It was a few minutes to midnight. What a day. What a night. Saturday night’s all right for some people.
My hand was hovering over the buzzer when Bob Jones appeared. Or “BJ”, as he doesn’t like to be known.
‘How goes?’ I said.
He folded his porky arms and glared down his nose at me. ‘They letting you go?’
‘Yeah, I’m a free man. No interview room built can hold Eddie G.’
Bob glanced dismissively over my shoulder, taking in his strange mix of customers, then shuffled through the hinged access gate and curled his index finger. ‘Come hither, lad.’
I followed him down the corridor until he stopped by an unmarked door. He edged into its recess. ‘A word, if you don’t mind.’
I leaned against the door frame next to him. ‘I take it there’s no point getting my hopes up.’
‘Eh?’
‘Thought you were taking me to the canteen for midnight munchies.’
‘Forget it.’
My eyebrows pinched with disappointment. ‘So what is on your mind, Big Bob?’
‘Glad you asked,’ he said, not looking at all glad. ‘I need you to listen.’ The unhappy look persisted as he continued. ‘Before your dad died he made me promise I’d look out for you. Now, to be fair, I’ve not had to lift a finger. On the whole you’ve been a good lad. Not near any kind of trouble. And just when I thought you’re at an age where you’re past all that, you decide to take on half the Weighton police force. Even God Almighty’s not in a position to look out for you now.’
‘I think I’m digging your gist.’
He yanked at my arm. ‘No, you’re not. This isn’t a game. These people are serious. They know you didn’t do it. Co-operate and you’re off the hook, end of. You muck ‘em about, they’ll have you. Why don’t you tell me what they want to know? I can make sure it goes in your favour.’
‘Has Hobbs been working on you?’
‘For Christ’s sake, Ed, grow up. Hobbs knew your dad, he knows you’re clean, he’s on your side.’
I wagged a finger and laid on the reproachful tone. ‘You have been talking to him.’
‘Only because I’m looking out for you, like your dad asked.’
‘Well, shame on you.’ I faced him head on, poking a finger at his chest. ‘In the last few days, I’ve been followed around, beaten up, knocked out, and run out of town. So don’t tell me it’s serious. I’m out there takin’ all the heat. And if you think a little whisper in Hobbs’ ear will make everything better, then you’re the one who needs to start taking reality pills. Because it is precisely that which will put me on the next conveyor to a hot place. I have been dragged into this shit by what or who I don’t know. But if you’re wondering who’s the only person I can trust to pull me out, then you is lookin’ at him. Are you catching Eddie’s drift?’
He shook his head and moved closer, trying to crowd me in. ‘You need to start catching mine. We’re keeping a lid on this thing until Monday morning. Then Hobbs will brief the media. After that, all hell will break out. The press will be desperate for an angle, and I guarantee that some toe-rag will leak your name. Once your mug is plastered over all the front pages, the pressure will crank up on Hobbs. He’ll arrest you and charge you, just to keep everyone off his back.’
‘In other words, you’re saying I’ve got a day to clear my name?’
‘Bollocks you have! That is not what I meant and you know it.’
‘What nugget did I miss?’
‘Tell me what’s really going on, and I can make it stop. Otherwise, you can’t dodge this bullet.’
I shook my head. ‘I need more time.’
His whole body seemed to sag. ‘We used to get on, but I don’t know you any more, let alone how to get through to you. At least I tried.’
‘Well, don’t think I don’t appreciate it.’ I tried a smile. ‘There is something you can do?’
‘Come on, Ed, you know the score. I can’t be seen to do you any favours.’
‘My old man stood for something around here, so ease back. I wouldn’t ask.’
‘What then?’
I cocked my head and made sure no one was in earshot. ‘You took the tip-off earlier, right?’
‘So?’
‘What did the voice sound like?’
He wobbled his head. ‘Christ, Ed, I can’t remember.’
‘Some police officer you are.’ I applied my fingertip to his temple. ‘Think. Was it male or female?’
‘Male.’
‘Right. How old would you say?’
‘Difficult to tell. Mid-twenties at a guess.’
