money upfront. First consignment comes in tonight.”
“Tonight?” said Linda, startled.
“Eleven o’clock sharp. If the boat gets in on time.”
“Eleven. Right, I’ll give it a try.” Linda picked up the notes from the table.
Ben frowned. He thought his mother had given in too easily.
“We’ll be on our way, then,” said Senga.
“See you later,” said Logan.
Ben was cross with his mother. He rounded on her as soon as they had closed the door behind them. “Why did you agree to store stuff for Logan? It’s got to be stolen.”
“Oh well,” said Linda, shrugging her shoulders. “At least I’ve got the rent money!”
“But – Logan,” said Ben helplessly.
“I’m just going to store some silly boxes for him, that’s all. He’s promised they aren’t drugs.”
“And you believe him? How can you be so stupid? He’s up to no good. How would you know if those boxes have drugs in them? Didn’t you think of that?”
“But – I need the money!” said Linda, speaking very slowly as if to someone very stupid or foreign. “And he won’t be very pleased if I change my mind now.”
“Never mind the money. You don’t want to get involved in something criminal, do you? That would mean you weren’t any better than Senga.”
“I don’t think you should be so disrespectful about your Gran,” said Linda primly.
“Ha! Disrespectful!” shouted Ben. “I heard you calling her an old witch last week.”
“That’s different... What do you think I should do?”
“Leave it to me,” said Ben. He drew himself up to his full height. It was time for him to take over as the man of the family. “I’ll sort it all out.”
“You’re not going to do anything dangerous, are you?”
“You’re a fine one to talk about dangerous!” he said.
“Thanks, I think,” said Linda. “Just don’t get yourself into any trouble.”
Ben sighed in a long-suffering manner. “I don’t know how you even cope with getting up in the morning on your own, I really don’t. Just keep out of the way and it’ll all be sorted.” He looked towards the kitchen. “Mine’s one of those modern scones with chocolate and chilli powder. When you’ve got a minute.”
“Cheeky wee thing!” Linda said. “Get it yourself!”
Later the same day, Ben sat at a table in the darkened café. Linda came in with a tray holding two cups of tea and a plate of biscuits. She put down the tray and switched on a lamp.
“Here’s a nice cup of tea. You can take it upstairs if you like. I don’t mind waiting on my own. It’s better if Logan doesn’t see you anyway. He might think something’s going on.”
He could tell she was just talking for the sake of it, because she was nervous. This made him more determined if anything.
“Hmm. I’ll wait here until we hear something. Then I can hide in the kitchen. I won’t be far away.”
“It was really silly of me to agree to this, wasn’t it?” said his mother ruefully.
“Yup,” said Ben. “Sure was.”
Linda sipped at her tea and took a biscuit. “I just couldn’t see any other way to get the money.”
“Do you think we’re going to have to give up on the café? Go and do something else?”
“I don’t want to give up,” she said, staring into the tea-cup. “It isn’t much, but it’s the only thing I’ve done in my life... Apart from having you, of course!”
“Of course! There’s still time to do something else, though.”
“Do you have a plan for tonight,” she asked, “or are you going to make it up as you go along?”
“Just don’t worry, Mum.”
“That’s easy for you to... What’s that?”
They both listened to the sound of a lorry pulling to a halt just outside the café. Linda jumped quickly to her feet, while Ben stood up more slowly and started to cross towards the kitchen.
“Hurry up and get out of sight!” hissed Linda.
There was a knock at the door. Ben saw two shapes in the frosted glass before he partly closed the kitchen door and leaned forward to listen at the thin gap. He heard Logan’s low, rough voice first. “Everything all right?”
“Yes, it’s fine,” said Linda.
“We’ve got the boxes in the truck,” said Logan. “Any chance of a bite to eat? My friend here’s had a long drive.”
“All the way from Hull,” said the other man.
“From Hull?” said Linda.
“Never mind where he’s from,” growled Logan. “A bacon roll and a mug of tea would do.”
“Um – I’m not sure if I’ve got any bacon,” said Linda.
“Anybody else here?” said Logan suddenly. Oh no, thought Ben, he’s seen the two cups of tea.
“Ben was here but he’s gone upstairs now.”
“He doesn’t need to know about this, right?” said Logan.
