girl was payback. One squeak from Gill and she could say goodbye to the little treats and the lifestyle as well. Glamour, parties, trips abroad, local recognition. Without him she had nothing.
Then there was his brother-in-law, Gavin Redmond. Gill owed Jackman for him too. The idiot should have been rolling in dough with the yacht business he ran, but he seemed to piss away the stuff. A few years back Jackman had helped him get the company back on a sound footing by finding a new investor and an extra revenue stream. The sideline was far from legal, but nobody got rich keeping to the rules. The bankers proved that.
He sighed and got out of the bed, found his jacket and rummaged in a pocket for his pack of cigarettes. Like the cocaine, he knew he shouldnât, but this would be the first of the day. Self-control. Like with the girl. Heâd come as the gasp from her own orgasm spread a smile across her face. Now Jackman smiled too. A real cutie, this one.
The lighter flared and he drew on the cigarette. Redmond was pissed off about the girl. As he would be, the girl being his own daughter, Jackmanâs niece. Not blood related of course, but still, the frisson was there. Something to do with some of his wifeâs genes being in the girl, Jackman suspected. He thought about Redmond again. In truth the idiot worried him. Lately heâd looked tired and nervous. Jackman had told him to get a grip. He only had to hold himself together for a few days and then theyâd be quids in. All of them. On the other hand, one wrong move and everybody was going to get screwed.
Unless â¦
The meeting could change things and swing the possibility of success their way. Jackman went to the bathroom and then quickly got dressed.
Thirty minutes later he pulled into the car park at Jennycliff, a parkland area to the south of the city which sat above cliffs on the eastern edge of Plymouth Sound. Over the sea the light had long gone from the sky. The daylight, anyway; a swathe of orange off to his right painted the underside of the clouds and below, the city glowed.
Jackman sat in his car, tapped his watch, waited. He shivered as the air in the car cooled. Early evening dog-walkers returned from the park and loaded their charges into the back of cars. A couple of hardy runners headed home.
The minutes ticked by and the legitimate visitors all left. A car cruised in, followed by another, and then another. They parked up one end, the interior light in one car flicking on, a woman and a man visible inside, while a couple of men climbed from the other cars and skirted the vehicle, cameras in hand.
Usually the proximity of sex would have aroused Jackman, but not tonight. He turned his attention away from the free show and towards the car park entrance where a pair of headlights announced a new arrival. This time the vehicle didnât head up the slope to the top but pulled alongside Jackmanâs car. Even in silhouette the pickup looked like it had seen better days. Patches of white filler adorned the dark bodywork and one wing had a large dent. When the interior light went on it illuminated a bulky man with a beard. A woolly hat perched on his head struggled to cover large ears.
The man nodded across at Jackman and then reached over and opened the passenger door. Jackman got out of his car and ducked down into the passenger seat, closing the door. The light went off and Jackman heard the man sniff and cough, a waft of bad air coming Jackmanâs way a few moments later.
âWell?â Jackman said. âThis isnât the sort of place I usually come for a meeting so letâs get on with it.â
âIt?â the man said.
âKenny Fallon said you had something for me. You hand it over and he lets you go about your business.â
âCash. Up front. He promised.â
âLook, youâre a poacher, a petty housebreaker when you get the chance. Some pheasants, a rabbit or two, a laptop or phone if
Then there was his brother-in-law, Gavin Redmond. Gill owed Jackman for him too. The idiot should have been rolling in dough with the yacht business he ran, but he seemed to piss away the stuff. A few years back Jackman had helped him get the company back on a sound footing by finding a new investor and an extra revenue stream. The sideline was far from legal, but nobody got rich keeping to the rules. The bankers proved that.
He sighed and got out of the bed, found his jacket and rummaged in a pocket for his pack of cigarettes. Like the cocaine, he knew he shouldnât, but this would be the first of the day. Self-control. Like with the girl. Heâd come as the gasp from her own orgasm spread a smile across her face. Now Jackman smiled too. A real cutie, this one.
The lighter flared and he drew on the cigarette. Redmond was pissed off about the girl. As he would be, the girl being his own daughter, Jackmanâs niece. Not blood related of course, but still, the frisson was there. Something to do with some of his wifeâs genes being in the girl, Jackman suspected. He thought about Redmond again. In truth the idiot worried him. Lately heâd looked tired and nervous. Jackman had told him to get a grip. He only had to hold himself together for a few days and then theyâd be quids in. All of them. On the other hand, one wrong move and everybody was going to get screwed.
Unless â¦
The meeting could change things and swing the possibility of success their way. Jackman went to the bathroom and then quickly got dressed.
Thirty minutes later he pulled into the car park at Jennycliff, a parkland area to the south of the city which sat above cliffs on the eastern edge of Plymouth Sound. Over the sea the light had long gone from the sky. The daylight, anyway; a swathe of orange off to his right painted the underside of the clouds and below, the city glowed.
Jackman sat in his car, tapped his watch, waited. He shivered as the air in the car cooled. Early evening dog-walkers returned from the park and loaded their charges into the back of cars. A couple of hardy runners headed home.
The minutes ticked by and the legitimate visitors all left. A car cruised in, followed by another, and then another. They parked up one end, the interior light in one car flicking on, a woman and a man visible inside, while a couple of men climbed from the other cars and skirted the vehicle, cameras in hand.
Usually the proximity of sex would have aroused Jackman, but not tonight. He turned his attention away from the free show and towards the car park entrance where a pair of headlights announced a new arrival. This time the vehicle didnât head up the slope to the top but pulled alongside Jackmanâs car. Even in silhouette the pickup looked like it had seen better days. Patches of white filler adorned the dark bodywork and one wing had a large dent. When the interior light went on it illuminated a bulky man with a beard. A woolly hat perched on his head struggled to cover large ears.
The man nodded across at Jackman and then reached over and opened the passenger door. Jackman got out of his car and ducked down into the passenger seat, closing the door. The light went off and Jackman heard the man sniff and cough, a waft of bad air coming Jackmanâs way a few moments later.
âWell?â Jackman said. âThis isnât the sort of place I usually come for a meeting so letâs get on with it.â
âIt?â the man said.
âKenny Fallon said you had something for me. You hand it over and he lets you go about your business.â
âCash. Up front. He promised.â
âLook, youâre a poacher, a petty housebreaker when you get the chance. Some pheasants, a rabbit or two, a laptop or phone if
Similar Books
