Hole in his shoe – Episode 48
Gunfire and a Quick Escape
Harry sensed a change but he was not aware of the potential danger he was in; it would take only one word to a newspaper and his whereabouts would be known. What to do? Then he saw, on a notice board; private taxi to Nuremberg airport-74Euro; perfect for a getaway!
Frau Schultz started to treat him with more regard, here was a man of some substance, involved with police, saved a Police Inspector in a gun battle! Crime and adventure seemed to follow him wherever he went. She was excited by with the danger associated with this man!
*
Harry sat outside the Fountain café enjoying the mountain air, watching a celebratory marching band, in all the local costume; he had not noticed the lady sitting at the next table. He lifted his coffee cup to his lips.
‘Entschuldigen Sie Bitte’
The coffee cup halted in mid air. Harry came on full alert!
‘Entschuldigen Bitte mein Herr.’
Harry turned, he expected the worst, but she looked harmless enough. He waited. ‘Kernen Sie Frau Schultz?’
Harry put his cup down, he didn’t like the sound of that!
‘Nein.’
‘Ah so, dass macht nicht, aber Ich komme sie zum sehen.’
‘Verum, felicht Ich can sie helfen.’
She looked at him knowingly ‘Arbre Sie………
Harry put his cup down and moved to her table.
‘Was machen Sie here,’ he put a tinge of threat in his voice.
The marching band came nearer, it was all costume and singing but the sound of the drumming had an ominous beat to it. The mountains that had looked so majestic suddenly looked threatening.
‘Frau Schultz hat eine Mann mit ihre bleiben, Ich eine Mitteilung…..’
Harry immediately sensed what that might be. She spoke in English.
‘From Eva!……….Harry’
A Smith and Wesson automatic was in her hand. The gun fire was masked by the sound of the drumming. Harry swung her gun arm up with his left hand and delivered a right cross, knocking her out! The bullet narrowly missed the Police Chief’s daughter marching in the band. Harry was a hero. But he knew what would follow. He caught the Taxi and was on the noon flight out of Nuremburg!.
Hole in another shoe – Episode 49
A new direction
Harry did not take any flight, that was just a subterfuge in case anyone questioned the taxi driver. He was uncertain what to do. He sat in a booth in the airport Stube pondering the situation. It was quite clear his cover had been blown. He suspected that the Chief of Police’s criminal enquiry give him away. Also hiding in a small town was not effective; he needed a big town, and fast. Then he heard an announcement over the airport speakers; ‘Bus leaving for Prague, passenger call‘; why not he thought; he was on the bus to Prague straight away.
On each seat of the bus was a tourist information guide; he liked the idea of the cheap student’s area, but it turned out that he didn’t get anywhere near that! As often happens fate took a hand! He had no idea where he was so seeing a young woman who had been on the bus sitting on a bench he approached her and asked.
‘I’m lost, do you know Prague?’ She looked at him suspiciously.
‘Are you English?’ she spoke in accent he recognised.
‘Yes I am, and it sounds as if you come from the north.’
‘I’m from Huddersfield,’ she said.
‘Well shake hands,’ he said, ’I’m from Hull.’
‘Well there’s one for the book, so what are you doing here?’ Harry pondered what to say, he decided to appear mysterious.
‘Well I’m looking for someone; a girl.’
She laughed, ‘well there’s plenty here.’
He laughed with her.
‘No, it’s more serious; I’m looking for her for her father, he thinks she’s been abducted.’
She looked suspicious.
‘You a policeman?’
He laughed depreciatingly.
‘No, I have just been asked to locate her.’ He hesitated, ‘maybe you can help me, if you know Prague?’
She suddenly became a bit more knowing. ‘Maybe I can, but surely its like looking for a needle in a haystack?’
‘Well true, but I think she entertains men, if you see what I mean.’
‘In that case I know where to start.’
Harry looked at her incredulous like. ’Where’s that’
‘In the old town, you know the red light district!’
‘Oh, that sounds dodgy.’
‘Not if you are with me, I work there myself.’
Harry appeared aghast. ’You mean,,,,,,,,,?
She tapped the side of her nose. ‘My names Gilder, by the way. What’s yours?' He smiled to himself, couldn‘t be better. ‘My names Harry.’
