Gone to the Flicks!

By the time Cantwell got home all he found was a note on the sideboard:
'Didn't wait - gone to the Gaumont - could NOT miss the film - Debbie'

He opened the oven to see if she had left something for him to eat. There was nothing and since all he'd had all day were the two cheese sandwiches, his stomach was rumbling. Cursing Temple, he put on his mac and headed out to the fish and chip shop. The smell wafting down the street made him even hungrier. To his relief there was no queue.

"One large chips and two faggots, Bob."

"Saw your missus going past about forty minutes ago. She was going quite a lick too."

"Late home again, Bob. My Gov is a glutton for work and he doesn't give me a thought."

"This'll be the third meal you've had from here this week."

"I know! I know! It's pretty damn good for your pocket. But it ain't so good for me. I'm beginning to smell like a bloody chip shop!."

"Your Gov not got a home to go to, then?"

"Nope, poor bloke. His wife just upped and left him. Didn't just go to the flicks, went all the way back to London. Took their kid too."

Cantwell couldn't wait for the faggots, he started on the chips as soon as they were ready and had eaten several before the faggots were wrapped in the newspaper. He paid and wandered out into the street. He glanced at his watch and realised that Debbie wouldn't be back home for at least a couple of hours. He sauntered down the road eating his meal. Bob had soused the chips in vinegar and salt and this made him thirsty. He wiped his fingers on the newspaper, rolled it into a ball then, peering round to see if anyone was looking, he tossed it into a hedge.

The London pub was just around the corner. The bar was crowded so once he'd got his pint, Cantwell looked for somewhere to sit. At the far end of the bar, there were two free stools. Right at that end, Eager Beaver was sitting morosely sipping his beer. Cantwell remembered what Temple had told him about Redbourne's office goings on that afternoon. He had not been surprised to hear about Eager's problems. He and Eager had been at the same school. Even as a school kid, Eager had been gambling. He always had a tip for the horses and for the dogs. As far as Cantwell recalled the tips never won.

He walked over to the stool nearest to Eager and sat down: "Hello, Eager! How's things?"

"Don't ask!"

"Well I am asking. My Gov says you weren't looking too bright in Redbourne's this afternoon."

"Too bright! Damn right I wasn't too bright! That Redbourne, he's a bloody bastard. Him and his crew! They've nearly done for me. But I'm not going quietly, no siree!"

"Really!"

"Yes, really! After what happened to Ben Ellacott, I've got them by the short and curlies!"

Cantwell sipped his pint slowly, trying not to show too much interest. But his heart was beating fast at the mention of Ellacott's name. 'Steady as you go, boy' he said to himself.

"So what did happen to Ellacott, just done a bunk, hasn't he?"

"You think so, do you?" Eager leaned closer to Cantwell, "I tell you Ben was a poor judge of people. He had been a damn good pharmacist. Should have stuck to that and not got mixed up with Dr McBride and that vet." He touched his nose and winked.

"So if he didn't stick to the pharmacy, what did he do?"

"Got in with Redbourne - through McBride and the vet. Then he just got sucked in, didn't he?" He hiccuped loudly and Cantwell could tell he had drunk more than just one beer.

"How do you mean 'got in'?"

"What do you think I mean? Redbourne has contacts in the racing world - both the gee-gees and the dogs. He uses them like he used Ellacott! To make money."

"How?"

Eager was becoming exasperated by the questioning. Also he was becoming uneasy and glancing over his shoulder every few minutes: "They fixed the bloody races, didn't they? But something went wrong, didn't it? Last time I saw Ben Ellacott, he was in a right state. Kept saying that he wanted out. He was going to get away from Starmouth, away from Devon and he and Brenda would start over. Then," he paused, "then he went missing."

"Can you prove all this about the race fixing?" Cantwell asked.

"Course I can't bloody prove it. Even if I could, I wouldn't. It'd be more than my life's worth. Said too much already." He got off his stool unsteadily, knocking it over as he tried to walk away. He pointed a finger at Cantwell. "I'll deny everything, you might think you heard, Tom Cantwell. Deny everything."

Cantwell watched him go. He righted the stool and sipped his beer slowly. He wondered what Temple would make of all this, when he told him in the morning.