Razorhurst (23 page)

Except for hurting people.

Bluey could get behind that. In his own way, he respected Glory Nelson because she understood the value of pain and she was never afraid. He wouldn’t have worked for her otherwise.

He had no respect for Mr. Davidson. Had point blank asked Glory if he wanted him done for. “I’ll do him,” he’d said in his raspy whisper. “Whenever you like. He’ll be deader than Phar Lap.”

He liked to take things away from people simply because they prized them. He’d take whatever it was and then break it, whether it was a hat, a car, a cat, or a woman or a man. He didn’t value what he took. He valued the pain in the former owner’s eyes when he broke it.

Bluey had great bushy ginger eyebrows that hung so low over his pale eyes it was a wonder he could see. He could, though. When he had a gun—which wasn’t often, guns being scarce in the city—he shot straight and accurate. Learned how to do it on the farm he was on
until he ran away at ten. He perfected the art during the war. Liked to boast about how many Turks he’d done for.

He was even better with a razor.

Half the scars in the Hills were put there by Bluey. He liked to carve a big
L
from ear to mouth on everyone who riled him. There were plenty that swore it was Bluey that started that particular fashion.

He’d kicked Kelpie once. Down in Frog Hollow. Not too long after Old Ma had faded. When Kelpie didn’t understand what fading meant and wouldn’t leave the Hollow because she kept hoping Old Ma would come back.

Bluey’d found her curled up asleep in the ruins of what had been Old Ma’s home. He’d pulled the blanket off and kicked her hard in the ribs and then kept walking. The bruise had taken months to disappear. Took weeks before she could breathe without pain.

Kelpie was mostly grateful he hadn’t killed her. He’d killed plenty of others for being in his path.

When Bluey Denham said to nick off, Kelpie nicked.

He was the baddest of all the bad men.

KELPIE

Bluey Denham stomped in sullenly with an almost-burnt-down-to-the-end cigarette dangling from his lips. He stood barely a foot away from them and stared at Gloriana Nelson.

Kelpie slid closer to Dymphna and made a show of clutching at her arm. She wanted Bluey to know that she was scared of him. Bluey liked to go after those who didn’t show fear and teach them to be afraid. He wanted everyone to tremble when they heard his name. So Kelpie trembled.

Gloriana Nelson smiled. “My favourite boy!” She clapped her hands. “G’morning, Bluey.”

“I thought
I
was her favourite boy,” Palmer said. “How can she like this miserable bastard?” He spat. But of course no spittle went anywhere. Palmer looked in disgust at the floor where his slag should have been. “Ghosts are useless. Look at this mob.” He pointed at one of the ghosts in the corner of the room, who sang tunelessly and skipped back and forth. Kelpie assumed it had once been a girl, but it was too faded now to know for sure. “How do I stop being a ghost?”

Bluey raised his head, looking at where Palmer lounged against the wall.

Palmer disappeared. It was the first time he had disappeared without his face darkening first. He must have gotten the knack of it.

“Well, that’s not a very effusive greeting, is it, Dymph? What’s the matter, Bluey? You forgot how to speak during the night?” Glory sipped her tea and didn’t invite Bluey to sit down.

“Only woke up, didn’t I?” Bluey said so quietly Kelpie wondered how Glory could hear.

“Sorry to wake you, my boy. But I got a job for you.”

Bluey grunted.

“Bluey here is going to keep an eye on you, Dymphna. That right-o with you, Dymph?”

Dymphna said yes, even though Kelpie knew it wasn’t. It wasn’t right-o with Kelpie either.

“He’s going to make sure no one lays a hand on you. I want no blemishes—not even a scratch—on that skin of yours. That’s the most expensive skin in the city, that is.”

Dymphna didn’t say anything. Kelpie wondered what it felt like to have valuable skin. Probably Dymphna’s hair and eyes were expensive too. All of her, really.

“That mean she’s my woman now?” Bluey grunted. “I heard Palmer was dead.”

Kelpie squeezed Dymphna’s hand. If Glory said yes, Kelpie would help Dymphna find a place to hide.

“No, Bluey, Dymphna is not your woman now.”

Bluey glared, not at Glory but at the floor. Kelpie reckoned Glory wouldn’t tolerate anyone who glared at her directly.

“Do you work for me, Bluey?”

Bluey grunted.

“Have I been paying you good money for easy work since you was a tyke?”

Bluey mumbled something that sounded like a yes. But he could also have been telling Glory to get nicked. Hard to tell with Bluey.

“Dymphna here—my top earner—is being threatened by Davidson. Isn’t that right, Dymph?”

“Yes, Glory.”

Kelpie could feel Dymphna wishing she was anywhere but here.

Bluey spat hard on the floor. Spittle bounced up to hit the back of Seamus’s trousers. If she’d been wearing her old pants, some of it would have hit her bare legs.

“I want you to stay close to Dymphna and keep Davidson—or anyone else, like the cops—from doing anything they shouldn’t. It’s not that hard, Bluey. Keep Dymphna safe. You think you can manage it?”

Bluey spat again. Even harder this time. Kelpie wondered if he understood.

