CHAPTER THREE
It was a wet Thursday afternoon, Carol had agreed after some argument to take Raulf to see Sir Hubert, who strangely enough had wanted to see them both.
“I still don’t think you should be doing this Raulf,” Carol glanced at him as she negotiated the bridge spanning the M4 on their way to Somerset.
“Its something I have to do Carol, you read the note from Uncle Todd.”
“Well, whatever happens I do not want Tinker bought into any of this.” She stared back at him.
“Can you concentrate on the road Carol please, I don’t intend for either of you to get involved as you put it. This is a Turpin affair.”
“Raulf we both love you and I know Sir Hubert, even though I, um, worked for him and found him to be practical, loyal, connections at every corner. He’s tricky, least that what my colleagues in the office say.
“What office?”
“Now you know I cannot talk about that, same people your Uncle Todd worked for that’s all you need to know.”
“Hush hush then.”
“I beg you pardon.”
“The old gentleman at the funeral, that was Sir Hubert wasn’t it, and as he was saying goodbye to me he whispered ‘hush hush’ that’s all.”
“Yes it was and yes it is, I suppose though it wasn’t my area of concern.”
“What was your area of concern then?” Raulf inquired with a grin. He and Tinker had often wondered what Carol’s chosen career had been, before she had been courted and won by his friend.
“None of your business my lad, and don’t think Tinker hasn’t try to pry secrets out of me as well. You two are worst than the Spanish inquisitors. Now shush up and let me drive in peace.”
“Why do you keep a gun on the estate Carol, if you’ve retired?”
“Raulf!”
“Tinker saw you shortly after Uncle Todd was found by him.”
Carol quickly glanced at him, she knew she couldn’t lie, they had become like sister and brother in the years after her marriage, so she decided to say just a little of the truth.
“Sir Hubert.”
“Sir Hubert what?”
“He suggested just before he retired, that I should carry the thing when I moved to Morton on a permanent basis.”
“They suspected my parents accident was not an accident.”
“He suspected it was not. He never liked coincidences said it wasn’t natural. I guess he knew your Dad never drank spirits, they had met of course when he came to Morton to stay with Todd.”
“Why was the case never pursued Carol?”
She looked slightly dismayed, but said nothing, and they remained silent until they reached Wells and Partridge Cottage.
Sir Hubert greeted them enthusiastically, Carol offered to help Lady Jenny with the scones instead whilst the men talked.
“Quite right Carol official secrets and all that, can’t have any hush hush getting about can we, Uncle Tim would not like at all.”
“Timothy Gaunt was your replacement and should be given some loyalty and respect.” An indignant Carol strolled after Lady Jenny giving her host a withering glance.
Sir Hubert motioned Raulf into his study and bade him sit down. He then crossed over to and old oak filing cabinet unlocked it and withdrew a purple file, then he locked it again. He stood for a moment gazing at Raulf, then held out his hand, at which Raulf stood up and shook it. Sir Hubert was at first taken aback.
“No lad, the note from Todd if you please.”
Raulf opened his wallet and handed it over. Sir Hubert sat at his desk and read it, murmuring occasionally to himself until he had finished.
“Bad habit that but then it’s a sign of the aged.”
“Pardon Sir?”
“Mumbling as I read, I know you have been successful in you career so far, that interests me, I mean the work you do amongst the great Corporations. You ever been bribed to say mum?”
“Once or twice Sir” said Raulf defensively.
“And?”
“I told them every man had a price, mine was freedom from a bad conscience.”
“Ha, and how much were they offering?”
“In one case two hundred thousand dollars US, in the others only marginally smaller.”
“Lot of money.”
“They were likely to make far more by their thieving. Which is what manipulating the books is.”
“Stealing from the shareholders?”
“And from corporate bodies keen to take them over.”
“So you work for those corporate bodies interested in buying out other companies?”
Raulf nodded, Sir Hubert opened his file.
“Raulf I asked these questions for a reason, I need your extemporary silence appertaining to these matters in this file, in your line of business there is an obvious parallel to that which was my own business. Well, the Governments actually. In our business we sign a little form to say we shall say nothing to the outer world. It’s all to be kept away from the people who ultimately pay us, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer.”
“You have my word that this conversation is confidential.” Raulf said quickly.
“And totally private to we two only, not to Carol or Tinker or Mrs.Mac.”
Raulf nodded his agreement.
“Your Uncle would not have spoken to you about his position?”
