Chapter Eight
Missing
Commissioner Jeremie’s personal telephone call instructing Chief Superintendent Vickers to come to his office immediately was a surprise. Jeremie seldom used the telephone inside RBPF HQ to speak with him, as it was his practice to walk around HQ as much as possible to chat with or bump into his officers – especially his senior ones, at their stations. Jeremie did not like standing on too much ceremony. This came, Vickers felt, from Jeremie having started out at the bottom of the force as a beat cop where he loved being ‘out and about’ among the population. As he rose up the ranks of the RBPF, Jeremie had broadened this communication style of engagement with the public to include all officers under his command, whether inside or outside of RBPF HQ.
Vickers and Jeremie had, over the years, therefore usually chatted in Vickers’ office. So, something was different today, no wrong. Something potentially serious must be afoot.
He hustled up the stairs to Jeremie’s office. On reaching Jasmine Boyt’s door, he knocked and opened it, thinking to himself, Here goes my plan for a quiet day.
Boyt, who had been Jeremie’s secretary for the past year, directed Vickers towards the half-closed door beside her desk saying, “Go through. He’s expecting you,” so Vickers complied.
***
Dr Winston Smith’s meeting with the Prime Minister did not require him to have done any preparation. As a result, he was back in his office within five minutes.
Motby had asked him what the big-ticket activities coming up between 1 May and 30 June were and their dates. Dr Smith wondered why he was being asked such a mundane question, because he suspected that Motby already knew the answer. They compared verbal notes on the subject for a couple of minutes. When Dr Smith asked Motby if he could have till close-of-play that day to provide a written, more accurate response to the request, Motby had agreed.
“Very well, Winston. Close-of-play it is. I anticipate leaving here around 4:30 p.m., 5:00 p.m. latest.”
“I’ll provide my written response well before you leave, Prime Minister,” said Dr Smith.
“Thank you.”
Motby knew that if anyone could confirm his information on what engagements would involve all elected Cabinet members and House of Assembly MPs, it would be his Cabinet Secretary. He didn’t tell Dr Smith that he had already decided to present his annual Budget during the last week of May. But he wanted someone reliable to also check with. He anticipated announcing when Budget Day would be to the House of Assembly in mid-May.
***
Surprised, JJ looked up sharply. Normally, there would not be much else that a BIB team would need to know about the day’s PR in general or their charges in particular.
“Well, due to vehicle shortages, all four prisoners will have to be moved to and from court today in one vehicle. You know that it is customary, though not mandatory for us to transport females separate from our male prisoners. We have only one available prisoner transport vehicle so have to make do,” said Innis.
“Superintendent, why didn’t you alert Colonel Burke about this at yesterday’s P.A.A.N.I. meeting? Or even ask Commissioner Jeremie to borrow one of his police transport vehicles?”
Innis answered neither question.
“JJ, this is the position. We’ll just have to make do. Luckily, the vehicle we’ll be using today has three compartments in it. Males and females will be in the first two sections, while the third section is where we will place Power on his own as he is the most dangerous of the five prisoners to be moved. He’ll be shackled hand and foot to the vehicle. He will know that other prisoners will be in the vehicle but will not be able to physically reach them. We’ve done this before when we’ve had to pre-BIB involvement with PRs. It worked out then as I expect it to work out today. My five prison officers will, as usual, be seated upfront in the double-cabbed vehicle,” explained Innis.
JJ shook his head. “I don’t like it. It sounds, feels and smells wrong whichever way you slice it.”
“Look, can we just try and get through today please? I’m also short-staffed. I’ve not had time to write minutes to anyone expressing my every problem or concern about this place, or the whole prison service. My Minister is seldom available to listen.”
“Make him,” said JJ.
“That’s easier said than done. Anyway, yesterday’s P.A.A.N.I. meeting was otherwise focussed. I’ve tried my level best each day to run as tight, effective and efficient a security facility as I possibly can since I took over this office three years ago.”
