The next day Scott took Tiffany over to Edinburgh, they spent the whole day there doing touristy things. She enjoyed looking around the gift shops and loved visiting the castle. It was another cold day and on the way back to Glasgow, it started to snow, heavily. The chaos on the roads caused the return journey to take several hours, and they didn’t arrive back at the hotel until nearly 10:00 p.m. After having a quick drink of champagne and cleaning up a little, Scott climbed into bed. Tiffany was still in the bathroom, he was eager for her to join him. Then, his cell phone began to ring. He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed it, quickly pressing the answer button.
“Hello.”
“Scott, this is Sharon. They were just here again, the same guys.”
“What happened? Are yer okay?”
“Aye, although they were a wee bit more aggressive this time. I had the phone ready in my hand like yer said and told them I was going tae call the police.”
“Guid, so did yer find anything oot?”
“Aye, the one guy said his name was Kenny. He left his phone number and said he runs the slot machine arcade on Abercromby Street. I’m nae sure where that is!”
“Nor me, but I’ll find it. Did Chris ever play those machines?”
“I dinnae think so Scott, but I cannae be sure.”
“Okay Sharon. What else happened? Did they threaten yer?”
“Nae, they just seemed more aggressive and they were trying tae look in tae the house more than last time. I dinnae know what they think they’re going tae see! I’d call the police again but I suspect they’d just say the same as last time. Until they actually do something illegal, there’s nae anything they can do.”
“Aye yer probably reet, I’ll head over there in the morning and see what I can find oot. I’ll give yer a call sometime tomorrow and let yer know what happened.”
“Thanks Scott.”
Sharon gave Scott the phone number that ‘Kenny’ had left with her, then said goodnight. Just as Scott was finishing the call, Tiffany returned from the bathroom.
“I may have tae put yer trip tae the highlands on hold fer a while Tiff. Sharon just had another visit fae the guys who are looking fer Chris. We’ve got some information this time so I want tae go and check it oot tomorrow,” he said as she climbed into bed with him.
“That’s fine Scott, where do we have to go?” she asked as she turned off the bedside light and snuggled up to him.
“It sounds like it’s a slot machine arcade. And what do yer mean ‘we’? I think it’s best if yer stay here at the hotel, just in case.”
“I want to come with you Scott, please.”
“Och Tiff, I dinnae know what type of people we’re dealing with here, but I suspect they’re nae friendly guys. Let me sleep on it, yer can maybe come fer a drive but I dinnae think it would be a guid idea fer yer tae come in with me.”
“Thanks babe,” she said as she nuzzled her head into his chest.
Scott was awake very early the next morning. He was on the laptop doing some research. There was only one slot machine arcade on Abercromby Street that he could see. It was called ‘King Gaming’, but that was all Scott could find out about it. He tried to get information on the phone number too, but was unable to trace that to anyone in particular. He knew there were people he could contact if needed to find out more, but he only called in those kinds of favors when it was absolutely necessary. He decided that he’d check out the place first, to see who ‘Kenny’ was, and find out what he wanted to get hold of Chris for. Tiffany didn’t wake up until after 8:00 a.m. but Scott wasn’t in a rush. There was no point in going out early and sitting in the morning rush hour traffic. It was best to wait for a couple of hours.
Later that morning they set out on the short drive across Glasgow. It didn’t take long to locate the street and Scott drove by the arcade to check it out. It looked to be a pretty small place with bright red and yellow signage above the large blacked out window and entry door. He was unable to park close by so had to find a parking lot in an adjacent street. He was reluctant to take Tiffany with him, despite her constant requests, but he hadn’t been able to park as close as he’d like. Plus he was unsure about the area that they were in. He wasn’t particularly familiar with this part of the city and didn’t want to leave her alone in the car. So begrudgingly, he agreed that she could accompany him.
