by Ben Spavins
floor and began to count. After a couple of minutes, he realised he had nearly a hundred thousand in Euros and pounds, the ghost must surely have heard about the robbery now, Marvin smiled at the thought, how pissed off the ghost would be.
Marvin stood for a moment, thinking of the best place to hide the money, he looked around the kitchen, he could put it in the cupboards but if the flat was broken into, the money would be easily found. He walked into the hallway, looking for somewhere hidden away, he stopped at the door to the living room, there was nowhere, he carried on and stopped at the bathroom, his eyes searching the room. He eyed the toilet cistern but knew how cliché it, was then his eyed the bath, the panel was easily removable, who'd look there?
He returned to the kitchen and began to carry the stacks of money to the bathroom and carefully stacked them under the bath, before pressing the panel back into place. Satisfied, he walked back towards the two suitcases containing the drugs, he opened one and was greeted by numerous bags of tablets of different colours and sizes and several bags of cannabis resin, in the other he found several bags of powder, both cocaine and heroin, judging from the colour. He removed all the bags carefully, ensuring no bags split and placed them in a kitchen cupboard, putting a few boxes of cereal in front should anyone come searching for them.
…
Marvin picked up his phone and scrolled down his phone’s contact list for Otis's number and pressed dial, after a few rings, it connected, 'hello' Otis replied.
'Hi bud, you know I said I had that deal on, well I've got the merchandise, do you know anyone who wants it? It'll be cheap' Marvin said, any money for it would be good, he wasn't sure what he'd do with it, but he'd always liked the worn feel to money, the crispness of fresh bank notes and the warm feeling it gave you.
'Yes, I know someone who will buy it, her Dad used to be huge in the game, but he, like everyone else from the past ten years, was wiped out by a rival gangster who lured him to peace talks. Her Dad, his brother and her brother were all wiped out as they pulled up to the meet. They say blood flooded out when the doors were opened. So the girl, his daughter, carries on the family business, struggling to make ends meet, her dealers are all old boys, loyal to her Dad and so loyal to her but their a dying breed, being replaced by a new breed in the car parks and street corners. But she'll buy them at the price you'll sell for'.
'Good, can you arrange a meet?'
'Yes mate, I'll see what I can do, I'll call you later'.
…
Marvin sat in the Cavalier, outside Otis's flat, the drugs already in the boot, the gun in Marvin's inside pocket in case things went wrong. He'd learnt one thing in prison, never trust a drug dealer. He papped his horn and watched as Otis appeared from his flat, strolled over to the Cavalier and dropped into the passenger seat, 'alright mate'? Otis asked.
'Yeah man, keen to get these drugs off my hands'.
'Good, the girls name is Gail, this is where we're meeting' Otis said, handing Marvin a piece of paper with a park and a road name on it. The park was on the other side of the city, it was a large park with several entrances, it even had a small boating lake on it, he'd taken the kids there once on a peddalo, Reece had loved it.
The two men sat in silence for most of the journey, there was a heaviness in the in the air of the car, Marvin sensed something was on Otis’ mind, despite Marvin asking several times, Otis insisted he was fine.
…
Marvin turned onto the road that was written on the piece of paper Otis had handed him, and slowed as he looked for the turn into the park, seeing it, he slowed some more and turned to the left. A small drive led into a dimly lit car park, one light hung from the wall of the visitor centre, unmanned in the winter. Three cars were in the car park already, 2 BMWs in the middle of the back row and another, what looked to be a black Mercedes SL in the corner of the back row, Marvin had to do a double take, it looked identical to his, only this was on a private number plate.
'Pull up just over there next to the two BMW's' Otis said, pointing to a spot, just to the right of the BMW's. Marvin pulled up to the spot and turned the engine off, he looked at the BMW's, he tried to look inside, but the dimness of the car park and the tinted windows of the BMW blocked his view.
'Is that them?' Marvin asked.
'Yeah, that's them, I think she was in the Mercedes in the corner, they'll frisk you before she gets out, she's had too many near misses' said Otis.
Marvin slowly reached into his jacket and pulled the gun out and placed it in the door pocket. 'Ok, let’s do this' Marvin said as he opened the door and walked towards the first BMW, ready to be frisked, well aware he was now unarmed, he felt naked.
