“And the ankle pistol and knife?”
“I’ve only got the pistol.”
“Toss it then.”
The man complied.
“Now drop your trousers and use your belt to secure your legs.”
The man looked at Jago in disbelief.
“You heard, get moving!”
The man followed Jago’s instructions.
“Kneel and place your arms behind your back.”
Jago then shifted behind the man, applied PlastiCuffs, and kicked the man’s back so that he fell face first onto the polished marble floor. He hit the ground with a terrific force. Jago grabbed a decorative material runner off a piece of elegant furniture and stuffed one end in the man’s bloodied mouth.
“Now, stay and be quiet.”
Greenslade was sat in his office sipping a cognac when Jago entered.
“Ah, you made it. I was beginning to doubt your talents since your first visit. I take it that you have charge of my daughter and that these morons failed their task.”
“Kim is safe.”
“Splendid, then the only question is how much you want for delivering her to me?”
“You are used to getting your way, aren’t you? You think that money talks. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but not this time. You can’t buy me, and you’re not going to get access to Kim or the Ocean Beautiful Organisation. You’re not going to be able to shove the report under the carpet anymore. You’re coming with me.”
“Come now, Jago. Don’t be dramatic. Everyone has their price. Okay, so I offer one million, what say I double it to make it worth your while?”
“Empty your pockets out onto the table.”
Greenslade complied at a leisurely pace, placing a couple of pens, wallet, mobile phone and some coins onto the table.
“And the tracker,” instructed Jago.
Greenslade reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small electronic device about the size of a credit card.
“There you go, young man. Now you have everything.”
Jago wasn’t too sure and stepped forward to search Greenslade one-handed.
“Hold your arms up.”
He searched him thoroughly and, stepping back, asked, “Take off your shoes and socks.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You heard. Take off your shoes and socks.”
The years were showing signs of strain and Greenslade had to sit on the chair beside him to remove them.
“Toss your shoes over here.”
As soon as they landed on the floor, Jago picked up one of the burgundy brogues, took out a knife and sliced the heel open. There was nothing inside. He sliced the other and revealed a tracking device built into the heel. Jago smashed it with the hilt of his knife and threw the shoes back at Greenslade.
“Put them on, we’re going.”
As Greenslade replaced his shoes, Jago picked up a cushion from the armchair. He removed the covering and motioned for Greenslade to hold out his hands. Jago placed the cover over Greenslade's wrists and calmly cuffed Greenslade’s hands together. He then grabbed him by his jacket, leading him to the lift, passing the trussed-up bodyguard. Greenslade walked gingerly in his heelless shoes.
“Get in!” said Jago forcefully as he shoved him through the open door.
Greenslade was looking at his bodyguard and not concentrating. The shove caused him to hit his head against the wall of the lift. The jolt reminded him of his predicament, and a profound sense of loss of power was dawning upon him.
“Where are we going? What are you going to do with me?”
Jago didn’t answer.
“I have the best lawyers in the land, you know. You can’t lock me up.”
Jago looked at Greenslade up close and in the eye. “You won’t need a lawyer, so forget all of your ramblings. It’s not worth bringing a case against you. It would cost the country millions, and it would be a waste of time. You ought to know that we do have undeniable evidence against you and people willing to testify.”
Greenslade didn’t reply. Not a word was spoken until they arrived at the car park level where Jago guided Greenslade towards his car.
He clicked the key fob and opened the boot.
“Get in,” commanded Jago.
“I will do nothing of the sort.”
Jago punched his captive in the pit of his stomach. He doubled over, gasping for breath. And Jago pushed him towards the open boot and into the dark cavity. Lifting Greenslade’s legs, he bent them at the knee to finish placing him in the boot.
Jago slammed the boot lid. “Now, stay put and shut up!”
Jago pressed the start button, turned on the radio with the volume up and drove.
Chapter 17 - Show Time
Greenslade had given up shouting and banging a quarter of an hour into the hour-long journey. He laid in the dark, contemplating his plight. Greenslade wondered if Jago was going to take him to the authorities or was Jago going to kill him? He couldn’t be sure either way. He did know, however, that if he were to be taken to the authorities, he would be finished; ruined. His reputation would be lost along with his crucial investors, and with that his life’s work in creating his shipping empire. If he was alive, this would matter; it would matter hugely. Yet, he thought, if he were to be killed, nothing would matter. There would be no reputation, no business and no need to face how he had treated Kim since his wife had died. Greenslade thought a great deal during his confinement, for there was little else to do.
Then the car slowed, travelled over rough ground, then metal, and then it abruptly stopped. It had stopped a few times before, presumably at traffic lights, but this time the engine cut and the radio had been switched off. Greenslade heard familiar noises, making him aware that he was in a port. He was nervous, sweating like never before. His breathing became more rapid as his anxiety level grew, and then the car door opened and shut. Hearing that footsteps were getting closer, he held his breath and then the boot opened. It was Jago, pistol in hand.
