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"Not any longer, Molly, you're now the housekeeper, as well as cook, on ten pounds an hour." Molly was speechless. Da
"No, no," said Big Al. "I'll be out of here just as soon as I find a job."
"You were a driver in the army, weren't you?" asked Da
"I wis your driver fur five years," whispered Big Al, nodding his head in the direction of Molly.
"Then you've got your old job back," said Da
"But you haven't got a car," Molly reminded him.
"Then I shall have to get one," said Da
Big Al put a finger up to his lips.
Da
"But first you'd better go and buy some clothes," he said to Big Al, "before you even think about a car."
"And some soap," said Molly, filling Big Al's plate for a third time.
"Then Molly can scrub your back."
"I will do no such thing," said Molly. "But I'd better go and make up one of the guest bedrooms if Mr. Big Al is going to be with us-for a few days." Da
Once the door was closed, Big Al leaned across the table. "Are ye still pla
"Yes, I am," said Da
"So when dae we start?"
"You start by having a bath, and then go and buy yourself some clothes," Da
"And how have you spent the past month, Nicholas?" was Ms. Be
Da
"And has everything worked out as pla
"Yes, thank you, Ms. Be
"Have you found a job yet?"
"No, Ms. Be
"Ah, yes, I remember. But surely the grant isn't sufficient to live on?"
"I can just about get by," said Da
Ms. Be
"Yes."
"I see. I think perhaps I should come and inspect the property at some time, just to make sure it meets with the minimum Home Office standards."
"You would be most welcome to visit any time that suits you," said Da
She read out the next question. "Have you been associating with any former prisoners you were in jail with?"
"Yes," said Da
"Is there enough room in the house for both of you?"
"More than enough, thank you, Ms. Be
"And does he have a job?"
"Yes, he's going to be my driver."
"I think you're in enough trouble as it is, Nicholas, without being facetious."
"It's no more than the truth, Ms. Be
Ms. Be
"Have you been tempted to commit a crime since our last meeting?"
"No, Ms. Be
"Have you been taking any drugs?"
"No, Ms. Be
"Are you at present drawing unemployment benefit?"
"No, Ms. Be
"Do you require any other assistance from the probation service?"
"No, thank you, Ms. Be
Ms. Be
"I'm going to have to let you go," said Beth, resorting to the euphemism Mr. Thomas always fell back on whenever he sacked a member of staff.
"But why?" asked Trevor Sutton. "If I go, you won't have a manager. Unless you've already got someone else lined up to replace me."
"I have no plans to replace you," said Beth. "But since my father's death, the garage has been steadily losing money. I can't afford this state of affairs to continue any longer," she added, reading from the script Mr. Thomas had prepared for her.
"But you haven't given me enough time to prove myself," protested Sutton.
Beth wished that it was Da
"If we have another three months like the last three," Beth said, "we'll be out of business."
"What am I expected to do?" demanded Sutton, leaning forward and putting his elbows on the table. "Because I know one thing, the boss would never have treated me this way."
Beth felt angry that he had mentioned her father. But Mr. Thomas had advised her to try to put herself in Trevor's shoes, and to imagine how he must be feeling, especially since he'd never worked anywhere else since the day he left Clement Attlee Comprehensive.
"I've had a word with Monty Hughes," said Beth, trying to remain calm, "and he assured me that he'd be able to find you a place on his staff." What she didn't add was that Mr. Hughes only had a junior mechanic's job available, which would mean a considerable drop in pay for Trevor.
"That's all very well," he said angrily, "but what about compensation? I know my rights."
"I'm willing to pay you three months' wages," said Beth, "and also to give you a reference saying that you've been among the hardest workers." And among your most stupid, Monty Hughes had added when Beth had consulted him. While she waited for Trevor's response, she recalled Da
Once Trevor had kicked the door closed behind him, Beth breathed a sigh of relief that wouldn't have left him in any doubt that he could have demanded far more than seven thousand, though, in truth, withdrawing that amount of cash from the bank had just about emptied the garage's account. All that was left for Beth to do now was to sell off the property as quickly as possible.