Scooters Yard

by Clive Mullis

  ‘They’re going to blow up the Yard.’

  ‘The Yard? How? I mean, I know how, but… The Yard?’

  Maisie nodded. ‘Yes, Mr Kandalwick.’

  ‘Who heard this, Maisie? And be honest,’ said Frankie, his voice edging towards a hardness that only came out when he really felt a rage.

  Maisie looked worried.

  ‘Come on, girl, out with it.’

  Maisie took a deep breath as her eyes flitted across all three until finally coming back to Frankie’s. ‘Me bruvver,’ she said finally.

  ‘Your brother?’

  ‘Yes. Cecil To…’

  Frankie’s mouth hung open for a time and then his brain kicked into gear. ‘You don’t mean Dewdrop, do you?’

  Maisie nodded reluctantly. ‘Yes, but ‘e wouldn’t get involved in something like that. He loves the force.’

  Fluffy eased his head out through the hole and gave the same type of look that he gave earlier; withering and filled with contempt. Cornwallis bent down and took his life in his hands by picking him up.

  Once back in the merchants, Fluffy let fly. Cornwallis hadn’t let him go yet, and his little legs were pumping nineteen to the dozen. ‘Youse could ‘ave ripped me ‘ead off. What youse doing sticking yer boot up me arse, eh?’

  Cornwallis put the cat down and checked to see if his fingers were all still there. ‘I didn’t have an option. I needed to get you in there.’

  ‘Youse should ‘ave made sure that the ‘ole were big enough first.’

  ‘I did, I made it cat-sized.’

  A brief moment of loaded silence ensued, and then. ‘You saying I’m fat?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Yesh! Youse really know how to fuss a feline, don’t youse.’

  ‘Look, I’m sorry. I’ll tell Frankie that you need to go on a diet.’

  ‘Bollocks you will!’

  Cornwallis and Fluffy eyed each other, and another few seconds of telling silence passed.

  ‘Look, I’m sorry again, all right,’ said Cornwallis, realising that he needed to know what went on in the shed. ‘Now, tell me what you saw.’

  Fluffy sat down and licked his paw. The eyes narrowed and his nose twitched. He looked up and stopped licking. ‘Barrels. They’re making up barrels. Lots of powder stuff, black powder, and bits of metal. They’re packing loads of them and putting them on a cart.’

  Cornwallis felt someone grab his stomach and twist it until the bile rose. His spine shuddered and then that feeling went up further and he felt his hair stand on end. ‘How many men are in there?’

  ‘Four, an’ a ‘orse.’

  ‘Magot, Foley, Loovis and Sprat. Someone must have brought the gonepowder over earlier.’

  ‘Anyway’s, wotever they’re doing, they’re doing it tonight. I ‘eards them sayin’, “Tonight, an’ it’ll be all over.” That’s wot they said.’

  ‘Oh gods!’

  CHAPTER 27

  Rose watched from the window as Cornwallis and Fluffy disappeared into the merchant’s. She couldn’t do much else now, apart from keeping watch on the lane. She had sent Winnie with Frankie and hoped that it wouldn’t be too long before she returned. They desperately needed some transport in case something happened.

  She’d wanted to go with Jack, but there were the girls to think about, and also those two drug dealers downstairs; she couldn’t leave the girls with them.

  ‘They’re waking up, Sergeant,’ said Olive, as she walked into the room. ‘Do you want them to go to sleep again?’

  Rose turned her nose away from the window. ‘That’s two taps to the head they’ve had, better not make it a third. I’ll go down and see how amenable they are.’

  Leaving Mindy to keep watch on the lane, she followed Olive and Hope downstairs.

  The two dealers were in the backroom and lying slumped against each other. Their eyes were now open and as the girls entered the room, they regarded them keenly; a look half way between fright and delight, and they were undecided which side the coin would land.

  Rose helped them come to a decision. ‘Which one of you two gentlemen would like a little chat?’ She pulled out her knife and squatted down in front of them. ‘Only, I’m not quite sure what I should do with you.’ She flicked her hair and smiled coldly.

  With Olive and Hope behind her, they looked a strangely compelling triumvirate.

