Royal Sanction

The Stuffy Shirts Review The Bratwurst Café Adventure

Agent Harriet Windsor telephoned Agent Nicky Parsons: Nicky, Can you and Emily come and see me? There is something I think we should discuss.

Nicky Parsons: No problem. We will be there shortly.

Once the Stuffy Shirts had gathered in her office, Harriet shared her thoughts:

“Our recent adventure with Rhiannon got me thinking. Specifically about your adventure at the Bratwurst Café close to Emily’s place. Where Emily took her fabric softener bottle and poured some of its contents into a pot of tea. She then poured a cup of tea each for the Iron Curtain couple, Svetlana and Igor. The fabric softener became a disabling tool for Svetlana and Igor.

“The Bratwurst Café is where I want us to focus. If the Iron Curtain assassins, Svetlana and Igor, frequented that Café, perhaps they are not the only ones. Maybe we should give the Bratwurst Café a closer look and see if it hosts the wrong kind of customers.”

Emily: Rhiannon is very strong on keeping trouble out of her neighbourhood. I am not fond of trouble frequenting my neighbourhood. I am happy to take a closer look at the Bratwurst Café.

Nicky: Are you suggesting the MI6 finance people have a look at their set up?

Harriet: Yes. And I think we should visit them and see if they are focussed on the correct clientele.

Emily: Tea and muffins, for work purposes?

Nicky: Well done, Emily.

Harriet: Tea and Muffins Round 1 will give us a chance to see what is going on, while the finance people do what they do. Then we can organise Tea and Muffins Round 2, armed with the information of the finance people.

Emily: Agent Parsons, I can see there is a benefit to be had by undertaking Tea and Muffins Round 1 at the Bratwurst Café promptly.

Nicky: Your argument is compelling, Agent Abernathy. Perhaps we could adjourn to the Bratwurst Café for lunch.

Harriet: I embrace your leadership, Agent Parsons. I will make a call to the finance people and then I will be ready to undertake this mission.

Emily: Let us convene in the office of Agent Parsons in 15 minutes and then we can leave for the mission.

Nicky: The Stuffy Shirts are agreed.

The Bratwurst Café

Patronage of the Bratwurst Café was initially sparse and The Stuffy Shirts had no trouble finding a suitable table. They chose a central location, giving them optimum vision of the café happenings. The dining population increased during the lunch period, which was the focus of the visit by The Stuffy Shirts.

Overwhelmingly unremarkable and uncontroversial accurately described the Bratwurst Café The Stuffy Shirts visited. Everything they witnessed and experienced suggested the attendance at the café of the Iron Curtain assassins, Svetlana and Igor, was constrained to a choice by the couple and not part of an Iron Curtain project.

Emily: The good news is so far this Café is not an operational venue for the communist threat.

Harriet: The finance people will soon tell us if that threat is latent rather than obvious.

Nicky: Then we will have to return here to see if our initial assessment was correct.

Emily: Tea and Muffins for Queen and Country, ladies.

Harriet: We need to be well nourished to do our work, Agent Abernathy.

Nicky: Our research must be thorough. Infiltration of the neighbourhood is completely unacceptable.

Emily: Another hour of research here and then we shall return to the office.

Harriet: Correct Agent, Abernathy. It would be foolish to rush.

Nicky: I will get us another pot of tea.

Finance Review of Bratwurst Café

Just under a week later Harriet received the MI6 finance review of the Bratwurst Café. It was clean of any evidence of an Iron Curtain connection.

Harriet telephoned Nicky Parsons: The finance report says the Bratwurst Café is free of communist infiltration.

Nicky Parsons: That is good news. I propose visit two to the Bratwurst Café occur today to ensure our original surveillance and reconnaissance assessment was correct.

Harriet: It will need to be a substantial secondary assessment, Agent Parsons.

Nicky: Nothing less will suffice, Agent Windsor.

Harriet: Will you inform Agent Abernathy?

Nicky: Yes and we can all leave from my office in 30 minutes.

Harriet: Splendid.

During their second work visit to the Bratwurst Café, the Stuffy Shirts made more trips to the café service counter and wandered round the café more than they did on the first visit. The result was the same; nothing suggested the café was part of an Iron Curtain project.

Nicky: I think we should go and visit Rhiannon in her record shop. It was because of her that we discovered this good news.

Harriet: Showing appreciation to Rhiannon for this is a good idea.

Emily: Tea and muffins for work, then visit Rhiannon and thank her. Excellent idea.

Once The Stuffy Shirts were at the Rhiannon record shop, they waited until the customers left the store before they approached Rhiannon at the service counter with her employer. After introductions, Nicky spoke to Rhiannon and her boss remained present:

“Inspired by your unfortunate involvement with the Iron Curtain communists in Flowers From The Market, which we were happy to clean up with you, we decided to take a look at a café in the neighbourhood where Emily lives. An incident occurred their earlier and we wanted to ensure it was not similarly infiltrated like Flowers From The Market. It was clean and it was our dealing with you that led to our discovery of that good news.

We like your idea of keeping the neighbourhood clean of troublemakers.

“You gave Rhiannon a chance at a new life, Mrs Record Store Owner, and my life is better because you did. If there is ever any trouble in your neighbourhood, Mrs Record Store Owner, do not hesitate to call.

“Thank you both. We had better get back to the office.

Harriet walked over to Rhiannon and kissed her on her cheek: “I am glad you did not shoot me and I am glad your Prince came.”

Harriet then walked over to Mrs Record Store Owner and kissed her on her cheek: “Thank you.”

Emily: “Fabric softener as a disabling tool. That story worked for you when we first met, Rhiannon, and it helped give me piece of mind in my neighbourhood. Flowers and fabric softener inspired us to look for communists. Thank you. Your contribution to our work is appreciated.

“Thank you, Mrs Record Store Owner. I appreciate the part you play in all of this.

Nicky: Thank you, ladies. We have to return to work.

The Stuffy Shirts Get a Royal Welcome

Agent Harriet Windsor was alone in her office doing nothing in particular when she received a telephone call:

Adult Female: Is that Harriet Windsor?

Harriet: Yes.

Adult Female: Hold the line please. I have a call for you.

The Queen: Harriet?

Harriet: Yes.

The Queen: It is Elizabeth, your cousin.

Harriet: Elizabeth. The Queen?

The Queen: Do not worry about formalities, Harriet. I want you to come and see me. And I want you to bring your two work friends with you, Nicky Parsons and Emily Abernathy. I will explain it all when you get here. I could send a car for you, but that might draw attention to you. So you can make your own way to the Palace. You know the way. You have been here before.

Harriet: I will be there as soon as I can.

The Queen: Thank you, Harriet. Good-bye.

Harriet immediately telephoned Nicky Parsons: Nicky, Come and see me immediately. Do not delay.

Nicky: OK. I will be there shortly.

Harriet immediately telephoned Emily Abernathy: Emily, Come and see me immediately. Do not delay.

Emily: I am on my way.

Within 5 minutes the Stuffy Shirts were assembled in the office of Harriet.

Harriet: My cousin just rang me. The cousin that is The Queen. She wants the three of us to attend upon her, basically immediately.

Nicky Parsons: The Queen?

Harriet: Do you have any pressing work on?

Nicky: No.

Emily: What is this about?

Harriet: We will find out when we get to Buckingham Palace.

I am a little partial to my cousin. So I intend to answer her request.

Emily: I will be back here in less than 10 minutes with my coat and handbag.

Nicky: My coat and handbag are also coming with me to see The Queen. 10 Minutes.

Harriet: Now that we are ready to leave, I think a taxi is the best transport option. It will attract less attention than a work motor vehicle.

Once the Stuffy Shirts were in the taxi and on their way, Nicky spoke: You are definitely in charge today, Harriet. I may have a butterfly or two in my stomach.

Emily: When you said you would give us a tour, I am sure this was not how I expected it to occur.

Harriet: This is a surprise for me, also.

Once the Stuffy Shirts arrived at Buckingham Palace, Harriet led them to the reception area and dealt with the reception staff.

The Stuffy Shirts waited in silence.

After about ten minutes, The Queen appeared, alone. She walked over to Harriet.

The Queen: Hello, Harriet.

Harriet: Hello, Your Majesty.

Harriet then introduced a rather nervous Nicky Parsons and Emily Abernathy.

The Queen: Thank you for coming, ladies. I think we should go for a walk in the garden.

The Stuffy Shirts followed The Queen to the large garden in front of the palace.

Once the four women were in the garden alone, The Queen spoke.

“I know who the three of you are. That is why you are here. This is business, hopefully disguised as pleasure.

“I have plenty of staff and plenty of security. You three women are outside my security and can do things they cannot. I have been given information, you call it intelligence, that the catering firm hired for a function here next Thursday has been infiltrated by the kind of communists that keep you gainfully occupied. Rather unfriendly bunch. Apparently they plan to kill me. I tend not to have a sense of humour about those things, much like you three ladies. So I thought I would have a chat to you about them. There is no need for you to keep any of them alive, if the intelligence turns out to be true.

If you think your friend who has a rather interesting habit of kneecapping people would assist you in this endeavour, she is welcome to join you.

“I did not invite you ladies here for fun. If these people really are a problem, then take them out, for Queen and Country. Just like you do for others like them.

The circumstances of this conversation should inform you that it is to go not further than us. Do your research. Do your job and one day we may have another chat.

Are there any questions?”

Nicky Parsons: Your Majesty, You want us to be us?

The Queen: Every bit of it, Agent Parsons. I want you to do your absolute worst on these people. No mercy. Something with which I understand you are familiar.

Emily: Your Majesty, I am a little shocked by all of this. We are to be us, effectively with no restrictions, and Rhiannon can join us?

The Queen: Yes, Agent Abernathy. Be your effective selves.

Emily: When I woke up this morning, this was not what I was expecting of my day. I am in. And my very worst is the least they deserve.

Nicky: I am in. I am in and I will talk to Rhiannon. Her skills definitely will not hurt here.

Harriet: You are the Queen and my cousin. I tend not to have a sense of humour when the threat is personal. I am in and formalities will be no impediment to getting the job done.

The Queen: Thank you, ladies. I think it is time for us to adjourn to the Palace for tea and muffins.

Harriet: Tea and muffins?

The Queen: I am The Queen, Harriet. I get to know things.

Nicky and Emily laughed.

The Queen: I see the ice has broken. Now, back to the Palace for tea and muffins.

Preparation Begins

In the taxi on the way back to MI6 Harriet spoke to Nicky and Emily: I will return to the office and get the finance people to look at the caterers. You two can go to see Rhiannon and invite her to join us.

Nicky: Your plan works for me.

Emily: We will come and see you when we get back.

Nicky and Emily browsed the records in the store for several minutes until Rhiannon had dealt with her customers. Then they approached Rhiannon with the news.

Nicky: We are here to recruit you for our latest mission. Apparently intelligence suggests some communists are planning to kill The Queen. Our job is to take them out. You have been invited to join us. Are you interested?

Emily: It is a no restrictions mission.

Rhiannon: Who gave you this mission?

Nicky: A lady called Elizabeth.

Rhiannon: The Queen?

Emily: Yes, and she said you were welcome to join us.

Nicky: Come and be a Stuffy Shirt with us.

Emily: No restrictions.

Nicky: Communists posing as caterers.

