Chapter 6: Harry
After Arthur left the pub, Harry stayed.
‘Your friends all left ya, eh?’ The bar maid had come back around. ‘They comin back?’
‘No, mum, you can relax.’ Harry looked defeated still staring at the door.
Margaret lowered her voice. ‘Why’d ya bring em ere, Harry? You never brought business home before.’
‘I thought I might need your eyes on this,’ Harry answered still not looking at their mother.
‘Aye, you always got my eyes, dear,’ Margaret smiled at Harry. ‘But be careful love, this one seems fishy. Literally.’ She looked down more directly at Harry. ‘One more?’
‘Aye.’ Harry’s afternoon opened up now that Arthur didn’t want the case.
Margaret brought back another mug of ale and set it down in front of Harry. ‘He wasn’t interested in helping the pretty girl, eh?’
‘Nah,’ Harry replied.
‘But you have the power to help her, ya?’ Margaret didn’t wait for a response, she went off to help the table that just sat down greeting them loudly with her Irish accent.
Harry sat there a while sipping her ale and thinking about Grace’s case. Maybe it doesn’t have all the parts that Arthur wants it to have, but maybe Harry can find the some of the pieces needed to get him involved. They really thought they had it all wrapped neatly for him and might have over-sold that to Grace, which is why she was so upset leaving. Harry will have to fix that part later. But yes, there is enough there to go on. They already have more details than some of the other cases they have done in the past. Arthur is just down on his luck and his head ain’t right. Harry thought this could be the thing to take him out, but apparently they underestimated how down he had been.
Harry decided to do a little more digging and see what they can pull together. Catching their mum’s eye and did a quick nod from the chin. Margaret stopped off at her table, ‘Another?’ she asked with an eyebrow raised to discourage Harry from drinking any more. Their family has been just ahead of the Irish curse, thus far and they’re all pretty careful not to succumb.
‘Ya feel a fish special coming on?’ Harry asked.
‘Aye, I do.’ Margaret replied and reached into her pocket. She pulled out some coins as she looked around to make sure no one was watching, and handed them to Harry. ‘Take em to the back an’ give em to Patrick when you come. No need to be seen here twice today.’ And with that, Margaret was off again.
Harry slipped the coins into their pocket, took one last pull of ale and left. This time of day, the fish will be cheap and they will be trying to move whatever they can so they don’t have to throw it away. A good time for a deal, a bad time for selection. But also, a good time to distinguish the help from other types.
They cross over the cobblestone street, it’s only about a ten-minute walk to where they bring in the fish. There are a few places to get fish, but Harry already knows the dock Grace was talking about. As they walk, they feel around in their pockets to make sure they have charcoal, a bit of paper and their knife. Just in case.
