Chapter 54
The newspaper said, ‘Daylight Racist Attack’ and went on to describe how three men, shouting racist slurs, had set upon another male as he walked home alone, late afternoon, beating him severely and leaving him with a fractured arm and a broken nose. Police were appealing for witnesses.
He passed it over. “Have a read of that.”
Simon scanned it then said, “Are you sure it’s the same fella?”
He gave him a scathing glance. “Of course I am, there’s a picture of him on the inside page.”
“Why’s he saying three blokes attacked him?”
Nicks smirked. “Two reasons I can think of, one, he’s going for big compensation from the criminal injuries lot and two, so he doesn’t lose kudos in front of his mates by telling them he’d been thrashed by an old age pensioner.”
“You’re hardly an old age pensioner.”
Nicks looked out of the side window, replying quietly, “Not that far off, Si.”
“Anyway, I told you not to be a busybody.” Simon folded then threw the paper on the back seat.
Nicks turned, leaning against the door. “He’s walking down the street with a machete and an angry face. All I did was tell him to ditch it, calm down and walk away. I didn’t ask him to kick off and get threatening.”
“Did you need to do that much damage?”
“If he’d let go of it when I asked him.”
Simon started the car and drove to the exit. “Well, do you think you can resist temptation today and just behave like the majority of society and ignore fucking everything?”
He stopped, looked to his right, then pulled out and accelerated away from the petrol station.
Nicks clicked his seat belt into place. “I’m fairly certain there won’t be much happening at the top of Coniston Old Man.”
Simon briefly took his eyes from the road as he turned his head towards his passenger. “Don’t forget you’re driving back. I want at least one pint if I get to the top of this bloody hill.”
“I’ll treat you to two. It’s over six hundred metres so it’s a mountain. I didn’t want to tell you earlier.”