Hole in his shoe - Episode 50
Evening meal and Knockout ending
Prague is a city of 1.5 million inhabitants so Harry’s storey of looking for a lost girl was clearly ridiculous. It was a thin story indeed; Guilder did not believe it for an instance but it suited her purpose to go along with it. As always Harry was in deeper water than he knew. Guilder Clark was a Metropolitan police officer, her operation was to question an informant on a diamond heist in Hatten Garden. To play safe she needed a cover, and a back up; Harry fulfilled both requirements.
It seemed the Met were generous with expenses because they ended up at the Ibis Praha in the Old Town. Clearly this is where Guilder expected to make contact with her informant. Harry just went along, he wondered what their accommodation arrangement might be, but, surprise surprise, they had to share; something to do with the way the expenses could be shown since ipso facto Harry was now ‘working’ in conjunction with the Met! Harry was quite happy with this ‘working’ arrangement!
That evening they went out for dinner, Guilder lead the way, it was quite clear she had been there before. It turned out to a below ground vaulted restaurant with an old world air, very romantic in its way. Harry felt they were on a lovers tryst, but he was uneasy with the closed-in feel; easily trapped he thought!
Harry chose wild boar whilst Guilder had Duck confit, both done in a Czech manner; this was accompanied by a bottle of Czech Riesling. Harry played the charmer and Guilder responded but he felt she was wary of something happening. Harry sensed danger the moment a man walked in. He had a shifty look about him as if some dark was afoot. Then the type that Harry was well familiar with came in behind him, a ‘hood’ in American parlance!
Harry had, with his usual caution, chosen the table so he had his back to a wall, but Guilder sitting in front of him was highly vulnerable! Harry tensed; so far he could see no weapons, but he was not going to take a chance. He casually he got from the table as if he might be going to the toilet. He leaned as if to kiss Guilder. ‘Stay calm, don’t move.’ he whispered in her ear. He walked across the room and turned, positioning himself behind the ’hood’, and waited.
The ‘contact’, approached Guilder, producing a hypodermic syringe. Harry kidney punched the ’hood’ with a murderess blow, stepped across the room wrenched the syringe from the ’contacts hand and felled him a with a karate chop to the throat! He leaned over Guilder. ‘I think its time for us to go.’ With that he lead her out of the of the restaurant stepping over the recumbent forms on their way!
Harry felt a familiar nip in his shoe!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 51
Smooth leaving
Guilder was in partial shock mixed with anger at not knowing what had happened. They sat in the hotel bar with a couple of brandies in front of them.
‘What was going on there, do you know the trouble you could get us into. Who were those men you knocked to the floor.’
She allowed herself a smile although her hand trembled as she lifted the glass to her lips, ’is this how you usually treat girl for dinner.’
Then she went on, ‘you some kind of Rambo?’
Harry smiled an enigmatic smile.
‘Well I do have some experience in these matters.’
Guilder slammed her glass down on the table making heads turn. Then the anger came back.
‘Experience in these matters, what’s that supposed to mean.’
She looked at him more meaning fully.
’I’m getting very suspicious about that chance meeting in that park!’ Harry let her get her anger subside.
‘Guilder, I’m entertaining a lovely lady to dinner, in the place you chose’, he said with some emphasis, ‘and a guy comes in with intent to kill you.’
‘Kill me piffle, I didn’t see anything.’
Harry laid the hypodermic needle on the table.
‘This was about to be plunged in your neck, so I think you have some explaining to do.’ Guilder sat looking at it for some time.
‘I really have no idea.’
‘Guilder please, you are hardly here on holiday, and,’ he paused for effect, ’what’s this sharing a room together in this hotel,’ he looked her more closely, ’you looking for protection.’ He went on.
’If that’s the case I need to know! I thought you had this place sorted, you know, what’s in the Old Town!’
Guilder stared down into her empty glass.
Harry continued; ‘I came here in the hope of finding a wayward girl, probably in a night club, ‘ he hesitated, ‘or worse. I can do without this.’
He looked across the bar and saw two policeman with what was obviously a plain clothed detective. He went on full alert, this he could do without, any investigation into his life he could end up behind bars. He got up without fuss, casually strolled across the floor and out through the main doors leaving Guilder to her fate!
