Bread

by Stephen Brown

THE CASEBOOK OF GEEZA VERMIES

  Whether or not I should have done, I told all to Cripplesby after our meeting with Ramona. I owed it to him really. After all, he is paying out hand over foot for this investigation. And I tell you what - he is a man of hidden depths. Yeah, Elliot’s cool.

  Abandoning the Landy in some hotel car park, we barged our way through to the podiums just in time to hear the winners being announced over the P.A. Humphries and the South African had won and collected their bottles of bubbly and the enormous trophy with smiles to match. Then came the cheque, one of those over-sized ones made up and brought out for the cameras. Once it was deemed the crowd had been sprayed with enough champagne, all the drivers headed off for the publicity photographs round the back of the rostrum.

  We decided to split up so that one of us at least could hopefully get into the winners’ compound itself. We arranged to meet back out in front of the podiums in an hour. Cripplesby made a great play of synchronising watches without realizing that I don’t wear one! Oh well, at least he’s trying to get into the spirit of things.

  Elliot walked away, looking for some sort of side gate or else just the entrance, to try and pay his way in. I ambled around for a bit, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible and then when I could be sure no one was watching I shinnied up and over the fence. It was pretty simple. Everyone was caught up in the celebrations, including security, so no one was really paying any attention to anybody.

  Once on the right side of the perimeter fence I strolled casually about - nobody stops you if you look as though you’re meant to be there. After no too long I found my way round to the press tent easily enough.

  The photos with the presentation cheques were unfortunately already finished and the Professor was nowhere to be seen. Ollie Donald was still there though. He was doing some sort of advert about designer sunglasses for South African T.V, where apparently he is a bit of a celebrity. Good looking, successful, pearly white teeth – you know the sort.

  Suddenly I felt a chill, uneasy air gathering around me and I knew I had to find the Professor - quickly. I brought out the sachet that Ramona had told me in her no nonsense way to take first, went to some quiet corner, and smoked the lot.

  ***