Rhiannon: I will take pleasure in spoiling their party.

Nicky: Only five people know about this mission. That is the way it must stay. We will now return to the office and plan the mission. We will let you know when we have more details.

Rhiannon: Tell me the name of these caterers. My network may have some intelligence on them.

Emily: Dynamic Caterers.

Rhiannon then telephoned Mr Loan Shark: Mr Loan Shark, I would like you to give me all the intelligence you have on Dynamic Caterers. There is no need to tell anyone about this. Only you and I need to know about it. I will talk to you again tomorrow to see how you are progressing.

Mr Loan Shark: No trouble, Miss Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mr Loan Shark. Enjoy your day.

Nicky: We will return to the office. We will be in touch with you.

Rhiannon: Thank you, ladies.

Preparation Continues

Upon her return to MI6, Harriet went to see her colleague in charge of the finance section.

Harriet: I have been given some intelligence, which if correct, is concerning. We cannot afford mistakes on this exercise and I would like you to keep the reason for this research to yourself, but to do the research thoroughly.

Dynamic Caterers has come onto our radar. We need the complete package on them. It is as important to rule people out as it is to rule people in.

Mr Finance: I understand. I will look into Dynamic Caterers for you and I will let you know when my research is complete.

Harriet: Thank you.

Nicky and Emily went to see Harriet when they returned to MI6.

Nicky: Rhiannon needed no persuading. She is happy to be part of the mission. She even had her network look into Dynamic Caterers.

Harriet: The head of our finance section is looking into Dynamic Caterers for me.

Emily: If those caterers turn out to be communists, there is no good reason for their continued existence.

Nicky: I am pretty sure that is why we have this mission.

Harriet: The inclusion of Rhiannon removes any doubt on that issue.

Clarification of The Caterers

The next day Mr Loan Shark went to visit Rhiannon at the record shop a little before lunch time. He waited until the customers left the store.

Mr Loan Shark: It is strange to have 6 Russians in an English catering service. I put all the details of my information in this envelope for you.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mr Loan Shark. I suspect those Russian caterers might be the recipient of a visit from my friends. I may even help them.

Mr Loan Shark: To check on their health, of course.

Rhiannon: A city showing concern for its inhabitants, Mr Loan Shark.

Mr Loan Shark: I am happy to play my part, Miss Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: I am grateful to you, Mr Loan Shark. Enjoy your day.

Once Mr Loan Shark left the record store, Rhiannon telephoned Nicky Parsons.

Rhiannon: Quite a coincidence that 6 Russians would be in a catering service engaged for a function at Buckingham Palace. 6 Russians and no one else.

Nicky: A remarkable coincidence.

Rhiannon: It is rather amusing that the network connection I contacted is assisting your establishment, without any hesitation.

Nicky: This is a mission unlike all others. I will let you know when I have more information for you.

Nicky then telephoned Harriet: Rhiannon just called me. Dynamic Caterers have quite a recruitment program. 6 Russians in a British catering service engaged for a function at Buckingham Palace. No other staff.

Harriet: Cavalier about the part of not drawing attention to themselves.

I will pass your information on to Mr Finance.

Harriet then telephoned Mr Finance, who told her he was on his way to see her.

When he arrived in her office, Mr Finance confirmed the information. Dynamic Caterers consisted of 6 Russians and no one else. On the surface it looked like a simple catering company. Their recruitment practise suggested catering was not their real business.

Harriet: Ordinarily, Mr Finance, I would be happy to share with you the reason for the enquiry and the mission to which it is connected. On this occasion, I think plausible deniabilty is a better path for you to tread.

Mr Finance: Is that the time? You will have to excuse me, Agent Harriet. There is something that requires my prompt attention.

Harriet: I will delay you no further, Mr Finance. Thank you for your assistance.

The Stuffy Shirts soon assembled in the office of Harriet.

Harriet: 6 staff all Russian, no one even remotely British on staff. Dynamic Caterers need shutting down, permanently.

Emily: I have a surveillance idea. We take some flowers from the new Rhiannon business and purport to supply them to the caterers, so we can get an up close and personal idea of how they operate.

Nicky: I like it. It gets us on the premises and it may even give us an opportunity to take them out.

Emily: My plan is flowers as stage 1 and raid as stage 2, but there may be a need to get lethal on stage 1.

Harriet: I like the idea of taking Rhiannon to any visit to the premises.

Nicky: We need to talk to Rhiannon. So we need to visit her. This may involve tea and muffins.

Emily: Sacrifices have to be made in this job.

Harriet: Back here in 10 minutes with your coats and handbags.

The Rhiannon Record Shop

Several customers were occupying Rhiannon and her employer when the Stuffy Shirts walked in the store. They spent their time browsing until the customers left the store.

Nicky: We have a plan, Rhiannon, and we need your input.

Mrs Record Store Owner: Do I need to leave the room?

Nicky: No. We can be circumspect with our discussion.

Emily: Stage 1 We take some flowers from your new business and purport to supply them to the troublemakers as part of their set up, so we can get an up close and personal idea of how they operate. Stage 2 A raid, where we would conduct business. There may be a need to conduct business on Stage 1.

Harriet: We would pay you for your flowers.

Rhiannon: 4 hustling 6. Those are doable odds.

When do you propose this happen?

Nicky: If you can be at our office at 10:00 am tomorrow, with the flowers. It will unfold from there.

Rhiannon: 10:00 am tomorrow with a bunch of flowers. No problem.

Nicky: Will that be a problem, Mrs Record Store Owner?

Mrs Record Store Owner: No. You ladies do your business.

Emily: Can we thank you with tea and muffins?

Mrs Record Store Owner: Only for 15 minutes, then I have to come back here to run the store. You can take Rhiannon with you.

The Stuffy Shirts Plus One Do Business

Rhiannon and the flowers arrived at MI6 on time. She had a variation to the plan.

Rhiannon: “You Stuffy Shirts enter through the front door. I will take care of the back entrance. Start off calm when you do your flowers sale routine, then get chaotic. The Russians being greeted by excitable women selling flowers should destabilise them and add in the language problems for good measure.

“Stay alert. You may have to conduct business immediately.”

Harriet: Unsettle them with a chaotic sales pitch?

Rhiannon: Yes. And it may not hurt to mention the language a few times.

Emily: The plan works for me.

Nicky: I like it.

When the agents arrived at the premises of Dynamic Caterers, Rhiannon made her way to the rear. Two males were loading material into a van marked Dynamic Caterers. Rhiannon did not hesitate, she immediately took them both out. A couple of shots to the legs and then several shots to the chest and head. Quick, clean and decisive.

After reloading her firearm, Rhiannon entered the rear of the premises.

Happy Emily greeted the Russian caterers with the flowers in her hand.

There were three men in the store and Emily spoke to all of them, individually and together. From the outset they could not work out what was going on.

Harriet joined in the conversation and elevated her voice. She adopted the same tactics: talk to all of them, talk to one or two of them.

Nicky was watching and listening. The Rhiannon plan was working. When she joined the conversation her voice was elevated further. The confusion saw another male join them trying to work out what was going on.

Rhiannon was now in the premises with them and she got straight down to business. A knee shot and a head shot took care of the last Russian to join the confusion.

Emily emptied her firearm into the chest of the Russian standing in front of her.

Nicky put three shots into the forehead of the Russian in front of her.

Four women and one Russian was all that remained.

The Russian was surrounded and Emily had reloaded.

Harriet was surprisingly calm. She grabbed the remaining Russian by his hair and told him to get down on his knees.

She put her firearm to his forehead and said: “You wanted to kill The Queen. You wanted to kill my cousin.

You should have stayed in Russia and left us alone.”

Harriet then emptied her firearm into his forehead.

Rhiannon calmly walked over to Harriet and put her arms around her.

Rhiannon said: “It’s over” and walked Harriet to a chair to sit down.

Rhiannon: “Nicky, you might want to call this in to MI6, so a clean up crew can do their work. No rush. Excellent work, ladies.”

Emily: I will call it in.

Nicky: This is not tea and muffins. This is steak sandwiches.

Rhiannon: There is one more task I need to undertake.

Rhiannon: Hello, Buckingham Palace. This is a message for Her Majesty The Queen from her cousin Lady Harriet Windsor. She will have to get new caterers for her function on Thursday. Dynamic Caterers are no longer in business. Thank you.

Royal Messenger: Your Majesty, about an hour ago we received a rather strange message from your cousin, Lady Harriet Windsor. You will have to get new caterers for your function on Thursday. Dynamic Caterers are no longer in business.

The Queen: Thank you, Lady Harriet. Thank you. 

Flowers

Casual Introductions

Rhiannon telephoned Mrs Maxine Hubbard: Mrs Hubbard, I would like you to come to the café across the road from the record shop and bring Miss Penelope Styles with you. There is someone I would like you to meet.

Mrs Hubbard: We will be there in 20 minutes.

When Mrs Hubbard and Penelope Styles arrived, they joined Rhiannon in a booth at the back of the café. Rhiannon then went to the café counter and spoke to Mrs Café Manager: Come and join us for a pot of tea. I have some news for you.

Mrs Café Manager promptly joined Mrs Hubbard and Penelope Styles at the Rhiannon booth.

Rhiannon spoke to her companions: This is nothing more than a friendly meeting of people who have businesses in the neighbourhood. With the assistance of Penelope Styles, Mrs Hubbard will be running Floraville, my new business venture, a florist. Mrs Café Manager runs this lovely café.

If ever you or your café need flowers, Mrs Café Manager, you might consider seeing if Mrs Hubbard and Penelope Styles can assist. Similarly, you ladies might consider eating and drinking at this café. Local businesses helping each other is in all of our interests.

It also would not hurt the business of the record store that employs me, if prospective customers were sent my way.

Mrs Café Manager: Flowers, Rhiannon?

Rhiannon: Flowers, Mrs Café Manager. Records and flowers. And I thought drinking tea at your café was the best way to introduce you to each other.

Mrs Café Manager: Would you ladies care for a muffin to celebrate this news?

Mrs Hubbard: Tea and muffins, Rhiannon. An interesting and pleasant way to celebrate your new venture.

Penelope Styles: Tea and muffins are good for me.

Rhiannon: Tea and muffins, Mrs Café Manager. With pleasure.

Mrs Café Manager: Tea and muffins it is then.

In less than 5 minutes Mrs Café Manager was back with muffins and a fresh pot of tea.

The ladies chatted and got to know each other a little better for the next half hour and then they returned to their respective workplaces.

Complications with The Flower Wholesaler

A few days later Lady Harriet Windsor called in to the office of Nicky Parsons and they had a conversation.

Lady Harriet: I have just read some interesting intelligence. A wholesale company that supplies flowers to retail florists, at least in part, seems to be funding Iron Curtain operatives.

Parsons: Flowers. That is a bit creative. Do we need to take a closer look at this wholesale flower supplier?

Lady Harriet: I think that would be a good idea.

The meeting was interrupted by a telephone call from Rhiannon to Nicky Parsons: The café across the road from the record shop would be a good place for us to get together while I share some news with you. Is this evening after work convenient?

Parsons: A catch up to share news, OK. Should I bring Harriet and Emily with me?

Rhiannon: That is an excellent idea. Thank you.

Parsons: We will be there just before 6:00 pm.

