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

you are the boss.” assures Curly Pete as he brushes past Steve and enters the house.
Steve hurries behind him with Barney on his heels, Curly Pete appears to have a sixth sense as to where everyone is as he walks straight into the kitchen. Standing in the doorway he looks at each person in turn seeming to size them up.
“Hi Pete.” greets Natalie in a cheerful voice; “Hi Barney.” she greets with a smile as he and Steve enter the kitchen.
Steve introduces everyone by name around the table his eyes resting on Dave as if he is expecting trouble. Dave's back stiffens and he stares back in defiance. Steve looks at Barry; “We ready then? he asks; “we are going down to the flat, best we don't all go at once I'll give you a ring when I get there. Help yourself to tea and coffee or whatever.” Steve says to the room in general.
Everyone nods in agreement as Barry stands up from the table, following Steve out the door he walks out into the early morning sunshine; “We'll go in your car, hey, looks a good one.” Steve tells Barry with a smile as he walks over to his shiny black Mercedes.
Barry does not appear to like the idea but nods in agreement and walks over to his car, unlocking the door they get in; “Rob's got some business to attend to and he'll catch up with us later.” Barry tells Steve as he starts the engine and drives out into the road and following Steve's directions heads towards the town.

“How much longer we gotta wait?” asks Carol impatiently.
“They'll be here soon; while you are waiting you can run up the shop and get a couple of bottles of milk.” Eric orders in a similar impatient voice as he watches out of the window.
Carol stares at him eager to take out her frustration on him; or anyone! The waiting and watching had finally got on her nerves and all she wanted was out. Looking at the expression on Eric's face she sees that he feels the same way and a twinge of guilt runs through her; “Do you want anything while I'm up there?” she asks in a form of apology.
Eric turns and looks at Carol a faint smile forming on his lips; “No thanks, just be as quick as you can.”
Carol walks into the bedroom for her purse and jacket, putting on her jacket quickly she holds her purse firmly and hurries down the stairs and steps out onto the street. Young mothers pushing prams and doing their best to control their offspring as they hurry to the nearby playground crowd the pavement and Carol finds it safer to walk in the street to the shop!
Eric stares moodily out of the window as he watches Carol negotiate the other people on the street and returns his gaze to watching Simon's flat. All is quiet and had been since Eric had been watching; these past six hours he had observed no sign of life at the flat. The view from the bay window on the second floor gives him a good view of the bosoms of the young ladies who pass beneath him. Normally he would find the view entertaining, even exciting, but he stares down with little interest. The sight of Carol returning from the shop weighed down by two heavy carrier bags makes him look back towards Simon's flat. Slight movement of the curtains shows that he is being watched also and he wonders how the fella is going to be able to get out of there with the army of people arriving to stop him.
The sound of Carol opening the front door and her heavy footsteps on the stairs brings him back to reality and he looks back in the direction of the shop for any sign of the promised help.
“When's Dippa getting here?” asks Carol as she walks into the lounge.
“I can't get an answer, have tried Donna's phone a few times, it appears to be switched off.” answers Eric from his vigil at the window.
“Steve ain't gonna be happy if he's not here when he arrives.”
“Yeah, there's been enough grief I'll try again, Eric picks up his phone from the table and dials a number. The phone rings three times before it is answered by a sleepy sounding Dippa; “Hello who is it?”
“It's Eric mate, Steve's on his way you'd better get yourself down here quick I've been trying to ring you for over an hour it’s halfway through the morning.” Eric tells him in exasperation.
“Oh right, I'll have a quick coffee and a smoke and I'll be with you.”
“No time for that mate, you can do that here, get here fast will yer!” Eric demands.
Dippa swears in frustration; “On me way.” he assures as he disconnects the call.

