SWITCHED: The man who lost his body but kept his mind.

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SWITCHED: The man who lost his body but kept his mind. Page 25

by Bernard Gallivan


  When Jeannie gave Gloria a ring to ask if she and Zak might be allowed to stay for a few days, Gloria, with relief evident in her voice that she was no longer related, if only through marriage, to a double killer, had gone on at length about how dreadful it was for George and her having to put up with such a smear being attached to their name, no matter how indirectly. During the tirade, Gloria gave Jeannie the impression that while she was relieved the real killer was now in custody, she was still not entirely convinced that Zak was not, somehow, involved in the murders. She said she would be delighted to put Jeannie up for as long as she liked but would have to ask George about Zak. ‘After all, he’s still wanted by the police, isn’t he?’

  Jeannie agreed it was only fair that Gloria should confer with her husband on the matter and promised to ring back later.

  Next to be rung was Jeannie’s younger brother, Barry, who still lived at home with their mother. He was a nice enough lad, but, like his previous brother-in-law, was completely shiftless. He was one of the long-term unemployed who lived on benefit and spent his days watching television or playing video games; the nights he spent with his pals down in the pub. Jeannie intended to arrange a meeting with Barry away from her mother’s house in case the old lady overheard what she said, which would only cause her to worry but, as it happened, their mother was out shopping. So, after making Barry promise not to worry their mother by telling her about the trouble she was in, Jeannie began explaining the problem and what she wanted Barry to do.

  ‘So you see, Barry, we’ve got to sell the house to pay off those two debts but we can’t go back while Connor Sinclair is after his money and the police are looking for Zak.

  ‘Yeh, he won’t want Sinclair to catch him while he’s still owing.’

  ‘That’s what we thought. Anyway, I’m hoping we’ll be able to stay with Gloria until all this has blown over, but she’s a bit worried about having Zak in the house, what with the police still looking for him. She said she’d have to ask George, first.’

  ‘She bloody would.’

  ‘I don’t blame her, Barry. She could get in trouble harbouring a fugitive. The thing is, we’ve got to have someone in the house when buyers come around. So, do you think you could house watch for us?’

  ‘I dunno,’ Barry sounded doubtful.

  ‘You won’t have to do anything, Barry; just let people in to look around and then lock up at night, that’s all. Come on, be a sport, In any case, it shouldn’t be for long. We’re hoping it’ll sell real quick. We’re not gonna try for the maximum we could get for it. We’ll take the first sensible offer.’

  ‘So, you wouldn’t want me to sleep there?’ Barry enquired, worried that his evenings out boozing with the lads might be interrupted.

  ‘No, you could still sleep and eat at home, Barry and it’s less than half a mile from mum’s house to Disraeli Street, isn’t it?’

  Zachary whispered to Jeannie, ‘Tell him that whatever he does, he mustn’t stay overnight in the house by himself. I don’t trust Sinclair.’ He was learning fast.

  ‘In fact, Barry, Zak just said you mustn’t stay overnight in Disraeli Street. We don’t know what that slimy bastard Sinclair will get up to and it might be dangerous if you’re there by yourself overnight. I’m sure you’ll be fine during the daytime, though. You know I wouldn’t ask you to do it if I thought it would be dangerous. So, what do you say?

  ‘All right,’ Barry grudgingly agreed. ‘Anything to help out, sis.’

  ‘Thanks, Barry; I knew I could count on you. I’ll get one of the local estate agents onto it first thing tomorrow. Now, promise me you’ll go home to mum every night, ok?’

  ‘Yeah, yeah,’ Barry said.

  While they waited for Gloria and George to have their little chat, Zachary, trying to be strong, said he’d ring Connolly.

  After introducing himself to the surprised police inspector, he said, ‘I hope my letter helped in the arrest of Alec Gormley even though you were probably investigating him already.’

  Connolly gave a non-committal grunt that could have meant anything.

  Zachary continued. ‘You don’t know what a relief it is to me that you managed to get the right man for the murders.’

  Connolly’s gave another grunt as Zachary struggled on.

