"And the lion was going rrrrr." "And all the birds are going in the trees." "And the trees are shaking-- oh, God, I better make this phone call." "You can start without me." "I'll tell you later, all right." "Claire!" "Claire!" "Claire!" "Claire!" "No warning, nothing." "IRA?" "Could be another wave of bombings." "I want a checklist of everybody who set foot in here yesterday." "Everybody?" "Staff, tradesmen, deliveries, all table reservations." "They're all here except the passing trade." "Bodie, I'm not having you on this case." "Just passing." "Just thought I'd" "Mind what I say." "You're emotionally involved." "There's two people dead, eleven seriously injured." "How many does it have to be before you're allowed to be emotionally involved?" "I'm not arguing." "I'm sorry!" "You know that, deeply sorry." "If you want my personal opinion, sir" " I don't." " Well, I was only going to say" "The bomb might have been intended for Bodie." "Quite." "That's another reason for not wanting him on the case." "Now, shall we go on?" "Oh, no!" "What's wrong?" "Thor Thunder is retiring." "The group's splitting up." "How old is he?" "Nineteen." "He looks like a girl." "Mother, he's beautiful." "Oh, my God." "Brian." "Look at that." "Darling, you know I'm behind." "No, look, please." "Oh, read it if you like." "The Trattoria Rosetta was bombed last night." "Let me see that." "We could have been there." "But we weren't." "What the hell do we have to do to get this guy?" "A bullet would have been easier." "Better if it looks political." "Better if the target is obscured." "Messy, though." "Squeamish, Mr Phipps?" "If I were, I wouldn't be in this racket." "Quaint old-fashioned term." "This is business, Mr Phipps." "Nurse." "How is she?" "No change, Mr Bodie." "Is she going to be all right?" "We hope so." "Can I..." "can I go in now?" "No." "Not just now, she's..." "We're doing everything we can." "Yeah, thank you." "Gino?" "Ah, Señor Bodie." "Is good to see you." "Your young lady, she is all right, too?" "I'm so sorry." "Look, some questions I'd like to ask you about" "I already talked to the police." "I don't understand why anyone should do this." "I tell them I don't care about politics." "I run a restaurant." "Yeah, I know." "But someone" "But why me, Señor Bodie?" "Why my restaurant?" "I don't find it possible." "Okay, now, look." "Before the explosion, someone delivered some flowers, right?" "Yes, by special delivery." "Say it is for your table." "Was I mentioned by name?" "Table number ten is what he tell me, table number ten." "I think it is because you have your young lady with you." "Yeah, all right." "Now, look, that particular table was given to me because there was a last minute cancellation, right?" "Yes, that's right." "I was very busy last night." "You see how busy I am." "And now... now..." "Gino, can you remember the name of the cancellation?" "I remember the man." "It was his wedding anniversary." "But he doesn't come, so I give the table to you." "Did he book by phone?" " Yes." " And you can't remember his name?" " He came very often." " Gino, it's important." "Yes, I think his name is..." "Señor..." "Señor Forrest." "Look, just keep this between us two, okay?" "Take care, Gino." "Caio." "What the hell are you doing?" "He's a mate, right." "Can't I visit a mate in hospital without you and Cowley being at the" "Ahh, don't give me that." "I know why you're here." "Look, just don't." " Just leave it, Doyle." " Oh, you great clown!" "Do you think I don't know how you feel?" "Just don't blow it." "If you're asking me to drop it, forget it." "No, no, I'm not." "I wouldn't ask you to drop it." "I know you too well for that." "But if Cowley finds out, you know what's going to happen, don't you?" "You want to do me a favour?" " Yeah." " Just stay clear of me." "I'm going to get whoever did this, Ray." "And neither you nor Cowley or anyone else is going to stop me, okay?" "Will you just stop a minute?" "Will you just stop and talk for one minute, Bodie!" "Listen!" "Have I got to stand and fight before I get through to you?" "You want to get yourself arrested for brawling in public, terrific!" "Nothing Cowley would like better than to see you safely out of the way till all this is over." "Look, I know what you're talking about, okay." "Now, don't worry, I'll not embarrass anyone." "Okay?" "Who's that?" "One of the waiters." "Did you speak to