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

rucksack. Pulling out a rolled up tent he puts it down onto the coffee table and moves the armchair into the far corner of the room. Pushing the couch and coffee table to one side he takes the tent and unrolls it on the floor, taking out two bundles of thin fibreglass poles he starts to erect the tent in the centre of the room. Skilfully he slides the poles through loops sewn onto the side of the tent and with a strange twisting motion he flips the tent upwards snapping the poles into place and sits it squarely in the centre of the room; with the door facing the huge television set.

“We ready then?” asks Steve.
“Who's gonna do this?” Barry asks from the comfort of the couch, the tone of his voice tells Steve that he is not going to be one of the first in.
“Just be me and the girls, Dippa, Pete and Dave, you and Phil can come over when we're in, if you are up to it.” replies Steve in a condescending voice, now not hiding his dislike of Barry.
Barry's eyes harden; “It better go right this time.” he says in a voice that matches the look in his eyes.
“It will, right we ready then? Steve asks focusing his gaze on Dave.
Dave stands up with smile and returns the stare; “When me and Pete ram the door best you stay out of the way, don't want you to get hurt.”
“Best you step well out the way if you do get it open as I want to be first up those stairs, be awkward if you got in the way.” Steve replies in a cold voice.
With threats exchanged Steve gets on with the business in hand, picking up Dippa's jacket from the back of a chair; “We're gonna need to borrow this to get across the road.” he tells Dippa, as he leans in front of him and looks out of the window and up and down the street.
“Looks all clear; except for that woman with the pram and dogs; looks like she's getting ready to go in.” Steve says as he walks across the room and out of the door.
The others follow him down the stairs and Dippa sees that Steve has used his jacket to cover the steel pipe. Dippa frowns in annoyance, as the pipe is dirty and rusty; a small circle of dirt and dry yellow flaked paint surrounds it from where it has been placed on the floor.
Steve opens the door and looks up and down the street; all is clear apart from two yobs wearing Hoodies who wander towards him looking into the parked cars as they walk. Seeing Steve staring at them they put their heads down and quickening their pace, they hurry past him in the direction of the town.
“All clear.” says Steve in a hushed tone; “Come on then, keep together.”
Dippa steps out first and joins Steve at the pavement as Curly Pete and Dave come out of the doorway with the steel pipe between them. Natalie and Sheila follow closely behind as they all walk across the street onto the other pavement. Still keeping in a tight group they walk towards Simon's flat. As they approach, Steve turns back towards Curly Pete and Dave; “Aim it for the lock we'll cover you.” Looking up and down the street Steve nods his head; “All clear, go for it.” he says as he steps to one side, Dippa takes a backward step giving them room to pass as Curly Pete and Dave hurry forward and pointing the pipe battering ram at the lock, smash it into the door.
The door, being held only on the catch bursts open with a crash as Curly Pete and Dave rush in. Steve is hard on their heels and pushes past them as he climbs the stairs taking three steps at a time.
“What do you think you are doing?” shouts the lady with the three dogs from across the street.
“It's all right,” shouts Sheila in reply, “my friend lost his key.”
The lady does not look convinced as she stares past Sheila and Natalie as Dippa enters the hall and runs up the stairs after Curly Pete and Dave; “That's not what it looks like from here.” the lady shouts as she slams her front door and disappears from view.
“I don't like the looks of that, I reckon she's gone to phone the Old Bill.” says Sheila nervously.
“I think you are right, we'd better tell them upstairs.” answers Natalie as she heads for the open doorway.

“It looks like they've been seen.” says Barry from his vantage point at the window.
“What makes you say that?” asks Phil as he gets up from the couch and walks across the room to the window. Peering out he can see Natalie entering the building opposite; “What's she doing? she's meant to keep watch on the street.”
“The neighbour opposite saw them break in; she's probably gone up to tell them. Sheila's still there.”
Phil can see Sheila leaning against the fence appearing to be casual; “She doesn’t look very happy, do you think they need some help?”
“Dave is enough and he's got Curly with him, we'll wait here and see what happens.”
A few moments later Natalie appears in the doorway and walks along the path, grabbing hold of Sheila's arm they walk quickly in the direction of the flat.

