Clemency's Point

Chapter Four

'Never in my life have I heard of such behaviour in the May family. Its almost a disgrace to the very name that has been in this village for years!' Thomas May was not a happy man. After Jenny punched Saville Row Suit square in the jaw, causing no more than light bruising, the police were called away from their usual position of feet on desks and took everyone involved straight to Granddad Tom's office in the Council Chamber to be dealt with so they wouldn't have to type up the paperwork. Pacing up and down his vast office, Granddad Tom's moustache was twitching uncontrollably with every sentence that left his mouth. Pip and Alex merely observed as Jenny and Jamie caught the full brunt of their grandfather's lecture. The office was commanding enough with his impressive oak desk, leather chair and the portraits of Mayors past adorning the walls around the bookcases and trophy cabinet, the Tweed County Cricket Trophy taking pride of place.

'He deserved it!' Jenny protested. 'You heard what he did to Pip!'

'Enough of your yelling young lady.' Granddad Tom chastised. 'I will not have it in this office.'

'Come on Tom, she's not exactly yelling.' Alex defended. 'And besides she's right. That guy had it coming; he practically mowed down our Pip and then laughed about it. Tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing.'

'As Mayor of this village my boy I will not condone this type of behaviour towards strangers.' Granddad Tom stopped pacing and faced the gang of four head on. 'But, as your Grandfather... I say, you should have hit him harder.' With those words Jenny knew that Granddad Tom was indeed on her side and merely putting up the façade for those outside to hear.

'I knew you weren't really that mad.' Alex smiled as Granddad Tom signalled for them all to take a seat.

'Of course not.' The old man replied. 'Now that those lot out there are satisfied that I have ticked you off so to speak, the next thing on the agenda to find out who the devil this man was and what he wants in our village.' Granddad Tom sat in his dark red leather chair and linked his hands in front of him on the desk.

'So we are definitely sure that he is the devil then?' Jamie said as he and Alex gathered chairs for everyone to sit down.

'Absolutely my boy!' Granddad Tom's moustache twitched slightly. 'I mean driving a car through my village and at high speed I might add. Unbelievable!'

'Not to mention what happened to Pip.' Jenny interjected with a raised eyebrow.

'Well quite.' Granddad Tom nodded in his grandson-in-law's direction. 'The first thing we need to find out is why is he here.'

'Could he be from a new restaurant in London maybe? I mean don't they open one every day in the city.' Alex offered up an idea. 'He could just be testing the waters so to speak.'

'Would explain why he was so cocky.' Pip nodded. 'And why he didn't know the rules of the place.'

'An interesting theory chaps but I'm afraid quite wrong.' Granddad Tom shook his head. 'If anyone from the city visits then I know about it first hand. No, this chap whoever he is certainly doesn't come from the fishing trade. No, no he is something else entirely.'

'I don't get it Granddad. For the first time I simply don't get it.' Jenny shook her head. Jenny suddenly felt four sets of eyes upon her. Her being vulnerable and not getting them all out of a situation was unheard of and it was obvious to everyone in the room that someone else was going to need to step up. And as ever, it was a May.

'Hang on...' Jamie piped up, his eyes wide and half a grin spreading across his face. 'Someone surely would have got the number plate of the car when it was parked outside or when that thing tried to run Pip over.'