"But you seemed fine about him being in charge when we were in the States…" Stacie was bemused by Ash's ill-will towards Danny.
"Did I have a choice? Albert didn't want to do it, and neither did I. You didn't seem interested in taking it on. Danny got it by default, but he acted as though it was his by right." Ash obsessively micro-folded and unfolded a piece of paper in order to avoid looking at Stacie, who couldn't think of an answer to the question. She looked round as Albert left, and when she turned back to continue the conversation, Ash had dematerialised off to his room. With heavy heart, she got up and walked over to where Mickey was lying back, relaxing, in an armchair. She poked him on the arm and flopped down on the sofa opposite.
Slowly opening his eyes, Mickey scanned the room and realised they were on their own. "What's happening?" he asked, choosing his words with care.
Stacie assumed he meant Ash. "He's just concerned that Danny is going to put the hard word on you so that he can take over as leader again."
Mickey snorted, amused. "Yeah, like that's gonna work," he drawled. "Who came up with this 'leader' thing, anyway? Since when did grifters have a title for who comes up with the plans? It's only ever been implicit; unspoken, yet understood."
"I think Albie may be partly to blame there," mused Stacie. "He really wound Danny up with that Henderson Challenge business, and even though he explained in the end that it was all a hoax, I don't think Danny ever quite got his head around the fact that it wasn't for real. He truly believed that grifters needed to know who was best, and that the best person ought to be their 'leader'." Stacie made quotation marks in the air with her fingers to illustrate her disdain for the idea.
Mickey's head rolled slowly from side to side in disbelief, although still with a smile on his face. "You can see where Ash is coming from," he pointed out. "It gets on your nerves after a while."
"Tell me about it!" Stacie threw herself back in the sofa, and ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "Try putting up with it for months and only occasionally having the so-called 'expert' come up with anything workable. The number of times we had to pull his conkers out of the fire…well, it doesn't bear thinking about."
"Albert's filled me in on a few of the things you got up to. Danny sounds like he did all right…"
"…but he made such a big deal of it every time that Ash got sick to the back teeth with him," Stacie explained. "And then there was the year or so I was working with him after Ash and Albert came home." Her eyes took on a glassy look, then she shook the feeling off. "I really would rather not repeat the experience," she said with heartfelt finality.
Mickey decided to tell her about Danny's most recent brush with the law, and had just launched into the story when Ash came into the room and stood, hands in pockets, at the far end of the sofa.
"Mick," he said, and his tone of voice was unmistakably that of someone who wanted a serious word in private.
Stacie got up and said lightly, "Well, I haven't had any retail therapy for almost a week, so I think a trip to the shops is definitely called for." She collected her jacket from the back of a chair, picked up her bag, and bade the two men goodbye as she set off for the largest department store she could think of.
Ash took her place on the sofa and sat forward, looking soberly at Mickey. "We need to talk," he said ominously.
"So talk," was the laconic reply. But Mickey was now totally focused on what his friend was saying, his body language, his tone of voice, everything. He knew that the moment when it would be down to either Danny or Ash had arrived a lot sooner than he had anticipated.
"What's happening with Danny?" Well, at least Ash was being direct about it. Mickey weighed his response with caution.
"He's staying at a dive of a hotel near Wormwood Scrubs. I thought it best to put him there out of harm's way," he said casually.
"And?" Ash wasn't giving any quarter.
"And I have no idea what he's doing. Honestly." Mickey reckoned that a similar economy of words might suit his purpose, too.
It was a bit of a struggle, but Ash managed to remain patient as he went on, "Is he back for good? I'm assuming he's not going to stay at the hotel indefinitely."
"He did ask if he could come and stay here, but I categorically told him no. You probably know as much about his future plans as I do."
The crumb of comfort seemed to work. Ash visibly relaxed at the news of Danny being given short shrift.
Mickey plumped for seizing the bull by the horns, and, leaning forward, asked, "And what about you?"
Ash was taken aback. "Eh?"
"You. You've been like a bear with two sore heads since last night. Care to let me in on it?"
There was a difficult pause, and then Ash spoke. "I couldn't work with him again, Mick. Not if my life depended on it. He's bloody insufferable."
"You managed it for five years," Mickey pointed out, full knowing what kind of response he'd get.
"That was before you left. You and Albert together managed to keep him in check, but once you were gone and he became our self-appointed commandant – it's not funny, Mick - it was a nightmare. Why d'you think we went our separate ways in the States? Albert and I had both had enough. He was the one who saved our bacon when the Vegas mob were after us. It was no thanks to Danny that we managed to get out of that."
"What about Stacie? She seemed happy enough to go along with him for a while."
"D'you think my head zips up the back?!" Ash was getting all fired up now. "I heard her telling you, not five minutes ago, that he drove her crazy when they were working out west."
"Yes, she did, but I just wanted to hear your point of view," replied Mickey calmly.
"Bottom line is, he thinks we're just going to take him on like we did the first time. And I can promise you that if he comes back on board, you won't see me for dust."
"Oh, come on, Ash, you don't mean that." Almost instantly the words had left his lips, he regretted it. Ash's face wore the coldest, hardest look Mickey had ever seen. Silently, the fixer got to his feet, walked away a few paces, then turned to look at his friend.
"When have you ever known me to say something to you that I didn't mean? We've been oppos for more years than I care to count. I've seen you at your lowest, and you likewise with me. Have I ever been anything less than straight with you?"