Innis’ tone then changed.
“Look, if your team can’t handle today’s PR job JJ, just tell me so and we’ll ring ahead and alert everybody that we can’t bring the cons down to court today. That won’t be pretty and when Chief Magistrate Taylor finds out that it was a BIB team that decided not to escort prisoners to his courtroom, he won’t be pleased. There might even be hell to play. So, what I’m proposing is a solution to our problem! If we do it my way, all well and good. You’ll have to explain to the powers that be if you do otherwise. The court backlog will simply continue to get worse if you fail to collaborate with my people today. JJ, it’s BIB’s call, or rather your team’s call. What’s your position? Is BIB in or out?” Innis asked.
Innis was trying to blame BIB for this situation and JJ could not let him get away with that. Damn the man.
JJ counted to ten.
Jayne, knowing JJ, gently touched his arm to stop him from verbally exploding at Innis. Mohammed also glanced sharply at JJ before interjecting.
“JJ, we’re here already! Let’s work the situation, not the personality. We’ll report this problem later. It’s close to our departure deadline anyway for getting this show on the road. Not moving in another ten minutes or so will mean that we not make the journey downtown in time, and we all know Chief Magistrate Taylor gets vex if people scheduled to appear in his courtroom are not punctual.”
JJ did not respond immediately, so Jayne nudged him firmly. Innis was waiting.
JJ usually got on with Innis but right now, he wanted to reach across the desk separating his Gold team from Innis and knock some sense into his thick skull. He acknowledged Jayne’s nudge, deciding to keep his cool and play ball.
Taking a deep breath, JJ said, “Fine, Superintendent. You win. We’ll do today’s PR your way but I’m not pleased. Once this PR is done, I’ll report whatever transpires today to the powers that be. Hopefully some action will be taken to see that you get the resources (funding, equipment, bodies) required to run this place properly. I hope nothing stupid happens on today’s PR, for everyone’s sake.”
“Fine. Thank you, JJ.” He picked up the phone and spoke into it to get things moving. When he finished, JJ asked him a question.
“I’m curious. Have you participated in a PR since you became Superintendent of this place?”
“No, JJ. I have a lot to do here and elsewhere. Today is no different. My second will take it from here. Thanks for understanding and cooperation. Good morning to you all.”
BIB’s Gold team, having been summarily dismissed by Innis, rose from their seats and left his office. Deputy Superintendent George Telford was waiting for them in the outer office. He led JJ, Mohammed and Jayne over to the small prison loading area where the prisoner transport vehicle stood awaiting the five prisoners’ arrival who were to be taken to court that morning. There, along with the three RBPF officers detailed to help escort today’s PR and the five chosen BPS officers who were to accompany the five prisoners, met and introduced themselves to each other. Most knew one other from previous PRs, socially or from schooldays.
Mohammed pulled JJ aside while they waited for the prisoners to be brought out. He whispered to him, “I don’t like this but there was no point in fighting him in there, so let’s do what we came here to do.”
“I guess you’re right, Mo,” said JJ, still unhappy.
“I agree with Mo,” said Jayne who had joined them.
“Well, let’s get this PR over
and done with. We’ll brief the chief fully once we’re back at BIB HQ. He’ll be able to formally raise it at the next P.A.A.N.I., if Innis doesn’t, if not before to the political class,” responded JJ.
“Sounds good,” said Jayne. Mohammed nodded in agreement. Gold team was ready to go.
***
A few minutes later, as the prisoners were being loaded into the prisoner transport vehicle, JJ slipped away behind a wall. Having now read the document Innis had presented to him, he made two quick calls.
The first was to briefly inform Colonel Burke of the nature of Gold team’s situation with regard to the day’s PR. He promised to share full details on their return to BIB HQ sometime between 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The second was to a reliable friend and colleague.