him?" " Yeah." " Well?" "You know Bodie." "Quite." "One of the dailies had a call, seemingly from the IRA claiming responsibility." "And?" "Oh, whoever it was hadn't done their homework properly." "No code?" "Someone's trying to make this look like a political bombing, but it wasn't." "Sending a bunch of flowers?" "Far too theatrical." "Which brings us back to Bodie." "Name of Arthur Brian Pendle." "Picked up for drug dealing and illegal possession of firearms." "Sent down for three years." "Does Mr Brian Forrest live here, please?" "Yes." "Do you think I could have a word with him, please?" "He's not in at the moment." "He's at work." "Oh, I see." "Are you Mrs Forrest?" "No, not Mrs Forrest." "It's my mother you want." " I'll just go and get her." " Thank you." "May I help you?" "Mrs Forrest?" "That's right." "Would you mind awfully coming around this way?" " I'm just doing a spot of gardening." " No, not at all." "Carol said you're with the police." "CI5." "Well, Brian said you'd be coming." "About the bombing, am I right?" "That's right." "I made a list at Somerset House of all the couples who have had wedding anniversaries on that day." "That's rather clever." "Quite a short list, really." "Just you." "Well, do you know, I really don't know quite how I'm going to help you, Mr--?" "Bodie." "Well, I suppose the first thing is why you and your husband didn't show up after you booked the table." "Oh, well, Brian got home rather late." "And rather than go through all the effort of driving up to town, we thought we'd just have a small celebration here." "May I ask where your husband works, Mrs Forrest?" "Croydon." "The firm has actually got a London office as well." "He's an accountant, a chartered accountant." "I don't suppose you could think of a reason why someone should want to kill him?" "Brian?" "No, not Brian." "Why's that?" "I mean it's just too absolutely ridiculous for words." "Mrs Forrest, someone delivered that bomb to your table specifically, table number ten." "Now, why do you think that was?" "It's certainly got absolutely nothing to do with either Brian or me." "Mr Bodie, we weren't even there!" "He's a vicious little swine." "That much I can tell you." "But explosives?" "Arthur Pendle wouldn't know a fuse from a piece of string." "Neither would some of those kids in Northern Ireland." "The men behind them certainly do." "He wouldn't have the guts to plant a bomb." "Pushing dope or snatching old ladies' handbags is about his mark." "Yeah." "Progress." "Even villains progress." "Well, I certainly didn't make any progress with him." "I had to go through all the steps." "Once he wheedled his parole." "That man couldn't lie straight in bed." "Checked his last known address?" "Checked his last three." "No chance." "Paperwork, that's what gets me." "Arthur Brian Pendle." "What else do I know about him?" "Oh, yes." "The broken home bit." "And there was a sister." "She used to visit him in prison-- until she went inside herself for shoplifting." "Now, if you could find her..." "Yeah, how?" "Paperwork!" "Intersection of Kingswich Street and Argyle." "Yes, okay, got it." "Now, what took you so long?" "You want miracles." "Even computers have to be fed." "Paperwork, that's what it's all about." "Married twice before she was twenty." "Lived in squats, been on the run." "You want miracles, you really do." "That's right." "Out." "What is all this, dragging me out in the middle of the day?" "Just wanted to talk to you." "What did you say to Miss Johnson?" "I told her I was an old boyfriend just back from the Arctic, six months patrol in a nuclear submarine." "Never saw daylight, let alone a pretty face." " Oh, come on." " It's true." "What's this all about?" "It's about..." "uh, hang about... here we are." "Oh?" "Yeah." "About your girlfriend, Sally Pendle." "Friend?" "She was no friend of mine." "Well, the manager said you were the one that knew her best." "I worked alongside her." "I had no choice, but that's all." "What do you want her for, anyway?" "Well, you're not going to believe this." "We think she might be able to help us with certain enquiries." "I've heard that one before." "Well, she's in trouble, I'm not surprised." "Really?" "Why?" "She is trouble, that's all." "She'd rather nick a pound than earn five." "Doesn't go for honest endeavour?" "You enjoy yourselves last night, did you?" "Not especially." "Ah, your mother was telling me they had