Beast of Burden Read Online Free

mate about?”
    He blinked.
    “Callum Innes,” I said, just to remind him. “You know him. You work with him.”
    “No,” he said, and his voice cracked. “Haven't seen him.”
    “Where is he?”
    “He's out. Can I take a message for you or something?”
    I narrowed my eyes, positive I'd seen this bloke somewhere before. “What's your name again?”
    There was a pause before he said, “Frank.”
    “Both of them.”
    Shook his head a little bit, like he wasn't sure.
    “I ask where's Frank, people are going to say Frank who?”
    “Oh, right.” He attempted a smile, but it didn't stay long enough on his face for it to register properly. “Collier. Frank Collier.”
    “Right.” Name didn't mean anything to us. “I know you around, do I?”
    “You asked us that the last time you came round, Detective.”
    “So you remember who I am.”
    “Yeah.”
    “And what did you say when I asked you?”
    “I said …” He trailed off, thinking about it. Wanting to get it right for us because I was a copper. Common enough reaction for a recidivist. “I said I didn't know.”
    “And you still don't know?”
    Frank Collier rubbed his nose. “I don't … Sorry, you're going to have to excuse us, but what did you want?”
    “Innes,” I said.
    Frank frowned. Frank Collier. That name flicking at something in my head, but not enough to flip the switch. Not yet. Give it time, though. I'd get him in the end.
    “I told you,” he said. “He's not here.”
    I pulled out my rollie tin. Dipped fingers for a paper and some baccy. “You done bird, Frank Collier?”
    When I looked at him, he was bricking it. I rolled a thinnish cigarette and put it in my mouth. When I replaced my tin, started patting around for my lighter, I swear to God I thought this bloke was going to have a heart attack or something.
    “Sorry, no,” he said. “No, you can't.”
    “What's that?”
    “You can't smoke in here.”
    “Like fuck I can't.”
    “It's a workplace. You can't smoke. It's against the law.”
    “I am the law, Frank Collier.” But I took the ciggie out of my mouth and used it to point at him. “You know something, you remind us of someone. You sure our paths haven't crossed at some point, eh?”
    “I'm sure,” he said. And he crossed his arms, which bumped up his biceps, made him look like a right bruiser.
    “You ever work the doors, Frank?” I said. “Maybe down Moss Side, the Buccaneer, somewhere like that?”
    “No.”
    “You have knocked a few heads in your time, though, haven't you, eh? I'm right in thinking that.”
    His face got tight. “I told you already that Mr Innes isn't here—”
    “Mr Innes, is it, son?”
    “—and if you don't have any other questions—”
    “He's your gaffer now, is he?”
    “—I've got work to be getting on with.”
    “I do have other questions, Frank-mate. I want to know about you.”
    Frank pushed back out of his chair with a sharp sigh. He got to his feet and I nudged myself off the doorway.
    “Going somewhere, are you?” I said. “Don't think I gave you permission.”
    “There a problem here, Frank?”
    A different voice, the poof finally making an appearance. Brought out of hiding by the possibility of his loose cannon mate here kicking off with the CID. I turned around and looked at him, this expression on his face like someone'd farted and he was pretty sure it was me.
    “I'm looking for Innes,” I said.
    “I know you are.” He was nodding. “Every time you come around here, you're looking for him.”
    “Because he's never here, is he?” I smiled, tried to keep it light. I heard about this bastard, used to be a bit of a fighter back in his day, and I might've had curiosity about Collier, but this one I knew had bird under his belt. Hard times an' all. Not that I was scared of him, mind — we were just two old hands playing an even older game.
    “You want to step into my office?” he said.
    “Nah.”
    He gave us a look, then he glanced at Frank. “Okay,