Free A Real Job by David Lowe Page A

Mick Callaghan gave him reassurances that he and his boys would look out for him and Mary. Taking a firm grip of his son’s hand, he placed his arm around David and quietly said in his ear, ‘Take care son. Keep your eyes peeled and don’t become complacent.’ Letting go of David, he hugged Debbie and whispered, ‘Look after that boy of mine. You know what I mean.’
    ‘I will,’ she said, giving a reassuring smile.
    As David and Debbie were getting into David’s old Aston Martin DB7, Mary walked up to the passenger door and said, ‘I wish you’d sell this car and get a sensible one. It’s far too fast and dangerous.’
    Thinking how the threat to his life was not his car, David waved and starting the engine said ‘Yes mother.’ Driving away from the house, they waved to each other. Once out of his parents’ road, David drove along Park Road and began heading back to Manchester. ‘Thank God that’s over. Next time we’re only staying for one night.’
    ‘Don’t say that, your parents are lovely and made me so welcome. Of course that’s tempered with having to deal with O’Byrne and McElvaney. I know it was strained last night and Peter kept asking me why we weren’t drinking. After what happened last Wednesday, I don’t think he fell for the line we both had to be at work today, especially after James told him about the fight you had. To add to Peter’s fears, even though James said they were drug dealers you got sent down, he went and mentioned the fact it was with two Irishmen. At least they didn’t tell Mary.’
    ‘That’s understandable, she’ll only worry for Britain and keep ringing me up every half hour to make sure I’m alright!’ David said turning into the filter lane to join Parliament Street, ‘You were right yesterday. Having the two from MI5 tailing us helped.’
    ‘It confirmed what I thought. They were not there to get you. I thought that when you told me what happened in the pub. Even you said they were surprised to see you. That tells me we’ve stumbled across them. I don’t think whatever it is they’re up to here is directly linked to McCrossan’s activities in London. While there’s no doubt McCrossan was definitely after you and Steve, those two walked into the pub and didn’t even give you eye contact until you approached them.’
    ‘You could be right. When I fronted them, they seemed genuinely surprised to see me.’
    ‘After the pub incident, they never made another move to get you. My two other colleagues Craig sent over to Liverpool to watch them said that when they got back to the flat in Ullet Road they never moved out for the rest of the day.’
    ‘It was good of Craig to send two more over to help out. I didn’t know he thought so much of me!’
    Debbie laughed at the thought of the social climber Craig being good friends with the likes of David. ‘Before you go thinking he’s your bosom buddy, I know that while he respects you at work, it wasn’t protecting you that was his priority, it was finding out what O’Byrne and McElvaney were up to. You should know Craig by now, anyone’s expendable if it means getting the job done.’
    ‘True.’
    ‘That leads me onto the two Irishmen, I reckon it’s no coincidence they stayed close to the address you and Steve were watching in the nineties.’
    Stationary at the red traffic light at the pedestrian crossing in Parliament Street where Liverpool’s majestic Anglican Cathedral provided an impressive back-drop, David turned and looked at Debbie. ‘As you told me that’s where they were the last time they were operating in Liverpool, they most probably wanted to find somewhere safe and familiar with.’
    ‘It could be, but now we can do something about it. I definitely think O’Byrne and McElvaney are on the mainland to carry out some preparation work for one of the Irish dissident groups. Having seen you, while they’re in Liverpool it’ll make them more cautious when they move about. I think