The first Tammy stories were written 15 years ago so there's plenty of history. Here's a catch-up that takes you to the start of Flying High:

Tammyverse Series Summary

Tammy (Tamara) Smart is a 21 year old student and businesswoman. Her father, an international merchant banker, retired to take care of her before she left St Andrews School in Thurso, Scotland. Her father remarried and she has two step sisters, Suzie and Angela.

She was inducted into the world of Intelligence, age 18, after becoming a witness, and victim, to terrorism. Once her A Level exams had been concluded, Tammy spent the summer with MI5 forensic accountant Heather and Detective Sergeant Sophie in Cornwall learning trade-craft. The UK Security Service (MI5) paid for her Gender Confirmation surgery during that summer break (but will deny it!)

Tammy was issued a firearms certificate just before her nineteenth birthday (losing her virginity the same day) but was only issued a firearm for personal protection two weeks later. Her hesitation to use that weapon during a hostage incident caused her to be sent on a military course alongside Special Services personnel. She first met New Zealand born Capt. Kyle Fielding on that course..

Tammy started work full time for the Security Service after her first university course was disrupted. During that work she became involved with an American Intelligence (OICA - Office of Immediate Covert Action) Agent who brought intel on an emerging terrorist group “True Freedom” to the UK. That group sponsored an attack in a London coffee-shop where Tammy and the US agent were sat. The attack failed, because of Tammy and her OICA associate, but a subsequent inquest also turned bloody.

After her twentieth birthday, Tammy started back at university on a criminology course but, whilst there she also helped repel several True Freedom attacks alongside the Counter Terrorism Team of the Met Police and Security service. Around this time she gained a private pilots licence and a two seat plane.

Tammy had formed her own commercial property company and is a board member at the family-owned Smart Air Services based at Wick Airport in the far north of Scotland. She employed Joey Cooper as an office assistant at her Smart Properties company.

A specialist military team invited Tammy to join the Army (Broadsword Regiment) as a Lieutenant but she didn’t go through standard recruitment or officer training. This gives her access to additional intelligence , weaponry and training.

Tammy meets Fielding again on an exercise. He eventually beds her on whilst a subsequent dive training deployment. Her flight into Glasgow is diverted to Prestwick where her two seater is pulled apart. It is subsequently found to have an issue that could bring it down over water. She gains a replacement 2 seater plane and a commercial turboprop Epic.

An MI6/True Freedom mole accuses Tammy of being a True Freedom operative and she’s is frozen out of the intelligence community. Counter terrorism officer Kevin Edmunds supports her, as do American agents. That’s resolved but Tammy’s confidence is damaged. She finds she can’t trust MI5. Tammy covertly buys a house in the middle of Thurso, several miles from her parents’ home.

Tammy become involved more with the Americans and flies out to take part in training. Back in the UK she’s pulled between university and the Army. Eventually she meets Sir Thomas Addington, now Chair of the Intelligence Oversight Committee. Kyle Fielding has discovered she’s a transgender woman and tries to prevent Tammy from having access to military intelligence before physically assaulting her. She walks away, he doesn’t. She meets Corporal Maisie Staines and takes her back to Thurso against orders.

Tammy moves into the new house with Maisie as a guest but the girls become lovers. Maisie Staines proposes and Tammy arranges Maisie’s promotion to Sergeant - she joins Broadsword. Tammy meets Maisie’s father Master Sergeant Thomas Staines. Tammy and Maisie decide to try for a baby, using Tammy’s genetic material from a few years earlier. They start IVF process.

Tammy is sent for helicopter training with the RAF and meets a feminine flight lieutenant. On her final flying assessment she hears that Joey’s mother has been kidnapped and Tammy’s office is under attack. She abandons her test flight and takes second seat in an Apache. The threat is eliminated and Carol Cooper is physically unharmed, but distraught.

Tammy has been told to be available to babysit royals in the Caribbean later in the year. She and Maisie attend a pre-deployment training session near London and there meet Lizzie, the formerly male flight lieutenant from her helicopter training school. Lizzie is sent back to Thurso with Tammy and Maisie.

At pre-deployment training Tammy meets Lizzie, formerly an airman on her helicopter course and now a Flight Lieutenant. She takes Lizzie home to sort out her formal transition, before Marcus sends her somewhere else.

Tammy is accused of an improper relationship with her main lecturer and is suspended from her Criminology degree course.

Before flying out to the Caribbean, Tammy, Maisie, Lizzie and Joey’s mum all attend Abigail Adams House in North London, an MI5 premises used for training and debriefs. Joey’s mum, Carol Cooper, is there because of her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following her rescue. Suzie Small, Tammy’s step-sister, is their liaison.

They flew to the Caribbean two weeks before the Royals arrive. Kyle Fielding and a woman arrive and start to threaten Tammy and the Royals, once they arrived. Kyle is captured and manages to turn the officers against Tammy.

Tammy and Maisie escape back to the UK and find themselves in an insurrection with the British establishment under threat. The leader of the insurrection is William Burgess. Tammy and Maisie take refuge in Royal Quarters and Suzie joins them there – before breaking security protocol.

Most of the antagonists are detained and Tammy’s safety is apparently assured. She and Maisie have tea with Queen Elizabeth before returning to Wick.

Plans are in place for a trip to the Isle of Man with her American friends (OICA). Burgess is known to be there and plans are made to intercept and detain him. Maisie discovers she's pregnant following IVF treatment.

The story continues in Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity. During that story Burgess is detained and his helicopter is captured.

Tammy's story continues in Flying High.

Flying High is now out, as a part of the Rank Stupidity Kindle book, and is being published here starting January 2026.

Tammy: Flying High Part 1: Capture Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 1 - Capture

Tammy and Maisie had spent another week at the Isle of Man TT Races and the pair were exhausted, but the end was in sight. The girls really wanted a quiet evening but they also had an informal party to attend, which meant another frock for Tammy and no exemption for Maisie. Tammy was flying the next morning so kept away from the alcohol, whilst Maisie had said she would now avoid it throughout her pregnancy.

They finally made it to bed at midnight, and were asleep with only the minimum of cuddling.

Tammy’s phone had been on Do Not Disturb but had started to ring and it was getting louder as she reached for it. The only light in the room was the flashing display, fortunately her blurred eyes could identify the name; the reason for the sleep interruption was rapidly becoming apparent given Krystel was in the same time-zone.

“What’s the emergency?

"Wake up, gear up and have Maisie get the rest of your stuff ready to go. Burgess is about to bail and we only get one shot at the asshole. Meet me at the back door in ten minutes."

The call ended but Tammy didn’t put the phone down, she had to have the last word. “It’s four in the night! Damn you!”

“What’s up?”

“Burgess. Beyond that I know very little, I guess Krystel will brief me.”

Tammy had shrugged off her nightwear and dug into the secret compartment of her case while she’d been speaking.

Adrenalin was kicking in and her body was fully away despite the hour. Tammy pulled out her black all-in-one battlesuit, along with the utility belt. A whole load of accessories followed including her Mad Dog knife, a small pouch and a holster.

Her handbag Glock had been retrieved from her plane a week or so earlier so that went in the holster. Finally she added an infrared night sight given the hour.

She gave Maisie a kiss. “My guess is Lonestar will come for you, get everything stowed and ready to bail out.”

“Stay safe. Our babe needs you.”

A minute later Tammy opened the back door of the Guest House spying Krystel in a SUV.

"Are you sure about the information?" Tammy asked as she climbed in.

Krystel nodded. "When somebody hates the target just as much as you do, it's as good as it gets."

"I don't understand." Tammy said as they drove off into the early morning darkness.

"Somebody made a deal. Somebody with a personal axe to grind. The Major closed that deal. We get Burgess and whatever he has, except one thing." Krystel explained.

Tammy looked over. "What is that?"

"A book. An old book the British want nothing to do with and neither do we. The other guy can have it. We get everything else. Burgess and any material relating to British concern go with you." Krystel instructed then gave her a hard look. "You will say nothing about what this cost. No third party. No deals. Got it?"

Tammy nodded. "Yes. I got it."

Tammy wondered who this third party could be that had Krystel so agitated. Were they Russians, Chinese, a Middle Eastern service or even Mossad? Whomever they were, it was obvious that Krystel did not want to deal with them. Quietly the pair drove on until arriving at an open field to park by the only tree cover. Together they climbed out after applying their facial camo. Krystel also tied a black rag over her hair to hide it. She gave one to Tammy and she did the same. Krystel handed her a slim cylinder.

"Auto-injector. It's got Twilight Zone in it. Slam it against his ass or thigh and hold it for eleven seconds. The needle is spring-loaded. A little pressure and it automatically deploys. Hold it firm against him." Krystel instructed then added. "And don't get yourself with it."

"Right." Tammy said taking the injector then scanned the field with her night vision monocular. "I think we're alone here."

Krystel was also looking around, but without a scope. "We aren't. Somebody else is around, we just don't see them. They won't get in our way. They'll wait until we're done then show themselves."

They crouched in concealment and waited. Finally, when Tammy felt like she was about to cramp up, the sound of a car approaching caught their attention. Headlights cut through the early morning gloom as it slowly entered the cliff-top field. The car stopped and turned off its lights. The front passenger door opened and man in black stepped out. He looked around slowly then knocked on the window. The opposite front door opened and another man stepped out. Both men spoke quickly then scanned the area again. Tammy looked to Krystel.

Krystel shook her head. "Not yet. Wait for the helo. When Burgess makes his move, so do we."

Tammy nodded and continued to wait. Her position was uncomfortable and she decided to use that. She decided to direct her discomfort toward the reason why she was there and uncomfortable: Burgess. Her annoyance for the man was now rapidly turning to hostility. For several minutes they waited then heard the sound of a twin turbine helicopter approaching.

"The helo is mine, I'll drop the guys on the right. You take the guy on the left and Burgess. No slip-ups. Get 'im or he's gone and we might not get this close again." Krystel told her.

Tammy became angry at the prospect of the man getting away again. "No Krystel. We get him this time. He's not getting away again."

Krystel continued to stare ahead. "There's our girl, welcome back. Let’s GO."

The helicopter had landed, powered down and disengaged its main rotor to receive passengers. The man on the left opened the car’s rear door then stood back, in deference to the passenger. That passenger now stepped out carrying a case then began walking purposefully toward the awaiting helicopter and one bodyguard. The second bodyguard followed behind.

Tammy took a quick glance to her right and saw Krystel fire a shot from her silenced pistol as she literally passed the driver at full sprint before another shot dropped the bodyguard. Tammy forced everything she had into moving her legs and closed on the two men. Two meters from them the first bodyguard turned and raised his hand to his mouth, presumably to instruct the other and froze in confusion. The man wasn't there, but something dark was moving fast toward their helicopter.

"SIR!" The Bodyguard started to yell, but Tammy had drawn even and without thinking, triggered her Glock at the centre of his body. and he cried out as he fell.

Burgess heard something and turned to check his men and saw a small dark something closing on him a meter and a half away. Just as he determined the shape to be a person, a fist connected with his face. Tammy had launched herself with all she had, at full speed, leading with her left fist. Tammy smiled as she felt her hand connect with his face and drive him to the ground. Burgess groaned in a daze then felt himself rolled over roughly and an object hit him in his right buttock then something sharp went in. Seconds later his world went black.

Tammy looked over as the Helicopter went silent and saw Krystel drag the pilot out onto the grass.

"GOT 'IM?" Krystel asked.

Tammy answered. "DEFINITELY!"

Krystel joined her and pointed. "Grab the case."

Tammy grabbed the briefcase with one hand and Burgess' arm with the other and together they dragged him back towards their car. Krystel hand her a pair of heavy duty zip-ties to secure his wrists and ankles.

Tammy sighed from her efforts. "Finally!"

"You said it." Krystel agreed then looked to the helicopter. "Nice ride."

"Is that a Bell? No, it's longer than a Bell." Tammy debated.

Krystel nodded toward it. "AgustaWestland. One-oh-nine. Grand I think."

"Well he won't be needing it, any more." Tammy said angrily to the unconscious man.

Krystel commented. "Exactly."

Tammy just stared angrily at him then the words registered. "Wait. Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Krystel grinned and winked at her.

Tammy snorted then began laughing and looked at Burgess. "There was this Dude!"

"Ah, she sees the light." Krystel chuckled then froze and spun around.

"Pax non venio pugnare." A man said as he stepped out of a shadow into half light.

Tammy demanded. "Who are you?"

"Domini Dei nostri servus." The man in Priest's robes answered.

"I can't understand him." Tammy told Krystel.

Krystel slowly lowered her pistols. "He's speaking in Latin. Lower your gun. It's deal time."

Krystel set the case on the hood of the car and opened it. "Alright. Is it in there?"

The priest stepped close and saw something wrapped in cloth. He took out a pair of white gloves that had marking all over them and unwrapped the cloth to reveal a large book.

He nodded and said. "Hoc est quod quaero."

The priest then marked the cross while whispering then re-wrapped the book and tucked it into a satchel he carried.

"That's it." Krystel said then closed the case.

"In Dei nomine, vade in pace." The Priest said as he backed away, marking the cross.

Krystel shook her head. "We don't do peace, Iscariot. Neither do you. Deal, done. You go, we go and this never happened."

The Priest nodded, turned and walked away into the shadows.

"Just so I can sleep at night, who was he and why should I not want to see him again?" Tammy asked.

Krystel began dragging the unconscious Burgess with one hand and carried the case with her other. "He's an Iscariot. Vatican Black Ops. Yes, even the Vatican has a Black Ops unit. They're not nice, don't play well with others and a real pain in the ass. Normally they speak in English or whatever language is local. It's rare for them to speak only in Latin, but he may have come from another order originally that requires it. There's a few like that."

"So he came for a book? Was it a rare bible?" Tammy asked.

"No. That was a Grimoire. a spell book. The kind you don't find in a store. Real world lesson, Tammy; magic and all that might not be real, but there are many people that believe in it and other mumbo jumbo. They get a book like that and you'll wish for a dirty bomb to go off. Just about anything is better than the things they do in rituals." Krystel explained.

Tammy understood that. "Right, I don't anything to do with that at all!"

"The Vatican will lock that away and bury it deep." Krystel said as they reached the SUV.

Burgess was loaded into the back and they climbed into the front and drove away, heading for the airport. Soon they were pulling in and found Tammy's plane waiting with the lights on and door open, dawn was still an hour away. Maisie was stood by the cabin door, alone waiting and clearly worried, as LoneStar and Eddie were talking off by the wing.

Krystel parked and opened the back so Eddie and LoneStar could retrieve Burgess from the back before carrying him into the plane and securing him.

"TAMMY! You won't believe this! Eddie found a bomb on the plane!" Maisie said and hugged her tight.

Tammy gasped for breath then eased her back. "Did you say a bomb?"

Eddie came came out and nodded. "Yep. Somebody don't like you, kid."

"Probably the same asshole we just put in the plane." LoneStar's muffled voice remarked.

Eddie handed Tammy a bundle. Two blocks of Semtex with a small electronic box the size of a pack of cigarettes.

"Okay, how does it do us in?" Tammy asked.

"Altimeter. You climb to a certain altitude and the timer activates. Boom, bye-bye plane and everybody in it, probably when you’re over water." Eddie informed her.

Krystel sighed. "So much for subtle."

Eddie shrugged. "That guy really hates you Tammy. Make sure you tell him he's on your plane, but don't mention the bomb."

"Don't. He'll piss himself and she'll have to clean it up." LoneStar shook his head then said to Tammy. "Your flight plan is already filed. Fully fueled and your squawk is set for your NATO identifier. You get a couple of hours then your guy MacTaggart gets a nasty phone call."

Tammy nodded. "Right. What about the helicopter?"

Eddie looked over. "Somebody just became a Dude?"

"Yeah. We'll go back for it and clean up the mess when she's in the air." Krystel replied.

LoneStar nodded. "It's getting light out here, let's get started. You two get that bird in the air."

Tammy saluted LoneStar and hugged Eddie. "Thank you both."

Tammy pushed Maisie to get in the plane and started the engine. within five minutes she had priority clearance and took off, heading Northwest into the dawning sky.

They had been in the air for an hour when the satellite phone started to ring. “Can you get that, Maisie?”

She shouted back, “I think it’s the Colonel, he wants to know where the hell we’re going?”

“Wick!”

Maisie shouted back. “Wattisham.”

“Damn! Not there.”

Maisie reported. “Yes.”

Tammy checked the fuel, it was doable on a single load, but she needed diversion options as well. She took the phone from Maisie.

“Sir, I need better options.”

“What’s wrong with Wattisham, Captain?”

“Too many people, and bad memories. Is this call being recorded anywhere?”

“It’s insecure, and you know that.”

“Yes sir, let’s just say that I don’t think my passenger needs publicity and that I don’t want recognition for my services. I’m effectively a civilian until I get orders in writing to the contrary.”

“I see.”

“Therefore, sir, my authority is minimal. I need to put down somewhere sensible and handle a small matter quietly before flying home.”

“What is your suggestion?”

“North Weald, and a private ambulance. My plane is known there, but is seen often enough that this won’t be out of the ordinary. I wouldn’t mind betting that there’s been a medical incident on board this plane previously?”

“I’ll make a few enquiries.”

“Thank you Sir.”

“What’s your ETA?”

“Ninety minutes, Sir.”

“Not enough time, but we’ll cope.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Tammy killed the call then returned to the cockpit.

“Okay Maisie, let’s head towards Stansted. We’d best let NATS know what the hell we’re doing, and perhaps get any make-up or camouflage off ourselves. Do we have a change of clothes available?”

Tammy: Flying High Part 2: Custody Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 2 - Custody

They landed almost two hours later, having had to give London Stansted a wide swerve. It was getting light as they taxied, unsurprisingly Tammy couldn’t see many staff. She taxied towards the fuel stand but stopped short so an ambulance could meet them.

Maisie dropped the steps whilst Tammy put another shot into Burgess, sensing that he was more awake than he showed.

Two paramedics approached the plane with a wheeled stretcher.

“We understand you have a casualty?”

“Yes, he’s unconscious but otherwise uninjured. Where will you be taking him?”

“The Abigail Adams Nursing Home, Miss Smart.”

Tammy took a good look at the paramedic, recognising him as one of the security team at Abigail Adams House.

“I see, thank you for your prompt attendance.”

She stepped back as the uniformed pair pulled Burgess onto the stretcher then wheeled him away.

“What was that about, Tammy, and how did he know your name?”

“That paramedic works at AA House and was wearing a firearm, beyond that I don’t know. Let’s get refuelled and on our way.”

Her secure mobile rang before she could move the plane.

“Yes Colonel?”

“I’ve had a call from our American friends, apparently you were to deliver Burgess into custody?”

“That’s what they intended, but I’d rather not be arrested for inter-judicial kidnapping, assault and probably a few dozen other crimes. That may be justifiable for our American friends, but as a civilian I can’t take that chance and I suspect that even a special warrant wouldn’t be much help right now?”

“I guessed as much, and told them you probably had a good reason.”

“I did. Right now, only the tower at North Weald knows that we diverted here with a medical emergency. I recognised one of the paramedics?”

“Ah, are you aware of the new facility that the Security Service have? Actually it’s a combined services facility.”

“A secure nursing home in the grounds of AA House, Sir?”

“Exactly. AA House itself is now making money and isn’t normally suitable for ad-hoc residents.”

“Fancy that, MI5 making money?”

“Apparently it helps justify other items in the budget, I’m told. What’s your aim from this morning’s affair?”

“That Burgess doesn’t have cause to persuade anyone that he’s been kidnapped – that keeps the fan and the bucket of manure away from me, Sir.”

“Understood.”

“I half think, Sir, that I was being made to look like the fall guy for this operation whilst our friends will try to make it look like they delivered Burgess on a plate. He may be Britain’s most-wanted but he walks if there’s a hint of anything smelly.”

“I wouldn’t want to jump to conclusions, but it seems you were right to take a step back. What’s your plan?”

“To fly North. I need to check my flying hours. We then need to speak to our respective parental units about a family matter.”

“I see. If it affects either of you then I want it in writing, regardless.”

“Of course.”

Once they were fuelled Tammy made a decision.

“I’m going to take a break, we can fly this evening or in the morning.”

“What day is it, Tammy? I’ve lost track.”

“Saturday, that means Suzie should be at home. Let’s park up and get a taxi, I fancy the rest of the day off!”

Before they locked the plane up, Tammy spotted a case that had been lodged out of reach of their guest, in case he had woken. She debated taking it with her but decided it was more secure where it was.

Suzie was still her PJs when the girls arrived, nearly an hour later.

“Hey, some warning? I might have had company?”

“Sorry Suzie, but you do now. We were diverted here, I hadn’t planned to even be in England!”

“Weren’t you on the Isle of Man?”

“Yes, plane trouble and I ran out of flying hours.

“No bags? Where’s the luggage for a week?”

“We left it on the plane, we just need a bed for a few hours.”

“You should have called, regardless.”

“Yeah, but it was real early, and I know you like your beauty sleep. Sorry, Suzie but we need a bed and a shower and then we’ll be on our way North.”

“Well, I don’t want to hear any indication you’re having fun?”

Maisie took offence. “If you must know, I’m pregnant and it’s Tammy’s baby.”

Suzie screamed. “How long?”

“A few weeks, like when we were last here.”

“I’ve got to tell mum!”

“NO!”

“But ….?”

“No Suzie, that’s down to us. If you decide to spill the beans then don’t be surprised if there are consequences? What did Kate say to you?”

“The Duchess? Hmmm.”

“Remember, there are people out to get me, to get us. If news about the baby leaks then that puts all of us at risk, you could very well end all our careers.”

“By calling mum?”

“Yes.”

Suzie started to cry, “s’not fair!”

Tammy and Maisie waited then decided to head for the stairs to the guest room.

“Wait!”

Maisie kept going, Tammy waited.

”Okay, what is it Suzie?”

“Mum told me off, she’s never done that before, but I’m her natural child – it’s not supposed to be like that?”

“Oh dear, hadn’t you considered that you’re an adult who placed us at risk rather than trying to hang onto her apron claiming to be the best daughter?”

“I was never allowed to have a relationship with her. That’s one reason why I left as soon as I could, one of the reasons.”

“So you thought you could now be the best daughter, regardless?”

