Authors: Ian Todd
“He must have been really pleased, at least hearing the news from you, Senga,” Fanny said supportively.
“Tae be honest, Fanny, Ah’m no sure whit he wis thinking. He didnae really say much like ‘Ah telt ye so’ or anything like that. He seemed mair concerned that Ah shouldnae feel bad aboot sending him that stupid let…er…Dear John. Christ, that expression sounds horrible, so it dis, and him called Johnboy as well,” Senga groaned, screwing up her face, trying, bit failing no tae burst oot laughing.
“And Rory?” Alison scribbled, efter the three ae them hid composed themsels again.
“He’s actually in Newcastle oan some course at wan ae the hospitals there. He’s absolutely lovely, so he is. He’s a clinical psychiatrist and works wae maistly female patients. Ye couldnae meet a kinder, mair laid back person in aw yer life. He’s a good bit aulder than me at 32, bit he’s attentive, a good listener, maybe a bit too touchy-feely fur somewan like me…bit in a good way…always caressing ma erm or haun if we’re sitting in the pictures, very sporty…bit no muscle-bound…yuk…if ye know whit Ah mean? Ah think he wis aboot tae propose tae me recently until his da went and hid a stroke when we went doon tae visit his parents in Helensburgh. And before ye ask…naw…he didnae hiv a heart attack when he saw who his son hid taken hame wae him tae meet them,” Senga said drily, as the other two burst oot laughing.
“Do you love Rory?” the pad asked, as Fanny and Alison baith looked across at her.
“Ah wis trying tae contact him earlier the day, before the visit, wae the thought ae maybe heiding across there tae spend a wee bit ae time wae him, seeing as Ah don’t hiv another shift until Tuesday, bit Ah couldnae get a haud ae him.”
“Do you love him?” the pad insisted, two sets ae eyes still oan her.
“Who’s this ye’ve goat oan noo, Fanny? It’s so beautiful,” Senga asked, looking across at the tape deck, ignoring the pad.
“Do you love Rory, Senga?” Fanny interjected.
“Ah honestly don’t know,” she replied, turning back tae face them. “Ah thought Ah did until Ah met up wae Johnboy again this efternoon. Fae where Ah come fae, wummin like me traditionally staun by their men through thick and thin. Ah used tae laugh and dismiss aw that stuff as claptrap, so Ah did, bit tae be honest, in ma heart ae hearts? Ah don’t think Ah could ever abandon Johnboy Taylor ever again…no noo…no ever, even if Ah wanted tae,” she whispered, a tear suddenly making a bid fur freedom, dashing doon that cheek ae hers, as Gordon Lightfoot sang aboot whit a tale his mind could tell if she could read his mind. “Ah telt ye that music wis bloody lethal, Fanny,” Senga sobbed, smiling, swiping the tear away fae her left cheek wae the fingers ae her right haun, as Fanny and Alison rushed across tae join her, aw bubbling at wance thegither.
Chapter Fifty Three
Sunday
“How dae ye feel the day?” Johnboy asked her warily as he sat doon, still feeling the effects ae the tongue-lashing fae the day before.
“A wee bit hung-over, if Ah’m honest,” she replied, slipping a Polo mint intae her mooth.
“Aye, Ah think Ah kin still smell a faint trace ae the drink,” he said, smiling.
“Well, if it’s no the booze, it’ll be the ton ae garlic that wis smuggled intae ma meal last night…sorry,” she apologised, smiling faintly.
“Ach, Ah’m sure Ah’ll cope. Ye look beautiful, no that Ah could say that aboot the rest ae them, mind ye,” he said wae a wave ae his haun, glancing across at Silent’s table.
“Aye, there’s hardly been a word oot ae anywan since we goat up this morning, other than Paula telling Simon tae stoap braking every fifty feet. Aggie accused him ae gaun o’er the bumps in the road intentionally.”
“She’s probably right,” he replied, grinning.
“His Senga said anything?” Pat asked.
“Aboot whit?” Paula groaned, feeling the sweat break oot oan her foreheid, wanting tae puke up where she wis sitting.
“Oh, nothing in particular,” Pat replied casually.
“Naw, she hisnae said anything,” Paula mumbled, as another fainting wave came o’er her.
“Kin Ah ask ye a question that Ah meant tae ask ye yesterday, Johnboy?” Senga asked.
“Fire away.”
“If ye wurnae in the bank that day, then where wur ye?”
Silence.
“Dis it matter?” he finally asked.
“Well, according tae Lizzie, that poor man said ye hid something tae dae wae Shaun Murphy being shot,” she replied, haudin her breath.
“Ah wisnae away shooting Shaun Murphy, if that’s whit ye’re getting at,” he curtly replied, dismissing whit she’d said wae a wave ae his haun.
“So, if that’s the case, where wur ye then? Whit’s the big secret?”