Nicky then telephoned Emily: Are you free to come to my office for a short chat?

Emily: I will be there in 5 minutes.

Upon her arrival Nicky said: Rhiannon has invited us for a catch up at the café across the road from her record shop. I said we will be there just before 6:00 pm. Are you going to join us?

Emily: The Stuffy Shirts and Rhiannon catching up sounds good to me.

Parsons: Harriet also has some interesting intelligence. A wholesale flower supplier is funding our Iron Curtain trouble makers.

Emily: A flower wholesaler. That is a bit sneaky.

Parsons: Perhaps we should pay them a not so sneaky visit.

Harriet: It is not a long time before we have to leave to meet Rhiannon. We could pack up a little early today and go to see Rhiannon.

Emily: Rhiannon sounds better than flowers for the Iron Curtain.

Parsons: It looks like we are packing up for the day. See you back here shortly.

The Café Catch-Up

The Stuffy Shirts found themselves a booth at the Rhiannon café and Rhiannon soon joined them.

Rhiannon: Ladies, I have some news. I now have a florist business, Floraville, a retail florist run by Mrs Maxine Hubbard, an experienced florist, and Miss Penelope Styles, a reformed Tea Drinker.

Nicky Parsons: Flowers.

Rhiannon: Flowers. It is a good business direction and it has utility for my network.

Emily: Congratulations.

Harriet: I should also say congratulations. Tell me your wholesaler is not Flowers From The Market.

Rhiannon: My wholesaler is Flowers From The Market.

Harriet: Happenstance is never far away from us. We think your flowers may have an Iron Curtain problem.

Parsons: Intelligence seems to suggest that Flowers From The Market is funding Iron Curtain operatives.

Rhiannon: I have no sense of humour when it comes to people challenging my new way of life.

Emily: It looks like we are back together to shut down this flower wholesaler.

Parsons: The good news for you, Rhiannon, is that MI6 will pay you for your efforts.

Harriet: My plan is to have MI6 shut down and then sell the wholesale flower business to someone they can scrutinise. Rhiannon can keep her retail florist business and MI6 will keep an eye on the wholesaler.

Parsons: I like your plan.

Emily: I can definitely work with that plan.

Harriet: When we get to work tomorrow we can work out an overview of disrupting the Iron Curtain funding wholesaler. Let us enjoy the rest of the evening with Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: I like your plan and I am keen to assist.

Emily: Work tomorrow, enjoy tonight. I like it.

Parsons: It is good to see you, Rhiannon, and welcome back. Let us enjoy the evening.

Rhiannon Visits Floraville

Floraville enjoyed the pleasure of an early visit from Rhiannon the next day, although pleasure was hardly the motivation for the visit.

Rhiannon: Ladies, My friends at MI6 tell me we have a problem and I am a long way from happy about it. The problem is not you Mrs Hubbard. The problem is the communists who seem to have infiltrated your flower supplier and have done it to fund operatives that threaten us. It is an understatement to say that I do not take kindly to anyone who threatens my new life.

Mrs Hubbard, I would be very grateful if you could put together all you may have on Flowers From The Market, your flowers wholesaler. I am happy to help you where I can. I will then provide that material to MI6 and then a plan will be hatched to rid us of the problem they have brought to our door.

Mrs Hubbard: I can give you the contact details of the wholesaler and the times they usually make deliveries here. It will not take me long to find that information.

Rhiannon: That would be excellent, Mrs Hubbard. I will then leave with your information and allow you to return to your day. I am sure MI6 will be grateful for the assistance.

Mrs Hubbard: I will put the information in an envelope for you, Rhiannon. No one else needs to see it. And then you can give it to your friends.

Rhiannon: There is a smooch on your cheek from me, Mrs Hubbard.

Through their chuckles, Mrs Hubbard and Penelope Styles wished Rhiannon a good day.

Tea, Muffins and Intelligence

Rhiannon promptly telephoned Nicky Parsons: Tea, Muffins and Intelligence, Agent Parsons. My neighbourhood café awaits your attendance.

Parsons: The Stuffy Shirts will be there in 30 minutes.

Over tea and muffins, Rhiannon gave the envelope to Nicky Parsons and discussion ensued about how to deal with the problem wholesaler.

Harriet: I will get the MI6 finance people to look closely at Flowers From The Market.

Emily: This is tricky. MI6 have to raid and shut down the communists, then sell the wholesale flower business to someone they can scrutinise. All while not disrupting the businesses of the retail florists.

Harriet: MI6 will have to find someone to run the wholesale flowers supplier until the sale is completed.

Parsons: I will talk to the Boss when we get back to the office.

The Stuffy Shirts Meet with The Boss

As soon as The Stuffy Shirts arrived at the secretary to The Boss, she greeted them with: Ladies, I will let him know you want to see him.

Laughter ensued from The Stuffy Shirts.

The Boss appeared: Agents, My office awaits you.

Nicky Parsons: “Harriet has some interesting intelligence that a wholesale flowers supply company seems to be funding Iron Curtain operatives.

Rhiannon the ordinary record shop girl now has a retail florist business and its flowers are supplied by that same flower wholesaler.

Rhiannon has also given us good information about the business that supplies her florist with flowers.

“MI6 have to raid and shut down the communists, then sell the wholesale flower business to someone they can scrutinise. All while not disrupting the businesses of the retail florists. MI6 will have to find someone to run the wholesale flowers supplier until the sale is completed.”

The Boss: I know someone who can run it.

Emily: That is why you are the Boss.

The Boss: (Through laughter) From one enigma to another.

Rhiannon is never far away from you, is she?

Harriet: Rhiannon was an unexpected development on both counts. Her business venture and her relationship with us help us here.

The Boss: Did I hear you say that Rhiannon would accompany you on the raid of the flowers wholesaler? It sounds like her kind of work.

Nicky Parsons: I like the relationship we have with you, Sir.

The Boss: I will give Harriet the details of the chap who will run the wholesale flowers business after I have had a chat with him.

Thank you for the visit, agents, and enjoy your day.

The Stuffy Shirts Have a Meeting

The Stuffy Shirts adjourned to the office of Nicky Parsons.

After they each took their seats, Emily spoke: I am sure all spy agencies are run like this one.

Nicky: I can definitely see other spy agencies not only having a boss who encourages creativity, but who actively contributes to that creativity.

Harriet: Perhaps it is my royal blood, I will content myself with this spy agency. I have no need to test the waters elsewhere.

Emily: I have no wish to break up The Stuffy Shirts, Your Ladyship.

Nicky: I have travelled through time. I am not going to another spy agency.

Harriet: Then we shall do our best to enjoy our enigmatic lives in this spy agency.

Nicky: Speaking entirely for myself, I am rather annoyed that Rhiannon has had her new life imposed upon by the communists. This job lets me do something about that and I intend to do so.

Harriet: If I had an ambiguity about shutting down that wholesale flowers operation before, I certainly have none now.

Emily: I have absolutely no problem at all in Rhiannon being Rhiannon to those communists and I am happy to help her.

Harriet: It would be a dreadful shame if those communists were to suffer injuries in the raid.

Nicky: It is a dirty job. Accidents happen. I will make sure Rhiannon is with us.

Nicky telephoned Rhiannon: Rhiannon, our raid on Flowers From The Market will be ready to go on Thursday. Are you interested in joining us? I am sure we could use your assistance.

Rhiannon: I am in, with bells on.

Nicky: If you can be at MI6 headquarters by 10:00 am, we will coordinate the raid with you.

We will also ensure you are provided with the kind of material you need to be prepared for such an adventure.

Rhiannon: Most kind of you, Nicky. 10:00 am Thursday. Have a good day.

Nicky: Ladies, we shall be Stuffy Shirts plus one.

Emily: Excellent news.

Harriet: Excellent news, indeed.

The Flowers From The Market Raid

The Stuffy Shirts travelled together in the same MI6 vehicle to the Flowers From The Market warehouse. There was little conversation in the vehicle and none from Rhiannon. She seemed more than a little focussed.

Several MI6 teams breached the Flowers From The Market warehouse. The Stuffy Shirts went in through the front door, with Nicky Parsons taking the lead.

Rounding up and securing the trouble making communists was not a difficult task. The raid seemed to have confused them.

Rhiannon waited until they were all secured, then she went to work She lined them up, resplendent in their handcuffs, and had a chat with them.

Rhiannon: Never threaten my life or my business.

She then shot each of them in their left knee.

Nicky Parsons: You communists have a choice. You can come with me and cooperate fully with MI6 or I will leave you here and my friend will finish her work.

A chorus of “MI6" greeted Nicky Parsons.

Nicky Parsons: MI6 has the kind of hospitality you communists are going to learn to enjoy.

The new Flowers From The Market friends of MI6 were promptly put in MI6 motor vehicles and taken to MI6 headquarters.

Emily: You know what this means?

Harriet: It is time for tea and muffins.

Nicky: Join us for tea and muffins, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: I would like to stop in at Floraville and tell them of the good news.

Nicky: No problems.

The quick stop at Floraville saw Rhiannon greet both Mrs Hubbard and Penelope Styles alone in the store. Rhiannon walked up to Mrs Hubbard and kissed her on her cheek.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mrs Hubbard. We just took care of the problem with Flowers From The Market and your help was valuable. My friends tell me the business can return to normal.

Mrs Hubbard: That is good news, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: I will now leave you ladies to return to your business and I will return to mine.

Mrs Hubbard and Penelope Styles: Thank you, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon then returned to The Stuffy Shirts and they all subsequently undertook the important business of tea and muffins. 

A New Dawn, A New Day

Rhiannon and M2 were out socialising. They walked past a coin-operated photograph booth.

Rhiannon stopped and got M2 to enter the booth with her. Photographs of them kissing were taken. Shortly thereafter Rhiannon sent one of the photographs to Nicky Parsons at MI6 headquarters, accompanied by a note:

“Someday My Prince Will Come, Nicky. Someday My Prince Will Come.”

When Nicky Parsons opened her mail and saw the photograph and note, she said with a smile:

“Someday Your Prince Will Come, Rhiannon. Someday Your Prince Will Come.”

Nicky put that mail in her drawer, for safe-keeping.

Mr Loan Shark Goes Legitimate

Happily for Rhiannon her extra-curricular activities were enjoying a quiet period. The life of an ordinary record store girl suited her just fine. She decided to use her lunch break at the record store to visit Mr Loan Shark.

As Rhiannon walked into the premises of Mr Loan Shark, she greeted him, Mr Goon and Mr Brunette Criminal.

Rhiannon: “Good afternoon, gentlemen. I have some news for you. With the guidance of Mr Loan Shark, Mr Goon and Mr Brunette Criminal will operate a legitimate private investigation firm. That legitimate private investigation business will give you a legitimate reason to maintain the skills I need you to have as part of my network. Those skills will also be very useful in this loan shark business. If you need a licence to operate, you will get one. If you need to do a course to qualify, you will do that course. You are being given the option of a better, legitimate life and you will do the necessary work to secure that option.

“That legitimate private investigation business is good community public relations for me and it will generate legitimate income for me. That will help me fund the expenses I incur in doing the extra-curricular work that I do. Work that has directly benefited all of you.

“In part, the legitimate private investigation business could benefit from the intelligence my network acquires and it may also be a source of intelligence for me and my network. 

