by Carl Hancock
Flattery and understanding flowed across the table to him; his defences went up refusing to allow entry to the manipulative ways of Billy. Even if the words he spoke were truth he doubted the sincerity behind them, it was simply a ploy. A ploy he would for now play along with. ‘Of course, why else?’ he feigned with a smile.
The situation had turned away from the one he had proposed to have, in sheer minutes the direction had been changed and his moral high ground had crumpled beneath him. He was unable to lay the blame directly on Billy now that he knew he was partly responsible for inadvertently placing Locke on his radar.
‘Anyway get to the point, all that other stuff aside what about him?’
The voice jolted him from the tunnel of his own thoughts, grabbing his attention firmly and bringing it back to the moment.
‘He was robbed and beaten the other week and it spells trouble for everyone if he doesn’t get back what he’s lost with interest by next week.’
‘Forget it,’ he spat back, his pleasant demure dissolved immediately at the suggestion. ‘The lad’s a nothing, always will be so it’s best he learns now rather than later not to play with the big boys. He’ll be better off out of the game.’
‘You took everything he had and more, he can’t afford to just walk away,’ Matt leant forward, arms on the table narrowly missing the empty glasses and remnants of sloshed beer. ‘If he’s got nothing then he’s a dangerous man, why pick a fight like that without a good reason?’
Billy’s face remained emotionless, a cold hard stare that proved to Matt that his first thoughts on the matter were correct. He knew it wouldn’t be as easy as that. To get him to hand back the money itself was a tall feat let alone with interest on top.
‘I don’t give a fuck, let him do his worst. I’ve got a good thing going on now, even if I had the cash there’s no chance I’d hand it back to that fuckin cretin. It’s the business were in, if he aint got the balls to handle his own shit then he don’t deserve the rewards that go with it.’
‘You don’t understand Billy,’ Matt lowered his voice as customers strolled by. ‘It isn’t just his money; you’ve messed up this time, good and proper.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Billy asked.
Matt glanced around the bar and returned his attention back to him. ‘He’s got a backer; £200k of that money is O’Donnell’s.’
He could see the revelation digesting through Billy’s brain; his composure was betraying him as clearly as if it were speaking with its own tongue and admitting his lack of prior knowledge on the matter.
‘You remember O’Donnell?’ Matt asked watching as Billy nodded his head.
‘Well you must know that when it comes to money or trust then he can be a right animal. If he finds out that his moneys been stolen then Locke and whoever he fingers before he dies will be dead.’
Billy listened intently before speaking. ‘So Locke hasn’t told him yet?’
Matt shook his head. ‘Course not! Do you really think you’d be sitting here now if he had?’
Billy shrugged his shoulders with minimal care.
‘Look Billy, he’ll be tortured by that freak that O’Donnell keeps locked up. It’s a certainty that he’ll talk and if O’Donnell can’t get to you then he’ll get someone close to you, Sheila or one of the girls!’
Matt was sure that his feelings for his ex wife were exaggerated, a personality like Billy was unable to put another person above themselves yet he did believe that in some way he must love his girls.
As well as Matt got along with O’Donnell, it was in no way a barrier to his vengeance. Pleasant on the outside he considered his acts of violence forgiven as long as he apologized before doing them. Unproven rumours had circulated in the early eighties that he kept his only brother caged up, the deformed man burnt in a house fire insane with a penchant for bloodthirsty and cruel torture.
Matt was certain them very thoughts were racing through Billy’s mind right now. ‘You have to give the money back, before he even knows its missing it’s the only way to avoid a confrontation. I won’t allow Suzy to get caught up in the cross fire.’
‘I told you I don’t have it anymore, I can’t get hold of that sort of cash just yet.’
Matt tutted and slammed his hand down on the table in frustration, the clink of the unsteady glasses knocking against each other with his outburst.
