"‘You used us,’ I roared at him. ‘And what about Sue? You put her through hell too.’
"‘I know,’ he nodded contritely. ‘And I’m truly sorry. I hadn’t intended there should be quite so much trouble for you two. I knew there would be some, but not so much that it couldn’t be patched up afterwards. But then you did say that you and Sue were breaking up anyway, that you had come to the end of your relationship and that it wasn’t all my fault, didn’t you? So you can’t put it all down to me.’
"‘You don’t get out of it that easily,’ I growled at him. ‘What you put us through was indescribable and unconscionable.’
"‘I know, Gerry, I know, and I’m not trying to get out of it. Still, I don’t suppose I’ll ever see Sue again to apologise. So, if you see her perhaps you could apologise for me?’
"‘Like hell I will,’ I assured him. ‘I wouldn’t even approach the subject with her. I have no reason to suppose she would ever want to speak to me again anyway after what you’ve just told me.’
"‘Stay friends, Gerry,’ he pleaded. ‘I’ve got nothing else left now. I need you as a friend. Please stay friends.’
"I wanted to believe him, Aunt Gwendoline. I wanted to believe in the memory of the Mark I knew. You don’t drop a friend just because he is going through a bad patch, and there was no doubting by this time that he was still going through about as bad a patch as it is possible to find yourself in.
“‘So, you got drunk and annoyed the Craters. What happened then?’ I asked.”
Chapter 47
"‘It wasn’t easy annoying the Craters,’ Mark smiled. ‘I thought that after a couple of nights when I’d made a nuisance of myself, they would have me hauled into their office, let me have my say, then packed me off with a gangster-type warning making it clear that if I persisted they would take me for a swim in the river wearing a concrete overcoat, or something similar. End of story. But it didn’t happen.’
"‘That’s because the Craters had instructed their bouncers to go easy with you,’ I answered.
"‘How do you know that?’ he asked.
"‘Sergeant Chak told me. Apparently, the police have their lines of information too. The Craters told their staff they were to do no more than make sure you didn’t do too much damage to the property, or upset too many of the club’s customers, then slide you quietly out the front door on to the street while they called the constabulary to look after you until you sobered up.’
"‘But why would they do that?’ he persisted.
"‘Because all they wanted was to go back to their quiet life of making their criminal millions. Pressing charges against a drunken Dr Brinsley after they had murdered his wife, with the whole story then becoming headline news all over again, was not consistent with their idea of having a life below the level of the police radar. You were obviously too convincing in your act as an inoffensive drunk. You probably left them thinking that if they ignored you for long enough, then you would eventually get tired and go away on your own accord.’
"‘So that was it,’ he shrugged. ‘I did wonder. It puzzled me as to why they should treat me with such soft hands for so long. In the end, I decided I had no option but to increase my nuisance quotient or whatever you want to call it, which is what I did. I’m afraid it had the effect of stringing out the whole operation for a lot longer than I had originally planned, but I couldn’t stop once I had started. God, I got drunk. All that scotch. I was really ill.’
"‘I know,’ I replied. ‘Sue and I cleaned up most of it.’
"‘I know you did, Gerry, and I say again I am sorry, truly I am. But it did go on a lot longer than I had intended. The bastards wouldn’t react.’
"‘You still haven’t told me why you got drunk on scotch,’ I reminded him. ‘If all you wanted to do was annoy the Craters, you could have got drunk on anything. Why choose scotch when you don’t like it and you know it makes you ill?’
