Today of all Day`s

Today of all Day`s

And, so, the day had finally arrived, and what a lovely spring Sunday afternoon it was of 1924. The sun was out, birds were singing, and Apple Blossom Trees were in full bloom, so full in fact, that some many of them had generously allowed many of their petals to fall and make random patterns on the ground, which looked far better than the usual dark grey pavements. Some locals were already out and about enjoying the sunshine whilst others were just hanging out of their windows happy and more than willing to talk to anyone, especially those who could inform them of all the latest goings on.

Suddenly, out of 1 Emma Place, Plymouth, Julian Morris steeped out and even if he did admit it himself, he did look quite dapper, the light grey made to measure suit, the shiny black shoes, clean shaven and not a single hair out of place as from across the street, two young ladies who were walking arm-in-arm, couldn`t fail to notice him and both gave him a smile and a quick wave as he also couldn`t help but notice them as he bid a very fond good day in the hope that he may just see them again sometime later on as the door opened again, and stood there, looking like not only the happiest, but also the proudest man alive, was Inspector Ronald Winston Beasley of the Plymouth Borough Police Force and considering how turbulent the past twelve months or so have been for him, being involved in Armed Robbery which led him all the way to Chicago U.S.A and getting involved with a notorious gangster. Murder in his home city in which he could have easily lost his own life, amongst other things which led him to last Christmas Day when, Valerie Miles, gave him the greatest Christmas Gift that he could have ever wished for, by consenting to be his Bride.

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And now, in his matching suit and perfectly trimmed moustache, he felt more than ready for his big day and joined his Best Man.

“Well, even if I do say so myself, but I think that we`re a pair of right handsome devils, we`ll be fighting the ladies of with sticks just like the old days” Julian says with a spring-in-his-step and a beaming smile on his face.

“You can fight or not fight the ladies of if you want to, I`m perfectly happy with the woman whom I`m about to marry” Ronald was very quick to point out.

“And, so, you should be” Julian begins, “like I said earlier, she is truly wonderful, but that`s not going to stop me from having a bit of fun” Julian begins chuckling mischievously away.“ But I haven`t forgotten the real reason that I`m here today, and, that is to be your Best Man, which is something that I intend to take seriously, so now, in continuing with my Best Man duties, I think it`s time that we had at least one drink, with you as a free man before we head to the church.” Ronald was more than happy to agree to this, and began leading the way to the nearest pub and as they did so, more stories of days gone by began flowing from them both as the residents of this street who knew him only as Inspector Beasley, couldn`t wait to shout out of their windows or come up to him, shaking by the hand, all giving him their

best wishes and congratulations which he accepted not only graciously but also quite humbly as well as only a couple of short miles away, St. Andrew`s Church, was a peaceful and serene sight. With one or two guests arriving early, some may say, a little too early, but they didn`t seem to mind as they began sharing cigarettes and telling how they knew either the Bride or Groom as they stood amongst the Apple Blossom as then to

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their surprise, twelve fully dressed Police Constables, and one Sergeant, arrive all carrying truncheons, and when they realized just how early they were, the Sergeant saw it as an opportunity to get the formation right for the Guard of Honour after the ceremony.

No sooner had the pub doors opened, then it was wolf-whistles and cries of “Hello their Pretty Boys!” All in jest though from the regular drinkers as Julian, was very soon to be proved correct about having to fight of the ladies as the young maiden behind the bar, once spotted, could not take her eyes of either one and was probably already planning on leaving her current boyfriend if either one of these handsome fellows would choose to make any sort of advances towards her, Either one, it didn`t matter which as like lightening, she walks away from the man she was talking too and places herself in direct eyesight of the Groom and his Best Man.

“Good afternoon, and what can I get you two fine looking gentlemen then?” she asks unashamedly fluttering her eyelashes at the pair of them in the hope that she would catch the eye of either one.

“Well, I must say, what a pleasure it is to be served by such by one as pretty as you” Julian begins by saying which the barmaid positively lapped up. “I`ll think will have two pints of your finest ale, with a couple of cheeky whiskey chasers to help it all go down and of course, whatever you want to drink yourself my dear.”

There was no way on earth that she could stop herself from blushing right now even if she were able to, as she was also hit by a fit of the giggles. “I`ll have a glass of white wine then sir, if that`s alright with you?" she asks.

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“Of course, it`s alright” Julian says as the Inspector then jumps in. “And it`ll just be two pints of ale if you`d be so kind. I not only want to be able to talk to my bride today, but also see her clearly.”

“Fair enough old man, whatever you say, so, that`ll be two pints of finest ale then please, and while you`re at it, why don`t you pour yourself that glass of wine now and join us” says Julian as he gives her a cheeky little wink as she could clearly see, an even cheekier glint in his eye which she liked immensely.

