Mary Dear - Redux Page 18

  ‘See where she goes, who she meets, then report back to me...and Tony, make sure you are not seen.’

  ‘Sure boss,’ he said and asked before leaving, ‘Where will you be?’

  ‘I’m going to my tailor’s, you can call me on my cell phone, now get going or you’ll lose her.’

  Vinni was the last man you’d think of for the job of surveillance but the fact was that he was good at it. He didn’t exactly blend into the background but however he managed it he always delivered the goods, which was why Blanco had given him this assignment.

  In the lobby, Andrew Renfrew sat reading a copy of the Wall Street Journal. He had told Natalia that he would be close at hand but that she should not acknowledge him in any way and that they should meet back at their hotel. Natalia walked past Renfrew without a single glance in his direction. From where he was he could see her speaking to the doorman through the hotel’s main entrance doors. He was about to get up when a small man went past him in a bit of a hurry. Renfrew noticed that he was making an effort to catch up with someone and saw him speak with the doorman who pointed in the direction of Natalia’s parting cab. The man hailed a cab and followed her with Renfrew close behind in a third cab heading back to The Pierre.

  Back in her room, Natalia answered a discreet knock on her connecting door and Renfrew entered.

  ‘You were followed. One of Blanco’s men I’m sure and not too good at surveillance either.’

  ‘Damn it! There I was thinking that I had carried it off and that he’d swallowed the bait.’

  ‘Don’t worry. Blanco’s the kind of man who would not trust his own mother.’

  ‘What do I do now?’

  ‘Nothing. It’s business as usual. What we have to make sure of is that we don’t give him cause for concern. Relax I’ll be near you, but always at a safe distance.’

  Blanco’s man had followed Natalia back to her hotel, and now reported back to his boss on his mobile—and asked for further instructions. Blanco told him to be very discreet but find out who was in the rooms either side of Natalia’s. Vinni took a blank piece of paper from one of the desks in the hotel lobby, folded it, put it in an envelope and sealed it. He took it over to the concierge and asked for it to be delivered to Miss Dzhabrailova’s room straightaway. He walked away and waited. A few minutes later the concierge called a bellhop over, gave him the envelope and his instructions and the boy left heading for one of the elevators.

  Vinni followed and stood by the door. He got in with the bellhop who asked him what floor he wanted. He said, ‘you go ahead son,’ and made a show of looking for his room key muttering something about what floor he was on; he saw the boy press 7 and he then asked him for the seventh floor.

  ‘Same as me, sir,’ the boy said. The doors closed with a soft whine and the elevator headed upwards.

  Vinni smiled at him and waited for the elevator to stop. When they arrived on the seventh floor he got out and dithered a little looking for something inside his coat pocket while the bellhop turned left and walked to one of the doors leading to a Superior Room. He followed and walked past the boy heading towards what the boy would think was his own room. Natalia opened the door and he gave her the envelope. She tipped him and he left.

  Once inside and with the door closed, Natalia looked at the envelope bearing the Hotel’s logo and opened it. She was looking at it with a perplexed expression on her face when Renfrew walked over to her.

  ‘Something interesting?’

  ‘Well, that’s just it! There’s just a blank sheet of the Hotel’s notepaper but there’s absolutely nothing written on it! Do you think this is someone’s idea of a joke?’

  ‘Far from it,’ he replied, ‘I rather think our Mr Blanco is not quite as gullible as we may have thought.’

  Vinni waited for the bellhop to appear on another errand and followed him into an empty elevator.

  ‘Seventh sir?’ He said. The door shut and he took a $100 bill from his pocket. The bellhop looked at the bill.

  ‘What do you need sir?’

  ‘Names,’ he said.

  Blanco left the hotel for a quick visit to his tailor of choice. The Brioni store at 57 East 57th Street was one of his favourite places to relax and the manager, Vincenzo Fiero, greeted him like a long lost friend.

  ‘Signor Blanco; welcome, what brings you to our door?’

  ‘Vincenzo, my friend, I’m in need of a little pampering and where better than Brioni?’

  ‘Signor Blanco, you’re not going to get an argument from me,’ he said smiling.

