1947 - No Business of Mine by James Hadley Chase

Author:James Hadley Chase [Chase, James Hadley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

chapter fourteen

They were waiting for me as I came out of Crystal's flat. I guess I asked for it. I should have been on my guard after Bradley's threat, but the hectic couple of hours I'd spent with Crystal had numbed me, and I stepped into the dark street without the slightest suspicion of what was coming to me.

It happened so quickly that I could only give a strangled shout before something crashed down on my head and I blacked out.

I recovered to find myself lying on the floor of a fast moving car, an evil smelling rug over my head and shoulders, someone's heavy feet on my chest. My head ached, and the rug threatened to stifle me.

I lay still, tried to make out what had happened. I guessed this was Bradley's idea of teaching me to mind my own business. I wasn't happy, wondered where I was being taken, and if I was going to have my throat slit. Cautiously I moved my hands. They were free and so were my legs. Maybe whoever had cracked me on the head had underestimated the thickness of my skull.

The two feet lifted, thumped down on me again.

"Keeps quiet, don't he?" a voice said.

"I 'ope you didn't bash 'im too 'ard, Joe," another voice said.

"Not me," Joe said. "I only patted 'is 'ead with my fist. ‘ E'll be orl right once I tug 'is ears a bit."

I grimaced. Having my ears tugged was not one of my favourite pastimes.

"We oughter be there by now," the second voice went on. " 'Ere, Bert, 'ow much farther is it?"

"Just 'ere," the first voice said. "This'll do, won't it?"

"Yes, this is orl right," Joe said.

The car slowed, bumped over uneven ground, stopped. "Nice quiet spot wid no one to interfere wid us," Bert remarked.

Three of them, I thought. Well, three were better than four. I lay still, waited developments.

Boots trod on me; the car doors opened; feet scraped on gravel.

"Get 'im out, and be careful 'e ain't foxing," Bert said. 'Ere, Joe, you 'andle 'im. Ted and me'll stand by just in case 'e stares any funny business."

"I 'ope 'e does," the man called Joe replied. "I don't like bashing a bloke in cold blood."

I began to like Joe a little.

The other two laughed. "That's a good 'un," Bert sneered. "I ain't so particular, nor's Ted. Are you, Ted?"

"I'm looking forward to bashing the bugger," Ted said cheerfully. "I ain't 'ad any exercise for the past two weeks."

Hands grabbed my ankles. I was dragged bodily out of the car. My shoulders hit on the running-board, but I managed to keep my head clear as I thudded to the ground. I remained still, waited patiently for someone to take off the rug.

"You sure you didn't 'it 'im too 'ard?" Ted asked. " 'E's a bit quiet."

"But not for long, matey," Joe said. "Let's 'ave a look at 'im."

The rug was dragged off. I felt the cool night air on my face.

Cautiously I looked between half-closed lids.

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