“Well, seeing how the guv`nor is out for a little while, I see no reason why we shouldn`t get better acquainted” which bought an even bigger smile to Julian`s face as she introduces herself as Josie as the drinks are poured and then served as all three began laughing and joking as all seemed well that was until, and he had no idea why, but all of a sudden, the Inspector began to get a feeling deep within his stomach, one of those gut feelings that will not go away, as something else then began gnawing away at him to turn around, again, he had no idea why, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore this as he was enjoying his pint with his Best Man and his newfound friend, but, whatever this was, it wasn`t going to go away, as he couldn`t ignore this any longer, so, slowly, he began turning his head around until he was looking down at the other end of the bar where he saw clearly, talking amongst a small gathering of men, a man who short in height, and slightly overweight, wearing a tattered brown suit style jacket and with a white shirt that clearly hasn`t seen an iron for many a day, and had a face with a stubble you`d hardly call, designer, as this man could

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now sense that there was someone looking at him, as he turned to face back up the back, and his smiling face very soon turned to one of shock and horror to see the Inspector glaring at him intensely.

The man was Archie Lucas, local thief, pickpocket, and downright rotten scoundrel, and seeing how the Inspector was looking at him, it was quite now understandable, he was put off his pint as some people might say that his guilty conscious was beginning to show as the very last person that he wanted to see right now, was indeed, the Inspector. Especially seeing that he had him firmly within his sight, and he had every intention of keeping him there.

“Don`t you move Archie Lucas! Don`t you dare move a single muscle!” The order was very precise and very clear, so clear and precise in fact that Archie, for now, did exactly what the Inspector said as he was now pointing directly at him for all the pub to see as you could hear the preverbal pin drop in the silence.

“What on earth are you doing?” Julian eventually asks but the Inspector didn`t answer as his focus was for now, solely on Archie who remained, rooted to the spot, still horrified at what he was seeing. “What`s this all about old man?” Julian once again asks his friend as the Inspector then began to explain that he had been wanting to talk, not just to Archie for number of days now, but he also hoped he would be able to catch up with his brother, Frank, who were usually in cahoots together. Now some people would say, and quite rightly that Frank is a total opposite to Archie as he is tall and very thin, almost waif like with a long-pointed nose and flyaway grey hair, but the Inspector was quick to warn his friend not to be deceived by Frank`s apparent lack of muscle, as he had won more than

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his fair share of money with his skills in the bare-knuckle ring.

“Very well then, so neither one is a nice man then, but please for today, please just leave it” says Julian hoping that his friend would listen to reason, but there was no way that the Inspector just right now was in any mood to listen. Especially when he explained to his Best Man that Archie matched the description exactly, as the man who stole his sister`s purse only a few days beforehand. “Well, that would explain your anger towards him right now” says Julian as the Inspector whispers back.

“It`s not just that Julian, look at him, can`t you see how obviously guilty he looks, see, he can`t hide it the fact that he did it, and I`m not going to let him get out of my sight until I get the truth out of him one way or another.” Archie was becoming more and more nervous by the second seeing that the Inspector would not take his eyes of him, not even for a second. It really began to unnerve deeply, so deeply in fact that he suddenly felt that there was only one course of action for him to take and sensing what he was about to do. “I mean it Archie, don`t you dare move an inch!” was the Inspector`s clear warning, but it was not enough for Archie`s sheer instincts to suddenly take over him as he turned and pushed past anyone who got in his way, as he fled out of the nearest door.

“Oh, my goodness, he`s not serious surely? Is he honestly going to try and runaway?” Julian asks after a short burst of laughter.

“Don`t be fooled by his size” the Inspector begins in a serious tone, “he maybe be overweight but he can move when he has to, I can assure you of

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that so, I`d better get a move on if I want to catch him” he then says and was all set to go charging out of the pub in pursuit, until Julian took a firm hold of his arm.

“Where on earth do you think that you`re going to, huh? You`re getting married in only a couple of hours in case you`ve forgotten!” He very firmly reminds him.

“Yes, I`m fully aware of that thank you very much, and if this was just a petty theft, I would happily just turn it over to one of my colleagues and let them deal with it, but, now I have him in my sights, I can catch him, then take him to the station and question him myself later or, let someone else do it there and then” the Inspector says as Julian then urges him. “Please, just leave it for now.”

“Look, if that is the swine that robbed my sister, then he`s going to pay for it, and if I can catch him now, he dam well will pay, so, I`m going after him and that`s that. Tell you what, why don`t you come with me, you are my Best Man after all, and you are supposed to look after me plus, you could be useful if his brother show`s up. Come on, it`ll be one last little adventure before I settled down with the one woman that I truly love. What do you say?”

