Everything to Lose (13 page)

21

Stansted
Road
,
Southsea

Laraine wailed and howled like someone had died. Jess rushed into the room to comfort her mother. She looked accusingly at Gavin Shawlens, wishing she was a big girl, so she could slap his face. Gavin Shawlens apologised for causing upset and said he would leave.

Laraine
recovered, cuddled Jess and apologised to Gavin for the outburst. She told him he'd done nothing wrong. Laraine wiped her eyes with a piece of kitchen roll paper then told Jess she was fine and ushered her back to the next room to get on with her homework. Laraine took another sheet of kitchen paper for her tears.

"What
is it?" Gavin asked.

"Oh
God. Bob loves to cook. I've watched him dice his meat into squares and he told me it made the meat taste better. He'll always dice a banana into identical little cubes. I've watched him cut food into shapes hundreds of times and never thought anything about it until now," Laraine said in between loud sobs.

"Shape
is linked to vision and often run together with taste."

"I'm
sorry for crying out Dr Shawlens. It's just a whole load of things crashed in my mind."

"It's
okay, just take your time."

She
started to calm down and said she was fine. Her mind had rushed around pulling up troubled thoughts for re-consideration in the new light of what he'd told her.

"When
we told Bob's mum and dad about Jess they made an appointment with a psychologist friend they know through the church. I didn't take Jess and it caused a huge argument. We've been fighting with them about what to do for Jess for more than a year. Now it all makes sense to me. His parent's friend must have forced Bob to suppress his feelings. They think they cured him. They didn't."

"Sounds
as though he has the gift."

"His
mother asked me if Jess was having problems with numbers. She's fine with her numbers. She said when Bob was small he could only work with numbers if they were not in colour. She told me her psychologist friend got him through it and would get Jess through it."

"A
psychologist can't remove it. It's hard wired."

"I've
been so racked with guilt. I thought it was my fault. I was so exhausted at the birth they had to use forceps. Her little head was squashed when I first saw her. His mother keeps telling me I caused Jess's curse. I've been getting the blame. Her damn son passed it on to Jess," Laraine said and a note of anger resonated in her voice.

"I'll
explain it to Bob if you want."

"Bob's
not with me just now."

"Oh
I'm sorry."

"He
left us nine months ago. It was the night he got mugged."

"He
was mugged."

"He
came home from work all beat up. His face was cut, his body was badly bruised and he had cracked ribs. He was in a mess and kept apologising. As if it was his fault he got mugged."

"A
mugging can completely change a person."

"I
got up about five a.m. to follow him to the toilet. Normally we'd still be half asleep and keep quiet in case we woke Jess, then crash back into bed and go back to sleep. This time he sat up in bed and kissed me so gently on the cheek. I think I heard him whisper
I
love
you
before I turned and fell asleep. When I woke next morning he was gone. Jess said he woke her up early and they talked and cuddled for a while."

"Did
he leave you a note?"

"He
didn't take his wallet, phone, keys, car or anything. For a few weeks I thought my life had ended. I had to pull myself together for Jess. The police told me some professionals like doctors and lawyers go missing when stress becomes unbearable. They get an overwhelming feeling their family is better off without them."

"I
see Jess misses him a lot."

"Jess
tells everyone her dad's on a break. I think she heard that in school."

"What
did he do?"

"He
was doing well as a professional sports trainer. Lots of clients."

"Did
you notice a change in him before he left?"

"Nothing
other than the Harley Street consultant asking for money we didn't have. Odd times he would tell me about a nightmare athlete. Sometimes athletes take their failures out on the trainer."

"Athletes,"
Gavin repeated.

"Yes
he provided part-time training for some of the sports clubs at the Uni."

"Something
must have pushed him over the edge."

They
looked at each other eyeball to eyeball. She was thinking
does
he
mean
I
pushed
him
and he was thinking
he
would
only
walk
away
from
his
family
home
if
he
was
deeply
unhappy
.

"We
argued all the time about what to do about Jess. He was devastated when the consultant asked for that amount of cash. Bob felt he was so close to a treatment for Jess but the cost was far too much. I wish I'd got him to open up a bit more."

"You've
had no contact at all."

