The Potato Factory

Chapter Twenty-one

The London police records of the time show that a large consignment of watches, said to be more than one hundred, were stolen from the premises of a wholesale merchant in Cheapside. This coincidence was to completely change the lives and luck of Ha

A theft of such proportion would soon be known in the Whitechapel markets and in Rosemary and Petticoat Lanes and around the Haymarket, where there would be much discussion as to who might have brought it about and who might be capable of fencing such a 'delicate' haul.

It might at first be supposed that it would be simple enough to bring a consignment of new watches back onto the market, but such was not the case. The numbers and markings of the watches were all furnished to the police, being available from the manufacturer, and so each watch would need to be carefully 'christened', that is, the number altered and the name upon the face carefully removed or the face itself replaced. This was a task which took some skill and, moreover, time and was not often worthy of completion on a fob watch that was not of gold or silver. The watches taken were of a varying assortment, but mostly at the cheaper end of the quality market. This meant that such merchandise, while cheaply procured by a fence, was difficult to place into circulation -a trickle placed here and there in market towns and country fairs and all of this over a lengthy period of time, so that the risk of discovering the source of the trickle was greatly decreased.

Ha

It was late afternoon when Marley knocked on the door of Ha

'Long time no see, eh, Bob?'

Marley took a gulp of brandy then pushed what remained of the bagel into his mouth. He did not acknowledge her greeting, sucking the crumbs from his fingers as he continued to stare at Ha

Ha

'Humph!' Marley grunted.

'Ya done me one in the eye when they made the raid on Bell Alley, ya took me money under false pretences!' Ha

Marley swallowed, his Adam's apple bouncing. 'Ya made me look like a copper's nark! That's not the same thing! Me, a man o' me word, I gave Ikey me word, I took his contract!' He paused and took a slug of the brandy. 'Ya done in me fuckin' reputation!'

Ha

Marley jumped suddenly from the chair and grabbed Ha

Marley flicked the razor closed and placed it in the pocket of his coat, then threw back his head and swallowed the rest of his brandy. He thumped the glass down upon the table and started towards the door.

'I trusts ya, Bob,' Ha

Bob Marley turned at the door and gave a short laugh. 'Ya trusts me! Well ain't that a fuckin' caution!'

Ha

Marley, eyeing the bottle of excellent brandy, hesitated. 'Explain what?' He crossed back to the bottle. 'Ain't nuffink to explain, ya fucked me reputation, that's all!'

'It ain't true, Bob. You is the best. Ya always was, ya still is. The best there be. Ikey always says, " 'E's the best, 'e is, always use the best, Ha

Bob Marley looked up at Ha

'Watches!' Ha

Despite himself Bob Marley was impressed. 'Jesus! 'E made it, eh? Cu

Ha

Marley shook his head. 'Too 'ot, 'A

'Could ya find 'em?' Ha

Marley shook his head. 'Too dangerous. I told ya, watches be too 'ot to touch!'

'I'll pay fifty per cent o' the shop price,' Ha

'Sixty! Sixty per cent o' the retail, take it or leave it. And I'll need twenty sovs down payment,' Marley said emphatically. 'There's expenses, ya understand?'

Ha

'Sure, I understand,' she said. 'Gimme a mo', I'll fetch it fer ya.'

'Mind, I can't take no chances,' Marley said. 'It may take a while to get to them yacks.' This was said almost as an aside.

Ha

Marley frowned and shook his head slowly. 'If I 'as to take chances, make indiscreet enquiries like, that's no good fer me 'ealth! Pigs is everywhere, the Lane's tight as a duck's arse!' He looked over to where Ha

'Fraid that kind o' haste is gu

Ha