She Was a Pretty Girl: A spy story Read online

  ‘Now that is a good idea. What about turning the tables on him? I often go and see Roger Spearforth with results from the tests Winfield asks me to run and Roger is malleable. I could plant a bug somewhere and record his reaction to the news and hear his orders.’

  ‘You are beginning to sound like Lorna, Marion.’

  Marion laughed.

  ‘Now that is a worrying thought.’ She declared.

  ‘Just be careful of what you say and to whom, there are a lot more bugs in this place than there should be and only a few walk or fly about!’

  ‘Don’t you worry, I will be just like the monkeys. I will see nothing, here nothing and say nothing as far as Winfield is concerned. Mind you, I still have to link his lot to Victor’s disappearance and that will not be easy.’

  ‘You can only do your best Marion.’ John replied and left her working.

  Chapter 7

  The next few days were spent either working in the office or sweeping the place for bugs but he found none. It was unusual to have a bug free office and frankly he did not believe it! He started trawling the internet about hidden listening devices and cameras and came up with some intriguing information. The modern device was now less easy to detect thanks to inbuilt switches and better design. The cheaper bugs had a switch which turned them off in the presence of a detector and they turned back on when it was no longer close enough to detect it. Others were undetectable by the normal means and needed special equipment to detect them, a lot more sophisticated than the one John had. Which meant he was bugged but had no way of finding it without a new type of detector and a keen eye. The bugs which had an inbuilt switch did register for a millisecond before they were no longer detectable, so there were ways of finding them.

  He scratched his head. It was better in the long run to get rid of Winfield than spend more money finding his bugs but to go up and shoot him dead, was not an option. Out in the field it was possible. He reflected on the possibility but the only way to draw him out would be to let him know that Clementine was no longer active and living in some desolate place with her new husband, which was not wise as it meant that the two surviving triplets would soon meet a grisly end. The only time that that was possible was if Winfield found out about Clementine retiring and that was something he did not want to happen!

  The day Lorna returned to work was a happy day for John. There was little to do in the office and despite the lack of traceable bugs, they did not speak about anything of a delicate nature. John did invite her to his house for a meal to celebrate her return and she accepted, it would save her cooking later that night.

  Two days after Lorna returned from holiday they met at Lorna’s aunt’s house and John briefed her fully on what had gone down. The fate of Victor made Lorna cover her mouth, more in disbelief than horror.

  ‘One mistake like that and he is discarded?’ She complained. ‘I am glad I don’t work for Winfield!’

  ‘He should have said no when he was ordered to bug the PM and at short notice. He might have got the sack but at least he would still be alive.’ John argued.

  ‘I’m not so sure. He probably knew too much about what Winfield gets up to for Winfield just to sack him.’ Lorna retorted. ‘It is a sad state of affairs when you can’t refuse to do something because you are liable to wake up dead.’

  ‘I did try to save him but Winfield sent the assignment to Clementine.’ John replied. ‘We know who it was that killed him and with some proof from them, it is another possible nail in Winfield’s coffin, so to speak. We can get the two remaining triplets to testify against Winfield for that and other killings which weren’t requested from a higher authority.’

  ‘That is the trouble. Winfield doesn’t think there is a higher authority.’ Lorna declared. ‘I think that even the PM is afraid of him and what he might do!’

  ‘No and if he finds out about the remaining triplets it will mean a quick phone call to warn them that the cat is out of the bag.’ John exclaimed. ‘It is a suck it and see situation. Knowing when to go on the offensive is that problem.’

  ‘I could go up and shoot him tomorrow.’ Lorna retorted. ‘I liked Victor.’

  They talked until it was late and Lorna caught up with all that had happened since she had gone on holiday. With the discs from the hard drives sent to the post office box and a new disc installed in both, they left for home. She booted up both computers so that they were ready for use and to make sure if the house was found that there was very little for Winfield to inform him of anything he did not know. He would find the dossier on the petty cash receipts, with the conclusions and would know that it was ready for the Prime Minister.