“Think carefully, Mr Loan Shark. Do you think you could branch out into the legitimate business of private investigation?”

Mr Loan Shark: This is quite a surprise, Miss Rhiannon. I had never really thought of it before, but I can now see the benefits of it. I think I could branch out as you have suggested and provide guidance to Mr Goon and Mr Brunette Criminal.

Rhiannon: Mr Goon, Are you prepared to take part in this legitimate venture and give some respectability to this setup? It has obvious benefits for you.

Mr Goon: Yes, Miss Rhiannon. I am prepared to be a part of the proposed legitimate private investigations business, and do the qualification work, if necessary.

Rhiannon: Mr Brunette Criminal, Are you prepared to join your colleagues in the proposed legitimate venture?

Mr Brunette Criminal: Yes, Miss Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Mr Loan Shark, You run this loan shark business. I do not need to manage the transition to the private investigation business for you. You are quite capable of doing that. You do not need to rush, but equally I do not expect you to dawdle.

I have to get back to the record shop. You can keep me updated with your progress.

Good luck, chaps.”

As Rhiannon left the loan shark premises to return to the record shop, a chorus of “Thank you, Miss Rhiannon” followed her.

The Community Security Fund Bank Account

The Bank Accountant was in conversation with the owner of the neighbourhood supermarket, a customer of the Bank.

Supermarket Owner: “Mr Accountant, I understand you had some excitement here recently and it was foiled very effectively by the young lady in the record shop. I also understand it was not the first time she has helped out this community in dangerous circumstances. Her good and dangerous work should not go unrewarded.

“Were you to set up a Community Security Fund Account for the Record Shop young lady, in recognition of her service to the community and a reward for effectively anonymous acts of bravery, the community would be able to contribute to the bank account, as a way of thanking her for her efforts. I would be prepared to contribute to such an account via my supermarket business.

Bank Accountant: That is an interesting proposal, Mr Supermarket Owner. I also understand our record shop lady is giving a couple of criminals a chance at a better life via a legitimate Private Investigation Firm with which she is connected.

Supermarket Owner: That seems to strengthen the argument for the Bank to set up the Community Security Fund Account I proposed for Miss Record Shop. I am sure you can authorise the establishment of such an account.

Bank Accountant: You have convinced me, Mr Supermarket Owner. I will let you know when the account is set up and available to receive contributions. I think it would be a good idea if you were present when I told Miss Record Shop the account has been established.

Supermarket Owner: As you wish, Mr Accountant.

The Famous Five and MI6

A couple of weeks after the Someday My Prince Will Come mail episode, Nicky Parsons hosted a casual Famous Five team meeting in her office. M1 made an interesting contribution.

M1: “I am on record as saying I misjudged Rhiannon. I have not changed my mind in respect of that assessment of her. As Rhiannon The Tea Drinker, she was an unpaid MI6 informant, but that relationship ended by agreement because her utility diminished.

“I propose reigniting the relationship with Rhiannon The Ordinary Record Shop Girl, based on her proven new skills and attitude. She should not do the good work she does now and not get paid for it. Rhiannon has much greater utility to MI6 now and she warrants being retained for Black Operations.

Emily: That is certainly a confronting proposal.

Harriet: And not without merit.

Nicky: Rhiannon is still keen to keep in touch with us and invite us to help her.

Nicky noticed the Boss walking past her office. She went outside, gently grabbed him and redirected him to her office.

Nicky: “Welcome to a closed door team meeting of The Famous Five, Boss. I have a proposal for you.

I (we) want you to authorise the retention of Rhiannon The Ordinary Record Shop Girl by MI6 for Black Operations.”

A chorus of “Yes” from the Famous Five accompanied the request by Nicky Parsons.

Boss: The Someday My Prince Will Come, lady?

Nicky: Yes.

Boss: Is this the knee shot lady?

Nicky: Yes.

Boss: You all support this?

The Famous Five: Yes.

Boss: Was this your idea, M2?

M1: It was my idea.

Boss: Sometimes I wonder if there is much difference between black operations and some of what you five do.

Remind me again. You all support this?

The Famous Five: Yes.

Boss: Strange as it may seem, there is a sort of paperwork for this. I will let Nicky and Harriet take care of it. Your request is granted.

The Famous Five: Thank You.

Boss: May I return to my office now?

Nicky (chuckling): Yes, Sir. Thank you.

As The Boss left to return to his office he said: “Enjoy your day, agents.”

The Community Security Fund Account and Financial Advice

Rhiannon was at the bank in completely uncontroversial circumstances doing the routine banking for the record shop. A bank staffer noticed her presence and immediately notified the Bank Accountant, who was in conversation in his office with Mr Supermarket Owner.

The Staffer to the Accountant: Sir, You asked to be notified whenever the lady from the Record Shop was in the bank. She is here now.

Bank Accountant: Excellent. Thank you, young man. I will go and see her.

By this time Rhiannon was at a teller making her deposit for the record shop.

Bank Accountant: Miss would you mind coming to my office when your business with the teller is done. I have some news for you.

Rhiannon: OK.

Teller: She can go now. We are all done.

Bank Accountant: Could you bring her to my office, please.

The Bank Accountant returned to his office and almost immediately Rhiannon arrived with the teller.

Bank Accountant: “Please have a seat. This is Mr Supermarket Owner. He is part of the news. We want to thank you for the good work you did here recently in dealing with the troublemakers in the bank.

“Mr Supermarket Owner said your efforts should not go unrewarded. Not just your efforts here, but your efforts in the community in general. Mr Supermarket Owner suggested the bank set up a Community Security Fund Account for you, where members of the community might make contributions to assist you and ensure that the expenses you incur in the work you do are not borne by you alone and as an indication of gratitude for the work you do.

“His argument was not only persuasive, it was compelling. Accordingly the bank is prepared to establish a Community Security Fund Account for you. You would control the account and we have no need to know how you spend the money. We would like you not to waste the money. That is not said as an insult, but rather as a demonstration of our concern for your welfare.

“The offer of the establishment of a Community Security Fund Account for you is accompanied by a suggestion that you consult and perhaps work with a financial adviser or a money man, as some people call them. I have the details of a money man we think would be a good fit for you.

“Mr Phineas Rothsenberry is a quiet unassuming man and a meticulous financial advisor. He operates his practice out of a small office above a haberdashery not far from here. His job is to manage the money, not to ask where it comes from. His role would be to ensure your Community Security Fund Account was kept impeccably, that all deposits were properly recorded, and that your relevant expenditure was meticulously documented.

“By dealing with Mr Rothsenberry, you would be at arm's length from the bank, me and Mr Supermarket Owner and how you dealt with the Community Security Fund Account would be entirely your business.

“I also understand you may have an interest in a Private Investigation business. Mr Rothsenberry may also be able to help you with the finances of that business, should that be your wish.”

Rhiannon: I am very grateful to you gentlemen. Your offer is kind and thoughtful. I am inclined to accept your offer, both of the bank account and of the financial adviser.

Bank Accountant: I will make arrangements for the Community Security Fund Account to be established in respect of you. When it is available, I will contact you. I will also contact Mr Phineas Rothsenberry to let him know we have recommended you consult him in respect of the account.

Rhiannon: Thank you, gentlemen. I had better get back to the record shop.

The Florist

Rhiannon organised a meeting with the financial advisor, Mr Phineas Rothsenberry.

Rhiannon: “Mr Rothsenberry, my attendance here is a consequence of a meeting I had with the Bank Accountant and his client Mr Supermarket Owner. They were involved in the establishment of a Community Security Fund Account at the bank for my benefit. They suggested I consult you to manage that account and my other financial affairs. I also have a business proposal to discuss, so with this meeting we can see if this relationship can work for us.

“A brief personal history seems apposite. I used to be a Tea Drinker and work at The Tea Drinkers Club. I reached a stage where I could no longer bring myself to do that kind of work, so I sought alternate employment. I am now an Ordinary Record Shop Girl and my transition to that new life is complete. My boyfriend is an MI6 agent, so danger has not completely left my life. It is sufficient to say I have learned some self defence skills.

“In my new life as an Ordinary Record Shop Girl an incident occurred which led me to meet Mr Loan Shark. He helped me deal with a problem that confronted my new employer. A consequence of that interaction with Mr Loan Shark is that I have also established a Private Investigation Firm and his two employees form that legitimate business under his guidance.

“The Private Investigation Firm provides his employees with an opportunity for employment in a legitimate business, rather than the shady underworld. Part of the inspiration for the establishment of the Community Security Fund Account was the employment of those two chaps in the Private Investigation Firm. You managing the financial affairs of that Private Investigation Firm would also be part of my proposed relationship with you.

“And now to the business proposal. It is informed by the Private Investigation Firm. I propose that a former work colleague from The Tea Drinkers Club run a florist business for me. It is sufficient if I identify this lass as Miss Begging Escort and the description is not an insult.

"Miss Begging Escort would cease working as a Tea Drinker and ultimately run an ordinary level florist, which would blend in with the surrounding businesses.

“At the start the business would employ an experienced lead florist, who correctly believes they are simply being hired to run the new shop and who is looking towards retirement. The experienced florist could teach Miss Begging Escort the necessary expertise. She would groom Miss Begging Escort to take over from her.

“That business model has some comparison to the record shop that employs me. Part of your job would be to find an appropriate florist business to fit those criteria. I will deal with the transition of Miss Begging Escort from her current vocation to her new one.

“The private investigators delivering flowers has some attraction for both their businesses. Of course, that is a small part of the private investigation business, but the businesses helping each other out is a deliberate strategy. It seems to me to offer a useful cover for their work.

“The Private Investigation Firm had the luxury of Mr Loan Shark overseeing the running of the business. The florist presents a different challenge. I propose that you take on the business supervisor role.”

Rothsenberry: “It is hard to think of an introduction to a prospective client that compares with yours. Managing your financial affairs is a challenge I am happy to embrace and that includes the florist business. I will look for a florist business for you and also an appropriate lead florist. I like your business endeavour and I think we can do business.”

Rhiannon: Thank you. I will now share my proposal with Miss Begging Escort. We can keep each other informed as to our progress. Have a good day, Mr Rothsenberry.

Miss Begging Escort and The Florist Proposal

Rhiannon telephoned Miss Begging Escort: I have a proposal I want to discuss with you. The venue is the café across the road from the record shop.

Miss Begging Escort: I will be there in 30 minutes.

Once they were settled in the café, Rhiannon outlined the florist business proposal and Mr Phineas Rothsenberry to Miss Begging Escort.

Rhiannon: It is a new life for you and a new business for me. I do not want either to fail. Say good-bye to tea drinking and take this opportunity. It will not be easy, but the effort will be worth it and support will be around you.

Miss Begging Escort: Whatever I was expecting to hear from you, this was not it. Tea drinking offers no future. This is an opportunity I did not expect to see. I accept your offer and I will do my best to make it work, for both of us.

Rhiannon: Excellent. I will let you know when the florist business becomes a reality. Until then, do not discuss it with anyone.

Miss Begging Escort: OK.

Progress In Floraville

About 10 days later, Mr Phineas Rothsenberry telephoned Rhiannon: I have found you a florist business that seems a good target to purchase and I have also found an experienced florist, Mrs Maxine Hubbard, who is prepared to work with your proposal of training Miss Begging Escort.

