DEAD UNLUCKY: A Joe Box Story

by Jim Reeves

  Joe stood just out of sight of the road and stared at the Mercedes for a couple of minutes. He considered going down the hill to drag more branches across the car but that would mean leaving foot prints. Also, it was bloody cold. He had suffered more than enough extreme cold in the last few days. This location was sufficiently far from the town that it was unlikely there would be any passers-by on foot in this weather. He was satisfied. Time to go. He picked up a fallen branch and swept it over the ground as he backed towards the road. He peered out at the road. All was clear so he threw the branch down, hurried across the road and headed back towards St Gilgen. It was hard going on the icy surface even in his new boots. The cold air caught in his throat, irritating his asthma, causing him to cough painfully. The snow was falling more heavily. In spite of the cold, he was glad of the snow. It would help cover any footprints he might have left and further conceal the Mercedes at the same time. Also, it gave his boots a better grip as he trudged along on a slight uphill gradient. It seemed further to the town than he had remembered and a new fear gripped him. What would he do if the bus from Eichl passed him and went on through St Gilgen before he got there? Nothing he could do about that. He just hoped he would reach the bus station before the bus. He wanted to put a lot of miles between himself and Braun’s trained gorillas as soon as possible.

  Pretty soon he rounded the bend and saw the lights of the town ahead. It was downhill now and he increased his pace to a shuffling jog. An occasional car passed him on the road but showed no obvious interest. Despite all the slipping and sliding, he managed to reach the bus station without mishap. He hunched his shoulders and walked past the bus shelter, peering inside. There were maybe eight people now. They included two or three noisy teenagers. That was good. They were laughing and talking loudly. They would attract more attention than a lone, silent traveller.

  Joe stood several yards away from the shelter near a fast food joint. He was cold, tired and hungry by then but resisted the temptation to buy one of the local hot sausages on offer. He wanted to remain anonymous. Invisible if possible. He would wait until he got to Salzburg. An Englishman would not attract as much attention there.

  The bus arrived only a few minutes later. The people in the shelter crowded forward and clambered up the steps paying the driver as they went. The teenagers were first and entered into a noisy discussion with the driver that was lost on Joe. Joe managed to nudge his way into the queue about fifth in line. He pulled himself up the steps. Bus timetables were available in a rack on the left. Joe took one and pushed it into his pocket. He listened carefully to the old man in front as he asked for his ticket. The good news was he was going to Salzburg.

  ‘Nach Salzburg bitte,’ the man said to the driver.

  Joe moved forward as the old man passed down the bus. ‘Nach Salzburg bitte,’ he said, trying hard to imitate the old man’s pronunciation.

  He didn’t want the driver to remember the Englishman who got on the bus at St Gilgen.

  He slipped a ten Euro note onto the tray in front of the driver. The driver took the money and the ticket and change slid out in front of Joe. He gathered up the coins and went as far down the bus as he could, then slid gratefully onto the back seat.

  He spent an agonizing few minutes when the bus driver got off the bus and enjoyed a cigarette while chatting to the driver of another bus. St Gilgen was apparently where drivers took a short break en route.

  Finally, the driver clambered aboard, slid into his seat and started the bus. He eased the bus forward and back onto the road heading for Salzburg. His windscreen wipers were working overtime, clearing the heavy snow. They passed the roundabout where Joe had turned back earlier and headed uphill into the darkness.

  Joe leaned his head against the window and tried hard not to think about Otto Braun cringing in the boot of the Mercedes. It didn’t work. He wondered what state Braun would be in. He had been in the boot for almost an hour. The boot would afford him some protection from the cold but not much. The snow that Joe had shoveled into the trunk would have melted slightly against Braun’s body and would have soaked him to the skin as it did so. The temperature was dropping all the time to accelerate the process. Joe remembered his own ordeal two nights earlier and shuddered. There was still time to save Braun but not for much longer. He was probably screaming for help right then but there would be nobody to hear. He would feel as helpless as Joe had felt. Maybe more so in the darkness of the car boot. By now, he would know that Joe had left him to die. He would know the wicked pain that only freezing temperatures can inflict. He would be shaking and twitching and probably wet himself with his fear as his body started to seize up. His coughing would become increasingly violent as his lungs clogged up. Pretty soon he would start blacking out, if he hadn’t already done so. Then the end would be near.

