ForceNet

by William David

  When I arrived, Dave Withers was standing admiring the view. “Magnificent isn't it,” I said.

  “It sure is, good to meet you Mr Lever,” he responded holding out his hand.

  We shook hands, “call me Martin, we are informal here.”

  “In which case please call me Dave.”

  “OK Dave. I hope you don't mind, but rather than going out to lunch I have taken the liberty of organising some sandwiches here so that we have more time to talk.”

  “That's fine. Did you get my message that Fleet is able to see us at 3.30pm?”

  Yes, I did th anks. I am expecting Alec Bell to join us shortly, and also my brother Adrian. In fact I don't know where he is,” I said irritably, looking at my watch.

  “Well while we are waiting why don't you start telling me what all of this is about.” At that point we were interrupted by the arrival of sandwiches, and coffee etc.

  “Would you like me to serve some coffee?” said June.

  “No thanks June, we will help ourselves. Any message from Adrian?”

  “No, I'm sorry.”

  “OK, let me know if you hear anything.”

  As June left, Alec joined us and after introducing him to Dave Withers I started from the beginning to relate events to Dave.

  CHAPTER 25

  Adrian had left the house shortly after Martin and set out for his girlfriend’s house. She lived in a village called Pill that is a charming village on the Avon River not too far from the point where the Avon joins the River Severn. It used to be a passenger ferry point across the Avon.

  Driving the old open top MG down through Bristol and then finally through the narrow country lanes to Pill was thoroughly enjoyable and for a short time allowed Adrian to forget his current problems. The fresh air on the face and through the hair was invigorating, but as he dropped down towards the village he became conscious of a red car following closely behind him. Had it been there long? As he pulled over the next rise, he pulled up at a junction where there seemed to be some kind of road works hold up. All of a sudden as he sat waiting he was aware of someone approaching behind him, and then he was thumped in the neck and within seconds he lost consciousness as the drug from the syringe stabbed in to his neck knocked him out. The attacker caught him and with the help of his mate dragged him out of the car and into the red Ford behind. The mate got in to the MG and set off up the road with the red Ford following closely behind.

  An hour later Dawson got a call from Naismith. We have the prize and he is on the way to our friends. Dawson smiled to himself; maybe things are looking up at last.

  CHAPTER 26

  I finished reciting events to Dave Withers. Periodically Alec interrupted to add his own comments and observations.

  “Well gentlemen, that is quite a story and I am not sure quite what we should make of it. My recommendation is that you come completely clean with Chief Superintendent Fleet. In my experience she is a straight shooting cop and while she is not immune to pressures she will do the right thing. Frankly I think you need any help she can give.”

  “I think we need to get going if we are going to be at Colleg e Green on time, I will get Penny to call us a taxi.” Alec picked up the ‘phone in the corn er of the room and spoke to Penny.

  “I am beginning to get a bit worried about Adrian, he is not normally the most punctual or organised of people but I would not think he would be late for this meeting, he knows how important it is.”

  “Have you tried calling him?” said Alec

  “Yes, but I will try again,… The phone has gone to voicemail again”

  “Well let' s get going, he can catch us up, ” said Alec. “The taxi is here.”

  CHAPTER 27

  Arriving at College Green police station a young constable showed them up to a meeting room on the first floor in which there was a large conference table and a dozen chairs. There were no windows and the room was quite bare.

  Before entering the room, Lloyd stopped Fleet and said. “We have had a response on that gun that Jason Walgrave handed in. It appears to have been used before in what the Met believe was a professional killing up there.”

  “This gets murkier and murkier,” said Fleet.

  Inspector Lloyd entered the meeting room followed by Chief Superintendent Fleet, the young constable left. “Thank you for coming in gentlemen,” she said, “hopefully you can help us get to the bottom of what is going on.”

  Dave Withers responded. “First of all Chief Superintendent let me apologise for delaying this meeting from this morning. I trust you will appreciate that it was in all of our interests for my clients to be able to provide me with detailed instructions before we met. I have advised my clients to be totally open and forthright about what has happened to them and I think it best if we allow Mr Lever to start off.

  “Before we do,” said Lloyd, “where is Adrian Lever, I was given to understand that he would also be attending today?”

  “I don't know where he is,” I said. “He said he would be here and I am becoming increasingly worried about the fact that he has not turned up.”

  “There is probably a perfectly simple explanation,” said Fleet, “so why don't we get on with it.”

  “One more thing,” said Withers. “I think it would make for a more frank exchange if this meeting, at least initially, were to be an informal meeting, that is no recording. Do you agree?”

  Lloyd looked at Fleet, “I will go along with that for now,” she said.

  I then proceeded to tell Fleet the whole story, as I knew it:

  The threats to myself and Alec purportedly about floating the company, the two attacks I had experienced and the car crash which ended up with me in hospital, followed by my 'escape' as I feared I was too vulnerable lying there in bed.

  The approach by Mendip Finance to acquire the Company and the suspicion that somehow they were involved in some of the violence.

