Shafted (20 page)

‘
I
’ll get it,’ the second nurse said, backing quickly out of the room before her rival had a chance to beat her to it. Coming back seconds later, she helped Larry into the chair and wheeled him out.

Georgie was lying on a trolley in the A&E department, waiting to be seen by a doctor. The curtains were pulled only partially across the bay, and the other patients could clearly see her as they passed, which annoyed Larry.

‘Why have you got her in here?’ he demanded. ‘Why didn’t you bring her straight to my room? She’s not a bloody sideshow.’

Apologising, the nurse explained that Georgie’d had to be brought into this section because she’d collapsed in the reception area.

Saying, ‘I want her moved to somewhere better. And get a doctor to see her –
now
!’ Larry pulled the curtain aside and wheeled himself into the small room.

Opening her eyes, Georgie looked round at him and shook her head. ‘What have I told you about being rude? And what are you playing at, anyway? You should be in bed.’

‘Never mind me,’ he said, gazing up at her worriedly. ‘What’s with you and all this collapsing nonsense, you dozy cow? Trying to steal the limelight, or what?’

‘I’m diabetic,’ Georgie told him. ‘But I’m fine now. One of the nurses gave me a shot of insulin. They just want a doctor to take a look at me before they okay me to leave.’

‘Since when have you been diabetic?’ Larry frowned. ‘And why didn’t you tell
me
?’

‘It’s none of your business,’ she told him, mock-sternly. ‘You don’t think I tell you everything, do you?’

‘Yeah, well, you should have told me about
this
,’ he muttered. ‘What if you’d collapsed when you were driving me around? You’d have killed us both, you selfish bitch.’

‘For your information, I have been managing my condition quite successfully for nigh on thirty years,’ Georgie informed him tartly. ‘So I neither need nor appreciate a lecture from someone who knows less than nothing about it.’

Coming back in time to hear this, the nurse raised an eyebrow, shocked that anybody would speak to Larry like that, never mind his own mother. But he obviously didn’t mind, because he was holding her hand and looking up at her like he really loved her.

Smiling at Georgie now, so that Larry would see that she was treating his mother with the deference she deserved, the nurse said, ‘I’ve arranged for you to be moved to a private room, and a consultant will be coming to see you as soon as possible. I’m very sorry you weren’t seen immediately, but it’s hectic in here tonight.’

‘No need to move me,’ Georgie told her, flapping her hand to silence Larry when he opened his mouth to object. ‘And I’m quite happy to wait my turn to see the duty doctor, thank you. I’ve already been treated, so I shouldn’t have another episode just yet. In fact, I’m feeling a little guilty for taking up a bed, because I’m perfectly all right now. You could do one thing for me, though . . .’ She jerked her head in Larry’s direction. ‘Take him back to his room before I strangle him.’

Exhaling wearily, Larry held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. ‘Okay, I’m going. But you’d best do as you’re told while you’re here. And I’ll be waiting for you out there, so don’t even think about sneaking out and jumping in a cab, because I’m taking you home to look after you.’

‘I think you’ll find that it’s
you
who needs looking after, not me,’ Georgie informed him in clipped tones. ‘So you’re coming home with me tonight. Now scoot.’

Waiting until the nurse had taken Larry away and the curtain had been pulled all the way across, Georgie laid her head back and pressed her thumbs onto her eyelids to prevent the tears that were burning the back of her eyes from escaping.
That
was the Larry Logan she knew and loved. Not the egomaniacal little swine he’d morphed into over recent years, who flirted and demanded his way through life not seeming to really care about anyone or anything. She’d always known he was still in there somewhere, but it was so touching to actually see him again – and all the more touching that it should be in
his
hour of need that he’d chosen to resurface to care for
her
. That made all the irritations and hurt feelings of the last year evaporate as if they had been nothing but a bad dream.

All the way across town on the south side of Manchester, having escorted Dex Lewis to Wythenshawe Hospital – personally, to ensure that no more cock-ups occurred before they got him safely back to the station and into a cell – Inspector Keeton was pacing up and down outside the examination room, waiting to hear the prognosis.

