Sam Reed
As the trio make their way to the bustling antiques market
Sam starts to feel more comfortable, relaxing for the first time since the 'excitement' of the previous night. He too had slept fitfully and hadn't felt rested whilst he was eating his breakfast, feeling
sluggish and almost reluctant to head out and start the day.
Sam still wasn't sure how he or the others had been involved in the cases, sometimes
Grimes seemed to be like a force of nature... things happened around
Grimes and sometimes it was all anyone else could do but to hang on and get sucked along for the ride.
Sam still felt an obligation to help after all
Grimes had become a friend and well... what were friends for?
So that's how
Sam found himself along with the writer and journalist at the entrance to
Marley's Antiques Market, with little more than an idea and a hope that someone might have heard something that would relate to the grisly deaths.
Felix's question pulls
Sam from his private musings
"Unusual items.." Sam stresses the word, an eyebrows cocked as he considers the question.
"Oh yes, I often think that if you had the inclination to wait and poke about through this collection of stalls that you'd be able to locate almost anything.." he tails off looking for one of his best sources of information at the market, he spies
'Stinky's stall, his friend seems to be in the middle of a transaction with a man and a woman.
"Ahh there we are, this way.. Sam motions the others forwards through the crowd of browsers and buyers. Before they get to the stall
Sam sees
Stinky shake his head and cross his arms, his face set.
"Best not to mention anything about murders and the police, tends to make people nervous around here. Stinky is like a little clock-work blood-hound... we'll wind him up and set him off. " Sam tells his two companions.
A few moments later they arrive at their goal, a large stall containing all kinds of objects, some in boxes and crates others laid out on the word wooden boards that serve as a counter.
Stinky's customers have moved on and the shabbily dressed stall-holder was staring after them a cold look on his face as he ran a hand through his untidy white hair.
"Hello Stinky, what was all that about?" Sam Sam asks, cocking his head to the retreating pair.
"Wotcha Sam" the dishevelled man says offering a mitten covered hand to
Sam "Oh that pair... they've been up and down this place all morning. There's summink about them.. a bit to 'lah-di-dah' .. he shrugs
"They're trying to offload some padpa's, oh the stones look nice enough but they aint in a setting see, it's a bit whiffy." Stinky taps the side of his nose and winks theatrically.
"Anyways, I though you said you weren't gonna collect that bronze plaque for a couple more days? It aint ready yet mate... I could 'urry Pete up .. but you know wot 'es like." Stinky shrugs.
Sam smiles, releasing the other man's hand from his limp handshake.
"It's not that we've come about.. I and my friends" Sam indicates
Felix and Millicent "are after a bit of info, what have you heard about someone boosting books in Oxford?" Sam slides across a folded pound note, which the older man makes vanish into his overcoat pocket.
"Books... watcha getting mixed up in books for! I ain't 'eard nothing... yet! the stall holders watery blue eyes twinkle and his weathered face creases into a smile.
"Tell ya wot, why don't you and your friends 'av a wander and meet me at 'arry's in 'alf an 'our or so?
"Sounds good to me, see you there." Sam agrees, with a nod.
"Let's mingle a bit... wouldn't do for us to rush in and out..." Sam leads the others away.
"Is there anything you'd like to look at, while we're here... china... silver..?
OOC: I've taken the liberty of answering for Stinky to 'set the scene' ... it shouldn't affect the story in any way... but should add 'flavour' (I hope)
'arry's place would be a 'greasy spoon' cafe not far from the market. |
