The Silver Arrow (6 page)

  “Probably the same warped source as where the name Fanny originated fae,” she’d replied. “Donna’s been in business as an accountant fur years and Ah heard fae wan ae the lassies that she his a stake in a couple ae flats that Tony put money in tae. She’s well-respected and will keep him right. Ah also heard a rumour that Pat McCabe his also invested in an established jewellery business.  Y’know, if Ah’d come oot wae any ae that a few years ago, people wid’ve laughed me aff the street, so they wid’ve,” Senga hid argued.

  “So, how were they able to invest?  Where did the money come from,” Alison hid asked via her pad.

  “Dis it really matter at the end ae the day, Alison?  Ah could be wrang, bit the majority ae them hivnae been up in court or in the jail fur a good few years noo.  Ah don’t know aw the details aboot why Tony, Snappy and Pat did whit they did, bit it wisnae whit it wis made oot tae be.  If ye’re saying that leopards don’t change their spots, then whit chance hiv the rest ae us goat?  So, they managed tae steal a bit ae money and invest it.  Aye, that’s wrang and bad, bit that’s whit’s goat them aff the streets.  Tae be honest, Ah jist cannae imagine guys like Simon Epstein and Jake McAlpine hivving the time tae be running aboot causing mayhem, the way they did when they wur younger.  It may be that the best thing that ever happened is that they managed, hook or by crook, tae lift themsels up and oot ae a life ae crime and channelled their energies intae something a bit mair acceptable.  Christ, how many ae these big rich folk that everywan look up tae didnae start at the bottom, ripping people aff tae get tae where they ur the day?” Senga hid challenged them.

  Fanny smiled tae herself.  Jist efter arriving in tae her work earlier she’d bumped in tae Johnboy Taylor being escorted oot ae the barber’s shoap, looking glum.

  “Never mind, Johnboy, it might never happen, eh?” she’d said tae him in her maist friendly, jolly-sounding voice.

  Of course, as expected, he’d ‘slung her a deafy’ as the YOs called ignoring somewan, and hid jist walked right past her, bit the fact that she’d spoken tae him like that jist highlighted tae her how much her confidence hid risen in dealing wae the Springburn YOs.  She also believed that confidence hid translated intae how she’d dealt decisively wae Tony Gucci earlier.  She looked up at the unexpected knock oan her door.

  “Tea, Mrs Flaw?” the pass-man asked, popping his heid roond the door.

  “Oh, go on, Robert,” she said, smiling, needing tae go fur a pee.

Chapter Seven

  Johnboy wondered where Tony hid goat tae as he surveyed the scene in the sewing machine workshoap.  Being called oot by a screw and no hivving returned efter a couple ae hours hid gone by, missing the efternoon break, could only mean wan thing…trouble.  Johnboy hid been sitting pondering how tae make the right noises, without it being too obvious that it wis an apology until he realised the time.  He glanced up fae unpicking the fuck-ups oan the bandolier he wis currently working oan tae see whit plots Snappy wis working oan.  He hidnae spoken tae the stupid basturt efter Snappy hid accused him ae being a morose pain in the arse, telling him tae stoap taking his frustration oot oan everywan who wis trying tae help oot wae the Senga situation.

“It’s no oor bloody fault!” Snappy hid snarled.

