Force Of Habit v5

by Robert Bartlett

  A group of people came up to her. They recognised her from her recent television appearances, the magazines and newspapers. One even got her to sign a copy of a magazine she was on the cover of. The outlook might not be so gloomy after all. The purser watched. Maybe she was some ancient actresses from before his time. She looked a bit like that Miss Marple character.

  FORTY-FOUR

  They didn’t call him Tonto for nothing. He had tracked for six miles before the trail finally pointed to a corrugated barn. He had crept close. The doors were locked up tight. He saw North, Deacon, James and Mason through a rust hole.

  It wasn’t looking too pretty in there so he had climbed back in the caterpillar and put his foot down, honked the horn like he should be there and went in straight through the wall and set his gun blazing. By pure luck he had hit Mason with his first shot. Mason had been thrust forward and North got another gunshot victims head in his kisser. Tonto had dialled 999 and given the terrain and coordinates.

  North, Deacon and Mason were rising in an air ambulance inside fifteen minutes. It took considerably longer for the police to locate Mitch George, nee Mitchell. Tonto had withheld the coordinates – and his own identity. It would remain a mystery as to who shot DCI Matthew Mason. Mason lived to read the articles commenting that earlier reports of his demise had been a tad premature. When he got out of hospital he would go inside on remand before getting sent down for life. The crazy fucker would be detained indefinitely in Broadmoor if there was any true justice done, none of that life but you’re out after ten bullshit. Mitch George was already in jail on remand. The media were still in a frenzy almost a month later and there was plenty of material to go round.

  North and Deacon were on the mend and everyone was in the pub on a wet Wednesday afternoon. Even James and she was on duty.

  ‘You’re a bad influence,’ was her excuse to North.

  ‘Glad to be of service.’

  ‘There’s one thing I don’t get,’ said Deacon. ‘What were all the needles about? It’s all over the papers now and Dawn Ward’s mate didn’t get stuck with a bunch of needles all those years back, so why did her mam’s friend use the needles?’

  ‘She’s denying she did,’ said James. ‘Why would she admit to everything else she did but deny that?’

  North shrugged and took up James’ offer of a pint - purely medicinal. His conscience was clear. James went off to the bar with all their requests and North lowered his voice.

  ‘She didn’t, but who is going to believe her after everything else she did to Lumsden? It was the desperate act of an old friend who had been trying for years, but had been unable, to get her point across. Thirty-six of them did the trick.’

  ‘What old friend?’ North could almost hear Ray's swede whirring. ‘We’re the only friends you’ve got. Oh, old as in aged. That sweet old dear off the telly, the one that found her?’ He whistled. ‘You just never know what's lurking inside somebody's melon, man. Are you sure it was her?’

  ‘Oh, I'm sure. She visited me in hospital and confessed all. She found Lumsden, saw her chance, went and got the needles, stuck them in her and then dialled 999. She was as cool as cucumber when I met her an hour later. She’s had a hell of a few weeks, earned a wad, and she didn't want to go off to a new life with it hanging over her. She put herself in my hands.’

  ‘And you let her go?’ said Deacon.

  ‘Shhh! Keep it down. James might be up for a beer at lunchtime but I don’t think she would see this my way. Our way. What’s the point in dragging the old dear into all this? She’s been through hell enough. She deserves to live out her remaining years in some comfort.’

  She had sold her initial information to a red top then a medium brow tabloid paid her handsomely so they could use her on their bandwagon fighting for middle Britain and got herself on Breakfast TV, all inside a week. To cap it all she even got invited on one of those panel shows alongside the comedian from the awards ceremony and she had shoved it right up him. He was laughing for the camera but everyone could see he didn't like it one little bit. No one likes it up 'em. Not really.

  She'd brought a terrible world out into the light for the nation to see and had sorted herself out financially into the bargain. Deacon agreed. She should be left to it. No more was ever said about it.

  ‘What have they got planned for you?’ said Ray.

  ‘They’re waiting until my physio is complete and the doc’s report goes in. I could be pensioned off or I could be put on the first train back to London.’

  ‘Be run out of town on a rail, eh?’

  They all laughed.

  ‘I’ll miss you,’ said Deacon and she went red.

  ‘I never thought I’d see the day, but so will I,’ said James.

  ‘I’ll drink to that,’ said Tonto and they all raised a glass.

  ‘It will be a while though, won’t it? You got pretty fucked up,’ said Ray.

  ‘Yes it will and it will take much longer if he doesn’t get proper rest and do what he is told,’ said James.

  ‘You two should get married,’ said Girl.

  ‘You best start misbehaving so we get to see you for a good while. We've set up a gig next month and we've still got your old Gibson. What do you say? We'll put the pub windows out.’

  ‘Wouldn’t the landlord have something to say about that,’ said James.

  ‘Good point,’ said Ray. ‘What do we say lads?’ Girl and Tonto said that it was okay with them. ‘And you?’

  ‘Fine with me,’ said North.

  James looked at them. ‘You’re not seriously saying that you own this place?’

  They nodded.

  ‘Outright and freehold,’ said Tonto.

  ‘And you’re in on it too?’ she looked at North.

  ‘Full partner in the company,’ said Ray.

  James looked around.

  ‘But this place is nice. Real nice. Where would you get the money to...,’ she shook her head. ‘Forget I asked. I don’t want to know. Does the met know you have other,’ she thought about it, ‘financial interests?’ She shook her head again. ‘No. I don’t want to know that either.’

  They all laughed.

  ‘Does the pub allow dogs?’ said North.

  ‘It’s wall to wall dogs on a Friday and Saturday night,’ said Girl and everyone but James laughed. James tutted but didn’t start in on them.

  ‘Why?’ asked Ray.

  North started for the back door and poked his head out.

  ‘Come on you two.’ They didn't budge. ‘Please.’ Up they got, trotted past him and went on inside. North closed the door and followed the pair of Rottweilers back to the others. ‘This could be the start of a beautiful friendship, boys.’ They barked and growled at him like rabid beasts. ‘Or not,’ said North.