Camouflaging the 'dodgy' dogs

As soon as Brenda left, Redbourne joked about her to Steele and Davey. It was as if Soppy and Mrs Hannaford no longer existed. Davey was still smarting from the Saturday night episode, he blamed Brenda for the fact he had stitches to his head.

"She's a stupid cow", Davey said, "if she hadn't acted so bloody daft, I'd not have crashed. Let's get rid of her, like we did her old man."

"Didn't exactly 'get rid' of him, did we, Charlie? He plum threw himself into the bloody river!" Steele laughed. "He saw us coming and thought drowning was a damn sight better than a knife in his guts!" He laughed again.

"Now then, boys, we can deal with little Brenda in good time. Right now, she's useful! Can't afford too many accidents in close colleagues, can we? Besides which, the beating she got in her flat will have taken any fight out of her. She fair came crawling to me for help, she did. Can't disappoint her, leastwise not just yet."

Mrs Hannaford glanced at Soppy, shaking her head imperceptibly to tell him to keep quiet and well in the shadows. No point in drawing attention to themselves.

Brenda returned with the notebooks and looked at Redbourne: "Give it here." He demanded. For several minutes, he examined them closely. Then, he rubbed his chin: "Right then! Fairweather Friend seems to have been doing alright. We'll rest him for the next couple of meetings. One of the brindles," he glanced at the notes, "Master Craftsman, he's no bloody good. So, Soppy, come here!" Soppy edged forward. "This is what you do. I'll get some black dye. You dye the brindle jet black. You done that before, ain't you?" Soppy nodded. "This time, I want the dog as black as Fairweather. Put a dab of peroxide on one foot - to match Fairweather. Then, we'll run him at Plymouth on Saturday. He'll come in near last, if not last."

"Got it, Soppy?" Steele asked.

"What I ..." Soppy began.

"Just do what you're told, Soppy. You don't need to know nothing. Just do as you're bloody told." Steele looked menacingly at Soppy.

"Now then" Redbourne began. "We have Midnight Boy. Another black dog, shows promise. I've got a little something here," he reached into his pocket and took out a small brown medicine bottle. "Just one of these little purple beauties, mixed in with Midnight's snack just after you arrive at the track, that will do nicely." He laughed. "By the time he races, he'll be right on his toes."

"I dunno..." Soppy began.

"You dunno" Steele mimicked. "You dunno! You don't know nothin'. That's why we call you 'Soppy'." He grabbed hold of Soppy by his shirt. "You don't need to know, Sunshine, you just do what you're bloody told."

"Leave him alone, you bastard!" Brenda heard herself say. "He loves the dogs, that's all! I'll take care of it, just leave Harry alone!"

Redbourne looked at her in surprise, "My my! Quite the little firebrand, aren't we! Touching, isn't it? So attached to our Soppy." He grinned. "Alright, darlin', you just make damn sure you do what I said, or else... or else your pretty little face won't be quite so pretty."

Mrs Hannaford felt her heart beating faster than she'd thought possible. She sat down heavily, knocking over one of the cooking pans. It clattered onto the stone floor, startling everyone.

"Don't you go bloody wobbly on us, Mrs H." Redbourne looked around the kitchen. "Just you three do what you're bloody told! Be grateful you're here in this warm kitchen and have a bed to sleep in. Things could soon change for each of you, if you don't behave." He nodded to Steele and Davey. "Come on, boys, back to the office to take more mug's money!" He threw Brenda's notebooks to her. "Keep up the records. I'll be here on Thursday to check the tarted up brindle."

Redbourne arrives at Grange Farm

Late on Monday morning, Redbourne with Steele and Charlie Davey in tow, arrived at the farmyard. Mrs Hannaford peered through the kitchen window and saw clearly that Davey looked battered and bruised. He had a row of stitches across his forehead and two puffy black eyes.

The kitchen door was flung open and they came in. Without a greeting or smile Redbourne pointed his finger at her.

"Make us all coffee and some biscuits as well. Then, get Soppy and the Ellacott woman in here." His voice was gruff and Mrs Hannaford recoiled in annoyance. Grudgingly, she made the drinks and placed the biscuits on the table.

"Pour the bloody stuff, woman." Steele said. "You don't expect us to do it."

Mrs Hannaford bit her tongue and did as she was told. Then, she left them and ran to find Soppy and Brenda. She guessed they would be in the barn. It was there that she found them feeding the dogs. The atmosphere in the barn was warm and cosy and the dogs were waiting for their food.

"Whatever is wrong?" Brenda asked, putting down the bowl of meat she had been about to give to Midnight.

"You'm okay?" Soppy showed concern by going to Mrs Hannaford and putting his hand on her shoulder. She took in several deep breaths before she could explain anything.

"Redbourne and 'is men are in the kitchen. They treated me like dirt and now 'e is demanding to see you two. 'e's a bloody bastard, that's what 'e is."

Brenda had never heard Mrs Hannaford swear or appear angry. At the same time she thought that any commiserations would not be welcome.

"What do they want with us?" Soppy asked.

"Dunno, 'arry, dunno. 'e thinks 'e's God Almighty. That I does know. And in my kitchen too!" She twisted her apron in her hands.

"Don' worry, we'll see no 'arm is done, won't us, Brenda?"

Brenda nodded but felt distinctly unsure if it was possible. Redbourne held all the cards in his hands, after all.

They went to the kitchen. Redbourne sat appraising them for a few seconds then exploded with irritation. "Are you bloody daft, woman?" He stared hard at Brenda. "It's not you I want to see, it's the records. The records, darlin'. Don't you get it?" He turned and looked at Steele and Davey, raising his eyes to the ceiling. "Go and get the bloody notebooks."

Steele and Davey roared with laughter, though Davey winced with pain as the skin on his face stretched.

"Go fetch, girl!" Steele laughed. "Just be a good bitch. Go fetch!"

Brenda flushed with embarrassment and anger. She glanced at Mrs Hannaford, then she turned to go to get the notebooks.