The Mattress: The Glasgow Chronicles 4 (39 page)

  “Oh, aye?”

  “Aye.  Think ae a closed-in space…like a lobby in a flat in a tenement.  Ah want tae blast a basturt intae smithereens, bit the chances ur, he won’t be oan his tod.  Ah want tae try and avoid the other wan who’ll probably be wae him.”

  “Rifle?”

  “Naw.”

  “If ye’re using a haungun, ye’d be better coming up fae behind.  If ye’re coming towards two people and the innocent panics, he could get in the way.  The other factor is...if the wan that’s supposed tae be getting plugged sees ye coming, he could pull the innocent in front ae him and use him as a shield tae get away.  Either way, it’s messy and risky, so it is.  Another thing ye need tae remember is...when aw this is being played oot in front ae ye, it won’t be like in a silent film.  This’ll be in full blown Technicolor screaming…aw in glorious stereo.  If ye’re up a tenement stair, every basturt up the close will hear whit’s gaun oan as well.  Hiv ye really thought this through?  Tell me whit alternatives ye’ve thought ae and dismissed?”

  “That’s why Ah’ve come tae you.  This guy is well-protected and his movements ur limited, and when they’re no, he’s always goat people roond aboot him.  Ah cannae take him in the street, in case ae innocents getting in the way.  He’s well-known and the papers wid make a big song and dance oot ae it...and anyway, Ah won’t be there, so Ah wullnae.”

  “So, it’s somewan else that’s daeing the shooting then?”

  “Naw, naw, Ah’ll be setting it aw up masel.  The problem Ah’ve goat is the accuracy ae ma weapon.”

  “Right…carry oan,” Erchie said slowly, a puzzled frown appearing between his eyebrows, bit clearly intrigued.

  “When the cartridge discharges its load, Ah’m concerned that it’ll splay the whole lobby and kill the two ae them…which Ah obviously don’t want tae happen.”

  “So, whit gauge is the shotgun then?”

  “Ah’m no sure.”

  “Ye’re no sure?”

  “Naw.”

  “Ah thought ye jist said ye’d thought aw this through?  Why the fuck ur ye nae sure whit gauge tae use?”

  “Because it’s as auld as the hills, so it is.”

  “It’s no a blunderbuss, is it?”

  “Naw.”

  “Where is it then?”

  “In ma shoulder bag.”

  “Ye’ve goat a shotgun in that wee Jessie bag that’s strapped tae yer shoulder?”

  “Er, aye.”

  “Well, fuck me, this’ll be good.  The reason that people cut doon a shotgun tae a handy size is fur mobility ae use and fur reasons ae discretion.  That shoulder bag disnae look as if a pea-shooter wid fit in it.  Right, let me see whit ye’ve goat then.”

  Tony placed the bag oan the coonter and unzipped it.  Haudin the unzipped gap open, he reached in wae his other haun and lifted oot the weapon and placed it doon in front ae Erchie.

  “Well, whit dae ye think then?” he asked.

  Tony knew he’d get a reaction, bit he wisnae prepared fur whit happened next.

  “Fur Christ’s sake!  Ur ye hivving me oan, Tony?” Erchie shouted, bursting intae laughter.

  “Whit?”

  “Ah don’t bloody believe whit ye’ve jist plapped doon oan ma good coonter, so Ah don’t,” he roared in laughter, slapping his knee.

  “Erchie, whit the fuck?”

  “Dae ye know whit this is?”

  “Er...aye…Ah think so.”

  “Right, hing oan a minute.  Don’t touch a thing.  Ah’ll be back in a tick, so Ah will,” he said, scurrying up the stairs tae get his brother.

  A minute later, Erchie came back wae Philip in tow.  Before Philip reached the bottom ae the steps, Erchie threw a towel across the weapon.

  “This better be good…aye, really good, so it better be,” Philip said, looking at Tony and Erchie wae they deid eyes ae his.

  “Hoi, Philip, don’t look at me.  Ah’ve no goat a clue whit’s gaun oan either,” Tony protested.

  “Right then, efter three…three!” Erchie said, whipping the towel aff the weapon.

