Lucky – Bentley 38

[For back story go here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and definitely this one.]

[Relevant back story also in embedded links.]

Bentley looked out over what was soon to be a new world. He had high hopes for 2021 and like many he’d be happy not to think about the past year again. That said there had been positives. Somehow he’d seen more of his family this year than ever before – hell, he’d even found members of his family he didn’t know existed. And even if some of them had threatened him, lied to him, stitched him up and nearly had him beaten up they were still his family. That counted for something.

This year, he resolved, would be different. No longer would he strike a fearless and solo figure, no longer would he regard himself as a singular person in the world, up against everyone else, wary or others, he would be a partner, an active partner for the people who mattered most. And right now that was Sheila.

The phone rang and Bentley sauntered inside, bending to stroke his cat, recently re-christened Lucky. He picked up the phone and in doing so pulled the body of the instrument off the sideboard, sending it crashing to the floor and narrowly missing the swiftly fleeing pet.

Recovering, Bentley gave his number – because that’s what you should always do on a landline – and requested who the speaker was.

“Hold the pleasantries Bentley,” said the voice. “You must not work with Big Shiela.”

Bentley almost recognised the voice at once. But not quite.

“It's Fred. Fred Thimble,” said the caller. “Now I know you’ve been trying to smoke me out and I know who’s put you up to this. I know more about it than you do so take it from me as of now, get Big Shiela out of your life.”

Bentley was confused but said it anyway: “‘Big’ Shiela? You must be mistaken – my Shiela’s not as big as me.”

“She’s not called big for her physique,” said Fred. “She don’t go to no gym neither. Big Shiela has been stalking the back roads, alleyways and networks around the south coast for nearly a decade now. She’s got a reputation and she wants to keep it, right? And if you want to keep your dignity and even your head, you back pedal and get out there fast.”

Bentley said nothing, his mind now racing over this new information in a vague attempt to find solid ground and a baseline on which to build.

“I trust her,” he said simply.

“Seriously?” said Thimble, “Seriously? I could tell you things that’d make your toes curl. Stories that would make you question whether your ears are deceiving you or whether this woman really is who she says she is. You might have married someone called Shiela but this isn’t the Shiela you married.”

Bentley considered his position. He thought about how trust worthy Sheila could be and whether he should trust Thimble over her. And this was the challenge which Bentley now had to meet – to which of the two would he align himself? He didn’t feel like choosing, and in any he suspected he’d pick his ex-wife for the sake of family neatness. Given this he decided to rattle Thimble’s cage a little.

“How’s your budgie?” he asked, gravel voiced and pretty much out of the blue.

“Very well,” said Fred. “All of them are very good. They always are. I’m a professional and you’ve picked the wrong ornithologist to mess with here, Bentley.”

“That’s as may be,” said Bentley, “but I still reckon I could knock you off your perch, eh? Eh?!”

“Quit while you’re ahead,” said Fred, again sounding far too serious. “If you’re not careful she’ll pull you in and you’ll be stuck with her for the rest of your life.”

“Second time lucky, then,” said Bentley. “You’re talking of the woman I married.”

“This is no fairy tale ending, Bentley,” said Thimble. “You’re not going to end up happy ever after. You’ll find yourself getting in deeper trouble than ever. Think about it. Where do you think the ring has come from? And you’ve already got one dead man on your hands.”

“That was an accident.”

“Yeah,” said Thimble with disbelief, “Very fortunate accident, so I hear.”

Bentley was determined not to be undermined, but after he’d hung up he detected an element of nervousness about his relationship with Sheila which had not been there before. Maybe she was manipulating him still, just positioning him to do what she wanted and take the flack. And neither she nor anyone else had mentioned the money or shoes.