In Treacherous Waters

by Richard V Frankland

  “We have brought in the police artist from Faro who is working with them at this moment endeavouring to obtain an image of that very man; when he is finished I would be happy to supply you with a copy,” informed the station’s chief inspector.

  “That is most kind of you, thank you. One further request, would it be possible for me to be in the interview observation room when you start your questioning?”

  “Certainly, I will ask Agent Boquinhas to sit with you and translate. Please let us make a start.”

  The interview of Carlinhos Sousa got underway and De Lacerda demonstrated straight away that he was not always the “mister ultra polite” that he had appeared to be when talking to Vaughan. After some minutes, the interview was interrupted by a uniformed policeman entering with the artist’s impression of the man known as Leonardo.

  “The artist has also been talking to Bento Sousa so this picture is probably a composite of the two descriptions,” Boquinhas said quietly. “De Lacerdo is now asking Carlinhos whether that picture is correct, and he say that it is very close with maybe the face just a little thinner.”

  “What other features were there about the man?” asked Vaughan.

  “Apparently none that he can recall, De Lacerda has just asked that question. Sousa say it is some weeks since they last met this Leonardo.”

  After ten minutes or so the policeman entered again having got the artist to make the further adjustment to the Leonardo impression. This time Carlinhos agreed that it was a good likeness and the policeman was sent away with the picture to have copies made. After an hour De Lacerda declared that his first interview was over and ordered that the brothers be taken to Lisbon where they would be held for further questioning before being placed on trial.

  “Carlinhos Sousa and his brother have been very keen to co-operate with us and his answers reveal a great deal about the workings of the Graciano gang and its part in relieving the equipment stores of our Portuguese Army and that of Spain of a considerable amount of weaponry,” said Boquinhas, “These revelations also linked this mysterious character Leonardo to the thefts, which were probably some of the old HK 417 rifles based on the Heckler & Koch G3 that fired the now disused 7.62 bullet.”

  “Your Army still issues those weapons to its troops, as I painfully found out in Madeira.”

  Boquinhas gave Vaughan a questioning look.

  “I’ll explain later. Does De Lacerda need to talk to Lieutenant Heathcote or Senhora Ronaldo?”

  “I will ask for you, please wait here.”

  Five minutes later Boquinhas returned, “Senhor De Lacerda say that questions to these ladies is the responsibility of Commodore Campbell in England so they are free to leave in your care. He is much more interested in learning about this Leonardo and will be asking many more questions of the other Sousa brother arrested today. If this Leonardo is Galician Mafia and their information leads to his arrest then De Lacerda will have maybe shed a light on a very dark corner of our criminal world, Senhor Vaughan.”

  “According to the older Sousa brother, this Leonardo is in London and he didn’t expect him to come here as they were about to move the women somewhere else, where, he didn’t know. Tell me, was Graciano’s gang part of this Mafia group?”

  “We are not sure. There is no doubt that taking out a large part of that gang, including its leader, is very helpful for us and we hope to soon find the last of his team that kidnapped your Lieutenant and Ms Ronaldo, but whether he will be willing to own up to membership of such an organisation as the Galician Mafia is very doubtful,” said Boquinhas. “Other than the passport, the Englishman, Jacobs is a mystery, there was nothing to definitely identify him by, either on his body, or in the vehicle he was driving.”

  “Did your people find the concealed people-smuggling compartment behind the lorry’s cab?”

  “No, we did not!” said Boquinhas visibly shocked, “Is there such a place?”

  “According to the Sousa brothers there is. I would also suggest that you look for other secret compartments as I am sure that people smuggling is not the only illegal business that the lorry was used for.”

  Ascensao entered the room, “We are having the vehicle brought here for further investigation so I will go now and make sure that these compartments are discovered. Oh, here is the artist’s impression that De Lacerda promised you,” he said handing Vaughan a brown envelope.

