by John Holt
He was beginning to wish that he had never gone down this particular road. He wondered if the Department would take him back. He shook his head. It was hardly likely he guessed sadly. Besides he couldn’t ever admit that he had been wrong, and the Captain right. But maybe there was a way he could swing it. It just needed a bit of thought that was all, shouldn’t be that difficult.
“This calls for an early lunch at Mike’s,” he murmured.
* * *
Cha
pter Six
Mikes Bar
Mikes Bar is located at 633 Collingwood, not far from Hatfield, close to the town square. It was fast becoming something of a habit for Kendall, home from home almost. The only difference was that Mike’s place was better furnished than his home. And as a bonus he wasn’t worried if it actually got a little dirty and needed cleaning. Furthermore he wouldn’t be worried if any repairs or decorating were required. All he really needed was somewhere warm and dry, and a bed to lie on, then his wants would be completely taken care of. And as an added bonus there would be no rent to pay. He wondered if maybe he could get Mike to consider providing something for him. He made a note to discuss it at an opportune moment.
Kendall found himself at Mike’s place at least three or four times a week. He wasn’t entirely sure how that had come about. It wasn’t that he was an alcoholic or anything like that. Oh sure, he enjoyed a drink now and again, and again, and again. But he could stop any time he wanted. His favorite was a scotch and water, although he could live without it – the water that is.
He had first started going to Mike’s just to pass the time. There was no work coming in and nothing to do, so whiling away a few hours in pleasant surroundings, and in convivial company, was quite enjoyable, and it kept him off of the streets. Then he soon realized that Mike’s wasn’t just somewhere to meet and get a drink. It was a good place for other reasons, acquiring information for example. Mike was a veritable encyclopedia. He knew practically everything that was going on locally. He knew who was doing what, and who they were doing it to. And he usually knew why they were doing it. If he didn’t know it, either it hadn’t happened yet, or it didn’t matter anyway.
It was early in the day, and the bar was virtually empty. It was dark inside, and it took a little while for Kendall’s eyesight to adjust after the bright sunlight. He glanced around. There were two men talking animatedly at the bar. Two other men were seated over in the far corner. There appeared to be no one else in the place. It was still early though. Another hour or so the lunch time clients would start to arrive, and then it would start to get busy.
Mike’s Bar
Mike was at the bar. A newspaper, opened at the sports pages, lay on the counter in front of him. He looked up as Kendall approached. “It’s a little early isn’t it Kendall,” he said as he glanced at the clock on the wall. Eleven twenty. “Even for you that is.”
“Don’t start, Mike,” Kendall replied. “I’m just having a bad day, that’s all.”
“You know my wife is beginning to complain,” said Mike. “She says that I see more of you than I do her.”
Kendall smiled and shook his head. “Don’t give me that Mike. I know, and you know, that’s she’s glad to see the back of you. Besides, she’s just jealous that’s all.”
“Jealous,” Mike repeated smiling.
“Yeah jealous,” said Kendall, as he hoisted himself on to a bar stool.
“Jealous of what?” asked Mike.
“Why you of course you big dope.”
“Jealous in what way?” asked Mike.
“She would like to see more of me,” replied Kendall.
“She’s got more sense than that,” Mike protested
“I’m not so sure,” said Kendall. “After all she married you didn’t she?”
“The best thing she ever did,” responded Mike. “Now enough of this, what can I get you, the usual?”
Kendall looked at him for a few moments. “Make it a double.”
“That’s what I said isn’t it, the usual?” replied Mike.
Mike poured the drink, and placed it in front of Kendall. “So what’s new?”
“Well I’ve got the office sorted,” said Kendall. “And this came this morning.” He reached into his inside pocket and withdrew a small leather wallet. He placed it on to the counter, and opened it. Inside was a shining gold badge. “Badge number 1051, that says that I am now fully qualified as a licensed private detective,” declared Kendall.
“I’m impressed,” said Mike. “Who’s the guy in the picture?”
Kendall looked at the photograph inside the wallet. “Oh that’s my dad, Sergeant Brian Kendall, New York Police Department. He died a few years ago. I still miss him. You know there’s always so much you want to say when it’s all too late.”
Mike picked up the wallet. “Know what you mean. Good looking guy, hard to believe he’s your dad you look nothing like him,” he said as he handed the wallet back to Kendall.
Kendall ignored the comment, and replaced the wallet in his inside pocket.
Private Detective’s Badge
“So you’re all set then,” Mike continued. “So what’s next?”
“I’m now looking for a secretary,” Kendall replied.
“You what,” said Mike. “You’re looking for a secretary?”
“That’s right, that’s what I said, a secretary. So what’s so strange about that?”
Mike shook his head, and smiled. “Kendall do you really think you’ll find anyone willing to put up with you? I mean I do because I have to. I can’t very well throw you out now can I? Besides you pay me to come here.”
Kendall looked hurt. “I’m your best customer,” he protested. “Without me you’d be forced to close down, and you know it. No one else would be seen dead in here.”
