All is Fair

by All is Fair (retail) (epub)

  ‘After Dad’s debts were paid off, we were left with just a couple of pounds. We’ve managed to survive so far, but last week water started to come through the roof of our van and we hadn’t the money to repair it, so Mam was looking through our stuff to see if she could find anything worth pawning. She found a few bits of old jewellery in a handbag that would hopefully go some way towards paying for the repairs, but she also came across the box containing Grandpa’s old papers. There were lots of old bills and suchlike in there – even a receipt for the second-hand suit he’d bought to marry my grandmother in – but then Mam came across this.’ He pulled a long yellowing envelope from inside his waistcoat and flapped it against his other hand. ‘Mam can’t read, so she gave it to me to tell her what it said.’

  ‘And what does it say?’ Solly urged, a fear beginning to niggle at him that whatever it was, he wasn’t going to like it.

  Barry Topper paused for a moment before he announced, ‘It’s a deal made between my grandfather and your father, about forty years ago. In exchange for the sum of six thousand pounds, my grandfather got thirty per cent of your father’s business. The partnership could be dissolved at any time if the six grand was paid back with the appropriate interest. If your father died, Grandpa would get thirty per cent of what his business was worth at the time; if my grandfather had already died, that money would go to his estate. It’s all in here. My grandfather obviously never asked for the loan to be repaid when he was alive; he never had need of the money as his own fair was giving him a good living.

  ‘When my grandfather died, as I’ve already told you, my dad didn’t go through his papers properly because all he was interested in was claiming his inheritance, so we didn’t know about this deal. But now that we do, I’m here to ask you to settle it. We sorely need the money, I can tell you.’ Anger entered his voice as he continued. ‘Anyway, what’s more to the point is why your father didn’t honour his obligations when he heard that my grandfather had died, and why you didn’t when your father died.’

  Solly had grown pale by now, and Gem had stopped what she was doing to stare blindly over at their visitor. Jimmy and Robbie sat in silence, understanding the significance of what this man had told them.

  Solly said, ‘We didn’t do anything because we knew nothing about this. When my father died, I went through his papers and I can assure you I found no agreement between him and your grandfather.’ He stood up and looked at Gem. ‘Do you want to offer Mr Topper a drink while I go and check the paperwork again, just in case I missed something before.’

  Barry smiled at her. ‘Cuppa would be lovely, thanks. Three sugars and plenty of milk.’

  The atmosphere in the van was strained until Solly returned a good ten minutes later looking grave. ‘Same as before,’ he said. ‘I found nothing at all about any deal made between my father and your grandfather.’

  Barry shrugged. ‘Maybe over time it was lost somehow, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was made. I have the proof here.’ He held out the envelope to Solly. ‘You’ll want to see it for yourself.’

  Taking the envelope, Solly opened it and removed the contents. It was just a single piece of paper, and thanks to the lessons in reading and writing that Gem had persuaded him to take with the community teacher, Miss Dunn, he could see that it was exactly as Barry had said. Either Nev Topper or someone else must have written the document out, as Big Sam had been able to read and write only a very few words, but he could sign his name, and the signature on the document was definitely his spidery scrawl. Nev’s signature was written next to Sam’s. Both had two witness signatures underneath them.

  Solly heaved a deep breath and said solemnly, ‘Looks genuine.’

  He turned his head and beckoned Gem over, handing her the piece of paper. As soon as she had read it, a worried look clouded her face. ‘Yes, it does,’ she said. ‘That’s definitely your father’s signature. I’ve seen it enough times whenever he had to sign cheques or letters to do with fair business. But best we make certain.’ She went to the safe and opened it, then knelt down and rummaged through until she found what she was looking for. ‘This is a copy of the bill of sale for a ride your father sold last year before he died,’ she told Solly. ‘His signature is on the bottom. We can compare it to the one on the document Mr Topper has.’

  The two signatures were placed side by side and they all scrutinised them thoroughly before unanimously agreeing that they appeared to be identical.

  Jimmy looked worried. ‘Does this mean we could lose the fair, Dad, if we can’t raise the money?’