  De Lacerda and Agent Boquinhas left shortly after saying their farewells, leaving Agent Ascensao to drive the two women and Vaughan to the marina and see them on board Vaughan’s yacht. Vaughan was relieved that it was night-time, which would make their departure much less of a spectacle for idle or interested observers.

  “I’ll get the footbridge raised for you,” said Ascensao, as Vaughan went to step ashore again to see if the marina office was still open.

  “Thanks and thank you for all of your support while I have been here,” replied Vaughan, shaking Ascensao’s hand. “You’ve been brilliant.”

  “Ter uma viagem segura e cuidar,” replied Ascensao wishing him a safe journey.

  “Obrigado, Senhor Ascensao.”

  ***

  The river current helped when Vaughan cast off from the pontoon as he saw the footbridge begin to lift. It was only a short distance to the sea and, running before the wind, now under full sail they had soon gone far enough south and clear of the coast to switch off the navigation lights and point the yacht’s bow west-south-west on a broad reach to clear the tip of the Algarve, Fortaleza de Sagres.

  “Why no lights?” asked Heathcote, who had just joined Vaughan in the cockpit.

  “I didn’t want anyone second guessing where we are bound for but with clear skies and a half moon a bit later that is a fond hope.”

  “Yes, it is rather.”

  “Could you keep a lookout for a few minutes? I want to take a look at that identity sketch of this mysterious Leonardo who appears to put the fear of God into everybody,” said Vaughan. “The auto helm is doing the steering so it’s just keeping an eye out for other boats.”

  “I have sailed before, Vaughan.”

  “It’s ‘Ian’ when you are on board my boat, Penny,” replied Vaughan, as he turned to go below.

  The envelope was on the chart table and opening it he pulled the picture out and switched on the chart table light. “Good God, it can’t be,” he exclaimed. “No, it can’t be Staunton,” looking up into the cockpit he said, “Hey, Penny, take a look at this.”

  Penny Heathcote gave a quick look around then came below to join Vaughan at the chart table.

  “What am I supposed to be looking at? Oh heavens above, that is Staunton surely!”

  “It surely is, Penny, and it ties in with how and why Staunton appeared like a rabbit from a hat in Gibraltar,” replied Vaughan, “Oh, by the way, did you know that we have been suspended? In fact I have been fired altogether never to darken your office door again.”

  Heathcote looked shocked. “Yes, Lorna told me about our situation but I didn’t know about you,” she replied, giving Vaughan a rather sorrowful look. “I feel sorry for the Commodore, he has worked so hard to get his section up to speed and now this.”

  “And according to Staunton I am the main reason, along with the Commodore, for DELCO to be closed down,” said Vaughan. “He claims that it’s all my fault in involving myself with the affairs of another nation beyond the brief of my assignment.”

  “When the first reports hit, you were acclaimed as a hero and the PM appeared to be over the moon that the British Intelligence Services had saved a friendly nation’s government from being overthrown. Just before I left, however, there were rumblings that several MPs thought your interference was against a democratic process within the EU and not something that the British Intelligence Services should be doing, so applied some pressure on the PM and Sir Andrew Averrille,” replied Penny. “I was surprised that Sir Andrew was falling for it but he had received a huge amount of negative reporting about you from Staunto
n during the period when the Commodore was away on honeymoon.”

  “Well, this may be the reason for Staunton’s negative reporting, as it appears he was supposedly involved with the Galician Mafia.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “I was listening in when De Lacerda was interviewing Carlinhos Sousa, the older of the two brothers.”

  “And he said that Staunton was associated with this Mafia bunch?”

  “No, what he said was that the mysterious Leonardo might be, but Graciano’s bunch had links with it, anyway that sketch may not be Staunton, just someone that looks very like him.”

  “Oh, don’t spoil it, I was really looking forward to that man getting his come-uppance.”

  “When is your next reporting time to Lorna?”

  “There is no fixed time for that but apparently her contact with the Commodore is very limited.”

