"STRANGER'S MARKET." [Preview available]

Episode summary:

"Ms. Teresa Green - A Human Agent for Jericho Tibbs in England, during the early 21st Century - passes a strange story onto Jericho which he may be interested in. Apparently a local London magazine has reported a story about an unknown young man, who is visiting stores and markets in the city purchasing large quantities of Victorian and Edwardian money. Whilst that appears quite innocent - he could be into Numismatics - another story emerges that the same odd fellow has purchased period clothes and has even taken lessons in Victorian and Edwardian etiquette!"

 

Episode Warnings:

Alcohol – Smoking – Strong language – Violence – Sexual references – Mild horror – and bleeding Nazi’s!

 

Author’s notes about this episode: 

[1] The original Title for this episode was: ‘THE COIN COLLECTOR.’

[2] A ‘Jericho Tibbs’ original story.

[3] The language and social conventions appearing in this episode reflect the social situation of the periods.

[4] The original photograph of a street market was found in the Public Domain.

  

Episode details:

Concept date: 1st May 2019

First published: 8th March 2020

Status: COMPLETED & PUBLISHED.

Location: BOOK SERIES 3 – EPISODE 4.

Revisions: 3 [last revised January 2020]

Version: Final.

Published Episode No. 028

Previous episode: None.

Next episode: None.

Age recommendation: 12+

Average reading time: Approx. 30 Minutes.

Angel-in-charge: Margret 

Team Assigned: Team 74

Human Time: 2010AD-1431AH 

Mission: 2 - 402769 - 5 - 2010

Episode preview:

"Well, I'm really surprised how slow it is this morning, hardly worth getting out of bed at 4am for." Ms Teresa Green folded her arms and stared down the street - there were very few people about and it was almost lunch-time. There appeared to be more stall holders than potential customers. She had been speaking to young Ellen, who helped her out on weekends for pocket money; Ellen was about to sit her exams this summer and hoped to go onto college - she was just sixteen.

Teresa, on the other hand, was nearly thirty, small and slim, with dark hair and eyes - many considered her 'quite pretty' - not that she cared about that anymore. She had taken over her late mother's stall in Portobello Road just last year. It sold old clothes, referred to as 'Antique, Retro or Period' to her customers; mainly women looking for dresses that would be unusual and noticeable in these modern times. Her 'Retro' mini-skirts [based on the 1960's fashion icon's] were good sellers. sometimes she really wanted to tell some 'ladies' that the skirt they wanted, would not flatter their legs - but she never did - live and let live came to mind - it made them happy.

When she wasn't working her late mother's stall on the weekend, she worked part-time in the local Library. Her late parents had left their only daughter very well provided for and now Teresa could pick and chose what she did and when, she did it. They had left her the house [all paid for] and a substantial bank balance. Her father; Gary, had been a deputy Director of a London Merchant Bank when he died suddenly three years ago - a massive stroke had taken him just months before his planned retirement. Her mother never recovered from his death and kept in poor health thereafter.

She died last year from complications of influenza and Teresa fond herself wealthy, but sad and lonely. She had never married or really dated men after Tom Reddigge had destroyed her dreams and her heart. Just weeks before the wedding, she had left the Library [where she was working full time in those days] early one afternoon with a slight toothache and returned to the flat they shared; he was in bed with their neighbour's son. The young man fled the scene in his underpants and Tom couldn't really offer any explanation, as he pulled the condom from his limp penis - standing shocked and naked in their bedroom.

That soured their relationship somewhat and they parted - permanently - just days later. She moved back in with her parents and rarely dated anyone after that. Her broken heart was taking time to recover and none of the men she dated really interested her - even sexually. She had her vibrator to relieve matters and some good friends to talk with. But she was desperately lonely now.

She use to laugh about her two cats being her best friends - 'Clare and Susan' were spoilt like only children and she loved the crazy pair of felines dearly.

Teresa was in a day dream when Ellen tugged her arm and said quietly; "I think old Rosie wants you Tess." She looked over to the stall opposite and saw Rosie gesturing for her to come over. "Well, there's not much going on now. Can you manage Ellen?" Teresa asked and with Ellen's agreement wandered over to old Rosie's stall.

Before she could say anything, Rosie grabbed her arm and pointed down the street; "That's him, the young man in the that story. You know, the one in the local paper, I can't believe he's come to my little stall" Teresa looked down the street where Rosie was pointing and just caught a handsome young man, wearing a classic three piece suit, walking away - brief case in hand.

Teresa grinned; "For heaven's sake Rosie what story in the local rag?" Big Rosie took a deep breath and started to dig amongst the little pile of papers and magazines that she kept for days like this. ""I'll show you Tess, it's him. I know its him. His description is in the story." Rosie pulled a copy of the local paper out and flicked quickly to a certain page and thrust it under Teresa's nose. "See, its all about a well dressed - very good looking - young man who is buying old coins. He's bought so many, that coin and antique shops mentioned it to the local Chamber of Commerce and it was passed onto the paper as a 'human interest' story. That's what they call stories like this."

Tess glanced at the article with very little interest, but she would keep Rosie happy by showing some attention. "So, a young man in a classic suit has been buying old coins, all around the Borough, where's the story in that?" Rosie looked about and turned her back on the street and dropped her voice to a whisper; "Just look at this - they are all genuine; I checked them with the forgery pen." Rosie pulled a wad of twenty pound notes from her apron pocket.

Teresa stared at the bundle; there must be five hundred pounds there.

