CHAPTER ELEVEN
Stanton had been studying the conduct of the media, he deducted journalists were tapping and hacking phones not only of the rich and famous but members of government. He also believed some of this was known of among parliamentarians, MI6, 5 and the civil police, they turned a blind eye in apprehension of disapproval among news headlines.
Through experience bestowed upon him by his wife Jodi, a leading journalist with a London newspaper prior to fleeing overseas, he built a plan of manipulation to encompass the media and use them as a tool to inform and sway the public. He found the fear of losing power among politicians was a weakness he could turn into a strength, he found they would do anything to keep the publics approval and remain in power. Stanton believed with information he held and continued to accumulate now including rising powers such as China holding the evil to ransom was a mounting possibility. Patriotism had him remain a stable member of British autocracy for no other reason that he had found nothing better among the powers of the planet. He bounced current fact around in his head finding having to turn on his own kind when confronted by them recently a defining moment, should his own kind be found trashing the creed he felt sure he would turn on them. He sat on the cusp of becoming a vigilante.
He tried not to assume an attempt by his own kind to be rid of one of the women he loved pressured his conscience, he relied on his own kind to watch over his the other woman in his life so far from his control. He knew his wife well and always respected her will, she wanted nothing to do with him so he watched over her indirectly.
Stanton wanted to talk to Brannigan about Polaris but the provocative question he wanted answered was why an exemplary patriot would suddenly turn to crime. Had the system failed him, were problems or illness in his life causing irrational conduct similar to Sheldon, was he misguided or turning evil. Along side Bella in a small concrete room below Foulness Island, they discussed the probable location of Captain Brannigan using all available information they could muster.
Stanton studied papers on the old Victorian table, a veteran of such affairs, Bella had assisted pulling up the lowered flaps giving a larger circular work area to accommodate the mass of documentation. Stanton shook his head as he again read the stats of Brannigan’s exemplary record. “The first thing we must keep in mind is this man is smart,” he leant over the table holding the document in his hand under a hanging light that could be pulled down via a spring mechanism to a convenient height. “The more I read about this man the more I wonder. Reads like every other operative you’d be keen to stand next to, I think he needs help, he may want certain people to find him but avoid contact until that person rolls up. You’ve found some interesting stuff on the women.”
Bella threw a wad of A4 paper stapled together like a book to Stanton from the opposite side of the table, he dropped Brannigan’s file and picked it up. “This women in a toe rag, what an earth is he doing with her god knows.”
Stanton studied the information, he shook his head and raised his eyebrows as he read. “Soho stripper, seven counts of illicit drug possession including heroin, pornographic movie star, high class prostitute clients include politicians.” He looked up at Bella wide eyed. “Was her Jaguar noted by Sheldon, she lives in Plymouth, brief description matches picture, Dolly Parton has nothing on this tart. Jaguar registered to Plymouth address.”
“Not far from where his wife and family live, she’s had over half a million pounds in plastic surgery over the last three years,” commented Bella.
“Get the surgeons details, stones that need turning, anything we can find.”
“Already have keep reading.”
Stanton read on for a couple of minutes, Bella organised paperwork on the table. “Dr George Hollis,” he looked up. “Albert Hollis’s youngest brother they don’t get on.” Stanton pulled up a chair, he dragged another beside him, he nodded towards it and Bella walked round sitting next to him. He shook his head. “This all adds up to easy,” he read on. “Brannigan disappeared a month ago, hasn’t been back to his wife since. Polaris information was reported corrupted the same day. The entire plan has been changed, only the warhead plans are of any use now and you’d need to be very rich and in power to do anything with them. In addition, have motive to use it, the information is really of no use to those with nuclear arsenals, the US, France, India, Pakistan, Israel. That leaves The Middle East.”
“Let’s hit the blonde things place, Brannigan may be held up with her, looks pretty obvious.”
“Exactly, look’s far to obvious. If Brannigan is there and MI central have this information why have they not acted?”
“Probably all too busy bonking the arse of that blon….”
“Bella!” Stanton gave her a dirty look, he looked back at the paperwork. “Her names Rose Feelgood, that can’t be right.”
Bella giggled under her breath. “It’s on her birth certificate,” she fumbled through the pages bringing Stanton’s attention to a copy. “Look, Roselyn Victoria Fleming.”
“Father Gustav Michael Fleming, mother Brenda Joanne Smith.”
“Her mother’s birth certificate is a forgery, we think her original name was Brankston.”
