tae get the juices flowing. Don’t be shy, noo. Jist come in when ye’re no sure ae anything. Right, efter Fin here took it upon himsel tae ban that Frisky Frank McKenna fae stepping oot in Springburn jist o’er a year ago, we’ve picked up that he’s back oan the scene, or wis, until last night.”
“So?” Billy Liar asked.
“As ma boys wur assisting him wae his travel arrangements back across tae Possil, Paddy spotted Jo Jo Robson and Toby Simpson coming oot ae Burns’s oan Springburn Road,” Chic replied, getting everywan’s attention instantly, as everywan reached fur their fag packets.
“Toby Simpson wis coming oot ae Burns’s oan Springburn Road? And where wis Frisky Frank before he goat his lift hame tae Possil then?” Mickey Sherlock asked.
“Across in Jonah’s, scaring the shite oot ae Alex The Manager.”
“Is that no where that wee manky mob fae the Toonheid hing oot nooadays, Paddy?” Mickey asked.
“Aye.”
“Noo, why the fuck wid The Simpsons be hinging aboot across in Springburn, Ah wonder?” Billy Liar muttered oot loud, oan everywan’s behauf.
“Ah still don’t see the connection wae ma squad,” Bobby repeated.
“Paddy, dae ye want tae take it fae here?” Chic turned and asked him.
“When Ah went intae the lounge in Jonah’s last night, the place wis deid, apart fae the manky blaggers. Ye’d normally expect the place tae be like a blanket stall, doon at The Barras oan a Sunday efternoon,” he said.
“Aye, bit did we no fuck them up the arse earlier in the year by shutting up their wee modus operandi in that flat across in Millarbank Street and slinging some ae them in the jail?” Mickey asked, letting everywan know that it wis his crew that wur taking the credit fur it, hivving supplied the intelligence.
“We shut doon the line, bit no the goldmine. That wis jist shifted roond the corner or alang the road. And as fur the two scallys, Taylor and Smith, who we sent doon? Them being oot ae circulation widnae hiv hit the ship below the water line. Naw, this crowd didnae look as if they wur daeing much business, bit they didnae come across as poverty-stricken either.”
“So, where am Ah in aw this?” Bobby asked again, stubbing his fag oot in the ashtray in front ae him fae within a blue smoke cloud.
“Joe McManus.”
“Whit aboot him?”
“He wis stabbed tae death in Gourlay Street, which sits bang in between Jonah’s and Burns’s,” Bumper reminded everywan, joining in fur the first time.
“Ah still don’t see the connection. Granted, the only witnesses tae the murder wur a couple ae doddery auld wummin, bit ye hiv tae admit, Paddy, some wee ned getting murdered in between two pubs up in Springburn widnae exactly be that unusual,” Bobby replied, looking aboot at the faces roond the table.
“Yer Joe McManus, the murder victim, his ran aboot wae The Mankys since he wis a snapper back in the Toonheid,” Bumper reminded him.
“Aye, Ah kin see where ye’re coming fae, Fin, bit according tae this, McManus sustained severe heid injuries last year, that resulted in permanent brain damage,” Bobby said, lifting a sheet ae paper fae the folder in front ae him.
“And ye believe that, dae ye? Ah still see the basturt walking aboot the streets, at least, Ah did until recently,” Bumper replied, looking roond the table.
“Even though ye’re brain damaged disnae mean ye cannae walk aboot the streets, Fin. Ah mean, ye don’t need tae look any further than Shane sitting there...”
“Ha, fucking ha,” Shane Priestly scoffed.
“... and the medical report states that ‘The severity ae the assault his meant that the victim suffers fae impaired cognitive functioning, such as intermittent memory loss, speech impediment, confusion and loss ae co-ordination. These injuries tae the brain hiv been diagnosed as being permanent. It is unlikely that the victim will
K. Sterling
Jacquie Rogers
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley
Shiloh Walker
Elizabeth Moynihan
Mary Balogh
Tara Fox Hall
Jonathan Maberry
Jane Hunt
James Kakalios