The Glasgow Man: Caleb Bishop, #1

By Thomas Laughlin

Former Glasgow enforcer now living in Las Vegas is called back to Glasgow to remove any and all crime family's under the Glasgow godfather (The Major) who is regenirating the world famous Glasgow Clyde into yuppie flats, casino and buisness complex with a Mexican Drug Cartel, but for Caleb Bishop his reason is more personal, Caleb is ready for Glasgow, but will Glasgow be ready for Caleb Bishop

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Laughlin
• Release date: Feb 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201950675

Book preview

THE GLASGOW MAN

by

Thomas Laughlin

Chapter 1

I was born and raised as an only child in Glasgow, Scotland at a time when employment was extremely hard to find which lead to most kids turning to crime, for some it was for the fun of it for others it was about gaining a reputation, but for most, myself included, it was about surviving. I learned quickly that you have to do and will do, whatever it takes to survive.

But a lot of kids grow up in hardship, some with extreme hardship, but they don’t turn to crime.  Said Megan with a raised eyebrow.

I’m not making excuses or trying to justify for that matter my decisions to turn to crime.  I said watching Megan cross her long smooth legs.

I was in two minds about attending these sessions with Megan Wells, but it was the only way I could think of getting close to her. We met when her then boyfriend found himself in real trouble with a local money lender and part time psychopath, someone I had several run-ins with since I arrived in Los Angeles from Liverpool via Glasgow. Through my fixer Paul Cullen a meeting was set up a meeting to see if I could help him escape the threats and beatings. The arsehole boyfriend thought nothing of Megan’s safety when they called for their money. On more than one occasions he hid while she answered to the thugs sent to collect the funds, when she refused to pay they beat her instead leading her to reach out to Paul. The meeting took place at my Pub in the centre of Los Angeles, my unofficial office of business. When the guy arrived he brought Megan along for support and from the second I first saw her I was smitten, the whole time we sat together as he explained his problem I struggled to take my eyes off her. Megan had deep black long hair that curled at the ends watching her play with loose strands and tuck them behind her right ear when she felt vulnerable and uncomfortable in strange company made me smile. The agreement was that I would buy his debt from the psychopath freeing him from future beatings and threats, but I had no intentions of being repaid, the agreement was simple If he would agree then the debt could be paid off with several visits to Megan’s practise over the course of eight sessions. The deal agreed we decided to meet again in two days time until then both would be placed in a safe house I owned just outside the city until the debt was bought. The psychopath I knew would demand double the debt payment just because it was me taking it on. We first had an encounter two weeks after arriving in the city when I was inquiring about buying a run down bar, several thugs turned up when Paul and I were looking over the place. Three rather big fellows demanded protection money as the bar was on their patch, they never received any funds, but instead two were guests at the local hospital while the third I escorted back to his boss’s place of business, a coffee shop on Whittier Blvd. Ben Costello was a serious street player with a small army of thugs and a lot of connections to the Geneseo crime family in New York, tricky. I agreed to pay Costello the rate he asked, but he wanted payment for the inconvenience of losing two of his guys who would be losing money from the street until their stay at hospital ended, that I refused, but as a good will jester I did offer him and his goons protection in my pub which was greeted with uncontrollable laughter. In Glasgow when an offer is laughed at you have only one course to take, I returned to my car and fetched Mr Mayhem, my tool of choice. Paul sat waiting in my car as violence was not something he enjoyed or would willingly participate in unless it involved some-one he cared for. Ben Costello lost face that afternoon as well as several of his guys when they pulled handguns upon seeing my Gurkha machete but the deal was done and the message delivered to anyone trying to move in on my business or try to threaten and intimidate me, but I knew Costello would seek a settler with me some day.

When you left the UK why didn’t you start fresh? You have the money and resource's so why continue with crime?.  She asked.

Life isn’t that easy for someone like me or my kind.  I replied.  I decided to leave Glasgow after years of working for the so called Glasgow godfather known as The Major, since my early teenage years growing up in a scheme were street players were looked upon as local hero’s someone to look up to if you wanted to better you’re life, a way of getting out of the slums and better one’s life. Money has no meaning to me never has even when growing up without it, my mother worked long hard hours to put food on the table and clothes on my back as did my stepfather, an honest hard working and loyal man. I grew up hating bullies plain and simple, street rules should be applied in dealing with people who take liberty’s just because they can.  I try to live my life according to the rules of the street, they may not resonate with honest hard working people, but if or when push comes to shove people will do whatever it takes to protect them and theirs. I gained a reputation for getting things done both quickly and cleanly without drawing the attention of the police, although I’ve had several run-ins with Strathclyde Police over the years but I pride myself in being detailed from start to finish with no traces of a crime being committed.

Everything you’ve gained from crime yet you have nothing really.  Megan said sitting forward in her leather chair.

I lead a busy life, finding the time to spend with someone special is not easy, I never felt the need to get married and have kids, I have never really been in love, and yes, your right, I don’t have anyone to share my life, and I guess I’ve just got used to that, but hopefully one day, that could change, there is still plenty of time,.  I replied.

