The Silver Arrow (17 page)

  “Ye’ll probably hiv heard awready fae Johnboy that her and her pal went and gied a statement tae Graham, which went okay, by aw accounts.”

  “Wis Swansea there?”

  “Aye.  Seemingly, Senga asked him tae get shot ae his bowler hat before interviewing her flatmate.  Later oan she asked me whit wan ae The Thompson Twins he wis,” Simon replied and the pair ae them cackled.

  “So?”

  “So, we’re aw as busy as bees oan heat, so we ur.  Jake and Ben hiv agreed a back-haunder wae that useless prick, Happy Harry, the longest serving desk sergeant in the west.  We’ve gied him a month.  The hand-o’er will be tight, bit Jake thinks he’ll manage tae co-ordinate it.  The timing his tae be perfect though.

  “Where’s the pick-up point?”

  “Fast Track Dave’s, across fae the station.  Seemingly the lazy basturt nips across maist efternoons at three tae put oan a line.  It’ll need tae be in the toilet where the light is shite, bit Peter’s goat Sleazebag Donald oan the case.  He said he thinks he kin get a haud ae a top notch camera that takes good photos in the dark.”

  “Whit if Fast Track clocks youse?  When ur we ever in a bookies?”

  “Well, we’ll jist hiv tae cause a wee distraction, then, won’t we?”

  “Well, it better work…that notebook his tae go back tae where it came fae.  This is a wan aff.  If we fuck it up, we’ll no get another chance.”

  “Aye, well, Ah widnae worry.”

  “And the wee nurse?”

  “Aye, ye wur right aboot who wis behind the wheel.  Spotty Hector wis the driver wae Chic Shand sitting in the passenger seat.  It wis also that pair that set fire tae the farmer’s hoose efter getting him pished.  The poor auld basturt thought he wis getting the poultry deal ae the decade, so he did.”

  “And the doctor?”

  “He wis carted oot ae Big Bella McPhail’s, unconscious, and intae wan ae The Big Man’s taxis, by the pair ae them.  Baby Huey said that efter they left him hinging fae the bannister in the hoose, wae they legs ae his kicking like fuck, they wur jist aboot tae leave, when the knot oan the rope aroond the railing came loose and he landed oan that arse ae his oan the hall flair, choking and spluttering.  They then hid tae go and repeat the process aw o’er again, this time making sure that the rope wis double-knotted.  Seemingly, Wan-bob and Charlie wur pishing themsels silly when they wur telt.  Talk aboot The Keystone Kops?”

  “And how’s Baby?”

  “He said tae tell ye tae fuck aff and leave him be, bit no before telling me that the info oan whit Haufwit said up at the hospital came fae a bizzy source across in Possil.  Oh, and another thing…Wee Eck Thomas spilled the beans oan everything he knew tae The Stalker and that Bumper wan as well.”

  “Ah take it Wan-bob and Charlie Hastie goat shot ae him then?”

  “Ah never asked and he never said.  Ah wid’ve assumed that that wis a given.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Jake’s perching oan the bizzy’s daughter.  He’s hivving tae go caw-canny though.  Seemingly she hates Johnboy wae a vengeance, accusing him ae humping and dumping her while playing her and Senga aff against each other.”

  “So, where dis that leave her making a statement aboot where Johnboy wis the night Shaun Murphy copped his whack?”

  “He says he’ll need a wee while yet.  He’s moaning like fuck, bit Ah widnae be too sympathetic.  The last time Ah saw him he’d eyes like dug’s baws, so he hid.  Ben’s started tae call them John and Yoko.”

  “Aye, well, tell him he’ll get his medal when Ah get oot.”

“You’ll hiv tae deal wae Wan-bob wae regards tae the whistle-blower inspector fae Paisley.  Swansea brought it up, bit Ah telt him tae stay well clear and that we’ll deal wae that wance ye get oot.”

  “There’s something else that’s been getting tae me as well,” Johnboy confessed.

  “Whit?”

  “Shame.”

  “Shame?”

  “Aye, oan how shitty Ah’ve treated ye.  Maybe things wid’ve turned oot differently if Ah hidnae been such a selfish basturt.  Ah’m sorry fur aw the hurt Ah caused ye, Senga…truly.”

  “Johnboy, whit’s happened, happened.  Maybe things wid’ve been different, if Ah’d been honest aboot ma feelings and plucked up the courage tae express them tae ye as well.  It’s no as if Ah never hid the opportunity, seeing as how we wur always in each other’s company.  Ah think we hiv tae be realistic though.  Even if we hid goat thegither, dae ye no think that ye’d still be sitting in here?” she asked, allowing him tae take her hauns in his.