“Find any reason.”
“Like mother like daughter, her mother married into money and power with one of her clients Gustav Fleming.”
“I’m thinking the name rings a bell.”
“Lives in Plymouth owns a shipping company.”
“Humph, this is just too straightforward; the worst bobby on the beat could string this together.”
“Now for something interesting.”
“Without the claws just the facts thanks.”
Bella drew one side of her mouth up and the same side eyebrow. “She’s on the mafia hit list has been for over a month.” She picked up Brannigan’s file found a page toward the end and showed it to Stanton. “Brannigan was investigated two months ago for a rescue that went wrong, or perhaps not. He killed three members of the mafia and left them lying in a Sicilian street. He’d been sent to rescue a member of the transport ministry kidnapped for ransom.”
“No file.”
“Hurst found the file in home office records but it’s empty, he found the member of the office staff that originated the file she swears the report was in there. The investigation was passed to MI5 they have no record of it.”
“Sheldon said I was getting in to deep, he should keep his trap shut. Forced to the point of hatred the most congenial of people can spurn revenge. So we don’t know who the minister was.”
“No member of the transport ministry has ever been reported missing.”
“Its got holes in it, but Brannigan may not think so when questioned, I’m just interested in Polaris the rest is public domain. We have no one that can be trusted to chase the misguided amongst the public, I refuse to go any further than issues of military or government importance that threaten the stability of the current system.”
“We come up with the same focus no matter what we consider.”
“Yes, we need to bring Brannigan in. May be as easy as walking in and taking him away.”
“They’ve had him on the wanted list for over a month, spotted in Plymouth, if the department can’t find him what makes you think it would be so easy.”
“Bella come on you’ve been with me longer than that. Brannigan knocks of three members of the mafia, he exchanges documents with a government minister, someone needs him alive and kicking.”
“Yes I see, Hurst found four reports of raids on the Plymouth area every time they came up with nothing.”
“He’s being tipped off by someone in the chain, the person has a vested interest in keeping him out there. Could be on an inside mission and all this is played out to look sinister so he’s not suspected by the targets, the scenarios are endless we need the horses mouth.”
“There must be ten places he could be in Plymouth, what do we do put the map on the wall and throw a dart?”
“All the addresses ar
e in or around Davenport, people have to go shopping especially the woman Rose. She goes to the hairdresser Monday Wednesday and Friday in the same place. We found the link by tracing her credit card, Brannigan is unable to control some of her conduct.”
“I would avoid that in her position, it’s traceable.”
Stanton ran his hand across the top of his head as he redirected his thought train. “Rose is a very naughty girl, some of her background and current behaviour reflects an air of gay abandonee. She can be traced all over the place she’s not a crook just a very naughty girl.”
Bella looked daggers at Stanton. “You fancy her don’t you?”
Stanton raised one eyebrow airing his disapproval. “Most men on the planet would probably fancy her as you put it, that’s why she does what she does. At two thousand quid for half hour I think she’s overpriced.”
Bella rummaged thorough the papers on the table. “Where did you find that what a dreamer, only a bitch like that wo….” She noticed Stanton’s smirk and could just hear him laughing under his breath. “She sat back and folded her arms raising her voice in censure. “John!”
“Her credit card led to bank accounts and incoming payments. Some very interesting people have paid Rose lots of money for her services.”
“How did you do that?”
“The accounts?”
“Yes.”
“Not hard, can be done.”
“How do you know how much she charges,” Bella looked sternly at Stanton refolding her arms firmly.
“Easy, we found her management structure, got someone to ring and made some enquires about Roselyn Victoria Fleming, full service whatever that may be is two thousand pound per half hour. Bank deposits are increments of two thousand pounds. Further evidence of gay abandonee by Fleming, Brannigan needs money wouldn’t be surprised if he’s involved. He would be a formidable deterrent against physical or character attacks whilst moving in the powerful circles she’s involved with, could be no more than fatal attraction being used by intelligence to dowse the scent of Polaris.”
“I’ll be doing the interrogation when she gets here thank you very much.”
Stanton laughed feeling drained of responsibility. “I got no problem with that, she’s due at her hairdresser tomorrow morning at ten am. We use her to get hold of Brannigan.”
“How much cover will we have someone must be watching them.”
“Just you and I.”
“Risky.”
“We don’t know who we can trust far better they don’t know we’re coming.”
Bella nodded with a pout in support. “Okay, have a plan of the premises?”
“No we leave now and have a look before she arrives.”