by Mark Timlin
‘Cover yourself up, Kazza,’ I said. ‘You’ll frighten the animals.’
‘Do it,’ said Marshall, and she did, looking from Dawn to me with terror in her eyes.
Marshall did the same, but he wasn’t frightened. Not yet. That was to come. ‘Where’s Soldier?’ he demanded at the mention of animals.
‘In the land of nod. It was something he ate.’
Marshall looked as if he was ready to jump out of bed and have a go, guns or no guns, so I said, ‘Don’t worry, Jimmy. He’s OK. He’s dreaming of a nice juicy piece of beef. So come on. Out of your lazy beds, time’s a-wasting.’
They both did as they were told, slid out from under the covers and stood together under the twin barrels of our weapons.
It was quite a sight. They were both stark naked. Marshall looked like he’d been gobbling anabolic steroids big time. He was the colour of a tandoori chicken straight out of the oven, from repeated visits to Spain or somewhere, topped up with a sunbed, and every muscle on his frame was pumped up till it looked like snakes were wriggling under his skin. His neck was wider than his head and the whole effect was only spoiled by the fact that his mouth resembled a pig’s arsehole and his dick was the length of one of those little chipolatas that come on a stick at weddings.
His girlfriend, on the other hand, was pale and smooth, with her pubic hair shaved into the shape of a heart. She wasn’t bad as it happens. I could see why Monkey’d been attracted.
‘Put something on, the pair of you,’ I said. ‘You look like you’re auditioning for a sex education video.’
I picked up a white towelling robe from the bed and tossed it to Marshall. He put it on, his eyes never leaving mine all the while.
Not scared yet, James, I thought. Stick around.
‘What do you want?’ he asked. ‘There’s nothing here for you.’
‘You’d be surprised. Come on, Karen, get your knickers on.’
She picked up a robe of her own from off the dressing table stool and shrugged into it.
‘How do you know so much about us?’ asked Marshall.
‘You’re my hobby. Some people spot trains, I spot you. Now come on, downstairs. This place stinks like a brothel.’
All four of us filed out of the bedroom and down to the ground floor. I went first, walking backwards, gun pointing upwards, then Marshall, then Karen and finally Dawn at the rear, well out of my line of fire. She was learning fast.
We went into the living room once more. I switched on the chandelier that hung from the ceiling. The curtains were already drawn, and I motioned for Marshall and Karen to sit on the sofa. The room opened into the kitchen, which was all ice-white surfaces and chrome accessories. There were two bowls on the floor, one containing chopped up dog food, the other water.
‘Where’s the dog?’ said Marshall.
‘Outside. He’s all right. I told you.’
‘He’d better be.’
‘You’re in no position to threaten me, Jim,’ I pointed out.
‘What kind of position am I in?’
‘The worst kind. But tell me what I want to know and you’ll be just fine.’
‘So. What do you want to know about?’ said Marshall.
‘Drugs,’ I said.
‘Bollocks.’
‘Don’t bollocks me, Jimmy,’ I said. ‘You’re a player. Everybody knows you. You’ve just got away with it so far.’
‘Who are you then? Pinky and Perky?’
I didn’t like it that he could still make jokes. ‘You’re not taking this as seriously as you might, Jimmy,’ I said. ‘Now that’s silly. I know you’re all webbed up with a bunch of big operators, but they’re not here, are they? There’s no one to protect you and your girlfriend.’
‘What are you goin’ to do then?’
‘Nothing, I hope. All I want is some information from you, then we’ll leave, and you can get on with your little lives.’
‘What kind of information?’
‘Where you get the stuff from and the movements of the next consignment.’
He shook his head. ‘Can I have a fag?’
There was a packet of Benson’s on the coffee table, a lighter and a half-full ashtray.
‘No. But I will.’ I took the packet, fished a cigarette out, stuck it in the hole in my balaclava, lit it and inhaled. ‘Very nice. You can have one yourself if you’re prepared to cooperate. It’ll settle your nerves.’
‘Piss off.’
