‘Oooooh! What’s going on?’ Gemma cranes her neck to peer through the office window down onto the yard below.

‘None of our business whatever it is.’ Ingrid glares.

‘No, honest! That bloke’s here again and Nathan’s going mental. Someone’s going to get a smack in the mouth in a minute.’

‘Gemma’ Ingrid sighs a warning.

‘Ingrid, will you listen to me? This is serious. We might need to be witnesses at this rate. Shit!’ She jumps up and her chair rolls back hitting the filing cabinet with a clang. ‘That bloke, Wilson or whatever….he’s just took a swipe at Nathan!’

‘Oh God!’ Ingrid rushes to the window.

‘Come on Nathan! Give him one back. Hit him! Shit, he’s useless!’ Gemma groans.

‘There’s more to winning a fight than throwing punches, you know.’

‘Yeah, right’ Gemma says scathingly, turning back to the window. ‘What the hell’s he doing? Wahoo, here comes Dave, he’ll sort him. He’s no wuss. Go on Dave!’

‘Stay here!’ Ingrid commands ‘And keep your bloody gob shut!’ She rushes out of the office.
Samms Plant Hire, Oatfield
the office
Chapter Three
Samms Plant Hire, Oatfield
the yard

‘This isn’t necessary’ Vince Wilson strains against having his arms pinned behind his back. ‘I just need to talk!’

‘This is talking?’ Nathan blots his mouth with the back of his hand and looks down at the blood. ‘Dave’s just keeping you out of trouble. I told you I wanted you to leave’

‘I came to apologise. I was out of line, I’d had a few’

‘Apologise…with your fist? Couldn’t you have sent one of your friends to do that for you? Isn’t that what you do as a rule; get them to sort your little problems? I take it I am a little problem. Wonder what part I was supposed to play in whatever scheme you’ve got going’

‘For the last time, I’ve got no sodding idea what you’re harping on about!’

‘No? Fine, have it your way. Dave?’

‘You wouldn’t listen! You deserved a smack. You still deserve a smack, you bloody moron!’

Dave tries to turn Wilson away. ‘Come on, enough’s enough’

‘Let go of me’ he snarls between clenched teeth ‘I’m going nowhere until we’ve had this out’

‘Nathan?’ Ingrid leans over the metal handrail of the steps leading down from the office ‘You want me to call the police?’

‘No…we’re ok’ He lifts his hand in acknowledgement and turns back to Wilson ‘I’ve got nothing to say to you. You tried to play me, not just once but twice. I don’t know what your agenda is. I don’t want to know. But I’m not playing your game, Roy Denton’s game or Gerry Bartlett’s bloody game’

‘Gerry Bartlett?’ Wilson growls angrily ‘you think I’m mixed up with that joker? I’m bloody glad we’re not working together if that’s the case.’

‘Oh, come o-on! I told you, I’ve sussed it. I KNOW you know Roy Denton, I KNOW your daughter knows Roy Denton, and I now KNOW Roy Denton is Gerry Bartlett’s number one. See?’ He taps the side of his head. ‘Easy when you’ve got all the pieces’

‘You’re cracked’

‘Absolutely. And I’ve got it on good authority that your beloved, highly educated daughter is Roy bloody Denton’s number one girl! Jeeze, to think I passed up being made by an expert!’

Wilson struggles ferociously against Dave’s grip. ‘Take that back!’ he roars ‘you bloody well take that back now! I told you...’ Incensed with rage, his fists ball and his face contorts with anger. ‘Danielle takes good care …’

‘Danielle? Two of a kind, SONNY! Put your own house in order, Wilson, before you come messing in mine. I’ve got a decent name round here. Now piss off!’
4 Pike Lane
‘You an’ the missus are off t’Canada then so I hear’ George Harris grunts as he straightens from putting more coal on the fire. He replaces the tongs on top of the coalscuttle.

‘I ain’t going nowhere wi’er!’ Ernie Knowles refutes hotly, looking up from idly scanning the newspaper spread on George’s dining table.

‘Not according to what Jessie were saying. She didn’t need no loud hailer down the W.I ‘parently. She were going on about needing new clobber an’ all sorts. Sit yerself down then. I’ll get coffee going.’

Ernie follows him through to the kitchen. ‘She ain’t going to Canada, she never were… and nor is I now. Can’t get a flight not for love nor money. Chock a block they are, all of ‘em’ he grumbles

‘What you gonna do then?’ George asks, lighting the gas under the kettle.

‘Dunno bout her but I shall sort meself something out. Go down The Horse probably. Expect Vivienne can squeeze me in somewhere’

‘Or just squeeze yer!’ George cackles.

‘Cor, don’t need no mistletoe for that ‘un!’ Ernie grins ‘So, how’s you doing then? You got a bit o’colour so I’m guessing you ain’t in so much pain. That clinic or wherever that lad’s been taking you to, did some good, did it?’

‘Cor, lummy oh! That were a treat an’ half I can tell yer. What, a nice young lady pulling me this way and that? No wonder the boy likes going. I reckon as I should find me a few more aches and pains and let er have a go at them!’

‘You got to go again?’

‘Couple more times, she reckons. Drop of rum in it?’ George offers, waving a half bottle over the mugs.

‘Oooh, go on then’ Ernie nods ‘It’s brass monkeys out there. Go easy though, I’m in the car.’

‘Just a spoonful’ His hand shakes as he pours.

‘Bloody hell, boy! I hopes I don’t get breathalysed’ Ernie laughs and takes both mugs and carries them into the living room ‘Up t’table or down be the fire?’

‘As yer like. So, you got to sort that missus of your'n out again then. Don’t envy yer that!’

Ernie puts the mugs on the table and sits down. ‘George, I don’t care none. For two pins I’d take meself off and not come back. I should a done it years ago’

‘Too right, boy, too right yer should’ George lowers himself carefully onto the chair.

‘I’ve made some mistakes in me time but that was the biggest of the lot’

‘Too late now though int it?’

‘In some ways but it ain’t in others’ Ernie mumbles cryptically. ‘I’m off for a couple of days any road. She can stew in her own juice for a bit. Got a do on’

‘Int she after going with yer?’

‘Not this un, she ain’t’ Ernie looks meaningfully over the rim of his mug.

‘Oh, right you are….I get yer. Back there?’

‘Back there’ Ernie takes another sip of his coffee and wheezes at the taste of the rum. ‘Blimey! I shall be as pissed as a fart be the time I come to go home!’