  Solly gnawed his bottom lip anxiously. That was exactly what he was beginning to fear would happen, as he had no idea how he could come up with thirty per cent of the value of the fair without having to sell up. Something was niggling at him, but he hadn’t time to explore it as Barry reached over to retrieve the document.

  ‘Well, I hope for your sake it don’t come to that, but when all’s said and done, a deal is a deal and this one is in writing, signed, dated and witnessed. If you still have doubts, then we could always take it to the Showmen’s Guild and let them decide. Unless, of course, you can provide paperwork to say that your father paid my grandfather back the money he was owed, though we never found nothing amongst Grandpa’s papers to say that was the case.

  ‘I had a look around your fair when I first arrived and what I’m due has to be at least thirty grand, if not more. It’s a good-sized fair so must make good money. A proper valuation will decide that, though. It’s not really my problem how you raise what I’m owed, but I’d like this settled quick, as I really need the money.’ Barry Topper got up. ‘Look, I can see this has come as a great shock to you and I suspect you’ll need time to go back through your dad’s papers to see if you can find his copy of the deal. I’ll give you a couple of weeks to get the fair valued, then I’ll be back to see how you’re getting on. I’ll let myself out.’

  He was gone before any of them found their voice to stop him.

  Gem clamped her hands to her head in dismay. ‘Oh Solly, how on earth are we going to find a third of the value of the fair in a fortnight?’

  They all stared at her worriedly.

  Just then Jenny came through the door, followed by Tom. Jenny was saying breezily, ‘Hope dinner’s ready as I’m starv—’ Her voice trailed off as she saw the looks on her family’s faces. ‘Oh God, what’s happened? Has someone died?’

  Solly sighed heavily. ‘If we lose this fair, it will certainly kill me.’

  Tom spoke up. ‘Had I better leave if this is family business?’

  Solly shook his head. ‘You’re part of the family at the moment, son, you courting our daughter, but what you’re about to hear I trust will go no further. If the community get wind of it, they’ll start panicking. No need for them to know unless the worst happens.’

  It was apparent that whatever they were about to hear was very bad news. Tom took Jenny’s hand in a protective gesture and replied with conviction, ‘Of course, sir, no one will hear a word from me.’

  ‘Thanks, Tom.’ Solly then proceeded to enlighten the pair on what had just transpired. When he had finished, they both looked at him horrified.

  It was Jenny who spoke. ‘And this document looked kosher to you, Dad?’

  He nodded. ‘And to your mum it did too.’

  Gem nodded her agreement.

  Robbie, who had not said a word since Barry had left, suddenly piped up. ‘Then this means that Grandad lied to us. Six grand was the amount he told us he got by selling his two stalls along with money he had saved to buy his first ride from a place he called the old ride graveyard. Grandad could be a cantankerous old bugger, but one thing he wasn’t was a liar. If he had borrowed money to buy that first ride, he would have been honest and told us.’

  It hit Solly then just what had been niggling at him earlier. ‘You’re right, Robbie,’ he exclaimed. ‘Dad never borrowed a penny in his life. He would never consider buying anything unless he had the cash. I
remember badgering him to borrow some money when we first had the chance to buy a dodgem ride, as it was a real bargain at the time and I knew it would bring in the crowds and boost our takings, but he dug his heels in and flatly refused; said he wasn’t prepared to put himself in hock to anyone and we’d get the ride when we had the money.

  ‘And he certainly wasn’t a liar. If he had borrowed money to start the fair with, he’d never have told us that he’d built it himself from scratch without borrowing a penny from anyone. And that would mean that my mother was a liar too, as she was always telling us she didn’t know how she stopped herself from taking her rolling pin to him when he first came and told her that he’d sold their two stalls and emptied their Christmas savings pot to pay for that wreck of a carousel and not breathed a word to her about it as he knew she’d have flatly refused to agree to him taking such a risk.’

  Gem said, ‘I knew your mother well, Solly, and as much as she loved your father, she would never have lied for all those years about something like that just to make him look like a hero to his family.’

