Closer by Morning by Thom Collins

Author:Thom Collins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group Ltd
Published: 2016-07-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“You interfering bastard.” Brian ‘Lugz’ Mosley was waiting on the steps of the courthouse when Matt came out. Lugz was a six-and-half-foot wall of muscle, fat and attitude—bad attitude. He had a large football-shaped head with Toby jug ears and no discernible neck, just a colossal set of shoulders. A serpentine tattoo slithered from the open neck of his shirt to twist around his left ear. His face was distorted into a mask of demonic rage.

Matt was in trouble.

It had been an arduous morning in Crown Court. He had been defending Akram Khan, a post office manager. Akram’s wife had been working on the counter of their family business when Luke Mosley, the seventeen-year-old son of Lugz, had held up the counter with a large ax. Akram had come to the assistance of his wife, tackling the teenager to the floor while getting in a few well-placed punches, breaking Luke’s nose and two of his ribs in the struggle.

As well as an assault conviction for the post office manager, the Mosley family was hoping to claim a hefty compensation payout. It wasn’t to be. At this morning’s plea and directions hearing, ahead of a trial, Matt and Devon Morris, the barrister acting on their behalf, had managed to convince the judge that there was no case to answer against Akram Khan.

His case had been dismissed while the trial of Luke Mosley for aggravated robbery would go ahead regardless.

Matt, in a hurry to get back to the office and prepare his next case, thought nothing of leaving the court on his own. A big mistake.

Lugz’s bald head was red with anger, his huge ears, one of which had a partially chewed lobe, was even more livid. “You Paki-loving bastard.” He came closer, clenching his tattooed fists. “No fucking case to answer. No case to answer. Did you see the state of my boy when that Paki bastard had finished with him?”

“Mr. Khan was acting in self-defense. Luke held up his store and threatened his wife. With an ax!”

“The dole had sanctioned his benefits. He had no money. What was he supposed to do? He was desperate.”

On the day of the robbery Luke Mosley had been desperate all right. For a fix. The seventeen year old had huge drug debts—heroine, amphetamine, cannabis—most of which were owed to his own father and his associates. Lugz was one of the biggest dealers in the area. The beatings he had dealt his son in the past for failing to pay up made Akram Khan’s assault look like slap and tickle.

“It’s over, Brian. Case dismissed.” The dealer took a menacing step toward Matt.

“Over? Nothing is over. Not for you or that Paki scum you represent.”

Matt had heard threats like this before. They were nothing new, just part of the job. But with a hulk like Lugz in your face, threatening to do some damage, you had to take it seriously.

He took a step back toward the door. It was time to involve security. And prevent Akram Khan, and his wife Feeza, from coming out the same way.

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