He had seen that look in his eye before, on more than one occasion, the look that clearly suggested that no matter how much he tried to persuade him otherwise, he was going after Archie Lucas and there was going to be no stopping him, not even his upcoming wedding so, knowing that he now had to say goodbye to now, a very disappointed Josie, he now resides himself to doing what a Best Man should do, and follows his friend outside.

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Once there, he couldn`t contain his shock and surprise seeing that Archie was now just a dot in the distance, which was becoming smaller by the second and now was fully aware that what his friend said about his speed was in no way any form of exaggeration. “You see, I told you he was quick, come on!” says the Inspector a without any thought for what he was wearing and began running just as fast as he possibly could, with his Best Man now following closely behind him.

Down one main street, then a back alley, followed by another main street the pursuit continued as Archie gave a concerned look over his shoulder as it seemed, slowly but surely, his two pursuers were steadily gaining on him as he huffed and puffed to try and find just that little extra speed as Julian couldn`t help but wonder how this genetic mystery was at all possible, especially as he did indeed find what seemed to be an extra gear as Archie then cries out. “Get out of the way!” To the relatives and guests who were still gathered outside St. Andrews Church who could only wonder what on earth was going on as The Inspector and his Best Man were soon to follow him as one of the young constables asks. “Wasn`t that Inspector Beasley?”

“Yes lad, it was” answered the Sergeant.

“Well, shouldn`t we all go and help him?” the young constable asks wanting to help but not exactly sure how to, as his Sergeant then answers.

“If I`m not mistaken, that was Archie Lucas, now, Archie may be quicker than everybody gives him credit for, but he`s never likely to run a marathon. So, I think that I can safely say, that he`ll soon catch up with him” The Sergeant says with confidence before then going on to say.

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“Anyone got a cigarette I can have?” As all three men then disappeared down a side-street.

It was then, that Julian decided that he`d had more than enough of this, as he picked up his own pace and flew passed his friend and in a few short moments he not only had him clearly in his sights, but he was also now close enough to fly through the air, and tackle Archie to the ground, crashing through some dustbins as he does so. “Right, you, Archie Lucas I believe your name is, my friend has some questions for you, and you`d better tell him the truth, understand!” Julian says once he had finally caught his breath back as he looked down at Archie who was panting through blood-red cheeks who eventually nodded as Julian continued to hold him firmly to the ground by his shirt collar, whilst also catching his breath.

But unbeknown to him, he was about to receive a nasty shock when suddenly, a man had sneaked up behind him and now grabbed him tightly by the scruff-of-his-neck as he felt himself being lifted of the ground with comparative ease as he then hears a mean voice in his ear. “What do you think you`re doing to my brother?” asks Frank Lucas and as Julian turns around, the description that he was given was one hundred per cent accurate. The flyaway grey hair, the long-pointed nose and extremely thin looking and now with a very angry look on his face. “I said, what are you doing to my brother?” he asks again, this time more demanding of an answer, which, much to everyone`s surprise, he wasn`t going to get as then they all heard.

“Let go of him Frank, he`s a friend of mine.”

Archie somehow, manages to sit up slightly as Frank and Julian both turn around to see Inspector Beasley looking with daggers at Frank. “I meant what I said Frank, let him go.”

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“Well, look who it is, Beasley, what`s bring you around `ere, eh?” Frank asks not at all pleased to see him.

“Your brother as it happens” begins the Inspector, “he matches the description of the man who stole from my sister last week, and I`m going to take him in for questioning.”

“Oh, are you now” says Frank.

“Yes, I am” says the Inspector very determinedly as he and Frank just stared eyeball-to-eyeball momentarily with neither one flinching for a second until Frank says. “You know that I`m not going to let you just take him, even if he did do it…”

“Which I didn`t” Archie was then quick to add.

“That`s right he didn`t” Frank reiterates.

“He matches the description, so he will be questioned” the Inspector says remaining utterly determined to bring Archie in.

“Did you hear that Archie,” begins Frank, “not only does he think you`re a thief, but he thinks we`re both liars as well.”

“Yeah, I heard him” begins Archie, “and my brother is right Beasley, we may be many things but we ain`t liars or thieves, and I never touched your sister`s purse, alright.” The very second that he`d finished speaking, the Inspector pounced.

“I never said that it was her purse that was stolen” he says glaring at Archie who, realizing what he had just said, just dithered and spluttered

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in embarrassment. It mattered not what his brother had just said, Frank was still determined that his brother wasn`t going anywhere.

“It doesn`t matter if he did or didn`t do it Beasley `cause as I`ve already told you, he`s not going anywhere” Frank says.