  While he’d been chatting he’d noticed a woman standing at one of the counters talking to a salesman. She had her back to him. A tall brunette wearing a black pencil skirt with a split back that showed off her long sexy legs. Black high heel shoes accentuated her shapely calf muscles. She was studying two ties, trying to make a decision on which one to pick. Blanco turned to Fiero.

  ‘Who’s the lady?’

  The manager lowered his voice.

  ‘That’s Joel McKenzie’s wife.’

  ‘Senator Joel McKenzie! That’s his wife?’

  And the manager nodded.

  ‘He’s not as dumb as he looks.’

  Blanco stared at her back. She had great legs and a great ass but still...a Senator’s wife could be trouble, he thought, and I don’t need that kind of heat at the moment. Pity.

  Just then she turned around and Esteban thought fuck, she’s got great tits too! She saw him looking at her and smiled before turning and heading for the door.

  ‘Back to business Vincenzo, back to business; show me one or two of the latest fabrics. I heard there’s a great super 180 from Loro Piana and you know I love the ones from Segna and Guabello.’

  An hour later he had ordered a dozen lightweight suits for Colombia, each with two pairs of trousers plus a load of shirts and some printed-silk ties. That should hold me he thought. He thanked Vincenzo and left the shop. His car was waiting for him and as he got in, his cell phone rang.

  Vinni had found out that the room to Natalia’s right was unoccupied while to her left there was man called Andrew Renfrew. He called his boss, and shortly after Blanco dialled a number from a public call box. The pay-as-you-go cell phone rung and a voice answered.

  ‘We have to meet. Usual place in one hour.’ He hung up.

  Blanco was seated at a back table in Così’s Restaurant, opposite Paramount Plaza on 51st and Broadway, when Richard Bland walked in. He saw Blanco, went right over and sat down.

  ‘I cannot stay long,’ he said, in a low voice, ‘What’s this about?’

  Blanco replied that their operation might be compromised but he needed to be sure. He explained about Natalia’s next-door neighbour, told him that he had had her followed and that they had met in Central Park. It seemed too much of a coincidence so he had had them followed some more and their relationship appeared pure business but his gut still told him something was not right.

  ‘I need you to make some enquiries and get back to me with some background on this Andrew Renfrew.’

  ‘I’ll do my best.’

  ‘For fifty thousand dollars you’ll need to do better than that. The money’s been transferred to the usual account,’ he said, ‘it’s urgent, so don’t let me down.’

  The hard look he’d given him said it all. Bland got up, walked straight out of the restaurant and flagged a taxi; Bland knew Blanco was not someone he should disappoint.

  Bland was Blanco’s inside man at the DEA. His information proved startling and made him re-evaluate his opinion of Natalia. Naturally it was possible that this Renfrew had something on her and was using it to get to him. After all, he was aware of Natalia’s profitable sideline. He would wait until after the auction, let her get the icons for him and then have a little chat. As for what to do with Renfrew, that was another matter. People disappeared all the time but not British cops, that wasn’t good for business. No, he would have to keep him busy and at arm’s length, maybe arrange a diversion to
put this bloodhound off the scent. In the meantime, he thought, I need to listen in on some private conversations.

  The ‘English Garden Bowl’ a beautiful floral arrangement from ‘Flowers On First’ was delivered to Natalia’s room with a card from Blanco saying simply ‘Good luck for tomorrow’ and signed ‘Esteban’. Concealed carefully in the basket was a powerful OzSpy FM room transmitter, with a crystal clear pick up and high stability over 1200 meters.

  Natalia left the elevator and walked to her room. As she was about to go in, Andrew’s door opened. He stepped out and looked at her touching his index finger to his mouth and beckoning her to follow him. Natalia said nothing, her brow furrowed, her eyes questioning. She joined him in the corridor and he told her that he had observed the flowers being delivered and had taken the precaution to sweep her room for bugs. He’d found one but left it in place. He said that they needed to meet somewhere they could talk out of earshot of Blanco’s people. He thought they might have been followed in Central Park so he suggested the Empire State Building’s observation deck on the 86th floor where they could get lost amongst the tourists.

  Renfrew had also chosen the Empire State Building because all visitors had to go through a security check. Anyone following them there would have to be unarmed.