“Yeah.”

“Life isn’t like that, dear sister, unless you live in a fantasy world. Unfortunately you have a job in the intelligence community and that requires that you don’t start inventing stories to satisfy your need for motherly comfort. My advice is to keep your mouth closed and to stop showing off, it doesn’t suit you. We’ll see you in a few hours, if you’re still here.”

Tammy now joined Maisie who was sat on the bed.

“What do we do about clothes?”

“There’s an emergency pack of nightwear and undies in the drawers for each of us.”

They were changed a few minutes later, made certain the curtains were drawn and the door was firmly closed.

“Hold me Tammy, please don’t let anyone harm our baby!”

She did as asked. “I’ll protect all of us.”

“Even Suzie?”

“Yes, not that she deserves it nor understands what’s at stake.”

“Silly girl.”

“Yes.”

- o -

The girls awoke a few hours later to the sound of Tammy’s phone with a secure call.

“Yes?”

“Reports from AA House are that Burgess has woken up and is very unhappy, claiming he was kidnapped.”

“No great surprise there, Sir.”

“He claims to have been on the Isle of Man for the TT races but no-one can verify this so the nursing staff are considering psychosis, induced by severe stress.”

“That will keep him out of the way for now, but means that there won’t be any court appearances in the near future?”

“Correct, but that may be the best approach?”

“I think, Sir, we had best leave this to the medical staff to resolve.”

“That is best. 1900 No Name.”

The line went dead.

“Damn.”

“What’s up, Tammy?”

“We have a summons to the No Name Club at 7pm.”

“What do we wear?”

“Not uniforms, even if I had one with me, so it’ll be evening frocks. We’ll be at a disadvantage.”

“Why?”

“They know we’ll be there, we don’t know who ‘they’ are.”

“Okay Tammy, but what about a frock? Are there any here we can use?”

“There are a few here but we’ve worn them, and the ones in our cases, on the plane, will be creased.”

“So we need to go shopping?”

“Yes, but shower first.”

They met Suzie in the kitchen.

“There’s sandwiches in the fridge, I bagged them so you can eat them on the plane.”

“Thanks for preparing them, but we’ve been called to a meeting in the West End this evening.”

“Who calls a meeting on a Saturday night, Tammy?”

“Some strange people. Anyway, Maisie and I need to get something to wear for tonight.”

“You know that you fit my dresses, most of them.”

“Yes, Suzie, but Maisie wouldn’t.”

“She’s not showing already?”

Tammy laughed, mostly out of desperation.

“Don’t you know anything about pregnancy?”

“Why should I?”

“Didn’t you have sex education classes at school?”

“All my class was off with the flu, it wasn’t repeated.”

“Can I suggest you have a look at the basics, so that you don’t embarrass yourself? You might even get pregnant yourself one day?”

“Come on Tammy, there’s more chance of that happening to you! I’d make an awful mother.”

“Maisie and I had best head into town now.”

“What about lunch?”

“Breakfast didn’t happen, so we’ll get a full meal to tide us over. Keep the sandwiches, we’ll take them on the plane in the morning.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes, I know that wasn’t the plan but my life isn’t straightforward.”

The doorbell rang, Tammy was closest.

“Miss Smart, fancy meeting you here?”

“Kevin … I hope you’re hungry, and got here by tube?”

“Sure?”

“Maisie, let’s go.”

They were outside before DI Kevin Edmunds said anything else.

“Where are we going?”

“Dress hunting and a decent hot lunch in the pub that we’ve used before. Now, who suggested you paid us a visit?”

“A social call?”

“I wasn’t supposed to be here, and until 5am I was in the air heading to Wick. So, scrub the social excuse. Who was it?”

“Five. You were recognised.”

“I know, the clue was when the so-called paramedic called me by my name.”

“Okay, they want the back story.”

“There isn’t one as I don’t know who is actually cleared? Why not run with what we have?”

“Why not call us and have Burgess collected?”

“It wasn’t that simple, Kevin, what we have is currently the least worst result. If Burgess walks from there then he walks. There is nothing that I can say that will change that,”

“This doesn’t fill me with confidence, Tammy, and sounds like you messed up?”

“Not me, Kevin, someone much much higher up the food chain set a sequence of events running and this is the result, there were very few sensible, and legal, outcomes.”

“Ah, legal. Was it legal? Tammy?”

“I really don’t know, Kevin, it probably was but please don’t ask me to quote Acts of Parliament.”

“At least you didn’t offer the Ways & Means Act?”

“That doesn’t exist!”

“Correct, Tammy.”

They had stopped outside a boutique.

“Come on Maisie, let’s find a frock. Kevin, head to the pub, find a table and order yourself a beer. We may be some time.”

The girls stood in the doorway.

“Tammy, I’m not clear on what we need to get?”

“We need to represent our brand, and be prepared for anything.”

“New undies then?”

“Exactly!”

They met with Kevin nearly an hour later and immediately ordered food. Judging by the empties, Kevin was on his third pint.

“I’m on duty!”

“I’m sure you are duty bound to report everything, including your state of inebriation?”

“Only if I do a report.”
“I see, so are you writing a report?”

“I don’t think there’s anything to write?”

“That’s an excellent solution, Kevin.”

“So, Tammy, Maisie, why did you need dresses?”

“That’s a silly question, but as you’re not married I may forgive you. Do you have a sister?”

“No.”

“Well, well, what you seem to be suffering is limited female exposure outside of the work environment.”

“I do, Tammy?”

“Indeed, this was made very clear when you asked why we needed new dresses.”

“Don’t you buy because you need something?”

“Not necessarily.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Kevin, to us it makes perfect sense. At least your condition isn’t as bad as how my sister doesn’t understand pregnancy. You have an excuse, barely, she doesn’t.”

“Pregnancy? Suzie isn’t pregnant is she?”

“No, in her case that would require some decision making.”

“So who, Tammy? Not you? Surely?”

“Regrettably no. Maisie?”

“It’s me, but it’s not official yet so no reporting please.”

Their food arrived, and this took priority.

Maisie waited until Kevin had to dash to the little boys room.

“Tammy, how are we getting to the club tonight?”

“I suspect it’ll be the Central Line, Maisie.”

“The Tube? I guess that’ll work, but will we be safe?”

“Of that I’m sure, after all we won’t have Suzie or Lizzie with us.”

They had finished eating by the time Kevin returned.

“I had a message whilst I was in the loo, apparently I am your security escort tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Feel free to check?”

“Kevin, please don’t take this the wrong way but I have limited knowledge of what’s happening later today and I still don’t know who is cleared. Oh.”

She turned to Maisie.

“Heels and tights, or stockings?”

“Stockings, naughty!”

“Bye Kevin, we’ll see you at six if you are indeed our escort.”

Somehow the girls were ready by six, having also bought themselves a light jacket before returning to the house.

“Don’t I get an invite?”

“For what, Suzie? As far as I know this is a business meeting.”

“I never get invited to anything.”

“Believe me, this isn’t going to be a social affair tonight, and I‘m not looking forward to it – in fact Maisie and I could be in trouble. The difference is that we’re meeting in an old club and not a manager’s office.”

“But new dresses, new everything, Tammy?”

“I could have worn my uniform but it’s in Scotland, so classy evening-wear was the alternative.”

“You look like you’re going to a posh restaurant and nightclub?”

“Maybe that, Suzie, or perhaps the army cell house in Colchester. I’m a little unclear what is supposed to happen once we arrive. You’re welcome to take our place but you aren’t in the military.”

“So you aren’t going to meet the Queen again?”

“I would think that is extremely unlikely, but if tonight goes wrong then the courtroom will have a portrait of her.”

“Could it go wrong, Tammy?”

“It already did, it just depends whether anyone thinks that the ends outweighed the means.”

“What did you do?”

“I flew a plane.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes Suzie, that’s it.”

They were interrupted by the doorbell, a London cab sat outside and Kevin was nowhere to be seen.

“The No Name club, Miss Smart?”

“Thank you. Suzie, we may be late.”

The girls were met inside the No Name Club by Colonel MacTaggart and Dave Brown.

“Out of retirement again, Dave?”

“Unfortunately, Tammy, yes. Once again you have given us a conundrum that none of the new staff can handle effectively.”

“I guess you are hoping that I can give you what you don’t have?”

“In an ideal world, yes, but Burgess’ lawyer has already discovered that he’s in the UK although not where he is.”

“So you don’t know how long you can hold him on medical terms?”

“Indeed, a lawyer could insist on transfer to another facility and might question who is paying for his care as it isn’t an NHS facility.”

“What are you looking for?”

“A chain of events that places him in lawful custody, now or in the future?”

“Unfortunately no, he was put on my plane in the very early hours of today and I had to leave immediately. Naturally I believed that medical care might be appropriate hence my request.”

“Very astute but it puts us at risk if questions are asked?” Suggested the Colonel.

“I’m sorry that I can’t give you what you want.”

“How did you capture him?”

“Sorry, not me, I was the courier.”

“Who then?”

“I didn’t take names.”

“Damn you, Tammy, you’re not helping?”

“Sorry Colonel but I am also on administrative leave, unless somewhere there’s a letter releasing me back to full duty – in which case I was also on annual leave.”

Dave Brown resumed. “He’s mentioned some papers?”

“I have a briefcase, but I didn’t know what to do with it. You can collect it at ten in the morning at North Weald.”

“Do you know what’s in the briefcase, Tammy?”

“No, I didn’t open it and was wearing gloves when I stowed it.”

“Something to be grateful for. Tell me, Tammy, where is your special warrant?”

“In my safe, several hundred miles away. And no, we can’t use it.”

“Why not?”

“If I start waving that around then its very existence will be public. My entire career could be exposed, along with Sir Thomas potentially. This isn’t one of those occasions when my actions can be swept under the rug. This has to be handled a different way.”

“I see.”

“Mr Brown, do you have what you need?”

“Yes, Colonel, many thanks for this opportunity.”

They waited until the MI5 inquisitor had left the bar.

“Tammy, it’s a mess.”

“I know, Colonel, and I have to thank our friends for that, especially Krystel. I was setup to be their saviour, they will leave the island unblemished whilst I get all the trouble.”

“I will have to remind them of their agreement to work together, so I do sympathise to a point Tammy but how the hell did you end up in this position?”

“By not being able to say ‘no’. I had no military rank, and they knew it. I was played.”

“My apologies but things were taken out of my hands, and the timing stank. Nevertheless, your rank had been fully restored and you are not under any suspension.”

“A text message and a telephone call don’t give me a legal document I can rely on unfortunately. Please don’t surprise me with a training exercise or random recall to base, Sir, I need a week or two without any nasty surprises.”

“Understood, but some matters are out of my hands. I would, however, like an update on Lieutenant Harrison’s training, and please check on her personal life as I don’t think we can handle a security breach right now.”

“Of course Sir, I’ll attend to that this week. Has there been any movement on Project Spinnaker?”

“None that I’m aware of, you should do some research and report back with potential solutions.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“How is your sister?”

“I have two, but I assume you are referring to Suzie?”

“Yes.”

“She is still a liability. We fed her the news of Maisie’s pregnancy and barred her from phoning home. If she keeps her promise then that will help my assessment of her.”

“Is her liability a danger to her employment or to yourself and our operations?”

“In short, I don’t think so but it should be kept under review. It seems clear that she rarely talks to any of her colleagues and has almost zero social life but craves personal attention. Perhaps some time with the in-house counsellor might be useful?”

“Good idea, I’ll pass that on. Now, congratulations you two. That brings us to two matters.”

“Yes, Colonel, I know that you would like confirmation in writing. Maisie?”

“I have made an appointment to see my GP in the next few days, I will notify everyone when I have that appointment done.”

“Good, thank you Maisie. Now, I understand that you plan to get married?”

“Yes.”

“Are you aware that you Tammy can no longer be Maisie’s line manager when you are married, and are probably breaking that rule by being in a common law relationship, or whatever the appropriate term is in Scotland these days!”

“I had considered that, Sir, but I don’t have a suitable plan that might stop any disruption to our lives.”

“When will this wedding be?”

“Maybe later this year but it could be next Spring, after our babe is born.”

“It needs to be a consideration.”

“So we have until then so sort this out.”

“Correct, Captain Smart. Now, I have a table booked in the restaurant above us, would you care to join us?”

“Us?”

“Commander Traeger is up there, please play nicely.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Tammy took a deep breath as they climbed the staircase; her relationship with her line manager was a fraught one, Commander Geoff Traeger was a career officer in the British Army whilst Tammy had been appointed a lieutenant as a convenience to Captain Marcus Wade two years earlier without formal officer training. Then, contrary to his wishes, she had been given a field promotion.

Her opinion of Traeger was that he wouldn’t be satisfied until she was marching and farting to order on the parade ground.

Tammy forced a smile as she took her seat, it was probably going to be a long evening.

Tammy: Flying High Part 3: Home Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 3 - Home

DS Kevin Edmunds had arrived at Suzie’s home in a car shortly after breakfast.

“I’d like to offer you a ride back to your plane, ladies.”

“Is that all, Kevin? You’re not after a ride north, are you?”

“No Tammy, I’m on duty and have a busy day ahead.”

Tammy was teasing Kevin, she’d been told the previous evening that someone suitable would be meeting her that morning.

The girls had bought bags of clothes, which included two frocks apiece, the previous day and, in order to get their new clothes home, had also needed to buy new luggage. Kevin had found himself dragging the luggage from the store back to Suzie’s house.

Meanwhile Suzie had been kind enough to launder their flight outfits and most of their smalls. That laundry had dried on a line out the back and was currently in a basket.

“We need to finish packing, Kevin.”

“Women!”

Suzie apparently didn’t hear the comment, Tammy chose to ignore it but Maisie aimed a slap at his face. It may have been playful.

“Kevin, please don’t make us demand a replacement officer on the grounds that you’re a sexist so-and-so?”

“Sorry, Maisie, apologies ladies.” The girls took longer packing that they absolutely needed to but were now playing to the stereotype. They also stripped and remade their bed to help Suzie.

“Tammy?”

Suzie was stood, well out of Kevin’s hearing, looking sorry for herself.

“I guess I’m not going to like this, sis?”

“I phoned mum last night, I always call at the weekend.”

“And?”

“I said you had arrived here unexpected, but I didn’t know why.”

“Okay?”

“Mum suggests that you visit, and Dad wants to remind you of a meeting you are supposed to be at this week? I don’t know what that is.”

“Okay, did mum suggest a particular day?”

“Tuesday, six pm.”

“Really? She could call?”

“Mum’s intimidated by you, your freedom, your travel, and is frightened she’ll call you at the wrong time.”

“Please get her to tell everyone else – they don’t seem to have any trouble contacting me! What about Maisie? Did you break the embargo?”

“No, no, I didn’t say anything. Promise.”

“Okay, Suzie, I believe you. Have a good week, sis.”

“Hey, congratulations to both of you.”

A three way hug followed whilst Kevin hung around in the doorway.

A few minutes later they were on their way to North Weald. Kevin decided not to ask the girls anything. At the gate the girls were admitted without trouble but Kevin had to produce his warrant card to prove he wasn’t driving an unmarked cab.

He stopped a short distance from the Epic 1000 and offered to drag their luggage across the concrete. Tammy had brought a large strong shopping bag with her and met Kevin at the steps with the briefcase inside the shopping bag.

“Please take good care of it, and get it to the correct person intact. This could be the most valuable item you have ever couriered.”

“You’re not joking?”

“No, and I strongly suggest you don’t put a single fingerprint on it.”

“Understood.”

“If that is traced back then we all end up in court, secret court.”

“Okay Tammy, you don’t need to say any more!”

-o-

They landed late afternoon, Jim wasn’t impressed.

“We needed that back yesterday!”

“I was diverted and would have been out of hours.”

“Oh, okay, try to plan better?”

“Yeah, sorry Jim, but things happened too quickly. Plan was to fly back at lunchtime and be back here a few hours later but we ended up at North Weald due to an issue.”

“I know, they called, you had paramedics meet the plane?”

“Yes, but that really is not public knowledge. I seriously doubt it will ever be public knowledge. What I can say is that neither the plane nor the pair of us was at risk.”

“Okay. If there’s anything else you can add it to the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.”

“Meeting? Oh, the AGM. Where is it?”

“It was in the annual reports pack, Tammy: we have a room booked at the McKay Hotel for five o’clock.”

“Understood, thanks, Jim.”

“When do you next need a plane?”

“Unknown, but I may fly down to Aberdeen in a few days.”

“Okay. Can you give me a little warning?”

“Will do.”

“Jim, we’ll check the plane now but can you give it a full inspection please? We had a little difficulty and had to remove an item before we flew back into North Weald. We’re pretty certain nothing else was there but can’t be certain.”

“Will do, thanks for the extra work!”

The girls loaded their stuff into Maisie’s van then went back to the plane to check all their own hidden spaces in case anything had been left behind.

They stopped to buy enough fresh groceries for the next couple of days before heading home to prepare dinner, it was approaching six o’clock by this time and neither would be staying up late.

There was a pile of mail waiting but nothing obviously urgent. Unfortunately their security system was flashing an alert:
Debrief 1600Z

“Four o’clock, Tammy? We need shopping and lunch.”

“No, we’re on summer time so that’s 5pm, unless someone got the timezones confused?”

The display flashed and the ‘Z’ disappeared.

“Well, that answers that question. Let’s go get some fresh food, everything else can wait.”

They made it through the stores and were back by 3.30pm, albeit with a load of fresh food to stow in fridge, freezer and cabinets. Lunch hadn’t happened and probably wouldn’t.

They had time to put one full load into the washing machine before taking themselves down to their basement. Maisie booted the laptop whilst Tammy made certain everything else was ready. They sat together facing the screen with at least 2 cameras looking at them.

A minute after 4 the screen lit, split between Kimberley and Major Paul Dannigan.

Dannigan opened. “What the hell happened, Captain Smart?”

Tammy stood and saluted before flopping down. “I was two spins of my prop blade shy of being arrested for inter-judicial kidnapping and much much more. There was no way he could go into custody and every chance of bail within twelve hours. Sir.”

“Why?”

“I was flying as a civilian.”

“What?”

“The army screwed me, although it’s been fixed since then. Remember those assessments you supplied, Sir?”

“Indeed.”

“Someone decided to disregard the work you did and to put me on suspension. I found out that had been rescinded as we were heading towards the island but a text message is hardly a positive channel for such news? I was also on leave so that I could attend, we both were.”

“And you said nothing?”

“With respect, Sir, you have an intelligence apparatus that should have known.”

“I did.”

“Then why allow me, us, to end up in a compromised situation?”

“Because you shouldn’t make assumptions and you ARE responsible for your own actions. I accept that you had to try to avoid being arrested.”

“I did what I could and, unless circumstances have changed, he’s still in a secure unit.”

“You are correct.”

“Good, I hate being upstaged by events. Something for the future, the Isle of Man is a part of Great Britain but isn’t a part of the United Kingdom. It has a separate parliament and a separate judiciary.”

“We are aware of that, Tammy, but we also had no jurisdiction and regardless of the exact location, you were, and are, the local operative. You actually did well to dispose of Burgess in the way you did and protect the operation. For that I am grateful. Your Colonel is similarly grateful.”

“We had dinner with him last night.”

“Ah, I wasn’t aware.”

Tammy opted to keep any comments to herself. Maisie decided to intervene.

“Sir, were we your sacrificial lambs?”

“Maisie, congratulations by the way, but in an operation like this everyone is potentially sacrificial. The key elements are to protect the organisation and protect the operation but this isn’t kiddies in the sand pit, this is a war: a war on terrorists, a war on criminals and a war on subterfuge. In war there can be casualties.”

“I see.”

“Now, let’s go through the events of Friday night and early hours of Saturday morning. Kimberley?”

That took an hour.“Okay everyone, I think we have everything we need?”.

Dannigan was winding up the debrief.

“Sir, what if he walks and we’re implicated? Who will watch our backs?”

“No-one will protect you Tammy, you had best keep one step ahead and hope that your colleagues in London keep you informed.”

“Yes, Sir.”

- o -
Author's note: This chapter is short! That's because this chapter in the published book is short and I'm sticking to the original chapters for Flying High that were published in the Rank Stupidity Kindle book. Chapter 4 is much longer!

Tammy: Flying High Part 4: Vernon Farm Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 4: Vernon Farm

Sunday was quiet, with the girls spending time catching up with domestic chores and the large pile of laundry.

Tammy managed a little downtime to read the Smart Air AGM paperwork, not seeing anything that really concerned her. Maisie had kept that weekend free of bookings but spent time talking to her regular clients to confirm the next few weeks.

On Monday morning the two girls went into town on their bikes. Tammy went to the office whilst Maisie took herself to the Clinic for her appointment with Dr Adi.

Joey commented on Tammy’s mood.

“What’s up?”

“Maisie is with the Doc right now, we think she’s pregnant.”

“That’s wonderful, but why aren’t you there instead of sulking here?”

“Maisie wanted to do this on her own. I can understand it and I respect Maisie’s decision, but I would like to have been there?”

“I guess it’s because you can’t answer for her?”

“Yes, Joey, but I can hold her hand.”

“From what she’s told me she’s had to make almost every big decision on her own and it’s entirely likely that you won’t be around for all of the appointments? ”

“It’s best if I look up all the pregnancy information so I know what’s going on?”

“Yeah, although we did it at school but I guess you didn’t?”

“My school didn’t offer anything like that!”

“Okay, Tammy, is the pregnancy public yet?”

“No, we still need to tell our families so grateful if they don’t hear it another way.”

“Sure, but thanks for the heads-up. What about the wedding?”

“I’ll let you know.”

She phoned Joan.

“We’re back in town, when would be a good time to see you? I’m offering dinner with us.”

“Okay Tammy, we’re in meetings tonight and I’m told you are in a meeting tomorrow – how about Wednesday?”

“Sure, six?”

“That sounds okay, I’ll check with your father.”

“Thanks, mum.”

Maisie called a minute later, the girls met on their bikes overlooking the harbour.

“Dr Adi had me do a test and confirmed it. I’m in the system and a midwife will be in touch sometime. I’ve also been given loads of leaflets and information, there was so much I wish you could have been there?”

“I’ll be there next time?”

“Please. I need to tell Dad, what about your parents?”