  Rose waved the knife in front of the tall one’s nose. He watched as the point did a lazy circle in front of his eyes and then followed it as it traced a route down his chest then over his stomach until it finally came to a rest at the groinal area of his trousers. She pushed the point forwards and his eyes came out on stalks.

  ‘What I would like to do, is to whip a couple of things off. That way you would never be able to produce another dealer. I think the city would appreciate that. A couple of quick flicks and it would be all over, you’d hardly feel a thing.’

  She toyed with the point and then tangled it in the fabric of his trousers, right by the groin. She looked the man in the eye and smiled thinly as she pushed down suddenly, hard and fast. It went straight through the cloth and embedded into the floorboard.

  A pitiful whimper came from the dealer.

  Hope and Olive widened their eyes and subconsciously crossed their legs.

  Rose stood up, the knife still in situ, the blade resting against his bits. ‘Of course, if you agree to re-think your career choice, I may just change my mind.’

  The dealers head bounced as though on a spring as he nodded his compliance; he didn’t need to think too much.

  ‘Good, I thought you might see my point of view.’ She bent forward and whipped the knife back up.

  The dealer whimpered again. He looked down, and gave a moan of relief when he saw that nothing had gone missing.

  ‘I don’t think they’ll be any problem now,’ she said to Olive and Hope as she turned to leave.

  Hope and Olive followed her out and they trouped back upstairs.

  ‘Er, Sergeant,’ began Olive. ‘Is that classed as standard procedure?’

  ‘Not exactly,’ replied Rose. ‘Perhaps you could call it a procedure born of necessity.’

  ‘Oh, so if in the future we should deem it necessary …’

  ‘I would advise against it unless circumstances dictate. Drug dealers’ though are a species below normal society, so if you come across one, just kick the shit out of them.’

  Rose pressed her nose back up against the window. ‘Anything happening?’ She asked Mindy.

  Mindy shook her head. ‘No, it’s a bit disappointing really.’

  Rose smiled. ‘This is what it’s really like. The only thing we know is that something will happen at some time, we just have to be around to see it happen.’

  ‘Oh.’

  Cornwallis then emerged from the shop opposite, looked both ways up the lane and then sprinted across. A few seconds later, he came through the door and ran upstairs.

  Rose turned expectantly towards the door.

  ‘Youse can let go of me now, I ain’t gonna chew anything.’

  ‘That’s not what you said a few minutes ago.’

  ‘I’ve changed me mind, a cat’s allowed to do that.’

  ‘Yes, but you only change your mind so that you can change your mind about changing your mind.’

  Cornwallis pushed open the door and stood with Fluffy under his arm.

  ‘What are you arguing about?’ asked Rose, always slightly amused when Jack and Fluffy have a difference of opinion.

  ‘ ‘E went for me wiv a knife, ‘e did.’

  ‘No I didn’t.’

  ‘And then you booted me up the bum.’

  ‘Only to help you get through.

  ‘What?’ asked Rose, incredulously. ‘You did what?

  Cornwallis clamped his hand over Fluffy’s mouth. ‘He wouldn’t go in, so I gave him a gentle tap with my foot. He then got stuck in the hole, so I had to make the hole bigger, and as I couldn’t talk, and the fact that he had his h
ead on the other side, I had to tap him again to let him know I’d freed him.’

  ‘Mmmnnnth,’ said Fluffy.

  Rose rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, Jack. Look, why don’t you let him go?’ asked Rose.

  ‘Because you know what he's like when he’s annoyed.’

  ‘Give him here, he won’t hurt me.’ She held her arms out ready to accept the cat.

  Cornwallis obliged, albeit a little reluctantly, and waited for the abuse to start up again.

  Rose stroked Fluffy’s tummy as he lay like a baby on his back in her arms. Immediately he closed his eyes and began to purr. ‘See, he’s fine.’

  ‘Yes, but for how long?’

  One cat eye opened and the purring stopped. He then grinned and there was a promise of a future reckoning in the orb.

  ‘There’s another cart turning into that track by the shop,’ said Mindy, still dutifully looking out of the window.

  Cornwallis rushed over to look. ‘Can’t see the driver,’ he said, ‘but I bet he’s a feeler.’

  ‘What’s happening over there?’ asked Rose, as she came over and stood next to him. Fluffy’s teeth just an inch from his arm.

