by Brian Cain
CHAPTER FOUR
Suddenly called away from her desk following current affairs Jodi had become oblivious to her mingling escorts protecting her every move. She often lit their cigarettes and commented the habit may kill them before their jobs. And then there was the fleeting glimpse of a man that looked like John occasionally, she thought she may be going mad the effects of work and public pressure building at the back of her mind.
Carstairs Brandon and Wolverbrower, in big letters of gold above the marble steps and over the olden oak doors, Jodi stood on the Fleet Street pavement looking up biting her bottom lip. Not unusual to find chambers of law near the Royal Courts but why would Hedley Pike and Jasmine Jackal frequent these particular chambers on a daily basis, and whom made the call bringing her attention to the fact, a female voice claiming current affairs not Bella Elizabeth but a most refined English accent. Jodi noticed the curtain move at the bay window to her left, she could see a figure behind the lace curtain but couldn’t make out if male of female, the figure moved away. She boldly walked up the steps and about to push the intercom button on the wall, she was surprised to find the door latch clunk before she pressed the button, she pushed the antique timber surface near the centre where the two arched structures meet and the door whisked open. Thick and bulky it required no effort, she stepped inside and the door closed behind her, the smell and decor reminded her of Westminster corridors of power, wooden walls, floors, bees wax, brandy and cigar smoke.
A refined middle aged lady wearing a grey suit appeared from the first door on the left as she looked down the long corridor, Jodi admired the high ceilings and ornate carvings making up the cornice. The woman walked towards her stopping just outside Jodi’s space and Jodi looked her in the face, the woman wore a false brazen smile and Jodi felt an immediate dislike, her grey suit and white shirt open at the front exposing an ample cleavage and the woman’s grey suit skirt would expose her underwear when seated, her stocking tops making it obvious she wore suspenders. “Can I help you,” she asked.
Jodi looked her up and down wearing a blank face making sure the woman was aware of her disapproval. “The men in the building help themselves do they.”
“I beg your pardon,” the woman dropped her chin looking from the top of her eye sockets.
“Id like to see the CEO.”
The woman held her head back with a sneer. “You have an appointment?”
“Yes thanks and Ill be late for it if I spend too much time here.”
The woman’s flawless face faultlessly prepared by plastic surgery and careful make up application took a look of bland hatred. “You require an appointment to see anyone here.”
“I didn’t catch your name.”
“Miss Pringle, and yours.”
Jodi chuckled under her breath. “Jodi, Jodi Stanton.”
Pringles eyes opened wide, she nervously pulled her skirt down and attempted to cover her exposed cleavage. “Em, your husband is John Stanton, you are a journalist from Simpson group a few doors down.” Jodi nodded. “Please forgive I thought your face was familiar.”
“The CEO, would you tell him I’m here and find out if he can see me?”
“Certainly, please wait while I see if Mr Reichmann can see you.” Pringle strutted back into her office cutting a formidable wake, Jodi sneered at the swaying body, Pringle’s short suit skirt riding up and exposing her suspenders. She came back to the door within seconds, “Mr Reichmann will see you now, second door on the right.”
“Hans Reichmann.”
“Gustav Reichmann, he has an elder brother also a barrister named Hans.”
Jodi walked swiftly passed Pringle standing in the door to her right, Jodi’s long blonde locks streaming out behind her brushed against Pringle as Jodi tossed her head away from her as she passed. Pringle withdrew and closed the door to her office, returned to her desk and answered the phone.
Jodi knocked on the second door to the right bearing Reichmann’s name. A few seconds and a middle aged blonde haired man with a prominent square jaw wearing a white shirt, black tie, suit pants and black brogue shoes. His tie caught her eye bearing the insignia of The Law Society. She suddenly recalled his face seeing him before at the Chancery Lane Law Society offices whilst working on court stories, he became agitated upon seeing her and visions of a British patriot conjured up by Jodi’s senses vanished when he spoke in an obvious German accent. “Mrs Stanton, what an unexpected surprise, please come in.”
Jodi frowned, she was used to people being awkward at first instance, a natural human response upon being confronted by prying journalists with power beyond control but something wasn’t right here. Carstairs Brandon and Wolverbrower had been a practicing law group since before the formation of the Law Society in 1825, why was a German now CEO.
Reichmann watched Jodi waft past him, her pretty features, powerful bouquet, flowing blonde hair and flowery blue dress at close quarters jarred his concentration from defensive thought train to one of lust. He had seen Jodi at a distance but never so close as to smell and converse with her presence, this was going to be far more difficult than he predicted. Between the door and assisting with Jodi’s chair to make sure she was comfortable, a multitude of things raced through his mind, the final one as he sat down behind his desk was the fact John Stanton would know she was there. Jodi wore an inquisitive bland face, conjured up by years of experience depicting neutrality. “Gustav, you have a brother Hans.”
Reichmann nodded with a half smile, she caught him unaware. “Yes.” He blinked several times and fiddled with papers in front of him. “He deals with matters in the horse racing industry.”
