The Curious Case of the Missing Head

by Gabriel Farago

  ‘Good for us.’

  ‘Sure is. We could do with a break.’

  Major Andersen was sitting in the back of an unmarked police van parked at the crime scene. It was a mobile incidents room used by the Metropolitan Police, mainly to deal with terrorist attacks. She had just finished giving the detectives her detailed eyewitness account of what had happened, when the senior officer in charge climbed into the van.

  ‘I completely understand your frustration, Major,’ said the officer after he had patiently listened to the major’s concerns. ‘But you must understand, we are running this investigation and I can assure you that we are doing everything we can.’

  ‘Is that so? Here we are, more than an hour after what must surely be one of the most brazen kidnappings imaginable, with one of your officers dead and several civilians wounded, and you say you have no leads?’

  The officer held out his hands and spread his fingers, but didn’t reply. He had been instructed to keep the Americans out of the investigation.

  ‘I find this difficult to believe,’ continued the major, frustration in her voice. ‘We both know that forensically speaking, the first hour after an attack like this is critical.’

  ‘The best thing you can do is leave this to us, Major. MI5 will keep you and your government informed. As you can imagine, there’s a lot at stake here.’

  ‘That’s an understatement,’ snapped the major, but realised she was getting nowhere. To have lost Stolzfus on her watch in such a dramatic way was a disaster. And now to find that there was nothing she could do to rectify this, was rubbing salt into a festering wound. Soon, she would have to call her superiors in Washington and explain ...

  ‘I’m sorry, Major,’ said the officer and stood up. ‘I have to go ...’

  The trip along the A3 was quick and uneventful until they left the motorway just before Portsmouth.

  ‘Jesus! Look over there!’ Aladdin cried out, pointing ahead. ‘A breathalyser!’ A police officer stood in the left lane and was waving cars into a bay by the side of the road. Several cars were already in the bay being attended to by police.

  ‘That’s all we need!’ said Silvanus, reaching for his gun.

  ‘Put that away,’ said Teodora calmly, and made a split-second decision. She slowed down and pulled to the left to let two of the vehicles travelling behind her pass. ‘We can’t afford a shootout.’

  ‘What are you doing?’ demanded Silvanus, anxiously watching the police officer come closer.

  ‘Taking a gamble; watch.’

  By now, there was only space for two cars left in the bay. The officer waved down the two cars in front of Teodora and then waved her on. ‘Smile boys,’ said Teodora as she waved back and then accelerated.

  ‘That was close,’ said Aladdin, taking a deep breath.

  ‘Everything we do is like that, isn’t it? We live on the edge, don’t we chaps?’ replied Teodora, smiling for the first time since Nadia had been shot. ‘And we wouldn’t have it any other way, would we?’ She found that a dose of adrenaline was the best way to deal with pain.

  They reached the marina ten minutes later and pulled up in front of the harbourmaster’s office on the pier. Nike, one of the largest vessels at the marina, was berthed well out of sight at the far end of the crowded jetties full of sailing boats and pleasure craft.

  Nike’s captain, a man called Giacomo whom Teodora had met before, was waiting for them on the pier.

  ‘The doctor is already on board, waiting.’ Giacomo pointed over his shoulder. ‘Your keys, please.’

  Teodora handed him the keys to the van. ‘There’s a body ...’ she said quietly, choking on the word.

  ‘I know,’ said the captain. ‘Now please go on board quickly, all of you, and leave the rest to us. We’ll dispose of the vehicle. It’s all arranged.’

  Silvanus looked impressed. ‘Not bad,’ he said as he followed Teodora and Aladdin across the gangplank. Two deckhands were already at the van, and had covered Stolzfus and the stretcher with a tarpaulin before lifting it out of the back. To a casual observer it would have looked like they were taking luggage and supplies on board. Vessels moored at the marina were being loaded all the time.

  The doctor, an Indian man in his fifties, was waiting in the saloon with his medical kit. As soon as the deckhands brought in the stretcher, he went to work. First, he felt Stolzfus’s pulse. Then he cut away his shirt and cleaned the wound. After that, he began to carefully explore Stolzfus’s abdomen and chest with the tips of his fingers.

