The Silver Arrow

by Ian Todd

  “Oh, fuck you, Jake McAlpine!” she shouted, hitting him across the face wae her pillow before slipping oot ae bed and heiding fur the bathroom.

  “Ah’m sorry, Ah didnae mean it that way,” he shouted, laughing, as her bare arse disappeared alang the lobby.

  Time wis marching oan, he reminded himsel, grabbing Michelle’s assault weapon and tucking it behind his heid oan tap ae the two pillows awready there. Kim Sui wis running at a hunner miles an hour tae get the show ready. The TV and radio people wur never aff the phone, wanting tae come and dae some pre-recorded interviews. Kim Sui’s sister, Bo, wis daeing a brilliant job ae talking up the show wae aw her foreign contacts. Magazines fae aw o’er Europe wur wanting tae dae a spread and Simon hid The Mankys running aboot like men possessed, trying tae get everything tied up before Tony and the others goat liberated. It hid been four days since Simon hid goat huckled by The Stalker, up in Springburn. He’d been kept in the cells fur aboot an hour before him and Swansea hid been unceremoniously slung oot ae the station oan tae their arses in the rain and telt no tae come back by Bumper and Happy Harry, bit no before Swansea hid let The Stalker clock the timesheet wae Senga’s name oan it. Swansea hid gone up in everywan’s estimation efter that, although he’d claimed innocence oan his part. Simon hid jist come aff the blower, phoning fae The City Café, up oan Castle Street, where he wis tucking in tae his breakfast, efter tailing Senga up tae her work at the hospital. He’d telt Jake that he wis jist waiting oan Ben tae arrive, who’d been daeing the same wae her flatmate up at Stobhill. It hid been a piece ae piss, tailing the lassies withoot them knowing it. The hard part wis keeping well back, bit still being able tae keep tabs oan the buses they wur travelling oan, while continually looking oot fur Wan-bob Broon’s gorillas. Simon hid informed him that he’d jist come aff the phone tae Peter. It wis ‘game oan.’ That pair ae pricks, Spotty Hector and Chic Shand, wur oan the move. Baby Huey hid turned up, in person, at Simon’s door at five o’clock, jist o’er two hours earlier. Baby’d telt Simon that Charlie Hastie hid set the wheels in motion the day before, efter haunin o’er the job tae Spotty and Chic tae take care ae Senga. The good news…if ye could call it that…hid been that they wur leaving Lizzie Mathieson oot ae the picture, at least fur the time being. Simon said Baby wis aboot shitting a brick and hidnae hung aboot wance he’d passed the info oan. Before disappearing, he’d said that he wisnae too sure how they planned tae take her, bit he thought that seeing as they wur a pair ae psycho perverts, they’d probably nab her and bundle her aff somewhere deserted tae hiv a bit ae fun wae her before getting shot ae her at their leisure. It hid taken Simon aw his strength no tae attack Baby, when Baby’d jist shrugged his shoulders wae embarrassment, in response tae Simon’s challenge oan where his self-respect and decency wis, working fur basturts like them. Whit hid made it even worse as far as Simon hid been concerned, wis the fact that Baby hid known Senga since she wis a wean. Everywan wis noo under strict instructions tae make sure Senga wisnae nabbed between her flat and her work or if she wis oot and aboot in the toon. Wae that flatmate ae hers noo oot ae the picture, it wid make protecting Senga that much easier. Jake wis tae team up wae Simon during the daytime and keep tabs oan Senga’s movements when she ventured oot intae the toon centre tae dae some shopping or tae catch up wae Kim Sui. Senga hivving dumped Dr Gory, that ex-boyfriend ae hers, hid made tailing her in the crowded toon centre easier as well. So far, since getting back in tow wae Johnboy, she hidnae been oot in the toon centre at nights. Wan ae The Two Johns fae Roystonhill, Wee Parky, hid also drapped by Carpet Capers the day before tae tell Simon that Spotty Hector and Chic Shand hidnae been working in Greasy Jake’s fur a couple ae weeks during the daytime and seemed tae be spending maist ae their time flitting alang the Broomielaw and oot as far as Partick. Efter Wee Parky hid disappeared, The Mankys hid speculated as tae whether Wan-bob and Charlie Hastie hid cottoned oan tae the fact that Kim Sui’s cousin, Wee Pie and a McGregor Clan strongman, by the name ae Harding Lennox, hid set themsels up in partnership by importing cocaine via a Chinese cook oan wan ae the scrap boats that shuttled between the Clyde, Antwerp and Holland oan a weekly basis. Wee Pie sure liked tae dice wae death and couldnae be trusted as far as he could be flung. Tony, Snappy and Pat wur each serving three years doon in Dumfries because ae the sleekit wee basturt. Harding Lennox wis a well-known and well-feared killer in the city by those who knew whit the score wis. Wan-bob hid repeatedly warned The Mankys tae stay well away fae the south ae the river and in particular, tae avoid any ae The McGregors or their associates at aw costs. The Mankys hid never hid any desire or ambition tae spread their wings southwards. It took them aw their time tae manage whit they wur efter in the north ae the city without wanting tae fly elsewhere. Although they’d never hid any dealings or associations wae anywan south ae the river, Charlie Hastie wis always good fur pointing oot a few ae the well-known wans that occasionally ventured intae the toon centre wae their wives or families fur a celebratory birthday meal. By aw accounts, Harding Lennox wis the top killer in The McGregor Clan. Tae look at him, it widnae be hard tae believe that. He wis tall, muscle-bound, permanently suntanned and carried himsel wae a confidence that meant crowds parted instinctively a few paces before he reached them.

