John Ship: PI

I own nothing but my OC's

Chapter One

It was a dark night, according to my pocket watch it was ten PM, and I was ready to move. The drivers seat in my Vauxhall 10-4, a reliable car I had bought second hand off a man who couldn't afford to keep it going after the war started, was worn and comfortable. On the passenger's seat were my notes and binoculars while inside the dark tartan coat was dad's trench knife. Keeping it on me was illegal but the police had more important things to deal with. It still hadn't been long since the damn Jerry's and Jap's surrendered and the celebrations just wouldn't stop. Of course on the V Day and the V J Day I'd gone out and got ludicrously drunk with some friends from the police and a couple of other PI's but it had been a hollow day for me. As I glanced at my walking stick on the back seat and then down at my specially made right leather boot holding my misshapen foot, the birth defect which had stopped me from doing my part, I couldn't join the army, the ARP, the fire brigade and even the bloody Home Guard turned me down. Usually they were polite enough but the one from the ARP was blunt about it. "We don't have room for cripples!" the flat nosed git shouted when I went to sign up. Throughout the war I kept at my job as a PI and, at that time, I knew I would keep doing it as long as I could. The door to the house I had been watching opened and a man and a woman in brand new clothes, probably black market, left the house and walked to the new car outside before driving off. I waited for a few minutes until I was sure that they wouldn't return for something they left behind. While I waited it began to rain, and I rolled my eyes before grabbing the stick, put my fedora over my dark brown hair, fastening the brass buttons of my dark tartan coat and stepped into the rain which was now starting to get heavier, I wouldn't have been surprised if it turned into a thunderstorm at the rate it was going and it wasn't long until I was proved right. Anyway, I approached the front door of the house and pulled my lockpicks one of my coats internal pockets and started working. It didn't take long to open the door and I entered the house, lighting up a match as I did so to give me light but not enough to disturb the neighbours. Most of the furniture was well maintained, although there were a few newer items, such as a wireless and a record player in the living room and in the kitchen was a new gas oven, its surface freshly cleaned. My match died so I discarded it and pulled out a new one, lighting it and giving me light again. I searched through the kitchen and then the pantry where I saw a briefcase on the top most shelf. People always hid their stolen goods in the same places.

After a few guesses I unlocked the case and I couldn't help a whistle escape my lips as I saw it. The case was filled with jewels, small bars of gold, earrings of silver and gold as well as sovereign coins. I pulled a folded photo from my pocket showing a young woman in a rather daring dress, around her neck a pearl and gold necklace. I found the same one in the case and I knew that the case was solved, I'd take this back to her, receive my payment and hand the briefcase to the police who could send this thief to prison. I was about to lock the case when I slipped the gold coins into my pocket and then locked it properly. When I came to the front door the rain was even worse and, with my cane, I began to walk through the cold, punishing water cascading from the sky like a thousand tiny daggers clawing at me. There was a flash of light in the sky followed by a thundering boom. I was right, it was a storm now. Suddenly there was another strike of lightning, this one close by, far too close. I struggled through the rain, my damned foot making walking slightly awkward at the best of times but now it was much harder, as lighting struck again and I was blasted by the light.

The next thing I knew it was the middle of the day, the sun was beating down on me and fresh sea air mixed with fish bombarded my senses.

'What the Devil?' I asked as someone pushed me out of the way.

I looked around me in shock as hundreds of people went about their business, only sparing a passing glance at me. They were all dressed strangely, almost as if they had walked off of the set of a costume drama set in the Middle Ages but there were no camera's anywhere. On reflection I suppose I must have looked strange to them, clad in my tartan overcoat, trousers and waistcoat, my tie with that mustard stain that refused to leave it and my fedora placed on my short hair. I was near some sort of harbour, numerous ships of many different designs were either loading or unloading cargo and passengers. Close by the docks were men from the ships speaking with what appeared to be the harbour masters while others were manning stalls covered with food. Inns stood in many places, many with suggestive signs over the doors which hinted that more than alcohol was being sold there. I walked along for a while, my eyes trying to take in all the sights, when I realised that there was a great red wall close by, and beyond it was the top of a castle a great distance away. I followed the course of the road I was on until I reached a gate in the wall and entered the massive city properly. The gates were guarded by a few men armed with spears and clad in mail and gold dyed cloaks. They seemed bored more than anything and only spared me a passing glance as I entered the city.

For over an hour I wondered around, without much thought, only to see what this place offered. The cobbled streets twisted randomly leading into squares with public water fountains which residents drew water from. One of these fountains, was topped by a statue of a beautiful woman wearing a crown, sitting on a chair and looking down with kindness on those who took the water. Out of curiosity I looked at the plaque under the statue and read the name.

GOOD QUEEN ALYSANNE

Whoever she was, I thought to myself, she must have been popular. Feeling the heat of the day getting to me I pulled my empty flask out from under my coat and filled it with the water, enjoying the drink before I moved on. Soon after this I realised that the shadows were growing longer as the sun moved into afternoon and I had to find somewhere to stay for the night, and for that I'd need money. Nearby I saw a group of four boys, all of them just sitting in the shadow of an awkwardly leaning building and all of them clearly poor.

