high as coming home to find Richard doing the spring-cleaning.
Richard handed me my orange juice and soda and I steered him over to a crowded corner of the lounge where I’d spotted my man. I’d briefed Richard on the way so he was happy to oblige. We sat down a few yards away at a table that gave me a good view of what my target was up to. He was sitting at a table with a bunch of eager young men and women around him. There was nothing particularly discreet about his operation. For a start, he was wearing a bright green Sergio Tacchini shell suit. In front of him on the table were half a dozen watches. I could identify the fake Rolexes and Guccis from that distance. Within minutes, all of them had been bought. He appeared to be charging fifty pounds a time, and getting it without a quibble. But he didn’t seem to be passing them off as the real thing. Realistically, though, anyone trying that routine would have to be a lot more discreet, dealing one on one to make it look like an exclusive.
Another half dozen watches appeared from Billy’s contact’s pockets, and most of them vanished as quickly as the others. He shuffled the remaining two back into his jacket then burrowed under the table. He surfaced with three cellophane packets containing shell suits. Surprise surprise. The suit he was wearing was a schneid.
“Sometimes this job is a pain in the arse,” I muttered to Richard.
He looked surprised. “Did I hear right?” he asked in tones of wonderment. “Did I hear you say you were less than one hundred percent thrilled with your life in crime?”
“Piss off,” I quipped wittily. “Just look at those shell suits! They’re the business. If this wasn’t a surveillance operation, I’d be over there right now buying those suits. Take a look at the colors!” I couldn’t take my eyes off two of the suits, one gold, one teal blue. I just knew I’d look wonderful in those colors.
Richard got to his feet. “Poor old Brannigan,” he teased. “But I’m not working.” He moved towards the neighboring table.
“Richard!” I wailed. A couple of heads turned and I lowered my voice to a piercing whisper. “Don’t you dare!”
He shrugged. “Who’s to know? Anybody asks you, I bought them for you as a present. You didn’t have to know they were copies, did you?”
“That’s not the point,” I hissed. “I
do
know. Sit down right now before you blow me out of the water.”
Richard reluctantly did as I asked him. His face had sulk written all over it. “I thought you wanted one,” he muttered.
“Of course I do. I also want a Cartier tank watch, but I can’t afford the real thing. I dare say if Dennis had offered me a copy before I got involved in this assignment, I’d have bought it. But this job changes things. I’m sorry, Richard, I know you were trying to please me. And if you want one for yourself, I won’t mind.”
Richard shook his head. “You and your bloody morals,” he commented darkly.
“Oh, come on! Who was it who read me a lecture a couple of months ago about how immoral it is to make tapes of my albums for my friends when it means taking the bread out of the mouths of poor, starving rock stars like Jett?” I reminded him.
He grinned. “OK, Brannigan, you win. Now, have you seen enough, or do I have to spend the whole day in this dump?”
I glanced over at the next table. The man had got to his feet, empty-handed, and was heading over towards the door, followed by most of his audience. I guessed the rest of his stock was in his car outside. “I’m nearly done,” I told him. “Let’s just
We trailed behind at a discreet distance, and I managed to get a good look as we passed. The boot was full of shell suits in a wide choice of colors, but there were no rolls of watches that I could see. Nevertheless, it had been worth the trip, I pointed out as I drove Richard home. And there was a bonus too. If we pulled off the watches job, we might well be able to interest Sergio
Richard handed me my orange juice and soda and I steered him over to a crowded corner of the lounge where I’d spotted my man. I’d briefed Richard on the way so he was happy to oblige. We sat down a few yards away at a table that gave me a good view of what my target was up to. He was sitting at a table with a bunch of eager young men and women around him. There was nothing particularly discreet about his operation. For a start, he was wearing a bright green Sergio Tacchini shell suit. In front of him on the table were half a dozen watches. I could identify the fake Rolexes and Guccis from that distance. Within minutes, all of them had been bought. He appeared to be charging fifty pounds a time, and getting it without a quibble. But he didn’t seem to be passing them off as the real thing. Realistically, though, anyone trying that routine would have to be a lot more discreet, dealing one on one to make it look like an exclusive.
Another half dozen watches appeared from Billy’s contact’s pockets, and most of them vanished as quickly as the others. He shuffled the remaining two back into his jacket then burrowed under the table. He surfaced with three cellophane packets containing shell suits. Surprise surprise. The suit he was wearing was a schneid.
“Sometimes this job is a pain in the arse,” I muttered to Richard.
He looked surprised. “Did I hear right?” he asked in tones of wonderment. “Did I hear you say you were less than one hundred percent thrilled with your life in crime?”
“Piss off,” I quipped wittily. “Just look at those shell suits! They’re the business. If this wasn’t a surveillance operation, I’d be over there right now buying those suits. Take a look at the colors!” I couldn’t take my eyes off two of the suits, one gold, one teal blue. I just knew I’d look wonderful in those colors.
Richard got to his feet. “Poor old Brannigan,” he teased. “But I’m not working.” He moved towards the neighboring table.
“Richard!” I wailed. A couple of heads turned and I lowered my voice to a piercing whisper. “Don’t you dare!”
He shrugged. “Who’s to know? Anybody asks you, I bought them for you as a present. You didn’t have to know they were copies, did you?”
“That’s not the point,” I hissed. “I
do
know. Sit down right now before you blow me out of the water.”
Richard reluctantly did as I asked him. His face had sulk written all over it. “I thought you wanted one,” he muttered.
“Of course I do. I also want a Cartier tank watch, but I can’t afford the real thing. I dare say if Dennis had offered me a copy before I got involved in this assignment, I’d have bought it. But this job changes things. I’m sorry, Richard, I know you were trying to please me. And if you want one for yourself, I won’t mind.”
Richard shook his head. “You and your bloody morals,” he commented darkly.
“Oh, come on! Who was it who read me a lecture a couple of months ago about how immoral it is to make tapes of my albums for my friends when it means taking the bread out of the mouths of poor, starving rock stars like Jett?” I reminded him.
He grinned. “OK, Brannigan, you win. Now, have you seen enough, or do I have to spend the whole day in this dump?”
I glanced over at the next table. The man had got to his feet, empty-handed, and was heading over towards the door, followed by most of his audience. I guessed the rest of his stock was in his car outside. “I’m nearly done,” I told him. “Let’s just
We trailed behind at a discreet distance, and I managed to get a good look as we passed. The boot was full of shell suits in a wide choice of colors, but there were no rolls of watches that I could see. Nevertheless, it had been worth the trip, I pointed out as I drove Richard home. And there was a bonus too. If we pulled off the watches job, we might well be able to interest Sergio
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