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[Schnauzer]

"Greed is the 'Ogre' that requires little sleep"




Throughout the night the 'Rabbi' tossed and turned in his 'Feather Bed', his mind was in turmoil devising plans to take control of (or at least control the 'Lions' Share' of) 'Manny's Treasure' which he was sure would soon be found.

"It makes perfect sense that I should be given custody of it" he thought to himself "After all, without my intervention,there would be no deal and the speed in which I was able to raise the 'Cash' for it, MUST score points in the eyes of the young Girl's Father, he will also make a comparison between myself and 'Manny and, if he's got any sense, which he must have, he will recognise that I am a far more reliable 'Partner' than that tricky little 'Rat' and his 'Hieroglyphics', no wonder the 'Book' was updated, the Father is a 'Modern Thinking Man', much more sensible than creating a load of aggravation with 'Codes' and a load of 'Mumbo Jumbo', I'll bet he will be glad to see the back of such 'Lunacy'.

Satisfied that he had resolved the issue of 'Manny's' involvement in the 'Deal', he now turned his attention to the part played by his 'Backers' "10% return on their money is FAR too much" he thought "Such interest in two weeks?, 'Outrageous!' they should be ashamed of themselves, after all, I AM their 'Rabbi', they should have more respect for me than to treat me like a 'Schmuck', I have always treated THEM with respect, why should they not treat ME in the same fashion?, I will have to think of some way to 'Cut' the interest a bit".

The agility of the 'Rabbi's' mind as he raced through the calculations of 'Profits and Percentages' was quite astounding, he reasoned that the outlay of the 'Four Hundred Thousand Pounds' would produce at least 150% profit which would mean that the sum of 'Six Hundred Thousand Pounds' would be shared out after the original sums invested were repaid, that would mean that HIS share would be 'Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds' and 'Father's' share would be 'One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds' BUT, HE would be responsible to pay out the 'Thirty Thousand Pounds' in interest, since HE had borrowed the money.

"I will convince the 'Backers' that there has been a slight delay" he reasoned "If I can swing it, maybe even be able to get it all sorted within a week, I can tell them that the 'Deal' fell through and give them back the same amount as they gave me, they have no idea about what the 'Deal' was, no way of finding out and, 'Pound for Pound is Honourable if they get their money back".

Satisfied that he could wriggle out of his responsibilities, the 'Rabbi' tried to nestle down for a few hours sleep, "Not bad" he thought, "Another Thirty Thousand Pounds for a few minutes thinking, I should have been an 'Accountant' instead of a 'Rabbi', I bet I would have made a bigger fortune than 'Manny' the little 'Rat', I would make better 'Deals' than he could even imagine".

Again he snuggled into his bed BUT, the old 'Twitching' started again and within a minute, he was tossing and turning like he had never done before, his arms and legs were vibrating and, if he were in a bath, you would think it was a 'Jacuzzi'.

Leave the old boy there, he is probably considering that all this emotional turmoil is worth it, we shall see.

[Schnauzer]

"It never Rains but it Pours" (part 1)


At about the same time as the 'Police' were arranging to visit the 'Rabbi' in connection with the body recovered from the 'River Thames' (since the Forensic evidence now positively identified it as that of 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf'),the 'Rabbi' was answering the door in response to the arrival of 'Chris', it was twenty minutes past eleven and the 'Rabbi's' patience had reached a point almost beyond his endurance, "Why are we so LATE" he snapped as 'Chris' greeted him with his usual smile and outstretched hand of friendship (which the 'Rabbi' ignored) "I try to come as soon as I can" said 'Chris' "But was very hard for me to go away from everyone, they make friends with me because I am new stranger to them and they ask me many things about my Father and Mother in Greece".

The 'Rabbi' did not pay any attention to what 'Chris had to say, he told him to sit outside and wait in his van, he had not yet heard from 'Marina' and was not feeling in good form at all, "Why doesn't SHE call me" he said to himself, I just can't understand all this floppiness about such important things" and he flopped down into his chair and waited by the phone.

It rang about ten minutes later and the 'Rabbi' snatched it up and thrust the receiver to his ear "HELLO" he shouted and the calm voice of 'Marina answered "Good morning sir, did you manage to arrange the time with your driver?, everything is ready at this end".

The 'Rabbi' instantly composed himself and replied "Yes my dear, he is waiting outside at the moment, I would have preferred an earlier start because I have things to do, but we will have to deal with what we have got, I will instruct him to leave now if you are ready for him".

"Oh yes" replied 'Marina' "If he meets me in the same place (make sure he remembers) outside the 'Rosemary Branch Public House' in 'Shepperton Road' Islington, I will be waiting for him and I will make sure he delivers the box and collects the 'Goods', I will phone you immediately he has completed his task".

The 'Rabbi' seemed to have calmed a little and assured 'Marina' that the driver would be with her in about the time it would take to drive there, "He will be on his way in about ten minutes" said the 'Rabbi'.

'Chris wall called into the house, he was given his instructions and he lifted the box quite easily and took it to his van, as he placed it safely inside he turned to the 'Rabbi' and said "I am sorry to make you unhappy if I am late, I will do this for you and you do not have to pay me anything, I was try to come a littly early but was too difficult for me", the 'Rabbi' was a lot calmer now and said "That's alright my boy, forget about it", and he offered his hand to 'Chris' as a token that he was no longer annoyed, actually he was more pleased at 'Chris's' offer to work for nothing and in his mind he was thinking "I KNOW how to deal with THIS young fellow, I am sure he will prove to be useful in the future".

'Chris' did not return the insult he had received from the 'Rabbi', he took the hand offered and shook it firmly and noted that the 'Rabbi's' hand felt cold, "like a 'Wet Fish' in my hand" he thought, his respect for the 'Rabbi' diminished further.

'Chris' went straight to 'Marina's' house and dropped off the box there, 'Marina' got into the van carrying a shoulder bag, as the van made it's way to Islington, she slipped a 'Blue Hoodie' on over the top she was already wearing, she arranged her hair by tucking it up under a 'Swimming Hat' and produced a 'Long Blond Wig' which she carefully placed in position, 'Chris' looked at her and said "Hey Blondie, Can I have one question, en do you think you are doing tonight?" and they both laughed like young lovers do when they are so together, 'Chris' was very impressed by the 'Motif' that was 'Vividly Emblazoned' on the front of the 'Hoodie', "This is the sign of the 'Supergirl' and it is just what you ARE" he said.

The van pulled up in 'Shepperton Road' a little further up than the 'Rosemary Branch', 'Chris' had to park on the other side of the 'One Way' street almost opposite a house with railings in front of it, he mounted the 'Kerb', got out of the van and walked across to number '35'as 'Marina' carefully slipped out of the van and stood behind it.

