Curse of Thieves: Another Major Vince Hamilton Investigation Read online

  CURSE

  OF

  THIEVES

  By Patrick Slaney

  A Vince Hamilton Investigation

  Registered with the IP Rights Office Copyright Registration Service

  Ref: 3495573838

  Chapter 1

  Would I ever learn my lesson and be more selective in the cases I accepted from clients. My clothes were soaked through. I was struggling for my life, having just been thrown over the stern of a large motor yacht. This vessel had been stolen and was presently situated on a slipway in a boatyard close to the port of Sete in the South of France. Luckily I had landed in shallow water and had missed colliding with anything solid in my fall from the boat, so I was still mobile. I was still extremely shaken and now fearful that the people I had been spying on would come and finish me off.

  Desperation was all the motivating force I needed to seek deeper water and move away from the danger area. Weighed down by my sodden clothes I swam, as quietly as I was able, around the water end of the fencing to the neighbouring boatyard. I left the water via another slipway. I was hopeful that this boatyard would have an exit that would take me to the road. I stumbled my way from the water's edge towards the dark outline of some buildings, all the time looking for a way out.

  I found a gate set into the high fence that surrounded the boatyard, but, as it was the middle of the night, the gate was firmly padlocked shut. I looked around to see if there were any gaps in the fence, but without any success. It appeared that my only way out was via the water. I retraced my steps back to the slipway, took off my outer clothes, and rolled them up, so as I could carry them. I re-entered the waters of the Etang to make my escape.

  The predicament I found myself in had resulted from my accepting a second role as a private investigator. Seriously injured in Iraq, I had been forced to resign, in 2006, from my job as a Major in the SAS. On my way back to the UK from Iraq, where I had been saying goodbye to all my colleagues, I had been seated beside a director of a Diamond dealership and he had suggested that I work for his company as a private investigator. He had an urgent problem that needed resolving. He wanted me to discover how stolen diamonds were being smuggled onto the London market and being sold at ridiculously low prices. His family business, which had traded in diamonds for over a century, was in danger of going broke due to the price attack. I was interviewed by the company and was agreeably surprised when I obtained my first job as an investigator.

  I had done such a fantastic job in cracking the case that Sir Montgomery Fortiscue, the Chairman of the company had recommended me to a golfing friend of his called Freddie Shuttleworth. He in turn had contracted me to find the culprit or gang that had stolen his luxury motor yacht from Cannes.

  When the diamond smuggling operation had been cracked, and the case brought to a satisfactory conclusion, I had a final meeting with Sir Montgomery, and it was at this meeting that he had mentioned that his friend wanted to talk to me.

  It had taken me about a month to tidy up the loose ends of the diamond smuggling case and to take my wife Daphne and my two children, Michael and Victoria, on holiday to the seaside in Devon. It was the middle of August before I managed to arrange a meeting with Sir Montgomery and Freddie Shuttleworth.

  During the course of the Fortiscue job, I used to rendezvous with Sir Montgomery in the Sherlock Holmes hotel, in Baker Street. It was to this same venue that he suggested that I came to be introduced to Freddie Shuttleworth.

  A meeting was arranged for Monday 20th. August 2007 at 5.00pm. I was slightly late due to the delays on the London Underground system that I encountered in my journey from my home in Putney, West London. When I entered the hotel, I found Sir Montgomery seated in his usual place in a corner at the far end of the reception area. Seated beside him was a heavily built man in an expensive looking dark blue suit. I would say, on my initial assessment of him that he was in his early sixties, but he looked remarkably fit and tanned. I assumed that this was the friend that I was due to meet.

  As I approached they both stood up. Sir Montgomery was a tall slender distinguished looking man in his seventies with angular features and well-preserved silvery hair. Freddie Shuttleworth was taller than Sir Montgomery and of a much bigger build. His eyes scanned me up and down as he assessed me.

  'Good evening Vince. Thank you for coming to meet us here, especially as you had to travel through the rush hour,' Sir Montgomery said as he shook my hand. 'May I introduce you to an extremely good friend of mine, Freddie Shuttleworth?'

  'Nice to meet you Sir,' I said, shaking his hand. 'I am sorry that I am a bit late.'

  'First thing Vince, please don't call me Sir. I am not the 'Sir' type. Just call me Freddie.'

  'I'll probably have trouble with that at first, but I am sure I will get used to it,' I replied.

  'Would you like a beer Vince? We are a beer ahead of you as I wanted to meet Freddie before you arrived so as I could fill him in on your background. We have been here since 4.00pm,' Sir Montgomery added.

  'From what my friend here has explained Vince; you sound just the guy to help me locate my boat. It also appears that you were involved with a number of boats in the investigation you conducted for him.'

  'Yes; it turned out that the main mode of transportation for the diamonds when they came from South Africa to London was by ocean going yacht. A large yacht, manned by a professional crew, took the illegal cargo from Cape Town to France. They then travelled overland to Holland where a motor cruiser brought them from Rotterdam to London.'

  'Sorry to interrupt you both, but there is no need for me to stay any longer. I will leave you to it,' Sir Montgomery interjected.

