Blighted Land: Book two of the Northumbrian Western Series (Northumbrian Westerns 2) by Ian Chapman Page B

line.
    ‘So what’s going on?’ I said. This was her chance to convince me she was worth taking seriously.
    She put her hand on my arm and glanced around as she spoke. ‘I hadn’t meant to come straight out with all the stuff the other day. It just slipped out.’
    ‘Right.’
    ‘Can we talk somewhere else, somewhere private?’
    Starter lad stood by the fence with the flag raised as the CBR and Zed both revved like mad. The flag dropped and the bikes were off, popping and cracking up the track. For a few seconds we just stared at each other. As the bikes raced.
    ‘Here’s fine,’ I said.
    She sighed. ‘I need some information, just to know something.’
    ‘Information?’ This really was dodgy.
    The bikes finished and parked at the other end. There were no other bikes ready to race. Just me and Becky parked there.  
    She messed with the fuel cap on her bike’s tank. With those slim fingers. ‘I need some help.’  
    ‘Help…’
    ‘And I think you’re the person who can give it.’
    ‘Right.’ I wasn’t going to give her anything. Not a hint that I was willing to help a stranger. Especially if it was to do with Round Up. There was a chance that this was a set by Nico, one of his loyalty tests. Like the one that had seen off Jackson. Probably loads of fellas before I’d come to town.
    She put her hands to her head, closed her eyes for a second. ‘They have my brother.’ Then she turned slightly away, looking out across town, towards the sea. ‘They’re keeping him. I just want to know he’s all right.’
    ‘Your brother?’
    ‘They have him, somewhere. He was passing through. It all just went wrong.’
    ‘Right.’ Though it was tempting to fill in the gaps I wanted her to do the talking. Tell me what going on.  
    ‘He didn’t mean to go through town. That was a mistake. Now they’ve got him. And his vehicle.’
    ‘Vehicle?’
    ‘You know, do I have to say it?’
    ‘Yes, you do.’
    She closed her eyes for a second then opened them and stared at me. ‘He was in the tank.’
    ‘Right.’ So that was it. That was why she was here. Talking to me.  
    ‘I just want to know he’s all right. That’s all.’
    ‘Why me?’
    ‘I heard you were in Round Up, the people who run this place, and you seemed approachable…’
    Starter Lad came over and stood before us. ‘You two racing?’
    ‘I’m not sure,’ said Becky.
    ‘No,’ I said.
    He pulled a face and walked towards the fence, his flag trailing on the ground.  
    Only when he was well away did I speak. ‘So, tell me more.’
    ‘Like what?’
    ‘Why did he come through town? Shoot the place up?’
    ‘That wasn’t the plan, like I said. He was meant to go round. He must have panicked. Lost control or something…’
    ‘Or something?’
    ‘Anyway, Round Up has him and I wondered if you could see him. Talk to him. See he is okay.’
    ‘I’ll see what I can do.’
    Becky smiled. ‘Thanks —’
    ‘But I can’t promise much.’
    ‘Okay.’
    I started the Scrambler. The whole story made me uncomfortable but it was hard to work out how much of it was true. What it was she was really after.
    She raised her voice over the clatter of the engine. ‘Let me know how he is. I’m in The Bay Hotel, High Town. You’ll find me in the bar most nights.’
    ‘Right.’ I clunked the Triumph into gear.  
    She smiled at me, leant back against her bike, stretched her leathers tight on her body.  
    I steered round her and rode off. She was lying to me about something. Maybe everything. I should have said no to her request.  
    I should have.

CHAPTER EIGHT
Two Women

    T HERE WASN ’ T MUCH ROUNDING -up to be done the next morning: a few kids hanging around the harbour, kicking stones back and forth in the mist but I soon scared them off. There weren’t many others which was just as well as my head was too full to concentrate. Full of stuff about the tank and Nico and the tank’s driver. And Becky. She was on my mind a lot. I wandered