Kingston Bridge

by Ian Todd

  “Other wan…whit other wan?”

  “The Irish Brigade’s, efter the stupid basturts perjure themsels up oan the witness stand. Think aboot it. Everywan will still want tae know whit became ae they letters efter they wur haunded o’er tae Cleopatra. Even if your Susan McFarlane cannae persuade they ex-poliswummin tae come forward wae fresh statements, everywan will still want tae know whit Cleopatra did wae the original letters. That’s whit will be oan everywan’s lips. Even if she manages tae body swerve the accusation ae destroying them, she’s totally fucked. Her credibility, alang wae her career, will be flushed doon the lavvy pan. Efter Teddy Bare gets sent doon, ye’re talking another three months minimum, fur a sexual harassment charge against Daddy Jackson’s lot tae come tae trial, if they don’t get bail. Kin ye imagine the sweating and sleepless nights that Cleopatra and Barbara Allen will go through? Christ, gie me childbirth any day ae the week,” Donna said, smiling. “Noo, Ah’m sure somewan as smart as you, wae a wee bit ae guidance fae yer Auntie Donna here, will be able tae come up wae an angle that’ll protect yer ma and the rest ae the wummin fae The Original Jeely Piece Sandwich Company. Christ, it’s no only them…it affects me tae, seeing as Ah’ve goat a substantial financial stake in the business,” Donna said withoot a blush in sight, before hitting her wae the coup de grace. “Naw, the problem fur you Pearl, hen, is the story itsel, so it is.”

  “Eh?”

  “Ye don’t think fur wan minute that The Rat…that scurrying wee rodent boss ae yours…is gonnae allow somewan like you tae print yer expose, dae ye? The McGregors won’t allow him tae pass it upstairs tae Hamish, or if it dis go up, you won’t recognise your input, so ye won’t. Pearl, hen, Wan-bob and The McGregors hiv been at each others throat since Wan-bob and Charlie wur lifted alang wae they two sergeants and The Stalker. While everywan his been expecting blood oan the streets, The McGregors hiv been busy, beavering away, undermining Wan-bob’s attempt ae getting away wae murdering that wee nurse. Christ, there’s been a raging phoney war oan the go fur the past three months between that lot and even Ah’m still no sure who’s gonnae come oot oan tap at the end ae the day.”

  “Bit…”

  “If whit ye’ve jist disclosed tae me makes it intae print, then it’ll be you that ends up in a psychiatric ward if ye don’t watch oot. Believe you me, Ah know whit Ah’m talking aboot here.” Donna warned her, sitting back and lighting up another fag. “The McGregors will stoap at nothing tae ensure Wan-bob and Charlie Hastie don’t walk oot ae that High Court free men. Ah’m no sure how Wan-bob’s controlling the situation he’s in , bit believe you me, ye kin bet yer bottom dollar he’s in charge ae how aw this pans oot.”

  “Bit…so, let me get this straight. Ur you saying that Ah’m goosed…as in, getting justice fur aw they poor ex-poliswummin?”

  “Look, Pearl, let’s get something straight here, okay?” Donna growled, stabbing her fag at her, sending wee blue smoke rings tumbling aff in aw directions. “Fur a start, ye kin stoap reminding me who the poor victims ur aboot here?”

  “Bit…”

  “First it wis Lesley Bare, who wid’ve sold her granny doon the river fur a mention in Despatches fae The Man and noo ye’ve jist added another dozen bleeding turncoats, jist like her, who couldnae gie a fuck aboot us struggling wummin, because they wur so up the arses ae the other side, stupidly believing that they’d escaped the worse ae it. Hell bloody mend them,” Donna harrumphed indignantly, clearly enjoying hersel, looking up towards the ceiling, waiting fur Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria In Excelsis Deo’ tae come blasting oot ae the ornate plaster rose above their heids.

  “Ah’m sorry, Donna, bit Ah hivnae goat a bloody clue whit it is ye’re saying,” Pearl admitted, no sure whether tae be alarmed or no.

  “Whit Ah’m saying, hen, is that withoot the intervention ae Wan-bob Broon, that exclusive ae yours won’t be worth the fish supper wrapper that it wis gonnae end up becoming. That’s whit Ah’m saying.”

  “Bit, ye’ve jist said so yersel, there will be a second trial…”

  “Aye, probably…bit you certainly won’t be writing aboot it before, during or efter any trial.”

  “Bit it’s me that…”

  “Carries the scars tae prove it?” Donna interjected. “Ah see ye’re still covering up that neck ae yours,” Donna noted, puffing oan her fag holder, nodding, peering across at Pearl’s neckline. “Whit a pair ae dirty basturts, assaulting a young innocent lassie and you supposed tae be a respected journalist as well? That’s the polis in Glesga fur ye, so it is. Nae wonder poor Senga wants tae fuck aff wae that scrawny Johnboy wan up tae the wilds ae wherever.”

