by Sam Fintz
When the dinner was over the guests went into the large drawing room. Malcolm was in one corner having a private talk with the PM. The others were enjoying expensive cognac and cigars. This evening was a huge success. Besides what Malcolm had pledged, there was a lot more coming from the government as well.
Once the evening was over and the guests had left, Malcolm and Aiden retired to the small sitting room off Malcolm’s home office while the staff cleared up.
“Are you staying tonight?” Malcolm asked Aiden.
“No Dad. Sorry. I am meeting some mates later,” he told his father.
“Isn’t it a bit late? Or is it none of my business?” he asked.
“No Dad its ok. We are meeting at The Apothecary Bar and it only really gets going late. You know the one? I bought it recently,” Aiden asked him.
“Yeah, I know it. Still don’t know why you bought it,” Malcolm said.
“Because I can,” Aiden told him.
Laughing, Malcolm said: “Why else would you buy anything, right?”
“Right! Anyway, I better go. Don’t worry I am not driving. Jason is coming to get me. We will drop the car at the apartment and grab a cab over,” Aiden told him.
“When are you two getting married then?” Malcolm asked him jokingly.
“Dad! Honestly, not you too!” Aiden said feigning shock.
“Just kidding son. You two are close I know and that’s fine. I am glad you have such a good mate especially since I am away so much.”
“Thanks Dad see you soon,” Aiden said and kissing him on the cheek he left. When he got outside Jason had just pulled into the long driveway.
He hopped into the small sports car and they drove off.
“How was your day?” Jason asked.
“Good thanks. The dinner was spectacular as usual, and I also had lunch with Mike Chalmers and the barrister. Apparently, I have nothing to worry about. I can’t go into details for obvious reasons but suffice to say it will all be over really quickly,” Aiden told Jason as they sped along the M56 on their way into the city.
“I am relieved. I knew it would be fine. I just wanted to hear it for sure. I will be there as well to support you,” Jason told him.
“Thanks mate, I know I can depend on you,” Aiden told him. “Listen, when we drop your car off let’s go upstairs first. I need you to take care of something for me,” Aiden said. He didn’t need to elaborate. Jason knew what he meant.
Chapter 58
Andries Smit had received a call from Mike on his secure mobile. He had been given the go-ahead with the witnesses. Mike had also thanked him for being so thorough with the computer matter and the hard drive had arrived and was now safely stored away.
Andries woke up early that day and showered and shaved. He would deal with Holmes first. He went down to his cellar and opened the safe where he got his small Ruger. He had managed to smuggle the gun in with some other personal effects he had brought over from South Africa. He had been given this by his father because it was easy to conceal but still did the job. He also pulled out a large bag of powder that looked like heroin. Because he despised drugs, the powder wasn’t real heroin. It was talc coloured to look like heroin. He also got out a little case that contained drug paraphernalia as well as a small bag of the fake powder and put it all in his bag along with the Ruger. He also got a wad of cash that Mike had given him to use for his jobs. He would need some for today and some for Anne. He had already befriended her after pretending to bump into her at Asda one afternoon. He had led her to believe there was something between them even though he hadn’t even as much as kissed her. She was gullible because she was so lonely. So when he would suggest they go away somewhere but they would have to travel separately, he knew she would try and resist but in the end he would get her to comply. Women never said no to him. Something about his looks and that accent everyone loved made him irresistible. He also used sex to his advantage. The deviant queer cross dresser will need to disappear for a while as well. He was too unstable to have anywhere near the trial. Andries knew a guy in Spain who had a nightclub in Benidorm and he owed Andries a favour. He had spoken to him and he would give Keith Barras a fake job. Barras hadn’t had a gig in years because of his drinking. His poor choice of costume also didn’t help matters. He knew Keith would jump at it. Everything was falling into place so far.