What about your real father? do you see much of him, have any kind of relationship with him?.  Asked Megan.

He left when I was born, mum threw him out because he was never around, mum met someone new and re-married, I know who he is and what he does we've met a few times over the years, but he never tries to act like a father we know each other but are strangers, which is fine with me.  I think that’s something we can talk about another time Miss Wells, I don’t mean to be rude but we are fifteen minutes over my time.  I replied..

Megan knew my line of work and in truth like most woman who chased the bad boy type made it clear she was interested in taking things further. I enjoy her company her beautiful smile and the fact she showed an interest in someone like me reminded me of my close friends back home who still have a family life away from the violence.  Megan walked me to the hall lift and before the lift doors opened she handed me a piece of paper before turning on her heels and slowly walked back to her office and closed the door, but not before she threw me a wink.  After my appointment with Megan I had only two things to do today, catch up with Paul my bar manager and old friend whom I met from my time in the British Army.  When I first met Paul Cullen he had saved my arse during a riot in a small village in Northern Ireland on my very first tour of duty, Paul who is English born but raised in Wales by Scottish parents, has no real dress sense. There isn't a day that goes by without him wearing his bow tie with his smart suits and brown brogues even when it’s 80 decree’s in the shade, you could mistake him for Pee-wee Herman on your first meeting with him however since that day in Kinawley, Northern Ireland, we have been great friends and worked together throughout our friendship. Paul is the contact man when my service is required there is nothing Paul cannot find out, whether it’s about an individual or individuals or just all the details of a job once it comes in if Paul doesn't like the job it gets passed it on to someone less picky, secondly, I have a meeting with a fellow exile who is from my old stomping ground in Glasgow, the meet was in my pub because he was more or less there twenty four seven which suited me fine. I had bought the bar in the first year of arriving in Los Angeles,  I felt completely at home in this small village just outside Los Angeles as soon as I arrived.  I love the slow pace and peaceful life the village has to offer the constant sunshine is great, although I really miss the Scottish rain. After I purchased the bar I renamed it The Jock open to all Scottish exiles and for the life of me never dreamed it would be the success it has become.  The only thing about Scotland I miss, as I have said is the rain, I love rain, always have always will, I look forward to it when it happens in LA, which is not often enough but life is good.

You have a meet with wee Andy in the back room in ten minutes Caleb.  Paul reminded me.

Aye, Cheers Paul, get one of the staff to cover for you, grab a bottle and three glass’s and join us.  I said.

Wee Andy Logan was anything but wee, he stood upright at six feet five inches sixteen stone and as wide as the side of a house a very powerfully built man, with a temper to match. Growing up I often saw him around the street I grew up in Glasgow. He had arrived here after having to leave Glasgow in a hurry after mistakenly killing two innocent bystanders in a drug war with two rival crime firm's, before that he had just finished a fifteen years sentence in Scotland toughest prison, Barlinnie, nicknamed The big House. I throw him a few jobs here and there just to keep him out of trouble.  However this was not a meeting I was looking forward to my spider sense was tingling as they say but I could not refuse him, business is business and in my business it’s not about the money, it’s about reputation. Paul had joined us through the back and took his seat across from wee Andy, even with his 38’ sitting on his lap Paul still really looked uncomfortable.  I had always enjoyed Andy’s company never felt threatened or worried he might turn nasty, besides he still had all his contacts in Glasgow handy if I ever needed the Intel with changing Firm’s and the new and upcoming face’s.

You took your sweet fucking time Caleb.  Andy said having had only the company of two bottles of Scotland's finest whisky, empty.

Lets get to the matter that required you asking for a meet big fella.  Paul said looking bored.

He reached into his top pocket and produced a note in which he then passed to me, looking at Paul I opened and read the note then passed it on to him, it contained only two words. The Major. Fuck Sake.  Was all Paul could say and for the first time in my life I thought about getting out of my seat and walking into the toilet and using Paul’s 38’ on myself, Christ, I might as well have done.  As an eager teenager I started working with a man who was an enforcer for one of Glasgow's most infamous family's. I believed then if I was to learn quickly then this was the man to show me the ropes, I wasn’t wrong. This guy lived up to his reputation and then some, if evil had a name it would be The Major.  Every player I ever met back then all said he earned the name because of how organised and thorough he was, right down to the last detail like a Major in the army, well I can honestly say he was better than any Major I served with.  We did several jobs together and his advise was always the same, he would look me in the eyes and say, Son in our line of work one must always have rules without rules your are just another thug, always be professional.  Over the years he had made it as the top player and ran Glasgow like it was his own play ground with him of course the king bully.

The Major never takes no for an answer, you know The Major son, he always gets what he wants.  Said Andy.

"Aye, well if I refuse I would be looking over my shoulder every day waiting for the comeback, he still

thinks I owe him".  I said.  I also know that if I did refuse wee Andy would soon be quick enough to let

everyone and anyone know in our profession which would damage my reputation and all but put an end to my livelihood, which god forbid would mean I’d have to work behind the bar of my own pub. I look at Paul and he already knows my answer which is why he gets up throws his 38’ onto the table and walks back into the bar area, 

Let me sleep on it until tomorrow morning Andy then you’ll have my answer.  I said watching an angry Paul stomping around behind the bar.

