‘Just go, Laura,’ Nick said. He wanted her out of any danger.
‘No, I’m not going anywhere without you,’ Laura said.
Suddenly, from nowhere, two male uniformed police arrived and very slowly approached the man with the bottle.
‘Put down the bottle,’ the older officer said very calmly.
Nick breathed a huge sigh of relief – Thank God for that!
‘Fuck off,’ the man shouted.
‘Put it down,’ the officer said in a sterner voice.
The man with the bottle walked towards them, ‘Come on then!’
Nick watched as the officer stood his ground and took out his CS spray. ‘I want you to stay where you are, put down the bottle and calm down.’
The man stopped and took a few steps backwards, ‘Fucking pigs.’ The man pointed to Nick. ‘That cunt started it.’
‘We can find out what happened when you put the bottle down,’ the younger officer explained.
‘You can’t fucking arrest me. It’s New Year’s Eve and my wife’s in there!’ the man said, pacing around.
Nick could see that the man was starting to calm down.
‘We can sort all this out and we can go and get your wife, when you put the bottle down,’ the officer said.
The man’s body language had now changed. His shoulders had dropped, his arms had relaxed and he had stopped pacing.
‘Come on, mate. Put the bottle down or you’re going to ruin the night for everyone you came out with,’ the younger officer said.
Nick looked in surprise as the man lobbed the bottle away and shook his head. In that moment, the two officers moved in and handcuffed him.
Feeling Laura appear by his side, Nick looked at her.
‘You okay?’ Laura asked.
‘I am now,’ Nick said, looking over at the young police officer who was reading the man his rights beside a police van that had just arrived.
‘God, I’m glad they arrived when they did,’ Laura said.
‘I thought he was going to kill me,’ Nick said. ‘I’ve no idea how they got him to put the bottle down.’
After five minutes, the young officer came over, took their details and listened to their explanation of what had happened. He told them they might need to give official witness statements if charges were brought against the man.
Laura looked up at the pub and then at Nick. ‘Do you want to go back inside?’
Nick shook his head. ‘No.’
‘Come on then. We’ve got twenty minutes of the century left,’ Laura said, grabbing his hand.
Walking away from the noise and chaos, Nick put his arm around Laura. It was getting cold.
Nick looked left and saw the towering spire of St Mark’s Catholic Church. It was lit all around with an orange hue. A police car drove past, slowed for a moment and then continued.
Nick gestured to the police car. ‘When I grow up, I think I’d like to do that.’
Laura stopped and looked at him. ‘Be a police officer?’
Nick was afraid that she was going to mock him for a moment.
‘Yeah. Why not,’ Nick said. ‘Just a thought.’
‘You’d be a brilliant police officer. Seriously,’ Laura said.
Nick felt a warm glow inside. He wasn’t used to getting compliments. ‘Really?’
‘Yeah. It’s a tough job but rewarding ... Plus you get a handy pair of handcuffs,’ Laura smirked.
Nick raised his eyebrow. ‘Kinky.’
They smiled and kissed for a moment.
‘When you go to Liverpool,’ Nick said, feeling very awkward even though he was drunk. ‘Is that it ... for us, I mean?’
For a moment, Laura didn’t say anything and Nick’s stomach tensed.
‘Do you want that to be it?’ Laura asked.
Nick shook his head. ‘No. No I don’t.’
Laura smiled. ‘I’m glad you said that.’
They kissed again, longer and more passionately.
The church bells started to ring out, signalling midnight and the beginning of a new millennium.
Laura stopped and looked directly at him. Her face was bathed in the orange hue of the church lights. ‘I love you, Nick. You know that?’
‘I love you too,’ Nick said as he felt his insides turn with emotion.
CHAPTER 2
The Sugar Cane Club, Liverpool
October 2000
Curtis crossed the wet road in the centre of Liverpool, jogging to avoid the traffic. Black cabs and a double decker bus trundled past, their tyres hissing in the surface water. Wearing a designer shirt and black Armani trousers, Curtis knew he was looking good. Looking good, feeling good. He checked the two grand TAG Heuer Chronograph watch that Shaun had bought him for his birthday. It was nearly eleven o’clock. He had arranged to meet Shaun inside The Sugar Cane Club. They were going to have a boss night.
As he approached, Curtis looked at the long queue of mugs trying to get inside. He’d had a cheeky line in the car and was feeling on top of the world as he swaggered towards the entrance. He sniffed and wiped his nose as he noticed that the back of his throat was now numb. The dopamine was kicking in. Fucking lovely.
Two enormous bouncers spotted him, unclipped the red rope and ushered him in.
‘Evening chaps,’ Curtis said.
They were on the payroll. Curtis gave them a wink as he passed inside.
A nineteen year old kid from Croxteth and I’m now the Prince of Liverpool! This is the fucking life, eh? he thought to himself as he strolled straight past the till and cloakroom. The banging House music was getting louder as he approached the main room. ‘Pasilada’ by Afro Medusa was playing, the bass thudding hard under his feet.
Coming into the bar, Curtis smelt the mix of alcohol, perfume and aftershave. It was only about half full. It would be bouncing by two am. He had a surge of excitement as he thought about the night ahead. Another bouncer and the barman nodded their acknowledgement as Curtis scanned the club for his brother.
‘Oi, Curtis, you divvy. Here!’ a voice said. Shaun was grinning at him from the roped off VIP area. He gestured to the table where he
