Blackstone's pursuits

In which plans are made for flight

‘D’you think Linda’ll tell him we’ve been to see her?’

‘Abso-bloody-lutely, my darling.’ I checked my watch. ‘About half an hour ago, I reckon.’

She looked at me; not scared, but anxious. ‘We’re in trouble, Oz, aren’t we?’

‘Right up to our pretty little chins, Primavera. You get the picture, yes?’

I didn’t need to spell out anything. ‘Oh yes, I get it. Mr Archer pours out all his troubles to Mrs Archer. Mrs Archer tells her outraged friend Linda, all about the theft, the account and the banknote. And she tells her that Oz Blackstone, PI, is hot on the trail. Linda tells her boyfriend, Superintendent Ross.

‘I imagine that gave them a wonderful idea: that they should beat you to it, get rid of the wee chap for good and pick up his money at the same time. Is that how you see it?’

‘Sure is. How do you think they went about it.’

‘I’d guess that she phoned Willie, and told him she wanted to see him, alone. Lucky Linda: Dawn was away, so Willie said, “Okay, come to the flat on Wednesday.” You said that when you phoned in the evening a woman answered the phone. That must have been her. Think back,’ she said. ‘Was it?’

I thought back. ‘I couldn’t swear to it,’ I said, honestly. ‘It was a funny voice.’

But Prim was in full flow. ‘I guess she must have turned on her fading charms for her husband. Something like, “Please come home, Willikins! Let me show you how sorry I am.” From the way it looked, Willie fell for it, and …’ She grimaced, and faltered. I picked up the story.

‘The wee man’s crowning glory is in the ascendant, when … Linda’s left the front door on the latch. Ricky Ross slips into the house, and into the bedroom. Poor wee Willie has the orgasm of his life … probably Linda does too, for that matter.’

Prim looked up at me. The windows of the Nissan were misting up. I was glad that no-one could see in, otherwise they’d have thought we were having a serious argument. ‘There’s no other explanation is there?’

‘No. None at all. After they killed him, they’d have searched for the fiver. I bet they looked everywhere but in that muesli jar. I suppose Ross asked Dylan next day to report on every single thing his people had found, and Dylan must have mentioned the torn banknote. Hence his sudden interest in getting it back.

‘High-flying DIs can be brought down fast if they upset the wrong superintendent. I imagine they can be scared right out of their Loake moccasins too, if they upset Ricky Ross.’

‘Can we prove any of this?’

‘Not a cat’s chance in hell, my dear. We’re the ones holding the hot fiver, remember.’

I must have sounded more than a bit frantic, because she took my hand, and wound her fingers through mine, rubbing, soothing. ‘So what do we do now, Maestro?’

‘We get the hell out of town, chum, that’s what we do. Just two calls, and then we’re away. Off to do the only thing we can; off to Switzerland to get that money. Agreed?’

She seemed to think about it, for about two seconds. ‘Agreed. I guess it’s gone too far for us just to give Archer back the fiver.’

‘Yes. Ross would probably arrest all of us for being parties to a theft, just for spite. Alternatively he might just kill us. We’ve got to get the money out of his reach. That’s the only answer.’

She nodded. ‘Okay. You said we’re going to make two calls before we go? Where?’

‘I’m going to phone Ali and get him to pick up our passports from the loft. Then we’re off to see a laundry lady I know. It’s one thing being fugitives, but it’s something else wearing last weekend’s clothes!’