  For a while, Joe had to fight the urge to jump out at each bus stop and run back to the Mercedes to release Braun. However, he knew he would be signing his own death warrant if he did something like that, so he stayed in his seat. When he had journeyed too far for the option of returning on foot, he studied the bus timetable for the buses travelling from the direction of Salzburg, working out how long it would take to reach the Mercedes by bus.

  The reasons not to do it stayed the same. If Braun, Bruno or any of the other local miscreants got hold of Joe, he would die. Probably very slowly. Joe closed his eyes, clenched his teeth and continued to agonize over what he had done, glad to be alone at the back of the bus.

  The bus timetable told him the travelling time from St Gilgen to the Salzburg bus station was about forty-five minutes. It seemed much longer. Every time a car overtook the bus he expected it to be Braun’s men racing to intercept him. He shifted his position so that he was facing inwards, less visible from the road. Maybe he was just being paranoid. They had no way of knowing he would be travelling this way. If he’d had any sense, he would probably have travelled in the opposite direction, away from Salzburg.

  That and many other thoughts raced through Joe’s mind as he tried to second guess any possible pursuers. The journey seemed interminable as the bus crawled through the darkness. Eventually the bus descended slowly down a long winding hill. Ahead and below to the left, Joe could see street lighting and larger buildings. They were finally entering Salzburg.

  Some instinct told Joe that maybe he should leave the bus before it reached the bus station. There was a chance that some of Braun’s people might be waiting there to greet him. They seemed to have a serious liking for bus stations. He scanned the bus timetable and decided to get off at Mirabell Platz. Two stops early but still pretty central. With any luck he could get a taxi there. He’d had an idea where he might be able to spend the next few hours.

  Chapter 29

  The cold air stung Joe’s face as he stepped off the bus. He wondered for a brief moment about Otto Braun but dismissed any further thoughts. He would be in bad way by then, for sure. Maybe even dead. Could it happen that quickly? Probably. Almost certainly, if he really had a heart problem.

  Nobody followed Joe off the bus. He looked around warily. The streets were quiet. He watched the bus pull away and turn right at the end of the street. He walked slowly in the same direction, looking around for any sign of a taxi.

  At the end of the street Joe turned left. He wanted to get off the bus route in case Bruno or any of his friends happened to pass by. He felt confident in his new clothes. He certainly was less conspicuous then he had been before. But he didn’t want to take any chances.

  There was something comforting about the soft snow crunching under his feet but the cold air chewed at his lungs and his coughing started up again. He needed to get off the street as soon as he could. He walked for about ten minutes before he saw several taxis queued up near a large hotel.

  He crossed the street and approached the taxi at the head of the queue. ‘You know the Snake Eyes Club?’ he asked the driver.

  The driver gave him an odd look but nodded. Joe opened the front
passenger door and slid in behind the driver. ‘Is it far?’ asked Joe.

  ‘A few minutes,’ the driver answered in perfect English. ‘You got friends there?’

  ‘Not really. Just heard it was worth a visit.’

  The driver shrugged but didn’t reply as he pulled away from the kerb. The journey took barely five minutes. The driver stopped the car at the end of a narrow alley and pointed. ‘Up there on the left.’ Joe paid the fare and thanked him. ‘Watch yourself,’ the driver said as Joe turned away.

  He trudged along the alley through the thickening snow half expecting to be pounced on by muggers after the taxi driver’s warning. Nothing dire happened and he reached the entrance to the Snake Eyes Club unscathed. Loud music bounced off the walls as he entered the crowded bar. The air was laden with thick pungent smoke that stung his eyes and caught in his throat. He stopped and looked around as he grew accustomed to the dim lighting. There was no sign of Benny Travers. A youngish man with spiky blonde hair was filling the role of DJ on a low stage at the far end of the room. Several men, of varying ages, were dancing with each other on a small dance floor in front of the stage. Other men stood around drinking and talking loudly. There was not a woman in sight. Joe looked towards the bar. The two barmen were garishly dressed and obviously gay, even from a distance. One of them was eyeing Joe with more than a passing interest. Joe suddenly realised why the taxi driver had told him to watch himself. He decided he would do just that.

