by R. S. Sutton
‘Get off, get off, you crazy bitch!’ With arms crossed in front of his face, Vinnie defended himself. He managed to pull away for a second. Swinging a punch, he caught Valerie on the ear; that sent her sprawling to the floor. At first unaware of the ringing in her ear, she got to her feet and renewed her attack. ‘Someone get this fucking cow off me!’ shouted Vinnie, falling into the corner, his hands back in front of his face again. A strong arm came between the two of them, and she came face to face with Charlie.
‘It was you!’ she choked as the scream tore from the back of her throat. ‘Beat up a little girl not even half your size! How much did this arsehole pay you?’ She struck out at him and winced as her bruised knuckle hit his chin. She started again with the only words that would leave her mouth as she beat his chest: ‘You bastard, you bastard, you worthless bastard!’
‘Grab her.’ At Charlie’s command, two men held her tightly, locking both of her arms. ‘Now, what’s this all about?’
She squirmed while trying to bite one of the vicelike hands. ‘You know! You stinking piece of crap!’
Vinnie staggered to his feet and struck the helpless Valerie across the face, then whimpered as Charlie grabbed his arm. ‘Leave her alone,’ his deep voice rumbled, demanding instant obedience. ‘If you don’t,’ he added with a smile, ‘I’ll get the boys to let her go.’ He pointed to a chair. A compliant Vinnie, wiping blood from his lip, cowered into the corner.
‘Well?’ said Charlie, dancing back from an attempted kick. ‘I think I know what this is all about, but let’s hear your side. Without the abuse,’ he said as Valerie poured out more vitriol.
‘You know,’ she repeated, attempting to get loose.
‘Take her over there,’ he nodded to the table he’d been sitting at, ‘let her cool down.’ He again smiled. ‘And for Christ’s sake don’t let her go.’
He accepted a large drink, leant his back to the bar and looked at Valerie. ‘Drink?’ She had stopped her futile struggling but, looking away, still managed a defiant expression. ‘Anyone know what she drinks?’ said Charlie, looking around.
From among the blank stares and silence, Valerie acquiesced, ‘Southern Comfort. Ice.’ For the first time since she’d walked in, her voice became near normal. ‘In a clean glass,’ she added as Charlie turned to the bar.
Charlie sat opposite Valerie and pushed the drink across. ‘Can they let you go?’ Getting no reply, he motioned them away. ‘From the beginning.’ He delicately took a small sip of his bourbon.
‘Tell you what you already know?’ Valerie looked at her drink then swallowed it in one. She coughed as the large amount of Southern Comfort caught the back of her throat. ‘Suppose I’m next?’
‘Okay, okay,’ said Charlie, ‘I see it’s going to be one of them conversations, so I’ll tell you. Your friend Jane… She comes in here to meet someone, had a Coke and went. Me and the boys went out a few minutes later, had a wander along the river, going down to the Warf Inn. Had a bit of business to see to. So, we comes around by them old cast-iron bollards and there’s this hell of a rumpus going on. Your Jane’s right in the middle of it. Two real heroes giving her a right seeing to.’
Valerie waved her glass at the barman for another, then turned to Charlie. ‘Who was it?’
Charlie shrugged his shoulders. ‘We sent one into the river and was going to ask the other a couple of questions, when Old Bill comes around the corner. They gets an ambulance for Jane and takes the other one off to the station. I was just trying to comfort her while we waited, you know, just holding her in me arms. Poor little cow.’
‘Bloody hell,’ said Valerie, ‘that’s why.’
Charlie took the two fresh drinks and put them on the table. ‘That’s why what?’
‘That thing on your neck. Apparently, Jane was muttering all kinds of nonsense, including a “butterfly and rose”.’ She slumped back in the seat and looked Charlie in the eye. ‘Sorry.’
‘That’s all right, had worse.’ He stroked the back of a large fist across his chin. ‘Just can’t remember where or when. You pack quite a punch…’
‘Valerie, it’s Valerie.’ She flicked her fingers a couple of times. ‘Sod it.’
‘What’s that?’
‘That Vinnie. Broke my bloody fingernail.’
