Read Online The Facebook Killer by M. L. Stewart - Free Book Online Page B

sorry, I’m sorry,” is all I could think of saying, in
reality I wasn’t sorry just worried in case he called the police,
“I forgot to take my medication this afternoon. I promise you,
nothing like this will ever happen again.”
    “ Let him go Pete,” he told the security guard.
    “ I’ll pay you double the cost of fixing the damage,” I
promised, “and the same on top if this goes no further.”
    I was on my
feet now. Shit, I couldn’t remember a thing. I was sweating, cold
sweat, my cheek was throbbing.
    “ Mr. Johnson, I’m afraid we’ll have to move you to another
suite until this is rectified,” the manager told me.
    “ But that’s impossible. I need to stay here.”
    I pulled one of
the envelopes out of my pocket.
    “ Look there is more than enough in here to cover everything.
I’ll clean up the mess, now please just leave me alone if you don’t
mind.”
    “ But Mr. Johnson it is hotel policy…”
    “Look! I don’t give a shit about hotel policy. There’s ten
grand in that envelope. You can split it with Pete or whatever he’s
called, I don’t care. I just need to be left alone. In two months
when I’m ready to move out I’ll pay you the same again but please, until then give me
some privacy.”
    The manager
thumbed through the notes, with a nod of his head he and the
security guard left. I never saw them again.
     
    Fuck! It was
now six thirty. Norman had to leave in half an hour. As I typed
away on my new desk, the bed, I noticed my knuckles were badly
bruised. It wasn’t something I had time to worry about. I went into
Alicia’s local council site. Planning permissions. Search: Licensed
premises. Results: 87. Scroll. Scroll. Scroll. There it was.
Permission for change of use from a retail premises to licensed
premises “The Drunken Sailor.” Applicant: Mr Asif Hussain. I jotted
down the information for Norman’s benefit and sent him off fruit
picking.
    Now the plan
had to change again. The original plan had been to set up Hussain
with some drugs and get him arrested. We had everything in place.
They were going to be planted in his car. It would have brought
disgrace on him and his family. He would have been disowned by his
mosque and his family, but now that would have to wait for someone
else. We had the chance of another double tonight. I was still
thinking on my feet when Norman left. If we killed Alicia Bell
tonight then it would be immediately linked to her sister’s death
and the police would be all over it.
     
    Norman ordered a double vodka and orange juice. He hadn’t
realised that the Drunken Sailor was a gay bar and he was wearing his mac again. Luckily
at this time of night it was relatively empty. He was wishing he’d
worn a wedding ring now.
    “ There we are, sir. Four pound twenty please,” smiled
Alicia.
    Norman gave her
a fiver.
    “ Keep the change,” he insisted.
    “ Thank you sir,” she
replied, “not seen you in here before. New to the scene are
you?”
    “I beg your pardon?” Norman replied
indignantly.
    “Don’t worry about it.” Alicia replied,
heading off to the opposite end of the bar to serve another
customer.
    Norman took his drink and took a seat by the
window overlooking the car park. Her car was there. He recognised
it from her photographs. Her pride and joy, a pink Mini Cooper. He
had already put the stuff in the boot loosened the battery cable.
All he had to do now was to get Hussain here and his night would be
complete. Let’s give it a couple of hours, he thought; see if he
comes in of his own accord.
    Norman tried to relax. He’d had a hard day
beneath the floorboards, that old bastard Albert kept rolling over
in his sleep and Kalif snores like a pig. He was free now for a few
hours. Free to have a few drinks. As long as he got the job done
the boss wouldn’t mind his little indulgences.
    Norman woke up with a start. He looked at his
watch. Ten thirty. The Drunken Sailor was full now, the music
banging out. He looked out into the