his eyes narrowing in an effort to control his anger. ‘My boss, right? This guy knows a lot of stuff. He says you Americans are tricked and haven’t a fuckin ’ clue what’s really going on. But you know what? I think we’ve just met one poor bastard who does. These papers,’ he threw them on the floor in disgust, ‘they’re about links to terrorism and how to stop it. The guy’s a fuckin ’ subversive?’
‘A what?’
‘Kind of unpatriotic. He has a fine old Irish name. Jesus, it was his name that took us there. This just makes it fuckin ’ worse.’ Liam had his hand to his brow now as his face moved from side to side in disbelief. ‘You know what I think? I reckon all that security was because he was scared. He’s a stupid paranoid fuck scared of his own shadow.’
‘And his neighbour,’ risked Tommy feeling the tension die a little.
‘And his neighbour,’ Liam agreed.
‘And the dog.’
‘Aye, all the world and his fuckin ’ dog.’
The drive continued quietly for a while and there was no more punching of dashboards. Occasionally another ‘Fuck’ escaped the Irishman’s lips and Tommy decided he had met the one man who swore more than he did. ‘Didn’t think that was fucking possible,’ he considered, and the thought amused him. ‘Hey Paddy,’ he began.
‘What?’
‘You heard the one about the hit-men waiting in a house?’
‘Fuck you mate.’
A minute’s silence followed. ‘Hey Paddy, two killers walk into a house…’
‘Look Tommy, I’m not in the fuckin ’ mood,’ Liam snapped.
Tommy pursed his lips together in an effort not to grin, but it was useless. ‘An Irishman and an American go for a drive to the Bronx,’ he finally blurted out with a laugh.
Liam closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, but the smile began to form on his lips. ‘You know Tommy mate, that was fuckin ’ funny, wasn’t it? Christ I hope the guy’s OK. It stank in there.’
The mood lighter now, they drove on until Tommy noted, ‘ We ’re nearly back at the bar Paddy. Are we done for the night or what?’
‘Aye lad, that’s it for good I’m afraid. Yer man’ll have to be put on hold, for now anyhow.’
‘You know,’ Tommy offered, ‘ me and the boys could take him out for you. This is the sort of work we like to do - for decent pay of course.’
‘No lad, forget him. That fucker’s untouchable now, and will be for some time to come.’
‘You sure ‘bout that?’
‘Absolutely sure,’ Liam confirmed. ‘There’ll be extra security once McKee is found.’
‘Could’ve been found already,’ Tommy suggested. ‘We’re back,’ he announced as he pulled the car to a halt outside the hotel.
‘Drive on Tommy!’
The sudden urgency in the Irishman’s voice left no room for questions and the young Druid set off again with barely a beat, quickly rounding a corner and heading out of town.
‘This the way to the airport?’ Liam finally asked.
‘Can be,’ Tommy confirmed, ‘but what about your stuff?’
‘Fuck that. I could see my room from the street and there was a light on. I didn’t leave any light on.’
‘Time to get out of Dodge,’ Tommy agreed.
10
The Airport
The car pulled up in the short stay parking area and the two new friends climbed out. ‘You know mate, I’m going to miss you and the other three boys,’ Liam smiled.
‘Me too Paddy, me too,’ said Tommy, as he off ered his hand to the Irishman.
Liam ignored the outstretched hand and bear-hugged the lad instead. ‘If you ever come across to Europe,’ he said, ‘call this number. They’ll find me and I’ll meet you.’ He pulled a pen and scrap of paper from the pocket of the badly stained jacket he still carried over his arm, quickly scribbled down the number and handed it across. It had felt good to have a friend again. He didn’t have that many left.
‘Europe? I can’t see me or the others ever getting out of New York City - let alone going to Europe,’ laughed Tommy,
‘A what?’
‘Kind of unpatriotic. He has a fine old Irish name. Jesus, it was his name that took us there. This just makes it fuckin ’ worse.’ Liam had his hand to his brow now as his face moved from side to side in disbelief. ‘You know what I think? I reckon all that security was because he was scared. He’s a stupid paranoid fuck scared of his own shadow.’
‘And his neighbour,’ risked Tommy feeling the tension die a little.
‘And his neighbour,’ Liam agreed.
‘And the dog.’
‘Aye, all the world and his fuckin ’ dog.’
The drive continued quietly for a while and there was no more punching of dashboards. Occasionally another ‘Fuck’ escaped the Irishman’s lips and Tommy decided he had met the one man who swore more than he did. ‘Didn’t think that was fucking possible,’ he considered, and the thought amused him. ‘Hey Paddy,’ he began.
‘What?’
‘You heard the one about the hit-men waiting in a house?’
‘Fuck you mate.’
A minute’s silence followed. ‘Hey Paddy, two killers walk into a house…’
‘Look Tommy, I’m not in the fuckin ’ mood,’ Liam snapped.
Tommy pursed his lips together in an effort not to grin, but it was useless. ‘An Irishman and an American go for a drive to the Bronx,’ he finally blurted out with a laugh.
Liam closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, but the smile began to form on his lips. ‘You know Tommy mate, that was fuckin ’ funny, wasn’t it? Christ I hope the guy’s OK. It stank in there.’
The mood lighter now, they drove on until Tommy noted, ‘ We ’re nearly back at the bar Paddy. Are we done for the night or what?’
‘Aye lad, that’s it for good I’m afraid. Yer man’ll have to be put on hold, for now anyhow.’
‘You know,’ Tommy offered, ‘ me and the boys could take him out for you. This is the sort of work we like to do - for decent pay of course.’
‘No lad, forget him. That fucker’s untouchable now, and will be for some time to come.’
‘You sure ‘bout that?’
‘Absolutely sure,’ Liam confirmed. ‘There’ll be extra security once McKee is found.’
‘Could’ve been found already,’ Tommy suggested. ‘We’re back,’ he announced as he pulled the car to a halt outside the hotel.
‘Drive on Tommy!’
The sudden urgency in the Irishman’s voice left no room for questions and the young Druid set off again with barely a beat, quickly rounding a corner and heading out of town.
‘This the way to the airport?’ Liam finally asked.
‘Can be,’ Tommy confirmed, ‘but what about your stuff?’
‘Fuck that. I could see my room from the street and there was a light on. I didn’t leave any light on.’
‘Time to get out of Dodge,’ Tommy agreed.
10
The Airport
The car pulled up in the short stay parking area and the two new friends climbed out. ‘You know mate, I’m going to miss you and the other three boys,’ Liam smiled.
‘Me too Paddy, me too,’ said Tommy, as he off ered his hand to the Irishman.
Liam ignored the outstretched hand and bear-hugged the lad instead. ‘If you ever come across to Europe,’ he said, ‘call this number. They’ll find me and I’ll meet you.’ He pulled a pen and scrap of paper from the pocket of the badly stained jacket he still carried over his arm, quickly scribbled down the number and handed it across. It had felt good to have a friend again. He didn’t have that many left.
‘Europe? I can’t see me or the others ever getting out of New York City - let alone going to Europe,’ laughed Tommy,
Similar Books