'Chris' rang the doorbell and waited for the door to open, "Good afternoon" he said "I have just one 'Box' for you in my van and he turned and pointed across the road to it, the householder (a middle aged Lady) looked over and as she did, 'Marina appeared, she jumped into the van and drove off up the road.

'Chris' looked astonished, "Hey!" he called out and made to run after it but the van was far away in a few seconds.

'Chris' returned to the house and asked the Lady if she could call the 'Police', the Lady invited him in and the report was made, however, since there were so many incidents of 'Vehicle Theft' in the London area, 'Chris's' distress was treated very casually and providing nobody was injured, it seemed that the 'Police' were only prepared to take note of the event and circulate the details of the van.

They WERE interested in the description of the person who had stolen the van, particularly since the event had been witnessed and such a good description was available, the van too was quite easy to identify with the name 'Christos Michael' painted on both sides, perhaps it would not be too hard to recover.

'Marina' merely drove the van around the corner, she quickly removed the 'Blond Wig, slipped off the 'Hoodie' and 'Swimming Cap' and placed them in her 'Shoulder Bag', she then wiped the steering wheel and ignition keys with the 'Chamois Leather' in the cab and, leaving the keys in the ignition, she walked away from it and made her way towards the main road.

[Schnauzer]

"It never Rains but it Pours" (part 2)

It was 'One Thirty' and the 'Rabbi' was seated in front of his desk with his hand hovering over the phone, his knee had begun to 'Twitch' again and he knew that it would not be long before it was 'Vibrating' uncontrollably "Why doesn't she RING" he was asking himself, "The business should have been done by now, how much time does it take for such a short trip and a little bit of unloading and loading up?".

At that very moment, there was a loud knocking at the door and a ringing of the doorbell, the 'Rabbi' did not like the sounds of such urgency, he crept over to the window and moved the curtain to one side in order to see if maybe the van had got back, "If it HAS" he thought, "They have been very quick" BUT, he jerked back away from his window and gasped "POLICE!", he wrung his hands together wondering what they could want, he was further alarmed when the doorbell rang again, this time more persistently and the door knocker was given a further bashing.

"Alright, Alright already, I'M COMING!" shouted the 'Rabbi', "There's no need to knock the house down, give me a chance to open the door" and with a rattling of keys and the sound of locks being unlocked and bolts withdrawn, the 'Rabbi' opened the door and greeted his visitors.

"Good Afternoon Officers" he said "And what may I do for you?" as he stared fearfully into the eyes of the imposing figure of a 'Burly Black Police Officer' "Rabbi' ******" (I cannot mention his name since this is a true story) "We have a warrant to search these premises in relation to the death of one 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf' and we believe you may be able to assist us in our enquiries" the 'Police Officer' brushed past the 'Rabbi' and was followed by four more 'Officers' who introduced themselves and produced the necessary paperwork which gave them the authority to make a search of the house.

"You say 'Manny' is DEAD?" exclaimed the 'Rabbi' as his hands shot up to prevent his spectacles from dropping off, "But HOW did he die and when?". the 'Officer' responded by saying "We were hoping that YOU might be able to shed a bit of light on THAT point Sir, we know that you were recently very busy at the house of the deceased and initially we would like to interview those other persons that were there with you, can you supply us with their names and addresses?, we would like to round them all up together". The 'Rabbi' was momentarily lost for words, he was all of 'A Tremble' as he stumbled towards his study up on the first floor, "May I sit down and think for a moment ?" he pleaded, "I did not sleep very well last night and this news together with your requirements have come as quite a shock to me".

The 'Black Officer' took the 'Rabbi's' arm and helped him into the study and led him toward an armchair "Oh no 'Officer', I would much prefer to sit at my desk" and he released himself and almost fell into the chair that was in front of it.

"That will not do Sir" said one of the other 'Officers' "We can hardly question you with your back turned toward us and, beside THAT fact, our first priority will be to examine the contents of your desk and your 'Safe, if you have one, kindly remove yourself and take a seat in the armchair, I will sit at the desk if you don't mind".

The poor 'Rabbi', he was normally quite pale and the darkness of his beard emphasized his pallor BUT, whatever colour he did have had drained from him, he was 'Whiter than a Ghost' and his eyes were larger than saucers and seemed to occupy the whole of his face as they stared blankly through the lenses of his thick spectacles, he instinctively reached for the 'Ledger' on the desk as he got up, he withdrew his hand quickly but the action was noted and the 'Officer' picked it up and casually flicked through the pages.

"This article has the name of 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf, written on the inside cover, are you able to explain the reason for why it is in your possession Sir?, it would appear to be an accounts book and I can see vast sums of money are entered in it, I cannot quite understand the writing, it seems to be in some kind of 'Code', are you able to decipher it?".

As poorly as the 'Rabbi' felt, he could see a little irony in the last question, he thought to himself "If I could have done THAT, none of this 'Shemozzle' would be happening" and he just vaguely shook his head.

Another 'Officer' entered the room, he was accompanied by 'Chris' and the ''Rabbi' began to 'Twitch' and 'Wobble' worse than he had ever done in his entire lifetime, "Oh Sir," said 'Chris' "I am so sorry to tell you that my van she was stolen before I could give your box to the Lady, she say she no expect any box and was no anything about it , my tools are in it and I may not be able to do any job for you now".

The 'Rabbi's' eyes rolled up into his head, he clasped at his chest,fell to the floor 'Twitching' and 'Vibrating' until all was well with him, his old heart had given out on him and you could hardly blame it, nobody would be able to survive THAT kind of aggravation, not at HIS age and all for the sake of 'Ten Pounds'.

The 'Police' questioned 'Chris' about his involvement with the 'Rabbi' and were quite satisfied that he had never heard of 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf', he had an explanation for being at 'The Drive' and an investigation proved that he was quite truthful about the work he had done there, (also confirmed by the 'Officers' that first visited the premises), the scenario with the 'Van' was speedily resolved, a concerned 'Traffic Warden' reported it's presence to the 'Police' within an hour of it's being stolen, the 'Parking Ticket' is 'Waived' and there is no reason to suspect that the whole incident was nothing more than a 'Prank' by some local 'Heroine' who wished to emulate the antics of 'Supergirl'.

The 'Police' HAVE circulated a description of this offending 'Female', they made enquiries at the 'Rosemary Branch' and are more or less satisfied that it was probably one of their customers, suffering from a 'Hangover' from a 'St Patrick's Day' booze up, that took the van, the accepted theory IS, that 'Supergirl', probably realising that she was unfit to drive, had the good sense to abandon the vehicle a short distance away.

Six 'Backers' are in for quite a shock very soon and the 'Police' are continuing their investigations into the untimely end of 'Isaac Koch' (Emmanuel Snitzmandorf), as 'Chief Inspector Patrick Muldoon' said, "Sure, the ONLY thing we can be certain of is that this is NOT a case of 'Suicide' we are dealing with here".