He waited outside of the BMW's for a moment, before turning to realise Otis was still in the Cavalier, 'Otis, c'mon man, do some introducin'. Otis turned and looked at Marvin who stared back, Marvin started to wonder whether he'd been set up but Otis wouldn't do that, not Otis.
A window of the closest BMW began to lower, Marvin walked towards it, suddenly there were two flashes of light from inside the BMW and Marvin felt two sharp stinging pains in his chest as his legs buckled and he fell earthwards. He hit the concrete hard, the stinging pains in his chest sending searing bolts of pain to his brain, Marvin's mind was trying to gather what had just happened. He put his left hand to his chest and felt a wet sticky fluid, had he been shot? The flashes, the pain, he must've been set up, but surely Otis wouldn't do that? They'd shared a cell for nearly 3 years, Marvin had picked him up from prison, Marvin was the closest thing to family Otis had.
The rear door of the BMW opened and a large man got out, a balaclava over his head, the whites of his eyes staring down at Marvin, in his hand was a dark pistol, that would explain the flashes. Marvin could feel his heart beating faster, his body’s response to the adrenaline pulsing round his body, Marvin could feel the blood spilling over the side of his chest, he was dying.
He looked to the Cavalier, he'd never be able to reach his gun, he shouldn't have left it, the passenger door opened, 'you bastard Otis, after all I've done for you, you bastard', Marvin said, now struggling for breath. In no time Otis was at his side, along with the rest of the BMW's occupants, four in total. Otis knelt down besides Marvin.
'I’m sorry Marv, I had a debt to him, I had to clear it, you were my clearance, it was you or me, after all, it is a dog eat dog world' Otis said, without even a hint of sympathy. Marvin shook his head, how could he have been so stupid, he always used to say never trust a criminal.
In the background an engine gurgled into action, the whir of the pistons sounded familiar, it was the mystery Mercedes SL, Marvin listened to it approaching, it pulled up and the window slowly came down. Marvin looked at the figure inside, expecting to see a woman, he saw the outline of a man, the infamous ghost Jacobs had mentioned was in the car park to see Marvin's demise, it must be HIM, it must be. If only Marvin had his pistol, he could die happy having killed HIM.
Marvin looked inside the car, he could see a shadow of a face, the face contorted as the mouth opened up into a smile, revealing several gold teeth, each one a pain in Marvin’s heart, each one paid for in blood, Denise’s, Taya’s, and now Marvin’s. It was HIM, the destroyer of his life, Jacobs had been right.
'Mr King, it's been sometime since we last saw each other, it's a shame it isn't under better circumstances but then you did steal from me and cost my man there a very nice Beamer'. Marvin turned his head, only to have it knocked backwards as one of the men standing over Marvin swung his foot into Marvin’s face.
Marvin shook his head as he spat blood from his mouth, the pain in his chest subsiding as more blood flowed through the wounds, he felt cold now. 'You stole my wife, Taya and Reece from me, then killed Denise and Taya, where the fuck is Reece?' Marvin growled.
'Ha-ha, Denise always liked a bad boy and I am the baddest of the lot, but I easily get bored and Denise had your house, this beaut of a car, thanks by the way and all your disposable cash. I told her to leave everything i
n the will to me and as she's eager to please, she was only happy to. The rest was easy, kill her off. What’s more accidental than a boating accident? Taya, as sweet as she was, was just collateral damage', the gold teeth smiled as the ghost waited for this last comment to sink in.
'Reece though, he's something special, he's now my protégé, he is mine, he has potential to be better than me. My compliments to you, you couldn't please Denise, but you did raise a good protégé for me. You know, It is a shame we had to meet again like this, I could’ve used someone like you, but you did steal from me, and no-one steals from me Marvin, no-one'.
'Again, who are you? Who the....' Marvin said as the ghost revved his engine twice and waited for it to quieten again, silencing Marvin.
'Otis, as reliable as ever, your debt is now cleared', Marvin lolled his head back as the window of the Mercedes rose and the ghost roared off towards the exit, a tear began to stream down Marvin’s face, Reece was being raised by this prick.
'I told you didn't I? I fucking told you, you little prick' one of the men standing above Marvin said as he kicked him in the leg, Marvin smiled, it was the man in the red top. 'I said he has eyes and ears everywhere, how long do you think you could have got away with it for?'
Marvin sniggered, 'well if it