Chapter 24

 

 

The hammering on the door would have woken the dead. Instead, it woke a bleary-eyed Mr Akinwande who opened the door furiously.

‘What the god-damn business do you think this is?’ he said to the three stone faced brutes standing, intimidating him, on his own doorstep.

‘Shut it, sambo, we’re here looking for Billy O’Leary, know where he is?’ Even if he did know where Billy O’Leary was - which he did not - he was now only concerned with the use of the word ‘sambo’ in conjunction with himself, and the grave offence that it offered. Proving Billy’s suspicion that Mr Akinwande was a man it would be foolhardy to cross was right, he set his feet and began to swing punches. The thugs fought back but, as with most bullies, were only effective against those who, for either physical or psychological reasons, were unlikely to defend themselves. Their well-aimed kicks and punches merely glanced off their target, whose rage had elevated him to an adrenaline infused sphere far abo