Hunt Hunted Murder Murdered (6 page)

3.2 Bob and Marie

'Fuck sake Bob!' Marie gripped the door handle as Bob tore off down from Inverkeithing and across the first roundabout, avoiding traffic from the park and ride. He grinned at her.

'What?'

'I want to get to the pub in one piece thanks'. On the straight Marie folded her arms disapprovingly as Bob grinned out the front windscreen, wipers taking away the spit of rain.

Traffic passed freely onto the Forth Road Bridge, and Bob sped under the motorway looking for the next exit up towards North Queensferry. Headlights flashed across the road barriers and then off to the woods.

They had already got the first clue which presented them with the next.

'Overlook the Rusty Red,

Over the ____ blue ____

Where in the 'world'?

Stick your head in!'

Deep Sea World. Further away than Bob had hoped. It would take ten minutes to get back up to the centre where they would leave the car til tomorrow.

The road wound past the Ferry Lodge, and onwards and downwards beneath the bridge again. The Forth Bridge came into view, lit up to show all its 100 years of engineering glory.

'What does 'stick your head in' mean?' Marie quizzes.

'We'll see in a minute'

'It'll no be open'

'It'll no mean stick yer head in the door ya daft besom', Marie slaps his thigh.

Through the town and into the emptiness of the car park for Deep Sea World, Bob slowed the car, thinking to himself that maybe they would have to run down to the door after all.

'There'. Bob drove across towards the barrier that prevented folk from falling into the sea-water filled quarry below. There were a couple of benches, some bins and a seaside photo opportunity. A big fat woman in a red stripy swimsuit, a skinny bloke with long johns and a dog, all with missing faces, were in front of them on a large hoarding awaiting the tourists and day trippers when the summer came around again.

Bob stopped the car. Marie opened her door.

'Where you going?'

'To see if the clue is there'

'I'll get it', Bob undid his seatbelt.

'Whats the point in that?' Marie gets out. Bob stayed put feeling peeved as Marie walked in her high heels towards the board.

'I can't see anything'

Bob rolled his eye, turned off the engine and opened his door again.

'Open yer eyes then', he said while jogging over to be with her.

'Bob, there isn't any clue'

'It won't be a clue. It'll just be something to take back so they know we got all the clues'.

'Like what though?' Marie turned and looked over the edge of the barrier.

Bob stood by the board with light streaming from the car, puzzled.

'Like a welly?', Marie asked.

'A welly?'

Marie pointed over the barrier. An old wellington boot was hanging off a bit of string.

'That’s it'. Bob began to pull it up.

'How do you know?' Bob pulled it up and over the barrier.

'Because of this'. The welly had 'Back to 7 Kings' written on it in what looked like Tippex.

Bob ran back to the car. Marie toddled back.

'Come on Marie!'

'I'm coming'. She got in the car.

Bob turned the key. The car tried to tick over.

'Oh don't!' He turns the key over again, but the engine failed to start.

'That’s because you left the light on. You should have left her ticking over.’ Marie stated the obvious. For a Sporty car it was an unreliable bastard!

'Thanks for that'

'I'm just saying'

Bob heard the click as the key failed to spark any response and then tried again. A little rev. Again. A bigger rev. Longer this time.

'Don't you break my car’ The car powered into life.

'Ha ha!' Bob laughed in relief.

'Well get going then'

Out of the car park. 10 minutes to the 7 Kings and the start of the session. The car took off across the roundabout up towards Rosyth and a quick way back to the centre. Bob put down the pedal and attempts to fly up the hill. The front tyre clipped the inside of the road, and the car spun away to the right.

'Bob!' Marie screamed. Bob adjusted his hands, focusing on the road ahead and trying not to veer off towards the motorway and the traffic beyond. They were going to crash. The car screeched on full brake, the tyres locked, and the car slid across the damp surface and up onto the side of the road where it came to a halt.

'You OK?' Bob turned to Marie.

'You fuckin loony', Marie smacked Bob on the leg over and again.

'Sorry love', Bob leant over the steering wheel panting, shaking and sweating.

"You OK?' Marie asked Bob.

'I'm fuckin fantastic!' Marie rubbed his back and he turned and smirked at her. She hit him again lightly on the back.

'You are going to get us killed one day'.

'But not today. That was well close though.' Too close he thought, and he grinned at the prospect of telling the others about tonight’s adventure.

'You better not have broken my car you shit!'

'Sorry love'. He pouted in pretence of kissing her. She pushed him away.

'Let’s just go before someone comes along'. Bob, still pouting, closed his eyes waiting for a kiss.

She kisses him lightly and quickly. ‘Let’s Go!'

Bob turns the key. Nothing. Again. Nothing. One more time. Nothing!

