The Sin Bin Read Online Free Page B

Minister ... you ever want
to hear that Right Reverend bit upfront then you better be where I first met
you, on time.'
    I cut the line.
    ****
    I took Amy, not as back-up, or
decoration, but because she set the tone I wanted. She had edge.
    Urquhart was sitting in the snug with a
bottle of Highland Spring. Still.
    On our approach he stood up, eyes lit
on my bandaged head, then shifted, 'Who is this?'
    Amy looked him up and down, she blew
out her Hubba Bubba, popped the bubble fast. She sat right up front. Urquhart
had a view of her cleavage most men would have paid money for, but it set his
nerves jangling.
    'You don't ask any questions, Minister,'
I said.
    I nodded to the barman, 'Rum and coke,
twice.'
    There was silence around the table. Amy
eyed Urquhart with derision. Once in a while she'd blow out another bubble,
just to put the knife in him.
    'Could you stop that, please?' said
Urquhart.
    'Why?' said Amy.
    He clammed up, mumbled, 'It's
vexatious.'
    Amy fluttered her eyelashes, leaned
forward, close enough for the minister to scent the Hubba Bubba on her breath, 'If
someone says stop, do you always stop, Minister?'
    'I beg your pardon?'
    A smile, wide, white teeth, 'Never
mind.'
    Our drinks came.
    The barman left.
    I spoke, 'Now, let's get down to brass
tacks. The cash.'
    He ruffled, 'I think I shall have my
side of the agreement fully realised before I part with any ...'
    I raised a hand, 'Hold it right there.'
    Amy slurped rum and coke through a
straw.
    The minister shuffled on his seat, 'I
have had quite enough of this performance, Mr Dury! Now I engaged your services
to locate my daughter and I demand to know what progress you have made towards
that end.'
    'The money.'
    Silence.
    Amy leaned forward, yelled, 'The money!'
She slapped her hand on the table and yelled again, 'Now!'
    It did the trick.
    He produced a long manila envelope from
the inside pocket of his Barbour jacket.
    I opened the package and peered inside.
    'There's no need to count it, it's all
there.'
    It looked about right. I peeled out two
fifties and gave them to Amy, said, 'Here, you've earned that.'
    She took them greedily, sat them under
her glass then returned eyes to the minister.
    I resealed the envelope, handed it back
to Amy, said, 'Take this to Caroline ... that girl deserves all the help she
can get for making a fresh start.'
    Urquhart's face reddened, 'Now look
here, I paid you to find my daughter.'
    'I did.'
    'Then, where is she?'
    'I never said I would tell you that.'
    He made to open his mouth, fumbled for
words; we have a phrase in Scotland, 'Are you catching flies, Minister?'
    'I-I can't believe this ... you have
swindled me!' He rose and started to do up his jacket. 'I'm not standing for
this,' he said.
    I motioned, 'Sit,' patted on his chair,
'unless you'd like me to fuck up your chances of becoming Moderator once and for
all.'
    His eyes widened. He lowered himself,
slowly.
    Amy sighed, blew another bubble and got
up to leave.
    'I've seen all I can stomach,' she
said.
    Urquhart lowered his head and looked
into his palms, 'What has she told you?'
    I tipped up my glass, drained it, 'Everything.'
    'She lies, you know.'
    'Will the DNA?'
    He turned to me, quickly.
    'I didn't think so.'
    I stood up to leave, moved towards him
and lowered my mouth to his ear, 'If I ever hear you have been within a country
mile of that girl, I will personally preside over your crucifixion. Do you
understand me?'
    He said nothing.
    'Is your hearing off, I said do you
understand me?'
    He nodded. 'Yes, yes, I understand.' I
watched him take out his handkerchief and press it between his hands, then
carefully began to fold it away again.
    I moved off, left him staring at the
tabletop. As I walked, I expected him to ask about his daughter, either one. He
stayed silent.
    At the door, my heart pounded. I
turned, thought I might see a broken man, in tears perhaps. He was pouring out
the mineral water. Face, stone.
     

Pretty Boy
    The slot-machine ' s lights flickered