Fragile Truths by D. H. Sidebottom, R. M. James Read Free Book Online Page B

dropped his eyes to the floor and averted his eyes. “Just…”
    “Sir?” I prompted when he hesitated.
    “Just be careful.” He looked at me with a worried glance, “There’s something about Grayson that… that’s not quite right. He’s been pestering me about the Knight case, wanting to know where you have the evidence memory stick hidden.”
    I sucked in my lips as my throat dried and alarm bells started to ring. “Yeah, he’s been pressuring me too. What did you tell him?”
    “The truth,” he shrugged, “That I don’t know; nobody does but you.”
    I nodded and smiled. “I can’t understand his relentless interference regarding it.”
    He nodded but then blinked at me. “I may be out of turn here, Fran but are you…” He turned back to the door, shutting it softly before coming back to the desk and resting on it nearer to me, “Are you aware of Grayson’s gambling addiction?”
    “What?”
    “I guess not with that reaction. I’m friends with Peter Thornberry who owns a couple of the casino’s in the city centre. He’s in there more often than not, drunk and off his face on something other than alcohol.” He sucked air through his teeth noisily, his bushy grey moustache appearing to slither with the action, “You get what I’m trying to say, Fran?”
    I nodded, my head spinning with both Mr Roberts revelation and things starting to click into place in my head. “Yes, I’m afraid so.”
    He nodded in acknowledgement, “Any idea what you’re going to do?”
    I lifted my eyes and sighed heavily, “Well, right now, I’m going to get drunk… very drunk and if I’m lucky, get laid.”
     
     

Tate
     
    I washed another three codeine down with the remaining whisky in my glass and stared at the twat in front of me as he continued to drone on about how much I needed him in my life and business. I nodded in a few random places, just to make him believe I was actually listening, as well as agreeing with him.
    Was he for fucking real?
    “…and the cunt would have gone for Barnes if I hadn’t shot him, Mr Nardini. Now I know you wouldn’t have wanted that, so I did you a favour really. I think, understandably that maybe deserves a reward or at the very least a promotion… you know, just maybe something a little grander in the firm or some shit like that.”
    I nodded again as I ran my finger along my bottom lip as if contemplating his request, “Yeah Evan, some shit like that. I think maybe some compensation is in order.”
    His greedy little eyes glinted and I turned my gaze to the screens on the wall before I leapt across the desk and ripped his repulsive ugly face in half. It was another busy night, most of the people tonight queuing in the long line to sample the new high end karaoke DJ Ben had hired, Blaze, or some similar ludicrous name, but credit where it’s due, he was good. Tony was refusing entry yet again and the knowledge made me smile, business was good, no, business was fucking great and I was pleased with the return Vibe was giving me, the monetary side of it an easy way to distribute the counterfeit twenties I was manufacturing.
    “So,” Evan persisted. “What are we talking about, money or a position?”
    I looked beyond him at Ben. He quirked an eyebrow at me and I nodded as I blew out a long-suffering sigh. “Ben will sort you out.”
    He grinned but I turned my head and studied the screens again as I heard Ben snap Evan’s neck. I needed to get laid, or pissed or better still, both. My head was pounding, my body was tired and my mother was grinding me down little by little.
    Ben mumbled something I didn’t quite catch as my attention was brought to an argument going on at the front doors. Two women were arguing with Tank who was shaking his head and smirking as one of the women, obviously drunk, tried to bribe him for entry with a flutter of her eyelashes and a sly reposition of her dress, producing a little more of her cleavage. However, it was the other woman