He walked away leaving his tooth brush behind!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 52
Well met in a Supermarket
It was close on twelve o’clock when Harry departed the hotel, a dangerous time to be out and about in the Old Town of Prague. Right by the hotel was the Namesti Repuliky metro station. Harry caught the last train to Zlinin, basically a suburb of Prague. As always he had no idea what do when he got there. There was a huge bus station, and a shopping centre with lights all ablaze, and in there, he thought, there is bound to be a café. He bought a coffee and ham and cheese role, and sat at a table and waited for something to happen!
An elderly gentleman sat at the next table eating a cheque speciality; basically dumpling stew! He started a conversation aimed at Harry who naturally didn’t understand a word. After some time a young girl joined the old man, clearly a grand daughter. She had a pizza and can of coke, and sat down opposite the old man and smiled and nodded as he prattled on. Harry sat there just nodding, eventually the girl recognised Harry had no idea what was happening and asked him if he understood, he shook his head, she looked at him, puzzled.
‘You English?’
‘Yes,’ Harry said.
‘You can’t speak Czech?’
‘No,’ said Harry, shaking his head sadly. She smiled, ‘You don’t know what my dada is saying?’
She looked at the old man, ‘just as well, he’s telling you his life story. I‘ve heard it many times. ‘ Harry nodded in agreement.
’Your English is very good.’
She blushed slightly, Harry looked at her. '
It is very late at night for you to be out?’ he asked as a question. She laughed.
‘I come to find dada.’ Then, ’why are you here, in Zlinic?. She said tisnas if no English would come her.
Harry played for a joke.
’I am running away; from a lady, she want marry me. I got on any train, out of the Old Town, and here I am!’
The girl frowned. ‘That good, Old Town ladies no good.’
Then she brightened up, ‘and now you find me.’
Then she laughed, ‘you marry me then, I like you English. I take Dada home I come back.’
Harry waited but of course she didn’t - not immediately! Harry woke with a police baton pocking him in the ribs. He looked up, a man in a uniform standing over him. A big man with a florid face, not, thankfully, Harry thought, not a policeman. Suddenly there was a cacophony of sound, raised voices. It was the young girl come back and saved him from ignominious ejection out onto the street!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 53
Young girl savior?
‘You came back then.’
‘I said I would.’
‘I’m glad you did.’
‘I couldn’t leave you here, you seemed lost.’
‘I’m not lost, not now you are here, but what happens now?’
‘Well that’s up to you, have you any where to go?’
‘Well I came from the Ibis Inn,' Harry hesitated, ’I suppose.....’
‘No, no you must not go back to Old Town, you in danger.’
‘Me!’
‘Look here in paper.’
She opened a copy of the Prague Post.
Stranger fells two local villains in in Groot restaurant. Local police are asking him to come forward to help in their inquiries. Possibly staying at the Ibis hotel. Then there was description of a tall well built man in his early thirties, possibly English.
She looked at him quizzically. ‘This you?’
Then she smiled. ’You on the run then?'
Harry could not deny that sounded like him.
Her smile turned into a grin. ’And I save you.’
To Harry it seemed that which ever way he turned he always seemed to be being tracked by the police, so much for trying to hide away! He was as in much danger in Prague as anywhere else, he had to get back on the river.
She held her finger to her lips as if to say ‘keep quiet‘.
‘You come with me, quick, I hide you.’
Harry senses alerted. He did not want to get this child into any danger; but, was this a trap?
‘Come we catch Metro. Oh, my name is Evelina’
Well Evelina here we go again, he thought, I hope you know what you are doing? They got off at Andel, and there in front of Harry was the Vistula river alive with river traffic. His heart skipped a beat; a way out, perhaps! Evelina led him by the hand along a quay and stepped aboard a houseboat.
‘This is home,' she said proudly, ‘welcome aboard.’
And the co spiritually. ‘You stay here, you safe, Harry Parker.’
He felt a shock. She laughed. ’I work at Ibis Hotel!’
Harry was dumbfounded, he was going round in circles, back where he started. Could he trust her? He looked out at the river wistfully, was this to be his savior? His shoes relaxed as if taking a rest!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 54
Save and ensnared?
