Goodnight, John-boy: Chapter 26
‘You’re cool, Dave,’ said Scott admiringly. ‘I can see how you shot the Sheriff.’ ‘No. I should have shot the Sheriff. I shot the Deputy. Sorry about that,’ said Dave.
Welcome to Book Two of my dark comedy thriller series, Read Em And Weep.
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‘BLOODY HELL,’ said Scott. ‘You took a chance coming here.’
‘Had to see you,’ said Dave. ‘Explain what went wrong.’
‘They didn’t ask to see any ID?’
‘No. Just told them I was your Uncle Ken. Bloke at reception—’
‘McClaren. Housemaster. Real bastard.’
‘That’s the one. Said “You don’t look like a drug-dealer. On you go, mate.” Got me to sign the visitor’s book and I was in.’
‘You’re cool, Dave,’ said Scott admiringly. ‘I can see how you shot the Sheriff.’
‘No. I should have shot the Sheriff. I shot the Deputy. Sorry about that,’ said Dave.
‘You actually went to one of his Ku Klux Klan meetings, and were going to off him?’
‘Until the Canon got in the way. But that’s okay. He’s another rotten apple.’
‘I don’t think he ever came to any of the parties. I don’t remember him.’
‘He wouldn’t need to. He had other ways of getting to kids.’
They were sitting in Scott’s room, which he shared with three other teenagers. It smelt of night breath, testosterone, and b.o. The wallpaper had practically disappeared under the rock posters. There were four bunk beds. Chest expanders, weights, nunchakus and piles of L.P.’s were stacked in a corner. Bookshelves dominated the room, with counter-culture volumes like The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross, T Lobsang Rampa’s The Third Eye, and The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. The latter was one psychology book that, surprisingly, Dave didn’t have, and he figured it must have just been published. There were popular culture novels: The Rats, the entire Gor series, Pan Book of Horror Stories, endless Perry Rhodans, Mandingo, and How to be Topp. As well as neat piles of Aaagh! and The Spanker. A giant poster of Farrah Fawcett was pinned to the ceiling, who smiled winsomely down on them.
‘We knew something had happened, even before your call.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Keen turned up here with two bodyguards, heavy dudes. Went into the warden’s office and was asking a lot of questions. Then they were checking where we all were that night. Next thing we know: all the parties are cancelled.’
‘They’re not taking any chances,’ noted Dave.
‘So it’s great. We’re off the hook.’
‘Off the meat hook?’
‘Thanks to you. No more parties. Yes!’ Scott punched the air. ‘Although they’re watching where we go now,’ he added as an afterthought. ‘We can’t just come and go as we like.’
‘I figured if you weren’t allowed out, I should come to you,’ said Dave.
‘They must be desperate to find the killer.’
‘And here I am all the time, hiding in plain sight,’ grinned Dave. He realised just how much he liked taking chances. In fact, he was addicted to it. He’d crossed the line. Gone through the pain barrier. And he wanted more. Being normal was boring—not that he ever was normal—but he needed that adrenalin rush he felt when he’d been about to shoot Fabulous Keen, and gunned down the Canon instead.
‘So where are the others?’ he asked.
‘Downstairs, playing table tennis.’
‘D’you want to bring them up, so I can say hello?’
‘Better not. Don’t want it to look like we’re having a meeting up here, just in case they’re watching us.’
‘Okay. About the plan. Now my way didn’t work out, we’ve got to go for yours.’
Scott was taken aback. ‘But we’re safe right now, Dave. You don’t have to worry about us.’
‘For the time being. But for how long? I’ve checked the route, the location, gone over the cover story. It’s all perfect. One hundred per cent. Say the word and I’m ready to rock and roll.’
‘I don’t know. I think we need to cool it for a while. Until Keen’s relaxed and got rid of his bodyguards, anyway.’
‘If you say so.’ Dave was impatient for action.
Scott feared Dave’s newfound bravado might be covering his fear, and in a sense he was right. Being manic was Dave’s way of keeping his former cowardice at bay.
Scott looked thoughtfully at him. ‘Look, are you sure you want to do this, Dave? I’ll understand—and I know the others will, too—if you want to drop out. You’ve done enough for us.’
‘Not only is it still on, Scott, but I’m looking forward to it.’ Dave picked up the nunchakus and spun them to emphasise his words.
Scott ducked. ‘That’s great, Dave. That’s great. We knew we could rely on you.’
‘So when?’ asked Dave, still quite manic as he twirled the nunchakus. ‘When do we do it?’
The boy looked soberly at Dave.
‘Come on, Scott. When do we launch Operation Grim Reaper?’
'When it’s party time.’
Goodnight, John-boy is the second book in the Read Em And Weep series and you can buy it digitally or as a paperback.