“Get out.”
Adjusting his eyes to the artificial lighting of the night, Greenslade swung his legs clear of the aperture and struggled to sit up. He slowly moved forward so that he was standing. Greenslade stretched his legs that had spent the last hour half bent and rolled his neck from side to side. As he did so, he could hear and smell the rain.
“What are we doing here?”
“I thought that you would appreciate this environment. Let’s walk.”
Jago indicated a steel walkway that edged the water.
“Are you going to kill me?”
“I don’t know; I haven’t decided yet. Do you have any reason why I shouldn’t?”
“Oh, I have probably had plenty, but none that you’d care to hear.”
“Try me.”
Greenslade looked downwards, searching for the words.
“Very well. I know that I haven’t been perfect, far from it in fact. But I’m a man driven to succeed. I can’t be blamed for that.”
Greenslade paused, half waiting for some kind of condoning response from Jago. There was none.
Greenslade continued, “I realise that I have not been a good father since my wife died.” Then he corrected himself. “Well, I’ve not been a good father ever. I mean, I provided for her with my wealth, but I was never there for her. You know, school concerts, sports days, all those sorts of things. I never made time for her; I guess it just wasn’t productive, it didn’t generate more wealth. I see that now. I’m not sure that if I live, how I would turn that around? I’m not even sure if I could, I mean … to leave my world that I’ve loved all of these years. I don’t know.”
Greenslade fell silent in his thoughts and, without waiting for a response or further instruction, started to walk as indicated by Jago previously.
He turned to Jago. “Can these be removed, please? I pose no threat to you.”
Jago stepped forward, cut the cuffs and removed the material before placing them in his pocke
ts.
Jago asked, “Do you love your daughter?”
They walked a good few metres before Greenslade responded, “To be honest, I don’t know. I consider that I’ve lost all of that side of me. I don’t believe that I know what it takes to love anyone any longer. She’s better off without me.”
“But you exist, and she knows that. She needs support, and not just financially.”
“Then I can’t help her. It’s too late for me. I mean, I was quite willing to use her to get access to the organisation, to protect my wealth. I’m no use to her.”
They walked along the wet gantry with Jago indicating that they climb the stairway onto the higher level. Greenslade ascended slowly; he was older and too used to another kind of high life to have breath for an activity such as this. The upper gantry provided a walkway to the ship to shore container cranes. They arrived at the access point to one of the six cranes that was at rest. Looking down, Jago observed the movement of trucks, loading vehicles and workers on the concrete about one hundred and fifty feet below. To the right was a straight drop into the sea, save for a steel handrail.
“What now? Are you going to shoot me?”
“These ships. There’s one two, three, four, five, six … no, seven. How many are yours?”
Greenslade surveyed the port.
“I think that four of them belong to my companies. Why?”
“Does this make you feel proud, looking out over a small part of your empire?”
Greenslade was caught off guard. “Err, yes, it makes me proud.” He didn’t know where Jago was going with this.
“Take a look at just how many lives are affected by the activity here, and beyond that, and think about the responsibility that the controllers of this have. Then think about the impact of all of that plastic and toxic waste that you have dumped for profit. Think about the effect of that on the same people, on the environment, on our planet.”
“But they’re only fish. They don’t need wealth.”
Angered, Jago instinctively raised his pistol, aiming at Greenslade’s head. “No, they need a life and so do we. I mean they eat the plastic, and we eat them. That’s your greed affecting our lives. How do you feel about that?”
“It’s business, just business. There is always some collateral damage in any business; there’s always some element of risk.”
Jago didn’t answer, lowered his weapon and altered his gaze towards the sea.
Greenslade sighed a sense of relief and then out of the blue said, “Kim will be wealthy and powerful if I’m dead. She will not have my love, but she will be the sole heir to my fortune. She will have control of all of my shipping companies with fifty-five per cent ownership.”
“And?” asked Jago as he turned to see that Greenslade had climbed over the rail and was hanging precariously off the edge.
“And, it’s better this way. She will get what she deserves, and you won’t have my death on your conscience.”
As Greenslade uttered his final words, he released his grip on the rail, falling seaward. Jago peered over the railing to see the tumbling body’s rapid descent. The body struck a steel protrusion at speed and terminated with a minute splash in the swirling sea. Jago pondered for a moment, holstered his pistol and made a call.
“Abi, can you inform the coastguard that a body has been spotted in the water close to this location, please? I’ll be back shortly.”
Chapter 18 - Time is a Healer
“Hi, Jago how are you? Do you realise that it’s a whole year since we’ve seen you?” asked Kim as she flung her arms around him.
“Yes, time passes quickly, doesn’t it? And to answer your question, I’m good … no, better than that. I'm perfect. And what about you?”