Evelina had gone to work, gone to the Ibis Hotel, and Harry was left alone to consider the situation. He had spent an evening with a young girl, someone who had the simplistic vitality of the young. It had been a visceral pleasure watching her doing ordinary things; washing up at the sink as she moved her hands and body; as she swung along the quay bringing some groceries back; simply climbing on board with easy grace. Her totally innocent way of getting undressed to go to bed in the confines of a houseboat. He remembered nights with Olga on her boat; hot with boiling sexual attraction and tension. Evelina was not that; he had slept alone on a couch bed!
After a simple breakfast, and bidding her goodbye he had gone out and sat a table at a small café overlooking the river. It was broad river moving smoothly through the town, the waitress had told him it was the Vltava, the longest and most famous river in Czechoslovakia! It was a working river with river and cruise boats. The more he watched them he realised that this was a way out, to get back on his mission, in a way he had wasted too much time, but then did it matter? He then thought of the newspaper article and the threat it presented. It then occurred to him that Evelina might have some news when she returned from work. He would enjoy the day in the mean time.
‘Harry, Harry,’ was her first words to him as he sat on the stern of the boat, ’you will never guess what happened today!’
He waited, with some trepidation.
‘They have taken a lady in for questioning.’
Harry showed surprise. ‘Why was that?’
‘Well some of the staff and, ‘she held a finger to her head in an expression of discust, ‘and the hotel manager, said they had seen her in conversation with the tall handsome stranger.’
She looked at him meaningfully, ’but it then turned out she was a Police detective from England.’
That set Harry back, the thing that he dreaded, his past, would certainly come out.
‘But she said you,’ she looked at him with a twinkle in her eye, ‘were assisting her in investigating a diamond robbery, and you have had saved her life!’
‘Harry,’ she swung her arms around his neck and kissed him, ’you are a hero, I love you, I think we make love.’ He unwound her arms. ’I hope you did not mention me.’ ‘Harry we will be together always, I will never betray you.’
He heard the implied threat, but he took he up on her offer anyway!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 55
Return of old pastures
Harry’s experience was with lush pastures where sexual pleasures wallowed in the slush of emotional contentment, not pert breasts, flat stomachs, smooth long limbs with no sag or wrinkle, smooth portals and tight entrance halls that needed a triumphant entry; in short athletic rather than pedestrian! Endplay was as short as foreplay - it was a game done and dusted!
He lay back in the bed watching her dress; knickers, tee shirt, jeans, up and out, putting the kettle on and singing to her herself as if she had a secret known only to her.
She turned and smiled.
‘Day off today Harry, I take you out, yes!’
Harry inwardly groaned. Out, he did not want to be.
‘Prague is lovely place, I show you the sights, yes!’
Regular tour guide Harry thought.
‘How about a trip on the river,’ He suggested.
‘Harry, yes, wonderful. Oh, I think we have lunch on the river.’
‘Yes, that sounds nice.’
‘Harry you darling,’ she came over and kissed him, lingering her hand over his maleness.
’Harry! You want me to get back in bed?’
It did not rouse him, her kiss was that of a child, but she insisted, and with a kiss and a darting tongue drew from him a gush that smothered her face. She drew back wiping her face on her Tee shirt revealing those pert breasts. They will never sag, he thought.
She lay down beside him.
‘Harry, I think you love me very much, we get married, yes.’
Those yeses were getting more insistent thought Harry, perhaps an investigation into River Cruises might be a good idea. They boarded the Prague Rose for the Twelve o’clock departure, and set off up the Vlava for a ‘lunch’ cruise.. They sat down at a table near the bow, they enjoyed a bottle of wine and was serenaded by a gypsy trio.
They sailed through the heart of Prague, under the Charles Bridge, and by the Prague Castle. Evelina squealed and giggled at the sights and relished the whole experience, holding hands across the table with her new found lover. Harry had his mind on other things; he took particular note of the work boats on the river, and other cruise liners; he was looking for an escape route. They looked very familiar, as on the Rhine, but would he be able to find a suitable birth for his skills as a chef? Also he was not sure where they went and how near to get back on Rhine.
Arriving back at Evelina’s houseboat he saw a familiar figure-Olga!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 56
Acceptance or betrayal
Harry saw Olga at some distance, should he go or hide, clearly she was waiting for him, he wondered how she knew where he was. Evelina was some distance behind looking at some swans.