  “Noo, listen up…when that pair ae basturts decide tae make their move, we need tae nip them in the bud, withoot Senga being aware ae whit’s gaun oan. We cannae hiv any witnesses either,” Simon kept repeating. “We’ll also need tae be visible efter we deal wae them, tae ensure any comeback won’t be directed towards us. That also means we cannae carry anything oan us efterwards.”

  “Ur you trying tae tell us that efter we take oot two ae The Big Man’s bears, we’ve jist tae wander aboot withoot any weapons tae protect oorsels, Simon?” Ben hid growled, looking at Simon as if he wis saft in the heid.

  “Wan-bob and Charlie Hastie will be oan tae us as quick as shite aff ae a shovel, Ben. We need tae be seen, gaun aboot oor daily business, as if we’ve nothing tae hide. You walking aboot, armed tae the teeth, is jist as good as saying it wis us. Ah’m telling ye, this is gonnae be too close fur comfort, so it is. If any wan ae us fuck this up, we’re aw as good as deid.”

  “Aye, thanks tae you, Simon, ya bloody simpleton, ye. There wid’ve been a much easier way tae deal wae this rather than starting World War Three wae aw this James Bond theme-tune shite ye’ve goat us dancing tae,” Ben hid continued.

  “Look, if you or anywan else here wants tae take o’er, then that’s fine by me. Ah’m sick ae aw youse whining basturts, sitting back oan yer arse holes and watching me running aboot like a blue-arsed fly, while aw youse kin dae is whine like fucking hyenas,” Simon hid shot back, daring anywan tae challenge him.

  It hid actually been quite funny, Jake remembered, finding it difficult no tae smile. Ben certainly knew how tae wind Simon up like nowan else, apart fae Snappy maybe.

  “Whit, haun o’er the mess tae us that ye’ve goat us aw in? Aye, that’ll be the day. Ah cannae wait tae see ye hivving tae explain aw this tae Tony when he gets oot…if we’re aw still alive, that is. And another thing, ya stingy prick, ye, where the fuck’s ma dosh?” Ben hid demanded.

  Everywan hid laughed when Simon hid been forced tae haun o’er twenty quid tae Ben efter losing the bet that The Stalker widnae clap him in irons within two minutes ae him entering the cop-shoap up in Springburn. Jake hid tae admit though, wance Simon goat gaun, there wis nae stoapping him. He could see why Tony hid left him in charge.

  “Look, Ah’m sorry Ah said whit Ah said. Ah wis only trying tae wind ye up,” he said tae Michelle, efter she arrived back.

  “And Ah’ll hiv that,” she demanded, grabbing her pillow back fae behind his heid.

