Chapter Twenty Three

 

‘Glad you could meet up at such short notice. Mick, I think there’s a problem, and no-one else is going to tell you, so it’d better be me.’

‘Thanks Barbara, appreciate you letting me know. What do you have to say?’

‘It’s Cedric, and also Roger. Cedric is getting out of hand. His drinking is getting worse, his playing is abysmal, and his attitude is all wrong. He can’t stop making stupid unintelligent remarks to the other band players, and his attitude towards Sue is not just sexist, if I were here I’d have hit him a long time ago. His remarks are lascivious, and it’s no wonder that Roger is protective of her. It’s got to the stage where you’re going to have to replace Cedric. Let’s face it, he’s not much at the best of times, and now that drink has taken on, then he is making too many loose comments about your activities.’

‘Okay, that’s Cedric. What about Roger.’

‘We both know that he’s intelligent, comes from a very good background, and there would be a lot of difficult questions to answer if we were to make him disappear. Just like his influential parents, and Sue, there could be complications and ramifications with your businesses. However, he has to be taught a lesson that there’s a consequence to his nosiness. At tomorrow’s band practice he’s having a showdown with Cedric. Roger has called this meeting with the band, as some of them are actually talking about forming a breakaway group, because they’ve become so pissed off with what’s occurring. They’re not stupid, by any means, and Thomas hasn’t done much of a job keeping them in order. Of course, he’s had it difficult with Cedric, but Thomas has divided loyalties. He hasn’t told you about any of this, he certainly hasn’t let you know about tomorrow’s meeting. It could potentially turn nasty, and I am getting concerned that Thomas can’t sit on this little escapade for much longer. It was a good scam, but it’s coming to its end. You’ve got other projects, my advice? Dump this one, be as ruthless as always.’

‘Thanks Barbara,’ replied Busy Mick. ‘Good assessment as always. I’ll have a think and let you know by the end of the day’.

When Barbara had gone, Mick used a mobile phone. He was a very careful man, using a throw away one for each call. He had a drawerful of phones and sim cards, destroying the card after every conversation. He knew that the police had the ability to place him under constant surveillance, part of which was to track all mobile phone devices. He used the latest special technology that he imported from the far east to sweep his house every day for bugs, once in the morning before breakfast, the second when he was preparing lunch, and the third later on in the afternoon. It was because he was so careful that he had never been caught or in prison. He and his wife still lived in the same large house, but now without any tenants. It was just the two of them, no children living at home, as both kids had left a long time ago. They had no inkling of their father’s criminal activities, as he kept such a respectable facade. His wife was aware of some of his activities, but wasn’t at all concerned, as they had been married for so long, since childhood, that she accepted anything he did.

Mick made a phone call. ‘Hello Rick, how’s things.’ Listens

‘That’s what I like to hear, no problems. Keep in touch, eh. We’ve got the Milan trip soon, and I’ll have one more trip for you before the season stops in the Autumn.’ Listens again.

‘Okay, speak soon. Bye.’

When he finished, he used his desk scissors to destroy the sim card. He continued sitting, contemplating his options. What concerned him the most was Rick Thomas’s lack of loyalty and judgment. He was aware of Mick’s ability to know what was occurring, he was also aware of Mick’s propensity for necessary violence. Mick could only attribute Thomas’s stupidity to misplaced friendship and loyalty to Cedric. Mick decided what to do, and took another phone and sim card from his drawer.

‘It’s Mick. Put the word about, the club’s on for tomorrow night. Venue to be notified in the usual way.’ He then destroyed the sim card. Mick went into the lounge, picked up the paper which he started reading, and it was if no bad news had come his way. There was a problem, but soon there wouldn’t be a problem. Sorted, like all difficulties that came his way. A successful businessman, it was just a by-product that crime was his career, he could have been approaching a problem and solving in any business.