  Since finding oot aboot the precarious situation regarding Senga and that flatmate ae hers, Johnboy hid never felt such hurt, pain, anxiety and helplessness in aw his life.  Oan the previous Sunday night, straight efter she’d left the jail visiting room, he hidnae hid much ae a chance tae talk tae the rest ae The Mankys.  Usually they wid’ve hid a chance ae a good chin-wag at recreation between hauf six and nine o’clock, bit that Sunday hid been the monthly film night doon in the dining hall.  He could’ve bloody-well murdered Silent efter he found oot that it wis the barbers in Dumfries who goat tae choose the monthly films fur the year oot ae a big film catalogue.  The film oan show hid been Clint Eastwood’s ‘Play Misty Fur Me.’ Everything hid been gaun fine and dandy until the bit where Roberta Flack started singing ‘The First Time Ever Ah Saw Yer Face.’  Johnboy hid wanted tae throw up.  That hid been the song that wis played at Kate Simpson’s funeral in St Teresa’s Chapel across in Possil immediately efter Mrs Simpson hid stood up and publicly condemned they ugly sons ae hers, in front ae everywan, fur being the cause ae her eighteen-year-auld daughter’s suicide.  Tam and Toby Simpson, alang wae a few ae their other bears, hid badly beaten up her boyfriend, Joe McManus, efter finding him in bed wae Kate oan her eighteenth birthday, a year or so before the basturts hid eventually gone oan tae stab Joe tae death ootside The Princes Bingo Hall in Gourlay Street, Springburn.  The song in question hid been a birthday present fae Joe tae Kate.  Johnboy hid been wae Joe the day he’d bought the single oot ae Woolworths.  Memories ae Kate Simpson’s funeral and Johnboy’s feelings ae helplessness efter no being able tae influence Joe tae stoap gaun oot wae her, which wid’ve saved the baith ae them in the end, hid totally overwhelmed him sitting there in the semi-darkness.  He’d suddenly stood up and gone across tae The Tormentor, arguably the maist hated screw in Dumfries, who’d been staunin across at the exit tae the dining hall and asked tae be taken back tae his cell. 

  “Why?” the stupid prick hid wanted tae know.

  “Because Ah’m gonnae throw up aw o’er the place if ye don’t, starting wae that nicely pressed uniform yer wearing, that’s why.”

  Efter being led back and locked up in his cell, he’d lain oan his lumpy horsehair mattress punishing and cursing himsel fur the rest ae the night fur no trying harder tae get Joe tae change his ways. If only…if only he’d put a bit mair effort in, then no only Joe, bit Kate Simpson hersel could’ve maybe still been alive. If only he’d persisted and ignored Joe telling him tae fuck aff every time he’d brought the touchy subject ae dumping the love ae Joe’s life, Kate Simpson, tae come back tae The Mankys where he belonged.  If only pigs could fly. Wis he no jist kidding himsel oan? Could Johnboy…in fact, any ae The Mankys, hiv done mair? Whit if somewan didnae want tae change?  Joe hid made it clear tae them aw that Kate Simpson wis worth dying fur.

  “She’ll end up getting ye killed, so she will,” Tony hid warned Joe.

  “Ach, well, better deid daeing whit Ah want, than walking aboot like a fucking dead zombie maist ae the time,” hid been wan ae Joe’s mair polite retorts.

  Despite being sentenced tae fourteen years…the longest prison sentence ever handed doon tae a young offender under the age ae twenty wan in Scotland, the thought ae turning his back oan The Mankys, the only family he’d ever really felt comfortable wae since he wis a wee snapper, wis a daunting prospect.  Did he really want tae change efter he’d promised that he’d gie up a life ae crime tae spend the rest ae his life wae her or hid he jist telt Senga Jackson whit she’d really wanted tae hear in the heat ae the moment, tae keep her oan board tae allow The Mankys, in the form ae Simon Epstein, precious time tae try and save her and her flatmate’s lives fae the clutches ae Glesga’s number wan bogeyman, Wan-bob Broon?

  He’d started aff the week cursing himsel fur no demanding that Senga write tae him every day, despite knowing fine well that he wis being unreasonable. The agreed priority amongst The Mankys…that Senga and her flatmate wur no tae know that their lives wur in imminent danger…hid been made efter careful deliberation.  Efter no receiving a letter by the Tuesday, he’d gone intae panic mode which hid consisted ae growling and snarling at everywan roond aboot him.  He’d woken up in a sweat through the night, convinced that she’d been snatched, strangled and her body set oan fire in some lonely shallow grave oot in the country somewhere.  He’d ended up pacing in his cell maist ae the night, like a caged animal, feeling totally helpless.  Wance he’d received her letter oan the Wednesday, he’d settled doon a wee bit, before the feelings ae helplessness hid started tae creep back.

