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

out carrying a mug of coffee and walks over to the window; “As soon as you are feeling tired, wake me. We must keep a continuous watch, would be embarrassing if he slipped past us.” says Eric as he hands Carol the hot mug.
Taking the mug from his hand Carol twists it quickly so that she can hold it by the handle; “I don't like this Eric, we'll end up in jail if Steve carries on the way he is.”
“Yeah I know what you mean love, I've been trying to think of a way to get out of this, it's a shame it's the weekend. Now we've got two days before we can use the excuse we have to go do some work.”
“I wonder what this offer is that Steve has for Stella?” asks Carol curiously.
“Dunno.” smiles Eric; “I'm going to bed, wake me in a few hours, or before if anything happens.” he tells her as he goes into Stella's bedroom and lays down on top of the bed.

Simon is woken by the ringing of his phone, too nervous to want to sleep properly he had stopped watching the blonde girl and lain on the couch and the long day had finally taken its toll. Leaning forward towards the coffee table he picks up his phone seeing Stef's name on the screen; “Stef, you all right Dude?” he asks with real concern.
“Yeah we're good, how are you?”
“There's been no attempt to get in apart from a kick on the door and that was hours ago. I am being watched from a flat down the road a bit so don't come near Dude.”
“How are we going to get you out of there then?” asks an agitated Stef.
“I am Ok for a couple of days, got enough supplies apart from the whiskey which is getting low.”
“You say you are being watched, who's watching you?”
Simon decides to come clean with Stef and tells him everything including killing the fella with the bottle and the blonde watcher. Stef listens in shocked silence to Simon's words and feels at a loss as to what to do. The gang they had taken the money from appear well organised; and their seemed to be a lot of them!
“Don't worry Dude I am secure here.” Simon assures Stef when he does not reply; “It's a shame the money is here or it would be simple, I could call the Old Bill.”
“Hey, you've just given me an idea.” shouts Stef excitedly into the phone; “Why don't you get the money out of there, and then you can call them?”
“How am I going to do that, throw it out the window to you?”
“No,” laughs Stef “have you got a big enough cardboard box you can put the money in and some brown paper?”
“I gotta box, dunno 'bout brown paper?” replies Simon in confusion not understanding what Stef is getting at.
Stef laughs again gaining confidence in his idea; “You do trust me don't you Si?”
“What you on about?” asks Simon starting to lose patience as he still does not understand what Stef is driving at.
Stef senses the change of Simon's mood and replies seriously; “Put all your money in a box, wrap it up and address it to me. We are at Nic's sisters, and I'll send the postman or a courier to pick it up. If we pay full whack and have same day collection you won't have to stand at your door for hours waiting.”
Simon is impressed with Stef's idea, no way would the gang attack a postman, and he was right about a pick up time. Simon imagines in his mind unscrewing and unbolting the door as the postman arrives for his parcel. He hands it to him and the postman returns to his van and drives away before his watchers have time to do anything about it.
All that is needed now is to trust Stef with all his money.
Stef waits silently on the other end of the phone for Simon to reply, what seems like several minutes Simon thinks of his options; “Where exactly are you going to live in Australia?” he asks in a light hearted voice.
“I think under the circumstances you should decide to come with us?” asks a still serious Stef.
“They won't have me, though I could do with a holiday.” replies Simon sounding tired.
“Box the money up and wrap it with something and weigh it on your bathroom scales, I'll phone you in the morning to get it organised.” orders Stef.
“Will do Dude.” replies Simon in a cheerful voice and disconnects the call.
Putting the phone down onto the coffee table Simon stands up emitting a long sigh at the thought of the work ahead. Going into his bedroom he carefully walks across in the darkness to his wardrobe. Stretching his arms high above him and standing on tip toe he pulls down a large cardboard box. Dropping it down quickly onto the bed he turns it upside down and empties out the books and old ornaments. Not concerned that several of his precious ornaments get broken Simon walks back into the lounge and starts to take out the money from the holdall. Stacking them neatly the money fills the box to three quarters full, Simon goes into the kitchen and picks up the big carving knife from its wooden rack and walks back into the lounge. Cutting the box down to size he folds it neatly and looks around for some sticking tape, finding an old roll of brown parcel tape amongst the mess in the spare room he searches around for the Christmas wrapping paper from last year. After a fruitless search of the spare room and his bedroom he gives up in disgust and decides to improvise. Walking back into the lounge he tapes up the box neatly at the joins leaving enough blank spare cardboard to write the address. Taking the box into the bathroom he puts it on the scales and weighs it carefully, carrying the box back into the lounge he writes the weight down on a corner of the box in black felt tip pen. Satisfied and thinking it wise to leave the address to the last moment Simon sits back contently on the couch and rolls himself a cigarette. Looking at the small amount of whiskey he decides against pouring himself a drink as he contrives a plan to get out of here.