‘Harry, Harry what are you doing here. A hero I hear.’
Harry was uncertain how to handle this unexpected meeting; he decided on savoir-faire.
‘Olga, how nice to see you, this is a pleasant surprise. How can I help you?’
‘Harry please, you know very well what is wanted. Why do keep trying to avoid my request to come to Bucharest, and why are you swanning about all over the place as if you were on holiday.’
‘Well I quite like the country round here, Prague is a very beautiful city, I thought it worth a visit.’
Evelina came running up and threw her arms around Harry.
‘You should have stopped and looked at the swans they are so graceful.’
Olga looked on in astonishment!
‘Harry,’ and then, in a more warning voice, ’Harry, what’s all this you cradle snatching now.’
Evelina heard the tone in her voice.
‘I’m eighteen you know, and Harry loves me, we are going to get married.’
‘In your dreams,’ mocked Olga.
‘We are going to live on my houseboat, aren’t we Harry,’
Evelina said, pointing to her boat.
Olga gave Harry a sharp look as if to say, you dare!’
Harry shrugged his shoulders and held out his arms deprecatingly.
‘Harry, you can’t be serious, she’s a child.’ Harry smiled, as if to say, ’and Amen to that.’
Evelina, looking at Harry, challenged.
’Harry doesn’t think so, do you Harry.'
There was an edge to her voice that Harry noticed. He felt the familiar twinge in his shoe! Evelina looked Olga, as the young do, when caring for the old.
’Would you like to come on board, for a cup of tea, or milk if you like?’
‘I’ll give you milk,’ thought Olga, but she accepted the invitation, stepped over gunwale and went down into the cabin as if she owned it. Harry following, somewhat sheepishly, did not notice the police launch sidling up to the houseboat. They all sat down to tea unaware what was going to happen. Tea and biscuits were passed round by Evelina. Harry should been have suspicious when she opened the curtains to look out. Was betrayal in the air?
Harry’s shoes were sublimely inactive!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 57
Saved and seduced
The first sign of something menacing was a loud haler speaking in fast Czech. Olga moved with the speed of light and grabbing Harry by the collar got off the boat and into a black limousine that was idling nearby. It moved off with smooth acceleration.
There was silence in the car as it sped along the Stradkonika, driving South. At the Prazsky Okruh roundabout it turned off into a small town, where, on the banks of the Vlasta, a working boat was moored. Olga turned to Harry.
‘I’m getting a little tired of saving your skin. See if you can keep out of trouble from now on.’
She went on, ‘also from breaking the child molestation laws of Czechoslovakia. There is no get out-card if they got you for that!’ She pointed to the barge.
‘There’s a birth waiting for you there. Get on and go south as far as you can. The rest is up to you!’
With that she slid him out of the limousine onto the quay, and without as much as wave goodbye drove away with seamless acceleration, leaving Harry to his own devices!
He saw someone beckoning him from the barge. A lady was standing on the stern, seeming anxious to depart. She pointed to the bollard to which a hawser was tied holding the rear of the boat. Harry unwound it and boarded. She spoke in Russian! ‘Welcome aboard Harry, you famous man, yes.’
Harry was taken aback, she could be Olga’s sister but with fuller curves. Harry liked her straight away!
‘We go long time, yes, we have good time, yes.’
Harry had heard these yeses before, it depended a lot on what they might mean, threat or invitation, but as always Harry was happy to go with the flow. He was also puzzled by lack of other crew, she could not be handling this alone, then it occurred to him, perhaps he was the ’other’ crew. The more he thought about it the less he liked it. He would need an escape plan, as always, but that could wait, he foresaw certain advantages in sticking with Olga’s sister, there seemed a lot to explore!
As night drew nigh Olga’s sister sang a Russian lullaby as the barge slid along the river with the chug chug of the engine sending out a rhythmic beat. She slid the boat against what seemed like a small dock, cut the engines and beckoned Harry below decks.
Her mouth was on his, the odour of her body enticed Harry; it was an exploration, it was joy imparted by a body soft and resilient, it culminated in a sweeping up of the senses and an exultation that rang along the river banks.
And so Harry fell into a satisfied lovers sleep!
