Racing Green Jags

2       As we wandered along the alley there was no time to wonder about Take Six man. I noticed Monkie was limping. Not so much though, just a bit here and there, but enough for me to wonder.

3          My head was right back into shape as I walked into the shop to stare at a frown that made Julie’s good looks unnaturally severe. Even ten minutes late needed an explanation. She didn’t say a word but her fingernails clicking the countertop demanded an answer. So, I told her I had helped a dying man at the scene of a car crash. 

4       At six I pushed the door and walked into what was, for a pub, a bright space. The big side windows faced west and on such a fine evening light streamed in. A quick glance around. No signs of trouble. That was the thing with going into a pub on your own especially with my pedigree. Sometimes trouble lurked. Fellas out for the night wanting a bit of spending money or, and this was even more relevant, some past acquaintance finally catching up and wanting to make things right was the commonly used expression. At the moment I was thinking of a fella in a light blue Take Six suit but he wasn’t in there. Besides, I’ve a memory for faces and names and could not place him anywhere or put a name to what had been quite a distinctive face.

5       I’m sure it was not difficult to miss any of M onkie’s cars . This particular one was parked right in the middle of the crowded car park near five scooters with all the accessories. A rusted pile of metal with an Austin badge on the front and paintwork that was more or less blue .  

6       After Marge had cooked us dinner, I managed to get Monkie to drag himself away from a very entertaining conversation with her so we could go and pick up the girls. The girl from the shop, Wendy, turned out to be one of those who wouldn’t stop yacking. By contrast her friend, Joan, seemed a bit… well, I don’t really know how she seemed, she was just so quiet. Her look made me think of eating beef stew with dumplings. Anyway, thinking we might have made a mistake with the chalk and cheese we stuck the two of them in the back and headed off. The thing was my heart wasn’t in it. I think I’d only agreed to call them because of Monkie insisting. The truth was I had something really meaningful on my mind that was making me nervous. Something only a trip to the doctor would resolve.

7       Even after we had written off the rest of the night it was still way past midnight when Monkie dropped me home. As I turned the lock I thought about it. How now and again an evening is quite often doomed by reasons outside of your control but in this instance it was mostly of our making. Two duff girls and a curiosity both of which we didn’t have to get involved with. The thing with my father was impossible to ignore though. The way I felt about him… well, you know how it is, if there was anything worth knowing I just had to find out. Now I had seen him in action so maybe I had just the beginnings of a bit of leverage.    Pushing the door until it clicked I crept upstairs, tiptoed past Marge’s door and into my room. Call the cops I thought as I undressed but decided not yet, I’d give it time. Besides, as I said, Don was not stupid and the proceeds were sure to be shifted tout de suite. In fact evidence might already be non-existent and if any police...