Frontier - 52. FR Chapter 52

While we were having a walk around the island, my mobile rang un-expectedly. “Anton Hamilton speaking,” I said as I answered.

“Mr Hamilton, this is Mike from the boatyard. We need to inform you that we had a break-in at the boatyard last night, and it looks like they were targeting your yacht. They have ransacked the whole yacht, but most of the mess is in the forward crew area,” Mike informed me and I groaned, knowing what this might mean.

“Mike, can you do me a favour and check on something for me. In the crew study area there is a corner cupboard. In the bottom, right at the back, there should be a box,” I responded.

“Just a moment and I will check for you. The police have just left, after doing a check and taking statement from us,” Mike replied.

“Any news on the progress of the parts from France?” I asked Mike.

“It arrived yesterday. Just waiting on customs to clear it, before I can pick it up. Ok, I am in the study now, opening the corner cupboard. This whole room has been ransacked. No there is no box in the back,” Mike responded.

“Ok, Mike, thanks for that. I will stay in touch,” I replied and ended the call.

“Si, we have a problem. Let’s get back to the bungalow. We need to talk and do some work,” I said to Simon. We jogged back to the bungalow. Once inside, I went to my room and grabbed my suitcase and carried it to the dining table. With the clothes already unpacked, all that remained were the files and folders, which I pulled out and placed on the table.

“What is all of this, Anton?” Simon asked a little surprised.

“I think something amongst this lot is linked to why my brothers’ father and our mother were killed, and Gramps being injured, the farm house at Portobello burning down suspiciously, us being attacked at Oamaru, and the yacht being ransacked last night,” I said to Simon.

“Holy cow, and why do we still have it then?” Simon responded.

“Well I brought it with us, when we cleaned out the storage unit at Portobello, then I stashed it away, where it was hard to find and forgot about it, until the other day when Jasper was here.

“When he went to get some more stuff for us from the yacht, I asked him to put the files and folders from the box marked Wallis Transport on it, into my suitcase, and fill the box with all the educational books of my brothers from the study. When I was told of the break in just now, I asked Mike to check on that box, and he informed me that it was gone. So now, who ever has that box, has useless educational material, and we have all the documents here in front of us. What we need to do is to go through it and work out what is so valuable for people to kill for it,” I said as I picked up my phone and dialled a number.

“Senior Constable Kyle Davies please,” I said when the call was answered, and I waited to be connected. “Without saying my name, do you know who this is?” I said.

“Yes, Sir, I do,” came the reply.

“Good. Go to a public phone box and call the number you called me on last time you saw me,” I said and I hung up the phone.

“That sounded like a very secret service type call,” Simon stated and I smiled as I waited for the return call. While I was waiting, I opened my laptop and went online to organise a plane ticket from Dunedin to Christchurch and onto Suva, Fiji, with the passenger name of Mr Kyle Davies. I had just finished doing this when my phone rang.

“Hello. Would you like to explain what all of this cloak and dagger is about?” the officer asked me.

“Go to your superiors as soon as this call is ended. Inform them you have a family emergency, and that you need 5 days leave effective immediately. Then go home and pack a bag and your passport, and drive directly to the city airport. A plane ticket will be waiting for you under your name, for 1.05pm flight. I have arranged accommodation for you as part of the flight package. Tell no one where you are going, and tell no one my name. I will see you when you arrive at my location,” I said and I hung up the phone.

Simon was chuckling by the time I had ended the call. “Oh, he is going to love it when he learns where he is going. I can’t wait to see the look on his face,” Simon said to me as I picked up my mobile and called a 4-star luxury hotel in Christchurch and Suva to arrange accommodation for Kyle Davies.

“He will only know about the flight to Christchurch today. He will know his following flight and accommodation details tomorrow morning,” I said to Simon with a smile. After lunch, we spent the next couple of hours sifting through the files and folders, and by late afternoon, we were getting a little tired of the tedious searching. I announced that we should take a break and try again later. So, everything that we had looked at we left on the table. The rest we put back in my suitcase, which I stashed away under my bed.

At dinner time, we arrived at the restaurant just after 7pm, and it was virtually empty of guests, which I was a little surprised about. Soon after sitting down the resort manager came over to our table. “Good evening, Mr Hamilton and Mr Adamson. I trust you have had a pleasant day,” he said to us on arrival.

“Yes, thank you. The honeymooners are friends of ours, so it was a bit sad to see them leaving this morning,” I replied.

“Tell us, why is it so empty tonight?” Simon asked the manager.

“That is because most of the guests have checked out, and we are booked out by some VIP’s who arrive late tomorrow. Since you are booked in for two weeks, before they booked, you’re the only ones that have been permitted to remain,” the manager explained.