  John was waiting for the information on Victor’s killing and anything else Marion had to throw some light on Winfield’s nefarious dealings with other such spook masters. The bigger the shock for the Prime Minister, the more the chance of ousting Winfield so that things could return to normal and they could do what they are supposed to do, without worrying about who was listening to them.

  John arrived home but did not see the man watching from the house opposite. He lifted the fence inwards and pushed his bicycle inside, closing the fence behind him. He parked the bicycle in the back of his shed and closed the back of the shed, making sure it was locked in the up position.

  The phone rang in Winfield’s office and Winfield opened his eyes. He was still there in his office, he felt safe there.

  ‘What have you to tell me?’ He asked.

  ‘I have just seen John Fairchild return to his house Mr. Winfield.’ Jacob answered.

  ‘Where from?’

  ‘I have no idea, I didn’t see him go out. I didn’t come on duty until an hour ago Mr. Winfield.’

  ‘I will see Peter in the morning, just make sure you bring the disc from the camera so that we know when he went out.’ Winfield ordered. ‘Just how did he go out the back of his place?’

  ‘Exactly the same as at the other house Mr. Winfield. He lifted the fence in and went through it.’

  Winfield picked his way through the files and came up with a schematic layout of John’s house and saw the shed tight up against the fence in two places, leaving no room to get past.

  ‘How does he get through the shed?’ He asked.

  ‘I have no idea Mr. Winfield, he must go into the shed and out the other side.’ Jacob answered.

  While John settled down to listen to music in his shed before he went in to go to bed Jacob was watching the back fence for movement and would be all night.

  ‘You wanted to see me Mr. Winfield.’ Peter asked when he arrived in the office the following morning.

  ‘Just wanted to watch some film with you Peter.’ Winfield answered and turned the film on.

  They sat there watching together until John appeared and rode off. Peter looked suitably surprised as he watched.

  ‘So where were you, while John was doing a moonlight flit?’ Winfield asked.

  Peter blustered.

  ‘Where?’ Winfield repeated. ‘And the truth!’

  ‘At home sir, my wife had to go out and I was babysitting.’ Peter answered suitably crest fallen, only because he had been found out.

  ‘I actually think you did me a favour Peter.’ Winfield replied. ‘If you had been on watch where you should have been there would have been a half arsed attempt to follow Fairchild and he might well have been tipped off that we were following him. So now you will go round to his house when he has gone to work and put a locator on his bicycle. That way we will know where he goes without the need to follow him. And where he goes is likely to be somewhere we do not know about!’

  ‘As soon as he has gone to work I will slip in there and put a locator on his bike and slip out again without him knowing I was there at all.’ Peter answered.

  ‘Make sure he doesn’t Peter or your wife will need a new baby sitter!’ Winfield warned.

  Peter walked out and prepared to do his best work. John walked into the office as Peter walked out, they both k
new each other but did not acknowledge it. John walked on into his office where Lorna was waiting for him.

  ‘Did you sleep well?’ She asked.

  ‘Very well Lorna, and you?’ John answered.

  ‘Like a top. Are you ready for the continuing battle against evil?’ She asked.

  ‘You mean Winfield and his cronies, I passed one going out as I came in.’ John answered which made Lorna smile.

  ‘He’ll be up to no good, I’ll be bound.’ She added before she followed John into his office and put the post on his desk.

  ‘For the good of queen and country.’ John quipped disparagingly.

  ‘More like for the good and protection of Winfield, and he is going to need it.’ Lorna retorted which caused John to look at her. ‘One day.’ She added quickly.

  ‘But when will that day come? That is the question which is uppermost in our minds.’ John continued, ignoring the slip. ‘I will go and see if Marion has got any further in the disappearing Victor case. I will go and see her while you rustle up some tea old girl.’

  The old girl was a rebuke and Lorna knew it. A second slip and such slips can prove fatal or costly depending what action it provokes. She followed John out with the post unopened to get tea from the canteen, while John used the lift to go down to Marion’s lair.