Dippa arrives a few minutes before Steve and Barry and opens the front door for them with a smile as he stands to one side to allow them room to get in.
“How long you been here?” asks Steve as he starts to walk up the stairs with Barry close on his heels.
“Ages.” Dippa lies with a wry smile offended at Steve's attitude and he can't help noticing he has not been introduced to Steve's friend. Dippa closes the front door and follows them up the stairs and into the lounge.
Steve walks across to the window and leans in front of Eric so that he can see up and down the street; “Anything happened?”
“Quiet as a grave, mate.” Eric replies softly, not telling Steve of the moving curtains and the awareness of the fella they are watching.
“You and Carol can get away for a while, I'll ring you when I need you, when's Stella getting here?”
“Sometime this morning she never gave a time.”
“Ok we'll take over now; Dippa make the coffee will ya?”
Dippa had just got himself comfortable on the couch and frowns in disapproval as he obediently stands up and makes his way to the kitchen.
“How many sugars Barry?” Steve asks.
“Two please, Dippa is it? Yeah thanks mate.” replies Barry in his friendliest voice.
Dippa nods in acknowledgement as he goes into the kitchen, he knows he is getting fed up of being ordered around and vows to get away from Steve and his gang, somehow.
“As you can see we got a good view of the street with these bay windows, that fella can't make a move without us knowing about it, as that is the only way in and out.” Steve tells Barry looking towards Simon's flat.
Barry gets up from the couch and joins Steve at the window, looking in the direction of Steve's gaze he asks; “Which one is his?”
“The one that's set back a bit from the rest; with the faded red paint door and those big square bay windows, on the other side of the road.”
“That's quite a way up the street mate be difficult to catch him if he ran the other way.” Barry says, not so convinced that Steve does have everything under control.
“I'll give the others a ring in a little while; he'll have a job getting away from ten of us.” Steve laughs.
“We'll see you later then.” Eric says as he and Carol come out of the bedroom and make their way to the doorway.
“Yeah, I'll give you a ring mate, thanks for your help.” says Steve with a confident smile.
“Give us a few hours to sleep before you do please.” laughs Eric as he follows Carol out the door and down the stairs.
Steve and Barry watch Eric and Carol walk along the street towards the town; “That Carol's a bit of all right, first time I've seen her.” admits Barry.
“Yeah she's a looker, makes me jealous of Eric coz she's loyal with it.” says Steve as he watches them turn the corner and walk out of sight. Steve absently watches as a white van pulls up a few doors down. The young driver wearing a bright, almost fluorescent blue T-shirt, jumps out the cab and knocks loudly on the door. The door is opened quickly by a middle aged lady wearing a white bathrobe. Stepping back inside she comes back out carrying two large cardboard boxes. Handing them to the driver he awkwardly passes her a clipboard of paperwork as he takes them from her. Writing her signature she hands him back the clipboard and shuts the door in his face. Steve smiles as the young driver goes to the back of his van, opening the door he throws the parcels in and slams the doors.
“Coffees here fellas.” Dippa says as he walks in carrying three steaming mugs, putting them down onto the little coffee table he settles down onto the couch and starts to roll a cigarette.
“Nice one mate which is which?” asks Steve as he approaches the steaming mugs.
“Any one, they all got two sugars.” replies Dippa as he runs his tongue along the cigarette paper.
Steve picks a mug from the table and sits down in the huge armchair; “Come and get your coffee mate, I'll give the others a ring.” he says as he takes his mobile phone out of his pocket and dials a number.
“Good idea.” agrees Barry as he takes a mug from the table and sits beside Dippa; “We've not met before, I'm Barry.” he says as he extends his hand towards Dippa.
Dippa takes Barry's hand and gives it a firm shake; “You known Steve long? I've not seen you before.” Dippa asks.
“I'm one of his silent partners you might say.” smiles Barry as he lets go of Dippa's hand.
“Pleased to meet you, I'll be glad when this mess is over, my missus ain't at all happy she wanted to go shopping today.”
“Yeah, mess is the right word, you got any idea what Steve's got planned?”
“No, not a clue that front door is bolted shut, we're not gonna be able to force our way in.” Dippa says appearing defeated.
“Be the end of him if he can't get it sorted.” Barry tells Dippa in an emotionless voice sending a shiver up Dippa's spine, the tone of voice implying Steve will be dead.
Steve talks on his mobile phone unaware of the conversation in front of him; “Yeah start making your way down now, ask Curly Pete to lock up on his way out.” he orders as he disconnects the call, looking Barry in the eyes confidently he smiles; “They gonna come down in twos and threes then we'll get it sorted.” he says in a firm voice, picking up his mug of coffee he takes a drink; “Give us ya baccy Dippa.” he orders stretching out his hand for Dippa to pass him his tobacco tin.

Simon looks out of the window, his heart beating with excitement as he looks out for the delivery van. He sees Dippa arrive, his red baseball cap set at a jaunty angle makes him look dopier than the 'hard' look it is supposed to give.
Steve he recognises when he is still