By selling their own house and the two houses left to them, Paddy and Gerry were able to buy the freehold of the business and still have over £150,000 in cash available and in the bank. Gerry could then retire. His pension was convenient to tide them over as they began to build the business up.
They are now in the process of spending £40,000 refurbishing the premises to look more modern, but they are still keeping it open so as not to lose goodwill and customers. After a lot of thought, they decided the sensible thing would be to retain the name that has built its reputation; the Milton Motel.
Gerry Payne, in his new career, loves using his detective skills on his hotel guests. He pretty much knows which couples are married, and which ones booking in as Mr and Mrs are married, but not to each other. When he serves in the lounge bar he knows which couples are meeting up because they are in love and which couples are here to not be seen by people who might know them. It keeps him amused as he and his wife build up the business.
The motel offers twelve rooms at between fifty-five and seventy pounds a night and most nights their occupancy rate is between fifty-five and seventy-five per cent. They have a large function room ideal for weddings or a business conference room. Gerry and Paddy both think the motel could also include a restaurant in the future.
Over the past few months since taking over the business, Gerry has noticed the four men who meet up in the coffee bar lounge every two weeks. What first came to his mind is the times they meet seems to vary rather than always being the same day and time. This, he knows, is a trait of those who don’t want to be followed or noticed by other people.
On one occasion he had been at the rear of the hotel discussing extending the living quarters with a potential builder when he had seen two of these men exchange something from the boot area of their cars which were parked closely together. But the main thing which makes him suspicious is the fact all four men are sitting drinking their coffees and when one of them spills hot black coffee on himself, he lets out a few words in Russian. His partner laughs and says something in the same language.
Gerry’s many years of experience in various situations tell him this has all the markings of a drugs exchange. This, and the fact he is pretty certain he recognises a face he last saw a couple of years after joining the drug squad.
Dave Rex.
Gerry decides he will have a word with one of his former colleagues and see what can be arranged. However, he is clear that any arrests should be done away from the motel to preserve its good reputation.
Gerry Payne calls his old boss and explains what he suspects is going on. He gives him the car registration numbers and descriptions of the men.
The last time they came in he had managed to secretly take photos of them and he promises to forward copies via email.
Gerry knows from the pattern he has observed over several of their meetings they always take place between eleven am and two pm and usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday. This would mean the next meet is likely to be either Tuesday eighteenth or Wednesday nineteenth.
His old boss informs him that they will put a female police officer into the motel to work undercover as a waitress and there will be a dozen plain-clothed officers in six cars. Two cars will follow the Russians, two will follow Dave and two will follow his associate.
The police helicopter, if available, might also be called in if as they suspect the Russians will be returning to London. The plan is to follow both Dave’s car and that of his associate and see where they go. Maybe they’ll discover where he stashes the drugs and then arrest him and see if they can find further evidence to use in court.
Chapter Forty-Eight
THE MILTON MOTEL
Two weeks later, everything is set up for the Tuesday and Wednesday at the Milton Motel. Undercover officer, Rachel Nason, has been at the motel since nine am on Monday learning the skills required to be a waitress as they don’t want her to look out of place and arouse suspicion. For the two days of this undercover operation, the usual waitress, Zoe Mullen, has been given paid leave.
Two of the unmarked police vehicles are in the car park on the opposite side of the hotel building to where Gerry has seen the suspect vehicles always parked. This is to prevent them from being noticed by the suspects. The other four unmarked cars are sitting in laybys. One is in the direction of London, the route they suspect the Russians will take, the other three towards Trentbridge, hoping to be in a position to join the other vehicle set to follow Dave. All vehicles will be updated by the undercover female police officer when the suspects leave the coffee lounge once it appears that the deal has been completed.
At 11.22am on Wednesday nineteenth, a roadside ANPR camera close to the Milton Motel flags up the number plate of a silver Volvo XC90 that has been tagged by the drug squad as being of interest to them. The details are duly sent to the head of what is being called ‘Operation Mandrake’.
The four men sit at one of the corner tables as they often do and order four coffees. After the drinks have been served and the waitress is out of earshot, one of the Russians asks if everything is okay. Receiving an affirmative answer, he stands up from his chair and gestures to his opposite number to do the same. This is the usual procedure.
They both make their way to the two cars in the car park
