Well this is all taking a bit longer than I thought, so this is ep 5.7 and 5.8 now; lol the more feedback the more ideas you give me to add in - keep them coming
"Where's the wife?" Brite asked with mock interest when he and Dempsey met in the hotel Foyer again prior to lunch
"Oh she's gone shopping - I'm telling you that lady knows the true meaning of American Express – the rate she spends… I've sent her on the train down to London"
Brite smiled "Well while the cats away…"
"…the mice can play" Dempsey finished
"What are you suggesting" asked Brite
"That we load a car with a bomb that will make that Freedom Clinic listen to us"
Brite couldn't see the harm in keeping his money sweet after all the yank was only here for another week and he'd promised rather a lot of thousands so he nodded his assent
"Who's your bomb maker" asked Dempsey
"Old Joe"
"Well when I was asking around in London" Brite thought he'd missed something but didn't want to show his ignorance and so allowed Dempsey to continue without interruption "I found this guy with quite a reputation"
"Oh yes?" was the cautious reply
"Apparently they make a material that you can't diffuse"
"Sounds interesting"
"You should invite him up here - put the word out" Dempsey threw out casually "he uses this explosive sheet that foxes the bomb disposal" he looked for tell tale signs of interest but could only afford one more push without appearing too keen "If one of your cars goes up you'll be playing in the real league."
Harry marched into the SI10 offices; Tony did a double take "I thought you were in Liverpool"
"We've finally made contact with one Jonathan Brite but he's lacking a past so I've come down to hunt through some old records" She moved over to the computer "what I don't get is why would a prolife campaigner threaten to blow up a car and kill who knows how many innocent people passing by"
"The greater good?" suggested Tony "brutal people need a brutal threat"
"Possibly" Harry conceded
The relatively positive commendation from Makepeace gave Tony the Dutch courage he needed "Dave said about your accent- you really take this role stuff seriously then"
"If you don't you'll get caught"
"Right down to the rings" Tony looked pointedly at Harry's left hand but subtlety was not his strong point and Harry was quick off the mark. She touched the wedding ring and explained how it was her mothers which she had had ever since her death when she was just 13. The extra information worked a treat, Tony anxious to avoid any conversation about such an ordeal took the morsel offered and backed off.
Harry read through some extra files then told Tony she intended to hang around that evening and speak to some of the clientele down here again.
"I found your bomb manufacturer" Brite informed Dempsey over the phone
"Yeh?" Dempsey waited not showing any of his hope
"He's big league"
"I heard he was good, back from a few years in Spain where it got a bit too hot if I'm not mistaken"
"To be honest I'm not so sure he's right for us - a bit out of our league"
Worried Dempsey had suggested they meet for a drink; he took two cigars out and offered one to Brite, and patted him on the back "To be honest he's the reason I came over here." he lit the cigar "the wife knows nothing of my dealings back home"
"Obviously" Brite concurred
Dempsey exhaled and took his time setting himself above Brite in standing socially and criminally but not yet intimidating him "I need a good explosive expert - it's not for big stuff but there's market for clever explosives. When I asked around I got wind of you and your penchant for wiring up cars and I was hoping you would be able to do the introductions for me" Dempsey noted Brite's skepticism
"So you're not interested in the abortion debate" Brite checked cautiously
"Hell no, the missus thinks it a great cause but as far as I'm concerned they can go screw themselves - if you pardon the pun"
Brite laughed
"I'll see you right for the introduction" Dempsey offered noting Brite was still hesitant he added "Tell you what you name the price - this guys gonna make me millions back home"
Finally Dempsey saw the rush of excitement as Brite contemplated a price and knew he'd won "So let's go get that new clinic – I'm guessing you really want the protection money but in my experience if you don't make a real bang somewhere along the line they won't keep buying in to your services."
Slowly Brite raised his glass, he hadn't realised his operation was that transparent but he wasn't going to be made look like a small amateur by a yank "I couldn't say"
Next Day
Dempsey was relieved to have Harry back; for one brief moment last night he had wondered whether it would be ok working without Harry at his side. He'd reasoned that they could still discuss cases and she would still be able to give him her brilliant insights but as he had drawn on his cigar and pondered things other realities had struck him - at best she'd be snowed under with her own work load... at worst without her minding his back he'd end up dead… So to avoid the depressing thought that they would never see each other and because he didn't like such ideas he pushed them all out of mind and knuckled back down to what he knew best - working the case.
Brite had left an invitation for Dempsey at the hotel reception.
"Seems things are moving Princess" he said in full southern flow as he pushed the letter into his back pocket.
"Spikings said Watson had been approached" Harry confirmed before she continued on "I think Brite has more going on here?"
"What makes you say that?"
"My nose tells me"
"I have the nose" Dempsey corrected her
Harry sighed "Ok" she wasn't interested in a full scale argument "I have the brains and using my brains I can't see that Brite gets enough out of pretending to blow up cars outside abortion clinics"
"He must get protection payments off them to keep his protestors away"
"It's not enough" Harry insisted
"Them places make a fortune, protection money could make him a tidy packet Brite just has to poll up at a clinic and demand dollars"
"Pounds"
"Same difference"
"This is England"
"I know - it's raining"
"But why offer the girls somewhere to live?" Harry persisted ignoring another of James' pet themes
"Makes him look good, soothes his conscious" Dempsey shrugged "I dunno"
His sullen responses goaded Harry "You still haven't told me what you really think about these clinics" she demanded
"You still haven't answered my question from the other night" he pointed out
Harry rose "I think we should join the lobby outside the clinic" she slipped her coat on "See what else we can gather on your new best friend"
Dempsey stood and made to leave "My sister had an abortion" he growled as he slung his jacket on and walked off ahead of Makepeace
"That doesn't tell me anything" Harry called out after him
"It tells me you ain't listening babe"
The tap on Macs shoulder made him jump "What do you think you're doing?" not recognising the voice Mac turned but neither did he recognise the face "Just passing by" he replied
"You've been here half hour" the tall thin gent in his 50s pointed out
"Just watching" Mac tried a second time
"Oh I know that" his voice sounded threatening "I was kind of wondering why"
Mac was about to pass the question off with a joke when he felt his collar tighten around his neck for a second time as he was lifted off the ground "You seem to be interested in someone my friend might be interested in"
"And who might that be?" Mac acted the pro he wasn't feeling
His attacker nodded towards Dempsey and Makepeaces direction
"I meant who is your friend" Mac bravely pushed
"Now that don't matter to you now does it?" Mac felt his collar tighten again "Let's just say that my friend has an interest in your friend"
Dave, feeling guilty from the stares Mac had been throwing stepped forward and with as much bravado as he could muster declared "we don't give anything away for free"
Mac stumbled as he landed back down and Dave drew the attention of their assailant who smiled menacingly "it's not to say that my friend will definitely pay but if you give me an idea..."
"It's a matter of who's who" Mac took charge again, he wasn't going to loose out to Dave "we ain't so sure that if she's really married to him"
Dave jostled for lead position "but if you come back here tomorrow with some hard cash we might be able to tell you some more"
Brites henchman looked around, Dempsey and Makepeace had made themselves scarce "Maybe they are, maybe they ain't" the assailant murmured "but they're sure screwing" He looked long and hard first at Mac then Dave "I'll be watching you" he promised "I'll find you tomorrow" and he slipped back onto the shadows.