by S FEATES
I was up early the next morning and taking a shower when I heard someone moving about in the apartment. I grabbed a bath towel and wrapped it round my waist, still dripping wet I moved cautiously to the bathroom door and peered through the crack. I was relieved to see Sylvie walking out of the kitchen with a plate of cat food for Jackie. She had obviously come in to feed him. I opened the door and crept up behind her. Sensing I was there she turned around fast and punched me hard in the stomach. I was winded and doubled over in pain. The look of horror on her face when she saw it was me and not a burglar that she had whacked was priceless.
''Thanks for that.'' I wheezed, trying to stand upright.
''My God! Steve I'm so sorry. I didn't know you was back,'' she was concerned that she had hurt me, ''anyway, you shouldn't sneak up on a poor defenceless lady like that. I could have had a coronary.'' By now she was smiling.
''Sorry Sylv. I got back late and didn't want to disturb you last night.'' I rubbed my stomach. She certainly packed a punch. ''Thanks for taking care of Jackie for me. By the way I have got something to give you.''
''I ain't sure you're up to it at the moment stud. You don't look too good.'' Now she was laughing.
''No, not that. I have a surprise for you, got it yesterday while I was out. Couldn't resist it and it was free to a good home.''
Sylvie was intrigued. ''What you got?''
I asked her to close her eyes and then I went to the airing cupboard and took out the Persian kitten. I made sure the Siamese stayed hidden and then I walked back to Sylvie and asked her to hold out her hands. She obliged and I placed the white ball of fluff into her hands.
Sylvie opened her eyes and squealed with delight. ''She's beautiful! Where did you get her? What's her name? Can I keep her?'' So many questions.
''She's all yours, she hasn't got a name, that's up to you. I was given her as payment for a job I did yesterday, it's all kosher Sylv.'' She was over the moon and held the kitten to her breast.
''I shall name her Chrissie, it was my mother's name and I always liked it. Thank you, I love her.'' She whirled round like a little kid. ''I shall have to pop back later and thank you properly. Come on Chrissie I will introduce you to your new home.''
With that she left and I returned to the bathroom to finish my ablutions. While shaving I stared at my reflection in the mirror and pondered the events of yesterday. I was in a better frame of mind than I had been when I convinced Jackie Nolan to kill herself. Maybe it was the fact that David Graham was dying anyway that changed things. But then again was it really necessary for him to die anyway. It had been my actions at the Nolan kill, taking the kitten, that had placed Graham's life in danger. If I had left the kitten behind then Tony would have had it and David Graham would never have been on his radar. But to advance my career Graham had to die and I had no regrets about him becoming embroiled in my plans. Who knows maybe I did him a favour by killing him, saved him a lot of suffering. I finished my shave and got dressed to go out.
On my way to Southend I stopped off at the local supermarket and dumped the clothes in the charity bin. I went into the store and there purchased a bottle of cheap perfume and a pair of costume jewellery earrings. Back in the car I liberally sprayed the perfume around and then disposed of the bottle. I also threw away one of the earrings and placed the other in the foot well behind the driver's seat. Kevin would find that at a later date and connect it to the mystery woman that I had taken out for the day, thus reinforcing my alibi. I then set off for the car lot.
Kevin was standing outside polishing a VW Golf that he had just acquired. I pulled up alongside him and opened the window. Kevin stuck his head in and just as quickly pulled it out again, waving his hand in front of his face.
''Christ! Smells like a tarts boudoir in there mate. I will need to get it fucking fumigated. I take it you had a successful trip?'' He was breathing easier now.
''Very successful, as promised I have returned the Roller with no damage. Smells rather nice I thought, perhaps you should use the technique with the rest of your stock then you might actually sell a few.'' I closed the window quick before he had the chance to throw his dirty rag at me.
I parked the Rolls Royce at the back of the lot and went into the office to retrieve the keys for my Focus. Kevin followed me in.
''I have a nice Audi Quattro coming in next week if you're interested Steve, nice clean motor and it may suit your new image. Might even help you find a better class of bird.''