It was another bitterly cold Scottish winter day as they made their way across the slippery sidewalks. The previous day’s snowfall was still causing havoc in the city. Soon they were at the gaming establishment, Scott pushed open the door and went inside, closely followed by Tiffany. There were lots of rows of machines packed into the small room. Lots of sounds filled the room, buzzers, bells and spinning reels. It was a dimly lit smoky room. There were a few people in there playing the machines but it didn’t seem to be especially busy. Nobody in there seemed to take any notice as Scott made his way towards the cashier’s booth near the back of the room. He was holding Tiffany’s hand, keeping her close to him.
“What can I do fer yer love?” asked the middle aged female cashier, who was behind a glass partition.
“I need tae talk tae Kenny, is he here?” Scott asked.
“Is he expecting yer?”
“Nae but it’s important, it’s aboot Chris Walker.”
“Hang on a minute,” she said as she picked up the cordless phone and pressed a button. As she began to talk she turned around and moved away from Scott, before returning a few seconds later.
“He’ll be oot tae see yer in a couple of minutes.”
“Thanks,” Scott replied.
After only a few seconds a door at the back of the room opened and a man appeared. He looked to be in his 30’s, had a receding hairline and was unshaven. He was wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. The man wasn’t as tall as Scott but he was definitely heavier. He came straight over to them.
“Are yer Chris Walker?” he asked.
“Nae, Chris died a few weeks ago. But I’m here tae find oot why yer so interested in him. I’m nae looking fer any trouble, I just want tae try and help get this sorted oot. Can we talk?”
Kenny looked at Scott and paused for a few seconds.
“Aye come through to the office.”
He walked back to the door, Scott and Tiffany following him through and into a small office. He sat down behind his desk, and pointed to the chairs in his office suggesting the couple could take a seat if they wished.
“So what’s all this aboot?” Scott asked, he remained standing, as did Tiffany.
“He owes us money,” Kenny said aggressively.
“How can he owe yer money, this is a slots arcade, there’s nae credit on the machines. Yer put yer cash in, if yer win yer win, if yer lose yer lose. He cannae owe yer money unless there’s something yer nae telling me!”
“He owes my boss money, and he asked me to collect it. That’s all yer need tae know.”
“Chris died a few weeks ago. It was on the news, in the papers, on the internet. Yer must have seen something,” Scott added.
“Aye a lot of people who owe money suddenly die! Even if he is dead, we still need tae collect,” he said sarcastically.
“I think yer going tae be oot of luck on this one, his wife does nae have anything. They were nae even together. He’d been separated fer over a year. How much is he supposed tae owe anyway?”
“We always collect, and it’s aboot 20 grand now, with the interest,” Kenny replied as he stood up and moved around the desk towards Scott.
“Who’s yer boss? I’ll talk tae him and see if we can get this straightened oot,” Scott asked.
“It’s none of yer business. Yer know all yer need tae,” he shouted.
“Okay I’ll find oot another way, but I will talk tae yer boss,” Scott responded confidently.
“Who do yer think yer are coming in tae my workplace and talking tae me like this and who’s the lass?”
“I’m his girlfriend,” Tiffany stated.<
br />
“Yer cute, and I like yer voice,” he said as he moved slightly to Scott’s side to get a better look at Tiffany. She didn’t respond. Scott didn’t say a word, he could tell this man was a bully and was used to getting his own way. Scott just watched him carefully as he eyed up Tiffany. Scott had a feeling he was going to use Tiffany as a way to provoke him. He could tell the man was looking for an excuse to get into a confrontation. Scott was calm and patient, it was very rare that he started any trouble, but most of the time, he finished it. Kenny had a creepy look on his face and made his move, he reached out his hand towards Tiffany’s butt. That was all Scott needed. His hand had barely made contact with her when Scott grabbed his wrist, and within a split second it was twisted up behind his back. Scott stood behind him, applying just enough pressure to cause severe pain to the arm, but not enough to break it.
“I would nae put my hand there if I were yer,” Scott said calmly.
Tiffany raised her hand up to cover her mouth. It was all she could do not to laugh.
Kenny was groaning in pain, he wasn’t quite as cocky and aggressive anymore.
“Apologize tae the lady,” Scott said, again remaining extremely calm.
