Chapter 21: Some Special Relationships

In the month following Jennifer's reappearance

The Transatlantic Axis

Edward Black, MI5 and Clyde Ritchie, CIA are coming to the end of one of their regular liaison meetings, something they do at least once each week, according to the progress of world 'events'.

"Clyde, do you remember I asked you about what might have been a Company operation in Suffolk about a couple years ago? Two academics interrogated by people who claimed to be your people and then one of them disappeared, a suspected abduction?"

At first Ritchie struggles to remember the incident Ed Black is referring to but the word 'abduction' brings together the fragments of memory into a coherent whole.

"Yeah, Ed, I remember. So what's new?"

"The girl who disappeared has resurfaced. In Stockholm, and there is circumstantial evidence implicating Anatoly Kustensky as being involved in Mrs McEwan's adventures. The police think she might have left the UK aboard his private aeroplane. She was found after his yacht left Stockholm. Kustensky was, of course, the character she was interrogated about originally."

"Ah..."

Now Ritchie is listening intently.

"Unfortunately, Mrs McEwan is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder She has seen a psychologist working for the police, but she has not said as much as the police would like. That's both the police here in the UK and the police in Stockholm. Nevertheless, she admitted to a friend that she had been in captivity -that's my word by the way, not her's- with an American female called Tracy. I just thought I should let you know."

"Oh? Is that so? Well ... well, thanks for that Ed, I will have my people look into it. I will get back to you if it comes to anything."

After closing his call to Black, Ritchie makes another call.

"Scott? Its Clyde."

"Sir."

"I just had a routine 'touching base' discussion with Ed Black from MI5, London. He gave me something new they had on that Kustensky guy you were looking at."

"Oh?" Immediately Scott is interested; very interested

"It seems that a British girl who disappeared a while ago has been found. There is circumstantial evidence that she left the UK aboard Kustensky's private jet and she resurfaced again in Stockholm when a yacht he owns was just leaving town. Both the British police and the Swedes have unsuccessfully tried to get McEwan to tell them where she had been and what she had been doing but she won't talk. However, she let slip to a friend that she had met an American called Tracy. I guess 'Tracy' was the main news item Black had for us. Anyway, can you check it out? Are we looking for a lost Tracy?"

After Deputy Director Ritchie has hung up, Scott smiles. Result! He had always known that if you just kept looking, something useful would turn up. So, Kustensky was implicated in people trafficking across international frontiers, was he? Scott logs on to the Inter-Agency database. It was built in the wake of the 9/11 Enquiry, to help the various law enforcement and intelligence agencies of the United States share information amongst themselves easily.

Scott enters the search terms: American/female/missing/kidnapped/abducted/Tracy

There are a surprisingly large list of references.

He adds three filters 'Ex-USA' and a date range for the age of the subject and a second date range for possible date of disappearance.

The list shortens considerably.

He adds another two filters: Europe/Russia

The list is now very short indeed. The hairs on the back of his neck start to prickle. One of the names is 'Tracy Randolf'. He ought to know the name but for a moment cannot think why.

The tags associated with Tracy Randolf are Randolf Corporation, Houston Tx, Germany.

As Deputy Director Ritchie has mentioned 'Tracy' to him in the context of Anatoly Kustensky, he asks the data base to cross tabulate Randolf Corporation against AKE. The two match on three criteria. Oil. Gas. Engineering.

Scott then brings up the database resume for Tracy Randolf and reads:

Missing Person: Tracy Randolf.

Nationality: United States Citizen

Relationships: Daughter of Manfred Randolf 3^rd, CEO Randolf Corporation, Houston Tx.

Date of Birth:July 16, 1983

Address: C/o Randolf Corporation, Randolf Tower, Houston Tx.

Ethnicity: White Anglo

Hight:5 ft 6 inches

Weight: 112 lbs

Colouring: Hair, red. Skin pale.

Distinguishing marks, tattoos etc: none

Date of Disappearance : January 12, 2011

Place of Disappearance: Berlin, Germany

Occupation: Accountant

Employer: Randolf Corporation GmbH

Contacts:

Berlin: Embassy of the United States, Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin, Germany

Berlin: Joachim Schmitt Claver, Budeskriminalalamt

Berlin: Agent Simon Peters, FBI Legat, US Embassy

Houston: Lt Arthur Harris, Houston PD, Houston Tx

Houston: Agent Robert Holloway FBI Houston Office, Houston Tx

Scott spends a moment or two looking at the image of Tracy Randolf attached to the entry.

It is a copy of the image from her passport. It shows a rather serious but attractive young woman. The image is black and white and her pale skin and red hair is rendered gray neatly styled and almost boy-ish. She also has a determined cast in her eye. Scott can't help but think about his own daughter and how he would feel if it were she who had vanished.

It's time to call Deputy Director Ritchie. Scott is pretty sure he has the information he's looking for.

His call is answered almost at once. "Clyde Ritchie?"

"Sir? Its Scott."

"Hi, Scott."

"Sir, I have run a database enquiry as you suggested..."

"OK and?"

"I have a connection for AKE, Randolf Corporation and Tracy Randolf.

Tracy Randolf is..."

"Yeah, I know. This Kustensky guy is beginning to crop up everywhere.

I wonder if kidnapping young women is a new sport in mother Russia?"

Scott chuckles. "This seems to bring Ol' Anatoly centre stage."

"Sure does. Look, Scott I am going to have to move this up a level. I need to know if you manage to get anywhere with the Kustensky investigation?"

"Yes and no. Yes, I accumulated a lot of information about AKE activity Stateside – and it's all good, I'm afraid. Excellent commercial reputation both with the Treasury Department because they pay their taxes right on the nose, with Department of Labor and with the State Governments where they work. Homeland Security have no qualms about them and the D of J has no information about and law suits in progress or in preparation. So, no dirt and no cause for concern."

"So he is making money but that's it?"

"Yes sir, right on both counts."

"Scott someone that good is needs looking at. Do we have any pipelines into his organization?"

"Not as yet sir but if you recall, I mentioned that Kustensky seems to have enjoyed a long term liaison with a British Academic called Angela Dawney. I have a hunch, she could be the place to start."

"Thanks Scott. That's good work. Better go start!"

"I am right on it, Sir."

After Ritchie has replaced his receiver, Scott smiles once again. This would grow legs and run! Step One. Get a pipeline into the Kustensky operation. Step Two. Clarification about Tracy the captive and Tracy Randolf. Step Three. Arrest Kustensky as soon as he is outside Russia but best of all, arrest him on his next trip to the United States. If he was convicted of the kidnap of an American Citizen, 'Ol Anatoly would not be going home again. Ever. And he, Scott Anderson, would be a Head of Section at least.

The Friends of Andrew Palmer

If Anatoly is 'well connected' to former colleagues, so is Andrew Palmer. When a soldier leaves the armed forces, a possible career option is to enter – perhaps that should be 'remain' in the security industry, but now working for a private enterprise organisation instead of the State.

Jennifer has kept close contact with her parents after her return and confided some of her feelings of alienation and fragility to her mother, but has kept all details of her attack on Cathy Corbin to herself and Joe, for fear of the consequences and for the shame of what she has done.

Nevertheless, by astutely assembling what Jennifer says and what she does not say, Andrew and Inga are rapidly moving to the conclusion that Jennifer has indeed been abducted and held prisoner, even though the reason for her ordeal remains obscure.

The level of security provided by the Swedish Authorities also preys on Andrew's mind. Why is Inspector Ackroyd prepared to allow Joseph and Jennifer to make their own way in the immediate shadow of Jennifer's ordeal?

Resources will be one factor. More pressing investigations may be another but surely waiting patiently for Jennifer to 'recover herself' and say more is merely complacent?

Andrew is not - has never been – complacent. He knows he should not trespass on the work of the Police but on the other hand, perhaps he can bring other resources to bear? He picks up the telephone and dials...

"Rampart – Webster", says a precise, cultured female voice

"Colonel Andrew Palmer. To speak with Andrew Collin if I may?"

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, I am a 'new business enquiry', well possibly."

"Could one of our other partners deal with your enquiry?"

"I really would prefer to speak with Major Collin. I can ring back."

"Just one moment..."

"Simon Collin?"

"It's Andrew Palmer."

"Andrew. Yes, I remember. Well, long time?"

"Yes it has. Look I was calling to ask for advice."

"Official or unofficial? Business or are we talking about delayed fall-out from the 'old times'?"

"It's business and it's personal. Have you a few minutes?"

"Er ... yes ... you have caught me in the middle of something but set the scene and I will see what I can do with it."

"Two years ago my daughter Jennifer disappeared without trace in London..."

"Yes, I did hear about that. I 'm sorry. Andrew, the police will be involved?"