The Silver Arrow

by Ian Todd

  “Why ur ye even entertaining them? Why no jist tell them tae take a hike?”

  “Ach, well, some ae us wee guys urnae as protected as other people,” Donald retorted bitterly, hivving a wee dig. “Look, Ah’ll need tae get back…Betty is lying back there in the scud laughing at Henrik bashing that bishop ae his tae try and maintain his hard-on. He disnae perform as good if he’s cauld or any ae the lassies laugh at him, so he disnae. Who dae Ah get in contact wae if Ah come up wae whit ye’re efter?”

  “Gie Simon a shout at Carpet Capers and wan ae us will come and pick it up.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Your shot,” Johnboy said, efter missing a sitter and leaving it hinging o’er the middle pocket.

  Silence.

  “Christ, ye’re worse than me, Silent, ya diddy, ye,” Johnboy chuckled, walking roond the table, chalking the cue.

  Silence.

  “The problem Ah’ve goat is whit happens if and when Ah ever walk oot ae this place and me and Senga move in thegither. Whit happens if…say efter five minutes or five days even, we realise we’ve made a mistake? Ah mean, if Ah wis wanting tae live wae a lassie, Ah wid’ve surely done it before noo. Dae ye no think so?”

  Silence.

  “And tae make matters worse…imagine if Ah don’t get oot fur years? Christ, it’ll no be me that’ll be as sick as a parrot, hivving wasted aw that time hinging aboot waiting,” he continued, sinking a red. “Blue. Nah, the main priority his tae be tae make sure that Senga and her pal come through this unscathed and then deal wae the fall-oot efter Ah know she’s safe tae get oan wae her life again.”

  He potted the blue and re-spotted it.

  “Ah’m kidding masel oan that’ll she’ll wait fur years fur somewan like me, anyway. She’ll wise up and Ah’ll be the wan that’s left feeling shit. Dae ye no think so? Ah mean, why kid masel oan, eh?”

  Silence.

  “Blue again,” Johnboy said, efter potting the red in the tap left-haun pocket at the baulk end ae the table. “Hiv ye ever been in love, Silent? Really in love, Ah mean?”

  He peered alang the cue at Silent, who wis sitting oan a chair looking at him, his cue upright between his legs.

  Silence.

  “Look, Ah know ye know whit Ah’m saying, so ye should jist spit oot whit it is that ye’re thinking. Ye won’t offend me if ye think Ah’m talking a heap ae shite, so ye wullnae. Shit!”

  The pink baw hid ricocheted aff three cushions before scattering the pack ae reds aboot the table.

  “It widnae be ma first choice,” Johnboy advised, nodding at Silent’s choice ae baw, as Silent bent o’er and potted it. “Bloody fluke. So, whit colour ur ye gaun fur then?”

  Silent walked roond the table, bending o’er a few times tae look at a possible shot, before indicating the black wae the tip ae his cue.

  “Ah suppose Ah dae love her…in the kind ae girl, boyfriend kind ae way…Ah think. Ah’m jist no sure if that’s because Ah’m stuck in here wae youse lot or if it’s mair tae dae wae sentimental frustration oan ma part. Ah mean, ye must admit, she’s beautiful,” Johnboy declared fae the chair that Silent hid jist vacated, watching the black disappear. “Ah mean, kin somewan like us, who’ve been running wild since we wur snappers, ever really be in love? True romantic love, Ah mean? Whit ur ye supposed tae feel like if ye’re in love anyway? That’s whit Ah want tae know. How wid ye know if ye wur in love in the first place? Ah know how Ah felt when Ah spoke tae Senga at that last visit, even when she wis gieing me a hard time, bit Ah’m jist no too sure if that wis love oan ma part or jist self-pity because this gorgeous lassie wis sitting opposite me telling me she’d loved me since we wur baith weans. Dae ye know whit Ah mean?”

  Silent took advantage ae the break in the conversation tae sink a nice wee red intae the middle pocket.

  “And don’t mention books tae me. Only last night, Ah tried flicking through Harold Robbins, bit aw that came up wae wis wanking material. It’s the same as some ae the other shite being read in here. The nearest Ah goat wis Ross Poldark and that scullery maid ae his, Esmeralda. Ah’m still no sure where he wis coming fae and whether he wisnae jist intae a wee bit ae rough oan the side, seeing as he wis the big shot who owned the local tin mine. Tae think ae aw the books Ah’ve ever read that spoke aboot love…true love…and how the main characters wur feeling and Ah probably skipped by they bits because Ah never felt anything Ah wis reading applied tae me. Christ, Ah even looked up the word love in the dictionary, so Ah did. Ye know, Silent, ye’d be fucked fur entering snooker competitions, if ye’re no prepared tae shout oot the colour ye’re gaun fur.”