'Chris' spoke to 'Marina's' Father and received his blessing before he approached 'Marina' with a proposal of 'Marriage', she placed a certain condition on her acceptance of his proposal.

"You must promise me" she said "That if ever I do anything to upset you, you will tell me about it and allow me the time to apologise"

'Chris' and 'Marina' will shortly marry in a 'Registry Office', they will have a 'Church' wedding just as soon as they can afford it.

[Schnauzer]

"Like a Gordian Knot"


The scene at the home of the 'Rabbi' was a little chaotic following the untimely demise of of the poor 'Rabbi', an emergency call was made instantly and 'Paramedics' were on the scene within minutes, it was quickly established that the cause of death was a 'Heart attack' and the 'Rabbi's' body was removed from the premises and whisked away for the necessary examinations which follow such unfortunate events.

The 'Police' were obliged to conduct the search of the premises, since that was their intention pursuant to their investigations concerning the suspicious circumstances surrounding the discovery of 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf's' (aka 'Isaac Koch') body.

The search revealed some quite unusual items, not those which one would expect to find in the home of a 'Rabbi', for instance, placed on his desk was a sheet of paper with numerous names written on it, among them, SIX were highlighted and each of those six had the figure '50' written after it, at the bottom of the page was the entry 'Thirty Thousand Pounds in Two weeks' and the 'Officers' suspected that these figures might hold a clue to just what was going on in the home of the 'Holy Man'.

"The connections between the 'Body', the house in 'The Drive' the 'Ledger' and the 'Names' on the sheet of paper, seemed to suggest that there was much to be investigated in this case, the events surrounding the seemingly impulsive action of stealing the 'Van' whilst the driver was suitably occupied performing a 'Fool's Errand', all slotted together nicely if one viewed the entire 'Scenario' as a cleverly contrived 'Set Up', therefore, the mysterious 'Supergirl' suddenly emerged as THE most important figure (other than the Lady that 'Chris' had briefly met on two separate occasions).

The fact that the 'Box' which 'Chris' had been instructed to deliver, was not found in the van, also added to the theoretical assumption that some kind of 'Scam' was successfully carried out, probably at the expense of the 'Rabbi' who suffered a 'Heart Attack' upon discovering (with the appearance of 'Chris') that he had been 'Conned'.

"This whole case has the earmarks of a 'Gordian Knot' and without the intervention of 'Alexander the Great', I doubt if we will have an easy job unravelling the mystery" said the 'Officer' in charge of the search, "The only thing we can do at the moment is continue the search here and
take ALL the evidence into custody, we will leave the 'Forensic Team' to deal with what we present them with and concentrate our efforts on trying to identify the two 'Ladies' involved, they are the only two 'Positives' we have at the moment".

'Chris' was interviewed once again, he gave a description of the 'Lady' he first met and confirmed that it was the same 'Lady' that he had met previously, he did not know her name but gave a detailed description of her, she was in her 'Forties', rather 'Plump' and had short hair, she appeared to be 'Jewish' (judging by her abrupt manner and the way she spoke to him) and that she left his presence outside the 'Rosemary Branch' immediately after she told him to deliver the 'Box' at the house she gave him the details of.

The 'Police' DID pick up on a suspicious comment he made however, he told them that the 'Lady' instructed him to knock on the door first in case nobody was at home, the 'Box' was quite heavy and she did not want him to have to carry it back if he received no reply, 'Chris' did as he was instructed.

"AhA!" said the 'Officer' as 'Chris reached that point, "THAT is the 'Clincher' and it MUST have all been prearranged".

'Chris' also gave as good a description as he could about 'Supergirl', his description matched that of the householder in 'Shepperton Road' and the 'Police' are satisfied that 'Chris' is an innocent victim of a scheme to deprive the 'Rabbi' of his money (or Goods), they asked him about the weight of the 'Box' and even went so far as to try and guess at it by firstly producing one of similar dimensions (agreed by 'Chris) and then carefully filling it with magazines and various weights until 'Chris' determined that they had achieved a reasonable comparison.

'Chris' was very helpful with the investigation, the 'Box' was weighed and a determination of about 20 Kgs was agreed upon, quite a creditable example of the thoroughness of 'Police Work' when such matters are dealt with, the 'Forensic Team' will scrutinise every aspect of this 'Gordian Knot', meanwhile, 'Chris' has just received a telephone call from a person who has seen his 'Advertisement' in the 'Jewish Chronicle', he is asked if he is available to undertake some work in 'Golders Green', "If you do me a nice job, I can find you plenty of work among my friends" said the voice, "My last builder did me a job in the kitchen and my wife is not happy with it, she also has plenty of friends looking for a good carpenter, come and see me, we can talk business", 'Chris' smiled as he replied "Thank you Sir, I come to you straight away now, I needing to be busy and have no much work to do now, thank you very much" and he put down the phone, he could imagine 'The Voice' at the other end rubbing his hands together, "These Bastardo's" he thought to himself, "They are ALL at the same thing BUT, this time I go to him with my eyes open".

[Schnauzer]

"Pieces of Eight"

In one 'Department of Investigation', the staff are attempting to establish the connection with the 'Ledger' and each of the
SIX names found on the sheet of paper found on the desk at the home of the 'Rabbi', they have also discovered the name of the
'Elderly Gentleman' who had bolted to the 'Garden Shed' when the 'Police' made their first visit to the house in 'The Drive',
it was fortunate that the 'Officers' in attendance at that time had taken the trouble to confirm his identity (yet another
example of the thoroughness displayed by the 'Police' when dealing with a seemingly minor incident) and brought him in for
questioning, they have named their operation 'Pieces of Eight' out of deference to the clues they already have.

Now 'Jacob Baum' (for that was his name) was at first very reluctant to volunteer any information which might incriminate
him, in fact, his initial strategy was designed to fool the 'Officers' into believing that he had never set foot inside the
house, however, when it was pointed out that the 'Wrought Iron Gates' which protected the pathway that led up the side of the
premises were secured by a stout lock, that he would have HAD to pass through the house in order to access the 'Garden Shed',
'Old Jacob' knew the game was up as far as THAT excuse was concerned and decided to cooperate.

He admitted that he was instrumental in raising the floorboards, that he had assisted in making a search of the premises and
that he knew that the 'Rabbi' had found the 'Ledger', he was not able to advance any information about the 'Ledger' other
than to state that it appeared to be a source of great annoyance to the 'Rabbi' that he could not understand it's contents,

"It all began as a 'Treasure Hunt' you see" and 'Old Jacob' locked his fingers together and placed his hands between his knees
lowering his head at the same time, "The 'Rabbi' was convinced that 'Manny' had a vast fortune hidden away somewhere, I think
he was trying to find it , NOT to keep it you understand, merely to make sure it was safe since 'Manny' had not been seen for
some time and we were all worried about him".