  “Look, aw ye need tae dae is write yer statement doon before ye go up there. Graham will ask ye a few wee questions and that’ll be that. Ye’ll be oot the door in five minutes flat, so ye will,” he said soothingly.

  “Bit why?”

  “Because Ah asked ye
tae, that’s why.”

  “Look, Ah want tae know the truth. Why the hell dae Ah hiv tae go tae a lawyer and tell him who Ah wis wae and whit Ah wis daeing oan the night ae ma eighteenth birthday?”

  “Because, as Ah’ve awready telt ye, Johnboy is trying tae get an appeal oan the go and he his tae account fur his movements.”

  “Bit, Ah thought the bank job wis during the day three months earlier? Why dis he need tae account fur whit he did that night?”

  “Look, Michelle, ye’re either gonnae dae this or ye’re no. It’s nae skin aff ae anywan’s nose and will only take fifteen minutes oot ae yer day.”

  “Ah cannae.”

  “Ye kin.”

  “Ma da.”

  “Whit aboot him?”

  “He’ll find oot.”

  “How will he find oot, fur Christ’s sake? Aw ye’re daeing is filling in a movement calendar ae whit Johnboy wis daeing the night he goat lifted.”

  “Ah’ll hiv tae go up tae court and explain it. Getting caught in be…er…Johnboy’s flat by ma da, while he wis oan duty, nearly killed him and split the family, so it did. He wis ashamed tae turn up fur work fur a month efter that. Ah cannae put him through that again. Christ, if he thought fur wan minute Ah wis sitting here in the bare buff wae you, he’d probably go hame and top himsel, so he wid.”

  “Really?” Jake asked, his face brightening up in tae a smile.

  “Look, he’s no as bad as ye think he is. He’s a polisman…that’s whit they dae.”

  “Naw, they get paid tae arrest the bad guys, no plant evidence oan the innocent because they happen tae suspect them ae being up tae nae good. Ah probably know that da ae yers a lot better than maist ae his ain family, including you.”

  “Jake, Ah cannae. Ah jist cannae be seen tae be getting involved in any ae this,” she pleaded, waving her erm aboot the bedroom.

  “Ae whit? This is aw legit, so it is. Ah telt ye, Ah’m a bona fide honest businessman. Ah hivnae time tae be running aboot, getting up tae no good these days…Ah’ve goat too much tae lose.”

  “Ah thought ye telt me that ye wurnae in contact wae that Senga Jackson wan? She’s never oot ae the shoap.”

  “Senga Jackson is a good pal ae Kim Sui’s.”

  “Hiv ye ever went oot wae her?”

  “Michelle, that’s it. Nae mair ae that coke fur you. Christ, whit kind ae question is that, eh?”

  “Ye should see the dirty looks Ah get fae her when Ah walk intae the shoap and she’s staunin there wae Kim Sui. She disnae take me oan or even acknowledge ma presence. Who the hell dis she think she is, eh?”

  “Ah’m telling ye, it’s yer paranoia speaking. Senga Jackson widnae hiv a bad thought towards you, nor anywan else. She’s a nurse, fur Christ’s sake.”

  “So ye’re defending her then?”

  “Ah’m stating a fact. She’s in touch wae Johnboy. They get oan fine thegither. She keeps him happy by sending him letters…”

  “And visiting him?”

  “…and his started tae visit him. Whit’s wrang wae that?”

  “So, tell me whit’s so important aboot me gieing a statement tae this lawyer? There must be something mair tae it than ye’re letting oan.”

  “Right, Ah’m gonnae explain this jist wan mair time and that’s the end ae it. Johnboy’s putting in fur an appeal against his conviction. We think he’s goat a good case…”

  “We?” she interrupted.

  “Er…me and some ae his auld pals. Noo, despite the quality evidence proving him innocent, the bizzies ur gonnae work their baws aff tae discredit that by using every dirty trick in the book…so we…his best pals…need tae help him oot and establish his movements oan a particular night that jist happened tae be yer birthday.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Ah said so, that’s why.”

  “Naw, whit Ah’m asking is…why?”

  “Ah’ve jist telt ye.”

