The Tale of the Wolf (The Kenino Wolf Series) (28 page)

Thursday 8:00 p.m.

We drove down towards The Hanging Man. I needed a drink and a think. Things we're now more complicated than ever. I'd put so much weight behind Michael being the solution, and he'd turned out to be less than helpful. I knew Longy's killer, and the man that had ordered his killing, but I had no idea why. The Tom Jones loonies were part of it, but I didn't have a clue how they fitted in. I needed to take a minute, step back and review. I was more determined than ever to find out why all of this had happened.

We sat down in one of the booths, and Geronimo brought over three beers.

‘Okay people, we need to think.’ I said sipping the beer. ‘This is what we know. The Beggar worked for Nikita Kruchenko.’

‘And Frazer,’ Tabatha cut in.

‘
Yep. Frazer also works for Kruchenko,’ I concurred

‘Kruchenko wants the priest,’ Curtis added.

‘Our diamonds have been stolen,’ Tabatha put in bluntly. I gave Curtis a punch in the arm.

‘Ow! What did you do that for?’

‘
That was for telling Bosley about the diamonds. I meant to do it earlier but I forgot.’

Curtis mumbled something under his breath.

‘Colin is the priest,’ I said.

‘Colin's got the diamonds,’ Tabatha announced, emphasising her one train of thought.

‘Colin's got an army,’ Curtis added, rubbing his arm.

‘
The question is … is Colin the priest that Kruchenko wants? And why does Kruchenko want the priest? And who do the Russians work for?’

‘
And how do we get the diamonds back?’ Tabatha said, making sure that that question wasn't forgotten.

‘
And who is Kruchenko?.’ Curtis asked.

‘
He works for Magenta Devine.’ Tommy had appeared behind us.

‘
Hey Tommy,’ I said greeting him ‘Who's Magenta Devine?’

He took a seat next to Tabatha, looking more serious than I'd ever seen him.

‘
She's a very dangerous woman,’ he continued. ‘I’ve got that information you asked for. It was extremely difficult.’

I’d completely forgotten about asking Tommy to look into our allegedly
missing
treasure pot. Tommy looked worried, reluctant to speak.

‘
Spit it out, Tommy.’

He took a deep breath and then nodded.

‘
Firstly, there’s no butler called Colin.’

‘
I guessed that.’

‘
That’s the good news.’

‘
Is it?’

‘
Yeah, compared to what I’m about to tell you.’

‘
Oh shit.’ I didn’t even know what was coming, and I was worried. Tommy didn’t really do jokes.

‘
The house is owned by Magenta Devine.’

‘
Never heard of her.’

‘
I suppose you wouldn’t. She’s a lot higher up the food chain than you are.’

‘
Cheers.’

‘
This is no laughing matter, Wolfy. Magenta Devine, or Lady Web as she’s sometimes called, runs an international blackmailing syndicate. She’s extremely dangerous. Captains of industry, politicians, police commissioners, judges … she targets the highest and the most powerful in their particular profession, and then puts them under her thumb. You don’t have to answer, but this wouldn’t have to do with £20 million in diamonds that was stolen from her home, would it? Because, if it does, you are in a lot of trouble, my friend.’

‘
Oh shit.’

‘
I’ll take that as a yes. I suggest you find somewhere very remote and go hide there. Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, Wolfy. Good luck’

‘
Cheers, Tommy. Later.’ Tommy got up and left us to it.

I looked at Tabatha and Curtis. We all had the same expression.

‘
We’re going to be killed for rocks we don’t have.’ Curtis brought his pessimism out to play again.

‘
Shut up, Curtis!’ Tabatha directed. ‘What do we do, babes?’

‘
Get another drink,’ I smiled. Tabatha was happier. She thought I had a scheme to save us. I didn’t! I was going to get drunk. Well, what else was there to do when you’d robbed one of the most powerful and dangerous people in the country?

Friday 2:00 a.m.

I was well into many beers when the phone rang. It was two in the morning and Tabatha and Curtis had realised long ago my cunning plan, and had decided to join me down Alcohol Alley. There was much cursing of butlers and swearing going on. Geronimo, when we explained what was happening, had kindly decided to supply us with as much alcohol as we could consume for free. Even Tommy, the eternal tightwad, bought us a drink and even said he’d let me off the tab.

‘
Aren’t you going to answer it?’ Tabatha said, noticing my obliviousness to the ringing.

I looked down at it. ‘It’s Muzzi. What does he want? Doesn’t he know we’re doomed?’

‘
Maybe he’s got another settee on his roof,’ Curtis slurred drunkenly.

‘
Well he can get it down himself. I don’t know why he keeps asking me. It’s not like I put them up there.’

‘
Aren’t you going to answer it?’ Tabatha slurred.

‘
If I do that, I’ll have to hear what he wants. And things are frankly bad enough already.’ The gallows humour was in full force.

‘
He’s persistent.’

‘
Yes he is, Curtis, my friend. Should we reward his persistence or should we leave him swinging?’

