made by someone I trust.’
But the boy’s reaction pleased him. He was proud, too proud really, but it showed he could keep his mouth shut and that was important as far as Paulie was concerned. Jon Jon forced his emotions under control and Paulie stopped himself from laughing again.
He liked this kid! For all his man’s size and obvious intelligence, he had the temper of a five year old. But he would learn, and Paulie would teach. He knew the boy had a natural head for business, was already raking in a good wedge at only seventeen. Under expert guidance and tuition he would become a force to be reckoned with.
He also had the violent personality so important to their kind of business. Jon Jon could administer a slap if necessary, and he could garner himself additional respect while doing it.
Paulie threw a fifty-pound note on the table.
‘Fill them up again, son, and keep the change.’
Jon Jon did as he was bidden.
Paulie watched as the boy pushed his way through the now crowded bar and he smiled again. Jon Jon had an arrogance about him that was evident even in his walk, his mannerisms. It was inbred. He wondered who the boy’s father had been because he’d never got any hint of that from poor old Joanie. She was a victim waiting to happen, always had been and always would be.
As Jon Jon made his way back to the table Paulie saw one of his henchmen enter the bar with a small dark-haired girl. It was noisy and smoky now and he had to shout loudly to attract their attention. Jon Jon had just sat down when the man arrived at their table.
‘All right, Paulie?’
He was big, heavyset, and clearly extremely nervous.
‘I wasn’t expecting to see you in here.’
‘Obviously not. Have you got me money then?’
The man was opening his mouth to answer when Paulie’s fist shot up and knocked him backwards. Getting out of his seat, he kicked the man over and over again in the face and chest. Then he dragged him off the floor and threw him towards the young girl he had entered with.
‘You’ve got twenty-four hours, cunt.’
Jon Jon was impressed but as usual kept his face neutral.
Paulie went up further in his estimation when he sat down at the table and did not even mention what had taken place; instead he picked up their conversation from where they had left it.
He had made his point, though, and they both knew that. It said a lot for the public house they were in that no one even bothered to help the wounded man up from the floor. Even the little dark girl left him there.
‘Now then, where were we?’
Paulie and Jon Jon, without realising it, became friends that night even though neither of them would admit that fact out loud.
To outsiders they had a finely calibrated truce.
Chapter Five
Carty had regained consciousness and after a visit from Jon Jon was suddenly willing to make a statement that completely exonerated his one-time friend. Carty did look rough, but in his heart of hearts Jon Jon could feel no regret for what he had done. It had been necessary, and it had been unavoidable.
He felt relieved once it was all over officially. It didn’t matter what the police thought as long as they couldn’t prove anything. That was something he had learned at a very early age.
Carty had even had the nerve to try and talk him round - as if he was stupid enough to enter into any kind of relationship with a crack head! Business or otherwise, he was now a liability and out of Jon Jon’s sphere of friendship. He could drop dead. Jon Jon put the hard word on him about his big mouth and discussing their private business and Carty took the reprimand without a murmur. He was terrified and it showed.
The man was a joke, a shadow of his former self. Jon Jon only hoped the time in hospital helped him to kick his habit before the habit kicked him.
After all, he wasn’t a vindictive person.
As he left the
But the boy’s reaction pleased him. He was proud, too proud really, but it showed he could keep his mouth shut and that was important as far as Paulie was concerned. Jon Jon forced his emotions under control and Paulie stopped himself from laughing again.
He liked this kid! For all his man’s size and obvious intelligence, he had the temper of a five year old. But he would learn, and Paulie would teach. He knew the boy had a natural head for business, was already raking in a good wedge at only seventeen. Under expert guidance and tuition he would become a force to be reckoned with.
He also had the violent personality so important to their kind of business. Jon Jon could administer a slap if necessary, and he could garner himself additional respect while doing it.
Paulie threw a fifty-pound note on the table.
‘Fill them up again, son, and keep the change.’
Jon Jon did as he was bidden.
Paulie watched as the boy pushed his way through the now crowded bar and he smiled again. Jon Jon had an arrogance about him that was evident even in his walk, his mannerisms. It was inbred. He wondered who the boy’s father had been because he’d never got any hint of that from poor old Joanie. She was a victim waiting to happen, always had been and always would be.
As Jon Jon made his way back to the table Paulie saw one of his henchmen enter the bar with a small dark-haired girl. It was noisy and smoky now and he had to shout loudly to attract their attention. Jon Jon had just sat down when the man arrived at their table.
‘All right, Paulie?’
He was big, heavyset, and clearly extremely nervous.
‘I wasn’t expecting to see you in here.’
‘Obviously not. Have you got me money then?’
The man was opening his mouth to answer when Paulie’s fist shot up and knocked him backwards. Getting out of his seat, he kicked the man over and over again in the face and chest. Then he dragged him off the floor and threw him towards the young girl he had entered with.
‘You’ve got twenty-four hours, cunt.’
Jon Jon was impressed but as usual kept his face neutral.
Paulie went up further in his estimation when he sat down at the table and did not even mention what had taken place; instead he picked up their conversation from where they had left it.
He had made his point, though, and they both knew that. It said a lot for the public house they were in that no one even bothered to help the wounded man up from the floor. Even the little dark girl left him there.
‘Now then, where were we?’
Paulie and Jon Jon, without realising it, became friends that night even though neither of them would admit that fact out loud.
To outsiders they had a finely calibrated truce.
Chapter Five
Carty had regained consciousness and after a visit from Jon Jon was suddenly willing to make a statement that completely exonerated his one-time friend. Carty did look rough, but in his heart of hearts Jon Jon could feel no regret for what he had done. It had been necessary, and it had been unavoidable.
He felt relieved once it was all over officially. It didn’t matter what the police thought as long as they couldn’t prove anything. That was something he had learned at a very early age.
Carty had even had the nerve to try and talk him round - as if he was stupid enough to enter into any kind of relationship with a crack head! Business or otherwise, he was now a liability and out of Jon Jon’s sphere of friendship. He could drop dead. Jon Jon put the hard word on him about his big mouth and discussing their private business and Carty took the reprimand without a murmur. He was terrified and it showed.
The man was a joke, a shadow of his former self. Jon Jon only hoped the time in hospital helped him to kick his habit before the habit kicked him.
After all, he wasn’t a vindictive person.
As he left the
Similar Books
Famine
John Creasey
Leopard Dreaming
A.A. Bell
Crime Scene
Rick R. Reed
Dragon Stones (Book One in the Dragon Stone Saga)
Kristian Alva
To Catch a Star
Romy Sommer
Coffin Island
Will Berkeley
nb1
Lora Leigh
The God Patent
Ransom Stephens
Money’s on the Dresser: Escorting, Porn and Promiscuity in Las Vegas
Christopher Daniels