The Malthus Pandemic
Page 73
CHAPTER 70
It was early morning in my apartment.
Tom and Kevin had left to catch a late train back to Bristol the night before. Larry was expected to arrive at my apartment after breakfast. Colin had not left until after midnight but was already back. While Anna made coffee, he and I were sat side by side in front of Colin's laptop going through the report he had worked on during the night.
"So, that's our conclusion, then, Colin," I said. "You'll deal with the UK Government, circulate the report to the names on this list and aim to get a one to one meeting with the Home Secretary and, if at all possible, the Prime Minister. See what reaction you get but recommend, with your ex police background, to engage Interpol as a priority and ensure the SIS also sit up and take notice. Because of the health implication, do you think the Health Secretary should know?"
"Let's leave that to the Home Secretary to decide," said Colin. "But I'll start this morning. I'll also phone Nairobi again about Jimmy."
Anna brought in two more mugs of coffee and sat down beside me. I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
"We are going back to Bangkok," I told her.
Anna put her hand to her mouth. "So soon? Are you fed up with me already?" She smiled.
"No," I replied, "I need you to help me. And we'll be together."
"So what are we going to do?"
"Colin is staying here to talk to the government. You and I are going to try to find David Solomon and Greg O'Brian."
"But when will we come back to London?"
"As soon as possible, Anna. I need a change of life. I need to slow down and I need to settle down. Colin agrees with me."
"Oh, yes," Anna replied. "I agree. You need some babies to look after."
Colin burst out laughing and got up. "Wow, Dan. You are well and truly hooked my friend. But Anna's right as usual. You need to throw that little black bag of yours away and buy a bigger one that Anna can fit some clothes into as well. I suggest you buy it today. If you're going to Bangkok tonight then you haven't got much time left."
"Tonight?" asked Anna.
"Yes, overnight British Airways flight. It's booked already."
"You know, he did this once before, Colin," Anna said. "One morning he came to my apartment and told me he was taking me to Singapore that night. I knew from that minute that he was going to be my husband."
I looked at Colin. "What can I say, man? She's right. I knew it myself."
I then hugged Anna even tighter. "Go and make some breakfast or something, Anna. The more you sit there, the more you embarrass me in front of my best mate."
"Colin is your only mate, Daniel," Anna said. "You told me that once as well."
"So what will we do when we arrive?"
Anna's question as she and I sat waiting to board the aircraft at Heathrow was, as usual, a good one. But I was also taken by Anna's use of the word 'we'. He knew she now wanted to be part of my professional life as well as my private life and I had found I was not at all phased by this. In fact, I already sensed she had a certain flair about her that was not too dissimilar to Jimmy. The way in which she had struck up a relationship by telephone with a complete stranger, the woman called Pim, Solomon's suspected girlfriend, was so reminiscent of Jimmy's style.
But then, of course, my thoughts turned to Jimmy.
Louise, Jimmy's business partner in Nairobi had also started to worry. Jimmy had now been out of contact for nearly three days. One or two days was not unusual but three suggested something was wrong. She had even phoned the local police to report his absence and to check if there might have been an accident or something, but there had been nothing.
It was Colin who had been phoning Louise up until that morning. Finally, I had become so concerned that I had spoken to Louise himself. But I had never spoken to Louise before. Jimmy was Colin's man in Nairobi and so all my previous contact with Jimmy's office had been done through Colin. Louise had not known about a Daniel Capelli until I introduced myself.
"Ah yes," Louise said. "Yes, someone telephoned three days ago to ask if Daniel was here. I said no, there was no-one of that name here. He then said did I know Colin. Of course, I said yes, he's from Asher and Asher in London."
That was enough for me.
Someone had got Jimmy and if they had Jimmy then they also had his phone and Jimmy's call and text log. Whoever had Jimmy now also knew about Asher and Asher, about Colin and about myself. The likelihood was that the person who had spoken to Louise was Dominique Lunneau. And if Lunneau knew, Greg O'Brian would know. And if GOB knew it was likely that David Solomon might also now know.
I had told Colin. Colin's reaction was, "Oh, Christ. GOB's been aware of Asher and Asher for five years. This could now make him very, very angry. I'd better make sure my garden shed is locked."
I had told Colin but hadn't yet told Anna.
So, when Anna asked, 'So what will we do when we arrive?' I said, "Well, the first thing is that, as a precaution, I'm going to use a different passport when we arrive in Bangkok."
We were sat side by side with my old black bag between my legs. Anna's hand had been resting on my knee. She looked up. "So, now I begin to understand you even more. You want to be Kun Look Lap again?" she asked.
"No, I'm going to be David," I said. "And that's your fault. You told Solomon's girlfriend you had a husband called David and that you lived in Bristol. Do you remember?"
"Oh, yes," Anna replied sheepishly.
"Well, luckily, I've got a David Franklin passport down there," I said pointing at my black bag. "In private you can call me Daniel but otherwise I'm David. OK?"
"Yes, David."