He left his house and walked around to David Holmes’s block of flats. It was a grotty place above a shop and there was an entrance buzzer for access. He knew that Holmes lived in Flat 4 on the first floor. He didn’t want to alert him, so he buzzed the other flats. A couple of people answered but one person, who clearly wasn’t very security conscious, buzzed him in without asking who was there.
He quietly made his way up to Flat 4 and knocked on the door. When David answered the door, Andries told him he was from the housing association and asked if he could come in. Without waiting for an answer, he stepped into the dingy flat and closed the door. David was forced to step back.
“What you think you doin’?” David asked him.
“It’s ok just relax, I need to ask you a few questions,” he told him. “Let’s sit down and chat.” From the state of the place Andries didn’t really want to sit down. “Can I get a glass of water first, please?” he asked.
“Yeah sure mate, but what’s this about?” David asked. He was clearly a bit shaken.
“Water first Mr Holmes. Then we talk, ok,” Andries told him.
David left the room and as soon as he was alone Andries went over to the filthy red sofa. He lifted a cushion and placed the bag of fake heroin and the little paraphernalia case into the crack at the back of the sofa. He quickly put the cushion back and stood back up. When David got back, Andries was standing by the window. He handed Andries the glass of water. His hand was trembling. Andries put it down on the windowsill. He had no intention of drinking anything in this shithole. He turned to David and said: “I understand you saw something you have been telling the cops about.”
“All I been saying was about some rich lad who crashed his fancy car into some poor sod and killed him. What’s wrong with that?” David asked.
“Nothing, except the rich lad is a mate of mine. How about you get amnesia, Mr Holmes?” Andries asked producing a small bundle of cash.
David’s eyes lit up at the sight of so much money, but he said defiantly: “I am not for sale.”
“You see I think you are, Mr Holmes. Everybody is. Now think hard about this. I also have friends in the police and from what I have heard you don’t want them sniffing around here, do you?” Andries told him.
“No, I don’t, you’re right there. What would I have to do?” David asked worriedly.
“In exchange for this £1000 you will need to disappear for a few days at the time of the trial. You will also need to not remember anything from that night. You will say you were high. If you do that you will also get another £1000 when it is all done,” Andries told him.
“And if I don’t?” he asked trying to sound brave but failing miserably.
“There is no “if you don’t”. That scenario involves police and prison and fuck all money. I am sure you know what happens to informants in jail,” Andries told him.
“Ok, fine I will do it. Where do I disappear to?” he asked, his defiance gone.
“I am sure you can find some hole to crawl into for a few days,” Andries told him. “In the meantime, stay low, don’t make anyone suspicious and don’t splash the cash. People talk. You will have lots of time to spend it later. I will be in touch.”
Andries left David and quickly left the building. He had planted the fake heroin and he knew it would never be found by David. He really wasn’t one to clean his house, so he wasn’t likely to be looking down the back of the sofa. When he was far enough away from David’s flat, he called his friend at the police to tip him off about the heroin in the flat. He gave him the details and his friend thanked him and hung up. The plan was that the police would pick Da
vid up and pretend they were going to charge him for drug dealing. They would take him to Andries who would tell him that for his complete silence, he would make sure the drug charge against him went away. He already knew that if he ended up in prison again, he wouldn’t make it out of there. Especially since Andries had already told him that he would be seen as a snitch.
Chapter 59
The next morning a police car pulled up outside David Holmes’s block of flats. From where Andries was standing across the road, he could see his friend and another “friendly” policeman enter the building. They went straight up to Flat 4.
The two policemen knocked loudly on David’s door. He took a while to come to the door. He opened it and it was clear he had just woken up.
“Yes, what do you want?” he asked the two policemen standing in front of him. They didn’t bother answering and just pushed their way in causing him to stumble backwards. The one policeman closed the door and they walked over to where David was just getting up off the floor.
“What you playing at?” he shouted at them.
“Mr Holmes, we have information that you are dealing heroin from these premises,” the bigger of the two policemen told him.
“You what? I don’t do that anymore!” he pleaded.
