Dumfries (62 page)

  “Right, ladies and gentlemen, yer time’s up.  Kin Ah ask the prisoners jist tae sit where youse ur until the visitors hiv left the hall,” Dickheid Dick shouted, wae obvious pleasure, as the youngest ae the weans started howling, refusing tae let go ae his da…and the contagion spread and the few other weans in the hall opened up and joined in.

  “So, will ye be oan time the morra then?” Senga asked, staunin up, putting oan her coat and smiling.

  “Ye’ve a pass fur the morra as well?” he asked, overcome wae relief and thanking God, as he remembered that everywan sent oot a two-day pass.

  It wid gie him time tae sort something oot.

  “Aye, Ah asked the social worker lassie tae leave wan at the gate fur the Sunday as well.”

  “Aye, well, it shouldnae be too difficult tae cancel ma other plans,” he said.

  Aw the couples in the room went at it, kissing and cuddling, as Johnboy and Senga, stood awkwardly, looking sheepishly at each other.

  “Nice tae see ye looking so well, Johnboy,” Aggie McCoy said, pinching his arse oan the way past, as Senga hesitated, before moving fae her side ae the table tae join the rest ae the lassies trailing efter Aggie.

  Simon hid jist unlocked the side door ae the minibus and slid it open as the lassies patiently and silently waited fur their turn tae get in and take up a seat, when Senga heard her name being called.  Francis and Aggie wur awready seated, when everywan turned tae see who it wis that wis disturbing the peace.

  “Ah’ll no be a second, Angelo,” Senga said tae Simon, as she walked back across tae the gate tae see whit the social worker wis efter.

  “Senga, my name’s Fanny, Fanny Flaw.  I’m the establishment social worker, down here in Dumfries.  I spoke to you on the telephone the other day, remember?”

  “Aye, Ah saw ye serving the teas and juice wae Alison.  Is there something wrang?”

“No, no, Alison asked me…well…we were both wondering if you wanted to…er…meet up…for a coffee perhaps?”

  “Whit, jist noo?” she asked, turning aroond, shading her eyes fae the glare ae the sun wae her haun, as she tried tae see the faces oan the darkened shapes, sitting in the minibus.

  “Er, well, if not now…perhaps later on, if that makes it easier?” Fanny persisted.

  “Well, Ah’m wae ma friends, so it might be a bit awkward, if ye see whit Ah mean?” Senga replied hesitantly, looking back at the minibus again.

  “Oh, right, yes, I understand.” Fanny said, clearly disappointed.

  “We’ve no booked intae the hotel yet, so Ah don’t know where Ah’m gaun.  Ah think it’s The Station Hotel.”

  “Yes, it’s down in the town centre, in Lovers Walk.”

  “Aye, the lassies ur planning tae hit the toon the night.  Despite hivving Simon…er…Ah mean, Angelo…alang tae safeguard the local menfolk, Ah suspect they’ll still cop their whack though,” Senga said, as they baith let oot wee laughs between them.

  “Well, look, my husband is away this weekend with my son, Jake, and Alison and I are still going to catch up later for a bite to eat and a glass of wine at my house.  So, if you change your mind, here’s my number,” Fanny said, haunin o’er a piece ae paper.

  “Oh, Ah don’t know,” Senga said doubtfully, shaking her heid. “Ah don’t know if Ah’d be able tae get away fae the lassies withoot upsetting them.”

  “Well, as I said, if you change your mind for any reason, then please don’t hesitate to give me a ring and I’ll come and pick you up.  I’m sure Alison, and me, of course, would love to catch up with you.”

Chapter Fifty Two

Saturday Night

  “So, whit’s Dumfries goat tae offer us tourists the night then, Rabbie?” Simon asked, clocking the name badge oan the tartan waistcoat ae the ruddy-faced barman in the lounge bar ae the hotel, as he waited fur the lassies tae appear.

  “Och, well, it would depend on what you’re after, laddie.”

  “Probably a pub crawl tae start wae, before we hit the jigging.  Anywhere ye wid recommend then?”

  “Well, I suppose you could head up to the main street.  The first pub you come to from here will be Burns’s.  Robert and Jeannie Armour have a nice selection of whiskies for the discerning drinker.”

  “Er, Ah’m no sure whit that means, bit somehow it disnae sound as if discerning drinkers and the thirsty specimens Ah’m escorting aboot the night wid be a match made in heaven.”