  Andrew saw Natalia arrive and walked over to her. He took her to the side overlooking the Chrysler building where she pretended to admire the view.

  ‘I cannot trust Blanco not to be onto me and I do not want him to think you are a willing collaborator.’

  ‘So what do we do?’ she asked; a worried look on her face.

  ‘The room is bugged so they will be listening to our conversations. Let’s use it to let him know that I’m forcing you to help me get to him and that you, most reluctantly, have to go along; it won’t mean you’re completely out of the woods but it will be safer that way.’

  They went through a bit of a script and Andrew told her to just go along with whatever he said and do a bit of playacting for Blanco’s benefit.

  When they left, Andrew asked her to give him a head start. Natalia said she would pop into Bergdorf’s before going back to the hotel and they set off in separate taxis.

  Vinni hailed a cab and followed Renfrew. He phoned Blanco who told him to record any conversations from the room.

  Renfrew saw the same little man who’d brushed past him at the Carlyle get in the cab behind his and smiled. At the hotel, there were no messages for him at Reception so he went up to his room. Natalia arrived in her bedroom an hour later and Vinni heard what sounded like a knock and then a woman’s voice saying:

  ‘Come in.’

  He heard Renfrew enter the room and say: ‘I expected you a lot sooner. Where did you go?’

  ‘Shopping, at Bergdorf Goodman, okay?’ She said sounding irritated.

  They proceeded to have a conversation that would leave no doubt in the eavesdroppers’ minds that Natalia was an unwilling participant in Renfrew’s operation. Vinni phoned Esteban and told him briefly all he had found out. Blanco was satisfied and gratified that his initial instinct about Natalia had not been wrong. He was just going to have to plan something unpleasant for Mr Andrew Renfrew—and fuck the consequences.

  Esteban’s car was waiting at the hotel’s entrance and he climbed into the back seat. His driver had instructions to take him to Sotheby’s, where he was due to meet with Natalia to discuss some final details before the auction. Blanco’s car pulled up outside a very crowded Sotheby’s main entrance and he got out.

  Natalia went over to greet him. She wore a classic black Chanel wool suit.

  They went inside to the preview room where Esteban was able to verify the lot that she would bid for on his behalf. The three icons were: ‘Crucifixion’ by Dionissius (late 15th–early 16th century), ‘In Thee Rejoices All Creation’ (Dionissius School, early 16th century), and ‘St. Florus and St. Laurus’ (Moscow School, 16th century). The bidding for the icons would attract the usual collectors but was not the main event.

  They went inside to the preview room where Esteban was able to verify the lot that she would bid for on his behalf. The three lots were ‘Crucifixion’ by Dionissius,(late 15th early 16th century) depicting the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, witnessed by the host of heaven and the people of the earth. Jesus is the central figure and has been painted in Dionissius’s characteristic elongated style. With His arms wide open, He is shown as the willing sacrifice whose death will atone for the sins of the world. It was a beautiful work of art and Esteban wanted it badly. The other two, though less impressive, would be a wonderful addition to his collection.

  ‘I want them. You have carte blanche on the purchase price,’ he said.

  In addition to the sale items, Blanco had an icon that he wanted to part with and entrusted Natalia with its sale.

  Blanco stayed for the auction of ‘Still Life with Jug and Icon’ by Mikhail Larionov (circa 1910), with an estimate of 1–1.5 million dollars and ‘Picnic’ (1920) by Boris Kustodiev, with an auction house sale estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. With many Russian oligarchs seeking to buy great works of art from their own country, the bidding was fierce and there were already twenty telephone bids, with more expected as the auction progressed. When Esteban’s lots came up Natalia secured the three icons for Blanco without having to pay over the odds.

  Blanco was delighted and invited her to dinner at Le Bernardin, New York's internationally acclaimed seafood restaurant. Natalia accepted, as it would not do to have Blanco suspect anything was amiss. Andrew Renfrew reassured her he would be close by in case of trouble.

  Esteban’s car stopped outside the main entrance on 51st Street just before 7th Avenue. His two bodyguards stepped out of the car and opened the door for Natalia and Blanco. Esteban helped Natalia out of the car and they went inside.

