R.I.P Robbie Silva by Tony Black Read Free Book Online

with my heart pounding when Jasper returned. He faced me for a few moments, then ran fingers through his hair. His expression told me he was searching for the right words.
    ' The fuck is going on here, Jed? ' he said.
    My mind was still all over the shop; my blood was racing. ' What? '
    ' Have you turned my flat into a fucking flop? ... Have you just come from a fucking job? '
    I didn ' t have the marbles to answer him. I shook my head. I knew Jasper had picked up on Silva ' s comments about the jacket. Shit, he ' d find out soon enough, soon as he turned on the TV news.
    ' Look, I got roped in ... '
    Jasper slouched, then slumped in the chair. ' Fucking hell, fucking hell. '
    ' It was supposed to be a nothing job ... it just got out of hand. I didn ' t think it was going to amount to anything, but ... '
    ' Yeah, but what? '
    ' Jesus Christ, it was this mad bit, she lost it on me and, well, that was that. '
    Jasper stood up and paced the room. ' This is out of order ... totally out of order, flopping at my fucking residence, after pulling a job. '
    I tried to stop him pacing; he shook off my hands. ' What if the filth run you down? '
    ' They won ' t ... I ' m in the clear. Man, I wouldn ' t have come here if I thought ... '
    ' Aw, thanks a fucking bunch, mate. Nice of you to think of me. '
    I let Jasper rant and rave for ten minutes; he silenced himself, seemed to get over the initial outburst.
    I was off on one myself though, broke the silence. ' The cunt! ' I said.
    ' Eh? '
    I nodded to the door. ' Our visitor. '
    ' Who the fuck was he anyway? '
    I drew breath, felt my hand reach up to my mouth; I wiped away with the back of my hand, prepared for Jasper to go scripto once again. ' Robbie Silva. '
    ' Fucking hell ... Long Dong Silva. '
    ' Wha– ? '
    ' That was Long Dong Silva? ... In my flat! Holy shit! '
    I'd heard of him but I'd been off the grid for so long I hadn't heard this handle before. ' Why do they call him that? '
    ' He ' s a top fucking man now, that ' s why. Came from nowhere to be one of the swinging dicks in the last few years. He ' s big time, Jed. '
    I turned away from him, went to look out the window. I saw Silva crossing the road and getting into a black Audi. The car sped off.
    ' So what ' s his angle? '
    A huff. ' Fuck knows. Used to run porn rings a few years back – everyone said he'd road-tested the slags himself. He ' s got a big crew around him now though, I ' d say he ' s into everything. '
    I moved back towards my chair, sat. ' So what ' s he want with me? '
    Jasper squinted, tilted his head. He lifted a palm, waved it in my direction. ' He offered you a bit of work, eh? '
    ' Something like that. '
    ' Think he knows you? '
    ' Dunno ... knows of me, maybe. '
    ' Well, if he ' s been asking about he ' ll know you ' re a good jump man. '
    ' Aye, and he ' ll know I work alone. Folk at Silva ' s level don ' t go jumping counters! '
    ' So, where ' s he coming from? ' I rubbed my thighs through my jeans, it was a nervous movement and Jasper sussed it. ' Jed, what ' s the go here? '
    ' I wish I fucking knew, mate. '

    * * * *

    I put myself up in dock for a few days. Lot of shitty daytime telly. Fucking Trisha, reruns of Quincy and The Rockford Files. The afternoon news was a showstopper though, nice little item about an Edinburgh shopkeeper with third-degree burns after a bungled raid. Jasper had been out taking care of business when that little item ran, so I was chuffed to bits about that, but Christ I was getting bored. Was sure I felt my brain softening inside my skull. There's a point, for me anyway, when sitting about makes me tip over. I mean, in the pound you get used to it, but when there's a big bad world awaiting you and no locked doors holding you back it can do your nut in. A hoor of a business.
    I was cautious about going out so soon. Took a scarf off the rack and an old golf umbrella – big job – was one of Jasper's numbers from his days in the casuals, had the point sharpened for