Page 69 of Poisoned Pawn
I park up the road just in view of the house, and we spend the next twenty minutes watching as we wait for the sun to set.
“We’ve waited long enough.” I get out and grab the second kit I left in the boot earlier. Metal clunks together as I gather it up, and Zak’s eyebrows rise knowingly.
Getting inside is easy, and we are greeted by the sound of a TV somewhere further in the house, which only helps to mask any noise we might inadvertently make.
There’s a strong scent of skunk that increases as we near a room on the right. When we reach it, I peer round the frame and see a man slouched in the corner of a beige sofa, head back and eyes closed holding a spliff in his hand. Smoke swirls upward, dancing in the dim light coming from a wonky lamp nestled on a small table beside the sofa.
An episode ofEastendersplays on the TV across the room and a laptop sits open on the coffee table along with a bag of weed, Rizlas, the card torn off in places, and a lighter. The guy raises the hand holding the spliff and takes a long drag before blowing out a perfect chain of smoke rings.
I inch quietly inside the room, drawing the small blade I had stashed inside my pocket as I go. I place the tip of my blade under Brian’s chin, and as soon as it touches his skin, his eyes spring open and he lurches forward almost impaling himself on it.
“Oooh, careful there, Brian. I’m not ready for you to die just yet,” I tell him teasingly. It’s a little mean of me to joke but I don’t give a fuck. The shock and fear in his eyes on the other hand is nothing short of joyful. “Check the rest of the house,” I tell Zak, leaning down to take the joint from Brian’s hand mindful that he could toss it at me or use it to set fire to the sofa. It would be stupid but then the guy is clearly a dumbass anyway. I stub out the joint in the overflowing ashtray beside the lamp, then snatch hold of Brian’s left hand and pin it beneath my knee.
I keep Brian in place as I listen to Zak checking the rest of the house. When he comes back and gives me the all clear, I point to the laptop on the coffee table.
“Who the fuck are you, and what do you want?” Brian demands non too politely.
I tut at him and shake my head. “Not too smart are you, Brian.” I dig the tip of my blade into his chin a little harder, just enough to draw blood. He hisses at the sting. That’s nothing compared to what he’s got coming. Zak runs a finger over the mouse pad of the laptop, bringing the screen to life. “I think you have something that belongs to a friend of mine. And you’re going to give it back. Along with some information.”
“I ain’t got nothing of yours. Don’t even know who the fuck you are. And I ain’t telling you fuck all,” he spits out.
I’ll give him points for bravery. I grip the shaggy mess of hair on top of his head, instantly wishing I hadn’t at the feel of the greasy strands, and pin his head back against the sofa. With a quick flick of my wrist, I slash a line down his right cheek. The skin blanches white for the barest of seconds before a rich red seeps between the sliced skin. Pleasure blooms at the sight made even more enjoyable by his screech of pain.
“Let’s try this again. You recently hacked into a server and posted a bounty for Star Kavanagh. Ringing any bells now?” I ask, this time the tip of my blade making itself felt between his legs. One little slip and Brian will become Brianne. His eyes almost pop out of his tiny little head as fear and recognition hit at the same time.
I see Zak tapping away at the laptop from the corner of my eye.
“Now you’re getting it. Who’s next on my visit list, Brian? What fuckwit paid you to post the bounty? And just remember where my knife is before you answer.” A little pressure in the right spot is the perfect reminder.
“I do—”
“I really hope your next words weren’t going to be ‘I don’t know’ ‘cause that’s a big fat fucking uh-uh in this game.”
“Fuck you, man. I don’t give a fuck about names just as long as I get paid. Whoever he is has a fat bank account and offered me enough to retire from this fucking shit.”
“Oh dear, Brian. You really are a fucking idiot. If you’d have been smarter, you would have taken your nice fat pay cheque and got out of the country. You could have been lying on a beach somewhere getting your dick sucked by an equally dumb bitch whose only interest was your wallet size.” As the words leave my mouth, a thought pops into my head and I laugh.
“This is fucking priceless. Tell me, was this a fifty percent now and the rest once the job is done kinda deal?” I don’t need him to answer. I look over to Zak, who’s wearing a smile much like mine.
Brian’s face pales as he finally catches on.
“That’s right, Brian. Set up as the patsy from the fucking get-go because Mr Moneybags never intended to pay you. I’ll bet he was banking on me finding you and doing his tidying up too.”
I laugh again. But Brian’s not laughing. Not even a little bit. My laughter cuts off sharply as I dig the blade a teeny bit deeper into his bollocks.
“I’d love to keep you on ice and pin your untimely and gruesome demise on Mr Moneybags himself, but alas, he won’t be around to fully enjoy it.” I frown, chewing over an idea, then look to Zak, who reads my next move and grabs one of Brian’s hands, pinning it to the sofa. “Maybe I’ll keep a memento. Something small…”
I release Brian’s hair and slap my hand over his mouth just as I slash my blade across where his balls are. Excruciating pain silently screams through his wide eyes and screwed up face.
“Don’t worry, Brian. The first cut is always the deepest. Kind of poetic, right? I’ll make sure Mr Moneybags knows exactly how big your balls are. Now, this is your last chance. Tell me, Brian, who hired you?”
Tears collect along the edge of my hand covering his mouth, creating a little stream that rolls back and forth as he shakes his head, and my palm is hot and wet with saliva from his scream that never materialised into an audible sound.
I slowly remove my hand from his mouth hoping Brian’s ready to give me a name. Something.
“Ahhh…fuck. Oh god…” he cries.
“Ain’t no God in the history of civilisation that’s going to help you.”