The Silver Arrow

by Ian Todd

  “Thank fuck, she’s no here. If she hid been, she’d be bloody well deid, Ben, ya careless basturt, ye. Look at the fucking holes in here,” Simon growled, drapping the boot doon aboot six inches wae his haun so he could glare at his partner. “Ah kin see the bloody Prince’s Dock oan the other side ae the Clyde through them, so Ah kin.”

  “Simon, don’t fucking exaggerate,” Ben retorted, moving roond tae the boot tae hiv a look.

  “See?” Simon said, staunin aside, nodding.

  “Ach, so whit? She wisnae tucked up in here anyway, noo wis she?”

  “Jist as well.”

  “Right, whit noo?” Ben asked, walking roond tae the driver’s door and leaning in the windae tae switch the radio aff, jist as ‘Dock Ae The Bay’ started up and another Glesga Echo van whizzed past, heiding towards Partick wae the morning newspaper deliveries.

  “Aye, aye, look whit Ah’ve jist found?” Simon announced, haudin up a can ae petrol, before swinging it, sloshing, towards Ben. “Oan ye go.”

  Simon searched through his pockets while Ben dowsed the bodies and the interior and ootside ae the car. His searching fingers came across whit he wis looking fur.

  “Here ye go, Ben, Ah’ll let ye dae the honours. Let’s hope yer arsonist skills ur a lot better than yer shooting,” Simon said smiling, tossing a book ae Jake and Kim Sui’s branded paper matches across tae him.

  Chapter Thirty Nine

  “Morning,” Senga mumbled, feeling sheepish, as she entered the kitchen in her pyjamas and bare feet.

  “The kettle’s jist boiled,” Michelle said, wondering if it wid appear rude if she collected up her pen and pad and disappeared back through the hoose. “The coffee’s in the tap left cupboard.”

  She watched Senga flick the wee red switch oan the back ae the kettle as she reached up and took the jar ae coffee doon, looking aboot fur a teaspoon.

  “The drawer tae the left ae ye,” she volunteered.

  She wondered if Senga wid appreciate being informed that ye wur no supposed tae bring water tae the boil when making a cup ae instant coffee, bit decided against mentioning that fact as Senga extracted a pint ae milk fae the fridge. She wis tempted tae get up aff ae that chair ae hers and close the fridge door, bit Senga beat her tae it efter replacing the milk bottle. She noo regretted no disappearing when Senga arrived, as the sound ae the teaspoon clattering when it landed in the sink made her lose track ae her thoughts oan whit tae write next.

  “Sorry,” Senga murmured wae a wee apologetic smile, glancing across at Michelle as she sat opposite her, elbows resting oan the table, leaning forward tae take a sip ae the coffee.

  It’s awright, Ah didnae want a cup ae coffee, Michelle said tae hersel, focusing oan the pad in front ae her.

  “Oh, sorry, did ye want a cup ae coffee yersel?” Senga asked her.

  “Naw, Ah’ve jist hid wan.”

  Silence.

  “So, is Jake still in his bed then?”

  “He left efter ye went tae bed and hisnae been back since. Ah suspect he heided doon tae the boutique…or something.”

  “Oh, Ah’m sorry.”