“Come on now Kendall,” Mike continued, ignoring the jibe. “I mean who in their right mind would want to work with you?”
“Oh I don’t know, I’m not that bad,” Kendall replied. “I’ll find someone, even if it kills me.” He finished his drink and pushed the empty glass toward Mike. “Do something useful will you? Fill that up, same again.”
Mike did as requested, and placed the glass on the counter. “So how have you done so far?”
“Oh pretty good I’d say,” replied Kendall, lying through his teeth.
“So have you taken anyone on then?” asked Mike.
“Oh early days yet,” said Kendall. “I’ve seen some great candidates though. There were two this morning, both excellent, and both want the job. You know it will be a hard decision to make. One of them will be very disappointed I can tell you.”
Mike smiled. “Who would want you?”
“My mother loves me,” Kendall replied.
Mike shook his head. “You never had a mother,” he said and laughed. “Five will get you ten you won’t find anyone.”
“I’ll get someone don’t you worry about that,” said Kendall. He took a drink. “So what’s new,” he continued, as he pointed to the newspaper.
Mike smiled and shook his head. “You mean apart from the game?”
Kendall nodded. It hadn’t been a game. It had been a massacre. “There should be a government health warning issued with games like that,” he said. “Watching can be detrimental to your health.” He took a drink. “Yes, apart from the game.”
“Same old, same old, I’m afraid,” said Mike.
“Phone hacking,” said Kendall.
“Phone hacking, and phone hacking, and more phone hacking,” Mike replied. “What else?”
For several weeks phone hacking had been a major topic in every newspaper. Every day there were more revelations, more celebrities complaining that there had been an invasion of their privacy. And every day there had been the expected denials.
“I understand that they are also talking about hacking into emails now,” said Kendall.
“Any chance of some service?” a voice called out. It was a young man who had rece
ntly come in, and was now seated at the end of the bar.
Mike gave a cursory glance. “Be right with you.” He then turned back to face Kendall. “Emails,” he said sounding puzzled. “How on earth do they do that?”
“Don’t ask me,” replied Kendall. “I’ve only just found out how to send them.” He took a drink.
The young man at the end of the counter called out once again. “Be right with you,” Mike said once again.
“What I want to know is what is the Government doing about it?” Kendall continued. “I pay my taxes, so I want some action.”
“Well you’ll be pleased to know that they are starting the State hearings in a few days, with that Senator whatever his name is.”
“You mean Dan Warwick?” said Kendall.
That’s right, Dan Warwick, for what good that’ll be,” Mike continued. “I mean what’s the point. They should just throw the editors in jail and throw the key away.”
Kendall took a drink and nodded his head. “You know that guy Lowry must have known what was going on don’t you think?”
Mike shrugged. “He says he didn’t.”
“It’s obvious he’s lying,” said Kendall. “I mean the Sentinel is up to its neck in it, so are the Daily Echo, and the Sunday Gazette.”
“How about that drink?” the young man called out becoming impatient.
Mike looked up once again. “Be right there.” He called back. Then he looked at Kendall. “What were we saying?”
“We were talking about the Sentinel,” explained Kendall. “And I was saying that Lowry is up to his neck in the scandal. No doubt about that.”
“Maybe so,” said Mike, not entirely convinced. “But Lowry says he knew nothing about it.”
“Well he would do wouldn’t he,” snapped Kendall. “He’s hardly going to admit it is he?”
Mike shrugged. “Well perhaps he didn’t know. Did you ever consider that?”
“No I never did,” replied Kendall. “He knew alright, he must have known.”
“Why do you say that?” asked Mike.
“I’ll tell you why,” said Kendall, and then pausing to take a drink. “You couldn’t be in charge of such a vast empire, like the Sentinel, without knowing about it, and probably without authorizing it. That kind of thing costs money, big money.”
“Hey,” the voice from the end of the bar called once again. “How about that drink then? Or do I just die of thirst?”
Mike looked at Kendall, and shook his head. “The youth of today,” he said. “No patience and no manners. I better go see what he wants.”
* * *
The first rumors of phone hacking had started four or five months earlier. They weren’t rumors exactly, merely hints and allegations. Suggestions that something wasn’t quite as it should be. These first murmurings involved Oscar nominated actress Helen Ashby, and an alleged medical condition she was being treated for.
“How could they possibly know about that?” was the question. “Where did the paper get their information from?” The conclusion was that it could only have been obtained through hacking into her cell phone.
Naturally the newspaper concerned refuted the allegations, insisting that the information had come from a hospital source. An internal inquiry was held. It was concluded that there was no truth to the allegations. The local Police Department carried out an investigation. The conclusion showed that there was no evidence of any wrong doing.
The rumors persisted however. Public opinion was divided. On the one hand it was considered nonsense. It was only the whining of a privileged few. It was nothing more than a publicity stunt on behalf of the celebrity.
Then in the opposite camp were those who accepted the newspaper’s guilt without question, and without any proof. After all printing untruths was nothing new. Newspapers did it all the time. They would do anything to make a sale.
