Payback Time 4 ( Ross )

Paul Fletcher got the information about young Danny from his number two. Ross.

Ross was about as close to Paul as anyone could get. He ran Pauls drug business, especially the dealers. There was a very distinct chain of command. Paul was the guvnor of that there was no doubt, then Ross, then four main wholesalers; they in turn supplied their own specific areas. Each one of these wholesalers had about twenty street men that they supplied, the street men then sold direct to the public. Each one took a cut, everyone was earning.

Street men could earn anything from one hundred and fifty pounds per day to three or four hundred; depending on how well they ran their streets and how much gear they sold.

The wholesalers would earn over two grand a week easily, all cash. Ross earned at least four grand a week; Paul also gave him a Range Rover. No one knew how much Paul was earning but it was bundles! And of course he had his legit businesses as well.

Ross got the call about Danny from one of the wholesalers, who in turn had got the call from one of his street men. Danny was found three miles from the Kilby Estate in Clapton on some waste ground. His throat was cut and then the knife was stuck in the back of his neck. In his pocket he had a kilo of cocaine.

The first thing that struck Ross was the amount of gear that Danny had on him, the wholesaler had told him that there was no way that Danny got the powder from him and even if he had there was no way that he would be walking the streets with that much gear on him, that was just plain stupid. So where did it come from? If it was planted by Terry Murphy, where the fuck did he get it from, he’d only been out of nick for a few hours, it made no sense. Ross’s mobile rang it was Paul.

“Any news on that cunt yet?”

“No Paul, look I’ve been thinking, maybe it’s not Terry after all, I mean how the fuck would he get a kilo of powder that quickly, he’s only been out a few fucking hours!”

“I don’t pay you to fucking think Ross, I pay you to sort out problems and you’re not doing it are you?”

Ross knew it wasn’t a good idea to take the conversation any further.

“Ok so what next then?”

“Find him, find the cunt, watch him, see where he goes then get back to me, I want to know every time that cunt takes a fucking shit, understand?”

Then true to form, Paul hung up.

Ross then called his four wholesalers.

“Put the word out, I want to know where Terry Murphy is and I want to know straightaway, tell all your boys to look for him, there’s a grand for the first one that finds him”

It took exactly sixteen minutes before Ross’s phone rang. It was Dave, one of his four boys.

“Found him, he’s in the Oporto, with his family and a few mates having a celebratory drink, apparently he’s been in there for hours”

“Ok, do yourself a favour and get over there, sit outside, let me know as soon as he leaves, don’t fuck up on this Dave, it’s for Paul!”

“Ok, on my way”

Ross thought it wise to call Paul straightaway, he rang him.

“Found him, he’s in the Oporto with family and friends getting drunk, been there a while so they say”

“Friends?, the cunt hasn’t got any, they all work for me now, can you believe this cunt, he has got some fucking balls I’ll give him that and he’s a crafty cunt as well, typical, the fucking Oporto!”

“Why Paul, why NOT the Oporto?, it’s near to where he used to live after all”

“Am I the only one with any brains on this firm, the Oporto is right opposite fucking Limehouse nick, bound to be old bill in there as well, what a fucking cast iron alibi, he was in a boozer with loads of old bill!”

Ross hadn’t thought of that, yes it was the perfect alibi.

“Look I’ve got Dave on his way there now, he’ll keep an eye on him, I’ve told him to stay outside and keep us informed”

“No, I want him there in the pub, I want Murphy to know that we’re not scared of him, I also want the names of everyone he’s drinking with, thinking about it, I want YOU with him. Terry knows you and will know why you’re there, about time you earned your fucking money!”

Paul hung up.

Ross wasn’t sure this was such a great idea, but no one argued with Paul especially when he was in this kind of mood. He called Dave.

“I’m coming over, park up by the shops and I’ll meet you in twenty minutes”

Ross was six feet five and weighed over eighteen stone. Paul had originally taken him on as an enforcer, someone who had a certain way of getting money from people that owed, but soon Paul realised that Ross also had a brain, he was good with his hands but he was also very good with his head. Paul promoted him to his number two four years ago, this went down well the wholesalers, Ross was feared but also respected, he was a hard bastard but fair, unlike Paul!
Ross arrived, met Dave and told him the plan.

“Ok we go in, get a drink and make it known that we’re there, let’s see what this cunt’s made of. You make a mental note of everyone that Murphy has a drink with, not just family, but especially friends, be nice to know who the enemies are”

“You sure about this Ross, you know what Terry’s like, he a psycho, he could do anything, we’ve already lost one and he’s only been out a few hours!”

“Look, he’s nothing now, Paul has everything, we’ve got the advantage, he won’t do a thing, guarantee it, besides there’ll be old bill in there, even Murphy isn’t that stupid”

They walked across the road and entered the pub by a side door that led to the toilets, then into a large saloon bar, it was packed. Ross knew a few of the faces, there was Terry’s younger brother Ronny, his elder sister Louise, his Mum and Dad, old people probably aunts and uncles and cousins, about twenty people in all. At first no one noticed them, then Ross pushed his way to the bar.

“Oi, barman, two large scotches, hurry up, we’re thirsty”

The barmen recognised Ross straightaway, stopped serving two other people and poured out two large scotches.

“No charge Ross, it’s on the house………. everything Ok?”

“You’re busy today, what’s the occasion, someone died?”

Ross emphasised the “Someone died” bit very loudly.

It suddenly went quiet. The barmen spoke softly.

“No Ross, just a bit busier than usual today for some reason”

He was terrified, he was in a no win situation, he knew that Paul Fletcher would have the hump for letting Terry Murphy have a party in his pub, but there was also no way he could refuse Terry Murphy and his family a drink, it was a hopeless situation.

Ross heard a voice behind him.

“Fuck me, if it isn’t Paul Fletchers bitch!”