“Morning RED 2. Clear your head. I need you to be ready in case I call on you later. Please also alert RED 3. I’ve a feeling that Gold team might need some assistance from both of you during the day. I hope my sense is wrong and you guys are left to enjoy your two days off.”
“Right, JJ, but what’s this all about?”
“Can’t specify because I’m not sure. I just have a strange feeling about today’s PR. Must go, so we’ll speak later.” On that note, JJ ending the call.
RED 2 wondered what to make of that conversation. It was not like JJ to panic or be too concerned about any situation, certainly not a PR. JJ was always calm and confident at, about and with his work.
But something was different about their conversation. As he’d been called by JJ, he would do as he had been asked and notify RED 3. They would make themselves available to respond should JJ call.
***
Colonel Burke briefly pondered on JJ’s situation. It was not good, but he did not dwell on it. JJ was his most reliable and experienced operative and so he felt confident that JJ would find a way to make the PR work. Lessons would be learned from this experience by BIB’s Gold team and practices upgraded.
Colonel Burke focussed on completing the P.A.A.N.I. security situation brief (SSB). He knew the Prime Minister read every SSB that was submitted to him. As the SSB’s author, Colonel Burke was never surprised to receive a call from Motby on the secure red phone in his office, seeking clarification on any unclear points before Motby would file away each SSB. Questions about an agreed P.A.A.N.I. strategy related to an important forthcoming event prior to its implementation were not unusual.
At 9:28 a.m., using BIB’s secure e-system, Colonel Burke dispatched P.A.A.N.I. latest SSB to Motby.
***
After the second of his calls, JJ returned to his team and passed Innis’ document onto Mohammed to read. Having done so, he in turn handed it on to Jayne to do likewise.
Shaking her head, her only comment was, “Power is a nasty piece of work, fellas.”
“Too right! Let’s get this over and done with. Once he’s convicted and sentenced, he should go away from society for a good while given his track record. Hopefully others like him can follow suit and also be put away,” was Mohammed’s response.
“Okay people, let’s do this. I have other things to do this afternoon at home,” said JJ.
***
Being sent away today for a long prison term was not on Power’s agenda. When he’d gotten word the previous evening at dinner that he would be ‘sprung’ during today’s PR, Power was happy. He wondered who was behind it. Once it’s not those overseas people I owe significant sums to for the guns and drugs imported in recent months that remain unpaid for, he thought he would be okay. Yes, he had promised to pay them last week but once he’d been caught by the RBPF, that went out the window. His reason now for not making payment was clear and excusable. Anyway, his operational expenses were high and he needed to take care of those before he could be in a position to repay his suppliers in full.
Being an optimist, Power believed that there was more importing for him to facilitate. More ‘merchandise’ and ‘product’ to retail that was separate from what the RBPF had captured from him a week earlier. He intended to continue living well and to enjoying the freedom of doing so. He was still a young man with the best years of his life ahead of him. A long period of imprisonment would prohibit all of the above and would not be an appealing prospect.
Hence, today was the day he and his business associates would be ameliorating both his and their situations. He hoped not but did not care if anyone got seriously hurt in the springing process.
***
POWER, JASPER (a.k.a. ‘Stabs’)
***
Twelve years earlier, Motby had charged BIB, wherever and whenever possible, with wiping out corruption, no matter how it had raised its ugly head in Barbados. Colonel Burke, as Head of BIB, took this task very seriously.
At the time, having been a long-term supporter of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, the North London team (a.k.a. Spurs) from England’s Premier League since his student days at City University in London, Colonel Burke had liked and now chose to copy that club’s motto for the new but small BIB security agency. He wanted something that would inspire his operatives. Looking back now, with Spurs having won the last completed (2016-2017) Premier League championship, he was pleased with his choice. Sharing Spurs club’s motto of ‘To Dare Is to Do’, had worked out well. It corresponded with the challenge Motby had given to him way back then. BIB operatives had all come to learn, think of and appreciate this motto as their very own. Even Motby had become a part-time Spurs supporter once the motto had been explained to him. He considered Colonel Burke to have chosen well so yes, it was an appropriate motto for BIB.
