Plans for Willis

Willis knew he had Redbourne by the short and curlies. Whether he wanted to or not, Redbourne had to take care of him, keep him out of the hands of the coppers. He knew this would not last and that once away from Starmouth, he risked becoming a victim himself. He was hot and Redbourne had the reputation for doing nasty things to hot property. Still at the moment, Redbourne had no alternative but watch out for him. He did not want to be implicated himself. He had a nice little business down here.

Redbourne waited for Baker or Bellamy to contact him. There was silence. Yet, they must have guessed that Temple was the supposed hit and not his Sergeant. He also waited for Temple himself to come knocking at the door. He didn't. At first, Redbourne worried about the situation, it puzzled him. Then, his usual sense of confidence and optimism flowed back. Perhaps after all, he was untouchable.

Grange Farm would be the ideal place for Willis for the next week or so, Redbourne reasoned. It was isolated and the three fools there were so terrified of him that they would do whatever he told them. Willis could stay in the main farmhouse with Mrs Hannaford. That way, he wouldn't see too much of Soppy Soper and the Ellacott woman, except around the farmyard..

Redbourne nodded in support of his own thoughts. "Great idea, my son," he said to himself. "You're a bloody genius, that's what you are!"

He left his sitting room and went down to the basement, where Willis had been given a small cell-like room. He threw open the door and sat himself down on a wooden chair. Willis moved away into the corner and eyed him suspiciously.

"Well, Pete, hope you're up for a bit of fresh country air."

"Why?" Willis asked, "what you got in mind?"

"I got some, how shall I put it, some dodgy dogs runnin' round in small circles down on a farm about ten miles from here. You can bloody make yourself useful while you gotta keep out of the way. I can't carry dead weight!" He laughed. "No offence, Pete old son! But you can help out with my little doggies. I got several races coming up. The very least you can do is see the two twerps I got on the farm training these doggies are doin' their jobs right. Okay?"

Willis did not like the idea at all. But he could see no other option. The thought of another stretch behind bars did not appeal. If he had to deal with these bleeding dodgy dogs, then so be it. Just for now, that is. He nodded agreement.

"Right then" Redbourne stood up. "Ted and I'll take you out there tomorrow evening. By then, the cordon round Starmouth will have been lifted. They'll reckon you're long gone. You stay down here. I'll send down food and you can use the bucket. Just like the old days in Pentonville, eh?"

Willis grimaced and was about to make a retort but Redbourne had gone, slamming the door behind him. He sat down on the rickety camp-bed and picked up the newspaper. He wondered who the people at the farm were and what they'd be like.

Vigil

Temple peered at Cantwell through the side room window. A young ward sister was checking the various tubes that seemed to be in every available vein. He watched as she wrote down some readings on Cantwell's chart. Then, pursing her lips, she headed for the door. She caught sight of Temple's anxious face and for a moment her face was transformed by a bright smile into a welcoming gesture for him to come in.

"How's he doing?" Temple rasped as quietly as he was able.

"Not too bad! In fact, quite well. He'll be very miserable when he wakes up and quite sore. He'll be pleased to see someone he knows beside his bed."

"When do you think he'll come round?"

The sister thought for some time, "Can't really be sure. But, he is a very healthy person and quite young. He'll have withstood the operation well. The problem will be the shock to his system. Also, before he was anaesthetised, he kept asking about 'Debbie'. We assume that's his wife." Temple nodded. "We'd be grateful if you didn't say too much about her condition since we really don't know how she is. Also, we don't want him to be worried by the situation."

"I'll wait here, Sister." He sighed and sat down heavily on the chair next to Cantwell's bed.

"You don't look exactly thriving yourself, if you'll forgive me for saying so." She paused. "I'll have a sandwich and a cup of tea sent here for you. Can't have you collapsing on us, can we." She smiled again and left the room.

Temple peered closely at Cantwell. He looked extraordinarily vulnerable propped up in the metal framed bed. His eyes seemed almost screwed shut in a fixed grimace. His left side was swathed in bandages; a blood transfusion tube ran down into his wrist. Temple watched the slow steady drip, drip, drip of the drops giving strength back into Cantwell's battered body.

Some time later, the door opened and the same young Sister came in carrying a tray. She drew up a small table next to Temple and placed the tray on it: "Decided to bring it myself. The rest of the ward is quiet and the duty Doctor said he didn't want Inspector Temple keeling over as well as his sergeant." He grinned. "So, you are the famous Inspector Temple." She said handing him a plate of sandwiches. "Now, you just eat all these. I don't want to find a crumb left, when I return."

Temple found, to his surprise that he was quite hungry. In fact, he hadn't stopped for lunch during the day and had been planning to go to the pub for a snack after Cantwell left. The sandwich was good, a thick slice of Devon ham and English mustard on fresh white bread. He drank the tea and sat back watching for any sign that Cantwell was coming to.

As the minutes drifted by, his mind raced around the possibilities of who had fired the shots. That they had been intended for him, he was in no doubt. That they were a direct consequence of Redbourne's dealing, he was also certain. How he could tie the two in was quite another matter. Lacking support from Baker and with no sergeant to help out, he felt at a loss to know how things could possibly work out. Of one thing he was quite sure: one way or another, he would get a result.

He must have nodded off in the chair, because when he looked up the ward and the side room were lit by the dim night lights above each bed. The nurse station was also bathed in a stream of light. Everywhere else was dark. He peered at his watch, then moved closer to the bed to catch the light from the wall.

"Gov! Gov? That you?"

Temple almost jumped out of his skin. He hadn't noticed that Cantwell's eyes were open.

"Christ, Cantwell, you gave me a shock! Sorry, old chap." He paused. "Sorry! Didn't see you had come round. It's me alright! I'm keeping watch over you." He tried to sound jocular.

Cantwell's breathing was shallow and rapid. However, he seemed fully alert. trying to sit up more comfortably, he groaned in pain.

"Hang on! I wouldn't move yet, Cantwell. Shall I call for Sister?"

"No Gov, not yet. Don't want anyone else in here. I want to know about Debbie. How is she? I know she was hit, she got it before I did. I saw her... I saw ... How is she?"

"She's in good hands, Cantwell. They're taking the very best care of her. Only the best for your Debbie."

"But how is she, Gov? Can I see her?"

Temple weighed up his words very carefully. He remembered Sister's comments before he spoke:
"She's had a small op and they're going to take some more x-rays. That's all I know. But she's a fine healthy young woman. She'll be fine, I'm sure."

The comment seemed to reassure Cantwell. He visibly relaxed and sighed deeply: "A shooting - in Starmouth of all places. Who'd have thought it?"

"Not just any old shooting, Cantwell. The shooting of a copper and his wife. You'll be famous by morning. All the national press will be clamouring to know the story."

"Was it the drugs' boys from the docks, do you think? Maybe I stumbled across something big and didn't know it!"

"Let me do the sleuthing, Cantwell. I'll get the bastard, whoever it was. You can be sure about that."

Cantwell was about to ask more when the Doctor and the Sister came into the room.

"I think you should go home and try to get some rest, Inspector," the Doctor spoke quietly but firmly. "You've been invaluable just being here when Sergeant Cantwell recovered from the anaesthetic. Now the best thing you can do is to go home and rest."

Temple was relieved in a way. He ached for a proper sleep. He nodded to Cantwell: "I'll be back later, Cantwell. Rest assured, I'll keep you posted."

On his way out he nodded to the Sister and thanked her for the tea and sandwich. Once in the chill night air, Temple took in a long deep breath. The coming day would be an uneasy one.