Thank you to the guest reviewers who pointed out my massive error with Julia's parents in Chapter 28. I've re-drafted and updated it now, so it might be worth a quick scan. No real change, just the right parents!
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Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Well, that's it then" Dickie stated as he re-folded the paper and prepared to finish his breakfast "Greenall's has gone bust. There's nothing in the article about Larry though, they just focus on bad debt and overreaching."
"The Inspector did warn it was a likely result" Isobel added. "I wonder how long it will be before the rumours become something more solid."
"I'm quite surprised there hasn't been more speculation" Dickie mused "Maybe we just don't hear it because we're up here?"
"Let's not go to London again!" Isobel jested. They both chuckled.
"Excuse me m'lady" Stokes appeared at the door "Her apologies for the hour, but Lady Foxton is on the telephone."
"Why on earth is she calling at this time of the morning?" Isobel worried as she rose to go and take the call.
"Marjorie? Is everything alright?" Isobel asked urgently.
"Oh, yes, everything is alright with me" Lady Marjorie reassured her "It's, well, it's all this palaver with Tim Grey that I'm calling about."
"What palaver exactly?" Isobel wondered how she could possibly know about the events of Saturday.
"You don't know?" Lady Marjorie sounded surprised "He was arrested on Saturday night. I thought he would have rung for your Dickie to try and get him out?"
"We haven't heard a thing!" Isobel tried to think quickly, but also knew Dickie could hear her in the dining room, so asked "What was he arrested for?"
As Isobel expected, that caught Dickie's attention and he joined her at the telephone. She held the receiver between them so he could hear as well.
"Julia arrived here yesterday morning in a terrible flap. Said he'd been arrested at Calypso's - you know that dreadful place in Moorgate that's always in the gossip columns - and that the Police were still holding him. She wanted Thomas to do something to get him out, but of course he flat refused. Never lifts a finger if there's no political advantage" Marjorie scoffed.
"Well, we certainly haven't heard from him. I can only assume he's sorted himself out." Isobel stated looking at Dickie questioningly. Dickie just shrugged.
"I don't think so. Julia has been here again this morning asking Thomas what she can try if he won't help. He told her to keep out of it." Marjorie sighed "Poor girl is still trying to convince everyone, and probably herself, that she's not in love with him. I was hoping that maybe you were helping him sort his life out, but after Saturday I'm assuming that's not the case."
"We haven't heard from him in a few days Marjorie" Isobel thought she could stretch the truth a little if it helped them find out what was going on "Any idea what has caused the latest upset?"
"Not really. Julia only has the story second hand from her flat mate, Clarrie. Apparently he was drunk and picked a fight" Dickie closed his eyes "but the Police are still holding him, which seems strange. Julia also said there was a Policeman outside his flat when she tried to find him there on Sunday. All very peculiar. Then there's this news this morning about Larry's bank going bust!" Lady Marjorie paused "There couldn't possibly be a link, could there?"
"I don't see how, Marjorie. Tim is with the Foreign Office, not in banking." Isobel dissembled "It must just be what happened on Saturday. Was there much damage?"
"Oh, I don't know about that. I don't even know where the fight was, although Clarrie did say he got thrown out of the club." Lady Marjorie sighed "I've no doubt it will be in the papers tomorrow, but I'd rather forewarn Julia if anything nasty is going to come up."
"If I hear anything that will help Julia, I'll be sure to give you a call Marjorie. Thanks for calling" Isobel rang off.
"What on earth is going on?" Isobel asked Dickie "If he's in custody, why don't we know? And this doesn't seem too much of a surprise to you?" She led the way back to the breakfast table.
Dickie sat down heavily "He's always been ready with his fists when he's upset. He doesn't pick on anyone in particular, just goes looking for a way to swing his fists. He's done it since he was a little boy. At school, he was lucky that his Housemaster got him into boxing: that helped a lot." Dickie sighed "The last time I know he had a fight was after Ada died. He got roaring drunk and picked a fight with one of the biggest stable hands."