some sort of celebration, wedding anniversary." "Oh, that." "No, I went to a movie." "Their idea of a celebration is to sit at opposite ends of the table to one other downing large drinks until they're legless." "Not for me, thanks very much." "Bye-bye." "She wouldn't last five minutes here." "Not satisfied with her tips." "She got separate keys to the lockers." "And went through some of the handbags, too." "Yours?" "Oh, not me." "I keep my hard-earned cash on me at all times." "That must be difficult." "Oh, no, it isn't." "Where did she go from here?" "She can't have gone far." "Got a couple of kids round her neck." " That would slow anybody down." " Where did she go?" "You didn't get it from me, right?" "Right." "Sally Pendle?" "I'm Ray Doyle, a friend of Arthur's." "We were inside together." "I don't know where he is." "Ah." "Well, I thought you might know, you know, being his sister." "I told you, I don't know where he is." "What do you want him for, anyway?" "Well, I owe him some money." "That's all right." "You give it to me, I'll see he gets it." "Well, I'd rather give it to him personally, you know," " if you don't mind." " I told you, I'll see he gets it." " Yeah, okay." " Hey!" "What are you doing?" "Get out of it!" "Get out of my place!" "Arthur!" "You rotten filth!" " Get out!" " All right!" "Arthur!" "You stay away from me, I'll kill you, I'll kill you!" "I'll kill you!" " Cop?" " Yeah, I think so." "What do you mean, you think so?" "Why'd you run for it if you didn't know?" "He's got to be." "Get him in the car." "No, let's leave him here." "Get him in the car." "Casualty?" "Ah, it's Mr Bodie again about Miss Sheldon." "Miss Claire Sheldon." "No change." "Yes, I understand, yes." "Yes, thank you." "Brian Forrest is my partner, Mr Bodie, and I find it highly unethical talking about him behind his back." "When you talk about planting bombs in crowded restaurants, Mr Padgett, ethics become a little absurd." "Quite." "I realise that." "All the same, when you told me you were at his house asking his wife" "You met Forrest about twenty years ago." "Somebody introduced us, sir." "I can't remember who." "But somebody who knew that I was thinking about starting up on my own." "And Forrest seemed like he'd be the perfect partner." "He seemed to me to have all the right contacts." "All he ever seemed to have to do was pick up a phone." "What about his background before you met him?" "Been living in the States mainly." "Went there just after his parents died." "You handle some pretty big accounts, I imagine." "Nothing that would warrant a bombing, Mr Bodie." "Yes?" "What?" "Oh, oh, fine." "Put it through to the other office." "Excuse me." "George?" "Thanks for ringing me back." "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I've got some chap in my office asking a lot of questions." "Claims he's something from CI5, is it?" "Ah, excuse me, Mr Forrest's car, he asked me to pick it up for him." "Mr Forrest?" "Well, he's just gone in himself to pick it up." "Well, he's probably forgotten he's given me the keys." "Well, I thought if anybody'd know anything about it, you would." " Name of Bodie." " Bodie!" "That's all right, Dick." "Thanks for checking with me." "Do you think I could have a word with him?" "Right." "Mr Bodie?" "Whereabouts is it?" "To the left as you go in." "Far end." "Ta." "Who'd have thought it?" "Good thing no one was killed, that's all I can say." "It could have been me." "Quite." "But you did recognise him?" "Yeah, yeah." "I told you." "He came in fifteen, twenty minutes before Mr Forrest, this other man." "Right mess, that's for sure." "It's a miracle nobody was killed!" "That could easily have been me, you know." "Yes." "Yes." "Do you reckon he's hurt bad?" "I don't know." "Get something to tie him up with." "I knew he was a cop." "Well, he isn't." "Tie him up." "Well, who is he, then?" "Just do as I say." "And get yourself cleaned up, all right?" " Forrest!" "Forrest!" " Hey!" "I know you're here, now come out before I smash the place!" "Forrest!" "You get out here now!" "What the Devil do you want?" "Who are you?" "Carol, phone the police!" "You so much as touch that phone and I'll rip it apart!" " Brian, don't argue with him." " All right, Madge, all right, Madge." "You leave him to me." "I want to talk to you and I want the truth, you understand?" "Very well." "What do you want to discuss?" "My girlfriend is on