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Authors: Paul Torday
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wouldn’t, or couldn’t, bring herself to do it. Then Kevin and David signed as witnesses, and it was allover. Five minutes later we were herded back towards the Range Rovers. Soon we were driving out of Oxford.
Now that the ceremony was over, Mr Khan was in a more genial mood.
‘I congratulate you, Mr Gaunt,’ he said, turning in his seat to look at me, ‘you have married a very beautiful girl.’
‘What happens now?’
‘Ah, we shall see, we shall see. All has gone well. You have done as we asked. We will fulfil our side of the bargain, you must not be in any doubt.’
But I did not see. As the minutes ticked by, and we drove farther away from Oxford, I knew I had made a serious error, once again; my life had been one long string of bad decisions over the last three years. What had started out yesterday as an amusing joke with a large cash reward now felt very different. My heart was racing. Why hadn’t I run for it while we were in Oxford? What could they have done if I’d walked off? And what had prevented me from doing so? Was it the money?
As we turned off the main road and drove back along the country lanes, I wondered about Mr Khan’s immediate plans for me. This was more than just a dodgy marriage ceremony to get someone an immigration visa. And whatever was going on, I was a witness to it. Would they pay a witness to their schemes, whatever they were, and then let him go with a pat on the back and a wave of the hand? I wasn’t at all sure that that was Mr Khan’s style. I wondered whether I would ever leave the house if I didn’t wake up and do something.
As the Range Rover’s wheels scrunched on the gravel and drew to a halt, I was as ready as I would ever be. Kevin got out and went around the front to open the passenger door for Mr Khan. I got out too, smiled at Mr Khan, nodded in afriendly way at Kevin and then kicked him as hard as I could just below the kneecap. As he shouted out in pain, and reached down to clutch his damaged leg, I punched him in the stomach and then drove my elbow into the bridge of his nose. He fell over, one hand clutching his shin and the other feeling for his nose, which was beginning to spout blood. The whole process gave me a moment’s satisfaction; then I reflected that it had come at a price, probably around ten thousand pounds. As Kevin kneeled on the gravel I reached inside his jacket, found the gun I had noticed earlier and took it out.
‘That’s us settled up for the moment, Kevin,’ I told him. Amir jumped out of the other Range Rover and came running towards us, while Mr Khan struggled out of the car. I could see David was holding on to Adeena’s arm. She was staring at me in astonishment.
‘Don’t try anything,’ I warned Mr Khan and Amir. I held up one hand, palm outwards. The other now held Kevin’s gun.
I hurt like hell after the unaccustomed exertion and my ribs were on fire. I backed away, and Mr Khan and Amir stopped, hesitating. The electronic gates were slowly closing so I pelted down the drive and managed to slip between them before they shut. When I glanced over my shoulder as I turned into the main road, I saw that Kevin had been propped up against one of the Range Rovers, a handkerchief to his nose. I didn’t think I had long.
As soon as I was out of sight I took the first footpath that led away from the main road, and within a couple of minutes was approaching the edge of a small wood. They were certainto be after me in a few moments. I had only just entered the wood when I heard a car roaring past along the road.
I did not slacken my pace but jogged as quickly as possible along the rough and muddy path that led through the narrow belt of trees. I came to a crossroads where another footpath intersected the first, and on instinct turned left and downhill, because that was where there was the most cover. Soon I found myself walking along a green and brown tunnel formed by overhanging branches. There was a constant flutter of
Now that the ceremony was over, Mr Khan was in a more genial mood.
‘I congratulate you, Mr Gaunt,’ he said, turning in his seat to look at me, ‘you have married a very beautiful girl.’
‘What happens now?’
‘Ah, we shall see, we shall see. All has gone well. You have done as we asked. We will fulfil our side of the bargain, you must not be in any doubt.’
But I did not see. As the minutes ticked by, and we drove farther away from Oxford, I knew I had made a serious error, once again; my life had been one long string of bad decisions over the last three years. What had started out yesterday as an amusing joke with a large cash reward now felt very different. My heart was racing. Why hadn’t I run for it while we were in Oxford? What could they have done if I’d walked off? And what had prevented me from doing so? Was it the money?
As we turned off the main road and drove back along the country lanes, I wondered about Mr Khan’s immediate plans for me. This was more than just a dodgy marriage ceremony to get someone an immigration visa. And whatever was going on, I was a witness to it. Would they pay a witness to their schemes, whatever they were, and then let him go with a pat on the back and a wave of the hand? I wasn’t at all sure that that was Mr Khan’s style. I wondered whether I would ever leave the house if I didn’t wake up and do something.
As the Range Rover’s wheels scrunched on the gravel and drew to a halt, I was as ready as I would ever be. Kevin got out and went around the front to open the passenger door for Mr Khan. I got out too, smiled at Mr Khan, nodded in afriendly way at Kevin and then kicked him as hard as I could just below the kneecap. As he shouted out in pain, and reached down to clutch his damaged leg, I punched him in the stomach and then drove my elbow into the bridge of his nose. He fell over, one hand clutching his shin and the other feeling for his nose, which was beginning to spout blood. The whole process gave me a moment’s satisfaction; then I reflected that it had come at a price, probably around ten thousand pounds. As Kevin kneeled on the gravel I reached inside his jacket, found the gun I had noticed earlier and took it out.
‘That’s us settled up for the moment, Kevin,’ I told him. Amir jumped out of the other Range Rover and came running towards us, while Mr Khan struggled out of the car. I could see David was holding on to Adeena’s arm. She was staring at me in astonishment.
‘Don’t try anything,’ I warned Mr Khan and Amir. I held up one hand, palm outwards. The other now held Kevin’s gun.
I hurt like hell after the unaccustomed exertion and my ribs were on fire. I backed away, and Mr Khan and Amir stopped, hesitating. The electronic gates were slowly closing so I pelted down the drive and managed to slip between them before they shut. When I glanced over my shoulder as I turned into the main road, I saw that Kevin had been propped up against one of the Range Rovers, a handkerchief to his nose. I didn’t think I had long.
As soon as I was out of sight I took the first footpath that led away from the main road, and within a couple of minutes was approaching the edge of a small wood. They were certainto be after me in a few moments. I had only just entered the wood when I heard a car roaring past along the road.
I did not slacken my pace but jogged as quickly as possible along the rough and muddy path that led through the narrow belt of trees. I came to a crossroads where another footpath intersected the first, and on instinct turned left and downhill, because that was where there was the most cover. Soon I found myself walking along a green and brown tunnel formed by overhanging branches. There was a constant flutter of
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