Rhiannon: Thank you. I will meet with Mrs Maxine Hubbard and have a discussion with her.

That discussion took place in the café across the road from the record shop. Rhiannon told Mrs Maxine Hubbard about her own transition from Tea Drinker to Ordinary Record Shop Girl and how she wants to offer a similar opportunity to Miss Begging Escort. The Private Investigation firm was further evidence of her reformation business strategy.

Mrs Maxine Hubbard told Rhiannon she was prepared to get on board.

Rhiannon then telephoned Mr Loan Shark: “Come to the café across the road from the record shop now and bring your two employees with you. I have a new business venture to discuss.”

Mr Loan Shark: We will be there in fifteen (15) minutes.

Upon their arrival Rhiannon conducted introductions.

Rhiannon: “Gentlemen, Mrs Maxine Hubbard will be running Floraville, my new business venture, a florist, and part of your duties will now include conducting flower deliveries for that business, as required. It should not take you too long to see how the florist business can assist your business. I am not interested in this business failing, so do not let me down. The lass you know as Miss Begging Escort will be working with Mrs Hubbard. An exchange of contact details seems appropriate.

“I will let Miss Begging Escort know of these developments.

Are there any questions?”

There were no questions.

Rhiannon: Thank you for your attendance everyone. I now have to leave.

Rhiannon then telephoned Mr Phineas Rothsenberry: Everyone is on board for the florist business. We can now make it happen.

Rhiannon then telephoned Miss Begging Escort: Miss Penelope Styles, Come and have dinner with me at the Minor Key Café, your new life as a florist is soon to begin.

Penelope Styles: As she burst into tears, “Thank you. I will be there in about 30 minutes.” 

The Loan Shark Dilemma

Just over a week after the Red Note Records Hustle where Rhiannon used her newly acquired skills to secure the return of the money ripped off from her boss the record shop owner, she went to visit the loan shark who was involved in the return of the money.

The Loan Shark

When she arrived at the loan shark premises, Rhiannon spoke to Mr Loan Shark, who conveniently was at the premises at the time:

“Hello, Mr Loan Shark. My boss is very happy that her money has been returned to her. I am glad you were able to assist my boss in achieving the return of the money.

Hello, Mr Goon. I see your hand is healing. Good news.”

Both Mr Loan Shark and Mr Goon were a little perplexed by and apprehensive about the visit by Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: No need to be concerned, chaps. This is a friendly, social visit. To make it easier for you in future, you may call me Miss Rhiannon.”

In unison they said: “Thank you, Miss Rhiannon.”

Immediately upon doing so, a large man walked through the front door of the loan shark premises. He proceeded straight to Mr Loan Shark.

Rhiannon stepped back and against the wall. The new arrival seemed oblivious to her presence. He seemed familiar to Rhiannon, from her Tea Drinking Club days. She then realised he was a brutal Iron Curtain assassin and liked to get physical. Her memories of him were not fond and she could not remember any good stories about him, other than he paid well.

Whilst Yuri was having his terse conversation with Mr Loan Shark, Rhiannon checked her handbag and was pleased when she found her firearm.

Rhiannon then spoke out loud: “Excuse me, gentlemen. Would you have the correct time? My watch seems to have stopped.”

A somewhat confused Yuri turned around to Rhiannon. Before another word was uttered, Rhiannon shot Yuri in his left knee. She then shot him in each thigh.

Rhiannon: “Oh dear. That was clumsy of me.”

Yuri fell to the floor in pain.

Rhiannon to a shocked Mr Loan Shark: “Mr Loan Shark, May I use your telephone?”

A speechless Mr Loan Shark nodded and handed Rhiannon his telephone. 

Rhiannon: “Nicky Parsons, I was having a pleasant social visit with my new friend Mr Loan Shark, when a brutal Iron Curtain assassin paid him a visit. Yuri now has a problem with his knee and he is bleeding a bit from his thighs. I thought you might like to have a chat with Yuri. We are happy to wait here with Yuri until you arrive.

Nicky Parsons: Again, Rhiannon? I will try to find some colleagues and see you shortly.

Rhiannon: Good news, Yuri. My friend the government agent with a taste for Iron Curtain assassins is coming here very shortly to visit you.

Yuri then started yelling at Rhiannon, through his pain.

Rhiannon: There is no need to yell, Yuri. And you should save your energy for when my friend the government agent gets here. I expect she will want to have a long chat with you. I understand she even has secure hospitality for chaps like you.

Yuri continued yelling at Rhiannon.

Rhiannon walked over to Mr Goon and spoke to him: “Mr Goon, Pay attention. This is a learning exercise for you.”

Rhiannon then located her firearm again and walked to Yuri on the floor of the loan shark premises. Yuri was still yelling and had progressed to threatening Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: “Watch closely, Mr Goon.”

She grabbed Yuri by the hair and repositioned his head so they were facing each other. As Yuri opened his mouth to yell again, Rhiannon put the barrel of her firearm in his mouth.

Rhiannon: You have a big mouth for a brutal Iron Curtain assassin, Yuri.

She then shot him three (3) times in his mouth.

There was no more talking, yelling or breathing from Yuri.

Rhiannon then let go of the hair of Yuri and he slumped to the floor. She then went over to Mr Loan Shark and asked to use the telephone again.

The telephone was provided to her.

Rhiannon rang MI6 again: May I speak with Agent Emily, please? She works with Agent Nicky Parsons. She is not available. There is another woman who works in their team. May I speak with her? Harriet? Yes. That is her name, Harriet.

Agent Harriet, It is Rhiannon from the record shop. There has been a bit of excitement at the premises of a loan shark friend of mine near my record shop. Unfortunately Yuri, the brutal Iron Curtain assassin did not survive the excitement. Perhaps you could bring a team to clean up after Yuri. I would have told Agent Nicky Parsons, but she is already on her way here. I will fill you all in when you get here.

Harriet: That is some quiet life you are living. I will organise a team and see you shortly.

Rhiannon: Thank you.

Rhiannon ended the telephone call and spoke to Mr Goon: “Good to see you have not fainted, Mr Goon.”

Nicky Parsons then entered the premises with Emily and M1.

Rhiannon: Nicky, Emily, M1, Hello. Yuri got a bit lippy after I telephoned you and he started threatening me, so I took care of him.

Yuri was a surprise visitor for me here today and he brought back rather too many unpleasant memories. He liked to get physical. He was not prepared to wait until you arrived to do his talking. Anyway, Yuri will no longer be killing anyone.

Emily: Have you considered putting intermediate gears in your gearbox, Rhiannon, instead of just drive and turbo-charged overdrive?

Rhiannon: I will try to bear that in mind the next time I am threatened by a brutal Iron Curtain assassin, Emily.

Harriet and her clean up crew then entered the premises.

Harriet: Your new hobby is quite something, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: It did not look like Yuri was inviting Mr Loan Shark for tea and muffins, Harriet.

Nicky Parsons: OK. We will clean this up. There is one less Iron Curtain bad guy to trouble us.

Rhiannon: I have got to get back to the record shop. I will see you all later.

MI6 cleaned up the scene and then returned to headquarters.

Mr Goon spoke to Mr Loan Shark: If Rhiannon was not here ...

Mr Loan Shark: I am not sure I want to think about if Rhiannon was not here.

Record Shop

A Wednesday morning just over two weeks later, the manager of the café across the road from the record shop visited Rhiannon in the record shop. There was no one else in the shop at the time.

Café Manager: “Rhiannon, I have just had another distressing telephone call and I do not know where else to turn. At 4:00 pm today I will be getting another visit from criminals who want me to pay protection money and I do not have the money to pay them.”

Rhiannon: Protection Money? How long has this been going on?

Café Manager: About two months.

Rhiannon: You should not have to pay protection money and we do not need criminals in this neighbourhood.

Café Manager: I have not told the police because the criminals said not to get them involved.

Rhiannon: Would you like me to be with you in your café when these criminals visit you at 4:00 pm?

Café Manager: Yes, please.

Rhiannon: How many criminals are there?

Café Manager: Usually two or three.

Rhiannon: You can stay here and compose yourself. I will make a telephone call.

Rhiannon the telephoned the loan shark: Mr Loan Shark, It seems there is going to be something of a situation near my record shop at about 4:00 pm today. I will need your Mr Goon to come and assist me. Have him be at my record shop at 3:45 pm and tell him to come prepared. Is that going to be a problem?

Mr Loan Shark: Miss Rhiannon, It will not be a problem. He will be there and he will be prepared.

Rhiannon: When I say prepared, Mr Loan Shark, I mean the kind of prepared that gave Dietrich the German Communist a problem with his knee. Have I made myself clear?

Mr Loan Shark: Yes, Miss Rhiannon, you have made yourself clear. He will be there and he will be prepared.

Rhiannon: Good. This is another community service you will be doing. Helping rid the neighbourhood of criminals.

Mr Loan Shark: I understand, Mis Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mr Loan Shark.

Mrs Café Manager, You can stay here and listen to records with me until you feel like returning to your café.

Café Manager: Thank you, Rhiannon.

As 3:45 pm approached, Mr Goon arrived at the record store. He was wearing an overcoat and when he opened it, he showed Rhiannon he was prepared.

Rhiannon: Good work, Mr Goon. I had to go home to get better prepared.

The café across the road is being forced to pay protection money. At 4:00 pm today that practice will stop. I will be the one doing the talking to the criminals and you will be my back up. Now you understand why you are here.

Mr Goon: I understand, Miss Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: “Let us go and find somewhere to sit in the café.”

As Rhiannon and Mr Goon took their seats near the service counter, Mrs Café Manager attended them and said she would get them a pot of tea.

Mrs Café Manager was serving them their pot of tea when the three criminals arrived.

Mrs Café Manager: That is them. They have just arrived.

Rhiannon: You go and deal with them and do not mention we are here.

Mrs Café Manager: OK.

The criminals then made their protection money demand on Mrs Café Manager.

Mrs Café Manager: I cannot pay you. I do not have the money.

The Chief Criminal: You have to pay us. And you have to pay us, now.

Rhiannon then located her firearm and shot the Chief Criminal in each of his calves. He fell to the floor. She then shot him in his left knee.

The other two criminals were surprised and stood frozen temporarily.

Rhiannon continued: “Get on the floor.”

Rhiannon then approached the blonde criminal. She grabbed him by the hair and put her firearm in his face.

Mr Goon had his firearm drawn and was standing over the brunette criminal.

Rhiannon: There will be no protection money paid today or ever. You are going to write down your names and address on the paper the Café Manager gives you. You do not want to argue with me and you do not want to lie to me.

Mrs Café Manager then gave each of the three criminals a piece of paper and a pen.

The blonde criminal said: No.

Rhiannon immediately shot him in the forehead, to the shock of everyone in the café. His criminal days were over.

She then approached the Chief Criminal: “I want your address, criminal. Both work and home address. If you think you are in too much pain, then I will have to kill you. Make your choice.”

The brunette criminal had written down his name and addresses and given it to Mr Goon.

Rhiannon: “Good job, Mr Brunette Criminal. Now write down the name and address of your friend who is bleeding here.”

Mr Brunette Criminal: I do not know his home address.

Rhiannon: Write down what you know.

Mrs Café Manager gave Mr Brunette Criminal more paper and he began furiously writing on it.