the critical list." "There's two people dead and eleven people seriously injured." "How about that for starters?" "You're referring to the bombing." "Right." "What do you want me to do about it?" "That bomb was meant for you and the second one today proves it and you knew it was coming." "Now, why don't you cool down, young man, and have a drink." "Considering you just escaped death, you're pretty cool." "Scotch all right?" "I'm not here for cocktails, I want answers." "Soda or water?" "No, thank you." "So, you want to know what my connection is with these bombs." "The answer is perfectly simple:" "I haven't the faintest idea." "I'm a chartered accountant." "I've been an accountant all my life." "The only injury that I could ever have done anybody is to overestimate their tax liability, and that's hardly a motive for murder." "Or perhaps it is these days." "You're ice cold, Forrest." "Anyone else in your position would be out of their wits, confused." "I told you, I'm an accountant." "Accountants are supposed to be logical people." "What are you?" "There's been two attempts on your life." "And ever since I've been on your tail, there's a very interested party following me." "So let's just forget all this I'm-just-an-accountant bit, right?" "What can I say?" "You tell me." "All right." "Well, let's start with how come you managed to get your business going so quickly?" "I'm sorry?" "Your business contacts when you came back from the States, who were they?" "People I met, people I knew." "No secret about them." "You're a liar, Forrest." "Don't you call me a liar!" "You're unreal!" "D'you know that?" "You're unreal." "A guy puts a bomb in your car-- and God knows how you avoid getting killed-- do you phone the police?" "No." "Do you bother to wait for them?" "No." "You go home, pour yourself a Scotch, kiss the wife, and act like nothing's happened!" "I was going to contact the police." "When?" "Next year?" "I, it all happened too quickly." "Suppose I panicked." " You're a bloody liar!" " Brian." "You damn fool." "I warned you!" "I could have you for this." "I'm right, though, about Forrest." "I'm not interested in your opinions!" "You're a good team, you and Doyle." "I don't want to lose either of you if I can help it." " Sorry." " Like hell you are." "What's this supposed to be?" "It's the registration number of whoever it is that's been keeping tabs on me." "By the way, your, your young lady friend, there's some improvement." "Thanks." "Just remember, you disobey any instructions of mine ever again and" "Nah, I suppose you better finish off what you got yourself into in the first place." "What about Doyle?" "What's he come up with?" "I don't know." "I haven't heard from him." "I wouldn't bother." "Who's your friend?" "The one driving the tank?" "I wouldn't bother about that either." "Graduated to the big time, have you?" "Don't talk." "Save your strength." "Not that it's going to get you anywhere." "Oh, and don't bother to shout." "No one'll hear you." "Police have now confirmed that no casualties were involved as a result of the explosion in a West End car park earlier today." "It is believed the incident is connected with that of a similar explosion in a London restaurant last night." "The police have issued a photograph and a description of a man." "He is slim" "...as Arthur Brian Pendle, alias Gary" "So, they do know who you are." "How?" " What?" " I asked you, how." "They don't." "Arthur Brian Pendle." "They don't, they're lying!" "Alias Gary who?" " I don't know what you're on about." " Slim build?" "I've never been copped, I swear it!" "Don't lie!" "I set it up and you blow it." "No form." "All right, I've done a bit, sure." "Everybody's done a bit." "You've done enough." "You know who we've got in there?" "Only a CI5 man." "Top of the tree, that's all." "Good." "What are we going to do with him?" "Well, we're not going to turn him loose in Piccadilly, are we?" "Yes." "What went wrong this time?" "I don't know." "You don't sound very concerned." "We'll get him." "I hope so." "My client's getting restless, and I'm getting angry handing out contracts which aren't fulfilled." "That boy you used, get rid of him." "I'm going out for a while." " What about--?" " I'll handle it." "You just stay put." "Mrs Forrest?" "Yes?" "My name's Cowley." "I believe one of my men has been making a slight nuisance of himself." "Oh... yes." "I really can't