Gargoyle Pixie Dog is published TODAY and here’s the final episode of my short story Selfie:
THE SHOWDOWN
Ryan Black stood in his boxers, fists up, muscles tensed. He might be a sportsman but it was clear he was no fighter. You could see the blow begin to form in his face, his eyes, long before a muscle tensed.
When he swung Danny sidestepped. As Black’s balance tipped onto his front foot Danny smashed his fist hard into the side of his face. Black toppled, skidded across the tiling.
“That hurt!” said Black, clutching his jaw. Danny shook his aching hand.
“It did. But it was worth it.”
“Look, mate, you’ve made your point. Now leave me be.”
“What would Ronnie Matthews say if he knew you were using steroids?”
Black’s bruised jaw dropped.
“That’s lies, that is. That’s libel. I could sue you.”
“Where are they? Has Seth delivered today? In your jacket?”
Danny saw Black’s eyes flash to the side.
“Ah, the sports bag.”
“You can’t prove nothing.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
He took a phial from his pocket, held it up so the amber liquid caught the strip lights.
“Where’d you get that?”
“I’m a detective. I detect stuff. Anyway, it doesn’t matter where it came from. It’s where it’s going that matters. If Ronnie Matthews gets a sniff of what’s in here your career is over.”
“Never. It’s almost a done deal.”
“They’ll do tests.”
“Look, I only tried it once, maybe twice. It didn’t agree with me. I’m clean.”
Black’s face crumpled into panic. For a moment Danny thought he might cry. Danny moved away, lowering the threat level. Black’s eyes flicked from side to side as if he was looking for a way out.
“What do you want?” said a little-boy voice.
“You’ve put that girl through hell. What you’ve done can’t be undone. Those pictures could be anywhere by now, perverts and weirdos letching over an underage girl.”
“So what do I do?”
“For a start, take down the ones you posted and delete everything you’ve got.”
Black, still sprawled on the cold tiling, nodded.
“Then you ring her, for the last time, and apologise, properly, like you mean it.”
Black nodded again.
“Anything else?”
“Buy her a present.”
“What, like flowers?”
“I was thinking more of a laptop.”
Danny turned at the sound of a fast car braking hard on the gravel car park. He stood up, stepped forward. Black cringed.
“Not the legs, please?”
“Look, Ryan, you’ve got talent. You can make a go of it without chemicals. They’ll catch you sooner or later. You’re better off making the break now.”
“And what about that?” Black’s gaze had locked onto the phial in Danny’s hand.
“You do what I said and this just goes away.”
Danny unscrewed the top, pouring the contents over Black. Sporting Brighton’s star player screwed his eyes tight shut and stayed perfectly still as Danny played the yellow stream up and down his body until he shook free the last droplets clinging to the glass.
“Keep your side of the bargain, Ryan. There’s plenty more where that came from.”
***
He saw them as soon as they rounded the bend in the path, They slipped into the spare seats at Danny’s table and looked at him with serious eyes.
“Ok, let’s keep this short. It’s sorted as far as it ever will be. Ryan’s pulled the pictures but you’ve got to brace yourself, Gemma. Your grandchildren could be pulling up those pictures in fifty years. Nothing to be done once the cat’s out of the bag.”
The darkness that clouded Gemma’s face tore at Danny’s heart.
“What you have to do, HAVE to do, is remember it wasn’t your fault. This is all down to some random idiot who I hope has learned his lesson. If you have to take your own happy snaps in the future make sure it’s the love of your life. Or keep hold of the photos.”
Ash, protective of her friend, flashed him a look. Danny wondered if he was being too hard but it was difficult to know if his warnings were being taken on board.
“My advice, for what’s it’s worth, is forget all about it, move on.”
“He phoned me.” The voice was a whisper. “Ryan apologised. He sounded really sorry. And he bought me a MacBook, really expensive.”
Danny didn’t like the sudden enthusiasm in Gemma’s voice but he had nothing to say.
“Like I said, forget him, forget the pictures, move on.”
“Thank you,” said Ash.
“No problem,” said Danny, draining his tea. “If anything happens let me know. Otherwise, I think we’re done.”
Danny recognised the carrier bag Ash pulled from her tote.
“You forgot your money.”
“Keep it. Spend it wisely.”
He walked away, the tea he’d drunk curdling with a cocktail of unease, pleased he’d sorted things as best he could, troubled by the family memories it had provoked. Absorbed in his thoughts, Danny was turning into the pedestrian precinct of New Road when his vision was filled by the sweating purple face of a small man with a stringy combover.
“I warned you.”
The punch put Danny flat on his back.
***
Wanda pushed a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel against the side of Danny’s face.
“It’ll take the swelling down but you’ll have a bruise like a baboon’s bottom.”
“I said not to bother.”
Wanda threw a cushion at him.
“Don’t give me that. You’re another overgrown baby, just like my Bob.”
“I can’t blame Gemma’s dad. He did what any father would.”
“This has been hard for you, hasn’t it Danny?”
He shrugged, winced theatrically. Wanda slapped him on the knee.
“No seriously. This Gemma girl, she reminds you of Hayley.”
“Maybe.”
“Emotions are not a crime Danny. It’s ok to be upset.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“I am. Anyway, at least your case is sorted.”
“Sort of. Ryan’s apologised and she seemed to think he sounded genuine.”
“Well he shouldn’t have caused all this trouble in the first place.”
“I had a word with Gemma’s mum, suggested that when hubby calms down it would be worth them having a word with Gemma. She seemed like the mum had her head screwed on. I think they’ll get themselves sorted. And thank you, Wanda. Without your help I’d never have cracked this one.”
“My pleasure, not often I get asked to wee in a bottle to solve one of your cases.”
THE END (but there’s more!)
█ SELFIE is an edited version of a short story from GARGOYLE PIXIE DOG, my new crime novel published TODAY as an Amazon ebook. It’s a short thriller plus six short stories – a lot of crime for 99p. Just click this link – www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B010T2CHK4
GARGOYLE PIXIE DOG has already had excellent reviews: www.crimefictionlover.com/2015/07/gargoyle-pixie-dog/
https://bytheletterbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/gargoyle-pixie-dog-by-bill-todd/
©BILL TODD
