Vanished by James Delargy (free novel 24 TXT) 📕

With the materials in the back of the ute he headed for Wisbech, hitting a hundred and forty and feeling like a lawbreaker, a man not to be messed with. He needed the swagger, he needed the backbone it supplied.

The meeting with Nikos had been arranged for the same place as before. Durston Park. Having charged down there, he parked up and watched from across the road. He didn’t want to get there first. That would look desperate. Though the state of his unwashed clothes would probably give that away. He observed a swathe of people enter and leave the park, studying each one. None of them looked like Nikos. Lorcan was confident he wouldn’t send an associate. Nikos wanted his slimy hands on the information. This was personal.

Eleven o’clock rolled around. Time to stick or twist. Stick with the trickle of charity money from Ian and maybe squeeze a little more if it came to it, or deal with Nikos, get rich but acquire an enemy for life. He knew all the rumours about who Nikos and Georgios were and what they had done. Which was fine when he was making them money. Now he was stealing it.

100

Lorcan

On the way back to Kallayee he called into a rest stop for a stiff one to calm his nerves. Nikos would be pissed that Lorcan had stood him up. Lorcan would get word to him through Phil that he had destroyed the evidence and that he wasn’t looking to sell it. No hard feelings. He doubted it would work.

He was about to set off when another traveller pulled into the stop. Hitched to the back of his sedan was a trailer and a quad bike, a ‘For Sale’ sign looped around the handlebars.

Lorcan stared at it. It reminded him of an old quad his aunt and uncle had bought for him as a kid. His parents had hated it; too fast and too dangerous for their liking.

‘What’s wrong with it?’ he asked.

The owner looked up, the nozzle of the pump stuck in the sedan, humming to himself as he filled it. He glanced at the quad then back.

‘Nothing. Bought a new one, so don’t need this one.’

Lorcan didn’t need it either. But he was sick of denying himself luxuries. ‘How much?’

‘Couple of hundred and you can take it. Saves me dragging it up to Leonora.’

He unloaded the quad from the back of the ute as Nee glared at him. Dylan was jumping up and down in excitement that they had a motorbike. It was the happiest Lorcan had seen him since before Christmas.

‘Cost me one-fifty,’ said Lorcan, irritated that he felt the need to explain himself.

‘And the stuff for the house?’

‘I got that too. Cement dust and bricks. I can repair the roof beam myself.’

He could see that she wasn’t impressed.

‘And what do we use it for?’

‘I can drag stuff behind it. Move things around. I can take it to town. Leave you the ute.’

‘Really?’ she said, perking up. Offered exclusive use of the family vehicle. ‘Are you sure it runs?’

It had worked fine at the rest stop. But he decided to lie instead.

‘I better make sure.’

Straddling the machine, he started it up. It was advanced in years and the drive chain was too noisy but he didn’t care. It would be fun. Especially in a town all to himself.

Revving the engine, he sped towards the crossroads, hitching a left past the tunnel house. On the return journey, a nervous and angered Ian, Stevie and Mike emerged from the house to glare at him.

He zoomed back towards his own house, grinning at the speed and the warm air dashing through his hair. He felt alive and free. A kid again. Naiyana stood with her hands on her hips watching him with disdain. So distracted she didn’t see Dylan dart for the middle of the road, past her before she could reach for him.

But Lorcan could see him, right in his path. Leaning his weight to the side he tried to steer the heavy quad away. Still he got closer, the bike refusing to change direction in a hurry, the steering old, lazy and stubborn.

At the last moment Dylan must have sensed the danger and paused, Nee dragging him away as Lorcan flew past.

Coming back, Lorcan’s wide grin had transferred to his son who bounced from foot to foot with glee, in awe of his father. He was grasped firmly by Nee who shouted that he hadn’t picked up anything to eat and that she would have to go to town. Ignoring her, he continued past.

As he sped towards the tunnel house again, Ian was standing in the middle of the road. Lorcan stood on the brakes, performing a controlled fishtail that released another pleasing burst of endorphins. He still had it. His youth. Today had been a good day.

‘What are you doing?’ shouted Ian over the shuddering engine.

In response Lorcan revved the bike. He didn’t want to stop. If Ian was going to get in his way, then he would flatten him.

Stevie and Mike watched from the side, equally frustrated. If it had been Mike not Ian in the middle of the road, Lorcan wondered if he would have stopped at all.

‘That money was for the house.’

‘I bought what I needed. This will help,’ said Lorcan. ‘I can move stuff with it.’

‘Then get to work and quit messing around.’

‘Everyone needs a break. Besides no one is going to think anything is wrong if we – me, Nee and Dylan – are happy and enjoying life. We are your best cover – keep us happy and you’ll all be fine.’

‘And if we don’t?’

Lorcan revved the engine again and pulled away, swerving around Ian and off to the edge of town, whooping all the way.

101

Mike Andrews

As they watched the cloud of dust following Lorcan, Mike stared at Ian. Eventually he turned and caught his eye.

‘I have to go,’