  New York is not short of fabulous exotic restaurants but none of them manages to radiate the glamour and class of Manhattan the way this one does. Blanco was in his element, and Natalia was happy to let him take the lead; he suggested the Chef’s Tasting Menu accompanied by a selection of specially chosen fine wines.

  Dinner was served and Blanco was the perfect host asking her to tell him of any new acquisitions, ready to ask all the relevant questions and listening attentively to the answers she provided. He suddenly asked her how she was doing with their special project. Natalia was instantly on her guard but dismissed his question politely and said that she was making good progress; that he could expect some news soon.

  ‘It’s just that a man in my position hears many things...It’s a big bad world out there,’ he said, looking concerned, ‘I just want you to know that I like you and can offer you protection...if you should need it, that is.’

  ‘Why on earth would I need protection?’ She asked keeping her voice as calm as possible.

  ‘Well, let’s just say that, if anyone tries to strong-arm you, you know where to reach me.’

  Natalia smiled and thanked him. ‘You’ll be the first to know.’

  After dinner Blanco invited her back to his suite for a nightcap but she declined.

  ‘Another time then’ he said, ‘at least let me take you back to your hotel’.

  They arrived at The Pierre and Blanco opened the car door for Natalia, he kissed her hand and wished her goodnight.

  Blanco went directly to where Vinni was parked and got in the back of the large black van with dark tinted windows where he had set up his listening post.

  ‘Hi Tony, what’s happening?’ he said, sitting down next to him.

  ‘Nothing yet, boss,’ Vinni replied, twiddling some knobs to get better reception.

  In her room Natalia and Andrew prepared to give another Oscar winning performance.

  ‘How did it go?’ He asked.

  ‘Fine, just fine, Blanco was pleased with the icons that he bought,’ she said, ‘I really think you’re barking up the wrong tree here, I just don’t know what you think you have on him, but he does not look like a worr
ied man to me.’

  ‘Well, we’ll see’ Renfrew said, ‘if he’s clean he’s got nothing to worry about.’

  ‘And if he’s not?’

  ‘That’s one problem you will not have to worry about.’

  They talked some more just so Blanco would feel sure that Natalia was being coerced by the Yard in their hunt for him.

  ‘I have some paperwork to do,’ he said, his voice serious, ‘I guess you must be tired too, so if you don’t mind, I think I will just go back to my room.’

  They said goodnight and he left, giving Natalia the thumbs up.

  Chapter Fifteen

  2007

  The Mare Nostrum, built in Italy in the Codecessa Shipyard in Viareggio, lay at anchor in Puntarenas, its Costa Rican flag fluttering in the gentle sea breeze. Andrew Renfrew had chartered it for a fortnight and put it and a full Costa Rican crew at Elliott’s disposal. The Captain had been told that he was part of a documentary team that would be filming for a holiday company later that month. Elliott was there to do some advance research.

  The payment for the charter had been made from a bank account in the Bahamas that Scotland Yard kept when discreet funding for special ops was required.

  Elliott and Tina were taken onboard by the Mare Nostrum’s tender with a crewmember at the helm. Once installed in their cabins the big ship’s anchor was raised and the Captain set a course for Cocos Island where they arrived, two days later.

  Elliott needed to do a bit of snooping and had gone ashore earlier. He’d gone inland; just deep enough to protect him from prying eyes and found a high point where the dense forest provided adequate cover. He scanned the deck of the Sea Tigress with his binoculars. There were a lot of divers on board, but on the way to Cocos Island he’d received a message from Renfrew telling him that Tim Martin would be amongst them. He scrutinised the faces of the men on deck and then he saw him, now all he had to do was get on board the Sea Tigress. The problem was he couldn’t just sail up under some lame pretext; it had to look totally innocent. He decided it was time to bring Tina into play. He had been observing the activities of a tall, good-looking, middle-aged man. After three days of hanging around Elliott noticed that, when the cast disappeared to film, he was left to his own devices and often took a small Zodiac to go to a secluded beach and do a bit of exploring on his own. Elliott decided that a chance encounter with the beautiful Tina could be arranged and that it would be the perfect way to gain access to the film unit’s boat without raising suspicion.