Chapter 56

Money was piled up in front of him. Bert was counting it out and separating it into envelopes. One lot was for the man who had made his new identity papers. One was for the captain of the ship on which he had secured passage. The rest would be used to set him up in a new life when he reached the south coast of England.

Over the last couple of weeks, he had taken a lot of money out of the, black market operation. His papers were ready and he had to pay for them. He had found a suitable ship. All his bills were coming due and he needed cash. It had meant that he had been a bit reckless, but he would be gone soon.

The boss had questioned him when he brought in the take a couple of days before. Bert had been trusted up to this point, but he could see the suspicion on his boss's face.

"Not as much as last week. Why's that then?"

Bert told him that one sale had been too late to include this time. The next week would be a bumper one as a result. The greedy gangster smiled and patted his protégé on the shoulder.

Bert would be on the ship and out to sea before the gang realised what had happened. He smiled at the thought of his betrayal. The stupid people thought that he was upright and honest. They had no idea that he had been taking money for months. It would become apparent when they started to manage things themselves.

He had set up a good system for the thefts and they would continue to go undetected as a result. What they stole had changed too and was now more profitable. They should be grateful for what he had done but they would be angry. He would never be going back to America so it didn't really matter. He might leave a note just to make sure they knew they had been duped. They were idiots and he needed them to know that.

The identity papers were excellent. He was now Bertram O'Neill. He had insisted that he had the documentation of a member of the leadership class. That had made the forgery more expensive. No one looked closely at labour papers. When he got back to England he wanted to find employment in an office of some sort. His days of manual labour were over. He had got used to dressing in a suit and tie and having respect.

He had found a small sack and this is what he used to collect his belongings. He put a few clothes into it and a spare pair of shoes. The papers and the money would be in his jacket pocket. He had a nice fob watch which he had pilfered which he would take. Everything else was disposable.

That included Phoebe. She was completely in the dark about his plans. She had noticed that he was in a very good mood lately. This meant that she had gone for some time without upsetting him. She had not been punched or kicked. They were getting to the place in their relationship which she had so hoped for.

She often spent the night with him, but he had told her that it was not possible that evening. Bert had wanted sex though and then she was sent out into the cold and dark to make her way home alone. He had an early start he had said. Phoebe knew that his job was much more important than hers, he had told her enough times, so she understood his decision.

He had surprised himself as Phoebe had headed out of the door. Bert had called her back and given her some money.

"Treat yourself." He managed to growl.

She covered him in kisses before she went through the door wearing a smile. He felt a bit bad about how she would feel when she found out he had gone. Only a bit.

The first that anyone knew about Bert's departure was that no code was issued. The gang members stood around waiting for orders which never came. They took the opportunity to sit and drink tea in the warmth of a café rather than investigate. Eventually someone had gone to Bert's home and had found it empty.

Items had been abandoned in the apartment, but nothing of value. His suits and shoes were gone which was an indication that he had not just popped out. The boss sent out search parties when he heard the news. Bert had vanished. He was probably on a ship sailing away from America. He had a good deal of the gang's money with him they were sure.

"What do you mean he's not there?"

"The place is empty, well, he's taken his clothes." The young man who was reporting to the boss was not relishing being the one to deliver the news.

"Was there any paper work, books that type of thing?"

"Yes, all stacked neatly on the table. Shall I bring them in?"

"YES."

Bert had left the note detailing how clever he had been. The exact amount that he had stolen was revealed. The boss issued instructions to find him, but he knew that Bert was already gone.

The boss was irate. He had trusted that young man. He was clever and had overhauled his business that was true. That did not excuse the theft of his money. Bert would be laughing now as he made his escape. He had better not set foot in New Norfolk again. There would be a price on his head.

Phoebe discovered what had happened from one of the gang the next day. She had gone to his apartment and knocked at the door, but no one had answered. Bert did that sometimes if he was tired so she had crept quietly away. Things were going well and she didn't want to antagonise him.

"You must be upset." The man in front of Phoebe worked with Bert.

A frown followed by a shrug indicated that she knew nothing. "About what?"

"Oh, sorry Phoebe. Bert has done a runner. He stole a load of money and disappeared. We think he got on a ship and went back to Britain."

The co worker felt terrible. He watched Phoebe's face crumple. He started searching his pockets for the handkerchief which would definitely be needed. Before it was found Phoebe ran off wailing as she went. That had been a very unpleasant experience.

She found out more details about what Bert had done in the next few days. Nobody knew that he had planned to abscond. He did not work for the OWG, he stole from it. And then he took money from the criminal gang that he worked for. He must have known for months that he was going to leave.

It took her weeks to get over Bert. She cried every night and went to work each day with red eyes. The usual platitudes were dished out. He was a bad man. He was not good enough for her. There were plenty more fish in the sea. She would never meet someone like him again she thought. She didn't know it yet but that was a good thing.

The outward voyage had not been Bert's favourite experience. For most of the journey to America he had been recovering from his injuries. All he could do was lay on a bunk, his senses dulled by painkillers. On the return trip he discovered that he was not a good sailor. For most of the time he felt nauseous.

He was constantly aware of the thrum of the engine and the swaying of the deck. Bert tried laying down, standing up and walking on the deck. The results were the same. His stomach roiled and swirled in concert with the sea. When he caught his reflection, his face was either white, white tinged with grey or white tinged with green.

The voyage took two weeks and was not comfortable in any way. He had paid for a tiny cabin on a ship which was primarily a freighter. The ship's cook served a series of watery stews which did nothing to settle Bert's stomach. He lived mainly on bread and water which were the only things he could keep down.

He alighted from the ship at the same port he had left from eight months earlier. He had changed in many ways since his rather dramatic departure from his home country. Bert now had the short back and sides hairstyle of a regular leadership man. The close crop was too harsh and his curls could identify him. He wanted to be unremarkable in his appearance.

The broken leg had healed and he only had a slight limp now. The scar on his face was faded and if he smiled people barely noticed it. His education enabled him to act like one of the, leadership class. His papers confirmed that this is what he was. Bertram O'Neill, clerk and member of the elite.

The papers that he had obtained at vast expense had so far been accepted. Bert had presented his identification at the end of the gangplank. A close inspection then followed before he was waved on. His heart was thumping but he had made it. He was back home and he was closer to Serena.