"ALL" said the 'Officer' taking note of the slip, "Are you implying that there were more persons involved in the search?, we
DID think that there might be since the 'Officers' who took your details reported that there was a considerable amount of
damage in the property, that the excuse was that you were searching for signs of 'Rat Infestation' and that your efforts were
more to do with making 'Manny' comfortable rather than relieving him of his goods".

'Jacobs shoulders shrank, "I think I would be better off telling you everything I know" he said, "I am not too sure about how
serious my position is in this matter and, as far as I know, my only crime seems to be that I have followed the instructions
of my 'Rabbi' when he asked for my help, how could I refuse him?".

Needless to say that 'Old Jacob' poured out his soul to the 'Officers', the natural instinct of 'Self Preservation' quickly
overwhelmed him and within the space of twenty minutes, details of the 'Whole Geschaft' (Business) was explained in the
smallest detail, FIVE other 'Names' were added to the list held by the 'Officers' and with those names, the 'Pieces of Eight'
operation could be seen as one which has been touched by 'THIRTEEN', an 'Omen' of good fortune for those members of 'The
Brotherhood' (thus far untroubled by ANY of the foregoing investigations).

The 'Ledger' is in the hands of 'Experts' and it will surely be only a matter of time before it's contents will be as easy to
understand as a 'Children's Nursery Rhyme Book', a nation that was capable of deciphering the 'ENIGMA CODE' must surely be
able to dismantle the intricacies of 'Manny's Hieroglyphics' (as the 'Rabbi' so often referred to them).

'Jacob' is now in 'Police Custody', he has been made aware of the fact that the investigation is actually a 'Murder Inquiry'
and that under those circumstances, he will be held until the others he has implicated have also been questioned.

"If only for your OWN protection" said 'Chief Inspector Patrick Muldoon' "It is safer that you should be here than outside,
you will be well looked after and it should not take us long to locate the others".

"Will I be given something to eat?" asked 'Jacob' cupping his hands in front of him, "Oh surely" replied the 'C I' "And what
would you like Sir?, I'll send someone in to see you straight away" and he locked 'Jacob' in his cell.

"A nice bowl of 'Chicken Soup' might go down well right now" thought 'Jacob' "But I doubt if they HAVE such facilities here,
I will ask if I can pass a message to my Wife, she will have something sent in for me", then, thinking about his Wife he
began to tremble a little "And WHAT do you suppose SHE will have to say when she finds out I'm locked up like an animal?,

"The 'Officer' is RIGHT, I AM safer in here than outside, what will the neighbours think when word gets out that I am
involved in a 'Murder' and the 'Newspapers' start with their stories?".

Poor 'Jacob', he will continue like that until the keys of his cell door rattle against the lock, he stretched himself out on
the wooden bench and folded his arms across his chest, he turned his head toward the wall opposite and began counting the
bricks which formed it.

"Count the courses up and then count the bricks across and multiply, 36 bricks up, 16 bricks across makes 576, multiply that
by 2 for this wall makes 1152. then we've got the wall with the door in it, 36 bricks up, 10 bricks across makes 360, plus
1152 makes 1512, now take away the door, that's 26 bricks up and 8 across makes 208 and that all makes about 1720, now the
wall with the little window, no need to count those bricks, they will be the same as the wall with the door, another 360
bricks less the window 5 bricks up and 5 across, that's 25 to take off, and now I've lost count and I'll have to start all
over again, OH why should I bother?, it's not important!" and closing his eyes, 'Jacob Baum' dozed off.

[Schnauzer]

"A Handful of Jews"

The process of rounding up the five gentlemen named by 'Jacob Baum' when he was questioned, turned out to be quite simple, as luck would have it, the five of them were in the same place (Eli Cohen's house) and were deep in discussion about the sad news which they had just heard about, the sudden death of their 'Rabbi', each of them had been hoping for a 'Windfall' upon the discovery of 'Emmanuel Stitzmandorf's' hidden treasure, NOW they were deeply concerned about the possibility of them being sought for their part in the search for it.

"we will have to get our story straight" announced 'Eli', "We were invited to do some work for the 'Rabbi' in the house of his old friend 'Manny' who had left his home and gone to 'Israel' for a holiday, 'Manny had told the 'Rabbi' that he had seen some 'Rats' running about the place and was afraid to live in the place, we went there to lift the floorboards and search for their nests, we didn't know anything about 'Ledgers' or 'Treasures' and if we all stay 'Shtum' we'll be alright".

They were quite comfortable with their story and had just about finished going over it for the twentieth time when there was a ring of the doorbell, Mrs Cohen went to the door and called out "Who IS it?" as she squinted at the 'Spyhole' which was fitted slightly above her comfortable 'Eye level' and forced her to stand on 'Tip Toes' to peer into it, she always grumbled whenever she had to answer the door and this occasion was no different, "Eli!" she shouted, "It's about time you had something done about this door, I am fed up with having to break my neck every time we get visitors, why do I have to suffer like this?" and the bell rang again but THIS time was accompanied by a loud knocking.

"Who IS it?" she shouted again, "I can't see out of the 'Spyhole' and I don't want that I should answer the door to any 'Tom Dick or Harry who just happens to be passing", there was no mystery as to why she could not see out of the 'Spyhole', the 'Burly Black Police Officer' was standing up close to the door and he had placed his finger over it on the other side.

"It's the Police!" he announced in a loud voice and the curtains of several surrounding properties could be seen to move slightly, "The WHO!" answered Mrs Cohen, "The 'Police' Madam, open the door please" and Mrs Cohen trembled as she shot the bolts, slid the 'Burglar Chain' out of it's housing and turned the latch, "So WHAT do you want?" she asked, "To speak to your husband please" replied the 'Officer' "For what reason" she continued, at which point the 'Officer said, "Madam, we are here to see your Husband in connection with an incident which took place recently, we believe he may have some information which may be of use to us", still Mrs Cohen persisted "What kind of incident?" and the 'Officer' firmly replied, "It is of no concern to YOU unless YOU were involved, now, kindly take me to you Husband in order that I may speak to HIM".and the 'Officer indicated with his hand that she should proceed further into the house, "Oh I'm SORRY" said Mrs Cohen, "MY house, I musn't ask, I don't know WHAT the world is coming to frightening the life out of respectable people, my Husband is only a poor 'Bookmaker", as she shuffled into the 'Through Lounge', "Eli!", she called to him, "What have you been UP to?".

Poor 'Eli', his 'Corner is very small' in his house, his Wife is at him from dawn till dusk and it is small wonder that he has lost most of his hair, fortunately his 'Yarmulke' covers his 'Bald Pate', he is seldom seen without it.

