SINClair 2

SINClair

book two

by Stella Fyre

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2018 Stella Fyre

Published by Strict Publishing International

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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CHAPTER ONE

The yacht left Tokyo harbour and continued on its journey. Clair was in the office reading a proposal that had been delivered just before they left their mooring. She could see that it had not come from either of the Newman office blocks, but it went into great detail about many problems with the pricing and construction. She picked up the phone and said, Grace, I’m reading this proposal. Can you tell me where it came from?

As I was walking to the office, Captain Lloyd gave it to me. I thought you might have put it down to talk to someone and forgotten to pick it up.

If Sir Innes should ask where I am, would you tell him I am up talking to the Captain and will be back in a short time. While you are there, have we ever done any work or loaned money to the Royal Navy or to the government?

I cannot remember any time we did, but I do know they sometimes subcontract.

As Clair was talking, Sir Innes walked into the office and handed her some letters. One had a Westminster post mark.

As she was sorting them out she asked, Where did these come from, Sir?

They arrived in the mail and were delivered by the pilot. He picked them up in Tokyo at a mail drop. The next drop will not be until we get to Australia.

Clair sat down once more and opened the letter from Westminster.

To the CEO, Newman corporation: Sir Innes Newman.

We in the Ministry of Defence believe that your corporation has the largest specialised unit of developers in the country. We are in need of a tender for the proposal that should already be in your offices by the time you read this letter.

Due to the aggressive talk and sabre rattling between the governments of Argentina and the UK, it has been decided to build a better base for the Military and Air Force on the Falklands Islands. We are in no doubt that when or if the Falkland government start drilling for the oil in their waters the tension will build up once more. We would like a tender from your Development Company, and security and vetting will be carried out on all those involved in the construction.

Sir Allen Soams, Minister for Defence.

Clair stood up and handed the letter to Sir Innes. He looked at it and read the content. Have you read the proposal, Clair?

Yes, Sir, and it reads as though it was written by a ten year old. It is full of construction mistakes, and there is no engineers report. It needs tearing to pieces and starting over.

When we get to Australia, send it to Davenport with a list of what is needed. He will need to contact the MOD to get permission to send a group of engineers out there. I remember one of our trusted developers did a similar job a few years before you arrived, and he said it was a logistic nightmare.

Do we do a lot for the UK government, Sir?

You will find in time that we do a great deal for them. Captain Lloyd is a serving officer in the Royal Navy, and the pilot of the corporation Learjet is a RAF fighter pilot. We will talk later this evening in my stateroom after we have dined.

Have you put notes where all the bad quotes were placed, Clair?

Yes, Sir, and there was quite a lot of them, probably more than there should be. There is a yellow sticky tab on every page of that proposal with all the dates and time schedules being wrong.

Would you ask Grace to come here please, Clair?

Clair picked up the phone and said, Grace would you come through. Sir Innes would like to speak with you.

As soon as Grace entered the office she placed another folder on the corner of Clair’s desk. Sir Innes said, You know what to do with the other folder, Grace, and I think as soon as you return a coffee would be nice.

I will not be long, Sir Innes.

When Grace had left the office Clair picked up the other folder and was startled by what she saw. The folder was the exact duplicate of the one she had just read, but without the same number of mistakes. It had been put together much better, although it still needed a great deal of work. She spent the next two hours doing what she was good at, and then asked, Is this the folder we send to Davenport, Sir?

"Yes, Clair. As soon as we get into Sydney harbour I will have it shipped to the UK to our London offices. You had better put a note in before you send it to Davenport, and you had better tell him what you need when you phone tomorrow.

I think we will go and get freshened up for dinner.

* * * * *

There was the usual knock on Clair’s door and Jain opened it to let Clair pass. Sir Innes was standing waiting, and on leaving the room Clair placed her hand through the crook of his arm. There was the usual banter after the meal and once it was over Clair walked with Sir Innes to his room. She sat down on the seat offered and took the glass of wine from the waiter. He turned to Sir Innes and asked, Will that be all, Sir?

Yes, and thank you, Marshal.

He said, Good evening, Miss Clair, and then saluted them both and left the room.

I have the feeling, Sir, that I am missing some vital information.

"This yacht is, as I said, yours. The money in your bank is yours and so too will be the additional money I put in there regularly. You are still a vital part of the Newman Corporation and, as you know, you are now the joint CEO. Your appointment was made official today. Several other things became official today as well, in the area of security. You have been vetted and cleared to handle top secret papers like the ones you were reading today.

"As I told you, Captain Lloyd is a Royal Navy Captain. Grace is a lieutenant in the navy and you have the equivalent rank of Captain in the Royal Navy. There will be a uniform and security ID pass in your suite when you return there. Jain will show you how to salute and carry yourself smartly.

I have not been able to tell you this before you were officially cleared by security, but we are an intelligence gathering vessel and we pass what we find to the Royal Navy ships as we meet them. Those figures you jotted down that were wrong were coded coordinates of where we will meet the navy. Those few other than me who know how to extract the correct data from among the false figures, all struggle to do it. It takes a high level of intelligence and particular aptitude for the task. My eyes are getting old faster than I am, and I miss the odd figure, but I was told before the evening meal that you didn’t miss any of them.

There was a knock on the door and Sir Innes called out, Enter. Captain Lloyd, Grace and Jain came in, followed by Ellis and Gray.

I have a question, said Clair, but I think I already know the answer. How safe are we, and when I’m alone how safe am I?

Captain Lloyd answered her question. "You are very safe, and probably much safer than the Prime Minister. There are military personnel around you continuously that you do not see. There is a frigate shadowing us that we can call on if we have a problem, with a platoon of SBS ready to help if needed. Everyone on this yacht has had some sort of military training, and all of them are the top specialists in their particular field.

