face as she struggled for breath. She fell to her knees gasping.
‘Now get your saggy fucking arse over with the rest of them where I can keep an eye on you.’
Molly struggled to her feet holding her face and shuffled over. They were standing in front of the larger of the two stills. Adam could feel the heat coming from it and smell the raw spirit in the air. He was starting to feel his feet again in his frozen shoes. His heart was bursting in his chest. He instinctively went for his watch then remembered it was broken.
Grant stood a few feet away, pointing the pistol. He had an ugly smile on his face, his eyes shifting between the four of them.
This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. Serenity fucking now.
Molly had recovered and was glaring at Joe. ‘Look…’
‘Shut up,’ said Joe. He walked over to a beaten-up wooden table and chairs in the corner and slumped in a seat. The table was covered in junk — oily bits of machinery, plastic and glass bottles, petrol canisters, sheets of paper and strips of cloth. Joe lifted one of the canisters, unscrewed the lid and took a swig. He put the lid back on.
‘Heads up, Grantie.’
He flung the canister in Grant’s direction. Grant fumbled as he tried to catch it with one hand while also keeping an eye on the captives. He picked the canister up, dusted it off and took a big hit. His eyes widened and he puffed out his cheeks, then he screwed the lid back on and dropped it.
‘Joe…’ said Molly.
Grant stepped close to Molly and punched her in the belly.
‘He said shut up,’ he said, edging backwards and raising the gun. ‘How about you be a good girl and do what you’re told?’
Molly was hunched over, struggling to get air in her lungs. She eventually straightened and looked at Grant. ‘You’re a moron, you know that?’
‘That’s an interesting point of view considering who’s got the gun here,’ said Grant.
‘Haven’t you ever wanted to get a life of your own?’ said Molly. ‘Instead of being Joe’s pathetic lapdog?’
‘Would you like me to punch your face next time?’ said Grant.
‘Shut the fuck up!’ Joe screamed, jerking out of his seat and knocking the chair over. ‘Jesus.’
He put his hand to the back of his head and walked around for a while, then turned to Grant.
‘Watch them, I’ll be back in a minute.’
Joe left the barn. Grant’s eyes kept darting around, to the canister on the floor, over the four of them, at the spirit safe burbling away, never settling on anything. It made Adam queasy to watch.
After a couple of minutes Joe came back in carrying a jumble of plastic strips in his hand. He walked over and threw them on the ground at Grant’s feet. Adam saw they were hand and foot restraints, the kind they used on terrorists, like giant cable ties.
‘First things first,’ Joe said to Grant. ‘Tie these cunts up so they can’t escape.’
He turned to look at the four of them, his eyes narrowing.
‘Then we’ll decide what the fuck to do with them.’
21
‘This is ridiculous,’ said Adam.
His arms were bent behind his back and he felt the restraints bite as Grant pulled them tight around his wrists. Grant tied his ankles and moved on to Molly, as Adam slumped down against a cask. ‘You’re breaking about a dozen laws.’
‘We are the law,’ said Grant quietly.
‘You’re not the only cops on the island,’ said Molly. ‘There are plenty of decent officers on Islay who would skin you alive for this shit if they found out.’
Joe smiled as he watched Grant work. ‘Like who?’
‘Eric Dalton for one.’
‘Dalton?’ Joe laughed. ‘That old cunt couldn’t find his arse if you handed it to him on a fucking plate, never mind uncover an operation like this. Anyway, he’s virtually retired, it’s pipe and slippers for him in a few weeks.’
‘You’ll never get away with this,’ said Adam.
‘Who’s going to stop me? You?’
‘What’re you going to do, exactly? Kill us all?’
Joe mugged looking thoughtful for a moment. ‘Kill you all, now there’s an idea. I hadn’t thought of that.’
Roddy screamed as Grant yanked his arms behind his back.
‘Fucking cunt, that hurts.’
‘Good,’ said Grant.
Joe walked over and smiled as Grant secured Roddy’s ankles.
‘Aw, diddums,’ he said. ‘Did nasty little Grantie hurt the rich dickhead, did he?’
‘Fucking right he did,’ said Roddy, sweating. He didn’t look well. His red eyes were watery and his face was washed-out grey. He seemed to be shaking, trying to control it. He gave Joe a thin smile.
‘Fucking cocky cunt, aren’t you?’ said Joe.
‘Takes one to know one.’
‘I knew you were trouble when I first saw you driving that wankmobile.’
‘Well, we’re in agreement about that shit car, anyway.’
Adam tried to think back. Getting pulled over for speeding had been a day and a half ago, but it seemed like a lifetime. All he’d wanted was a couple of days on Islay, the chance to drink some malts and talk to Roddy about investing. How the fuck had they got into this shit?
Joe looked at Roddy. ‘Your life’s one big fucking joke, isn’t it?’
‘You’ve got to make the most of it.’
‘You think you’re better than everyone else, don’t you?’
‘I buy and sell people like you every day.’
‘Is that right?’
‘Fund manager.’
Joe snorted with laughter. ‘Fuck, that’s worse than paedophile at the moment.’
‘Tell me about it.’
‘You know what they do to paedos in prison, right?’
‘Bake them a cake?’
Joe reached out and stroked the metal sticking out of Roddy’s shoulder. He tightened his grip, twisted and pushed. Roddy let out an animal howl, writhing to escape then falling to his knees and struggling for breath. Blood seeped from the wound as Joe turned away.
‘Not so fucking cocky now, are you?’
He went to the table and brought two chairs over for him and Grant. He picked up the petrol canister, took a swig and grimaced.
Grant finished tying up Luke then joined Joe. Luke sat next to the other three on the ground, leaning against hogsheads and facing the chairs.
‘So,’ said Joe. ‘This is the part where you try to persuade me to let you go.’
‘Please let us go,’ Molly deadpanned.
Joe sat back and crossed his legs. ‘You can do better than that.’ He turned to Grant. ‘Don’t you think they can do better than that?’
‘Maybe they don’t want to live,’ said Grant, smiling at Molly.
‘Christ,’ said Molly. ‘You’re a regular Morecambe and Wise, you pair.’
Joe ignored her and turned to Luke. ‘What’s the deal with you? Strong silent type?’
Luke gave a blank stare.