  “Bit…bit it wis Wan-bon Broon and that gangster pal ae his, alang wae The Stalker that murdered poor Rose Bain. Ah couldnae…”

  “Aye and they say politics is a dirty business?” Donna reminded her. “Bloody walk in the park compared tae whit somewan like me his tae put up wae, so it is. Everything’s so bloody complicated here in the toon…there’s never a dull moment in the life and times ae somewan like me,” Donna grumbled, nodding tae hersel, taking another drag ae her fag. “Pearl, hen, Wan-bob Broon controls The Rat and God knows who else. Christ, everywan knows that…well, anywan wae the right connections in the toon, that is. However, ye’re no gonnae tell me that somewan like The Rat his only wan master, ur ye?”

  Silence.

  “Oh, and in case ye’re interested while ye’re oot there seeking fame and glory, Ah also heard oan good authority that The Stalker is innocent and that it wisnae him that passed oan the name ae who wis oan duty that night up in Stobhill tae The Gruesome Twosome. So, if it wisnae him, who wis it? Personally, Ah cannae staun the sick psycho basturt, bit who’s gonnae be screaming fur justice when he’s sent doon tae join aw the other poor innocent basturts he’s set up o’er the years, who’re still languishing in jail, eh?”

  “Ah’m sorry, bit ye’ve lost me again, Donna.”

  “That Pussy Galore wan? Yer pal that likes tae hing aboot in creepy car parks aroond midnight? Did she no warn ye no tae get personally or emotionally involved? You hiv tae decide whit kind ae journalist ye want tae be, Pearl. At this stage ae yer career, ye cannae be seen tae be gaun aboot picking and choosing who dis and who disnae deserve justice. Dae that and ye jist become another tool ae The Man. This his nothing tae dae wae whether ye’re a man or a wummin. This is aboot who ye ur as a journalist. Don’t be naive. If that means hivving tae dance wae the devil, or in your case, Wan-bob Broon, then dae it...jist so long as you’re no compromised. Ye jist hiv tae make sure everything’s oan your terms. Look at me. Ye don’t think Ah’m sitting here by chance, dae ye? If getting justice fur they wummin, even if they ur poliswummin, means getting whit ye need fae a murdering basturt like Wan-bob Broon, then that’s whit ye hiv tae dae…Ah mean, where dae ye think yer polis exclusive aboot drugs in the car boot ae an inspector fae The Flying Squad came fae?”

  “Bit it wis Sammy Elliot that received an anonymous phone call…”

  “Fae wan ae Wan-bob’s boys maybe? Christ, Pearl, whit the hell did ye get up tae up there in the Highlands? Ye’ve goat some catching up tae dae, so ye hiv,” Donna chided her. “Wance aw this dust settles doon, you and me ur gonnae hiv tae hiv a wee chat, so we ur.”

  “Is that no whit we’re daeing awready?”

  “Don’t try and get smart wae me, Pearl Campbell. As Ah telt that ma ae yers when Ah went intae business wae her and the other lassies, it’s aw aboot trust, so it is.”

  “Or, you scratch ma back and Ah’ll scratch yours?”

  “Well, that’s wan way ae putting it Ah suppose, bit it’s no whit Ah’m oan aboot. You and me need tae look mair at the partnership side ae oor relationship, seeing as where ye’re employed these days. Somewan like me kin be very useful tae a wee up and comer like you. Obviously, the support, guidance and direction Ah’m gieing ye, wid need tae be reciprocated…mair like a business arrangement. Whit dae ye think yersel, hen?”

  “Where ma heid is at the moment, Don
na, Ah’m still no sure whit Ah want,” she lied, choosing her words carefully. “Bit Ah’m fair chuffed and flattered that ye wid even consider investing in somewan like me.”

  “Aye, well, Ah’m jist saying. There ur a lot ae sharks oot there in the jungle, who’ll try and take advantage, so there ur. Under ma wing, that certainly widnae be allowed tae happen, so it widnae.”

  “Well, Ah’ll certainly keep that in mind. In the meantime, how wid somewan like me get in touch wae somewan like Wan-bob Broon withoot him knowing that it’s me? Ah certainly widnae want tae compromise ma independence.”

  “Ye awready hiv the connections.”

  “You?”

  “Me?” Donna exclaimed, grimacing, dismissing the suggestion wae another wave ae her haun.

  “Who then?”

  “Tony.”