  'Thank you for arranging the meeting. I am extremely grateful for your help,' Freddie said as he got up and shook Sir Montgomery's hand.

  'I appreciate you mentioning my name Sir and making the introduction,' I added.

  Sir Montgomery left us to it. We both sat down again, this time facing each other.

  'Would you like to start by telling me a bit about yourself? Obviously Sir Montgomery has told me what you did for him, which, by the way, was particularly impressive, but I don't know any of your background,' Freddie asked, leaning forward towards me.

  'Well, I was a career soldier from the time I left school, starting off by attending Sandhurst. I had risen to the rank of Major before I was seriously injured in 2005 in Iraq. I was unfortunate to be too close to an IED when it went off. I spent a long time in hospital, but the doctors did a fantastic job, and I made a remarkable recovery. I am now fully mobile except for a slight limp. About the only problem I have is running a 100-meter race.'

  'How did you end up working for Fortiscues Diamond Merchants?'

  'I was on a flight back from the Middle East to London and was sitting beside Harold Fortiscue, Sir Montgomery's son. We got talking, and, in a throwaway comment, I mentioned to him that I was thinking of becoming a Private Investigator. He contacted me a few weeks later and asked me to come and meet his father. After that meeting, I was offered the task of finding out how diamonds were being sold at ridiculously low prices on the London diamond market.'

  'Vince, Sir Montgomery mentioned that his son Harold turned out to be involved in the gang smuggling the diamonds. That must have been quite an embarrassment.'

  'Yes, Harold was heavily involved. He had run up large gambling debts, hadn’t been able to pay them off, and had been forced by the criminals to work for them in return for having his debts cancelled.'

  'That must have been a difficult situation for you as he was the one who originally introduced you to his
father.'

  'It created an extremely difficult situation. I found out later that the reason he suggested me to his father was that he was convinced that I would fail. He reckoned that an injured army major would make a lousy investigator, and he wouldn't be found out.'

  'What family have you got and where do you live Vince?'

  'I live in Putney and have done for a number of years. I have a wife named Daphne and two children, Michael, who is twelve and Victoria, who is nine.'

  'Do they mind you being away a lot of the time? Your role as an investigator must mean you have to do a lot of travelling?'

  'Once the kids reached school going age I decided to set up a home for them that they would live in no matter where my postings took me, so they are used to my absences. My wife is an unusually independent woman, and she keeps herself busy at a part-time job in a small boutique, in Putney High Street.'

  'Sounds as if you have everything under control and are particularly suitable for what I need.'

  'I must say that I am dying to get involved in another case as I thoroughly enjoyed working for Sir Montgomery, despite the danger and risk associated with the role. What does the job you are considering me for entail? I asked.

  'It has nothing to do with my business but involves my pride and joy, my Leopard 24 Motor yacht which I bought new in 2005 and moored on the Cote D’Azur. Unfortunately, it was stolen from its mooring in Port Canto harbour, Cannes, about six weeks' ago. To date, there has been no news of its whereabouts. It has vanished into thin air. It is almost like there is a Curse on me for being successful and having enough money to spoil myself.'

  'I am sure that is not the case. I assume that the theft has been reported to the French police?'

  'Yes. In fact, they have a specialised marine division that spend all their time investigating thefts such as this.'

  'How do you think that I can help if the resources of the French police haven't solved the case?'

  'In talking to some of the other owners in Cannes, there is a general consensus that the boat has not remained in France. We all reckon that it has been moved to some other country which, of course, is outside the jurisdiction of the French Police. As an undercover agent, you won't be limited by the restrictions that they have to abide by and will be able to go to other countries if that is what is required.'

  'That makes sense, and if it has vanished, it is highly likely that the thieves have moved the stolen vessel across international borders. It is also exceedingly easy to move a large boat as they can travel to any country that borders on the Mediterranean.'

  'So, will you agree to work for us and try and find out what is going on?' Freddie asked.

  'How do you mean us? I thought that it was your boat that had been stolen.'

  'I forgot to mention that another motor yacht was stolen about three weeks after mine. It has also vanished into thin air. Both boats were taken from Cannes, so some of the local owners have formed an association to try and deal with the threat.'

  'What is the estimated value of each of these boats,' I asked, amazed that it was not just an isolated incident.

  'Each of the boats stolen has a value in excess of $1 million, so you can see why I am terribly upset.'

  'Is the boat not insured?'

  'Yes, it is insured, but the Insurance Company is claiming that I was negligent in allowing it to be stolen, and, at the moment, they don't look as if they are going to pay out.'

  'How can they claim that you were negligent?'

  'The crew member who lives on board left it unlocked when he went to bed, so whoever it was who stole the boat was able to gain access without forcing entry.'

  'What happened to the crew member when they were stealing the yacht?'

  'He was put to sleep with chloroform and then put ashore on Ile Sainte Marguerite, which is an island just off Cannes.'

  'Did he see in which direction they went after they dumped him?'

  'No, he was out for the count, and he didn't come around until much later in the night. He feels a bit of an idiot and is very apologetic for leaving the boat open. I am just thankful that nothing happened to him.'