    Tony could see Philip’s eyes jist aboot drap oot ae his heid as he focused and then let oot a hoot louder than his brother’s.

  “Is that whit Ah think it is?” he asked laughing.

  Philip looked at Erchie, reached oot, and tenderly touched the rough wood.

  “Kin ye believe it, Philip?  That should be in a fancy museum, so it should,” Erchie said in wonder.

  “Look, it’s been hauncrafted by a master, so it his.  This hisnae seen the inside ae a manufacturing factory in its life, so it hisnae, so it’s no…and totally original as well.  Noo, where the hell wid a manky shitehoose like yersel come across a beauty like this, eh, Tony?” Philip asked in amazement, struggling tae take his eyes away fae whit wis sitting in front ae him.

  “So, youse like it?” Tony asked, no sure if the brothers wur winding him up.

  “Like it?  We bloody love it!” Erchie bellowed, letting oot a laugh as Philip nodded, beaming in the background.

  “Ye’ve goat tae be jesting me?”

  “Ur we fuck!” the baith ae them exclaimed in unison.

  “How much dae ye want fur it?” Erchie asked, aw ae a sudden.

  “It’s no fur sale...it’s fur a job, remember?”

  “Ah’ll gie ye a hunner quid, plus a lovely wee sawn-aff wae a box a cartridges thrown in,” Erchie said.

  “Ah cannae...this is gonnae get masel and the boys oot ae Shite Street, wance and fur aw, Erchie...Ah’m sorry.”

  “Hiv ye used wan ae these before?” Mad Philip asked him, bending o’er and peering closely at it.

  “Naw, Ah’ve jist been gied a wee demo.”

  “And?”

  “Impressive, so it wis.”

  “Where did ye get it, eh?  Is there mair where that came fae?” Mad Philip demanded tae know, still excited.

    Silence.

  “Right, Tony, fair enough, this is none ae oor business, bit Ah want ye tae answer me two questions.  If Ah’m satisfied wae yer answers, the technical advice is oan the hoose,” Erchie offered.

  “Go aheid, bit don’t get upset if ye don’t hear whit ye’re efter,” Tony apologised in advance, nodding.

  “When is the party?”

  “Friday morning.”

  “Polis Division?”

  “Er, Ah’m no sure.  It’ll be up in High Possil, so it’ll probably be The Marine, across in Partick, that’ll take charge.  Why?”

  “None ae yer business, so it’s no.  Right, let’s get this beauty set up and see whit it kin dae.  Ah don’t suppose ye’ve goat any measurements ae the killing area, dae ye?”

  “Well, it’s funny ye should ask me that,” Tony replied, relieved, as he patted the back pocket ae his troosers wae his haun, smiling.

  “Right, youse tadgers, ya tadgers, ye...don’t start withoot me.  Ah’m aff tae lock up the front door ae the shoap, so Ah am,” Mad Philip shouted, bounding up the steps.

Chapter Forty Nine

Digger Day Eleven

  Johnboy took a big slug ae his hot tea efter he’d laid doon Rabbie’s evening meal o’er by the door fur him.  The day hid flown by, despite the fact that he’d been feeling a bit stiff fae lying wrapped roond the pipes fur the past twenty four hours.   The night before, when he hidnae taken his mattress in, he’d spent aboot ten minutes lying stretched oot oan his blanket oan the concrete bed, before he’d resorted tae wrapping himsel roond the pipes fur the night.  He wis still raging at the basturts who’d pished aw o’er his mattress.  Aw day, he’d been fantasising aboot whit he’d like tae dae tae whichever wan ae the pricks hid done the dirty.  Fur a time, he’d wondered if that Creeping Jesus wan hid reported him fur gieing him a bit ae lip, bit hid dismissed that early oan.  The AG wid’ve jumped at the chance ae telling him he widnae be getting oot oan Hogmanay if CJ hid reported him.  He’d tried tae think ae anything that he’d done tae encourage the basturts tae hiv a go at him, bit couldnae think ae anything, other than his presence in the digger wis obviously upsetting them mair than they wur upsetting him.  He’d tried tae get the situation sorted oot in the morning when The AG and King Pig hid arrived oan the scene oan their daily visit.