apologise enough." "I'm very sorry." "By the way, there are a few small points I'd just like to clear up." " May I come in?" " Yes, of course." "Come in." "Thank you." "Oh, a charming house you have." "Thank you." "As I was saying, there were just one or two points I wasn't quite clear on." "Your husband's not in, by any chance?" "No." "He just popped out to the shops before they close." "Oh, not to worry." "I see you have a nice large garden." "Are you fond of gardening?" "I quite enjoy it, yes." "I must admit the nearest I ever get to gardening is when I buy vegetables at the supermarket." "I understand your husband didn't do national service." "Uh, no." "He..." "he failed his medical." "He had asthma when he was a boy, and so they wouldn't pass him." "Really?" "That's odd." "I'm sorry?" "Well, because there's no record of him ever attending a medical." "I don't understand." "I'm afraid I'm not quite with you on that." "We checked." "There's definitely no record." "Well, I suppose it could have got lost, couldn't it?" "I expect so." "Are these out of your garden?" "They're beautiful, quite beautiful." "I like roses." "Uh, Mr--?" " Cowley." " Thank you." "Was there a particular reason you just asked me that question?" " About your husband?" " Yes." "Oh, no, just a matter of interest." "Oh, I see." "As you say, it probably got lost." "Along with all his other records." "I beg your pardon?" "Well, you know how one thing can lead to another." "He was born in Jersey, am I right?" "Yes, that's correct." "But there are no records of that fact." "Not even a birth certificate." "Indeed, there's no evidence he's even been to the Channel Islands, let alone been brought up there." "Nor is there any evidence that his father ever served in the army, that he was ever issued with a ration book, or that he even existed." "There are no records of his parents' death in a car crash, and the English Speaking Union say that no one with your husband's name was ever awarded one of their scholarships to go and study in the United States." "In short, Mrs Forrest, your husband didn't start to exist until 1958." "Now, as I was saying, there are just one or two points I'd like you to help clear up for me." "Bloody hell!" "FBI!" "We should have been informed." "I don't care what the Home Office or your people say." "Our orders were to get Forrest out from under and fly him straight back to the States." "Get Forrest out from under what?" "He's an ex-Mafia accountant." "Twenty years ago, we put the finger on him." "But he turned states evidence provided we set him up with a new identity." "Change of face, change of scene." "What, the Mob traced him here?" "After all these years?" "Those guys have long memories." "They never close the book." "You know what they say:" "once a crook, always a crook." "Well, Forrest has been dabbling over here, and that wasn't very smart." "Like it or not, the Mob's here, too." "Forrest got into a land deal with an American company." "But he didn't know he was dealing with a group fronting for the boys." "Their lawyer turned out to be a guy Forrest had worked with way back." "Don't tell me the FBI provides an after-care service for informers." "Forrest panicked." "He called us and offered another trade for another new identity." "He gives us evidence tying the company with the Mob and we give him a new cover." "Not exactly ethical, but practical." "Until the bombs start flying." "All right." "You want your evidence." "Fair enough." "But I want those bombers." "Mr Forrest-- Arthur." "Make yourself at home, Brian." "Drink?" "Scotch." "I don't get it." "We were hired to kill you." "That's right." "Why do you think we haven't been successful?" "I still don't get it." "Won't Phipps and his client find out?" "Don't worry, we'll be abroad by then." "What?" "Brian'll be joining us, as soon as he's sorted out his insurance." "Insurance?" "A couple of men have promised to organise it for me in exchange for some documents." "Don't worry your head about it." "Have a drink, Arthur." "What happens to your family?" "Start another one." "Oh, yeah?" "They'll be all right, I've provided for them." "That easy?" "No." "But what am I to do, hmm?" "That reminds me, I must phone them." "That daughter of mine." "She lives on the telephone." "He's not at the office." "So, he's on his way home." "What are you worrying about?" "Carol, those bombs were meant for