Kerry burst into John’s bedroom. ‘Michael Patel’s gonna make an excuse and head over to Leon’s right now.’
‘Balls,’ John gasped. He rushed into the adjoining room, with no shoes on and his shirt buttons undone. ‘Lauren, call your brother on the two-way and tell him it’s action stations. Kerry, contact Dave on his mobile. I’ll call Chloe and tell her to clear out of the lot sharpish, then I’ll contact the cops in the vans.’
12:14
James was in the gents’ toilets at the community centre when Lauren called to say that Michael was on the move. He dried his hands rapidly and stepped out into the corridor as Michael jogged past without recognising him. James followed him around a corner, then held back as he pushed through a set of doors and out into the car park.
Michael pulled out the keys for a police Astra and unlocked. As he grabbed the handle to open the door, he felt the tips of his fingers glide through something soft. He pulled his hand away sharply, then stood stunned as he caught the smell and it dawned that he’d just stuck the fingers of his right hand into dog mess smeared under the handle.
James watched through the doors, as Michael pounded on his car and screamed a torrent of foul language. It felt like sweet revenge for banging his head against the car. He pushed the door open and stepped out into the sunshine.
‘Something the matter, officer?’ James grinned, keeping a safe distance.
‘You,’ Patel snarled, glowering at James. ‘You did this?’
‘Me, officer?’ James said, acting all offended. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘You wait,’ Michael shouted. ‘I’m not having you now, ’cos I’ve got to be somewhere else; but you’ll be coming home from school one night and I’ll have a couple of my mates throw you in the back of a van. We’ll wipe that smile off your little face; mark my words, James Holmes.’
James was struggling not to laugh. ‘You’d better make sure it’s not being videoed this time, officer. My solicitor says you’ll be kicked off the force when they show the tape of what you did to my head. And I’m gonna be up for a few grand’s worth of compensation.’
‘You think you’re smart,’ Patel foamed, with veins bulging in his neck and his eyes set to explode out of his head.
‘Well, I might not be smart,’ James shrugged. ‘But at least I’m not the dude with dog crap all over me.’
12:33
Michael had used the community centre toilets and doused his hands with about twenty squirts of soap, but he still didn’t feel properly clean as he swung the police car violently into the lot, going way too fast. The sight of Leon’s XJ8 was more than Mike could take. He bumped it at low speed, nudging the Jag into the brick toilet and shattering a front indicator light.
Leon bowled angrily out of the cabin as Michael opened the car door.
‘You dumb prick,’ Leon screamed. ‘What do you think you’re playing at?’
‘Have you got my money?’ Michael steamed. ‘Cash or cheque, I don’t care how it comes but I want it now.’
‘What money, Mike? I sold you a good car and suddenly you’re trying to pull some scam. Asking for money and grassing me up to the vehicle inspectorate.’
‘I didn’t grass anybody up.’
‘What? You expect me to believe it’s coincidence that this is the morning a policewoman just happens to turn up asking to look at my stock?’
‘That’s nothing to do with me, Leon. I want my seventeen grand, then I want you out of my life.’
Leon aimed his finger at the gates. ‘Get off this lot, Patel. Cop or no cop. I don’t know what your game is, but you’re not scamming me for seventeen grand. You’re not getting seventeen pence.’
‘My family could have died in that car,’ Michael screamed. He swung a punch, but his fist plunged harmlessly into a layer of fat. Leon grabbed Michael by his lapels, slammed his back against the police car and planted a gigantic fist in his face.
Leon looked worried as he held up the dazed police officer by the scruff of his shirt. Pete was at lunch so Dave was the only one around, but the lot was on a busy street and it was pure luck that there were no other witnesses.
Leon dragged Michael the short distance from the car to the cabin, while Dave looked on, horrified.