  “Ah don’t know.”

  “Ah dae.  That’s why Ah wis pushing ye tae commit tae leaving Glesga and leaving yer pals behind.  Ah jist don’t believe that Tony wid leave you…us…alane, if you wur back in the toon.  It his tae be a new start fur me tae feel comfortable that we’re thegither.”

  “That’s a difficult wan fur me, so it is.”

  “Aye, Ah know, Ah’ve picked that up in yer letters, bit it’s the only way it kin be, if it’s tae work.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s aboot change.  Johnboy, Ah’m no stupid.  Ah’ve worked in casualty fur far too long noo, no tae recognise whit hid been and still is, gaun oan wae you and yer pals.  Ah’m sickened by the devastation in people’s lives, caused by people like you and them.  And fur whit?  Ah get confronted by senseless violence every time Ah go tae ma work.  Ah’m no Kim Sui or any ae the other lassies.  They don’t get confronted by the after-effects ae whit their boyfriends get up tae the night before, the way that Ah dae.  That’s up tae them, bit it’s no me.  Ah don’t want tae be wae somewan who’s inflicting hurt oan people and who kin then jist heid hame and sleep it aff, as if nothing’s happened.”

  “Ach, we’re no as bad as ye think we ur.”

  “Aye, ye ur.  The quicker ye address yer denial issues, the better.”

  “Ah spoke tae the priest in here aboot how somewan should feel when they’re supposed tae be in love,” he admitted, changing the subject.

  “You…spoke tae a priest?”

  “Ah’m trying tae work oot how Ah should be feeling…tae make sure Ah’m in tune wae whit it is Ah think is expected ae me,” he replied, smiling at the look oan her face.  “See, Ah knew Ah shouldnae hiv said anything.  Ah’m no exactly spoilt fur choices in the sounding board stakes in a place like this.”

  “Hiv ye spoken tae Fanny?”

  “Don’t you start.”

  “Johnboy, if ye hiv tae ask somewan whether ye’re in love or no, then the chances ur ye’re no in love.  Being in love is aboot feeling good, bit fearful at the same time.  It’s aboot wanting tae spend the rest ae yer life wae somewan…tae share yer ups and doons…tae talk…aye, and even fall oot occasionally.  It’s aboot caring aboot whit the other person’s needs ur and accepting their care, love and affection back.  Being in love is no hivving tae question why the other person or you feel the way that ye dae, bit accepting, unreservedly, that how ye’re feeling kin be the best or the worst feeling in the world.  Being in love is aboot bearing yer soul and equally important, being honest wae yersel.”

  “Ye sound as if ye know whit ye’re talking aboot.”

  “Johnboy, kin Ah ask ye a question?” she asked him, deflecting his response.

  “Fire away.”

  “Dis whit Ah’ve jist said describe how ye feel aboot me?  Us?”

  “It’s funny ye should say that,” he admitted, smiling.

  “Then accept it…that’s love, so it is.”

  “So, how’s ma wee slanty-eyed pal getting oan?”

  “Still ducking and diving, believing we’re aw the best ae buddies.”

  “Good.”

  “Ah’ve found oot who’s behind him.  Hiv ye heard ae a guy called Harding Lennox?”

  “Ah’m no sure.  Remind me.”

  “He’s wan ae The McGregors’ tap boys oan their side ae the river.  A right mean psycho fucker, so he is.  Anyhow, Wee Pie is punting his gear through him.”

  “Aye, Ah’ve heard ae Lennox noo that ye mention it.  Big ugly basturt, so he is.  Ah find it hard tae believe that The McGregors ur messing aboot oan The Big Man’s side ae the river.  If that ever gets oot…”

  “Aye, Ah know…Ah wis thinking that masel.  Jake thinks Lennox is daeing this oan the side withoot letting oan tae anywan oan his side.  Jake’s no convinced there wid be much ae a come-back if we hid a go at him and Wee-pie.  Ah mean, who’s gonnae gie a fuck aboot them wance it comes oot in the wash that they’ve been operating independently behind everywan’s back?”

  “Aye, well, jist tell Jake tae hing back and we’ll see whit the situation is wance Ah’m oot ae here.  Wan-bob’s no daft. He’ll be expecting us tae ramp up the pressure oan behauf ae Johnboy, bit we’ll need tae watch whit we’re daeing and no gie them any excuses tae hiv a go at us at this stage ae the game.”

  “Right, here’s wan fur ye.  Who’s this Connor…Robert Connor?”