  “Look, Johnboy, ye’ve jist goat tae accept the situation as it is.  You prowling aboot in here, like a bear wae a sore arse, isnae gonnae change anything.  Simon said he’d keep tabs oan the situation and respond if he thought there wis any likelihood ae a threat,” Tony hid reassured him.

  “Ah’ve never felt anything like this before, Tony,” he’d replied miserably.

  “Aye, Ah know, bit don’t worry…trust me…we’ll get it aw sorted oot,” Tony hid assured him.

  Johnboy smiled as he started oan another bandolier. They wur a strange bunch, The Mankys.  He supposed that included himsel.  No matter whit they did…wance decisions hid been made, especially serious wans, nowan tended tae go back and talk aboot whit the issue at haun hid been.  Before and during the decision-making…aye, bit wance a decision hid been taken, it wis done and dusted and carried oot withoot further debate.  It hid always been like that, even when they wur snappers back in the Toonheid. Maist ae the time, Tony tended tae hing back, listen tae the chatter, throw in a few wee corkers tae ramp up the discussion and then, when maist ae the arguments hid been exhausted, he’d be straight in there, dishing oot tasks, making sure everywan knew whit wis expected ae them.  

  It hidnae aw been gloom, doom and misery since Senga’s visit.  Pat hid fallen oot wae Snappy efter Tony hid informed Pat that he wisnae the only partner in Papa Fraser’s wee jewellery shoap doon in West Nile Street and everywan hid pished themsels laughing.

  “Aye, it’s worse than Ah thought.  Papa only owns aboot five percent, wae Wan-bob and Pat Molloy, The Big Man, hivving the rest,” Tony hid said, keeping his face straight.

  “Tell me ye’re hivving me oan, Tony?” poor Pat hid squealed, turning white.

  “Well, Ah’m sure Simon said eighty five…or wis it ninety five?” Tony hid mused oot loud, as everywan creased up.

  “Ur you serious?” Pat hid demanded.  “Ah swear tae God, Ah’m gonnae bloody kill that auld leather-skinned, cheating cunt, if it’s the last thing Ah dae,” Pat hid whinged.

  “Aye, well, ye better talk tae the other senior partner first, Pat.  Ye know whit that Wan-bob’s like if ye upset him,” Snappy hid chipped in, stirring it.

  That hid been two days earlier.  Johnboy and Tony hid bet a week’s worth ae puddings oan who’d speak first.

  Oan the Monday night at rec, Johnboy hid filled Tony, Pat, Silent and Snappy in wae mair detail oan whit hid been said and agreed between him and Senga during the visit, including the bit aboot her finishing wae her current boyfriend, Dr Gory, and agreeing tae re-establish their friendship…relationship, efter the deathbed confession ae an auld gangster called Haufwit Murray hid confirmed Johnboy’s innocence.  He hidnae telt them that hid been efter she’d extracted a commitment fae him tae gie up a life ae crime and tae turn his back oan The Mankys furever.

  “And she fell fur yer charm and wisdom, did she?  Ah wonder how long it’ll last this time until she finds oot aboot aw the other stuff ye’ve lied tae her aboot,” Snappy hid quipped, smiling.

  “Ah wis fair impressed when Ah clocked the pair ae ye hivving a wee winch at the end ae the visit.  Christ, ye even hid Paula convinced ye wur in love,” Pat hid said, laughing.

  “Look, if a job’s worth daeing right, then it his tae be done tae perfection.  That’s the difference between youse plonkers and Johnboy here,” Tony hid come oot wae, acknowledging that he wis also impressed wae Johnboy’s persuasive performance.