Jodi pounced. “He was banished, some rather delicate affairs at Ascot.”
Gustav hesitated looking straight at Jodi. “He was responsible for what happened, he wasn’t involved, comes with the job.”
“Rubbish.”
Gustav drew a big breath, then exhaled with obvious disapproval. “Why are you here Mrs Stanton?”
“Hedley Pike and Jasmine Jackal attended these chambers on a regular basis, daily it appears, can you explain why.”
“You should be well aware we don’t discuss client affairs.”
“They attended during working hours, Simpson group working hours, that makes it my business.”
“You are an editing journalist not a Simpson representative of internal affairs, I would be willing to discuss such things with an appropriate member of your organisation.”
“Hedley Pike resigned, you must know that, he was handling internal affairs as was Jasmine Jackal for my father William Bradley Simpson.”
Gustav sat motionless, stopped in his tracks, he threw his pen to one side, his brain scrambled for direction. “Are you sure.”
“He packed up and left after my husband had a private conversation with him in his office.”
Gustav rubbed his mouth with his right hand and rolled his lips, he rubbed his hands together. “I'll talk to your father but am unable to talk to you any more, I’m sorry, I must insist you leave.”
“Would you rather speak to my husband, because frankly I think you’re an arsehole, my husband handles arseholes far better than I?”
Gustav coughed interlocking his fingers and resting his hands on his chest. “We deal with things within the law Mrs Stanton, rash demands and threats can get you into deep trouble.” Jodi got up and headed for the door, Gustav raised his voice. “And your husband is becoming a very powerful man Mrs Stanton, please sit down.”
Jodi stopped with her hand on the door know, she smiled looking at the door, she had found out what she wanted to know, she returned to her seat with an ace up her sleeve. “How did you gain control of Carstairs Brandon and Wolverbrower, I know the Wolverbrower family was originally German but Carstairs always controlled the group.”
“It’s a long story and I’m due in court.”
“If I leave it’s my husband, I may be your only hope if there is an ounce of patriotism in the truth.”
Reichmann
hesitated, he tapped the table with his fingers briefly glancing at the ceiling, he picked up his phone giving Pringle instructions to hold his court appearance then gently replaced the receiver. “Your husband is currently rather heavy handed, the misguided and evil as he puts it have little chance when it comes to democratic justice.”
Jodi received more information, Reichmann obviously thought Jodi was privy to classified information and daily chats on MI affairs with her husband. She dug deep to see how far she could go. “Wilhelm Brewster the child molester and murderer, Carstairs had the case quashed due to discrepancies of law rendering valuable evidence inadmissible in court, he's been hidden away, you call that justice.”
“We have a system, sometimes it can be manipulated we know that, we can only go with fact available at the time.”
“Or bags of money from the Brewster family, millions of pounds to sway opinion.”
Gustav sighed. “One of the problems with the system is the amount of money required to operate within it. This continues to escalate, we continue to work on ways to make justice available to everyone regardless of wealth status.”
“So does my husband.”
“Wilhelm Brewster has been missing for months, efforts to find him by his family and friends have come up with nothing. The police believe your husband was involved in his disappearance, the girl involved was the daughter of a member of military intelligence.”
“Brewster was a friend of aristocracy, would you have represented an anonymous member of government police ranks, considered a common pawn to the point even his daughter was available for fondling, rape and murder by aristocracy. Can you give me one name from lower classes you have represented in a court of law anywhere?”
“Our services are far too expensive for the lower class.”
Jodi’s bold front was intoxicating; she pushed on with a stern look. “My husband works for free.”
Gustav looked puzzled, he squinted rolling his lips nervously, maybe she wasn’t as well informed as he thought. “Your husband’s services are very expensive I’m led to believe.”
Jodi dug deeper determined to find the reason she’d been sent. “You have paid my husband to work for you?”
“Certainly not.”
“Where do you base the facts to your statement?”
“Hearsay.”
“I can quote you on these things.”
Gustav pulled up, he lent forwards his elbows on the desk looking to one side, he looked down at the desk. “What exactly do you want Mrs Stanton.”
“I want to know why Pike and Jackal came here on a daily basis in my fathers time,” Jodi aced her ploy. “Do you know Jasmine Jackal’s father Giuseppe Romulus Sabbotini?”
Reichmann took a big breath, rose to his feet, walked to the door, he opened it and stood holding the door open looking back at Jodi. She had watched him, she stood up turning towards him as he spoke. “Have a nice day Mrs Stanton, I have an appointment.”
Jodi walked past him out the door, she turned with a scowl then a sly smile of confidence, Reichmann looked down, she walked briskly away out the door and stormed away down the street toward her office.
John Stanton knew his wife well, he read her face, reaction and body language like an encyclopaedia. He crossed the road from the other side of the street, he watched his wife fade from view, he sensed partial failure in acquiring the information he was after. It was time to give Jodi more teeth than a tiger, he thought of the risks. He walked up the steps, he held a small box in front of the intercom security system, he pressed a series of buttons making beeping sounds and the door latch opened. He made his way inside, Pringle heard the footsteps and walked into the hallway, she found Stanton standing before her, she was taken by his handsome looks, gold rimmed sunglasses and full length leather coat. Stanton looked her up and down, her suspenders were just visible and she pulled her skirt down in embarrassment. “How did you get in here?”
