Fifty-Two
Miller sat drinking tea with Barry Cheshire in the kitchen of the safe house.
Ruby, who had made a fuss of Miller when Cheshire had opened the front door – complete with a small ‘wee of welcome’ – was now fast asleep in her basket.
Miller was envious. It had been a long day already, and with everything that lay ahead, however things panned out, it promised to get an awful lot longer.
‘So, where will you go back to when all this is over?’ he asked.
‘Back to home sweet home in my basement, I reckon.’
‘Seriously?’
‘I’ve got used to it,’ Cheshire said. ‘I don’t really need a lot of creature comforts.’ He slurped at his tea. ‘Actually, I’ve been thinking about renting the place out. Putting it on Airbnb or something.’
Miller almost spat his tea out, like a character in some naff sitcom. ‘The cellar?’
‘No, the rest of the place. I think Stacey wants to sell the house eventually, but she’s staying at her sister’s for the time being, so I might as well try and make some money.’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ Miller said. ‘But you might want to rethink the arrangements a bit. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the house, but I can’t see your average family of holidaymakers being too happy about staying somewhere that’s got a bloke sleeping in the cellar.’
‘I’d keep myself to myself.’
‘I’m sure you would, but you can’t stay down there all the time, and that just makes the whole thing a bit …
creepy. Mum and Dad are sitting there making sandwiches and blowing up the lilo, the kids are clutching their buckets and spades, all excited, and suddenly you poke your head round the cellar door like a serial killer. ’
‘Oh. I hadn’t really thought it through.’
‘Traumatising a small child would definitely knacker your ratings on Tripadvisor,’ Miller said.
‘It’s a fair point,’ Cheshire said.
‘Anyway … I just came round to check that you were all set, and to say thanks for telling them you wanted me in the van with you tonight.’
‘Well, I definitely need someone there, because I don’t think I’d feel very safe on my own.’
‘But me specifically, right?’
Cheshire’s voice dropped to a whisper and his fingers tightened around his mug.
‘Battersby doesn’t trust me, that’s pretty obvious.
He knows I’ve been talking to you, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s planning to hand Justin Cutler over and take me instead.
Or maybe he’ll just put a bullet in the back of my head. He’s definitely … unhinged.’
Everything he’d heard about Cheshire’s former comrade-in-arms meant that Miller was inclined to agree. He leaned across the table. ‘Look, you don’t have to do this, Barry. Sod that nutbag’s instructions. I know you’re probably scared … you’d be mad if you weren’t.’
Cheshire stared down into his tea. ‘I’m used to being scared and I absolutely have to do this. It would never have got this far if I’d come straight to you after Battersby turned up with Justin.’
‘About that …’ Miller said.
‘Oh, I know.’ Cheshire managed a thin smile. ‘I’m still going to get done for it, right?’
‘It’s a distinct possibility.’
‘I can’t really say that I don’t deserve it.’
‘I’ll definitely put in a word,’ Miller said. ‘Plus, the fact that you’re doing this at all, being part of the operation to rescue Justin, that’s bound to count for something. But I can’t make any promises.’
‘Just as long as I don’t end up in the same prison as Battersby. I wouldn’t fancy my chances if that happened.’
Miller was going to say something about the people responsible for such decisions not being that stupid, but he didn’t, because he knew that some of them were. Instead, he said, ‘It’s all going to be fine, Barry.’
Cheshire nodded. ‘I trust you.’
‘You’re right to, because you’re in safe hands.
’ Seeing no need to pass on the fact that his confidence was not shared by the Kidnap Unit, Miller watched as Cheshire stood and walked across to open a cupboard.
Ruby awoke immediately. She trotted over and waited for Cheshire to hand her a chew, which she carried straight back to her bed.
‘There is one thing …’ Cheshire said, sitting down again.
Miller was distracted by the memory of a previous conversation: a chat on Cheshire’s doorstep as the glorious smell from the biscuit factory had wafted over them.
He thought again about those whose proximity to that factory prompted them to eat more than they might otherwise, and those whose appetite for something entirely less legal had precisely the opposite effect.
He guessed that what he and Barry Cheshire would be involved in later on would make little difference – not in the long run, anyway.
He didn’t know what was going to happen to all the drugs they were planning to hand over, but he was quite certain that the area wouldn’t see a shortage of Class-As for very long, and that those who couldn’t wait would simply do their shopping elsewhere for a while.
He looked at Cheshire. ‘Sorry … what thing?’
‘I’ll need someone to take Ruby tonight and I was wondering if Finn might be up for it. Feed her and take her for a walk and that.’
‘Right, yeah.’
‘She’s good with her, and Ruby doesn’t take to everyone, you know?’
‘OK, I’ll ask her.’ After their exchange the night before, Miller could not be certain that Finn would even answer his call. ‘I’ll have to find her first.’
‘That’d be great,’ Cheshire said. ‘Because we’ve got no idea how long this business tonight is going to take, have we?’
Miller had no idea at all.
‘When I’ll be back.’
‘No … it’s a good thought,’ Miller said. The man opposite him wasn’t saying it, but Miller could tell that Barry Cheshire was considering the serious possibility that he might not be back at all.