  He considered leaving the place and trying his luck elsewhere, but he was warm for the first time since he had left Betine’s apartment. He would stay for a while and look for Benny Travers. Then maybe move on. He eased his way through the crowd towards the bar. ‘Large beer,’ he told the barman who had been watching him.

  ‘You’re English,’ the man said.

  ‘Last time I looked,’ Joe nodded.

  ‘You want a second opinion?’ The man smiled.

  ‘Not right now,’ Joe said.

  ‘I’m Rick,’ the barman said as he served the beer.

  ‘Hello Rick,’ Joe raised his glass.

  ‘You looking for some action?’ Rick asked.

  ‘Last thing I need right now,’ Joe smiled.

  ‘There’s plenty here if you change your mind,’ Rick said. ‘You can have yourself a real good time if you know where to look.’

  ‘Sounds scary.’

  ‘Not necessarily.’

  ‘Is Benny Travers here tonight,’ Joe asked.

  Rick’s expression changed. The smile faded from his face. ‘What’s it to you?’

  ‘I met him a couple of days ago. He told me to look him up if I was passing.’

  ‘He’s not working tonight,’ Rick said. ‘Not feeling too good.’

  Joe sipped his beer and looked around the bar.

  Rick looked past Joe and nodded to somebody across the room. Joe continued to drink but was suddenly aware of somebody crowding him from behind. He looked over his shoulder and saw a tall guy glaring at him. The tall guy had grey hair swept back and tied in a ponytail. He was deeply tanned and wore a diamond stud in his left ear.

  ‘This is Snake Eyes,’ Rick told Joe. ‘He’s not in a very good mood tonight.’

  ‘Sorry to hear that,’ Joe said.

  Judging from the strain his shoulders and broad chest were putting on his jacket, Snake Eyes worked out on a regular basis. Not the type to tangle with. Joe wasn’t sure what was bothering the guy but he wasn’t in the mood for trouble. He put down his glass and turned to leave. Snake Eyes gripped his arm firmly and looked questioningly at Rick. ‘Is there a problem?’

  ‘He was asking after Benny,’ Rick said.

  ‘You got a name?’ Snake Eyes asked, turning a blue eyed gaze towards Joe.

  ‘Joe Box.’

  Snake Eyes’ grip on Joe’s arm tightened. ‘Why you want Benny?’

  ‘Just passing through. Thought I’d look him up,’ Joe said. He tried to ease his arm free but Snake Eyes had other ideas.

  ‘You come with me.’ It was an order more than a request. Snake Eyes steered Joe away from the bar and towards the back of the club. Several people parted to let them through. Their expressions said they sensed trouble and didn’t want any part of it. Joe felt the same way but he didn’t have the option to step aside. His new friend made sure of that.

  They passed through a door near the stage into a narrow corridor. As the door closed behind them Snake Eyes threw Joe hard against the wall then grabbed a handful of lapel with one hand and Joe’s groin with the other. ‘I ask you again. Why are you looking for Benny?’

  Joe squirmed as Snake Eyes tightened his grip. ‘Christ, I just thought I’d call in before I flew home. What’s your problem?’ Joe wondered if maybe Benny and Snake Eyes were an item. Maybe the guy was jealous.

  Snake Eyes stared at Joe for several seconds. ‘You with anybody?’

  ‘Travelling alone,’ Joe told him.

  Snake Eyes released Joe’s groin and dragged him along the corridor by his lapel. He pushed Joe through another door into a dimly lit room. The room was a small office. There was a desk with a computer on one wall. Joe gasped at the sight that greeted him. Benny Travers was sitting on a low settee looking tearful. His face was badly bruised. Both eyes were swollen and almost closed His nose looked like it had been broken. Both hands were heavily bandaged and taped.

  ‘Christ,’ muttered Joe ‘What happened?’

  ‘You happened,’ Benny lisped through swollen lips.