His shoes positively beamed!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 58
Contraband
Harry awoke to the sound of heavy footsteps on the deck, swearing, as if lifting and moving cargo was going on. It was still dark in the cabin, he checked his watch; 4.30 in the morning!, He drew the curtains aside on the small window and peered out. It was half dawn and he could just make out dark shapes moving about on the quay side, moving stuff off a lorry, they looked like crates designed to carry - what? He had a nasty feeling they were guns of some kind, then he saw heavy green metal boxes marked USA Military issue 50 CAL - Jesus he knew what that was! He was on a gun runner - what had Olga dropped him into this time. He tried the cabin door but it was locked!
He sat back on the bed, what now? Get off the boat and run or stay and play it cool. He realised he had little choice but to stick with it - perhaps just act stum? That’s what he decided on and got back into bed. There was a gentle tap on the door as it was unlocked.
‘Harry, Harry, it’s time to get up. There’s coffee on the stove.’
Harry, pretending to be bleary eyed, climbed up the steps onto the stern deck and the first thing he saw were heavy boots, not Olga’s ‘sister’s‘!
‘Harry, meet my new crew man.’
Harry did not like what he saw. A heavily built man in military fatigues. He spoke with an American accent with the clipt tones of the military.
‘High ya, You slept well? You look a bit hung out.’
Harry heard a hint of sarcasm and threat in that question. He decided to play hard ball.
‘And what part of the crew are you?’
‘Think of me as security.’
‘We need that do we?’ Harry pushed a bit harder.
‘That would be for iron ore would it?’
The American, if that what he was, looked Harry up and down.
‘A smart arse hey. You just keep cooking and I’ll be happy.’’
Oh, thought Harry, I’ve been promoted to head chef!
‘Yer right, double on that. You a gambling man?’ he said.
The American looked at him with slant eyes.
’You wouldn’t want to play my game, I know a loser when I see one. Limey!’
Harry steadied himself, ’OK. Yank. But watch out for the wild card,’ then, ’you want your eggs over easy!?’
Harry thought the Yank was going to take a swing at him so he ducked down into the galley. That will rattle your cage Harry thought.
Hole in another shoe – Episode 59
Stay or Jump
Harry sat in the lower cabin drinking a cup of tea, as he lifted the cup he noticed it trembled. He steadied the cup with his other hand, his realisation was that he was faced with his possible imminent dispatch. In real life fear strips away all dreams and invention, personality is wiped out and you stand bare before your own inadequacies -
Harry was close to that, he had to find resolve, up to now it had been a kind of game, this was for real, he was, after all, a milkman! He needed all the help he could get, but where from? It came from a most unexpected quarter - a sixteen year old girl! Evelena was infatuated with Harry, she was not going to let him go so easily, especially with someone who was old enough to be her mother! He was her hero, he had saved a lady from death, he had handled two deadly assassins - surely the police could find him? When they came aboard her houseboat her frustrated implosion as she burst into tears.
This was of no account to the river police, but when reported back it set in motion a sequence of events that went some way to get Harry out of the hole he was in.
The no account event of a young girl claiming that her lover had been abducted landed on the desk of detective Milos Zajic. He read the report on the computer and was about to file it when he saw the name Harry; a small step in something big. He remembered reading about an Englishman named Harry who was something of a hero.
He entered the name in the police search browser and recent events came to light. Milos thought, well, well, we might have an interesting case here. Then he noticed a flag on the right hand corner, he recognised it as a security check, within minutes there was a call from BIS, the Czech security service. It looked as if the balloon was about to go up!!
Harry was unaware of this and was thinking about formulating his own action plan - as always he did not have one, buts events had a way of turning his way. The barge engine broke down, this meant everybody was at a stalemate. It was in the middle of the night when it became obvious that the boat was drifting, followed by grinding as if against some metal. He uncoiled himself from the loins of Olga’s ‘sister‘, ( he saw no reason why he should deny her charms), and went up on deck, and there was his opportunity!
To jump or stay. A momentous decision!