  “So, Taylor, how are we today?”

  “Some intelligent tosser pished oan ma good mattress, so they did,” he’d raged, nae messing aboot.

  “Did they now?”

  “Aye.”

  “Yes, I heard you had an exchange of words with Mr McVey.  He said the air was blue with your insolence.  It was all me, me, me and forget everything and everyone else.”

  “Ah put oot a dry mattress in the morning and by night, it wis soaking wet and covered in pish.”

  “Hmm…well, it looks alright to me.  I never felt any dampness on it when I touched it before we opened your cell door.”

  “That’s because it’s probably soaked in, so it his.”

  “Look, I haven’t got all day to hang about here, listening to you.  Not once have you ever expressed gratitude or shown any appreciation for the support on offer since you’ve been here.  The manner in which you speak to the officers, when all they are trying to do is carry out their tasks, is downright rude.  Why should I help you now, eh?”

  “Because Ah’m entitled tae a dry mattress, so Ah am.”

  “You’re entitled to what we give you, Taylor.  We’re the ones in charge here, not you nor anyone else.  The quicker people like you learn that this is not a holiday camp, the better it’ll be for everyone.  Your mattress is waiting for you outside in the corridor.  Whether you wish to use it or not, is your choice.  That’ll be all, Chief.  Carry on, Taylor,” the fuck-pig wanker hid snorted, before turning and disappearing wae The Trotter, who’d been smirking throughoot their exchange.

  It could’ve been worse, he thought tae himsel.  At least it hidnae happened the previous week.  Only a couple ae mair days tae go and he’d be liberated.  He wondered if Tony or any ae the other boys wid manage oot tae Polmont tae pick him up oan Friday morning.  He hoped Silent wis oan the mend.  Silent wid be sick if he knew that Johnboy wis oot oan the go oan Hogmanay and he wis lying in a hospital bed.  Mind you, it wid gie Johnboy time tae get a pad thegither fur them, seeing as they’d lost the last wan.  Tony hid been right.  Joe hid fucked up big-time o’er his blindness wae Kate Simpson.  He’d brought a lot ae unnecessary trouble tae their door.  Nowan wid’ve wished anything bad oan Joe, especially efter he’d been assaulted, bit the trouble he’d caused fur the rest ae them hidnae disappeared, bit hid goat worse…much worse.  The Simpsons hid changed their tactics and hid started tae put oot friendly feelers tae Tony tae intervene efter it hid become clear that Joe wisnae gonnae stay away fae Kate.  Tony hid telt them tae go and fuck themsels.  It wisnae surprising, seeing as two days earlier, Mad Malky and Bootsy Bell hid jumped oot ae a closemooth and attacked Tony oan Springburn Road.  He’d been lucky tae escape.  Simon’d hid tae take him doon tae The Royal tae get seven stitches oan the back ae his heid efter Mad Malky whacked him wae a cleaver.  Lucky fur Tony the thing hid been blunt.  No long efter that, Shaun Murphy hid goat Tony doon tae The Capstan Club tae invite him tae attend a meeting that he’d set up between himsel and Toby.  Shaun hid telt Tony that The Big Man hid guaranteed that nothing wid happen tae him.  When Tony’d refused, Shaun hid made it clear, in nae uncertain terms, that he hidnae any choice as The Big Man wanted the situation between The Mankys and The Simpsons resolved.  Shaun hid telt Tony tae turn up at the offices ae Woodside Accommodation across in George’s Cross the following Sunday night at hauf ten, and naw, he couldnae take any ae The Mankys wae him.  The Big Man hid said that Peter The Plant and Shaun’s brother, Danny, wid be in attendance tae make sure he wis well-protected.  Efter Tony hid left the club, he’d bumped intae Baby Huey across in George Square.  Baby hid said that he wis gaun alang tae The Hangman’s Rest in Wilson Street tae pass oan a message fur somewan and that if Tony wanted, they could hiv a pint thegither.  When they’d goat tae the door ae the pub, Baby hid looked aw embarrassed and hid telt Tony that he couldnae go fur a pint as he hid tae be somewhere else, bit that Charlie Hastie wis inside and that he wanted a wee word wae Tony.  Tony never did get his pint that night, bit he did hiv a wee chat wae Charlie, who’d warned him that if he turned up tae the meeting in Woodside Accommodation, then he’d never walk oot ae the door efterwards oan his ain two feet…bit at the end ae the day, that decision hid tae be Tony’s.