She grabbed hold of Mark’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “Oh, I’m perfect too. It’s so good to see you. Mark and I have been dying to tell you that we’re getting married and we want you to come to the wedding. And, I want to ask if you can bring Abi with you? I’ve never met her, but she helped me so much, and we have had the occasional conversation since. She’s lovely.”
“That’s fantastic news, and of course I’ll ask Abi.”
Mark stepped forward to shake Jago’s hand.
“How are you doing, buddy? It’s good to see you.”
“You too, my friend, you too. And congratulations. Although I’m not surprised. I saw the way that you were so concerned about her going off that time, and only after what … twenty-four hours?”
They both smiled at the memory.
Kim asked, “Shall we go inside? It’s warmer in there.”
As they entered the cottage, Jago noticed some differences. “I see that you’ve brought Mark into the modern world, Kim. Well done you,” he said, smiling. “I love what you’ve done to the cottage. Are you both going to stay here?”
“Oh yes, we love it. It’s the place we first met and fell in love. What’s not to like about it?”
“I can’t argue with that,” replied Jago who was going to sit on a smooth orange- covered chair at the glass-design table. He took in the changes around him.
“I see that you’ve made more changes in the shipping world too,” said Jago.
“Oh yes, things are changing for the better. I’ve also sold some assets, and those funds have boosted Ocean Beautiful’s activities. Now they can get their message out more effectively. They can employ some of the best people in the world and, more importantly, they can lobby governments. So much so that Joe, Doctor Linden, is now addressing the UN on marine pollution and protection. I’d say that things are improving a lot. We’ve also established some worldwide cleaning programmes to gather plastic and recycle it properly. And the best part is that we’re now introducing marine pollution and protection into mainstream education on a cross-curriculum basis. The premise is that if we can get the young people on board, we will have a great future. And let’s not forget that, to some degree, it’s the kids that educate the parents in this area.”
“Kim, I’m sure that you’ll make your mark and make this world a better place for all of us. I’m very pleased to know you and, you know, if you ever need my help, you only need to call.”
“I know Jago, thank you. Thank you for everything. You know that I’ve reverted to my old surname of Greenslade.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Well, the name still opens some doors. After my father’s accident, I visited his lawyer for the reading of the will and there were some letters addressed to me from my father. They were written about a year apart from each other and started one year after the death of my mother. He wrote what he couldn’t bring himself to say. He was strong in business and weak in love. After everything that has happened, and everything that I’ve read in those letters, I intend to be strong in all areas and live for today, to enjoy my life. I’m going to use what I have to help many others, and I’m going to be happy in doing that. And in large part, that’s all down to you, Jack Jago, my fisherman. I owe you everything; I owe you my life. And I’m going to say the same to you. If you ever need my help, please just call Mark or me, and we’ll be there for you.”
THE END
Thank you
Thank you for downloading The Plastic Paradigm. I appreciate you spending time with the characters and events in this the first book in The Jack Jago Thriller Series.
If you enjoyed this book, I’d also be grateful if you could spend five minutes to write a review on your favourite bookseller’s website or social media outlet. It can be short with only a few well-formed words. You see word of mouth is the best way to help many other people become aware of my writing, increase my sales, and enable me to bring you even more high-quality thrilling stories. I may not have the advertising clout of the big publishing firms, yet, but I do have you, and your words are more powerful and relevant than many of today’s advertising techniques.
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/> Plastic Pollution
I’m passionate about protecting our seas and oceans and if like me; you want to know more about Plastic Pollution here are a couple of links that you can refer to:
Coastal Care at Plastic Pollution.org
http://plastic-pollution.org/
Plastic Pollution Coalition
http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/
Plastic Oceans
https://plasticoceans.org/
About the Author
Paul Stretton-Stephens was born in Robin Hood country, Nottingham, UK, He has served in the Royal Marines, Royal Military Police, and the UK Home Office. He has worked as an International Security Consultant, and as a teacher, Paul has also taught Physical Education, and Business Management and before writing full time he held the post of Head Teacher in a secondary school.
Paul has travelled extensively and has lived abroad for some years. He is happily married and lives in Devon, UK where he adores living by the sea. He doesn’t let his visual impairment stifle his activities and is presently learning to play the guitar. So, wish him luck with that!
Paul loves hearing from readers, so please feel free to contact him via any of the following:
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Feel free to let Paul know what you liked, and what you would like him to work on more. He’s always open to suggestions.
Bibliography
Shades of Loyalty
This next in series title is due for release early summer 2018.
Here’s the Blurb and do watch out for the cover reveal:
When law enforcement agencies in five different locations across two countries can’t solve a string of deadly explosions, a drowning and the theft of £24.25million, it’s time for Jack Jago and his team to join in. Only they don’t have to play by the rules.
The Plastic Paradigm Page 10