''Maybe Kev. I will get back to you on that. There was nothing wrong with the Lady I was with until the early hours I'll have you know. I got her back inside the Convent before the Mother Superior even noticed she was missing.'' I smirked at Kevin who wasn't sure whether I was joking or not. Not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree was our Kev. ''I must dash, I have another man to see about a cat.''
Kevin was still looking bemused as I drove off in my car.
I rang Tony Nolan and asked if it would be convenient to call at his office. He said yes but to give him an hour to conclude his business. I arrived there an hour later after stopping of in Brentwood to collect the Siamese kitten and the paperwork.
Tony was eager for news regarding my trip to Kent. He poured me another glass of cognac and settled himself to give me his full attention.
''Right, I'm all ears what happened in Maidstone? There's been nothing on the news about a murder in Kent.'' He took a sip of his cognac.
''There won't be anything on the news, unless it's a slow day and they are reporting suicides.'' I couldn't resist blowing my own trumpet. ''David Graham is dead. You were right he was conning Mrs Nolan out of her money. I got him to confess all and he showed me the papers and he still had the kitten.'' I got up and went to the door and stepped outside into the corridor.
Tony jumped up as I re-entered the office holding the cat transporter containing the kitten. He rushed over and snatched it out of my hands. Holding it up to eye level he studied the cat closely, examining every marking. I expected him to say any minute that the cat was not the genuine article but he didn't. I thought I'd take a chance and call his bluff so I said.
''Check it against his sisters, they should have the same markings according to Graham.'' I was shitting myself, if he said yes I could soon be on my way to that flyover. But I needn't have worried because he didn't.
''Can't do that Steve. I sold them yesterday, doubled my money. The offer was too good to turn down and now I can sell him this beauty too for even more dosh, it looks like the real deal.'' He was chuffed to bits and my sphincter relaxed too.
''I have the pedigree documents here and I erased all trace of his contact with your dead wife and me. I couldn't get the money back but he paid the price with his life. Made it look like he topped himself so there shouldn't be any come backs.'' I sounded pleased with myself and Tony acknowledged it.
''You have done well old son, you certainly have a knack for this suicide lark.'' He opened his desk drawer and took out a fat, sealed envelope and threw it across the desk. ''There's twenty grand in there and it's all yours. No, don't thank me you've earned it. You've also earned that introduction that I promised you.''
I picked up the envelope and stuffed it in my pocket before Nolan had a chance to change his mind. This was all too good to be true. Nolan was scribbling something on a piece of paper, when he had finished he passed it across to me. The paper had the name Derek Williams and a telephone number on it.
''That's the phone number of a friend of mine. Give him a call and tell him Fat Tony sends his regards, he'll know what you mean. He will take you under his wing, explain what you need and remind him he owes me. But I don't want you mentioning the two 'suicides' you've arranged on my behalf to him, discretion is not negotiable on that. Now if you'll excuse me I am now officially retired from my life of crime. I have agreed a price with the Casino owner, whose had a sudden change of heart, and I sign the contracts in about an hour.'' He stood up and walked around the desk with his hand extended.
We shook hands and I wished him luck in his new venture promising that I would never set foot inside the Casino. As I was heading for the door Nolan called out.
''Make sure you pay Sylvie her rent. She may come across as an old softy but I taught her business and she won't baulk at chucking you out on the street if you fuck her about. Take care Steve.''
I had got one over on Tony Nolan and he had paid me for the privilege, I just hope he never discovered my deception or I was a dead man.
I drove back home with the cash and the piece of paper, with my future written on it, in my pocket. Tomorrow I would call the number and begin my new life.
Although the national news and main stream media would not report David Graham's death, the local TV and newspaper would soon be reporting the death of a local business man. It would take four days until the body of David Graham is discovered. His nephew and the estate agent call the police when they fail to get hold of him and voice their concerns. The police arrive at the Cattery and discover the body in the Range Rover and seal off the site. Despite a couple of anomalies it will be considered that Mr Graham took his own life, but once again there would have to be an inquest. The evidence suggested suicide. The letter would be confirmed by the Grantham Clinic along with the advanced cancer, the suicide note on the laptop and the traces of sleeping tablets found in the empty tea cup.