  Even jist oot ae her bed, Senga looked gorgeous, Michelle cursed tae hersel, as she pretended tae write. She could see why somewan like Johnboy hid been attracted tae her, despite the claims fae Senga that he hidnae been interested. She’d been absolutely livid wae Jake fur rushing oot ae the flat in the middle ae the night, jist because Florence Nightingale here hid called, saying she needed help fae a man. She wondered how many times she’d used that wan in the past wae the other Mankys. That and the fact that there hid been nothing wrang wae Senga’s door when Jake arrived and nothing seemed tae hiv been disturbed in the flat efter he’d searched the place, hid only confirmed her suspicions, fae the night before. She noo felt a wee bit guilty that she’d stormed aff tae bed efter Jake turned up wae a distressed Senga in tow. If looks could’ve killed, then Michelle wid’ve been deid by noo. The withered look Jake hid gied her when she’d telt Jake that she wisnae prepared tae go through tae the living room tae comfort Senga wis noo coming back tae haunt her. It hid crossed her mind tae get up and jist heid aff tae work earlier, bit the thought ae him still being angry at her stroppy performance the night before hid held her in check. She noo felt embarrassed…and worried. Wis he still expecting her tae be there when he returned or wis it aw o’er between them? Things hid been gaun so good between them as well. She’d never asked Jake aboot being present at Kim Sui’s forthcoming catwalk fashion show, even though she wis desperate tae attend. It wis aw her boss at work spoke aboot, pointing oot whenever it wis mentioned in The Glesga Echo or The Evening Times. Jake or Kim Sui wur constantly oan the TV nooadays and wur always being asked fur a comment if anything aboot fashion or style wis being aired or printed, since he’d been awarded wae that young business award. She looked up fae the pad and caught Senga watching her, as Shocking Blue’s ‘Venus’ filtered oot ae the radio oan the windae sill towards them. Michelle often wondered whit she’d done in a previous life fur her shadow tae be so blackened by the person sitting across fae her. Senga Jackson hid been like a boil oan the back ae Michelle’s neck fur as long as she could remember. It hid been bad enough being the daughter ae a polisman and living in Springburn, even though she’d never been ashamed ae the fact. Tae hiv found hersel competing fur the attentions ae the same boy as Miss Popular…Florence Nightingale…sitting there…well, that hid been a battle she wis never likely tae hiv won. Ever since Senga hid taken up nursing, she’d sat, haudin court in Jonah’s oan a Friday and Saturday night, pontificating tae the lassies aboot how awful the polis treated aw these so-called wummin who kept arriving at The Royal efter being battered by their other halves. The attention wid inevitably swing roond tae her as the lassies wid sit and growl, gieing her dirty looks, as if it hid been her that hid been dishing oot the abuse. Wis that whit this wis aw aboot, she wondered? Despite Jake’s constant jibes, her da wis a good man, who cared and loved his family. She’d heard the horrible stories people told aboot him, bit she’d never believed them. She remembered asking him why he wanted tae be a polisman, fur some project she wis daeing at the Albert School. When she’d read oot tae the class that her da wis a polisman because he wanted tae gie something back tae the community, everywan in the class, including the teacher, hid aw laughed at her. She could understaun the boys like Jake, Snappy, Simon and Ben laughing, bit when aw the lassies hid joined in as well, she remembered becoming terribly upset. Oot ae aw the lassies in the class, it hid been Senga Jackson that hid come up tae her at the end ae the lesson and asked her if she wis okay. She’d wanted tae tear Senga’s hair oot by the roots, bit hid telt her tae fuck aff insteid. She didnae know why she’d responded the way she hid, bit it hid gied her some satisfaction tae see somewan else oan the receiving end ae abuse insteid ae her. Efter that, things hid been cool between them, even mair so wance Senga hid picked up that Michelle hid feelings fur Johnboy Taylor. She’d never believed Senga Jackson hid any serious interest in Johnboy in the first place. If she hid, why hid nothing happened between them until Michelle started showing an interest in him? She knew Senga hid sat beside him in primary school, when they wur weans back in the Toonheid and that they’d been part ae the same social crowd ever since. Whit she couldnae fathom oot wis why Senga Jackson hid made her move straight efter Michelle hid gied up her virginity tae him. She’d been so happy when she’d watched the news and learned that Johnboy Taylor hid been sent away fur a long time. If she’d felt any disappointment at the time, it hid been that his sentence hidnae been longer. The humiliation ae finding oot that he’d planned tae go oot oan a date, so soon efter spending the night wae her, wae the selfish bitch sitting opposite her, hid nearly sent her o’er the edge at the time. She’d even tried suicide, bit hid failed miserably. Her ma, who wis a district nurse, hid informed her that whit Michelle hid stolen oot ae her ma’s work bag and swallowed hid actually been extra strong laxatives. Her humiliation hid been complete. Her ma hid put Michelle
’s depression doon tae her being caught in bed wae a well-known Ned in the shape ae Johnboy Taylor…somewan her da hid hid run-ins wae in the past. Her da noo claimed that Johnboy and the rest ae his pals, including Jake, wur known in polis circles tae be ruthless killers. She knew her da hid been exaggerating at the time…making that up tae convince her ma that his wee angel hid been taken advantage ae by a ruthless thug, who’d obviously conned her intae gaun tae bed wae him. It probably made her seem less ae a hairy in his eyes. Her ma widnae hear any mair aboot whit happened efter Michelle informed her that she’d willingly went tae bed wae Johnboy Taylor and that she loved him. Whit a shock it hid been fur her when she’d learned that the reason he’d been dragged fae her erms hid been because he’d shot two polisman a few months earlier…colleagues ae her da’s. She still found it hard tae take in and believe, even efter he’d been found guilty, bit there ye go, ye think ye know somebody, Michelle thought bitterly. She hidnae taken any comfort fae the fact that her da hid been proved tae be right, efter aw. She looked up. Senga wis sitting gently rubbing her closed eyelids wae the tips ae her fingers like some graceful feline cat. Michelle wis expecting a stretch at any second. She wondered whit Senga’s reaction wid be if she put doon her pen and informed her how much she bloody hated her. Even in such a tense situation, efter aw the drama ae the night before, Senga appeared tae be oblivious tae her surroundings and the affect her presence wis hivving oan Michelle. The problem that Michelle hid, wis that she didnae think Senga wis that daft, and that she knew fine well whit effect she wis hivving oan her. Michelle, no fur the first time that morning, wondered how the hell she’d managed tae get hersel intae a situation where she wis sitting in a trendy upmarket flat across in The West End, composing a statement oan how she’d spent the night wae the person who’d shot two ae her da’s colleagues. And tae make matters worse, the gunmen’s supposed girlfriend, wis noo bloody well sitting opposite her, keeping an eye oan her. Michelle wondered if Senga wis aw part ae some sort ae clever set-up by Jake tae make sure she produced the statement. Maybe the alleged attempted break-in the night before hid aw been some sort ae charade. She didnae know whit tae believe any mair. Aw she knew wis that she loved Jake McAlpine and if he asked her tae sign her life away, at the expense ae her family’s wrath, she’d willingly dae it…if he hidnae awready dumped her, that was.

