~o~
The Mercedes bounced down a deserted track and pulled off into a wooded area. Up ahead, lit by the bright blue-white of the car's headlight, Tony could see another car. It was Jimmy Costard's Range Rover. He'd had it decked out with special alloys and extra fat tyres. The front of the car was adorned with heavy duty chromed bull bars bolted to the front as if the owner might sometime wish to use the vehicle as a battering ram. With it's gloss black paint and darkly tinted windows the Rover was as menacing as it was unmistakable.
"Out!"
Tony did as he was told, his knees buckled as his legs took his weight and he had to fight to keep his self-control.
Kev opened the boot and pulled out a shovel. He tossed it to Tony, who caught it awkwardly banging it painfully against his shin.
"You might need this, you skinny wanker!"
"Oh Jesus..." Tony muttered under his breath, he guessed the rumours were right after all.
He felt a push in the small of his back and stumbled forward, he was directed towards the Range Rover. A light from a powerful torch shone into his eyes blinding him. Tony raised a hand to shield his eyes and squinted to see the figure that emerged from the car, but he knew who it would be.
"Tony... you look a bit under the weather. I hope you ain't sickening for anything." There was a muted chorus of laughter from behind Tony's back.
"We need to 'ave a little talk, I might be able to offer you a way out of your predicament. Get in the motor!" It was an order not a suggestion and Tony had no option but to acquiesce.
"Kev, take that spade off the boy, I don't think he'll be needing it after all, what do you say Tony, you up for a bit of business?"
Jimmy directed his next words to his two heavies:
"OK lads, you two can piss of home and get your teas. Tony and me is going to have a little chat, I think he'll be happy to shake hands on it, what do you say Tony?"
Tony had no idea what Costard was talking about but the relief that he wasn't going to be topped out here in the woods was enough for him to agree to anything. Jimmy may not have had much of an education, but as well as fully taking advantage of his psychopathic tendencies, he was also a natural psychologist.
"I want to expand my business into another area Tony, one that gives a faster turn over. For that, I'm going to need some fast cars from time to time. As you know Tony, being in the trade yourself, these days cars are not that easy to lift what with all them immobilizers and alarms and all that kind of shit. But someone in the trade could get hold of the keys and help themselves from a showroom and Bobs your uncle... You work in a showroom don't you son?"
"Yes but..."
"No buts Tony, I've told you too much now, me and my big mouth." Jimmy laughed. "I hope you ain’t going to need that spade after all..."
Tony could think of nothing to say.
"Here's the deal..."
Jimmy held up a bag of Tony's favourite nose candy, enough to keep him going for a long while.
"You can take this, and I'll wipe your slate clean. Just as long as you agree to liberate the odd set of fast wheels. Or... there's the spade option, but we don't want to get ourselves all muddy do we?"
Tony's words of protest would not come; he could think of a hundred reasons why Jimmy's idea would only end in prison or worse. But his options were nil. He just nodded.
"Good one son, I'll drop you back 'ome, the lads will be in touch in few weeks when the plans are sorted."
When Tony got back home he rushed to his room and quickly stashed the parcel of cocaine, into the false bottom of the old wardrobe that sat in the corner. He piled the stack of magazines back on top and looked round the room furtively as if someone might have been watching. The coke had cost him no money... just his soul. Walking back to the kitchen Tony found his mother standing over the cooker preparing some sauce for the pasta that was already bubbling in a large pan. Everything looked so normal and safe to him after the surreal events of the last few hours. It was a relief to be back in his normal world, or what used to be his normal world. He felt that his choices had been eroded bit by bit until none were left. All he could see was being dragged down into the mire of an underworld that, until now he had been able to skate over, hardly getting his feet dirty, now he was up to his neck in it and sinking fast.
"Hello Tony I'm glad you've made it back in time to eat with me, how are you love?"
"Yes I'm fine I guess... Usual hassles at work are doin' my head in a bit. One of these days I might just take off and disappear into the wild blue yonder." He made it sound like a joke when in reality disappearing might soon be his only remaining option... But for that he needed the sort of money that might be realised from the sale of a cottage.
Suzanne turned and looked at her son with concern, despite his all too obvious faults she still loved him.
"It can't be that bad Tony...Pour yourself a glass of wine love." She said indicating the newly opened bottle of red on the table.
"Yea, thanks, I could really do with a drink."
"Will you be coming to the hospital with me tonight? It's been a while."
Tony groaned internally at the thought but his words, spoken quietly did not betray his true feelings.
"Yes, OK I should come with you for a change. How's your day been?" He asked as he gulped more from his already half empty glass.
"Well I've been thinking about Emily's cottage..." Tony's ears pricked up, The cottage was starting to become central to his own salvation and anything regarding that piece of real estate was of considerable and urgent interest to him.
"Yes, go on... what about the cottage, you know it will be mine if Emily..."
"Yes of course." Suzanne jumped in, not letting Tony finish the sentence, not wanting to hear him commit his thoughts into words. Once spoken words could never be unsaid and in this case, she felt, might precipitate something terrible.
"Listen Tony, I was wondering if we should put the cottage up for rental, until the situation is you know sorted, what do you think love?"
Tony wanted the situation sorted in his favour as soon as possible, he didn't really want the property encumbered by a tenant who would inevitably be a problem when the time came to make a quick sale. On the other hand there would be an income from the cottage in the meantime.
"Do you think, that's what Emily would want?" He asked, playing the ball back into his mother's court.
"We have to do the best for everyone concerned, darling. I'm sure Emily wouldn't want the cottage to be a burden to us, and at the moment, looking after it is an extra worry that I don't really need."
"Let me think it over then... So, how long will dinner be? I'm starving." In fact Tony had very little appetite for food at all but helped himself to another glass of wine.
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