Contagion - Plans of Deception - Book One.
Chapter Fifteen.

Adam had decided his best way to reach Wendy, was in replaceing out as much intelligence that he could gather from the ministry and from any of her old friends. As it had happened that was why he had turned up in Dorchester, to see Bill and his wife, and discovering who they were, had become a bonus, he knew now that the police were aware that he was still alive.

He was just thankful that he had been able to keep himself undetected for so long, and that it was still his intended desire, to kill Elaine even if now, it was just on principal as he detested the little brat, as he called her.

This day he was due to meet an army contact who had provided him with information, and he was working in Administration, and had managed to gain access to Wendy’s old personnel file. He was offering it to Adam at a price, so he had arranged to meet up with him in a neutral town; it was Adam who eventually agreed on Dorchester.

The next day the soldier’s body was found; he had been shot in the side of his head while sitting in his car. Although the police found a gun in his hand they were not prepared to say it was suicide. It had taken the police several days to view all the CCTV footage taken that day from around Dorchester; eventually they had come up with one camera that had seen the soldier meeting up with someone outside Waitrose Supermarket.

From there they had managed to track them walking the streets, heading in the direction of the car park. Once the two people had been isolated, they were later to pick out the same person following Bill and Betty. The information was eventually filtered through to Alex.

They were unsure, but after careful examination of the film, they felt it could be Adam, and after some discussion it was suggested that Peter could install the optical surveillance units, to observe the train shop and the Antique mall, where Bill and Betty had purchased their various items.

It was felt that it might just be possible that he would try to inquire as to where the said items they purchased were to be delivered. He was aware Bill was working for Peter, but had not known his home address, as he had not felt it was safe to return to Portland or anywhere near the Lighthouse.

At first the chief of Police was unsure if the optical device was as good as it claimed to be, he had agreed to allow it to be set up after a brief demonstration, and was amazed at the 100% success rate. After talking over the issue with the governing authorities it was agreed that it should be installed on a trial run. Firstly, to see if it could pick up Adam as they already had his features on file and after inputting data on selected known criminals in the area they wanted to see if the system could assist them over a two-month window.

Once everything had been agreed and settled upon, the system was installed to enable it to cover the Antique shop, the train shop, and Dorchester shopping mall, high street and car park. Unknown to the chief constable, Peter had instructed that his features along with the governing authority features, to be installed into the system, as he felt it would be interesting to see how many times the units picked them up.

Amander was pleased to be so close to her parents again, she had forgotten how nice it was to see them smile and laugh, she had visited them before they moved to Portland. But each time it distressed her to see them so sad and drawn, there had been a very heavy atmosphere about them that had deeply disturbed her. Now looking at them they were different people, they had not given up their search for her, yet she knew her mother Betty, had put her mind at rest, and her father Bill was still at times deeply upset, but he soon recovered and got on with his life.

Local demand for Christine’s painting had grown, it was decided to rent a large unit in the new shopping mall and turn it into a gallery to exhibit and sell local artists work.

News had leaked out to the press about Betty’s commissions, as she had decided to exhibit some of her earlier work, the publicity had given the gallery instant credibility, and unfortunately one drawback had meant that the unit had to be placed under electronic security. At least Christine knew whom to turn to for providing that, it was also a way to give something back to the community, as it encouraged other local artists, and gave them an outlet to sell some of their work.

Adam made his move, he had waited until he felt it safe to return to the area and drove to the outskirts parked up his car and caught public transport into town. He booked himself into one of the local hotels waiting his time; he had deliberately avoided the main shopping area until early evening.

There he had booked a meal in one of the local restaurants taking in a film first, by the time he stepped out into the streets again it was just passed midnight. Quietly he made his way through some of the back streets until he was forced to cross one section of the mall that was open, once across he was able to use the back streets again until he came to the delivery entrance to the Antique store. It was owned by a family business that had a flat above for one of its staff.

Adam settled down for the night, keeping himself in a shaded section where he knew he would be unseen, but gave him a good observation of the surrounding area. It was just after 01.hrs in the morning when he was woken by the noise of a couple that were opening the door to the flat above the shop. He had been fully prepared to sleep there for the night and wait until morning, as it was now he saw there was an opportunity; and he had to act quickly, before they entered and closed the door.

Just as they were about to close the door he burst in holding a handgun, it had happened so quickly that he had taken the couple off guard and by surprise. After gagging and tying up the husband, he forced his wife at gunpoint to turn off the alarm and take him into the premises. Once inside he calmly went through the delivery records until he had found what he had been looking for, the next morning when the couple had failed to open up the shop.

Its owners had used their passkeys, there in the back storeroom they found the body of a female, she had been violently raped, before been killed. Her husband was found upstairs he had been killed with a single shot through his left eye directly into his head.

Adam had tried to make it look as a robbery and had removed some valuable jewellery and a couple of bronze figures. That day after reviewing the CCTV cameras and the units as installed by Peter’s firm, it was discovered that Adam had been picked up twice and recorded as been in the area. It had not been acted upon, as the security unit had not been manned during the night.