Lewis had looked pretty rough when they’d brought him in, but injuries were unavoidable when prisoners resisted arrest as vigorously as he had. The Taser had laid him out temporarily, giving the police a chance to rescue Larry and get him seen to, but Lewis had been back on his feet in record time, and then it had taken a whole battalion of men to bring him under control. As Keeton had expected and wanted to avoid, Lewis had managed to inflict a fair bit of damage on a few of the uniforms before they managed to subdue him. Most just had minor cuts and bruises, but two of the lads were still under observation back at the MRI, and at least one of them was looking quite serious, having taken a savage kick in the head.

But, much as he regretted what had happened to his own lads, and, worse, to Larry Logan – awkward questions were bound to be asked about
that
– Keeton was still glad that he’d finally got hold of Lewis. He just hoped that the bastard hadn’t sustained any serious injuries of his own during the battle, because he’d be bound to put in a claim for compensation, and the increasingly crazy human-rights brigade would no doubt back him up and make sure he got a huge pay-out.

Stopping mid-pace when the examination-room door opened, Keeton jerked his chin at the doctor.

Frowning at him over the rim of his glasses, the medic walked away from the door, forcing Keeton to follow him down the corridor. Stopping when he thought he’d put enough distance between them and the patient, the doctor said, ‘He’s a very lucky man, inspector. Given his external appearance, he has remarkably few injuries. No internal bleeding, breaks or fractures. No significant trauma at all, in fact. Just a great deal of bruising, which should fade within a matter of weeks, I would imagine.’

‘Are you sure?’ Keeton asked, having prepared himself for the worst. ‘What about the after-effects of the Taser? He took quite a hit.’

Shaking his head, the doctor shrugged.‘Nothing to cause alarm. Appearances to the contrary, the man seems to be in perfect physical order.’

‘I’ll be buggered,’ Keeton murmured, running a hand over his face. Then, ‘Right, well, good. I’ll take him, then.’

Peering at the inspector, the doctor said, ‘Might I ask if this man has ever had a psychiatric evaluation?’

‘No idea,’ Keeton said brusquely, immediately suspecting that Lewis might be trying to pull a fast one and get himself off the charges by claiming diminished responsibility. ‘And to be honest, doc, I’m not interested. If you can just give me the discharge, we’ll be on our way.’

Nodding, the doctor said, ‘As you wish.’

Thanking him, Keeton exhaled tensely as the doctor walked away. Lewis wasn’t seriously hurt – that was all Keeton cared about. But he
had
seriously hurt at least one copper,
and
stabbed Larry Logan – which should bring a hefty sentence all of its own. Attempted murder, if Keeton got his way.

10

‘What do you mean, you can’t get me bailed?’ Dex hissed, peering at his solicitor across the interview-room table. ‘What the fuck do I pay you for?’

‘It’s not that easy,’ Keith Hall hissed back, his brow deeply creased as he looked at the cuts and bruises covering Dex’s face. It was a week since Lewis had been arrested at the sham game show, and he still looked terrible. But rather than make him look like a victim of police brutality, it just made him look even more villainous than usual, and Keith was worried that the judge at his client’s pre-trial hearing would take one look and label him a worthless thug.

‘What have they actually got on me?’ Dex asked now.

‘You’re already wanted for jumping bail on the TDA,’ Keith reminded him, ‘so there’s no chance you’ll get bail this time. But that’s the least of your worries, because they’re going after you for aggravated assault of several police officers – which you’ve already got a history of, so
that
won’t look good either. And then you’ve got the attempted murder of Larry Logan as well.’

‘He deserved it,’ Dex spat, his eyes flashing with a lust for vengeance.

‘Maybe he did,’ Keith retorted impatiently. ‘But not in front of the entire fucking police force
and
a CCTV camera. How the hell am I supposed to get you out of
that
?’

‘You don’t get it,’ Dex said quietly. ‘I can’t stay here. They took my DNA.’

‘I know,’ Keith murmured, his gaze darting to the door when he heard a movement outside. Lowering his voice even further, he said, ‘Look, just give me time to get my stuff together, and let me see if I can get a reduction, if not a dismissal, on the grounds of provocation and entrapment. The TDA’s minor compared to that, so we could be looking at only two to three if the other charges get chucked out. But you’ve got to stay cool while I’m working on it, or you won’t stand a chance.’