Hole in another Shoe – Episode 60
Used and Betrayed
Commander Zorich Berchekia, BIS, was lying back in his chair considering the charms of his lady love when an officer came in with an urgent dispatch. He opened it. It was simply a coded number. He opened up his search file and entered the number, as the screen filled he sat up straight. It was headed Harry Parker - Dossier. He was astonished at what he read, this guy seemed to court trouble wherever he went, and now he had appeared in Czechoslovakia, and in his own town of Prague too; what was he up to?
He opened the local police search and there to his amazement was Harry performing acts of heroism; knocking out two well known criminals who were about to drug a lady, and now a young girl in hysterics; alarm bells were ringing; disaster always followed the heels of this Harry Parker; bring them all in was his command!
*
On the aft deck of the barge there was a flurry of activity, more, panic, since no-one knew what to do. Olga’s ‘sister‘; whose unlikely name was Doris, stepped down into the engine room to fix the problem and came back with shamefaced information that they were out of fuel! The heavy built man in combat fatigues swore long and hard in Russian, (so much for his American accent), drew a 45 and started to wave it about as if shooting someone would cure the problem!
Harry feared for Doris’s life and wrenched the gun from the Russian’s hand, dodged a fearsome right swing and chopped him to the throat, and brought the 45 hard down on his head; the Russian was out like a light! This brought a broad smile to Doris’s face. ‘Oh Harry, lyubov moya, we leave now.’
Harry thought she meant the boat.
‘No, no,’ she smiled that self satisfied Russian smile.
, ’We have reserve fuel.’
The barge was up tight under the arch of a bridge. On starting the engine, Doris backed the barge, with much scraping and scrunching, into the mid stream. She tipped the Russian into the canal and they were on their way!
Harry, belatedly realised he had been used, and was now in the worst danger that he had ever been; you do not steal from Russian mafia without recrimination of the worst kind. He realised he should have jumped ship; his shoe definitely hurt bad.
Doris, at the wheel sang a sad Russian song about deception and betrayal; its called ‘Footsteps in the Snow’.
Harry hoped they melted!
Hole in another shoe - Episode 61
Round Up
Commander had the suspects brought to his main office at the Justice Solair. The Lady who had checked into the Ibis Hotel with Harry was gone, but he got as much information as he could from the hotel manager. They had a arrived together and doubled up in the same room. Local police had arrived to check the events in the restaurant, but Harry Parker had left the Hotel about midnight; he did not know where. The lady had left the next day. The Commander ordered an underling to follow that up.
The two criminals that Harry had so effectively incapacitated where residing in the local goal. It occurred to the Commander that this seemed a separate incident, but why had Harry run? He looked at Harry’s file that had been printed off; its obvious he thought, the he’s being threatened by unknown forces and he is on the run, but why come to Prague, and now where was he? The only lead was the young girl.
Evelina was most impressed, if not a little frightened to be called to the Justice Solair. She was at the centre of things; a star witness no less! The Commander adopted an avuncular tone.
‘I’m told you have had an exciting adventure,’ he started, ’would you like to tell me about it, and the man you met.’
‘You mean Harry?’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. Excellent he thought, we have at least got the right man.
’I’m told he is a hero, he prevented an attack on a lady.’
She beamed. ‘Yes, he is wonderful.’ Then, with a tear in her eye, ‘he has been taken away,’ and then with some anger, ‘and I don’t know where.’
She looked at the Commander with some defiance.
‘Are you going to find him for me, we are going to get married.’
This shook the Commander, he did not like the sound of this.
‘Where did you meet him?’
‘At the Market at Alesein.'
Are, so that’s where he went from the hotel, thought the Commander.
’ So you took him back to your houseboat?’
She looked up at him guilty like.
’Well its my Grandfathers houseboat, really.’
Then she smiled. ‘Harry like it very much.'
I bet he did thought the Commander.
‘Then he was taken away, like in a film. A women grabbed him put him a car and took him away.’
Right thought the Commander here we have it.
‘He called her Olga, as if he knew her. Old enough to be my mother!’
'And the car,' she interjected. ‘A big black one, like yours!’
Hole in another shoe – Episode 62
A slick switch
‘One like yours’.
His car was a black Merc; he immediately ordered a search for anyone who might have seen such a car or witnessed the incident. But even so he could see no reason for BIS interest in this seemingly domestic incident. He looked through the Harry Parker dossier that he had printed out; was there any link that gave cause for concern over some criminal act in Czechoslovakia; superficially yes, but what, where, and how? Harry Parker was the only clue, but where was he!