'Fucks sake Bob'.

'Have you got the RAC number?' Bob asked more in hope than belief.

'No'

'What about your phone?'

'No I left it in the house' Bob rolled his eyes and Marie hit him again. 'You don't get any reception in the pub anyway. Do you have yours?'

'Left it on charge'

'Well?'

'I guess we better start walking then'

'I don't think so'

Bob took off his seatbelt.

'You coming?'

'I'm not leaving the car here'. She pushed the switch on the radio, remembered the problems with the car and turned it back off.

'It's only 10 mins walk to the pub down the hill. I dinnae want to leave you here yerself'

'I think I could look after myself.'

True, Bob thought, she did all that karate stuff right enough.

'I'll lock the doors until you get back.'

'Sorry Marie. I'm a dick.'

'I know. Just hurry up and get back.'

'Ok, Love you, see ye in a minute.' Bob trudged up the hill and eventually out of sight.

3.3 Spiv and Pam

'Pish!' Spiv looked at the clue.

'What?' Pam sat in the passenger seat. The drizzle on the windscreen glistened under the car park lights.

'I forgot I was to go to my ma's'.

'Well go then or we'll never get back'. Pam had noticed some of her college buddies in the bar, and felt she could do without these stupid games. ‘You know I haven’t got long tonight. I need to get back’. Spiv knew he had to get over to his mums tonight. He was sober, and had to speak to her while with a fresh head. So much had been happening with his Dad, that he needed her confirmation of details.

'Naw, listen, you get in there I'll go get the clues after I've been to my mum's'.

With one hand already on the door, Pam replied, ‘You sure?’

'Yeah, just go and I'll see you in a bit'

'Ok', she kissed him on the cheek. ‘Do you want me to help you with the clue first?'

'Eh, no. It's fine. I'll be fine. I'll be back soon.'

Pam left and, holding her hood to her hair, she jogged towards the back door of the pub and was soon inside in the warmth.

She watched from the back window as Spiv got out of his car and disappeared from view up the back steps. She felt in her pocket and found her own car keys there. He would be going to his mothers. He would be a while. She could always head back home herself if necessary. She turned to see the bustle of people across the bar.

3.4 Tom and Emma

Emma sat in the car, waiting. Tom had been gone for a good few minutes. The clue should have been simple enough to ensure this was a quick visit.

'Wait there, I'll just be a minute', he had said. But something didn't feel right, so she opened the car door and made her way to the bar entrance, which was situated up the right hand side of the alleyway. It was cool and she was not well attired for this. She folded her arms and walked steadily up to the pub entrance. Two blokes were leaving as she arrived and one held the door while looking her up and down. She smiled kindly, and hoped Tom was on his way out of there.

The pub was dry and bright. Some football screens on the TV to the left and about three folk discussing the game. Quiet. To the right two couples at different tables. No hilarity, half drunk pints and two small whiskies. When they got the clue they would be able to comment on just how sad this little pub was – and this used to be Tom's local. But where the hell could he be?

There didn't appear to be anyone serving, so Emma made her way back out the doors without speaking to anyone. A giggle up the alleyway stopped her in her tracks as she glanced around into the darkness. A whisper, a light moan and a giggle. Some footsteps and 2 shadows close together came out of the shadows.

‘You bastard Tom!’

‘What?’ The shadowy figures kept walking towards her, but Tom had spoken to her from towards the car. ‘What’s up with you shouting?’

‘I thought…’

Tom pieced the thought.

‘Oh fuckin great. I go off for one minute and you fuckin thought that I was away getting off with some fat old bird.’ Toms raised voice was heard by the couple who had emerged from the shadows and they whispered to each other in disgruntled disparagement as they strolled down the slope.

‘I’m away all fuckin week, I come home and you are thinking I’m away off with someone when I’ve only been away for 2 minutes. You have a problem Emma. A serious fuckin problem.’ Tom stormed off.

‘Where are you going? Tom, answer me.’

‘The fuck away from you.’ He disappeared into the shadows.

“I’m sorry. Tom. Did you hear me?’

Emma wept in the car for a while. So many thoughts ran through her mind. Should she wait here for him? It didn’t look like he was going to come back. But maybe he would and she could show him how much she loved him. Embrace and warm him up from the cold night in the car or somewhere else. She felt sick to the pit of her stomach. She didn’t want to feel alone. She sat alone.

---

The journey had been a long one for Bob. Gripping the inside of the door for dear life as Spiv turned more and more aggressive towards him - like he was with all the other commuters.

'Fucksake' Spiv bellowed again, undertaking another car as the road shrank back to one lane, wheel trim clipping the kerb, speedometer reading over 80, and this was heading into Kincardine.

'What’s the hurry?'