“Why don’t we see your Dad on Wednesday morning, I’ve asked mine to have dinner with us the same day?”

“Without asking me?” Maisie giggled.

“So sorry!”

“And I bet you’ll want me to cook?”

“Why not?”

“Hey, I’m pregnant! I need to take it easy!”

“So I guess you have cancelled your classes?”

“Hey, why would I do that?”

“Because you’re pregnant?”

“Dr Adi said I could continue to work so long as I don’t over-exert myself, I should be good until Christmas if I stay fit.”

“So cooking isn’t going to be too much to worry about?”

“Hmmm. I’m off to see Mary at that farmhouse this afternoon, it really would be a great place for a gym?”

“I’m not sure we can justify the expense?”

“Hey, it’s just a thought, why don’t you come down with me?”

“What would I do?”

“Train with us, you could do with a session?”

“Let’s get home for lunch whilst I think about it.”

Maisie insisted on a sprint back home and a very light lunch.

They both showered and changed into fresh gym gear before riding Maisie’s van to meet Mary. Tammy hadn’t been this way before, as Maisie took them down to a long narrow access road, until it suddenly opened to a well kept area.

Maisie parked in a designated carpark behind an unused barn, obscured by trees from the road. It was quite sheltered there, despite the strong breeze that day.

Tammy’s phone rang with a secure call, Heather’s name came up.

“Tammy, are you free to talk?”

“Sorry, just about to have a look at a site and probably be forced into a bout of exercise!”

“Oh, where?”

“An old farm outside Thurso? Where exactly are we, Maisie?”

Tammy held her phone up for Maisie’s response. “Vernon Farm.”

“Did you catch that, Heather?”

“Yes, you must call me later.”

“Will do.”

They walked out of the carpark and across the road to a stereotypical farmhouse; it was clear that Maisie knew the way.

Beyond the farmhouse was a smaller two storey building and a long wall, plus a heavy steel gate. CCTV cameras were discrete and plentiful.

Maisie had been here before so pressed the door buzzer and waited. It wasn’t long before the door was open, a middle aged woman stepped aside so they could enter.

“Welcome back to Vernon Farm, Maisie. I’m Mary Fischer and you must be Tammy?”

“I am.”

They were in a lobby so now moved further into the building to an open area that contained a set of exercise mats. Windows looked over a typical farmyard enclosure.

“Mary, Maisie hasn’t said too much about you other than you want to move back to England and start up as an athletics coach?”

“Yes, that’s the plan. We’ve told the Agency that I want to move back to England and I gave them three months notice, that was two months ago, but they don’t seem to be talking to me right now?”

“Which agency?”

“The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority officially, but I’m not convinced they were the ones running the show here? I definitely got a whiff of spooks!”

“Oh. I have a few Government contacts in London so I’ll see if you can get confirmation that they know you’re leaving?”

“Thanks.”

“You said ‘we’, do you have a partner?”

“My sister is also here most of the time but has a second job at Dounraey itself. She’s at work now and will probably stay in town after I move South. The agency will probably arrange accommodation for her.”

Maisie had stripped down to her exercise kit so Tammy did likewise.

“If the day was warmer we could have done this on the lawn outside.”

Maisie took Mary and Tammy through their warm-up routines and then exited, crossed the road back to the carpark and started running rings around it. Maisie’s van was the only vehicle parked there. Maisie’s routine had them slowing to a jog then sprinting and repeating.

On the slower sections of their loop Tammy was looking at the high wall that ran along much of the carpark southern edge. Mary clearly noticed as she spoke whilst they were running on the spot on a warm down.

“Interested in what you can see?”

“I can’t see very much, and I suspect that was the whole point. Just trying to work out what the Decommissioning Authority did here?”

“Not much operationally, but I’ll show you when the torture finishes.”

They moved back inside and took positions on the exercise mats before Maisie launched into a fierce routine involving stretching, lifting and holding.

“Damn, Maisie, are you this hard on every victim?”

“No, Tammy, but Mary has progressed to the intense training that most of the others couldn’t cope with. That’s why we’re here rather than in a group session somewhere.”

It was another full fifteen minutes before they could fully warm down from the exertion.

“Thanks, Maisie, another good session.”

“No problem, Mary. Same time next week?”

“Sure. Tammy, I’m amazed you kept going?”

“Two months ago I was taking part in a triathlon before breakfast most days. My fitness has waned a little since then as we’ve been away on business.”

“Even so, you’re an estate agent?”

“And a student.”

“Well, I’m impressed; did you want to see what we have here?”

“Yes, please.”

Mary first tried to explain some history as they walked out of the farmhouse, crossing to the other building Tammy had seen on arrival.

“This ceased to be a working farm in the nineties when the farmland was sold partly to an adjacent landowner and partly to the quarrying company who extract gravel to the South East.”

“Why wasn’t this demolished and re-used, if it wasn’t needed?”

“At first it was used to store farm and construction vehicles but there was a leak of hydraulic fluid that affected one of the barns plus a larger secondary area. The site had to be cleared of anything that was free of contamination, the key matter was to stop the contamination spreading onto the farmland or the farm vehicles.”

“I see, so it’s safe now?”

“Yes. The local environmental protection officer insisted the contamination had to be cleared up, but that wasn’t fully covered by the insurance so the minimum was done and everything here, apart from the farmhouse and this reception building, was put out of action with a security fence.”

They passed through the reception building and exited the far side, now clearly inside the secure area.

Tammy made mental notes as Mary continued.

“There’s no access onto the farmland. When the Dounraey decommissioning project had arrived in Thurso they were looking for a site that was big enough, and secure enough for their requirements. Those requirements included administration plus monitoring equipment, and sufficiently away from Dounraey itself. They found this site and bought it for a fraction of the real value, but had to promise to complete the decontamination. ”

“I see.”

“My husband and I took on the place as site managers once the building work had been completed.”

“Husband?”

“Oh, I’ve been divorced for over five years as he liked to play away and indulge in narcotics. He’s doing time for supplying substances and assault. To be honest I don’t know what I saw in him?”

“Okay, but I can’t see any modern buildings?”

Mary led the girls the short distance to a large barn with a mezzanine floor high above the concreted floor. A small car was parked in the under-croft.

“This barn was where the contamination started so the floor had to be completely dug up. In the end the whole structure was demolished. I never saw the work in progress but I’m told they had to dig down many metres to be certain of clearing the soil and stones. They finished building it in the same external style as the original barns. Follow me.”

They crossed Mary’s car charging point and entered a stairwell. Mary led them up to a landing where there were loos and a lift, Tammy couldn’t recall seeing a lift at ground level, but had seen some wooden doors that had been marked with Health & Safety warnings. She mentioned this.

“Oh, there’s also an external weatherproof door across the front of the lift lobby at that level. It’s kept locked most of the time and the lift is switched off. I haven’t found the switch for that yet!”

There was a small commercial kitchen plus rest rooms at this level before they walked out onto a mezzanine deck that looked out over the courtyard. There were a few tables here but it was otherwise bare with no clue to previous uses.

“This was a cafeteria whilst they were here, I ate here a few times when they asked me here for breakfast meetings. I’ve thought about doing something up here but really not sure. It’s too big for just me and my sister. There’s an emergency exit into the admin building plus a set of stairs to ground level over the far side.” She pointed across the floor.

“The view’s pretty impressive.”

“It’s triple glazed against the weather and the noise of the quarrying to the South of here. I’m told it’s bullet-proof as well in case of flying stones.”

Tammy was formulating ideas and noted that the pitched roof of the barn to the East was up to the same height as the top of the glass picture window, whilst the Southern barn was a flat roof. Those provided some cover from the winds in those directions whilst the barns were also adorned with solar panels.

What seemed odd to Tammy was that the number of panels seemed to be a considerable excess compared to the site’s apparent electrical needs.

A high wall covered the Northern approach over a garden. The courtyard certainly looked to be secure against any marauding locals.

“Isn’t triple glazing a little overkill given you’re already protected?”

“They brought a chopper in here from time to time.”

“Oh, in the courtyard?”

“Yes, but there’s a larger landing area on the far side of that barn.” She pointed across the courtyard. “The sites would need clearing of muck and debris at a minimum before they could be used again.”

They returned to the landing and Mary took them up another level.

“Up here it much smaller than the rest of the building. This is where the senior managers worked when they bothered to be here! There’s three offices, with small windows so the lights are always on up here, I haven’t found out where to turn them off!”

The three of them walked back to ground level then across the courtyard to the far barn. There were several large shutter doors, which were closed, plus two smaller doors along the length of the frontage.

Mary asked Maisie and Tammy to wait whilst she opened an unlocked door in the corner of the courtyard, a moment later it seems she had reached the control to raise the large doors; that was when the girls noticed that a small tractor was parked there. It appeared to have a towing bracket. Tammy pointed at it.

“Oh, that? It was left here as I think the warranty had expired and there was no-one qualified to maintain it. It seems silly but they abandoned it rather than have it serviced.”

Mary moved to the back of the barn and operated the shutter doors there. This started to open up onto land outside the secure area.

A much larger area was now visible, this was almost entirely concreted. There was clearly space for a larger helicopter to land. Over to the far right side was a partly sunken fuel tank and a large security gate.

“The tank is for diesel, there’s a little in there still but my car is a petrol electric hybrid. As you probably saw, there’s a charging point in that first barn and also in the carpark. Apart from me, I don’t know what else would have used them.

“That gate to the right leads out onto the A9 to the South of Thurso, there’s a filler for the diesel tank just outside the gate.”

Maisie finally offered a comment. “It’s a larger site than I thought?”

“The size of the plot can’t be judged easily except from the air, I’m told. The area here used to rise, but was levelled, note how the fields are much higher?” She pointed to the West.

“So how far is the boundary?” Tammy was having trouble judging distances.

“Almost a mile away at the furthest, ending at a concreted gully. That’s to catch any future contamination. The gully surrounds the site and helps with security as it’s two meters deep! To the South, North and West there’s a three meter wall outside the gulley that can act as a windbreak.”

“If the windbreak is a mile away, would that make any difference here?”

Mary pointed. “To the North that wall is much closer so that really works well, add the trees to that and it’s quite effective. For the West we have mobile windbreaks that can be dragged into position if needed, although I think I only saw them out once, they are parked near the fuel tank. We really don’t do much out here except check for weather damage from time to time.”

Maisie was looking back through the raised shutter doorways and towards the new barn.

“Tammy, that mezzanine floor would be great as a gym? And maybe put a proper track in the courtyard?”

Mary looked confused. “Are you thinking of buying this?”

Tammy answered. “Maisie won’t want to keep running around the streets or parks and by Christmas she’ll find that very difficult, so we were looking for a static site.”

“Pregnant?”

“Yes.”

“Congratulations, but of course I’m not the one you would need to talk to if you wanted to buy it!”

“We’ll make some enquiries, Mary, but I’m not sure if it’s inside our price range?”

“You seemed interested by the helicopters?”

“I’m a qualified pilot, both rotary and fixed wing, whilst my family owns Smart Air over at Wick Airport.”

“I see.”

“Was there an tank to refuel the helicopters?”

“No, I don’t remember one but I do recall them bringing a small tanker in from time to time to refuel the helicopters if they couldn’t get to Wick. I was told that the fire and safety regs are quite tough if you want to do on site refuelling all the time!”

They walked back to the courtyard, with Mary lowering the shutters as they went.

Tammy spotted some doors that may have led to offices plus a set of loos. Once out in the courtyard again, Tammy could see the garden over to her right, plus a large greenhouse and a gate.

“I take it there’s road access into here?”

“Yes, the road you used extends to that gate next to the greenhouse, via a security gate next to the carpark. The other access is the one by the fuel tank. We tend to use the smaller gate by the farmhouse to get my little car in and out, but we’re supposed to go through the two gates for extra security.”

“How are you doing with the garden?”

“It’s really sheltered because of the barns and the Northern wall so the garden gets plenty of sunshine when the sun’s out. The pitched roof of the Southern barn was dropped so more of the sun gets into the garden. I can grow most herbs, salad and root vegetables here. That’s probably what I’ll miss most when I head back to England.”

Tammy’s thoughts now turned to how she might finance her purchase of the site. She kept these ideas to herself.

“Thank you Mary, this has been really interesting.”

“I glad you did, most of my visitors really aren’t that much interested!”

The girls made their way back home and showered again, as they didn’t need to go anywhere they adopted onesies for the rest of the day.

They had agreed to tell their parents about the pregnancy on Wednesday so Maisie went to phone her father to arrange a visit, whilst Tammy went to her office before sending a text to Lizzie to make certain she was going to be around for an inspection.

The pile of mail was still sat there so Tammy opened a few official ones finding one from Colonel MacTaggart confirming their duties and Tammy’s rank had been restored. Her Captaincy was now substantive and a suggestion of suitable training was noted on an attached compliment slip.

Tammy had taken a few photos at the farm without being obvious and now transferred them to her official laptop before emailing a report to Colonel MacTaggart, in which she explained their site visit and Tammy’s concerns. She added thanks for his letter.

It wasn’t long before her activities were noticed in the Caribbean. Her secure phone rang, she recognised the voice immediately.

“Yes Carl, I guess you want the same info?”

“Of course we do. But this time you include everything that wasn’t in the first report.”

“Sure.”

“We have all your photos already, but your phone needs charging.”

“Okay, okay. Did everyone get home in one piece?”

“Those who were heading back here, are back, yes.”

“And the helicopter that was obtained?”

“There was this dude ….”

“Okay Carl, speak later.”

She started editing the report and submitted it half an hour later.

As an after thought she called Heather in Redruth.

“Hi Tammy, thanks for getting back to me. I was going to call you.”

“Okay?”

“There’s two things now: firstly Burgess, nobody is entirely certain where we are legally, so how many of the staff could end up in court over this?”

“Sorry Heather but I can’t help you. As I said to someone else a few days ago, if he has to walk then he has to walk. My guess is that he would avoid a court case that could bring unwanted information into a public arena.”

“That’s an opinion that others share, but it’s not a ‘get out of jail free card’ that works in the real world. Some reassurance would be useful.”

“Have you seen the initial medical reports, Heather?”

“Yes, the sanitised version. I’ve been the acting head of unit for the last week and will be until next weekend so I get a wider inbox than normal. There’s no doubt he has a serious mental health condition but legally the medical staff don’t know if they can treat him.”

“I see. I wonder if a High Court Habeas Corpus application can be used as a way to establish his presence at Abigail Adams House? On medical and security grounds, of course.”

“Given that those applications are normally used for the reverse purpose, that could be rather unique in law – but worthy of research with Treasury Solicitors. Thanks Tammy.”

“That would give his legal team the right to challenge it, but once he was established in the UK he could be arrested?”

“Correct, opening a can of worms in the process!”

“Okay, Heather, what was the other thing?”

“The site visit you did earlier?”

“We’re only just back from that. What’s your involvement?”

“Sorry Tammy, but Dave Brown asked me to liaise and it seems he knows much more than he told me, but had a few questions for me. I think that’s where you and I come in, what can you tell me? I need to know if we’re on the same page.”

“Okay, the site is a former farmhouse and barns plus a courtyard and a large yard. There’s no farmland or farm activities on the site now.”

“Okay.”

“The Dounraey decommissioning team are the current owners but have left the site, leaving a manager in the farmhouse. She’s quitting and moving South.”

“Okay, Tammy.”

“The manager suspects there was a security service involvement at the site, and that’s why I was going to call you. My guess is that Five had access to the site or had reports from the site, but I can’t work out why?”

“Right, we are talking about the same place. To answer your question, it was mostly the latter. There was a suspicion that a terrorist group would try to seize radioactive materials during the power station decommission. That was enough to bring Public Health Scotland’s Radiation Protection Department into the site, and they notified us. It’s quite possible that they all turned up in black suits with shades, trying to look officially spooky?”

“Ah, so Five gets the blame despite not being there!”

“Exactly. You know there’s a basement?”

“In the farmhouse? Almost all buildings of that age would have a cellar?”

“No, under the new barn and the courtyard, there’s a sunken control centre. They could remotely monitor the whole Dounraey site from down there.”

“Hold on, Heather, I walked over that this morning? The site manager said nothing?”

“She might not know it exists, probably didn’t need to know.”

“Ah, she did say that she could find where the power switch for the lift was?”

“That’ll be in the basement. It has a heavy concrete roof so would be protected against everything except a direct attack. There’s air filtration and isolation doors.”

“Woah. I’m guessing that the plans submitted to Caithness council didn’t include that?”

“As it’s still designated farmland, the planning law is different. Put a government tag on it and the basement doesn’t exist.”

“Thanks Heather, now I need to know who really owns the site?”

“Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.”

“Hmmm, a mouthful! I wonder how much they want for it?”

“Tammy. unless someone there is cleared to Top Secret, it’s a farmhouse, three barns and pretty much nothing else. I’m told it can’t be returned to farming usage because of contamination so it counts as ‘brown field land’. Not forgetting that it’s pretty isolated, given how little there is in that corner of Scotland.”

“Ah, so there won’t be much demand for the site?”

“I wouldn’t have though so.”

“Thanks Heather, could you send me anything that I’m cleared for?”

“Sure, Tammy. How’s Maisie?”

“Pregnant with our first.”

“Congratulations, I guess you saved enough of your genetic material to get this far?”

“Indeed, via the IVF route and an excellent professor with foresight. That reminds me, we should call the IVF team at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and let them know the news!”

“Good idea, you’ll need them for round two!”

“If, and only if, it’s viable!”

The call ended and Tammy was having mixed thoughts about Project Spinnaker. It was impractical for Maisie to have her fitness classes overlooking a pseudo civilian helicopter base and Tammy wasn’t keen on bringing strangers into her living room in the way that Mary had.

Following Heather’s conversation she wondered if there was also a bargain to be had? There was definitely a clear need to transfer the premises to private hands, protecting their home even if the project folded.

Tammy tried to work out a pricing and failed. The sticking point was the mezzanine floor, what uses did it have? The lack of disabled access was one potential block to the sale, given that the lift was out of action. Tammy guessed that a site visit by an OTIS lift engineer might be an expensive one … so that floor wouldn’t be able to be used by the public under Equality legislation.

Tammy parked these thoughts and wandered down to the kitchen, finding Maisie making a curry.

“We haven’t had one of these for a while and I had the time to start this whilst you were busy up there. How many did you speak to?”

“The Colonel by email, Carl and Heather. Two written reports and one verbal report. Oh, you need to phone the IVF unit and let them know!”

“I did that this morning, Dr Adi reminded me.”

“Great, I’m new to all of this.”

“So am I, Tammy, so am I.”

Tammy: Flying High Part 5: Families Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 5: Families

Tuesday saw Maisie out with clients, although she had already insisted that Tammy rode into town and did few miles on the bike later in the day.

Tammy’s destination was her Smart Properties office.

“Joey, can you do something different today for me?”

“Err, sure?”

“Take a look, go back five years, for all former industrial or former farming sites that have been sold as brown field or non-operational for whatever reason … large scraps of wasteland effectively. Include the ones where there’s a single house on the site.”

“Sure, is there a reason?”

“I’m looking at buying a plot for redevelopment but it’s not on the market yet and I have no idea how it’ll be priced. What I’d like is a look at what’s been sold locally and how much? Then I can work out what a fair price might be?”

“Ah okay, how long do I have?”

“Friday latest please.”

“Okay Tammy, but I’ll be quicker if you could answer the phones and emails! I’d also like a cup of tea please.”

Tammy decided to play along for a while, not that she had anything more to do. She was clearing the emails when her mobile rang, with an indication that the call was secure.

“Yes Colonel?”“Are you free to talk?”

“Give me a minute.”

Ignoring Joey she took herself to street level then walked across to the seawall.

“Okay, I’m definitely on my own now, Sir.”

“This site you visited yesterday, how come I have had enquiries from the Security Service and Major Dannigan already?”

“Sir, it seems the Americans knew where I had been and potentially why I was there. They are signed up to Project Spinnaker, Sir.”

“Granted, but I hadn’t had an opportunity to read your report when he called.”

“Sorry Sir, but I sent it as soon as we were back indoors. There was no delay from myself.”

“Indeed, and apologies if I implied otherwise. It does seem as if I’m the one who wasn’t paying attention. What about our friends in Five?”

“Heather Young rang me yesterday lunchtime and I told her where I was just after we parked up, so before I knew anything. I suspect she had the time to do some research of her own. As you will know, Dave Brown has been read in, that much was clear on Saturday evening, Sir, and it transpires he had also briefed Heather Young yesterday morning. She has subsequently compiled additional research which is most certainly of interest. I haven’t yetput that into a report as I’m hoping I’ll be able to forward Heather’s report when I see it.”

“In brief?”

“There’s a command and control bunker that’s hardened against a nuclear release at Dounraey.”

“I was a little concerned about the number of people who are currently aware of the site but Ms Young certainly has given us something that wasn’t in your report?”

“Sir, I didn’t know and I doubt the site manager knew. Nothing there hinted at a bunker”

“Excellent. Let’s keep a cap on that, but we need plans.”

“Sir, I’m looking at a way to buy the site privately so Maisie and I can live there.”

“I see.”

“Making it a private premises would help with the camouflage, Colonel.”

“Indeed. Keep me informed, but please keep this bunker to yourself for now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Tammy found herself at the Smart Air AGM at McKay Hotel in Wick later at evening. They had a private room and
nibbles had been provided but no alcohol was offered. That suited Tammy but one or two were clearly expecting abottle of wine on the table. Her father was chairing the meeting.

The meeting started with the various reports, all of which Tammy had read only a day or so earlier. There were no grounds to challenge or query the reports, even the financial ones, so the legally required aspects of the meeting passed without incidence.

“Thank you everyone. We’re now onto any other business, does anyone have any thoughts for future developments of Smart Air?”

There weren’t any so Richard Smart continued. “In that case I would like to ask Tammy what she has planned and how it might affect Smart Air?”

“A word, please, Dad.”

Tammy stood, grabbed her phone and made for the door. Richard grudgingly exited the room with her. They arrived in the car park then moved away from the hotel.

“What the hell was that question, Dad?”

“That, Tammy, was an opportunity for you to get rid of the rumours that are already circulating.”

“What rumours?”

“That you are setting up a rival operation?”

