Maude put Bent Ben in charge. She refused to allow Bernie, I only asked, to go along; he looked perplexed. "Bess and I need you, Bernie. I never want you out on the job, if you pardon the expression," and this elicited a chuckle from Bess and an appreciative grin from Bernie; he never liked the street battles. "I have something else for you to organise and when that is done you will run the firm with Bess and me, okay?"
I only askedEven better he thought. "What is it you need doing?"
"Not me so much as Chas and, the sooner the better in my view for all of our sakes. So, if you wouldn"t mind organising the demise of Mickey the Cabbage please." Maude said this in a manner expressing regret at what needed doing, and with a consummate compassionate voice that would fool most people, but not
