The Piggy Farmer (The Barrington Patch Book 3), Emmy Ellis [electric book reader txt] 📗

The poor bastard. He must have a feeling he’d struggle on that front. To be fair, he had seen some horrific shit, and it was likely fucking with his mind. She’d been there, where she’d seen it all over again later on, playing out inside her head even while she was awake.

“You learn to compartmentalise.” She wasn’t about to tell him the monster inside her enjoyed it to a certain degree, that part of her looked forward to hurting people. That was for her and her alone to know, or maybe Mam. “It’s what was handed down to me, a legacy if you like. The murder, the torture, the running of the patch, doing things people should never do, but I promised my dad I would, so there you go. Like you, I don’t break promises if I can help it. Listen, I won’t ask you to do owt like this again if you don’t want me to, if you’re uncomfortable with it. You were originally meant to be my grass, weren’t you, it’s just that things happened, escalated.”

“Hmm, I get it, no worries on that score. And I’ll get used to it if you have plans for me. Like, if you need me for owt else that’s nasty.”

Had he said that because he thought he had no choice, even though she’d basically said he did? Didn’t he trust her?

“I’m not going to make you do stuff, Jim, but if you want to do it to earn extra, I won’t say no.”

He shifted from foot to foot. “I’m not being rude but—”

“People who start off saying that generally end up being rude, but go on.” She braced herself for what he had to say. She’d hate to have to tell him off but would if the need arose.

He blushed, scratching at one of his angry pimples. “It’s just that… If I have to kill him, will I get paid more, like?”

Was that all he was worried about?

“Of course you fucking will. What do you take me for, a skinflint boss? I give bonuses, unlike Lenny, to people who go the extra mile. If you have to shoot that cunt in there, you’ll get your due, don’t you worry about that.”

“Thanks. Sorry. For asking, I mean.”

She had sympathy for him, and Dad’s words came to mind. She’d repeat them to Jimmy so he knew she wasn’t upset. “Don’t ever be sorry for getting what’s owed to you—don’t work for free.” She nudged him in the ribs to lighten things up. “Look, people who sit back and get taken for granted never get far—and you, Jimmy Lews, deserve to go far. You’re a good bloke, you stuck by my dad, and asking for payment for services rendered isn’t a bad thing. You do the work, you expect money, it’s as simple as that. Anyone who doesn’t want to pay you is a scumbag, and it’s a reflection on them, not you.”

He let out a rush of air, clearly relieved she hadn’t bitten his head off. “How much?”

Cassie smiled. “See? You’re learning. Twenty grand.”

“Fuck me, that’s what I would have asked for.”

“There you go then. I’m a mind reader as well as a hard cow.”

He nudged her in return. “You’re all right, you are.”

“I can be. On the other hand, you know full well how not all right I can be, so don’t get too comfortable.” Her phone bleeped, and she placed her cup down, moving away from Jimmy to read it. She checked the screen.

Shit. She really didn’t need this.

Li Jun: I am worried about my brother. Zhang Wei went out and has not come home. His wife, she is fretting. What do I tell her?

Good old Li Jun. Despite probably knowing what had happened, he was still in her pocket. Cassie sighed. Hua, the wife, worked for Cassie, doing stints bagging the drugs sold at Li Jun’s takeaway, the Jade Garden. Zhang Wei had distanced himself from the goings-on years ago by moving to the Moor estate and running The Golden Dragon. Hua was well aware of what went on in Cassie’s world, and she’d keep her mouth shut if she knew Zhang Wei had ‘disappeared’, even if he was her husband, but in the meantime, she could cause a spot of bother if she wasn’t aware of things as they stood now.

Cassie: Tell her I’ll visit her tomorrow sometime. Zhang caused problems. He’s moved to China.

Li Jun would know exactly what that meant. It was the same cover story for where Jiang, Zhang Wei’s son, had gone. He’d been killed by some scrote, a machete slice to the neck, and it had been hushed up so people didn’t ask questions about him no longer working at the Jade—where a load of drugs sat in an unplugged fridge, baggies sold with the fried rice.

Li Jun: Oh no.

Cassie: Sorry, but you all know the deal. I’ll get word out in The Life so people know where he is.

Li Jun: I am sorry it has come to this. I did not think my brother would escalate things.

Cassie: Well, he did, and that’s the end of it.

Li Jun: How…?

Cassie: He was shot. It was quick. Now go and shut Hua up.

She slipped her phone in her pocket and continued drinking her coffee, her arse against a cupboard. “Sometimes, I could really do with being a normal person.” The admission surprised her, and it was weird: because it was Jimmy, she didn’t want to take it back.

He gave her a sympathetic look. “Sorry you’re not.”

“Yeah, well, life has its own design for us. We’re kidding ourselves if we think we can carve out our own destiny. Sway it, yes, but not completely direct it.” That was a bit bleak, and too close to her