  Solly jumped up from his seat and began pacing the small space in front of the range. ‘Dad making that deal with Nev Topper… well he didn’t, or he’d have told us… but then his signature… I’d swear it was identical to the one we compared it to that we know he did sign. It wasn’t just me; we all did, didn’t we?’

  ‘Or it’s an excellent forgery,’ said Tom.

  They all stared over at him, astounded.

  ‘Well it must be if you’re adamant that your father never lied to you about how he started the fair up.’

  Gem said, ‘But how? To forge a signature you’d need one to copy first. How did Barry Topper get hold of Big Sam’s signature in the first place?’

  They all looked at Jimmy as he issued a gasp. ‘Do you have any idea of how he could have got it, son?’ demanded Solly.

  ‘Well I might. A couple of weeks ago I happened to be at the back of Grandad’s van having a fag… I just wanted to be on my own at the time to think about something.’ He flashed a quick look at Jenny and Robbie to see if they realised that it was his embarrassment after Zena had refused his offer to escort her to the party that had taken him there. ‘Anyway, I was just about to leave when I saw this man’s head appear out of the van door, obviously checking the coast was clear before he scarpered. I didn’t get a good look at him as he had the collar of his mac pulled right up and his hat pulled right down.’ He didn’t want to make himself look foolish by admitting that when he tried to apprehend the interloper he’d fallen flat on his face. Instead he told them, ‘I tried to catch him but he was too quick for me. Anyway, he didn’t seem to be carrying anything, and when I checked inside the van nothing seemed to be missing. I meant to tell you about it so that in future the door was kept locked, but I forgot.’

  Solly shook his head at him disparagingly. ‘Because all you were thinking about as usual was who you were lining up for your next girlfriend. But that bloke must have been Topper, and that’s how he got hold of Dad’s signature, from his old paperwork. He’s either a damned good forger himself or he paid someone a lot to do it, but then if he does get a third of what this fair is worth, it’ll be money well spent.’

  Gem was frowning. ‘But how did Topper know which van was Big Sam’s without making enquiries? You all know what the community are like if they catch outsiders sniffing about; soon make short shift of them. And anyway, why pick on us to pull this swindle on?’

  Tom said, ‘With respect, Mrs Grundy, when everyone is working it’s easy to have a sneak around the living van area. Topper might have apprehended one of the children to tell him which was Mr Grundy’s father’s van and given them sixpence to keep quiet. And when he came up with this plan to make himself some money, he obviously checked out a fair that could produce the amount he was after, and Grundy’s fitted the bill.’

  Solly scraped a worried hand through his hair. ‘If none of us could tell that signature was a forgery, then neither would the representatives of the Showmen’s Guild if we took it to them, or any solicitor either, so how the hell do we prove it? Knowing my dad would never have lied about how he got the money to start the fair with just isn’t enough, and if I can’t prove this man’s claim isn’t genuine, then the only way I can raise what he’s demanding is to sell up. It’s an utter nightmare.’

  ‘Then we need to find a way to prove that document is a fake,’ cried Jenny with conviction. When they all looked at her for a suggestion as to how, she shrugged and said, ‘I’ve not thought of any way we could try yet, though.’

  Gem piped up. ‘What about the witnesses? What if we found them and showed them a photo of Sam and asked them if this was the man they saw signing the document?’

  Solly shook his head. ‘If the document was genuine then it’s most likely that those witnesses are both dead by now, and if it’s a fake, then whoever Topper got to sign it will have been paid enough to keep quiet; maybe even threatened with death if they don’t, considering the amount of money involved.’ He went over to his chair and slumped dejectedly into it, heaving a deep sigh. ‘Well if no one else can come up with a plan as to how we can prove this document is a fake, then I think we’re done for.’

  Jenny was looking thoughtful. ‘Dad, did Barry Topper tell you what fair he was working for at the moment?’

  He shook his head. ‘Why? I don’t see how knowing that will help us.’

