Singh was pushing his luck big-time. This was pure disrespect, and he couldn’t afford to let it go unpunished. If the cunt was playing games, he’d have to pay the price. Even if he wasn’t planning a rip-off, he was pure taking the piss with his timekeeping, and he’d have to be dealt with. He’d decide how when Max reported back.
Back at the shops, Suzie was just beginning to think Wendy wasn’t coming when she heard a car turn onto the road behind her. It came to a stop outside the gate, its lights already dead as the door opened and soft footsteps headed towards her.
‘Suzie?’ Ged hissed into the dark. ‘Where are you?’
‘Over here,’ she croaked.
Ged hurried across to her and gave her a quick, reassuring hug. ‘Are you all right, sweetheart?’
‘Yeah, I’m okay,’ she said, leaning gratefully into his solid warmth. ‘But we’ve got to get Lee out of here.’
Giving her icy hand a squeeze, Ged reached out to Lee and shook his shoulder gently. ‘Lee, mate. We’re going to get you in the car. Do you think you can walk if we get you on your feet?’
‘Dunno,’ Lee mumbled. ‘It hurts . . .’
‘You’ll just have to try, mate,’ Ged said, putting an arm under Lee’s back and pulling him upright. ‘Come on. Let’s get you out of here. Give me a hand, Suzie.’
With one of Lee’s arms around each of their shoulders, they walked him to the car. Suzie leaped in the back to pull him in as Ged pushed, and as soon as they were all in, Wendy reversed back out onto City Road and raced away, tyres squealing.
‘He’d better not be bleeding on my seat!’ she snapped over her shoulder. Then, more gently: ‘You all right, Sooze?’
‘Yeah,’ said Suzie quietly and, flopping her head back, she closed her eyes.
Halfway down City Road, a silver BMW streaked smoothly past them heading towards the shops. Instinctively checking the rear-view, Wendy saw the red glow of the other car’s brake lights shining back at her like a pair of demon’s eyes. She put her foot down hard as a sharp pain gripped her stomach.
In the kitchen, Jake was adding ice to two tall glasses when he heard the phone ring. Carrying the drinks through as The Man answered, he waited to see if his moment had come.
The Man was frowning, making ‘Hmmm . . . mmmm’ noises as he listened. After a minute, he said, ‘Yeah, tek a look. I’ll wait.’ Covering the mouthpiece, he explained the conversation to Jake. ‘Max says the lights is all off, but the jeep’s still there.’
‘Want me to go round?’ Jake asked hopefully.
The Man shook his head, then held his hand up for quiet as Max came back on the line.
Walking over to the table, Jake put the glasses down heavily, splashing juice onto his hand. He licked it off, waiting for the nod he felt sure was coming.
‘What’s his fucking game?’ The Man shouted. ‘No one at all? Nah, man, just tek a look in the yard! Yeah, I’m holdin’! Shit!’
With a furious scowl, he held his hand out for a glass.
‘ ’S up?’ Jake asked, passing one over.
The Man took a long drink and slammed the glass back down on the table. Leaning down, he peeled the draw from the sleeping girl’s hand and tossed it to Jake. ‘Mek a smoke, man – a strong one. Something ain’t right.’
Jake could feel a kicking coming on. Rolling the spliff, he psyched himself.
‘What? Where?’ The Man barked. Then, suddenly, his tone changed, becoming edgy and cautious. ‘Nah – don’t, man! Leave him be. Don’t touch him! Shit! What about the bag?’ he asked then. ‘Is the raas bag there? Fuck! Nah, man. Just clear out of there fast! In fact, come back here. No! I’m deadly fucking serious!’
Slamming the receiver
Back at the shops, Suzie was just beginning to think Wendy wasn’t coming when she heard a car turn onto the road behind her. It came to a stop outside the gate, its lights already dead as the door opened and soft footsteps headed towards her.
‘Suzie?’ Ged hissed into the dark. ‘Where are you?’
‘Over here,’ she croaked.
Ged hurried across to her and gave her a quick, reassuring hug. ‘Are you all right, sweetheart?’
‘Yeah, I’m okay,’ she said, leaning gratefully into his solid warmth. ‘But we’ve got to get Lee out of here.’
Giving her icy hand a squeeze, Ged reached out to Lee and shook his shoulder gently. ‘Lee, mate. We’re going to get you in the car. Do you think you can walk if we get you on your feet?’
‘Dunno,’ Lee mumbled. ‘It hurts . . .’
‘You’ll just have to try, mate,’ Ged said, putting an arm under Lee’s back and pulling him upright. ‘Come on. Let’s get you out of here. Give me a hand, Suzie.’
With one of Lee’s arms around each of their shoulders, they walked him to the car. Suzie leaped in the back to pull him in as Ged pushed, and as soon as they were all in, Wendy reversed back out onto City Road and raced away, tyres squealing.
‘He’d better not be bleeding on my seat!’ she snapped over her shoulder. Then, more gently: ‘You all right, Sooze?’
‘Yeah,’ said Suzie quietly and, flopping her head back, she closed her eyes.
Halfway down City Road, a silver BMW streaked smoothly past them heading towards the shops. Instinctively checking the rear-view, Wendy saw the red glow of the other car’s brake lights shining back at her like a pair of demon’s eyes. She put her foot down hard as a sharp pain gripped her stomach.
In the kitchen, Jake was adding ice to two tall glasses when he heard the phone ring. Carrying the drinks through as The Man answered, he waited to see if his moment had come.
The Man was frowning, making ‘Hmmm . . . mmmm’ noises as he listened. After a minute, he said, ‘Yeah, tek a look. I’ll wait.’ Covering the mouthpiece, he explained the conversation to Jake. ‘Max says the lights is all off, but the jeep’s still there.’
‘Want me to go round?’ Jake asked hopefully.
The Man shook his head, then held his hand up for quiet as Max came back on the line.
Walking over to the table, Jake put the glasses down heavily, splashing juice onto his hand. He licked it off, waiting for the nod he felt sure was coming.
‘What’s his fucking game?’ The Man shouted. ‘No one at all? Nah, man, just tek a look in the yard! Yeah, I’m holdin’! Shit!’
With a furious scowl, he held his hand out for a glass.
‘ ’S up?’ Jake asked, passing one over.
The Man took a long drink and slammed the glass back down on the table. Leaning down, he peeled the draw from the sleeping girl’s hand and tossed it to Jake. ‘Mek a smoke, man – a strong one. Something ain’t right.’
Jake could feel a kicking coming on. Rolling the spliff, he psyched himself.
‘What? Where?’ The Man barked. Then, suddenly, his tone changed, becoming edgy and cautious. ‘Nah – don’t, man! Leave him be. Don’t touch him! Shit! What about the bag?’ he asked then. ‘Is the raas bag there? Fuck! Nah, man. Just clear out of there fast! In fact, come back here. No! I’m deadly fucking serious!’
Slamming the receiver
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