“Disgusting,” said some.
“They should be locked up, and the key thrown away,” said others.
The rumors continued to spread. More and more celebrities became involved. The newspapers continued to deny the allegations.
* * *
“Well that’s him sorted,” said Mike rejoining Kendall. “So as you were saying before we were so rudely interrupted,” he looked towards the young man at the end of the bar. “You seemed to be suggesting that the editor, or owner, or whatever he is, would know what was going on. Correct?”
“Correct,” replied Kendall.
“Well according to the newspaper, he has denied any involvement in hacking,” said Mike.
Kendall looked up and heaved a sigh. “He knew I tell you. No doubt about it,” replied Kendall. “He was in charge wasn’t he?”
“Yes,” agreed Mike. “So he was in charge, carry on.”
“So think about it,” said Kendall. “You are in charge here correct?”
“Yes, that’s right,” agreed Mike.
“You make it your business to know precisely what goes on here.”
“That’s right,” Mike agreed once again.
“So if something was happening that you knew nothing about what would you think?”
“It wouldn’t happen,” protested Mike. “I make it my business to know what is going on.”
“Exactly, and that’s the same with Lowry,” said Kendall. “And if he really didn’t know, and other people were making decisions without his knowledge, and agreement, then he wasn’t doing his job right was he?”
Mike wasn’t entirely sure that the statement was necessarily correct. “Perhaps he was deliberately being kept in the dark,” he suggested.
Kendall shook his head. “Lowry, being kept in the dark. Come on now. They wouldn’t dare, they would be too scared. He’d go ballistic if he ever found out,”
Mike was still far from convinced. “When you were in the police force did your boss know everything that you did?”
Kendall shook his head once again. “That’s entirely different,” he replied. “There’s no comparison, all he needed to know was that we were doing our job apprehending the bad guys, and bringing them to book. He wasn’t that bothered how we did it, as long as it was legal. Lowry must have known what was going on I tell you.”
“Well I daresay the enquiry will get to the bottom of it,” said Mike, with an air of authority.
Kendall wasn’t so sure. There had been similar enquiries back at the department. “Whitewash,” he replied quite simply
“What do you mean?” asked Mike.
“Exactly what I say,” replied Kendall. “They won’t find anything, and if they do they’ll cover it up, or they will have no powers to do anything about it anyway.”
“You may be right,” said Mike unconvinced.
“You bet I’m right,” said Kendall. “What’s this all going to cost anyway, and who’s paying for it I’d like to know.”
Mike shook his head. “Who knows?”
“You can bet it’ll be expensive,” said Kendall. “And it won’t be the Sentinel picking up the tab. It’ll be us, the poor old taxpayer.”
“Guess so,” said Mike. “It’s always the way.”
“You can say that again,” said Kendall.
“Well whatever the outcome, and whether Lowry knew or he didn’t, I’ve no sympathy for these celebrities,” said Mike, as he closed the newspaper. “They love the publicity.” He paused for a moment. “What do they say about publicity?”
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity,” suggested Kendall. “Only publicity.”
“That’s right,” said Mike. “Then when it doesn’t suit them they start complaining.”
Kendall took a drink. “You could be right,” he said, not very convincingly. “But whatever is said and done, phone hacking is illegal and I wouldn’t want to be one of the victims.” He finished his drink and laid the empty glass on to the counter.
“Suppose not,” agreed Mike. “But who would be bothered tapping your phone, eh? What dark secrets have you got to hide?”
/> “That would be telling,” replied Kendall.
Mike smiled. He looked at the empty glass. “Another one?” he asked.
Kendall looked at the clock. It was a quarter to two. His next appointment was in fifteen minutes. He was not looking forward to it. It was bound to be another disaster. Another drink sounded very appealing, but sadly he didn’t have enough time. He shook his head. “Better not,” he replied. “Maybe I’ll come back later.”
“Are you sure?” asked Mike.
Kendall stood up. “Better get gone I suppose, duty calls.” He gave Mike a quick wave, turned around and headed towards the door. “People to see, places to go, deals to make, you know how it is, busy, busy, busy.”
* * *
Chapter Seven
Miss Brenda Adams
Kendall got back to his office a few minutes before two o’clock. Just enough time for a quick drink before Miss Whatsername arrived. He went into the kitchen and prepared himself another large scotch. Once again he decided against the water. He returned to his desk and sat down. Not long now, he murmured, as he took a sip of his drink. After the nightmare of his two visitors that morning, something to steady the nerves was called for. Although if the truth be known Kendall rarely, if ever, needed an excuse.
Twenty minutes later Miss Whatsername had still not arrived. If there was one thing Kendall hated, it was being kept waiting. Time for another drink perhaps.
A further ten minutes went by. Still there was no sign of Miss Adams. Had he made a mistake? Was the appointment for three o’clock, or perhaps even a different day. Kendall checked his diary. There was no mistake, except perhaps making the appointment in the first place.