by Carl Hancock
‘Evening Teddy, I assume you’re well?’ Niceties for the purpose of pretence were a means to an end in the business they shared, disputes were par for the course and nearly almost resolved without bloodshed.
O’Donnell smiled. ‘I could spend all night talking about my ailments young man but I fear we all have to get old and maybe one day you’ll find out for yourself what it’s like, if you’re lucky enough to reach my age that is.’
The nondescript reminder that all was not well between them, the insinuation that he may not reach retirement age was not a loosely discarded comment meant for the fiction genre, when spoke by a man like O’Donnell it was more suited for Nostradamus and his predictions. It was not to be so easily dismissed, heed the warning and rectify the error was the best advice to take sooner rather than later.
‘Down to business then,’ Matt said. He followed the troupe along a corridor and into a well presented room, the location of the meet had been changed last minute and was now situated above a row of shops that O’Donnell had a stake in. A turf accountants, café and beauty salon lay beneath their feet, the as yet empty flats above them being refurbished with top notch fittings and fixtures to maximize their end rental revenue. On a forced break the workmen had left the building leaving the premises secure from any prying eyes or ears.
O’Donnell had always been a well protected man, although he was followed everywhere by his loyal henchmen it was more than physical harm he was out of reach from. It was rumoured he had men on the take on all levels in all departments of law enforcement and customs giving him the nod to any investigation into his activities or even a heads up to any shipment coming across the counties that may have been of any interest to him. Matt’s first thought for a fleeting moment when hearing about the stolen consignment had been O’Donnell knocking it himself just to get him over a barrel, but he soon passed that notion over.
‘Have you forgotten something Matthew?’ O’Donnell indicated to his men to leave the room, a small box room at the front of the flat overlooking the busy high street. Aimed to attract pedestrians it lacked vehicular access from the front and limited parking and loading at the rear. Matt was left alone to discuss the delicate matters and hoped to hold the key to solving their increasing dispute before it gained momentum.
‘The fact that you carry nothing with you leads me to believe you do not regard the matter as serious, I wonder how I may impress upon you the urgency in settling the issue.’
‘It’s a lot of cash to be carrying around let alone to get hold of so quickly,’ he replied.
‘You are correct, it is a lot of money,’ he replied swiftly. ‘My money… and your time is nearly up, I assumed when you insisted on meeting that you wished to be done with the matter and complete the transaction not waste both our valuable times.’
‘My money’s going through the wash as we speak, but I called the meet to offer a proposal of sorts, one that could assist us both without the worry of cash liquidation and if handled right a healthy bonus on top of other benefits for us both.’ He could tell he was thinking about it, the chance of extra cash would always influence even the most unbendable people. Greed was and always would be susceptible to manipulation if played right. Regardless of how much someone had, and he knew O’Donnell had plenty, their desire for more was proved by their constant drive and ambition reflected through business. Some people referred to him as a dinosaur behind his back, a brave comment that could easily be perceived as a challenge if the wrong person overheard and relayed the remark back. With more than enough money to retire, to live out the rest of his natural days in a grand fashion he chose to remain where he was with his finger on the pulse simply to retain the power and feed the rage for cash.
‘Ok Matthew…out of courtesy I’ll hear your suggestion, but only because we have been straight with one another until now.’
It was what he wanted to hear, a recently acquired piece of information that was better served coming from a third party was to be his way to straightening out the problem created by his errant father in-law to be. He explained his idea noting every twitch and tell tale sign that O’Donnell approved of the suggestion, minutes passed during the digestion process until he vocally agreed although attempting to seem reluctant. He wasn’t bothered about any testosterone fuelled face saver, he understood O’Donnell had to be seen to squeeze the point and not so willingly accept an alternative to his own demands and conditions. This was a profitable way out for them both, a good deal for them both with an added bonus of pissing someone off big time.
The time line was put into motion, all details were explained in length before he bid his farewell with a substantial weight lifted from his mind.
Chapter Fifteen
‘Nurse, I’m looking for a Dave Griggs, where is he?’
The hospital ward was bustling with night time activity; fast tracked through A&E they had found themselves pointed toward the major trauma unit.
‘NURSE,’ Matt shouted over the desk.
Suzy pulled on his arm as his actions were drawing attention, flustered and out of breath she had struggled to keep up with him as he had raced through the departments.
‘Calm down, give them time to respond,’ she told him.
He pulled his arm free not wishing to be restricted in any way. ‘They’re just standing there gossiping,’ he accused loud enough for all to hear.
The rounded nurse casually strolled toward the counter, as if accustomed to belligerent members of the public. ‘Yes Sir,’ she sneered. ‘How may I be of assistance?’
It was late, if it wasn’t time sensitive then he would have loved nothing more than to stand there and trade inconspicuous insults. Instead he bit his tongue and repeated his request; she feigned a smile and directed him to the room where his friend had been laid for several hours.
On the bed lay Griggs, his head covered in bandages, tubes plugged into him and a heart monitor confirming every beat.
‘Oh my god Matt, look at him,’ Suzy said in horror putting her hand to her mouth.