'Fuckin amateurs, man, I'm tellin ye.' Spiv had not been happy when they had found out that it was almost a certainty Ian Ingram had been sending the letters to Aid. His car flew past another one, which flashed it’s headlights at him. Spiv still had time to direct an extended middle finger in the direction of the far side traveller, who had to brake to reduce the risk of collision.

'How long has Aid been getting these letters for?'

'Why are you so bothered?'

'I'm not, it's just shit getting this all dragged up again'

'I think Aid just wants Ingram to know we have nowt to do with this.'

Spiv slowed the car slightly on approaching another roundabout, Bob grabbed the passenger door again, this time with his right hand too.

'Fuckin hell man!'

'I just want to get back. Sorry. Listen, Bob, this just gies me the willies. It makes you think that maybe we dinnae ken everything eh? I mean we were given the full monty when it came to questioning I think, but maybe one of us hasn't been entirely honest. Maybe there is something else.'

Bob sat nodding. Spiv was quiet again. They were both thinking to themselves. Bob’s thoughts were split between speaking to Marie on the subject of his sacking and about who had killed his friend Dev Coulding but mainly about holding on tight to the door handle and praying he would get home in one piece.

4

4.1 Marie and Bob

The fridge was full of fine foodstuffs. Appetizers and snacks adorned the shelves and there were 30 odd cans of lager and cider under the table. ‘What else do we need?’ Marie thought. The party was now only a couple of days away, after all, and she needed to get everything right. Bob was at work, so she took a half day to tidy the place up. The carpets had been laid earlier in the day (her mum had been over to let the fitters in) and now, after sharing some small talk about Auntie Bessy's piles (why her mother had to share such stories was beyond her) over a latte frappe, she was now able to dad on with the housework. Polishing knobs and mantles, washing handles of doors, and frames. It was always in her mind that someone would rub a finger over the frame and wipe a fingerful of dust down with a grimace in her direction. She would be mortified, so she would not let it happen. Now it was time to get the hoovering done, but no sooner had she switched it on than the phone erupted into life. The house phone. Probably an International call centre, with a 'Meesees Smeeth, you haf won a purize.... ' She turned the hoover off and lifted the receiver.

'Hello'

'Hello, is Bob Reilly there?'

'No, no he's not. He's at work.'

The caller stalled 'OK, can you tell me when he'll be back?'

'About 5.30 usually. Can I ask who's calling?'

'It's Murray Johnson from Johnston Willis Steelworks. Bob used to work for us. We just need him to give us a call.'

'Used to... You telling me he's not working with you anymore?'

'I'm sorry Mrs Reilly.'

'It's Smith. Miss Smith. When did he finish up?’

'Just a couple of days ago'.

Marie ended the call. She had more questions, but not for Murray Johnson. Where was Bob and what the hell was going on?

Bob turned the key in the lock and walked in. The carpet looked lovely. All that moaning about the cost for nothing...

'Ahem' a small cough brought him to life.

'Oh hiya'.

'Shouldn't you be somewhere?' It was a knowing question.

'Aye. I need to speak to you...' A cushion was thrown across the room.

'We are meant to be a couple. You are meant to tell me if there is a problem'.

'I know. I know. Sorry. Who told you?'

'No-one yet. Your ex-boss phoned looking for you'

'Are they going to take me back?'

'I don't fuckin know. Didn't sound like it. What did you do to lose your job?'

'I was just being an idiot. I've been looking for something else. Honestly we'll be alright.' He tried to sound convincing, but he didn't feel that convinced himself. Marie sat down on the couch, still fuming.

'We'll be alright'. Repetition would maybe convince her.

Nothing. Bob sat looking at her while she looked into her lap.

'Marie?'

She eventually looked him in the eye. She let out a gentle laugh with a tear in her eye. ‘I don't know how we are still together Bob.'

'Because we love each other?'

'Is it enough for you. This? I mean is it? Because it isn't for me'

Bob looked around him for inspiration.

'But I thought you liked this house. We even got new carpets ‘cause you wanted them.'

She smiled at this dopey man. He really didn't understand.

'Well you have made it easy for me at least.'

Bob grew wary. This did not sound good.

'I'm sorry Marie. I'll do better. I'll get another job. Don't leave me. I know I'm stupid, but I'll grow up. I promise.'

Marie looked at him blankly.

'What you talking about. I'm not leaving you. I wouldn't make it that easy for you. Christ, Bob. I love you. Even though we still ain't married, I believe in for better for worse.'

Now it was Bob’s turn to look blank.

'Bob, I've been given a really good job opportunity through my work. But it will mean relocating...'

This did not sound so bad, when in his mind the alternative was losing her forever. Bob could see this was what Marie wanted and maybe this was what would make him grow up. It was all about compromise.