“Let’s have a quick look around then shall we?” the bigger cop asked the other one. In no time at all they had found the stash. It wasn’t that difficult. Andries had told them where he had put it.
“What do you say about this, Mr Holmes?” the big cop asked.
“I don’t know how that got there! I swear it!” David cried.
“It doesn’t look that way to us,” he told him. “This much heroin, you will be looking at a long stretch.”
“Please, I can’t go back there. What can I do? I know things. I can tell you stuff. There was this bloke came here. He threatened me. I can tell you about him. He’s got something to do with that accident where that fella was killed. He’s the one put that there. Please you have to believe me!” David told them desperately.
“Why would we believe a junkie like you?” the big cop asked.
“Please. I’m not lying. Honest! But if I help you I will need protection. He scares me!” David told him.
“Ok Mr Holmes. Here’s how it will go. In return for this information, we can protect you. But you will have to come with us. We will go to a safe place and you can tell us what you know. It’s too dangerous for you here. All right?” the big cop asked.
“Yes, yes, of course. Anything. Thank you,” David told them, his voice all shaky.
“We will need to cuff you to make it real, in case he is watching,” the big cop told him. David held out his wrists and the other cop cuffed him.
“Right let’s go,” the big cop said. He placed all the stuff he had ‘found’ into an evidence bag and the three men left the flat. The cops put him in the back of the unmarked BMW and drove off. They drove him in a roundabout way to a lock-up garage. They got him out and took him inside.
The large garage was almost empty. There was a door to the back where the toilet and a small office were. Next to the door was a metal table and the big cop put the evidence bag on the table. He told David to sit on the metal chair in the middle of the room and he uncuffed him. He had his back to the office.
“Right, Mr Holmes. What’s this information you have for us?” the big cop asked.
David told him that this guy with a funny accent had come to his flat and told him he would need to disappear and forget about the accident that had killed someone. As he was finishing his sentence, he heard a noise from behind him. He turned his head and right behind him Andries was standing. He had retrieved the pouch with the syringe and he was standing with it in his hand. He also had the small bag of powder which he was waving at David.
“What’s he doing here?” David asked. His brow was suddenly wet with sweat. The plan was working.
“Mr Holmes, we meet again,” Andries said. “What was it I told you about talking to anyone?” he asked menacingly.
“I’m sorry. Please, don’t make me go to jail. I will die there,” he pleaded.
“Would you like me to give you a shot of this?” Andries asked, holding the bag close to David’s face.
“No, no. I wouldn’t. I promise I won’t say anything. I promise!” he wailed.
“Remember Mr Holmes, I see everything, and I know everything. One more time and it will not end well for you. That I promise, believe me,” Andries told David.
“Yes, I can see that,” David said.
The two cops were just standing looking at Andries at work. The big cop was impressed at how he got his way. He was so calm it almost scared him.
“You can go now Mr Holmes,” Andries told him. “But remember what I said and remember, I don’t make idle threats.”
“I understand. I promise you I won’t say anything. Really I won’t,” David told him. He had been sweating profusely and his shirt was soaked. There was a smell of sweat and fear that was filling the large space. Andries couldn’t wait for him to go.
“I will be in touch about the balance of the money. But only if you behave,” Andries told him.
David just nodded repeatedly, and the big cop opened the garage door and let him out.
With David gone, Andries gave the cops their cut.
“That guy was scared,” Andries told them.
“Yeah, he was, could smell it on him and all,” the one cop said. “We had better go before the governor starts looking for us. Call us if you need us to speak to him again,” he said to Andries and they left.
Andries tidied himself up a bit and put the evidence bag and the case with the paraphernalia in a lockable metal cabinet in the office and left. He was off to the Gay Village where he had arranged to meet Keith Barras. He had told Keith that he had some amazing news for him and he should be ready to have his life changed. He could tell from the excitement in Keith’s voice that he wasn’t going to be nearly as hard to convince as David Holmes was.