Look was all that he could do, powerless to do anything else he placed a comforting arm around her as she wept. The room was devoid of any previous visitors, it was not unexpected yet somehow callous and cold that they should not only be the first but most likely the only people to lend support or care.
‘Why would anyone do this to him,’ she cried.
It was a question he wanted the answer to as well, it was all that he could think about since being awoken with the call. Knowing he had only distant family alive didn’t erase the need for Matt to wonder why he had been chosen as next of kin.
‘The streets are full of mindless thugs, no sense or purpose to why they do these things,’ he replied.
The dark night sky shone their reflections back toward them as they stood opposite the window, only two people holding a bedside vigil for someone, who was basically a good man. Matt pushed her toward a seat; one sat either side of the bed to take the weight off their weary feet. The bright shine of daylight would be out in force again before they ventured from hospital grounds.
‘His head looks so big,’ she commented as she took his hand minding the drips attached.
Reasons for being out unprotected were spinning through his mind, as he was being more cautious of late he assumed he would be too. An opportunist assailant capable of inflicting such amount of damage was too much of a coincidence with everything else that was going on.
Matt took the medical notes from the base of the bed, he shuffled through them without so much as a flicker of recognition to what any of the words meant. Technical jargon that meant nothing to him but were the only thing insuring his friend got exactly the treatment that he needed. Plump pillows held his body upright, his arms lay motionless at his side and typical hospital bed linen covering his modesty were strewn over him.
‘What exactly did they tell you on the phone? Are the Police coming?’ she quizzed.
The thought hadn’t crossed his mind until t
hen. ‘I suppose so yes, as soon as he’s well enough to talk,’ he replied. If Dave had anything of importance to say then he needed to hear it first.
‘Good,’ she said. ‘That’s what we pay our taxes for isn’t it,’ she added.
Shrugging off her blatant attempt at naivety he knew it was simply to ease her upset, she knew full well that they paid very little taxes because of his proficiency with the law.
A bare bedside table more used to boasting fruit or flowers, get well gifts and cards with words of encouragement sat redundant by the side. Moving her leg for comfort Suzy caught the light cabinet jostling it inches backwards. Off the wooden shelf fell a clear plastic bag, it hit the ground with a slight bang, ‘Oh damn it,’ she said infuriated at herself for being so clumsy. She bent down to retrieve it and sat bolt upright to inspect the findings. ‘It looks like somebody’s belongings, a wallet and some keys, loose change, mobile phone etc’ she said.
Matt returned her stare; he then looked at the bag she held out for his attention. ‘Sure does, pass it here,’ he encouraged.
‘What for?’ she replied. ‘You can’t go interfering with it!’
‘It’s probably Dave’s, been left behind in the chaos so I need to know for sure,’ he insisted.
Suzy withdrew her hand as they spoke, unsure of the best course to follow. ‘I don’t know. What if it is his and there’s vital evidence in there?’
‘That’s what concerns me; the last thing we want is the old bill paying too much attention to his contact list, rattling certain people if you get my drift,’ he argued.
Reluctantly she handed the belongings over; nervous she stood to stand watch over the door hoping to give forewarning should any official figures show signs of joining them. Glancing through the glass pane observing the medical staff racing about their duties she hoped he wouldn’t take long to lose interest in amateur investigations.
Matt opened the sealed bag carefully; already admiring the latest handset he was almost certain the items were Dave’s. He rifled through discarding unimportant and insignificant waste, till receipts and cash withdrawal advice notes were plentiful. Opening the wallet he knew for sure as he thumbed his way through the plastic payment cards.
Suzy turned to catch Matt’s quiet acknowledgement. ‘Can you put the stuff away now then, just take the bloody phone if that’s all your concerned with,’ she said.
Switching the phone off he placed it in his pocket and placed the other stuff back inside the bag.
‘Come on Matt, hurry up,’ she demanded drawing his attention. ‘There’s a nurse coming.’ She moved away from the door and back to the seat as he passed the bag back to her for replacing.
The door creaked open and in walked a nurse who apologized for interrupting but needed to do some checks on the patient, Matt noticed something sat on the bed. A book of matches inadvertently excluded from being returned along with the other items. He grabbed them and clenched his fist around them before the nurse could become aware of their presence.
‘It’s Ok, we’ll wait outside,’ Matt said. He stood up and made his way past her toward Suzy, he took her arm and led her away.
‘If your sure Sir,’ the nurse replied preparing her equipment. ‘The Doctor will be along soon if you wish to speak with him.’
‘Thanks,’ he replied leaving the room.
Minutes later the plastic cup laden with dried product fell down from the machine, hot water began to flow onto it breathing new life into the coffee and its powered whitener.
Suzy removed the hot cup careful not to scolder herself in the process and then inserted the correct combination of currency to provide herself with the same.
Matt stood alone in a secluded corner of the corridor; Suzy approached him and placed the two piping hot beverages onto the narrow windowsill to save her fingers from undue suffering.
‘So what was it?’ she asked as he failed to acknowledge her arrival.
‘What?’ he replied dazzlingly as if awoken from a deep sleep.
