Free Fenton's Winter by Ken McClure Page B

inquiries some time ago. We know all that sir because it is our
job to know all that."
    Fenton felt foolish. "I'm
sorry, I've wasted your time," he said contritely.
    "Not at all sir," said
Jamieson. He left the room.
    Fenton was left sitting astride
a wooden lab stool watching the rain stream down through the grime
on the windows. He had made a fool of himself and now suffered the
humiliation in silence. The sound of the decelerating centrifuge
said that his blood samples were ready for analysis.
    Jenny was equally dejected when
Fenton told her what had happened but, in characteristic fashion,
she looked for something positive to take out of the experience and
said, "At least it shows that police know what they are doing."
    Ferguson ignored the comment
and said, "I felt about two inches tall when Jamieson put me in my
place. He enjoyed doing it too, I could tell."
    "You're probably imagining it,"
said Jenny.
    "No, I don't think so," said
Fenton reliving the experience as he stared into the fire.
    Jenny looked at him and smiled.
"Well, we can't really blame him can we," she said. "We were trying
to do his job for him."
    Fenton returned to the present
and shrugged. "I suppose you're right," he sighed.
    "And if we are absolutely
honest with ourselves," said Jenny getting to her feet and ruffling
Fenton's hair, “Thomas Fenton was never one to like being proved
wrong..."
    "There's a letter for you on
the hall table," said Fenton changing the subject.
    The sound from the hall told
Fenton that Jenny had not opened a bill. "Tom! It's from my brother
Grant, he's coming to Edinburgh next week with Jamie. Do you
remember? Jamie fell off his tricycle and injured his eye a while
back. He's to see a specialist at the Eye Pavilion."
    "What day?"
    Jenny paused in the doorway,
scanning down the letter for the answer. "Wednesday...next
Wednesday. They've to be at the hospital on Friday morning."
    "They can stay here if you
like," said Fenton.
    "Tom, could they?" asked Jenny,
obviously pleased at the suggestion.
    "Of course." said Fenton. He
stretched his arms in the air and then put his hands behind his
head.
    "Why don't you have a nice warm
bath before the film comes on?" said Jenny.
    The sound of Fenton cursing
from the bathroom brought Jenny out into the hall. "The main
cistern is overflowing," he said looking at the stream of brownish
water that was trickling into the bath from the overflow pipe.
    "Can you fix it?"
    "I think so, I'll need the
ladders." Fenton fetched a pair of step ladders, propped them up
outside the bathroom and climbed up to open the door leading to the
cistern. Jenny handed him a torch then waited patiently at the foot
of the steps. "Can you see what's wrong?
    "Well, missus," said Fenton,
affecting a loud sniff, "Looks like your grommet sprocket's gone
and that's no joke."
    "Oh my goodness," said Jenny in
a dizzy blonde voice, "My grommet sprocket! Whatever shall I
do?"
    "Well, yer gonna need a new
one, and that's fifty nicker for a start. An' if yer globbin
shaft's gone as well, that's another fifty, and then there's me
time..."
    "Good gracious I didn't realise
it was so serious, however can I pay you? I'm only a poor little
nurse..." Jenny rubbed her hand gently up and down Fenton's
leg.
    "Well missus...I think we can
come to some arrangement. Steady! I'll fall off this ladder."
    Jenny paid no attention. She
slid her hand into Fenton's crotch. "Heavens, what's this?" crooned
the dizzy blonde voice, "Could this be the globbin shaft? Seems to
be in excellent condition." She started to pull down Fenton's
zip.
    "Jenny, for God's sake..."

CHAPTER FOUR
    The following morning brought yet more wind and rain and
Fenton, who had harboured a lifelong hatred of wind, found his
patience strained to the limit. "Will it never let up!" he growled
as he opened the curtains to look on wet roofs and whirling chimney
pots. "Another wrestling match with the bike."
    Jenny was about to point out
the merits of four wheeled transport but