didn’t kill Alex.’
I nodded at his shotgun. ‘And you’re doing a bang-up job of demonstrating your innocence.’
I was being surprisingly ballsy considering how shit scared I was, but my remark worked, forcing Derek into a begrudging smile.
‘Whether you like it or not, the police investigated Alex’s death. They found no foul play. I was never a suspect.’
‘Thanks to some influential friends.’
‘It pays to have friends in high places.’ Derek smirked. ‘And in low places. It still doesn’t change anything. I didn’t kill Alex, despite what you may think.’
‘OK, tell me this. Why is there this veil of secrecy surrounding Alex’s death? Why is it no one wants to talk about it? And why is it, should anyone question your involvement, they get guns pointed at them in an open field?’
Derek shook his head. ‘I don’t know why. All I can tell you is that I’m well liked in these parts. People are willing to go out of their way to protect me. Nothing more. Nothing less. As to why Alex’s death is being brushed aside, you’re asking the wrong person.’
Something spooked a flock of birds from their roosts. They sawed into the air, squawking and crowing. Instinctively, Derek spun around with his gun. He followed their skyward progress, anticipated their move and fired both barrels. Two birds fell from the sky, dead.
‘Vermin with wings,’ he said. ‘The only reason they exist is to be a nuisance and, left unchecked, they ruin people’s lives. The problem is that they poke their beaks where they don’t belong and destroy everything they touch. They have to be eliminated before they do too much damage. It’s all for the greater good. You understand that, don’t you, Aidy?’
It wasn’t that hard to read between Derek’s widely spaced lines and see his less than subtle point. ‘Yes, I do.’
‘Good. I’m glad we understand each other.’
A panicked voice squawked over the walkie-talkie in Derek’s pocket. He ignored it, choosing to break the gun and eject the spent cartridges. He left the shotgun broken and unloaded. Seeing that, I knew Derek didn’t plan to kill me. Not today, anyway.
‘Is everything OK?’ the voice yelled into the radio.
Derek removed the radio from his pocket. ‘Everything’s fine. I had to teach a couple of crows a lesson.’
The response quieted everyone. If discharging a shotgun panicked Derek’s guys, I imagined the overdose of fear it must have sent through Dylan. I doubted he’d be so eager to help me after today. Derek switched the radio off and pocketed it.
‘I have one piece of advice for you, Aidy. If you’re going to mouth off, make sure you have some proof to back it up. Otherwise, I can’t say how people will react.’
There was nothing to say. Derek had made his point very clear.
‘Let’s get you back to your van. Then you can go back where you belong.’
We headed back. The rise back to the road proved difficult to climb on account of the rain turning the earth into sludge.
‘By the way, what are you doing here today?’ Derek asked.
I wondered if this was a trick question. He knew why I was here. If he could play coy, so could I.
‘I had some business at the track,’ I said.
‘Did you come for Alex’s car? I heard you were going to have it crushed.’
Derek had robbed me of a piece of crucial evidence and now he wanted to gloat.
‘I was, but it seems to have disappeared.’
‘Is that right?’
We crested the rise. There was a look of relief on the faces of all the men waiting by the vehicles, those holding guns and those not.
I noticed the moving van. It had been a useful tool for boxing Dylan and me in, but it wasn’t necessary. They could have easily pulled the same manoeuvre with any vehicle. So why the van? A vehicle of that size could easily carry a single-seater racecar without the need of a trailer.
‘I’ve got a question for you, Derek.’
‘Ask away.’
‘Was this chat the only reason you pulled me
I nodded at his shotgun. ‘And you’re doing a bang-up job of demonstrating your innocence.’
I was being surprisingly ballsy considering how shit scared I was, but my remark worked, forcing Derek into a begrudging smile.
‘Whether you like it or not, the police investigated Alex’s death. They found no foul play. I was never a suspect.’
‘Thanks to some influential friends.’
‘It pays to have friends in high places.’ Derek smirked. ‘And in low places. It still doesn’t change anything. I didn’t kill Alex, despite what you may think.’
‘OK, tell me this. Why is there this veil of secrecy surrounding Alex’s death? Why is it no one wants to talk about it? And why is it, should anyone question your involvement, they get guns pointed at them in an open field?’
Derek shook his head. ‘I don’t know why. All I can tell you is that I’m well liked in these parts. People are willing to go out of their way to protect me. Nothing more. Nothing less. As to why Alex’s death is being brushed aside, you’re asking the wrong person.’
Something spooked a flock of birds from their roosts. They sawed into the air, squawking and crowing. Instinctively, Derek spun around with his gun. He followed their skyward progress, anticipated their move and fired both barrels. Two birds fell from the sky, dead.
‘Vermin with wings,’ he said. ‘The only reason they exist is to be a nuisance and, left unchecked, they ruin people’s lives. The problem is that they poke their beaks where they don’t belong and destroy everything they touch. They have to be eliminated before they do too much damage. It’s all for the greater good. You understand that, don’t you, Aidy?’
It wasn’t that hard to read between Derek’s widely spaced lines and see his less than subtle point. ‘Yes, I do.’
‘Good. I’m glad we understand each other.’
A panicked voice squawked over the walkie-talkie in Derek’s pocket. He ignored it, choosing to break the gun and eject the spent cartridges. He left the shotgun broken and unloaded. Seeing that, I knew Derek didn’t plan to kill me. Not today, anyway.
‘Is everything OK?’ the voice yelled into the radio.
Derek removed the radio from his pocket. ‘Everything’s fine. I had to teach a couple of crows a lesson.’
The response quieted everyone. If discharging a shotgun panicked Derek’s guys, I imagined the overdose of fear it must have sent through Dylan. I doubted he’d be so eager to help me after today. Derek switched the radio off and pocketed it.
‘I have one piece of advice for you, Aidy. If you’re going to mouth off, make sure you have some proof to back it up. Otherwise, I can’t say how people will react.’
There was nothing to say. Derek had made his point very clear.
‘Let’s get you back to your van. Then you can go back where you belong.’
We headed back. The rise back to the road proved difficult to climb on account of the rain turning the earth into sludge.
‘By the way, what are you doing here today?’ Derek asked.
I wondered if this was a trick question. He knew why I was here. If he could play coy, so could I.
‘I had some business at the track,’ I said.
‘Did you come for Alex’s car? I heard you were going to have it crushed.’
Derek had robbed me of a piece of crucial evidence and now he wanted to gloat.
‘I was, but it seems to have disappeared.’
‘Is that right?’
We crested the rise. There was a look of relief on the faces of all the men waiting by the vehicles, those holding guns and those not.
I noticed the moving van. It had been a useful tool for boxing Dylan and me in, but it wasn’t necessary. They could have easily pulled the same manoeuvre with any vehicle. So why the van? A vehicle of that size could easily carry a single-seater racecar without the need of a trailer.
‘I’ve got a question for you, Derek.’
‘Ask away.’
‘Was this chat the only reason you pulled me
Similar Books