  “If ye go tae that meeting…ye’re deid, so ye ur,” Charlie hid warned him as Tony hid goat up tae leave.

  He’d also confirmed that The Big Man knew nothing aboot the meeting.  Oan the following Monday morning, Shaun Murphy hid goat in touch, demanding tae know whit the fuck wis gaun oan and that Tony wis tae get his arse doon tae The Capstan Club tae explain himsel.  Shaun widnae hiv been surprised at Tony no turning up at the club.

  Even though Johnboy knew Joe wis deid, he wisnae really sure how he should feel aboot it...sadness, he supposed.  Should he be lying oan the flair, thrashing they heels and screaming the place doon aboot how sorry he wis fur Joe?  When he thought aboot it, Johnboy reckoned that the real hammer blow fur everywan hid actually been when Joe ended up a blubbering idiot and started wandering aboot the streets, pishing and shiting himsel.  Maybe if Johnboy wis ootside, running aboot, he’d feel different, bit wance the news fae Freckles hid sunk in, he’d wondered if Joe wid’ve really preferred tae remain in the state he wis in, rather than be deid.  He found it hard tae be annoyed wae Kate Simpson, despite the damage inflicted.    Oan reflection, Johnboy wondered whit the fuck hid been gaun roond in that heid ae hers tae cause her tae go and dae whit she’d eventually ended up daeing.  Johnboy wisnae sure if he…anywan…wid ever be able tae figure it oot.  Wan thing wis fur sure though...her actions hid blown the lid aff ae any pretence that there wisnae a war gaun oan.  Aw that “Pretend inferiority and encourage their arrogance” shite that Tony hid been spouting fae his Jap general book, hid gone straight oot ae the windae
. 
Johnboy hid tried tae speak tae Tony aboot her, bit Tony hid jist blanked him and widnae talk aboot it.  Silent hidnae wanted tae talk aboot it either, although Johnboy hid expected that.  Silent hid jist gone intae his usual silent mode and, despite Johnboy trying tae draw oot his thoughts fae different angles, he jist widnae bite.  Efter they’d tanned the Provi-cheque men in Possil, the shit hid exploded like a blunderbuss hitting a plate glass windae.  Aw the papers hid been raging and ranting aboot the thugs up in Possil, terrorising poor buggers who wur gaun aboot their daily business.  The fact that the cars used in the robberies hid aw been found within Possil itsel and no ootside the area, hid caused a frenzy ae speculation and the papers hid demanded tae know whit the bizzies wur daeing aboot it.  When Johnboy and the rest ae The Mankys hid heard that Toby hid goat lifted, efter being accused ae hijacking Johnny Apples, they’d aw fallen aboot laughing.  There hid been a great buzz ae excitement amongst The Mankys, knowing they’d goat wan o’er oan Toby, even though it didnae last.  It hid been the calm before the storm.  Everything hid gone quiet and then o’er the space ae a week, everything kicked aff.  Snappy hid nearly goat kidnapped when he’d been walking intae his closemooth wan night.  Three big basturts hid jumped oot and hid started ladling intae him wae a baseball bat and a hammer.  When three wummin, who lived up the same close as him, hid walked intae the closemooth behind him, efter their bingo session, they’d probably saved his life.  When the wummin hid aw started screaming the place doon, the basturts who’d jumped Snappy, hid pushed past the howlers and jumped intae a getaway car.  Snappy hid ended up wae nineteen stitches oan two wounds oan his heid…wan ae them being oan tap ae his auld scar…as well as a couple ae fractured ribs…bit he’d survived.  Snappy thought Frisky Frank hid been the wan wielding the hammer.  It hid been Simon’s turn next.  He’d stoapped tae light a fag oan Springburn Road and reckoned that that’s whit hid saved his life.  He’d jist been strolling alang, quite the thing, when he’d stoapped aw ae a sudden.  Efter sticking a fag intae his mooth and bending o’er, cupping his hauns tae keep the wind at bay whilst getting a light fae his Zippo, he’d jist aboot shat himsel when he clocked a car speeding towards him.  He’d barely managed tae dodge the thing.  Oan its way past him, he’d clocked Jo Jo Robson and Silent’s pal, Bootsy Bell, sitting in the front seats, cursing like fuck because they’d jist narrowly missed running him o’er.  Johnboy and Silent hid been oot ae the way that week because they’d jist moved intae their ain pad in Millarbank Street, jist opposite the public halls, so nowan, apart fae the other Mankys and a couple ae the lassies, hid known where they wur.  It hid been a pity that things hid started tae kick aff because the money hid been rolling in or ‘gushing like a burst water pipe’ as Peter the Runner hid been fond ae saying.  It could only hiv been aboot a week tae ten days efter the Provi-cheque men robberies that Johnboy hid been in the toon centre wae Joe.  It wis a Saturday efternoon and the sun hid been oot.  The toon hid been full ae lassies, strolling aboot in their short mini-skirts, so it hid been difficult fur Johnboy tae concentrate oan whit Joe hid been harping oan aboot.  Joe hid left him sitting oan a bench oan George Square while he’d heided aff doon tae Woolies tae buy some record fur Kate that he’d heard and thought she’d like.

