The Memory of an Elephant by Peter Webb

Author:Peter Webb
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781839754449
Publisher: Grosvenor House Publishing
Published: 2020-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

Friday

‘Where are they?’

‘In a sack an’ in the incinerator.’

‘All of ’em?’

‘Yeah.’

‘All the scrap and cable from the fight site?’

‘In a pile back of the barn, tinkers are collectin’ tomorrow.’

Matt led the way along the line of empty kennels inspecting and talking as he went. ‘And you’ve sluiced and swept these lot clean?’

‘I have.’

‘Pressure-washed?’

‘Yeah. Do you want ’em stripped down?’

‘Nah. If the coppers come callin’ we’ll tell ’em they were for the Gaffer’s gun dogs, when he had any.’ As they reached the end kennel Matt indicated the wooden shed a few yards distant. ‘All the bowls and bedding gone?’

‘Er, yeah, all gone.’

Something in Chris’ manner caused Matt to repeat his question. ‘All bowls and bedding gone, yeah?’

‘Yeah, yeah…’

Matt faced Chris square on. ‘I don’t want any slip-ups here Chris. We’ve not shovels big enough if we get it wrong, y’know that, right?’

‘Yeah…’course.’

Matt looked back along the kennels. ‘Well, it looks like a tidy job. Did you clean out y’ Land Rover?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Properly cleaned it?’

‘Yeah!’ Chris made a move towards the vehicle. ‘Do you wanna have a look?’

Matt followed him and peered into the back of the vehicle. ‘Looks OK. Did you sluice the back out?’

‘With the hose and a broom, yeah.’

‘Do it again, just to be sure. Have you cleared all the junk from the front?’ Matt opened the passenger door. Everywhere was pristine. ‘Neat. Right, well, sluice the back out again, use the pressure-washer this time.’

‘Right. I still don’t know why all them pups had to go when the big un’s are still up with bloody Aiden.’

‘Too much money spent for that. That’s his breedin’ pool and fighters rolled into one, and he’s still got matches to do. You heard them Irish are dead now?’

‘News just said two men were shot dead tryin’ to board the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry, it said nothin’ about them bein’ our lads.’

‘An’ what are the odds, eh?’

‘Yeah, and anyway, corpses make no complaints.’

‘No, but we gotta reckon the plods will eventually work things out about their past, and those things will include they were dog-fighters.’

‘Who’d know that?’

‘We did for starters, and if we did then so did others, an’ if others knew then plod will find out; they may be daft but they aint stupid. Things add up, can be pieced together, that’s why them pups had to go.’

‘Yeah,’s’pose.’

‘No ’s’pose about it. Adults we can explain away: estate guard dogs, terrorist threat, important government man and the rest. Pups were different.’ Matt looked at his watch. ‘Right, I’m away to sort out Aiden, make sure he’s got the tale straight then see if I can find a replacement dog for them Chinky lot.’

Chris looked incredulous. ‘What, Gaffer’s still goin’ on with it?’

‘I said didn’t I? We’ve still got matches to do.’

‘But, where you gonna get another dog at such short notice?’

‘I’m gonna try them gyppos out at Carlington, see what they can come up with, who they know.’

‘Risky.’

‘Only if I get caught, and anything will do to put on a show for the Chinks to bet on, give Derringer a bit of exercise.

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