Rhiannon: Your future is looking bleak, Mr Chief Criminal. You are going to give back to Mrs Café Manager all the money you have taken from her. Your name and addresses will help in that process.

The Chief Criminal then gave his piece of paper with his name and addresses on it to Rhiannon. She then gave it to Mr Goon: Do they match?

Mr Goon then compared it to the information Mr Brunette Criminal provided and nodded. He then gave all the paper to Rhiannon, who put it in her pocket.

Rhiannon: "So far, so good, criminals.

Mrs Café Manager, How much money have they taken from you?"

Mrs Café Manager: 700 pounds.

Rhiannon: Mr Chief Criminal, You owe Mrs Café Manager 700 pounds. If that debt is not paid in full today, that debt will become 1,000 pounds. You have to pay interest on your loan.

Have you got 700 pounds on you, Mr Chief Criminal?

Chief Criminal: No.

Rhiannon: How much have you got?

Chief Criminal: 300 pounds.

Rhiannon: Give it to Mrs Café Manager immediately. If you decide to be clever in the process, I will kill you. Choose wisely, Mr Chief Criminal.

Mr Chief Criminal then produced 300 pounds from his pocket and gave it to Rhiannon.

Rhiannon then gave it to Mrs Café Manager.

Rhiannon: Count it to be sure how much you have been paid.

Mrs Café Manager: 300 pounds.

Rhiannon: Your problems keep escalating, Mr Chief Criminal.

Give the keys to your motor vehicle to my colleague.

Mr Brunette Criminal then gave the keys to their motor vehicle to Mr Goon.

Rhiannon: Mrs Café Manager, May I use your telephone.

Mrs Café Manager then gave Rhiannon the telephone.

Rhiannon: “Dietrich, Hello. It is Rhiannon from the record shop. How are you? How is the knee? Do you think you can find any other those degenerate German Communists you fund to take care of some criminals who want a business in my neighbourhood to pay protection money? Are you sure, Dietrich? Are you sure you want to disappoint me? That is unfortunate Dietrich. I was hoping you would be more helpful. Especially after all we have been through.

I may have to talk to you later, Dietrich.”

Rhiannon then telephoned Nicky Parsons: “Nicky, Are degenerate criminals who wanted the café across the road from my record shop to pay protection money of any interest to you? Got any raids in the works that could benefit from human shields?

Nicky Parsons: Rhiannon, Have you thought of retiring and working in a record shop?

Rhiannon: This business comes to me. I do not seek it out. Plus I do not fancy the prospect of being asked to pay protection money, so I decided to deal with these criminals. One career came to an end today. Another guy has a problem with his knee and some bleeding.

Nicky Parsons: Still just two gears in your gearbox, I see.

Rhiannon: My effective gear would be more effective if you were more helpful today. I cannot interest you in the boss of these criminals? I got them to write down their work and home addresses, as well as their names.

Nicky Parsons: I am restricted to dealing with Iron Curtain bad guys. Your criminals do not qualify.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Nicky. Enjoy your day.

Rhiannon: Mr Brunette Criminal, Write down the name, work address and telephone number of the boss of your organisation.

Mrs Café Manager supplied him with more paper and he did as he was asked.

Rhiannon then retrieved the paper and telephoned the boss.

Rhiannon: "It does not matter to whom in the organisation I am talking, some of your crew tried to demand protection money from a café in my neighbourhood this afternoon. One of your guys is dead, the Chief Criminal will now have a dodgy knee for the rest of his life and he has some other wounds and Mr Brunette Criminal has been more cooperative.

You owe the Café Manager the $700 you took from her and I expect it to be repaid today.

Mr Chief Criminal would talk to you, but he has my gun in his mouth."

Mr Goon then shoved Mr Brunette Criminal and he yelled: “She is telling the truth.”

Rhiannon: “I do not need much of an excuse to kill Mr Chief Criminal. Get the boss down here and bring the 700 pounds with him.”

Rhiannon then rang Mr Loan Shark: “Mr Loan Shark, I think you should come to the café across the road from my record shop. Come prepared and bring all the muscle you can get together. There is someone demanding protection money and I am putting a stop to it.”

Mr Loan Shark: I will see who I can hustle up.

Rhiannon telephoned Nicky Parsons again: Nicky, I suspect there is going to be an ugly confrontation. Are you sure you do not want to be here? It would be handy if M1 brought his sniper rifle.

Nicky: Who have you threatened?

Rhiannon: The boss of the protection gang.

Nicky: Two gears: Calm and trouble.

Rhiannon: Got to go, Nicky.

Rhiannon: Mr Brunette Criminal, When your work colleagues arrive, you will identify them. Your life depends upon it. Are we clear?

Brunette Criminal: Yes.

Rhiannon: Surrender your firearm.

Mr Brunette Criminal handed his firearm to Mr Goon, who gave it to Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Where does the Chief Criminal keep his firearm?

Mr Brunette Criminal: Inside his jacket, on the left side.

Rhiannon: Mr Chief Criminal, Surrender your firearm or I will take it. If I have to take it, I will punish you.

Mr Chief Criminal surrendered his firearm to Rhiannon.

Mr Loan Shark then arrived and walked over to Rhiannon.

“I came prepared and so did my colleague.”

Rhiannon: “Good. We are waiting for their boss to arrive.”

Mr Brunette Criminal then said: “He is here.”

Mr Brunette Criminal spoke to the guy in the fur overcoat: “Boss, Things did not go so well.”

Mr Fur Overcoat: What is going on?

Rhiannon then shot Mr Fur Overcoat in his knee and his thighs.

Rhiannon yelled: Get on the floor.

Mr Fur Overcoat had fallen to the floor and his two offsiders lay on the floor.

Rhiannon: “Mr Loan Shark, You can check them for firearms. If they move, shoot them.

Mr Fur Overcoat, it was an enormous mistake forcing my friend to pay protection money. We do not want your kind in this neighbourhood. You owe her $700 pounds. Pay up."

Rhiannon then walked over to Mr Fur Overcoat, grabbed him by the hair and forced his head to look at her. She then put her firearm against his forehead.

Rhiannon: “You have 30 seconds to produce the $700 pounds you owe my friend.”

No movement from Mr Fur Overcoat.

Rhiannon: 20 seconds.

Still no movement.

Rhiannon: 10 seconds.

Mr Fur Overcoat was defiant.

To the shock of everyone, Rhiannon then put three bullets in his forehead.

Rhiannon: The debt has to be paid. Check his colleagues for money. Also, take any car keys they may have.

Mr Loan Shark, I assume you will be able to sell their motor vehicles for them and give the proceeds to Mrs Café Manager.

Mr Loan Shark: Yes.

Rhiannon: The lives of you criminals are shortening by the second. Produce the money you owe Mrs Café Manager and you may live.

It is tawdry, Mr Loan Shark, but take their watches etc as well. A disreputable second hand dealer may give you a few dollars cash for them.

Mr Brunette Criminal, Is this all your crew here now?

Mr Brunette Criminal: Yes.

Rhiannon: How are we going for cash, Mr Loan Shark?

Mr Loan Shark: 500 pounds, some change, a couple of watches and 2 sets of car keys.

Rhiannon: Mr Loan Shark, Could you make any use of Mr Brunette Criminal? Think carefully. He is not allowed to disappoint me.

Mr Loan Shark: Yes. I believe we could discipline him, so he becomes productive and he does not disappoint you.

Rhiannon: That is your lifeline, Mr Brunette Criminal.

Rhiannon then walked over to the two criminals who accompanied Mr Fur Overcoat and shot them in the head.

The people in the café exclaimed in shock.

Rhiannon: Never threaten me. Never threaten my friends.

Mrs Café Manager, Shortly you should have all the money that was taken from you returned to you.

Rhiannon walked over to Mr Chief Criminal and put her firearm against his forehead. He had lost quite a bit of blood by this stage.

“You have a choice. I call the police and you take responsibility for all of this or I kill you. There is a few of us here now. We could use you for target practice. I should add, I have no intention of calling an ambulance for you.”

Mr Chief Criminal said nothing.

Rhiannon: It seems appropriate that I use your firearm to kill you, Mr Chief Criminal.

She then put two rounds in his forehead. His criminal days were over.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mr Loan Shark. I have the contact details of Mr Brunette Criminal. You may wish to take note of them for yourself. It seems pretty clear now he is aware of his future if he disappoints me.

Mr Loan Shark: I have them. My colleague and I will now return to our business.

Rhiannon: Mrs Café Manager, May I use your telephone again?

The telephone was then given to Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Nicky, Mrs Café Manager will get her money returned to her. There were some deaths, but only bad guys. So, it turns out we did not need your help. Enjoy your day. I have to go.

Police Arrive

Two uniformed police officers then walked in to the café.

Police: What happened here?

Mrs Café Manager: Some men called on me and demanded that I pay them protection money. I said I did not have any money to pay them. Shortly afterwards their boss arrived with more men and an argument ensued.

Rhiannon: They were violent and unreasonable men. Not gentlemen, at all.

Police: Some of them seem dead.

Rhiannon: Like I said: violent and unreasonable men.

Police: Who are you?

Rhiannon: I am a friend of Mrs Café Manager. I am from the record shop across the road. It is scary that there are people demanding we pay protection money. I am here to support Mrs Café Manager. I think you will find no one else in the café saw anything.

The Police looked at Rhiannon and then asked: Did anyone see anything?

A variety of “No” rang out from those in the café.

Police: Five men dead and no one saw anything?

Rhiannon: It is shocking having these criminals in the neighbourhood.

Mrs Café Manager: The entire episode terrified me.

Police: OK. We get the picture. None of you saw anything about these five men dying.

Rhiannon: Five dangerous criminals, who wanted Mrs Café Manager to pay protection money.

Police: OK. We will wrap this up and clean it up.

When the police left the café, Mrs Café Manager spoke to Rhiannon: Thank you. This could not have been resolved without you. It is a small gesture, but please stay and have dinner with me here this evening.

Rhiannon: I was happy to help and I will gladly dine with you this evening. 

Music and Fashion

Around morning tea time the day after M2 visited Rhiannon at her record shop, The Boss made one of his unplanned and unexpected visits to the office of Nicky Parsons. He was pleased to see all three Stuffy Shirts were present.

As he walked through the door of the Parsons office and closed the door after him, he said:

“Oh good. We are the most bizarre people for happenstance. One of my photographers just happened to be in your neighbourhood last night on business that had nothing to do with you or your team.”

As he pulled a photograph from his jacket pocket and placed it on the desk in front of Nicky Parsons, the Boss said:

• Someday my Prince will come, Nicky. Someday my Prince will come.

When Nicky saw the photograph, she said: “No way.”

Harriet then moved to view the photograph: “Well, how about that?"

When Emily saw the photograph, she said: “I do not think they are drinking Russian Caravan tea”.

Nicky: I am pretty sure it is English Breakfast.”

The Boss: Well done, ladies. I hope M2 finds happiness.

The Boss then reached over, took the photograph and returned it to his pocket.

As the Boss was walking out the door, he smiled at the Stuffy Shirts and said: “Have a good day, ladies.”

The Boss Goes On an Errand

When the Boss reached his secretary, he said to her: I am going on an errand. I do not plan to be long.

Secretary: OK.

The Boss then took a train ride to the Rhiannon Record Store.

As he entered her store, her boss was serving a customer and Rhiannon was free at the service counter.

Boss: Good morning, Miss. I am hopeful you have small note paper with the name and details of your store on it. The kind of note paper on which I might write a note for a gift record.

Rhiannon then produced a small pad with note paper similar to that described by the Boss.

“Is this what you are looking for , Sir?”

Boss: This is ideal, Miss. And I am confident I will only need one.

Rhiannon: Take three, just in case.

Boss: As you wish, Miss.

The Boss then placed the three pieces of note paper in his jacket pocket.

Boss: You have been enormously helpful, Miss. Thank you. Have a good day.

The Boss then made his way to the train station and took a train ride back to MI6 headquarters.

Upon his arrival, he proceeded to the office of M2. Conveniently for the plan of the Boss, M2 was not present at the time.

The Boss then took one of his Rhiannon Record Shop notes from his pocket and proceeded to write M2 a note.

“M2

I hope you find happiness.

The Boss”

The Boss then placed the note in the middle of the M2 desk, under a paper weight.

He then returned to his office.

Four (4) minutes later, M2 was back in his office.

He saw the note:

• From his Boss

• On Rhiannon Record Shop note paper.

He said nothing.

He put the note in a pocket of his jacket.

Stuffy Shirts

As the Boss closed the door and left the office, Emily said: “Harriet, I thought you said your job was to kill romance.”

Harriet: I hope I failed this time.

Nicky said more to herself than anyone else:

• Would you stay if she promised you heaven?

• Would you stay if she promised you heaven?

Emily and Harriet looked at Nicky, saw the look on her face and said nothing.

Nicky has a Plan

Around 11:00 am the following morning, Nicky Parsons telephoned Hildegarde, the West German girlfriend of Agent Manchester, at her Carnaby Street clothing store.

Parsons: Hildegarde, It is Nicky Parsons. Do you get a lunch break?

Hildegarde: Yes.

Nicky: Can I interest you in having lunch with me today?

Hildegarde: Yes.

Parsons: Tell me a time.

Hildegarde: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Parsons: I will be there shortly.

Hildegarde: OK

By 12:25 pm Nicky Parsons had made her way to the Hildegarde Carnaby Street clothing store. As they exchanged greetings, Nicky said: “The lunch venue is your choice.”

Hildegarde led Nicky to a café neither had previously attended. After the ladies placed their orders, they found themselves a table at which to sit.

Nicky: I have an idea that involves you and I want to see if it can work.

Does your clothing store do fashion shows?

Hildegarde: Yes. Occasionally. They are not very big.

Nicky: Do you have music at them?

Hildegarde: Yes. The boss knows a disc jockey and he helps her out.

Nicky: Somewhat similar to the way I met you, I met someone who works in a small record shop. I was wondering if the two of you could help each other out.

My idea is, at your next fashion show the record shop that employs my friend supplies the music you play. The advertising for your fashion show would indicate your store supplied the clothes, and her store supplied the music. Both shops could carry advertising for the fashion show and hopefully increase business for each of you.

I have not spoken to the record store lady. I thought I would start with you.

The fashion show might give us all a chance to see each other again and hopefully the troublemakers that keep me employed will stay away, so your fashion show can be a success.

Hildegarde: "I like your idea. I will ask my boss about it.

Why would this interest you?"

Nicky: I have an interest in seeing each of you succeed.

Hildegarde: I will ask my boss about it and if I need to sell it to my boss, I may get you to come along and sell it as well.

Nicky: In the meantime, I will try to talk to the record store lady and see if she is interested in the idea.

A byproduct of my idea is we get to have lunch together.

Hildegarde: You will be pleased to know that the clothing shop has had no repeat of the excitement the last time you visited.

Nicky: Hopefully they continue to stay away from your shop and your fashion show. You would be amazed how inconsiderate the troublemakers who keep me employed are of my working hours.

The remainder of the lunch break was pleasantly consumed by discussion of mundane matters.

Hildegarde: It is wonderful to see you again, Nicky. I am going to return to work. I will let you know what my boss says about your idea.

Nicky: Thank you for having lunch with me. It has been great to see you.

Nicky then made her way to the train station and caught a train to her neighbourhood.

When Nicky arrived at the Rhiannon Record store, there was only Rhiannon and the store owner in the store.

Rhiannon: Nicky, This is a surprise.

Nicky: "I may have another surprise for you. A friend of mine works in a clothing store in Carnaby Street. Occasionally they have fashion shows and music plays a part in those shows.

My idea hopes to get you, really this store, involved in one of the fashion shows. Her shop supplies the clothes, your store, this store, supplies the music. That is how the advertising for the fashion show would be presented. Hopefully business would increase for each of your stores. My clothing store friend will talk to her boss to see if she is interested. We have just discussed it over lunch. Now I am here talking to you about it.

So, Hello to you both. That is why I am here."

Store Owner: That is an interesting proposal. You have no financial interest in either business.

Nicky: My friends work in the stores. I have an interest in seeing them do OK at their work and the businesses that employ them do OK.

Store Owner: I am interested enough in your idea to discuss it with the clothing shop owner and see if the idea can work.

Nicky: I will let you know what my friend from the clothing store says after she speaks with her boss.

Thank you, ladies. I had better return to my work.

Rhiannon: Thank you for coming, Nicky.

Hildegarde Calls

Two days later Hildegarde telephoned Nicky Parsons and told her:

“The clothing store owner liked your idea. She was in the early stages of planning her next fashion show, which was scheduled for about 6 weeks time. So there is time for it to happen at the next show”

Nicky replied: “That is good news. I will give you the contact details of the Rhiannon record store and the two store owners can liaise with each other to see if they can make the plan work.

Another trip to Carnaby Street may be required.”

Hildegarde: There are worse things in life than a trip to Carnaby Street, Nicky.

Nicky: I seem to recall Carnaby Street has tea and muffins.

Hildegarde: And one or two clothing stores. Plus a fashion show.

Nicky: Hildegarde with the hustle. Nice work. Have a good day, Hildegarde.

Hildegarde: Have a good day, Nicky.

Meeting of The Stuffy Shirts

Nicky then telephoned Emily: Miss Abernathy, Are you free?

Emily: Yes.

Nicky: I will pop round.

When Nicky arrived at Emily’s office, she telephoned Harriet: Are you free for a Stuffy Shirts meeting?

Harriet: Yes.

Nicky: We are on our way.

Three (3) minutes later the Stuffy Shirts were holding a closed door meeting in Harriet’s office.

Nicky: Ladies, I have some very important Stuffy Shirts business to discuss with you.

The Carnaby Street clothing store that employs our friend Hildegarde is planning a fashion show for about six (6) weeks time. It seems to me that might be something which requires the attendance of the Stuffy Shirts.

There is more. I have a plan in respect of the fashion show and the owners of the two stores involved are interested in trying to make it happen.

The Hildegarde shop supplies the clothes for the fashion show, and the Rhiannon Record Store supplies the music. That is how the advertising for the fashion show would be presented. Hopefully business would increase for each of the stores. 

Emily: You propose we be tasked with the very important duty of attending the fashion show?

Nicky: Yes.

Harriet: Seems some Carnaby Street socialising could be involved.

Nicky: Indeed.

Emily: Fashion and music at Carnaby Street?

Nicky: Yes.

Harriet: This has Stuffy Shirts written all over it.

Nicky: Hildegarde can keep us up to date on how the fashion show is progressing. If you are curious, contact Hildegarde.

Emily: You know what is now required?

Harriet: Lunch?

Emily: Indeed.

Nicky: Bring your coat and handbag, while we collect ours.

Lady Harriet and Revelations

Just over a week later, Agent Emily telephoned Nicky Parsons: “Parsons, My office. Now.” And hung up.

Agent Parsons immediately went to the office of Agent Emily.

Emily to Nicky: Come with me.

Emily then hustled to the office of Agent Harriet and closed the door upon Emily and Nicky entering.

Emily: Agent Harriet, I believe that you are not really Miss Harriet, you are in fact Lady Harriet. Lady Harriet. Would you care to explain?

Harriet: Good morning, ladies. I am a cousin of the Queen.

Emily; But you are a ruthless killer.

Harriet: That is a bit harsh.

Emily: My apologies. A ruthless assassin.

Harriet: Much better.

Nicky: Lady Harriet?

Harriet: The men join the military. I joined MI6.

Nicky: Not concerned with the dying?

Harriet: I am trying to avoid the dying. At least for another 70 years.

Emily: So you are really Harriet Windsor?

Harriet: There are other names in my family, but you guessed correctly

Emily: Lady Harriet Windsor, What should we call you?

Harriet: Harriet. You call me Harriet. I am pretty sure M2 called me some other names recently. I prefer Harriet to those names.

Nicky: No security detail for you?

Harriet: I enjoy no more security than you.

Nicky: Lady Harriet Windsor has the same security as me, none?

Harriet: Firearms training comes in handy.

Nicky: Why should we risk taking you on missions?

Harriet: It goes with the job. I serve Queen and Country, just like you.

Emily: What do you call The Queen?

Harriet: I would not call her Lizzy. A nuclear bomb would be safer than calling her Lizzy. I call her, Your Majesty.

Emily: She is your cousin.

Harriet: She is The Queen.

Nicky: A cousin of The Queen is an Intelligence Officer at MI6.

Harriet; And a member of The Famous Five.

Emily: So you really are a Stuffy Shirt?

Harriet: I am the stuffiest of Stuffy Shirts.

So now you know my story.

I will make you a deal, Nicky. You tell me your story and I will take you to meet The Queen. Not just a five (5) second Hello. I will give you the full deal.

But you tell me your story. All of it.

Nicky: You will not believe my story.

Harriet: Tell it to me anyway.

Nicky (Took a deep breath): "I am a time traveller from the year 2025. I am an MI6 agent from 2025, who has been transported in time back to 1962.

The first person I killed here, the one that interrupted my Saturday breakfast at The Minor Key Café, I knew to be a very dangerous Iron Curtain assassin and if I took him out when I did, I would stop him from killing a lot of people.

Once I killed him, I realised the difficulty I created for myself about my presence here and my knowledge. So I concocted the story about him being a creep.

My story is I am a time traveller from 2025. A time-travelling 2025 MI6 spy.

Now you know. You are the only two people who know, apart from me."

Harriet: That is a better story than being a cousin of The Queen.

Emily: I am not so sure about that.

Time-travel explains your scatterbrain moments, Nicky.

I do not have a story and certainly not one that can compete with you two.

Harriet: A time-traveller. I am probably not going to tell that to The Queen.

Nicky: You do not need a story, Emily. Your story is fine as it is.

Emily: This certainly is an unexpected turn of events.

Harriet: Time-Traveller, Would you and Miss Abernathy like to adjourn for lunch?

Nicky: Definitely, Lady Harriet.

Emily: I may drink a pot of tea myself.

Harriet: Lunch it is, then.

Rhiannon Roles Away The Stone

The reckoning for Rhiannon came in circumstances she did not expect. Every time she walked on the footpath outside her Tea Drinking Club she thought of M2 taking out the Problem Tea Drinker. Every time, without fail. It haunted her. There were a couple of days where she could not bring herself to go to work. Every subsequent day got harder and harder to go to work.

