El Pantera: No-one said it would be easy. Read online

  Lucas interrupted, “Just wait Leon, there has been a misunderstanding, Gabi can help, I can help you get the money for your requirement.”

  “What do you mean by help?”

  “We need someone to do something for us, who would get paid very well, well enough to get what your requirement is.”

  “What do I have to do?”

  Lucas, “Gabi has told me, you have worked on ships, yachts, you can read charts. You could go somewhere and bring back a cruise boat, there would be a small crew. Just one trip. Then you start again.”

  “I’ve done the hard shit man, start again.” Leon was thinking, shaking his head.

  Lucas continued, “You can get smaller amounts and build up, might take a year, two years, the others are taking your connections, it would be more difficult. The seas are good this time of year, think of it as a two-week holiday”

  “When?”

  “Soon.”

  “Where?”

  “You will be told when you leave.”

  “Do I come back here, Europe, anyway?”

  “You will be told when they give you the chart.”

  “Do the crew know what they’re doing, I mean boat handling?”

  “Boat handling, yes, they don’t need to know about the cargo?”

  “Do they speak English?”

  “Yes, a bit.”

  Leon looked at Gabi, “Why didn’t you tell me this before you brought me here, I could have said no?”

  Gabi, “Because, I knew you would not say no when you met Lucas.”

  It looked as if Leon was in deep thought, they waited for his answer. “Lucas, I like you, you don’t ask too many questions and you give no answers. I need to know this, if I do it, will I get my requirement without any payment, no cash, I’m not doing it and being done over?”

  Lucas, “You can trust me, others do. What is the British saying, loose lips sink ships? There will be no loose lips, it has been done several times.”

  “One answer please, do I have time to go back to England?”

  “You can go anywhere, as long as you will be in Madrid in 24 hours.”

  “That is a sort of answer.” Leon was smiling.

  The two men shook hands, Gabi was kissed on both cheeks by Lucas, Leon turned his back on Gabi and walked towards the door.

  Gabi was smiling, “He’s okay, he needs me, he needs a lift, he does not know where he is.”

  They both laughed.

  They sat in the car, as they were driving away Leon said quietly, “That went well then. How long to get back to Madrid?”

  “We’re not going to Madrid, you will stop with me tonight at my villa, I trust you, and it would look better.”

  Leon looked at the car clock 15:39, it was too early to call Steve.

  It took just over an hour to get to the Villa perched on the hillside overlooking the Atlantic, the automatic gates opened as the car approached and closed behind them as they entered. It was a modern box style white walled and glass villa, there was a pool at the front of the house, the patio furniture positioned with a view of the Galician Atlantic Islands towards the horizon. The sun had eventually broken through the clouds and the temperature was rising to a pleasant 24 degrees. Gabi opened the villa and entered the hall; Leon took the chance to contact Steve, he sat on a patio chair.

  “Hi Leon, can you be quick?” Steve had heard the mobile and walked away from Sarah who was lying on a lounger listening to music through her pods.

  “I’ll try, but there’s a change in plan.”

  “Explain?”

  “I met Gabi, she trusts me, she came up with a plan to meet the guy who runs the importing and introduce me to him to get things started.”

  Steve was confused, “That was the plan we had, what’s the change?”

  “I didn’t go back to Madrid after the meeting.”

  Steve interrupted, “Please tell me you didn’t?”

  Leon interrupted the speech, “We just stayed together, that’s all, and talked about the plan.”

  Steve was angry, Leon could hear it in his voice, “She is not to be trusted like that, you know what she has done, Leon you have to be careful, what you are doing is wrong.”

  “Whoa, wait, that’s enough. What I have done is wrong? What the fuck did you do then when setting this meeting up, taking her into your apartment? This is a way to keep you out of it. She trusts me and I trust her.”

  “Sorry Leon, you’re right, but for fuck’s sake be careful man, I’ve seen what she can do, what’s the plan now then?”

  “I’ve met this woman by chance, we became friends, we liked each other, she told me about drug dealing in Galicia, she knew some peripheral members of the organisation, she introduces me to one and I get asked to do a job for them, so get inside the OCG.”

  “It sounds believable I suppose, so when does this start? Who are you going to pass the info on to, your boss or Bert?”

  Leon held his breath for a second or two, “It’s started, I’ve had the introduction.”

  Steve was walking along the beach, well away from the sun worshippers lying on the sunbeds. It was idyllic, the high sun shining down on the mountain greenery, the golden sands, the gentle sound of the waves rolling onto the shore. Steve could feel an earthquake happening inside his body, “Have you been thinking with your brain or your dick, I told you what she is like, she’s fucking clever, very clever, she uses her assets, as she told me, to get what she wants, she fucking told me she uses her assets. You have fallen for it; you have fallen for her.”

