The Ritual

caught his eyes and jaw, but little else. It was hard to even recognize Hutch from what Luke could see of his face inside the hood and tight woollen beanie hat. He guessed
Hutch was going to tell him about something he had found in the church or the hovel. Something he had kept from the others. Either that, or he had made a miscalculation about where they were on the
map.
    Luke braced himself. ‘Give it to me straight. Part of tonight’s theme. Instead of sniping and crap. I’m sick of it.’
    ‘I noticed.’
    ‘You think I went too far?’
    ‘Off the scale. You’re full of surprises, Chief. I think they were taken aback by how pissed off you are.’
    Luke felt the first embers of shame, then took control of himself. ‘No. I didn’t overreact. No. I had to get it out.’
    ‘Clearly.’
    ‘You just stay on that fence. You’ve had your moments too. I never noticed anyone stamping on your nads when you were in a slump. Why should it be different for me? I won’t
stand for it.’
    Hutch never spoke for a while. Then said, ‘Luke, I’d say you’ve burnt out a few fuses in London. The ones you can’t replace. Done it myself. When I was a benefits
adviser. Remember?’
    Instead of snapping back with some instinctive defence, he nodded. ‘I’m not in a good place right now. To be honest, I’ve just about had enough, mate. Of everything.’
    ‘But try and target the rage at the right cause, aye?’
    ‘I get so angry. I reckon I might be a psychopath or something.’ Luke said this with a face as straight as the belief that issued the statement.
    Hutch laughed.
    ‘I mean it. This morning. With Dom. It’s not the first time. I did it on the tube going to work.’
    ‘No way.’
    ‘About two months back. Some tosser just pushed onto the carriage before I could get out. You know, they have this announcement, about letting people off first. And there’s another
one about moving right down inside the carriages. It makes no difference. No one listens. Anyway, I threw down. Pulled this twat off the train by his neck and laid him out. On the platform. In
front of about three hundred people. I didn’t care. Just wanted the arsehole to know that you do not push onto a train when someone is trying to get off.’
    ‘You get arrested?’
    ‘I pegged it.’
    ‘You’re kidding me?’
    Luke shook his head. ‘I’ve got to get out. It’s driving me nuts. There are no fuses left in my box. It’s burnt out, melted plastic and wires, mate. That’s me.
I’ve had a dozen confrontations so far this year. In public. Other stuff too.’ He stopped himself, spat into the darkness. ‘I’m just so angry. All the time now. You ever
felt like that?’
    ‘Can’t say I have.’
    ‘It’s just me , me , bloody me all the time. You know? All around me. I wanted it to stop out here. Just for a bit.’
    ‘It’s why I live in the country. Cities don’t work.’
    ‘I think you’re right.’
    ‘I knows it. Devon calling. Time to go home, Chief.’
    Luke nodded, and felt his stare lengthen into nowhere.
    Hutch brought him back. ‘Anyway. I was going to tell you something. And this goes no further.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘The reason why I was trying to stop you ripping into the fat men about their wives. And this is something I hope will act as a deterrent to future hostilities.’
    ‘Go on.’
    Hutch took a long pull on his cigarette and then threw it away. A trail of orange sparks marked its descent into the darkness. ‘Michelle kicked Phil out.’
    ‘No shit.’
    Hutch nodded. ‘He’s had to move into a flat. She’s got the girls and is going for the house too. The complete shakedown.’
    ‘Why?’
    Hutch looked over his shoulder at the tent that contained Phil. When Phil’s snoring ended a pause of silence, he turned back to Luke. ‘She never liked him. You know that. But he was
loaded. Bank of mom and dad, then the property business. That was the only reason she was ever interested in him. Though things aren’t so peachy on that front either. His company’s been
fisted by the recession. Property. No one will buy the luxury flats his company built. He’s got massive, and I mean massive, debts. It was all based on loans and borrowing. They’ve
nothing to pay the banks back with. And soon as it all wobbled, Michelle was off. He’s lost the place in Cyprus too. Bankrupt.’
    ‘Shit.’
    ‘That’s one word for it. And Domja is in the same boat, give or take a few