Goodoo
Goodoo
ISBN: 0732267374
Feeling a little mellower and relaxed after the cool ones, Les stared out across the sleepy main street, just as what little sun there was began setting among the grey clouds in the distance.
Yes, humid and all as it is, I think Cooktown's my kind of town. Don't
know about finding this Jade sheila though. That's just a waste of time
if you ask me. She could be bloody anywhere up here, even if she is still
alive. And where does Beryl want me to go while I'm up here? Cedar Bay.
Okay. Then what do I do when I get there . . .? Les finished his second
beer then went to get his map out of his overnight bag so he could check
exactly where Cedar Bay was from Cooktown, when three shadows fell across
his table. He looked up to see the two men in the T-shirts who'd been
staring at him in the hotel up the road. This time they had a third man
with them; a taller one with the same grainy, unshaven face and old jeans,
only he was wearing a black T-shirt. None of them looked very happy finding
Norton and Norton wasn't all that rapt in having an enjoyable beer spoiled
either. He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. I don't fuckin'
believe it. These morons must have followed me down from the hotel or
something. Oh well, I suppose I may as well go along for the ride then
put them straight before anything happens.
Les looked up at the three men and gave them a crooked, half-smile. 'All
right fellas. You've found me. Now who am I this time?'
The three men exchanged glances then Black Shirt spoke. 'You've got a
fuckin' hide puttin' your head in Cooktown again, Hollier,' he said.
'Hollier. Well that's a start,' answered Les. 'And have I got a first
name?'
'Yeah. How about cunt,' said White Shirt. 'But we'll call you Greg if
you like. Cunt.'
'Greg Hollier. Fair enough,' nodded Les. 'And exactly what have I done.
Would you mind telling me?'
The three men exchanged glances of angry disbelief. They were all huffing
and puffing and trying to look tough. But from Norton's point of view
they just looked like three boofheads. Tall and lanky and full of themselves
seeing there were three of them, but boofheads all the same. In fact,
the one in the grey T-shirt looked like he was stoned.
It appeared to be grey shirt's turn to speak.. 'What have you done? You
fucked my sheila and got her pregnant,' he spluttered. 'Then stole her
car and left us to pay for the fuckin' abortion.'
'Shit! Did I?' Les had to stop himself from laughing.
'I know it was you shot my dog and sunk my boat,' said Grey Shirt.
'Bloody hell!' said Les.
'And best of all,' hissed Black Shirt, 'You ripped me off for ten pound
of dope.'
'Good Lord!' Norton was aghast. 'No wonder I never heard from you over
Christmas.' He ran his eyes over their angry faces. 'I don't suppose .
. . sorry would help, would it?'
The tall man's face started to turn as black as his T-shirt. 'Can you
believe this cunt?' he said, turning to the others.
'Yeah,' nodded White Shirt. 'I can.'
'Anyway, we're not here to play games with you,' said Black Shirt. 'We're
going to give you what we should have given you six months ago before
you skipped town. You arse.'
Norton held up his hands. Things were starting to go a bit too far, but
he still couldn't help but see the funny side of it. And this Greg Hollier
bloke, whoever he was, was certainly a twenty-five carat, one hundred
and ten percent dropkick. Although going by the heads on the three mules
standing at his table, Les could see how he had got away with what he
did.
'Okay, fellas,' said Les. 'It looks like you got me. But before give
me this terrible pasting that I so richly deserve, could you do me a favour?'
'A favour?' said Grey Shirt. 'Like what?'
'Would you mind giving it to me in the park across the road? I want to
come back here and have a feed later.'
'Come back here and have a fuckin' feed?' said White Shirt. 'When we're
finished with you, you cunt, you won't even be able to eat soup.'
'I could still use a straw,' suggested Les.
'No. Over in the park's okay,' said Black Shirt. 'And I'll even do you
another favour,' he smiled.
'You will?' Les returned Black Shirt's smile.
'Yeah. I'll buy you a beer.'
'Gee thanks,' said Les. 'That's decent of you considering.'
Black T-shirt picked up Norton's remaining mug of Fourex and slowly tipped
it over Norton's head. 'There you go.'
Les closed his eyes as he felt the cold beer run down his face and soak
into his T-shirt. Suddenly Les stopped seeing the funny side of things.
He wiped the beer out of his eyes and then rose from the table picking
up his overnight bag at the same time and stared daggers at Black Shirt.
'And now I might do you a favour,' hissed Norton.
'Yeah? What's that?' replied Black Shirt.
'I'll fight you first.'