Steve is woken by the constant ringing of his door bell, guessing who it is so early he gets out of bed and still in his boxer shorts runs down the stairs to open the door. As he swings the door open Barry, Rob, Phil and a huge fella push their way in; “Wake you up did I?” asks Barry sarcastically. Barry is smartly dressed in an expensive dark blue three piece suit that strains at the huge bulk beneath it. Over two metres tall he is an imposing figure, as are his companions. Rob is the oldest, wearing an old khaki jacket and coarse woven tweed trousers he looks to be about sixty years of age and looking like a retired military man with his upright posture and apparent confidence in himself. A head shorter than Barry he looks more threatening as his blue eyes appear to lack feeling and he has the bulk to enforce his will.
Phil looks out of place amongst his huge friends; long black hair covers a thin unshaven face that reaches down to skinny bony shoulders that are covered by a thick linen grey shirt. Faded blue jeans cover his thin legs making his size twelve white trainers appear even larger.
Steve does not know who the muscle is with them, walking in as if he owns the place he stares straight ahead as he walks past Steve. Weighing at least two hundred and fifty pounds and well over two metres tall he seems to fill the hall with his bulk. Wearing an ill fitting grey three piece suit he stands as still as a statue waiting for Steve to answer.
“Yeah I was asleep” admits Steve as he shuts the front door; “you want coffee?”
“I know where it is, you get dressed.” answers Barry as he makes his way to the kitchen with the others following.
Steve is annoyed at the attitude of his visitors as he heads up the stairs face twisted in anger; this is his house after all!
Going into the bathroom Steve washes quickly and pees gratefully, walking back into his bedroom he dresses in clean jeans and white T-shirt. His visitors noisily make coffee in the kitchen and Steve picks up his mobile phone and dials Barney's number; “You on your way?” Steve asks as the phone is immediately answered.
“Morning Steve, yeah be with you in about an hour mate.” replies Barney cheerfully.
“Faster if you can please, I got some unwelcome guests, dunno if they are carrying but be nice if you can be when you get here. I'll put the door on the latch so you and Pete just walk in nice 'n' quiet like.” Steve tells Barney speaking softly so that they cannot hear him in the kitchen.
“Pete wants to know what's going on?”
“The main money men are here, they want their money or a piece of me with the muscle they have brought.” answers Steve with an angry edge to his voice.
“Fast as we can mate.” answers Barney as he disconnects the call.
Steve quickly dials another number, the phone ring seven times when the lady on the answer phone tells him to leave a message. Steve disconnects the call with an angry push of a button. Dialling again he holds the phone to his ear as he steps out onto the landing. Subdued voices can be heard from the kitchen as Steve steps back into his bedroom, on the fifth ring the phone is answered by an angry female voice; “This better be good, whoever you are?”
“It is, its Steve get your asses down here, I'll make you breakfast soon as you do.”
“Sorry mate didn't recognise your number, you need us to come to yours now?” asks Natalie.
“Yes, need your company; I got some unwelcome guests here.”
“On our way, Sheila ain't gonna be happy getting woke up this time of day.”
“I might need her in a bad mood, you as well” Steve tells her.
“On our way; quick as we can.”
“Door is on the latch, just walk straight in.” Steve orders as he disconnects the call, putting his phone in his pocket Steve hurries down the stairs and into the kitchen.
“You took ya time” says Barry in that same sarcastic voice as Steve enters.
His 'guests' are clustered around the table each with a mug of coffee in front of them. Steve makes a point of looking at the steaming mugs; “Didn't you make me one then?” he demands, feeling confident now that his friends are on the way.
Barry is surprised at the aggressive response and takes a few seconds to answer; “Sorry, didn't know if you wanted one or if you liked tea in the morning.” he lies.