  “Whit ur ye writing?” Senga purred o’er the rim ae her mug.

  “Whit…er…ach, ye widnae want tae know, believe you me,” Michelle replied, becoming flustered by the question and dismissing the pad wae a sweep ae her haun.

  “Try me.”

  “It’s nothing. It’s jist a statement that Ah’ve been asked tae provide.”

  “A statement?”

  “Aye, it’s nothing. So, how ur you feeling efter last night?”

  “Ah feel a lot better noo. Ah’ve never felt so terrified in aw ma life. Ah don’t know whit Ah wid’ve done if Jake hidnae come roond,” Senga replied, shivering at the thought.

  “Is that right?” Michelle muttered drily.

  “Aye, it is.”

  “And, Johnboy? How is he? Ah heard ye wur back in contact wae him.”

  “He seems fine…under the circumstances.”

  “Circumstances?”

  “Considering he’s innocent and daeing time fur a crime he never committed.”

  “Aye, Ah heard that being mentioned.”

  “Bit ye obviously don’t believe it.”

  “Ah never said that.”

  “Bit by the tone ae yer voice, that’s whit ye’re implying.”

  “Look, Senga, ma da’s in the force…whit dae ye expect me tae say?”

  “Michelle, ye know Johnboy…ye’ve gone oot wae…er…him oan a date. Dae ye honestly think he’s the kind ae person that wid enter a bank and shoot two polismen?”

  “Well, somewan did.”

  “Rob a bank, maybe…bit shooting people? Ye know him as well as the rest ae us.”

  “Wan wee correction, Senga…Ah thought Ah knew him and see where that goat me?” she replied bitterly.

  “Is this whit this is aw aboot?”

  “Whit?”

  “You still being aggrieved wae Johnboy fur arranging tae go oot wae me so soon efter he’d been…er…oot wae you? Is that whit aw this chill is aboot?”

  “Senga, Ah’m no annoyed at Johnboy…Ah’m bloody well pissed aff at you. How could ye treat me like that, eh? How dae ye think Ah felt?”

  “Fur your information, Ah never knew that he’d been, or wis seeing somewan else.”

  “Aye, right,” she’d scoffed.

  “Ah’m telling ye the truth, Michelle. If the truth be telt, he wis messing the pair ae us aboot. Ah wis jist as angry as you wur when Ah found oot.”

  “Aye, well, somehow, Ah don’t think so,” Michelle murmured.

  “Michelle, why hiv ye no asked me aboot last night?”

  “Why did ye no phone the polis? Why wis Jake yer first port ae call?”

  “Pardon?”

  “Ye heard me.”

  “Oh, fur Christ’s sake, Michelle. Ye don’t think Ah wis making aw this up so Ah could get Jake roond tae ma flat, dae ye?”

  Silence.

  “C’mone, answer me. Is that whit ye really think?” Senga demanded, eyes filing wae tears.

  “Well, whit dae ye expect me tae think? Look whit ye done tae me the last time Ah hid a boyfriend. Hiv ye any idea ae the humiliation ye put me through?”