‘Good.’ I smiled. ‘We have a little progress. Now, was it a local accent?’
Bob bit his lip. ‘No, foreign. But pronounced.’
‘European or Asian or what?’
‘I don’t know, he only spoke one sentence.’
‘Okay, could it have been a black guy?’
‘It might have been. Why is it so important?’
I rubbed the sides of my face. ‘What’s so important? I’m facing a murder one here because some fink has set me up. I’m a bit curious who?’
‘Okay. Point taken.’
I stepped away from the recess. ‘I’m going now, but no lousing me up to Hobbs.’
He gave the slightest of nods. ‘By the way, your mum’s going frantic. She must have rung a dozen times.’
‘You didn’t tell her I was here, did you?’
‘Come on, Ed, I had to.’
‘Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks.’ I shook my head in frustration.
Bob looked down at his shiny black boots, then back at me. ‘You better get off home. I’ll let her know you’re on your way. And don’t worry. I’ll tell her you’re not in any trouble, just helping out.’
With an effort I laughed. ‘You couldn’t tell her I’m up for a Good Citizen’s badge? That’d save me some grief.’
‘I’ll do my best. Then you’re on your own.’
‘You’re a diamond, Bob, always said it.’ I started to walk backwards down the corridor. ‘See you soon, muchaho. Hopefully not here.’
Bob put both hands together as if in silent prayer. ‘If you won’t talk to me, leave it alone, eh?’
‘Don’t count on it.’ I turned away but called back to him. ‘Remember, Bob. Stay blessed. Stay outta trouble.’
~
Walking down the station steps in the early hours of a summer morning, goose bumps broke out all over my body. It wasn’t the chill in the air, more the parked Merc flashing its lights at me from across the street. At that moment I wished I hadn’t passed up Hobbs’ offer of a cell for the night. But there was no going back. Show-time beckoned again. Perfect.
I dragged myself over to the car. Its rear window wound down to reveal Tommy’s hideous blockhead with its irrepressible grin. ‘Get in. Boss wants to see you.’
Although the thought of doing a runner flashed through my mind, I knew I wouldn’t get far. There was neither flight nor fight left in me. Just looking at ol’ Crusher brought a throb to my face and an ache to my ribs. The Big Guy had me in his violent spell, and he seemed to know it. Suffering an acute state of Tommy-shock, I elected to get in.
Tommy didn’t speak as I settled in beside him. The driver pulled away, clearly knowing where we were bound, which was wherever the boss happened to be.
‘Where we going then, Tom?’
‘See the Boss,’ he grunted.
‘Yeah, I know, and it’s a real pleasure, believe me, but where exactly is he?’
‘What difference does it make?’
‘Well, I could keep an eye out for chippies on the way.’
‘Open that gob again and I’ll smash it.’
The rest of the journey passed in silence.
~
Tommy led me through the plush doors of Weighton’s only casino. Once inside he tossed over a tie he’d grabbed from a tight-clothed female host at the meet and greet station. I was hustled through the main lou
nge area, passing by the wheels and hands of fortune, and made to sit down with Jimmy’s entourage. The great man was at the top of a curved, leather-edged table, puffing on a huge cigar. Gorgeous blonde girls, barely twenty and barely dressed, sat either side of him. Truth to tell, I didn’t know which of the three to look at. To my near right sat Tommy and other assorted henchmen. The faces kept changing, but their fitness for purpose didn’t.
Jimmy let out a big puff of smoke which drifted in my direction. ‘Are you a gambling man, Eddie?’
‘Not since you and Tom played Russian roulette with me in the forest, no.’
A big guffaw from Cartwright chased after the whirls of smoke. ‘But you won that day.’
‘Exactly. Quit while you’re ahead. That’s my policy.’
The two blondes smiled at me, and I smiled back. If they’d been told to distract me I was happy to play the game.
There was an emphatic tut-tut from Jimmy. ‘I am genuinely surprised you should say that. Because you seem to like gambling. You seem to like it a lot. For big stakes, too. You can’t seem to give up, no matter how much I encourage the opposite.’ Jimmy made a grand sweep with his arm. ‘Look around you, Eddie. All these people gambling against the house, even though they know they ain’t gonna win. But they enjoy the challenge, you see. And although they go home having lost a few quid, they go to sleep remembering the thrill. Thus they resolve to come back. That’s why I brought you here. Am I making sense?’
