Elephants can't hide forever Page 15

  Mike Tobin had indeed found Paradise.

  Chapter 26

  Cairns Airport, Several Months Later

  The Singapore Airlines 757 from London touched down right on time. Crammed with holiday makers desperately peering through the portholes to catch their first glimpse of the Antipodes, no one really noticed the two passengers leaving the first class cabin. That in itself was amazing for Dave Penny and Richard Sykes, known in the badlands of South London as the enforcers, had arrived in tropical Queensland in their best Saville Row threads, looking every inch city businessmen- not for them panama hats and floral shirts. They felt no need to blend into the environment, neither did they give a monkeys, for their sheer physical presence and intimidating looks encouraged the inquisitive to soon look away and avoid eye contact.

  They sailed through Customs, although when asked the purpose of their visit, and replying ‘vacation’ caused a few raised eyebrows. A taxi was summoned, which took them to the Holiday Inn on the outskirts of town, where they checked in for a couple of nights.

  Down in the bar on the first night, they were running through their plans again.

  “So, tomorrow morning” said Penny, “We hire a car, we know this Mike fellow is just up the road, so it will be a piece of piss finding him, we spend a couple of days watching him, we have to assume he won’t come back voluntary, so we’ve got to suss out how we persuade him otherwise.”

  “That’s not going to be easy” Sykes said, “This isn’t our usual target, we can’t break a couple of bones or cut off an ear, but we need to get him on that plane in one piece and willing to play ball.”

  “Agreed” replied Penny. “So, once we’ve got his profile we try every thing possible to persuade him that one million pounds is his for the taking, and do we know if he needs the money?”

  “We know very little, well absolutely fuck all, apart from he’s got some kind of boat, he takes the tourists out on, that’s it” commented Sykes.

  “OK,” Penny continued, “There’s one option, if he doesn’t need the money now, maybe if his boat accidently caught fire, that might put a different complexion on his views.”

  “Not forgetting his house as well” Sykes added maliciously.

  “That’s a plan then, of course once we’ve had a good look at him and his lifestyle there’s bound to be other avenues where he’s vulnerable, let’s just hope he’s a normal bloke who would sell his Granny for a million, let alone do what he’s best at.”

  And with that both men retired for the night.

  The next morning the enforcers left the hotel and walked the short distance to the local Hertz Rental, where they picked up a decent Toyota and a comprehensive map of the area and then made their way up the Cook highway towards Port Douglas, still in their Saville Row suits and ties.

  Forty minutes later, the Toyota pulled up in Wharf Street, Port Douglas. The two men walked into the marina, found a couple of local fishermen, who knew of Mike, and who pointed them in the right direction of Mike’s berth. They soon spotted the Kiosk, and were surprised to see a young woman sunning herself in one of the tatty chairs that were parked along side.

  “That’s interesting” said Penny. “Who do you think she is?”

  “Probably just the hired help, but if she’s anything more it could be interesting” commented Sykes.

  They strolled past without making contact, not wishing to show their hand until they had surveyed the area. However, in their smart suits with the sun scorching the tarmac, they were drawing unwelcome attention to themselves. Jane had noticed them from the moment they appeared on the wharf, and thought it strange that they seemed so disinterested in their surroundings, but soon dismissed them as they disappeared into the car park.

  The two enforcers had rightly concluded that Mike was out on his boat, so decided the best course of action was to wait and watch. About four pm Mikes boat appeared round the headland.

  “This looks like him” said a very sweaty Dave Penny, “Shall we go and talk?”

  “Let’s just see what happens first” replied Richard Sykes.

  Mike followed the same routine that he had learnt since acquiring the boat. Having waved farewell to the customers, he and Jane double checked the ropes which secured the boat to the dock, then headed off, hand in hand, passing within three meters of the thug’s car, towards the Nautilus Bar.

  “Well, now that’s interesting,” Sykes said, watching the pair as they turned the corner.

  Penny replied, “They’re obviously a couple, we didn’t know about that, so that might change things, he’s less likely to want to risk his freedom if he’s committed to that woman, so we’d better get a plan together and assume he says no, but hope he says yes. However, there’s nothing we can do in these strides, we don’t want people remembering us, now it looks like we’re going to have to get heavy,” and with that Sykes reversed the Toyota and the two thugs returned to the Holiday Inn, Cairns.

  That night in the bar, the two men sat hatching their plans.

  “So we’re agreed then” Penny was saying, “Tomorrow we go to the boat, we’ll talk with the woman, double check she’s his partner, then we book the boat for the next day. We go out to sea and tell the man what we need him to do. If he agrees, fine and dandy. If he says no and can’t be talked round, we tell him no hard feelings, and we’ll go elsewhere, then we’ll get to him through the woman, that means we’re going to have to snatch her, and hold her as ransom, the problem then is finding a secure place to secure her, we’ve got to reckon he’ll be gone for several weeks so it’ll have to be a good remote hideout, then one of us is going to have to stay here to mind her, whilst the other goes back with him.”

  “Fucking hell, that’s a hell of a risk” replied Sykes.

