Disturbed Crooks
by Daniel Guy Normally when Lennie goes out on a job with the Murphy brothers, he’s the one who stays in the car and keeps a lookout, while Rick and Tom carry out the crimes. But Tom Murphy cracked his toe jumping over a wall three nights ago and his foot is in plaster, so tonight it’s been decided that Tom is staying in the car Lennie will assist his brother Rick with the robbery. Lennie is very unhappy about this and has protested several times. He’s a skinny youth of twenty and just tags along with Rick and Tom to earn some cash for his dope habit. He’s no thief and doesn’t want to do it, but the Murphy brothers are both over six foot and ex-boxers with years of criminal experience, and when they’ve made their minds up, there’s no point arguing with them. It’s three am and they’re sitting in Tom’s old black Jag, parked in a quiet country lane, keeping an eye on a large old house. It’s raining heavily and Lennie has forgotten to bring his coat. A distant church-bell chim