The Firm - Prologue - Interview

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW

Joseph Arnold STAINES

NAME:                       JOSEPH ARNOLD

                                    STAINES

ADDRESS:

AGE/ DATE OF BIRTH: 17

OCCUPATION:        STUDENT    

DCS1996                                We have agreed that the time of the interview is 15:42 am (1542) and the date is the 12^th of June 1968 (120668) and have explained to MR. STAINES what will happen to the recordings at the end of this interview.  For the benefit of the tape can you make clear that you have understood what we have previously explained to you.

STAINES                               Yes.

DCS1996                                Good. So can you tell us (PC719) what happened earlier on today?

STAINES                               Not much.  When the boss went for lunch one of the waitresses dropped a glass.

DCS1996                                Pertaining to the incident around lunch time I mean.

STAINES                               Oh yeah.  Well I remember checking the clock and it being three minutes to twelve (11:57) (1157) and it was dead.

DCS1996                                And what do you mean by that?

STAINES                               It was empty.  There were three gents in suits in the corner with a posh city girl and were about to get off their lunch break and there were two blokes who had both been barred sitting by the window with a regular who is a mate of theirs.  It was smoked up and because of my asthma I gave the bar a quick wipe-down put a few bottles in the fridge wiped the heads and went out front to clean the ashtrays it was sunny out for a change and the local alcoholic’s dog was fast asleep by the step someone had emptied gin into the dog bowl again so I collected the trays and went to go back in.

DCS1996                                And then what Joe?

STAINES                               I caught this odd smell like pepper so I stopped and looked around then there was this crash from out the back and then the bomb went off I heard a woman scream and dived under the ledge with the dog and there was a bang.  The windows got blown out and some of it tore my shirt the next thing I know there’s smoke coming out the windows I could barely breathe or see so I stayed put.  A few seconds after the explosion two fellas holding guns and a man with a tea cosy over his head with blood on his shirt walked out they got into a parked van and drove off.

PC719                                     Could you describe the men for us Joe?

STAINES                               Sorry I didn’t get a proper look but the guy they were holding   was with the two gents by the window.

                                                     DCS1996                                Are you sure?

                                                     STAINES                               I’m positive.

                                             DCS1996                                OK son nice work can you tell us  anything about this man?

STAINES                               He’s a regular he’s quite fat always wears a suit smokes like a chimney and wears glasses and from the company he keeps he’s probably gay.

PC719                                     He is a homosexual?

STAINES                               Errm yeah I suppose so. 

DCS1996                                Anything else about him?

STAINES                               He started a fight in the pub once but apart from that one time he tends to keep to himself but my boss doesn’t like him being about.

                                                     DCS1996                                And why is that then?

STAINES                               She says he’s bad news some gangster from the east end apparently.

PC719                                     Who?

STAINES                               I just know him as MR. FRANKLIN.