Josephine Cox 3-Book Collection 2: The Loner, Born Bad, Three Letters. Josephine Cox

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      Blackpool, 1957

Chapter Ten

      IT WAS A hot morning in late July, and the Everly Brothers’ top ten hit ‘Bye Bye Love’ was blaring out all over the fairground as the maintenance team inspected the rides before opening to the public. On Blackpool’s famous Pleasure Beach, Billy Joe’s Fairground was a right crowd-puller with thrilling rides like the Dive Bomber, Cake Walk, Octopus, Jet Planes, Meteorite and Moon Rocket. But it was sheer hard graft to keep the machinery in tip-top order, and no one worked more single-mindedly than the youth the other men knew by the name of Davie.

      ‘Dear God, man! Must you drive the boy so hard?’

      Some people claimed that Eli Clements was as old as Methuselah, but no one knew his true age, for he never divulged it to any living soul. A man of wit and wisdom, he looked pitifully small; his frame was slightly bent and his homely old face was cracked and worn by the elements. His joints creaked as he walked and sometimes he had to stop and catch his breath. But for all that, he could still outwork and outthink any man there. Eli had been around the fairground long enough to know every nut and bolt on every ride, and when the machines broke down he fearlessly scuttled round and underneath these massive structures, as if he was born to it.

      The other men employed at Billy Joe’s respected him, and sought his advice whenever it was needed. What Eli didn’t know, they said, wasn’t worth knowing. As a general rule he did not interfere, though on this particular occasion, he could not help but speak out.

      ‘You’re hellbent on breaking that young ’un,’ he told the foreman, Brian Moult. ‘And he’s never once complained about the heavy tasks you’ve set him. What’s going on?’

      The other man bristled. ‘I think you’d best explain what you mean by that.’

      Eli was not intimidated. ‘What I mean is that we’ve had plenty o’ young ’uns come and go, and never a worry. So why is it you’ve taken against this particular one?’

      ‘Don’t talk so much rubbish, man!’ The foreman was clearly ruffled. There were things he didn’t want uncovered, and he knew how once Eli put his mind to something, there was no stopping him. ‘Your brain must be addled. You’re imagining things.’

      The old man stood his ground. ‘My brain’s no more addled than yours is,’ he retorted. ‘And I’m not the only one who’s noticed how harsh you are with the lad.’ He glanced across to where Davie was carrying a heavy girder across his shoulders. ‘No man here could have done more than he has.’ His voice stiffened with anger. ‘What the devil have you got against the boy?’

      Sighing exaggeratedly, Moult took a moment to look down on the old man. ‘I’ve got nothing against him,’ he replied drily. ‘We all have to pull our weight here, and he’s no different. He’ll do what’s asked of him, or he can take his wages and get the hell out of it. I’ll soon fill his place. There’s allus blokes looking for work.’

      He lowered his voice to a more intimate level. ‘Matter o’ fact, old fella, you might do well to remember that.’

      Eli was never one to cower and he didn’t cower now. Instead, he squared up to the bigger man. ‘Only a bully would pick on a young lad like that. You ought to be ashamed of yourself!’

      Twisted in a cunning grimace, the man’s face bent to his. ‘Young lad, is it?’ he growled. ‘More like an escaped criminal. Where’s he come from, eh, tell me that? Turning up outta nowhere, his arse hanging out of his trousers, thin as a twig and looking like he’d been living out in the wilds. Oh, he works hard enough, I’ll give you that. But who is he, eh? And why does he never talk about himself?’

      Eli rose to Davie’s defence. ‘He doesn’t have to “talk about himself”. Who he is and where he comes from is none of your business.’

      ‘Is that so?’ The big man gave another crafty half-smile. ‘All the same, there’s summat funny about him. He’s far too secretive for my liking … doesn’t mix in with the men and never lets it be known what he’s thinking. I’ll tell you this, matey, whoever he might be, I wouldn’t mind betting he’s been up to no good somewhere along the line. He needs to be watched and kept under, and that’s what I mean to do. So, if you don’t like the way I treat him, you can leave whenever you want.’

      Eli enraged him by smiling. ‘Oh yes, you’d like that, wouldn’t you, eh?’ he chuckled. ‘You’d like to see the back of me, so you can carry on with your sly little deals. I know what you’re up to. I’ve had my eye on you for some time.’

      Fear rippled over the other man’s face. ‘What the devil are you talking about, you old crow? What little deals?’

      Winking, Eli tapped his nose. ‘Never you mind,’ he said. ‘All you need to know is that I’m watching your every move. I’ve said my piece and that’s enough for now.’

      ‘You’d best watch your step, old fella.’ The foreman was worried; how much did Eli really know? ‘This is a big site.’ His intimation was clear enough. ‘Accidents are bound to happen now and then.’

      ‘Is that right?’ Eli glanced at the Caterpillar ride; a snaking, iron monster of a thing. ‘Well, there’s your chance,’ he taunted. ‘I mean, I could be spreadeagled underneath the workings, and then …’ He clicked his fingers. ‘One flick of the switch, and I’d be mincemeat.’

      Before the other man could respond, Eli called on the young electrician as he strolled by. ‘Isn’t that right, Josh?’ Satisfied that his remarks had been overheard, he registered the occasion in the electrician’s memory. ‘I was just telling the foreman here how easy it would be to shred a man, if he was ever caught underneath the belly o’ one of these rides.’

      ‘Mebbe somebody who didn’t know what they were doing,’ the electrican replied. ‘But I can’t see you ever being caught out. You’re a canny old devil, Eli. You always make sure you’ve switched off the engines and put all the keys in your pocket.’ That said, he walked on. Like everyone else on-site, he had no wish to stop and pass the time of day with the foreman, because if he did, it was a sure fact he’d find his wages short come Friday.

      ‘See that?’ Eli’s little ploy had worked as he intended. ‘It’s well-known how extra careful I am when it comes to being safe. I dare say there’d be an enquiry if old Eli was to suddenly get careless.’ He lowered his voice. ‘And once these officials start poking about where they’re not wanted, who knows what else might be uncovered?’

      ‘Well, I for one would have no worries,’ came the sharp reply. СКАЧАТЬ