  “Oh, Michelle, it wisnae like that,” Senga groaned.

  “Maybe fur you, it wisnae.”

  “Look, Ah admit it…there’s only wan person Ah’ve ever really loved and felt attached tae and that’s Johnboy, despite hivving tae staun oan the side-lines watching him seeing other lassies o’er the years. That’s no tae say that Ah allowed masel tae become a doormat, like some wummin. Ah loved him fae a distance, hoping that he’d recognise that love and affection and respond accordingly. It wid never hiv entered ma heid tae get between him and somewan else…including you. That’s never been and never will be ma style. Ah’m sorry if ye don’t believe that.”

  “So, why didn’t ye phone the polis then?”

  “Because…because, Ah wis scared tae.”

  “Ye wur scared tae phone the polis? Christ, that says a lot. If everywan felt like that, then where wid we aw be, eh?”

  “Oh Michelle, stoap letting the fact that yer da is a polisman cloud the reality ae how Ah feel. Ah hiv tae deal wae the polis oan a daily basis. Granted, they’re no aw bad, bit there ur wans that ur and Ah’d rather take ma chances by phoning a friend.”

  “Like last night?”

  “Like last night.”

  “It disnae make sense tae me, so it disnae.” Michelle admitted, shaking her heid as she stood up and walked across tae switch oan the kettle.

  “Right, this might sound stupid tae somewan like you, bit Ah don’t trust them enough tae feel that Ah could go tae them fur help, if Ah happened tae be in serious bother.”

  “Bit why?”

  “Because Ah’m a wummin fur God’s sake…that’s why.”

  “Senga, whit’s that goat tae dae wae anything?”

  “That’s jist how Ah feel and Ah’m no alone. There’s plenty ae other wummin oot there who feel the same.”

  “Is it the uniform?”

  “No. It’s the way they treat wummin. It’s the way they dismiss the victims ae domestic abuse as nags who probably deserved a wee slap, even when that wee slap is translated intae broken bones or worse. It’s the way they shout and scream at rape victims in interview rooms in polis stations, accusing them ae being hairy cows who’ve led oan the rapist in the first place and noo hiv the cheek tae shout that they’ve been attacked and molested. It’s the way they perpetuate the myth that the only way tae respond tae violence is wae mair violence. It’s their general attitude towards wummin. Fur Christ’s sake, Michelle, why don’t ye wake up? Ye should spend a week working in Casualty up at The Royal. Ye’d soon know whit A
h wis talking aboot then. When somewan his been raped, dae ye think the first person they want tae meet and be questioned by, efter whit’s jist happened tae them, is somewan like yer da?” Senga asked her, taking the fresh mug ae coffee being haunded across tae her.

  “Ah don’t think ye should be painting them aw wae the same brush. That’s aw Ah’m saying. Ah jist couldnae imagine ma da hivving that attitude or behaving in the way ye’re saying the polis dae.”

  “Michelle, the da ye know at hame is no the same da that’s oot oan the streets at night in a uniform, believe you me.”

  “How kin ye say that?”

  “Because Ah know yer da. Ah’ve see him dragging young boys oot ae the back ae his van, wae their skulls split wide open or wae ruptures, efter being tortured up a side street or alleyway.”

  “Oh, fur Christ’s sake, Senga, ye’re jist as bad as Jake. Ma da widnae dae things like that…he’s ma da, fur Christ’s sake,” Michelle laughed dismissively.

  “Whitever ye say,” Senga said drily.

  “Look, Ah’m sorry aboot last night…really. Ah wis being a bit ae a jealous cow, so Ah wis,” Michelle admitted, changing the subject.

  “Ach, Ah widnae worry aboot it. It aw turned oot aw right in the end, thanks tae Jake. He said that it wis probably jist an opportunist burglar and that he hid probably being daeing the rounds, up and doon the closes in the street, efter picking up somewan’s hoose keys that hid been drapped. It makes sense when ye think aboot it.”

  “Aye, Ah’ve heard ae that before. Ma da wis always talking aboot that happening tae people. Ye hiv tae watch oot nooadays wae the wee toe-rags that ur running aboot aw o’er the place.”

  “So, this statement? Whit’s that aw aboot then?”

  “Oh, er, Ah don’t really want tae talk aboot it,” Michelle replied guardedly.

  “Ah’ve heard the word statement being bandied aboot a lot this last wee while.”

  “In yer job?”

  “Naw, amongst The Mankys. Ye urnae gieing a statement tae Graham Portoy by any chance, ur ye?”