  “Well, chust across the road from Burns’s, you have The Timorous Cowering Wee Beastie.  You’ll get a nice clean pint in there, although it’s an older crowd that frequents Rabbie’s place.”

  “How auld?”

  “Och, let’s see now…hmm…I would say anything between fifty and eighty…nice decent folk though,” Rabbie reminded him, obviously tae dispel any doubts as tae the quality ae the clientele, as if a light bulb hid jist been switched oan inside that heid ae his.

  “Right…”

  “And then further along, you have The Bard’s, although I wouldn’t recommend the Guinness, at least not for the fairer sex…flatulence and all that,” he volunteered helpfully.

  “Aye, well, Guinness won’t be a problem, they’re mair intae their leg-openers.”

  “Leg-openers?”

  “Aye, Carlsberg Special Brew…particularly straight fae the can.”

  “Oh, I see, yes, leg-openers, ha, ha, very funny.  We’ve got a comedian staying, I see.  I don’t think they’ll get any leg-openers in Dumfries.  That’s more a big city drink, like in, say, somewhere like Stranraer, those kind of places.”

  “The last time a mate ae mines wis doon here, he mentioned a discothèque at the tap end ae the High Street.  Whit wis it called noo?” Simon asked, wracking his brain, trying tae remember.

  “Oh, that’ll have been Burns’s.  Nice place…loud…but they do say it attracted a lot of young people…yes…hmm,” Rabbie harrumphed disapprovingly.

  “Aye, Burns’s…Ah think that’s it.  Is that still oan the go then?” Simon asked hopefully, taking a sip ae his expensive warm orange juice.

  “Och, no, I believe that closed down, just in time, before the summer crowds started to appear,” Rabbie replied brightly, gieing the glass in his haun a final swipe wae the dishtowel before placing it oan the shelf ae the pristine gantry.

  “So, there disnae sound as if there’s much oan the go fur us younger wans then.  Is that whit ye’re saying?”

  “Och, I wouldn’t say that.  There are a few nice cafes that have jukeboxes installed down by the shore.  They’re supposed to be popular with the younger generation about the town,” Rabbie volunteered, picking another spotlessly clean, sparkling glass aff ae the shelf and polishing it afresh wae his dishtowel.

  “Somehow, Ah think the lasses ur looking fur something a bit mair entertaining than a café wae a juke box stuck in the corner.”

  “Well, I think there’s a group playing in The Tam O’ Shanter.”

  “Aye?”

  “Terrific group, and it’s all the good old favourite greatest hits as well.  They do a fantastic version of ‘Green Grow the Rashes-O.’  Another favourite with the crowd is ‘My Love is Like A Red Rose,’ although they usually hold that back for the encore.  Would you like a refill of orange juice, sir?” Rabbie asked, as the clumping sound ae a herd ae Springburn’s finest fanny, in high heels, trooping doon the carpeted stairs, looking fur a wild night oot, could be heard fast approaching.

  “Rabbie, Ah don’t want tae sound disrespectful or anything like that, bit, ur ye taking the piss?”

  “Aye.”

  “Whit?”

  “Aye, I’m taking the piss.  Just head down to the shore and take it from there, laddie.  The place will be jumping, seeing that it’s Saturday night,” Rabbie said, chuckling, as he reached fur another glass tae polish.

  “See you, ya basturt, ye! Ye nearly hid me there, so ye did,” Simon laughed.

  “It’s beautiful, Fanny, I’m so jealous,” Senga gushed, arriving back in the living room efter being gied the grand tour ae the cottage.

  “Yes, I feel…we both feel very lucky to have such amazing views over the surrounding countryside.  It was Jardine who put in the patio doors himself…after almost a year of being encouraged morning, noon and night, to get the job completed, mind you,” Fanny said, a wee wistful smile appearing at the corners ae her mooth, touching wan ae the panes ae glass wae her fingertips.

  “Dae ye want a haun wae that, Alison?” Senga asked, turning roond, as Alison struggled tae get a tight enough grip oan the disintegrating cork wae the corkscrew.

  “I’ll get another bottle, shall I?” Fanny volunteered.

  “Hiv ye goat a wooden spoon, Fanny?  Ah’m yer number wan expert at getting intae cheeky wee bottles ae wine that don’t want tae gie up the amber nectar inside, so Ah am,” Senga volunteered.