Slamming both fists down on the table top, Dex said, ‘How the
fuck
am I supposed to stay cool with these cunts jeering at me through the cell door, telling me what they’d do if they could have two minutes alone with me. Pussy cunts won’t come into the cell alone, though, ’cos they know I’d break their spineless backs in half!’

‘And
this
is exactly what I’m talking about,’ Keith told him firmly. ‘Carry on like this and you’ll be playing right into their hands. They’re on dodgy ground with the methods they used to effect arrest, and they know it, so they’re going to do their damnedest to wind you up while you’re in custody to make you really lose it.’

‘If you don’t pull your finger out and get me bailed, they’ll get what they’re looking for,’ Dex growled. ‘But it won’t just be assault or
attempted
murder, it’ll be the real fucking deal. You’ve got to get this sorted
now
so I can disappear.’

Resting his elbows on the table, Keith clasped his hands together and peered at Dex. He’d known him for almost ten years, and had actually been a mate of his before qualifying and becoming his solicitor, so he knew enough about him to realise that he was hiding something. Dex was smart enough to usually stay a couple of steps ahead of the police, so they’d only had him on relatively minor charges so far. But Keith guessed from his demeanour that there were worse things to be uncovered than the present charges they were levelling at him. And now that the police had his DNA it would be only a matter of time before they found them.

Needing to know what he was dealing with, he said, ‘What are we talking here, Dex?’

‘No details, but it’s bad,’ Dex replied evasively. ‘So just do what you’ve got to do to get me out on bail. Leave the rest to me.’

Nodding, Keith said, ‘I’ll do what I can. But it might take time, and they’re not going to make it easy.’

‘I pay you to
make
it easy,’ Dex reminded him, giving him a long meaningful look.

‘I said I’ll do what I can,’ Keith repeated tersely.

Nodding, Dex said, ‘Go see me ma when you leave here and make sure the lads have cleared the house out, ’cos I don’t want her dragged into this. And tell our Pat to stay low and get some tickets for somewhere hot, yeah?’

‘Anywhere specific?’ Keith asked, gathering his paperwork together.

‘He’ll know.’

‘Anything else?’

‘Yeah, tell me ma to tell Gaynor to pull all my money in and keep it safe till I get out. She knows where it’s at. You got all that?’

Nodding, Keith stood up. ‘I’ll do my bit, Dex. But you’ve got to do
yours
– just take it easy till I get back to you, or you’re screwed.’

‘So long as these cunts lay off with the lip,’ Dex replied coldly.

Shaking his head, because Dex truly was his own worst enemy, Keith tapped on the door and told the officer who was standing guard outside that he was leaving.

‘Make it quick,’ Dex called after him, glaring at the young PC as if he’d like to rip his head off his shoulders and stick it as far up his arse as it would go.

An attractive young policewoman was walking hurriedly along the corridor when Keith came out of the interview room. Nodding at her as they passed, he walked on a couple of yards, then stopped when he heard her asking the PC – who was now waiting for back-up to come and help him take Lewis back to his cell – if he’d seen Inspector Keeton. Instincts prickling, Keith casually squatted down and unzipped his briefcase, then rifled through it as if he was looking for something among the papers that it contained.

Telling her that he thought he’d heard the inspector say that he was going to the canteen, the PC tilted his head to one side and watched her as she walked away.

‘Nice arse,’ Keith commented amusedly.

‘Nice everything,’ the PC agreed, with a laddish grin. Then, looking down at the case, ‘Lost something?’

‘Just checking I’ve still got my mobile,’ Keith said, re-zipping the case and straightening up. ‘Can’t be too careful with this lot, can you?’ He cast a meaningful glance at the interview-room door.

‘Not with the likes of him,’ the PC grunted quietly.

Amused that he’d lowered his voice, probably scared that Dex would hear him and kick off, Keith smiled. It was a myth that solicitors and police officers treated each other like enemies. TV coppers and briefs might circle each other like dogs trying to sniff out each others’ weaknesses without revealing their own, but it was just wordplay in reality, and there was rarely any actual animosity. In Keith’s experience, it was better to appear to be leaning more towards the police side of the line, because you learned far more that way.