Blighted Land: Book two of the Northumbrian Western Series (Northumbrian Westerns 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

happened to the tank or the fella in it,’ I said.
    ‘No, I never did.’ Nico placed a card, a two of hearts.  
    Gregg groaned and picked up two cards.  
    ‘Well,’ said Nico. ‘We have something that needs sorting out.’
    ‘Such as?’ I took another drink of whisky, felt the burn.
    ‘Some babysitting, that’s all. No big deal.’ He placed an eight of hearts after Will played a five.
    ‘And I will get extra for that?’
    ‘Of course.’
    I knocked back the rest of my whisky and took a breath to clear the taste. ‘I need paying for today.’
    Nico placed his cards face down and reached into his jacket, drawing out a bag of coins. After counting some out, he slid them across the table to me, the gold glowing in that dim room. Then he put fingers on two of them, dragged them back and put them under his glass. ‘Monday night’s money. Well, we’ll sort that after the babysitting. But I’m docking some for not rounding up. Less Rounding Up, less pay.’
    ‘Come on Nico.’  
    Then he smiled, a big grin. ‘Only messin’.’ He offered the coins and I slid them into my jacket, a smaller pile than was due. But it added to the stash, the escape fund.  
    The card game restarted and gruff laughter came from upstairs. Gregg placed a three of diamonds and Will a three of spades. None of them paid any attention to me. With my hand on the pocket full of money I left.
    Outside I stopped at the top of the steps and counted the coins, away from them and out of sight of the drunks from the Globe. It was well down on what it should have been, just over two-thirds of what I was due. But there was no arguing with Round Up. They set the rules. Owned the town, and me.
    As I walked back along High Row I gripped the money, rattling the coins together, as the ships alongside crawled with crew. Even with the under payment I was getting a good war chest. A few more weeks of this and I’d be free to do what I liked. Add in the other night’s pay, Nico’s babysitting and the racing wins, then I’d be set.
    But set for what?  
    Was it time to leave Round Up? Leave town?
    Maybe it was time to move on.
    Taking my hand off the money I headed to Sophie’s, past crews on their way to ships and drunks staggering round, one singing some old song about whisky.  

CHAPTER FOUR
Sophie

    S HE WAS ARRANGING HER ornaments when I arrived, setting them out on the bookcase. There were ceramic animals, cute kids, a couple of clowns. Useless crap she’d collected from house clearances, junk shops, rubbish tips. They were all lined up, watching me as I sat on Sophie’s settee, the one that pointed at her huge television set. She came over pecked me on the cheek, lipsticked lips on my stubble, her blonde curls falling onto my face. Then she sat down next to me, shimmying up close, so her thigh was pushed against me, her soft flesh.
    ‘How are you, Trenty?’ she said, putting two fingers on my chin, turning my head so she could look straight at me with her made-up face, full lips and plucked eyebrows. Smooth skin. For all her faults, she was a looker.
    I hated her calling me that but it didn’t stop her. ‘I’m fine.’
    ‘Work okay?’
    I shrugged, let her take it as whatever she wanted.
    ‘I’m quite all right, even though you didn’t ask.’
    ‘Sorry,’ I said. ‘How are you?’
    She turned her head to the side, looked offended, then smiled. ‘Any news?’
    ‘Some.’
    ‘Come on!’ She wrapped her arm around mine.
    ‘Well, there was that thing the other night, The Incident.’ I wanted to see what she made of this, whether it sparked some curiosity in her. See if an armoured vehicle appearing in town unsettled her as much as me.
    ‘Oh, I know about that.’ Then she leapt up, clapping her hands. ‘I’ve got something to show you!’ At that she was off out of the room, leaving her ornaments to stare at me. I picked up the telly’s remote and thumbed it, knowing that nothing would happen, that it and the TV set were bust