Taunton Barr

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER SEVEN

  This trip Blake was focused on exactly what he needed to do, he took a more comfortable vehicle with state of the art communication systems linked to off the grid privately operated satellites. A Bentley four door sports, deep blue in colour, there was more that reasons of communication that he chose this vehicle. As they left the drive way onto the main road Winston asked Kalika to open the glove box, she did so. He further instructed her to push buttons on a remote device in sequence, it was the remote device for functions within the car such as seats, phone, sound system, GPS. He gave her a series of number and she punched them into the keypad. 'Now push the big button in the centre marked ok.'

  'Oh goodness me.' A computer screen dropped from the top of the glove box filling the hole in the dashboard and the glove box door surface opened and a keyboard rose from its womb. 'Oh ah, well I never.'

  'Push the no 1 on the keyboard and then enter.' She did so and the device in her hand beeped. 'The remote is now a satellite phone, say over every time you finished what you say you will hear nothing with two way conversation.' Kalika was wide eyed studying the screen.

  'Why can't I use my own phone.'

  'Our phones have been tapped for years.'

  'Tapped, what the hell is that.'

  'Traced, listened too.'

  'By whom.'

  'Information companies mainly, they then sell the information to interested parties.'

  'What.'

  'Keep going, we need send a written instruction to Jack Prendergast in the UK.'

  'Jack Prendergast died just after Flaxmead won the Melbourne Cup, his horse Brazen Heart came in behind Flaxmead.'

  'Yeah but his son didn't, his name is Jack.'

  'Oh, why am I doing all this.'

  'When Taunton Barr is old enough to run in the national I may be long gone.'

  Kalika sat back in her seat with her hands in the air. 'Wow hang on, I can't do this alone.'

  'Then it will be up to you to delegate people you trust just like I'm doing now.'

  Kalika gazed at the keyboard and hesitated. 'What else is involved in taking this responsibility you insist I have.'

  'You are in my will as the benefactor of everything, including the empire Wilson Hornswaddle and Bartholomew Fothrington left to me.'

  'What about your daughter.'

  'Rose is not a morale person, I bail her out of problems on a regular basis. She is like her mother, she likes being looked after, nothing more.'

  Kalika gazed out the front window as the Bentley whisked past everything in the outside lane of the motorway. 'My dad would be ashamed of my hesitation and so am I.'

  'Push F1. Now hold down Ctrl and push 1 three times.'

  'The screen has lit up and I have a cursor.'

  'You are on direct line to Jack Prendergast, the computer will send a coded message, you just type it in as you would writing a letter.'

  'Type what.' She sat poised ready to type, Kalika had a lightning keyboard skill.

  'Jack, load Flaxmead and Cumberland onto the first plane to Flax Burton that you can. Need them here in 24 hours. Kalika Palmer. Out.'

  'Why my name, he would expect yours.'

  'He wont be surprised we correspond once a day.'

  'Why would he send Flaxmead over here when he's already here.'

  'He doesn't know he manages a double.'

  'Should he know.'

  'No, Jack is a good man but those around him are of concern. You remember Theo Delores, the smiling assassin.'

  'Yes, what a terrible man.'

  'He was released from prison two years ago, he is up to his old tricks again, to give people information they just don't need is dangerous. There is no reason Jack should know he is fostering impersonation. Adds to the quality of the deception and keeps him a lot safer, Delores is prone to extracting information by deception and he's good at it. Can't tell anyone anything you don't know.'

  Kalika shrugged her shoulders and pouted in agreement. 'Mmm, sounds logical.'

  'Now press F2, you are now on an old frequency that was infiltrated by hackers, but it has it uses. We pass relevant information through it on a regular basis so the perpetrators think it is our main communication line, we have to do that, we can only send information that is misleading and of our benefit rarely. This is one of those occasions. Will put the hounds back on Taunton's trail. Press and hold Ctrl then hit six three times.'

  'I have a cursor again.'

  'We believe it is a character called Beaker, we can't find his real name that's what they call him at TBHA. Any information we send gets straight through to Ashby. A check is made daily to see if they are still using the contact, yesterday I sent a message involving a new foal at a training operation in outer London. They wanted to sell a foal for a pittance to get out of financial difficulty, I refused to lend them any more money they are hopeless business people. Within an hour Ashby arrived at the operation with Beaker and purchased the foal. The day that stops is the day we change frequency again and that is dangerous, we have only had to do it once in ten years.'

