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

the front door and hurries into the spare room which he has converted into an office. Searching through the drawers in his desk he finally finds his spare phone and turns it on; the battery is flat.
Slamming the phone down in anger onto the desk Steve goes back to searching through the desk drawers. Pulling them out onto the floor in his anger he has pulled all but one out onto the floor when he finds the charger. With a 'Yes' of triumph Steve plugs the phone into the charger and pushes it into a wall socket. Turning it on, he waits impatiently for there to be enough power for it to turn on.
Slamming the phone down again he goes out into the kitchen and gets a bottle of beer out of the refrigerator. Slamming the door shut he removes the lid with the bottle opener on the wall and letting the top fall noisily to the worktop he walks back into his office.
Sitting down in his big chair Steve takes a long swig of beer and reaches out for the mobile phone. Turning it on he is delighted to see it light up and after taking another swig of beer he dials a number. Holding the phone to his ear he hears it ring twice until a voice answers; “Yes, who is that?”
“Barney, it's me Steve, having to use my other phone, where are you man?”
“I've just dropped Pete and Mick at Mick's Aunties and am on me way back now, be 'bout an hour.”
“I haven't got Pete's number, I need you to go back and bring him here as quick as you can.”
“He may not want to come; he was pretty cut up about losing his friend I ain't never seen him so upset.”
“Go back and ask him will you and if he don't want to, give him this number will you please?” Steve asks politely as he really needs Curly Pete by his side.
Barney has never heard Steve be so polite with him and in surprise he answers; “Yeah sure I'll turn round now, erm I would be happier if I could just give him your phone number and ask him to ring you urgent, and then you can ask him?”
“Soon as you can mate, how long before you see him?” Steve asks in that same polite voice.
“About ten minutes,” Barney laughs; “thanks I'll get him to ring you off my phone soon as.”
“Nice one mate.” Steve says and pushes a button on his phone disconnects the call.

Dippa bangs on the front door to Stella's flat and looks along the street to Simon's flat as he waits for his knock to be answered. All appears quiet as the night closes in. It has been a long day and he had been on the go since dawn and badly needs to sleep.
“All right Dippa?” Eric asks as he opens the door.
“Yeah, fine” Dippa answers as he walks past Eric and heads up the stairs.
Eric steps out of the doorway and looks up and down the street, most people are going to bed now and apart from a lonely dog walker at the top of the street nothing moves. Eric steps back inside and closes the door following Dippa up the stairs.
“We Ok in here?” Dippa asks as he enters the lounge; Cheesey and Graham are sitting on the couch watching the television. Carol sits by the window and looks him in the eyes; Dippa can see by her expression that she is not at all happy.
Eric walks in behind him and walks over to Carol and sits at the table, picking up a tobacco tin he opens it and starts to roll a cigarette.
Receiving no answer Dippa stares back at Carol; “You Ok?”
“Not really, you keep some strange company.” she replies indicating Cheesey and Graham who are still staring at the television.
Turning away from Carol, Dippa looks at Cheesey and Graham; “You two can get off if you want?”
Cheesey looks up at Dippa in surprise; “You sure you don't need us?” he asks appearing hurt.
“Well we will need you later, keep your phone on you and I'll give you a call.” Dippa looks at his expensive gold watch on his wrist; “Hey, if your quick you'll make last orders.”
Cheesey and Graham's faces light up at the thought of alcohol and both stand up together at the same time; “We'll go up The Prince 'till they chuck us out and then we'll go to the Harbour Bar coz they are open 'till two.” says Cheesey as him and Graham hurry out the door and down the stairs.
Dippa turns to Carol “What happened while I was away, they do anything?”
“Those two are just a couple of piss heads, they didn't do anything really except talk disgusting and swear every second word.” replies Carol angrily, admittedly she swore herself at times when she was angry or upset. But the constant swearing and disrespect Cheesey and Graham had shown her had got her back up.
“Sorry about them, but they are harmless, all you had to do was tell them to shut up.” Dippa says in a matter of fact voice.
“That was why I put the television on, it did help.”
“Can I borrow your phone please Eric?” Dippa asks walking towards him.
“Where's yours then, you lost it as well?” asks Eric as he reaches into his pocket for his phone.
“Yeah, left it in me other jacket,” Dippa lies as he takes the phone from Eric's hand.
Searching through Eric's phone he pushes buttons and then holds the phone to his ear; “Hello Love, yeah I'm still down the town and I gotta wait here for Steve.” Dippa says into the phone.
Listening intently to the person on the other end Dippa nods his head several times; “Yeah I've lost me phone, can you ring them back and ask them to ring me on this phone, yeah this is Eric's. Best not ring mine any more, if anyone else rings get 'em to call this number Ok?”
Dippa listens for a few seconds more before removing the phone from his ear and pushes more buttons, putting it back to his ear he stares into space for a few seconds; “Where are you man?” he says his eyes locking with Carol's. Carol stares back and turns and looks out of the window ignoring him as she looks up and down the street.
“Yeah man I need you here, I am at Stella's, you know where that is?” Dippa listens intently and with a; “See you soon.” he disconnects the call and hands the phone back to Eric.
“I hope it's someone nice?” asks Eric as he takes his phone from Dippa's hand.
“Oh yeah it's Kemp, you know he's all right, I know you will be pleased to see him coz he's my lift home.”
“That is disappointing to hear you are not staying.” says Carol from the window sarcastically.
“Yeah Kemp's good, you've upset Carol enough for one night with your ogre type friends.” smiles Eric wryly.
Dippa laughs; “Hopefully Steve will phone soon, then I can go home.”
“That's the best thing you've said all day.” agrees Carol from the window.
“Ain't my fault everything went wrong.” Dippa says as he joins her looking out of the window; “That Geezer's a tough one.” he says as he looks at Simon's flat.
“What happens now?” asks Carol.
“Dunno, Steve's gotta round up some of the boys, but I don't know what he's gonna do. That front door looks the only way in, I've picked the lock once, but he's bolted it or barricaded it according to Steve. Steve reckons it'll take a battering ram to get through that and that ain't an option in this busy street; think we would make too much noise.” he finishes with a smile.
Carol stares at him with a serious expression on her face; “I need to pee.” she says as she gets up and walks out of the room.
Dippa stares at Simon's flat wondering just how Steve is going to sort this mess, the sooner he is home and out of this the better!