Charlie gave a light scratch to his forehead and smiled. ‘Well, I didn’t beat her up.’ He nodded across the room. ‘And your friend over there didn’t do it.’
‘Yes,’ said Valerie. ‘So who? And, more to the point, why? Sex attack?’
‘Naw,’ said Charlie. ‘She had all her clothes on and they were beating her up, not, you know.’ He finished his drink and stood up, patting his pockets. ‘I need a fag. Come on, I’ll show you where we came across her.’
‘Don’t suppose you’ve got a nail file?’
The man on the bar stool folded his Daily Mirror as Charlie and Valerie left. ‘Said she’d be back.’
***
Valerie watched a straining tug pull large gravel barges upstream, as Charlie lit first her cigarette and then his own.
‘Have to give these up one day.’ He put the matches away while blowing smoke above his head. ‘Me girlfriend don’t like the way the nicotine stains the old moustache.’
‘Yeah, I know what she means.’ Walking backwards a few steps, Valerie took in the handsome growth. ‘Don’t see many like that.’
He took a finger to each end in turn, giving it a curl. ‘Just along here,’ he said, pointing at the bollards. ‘Kicked one over the edge. Think he must have swum to the other side.’ He stopped for a second and looked across the water. ‘Or went under. The other’s in the nick.’
Valerie took her phone out as they each selected a bollard and sat down. ‘Dennis, sorry about the bother. Can you find out something and call me back?’ She reeled the details off before putting the phone away, then watched the tug and barges disappear around the bend.
‘Me dad was a river man,’ said Charlie, breaking the quiet moment. ‘Used to work the barges along here and further down… back in the days when we were more than just a bloody museum. Jesus, you look around and there’s nowt left; it’s all cafés, takeaways and the ruddy service industry. We don’t make a bleedin’ thing anymore.’ Valerie laughed and took in another lungful of smoke. ‘Okay,’ said Charlie, ‘I’ll buy it. What’s so funny?’
‘You, Charlie. You’re in the service industry.’ She laughed again as Charlie joined in.
‘Never thought about it like that before.’
Seeing that there was nothing more than tobacco on offer, the one or two seagulls that had landed a few yards away flew off in search of better pickings. Valerie searched her pockets for something as the gulls were replaced by a bold robin. ‘Sorry,’ she said, holding out a flat palm, ‘nothing.’
Slowly and quietly, Charlie pulled at the loose grass around one of the bollards. He had almost circumnavigated the iron lump when a small grub fell from the dry soil. ‘Here you go,’ he said, throwing it across. The robin jumped nearer to Charlie then hopped back, keeping his eye on the two of them all the time. After a couple of abortive expeditions, he finally made it to the grub then flew just two or three yards away to enjoy it. ‘Brave little sod,’ said Charlie. ‘Ain’t afraid of nowt.’
‘Yeah, he’s got balls,’ said Valerie as her phone rang. She nodded as Dennis passed on the information. ‘About par for the course,’ she said, switching it off. ‘No details of anyone taken to a police station for attacking Jane.’
‘Well, they sure looked like bogies,’ said Charlie.
‘What, big feet?’ Valerie dropped her cigarette onto the pathway and ground it in with her heel. ‘Anyone on the take around here?’
‘They’re a pretty straight lot on this manor,’ he said. ‘But it’s not a given, of course. I’ll get the guys to ask around.’
Holding out her ha
nd, Valerie got to her feet. ‘Thanks, Charlie.’
‘No problem.’ His handshake was not what Valerie expected. Although he covered her hand with his, it was gentle.
‘Sorry about, you know.’
‘That’s okay,’ he said, stroking his chin. ‘Let me know if you want a job.’
‘Sure.’ She turned and walked off down the towpath. ‘Tell Vinnie sorry.’
Nineteen
‘Didn’t call before,’ said Preston over the phone, ‘thought you’d be a bit tied up after what happened.’ With a key in one hand and shopping in the other, Valerie held the phone to an ear with her shoulder as she stepped from the gangplank.
‘How did you know? And the flowers?’
‘Kenny heard something from someone who heard from someone else, you know. And when it turned out to be the secretary of a lady detective, well, that was it. Just had to be you.’
‘I see. Think I’ll hand the business over to you. I’ll go lie on a beach.’