  'I know Beaker he's a nice man.'

  'Agreed but he is misguided. He will think it is a message to Jack Prendergast but only goes to him as no one within the organisation uses the frequency any more or the code which we leaked to him on purpose. Message, devastated to hear Flaxmead unwell, transport to Flax Burton immediately with Cumberland. Blood test serious complications, all resources ready to stand by his side. Winston. That will have them hoping around for a few days while we patch up a few holes.'

  'Why can't you find out Beakers real name, he could be operating else where with his real name.'

  Winston turned to her for a quick glance with a wide smile. 'That's a girl, we have found two names that could be him, graduate of Oxford, his appearance is easily distinguishable but we think his glasses are a prop. Close up of his face show the lenses to be solid glass bevelled on the edge only, makes them look like magnifiers but they are plain flat glass across the centre. Without them he would look completely different and face recognition can't be relied on without his glasses they are so big. He also wears a wig, whoever he is he's a clever man driven by money but I think that is his business education not his character. when push comes to shove I think he can be got at. He runs a rescue home for endangered race horses, must cost a fortune to maintain, no one knows about it, stumbled on it when going to pick up a horse destined for the abattoir not far from here. Was a float there picking it up, the float driver was most obliging, obviously unaware referring to Beaker as his boss. Later surveillance confirmed his attendance there on a regular basis.'

  'His real name not associated with the paperwork for the operation.'

  'No, its run by a woman, Christine Kent.'

  'Head of the RSPCA save the horses committee.'

  'Probably her yes, they find new homes for the animals, mainly children that have resources to agist but can't afford a horse, investigation shows they do a really good job and are above boards. I have at times donated considerable sums, Beaker is aware of this, when the time comes he could be helpful. I also send form of our own horses, he uses it to calculate risk associated with betting, when we send the information our horse odds fall considerably due to heavy backing of our in form stock. Its always cash to unsolicited bookies so you can't trace the source.'

  'Do I send any more.'

  'Press F6.'

  'I have a cursor already.'

  'Flaxmead on route to Flax Burton from Australia. End.'

  'Who's that.'

  'I have no idea. Push the off button on the hand controller.' The screen and keyboard retracted. 'Put the controller in the glove box.' The glove box closed itself.

  Kalika sat back in her seat with her eyes closed until she felt the car slow and turn, she opened her eyes, she had been thinking of Lindy and Kristy. 'I'm sure the police said they were looking for Kristy and her second name was Ballard.'

  'Yes.'

  'Why is her name not Palmer.'r />
  'Your father's not on the birth certificate, the man who is was killed three weeks ago.'

  'If my father is her father why was this man listed as the father.'

  'My idea, to protect Roger and keep traceable information from you.'

  'Why.'

  'Seemed like a good idea at the time, has backfired badly. Barr is a very small place.'

  'We have to find Kristy.'

  'I know exactly where she is.'

  'The house at the end of the lane is empty, you sai....'

  'Things aren't always as they would appear, she's there, we do have a major problem I must admit.'

  'Such as.'

  'The person on the birth certificate began to blackmail Lindy, he had been her boyfriend and found out he was infertile, he then knew someone else was the child's father. Sources outside my control found out, I assume they took care of the problem.'

  'Who.'

  'I don't know, even if I did I could and would do nothing.'

  'He was murdered.'

  'No doubt.'

  'Don't you think we should do something about it.'

  'Yes, make sure it doesn't happen to us.'

  'The poor man, I feel sorry for him.'

  'He knew the risks, live by the sword and you will die by it, just make sure you have a bigger sword. He stepped on some very powerful peoples toes, Flaxmead's influence and power spreads so far now to endanger his existence or those around him you invite attention. I no longer control how those things work but I try to influence them, blackmailing a dynasty is suicide unless you are one. A very clear message was delivered to the people of Barr.'

  'All the attention there, the police, surely we will come under scrutiny if we take Kristy.'

  'Rogers gone, something tragic, we must make what we can of the pieces, we break ranks and come out in the open. All of them will hide like the rats some of them are.'

  'You know more than you are telling me.'

  'Of course, or I can teach you nothing.'

  'What if the poor dead man was Kristy's father.'

  'Your father answered that question with a DNA analysis when she was born, she if your half sister.'

  The Bentley crept down the lane. 'Place is dead.'

  'Always is, that's why we came here in the first place.'

