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

each other they could exchange money and usually cocaine by floating it attached to a line down the tide to each other. This worked well until one time Ingrid was late due to Customs patrols on the other side of the Channel. They eventually met six hours later than planned and a storm blew up and they found themselves in serious trouble. The cocaine got wet and was mostly ruined so they had met on land after that.
Steve still liked to use The Betty for fishing and they had found it useful to get rid of unwanted people, like they were doing now. Steve steps onto The Betty and unlocks the cabin doors opening them wide and goes back to help Curly Pete unload the Mercedes.
All is quiet along the river this time of night and they quickly unload the bodies; which had stiffened into a sitting position and put them in the cabin. Unlocking the boot of the Mercedes Curly Pete picks up a concrete block in each hand; “We are lucky with the tide; about an hour before it turns.”
“Yeah, high tide is 21.55hrs to be exact, yeah just over an hour.” replies Steve looking at his watch in the darkness.
Loading the blocks quickly they are soon on their way downriver and reaching the sea Steve follows a deep channel for about a mile before he disengages the engine. Curly Pete has tied the blocks to each body; two at each of their feet and one block at their necks with thick nylon rope; “The tide is still coming in ain't it Steve?” he asks looking concerned.
“Yeah we still got about a half hour before high tide by the looks of it.”
“What we gonna do? – they'll get swept in a ways before the tide turns.”
Looking at his Global Positioning System, Steve's brow creases in concentration; “If we follow the channel out a bit further until we are nearly at the sandbanks. That would at least be better than sitting here waiting. If they get swept in from there it won't be far then before the tide will turn and take them right out.”
Not waiting for an answer Steve guns the engine and puts it in gear, keeping a close watch on his GPS he navigates the boat further out to sea. Curly Pete sweeps the darkness ahead of them with a very large pair of binoculars looking for any lights or signs of life, seeing nothing but the sea and blackness he sits down.
Soon after Steve slows the engine and pulls to a stop; “Here will be good.” he says stepping forward and bends down to pick Phil's body up. Curly Pete jumps to help and they gently put Phil’s body onto the stern half hanging over the water. Pulling out what looks like Razor Mick's cut-throat razor Curly Pete cuts Phil's stomach open, making a deep cut about a hundred millimetres long. Though rigour mortis had set in blood and liquid still oozes out as they lower the body into the black water. Barry and Dave follow as quietly, with Barry smelling especially awful when Curly Pete cuts him open. By cutting into the stomach cavity they were preventing the build up of gasses as the body decays and preventing the bodies from becoming too buoyant and floating along on the current or even floating to the surface. Also giving the crabs and shrimps a head start in stripping the bodies of flesh.
Curly Pete has taken the two guns apart and he throws the separate pieces into the water in different directions followed by Phil's sawn off shotgun as Steve throws an empty bucket into the sea that is tied to a long length of rope and fills the bucket with sea water. Pulling it back on board he and Curly Pete wash their hands and wash away any traces of blood that have spilled onto the deck. Cleaning the boat thoroughly they wash their hands again with fresh water and Steve turns the boat around and they head back to the river.