  Alison haunded o’er the bottle and Fanny appeared in an instant wae a wooden spoon as they aw burst oot laughing.

  Nowan said much tae start wae.  They wur aw lost in their ain thoughts, hinging aboot doon at the snooker table, waiting fur Snappy tae stoap arguing wae The Tormentor up by the music room door.  Efter the visiting session, they’d been put straight up tae their cells.  Everywan in Dumfries ate in their cells oan a Saturday and Sunday evening.  Whitever the reason fur that wis, hid been lost back in the mists ae time, and anyhow, Johnboy couldnae gie a fuck as he hid other things oan his mind.  Johnboy hid been glad ae the break.  It hid meant he’d hid time tae collect his thoughts oan his lonesome before Tony did his usual reporting back tae everywan oan whit wis happening oot there in Freedom Street, back in the toon, at recreation at hauf six.  Johnboy hid also appreciated Tony leaving him tae his ain thoughts efter Simon and the lassies hid disappeared. Oan the way up the stairs ae C-Hall, Johnboy hid wanted tae burst intae a run and take the stairs two or three at a time, bit hid held himsel in check, even though he’d been at the front ae the snake leading the way across tae the hall.  He’d felt Tony’s presence behind him by the time they’d reached the tap landing, bit Johnboy hid jist swiftly disappeared intae his cell, pushing the door shut o’er behind him.  He knew Tony wid understaun.

  “If Ah ever come across that prick ootside in civvy street, he’ll wish he wis never fucking born,” Snappy growled, plapping that arse ae his doon oan tae the flair at a right angle tae where Johnboy wis sitting o’er in the corner.

  “Okay, so whit’s happening then?” Pat demanded, breaking the awkward silence, looking between Tony and Johnboy and back tae Tony.

  Aw eyes turned tae Tony, who wis perched oan the corner ae the snooker table, looking doon at Johnboy.

  “Dae ye want take it, Johnboy?” Tony asked him, ignoring Pat.

  Johnboy, who wis sitting wae baith wrists resting oan his knees, his back tae the painted brick wall, jist shook his heid.  He wanted tae jump up and scream, beg, threaten and warn them that if they didnae dae something aboot whit Senga Jackson hid telt him, he’d bloody well kill them aw, wan by wan.

  “Well, jist jump in if Ah miss anything oot…okay?” Tony said tae him gently, nodding.

  Johnboy sat and listened, mentally comparing notes in his heid as Tony recounted Simon’s version ae events.  He’d goat the sequence bang oan, getting the positive side ae the events oot ae the way, before getting doon tae the real business in haun.  The initial, anticipated flash ae excitement, when Tony explained that Johnboy’s innocence and the corroborating evidence, required tae challenge his guilty verdict, hid at last surfaced, soon disappeared as the tale ae woe unfolded.  Johnboy sat, watching them sling wee furtive glances across the corner ae the rec room, telepathically asking each other if whit they wur hearing, wis also whit everywan else wis hearing.  Nowan butted in as much as whit wid’ve been expected.  There wis a definite subdued tension in the air.

  “Haufwit Murray?  Shifty as fuck, and no tae be trusted under any circumstances.  Walks aboot wae an auld scar oan his face like a badge ae honour, so he dis…or did.  Ah’ve come across him in Wee Eck Thomas’s company a few times,” Snappy butted in, efter Haufwit’s name wis brought up.

  “Right, there’s two things ae significance regarding Haufwit.  Simon said that Wee Eck drapped oot ae sight, aw ae a sudden, aboot eight or nine weeks ago,” Tony continued, ignoring Snappy’s interruption. “A short time before that, Wee Eck and Dave Copeland, wae Jackie Samson behind the wheel, mounted a pavement and gied Haufwit a wee bump that bowled him o’er oan tae that auld arse ae his before screeching tae a halt.  This wis up oan Ashgill Road, in Milton, before they bundled him intae the back ae the car.  Seemingly Haufwit put up a bit ae a struggle, so Dave Copeland started stabbing fuck oot ae him wae a boning knife tae try and get him tae settle doon.  Unfortunately fur them, bit fortunately fur Johnboy, Haufwit somehow managed tae wrench or kick open wan ae the back passenger doors before tumbling oot oan tae the Auchinairn side ae Colston Road, jist alang fae the traffic lights.

  “And that’s a definite?” Pat asked.