  “Listen, mate” came the reply, “We’ve taken fifty grand of Mouse’s money, how can we go home and tell him it’s a non starter and give him his dough back?”

  “Jesus, this is going to get messy, how about if we have to take the girl, as soon as he’s on the plane we kill her and dump the body somewhere out in the sticks, there’s miles of bush out there where no one goes, then get the hell out of this country, that’s less of a risk.” stated Sykes.

  “I agree, but this bloke Mike Tobin is no fool, if he agrees to come back he will sure as eggs is egg, want to talk to the girl regularly, also he’s bound to have some heavy mates, it would be better for us if we give the girl back safe and well, less chance of him coming looking for us after its done” was Penny’s answer.

  “Yup, fair point, let’s hope he needs the money, cos if he doesn’t we’re sure going to have to earn ours” was Sykes’s reply.

  The next morning the two men, now dressed in more suitable attire, made their way back to Port Douglas, parked in exactly the same spot as before, and walked across to where Jane was sitting.

  “Morning, love” said Penny cheerily, “Would the boss be around?”

  Jane recognised the two men from the previous day, odd she thought one day in suits then the next in shorts. She decided not to mention this fact, but asked, “Who wants to know?”

  “That would be telling, love” answered Sykes, who had perched himself rudely on the other chair.

  “Well you’d better tell me what you want, because he won’t be back for several hours,” Jane told them.

  “We want to charter his boat, tomorrow if that’s OK?”

  “For how many?” Jane asked.

  “Just the two of us” was the reply.

  There was something deeply suspicious about this, Jane thought, yesterday these guys walked past in suits, then today they turn up looking like tourists. The only answer she could come up with was perhaps they were businessmen who were going to make an offer for the boat, but why the secrecy? She was also well aware that her new partner had a deep and dark past. Since she had known Mike, they had discussed their previous lives, but Mike had always said there was a lot of his life which he couldn’t divulge, and she had respected tha
t, but this was now giving Jane cause for concern. It was likely these two characters were from that part of his life he was trying to forget.

  Jane went on the defence. “Well, we’re joint owners” she said (which wasn’t quite true). “Tomorrow we’re fully booked, in fact the next six weeks are nearly booked as well, I can squeeze the two of you in on most days, but it’s impossible to let you have the boat without disappointing all the people that have booked already.”

  Dave Penny dug deep into his back pocket and produced a bundle of notes that looked like, and was, ten thousand dollars.

  “Does this change things?” he asked.

  Jane was not only offended, but by now getting worried. This happened in the movies, not in Port Douglas,

  “That’s not how we do business, you’ll have to go elsewhere” she stated with as much coldness as she could muster.

  Penny shoved the money back in his trousers. “We’ll be back at four to see the boss” was his response, and both men walked off without any acknowledgement of Jane.

  Jane was really worried by now, and found her hand trembling. Who were these two Brits who thought they could walk into their lives like this, make unreasonable demands and expect them to be met? She knew this was going to be big trouble, but didn’t know what to do.

  The hours that passed between the men leaving and Mike returning were the longest of her life, her imagination was running wild, and when eventually Mike turned the headland it was fair to say she had never been so pleased to see him.

  Mike walked down the gangplank and realised something was wrong as soon as he saw Jane. She came running up to him, threw her arms around him, and in a sort of gibberish speech, told him the gist of what had happened.

  Mike quietened Jane down and took stock of the situation. There were plenty of people across the world who would like to harm him, but also plenty who would want to employ him legally or otherwise. He was erring towards the latter when Penny and Sykes reappeared.

  “You must be the boss then?” enquired Penny extending his hand.

  Mike ignored the act of friendship. “Who wants to know” he asked.

  Richard Sykes responded: “Mr Tobin, Mike, we’ve come a long way to talk with you about making you rich, and we have a little business proposition to put to you, but it’s highly sensitive, so if we could hire the boat for a day, we could talk privately where no inquisitive ears are.” He threw Jane a sneering look.

  “Listen” said Mike, “There’s no way I’m going out on the ocean just us three, I’ve never seen you before in my life, if you want to talk let’s go inside the boat now.”

  Sykes and Penny glanced at each other; “OK” said Penny, “but just the three of us, she stays on the quay”, nodding at Jane.

  “She’s my partner, she comes aboard with us, or you can fuck off,” Mike said getting agitated.

  So it was agreed, reluctantly, that the four of them should adjourn to the privacy of the boat to discuss the deal.

  Mike and Jane listened intently as the two enforcers went through the story. They spoke of the Brinks Mat, and the events leading up to the incarceration of Mouse; they talked of Danny Gallagher and how he had also ended up with Mouse on Her Majesty’s Pleasure. They told Mike that for one million pounds sterling, cash, Mouse was willing to pay for his early release, and he was willing to pay half of it up front, as soon as Mike had hatched an agreed plan. They spoke of the breakout, and the fact that how it would be achieved was down to Mike, but that any resources needed would be found. They recognised that he was the expert; they knew Mike had been specifically trained at the American school of SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) and that he was the best in the business, they had researched well.