  “So, whit happened either before or efter he wis wae me that’s so important?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Tell me?” she pleaded, exasperated.

  “There’s a lot ae things happened. It’s Glesga. A hunner and wan things could’ve happened that the bizzies wid want tae shove Johnboy’s way. Whit we’re trying tae dae is make sure he’s covered. At the end ae the day, it probably disnae matter whit Johnboy says…they’ll still try and make negative shite stick tae him tae undermine his case. The bizzies…people like yer da…ur masters when it comes tae innuendo, so they ur. That’s why we need totally unimpeachable evidence tae stoap that fae happening.”

  “And him being in bed wae a polisman’s daughter when he wis arrested?”

  “Totally unimpeachable. In fact, next tae being caught in bed wae a judge’s daughter, ye couldnae get any better,” he replied smiling, as he stroked her thigh.

  Silence.

  “Okay, Ah’ll dae it, bit this better no end up in court or in The Glesga Echo or ma da will kill me,” she eventually agreed, sighing.

  “Good. That whit Ah wanted tae hear. Ah’ve awready made an appointment fur eleven o’clock the morra morning fur ye wae Graham Portoy. Ye’ll need tae phone in sick tae yer work as ye’ll need tae spend a bit ae time writing doon yer statement before Ah run ye doon tae his office in Bath Street. Noo, shut the fuck up and get o’er here” he said, laughing, as her pillow bounced aff ae that face ae his again.

  Chapter Thirty Six

  Senga opened her eyes and listened. Nothing. She glanced at the clock that wis sitting oan her wee bedside cabinet withoot lifting her heid aff ae the pillow. The illuminating hauns said quarter tae two. She regretted looking. She’d noo start tae worry whether she’d manage tae get back tae sleep. She’d deliberately bought a clock that didnae hiv a loud tick oan it, as every time she wis scared ae sleeping in oan a morning, her brain zoomed in oan the ticking and made it sound like Big Ben. She turned o’er tae face the windae wall, pulling her pillow closer under her neck tae gie it mair support, as she felt hersel drift aff. She suddenly bolted upright, gieing the clock a quick glance. It showed ten tae two. She felt the hairs oan the back ae her neck staunin oan end. She sat and listened, mair intently this time, trying tae control the sound ae her uneven breathing. She loved living in the city, particularly near the toon centre. Even in the middle ae the night, there wis always that constant rumbling thrum that ye only heard in a city. Even though her curtains wur shut, her eyes wur getting used tae the darkness as the shapes ae her dressing table and wardrobe started tae metamorphose intae solid objects. She slid her legs and feet sideways oot ae bed, covering her mooth as she yawned. She sat there in the darkness, contemplating whether she should get up and hiv a mug ae Ovaltine or try tae get back tae sleep, when she heard the sound again. This time there wisnae any doubt. It sounded like scratching, coming fae the hallway. Lizzie wid be fuming wae her. Efter the moose that hid been terrorising them hid been caught, Senga hid thrown oot the traps. Although they wur nurses, the baith ae them hid still doubled up intae a fit ae dried, choking spasms, threatening tae throw up at the sight ae the poor wee thing caught in the moosetrap. The trap hid caught it oan the bridge ae its nose jist below its eyes, practically halving it in two. Lizzie hid thrown a tea towel o’er it and used that tae pick up the trap, wae the poor wee moose still attached tae it, before throwing everything oot ae the bathroom windae. The baith ae them hid then gone intae fits ae hysterical giggling at the moose murder crime they’d jist committed. Two hours later, Senga hid nipped doon tae the back court tae pick the poor thing up and hid slung it intae wan ae the midgie bins. Luckily fur her, the trap must’ve goat caught in the material ae the tea cloth, as it hid still been attached tae it when she’d goat rid ae the evidence.