Had it been so, then it is quiet probable that the young couples would have been saved. There was a certain amount of embarrassment on the council’s behalf as they had been responsible for employing the security company whose responsibility was to cover that area, and they had felt it was unnecessary to have had there office manned during night hours.

The ruling governing authorities over the police had tried to play the incident down, claiming that the unit could not be as good as they had claimed. When Peter had handed each of them an itemised breakdown of each and every time that the unit had picked them up in those areas, plus a detailed and itemised breakdown of local villains they were annoyed, but unable to argue over its effectiveness. It was later agreed that the unit should be purchased and supplied by Peter’s company, he was also invited to put in a tender the next time the contract was due for renewal, to take over the external and internal security.

Adam had returned to his car and then left the area, he had purposely parked outside the town, as he had not wanted his car picked up by CCTV. Although the car was not registered to him he knew once it had been recognised, then the police would in time of found the vehicle.

Back in his home he knew it had been a particularly stupid act in raping then murdering the young couple. Yet there was something within him that kept driving him forward, he was aware since his imprisonment, and the murdering of the doctor. That there had become a part of him that seemed to take over his thoughts and control, then each time he killed, the stronger it seemed to grow within him, along with the desire to continue doing so.

He had left the delivery information having not wanted to draw direct attention to the Peterson’s, as it was; he was unaware that the council had installed direct optical recognition within their surveillance units. The police had managed to keep his name out of the papers and local news, they reported the incident, as been a tragic robbery that had gone wrong and that the police were still looking into possible leads.

Wendy’s old personnel file gave details of her old address, and since she had joined the army directly from school also gave details of her old home. Adam picked up his Phone and tapped in the ’phone number from her personnel file. After some seconds his call was answered, “Hallo this is Harrige 241799,” there was a moment’s silence, “Hallo is that Mrs Harlow Fairfax?” “Yes” came the reply, God he thought to himself she must be in her eighties. “Mrs Harlow I’m so sorry to disturb you, its Peter here, I’m an old friend of Wendy, we sort of had a thing going between us, but since she left the Army I lost track of her. Do you by any chance have a contact address?”

Mrs Harlow immediately realised something was wrong, she might have been old, but she still had her wits about her. “Hallo did you say you have a contact address for me, oh I’m so glad, ever since we fell out we have wanted to talk to her. Her two uncles live here now with their families, and she doesn’t know it but we have forgiven her and want to make amends. Now if you hold on I will get a pen and paper to write down her details.” Adam paused, “Dam stupid dotty old bag,” he thought to himself, as he put the phone down.

Mrs Harlow smiled to herself, put the phone down then thought for a few seconds, picking it back up she tapped in 1471 and made a note of the number. That weekend when Wendy ’phoned her mother she was pleased to hear she was well and very interested as to who had phoned her. Mrs Harlow had become cautious the moment Adam had said that they had a kind of thing going between them.

It was a fair bet by Adam, but he was not to know that Wendy had never had a boy friend, as she preferred the company of women. It had been a sore subject with her father, but one that her mother had grown to accept and understand. Had Adam simply of said he was an old friend then she would not have expected a thing?

She was unaware of it but her reactions had most probably of saved her very life. Wendy was unaware of who it was that had been trying to replace her, but since the incident with Elaine and Christine been attacked in the lighthouse. All staff had been warned and put on high alert, on Monday when she returned to work she spoke with Alex and Bill and expressed her concern.

A discreet check on the national Phone numbers held on CD Rom, it came up with an address, even then they were not aware at that point in time who it was that lived there. Alex had a few friends who lived in Slough, it was not that far from Bray; and after a quick ’Phone call he had arranged for them to check out who lived there, and to send if possible a photograph through to him.

The next day Adam opened the front door, there before him was a man asking if he would mind answering a few questions. As they talked a colleague sat in a car photographing them, Adam refused and closed the door. As the man walked away Adam watched him from the window to check if he went to any other houses. On seeing him walk into next doors garden then to leave after a few minutes and to continually repeat the process, Adam smiled to himself, “you, poor bloody sod, I wouldn’t want your job for a thousand pound a week.”

Within a few hours Alex received an email, enclosed was details of Adam and a ’Photo, “Bingo” shouted Alex. He picked up the ’Phone and informed Peter that he had details and proof of Adams address, the information was passed directly onto Dorchester police. As the police sealed off the streets, other officers were talking to neighbours asking them to leave quickly and quietly. Unknown to them Adam had left the car in the drive and had walked down to the local supermarket.

As he returned he could see further along the road that there were armed police and that the road was sealed off with bright yellow tape. Outwardly he seemed very casual, inwardly he was furious and seething with rage, he was unsure how they had traced him but he knew that he could no longer return to his home.

Thinking quickly, he made his way back towards the high street and went into his local bank, there he closed his account. Some thirty minutes later he walked out with Ten thousand in cash, there was still some money in an investment account. He had given instruction asking for the money to be transferred into an account outside the country.

