‘You’re welcome,’ I said, not really knowing why.
‘Can we get back to the matter in hand?’ Tabatha suggested.
‘Look Leon I need you to stick him in the freezer for a little while.’
‘You want me to stick a dead body in one of my freezers?’
‘Yes, don’t worry. It won’t be for too long, couple of days tops.’ I hoped.
‘This is a huge favour, Wolfy.’
‘I know. I’ll make it up to you.’
‘How?’
‘I’ll get rid of him.’ My old humour was returning.
‘That’s not even funny.’
‘Look. I’ll get rid of him in two days. There won’t be any trouble.’
‘You make him sound like a guest who’s kipping on my sofa.’
‘He’s better than a guest. He won’t hog the shower,’ Tabatha said, finding her form
‘We’re gonna have to repack him. I don’t want him contaminating my freezer.’
‘Fine.’ I said.
We repackaged The Beggar up in black dustbin liners and brown packing tape, then shoved him into one of Leon's freezers that he used to keep his black market meat in.
‘You know I’m gonna have to throw this freezer,’ Leon said when we’d finished.
‘I’d hope so too. But don’t worry, I’ll get you a good deal on a new one,’ I responded.
‘A very good deal,’ he replied.
After sorting out The Beggar, Tabatha and I scrubbed down Betsy's boot. It wasn't stained but it seemed like a wise precaution.
‘How did you know where I was?’ I asked as we lathered the interior
‘I read that note that fat bloke gave you when you were asleep. I thought it best to back you up. You gonna get that fat fuck?’
‘Oh yeah. I’m gonna get him.’
Leon lent me a shirt so I didn’t have to go home in my blood-soaked one, which I bagged and took with me. Leon said Tabatha could have a few nights off to help me arrange The Beggar's disposal, more keen we removed him, than she serve drinks.
Once we'd cleaned Betsy thoroughly and listened to Leon explain the various reasons The Beggar couldn't stay for the sixth time, Tabatha and I ducked out of there. We headed back to my place and crashed out almost instantly. We needed an early night if we were going to get Clarence.
Wednesday 5:30 a.m.
Timing was going to be everything. We had to get to Clarence’s house while he was still in the nightclub, which meant we had to be on the road considerably earlier than either of us was used to.
I didn’t really want Tabatha to come, didn’t want to involve her any more than I already had, but after saving my life, she was reluctant to leave me to it, making the rather accurate observation that I needed her.
I put the tranq gun in my pocket and Tabatha put the rifle version she’d taken from Leon’s in a holdall. Tabatha called the peepshow asking for Clarence. They put her through and she hung up. He still hadn’t left. I slung a box full of darts in the bag and went to see the vet who’d sold me them in the first place. He sold me two more boxes and a second pistol. I was going prepared. This was a two-pistol play.
The pair of us headed to Clarence’s house. Tommy had got me the location. My tab was getting a bit big but some things were worth it. His alarm system was shit and his locks were crap. Curtis told me how to bypass them over the phone. It didn’t take five minutes to get inside. He should’ve taken more care, especially with the lovely house that he had. He should’ve got a dog.
His place was in Islington: posh neighbourhood, fancy cars, same lives and same problems as everyone else … just with more money.
We checked the house; it was empty. The goons had rooms either side of Clarence. Inside Clarence’s room were his dollies, his collection of beloved toys, in mint condition, perfectly preserved and lovingly cared for, arranged decoratively around the room in sparkling glass cabinets.
I sparked up a cigarette and handed it to Tabatha then sparked up one for myself we sat at the top of his hall stairs watching his front door. Waiting for him to return, the two pistols in my hand and the rifle in hers it’d be easier for her to hit him with the rifle.
We waited and smoked, stubbing out our cigarette butts on his carpet. I moved downstairs to just inside the front room when I heard a car pull up. Tabatha would pop whoever led and I’d do the others. The key turned in the door.
There was laughter and some incoherent conversation.
