Rotten Timbers

Going upstairs I found Abe, feet on the desk and chair reclined, half asleep. “You okay Abe?” “Huh!” he grunted, “what’s up?” “Nothing Abe, I’m just surprised to see you here. Haven’t you got a home to go to?” “No more surprising than seeing you here. My job ran on and I wanted to pick up some bits and pieces for the morning. Trouble is after I’d sat in the chair I got thinking about Joy and Chloe and must have dropped off.” His mobile began to play the Eddie Grant number, ‘I don’t want to dance’ and he listened, looked at the screen, then answered, “Yes Mrs Stone.” A few more seconds of listening, “I’ll be back in about twenty minutes. No I won’t be any longer and yes I’ll turn the oven off when I get my tea out.” Abe put his phone on the desk. “Am I a lucky man or what? First you are concerned as to why I am so late then Mrs Stone wonders why I am not there for my tea. See I have friends who care, but the police do they care? Ignore me Jake I am just feeling a little melancholy. I’ll get on home and have my tea which will have been baked dry in the oven if I don’t hurry.” Abe stood up took his jacket off the back of the chair and walked to the door. “See you in the morning boss. You want to get home yourself.” “Yeah, see you in the morning Abe. I’ll only be ten minutes or so. And Abe, one day something will happen and they’ll catch the bastard who murdered your family. Oh and one other thing Abe, please call me Jake.” I moved round the desk and sat in the chair. It was just beginning to get dark outside, brought on early by the overcast sky. It would probably rain before I got home. Still no coffee capsules so I went on line and ordered twenty packets of the cappuccino variety and a couple of packets of plain espresso. Give them their due, Tassimo usually delivered within a very few days. If there was no one in the office, then Ian usually took delivery for us, which was fair enough as I reckoned he drank as much as the rest of us. I completed the invoicing on today’s job and a couple of others that were outstanding, and then wrote a note to Alf to pay any outstanding bills that we had accumulated. It was satisfying to know that the business was well in credit and there were plenty of funds in the bank. It was beginning to drizzle as I set the alarm and locked up. I hunched my shoulders and began my walk home. As I passed the car repair business I could see that the front roller doors were down and secured but through the windows I could see that there was a light on towards the back. I stopped, mid stride and thought to myself, no, that’s a stupid idea, but I still let my curiosity get the better of me. Between the outer wall and the perimeter fence there was a narrow strip. It was cluttered with old engines, gearboxes and other junk. I began to carefully make my way towards the rear. Reaching the far end I peered round the corner. I could see light coming through the rear door which was open. I crept along with my back to the wall till I reached the doorway. I could hear voices. “It will be busy tomorrow. There are two cars for repair and there is another load coming in which will have to be sorted and stashed.” It was Jan’s voice. There was a grunt in acknowledgment. Just at that moment my foot slipped in some oil or grease made treacherous by the rain. A piece of a steering rack, I’d been anxiously avoiding was lightly touched by my arm, but enough to send it crashing the ground. Moving quickly I hurried to the corner and disappeared around it as I heard Al say “probably fucking cats or dogs.” I quietly retraced my steps to the front and leaned against the wall listening carefully. Hearing nothing I made to cautiously take a step in to the open. Still no sound. I stuck my head out and took a pace forward. My last thought as I fell toward the ground was “Shit! Why did I do that.” Then I felt a hard kick in my ribs before I passed out.