A PUPPET ON A STRING

Chapter 13

"Business for Smith go okay?"

"That went asexpected... Happy to be back home again.""Marilyn would have missed you."

"She'll be home later... Get a few of these into me before I have to facedown her thousand questions."

"Can only imagine... Good luck with that."

"Any gossip this side while I've been away?"

"Nah... Same shite... Different day. Haven't seen your mate Smith aroundhere since last week since you took off with him last week... You two park upsomewhere?" Tomo asked.

"Something like that. I suspect he was in Flint."

"Suspect? ... Don't you know?"

"He's that kind of boss."

"What kind of business you guys into?"

"Dispatch mostly." Frank advises cryptically.

"Oh..." Feeling it was all a little beyond him and leaving it there.

"You want top up?"

"Is the Pope Catholic?" Asks Franks sliding his glass towards Tomo.

"Technically he's Jewish..." Said Tomo with a rare piece of knowledge.

"Really?" Confessed Frank pushing an empty glass towards Tomo.

"Something to do with the Pope being the personification of Christ." Tomoexpounds his wisdom.

"I did not know that... I'll keep that in mind next time."

Frank settled back into the bar, a little wiser. As if he had never left the place.The overhead televisions played an Ice-Hooky match. Reminding Frank.

"Did you catch the Bird's game the other day?" Asks Frank.

"Yeah, wow... What a game... You?"

"Yeah, most of it... Birds could go all the way this year."

"Let's hope so... Let's not jinx them too soon..." Tomo tapped the woodenbar top then his head to counter Frank's premature evaluation.

"I could put a fiver on that if you want to be?"

"Yeah, put me down for five." Taking a slice of the action.

Rocking the ice cube around the glass. God was fidgeting today. Not wantingto sit still. Frank looks about the bar that had been his home away from home.The second bourbon bleed into his veins and a warmth came over him. Andwisdom sweated through the pours of his skin. He wondered what Smith had inmind for him next? Then suddenly a thought came to him.

"Tomo!" Frank calls out urgently.

"That one was fast..." Suspecting Frank had finished his drink already.

"Nah... Just been thinking about your mate Smith."

"My mate? ..." Tomo asked surprised.

"You have security cameras here?"

"I hope so... Though why I want to record you and Grimm drinking isbeyond me... Haven't checked them for a while... Why you asking?"Suspecting Frank was up to something.

"Could not get me a photo of Smith could you?"

"Might take some time to dig it out of the system... Don't see why not... I'llhave a look later for you... You want a six by four glossy to frame up or one foryour wallet?" Tomo jokes.

"Surprise me... And keep it on the hush will you... There's more to that guythan meets the eye." Returning to his drink.

Thoughts of Thomas and the explosion keep playing over and over in hishead. No matter how hard he tried to dislodge the scene from his mind ofThomas arriving home and flicking the switch. He just couldn't.'I could have saved him. Why didn't I?' Frank keep asking himself.Would anyone else done any differently? Was it about the money? Was itabout Marilyn? Was Thomas really a spy as Smith had said? It was all a little toolate to do otherwise now. Though the money helped ease his doubts. He justwanted to throw the thirty pieces of silver back at Smith. And return to his oldlife. A week ago he was happy with his miserable lot. Then Smith had appearedon the scene. Now his life would never been the same.Just then Grimm walks in. Breaking Frank's train of thought. And walks pastFrank to take up residence at the bar.

"Frank." Said Grimm.

"Grimm." Said Frank, ending the conversation between them.

Then a prolonged silence ensued. Grimm assumed his stance at the end of thebar and stares blindly into space. Tomo brings over a bottle of bud and places itbefore him. No one was sure what Grimm had done for a living and fewer daredto ask. His menacing appearance screamed keep away unless you had somethingworthy to say. Otherwise fuck off and don't annoy me. He reminded Frank of hisfather. If it were not for the fact that Grim was about Frank's age and covered intat's from his head to his toes. He could easily pass for his father. Imagining thetwo standing side by side in silence.

Frank returned to his glass then stared up at the television playing the game.No score going into the second period.

'Boring', thought Frank with little interest in either side playing.
"Better get back home and unpack."

"You don't want another for the road?" Tomo asks thinking something waswrong with Frank.

"Nah I'm good... Turning over a new leaf."

"You sick or something?"

"Something like that... Don't forget those tapes."

"No worries... I have them by tomorrow... See you then."

"Cheers mate." Walking from the bar. Still dazed by thoughts of Thomas'death.

'He was a spy... He was a spy.'

Repeating the indictment to himself.