Scratch Deeper (41 page)

‘He left a message for me at work. Euan brought it in along with the card and grapes.'

‘What did he say?'

‘Harish? He was apologizing, believe it or not. After all that digging around he did.'

‘Why was he sorry?'

‘Ranjit Bhujun's background,' she said with a pained expression. ‘The Creole thing.'

‘I thought that's what they are.'

‘Not really: he missed the fact they were originally from Sagossia. They're like a sub-class on Mauritius. Fallen through the cracks. Some have become Mauritian nationals, some are holding on to their Sagossian nationality in the hope they'll be allowed to return one day. They live in the worst parts of Port Louis. Harish had gone over Ranjit's police record in more detail. His mum was found floating in the harbour when he was four. In an area used by prostitutes. No other immediate family. He grew up on the streets—'

‘Iona, do not – whatever you do – start sympathizing with the bloke.'

She let out a sigh. ‘I know, I know. But when you start to hear what they all went—'

‘Yeah, what they all went through. But only he decided to start killing people in return. He was trying to flood an entire building with ricin.'

‘But who made him into a killer?'

Jim shrugged. ‘Life isn't fair. We don't all try and murder people to get even. Listen, enough about him. What about you? Are you OK?'

She looked at her hands. ‘I could do with a decent manicure.'

He slid his fingers across them. ‘Are you sleeping OK? All that stuff?'

‘I'm fine. Counselling has been duly offered, et cetera, et cetera.' She looked him in the eyes. ‘What about you?'

‘A short break while they look into the circumstances of how I came by that sidearm. I've had word things will work out fine.'

‘The Chief Super said as much to me already. I mean, how are you? Sleeping and all that stuff?'

He blinked a couple of times. ‘Yeah . . . yeah, I'm good. Sweet dreams and all that.'

Iona held eye contact. ‘And the other stuff?'

His smile faltered. ‘You mean the drinking?'

She lifted her eyebrows in confirmation.

‘I'm going to get help about it.' He nodded, looking away. ‘I am.'

She turned her hands palm-up and curled her fingers round his. ‘I'll be there for you.'

He shook his head. ‘You don't need to say that.'

She gripped his hands more tightly. ‘You know, when you rang me that night? That rambling message when you tried to warn me about Wallace. I couldn't make out most of it – but I did hear you say that you'd always have my back.'

He looked at her. ‘And I always will, Iona. I promised you.'

‘I know.' She raised a finger and softly traced the scars running down his face. ‘I know.'

A
s a people, the Sagossians do not exist. However, the details of their story are based entirely on fact. In 1966 the Wilson government leased a small cluster of islands about 1,200 miles north of Mauritius to the United States – so enabling them to build a military airbase on one of the larger ones called Diego Garcia. There has since followed a truly shameful policy – pursued by successive British administrations to this day: firstly, to deny the island was ever inhabited and then, when this lie became impossible to maintain, to refuse the islanders' requests to return. This involved Tony Blair invoking the royal prerogative (the divine right of kings!) in 2004 to deny the islanders the right to go back and culminated in 2008 when the (then) Law Lords made a final ruling in favour of the government.

Since becoming an American airbase, Diego Garcia has been used as a launch pad by the U.S. for bombing operations throughout the Middle East and as a stopping-off point for extraordinary rendition flights.

Unlike the fictional Sagossians, the original inhabitants of Diego Garcia have only fought for their right to return home by peaceful means.

For more information I recommend you read:

Curtis, M. (2003),
Web of Deceit
, London: Vintage.

Plight of the Unpeople
by John Pilger.
http://www.newstatesman.com/human-rights/2008/11/pilger-british-chagos-law
. Retrieved 15 July, 2012

The Chagos Islands: A Sordid Tale
.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1005064.stm
. Retrieved 15 July, 2012

The secret world of Manchester's uncharted tunnel system is a fascinating one.

For an overview (or should that be underview?) obtained by legal means, I recommend Keith Warrender's book,
Below Manchester: Going Deeper Under the City
. To read about explorations undertaken without permission of the authorities,
www.28dayslater.co.uk
(Retrieved 17 July, 2012) is a good place to start.

Finally, if you ever find yourself in Manchester city centre with time to spare, a visit to the John Rylands library on Deansgate is well worth your while. It is exactly as described in the book, including the Victorian gentleman's toilet!

My thanks to:

Ayoola Onatade – for such an invaluable insight into how the Justices of the Supreme Court (formerly Law Lords) operate.

Ian Simpson – for kindly taking the time to explain the architectural details of his magnificent tower.

Colin Wright – for demonstrating to me the formidable reach of Manchester's CCTV system.

Jeanette Zaman-Browne for sharing her experiences of growing up as a mixed-race child in Britain.

Those members of
www.28dayslater.co.uk
, who let me in on a few realities of urban tunnel exploration.

And lastly, to Chops, for continuing to put up with the man who lives at the bottom of the garden.