“I can understand that. I have had Mimi Fenton and her family on my yacht twice, and we had to avoid the media a couple of times,” I replied with a smile.

Half way through dinner my phone rang. It was a blocked number. “Hello,” I said cautiously.

“Ok, I am in Christchurch, and I have had a business class flight. I’m in a 5-star hotel, and all my meals have been paid for. Can you explain what all of this is about?” I heard Kyle say in a frustrated tone.

“Not until we meet face to face. You have a late checkout at 11am tomorrow morning. You will receive a note on your next flight, and we will see you tomorrow evening, at about 7pm,” I said and I hung up.

After we had finished dinner, we returned to the bungalow, and as I entered the living area, I stopped suddenly. Straight away I spotted that the files and folders had been scattered around the table, and some were even on the floor.

“Oh bugger! This is not good,” Simon said when he saw why I stopped. I made my way over to the hotel phone and dialled reception.

“I wish to speak to the resort manager right away please,” I said firmly, and I waited to be connected. “This is Bungalow 12. I require your attendance here right away,” I said and I slammed the phone down and started to pace the room.

“Calm down, Boss. We will get to the bottom of this,” Simon said to me seeing that I was furious. I dashed to my room, and I was relieved to see that my suitcase had not been touched, so I returned to the lounge, just as there was a knock on the door.

“Can I help you, Sir?” the manager said as I answered the door, stepping aside to let him in.

“Can you tell us, has one of your staff been in this bungalow, while we have been at dinner for the past hour?” Simon said to allow me time to cool down.

“Not that I am aware of, Sirs. Why is that?” the manager replied.

“Because everything that is on this table and on the floor was in neat piles when we left for dinner,” I stated angrily, and I sat down and stared at the manager, who was now looking at all the files and folders scattered everywhere.

“I am sorry and apologies for this happening. We have one hidden security camera pointing towards each bungalow from a distance. Let me go and check on that, and I will let you know what I find,” the manager stated.

“No, we will accompany you, as this has some major legal consequences. I suggest you have your head of security there too, and be prepared to call the police in Suva,” Simon stated to the manager. I stood up and followed Simon and the manager out, making sure the bungalow was locked. Five minutes later, we were in the manager’s office, and behind a large cabinet was a television and a number of video recorders. We watched as he rewound and played back the recorder that had Bungalow 12 written on it. About twenty minutes after we had left the bungalow for dinner, the television screen showed a person sneak into the bungalow, using a master key, and ten minutes later he exited the bungalow, and walked right past the camera, to reveal his face. The manager looked shocked.

“I am sorry, Sir, for this happening. That is actually my chief of security. I have no idea why he has done this,” the manager said to us.

“I suggest that you not say anything about this to any staff, and call the Suva police and have them come right away. Let them know that this is a matter that concerns events happening in two other countries, and that a police officer from New Zealand is in transit, and will arrive tomorrow,” Simon stated. We watched as the manager picked up the phone and made the call.

As he was making the call, I spotted movement on the television screen, and I jumped up and dashed out of the room. When Simon saw what I had just seen he followed me. When we reached the bungalow, I motioned Simon to be quiet, and we crept up the steps, and stood on either side of the door, which opened suddenly. Not sure what to do, I stuck my foot out, and the man tripped and went forward face first, and stumbled at the stairs before landing heavily on the ground. I quickly followed the man, and did the only thing I could think of, and that was to sit on his back.

Simon was quickly beside me, and after placing his foot on the man’s bum to prevent him from trying to get up, he pulled his belt off and tied up the man’s legs.

“Get off me. I am security,” the man bellowed at us.

“No chance, Mr,” Simon said as he saw the manager approach, who looked a little shocked at all of tonight’s events.

“Stay right where you are, Hector,” the manager said before facing us. “They will be here in twenty minutes. They wanted to know who the police officer is and what department he is from. I said that I didn’t know,” the manager stated to us.

When we heard the seaplane arrive, the manager went to meet the police, and bring them over to bungalow 12. When they saw us two young men sitting on a large beefy man, with his legs tied, they chuckled a little, before facing us.

“Ok now, can someone tell us what this is all about?” one of the officers asked.

“Firstly, who are you please?” I asked nicely, as we let two officers take charge of the dodgy security officer, and handed Simon back his belt.

“We ask the questions here, sonny. So now, tell me what is happening and why you had this man down on the ground,” the senior of the officers said. Simon and I just sat down on the step and crossed our arms, and remained silent. “Ok, so you won’t talk. Fine. We will release this man, and then let him deal with you for holding him hostage,” the senior officer said.

“You do that, and you will have a diplomatic incident on your hands,” came a loud female voice over the speaker of Simon’s phone, and I saw a huge grin on his face, as he held the phone up in the air. It was then that I realised that the voice was Anita.