The 'Officer' was delighted to discover that the four other gentlemen in the room were the very one's he had been ordered to bring in for questioning, he quickly informed them of the purpose of his call and was quite surprised at their willingness to accompany him to the 'Police Station',Mrs Cohen was quite beside herself when she watched the five of them clamber into the large 'Police Van' parked outside her door, she was also concerned to see that almost every window in the neighbourhood was filled by the frame of 'Nosey Schnorrers', she waved her hands menacingly and called out "Well, have you ALL had your 'Pennorth"?, (old cockney slang for 'Pennies worth') and she slammed the door shut grumbling "Don't know WHAT the world is coming to" as she headed for the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.

Inside the 'Van', the 'Black Officer' politely informed them that they were needed for questioning, he did not tell them what for and was pleased to note that they all seemed quite relaxed, 'Eli' started a conversation which quickly developed into a 'Sing Song', he recalled the time years ago, when he was a great fan of 'Tommy Steel' and started to sing one of his most famous songs. 'Handful of songs', he remarked that 'A Handful' (in Cockney Slang) was 'Five' and that as there were five of THEM, he thought it quite amusing to sing to the tune thus:-

"I've got a 'Handful of 'Jews' to bring you, don't turn your back c'os their bound to sting you,'Old Jews or 'Young Jews' their crumbs they'll fling you, you can bet, that's all you'll get" and the 'Black Officer' laughed with them and complimented them on their good humour at a time when they should be worried, the driver of the 'Van' was also laughing when they pulled into the 'Parking area' at the rear of the 'Police Station', the 'Van' was unloaded and the five 'Prisoners' (for in reality That was there status at the time) rolled into the confines of separate 'Cells' in fairly high spirits BUT, it would not be long before they too were 'Counting Bricks'.

[Schnauzer]

"Richard Lovelace, who told you THAT?"

Each of the four new arrivals were questioned in turn, first 'Bernie Luper', next 'Josef Greenberg', then 'Lenny Ross' and finally 'Eli Cohen' and it was quite obvious that they had rehearsed their stories exceedingly well.

So perfectly were they matched, it was quite pointless to continue the interviews, it was almost as though a 'Script' had been handed to each of them and they were merely reading from it, the 'Interviewing Officer' was becoming quite annoyed and the frustration of being unable to secure any information, other than that which was already available to him after questioning 'Jacob Baum', was beginning to grate on HIS nerves rather than those of the four interviewees, he slammed the desk with his fist when he had finished with 'Eli Cohen' and said, "It's been like talking to four 'Parrots' and I'm fed up with it, I am going to speak to my 'Superior' about you lot, you MUST know more than you are telling me and I am going to make sure I get to the bottom of whatever it is you are hiding from me!", he got up and left the room slamming the door shut and noisily turning the key which announced that 'Eli' was locked in.

A short while after, the sound of keys being inserted distracted 'Eli's' attention, he had been counting the tiles on the floor and working out how much it would cost to lay a good quality 'Axminster Carpet', he had calculated that there were about 20 'Square Yards' of floorspace and that at 45 Pounds a square yard (wholesale) it came to 'Nine Hundred Pounds', he was in the process of calculating the cost of 'Underlay' and 'Smooth-edge' and was actually engaging in an imaginary argument with the 'Carpet Layer' on how to fit the entire job for a round figure of 'One Thousand Pounds', he was in the final stages of haggling, quite determined to clinch the deal, when the door swung open and in walked 'Chief Inspector Patrick Muldoon' with a broad smile on his face.

"Well 'Eli' me 'Bucko" he said, "You have certainly upset my 'D.I', he has gone to the canteen for a cup of coffee to calm his nerves, I have not seen him like that in the seven years that I've been here" and he laughed as he continued "Sure I know that none of you fellows are involved in 'Murder', but I DO know that you will ALL be charged with 'Breaking and Entering' and 'Criminal Damage' unless you can give us some useful information".

'Eli' was not particularly phased by what was said to him, he DID register a degree of genuine surprise when the word 'Murder' was mentioned and immediately asked "Who has been murdered?, I thought the 'Rabbi' died of a 'Heart attack', surely you don't think WE murdered him?".

The 'Chief Inspector' looked at 'Eli' for a moment and said "Do you know 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf?" to which 'Eli' replied "Of course I do, I've known him for years, since he was a snotty little kid, he was never a very good friend of mine and I haven't seen him for weeks, the 'Rabbi' knew him better than I did which is why we were all at his house whilst he was away on holiday".

"Well" said the 'Chief Inspector', "I am afraid the last time you saw 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf' WAS the last time you were going to see him, it is HE that has been murdered and you should know that you are all in a very sticky position".

"Oh come on 'Inspector', you can't believe that us bunch of old 'Geriatrics' could have knocked 'Manny' off, he was a funny little git but no danger to anyone".

The 'Inspector' arranged to have the four other 'Old Boys' brought into the room, they all sat around the table and were served tea and biscuits, quite an unusual event in a 'Police Interview Room' but, the 'Inspector KNEW well enough that none of these men had anything to do with the murder of 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf', he was privy to the knowledge that the 'Boat' had been identified, that footage from 'CCTV Cameras' which were dotted along the stretch of the 'River Thames', had revealed that 'Nine' Persons were on board the vessel and that the 'Stature of them could in no way be compared to the 'Five' (or 'Six') old gents that were in custody, he informed the others of 'Emmanuel's' death and could see by their reaction to the news that they had no part in it , 'Parrots' or not.

After MORE discussion, the 'Inspector' arranged for 'Jacob Baum' to be brought into the room, he was not well received by the others, particularly when they learned that he had mentioned the 'Ledger' and the 'Real' intention of their presence in 'Manny's' house, the 'Inspector ' had made a wise move in suddenly introducing 'Jacob Baum' into the company, the atmosphere created by his sudden inclusion in the discussions, was a convincing indication that the 'Two Crimes' (although connected due to the ownership of the property in 'The Drive') could be separated as far as investigations were concerned.

"There IS one point I would like you to clear up for me " said the 'Inspector' "When two of my 'Officers' visited the house on the occasion when 'Jacob Baum' was found in the 'Garden Shed' after the 'Rabbi' answered the door, where were the rest of you?".

They ALL had a good laugh about how 'Four Elderly Jews' managed to shoot up into the loft area like 'Rats up a Drainpipe', "Don't worry mate" said 'Lenny Ross', "If there was a 'Fire', we would have got up there quicker!".

Each of them were led back to separate 'Cells', a decision will be taken in due course as to what charges will be brought and meantime, they are ALL at liberty to count bricks and calculate the cost of carpets.