“Really? All I did was ask Jim about the extent of legal stuff I might need to go through if I wanted my own helicopter on twenty four hour standby. In case you haven’t noticed I don’t have room to keep one at home and don’t have another site available.”

“Jim told me that you had asked the question, and I suspect others have heard the same.”

“I’ll resign from the board as clearly the court has decided I’m guilty of conspiring against Smart Air. Happy?”

“No, and don’t take that attitude. You can say you aren’t going ahead with your idea?”

“And that might end up being a lie.”

“Oh.”

“What you have done is to force me to say something that impinges on my personal life, my businesses and would potentially kill my government and military involvement. I’m damned if I say something and damned if I don’t. I would also have to report this. The net effect is that I would shut my businesses down and move out of town. Congratulations.”

“All I wanted to do was to squash the rumours. Tammy.”

“Dad, rumours that hadn’t reached my ears. Instead of a quiet word with individuals you have announced this to the whole board, including those who have little concept of secrecy. I’m minded to go home and write my resignation. I’ll sell my shares.”

“You have forty five percent of the share holding as you were gifted half of Elsie’s holding in her will. That would destabilise the company.”

“What would I care, when my entire professional life could be canned by the family firm?”

“Look, I’m sorry, but please say something.”

“I’ll try. Then I’m leaving to consider my future, sorry Dad.”

“Look, I understand. Does the Official Secrets Act apply to any of this?”

“Yes.”

“Damn.”

“Now you understand?”

“Yes.”

Tammy turned and returned to their meeting room.

“My apologies, I needed to clarify a point of order regarding my share holding in Smart Air. To answer the question, I have a personal helicopter licence and would like access to an aircraft twenty four hours a day however, given Wick Airport’s operating times, it isn’t possible to site a personal helicopter here on that basis. I am starting to examine locations in the greater Thurso area with several provisos. Firstly I don’t have a helicopter, secondly my licence is restricted to one class and I would need to expand that, thirdly I don’t yet have a site and finally I don’t currently have the finances to build a heliport for myself. So I have a pie in the sky idea that may not get off the ground.”

She paused to take a sip of water.

“Finally, If this ever happened, I would in fact be bringing business to Smart Air rather than taking business away. I hope that answers the original question as I will not saying any more on this non-subject.”

Richard thanked her as Tammy put her paperwork and phone away.

“I must leave, I have work elsewhere this evening. Good night.”

Tammy used the ladies room then found her car. She was on the road a minute later. It didn’t take long for her phone to ring.

“Tammy girl, that sounded tough?”

“Yeah, Krystel, I didn’t like going against my own father."

“It sounds like you had no choice, damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”

“Quite. Thing is, did I screw it?”

“You didn’t lie, that much is in your favor, at least you don’t have a place yet and you don’t have a chopper of your own. You did hit the problem with class licences, without saying you are only qualified on a military ticket.”

“Yeah, especially as very few of those at the table knew about helicopters. I can get why my dad asked the question, but it was the wrong place and wrong time.”

“I’m with you, but there could be fallout.”

Tammy sighed. “I know, but what do I do?”

“You wait and see, will the minutes of that meeting leak, just like the hydraulic liquid did at your farm?”

“It’s not mine yet, Cousin.”

“Considering you were there under thirty six hours ago, there are already two military units and three intelligence units discussing the matter.”

“Are you counting your unit twice?”

“Of course, Tammy.”

“I know Five are involved here, who else?”

“Your GCHQ have been informed. Our NSA told us. They get half a point each!”

“Too damn complicated, Krystel. Will I come out of this clean?”

“Maybe, Tammy, time will be your judge. The next week is key to a ‘go’ or ‘no go’ for Project Spinnaker.”

“I don’t really know enough yet, but should I find a way to buy the site regardless?”

“Yes, proceed. When were you going to tell us about the bunker?”

“When I have some definite information. I hope that hasn’t leaked?”

“No, it hasn’t, but keep us in the loop.”

“Yes, cuz. Can you send me a transcript of that meeting, or at least my conversation with dad?”

The ride back to Thurso was peaceful after that and Tammy parked without trouble behind their town house.

“There’s salad ready for you in the fridge, Tammy, you just need to zap your jacket potato.”

“Sorry Maisie, but I’m not hungry and I don’t feel too great.”

“What’s up?”

“I fell out with my father and threatened to resign.”

“Why?”

“He asked me a question during the meeting, a question about helicopters.”

“The project?”

“Yes, but none of them know much, if anything. It’s because I asked Jim a question before we went to the TT races. Apparently I’m setting up a rival company!”

“So one plus one equals five?”

“Yes.” Tammy started to cry, she’d felt brave earlier but her vulnerability was on display. Maisie moved closer.

“You’ll win, Tammy, you always do.”

They flew in Tammy’s two-seater CzechSport into Aberdeen on Wednesday morning, and were met at the airport by
Maisie’s father, Thomas. They elected to go back to the apartment Thomas and Lizzie rented from Tammy.

“How are you coping?” Asked Tammy.

“It’s difficult at times, Lizzie doesn’t always let me know what she’s doing. She’s also asking for salad all the time
but I don’t think there’s enough on the plate for her to be healthy?”

“She’s trying to keep fit, Thomas, and will only eat what she needs.”

“Even so …?”

“What about yourself?”

“I’m well, no grumbles. Maisie, you look like you’re bursting to say something?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Oh.”

“And yes, it’s just the pair of us.”

Given Thomas’ previous lack of understanding about Tammy’s transition, it wasn’t wholly unexpected that he asked the next question.

“But, Tammy, you’ve been done, haven’t you?”

“I can promise you, Sir, that I am indeed responsible for Maisie’s pregnancy, that’s me and the IVF unit in Glasgow.”

“So test tubes and turkey basters?”

“Not quite, but close enough.” Tammy was trying to put an end to that line of questioning.

“Do you know, know what it is yet, Maisie?”

“No, Dad, it’s way too early!”

“Well, I hope you’re getting married? When’s the date?”

“We don’t know, Dad,”

“I assume you can, legally, get hitched?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“I can’t keep up with all of this, this modern stuff.”

“Yes, Dad, I understand.”

They had coffee and cake before Thomas drove them back to the airport. Their aim was to see Lizzie, who was currently in the air, but Tammy had another plan. She first went to the training company to get their opinion on Lizzie’s progress.

“She’s passed on the Bell and JetRanger so we’ve come to the end of the programme with your Lieutenant.”

“I’d like to get her qualified on single engined fixed wing next, with night and instrument tickets at first.”

“I see, and eventually?”“Multi engined, but that may be next year. I’d like to get her working by the winter.”

“I see.”

“Now, I have a multi-engine private pilots license and a military helicopter license for the Puma.”

“The same military licence as Lizzie?”

“Correct, we qualified at the same time, but I was already licensed for fixed wing.”

“And you would like to convert your military license?”

“Yes, and expand into larger aircraft.”

“That’s not a problem, when would you like to do this?”

“During the summer, I’m potentially free until September.”

“Would an intensive course work for you?”

“Yes, when?”

“The guy picked up the relevant leaflets and handed them over.

“As you already have a fixed wing license, plus a military license, we can reduce the number of flying hours needed for the basic license in a Bell, that’s eight days over two weeks. We can upgrade you to a JetRanger over a week. So, call it three weeks? As for when, I have an opening from Monday 25th June? That’s the week after next.”

Tammy checked her diary. “That looks fine.”“I’d like to take a deposit now?”

“Sure.”

“And can you complete this form?”

Tammy wondered if she could persuade someone to cover the cost, as she paid £1000 to the training company. Lizzie chose that moment to walk in.

“I passed two weeks ago.”

“So what have you been doing?”

“Getting my hours in.”

“I see. At my expense I guess?”

“What are you doing, Tammy? Oh, helicopters? Why?”

“Because I want to, Lizzie. You, young lady, are going to get yourself some fixed wing tickets.”

“What about a holiday? And I need to sell my parents’ house?”

“When you have your next license.”

“Oh, Jeremy wanted to take me away?”

“Find Maisie and get a table in the café so we can get lunch? Go!”

Lizzie reluctantly left.“And she’s a lieutenant?”

“Mores the pity. I’m minded to send her back to base to see how she’d manage to avoid being put in the brig for insolence every day.”

He looked down at Tammy’s form, where her title was ‘Captain’.

“Why do you accept it?”

“Because I don’t want her feeling that I’m working against her,”

“I see.”

Tammy completed the paperwork then went in search of the girls. Lizzie had her back to Tammy.

“She doesn’t understand!”

Tammy walked over swiftly. “Who doesn’t, Lizzie?”

“Oh.”

“You are not going on holiday with Jeremy, you are going to be busy.”

“With what?”

“I’ll discuss that with the Commander when I see him next. I think you can expect some time on base.”

“Why?”“Because you have forgotten what it’s like to be an RAF officer.”

“But I’m not? I’m a civilian.”

“Lizzie, get your facts right. Who pays you?”

“I don’t know.”

Tammy looked at Maisie. “My appetite’s gone. Let’s go. Lizzie, this isn’t over.”

Maisie and Tammy were hosting Richard and Joan for dinner that evening.

“I understand you walked out last night?”

Maisie headed for the kitchen, muttering about checking dinner.

“Yes, Mum.” She stared at her father, who shrugged.

“You didn’t give a very good impression considering you are a major shareholder?”

“I’m non-executive, I’m not bringing the company into disrepute and last time I checked I don’t run the company day to day, Neither do you. I don’t want to go over it, and I’ll wait to see what the minutes say?”

“You should issue an apology.”“No. You weren’t there and you do not understand what was going on.”

“Perhaps I should have been?”

“Mum, I was going to give you some news this evening, but you seem to want to push me. Why?”

“Suzie called me, told me how you just arrived, out of the blue.”

“She was awake, and seemed okay with us. It was a difficult weekend.”

“Well, what were you doing?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Or won’t? Suzie didn’t know.”

“I can’t, mum, and Suzie was told only what she needed to know. Dad, aren’t you going to say something?”

“How was Aberdeen?”

“Fine. We visited Maisie’s father. We wanted to visit both parents in one day. I can see that was pretty pointless.”

“Oh.” Richard realised what Tammy had implied.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Congratulations? I don’t think you should be congratulating yourself, young lady?” Tammy shook her head.

“Mum, I think you should go before you say anything else inappropriate.”

“How insolent?”

Richard stood. “Sorry Tammy, my apologies. I’m sorry we’ve spoilt the evening. Come on Joan.”

“I’m waiting for an apology?”

“Good night, mum.”

Tammy held it together until her parents were outside, unfed, then she burst into tears. Maisie came to her and wrapped Tammy in her arms.

“You couldn’t help it, She didn’t understand.”

“I never seem to get anything right. Last time it was when Suzie didn’t get to meet the Queen.”

“What do you want to do about dinner? I was about to plate it up.”

“I’m not really hungry, at least it’s salad?”

“Not just salad!”

“Yeah, but you know what I meant.”

“Yes, Tammy, so do you want some hot potatoes in butter with your salad?”

“It’s a small cheat.”“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Tammy: Flying High Part 6: Aiming High & Low Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 6: Aiming High & Low

Tammy heard from Heather on Thursday.

“Some good news, Tammy, I have located the plans for the farm site, including the subterranean spaces.”

“That’s excellent.”

“I’ll email them now, but even better, I have some keys for you.”

“Keys?”

“One is for the ground floor lift lobby and the other is for the stairwells.”

“Stairwells? How many?”

“Four, one of which is an emergency exit.”

“How big is it?”

“Over eight hundred square metres of floorspace.”

“Oh.”

“It would seem that the contamination was constrained in two small areas but it was exaggerated so that the entire courtyard, and all the barns, had the floor removed. From the air, apart from one wholly new barn, it’ll look much the same as before.”

“Which is why there were no rumours about a basement level?”

“The security was done really well, and best of all the local government in Caithness knows nothing about the basement, so it won’t be known there.”

“Which no doubt saves a few pounds?”

“Correct, so the site will be valued much lower than it should be.”

Very interesting, thank you, Heather. You mentioned keys?”

“I located them in London and had them sent directly to you yesterday.”

“That’s really useful, I guess I ought to try to work out how to buy it?”

“Indeed.”

Wider site plan

Enlarged

Basement

Tammy examined the plans that had arrived and tried to place the large underground spaces with the topside buildings. She recalled seeing locked security doors in the barns but one exit came out in the farmhouse cellar? She needed to revisit the site and to have a walk unhindered by Mary and Maisie.

Downstairs the doorbell rang. Tammy made her way to the kitchen door.

“Hi Dad, coffee?”

“Please, are you in a hurry?”

“No, and I can guess why you’re here.”

Tammy suggested they went to that house’s cellar and used the comfortable seating.

“Firstly, sorry.”

“Dad, that wasn’t your fault.”

“Sorry, Tammy, but in a way it was. I got home on Tuesday pretty wound up. There had been questions after you left the meeting, and I wasn’t able to say any more than you had already said. I got home and mentioned it, Joan then got me to tell her exactly what happened, but she was already wound up because of Suzie’s call at the weekend. I wish I hadn’t tabled that question?”

“We can all call upon hindsight but it never changes the past, Dad. She’s lost out, did you give her our news?”

“No, and I won’t. That’s down to you and Maisie still. How did Thomas take it?”

“Calmly and with a few questions.”

“The complete opposite of last night?”

“Yes.” Look, Dad, does Mum need some help?”

“Do you mean therapy?”

“Yes. Two of her daughters work for or with the security service and I work with other agencies. I’m going to have to report that Mum is a risk to us, as she keeps finding ways to blame me for something. This needs to be resolved before nasty things start happening.”

“I understand, do you think that’s a real risk?”

“Yes, and unfortunately that means I can no longer give you seemingly innocent information as there’s a risk it will be shared by mum.”

“I wouldn’t do that deliberately?”

“Even so, the risk is too high at present.”

“So I have to get Joan sorted before normality returns?”

“At a minimum, yes. Just remember, because of what Suzie and I do, because of the school and your financial history, Joan had heard us discuss small matters. We have to assume that she could repeat some or our words to a shrink in a coherent way that could be damaging to all of us.”

“So a normal NHS shrink isn’t a good idea?”

“Correct. If she agrees, but right now it needs to be voluntary, then we need to work together to get her the best help.”

“Do you have an idea?”

“Yes, and I used it once before, but I had to pull in some favours. It might not be so easy next time.”

“Understood. Please pass on my apologies to Maisie, is she out working?”

“Yes, she still has a full schedule and will do for many months. But mum mustn’t know that otherwise she’ll interfere – she could say enough for our baby to be removed immediately after birth by social services.”

“Oh. Is that a real possibility, Tammy?”

“With the amount of venom aimed in my direction, it’s definitely possible. If necessary we keep this pregnancy from her until well after the birth.”

“That’s a hard idea to agree with, Tammy.”

“Dad, I’m sure she says that I’m not her natural daughter, whilst Suzie is, so how much further would it be for me not to be natural in any sense? Tell that to enough folk and it becomes dangerous to live here.”

“You can protect yourself?”

“Yes, Dad, but I have no wish to kill anyone, again, and it’s best to avoid getting into conflict.”

“I’d forgotten about that horrible woman, Anita Gore, that was three years ago at David’s funeral.”

“I ended up going through the mill with the shrinks myself after that. I don’t need that little snippet of my history being raised, and that’s my own fault this time.”

“Look, Tammy, let’s keep in touch. Cathy is hosting a summer party the weekend after next, can you be there?”

“Mum will be there?”

“Yes, but would she make a scene at a party?”

“Dad, you know she would.”

“I suppose I do.”

Tammy’s phone rang barely a minute after Richard had left her home.

“Tammy, we need to talk about security.”

“Yes Lyssa, I know. Did you hear what was said last night?”

“I did, and you did well to constrain yourself, but your stepmother is a loose cannon. She has the potential to do a hell of load of damage to yourself, to Maisie, and everyone who is associated with you.”

“Lyssa, I know, and I don’t like shutting Dad out of my life but I can’t currently trust him not to say anything that she might use as a weapon.”

“You were right to be concerned about your baby.”

“I thought I was being harsh, but it’s a real risk?”

“Correct. Look, we value you, we have put a load of investment into you, but we will cut you loose and destroy you ourselves if the risk is too great.”

“Yes, Lyssa.”

“But if you can get your stepmother some help, that will help.”

“Yes, Lyssa. I’ll make enquiries.”

“Good, Paul Dannigan will see you on Tuesday.”

“Oh?”

“You have a conference scheduled, be there.”

The line went dead, and Tammy had been left with no illusions.

Tammy spent the next day back in the office and apologised to Joey for not being there much that week.

“I finished that research yesterday morning, so I caught up with everything else. Can I finish early today?”

“Sure, Joey, but first can you talk me through your results?”

“I have it all on paper?”

“Tell me about it.”

“Okay, there’s a four acre site to the South West of town that has old sheds on it. That’s got housing on two sides and businesses on the other sides, it’s also on a hill. That’s been on sale for six months so far.”

“So not level, near houses and needs site clearance?”

“Yes. Next one is up by your old school. It’s not in the school grounds but is adjacent, I think it was a radar site during the last war as it’s right on the coast. There’s nothing there apart from some concreted ground. There’s suggestion of an underground area but the agents say that’s all been sealed off. It’s being sold for the Ministry of Defence. That came on the market a year ago.”

“Very exposed and you would have to ensure the ground was secure. How close is it to the school?”

“Half a mile from the boundary.”

“Too close. Next?”

“There’s a small farm just off the Wick road, it was being sold for residential development. That is under offer at the moment.”

“Okay, so keep an eye on that one, and I’ll have a look at the paperwork.”

“Finally, there’s another farm, and it’s a huge site, but can’t be used for farming due to contamination. That came on the market just two days ago. It’s just off the A9 not far from Tesco.”

“Really? Does it have any residential buildings?”

“A farmhouse and some odd barn that looks out over, over nothing. As I said there’s contamination so there’s plenty that can’t be done there. It last changed hands in 2010 for a hundred thousand.”

“Who’s the agents?”

“Crown agents, in London.”

“Oh, okay.”

“What are you planning, Tammy?”

“Nothing right now, but I’d like to expand the business a little beyond rentals. It’s the right time of year to visit places like this.”

Joey put the pile of paperwork, including her notes, on Tammy’s desk.

“Feel free to take a look, but I can’t see a business plan there.”

“Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t, Joey? Did you want to go? Start your weekend now?”

“Sure, and that bonus you promised?”

“I paid it this morning.”

“Thank you, Tammy.”

Tammy’s phone rang as Joey was readying herself to leave.

“Good morning Commander?”

“Captain, you haven’t responded to orders?”

“I haven’t received any orders.”

“Well, they were sent?”

“Did you ensure everyone knew I was no longer suspended?”

“Ah.”

“I’ll see on Tuesday, I presume?”

“You said you hadn’t received orders?”

“I haven’t, but another source suggested I needed to be somewhere on Tuesday and I guess that’s Catterick?”

“Do we have a security breach?”

“No, because I trust that source. Regardless, could you please email me those orders?”

“I will, Captain. Out.”

The line went dead. Tammy looked around, finding Joey stood by the office door.

“That didn’t sound like an easy conversation?”

“It wasn’t, and I doubt I’ll enjoy that day out next week?”

“Why do you do it, Tammy, everything you do?”

“I don’t know Joey.”

“Then why continue?”

“Because there’s some aspects I really enjoy, I like helping people, I enjoy seeing new sights and I like being thanked.”

“Those are ups, what about the downs?”

“Other people organise my life, I seem to annoy people regularly, I’m taken for granted and being thrown into situations that I’m not trained for.”

“Just like me then?”

“Eh?”

“Tammy, what you just described is what passes as normal life? Earlier this week you threw some research at me unexpected and then just abandon me for a few days. I handle all the enquires and get the rough with the smooth. Okay I’m handing a desk, phones and a PC whilst you have all of those plus a plane and whatever else you can do?”

“So why do I do it?”

“Because you make a difference, you’re also not completely difficult to work with, well, not completely.”

Tammy suggested she and Maisie took a walk that evening, so Maisie instead suggested a run before they ate. Maisie’s idea won out but Tammy deliberately left her phone indoors as they locked the door.

They ran down to the river, crossed it and followed paths near the swimming pool. They took a break, at Tammy’s suggestion, and sat on a bench.

Tammy tried miming.

“What are you on about?”

Tammy tried again, this time Maisie took her phone out of her bum bag and turned it off.

“Okay, what’s all that about?”

“We are being watched, supervised, much more than I’m comfortable with and I want to bring you up to date without being overheard.”

“Okay, but who spooked you?”

“Lyssa.”

“You definitely don’t want to get onto her bad side?”

“Yes, and her beef was with my family, my step mum in particular.”

“Even though we’ve agreed not to tell her about our baby?”

“That and more, I now can’t tell father anything in case he repeats any of it to her.”

“But he was cleared?”

“Let’s assume, for now, he isn’t.”

“Damn. Where do we stand with my father?”

“He knows you’re pregnant but we don’t tell him anything our operational life, only that sometimes we’re away.”

“He was army, he understands deployments. He also knows when to keep his mouth shut.”

Tammy grimaced. “I know, and I used to think the same about my own father.”

“That’s not his fault, I can see that much. I saw the party invite, do we go?”

“Who knows you’re expecting?”

“Apart from Dr Adi, and the Colonel, just a few of my fitness clients, those for whom I have long term programmes. Plus my Dad, and yours.”

“How do we resolve this, Maisie?”

“I honestly don’t know? Is your mum having a breakdown?”

“Maybe, I don’t know, but she needs help before we’re out of commission.”

“Is that a risk?”

“Yes, and it needs to be resolved before I buy that farm site, otherwise I’m going to be sitting on the biggest pile of bovine excretion in Thurso.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll accompany you on Monday but I’ll want to have a look around whilst you are with Mary.”

“If she’s happy with you doing so?”

“I’ve been in touch with the agents in London and advised them that’s what I want to do, Mary should have been told.”

“Oh, so you’re moving forward?”

“For now, yes. I’m at Catterick on Tuesday so I expect I’ll have to give them a full report.”

“Am I needed?”

“Not unless you have received orders? Similarly I wasn’t told to bring Lizzie so I’ll go by myself.”

“Okay Tammy, so what about the wedding? Do we really need to fly everyone out to a tropical island?”

