Vixen

32

Ray brought his train ticket, the gun in a holdall. The ticket clerk had asked:

‘Return?’

‘Not on your bloody life.’

He settled in his seat and took out a Special Brew, feeling better already at the thought of getting back to London.

A guy in a suit, reading The Financial Times peered over the top of the paper, said:

‘Is it your intention to drink that?’

Ray gave him the look, said:

‘It’s my intention to come and sit with you, right up close, how would that be?’

The suit moved.

After a few cans, Ray was building a nice little buzz and went for a pee, locked the door and as he relieved himself, he went:

‘Ah.’

He checked his reflection and was shocked anew at the red hair, thinking, Fuck, geek city.

At Waterloo, there were lots of cops in evidence but he didn’t get more than a second glance. Found a B amp;B in Lower Marsh and paid a week in advance.

He went out that evening, the gun in the waistband of his jeans, it felt like reassurance. He headed for a stripclub in Clapham. Had a few brewskis and waited.

He was watching a girl named Donna; she couldn’t dance for shit but the punters — dazed from bad lighting, watered drinks and the seediness of the place — seemed to like her. When she took her break, he moved, joined her at her table, asked:

‘What do you say to a bottle of champers?’

She was about to say piss off but peered closely, went:

‘Ray?’

Donna had a serious nose-candy problem, the septum already in the final stages of disintegration. Her constant sniffle became irritating very fast. She wiped at her nostrils and Ray could see she was hurting. He laid a fat envelope on the table, said:

‘Enough there to keep you in blow for a month.’

Her hand reached out and he grabbed her wrist, asked:

‘Where’s Angie?’

‘You wouldn’t hurt her or anything, would you, Ray?’

‘Hey, Donna, she’s my old lady; I just want to get some readies to her.’

Donna couldn’t take her eyes off the envelope, tried hard and said:

‘I could deliver it for you.’

Now she got his smile and it wasn’t any relation of warmth. He tightened his grip on her wrist, said:

‘Not that I don’t trust you, doll, but I’d like to surprise her. You can understand that.’

She gave him Karen’s address and cautioned:

‘They’re looking everywhere for you. The filth say there’s good will for whoever gives you up.’

He leaned closer, whispered:

‘I’ve some nasty friends, anything happens to me, they come visit you, get my meaning?’

She attempted to act offended, said:

‘Jeez, Ray, you think I’d sell you out?’

He stood up and released her wrist, shoved the envelope across the table and said:

‘Blow hard.’

He was moving away from the table when she said:

‘Hey, what about the champagne?’

He laughed out loud.

And got to the place in time to see police and the ambulance, and Angie being shoved into the back of a cop car.

He said:

‘Ah girl, what have you been at now?’

He wasn’t unduly worried. If he knew his woman as well as he suspected, she’d be out on bail in no time.