ever be able tae haud doon permanent employment or be able tae take responsibility fur looking efter himsel withoot professional care assistance and that the injuries sustained ur unlikely tae be reversed’...end ae quote,” Bobby quoted, laying doon his sheet ae paper.
“Fuck, and here’s me thinking he wis always like that,” Bumper said, tae laughter.
“And then there’s Frisky Frank. Across tae yersel, Shane,” Duggie Dougan interrupted, nodding across tae wan ae The Gruesome Twosome.
“We goat a phone call fae Father John, the priest across at St Teresa’s, in the early hours ae this morning, tae say that there wis a hauf naked man lying oan the grass behind the vestry. He said that it looked as if he’d been assaulted. He’d, unfortunately, awready phoned fur an ambulance.”
“Aye, the doctors up in the hospital said that another five minutes and he wid’ve died fae hypothermia,” the other gruesome brother added.
“Anyway, as he wis being carted intae the ambulance, he wis murmuring and babbling a heap ae shite. Ah couldnae really make oot whit he wis saying very well, bit Ah put that lug ae mine doon tae they blue bloody lips ae his when they goat him in tae the ambulance…jist in case he wis gonnae blurt oot where he kept his stash,” Shane admitted, as mair wee smiles appeared oan the faces.
“And did he?” Billy Liar interrupted, no being able tae contain his curiosity.
“Naw, bit Ah could’ve sworn he mumbled something alang the lines ae ‘Ah swear, Tam, Ah never telt them aboot Gucci or McManus’.”
“Aw, thanks a bundle fur bloody-well keeping that wan tae yersel, Shane,” Mr Murder growled, clearly pissed aff.
“Bit Ah only heard this in the early hours ae this morning when we picked him up fae the chapel grounds, Bobby.”
“Ye could’ve bloody-well phoned me at hame, insteid ae me fannying aboot aw o’er the place, trying tae find oot who done in the McManus boy.”
“Paddy?” The Chief asked.
“Well, he never uttered a word tae us, other than yelps when Bumper and the boys ladled intae him last night and we must’ve been wae him fur a hauf an hour, at least.”
“And ye reckon this Tam is Tam Simpson?” asked The Chief.
“Who else?” Chic Thompson replied, shrugging his shoulders.
“And where’s Gucci noo?”
“Well, according tae ma watch, he’ll be arriving at the station up in Springburn in aboot two hours fae noo wae his brief,” Bobby replied, slipping back his sleeve, trying tae impress everywan wae his fancy new Rolex.
“And why is that? Is he awready under suspicion fur the McManus murder?” The Chief asked.
“Routine. According tae oor sources, he wis the only wan ae that bunch ae blaggers that wisnae in Jonah’s oan the night ae the stabbing. Apart fae the two who’re oot in Polmont, he wis McManus’s best pal...or he wis before McManus ended up becoming a cabbage.”
“If he’s no a suspect, why the need fur a brief tae go wae him then?” Billy wondered, frowning.
“Because that’s whit he dis. He’s scared ae being fitted up, Ah assume. Ever since the mute, Smith, wis arrested oan the same day as he wis released fae approved school, aw that manky mob turn up wae a brief attached tae them as soon as we look at them.”
“An eighteen year auld wae his ain brief? Whit the hell ur youse daeing up there in God’s country, Chic? Nae wonder The Simpsons ur moving across fae Possil.”
“So, who’s the brief…as if we don’t awready know, Bobby?” Chic asked, ignoring the jibe.
“Portoy.”
“That young pup? The fruit ae Harry Portoy’s loins?” Mickey Sherlock snarled.
“Aye, the very wan. He represents maist ae that young crowd noo,” Bumper said.
“And hauf the wee chib merchants across the city as well,” Shane chipped in.
“Ye wid’ve thought he wid’ve goat the message and learned a lesson
“Fuck, and here’s me thinking he wis always like that,” Bumper said, tae laughter.
“And then there’s Frisky Frank. Across tae yersel, Shane,” Duggie Dougan interrupted, nodding across tae wan ae The Gruesome Twosome.
“We goat a phone call fae Father John, the priest across at St Teresa’s, in the early hours ae this morning, tae say that there wis a hauf naked man lying oan the grass behind the vestry. He said that it looked as if he’d been assaulted. He’d, unfortunately, awready phoned fur an ambulance.”
“Aye, the doctors up in the hospital said that another five minutes and he wid’ve died fae hypothermia,” the other gruesome brother added.
“Anyway, as he wis being carted intae the ambulance, he wis murmuring and babbling a heap ae shite. Ah couldnae really make oot whit he wis saying very well, bit Ah put that lug ae mine doon tae they blue bloody lips ae his when they goat him in tae the ambulance…jist in case he wis gonnae blurt oot where he kept his stash,” Shane admitted, as mair wee smiles appeared oan the faces.
“And did he?” Billy Liar interrupted, no being able tae contain his curiosity.
“Naw, bit Ah could’ve sworn he mumbled something alang the lines ae ‘Ah swear, Tam, Ah never telt them aboot Gucci or McManus’.”
“Aw, thanks a bundle fur bloody-well keeping that wan tae yersel, Shane,” Mr Murder growled, clearly pissed aff.
“Bit Ah only heard this in the early hours ae this morning when we picked him up fae the chapel grounds, Bobby.”
“Ye could’ve bloody-well phoned me at hame, insteid ae me fannying aboot aw o’er the place, trying tae find oot who done in the McManus boy.”
“Paddy?” The Chief asked.
“Well, he never uttered a word tae us, other than yelps when Bumper and the boys ladled intae him last night and we must’ve been wae him fur a hauf an hour, at least.”
“And ye reckon this Tam is Tam Simpson?” asked The Chief.
“Who else?” Chic Thompson replied, shrugging his shoulders.
“And where’s Gucci noo?”
“Well, according tae ma watch, he’ll be arriving at the station up in Springburn in aboot two hours fae noo wae his brief,” Bobby replied, slipping back his sleeve, trying tae impress everywan wae his fancy new Rolex.
“And why is that? Is he awready under suspicion fur the McManus murder?” The Chief asked.
“Routine. According tae oor sources, he wis the only wan ae that bunch ae blaggers that wisnae in Jonah’s oan the night ae the stabbing. Apart fae the two who’re oot in Polmont, he wis McManus’s best pal...or he wis before McManus ended up becoming a cabbage.”
“If he’s no a suspect, why the need fur a brief tae go wae him then?” Billy wondered, frowning.
“Because that’s whit he dis. He’s scared ae being fitted up, Ah assume. Ever since the mute, Smith, wis arrested oan the same day as he wis released fae approved school, aw that manky mob turn up wae a brief attached tae them as soon as we look at them.”
“An eighteen year auld wae his ain brief? Whit the hell ur youse daeing up there in God’s country, Chic? Nae wonder The Simpsons ur moving across fae Possil.”
“So, who’s the brief…as if we don’t awready know, Bobby?” Chic asked, ignoring the jibe.
“Portoy.”
“That young pup? The fruit ae Harry Portoy’s loins?” Mickey Sherlock snarled.
“Aye, the very wan. He represents maist ae that young crowd noo,” Bumper said.
“And hauf the wee chib merchants across the city as well,” Shane chipped in.
“Ye wid’ve thought he wid’ve goat the message and learned a lesson
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