Six Years Too Late by Phillip Strang

Author:Phillip Strang [Strang, Phillip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Gareth Armstrong neither approved of Samantha Matthews becoming involved in her father’s business nor did he like her. Not that he would have dared make either of those views known to her father.

He had come to understand how the man thought and acted, and not a stupid man – after all, he had read a lot of books in the prison library – he thought that Hamish would be better handing over to him. After all, he knew the criminal mind, whereas his daughter didn’t.

It was Gareth’s day off. He met with Dean Atherton.

‘What is it, Gareth?’ Dean asked. He could see the worried look on his friend’s face.

‘You know Samantha Matthews.’

‘Not personally. I keep you updated, but apart from that I keep my distance from her and her family.’

The father and daughter had been spending increasing amounts of time together, going over the legitimate real estate, the offshore bank accounts, the procedure where Hamish received a percentage from what he had farmed out to others to run. Gareth had to admit that he had never seen Hamish as content as when he was with Samantha.

But Hamish was not totally comfortable with exposing her to the villains he had dealt with; he confided that to Gareth on a couple of occasions.

‘Maybe it’s best this way,’ Hamish had said more than once, taking a philosophical approach to the matter. ‘Samantha is a smart woman, better educated than I am.’

‘What about the times when people act against her interests?’ Gareth said. ‘Will she be capable of doing what you did in the past?’

‘I did those out of necessity.’

Gareth knew that wasn’t altogether true. Hamish had a vindictive streak, the need to inflict pain occasionally. He had never been there when Hamish had dealt out violence and death, but he could imagine the scene: the gore, the blood-curdling screams, the anguish, and Hamish, detached from emotion, enjoying the experience.

And now Hamish preferred to be at his mansion, meeting with the locals and discussing community affairs, the church fête. Gareth knew that none of them knew who he really was. Most would have said he was an aggressive businessman who had succeeded in the city, and they were right, of course. But none knew the real truth, and almost certainly wouldn’t be perturbed by it, or not enough to isolate the man. People weren’t interested unless it impacted them personally and Hamish had been generous and accommodating, even inviting the vicar around on several occasions, the two of them sitting in the conservatory discussing what was needed for the area.

Hamish had put his hand in his pocket on one occasion, given over thirty thousand pounds, his name on a plaque in the church, proudly displayed, naming him as the benefactor whose generous donation had allowed the roof to be repaired.

‘What did you mean when you said you wouldn’t be interested in what Hamish got up to?’ Gareth asked, returning to his conversation with Atherton.

‘Be careful, Gareth, if you’re thinking of becoming involved in his business.

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