Pete sighed. “Nope. The only thing that’s going to work to our advantage is if you do what Harry says and come up with whatever it is he wants.”
“You don’t even know what he’s asking.”
“No, I don’t. But I’m not the one that held myself up as some sort of genius, am I?”
“I never told him that,” Josh hissed. “I never told him anything. It was you who got us into this mess by running your mouth off.”
Kenan stopped. He’d been pacing the room since they came back in, only stopping occasionally to stare out the window—not that you could see anything through it besides the chainlink fence that ran all the way around the vast property. “What are you two whispering about?”
“Fuck off, Kenan. You’re the one who almost fucked this up for us. How can you not tell the difference between someone walking and driving?”
Kenan scowled. “Harry put me in charge.”
Pete had no answer to that. It was true. As thick as he was, Harry had chosen Kenan to watch them and it pissed him off to even think about that. “We’ll talk about this later,” he snapped at Josh.
They fell silent after that. When he wasn’t frantically flicking through books, Josh was tinkering around with batteries and bits of copper wire. Pete had offered to help, but the truth was he had no idea what Josh was saying most of the time and it bored him silly. He wanted to be outside, not stuck in here where he was no help.
“Oh, fuck this,” he muttered, when he heard multiple cars roar up the driveway. He turned and stormed to the door.
“Where are you going?” Josh asked without looking up.
“To see what’s happening,” he said. “I’m sick of being stuck in here.”
Something strange flickered across Josh's eyes, but he said nothing. Still, Pete felt a stab of guilt as he closed the door.
Something was happening alright. The big warehouse was a hive of activity, and Harry didn’t even say anything when he saw Pete come in.
“What’s going on?” he muttered to Mo.
Mo ignored him.
Since the others were seating themselves in a loose circle around Harry—and since no-one had told him to get out—Pete sat down at the back of the group. There were thirty of them in all. Some were new faces he hadn’t seen around before, but thought he recognised from around the estate. New recruits, obviously. It stung that he hadn’t been asked to find people to help. He could have brought Sam. And there were others.
He looked around. The atmosphere was strange; he couldn’t pinpoint why. It was different from the last time. The others had none of their usual swagger. Zane and Mo looked almost scared. And Harry was angry as hell.
“Right lads,” Harry said. For once there wasn’t a trace of a smile on his face. “Listen up.”
No-one made a sound.
Harry cleared his throat. I sent Zane and some of the boys to do a job for me earlier. I wanted dirt on the mechanic. He’s still not budging, the stubborn bastard. Said he wouldn’t work for us if we were the last people on earth.” He rubbed his face. “Only, when they got there, the place was already up in flames. Someone got there first.” He turned to Zane, looking furious. “And you two let them get away!” He looked around at the others. “We need a mechanic. Some of you must know someone.”
Mo stood up suddenly. “We tried to find them but none of us knew the area.”
“You lost them, in other words,” Harry snapped. “Like I just said.”
Zane tugged on Mo’s arm and pulled him back down before he could interrupt again. “Sorry, boss,” he muttered. “But it’s only temporary. We’ll find them. I only came back because you told us to check in.”
Harry sighed and shook his head. “Did you at least get anything on the mechanic?”
“It was too late. The whole place was torched. They must’ve doused it with petrol.”
“Why? Why would anyone do that?”
Zane shook his head looking wrong-footed for once. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. I’ll go now.”
“No,” Harry snapped. “What’s the use? They’re well gone by now. You need to find me another mechanic. Now.”
“Wait a minute,” someone piped up. It was one of the new blokes, though he was older than Pete. He lived in the next estate over; the same one as Mo. “Is that the one by the exit as you come off for Wesleygate?
No-one answered at first. The lad asked again.
“Yes it is,” Zane said through gritted teeth. “Though I dunno why it matters. We just told you the place burnt down.”
“Let him speak. Billy, isn’t it?”
The lad nodded hesitantly, as if he was trying to coax the words out. It wasn’t surprising given the audience. “I know that place. I’ve been in there for a service. Old bloke. Scrapyard beside it?”
“You go to Wesleygate to get your car serviced?” someone piped up.
Billy flushed. “It’s cheaper than around here,” he said with a shrug. “And the bloke seems decent.”
“Shut up!” Zane hissed. “The pair of you.” He stood and stalked over to Billy. “So you know him, do you? How come you never said ’til now?”
“I dunno…I…you…” he stammered, reddening even deeper. “You…never…”
“Pull yourself together,” Harry snarled. “You’re a grown man. Now.” He picked up the patio chair beside Billy’s and sat right in front of him, so close Billy had to move his legs to an unnatural angle to stop their knees from touching. “Tell me everything you know about the mechanic.”
Billy shook his head, looking everywhere but at Harry. “I don’t know nothing besides what I just said. I know him to see, is all. I’ve been in there two maybe three times. In. Out. That’s it.”
“So you don’t know where he lives.”
“No,” Billy said quietly. “He never said. We just pass the time of day is all. Talk about the weather, that sort of thing. It’s mainly the girl who does my car, and she’s a surly little bitch who barely speaks.”
At that moment, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. It was deathly quiet.
“Girl,” Harry said quietly. “What girl?”
Billy looked around desperately as if he was waiting for someone else to intervene. No-one else did. If Billy had had any sense at all he’d have stayed quiet. But then, Pete thought bitterly, the same could have been said for him. If he hadn’t gone running to Harry none of this mess would have happened.
“The girl. The girl who works for him. You know, with the purple hair.”
“No, I don’t know. How would I know? Tell me about her.”
Billy shook his head. “I don’t know. She keeps herself to herself. I tried chatting to her, you know, but she wouldn’t have a bar of it.”
Some of the others laughed at this, but fell silent when Harry glared at them.
“Age?”
“Eighteen. Maybe younger.”
“Who is she, Billy? His missus?”
“Naw,” Billy said immediately, sounding certain for the first time. “Definitely not. His daughter, maybe, from the way he was with her. All proud, like.”
Harry turned to Zane. “Did he mention a daughter?”
“He hasn’t mentioned anything. He won’t talk to me. He won’t work.”
“You’re the one who found him!”
“Don’t you think I know that? I didn’t know he was a stubborn old git.” His eyes narrowed. “But we can work with this. I’ll find her, Harry.”
Harry shook his head.
“I’ll find her, I said. I’ll go now.”
“Fine. Go.” He jabbed a slim finger into Zane’s chest. “But you come back with the girl or a new mechanic, do you hear? You’ve wasted enough of my time as it is.” He turned away and looked around at the others. “Ian.”