  Jane had listened with growing incredulity, was this a weird dream, or nightmare? She felt her life was changing in front of her, but was transfixed. Mike was listening intently, weighing up the options. As alien as this was to Jane, Mike had been here before. Eventually Mike spoke, and it was not what Jane expected to hear.

  “You started this conversation by saying there were three people to pull out, but all I’ve heard you mention is two, who’s the third?”

  Jane looked at Mike, he was talking like he was considering this madness, her world was collapsing.

  “And how in God’s name do you know so much about me, I’m restricted personnel under the Official Secrets Act, and will be till I die” continued Mike.

  Penny delivered what he thought was the fait accompli.

  “The third person is only a passenger, but he put us onto you, and Mouse has agreed he comes, it’s an old colleague of yours Jock Wallace.”

  This time it was Mike turn to look stunned. Jesus this was almost blackmail, and that explained how they had the full insight into Mike’s previous life. More to the point though, the unwritten laws of the SAS demanded you were always there for your mates, both on the battlefield and basically forever.

  Jane looked at Mike, he returned the look, and she thought: he’s thinking about this, unbelievable, no way.

  “Mike” said Jane, “I need to talk to you alone, will you two leave the boat until we’re ready?.” Both enforcers nodded their agreement.

  The boys had laid their demands out as well as they could, they were pretty sure he had taken the hook. Much to their relief his expression hadn’t changed at all as they laid down the deal, he was indeed a very cool customer, and probably a formidable enemy. They left the boat and sat waiting in the chairs by the kiosk.

  For several moments Jane and Mike sat staring out to the creek. Jane spoke first:

  “Darling, whoever this Jock Wallace is, whatever he means to you, however much a million pounds would mean to us, please, please don’t go.”

  She was wise enough not to threaten him by saying if he went they were finished, but she had already made her mind up, if he went they were.

  Mike sat very still, for what seemed an eternity. He eventually replied: “Yes I’m tempted, but I never thought I would find what I’ve found here in Australia, I’m staying.”

  Jane crossed the cabin and threw her arms around Mike. “Thank you” was all she could say.

  Mike spoke to the two protagonists back on board. “The answer’s no,” he said firmly “Matter’s closed.”

  Both men shook their heads, they were sure they had sold the deal.

  “Well there’s nothing more to say” said Penny, and with that both men left the boat, returned to the Toyota and left the Marina.

  Jane was relieved beyond belief, and hoped and prayed they could soon put this terrible encounter behind them.

  Mike was not so sure.

  Back in the Holiday Inn, the two Londoners were in deep conversation.

  “Right then,” said Penny “We have no alternative other than to convince him otherwise, I’ll get my brother Jason on the next flight over, you and him will have to stay here and mind the girl. I’ll go back to England with Tobin and we’ll get the job done the hard way” he told Sykes.

  “Bollocks” said Sykes, “We’ll have to hire a house or something out of town where we can stash her then, better start looking tomorrow”

  The decision was made; Mike was going back, come what may.

  Ten days later, Mike and Jane’s life had returned to normal, the incident of recent days was all but forgotten.

  Jane was in her customary chair next to the kiosk, the Marina was deserted and she never heard the Green Toyota pull alongside her. Before she realised something was happening, three men had got out of the motor; two of them grabbed her and manhandled her into the opened boot. The boot was slammed shut, and the car pulled off. The whole operation had taken less than fifteen seconds, and Jane was now effectively a hostage.

  Mike returned at his usual time. As he rounded the headland his sixth sense kicked in, something was wrong, and as the berth came into view and no Jane in her customary position, he realised something was very, very wrong. He moored the boat, left the tourists to their o
wn devices, and hurried down the dock where he confronted Dave Penny, sitting in Jane’s chair.

  “Hello Mike” said Penny “We meet again.”

  Mike stared at him, “Where’s Jane” he demanded.

  “She’s going to stay with my friends while you and I go on a little trip.” was the reply.

  Mike’s initial reaction was to grab the bloke’s neck and snap it, which he was entirely capable of. However, his training kicked in and he backed off and considered his alternatives, then spoke in a very measured tone:

  “Where is Jane, how do I know she’s going to be OK? If I go with you I need guarantees she’s safe and untouched, I will to speak with her every day, and if one hair on her head is harmed, I swear I will find you and your accomplices, and I will dedicate the rest of my life to finding you, and when I do you will regret ever having set eyes on me, believe it.”

  Dave Penny looked into Mikes eyes, he believed him and he didn’t scare easily.

  “That’s a promise, there’s nothing to gain by hurting your girl, so here’s what happens now- you put a notice on the shed saying due to family bereavement all trips are cancelled for the foreseeable future, you pick up an overnight bag from your home and we catch the nine pm flight tonight to Heathrow.”

  Mike reluctantly agreed, his mind was racing however; he had less than four hours to get Jane back before he was committed to leaving her alone in this country with two dangerous villains. He could easily overpower this ape, but he had no understanding of what arrangements they had put in place if he resisted; things looked bleak.

  Dave Penny and Richard Sykes had done their homework well, they had ascertained that Mike and Jane lived alone, neither had children, so their sudden disappearance might cause some comments from any friends they might have, but if all went well Mike would be back before they were missed.