  “Have you got a signal on your phone?”

  “I’ll check, hold on.”

  “I’ll be in the cockpit, Penny.”

  On deck Vaughan quickly searched for other vessels then checked the yacht’s heading and the set of the sails, trimming the staysail in slightly, he had just finished when Penny appeared. “I’ve got a signal, do you want me to contact Lorna now? It’s one in the morning.”

  “Yes, even if we have to wake her up, it’s important that suspicion is put on Staunton as soon as possible, before he can do any more damage.”

  “Yes, of course it is, hold on I’ll call her now.”

  “Tell her about the identity picture but also tell her that Staunton was supposed to have been the agent tasked with searching for you and Anna-Maria by Sir Andrew Averrille, he had all the information to start the search that I had, yet he didn’t put in an appearance at Lagos. And don’t forget to mention Jacobs, and what the Sousa brother told me about his family having been in the British Army for generations.” Vaughan thought for a moment or two then added. “Jacobs and Staunton may well have worked together previously; we need a check on both their service records.”

  Ten minutes later Heathcote had conveyed all the latest information and received worrying news back.

  “The Commodore has agreed about you sailing us back but that was about all she could tell us, she will not be in touch with the Commodore until much later today and will convey all of our information. I just hope that he will be listened to when he passes it to Sir Andrew.”

  “Why shouldn’t he be?”

  “You won’t like the sound of this, but apparently Staunton having taken over the Commodore’s office has delegated four agents to search for us.”

  “How does she know that?”

  “Apparently the Commodore has been in touch with Celia Marsh, Sir Andrew’s secretary. She and his first wife were close friends years ago and I know she has a soft spot for the Commodore.”

  “If Staunton finds out that you are both with me he will probably also have learnt that we left Lagos by sea. No stops on the way home then if we can help it,” said Vaughan. “Is Anna-Maria awake? A thought has just occurred to me, it was something the Commodore said about Staunton being given the role of my controller.”

  “She was in the heads a few minutes ago, do you want me to fetch her?” asked Heathcote.

  “No, Penny, just show her the picture and ask if she ever saw the man whilst she was in Luanda.”

  A few minutes later Anna-Maria came up into the cockpit holding the picture. “It was a long time ago, Ian, but this man is very much like David’s colleague on that last trip to Cabinda Province, do you think he had something to do with David’s death?”

  “I don’t know for sure, I need to find out if there is a link between this man and your stepfather.”

  “The black notebook, if only I had kept the black notebook,” she said, shaking her head in apparent despair.

  “Unless you are an amazing code breaker that notebook will be of no use until it is in the hands of our code breaker specialists,” replied Vaughan. “Leave the picture on the chart table I’ll put it away when I come below.”

  “Do you want a baguette? I’m feeling hungry.”

  “Thanks, that would be great.”

  After the light meal Vaughan and Heathcote agreed a watch keeping schedule of four hours on four hours off, leaving galley duty to Anna-Maria who, Vaughan noticed with a smile, was very relieved not to be included in handling the boat.

  “We’ll start in six hours’ time, Penny, you get your head down, I’ll need you to be fully rested for when we round the point and start to beat northwards into the wind.”

  ***

  It was four o’clock when Yakov Gorokhin switched off the desk lamp, leant back in his chair and rubbed his tired eyes. He had received the black notebook two days ago and was still no further forward in unlocking the codes it contained. The frustration he felt was due to the fact that the code was obviously consistent which meant that once unlocked it would read as easily as a normal book. Standing, he stretched and walked the two paces to the window and drew back the curtains. The grey dawn over Hampstead did nothing to raise his spirits. In two hours’ time Leonard would be in touch, his purring opening to conversations turning to sarcasm and threats when once again he would be told of Yakov’s failure. He went to the bathroom, used the toilet, then splashed water on his face in a vain attempt to restore function to his brain, before wandering into the kitchen to put a kettle on to boil. Yawning, he selected a mug from the pile of dirty crockery and swished it around under water from the hot tap.