Laying back on the bench in his 'Cell' and looking at the ceiling, 'Eli' recalled the words of the poet 'Richard Lovelace' which are "Stone walls do not a Prison make, nor Iron bars a cage" and he thought to himself "Now there was a man who could THINK".

His mind wandered back to his 'Childhood', those happy days when he would return from wherever it was he had ventured and be greeted by his dog 'Moses' who would bound up and knock him off his feet and lick his face, he would wrestle and tumble with his 'Canine friend' and always felt that they would never be apart, "Ah, but I would not like YOU to be locked up like I am now" he said to himself, then, remembering the words of the poet, reasoned to himself that there were those in the world in far worse situations than himself.

"It is TRUE" he thought, "If a man has the capacity to THINK, he may free himself from ALL worldly anxieties, the quest for wealth is destructive if it supersedes all other quests in the pursuit of peace and happiness, I should not (as a Jew) be thinking of 'Jesus Christ' and his teachings BUT, there is much truth in what he said".

'Eli' made a mental search for the words "For what shall it profit a man, if he should gain the world yet lose his soul?", he giggled to himself and came to the conclusion that "At this particular moment, I am a better 'Christian' than a 'Jew', they must have put something in my tea.

His last thoughts before he nodded off were quite 'Musically' associated with another song he remembered form days gone by, it was something 'Anthony Newley' made a success of and the words (in part) were "What kind of fool am I", he began to sing softly to himself, "What kind of 'Jew' am I, with 'Moses' for a pet?, I taught him 'Tricks' he taught me 'Feelings' that I can't forget", then moving to the last chords of the song, finished with "One day we'll meet again, where doors will never slam, and maybe THEN I'll know what kind of Jew I AM"

Eli nodded off, I would not condemn THIS man, he is an old 'East End Jew', a man with a sense of humour and a bit of respect for humanity, a different 'Kettle of Fish' to the greedy grasping 'Hasidic Jews' that would charge us for the air we breathe if only they could find the way to do it.

[Schnauzer]

"Some are Chalk and some are Cheese"

'Chief Inspector Patrick Muldoon' entered the 'Cell' which contained 'Eli', he brought him a cup of tea and a few biscuits and asked if he was comfortable, he was surprised to receive the answer he got, for 'Eli' said, "Well, as far as the BED is concerned, I could not say I enjoyed a good night's sleep BUT, if a bit of peace and quiet can be counted as 'Comfort', I'd have to admit that I haven't been so comfortable for years, not ONE word of criticism from the Wife in 15 hours, now who is going to complain about THAT?" and the jovial manner in which he delivered his answer forced a broad smile in place of the usually sombre expression worn on the face and adopted by the 'C.I' when he visited prisoners to check on their well-being.

"You are quite an unusual fellow", remarked the 'C.I', "I was fully expecting to be met with the same kind of answer as I have just received from 'Jacob Baum', the food is bad, the room is cold, the toilet paper is too rough, and the list goes on, yet YOU have found humour in your situation, I must say that it is pleasure to deal with you and for what it's worth, I'd like to thank you for making MY job just a little bit easier this morning".

"You could also make MY life a little easier too", ventured 'Eli', "I have been craving for a smoke and I know it is forbidden in here BUT, is there any possibility of my being allowed outside for a breath of fresh air and a fag?, I give you my word that I will not make a run for it", the 'C.I' considered his request and said helpfully, "You will not be confined for much longer, I must tell you that you are ALL about to be charged with 'Being found in enclosed premises without just cause', I do not think you will have to face the charges of 'Breaking and Entering' nor that of 'Criminal Damage' since both parties which could either confirm or deny your involvement are now 'Deceased', as to your request for a 'Fag', being a smoker myself I can appreciate your discomfort, therefore, in about ten minutes, you and I will go over to the 'Public Gardens' opposite, we will sit and smoke together like two 'Gentlemen', there is no need for me to rely on the integrity of your 'Word' since a run for it would be quite stupid and I know you are not a stupid man, I have never done such a thing for anyone before BUT, I would like to have a chat with you on a purely 'Social Level', nothing to do with 'Police work', do I have an agreement?".

"Absolutely" replied 'Eli', "But there is a small problem, I do not have any cigarettes, I forgot to bring them along" and he gave a little grin, "I knew that" replied the 'C.I' smiling back, "I read the note of your possessions and cigarettes were not included among them, you did not have any money either" and as he was about to leave the 'Cell' he was forced to laugh when 'Eli' remarked, "There is no point in growing old if you don't grow 'crafty', I hope we will ALL be given a lift back home after, my Wife's tongue will be dying for a bit of exercise".

True to his word, the 'C.I' was sitting next to 'Eli' on a bench in the 'Public Gardens' twenty minutes later, they opened their conversation by discussing the hardships imposed upon 'Smokers' by the laws banning the practise in so many places, they recalled the days when even 'Pipe Smokers' were allowed to 'Blast Up' in 'Underground Trains', times when the pall of smoke would dance through the beams of projected light in the 'Cinemas' and nobody ever said a word about it, suddenly, even in open areas such as the place they were now sitting, passers by were inclined to frown upon any person who had the temerity to 'Smoke'.

The 'C.I' spoke about his upbringing, he was a native of 'Eire' and hailed from a 'Military Background', not particularly one which would be recognised as 'Authentic' in certain circles BUT, nonetheless requiring the same 'Valour' as would be expected from 'ANY' soldier fighting for the freedom of his country against any aggressor, he left his 'Homeland' and was advised to join the 'Police Force' since his 'Stature' was such, he would be automatically eligible for 'Traffic Duty' in the 'City of London' and the pay was good.

The C.I. Laughed as he explained that his Mother was so proud of him because he seemed to fit the description of a 'Police Constable' in the famous 'Irish Song' about the 'Mountains of Mourne', he began to sing a few words of it and 'Eli' joined in as he knew the words to it and when they reached the part which declared "He's here at the head of the 'London Police Force', I saw him last Morning as I walked in the 'Strand, sure he held up the traffic with one wave of his hand, and as we stood talking of days that were gone, the entire population of 'London' looked on, but for ALL his great powers he is wishing like me, to be where the sweet 'Mourne' sweeps down to the sea".

It was a joy to see the two of them laughing together and discussing the tendency of the 'Irish' to exaggerate in order to impress the folks back home, 'Chief Inspector Patrick Muldoon' was quite proud of his progress BUT, he confessed that his heart was not really in the job when he had to deal with the kind of nonsense which had seen 'Five' elderly 'Jews' banged up overnight for what is likely to be a complete waste of time, "Sure anyone with 'Half an eye' could see that you old chaps are not villains, by the time we have taken you home, we will have wasted a 'Whole Half' of the day for nothing at all" and once again they laughed at the 'Seriousness' of it all.

