An African Adventure (Vince Hamilton Private Investigator Book 4) Page 4

  'I think, Inspector that you are aware luxury cars are still being stolen in the London Metropolitan area.'

  'You are correct in your assumption, and because most of the thefts are in the North London area, the matter has landed on my desk.'

  'Have you been able to track any of the stolen cars?' I asked.

  'No, we haven't; however, you might be interested to know that we have also had some expensive, top of the range, motorbikes stolen.'

  'Are these also being taken off the streets in the same way as the cars?'

  'The ones that have been taken to date have been stolen from people's homes or trailers and trucks while they are being transported to race meetings and bike festivals.'

  'Do you know where these bikes are going?'

  'Not really; however, we have had a spot of good luck. An expensive Harley Davidson was taken over the last weekend, and the owner had fitted it with a sophisticated GPS tracking device. It is a much-improved version of the type that we used so successfully earlier in the year when we tracked the stolen luxury cars to Greece and Turkey. You know all about these gadgets as using them was your idea. From what I remember you also used them to track the luxury motor yachts that were taken from Cannes.'

  'So you presumably have an idea where this Harley is?'

  'Approximately, yes; we have transferred the monitoring of it to our local tracking station just up the road from here. Thankfully there is no danger that the batteries in the device will go flat. We can track it for three months if it should take that long to arrive at its final destination.'

  'You mentioned that the theft of the motorbikes and the luxury cars are not related?' I asked. I was getting slightly confused.

  'I can't say yea or nea at present as we have no idea who is behind all this.'

  'I have promised Julian Curtis, whom you know, that I will come up with a plan after discussing the problem with you, but I am struggling to see what we can do on the luxury car front.'

  'Well Vince, if you are willing to help me on the motorbike case, I will assist you in the car investigation. They may easily be connected.'

  'That sounds fair Inspector, and it sounds as if you are further ahead with motorbikes than you are with the stolen cars. Also, you have a ‘hare’ that can be followed.'

  If you are finished eating Vince, we will return to my office via the tracking station. It is still housed in the same building as it was when you visited it last year.'

  The previous time I had visited the office where they did the tracking, there had only been one or two desks in a huge open plan office. The first thing that I noticed, this time, was that there were considerably more people scattered around the floor.

  'Hi Gareth, have you any news for me?' The Inspector stopped behind one of the operators.

  'Yes, I have tracked the Harley to a small lock-up in Belvedere, South East London.'

  'Have you got an exact address?' the Inspector asked.

  'Yes, it is off Lower Road, beside the Community Centre.

  'Do you fancy a quick spin out there now Vince to see if we can find anything?' the Inspector asked me.

  'Unfortunately, I can't join you, I have arranged a meeting with Carol Newsome, and I must go to that.'

  'Don't worry, I will get two of my guys to go and have a look. They can take some photographs and ask around to try and produce a picture of the place.'

  'Is there not a danger that the people in the lock-up will see your men and be warned that we are on to them?'

  'No, they will go in an unmarked police car and will be dressed as meter readers or some such job. You needn't worry.'

  'I'll phone you later to see if there are any other developments,' I suggested.

  'Vince, if I want you to go off at short notice to somewhere in Europe, are you available?'

  'I doubt if I will be able to go, but I have a man who can. This situation is the exact reason that I have asked Reggie Talbot to support me.'

  We left the tracking centre and, once on the street outside the building; we went our separate ways. I was going to the tube station and the Inspector back to his office.

  Chapter 5

  I rang the bell on Carol's front door. This time, I knew that it would be Carol who would answer it as the Philippino maid was a thing of the past. I was immediately proved wrong in my assumptions; the door was answered by a seven-year-old boy who I assumed, correctly, must be Nick.

  He looked at me with an accompanying frown but didn't ask me to come in.

  'You must be Nick,' I said. 'Do you think I could possibly enter your house?'

  'Sorry, I assumed that you were Uncle Vince, and I was sizing you up as the others had talked a lot about you.' Nick said. He was looking a bit startled.

  I entered the hall and went towards the kitchen where I heard some noises.

  'I am in here Vince,' Carol called out, affirming her location. Nick vanished up the stairs, presumably to his bedroom and his game console.

  I joined her in the kitchen. She welcomed me with a peck on the cheek.

  'I have some news for you, Vince. My parents have given me enough money so as I can fly out to Melbourne. Isn’t that fantastic. I will be able to go and talk to Clive. I was able to book on a British Airways flight that is leaving at 10.00pm tonight.'

  'That's a bit sudden isn't it?' It was the last news that I had expected to hear.

  'Well, the boys are off from school on their half-term break this week, and my parents offered to give me the money for the ticket and also to come and stay to keep an eye on them.'

  'What about sorting out what is going to happen with Brian and Alex's schooling. I thought that you were going to arrange a meeting this week with the Headmaster of Tonbridge School.'

  'I was rather hoping that you would go and see him for me.' She gave me a pleading look, fluttering her eyelashes.'

  'But I don't even know where the school is?' I protested. I didn't particularly want to go all the way to Tonbridge even if I did decide to help.