She nudged him toward her offering as its temperature helped to condensate the glass ‘Whatever you grabbed from the bed, a blind man could have seen it.’
Matt reached into his pocket and took it out again, in the palm of his hand he held it out for Suzy to see.
‘Matches?’ she questioned. ‘Is that all?’
Again her naivety was testimony to her sheltered upbringing, although within a family like hers it was almost impossible to believe. ‘Not just any book of matches though Suzy, think about it will you,’ he urged.
‘The blue moon,’ she said bewildered to his insistence and the relevance.
‘Yes, but the location of it is just around the corner from where he was found,’ he told her.
A door slammed behind them, they turned and noted that the nurse had finished her duties within Dave’s private room, leaving them free to resume their bed sitting at their leisure.
Suzy sipped her coffee and then placed it back next to the one that sat untouched; the white powder insufficiently stirred in was beginning to form in clumps on top.
‘So what, maybe he was out enjoying himself,’ she suggested after a few seconds silence. ‘That is allowed isn’t it?’
Matt nodded out of a sense of duty; he continued to stare out of the window and into the darkness, he bore the weight of what the evidence suggested solely on his own shoulders. Unfortunately for him he had nearly always drawn correct conclusions long before anyone else had even begun to suspect that there was more than first perceived. He sipped his coffee and put the suspicion behind him, for now at least he would leave the question unanswered. Why was Dave, his friend have been frequenting a gay bar at all let alone prior to the attack?
Hours passed and the light began to emerge through the windows, the police had come and gone. Doctors had duly passed thru reluctant to confirm or deny the extent of Dave’s injuries despite many attempts to coerce them otherwise. The only words that they seemed able to say with any certainty were that it was too early to say.
‘You look tired Suzy, why don’t you go home for a while and I’ll let you know if anything happens,’ he suggested having witnessed her involuntarily yawning for the umpteenth time.
Her eyes and face confirmed his assumption; she couldn’t argue or deny that he was correct. Looking in the mirror she was surprised and embarrassed to see the extent of her weary upset features. So unrecognizable was her reflection that she almost doubted what the mirror showed her and thought that someone unfortunate sat in her place. Understandably with the frantic manner in which she was forced from her slumber, the lack of makeup that usually left her feeling less than adequate to face the world had combined with lack of rest to create a picture that she did not relish.
‘I don’t really want to,’ she admitted. ‘But maybe I should. If you’re sure you don’t mind?’
Matt shook his head. ‘Of course not, then maybe when you come back I can slip off for a bit,’ he suggested. Her acceptance suited an ulterior motive as well as his genuine concern for her well being. Her lack of concentration and responsiveness to her surroundings and those within them had presented him a window of opportunity to discuss sensitive issues with privacy. In her sleepiness she had missed several signs that he had not, although only slight finger twitches on Dave’s right hand he knew it was a good sign.
Left alone he knew it was just a matter of time before his friend regained consciousness and shared his memories no matter how great or small, or relevant they may seem.
Another hour passed, he sat willing him silently to stir, to give another indication that he may soon be able to talk. Matt stood up; he paced the room to stretch his legs and ran his fingers through his hair in desperation. Time was getting on; the day was beginning outside for others just like any other ordinary day. Business deals were being concluded and fresh ventures undertaken, he needed to be other places but was torn between loyalties.
‘Matt, is that you?’ a voice croaked from behind.
Spinning around he shot a look toward the bed where Dave lay, his eyes half open in a delirious morphine induced state.
‘W….water,’ he muttered with a dry throat.
Matt rushed across eagerly to fulfil his request; he poured a small glass of room temperature refreshment and placed it to his lips as he struggled to take a sip.
‘It’s Ok mate,’ he said. ‘Take it slowly there’s no rush.’ Patiently he waited, taking the hint when sufficient swigs had been swallowed and removed the glass from his lips.
Dazed and confused Dave glanced around the room, his limited head movements closely observed by his companion.
‘You’re in hospital Dave,’ he told him hoping he didn’t sound like an idiot for stating the obvious.
Dave acknowledged via a whim, an uncontrollable convulsion due to pain followed until the pain relief numbed the inflicted area and the feeling passed. His head flopped to the side; the right side of his face lay against the pillow with a view toward the window and away from Matt.
Matt held the side bars of the bed; the metal barriers to prevent accidental falling should the patient turn over provided relief for him as he gripped them tightly. Choosing his words and timing to limit further duress was of paramount importance, even he with his limited medical knowledge knew he should seek at the very least a nurse to alert them to his awakening. Time was a luxury he felt out of his reach; with many things to be getting on with he now needed to add retribution to the list. ‘Do you remember anything about the attack mate?’
‘I can’t feel my legs,’ Dave replied a minute later.
It sounded to him like his question had been purposely ignored, skipped and bypassed intentionally although perhaps understandably in respect of the situation.
‘Why can’t I feel my legs Matt?’ he asked turning to look directly at him.
The swollen face that looked at him for answers showed signs of defeat, in his eyes were an emptiness that he had never seen before. He couldn’t bring himself to push any further, not just then. Revenge and payback would have to wait until he was ready to talk without prompting.
