Remember Remember (28 page)

Alan Johnson rose, dumped, shaved, showered and prepared for the day. He had used the same routine for the past six weeks and knew his police friends would be with him. He had walked the short walk to the paper shop at the roundabout, bought the Times, walked home and read the newspaper. At 12.50 he left the house and drove his car to the rear of the Brown Cow. The usual crowd were in and he was greeted by Jacky, Dave and John. The atmosphere as usual was jovial, the banter as good as ever. He ordered a round for the boys and lamb chops for himself. Jacky took his order and quipped, “You’ll soon be looking like a lamb chop, it’s all you ever seem to eat in here.”

“If the food’s not broke don’t fix it love, I love lamb chops so tell the chef not to be stingy.”

She smiled, took the order and pulled the three pints of bitter, “will that be all, sir?” she gushed.

“And one for yourself, fine wench,” he smiled, “and a sniff of your apron.”

“Oh God,” interrupted Dave, “they’re at it again; why don’t you both go down the cellar and turn on a tap or something?”

“Mind your own business Dave,” smiled Jacky “Alan and I have a thing going on, don’t we darling,” she said as she blew him a big kiss.

Alan’s eyes looked to heaven, “What kind of thing?”

“You know,” laughed John, “a sexy up against the pumps kind of thing.”

“Oh sod off,” she hissed, “there’s more to it than that isn’t there Alan?”

“More than what love.”

“Sex Alan, sex.”

“Yes please,” shouted Dave.

“What, now,” laughed Alan.

“Sod off the three of you,” she hissed as she disappeared around the bar.

“I see they’re in good form today,” whispered Sergeant Lawrence.

“Good form at my expense” she said as she opened the till and returned to give Alan his change.

“Sorry love,” all three chorused.

“That’s alright boys, you’ve had your bit of fun, but perhaps I’ll get you all back later,” she smiled.

“Now don’t you start pissing in the beer love,” replied Dave.

Alan didn’t hear her retort because he saw Sergeant Lawrence depart out of the back door for a pee break.

“I’m just going next door fellas to get a paper and the lottery. Hold the lamb chops Jacky, be back soon; I may have a bet as well,” he said as he downed his pint and left by the front door.

Fifteen minutes later Terry brought the chops out, looked around for Alan and enquired, “Where is he?”

“I don’t know,” replied Jacky, “he’s gone to the shops and for a bet so try to keep them warm for him until he comes back.”

“But he likes them pink, if I keep them warm they’ll be well done.”

“Here,” said Dave, “leave them on the bar and if he’s not back in ten minutes we’ll eat them.”

“Greedy buggers,” said Terry as she placed the plate on the bar.

Lawrence eyed Jacky, “Where did he say he was going love?”

“For a paper and a bet, he may have walked down into town and if he watches the race he could be 40 minutes.”

“Yeah, I suppose so.”

“Well his car’s still in the back sergeant, so don’t be so worried, he can’t have gone far can he?” she scolded.

“Sorry love, just doing my job.”

“Yeah, just your job, why don’t you do your job else where and leave him alone.”

She walked away shaking her head, but even she was now concerned about Alan and why he was away so long.

He had left the Brown Cow, turned right for ten yards then left for twenty then across some waste ground, looked back to see if he had been followed and then joined the ring road. A quarter of a mile later, after making sure he was not being followed he entered City Hire Cars reception.

“I would like to hire a Ford Fiesta or similar for a few days please, is that OK?”

The receptionist, an average looking female in every sense of the word replied in a deadpan voice, “How many days?”

“I think about seven; does it matter?”

“Yes, it does, we want to know how much to charge you because the rates change depending on the days.”

“Seven it is then.”

She ticked a box on a form then continued, “Do you have a current valid driving licence and can I see it please?”

He proffered his licence, took out extra insurance and paid in cash. He had been withdrawing £50 a day on a regular basis since November, but keeping £20 back from each transaction so that he could now pay cash for certain goods. The deal was done and he drove the Fiesta towards the M60, twenty minutes after he had left the Brown Cow. His destination was York to finalise his business there by gaining agreement with fireworks distributors to take his products. He had had no communication with Tony in York and therefore hoped there would be a room available, but it was January and not the tourist season, so he felt fairly confident that Tony would be able to accommodate him.

He had been on the road for 55 minutes before Major Rock was alerted by Sergeant Lawrence that his quarry may have disappeared again.

“Bloody hell Sergeant, what were you doing?” groaned Rock.

“Look sir, he did everything as normal, he ordered his food and beers then went for a paper and a bet. He often does that and comes back a few minutes later, even longer when he has a bet. You know I can’t trail him down Hillgate, so I have to wait, but his time he hasn’t returned.”

Rock shouted into the phone “The bastard’s lost us again, he does everything normal for weeks, lulls us into a routine then screws us. You don’t need to do that unless you’re doing something you don’t want others to discover. Come and see me at Sandiway in 45 minutes. We need to find out where he’s gone.”

January 20
th
, 73 Sandiway, Bramhall, Stockport.

“Sergeant, put out an alert for Johnson, email his photograph and code it SBCT amber level one. I want to know where he is but I do not want him apprehended. We are to be alerted immediately, twenty four seven. I also want to know how we are getting on with the interview of Johnson’s colleagues, because it may be one of these people who Johnson meets up with.”

“We have reports back from thirteen of the twenty, sir, and all seem normal, not one of those interviewed so far has seen Johnson since they left the army.”

“They may be lying.”

“We know that but there’s little we can do about it if they are, is there sir?”

He shook his head and replied, “I suppose not,” he shifted position and continued, “what about the other seven people?”

The Sergeant checked his notes then replied, “Four of them now live abroad, one in Australia, one in Canada and 2 in Spain. Of the remaining three one lives in Wolverhampton, one in York and one in Basingstoke.”