  “Aye, bit tae get her tae dump that auld man ae a boyfriend ae hers in tae the bargain?  Is that no a wee bit too thorough?” Snappy hid persisted. “Fuck, she’ll bloody well take an axe tae that heid ae yers when she finds oot ye wur jist daeing it fur her ain good,” Pat hid laughed, drawing a finger across his throat.

  “Look, we’re trying tae protect her.  We need Senga tae focus aw her energies oan Johnboy, insteid ae fucking aboot wae her lover-boy, prancing aboot aw o’er the toon at night, being clocked by Wan-bob and Charlie Hastie’s boys.  Sometime in the near future, we might hiv tae confront Wan-bob and inform him that Senga is Johnboy’s fiancé and that whitever he’s up tae, she’s oot ae bounds.  And anyway, wance this is aw o’er wae, she kin always get hersel another doctor…Christ, her work is full ae them,” Tony hid said, shrugging they shoulders ae his.

  Wis Johnboy kidding himsel oan?  Wis this really a deception tae try and save Senga Jackson’s life?  Whit wid the reaction hiv been if he’d announced tae everywan that…wis it fuck…he actually did love her and wanted tae settle doon and spend the rest ae his miserable life wae her?  And, as fur Silent?  Where wis he in aw this?  Whit wur his thoughts?  Johnboy knew the reason he wis annoyed at Silent wisnae really because ae any Clint Eastwood film, although the music hid upset him.  It wis the frustration.  He’d been pals wae Silent since they wur ten years auld.  Not wance in aw the years he’d known him, hid Silent stood up and telt Johnboy whit he really felt or thought aboot him.  Aye, Silent hid always covered Johnboy’s back in times ae trouble and strife, bit when Johnboy hid really wanted tae speak tae somewan close, Silent’s World, as Snappy always referred tae Silent’s condition, hid become a convenient barrier.  While the conversation wis being discussed aboot whit tae dae aboot Senga, Johnboy could feel Silent’s eyes oan him. Though silent, wis that brain ae his jist an empty shell?  Johnboy jist wisnae that sure aboot that wan.  He’d shared a flat and done time wae Silent.  Johnboy knew there wur times when there wis a definite pattern tae Silent’s thought process…when it wis obvious…at least tae him…when Silent wis figuring oot whit wis gaun oan roond aboot him.  He tried tae remember the last time Silent hid strung mair than two sentences thegither at the wan time.  It hid been when they wur up in Longriggend eighteen months previously, jist efter they’d been sentenced, when Silent hid wondered how many people ye hid tae bump aff tae be labelled as a spree killer.  It hid been during the Sunday service when Johnboy hid been planning tae attack Jimmy Baxter.  Whit hid been the trigger tae start the conversation, he wondered frustratingly?  Johnboy needed tae speak tae somewan…tae bounce his thoughts aff ae somewan…bit apart fae Silent, that person wisnae in amongst The Mankys. He wid’ve liked tae hiv shared his thoughts wae Tony, bit something deep inside ae him telt him that that widnae be such a good idea…at least no at this stage.  Senga Jackson and her flatmate’s lives took priority o’er everything noo and Johnboy wis gonnae dae everything in his power tae ensure she survived…even if it meant stringing alang Jesus F Christ himsel.  He looked aboot the sewing machine workshoap and wondered if he’d ever manage tae get oot ae Dumfries YOI alive.

  “Snappy, ya wee ugly arse-bandit, ye.  Ah’m sorry aboot noising everywan up.  Ye wur right, we’re aw in this thegither and it’s only by working thegither that we’ll be able tae keep oan tap ae the Senga situation,” he’d jist come oot wae, as Tony appeared through the door wae The Tormentor in tow.

  “Aye, well, don’t ye worry aboot a thing, Johnboy.  Nowan will lay their hauns oan her noo…certainly no efter ye’ve gone and made the poor basturt dump that auld doctor boyfriend ae hers, ya selfish prick, ye. Aw Wan-bob’s bears will be too busy feeling sorry fur her,” Snappy said subtly, focusing oan sewing up his MOD bandolier, as Johnboy smiled.