“The door was open.”
“That’s strange Mr, I didn’t catch your name.” She pushed her intoxicating smile and bulging cleavage.
“I didn’t throw it, Gustav Reichmann where can I find him?”
“I can see if Mr Reichmann is free to accept you, do you have an appointment I have no record of it.”
“Mr Reichmann is not expecting me, excuse me I’ll find him myself.” He brushed past Pringle and she closed her eyes inhaling his expensive after shave and mentally seducing him, she turned toward Stanton as he silently moved down the hall. “Just down on the right, Ill be here if need anything.”
Stanton turned his head slightly. “I could imagine.” He focused on a door to his right, Pringle scurried back to her desk closing her office door behind her. Stanton listened, his ear turned toward the door, he heard the muffled sound of Reichmann’s voice, he couldn’t make out the conversation but clearly heard his wife’s name as Reichmann raised his voice in anger his German accent clearly matched the name of the door. Stanton stood back and with a lunge and heavy kick from his left foot the door flew open and he stood in the doorway.
Reichmann looked up, he slowly took the phone from his ear and put it down focusing on Stanton’s stone cold face, Stanton’s eyes hidden by his gold rimmed ray ban sunglasses darted around his eye sockets computing the rooms geography. He stepped inside, closed the door then lent on it with his back. “Gustav Reichmann?”
Reichmann remained still for a few seconds. “Who the hell are you, what do you want, we have security here you know, I push a button you’ll be escorted out.”
“John Stanton Mr Reichmann, I’m here about your meeting with my wife a few minutes ago.”
Reichmann hesitated, he thought deeply. “I have no idea what John Stanton looks like, you have ID.” Stanton chuckled under his breath, he drew a semi automatic pistol from his body holster and began to screw a silencer to the end of the barrel his eyes fixed on Reichmann. “That’ll do, I warn you I’ve called security.”
Stanton held the pistol in his right hand down by his side. “Waste of time, your security system is disabled. One of my organisations controls the systems you have installed on all of your buildings around the globe.” Reichmann began to stand. “Sit down!” Reichmann slowly sat back down. “My wife didn’t get the information she was after.”
“You have come here to kill me?”
“No, dead men tell no lies I’m after the truth.”
Reichmann swallowed. “If I tell you anything Id have to hide for the rest of my life surely you understand that.”
“Ahh, and there in lye’s a clue to survival, in a split second your very existence is subject to support from whichever quarter you can find it. Visit my wife and tell her exactly what she wishes to know, you work for me now Reichmann.”
Reichmann coughed, swallowed and clasped his hands together. Elbows on table he perched his chin on his hands. “An interesting chess game you present Stanton. I don’t wish to die and you don’t wish to kill me while I assist with valuable information.”
“I have information it’s verification I’m after.”
“I see then you’ll kill me, you’re a fool Stanton, one day you’ll make a mistake and that could be today.”
Stanton laughed. “Not today, its you whom have made the mistake. You’re not in a court room with all the aces up your sleeve and the controlling powers guarding your back. By all means attempt to contact you’re friends in power, your finished, they all work for me now.”
Reichmann drew a big breath with closed eyes, he opened them and Stanton was still there. “What do you want Stanton.”
“I won’t tell you again, walk down the street, visit my wife and answer her questions.”
“I can’t do that, we have you worried.”
Stanton unscrewed his silencer and holstered his weapon. “Then you’re on your own.” He opened the door behind his back and began to step backwards into the corridor. “A worried person sees a problem; a concerned person does something about it.”
&
nbsp; Reichmann stood up pushing with his fingers on the desk keeping his hands in sight. “No wait.” He walked around his desk toward the door. “Can I make a phone call?”
Stanton about to walk away turned back to Reichmann. “I’ve wasted enough time, you’re finished.”
“I called someone, you’re wife’s in great danger.”
“And they’ll call me but I’ve already covered it, everyone you dealt with is in custody, dead or works for me, I was concerned so I did something about it. My wife’s fine, she’s in her office. You have the time it takes to walk from here to her or MI5 will be the next to knock on your door. Tell me about member 26.”
Reichmann looked at the floor shaking his head. “Mine god, member 0026 you know?”
“I said member 26, I never mentioned double zero, checkmate.”
“You’re a fool Stanton, leave me alive and I don’t care how long it takes I’ll rise again, gambling on loyalty may be you’re downfall.”
“You think so; I think there’s a difference between a gamble and a calculated risk, member 0026 was a master at defining one from the other. You better move, the clocks ticking.” Stanton walked down the corridor into the street, he noticed the lace curtains in the widow move, someone was behind them, he couldn’t make out whom, a figure. He walked across the street and vanished.
