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park, ‘Bang on time.’
    My heart sank.
    ‘Get in,’ growled Scroat unnecessarily from the driver’s window , as I reached for the handle.
    And good morning to you too , I thought , but carefully didn’t say as I slid on to the back seat while Bung plonked himself down in the front passenger seat .
    *
    The car was quiet as Scroat stuck the motor’s nose out of the hotel entrance and forced his way into the stream of morning rush hour commuters heading towards their desks , their emails , their coffees and their first meetings of their ordinary days .
    Scroat, I might have known , I thought. I should have seen that one coming. If Wibble and Charlie wanted me to act as a go-between then they’d both want to keep an eye on me. Bung was so obviously Wibble’s man that of course Charlie would want someone of his own around, and who better or more natural a choice than his old sponsor, Scroat?
    ‘So who’s first up then?’ I asked , breaking the silence.
    ‘ Wibble , ’ g runted Bung.
    ‘ The hotel was very nice by the way, thanks for asking .’
    ‘ Don’t get too comfortable, ’ Scroat barked without so much as a glance over his shoulder in my direction.
    ‘ Why not? ’ I asked.
    ‘ You ’re not staying there again .’
    That was a surprise.
    ‘ No one said anything about checking out , ’ I protested, not liking the sound of this. It wasn’t that I had much of a ti e to it, but at least it was a fairly public place and the idea of disappearing off to anywhere with Scroat in tow gave me the creeps.
    ‘ Well I’m s aying it now. I’m tell ing you, y ou’re leaving.’
    ‘ Why? Where are we goi ng then ? ’ I asked.
    ‘A s afe house . ’
    ‘ Oh shit, not another one , ’ I said in an exasperated tone that Bung evidently found amusing.
    ‘ W hy, w hat’s wro ng with a safe ho us e ? ’ he asked looking round at me to see what the problem was.
    ‘ After what happened last time ? ’ I demanded.
    It took a second or so for Bung to work out what I meant, but then when he did, he let out a snort of laughter.
    Well I’m so glad you’re finding this entertaining , I thought to myself. It’s probably me, I know, but I had to say that I was having a bit of difficulty in seeing the funny side of being tied to a chair and then sprayed with brains and blood as a copper had hi s head blown off in front of me. Something that Bung seemed to be finding a tremendous joke .
    ‘So why are we moving?’ I persisted.
    ‘Because we have to, because it’s not safe , ’ said Bung.
    ‘ You’re b etter off with us , ’ Scroat added.
    ‘ Why what happens if I don’t …’ I began , but then Scroat cut across me.
    ‘ Chances are , you’re dead. ’
    ‘ Why? Who’s going to hit me? You two? ’
    ‘ Christ , doesn’t he ever shut up?’ Scroat demanded, looking daggers first at Bung who just gave him his best Buddha blank stare, then skewe ring me with a cold eyed glare in the mirror .
    ‘ No , not us, much as I’d like to. Can’t you get it into your thi ck skull that we’re here to do a j ob? We’re here to protect your fucking whiney arse so shut the fuck up and do what you’re told. ’
    ‘ Protect me ? Protect me from who m ? ’
    ‘ Whoever the Yank s send after us you dipstick . And you …’
    Then as Scroat was temporarily distracted by the need to barge his way through a stream of citizen commuters and across a roundabout , Bung’s massive head swung round and he calmly told me, ‘ Scroat’s right. Because with what’s coming down, if you wanna stay safe, then you’re better off staying with us and out of sight .’
    Well that seemed to settle it. Safe house it was going to be then.
    *
    It wasn’t too bad a journey.
    The bridge was the sod, it always was, but once across the river, Scroat quickly hustled the car through the twists and turns as the road snaked its way through leafy, up market residential areas, before suddenly leaving the town behind as we crossed the county