‘From this range, I believe it would blow your head clean off. Do you feel lucky, punk?’
He looked down, a gasp.
‘Where’s the shit-stopping smirk now, Minister?’
‘I–I-I…’
‘Why don’t you save it? Out.’
The Beemer was good to go. I made him drive, heading for the city.
‘Where are you taking me?’ he asked.
‘Sorry, didn’t I mention? I’ll be asking the fucking questions.’
‘I have every right to know-’
I aimed the Glock at his crotch. ‘Maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough. This could put a serious damper on your whoring.’
Silence for the best part of the journey. I do believe I’d made myself clear. I’d put him in his place, just where I wanted him. ‘Pull over.’
At the side of the road, I ordered he take out his phone.
‘I want you to listen very carefully. You’re going to ring Nadja and tell her to meet you at Zalinskas’ casino.’
‘But-’
‘No buts.’ I cocked the Glock, put it to his head. ‘And, you better make it convincing. Your life depends on it, in case you hadn’t realised.’
He had the number on speed dial. The call went better than I’d imagined it would.
‘You’re a formidable liar, Minister. Don’t believe I could have done any better myself.’
‘I think I should warn you that this is a very costly mistake you’re making, Mr Dury.’
‘Oh, I think I’ll take the chance. Now drive.’
We put in on George Street, didn’t worry about feeding the meter. I took off my jacket, folded it over the gun, kept it close to Cardownie’s back. ‘One false move will be your last.’
I led him up a side street skirting the casino. A rotten wooden fence was all that came between us and Zalinskas’ lair. I put my foot to a weak stanchion, it split in two. Another kick and we were in, walking towards the fire escape.
The metal gates were, in contrast to most New Town premises, unlocked.
‘Good to see Mr Zalinskas is sticking to the fire-safety regulations,’ I said.
Cardownie frowned. ‘I’m warning you, you imbecile, if you go through with this-’
I put the Glock to his lips. ‘I don’t take threats kindly, Minister. I’m warning you now. Get up there, tap on Benny’s lovely french doors and when he opens up, I’ll be right behind you.’
The gun seemed to focus his thoughts. At the top of the fire escape, Cardownie rapped on the windowpane. It took Zalinskas a little time to answer.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’
I stepped in. ‘Allow me.’ The Glock did all my explaining.
As Zalinskas backed into his office, followed by Cardownie and myself, one of his goons showed and reached for a shooter. I dropped him with one shot to the kneecap. As he writhed around in agony, I lifted his gun from the floor.
The gunshot had set off the wolf, it clawed at the confines of the cage, then began to wail. The wolf’s cry put the shits up every one of us.
‘Now, so we know I’m not messing… that’s the last warning shot, the next time I fire this gun it’ll be pointing at someone’s head.’
I sat them on the couch. The pug rolled about in agony, clutching at his knee.
‘The wolf can smell blood,’ said Zalinskas.
‘He’s not the only one,’ I said.
I helped the goon onto the couch, barked at Cardownie. ‘Get your belt off, tie it round his thigh to stop the bleeding.’
As I kept a close eye on them, the buzzer went. On the monitors above Zalinskas’ desk, I saw Nadja arrive.
I ran to the door, stood in wait. As she walked through, I closed the door behind her.
‘Hello, Nadja.’
‘ You?’
‘I bet you thought I didn’t have it in me.’
She looked round, first at Zalinskas, then at Cardownie and the pools of blood on the floor.
‘Welcome to the party,’ I said. ‘Why don’t you have a seat?’
As they lined up on the couch, I let them simmer. The wolf cries grew louder. I walked over to the cage, shook my head. ‘Poor animal. What kind of a sick fuck keeps such a beautiful beast caged?’
Nobody answered, then Nadja spoke, ‘Gus, surely we can talk about this?’
‘Oh, we’re past the pillow-talk stage, honey, or hadn’t you realised?’
I turned away from the wolf, strolled over to the group. ‘Quite a gathering. I’m sure you must be wondering why I brought you here.’
No one answered. The pug groaned, I put a kick in his back, yelled, ‘Shut the fuck up.’
The others flinched as I turned on them. I cocked the gun in their direction.
‘It’s all very simple. I’m going to ask one question, and I will get an answer.’
‘Mr Dury,’ Zalinskas stood up, ‘I’m sure you are a reasonable man.’
I brought the gun across his face, opened up a two-inch gash. He yelled, fell back. Blood streamed through the fingers he brought up to his cheek.
‘Whatever gave you that idea?’
I pulled up a chair, turned its back towards the group. As I sat down I kept moving the gun between their heads. ‘One question and I will have an answer. Do you understand?’
The three of them nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘Who killed Billy?’
No one answered. Nadja turned to Zalinskas, he turned away.
‘Maybe I didn’t make myself clear.’ I stood up again, put the gun to Zalinskas’ head.
‘It’s not what you think. It’s not what you think,’ he whined.
‘Who pulled the trigger?’ I yelled. ‘Who killed him?’
I pushed Zalinskas aside, grabbed Nadja by the hair. ‘Was it you? Huh? Did you kill him? Zalinskas found out about your blackmail plot, so you took Billy out to save yourself.’
She screamed. ‘No. No. No.’
I threw her down, stuck the gun in Cardownie’s left eye. ‘You? Go to the source, wipe out the threat?’
He cried like a child. ‘Oh my God… no. Please, spare me… I didn’t kill him.’
I took the gun back to Zalinskas. His face was running with blood. I hit him again, opening up a matching wound on his other cheek. He fell to the ground. On all fours he wheezed, gagging for air.
‘Get up!’ I stood over him, fired a shot into the floor, right between his hands. The wolf’s howls rose higher as I grabbed him by the throat. ‘Billy was a threat to everything, wasn’t he?’
He tried to speak but his words were choked.
‘Billy was gonna blow it all wide open, wasn’t he? The girls, the connections, everything. You’d have had nothing left, would you?’
I fired the gun into the ground again. ‘Who killed Billy? Tell me. Tell me, you fuck. Who killed Billy?’
‘It was me, Gus.’
The voice came from behind me. Sweat ran down my spine, I turned and tried to focus.
‘I killed him.’
I let Zalinskas fall to the ground, straightened myself, said, ‘ What?’
‘I killed him. It was me.’
My breath quickened. I wiped the sweat from my eyes. ‘Col — what are you doing here?’
He walked from the balcony through the french doors and faced me. ‘I killed Billy. I killed my own son.’
My thoughts raced, my mind felt numb, but my heart pounded. ‘I–I… I don’t understand.’
As Col walked closer I felt drawn into his wide eyes. ‘He was as good as dead. The life he made for himself had killed him.’
‘What are you saying?’ The room swayed, everything felt surreal.
‘Billy was a thug. A criminal. He preyed on those who couldn’t defend themselves.’
‘Do you know what you’re saying?’ I asked.
‘Every word.’
It didn’t make any sense — any of it. ‘But Billy was tortured. They pulled his nails out.’
‘That’s how I found him — left for dead. I put him out of his misery.’
‘Then why, Col? Why did you need me?’
‘I had no idea about any of this, Gus. You’ve led me to them.’ As Col moved forward I saw he carried a shotgun in his hand. ‘And now, when I do what I have to do, you’ll be here to explain to everyone why it had to be like this.’
He raised the gun to his shoulder.