  ‘I know I’m still wanted for temporarily misappropriating that £10,000 but I thought you should know that my wife and I are going to sell our house in Croydon and with the proceeds I’ll pay back the money either to the insurance company or to the Prentice’s estate, whichever is the correct one to compensate. Another thing you should know is that the reason I ran off when I did is because I’ve also got another large, private debt to pay off.’

  ‘And who would that be to, Mr Storie?’

  He was not sure whether he should tell Connolly about Sinclair but after giving the matter a moment’s thought could see no reason why not.

  ‘Actually, it’s to Connor Sinclair. You may know him.’

  ‘Oh, yes; I know Connor Sinclair, Mr Storie, ‘and all I can say is, I wouldn’t want to owe that man anything. From what I’ve heard, he doesn’t like waiting for his money.

  ‘Which is exactly why I’m going to stay in hiding until the house is sold. When I’ve got the money from the sale, I should be able to pay off both debts and when that’s done, I’ll give myself up. That’s a promise.

  ‘Why are you telling me this, Sir?’ Connolly said.

  ‘Because I don’t want you to go on wasting valuable police resources trying to track me down when I’m going to give myself up in any case as soon as the house sale is completed, that’s all.’

  ‘And why should I believe a word you’re telling me? How do I know you won’t skip the country as soon as you get your hands on that money?’

  ‘You don’t, I suppose,’ said Zachary uncertainly. ‘But if you won’t take my word for it, there’s nothing more I can say or do.’

  ‘You could give yourself up straight away,’ Connolly observed dryly.

  ‘I can’t do that because of that other debt,’ Zachary said miserably, ‘and I certainly don’t want Sinclair to catch up with me before I’ve cleared it.’

  ‘If you believe he’s that unscrupulous, what guarantee do you have that he’ll go easy on you once you’ve paid up?’

  Connolly was wise to the ways of the underworld and knew it was regarded as a matter of honour, stupid, misguided honour, but honour nevertheless, that no one was allowed to get away with anything that in any way diminished the authority or reputation of the top man. If Storie didn’t know that, he’d better understand it, and quickly.

  ‘He wouldn’t have any reason to do me or mine any damage once he’s been paid off in full, surely’ Zachary said, plaintively. He knew nothing about the mental machinations of crime bosses. Indeed, the situation in which he found himself was so far divorced from his normal, ordered world, there was no way he could comprehend it. Connolly’s observation worried him nonetheless. Indeed, what reassurance did he have? Plainly, the answer was, none. But Connolly was speaking again.

  ‘You might be right, sir, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’ve already given you my best advice. It’s up to you whether you heed it or not. I repeat, turn yourself in.’

  Zachary was a very worried man by the time he put the telephone down. Even so, his instinct told him that his best and safest course of action was to keep hidden until the debt was paid. He even managed to convince himself that Connolly was deliberately trying to frighten him, in which task the man had succeeded more than he knew, for no better reason than that he wanted to clear up the theft for which Zachary was still wanted. He had no interest in Zachary’s welfare. All Connolly wanted was a speedy resolution to the case.

  Then it was the turn of Pete, Zachary’s brother. Having taken his brother’s money and left him with some doubts about the accuracy of his account of events, he was anxious to share his good news with him. As it happened, Pete had been taking a close interest in the murders a
nd already knew that the police had taken Gormley into custody. The warmth of his greeting was in marked contrast to that of his earlier one.

  ‘You don’t know how pleased I am that you called, Zak. You must feel like a new man now that awful weight is off you. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it, Pete. I can perfectly well understand why you thought as you did. The other reason I called is to let you know that Jeannie and I will be going into hiding for a while. If you recall, I mentioned having another debt, in addition to the one to do with the insurance policy. Well, the fellow I owe money to doesn’t like to be kept waiting and he’s already set his heavies on me. They’re a dangerous bunch so Jeannie and I decided it would be best if we both kept out of sight until we can pay everyone off. We’re selling our house but, of course, that won’t happen overnight. In the meantime, Barry, Jeannie’s brother, will be staying there during the day. He’s agreed to house sit for us and to show prospective buyers around. I know I can rely on your discretion, Pete, so, in case you need to get in touch with us for any reason, and depending on what her husband says about it, Jeannie and I hope to stay with Gloria, Jeannie’s sister, up in north London. You should be able to contact us there. If that falls through, I’ll give you another ring to tell you where we’ll be staying.’

