Costa Crew 3: Make or Break

Chapter 1 - Once a Spy, Always a Spy

"Why didn't you tell us you had someone back home?" asked Paul Houston as he climbed the stairs to his apartment, Hannah Perkins and Lisa Kleinman behind him.

Lisa sighed. "Because you didn't ask. Because nobody's actually bothered to ask how I've been since I got back. Because you guys are using me just as much as Amelia did, even if it is for better reasons. You don't care about me as a person, I'm only here to help Becky out."

Paul and Hannah were speechless, knowing that this wasn't true but only just realising that they had been so concerned for Becky, currently in prison for a murder she didn't commit, Amelia's murder, that they hadn't spared much time to catch up with Lisa. "Lisa, I'm sorry," began Hannah. "We were just so…"

"So caught up in saving your friend that you didn't think about anyone else," Lisa nodded. "You want to be careful. If you're not you may find yourself holding a knife to someone's throat pretty soon."

Paul didn't know what to say as he unlocked the door. Lisa was comparing Becky to Amelia, which was completely unjust. They had similarities, sure. Becky and Amelia were both highly intelligent and ambitious, and it had to be said that they were both incredibly arrogant. But Amelia had allowed her ambition to consume her and turn her into - for want of a better description - a heartless bitch. Becky wasn't perfect, but she had striven to reign in her arrogance and this had turned her into one of the most selfless people Paul had ever met. But on the other hand, they should have thought more about the sacrifice Lisa had made. She had, after all, been living in Australia for four years, free of Amelia's manipulation. She had her own life - a successful career, good friends, and to top it all off she would soon be married.

Paul's train of thought was interrupted when he unlocked the door to find a figure sitting at the kitchen table in the darkness. "Who's there?" he asked.

The figure stood up. "This is DSU Houston, Metropolitan Police!" Paul continued, trying to sound authoritative.

The figure began to walk towards them. "It's all right, DSU Houston," a familiar voice said. "You can relax."

The figure stopped in front of them, then reached out and switched on the light. "I hope you're not about to ask how the head of MI5 got into your house," said John Goodman.

Paul didn't lower his guard. "No, but I'm about to ask why the head of MI5 got into my house," he replied, frowning.

"Agent Perkins should have the answer for you," John said casually.

Hannah nodded. "In MI5 we have each other's backs, I know. But Becky's been in prison for a while now, and you're only just reaching out to us?"

John shook his head. "Well, yes. And no. Yes, I'm only just reaching out to you. But no, I'm not only just starting to help Agent Hidgens. It seems to me that you're in a bit of a mess. So I'm here to help clean it up."

***

"Inspector Monroe, DS Green, Mr Richter," John said, nodding to Bruce, Ted and Charlotte as they entered the flat. Then his eyes fell on Linda and Matthew. "Inspector Monroe, I understand your reluctance to leave your children home alone, but…"

"Good, then you won't have an issue with them being here," Charlotte interrupted. "Amelia's associates just threatened Lisa's fiancée. It's quite clear that none of us are safe until this mess is sorted. So I'm not leaving my children alone."

"Same goes for Bruce," added Ted. "Amelia was at school with us when we were going out. If she did go after Curt first she might go after him next."

John sighed and they all sat down around the dining room table. "Let's start with the murder of Curt Hidgens."

"Curt was stabbed through the heart, but the knife wasn't found, so it clearly wasn't a suicide," Ted began. "He was found in the kitchen, and there were no traces of blood in the living room, meaning he was also stabbed there. No signs of forced entry, meaning Curt opened the door to his killer and let them come into his house. The door was locked when the police arrived on scene and Curt's keys were inside the house. Initially this said to us that the killer had a key of their own."

"However…" prompted Goodman.

"Nobody except Curt and the neighbours, who have all been cleared, have keys," said Ted. "So it's possible that Sergeant Miller killed Curt and pretended the door was locked, then tampered with the neighbours' statements."

"Sergeant Miller," muttered Goodman, making a note of this. "And how does Murphy tie in? Other than her threatening Rebecca in the courtroom."

"Becky suspected that Amelia was involved in Curt's death," Paul explained. "So we went to visit her, and she got Becky rattled, before going completely insane and telling us that her revenge plan had started. We reported this to DCI Drake but he decided not to follow up."

John frowned. "There's definitely something off there. I've been making my own investigation into Murphy's death. The evidence points towards Rebecca, but I'm confident she didn't do it. Unfortunately, not everyone at MI5 feels the same. But we spent years investigating Murphy, we've got grounds for investigation here."

Lisa, who had been looking at her phone until this point, stood up. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave now, I'm on the 1am flight."

"Lisa-" began Paul.

"Paul, it's no use," Lisa interrupted. "I'm truly sorry, I really wish I could help Becky. If not for her I wouldn't have Maya in my life. But now I do have Maya in my life. I can't lose her."

John smiled. "Miss Kleinman, I may have a solution. What if MI5 could offer her some protection until this mess is dealt with?"

Lisa hesitated. "I don't know...Amelia would have kept tabs on everyone here, and no offence, but I don't know if I can trust a stranger from MI5."

John's smile grew. "What if they weren't a stranger or in this room? Or, aren't in this room right now but are standing outside because they wanted to make a dramatic entrance?"

Everyone was silent, trying to figure out who on Earth John was talking about. "It's not Clark, is it?" asked Linda when nobody spoke.

Charlotte tried to hide a smile. "I don't think so, I think Amelia would be tracking them too."

Paul struggled to think of anybody else, then as the door opened he couldn't help but grin with relief. The one person Amelia wouldn't have considered, underestimating them like she underestimated everyone. And to be honest, if Paul had been told under any other circumstances that this person was an MI5 agent, he wouldn't have believed them.

"Right then," their newest arrival said. "I know Paul, and I know Mr Goodman. I met a few of you at Curt's funeral, and some of you I don't know at all. So introductions. I'm Alex Anderson, British Intelligence. Call me Alex. Curt did…" they hesitated for a moment then grinned. "Because it's my name."