  ‘Hello John, I didn’t expect to see you so early.’ Marion declared when he was shown into her office. Security had been beefed up to make sure the evidence she had worked on, did not suddenly disappear.

  John took a pen from the desk and a piece of paper from the printer on the same desk to write a note.

 

  He slid it across to Marion who read it and mouthed ‘oops’ That meant that Marion had thought she was no longer bugged and had been speaking freely.

  ‘As you can see I have beefed up security, it is because of the test results and what it proves.’ She declared. ‘Not just any Tom, Dick or Harry can get in here now.’

  ‘So I noticed. Does that mean Victor took some more secrets when he left?’ John asked thoughtfully.

  ‘No Victor was dead or incapacitated when he was dragged out of the lift in Brighton. I think he was used as a scapegoat…’ Marion answered.

  ‘No!’ John interjected.

  ‘Yes and there is some proof of what happened to him which I will be presenting to the Prime Minister tomorrow at my meeting with him.’

  ‘At least it means that you will clear Victor’s name and his mother will get some money for his death. Do you know who killed him?’ John asked as Marion was being open. He assumed that it meant that Winfield had already heard all she was saying.

  ‘I have ideas on that and who ordered it but no proper proof yet, just bits and pieces but I will keep digging until I get there.’ The last bit was an out and out threat especially for Winfield to hear.

  ‘Well I hope you get whoever is responsible for this outrage Marion, can I see the files?’

  ‘They are in the safe which is on a time lock and I cannot get them until the morning when I will see the PM. I thought it was best that way.’ Marion answered.

  ‘I’ll leave you to it then Marion, just watch your back until tomorrow.’

  ‘I am staying put until then, I have even had a put you up brought in. There is no way I want to miss the showdown tomorrow!’ Marion declared.

  ‘That is definitely fighting talk and I wish you well. You might have company when I tell Lorna what is going on.’ John replied and left her to it.

  To stay all night with Marion would cause a lot of gossip and damage their standing in the organization, which neither wanted at this point in time. But Lorna could stay and nothing would be said. John walked back to the office.

  ‘Marion has set up shop in her office until she sees the PM in the morning with the Victor evidence, even has a put you up bed to sleep on.’ He announced, expecting Lorna to join her after work.

  ‘It is a shame she chose tonight, I am meeting my sister for a meal.’ Lorna answered.

  ‘Is that wise after what happened last time?’ John asked.

  ‘Oh we won’t be going to the same restaurant, Winfield made sure of that, it burnt down!’ Lorna answered. ‘Any other night and I would have stayed as well. You could always stay with her!’

  ‘Not a wise move, tongues would wag and my position would be a little more tenuous.’

  Lorna stopped typing.

  ‘Yes, you need to argue the toss with the PM with any wrongdoers from a firm moral platform and not quicksand.’ Lorna admitted. ‘Damn. I could phone her but I want to tell her about my holiday and what I got up to. I’ll drop in and give Marion some advice.’

  As good as her word she stopped off to see Marion on her way out and found her sitting at her desk.

  ‘All alone?’ She asked.

  ‘Yes the other three have gone on home, they would have stayed if I had asked but it is just one night and nothing can happen in this place.’ Marion answered.

  ‘I should lock the door anyway, and it would make me feel better. If I wasn’t having a meal with my sister I would be in here like a shot.’

  ‘No you go and have some fun, I will be having fun tomorrow.’ Marion replied.

  Lorna left her there and walked down to the bus stop. She did not drive and relied on public transport. She never left the office on time as she had to wait for her bus, and to leave on time meant waiting at the bus stop a lot longer.

  She looked at her watch when she arrived and then looked at the timetable. Three minutes later one came along and she jumped on it, choosing to stay downstairs where she was in plain sight.’

  Her usual way was to look round the faces and try to work out which one was following her, if one was. She did not recognise anyone and her mind turned to tomorrow’s up and coming events and the problems facing Winfield. If Marion was as good as Lorna thought, then it meant that Winfield was in trouble, or was Marion just winding Winfield up. Lorna did not put that past Marion but it would be interesting to see just what happened.

