Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven: How To Dispatch the 'Snake'?

Yes, what to do with Sellars the Snake, that low life freelance reporter? How do you get him out of the Bull Public House?

The reporter had a field day when Slippery Jake had 'removed' the 'Russian Mafia'.

"Up Skirts Ghoul Causes Havoc In Local London Pub", "Pervie Ghost Is A Menace", "Do Not Go To The Bull Public House For Fear Of Your Life!!" and on and on and on!

This did not endear him to Beryl and Sid, landlord and lady of the Bull either, nor any of the staff.

Sid consulted with the Detective Chief Inspector regarding the legal position of denying service to anyone. All in all, this seemed rather vague. Even if he was denied service, Sellars the Snake would then 'let rip' in the media, more than likely.

So what was there to do? It was noticed that Old Slippery had taken a distinct dislike to this reporter.

During his appearances, the Right Hon Jake Horatio Higginbottom would purse his lips even more and his eyes would soon start to go red. These were the harbinger of an impending attack. This was now the case every time Sellars the Snake was in the Lounge Bar. The Detective Chief Inspector and everybody else would love to see Old Slippery's hands around the 'Snake's neck', sufficient to drive the reporter away.

There were two obvious problems:

The first problem was that any attack in the Bull Lounge, when it was full of customers, could well drive custom away. This time for quite a while.

The second problem, unless fatal, this would be another very juicy excuse to write even more vile copy. This again could impact on the Bull's reputation and trade.

Detective Chief Inspector Higgins then looked through all the online and written case notes on this individual to see if there was an 'angle' there. There was not a lot of scope there either. Sellars had not committed any offenses as such despite being very offensive. There was no real leverage with any 'blackmail'. However, there could be some areas there. The Snake had had several seedy affairs and frequented 'massage parlours' of a certain kind. His marriage broke down as a result. The Detective Chief Inspector pondered on that one. Could he play the 'snake' at his own game with seedy accusations pushed out via the press and on the web? Present this to him and tell him to avoid the Bull or the stuff would be put out on the 'ether'? Was this a strong possibility, or was the Detective Chief Inspector 'clutching at straws'? Blackmail in other words.

The Detective Chief Inspector had already been amassing some information. He was always a very busy man, but getting a 'case' together was an essential part of his work. So he had no problems with any of this. He had contacts with other reporters. All of them would not hesitate to 'cut off the snake's head' so to speak.

There was also a 'thermal nuclear option.'

Could a 'meet up' with Old Slippery be arranged? Sid had told the Detective Chief Inspector that Old Slippery was known to haunt the Cellar Bar Restaurant from time to time at night mainly. The Cellar Bar Restaurant was now fully converted. This was doing a roaring trade. The Old Ghost was splitting his time between sitting on his 'throne' in the Lounge Bar and likewise, sitting on his 'throne' in the Cellar Bar.

However, this new bar was very crowded as well. So 'dispatching' the 'Snake' down there was not much of an option either during the day. Could a more 'subtle' and 'sneaky' option be found?

There was a real mean side to the Detective Chief Inspector. What options were there? Some kind of inexplicable heart attack maybe? The Detective Chief Inspector was contemplating an execution of this reporter.

Yes, Friday afternoon came around again. This time everybody managed to get to the meeting. Isabella would join us later.

Old Slippery had made a point of appearing regularly on his seat most afternoons upstairs. Quite often his image would be really faint, but he would still be there, nevertheless.

It was one of those dull Friday's again. January can seem interminable, but there could be a slight hint of a coming Spring soon in the weather.

Yes, Sellars was there. He barely got any proper service from the bar staff. But he often turned up, again on a Friday afternoon. He knew full well who we all were. For him was just a matter of waiting for something to happen again. So he could bide his time.

Slippery knew he was there too. His eyes reddened and narrowed. The Detective Chief Inspector and Sid exchanged glances with the ghost. There really was an understanding developing between the three of them. Both felt that the ghost could really get inside their minds, and could read their minds as well. It was if Slippery now knew he did not have the option of attacking the reporter straight away. However, when he looked at the Detective Chief Inspector he knew what the alternative courses of action might be.

Detective Chief Inspector Higgins reported on this.

"Yes, I can feel him inside my head sometimes when I am here. He knows the problems I am having with that reporter low life, He is holding back for now as he knows the damage to the Bull if he launches an all-out attack."

The Snake was a few tables away. The Detective Chief Inspector had sent an email out to everyone outlining his thoughts. The Snake luckily was not at all 'techie'. Sandra and Kevin, of course, were. They had hacked into all of Sellar's accounts.

Anything of interest was passed onto the Chief Inspector.

Both Justin and James were starting to be a little 'taken aback' by some of the Detective Chief Inspectors methods. The Detective Chief got good results and was well regarded. However, these concerns were well placed. Higher authorities did not want these two young promising would-be detectives corrupted too much by the Detective Chief Inspector. They would soon be moved across to 'Criminal Investigations.' Visits to the Bull would then be a lot more restricted but they were now living with both their girlfriends.

We really did have a problem. How to deal with the freelance reporter? For now, let things lie. Sellers the Snake seemed fairly dormant. Having him directly dispatched by the resident ghost was maybe going too far for this irritant.