  “Never heard ae him.”

  “Ye hiv.  He’s daeing life doon here fur murdering some wee school lassie oot near Stirling.”

  “Ye mean Robert The Beast?” Tony asked, surprise in his voice, his eyes narrowing.  “Whit aboot him?”

  “Ah hope ye’re still sitting comfortably…”

  “Ah’ve started daeing voluntary work in ma spare time, so Ah hiv.”

  “Voluntary work?  Whit dis that mean?”

  “It means ye volunteer yer time tae help people oot.  There’s a wummin’s shelter in the toon.  It opened last year.  It’s a place…a sort ae refuge fur wummin where they…and sometimes their weans…kin go tae escape domestic violence at hame.”

  “Is that no a wee bit like daeing a homer wae you being a casualty nurse?”

  “Naw, this is totally different.  Ah’ve started helping oot a few nights a week when Ah’m no oan the back shift.  There’s a few ae the other lassies at work daeing it as well.”

  “So, whit dae youse actually dae?”

  “Usually jist listen tae people’s stories, haud their haun, that kind ae thing.  It kin be pretty harrowing.  Sometimes the wummin go straight fae casualty tae the shelter.  Wae me being a nurse, Ah kin see that their injuries ur kept clean and make sure their dressings get changed.  Some ae the poor souls hivnae spoken aboot whit’s been happening tae them, even though it’s been gaun oan five, ten or even fifty years, wid ye believe?  Maist ae these wummin spend their whole existence living in fear ae the next hiding, which usually happens when the drink starts flowing or Celtic or Rangers get gubbed by the other side oan a Saturday.  Everywan, withoot exception, dread cup final days.  The wans who seek help or try tae escape ur only the tip ae the iceberg.  Casualty is full ae wummin coming in wae terrible injuries inflicted oan them by men who’re supposed tae care and love them.  It kin range fae broken noses and jaws, tae fags being stuffed oot oan their faces…tae broken ribs, erms and even stabbings.  Very few ae the wummin will agree, or even contemplate, pressing charges and end up gaun back hame tae wait until the next time.  The problem is that, although they’re ashamed ae whit’s been happening tae them, they cannae grasp that their problems ur anywan else’s business.  A lot ae the wummin jist tend tae blame themsels and make excuses fur the buggers that ur assaulting them.  If it wis anything else, it wid be classed as an epidemic, so it wid, bit because it’s domestic violence…people…neighbours…other family members…ur reluctant tae get involved.”

  “Whit aboot the bizzies?”

  “They’re pretty reluctant tae get involved either.  As Ah said, it’s seen as being a domestic.  Even when some ae the wummin dae press charges, the majority ae them drap them soon efter, either through threats ae mair violence or the man convinces the poor bugger that it wullnae happen again, even though it’s been happening every Friday and Saturday night fur years.  Even if it dis end up in court, some ae the sentences wid be laughable if it wisnae so serious.  A wee while back there, a guy goat sixty days fur taking a hammer tae his wife’s skull.  Ah mean, whit world ur they bloody judges living in?”

  “Aye, it sounds pretty bad.  Ah kin remember when Ah wis younger, that ma ae mine stormed roond tae a neighbours hoose in the next close, despite ma da trying tae haud her back fae getting involved in other people’s business.  Ah wis young at the time, bit Ah kin remember ma da getting oan tae her when she came back, as he sat strapping up her haun wae a crepe bandage efter her fist hid bounced aff ae the guy’s foreheid insteid ae that nose ae his.”

  “Wis that in Montrose Street?”

  “Aye.”

  “Who wis that then?”

  “Ah cannae remember their names, bit whoever it wis, the wummin never left him.  Ah kin remember when they did a moonlight flit though.  Me, Tony, Skull and Joe spent hauf the next day raking aboot in the midgie-bins oot the back, looking fur luckies, efter they cleared aw the shite oot ae their hoose that they didnae want tae take wae them.  Ah remember getting a bunch ae lassies’ comics like The Judy and The Bunty and gieing them tae ma sister, Norma.  Skull goat himsel a good mooth organ that still worked, even though it hidnae any metal sides oan it and he kept getting his lips stuck in the reeds while he wis raking his snottery lips up and doon it,” Johnboy said, smiling.

  ”Poor Skull.  Ah kin still remember his first day at St David’s…staunin there wae his fitba boots oan while trying tae haud up they baggy troosers ae his.  Ah wonder how he wid’ve turned oot,” Senga sighed.

  “Well, look at me.  Ah don’t think it wid take much ae a genius tae work that wan oot.”