  She suddenly looked across at her bedroom door again. Hid she jist heard whispering voices? She shook here heid, swishing the hair away fae her eyes wae her fingers. Hid she been imagining it? Lizzie hid jist started back oan the nightshift. Paul, Rory’s ex-hoosemate lodger, who Lizzie wis dating,
usually only stayed o’er at the weekends. She stood up and crept across tae her bedroom door and listened intently. Nothing. She quietly turned the haundle and opened the door slowly, feeling the warm breeze fae the rest ae the flat sweep against her face as the familiar sound ae the fridge kicking-in and humming away tae itsel reached her ears. She opened the door wider, her heart pounding as she slipped intae the wide lobby. Lizzie’s bedroom door wis shut, as wis the bathroom door, while the kitchen wan wis wide open. The brightness fae the streetlight ootside lit up the kitchen and she could make oot the table, chairs and kitchen units fae where she wis staunin. Some ae the light also reached as far as the lobby, so she didnae need tae switch the light oan. She noticed the living room door wis slightly ajar. She couldnae remember if she’d shut it o’er efter watching the News At Ten before heiding aff tae her bed. She stood listening, cursing her heart fur pounding aff ae her collarbone, convincing hersel that if there wis anywan in the flat, they’d hear it. Whit if there wis somewan in the flat? She automatically looked across at the door tae the ootside landing. Wae it being dark at that end, she couldnae make oot if it wis shut tight or slightly ajar. She wis desperately in need ae a pee. She slowly tiptoed across the lobby towards the living room door, straining her eyes tae see if the ootside landing door wis open or no. By the time she reached the living room door, the landing door hid disappeared oot ae sight. She took a deep breath quietly, and slowly peered roond the door, hauf expecting somewan tae grab her. She wis shaking like a leaf and wis relived tae find the living room in semi-darkness, wae the curtains open, jist as she’d left it. She turned and reached across tae the light switch and wis jist aboot tae flick it oan, when she heard the whispering voices. She opened her mooth tae scream, bit nothing came oot. She quickly, bit quietly, pushed the living room door shut and instantly regretted it. She looked aboot in a panic. Whit wis she supposed tae dae? Due tae the coming and gauns in the flat, her and Lizzie hid decided tae get the phone installed in the kitchen. She scurried across tae the windae and peered oot. The flat wis three flights up. She peered doon at the avenue. There wur cars parked up oan either side ae the trees that ran up the middle ae it, bit it wis deserted apart fae a black and white moggy that wis slowly making its way alang the grass island, appearing every noo and again fae under a tree before disappearing again. She felt faint. She’d never felt so terrified in aw her life as she backtracked across the living room tae the door and listened. Nothing. She slowly turned the haundle and opened the door a couple ae inches, stoapping tae listen, before slipping through intae the lobby. Jist as she wis aboot tae move towards the kitchen, she heard whit sounded like a key being forced intae the lock and somewan cursing under their breath. It wis a male voice. How she managed tae get her legs and feet tae move, she’d never know. Taking a deep breath and fighting aff the urge tae scream the place doon, she quickly tip-toed across the carpeted flair and jist managed tae get tae the kitchen and shut o‘er the door quietly as the grating sound ae a key made another attempt tae fit intae the lock. Wance intae the kitchen, she let oot a sob in panic as she rushed across tae the phone oan tap ae the unit. She looked aboot in a blind panic. The phone diary that her and Lizzie shared wis naewhere tae be seen. She started rifling through the drawers, cursing the untidiness ae the pair ae them when she wis confronted wae piles ae bills, bobbins ae threads, cuttings fae fashion magazines and God knows whit other shite. She wis furever telling Lizzie no tae take the hoose phone book through tae her bedroom. Her brain wis jist starting tae go intae meltdoon when she saw the book ae paper matches pinned up oan the board oan the kitchen wall beside their work rota sheets. It wis Jake and Kim Sui’s advertising wans that Jake hid gied her a couple ae weeks earlier during the scary business wae the inspector fae Springburn. He’d written doon his hame number oan the flap ae it and it wis staring her in the face. She ran across the kitchen and grabbed it aff the board and dashed back tae the telephone, picking up the receiver in wan full scoop. She knew she’d messed it up efter she dialled the fourth number. She should’ve dialled a three insteid ae a four. She pressed wan ae the buttons oan tap ae the cradle part and jist aboot jumped oot ae her skin when it let oot a single chime. She stoapped momentarily and looked across at the kitchen door before starting again.