Read Online The Runners by Fiachra Sheridan - Free Book Online Page B

he knew he would. The sick feeling always left him eventually, leaving him free to have another bet.
    Bobby could wallow in the mire for hours. He only knew what that meant because his brother had a Doors LP. Eventually, Jay knocked.
    ‘What have you been doing?’
    ‘Wallowing.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Being pissed off.’
    ‘I got you a present.’
    Jay had never got him a present before.
    ‘It’s a free bet with Ladbrokes.’
    ‘It doesn’t look like a free bet.’
    The present was small and long and was wrapped in masking tape.
    ‘If you can’t guess what it is, then you can’t have it.’
    ‘It looks like a load of masking tape wrapped around a cucumber.’
    ‘You got it in one. Here.’
    Bobby started to unwrap the masking tape. It was tied so tight that it took ages. Underneath it was plastic. When he had enough of the tape off, he ripped the plastic open to reveal something red.
    ‘It’s a Red Mist.’
    ‘It’s the Liverpool shirt,’ screamed Bobby.
    ‘Happy birthday.’
    ‘Thanks, Jay.’
    Bobby pulled off the England shirt and put the Liverpool one on.
    ‘Did you look at the back?’
    Bobby had to take it off again to look at the back. It had the number seven on it.
    ‘How did you get a number on it?’
    ‘Tony Ward can put them on. Number seven, Red Mist.’
    ‘Red Mist was number two and I’m never betting again.’
    ‘Yeah, right.’
    ‘Never three quid anyway.’‘
    Bobby couldn’t believe Jay had spent fifteen pounds on a jersey for him. He wanted to wear it in bed but didn’t want to wet it. So he hung it from the laths of the top bunk, and stared at it for ages. First the front, then the number seven. It would remain his most treasured possession.

CHAPTER 8
    Anto handed them another video cassette and sent them on their way. At the top of Sackville Avenue, Jay turned to Bobby.
    ‘How can Anto make money renting videos?’
    ‘It doesn’t cost him anything to make them.’
    ‘But how much does he pay us to deliver them? It’s a tenner for this one, right?’
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘And is Micka paying a tenner for this video?’
    ‘Maybe he’s just doing it because he’s their friend.’
    ‘Does Anto look like he would be friends with them?’
    ‘What are you saying?’
    ‘How much is it to rent a video?’
    ‘It’s one pound for the new releases in Xtra-vision.’
    ‘Exactly.’
    ‘So what are you saying?’
    ‘Let’s go up to my flat.’
    ‘For what?’
    ‘I want to check something.’
    ‘What are you checking?’
    ‘Just wait and see.’
    When they got there, Jay took the video out of the box. He examined it, pressing the button on the side to lift up the part that protected the tape.
    ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘I think there’s something in here.’
    ‘What are you on about?’
    Jay shook the video and it made a rattling noise.
    ‘See?’
    ‘Don’t be stupid, all videos make a rattling noise when you shake them.”
    Jay got a small screwdriver. On the back of the video cassette, there were three screws. He unscrewed them and lifted the back off. Inside were three packages wrapped in clingfilm. Jay unwrapped one of the small packages. Inside, was a white powdery substance. He poked at it with the screwdriver.
    ‘I don’t think we should be doing this, Jay.’
    ‘Do you know what it is?’
    ‘I think so.’
    He poked at it again.
    ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘I’m going to snort it.’
    ‘What?’
    Jay put his nose up to the package.
    ‘I’m only messing. How much is it worth? What do you reckon?’
    ‘I haven’t got a clue.’
    ‘If one of them is worth a hundred quid, then how much is all that worth?’
    ‘Three hundred quid, you dope.’
    ‘It’s worth a lot more than that.’
    ‘Put them back in and let’s go.’
    Bobby had a really big knot in his stomach walking into Summerhill Parade. He knew they shouldn’t be bringing the video to Micka.
    ‘Why is Anto sending us up with this?’
    ‘He trusts us.’
    ‘Jay, it’s heroin. It’s not