‘Catherine thinks something’s wrong, Alex.’
Dougie watched the other man turn a little pale and down the rest of his drink. He’s got it bad by the look of him, he thought. Poor sod.
‘What do you mean?’
Alex waved to the barman for a repeat order. Dougie didn’t want another, but said nothing.
‘She had a word with me on the last day I was there. She’s worried that by doing research on these obscure cases she’s somehow perverting the course of justice. I told her not to worry about it.’
‘Damn the man for getting her involved,’ Alex ground out, and took a long swallow of his replenished drink.
Dougie felt he had to say something. ‘You need to go easy on that stuff, Boss. It doesn’t cure a thing, I’ve found.’
‘I’ve found the same thing.’ Alex pushed his now empty glass aside with a tired sigh. ‘Do you fancy coming in on this, Dougie? I’d like to have you with me.’
Dougie thought about what had happened at Richmond, and knew he wanted the chance of, just maybe, exposing the truth about certain upholders of the law.
‘Count me in, Boss. How do we play this?’
‘Now I can give Sir John the green light, he’ll set things in motion by getting us transferred to Anti Terror and giving us a cover story, I understand, of setting up a small-scale enquiry into policing organised gang crime and terrorism. We might also be given other normal duties from time to time. We’ll have to do a lot of the paperwork ourselves to keep it confidential. What are you involved with at the moment?’
‘Relief on a long-term stake out. My part should finish in a week.’
‘OK. I’ll get it sorted out, if you’re sure?’
‘I’m fine with it. Glad to be aboard.’
*
Alex was heading for his car, trying to stamp out memories that his discussion with Dougie had evoked, when he felt a tug on his arm. Turning, he was surprised to see Lucille Prentice standing beside him. She was a prostitute he’d met a year or two earlier when, still with CID, he’d worked on a joint operation with the Vice Squad to crack down on the use of under age girls in Soho. She seemed, on the face of it, a decent girl, drawn into her career as a consequence of drug problems; but he suspected the start of those problems lay with others. He hadn’t seen her for over a year.
‘Hello, Lucille. Are you well?’
She smiled and nodded, but he noticed she was giving nervous glances up and down the street and seemed on edge.
‘I’ve been hanging around, hoping to see you. Is there somewhere we can go for a chat?’
Intrigued, he motioned to the pub he had just left. ‘Will this do?’
He saw her seated in the corner he had just vacated with Dougie, and bought her a drink.
He watched her twist the glass round and round, and then she glanced up at him, her blue eyes serious.
‘Can you sit nearer and pretend that we’re… getting… you know…?’
Alex slid nearer to her on the bench seat and laid his arm along the back.
‘What’s the trouble, Lucille?’
‘You may know I’m a bit of a favourite with Johnny Clarke at the moment? I’m often at his house. He’s taken a bit of a shine to me. He pays well, but the more I know about him the more frightened I’m getting, because I know what he’s capable of. I’d like to get clear of him, but I’m not sure how I can. The other night he had a visitor, late on. I needed the bathroom and was crossing the landing and heard them talking. It wasn’t intentional. They looked up and saw me and afterwards Johnny warned me in no uncertain terms to keep my mouth shut about anything I might have seen or heard. I didn’t want to get into his bad books. He’s still pretty worked up about this court case and I’ve heard him talking to some of his cronies about losing face and maybe having some fun ‘stuffing Ellison’, whatever that means.’
She took a gulp of her drink. ‘Anyway, that night he was rough with me, more so than normal, and I’ve had enough. I want to tell someone what I saw and heard, and I thought of you.’
‘What did you hear?’
‘Johnny and this visitor were talking together, sounding quite upbeat and cocky. The visitor said something like “Money well spent, eh?” and then they both started laughing. I saw Johnny hand him a small package and he said, “Well worth it, for his sake.” That’s when they looked up and saw me. When Johnny asked me about it later I told him I didn’t hear anything. I don’t think he believed me.’
