A Measure of Trouble by Zach Abrams

Author:Zach Abrams [Abrams, Zach]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Creativia
Published: 2016-09-26T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Once back in the car, Alex turned to Phil. “If Mathewson was supplying underworld contacts with illegal whisky, then he must have been mixing with some very dangerous people. That industry is controlled by organised crime syndicates and the gang lords involved are not ones you'd want to mess with. If he'd welched on a deal or let someone down or if he'd let them get wind that he was pulling out of the business, then they'd have thought nothing of squashing him. This whole business is taking on an even nastier taste.”

Before switching on the engine, both Alex and Phil checked their phones, recovering them from silent mode. Alex saw he had two missed calls from Sandra as well as a voice message. He pressed and held down the `1' key.

“Hi, Alex, I'm in the flat and it's great. I'm planning to go up and confront the neighbours soon and thought I'd just check in the unlikely event that you could be available.” Alex checked the detail and saw the recording was made only three minutes before. He called back, and while it was ringing, he quickly got out and stood beside the car.

“It's great, Alex, it's just perfect.”

“I can't chat just now, I'm outside Holbein's house and I've got Phil in the car. Hold on there for twenty minutes and I'll join you so you don't have to go upstairs alone. I'll go now, see you soon.”

Without waiting for a reply, Alex clicked off then climbed back in the car and switched on the ignition, made a U-turn and retraced his earlier route.

Phil started, “I've had some feedback from the enquiries this morning. First, Stanley Burns is at home and will be in all afternoon so we could go there now if you want as we're already on the South Side.”

“I'm afraid I've something to attend to first. I'll drop you back at the office and pick you up half an hour to an hour later, okay?”

“Sure thing. You're the boss. I'll grab a bite of lunch in between.”

“You said `firstly,' what else have you got?”

“Sorry, I nearly forgot. It's just a bit of feedback on the enquiries you asked me to make. Carpenter came up clean. No criminal record, not even a parking ticket. He's married with two children, both at primary school. He graduated with a 2/2 honours from St Andrews and then went to Jordanhill teacher training college. Eastfarm is his second teaching job and everything sounds kosher. He met his wife at TTC and she taught primary until their sprogs came along and then she packed it in. Her record is clean too. He plays badminton and table tennis at county standard and he's a keen chess player and helps coach in these activities at school.”

“That's good, anything on the Connellys?”

“Oh yes, but they're not so squeaky clean.”

“Tell me more.”

“Paul Connelly's the father. He has half a dozen convictions ranging from car theft to aggravated assault. He's also under enquiry for making fraudulent benefit claims.

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