“Not really.”

“So why not have it here, in Thurso, and we’ll then just take ourselves off on honeymoon. It’s much easier to plan.”

“So long as my mum doesn’t ruin it just before we say ‘I do’?”

Maisie giggled. “True.”

“I’ll need help to plan this, so is it okay if I ask Cathy to help organise it?”

“So long as I can be there when you speak to her, and I can veto it?”

“You don’t really know Cathy?”

“I don’t, so don’t take it personally if I’m careful about who is going to make my, our, special day extra special?”

“I understand.”

“Good, because I don’t have a better plan right now!”

“Okay, Maisie, what about our honeymoon?”

“Is there somewhere on this planet we can go where we won’t be shot at or forced to do PT?”

“Maybe?”

Maisie pulled Tammy up, then kissed her.

“Sprint!”

They were back indoor under fifteen minuted later. The security panel was flashing a warning.

“Take your phone!”

“Can I have some privacy?” Asked Tammy out loud,

“No.” Responded the panel.

Tammy found Maisie in the shower.

“Sorry, Maisie, I was told off.”

“I thought that was my job?”

Tammy: Flying High Part 7: Digging Deeper Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 7: Digging Deeper

Tammy received the promised keys on Saturday, along with a letter of introduction for her, prepared by the Crown Agents.

After spending a few hours with Joey Tammy was collected in Maisie’s van for the run out to Vernon Farm.

When Mary greeted them she noted that Tammy wasn’t dressed for exercise.

“No, I’m putting in a bid for this site and the Agents have agreed I can have a look around.” Tammy handed over one of the letters she had received.

“Oh, so I had best move my planning up a notch?”

“There’s months to go, yet, Mary.”

“Maybe, how will you open the locked doors?”

“I was supplied with a set of master keys, and security cards.”

“The card reader system doesn’t work.”

“I’ll have a look for it whilst I’m wandering.”

Tammy bid them farewell and walked over to the reception building. She confirmed that the pass reader was inactive so let herself in by key. There was a small security office in that building, which included a CCTV wall, but only for monitoring.

She went up a floor and found a large office with a good view over the site, both into the courtyard and across to the carpark outside the gates. There was a door cut into the site wall and this was marked as emergency access. There was a keyhole on that side, which Tammy used.

The far side of the door had a crash bar. Tammy walked across a corridor to another door, aware that she was on a bridge. Another keyhole brought her onto the Mezzanine level, whilst the back of that door was marked with an alarm warning.

Tammy took the stairs down to the lower level then opened the back door of the lift lobby at that level, finding another stairwell. That took her down, low level lighting was still on. She had to unlock another door at the bottom, as the touch pad wasn’t working, and found herself in an open area, with doors nearby.

The room on her left was marked as Control Room, exactly the same as her map, one corner of that room had the override controls for the site security. It didn’t look like it would be difficult to re-enable everything, although changes would have to be made.

Tammy wandered into the other spaces, noting that fresh bedding, and fresh air, would be needed in the bunk rooms before they could be used again. She then realised that the air con was off, as it was too quiet! That air-conditioning would be a major demand on the power, but perhaps the solar arrays could cope?

The radio room still had a site radio and air band transceiver installed. But currently disabled.

Back in the control room Tammy identified a partly bare server rack that was powered down. Near to that was the power control panel, she noted that the solar panels were generating a couple of kW but the batteries were full, apart from the emergency and low-level lighting, everything was still off.. She contemplated turning something on, but decided that could wait. An adjacent locked room warned of various risks, including explosion. She opted to leave that alone.

Tammy exited the way she had come in then locked doors behind her as she went.

Rather than head back up to the Mezzanine level Tammy walked into the courtyard and, looking back, only now spotted the communications tower behind the reception building.

She opened a side door into that large barn and walked into the bottom corner, next to a set of toilets was a locked door that led to a set of stairs. The same was true in the far corner of the barn, except the toilets included shower facilities. She followed the stairs down and they led to another shower suite, although this was set for decontamination if needed. The basement’s loo facilities were also in this area. Tammy climbed back to ground level and locked up.

She made it onto the courtyard as Mary and Maisie were walking over.

“Where have you been?”

“Looking around, I guess time passed?”

“Tammy, check your phone?”

Tammy pulled her phone out of her bag, it now showed several missed calls, but it hadn’t rung.

“I must have been out of range?”

“Right, your dad called when he couldn’t reach you. Your mum didn’t turn up for work this morning. She seems to have boarded a flight to London.”

“Oh.”

Mary looked confused. “Is something wrong?”

“She works at St Andrews School but has never done anything like this before. Excuse me, I need to call my sister.”

Tammy walked away, through reception and towards Maisie’s van. She called the European desk at MI5 using her secure mobile.

“European desk?”

“It’s Tammy Smart, I need Suzie Small urgently.”

“This is a secure line, you shouldn’t have this number?”

“I don’t have time to explain, I need my sister urgently and this could be a serious national security matter.”

“Transferring you ……… Tammy?”

“Suzie, have you heard from mum?”

“Not since yesterday when she called me, and wanted to know everything about you. I promise you she still doesn’t know about the baby?”

“Thanks, but it’s not that. She didn’t go to work this morning and it looks like she’s on her way to you. She’s a very loose cannon right now, and could be dangerous to both of us.”

“Dangerous?”

“Like exposing both of us, even accidentally.”

“What do we do?”

“We get her help. She needs the shrinks at AA House?”

“I can’t organise that!”

“I’m not even certain that I can, but please brief your team leader, tell them about my tea with Her Majesty and how mum reacted. Then tell them about the time mum and dad were hostages in their own house, tell them anything that will get them to treat this as a potential major multi agency security breach.”

“They won’t like it.”

“I know, but at least they’ll listen.”

“Are you coming here, Tammy?”

“No, I’m staying in Thurso tonight and I’m needed elsewhere tomorrow, if I still have a job.”

“That bad?”

“Yes, Suzie. Look, the best I can do is to ask for the Met Police to meet her at the house.”

“She won’t like that.”

“I know, but hopefully she’ll recognise them?”

“Kevin?”

“Maybe, or one of the others in that team.”

“Okay, leave it with me, keep me in touch.”

“Sure, and please let me know if she tries to call you.”

“Yes, Tammy.”

Maisie had kept her distance, holding Mary back, but now walked over.

“Trouble?”

“Big trouble, mum could be heading to Suzie.”

“How bad is it?”

“Bad enough for my security clearance, and jobs, to be suspended pending enquiry.”

“Ouch.”

“There’s very little we can do right now but I need to make another call, mum has a few hours head start on us. Can you drop me back home please?”

“I need lunch, so I’ll come back with you, and I’m clear for the rest of today.”

“Great, I might need a cuddle.”

Whilst Maisie drove, Tammy called Detective Chief Inspector Emily Keane, Kevin’s immediate manager. She repeated her concerns.

“You were right to notify us, Tammy, how aware of your other activities is she?”

“Mum knows I have a military connection but nothing beyond that, hopefully. She equally knows I have met various Royals, but again she doesn’t know what the circumstances were. So far I’ve been able to keep almost everything from her, but she may have made connections in her mind. It’s my Security Service connection, alongside Suzie, that’s of primary concern.”

“Is she a risk to national security, in your opinion?”

“Potentially, yes.”

“I concur. She needs help, but firstly needs to be intercepted.”

“She barely knows London but will have keys to the Epping house, she’ll probably wait there for Suzie to finish work.”

“Are you planning to fly down?”

“No. I think that would complicate matters at this time.”

“Good. Does Suzie know that you would phone us?”

“I did, she knows Kevin and I think Mum has met him a few times, but I’m not convinced he’s the right person for this.”

“Yes, but he knows exactly where to go and can handle Suzie if she turns up. Please leave it with me.”

“Thank you Emily, you have my number?”

“I do.”

Tammy relaxed a little as they arrived home, lunch was a priority but Maisie shooed Tammy up to the office so she could phone her Dad to update him, before making the most uncomfortable call so far.

“Commander Traeger, it’s Captain Smart.”

“Yes, how can I help you?”

“I need to appraise you of a possible security breach.”

“Where?”

“My mother, who is currently on route to London. I have appraised agencies including the Met Police so we can constrain the person concerned and prevent the breach from happening, Sir.”

“Is Broadsword at risk, Captain?”

“I hope not, Sir, I don’t believe she knows anything about Broadsword. She does think, however, that she knows where I have been and what I have done, and could do damage to myself if she made those thoughts public.”

“And that’s a risk?”

“Yes, which is why I have effectively asked the Met Police SO15 to arrest her under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.”

“Your own mother?”

“My step-mother, but yes. If you recall, my sister, Suzie Small, works for the security service and that precedes my own connection to that service. My sister knows enough to identify Broadsword assets.”

“I see, and would she release that information?”

“I would hope not, but did you read the report of my lodging at the Queen’s guest quarters upon return from recent Royal duties, Sir? Suzie broke protocol to phone her mother.”

“Ah, but I hadn’t realised she was your sister? She needed advice, I believe?”

“And received it, there hasn’t been an incident since then.”

“That was only a few months ago, Captain!”

“Of course, Sir, but so much has happened since then.”

“I’ll need a report.”

“Of course Sir, but I’ll hold off sending it as we don’t know where this is going right now. Ultimately I would like my mother to receive help, but that might not be today.”

“I hope you will still be coming to see me tomorrow?”

“Unless something happens in the meantime, Sir, that requires my attention elsewhere.”

“Keep me informed.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Tammy put the phone down and opened a new file on her laptop. She went back to the previous Wednesday’s failed dinner appointment and then back to the guest quarters in the Spring, and their subsequent falling out.

For completeness Tammy included the incident when Richard and Joan had been used as bargaining chips for herself by Martin Gore before going back to David’s funeral some three years earlier when Anita Gore had been shot by Tammy. Tammy’s life was complicated and unfortunately Joan had been there several times.

When she finally called him, her father had not been able to add any more. He had been in a Governing Body meeting at the school and had been advised when that broke for coffee. She added this to her report, regardless.

Finally, she went downstairs to have a late lunch, and to wait.

It was nearly seven that evening before there was an update, Richard had joined Tammy and Maisie for tea whilst they waited so heard the news directly.

DCI Emily Keane was the caller.

“Sorry Tammy, but there was an incident and your step mother was injured.”

“How?”

“A recently qualified female Detective Constable accompanied Kevin. They took some time to reach the house and your mother was already on the premises. When your mother answered the door she was screaming and shouting at Kevin and seemed to lunge at him. The DC tasered her.

“Her condition?”

“Stable, but it transpires she has a heart condition, so is in HDU at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow under observation.”

“Why hasn’t the hospital rung us, my father?”

“Possibly because officers there have insisted that no-one has contact.”

“Let me guess, as Harlow is in Essex there are Essex officers guarding her and they have simply been told it’s a national security case?”

“Yes.”

“Get her moved to Abigail Adams Medical Unit as quickly as possibly, Emily.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Can’t or won’t, Emily?”

“I don’t have jurisdiction.”

“Noted.”

Tammy cut the line.

“What the hell is going on, Tammy?”

“Sorry, Dad, I had no idea this was going to happen? What’s this about a heart condition?”

“She’s been suffering with angina. Her GP suggested stress.”

“I suggest she changes her GP. Okay, next call coming up, please don’t say anything.”

“I take it that last one was to a senior Police officer?”

“Detective Chief Inspector in Met Police Counter Terrorism.”

“I see, who now?”

“Sir Thomas Addington, currently Chair of the Intelligence Oversight Committee.”

“Jeez Tammy, who the hell do you work for?”

“Me, dad, I work for myself.”

Tammy engaged secure mode and dialled Sir Thomas’ number.

“Miss Smart, I wish this was unexpected?”

“Sorry, Sir, but we have a difficult issue.”

“I gathered that when I saw the surname of the subject.”

“Sir, she hasn’t breached the Official Secrets Act, not yet at least, but Essex Police don’t know that. She needs to be relocated to AA House?”

“If she is medically fit to travel?”

“Of course, Sir.”

“What is your aim?”

“That she receives counselling to establish whether she planned to ruin mine and Suzie’s careers, with the inevitable national security knock on effects.”

“And that was a risk?”

“A very severe risk, Sir.”

“I see, congratulations by the way?”

“In which regard, Sir?”

“Retaining your rank, of course, oh and Maisie’s pregnancy. When is the wedding?”

“Ah, thank you, Sir, we’ll let you know about the wedding plans when we know ourselves.”

“Of course. Someone will be in touch.”

Richard had gone home at nine that evening as nothing more had been heard. It was two hours later that Tammy received a simple text from an unknown number:

Joan is safe & sleeping

Tammy had a restless night.

By six thirty on Tuesday morning Tammy knew nothing more. She drove over to Wick airport and was in the air by seven in her CzechSport.

Today’s flight took her solo to Teeside, followed by a drive into Catterick army base in a hire car.

She checked in at the Broadsword building then went to find the Colonel.

“Ah, good morning Captain.”

“Sir, I take it that you have been briefed?”

“About your step-mother?”

“Yes.”

“There’s an update, I’ve been informed that you got your wish, she’s in Abigail Adams House.”

“That hadn’t been confirmed to me, but I wanted her there voluntarily and uninjured. The Met couldn’t handle that.”

“There will be an enquiry, several probably, and you should expect to be admonished, Tammy. Please don’t give the Commander extra ammunition against you. You will need him.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Let’s take a walk, the first meeting should be setting up.”

Once in the room, Tammy couldn’t see anyone else sat there but Emily & Sir Thomas were on separate video monitors. The spy overlord started.

“Ah, thank you for joining us Miss Smart.”

“My pleasure, Sir, DCI.”

“I suspect you would like some information about your step mother?”

“Yes, Sir, if there is any?”

“She had a comfortable night under observation and there are no immediate concerns according to the medical staff.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“But I suspect it is her mental health which is of greater concern?”

“That’s correct, and last week I was formulating how best to have that assessed. Unfortunately events overtook me.”

“Who had you raised your concerns with?”

“No-one on the British side, Sir, I wasn’t entirely certain how to proceed. Her decision to fly down meant I made some panic calls, and I’ll admit that.”

“Miss Smart, I am aware of who you spoke to and was expecting your call by the end of last week.”

“Oh.”

“Please remember, you have friends and we can make plans. Under the circumstances there were no plans there were only knee-jerk reactions, and that does not bode well. In short, everyone panicked, yourself especially.”

“And for that I can only apologise, Sir, DCI. My original thoughts, however, are that she remains a risk.”

“And I concur, Miss Smart, but we are at the point where we are all going to have to justify our actions, all of us, but only you have spoken to everyone concerned.”

“I haven’t spoken to the trigger-happy DC with the Taser, Sir?”

“Almost everyone, I stand corrected.”

DCI Emily Keane now spoke. “Unfortunately that DC will be now removed from firearm duties pending investigation. Kevin himself is off front line duties whilst he writes his own reports. I don’t like having staff taken away from me.”

“Reports, plural?”

“Yes, he’ll include references to his prior engagements with your step mother, for historical purpose. Your report should do the same.”

“I have started a report along those lines and I had already decided to go back in time to explain the wider issues, but, given that I lived with her for a number of years, I need to be a little subjective about what’s included and what isn’t, Ma’am.”

Emily Keane didn’t bite so Sir Thomas continued.

“I would certainly like sight of Miss Smart’s report, I’m sure that the Colonel can assist with distribution?”

“I can, Sir Thomas.”

“Excellent. Now, Tammy, I would like to make it perfectly clear that you are not to make contact with the medical team at Abigail Adams House and are not to turn up there. You should also avoid contact with your step sister for the time being.”

“Sir?”

“This is to protect you, Tammy, from any further allegations. Your father can supply updates if he is willing.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Miss Smart, Colonel, we will reconvene in thirty minutes.”

The monitors went dark, so Tammy followed the Colonel back to his office.

“Another fine mess, Tammy.”

“I didn’t plan it but I could see the danger.”

“You didn’t see the danger of a met police officer with a twitchy finger or that Joan Smart had a heart condition. Your instruction to Emily yesterday lunchtime was to intercept and detain, not to assess. You actually got what you asked for, even if it wasn’t what you intended.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Now, the Commander would like you to do a visiting officer’s course at Sandhurst next month to bring you up to date with protocol.”

“I start helicopter training next week that takes me into mid July.”

“When were you going to mention this?”

“I was going to bring it to this meeting, Sir, but I’ve booked it as a civilian. I looked at my calendar and saw it was blank, which is why I took the first available weeks. With respect to the Commander, he mustn’t assume I’ll be free. I suppose this course is the only one this year?”

“Of its type, yes. You aren’t making friends there.”

“I know, but there must be a package I can read?”

“A training package? I’ll ask him to research that.”

There was a knock at the door and coffee arrived. As Tammy hadn’t eaten or drank anything since a hasty breakfast she took advantage of the biscuits on offer.

At 1100 they reconvened in the meeting room, but now all the monitors were in use, showing Dannigan and Heather Young, amongst others. Tammy was, however, a little surprised to see Commander Traeger sat in the room, but kept her mouth shut.

Sir Thomas was chairing this meeting.

“Now that we are all here, perhaps Captain Smart can bring us up to date?”

“Thank you Sir Thomas. I have now visited a site to the South East of Thurso twice. This is a site which is already in UK Government hands and was previously used as an off site control facility for the decommissioning of the Dounraey Fast Reactor. The site has had helicopter operations in the past so should have some of the necessary licences. There is a subterranean facility and I gained access to that yesterday. The site caretaker is unaware of the underground facility. In short it is ideal for civilian and quasi military helicopter operations as well as several other potential uses. I’d like to thank Heather Young for supplying plans and keys.”

“Thank you Captain. I believe you are also a director of a commercial helicopter operator, Smart Air? Is there potential for conflict of interests?”

“I am a non executive share holder of Smart Air, and my own planes are based with them at Wick Airport. I have made it clear to my father, who is the chairman of the company, that I would not be in competition with Smart Air and might actually put business in that direction if the need arose.”

“I see. How do you see the next steps at this site? Does it have a name?”

“Vernon Farm. I’d like to have the site surveyed, especially in respect of the power and security. The structures looked in very good condition. I am examining buying it privately.”

“What is the time-scale for ownership?”

“A guess? September at the earliest. It probably wouldn’t be fully operational until Spring 2019.”

“Operational as what?”

“A home, an office, and somewhere to park my helicopter? Everything else is subject to operational needs.”

“Indeed, Captain. Ladies and Gentlemen we have moved a little further forward with Project Spinnaker, are there any questions?”

Commander Traeger was first.

“How are you going to finance it?”

“Privately, Commander.”

Dannigan laughed. “Yes, Captain, that’s the correct answer … but you may need help?”

“Yes Major, and I will go to the most appropriate institutions to find that help, but it’s fair to say that I believe I can afford this site, depending on what the UK Government charges for it.”

Dannigan nodded. “Sir Thomas, what is the price?”

“I believe the site’s listing is being re-evaluated at the moment.”

“I see, regardless of that, it would cost money to establish an operational facility above ground? So although the site may be privately owned by Tammy I would imagine that a number of agencies could have access on a fair use arrangement?”

“Paul, that is one approach that Captain Smart, as Miss Smart a private individual, could take. I’m given to understand that there is plenty of space above and below ground and a good opportunity to work together.”

Various grunts could be heard in response to Sir Thomas. Tammy was next up.

“At our last meeting it was suggested I could have a Puma, has anyone made any progress? Major Elliot?”

“Hmmm, not yet, but when you have control of the site then I think a fast response capability is valuable, which is something you don’t currently have?”

“Correct, Sir. I’m also looking at obtaining a civilian helicopter early on and I’m taking the necessary courses over the next month.”

Sir Thomas questioned that. “When did you book those courses?”

“A week ago, before I knew much of what I now know, I saw a personal operational need and bought it. The Army and our friends have contributed to my training but this was something I could do by myself for myself.”

“How is your lieutenant doing?”

“She is moving onto fixed wing having passed out on multi engine civilian helicopters. She also has a military licence for the Puma. The idea is that she will be able to operate in a support role.”

Various voices were heard saying “Good.”

“And what happens, Captain Smart, if you don’t get the site?”

“We carry on as before and berth any helos at my family hanger. That isn’t ideal. I asked my office girl last week to search for other suitable properties but without disclosing why. None of those properties would have been suitable for anonymous helicopter operations.”

“So we hope that this project moves one step forward?”

“Yes, Sir, that is my hope. Does this meeting agree that I can proceed? Does Project Spinnaker have a green light?”

There were nods and grunts from all present, except Traeger, who hadn’t previously been a part of this group.

“Captain Smart, you are hereby ordered to keep us informed. A report is needed with your current status and current actions.”

“Yes, Sir.“

The meeting broke up.

Tammy made her way out of the room and followed the Colonel. Traeger was behind them. All three went into the Colonel’s office, Traeger closed the door.

“Geoff, that was your first time in the lion’s den with Tammy. Did you know everyone there?”

“No, I didn’t, and I thought the Captain was quite insolent.”

“I didn’t get that impression, Tammy?”

“There were three civilians present: Heather Young, Sir Thomas and Paul Dannigan.”

“You called him Major?”

“Yes, out of politeness, but he wasn’t there in a military capacity.”

“Isn’t all this talk of a private base rather odd, even strange? If you need helicopters then relocate to the barracks here?”

“I’m a student on a degree course, Commander, and I run a business. I have an arrangement with Broadsword that means I am available when something happens. Between those times I’m getting on with my life and building a good profile. This site would allow me to continue that facility.”

“It still seems too much like a sixties spy movie?”

“I’m thinking of a fitness centre so my wife-to-be can safely train in her late stages of pregnancy and after the birth. I’ll arrange a site visit when I have completed the purchase.”

“Hmmm, this is very odd. It also seems you aren’t available for the Sandhurst course?”

“I’m not, and this is the first time you have mentioned it. I’m currently looking to plan a wedding, and will have to co-ordinate that with Sir Thomas amongst others. So August may be a bad month to schedule anything. I’m back at university from September, there’s a baby due in February and hopefully we’ll be commissioning a new site.”

The Colonel laughed. “Geoff, please stop treating Tammy like one of your soldiers. She isn’t, and has some very good friends – she has worked with everyone who was in that room. They all talk to her, and, yes, she was promised a military helicopter for personal use. That will probably come from the RAF. If you want to fly it then get yourself a licence.”