“Let me put it this way, Bluey. If you don’t keep Dymphna safe, if something happens to her, there will be consequences. You know how unhappy that makes me.”

“Consequences?” Bluey rasped as though the word didn’t fit in his mouth. Kelpie didn’t think he’d come across it before. If it weren’t for Miss Lee, she wouldn’t have either. She only knew it from
Great Expectations
where
consequences
were almost invariably bad. Seemed like they were that way outside of books too.

“I know you’re slow, Bluey,” Glory said softly. Kelpie glanced up to see her looking directly into Bluey’s eyes. If anyone else had commented on his stupidity, he’d’ve flattened them. If anyone else had
looked him in the eye, they’d be dead. “Not your fault. But you’re a strong boy, and that makes up for any shortcomings. That’s why I trust you, Bluey. You’ve always been solid with me. Which is more than I can say for some of my smarter men. Brains are wasted on standovers.”

Bluey said nothing. Kelpie didn’t think he was angry with Glory. He seemed to accept that what she said was true. Even though he wouldn’t have if Kelpie had pointed out to him that he wasn’t the full quid.

Kelpie tried to imagine what it would be like with Bluey glowering at them throughout the day. All she could think of was how long her side had hurt the last time she’d failed to stay out of his way. Of how careful she’d been to avoid him since. Bluey Denham was exactly the kind of bad man Old Ma was always warning about. Not caring any more for a person than he would for a fly. Men like that weren’t right in the head, Old Ma said. They
looked
for trouble. They
wanted
to hurt people.

Neal Darcy might be following Dymphna. Palmer had said he was, and it had turned out to be true about Snowy. Bluey would love hurting Darcy. Bluey especially hated men he thought were soft. Men who weren’t scarred and savage like him. Kelpie decided she would stab Bluey if he hurt Darcy. She didn’t care what he did to her.

“You think you can cheer Bluey up a little, Dymphna?”

Bluey growled. Kelpie started to wonder if he hated animals so much because he wasn’t that much different from a dog himself. Well, except most dogs were smarter and less vicious.

“On the house, possum.”

Dymphna didn’t say anything, but Kelpie could feel her tension. Bluey growled again. Kelpie wondered if it was because Glory called him
possum
or if he just growled a lot.

“Just a little, Dymphna.” Glory made a gesture with her hand that Kelpie didn’t understand.

“Yes, Glory.”

“That’s a one-off, Bluey. Don’t start thinking it’s a perk of this particular job, you hear?”

Bluey didn’t say anything.

“Do you hear, Bluey? Just this once.”

“Yeah, Glory.”

“I need your word on that, Bluey.”

Bluey paused. Dymphna seemed to stop breathing. Her leg shook harder than ever. Kelpie could feel it vibrating against the chair.

“Bluey?” Glory said in an ugly tone of voice.

“On me word. Just the one.”

“And, Bluey, keep the little girl safe too.”

“What for? ’M I her keeper?” Bluey said, sounding like he was Glory’s disobedient son. Kelpie wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d belted him one. She wished she would. She could feel Bluey looking at her. She shifted even closer to Dymphna, who slid her arm around Kelpie’s waist.

“Because I want the little one safe. That’s why.”

He grunted again.

“No marks on them neither. You and Dymphna go upstairs, and when you’re finished, I’m sending her and the little one to the doctor. Escort them. Wait outside until they’re finished and then bring them back here. Dymphna’ll work the afternoon shift, but you’ll be outside her door.”

“What about when I got to pee?”

“One of the other boys will spot you. But make it quick. Don’t let none of Davidson’s men near her. I don’t care how much money they’ve got. Today she’s not doing them nor coppers neither. Just her regulars. Got that?”

“Yeah.”

Kelpie was not entirely convinced Bluey did follow. It was a lot for such a small-brained man to remember. What if he forgot and kicked her again? Or worse?

“Send anyone to me who wants to squall about it. Then you’ll head over for the party. I think it’s right that Dymphna here say a few words about Jimmy. Raise the toast. That okay with you, Dymph?”

“Of course, Glory,” Dymphna said.

“Wish I had some chocolates. Lettie. Go find me some. You know the kind I like. Get rid of the nasty peppermint ones before you hand me the box.” Glory shuddered.

Lettie jumped up and exited as quick as she could. No one wanted to be around Bluey.

“I’m not asking much, Blue. Keep Dymphna and the little one safe and unharmed. That’s it.”

Kelpie wondered if he was going to argue. He looked like he might. His lips were pressed together and his hands clenched and then unclenched and then clenched again. His hands seemed more comfortable as fists.

“I’ll keep ’em safe.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Kelpie didn’t believe him.

“Cheer up, Bluey,” Glory said, leaning forward to pat him on the shoulder. “Someone might try to snatch ’em. You can hurt whoever tries that as much as you want. But don’t leave no bodies lying about. Don’t want any more attention from the coppers than we got already.”

Glory smiled at Dymphna. “He means well, he does.”

Kelpie knew that wasn’t true.

Gloriana Nelson’s Doctor