“Only that he was a Wing Commander in the RAF on secondment to a department in London, I seem to remember him telling me he was a type of policeman when I was young. But I never asked him again as he seemed less inclined for further explanation.”
“Quite right, he did in fact work for me in a department that had its focus on various organisations outside of this country. Analysts would be a closer interpretation of our work. Lots of travel and good ears to boot, shadows whilst the opposition sought out our sister departments in the world of espionage. Ours was a world of words, gossip, innuendo’s, truths and half-truths, welded together to make predictions for our political masters needs. Your parents’ death in that vile crash, was a counter blow from an organisation we had been hunting. That much I am sure though Saint Timothy, beloved by our present PM, seemed not to see a connection. In short he asked the ‘M’ department to wrap up the investigation as having no particular significance for us. The accident was just before I retired, another coincidence perhaps.”
“Carol tells me you don’t like coincidences, therefore your last words signify some internal alien influence in this matter.”
“Meaning young Raulf?”
“What’s that expression people use, a ferret or a mole in the woodwork.”
“Um, yes my boy your years in commerce have not been wasted, tell me do you have any languages?”
“French, a little German and some Russian”.
“Even better.”
“May I ask Sir what position you hold currently?”
“Retired to grass with a knighthood and pension.”
Raulf looked away to the Filing cabinet.
“Yes Raulf well you see in my business, like yours, you are often called upon for, lets say, a little consultancy. Depends of course whose in power at the time, civil servants we might be but those above have their favourites. I hope that I have answered your questioning mind, alas there is very little any of us can do now, the Coroners finding is legally binding on us all, and Saint Timothy has put the jolly boot into any further debate.”
“Thank you Sir Hubert for being so frank,” Raulf rose from his chair as a knock on the door signalled the entry of Lady Jenny.
“Finished yet dear?” she asked through the door.
“Not quite but do bring in the tea dear and young Carol with it please.”
Raulf looked surprised at the ‘not quite’.
“What do you aim to do now?” Sir Hubert cleared his desk on one side ready for the tea tray.
“Some legal arrangements for Morton, and back to the grindstone shortly after. I’m due to fly to the States soon for another investigation. Canada’s being written up by my team so I’ve no need to go back.”
Carol entered the room with the tray of tea and a plate of cakes. Sir Hubert rose and smiled.
“Carol that Tinker fellow of yours has really domesticated you, and you really look the part.”
Carol totally ignored him and sat beside Raulf.
“And may I ask what you have told our young friend here?” Sir Hubert was not at least put off by her feigned indifference.
“I told Raulf you were a very tricky customer, and I wonder whether you have been up to any sleight of hand whilst I’ve been in the kitchen boiling, the water I might add.”
Sir Hubert laughed in sheer delight; it was then obvious to Raulf that these two had more than a mere business relationship. He had initially felt Carol was being rude and was affronted by it, then he saw in each of their eyes a glint of the tease. He looked at them both closely.
”Well Raulf don’t stare so.” Carol poured the tea, two sugars for Sir Hubert; he bent forward and kissed her on her cheek.
“You’ll have some explaining to do to Tinker Sir Hubert,” Raulf was a little taken aback by it all.
“My own niece, you see I have a perfect explanation.”
Carol nodded at Raulf and smiled. Her Aunt jostled into the room with a pot of milk, which she placed on the tray, then turned to Raulf.
“Don’t let these two bother you, Hubert, you had a message from Lord Jarman whilst you’ve been in conference with Raulf” she handed a note to her husband and walked back to the kitchen.
“ Uncle Bert what are you up to?” Carol was immediately alert.
“Sit down please Carol and join Raulf and I for just a moment. By the way was Morton searched when Todd was killed?”
“The police consider it an accident Uncle.”
“Tinker doesn’t.” and Raulf explained Tinkers observation to them both.
“Tinker must be left out of this, he is in no danger but I fear you are Raulf,” This time Sir Hubert’s eyes betrayed his concern as he looked severely at them both. He slapped the file in front of him. “This file is Todd’s, he sent it up here a week before his death, this is what they would have been looking for. Did Saint Timothy send anyone to look?”
“No,” said Carol “otherwise Mrs. Mac would have said something to me.”
“Then these papers in the file are all copies, He must have spent a quite hour or so in the print room and left the originals in the registry.”
“And?” Carol leaned forward in her chair.
“And I want young Raulf’s help to clear this whole mess up.”