I heard Tabatha’s rifle pop which was my signal she’d hit one of the goons. He crossed my path as I stepped out and I popped Clarence and the other one; one in the throat and Clarence in the cheek.
It takes ten seconds to drop a tiger with that stuff and took just under that to drop Clarence and his goons. Once they were safely asleep Tabatha came down from her perch, looking pleased with herself.
We dragged the three of them into the living room taking the weapons off the goons, and put the arsenal in the holdall Tabatha had brought. Then we tied and gagged them rodeo style; hands tied to ankles behind backs.
Clarence we tied to an armchair, bound securely so all he could move was his head.
I gathered all Clarence’s dollies; there were at least fifty, and brought them into the living room and then, with everything prepared, we sat back, put our feet up and waited.
Clarence was the first to wake, his bulk more resistant to the tranquiliser than the others. He looked around, dazed and confused. He struggled against his bonds but he was fully fastened. Tabatha had done them well.
‘Wolfy?’ He said glancing at Tabatha and me, trying to indicate friendship. It sounded disgusting coming out of his mouth.
‘Clarence, dear heart. How are you?’ I said as calmly as I could. Anger indicates a loss of control and I wanted to make sure he knew I was in total control.
‘Look, Wolfy, you don’t understand.’ The sight of his prize possessions scattered about me had him worried.
‘What don’t I understand, Clarence?’
‘I had no choice.’
‘Really?’
‘Really, Wolfy, look I swear, I had no choice.’
‘We all have a choice, Clarence. You just chose wrong. Now what’s going on?’
‘I can’t, Wolfy. I can’t tell you. He’ll kill me.’
Tabatha smashed the head of one of his dolls against the coffee table.
‘Feisty little thing, aren’t I?’ she snarled in his face
‘No please … don’t. You don’t understand. I can’t tell you.’
Tabatha ripped of the arm of another one and made it do a physically impossible version of the splits, which made its legs come off and Clarence cry. I didn’t feel one iota of pity for this guy. He’d sent a hitman to get me and I wanted to know why.
‘What don’t I understand?’
‘I had to do it. It wasn’t personal. I was told to send you. He knew you'd come to me asking for Michael. Told me to give you that address and let him know when I had.’ He sniffled in between sentences, mucus running down his face. He looked like a scared child, and I could see in his face the youthful version of the ugly fat man he’d grown into.
‘Who told you to do that?’ I said stubbing my ciggy out in the eye of one of his dolls. He winced in his seat.
‘I can’t tell you.’ He was blubbering ‘He’ll kill me.’
‘Oh Clarence ... Clarence,’ Tabatha said soothingly. She‘d decided to join the interrogation ‘You shouldn’t be worrying about them. You should be worrying about us.’ And she slapped him in the head.
Clarence recovered some of his old strength from the hit. Tabatha had made a mistake in hitting him. I made a mental note, for next time, to tell her everything
Clarence got his kicks from pain. Beating him wouldn’t achieve anything. You’d slap him around for a few hours, end up knackered and he’d get his rocks off.
‘Tabatha, please that’s no way to treat Clarence. Violence won’t solve anything.’ I made sure Clarence under
stood that she might not know how to get to him, but I did. ‘Now Clarence, what my friend was trying to say, if you misunderstood, was that he can’t get you until we’ve finished with you. And that won’t happen until you’ve given us something.’ I stroked the head of one of his dollies. He could see me lining up to destroy another one of his prized possessions.
‘Okay, Okay. Look I know a name. Frazer … Scott Frazer. He's bad Wolfy. Got real connections. Phoned me the other day told me if you came looking for Michael to send you to that address.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know. I just do as he tells me. He’s not the kind of guy you refuse.’
The name didn’t ring a bell, but the fact Clarence was scared made me know he was no boy scout.
‘Where can we find him?’ Tabatha once more joined in.
‘I don’t know.’
‘These dolls don’t fly well do they, Clarence,’ I said, pitching one across the room.
‘Okay, okay. Please god, stop! Look I’ve got an address. I don’t know if he’s still there I only went there once.’