  “Tony Gucci?”

  “Naw, Tony Bloody Curtis. Christ’s sake, Pearl, who dae ye think Ah’m talking aboot?”

  “He won’t wear it. Ah hid tae practically beg him and Simon, doon oan ma hauns and knees, tae get that brief ae theirs tae make the approach tae Glenda Metcalfe and even then, as ye’ve awready pointed oot, it clearly didnae work.”

  “Well, Ah widnae go as far as tae say that. Ah mean, who put that inspector wan up tae making an approach tae ye? It’s clear that Glenda Metcalfe wis obviously keeping her hauns clean. If ye’re asking me, then Tony’s the boy. He hates Wan-bob and Charlie Hastie wae a vengeance, so he dis. Ye should hear him and Simon talking aboot the basturts. In the jail, none ae The Mankys wid ever entertain killers ae young lassies, bit oot here? Young tickets like them don’t hiv any choice. Think ae who they’re dealing wae.”

  “Ah’m telling ye, Donna. they won’t help me wae this wan. If you think you don’t like the polis, ye should hear them oan the subject.”

  “Pearl, hen, listen tae me. Ah know where Ah’m coming fae. Speak tae Tony. Get him oan his lonesome, well away fae Simon and the others. Whitever ye dae, don’t go via anywan. The approach his tae come fae you. That’s important…and don’t try and charm him either. Fuck, whit the hell am Ah trying tae advise somewan like you aboot that fur? You know them better than Ah dae,” Donna said smiling. “Right missy, grab yer jaicket and Kim Sui’s posh bag. Ah’ll treat ye tae lunch roond in La Tanterna’s oan Hope Street, so Ah will.”

  Chapter Thirty Six

  “Sit!” The Rat’s voice squeaked, the sound fae the back ae his throat somehow managing tae twist the vocal tae end in a hiss.

  The noise fae the clacking typewriters oot in the Crime Desk office, behind her, wis abruptly silenced when she nervously shut o’er the door and followed his nod tae the solitary chair in front ae his desk. The wee prick sat staring at her, as if in a trance, looking at her fur a few seconds, before snapping they fingers ae his loudly, as she silently handed o’er the offending typewritten sheets. She wondered whit hid happened tae the side ae that face ae his. He looked tae hiv a wee scrape, jist tae the right ae his left eye. She hidnae noticed it when she’d first entered the room. As usual, he’d deliberately kept that rodent expression ae his nondescript, no gieing away whit he wis really thinking, bit she could tell he wis right pissed aff wae her. She sat nervously, watching him skim through her article wae they furtive, darting beady eyes ae his. She knew the routine. First a skim and then a mair detailed read through. It felt like being back at school. She remembered as a wean, sitting in front ae the heidmaster’s desk, before being asked tae staun up wae her feet thegither, her back against the wall, as Miss Coxheid explained the reason why somewan as important as her couldnae teach somewan as irritating as her, in that twittering high pitch voice ae hers. She remembered running aw the way hame in the snow, bawling, when the heidmaster hid agreed wae her eviction fae the class efter being affronted that her ma hid the cheek tae send her tae school wae two right shoes oan her feet. The fact that she’d been wearing the shoes aw week hid only added tae her humiliation. Her and her pals hidnae noticed anything unusual. Her ma hid bought them the week before fur pennies aff ae a wee wheelbarrow street hawker when she wis skint. She remembered sitting in the kitchen oan her ma’s knee, as the baith ae them bubbled. She must’ve only been aboot five at the time, bit it wis wan ae they memories that hid clung tae her throughoot her school days, until she left at fifteen tae go and work in the building where she wis noo sitting. Order in Miss Coxheid’s classroom hid soon been restored, when she’d turned up at school the next day, wearing a different pair ae shoes. Although they wur two sizes two big fur her, they wur a matching pair. Helen Taylor hid come roond wae a pair ae her Norma’s auld summer sandals, that she’d found in the back ae a cupboard efter she’d gone looking, when she’d heard whit hid happened. She wis dying tae gie the side ae her tap rib a wee scratch where her bra wis digging intae her, bit she decided tae haud oot. She also wanted tae say something tae the tap ae the greasy heid sitting opposite her, tae try and explain her rationale again, bit she knew it widnae work as she impatiently waited fur that first glance, before he went back tae the beginning. Even though it hidnae worked in the past, she wis hoping that she’d maybe be able tae pick up a wee clue as tae whit his first impression wis. She hid tae stoap haudin her breath in as well, she telt hersel. She didnae want tae gie him the impression that she wis aw flustered, which she wis. He silently shifted the first copy sheet tae the side before continuing oan tae the second wan. She couldnae help it and began tae haud her breath again, trying tae ignore the sound ae the engines ae the buses revving up before taking aff up the hill oan Hope Street. It wis rare fur her ears tae acknowledge the constant sounds ae the bus and car horns in the office these days, bit it noo sounded like a fanfare in her ears, as she sat there, fidgeting wae her fingers oot ae sight, trying no tae let her mind wander aff. It hid been ten days since her lunch in the Tally’s, jist up the hill wae Donna The Prima Donna, five days since she’d sat in the exact same chair efter submitting her first copy tae The Rat and three days since hivving a late breakfast wae Tony and Simon in The University Café oan Byres Road. Her heid wis burling. Efter leaving the restaurant wae Donna, she’d gone and done the roonds wae whit wis left ae the day, trying tae find oot where Tony wis hinging oot. It shouldnae hiv been hard tae track his movements, bit Donna’s warning no tae get tae him through other people hid complicated the task in haun. O’er the following days, in-between writing up her article, she’d been in DIRTY JAKE’S BOUTIQUE roond oan Buchanan Street a couple ae times. Kim Sui hidnae been there, bit she’d bumped intae Jake oan wan ae the days.