So there we were. Stalemate. I didn’t want to actually shoot the geezer, or his girlfriend, but I needed something to galvanise his attention. As if on cue, the dog flap in the kitchen door was pushed open and Soldier stumbled through the gap and weaved his way across the kitchen towards us. He didn’t seem any too happy at being fed a Mickey in his midnight snack, and had the kind of look in his eyes which said that Dawn and I might be next on the menu, if he could summon up the strength in his legs to attack.
Instinctively I turned the barrel of the Uzi in the dog’s direction and fired it on full auto. I must have spent half the magazine before I eased my finger off the trigger of the bucking machine pistol in my hand. The silencer absorbed most of the sound of the shots and the Dobermann exploded into meaty chunks that resembled its dinner, which were hurled all over the kitchen, where they lay and stank the place out as the contents of Soldier’s bowels and bladder spread across the shiny plastic that covered the floor, and the bullets that had passed through him chopped neat circles in the MFI kitchen cabinets.
I saw Dawn’s eyes glitter through the slits in her mask as she glanced over at me.
‘So I’m a cat lover,’ I said.
‘Will you speak to me now, Jimmy?’ I asked mildly through the pall of smoke and the stink of used gunpowder and animal offal which filled the room. ‘Or do I have to do the same to Karen to get you to talk? Because I will.’
‘You filthy bastard,’ he shouted, coming halfway out of his seat until I turned the machine pistol back on him and let the knuckle of my forefinger whiten on the trigger.
‘Sticks and stones,’ I said as he fell back on to the sofa, tears in his eyes, whilst Karen stared at the carnage that had overtaken their pet. She put her hand over her mouth and gasped as her skin paled to grey, and her whole body began to shake as if in the grip of a grand mal epileptic seizure.
‘You fucking cunt,’ Jimmy said through clenched teeth. ‘If it’s the last thing I ever do–’
‘Sounds like the script for a bad film,’ I interrupted. ‘Shut your fuckin’ gob, you slag. You and your mates are killing people every single day of the fuckin’ week with what you deal. Kids. Kids who don’t know no better. And you think I’m going to worry about fuckin’ Fido. Sod him, and her and you. You want to live, talk. You don’t, don’t. Simple.’
I think he got the message. When he looked up again there was fear lurking in the corners of his eyes. Excellent.
‘Whaddya want to know?’ he asked.
‘You deal E.’ It wasn’t a question.
‘Amongst other stuff.’
‘It’s the E I’m interested in right now. Where does it come from? You got a factory here or is it imported?’
‘Imported. It’s easier.’
‘Quality control?’
‘If you like.’
‘You should get on to the manufacturers. People are dying of this stuff.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with it. They just take too many tabs. Don’t drink. Dehydrate.’
‘Not the stuff I’m talking about. Would you know anything about rat poison? And ground glass?’
‘That’s not ours. We’re not the only ones bringing gear in.’
‘Proud of the product, are you? Too bad. You got the short straw. You’re taking the can back for all the rest.’
‘I don’t get it.’
‘You don’t have to. Let’s just say that the wheel of fortune stopped at your number.’
‘If it’s money you want . . .’
‘Fuck off.’
‘You reckon you can get more by stealing the stuff?’
As he had the reasoning power of a mouse on helium I explained. ‘I’m not going to nick the stuff, or turn it over to the authorities. I’m going to destroy it personally. Just let me know when the next lot’s coming in.’
‘Why?’
‘None of your fuckin’ business. Just let’s say it’s personal. Now tell me.’
He licked his lips. ‘I can’t do that.’
‘No such word as can’t, Jimmy.’
‘I can’t.’
I moved the barrel of the Uzi over to point at Karen’s chest. ‘She’d look lousy in a shroud,’ was all I said.
She looked at Marshall. ‘Jimmy,’ she pleaded.
‘All right, all right,’ he said.
I waited for a moment and he licked his lips again.
‘So?’ I said.
‘It comes in from Amsterdam.’
‘That’s better. How?’
