gabbyncat

Link to Plot Outline

North Quarteris Italian, it would seem...

NB. This needs expansion, but we need to know technical stuff about building construction first.

NBB. This is all a bit meh! It needs more detail, and more interaction between Harry and Alex, but I'm not feeling very museful today.

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( Section 3 )

(posting because Gabby hasn't)

Link to Plot Outline

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( Harry approaches Alex )

( Under the Cut )

I'm thinking we've got a rocky promotory, next to a big natural bay and a swampy river delta. So the old city is tucked into a flatish bit which is nevertheless rock for building on. This slopes gently down to the sea and the harbour, and is full of picturesque (or not so picturesque) old and cramped housing. Then the slope of the promotory gets much steeper and no one really built there, although there is a keep (?disused, ?ruined) at the top and a lighthouse on the point. However these days the steep slopes have been terraced and wealthy cliff-top mansions built overlooking the old city and the harbour. Meanwhile poorer housing has sprawled out from the city towards the marshy land of the delta, some of which is being reclaimed for yet more new housing. The old road from the city runs along the edge of the rocky ground, trying not to get too high. Meanwhile upriver from the delta is fertile farmland which used supply food to the city. There are a couple of much smaller rivers which essentially bring rain water run-off down from the ridge into the old quarter.

Hmm... not on the map but maybe a reservoir up there now and a hydro plant?

• Harry approaches Alex about tenement story. She's seen his protests and demonstrations.


• Gives Alex a chance to explain background


• Alex and Harry go to visit a whistle-blowing construction worker on the new blocks who has previously contacted Alex. He details short comings but Harry thinks she needs visible proof e.g. photos


• Harry phones a councillor friend to get the low down on how the permissions for all this went through. There's a sub-committee.


• Harry asks Alex about sub-committee and the report. He didn't know about it.


• Alex goes out with Marco who collects the rents for the current landlord of the tenement block. Marco expresses sympathy, says landlord doesn't want to sell then presses for information about Harry. Alex possibly says too much.


• The Lunch. Harry and Alex need to set out the current parameters of the investigation... and probably flirt a bit.


• Harry gets contacted by some kind of literary agent, interested in getting her to write a book but it would be a big job and would tie up her time in the short term. Harry says she'll think about it.


• Harry and Alex go and visit the construction site with whistle-blower but they can't get in. Harry takes photos from afar and gets whistle-blower to detail short corners. (Well not really, to be honest)

Harry is contacted by the owner of the construction site. He spins a good line, makes lots of promises about people getting to see the place before they have to sign anything. Invites her to visit his previous construction job.

Alex points out the promises don't need to be worth anything once Harry has moved on from the story.

Literary agents gets back in touch with Harry. Harry asks for a meeting.

Harry can't get a meeting with the chair of the sub-committee. She starts doing a search on his business interests.

She does get a meeting with another member. The H&S report wasn't at the meeting because of some mix-up but they had a summary and the chair had seen the report.

Harry (and Alex) visit some kind of construction expert who explains problem with site. Also says construction company was supposed to be in trouble.

Harry pulls owners of construction company, one of the board members triggers Alex's interest. Turns out it is his landlord. Further digging reveals landlord and construction company boss are siblings/cousins/spouses.

Alex confronts Marco about connection between landlord and construction company. Alex gets warned off (forcefully). He's been encouraging Harry too much.

Beat up Alex goes to see Harry.

Harry is phoned by councillor friend who warns her off. Harry tries to find out who is giving the warning really and also where the whole Health and Safety thing came from.

Harry meets literary agent and presses her about who put her up to offer Harry this job. It's not Harry's area of expertise, offers a lot more pay than she's used to etc. etc. Meeting doesn't end well.

Harry has agency name, she looks up list of board members and finds sub-committee chair on it. Alex in full-blown conspiracy theory mode.

Alex and Harry go to see whistle-blower again only to find it is his funeral/wake. He died in an accident.

Harry makes list of all things whistle-blower claimed. Some they might be able to verify as the place is going up.

She and Alex break into constructoin site. Harry starts taking photos but they've tripped an alarm and goons arrive. They are trapped in the half-constructed building.

Harry phones police and reports their own trespass. She also uploads her photos to somewhere but this should not be made explicit.

Harry and Alex keep up running hide and seek through construction site until police arrive (possibly in the nick of time) when they allow themselves to be arrested.

Harry has trouble getting bail, the sub-committee councilor guy is blocking it.

He comes to meet and pretty much tries to bribe and blackmail her to drop the story. Harry says she'll think about it.

One of Harry's lawyer friends swings bail for her and Alex. Her camera is not returned to her.

Alex is still living at her place.

Harry and Alex go to ?bar where whistle-blower was killed and try to get information. They get clues about about the "gang" of strangers who got into the fight with the whistle-blower. Also that one of these took the whistle-blowers ?necklace.

Harry has taken all the various company details to a stock-broker friend. He gets back to Harry and Alex an reckons the construction company is being asset stripped. The blocks will go up, the company will go under, and no one will be liable for any problems. He traces all the transactions to some uber-real estaste company, councilor is on the board as are landlord and construction company boss.

Alex wants to know why knock down tenement in first place?

Get back in touch with the construction expert. Rumour is the big uber-company has put in a bid to build the new shopping mall/council offices/leisure complex/whatever the city is planning. Clearly they hope to site on the old tenement land which is a good location.

Alex and Harry attacked by goons again, in the fight one of the goons gets killed and is revealed to be carrying something which links him to the construction workers death/exonerates the construction worker.

Harry writes up human interest story on whistle-blowing construction worker, using uploaded photos and construction experts advice. Their own experience of the attack and the evidence they got from the body.

It is published.

Harry threatens to write a second story about the proposed shopping mall development and the various other people's involvement and bluffs that she has the plans and development documents associated with the development. SHe does a deal with the councilor that this won't get published if the proposed demolition of the tenement block is called off and charges against her and Alex are dropped.

Most of those involved go free but whistle-blowers name is cleared and the tenements are no longer due to be demolished.