That did take her back a little, but she recovered and smiled; "Well done Rosie, I wish someone would spend money like that at my stall." Rosie nodded but didn't smile, she pushed the notes back into her apron pocket and waved a hand over her coin and old token stall; "He purchased every Victorian coin I possessed - everyone. Then he bought all my Edwardian coins, but here's the funny thing - just like what the paper says - he only purchased Edwardian coins that where minted before 1905 - he wouldn't accept a single coin after that date - even the rare ones. Now what sort of coin collector is that?"

Teresa admitted it did sound strange; all such collectors would be after rare coins, but this one just wanted everyday Victorian and Edwardian coins minted before 1905 - why 1905 she wondered. "He also asked if I had any notes, the old white five pound notes that were in circulation before 1905. I said I didn't, but refereed him to Rubin Cohen's little shop in Newmarket Street. I know that he has some old notes in his antique shop. I bet that's where he's going now." Rosie said quietly, with a look of satisfaction on her face.

Teresa re-read the article with more interest this time. It stated that the young man must have spent thousands on these old coins and notes. But he always insisted that the Edwardian coins were minted before 1905 - the Victorian coins could have been produced in any year of Victoria's reign. Then the article went on further to say, that the same young man had purchased Edwardian period clothes from a couple of antique shops - again, insisting that they should not have been made before 1905!

Teresa looked up from the paper as Rosie tugged her shoulder and pointed back across to her own stall. The young man was talking to Ellen!

"Thank you Rosie, I'll see you in the 'Wagon & Horses' when we close, if I can." She mumbled and made her way back to her stall - quickly. He was just about to walk away when she introduced herself. Now that she was face to face, Teresa could see that Rosie and the paper hadn't exaggerated his appearance; he was a strikingly handsome man, possibly in his late twenties with deep blue eyes and sandy blond hair. He possessed big, well manicured hands and it was obvious that he knew his way around a gym. Fucking gorgeous! She thought to herself.

He smiled and asked if she possessed any authentic period wear from the early Edwardian era. his voice was firm and he was clearly educated and well spoken. Teresa had to say no - regretfully - but if he left a contact number, she could 
the 'feelers' out with her associates in the 'Retro' and 'Period' clothes business.

He stood and thought for a few seconds and broadly smiled; "You would do that for me? That is most kind." Teresa had a rare thought that actually made her blush a little - she desperately hoped he had not noticed - She would do a little more for him than find some bloody old clothes!

She fumbled in her apron's pocket and pulled a little black note book out and a small pencil - nicked from the local bookmakers when she couldn't find one - and offered to write his number down. He slowly took the book and pencil from her hands, as they touched, Teresa actually trembled a little.

He wrote a number down and said quietly; "Just call that; they'll get a message to me. I particularly need a dress frock coat of the early Edwardian period - say before 1905." He handed the book back and gently lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. "I look forward to hearing from you Miss Green." He smiled again and started to walk away, but stopped and spoke over his shoulder with a broad smile; "Oh, tell them its for Mr. Wells - Harry Wells."

Teresa watched him depart - he walked with grace and strength, not to mention a fabulous arse. She gulped and watched him until he disappeared. Both Ellen and her watched him leave, then started to laugh together.

"Fuck! - now that's some fucking gorgeous bloke!" Ellen exclaimed and started to phone her friend about the young man she just met. Teresa walked behind the stall and ran a hand over her hair. She stared at the hand he kissed and licked her lips; some truly dirty thoughts were jumping around her head and she had not suffered the like for some time - for a very long time.

She quickly pulled open the notebook and stared at the number; it was a local land line number, not a mobile. His home number maybe? She clutched the book closely and allowed herself a big smile. "Harry Wells." She whispered quietly and couldn't stop smiling.

"I think we'll close early Ellen; I need to make some phone calls about a early Edwardian Dress frock coat." She said with real anticipation in her voice. Ellen didn't disagree with that decision and started to pack up the stall. Teresa's delicious dream was interrupted by a strange thought - why was he actually buying coins that most serious collectors wouldn't bother with and why the specific period clothing? She sighed; a handsome, mysterious and clearly wealthy and educated young man had just walked into her life, and all she could think about; was passing the story onto Mr. Jericho Tibbs - well, that's not all she was thinking.

After the stall had been packed up and the goodbyes said to Ellen, Teresa walked to the little private car park at the rear of the shops and sat in her car for some minutes just thinking; mainly about the handsome young man. She sighed and flicked through the contact list on her phone until she came to one marked: 'The Times'. She called the number and finally, after going through the useless 'automatized menu', was connected with the Personal Small Advert's desk and paid for an entry using her credit card. 

It was the same advertisement each time:

"In the woodlands of Kent,

 the tree's are green,

 their colours are only lent,

 but visitor's are most welcome,

and some are Heaven sent."

Teresa drove home to Kent House, a little distracted by the events of the day and after feeding her cats, slumped onto the large comfy sofa and watched the news on BBC 1, without any real interest. She must have dozed for a while and laying back on the sofa, stared at the clock above the fireplace; she sat bolt upright - the second hand had stopped.

Episode Preview:

"STRANGER'S MARKET" CONTINUES IN 'TEMPORAL DETECTIVES' BOOK SERIES 3 [EPISODE 4.]

"ALEXANDRA, HARRY, LISA AND TESS TOO...." 

Remember! The "ALEXANDRA" series is rated 18+ Adults ONLY.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

“All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.” 

CAUTION:

“SOME OF THESE EPISODES CONTAIN VERY STRONG LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, HORROR AND SEXUAL REFERENCES. Some are RECOMMENDED suitable for persons aged 15+ years only.”

THE AUTHOR.

 

Copyright © 2011-2025 Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without permission.