‘Wow, it’s bright.’
‘First of the night, too… Make a wish.’
She closed her eyes. ‘Will I tell you what I wished for?’
‘No, don’t — it might not happen then.’
She was silent for a moment, then lay back down on the grass. ‘Gus — I wished something for you.’
‘Did you?’
‘Yes.’
I sighed. ‘Thank you.’
The darkness came fast now. A wind struck up, blew right along the embankment.
‘Och, that’s a cold breeze,’ said Debs.
I sat up. ‘We should get inside.’
‘No, stay.’ She pulled me back down, moved closer, brought her hands up under her chin and sheltered beside me. ‘I like it here.’
‘Okay.’
The moonlight shone on her hair. I wanted to put my arm around her, hold her close to me, but somehow I was held rigid. I was fifteen again and under the chute, and Debs hadn’t changed a bit. I knew inside neither of us ever would.
Chapter 28
A soppy old labrador was ready to trade teeth with a dachshund, right in the front room of the vet’s.
‘Harvey’s quite harmless really,’ said the owner, Morningside lady in twinset, tweed skirt, wellington boots. Could have done with some help restraining Harvey, I thought.
I smiled, said, ‘Nerves, probably. Don’t like these visits myself.’
The Lab growled, a deep noise from the pit of its chest.
‘He doesn’t like the vet… always sets him off,’ said Morningside. ‘I’ll maybe take him outside till he calms down a bit. Will you tell them to give me a shout?’
I nodded, said, ‘Will do.’
Harvey strained on the lead as he went, snarled. I gave him a little wave. The dachshund looked victorious.
‘Do you have an appointment?’ asked the receptionist.
‘Well, no. I didn’t know I needed one.’ Was all too close to the real world for me. Appointments, dealing with professionals. I was more at home in less respectable establishments.
‘Well, we don’t normally take people without an appointment.’
‘Och, it’s just to take out the dog’s stitches… He was attacked, you see.’
‘Attacked!’ She lifted her gaze from the counter. ‘Oh, the poor love! We’re seeing so much of that kind of thing now.’
I played up to her. ‘Like I say, there was an attack and they had to patch him up, poor little tyke.’
‘He seems okay; hasn’t done him any real harm. Some of the dogs we see that have been brutalised just go in on themselves.’
I knew the territory. ‘He’s happy enough.’
‘If it’s just the stitches to come out, bring him through.’
‘Okay.’
‘I think we can fit him in with Mr Andrews. Can you wait and I’ll see when he’s got a free mo?’
Seemed Mr Andrews wasn’t busy. Managed to find a slot for us right away. I got up to follow him through. Usual was none too keen to see the vet, using his front paws as brakes as he was led into the surgery. First time I’d seen any form of disobedience in him.
‘C’mon, lad…’ I said. He thawed a bit. But still determined he was going nowhere. ‘I don’t know what’s got into him.’
‘It’s the animal instinct,’ said the vet. ‘You’ll never see a beast happy to traipse through to the surgery.’
I lifted Usual up. Bit of a struggle.
On the vet’s table I held the dog’s head, let the man do the business. The stitches came out without any drama. Usual seemed as relieved as me.
‘Is he a rescue dog?’ The vet didn’t seem to know the story.
‘Well, yeah, kind of. I caught some little bastards- sorry, teenagers — using him as target practice.’
He seemed unfazed, said, ‘All too common these days.’ A few wipes of antiseptic and Usual was good to go. ‘Right, that’s us. Don’t let him lick that off.’
I nodded, said, ‘You hear that, boy? No licking off the medicine!’
The vet filled out some details on the computer, punched a few keys. I got ready for the fright of the bill, then, ‘If that’s all then, Mr Crawford.’
He’d lost me. ‘I’m sorry, no — Dury.’
The vet took off his glasses, looked at the screen, then back to me, said, ‘Dury’s not the name we have here.’
‘I’m not following you. Who would give you another name?’
‘On the chip — this dog’s microchipped.’
I walked round to the side of the screen. The dog struggled, didn’t want me to leave him. I put a hand on his head. ‘Just a minute, boy.’
The vet pointed, said, ‘Look, Mark Crawford… That’s the name registered on the chip.’
I scanned the details. There was an address too: Ann Street.
The vet put his glasses back on, looked at me with squinted eyes.
I bluffed. ‘Well, that’s fantastic. Means I can reunite the pair of them. Isn’t it brilliant? This has been a visit well worth making.. Thank you so much. Can I settle up now?’
At the reception desk I collected a pack of Bonios and the biggest dog chew they had on offer, added them to the bill.
‘You look relieved to be out of there,’ said the receptionist.
‘Yes, I think he is.’
‘I was talking about you.’ She didn’t know how right she was.
In the street I knelt down, grabbed Usual and ruffled his ears. ‘Who’s a good boy, then?… Eh, eh? Who’s a bloody good boy then?’
I fed him a Bonio. He munched away blissfully.
‘Christ, boy, you might just have saved my bacon.’
I took out my mobile.
Ringing.
‘Yeah, Mac here…’
‘Who’s the man?’
A huff.
Sigh.
‘Mac, what were you saying about this case being a bogey…?’
‘Yeah, what about it?’
‘Well, my son, I think I just got our first break.’
I could hear shuffling. ‘You’re in line for another one as well.’
‘Come again?’
‘Rab’s heavies were round again. If we thought they were unfriendly the last time, this time they left no doubt.’
I did not want to hear this. ‘You okay?’
‘Well, I’ve got a nice piece of steak on my eye that would have been better punted out with a plate of chips for a tenner… a tenner we could well do with now.’