  ‘He needs surgery, of course,’ said the doctor. ‘The bullet has to be removed.’ He turned around and faced Teodora and Silvanus, who were watching him anxiously. ‘Unfortunately, I can’t do that here. He needs a hospital.’

  ‘How bad is he?’ asked Teodora.

  ‘Difficult to tell. He looks stable for now.’

  ‘Could he travel?’

  The doctor shrugged. ‘I could give him something.’

  ‘How much time does he ...?’ asked Silvanus.

  The doctor shrugged again. ‘Depends. I have seen patients with gunshot wounds like this go for days without surgery. Others died within the hour without it. It all depends on the damage inside, and the risk of infection is huge.’

  Aladdin looked at Teodora and Silvanus. ‘So, where to from here?’

  ‘I have discussed this with Alessandro already,’ said the doctor, who had overheard the question. ‘We expected something like this. There could be a solution.’

  ‘What kind of solution?’ asked Teodora.

  ‘A long shot.’

  ‘Can you tell us more?’ said Silvanus.

  ‘It’s better if you hear that from Alessandro. He wants you to call him. While you do that, I’ll prepare the patient. Every minute counts here ...’

  Teodora nodded, pulled her satellite phone out of her pocket and dialled Alessandro’s number.

  15

  Leaving Portsmouth: 15 June, 5:00 pm

  Teodora spoke with Alessandro for several minutes, then put down her phone and just sat there in silence, staring vacantly into space. This is amazing, she thought, trying to digest what Alessandro had just told her.

  ‘Well?’ prompted Silvanus. ‘What’s that long shot all about?’

  ‘Hard to believe ...’

  ‘Come on, tell us,’ said Aladdin, frowning.

  ‘Later.’ Teodora walked over to the doctor, who was giving Stolzfus an injection. ‘Can he last twenty-four hours like this?’ she asked.

  ‘Possibly. I’ll rig up some drips and leave instructions. Whatever that drug was, it’s incredibly powerful. We’ll keep him sedated. One of the crew here has some medical experience. That should help. Apart from that, it’s in the lap of the gods.’ The doctor shrugged again.

  Teodora nodded and was about to ask another question, when Giacomo burst into the saloon, looking alarmed. ‘We have to leave – now!’ he said. ‘The harbourmaster just called. He’s received instructions from the police to close the marina. Doctor, you better go ashore now, or you will have to swim.’

  The doctor closed his bag. ‘I need just a couple of minutes with Carlo to tell him what to do.’

  ‘All right, but hurry!’

  Teodora looked at Silvanus. ‘Outside, now! Come with me, guys,’ she said and headed for the door.

  Ashore there was feverish activity as the crew prepared to cast off. The powerful engines had started and Nike was about to depart and head out to sea.

  ‘I didn’t want to be overheard,’ said Teodora as soon as they were outside, alone. ‘What Alessandro has come up with is truly astonishing.’

  ‘Come on, tell us!’ said Aladdin.

  ‘There goes the doctor,’ said Silvanus, waving. The crew secured the gangplank and Nike began to move away from the berth.

  ‘All we need is twenty-four hours,’ said Teodora, ‘because by then—’

  Before Teodora could complete her sentence, Giacomo came running up the stairs, looking worried. ‘We must pre
pare,’ he said, ‘quickly!’

  ‘Prepare for what?’ asked Silvanus.

  ‘A visit from the MDP.’

  ‘What’s that?’ asked Aladdin.

  ‘Come inside and I’ll tell you, but there isn’t much time. You have papers with you?’

  ‘Of course,’ said Teodora. ‘We never go anywhere without them. But why?’ The Spiridon 4 each had separate false passports and other IDs prepared for every assignment. A master forger in Turin made sure they looked authentic and passed even the most stringent scrutiny.

  ‘Because you may need them soon.’

  ‘All right. Tell us,’ said Teodora as they followed Giacomo into the saloon. She noticed that the stretcher with Stolzfus had gone, and two crew members were hurriedly setting the dining table with glasses, small plates and serviettes.

  ‘You are expecting visitors?’ asked Silvanus, pointing to the ice bucket with a bottle of champagne in the middle of the table next to a platter full of canapes. ‘Or is all this just for us?’