  ‘They’re packing barrels with gonepowder,’ replied Cornwallis. ‘Whatever they’re going to do they’re going to do it tonight. At least we’ve learnt that.’

  ‘I learnt that,’ added Fluffy.

  ‘Yes, I know. But what you didn’t hear is what they intend to blow up.’

  ‘Sum people are never satisfied.’

  ‘We’ll just have to follow them,’ said Rose. ‘Those carts aren’t going to be very fast anyway. If they’re packed with barrels they’re going to be heavy.’

  ‘Let’s just hope that Frankie and Winnie found Coggs, then.’

  A knock at the door interrupted them.

  Felicity became the subject of a fair bit of attention from various quarters as Frankie drove through the streets. Her position made her lean forward to balance on the strut and so presented an irresistible target for some of the younger elements of Gornstock society. Some older ones were interested too, but for an altogether different reason. It wasn’t long before the first “Ouch” emitted from her throat as someone found their mark.

  Frankie snapped the reins and the pace increased, upping the skill needed to hit Felicity with any sort of accuracy.

  ‘Ouch,’ she said, for the fifth time. She risked letting go of one hand to give the area a bit of a rub. ‘How much longer?’ she bawled into Frankie’s ear.

  ‘Not long now,’ replied Frankie. ‘Five minutes and we’ll be at the Yard.’

  ‘I hope you’re right. My arse must be black and blue by now.’

  Tiffany shot her a look of sympathy. ‘If Mr Kandalwick stops, then we can swop places.’

  Felicity shook her head. ‘No point in both of us being unable to sit down.’

  Frankie found the whole exchange somewhat amusing, and despite the fact that Scooters Yard could be blown up at any minute, he wore a big grin on his face.

  When they rounded the corner that led to the Yard, Frankie slowed the horse down to a walk and Felicity managed to jump off, her relief evident by the long drawn out sigh.

  ‘Right,’ said Frankie. ‘We need to find the commander. I’ll see if he’s still in the Yard.’ He pulled to a stop and handed the reins over to Tiffany. ‘Wait here, I won’t be long.’

  He bounded up the steps and disappeared inside, a few moments later he emerged with a thoughtful look on his face.

  ‘He’s not here,’ he said, as he jumped up onto the coach. ‘He left not long ago with two girls, Hettie being one of them. Apparently, she made herself quite popular with some of the men.’ He then noticed a girl chatting to Tiffany and Felicity. ‘Jules? What are you doing here?’

  ‘Keeping an eye on the Yard, Mr Kandalwick. The commander thinks that something might happen to it.’

  ‘He’s right,’ replied Frankie. ‘Though nothing will happen until later. Do you know where he is?’

  Jules pointed down the road. ‘He’s got all us girls positioned around the Yard, keeping watch. If you look that way you’ll see Regina, and if you look there, you’ll see Verity. All of us can see at least two others. The commander is over in the underground.’

  ‘Good. Keep looking for whatever the commander told you to look for.’

  Felicity jumped on the back again as Frankie spun the coach around and headed back the way he’d come. This time he could see Verity, he had missed her the first time because a lattice fence partly hid her. All three of them resisted the urge to wave as they took a right turn into the street.

  MacGillicudy stepped out of the entrance to the underground as Frankie pulled up.

  ‘We’ve got some news for you, Jethro, and none of it’s good.’

  ‘Really? What is it?’

  ‘Grinde is back, and what’s more he’s going to blow up the Yard — tonight.’

  MacGillicudy scowled. Grinde? The bastard. But you’ve just confirmed what I’d been thinking.’

  ‘Oh, what’s happening down there?’ said Frankie, looking down the road.

  CHAPTER 28

  Coggs waited around the corner on Flimsy Road. He sat up top and chewed on a bun of the sticky variety, lots of raisins and a dollop of sugary icing.

  It had been a few weeks since he’d last done some work for the detectives and he’d missed the excitement and the fun that the work would bring, so when Frankie and the girl Winnie appeared, he didn’t hesitate in offering his services.

  ‘Don’t know how long we’ll be, but I expect Mr Cornwallis or Sergeant Morant will let you know,’ said Winnie, as she alighted from the cab.

  He watched with interest as she disappeared around the corner, wondering whether Cornwallis might expand his business. This Winnie might not be quite as well-turned out as that Rose, but she weren’t far off. Perhaps he might ask to become a permanent member of the team; you never knew what sort of benefits might come his way.