‘You don’t have any choice; do whatever you have to resolve the matter. Just because you made a mess of your own pitiful life don’t mean you can force the same crap upon your family,’ he demanded with a firm but quiet tone. ‘They’ve already suffered enough because of your actions!’
Billy looked angry, unused to people speaking so bluntly and making demands of him he stared back to Matt. ‘And what the fuck do you know about my life? You don’t fuckin know me at all,’ he erupted aggressively. ‘You sit there telling me what the fuck I should do like I’m one of your skivvies. Well fuck you… you arrogant prick, the only reason I even allow you in my company is because my misguided daughter seems to care about you.’ His face was burning red as he spoke; spit flying out of his mouth with every word.
Matt remained silent as he allowed him to continue his torrent of verbal abuse.
‘I’ve seen the likes of you too many times over the years. With your expensive suits and flash motors, putting it about like you’re so fuckin special,’ he ranted. ‘Well let me tell you, you’re not. I’ve done me homework, I’ve asked around town about you but no-one knows your name. Soon as I say it they shake their heads and walk away. You’re a fly by night, a dreamer, it’s all in your head and as soon as you feel a pinch coming on your crap yourself and either do a disappearing act or turn straight, either way you’ll be out of the game just like Locke is now! Don’t you think that’ll affect Suzy too?’
The point he was trying to make hit a nerve, it was something that he had considered himself. The dark path that he was taking could ultimately cause more hurt and pain to befall upon Suzy, much more than she had suffered so far.
‘We are nothing alike, you and me,’ he retaliated at the insinuation with a raised voice.
‘Damn right we fuckin aint!’ Billy retorted. ‘Whatever mess I made with my life came from dragging myself up on the streets, life’s tough experiences. I never had anything handed to me, no privileged upbringing.’
‘What? And you think I’m so different?’ Matt shot back. Almost immediately he felt like kicking himself, he disliked discussing his past with anyone. He certainly wasn’t getting into it with the likes of Billy.
‘Suzy mentioned you had a law degree, you don’t just come by one of them! What was it, spoilt rich kid that wanted to rebel against mummy and daddy so you just drop out and start work for the other side?’
‘None of your damn business,’ Matt snapped back seething inside at his own error.
‘My point exactly, and my life’s none of yours,’ Billy replied quick as a flash.
Matt made another mental note. To speak with Suzy about the pitfalls of discussing his private affairs behind his back, it wasn’t really her fault; she was oblivious to his true feelings toward her father and equally unaware of what he really was.
‘This matter cannot go ignored!’ Matt insisted guiding the discussion back in the relevant direction. ‘O’Donnell won’t let it drop.’
‘Fuck him.’
The simple reply came as no surprise; the bravado was to be expected and submission and acceptance of defeat would have surprised him even more. But the sheer arrogance of the man angered him, the ease of denial that he was clearly capable of shined through. It was clear he felt no burden of responsibility for the current problems.
‘No...Fuck you Billy!’He dropped the pleasantries, ‘You’re not going to destroy everything we’ve worked for just for the sake of your macho pride you dumb cunt!’
The angry outburst drew attention to the table, the loud obscenities catching the curiosity of the clubs regular patrons not used to hea
ring foul language from his mouth.
‘Oh yeah…true colours coming through now ah?’ Billy said through gritted teeth more than aware all eyes were set upon them waiting for a physical altercation to kick off.
‘Maybe Billy, maybe,’ he said lowering his voice to resemble that of calm. ‘That being said then perhaps it’s time that we laid our cards on the table so that we both know where we stand.’
It wasn’t the way he had planned to play his hand, he had wanted to save it for another day and as a cure for a much bigger problem yet he now felt forced into presenting it.
‘Riddles again, just say what you mean and it’ll save us both a lot of time don’t you think?’
Matt couldn’t help but agree, if it was the only way to a resolution then so be it.