"Every
time the phone rang my heart leapt in case he was trying to get back in touch. The landline is disconnected now so it doesn't ring. Last week it was Jess's sixth birthday. I was so sure he'd send her a card. He didn't so we had a horrid day."

"That's
tough for a little girl. Maybe he couldn't."

"She's
hanging in there for him. Jess leaves a packet of his favourite smoked bacon crisps and a glass of water by the front door every night. So her daddy will have something to eat and drink when he comes home. We talk about him every night and she always tells me what she'll say to him when he comes home."

"I'm
sure he will when he feels the time is right."

"I
thought that for the first three months. But it's now nine months. He must be settled into another life."

"Don't
give up hope."

"Dr
Shawlens I am so pleased I bullied you into giving me a lift. What you have just told me has changed my life. So many things make sense now. I feel a great weight has lifted. I don't know how to thank you."

"I'm
sorry that it wasn't better explained to you in the first place."

"I
thought Bob left because he didn't want me. I can see why he got so upset about Jess going to School. He must have had a hard time at school. I can see why his parents caused trouble when I didn't have Jess treated by their psychologist. They think Bob is cured."

"If
you stop trying to contain her she will bloom into a wonderful woman," Gavin said.

"I've
sat in the dark, crying, fretting. I've had battles with Bob and his parents. All through ignorance. Dr Shawlens you've switch on the light. I see everything so different. I feel good in myself again."

"I'll
need to go," Gavin said as he walked toward the front door.

She
hugged him as if she had her husband back. He hugged her as if he had Emma back. It made them both feel good. It was the first strong hug he'd had for a long time. For a dozen seconds he closed his eyes and he was in Emma's arms. He felt connected again to a living soul.

"Can
you do me a favour?"

"Anything
Dr Shawlens. I will do anything for you. Except please don't ask me to deal with Fran at your tutorials. She stamped on my toes after I spoke up at the first tutorial."

"Do
you know how I can find Oliver Mansole?"

"Dr
Shawlens why do you want Olly?" Laraine asked and a flush of embarrassment spread up from her neck.

"I
need to speak to him. He's supposed to help me with my research."

"I
see, well I haven't seen Olly since the night he disappeared."

"Disappeared."

Laraine explained that she'd been seeing Olly for a few months before he disappeared. He'd helped her get though all the trouble that landed on her lap when Bob walked out on her and Jess. She said Bob and Olly were very good friends through their sport activities and had been since before Jess was born so she knew Olly very well. The last time she saw Olly was the night of the judo championships at the Student Union.

She
also said Olly promised to help her with the removal when she and Jess finally got evicted from the house for not paying the mortgage. She emphasised the point hoping Gavin would respond with an offer to help. He didn't. Not because he wouldn't help but because he didn't realise it was a plea for help.

"What
happened to him?"

"I
don't know. We argued and I left early. I know he fought in the final and made a complete balls of it. They lost the final because of him."

"Do
you mind if I ask why you argued?"

Laraine
turned her back on Gavin and leaned against the kitchen sink as she stared out through the kitchen window. He saw she was upset and embarrassed. He assumed that she didn't want to talk about her private life.

"Sorry
I didn't mean to pry. I just want to find Oliver."

"Olly
has been good to me since Bob left. I don't know what I would have done without him. I don't want him to get into trouble."

"He
won't get any trouble from me. I want to help him."

"What
about Professor Buzzwall?"

"Buzzwall,"
Gavin repeated.

"He's
desperate to find Olly as well."

"I
don't know what Buzzwall wants but I can get Buzzwall off Oliver's back if that will help him."

Laraine
told Gavin that on the night of the judo championships the team were doing well. They reached the final. Olly took her to a corner of the hall supposedly for a kiss and cuddle but instead he took a loaded syringe from a black spectacle case and injected into both legs. He wanted me to put his spectacle case in my bag. I refused and we argued about him cheating then I left.

"Do
you know what he took?"

"Steroids.
He's a supplier. The students buy steroids from him."

"He's
a drug dealer."

"Sports
drugs. That's all I know."

"Do
you know what Buzzwall wants with Oliver?"

