The World According to Vince - Jane Harvey-Berrick Page 0,10

Rick. “He’s all yours. Don’t let him get into any more trouble.”

But of course, this was Vince we were talking about.

As we descended the steps from the Supreme Court, there were two news crews setting up at the bottom. I don’t know who they were waiting for, but they got Vince.

“I want to make a statement,” he announced in a loud, carrying voice with a stern look in his eyes.

The journalists turned to stare, and even though they had no clue who he was, the cameramen started to record. Maybe it was the way Vince’s voice commanded attention, or the way he held himself in his designer suit, or that fact that he was 6’4” and looked like he was someone.

“What’s he doing?” I hissed at Rick.

“No clue,” he whispered back.

Vince waited until every eye was watching him. He looked handsome and serious, and I had no idea what was going to happen next.

“Right now, in our city,” he said, his voice clear and full of purpose, “animals are being murdered. Dogs and cats, our family pets are being ‘euthanized’,” and he curled his lip as he spat the word out. “They’re on death row through no fault of their own. Within 24 hours, five of the sweetest dogs you’ll ever meet are going to be murdered by a lethal injection. Five beasties who could bring joy and pleasure to your home. This is happening in our city right now!” he boomed. “Because there aren’t enough animal shelters, because not enough people care. Do you care?” he challenged the people watching him, eyeballing each of them in turn. “Do you?”

My jaw was on the floor, and I watched as he mesmerized his audience with his passion and compelling delivery.

“Across this city, our furry friends are dying in cramped, overcrowded shelters where diseases like kennel cough run rampant. And who cares? Not the city officials, that’s for sure. If they cared, they’d have honored the law that the City Council passed in 2000 to put a shelter in every borough of the city. But have they done that? Have they bollocks! And because they’ve broken their promises, animals are suffering right now! In this one shelter, 20% of the animals are killed—that’s six thousand every year in one shelter. Animals who have the right to a long and healthy life are being murdered. We’re supposed to protect the weak! We’re supposed to protect those who have no voice! What sort of people are we that mass murder goes on in our backyards and no one cares? Well, I care! I fookin’ care! And I’m asking you to care, too.

“Last night, I tried to save 17 dogs. I broke into a shelter not far from here when I heard dogs crying. Heartbreaking, it were. Five of those dogs are on the kill list. I’d nearly made it out when the police nicked me. I don’t blame the coppers, they was just doing their job.

“If you do one thing today for someone else, visit an animal shelter and see the conditions that these beasties live in, these sweet little bugs, tiny puppies, and you tell me that we care! You tell me that!”

His eyes were blazing as he marched down the steps with me and Rick trailing behind.

“Who is that guy?” asked one of the journalists.

“Vincent Alexander Azzo,” said Vince proudly. “And that’s Gracie Cooper, me lawyer.”

Vince

We were sitting in the back of a taxi, and Gracie and Rick were staring at me.

“What? Is it me farts? They’re like a weapon of mass destruction. It’s the beans they gave me for breakfast—I was on the bog for hours.”

“Mate,” Rick said, leaning forward, “what was that speech all about?”

I grinned. “Yeah, well, I saw a camera crew and just went for it. Media whore, right? All about the opportunity, me.”

“It was wonderful,” Grace said faintly.

“Yeah? Cheers, Gracie!”

I was surprised and pleased that she’d actually paid me a compliment. Maybe my strategy was working.

“Dinner tonight, my treat?” I asked hopefully, deciding to strike while the woman was hot.

“Not if you paid me in gold bars,” she said, her eyes returning to her phone.

She didn’t even look up. Rick did, and the grin he gave me was well irritating.

“Crash and burn,” he muttered.

“What did you say?” Grace snapped, turning her frown on Rick.

“Nothing,” he lied.

He melted into the back seat as her eyes bore into him.

She turned and tapped on the taxi’s dividing panel. “You can drop me here.” Then she turned back and stared at