Blighted Land: Book two of the Northumbrian Western Series (Northumbrian Westerns 2) by Ian Chapman Page B

door. ‘Listen, Trent, I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea, I —’
    ‘It’s fine.’ I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.  
    She stopped in the doorway. ‘Think it through. I’ll wait for you. Here.’ She smiled. Some kind of smile I couldn’t figure out.
    ‘All right.’ But I was already on my way towards the stairs.  
    As I crossed town I thought it all through. Becky and Casper and their plans. Round Up and Sophie and Faeston. There was too much going on. Too much I didn’t like. Round Up had stepped up a gear. And Sophie was getting all settled, with me woven into her nest. In some ways Becky’s plan had come at just the right time. Appealing as it was to go off with her there were too many loose ends. Too many unknowns. Getting Casper out was going to be hard. And he was some fella. Some piece. But once we were out we’d be in the Eblis. We’d be able to go anywhere. I’d be much safer than on the bike.  
    But I had to go where they wanted, at their pace. I wasn’t one for taking orders and fitting in. That was why I hated Round Up.
    Maybe I was best going off on my own, same as I always had. I wasn’t quite ready to go but I’d soon have enough cash together to see me safe. Maybe do some final patch-ups on the Scrambler.
      I came to my flat. Tommy was singing to himself downstairs. His version of a hymn.  
    I opened the door and went into the living room. Gregg and Will sat in the two chairs at the table.  
    Gregg had his hand on a pistol that lay on his lap aimed at me. ‘Wondered when you’d arrive,’ he said.
    Will laughed as Gregg cocked the gun.

CHAPTER TWELVE
Decider

    G REGG FROWNED . ‘Y OU ’ RE IN luck. Nico wants you alive.’
    ‘Yep,’ said Will.  
    They both looked dreadfully disappointed.  
    ‘What’s this all about?’ I said.
    Gregg grunted. ‘You know what it’s about. All your games with him in the cell. Do you think we’re stupid?’
    I did think they were stupid but obviously they weren’t quite as bad as I’d assumed.
    ‘Got you now!’ added Will.
    ‘Aye,’ said Gregg. ‘We know you’ve been working against us.’  
    ‘So now what?’ I said. The pistol was aimed at me. Still tight in Gregg’s hand.  
    He waved it around, onto my feet and torso and head. It was an old revolver, chipped and marked but good enough this range. His lips were tight and brow furrowed like he was thinking something through. Like he was ready to pop a shot into me. He could tell Nico it had been an accident. The gun went off in a scuffle, or something. ‘We’re going to work you over. Make you squeal. Slowly. Until, well…’
    ‘Until you’re dead,’ said Will.  
    Gregg stood up. ‘Come on, out.’ The gun was waved again but this time to make me move.
    ‘Right.’ I went towards the door and took the handle. Tried to work out some way to get out of this. If they had something on me from Casper, I really was in the shit. Maybe he’d let on that I’d mentioned Becky. Told them that I knew his sister and had helped him. Now Round Up were going to knock me around. Finish me off.
    ‘Wait.’ Will shoved past me and took the handle himself. ‘Don’t want you running off.’
    As he went out Gregg pushed up close behind me. He jammed the gun in my back and made me walk out. ‘No funny business, you hear?’
    ‘I hear,’ I said.
    Will was ahead of us on the stairs. He walked down backwards watching me as he went. Gregg came out of my door leaving it open.
    ‘Are you going to shut that?’  
    ‘What the fuck for?’ he said.
    ‘Nico might want to go through my stuff. He won’t want it stolen.’  
    Gregg grunted at this. Mentioning Nico always pressed his buttons. He kept his eyes on me but reached back with his left hand to grab the door handle and pull it shut. He couldn’t reach it so he glanced round.  
    As he did I grabbed his wrist, the one holding the gun. With his free hand he punched me in the ribs but he was too close to get