"‘I have told you that,’ he answered. ‘It’s because that’s what the Craters drink. And I had a bit of luck there one night. I had gone into one of their clubs and started to get mellow according to the pattern I had established, and lo and behold but one of my students was working there as a part-time bar tender. He shouldn’t have been, of course, it being against university rules. I pretended I didn’t recognise him but I could see he recognised me. All to the good I thought, because that will get around the university pretty quickly and add to my cover story. Anyway, after a few drinks I started to get fussy about the quality of the scotch he was serving and demanded he find me something special, like something from under the counter. He was cautious about it at first and I saw him catch the eye of the bouncer, but at the same time I suppose he wanted to keep on the right side of his senior lecturer in chemistry who would be marking his papers at the end of the year. So, he pulled out a bottle from under the bar and showed it to me. It tasted just a foul as all the other scotches as far as I was concerned, but I memorised it instantly in spite of having a little trouble with my focus. It was called Glen Cona, a single malt, and if my little journalist friend was right it was the scotch that old man Crater drank. I was elated and nearly smashed the bottle in my excitement, and probably would have done if the bouncer hadn’t intervened.’
"‘But why the focus on the specific brand of whisky that old man Crater drank?’ I asked. ‘Surely it wasn’t that important.’
"‘Ah, yes,’ he replied, and looked down at his empty brandy glass. ‘It was important, and I haven’t quite come to that bit yet.’
“He poured himself another measure of brandy and offered to top up my glass. I waved it away. The night was starting to fade, but I did hope to do some work during the following day.”
Chapter 48
Gerard paused once again to rein in his thoughts and bring them back to order. Aunt Gwendoline too churned the questions in her mind, trying to bring the pieces of the puzzle to a cohesive whole. She could sense it was coming together, but interesting though it had been so far it had still not provided her with an answer to the question foremost in her mind. Susan had smashed sister Alice’s Chatterwood vase so she could break free from a peril that Mark was dragging Gerard into. What she wanted to know was the nature of that peril and how it was going to take three young men and burn them up before their time. Gerard, Mark Brinsley and Gerard’s detective sergeant friend Sergeant Chak. Three men and three flaring stars, and the time was running down to when she would have to know which star was Gerard’s so she could be in position to catch it. She looked over to the aspidistra sitting in a shaft of afternoon sunlight on its corner table.
“By this time, I was barely recognising my old friend Mark anymore,” Gerard continued. “I couldn’t forget all that Sue and I had gone through on his behalf, the looking after him, the caring for him, the picking him up out of the gutters and cleaning up after him. I couldn’t forget the rows we had when I defended him as Sue shouted at me to forget him. And now to be told that his drunkenness was all deliberate on his part, a big act so he could get up the noses of the Craters, it was too much to take in. It looked as though Sue was right all along and that I had just been a blind fool, except that this was Mark. Only it wasn’t. It was someone else I didn’t know, someone who seemed set on a course to God knows where with a determination that ignored everything else around him. Even his grin seemed artificial, forced, with no real humour behind it.”
Aunt Gwendoline felt her heartbeat skip. An added tenseness sprang into Rani’s stance while the image of the young pilot flashed across her mind. She refocussed on her grand-nephew’s words.
"‘I gather you did get to see old man Crater face to face, judging by the way you were dumped out of a passing car and on to our front doorstep late one night,’ I challenged him.
"‘Yes,’ he shrugged with a smile. ‘I did, but not on that evening. I gather they weren’t at the Purple Heaven that night but somewhere else. But it was a good evening. When I woke up in hospital I knew I was getting close to them, t
hat they were finally getting the message that they would have to see me. It didn’t happen that night. They simply got a bit more heavy-handed with me than usual and gave me a good belting in the back alley before delivering me home.’
"‘Sergeant Chak said it was a light dusting,’ I informed him.
"‘He wasn’t on the receiving end of it,’ he countered. ‘The bullies were very good, mostly left my face alone, but didn’t half give my ribs and kidneys a going over. They knew what they were doing and, God, I was sore next morning. Even breathing hurt.’
"‘You still discharged yourself from hospital and went back for more,’ I argued.
"‘I had to, Gerry. I knew I was close and that one more little push and I would be through. And it had to be the next night, so they knew beyond all doubt I was serious and that they would have to see me. So yes, I went back to the Purple Heaven that next night ready to see them.’
"‘The whole scheme sounds totally screwball,’ I snorted. ‘And highly dangerous.’
