherland a kidnapping charge will follow and we will drop it only if she confirms their story in person – is that sufficiently clear, Ms Price?’

  She stood and nodded before picking up her jacket and briefcase. ‘You will be hearing from me, Detective.’

  Douglas watched her leave and waited until the tapping of her heels faded into the distance. ‘I’d put money on Annabel turning up to make a statement first thing tomorrow.’

  ‘I’ll take you up on the bet – if she turns up after twelve noon, you take me to dinner.’

  ‘And if she does turn up in the morning what will you do? I know: you can invite Colin out for a meal.’

  ‘You are equating a night out with me to a night out with Colin?’

  ‘You’re the one making the bet, Julie.’

  ‘All right, but I know I’m going to win.’

  ‘How?’

  Julie smiled sweetly at him. ‘Women are always late for dates.’

  ‘Susanne never is.’

  Julie punched him lightly on the arm. ‘Do these confessions give us anything on Big Man Doherty?’

  He shook his head. ’Doherty may, or may not, have paid for a bit of street theatre, but nobody called the police so I can’t see the Fiscal’s office taking it anywhere. Provided we actually find her and she makes a statement agreeing it’s all been an act.’

  ‘So the big shark has slipped away again?’

  ‘It’s looking like that.’

  *****

  Douglas heard the phone ring and picked it up. ‘Ashburner.’

  ‘DCI Caddell, your presence is urgently required in the meeting room next to my office.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘We are waiting on you.’

  He wondered if he was dreaming for a second. ‘Sir,’ he replied and he was on his way down the corridor before his brain had worked through the conversation; things must be going badly if they needed his contribution to any discussion. He knocked on the door and waited for the summons before he entered. The ACC sat at one end of the table, immaculate in his uniform. A man Douglas guessed was the Fiscal, from Susanne’s description, sat next to the ACC. DCI Caddell sat the other end of the table in a crumpled suit. Nicola and Superintendent Willis sat on either side of the table in the middle. Douglas closed the door and looked at Caddell waiting for him to state the reason for his presence.

  ‘The meeting has requested your input.’ Caddell said and pointed at a chair. Douglas followed the hand signal and sat beside Nicola. He glanced around the table and the ACC shifted his bulk in the chair before speaking. ‘Ashburner, we have a decision to make and the situation is fuzzy to say the least. The information concerning Sutherland is still inconclusive at the moment. Please give us your assessment – you were at the interviews and you have read all the documents.’

  ‘I haven’t seen what was on the DVDs, sir,’ Douglas replied.

  ‘Some of what Anthony Doherty told you about the contents of the discs has been verified and we are waiting for the complete report from the forensic accountants…there is a considerable amount of information on the discs.’

  ‘I can only give an off-the-cuff assessment, sir.’

  The ACC nodded. ‘Go on.’

  ‘I think Sutherland has something to hide, although he is probably only indirectly connected to Triffit’s death. He’s not a professional criminal and if we make a big fuss about Edinburgh picking him up he could well run rather than sit it out. If he runs, it would give a reason for a hard look into the bank’s activities.’

  ‘You favour going after him?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘All right, Caddell and Collins will accompany the Edinburgh officers while they arrest Sutherland and we’ll see what comes of that. Thank you Ashburner.’

  ‘Sir,’ Douglas acknowledged and left the room while the discussion continued. Back in the office he cleared his desk and logged out of the computer before turning it off. He was about to leave when Julie entered the office and made a beeline towards his desk. He could tell from her expression she was in a determined mood.

  She leant against the desk and let her coat fall open to expose a skirt almost as short as the gold dress she’d been wearing the night before. ‘What’s wrong with these then?’ she said pointing at her legs.

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Are you sleeping with Tanya?’

  ‘Not yet,’ Douglas said and immediately regretted making the statement.

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean? You hope she’ll succumb to your charms or you’ve both set a date for the event?’

  ‘It means we will be working together in an operation.’

  ‘Oh, so that’s what all the secrecy is about, it’s an undercover job. Anyway, getting back to my legs, don’t you fancy them?’

  ‘There is nothing wrong with your legs, or the person attached to them. It’s the job, it never a good idea to mix business and sex.’

  ‘What about Susanne?’

  ‘I don’t work with her on a daily basis and if I did there would be fireworks all the time. Working with your partner is not a good idea; it rarely pans out and certainly not in this building.’

