The Veteran
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See also the short story collection of the same name, The Veteran (book)
This article is about the detective short story, “The Veteran”, by Frederick Forsyth, published in 2001.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
[edit] Main characters
- Mr. Veejay Patel, a shopkeeper at Meadowdene Grove, who witnessed an old limping man being mugged by Mark Price and Harry Cornish.
- Peter Benson, the limping old man, who died 5 days after being mugged. His name is only revealed at the end of the story.
- Mark Price and Harry Cornish, the “villains”
- Jack Burns and Luke Skinner, detectives.
- Lou Slade, the lawyer of Mark Price and Harry Cornish.
- James Vansittart, Queen Counsel, one of the most successful barristers (lawyers) in London.
- Albert Clarke, a pensioner who helped to identify the limping old man.
[edit] Plot summary
The story is written in chronological order, beginning from Day 1 (Tuesday) to Day 24 (Thursday).
- Day 1: Mr. Patel witness an old man being mugged. The old man lost the fight and was hurt badly. Mr. Patel called the Police and the old man was sent to the hospital. Due to injury, his head bloated beyond recognition.
- Day 2: Detectives Jack Burns and Luke Skinner interviewed Mr. Patel. They managed to identify the muggers as Mark Price and Harry Cornish. Jack Burns went to look for evidence.
- Day 3 to 9: Police artist did sketch of the old limping man, hoping to identify the man. It was reported on newspapers, but the man still could not be identified. Price and Cornish were detained; they refused to speak during interrogation. Lou Slade tried to defend Price and Cornish, but was losing hope because the detectives found too much evidences against them. The limping old man died on the 5th day.
- Day 10 to 17: The turning point. James Vansittart helped Slade to defend Price and Cornish. He managed to cook up stories and a plan that fitted all the evidences, but showed that Price and Cornish may not have been at the scene during the mugging. Price and Cornish just has to stick to the story.
- Day 18: Probably the climax of the story. During the court case, the detectives, constables, doctors and Mr. Patel showed their evidences. However, Vansittart skillfully proved that Mark and Cornish were not at the scene during the mugging. Mark and Cornish were acquitted and the case closed.
Burns finally met Albert Clarke a.k.a. Nobby. Nobby had been on holiday and just returned to London. He told Burns the limping old man was Peter. After investigation, they found Peter’s house. In the house, there were bits of Army memorabilia and medals. In a framed picture, there were 4 soldiers in “Mirbat, 1972”, a sergeant, a corporal, a trooper and an officer. The trooper is Peter Benson, and the officer, surprisingly, is Vansittart.
- Day 24: Burial of Peter Benson. That evening Mark and Cornish are discovered dead of ligature strangulation.
Spoilers end here.
[edit] Quotes
"You can live in a bloody great city like London, with millions of people all around you, but if you keep yourself to yourself, as he must have done, no-one even knows you exists." -- Skinner
"This may surprise you, Mr. Burns, but it has to do with the triumph of justice." -- Vansittart.
