‘I’ll come straight to the point,’ he began. A small edge of nervousness sounded in his voice which was so uncharacteristic of him. ‘I’m trading on an old friendship but I think you might be interested in a new dimension. I’ve no intention of outlining the whole scenario in one single broadside. It’s far too big for that. So please bear with me and hear me out.’
I stared at him in a bemused way wondering why he was stumbling so badly over the issue, shrugging my shoulders disconsolately without replying.
‘When we first met,’ he continued, ‘I took you to be a sharp energetic individual with a sense of adventure. Someone totally bored with the mundane events of modern life. A person with a great deal of potential lost in a giant organisation here. Apart from anything else, you realise that they don’t appreciate you or your talent.
‘Quite an assessment of character in just a few games of tennis, some drinks in the bar and dinner on a couple of occasions.’
‘I admit we were only in contact with each other for a very short time,’ he responded, ‘but my opinion has been confirmed over the past few months.’
‘What do you mean?’ I demanded sharply, seeking an urgent explanation.
‘You’ve been under surveillance during that period,’ he confessed unashamed.
Suddenly it became possible to cut the atmosphere in the office with a knife. My eyes narrowed and I stared at him fiercely ‘Would you run that past me again!’
‘You’ve been under surveillance for the last two months,’ he repeated, ignoring my reaction.
‘What right have you to do that?’ I countered furiously, feeling a surge of anger coursing through my body., ‘And for what reason?’
‘Calm yourself, my friend,’ he continued amiably, hoping to take the sting out of the revelation. We have something to offer each other. It will benefit you as much as it will us.’
‘Us!’ I countered. ‘Who the hell is us? You mentioned the 21st Century Crusaders in the art gallery. Is that who you are? A group of people hell-bent in bringing some cause to the attention of the government or the public, dragging all and sundry in its wake in order to secure some kind of political advantage? Or are you some terrorist group looking for new recruits?’
He took a matchstick from his jacket pocket and began to chew on the end of it. ‘I’ll come to all that shortly But first I want to gain your confidence… and your support.’
I shook my head in disbelief. ‘You must be out of your mind, Primar!’ I advanced angrily. ‘You march in here with a cock-and-bull story to tell me I’ve been under surveillance and then you seek my confidence and support. What planet are you on? I think I want you out of this office immediately!’ To tell you the truth, I don’t even know you!’
He stared at me with a bland expression on his face but he did not move. It seemed that he was waiting for the moment to pass in the hope that my attitude would soften… but it failed to do so. Ultimately, it was his turn to shrug and he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket to produce a buff envelope which he tossed on to the desk in front of me. I opened it slowly removing a number of photographs which showed myself an Penny Smith in flagrante delicto. It was almost as though we had posed to be filmed in a series of sexual acts from different angles. I dwelt on the possibility that my secretary had been bribed to make me a vulnerable target for blackmail. However, the actions in the photographs were too realistic, too perfect, to be coincidental. In any case, there was no reason for her to do so. What could she have hoped to accomplish?
‘Okay, Primar, you’ve got me over a barrel. You could tell my wife but it won’t get you anywhere.,’ I challenged icily, maintaining my temper on an even keel as I pretended to be indifferent to any demands. ‘What do you want?’
‘This is only a small part of it, Jason,’ he went on. ‘We are about to report a shortfall in the accounts due to you and Miss Smith stealing some of the money.’
My hair almost stood on end at the new revelation. ‘What are you talking about?’ I spluttered.
‘These photographs only show that you were having an affair. We needed something more positive to ensure that you join us.’
‘And so you’ve intimated that Miss Smith and I are in cahoots and that we stole money from the company’s accounts. Is that what you’re saying? Well they’ll never believe you. They check the accounts first to find out they’re in perfect order.’
‘That’s just it,’ stated Primar. ‘The money has already been removed.’
‘How could you do that?’
‘As I said, this thing is too big to explain in one shot. You’ll have to trust me.’
‘After what you say you’ve done to incriminate me?’
‘Even more so. I want you to join us, Jason, to go on the adventure of your life,’ he invited, looking smug now that he felt he had the upper hand. ‘Join us in a quest which has so much adventure and excitement you couldn’t possibly dream about it.’
‘Except that you won’t tell me anything about it!’ I snapped. ‘And if you don’t, I’m never going to know!’ I was beginning to tire at the ham-fisted way he had made his approach.
However, Primar was nothing if not clever. He knew it was unnecessary for him to rush his fences and he remained silent for a moment to allow the cogs in the wheels of my mind to fall into place. The sound of another brass band could be heard floating on the breeze and a roar went up from the people lining the pavements. I moved out of my chair towards the window to watch one of the open ornate horse-drawn carriages being pulled steadily at a slow trot along the main highway. It’s occupants looked radiant in their finery smiling and waving amiably to the cheering crowds as they passed along, almost at the end of their journey to the Cathedral.
In view of the evidence which had just been presented to me by my visitor, and the revelation that funds from the company’s treasury was missing with the finger pointing at me, my mind was in a turmoil and I was unable to appreciate the scene in its full splendour. But it was a tremendous sight with the sun streaming across the roof-tops of the high-rise office blocks to pave the way for the procession with a warm golden path adding to the colour and character of the occasion.
‘I want you to fly with me to Israel to meet my Commander.’ His voice broke the silence and took my attention away from the window.
‘Your Commander?’
‘He wants to tell you all about it himself.’
I stared at the photographs which lay idly on the desk with chagrin, realising I had little alternative but to do what he asked. It was a case of direct blackmail and I was the target. What could I do with the threat of arrest as soon as the company directors discovered a shortfall in the funds?
‘When do you want me to go?
‘We have two hours. A little more if necessary. A private plane is waiting at Stansted Airport right now.’
‘Two hours!’ I gasped. ‘You must be joking! I’m already committed for this evening. What the hell is this all about?’
‘We’ll talk about it on the way,’ he advised. ‘Far better to discuss it in private… away from the prying eyes of other people. Walls have ears you know.’
I returned to my chair and sat down. ‘If you think a handful of embarrassing photographs and a veiled threat that I stole company money is enough for me to throw up my job and fly to some distant place at a moment’s notice you’re wrong. You’d better think again.’
‘There’s more!’
I paused for a moment to think what else he might have established to press me into service. What else could he have construed to damage my reputation, my career, or my life? ‘More… what more is there to know?’