Your Deepest Fear by David Jackson

Author:David Jackson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction

36

She has waited over an hour. Still no sign of Metro, or anyone who might be able to tell her anything about Metro. There have been a couple of attempts to chat her up at the bar, but they gave her no trouble when she told them she was waiting for her Thai boxer boyfriend.

She signals the Irish girl over again. The girl points to Sara’s empty glass and says, ‘Fancy another?’

‘No, thank you. Do me a favour, will you? I know he bit your head off last time, but would you mind getting your manager out here again, please?’

The girl looks with trepidation towards the rear door.

‘Tell you what,’ says Sara. ‘When you’ve done that, you can get me a glass of tap water.’ She passes across a twenty-pound note. ‘And you can keep the change.’

‘Tap water’s free,’ says the girl.

‘I know,’ says Sara.

The girl takes the money, nods, then goes over to the door. She knocks, puts her head through, says a few words, then runs back to her station.

A few seconds later, Iain reappears. ‘You still here?’ he says.

‘I’m still waiting. You promised me a meeting.’

‘Nobody turned up yet?’

‘No, Iain. Nobody has turned up.’

‘Well, I’m sorry, but I just passed on what was told to me.’

‘No worries, Iain. But here’s what we’re going to do now. You’re going to call whoever you called before, and this time you’re going to tell them I want to speak with them directly. Then you can pass the phone to me.’

‘Why would I do that?’

‘Because if you don’t, you’ll have to explain to your boss why you are the one to blame for the consequences.’

‘What consequences?’

‘All you need to know, Iain, is that it won’t be pretty. Look into my eyes. Can you tell I’m not fucking around with you?’

Iain locks eyes with her for several seconds. She can see his uncertainty.

‘I’ll make the call,’ he says.

He skulks away to his office. Comes back a minute later, phone in hand. He passes it to Sara. She brings it to her ear, puts a finger in her other ear to dampen the pounding music.

‘Hello?’ she says. ‘Who’s this?’

‘More to the point,’ says a male voice, ‘who the fuck are you? And what do you think you’re doing, going around threatening and attacking people?’

‘I take it you’ve heard what happened outside The Tar Barrel, and also at your shitty little pool hall.’

‘I heard. I’ve even seen it. You’re a one-woman army. I’m impressed. What I don’t know is why you’re doing all this.’

‘Then give me a chance to explain. Come here and talk to me, like you promised you would. Prove to me you’re not pissing your pants at the thought of sitting next to me.’

‘Christ, you’ve got some balls, haven’t you, girl?’

‘Bigger than yours, it seems.’

The man laughs. ‘I’m on my way. Keep a seat warm for me.’

The phone goes dead. Sara hands it back to Iain.

‘Get what you wanted?’ he asks.

‘Not yet. But I will.’

*

Another key.

Of course it is.

This one is bigger and heavier than the others.

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