'Eli' warmed to the sincerity of the 'C.I' and spoke of his own past, he recounted his 'Semi Dream' about his dog 'Moses' and how he always thought of him whenever he was either alone, or more specifically when he was about to embark on any enterprise which might be dangerous, he was always more concerned about the fact that his beloved 'Canine Friend' would miss HIM (should he be unable to return) than he was for his own safety, he went on to make comparisons between the 'Jews' that he was raised among and those that he now mingled with, in particular the 'Hasidic Jews' whom he considered to be far too 'Zionist' for HIS liking.

"I went to 'Israel' some time ago" he said, "I didn't like it there, crowds of people jostling around a variety of 'Memorials', pushing and shoving in the narrow 'Marketplaces', soldiers and tanks everywhere, cars trying to park in places that you can't get into and when your in, you can't get out and if you DO get out, you can't get back in again without showing your papers, I feel sorry for the people that have to live there" and 'Eli' lit another 'Fag' and continued, "I tell you, you've got 'Christians' and 'Muslims' and 'Jews' and 'Japanese Tourists' and a multitude of other people, they are ALL in 'The Holy City' YET, there is more turmoil than if they were in a 'Tumble Dryer', you got the 'Hasidic Jews' nodding at the 'Wailing Wall', the 'Muslims' rucking about how the 'Holy Mosque' might collapse if the 'Jews' don't stop digging tunnels under 'Solomon's wall, the 'Christians' weeping and crawling about where they say 'Jesus' was born and again where they say he died, the whole place is like a 'Mashugana House' and I was glad to get out of it, they even have a yearly fight between the 'Greek Orthodox' and 'Roman Catholic' 'Priests' in places of worship next to each other in the SAME building, you can't get much more 'Holy' than THAT.

Then you get little people like 'ME', what difference does it make about who is in charge to the likes of me?, I don't like what the 'Israeli's are doing in 'Jerusalem', I don't like what they are doing everywhere, as far as I am concerned, they have given the 'Jews' a bad name with their 'Antics' BUT, that's 'MY' opinion, there are so many 'Jews' around who 'Glorify' what they read in the newspapers about what the 'Israeli's are doing, then there are 'Jews' like 'ME' that don't really care about any of it".

'Eli' continued on the same vein for some time, it was quite clear that if ALL 'Jews' were as conscious of their obligations to their fellow man as HE was, there would probably be a lot less strife in the world' he did not like 'Jacob Baum' and he made it quite clear why, "He is always complaining about something, he's got bad feet, he's got a bad back. his eyes are bad and he has to wear thick glasses, his Daughter is carrying on with 'Drug Addicts', and the list goes on, he LOVES 'Israel' but has never been there, he backs everything they do yet doesn't like people to know that he's a 'Jew', he even tells people who don't know him that his name is 'John', he believes everything he reads in the papers and is a complete 'Schnook' but what do I care?, as long as he keeps out of MY way".

As 'Eli' made comparisons between HIS attitude and those of others who either upheld or condemned the various traditions of each characteristic of 'Jewishness', he could only sum it all up by saying "It's a matter of 'Chalk and Cheese' and 'Chalk and Cheese' and MORE 'Chalk and Cheese', YOU can work it out for yourself, leave ME right out".

The two of them nodded in some kind of agreement and returned to the 'Police Station'.

[Schnauzer]

"They're having the 'Wail' of a time"

The 'Six Backers' whose names appeared highlighted on the paper which was found on the desk of the deceased 'Rabbi' were quickly rounded up, it was plain from the start that extracting any useful information from them was going to be an arduous process since their 'Defensive' natures demanded 'Extreme Caution' every step of the way, thus 'Hyman Kruger', 'Joel Isaacs', 'Menahem Krantz', 'Reuben Katz', 'Uriel Silver' and 'Ephraim Hertz', found themselves together in the local 'Police Station' for preliminary questioning.

Had it been THEIR responsibility to probe the events surrounding the death of the 'Rabbi', you may be sure that progress would be much swifter in the investigation since (again due to their nature) the tiniest speck of of a 'Clue', whether it be a careless word or the lowering of an 'eyelid' during questioning would put them 'on the scent' like 'Bloodhounds'.

Before responding to even the simplest question, they (each of them) would ask at least 4 before attempting an answer, which made the job of determining the reason for their names to be listed so much more difficult, each of them were reluctant to explain the significance of the number '50' which was placed against their names, not one of them would venture the smallest amount of information unless they were being formally charged with a 'Crime', in which case they would require that they should be questioned in the presence of their 'Solicitor'.

Faced with such opposition to standard procedure, the 'Police' were unable to proceed with their inquiries and the first stage of them (being able to isolate them) was bound to fail since, there was no way of ensuring that they would NOT be in contact with each other before a further opportunity to question them became available.

Thus, later on that day, the 'Six' were huddled around a table in the home of 'Ephraim Hertz' trying to devise a plan which would ensure that they did not lose the monies they had invested, they would first have to convince the 'Police' that their 'Investment' was a legitimate one, that the business venture they had embarked upon was the 'Brainchild' of he 'Rabbi' BUT, most importantly, they MUST be able to convincingly prove that the money advanced was THEIRS if they had any chance of ever recovering it from the 'Police'.

They decided that the best story to present would be one which involved a 'Property Deal', they would approach another one of their associates and offer him a proposition, that HE would inform the 'Police' (when questioned) that he was in the process of negotiating the sale of his property to the 'Rabbi' since he wished to return to 'Israel', the 'Rabbi' had informed him that he would seek financial assistance from certain individuals in order to make a 'Cash Offer', it was a good plan, there was nobody in a position to contradict and the '50' multiplied by '6' would account for the 'Three Hundred Thousand Pounds' which the 'Police' must have in their custody.

Now, one of the most unfortunate characteristics of 'Hasidic Jews' (as far as an outside observer might observe) is their seeming inability to detach themselves from their quest to enrich themselves, the consequence of such a 'Mindset' prevents them from developing the keen sense of humour enjoyed by the 'East End Jew' and it SHOWS, it is apparent in their attitude towards their fellow man, in the way they conduct themselves in public, in the manner in which they choose to dress and in almost EVERY contact an 'Outsider' might have with them, they seldom laugh, their lives are a 'Serious Business'.

Not that such characteristics should necessarily be regarded as 'Faults' BUT, the adoption of them is possibly one of the major reasons for why the 'Jews' are so despised by so many who are not prepared to accept such characteristics.

It is also possible, as 'Eli Cohen' indicated, that THEY are responsible for 'Alienating' the 'Jews' to such an extent that people have scant sympathy for them, even less so when they observe the 'Influences' they seem to have on world events.

