constable as he drew even with him.
'Ah, John Perry ain't it?'
'That's right. I want to check on what that butcher is selling. I'm going to need your help to convince someone to let me check what they've bought from him. They don't know me, but they know you so there shouldn't be any arguments.'
'Anyone in mind?' The constable's man asked.
'Probably the next person who goes into the butcher's shop and looks poor. There's been quite a few of them and we shouldn't have to wait long.'
'He keeps the really rough stuff in his shop you know.' Pete offered helpfully.
'Thought he might. If I can catch him selling something like that, I may be able to get him fined, and if I can get him fined, then who knows what else could turn up then.' Perry was getting optimistic as he was so close to catching the butcher, albeit on the far lesser issue of selling unfit food rather than breaking open his gang, but one thing at a time.
The two men did not have to wait long until they discretely intercepted an old woman.
'Mind if we check that love.' Pete said to the woman, who quickly recognised him, and with a nervous glance at Perry, handed over the package she had purchased from the butcher.
'You mind it careful, that's my dinner for tonight. Cloth's mine as well.' She said.
Pete passed Perry the cloth wrapped package. He carefully unfolded it and found he did not need to sniff the meat as it had a pervasive odour. It was a piece of old pork, slimy and with maggots crawling across it. Pete stepped back in disgust.
'You can't eat this.' Perry exclaimed.
'Brush off the worms and boil it lots and it'll last me, and mine, for days.' Her tone was matter of fact.
'You shouldn't be able to buy meat in this condition.' The carniter said.
'Was all I could afford. Old man drinks most of our money. Besides, what are we supposed to eat in the city? It's not like when I was a girl and lived in the countryside. We could forage wild plants, catch game or even eat our seed if we got desperate. Besides, our Lord of the Manor didn't let us stave, even if he would have us executed for hunting the wrong game. Then we get free, come to the city, and look what we're reduced to.' There was clear bitterness to her tone.
'The law is the law. There's a reason you shouldn't be able to buy meat like this.' Perry said, before turning to Pete, 'Get her name in case we need to call her as a witness.'
'There my love, that'll be a nice joint for your meal tonight.' The butcher handed over some meat to a short woman, collecting her coin in payment. 'So what will be then madam?' he said to his next customer, a much older woman who looked a bit down at heel.
Perry could not hear the rest of the conversation as the noise of the marketplace reasserted itself. How was he going to get the thieving swine? He played through a range of thoughts, such as charging into the shop, grabbing the butcher and beating him to a pulp. Maybe kicking over the stall, or catching Col cheating a customer such as the one he was now serving? In each of his fantasies, the butcher barely resisted and immediately confessed, with proof of the crimes easily found and scattered around the premises. Perry knew this was unlikely to be the case in reality, but it was still a pleasant daydream.
The carniter had just about settled on his approach, kicking over the stall before manhandling the butcher, when a commotion behind him demanded his attention. A young lad, brown haired, ran into the market from a side alley, pursued by a shopkeeper and some young men.
'Stop thief!' one of the pursuers yelled.
The thief leapt over a barrow of vegetables, loosing his footing as he landed and bouncing into the woman at the butcher's shop. The impact knocked the woman over, straight into the stall, but it was enough for the young man to regain his balance and make his escape. The strange thing was that Perry watched Col Butcher quickly
'Ah, John Perry ain't it?'
'That's right. I want to check on what that butcher is selling. I'm going to need your help to convince someone to let me check what they've bought from him. They don't know me, but they know you so there shouldn't be any arguments.'
'Anyone in mind?' The constable's man asked.
'Probably the next person who goes into the butcher's shop and looks poor. There's been quite a few of them and we shouldn't have to wait long.'
'He keeps the really rough stuff in his shop you know.' Pete offered helpfully.
'Thought he might. If I can catch him selling something like that, I may be able to get him fined, and if I can get him fined, then who knows what else could turn up then.' Perry was getting optimistic as he was so close to catching the butcher, albeit on the far lesser issue of selling unfit food rather than breaking open his gang, but one thing at a time.
The two men did not have to wait long until they discretely intercepted an old woman.
'Mind if we check that love.' Pete said to the woman, who quickly recognised him, and with a nervous glance at Perry, handed over the package she had purchased from the butcher.
'You mind it careful, that's my dinner for tonight. Cloth's mine as well.' She said.
Pete passed Perry the cloth wrapped package. He carefully unfolded it and found he did not need to sniff the meat as it had a pervasive odour. It was a piece of old pork, slimy and with maggots crawling across it. Pete stepped back in disgust.
'You can't eat this.' Perry exclaimed.
'Brush off the worms and boil it lots and it'll last me, and mine, for days.' Her tone was matter of fact.
'You shouldn't be able to buy meat in this condition.' The carniter said.
'Was all I could afford. Old man drinks most of our money. Besides, what are we supposed to eat in the city? It's not like when I was a girl and lived in the countryside. We could forage wild plants, catch game or even eat our seed if we got desperate. Besides, our Lord of the Manor didn't let us stave, even if he would have us executed for hunting the wrong game. Then we get free, come to the city, and look what we're reduced to.' There was clear bitterness to her tone.
'The law is the law. There's a reason you shouldn't be able to buy meat like this.' Perry said, before turning to Pete, 'Get her name in case we need to call her as a witness.'
'There my love, that'll be a nice joint for your meal tonight.' The butcher handed over some meat to a short woman, collecting her coin in payment. 'So what will be then madam?' he said to his next customer, a much older woman who looked a bit down at heel.
Perry could not hear the rest of the conversation as the noise of the marketplace reasserted itself. How was he going to get the thieving swine? He played through a range of thoughts, such as charging into the shop, grabbing the butcher and beating him to a pulp. Maybe kicking over the stall, or catching Col cheating a customer such as the one he was now serving? In each of his fantasies, the butcher barely resisted and immediately confessed, with proof of the crimes easily found and scattered around the premises. Perry knew this was unlikely to be the case in reality, but it was still a pleasant daydream.
The carniter had just about settled on his approach, kicking over the stall before manhandling the butcher, when a commotion behind him demanded his attention. A young lad, brown haired, ran into the market from a side alley, pursued by a shopkeeper and some young men.
'Stop thief!' one of the pursuers yelled.
The thief leapt over a barrow of vegetables, loosing his footing as he landed and bouncing into the woman at the butcher's shop. The impact knocked the woman over, straight into the stall, but it was enough for the young man to regain his balance and make his escape. The strange thing was that Perry watched Col Butcher quickly
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