Read Online A Day at the Races by Keith Armstrong - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Keith Armstrong
Tags: General Fiction
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had grown massively overweight, he had developed a serious diabetes problem that required multiple daily insulin injections. He was a ruthless businessman and didn’t suffer fools gladly.
On his rise to the top he didn’t let anyone stand in his way, he had run the competition out of town on more than one occasion, and the ones that remained to pick up the crumbs he had a stake in.
His empire spanned a variety of different operations, from cars to gambling, nightclubs, brick making, launderettes, yacht and boat building, coffee bars and hairdressing salons although he didn’t need the services of the latter as he was a bald as coot.
He stayed within the law, or so it seemed, although he sailed very close to the wind at times.
He boasted friends in the Police force, as well as influential figures in Government; outwardly he seemed a pillar of the community.
Later that day he went for his usual game of golf at Greenmount, a prestigious course on the outskirts of Manchester. As he drove his Mercedes into the car park, he saw two of his partners for the day, Neville Freely and Charles Rathbone.
“Well gentlemen I have good news, I think I have an order for 12 imports for just after Xmas, so we need to contact our people in Germany to organise the necessary.”
“Charles, you will have to make another trip to Frankfurt at taxpayers expense, you should think of taking up residence there.”
Rathbone laughed, as they all walked onto the course.
Chapter 8
˜
Mike thought long and hard about everything over the next couple of weeks. The first charity committee meeting had taken place, the various members had been allocated their tasks, and the account for Rachel’s fund had been opened with various branches of Livingstone’s Bank.
Mike knew all the committee members, some better than others, and their enthusiasm was amazing, but he had severe doubts if they could reach the massive target.
Mike pondered over his next move, as he was about to divulge details of the operation to two of his most trusted employees, without whom he would find it difficult to achieve.
Just then there was a knock on his office door.
“Hi Tony, come on in and sit down, is Derek with you?”
“He is just finishing the run on Gardener’s Weekly, he shouldn’t be too long”
Shortly afterwards Tony’s brother Derek Robinson appeared.
“Come on in Derek and sit down.”
Mike had known them for almost five years, they came from a very well respected family, and during this time he had become very close to them. Both of them were six feet tall almost like twins although Derek was twenty-six and Tony was twenty-four, they had both inherited their ginger hair from their father as well as his pale complexion.
They were very willing workers always prepared to put in extra effort to achieve better results, and Mike thought a lot about them.
They both confided in Mike all their personal problems, and there had been many over the years he had known them. They looked on Mike as a sort of father figure, after their own father had passed away some years previous.
Derek was the head of the print shop and was highly skilled, he had won a number of printing awards from various organisations in recognition of his ability. Mike felt he could trust them implicitly, but all the same, was very nervous about saying what he was about to do.
“Right lads you are probably wondering why I asked you here? Well as you know Rachel has been ill for a long time now, the treatment she has been receiving is not doing what the doctors hoped it would, so they have now suggested a liver transplant, that’s providing a donor can be found”
“I thought a fund had been started for her at the Duke?”
“That’s correct Tony, but it will take time to raise this amount of money, and unfortunately time is something that Rachel doesn’t have.”
“So where do we come in?”
“Well Derek, what I am going to ask you both, may take your breath away, and let me
On his rise to the top he didn’t let anyone stand in his way, he had run the competition out of town on more than one occasion, and the ones that remained to pick up the crumbs he had a stake in.
His empire spanned a variety of different operations, from cars to gambling, nightclubs, brick making, launderettes, yacht and boat building, coffee bars and hairdressing salons although he didn’t need the services of the latter as he was a bald as coot.
He stayed within the law, or so it seemed, although he sailed very close to the wind at times.
He boasted friends in the Police force, as well as influential figures in Government; outwardly he seemed a pillar of the community.
Later that day he went for his usual game of golf at Greenmount, a prestigious course on the outskirts of Manchester. As he drove his Mercedes into the car park, he saw two of his partners for the day, Neville Freely and Charles Rathbone.
“Well gentlemen I have good news, I think I have an order for 12 imports for just after Xmas, so we need to contact our people in Germany to organise the necessary.”
“Charles, you will have to make another trip to Frankfurt at taxpayers expense, you should think of taking up residence there.”
Rathbone laughed, as they all walked onto the course.
Chapter 8
˜
Mike thought long and hard about everything over the next couple of weeks. The first charity committee meeting had taken place, the various members had been allocated their tasks, and the account for Rachel’s fund had been opened with various branches of Livingstone’s Bank.
Mike knew all the committee members, some better than others, and their enthusiasm was amazing, but he had severe doubts if they could reach the massive target.
Mike pondered over his next move, as he was about to divulge details of the operation to two of his most trusted employees, without whom he would find it difficult to achieve.
Just then there was a knock on his office door.
“Hi Tony, come on in and sit down, is Derek with you?”
“He is just finishing the run on Gardener’s Weekly, he shouldn’t be too long”
Shortly afterwards Tony’s brother Derek Robinson appeared.
“Come on in Derek and sit down.”
Mike had known them for almost five years, they came from a very well respected family, and during this time he had become very close to them. Both of them were six feet tall almost like twins although Derek was twenty-six and Tony was twenty-four, they had both inherited their ginger hair from their father as well as his pale complexion.
They were very willing workers always prepared to put in extra effort to achieve better results, and Mike thought a lot about them.
They both confided in Mike all their personal problems, and there had been many over the years he had known them. They looked on Mike as a sort of father figure, after their own father had passed away some years previous.
Derek was the head of the print shop and was highly skilled, he had won a number of printing awards from various organisations in recognition of his ability. Mike felt he could trust them implicitly, but all the same, was very nervous about saying what he was about to do.
“Right lads you are probably wondering why I asked you here? Well as you know Rachel has been ill for a long time now, the treatment she has been receiving is not doing what the doctors hoped it would, so they have now suggested a liver transplant, that’s providing a donor can be found”
“I thought a fund had been started for her at the Duke?”
“That’s correct Tony, but it will take time to raise this amount of money, and unfortunately time is something that Rachel doesn’t have.”
“So where do we come in?”
“Well Derek, what I am going to ask you both, may take your breath away, and let me
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