‘You can come and lie on my beach any time.’
‘Tempting, and before you ask, I can’t.’
‘Can’t what?’
‘Dinner, lunch, tea. Not even breakfast, I’m afraid. I need to find the son of a bitch that’s responsible for doing this to Jane.’
‘Well, we can meet up for lunch, just an hour while you catch your breath?’ He carried on quickly before Valerie could interrupt. ‘How about a quick picnic tomorrow? Where can I pick you up?’
‘Okay. I suppose you know where my office is by now. Call around, I’ll be there.’
The next morning, Valerie rang the Beggars Hat.
‘Who’s calling at this bleedin’ godforsaken time? Jesus, I got a pub to run, I don’t do nine in the friggin’ morning.’
‘Need to get in touch with Charlie. You got his number?’
‘Charlie? Charlie bloody who? Who do you think I am, 118?’
‘You know who Charlie is. He’s in most nights, was in last night. We had a slight fracas.’
‘Oh Jesus, it’s you. Don’t know. Now piss off.’
‘Come on, course you know,’ said Valerie, supping a coffee with her free hand. ‘Or do you want the next call I make to be to the health authorities?’
‘Shit, you ever get fed up with causing friggin’ mayhem? Wait.’ The line went silent for a minute until the barman came back and rattled off a number. ‘Now take a hike. And by the way, you’re fucking barred.’
‘Cripes,’ said Valerie, punching in Charlie’s number, ‘that’s one off my bucket list. Never been barred from a municipal tip before.’
Valerie made several attempts to call Charlie, each one resulting in being put through to his answerphone. She sat for a couple of minutes, doodling what few thoughts she could be certain of on a piece of paper, when her phone rang.
‘It’s Thompson. Hardy’s disappeared. Family and all.’
‘Oh, for Christ’s sake,’ she said. ‘Doesn’t he know he’s safer where he is? I don’t know what some people carry in their head, but it sure ain’t brains. Any ideas, or is that it, vanished?’
‘At the moment, yes,’ said Thompson. ‘His protection went up to check this morning and they were gone. I’ll get a few feelers out, but I don’t think he’s taken them to his aunt Nellie’s.’
‘Hope not,’ said Valerie, revolving a pack of cigarettes around the table. ‘Whoever it is won’t be long getting around the obvious places, before realising they’re at a safe house.’ She ended the call. ‘Or not at a safe house, to be precise,’ she added quietly.
As she studied the few things she had written down, the phone rang again. ‘It’s Charlie, got your number logged on me phone. Who is it?’
‘Sorry, Charlie, it’s Valerie. Got your number from our friend at the Beggars Hat.’
‘Jesus, bet you were popular.’
‘Hope you don’t mind. Did you find anything out?’
‘Not sure, I think we have someone on the take… or rather, someone under someone’s thumb. Beginning to think a lot of this is run on fear. Nasty.’
‘Can we meet, Charlie?’
‘Sure, how about our bollards?’
***
Charlie was sitting on one of the bollards, throwing crumbs into the grass.
‘Look,’ he said quietly, ‘our friend’s back.’
‘Hello, Charlie.’ Walking up slowly, Valerie looked over his shoulder. ‘A bit of a softy for your line of work, aren’t you?’ She followed as he got up and started along the riverbank.
‘Leave him to his breakfast.’ They walked in silence for a few seconds before Charlie spoke again. ‘What makes you think I’m some kind of bandit?’
‘Not sure you are, Charlie. Know what Vinnie called you? The Lone Ranger. By the way, how is he?’
‘Who, Vinnie? He’s fine, couple of cuts and bruises, but fine.’ He stopped and looked across to a pleasure boat making its way upstream. ‘Who the bloody hell are you, Valerie? Or should I say, who are you working for?’
‘Right at the moment, Charlie… Right at the moment, I’m not sure. But the money keeps dropping into the bank.’
‘You know what I think?’ he said. ‘I think you’re not allowed to tell me, that’s what I think. Anyway, crooked cops. There is someone, a middle officer. But as I said before, he may be receiving a payoff, probably is, but I think he’s frightened. Someone with a lot of muscle is on top of this. And I’ll tell you something else, I’d watch my back if I was you.’
