Title: Avoiding Trouble
Fandom: Spooks (MI5)/Miss Marple
Rating: G
Length: 1,250 words
Summary: Miss Marple is still looking after the werewolf, but it appears there may be difficulties

Miss Marple suspected that it would be a good idea to get up early in the morning, since the werewolf was staying with her.  She had been told there was no need to adjust her regular routine but felt it would be unfair to the animal if she lay in bed.  Accordingly, once dressed she went downstairs to be greeted by the werewolf as he came out of the sitting room.  She gave a quick look into the room, but everything seemed to be in order, so, having put the kettle on, she prepared his breakfast.

Once he had eaten, the werewolf pottered off and returned shortly afterwards with an envelope between his teeth.

Miss Marple accepted the envelope, but said, “Thank you, but my post could have waited until later.”  Then she looked at the name on the envelope, which said Mr Lucas North.  “Oh, I’m sorry, you were quite right.  It’s for you.  I’d better open it…  Now, will you read it yourself or shall I read it to you?”

The werewolf snuffled and Miss Marple said, “Yes, it’ll be quicker if I read it.  Let’s see.  ‘Don’t expect to see your friend Adam Carter again.  We’ve got our eyes on him.’  How very interesting.  Now, don’t go getting upset.  I presume the letter’s only just arrived.”  The werewolf nodded.  “Which means they, whoever they are, believe you to be staying here, although I rather doubt they know you’re in this form.  I think we should let them continue thinking that, while we contact Mr Carter.  Right, we shall be going out shortly.  Go and fetch your special collar while I make a telephone call.”

Miss Marple rang her friend Dolly Bantry and as soon as she answered said, “Dolly, I need a favour.  Could you drive down now and give me a lift into Melchester.  Thank you so much, dear.”

Having made her phone call, Miss Marple went upstairs where she rapidly placed a few items in a shopping bag, before coming back down, putting on her hat and coat, and collecting her handbag and an umbrella, because although the weather looked set fair one could never guarantee it.  Then she called the werewolf to her and put on the collar.

“Right, your collar will alert that nice Mr Wynn-Jones that something is going on.  We are going to take a train and my friend Dolly will be picking us up shortly.  However, I think it would be wiser if you are not seen leaving the cottage, so I’m going to let you out of the back door.  Do you remember the large cedar tree I pointed out last night?”  The werewolf nodded.  “Good, well wait there and we’ll pick you up.”

Dolly Bantry was surprised at her friend’s sudden request for a lift, firstly because once in the car she changed her destination to the railway station, and even more so when there was a large dog waiting for them on the way, but she knew better than to ask questions, confident that Jane would tell her all about it at a later stage.  When they reached the railway station, she accepted two notes and promised to phone the people concerned and deliver the messages as soon as she was home.

“Are you sure you’ll be all right on your own?” Dolly asked.

“Of course, I’ve got Ambrose with me.”

“That’s what I was worried about.  He does seem a very big dog.”

“We understand each other, don’t we, Ambrose?”

The werewolf promptly wagged his tail and Dolly shook her head in disbelief, before saying, “If you need a lift when you get back, just give me a ring.”

“Thank you, dear, I will.”

Miss Marple bought their tickets and she and the werewolf found themselves an empty compartment.  A couple of people considered joining them but seeing a large dog sitting in the middle of the compartment decided to find somewhere else to sit.  Once the train had started, the werewolf hopped up onto the seat.

Miss Marple tutted, but added, “I suppose it gives you a better view out of the window.  Very well, just this once, but if the ticket collector comes you must get down at once.”

They had been travelling for over forty minutes, and each time the train had stopped the werewolf had discouraged the other passengers, when, a few minutes after the train had moved off from the latest station, a man deliberately opened the compartment door and stepped inside.

He looked sternly at the werewolf, who was once more sitting on the seat, and said, “Get down!”  The werewolf raised an eyebrow.  “Oh, very well then.  But move up a bit.”

The werewolf huffed and shuffled up a little, so the man could sit next to him.

“Miss Marple, I presume something has happened.”

“Yes, Mr Carter, it has.”  Miss Marple handed over the note which had been delivered that morning.  “I suspect it was a ploy to have Mr North lead them to you.”

“It very much looks like it.  Were you followed?  They may believe you are trying to deliver a message on Lucas’ behalf.”

“I don’t think so.  I asked my friend Dolly Bantry for a lift, rather than taking the taxi, and over the phone told Dolly I wanted to go into Melchester, so even if they were listening in, I don’t think they’d be aware of where I was going.  And I didn’t have my furry companion when I left my cottage.”

“I think it wisest if you stay away from your cottage for the moment.”

“That’s what I thought, we are on our way to Littlehampton, where Dolly will be booking me a room in a very discrete guest house.”

“I could arrange for you to be taken somewhere safe.”

“Oh, goodness me, no.  If you do that then you put the whole operation in jeopardy.  We shall be quite safe, I’m sure.”

“I’m getting off at the next station.  Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Of course, young man.  At my age, it becomes second nature.”

Adam departed and nothing more happened until they arrived at Chichester, where they needed to change for the train which would take them to Littlehampton.

No sooner had Miss Marple stepped down from the train than she was barged by a strange man, while a second grabbed her handbag.  The umbrella came in useful, and she swung it round so it hit the man hard in the stomach, at which point he doubled up, groaning.

Meanwhile, the werewolf had run after the bag thief, stopped in front of the man, sat down, grinned at him, and took the handbag back.

“Help, porter,” Miss Marple called.  “This man was trying to steal my bag.  His friend took it, but my dog has stopped him.”

The porter grabbed the man, who coughed and protested, but found himself unable to resist.  Calling to another member of the railway staff, he asked Miss Marple if she wished to press charges, and when she declined, they forcibly escorted the two men out of the station.

As soon as she was satisfied the men were out of the way, Miss Marple found the train for Littlehampton, and it wasn’t long before they were in the small seaside town.

“I don’t doubt you’d like to go for a run on the beach,” she said to the werewolf.  “We’ll just go and book into the guest house and then I’ll take you down there.”