“Fine,” said Linda.
“It’s just between us, then,” said Logan.
Ben heard the click of heels on the floor. Peering through the gap, he saw that Logan had come too close to Linda and she had stepped back away from him.
“Yes. It’s fine,” she said in a tight voice.
“A cheese and pickle roll would do,” said Logan.
“OK,” Linda agreed. “I’ll get that organised while you start bringing in the boxes.”
“Fine,” said Logan. Neither of them seemed quite convinced it was fine, although they kept saying the word.
Linda brushed past Ben at the door, but he kept watching and listening to what was going on in the café.
“Why did you have to mention Hull?” said Logan. “Now she’ll be wondering what we’ve been up to.”
“She doesn’t know about the cigarettes?” said the other man.
“Of course not!” said Logan scornfully. “I didn’t come up the Clyde on a kipper, you know.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Never mind. Come on, we’ll get the first lot of boxes in while she’s still choosing between Stilton and Camembert.”
“But I’ve been working 12 hours already,” said the other man. “The European Working Time directive...”
“I’m giving you a directive now,” said Logan. “Get those boxes off the truck.”
Ben heard the door close behind them. There were faint noises from the street. Ben, straining his ears, thought he heard something else. Footsteps? Who else was in there? He had to go into the café and have a look. He pushed at the door.
“No – Ben.” Linda tugged at his arm. “They’ll see you!”
“I just want to know what they’re doing. It sounds as if they’ve started unloading the boxes.” He glanced at his watch as they crept through into the café. “They’re running a bit early – it’s only quarter to. Try and keep them here as long as you can.”
“Why?” said Linda. “I just want them to finish it and go.”
“Just because... I’m expecting some back-up.”
“Back-up? What sort of back-up?”
Senga emerged suddenly from the shadows behind the cake cabinet. Ben wanted to rub his eyes in disbelief. She was holding a gun just in front of her, and it was pointed at him.
“Yes, Ben,” she said. “What sort of back-up?”
“Is that a gun?” said Linda. She didn’t even sound frightened, just interested. It must be the shock.
“What do you think, Linda?” said Senga. “Well, Ben? The back-up?”
“What sort of back-up do you think, Gran?” said Ben, facing up to her as defiantly as he could manage.
“I really don’t want to harm my own flesh and blood,” said Senga calmly. “But I don’t mind what I do to her.” She waved the gun in Linda’s direction.
Logan and the other man started bringing in the boxes. The other man was still arguing. “I told you, we shouldn’t be carrying them like this. It’s against health a
nd safety...”
“For God’s sake! Health and safety!” said Logan, puffing slightly as he manoeuvred a box round the corner. “We’re breaking the law smuggling cigarettes and you’re worrying about health and safety!”
Senga stepped forward to confront them. “Don’t you want to put that on Twitter or Facebook, Logan? There must be some people on the outskirts of town who didn’t hear you saying we’re breaking the law.”
Logan dropped the box on his foot. “Aaargh! Senga! What are you doing here?”
He caught sight of the gun as he straightened up. “What’s that you’ve got there?”
Senga sighed. “It’s a gun... Anybody would think you’d never seen one before. I’ve always said, no girl’s safe without her gun.”
“Have you got a licence for that?” said Logan’s accomplice nervously. “Do you keep it in a locked cabinet?”
“Shut up, you idiot!” said Senga. “Just carry the boxes. That’s what you’re paid for!”
“Don’t you call him an idiot!” said Logan. “What about those two? They know more than is good for them. What are we going to do?”
Senga laughed unpleasantly. “I’ll take care of them, don’t you worry.”
Ben wondered why he had never noticed before that she bore a strong resemblance to the Wicked Stepmother who had scared the wits out of him in a pantomime when he was very young.
Logan shrugged his shoulders and he and the other man carried the boxes into the kitchen and went back outside for more.
“This is silly, Senga,” said Linda.
“Oh, dear,” said Senga, “I feel so embarrassed by my own silliness – not! It isn’t silly to protect your own interests, Linda. I’m surprised you’ve survived so long without being able to look after yourself. It’s a big bad world out there, you know.”
“I know there are some big bad people in it,” said Linda, staring at her mother-in-law