  Winnie felt a smile twitch her face as she left the cab behind. Coggs had a roving eye and fancied himself as a bit of a ladies man; her bar experience told her that he was harmless, and in a way she enjoyed the banter, but that’s as far as it would go — she certainly wouldn’t be giving his sticky a lick.

  As she walked up Cricklybit Lane she noticed a cart turning into the track by the merchants, she kept an eye on it as she knocked at the door and waited.

  The door opened a little and an eye appeared. ‘Did you find someone?’ asked Rose, a hopeful look flitting across her face as she opened the door fully.

  ‘Coggs,’ replied Winnie. ‘He’s a right randy sod too; you left that bit out.’

  ‘Sorry, but as I’m so used to him now, I forget what he can be like.’

  Winnie grinned. ‘No matter; I gave as good as I got. He’s around the corner, near the coffee shop.’

  Rose closed the door and they marched upstairs. When they entered the room Cornwallis hadn’t moved, he still stared out of the window.

  ‘She’s found Coggs,’ said Rose, swooping down to pick up Fluffy.

  ‘Oh good,’ replied Cornwallis, turning briefly. He grimaced as Rose hoisted the cat up.

  Fluffy and he shared a look and then both looked away at the same time.

  Rose suppressed a fit of the giggles as she noticed and then chuckled the cat under the chin. Fluffy began to purr.

  Cornwallis’ back tensed as the reverberations echoed through the room; they bounced off the walls, the ceiling and then seemed to glide over the floor before assaulting his legs and running up to tingle his spine. The purr increased in volume and intensity, as did the angst from the intended human victim.

  ‘Will you get him to stop that, it’s ruining my concentration,’ said Cornwallis, sniffing.

  Fluffy stopped, opened one eye and sort of grinned at Rose.

  Rose smiled and then shook her head. Both Cornwallis and Fluffy shared many of the same characteristics, petulance being just one of them.


  Constable Cecil Toopins had never felt this angry before. Just hearing that some of his fellow constables wanted to blow up the Yard set his hairs to bristling. The force was like a family to him, and the Yard, his home.

  Maisie had told him a couple of days ago that a few feelers were meeting in the room above the pub, and there seemed to be more to it than met the eye, as the man Shadrig sometimes joined them. Curiosity got the better of him, so he kept a discreet watch, with the reward that he saw a few of his colleagues going in and looking a bit twitchy; Magot and his friend Foley being amongst them.

  He’d wanted to ask his friend why there were meeting, but something made him bite his tongue. Obviously, he shouldn’t know anything about it and the presence of Magot put him off even more — Magot would quite happily kick the shit out of him.

  Last night as he patrolled, Magot let slip a few things. After they had left the ambulance depot Magot had been annoyed. The commander and Cornwallis had intruded into his space and the resentment began to brew.

  ‘This force is gonna change for the better, very soon,’ Magot had said.

  ‘Oh,’ he had replied. ‘Why?’

  ‘Never you mind, but you had better not get on the wrong side of the people you shouldn’t.’

  Dewdrop had to think about that. How could he keep on the right side of the right people if he didn’t know who the right people were? ‘Who’re they, then?’

  ‘I just told yer, mind yer own.’

  He’d seen Grinde go into the pub as well. Ex-Senior Sergeant Grinde had been one of the most unpopular feelers in the Yard, and on the day he left the service, the service took a long deep collective breath of relief. Everybody, excepting Grinde’s few friends, noticed the difference. Immediately there came a lightening of the mood, an air of hope and transformation; it seemed like a bung had been removed from the boat of despondency and all the shit got washed away.

  When Maisie had told him that she’d spoken to Frankie Kandalwick about the things that were happening at the Reaper and Wrangler, that some feelers were meeting secretly, and that the pair, Jangles and Shadrig, were involved too, and had most likely made some gonepowder go missing, he became interested; but he became really interested when, this morning, she said that Gerald had heard that a lot of gonepowder had now gone missing. He had to find out what was going on. So with her help he had got into the loft, and had sat there and listened, quietly, hardly daring to breathe. Now he knew what they were planning, and it filled him with dread — they were going to blow up the Yard, and Grinde intended to come back.