  Then the hapless exploits of my brother hacking in to a US government system and unearthing material that would be very embarrassing for certain US officials if published.

  The visits of other police, led by Naismith, who we now understood was Special Branch, and their greater interest in Adrian rather than my alleged car theft that they were supposedly investigating, and even the suspicion that they may have had a direct hand in the attacks.

  “So as you can see Chief Superintendent, I think it is clear that we have clear reason to be concerned about our safety and that of our families. As we speak it is possible that Adrian is in great danger!”

  “ What is this material that your brother hacked in to? Do you h ave a copy here that we can see, ” said Lloyd.

  “We don't have a copy here and I myself have not seen it,” interrupted Withers. “Suffice it to say that it is said to be extremely incriminating evidence of the involvement of a senior US Official in war crimes. I am not sure if at this stage it would serve any purpose for it to be seen by a larger audience than has already seen it.”

  “In the circumstances I don't think you can be the judge of that,” said Lloyd in a prickly response.

  “I think we can reserve judgement on that for a while,” said Fleet. “What matters now is what is to be done from here. Firstly Mr Lever, I think I need to make it clear that we have not absolved you of the crime of stealing a vehicle from the hospital. However until there is some greater clarity on the other matters we can suspend that discussion and deal with it later.”

  “Secondly, the crime by your brother of hacking in to US government files is much more serious and subject to severe penalties if they should choose to prosecute and try to extradite him to the US for trial. That is a security issue and will involve the appropriate security services in its prosecution. I have already talked briefly to Inspector Naismith, now I have your version of events I will talk to him again and see where he wants to take this. In the meantime Mr Withers is very experienced in issues of this nature and can advise you as to how to proceed”

  “ Mr
Lever, I think you should be aware that you are possibly exposed to prosecution for conspiracy to help your brother conceal his crime and of evading arrest.”

  “I have done no such thing!” I said. “I really am worried about Adrian’s whereabouts. Much as you might not agree, I am sure he has not avoided this meeting intentionally, something must be wrong. Is there anything you can do to help?”

  “We can put an alert out for him, do you have a photograph?”

  “I can send you one from home easily enough.”

  “Do you know where he was going when you last spoke to him?” said Lloyd.

  “Yes, it was just after eight this morning, I left him at home, and he was due to leave almost immediately, he was planning to go to his girlfriends where he has been staying and pick up some clean clothes, before coming on to meet with us at the office before we were scheduled to come here.”

  “Where does she live?”

  “I don't exactly know. It is somewhere in Pill, but I don't have an address, or for that matter a name. He was however driving a very distinctive car. A 1935 soft top MG sports in British racing green. I can give you the registration num ber. It is my car. I lent it to him when he stayed with me a few days ago.”

  “I think that is all for now, said Fleet. “Do you have anything else David?” she said looking at Lloyd.

  “No, not for the moment except to remind you Mr Lever to let us know immediately if you hear from your brother.”

  “I am sure he will do that,” responded Withers, “similarly I hope that we can rely on you to keep us informed on progress in your investigations.”

  With that Lloyd escorted us downstairs to the reception desk and bade us farewell. Back up stairs he caught up with Fleet.

  “Well, what do you make of that Boss. Do you believe it, and do you believe we have been told all of it?”

  “I am not sure on either account, but I think something is going on. Make sure you get the alert out on Adrian Lever and on that car, I suspect his brother might be right that something has happened to him.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Adrian came round lying on a bed in a semi dark room. He was handcuffed and the handcuffs were linked by another set of handcuffs to the bedpost. He felt really groggy, and soon dropped unconscious again.

  When he came round, the room was in almost total darkness, and it seemed that outside the window blinds it was dark, so he had obviously been out for a few hours. He yelled out, but nobody responded. As he l ay there listening he could hear no noise, no traffic, no people noises. Nobody around.

  They had taken h is watch, shoes, belt, and coat. A fter what seemed like several hours he heard the crunch of tyres on gravel accompanied by the glare of headlights flashing across the window. The sound of a door opening, some subdued conversation, and then the sound of footsteps on bare floorboards coming closer. The door opened and a flood of light splashed across the room temporarily blinding him as the overhead light was switched on.

  “Well Mr Lever, are you comfortable, ” said a gaunt lo oking guy with a southern drawl?

  “I could do with the toilet.”

  The guy who had spoken turned and said “Reg, undo him, and take him to the bathroom, but manacle his ankles before you do.”

  Five minutes later he was back in the room and handcuffed to the bed again.

  “Who are you?” he asked. “What do you want?”

  “Oh come on L ever, don't lets play that game. You know why you are here and why we want you.”

  “Are you Groucho?”

  There was a slight hesitation before he answered, “Groucho? Who do you mean?”

  “The person you told my brother that I should call.”

  “Never heard of a man called Groucho.”

  Adrian shrugged; they were not going to admit anything. “So what happens now?”

