Read Online Never Go Back by Robert Goddard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robert Goddard
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before they found out. Back at Kilveen they established that he had returned an hour or so previously, but no-one felt inclined to call up to his room. Harry indeed was glad to retire to his own, in the hope of catching up on some of the sleep he had missed the night before.
He had barely lain down on the bed, however, when there was a knock at the door. Given that he had put out the DO NOT DISTURB sign, this was either exceptionally inconsiderate housekeeping or some kind of emergency. His sleepiness was instantly banished.
‘Yes?’
‘It’s Jabber, Ossie. I spotted the minibus coming up the drive. Can I come in?’
Harry got up and opened the door. Lloyd made a heavy-footed, downcast entrance and sank into one of the armchairs flanking the mullioned window.
‘Christ, what a day it’s been.’ He rubbed one hand across his forehead. ‘You see these… drawers they use to store corpses… in cop shows on the telly… but you never think some day you’re going to find yourself watching a real one sliding open… and an old chum’s face staring up at you.’
‘It must have been grim.’
‘And then some.’
‘What sort of injuries…’
‘Nothing too gruesome. They’d cleaned him up quite a bit, I think. Here’ — Lloyd tapped an area above his left eyebrow — ‘was still a mess, though. Must have smacked it on a rail or something. What a way to go, hey?’
‘You said it.’
‘How was your day?’
‘OK. A drive along the valley. Pub lunch. A National Trust castle. Tea and scones. It was fine. Like a regular OAPs’ outing. I’m sorry you couldn’t join us. We all were.’
‘Yeah, well…’ Lloyd coughed. ‘I didn’t come to make you feel guilty for having a nice day, Ossie. After the horror show at the morgue, Geddes had some more questions for me.’
‘Oh yeah?’
‘Mostly about this.’ Lloyd pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. ‘It’s a photocopy of something they found on Crooked. Geddes wants me to pass it round. See if it rings a bell with anyone. Take a look.’
It was an official notification of some kind; originally enclosed perhaps with a letter. The name that appeared in capitals at the head of the page seized Harry’s attention at once.
CHIPCHASE SHELTERED HOLDINGS LTD
Creditors of and investors in the above-named company, now in receivership, are invited to attend a meeting at the Thistle Hotel, Fry Street, Middlesbrough, at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday 22 February 2003, at which a representative of the officially appointed receivers, Grey & Williamson, chartered accountants, of Marston House, Bright Street, Middlesbrough, will be available to answer questions concerning the company’s remaining assets and outstanding liabilities.
‘I had to tell them Fission was one of us, Ossie,’ said Lloyd, when he had given Harry more than enough time to read and digest the contents. ‘There was no way round it.’
‘Of course not.’
‘I had to tell them he’d high-tailed it off to attend the funeral of his sister as well.’
‘A sister I told you I’d never heard of.’
‘Yeah. Well, I didn’t mention that. Or your garage business. Geddes never asked the right questions. I didn’t want to make trouble for you by volunteering anything.’
‘Thanks. Though where the trouble for me is in this…’
‘Geddes didn’t buy the sister story, Ossie. He assumed Fission vamoosed to avoid meeting Crooked because he was one of his creditors. Matter of fact, that’s what I reckon too.’
‘It certainly looks like it.’
‘Question is, did Fission drag any of us apart from Crooked into… whatever Chipchase Sheltered Holdings was?’
‘Who knows? And what if he did? It’s not the first time one of Barry’s little enterprises has gone bust owing people money. And this was… two years ago. Why was Peter carrying it around with him? What was he planning to do when he met Barry?’
‘Search me.’
‘Did Geddes have any suggestions?’
‘No. None he gave
He had barely lain down on the bed, however, when there was a knock at the door. Given that he had put out the DO NOT DISTURB sign, this was either exceptionally inconsiderate housekeeping or some kind of emergency. His sleepiness was instantly banished.
‘Yes?’
‘It’s Jabber, Ossie. I spotted the minibus coming up the drive. Can I come in?’
Harry got up and opened the door. Lloyd made a heavy-footed, downcast entrance and sank into one of the armchairs flanking the mullioned window.
‘Christ, what a day it’s been.’ He rubbed one hand across his forehead. ‘You see these… drawers they use to store corpses… in cop shows on the telly… but you never think some day you’re going to find yourself watching a real one sliding open… and an old chum’s face staring up at you.’
‘It must have been grim.’
‘And then some.’
‘What sort of injuries…’
‘Nothing too gruesome. They’d cleaned him up quite a bit, I think. Here’ — Lloyd tapped an area above his left eyebrow — ‘was still a mess, though. Must have smacked it on a rail or something. What a way to go, hey?’
‘You said it.’
‘How was your day?’
‘OK. A drive along the valley. Pub lunch. A National Trust castle. Tea and scones. It was fine. Like a regular OAPs’ outing. I’m sorry you couldn’t join us. We all were.’
‘Yeah, well…’ Lloyd coughed. ‘I didn’t come to make you feel guilty for having a nice day, Ossie. After the horror show at the morgue, Geddes had some more questions for me.’
‘Oh yeah?’
‘Mostly about this.’ Lloyd pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. ‘It’s a photocopy of something they found on Crooked. Geddes wants me to pass it round. See if it rings a bell with anyone. Take a look.’
It was an official notification of some kind; originally enclosed perhaps with a letter. The name that appeared in capitals at the head of the page seized Harry’s attention at once.
CHIPCHASE SHELTERED HOLDINGS LTD
Creditors of and investors in the above-named company, now in receivership, are invited to attend a meeting at the Thistle Hotel, Fry Street, Middlesbrough, at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday 22 February 2003, at which a representative of the officially appointed receivers, Grey & Williamson, chartered accountants, of Marston House, Bright Street, Middlesbrough, will be available to answer questions concerning the company’s remaining assets and outstanding liabilities.
‘I had to tell them Fission was one of us, Ossie,’ said Lloyd, when he had given Harry more than enough time to read and digest the contents. ‘There was no way round it.’
‘Of course not.’
‘I had to tell them he’d high-tailed it off to attend the funeral of his sister as well.’
‘A sister I told you I’d never heard of.’
‘Yeah. Well, I didn’t mention that. Or your garage business. Geddes never asked the right questions. I didn’t want to make trouble for you by volunteering anything.’
‘Thanks. Though where the trouble for me is in this…’
‘Geddes didn’t buy the sister story, Ossie. He assumed Fission vamoosed to avoid meeting Crooked because he was one of his creditors. Matter of fact, that’s what I reckon too.’
‘It certainly looks like it.’
‘Question is, did Fission drag any of us apart from Crooked into… whatever Chipchase Sheltered Holdings was?’
‘Who knows? And what if he did? It’s not the first time one of Barry’s little enterprises has gone bust owing people money. And this was… two years ago. Why was Peter carrying it around with him? What was he planning to do when he met Barry?’
‘Search me.’
‘Did Geddes have any suggestions?’
‘No. None he gave
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