“Ah don’t know if ye’ll remember this, bit it wis in the papers and in the news a few months back. Ah wis wae Danny Murphy, in a car, oan the motorway, heiding oot tae Linwood tae pick up a package, so Ah wis.”
“Danny Murphy? Shaun Murphy’s brother?”
“Aye.”
“Whit kind ae package?”
“Danny wis the driver and Ah wis there tae pick up a package aff ae an inspector fae the local militia in Paisley. The package contained aw the details ae who wis corrupt and oan the take in the polis in Paisley and Glesga. It also contained the names ae aw the corrupt basturts that wur oan the take doon in The Corporation, back in Glesga as well. It wis while Ah wis daeing that, that the bank in Maryhill wis getting tanned,” he replied, shrugging they shoulders ae his. “Danny Murphy picked me up in Springburn and we heided fur the Clyde Tunnel, via New City Road, across in the Coocaddens, where Danny hid tae pick something up fae. It wis while Ah wis sitting in the passenger seat that somewan spotted me and linked ma presence tae being in the area where the bank wis.”
“Ah remember The Glesga Echo wur daeing a series oan polis corruption a few years ago, bit Ah don’t remember a polis inspector fae Paisley being mentioned.”
“The Echo used the information fae the files Ah wis collecting tae hammer the corrupt bizzies wae.”
“The way ye wur talking, Ah thought ye wur talking aboot it being in the papers lately.”
“Ah wis. A few months back, the inspector went tae an industrial tribunal tae try tae get his pension back. He claimed tae be a whistle-blower, jist exposing corruption since his bosses wurnae following up oan information he hid awready passed oan tae them previously. He claimed that that’s why he wis passing it oan tae The Glesga Echo. He thought they wid get things moving.”
“So, why could ye no hiv said that when ye wur up in court then?”
“Because it wid’ve implicated Danny Murphy, and others…that’s why,” he confessed, shrugging they shoulders ae his again.
“Johnboy, ur ye trying tae tell me that ye’re daeing fourteen years in jail because ye didnae want tae say ye wur in a car picking up information fae a corrupt polis inspector tae pass oan tae The Glesga Echo?” she asked incredulously.
“Something like that,” he replied.
“Fourteen years? Oh my God, Johnboy, Ah’m no sure Ah kin cope wae listening tae aw this,” she hauf muttered, hauf squealed in frustration, looking across the table at him, wondering why the hell she didnae get whit he obviously did, by no mentioning this at his trial.
“Well, ye did ask,” he reminded her, a faint smile appearing oan his lips.
“So, whit’s the score wae Johnboy?” Angelo Dundee asked.
“He’s spilling the beans aboot being in the car wae Danny Murphy as we speak, and no looking like he’s daeing a good job ae it either,” Tony smirked, nodding towards Senga and Johnboy’s table.
“Bit he’s leaving oot the bit that it wis Shaun who wis supposed tae hiv been sitting in the driving seat, oan the way tae the Erskine Bridge efter picking up the package in Linwood, Ah hope?”
“Aye, she disnae need tae know aboot that,” Tony agreed, glancing across at them again, realising fur the first time why Johnboy wis so upset. Senga Jackson wis absolutely gorgeous-looking. “He’s also been tasked wae trying tae charm her tae stay in contact wae him…at least until we…you…kin sort oot aw this grief between Wan-bob and her flatmate.”
“So, he’s stringing her alang then?”
“Aye, bit he disnae look as if he’s daeing too well, dis he?” Tony said, as the baith ae them smiled at each other, looking across at Johnboy and Senga’s table.
“So, whit dae ye want me tae dae?”
“Get in touch wae Baby Huey, well away fae prying eyes. Find oot whit happened tae Wee Eck Thomas. Ye’ll need tae be really careful. And don’t go bloody-well scaring him, Simon.”
“Me? Scare Baby? Ur ye sure ye’re no thinking ae somewan else, Tony?”
“Ah mean it, Simon. Don’t go upsetting him. And another thing…the less Baby knows aboot whit’s gaun oan, the better. Ah’m gonnae need Baby fur later oan when Ah get oot ae this shithole.”
“Right, goat ye…and?”
“If he disnae awready know, ask him tae find oot who it wis that took care ae the nurse, the doctor and the farmer, bit wance again, don’t go spooking him,” Tony emphasised, keeping his voice low. “Tell him Ah’ll see him awright when Ah get oot.”
“Why is it so important tae know who done the damage? Surely, the main thing is tae find oot if there’s a definite connection tae Senga’s flatmate’s story and the people who copped it?”
“We’re accepting the connection. A blind man wid be able tae see who wis at work here, so he wid, apart fae you, that is.”
“This is gonnae be really dangerous fur us. Ah take it ye know whit the fuck ye’re daeing?” Angelo growled, ignoring the cheek aboot his perception skills.
“If it’s the same basturt, it means we kin move oan him if we…you…pick up that Wan-bob is oan tae oor nurse.”
