And Brant said, ‘Ask him what?’
Pat and Sheila loved that.
‘I have long known that it is part of God’s plan for me to spend a little time with each of the most stupid people on earth.’
(Bill Bryson)
When Falls met the snitch in the place he’d selected, she remembered a description from Karon Hall’s ‘Dark Debts’.
At the rear of the Cricketers, near The Oval, it was a dive. Falls arrived first and nodded to the barman. A big guy with
red shirt
red jeans
red face
She resisted the impulse to say, ‘Hi, Red.’
He said, ‘You sure you got the right place?’
‘I’m sure.’
‘We don’t get many chicks, is all.’
Chicks!
‘Well I’m sure once the word on the ambiance gets out, you’ll be stampeded.’
Leigh came in, immediately looked angry and pushed her to a back table demanding, ‘Why were you talking to him?’
‘It’s against the rules?’
‘You’re not supposed to draw attention.’
‘Well, there was me ’n’ him — did you expect me to hide?’
‘People talk, you know.’
He then jumped up, had a word with Red and came back with two glasses of a greenish tint, pushed one at her, said, ‘It’s lime cordial.’
‘And I’m supposed to do what with it exactly?’
Leigh was getting seriously upset. ‘It’s for cover.’
‘Oh I see, we lurk behind them.’
‘Mr Brant was never like this.’
Falls felt they’d done enough pleasantries, time to jerk the leash. ‘You’re a stupid person, but that’s OK. What I need is fairly simple. You tell me and I’m outta here. There’s an arsonist, recent of Croydon, and I need to know where he hangs.’
Leigh began moving his glass, the colour didn’t improve. ‘You don’t want to be messing with that piece of work.’
Falls sighed then clamped her hand on his knee. ‘Where?’
‘You’re not playing by the rules, it has to be drawn out.’
She pinched hard and he jumped. She hissed, ‘Leigh, there are no rules …
‘The snooker hall at The Elephant. Thinks he’s Paul Newman in
She released her grip, rooted in her bag and then palmed him a twenty. He was indignant. ‘This is supposed to buy me what? It wouldn’t pay me light bill for a week!’
Now she smiled, said, ‘I dunno, you could always hop up there, get us a few more of these drinks … oh, sorry —
On her way out, she ignored Red and it seemed to be what he expected.
‘The best the white world offered was not enough ecstasy for me. Not enough life, joy, kicks, darkness, music; not enough night.’
(Jack Kerouac)
As Fenton tried not to run, he felt the adrenalin build to a point beyond mere rush. His mind roared:
Caught! Already!
And turned to see a black guy, something familiar about him, the guy saying, ‘Yo, fool, you owes me a buck and a half!’
‘What?’
‘The other day, dude. I be giving yo’ sorry ass a pamphlet ’bout dem CIA …
‘Oh right … I thought it was free.’
‘Where yo’ been, dude? Ain’t nothing free on the street.’
Fenton reached for change, handed over a five. The guy wailin’, ‘What cha thinkin’, like I’m gonna make change?’
Fenton laughed, said, ‘Keep it, knock yourself out mate.’
‘Yo dissin’ me man, dat what cha thinkin’?’
Now the Alien laughed out loud, asked, ‘Is that what they’re calling it? Dissin’. What will you guys think of next?’
Close call
The Super had summoned Roberts.
These meetings were never warm; it usually meant a bollocking. When Roberts came in the Super was dunking a biscuit in tea, said, ‘Hurry up, man, shut the door.’
He didn’t offer tea or a seat; got to it. ‘I’ve had a call from across the water.’
Roberts wondered — from Ireland? … Brant? … No. Even he couldn’t be that drunk — and said neutrally, ‘Yes, sir?’
‘From Noo Yawk.’
Pronounced it thus to demonstrate he could be a kidder or simply an asshole; continued: ‘There’s been a murder — two murders — in San Francisco.’
Roberts wanted to say,
The Super brushed crumbs from his splendid uniform, noisily finished the tea. Can tea be chewed? He was giving it a good try.
‘Reason they called us is the woman is a Londoner.’ He consulted his notes. ‘A Stella Davis, but originally Stella Fenton. Ring any bells?’
‘Uh-oh.’
‘Is that an answer?’
‘Reg Fenton, “The Alien” … Did he use a bat?’
