Chapter 3 – A Dish Best Served Cold

Casino, Madge, Goniff and Ruby walked into the Strand Palace restaurant to get breakfast and were surprised to find Actor sitting waiting for them. He raised a cup of coffee in salute and gestured for them to come over.

"Hey Beautiful, you get thrown out already?" exclaimed Casino as he pulled out a chair for Madge to sit down.

"What did you do mate, con her outta her jewellery?" laughed Goniff.

Actor smiled, shook his head and glanced quickly at the girls. "I have a little job for you, if you're interested."

Casino and Goniff looked at each other, nodded and nonchalantly picked up their menus. "Sure babe, we'll eat first 'n then we'll have a little talk. You wanna have somethin'?"

After breakfast Goniff reached into his pocket and drew out some cash, he peeled off twenty pounds and handed it to Ruby. "'Ere you go love, go buy yourself somethin' pretty for when we go dancin' tonight."

Madge tapped Casino's arm and held out a hand, he gave Goniff an exasperated look and handed her a similar amount. "Get yourselves lunch as well, we might be a while." The girls smiled and left the men to their business.

The three cons found a quiet corner and sat down, Casino turned to Actor and fixed him with a belligerent stare. "Ok, this'd better be good baby!" He took out his cigarettes, passed them round and listened to what the conman had to say.

Actor told them what had happened the previous evening, how he knew Houplain and what he had planned. Goniff's face broke into a huge grin. "So you wanna get even with this Hoplin bloke 'n add to our tally at the same time? I got no objections to that mate."

Actor smiled. "Revenge is a dish best served cold Goniff."

Casino blew out a cloud of smoke and ground his cigarette out in the ashtray. "The guy's gonna think he's eatin' ice cream, remind me to never get on the wrong side of you babe!"

"I've already prepared the plan." Actor smiled, reached into his jacket and drew out an envelope, he laid out his paperwork and a map. Casino and Goniff examined the carefully detailed plans in amazement. The safe-cracker eventually looked up and regarded the conman with an amused expression. "Alright babe, tell me, who died 'n made you Garrison?"

GG-GG-GG

Houplain and his men walked around Hatton Garden in the afternoon sunshine and cased the jewellery shops situated there. This was London's Jewellery Quarter, occupied by the industry at the end of the 19th century after the discovery of South Africa's Kimberley Diamond Fields and the rise of the de Beers family.

Goniff stood at a street corner and nonchalantly smoked a cigarette, his attention seemed to be on the newspaper he was reading but his eyes kept flicking over the top to watch what the gang was doing. As soon as he thought they'd glanced at him enough he folded up his copy of The Times and strolled around the corner where he met up with Actor and Casino. "Your turn mate," he said to the safe-cracker as he took off the cap that was covering his blonde hair. Casino turned up his collar, put his hands in his pockets and sauntered round the corner.

Goniff looked up at Actor, he was sporting a van dyck beard and moustache along with a pair of rimless glasses. "That really necessary mate?"

Actor nodded. "I was sitting right next to them last night, if Houplain recognises me the jig is up."

Casino walked briskly round the corner and looked at the two men earnestly. "They've split into two groups, they're gonna take down two stores at the same time!"

Goniff grinned. "All the more for us then!"

GG-GG-GG

The three cons stood at various points round the area, watched and waited as the gang raided the two premises, the men came out carrying large holdalls and went off in opposite directions on foot. Actor motioned for Casino and Goniff to follow one pair and he followed Houplain and his partner. The gang met up again half a mile away, Actor could hear the faint ringing of bells as police cars gathered at the scene of the crimes, he smiled as he thought of one of his aliases, yes, that would come in very handy!

Actor looked around as Casino and Goniff caught up with him, he pointed round the corner. "They're back together and they're going to where they've stashed the rest of their loot."

Casino shook his head. "They really brought all their ill-gotten gains over here?"

Goniff smiled. "Course they would, can't trust those Jerries, load of bloody thieves the lot of 'em!"

Casino grinned and slapped his friend on the shoulder. "No thieves over here, right Limey?"

Goniff nodded. "No mate, just us connoisseurs 'n collectors of fine things!"

Actor clicked his fingers. "They're on the move, let's go."

They followed the gang down towards the Thames and a small warehouse area by the docks, they watched as Houplain unlocked a door, opened it and waved for his men to enter, he looked around and then went in. "Now we wait," said Actor as he pulled off his beard.

Two hours later Houplain and his men walked out of the warehouse, he locked the door and the group headed towards the city centre. Actor, Goniff and Casino waited fifteen minutes to make sure the coast was clear before strolling over. Casino reached into his mouth and took out the length of spring steel he always kept, knelt down and gave the lock his full attention as Actor and Goniff kept watch.

Thirty seconds later the three men walked into the warehouse. "Bloody hell!" exclaimed Goniff as he gazed around at the bounty strewn around them.

Casino walked over to a truck parked in the middle of the warehouse and looked in. "Looks like Houplain's been real busy since you saw him last Actor, this thing's packed."

Actor looked at his friends. "Let's sort out the good stuff and put it in the truck." He pointed to a large safe in the corner. "Casino?"

The safe-cracker grinned as he strolled over. "No sweat babe, this one's a cinch to open."

The three cons spent a few hours sorting through the hoard until they were satisfied they had the most lucrative pieces. "Your Lord Turnbull is gonna love all this," commented Casino as he slipped a few choice items into a sack.

Actor nodded. "He will, but don't forget we have other business first. It's time for me to call Scotland Yard and arrange a little reception party for Houplain and his gang."

Casino and Goniff exchanged glances, Actor had ice in his veins when he was out for revenge, they didn't envy Houplain at all, this dish was going to be served frozen!

Goniff looked at his watch. "We'd better get back to the girls or we'll be in trouble too!"