He poured himself a Vodka, and, standing looking out of the window overlooking the courtyard, considered his actions. He made a decision; using a concealed phone in the bottom of his desk he called some old friends. The conversation was short; he now had a probable, but not the why, where, and how. He remembered the old days; the golden rule - ‘Pass it on.’ He rang the English Embassy in Prague and asked to speak the Ambassador.
*
Doris had wrangled the barge from under the bridge and they were now moving slowly down the river seemingly without a care in the world. Harry was not so carefree. He knew he was into something deeper than ever before, and this could end has career as latter day James Bond if he did not watch out. How had he got in to this mess, was it all Olga’s doing, she usually saved him from disaster, maybe she had given up on him! It could do with some old friends from the CIA, but they were hardly going to turn up in their black limousine! He couldn’t get off the barge unless he jumped into the river, not likely, so he would have to stick with.
*
The British Ambassador sent a ‘must’ see message to MI6 in London. The duty officer decoded it and passed immediately to ’C’, the head of MI6. The new head, with 20 years spy experience, read it with some interest and called for the file on Harry Parker. He read it and saw no reason to panic but passed out a message marked urgent; Officer to Prague immediate - assess -urgent He then took the took the precaution of ringing his counterpart in the CIA.
*
The barge swung round a looping right bend in the river, Doris brought it close to the bank and cut the engines, the swirling current held it close. Up ahead Harry could see a main road bridge. It seemed obvious that Doris was waiting for a signal, it then occurred to Harry what was going on; Doris was going to steal the arms shipment!
He felt quite sick at the thought, although he admired he chutzpah; who was this Doris and her possible connection to Olga? Looking down at the swirling water he felt he was deeper in that he liked. His shoe really hurt!
Hole in another shoe – Episode 62
Explosive Solution
Cyrene Rofski (MI6 field agent (Class 6) took an immediate flight to Prague where an Embassy car was waiting. She was briefed by the senior field officer. She was not all surprised at what she heard; typical Harry Parker! She interviewed Evelene on her houseboat; she kept her smile to herself as she listened to the ingenue; a young girl caught up in her first infatuation with a hero; Harry!!! She disregarded all the action in Prague; knowing Harry of old he was just passing through; Olga was the clue, where did she take him?
Cyrene's thoughts turned to rivers and barges; well then, here is the river Vltava running through Prague; which way then, upriver or down river; she gambled on down; a black limousine running parallel with the river would be a good start. She commandeered an Embassy car and set off down river.
Fast on Cyrene's heels came Ethel (CIA) and her two cohorts, followed by Getrude Eistensin (Lawrence), Israeli Secret Service, (They spy on everybody and an arms shipment possibly coming their way made them very nervous). Local agents had already tailed Cyrene Rofski, and took their lead from her. CIA have massive resources to call on.
The US has 658 satellites circling the earth; SB 6057 was now on an orbit over Czechoslovakia and pictures were already being viewed. The world it seemed was looking for Harry!
Harry knew nothing of this; his was a small world, a flowing river trees lining the banks, and a barge sitting motionless. A larger world was in his head; it was reviewing the situation; it came down to fight for right, or, turn and run, or, a typical Harry response; wait and see!
He walked round the outer catwalk to ease his tension when he smelt petrol fumes - dozy bugger he thought, then he thought the unthinkable; blow this to smithereens. He lifted the hatch and threw a lighted match down onto a leaking drum; he stepped of the barge and ran.
Doris was signalling wildly to a lorry parked on the bridge when the barge exploded in a ball of flame. Sayonara Doris. Two black limousines drew up onto the bridge; Olga and Ethel crossed themselves and drew away with sad satisfaction. Had Harry gone up in the conflagration; they knew better. The British Embassy and the Czechoslovakia SIB were well pleased. Evelena found a new love. MI6 recalled their agent.
The Mossad, as always were very suspicious of how this had ended, tasked their agent, Gertrude Eisenstein, to find Harry. Months later the housewives in Hull were well pleased to see the return of their milkman, who was wearing a new pair of shoes!
THE END
Note! Harry Parker will be drawn into a new adventure - watch this space!