Bernie Greenwood

Bernie Greenwood was Alec Gilroy's accountant. In January 1989, Bernie alerted Alec when he received a letter from the Inland Revenue asking him to confirm that the account in Alec's tax return was correct. Called to a meeting with a tax inspector, a shell-shocked Alec worked to convince himself that the Inland Revenue had nothing on him but were hoping he'd admit to something. Coaching him, Bernie advised Alec to show a willingness to assist, and not to refer to the man and his colleagues as "faceless tyrants", or any other colourful labels he'd been using.

At the meeting, Alec learned that the tax people didn't think he'd been declaring all of his earnings, but they were not specific on the matter. Blaming the meeting's disastrous outcome on Bernie, who had provided very little help to him, Alec deemed the accountant as being more concerned with keeping his own nose clean. However, Bernie had made clear to Alec that he was only there as an intermediary, and that contrary to Alec's comments about the tax man trying to blacken their names, it was only Alec they were after.

Due to attend a follow-up meeting with the tax inspector, Alec frantically tried to think up undisclosed earnings he could "remember". Dismissing Bernie as an accountant who couldn't do his sums, Alec went alone to the meeting, where the Inland Revenue informed him that Newton & Ridley had disclosed his earnings as their leisure co-ordinator, going back on their agreement with Alec to file his work for them under unspecified entertainment expense. Facing a prison sentence, Alec called Bernie for help, although Bernie was too busy to attend a follow-up meeting. Alec ultimately resolved his troubles with the Inland Revenue by paying £8,000 in unpaid income tax on behalf of his artistes, the alternative being to shop them and make his name mud in the local entertainment circuit.

Bernie liked a good single malt whiskey. He and Alec were on familiar enough terms for Alec to know that Bernie was sorting out a call man's widow on the corner of Entwistle Street. His experience in the accounting business included a lot of going from his clients' blood brother to the biggest git to walk the Earth, but Bernie found it preferable to getting involved in dirty money.

1989

 * Mon 23rd Jan
 * Wed 25th Jan
 * Mon 30th Jan
 * Wed 1st Feb