  Leon denied the truth, he lied, “I have not fallen for her or her assets as you say, we talked it through together, thoroughly. She respects you and is aware of the dangers that she put you in, this is possibly a way around it. You are out of it, totally, no need to involve Trigger and the lies about his incredible information. It’s down to me.”

  Steve was shaking his head, listening, thinking, “Who’s going to control it, us or the Spanish, they would recognise her at some stage if there’s photographs flashed around the departments.”

  Leon continued, “We’ve thought about that, she is pulling out of the group and handing over to me, to run the business, she is history, no need to dig to find her.”

  “So, she is out of it totally now.”

  “Well, no, not exactly. Please listen before you blast off again. She will pass on the information to you, by phone, no meetings, like a liaison between me and you, then you do the action plan. Simples”

  “Simples! I think you have got your head stuck in the ground, or somewhere else, fucking simples! It’s serious this man,” there was a silence for a few seconds, “So what happened at this introduction?”

  “I got introduced to a guy called Lucas, I told him I wanted some supplies, as my other sources were taken out in Andalucía and I had lost a load of cash. He wouldn’t accept laying on the drugs and offered me a way to pay for them.”

  Steve was anxious, “Come on, I can’t wait to hear this bit?”

  “I’ve just got to bring a small boat, yacht, from somewhere to somewhere else, obviously the boats going to be full of, probably ‘charlie’, then I take my consignment for the transport fee. Just like driving a wagon really.”

  “How big is the boat, you don’t know the route?”

  “No, I’ll get told when I get to the boat and I don’t know where the boat is. Just a cruise boat or yacht, he said there would be other crew but they wouldn’t know there was cargo.”

  “So, you could be in the middle of an ocean, with no back up, no communication, do you think that’s wise?”

  “It is a risk, but I’m prepared to do it.”

  “When is this?”

  “Could be tomorrow, I don’t know, but soon.”

  There was silence again, Leon, “Hello.”

  Steve, “I’m here, thinking. You’ll have to call your boss and explain the, the, circumstances of your meeting and how it’s progressed. You’ll have to get the go ahead to continue, which shouldn’t be a problem as you have already had the introduction. Will they need to know the identity of the CHIS?” (Covert Human Intelligence Source.)

  “They will, but not yet, they would only have her new identity, she’s legal in Spain she told me.”

  “She might be legal but CITCO (Intelligence Centre against Terrorism and Organised Crime) might already have her recorded, the E.D.O.A. (Civil Guards Organised Crime Team) could be involved already.”

  “It’s a big organisation she told me, so it is possible.”

  Steve thought for a few seconds then asked, “You say she trusts you; I need to know her new identity, d.o.b., her address if she will give it, did she tell you where she was living?”

  “No mate, I didn’t ask, just building up the trust.” He lied again.

  “Suggest me, as you’re partner in Spain, we’ve worked together, know each other, I wouldn’t come into contact with Gabi. She would have to keep clear and we could get the job done.”

  Leon continued, “Steve, what I’m doing is only one of the methods, a big one from what I have been told, possibly tons. There are ships coming regular to the Galicia region, you could possibly get involved with those, I could give you an introduction.”

  “You could, if I’m back before you leave for wherever?”

  “I could at least get Lucas to accept you as my partner if I’m away.”

  “Give it a try, we’ve gone down the line now, I’ll know nothing if Bert gets in touch with me, I’m sure he will agree. Leon, I must know if she’s recorded in Spain before we do anything, get the details and call me back straight away, I can get it checked out.”

  Leon, “Okay will do. Where are you now?”

  “You wouldn’t believe it, but we’ve been dropped off at a remote beach on The Pearl Islands, looking out from the jungle behind, the beach down to the ocean to where Chapman was speared twice by the lovely Gabi and dispatched to the bottom of the Ocean.” He momentarily could see the event happen in his mind. “Where are you?”

  “I’m waiting for my train back to Madrid.” He lied.

  “Keep in touch, let me know what the score is.”

  “Will do, don’t worry, enjoy your holiday.”

  Leon stood up and started walking around the pool, looking out to the Islands which could be seen clearly now, he made a call to England.

  After the call was made, the introduction to Lucas was accepted, on the understanding that no further work was done with the OCG, until the full intelligence checks had been made with NCA and CITCO.

  He walked into the modern villa, the hall had plain white walls where large bright alfresco paintings were on display. A large mirror was positioned opposite the staircase, the floor was highly polished white patterned floor tiles, a chandelier hung from the ceiling. The open staircase had wooden stairs leading to the upper floor, there were four doors on the ground floor. He walked towards the door that was open which led into the lounge, a large square room, the feature being the glassed security windows which were the width of the room affording the view over the Atlantic and the distant islands. The cream leather furniture was large with 2 chairs and a long sofa, they faced the wall where a huge television screen was hanging invisibly. The house was ultra-modern and expensive, Gabi was doing well.

  Gabi was sat in one of the chairs. She had poured 2 glasses of cola, she added ice and a slice of lime. Leon sat on the other chair and took a sip of his cola.