  He crept past Oldbury Lodge, the curtains moved. They approached the mansion at the end of the lane, the wrought iron gates opened by themselves. 'They automatic.'

  'No, the vehicle is transmitting a code, more than one reason we brought this vehicle.'

  The wall in front of them to the far left of the mansion moved to one side. 'The wall's moving.'

  'Yes, things will go dark when it closes, don't be alarmed. The security system will check the codes emitted by the car then.'

  'Oh, we're going down.'

  'It's a lift.' The vehicle's descent came to a stop and light's came on, they were to one side of an open cavern. There was a Bentley the same as theirs parked next to them to the left, it was black, sitting on an adjacent lift. 'Open the back door of that car and take the child restraint and put it in the back of this one.' Kalika went to work. Two people came into the room through a door on the far side of the cavern, some twenty metres away. They were followed by a little girl in a blue dress.

  'You've come for her.'

  'Yes.'

  'You killed my son.'

  'Your son killed himself, what he did was suicide.'

  'I'm sorry about Roger.'

  'Kristy come here.' The little girl walked up to Winston. 'You remember me.'

  'You took my horse.'

  'No, I haven't taken it, just put it somewhere safe.'

  'Can I see him.'

  'Yes, mummy is waiting for you with your horse. I have someone here you should meet.'

  She looked around Winston's shoulder, he was bent down on one knee. 'There's a lady in the car.'

  'No ordinary lady, she's your sister.'

  'I don't have a sister.'

  'You do, your sister didn't know either.'

  Kristy walked around Winston toward the car.

  One of the pair stepped forward. 'Kristy come back.'

  Winston stood and blocked his path. 'Stand back.'

  The man looked daggers into his eyes. 'You'll pay for this.'

  'I can do nothing more for you, your on your own. Be out of here in a week or people will know of your whereabouts.'

  'We need a place to stay.'

  'Find one.'

  'We need work.'

  'Find some.'

  'People will be after us.'

  'Run.'

  'You bastard.'

  'I would say the same of you but I'd be praising you up somewhat. I don't know the exact depth of your misguidance but should the need arise so be it.' Winston walked backwards, Kalika and Kristy had been hugging each other tight in the back of the car she saw Winston coming and began to strap Kristy into the seat with haste. Winston sat down and hurriedly closed the door. Kalika kept one eye on the two strangers as the lift began to rise, she hastily secured the straps on the chair, she stopped in her tracks fixing her gaze on one of the man's hand.

  'He has a gun in his hand.'

  'But lacks the courage to use it, he hides behind a murdered son.'

  'What will happen to them.'

  'Up to them, I wash my hands of them. Was Roger who set all this up. Good people live round here, we brought this here, up to us to fix it. Don't worry, nobody will be affected by our mistakes.'

  Kalika fiddled with Kristy's seat adjusting the straps to make sure she was comfortable, she had her knees on the seat looking into the back of the car. 'There's a Land Rover following us.'

  Winston studied his mirrors. 'Green with a red haired woman driving.'

  'Yes.'

  'Hillary Barton, Grant Barton's wife.'

  'She has that old man with her that was driving the tractor.'

  'Wilfred Barton.'

  She turned and sat back down. 'Should we be worried.'

  Winton looked at his watch. 'No, Wilfred goes to the pub this day and time every week.'

  'The police were looking for that woman.'

  'Yes.'

  'Why.'

  'Traffic fines, they don't believe in having licences or paying road tax or anything else that involves giving someone money.'

  'They own all this land here, I think I heard you say.'

  'Yes, far more than round here, Wilfred came into a lot of money long ago while he was still in north Yorkshire. His son leads him down the garden with just about everything. It's Hillary that's the problem, her father is a powerful man.'

  'You know all this but acted like you didn't know them when here last.'

  'I don't know them, I know of them, to protect your fathers dream we had to monitor everything. I've been thinking about breaking ranks but we still need be careful. Running Flaxmead in a steeplechase will cause multi faceted problems. We plan to run him in a few very small meetings, I also plan to change his name.'

  'We can do that.'

  'Mmm, yes, some are underhanded, a horses name was once changed by deed pole as it entered the stall, by the end of the race it had a different name and everyone's fifty to one winning ticket was worthless.'

  'Oh god, why.'

  'Money.'

  'Surely that would be challenged.'

  'No one broke the law, they just did something socially unacceptable, we have to avoid the latter.'

