TJ had packed a lot of dope into his roll-up. He floated as much as stumbled up the hillside. Once or twice Baldock had to steady him.
‘Aw, ’ow much further, boss?’
‘Not much.’
Baldock noticed that TJ was calling him boss again. The kid was trying to attach himself to Baldock once more, like a dog to its master. Maybe he thought he’d gotten away with it, that Baldock would just let him pay the money back in dribs and drabs. That would be what Karen wanted and it would be the least messy solution, but not the one Baldock wanted. He had a sudden rush of anger. All this bloody fuss over a stupid kid. He remembered when he was TJ’s age, when a red mist seemed to fall on him whenever he lost his temper. Which was often. Baldock had made teenage rage into an art form, without the excuses a lot of other kids he knew could claim. He’d had two decent parents and a stable upbringing but he’d still wanted to smash everything around him. There’d been times when he had. Baldock’s reputation of quick temper and even quicker fists and boots soon spread through the valley. It had never gone away.
Baldock breathed deeply, trying to control himself. Karen showing up had complicated things. Had she got the better of him last night? Was it a fifty-fifty thing? Were they getting back together – would they, after what was about to happen to TJ? Too many questions. They made his head hurt.
‘Go left,’ Baldock said, ‘up to those rocks there.’
TJ’s fear was coming back.
‘What, you mean up to the Crag? Wha’ we going there for?’
Baldock pushed him along.
‘Just go.’
The Crag was what locals called a modest mountain-top cliff. Something had gouged out the rock long ago to make a drop of twenty feet or so from the rocky outcrop. Baldock had always sat on it when he wanted a good view of the whole valley. They got to the top.
‘Why we stopping?’ TJ said.
TJ sank to the ground, like he wanted to vanish into it. TJ looked like what he was, something to prey on, crouching, shivering with fear, waiting for the larger beast to fall on him. Baldock took two more wraps from his pocket and stuffed them into one of TJ’s. For one blind moment TJ felt joy, until fear crushed it out again.
‘Don’ hurt me, boss. Please.’
‘I told your mother I wouldn’t touch you, and I always keep my word. You know that.’
Baldock pulled the unconvinced TJ to his feet and marched him to the edge of the cliff.
‘Here’s the deal, TJ. It’ll be a test of faith. Do you know what faith is, TJ?’
‘Nuh. I dunno what you’re talking about.’
‘Faith in yourself. In me. In our business.’
Baldock pushed TJ forward towards the edge of the drop. Beneath was a green carpet of ferns and undergrowth. A soft landing, or softish, anyway, Baldock thought.
‘When you’re ready, TJ. Pick your spot. I’m going to sit over here and enjoy the sight. I’m not going to touch you.’
‘For God’s sake, Baldock! You’re crazy.’
‘Faith, TJ. I’m offering you a way back in. Self-help, you could call it.’
‘I’ll bloody kill myself.’
‘No, I don’t think so.’
‘You don’t think so!’
TJ’s face was as white as the clouds above them, his eyes wild. He stood at the edge of the cliff, frozen to the spot, like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car.
‘Don’t take too long,’ Baldock muttered.
Baldock took out a cigarette from his packet but dropped his lighter as he was about to use it. Maybe it was his sudden change in position as he made a grab at the lighter, maybe TJ thought Baldock was coming towards him, but suddenly TJ was gone. His cry was taken by the wind.
Baldock lit his cigarette before he got up, then walked slowly to the edge of the cliff and searched for TJ in the ferns below. He was there, moving slightly, a leg twisted under him. Baldock was impressed. He hadn’t thought TJ would do it. It was just as well that he had, for Baldock did not have a plan B.
Baldock made his way down, skirting the drop, guided to TJ by his noise. He lay on the ground whimpering and it looked as if his right leg was busted but his head was alright. There wasn’t a mark on his face.
Baldock crouched down and tapped TJ on the shoulder.
‘See, I told you it would be alright. You’ve done well, my son. Come and see me when you get out of hospital. We’ll wipe the slate clean now.’
‘Okay.’
‘And keep your mouth tight shut, TJ. You fell off the Crag, right, when you were going for a walk. Julie will try to get you to say different, but we know better, don’t we?’
TJ nodded his head, and sucked in his breath with the pain. Baldock looked for his mobile. He was sure he’d brought it with him. It must dropped out of his pocket when he was running after TJ. Fuck. The boy was still causing trouble.
‘Where’s your mobile, TJ?’
TJ tapped a pocket, groaning as he moved when Baldock took it out. Baldock phoned for an ambulance, giving precise instructions. There was a mountain road a bit further down so they wouldn’t have far to walk.
Baldock had almost forgotten about the money he was carrying. He was having second thoughts about giving it to TJ. The boy had ripped him off for enough already. Then he thought of Karen’s questions later and took out his wallet. He’d hedge his bets and give TJ half. Five hundred quid would be the most the kid would have ever had in his life.
‘Here you are, TJ, help take the pain away. Don’t let anyone down the hospital nick it off you.’
Baldock tucked the other five hundred safe in his wallet. He’d already lost a mobile today. He stayed with TJ, who was now a mixture of resentment and relief. He helped him to roll another joint, then stood in the shadow of trees when the ambulance’s siren approached. He heard TJ explain how he’d fallen whilst out for a walk and mouthed good boy to himself. They strapped TJ into a stretcher and took him down, taking care as the afternoon was turning to evening dusk and gloom.
Baldock checked his watch and realised he’d been away from the old man for too long. Far too long.
As he made his way down the mountain he rubbed at his eyes. He was tired, feeling his age. It really was time to spend his stash, buy a share in a club, maybe, somewhere cheap and hot.