Free Run Johnboy Run: The Glasgow Chronicles 2 by Ian Todd

fae smiling.
      “Aye, well, Ah’ll get tae the medal in a minute,” The Rat continued, walking across the office and returning wae a chair before plapping his arse doon oan it in front ae the desk.
      “How they eyes ae his ever goat tae join the city’s finest is anywan’s guess,” The Sub said in wonder.
      “Anyway, PC Shiny Buttons and Sergeant Plod, alang wae the other pair ae Keystones fae the area, basically hung oot ae the arseholes ae this wee crowd fur two months solid.  They hid an early success by nabbing two ae them, breaking intae a wee tobacconist shoap oan St James Road.  It wis because ae whit happened that night that the skelly-eyed wan and his mate earned their medals.  Seemingly, wan ae the boys scudded wan ae them wae an iron bar and knocked him oot, while Squinty tackled him, supposedly unarmed, and made the arrest.”
      “Aye, Ah remember.  We put Slipper doon tae the presentation tae take the photos.  It didnae matter whit he did, he couldnae dae anything wae they eyes ae his.  Slipper won the funniest photo ae the year at the staff pub crawl doon in Blackpool.”
      “Anyway, Ah heard that it wis the squinty wan that inflicted the damage oan his colleague wae his baton, bit they papped the blame oan tae wan ae the young wans.”
      “Ah wid’ve probably hiv done the same masel.”
      “Aye, bit whit didnae come oot at the time wis that they took the pair that they’d captured up tae the Stinky Ocean o’er in Pinkston Road and tortured them until they goat the names ae their pals aff ae them. The night watchman fae the briquette plant came oot tae see whit aw the screaming wis aboot.  He reckons if he hidnae appeared oan the scene when he did, they’d probably hiv done away wae them.  He said that in the morning, he came across a freshly dug hole that hidnae been there when he started his shift.”
      “Sammy, it’s a well-known fact that the polis aw o’er the city hiv tae gie some ae they wee toe-rags a kick in the arse every noo and again tae tober them up.  Christ, when Ah wis a snapper masel, the local sergeant jist aboot lost his boot efter he booted ma arse and sent me oan ma way, when Ah goat caught pinching apples aff some auld codger’s tree in his back garden.”
      “When they spotted the night watchman, they jist bundled the wee tinkers back intae the van and drove aff withoot saying a word.  That’s whit probably saved their lives. He said the boys looked absolutely terrified.  They’d hid the pair ae them hauncuffed tae the back bumper ae a Black Maria and wur ladling intae them.  This is ten and eleven year auld weans we’re talking aboot.”
      “Hmm, Ah’m still no convinced there’s a story here.  If we go roond stirring up a hornets nest doon at Central, it better be fur something important.”
      “That wid’ve been aroond aboot the end ae June or the beginning ae July,” The Rat continued, ignoring the doubts being raised. “Due tae the heat being applied oan the streets, the wee toe-rags spread their wings.”
      “Ah still don’t see where the wee boy in the fire comes in, Sammy.”
      “Ah heard oan good authority that the boys wur using a haungun tae tan in the shoap windaes.”
      “Bit, did ye no say we’re talking aboot ten and eleven year aulds here?”
      “Aye.”
      “Kin we authenticate the use ae a gun?”
      “Oh, aye, bit it gets better.  Seemingly, there wis a big hush-hush meeting between aw The Irish Brigade doon at Central.  They wur aw in attendance, so they wur.  Wan ae their decisions wis tae put the word oot that if the gun that the boys wur running aroond wae wisnae haunded in that very night, they’d shut the whole ae the Toonheid doon.”
      “Did ye jist say The Paddy Brigade hid a hush-hush meeting?” The Editor asked, a flicker ae interest appearing under they thick eyebrows ae his.
      “That’s the story Ah wis telt.”
      “And the gun?”
      “Haunded in that very