The Business by Martina Cole Read Free Book Online

Maybe she might send her the answer to her problems. At this juncture, anything was worth a try.
     
    Gerald was in the pub, and his oldest friend Jackie Martin was watching him warily.
    He was like a different person. He was being deliberately obtuse, rude and sarcastic, was argumentative with anyone who came into his orbit, and that was so unlike his old friend that he was at a loss as how to react to him.
    That Jackie was frightened of him was something that had never been said out loud. Gerry Dooley had never been the kind of man who would have exploited that. Gerry had always gone out of his way to make sure that his oldest friend, in many ways his only friend, had never had any reason to feel intimidated by him. Until now.
    All Jackie wanted to do was calm him down, get him home. He was worried that Gerry would do something to jeopardise his livelihood, his living. And, in so doing, would nause his up as well. He only earned because this man bankrolled him.
    Over the last few weeks Jackie had watched him fuck up everything he had worked for over the last thirty years. Overnight he had become unmanageable, even his sons were giving him the swerve. Not blanking him outright, but keeping their distance when he had a few drinks in him. And who could blame them?
    Gerry’s behaviour was causing gossip, not that the men involved would have put it quite like that of course. Their wives gossiped, they talked. But it was gossip whatever way you looked at it. Now people were waiting to see what the outcome of Gerry Dooley’s latest escapade was going to be. He was supposed to be collecting as usual, only he was out and about, on the piss and, to top it all, he was spending money that was not his to spend. Most collectors would do a drop, collect a wedge, and then demand the money a second time. The people they dealt with would have paid it and all, had he demanded it. But Gerry Dooley had never taken a penny from anyone in his life, had never ever taken advantage of his position, and that was something Jackie had resented over the years because it would have augmented his income, it would have made his life a lot easier. Other men in his position were guaranteed the extras, but not him. Gerry was as straight as a fucking die, so Jackie had to be too.
    Gerry Dooley was not only his mate, his employer, he was also the reason he had never had a serious touch in his life. Who would do something so stupid on Gerry’s watch? Other number twos had a private income, had their own little earner, but not him. Gerry prided himself on his honesty, on his integrity. Gerry had given him a good wage, Jackie knew and appreciated that. But he had never had the opportunity to spread his wings, get his own little firm up. That he would have had nothing without his friend’s largesse was irrelevant, most people in his position were only there because of who they knew, not because they had any kind of qualifications. He was where he was because Gerry trusted him, and in their world that was more than enough. But it didn’t stop him resenting the fact that his hands had been tied for years because of this man, that he had not even been allowed to deal a bit of puff, or a bit of coke because Gerry Dooley didn’t agree with it. Even though the people who paid his wages were dealing all sorts to anyone with the poke to purchase it.
    And, despite that, here he was, lumbered with a Gerry Dooley who was on a path of destruction and he could do nothing about it. Because everyone knew that when Gerry whistled, Jackie came running. What choice did he have?
    It didn’t make it any easier though, and when Gerry was on the ball it had been to his advantage. Now though, he wasn’t so sure. If Gerry got the bum’s rush, where the fuck did that leave him?
    Now he was being looked upon to sort Gerry out before he caused any kind of aggravation; it was assumed that he had enough clout with his old friend to be able to talk some kind of sense into him. Walk him