The bag had been packed tightly with an array of sheets, photos and memory sticks in little transparent holders.
“Jesus – yeah,” I said, holding aloft a black and white picture of two people mid-shag in some office. “Isn’t that your girl off the news?”
“Fuck!”
“Exactly!”
We both broke into a giggle.
Most of the pile was organised by names of companies and some individuals – some of whom I recognised.
“Frig – look at this one,” said Mike, passing me a sheet. It was an expenses claim form for a prominent MP, attached to it were travel documents cross referenced with a highlighter and some notes up the side. The money passed the six figure mark. Lots of the sheets had been written on like that – bank statements and the like, attached to some other document where the money appeared to be turning up. There were many more photographs too.
“So like, Richard blackmails these guys then?” I asked, passing the smoke.
Mike took a draw, then exhaled, his eyes closing for a moment, “Yeah I guess it’s something like that. Looks like Ivan and him had all this stuff for leverage maybe. Either that or they just sell this shit on – or maybe both. Maybe that’s how they have so many friends that they show up with in ‘The Tatler.’ Shit – I wonder who was supposed to be collecting all of this stuff. They’re gonna be pissed.”
“Fuck ‘em!” I declared, before we both erupted into another snigger.
“Shit though Vick, this stuff is great isn’t it – surely we can use it?”
“You mean – sell it back to Richard?”
I shivered.
“I don’t know – we’ll have to have a think. But it’s definitely leverage.”
“Yeah, I guess. And Mike, thank you for getting this – you’re a total star.”
I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. I actually think he blushed.
I looked down again at the various documents, “He’s a real fucking scumbag like isn’t he?”
“Too right he is. Feels good that we’ve got this,” he said taking a last drag then stubbing out the smoke in a ciggy dish amid a horrible pile of old ones. It turned me a little.
“I had no clue what he was like or what they were into.” I shook my head, “There was me thinking he was this smooth kind of guy. I thought Ivan was the dodgier one.”
“Yeah – I mean he looked rough as fuck.”
“Turns out he was too,” I said, putting a hand to my scalp.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m alright – think the smokes helped after all,” I said.
I saw him looking at my exposed arm.
“Yeah it’s pretty stingy at the minute – I guess it’s starting to heal over.”
“D’ya want me to have a look at any of the other cuts – take the plasters off and give them a wee wash?”
“No I’m fine, thanks Mike. You’ll make someone a good wife one day.”
He gave a guffaw. But he kept his eyes on my arm.
“He’s a fucker,” he said, shaking his head.
“Yeah he is.”
“We need to sort this out you know Vicky?”
“I know.”
“Maybe it should be sooner rather than later.”
“How do you mean?”
He reached under the bed and lifted out a pale green shoe box. He reached in and pulled out a gun.
“I mean, maybe we should sort this tonight.”
46
“How the hell do you have a gun?”
Mike placed it back in the box. He wrinkled his brow and pursed his lips, “I had some trouble a while back and wanted a bit of insurance.”
“Jesus. Is it sorted out now?”
“Yeah, yeah. It was ages ago”
He saw my face.
“No, I mean – I didn’t have to use it – fucksake – you’re the one who’s Rambo.”
“Cheeky fecker!” I said, giving him a punch on the arm, “Watch or I’ll come after you next. Jesus,” I said again, peering into the box, noting a handful of bullets lying loose in the box.
“Do you know how to use it?” I said
He shrugged, “Well not really – I assume you whack the bullets in, aim and pull the trigger.”
I rolled my eyes, “Anyway, we’re not gonna go shooting Richard, or anyone else for that matter.”
Mike shrugged again, “But it’s nice to have a bit of protection. It can’t be traced back to us either.”
“Mike,” I said, using that voice.
“I know, I know – I don’t actually want to shoot him – well I do, but I won’t! I know you had no choice ‘bout the other ones. But we could use it, like, to put the frighteners on him. I mean – I could. He doesn’t know me, which is something.”
“Well you’re not going anywhere without me.”
“No Vicky, I…”
“No fucking way – if we’re doing anything – I’m gonna be there too.”
This time I gave him my even harder ‘don’t fuck with me’ stare.
I lifted up my phone to check the time. Nearly three a.m.
Was I actually considering this? Why not?
I rubbed at my brow, trying to make my brain think it all through.
“Are we just fucking high?” I said, smiling out the side of my mouth.
He smiled back, looking directly into my bleary eyes, “Yeah probably a little, but we still gotta do something… sometime. Why not get it over with now?”
Why not indeed.
I stood still, watching the first steam rise from the kettle before it clicked off, hissing that it was boiled. Mike said he wanted a shower to wake him up and I needed a coffee. I put a few heaps in the pot. I was relieved that he had finally given in and had quit the instant. Instant coffee: gross. That had been an early victory when we were first going out. The radiator must have been off in his little kitchen because the air felt cool, the sun had been well tucked up in bed for hours. I hadn’t brought my cardigan down with me and I felt cold, Goosebumps spreading across my wounded arms. I poured the water into the pot and the rush up of steam
