Sowerbutt's Mistake

“What sort of holiday is this, you miserable bastard?” shouted Polly as Sowerbutt ducked the telephone directory thrown in his direction as he opened the door to their hotel room. “Out for an hour’s stroll, you said, to get some fresh air and exercise and see the sights of Swansea and it’s now midday. Of course, you forgot to look at the watch I stupidly bought you? Or are we on some damned Welsh time and it’s only 10 o’clock? Is that what it is, James, we’ve gone back in time in this lost corner of the country?”

Before he had a chance to try an excuse, she snapped: “And you’ve been drinking, I can always tell.
“I’ve been stuck in this room, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for you to return so we can spend some time together, while you have been swanning around somewhere and pouring booze down your miserable throat. You are such a bad bastard.” http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Opportunity

Nero said: “I had a half in the Adelphi and got talking to an old bloke who’s a caretaker at Weavers Flour Mills at the Docks.

“Fed him a few drinks once he started rabbiting on. It’s a big concrete place, six storeys, and the local Food Committee has just moved into the storage areas. The flour mill is working flat out as the supplies come in, he said. But the warehouse area has been designated an emergency supplies centre to stock enough food to feed the locals if Swansea is cut off in the invasion.
“Like Aladdin’s Cave, the old geezer said, stacked full of cans, packets, bags, everything - just been delivered by army trucks. Bags of sugar, tinned bacon, corned beef, the lot. No controls organised yet, he said, the mill workers could just walk in and collect whatever they wanted.
“Taffy, that’s his name, was in the first war, he said the food committee people couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery.”
“A promising business opportunity, Nero? We should help them out with storing the stuff.” Sowerbutt said. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA 

Sowerbutt's Escapade

“Blackouts are a burglar’s best friend, ” Sowerbutt whispered. Tipper nodded. The two men, burglars of long experience, had slipped through the first-floor window at the back of the terrace in the centre of Swansea. Nero remained in the street, straddling a nearby low wall and acting drunk for the benefit of any passers-by. They had arranged for him to sing a drunken chorus of There's an old mill by the stream, Nellie Dean as a danger signal.

“I’ll do my best, Mr Sorbay, I promise. But I’m not much of a singer,” Nero announced, hopping from foot to foot. Sowerbutt grinned: “As long as we don’t get a cats’ chorus with the local strays joining in.”
He was not sure what to expect in the house where the Spaniard and his friends were staying. The house had been in darkness since the trio arrived earlier in the evening. With the last smudges of dusk fading, much of the Welsh town was cast in darkness including the police station across the road. Occasional glimmers of light could be seen where blackout curtains moved or were badly fitted. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Temptation

The large suite was expensively furnished, reminding Sowerbutt of some of the upmarket West London hotels he had dropped into over the years as an uninvited guest or burglar as the Metropolitan Police incident sheets recorded his nocturnal visits.

He noticed several elegant rooms opening off from the lounge as well as some interesting pieces of artwork. One was a genuine French Impressionist, he was sure, recalling an art collector in Mayfair with whom he had enjoyed some profitable business dealings over the years. He felt his fingers twitching, it was a temptation. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Payback

"Can’t be too careful these days with all these government snoopers sniffing around the marketplace. Can you believe it? This bastard, dressed in his factory finery, dropped into one of the shops I supply the other week and was begging for under-the-counter cigarettes. Some cock-and-bull story about being short of money before pay day and wanting some cigarettes on the cheap. Of course, my lass told him to shove it. She shouted at him, accusing him of being an economic saboteur and said she’d call the stoppers.

"Left it a few days, then we gave him and his mate a good beating outside the pub where they drink. Don’t think he’ll be annoying anyone else in a hurry. We also lifted his wallet and tipped off the stoppers that he was dodging the call-up. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Weapons

Nodding at the Home Guard's museum pieces, Sowerbutt smiled: “You’re waiting for some new equipment to arrive, Dai?”

“If only, Mr Sorbay,” the lance-corporal smiled. “The army boys are equipped with whatever’s available. We get the left-overs. I haven’t fired the musket and I’d be scared to if the truth be known. Barrel would probably blow up. There are no musket balls, anyway, it’s just for show. As for poor Ivor walking around the place with that spear thing, they all laugh at him. We won't hold the Jerry tanks for long when they come.”
“I'll get your squad some newer shooters with plenty of ammunition shortly,” Sowerbutt said. “Not free mind, but a good price. You will be able to put up more of a showing." http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Holiday

“Up the stairs,” Sowerbutt said to Polly as they climbed on board the red Mumbles tramcar at the Rutland Street terminus in Swansea. “The views across Swansea Bay are something special.”

Polly looked at her man quizzically. “You’ve been here before, Jimmy? The views and you know about the fish and chips in Mumbles. You never tell me anything.”
She elbowed him in the stomach as they walked along the upper gangway. “Left-hand side for the views across the bay,” he gasped.
“I was here for a couple of days some years ago on a bit of business, that’s all. Nothing to tell you about. I was by myself if that is what’s worrying you.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, ” Polly smiled as she sat down next to the open window.
He first visited the bleak industrial Welsh town in autumn 1936 to recruit Madog ap Llywelyn as an assassin for the well-paying Renovacion Espanola in the Spanish war. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA