turned to look around, and saw the shift manager officiously overseeing the distribution of cups of tea, carefully pouring it from a large, steaming metal urn into Styrofoam cups. Ruth snorted, amused.
‘What’s so funny?’ asked Jenny.
‘You know who he reminds me of?’
Jenny shook her head.
‘Remember Dad’s Army? I used to love watching that. He reminds me of Captain Mainwaring - a real busybody who loves being the heroic little organiser.’
Jenny cocked her head slightly, not convinced.
‘Remember that episode where they all end up marooned on the end of the pier overnight?’ Ruth persisted, ‘And Captain Mainwaring takes charge of distributing their rations - a small bag of humbugs?’
Jenny managed a wan smile. ‘Yeah, I see it now.’
‘Don’t you just get the feeling he’s loving it? Loving the idea of leading his little troops through this crisis? Controlling the rations, and deciding how much everyone gets. A real flippin’ power trip.’
Jenny could see how pompous and ridiculous he looked, but a small voice of reason inside her head chipped in.
Maybe, but he’s doing the smart thing though, isn’t he?
Carefully rationing from the very beginning . . . because . . .
That’s right, because who knows how long this situation will last.
He was finished pouring for his staff and approached them holding his large steaming teapot and two cups.
‘Tea?’
Ruth and Jenny nodded, and he poured them a cup each.
‘Do you think those lads will be back again? The ones that beat up Julia?’
Mr Stewart nodded. ‘Yes, I think they probably will.’
Ruth gestured towards the front of the pavilion. ‘Your nice shiny perspex frontage may well hold out to another night of pelting with paving stones and rubble. But I’m not sure it’ll stand up to a truck being driven into it.’
The manager looked out at the large vehicle parked out there in plain view . . . and blanched.
‘Yup,’ continued Ruth, ‘I’m sure that’ll occur to at least one of them nonces out there, eventually. And I’m also pretty sure at least one of the little buggers will know how to hotwire the car, or even that truck.’
Stewart nodded, his eyes widened anxiously. Some of the smug, irritating self-assurance he’d been coasting around on, had slipped away. ‘Uh . . . m-maybe someone could go out there and immobilise them somehow?’
Ruth cocked an eyebrow, ‘Yeah? Just nip out there and quickly disable them both, huh? You going to volunteer?’
Mr Stewart replied, flustered. ‘Of course I . . . I . . . but then, s-someone has to uh . . . look after my staff.’
‘Uh-huh, pretty much what I thought you’d say,’ sneered Ruth.
Jenny had an idea. ‘We could drive that truck over here, and park it right before the front wall. I think the truck’s probably just about as long as the wall is wide?’
Mr Stewart nodded. ‘Yes . . . yes I think you’re right.’
‘And that’ll be good enough to stop them using that car, or any others lying around.’
‘Yes, a very good idea,’ replied the shift manager, shaking his head vigorously. ‘So . . . uh . . . who’s going to go out there and drive it over though?’
‘More importantly,’ said Ruth, ‘who knows how to drive a rig like that? I’ve never driven anything bigger than my little car.’
‘And we don’t have the keys anyway,’ said Paul joining them in the middle of the foyer, ‘unless someone here knows how to jack a truck. I’m sure there’s a bit more to it than smashing the steering column and holding two wires together.’
‘I have the keys,’ said Mr Stewart. ‘They’re hanging up in my office. That’s Big Ron’s rig. He’s one of our regulars. The night before last he’d had one too many drinks in the back of that cab of his and was planning to carry on with his run. I took the keys off him.’
‘He’s here?’ asked Jenny.
‘No, I don’t know where he is. Probably took a room in the Lodge, a mile down the road. I’ve not seen him since this all started.’
Paul turned to look out at the front. ‘Well, we should get on and do this now, before they turn up again for an evening of fun and games.’
Mr Stewart nodded. ‘I’ll go get the keys for you.’
‘What?’ said Paul shaking his head awkwardly. ‘I’ve never driven a bloody truck before in my life.’
Ruth looked at Paul, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. ‘I’d go do it if I knew how to flippin’ well drive one. I’d probably flatten the building if I got behind