All these years later, Colonel Burke remained more than content with the way BIB had gone about and successfully completed its various assignments. This was important to him. As part of that success, he had made two things paramount to his political bosses. The safety of his BIB operatives, tied to his ongoing wish to secure increased resources (preferably funding as additional staff was unlikely) would enable his operatives to be trained to the highest standards possible. Also, acquisition and use of the highest quality technological equipment that the Government could afford should enable BIB to maintain high standards of professionalism and performance. Simply growing BIB’s size was never his concern.
Colonel Burke suspected that the Prime Minister appreciated these virtues, though they had not spoken directly about them, but had discussed the importance of BIB operatives trusting their instincts on investigations. At one of their earlier meetings, Motby had told Colonel Burke that experience had taught him not to believe everything he heard, even with his own ears. Also, he should never take anything for granted, or too seriously, always keeping his guard up. Ultimately, Colonel Burke should trust his instincts and only make judgments which led to his own reasonable conclusions.
BIB’s refined mandate since 2007, ‘…to root out evil, corruption, espionage and misdeeds affecting Barbadian society, elsewhere in the Caribbean too, once Barbados’ national security interests were threatened…’ had served the agency and the country well. BIB’s well-appointed HQ in the three-storey Stand Firm building at Welches, Christ Church also housed the Barbados Fire Service’s (BFS) south coast fire station which was a co-tenant. BIB occupied the third floor which catered to the ongoing administrative side of BIB’s work.
The well-secured, expansive basement floor served many purposes – as BIB’s training/exercise area with full bathroom facilities, a sound-proofed shooting range, an interrogation centre featuring special ‘accommodation’ spaces for BIB’s VIP clients, i.e. persons requiring special protection and or undesirable characters who needed to be kept for interrogation by BIB and other law enforcement/security agencies. Also housed in the building’s basement floor was BIB’s state-of-the-art ICT facility platform, the envy of most other Caribbean law enforcement agencies. The secure intelligence room (SIR), often the nerve-centre of any major ongoing BIB operation, was also located here.
BIB’s twelve operatives were carefully chosen, experienced m
en and women. All operatives had seen ‘action’, completing several missions in and out of Barbados. Colonel Burke had once read a story in a US security magazine which stated that the USA’s intelligence network was made up of sixteen agencies, 100,000 agents and operated on an annual budget of US$6.6 billion! Colonel Burke did not know how true this was, but he had used these alleged facts, along with the results from the final review after the attempted Motby assassination, to engineer a twelve and a half per cent budget increases in BIB operational funding over the past two financial years.
Colonel Burke had on more than one occasion told his operatives, BIB is an ordinary Government Department whose top operatives regularly do extra-ordinary things. His belief and passion were regularly shared with BIB’s operatives. It meshed nicely with the Spurs Motto, To Dare Is to Do.
The close-nit and reliable team of operatives were Colonel Burke’s pride and joy. All of them held ‘SECRET’ clearances from the Cabinet Office following in-depth investigations by the RBPF’s Special Branch. Colonel Burke and his three team leaders also held special ‘TOP SECRET – EYES ONLY’ clearances from the Prime Minister.
***
Chief Superintendent Vickers knocked and pushed the half-opened door to Jeremie’s office.
“Good morning, Commissioner,” he stated on entry.
He found Jeremie staring out of one of the two windows at the back of his third-floor office. Beyond the windows stood the Tom Adams Financial Centre which housed the CBOB.
Turning around, Jeremie spoke hurriedly.
“Thanks for coming up so quickly, Johnny. I’ve a big problem. The CBOB’s Deputy Governor is missing. No one knows his whereabouts. His staff say he left work before close-of-play yesterday afternoon and they haven’t seen him since.”
Hung Out to Dry Page 11