The anomalies which were to be ignored by the investigators were the fact that an entry in Mr Graham's diary for Sunday, the day established as the approximate time of death, had been amended. An appointment for a Mr Johnson had been crossed out and CANCELLED written underneath in handwriting that was not David Graham's. The second anomaly was video evidence. Although there was no security system in the house there was a security camera situated in the out building where the cats were housed. Mr Graham had installed it himself but it was to be established that he had failed to set current time and date so the timeline was out of sync. The grainy, black and white footage would show Mr Graham showing a gentleman, dressed in a suit and wearing a flat cap and sunglasses, around the out building. It also showed the same gentleman an hour later in the out building on his own and looking at various cats and eventually taking one away. It would be classified as unusual, but because there was no telling what day it was that the event took place, it would be logged in evidence in case it was required at a later date.
TWO LIVES FROM NINE
6
It was the first thing on my list of things to do, ring Derek Williams. I found the piece of paper and dialled the number. It was answered straight away.
''Williams Private Investigative Services, Derek Williams speaking, how can we be of assistance?''
''Good morning Mr Williams, I have been given your number by Fat Tony, he said that you might be able to help me. He also said to remind you that you owe him.'' I was slightly embarrassed to say that to a stranger.
''You must be Steve Black, am I right? Fat Tony has already given me a brief rundown of your requirements. Can I suggest we meet up?'' He sounded positive.
''Yes, that sounds good to me. Where do you suggest, Your office?'' I asked.
''No, not here. I have a business partner and he isn't as radical in his thinking as I am so I don't want him involved in any business we might pursue. Unlike him I tend to think outside the box, if you know what I mean. There is a pub in Fenchurch Street, The Locomotive, it's near my office. I will meet you there at one o'clock this afternoon and we can talk business. There is something you might be able to do for me, I would have handled it myself but the call from Tony came at a fortuitous time for you, and me. So I may well hand it over to you.''
''Ok, I will find it. See you later then and thanks for helping.''
''No problem Steve, anything for Fat Tony.'' He laughed as he said goodbye.
Derek Williams used to be a detective with the Metropolitan Police. He had been a rising star when he joined and was soon fast tracked to detective. The attention though went to his head and he began taking more risks. Williams soon gained a reputation as a loose cannon and he found himself in trouble with his superiors after he gave a suspect a beating that put him in hospital for three weeks. The suspect had in fact been guilty, not that it made any difference, and he successfully sued the police and at the same time escaped justice. The force had to take action because of the public outcry and so they persuaded Williams to take early retirement on health grounds, it meant he kept his pension but he was not happy about losing his job.
Once the disappointment of leaving the force had subsided, he set himself up as a private detective and found he had a talent for it. He soon established a reputation as the man to go to if you wanted results; his methods though were a shade ambiguous and at times downright illegal. His business partner Mike Jackson, himself a former detective, had used Williams' agency on odd occasions whilst still on the force, sometimes he paid him out of the police informant fund and at other times Williams helped him as a favour because Jackson turned a blind eye to some of his more nefarious practices. Williams had been pestering Mike Jackson to join him for years and on leaving the force Jackson had taken up Williams' offer to join his agency as a partner. The two men had joined the force at the same time and became great friends. There had been quite a rivalry between them but Jackson was soon left in Williams' wake as his career took off. Jackson didn't approve of the methods employed by Williams and forged his own path to success the hard way. It came as no surprise to Jackson when Williams was suspended.
I located the pub in Fenchurch Street and found that Williams was already there waiting, he had ordered two pints and was sitting at a corner table. The pub was busy but the table was positioned away from the main bar. No chance of being overheard I noted. I walked over and shook hands with Mike Williams then sat down opposite him.
''I took the liberty of ordering you a pint Steve. Hope that's ok.'' He smiled.