‘What did this other man look like?’
‘Oh, what I’d call the successful businessman. Fifty-ish, suit and tie, dark overcoat. Well-spoken, like a professional man, a banker or lawyer. Look, I know I’m taking a bit of a risk, but I’m not letting this one go. It may be nothing, but at least I’ve done something. He’s a bastard!’
In an unconscious gesture she rubbed her arm, and Alex saw the faint outline of bruises around her wrist.
‘You need to make a formal complaint, Lucille. You can’t let him get away with this sort of thing.’
She looked at him with a sad smile. ‘I told you – he pays well.’
Alex shook his head. ‘OK, it’s up to you. I appreciate you telling me about this. I can’t promise, but I’ll see if I can make any use of it. I’ll give you something for your trouble, but for God’s sake be careful. Don’t show you’ve come into some money. I’m serious. Drink up, we’d better leave now.’
For the sake of cover, he kissed her cheek as they both got up to leave. After walking a little way down the street, Alex put his arms round her and kissed her again, and at the same time put some notes in her coat pocket. As he watched her walk off he knew, with regret, what the money would be used for. Such a shame. She was a pretty girl. She ought to treat herself to something nice.
*
Harry Fowler watched the Prentice girl leave with the man. Clarke was right to be suspicious. He followed them out into the street and saw the ‘tender goodbye’. His practiced eye also saw something else: a pay off for information obtained? He watched the man walk away. Thirties, good-looking, smart dresser. He didn’t have to follow him. He knew what he was, and he needed to keep an eye on the girl. He set off after her.
As he walked he smiled and gave himself a mental pat on the back. He knew he was right about the man. He never failed to spot the law. He had a sixth sense as far as they were concerned, a sense which had kept him under their radar all these years, and clean as a whistle. As far as anyone knew, he worked in a betting shop, one of many owned by Johnny Clarke. The other ‘work’ he did for Clarke was something different altogether. His irregular absences both from work and home were never queried – and they paid well! He wasn’t stupid enough to flash the money about, and he had a nice little nest egg tucked away. Something else his wife didn’t know about.
He knew he was good at his extra job. Not for the first time, he pondered on how other people might have a hobby like sport, art, music or good wine… but he enjoyed his own special hobby and derived enormous satisfaction from honing and crafting it to perfection. It was fortunate that people that Clarke always had trade for him; they were often too careless in their dealings and needed him to get them out of trouble. Then, take Jack Ellison. He was a different breed. He had the brains to keep himself, and those working for him, under control, and Fowler admired that. Pity, though: it meant Ellison never had work for him.
He watched Lucille Prentice cross the road. She was heading back to her flat, by the look of it. Then she stopped in front of a classy shop selling shoes and bags, hesitated for a moment and walked in. Through the window he observed her purchase a pair of shoes and hand over cash taken from her coat pocket. Dear, dear, silly girl! Clarke was going to be annoyed when he heard; still, it served him right. He should have learnt to keep his whores well away from his business.
He looked around for a phone box, and was soon
breaking the bad news to Clarke. By the end of the call he had received his instructions, to be undertaken at his discretion.
CHAPTER 16
Things moved on at a fast pace after Alex informed Francis that he was ready to proceed. Within days Sir John Fraser informed Alex’s Superintendent that he would be required for other duties, and outlined his requirements.
When Alex was contacted about the matter, it was embarrassing for him to pretend that this was all unknown to him when, in fact, he knew more about it than his superior did. The interview was made worse because Alex still remembered the lecture he’d endured on being forced to report his actions at Richmond. He’d been called all sorts of a fool for jeopardising his career by walking off a detail. Somehow he’d managed to avoid explaining the real reason. The two things that saved him were: one, the fact that Dougie was in actual attendance on the Judge anyway; and two, his superior’s annoyance that he’d been detailed to be involved with the job in the first place. He was now less than pleased to find he was to be removed yet again, and also that Alex had requested Dougie Johnson to assist him. The knowledge that he could have them back if needed went some way to mollifying him and so, with a good deal of reluctance, the transfer was agreed. However, the matter still left Superintendent Charles annoyed that two of what he considered to be his best men were being taken out of circulation on what he viewed to be something of a whim by the outgoing Commissioner; but he was in no position to say so.
