Dotting the 'I's and Crossing the 'T's.
Title : Dotting the 'I's and Crossing the 'T's
TV show: Hustle
Characters: created by Tony Jordan and borrowed for a while by me.
Beta: Handymelon
Chapter 3.
The next morning Ash walked down the steps to Eddie's, several carrier bags in one hand and half a dozen newspapers under the other arm. "Morning Eddie - I think I'll have the heart attack special."
Eddie looked up from polishing glasses behind the bar. "Oh? And what's that then, clever clogs ?"
“A big greasy fry up, and a mug of builder's tea please ."
"You think you're clever, you do. Anyway where are all your cronies? What poor sod are they planning to do over next? And without you too. Have you lost your touch, Ash?
Ash winced inwardly at this unintentionally completely accurate dig. Least he hoped it was unintentional. "Dunno Eddie - we're having a bit of a break. We've all got other things to do." He pulled a £20 note out of his shirt pocket and handed it to Eddie.
"Blimey, are you sickening for something or what?" Eddie made a great show of passing the note under his scanner and, staggered that it appeared genuine, said: "Go on then - what' s the catch? There's always a catch with you lot."
"Do you know Eddie- you're getting very cynical in your old age. Bring my breakfast over will you? There's a good man."
Ash sat down in a booth with his papers, and busied himself with tearing out pages from several of the stories, highlighting other passages and scribbling notes on a pad. As Eddie approached with his breakfast he slid them into a folder where nosey eyes wouldn't catch sight of them.
"You're up to something, aren't you? I can always tell. Nothing gets past me you know."
"Sit down Eddie. Go on then - fill me in with the latest - we don't often talk do we?"
"No you're usually too busy with your dodgy double tailed coins and your Find the Lady, trying to screw me out of the bar bill". Eddie, overjoyed to be giving Ash the lowdown on the goings-on, hunched forward conspiratorially and launched into a lengthy resume of what appeared to Ash to be everything that had been said, by anyone, to anyone, since he had last seen him. Prompted periodically by Ash's 'yeah, go on' and 'really, oooh' Eddie trolled through the minuitiae of gossip that passed for conversation amongst the chattering classes who frequented the bar. Towards the end Ash heard a name that finally interested him.
"And - someone was in asking for Jake Henry". Ash's ears pricked up, though outwardly he gave no sign. "A bloke name of Davy Rose gave me his card - look - and said if I knew where Jake was to give him a bell. So Jake Henry's back on the scene."
"Really?" replied Ash, feigning disinterest. "Well - gotta go.” Finishing the last scrap of his breakfast and draining his now cold tea, he stood up, wedged the newspapers under his arm and made to leave - but not before managing to pocket the business card that Eddie had carelessly left on the bar. "Blimey Ed - I needn't have bought the papers - could have just asked you!”
"Anytime I can help, Ash!" said Eddie.
"Well - must be off. Oh, er, Eddie?"
"Yeah?"
"Change! Nothing gets past me either!"
Ash spent another half hour in the car, on his mobile, dropping the two names to assorted trustworthy mates, and at the end of the session he had all the information he needed. Jake was evidently getting together some cash for a big poker game - apparently Davy Rose was his preferred lender, and Jake was by now reduced to living in a run-down B&B in Shepherd’s Bush, an area that Ash knew well.
Parked outside the B&B in a spot where he could see the entrance without being obvious, Ash got out his pad and added to the notes he'd made earlier. Half an hour passed and then Jake emerged, immaculately dressed - still keeping up the image, thought Ash. Jake hailed a black cab, not noticing the car which followed him all the way to his destination.
Ash spent the next four hours following and snapping Jake everywhere he went, paying particular attention to everyone he met. "You are a busy boy Jake." Sitting in coffee shops, in bars, betting shops, car parks. A particularly interesting little exchange in the car park, thought Ash.
Back in his booth at Eddie's, he scrolled through the dozens of photos on his laptop, and spotted one guy who figured in them more than others.
"Well I never - what you doing with a picture of Davy Rose?" Eddie had appeared, looking over his shoulder, and was pointing to the man talking to Jake. "Small world, innit Ash?"
"Yeah" Ash replied "…innit just".
He sent Eddie off for a refill, and quietly keyed in a number on his phone. "Archie? - Ash here - how you doin' mate? Three Socks - yeah - long time ago that, Archie! Listen, I need a big favour. Nothing dodgy. There's a guy I need you to keep occupied, out of my hair for the rest of the week. I don't care how or where as long as it's a very long train journey from here. Very important. I'll fill you in on it after I'm done." Once names dates and locations were all agreed Ash brought the phone call to an end. "Thanks Archie - I knew I could rely on you. I'll see you right later."
He thought how unlike him it was not to care about the details - leaving arrangements to someone else. But - he’d got things to do. People to do. And look what happened the last time he'd done everything himself.
