William David - ForceNet

“Look, I don't see how this involves me, you have obviously talked to the police, what more can I do.”

“I think you might know who has done this so I want you to get the message back to them.”

“ Mr Lever, I am a straight forward policeman and we do not engage in kidnapping, I assure you that I know nothing of this so I don't see how I can help you.”

My mobile bleeped. I had a text message from Gordon Stewart to call him on a different number. “I have to go now, please pass on my message,” I said and hung up. I walked out in to the garden and called Stewart.

“ Mr Lever how pleasant to hear from you, what can I do for you?”

“I'm looking for some help, and thought you might be able to give me some guidance, can we meet, I could be in London in a couple of hours.”

“Yes, we could meet, is there a company security issue you need help with?”

“Kind of,” I replied.

“Well I am in Oxford, do you know the Randolph hotel in the middle of Oxford?

“You mean the one which formed the location for a lot of the scenes in the Morse TV drama?”

“Yes that one, meet me in the bar at 7pm.”

I looked at my watch, “I can just about make that,” I said and hung up.

The house is only 4 miles from the M4 to London so I was quickly well on the way. The traffic on the final leg in to Oxford would determine whether I got there for 7pm. I parked in a local mu lti-storey car park, after having gone round the one-way system twice in error and walked in to the bar of the Randolph a few minutes before 7 o’clock. Stewart was standing at the bar and after shaking hands and refusing his offer of a drink but ordering coffee, I looked across and saw the news starting on the TV in the corner.

“Let's watch this,” I said. “It will explain my problem.” I got the barman to turn up the volume and we wondered over to sit down near the set. After a few minutes a photo of Adrian appeared on the screen with the news that police were seeking the help of the public to find a young man, Adrian Lever, whom they have reason to believe may have been kidnapped, etc.

“That is your brother?” Said Stewart. “I'm sorry to learn what is happening, but how can I help?”

“I think you have connections in to the security services and I believe that it is the security services either directly or in conjunction with the CIA or other American Services who have organised his kidnap.”

“That is an incredible accusation Mr Lever. I am also afraid that you are mistaken, I do not have any connections of that nature, why would I?”

“Look I am desperate, they have kidnapped him to stop him revealing some images he ha cked from a US government website. I am worried he may now just disappear.”

“You have been reading too many fiction novels, Mr Lever. Things like that don't happen in real life in this country.”

“I think there is enough evidence circulating, even if much of it is from unofficial sources, to make such suspicions potentially credible. The frustrating thing is that I don't know who they are so I can't talk to them. They need to know that if any harm comes to Adrian then the information they don't want revealed will be published around the world and they won't be able to stop that regardless of what happens to us. I thought you might be able to give that message to the right people in the system.”

“ Mr Lever, you have a good imagination, I don't have connections with such people even if they exist.”

“Do you know of a Peter Asimov, a company called Mendip Finance, and a company called Dalrymple. ”

“I have heard of Peter Asimov, as have most people who read the business news, and you know that I am aware that Mendip Finance have made overtures to buy your company. Dalrymple is an American competitor of yours who would dearly love to get MoD business. Are you saying they are in anyway connected with the disappearance of your brother?”

“It appears that they may be connected to some violent attacks on me and threats to my colleagues in recent weeks.”

“That sounds incredible, do you have evidence?”

“The evidence is tenuous but my gut-feel is that it is true.”

“Gut-feel Mr Lever! Surely you should have something more than 'gut-feel' to make such an accusation?”

“Do you know an Inspector Naismith? I believe he is in Special Branch.”

“ Mr Lever, as I keep telling you I have no connection with the security services or police so I don't know him.”

I sighed. “ Well it appears I may have wasted your time.”

“Look Mr Lever, it is not surprising that the stress of your brother disappearing might lead you to jump to some wild conclusions, but that I would suggest, is what they are. I am sorry I cannot help more. I have a friend in Special Branch and will talk to him, but I don't hold out much hope that I can help. I have to go, I am sorry if you feel your journey up here was wasted.” With that he got up, we shook hands and I left.

Perhaps he is right I thought as I walked back to my car. Maybe I am letting my imagination run away with me! But no! I did not imagine the beatings, the car 'accident', the disappearance of Adrian, etc. No, this has to be followed through aggressively. I drove more sedately back to Bristol and home. It then occurred to me. Where was Jason, I had 'lost' him this morning and he was probably feeling put out that I had not been in touch. I called him, he was back at the house, and I told him I would be home shortly.

After Martin Lever had left the Randolph Hotel, Stewart put in a call. “Sir, I think there may be a bit of a situation developing which while not directly involving me I feel obliged to let you know about.”

“Can it wait until the morning?” said Ridley. “Or do we need to discuss it now? Good so it can wait? M y office at 9 am, see you then.”

The next morning Stewart met with Ridley and told him about his conversation with Lever. “Sir, I don't know the background to this, and Naismith is a good officer, if somewhat aggressive and opinionated. I think he is acting on orders from above and I was not sure that you were aware of what is going on.”

“Dawson, you mean?”

“Yes, you know how close he is to the Yanks and this smells of US clandestine activity.”

“OK, I will follow it up, thanks. Dawson is actually in the US at the moment so it will have to wait until Monday.”

Back in Bristol, I went in to the office, Jason tagging along. It was Saturday but there was no news about Adrian and there was loads of work waiting to be done so I thought I might as well get on with it. Alec was also in so we had a chat over coffee and then I went and buried myself in the outstanding paperwork that June had left out on my desk. I reviewed and tweaked the PowerPoint she had prepared for my student lecture; quite an impressive presentation, she had done well. I must remember to compliment her on Monday.

A full in tray, and the results of the stress testing on ForceNet were coming in and the results so far looked good, in fact better than I had expected.

I called Lloyd and found that he also was at work. No news on Adrian, but there had been a sizeable response to the TV appeal. There was one witness report of an incident in Pill where a driver of a car matching the description of my MG had apparently been taken ill and another driver had moved him to his car presumably to take him to a doctor or hospital. There were no corresponding hospital admissions so this could be evidence that Adrian had been abducted not assisted as assumed by the witness. However there were no indications of where Adrian could be now and the only thing the witness could remember was that the car behind the MG had been red, possibly a Ford.