Gazzer had managed to land one punch before the others stopped him. Harry and Dave then man-handled Kevin back into the cellar, leaving Gazzer to calm down.
“I can’t believe it,” said Dave, as they came back up the stairs. “What the hell happened? He’d pissed in his pants. He was shaking like a leaf. He should have done anything we told him to do.”
Harry shook his head. His mind was on something else. As soon as he opened to the door to the front room, he rounded on Gazzer:
“How could you be so stupid, letting him see you keep watch like that? You were supposed to be discreet. We’re screwed now. If he knows what you look like, the police’ll easily track the rest of us down. All they need to do is pick you up then work their way down the list of your known associates. Well, thanks a lot.”
Gazzer shrugged. “We’ll just have to shoot him then, like I've been saying all along.”
“Oh for Christ’s sake – get real, Gazzer! We can’t bloody well shoot him. That may be who you are but it’s not who I am.”
“So what do you suggest, Harry? What’s your master plan, eh?”
Harry said nothing. He slumped down in one of the chairs, took off his glasses and began to clean them.
* * * * * * * *