“I’m sorry, it was just a joke,” Kenny groveled.
“Okay, now tell me who yer boss is and get him on the phone.”
“I cannae do that.”
Scott applied a little more force to the hold.
“Okay, okay, it’s Ally Fitzgerald, he runs ACF Leisure. His number’s in my phone, it’s in my pocket.”
“Call him now, “Scott demanded.
“I cannae, yer have my arm.”
“Och come on, use yer other hand, surely yer can make a call with one hand.”
Kenny started to fumble for his phone. Scott could see he was trying to co-operate so he released the grip a little. Kenny dialed the number. He was still bent over a little, in an uncomfortable position.
“Put it on speaker phone,” Scott told him.
He pressed a button then Scott took the phone and put it on the corner of the desk. It rang out a few times before a woman answered.
“Hello Pam, it’s Kenny. Can yer get Mr. Fitzgerald fer me, it’s urgent.”
It went quiet for a minute before she spoke again to confirm she was putting the call through.
“Kenny, what do yer want?” an agitated voice spoke.
“Mr. Fitzgerald, I have someone here who wants tae talk aboot Chris Walker. He wants tae talk tae yer.”
“Why can’t yer sort it and find oot what he wants? Yer know we just need the money. I’m pretty busy here. We’ve just had a new shipment of eastern Europeans turn up.”
“He’s here now Mr. Fitzgerald, he’s listening to us. He made me call yer.”
“Och fer god’s sake man, what’s going on? What do yer mean he made yer call? Has he pulled a gun on yer?”
“Nae gun, but he pulled some Kung Fu shit. He’s got me in an arm lock. I cannae move.”
“I thought yer were supposed tae be my top guy! One of the toughest men in the city yer always say,” he said laughing.
“Mr. Fitzgerald, my name is Scott. I just came here tae talk but I’m afraid yer man here tried tae touch my girlfriend, so I had tae teach him some manners. I just want tae know more aboot how yer knew Chris Walker, and why people keep bothering his wife. Chris died a few weeks ago, but I just want tae try and get this misunderstanding taken care of. I dinnae want any trouble.” Scott said, as he thought it was time to speak.
“Scott, Chris owed me money. I didn’t know he’d died. He was supposed tae be coming tae work fer me.”
“Okay, is there somewhere I can meet yer, tae talk aboot this?”
“Aye, I’m in the office today, come over this afternoon. I’d actually like tae meet the man who put big bad Kenny in his place. I may have a job fer yer here. Kenny can yer still hear me?”
“Aye, I’m still here.”
“Give him the address, and be more respectful tae ladies in the future, yer big numpty.”
“Aye Mr. Fitzgerald, I will.”
Scott released his grip, and wrote down the address that was reluctantly given to him. He was surprised at how much power this ‘Mr. Fitzgerald’ seemed to have over Kenny. He opened the door and motioned for Tiffany to leave the room. Kenny returned to his desk chair and sat down, repeatedly bending and straightening his arm, trying to get some feeling back in it. He didn’t say anything to Scott or even look at him again. Scott didn’t have anything to say either, he’d got what he came for, so quickly followed Tiffany out of the office. They left the premises and returned to the car.
“I’m sorry, I knew I should nae have brought yer.”
“I’m fine Scott.”
“I have tae take yer back tae the hotel now, I cannae take yer with me tae see this guy. Please just trust me.”
“I do Scott, and I kind of knew you were going to say that. Please be careful though.”
Chapter 9
As soon as they arrived back at the hotel, Scott started to do some more research. He made a few calls to people he knew that still lived in and around the Glasgow area. It seemed that Ally Fitzgerald had gained quite a reputation over the previous few years for being one of the city’s top organized crime bosses. It was basically what Scott had expected to hear, especially after his encounter earlier in the day. Everything pointed to that kind of scenario. The only thing he was still unsure about was why Chris had gotten involved with these people in the first place. Chris was a smart man, he’d have known what type of people they were, Scott thought. He tried to clear his mind, whatever reason Chris had for doing it, didn’t really matter. It was done now and there was nothing Scott could do to change that. What he could do though was to try and get things sorted out, so Sharon and the children wouldn’t be bothered by these thugs anymore. That was something Scott thought was important, he felt it was the least he could do after not being there to help Chris, when he needed him.