"This boats hull is fitted with anti-mine steel. It’s unlikely to be breached by anything except the most powerful weapons. We have the latest equipment, much of which is unavailable to anyone outside defence and intelligence, and ten of our personnel are experts in intelligence and have experience with submarines.

From now on, when you travel in the Learjet you will often be required to change into your uniform once you are in flight, because we use RAF bases most of the time. You have the equivalent rank of a Royal Navy Captain, and Jain will always be at your side to advise you on matters that someone with military experience would know but you may not. The other thing you should know is that when you are flying there will always be RAF aircraft shadowing you, so don’t panic if you see them.

Clair said, Captain Lloyd, I believe that the question I should have asked is why I need this type of security? Or how safe am I when I’m not on this yacht?

I will answer the last question first. You are very safe when you are away from the yacht, and you are fully protected at all times. The reason you need this security is because you and Sir Innes are each unique and irreplaceable in the financial world, and this is not just a matter that affects finance. For example, proposals like the one yesterday have hidden coded messages, and by identifying the mistakes" you effectively decoded the message for us, and Sir Innes in his position, and now you in yours, are able to provide immeasurable assistance to the safety and security of our country.

"I think you now know all there is to know now, Miss Clair. If you are unsure of anything then ask Jain. Welcome to the Royal Navy. We will be arriving in Sydney harbour midday tomorrow.

One thing I did forget to say, Miss Clair, is that there is no real risk to you unless you are carrying one of the official proposals, and that’s not likely to happen. If any potential enemy if after anything, it’s going to be the proposals, even though they arrive mixed with normal ones so that no one except you or Sir Innes can tell which is which.

Once Clair was back in her own suite, she said, Now that was a real eye opener, Jain. If I were asked to describe the situation, I’d say that I’ve just been shanghaied into the Royal Navy!

Jain burst out laughing and replied, It is a first for the Royal Navy too. They’ve not only shanghaied you but also commandeered your ship, Captain. Actually, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you were feeling a little anxious after all you’ve been told this evening.

I have to admit it was unexpected, but I had wondered what all the security people were about.

The following morning, Claire made her way into the office and found Sir Innes already there. Good morning, Sir.

A good morning to you, Clair, but I am not sure how long it will stay that way. There was a radio telegram last night from Simms, and he and Davenport are not very happy. There is a board meeting in two days and I think you are needed there to put the board in the correct frame of mind. I am not absolutely certain, but I will bet my life that it turns out Parsons has had dealings in this, although he did not call the meeting. It’s a quarterly meeting for admin only.

Then I will need to be there, Sir. I would think Simms will phone and let us know what is happening as soon as he has worked out the time difference.

"You will need to take the Learjet very soon after we arrive in Sydney. It doesn’t have the range for a direct flight back to the UK, so it won’t be a quick trip. Your penthouse flat is being made available for your arrival with Jain.

"As we are not going to be back for a long time, if ever, there is an envelope on your desk and I would like you to give it to Tommy. I have paid the last two years of his university fees, as I think he was struggling to get the money. He is studying mathematics and accountancy. There is a place in our London office when he passes, and from what my sources say he will have no trouble getting his Masters degree.

Robbie will pick you up at the airport and will accompany you while you are in the UK.

* * * * *

Sir Innes picked up the book he had been reading and Clair sat down at her desk. She picked up the phone and said, Grace, would you get me all you have on Parsons and the contract he has as the finance manager. Is there another person on the board that is as qualified and capable as Parson’s to do his job? If so, bring me their work profile. Sir Innes looked over the top of his book at Clair and smiled before carrying on reading.

Clair read all there was on Parsons before she put down his folder. Sir Innes looked across at her and asked, Have you any idea what you might do, Clair?

"I was thinking of removing him from his post, but he has been very good and saved the corporation a great deal of money. I think I will just have to clip his wings a little and let him carry on at a different pace. I don’t think the board will expect me to be there and it will be a surprise when I turn up.

This is all presumptuous, expecting the worst to happen, and until I speak to Simms today I am really no more informed than you are, Sir.

"I have an idea what it is about, and I might as well inform you now that the Learjet is registered in your name and was bought with your money. You have your own accountant that looks after your spending and banking so that you have a trouble free life. I have decided that because Jain is to remain as your companion for as long as you need her, and I cannot foresee a time you will not. She has been promoted, and she will eat her evening meals on the yacht with us, and there will be dresses at the flat for her to bring back with her.

Her main job is to protect you, so she needs to be with you constantly. It was decided by her superiors to promote her so that there is no problem that she is not an officer when she needs to stay with you at various military establishments. She has been waiting for this for over a year, but she does not yet know it has happened. It is being left to you to tell her and to give her this letter of official confirmations.

* * * * *

By midday, the yacht was moored in Sydney harbour, and a little later the phone rang and Grace passed the call through to Clair. Clair put the call on loudspeaker and sat back. Hello Mr Simms, Miss Clair speaking.

I am sorry to be a nuisance, Miss Clair, but I have a problem. Mr Parsons has stopped the new department of linguists and interpreters in its tracks. He walked into the offices yesterday and told my secretary to get her desk taken into the other office, and then he dismissed the entire department telling them that their services are no longer required. He then phoned the wages department and told them to make out the appropriate P45s for those personnel. The problem is that they are all on assignments working on translating proposals for the corporation.

Has the new department been informed of what is taking place, Mr. Simms?

"Yes, Miss Clair, and they are not very happy. He refused to pay them the usual one month’s salary on instant dismissal, and also