  “Simon said that it came fae Jackie Samson himsel…bit obviously, that’s jist between us,” Tony reminded everywan, looking aboot the faces tae make sure that wis understood. “Anyhow, according tae whit Simon’s managed tae come up wae, it wis aboot six weeks efter Haufwit croaked it and a week efter Wee Eck went AWOL, that things started tae happen really fast.  First tae cop it wis the farmer…McPherson…McKenzie…McTavish…whitever the fuck his name wis.  Seemingly, he’s wan ae The Big Man’s main poultry suppliers tae wan ae his companies, Rob Roys, oot in Kirkintilloch.”

  “Aye, remember we blagged wan ae his vans up in Colston a few Christmases ago?” Snappy chuckled, getting a few smiles in return.

  “The farmer ran a big chicken farm oot near Alexandria.  Officially, he croaked it efter falling asleep in his bed, wae a fag sticking oot ae that face ae his.  Senga’s flatmate said that Haufwit claimed that it wis oan his farm that Wan-bob and company kidnapped Blaster McKay.  That wid’ve been oan the same morning that we nipped Tam Simpson probably, seeing as they found Blaster’s lorry load ae chickens wandering across Great Western Road during the morning rush hour that day.  The second wan tae cop their whack wis the doctor.  Simon reckons that he wid’ve probably hid tae okay The Stalker’s access tae Haufwit in the middle ae the night.  According tae Senga’s flatmate, the sister oan the wing where Haufwit wis kept wis pretty strict when it came tae allowing access tae patients ootwith official visiting times and wid never hiv sanctioned a middle-ae-the-night visit, unless it wis fur a family member. Fae whit Simon said, Haufwit wis oan the way oot and the staff wurnae expecting any family tae turn up, oot ae the blue, seeing as he’d been lying there withoot a visitor since his admission earlier.”

  “How long wis he in the hospital before he croaked it?” Pat asked.

“Less than twenty four hours. Anyhow, the doctor hid awready moved oan fae Stobhill and wis working across in The Western by the time he wis found dangling oan the end ae a rope fae his bannister at hame.”

  “Ah wonder how the basturts managed that if he wis struggling like fuck,” Snappy mused oot loud.

  “There wid’ve been mair than jist Spotty Hector and Chick Shand oan that job, Ah’ll bet,” Pat agreed.  “Ye kin bet yer bottom dollar Charlie Hastie wid’ve been in there somewhere, directing the show…the prick.”

  “Simon said he still isnae sure whit the connection is between the doctor and The Stalker, bit he’s obviously a key figure in aw this or he widnae be deid,” Tony continued, taking back control ae the discussion and gieing Pat a dirty look fur bringing up the names ae two ae The Big Man’s main killers in front ae Johnboy.

  “And the nurse that goat run o’er?  Where’s the connection between Senga and her flatmate, other than they’re aw nurses then?” Snappy asked.

  “Senga’s flatmate stood in fur the nurse that copped it that night, otherwise we widnae be sitting here talking aboot it.  So, oan the wan haun, we find oot The Stalker knows that Johnboy wisnae in the bank that day because Senga’s flatmate heard him being telt by Haufwit…which is fantastic, because it gies us the corroboration needed tae try and mount a challenge tae get Johnboy released. Oan the doonside, however, the fact that Senga’s flatmate heard everything else that wis said, means that if Wan-bob or Charlie Hastie find oot, then she’s deid meat…as will be Senga, by association,” Tony said, biting the bullet, while looking across at Johnboy, who’d visibly winced at that last bit.

  “Aye, bit is this jist no aw co-incidence?” Snappy asked, saying oot loud whit everywan wis trying tae work oot in their heids.

  “Maybe, bit look at the timing?  The two people who happened tae hiv been in that room that night and the farmer, who wis mentioned, aw copped their whack under mysterious circumstances within a couple ae weeks ae each other.  That isnae a fluke…that’s people getting rubbed oot. Everywan who hid a connection wae whit wis said in that room that night is noo deid.  Think aboot it?  Ye widnae need tae hiv a vivid imagination tae make the connection,” Tony reminded them, letting his words sink in.  “There’s nae way in a month ae Sundays, that a farmer, who’s connected tae The Big Man, whose name is mentioned as a witness tae the rubbing oot ae wan ae the top men in the city, dies at the same time as the doctor who’s allowed The Stalker access tae the main witness.”

  “Hmm, Ah’m still no convinced,” Pat came oot wae, shaking his heid, as everywan looked across at him and then back tae Tony.

