It was all ruined. All of it. Books, newspaper clippings the announcement of Rebecca s birth, the article on her when she won silver at the Oldcastle Highland Games when she was six, the little piece about Katie and some other kids appearing in the school panto Nothing more than grimy papier-m ch.
The council were right: not fit for human habitation.
The fat man behind the counter smiled. White shirt fraying at the cuffs, maroon waistcoat stained with dollops of brown and red, small round glasses, comb-over greased flat across a wide shiny scalp.
Ah, Mr Henderson, and what brings you to my emporium of delight this fine day?
Little Mike s Pawnshop smelled of dust and mildew, with a lingering undercurrent of stale cigar smoke. The walls were lined with shelves packed with other people s possessions: everything from electric guitars to vacuum cleaners, with a line of washing machines and flat-screen TVs down the middle. The counter was glass-fronted, full of rings and watches that sparkled in the dim lighting.
An old-fashioned glory hole in both senses of the word: it was full of random crap, and you knew you were going to get screwed.
I dumped the Waitrose carrier-bag on the countertop. How much?
He shook his head. And there was me thinking you d come in to redeem one of your priceless family heirlooms.
How much?
A sigh. He reached into the bag and pulled out Ethan s watches, rings, necklaces, and a couple of iPods. Ah Not your usual items, Mr Henderson He wiped his chubby fingers on his waistcoat. Tell me, how warm are these? Will one of your colleagues be paying me a visit in the not too distant future, miraculously find these items, and infer some wrongdoing on my part?
They re not hot. I just don t need them any more.
You don t need a steel Rolex?
How much?
How much, How much, like a broken record. He pulled out a jeweller s eyeglass and popped it in, scrunching his face around it as he peered at each item in turn.
Well?
Patience is a virtue, Mr Henderson. More scrunching and peering.
I settled against the counter, looking down at the array of engagement rings. Big sparkly ones, little sparkly ones, all with a price tag attached. Probably came from Argos. All those hopes and dreams for the future, ruined and up for sale in a manky little shop in a manky little shopping centre, in manky old Kingsmeath.
Mike settled back in his creaky chair. Two thousand.
Four.
Two.
Three and a half.
Mr Henderson, much though I trust you implicitly, I have my reputation to consider. My livelihood depends on my clients seeing me as an honest and upright man. These items make me nervous.
Three then. The Rolex is worth that on its own.
He puffed out his cheeks and frowned up at the ceiling. Two and a half, and that s my final offer. But I m not a heartless man, Mr Henderson He swivelled his seat around and hunched over, muttering to himself. Click, click, click, click, whirrrrrrrrr an old-fashioned safe tumbler being spun back and forth then a clunk, and then more muttering.
When Mike turned back he was holding a wad of notes and a small purple velvet box. He counted out two thousand five hundred pounds in twenties on the countertop, then placed the little box carefully on top of it. With my compliments.
I parked Ethan s Merc in the RESIDENTS ONLY section. Be a shame to sell it. Been years since I d driven something that wasn t falling apart But needs must.
I popped the boot and hauled out the three heavy black plastic bin-bags. My fingers ached as I carried them to the building s entrance. Before the development boom in Logansferry it was a warehouse for machine parts. Now it was luxury apartments with onsite shopping.
Through the double doors and out of the rain. The atrium was big enough to boast its own patch of manicured woodland, yellow-brick trails winding across it, surrounded by empty
shopping units with dusty To Let! signs in the windows. Half the apartments were still up for sale too: FREE CARPETS AND WHITE GOODS! 20,000 OFF YOUR NEW HOME! PART EXCHANGE AVAILABLE!
My phone rang. I let it.
Dumped the bin-bags on the floor of the lift, then pressed the button for the fourth floor.
No reply, so I rang the bell again. Checked my watch: coming up to twenty past ten. She d be awake by now, surely. A muffled rattle and a clunk.
Who is it? A woman s voice, slightly high-pitched, trembling.
Kimberly? It s Ash.
Pause. Some mumbling.
Go away.
No.
Another pause. More mumbling.
She doesn t want to see you.
Kimberly, stop dicking about and open the door, OK? I m having a crappy day already, I don t need this.
A clunk, then the door swung open, and there was Susanne in a pink fluffy dressing gown, one hand on her hip, the other waving a finger in my face. You ve got a lot of bloody nerve! She was wearing sunglasses, a stain of purple and blue spreading out from behind the dark lenses. Another bruise on her chin, lips swollen and cracked on one side.
I dropped my bin-bags. What happened?
What happened? You happened. The finger stopped wagging and started poking. You and your bloody debts!
I stared at her. Who was it?
I don t know. Some ugly little troll and his big ginger sidekick. They said I had to give you a message.
Did the wee one sound like he d swallowed a dictionary? Joseph and Francis. I ll bloody kill him.
Susanne hauled open the front of her dressing gown. Bruises covered most of her stomach, disappearing into her fleecy pyjama bottoms and crop top. How am I supposed to dance like this?
I curled my hands into fists. What was the message?
She howched and spat in my face, then slammed the door in it too. Her voice boomed from inside. And you re fucking dumped!
And you re sure we can t put you in a new car today? The salesman pulled on a shark s tooth smile. It went with the shiny grey suit.
Positive. I pocketed the envelope with the cash in it and walked off the car lot, taking my heavy bin-bags with me.
Rhona leaned back against the bonnet of her Vauxhall, waiting for me. You want to throw those in the boot?
She popped it open and I dumped the bags inside.
Let me guess body parts?
Sodden clothes. Everything else in the house is ruined.
Ooh. She clunked the boot shut again. Susanne not wash them for you?
We re not No.
Rhona sucked her teeth for a moment, then got in behind the wheel.
Meh, you were always too good for her. That mean you ve got nowhere to crash tonight?
Well, there was no way I d be going back home. Yeah.
She started the engine as I climbed into the passenger seat.
Then you re staying at mine. I ve got the spare room, and we can chuck your stuff through the washing machine. You like cats, right?
My phone went again DCI Weber.