  Silent hid failed tae sink the pink intae the tap right haun pocket before heiding fur the chair.

  “It’s a pity Joe’s deid. He wid’ve been able tae help me oot. Ah remember asking him how he knew he wis in love wae Kate Simpson and he said he jist knew…simple as that,” Johnboy continued, snapping they fingers ae his, before bending o’er and looking alang his cue, grunting in satisfaction as a red baw disappeared. “Ye wid’ve thought Ah wid’ve been able tae ask wan ae ma best pals aboot whit the score wis wae him and Kim Sui, insteid ae being scared tae breath a word aboot ma true feelings, in case he gies up oan protecting Senga. And, why wid he dae that? Why wid Ah even think that? That’s whit Ah want tae know? Whit kind ae situation is that tae be in, eh? Green.”

  He missed the pocket by a mile before plapping that arse ae his back doon oan the chair.

  “And, if that’s no bad enough, imagine if they found oot Ah wis contemplating moving away tae somewhere else…oot ae the toon aw thegither wae her? Christ, they’d probably want tae dae her in themsels rather than leave it tae Wan-bob,” Johnboy surmised tae himsel.

  The baith ae them smiled at each other as Silent sunk a fluky red.

  “Look, Silent, ye’re gonnae hiv tae try and help me oot wae aw this minced heid stuff. Ah’m no expecting ye tae jist jump right in there, offering aw sorts ae advice, bit a wee bit ae verbal widnae go amiss noo and again,” Johnboy pleaded, as Silent tapped the table beside the yellow baw, before potting it.

  “Change…Ah think that’s the key here. No matter how much Ah try tae get that heid ae mine roond it, fur some annoying reason, Ah’ll hiv tae change ma ways.”

  “Hoi, ya fannies, youse…who’s winning? Ah’m playing the winner,” Snappy shouted, exiting the TV room wae Pat and Tony in tow, heiding in their direction.

  “Whit’s wrang then? Watch Wae Mother finished?” Johnboy shouted back. “Noo, remember, Silent, this conversation wis jist between us two…okay?”

  “Good evening. My name is John Turney and these are the news headlines in Scotland tonight.

  ‘The luckiest man alive in Glasgow tonight is safely in hospital recovering.’ That’s how Springburn police Inspector, Paddy McPhee, described a twenty-four-year-old man, who was found trussed up and gagged in the boot of a blue Ford Cortina after it was routinely pulled over on Springburn Road by a police patrol, late last night. The two occupants of the Cortina, including the driver, fled the scene and despite an extensive search of the Balgrayhill Flats area, disappeared without a trace. Inspector McPhee believes the man, a local convicted drug dealer, was being transferred to a place of execution after being tortured. A hospital spokesman at Stobhill General Hospital confirmed that an adult male had been admitted under police guard suffering from acute shock…

  And still in Springburn, a man was found dead in a police cell after being arrested for assaulting two policemen outside a public house at the weekend. Sergeant Finbar O’Callaghan said a report was being sent to the procurator fiscal, but stated that foul play was not suspected. It is believed that the man, believed to be in his forties, banged his head whilst resisting arrest as he was being transferred to the cells …

  A consultant at Glasgow Royal Infirmary has described the hospital’s casualty department as resembling a scene from the famous Hollywood movie MASH most weekends. Dr Brendan Edwards served in Korea in a Mobile Army Surgical
Hospital with The Black Watch on the front line, where war casualties were evacuated to, straight from the fighting. Dr Edwards said that it would be no exaggeration to compare the scenes he witnessed at war to the scenes staff were confronted with in the casualty department last Saturday night…

  Councillors in the city have been urged to approve a cull of the pigeon population in George Square after the Lord Lieutenant of Glasgow and his wife suffered the indignity of welcoming Japan’s UK ambassador, covered in pigeon poo...