Stef sees the badly repaired window as he approaches the back door; a piece of glass about one hundred and fifty millimetres long had fallen out of the window and been badly repaired with a supermarket carrier bag. Someone had stuck the bag onto the window with black tape; he hadn't done it and neither had Nicola.
Whoever has repaired the window is probably still in there screams a voice in Stef's head. Stef steps back quietly and thinks what to do, not sure who and how many are in their flat he walks quietly back to the car. Opening the boot the only suitable weapon he can find is the Jack to the car and wisely he closes the lid, gets back into his car and drives back to Heather's to get help.
“That was quick.” says Nicola loudly from the front room as he steps inside the front door of Heather's house.
“Yeah, looks like we got squatters came back for Simon.” says Stef with a smile as he enters the front room.
“Squatters?” screams Nicola.
“The kitchen windows been busted and repaired with a carrier bag.” states Stef in a matter of fact voice.
“How many are there?” asks horrified Heather.
“Dunno, thought I'd come and get Simon then we'll go see.” smiles Stef.
“Be glad to get out of here for a while, all Nic and Heather have been talking about is hospitals and annoying patients.” laughs Simon as he stands up from where he had been sitting on the couch.
“I need a pee and to get a couple of bits from the shed.” replies Stef as he makes his way out of the door towards the bathroom.
“What's he mean a couple of bits from the shed?” asks a worried Nicola.
“Expect it's dark in your back garden and he probably needs to get the torch.” answers Simon seeming unconcerned, though his heart is already starting to race with excitement or fear.
Nicola knows that Simon is lying and putting on an act pretending that it is of no concern and purses her lips in frustration. Simon does not give her the chance to ask any more as he hurriedly steps out of the room and heads for the back door. Turning the handle he steps out into the darkness as the sound of the toilet flushing reaches his ears. Making his way carefully he walks slowly along the path and reaches the shed as Stef comes out the back door.
“All right Dude?” asks Simon from the darkness as Stef approaches him.
Stef stops in his tracks and even in the gloom Simon can see his face go pale; “It's only me Dude.” laughs Simon.
“You frightened the life out of me,” gasps Stef; “I wondered where you had gone.”
“Waiting for you Dude, what you need from the shed?”
“A big hammer or metal bar, I don't mind which.” replies Stef as he unlocks the shed door.
“You need a torch?” asks Simon as Stef leans in and flicks a switch turning on the single dusty sixty watt bulb; “Maybe not then?” laughs Simon as he follows Stef into the shed.
“Ahh – this will do to start.” says Stef as he picks up a large metal hammer from a pile of garden tools that lay on the floor.
“Where's mine then?” asks Simon looking down at the tools.
Stef leans down and moves a shovel to one side, picking up a round metal bar he passes it to Simon who smiles as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth; “Here's yours Dude.”
Simon takes the rusty metal bar from Stef's hand; it is about four hundred millimetres long and twenty five millimetres in diameter. One end has been sharpened into a chisel shape and the other end is curled over where it has been struck by a hammer many times.
Simon feels its weight and smiles; “Yeah, think this'll do it.”
“Come on, sooner we get this over the better.” urges an anxious Stef as he ushers Simon out of the door. Switching off the light he shuts and locks the door, handing the hammer to Simon he asks; “Wait at the car will you? I'll go put these keys back.”
“Sure Dude.” answers Simon as he takes the hammer and walks around the side of the house.
Stef opens the back door as quietly as he can; he can hear Nicola and Heather's worried voices from the front room. Putting the sheds keys down gently onto the worktop he closes the back door and joins Simon at the car; “Let's get out of here.” says Stef nervously as he unlocks the car doors and gets in. Starting the engine and driving the car forward as soon as Simon sits down he quickly heads down the drive.

“What are you going to do now?” Natalie asks Steve as he finishes his pint of beer.
Steve and Curly Pete sat opposite her in a quiet corner of the Public House, Sheila had gone to use the rest rooms and the pub is fairly quiet of customers with just a couple of old men propping the bar up.
“I'll drop you back to yours and then me and Pete will get rid of Barry's car.”
“And then what, without your business partners how are you going to get the money together?”
“I've known Ingrid quite a while, long before Barry and his crew came along.”
“You are not thinking of asking her for credit, I've known her and her family a long time too and I wouldn't recommend doing that; not with the luck you just have had recently.” warns Natalie.
“It'll be Ok; I have some money put aside for just such an emergency so I won't have to borrow it all.”
“I agree with Natalie, why don't you try to get a smaller amount? Borrowing from them is not to be recommended mate.” advises Curly Pete.
Steve stares at them both touched by their concern, he had heard how Ingrid and her family dealt with people who didn't pay their bills on time. He had dealt with them for more than ten years now and he felt he had a special relationship with Ingrid and that she regarded him as family. Not telling Pete and Natalie his thoughts he smiles a thank you as Sheila returns to the table; “I'm gonna run you and Natalie home, me and Pete have still got some work to do.” he tells her as he stands up.
“Fine with me, will we see you tomorrow?” asks Sheila.
“You might, I'll phone you about midday and we'll go from there.” he replies as he stands to leave.
“Sit back down a minute will you?” asks Natalie.
“What's on your mind then?” replies Steve as he sits back down at the table.
“Me and Sheila have some money put by and we think this is a good time for us to become partners.”
Steve stares at Natalie and Shelia feeling his anger rise, he had known for several years that Natalie and Sheila wanted to be big players. Many times they had offered money before and now they felt this was their chance.