Preston King was the owner of King's Robes in Kitchener Street and a new potential customer of Mike Baldwin's Underworld factory who in August 2003 was two hours late for a business appointment. Fed up, he went home and when the overweight and aggressive Preston finally turned up, it was to find cleaner Harry Flagg in sole possession of the factory. Assuming that Harry was Mike's business deputy, he started to berate him and suddenly collapsed clutching his chest with a heart attack. First-aider Harry gave the desperately ill man CPR and kept him alive until an ambulance arrived to take care of him.
Harry visited Preston in Weatherfield General to return his wallet. He also met Preston's younger wife, Penny who, after Harry had left, commented on what a nice man he was. Preston agreed, wondering how someone so nice could possibly be working for Mike Baldwin! When Preston had recovered after a few weeks, he insisted on doing business with Underworld only through Harry, refusing to believe that he was the factory cleaner. Mike was nervous about the totally inexperienced man trying to clinch the deal and gave Harry strict instructions for his business dinner, including an alcohol limit as Preston could drink any man under the table. He also gave Harry a mobile phone for him to make frequent trips to the toilet and ring for the next tactics to use. At Valandro's, Preston jovially insisted that the mobile was handed over and that his new best friend drink toast after toast to the hospital staff who had saved him. Mike was on hot bricks when Harry returned but delighted to find that he had secured a deal that was beyond his wildest dreams, so much so that he suggested Harry start training to be deputy manager.
Two months later, Preston died suddenly of another heart attack and Mike, in an effort to get an unsigned cheque completed, became friendly with widow Penny.
List of appearances[]
2003