  ‘Unfortunately, yes; visitors,’ said Giacomo. ‘But not the kind we want.’

  ‘Please tell us,’ said Teodora.

  ‘MDP is the Ministry of Defence Police. They have a marine unit stationed right here in Portsmouth and other naval bases around the country. The instructions to close the marina came from them. They protect the naval base here and are involved in counter-terrorism policing, patrolling the waterfront and carrying out other water-policing duties. They have a fleet of fast launches and RHIBs – rigid-hulled inflatable boats – that can outrun almost anything. The officers are all heavily armed pros with broad powers. We’ve come across them before.’

  ‘And we’ll welcome them with canapes and champagne?’ said Aladdin. ‘Is that it?’

  ‘Not quite. All of this is for you, the charter party. You have chartered this vessel in Monaco and are on a pleasure cruise. We have just taken on supplies in Portsmouth and are on our way to France. I have all the necessary papers to support this, and the harbourmaster will back us up if necessary.’

  ‘Understood,’ said Teodora, impressed.

  ‘Please go to your staterooms. Your luggage is waiting there for you. Get out of those clothes and change into something comfortable. You are on a cruise, having fun, remember? Then come back here, have a glass of champagne and relax. Leave your papers in your cabins, but have them ready, and leave the rest to us.’

  ‘What about the patient and my sister’s body?’ asked Teodora quietly.

  ‘All taken care of. This vessel has a number of special compartments ... if you know what I mean ... and the crew knows the drill. We have been through something like this before. The MDP never stays long. If the papers are in order and all looks okay, they leave. The main thing is to look the part, but I would imagine you are used to doing that?’

  ‘We are,’ said Aladdin. ‘One filthy rich, spoilt tourist coming up,’ he said and headed for the door. ‘A priest and a playboy all on the same day? Not bad. What do you think, guys? Back in five. Don’t drink all the grog.’

  Giacomo had his binoculars trained on the entrance to the harbour, and his fingers crossed. With every passing minute, the likelihood of a visit from the MDP was fading. He was about to put down his binoculars and change course when he noticed something: a plume of sea spray. Porco Dio! ‘Here they come!’ he called out. A small, rigid inflatable that looked like a rubber duckie with two powerful outboard motors at the back came racing towards them. One officer was steering, two others stood in the back, armed with machine guns.

  Giacomo reached for the microphone and switched on the intercom. ‘We are about to be boarded. Everyone take your positions. You know what to do.’ Then he pressed another switch to pipe pleasant background music through the upper deck and slowed down the vessel.

  As soon as the RHIB pulled up alongside, the officer driving the boat activated the loudspeakers. ‘This is the Ministry of Defence Police. Please stop your vessel, we are coming on board.’

  Giacomo waved at the boat from the bridge in reply and stopped the engines. Then he went to the lower deck to meet the officers who were climbing on board. ‘I am Giacomo Cornale, the captain,’ he said. ‘Welcome on board. How can I help you?’

  ‘The harbourmaster told us you left the marina just before he closed it,’ said one of the officers, a young woman holding a machine gun.

  ‘That’s right,’ said Giacomo. ‘We are on our way to France.’

  ‘We have a few questions,’ said the other officer, a man in his forties and of senior rank. ‘We would like to see your papers and we would like to see everyone on board with their passports – and that includes the crew.’

  ‘Certainly,’ said Giacomo. ‘May I ask what this is about?’

  ‘Routine inspection,’ replied the young woman, sidestepping the question.

  ‘I see. This way, please. Let’s start on the bridge. All of my papers are there.’

  ‘These are really good,’ said Aladdin, putting another canape into his mouth. He reached for the bottle and filled their glasses. ‘Remember, we are on holidays, enjoying ourselves; cheers.’

  ‘They are taking their time,’ said Silvanus, frowning. ‘I don’t like this ...’

  ‘Wipe that look off your face and relax,’ said Teodora. ‘Here they come now; smile, boys.’

  Giacomo stepped into the saloon, followed by the two officers. ‘These are my guests I told you about,’ said Giacomo, pointing to the table. ‘Apart from the crew you have already met, there is no-one else on board.’

