A Good Find by Gary L Beer (chrysanthemum read aloud .TXT) 📕

folded carpet just inside the door.
“In here man.” answers Curly Pete from the lounge.
Steve follows the sound of Curly Pete's voice and walks into the lounge, seeing Simon tied to the chair he smiles coldly and looks down at Curly Pete and Razor Mick; “Sorry about your friend, Pete, I know you were close; this Geezer and his friends will pay.”
Curly Pete looks up at Steve, the fire of revenge now dampened by the loss of his friend. Steve understands and reassures Curly Pete; “I'll take over now if you want, we need to get Mick out of here, Barney is on his way he'll help you.”
“And do what?” asks Curly Pete with anger in his voice.
“Whatever you want.” replies Steve in a soothing voice.
Curly Pete stares at him the anger fading; “Sorry man, I don't want him dumped like you usually do with your problems.” The last body he had helped get rid of with Steve was dumped out at sea, weighted down with concrete blocks.
“Your decision,” answers Steve with a sad smile; “Is this the money?” he asks as he picks up the holdall.
“Yeah, Dippa found it hidden under the bed, he is the one who counted it.”
Steve looks inside the bag and puts it back down on the table; “That fella put up a fight then?”
“Yeah, he's tough; killed Mick and knocked me flying, he didn't see Dippa come up behind him, if he had I don't think we would be talking now.”
“What did Dippa hit him with?”
“A crowbar, anything lighter would have bounced off I reckon.”
“Yeah, he looks one tough son of a bitch, he been out all the time?”
“No, he came round for a while. I think he will take anything from us and won't split on his friends. One I think is called Stef who rang but we didn't answer it, he reckoned it was just his mate wanting to go for a drink.”
“Is this his phone?” asks Steve as he picks up Simon's phone from the table.
“Yeah, the name Stef came up when it rang.”
“Ok, let me worry about it now, that sounds like Barney's van outside.” Looking at Curly Pete, Steve says as gently as possible; “Do you want me to clean him up a bit before you take him out on the street, or do you want to?”
“I'll do it.” answers Curly Pete in a determined voice as he stands up and walks out into the kitchen.
Steve follows him out of the lounge and walks to the front door, opening it he sees Dippa waiting patiently; “Go and open the door for Barney will you mate?”
“Ok, is Curly Pete all right?”
“Yeah, he's coping, hurry up will you?”
“Sure.” answers Dippa as he walks down the stairs, opening the front door he sees Barney walking across the road towards him. Barney is tall and skinny, like the body he has come to collect. Wearing a smart blue suit jacket and almost new jeans he does not look the type to do any wrong. His short cropped blonde hair makes him look more like a business person rather than a crook.
Dippa opens the door wide for him to enter and gives a friendly nod; “Upstairs mate, cream coloured door.”
Barney, giving a wry smile brushes past Dippa and taking two steps at a time hurries up the stairs. Dippa closes the door and decides it will probably be better for him to stay out of the way for a while and sits on the bottom step and waits patiently.