  “It's not my decision as to what happens to you now but I suspect you will be going on a little air trip; that decision will be made by others and until we are told, you will stay here with us. Reg will get you some food, but don't try anything funny or you will regret it.” With that they both left the room.

  There was a whispered conversation in the room next door. “Look here Mac, I’m not going to stay here and babysit this guy; it’s not my job.”

  Mac slowly turned and looked at him. “Reg, I don't think you are in a position to argue. This job has not exactly gone smoothly and some people are looking to you for that. If I were you I would keep my mouth shut and do what is needed until the job is finished.”

  “The stuff ups were not my fault,” whined Reg. “Dawson gave us no real heads up on what this case was all about. Anyway where do I get food from?”

  “There's a MacDonald’s a mile down the road, try that, and bring back a burger and fries for me with some drinks.”

  CHAPTER 29

  Dave Withers, Alec, and I had adjourned across the road for a coffee and a quick parley.

  “Well I think that went as well as can be expected,” said Dave.

  “Thanks for joining us,” I said. “Do you think they can help?”

  “Well they can help trying to find your brother if he really has gone missing. Don't forget that photo they asked for. Look I have to get going, keep in touch with me and I will let you know if I hear anything.”

  That left Alec and I sitting musing over our coffees. “You have been very quiet Alec. What do you think we should do now?”

  “Well apart from your brother, I don't think much has changed, and hopefully he has just been delayed somewhere.”

  “I hope you are right but I don't think you are. Oh! It is so frustrating, is there nothing I can do?”

  “Well let’s walk back to the office and see if anything is waiting for us there.”

  Back at the office everything was frustratingly normal and I retired to my office with the door shut to think. I just couldn't sit and do nothing! Who could help us? What about that guy at the MoD who came and visited us, Gordon Stewart was his name. I could call him.

  I found his card and called the number on it. It went to an operator or secretary who said Gordon Stewart was not available at the moment but she would take a message.

  I then called Naismith. He was not available.

  May as well go home, I was not doing any good here.

  As I opened the house door the ‘‘‘phone was ringing. It was inspector Lloyd.

  “We have found your car,” he said. “You’re not going to like this, it had been dumped in to the Feeder canal so it is probably severely damaged. There is no sign of your brother.”

  “This means that he has been kidnapped, doesn't it?”

  “It looks as though that might be the case,' said Lloyd. “I have spoken to the Boss and she has agreed to our making a TV appeal and that will go out on the 7 o'clock news tonight. I need that photo!”

  “I will get it now, do you have an email address I can send it to?”

  “If you have my card use the address on there.”

  “OK,” I said and hung up.

  I quickly sorted out a couple of recent shots of Adrian from the album on my computer and emailed them to Lloyd.

  Then Naismith called back. “ Mr Lever you called me?”

  “Inspector Naismith, you have been showing a lot of interest in my brother. Do you know he is now missing?”

  “No, I had not heard that,” said Naismith.

  “Well he is and there is a public appeal for information on his whereabouts about to go out on TV.”

  “Indeed,” said Naismith, “what makes you think anything is wrong, maybe he just does not want to be found? That has been my experience with him over the past week or two.”

  “Look Inspector, don't lets beat about the bush. My frustration is that I don't have any contact with the people that have done this so I can't talk to them. They need to know that if any harm comes to Adrian then the information they don't want revealed will be published around the world and they cannot stop that regard
less of what happens to Adrian, or me, for that matter. That is not an idle threat, both Adrian and I have pretty strong computer expertise so you can take it that the set up to reveal the information is watertight.”

  “Look, I don't see how this involves me, you have obviously talked to the police, what more can I do.”

  “I think you might know who has done this so I want you to get the message back to them.”

  “ Mr Lever, I am a straight forward policeman and we do not engage in kidnapping, I assure you that I know nothing of this so I don't see how I can help you.”

  My mobile bleeped. I had a text message from Gordon Stewart to call him on a different number. “I have to go now, please pass on my message,” I said and hung up. I walked out in to the garden and called Stewart.

  “ Mr Lever how pleasant to hear from you, what can I do for you?”

  “I'm looking for some help, and thought you might be able to give me some guidance, can we meet, I could be in London in a couple of hours.”

  “Yes, we could meet, is there a company security issue you need help with?”

  “Kind of,” I replied.

  “Well I am in Oxford, do you know the Randolph hotel in the middle of Oxford?

  “You mean the one which formed the location for a lot of the scenes in the Morse TV drama?”

  “Yes that one, meet me in the bar at 7pm.”

  I looked at my watch, “I can just about make that,” I said and hung up.

  The house is only 4 miles from the M4 to London so I was quickly well on the way. The traffic on the final leg in to Oxford would determine whether I got there for 7pm. I parked in a local mu lti-storey car park, after having gone round the one-way system twice in error and walked in to the bar of the Randolph a few minutes before 7 o’clock. Stewart was standing at the bar and after shaking hands and refusing his offer of a drink but ordering coffee, I looked across and saw the news starting on the TV in the corner.