“He did, did he. Well, my dear I do know what to do, but first I need to find out where that U-boat is. I don’t suppose for one minute that Nathan mentioned the place where he’d dived that morning, did he?” LJ tried to make the question sound as casual as he could.
“I’m afraid that he wouldn’t tell me where he’d been that morning. But if I know Pops, it would have been somewhere off the northern coast and more than likely in a place where it was very dangerous.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because he’s still an adrenaline junky. Surely you remember what he was like when he was in the Navy? Always trying something new, and that would usually involve extreme height or speed. Well since taking up diving he’s forever searching for deeper and more interesting cave formations. Jersey’s northern coastline is ideal for this, but it is also the most fearsome of places, because of the rocks just below the surface of the water, and the severe tidal movements.”
There was a moment of silence while LJ pondered on what had just been revealed. “You are positive that Nathan never referred to a particular place or area?”
“Absolutely positive. Pop said that it was better if I didn’t know where the submarine was. Just in case I accidentally let it slip in front of someone.”
“Unfortunate that, Annabelle. It’s a real shame that Nathan didn’t confide in you of all people. Only it really would have been extremely useful to know the location. But there you are, never mind.” LJ paused briefly before saying, “However, that doesn’t stop you from making an educated guess, though, does it?”
“What? I’ve really no idea, except that it would more than likely be somewhere between Ronez and Greve De Lecq. That is a stretch of the coast that Pops had been visiting for some months. He’s been using some sort of equipment on board the Nautical Lady that maps out the seabed or something like that. But I have to tell you that it’s also one of the most inhospitable coastal areas that we have in Jersey. But I’m only guessing.”
“Why this stretch of coastline? What makes it so special?”
“Jersey has many interesting dive sites that the tourists are taken to see and this is because they are in fairly safe waters, and are easy to get out to. Obviously there are plenty of wrecks that have been discovered over the years. But this U-boat is a bit weird. How is it possible, that no one has ever found this cave before?”
“You mean that this place could be somewhere that nobody ever dives in, the professionals included, I suppose?”
“I’d say that was just about it. But I’m not a diver, so what would I know?”
“You may not be a diver, Annabelle, but you do know your coastline.”
“The man you should talk to is Rob Chapman, he’s lived in Jersey all of his life. If anybody would know, he would.”
LJ, wrote the name into his notepad. “And what does Mr Chapman do?”
“Rob Chapman, is an archaeologist, but also takes dive charters in his spare time to earn extra income. Poor soul, lost his wife and daughter in a car crash a little while back, the diving keeps him busy you see.”
“Archaeologist, how interesting.” LJ said absent mindedly to a corner of the room.
“Yes, it was Rob who taught Pops to dive, and also got him hooked on the archaeology thing. I believe that he’s currently working on the war tunnels project at the German Underground Hospital in St Lawrence. He persuaded Pops to sign up and join the team who are attempting to map out a number of deep tunnels that apparently go on for miles under the island and which have remained sealed up since the end of the last war.”
“And what role does this Chapman fellow play in the project?”
“Assistant project co-ordinator. Why?”
“Oh, no reason, just curious.” LJ said, standing up.
“Well, I’d say that we’ve covered just about as much as we can, my dear. You’ve been most helpful, and now I’ve got a number of telephone calls to make, before my day is over. If you like, I’ll get Roberts to take you back to the hospital.”
“If it’s all the same with you, I’d rather like to take a walk by the river.”
“Of course, blow the cobwebs out, what. But I’ll still have someone go with you.” LJ saw the alarm on Annabelle’s face at this suggestion. “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll tell them to stay out of sight. It’s only for your own protection. Your father would never forgive me if anything happened to you.”
“LJ, Thank you, you are sweet.” Annabelle stood up and kissed the special projects director on the cheek, making him flush with embarrassment. “But, I really will be fine,” she said over her shoulder as she left.
Half and hour later, he was having a strong black coffee, and smoking a cigar when Vince Sharp lumbered into his office. “I was bloody well right you know? Whoever planted those three bugs in your apartment was a clever bastard. Also the phone in your study is unsafe.” He said triumphantly.
“Why is it unsafe?” LJ asked, looking at the slim cigar that he was rolling between his forefinger and thumb.
“Because the line there is being intercepted and before you ask. It’s definitely not by anyone we know.”
“So,” LJ said stabbing the butt of his cigar into the glass ashtray on his desk. “A dark pit opens.”
“I figure it’s like this boss. Nathan Cunningham knew about the briefcase and its contents because he was the one who discovered it. You knew because he told you, and his daughter knew only the bare facts because that’s all he told her. The only other people to know anything about the U-boat or the contents of that briefcase, apart from myself that is, are Sir Lucius Stagg and Lord Asquith. Oh, and of course the Partners of Ferran & Cardini.” He paused.
“So what exactly are you saying Vince?”
“That someone is leaking information, boss.”
LJ sighed, got up, and started to pace around the office. “Um, well that may be the case, Vince. But, the question is who and to what end?”
“Well whoever it is, needs to be found and bloody quick. I mean, with all this cloak and dagger stuff going on. I’d say, that whoever they are, they’re well organised, and very well funded. But they definitely don’t know where that U-boat is, and that’s why your apartment has been bugged.”
“You could be right, Vince, this whole mystery is taking on a totally new dimension.”
“Do you think we should inform MI5, boss?”
“No, I think it would be better not to involve them at this stage. After all what is there to tell, we don’t even know where this dammed German submarine is.” LJ’s telephone came alive on his desk. He answered it after the second ring, attentively listened to the voice at the other end of the line, and a moment later gently replaced the handset back on its cradle. “That was the police. They found the body of old Mrs Marsden, early this morning.”
“Mrs Marsden?” Vince asked quizzically.
“The woman across the road from my apartment. She was the one who informed the police of my visitors yesterday. Apparently she’s been dead since late last evening. They’ve taken her off to the morgue for an autopsy. They said they’d call if anything irregular shows up, but it looks like she had a heart attack. Poor old soul.”
“But you don’t think so, do you boss?”
“I’m not sure. She was quite old, and these things do happen, I suppose. But one thing, I’m very sure of though. Is that we’ll have to send someone down to Jersey to find out where that U-boat is.”