‘That you are, Jimmy. I’d shout if you weren’t.’
‘Good. Because you see, I reckon you got the same affliction. The difference, though, is these good punters are only playing against me for money. You are playing with your life. Now I like that, it shows spirit. You’re obviously a high roller. And you always come back for more. Don’t you, Eddie?’
I turned up my palms. ‘I can’t seem to fight it.’
‘It must be that. I mean it can’t be a lack of respect, can it?’
‘No. We proved that last time.’ In the pause that followed I gave everyone around the table a polite nod.
‘If it was lack of respect,’ he went on, ‘you’d be gone by now. You do know that?’
‘Gettin’ it tattooed right here.’ I did a finger swirl across my chest.
The Kingpin strutted his jaw. ‘You see, despite my polite warnings you’ve been up to your tricks again–’
I went to cut in, but Jimmy held up his hand to stop me.
‘And don’t bother lying to me.’
‘I wouldn’t bother ordinarily, but I can explain.’
‘Save it, Eddie. I know you’ve been in to see the Babylons, and I know why. What does confuse me, is you. All I’m trying to do here is see where you’re coming from with this thing – why you seem to be meddling in spite of yourself. And in spite of my friendly requests that you desist. Like I said, the only thing I can liken it to is this gambling thing. The punters here merely have an unhealthy wish to lose money, whereas you seem to have a death wish. Would you say I was right?’
‘Shit, Jimmy, you gotta be warm.’
He smiled broadly. ‘Well, at least we’re making progress.’
Despite the club being packed, I noticed that no one was waltzing merrily past our table – obviously a Jimmy-decreed exclusion zone. If he intended violence about my person, he didn’t want to draw a full house.
Jimmy put his arm around the blonde sitting to his right, resting his bejewelled hand on her large right breast. He squeezed it. ‘I got a weakness for these, Eddie.’
I smiled at the voluptuous angel of sin at his side. ‘It’s understandable. She’s adorable.’
The exquisite floozy gave me a pouty look. Nice.
‘Not just hers. I mean in general,’ said Jimmy. ‘I love women’s breasts.’
I glanced around at the other guys and shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t say that’s exactly “out-there”, Jim.’
‘Maybe not, but nonetheless it’s still a weakness. Point is, I don’t have many – weaknesses, that is. In fact, apart from my dear old mum and these things,’ he squeezed the breast harder, ‘I only got one other.’ He pointed the end of his cigar at me. ‘You.’
I blinked twice and waited for a pay-off line, but it didn’t come. ‘It’s a real honour.’
He waved his other hand. ‘I’m serious. Since I met you, well, you’ve been like the son I never had.’
‘I’ll bear it in mind for Father’s Day.’
For a minute I thought he was going to lean across and pinch my cheek. Instead he took his arms from around the girls and held their hands.
‘Listen, girls, I need to talk business with this gentleman.’ He gave them a wink. ‘Give me a few minutes.’
They smiled and spoke as one. ‘Sure, Jimmeh.’
Their voices were indistinguishable, though more Bet Lynch than Marilyn Monroe. As they left they blew kisses at Jimmy. I tried to get in the line of a stray one, but they were too accurate. My mind was lost in wafting perfume and wiggling bums when Jimmy’s deep voice drew me back.
‘When I heard about your visit to see our law enforcement friends, I asked Tommy to bring you in for this chat. You see, I’m off duty at the moment, which is why I’m being so amiable. If I was on duty I’d have to deal with you.’
‘What time d’you go back on?’
Jimmy threw back his head and laughed. ‘That’s why I like you, Eddie. You always seem to find my funny bone. Normally I have to put up with these miserable bastards.’ He gestured at his men. ‘They wouldn’t know a gag if it punched ‘em.’
I looked at the heavyweights to my right and smiled. ‘They’re a great bunch all the same.’