  'What's his name and is there a possibility of talking to him?'

  'His name is Dillon Seaton, and he is an American from Baltimore in the States. He is currently working on another of the boats based in Cannes so you will be able to talk to him when you go there. Will you be willing to take on the job?'

  'I prefer to leave my decision until I have visited Cannes and had a look around. If I feel that I can’t help you, I will tell you after my trip. Are you aware of the fees I charge?'

  'Sir Montgomery told me that you charge £400 per day plus expenses at cost. May I assume that is what you would charge me and the Cannes owners group?'

  'That sounds about right; so can we arrange a visit to Cannes?

  'Today is Monday, so I suggest that I organize the group of owners in Cannes to meet you next Sunday the 26th. We can make a plan at that meeting and get your decision.'

  'That sounds perfect. Do you mind if I bring a Dutch friend of mine along who helped me on Sir Montgomery's case? He has a much greater knowledge of boats than me. I would like to have him involved. There would be no need to pay him, but I would like to reimburse him for his expenses.'

  'That sounds an excellent idea. Are you sure that you can trust him?'

  'He was heavily involved in helping me to solve the diamond smuggling operation, and I would trust him with my life.'

  'One important fact that I should make you aware of is that the owners' group are a gathering of extremely wealthy individuals. They will provide whatever money is required to solve the problem of finding the culprits and protecting their interests. I should also emphasise that they do expect extremely fast results.'

  'I obviously can't promise anything at this stage, but I can give you a better idea of the chances of success after I have visited Cannes.'

  'If you give me your telephone number and email address I will contact you in the next few days and give you a venue and time for the meeting next Sunday.'

  'Thank you. For my part, I will contact Willem van Grimbergen, my Dutch friend, and we will arrange to travel to Cannes on Friday and have a good look around. We will then be in a position to make a positive contribution at the meeting with the owners on Sunday.'

  Freddie Shuttleworth stood up and offered his hand.

  'Thank you very much Vince for coming to see me and I look forward to meeting you again next Sunday.'

  He shook my hand, and I left to return by the tube to Putney.

  Arriving home, I broke the news to my family that I was about to start work on my next case which would require more travel. I didn't get the reaction that I expected as they were delighted that I would be out of the house, and they would be able to get on with their lives, less their Dad.

  Chapter 2

  Tuesday morning I was up nice and early, energised by the thought of my new job chasing down a stolen boat and searching for the thieves. After a vigorous workout at the gym, I needed to get back in shape quickly, I phoned Willem in Rotterdam.

  'Good morning Vince,' a cheery voice with a strong Dutch accent replied. 'I didn't think that I would hear from you again. What's up?'

  'I talked to a possible new client yesterday evening, and I would appreciate your help?'

  'What does your client want you to investigate for them?

  'He spent over a million dollars on a new Motor Yacht last year, and it was stolen from its berth in Cannes three months ago. He's tired of waiting for the French police to recover it for him and wants me to see if I can locate it.'

  'Where do I come into all this Vince?'

  'I have to go to Cannes to have a look at the scene of the crime next weekend, and I would appreciate it if you could come with me. The amount I know about boats could be written on the back of a postage stamp.'

  'Sounds like an enjoyable excursion Vince. Will they pay my flights and hotel?'

&n
bsp; 'Yes, they will cover all your expenses, but, unfortunately, they won't pay for your time.'

  'Sounds good Vince, when are you planning on going there?'

  'There is a meeting with the owner's group on Sunday, so I reckon if we plan to get there on Friday evening we can have a look around and be ready to put some proposals to them at the meeting on Sunday. What do you think?'

  'I should be able to take a day off on Friday and also on Monday so you can go ahead and book flights for me.'

  'Thanks Willem; I look forward to spending the weekend with you. I have never been to Cannes, but I hear that it is a delightful spot.'

  'Me neither Vince, I am looking forward to it.'

  'I'll email you details of the flights, etc.'

  'Thanks Vince. Talk to you later.'

  Having finished with Willem I walked to the travel agent. I probably could have booked the flights online, but in the army I had people to do all that type of thing for me and I wasn't into all those new-fangled methods. I found it a lot easier to use the expertise of a travel agent.

  The nearest airport to Cannes was Nice, but booking suitable flights proved a bit of a nightmare. There was a direct flight from Amsterdam to Nice at 2.20pm on the Friday so Willem could get there easily enough. I could only go through Paris Charles de Gaulle or fly to Amsterdam and catch the same flight as Willem. I decided on the latter approach. On the return trip, we would both have to fly through Paris.

  I sent an email to Willem letting him know that we would be flying together from Amsterdam to Nice on Friday at 14.20 hours and that I would be arriving in Amsterdam at 13.05 hours. The Nice flight would arrive at 16.25 hours, and we could then take the Cannes Express Bus or a taxi to our hotel in Cannes. On the return trip, we would take the 13.35 hours flight from Nice to Paris where we would connect with our respective flights to London and Amsterdam. Since the Cannes owners group were paying I booked us into Le Martinez Hotel on the Croisette or seafront. This hotel was a top of the range hotel and should meet our needs.