A small record store in her neighbourhood had a job advertisement posted on the store window. Rhiannon approached the store owner and said she would like to apply for the job, even though she had no previous experience working in a record store or in retail. Mrs 40Something Record Store Owner said she was not troubled by that apparent lack of experience. The two women spent quite a bit of time talking about music.

Mrs 40Something: If you are prepared to come back here tomorrow, just before closing time, I will show you what is required of the job, once the store is closed. If that works out, the job is yours.

Rhiannon: Thank you. I will be here.

The meeting ended and Rhiannon left the record store.

The following day Rhiannon returned to the record store, as arranged. She was hopeful, rather than confident. Mrs 40Something was welcoming and patient. Meeting number two went surprisingly well and at the end, Mrs 40Something said to Rhiannon: “The job is yours, if you want it.”

Rhiannon: I definitely want the job.

Mrs 40Something: Welcome to the music industry. You can start Monday morning at 8:30 am.

Rhiannon: Thank you.

As Mrs 40Something closed the record store door behind Rhiannon, Rhiannon could no longer hold back her tears. She was not concerned about the modest pay that came with the job, Rhiannon had what she needed, a chance of a new life.

This was the best Rhiannon had felt for some time.

When she started her record store job, Rhiannon had fewer problems than she thought might be the case. The small store and modest customer base helped Rhiannon acclimatise to her new job. Two weeks into that new job, Rhiannon contacted her Tea Drinking Club and informed them she would no longer be working for them.

The Minor Key Café

On a Saturday morning three months into her new job, Rhiannon walked past the Minor Key Café and saw Nicky Parsons apparently dining alone. Rhiannon made haste to her record store, which was located not all that far away. She purchased a copy of the 1961 album by The Miles Davis Sextet, Someday My Prince Will Come and hustled back to the Minor Key Café.

She entered the café and made her way to the Nicky Parsons table.

Rhiannon: Do you mind if I join you?

Nicky Parsons barely interrupted her eating, but gestured to a seat at her table.

Rhiannon sat in that seat.

Rhiannon: How are you?

Parsons: Still doing my dirty job.

Rhiannon: How is M2 doing?

Parsons: Really? How is M2 doing?

Rhiannon: Yes. I want him to be OK.

Parsons: Perhaps you should have given greater credence to those thoughts when you first met him.

Rhiannon: I have something I would like you to give him from me.

Parsons: Haven’t you done enough damage?

Rhiannon: It is a record of the 1961 album by The Miles Davis Sextet, Someday My Prince Will Come from the record shop where I now work.

Parsons: Someday My Prince Will Come?

Rhiannon: I no longer work at the Tea Drinking Club. I now work at a small record store not far from here. My new employer was kind enough to not ask questions about my past.

Parsons: A convenient transition to a new life for you.

Rhiannon; Not an easy one. The epiphany could not have occurred without meeting you.

I want M2 to be OK. Can you give him the record, please?

Parsons: You ask a lot. I am not sure you give much in return.

Rhiannon: If you will not give M2 the record, keep it for yourself. The gift is sincere.

I will now leave you to your meal.

It is good to see you, Nicky.

Rhiannon then got out of her chair and just before she turned to leave the café, she said to Nicky: Someday My Prince Will Come, Nicky. Someday My Prince Will Come.

As Nicky Parsons watched Rhiannon leave the café and then she finished her meal, Nicky was not sure what to make of Rhiannon. She left the record on the table while she finished her meal and she took it home with her when she was finished.

Harriet Goes To The Rhiannon Record Store

A few weeks later, early on a Tuesday afternoon Agent Harriet wandered into the Rhiannon Record Store. Harriet and Rhiannon were the only people in the store at the time.

Rhiannon: Good afternoon, Miss.

Harriet looked at Rhiannon and immediately recognised her.

Rhiannon: This is where I work now. Permanently. You are a friend of Nicky Parsons and Emily Abernathy. Please do not leave, Miss. Please stay and talk to me.

Harriet: Perhaps I should stay here and shoot you.

Rhiannon: You think about doing that, Miss, while I talk to you.

Harriet: What happened to the Tea Drinkers Club?

Rhiannon: I left that job when I got this job. A deliberate choice on my part.

Harriet: You are no longer a tea drinker?

Rhiannon: My tea drinking is now confined to purely your kind of tea drinking.

Harriet: A record store.

Rhiannon: My employer was kind enough to not ask questions about my past. This is my new life. It is a better life.

Miss, Please tell how M2 is. I want him to be OK.

Harriet: M2 is getting better. Still a particularly good shot and quite ruthless. Good qualities to have in our line of work.

Rhiannon: Miss, I could give you any number of gifts and ask you to pass them on to M2 from me. Perhaps you would pass them on, perhaps not. What I would really like is to see M2 again.

Harriet: That is quite some request.

Rhiannon: Perhaps you could invite him to this shop for me. You could come with him. You and your firearm.

Put your firearm away for the time being, Miss. Save it for when you return with M2. If the meeting goes badly, use your firearm and end this misery for everyone.

Alternatively, you could have some faith and believe I only want happiness for M2 and I want to be part of that happiness.

I have made plenty of mistakes, Miss. More than I care to count. I cannot erase my past. I can only try to have a better future.

Please invite M2 here for me, Miss.

Harriet: I will do what I think is best for M2. I have to return to work.

Rhiannon: Thank you for coming into the shop, Miss. And thank you for talking to me. Have a nice day, Miss.

Harriet Takes M2 To The Record Store

One Wednesday morning just over a month later, Harriet went to visit M2 in his office.

Harriet: I want you to come with me to a small record shop in the neighbourhood of Nicky Parsons.

M2: A record shop on a Wednesday morning?

Harriet: Sometimes that is the best time to go.

M2: OK.

Harriet: I have my coat and handbag. Let’s go now.

There was almost no conversation between Harriet and M2 en route to the Rhiannon Record Store, even during the short train ride.

As they approached the Rhiannon Record Shop, M2 said: Would you mind telling me what this is about?

Harriet: It is best we wait until we get to the record shop.

As Harriet opened the door for M2 and her to enter the shop, it was clear Rhiannon was the only other person in the store.

A happy, but nervous Rhiannon greeted them: Good morning, Miss. Good morning, M2. How are you?

M2 to Harriet: Did you know about this?

Harriet: It is why you are here. I will stay here by the door. Just listen to what she has to say. Then we can discuss my punishment.

Rhiannon: Please do not leave, M2. This is where I now work. You can come in and look at and listen to records any time you like. No more Tea Drinking Club for me. I am an ordinary record shop girl now. My boss was kind enough to not ask me about my past. This is now my future. I get to listen to a lot of records.

Please tell me you are OK, M2. Please tell me you are OK and that you will come back to my record shop.

M2 said to Harriet: You knew about this?

Harriet: There were some rules. I would do what I thought was in your best interests. I resisted my initial reaction to kill her. I might be wrong about her. You may have a chance at happiness with her and if that is your wish, I will not stand in your way. If she is shining you on, I will kill her. My desire to kill her is not as important as your happiness.

It is not for me to say what you should do. You choose and I will respect you choice.

There are other record stores around. You do not need to shop in this one, although I could understand why you might want to.

Rhiannon: I can barely stand up right now, M2. Please say you will come back and see me again.

M2: I am not sure what to make of either of you.

Harriet: I can live with your disappointment in me. You would not be the first man I have disappointed. The only way I could resolve this for me was to get you here as I have done, so you two could confront your situation. I could not justify denying you the possible opportunity of happiness, based only on my assessment Rhiannon. You may be more forgiving than me, M2. You are certainly a better sniper.

Rhiannon: I would prefer that the two of you stayed here, but if you have to return to work, I understand. I hope you will come back again, especially you, M2. More than anything, I hope you will come back again.

Harriet: I am going to return to work. If you want to return independent of me, that is perfectly understandable, M2.

As Harriet left the store she thought it best if she gave M2 some space, so she caught a bus back to MI6.

As Harriet left the store, Rhiannon could see M2 was preparing to leave also. She made her way to the Miles Davis records and selected a copy of Someday My Prince Will Come. She then walked over to M2.

Rhiannon: “Before you go, M2, I have a gift for you.” She then gave him the copy of Someday My Prince Will Come.

“Thank you for coming M2. It has been good to see you. You are a good man. Please come back, M2.”

M2 took the record, said “Thank you, Rhiannon” and left the store. He then returned to MI6.

Some Day Her Prince Will Come

Not 5 minutes after M2 returned from the Rhiannon Record Shop encounter, Nicky Parsons was in his office with the Someday My Prince Will Come album Rhiannon gave her to give to M2.

Nicky: I have been wrestling with this for some time. I have no idea what the correct thing to do is. I have killed a lot of people in my time, a lot of people. Killing people is far easier than this. Rhiannon approached me one Saturday morning some time ago in a café near my home. She gave me this record and asked me to give it to you.

Nicky Parsons then produced the Someday My Prince Will Come album and gave it to M2.

M2 then produced the copy of the album Rhiannon had given him at her record store.

M2: “You women need to better coordinate your approaches. I have just returned from the Rhiannon record store, with Harriet, where Rhiannon gave me this copy of the album.

I hope I am never part of a mission you planned that is this uncoordinated.”

Nicky: Oh. This is embarrassing. I do not profess to be an expert at this. Like I said earlier, killing people is much easier. Rhiannon said she wanted to see you again. My immediate reaction was I should just kill Rhiannon, but I resisted that temptation.

M2: That is the story Harriet told me in the Rhiannon Record Shop about two hours ago when she had her earlier encounter with Rhiannon.

Nicky: I am much more comfortable advising and planning on killing people than doing this.

I have no idea what you should do. We do a dirty job. It takes its toll on us. If you can find happiness, that is worth pursuing. If Rhiannon can bring you happiness, I have no intention of standing in your way. Killing her solves a problem, but it may not be the correct solution. You have done a lot for Queen and Country. Do this one for you. Do what you think is best for you.

M2: Not sure that was the advice I expected to hear from you.

Nicky: The best I can realistically offer you is, if it goes wrong, we will kill her.

Do what you think is best for you, M2. You deserve to be happy.

M2: Probably a good idea I did not kill you the day I gave you the Mission Report. It was very tempting.

Nicky: I certainly appreciate you exercising restraint on that occasion.

You are a good man, M2. Do what you think makes you happy.

I am going to return to my office.

The following day, after a thoroughly unproductive work effort, M2 left work early and made his way to the train station. Records were on his mind. When he got off the train at the Nicky Parsons stop, he made his way to a café near the Rhiannon Record Store.

He watched the store as closing time approached. M2 watched Rhiannon put up her Closed sign, as he walked across the road towards her shop. As Rhiannon stepped on to the footpath, M2 was on the footpath outside her record store.

Rhiannon could not contain herself when she saw M2: “You came”, she exclaimed, with not a care in the world that anyone might hear her. She then essentially threw herself at M2.

With Rhiannon in his arms, M2 was not concerned at all about what anyone else might think.

Rhiannon: I have something very important to tell you, M2.

Rhiannon then put a big smooch on his cheek.

Eventually M2 returned to the café across the road from the record store with Rhiannon, where they stayed until closing time demanded they leave.

Rhiannon had been given her second chance. It was up to her to ensure she did not blow it a second time.