‘Well, enough chit chat,’ said Jimmy, showing sudden impatience. He was probably missing the blonde babes and I was with him on that. He pointed at me again. ‘As I say, I like you. If we’d met under different circumstances, well, who knows.’ There was a brief Brief Encounters look in his eye before he shook his head. ‘Anyway, let me recount the story so far, see if I got this right. I tell you to leave this thing alone or I’ll kill you. You disobey me. But because I got a big heart I forgive you and you get another chance. Then you disobey me again. Now it don’t look good for me if I don’t kill you this time. How many chances do you want here?’
‘Three would be good.’ It was a pressure count, but I nailed it.
‘Nice try, but sorry, you’re all out. People will start thinking I’ve gone soft if I don’t kill you now. And there’s my men to think of. I have to lead by example, don’t I?’
‘You, me and Sun Tzu.’
His eye twitched. ‘Good. We’re on the same wavelength with this thing.’ He looked right into my eyes. ‘But I say it again: I do like you. And I admire spirit. Which is why it gives me a problem. Lucky for you I came up with the solution.’
‘It’s a blessing.’
‘That remains to be seen.’ He stared at me sternly, his shoulders rocking from side to side. The repetitive movement went on for a few seconds like he had zoochosis or something.
‘You were saying? About a solution?’
‘Yeah, well, that’s why I got ‘em to bring you in while I’m off-duty, so we can have this chat, and I can put you right. As I’m off duty I can’t touch you. Far as anyone else knows this conversation never took place. My reputation is intact, and you can lie low for a few weeks until this whole thing blows over. What do you say?’
‘It’s neat, Jimmy, I’ll give you that. A real win-win.’
Cartwright bit down hard on his cigar. ‘A warning, though, Eddie. From now on, I’m on duty twenty-four hours a fucking day. Every fucking day. And you fuck with me once more, take it as a promise I’ll make arrangements. I really can’t show any more favouritism. I do it for you – everybody’ll expect it.’
‘You’ve been more than fair.’
‘I hope so. It’d be a shame to have you whacked.’
‘You’d never forgive yourself.’
Jimmy stood up. ‘Right, well as it�
��s my night off, I’m going to make the most of it.’ He nodded at Tommy. ‘See our friend gets home safely.’
I held up my hand. ‘No need to go to any trouble on my account. I’ll see myself home.’
There was a grin from Jimmy. ‘Nonsense. It’s the least I can do, seeing as you’ve been so co-operative.’
As we headed out of the casino I could feel Tommy’s eyes boring into me. I kept my head straight and high and didn’t give him the pleasure. Instead, I glanced at the players clustered around blackjack tables and studied their agitated faces. Like Jimmy had said, they couldn’t help themselves. It got me wondering about the virtue of his dark rumblings. What can I say, the usual mix of bonhomie and death threats. But he was right about one thing: I had no skin left in this game. What was the point of risking it anymore?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sunday – 01:21
Silence had given me safe passage during the car ride to the casino and so it proved on the way home. As already demonstrated, Tommy had grown weary of my friendly banter. I was too tired to talk anyway. Exhaustion and a dull ache were all I could feel. R & R and plenty of it was what I craved. Most importantly, sleep.
Passing by the Old Bridge, I knew it would be close to two by the time I got home, assuming no unscheduled detours through Forley Forest. And whether it was the dog tiredness or otherwise, those old Cherokee sensors were strangely muted. It was more DEF-CON none than one. Danger didn’t just feel remote, it was on vacation in Ecuador. I still kept a corner eye on my happy-go-lucky travelling companion, but he seemed content to keep his eyes staring straight ahead, perhaps into oblivion. I hoped it wasn’t mine.
As the fatigue covered me like a low cloud, my mind ambled through what was left of my first case. If Jimmy really did know of Clegg’s death and my part in his downfall, why was he so relaxed? It could only point to my theory about Jimmy being correct. If he’d had some involvement in the blackmail scam, for whatever gain, then confirmation that the accusing fingers of Porson and Clegg had turned to dust could only be good news. He was in the clear, with a crack at another – and hopefully less evangelical – Mayor. His overbearing interest in me could only be down to paranoia about the likely fall-out.
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