operations.
There’s those that would kill me for the contents of that
tartan bag. Know how much that’s worth? Sure you do, a
grand. Nothing. But there’s folk would do that.’ He folded his fingers into the shape of a gun, put the barrel to my temple and fired, `Pow! Just to get their hands on it.’ I recoiled from the blast. Les grinned and blew away imagined smoke, Annie
Oakley-style. `I’m well protected, well connected, but even
so, screw up and you’re on your own. I’m shitting it over this bust. I’ve to split that with Gerry and if he doesn’t get his money I’m in big shtick. You know Gerry. Crazy man.
Normal rules don’t apply. I won’t just owe him the stake, I’ll
owe him a share of the profits as well. What kind of info are you looking for, anyway?
And I knew he was setting me up for a trade.
`I want to find someone who knows about photography.
Someone who knows about the snuff setup.’
Leslie had played a poker face at too many meetings with
too many dangerous men to react, but he toyed with the ringpull of his can before he spoke.
`Want to tell me what this is all about?
He passed me the joint, I dragged on it, took out the
envelope of photographs and slid it across the table.
`I found these on a call I was doing.’
He looked through them slowly, smiling at the early ones,
giggling a little, turning them this way and that in an
exaggerated attempt to sort out people and positions.
`Just goes to show you, man, nothing new under the sun, eh??
‘Keep looking, Les.’
`Don’t you worry, boy. Auntie Leslie isn’t squeamish.’
Then he hit them. He kept his face straight but there was no laugh. He took a long toke, squinted through the smoke at the last four again, then turned to me.
`Okay, what do you want??
‘I want to find out how these pictures were taken.’
`What do you mean??
‘I need to know if this set-up is authentic.’ ‘Why?
‘That’s my business.’
`True enough, man, but if you want my assistance it might
pay to confide in me.’
`I don’t know why, Leslie. Let’s just say I can’t leave her
there. I might be able to find out who did this to her and that seems important to me.’
`Well you’re wrong, Rilke. If this is real then it’s a horrible thing, but it’s a long time ago. Who did it doesn’t matter.
She’s long gone and you won’t be able to change that. The
past is the past. If you ask me - and I realise you’re not asking, but I’ll give you this one for free - if you ask me, this is as much to do with your past as with what happened to this poor unfortunate. Leave it alone. You’ve done well, you and Rose, with your wee swag market. Don’t start getting yourself
mixed up with unpleasantness and unpleasant people for no
reason.
`I appreciate the advice, Les, but I still want to know.’
`Aye, I knew you’d say that.’ He put the photographs back
in the envelope and handed them to me. The crazed smile was
back. `Well, I gave you some free advice, Rilke, but there’s very little free in this world, you’re a businessman, you know that.’
`How much??
‘Help me get the dope out and I’ll put you in touch with a
contact who can help you.’
`No way, Les.’
`Oh come on, man. I’ve got it all worked out. I’ve been
thinking of it since last night. All I needed was another body and here you are. Just listen, it’s foolproof.’
`There’s no need for me to listen because I’m not doing it.’
`Rilke, please. I’m between a rock and a hard place. If the
soldiers get me I’m looking at three years - more if some
polisman’s wee lassie kills herself on E the week I go to trial and if I screw up with Gerry I’ll lose my balls.’ He laughed again. `There’s not many people I could trust with a bar,
Rilke. If you hadn’t called me first I would’ve called you.’
`The thing is, Les, you’re desperate. Any plan is going to
look good to you.’
‘Untrue. If I get caught I’m
There’s those that would kill me for the contents of that
tartan bag. Know how much that’s worth? Sure you do, a
grand. Nothing. But there’s folk would do that.’ He folded his fingers into the shape of a gun, put the barrel to my temple and fired, `Pow! Just to get their hands on it.’ I recoiled from the blast. Les grinned and blew away imagined smoke, Annie
Oakley-style. `I’m well protected, well connected, but even
so, screw up and you’re on your own. I’m shitting it over this bust. I’ve to split that with Gerry and if he doesn’t get his money I’m in big shtick. You know Gerry. Crazy man.
Normal rules don’t apply. I won’t just owe him the stake, I’ll
owe him a share of the profits as well. What kind of info are you looking for, anyway?
And I knew he was setting me up for a trade.
`I want to find someone who knows about photography.
Someone who knows about the snuff setup.’
Leslie had played a poker face at too many meetings with
too many dangerous men to react, but he toyed with the ringpull of his can before he spoke.
`Want to tell me what this is all about?
He passed me the joint, I dragged on it, took out the
envelope of photographs and slid it across the table.
`I found these on a call I was doing.’
He looked through them slowly, smiling at the early ones,
giggling a little, turning them this way and that in an
exaggerated attempt to sort out people and positions.
`Just goes to show you, man, nothing new under the sun, eh??
‘Keep looking, Les.’
`Don’t you worry, boy. Auntie Leslie isn’t squeamish.’
Then he hit them. He kept his face straight but there was no laugh. He took a long toke, squinted through the smoke at the last four again, then turned to me.
`Okay, what do you want??
‘I want to find out how these pictures were taken.’
`What do you mean??
‘I need to know if this set-up is authentic.’ ‘Why?
‘That’s my business.’
`True enough, man, but if you want my assistance it might
pay to confide in me.’
`I don’t know why, Leslie. Let’s just say I can’t leave her
there. I might be able to find out who did this to her and that seems important to me.’
`Well you’re wrong, Rilke. If this is real then it’s a horrible thing, but it’s a long time ago. Who did it doesn’t matter.
She’s long gone and you won’t be able to change that. The
past is the past. If you ask me - and I realise you’re not asking, but I’ll give you this one for free - if you ask me, this is as much to do with your past as with what happened to this poor unfortunate. Leave it alone. You’ve done well, you and Rose, with your wee swag market. Don’t start getting yourself
mixed up with unpleasantness and unpleasant people for no
reason.
`I appreciate the advice, Les, but I still want to know.’
`Aye, I knew you’d say that.’ He put the photographs back
in the envelope and handed them to me. The crazed smile was
back. `Well, I gave you some free advice, Rilke, but there’s very little free in this world, you’re a businessman, you know that.’
`How much??
‘Help me get the dope out and I’ll put you in touch with a
contact who can help you.’
`No way, Les.’
`Oh come on, man. I’ve got it all worked out. I’ve been
thinking of it since last night. All I needed was another body and here you are. Just listen, it’s foolproof.’
`There’s no need for me to listen because I’m not doing it.’
`Rilke, please. I’m between a rock and a hard place. If the
soldiers get me I’m looking at three years - more if some
polisman’s wee lassie kills herself on E the week I go to trial and if I screw up with Gerry I’ll lose my balls.’ He laughed again. `There’s not many people I could trust with a bar,
Rilke. If you hadn’t called me first I would’ve called you.’
`The thing is, Les, you’re desperate. Any plan is going to
look good to you.’
‘Untrue. If I get caught I’m
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