  Back at his desk, a steaming cup of coffee in hand, he switched the lamp back on and looked at the notebook again; reaching across for another clean sheet of squared paper he considered the function of the Greek letters in the context of the overall page. Yakov Gorokhin had just taken the first step through the maze.

  CHAPTER 9

  At 85 Albert Embankment, London, Staunton limped into the surveillance section of SIS dedicated to the Campbell watch.

  “Anything to report?”

  “No, Sir, nothing at all, unless you are interested in how much gardening they are doing. His wife looks very tasty in a bikini.”

  Staunton ignored the remark.

  “Phone calls?”

  “Nothing of note,” said the tracker seated in front of four monitors and wearing headphones. “She chats to her parents every couple of days and places orders with their grocer, that type of thing; it’s all in the log.”

  “What about internals?” asked Staunton.

  “Oh, they’re a lot of laughs they are. Those two have quite a sense of humour, he’s talking a lot about getting a yacht and going cruising. I’ll tell you what, I wish my missus was as fond of me as she is of him, cor.”

  “Keep with it, he’s going to make a slip-up sooner or later.”

  “Do you think he knows we are doing this?”

  “Of course he bloody does, idiot.”

  With that Staunton left the monitoring co-ordination centre.

  The tracker turned and went to make a comment but thought better of it. Just watch, listen and record, that is all the job was about; other than keep your mouth shut about what you see, hear and record.

  “So that is the new supremo then,” said the tracker in the next booth.

  “Yeh, bit abrupt.”

  “A right bastard from what I hear.”

  “Really? Oh, hold on Campbell’s picked up the phone.”

  He listened intently waiting for the person called to pick up. “Tyrrhenian Yacht Brokerage, Charlotte Beecham speaking.”

  “Ah, Miss Beecham, Alex Campbell here, how are you today?”

  “Very well thank you, Mr Campbell, I am so pleased you called, I have heard from the owner of the Oyster 45 you are interested in, he informed me that it is currently under the care of a highly qualified delivery skipper and two crew and currently heading up from the Med. The yacht in fact should be at Plymouth in about seven to eight days, all being well.”

  “Terrific news, woul
d you be kind enough to get the owner to contact me when it has arrived so that we can arrange a convenient inspection date.”

  “Certainly, Mr Campbell, is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No, thank you, that is all for now.”

  The goodbyes said, the tracker switched off the recorder and put a note in the log.

  In the Campbell household in Dulwich, Alex Campbell put the phone down smiling as much at Lorna Parker-Davis’ cut-glass accent as at the news she had just conveyed concerning Vaughan’s current status.

  Back at his desk, Staunton, unaware of the fate of Jacobs and the release of the two women, sat wondering how he could engineer an immediate trip to Burgau to question Anna-Maria Patterson about the code book. His checks on her had revealed that she was in fact a highly intelligent young lady and therefore he thought quite capable of figuring out Vermeulen’s code. Why Yakov Gorokhin had failed he was not sure, maybe the man was looking for something more complex and missing the obvious; Vermeulen, he thought, was no genius.

  His right foot, encased in a light plaster and boot, was hurting and he swivelled his chair round so that he could put it up on the desk. Six to eight weeks they had said before the plaster could come off.

  Once Vaughan was found he would have him killed. He would have happily done it in Gibraltar but for Frazer’s presence.

  Staunton then checked his mobile again for any messages from Jacobs, thinking that it was strange for the man not to report in to update him following the report of the pick-up.

  A knock on his office door disturbed his thoughts, “Come.”

  Sir Andrew Averrille entered the office looking rather harassed.

  Staunton leapt to his feet, “Sir Andrew, how may I help?”

  “I have just heard that you have sent Agents Graham, Levens, Housmann and Page to Spain on the hunt for these two women believed to have been abducted. What is this all about?”