THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE- 13: Butler’s Bravado.

[And now Gentle Readers, there will be a slight diversion in the narrative as we shift our focus to a more ancillary character.]

Meanwhile, Drake Mandible’s faithful dogsbody, Nickelby, sat in the Bentley, monitoring the remote feed of the hidden security cameras that his employer had installed the last time they had visited The Bottled Oyster. 

As the butler watched the fight, he heard a noise coming from the rear of the car. Checking his side-view mirror, he saw a figure crouched by the back wheel, working it furiously with a tyre-iron. As this car was their way back to the airport, Nickelby decided to take matters into his own hands.

“Good evening to you sir,” he said, stepping out of the driver’s seat. The man-presumably a member of the Marauders delegated lookout duty- started, clearly expecting the expensive car to be unoccupied. He quickly recovered and brandished his weapon.

“I’d strongly advise against pursuing that course of action, sir,” said Nickelby.
“Oh really?” said the Marauder, mimicking the butler. “What are you going to do? Challenge me to fisticuffs, Queensbury rules?”

The Marauder stepped forward, swinging the tyre-iron, menacingly. Nickelby simply gave his wrist a quick flick and leveled a derringer, concealed within his sleeve at the aggressor.

“Not quite,” replied the butler and pulled the trigger, shooting the Marauder in the knee.