“No Uncle Bert, Raulf is a civilian, he has his own business, and Morton to think about.” She turned to Raulf; “You haven’t agreed have you?”
Raulf shook his head, events were shaping up fast and they both seemed to know far more than he did. Ten minutes ago he would have been prepared to leave Sir Hubert with at least some truthful facts ringing in his ears.
“I have a proposition for both you and Raulf, I can assure you that it has the authority of the most high. Instigated not by myself alone but by a certain ex officer in the Royal Air Force, an officer with no name but potentially good prospects, exceptional I would say. Served under Todd's stewardship, became friends, and I understand had remained so until his death. This personage wants the matter resolved.”
“The PM, if it is he, must surely go through the proper channels.” Raulf asked.
“It is not he, our personage is not political, and please let me continue. So I have as much authority as I need. I, we, cannot be touched that much has been made clear to me. When I met Raulf at the funeral I felt a discomfort about him, an aura of grief and perhaps anger. This personage feels the same; Todd’s investigation is not to be. An accident so the police have been told to report. Now why would Tinker see the evidence when others did not? Who watched the ground as the ambulance men churned up the leaves as they carted poor Todd away? Even you Carol did not see what Tinker had, yet you are trained in observation. Did you go back to the area after your flurry into the woods and to the road beyond?”
“I saw tread marks on the verge, four wheeled drive, when I returned back to the woods I traced some broken branches which could have been made by a trespasser or indeed by a poacher. When I had reached the spot where Todd had died the men were already there, milling around.”
“Was Todd alive?”
“They thought he could be in a torpor as they said there was a slight pulse, they wrapped him up and stretchered him up to the ambulance. I was told by the local police to move from the scene so they could examine it.”
“My personage has received a copy of the relevant police report but not Tinkers, at least not until you had rung me when Tinker told you about the pellets in the ground.”
“So you contacted him and told him my Tinkers story and forced an investigation by you to be authorised?” Carol face had flushed and Raulf could hear anger in the sharpness of her voice.
“No, my dear I recounted the pellets story and was commanded to discretely investigate Todd’s file and subsequent death.”
“What do you wish us to do?” Raulf asked.
“I want you to take a trip for me, see an old friend in a foreign country, he knows where to get some remaining pieces of the jigsaw, that will give the… “
“The who, the why, and the what” Raulf finished the sentence for they were his words as well.
“Uncle Bert, not Raulf, please for our sake, the sake of Morton.” Carol cried out.
“He is entirely suitable, however I do have the right to ask Vincent to accompany him if you agree.”
Carol seemed nonplussed she hesitated.
“There is danger for Raulf if you want Vincent to accompany him.”
“Not so, I know how fond you are of Raulf so only the best for him. He will visit this place speak to the man, and return with the pieces locked into his brain. A courier of information, know one will know who he is and why he is there, only one single man, who is safe to my knowledge. But you have a foreboding, doubts because we both know Raulf is not a trained courier. But he is already trained, and skilful according to his mentors. I’m sorry Raulf, but I had you checked up.”
“You will send Vincent with him, and not to leave him for one moment?”
“All the way.”
“And your personage, your shadow man, has the pull to ask the cousins for Vincent?”
“If need be, but I would prefer to use my own connections first, after all Vincent is my little orphan. I believe Raulf may have already met him, Raulf?”
Raulf stirred his memory cells until a sudden picture of a stern, yet sorrowful face of the little tanned man surfaced.
“Yes I remember Mr.Vincent, he was my uncle’s minder at the time of my parents funeral. I thought him to be Uncles sergeant.”
Sir Hubert smiled, or perhaps he grimaced, somehow there was some relaxation from Carol, at the mention of Mr. Vincent’s name.
“His Christian name is Vincent, his surname is Vinchezio.”
“I will remember,” said Raulf “I will do as you ask, but I must contact the office to get leave of absence.”
“Carol?” Her uncle looked at her sharply.
“I agree, but you didn’t bring me in here entirely to play counsel for Raulf, what have you got up that sleeve you crafty magician?’
“That’s for you and I to know, and Vincent when he arrives, I’ll ring you when its arranged, in the meantime tell Tinker your old uncle needs you for a week or so. Raulf, you have at least a week or so to settle affairs with the solicitor on Todd’s will and the Morton Estate. We’ll fix everything up tickets, reasons for going, visa’s all that sort of thing.”
Carol interrupted him quickly.
“You haven’t told us where he is to go Uncle Bert?”
“Well, Raulf I’d brush up my Russian if I was you.”