"So you think he's done the same after getting back to London?" Isobel looked shocked "Surely our row didn't upset him that much?"
"This isn't about you and him" Dickie reassured her "I think it's about what I told him." Dickie hung his head. "I'm so utterly dreadful at this Fathering business."
"No, you're not" Isobel squeezed his hand "You just have difficult subjects to work with. All parenting is about give and take. The pendulum swings both ways - more one way than other at times, that's all. What can you possibly have told him that would have upset him that much? He wasn't that upset when we got married, so it can't be us, surely?"
Dickie withdrew his hand before saying quietly "I told him Ada only consented to a second child because she wanted a girl, and that he been a disappointment to her from the moment he was born…"
"I see." Isobel pondered "But that wouldn't explain why a Policeman was at the door of his flat." She reached for more toast and started to butter it "No, I think there's maybe something else going on here." She took a bit absent-mindedly.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"We didn't find anything significant Sir, just some financial statements and this paperwork. There's nothing new here, except it seems that Larry Grey may have fleeced his brother just as thoroughly as everyone else" Sergeant Bailey placed the paperwork on Inspector Money's desk.
"What about a passport? Any sign of travel plans?" The Inspector asked.
Bailey shook his head "Nothing. I've confiscated his passport, but with his job, we may not be able to keep it long if we can't charge him with anything."
"Hmm" Inspector Money leafed through the papers in front of him "Let's have another go. The only thing we can charge him for at the moment is Drunk and Disorderly. There's no way Fleming will press Assault charges."
Inspector Money led the way down to the cells, and Bailey opened the door. Tim sat huddled in the corner with his head hidden in his folded arms.
"So, care to tell us more about these?" Inspector Money opened with.
Tim looked up "If that's the papers from the briefcase, there's nothing to tell. They're just papers with words on. Nothing more." He put his head back down.
Money and Bailey shared a look. "Why's your brother contacting you if you're not involved, hey? Who was he working with?"
Tim didn't move "I have no idea" his voice was muffled "I had no idea then, I have no idea now."
"Why should I believe you?" the Inspector asked "Maybe you're just more clever than he is and you've hidden your share of the proceeds overseas with all your Foreign Office trips, hey?"
Tim didn't reply. He didn't move. He just stayed huddled with his head hidden in his arms.
After a while, Inspector Money withdrew. "Get them to keep a close eye on him. I'm beginning to think he's in the clear" He sighed and raked his hand through his hair "Damn!"
"There's still the P.O. box Sir" Sergeant Bailey reminded him.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"Oh Sylvia, it's all so dreadful!" whined Julia "He's in that pokey, cold, miserable cell and no one will help me get him out!"
Sylvia looked at Julia with apathy "Darling, you keep trying to tell everyone you're just friends" she took a long drag on her cigarette "Why on earth would you get so worked up?"
"We are just friends" Julia grumbled "I'd be just as concerned for you"
Sylvia crooked an eyebrow "I wouldn't have turned up at Calypso's barely able to stand, tried to break up a few of the dancing couples, got myself thrown out and then picked a fight with that Fleming chap" Sylvia clarified "Honestly, he's bad news, Julia Darling. He was looking for trouble! He's where he wanted to be."
"No one wants to be in jail Sylvia!" Julia whined. "Poor man".
"Seriously sweetie. Get a grip!" Sylvia was getting bored "He's not worth the trouble. He's only in the Diplomatic any way, isn't he? Barely be able to keep you in stockings! Now that Neil Strange, he's more up your street. I hear his old man is look rather poorly these days" She winked at her friend.
"Huh! Naughty Neil? From what I hear, there's hardly anyone in Town who hasn't sampled his box of delights. Why would anyone want to marry that?" Julia's lip curled.
"Money, title, good looking, experienced in the ways that matter" Sylvia ticked them off on her fingers. "Not to be sniffed at. Plus" she knocked the ash off her cigarette "Give him an heir and a spare and you can have all the fun you want!"