“He`s coming with me Frank, and that`s the way it is” the Inspector says remaining determined as they both stare at each other once more and after a few moments, Frank just drops Julian who lands on top of Archie.

“Right, only one way to settle this then” says Frank taking of his jacket and dropping it to the ground before rolling up his sleeves, spits once on each hand and clenches his fists. Without a second thought the Inspector does the exact same as they are now stood only a foot or so away from each other, both poised and ready to do battle.

“Heard you got very lucky in your last fight” the Inspector says somewhat taunting him.

“Nothing to do with luck, just wore him down and finished him off, which is what I`m about to do with you” Frank says and without any further ado strikes the first blow, clean onto the bridge of the Inspector`s nose which rocked him back a good couple of feet as Julian looked on with concern for his friend and Archie just smiled confident that his brother once again, would be victorious.

It did indeed take a good few seconds for the Inspector to recover from this punch and once he did, he could see Frank grinning smugly at him which only riled the Inspector into throwing his first punch which catches

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Frank cleanly on the jaw which knocked him at least two feet back which brought a smile to Julian`s face as Frank wiped away the trickle of blood which came from his mouth and both men were once again stood with fists at the ready, and not taking their eyes of each other.

They both then had the idea to throw the first punch, and they both connected on each other`s cheeks and suddenly there were single and combinations of punches, and neither one, no matter how much the punches hurt, were going to back down in anyway as they kept exchanging blows in what was very quickly becoming, just an all-out brawl.

The longer it continued like this, the more confident Archie became that his brother would come out on top especially as one punch from Frank then connected just above the Inspector`s right eye and sent him reeling causing much concern for his Best Man fearing that his friend had now been seriously hurt.

Seeing the Inspector reeling so much gave Frank a renewed confidence that this fight was now for his taking as he moved in for the kill as Julian tried to step in to stop his friend from taking anymore punishment but by grabbing a tight hold of his leg, Archie prevented him from going anywhere, no matter how hard he tried to shake him off. Sensing victory, Frank spits once more into the palms of his hands, clenches both fists, and moves in with a straight left, but to his surprise for the first time in this fight some actual boxing skill was used and he dodges the punch and counters with a punch to Frank`s stomach which doubles him up and before he could even think to recover the Inspector threw an uppercut which knocks him clean of his feet and down to the ground where he

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was happy to stay as the Inspector now stood over him, maybe with moustache now truly ruffled and his hair a total mess, but he was victorious, and Archie knew where he was soon going.

Out of completely nowhere, Sgt Watts and Constable Rawlings appeared, and both looked very much surprised at what they were seeing. “Well, when it was reported that there was some sort of commotion going on around here, wasn`t expecting to see you here Inspector Beasley sir as I thought you were getting married today?” says Sgt Watts.

“Indeed, I am sergeant, just had to tidy up this little matter first” begins the Inspector as he points down to Archie. “If you would be so kind as to take these two down to the station and hold him there, I will be down just as soon as I can to talk to Archie first about stealing my sister`s purse and Frank, probably because he put him up to it.”

“Alright, I did it, I did it” Archie then blurted out, now knowing that his brother wasn`t here to protect him anymore. So, without having to receive any more instructions, Sgt Watts and Constable Rawlings took both brothers into custody as Julian then began in earnest to try his best to clean up his friend.

“I suppose that`ll have to do, at least you`re not bleeding anymore and you haven`t got any visible bruising” Julian says in relief, but not have as relieved as the Inspector was to hear it. “Honestly though, did you really go after him today, honestly, did you?” Julian then asks.

“Yes, I did, he`s just admitted to stealing from my sister and if I hadn`t seen in the pub today I may not have seen him for quite some

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time, there, will I do” his friend asks.

“Yes, I suppose you will, right, let`s get you to this wedding before you find another criminal to apprehend” Julian says as they both smile and begin making their way back to church and it wasn`t too long later that they were both standing at the alter as the packed out church hears `Here Comes The Bride` as then, being escorted by a proud father, Valerie Miles appears, with her trade mark long jet black hair shining through her white lace veil, which matched perfectly with the white lace wedding dress, looking like a true Queen as the entire congregation gasped, in awe of her beauty He had always known that he loved her, right from the very first moment that they met, and as she made her way towards him, his love for this woman grew and grew more by the second. He knew now that his life was complete as she now stood next to him in front of the vicar, both more than ready to make their vows to each other as not only did his Best Man stand there proudly watching them do it, but he also wished for a quiet and peaceful wedding as all he wanted to do now, was to give his speech, toast the happy couple, and enjoy himself, just maybe with one of the bridesmaids, as he felt that there had been enough drama for one day.

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