‘By truck. Artic. Hidden in a regular load.’
‘What kind of regular load?’
‘Self-construct furniture. Tables and chairs with chromed tubular frames. You know the sort of thing. Packed flat. The chrome tubes that make up the legs of the things are hollow. The dope is packed in them. The driver stops at a place in Wembley. A bunch of our lads meet him and offload the stuff, refasten the packs and the driver drops them off at the furniture warehouse like nothing had happened.’
‘When?’
He hesitated again.
‘Come on, Jimmy,’ I said. ‘In for a penny.’
He closed his eyes, shook his head, then coughed the lot. I could almost hear his bottle go as he spoke. ‘Once a month. The last Saturday. The driver catches the late-afternoon ferry that gets in at midnight so’s to be in London by Sunday morning first thing. That gives us all day to get the gear off the truck and the driver delivers the straight stuff the next day. There’s no hassle about the extra time that way. As long as the furniture arrives by seven a.m. Monday, he can travel any time over the weekend. As far as his guv’nors are concerned he’s got a mystery he visits for a fuck. It’s simple.’
‘The last Saturday of the month, you say. So the next load’s due tomorrow?’
Marshall nodded.
‘Lovely. Which port?’
‘Harwich from the Hook of Holland.’
‘And it’s the midnight landing.’
Marshall nodded again.
‘What about customs? If this is so regular, don’t they ever get sus?’
‘They’re sorted.’
Typical.
‘Old Bill?’
‘Them too.’
Lovely. I could just picture Robber’s face if I ever told him.
‘So it’s a milk run.’
He just looked at me.
I grinned under my mask. ‘So let’s keep it that way, Jimmy, and no one will get hurt. What’s the name of the trucking firm by the way?’
He sighed. ‘Barnhoff.’
‘How much gear?’
‘Two million tabs.’
‘How many?’
‘You heard.’
‘How much does that cost you?’
‘Fiver a tab, maybe a bit less.’
‘And you sell for?’
‘Tenner to a wholesaler.’
‘And they sell on at how much?’
‘Whatever they can get. Fifteen quid bottom, twenty-five tops.’
‘Lucrative business.’
He nodded.
‘So there’s about ten million quid tied up in this shipment initially?’
‘Something like that.’
‘I hope you haven’t got a big investment in it, Jimmy.’
‘Enough.’
‘Not enough to do anything silly I hope.’
‘Like what?’
‘Lots of things. See, you could be lying to me now. No shipment. No Barnhoff. No nothin’. Or you could call it all off. Tell your bosses or partners or whatever they are what happened here tonight. And they could simply hold up the truck or send it through with just what’s on the shipping note. Or worse, they could load up the back with a bunch of hard cases who wait for us to do what we’re going to do and jump out with guns blazing. But remember how easy I got in here tonight, Jimmy, and remember also that if anything like that does occur, whatever happens to us, there’s a bunch of mates of ours who can get in just as easy another night, and they won’t do any talking. They’ll hurt you, Jimmy, and Karen and as many more doggies as you get in here to protect you. There’s no alarm system can keep them out and believe me they’ve got long memories. You’d never be able to rest easy again in your bed upstairs. Never. Get me?’
He nodded.
‘Good,’ I said. ‘And besides. If you did admit to telling us what’s going on, even if you phoned up the minute we’re gone and told your pals that you only spilled the beans to get shot of us, they’d know, wouldn’t they? They’d know that you and her were vulnerable, and it might be easier just to shut you up permanent so that you couldn’t do it again. Think about it, Jimmy. Think about it and go back to bed and fuck little Miss Essex here, and forget we ever called. All right?’
He said nothing in reply and I leant over and poked him in the throat with the barrel of the Uzi. ‘All right?’ I repeated.
He nodded again, and I thought that was enough for one night.
‘Good,’ I said. ‘Now turn off the alarm system, we’re going out the front door.’