'Excuse me,' I said to them and four pairs of eyes snapped to me. 'Do any of you know where to find a pawn broker? A dealer in jewels?'

'I can!' one of them shouted only to be shoved away by another.

'It's my turn to show people around.'

'No it's mine!'

'You can both show me,' I stopped them from causing trouble there and then.

'How much will you pay?' asked one, with dirty blonde hair while the other was ginger.

'I have nothing right now, but if you show me about I will pay afterwards.'

'We want paid now,' the ginger boy told him and crossed his arms.

'I'll take your deal,' the dirty blonde said while his compatriot remained in the shade of the building.

'What's your name, boy?'

'Matti,' he answered.

'Alright Matti, show me to the pawnbroker.'

'Have you just arrived?' he asked me.

'Yes, just a couple of hours ago,' I said and looked at my watch, realising I'd need to change the time on it since it still thought it was the middle of the night.

'Your clothes are strange.'

'They're normal in England.'

'England?'

'It's where I'm from. To be honest, I'm not even sure where I am.'

'How?'

'I, well, I was in England then I woke up down at the docks.'

At that Matti started laughing. After our brief talk we didn't say much as we went through the city until we reached a well kept row of buildings, all of them with signs hanging off of them bearing the classic images of brokers and jewellers. The street was for the most part quiet except for a few well dressed men going in and out of the buildings.

'The one on the end is Dendo Ferrnah's,' Matti explained. 'He's got a good reputation.'

'Thank you Matti. If you wait outside I'll have some money for you when I'm finished.'

'Thank you, sir.'

And with that, I entered the dark and quiet shop of Dendo Ferrnah, a man with a swarthy look, his hair dark and curly and on his fat fingers were large rings.

'Can I help you?' the man asked me, clearly putting up a façade of not being interested.

'Are you Dendo Fernah?'

'I am, pawn broker and dealer in precious metals and stones. You have something for me?'

'Yes I do,' I answered and placed the case on the counter before opening it, carefully keeping all the contents hidden from Dendo and took out of it the bars of gold. 'Will you be willing to exchange these for coins?'

'Certainly,' he answered, clearly excited at the sight of the gold.

He took the bars and placed them on the scales on his counter, as well as scraping off small amounts and looking at them through some type of magnifying glass for a few moments.

'It's good quality gold. I'd say there are ten dragons worth of gold in each of these bars. I can pay you in stags.'

'I'm not from these parts,' I told him. 'How much is that worth?'

'Oh I see. It's two hundred silver stags to a gold dragon and a thousand three hundred copper stars to a gold dragon.'

'Thank you. In that case how much will you pay?'

'A hundred stags for each bar.'

'That's robbery.'

'You question my honor sir?' he asked as he came to stand up, revealing him to be unusually short. Other men would have laughed at that but, as a man whose had to deal with a misshapen foot his whole life, I am better than that.

'I need money.'

'So do I. How about a hundred and five for each bar and I will struggle to make a profit.'

For a moment John thought about it before nodding.

'Seems fair. I'll take it.'

So, half an hour later after both of us had counted the coins, I left the shop with a large bag of silver in one of my tartan coats many internal pockets and pressed a coin into Matti's hand.

'A stag?' he asked, delighted.

'Yes. You'll have another one if you can show me to a good inn where I won't get lice by sleeping there.'

'This way sir,' Matti eagerly said and quickly led me into the crowd of the cities populace, but due to my condition we had to slow down to the point that it was nearing three in the afternoon by my reckoning by the time the boy got me to a large, squat building with a typical pub sign hanging over the door showing a woman with a sword.

'What's this place called?' I asked him.

'Visenya's Rest,' he answered, holding out his hands and I gave him the promised money. 'Will you need anymore work sir?' Matti asked after putting the coin in a pouch on his belt.

'I might. Will I be able to find you at the fountain?'

'Yes sir.'

'In that case, if I need you I'll find you. Now run off.'

Matti soon vanished into the crowds and I entered the inn, the main room on the ground floor was wide with many tables set up, all of which were crowded with men and women drinking, eating and some gambling while a few women wearing skimpy dresses were trying to get attention. In the corner a pretty girl was signing while a man played some sort of an instrument. I ignored them all and walked straight towards the bar where an old man was serving drinks.

'I'd like a room.'

'One moment,' the man said through crooked and chipped teeth and looked over his shoulder towards a young man. 'Kans! Deal with this man!'

'I'll do it,' the man said and hurried over to me. 'How can I help you?'

'A room for seven days.'

The room proved to be a very small one, the cheapest the place had, with a bed, a bucket under the bed, and a chest for my belongings. I could have paid for a better room butthere was no need to spend too much money. Granted, in the suitcase I had a small fortune in jewels and coins but I knew that wherever I was I'd need a way to make money.

So, my hat and coat laying down on the bed, I leaned out of the window and looked out across the massive city and dusk began to fall.

'Well,' I said to myself, 'here we go.'