"All
I know is Professor Buzzwall sent two foreign thugs to threaten me in my home then he summoned me to his office. They want his stash of drugs. You're not after his stash are you? Because I don't know where it is."

"Absolutely
not. If Oliver gets back in contact tell him I want to help."

"Alright
I will."

Laraine
led Gavin through her kitchen and along the hall to her front door.

"Bye
Jess," he called into the living room as he passed.

"Bye
bye mister lemon tart, lick your lips and cross your heart, hah hah!"

"Thanks
again Dr Shawlens."

As
he sat in his car Gavin's mind analysed what Laraine had just told him. If Oliver has crossed Buzzwall and stole some of Buzzwall's drugs then that's probably why he disappeared. Oliver might have evidence proving that Buzzwall's research had backfired. Bob McSwann and Oliver Mansole are friends. Bob McSwann is missing. Laraine thinks he left her for a better life but maybe Bob and Oliver are hiding out together. Maybe Bob knows where to find Oliver.

He
called Elaine at her office in HR and remembering Zoe's threat about name mix-ups. He paused and said Ruth rather than Elaine when her secretary answered the phone. He asked Ruth to find out what she could about Robert E McSwann. He didn't realise but his heart was much lighter. He felt more positive in his mind. Helping Laraine to understand her daughter had given him a lift.

22

Cosham
,
Hampshire

The CIA property team chose a vacant shop on Havant Road, Cosham for Dovecoat's base. It had been selected from a CIA database of UK residential and non-residential buildings that met the criteria for a short-term base of operations.

Joe
Hopkine, Hopper to his small circle of friends and his black-bag technician JB had organised collapsible tables and seats and basic facilities in an upstairs office in the former bedroom furniture shop.

They
set-up a secure computer server, video recorders and two flat screen monitors. As Hopper configured the equipment the back of his mind was working on his plan. Director Maverack had ordered him to force agent Dovecoat to reveal all details of the POINT-K project.

Hopper
took a mobile phone call from JB and he snapped his fingers at Dovecoat to indicate that eyes and ears had been installed in the target flat. JB sent the IP addresses to Hopper in a text message. Hopper entered them into the control server, adjusted some settings and two computer screens flickered into life. Hopper talked to JB as he worked on the keyboard.

From
the conversations Dovecoat understood they had worked together many times before but were not best buddies. A distinct reticence in JB's voice at key points in their conversations suggested more fear of Hopper than mutual respect.

Hopper
split the first screen into five windows. The top left window showed the living room and the top right showed the kitchen. The bottom right showed Gavin Shawlens' bedroom and bottom left showed Zoe Tampin's bedroom.

The
fifth window was overlaid in the centre of the screen and showed the hall entrance to the flat. Using a keyboard Hopper selected each window in turn to make sure each could be viewed full screen on the second screen.

When
he was content with the setup Hopper told JB the visuals were good. JB went into each room and spoke softly then loudly for Hopper to calibrate the sound. When it was done Hopper told JB that E&E (eyes and ears) were good and he could pack-up his gear.

When
JB said he would return to base in a few minutes, Hopper spoke sharply and told JB not to come back to the base. Effectively it sounded like 'get lost' and JB was unhappy with that. It seemed like a change of plan and hairs on the back of Dovecoat's neck started to feel uncomfortable.

Dovecoat
and Hopper sat down with coffee and chocolate doughnuts. Hopper started a conversation about working in the UK. He talked about things he hated about the country and the unpredictable wet weather. He tried to draw out some information about Dovecoat's mission. Dovecoat didn't respond to any of it and started to check the equipment. Dovecoat thanked Hopper for the set-up and dropped a strong hint that Hopper should be on his way.

Hopper's
friendly approach hadn't washed with Dovecoat so he decided to get straight to the point. He demanded to know how Gavin Shawlens was connected to POINT-K. Dovecoat smiled, ignored him and said nothing.

Hopper
was famous in the CIA for his short fuse and it had run out. His face sharpened, his hands agitated and he demanded more vigorously. He insisted that he had to be told. Again Dovecoat said nothing.

Hopper's
anger quickly boiled over. He slapped and knocked Dovecoat off a flimsy chair onto the floor. Hopper picked up and pinned Dovecoat's shoulders against a wall. He said he had authority from Langley to take control of the surveillance.