Marshall got up from the sofa and I took him into the hall where he disabled the alarm system, then I took him back, got him seated again and left him in Dawn’s care whilst I went to the patio doors and ripped the wires and connections that Monkey had fixed to the alarm terminals and stuffed them into my pocket.
Then we split. I didn’t bother making threats as to what would happen if either of them followed us. I didn’t think that they would. And they didn’t. I broke the silencer down from the Uzi before we got to the street and tucked it and the gun inside my jacket, but I needn’t have bothered for all the activity that was going on outside. We didn’t even see as much as a stray cat on the short walk back to the car, and within five minutes we were clear of the area and heading home.
‘Did you have to shoot the dog?’ said Dawn after a bit. ‘Got Marshall’s attention,’ I replied.
‘It was horrible.’
‘He would’ve tried to see us off.’
‘I know, but it seems such a shame. He was a beautiful dog.’
‘And he would’ve eaten you for his dinner, given half a chance.’
‘But you didn’t have to do that to him.’
‘Seemed like a good idea at the time. And it worked.’
‘Yeah, OK. So what do we do now?’
‘Now we go home for a few hours’ kip, then tomorrow we go to Harwich and meet the boat.’
‘And you think Marshall will let it go at that?’
‘Yeah, I do. I think he’s shitting himself right now. And if we move fast we can catch the next shipment before he has time to get brave again. We’re lucky it’s tomorrow and not three weeks’ time.’
‘I think he gave in too easily.’
‘Get out of it. He’d just seen one of his pride and joys splattered all over the kitchen walls and I was threatening to do the same with another. He gave in because he couldn’t take the chance that I’d’ve killed Karen.’
‘And would you?’
‘What do you think?’
‘I don’t know, I really don’t.’
‘And nor did he. That’s why he talked.’
‘I don’t know.’
‘I do, Dawn. I’m off to Essex tomorrow to do what has to be done. Now you can come along or not as you want. No hard feelings like, but I’m going with you or without.’
‘You’re a hard bastard, Nick.’
‘No I’m not. For all I know Marshall’s on the blower to his mates right now telling them what happened. But I don’t think so. I think he’ll
swallow what we gave him and bury Fido in the back garden and try and imagine it was all a bad dream.’
‘And if he doesn’t?’
‘We’re armed and extremely dangerous, Dawn,’ I said as we pulled up in front of the house. ‘And whatever happens we’ll let these people know they can’t get away with what they’re doing indefinitely without some interference. So, are you coming or what?’
‘I’m coming. You’ll need someone along with a bit of sense.’
‘Good,’ I said. ‘And by the way, I wouldn’t’ve – shot her I mean.’
She kissed me then, and we went inside and up to bed.
Saturday morning I was awake early. Earlier than I should have been after so little sleep, but as old Sherlock would’ve said, the game was afoot, and I was raring to go. I washed and shaved and woke Dawn with a cuppa.
‘So what’s the plan?’ she asked.
‘We drive to Harwich, meet the truck and blow the fucker to kingdom come.’
‘Just like that?’
‘Exactly like that.’
‘And no one will try and stop us.’
‘They might try, but they won’t succeed. We’ve got enough firepower to start a small war and we’ll use it if necessary.’
‘Some plan. I must say you’ve got every contingency covered.’
‘We’ll play it by ear.’
‘And what happens if Marshall was lying, or if he spills the beans?’
‘You keep asking that. I’m telling you like I told him, if he tells his pals what he told us, he’s a dead man. These fuckers don’t mess around, there’s too much at stake. If Marshall owns up to letting the cat out of the bag, they’ll whack him. Big-time drug suppliers aren’t noted for their forgiving natures.’
‘That’s what I’m afraid of.’
‘You don’t know the meaning of the word.’
‘If you say so.’
‘I do.’
‘OK. Are we going in our car?’
‘No chance.’
‘What then?’
‘I’ll nick one.’
‘What, you? We’ll still be here at Christmas if we leave it to you. You couldn’t even get into our car when you were locked out.’
‘I’m good at pinching cars,’ I protested. ‘I was in the Met remember. I was taught by experts.’