"‘It was screwball and dangerous,’ he agreed. ‘But that was the beauty of it. It was so unbelievable to them that I, a respectable university lecturer with no criminal connections and not even a speeding ticket to my name, should present them with any physical threat. I was a man who could not cope with the murder of his wife and who had taken the age-old path to the bottle to get over it, and if I didn’t get over it then what was it to them anyway. But in the meantime, I was being a nuisance and insisting in seeing them face to face to give them a few choice words. And since the most aggressive thing I have ever done is argue with a neighbour over where to put the dustbins out on rubbish collection night, then the chances were that, once I had delivered my abuse, I really would go away. And if I did go away, their problem would be solved. And if I didn’t, well, they still had the swim in the river wearing a concrete overcoat as an option. I was impotent as far as they were concerned. They had nothing to lose from giving a broken drunk thirty seconds of their time.’
"‘You had it all worked out, didn’t you?’ I snorted.
“‘Yes, I had it all worked out,’ he fired back angrily. ‘But remember, I was doing it for Janet. For Janet and our baby. They had killed them both and had got away with it, and nobody wanted to know or take any notice. They had “no case to answer”, remember? I couldn’t let Janet go like that. Somebody had to acknowledge that she had existed and that they had killed her. Somebody had to say “sorry”. You bet I had it all worked out.’”
Aunt Gwendoline gripped the armrests of her chair as she felt her heart thump in her chest again. “I’ve got it. I’ve got it all worked out.” That is what the young pilot in his biplane had signalled as he waved his fistful of notes at her before he sped away, a young man with a grin on his face that was not a grin, set on a course with a determination that ignored everything else around him. “Some sort of fog that surrounded Mark and was reaching out to Gerard.” That’s what Miss Susan had said. She forced breath into herself and desperately tried to concentrate. “Help me with this, Mother. I can’t manage this on my own. Help me, our dad.” She heard Rani’s quietly anxious whimpering. Her heartbeat fluttered again then steadied, and she was able to take a deeper breath.
“And did his plan work out?” she panted.
“That’s exactly what I asked him,” Gerard continued.
Chapter 49
"‘Is that how it happened?’ I asked.
"‘In part,’ Mark sighed, calming down a bit. ’I went to the Purple Heaven that night and I sensed there was something up straight away. I was expecting to have to argue with the bouncer on the door to let me in but he hesitated only briefly, blocking my way for only a second before waving me through. No doubt the message went upstairs fairly quickly that I was on the premises.
"I had a couple of whiskies at the bar and had just ordered my third when I became aware of two hoodlums just behind me.
"‘Good evening, gentlemen,’ I greeted them, raising my glass to my lips.
"I hadn’t caused any trouble up to that point but I could see immediately that these two new heavies were not the ordinary front of house security. These were real commandos. I hadn’t heard them coming up behind me and I was fairly certain that if they had wanted me not to see them I wouldn’t have known anything more that night or forever. They were truly terrifying.
"They waited until I had finished my drink then moved in close behind me. One of them said very quietly, ‘Come this way, sir. Mr Crater would like to see you.’
“I wasn’t given any option and was literally frogmarched between them out through a discreet door behind the bar and up a flight of stairs without my feet touching a single step. They were really big blokes. There was no way I could have resisted even if I had not had the”light dusting" the night before.
"We stopped at the end of a short corridor in front of a solid door and I was frisked, my wallet checked and replaced inside my jacket, and the bottle of whisky I was carrying removed from my overcoat pocket. One of the minders then knocked shortly on the door and it was opened by George Crater. The minder handed him my bottle of whisky then they both marched me into the office. They stood me in the middle of the carpet, turned and closed the door behind them as they left. I was rather dishevelled and the three whiskies I had drunk were beginning to make me sway a bit, so I don’t doubt I presented as a clean shaven but slightly scruffy and rather sorry sight. George Crater looked at my bottle of whisky, grinned and showed it to Billy.
"‘What’s this?’ said Billy taking it from his younger brother and grinning broadly himself.