  There was no problem as usual. Lorna walked in and slammed the door to keep the world out. She cooked her dinner and ate it to a loud Manic Street Preacher’s album, just to give the people listening, a headache. Afterwards she turned to her regular music and set the scene to depart to her aunt’s house to see what, if anything, had turned up. She expected to see John there later and left with the usual caution.

  John drove away from work after checking on Marion one more time and hurriedly ate a meal from the freezer, not his favourite food but he wanted to see Lorna and discuss things where they could talk openly. He walked to his shed and started the music, choosing a different selection for the man or men listening.

  He donned his cycle helmet and wheeled his bicycle out through the end of the shed, closing it behind him. He did not see the bug or the tape holding it in place. He looked out furtively when he opened the fence but did not see the man across the street watching him.

  John hurried out and closed the fence before powering away with his muscular legs. He had no lights on. He usually put his lights on just before he reached the junction to make sure no one saw where he came from. He raced round the first corner and saw a skip in front of him, right in front of him. He had no chance to avoid it and hit it despite pulling on both brakes.

  The car waiting to follow him leisurely noticed the signal had stopped and assumed that he had reached his destination. They drove up to where the signal was still coming from and saw him laying on the ground next to his mangled bicycle.

  ‘What now?’ Jacob asked.

  ‘I’ll get the transmitter, that bike is not fit for anything bar the scrapheap now.’ Peter answered , he walked over to the bicycle and ripped the transmitter off the chassis.

  He walked back to the car.

  ‘Is he alive?’ Jacob asked.

  �
�I don’t know, do I?’ Peter answered.

  ‘Well we should know!’ Jacob declared.

  ‘Go and find out then!’ Peter exclaimed.

  Jacob walked over and felt for a pulse, then walked back to the car and they drove away.

  ‘Well?’ Peter asked.

  ‘He’s alive.’ Jacob answered. ‘But he isn’t going anywhere for a while.’

  ‘We’d better let Winfield know.’ Peter advised.

  ‘I’m driving.’ Jacob replied.

  Lorna waited at her aunt’s house and collected all the information which had come in, she would post that to the usual PO box for safe keeping. When John did not arrive she rode home and went to bed.

  ‘Mr. Winfield sir, Mr. Fairchild has had a serious accident on his bicycle. The bike is a write off.’ Peter reported over a secure line.

  ‘Did you retrieve our equipment?’ Winfield asked.

  ‘Yes Mr. Winfield. What shall we do now?’

  ‘Is he alive?’

  ‘Yes Mr. Winfield but it looks bad.’

  ‘Did you call for an ambulance?’

  ‘No Mr. Winfield.’ Peter answered worriedly.

  ‘Well done. Go back to the office but don’t use your passes.’

  ‘How do we get inside then.’ Peter asked.

  ‘You will find away, there are a few holes in security, I know I exploit then regularly.’

  ‘What do we do when we get inside Mr. Winfield?’ Peter asked with interest.

  ‘Take Marion to the safe house and it will not be a request, use the Taser and try not to let her see who it is, do it when she is asleep!’

  ‘Are you sure Mr. Winfield?’

  ‘Do you want me to get someone else to do it?’ Winfield asked carefully.

  ‘No, we can do it.’ Peter answered and the line went dead. ‘Did you hear that?’

  ‘Well I couldn’t really miss it, could I. I thought you handled it really well!’ Jacob declared. ‘Now we have to break into our own building and kidnap someone without getting caught.’

  They stopped and changed to an unknown car and parked in a back street in the next street the office was in. Even though the office had top notch security in the office they were inside in half an hour. They crept through the office complex avoiding the patrols and made it to the laboratory, expecting Marion to be asleep. They saw the put you up bed with the sleeping Marion curled up under the duvet and slipped into the laboratory using a key card made for such an occasion.