He
pushed Dovecoat toward a suitcase that Dovecoat had brought. He demanded all files and orders relating to POINT-K. Dovecoat offered no resistance and lifted the suitcase onto the table. Hopper was bigger and more muscular that Dovecoat. If Hopper chose to beat the information out of Dovecoat he could do it. Still shaking Dovecoat extracted a handful of files from the case then dabbed a stream of blood with a handkerchief.

Dovecoat
started to explain about POINT-K surveillance issues and communication protocols. Hopper realised he was hearing meaningless bullshit. Hopper snapped and he landed a strong punch on the side of Dovecoat's face. Dovecoat fell to the floor and this time adopted a foetal position. At the same time the case fell to the floor and emptied its contents.

Hopper
shouted that Director Maverack in Langley was furious for being kept out of the loop. He drew his Glock 22 semi-automatic and agitated it at the floor. Hopper paced back and forth. Shouting that he'd had enough messing about. He wanted the details and he wanted them right away.

"You
will cooperate with me or I will send you home in a body bag."

Dovecoat
sat up, mouth bloodied, tooth loose, hands raised up in submission. Hopper said CIA London Station was now in charge. Dovecoat admitted feeling uncomfortable about the situation but had followed orders to the letter.

Dovecoat
agreed to hand over all the POINT-K files and kneeled on the floor to re-pack the black case before extracting a USB drive from a zipped pocket on the lid.

Hopper
looked smug and superior as he loaded the encrypted USB drive onto his laptop. Dovecoat dictated the encryption password and Hopper accessed the files. He saw a large number of reports in a POINT-K folder. He started scanning the documents looking for details. He looked at the dates associated with the files.

"Jeesus,
look at the length of time this thing has been running. Maverack will jump out of his skin when he sees all of this," Hopper said excitedly.

"What's
this?" Hopper pointed to the word Tucuxi.

"It's
pronounced too-koo-shi. Code name for the target Dr Gavin Shawlens."

"I
guessed that. What is a Tucuxi?"

"It's
above my pay grade."

"If
it was made up by an idiot it will be meaningless. If it was made up by a smart guy it will mean something," Hopper said.

"I
don't know what it means."

Hopper
told Dovecoat to get cleaned up and pour more coffee. The coffee machine had just enough left for two cups. He declined milk and sugar and took a large swallow of his coffee as he relished thoughts of walking into Bill Maverack's office with the full story on POINT-K.

Hopper
was determined not to let Bill Maverack down. They were old friends and Bill had saved Hopper's ass several times when he overstepped the mark and got into trouble. Hopper was prepared to do whatever was necessary and Dovecoat had sensed as much from his aggression. In the end Dovecoat yielded without much pain. Much as Hopper expected. Dovecoat was a shadowy spook, a watcher and not a real field agent with nerves of steel.

As
he drank his coffee Hopper told Dovecoat that Bill Maverack at NCS would take control of the POINT-K surveillance. Dovecoat accepted the decision and stood at his side as he scrolled through the POINT-K files.

Hopper
stopped scrolling, turned and looked up in shock. His hand jerked against the empty cup which flew off the table before he passed out and fell off the chair onto the floor. Dovecoat thought about catching his head before it crashed onto the floor but instead mopped more blood onto a fresh handkerchief before moving him into the recovery position.

There
wasn't enough time to measure a safe amount of propofol but a definite need to ensure there was enough to do the job fast. His breathing was steady and his pulse regular as Dovecoat leaned over him to take charge of his Glock.

Agent
Dovecoat didn't understand the office politics that Hopper was talking about but did have a protocol to follow if any intelligence service home or foreign attempted to obtain the POINT-K files.

Dovecoat
placed a satellite phone upright on the table, pressed a pre-set speed-dial emergency number then set the phone in loudspeaker mode.

When
it connected there was no voice on the other end. Forty seconds passed before three loud clicks signalled to confirm exact location captured. Dovecoat sniffed deeply then spoke strongly with some nasal resonance.

"BROKEN
... LENS. Repeat. BROKEN ... LENS."