Chapter Seven

Stef slows the car and turns into the drive of Nicola's sisters, putting on the handbrake he turns the engine off; “It looks like she is in bed.” he says as he stares at the house, as no lights show.
“She might be working, I've got a key but we'd better knock first.”
Nicola's sister is also a nurse, usually she only worked in the day but Nicola knew at times she was called in, especially when they were short staffed.
They get out of the car and shutting the doors quietly they walk along the path to the front door. Stef uses his fist to knock gently on the door; “There's no one in.” he says.
“Give her a chance will yer.” Nicola whispers harshly.
They stand at the door for a few seconds when Stef impatiently says; “Use your key; we need to unload and get the car out of sight.”
Nicola looks at him and comes to a sudden decision; taking her keys from her leather handbag she approaches the door. Turning to give Stef a disapproving look she inserts a key in the door and unlocking it opens it cautiously.
“We ain't got time for this.” Stef says as he pushes past her and enters the house, Nicola follows behind him; “Go check her bedroom, I'll start unloading.”
Nicola walks up the stairs to her sisters’ room; the door is wide open and obviously empty. Stepping back, Nicola turns on the landing light and goes back down the stairs to help Stef.
Five minutes later Stef starts the engine and drives the car around the corner of the house. Seeing that the only place where the car will be out of sight from the road is the flower bed next to the shed, Stef drives across the carefully manicured lawn and parks it amongst the wallflowers; squashing the emerging Hollyhocks in the process. Stef gets out of the car flattening the flower bed further, shuts the door quietly and walks back to the house.
“I don't believe you did that.” says Nicola in horror as Stef enters the house. Nicola is looking out of the kitchen window at the mess Stef has just made of her sisters garden. Tyre tracks lead across the lawn to the ruined flowerbed; “Heather is going to go mad when she sees it.”
“She'll be all right about it, you wait and see.” answers Stef appearing bored with the subject.
“You can tell her.” Nicola smiles in reply.
“That's your job.” Stef tells her as he picks up the box of money; “I guess we will be in the spare room, I'll put this up there while you put the kettle on.” he says as he climbs the stairs.
Nicola gives no answer as she goes into the kitchen, filling the kettle with cold water from the tap she turns the kettle on and