A room was put at Alex’s disposal, and when Dougie was free the two of them set to work trying to sort out a plan of campaign. They decided the best thing to do was work from normal police procedures relating to a known situation: try to identify the actual crime committed, its motive and how it was executed. With this starting point they might then be lucky enough to spot a possible pattern.
*
Lucille Prentice walked into the entrance hall of her block of flats. She had pressed the call button for the lift when she sensed someone behind her. She turned to see a dark-haired man in his late twenties regarding her. She wasn’t on duty that night, so she had no intention of doing any business. The man smiled, but she noticed the smile didn’t reach his dark eyes.
‘Good evening, Miss Prentice. I have a message to deliver from Johnny Clarke.’
*
Dougie glanced over at his companion. He was becoming concerned about Alex and his state of health. He appeared none too well, almost gaunt, and it was pretty obvious to Dougie that he was drinking far too much. It didn’t appear to affect him workwise; in fact he was already in the office when Dougie arrived each day and was the last to leave at night. He wondered whether to say something to him, but didn’t want to run the risk of provoking that latent temper. Perhaps he would just bide his time. He had a good idea what was causing the problem, and had no solution. They were both grown up people and could make contact with each other somehow if they wished to, couldn’t they? It was a great pity. Nevertheless, work had to come before anything else.
‘Seems as if the word’s out that there are rumblings in the underworld, Boss. Clarke and Ellison. I bet Jack Ellison is watching. He wouldn’t like it if Clarke started to gain on him. How about this for a thought: with the change here in top brass coming up, it would be a good time to start a turf war and keep the Force off balance and tied up trying to contain it. Even more so, if what you said a while ago about influencing police appointments is true.’
‘Good point, Dougie. I think I’ll ask around and see what information there is on the street. If Johnny Clarke’s involved, there might be something worth knowing.’
Dougie watched as Alex played with a small business card, then appeared to make a decision.
‘You remember that we’re working on the premise that people are put in place to cause disruption of some kind, or someone is manoeuvred into a particular specific role.’
‘That’s what we’re leaning towards at the moment, Boss. It would be a help if we had a bit more explicit information to go on. I’ve been trawling the papers for anything that leaps out at me, but let’s face it, most of the news is bad at the moment. I’ve been putting some feelers out in the unions which could prove interesting, if we get the right answers.’
‘Good idea. Umm… Dougie, there’s something I’d like to run by you. I know of a firm that’s in trouble because their regular suppliers have had problems, and its causing a bit of suspicion. Am I just clutching at straws in a desperate attempt to start finding something, or is it worth a look?’
‘It wouldn’t hurt to take a closer look. I’d go for it if I were you. Who are they?’
The phone rang and Alex picked up the receiver. Watching him listen to the person on the other end, Dougie saw him close his eyes for a moment and give a deep sigh.
*
He was getting unfit, Alex thought. He was already working up a sweat and he’d been on the weights for less than ten minutes. Perhaps he ought to make an effort and come to the gym more often than he did. Running was alright in its way, but it wasn’t the same as a real workout.
The owner of the small gym in Lewisham was known to him since schooldays. They had both been caught up in the same dubious associations, and when Alex was put in the Army, Joe Fenton went into professional boxing as a middleweight, doing well enough over a number of years in a minor way to get him started in his current premises. The undesirable element knew better than to approach him for protection money. They valued their health!
Although not a regular contributor of information, Joe was aware, with some amusement, of Alex’s profession and had on occasion mentioned the odd useful titbit to him.