TV show: Hustle
Characters: created by Tony Jordan and borrowed for a while by me.
Beta: Handymelon
Chapter 3.
The next morning Ash walked down the steps to Eddie's, several carrier bags in one hand and half a dozen newspapers under the other arm. "Morning Eddie - I think I'll have the heart attack special."
Eddie looked up from polishing glasses behind the bar. "Oh? And what's that then, clever clogs ?"
“A big greasy fry up, and a mug of builder's tea please ."
"You think you're clever, you do. Anyway where are all your cronies? What poor sod are they planning to do over next? And without you too. Have you lost your touch, Ash?
Ash winced inwardly at this unintentionally completely accurate dig. Least he hoped it was unintentional. "Dunno Eddie - we're having a bit of a break. We've all got other things to do." He pulled a £20 note out of his shirt pocket and handed it to Eddie.
"Blimey, are you sickening for something or what?" Eddie made a great show of passing the note under his scanner and, staggered that it appeared genuine, said: "Go on then - what' s the catch? There's always a catch with you lot."
"Do you know Eddie- you're getting very cynical in your old age. Bring my breakfast over will you? There's a good man."
Ash sat down in a booth with his papers, and busied himself with tearing out pages from several of the stories, highlighting other passages and scribbling notes on a pad. As Eddie approached with his breakfast he slid them into a folder where nosey eyes wouldn't catch sight of them.
"You're up to something, aren't you? I can always tell. Nothing gets past me you know."
"Sit down Eddie. Go on then - fill me in with the latest - we don't often talk do we?"
"No you're usually too busy with your dodgy double tailed coins and your Find the Lady, trying to screw me out of the bar bill". Eddie, overjoyed to be giving Ash the lowdown on the goings-on, hunched forward conspiratorially and launched into a lengthy resume of what appeared to Ash to be everything that had been said, by anyone, to anyone, since he had last seen him. Prompted periodically by Ash's 'yeah, go on' and 'really, oooh' Eddie trolled through the minuitiae of gossip that passed for conversation amongst the chattering classes who frequented the bar. Towards the end Ash heard a name that finally interested him.
"And - someone was in asking for Jake Henry". Ash's ears pricked up, though outwardly he gave no sign. "A bloke name of Davy Rose gave me his card - look - and said if I knew where Jake was to give him a bell. So Jake Henry's back on the scene."
"Really?" replied Ash, feigning disinterest. "Well - gotta go.” Finishing the last scrap of his breakfast and draining his now cold tea, he stood up, wedged the newspapers under his arm and made to leave - but not before managing to pocket the business card that Eddie had carelessly left on the bar. "Blimey Ed - I needn't have bought the papers - could have just asked you!”
"Anytime I can help, Ash!" said Eddie.
"Well - must be off. Oh, er, Eddie?"
"Yeah?"
"Change! Nothing gets past me either!"
Ash spent another half hour in the car, on his mobile, dropping the two names to assorted trustworthy mates, and at the end of the session he had all the information he needed. Jake was evidently getting together some cash for a big poker game - apparently Davy Rose was his preferred lender, and Jake was by now reduced to living in a run-down B&B in Shepherd’s Bush, an area that Ash knew well.
Parked outside the B&B in a spot where he could see the entrance without being obvious, Ash got out his pad and added to the notes he'd made earlier. Half an hour passed and then Jake emerged, immaculately dressed - still keeping up the image, thought Ash. Jake hailed a black cab, not noticing the car which followed him all the way to his destination.
Ash spent the next four hours following and snapping Jake everywhere he went, paying particular attention to everyone he met. "You are a busy boy Jake." Sitting in coffee shops, in bars, betting shops, car parks. A particularly interesting little exchange in the car park, thought Ash.
Back in his booth at Eddie's, he scrolled through the dozens of photos on his laptop, and spotted one guy who figured in them more than others.
"Well I never - what you doing with a picture of Davy Rose?" Eddie had appeared, looking over his shoulder, and was pointing to the man talking to Jake. "Small world, innit Ash?"
"Yeah" Ash replied "…innit just".
He sent Eddie off for a refill, and quietly keyed in a number on his phone. "Archie? - Ash here - how you doin' mate? Three Socks - yeah - long time ago that, Archie! Listen, I need a big favour. Nothing dodgy. There's a guy I need you to keep occupied, out of my hair for the rest of the week. I don't care how or where as long as it's a very long train journey from here. Very important. I'll fill you in on it after I'm done." Once names dates and locations were all agreed Ash brought the phone call to an end. "Thanks Archie - I knew I could rely on you. I'll see you right later."
He thought how unlike him it was not to care about the details - leaving arrangements to someone else. But - he’d got things to do. People to do. And look what happened the last time he'd done everything himself.