him." "What?" "But you said it was all a mistake." "You said Mr Cowley told you it was all a mistake." "I know." "I told you a lie." "But your father's been lying to me all our married life." "I" "You know, we don't really know anything about him at all." "But he's just Dad." "Plain old ordinary nine-to-five Daddy." "There's no mystery about him." "I wish he was." "You know, there were times when I longed for a bit of excitement to sort of liven things up a bit." "Now that it's actually happened, I'm very frightened." "Mummy, he's going to walk in that door any minute now, have his nightly Scotch and soda, sit down and bury his head in the Financial Times." "No." "I don't think he will." "I shall miss the girl." "But Madge..." "You going to trade her in on a new model?" "Very important to have a respectable domestic front." "Try them again." "C'mon, c'mon." "It's Doyle." "S'Ray Doyle." "4.5." "Get a trace on this call." "4.5, Ray Doyle." "Get a trace on this call." "Peter, let me!" "Let me!" "Peter!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "He had it coming!" "He had it coming!" "What's going on?" "You didn't tell me!" "He'll be all right." "All right?" "What the Devil's the matter?" "It's nothing." "Nothing." "He's all right." "You call that nothing?" "The man's a maniac!" "He'll be all right." "I can handle it." "That man in there, who is he?" "Turned out quite handy, really." "When I blow this place sky high, the police'll think it's my body they've found in the wreckage." "Who is he?" "CI5." "Cop-killing on top of everything else?" "That "everything else" you mention has lined our pockets for a long time to come." "Your spying partner, young Pendle." "How big is his share?" "Incredible, you really are." "Ramrod straight city gent." "Even I'd buy a used car from you, not that you'd dabble in anything so lowly." "And you're more ruthless than anyone." "Practical, that's all, more practical." "I asked you about young Pendle." "Police might find two bodies." "It's outrageous." "Outrageous." "All those are confidential papers." "If I were you, Dick, I'd stop worrying about any of this and start looking for a new partner." "How's it going?" "Hallo?" "Yes." "It's for you." "Hallo?" "Yes?" "Ah, it's about time." "Kennet Holdings." "Directors-- Brian Forrest, Peter Crabbe." "Yes, what about it?" "Kennet Holdings?" "I've never heard him mention that." "Right." "Give it to me." " Peter Crabbe!" " You know him?" "Yeah." "He's involved in one of the big protection rackets." "But he's always several moves away from the action." "Not this time." "That's where Doyle's phone call came from." "No wonder the contract missed the target." "Your mobsters gave the contract to kill Forrest to Crabbe," "Forrest's partner." "So Forrest fooled you and the Mafia, too." "They must want Crabbe as bad as we do." "I like it." "There's no accounting for taste." "Start taking the stuff down to the car, untie him and bring him in here." "Lay him about three feet from the charge." "No nearer." "Cars are packed and ready." "Right." "In the other room." "Recognise it?" "It's yours." "Except now it's mine." "Where's Crabbe?" "I don't know, Mr Phipps." "You better know, sonny." "The boy!" "Where is he?" "You get Crabbe, I'll get the boy." "You dumb crud." "What took you so long?" "You look terrible." "Crabbe and Forrest, they're down in the car park." "Well, go on!" "I can't." "I'm going to call meself an ambulance." "Arthur!" "Save me the trouble." "Drop it." "British Airways announces the departure of Flight 501." "That's us." "British Airways announces the departure of Flight 501." "It's all there." "Be strange to see Sydney again, even if it is only a flying visit." "You fellows ever been to Australia?" "Can't say that I have." " What about you, Orville?" " No." "You're not going there, either." "We've got something else in mind for you." "A long stay in this country." "On the moors, probably." " Hallo." " Hi." " Oh, you shouldn't have bothered." " Hey?" "Oh, I didn't." "They're for Claire next door." "Oh." "How is she?" "Fine." "Except for she's thinking of packing me in." "I'm too dangerous to hang about with." "Uh-huh." "How are you feeling, anyway?" "What, apart from the ribs or including the ribs?" "Hey, you didn't bring me any grapes." "Ah, all those pips, mate." "You know, very messy... in bed." "Hey, hey, hey." "Hands off." "She's mine." "She goes with the tablet."