“Don't you get any time off?”
“Well the role is meant to be 24 hours until the end of the assignment,” he answered, “but sometimes I will take a few days off and someone else will take over. I want to blend in here so I need to follow your Company dress code.”
“As you can see it is casual, except if we are dealing with clients or the public. As you have probably been told we are off to London tomorrow.”
“Alright, I will get organised,” he said and left the room to sit and read the paper outside the office.
I spent the afternoon with a fellow who had been seconded to us fol lowing our meeting with the MoD, an interesting session. It was clear that he was an extremely competent engineer with a strong back ground in aeronautics. He was a pleasant guy and interesting to talk to, but we danced around each other a little, rather like sparring partners in a boxing ring, neither wanting to give too much away. At the end of the afternoon he got up and said he had to be away. As he did so he commented, “I am going to recommend that we really take what you have seriously, if that is accepted then we will need to get the paper work done so we can talk more openly,” he smiled and left.
I called Bill Williams our finance director and company secretary. “Hi Bill, Martin here. Look we possibly have a high level discussion about to take place with the MoD on the subject of ForceNet. We need to review the legal issues, everything ranging from confidentiality to the situation regarding government rights to restrict sales in the national interest. Can I leave you to get one of your people to look at that and keep Alec in the loop? OK, one more thing. CJP are beginning to get really warm on that contract. I know that you and Alec are snowed under with the float issues but if you or one of your people could catch up with Ken Giles it would be appreciated. I think the team knows what pressure you two are under, and are tending therefore to leave you both alone, but I think it needs your input. Thanks Bill.”
In my in- tray was a draft of the float prospectus for comment, largely a task for Alec and Bill Williams to review in detail, but an opportunity for me to comment in general and approve my own bio description. After scanning it and making a few observations I picked up my laptop and jacket and set out to go home picking up my shadow Jason on the way. In the corridor there were two burly uniformed security guards near the lift. First we went up to the top floor so that I could check out with Alec on the arrangements for the following day. We entered his outer office and sitting opposite his PA Penny and reading a newspaper was an extremely attractive girl in your typical grey office suit.
Hi Penny, has he got anyone with him?”
“No,” she replied, “go on in.” I put my head in through Alec’s door and checked on the arrangements for the morning.
As I was leaving I whispered. “Who's the gorgeous blonde out there waiting for you?”
“That, is my security guard,” he laughed. “I am not sure Lisa will be too happy, but at least she doesn't have to come home with me tonight as the WPC is still there.”
I left with Jason in tow. He grabbed a small bag from his car in the garage and we climbed in to my hire car. The insurance company had apparently called during the day to confirm that my Range Rover was a write-off and that I could choose a new replacement! I couldn't help but smile when I heard. It was a burnt out shell, hardly something that could be repaired.
On the drive home I learnt a little about Jason. He was ex-army SAS and had been with Security Services for three years. He liked the work, which he said paid well, and went up in my estimation when he said he was a keen rugby player! He was not married which presumably accounted for his willingness to cope with the unsociable hours. We stopped and had a beer in the village local where we bumped in to Jerry who had helped me the night I was attacked. I introduced Jason as a friend.
“Are you Ok after the other night?” he asked.
“A bit sore, but otherwise OK. I reported it all to the police so they may be in contact.”
The three of us ended up playing a few rounds of darts before Jason and I l eft. We then dropped in to the C hippy and picked up two cod and chips to take home.
When we got home and in to the house he said, “Martin, I don't want to alarm you but I think we have been followed home this evening. They followed us first in a red Ford and then a green van.”
“I didn't notice anything,” going to the window and gently pulling aside the curtain. “There doesn't appear to be anyone outside,” I said.
“Nevertheless, I am going to call it in” and proceeded to use his mobi le. When he finished he said, ‘the boss thinks we need to increase the cover here, y ou are a bit isolated, one of our security cars will sit outside the house all night.”
With that we got down to eating our fish supper at the kitchen table, and then adjourned to the lounge where I wanted to wa tch a recording of the Scotland — England match that I had recorded from the previous Saturday.
“Please don 't feel obliged to entertain me, ” said Jason.
“That's OK, the guest bedroom is at the top of the stairs on the left so you can make your way to bed whenever you're ready. My brother is using the bedroom on the right but he does not seem to be here at the moment. Alternatively feel free to watch the game with me if you like.” We settled down to the match as I wondered if Adrian was OK.
CHAPTER 17
In the meantime in an exclusive restaurant in the West End of London, Dawson was dining. His companion was a balding grey haired man in his mid fifties with a pau nch that butted up to the table and a quietly spoken American accent. So quiet that menace seemed to exude from him every time he spoke; it made Dawson's spine tingle.
“The trouble is, it looked at first as if our threats had worked and we had persuaded them to stop the float,' said Dawson. “Now I hear that somehow that decision got reversed and t hey are full speed ahead. I hear that there could possibly be a date for the IPO fixed sometime this week; it depends on the markets apparently. In addition they have employed a security firm to provide personal protection for Bell and Lever.
“What about the brother? That is the really important project, we have to get to him.”
“We thought Martin Lever would lead us to him, but from what we are overhearing I don't think he knows where he is at the moment. What do we do now?”
“You have to get hold of the brother!”
“To complicate things my boss has detected that I have a project going on that he knows nothing about. I have denied it of course but we both know I am lying. Depends on how concerned he is whether he follows it up.”
“Ridley, you mean? He's just a pen pusher. You should be able to handle him. In the meantime we may have to go to the next stage. I will consult with my colleagues across the pond, as you Brits say, and let you know.”
CHAPTER 18
The next morning I was up bright and early and together with my shadow Jason, we set out to catch the 8am train to London. We met Alec and his shadow, Sue, at the station and boarded the train. Penny had organised restaurant car seat reservations and we sat down to a good English breakfast, Alec and I separately so we could talk privately as we prepared for the trip. Amazing how breakfast on the train is still a good meal when everything else on rail has deteriorated. We both went through our presentations and how they meshed together for the best impact with Alec reminding me of the key selling points and the subjects to avoid. Tiresome, but I sat and listened as his antennae are much better than mine on these things, and after all it was his role to lead on this project.