Beyond Innocence by Barrie Turner Page B

mention the subject he clams up tight or, he just says, “leave it. I’m not bloody guilty, and that’s it.” After that he goes back to his room sulking. So you see Mr. West, I don’t think he’s going to say anything.”
    Jim West tried to look crestfallen and, even a little sad by this turn of events but it was the precise result he anticipated. Replying with as much sympathy in his voice as he could muster Jim said quietly, “Look Roy I know you’ve tried and I’ve taken on board what you’re saying but, it’s early days yet. Just keep chatting to the pillock and, I’m sure that he’ll come across before the trial. People like him always do. It’s like having toothache; it doesn’t go away until you get rid of it.” At this point Jim paused, he smiled at his old adversary trying to let him think that he, Chambers, was in control of this interview then he continued, “Anyway Roy, we both know that you’ve tried don’t we and that you’re going to keep on trying aren’t you? So Roy, I’ll pass that on to my boss at the nick. Mind you, I have to tell you that he won’t be very happy but, as I said I’ll tell him that you’ll keep Thompson matey and, you’ll stick at it but you must remember Roy without this, I can’t get my boss to do a bloody thing for you. You do understand that don’t you, Roy?”
    Chambers was now only too anxious to terminate this interview. At the outset he was hoping against hope that Thompson’s reputed denials would get him off the hook and Jim West would then pull a few strings on his behalf but it was all too apparent that this was not going to be. Very reluctantly he whispered, “Alright Mr West, I understand, and you can rest assured that I’ll keep at it.” With that, he withdrew hastily from the room.
    Jim West smiled broadly now as he watched Chambers exiting from the room, “Easy,” he murmured, “Easy innit?”
    In the House of Commons after a splendid lunch, followed by a very generous brandy, Timothy Harris settled himself into his seat. He was all set for the PM to launch another scathing and blistering attack, on the Opposition because of their stalling and delaying tactics over the proposed revisions to the National Health Service Bill. After this there would be another PM’s Question Time during which he looked forward to the almost ritualistic and savage butchering of the Opposition Shadow PM who looked so much out of his depth on these occasions. Due to his outside business interests he had missed the morning session and he had also ensured that his mobile phone had remained switched off and locked safely away in his ministerial case. Following this, he and his associates had enjoyed an exquisite lunch, and because he’d dallied so long over it, he was completely unaware that his leader and the party whips had been trying to locate and question him before his return to the House and, most importantly, before PM’s question time but it was far too late for that now.
    The House was silent as the Prime Minister strode up to the front bench. As he saw Timothy Harris, his face bore a look designed to kill, but it passed unnoticed especially by the errant MP and the rest of the house. As the afternoon’s business began it was as expected, the usual Government rout of the Opposition and today’s pantomime produced a real bellyful of laughs. Timothy, along with most of his colleagues, found himself wondering why on earth the Opposition didn’t ditch their leader as he was always so ineffective during these exchanges but then he thought that was their problem not his. Now it was time for questions with the Prime Minister.
    The House was repeatedly called to order by the Speaker, Helen Little, but eventually the Members settled down in order to allow business to continue. There followed the usual run and gamut of self congratulatory questions which always showed off the Government at its very best and most efficient. The fact that it wasn’t didn’t