  ‘I know of loads of liaisons going on in this building and given its past five, some of them are probably going on right now, particularly in the plush offices upstairs.’

  ‘I can’t comment on those, but for me it’s a bad idea.’

  ‘So your answer to a quickie in the stationery cupboard is a no, then?’

  Douglas shook his head. ‘Thanks for the offer, but the answer is no.’

  Julie stood up and pulled her coat around her. ‘That’s the story of my life, whenever I find a good man he’s already taken,’ she said and walked away without looking back.

  Douglas left the building in a depressed mood and walked home to Susanne’s flat.

  *****

  William Tschederer stood on the pavement watching the road for any sign of a car slowing. As a journalist he was familiar with the tension chewing at his stomach. He had faced down death in remote parts of the world and found the possibility of death in this city faintly ridiculous. The short telephone call offered a meeting with a relative of James Doherty and specified a time and place. He walked a short way back towards the junction and checked the Street name and walked back again to see large black Mercedes slowing and stopping. The front passenger door opened and a thickset man got out. ‘Mr Tschederer,’ he said.

  William Tschederer nodded and thickset man opened the rear door of the car. He bent down and looked inside. The man in sitting on the far side of the car was in his mid-forties, fit, clean shaven, with a full head of dark brown hair; the dark blue suit he wore was expensive. ‘Mr Tschederer, we’re on camera here, no need to worry.’

  He recognised a Scottish accent and he got in. The thickset man quietly closed the door and climbed back into the front passenger seat. The chauffer indicated and the car pulled smoothly away from the kerb.

  ‘I’m told you want to talk about the death of my brother, James Doherty?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Ancient history, nobody wants to resurrect that particular episode.’

  ‘The inquest was a complete fiction.’

  The man sighed quietly. ‘Indeed it was, but that doesn’t change anything.’

  ‘Don’t you want to know how your brother died? He was killed by the British Security Services.’

  ‘Tell me something I don’t know, son.’

  ‘They murdered your brother; don’t you want justice for him?’

  ‘What is justice, Mr Tschederer? Please sit back and enjoy
the ride.’

  *****

  The Mercedes pulled into the supermarket car park and stopped in a vacant space on the far side away from the store.

  ‘This is the place, Mr Tschederer.’

  He looked out into the darkness. ‘Where are we?’

  ‘That, over there, is a supermarket and this, over here, is the river Clyde.’

  ‘Why are we here?’

  ‘A history lesson, Mr Tschederer.’

  He followed them as they walked out of the supermarket car park and across the road to the old road bridge over the Clyde. Reluctantly he followed them onto the bridge. The thickset man stopped and waved him on. He saw the tall man stop in the middle of the bridge, lean on the parapet and look down into the water. The flare of a match briefly outlined the harshness of the face.

  ‘This is the Rendezvous Point, Mr Tschederer. Jimmy used to meet them about this time of an evening to receive orders, pass information and deliver people or things.’

  ‘Who did he meet?’

  The cigarette end glowed brightly for a second. ‘They didn’t have a name in those days; nowadays MI6, or the Secret Intelligence Service by its true name, have a website and everyone knows they inhabit that Ziggurat beside the Thames. We were bagmen, odd-job men, clean-up men; we did anything and everything they asked in the war over the water. Jimmy was a soldier in that war, on the side of the Angels if you believe that sort of shite.’

  ‘So they killed one of their own people?’

  ‘You are joking, he wasn’t one of them; he was the paid help and he was killed by what’s called Friendly Fire these days.’

  ‘MI6 killed him?’

  ‘No, the enemy killed him.’

  He stood back. ‘I don’t understand…was it the IRA who killed him?’

  The man laughed, a harsh noise. ‘Are American’s stupid as well as arrogant? That wouldn’t be Friendly Fire. The IRA were the adversaries, they weren’t a threat to the existence of the Firm, they’re one of the reasons it exists. The real enemies are on the other side of the river in Thames House.'

  ‘MI5?’

  ‘Yes, the Security Service had my brother killed because they wanted to prove they were better. My brother was caught in the crossfire of a departmental war.’

  ‘Don’t you want justice for him?’

  ‘Blood money was paid, Mr Tschederer, in the real world that’s a bloody sight more use than justice.’ The man flicked the cigarette end into the river and inclined his head towards the northern end of the bridge. ‘That will be Ms Bond; she has some career advice for you Mr Tschederer. If I was you I’d accept it, they really do have a licence to kill on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government.’