Scott persuaded Tiffany to make use of the hotel’s spa, and encouraged her to get a massage and relax in the hot tub. There were some calls he needed to make and he didn’t want her to hear things that could worry her. She wanted to help him but reluctantly agreed to go and get pampered. Scott knew she’d be safe in the hotel, and it gave him time to do some real detective work. Scott’s past military work meant he had some good contacts in high places. He didn’t use them often for information, but when he did, he knew he could rely on the intelligence being accurate.
An hour passed by, and Scott had gained a lot of useful knowledge. It turned out that the police had been watching Mr. Fitzgerald for a while. There were special undercover units on the case and they’d been collecting information for a while. He’d been arrested twice and a search warrant was issued for his business premises, but nothing was found. They’d had to release him. He had a crack team of lawyers behind him so the authorities were being extra careful. They couldn’t afford to try and arrest him again until they had some concrete evidence to convict him. Scott learned that ACF Leisure was just a front. He had slot machine arcades all over the city, plus he rented machines out to local pubs and clubs too. His main activities however, were illegal bookmaking, human trafficking, running a prostitution ring and drugs. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of illegal immigrants were allegedly in the United Kingdom because of him. They’d been brought in mainly from Eastern European countries like Kosovo, Albania, Serbia and others in that region. Most were put to work for less than minimum wage and were made to live in very poor, over-crowded conditions. Any young women brought in, were forced into a life of prostitution. Fitzgerald was also a suspect in the murder of other prominent figures in the Glasgow underworld. And if all that wasn’t enough, he was a major drug dealer too. Scott was trying to take stock of the situation, but he’d been advised by his contacts not to try and do anything alone.
A few minutes later, while Scott was still weighing up his options, Tiffany returned to the room.
“Hey Tiff, how was yer massage? Did yer have fun?”
“Yeah it was great, the hot tub was nice too. So did you find out any information?”
“Aye, pretty much what I expected. The guy’s a local villain.”
“So are you going to see him today?” she asked sounding concerned.
“I will go over there, but nae today when he’s expecting me. I’ll go tomorrow.”
“So why can’t we just go to the police?”
“The police know aboot him, they’re watching him closely. They just have nae been able tae pin anything on him, yet.”
“I know you said you were going to try and talk to him. And I realize you’re trying to help Sharon, but I get the impression that he’s not the kind of person you can reason with.”
“Aye yer reet, but I have to try something. The one advantage I have is that he does nae know who I am, or what I know. I would nae be surprised if he tries tae offer me a job. I dinnae think I’ll be in any danger going there, but I’m still nae sure how I’m going tae be able tae stop them harassing Sharon.”
“I understand why you’re going Scott, but I don’t like it. I just want to go home.”
“I know babe, everything will be fine. We’ll still be going home on the day we’re due tae leave. I promise, I just feel that I have tae try and help a wee bit if I can. I could nae be there fer Chris, so I need tae feel that I did everything I could tae help Sharon, and especially his wee uns.” he said as he wrapped his big strong arms around her, hugging her tightly.
The rest of the day and evening was spent relaxing around the suite and enjoying each other’s company. However the following morning, Scott persuaded Tiffany to make use of the hotels facilities again, while he made a trip to see Ally Fitzgerald. The address he’d been given was on Glasgow’s east side. It was a somewhat dilapidated industrial area, most of the buildings were Victorian brick structures. When Scott got to the street he was looking for, there wasn’t much in the way of signage or even numbers to point him in the right direction. A lot of the buildings in the street seemed to be abandoned, but as he drove on, he noticed that a couple did seem to have lights on inside them. He carried on driving and parked the car about a quarter of a mile away on another quiet road.
KILTED DESIRE 3 - New Blood Page 7