  ‘What?’ Joe didn’t understand.

  ‘Friends of yours came looking for you. Seemed to think I might know where you were.’ Benny winced with the effort of talking.

  ‘Christ, I’m sorry,’ Joe groaned as he realised what had happened. ‘They took the card you gave me. Must have thought I might come here. Was it a big bloke, short haircut?’

  ‘Two of them,’ nodded Benny. ‘Asked if they could have a word in private. I went out to their car. Before I knew what was happening, I was in the back of the car. They drove to some quiet back street and started asking if I’d seen you. Turned right nasty when I said I hadn’t.’

  ‘Bastards,’ muttered Joe.

  ‘They broke my thumbs,’ Benny whimpered. ‘I think they believed me when I still didn’t tell them anything after that. I would have told them anything I knew by then. They dumped me on the street and drove off.’

  ‘When was all this?’ Joe asked.

  ‘Few hours ago. I was getting ready to start work,’ Benny told him.

  ‘What’s it all about?’ asked Snake Eyes.

  Joe looked at him. ‘Some guys decided they wanted me dead a couple of days ago. Been running ever since.’ Joe knelt in front of Benny. ‘I’m so sorry this happened. I don’t what to say.’

  ‘Maybe you should just go,’ suggested Snake Eyes. ‘We don’t need you here. We will take care of Benny.’

  ‘What have you done to upset them?’ Benny whispered.

  ‘Their boss thought I knew too much about his business. Wants to make sure I don’t tell anybody,’ Joe said. ‘Funny thing is, I knew bugger all.’ He stood up. ‘Your friend’s right. I’d better go. I’ve caused you enough grief.’ He looked at Snake Eyes. ‘Take care of him.’ Then he turned towards the door.

  ‘Wait,’ Benny winced with the sudden effort of speaking. ‘Where will you go?’

  ‘I’ll cruise around some more bars for a while longer then get a taxi to the airport. I’ve got to get a flight back to the UK.’

  ‘Have you got a flight booked?’

  ‘I missed my original flight. I was busy staying alive. I got a friend to book me on the first flight out tomorrow.’

  ‘You can stay here for a few hours,’ Benny told him. He looked at Snake Eyes. ‘Can you drive him to the airport later?’

  Snake Eyes looked doubtful. ‘We should get him out of here.’

  ‘They won’t come back,’ Benny winced. Snake Eyes hesitated. ‘Do it for me,’ Benny said.

  Chapter 30r />
  Snake Eyes drove. He weaved the car through the early morning traffic, across the river and away from the city. Neither Snake Eyes nor Joe spoke during the journey. There wasn’t much to say. Joe had apologised many times but it made no difference. It didn’t take away Benny’s pain. Benny was badly hurt and it was because of Joe. All Joe could do was get out of Benny’s life and leave him to heal. It had been a chance meeting that had lasted no more than a couple of minutes that Benny would regret for the rest of his life. Joe guessed that Benny might be a little more careful about who he handed his cards to in future.

  Snake Eyes drove into the airport and took the Kiss and Fly lane to drop Joe off. Joe assumed there would be no kisses. He looked across at Snake Eyes as he brought the car to a halt and tried hard to find the right words.

  ‘I know,’ Snake Eyes nodded. ‘You’re sorry. You already said so, many times.’

  ‘It doesn’t seem enough.’

  ‘It isn’t,’ said Snake Eyes. ‘Just go. Stay away from Benny. You come back to my club, I kill you.’ The look in his eyes told Joe he meant it.

  Joe shrugged. There was no answer to that. People had been trying to kill him for the last few days. He would add this latest threat to the list. He wasn’t worried. He knew he wouldn’t be back. He opened the car door and got out. Snake Eyes sped away as soon as the door closed.

  The concourse in front of the check-in desks was almost deserted. Joe saw the desk for the Stansted flight and hurried across to it. He passed over his passport and the flight details that Betine had printed for him. The girl behind the desk smiled and asked the usual questions about luggage and he gave the usual answers. She passed him his passport and boarding card and he turned and hurried towards Passport Control. His flight didn’t leave for another hour but the sooner he got through, the better he would feel.