Well get on to the respective police stations and tell them we want answers now,” growled the Major.

“Yes sir, but it’s only seven days since we asked them for their help.”

“This is high priority, tell them to get their fingers out and interview these people.”

Lawrence rose to leave, “Yes sir, I’ll get on to it straight away,” he then turned and approached the door.

“Sergeant, I know you’re not to blame for Johnson’s disappearance,” acquiesced the Major.

The Sergeant smiled, “Thanks sir, but I still feel bloody foolish, he’s obviously lulled us into a false sense of security and then just walked off.”

“Have we received any reports yet from our local enquiries?”

“Yes sir, Johnson was not seen at the Bus or Railway Stations, however he could have hopped into a taxi, had a car waiting somewhere else, hired a car or just walked, he may even still be local, staying with Jacky for example.”

“Good points, assign one of our men to shadow Jacky, get his house and car searched again and check out Taxi firms, Car Hire etcetera,” ordered Rock.

January 20
th
, 15.10, Railway Station Car Park, Leeds.

Alan Johnson drove the Fiesta to the barrier and pressed the button to gain his ticket and raise the barrier. He would park the car in the covered basement area, it would give him some extra hours, even days, but he knew the police would eventually trace his movements to the car hire company and then eventually trace the car.

He walked to the station, bought a Leeds to York return from the automatic ticket machines with cash and waited on the platform for the 15.25 to Scarborough. He was sure all police forces would eventually be requested to look for him but was fairly confident he had at least today before they would be on full alert.

The train pulled into York station and by 16.25 Alan Walsh was once again negotiating with Theresa the office manageress for 5 days office accommodation plus computer and typing cover. He set out his plans for the next few days which were to telephone, email and fax the 80 companies who in December had received the free sample products. Only then would he know if his plans might work. By 17.15 he had completed his work plan for the next few days. He locked his office and once again walked from inside the castle walls towards the Ivy, hoping Tony would have a room for him.

He walked past the brown bundle of fur lying by the door and turned into the bar.

“Hello Tony, the wanderer returns.”

Tony looked up from his chair, his face turning into an instant smile, “Alan, what the hell are you doing here?”

Alan grasped Tony’s outstretched hand and held it in a firm grip, “I hope you’ve got a vacant room for an old friend.”

“For you, I’m sure we can come up with something.”

“I know it’s an unannounced arrival, so I will understand if you’re full.”

“Full, full in January, you must be joking, the bloody place is like the Marie Celeste. Of course you can stay, you can have the bridal suite if you want.”

“No thanks,” he laughed, finally releasing Tony’s hand, “I’ll have my usual room if I can and I would like to pay the usual rate if that’s OK.”

“That’s OK with me, but you might not want to stay too long this time,” his manner turned serious and his face hardened.

He looked around and then at Tony, “What’s happened?”

Tony beckoned him to the bar and began to pull two pints of Sam Smiths.

“I’ve had a visit from the local plod, they seemed very interested in you and wanted to know when I last saw you.”

Alan took his pint and looked down into the creamy froth, “Oh I see, and what did you tell them?”

“Very little really, I asked them what it was all about and they said it was an enquiry for another police department.”

“So?”

“So I told them you had been here in June and December and that you were a friend who often came to stay mainly because you liked horse racing.”

He nodded, “When was this?”

“Yesterday, just yesterday, the guy said he’d write up a report and send it off but it would be a couple of days before he’d do it because he had quite a workload. He said he’d keep in touch.”

“I bet he will,” he responded and took a long drink of his beer, quaffing nearly half a pint of bitter; then he downed his glass and continued; “they will be back my friend.”

“Let ‘em come, I’ve nothing to hide, but I wish you’d tell me what this is all about.”

“Don’t be silly, just trust me, did they ask to see the room where I stayed?”

“No, they didn’t go further than this room.”

“Good,” he said and looked intently at Tony, “if you want me to move out I will.”

“Not on your life, you’re my friend, you stay here as my guest until I say otherwise.”

He smiled back. “Thanks Tony,” then drank the rest of his pint and ordered two more before continuing, “It’s probably best we don’t go out tonight, I’ve a lot of things to do and I’ll need a clear head tomorrow.”

“That’s OK by me, let’s stay in and have dinner and a few pints here; it’s roast pork tonight, will that be OK?”

“Yes, that’ll be nice, we’ll finish these two pints then I’ll go to my room for a kip and see you down here at eight.”

“Eight o’clock it is then for dinner, cheers!”

He sat in his room, it was seven pm and his thoughts were on the task ahead. He would need at least two days if not three or four to finalise the work in the office; knowing that once it was done there would be no further need for his alias or the office. If he could work these days without being discovered or arrested the plan would be complete as far as York was concerned. But he would have to see Shan again at the races in June.

January 21
st
, Ivy Hotel, York.

Alan dressed in black shoes, blue trousers a blue shirt, matching tie and blue blazer. He ate 2 poached eggs for breakfast and drank his usual black unsweetened tea. He thanked Tony as he left, stating that he might not see him for a couple of days, but would return. He stood at the door of the Ivy, taking in the surroundings, looking at each building, each parked car and the people on the street.

After two or three minutes he set off to walk and turned towards the city and the castle walls. At Micklegate Bar he turned left towards the station but detoured down a narrow road towards a car park. As the road turned into the car park he turned right again and entered a small tunnel under the city walls which would bring him out near the station. At the other end of the tunnel and slightly back from the pavement he sat on a bench and watched the world go by. Nobody who exited the tunnel seemed to give him a second glance. After 5 minutes he arose, turned toward the city and walked toward the river. He made two further stops and observations to see if he was being followed before entering the foyer of the Ibis Hotel.