‘What is it?’ The goons were stirring.
Clarence gave us the address and Tabatha wrote it down. ‘Good morning, gentleman. Just in time to be shot in the head.’ Which is what I did, popping them both once more with the tranq gun.
‘You’ll untie me now, right?’ Clarence said, staring at the remnants of his prize possessions.
‘I never said I'd untie you.’
‘But Wolfy … I told you everything.’ He was pleading.
‘Clarence, let’s be fair. You don’t exactly have a good record of telling us the truth. The last address you gave me resulted in someone shooting at us.’
‘But I’m telling the truth. You’ve got to believe me.’
‘I’d like to, I really would, but I’m really not a trusting soul. So this is what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna knock you out and gag you up. Then Tabatha and I will go check out this address. If anything should happen to us, if it’s a set-up, then you’ll starve to death because no one will know you’re here.’
‘But ... but …’
‘Don’t worry, Clarence. I read somewhere that a walrus can survive for ages on just its blubber. And you’re quite like a walrus. Obviously if it is a set-up and we survive, or you’ve just sent us on a wild goose chase, I’ll come back here, commit heinous crimes against your dollies and set your house on fire, with you inside.’
‘But that’s not fair. I told you what I know.’
‘Life’s not fair, Clarence. It’s a cruel and unscrupulous world, full of vicious people. I thought you of all people should know that. Would you like the honours?’ I asked Tabatha.
‘I’d be delighted.’ She replied, popping Clarence. We waited till he fell asleep then gagged him, and taking Clarence’s door key, we headed to the address he’d given us.
Scott Frazer lived in Ladbroke Grove. Like most places Ladbroke Grove had two parts; the rough part and the good part. Scott Frazer lived in the good part, the very good part. He had a townhouse similar to Muzzi’s, although Muzzi’s didn’t have the columns out front. We walked up to the door, I stood at the side and Tabatha knocked. The door opened and a small red-haired stocky man appeared from behind it in tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt, covered in sweat.
‘Are you Scott Frazer?’ I asked.
‘Who wants to know?’ It was already obvious that he had a chip on his shoulder.
‘I do,’ I said popping him in the head. He fell down and Tabatha and I dragged him into the house, closing the front door behind us.
We dumped him on the hall floor and quickly searched the house making sure no one else was there.
We dragged him into the gym which Tabatha had found and hung him upside down. He had one of those sit up bars that you hook your feet onto. Great for stomach exercises, perfect for interrogation. We tied his wrists together and then tied another rope between his legs; to this we tied a dumbbell without the weights. Once more we were ready to begin. All we had to do was wait.
We sat back and smoked. I loved the idea of smoking in the gym, it seemed utterly scandalous; a direct attack on the health culture.
The gym was top of the range: exercise bike, treadmill, weight bench and that bike thing where the handle bars moved back and forth. Boom-Boom would have known what it was called. Although I had the owner of the gym dangling upside down with a dumbbell dangling from his crotch, I wasn’t worried. I knew as soon as I’d seen him that Clarence had told the truth. This guy was arrogant; the kind of arrogance that comes from power, where all those below are regarded with contempt. The kind of person who thought he was the dog’s bollocks. Well, as soon as he woke up he was going to get that chip blasted of his shoulder by a couple of very determined people.
Once Frazer woke up I greeted him.
‘Hello, Mr Frazer.’
‘Who the fuck are you? Get me the fuck down.’
‘Now, now, Mr Frazer, there’s no need to be rude.’
‘Now you listen to me, you dumb cunt, if you don’t get me down I’m gonna …’
‘Do nothing, fuckwit,’ Tabatha sneered across him.
This man was both arrogant and stupid. This could’ve been a problem, as people who are both arrogant and stupid are generally incapable of understanding the danger their in.
I thought it best to explain
‘Mr Frazer, we are here for a particular reason. We’d like to have some questions answered. A man called Clarence said you might be able to answer them.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. And what d’ya think you’re looking at, bitch?’ He leered at Tabatha. Big mistake. She wrenched on the rope between his legs and he squealed in pain. Our S&M adventure had not been in vain.