  “Hiv Ah seen Kim Sui? Ah wis gonnae ask you the same thing. Naebody tells me anything aboot here, so they don’t,” he’d grumbled. “C’mone, Ah’ll take ye fur a cuppa and a cake snowball,” he’d offered.

  She’d been up at Aggie and Helen’s, bit they’d been too preoccupied discussing their plans, efter returning fae visiting Silent in Saughton, oot in Edinburgh. The fact that he’d spoken a couple ae words tae them during the visit meant she couldnae haud their attention fur mair than two minutes, so drapping hints oan where tae find Tony Gucci fell oan deaf ears. Simon hid spotted her crossing the traffic lights up oan the corner ae Maryhill Road and Bilsland Drive, running tae catch up wae a bus tae take her back intae the toon efter visiting Susan McFarlane. He hidnae been much help tae her either.

  “So, whose reputation hiv ye been destroying this week?” he’d cheerily asked, turning left at Queen’s Cross, heidin doon Garscube Road towards The Coocaddens rather than jist drive straight oan fur some strange reason.

  She’d been dying tae ask him tae get Tony tae get in touch wae her, bit she knew better. She thought she’d caught a glimpse ae the car, wae Baby Huey at the wheel another day oan Bath Street, bit by the time she’d nipped across the busy road, the car hid disappeared doon oan tae Sauchiehall Street. She’d caught sight ae that dark handsome face ae his coming oot ae Jean’s oan Montague Street, bit wance again, Baby Huey hid heided aff in the opposite direction towards Partick. Efter spending hauf an hour wae Jean a
nd the new baby, named efter his da, she’d set aff oan her travels again. She’d spent an hour up at Johnboy and Senga’s, conscious that Senga wis at her work, as she sat waiting fur him tae come oot ae the shower efter his run.

  “Is it no freezing, running aboot hauf naked aw o’er the place in shorts, at this time ae the year?” she’d asked him.

  He’d sauntered oot ae the bathroom, bare chested, wae jist a towel wrapped roond his waist, as she sat nervously praying that Senga widnae suddenly walk through the front door.

  She couldnae believe how difficult it could be, tae try and find oot where somewan wis, withoot asking anywan directly tae their face. Her deidline hid been fast approaching and hid eventually caught up wae her. She’d hid tae bite the bullet, efter being summoned tae the first meeting wae the ratty-arsed grumpy git, sitting opposite her. They hidnae goat past the first skimmed glance ae her exclusive either.

  “Whit the hell’s this?” he’d demanded tae know.

  “Ma article.”

  “Whit article?”

  “The article exposing that Irish Brigade…that article,” she’d stuttered, trying bit failing, no tae sound defensive.

  “Where’s the bit aboot Teddy Bare planning tae murder that big titted wife ae his?” he’d demanded tae know, looking back doon at the typed sheets in front ae him.

  “That’s the second wan.”

  “Whit second wan?”

  “The follow-up, efter he goes doon fur life.”

  “Ur you taking the piss?”

  “No.”

  “He won’t bloody go doon fur life unless you produce something subtle, that paints a picture ae whit he’s really capable ae. Hiv you any idea the trouble this piece ae shit wid get the paper intae, if it wis stupid enough tae publish it?” he’d asked her, waving the sheets in front ae her face dismissively.

  “It’s an investigative piece ae journalism, so it is. It’s the first instalment ae a number ae articles. It sets the context that the jury will hiv in the back ae their heids when the trial starts. Surely even you can see that?”