  She had been waiting, “That was two long phone calls, what do you have to tell me and ask me?”

  Leon took another drink from the glass, “I spoke to Steve first, he is okay about what we did,” again he was lying, “he wants to be involved in the operation, to protect my back I guess.”

  “Yes, that could be good, what did he ask you about me?”

  Leon thought, “You, we, have to trust him, he wants to know your new identity and address.”

  “Did you tell him I live here?”

  “No, of course not, I told him I was on the train to Madrid. He does need to know, to protect you and us, just in case the Spanish police know of your involvement already, that’s all.”

  “Okay, did you tell him that you had stopped with me?”

  “I told him we stayed in separate rooms in the hotel, he was okay with that.”

  Gabi was laughing, “He didn’t believe you, did he?”

  “No, you’re right, he wasn’t happy but told me just to be careful.”

  “Yes, in case I kill you.” She was laughing again, Leon wasn’t laughing.

  “Please, tell me what he needs to know, it will be a big help, he is not trying to get you into jail, he’s trying to keep us all out of jail.”

  Gabi stood and walked out of the room, she returned and handed Leon her Spanish identification card, a small writing book and a biro pen. He recorded the details from the DNI, Elena Gabriela Suárez, 14/6/89, the national identification number and her address. Calle del Seixo, Cangas, Vigo, Galicia. He sent a WhatsApp message to Steve.

  chapter 6

  Friday 12th May

  Gabi had dropped Leon at Vigo airport for the 09:35 flight back to Madrid. He was in the lounge with a coffee, in truth he didn’t want to leave Gabi, but it was necessary to return to the capital and access the police computer. He had told Steve in a message that he would check out the details on Gabi, it would be authorised, as his meeting had already been disclosed to his department supervisor in the UK.

  When he arrived at the Embassy, Leon spoke to Bert and was given access to the computer linked system with CITCO. The enquiry about Gabi was negative, she was not recorded on the system, he then checked the National Police intelligence, there was nothing known. Leon’s shoulders relaxed, a slight sigh of relief, time to push on. Gabi had given 3 member names of the group, Lucas Alvarez, Miguel Torres, Javier Delgado. The three men were known, while there was little intelligence on Alvarez, Torres and Delgado were known drug dealers of large quantities, believed imported from South America. Time was of the essence to register Gabi as a CHIS, an informant, liaise with the Spanish Intelligence, CITCO, and commence the operation. Leon wasted no time, he spoke to Bert and told him the full story, minus the parts about the registered informant being a serial murderer, a prison escapee, his recent lover and was known to Steve. Bert decided to hold a meeting with the Spanish at the Embassy on Tuesday, this was to give Steve sometime to get to know the intelligence, he would have to use another intelligence officer as Sarah was not available. There was a plan.

  It was 10:05 in the Gulf of Panama, Sarah and Steve were on board the quick boat to Panama City from San Miguel Island, the sun was already beating down, they sat beneath the canopy for some protection from the rays. They were having a great holiday, making fantastic memories, their tans had been worked on and Sarah looked like a local. They had rested on the beaches, had a visit into the jungle, Sarah loved the Islands and Panama City was so lively. They had done so much.

  Sarah gave Steve a kiss on the cheek, “Thank you for bringing me here, I absolutely love the place.”

  Steve was happy, smiling, “I knew you would, we did.” He stopped himself from saying more.

  “I know, you both did, no need to hide or try and forget, it is how we ended up together.”

  Steve was apologetic, “I’m sorry, it hasn’t entered my mind, well not much.”

  Sarah hugged him, “I think we need to maybe see some people you know and visit some places. We are here, we should do it.”

  Looking in her eyes, “Do you not mind, honestly?”

  “I would love to meet some of both of your friends, I know Jessica was well liked here. I know you have a few numbers, give them a ring and meet up. I would honestly like that if they could.”

  Steve made a call to Jaime; Jaime was pleased to hear from Steve and was surprised that he did not call before. He arranged to meet up with some others he could contact at a bar in the city that afternoon. Sarah was excited at meeting up with Jaime and possibly Gloria and the others, but she was anxious for Steve. She had seen at times during the week that he looked troubled, deep in thought, it never crossed her mind that his thoughts were thousands of miles away in Spain. The less she knew the better.

  They had time when they returned to the hotel to again top up their tan, relax on the beach, and swim in the ocean before heading towards the city. Steve was receiving calls on his mobile, he would walk along the beach when he was in conversation, Sarah could see him laughing on occasions, it made her happy.

  Leon was one of the callers, “I’ll keep it brief, the operation is on, Gabi is not recorded anywhere on Spanish police systems, all of them. Bert has liaised with the Spanish and is planning an ops meeting on Tuesday at the office so you can be back. The three men she told me about are known as big players but there’s no one inside, until now, you and me mate. Here we go again.”