‘Ok Billy, have it your way, plain and simple so even a dumb thug like you will understand without my needing to repeat myself or explain the obvious,’ he paused to take a deep breath before continuing. ‘I know exactly what you are and what heinous acts that you’re capable of and willing to carry out onto others, on innocent people just because you felt slighted in some way by their behaviour toward you.’
Billy shook his head in apparent denial. ‘I aint got a fuckin clue what you’re going on about, a lots been said about me over the years and more so since I’ve been locked away. Seems people have looser tongues when I’m not about to defend myself, you shouldn’t take it all as gospel.’
The relaxed manner as he spoke indicated he was confident in what he said, Matt felt more encouraged to rattle his cage and unnerve him with the bare and honest truth. ‘I know it as a fact Billy; I’ve seen the undisputable evidence myself so no amount of talking will be able to convince me otherwise.’ he told him. ‘You thought you knew me from somewhere before didn’t you?’ Matt asked Billy. ‘Well I’m surprised you remembered me, if just a vague amount.’
‘Is that right? Still… it means nothing to me now and I still haven’t a fuckin clue what you’re trying to say!’
‘I saw one of the statements from your trial, one that never made it into evidence. You must remember the one?’
‘There were so many that they couldn’t pin on me coz of lack of evidence, many that got dropped as soon as I made the deal, I can’t remember them all,’ he crossed his arms with a disdainful look across his face.
The lack of interest or concern from his target urged him to press onward. ‘You must remember the one Billy’ he said. ‘After all how many seventeen year old boys accused you of buggering them in a pub toilet?’
Billy dropped his arms onto the table and his head shot forward in Matt’s direction. His face dropped and his eyes confessed his recollection of events.
‘That was a set up...’ he stammered quietly as he glanced around the room with suspicion of any possible witnesses. ‘A set up by the prosecution to get me to confess, and it worked didn’t it?’ he whispered in a hushed and increasingly friendly voice.
‘I told you Billy, that won’t wash with me. I was there at the law firm working in the background on your case when I came across the statement. Unfortunately for me the victims name was blacked out so I haven’t a clue who the poor sod was but it doesn’t change the facts or your guilt,’ he said.
‘Look Matt,’ Billy urged with a fake smile. ‘We’ve obviously gotten off on the wrong foot, let’s take a step back for a moment and think about this again.’
Matt was aware of what he was trying to do, to worm his way out of the accusation and befriend him for the time being only to strike back and silence him for good when the time was right.
‘No Billy, it’s far too late for that and we both know it, a lines been crossed now that will never exist again.’
‘Yeah but, if you believed I did it, then surely you would have told Suzy all about it by now.’
‘How could I tell her something like that?’ Matt retorted. ‘It’s disgusting and it would destroy her for sure,’ he was sure that he could see a flicker of hope in Billy’s eyes. ‘But I will tell her…if I have to, if it’s the only way to keep her safe. If you don’t rectify the situation with O’Donnell then I’ll have no choice but to tell her so she disowns you removing her from his line of vengeance in the process.’
Billy sat in silence digesting his own history that he had long tried to forget.
‘How would it be if all your old and present acquaintances were to find out about it Billy? That all the time you served and earned status for was actually because you’re a common nonce.’ He enjoyed rubbing salt into the wounds and to see him squirm uncomfortably in his seat.
‘There’s not a face that knows my name that would believe that’ he insisted.
‘Maybe not, but it might be enough to sow a seed of doubt in their minds, urge them to question certain events they may have witnessed in the past with regards to you. I’m damn sure it wasn’t just the once that you preyed on an easy target!’
Matt knew that Billy was only too aware of what fate held for him should the situation he described become necessary. His reacquainted business relationships would ultimately suffer and his business plan wouldn’t see the light of day or bear fruit if he followed through on his threat. More importantly a lot of volatile and influential people, some even more dangerous than O’Donnell would rather see his demise than risk exposure to their past dealings with a nonce.
‘I never fuckin did that crime, I’m telling you that it was a set up,’ Billy said.
