belle, doctor who

thirty-seven

"Right, so, here's the plan. We find Vincent and he leads us straight to the church and our nasty friend," the Doctor says as the TARDIS had landed in an alleyway at night.

"Easy peasy," Amy says. Belle shakes her head.

"Nothing is easy peasy with the Doctor," she says. Amy frowns.

"Belle's right. No. I suspect nothing will be easy with Mister Van Gogh. Now, he'll probably be in the local cafe. Sort of orangey light, chairs and tables outside," the Doctor says. Belle's thankful he agreed with her.

Amy looks in her exhibition guide book. The Doctor is pronouncing Gogh.

"Like this?" Amy points out. Belle looks at it the same time as the Doctor.

"That's the one," says the Doctor.

"Or indeed like that," Amy says.

"Yeah, exactly like that," says the Doctor. He grabs Belle's hand and they start walking.

•••

"Good evening. Does the name Vincent Van Gogh ring a bell?" the Doctor asks a man outside a cafe.

"Don't mention that man to me," the man scoffs. He walks back inside the cafe, ignoring the looks Belle gives him.

"Excuse me. Do you know Vincent Van Gogh?"

"Unfortunately," says the woman he came up to after the man had left them.

"Unfortunately?" Belle repeats.

"He's drunk, he's mad and he never pays his bills," the lady answers.

"Good painter, though, eh?" the Doctor asks.

"Come on! Come on! One painting for one drink. That's not a bad deal," they hear a customer ask.

The man who left them before leads the customer outside.

"It wouldn't be a bad deal if the painting were any good. I can't hang that up on my walls. It'd scare the customers half to death. It's bad enough having you in here in person, let alone looming over the customers day and night in a stupid hat. You pay money or you get out," the man yells at him. Belle now knows he's the manager.

"I'll pay, if you like," the Doctor says.

"And how are you going to do that?" Belle whispers to him. He winks at her.

"What?" the manager asks.

"Well, if you like, I'll pay for the drink. Or I'll pay for the painting and you can use the money to pay for the drink," the Doctor says.

"Exactly who are you?" the manager asks him.

"Oh, I'm new in town," he says and Belle clears her throat. "We're new in town. Just got a new house for my wife and I." He slaps her shoulder carefully.

Belle raises her eyebrows, though she tries to hide it because she didn't want to act suspicious. She looks at Amy whose eyes are wide too.

"Well, in that case, you don't know three things. One, I pay for my own drinks, thank you," he laughs, "Two, no one ever buys any of my paintings or they would be laughed out of town. So if you want to stay in town, I suggest you keep your cash to yourself. And three, your friend's cute, but you should keep your big nose out of other people's business. Come on, just one more drink. I'll pay tomorrow."

"No," the manager says.

"Or, on the other hand, slightly more compassionately, yes?" Says the customer.

"Or, on the other hand, to protect my business from madmen, no."

"Or?"

"Oh look, just shut up, the pair of you. I would like a bottle of wine, please, which I will then share with whomever I choose," Amy says.