  ‘Wow!’ said Aladdin, holding up his glass and pretending to be a little tipsy. ‘Uniforms and machine guns, just like in the movies. How exciting. Good afternoon. May I offer you a glass of champagne?’

  The female officer smiled. Aladdin’s charm had hit the mark. ‘No thank you,’ she said. ‘This won’t take long. We would like to see your passports, please.’

  ‘They are in our cabins,’ said Teodora. ‘We can get them if you like.’

  ‘Please do.’

  Teodora left the saloon first. Aladdin and Silvanus stood up and Silvanus put his arm around his younger brother. ‘Come on, mate, you heard the lady,’ he said. ‘Let’s get the passports.’ Playing their part to perfection, Aladdin and Silvanus grinned at the officers and left the saloon together.

  ‘Long lunch,’ said Giacomo and shrugged. ‘A little too much champagne ...’

  The officers did not reply. Instead they kept looking around the room. Giacomo noticed they had body cameras attached to their uniforms that were filming everything.

  Teodora returned first and handed her passport to the senior officer. Silvanus and Aladdin walked in moments later and handed theirs to the young woman.

  ‘You only stayed in port for one night. Why such a short visit?’ asked the senior officer, leafing through the passports.

  ‘That’s right. We were going on to Padstow to meet some friends at Rick Stein’s restaurant,’ said Silvanus. ‘You know it?’

  The senior officer shook his head.

  ‘They changed their minds and stayed in France. We only found out this morning. We are going over there now to meet them.’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Boulogne,’ said Teodora.

  The idle rich, thought the senior officer and handed back the passports. ‘That will be all,’ he said. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Are you sure you won’t have a glass before you go?’ asked Aladdin, slurring his words just a little.

  ‘No, thank you,’ said the young woman. ‘Have a safe trip.’

  ‘Well done, guys,’ said Teodora after the officers had left and Giacomo had restarted the engines. ‘This would never have worked had we engaged outsiders.’

  ‘You can say that again,’ said Aladdin and refilled their glasses. ‘Let’s drink to that. I think we deserve it. Cheers.’

  ‘Now, tell us about that long shot, Teodora,’ said Silvanus, sitting back in his comfortable leather chair and taking another sip. ‘What did Al
essandro tell you?’

  ‘In less than twenty-four hours we’ll have a rendezvous at sea, off the French coast. Giacomo knows exactly where.’

  ‘What kind of rendezvous?’ asked Silvanus.

  Teodora smiled. Now that the tense moments had passed, she could relax a little. ‘We will meet a hospital ship and Stolzfus will get all the medical attention he needs.’

  For a long moment there was silence.

  ‘You can’t be serious,’ said Aladdin at last.

  ‘But I am.’

  ‘How can that possibly be?’

  ‘The Mafia is very resourceful and well connected. This is another good example.’ Teodora paused and took another sip of champagne.

  ‘Tell us!’ said Silvanus impatiently.

  Before Teodora could reply, Giacomo walked into the room with a chart under his arm. ‘I just spoke to Alessandro and told him about what just happened,’ he said. ‘Needless to say he was very pleased and promised the crew a large bonus ... I also spoke to the captain of the Caritas. The ship has just passed the Strait of Gibraltar and is steaming north at full speed to meet us—’

  ‘I don’t understand,’ interrupted Silvanus. ‘What is the Caritas?’

  Giacomo turned to Teodora. ‘Haven’t you told them?’ he asked.

  ‘Not yet. I couldn’t ...’

  ‘Ah. Well, the Caritas is a hospital ship run by a charity – like the Mercy Ships. You’ve heard of them, surely?’

  Silvanus nodded.

  ‘The ship operates mainly in Africa and was on its way from Dakar to Malta. It is registered in Valletta, and therefore spends a lot of time in Malta. That’s where her owners live. Alessandro has contacted the owners and asked them to divert the ship and meet us ...’ Giacomo unfolded the chart, put it on the table and ran his finger along the west coast of France, ‘about here,’ he said. ‘We should reach this point in about twenty-four hours if there are no storms, and at the moment none are predicted.’

  ‘Are you serious?’ asked Aladdin, looking incredulous. ‘Alessandro is sending us a hospital ship to treat Stolzfus?’