Steele regains his senses!

Steele slowly regained consciousness in the darkened alley, as the rain began to fall more heavily. He rolled onto his side and was sick. The pain in his head throbbed making it difficult for him to stand up. He clutched at the nearest object to steady himself only to knock a row of dustbins to the ground. The noise was deafening to his aching head. A window was thrown open from a flat above one of the shops and a man shouted out: "Clear off, you bugger!"

He staggered back to the High Street. The lamplight was bright and served to increase the throbbing. He felt in his pocket for loose change, then made his way to a corner phone-box.
Redbourne answered immediately, receiving the news that not only had Temple slipped away but that he had thumped Steele. His first reaction was fury but he controlled himself. He got his car, however, and picked Steele up. Whatever his feelings, he did not want to draw attention to himself or his men. Not after the stupidity of Willis. He was not going to throw away everything he had worked so hard to achieve.

McBride was summoned and duly arrived in a foul mood. Although he enjoyed the benefits of Redbourne's various rackets, the downside was beginning to outweigh the positive. He examined Steele closely.

"That was quite a hit!" He said, after he had examined him thoroughly and tested various reflexes. " You're lucky there's no worse damage." He fished around in his bag and took out some pethidine tablets. He handed them to Redbourne. "Give him a couple now, then two every four to six hours. I'll call in tomorrow to see how he is. If there's any sickness or he gets dizzy, he's to go straight to the hospital." He closed his bag. "Just out of interest, how did it happen?"

Redbourne shot Steele a warning look. He didn't want Temple's name mentioned. "Some bright spark took a dislike to Ted and swung at him. Wouldn't want to get the kid in any trouble though. Drunk too much." McBride nodded, believing not a word of it.

As he drove home, McBride wondered what the reality of Steele's accident had been. If he had known the facts, as Redbourne surmised, panic would have set in. Panic was something Redbourne would not tolerate.