Читать книгу Specials: Based on the BBC TV Drama Series: The complete novels in one volume - Brian Degas - Страница 26

Freddy couldn’t move a muscle. There was a bit more light now so that Freddy could better see the glistening teeth of the ravenous beast. Flanking him were two men who conceivably might speak in a human tongue, perhaps even the Queen’s English, albeit their style of fashion was strictly for Yob’s day-out.

‘I’m asking you politely. Call off your dog.’

‘Oh, yes?’ wheedled Number One, to the left of the monstrous mutt. Freddy looked over to his right at Number Two, who wasn’t smiling or sweet-talking at all, even in fun.

‘Yes. And what the hell are you doing here at this time of night?’

‘What do you think we’re doing, officer?’ queried Number One. ‘Giving somebody a quote for double-glazing?’ A roaming band of criminal comedians, no doubt.

‘Listen. I’m not in the mood for games.’ That was an understatement, though one of the few times in his life it was true. ‘Instead of making it worse for yourselves, call off your animal. Right now!’ he added for emphasis. ‘And show me some identification.’ He crossed his fingers and prayed.

Behind him, a hand descended on his shoulder. Freddy jumped like a scared frog.

It was Viv. ‘I wondered what had happened to you,’ she whispered.

Freddy couldn’t believe his eyes.

‘What’s all this?’ Viv asked Number One and Number Two, staring hard at the men. Her hand hovered over the button on her radio, and Number One seemed to notice. Instantly his tone became more affable.

‘Your partner seems to have us down as villains.’

‘Maybe he’s up for promotion?’ smirked Number Two.

Viv gave Number Two the fish-eye, as the canine decided to lollop toward them. Freddy couldn’t breathe. He jerked his head back but it wouldn’t go any farther. Closer and closer came the carnivorous cur, his tongue hanging out in grotesque anticipation of the raw meat embodied by Freddy …

Instead the dog trotted past Freddy and went to Viv. Bending down, she rubbed through the fur on the back of its neck.

‘Just so happens, we’re security,’ declared Number One. He pulled out a greasy wallet, extracted a card and handed it over.

Freddy took the card. His lips were dry, but when he licked them he was even more intensely aware of how close to his own throat were the dog’s jaws. He squinted at the card: it was official, all right, although his vision was blurred by a waterfall of perspiration streaming down into his eyes. Number One appropriated his card from Freddy before it got drenched.

‘Security?’ Viv quizzed, petting the Alsatian.

‘We don’t all wear uniforms, you know,’ Number One reasoned. ‘I mean … Just look at the state of this dump.’ He had a point, Freddy had to admit. ‘Anyway, read the collar.’

Viv checked the Alsatian’s collar: there was a brass strip on it. Engraved on the plate was the word ‘BAS’ and a telephone number. ‘B.A.S?’

‘“Builders’ Associated Security,”’ responded Number One. ‘Ring the number if you like.’

Viv got to her feet and checked with her partner. ‘I don’t think that’ll be necessary. Do you, Freddy?’

Jack-the-lad stirred a spoonful of sugar into his coffee mug, then sipped it slowly. Carefully, he passed the letter from Section Officer Loach over the steam still rising from the kettle.

Sanjay Shah hurried through the motions of dispensing drinks to the guests. Yet finally when he had finished his last delivery there was an awkward silence, everyone giving all their attention to the drinks in their hands. No one stepped forward to offer a toast.

‘This is a very nice room,’ announced the intended groom’s father, breathing out loudly. His side of the room nodded and murmured in total agreement.

‘That is so …’ concurred Uncle Ram. ‘The cabinet in the corner is one of my personal possessions … as is the fine chair you are sat on.’

With a start, the father of the intended groom moved to vacate the fine chair, but Ram gently restrained him. ‘No, my dear fellow, stay there. You are our honoured guest, and deserve the best chair.’

When the father of the intended groom was returned to the chair, and Uncle Ram returned to his, he resumed. ‘But you were saying?’

‘It is a very nice room –’ the father repeated, ‘and may I say the young lady is very pleasing also.’

‘And healthy,’ Ram added, doing his finest to emphasize her better qualities.

‘I have all my own teeth,’ Anjali submitted.

Uncle Ram closed his eyes in resignation. What was he to do with her? He opened his eyes to the intended groom’s father, who gave him a wan smile. ‘She likes to joke, you know,’ Ram offered weakly.

‘A sense of humour is good … now and then.’

The thin young man with the very large nose sniffed a long and wet snuffle. Anjali handed him a Kleenex.

Specials Viv Smith and Freddy Calder were just passing in front of the high wall enclosing the builder’s yard. At last he could begin to breathe a little easier and try to calm down and relax.

‘All this time, and you never mentioned you had this thing about dogs.’

The hair on the back of Freddy’s neck stood up again. ‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ he shuddered. ‘And just … don’t say …’ But he caught himself short.

‘Dog?’ Viv obnoxiously and insensitively suggested.

‘… that word,’ he concluded. ‘Okay?’

Viv gave thoughtful consideration to his soulful request, remembering his state of terror only a few moments ago.

‘Well … we almost made a dog’s breakfast of it back there.’

On the other side of the wall in the builder’s yard, two chaps were loading brick on to a small lorry.

‘You know …’ began Number Two, ‘one of these days we’ll pull this trick once too often.’

‘Naw. It works the oracle every time.’

‘What’d you show ’im?’ asked Number Two.

‘National Insurance Card,’ he chuckled, shaking his head at the sucker born every minute. ‘Listen. He was so scared of the dog, I couldn’t shown him the Daily Mail. Anyway, that’ll do for the night.’

After completing the job, Number One turned and whistled softly into the night.

‘Where the bleeding ’ell is that dog? ’Ere boy. Come ’ere, Bas.’

The Alsatian came running, jogging happily to the lorry.

‘Good boy, Bas.’