On his way over he called Anne Parfitt and asked if they could meet for a drink later. He told her he had something important to ask her. She was also so excited and said that he should come to her flat off Wilbraham Road. He told her he would be there by 7. She said she would cook something for them. The thought turned his stomach, she was one of those vegetarians and she didn’t really drink.
Chapter 60
When Andries got to Via on Canal Street, Keith Barras was waiting for him at one of the tables at the back. It was obvious he had been there a while. He was dressed in some chintzy frock that would have looked better on a 70’s sofa. He wore sensible shoes that he had stuffed his big feet into. He had chosen a red wig for some reason best known to himself. There was a young lad talking to him who was covered in tattoos. He got up and left them alone as soon as Andries sat down. He offered Keith another drink and went to get them at the bar, making sure he kept his bag close to his side. He didn’t trust these deviants as far as he could see them. They all had an agenda and he wasn’t going to let them get near him or his bag.
When he sat down with a gin and tonic for Keith and a bottle of beer for himself (he didn’t trust their glasses either), he looked at Keith who was clearly full of excitement.
“So, what’s this life-changing news Martin?” he asked. Andries had told him his name was Martin Steyn, a name he used as an alias in such situations and that was completely fake.
“I have a gig for you!” Andries told him.
“You have? What is it, where is it, is it here in the Village or better is it in Londres?” Keith asked excitedly.
“I have a friend in Benidorm who is crying out for someone like you. He is desperate and needs you straight away. I told him all about you and how funny you are. He is even prepared to pay your travel and accommodation,” Andries told him, noticing immediately that his expression had changed from hope to disappointment in a heartbeat. He knew that it was because the penny had just dropped. He had agreed t
o be a witness.
“What’s wrong man? I thought you would be excited,” Andries said.
“Oh Martin, darling I am. But I have this thing. I promised to be a witness for the police and it means I can’t go,” Keith said, clearly almost moved to tears.
“Really? Come on man, forget that. They will have lots of people lined up. Go and chase your dreams. This guy has even told me to give you an advance to seal the deal. I have it here, look,” he said and produced a wad of 50’s.
“Oh, I don’t know what to do. Should I call them and ask?” Keith asked.
“No don’t. They will just talk shit to you and threaten you. You know how those cunts are. Just go. I will get your ticket for you and he will reimburse me later. Come on man, this is your last opportunity to make a comeback and what better place than there, hey?” Andries asked, smiling at him. “And anyway, that guy is dead, you are still alive, so live your life!” he added.
“Ok, ok, you’ve convinced me you sweet man. I will go home and prepare. When will I get the details?” he asked Andries.
“I will ring you tomorrow to confirm when you are going, I have your number. I will bring your ticket when I see you. Keith, make sure you don’t tell anyone. We don’t want to jinx it, hey,” Andries said.
“No, I won’t tell anyone. I am going to go and buy a bottle of vodka and go home. What about my flat? Oh, what do I care? I will sort it out later,” he told Andries.
The two of them left the bar with people nodding and clearly gossiping. As if I would, Andries thought to himself. He was however pleased that Keith had taken the bait.
When they had parted company Andries called his mate in Benidorm to tell him the news. He would be giving him more money than he made in six months, so he didn’t care that Candy O’Toole wasn’t going to bring in the punters. The plan was that she would headline there until the trial was over and then would be sent packing due to falling numbers. They would blame it on unseasonably bad weather. He would be put up at a B&B run by the owner of the club. Keith would be too embarrassed to tell anyone he was a flop again and would go back to his miserable life in Manchester without telling the real reason he was back. At least he would have some money in his pocket. He had arranged that Keith would get a couple of thousand Euros after his first show. Andries secretly hoped he would finally drink himself to death and that would be that. He then booked the ticket with Charlotte at Mike’s office. Charlotte booked tickets under a guise, so they couldn’t be traced back to them, for obvious reasons. Keith would be able to pick up his ticket at check in. Andries knew that Keith had cost a little more to get rid of, but these deviants didn’t come cheap.
