aboot oor wee chat? As ye say yersel, there’s probably nothing in it, bit it’ll gie him enough tae wet that snout ae his. He might come in handy in the future, if they basturts keep oan harassing that boy ae yers.”
Efter she’d left the pub, Helen hid bumped intae her maw oan Parly Road. Wan ae her maw’s cronies hid awready telt her that the big dookit at the tap ae the road hid been burnt tae the ground.
“It’s aw they kids, running aboot wae matches and aw that,” she’d said tae Helen.
“Aye, well, at least it wisnae somebody’s hoose, eh?”
“Aye, bit Ah think it’s probably serious, cause there’s aw sorts ae cars and vans up there. They’ve even goat a white tent up.”
“So, whit dis that mean?” Helen hid asked, keeping tae hersel whit The Big Man hid jist telt her.
“That usually means trouble.”
“Like?”
“Like, if there’s a murder or something.”
“Is that right?”
“Oh, aye, guaranteed.”
“So, who dae ye think it is then, Sherlock?”
“Ah don’t know, bit the polis ur sure tae know.”
“See, Maw, that’s the problem roond here. It’s people like you and that pal ae yers that gies this place a bad name, wae aw that speculation. Ye’re the second wan Ah’ve heard the day, talking aboot the same thing, bit baith coming up wae different stories.”
“Aye, well, Ah’ve said ma piece.”
“And whit else is new then?”
“Ach, nothing. Yer da’s away aff tae work this morning wae a splitting headache. He’s still recovering fae Saturday night.”
“Aye, it wis a stoating wee night so it wis, eh?”
Helen couldnae get oot ae her heid whit Molloy hid said aboot Johnboy and his pals’ pigeon cabin gaun up in flames. Oan the way hame, she’d gone roond by the school tae check tae see if Johnboy hid goat there. She’d been gonnae go in, bit hid noticed him climbing up the bottom level stairs during the morning play break wae some ae his pals, so she’d heided hame via Sherbet’s and goat hersel five single fags. Before Johnboy’d finally showed up later oan that night, she’d started tae get hersel intae a right state, bit hid relaxed wance he appeared. He hidnae been through the door mair than a few minutes before the polis hid turned up. Betty, fae next door, hid telt her that they’d been up at Helen’s door at different times during the efternoon, bit as Helen hid been oot and aboot, she’d missed them. When she’d ushered Johnboy intae the sitting room tae talk tae an Inspector Mack and big Liam Thompson, Johnboy hid jist clammed up. Efter she’d suggested that the sergeant leave the room, much tae Liam Thompson’s obvious annoyance, Johnboy hid seemed tae relax a bit and hid answered the inspector’s questions. Johnboy hid said he knew aboot the dookit being burned doon. He’d said that he’d heard that it wis his pal, the wee wan they called Skull, that hid died in the fire. They’d come fur his sister in the morning and hid taken her oot ae school. He’d telt the inspector that the last time he’d spoken tae the Kelly boy hid been doon at the closemooth the night before. He hidnae been too sure ae the time, bit it hid still been light ootside. Helen hid been able tae confirm that it hid been aboot hauf seven when he’d appeared. He’d telt the inspector that they’d been doon at some doo shoap in the Saltmarket. When asked aboot the dookit, he’d said that the Murphy brothers hid haunded it o’er tae them as they didnae want it, seeing as there wis a motorway being built where it stood, which hid been news tae Helen. He’d said that he didnae know whit could’ve started the fire, bit hid admitted there wis candles and matches in the dookit. He’d said he didnae know whit hid happened tae his pal efter he’d left tae go up the road. Efter the inspector hid left, Johnboy hid telt Helen that the boy who’d died
Efter she’d left the pub, Helen hid bumped intae her maw oan Parly Road. Wan ae her maw’s cronies hid awready telt her that the big dookit at the tap ae the road hid been burnt tae the ground.
“It’s aw they kids, running aboot wae matches and aw that,” she’d said tae Helen.
“Aye, well, at least it wisnae somebody’s hoose, eh?”
“Aye, bit Ah think it’s probably serious, cause there’s aw sorts ae cars and vans up there. They’ve even goat a white tent up.”
“So, whit dis that mean?” Helen hid asked, keeping tae hersel whit The Big Man hid jist telt her.
“That usually means trouble.”
“Like?”
“Like, if there’s a murder or something.”
“Is that right?”
“Oh, aye, guaranteed.”
“So, who dae ye think it is then, Sherlock?”
“Ah don’t know, bit the polis ur sure tae know.”
“See, Maw, that’s the problem roond here. It’s people like you and that pal ae yers that gies this place a bad name, wae aw that speculation. Ye’re the second wan Ah’ve heard the day, talking aboot the same thing, bit baith coming up wae different stories.”
“Aye, well, Ah’ve said ma piece.”
“And whit else is new then?”
“Ach, nothing. Yer da’s away aff tae work this morning wae a splitting headache. He’s still recovering fae Saturday night.”
“Aye, it wis a stoating wee night so it wis, eh?”
Helen couldnae get oot ae her heid whit Molloy hid said aboot Johnboy and his pals’ pigeon cabin gaun up in flames. Oan the way hame, she’d gone roond by the school tae check tae see if Johnboy hid goat there. She’d been gonnae go in, bit hid noticed him climbing up the bottom level stairs during the morning play break wae some ae his pals, so she’d heided hame via Sherbet’s and goat hersel five single fags. Before Johnboy’d finally showed up later oan that night, she’d started tae get hersel intae a right state, bit hid relaxed wance he appeared. He hidnae been through the door mair than a few minutes before the polis hid turned up. Betty, fae next door, hid telt her that they’d been up at Helen’s door at different times during the efternoon, bit as Helen hid been oot and aboot, she’d missed them. When she’d ushered Johnboy intae the sitting room tae talk tae an Inspector Mack and big Liam Thompson, Johnboy hid jist clammed up. Efter she’d suggested that the sergeant leave the room, much tae Liam Thompson’s obvious annoyance, Johnboy hid seemed tae relax a bit and hid answered the inspector’s questions. Johnboy hid said he knew aboot the dookit being burned doon. He’d said that he’d heard that it wis his pal, the wee wan they called Skull, that hid died in the fire. They’d come fur his sister in the morning and hid taken her oot ae school. He’d telt the inspector that the last time he’d spoken tae the Kelly boy hid been doon at the closemooth the night before. He hidnae been too sure ae the time, bit it hid still been light ootside. Helen hid been able tae confirm that it hid been aboot hauf seven when he’d appeared. He’d telt the inspector that they’d been doon at some doo shoap in the Saltmarket. When asked aboot the dookit, he’d said that the Murphy brothers hid haunded it o’er tae them as they didnae want it, seeing as there wis a motorway being built where it stood, which hid been news tae Helen. He’d said that he didnae know whit could’ve started the fire, bit hid admitted there wis candles and matches in the dookit. He’d said he didnae know whit hid happened tae his pal efter he’d left tae go up the road. Efter the inspector hid left, Johnboy hid telt Helen that the boy who’d died
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