Joseph Bridgeman and the Silver Hunter by Nick Jones

Author:Nick Jones [Jones, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781912910007
Published: 2018-09-10T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-Six

Frankie nods and my heart sinks. The thug’s hand whips through the air and smacks Vinny across the top of his head. The sound is horrible, sharp yet deep. Vinny winces as he lets out a low moan. I stare at him and then flash my gaze back at Shaw, only just suppressing my anger.

I clench my fists and breathe.

Even in this state, I know anger won’t serve me. I take full responsibility for the fact that Vinny is along for the ride and I need to get us both away from this maniac.

‘Please don’t hurt him again,’ I say, voice trembling.

‘I’m alright,’ Vinny mumbles.

I have no choice. I lift the chain over my head and hand Frankie the precious pocket watch. As I do, I notice the change event indicator has returned, descended from the outer rim of the mechanism. I frown, rotating the watch as I hand it over. The change event moves, snapping to the man seated opposite me. I stare helplessly as he snatches it from me.

Was Frankie the change event all along?

He presses the fob dial, releasing both the front and rear protective casings. He glances up at me. ‘This is one nice kettle and hob.’ He snaps it closed and places it on the armrest beside him.

I feel small beads of sweat on my forehead as I desperately try to figure out what to do next. Bill could not have been clearer. If I lose the watch, I’m stuck here forever.

‘Tell me what you’re really doing here and I will let you go.’ He leans in. ‘Harry tells me you were talking to Miss Romano.’

‘Miss Romano?’

‘Don’t mess with me.’ His voice is sharp as a scalpel.

‘You mean the woman serving drinks?’ I ask, desperately trying to control my fear.

‘You like her, don’t you?’

This is a classic leading question designed to trap me. Trust me. Bullies are my speciality. For example: Are you looking at my girlfriend? Whichever answer you go for, you lose. If you tell them that you were looking at the girl, you get smacked in the mouth. If you say you weren’t, they ask you why not and suggest you think their girlfriend is ugly.

Loop until punched.

I stare back at him, aware that I need to give him something.

Vinny steps in again. ‘The reason we were here,’ he blurts, ‘is Joe wanted to talk to her, and I persuaded him to, but we didn’t realise that she was taken, honest we didn’t. We were here to see the band, have a dance –’

Frankie silences Vinny with a single raised finger. He smiles, licking his lips. ‘I’m right, you fancied her.’

I nod, deciding this might be the best angle. ‘I didn’t realise she was with someone.’

He stares at me for a long time, tapping the watch, eyes moving slowly between me and Vinny like a snake considering which one to strike first. ‘Okay,’ he says eventually. ‘Because I haven’t seen you boys before, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt.

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