  ‘Um, look here, Zak,’ Pete started, ‘Brenda and I have been looking at our finances and we reckon we should be able to lend you a few thousand if that will help you.’

  ‘That’s really very kind of you, Pete, but that’s not necessary. In any case, my debts are so large, Jeannie and I would still have to sell the house so it’s best for me to try to start with as clean a sheet as I can. And don’t forget, I already owe you plenty. You’re going to have to tell me exactly how much more it is than the £650 you gave me the other day, because I really don’t know.’

  ‘Forget it, Zak. If you can get yourself sorted out, that’s all the repayment I’ll be looking for.’

  Zachary tried hard to persuade Peter but his younger brother would not change his mind. He was enormously touched by his brother’s generosity when it was perfectly clear that Peter could ill afford to give away such large sums of money. Regardless of what Pete said, Zachary was determined to pay him back, and with interest.

  ‘Look here, Zak,’ Pete said, ‘if for any reason the arrangement with Jeannie’s sister falls through, you and Jeannie can always come and stay with me and the family. It’ll be a tight squeeze but you’ll be very welcome.’

  There was a lump in Zak’s throat and he found it hard to speak. Pete’s offer went way beyond the call of duty.

  ‘Thanks, Pete,’ he said, his voice hardly loader than a whisper. ‘I won’t forget this.’

  Zachary laid the phone down gently and looked at Jeannie. ‘Pete said we could go and stay with him if George would rather not put me up.’

  ‘That was nice of him, Zak, but that’s not like him, is it?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘It’s just that he’s always been so difficult whenever you’ve rung him up in the past. And another thing; when you were speaking to him and that copper just now, you didn’t even sound like the Zak I know. I really don’t understand what’s going on.’

  It seemed to Jeannie that her husband had undergone a dramatic change since he had run off up north. He was certainly now more nervous and less worldly-wise than the Zak of old and he even spoke differently; nor would he have used the sort of words she had just heard him use. There were many other changes she noticed in him as well, like him no longer smoking or using bad language, so it wasn’t all bad. With an effort, she shoved her concerns to the back of her mind. More tangible problems needed to be addressed.

  ‘I’m sure George won’t let us down. I know you two don’t get on, so it won’t be easy for you. You’ll just have to bite your tongue. Now, how about ringing up that shite Sinclair to let him know what we’re going to do.’

  Zachary winced at the un-ladylike expression.

  ‘Must I, Jeannie?’ he almost whined.

  This was likely to be the most difficult call of all to make and the longer he could put it off, the better, as far as he was concerned.

  ‘Yes, you must, Zak. We both know he’s a rotten bastard but if we want him off our backs until the house is sold, he might go easy on us if he knows he’s definitely going to get his money.’

  Zachary had to try three different numbers before he finally made contact with the infamous Sinclair.

  ‘What can I do for you, Mr Storie,’ he began. He had a strong Irish accent but, that aside, he sounded perfectly innocent and ordinary. So much so, Zachary was lulled into a false sense of security. A man who sounded as civilized and respectable as Connor Sinclair did would never countenance harming anyone, would he? Surely, all he wanted was his money. He was a businessman when all was said and done and Zachary, as another businessman, felt he already understood what made Sinclair tick.

  He began by explaining about the proposed sale of his house and how all that he owed, including interest, would soon be repaid. He then waited expectantly for Connor Sinclair to reassure him that everything would be fine once he had settled the debt but no such reassurance came. Instead, the Irish accent grew yet more pronounced and a different, steely and at the same time bantering tone appeared in Sinclair’s voice.