Seeing all the thoughts racing through Billy’s mind, all the quick fire ideas or excuses to cover his back or claim back some sort of dignity or ground were obvious to him. He remained silent preferring to enjoy the moment and allow Billy to add the final touches; he felt that he was as yet unfinished in what he was trying to say.
‘I guess I can let that slide… the fact they bloody tried that one and I naively fell for it,’ he laughed slyly and coughed. ‘But on a different note, I’ll sort out that oversight with O’Donnell then Ok?’
It was delivered as if he were offering to do Matt a favour rather than clean up his own mess.
‘And in return I just sit on your past endeavors?’ Matt replied sarcastically. ‘Carry the burden of knowledge on my shoulders, the sick things that you’ve done!’
‘Allegedly done,’ he argued. ‘Anyway there’s no good to come from raking up the past, not for me and certainly not for Sheila or the girls. Let’s just leave it where it is,’ he insisted. ‘Can we do that?’
‘Come through on the deal and we’ll see, but I can’t promise they’ll never know!’
Matt rose from the table and looked at his watch; time was creeping by in company he despised. Suzy would be waiting for him to return home, to offer comfort of the sort he most definitely needed but wouldn’t receive anywhere else.
‘By the way, what were you celebrating?’ he asked as an afterthought.
Billy confessed the sad news that his business partner had been found dead that very morning, leaving him free to expand the business in any way that he saw fit without having to run it past anyone first.
‘I expect the old bill will be watching you closely from now on then, that’ll hinder your movements somewhat!’ He walked away from the table not bothering to extend the courtesy of a farewell, he could tell from Billy’s reaction he hadn’t even considered that he would be deemed a suspect or at the very least a person of interest.
Cyrus approached the table with a fresh round of drinks, due fully paid for. He placed them down and cleared a space, moving the empties and dregs to another table while Billy sat transfixed and deep in thought.
‘Everything Ok?’ Cyrus asked taking a seat opposite him.
‘Nah, he’s taking a fuckin liberty that one, I think I’m going to need to take him down a peg or two. I assume you’re Ok with that?’ he asked acknowledging the drink.
‘Sure Billy, sure,’ he replied masking his hesitance.
Chapter Nine
The information had been eating him up; despit
e the huge alcohol consumption Billy had tossed and turned all night long. Betrayal was something that he found hard to accept, the more he thought about his every movement being reported to a third party the angrier he got.
Allowing himself time to think, he had suppressed his first inclination and held back the unavoidable confrontation until the cold light of another day before acting on his desires.
Cyrus was his oldest friend, he had no reason that he knew of to treat him in such a way. Although Cyrus was the first to admit that he was a different man since their glory days the notion of him becoming a turncoat, a grass without good reason was hard to swallow.
The unit was proving to be a worthwhile investment of late, providing a sanctuary to conduct business sheltered from unwanted observation. Although now he had reason to suspect its location no longer remained as discreet as he would have liked.
Desolate units, empty shells that previously provided vital trades and services to the local population sat empty. Hourly patrols at regular intervals were for the most part the only people that came within earshot of the place.
Cyrus, as gullible and naïve as he had become over the years followed his instructions in blind ignorance to what he had in mind.
‘Park up and meet me inside, I’ve got something I need to discuss with you,’ Billy told him climbing out of the car before it ground to a halt.
‘Sure thing,’ he replied. He turned off the engine and yanked the handbrake up, then pressed the button to close the electric windows.
Billy’s head was thumping, a combination of the whisky from the night before and the troubles that plagued his mind. He took the pot of aspirin from the draw and popped the lid off emptying more than was good for him down his throat. He washed them down with the Costa coffee he had picked up on the way.
The door shut and in walked Cyrus, the small amount of natural light that had flowed through disappeared leaving only a small table lamp to light the darkness.
Cyrus placed his hand over the mains electric switch located on the wall. ‘You want me to turn it on Billy?’