Tammy’s phone rang, securely.

“Yes, Sir Thomas?”

“Are you now free?”

“Possibly, why?”

“Can you get to AA House?”

“I’m in my two seater, so just about on a full tank, but you specifically told me not to go there?”

“You are needed in person, so ignore that command.”

“Can I be collected at North Weald at three?”

“Of course.”

The line went dead.

“I’ve been summoned.”

“Who is Sir Thomas?” Asked Geoff Traeger.

“Sir Thomas Addington, Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and a fixer, with connections everywhere. He needs to see me in person, so I go. Colonel?”

“Yes, yes, do you have transport to your plane?”

“Unless anyone’s spiked it, yes.”

“Off you go then.”

Note: There are 4 more chapters remaining to be published

Tammy: Flying High Part 8: Forget Me Not Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 8: Forget Me Not

A van was waiting for Tammy when she reached the North Weald security gate, where she was waved straight through.

“Back again, Miss Smart?”

“Yes, another unplanned visit!”

Her driver was one of the security team, there was mutual recognition but Tammy simply sat in the back for the thirty minute ride into Hertfordshire.

They entered through the rear underground carpark so Tammy swiped the security door and allowed herself entry to the lobby where she was met by the housekeeper.

“Nice to see you again Miss Smart.”

“Thank you.”

“I believe you haven’t had any lunch?”

“I hadn’t.” Tammy had no idea how the housekeeper could have known this but saved that thought.

“If you would like to take a seat in the conservatory then I can bring something to you.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you armed today?”

“I’m not.” Tammy had half expected the question so shook her head and made her way to the conservatory.

Sir Thomas was waiting, with another gentleman. Tammy received an odd look.

“Hello, er, Captain Smart, I’m Frederick Hardwick from the Crown Agents, acting on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.”

Tammy had arrived at Catterick that morning in army uniform and didn’t have a change of clothes with her, but had actually forgotten what she was wearing,

“Pleased to meet you. If you don’t mind, some food has been arranged for me as breakfast was a long time ago in Thurso. I’m off duty now, I think.”

Coffee was delivered, alongside a few dainty sandwich wedges and a lump of cake.

“Did you fly yourself, Tammy?”

“Yes, Sir, just my two seater. You are obviously aware of where I have just come from?”

“Indeed. I suggest Mr Hardwick and myself take a walk around the garden whilst you restore your protein needs.”

“Thank you.”

If Tammy had been travelling in the Epic then she might have packed a change of clothes but space on the CzechSport was limited and she hadn’t planned on flying that far south.

A few familiar faces passed her but Tammy was left alone whilst she ate. She quickly sent Maisie a text to explain what had happened.

She headed to the ladies room to refresh herself and found the gents waiting; the Crown Agent now had a briefcase with him. Sir Thomas started walking towards the study, Tammy followed.

“What do you think of the grounds, Mr Hardwick?”

“Quite pleasant, I had no idea this house was a part of the Crown Estate.”

Tammy had doubts that this house was listed as government owned.

They took seats around a coffee table.

“Now, Captain Smart,”

Tammy interrupted. “I’m here as Tammy Smart, private individual, not as a Captain in the Army. My uniform is due to a meeting I had in North Yorkshire this morning.”

“My apologies, Ms Smart. It has been suggested to me that you would be developing the site? I understand you own a property company?”

Tammy looked at Sir Thomas for some help but didn’t get any.

“I need somewhere bigger to live and will have to employ a live-in nanny as my partner is pregnant. The farmhouse is perfect for that. She’s a fitness instructor so I had the idea to build a fitness centre for her at the site, or adapt one of the other buildings. She would be able to continue through her pregnancy and indeed almost immediately afterwards. The same facilities would be made available to the local disability groups as it would be step-free.”

“I see.”

“So far as the former farmyard is concerned, I’m a qualified helicopter pilot and soon to be owner of one helicopter. I already own two aircraft at Wick airport, one of which brought me down here today. I would also imagine using the space for public displays and other events.”

“You wouldn’t be looking to dig up the yard and redevelop it?”

“No, I believe it’s contaminated below the surface?”

“That’s correct, Ms Smart, and our efforts so far to sell it have been thwarted by the contamination.”

“That’s unfortunate, however I have no wish to build on the site but rather to adapt what is there.”

“And use it as a family home?”

“Correct.”

Mr Hardwick reached into his briefcase and retrieved a file. He opened this onto the coffee table and extracted a number of sheets.

“In which case I have been authorised by the Secretary of State to offer you the site known as Vernon Farm for One Pound Sterling. This would include the transfer of any liabilities. Do you accept?”

“I do.”

“Please sign here, and here. Sir Thomas, could you witness here, and here, please?”

Tammy received a sale confirmation and then a copy of the deeds.

“We will notify the Land Registry of Scotland.”

“Thank you.”

They stood and the agent shook Tammy’s hands, before turning to Sir Thomas’ to do the same.

“My driver is outside, I’ll bid you both farewell.”

Sir Thomas suggested Tammy sat down again.

“What just happened, Sir?”

“He thinks he just offloaded a worthless plot of land onto you.”

“But one quid!”

“They couldn’t give it away, that wouldn’t be a contract. You do now need to give that to your solicitor so they can arrange the payment.”

“Indeed. If I had thought about it I would have had my property company buy it, but I gather that may not have been the best idea?”

“Indeed, but if you want to pass all or some of the land onto your property company, for tax purposes, as that is now an option?”

“I think I need to create a company to own and manage the secure site, separate to the farmhouse and possible fitness centre.”

“Nice idea about community involvement, so long as security is maintained?”

“Maisie wanted to use the mezzanine level in the Western barn as a gym, have you seen the plans?”

“Are you talking about the cafeteria and viewing gallery? Yes, I am familiar with the plans. How quickly would you want to move?”

“I will give Mary, the current resident, at least a month to relocate, possibly an additional month employed by myself, but I would like to get planning permission in as soon as possible for the fitness centre with space for a swimming pool. I wouldn’t expect us to move in there before September.”

“I see, so what about developing the facilities?”

“I need to use the remaining good weather to get that building work secure. That doesn’t stop me from dropping a helicopter onto the site but I would like Mary to have gone and for Maisie and myself to have moved into the farmhouse before any choppers arrive.”

“And your helicopter training will take you to the end of July?”

“Correct.”

“Okay Tammy, would you like to see her?”

“Who, Joan?”

“Yes, but it won’t be easy. If you want to accept the risk then she’s in the conservatory right now.”

“And I’m in uniform!”

“So?”

“I was warned to keep away?”

“Circumstances have changed, Tammy.”

“So today was a ruse?”

“Not at all, just a mess of changing priorities and a phone call late yesterday from the Crown Agents, which was firmed up late morning.”

Sir Thomas stood and invited Tammy to do the same. She folded the paperwork into her bag and swung that over her shoulder.

Tammy followed him out of the door but didn’t get very far before a pair of feet could be heard heading towards her.

“Tammy! What did you do?”

“Hi Suzie, keep your voice down or you’ll upset the housekeeper.”

“What happened, yesterday?”

“Not now.”

They had walked over to the conservatory but Joan was stood on the veranda looking towards the lake, Sir Thomas was alongside.

Tammy walked outside to join them, with some trepidation.

“Hi Mum.”

“Oh, hi Tammy, what’s that uniform?”

“It’s Army, I had a meeting earlier today.”

“Oh. This is a nice house, have you been here before?”

“A few times.”

“I don’t know where we are?”

“You’re about half an hour from Stansted.”

“In England? How did I get here?”

“You flew, yesterday, oh.”

Tammy slowly started to realise what was going on.

“Sir Thomas, could I have a word?”

She took him just back through the patio doors.

“Does she have any recollection?”

“No, which is why the medical staff suggested she saw some familiar faces. That’s where you and Suzie came in.”

“Obviously Suzie doesn’t see it that way?”

“No, not yet.”

“Is she in the medical unit or staying in the house?”

“She’s in the house. Are you able to stay tonight?”

“I only have what I’m wearing.”

“I asked Suzanne to bring you some clothes as I guessed you kept a change at the home in Epping?”

“Thanks.”

“One of the medical staff will be keeping an eye on her vitals using a monitor and will attend to her if necessary. She has a clogged valve, by the way, and they can fix that here.”

“So she gets another week here?”

“Not quite as long as a week, but yes, a few more days. Your father will fly down to be with her. Has he been to this house before?”

“No, we have kept our parents away from this environment.”

The housekeeper walked over.

“Your usual room is available Miss Smart.”

“Thank you. Are there ice creams by the lake?”

“There may be, Miss Smart.”

Tammy returned to Sir Thomas.

“Thank you for arranging this, I’m going to take a walk with mum and sis.”

“I’ll bid you a good day, Tammy. You have done good today.”

“But until I write a report, no-one will know that?”

“So true.”

Tammy: Flying High Part 9: Recriminations Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 9: Recriminations
 
When Suzie & Tammy convened in Tammy’s room, they did agree on one matter.

“Mum is clearly confused.”

Tammy let Suzie speak next.

“She’s never done anything like this before, I mean I didn’t think she knew how to book a ticket to fly down here as someone else always does it for her.”

“And then she complains about the time or the plane or the inflight service?”

“And the arrival terminal, Tammy. So this was really out of character, but was it a national security risk?”

“Maybe not, but she gets a session with the shrinks tomorrow. Look, I’m sorry I hit the alarm but what was I to think?”

“Yeah, I want to blame you, but I keep forgetting what you do, what I could only guess you do? We don’t really talk, do we?”

“No, Suzie, but maybe that’s for the best.”

“True, I really don’t want to upset anyone in Personnel Security again.”

“Exactly.”

“Do you think we might be able to arrange tea with a Royal for mum?”

Tammy wanted to suggest that Suzie really wanted that afternoon tea for herself, but Tammy decided not to be cruel.

“You can ask but I really don’t want to upset any more folk.”

“Yeah, fair enough.”

“Look, Suzie, we need to be strong for her. Dad is flying down but won’t be here before tomorrow, that will let me go home and write this all up. I’ll get in trouble however I word it, but so be it.”

“Can you fly them both home?”

“No, I only have my 2 seater here.”

“Oh, you don’t fly that down here very often?”

“I was half way here at Teeside International so I filled her up and flew the rest of the way. I’ll have to stop there or nearby on the way back as there isn’t enough fuel in the tank to do it in one go.”

“I didn’t realise?”

“That’s no different from driving a long distance, you need to know how big your car’s fuel tank is.”

“I don’t drive a long distance.”

Tammy decided to drop the subject.

“I suggest to shower and change for dinner, are you staying?”

“Yes, I hope you like what I brought for you?”

The frock was an LBD so Tammy thanked Suzie and showed her out of the room then headed for her shower after hanging up her uniform.

Dinner was a quiet affair but Dave Brown had joined them as he was another familiar face in the Smart household.

“Who’s house is this?” Joan asked.

Tammy looked at the rest of the table but nodded at Dave so he could answer.

“Mrs Smart, since your daughters won’t answer, I will. This is a Government facility that gives us privacy when we need to discuss sensitive matters. Whatever is said here, stays here.”

Tammy noted the fib.

“Oh, so it’s a meeting place, like a private hotel?”

“Yes, Mum, that’s exactly what it is.”

“Why haven’t I been here before, you and Suzie clearly know your way around?”

“It’s whether you need to be here, Mum. Suzie and I have both needed to be here for meetings in the past.”

“I see. It’s rather nice here.”

“Yes, Mum.”

“Tell me, Dave, what do you do?”

“I’m retired now, I used to be a boring civil servant who either was in meetings or wrote reports most of the time.”

“And you had meetings here?”

“That’s right.”

“Oh, okay.”

Their first course had now arrived so they busied themselves with that.

Joan took herself to bed after dinner but Dave wanted to speak to the girls in the study,

“Tammy, the medical reports are telling me one thing, your own verbal reports have told me something else but my own eyes haven’t been able to confirm either.”

“I hit the panic button when I didn’t need to?”

“Perhaps but I’m not convinced that’s the real issue. Take me back, what the hell has been happening in Thurso of late?”

“It probably started as I flew back from the Caribbean when that coup nearly happened. Suzie, Maisie and I were at the back of Buckingham Palace in the guest quarters.”

“Yes, that was a difficult time, especially when you decided to take pot shots.”

“It was that or she was going to attack me, Dave. You know what happened.”

“Okay, so how did that play out?”

“Myself, Maisie and Lizzie were invited for tea with Her Majesty. Suzie got the hump over that and complained to mum about it.”

“Is that true, Suzie?”

“Yes, Dave. I didn’t see the bigger picture, I didn’t know what those girls had done.”

“And you shouldn’t have expected to know, Suzie, the whole intelligence industry works on the basis of what you need to know, and you are excluded from everything else. That is normal. You don’t have a right to know what Tammy had been doing, and she shouldn’t have told you.”

“Yes, Dave, I understand now.”

“You understand, Suzie, as you attended a private investiture when Tammy was awarded some honours. The Duchess made it clear to you that Tammy’s work was so different from your own.”

“Yes, and if news about the honours leaked they would know it was me?”

“Correct. So what’s been happening recently?”

“I’ve seen Tammy and Maisie a few times and I’ve told mum that I’ve seen them, I didn’t think that was a state secret?”

“Maybe not, but did you stop to consider what would happen if your mum started telling strangers where Tammy and Maisie had been? Joan hasn’t had security training as she shouldn’t need it, but that depended on her daughters not giving her titbits of tattle about what you have all been doing?”

“Yes, I realise that now.”

“Only now, Suzie?”

“Yes, when Tammy asked me not to tell mum about the baby.” Suzie started to sob.

“So you were given a specific request to keep that news to yourself?”

Suzie nodded.

“Have you?”

“Yes.”

“But that’s not a secret?”

“I was asked.”

“So, Suzie, you’ll happily tell your mum about Tammy’s secret stuff but draw the line at a pregnancy, because you were asked?”

“It’s not like that, mum asks me and I don’t always know, so I blame Tammy for not telling me!”

“Ah, so Joan has a go at Tammy because she doesn’t natter and gossip on the phone?”

“Yes.”

“So Joan’s behaviour could be blamed on you?”

“Maybe.”

Dave turned to Tammy. “What do you tell your mum?”

“Almost nothing, but in contrast she tells me nothing about what happens in the school?”

“You left St Andrews three years ago?”

“Yes, Dave.”

“Do you expect to be told what’s happening there?”

“No, and Dad doesn’t say anything either.”

“Either as Chairman of the Board of Governors or as Chairman of Smart Air?”

“No.”

“Do you expect him to tell you anything?”

Tammy shrugged. “He’ll tell me if I need to know.”

“Okay, but you do tell him stuff?”

“I value his opinion, especially in business, banking and aircraft management.”

“So he knows about your helicopters?”

“No.”

Suzie mouthed “helicopters?”

“So, Tammy, what does he know?”

“I asked Jim, the senior engineer at Smart Air about permits for helicopter facilities, He passed that to dad, who asked me directly in a board meeting last week.”

“In an open meeting?”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

“That was a breach?”

“No Dave, because any applications for permits will be public knowledge.”

“It could lead to project cancellation, Tammy?”

“Perhaps, but that would be a waste of all the work that’s been done so far?”

“So have you and your father fallen out over this?”

“No, but I haven’t told him about some,er, training I’m booked to do even though it’s something I’m paying for myself.”

“So you’re restricting information?”

“For now, yes.”

“I take it that Maisie is pregnant?”

“That’s correct.”

“Who knows?”

“Suzie, Dad, Joey in my office, the Colonel, Heather, Maisie’s father and Lizzie. There’s probably a few more beside that.”

“Not your mum?”

“Last Wednesday we flew to Aberdeen to tell Maisie’s dad in person and that evening I invited mum and dad for dinner. Mum decided to rip into me so I didn’t think it was appropriate to tell her about the baby in case she used that information against me, I’m sad to say.”

“Will you tell her now?”

“Now that she’s calm, I might just do that in the morning.”

“Good, before someone else tells her?”

“Yes, Dave?”

“Look, ladies, your family tiffs have spilled over and now some very senior people will be looking closely at you. Tammy, I suggest you lose yourself in the range in the morning and, Suzie, you have a session with Personnel Security.”

“Yes, Dave. Where will mum be?”

“Having a chat with a shrink, after an MRI, Suzie.”

“Okay.”

“So the pair of you will be busy.”

“Dave, when can I go back to work?”

“That, Suzie, depends of my report of our chat, and your chat with John Smith tomorrow?”

“Yes, Dave.”

“Suzie, could you leave Tammy and myself? I’ll remind you that you cannot repeat anything you heard in this room?”

“Yes, Dave.”

They waited for the door to close, Tammy thought she could hear Suzie sobbing again.

“You were pretty hard on her, Dave?”

“I’ve been harder on you.”

“True, but is it too late for Suzie?”

“She has a history of bad choices?”

“I know, and I got her job back for her.”

“You can’t do that again, Tammy, if it came to that.”

“I know. Did you have to mention the helicopters?”

“No, but if your mum suddenly asks about them then we’ll know where it came from?”

“I see. How much do you know?”

“I know the outline of your project and I’m allocated as your security consultant.”

“That’s news to me?”

“As you now own a site, you will need a second opinion who is cleared to know about the site and has resources available!”

“And the Security Service gets access?”

“It’s not like that, but if you want secure comms then it would be advisable to have the right channels open, if you forgive the pun.”

“I’d best stock up with apple tea then?”

“That’s a good idea, Tammy. Now, what courses are you on?”

“Conversion of my military license to civilian for single engine and then multi-engine, including night working. That’s three weeks starting next Monday.”

“You need to get the site surveyed? It’s not great that you’ll be away?”

“True, but I didn’t pick the timing, I had no idea what was going to happen this morning, or yesterday for that matter.”

“How much does your dad know?”

“Only that I asked about permits, absolutely nothing else.”

“He’s intelligent, he’ll realise something is up when you turn up piloting a Puma?”

“Sure, but that’s a while away, if it ever happens?”

“You need to write a report, two reports.”

“I don’t have my laptop here.”

“An A4 pad and pens have been put in your room. Please spend some time in here tomorrow drafting those reports after re-qualifying on the range.”

“Sure.”

“Had you considered building a range at the farm?”

“Er, no?”

“Think about it. You can provide a facility for a few agencies as the only choices are much further South?”

“I’ll think about it. I have other priorities. When can I go back?”

“Let’s see how tomorrow is? You may get a turn with Personnel Security?”

“Great, thanks Dave, as if I didn’t have enough on my plate right now!”

“I suggest you get a good night’s sleep.”

“Yes.”

Tammy walked out of the room but was intercepted by the housekeeper.

“Your range appointment is at nine o’clock and I’ve put swimsuits in your and Miss Small’s rooms. ”

“Thank you.”

Tammy was asleep almost as soon as she reached her bed.

Tammy knocked on Suzie’s door just after seven.

“What?”

“A swim before breakfast! Like the last time we were both here?”

“Oh, yeah, hmmm, gimme five.”

Tammy found one lady already in the pool but didn’t recognise her; a few minutes later Tammy was on her own briefly before Suzie arrived. The pair swam lengths, although Tammy wasn’t keeping count and Suzie looked like she was just going through the motions.

Tammy had kept an eye on the large clock and at half seven was out of the water towelling herself.

“I’ll see you for breakfast just after eight.”

Tammy had the option of a skirt and a simple top today, plus a pair of sandals. Given that it was mid June this really was the start of summer in the South of England, whereas it was still a chilly spring in the Highlands.

Tammy blow dried her hair as much as she could before phoning Maisie to say she was still at the house and had no idea when she would leave. It was still well gone eight when she made it to the dining room for breakfast. Suzie and Dave were there.

“No mum?”

“No”, answered Dave Brown, “She had some medical tests today so won’t be allowed breakfast until they are done.”

“Okay, ta.”

“Your father is leaving mid morning and should be here this afternoon.”

Tammy’s breakfast arrived so she busied herself with that. As she was ready to leave the room the housekeeper arrived.

“Miss Small, you are needed in the library, Miss Smart the nurse would like to see you.”

The nurse was at the far end of the long lawn at the rear of the house in the new medical centre.

Tammy immediately wished she hadn’t had a full breakfast and had, perhaps, kept to her diet plan. It was too late to change anything, but at least she didn’t need to use the running machine for a VO2 test.

“I’d like you back here at eight tomorrow on an empty stomach for blood tests and we’ll check your oxygen.”

Tammy had already guessed that she wouldn’t get home before Thursday.

The nurse was now looking at a PC screen.

“Have you ever had a smear test?”

Tammy hadn’t expected that question.

“Err, no.”

“Fine, I can do one now?”

“I don’t have a cervix, I don’t have a womb.”

“Oh, I’m sorry dear, your medical records didn’t include anything like that. Are you on any medication?”

“HRT.”

“Of course. I’ll update your records, who issues the prescription?”

“My GP, Dr Adelaide Sutherland in Thurso.”

“Ah, yes, found it. I’ve copied the prescription over so we can issue here if you needed any, did you bring a pack with you?”

“No, because I hadn’t expected to travel here yesterday. I thought I would be back at home.”

She printed a slip. “Take this to the pharmacy just along the corridor, they’ll issue a 28 day supply. When you leave, hand the remainder to the housekeeper and we’ll keep the medication for any further unexpected stays.”

“Thank you.”

“Eight in the morning please, Miss Smart.”

“Yes, nurse.”

Tammy barely had time to freshen herself, and swallow her daily pill, before she was due on the range.

“Captain Smart, congratulations on the promotion. It’s only three months since you last tested here but I’d like to take the opportunity to test you whilst you’re here. Sgt Staines tested with you in March, is she here today?”

“No, Sir, she’s in Scotland today.

“Nevertheless …. you didn’t lodge a weapon with me yesterday?”

“I wasn’t armed when I arrived.”

“Never mind, I have a Glock here which I believe we relieved from yourself a year or more ago?”

“You could be correct, do I get a few minutes to get the feel before we test?”

“Of course.”

Tammy pulled ear defenders on then picked up the weapon on offer, noting the scuffs that confirmed this was a weapon she had used possibly two years earlier. She got herself into a comfortable position and bored a hole in the bullseye of the target.