‘Mr Frazer, Mr Frazer. That wasn’t very polite. Now, I’m gonna ask you some questions and if you don’t answer, my friend over there is gonna start adding weights to that piece of rope hanging between your legs. Understand?’
He nodded. No man, no matter how tough they think they are, is going to fuck with someone who’s preparing to part their bollocks like the Red Sea.
‘So, Mr Frazer. Tell me where Michael is.’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Add a weight ... a small one.’
‘Look, I don’t know. I really don’t know.’
Tabatha was thumbing the rope I’m sure she wanted to have another practice at bell-ringing, yank that rope like she was at Sunday mass. If I let her do it he’d certainly hit the high notes.
‘So, why did you tell Clarence to send me to The Beggar?’
‘I don’t know who the fuck you are. And what Beggar?’
‘I'm Kenino Wolf.’ I saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes.
‘I was just obeying orders.’ This was turning into the Nuremburg trials.
I certainly didn’t want to hear that. I’d really hoped he was the main fella, but it was obvious he wasn’t; he didn’t have the look. His business was violence. Whoever was running the show was clever. There was a brain in this story. A brain that liked to put a load of levels between him and the deeds he required done. I knew he wasn’t lying. Trust me, one look at him with the weights splitting him, you knew he wasn’t lying.
‘Whose orders?’
‘Nikita Kruchenko. He told me to tell Clarence to send you to Totteridge.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know. I just do as I'm told. He doesn't explain himself to me.’
‘Address.’
‘I don’t have one.’
‘So how do you get hold of him?’
‘I don’t. He just calls me and gives me orders. I haven’t even seen him.’
‘Why was Michael’s brother killed?’
‘I don’t know. Nothing to do with me.’
‘Fine,’ I said, then popped him with a dart.
‘Now what?’ Tabatha asked.
‘Now we take Mr Frazer to Clarence’s house.’
‘And then wha
t?’
We wrapped Frazer in a giant beach towel and shoved him in Betsy’s Boot. And then drove off.
I called Bosley. It was time to tidy some mess.
‘Bosley, go to mine and get those things you left behind and bring them round to Seedy Clarence’s.’
‘Why?’
‘I owe you a promotion. Be quick … time’s running against us.’
‘Eh ... was that Bosley?’ Tabatha looked at me quizzically.
‘Yep. We have to do something about Clarence and this Frazer fella in the boot.’
‘And you think calling Bosley's the answer.’
‘Yeah. Now drive to Leon’s. We need to get the snowman.’
The minute he saw us pulling up, Leon came running out.
‘Wolfy, you need to deal with your friend. I have a baby and he’s not helping.’
‘What did you want him to do? Sing lullabies’
‘Wolfy, that ain’t funny. You know what I mean.’
‘Yes, Leon, I know. Pop the boot, Tabs. Come on, Leon, give me a hand.’
Leon and I pulled The Beggar out of the freezer and walked round to the boot.
‘I don’t think he’s going to fit, babes,’ Tabatha observed. ‘Maybe we should get a van.’
‘Oh my god, Wolfy. You have another dead body in your car. What are you doing?’ Leon was shaking. He almost dropped The Beggar.
‘Hold him properly. He’s not dead, just asleep.’
‘What the hell are you up to?’
‘You really want to know?’
‘No … no, I don’t want to know anything. Just take them all away.’
‘Tabs, open the back door. He’ll just have to go in the back seat.’
She opened the door and we shoved in The Beggar.
‘Hey, Kelly. How you doing?’ Kelly had just appeared in the yard.
‘He’s got another body,’ Leon stammered.
‘He’s not staying, just passing through, and I’m taking the old one.’
‘Good. That’s just what I was coming to talk to you about.’
‘I told you he wouldn’t be here long.’ I’d had no idea what I was going to do with him when I’d left him, but now I had a scheme, I was feeling quite chipper.
The Tale of the Wolf (The Kenino Wolf Series) Page 15