‘Oh, why?’
What Charlie said next made an icy-cold finger stroke her spine before descending the back of each leg. ‘It wasn’t Jane they were after. That was a mistake. They thought it was you. That’s what I think.’ Charlie handed over a small white card.
‘What’s this?’
‘You’ll find him there this evening, written it on the back.’
‘Jamison, an inspector. High enough to pull a few strings,’ she said, tapping the card on her fingers before turning it over. C W Frances Security and personal advisor, it read on the reverse, with contact details. ‘Blimey, Charlie, I am disappointed. Thought it would have said “Have Gun Will Travel”. Or at least “Muscles R Us”.’
‘What’s that bloody Vinnie been telling you? This place is full of scum, Valerie, all of them wanting a shortcut to the folding stuff. We help when you’re too small or weak to fight for yourself, simple as that. I ain’t no gangster, no way. Me mum didn’t bring up no thugs.’
‘Fair enough, Charlie.’ She slid the business card into her wallet. ‘I’d better get going. Got a lunch date.’
‘You owe me one,’ he said.
‘Sure thing, Charlie.’ She pushed her hands into her jacket pockets and turned away down the towpath. ‘Sure thing.’
***
‘Bloody hell, this is good.’ Valerie looked out from the cliff-top as she put the chilled glass to her lips. ‘All this and Chablis too.’
Having asked about Jane, Preston stretched out a hand and lightly stroked Valerie’s shoulder. ‘Off to Antigua in a couple of months. I’ve got a place overlooking English Harbour. Probably stay until next year. How about it?’
She lay back on the thick wool rug. ‘Bit sudden.’
‘Don’t you ever get tired of playing hard to get?’ He sat hunched, sipping at his glass.
Valerie rolled onto her stomach and looked up. ‘How long have we…?’ She stopped for a moment. ‘I was going to say how long have we known each other, but we don’t, do we? Know each other, I mean. Been out on a few dates and into bed once.’
‘Jesus.’ Preston flicked a chip of flint amongst the grass. ‘I don’t believe in love at first sight, it’s bloody stupid. But waking up and seeing your head on the pillow, I came as close as one can get.’
‘And that’s it?’ She stood up and wandered towards the cliff edge,
glass in hand. ‘Sex.’
Following, Preston took hold of her hand. ‘No, it bloody wasn’t. And you know it.’
Valerie kept looking out to sea. She was not sure of much at that moment. But one thing she was sure of: she was not flying off across the Atlantic on such a short acquaintance. ‘Let’s just keep it as it is, yes?’
‘Sure.’
***
‘Look who’s back from the edge.’ Holding a kidney dish, the nurse kept the door open with her back.
Jane, propped up on a pile of pillows, was using a straw to drink mineral water through bruised lips. Gingerly withdrawing her mouth, she managed a croaky, ‘Hi.’
‘Hell’s teeth, Jane, you gave me a bloody fright.’ Valerie bent down and gave her a kiss then the lightest of caresses, but it still brought a deep-down groan. ‘Oh, Christ.’ She pulled back and dropped the latest reality magazines on the side table. ‘Sorry.’
With the two broken fingers, Jane beckoned her back. ‘Should have brought a liquidiser.’ She attempted to point at the Ferrero Rocher.
‘Kept that for the bastards that put you in here,’ said Valerie.
The choking laugh was followed by groans and a tightening face. ‘Shut up, boss,’ Jane whispered between clenched teeth. ‘Any more of this and I’ll have to get you barred.’
‘Bloody hell, twice in one day, must be some kind of record.’
‘Eh?’
‘Nothing, nothing.’ Pulling a nearby chair to the bedside, Valerie gave a dismissive shake of her head. ‘Anything you can tell me?’
‘Big, both of them. Bloody big. Could have scared me off with a look, didn’t have to go to all this bleedin’ trouble.’
Valerie held the straw to Jane’s lips as she started coughing again. ‘I’ll do the jokes,’ said Valerie, ‘you stick to descriptions.’
‘Peculiar.’ Her throat easing a little, she grinned. ‘One was dressed like something out of that Michael Douglas film, you know, striped shirt, wide flashy braces. This guy’s were bright red with yellow birds.’