  “Okay, let’s accept that it wis a fluke then.  By a further coincidence, ye’ve noo goat a nurse, who also happened tae be oan duty that night, who also happened tae lug in tae whit wis being said, suddenly getting run o’er in a hit-and-run accident.  Another fluke?  Whit dae ye think the odds wid be fur they three people tae go aff and croak it within a couple ae weeks ae each other, withoot somewan behind the scenes, arranging it aw tae happen?  Knowing who we know, who’d bet oan something like that happening naturally, eh?” Tony challenged them, shrugging, before letting whit he’d jist said sink in.

  Silence.

  “Christ, The Stalker must’ve thought aw his Christmases hid come at wance,” Snappy said.

  “Ah still think we’re maybe stretching it a bit.  Why could it no jist be a coincidence?  Stranger things hiv happened,” Pat challenged him, aw eyes noo back oan Tony.

  “Aw, fur fuck’s sake, Pat, ya thick prick, ye.  If ye’re gonnae staun there and insult everywan’s intelligence, then why don’t ye jist fuck aff?” Johnboy retorted, startling everywan wae his interruption, sitting there wae his hauns ootstretched, looking roond everywan tae see if it wis jist him that thought Pat wis missing the obvious. “Wee Eck Thomas, Haufwit’s drinking buddy?  Why his Wee Eck, aw ae a sudden, done a disappearing act, oot ae the blue, roond aboot the same time as the other three?”

  Silence.

  “Ah hear whit ye’re saying, Johnboy, bit Ah still don’t see much actual evidence ae skulduggery here,” Pat retorted, looking aboot tae see if it wis jist him that didnae get it.

  “Wee Eck’s bosom buddy, Haufwit, is in the hospital dying.  The Stalker gets in there quick and grabs the goodies before he croaks it.  The Stalker, at last, knows fine well who wis behind getting shot ae The Simpsons back in seventy wan. That’s bloody dynamite, so it is,” Johnboy cursed bitterly. 

  “Bit how wid Wan-bob get tae know aboot whit happened or wis said in that room that night?” Pat insisted. “Ur ye telling us The Stalker’s in Wan-bob’s back pocket?”

  “Pat, open yer eyes, fur God’s sake. The key here is Wee Eck Thomas.  The fact that he disappeared at the same time as the other three tends tae suggest that Wan-bob found oot, probably by torturing it oot ae him.  Wee Eck probably let Haufwit in oan details ae The Big Man’s business dealings, including The Simpson’s stuff, Shaun Murphy’s disappearance and the bank job up in Maryhill.  That’s why Wee Eck wid’ve wanted tae silence somewan like Haufwit.  According tae Simon, Dave Copeland telt him that Wee Eck wis getting shot ae Haufwit because ae that big mooth ae his.  When Simon pressed him, he said that’s aw Wee Eck hid telt him.  Obviously Wee Eck isnae gonnae tell somewan like Dave the real reason, is he?  Wee Eck must’ve panicked.  There’s nae way in a month ae Sundays that somewan like Haufwit Murray wid get access tae that kind ae information. Wee Eck wid’ve been well aware ae that and knew he wis in trouble if anything he said ever goat back tae Wan-bob or Charlie Hastie.  Whitever happened, Wan-bob and Charlie Hastie wid’ve goat everything oot ae Wee Eck, well before he ended up being carted doon tae Greasy Jake’s,” Tony assured them.

“Well, that means the genie’s oot ae the bottle. The toon is like a bloody sieve, so it is.  People wid sell their ain granny fur a few measly bob, so they wid.  Wan-bob gets tae hear that The Stalker knows the score and sets oot tae extinguish any witnesses that kin dae them damage.  It’s obviously taken a wee while fur the news ae whit wis said that night in the hospital tae filter through tae The Big Man or Wan-bob, bit when it did reach them, they wid’ve moved quickly tae eliminate anywan connected wae Haufwit’s version ae events.  Ye widnae need tae be a brain surgeon tae suss oot that the source ae Haufwit’s info must’ve come via his drinking buddy, Wee Eck Thomas.  Wan-bob’s no daft.  As soon as he’d goat the gen, he wid’ve goat Charlie Hastie working overtime tae limit the damage before it came back tae bite them…and youse, oan the arse,” Johnboy said grimly, nodding towards Tony and Snappy.