Tam was the first to arrive at the yard aside from the guy who always manned the gate. Crater face let him in, and he drove towards the Portacabin, where he parked up. He’d been summoned by Donnie to arrive at no later than midday and that he’d be met by Donnie himself and Steff, who would send him on the next job. Tam prayed that it wasn’t another escort job to a death site.
Tam got out of his car and headed across the yard towards the gate, like he’d been told to do. When he reached the entrance, Crater face turned to him and handed him a piece of paper.
‘A note from the boss,’ he said, his voice deep and hoarse.
Tam found it hard to believe that Donnie was this guy’s boss. By the looks of him, he could crush Donnie’s skull with just one hand.
‘Cheers,’ Tam said, taking the note from him and opening it.
‘How’d you get this job then, wee man?’
Tam glanced up at Crater face, surprised that he had more than two words to say. On the two occasions that Tam had been in his company, all he’d done was nod.
‘I met Steff Black in the pub, and he offered me cash in hand for odd jobs.’ Tam hesitated and then asked, ‘How did you end up working for the Blacks?’
Crater face raised a brow. ‘I’ve known Donnie and Steff my whole life. We went to school together.’
‘So what? You’re their security or something?’
Another nod. ‘Aye. I don’t let anyone past that hasn’t been approved. If anyone tries to get by without my prior knowledge…’
Tam stared at him, waited for him to finish but he didn’t have to. Tam got the gist of what he meant.
‘I don’t know the nature of what goes on in there. All I know is I’m paid to stand here and keep guard.’
Tam said nothing, although he doubted that was the truth. How could the security guy not know what went on?
‘I’m Chud, by the way.’
‘Tam.’
Tam studied his face a little, and could have sworn he recognised him, but couldn’t place him.
They remained silent as they stood awaiting Donnie and Steff’s arrival. Tam opened the envelope in his hand, and when he looked inside, he saw eight hundred in notes and a piece of paper. Taking out the message, he read it.
Advance payment of the next job. If you complete this, your wage will increase.
He felt Chud’s eyes on him but kept his head down.
‘Just a word of warning, wee man, keep on their good side. You’ll do yourself a good turn if you just do what they say.’
Tam felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and he cleared his throat. Neither man looked at one another as they waited for Donnie to arrive, but Tam sensed that Chud knew the meaning of his words. Had he crossed Donnie before, ended up on the wrong side of him? Or had he witnessed someone else who had?
A car approached the gate, and Chud stood to the side to let it pass. It was Steff, looking smug with himself as though he knew he had Tam right where he wanted him. There was no way that Tam could turn down that sort of cash. He guessed he’d already done the worst kind of job in driving that guy to be murdered by them. How much worse could it get?
Donnie was quick to arrive after Steff, and then Chud gestured for Tam to move into the yard while he closed the gates. Tam was inside, on his own, with two of the most dangerous men he’d ever come across and it scared the shit out of him.
‘Tam,’ Steff said, getting out of his car and moving towards him. ‘How’s it going?’
Tam nodded, ‘Aye, no bad. So, what’s this job?’
‘Chud gave you the envelope then?’ Donnie said, approaching him.
Tam patted the pocket of his jeans where he’d put the money and the note.
‘Good. It’s good to have a young lad like you on board. No questions asked, just get the job done and on to the next.’
The words that left Donnie’s mouth were a warning, Tam knew that. And he took it; there was no way he was going to challenge these two.
‘Right, I’m going to give you an address and I want you to go there. When you arrive, you’ll meet a guy called Goran. He’ll give you an envelope with cash inside, and a key to another vehicle. You’ve to bring them both back. Got it?’ Donnie said with a raised brow, as though expecting Tam to protest.
He didn’t.
‘And I’ve to go when?’ Tam asked, glancing across at the van on the opposite side of the yard.
‘The delivery will be ready in an hour. So just hang about and we’ll give you a shout. And you don’t need to know the nature of the delivery. Just straight there and straight back, got it?’
‘Fine by me.’
An hour had passed, and another. Tam had been waiting by the gate, standing next to Chud. At least it was dry and Tam wasn’t being paid to stand in the pissing rain all day, like Chud possibly was.
He wondered what Chud’s story was, and decided that he would ask him one day, if he had enough balls to do so. He didn’t seem as scary as Tam initially thought, having spoken to him earlier.
‘Oi, Chud?’ Steff called from inside the yard. ‘Need your strength, mate.’
Tam turned, glanced at the security man whose expression seemed to fall a little. It was like he couldn’t be bothered, or didn’t want to go in. Tam wanted to know what he was delivering, but eight hundred quid in cash in his pocket at that precise moment kept him from prodding around in an area that he had been warned off.
‘Sounds like you’ll be ready to go in a few minutes, wee man,’ Chud said before opening the gate and heading inside the yard, but not before closing Tam out. Whatever the delivery, Donnie, Steff and Chud really didn’t want Tam to know about it.
He strained to listen as he heard a shuffling of shoes on gravel. Van doors slamming closed. Approaching footsteps.
The gate was pulled open, and Chud took his place at the gate again. ‘Donnie’s ready for you.’
Tam turned and went back into the yard, towards the van. It was different to the first one he’d driven, smaller. Whatever was in the back, it was smaller than the body he’d transported the last time. Thankfully. Could possibly be drugs this time, or stolen goods? He didn’t care this time, so long as it wasn’t a human.
‘Here,’ Steff said, handing a set of keys over to Tam. ‘Here’s the address. There’s a satnav in the van. Goran is expecting you. Like Donnie said, when you get there, he’ll give you an envelope and keys to another vehicle. Come straight here and drop both off.’
Tam nodded.
‘Good lad, Tam. Like that little message stated in that envelope, you do this well and your wages will increase.’ Steff held out a hand, and Tam took it. ‘Right, on you go. You’ve got a long drive ahead of you. There’s snacks and stuff in the passenger seat.’
Tam frowned, looked down at the address. ‘I’m going to Stranraer?’
‘Aye. It’s two hours there and two hours back. Problem?’
‘No, I just didn’t think I’d be travelling that far.’
‘That’s nothing, wee man. If you can pull this one off, you’ll be going a lot further than that,’ Steff said.
Tam hesitated, but Steff kept his eyes on him, silently warning him to get in the van. He climbed in and started the engine, typed the address into the satnav and headed out of the yard.
Whatever was in the back of the van was clearly going on the ferry to Ireland.