He was unsure that they would do it in time, yet he knew that he had little other choice. On leaving the bank he got himself into a taxi and asked to be taken to Reading. From there he boarded a train not really knowing where he was to go. Back at the house in Bray the police had cleared everyone away and were placing listening devices onto the windows and walls to try and locate where in the building that he was.

It was another twenty minutes before they realised there was no one inside, from within the house forensics found hundreds of finger prints all confirming he had been there. There were dozens of wigs also some of the articles that he had taken from the antique shop, it was a major replace, after some searching through the house, and they found the drawings and photos taken in Portland.

Within a few hours they had put a freeze on whatever account details that they came across, it was to take a few days to fully go through the house, there surprise and swift action had seriously reduced Adams ability in having any further access to his funds.

They had managed to stop any further transfer of funds, this had meant from then onwards that Adam was forced to virtually live out of a suitcase. He had eventually found himself in Bristol; from there he had boarded a train and eventually got off in Bridgwater in Somerset. His first night was spent sleeping rough, the next morning he purchased a local newspaper and went through the private adverts, advertising cars for sale.

Later that morning he had acquired himself a nine-year-old Volvo Estate. By mid afternoon he settled into a bed-sit, looking around him he shook his head at how far he had dropped from having three homes, numerous investment accounts and a very carefree lifestyle, to now been on the run, in near poverty and not been sure of what action next to take.

Brien had regained much, yet it was still noticeable by the lack of muscle use on his left side. At least he was now walking with what would be best described as a slow shuffle; his sheer willpower alone had continually pushed him forward. He simply refused to let go and give up, he knew there had been times when he had come close to it and that he had always said he would rather die than be a cabbage with brain damage.

Yet now this had happened to him he realised the true value of life, and that no one had the right to deny another of this truly incredibly precious gift. Peter had invited the family to spend a week with them in Portland, it was another school holiday and he felt that the family could do with a break. Elaine had also indicated that she would have liked to visit them, so rather than have the upheaval of his family along with security, he had felt it far simpler if they came and stayed at the Lighthouse.

On the second day there, Peter had arranged for the family to be picked up by a chauffeur driven car and taken to the cavern, they arrived just after the fifth block session had finished. Peter had allocated this time for special visits, where he could take selected guests around the cavern without the hassle of five hundred visitors following them.

Elaine had promised Matthew and Nathaniel that she would personally show them around the vast complex, it also meant that they got the rare privilege of seeing behind the scenes. Where new fossils where been constantly excavated with the slow precision that it takes to ensure everything is recorded, photographed and removed with great delicacy.

To their surprise, Elaine’s also included, after the tour he handed them each a brochure, it gave details of a new site that his team had started to excavate. Within it there were ’photos of several rare crustaceans, and three unknown dinosaurs, and at least one woolly mammoth, he went on to explain there was a certain amount of excitement, as ultra sound had shown there to be another much smaller mammoth laying behind the one that was now been excavated.

It was thought it might well have been its calf, a rare replace as it was thought such animals had not walked the land this far from the Antarctic regions. Peter went on to explain that if they took great care of those brochures that in time they would become valuable as they were in very limited supply and not to be made available to the public.

He also promised, weather permitting, that he would show them the site the following day, as it meant arriving in the area by boat, and then walking into a very small entranced cave. Then following a winding maze of corridors for some twenty minutes, before walking into a much smaller cavern, but none the less still incredibly impressive. He had not as yet even managed to improve the entrance area, so it was to be hard hats and good quality footwear.

That night Peter had erected a tent for the children to sleep in; he had talked it over with Brien and Kate. They had agreed that with the high level of security now in place that it was very unlikely that anyone could get near to the Lighthouse or its grounds without first activating a set of alarms.

The children were so excited, and it was late into the early hours of the morning before they slept. It had been an enjoyable evening, the next day as they awoke the sun was shining and they could feel its warmth, as its rays lit up the inside of their tent.

By mid-morning the tidal conditions were just right, the group was each fitted out with a hard hat miners’ style with a built-in lamp plus a small holder was given to them. In it there was a soft paint brush, a drawing book and pencils, this caused a certain amount of interest, and it was not until they were in the site that they realised the purpose of the gift.

Peter had arranged for a small section to be cordoned off where there were some giant Ammonites; one of the Palaeontologists was there from his team to show them how to carefully brush aside the loose rock and dust and to expose the Ammonite.

From there they were photographed before been carefully removed, the children were encouraged to take pencil rubbings of the less valuable ones. They had so much fun that it was some five hours before they walked back into daylight. The tide was only some feet from the cliff face so it was interesting watching them trying to gain access to the boat without getting themselves wet.

Again, that night the children slept in the tent, it had been incredibly fun packed two days, and just before they had left Peter had allowed them to take with them some of the more common Ammonites. In truth, they could not remember how long it had been since they had enjoyed themselves so much. Brien had found it incredibly interesting, however it had tired him, none the less he was pleased that he and Kate had actually been able to do something constructive with the children, and as a family.