what ifs where Amelia was concerned. His life was already too complicated.
He needed to make a call.
‘It’s me,’ Brady said.
‘I’ve been expecting a call.’ The voice was controlled, with an air of menace.
‘We need to talk,’ stated Brady.
‘Usual place?’
‘Yeah, give me a couple of hours or so. There’s a few matters I need to sort out first.’
Brady hung up.
He needed questions answering about what exactly had happened in the Blue Lagoon last night and there was only one person who could tell him.
His phone began to buzz. He looked down at it.
Matthews.
‘Damn!’ he cursed. This was the last thing he needed. ‘What? Haven’t I already said I’m not interested?’ Brady answered, his voice heavy with a guttural Geordie inflection.
‘Jack? Come on, pal. This is ridiculous. What can I say to convince you that I just got caught up? And before I realised it, I was way in over my head. Don’t you think I wish I could change what’s happened? For fuck’s sake, my life is hell in here.’
‘Yeah? My heart bleeds,’ answered Brady.
‘Fuck you! Don’t you think I’ve suffered enough? I’ve lost everything … My wife, my daughter and … and my career.’
‘You lost your career as a copper the day you started taking backhanders, Jimmy.’
‘Come on, Jack. It’s not that simple and you know it,’ replied Matthews.
‘Isn’t it?’
‘Don’t start getting all moral with me. There’s a few things in here I’ve found out about you. Information that I’m sure the DSI would be interested in hearing.’
‘Yeah?’ questioned Brady, trying to sound calm despite feeling as if he’d been punched in the stomach.
‘Don’t mess with me,’ snapped Matthews. ‘You know exactly what and who I’m talking about!’
‘Like what?’ he pushed, not wanting to hear it but knowing he had no choice.
‘It concerns your old man. Let’s say he’s been saying some things that concern you and Madley.’
Brady slowly breathed in as he tried to figure out what the hell to do. He knew what Matthews was referring to and the last thing he wanted was Gates finding out. If he did, then it wouldn’t be the streets of Blyth he’d be working – he’d be banged up alongside Jimmy Matthews. Let alone if Adamson got wind of it. He didn’t like Adamson and he definitely didn’t trust him. Brady needed to make sure that his tracks were covered. Out of desperation he had asked Madley to help him out. He’d needed a problem from his past to disappear; for good. And it had. Whether Madley had sorted it, or it was coincidence, Brady had never asked. He was just relieved that the shabby old drunk claiming to be his old man had been taken care of, no questions asked.
‘Alright, I’ll come visit. But I can’t say exactly when,’ replied Brady, trying his best to keep the panic out of his voice. ‘All hell’s broken loose here. We’ve got two major investigations running concurrently.’
‘I know,’ interrupted Matthews. ‘Another reason why I need to talk to you.’
‘How the hell do you know?’
‘You shouldn’t concern yourself with that, Jack. You should be more concerned with how quickly you can get here. And when you come, bring me 200 grams of Golden Virginia.’
‘You don’t smoke,’ stated Brady.
‘I do now,’ replied Matthews with an edge of desperation.
Brady wasn’t sure whether Matthews wanted the tobacco for himself or as a trade with other inmates to keep himself in one piece. But that wasn’t his concern. Matthews had brought whatever hell he was living in on himself.
‘Come on, Jimmy, how am I meant to bring that through?’ asked Brady.
‘You’ll figure it out. Call it payment.’
‘You shit,’ muttered Brady.
‘Yeah? We’re the same you and I, Jack. Don’t forget it.’
Before Brady had a chance to respond the line had gone dead.
‘Damn it!’ he cursed as he looked up and stared up at the dusty grey slats of daylight stabbing through the
He needed to make a call.
‘It’s me,’ Brady said.
‘I’ve been expecting a call.’ The voice was controlled, with an air of menace.
‘We need to talk,’ stated Brady.
‘Usual place?’
‘Yeah, give me a couple of hours or so. There’s a few matters I need to sort out first.’
Brady hung up.
He needed questions answering about what exactly had happened in the Blue Lagoon last night and there was only one person who could tell him.
His phone began to buzz. He looked down at it.
Matthews.
‘Damn!’ he cursed. This was the last thing he needed. ‘What? Haven’t I already said I’m not interested?’ Brady answered, his voice heavy with a guttural Geordie inflection.
‘Jack? Come on, pal. This is ridiculous. What can I say to convince you that I just got caught up? And before I realised it, I was way in over my head. Don’t you think I wish I could change what’s happened? For fuck’s sake, my life is hell in here.’
‘Yeah? My heart bleeds,’ answered Brady.
‘Fuck you! Don’t you think I’ve suffered enough? I’ve lost everything … My wife, my daughter and … and my career.’
‘You lost your career as a copper the day you started taking backhanders, Jimmy.’
‘Come on, Jack. It’s not that simple and you know it,’ replied Matthews.
‘Isn’t it?’
‘Don’t start getting all moral with me. There’s a few things in here I’ve found out about you. Information that I’m sure the DSI would be interested in hearing.’
‘Yeah?’ questioned Brady, trying to sound calm despite feeling as if he’d been punched in the stomach.
‘Don’t mess with me,’ snapped Matthews. ‘You know exactly what and who I’m talking about!’
‘Like what?’ he pushed, not wanting to hear it but knowing he had no choice.
‘It concerns your old man. Let’s say he’s been saying some things that concern you and Madley.’
Brady slowly breathed in as he tried to figure out what the hell to do. He knew what Matthews was referring to and the last thing he wanted was Gates finding out. If he did, then it wouldn’t be the streets of Blyth he’d be working – he’d be banged up alongside Jimmy Matthews. Let alone if Adamson got wind of it. He didn’t like Adamson and he definitely didn’t trust him. Brady needed to make sure that his tracks were covered. Out of desperation he had asked Madley to help him out. He’d needed a problem from his past to disappear; for good. And it had. Whether Madley had sorted it, or it was coincidence, Brady had never asked. He was just relieved that the shabby old drunk claiming to be his old man had been taken care of, no questions asked.
‘Alright, I’ll come visit. But I can’t say exactly when,’ replied Brady, trying his best to keep the panic out of his voice. ‘All hell’s broken loose here. We’ve got two major investigations running concurrently.’
‘I know,’ interrupted Matthews. ‘Another reason why I need to talk to you.’
‘How the hell do you know?’
‘You shouldn’t concern yourself with that, Jack. You should be more concerned with how quickly you can get here. And when you come, bring me 200 grams of Golden Virginia.’
‘You don’t smoke,’ stated Brady.
‘I do now,’ replied Matthews with an edge of desperation.
Brady wasn’t sure whether Matthews wanted the tobacco for himself or as a trade with other inmates to keep himself in one piece. But that wasn’t his concern. Matthews had brought whatever hell he was living in on himself.
‘Come on, Jimmy, how am I meant to bring that through?’ asked Brady.
‘You’ll figure it out. Call it payment.’
‘You shit,’ muttered Brady.
‘Yeah? We’re the same you and I, Jack. Don’t forget it.’
Before Brady had a chance to respond the line had gone dead.
‘Damn it!’ he cursed as he looked up and stared up at the dusty grey slats of daylight stabbing through the
Similar Books