  Three wages robberies have taken place in the city over the past twenty four hours, amounting to over twenty seven thousand pounds being stolen and two people being injured, one seriously. The first robbery occurred in Govan at…

  Two men from different addresses on Milncroft Road in Ruchazie were each fined twenty pounds at the Central District Court today in separate cases after admitting assaulting their wives. Both men admitted to being under the influence of alcohol at the time the offences took place…

  Police were called to a house in Garthamlock last night after a fifty-year-old grandmother was found with head injuries. Police confirmed that Mrs Isobel McCabe died not long after being admitted to The Royal Infirmary. A fifty-four-year-old man, believed to be Mrs McCabe’s husband was helping police with their enquiries and is due to appear up in court at…”

  Chapter Nineteen

  It hid been jist o’er five weeks since Senga’s last visit. She looked at Simon in the driver’s seat beside her. He wis a nice, caring guy, bit such a bloody liar. When she’d asked him why the other lassies wurnae coming doon, he’d said they wur aw busy. She’d bumped intae Aggie McCoy and Helen Birnie a couple ae days earlier and they’d baith expressed surprise that a visit wis oan the cards as Simon hidnae let oan tae them that he wis heiding doon tae Dumfries. She’d shown them the visiting pass that hid arrived that morning fae Johnboy. They’d reckoned that Simon must’ve hid important news fur Tony aboot something, as the visits usually only happened every two months. She’d wanted tae challenge him, bit she’d jist finished the night shift that morning and wis finding it difficult tae keep her eyes open. She appreciated that his choice ae music wis a bit mair laid back than the stuff that he’d played the last time she’d heided doon tae Dumfries wae the rest ae the lassies. He wisnae saying much either, which wis fine by her. He seemed lost in his ain thoughts as he’d jist let the last tape play oot withoot changing it o’er. Although she knew that Johnboy hid saved up enough passes tae cover a Sunday visit as well, Simon hid telt her that it wid jist be doon and back up oan the same day as he wis busy wae his work. She suspected something wis gaun oan, bit she couldnae fathom oot whit it wis. Simon hid been pleasant enough when he’d picked her up earlier, bit he seemed a lot jumpier than usual…especially aroond her, or wis it jist her imagination? She suspected that he knew she knew he wis lying aboot the passes fur the lassies. Although she wis writing tae Johnboy two, or sometimes three times a week, he wis only allowed tae send the wan letter. That wisnae whit wis bothering her though. It wis the contents ae his. He seemed tae be blowing hot and cauld aboot their agreement. He wis very encouraging, and even funny, bit there seemed tae be underlying vibes in his words. The maist recent wan hid been questioning the need tae move away fae Glesga before they’d actually goat tae know each other a bit mair intimately. She hid held back sending aff a reply. She thought she’d made it crystal clear whit her rationale hid been oan that score. He’d also said mair than wance that he’d understaun if she met somewan else. Whit wis that aboot, she wondered. Wis he getting cauld feet or wis he the wan that wis being sensible? When she’d met up wae Kim Sui a couple ae weeks earlier fur lunch she’d been fantastically supportive, as usual, bit hid baulked a bit when Senga hid mentioned aboot her and Johnboy moving away if he managed tae get oot oan appeal.

  “Look Senga, it’s fantastic about you and Johnboy. I always felt you both should be together, but it might not be such a good idea to advertise about moving away,” she’d said.

  “Bit, Kim Sui, Ah want tae shout it fae the rooftops, so Ah dae. Ah jist cannae believe how happy Ah feel.”

  “Yes, I can understand that, but it’s the moving away bit that concerns me.”

  “Why? Dae ye think that’s a bad move?”

  “No, but it might be better if that comes from Johnboy. Remember, he’s been part of that group for a long time. Do you know if he’s mentioned this to Tony?”

  “Naw, noo that ye mention it,” she’d admitted.

  “Everyone knows that you’re both back in contact again and are delighted. If I was you, I would focus on developing and strengthening the relationship you have at the moment. Irrespective of what happens…realistically, Johnboy won’t be free for a while yet. It could take years.”

  “Ah kin see where ye’re coming fae. Naw, that makes sense. When Ah think aboot it, aw the pushing is coming fae me. Bit if Ah’m honest, it won’t work if Johnboy comes back tae Glesga,” she’d said.

  “I agree…not if he wants to stay on the straight and narrow, it won’t.”

  “So, how dae ye cope wae somewan like Tony?”

  “Me? Oh, I just get on with life. He’s sweet and generous and his activities and mine don’t tend to clash or mix.”

  “Even wae Jake in the shoap?”