  'I asked Brian if he would go with you to show you the way and Alex surprisingly offered to go along too. You can use my car as I know that you don't possess one.' Carol had it all worked out

  'You seem to have all the angles covered, but it would have been nice to check with me first before making all these plans.' I was starting to get exasperated with Carol's approach.

  'I'm sorry Vince, it all happened so quickly, and I felt it was essential that I travel to Australia this week. The time difference between here and Melbourne means that, although I am leaving tonight, I won't get there until Wednesday. I have booked to return from Melbourne on Friday evening which gets me back here in the UK on Saturday. That gives me Thursday and Friday to meet with Clive.'

  'I can give you all the details you need to set up an appointment with the police,' I added. 'I will also email Inspector Cooper, who is the police officer in charge of the case. I will inform him that you are flying out and will be in touch with him.'

  'Thank you, Vince that would be great.' She came over and gave me a lingering kiss on my cheek. She also gave me an intimate hug that went on for longer than was permissible for a married man!'

  'Vince, could I tell my parents that you will be available to help them in case a crisis arises. They are both in their late seventies, and it would be a big comfort to them to know that there was somebody capable around in the background.'

  'I suppose so Carol. Hopefully, Brian can give them most of the support they need as he is quite a mature sixteen-year-old.'

  'Thank you, Vince. I don't know what I would do without you.' She moved towards me to give me another hug, but I stepped back and avoided her.

  'When do I have to go and see the Headmaster in Tonbridge?' I asked.

  'He is away for the first part of the week, so I made an appointment with his Secretary to see Mr Copeland, the Head, on Thursday morning at 11.30am. That should give you enough time to get there once the rush-hour traffic has eased.'

  'Y
ou have apparently thought of everything.' I was a bit terse in my reply.

  'I'm sorry Vince for organizing you like this, and for assuming that you would help. Would you prefer me to cancel the arrangement with the school?'

  'No Carol, I will make plans to go there on Thursday morning. It will also give me an opportunity to have another chat with the boys in a non-threatening environment. I would like to find out how they are coping with the news that their father is a criminal.'

  'Thank you, Vince. I'll bring you back a large present from Australia.'

  'Bring your sons and parents back something, but please don't bother with me. I am helping you because we were good friends in our formative years and not for a present or any other reason. I also want to ensure that the boys don’t suffer too much from their father's criminal activities.'

  My life was starting to get complicated again. Julian Curtis wanted me to investigate the theft of luxury cars; the Inspector wanted me to help him find out the city and country that the stolen motorbikes were going to. On top of all this Carol wanted me to sort her problems out.

  'Have you got the financial information on Clive's business that I asked you for?' I decided to change the topic of conversation onto a less emotive one.

  'Yes, I met with Peter Taylor, Clive's accountant, and he said that he should be in a position to drop off a set of accounts at the house this evening.'

  'Will they be up to date?'

  'They will be up to the end of last month which is as up to date as he can provide.'

  'How about your personal bank accounts?'

  'That is one of the reasons I have decided to go to Melbourne and see Clive. When I searched in the desk that he uses for his private papers, I found a cheque book for a bank account that I know nothing about.'

  'Have you any idea what he would have used that bank account for?'

  'I didn't even know he had that account. When I rang the bank this morning, they wouldn't give me any details on it as I am not a signatory on the account. I didn't like to supply them with the true reason I needed to know the status of the account in case they froze the personal one. I don't know what their rules are relating to bank accounts for people who have been locked away in prison.'

  'I am afraid that I don't know either,' I replied. 'Did you look for bank statements on this mystery account?'

  'I did, and there aren't any in the places he keeps stuff like that.'

  'Carol, my only suggestion is that you open a new bank account in your own name as soon as possible. I suspect that the bank will freeze the existing joint account once they know what has happened to Clive. It might even be wise to open an account with a different Bank.'

  'I think that you are right Vince. I won't have time today to go to a bank as I need to go and collect my parents and I have to be at Heathrow by eight o'clock at the latest.'

  'Do you want me to drive you to the airport in your car?' I must be losing my marbles to have offered. Daphne would not be pleased. Alternatively, she might be delighted that Carol was going to the other side of the world.

  'That would be very kind of you, Vince, and gives me a bit more time to sort myself out and pack.'

  'I must get home now and make sure that Victoria and Michael are OK,' I said. 'They are also on their half-term, and their mother works in a local boutique. She will expect the dinner to be cooked when she gets home.'

  'What time do we need to leave for the airport?' Carol inquired.

  'If we leave at seven that should give us plenty of time,' I replied. 'Perhaps when you are picking up your parents you can fill the car up with petrol.'

  'I'll do that and see you back here at seven or just before.'

  I wasn't alert enough to avoid her when she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me energetically on the mouth. Her hug didn't leave much to my imagination as I felt her breasts through my shirt. She was only wearing a thin blouse.

  As we passed through the hallway, she called out to the boys that I was leaving. They all came to the landing and waved down at me, also grunting a goodbye.

  I escaped into the London afternoon and hurried home on the tube.