  'Equestrian horses have had their name changed.'

  'Yes, forced to change name because when competing in a foreign land if the incoming horse has a name the same as one already competing in the host country, it must race under another name.'

  'But there is no horse in this country with the name of Flaxmead.'

  'Ahh but there is, achieved with a little help from our friend Beagle. When Roger started to train Flaxmead here we thought of this, we sent messages indicating we would be bringing Flaxmead to run in the Derby again and
that a risk was someone else would register a horse in the UK with the name causing problems for Flaxmead being unable to run under his real name. We suggested this would be unacceptable and we would abandonee the plan should this happen. The very next day Ashby applied for the name Flaxmead for one of his foals, as Flaxmead is registered in Australia and had not run for some time they shuffled the paperwork through without consultation. We hoped that would be the case, we will now apply for a different name to run Flaxmead under, we will transfer the name Taunton Barr.'

  'Surely that's difficult and unnecessary.'

  'Time to have a chat with Beagle.'

  Kalika shook her head wide eyed. 'I just don't see the need, just break ranks we're used to attention.'

  'Flaxmead has to earn thirteen thousand pounds in steeplechase races before he is legible to race in the national. Can you imagine the disruption to betting odds, ground attendance, paraphernalia sales, they are controlled by few people, the risk of interference is too high. He will run the race as Taunton Barr and no one will be any the wiser until he's in the stall with Lindy Cumberland on his back. Only then can he not be stopped and the steeplechase aristocracy will be putty in your hands.'

  'Surely Flaxmead would qualify he's won multi millions.'

  'The public love a battler, when the story breaks after the race any resistance by the establishment will come back at them, and there will be plenty don't worry about that, they can't help themselves, was your fathers intention that he wins the race on the set path.'

  'I like it all of a sudden.' Winston entered the motorway but he stuck in the inside lanes at a steady speed. 'We are going awful slow is that because of Kristy.'

  'No, see the red dot on the screen,' he pointed to a screen on the dash, 'its the float at this speed it will enter the motorway just in front of us from the Glastonbury interchange, the float is tracking us as well.'

  'What about Kristy's things, they would be in that mansion house.'

  'Hillary Barton will break rank in the pub with her step father, she will attempt to cause as much controversy as possible, 'I'm sure of that, she is infertile and tried to adopt Kristy, she used the tact that her father was a drug dealer, true unfortunately, but in other ways fortunate. Drug syndicates don't like attention, police, government authorities all brought into play by Hillary's complaints, dead men tell no tales.'

  'The mansion, she'll cause more attention.'

  'By tomorrow morning the place will be empty top and bottom, as it was when I first purchased it, some nasty people that handle those kind of things will visit the place in the very early hours of the morning. Indeed the police will raid the place but heat will go back on Hillary. Her powerful father has some skeletons in the closet and we no longer need him, Hillary will pay her fines that amount to many thousands of pounds or go to prison, possibly both.

  'Do I get to know whom this powerful person is.'

  'No.'

  'I don't need to know.'

  'Currently no.'

  'Emm, they would know you own that mansion.'

  'It's part of the Hornswaddle Fothrington estate, indirectly yes, acquisition by will would show no intent to acquire.'

  'The couple in the mansion.'

  'Are on their way to Bristol airport in the black Bentley, they will leave the vehicle there, board an overseas flight and never be seen again.'

  Kalika looked at Winston, her left eye twitched. 'They will be okay.'

  'Out of my control and none of my business.'

  'I had no idea my dad was like that, you know, would set a path like he did.'

  'He didn't, other's actions set him on this path, last things he wanted to do, you can change nothing unless you become involved.'

  Kalika unfastened her seat belt and turned around on her knees, she fussed and talked to Kristy, Kalika noticed she was very intelligent for her age. 'She's far smarter than me when I was her age, not that I remember.'

  'Home tutored by a professional since she was three, never has attended a school, a point Hillary Barton used to try to gain access to her, brilliant pianist for her age, do believe you were a dab hand as well.'

  'Really, I think I did.'

  'We are coming up on the float.'

  Kalika buckled back in, they pushed in the inner lane between another lorry. Kalika's mind drifted. 'Ever had all the things you love in one place and been affected by the only one that wasn't there.'

  'Yes, on more than one occasion.'

  'Do you think all this speculation and planning will work.'

  'Things only work when you make them.'

  They pushed on toward Flax Burton.