Her Last Call To Louis MacNeice Read Online Free PDF Page B

of cop, it was always personal with him. Noble said, ‘In the line of duty, we could force ourselves I think.’
    ‘Okey-dokey then, you lads scuttle on down there, I’ll get my coat and be with you … in say … five, how would that be.’
    ‘That would be fine, five minutes.’
    I went and got my leather jacket, a Georgio Armani and it knows it. Leather so soft it croons, goes out by itself. I swear it wept when Brazil stole the World Cup. I’d met women who wanted an evening with the jacket. Makes me feel good and I needed that. Had figured they’d come but now, I didn’t know was I ready. My body said. ‘No you’re not’ and sweat made lakes on my torso. Ever have one of those situations, like the following. You’re moving along the footpath, see a person coming towards you. In this instance, a woman in her late twenties, bit of a looker. Not earth shattering but cookin’. There’s only the two of you, not another punter on the path. Bags of time to move easily by. Yet … and here’s the fuck of it. Ye begin the manoeuvres early so as not to collide. Despite all the rules of gravity, you end up nose on nose, flappin’ uselessly as ye attempt to get by. I smiled, one of those knowing world-weary jobs to say, ‘Oh … silly us.’ She gave a loud sigh of aggressive annoyance, said, ‘Oh get out of my way for heaven’s sake.’
    I grabbed her arm, hissed, ‘Hey, don’t pissin’ sigh at me lady, I’ll break yer bloody face … hear me.’
    Didn’t affect her, as she moved on she shouted, ‘Damn Yuppie.’
    I guess it was the jacket.

    I arrived in The Roebuck, up for it. The two were sitting at a corner table, untouched glasses of orange like prayers before them. I opened: ‘On the old Britvics eh.’
    ‘But let us not curtail … your inclinations.’
    This from Noble, again the dead smile. I sat opposite them. The barman shouted, ‘What’ll it be guv?’
    ‘Same as these chappies.’
    He brought it over and it sat with the other immobile glasses. I said, ‘Ah, the juice.’
    Noble gave me the long look, said, ‘Nice bit o’ leather, expensive was it.’
    ‘Are you in the market for one, that it?’
    ‘Alas, a policeman’s salary wouldn’t run to such an item.’
    The juice looked forlorn, I extended a finger, said, ‘Eeny, Meeny, Miny … Mo.’
    And Quinn spoke, South-East London hard, but inroads of Irish, ‘Catch a blagger by the toe.’
    Noble added, ‘Quinn here is a plastic Paddy … second generation, he hates blaggers.’
    ‘And who would blame him?’
    ‘Precisely David. It is David isn’t it … You don’t mind if I call you that, or are you more comfortable with Davy or Dave even?’
    ‘Cooper is fine.’
    ‘Touch hard is it not, are you a hard man Dave?’
    ‘Not according to my old mum, bless her heart.’
    Quinn leaned over, ‘You’ve got form Davy boy.’
    ‘That’s right.’
    ‘And keeping clean, are yah?’
    ‘With the decorating, it’s not easy.’
    His dog face was working up to it.
    ‘Not hurting for the readies … business good, was it?’
    I knew I could go either way. Kiss ass and have him enjoy it or, ‘Ever keep greyhounds Quinn?’
    ‘That’s sergeant to you. Wotcha mean?’
    ‘Oh nothing, you remind me of White City, I thought perhaps yer Dad was into them, know wot I mean?’
    Noble cut in, but first a glance at Quinn that said ‘Jeez, he
does
look like one!’
    ‘Davy, we have a problem, there’s been a string of bank jobs, all over the bloody shop. Two-man outfit, very pro, very classy. Would you know anything about these?’
    ‘Can’t help you there, repo is what I do.’
    Noble sighed.
    ‘I feel it in my water Dave that you could help us, wouldn’t do for the nick to repossess you.’
    The barman came over, asked, ‘Is the orange off or wot?’
    Quinn didn’t look up, said, ‘Fuck off.’
    He did.
    Noble stood and gestured to Quinn, who kept his eyes locked on me, said, ‘We’ll be in touch Dave, I just know you’re