Chapter 17 #2
Leo huffed, then headed back into the kitchen to raid his bar. He poured Alasdair some premium single malt whisky. Neil settled for tea, and Molly brewed coffee for herself and him.
Rose was happy on the playmat Leo had set up for her in the living room, right after she’d left with Rose that morning and before he’d had to head into work. He’d wanted it to be a surprise. It was, like most other things, piggie pink.
They moved their conversation into the dining room table.
Alasdair took a sip of his whisky. Before I start my wee speech, can I just say, Molly, you are brilliant. Where the hell did you learn to drive like that?
Molly shot Leo a small grin, almost a mischievous one. Misspent youth. Don’t ask.
His brother smirked. Ah, so you keep Leo on his toes. Just so you know, Leo, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. So be prepared when she grows up. Alasdair finished with a nod at Rose.
Trust Alasdair to yap nonsense. Leo wasn’t Rose’s father, and he wasn’t dating Rose’s mother.
You were telling us something, Alasdair, remember?
Alasdair leaned forward as if sharing a secret. Newtar. You sent me an email last night about them.
Right.
Neil crossed his arms. Wait, Leo, you asked me about Barker Constructions too. And asked me to keep an eye out for the word Newtar.
Leo looked between his brothers, then explained to Molly, Barker Constructions is a new client.
They’ve evicted businesses and tenants to take buildings down and build luxury accommodations.
Word on the street is Barker uses less-than-legit means to get his way.
And he’s pally with gangsters. Knox wants us to protect the sleazebag.
Apart from this, we also manage a slew of businesses in the area between St Vincent Street and Bath Street, near King’s Theatre.
The client there, who we have an exclusive contract with for all his businesses, was approached by Newtar. Newtar is trying to undercut us.
Molly nodded. How does that tie in with Johnny?
Leo crossed his arms. This is what he’d been doing late last night.
Knox asked me to look into Barker and watch out for Newtar.
So I was studying them, separately at first. Then after the whole thing with Johnny, I got the work home and was reading through the files last night when I noticed a couple things.
He leaned in, dropping his voice as if someone other than a toddler could hear their conversation.
Barker has always been an arsehole. That’s what the general consensus is online.
So I found it odd that he’s never required a security firm before to protect his properties and himself.
Neil tilted his head. What about his gang ties?
He can’t have gangs protecting him when he wants to appear legit, Leo reasoned.
Neil pushed his tea away. So Newtar provided the security?
No, we did. Leo held up a finger, then dashed towards his office. He found the file still open on his desk, then hurried back downstairs.
He set the file on the table and pulled up the page he was looking for. It was an article about Cramer Barker with an image of him outside the High Court where he’d been summoned for a lawsuit. A suit he’d managed to wiggle out of.
Leo tapped the image. Look at their uniforms.
Whose? Molly squinted at the page, angling her head to get a better look. The guys next to the old white guy in a suit?
He angled the page better so she could see. Those black-suited guys in the background all have a logo woven into the suit’s sleeve near where the cufflinks should be. Those are suits that our bodyguard teams wore five years ago.
Molly shook her head. But that news article is from this year.
Newtar. Alasdair tilted his head. They were formed five years ago and provided personal security back then.
I met their executive—well, not met as in officially.
We crossed paths in a loo during the security conference two weeks ago.
I saw his lanyard and grew curious. I thought I knew most of the players and competitors.
Since taking over as global lead, Alasdair travelled a lot to meet with prospective clients or to attend seminars on the company’s behalf and make allies.
He leaned in. So when you messaged me, I too looked into them.
I spoke to a few people from other businesses.
They either hadn’t heard anything concrete about Newtar, or—and get this—looked at me weird before they left. Not sure why.
Leo picked up on Alasdair’s information delivering the biggest shocker of the evening.
He tapped a finger on the news article. Like Molly said, this picture is from this year.
I noticed that and dug into it, wondering if the newspaper had simply used an older image of Barker.
But then again, Barker is supposed to be a new client, so why would he have our bodyguards with him five years ago?
He paused, then pulled out his notepad where he’d scribbled information.
Word on the street is Newtar is Buchanan Security’s clandestine black ops department.
Could again be rumours, but a simple online search for Newtar’s uniform makes it undeniable.
Newtar’s bodyguards dress exactly like our people did five years ago.
Including wearing our logo on their suit sleeves.
So, aye, I believe Newtar is a part of Buchanan Security. A part I wasn’t aware existed.