“Hi, Anita. Can you please explain to these nice officers, what has been happening to us over the past few months,” I said in a clear voice.

“I will do that for sure. Suva Police, my name is Senior Constable Anita Adamson from the Western Australian Police. The manager of this resort will know who I am, as my husband and I were staying there very recently for our honeymoon. My husband is 1^st cousin to Simon there, and Anton is his best friend.

“Over the past two months there have been a number of incidences that have resulted in a death, arson and criminal damage near Dunedin, New Zealand, and a death and severely injured man, here in Western Australia,” Anita announced.

“We can add another case of criminal damage to that list, Anita, as our yacht was ransacked last night, and now breaking-in-and-entering tonight,” Simon announced.

“This man that you have there is searching for something important, and I think it has something to do with that box that we brought to you the other day. Am I right, boys?” Anita stated.

“Yes it does, Anita. Si and I have looked through everything to try to work it out, all of this afternoon, but we didn’t find anything. I have arranged for the officer from Portobello, the same one you spoke to by phone last month Anita, to travel here, and he will arrive tomorrow afternoon,” I said.

“Well, in that case, we will arrest this man, and wait till this officer arrives, then maybe we can have a conference call with you tomorrow, Officer Adamson?” one of the Suva police officers said.

“I will expect your call. Good bye for now,” Anita stated and she ended the call.

Simon pocketed his phone, and I gave him a slight nudge with my elbow and a smile. Once the local police had taken the former security officer away, the resort manager turned to Simon and me.

“I cannot emphasise how sorry I am for what my former employee has done tonight, and I will be taking steps to scrutinise the staff backgrounds in more detail. Please accept two nights’ accommodation free of charge,” the manager announced.

“Thank you for that. We need to rest now,” Simon said to the manager, who wished us a good night and returned to the main building.

Once the door was closed and locked I collapsed in the lounge chair and sighed loudly. “I just wish all of this would end for good. I have had enough of it and all the damage it has caused,” I said. Simon sat next to me and put his arm around me and I burst into tears, as Simon hugged me some more.

I must have fallen asleep, as I woke up lying on the lounge with a blanket over me. It was still dark outside, so I staggered to my bedroom and went back to sleep. When I woke up next, I looked at my watch to see that it was after 9.30am. I stretched before heading to the bathroom to clean up.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Simon said to me when I came out into the living area.

“Hi,” I replied before I spotted the hot tea and plate of toast on the dining table. I made my way over there and sat down.

As I ate, I spotted the neat piles of folders and files, and I looked over to Simon, who was smiling. “I went through everything again, to check if we have missed anything, but it is all just office papers to do with the transport company,” he said to me.

“What about the rest?” I asked him.

“I thought I would wait till you are up,” Simon replied to me, and he waited for me to finish my breakfast.

“There was one thing that I did spot, that I thought was strange,” Simon said to me after a few minutes of silence. “I found a freight invoice that looks a little strange. It is for farm machinery coming from Chile to New Zealand. It was in a separate folder on its own,” Simon said to me. I stopped eating and looked at Simon, who had reached over to the single folder on its own, and handed it to me. I opened the folder and stared at the freight invoice, before closing the folder.

“Put this in your suitcase for safe keeping. It might be the clue we have been looking for, but we need to check the rest of it before we try and work out what this means,” I said to Simon. Once I had finished eating, I put the plate to one side, before heading to my bedroom. I retrieved the rest of the folders and files, while Simon moved the ones we had looked at into the lounge.

For the next two hour’s we looked at each of the files and folders, and as we neared the end I found a small yellow envelope which had a 12-digit number hand written on it.

‘Si, what was the invoice number for that freight invoice?” I asked Simon, and opening up the folder, he read out the numbers. “Bingo! We have a match,” I said with a smile, and I showed the envelope to Simon who checked the numbers again then smiled.

“Put them together. We will get back to it once we have finished everything,” I suggested. Just half an hour later we had completed the task of going through everything. Moving all the files and folders from the lounge, back to the dining table, we sat down in the lounge and looked at the yellow envelope for a while, before I walked over to the kitchenette and turned on the kettle. As it began to boil, I placed the envelope over the kettle for a few moments.

As the glue came unstuck I carefully opened the flap. I walked back to the lounge and sat down. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, I opened the envelope, and looked inside. All I could see inside, was what looked like a small piece of camera film. I carefully pulled it out and held it up to the light. I could see some very small writing on it. I placed it on the table and took a photo of it on my phone, before replacing it in the envelope.

“Microfilm, with secret information. I wonder if this is what all this is about?” Simon said to me quietly.