"No, of course not. We…" Mickey stopped as Ash raised a hand to indicate he hadn't finished saying his piece.
"Then believe me when I say that I will never work with Danny Blue again. Ever. The guy does my box in. He's arrogant, crass, greedy…I could go on, but why bother? He's not even worth the effort, in my book."
"I take your point, Ash. But he's a good grifter. We can always use another hand."
"Then get Sean back."
The penny dropped.
Mickey stood to face Ash, incredulous that he hadn't seen it. "Sean. Is that what this is about? You've been missing Sean?"
"We trained him up, he learned fast, he could improvise with the best of them – and he knew his limitations. Plus, he was a real team player, something Danny doesn't understand or care about. If we get anyone back, it should be Sean, not Danny."
"They wanted to move on, Ash. I couldn't make them stay – and believe me, I tried. Emma wasn't going to be persuaded, and Sean wasn't going to let her go alone. I think he would have stayed if she'd not been going so far, but the idea of her grifting on her own in Rome worried him too much. So that was it. But you know all that."
"Yes, I do. I also know that if you two had got together there wouldn't have been any question of her leaving." This was obviously the day for being blunt.
Mickey shook his head wryly. "I think you're reading something into our working relationship that was never there."
"Only just! I saw the way you two used to look at each other. The only thing keeping you apart was, ironically, Sean. He saw it, too."
"He was just being an overprotective brother. Ash, there was nothing to see!" Mickey was starting to protest a little too much. "Anyway, it's all academic. They're not coming back, and as far as I'm concerned for the moment, neither is Danny."
"'For the moment'," echoed Ash, accusingly.
**********
Albert left the Excelsior hotel after a rather pleasant afternoon tea. The Devon scones had been particularly noteworthy. He gave a satisfied sigh, then paused to look up and down the street.
"Can I get you a cab, sir?" the top-hatted concierge enquired.
"Ah, no, thank you, I think a brisk walk is in order. Too much pastry!" replied Albert good-humouredly, patting his stomach.
The man smiled back. "Very good, sir."
Albert started off at a leisurely pace in the general direction of home. He paused to buy a newspaper, then detoured through the park to find a bench on which to sit and read. He flicked the paper open, and five minutes later had nodded off.
Danny groaned. It was as if the old man knew he was following him, and was deliberately trying to prevent him from finding out where the crew were staying. He looked at his watch and then sat down on a swing to wait.
**********
"Albert's texted me," announced Stacie, from the middle of a pile of shoeboxes.
"Anything to report?" Mickey asked.
There was a pause while Stacie read the message and then sniggered, "Danny's trying to follow him."
"Good grief. Did he really think Albert wouldn't spot him? What an idiot."
"My money's definitely on Albie. He's far too long in the tooth to let Danny get the better of him. I can't wait to hear how he manages to ditch him."
About twenty minutes later and somewhat out of breath, Albert arrived back at the crew's HQ.
"Albie!" Stacie greeted him enthusiastically, then realised he was agitated about something. He walked past her and found Mickey on the balcony.
Mickey also noticed at first sight that something was amiss. "Danny?" he asked, concerned.
"I don't know what happened, Michael. I was sitting in the park, reading my paper, and Danny was watching me from the playground. Next thing I knew, there was a SWAT team, police dogs, and he was hauled off in an unmarked van. He didn't even have time to shout out. I'm worried that he's got himself in over his head with some seriously heavy people."
"Stacie!" Mickey called as he walked back into the room. "Are you still in touch with that detective in Vice?"
"She's transferred to the Serious Crime Unit, but yes, we go for a drink every few months to catch up. Why?"
"I need to know why Danny was picked up by armed police in Battersea Park twenty minutes ago. Can you find out?"
"On it." Stacie found her friend's number and rang it. "Sandra, how are you? Not bad, thanks…no, actually I'm a bit worried about a friend of mine. Seems he was taken into custody this afternoon and I'm trying to find out why…yes, his name's Danny Blue…Battersea Park…" she looked up at Albert, who was pantomiming a sniper – "…apparently by armed officers. Can you? That would be fantastic. Yes, please do, as soon as you know. Thanks, Sandra, I'm very grateful. Bye." She put the phone down on the table. "It'll probably take her a little while to track him down. She says there's also the possibility that she won't be able to get any information, if by any chance he's been arrested for certain offences. But that's not likely…"
"What, like terrorism? I can't see even Danny attracting the attention of the security services!" declared Mickey, alarmed all the same.
Albert looked around. "Where's Ash?"
Stacie and Mickey exchanged glances.
"He's been in his room for a couple of hours. Shall I get him for you?" Stacie replied, gesturing towards Ash's bedroom door.
"No, that's all right, I just wondered if he'd gone out for a while," explained Albert.
Stacie's phone rang, making her jump. "Hello, Sandra…I see…and how long will they be holding him for? On what grounds?...who?" Her brow furrowed. "Right. OK, I really appreciate your getting back to me so quickly…that's terrific. Thanks so much. We'll need to meet up for lunch soon…talk to you again. Take care!" She turned to face Albert and Mickey.
"Danny was arrested, after an anonymous tip-off, on suspicion of supplying crack cocaine and carrying a firearm. Naturally they didn't find any such thing on him, so he'll be released without charge in the next half-hour, from Battersea Bridge police station."
Mickey grabbed his jacket and made for the door, and Albert and Stacie followed.