Chapter Twenty
**
"What's this?"
"Milk".
"This!" said a small Indian man trying to look angry from behind as Perspex glass.
"Paper".
"You cannot pay me with paper for the milk Sir. I need money or an eftpos card".
"Ain't got either".
"Then you cannot have the milk".
"Then open the paper", Stone asked smiling at the little Indian man.
The Indian man with the black turban wound around his head looked at Stone and then back at the paper he held in is hand, unfolding the paper slowly as the situation slowly dawned on him.
"It is blank Sir".
"Yep!"
"But there are no instructions?" he asked looking slightly bewildered.
"Uh-hmmm!"
"I am confused Sir", the Indian said looking truly baffled.
"That's all I was told to bring", Stone said opening the bottle and drinking some of the milk, liking the flavor he then drank some more. Silently thanking China for the ruse in his head.
"Sir? Sir! you will need to pay for the milk", the Indian asked more frightfully.
"Ain't gonna happen Sikh".
"I am a Hindi not a Sikh".
"You will be", Stone said guzzling some more milk, thinking momentarily how he suckled on his m'eudail's ruby nipples the previous night, sinking his wet cock into her sweet sleek.
"Sir. Excuse me Sir, this is not how it works", the Indian said breaking Stones lapse in concentration. The small man looking left then right then up at his camera. The gesture making Stone smile some more, evilly this time.
"Got me a nice blade sheathed on my shoulder, a piece down my back and another down my boot leg. By the time you press that little green button under your counter one of my men will wake your two boys sleeping upstairs. Your wife is already making a nice cup of tea for the other", Stone said wiping his milky mouth with the back of his hand.
"Now let's start again".
"Sir? " Asked the Indian looking paler all of a sudden, his dark tanned skin looking pasty.
"Talk is all I'm askin'. Words. Answers. There's a van out there, has your name on the number plate Sumeet".
"My name is not Sumeet, it's Raheesh".
"Raheesh the Hindi, I like it. Sounds better than 'Burnt meat' who's feelin' sick' don't you think?"
Raheesh swallowed dryly, looking back up at the camera, left then right then nodded slowly.
"Shall I ask your wife to make you a cuppa, make it a family affair?"
"No. No need Sir. I have all the information you require here. If you permit me to open my drawer and give you back your change", the Indian asked lowering his quivering hands towards the cash register very slowly.
"That's mighty friendly Sumeet".
"Raheesh", he corrected Stone, retrieving a single sheet of paper and handing it under the Perspex to Stone. His enormous, inked hand with the three silver rings, one of those on his thumb, grabbed Raheesh's slender wrist firmly.
"Appreciate you wiping that surveillance as well Sumeet", Stone said plucking the paper from between Raheesh's nimble fingers with his other hand.
"Raheesh. And yes Sir. I will immediately", he said meekly.
Stone looked him in the eye then unfolded the paper and read what Sheffield had written. His blood boiling when what he deciphered finally sunk in.
M.S.C.
M 9-4.
T 9-12
W 9-12
T
F 11-3
P.O.C
S.M.S
"Do you know what this is Sumeet?" Stone asked angrily.
"No Sir. It was to be handed over to my last customer when my shift finished".
"When's that?" Stone asked looking back at the paper and then back at Raheesh.
Raheesh looked at his watch which was trembling like his hands, then looked up at the huge man who suddenly became so much more intimidating. Stone blew out his breath and started to count backwards from three.
"Two".
"In forty five minutes".
"One".
"That is all. I am telling the truth. Please", Raheesh said, trembling again.
"This is how it's gonna go down Sumeet. I sit out back where your stock is. One of my men wait in the men's. Another one will be waiting in that van that has your name on the number plate. You hearin' me Sumeet?"
"Yes Sir".
"Good. Then you go about your business as usual. Any fuckups Sumeet I'll be having myself a bbq with some meat, might make you feel sick, might not. You still hearin' me still Sumeet?"
"Sir. Yes Sir", Raheesh sighed, looking like he was just about to faint on the floor.
**
Frost was fucking furious he was missing the action again, sittin' in the van and freezing his bollocks off some more. Couldn't even use the heater, was no better off if he'd ridden his bike.
Sitting there on his lonesome contemplating whether he should go and seek some kind of remedy for his bung leg, alternate shit the experts were always suggesting. His leg was so painful he believed his thigh was breaking out in a sweat.
Beetle was holed up in the men's room, hoping some drunk didn't need a piss or a perv' didn't come in and fancy a perv' as well!
That wouldn't have gone down well in the least, one or the other or both would have had their heads smashed against the urinal. On the bright side, at least he wouldn't be bored, stop him thinking about that stinky yellow cake sitting in the bottom of the wash wall.
Stone sat on a stool and just watched Raheesh teetering around repacking cigarettes, wiping his work bench and pressing the buttons on the cash register to kill time, reminding the big man of a frightened mouse being played with by its prey.
"You doin' alright Sumeet? Don't be lookin' my way".
"No. Not at all Sir. I'm ok, yes Sir", he nodded, not looking Stones way at all.
"Good! Time's comin' real close. You do your thing and we'll leave and I'll never have that bbq with my friends".
"Very good Sir", Raheesh said his eyes bulging wide when the glass doors slid open.
The intruder never spoke a word. He walked around the aisles silently, looking at snacks and then the fridge section along the back wall before he walked slowly up to the counter to stand in front of Raheesh.
"Good morning Sir. How may I help you?" Raheesh asked, his behavior far from normal but better than Stone had anticipated.
"You have something for me. In the till. I'll take it and leave", said the deep voice.
"Of course Sir", Raheesh said opening the till and pulling the folded piece of paper from the notes section, closing the draw a little too quickly.
"You in a hurry Curry!" the man laughed, making fun of Raheesh.
"Happy to be finishing", is all he said.
Beetle had already entered the store and was standing not far from the exit, gun in hand wearing a shit eating grin.
"Be seeing ya!" the deep voice said, turning to leave the 7-11 when he noticed Beetle standing there.
"Hold it up, I don't give a shit", the well-dressed man wearing a three-piece suit said nodding at Beetle.
"That ain't his intention bud", Stone whispered in his ear. "Raheesh just wants to go home".
The man looked like he was calm, but Stone could tell he was anything but. His pupils had dilated, and his hands became fidgety.
"Move those fingers anywhere south and I'll reward you with a lasting gift. Some might say a scar but I'd probably go along the lines of 'missin' an organ'", Stone said jabbing the business man in his back with the pointy end of his blade.
"You're messing with the wrong end of the law, bud!" the man said emphasizing the last word Stone had used.
Seeing the van pull up out front, Stone just nudged him further.
"After you, Bud!" he reiterated again.
**
"Finally! Fucking fine-uh-lee! I get some action", Frost said jumping behind the wheel after the business man was bound and gagged in the back.
"Oh man! You have no idea. No fuck-ing I dee-yah how long I have been waiting for something. Anything. Sitting in a cage for hours. Thank you. I am so fuckin' grateful you came along", Frost added starting the van and taking off in the direction of their M.C.
The man lay uncomfortably, looking at Frost as though he was bonkers.
"Yep! Yes-sir-ree. Fine-uh-lee", Frost said, and that was the last thing he said all the way home.
One bike in the front and one at the rear, their rumbles sounding more ominous to the man bound and gagged.
**