Chapter 10
19th July
Billy read the newspaper whilst Mick perused the breakfast menu in the 'Pot and Kettle'; the small post box and telephone kiosk opposite in plain view to both of them. The van was parked in the gravel lay-by on what passed as a main street, set to automatically record anything the phone box generated.
Sandy did circuits of neighbouring villages, Dave T forced a second breakfast down his neck in 'Doreen's Cafe' whilst Tich quickly prepped his hide in the woods. Gallagher, watching the lane in which the target's house lay, read his farm machinery catalogue as he waited for Tich's call to say he was settled in position.
Stamp man ventured out just after midday and headed for 'Doreen's Cafe'. Thirty minutes later, he wandered into the village shop. Billy and Mick pulled up outside in the van, Mick went in for cold meats and some soft rolls.
Marjorie, slightly plump and cheerful, remarked from behind her counter, "We've just been talking about you and your friend, haven't we, Mister Shelby?" She smiled at the stamp man who was perusing the tinned veg. Returning the gesture, he nodded.
Slicing the ham and weighing it, she continued. "Three slices enough or shall I make it four? Have you had much success getting any business?"
"Best make it four, Marj, Billy's a bit hungry today. No, we tried a few places but only came up with someone who wants a farmhouse type kitchen table if we come across one." He turned to the stamp man. "I don't suppose you've got one you want to get rid of? We pay decent money."
Shelby shook his head, "Sorry, but if I do hear anything I'll let Marjorie know," then he moved on to the fresh bread. Mick paid up and bid them both a cheery farewell.
The following morning, some subtle changes. Dave T bimbled through the village, now and then unfolding the little seat strapped to his rucksack and settling down to record local architecture on his sketchpad. Tich had an extra breakfast, in 'Doreen's, whilst he read his paper and let anyone who cared to listen know what he was doing and what trails he'd done. Sandy watched the house for a while then, when Mick called to say he was in position, he went mobile. Gally wandered into the 'Pot and Kettle' just before 11 am for soup and a read of the local history book he'd bought from the village shop. The place was empty apart from an old bloke, mid-seventies, sat at the far end with his overweight but visibly pleased ageing black Labrador.
"Hello, love. What can I get you?"
"What's the soup of the day?"
"Vegetable."
"Do you get a roll with it?"
"Yes and a knob of fresh butter, love. Would you like a pot of tea with it or should I bring it over when you've finished the soup?" she said with a winning smile.
Her sales technique had won him over. "I'll have it when I've finished the soup, please."
She disappeared briefly then returned with a steaming bowl and a side plate for the roll. Carefully placing them on the table, she went back to the counter. He looked up as she held the basket out to him. "Poppy seed, Crusty or Barm?" He took the crusty cob.
"Do you ever get busy in here?" he asked her.
"Of a morning? Not generally. Sometimes, we get the odd coach party of old age pensioners stopping off for a cuppa on the way to somewhere else, you know what they're like with their cups of tea. This time of year, it's mainly after one o'clock when the walkers have had time to get here, so, yeah, between one and three it can get quite busy. Are you just passing through or staying a few days?"
He returned her smile. "Just a few days. I'm a salesman for agricultural products."
When he'd finished the soup, she brought him his pot and he paid up, it gave him freedom of movement. Although Mick had notified the others when the stamp man stepped out of his drive Gallagher's radio was still firmly fitted in his car so he was mildly surprised to see him. Stamp man ordered a cup of tea and sat by the front window, reading his newspaper. The pensioner fed his dog digestive biscuits.
At his table, back to the wall, facing the counter, Gally could see the whole room but after 15 minutes, he knew he'd have to make a move soon or it would become awkward. The old bloke got up and disappeared through the narrow door opposite his table. The dog remained, sniffed its paws then the floor before resting its head. A young couple in hiking gear entered and took a table between him and the stamp man. On his return, the pensioner picked up his shopping bag and the dog's lead, exchanged pleasantries with the waitress and left. He knew it was time to do the same.
"Excuse me, where are the toilets?"
"Far end, love, through that narrow door and up the stairs, they're on your left," the waitress replied.
Toilets were always a good place to leave things for others to retrieve so Gallagher had a swift but efficient look around and found the letter, in a plain envelope, tucked behind the cistern. When he came back, the ‘stamp man’ was paying for his tea and then took the stairs. Gally stepped out onto the street to be passed on his way in by Dave T, a whispered, "Check the bogs when he's gone." The van pulled in just beyond the village shop. He strolled away and took the side street he'd parked his car in. Once inside, he called up Sandy to be told:
"He's just crossed the street and is heading back home."
"Where did the old bloke with the dog go?"
"He's still in the village shop."
"Gally to Billy, keep a discreet eye on ‘dog man’ when he comes out but don't blow it. There are other ways we can find out who he is."
"Wilco."
Later, they'd repositioned. The pensioner and his dog had walked up the hill and disappeared into one of two houses forming part of a long terrace. Mick called up, "Stamp man's in his car, it's an Austin Cambridge A40, bottle green."
Sandy interrupted. "Yes, got him. Heading out of the village towards Radfordley. Hang on! He's pulled in at the phone box."
"Billy, I'm on it."
Less than two minutes and they heard, "He's back in the car and off down the Radfordley road."
Gally replied. "Everyone else stand off as best you can. Sandy, take the lead and get after him, I'll follow at a discreet distance. Gally to Billy. What did he say?"
"Something about archery practice being back on and now was the time to think of the past sacrifices of others. I've got it recorded."
It wasn't a long drive. He stopped on the brow of a hill, in the little lay-by that stood in front of a small memorial. Sandy sailed on past and by the time Gallagher drove by the stamp man was out of his vehicle laying some flowers or something at its base.
"Gally to Billy, over."
"Send, over."
"Our man has stopped at a memorial on the hill, about two miles out of Bardley. It backs directly onto a wood. It's the only one for miles. Can you get in there and do some close work on it. We'll give it two hours max from when you're in position."
"Roger, I've got Mick with me. I'll fling him out but it'll be about five minutes."
"Dave T to Gally, me and Tich can box that off, we're basically at the rear of that wood now. Billy's too far away, we just passed him and Mick going the other way."
"Gally, roger, the rest of us, plot off.”