  “Jake’s Jake. At the end of the day, I’m still just an employee, even though I know Tony has put some money into the business. I can come and go as and when I please and, so far, Jake has never questioned any decisions I’ve made.”

  “And whit aboot the other stuff then?”

  “Other stuff?”

  “Y’know, the dodgy side ae whit the boys get up tae?”

  “Well, from what I can gather, they’re all working towards getting out of a life of crime. I couldn’t say that everything in the shop has been legally obtained…that would be naïve…but I’m not party to that side of the business. Donna The Prima Donna recommended a buyer on the clothes side. I make a list of what I like and what I want and it appears. Sometimes, there’s even legitimate bills of sales, but it doesn’t account for all the stock.”

  “Dis it no bother ye that somewan like Tony could be oot hurting people?” she’d asked.

  “Senga, although I was born in this country, the women in my family don’t question their men or the decisions they take. I know it may sound antiquated and if people see me as a victim of that culture, then that’s how it is and has been for thousands of years,” she’d replied, smiling.

  “Bloody road works,” Simon muttered, flipping the tape o’er.

  The sound ae Jackson C Frank singing aboot catching a boat tae England or maybe tae Spain filtered intae her consciousness. Senga wanted tae ask him if the reason fur her presence at the visit the day wis so Johnboy could tell her she wis aff her heid and that she should go and get a life and leave him tae get oan wae his. She wisnae sure whit her reaction wid be if that wis the case. She widnae embarrass him, bit she wisnae sure if she’d be able tae keep her composure. She didnae want tae be like some lassies she knew that couldnae cope withoot their man…any man. Irrespective ae whit Johnboy wis planning tae come oot wae, Senga hid awready made up her mind and wid be moving oot ae Glesga with or withoot Johnboy Taylor. She felt hersel drifting aff tae sleep and resisted the urge tae fight it. She wanted tae be as fresh and alert as possible if Johnboy wis aboot tae deliver a Dear Senga in person.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Bloody road works,” Simon muttered, flipping o’er the tape, resisting the urge tae join in wae Jackson C Frank’s ‘Blues Run The Game’.

  He turned and gied Senga a wee quick glance efter gaun through a chicane ae cones. He smiled. He could see her eyelids drooping. He wis glad she’d warned him that she wis tired efter her nightshift. It meant he could collect his thoughts. It hid been a busy few weeks at work, as well as him hivving hid tae keep his heid doon efter hivving a run in wae wan ae Honest John’s son-in-laws. He wisnae sure whit daughter the prick wis attached tae, bit whichever wan it
wis, she wid’ve hid a fair bit ae patching up tae dae oan that coupon ae his the morning efter. At first, he thought the hiding he’d dished oot wis the reason that Charlie Hastie hid turned up, oot ae the blue, at the warehoose a few days earlier. Him and that right-haun man ae his, Frankie Fritter, hid jist shaken oan a deal wae the main architect ae wan ae the new office blocks at the Charing Cross end ae Elmbank Street. The job wis worth thousands. The guy hid jist left when Frankie hid gied him a wee nudge in the ribs. Charlie and Peter The Plant hid jist walked intae the warehoose.

  “So, whit dae ye want me tae dae, Simon?” Frankie hid asked.

  “Don’t dae anything, bit keep that sawn-aff close by,” he’d replied, putting oan his best customer grin.

  “Christ, is this whit aw the shouting’s aboot then?” Charlie hid asked, taking a seat and looking oot through the office windae at the shoap full ae customers and busy salesmen.

  “Ur ye hivving a drink, Charlie?” Simon hid asked, opening the drawer in his desk.

  “Naw, Ah’m fine, Simon, son.”

  “Ah’ll hiv wan,” The Plant said, as Simon bypassed the bottle ae single malt wae his haun and lifted oot the Bells.

  “Is that aw ye’ve goat?” The Plant hid scowled, clearly offended.

  “Ah’m afraid so,” Simon hid replied as a grin appeared oan Charlie’s face.

  “Gaun wait ootside in the car, Peter,” Charlie hid commanded. “Right, Ah’ll hiv a wee cheeky malt then, Simon.”

  The baith ae them laughed at the departing bear disappearing through the main entrance.

  “Prick,” Simon hid murmured.

  “Ach, Peter’s no that bad, Simon. Ye jist hiv tae stay oan his good side…that’s aw. Cheers,” he’d said, lifting up his glass and taking a sip.