  On arriving home, I cooked a quick meal. I wouldn't have time to eat it myself as I had to leave at six to be back in St. Johns Wood by seven for my trip to the airport. The meal was more of a peace offering for Daphne than a culinary delight. I grabbed some crackers and cheese for myself.

  I would have to leave before she got in so I left a note for her explaining that I was going to take Carol Newsome to the airport as she was flying out to see her husband in Melbourne. I would be back home by nine o'clock.

  The evening rush hour had eased by the time that I got into the centre of London on the tube. I was going against the main flow of people leaving their offices so didn’t suffer any delays. I arrived at Carol's door at five to seven and in a further five minutes, we were heading for the airport.

  To start with the roads were very congested and I began to think that we would never get there in time. Fortunately, once we got off the North Circular Road onto the M4, the traffic started to move faster.

  'You're very quiet Vince, is there something on your mind?' Carol asked me.

  'No, I am just concentrating on the road. I am not used to driving in all this traffic. It is the main reason that I generally don't bother with a car and use the tube.'

  'I probably should have used the tube, but I hate lugging my suitcase through the underground system. I am not strong enough.'

  'Don't worry about it, the traffic isn't too bad, and we should get there in plenty of time. Which terminal does your flight leave from?'

  'I am nearly certain it is terminal 4.'

  'Are you looking forward to your trip?' I asked her.

  'Not really, it is too rushed and too far. I will have only recovered from the trip out when I have to leave to return home.'

  'Your best bet is to try and get some sleep on the longest leg of your journey. Are you able to sleep on a plane?'

  'I generally don't try to sleep and just watch the movies; however, the longest trip I have ever been on is only twelve hours. This flight will be double that.'

  'Whatever about the outward flight you will be so tired by the time you come home you are bound to sleep,' I suggested.

  'I am dreading my meeting with Clive.'

  'I would think that he will also be very nervous about seeing you. He has let you and the boys down in a big way.'

  'Is he still being held in the same prison as you saw him in?'

  'As far as I know he will be held there until his case comes up for trial in court.'

  'Where exactly is he being held?'

  'If he is still in the same place he will be at the Metropolitan Remand Centre in Ravenhall. It is about twenty Kilometres to the west of Melbourne.'

  'So I will be able to get a taxi to take me out there?'

  'That's probably the best plan. The only other solution would be to hire a car.'

  'There is no way that I want to try and find my way around Melbourne even if they do drive on the left. I will be stressed enough without that.'

  I left the M4 and joined the traffic filtering off the motorway towards terminal four.

  'Is it alright if I drop you off at the departures area and don't go in with you?'

  'That's fine Vince, you have done enough for me already, and I will be eternally grateful to you for all your help.' She put her hand on my left shoulder.

  'I am just sorry that we had to rebuild our teenage friendship under such unfortunate circumstances.'

  I pulled up outside the terminal and Carol got out. I went to the boot and took her luggage out, placing it on a trolley that I grabbed from a nearby pile.

  'Have a good trip Carol and don't be too hard on Clive,' I said smiling at her.

  'I think that he has suffered enough without me destroying any self-respect he might have left.'

  She put her handbag on top of her case so as she had both hands free and ga
ve me another of her intimate hugs. She kissed me full on the mouth and held me very close. Thanks again Vince for everything, Look after the boys for me while I am away.'

  'I will. Now you had better get going; I'll pick you up on Saturday morning.' I whispered to her. She eventually let me go. I noticed a tear in the corner of her eye.

  I waited beside the car until she entered the Departure area and then I drove off. I would keep Carol’s Lexus for the week which would save me dropping it off in North London.

  When I eventually got home, Daphne told me that there had been a telephone call for me from Inspector Baird. He had evidently been trying to contact me on my mobile and had rung my home because my mobile was off. I didn't have a hands free unit so had switched it off while I drove Carol to the airport.

  'The Inspector asked that you ring him on his mobile as it is fairly urgent,' Daphne said.

  'He didn't mention what it was about?' I inquired.

  'Really Vince; he wouldn't tell me would he?'

  'No, I suppose not. I'll phone him immediately.'

  I brought up his name on my contact list and pressed the green button.

  'Vince; thank you for getting back to me,' he answered immediately, almost as if he was sitting there waiting for my call.

  'What's up Inspector?' I asked.

  'The motorbike with the tracker on it has moved, or, to be more precise, a van containing the bike is moving.'

  'What direction is it going?'

  'The van is at present on the M20, and is heading south towards Dover or Folkstone.'

  'So we must assume that its destination is somewhere in Europe via the Tunnel or a ferry,' I suggested.

  'That's correct Vince and as you are aware that gives me a major problem. The European Police forces don't like me sending undercover men onto their patches, so I need your help.'

  This request gave me a problem. 'As already explained to you Inspector I have made a deal with my wife that I won't go chasing criminals across Europe or any other continent. I, therefore, can't go.' I told the Inspector.

  'I remember you telling me that, but you also said that you had a new partner who would do all the chasing around for you. Why can’t you send him?'