Those 'Jews' such as (Jacob Baum, or John) who are in favour of the actions of the 'Israelis' merely because they feel that they are closely associated with them (which in fact they are NOT since the 'Israeli' is a completely separate species) are equally to blame for the unpopularity of the 'Jews' and it is quite unfair.

However, back to the 'Money', which the 'Six Backers' have assumed is in 'Police' custody, they ALL voluntarily appeared at the 'Police Station', they apologised for their previous lack of cooperation and indicated that they were prepared to subject themselves to whatever form of questioning the 'Police' favoured, their sudden change of attitude was welcomed by those who sought information and the 'Riddle' of the number '50' was satisfactorily solved.

Many other small points were cleared up and the 'Police' were eventually satisfied and 'Convinced' that none of the 'Six' were in any way connected to the murder of 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf', nor were they aware of the hunt for 'Hidden Treasure',and they were all advised that they were no longer under any suspicion whatsoever.

Satisfied that their 'Plan' had proven to be sound, the 'Six Backers' (using Ephraim Hertz as their spokesman) broached the subject of their money and he enquired, "Are there any forms to fill out in order to recover our money?", his response to being told that the money was 'GONE', produced an effect which immediately transformed the hitherto perfectly calm 'Hasidic Gentlemen' into a 'Wailing Sextet' which, if placed in front of the 'Wall' in 'Jerusalem', would surely prompt the 'Almighty' to grant them their hearts desire.

'Amadeus Mozart' would probably have been able to produce an 'Operatic Masterpiece' arranging the 'Wails' to 'Music'.

[Schnauzer]

"Tricky Tracks and Traces"


The manner in which the 'Forensic and Detection Departments' of the 'Police Forces' pursue the slightest piece of evidence surely is (if generally known) enough to deter anyone from committing a serious crime, particularly one which involves the taking of life, quite extraordinary actually when one considers the 'Cavalier References' to innocent lives taken in battle.

One could be forgiven for assuming that the 'High Profile' of a 'Murder Case' is a ploy to discourage lesser crimes, in fact it probably is not too far off the mark to make such assumptions and the probability is that not many people do, however, if one is made aware of the enormous amount of 'Time and Effort' involved in the investigation of a 'Murder Case', it is small wonder that the capture of the 'Culprit' is usually only a matter of time and, to a lesser degree, smaller crimes which are not so vigorously pursued are solved much sooner.

The secret of success lies in the ability of the 'Trained Officers' (in whichever department) to make use of the incredible amount of 'Technological Equipment' at their disposal, regardless of the severity of the crime,therefore, the old adage of "Using a Sledgehammer to crack a Nut" is not a bad description of the methods used in solving the 'Lesser Crimes'.

In the case we are concerned with here, the 'Technology' has been used extensively and the results quite astounding, we know that the 'CCTV' cameras and other 'Surveillance Devices' have identified the 'Riverboat' used in the disposal of the body and that the 'Yarmulke' (coupled with the 'Forensic Evidence') identified the person BUT, despite every effort to enhance the pictures, it proved impossible to obtain any useful ones since the disguises were so carefully put together.

The pursuit of the 'Hirer's' of the 'Riverboat' also came to an abrupt end when it was discovered that all the paperwork was in order, the owner was able to satisfy the 'Police' that the 'Hiring' was made in a legitimate manner and naturally (being one of 'The Brotherhood' himself) supplied misleading information when asked for the description of the 'Hirer'.

It was decided that an alternative route of discovery be followed and it is THAT route which is quite fascinating in terms of 'Forensic Evidence'. The 'CCTV' cameras and other equipment mentioned earlier, was also set up in every 'Quay', 'Jetty' or 'Loading Point' in the 'Port of London' and it was from the 'Footage' recorded on those at the rear of 'The London Arena' that vital information was obtained, the actions of ALL those involved in the business of disposing of 'Isaac Koch' was clearly recorded on the 'Tape' of the camera which covered the 'Jetty' although positive identification was again not possible , the 'Two Vehicles' used were easily identified however and the 'Police' at last had a firm reason to be confident of some success, the 'Names and Addresses' of the registered owners were speedily traced and a 'Police Swoop' arranged.

Unfortunately, despite the jubilation of the 'Officers' in charge of the investigation, the follow ups also proved to be fruitless since the vehicles were registered falsely BUT, the 'Forensic Teams' moved onto the site where the vehicles were parked and took 'Tyre Tread' impressions, they reasoned that the vehicles had probably been 'Scrapped' since the 'Gang' which had so far exhibited such caution in every move they had made, would hardly be likely to overlook the possibility of being caught as a result of 'Vehicle Registration Traces', such a simple error did not fit the professionalism shown thus far.

Every 'Scrapyard' (which dealt with vehicles) in the 'London' area was visited, the 'Police' knew that they were unlikely to find the actual vehicles BUT, 'Scrap Dealers' invariably keep the 'Wheels' of vehicles and THAT was the 'Breakthrough' the 'Police' were hoping would lead them to the 'Culprits', ALL credit to the 'Forensic Teams', their efforts DID produce the result they wished for and the 'Tyres' of the larger of the two vehicles were located.

Again unfortunately, despite the ingenuity and diligence of the 'Police', they hit a 'Brick Wall' since the 'Scrap Dealer' was also a member of 'The Brotherhood' and he immediately warned everyone to 'Close Ranks' and keep 'Shtum'.

The 'Police' really applied pressure on the 'Scrapyard Dealer' to explain WHY a 'Goods Van' would be put into a 'Crusher'?, it just didn't make sense to them and they thought that such a question would be difficult to answer, as it turned out, the question was answered almost as quickly as it was asked when the 'Dealer' responded by pointing out, that the 'Laws' which now governed the use of vehicles and 'Road-worthiness', were so rigidly applied these days and the cost of running and maintaining a vehicle so high, it was becoming impracticable to keep a vehicle longer than a few years, not like the 'Old Days' when you could fix a few dents and, as long as the 'Engine' was a 'Runner', you could earn a living with almost anything that moved.

No discredit to the results of 'Forensic Science' BUT, when pitted against the agility of a 'Devious Mind' which has relied upon it's ability to 'Outfox' the 'Law' for so many years, the 'Balance of Probability' is apt to receive a little more than a slight shake now and again, quite frustrating for the 'Police Force' and quite encouraging for the professional 'Criminal'.

Back we go to the subject of 'Weak Links' and the importance of ensuring that there aren't any, thus far the 'Chain' has held strong and the 'Police' are no further advanced along the 'Road of Discovery' than they were when they first ventured forth on it.

Perhaps they might have a little more success 'If and When' they decipher the 'Hieroglyphics' of 'Emmanuel Snitzmandorf's' tantalising 'Ledger', which is currently under examination and subjected to scrutiny by the finest 'Brains' in the 'Police Force', coupled of course with the 'Latest Technology' to assist them.