“Aye, okay, that makes sense, bit it widnae take the brain ae Britain tae know that it wis probably Spotty Hector and that ugly pug-faced prick, Chic Shand,” Angelo whispered. “Wan-bob always palms that pair aff wae aw the shitey jobs that nowan else wants tae dae.”
“Simon, furget the bloody speculation, will ye? If ye pick up even a whiff fae Baby that Senga or her flatmate ur in imminent danger or ur gonnae cop it, ye take whoever it is oot ae the game. Ye’ll hiv tae be very clever here, noo. We need tae make sure that Wan-bob knows that we’re oan tae him and that there will be mair tae come, if the nurse or Senga get touched, while at the same time, leave enough doubt aboot oor involvement that he won’t want tae rush roond tae yours and lay waste tae ye, in case he’s wrang.”
Silence.
“So, how the fuck am Ah expected dae that, withoot getting wiped oot masel?” Angelo demanded.
“Ah don’t know, bit Ah’m sure ye’ll come up wae something.”
“And they three dumplings ye’ve landed me wae? They fucking question everything Ah say.”
“Simon, Ah’ve telt ye…ye’re in charge. Noo, if ye’re saying that ye’re no up fur it, move aside and let Ben or Jake take o’er the helm,” Tony growled.
“Fuck aff, Tony…that’s no funny, so it’s no,” Angelo snorted, as the baith ae them grinned. “Ah’m telling ye…Peter’s okay, bit Ah’m gonnae swing fur that other pair ae useless basturts so Ah am.”
“Speak tae The Two Johns,” Tony reminded him, haudin up his hauns tae hush any protests. “They’ll keep us right if anything comes oot ae The Garngad. They’re awready looking efter Ben and Jake’s arses anyway.”
“Look, Ah don’t hiv a problem wae Wee Parky or John Blair, bit it means widening oot who knows whit’s gaun oan.”
“They’ll be fine.”
“This is gonnae take some daeing, Tony.”
“Whit is?”
“Trying tae keep Senga and that flatmate ae hers safe.”
“Ye’ll be fine…youse aw will, as long as ye work closely and work as part ae a team. If and when the shit starts tae unravel, dae something spectacular, like nailing the basturts tae the front door ae The Carlton Club, dressed up in nurses’ uniforms or something. Ah’m sure ye’ll use yer imagination, bit make sure that it’s no a full frontal attack that kin be linked directly back tae us. We’re gonnae hiv tae cover oor tracks well on this wan, if we dae hiv tae respond,” Tony warned him. “The main thing is tae leave a bit ae doubt as tae who’s behind the attack.”
“Aye, okay, bit jist slacken aff wae aw the cheek, eh? Ah’ve hid plenty ae that oan the way in here the day fae the lassies. Fuck, the journey hame is gonnae be a bloody nightmare, so it is,” Angelo moaned.
“Simon, shut the fuck up and listen. Ah’ve goat loads mair tae tell ye that needs done.
“Silent, we’re feeling a wee bit under the weather the day, so we’re no gonnae beat about the bush noo, so try and pay attention and make a wee bit ae an effort tae communicate wae us…awright? Right, o’er tae yersel, Aggie,” Helen said quietly, sounding as if she wis speaking tae a blethering idiot, nudging her partner wae her elbow.
“Aye, right, well…er…we’ve been hivving a wee chin-wag…me and Helen, that is…and we, er, want tae put forward a wee proposal fur ye tae consider,” Aggie stuttered, nudging Helen tae take o’er.
Silence.
“Aye, well, seeing as Johnboy will probably be in fur a wee bit longer than you, we…er…thought, efter a bit ae discussion between us…”
“Wae the best ae intentions…”
“That’s if ye wanted tae, y’know…”
“Tae consider…er, whit’s the words…moving in wae us efter ye get oot…”
“Ah mean, we’d baith be fairly chuffed tae hiv ye…”
“Obviously, ye’d want yer ain room…a wee bit ae privacy…so we’d hiv tae look fur a bigger place, before ye goat released…”
“Maybe a three-bedroom, oot ae Springburn, across in the West End somewhere…”
“Splitting everything three ways and aw that…”
“Bit, if ye preferred staying wae some ae the boys…”
“Tony or Snappy, maybe…”
“Then we certainly widnae be offended,” Aggie finished, as Helen and her looked at each other, before turning back tae the Silent.
Silence.
“We’re no expecting ye tae make yer mind up the noo, or anything…”
“Aye, ye’ve goat plenty ae time tae consider it, if ma calculations ur anything tae go by…”
“Aw we’d need wis a wee indication as tae whether we go aheid and start looking fur a flat …”
“Nothing too fancy, bit probably across in the West End…”
“Bit, it’s up tae yersel…”
“Nae pressure…”
“We certainly widnae be offended…”
“Honest, we widnae…”
“Sounds really good tae me, so it dis,” Silent said, butting in, as Aggie and Helen looked at each other, their faces breaking intae wide grins.