‘
Just answer it, babes.’

‘
Oh okay Tabs.’ I pressed the button. ‘Dead man walking, how can I help?’

‘
Eh ... Wolfy, is that you?’

‘
Yes, Muzzi, what’s up? I’m busy drinking myself into a stupor with the love of my life and a dreadlocked doily-maker.’

‘
You're a doily boy!’ Tabatha said laughing at Curtis.

‘There’s nothing wrong with doilies.’

‘There is.’ I chirped in. ‘You’re a big nancy.’

‘No, I’m not. It’s good for stress.’

‘
It’s good for a laugh.’ Tabatha returned.

‘
Wolfy ... Wolfy.’ It was Muzzi. He was still on the phone.

‘
Oh hello, Muzzi. Let’s ask Muzzi a sober opinion. Muzzi, Curtis makes doilies: funny or not?’

‘
Wolfy, are you drunk?’

‘
Extremely, and if you get off the phone I shall get drunker.’

‘
Wolfy, they’ve kidnapped Mr Milkie.’

‘
Don’t you mean catnapped?’

‘
Wolfy, this is no laughing matter. Those Russians that shot up Leon’s have stolen the cat. They’re holding it for ransom. Bruny tried to stop them but he wasn’t strong enough.’

‘
Bruny? The blue fireman?’

‘
Yes.’

‘
He’s still at your house?’

‘
Yes, he and Anna have become very close and she’s moved in because she doesn’t want to go home, and he’s still on holiday. That’s not what’s important. We need to get Cholera back.’

There was much laughing at our table as I had it on loud speaker.

‘
That’s lovely, Muzzi. Blue firemen and catnapped cats. That’s lovely. Okay, then … bye! Cheers for the joke. That’s cheered me right up.’

‘
Wolfy, I need your help. We have to get Cholera back. Mrs Milkie is distraught.’

‘
Bonkers!’ Tabatha chipped in.

‘
Exactly,’ I said.

‘
Wolfy, please …’

‘
Hold on, Muzzi, let me put this to a vote. Do we, my compadres, go to Muzzi’s and help him rescue a mangy moggy from some crazy Russians, accompanied by a blue fireman? Or do we get another drink?’

‘
Wolfy ...’

‘
Hold on, Muzzi, democracy moves slow. Now, shall we take a vote? All in favour of the cat say “meow.”’

‘
Meow,’ Tabatha and Curtis slurred together.

‘
Oh. Okay then. Did you hear, Muzzi? The cat wins. We’ll be there soon.’ I hung up. ‘Come on then. Let’s go.’

‘
Where we going?’ Curtis asked.

‘
That’s the problem with an uneducated electorate, they just don’t know the issues,’ Tabatha giggled. ‘Let’s go save a cat.’

With that we staggered out and jumped in Betsy. There was much swerving and reckless endangerment on the way, but somehow we reached Muzzi’s unscathed.

‘
Wolfy to the rescue!’ I said as we staggered into Muzzi’s

‘
You’re drunk,’ Muzzi replied disdainfully.

‘
You knew that before we arrived,’ Curtis said.

‘
Well, I need you sober. Here take this.’ Muzzi started handing round the black coffee.

We plonked ourselves down in the front room; Mrs Milkie was sitting there looking distraught. Somehow the sight of an old granny looking frightened had a sobering effect on us. It’s a bit hard to be a drunken arse in front of a pensioner. I sipped the coffee, and slowly reined myself back in.

‘
So what’s going on, Muzzi?’

‘
Here, read this.’ He handed me the note. The cat really had been kidnapped. The note read.

If you ever want to see your cat again,

meet us tomorrow at 1230, at 27 Warwick Road.

Bring the location of Tom Jones, or you will never see the cat again.

‘
Tom Jones?’ I said looking at Muzzi.

‘
They mean Mrs Milkie's son,’ Muzzi returned.

‘
What son?’

‘
Mrs Milkie’s,’ Muzzi replied, thoroughly understanding my shock. I didn’t know she had a son, nobody did. As far as we all knew, and considering Muzzi had known her since he was in nappies, she was a batty old widower.

‘
Why do they want your son, Mrs Milkie?’ I asked, still shocked she had one.

‘
I don’t know … something to do with popular music, I think.’

‘
Eh?’

‘
Yes my son is involved with some musicians. He’s involved in a band I think. My Kevin is in a … pop group, I think it’s called.’

‘
Oh. And you’re sure it was those Russians, Muzzi? The one’s from Leon’s?’

‘
For sure. I’ll never forget them. Bruny bravely tried to fight them but there were just too many.’ As he said this Bruny walked in with Anna. He was still blue but had faded considerably since we’d first met. Now he just looked cold.

‘
Y’oright, Bruny?’ I asked, greeting him.

‘
Holding up. Sorry, I couldn’t stop them.’ He was apologising to me like it was my cat.

‘
No worries, mate, you did your best.’

‘
I thought those Russians were after Longy,’ Tabatha observed wisely.