Tammy ejected the spent clip and loaded a fresh one as the range officer changed targets.

“When you’re ready.”

Tammy took her pass slip to her room then collected the writing pad and pen, before heading down to the study. She found Dave Brown in there.

“Suzie has gone to see the nurse.”

“Okay, I guess she’s been writing her report as well?”

“Yes, John Smith is running a little late so I thought we could save some time and get her memories down. She isn’t used to writing reports like this?”

“She’s an analyst so any reports are based upon links between raw data – why as I telling you this? You ran her department!”

“No, I ran the predecessor of her department, and that unit no longer exists due to a security failure after my time.”

“Anyway, I’m not certain she’s had to account for her actions since that fake boyfriend incident?”

“After which she lost her job, Tammy.”

“Yeah. So did you get something usable?”

“I did. I’m not expecting to have to help you, you have plenty of practice at this.”

“Unfortunately, Dave, yes.”

“You have until lunchtime.”

“Okay, can you answer me this? The nurse expects to see me tomorrow morning for a fasting blood test, how long will I be expected to be here?”

“You could leave at any time, but the enquiry wouldn’t be complete.”

“What enquiry?”

“Tammy, is it obvious that you think you know what happens in your corner of Scotland, and what happens within the Smart family – I’ll include Suzie there – but every time a UK agency realises that you, or Suzie, are part of a bigger unit they all try to dig. If you are their target then they learn very little.

“What was needed was a comprehensive look at your whole family, especially if any of them are going to be involved at Vernon farm?”

“Oh, so mother’s incident was just a useful excuse?”

“It was convenient, and there are genuine concerns, but we are all having a time out, without any ongoing operations, where we can build and intel package for the Smart family. That will be valuable in the future.”

“Angela?”

“Yes. You’ll need help with post natal care?”

“Maisie will need help, especially if she’s going back to work sooner than usual. Angela has plenty of experience with babies and infants so I had thought about her if she was available, but I would rather have thought someone else with a full nursing qualification would be needed at the site?”

“For cuts & bruises? Angela is more than qualified to do that.”

“Keep it in the family?”

“Yes, Tammy, the farmhouse is distinct from the secure area so that is a family area.”

“You’re bringing Angela here, Dave?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Will I have to clear everyone who works for me?”

“Yes, unless they’ve been cleared recently elsewhere. Clearing family members for the farmhouse, primarily, will be easier after this week.”

“Who came up with this plan?”

“Me, who else? But ultimately it should also allow Suzie to settle some of those question marks over her own sense of security.”

“And mum?”

“Who knows?”

Tammy: Flying High Part 10: Reunited Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 10: Reunited
 
Tammy had finished one report before lunch and did a second after eating with Suzie and Dave, but there was still no sign of Joan.

Tammy next had a session with John Smith, and hadn’t looked forward to it.

“You look pensive, Miss Smart?”

“I’ve never left meetings like this with the sense that I’ve won, only that I have barely survived, Mr Smith.”

“So it’s a challenge, survival of the fittest?”

“No, more like a battle for mental health, can I satisfy you that I’m not about to betray myself, or anyone else, and that I’m not going to be a liability.”

“That’s heavy thinking, Miss Smart. What do you think I’d doing here?”

“Scaring Suzie was my first thought, how did she do?”

“You could ask her yourself?”

“I did, but she wouldn’t tell me.”

“I think you just answered that question, but what about the next question?”

“Why am I sat here, when I barely have anything to do with the Security Service at the moment?”

“Correct, Miss Smart, so what is the answer to that?”

“Let’s see: I’ve just bought a large property that will employ a substantial number of people and all of them will need to be cleared. I’m guessing that at least one agency will want to use the site for intelligence gathering?”

“Yes, there is a steering group being formed to co-ordinate ways to exploit the site, the Security Service will act as the lead agency.”

“I guess I don’t get a say?”

“Sure, but you have just bought a place that will cost you personally a mint in local authority fees unless you have money coming in to offset the standing costs. I think you’ll find our terms reasonable.”

“And you can be the clearing authority for any civilian employees?”

“Subject to a few exclusions, yes. Remember that the clearing process requires the subject to be open with us, their co-operation is essential if we want to clear them to be able to handle anything close to Secret.

“Very basic clearance really isn’t worth the paperwork in your environment. If, somehow, an employee or helper doesn’t need to be cleared, we’ll say so, but if a potential employee refuses to complete the online security questionnaire then it’s down to yourself to remove them as soon as possible if they are already on site. Please be careful and use us, it’s a two way street Miss Smart.”

“Even Maisie’s gym?”

“Especially Maisie’s gym. Can I suggest you find another army PT instructor if you need backup for Maisie?”

“Sure.”

“And keep your wedding low key please.”

“How do you ….? Yes, Sir.”

“Excellent. I’d like a report on your current living arrangement and your future arrangements, plus numbers and types of staff that you may have to employ? That gives me an idea of how big the task will be.”

“Yes.”

“Miss Smart, work with me please, I can help you, I can help you protect your assets, protect this country’s assets, but I can only help if you supply me with the information I need.”

“It sounds like I’ll need an administrator?”

“Correct, and I may be able to help you.”

“Okay?”

“We have staff members leave us all the time because they have to move, because of family and so on. Where we can we find them other roles but that isn’t always suitable. When you are ready, send me an email.”

He handed over a card.

“Thank you, Sir.”

“You’re welcome, Tammy. Oh, and you passed your security review.”

Tammy smiled for the first time that session. “Great, two passes today!”

“Two?”

“I renewed my range certificate.”

“I’d like a copy.”

“I’ll email it to you.”

“Thank you. We will need a security survey of the site done?”

“I’ll get the purchase doc to my solicitor and let him process the sale, so let’s say four weeks from now?”

“That sounds reasonable.”

They shook and Tammy walked back into the lobby of the house.

“Tammy!”

Maisie ran up for a hug. “I’ve missed you!”

Richard Smart walked up to her. “Is this the house you’ve mentioned a few times?”
Tammy sensed someone else was close, and blushed. “Yes, Dad.”
“Mr Smart, could I have a word with you? My name is John Smith and I look after security matters here. I promise we won’t be long as I need time to speak to Miss Staines as well.”

Richard shrugged and followed the MI5 man into the study.

Maisie watched Richard walk away. “Why does this John Smith need me, Tammy?”

“He wants to make sure there aren’t any problems brewing, that’s all. I’ve just finished my interview and it was okay.”

“Interview?”

“Well, it was really just a conversation. Let’s have a coffee?”

“Sure.”

Cake was delivered with coffee.

“I was asked to bring your laptop with me, plus clothes for a few days. The housekeeper took them away, I suppose they’ve been taken to my room?”

Tammy sighed. “That will be our room now, I guess I have some more reports to submit? There’s no peace for the wicked, Maisie.”

“Why are we here, again?”

“Because of me, I guess. Joan is also here somewhere but I haven’t seen her since last night.”

“Oh, Angela was also with us, but she’s disappeared. She wasn’t a good colour when we got off the plane.”

“Okay, Maisie, she’ll find us later. Did you speak to Angela on the plane?”

“No, I sat up front and she kept to herself. Jim flew us down here in the Epic.”

“I see, who told you you were needed?”

“Sir Thomas. He said something about a deal had been done? What did he mean, Tammy?”

“I’ve bought the farm, the whole site.”

“Wow! Hey, can you, can WE, afford it?”

“Firstly, yes, and secondly, Maisie, please keep this news to yourself.”

“How much was it?”

“Cheaper than I thought … don’t worry.”

Suzie now arrived and flopped into a chair.

“That was tough.”

“Where were you?”

“I had a medical but I need to go back tomorrow.”

“After skipping breakfast?”

“Yeah.”

“Same with me. Maisie, I suggest you also skip breakfast and join us in the nurse’s room tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“So you don’t have to go back there in the morning. I guess you’ll be given a pass on the VO2 test?”

”Maybe, but I can still push myself hard at the moment.”

Suzie looked worried. “VO2 test?”

“It’s a measure of how much oxygen your body needs, don’t worry. Anyway, I don’t think the medical will have taken all afternoon?”

“I got a session with someone else, a shrink, over at the medical building.”

“Oh, how was it?”

“I don’t know, she was asking loads of questions about when I was younger, why I left home, my relationships … that sort of thing. John Smith had warned me that would take place.”

“So not difficult?”

“Not really, I get another session tomorrow, apparently. What day is it?”

“Wednesday.”

“What is it about this house? I seem to lose track of time.”

“Yes, Suzie.”

“What’s Maisie doing here?”

“She arrived with Dad and Angela.”

“Oh, I thought I saw Angela in the medical unit?”

Suzie had opted for tea and this arrived a few minutes later, alongside another coffee. Richard walked over to claim the caffeine.

“Maisie, you’re next.”

John Smith was waiting for her so Maisie gave Tammy a kiss before slowly walking across towards the MI5 senior officer.

Angela now appeared on the patio, looking lost, until she saw the group.

“Feeling better?”

“Err, yes thanks. I forgot to take my iron tablets this morning. They got a few for me.”

“Have you been told why you needed to be here?”

“Only that everyone else was coming here, oh and that nice man Mr Brown suggested I could do with a change of scenery for a few days. The weather is certainly better down here!”

“It is. What course are you doing?”

“Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare. I have another three month module to do starting in September.”

“So what are you doing right now?”

“Nothing, I just finished a six week module in a children’s home.”

“Would you like to do an advanced first aid course whilst you’re off?”

“Would I get a certificate?”

“Yes, definitely.”

“So, Tammy, why should I do it?”

“Maisie is pregnant and we might need a crèche.”

“Oh. When is she due?”

“Not until February but we will need a first aider as well, a chief first aider.”

“Where?”

Richard was listening intently.

“Yesterday I signed the purchase order for a large site just outside Thurso, a former farm. I could end up with a number of employees or visitors there so will need, by law, first aiders. I know Maisie can do it but I need someone who is reliable to take charge of that.”

“Then why do you need me?”

“We’ll probably need to run a crèche regularly, you will be qualified to do that?”

“Manage a crèche? Yes, you know I can do that. So it’s children and adults acting like children when they cut themselves?”

“Yep, you got it. Plus phlebotomy so you can run the drug and alcohol screening.”

“Is this paid?”

“Absolutely, with a pension scheme – that’s where Dad comes in!”

“When do I start?”

“Not before you finish your course, and Maisie can cope with minor medical issues until December.”

“Where is this place?”

“Behind Tesco.”

“Could I get there on my scooter?”

“Yes, but what about learning to drive a car?”

“I can’t afford to.”

“What if I paid you a retainer to give us advice and that covered driving lessons?”

“Really?”

“Yes, Angela.”

“I was really worried I wouldn’t get a placement after my course, or that I would have to move away? It’s not easy for some of us women, Tammy.”

“Sorry, I haven’t been there when you needed help, when you had your surgery. I was in this house when you were in the operating theatre and I couldn’t get out.”

“You’ve been here before?”

“Plenty of times.”

“She has her own room here, Angela.”

Tammy stared at Suzie for a moment before laughing. “It’s true, most of the time.”

Richard wanted to ask questions but a nurse arrived and he disappeared across the lawn with her.

“What’s going on, Tammy?”

“Mum had an MRI earlier, beyond that I don’t know. If I knew I would tell you, Suzie, both of you.”

It was another fifteen minutes before Maisie returned.

“All okay?”

“Yeah, he’s a good man.”

Suzie snorted. “Maybe.”

Angela was confused. “Who are you talking about?”

“Angela Smart? I’m John Smith. Could you come with me please?”

Tammy nodded. “You’re quite safe, Angela.”

Suzie laughed. “Safety is a relative term, Tammy!”

It was gone five thirty so there was still plenty of time before dinner.

“Maisie? Come with me, please?”

“Where to, Tammy?”

“The armoury. Suzie, want to join us?”

“I’m a liability, remember?”

“Things change.”

“Not that, Tammy, not that.”

Tammy was aiming to book Maisie a testing session but the range officer had the time to test Maisie there and then, using the same Glock Tammy had tested with.

She scored good enough for a pass.

“Miss Staines, I would like to see you again soon but please practice.”

“We don’t have a range within 100 miles.”

“I see, perhaps you can build one?”

“Tammy?”

“I’ll add it to the list, Maisie, under fitness centre and nursery.”

The range officer made a suggestion.

“If you are going to build somewhere new, build the range into the basement. Put it on the drawings as a wine cellar.”

“Thank you. Maisie, let’s get changed for dinner, did you bring a dress?”

“Yes, of course, this isn’t my first time here.”

Dinner was a little delayed so the family reconvened in the Conservatory. Suzie was freshened and in a dress whilst Angela hadn’t yet changed. Richard was looking tired.

“What’s up? Mum?”

“She had an MRI this morning and it found a cyst pressing on a bundle of nerves at the back of her skull. That’s the main cause of her irritability recently. They also confirmed there’s a narrowing of the arteries supplying the heart.”

“Oh, can they operate here?”

“They have already operated to remove the cyst with keyhole surgery and a laser. That should remove the stress on the nerves. She’s in recovery now and needs to spend a few days in the unit to ensure there’s no complications.”

“That takes us to Friday, or Saturday probably. What about her heart?”

“She’s being given a referral to The Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.”

“So she can come home with us?”

“Yes, the medical team don’t want her to fly by herself.”

“Where’s the Epic, Dad?”

“At North Weald. Jim had the spare keys for your CzechSport so took that back. I have the keys for the Epic. Now, tell me again what you are thinking of doing with this site you have bought?”

Tammy loosely explained about the site, ignoring the subterranean facilities but adding the fitness suite.

“Would a swimming pool be useful, Maisie?”

“Yes, but I really just need a large plunge pool that can be warmed up like a hot tub for muscle therapy.”

“Oh, not a standard 25 metre pool?”

“Maybe a 3 lane 25 metre pool but I would still need a separate pool for therapy.”

“I suppose we could do scuba diving training in that pool?”

“Sure, Tammy.”

Richard was getting confused. “Those are sound business ideas but I thought the idea was about helicopters?”

“Yes, but the whole site has to pay for itself somehow.”

“Oh, so you won’t be earning money from the helicopters?”

“Dad, it was established several months ago by various people that I needed a fast response vehicle. The suggestion then was that I was provided with a helicopter for exactly that purpose.”

Tammy paused, but there were no questions.

“I work with some very strange, you could say deranged, people and the only objection to the helicopter plan was that I had nowhere to keep it. Please don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that I could use Wick Airport and Smart Air but not at three in the morning on a Sunday. This plan would put me in the air fifteen minutes from a call, and that might be the difference between life and death.”

“You don’t have a helicopter licence?” Offered Angela.

“I do, but it’s a military licence so I can’t currently fly any normal commercial helicopters.”

“So,” said Richard, “you would be supplied with a military aircraft?”

“Yes, a Puma probably. But I’m booked on a commercial course at Aberdeen airport starting Monday – oh. I guess I should see if I can change it?”

“Drop them an email, Tammy. How long is the course?”

“Three weeks as I already have a military helicopter licence and a multi-engine PPL with bells and whistles.”

“What about site occupancy?”

“Not before the month is out and maybe even a month later. My solicitor doesn’t know about this yet but now I have my laptop I can sort that, What I will need it to get the foundations of the fitness suite down by September. That means a survey and architects next week.”

“Oh, That’s two months to get plans approved?”

“Yes. Or we don’t build until the spring.”

“I understand, Tammy. Look, you have my full support when we get back.”

There was a call for dinner and Angela suddenly realised she was under-dressed.

Thursday morning, 21st June, found four girls heading for the health centre before breakfast. Tammy and Maisie were in army green PT sets whilst Angela and Suzie were in leggings and long sleeved tops.

“Okay for two of you it’s the full set and for Tammy and Suzie it’s just the bloods and the VO2.”

Another nurse arrived to take Maisie and Angela to a separate station.

Bloods were done in a couple of minutes and the nurse moved them to a pair of running machines. Suzie didn’t look happy.

“What’s this for?”

“To test your oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output. Tammy, I guess you’ve done this before?”

“As has my partner, she’s an army PT instructor.”

“Thank you, we won’t be gentle.”

“She’s pregnant.”

“Oh. Your partner?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, no cervix?”

“Yes, I’m transgender but the babe is mine.”

Suzie decided against keeping quiet.

“And Angela used to be my little brother until he was tempted over to the dark side? Eh sis?”

“So, Suzie, of the quartet are you the only one who isn’t pregnant and isn’t transgender?”

“Yeah, but I chose not to be pregnant, you don’t choose to be transgender, do you Tammy?”

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me today, Suzie.”

“I’ll deny it later! Let the torture begin!”

Tammy was done first as Suzie stayed for a smear test, against her initial objections. The nurse gave both of them a HPV jab and promised that all four of them would get the same.

“If the test results show anything up then we’ll come and find you, otherwise consider yourselves free of here.”

“We’d like to see mum.”
“Oh, Joan Smart?”

“Yes, she’s our mum, and Angela’s.”

“Come with me.”

The observation ward was one floor up, Richard was already there.

“Morning girls. Mum’s asleep.”

“No, I’m not!”

“How do you feel mum?” Asked Suzie.

“I don’t know, they have me on a mild painkiller apparently, but I’m calmer than I was a few days ago!”

Tammy held off asking anything and suggested to Suzie they withdrew.

“We can come back later.”

“Yeah. Breakfast.”

Maisie and Angela joined them in the breakfast room about ten minutes later, and Maisie had survived much better than Angela.

“Who told them I was pregnant, Tammy?”

“Oops, guilty as charged.”

“If it had mattered I would have told them myself.”

“Yes, Maisie.”

Dave Brown arrived but onto served himself a coffee.

“Not having breakfast, Dave?”

“I did that before I left home. I might stay tonight though.”

“Okay, what do we all have today?”

“I need Maisie to draft a report and I need you to type up the ones you did yesterday, ready for distribution. Angela and Suzie, you both get turns with a counsellor and then you are getting gun safety 101.”

“I don’t need that!” Tammy couldn’t work out which of them had said it.

“Sorry girls, you need to be safe. Let’s put it simply, Suzie you need to get over your issue before you cause an incident. Angela, if you are working with Tammy and Maisie then you will probably see a firearm and you need to know whether you should be concerned and what to do. It’s common sense that might prevent an incident, or worse.”

Tammy was a little confused, Suzie knew Tammy had used a weapon but didn’t know she had one at home, whilst Angela probably knew nothing about weapons.

“The range officer will see you now, Maisie could you show the girls where to go?”

“Sure.”

“Tammy, you’re with me.”

They settled into comfortable chairs.

Tammy had an idea. “Burgess?”

“Correct, Tammy.”

“He was here, but obviously isn’t. Last I know, I talked to Heather about going to the High Court for a reverse Habeas Corpus application – if that exists?”

“Nearly correct, Tammy. Our shrinks determined he was psychotic but his lawyers were applying to get a second opinion. We applied to the High Court for a Protection Order to prevent any harm to him. He was moved to HMP Broadmoor for further investigation.”

“So he’s done, out of the game?”

“For now. His lawyers have gone to the Court of Appeal unsuccessfully as another mental health assessment has now been completed. They are considering an application to the Supreme Court or the Privy Council.”

“I can’t see the Queen or the Prime Minister agree to hear that application in the Privy Council?”

“Correct, and the Supreme Court hasn’t yet received an application. So, for now, things are settling regarding Burgess.”

“I sense a But?”

“Indeed, his lawyers are searching around how Burgess came to be here and only have that he was admitted by private ambulance following a request from the military.”

“The Colonel?”

“Yes. So the lawyers are searching for a military vehicle or aircraft that may have delivered him. You weren’t a military flight?”

“No, but I had spoken to Military Air Traffic Control to get clearance directly across the country. I signed off from them about fifty miles out and was a fully civilian flight inbound to North Weald.”

“So, unless they gain access to a complex high security system, your involvement may be kept out of sight?”

“That’s my hope, Dave.”

“Now, I’d like to talk about that family conversation that you had last night in the conservatory?”

“When I told them all about the plan.”

“Yes, very well done, but now you need to build that fitness centre.”

“I know, and the range officer wants Maisie to have access to a firing range, so that needs to be included.”

“You will have to pay for those works, they are outside of the secure area.”

“Yes, and those facilities, those businesses will form my cover, our cover.”

“Correct, but I hope you won’t promote the range as a business?”

“Why not, police from the islands can fly to me for their practice and certification? I won’t open that to the public though.”

“Indeed, but hydrotherapy does seem to be a good idea.”

“Yes, Dave, but as you say I will need to fund it.”

“Tammy, I guess you’re aware of the steering group that is running Spinnaker?”

“Yes, I was told yesterday that the Security Service is the lead agency. I guess Sir Thomas is in the chair?”

“He is. They were expecting to need to advance you the purchase fee but Sir Thomas managed to bypass the usual channels.”

“That was sweet, Dave, I never expected it would be that simple?”

“Quite, so how about a gift of £250,000 to establish the cover businesses and staff training. That includes Angela’s first aid and maybe a few more courses?”

“Very generous. I’ll probably sell the house and shop we currently have but that money will pay for improvements elsewhere.”

“Why not move Smart Properties up there?”

“Isn’t Joey better where she is?”

“No, and don’t leave her on the outside. Can you build an office and apartment next to the farmhouse and have Joey be the premises manager as well as your PA maybe?”

“That will take time. I was going to take the upper floor of the reception building as my private office. She could have a desk on the ground floor?”

“That would work, just find somewhere for her to stay, to live?”

“I think she’ll stay exactly where she is, but I’ll ask.”

“Joey will need to come here for induction. Can she get the sleeper tonight?”

“I’ll ask, Dave.”

“Now, you will need an office sub-accountant and administrator for the secure site.”

“And you just happen to have a name for me?”

“No, because I haven’t asked the lady if she fancies coming out of retirement.”

“Fair enough.”

“Okay, this is how it’s going to be, you aren’t leaving here before Monday, so scrub those helo courses.”

“I sent the email last night.”

“Good. Angela and Suzie have some issues to explore but you will take both with you on Monday.”

“What about Suzie’s job?”

“She’s being put on sick leave and that will be managed by John Smith.”

“Is there something here that I’m not aware of?”