‘You’re out of condition, Alex. About time you put in some more work.’
Alex took a breather. He needed it, Joe had set his work rate up a bit high today, he thought. ‘I was just thinking the same thing.’
‘The room’s clear if you want to do some horse exercises.’
This sounded interesting, thought Alex. ‘Yes, that’s fine by me.’
The upstairs room was used for boxing training, but when the ring was removed there was a clear area which could be covered with soft matting. They moved the pommel horse into position and Joe, no mean gymnast himself, worked Alex through some routines. It was good to be back doing this sort of work, Alex thought. This discipline had always been his first love.
When Joe called a halt after about fifteen minutes, he grinned at Alex’s exhausted grimace. ‘It’s still there, but it could be better if you trained more.’
He then went across to the door and looked out into the corridor. Locking the door, he came back to where Alex was just about getting his breath.
‘Ellison and Clarke are getting ready to spar a bit. One of Clarke’s men was in here the other day, bragging about a job coming up that Ellison would not like one bit. I told him to clear off and keep away from my premises.’
‘What do you think, Joe?’ Alex wiped away the sweat running down his face.
‘Well, they hate each other’s guts, and they both want to be top dog, so there’s got to be a winner and a loser. Perhaps it’s the old smoke screen trick: doing a job and blaming someone else. Given the choice, I’d prefer Clarke not to get the upper hand. He’s a maniac, pure and simple. Nothing’s beyond him. Ellison at least has a brain.’
‘I think I tend to agree with you, Joe. Can you get a quiet word out to Ellison?’
Joe looked at Alex for a long moment. ‘I would imagine he’s already aware of something, but I’ll see if there’s anything I can do. Are we wavering in our resolve, Alex? Is the other side looking greener? I must admit I’d be disappointed in you if it was.’
Alex grinned at him. ‘Don’t worry, I’m still on the side of the good guys. Thanks for your help, Joe, but watch yourself. I don’t want to get you too involved. I’m just thinking that it would be nice if we didn’t have World War Three breaking out any da
y soon.’ He stretched to ease his aching muscles. ‘I’d better get back downstairs for a shower before people start clogging them up.’
As he showered and dressed he wondered if he would be able to get through the rest of his day without falling asleep!
On arriving home Alex knew there was no way he could face another night in with his own company and thoughts, but he also knew he’d better stay off the drink. He had noticed Dougie watching him, and was sure he would soon say something. What he needed was the respite of the normal, cosy world out at Sunbury for a few hours.
*
The logs blazing in the fireplace filled the comfortable lounge with their pungent outdoor smell. Alex felt as if, at last, he was beginning to relax. They had just finished a delicious meal. Maria was clearing up in the kitchen and he and Luigi were on their second cup of coffee. They were both silent for a while, gazing into the fire, but then Luigi spoke.
‘What’s wrong, boy? And don’t try to deny it, either; I know you too well.’
Alex realised he would have to say something, and admitted to himself that perhaps, in his subconscious, he had wanted to come here tonight to try to get his thoughts straight.
‘Things have been a bit difficult of late, Luigi. I’ve had some hard thinking to do, and I’m nowhere near finding any answers. Now, on top of that, someone I used to know has… died… in less than pleasant circumstances.’
‘That is indeed a shame. I can always listen, Alex, even if I can’t give you any answers.’
Alex leant forward in his chair and put his elbows on his knees, looking down at the carpet. ‘I’m wondering if I’ve had my priorities all wrong, Luigi. I don’t want to rake over the past, but because of what happened, as you know, I’ve tried to push on and make something of myself. I thought I still did, and to some extent I do, but with recent events I’ve begun to wonder if other things are more, or just as, important.’
‘Such as?’
Alex cleared his throat. He was finding it very difficult to voice his innermost thoughts. They were still new to him, and by saying them out loud he was afraid it would make them real before he was ready to acknowledge them.
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