  “A single…fur her eighteenth birthday?” Johnboy hid laughed.

  “Well, whit dae ye get fur somewan who disnae drink, smoke or take drugs?  In fact, she’d put a bloody angel tae shame, so she wid, and Ah’m no kidding ye,” he’d said, sounding as happy as Larry.

  “Aye, well, as long as ye’re getting yer evil way wae her…that’s the main thing,” Johnboy hid said dismissively.

  “Well, that’s something Ah’ve been working oan, so it is,” Joe hid mumbled.

  “Whit, ye’re no telling me that ye hivnae been at it?” Johnboy hid exclaimed, surprised, given Joe’s past record wae the lassies.

  “Look, sex isnae everything, so it’s no,” Joe hid retorted.

  “Says who?”

  “She did,” he’d said and the pair ae them hid burst oot laughing.

  Johnboy hidnae been able tae figure the situation oot at the time.  Why the hell wis Joe gaun tae aw that grief when he wisnae even getting tae sleep wae her…and her eighteen as well?  Ten minutes later Joe hid arrived back.  Johnboy hid snatched the pink and yellow striped Woolies bag aff ae him and took the single oot and looked at it.

  “Robert Shack?  Who the fuck’s Robert Shack?  Is he no the guy fae Hawaii-five-0?”

  “Gie’s that, ya tadger, ye,” Joe hid retaliated, snatching back the record.   “And it’s no Robert, it’s Roberta,” he’d said.

  “So whit kind ae music is it?”

  “Mushy.”

  “Ye mean, ‘get they knickers aff and get yer laughing gear roond this’ kind ae mushy?”

  “Ah suppose that’s wan way ae putting it, if ye’re a clatty basturt.”

  “So, whit the hell dis mushy mean then?”

  “Romantic…probably something ye widnae understaun.”

  “By the sounds ae it, ye’ll need mair than a wee ‘mushy’ song tae get whit ye’re efter there.”

  “Her maw’s hid tae fuck aff doon tae Dunoon tae feed her auntie’s dugs while she’s gaun in fur a quick wummin’s trouble operation and Kate isnae joining her until the morra.  Ah’m heiding roond tae her hoose the night…and, wait fur it...Ah’m getting tae stay the night.  Eat that wan, ya diddy, ye,” Joe hid hooted, as a chill ran up Johnboy’s spine.

  “Joe, tell me ye’re at it?  That ye’re hivving me oan?”

  “Naw, it’ll jist be me and Kate.  Ah cannae wait.”