  ‘Well, he hasn’t met me, has he? What if I went to the fair and spoke to him? I could make out I was desperately searching for a friend who used to work for Topper’s before it went under and that someone told me to contact him as he might know where she was. I could get talking to him, pretend I fancy him, wheedle him into taking me for a drink after he finishes work, then get him drunk, and you know how drunks can’t keep secrets to themselves so he might let—’

  Tom cut in. ‘I don’t like the sound of this, Jenny.’

  She liked the fact that he was obviously jealous of her making up to another man, but before she could tell him he’d nothing to fear, Jimmy piped up.

  ‘Yeah, and what if he’s married or has got a girlfriend? She isn’t exactly going to stand by and watch you chatting up her fella, is she?’

  ‘Mmm, I never thought of that.’ Then her eyes sparked. ‘Oh, but the mother. What if I went to her with the same story and managed to get her talking about her son? You know how mothers love to brag about their kids, and she might let something slip… something like how proud she is of her son for having a plan that’s going to make them a fortune. Of course I’d make sure that Topper wasn’t around first. But if I could just pull that off, then at least we’d be positive it was a swindle. Then we’d just have to put our heads together to plan our next move to put a stop to it. Okay, so I know it’s clutching at straws, but if none of you have any ideas, then it’s better than sitting around doing nothing. I won’t be in any danger, as the worst she can do is decide I’m a nosy parker and send me packing.’

  ‘Jenny has a point, Solly,’ Gem told him. ‘There’s nothing I like to talk about more than my children, and I don’t need any encouragement to do so. I’ve told strangers things about ours that I haven’t told anyone else because it doesn’t matter them knowing as you’re never going to see them again.’

  ‘Such as what, Mam?’ asked Robbie.

  ‘Oh, just things like when you’ve done something you shouldn’t that I didn’t want friends to know because I didn’t want them to think you’re not the angels I make you out to be. All mothers do it. Anyway, Solly, Jenny’s idea has got to be worth a try.’

  Solly sat in thought for a moment. ‘As we’ve nothing else, anything is worth it, I suppose,’ he said at last.

  ‘I’m coming with you, Jenny,’ Tom insisted. ‘I know you said there’s no danger attached to what you’re about to do, but even so… Oh, if that’s all right with you, sir?’

  ‘Of course it is, Tom. Me and Gem will be happier letting her go off on this hare-b
rained jaunt knowing she’s got you with her. Now, whoever bought what was left of Topper’s fair might know where Barry and his mother went to work. He might even have kept them on as a goodwill gesture. That would be a bit of luck if he did and save you lots of travelling around trying to find their whereabouts. I’ll go to the telephone box and put a call through to the Showman’s Guild. As a member they’ll tell me who it was that bought Topper’s and where they’re playing at the moment.’

  Gem said, ‘While you’re away, I’ll finish off the dinner. I just hope the pie isn’t ruined by now. I’ll be happier sending Jenny and Tom off with a good meal inside them. Oh Solly, what about your appointment to view that ride this afternoon?’

  He sighed. ‘Well we can’t exactly go off buying rides when we might not even have a fair left to put them in. Jimmy, I’ll give you the details of the chap we were going to see and you can go to the post office and send a telegram saying that something unexpected has come up so we can’t make it this afternoon. I was looking forward to that trip out as well.’

  Gem said positively, ‘There’ll be other rides to go and view, love.’

  He flashed her a wan smile. ‘Let’s pray you’re right.’

  Chapter Twenty Three

  It transpired that the man who had bought the bankrupt Topper’s fair along with its charters and council contracts was called Jerry Morgan. Solly didn’t know him personally, as his fair operated around the south of England so didn’t cross paths with Grundy’s, but he had heard of him through the fairground grapevine and knew that he was a decent, honest ringmaster in the same mould as Big Sam and Solly himself. His fair at the moment was playing in a town called Andover in Hampshire. It would be there for another week. Allowing for a couple of short breaks, it would take Jenny and Tom at least ten hours to journey the distance. To keep them well fed on the journey, Gem made a pile of sandwiches and a flask of tea, and wrapped up slices of Miss Dunn’s fruit cake, which the elderly teacher had kindly brought around the day before.