“No, in fact you have given us the clues and the shrinks, plus John, are establishing the facts. Both of the girls will be upset later, please don’t dig.”

“They only have two things in common, their mum Joan and their dead dad, George Small. Oh, Suzie left when she was sixteen? I was told all this nearly four years ago. She didn’t get on with her father, Oh, oh, oh, damn.”

Tammy started to cry. “I never knew.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions, Tammy, because that’s exactly what you’re doing right now.”

“Okay, but never-ending sick leave? How the hell is that justified?”

“She isn’t very effective at her job, she’s become a security risk and this morning, in the medical unit, outed her sister.” Something is causing that and the current belief is that it’s medical related. Hence sick leave whilst this is resolved.”

“Okay, that justifies Suzie’s interrogations and one way trip to Thurso, but what about Angela?”

“Same story, a different viewpoint. Joan will also be interviewed.”

“What about me?”

“That’s this afternoon.”

“I never knew Suzie well before 2015 but she wouldn’t tell me much. She was suspicious of me and Angela knew even less.”

“That’s the sort of detail your inquisitor will ask.”

“Great. Will I have to out myself?”

“Sorry, Tammy, but your transition and that of Tim Small who became Angela are relevant.”

“I kept a diary back then, I might have it on my laptop.”

“That would be incredibly valuable.”

“So who will my inquisitor be, Dave?”

“Me. We start after lunch.”

Tammy’s call to Joey happened at a bad time.

“I’m soaked, I need to go home to change.”

“What were you doing, Joey?”

“Checking that shop near the bakery, the painters have been in there and that work needed to be signed off before I paid them. I walked and got hit by a squall.”

“Okay, but I need you in London. Can you get the sleeper down to Euston?”

“What?”

“Joey, I’m in this lovely house ….”

“The one my mum went to? When she had her trouble earlier this year?”

“That’s the one.”

“Okay, what time do I need to be at the station?”

“It’s four-ish. I’ll book your ticket and send it to you. We’ll arrange for you to be collected at Euston.”

“Thanks, I don’t know the Tubes. What’s this all for?”

Tammy decided to bite the bullet.

“To clear you to maybe work with me on other stuff.”

“Wow, sure, can I have some spending money and overtime?”

“Yes Joey, I’ll send that now. Pack for 4 nights and include a few dresses for dinner.”

“I don’t wear dresses.”

“Make an exception!”

“I’ll buy one now if you send me a little extra?”

“I’ll ask Sarah to send me the bill directly. Go down to see her.”

Sarah had been Tammy’s first employer when she was still at school, her boutique was underneath Tammy’s Smart Properties office, where Joey was based.

Her reports now beckoned.

Tammy managed to gather the clan shortly before one.

Suzie was seemingly trying to come to terms with what was going on, Tammy wasn’t yet certain how much the girl knew of her probably future.

Suzie’s voice suddenly went up a notch.

“Why are we all here? What’s this all in aid of? What’s Dave Brown’s involvement? I only know him as my former unit manager? I thought he’s retired? How comes he keeps turning up?”

“He’s also an old boy of St Andrews School.”

“That bloody school! It’s a boys club, Tammy, and you’re in it!”

Tammy tried to ignore the comment but Richard wasn’t prepared to do that.

“Suzie, that’s out of order!”

“You, you, you don’t know what my father did and he was a teacher there. They’re all guilty, all of them!”

Tammy spotted one of the counsellors and tried to attract their attention.

“Yeah, they knew what was going on but my baby brother was pretending to be innocent? He was, he is a part of the problem!”

Angela decided to get up and leave, Tammy grabbed her hand and asked gently if she would stay.

“That’s it, ganging up on me! That’s what old BOYS do!”

The counsellor now moved in and asked Suzie to go with her. Suzie stayed where she was, refusing to get up.

“Why? I’m fine! It’s these people who ruined my life!”

Tammy could see Richard’s temper rising, a rare event.

“Dad, can it! Everyone, let’s head for lunch.”

Suzie was pre-occupied and only noticed she had been left when she lifted her head.

“Bitch!”

Two of the house security now arrived to assist the counsellor, Suzie finally rose so she could be escorted away. Tammy had watched for as long as she could, as had Richard.

“What’s her problem, Tammy?”

“Dad, it’s not personal, despite how it sounded, not against us in any case.”

“What’s really happening with her?”

“She’s having a breakdown, and it’s been a long time coming unfortunately. I thought she was flying back with us on Monday but I’m not so sure at the moment.”

“Oh. Do you think Angela will cope?”

“That’s the second or third insult Suzie’s hurled at her sister, that will hurt Angela. We need help.”

“Help? Who?”

“The spirit of Elsie, we need to channel Elsie.”

“Through Cathy?”

“Yes, but not here, we need to get out of this place if it’s the last thing we do.”

“Can we do anything for Suzie?”

“Not now, but you need to be there for Joan as she’s the other part of that problem. The people here aren’t animals, not in any sense but they have a job to do and Suzie’s recovery isn’t certain right now.”

“Is Angela involved?”

“I doubt it, she would have had her blinkers up, but the shrinks will test her, regardless.”

“How long has this been planned?” He swept a hand in the direction of the lobby area.

“Probably for the past year but someone was afraid to make the arrangements to get us all here. Mum’s sudden dash across the country was the trigger. You and Angela came here because of her. Maisie came here because of me.”

“Oh, are you clean?”

“Yes, completely. Joey will be on her way later today.”

“She’s not family?”

“No, but she needs to be cleared for working with me at the new site – which she doesn’t know about.”

“How did you persuade her to make the trip?”

“Money and clothes, plus her mum was here in March and would have told her how nice this place is.”

“It certainly puts me at ease.”

“Dad, this building was once used to debrief spies and defectors.”

“Oh, hence the guards? They were armed.”

“I know. I used their firing range yesterday, in fact I was told to use their firing range, Maisie got a go last night. Suzie and Angela should have been given a gun safety course this morning. It’s a useful facility.”

“What?”

“I’ll ask if you can have one?”

“No thanks, Tammy, I’ll cope with ignorance. You’re not armed, are you?”

Tammy spun in her miniskirt and vest. “Nope.”

“Okay, I believe you, lunch?”

“Sure.”

Tammy: Flying High Part 11: All Points North & South Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 11: All Points North & South
 
Tammy found herself quickly writing another report but this time the subject was Suzie’s recent behaviour. She took this into her scheduled meeting with Dave Brown.

“I guess you were expecting Suzie to break?”

“Not me, Tammy, I’m not a psychoanalyst, just an analyst who does a few things on the side.”

“But?”

“Okay, yes, the medical staff guessed that it wouldn’t take many more triggers to expose her issues. She’s been good at covering them up, hiding if you prefer, but Suzie is just one step from accepting that she needs help.”

“That counsellor was waiting deliberate;y, wasn’t she?”

“Correct, you should know how this house works.”

“So, is she flying back with me on Monday?”

“That depends on far too many factors, but in short she is currently a risk to herself and to others.”

“As pilot I would have to make a judgement and say she can’t fly.”

“So, there’s your answer.”

“Yes, Dave.”

“Did you speak to Joey?”

“Yes, can she be picked up at Euston in the morning off the Highland Sleeper?”

“Do you have her ticket details?”

Tammy found the info in her phone and wrote it for Dave.

“Excellent.”

“Tell me Dave, has Joan been interviewed yet?”

“Reference?”

“The Small family dynamics at the time George and Joan moved to Thurso, when Suzie left home and the first time you met Tim. In fact that seems like a good starting point for our chat. Do you have your diary?”

Tammy produced a memory stick and smiled.

“Yes, I know there are banned. Check your emails, it’s there.”

“Thank you, now hide that USB device before security destroy it!”

For Tammy, going back to when she was fifteen seemed like an age ago. She recalled a Mr Small, history teacher, joining the school but Tim, now Angela, hadn’t been in any of the same classes until they reached the sixth form. Even then Tim wasn’t seen outside of classes and never willingly participated in class.

“I’m not sure how much of this is relevant, Dave?”

“Believe me, it is.”

“Then how is this helping Suzie?”

“Indirectly it is.”

“You want to know if Joan’s a victim?”

“There is that, Tammy”

“I worked with Sarah, remember? Joan would come into the shop with barely enough money for one item. If the shop was busy she would have to leave empty handed or George would be banging on the window. We rarely saw her because of that.”

“Oh.”

“I’m not certain Tim knew any of this, he didn’t come into town on a Saturday so wouldn’t have seen them. In fact he might have outed me without realising it, that was typical Tim, and Angela still does it.”

“Open mouth before engaging brain?”

“Yes, it’s a rare event but it does happen.”

“Were you frightened of George?”

“As a teacher, yes, as Joan’s husband and Tim’s father, very.”

“Did you know about Suzie?”

“No, not until everything started to happen, just before Christmas 2014. I was simply told that she hadn’t moved with the family and was in school in England. I didn’t see anything complicated there, as a school kid you don’t.”

“Even at 18? That’s how old you were then.”

“Yes, Dave. You know what that school is like, you are shielded from the outside world, It really doesn’t give you any experiences to help you in real life, outside school. That’s why I was so grateful for the job with Sarah.”

“That was one reason for working there? The ability to be Tammy there on Saturdays when you were Tom for the rest of the week?”

Tammy cringed when she heard that name.

“Sorry Dave, I can’t really talk about myself back there except in abstract.”

“So, when did you first meet Suzie?”

“Just before George’s funeral.”

“How was she?”

“She wasn’t sure about me and definitely wasn’t sure about Angela, but was describing this new job she had, which was working in your unit.”

“She didn’t join my unit directly, she had training and induction, but yes. I debriefed her after the funeral so she described you nicely.”

“I know, she was a really good analyst and really observant. When we went to Scilly in the summer of 2015 she was fun.”

“Remember that Tammy, Suzie will be back eventually.”

The next few days passed without sight of Suzie although Joan did now re-appear in the conservatory for a few hours daily.

Joey had arrived on Friday morning and Tammy had been allowed to brief her before she sat down with Dave Brown, who she had previously met. After lunch Joey was interviewed by John Smith and in the evening she completed a long questionnaire on a PC in the study.

Saturday was apparently a free day, plus the weather was warm, so Tammy took the gaggle of girls down to the small hut by the late to raid the ice cream freezer.

“Hey, Tammy, why hadn’t you told us this was here?”

“Maybe I didn’t want to find the freezer empty when I did finally get down here?”

“That wouldn’t happen!”

“It has and it would! I was first here three years ago and I’ve been here many times since then but for some reason I don’t get to enjoy ice creams very often.”

“That’s because they are incompatible with your diet, Tammy.”

“Thank you for reminding me, Maisie.”

“Hey, when’s the wedding?”

“Thanks Joey, we don ‘t know.”

“Tammy, we were supposed to be at Cathy’s for a BBQ today?”

“Yes, Angela, but no-one could have predicted what’s been happening?”

“Yeah, but?”

“Look, it’s been put back to next Saturday. We’ll be home Monday afternoon, you didn’t have any social plans? Did you?”

Maisie jabbed Tammy with her elbow. “That was mean!”

“Sorry, Angela.”

Sunday was another round of interviews with everyone and Tammy got the idea that every one of the vetting and counselling staff had been comparing notes the day before, which was why they hadn’t been seen.

None of the probing that Tammy encountered was hard but she did recall some more details for her inquisitor. Joey got a session on the range and Maisie re-took her test, scoring better.

Sunday evening everyone of the Small, Smart and extended clan made it into dinner, with no-one else joining them. Richard made a toast.

“When each of us arrived here, we had no idea what we would be doing, where we would be going and what the future held. In many respects we still don’t know, but maybe we now have a better idea of how our pasts and our weaknesses impact us. From here on in it’s just one day at a time. Here’s to us, all of us.”

Joan looked tired and Suzie was subdued, the overall mood of the dinner was hard to pin down but there were no jokes and very little small talk.

They gathered on Monday morning, 25th June, readying to join a minibus that was currently outside the main door to the house. Tammy couldn’t recall having gone through that door previously.

By request, Tammy and Maisie left a few items of clothing at the house in case of further unexpected visits.

Dave Brown had five minutes with everyone before they joined the bus, Tammy was last.

“That’s been an intense few days, Tammy.”

“Quite, I am still surprised that Suzie is going back with us.”

“The medical staff reckon that if she can make her peace with her mum and Angela then she’ll get back to herself.”

“You wouldn’t send her back to Thurso without a plan?”

“True. Alison and Andrea McPherson have already travelled up, one of them will be available to Suzie or the rest of you.”

“I don’t think Suzie knows them?”

“True, but Joan and Angela do, as do you and your father. The ladies are both trained in mental health and will report back to the centre here.”

“On what basis?”

“We’ve employed them as our outreach medical team. You are their first case.”

“But they’re family.”

“Not by blood or marriage, Tammy, there’s no conflict of interest.”

“Semantics, Dave.”

“I know, but it ticks all the boxes. You had best get going. The catering team have provided some food for the flight.”

Tammy landed safely at Wick Airport at two that afternoon and cars belonging to Richard, Maisie and Tammy welcomed their drivers, with Maisie taking Joey. Tammy took her time making certain the post-flight was completed, including her log book.

She reported to Jim.

“Thanks for bringing the Sport back.”

“No problem, it gave me some fixed wing hours.”

Back home Tammy decided to say nothing but she decided to contact the Colonel.

“Sir, We’re back home. I’ll supply you a report in due course.”

“Understood and yes, I will appreciate a report.”

Maisie had arrived behind Tammy.

“Angela phoned, something about Alison & Andrea being here?”

“They are almost my cousins, they’re nurses. They looked after me a few years ago when I went down with a nasty bug.”

“Okay, anyway, Cathy rang and asked if we would like to pop over there Thursday for lunch?”

“Sure, what about Mary?”

“Re-arranged for Wednesday.”

Tammy next phoned her solicitor Jeremiah Smith.

“Ah, thank you for calling Miss Smart, we have had contact back from the Crown Agents, what name should go on the books for this?”

“I think Smart Properties should own the site for now, but I need to create a new company for the bulk of the site, then sell some of it back to me personally.”

“I see, to manage the tax?”

“Indeed, and liabilities.”

“Of course. When can you drop in to sign the documents?”

“Tomorrow morning?”

“Certainly, Miss Smart. Tomorrow, shall we say ten o’clock?”

Her father then rang,

“The twins have just collected Suzie and taken her back to Cathy’s. Suzie seemed to know about it, did you?”

“I was told the ladies would be here, but not much beyond that, Dad,”

“Okay. Be careful Tammy.”

“Yes, Dad.”

The next few days had Tammy and Maisie catching up with paperwork and appointments. Tammy saw Jeremiah and next made it to the office where Joey was sat.

“That was a neat house, I told mum I’d now been there.”

“Just be careful what you say to people.”

“Yeah, Mr Smith said that, is that his real name?”

“It’s the name I’ve known for three years.”

“Oh, but you left school three years ago?”

“Yes.”

“So you were involved with them whilst still at school?”

“Yes, Joey.”

“I’ve been told I’m okay to help you at the new place.”

“I was told the same. That permission can be withdrawn at very short notice.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the dress by the way.”

“You looked good.”

“I felt good, although I only wore it to dinner on Sunday. I’ll wear it again when the time is right. You know I was never girly.”

“Yes, Joey, and I have a good idea why. I can promise you that you’re safe.”

“Safe? Like when a Scorpion appears in the street?”

“Hey, the pilot is a friend, if I ever see him again.”

“So, will you close this office?”

“I really don’t know. I will need an office at the new site as we’ll probably sell the house, but nothing has been arranged yet. There’s a job for you regardless.”

“Thanks.”

Tammy made her way to Dr Adi as she was just about out of HRT.

“There’s a note that you were seen last week and a prescription was issued?”

“Yes, but I left that supply there. I ended up in London very suddenly and had nothing with me, no clothes, no make-up and no pills. I managed to get around the clothes problem but there was an on-site nurse’s station and pharmacy so they issued enough for me to take whilst there and are keeping the remainder for my next random trip there.”

“Where’s there?”

“Just outside of London. I was in Yorkshire when I was told to head South with zero notice! Again!”

“Okay, seeing as it was just a single 28 day supply, I’ll give you a fresh three month supply now.”

Mary had heard from her employers about the sale.

“That was very quick?”

“I know, I was surprised myself, but the agent wanted to meet me in person so we signed on the spot.”

“I had thought I would get a warning?”

“Look, Mary, my solicitor is handling this so I’m assuming that the place isn’t mine yet, but you can have a month, even two if you need it.”

“Won’t you be moving in?”

“Not yet, but I might be pulling down the barn next to the carpark and putting up Maisie’s fitness centre there as soon as I can get planning permission. If the nuclear folk stop paying you then I’ll employ you under the same terms.”

“They’ve just given me a months notice, that was last Friday.”

“Okay, so how about I pay you from the middle of July to the end of August, or until you have everything ready to move South?”

“Sounds reasonable.”

“There will be a London based survey team arriving at some point, as well as local surveyors for the new building.”

“I can handle them.”

“One of the survey team drinks apple tea.”

“Ah, if I buy some then it won’t go to waste?”

“Of course not, but give me the receipt and I’ll refund it.”

Tammy debated mentioning the subterranean spaces but decided against that – Mary didn’t need to know.

The next afternoon Tammy and Maisie arrived at the home of the Clan McPherson.

Cathy met them in her mum’s favourite small lounge.

“Now, Maisie, firstly congratulations but you never knew Elsie? This was her house.”

“No but Tammy has mentioned her a few times.”

“Okay, there are two things at work here, maybe three? I am not my mother’s replacement as no-one could ever do that but everything we do here is achieved once we consider what would Elsie have done.”

“I see.”

“Tammy, do you still work like that?”

“Was it obvious? Yes, absolutely.”

“Good, because I get the feeling you want my help. Please don’t think I’m going to insist on the best way forward as I can’t be correct all the time. I hope that, with Elsie’s help, we can find a suitable solution. Now, what is the issue?”

“Our wedding, Cathy.”

“Thank you Maisie. Now, what do you need from me?”

Tammy took over. “We would like to hold the wedding here, before the summer is out, before we need to move home and before Maisie is too big!”

She earned that slap on her bum.

“Okay, holding a wedding here isn’t new, the last one was your parents, Tammy. So far that’s not complicated. What’s this about moving?”

“We have bought a former farm site on the far side of town. There’s no fields or actual agriculture there. The farmhouse will be our home and our businesses will also be there.”

“So you want to spend time getting your new home ready?”

“Yes, which is why we definitely won’t be flying out to a beach wedding.”

“Don’t give me ideas, Tammy!”

“Will you help us?”

“Of course I will, and I’ll have plenty of help. Right now my brother Michael is spending weekends here, my daughters Florence and Daisy are on their summer breaks, Suzie is having some time here, away from things whilst Alison and Andrea are making sure Suzie has support, If you don’t mind, none of them are free right now.”

“Of course, Cathy, we were told that A&A would be here for Suzie, and mum I guess?”

“Correct. That family needs healing but this will involve the whole McPherson clan, not just the Smalls, not just the Smarts. We face these issues together.”

“Indeed, Cathy, because I would hate to think of the alternatives.”

“Yes, Tammy, but wedding planning is a great diversion. Suzie will participate if she feels up to it.”

“That’s all we can ask.”

It was over six weeks later and their wedding was a week away. Tammy had just passed her re-arranged helicopter training and was at home scanning the documents ready for filing and to send them on. She also had copies of Lizzie’s new licences.

Tammy went to the lock box at the bottom of her wardrobe to store the documents, finding a sealed envelope there.

Four years earlier Tammy had attended the funeral of her only aunt, Bella Sonatina, after knowing her for only a few months. Bella’s solicitor, Frances Jones, had sent the envelope to Tammy six months earlier but Tammy wasn’t ready to open it then.

With some trepidation she slit it open. A separate envelope fell out, along with a handwritten note.

Dear Tammy,
 
If my dear solicitor has done her job well then five years will have passed and you have transitioned. It is important that this is your legal name.
 

If the five years isn’t up, never fear, as something unpredictable has happened. Right now the time doesn’t matter.
 

Firstly, I did have a will and my solicitor promised me that she would have made the charitable donations that I designated. So far as the will is concerned, that was that.
 

Before I passed I sold or donated all my earthly possessions but monies from those sales didn’t come to myself. My solicitor will have taken her fee and placed the majority of the rest in an account bearing your name.
 

There should be a deposit book for that account in the sealed envelope. You will need to produce current ID to access the funds.
 

Why am I doing this? I have no children and just about everyone in the family shunned me when I transitioned thirty years ago. You made an effort despite the prejudice and maybe I helped you make your own leap, possibly into a slightly kinder world than I found myself?
 

Frances should have one more letter for you, when you confirm that you have acted on this one.
 

Bella.

Tammy unsealed the latest envelope and took out the bank deposit book, opened when Tammy was still seventeen.

The deposit was £985,000

Tammy had no current idea of her own personal fortune at that point but knew she already had well over four million pounds in stocks, shares and properties. This money alone would almost make her a cash millionaire.

The bank was in London and that would necessitate an overnight stay, possibly two.

She was having trouble deciding how to handle the tax on it, and that would mean disclosing it to her father for his advice. Tammy had no wish to invoke jealousy in the family but her father was equally well off.

Her mobile rang, she put the bank book down.

“Hi Suzie, how are you?”

“I got the all clear, Tammy.”

“When are you back?”

“I’m off sick leave now but I’ve opted to take two weeks holiday so I can stay for the wedding and not have to rush back to London.”

“That’s great news.”

“Tammy, I’m really sorry for what I said.”

“Suzie, I forgave you, there’s just one person you can’t forgive.”

“I know, and he’s dead, good riddance.”

“Suzie, I wouldn’t normally speak ill of those who have passed, but, yeah.”

Tammy ended the call as she heard Maisie bounding up the stairs.

“Oh, you’re back?”

“Yes, oh, your scan?”

“Yes, but what’s that?” Maisie pointed at the bank book, Tammy handed it over.

“Just under a million, Tammy? What, how?”

“It’s a legacy from an aunt I barely knew. Anyway, what’s the result, is our baby okay?”

Maisie handed over an ultrasound scan print.

“Er, two?”

“Yes, Tammy, it’s twins but I think we can now afford them a little easier!”

Tammy will return!