Scrap 7

SCRAP 7
Harry Tobin owns a boat yard on the quay where he has tie-up rights across the 300 yards of the property. He keeps the gravelled yard neat and tidy and expects his wife to keep the house spotless.
He is a man of few words, one you would not cross if you knew what was good for you. His German Shepherd dog leaps from slumber as the police Rover scrunches over the yard and stops outside the back door of the ample detached house. Harry continues his work on a diesel pump as the men stride toward him.
‘Mr Tobin,’ says Roberts, ‘My name is..’ Tobin doesn’t look up. ‘I know who you are. What do you want? ‘ Roberts strolls along the workshop floor, inspecting the rows of tools neatly displayed in racks and boxes of spare parts carefully labelled on shelves all along one wall. Tobin has four lorries, two fishing boats and two tugboats. He also carries out engine repairs and exports second-hand farm machinery. He is not surprised to get a visit from the Old Bill. The cable theft is the talk of the day and gossip has gone round the island like wildfire. By now everyone has their own opinion of who the culprits are and Harry’s name has been mentioned by several.
The dog has sidled into the workshop. He stands menacingly close to DS Roberts, bares his teeth and rumbles a low growl. ‘Can you control your dog please, Mr Tobin.’ He is not keen on canines, having been bitten on several occasions in the course of duty, two of them by police dogs. Tobin puts his work down on the bench. ‘He’s alright aren’t you Prince?’ He points a finger and the dog sits, silent but still showing those teeth.
‘You may have heard about the theft of a quantity of electrical cable during the night,’ says Roberts. Harry nods, ‘it’s been mentioned on the radio,’ he says, ‘what’s it got to do with me?’
‘We thought you may have heard where it went,’ says Staples. Tobin looks him square in the eyes. ‘How should I know?’ he asks. Roberts indicates towards the quayside. ‘We know it didn’t leave the island by road. We wondered if it may have left by boat.’ Harry glares at him. ‘I hope you’re not accusing me.’
Roberts shakes his head, ‘Not at all sir, we simply wondered if you had seen or heard anything which may be of use to our investigation. You know the theft is the reason the island was without power or telephones all morning.’ He walks to the edge of the quay. ‘This your boat?’ he asks. ‘It is,’ says Harry, following him. ‘Take a look if you want.’ Roberts and Staples clamber onto the deck of the 40ft tugboat. They lift tarpaulins and peer into dark places with their torches but find nothing untoward. ‘Anything else you want? Only I got work to do.’ Tobin waits as they climb back onto the quay.
‘Thank you for your cooperation,’ says Roberts. ‘Let us know if you hear anything, won’t you?’ Harry turns back to his work. ‘Sure,’ he mutters as the men get back into their car and drive slowly away. Prince has escorted them to the gate then returned to his usual position in the sunshine.
Harry’s wife Carol brings coffee and biscuits. ‘What did they want?’ she asks. ‘They’re looking for that cable,’ explains Harry. Carol throws a biscuit, which Prince catches without getting up. ‘Do you think Fat Frank had anything to do with it?’ she asks. ‘According to Ginger Harris he did.’ Harry replies. Reckons he was there with him. Mind you, Ginger Harris is the biggest liar on the island.’
Carol agrees, ‘Yeah, all talk and no do. Like when he was going to get that lorry back for us.’
Harry finishes his coffee and turns back to his bench. ‘No bottle that one. I wouldn’t put it past Frankie boy though.