Steve answers the gentle knocking on the door; “Thanks for being so quick mate, Pete is just cleaning him up a bit and then we'll get him out of here.”
“Didn't want to burst in, where's the fella who did it?”
“He's in there,” answers Steve indicating his head towards the lounge; “You leave him to me.” he orders.
“Don't want no help then?”
“Maybe, but your job is to look after Curly Pete, take him wherever he wants to go and then call me.”
“Yeah sure, hope you save some for me.”
“Let's see if Pete's ready.” orders Steve as he turns and walks into the lounge. Barney follows close behind and they find Curly Pete has laid Razor Mick on the couch and is wiping the blood from his face with a blue patterned towel.
Simon twists in the chair when they enter, his face has a new bruise on his right cheek, and it looks like Curly Pete has done more than clean the blood from his friend whilst the room was empty.
“You all right?” Steve asks and Curly Pete nods his head in acknowledgement; “We'll give you a hand to get him out if you want?”
“I can manage.” answers Curly Pete as he puts the towel onto the table and gently picks his friend up from the couch.
“Would be good if it looks like he can walk for when we get out on the street.” Steve gently suggests.
Curly Pete carries Razor Mick out into the hall; “Open the door someone?” he shouts.
Steve hurries to the front door and opens it wide allowing Curly Pete to go past.
“Do you need some help on the stairs?” asks Steve to Curly Pete's retreating back as he descends the stairs carrying his friend as if he is no weight at all.
Curly Pete ignores him or does not hear as he carries on down the stairs.
Barney glances at Simon showing no emotion as he leaves him alone and tripping on the folded carpet on the way out follows Steve out the door; “Don't shut it, just pull it too.” orders Steve as he follows Curly Pete down the stairs.
Barney does as he is ordered and goes down the stairs to help. Curly Pete is holding Razor Mick upright and is trying to put his arm over his shoulder. Dippa steps forward from where he had been standing by the front door and getting hold of Razor Mick's hand helps Curly Pete get it in the right position.
“Go and get your van open and open the passenger door if all is clear, Dippa you go with him.”
Dippa opens the door enough to get his slim body out and looks up and down the street. Apart from an old woman with a brown scruffy looking rat of a dog the street is empty of people. Dippa holds up his hand for Barney to wait as a large white van drives slowly along the street. When the van passes Dippa waves Barney forward and falling in step with him they cross the road to Barney's van. Barney unlocks the passenger’s door and opens it wide. Leaning in he throws his denim jacket which was on the seat into the back and looks across the road to see Steve standing at the front door.
“All clear is it Dippa?” Barney asks.
Dippa looks up and down the street slowly and nods his head that all is clear.
Barney sticks his thumb up to Steve who leans back saying something to Curly Pete, pushing the door wide open Steve goes inside and getting on the other side of Razor Mick helps Curly Pete walk him out to the van.
The sound of The Rolling Stones playing Paint it Black suddenly interrupts the quiet of the street as an upstairs window several doors down is opened, allowing the music to escape the room.
“He can't hold his drink, his missus is gonna be well annoyed with him.” laughs Barney for the benefit of the neighbours who may be watching and listening.
“Yeah, he won't be allowed out for ages.” agrees Steve as he lets go of Razor Mick allowing Curly Pete to pick him up and sit him on the van seat.
Barney hurries around to the drivers' side, opens the door and clambers in putting his hand out to steady the still form of Razor Mick.
Curly Pete pushes his dead friend along the seat and climbs in beside him and shuts the door.
“You got him?” asks Barney as he slams the door shut. With an acknowledging nod from Curly Pete he puts the key in the ignition and starts the engine; “Can we put some seat belts on please? We don't wanna get pulled.”
Curly Pete nods again and puts the seat belt around Razor Mick before putting on his own.
“Thanks.” says Barney as he puts his seat belt on, putting the van in gear he checks his rear view mirrors and with a wave to Steve and Dippa drives slowly up the street.

“Right, we got a job to do.” Steve tells Dippa as he puts his hand in his pocket, pulling out a ten pound note he hands it to Dippa; “Go and get me a sausage and chips, I'm starving, have some yourself if you want?”
“No thanks Steve, I've lost me appetite, all right I won't be long.” he answers taking the money from Steve's hand as he turns and walks away in the direction of the chip shop.
Steve walks back across the road and enters Simon's flat shutting the door quietly behind him. Taking the stairs two at a time he enters Simon's flat proper tripping on the carpet on the way in he walks along the narrow hall into the lounge.
Simon is still where they had left him tied up and he stares angrily at Steve. Bending down Steve picks up Simon's mobile phone noticing that the screen reads 'missed call'. Pushing buttons he smiles; “Stef seems desperate to talk to you, that's the second time he has called you isn't it?”
Simon stares back angrily, saying nothing.
“Easy or hard Pal, it's up to you.” threatens Steve.
Simon strains at his bonds a look of pure hatred covering his face, Steve picks up the holdall; “Well this isn't yours is it?”
“Yeah it is I found it, if you wanna leave your stuff laying around for people to find what do you expect?”
“Where's the rest of it?” Steve asks in a threatening voice.
“Dunno mate, that's all there was in there, minus forty quid for me Jack Daniels and bits and pieces.” replies Simon defiantly.
“Maybe Stef will call again.” says Steve as he walks towards the window. Pulling back the curtain a little he looks in the direction of the chip shop and sees Dippa walking down the street towards him carrying a large white paper bag. Ignoring Simon he walks out of the lounge and down the stairs to let Dippa in.
“Nice one.” Dippa says as Steve opens the door, handing him the paper bag he reaches into his pocket, pulling out the change he attempts to hand it to Steve who has already started to climb the stairs. Dippa shuts the door and follows Steve up the stairs.
As Dippa enters the flat he trips on the folded carpet and can hear Steve in the kitchen searching the cupboards. Looking in the lounge he looks at Simon