  “Bit, whit if Tam or that psycho, Toby, arrives oan the scene?”

  “They won’t.  And anyway, whit ur they gonnae dae aboot it?  They urnae gonnae go fur me in front ae their darling wee sister, ur they?  It’s aboot time that pair ae basturts accepted the reality ae whit the score is aboot here.”

  Bit, that’s exactly whit the brothers hid gone and done.  Fae whit Johnboy could piece thegither fae Joe’s ramblings tae Senga Jackson, who wis training tae be a nurse, and some ae the other lassies who’d been up tae visit him in the hospital, as well as the few times that Johnboy hid spoken tae Kate, the brothers hid caught him wae his pants doon...literally.  It hid been some time in the middle ae the night that Tam and Toby hid appeared in the bedroom and hid dragged Kate doon tae a car, sitting wae its engine running, doon in the street.  The basturts hid even gagged their ain sister tae stoap her fae screaming the place doon.  Tam and wan ae his henchmen hid then driven her straight tae Dunoon tae where her maw wis.  Meanwhile, back in the hoose, Toby, Jo Jo Robson and Bootsy Bell hid smashed fuck oot ae Joe wae baseball bats, as they threw him stark naked doon two flights ae stairs.  None ae the neighbours hid come oot tae investigate the commotion.  Joe hid been found lying, withoot any clothes oan, across oan the cinder fitba pitches in Cowlairs Park.  He’d been left fur deid.  It hid been said that it wis a miracle that he’d survived.  It hid taken the polis two days tae identify who the victim wis efter taking his fingerprints.  His heid and face hid been smashed in.  Maist ae his ribs hid been broken, alang wae baith his legs.  He’d been in a terrible state.  Tony and the rest ae The Mankys hid hung back fae gaun tae visit him in hospital because ae the trouble wae The Simpsons.  When they’d eventually gone, efter aboot six weeks hid passed, Joe hidnae recognised any ae them.  Kate Simpson used tae catch a bus at Dundas Street bus station maist nights, efter she’d finished at the Royal Scottish Academy ae Music and Drama
in Renfrew Street, tae go hame tae Possil via Stobhill.
 
Johnboy thought it wis interesting that the polis hid never found oot who’d assaulted Joe, despite Kate hivving been interviewed by them, oan and aff o’er the next wee while.  The auld saying that blood wis thicker than water hid been mentioned amongst The Mankys mair than a few times.  Apart fae the lassies and Johnboy, everywan hid body-swerved Kate efter that.  They’d aw put the blame oan her.  They felt that she should’ve seen whit the score wis and whit wis likely tae happen if Joe wis caught sniffing aboot her hoose across in Possil.  It hidnae taken long fur Kate tae stoap coming across tae Jonah’s oan a Friday night.  The lassies hid thought Tony wis bang oot ae order in the way Kate wis being treated.  When the news hid finally come oot that Joe widnae recover and that his brain damage meant that he’d be a cabbage fur the rest ae his days, then that hid been it…Tony hid jist washed his hauns ae Joe…his best pal fae the time they wur snappers.  If that wisnae bad enough, it hid goat even worse when Joe didnae recognise Kate when he finally came roond in the hospital.  She’d telt Johnboy that she thought his memory loss wis temporary, as the doctors hid telt her and Joe’s ma, Issie, that seeing as the damage inflicted oan his heid hid been substantial, there wis a good chance that his memory wid take a while tae come back, although the tests wur no looking good.  The same doctor hid then informed them a month later that while there might be occasional flashbacks ae some memory, the brain damage wis permanent and that Joe wid be incapable ae looking efter himsel, including gaun tae the toilet, fur the rest ae his life.  That same night, oan the 21
st
October 1970, exactly eight weeks tae the day fae Joe’s assault, eighteen-year-auld Kate Simpson, who’d never hid a boyfriend until she went oot wae Joe McManus and who never smoked, drank or took drugs, committed suicide in her ma’s hoose up in Ashgill Road by downing a bottle ae vodka and swallowing a mixture ae sleeping tablets and aspirins that she’d found in the drawer ae her ma’s bedside cabinet.