'That's fine, good choice I would have done the same. Cheers.'' I picked up the pint and sipped the beer studying the man in front of me over the rim of the glass..
Derek Williams was a good looking man in his late fifties with short cropped grey hair. He obviously looked after himself, there was not an inch of fat on him, all muscle. He looked like he had been carved out of granite. I liked him straight away, he was no nonsense and suffered no fools.
''Do you know why I call Tony, Fat Tony and why he keeps on about me owing him?'' Williams asked.
''Not a clue.'' I said back as I put my pint on the table. ''Tell me.''
''We used to go to the same school when we were nippers. Tony was the fat kid that always got bullied, he was always in a fight with someone. I am sad to say that I was one of those who bullied him too. Anyway as we got older he got slimmer and tougher and I stayed skinny and spotty. Kids started taking the piss out of me, normally on the way home from school. The kids who picked on me were older and from another school and there were always three or four of them. Usual shit, one leader and the rest were just sheep. One particular day I was walking home and these bastards jumped me, grabbed my bag and started chucking the contents all over the place. I tried to stop them but there were too many. Enter, not so fat, Tony who had been walking along behind me. He had seen what was happening and without hesitation he walked up to the leader of the gang and smacked him right in the face. There was claret everywhere, the kids nose was obviously broken and the sight of all the blood made the others have it on their toes. Tony grabbed the blubbering kid by the scruff of his neck and whispered something in his ear. Well the kid went white as a sheet and took off after his mates leaving a trail of red drips in his wake. From that day on nobody fucked with me again. Tony became my best friend until we left school. I never did find out what he whispered in that ear, Tony wouldn't tell me, but it scared the shit out of that boy. Hence the 'Fat Tony' and he never lets me forget that I owe him. It's a standing joke now.'' He laughed at the memory.
I laughed along and said, ''Sounds like you found y
ourself a guardian Angel Mr Williams. I'm just glad he hasn't used up all of his credit with you.''
''No it's done you a favour. Mind you it was a result for him finally getting his hands on that Casino, who would have thought that homosexuality was such a big no, no in Chechnya, those embarrassing photos of Mr Kadyrov getting down and dirty with a rent boy would have sent shock waves through his family back in the old country. Can't think how Tony got them.'' There was a sly smile on his face as he made the observation. ''Anyway, now we have got the pleasantries out the way let's get down to business. I must admit I have done a bit of digging on you. Be unprofessional if I hadn't, and nothing came up. No criminal history, not even a speeding fine. I'm impressed. You left school at sixteen and went into an apprenticeship at a funeral parlour, there for four years. Odd choice but each to their own. After that it was dead end jobs, pardon the pun, until now. Your father was an enforcer for a South London firm, he was banged up in the late sixties, getting two life sentences for murder. He never saw you grow up as he died in prison. Perhaps that's where you get your killer instinct, must be genetic. Your mother is still alive and living in Romford. No siblings. You lived, until recently, in a bedsit but due to a change in circumstances you moved into a luxury apartment in Brentwood owned by Sylvie Braxton. Sylvie used to work as a brass out of a flat in Kensington, she had some very high profile clients, police superintendents, judges, royalty etc. She has since retired and gone into real estate. How am I doing so far? So why do you want to start pushing your luck now. It's a strange choice of career you want to embark on. Not that I can talk I've done some similar work myself.'' Williams was quite candid and very thorough.
''I'm not offended that you checked me out, in fact it reassures me that I am dealing with a professional. My life was heading nowhere and I would have ended up with a criminal record. I made a decision that I would control my life choices before they controlled me. The idea of killing people for a living is an odd choice I agree and like you say maybe it's in my blood, but I know I am good at it and I have proved it. I have been contracted twice to eliminate certain individuals and I have successfully made them look like suicides. It's not in my interest to get caught. I intend to specialise in murder by suicide but only where there is just cause for that persons death. I don't kill children or animals by the way.'' Although the two people I had killed did not strictly deserve to die but I wasn't telling him that. I too could be candid and would not allow myself to be put off.