Steve reaches the top of the stairs and gives Simon's door an almighty kick. The door remains firmly locked and as he stands back to kick again Curly Pete pushes in front of him, and with the desire of revenge giving him extra strength; he throws all his weight at the door. The door bursts open with the sound of splintering wood and a mighty crash as it hits the hall wall.
Curly Pete rushes in and runs into the lounge, seeing it empty he nearly collides with Dave in the doorway and brushes past him and runs into the bedroom. Steve stands just inside the doorway his face pale, he knows Simon is not here. Curly Pete turns and hurries out the door and looks in the spare room, kitchen and bathroom before he realises that the flat is empty.
As Curly Pete comes out of the bathroom Natalie rushes in; “Pete, I think that woman across the road has phoned the police. I am sure she saw you and Dave force the door open.”
Curly Pete's face flushes a deep red and his eyes harden; “You'd better get out quick then, go back to Stella‘s flat and wait for us.” he orders as he walks into the lounge.
Steve and Dave stand in the centre of the room, Steve looks pale and Dave looks angry; “You heard what Natalie said so we'd better get out of here. I take it you've looked around for the holdall?” Curly Pete asks Steve sarcastically.
Steve nods his head seeming too shocked or scared to speak; “Did you see any envelopes, like mail or something with this geezers name on it?” Curly Pete demands.
“No, n-nothing” stammers Steve seeming to lose all confidence.
Curly Pete growls at him and walks out of the lounge and into the bedroom, the sound of drawers being opened and thrown across the room show Curly Pete is not having any luck.
Dave turns the coffee table upside down, seeing no paperwork he pulls the couch away from the wall and looks behind. When only dusty carpet meets his gaze he slams the couch back angrily and looks Steve in the eyes; “I do hope that you have a large bank account somewhere.”
Steve's pupils contract in fear and he starts to walk out of the room giving no reply.
“I asked you a question mate.” Dave says as he steps in front of Steve blocking his way.
“Don't you think we should talk about this somewhere else?” he asks gruffly, Dave's attitude inflaming his temper.
“He's right there.” says an angry Curly Pete from the doorway. For a second Steve thought that Curly Pete was going to take a swing at Dave but he seemed to think better of it as he turns and walks out the door. Steve hurriedly follows Curly Pete out of the flat with Dave close on his heels. Curly Pete stands to one side to give Steve and Dave room to get past and as they head down the stairs Curly Pete makes a rough repair to the catch by forcing it straight where it had twisted in the frame. Pushing the screws back in the best he can with his thumb he pulls the door shut and tests his handiwork by giving the door a shove. The door holds and satisfied, he runs down the stairs, as he descends he sees Dave and Steve waiting for him by the front door; “See if you can mend that catch will you so we can shut the door after us.” he orders as he jumps down the final three steps.
Dave responds immediately and looks at the catch; “One of the screws is missing and the other one in it is bent.”
Curly Pete searches the floor frantically and finds the screw up against the skirting board. Picking it up he crosses over to Dave and hands it to him; “Push it in best you can and then we'll give it a whack with the ram.” he says as he looks down at the metal pipe which is no longer covered by Dippa's jacket; “Where's Dippa?”
Dave takes the screw from his hand and tries to push it back; “He was gone when we got down here.”
Curly Pete picks up the ram as Dave turns to help him, they tap the screw in enough to hold the catch; “We'd better get out of here, you coming or you gonna stay here?” Curly Pete asks Steve.
Steve appears to be in a dream, he had not moved from where he had been standing in the centre of the hall during the door repairs. His face pale and drawn he looks blankly at Curly Pete. Not waiting for an answer, Curly Pete grabs hold of his arm and pushes him out the door. Taking off his jacket he goes back into the hall and covers the ram; “Here Dave, give us a hand, we can't leave this here.”
Dave steps forward and grabs hold of one of the handles as Curly Pete lifts the ram off the floor. Dave leads the way as Curly Pete shuts the door firmly behind them; Steve still stands where Curly Pete had left him still with a vacant expression on his face as he stares at them coming towards him.
“Move will you.” Curly Pete orders as Steve's eyes come back into focus; taking several hurried steps backwards he turns and starts to walk along the street towards Stella's flat. Curly Pete can see Natalie and Sheila staring anxiously at them from the doorway of the flat and walking quickly with Dave hurrying along beside him they cross the street.
“Haven't seen the nosey woman since she shut her door.” informs Natalie as they approach.
“We'll take a chance and leave this here, it's