  ‘Unfortunately, it’s not that easy any more, Mr Storie. You see, you damaged two of my associates earlier today. You may not realize it but your wife broke Mr Hancock’s nose when she hit him with her handbag. In fact, the poor man has only just returned from the hospital. His face isn’t as good as it used to be and neither is his temper. Not to put too fine a point on it, Mr Storie, he’s right pissed off. You see, it does his reputation no good whatsoever - nor mine, for that matter - when a woman does that to him. Then there’s my other colleague, Mr Leo Snell; he’s got a very badly bruised shinbone, which, I believe, you caused when you hit him with that iron bar. That wasn’t very friendly of you Mr Storie and I know Mr Snell is most anxious to discuss the matter further with you. But what really upsets him is that he’s going to miss some vital training for the latest bodybuilding competition he was hoping to enter. Very keen on his physique is our Leo. So, it couldn’t have come at a worse time for him.’

  Zachary listened with growing alarm while Max’s bantering voice droned on. The man was clearly enjoying himself.

  ‘Both gentlemen are extremely distressed that you should have been the cause of so much harm coming to them and nor am I best pleased, either. You’ve made me a laughing stock among my associates and I won’t be able to hold my head up until I’ve addressed the problem and brought some credibility back to my business affairs. Do you know what I’m saying?’

  His voice suddenly dropped it jocular tone and hardened. ‘Am I making myself clear?’

  Zak swallowed in panic. This was much worse than he feared and was exactly what DCI Connolly had warned him might be the case.

  ‘You’ve got to believe me; it wasn’t my intension to hurt your men, Mr Sinclair. I was frightened, as was my wife, and we acted purely in self-defence. I’m sorry if they have been injured and, it goes without saying that I’m willing to pay compensation.’

  He was genuinely terrified. The thought that Connor and his thugs would never stop looking for him until they caught up with him and had extracted their revenge on Jeannie and him filled him with the utmost dread. At that moment, so chilled was he by the sound of the man at the other end of the telephone, he would have been prepared to pay anything.

  ‘You still don’t seem to understand what I’ve been saying, Storie? Is that because you are just plain, bloody stupid? Or, are you trying to play me for an even bigger fool than you are yourself? Which is it?’

  ‘I assure you, Mr Sinclair, I wouldn’t dream ...’

  Sinclair’s now harsh voice cut across that of Zachary’s.

  ‘Let’s just cut the crap, shall we? I want my money and I don’t want to ha
ve to wait until you’re ready to give it to me. Do you understand? If you do that, perhaps I won’t have to make an example of you. Are you reading me, Storie?’

  ‘Loud and clear, Mr Sinclair,’ Zachary said. He felt sick.

  ‘Right then, get off this f---ing phone and bring me my money.’

  With that, Sinclair slammed the phone down, almost deafening Zachary in the process.

  Jeannie had been watching with growing alarm as she listened to Zak’s end of the conversation.

  ‘What did he say?’ she asked as, with trembling fingers, Zachary replaced the handset.

  ‘He wants his money and he wants it now. He said he’ll only call off his boys if he gets it straight away and I’m not too proud to admit that he’s scared the pants off me.’

  Again, Jeannie looked at him questioningly. This was something else she’d noticed about Zak. Suddenly he seemed to be without any backbone. The Zak she knew and loved would have been swearing and calling Sinclair all manner of names as well as calling on the forces of darkness to destroy in the most painful way possible the evil bastard who walked and breathed and called himself Connor Sinclair. Furthermore, even though he might well have been wetting himself, he would never, not for one single second, have admitted it; least of all to her. She could only imagine that the strain he’d been under these past weeks had somehow changed his personality. She hoped he had not changed too much.

  ‘That man’s a blood-sucking leech, Zak. He should have been drowned at birth. I say we tell him to get stuffed. We’ll pay back the insurance money but then I say, we leave the country and start somewhere new.’

  ‘I wish it were that easy,’ Zachary said. ‘Unfortunately, the police will have something to say about that even if we manage to evade Sinclair. We’ve got to get him his money straight away, and that’s the only way. Couldn’t we take out a short-term bank loan against the house, which we could repay as soon as we sell the house? That way, everyone will be happy.’

 

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