"‘Just put it on the desk, Billy,’ ordered Frank who did not move from his chair.
"Billy obeyed instantly. All four of them were there. The old man was behind the desk. I had not seen him before but he sat very dignified, old, silver haired and the picture of a gentle grandfather letting the world pass him by in the twilight of his life. I know stereotypes are difficult to avoid but anyone looking less like a ferocious gangster was impossible to imagine. Under other circumstances, you could almost see him covered in grandchildren, telling them stories while holding them gently on his knees. He was just the sort of person you could talk to, open your heart to and receive a comforting and understanding pat on the hand when you had finished. Maybe under other circumstance that is exactly what he would have been, but then it might just have been the whisky going through me that made me think like that. But throughout the whole meeting, he didn’t utter a word. He didn’t appear to move apart from the occasional blink. He certainly didn’t say anything, even though it was him I mostly addressed when I spoke. It was Frank who did the talking.
"‘Well, you’re here,’ Frank began, with just enough threat in his tone to let me know that this was not social.
"He stood up and walked towards me.
"‘You’ve caused enough nuisance to get yourself in here,’ he said. ‘You’ve drunk to excess, on more than one occasion you’ve upset some of our most highly regarded guests and you’ve caused not a small amount of material damage. So now you’re here. You’ve said you have something to say to us so say your piece.’
"I swayed a bit and tried to gather my thoughts. The three whiskies I had consumed downstairs were beginning to have their full effect.
"‘Well?’ prompted Frank.
"‘You, you killed my wife,’ I stammered out.
"‘That is a slander, Dr Brinsley,’ he cut in immediately. ‘And there are laws in this country against slander. You could find yourself in serious trouble if you go around saying things like that.’
"I tried to focus a bit more.
"‘Not you, Mr Crater,’ I slurred at him. ‘Not you. Nor you, Mr Crater, sir,’ I addressed the old man. ‘No, sir, not you. But your two boys here…’
"I saw Billy tense and George tense. I spoke quickly.
"‘These two here, Mr Crater, sir. Your two boys, Billy and George, they did it.’
"‘Watch it,’ threatened Billy.
"�
�They did it, Mr Crater, sir. I have no quarrel with you, sir, but you must know what your two boys did.’
"‘Shut him up,’ shouted Billy.
"‘Yeah, shut him up,’ echoed George.
"‘Dr Brinsley,’ interrupted Frank sharply. ‘As I said before that is a slander and there are strict laws about slander in this country. You should be very careful about repeating it. As you well know there was an allegation against my two brothers, William and George, involving the unfortunate and regrettably unsolved death of your wife. But the evidence was brought to court and duly considered and the court found that evidence to be invalid. As a result, the court ruled that my two brothers here have no case to answer. That was the verdict. They have no case to answer. Now as far as we are concerned that is the end of the matter. They had nothing to do with it.’
"‘But their DNA and footprints…’ I attempted.
"‘Were all reviewed by minds far less addled than yours, Dr Brinsley,’ Frank finished for me.
"‘Yeah, less addled,’ giggled George.
“‘And they found on sober review…’ continued Frank. He emphasised the”sober" and George giggled again. ‘…That my brothers were not involved. So that is an end to it.’
"‘But they were there…’ I tried again.
"‘Oh, for Christ’s sake, shut him up,’ snapped Billy impatiently. ‘He’s just a snivelling drunk. Get rid of him.’
"‘Yeah,’ chimed in George. ‘Kick him in and get rid of him.’
"The old man never stirred and I was beginning to wonder whether or not he was capable of moving.
"‘I need a drink,’ I muttered.
“I made a lunge for my whisky bottle that was sitting on the desk. I heard George yell,”Watch him!“, and then I was face down on the carpet with Billy’s knee leaning heavily into my bruised kidneys. I heard Frank shout”Billy!", which I presume saved me from the killer blow. I was in such agony I couldn’t have stopped it if it had been aimed.
Skyfire Page 18
