Broken Faith by James Green

anyway, Mr Henderson, sorry we can’t do business together. It was nice to meet you, goodbye.’
    Henderson smiled weakly and it took him a moment to realise Mercer was holding out his hand. He took the hand but said nothing. Mercer took his glass to the bar and put it in front of the new barman.
    â€˜Good luck with the training, mate.’
    The barman didn’t reply. Mercer turned and walked out of the bar. Henderson watched him get into his car and drive away. The place where the Mercedes had been parked was immediately filled by a black SEAT. A man and a woman got out and headed into the bar. Henderson recognised them as the woman Inspector and the man Costello. He quickly poured himself a glass of wine and drank it at one go, desperately rehearsing the story Mercer had given him. Jimmy and Suarez came to his table and sat down. Suarez asked the questions.
    â€˜How do you do, Mr Henderson. We seem to have just missed your friend, Mr Mercer. Please, could you tell us why you two met? What was your business together?’
    Henderson clumsily poured another glass, drank some, consigned his soul to God and began to tell her the story Mercer had given him. As he spoke he knew he had been right. It sounded thin. 

Chapter Nine
    They left Henderson sweating and drinking in the bar. He was in a bad way and would soon be worse but he’d told his story and managed to stick to it so they left him to his fear and his wine. Suarez suggested they park the car and walk while they talked. Jimmy agreed and they drove to the sea-front, parked and began to walk. Suarez didn’t seem to notice the heat. Jimmy did, but he liked the idea of their walking together like a couple of tourists on holiday together so he was prepared to put up with it.
    â€˜So, what did you make of Henderson’s little performance?’
    â€˜Mercer has him scared witless, his wife has him scared spineless, I don’t see that we’ll get anywhere by joining in and frightening the stupid bastard shitless as well.’
    Suarez laughed.
    â€˜Not how I’d have phrased it for my report but I agree. Still, we need him to talk to us, unless you think we would be better off having a go at Mercer.’
    â€˜No, Harry’ll be no help, not unless he’s sure we can send him away for a long time, then he’d deal, but we’re not even close to anything like that.’ They walked on each with their own thoughts. With Suarez it was the case, with Jimmy it was Suarez and, unfortunately, the heat. The sky was clear blue and Jimmy felt as if he could simply reach up and touch it. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead. It came away damp. I must look like bloody Henderson, he thought, and the thought didn’t sit well. He stopped. ‘I’m sorry, I thought it might be OK but do we have to be out here? This bloody heat is frying me.’
    Suarez looked at him.
    â€˜Yes, you do look a bit well-done. I should have remembered the heat bothered you. You should have said.’
    â€˜The heat bothers me.’
    â€˜OK, let’s go to the bar and get a cold drink.’
    Â â€˜Yes, let’s.’
    And they turned back towards the car.
    They drove to the bar where they had first met. Suarez stopped by the grove of trees and Jimmy got out.  
    â€˜Get us some beers. I’ll park up and be back in a minute.’
    Suarez drove off and Jimmy looked through the trees at the tables with the parasols and the sea beyond. Very holiday brochure: in a magazine he would have liked the look of it. He turned his back on the holiday postcard scene and walked into the welcoming cool of the bar’s shady, air-conditioned interior. Inside the bar it wasn’t busy and the waiter came straight to the table.
    â€˜Welcome back, sir.’
    Either he remembered Jimmy as a previous customer or as someone who got visited by the police.
    â€˜Two beers.’
    The waiter left and Jimmy set about trying to