Don’t think that because your sitting pretty over here and have a big pond between you and him that your beyond his reach, you don't need me to remind you that with that cunt there is no place on the planet you can hide wee man, you only have one answer besides, there is one more thing you should know Caleb, something I’ve been meaning to tell you for the last few years and I think we’re at the point you need to know.  Andy said.

When I returned to the bar Paul was in a foul mood, I had told Paul all about my time with The Major back in the day.  When Paul and I teamed up back then he had told me his reasons for joining the army, like so many of us it was to escape the harsh living and high unemployment and lack of prospects Glasgow and Wales had to offer.  Paul isn’t a violent man the total opposite in fact, he was of slim build, stood five nine with dark hair and a scar that ran from the left temple down to his top lip, a gift from some football hooligan when he was a teenager living in Wales. Paul loathed violence of every kind, but when meeting potential clients his scar gave him a hard look although I often see him looking in the mirror behind the bar re-living night some coward in a drunken crowd with a knife changed his hansom face. Paul had a gift of finding out all there was to know about a potential employer he had made many contacts in the first few years after we arrived in Los Angeles. His real skill was with making new ID’s, passports and hiding money, if someone wanted to disappear and start fresh Paul was the man you turned to, most of our clients were women trying to escape an abusive relationship or criminals who just wanted out the game. Paul would take the name and details of someone who had just died and simply rearrange one or two things to give the client a whole new identity, fake passport, social security number, birth certificate and bank account, the whole works.

Don’t do this Caleb you’ll be throwing away everything we've worked hard to get, I don’t understand why are you even thinking about this?  He might not be the crazy bastard he once was but come to fuck Caleb.  He said.

When I made the decision to walk way from Glasgow and The Major I was still adjusting to returning to civvy life having served seven years in the British Army then several years working for the private security sector, I returned and took up my old ways but grew tired of the violence and made plans of walking away when an old friend and his brothers took their place as leading figures in the Liverpool underworld. The Major had no hold over me I had worked for most of the leading figures in the British underworld but watching he new young faces emerging I didn’t like that I was seeing, greed and drugs ruled the new street players they nothing of respect or loyalty.

Then I guess your going.  He said as he walked away.

Aye I guess I am.  I replied.

I left the bar and headed to my beach house and started to pack then stopped and took out my phone, I had a feeling I would need the advice or if it came to it, assistance. I called the one man I called brother, Danny Cahill.  It took less than a few minutes to pack I figured I wouldn’t be to long in Glasgow so packed lightly. Paul arranged the fight details and would stay behind to run the bar but if needed he would jump at the chance to go back home on business, he had heard all the stories about The Major from wee Andy and some from me myself but to possibly meet the man himself was something Paul found exciting.  I called for a taxi and waited outside the front door sitting on the doorstep. I thought about what kind of job I was undertaking or more importantly who was about to be removed.  Having a lot of friends in Glasgow’s underworld but having been in Los Angeles for the last ten years I knew things were very different from my time as the top enforcer for The Major. Glasgow had five major crime firms when The Major came to power he brought them all together ended all quarrels and established drug routes using the famous Glasgow Clyde to ship his drugs throughout not just the UK, but on to Europe, earning the reputation as the UK’s leading drugs king.  All this came easy to The Major, when he ran the Govan Bloods a local gang he formed when he just started out the top players in Glasgow knew he would one day run the city, he ran a team of robbers and betting crews which included myself and when he did indeed become the top man he set up a team of enforcers the locals called,  The Silent Bloods who’s job was simply to remove anyone trying to remove him, he had seem off threats from all the Edinburgh firms and several top English firms, The Major became untouchable to most, he had all of the UK ‘s criminal firms wanting a piece of the drug routes with all his resource's no-one in the UK would be stupid enough to challenge him.  I dreaded the idea of working for him again, but business is business besides, I get to look up some old faces. Hearing the taxi drew up to the beach house I suddenly felt the butterfly’s and the excitement at seeing some old face’s as well as running into the new wave of players that lived up to the old name Glasgow earned in my young days, Glasgow was referred to by other firm’s outside Scotland as simply NO MEAN CITY due to it’s violence with more teenage gangs than any other city in the world, a name craved out with the knife. Even with so many gangs in the seventies the eighties and right up to the present gang culture has always been the dark side of the city, Glaswegians were feared throughout the UK for their reputation with violence. If someone needed a job done quickly and efficiently they called in players from Glasgow when others refused to take on the work. I had been approached over the years from several of the leading crime firms throughout the UK, all wanting my type of service.  I had forged a strong friendship with many of the UK's top criminal firms from London to Stirling. Paul drew up in his taxis and handed over all the documents I needed and informed me I was staying at one of the oldest hotels in Glasgow, a hotel I had fond memories of from my youth, The Towers. I quickly checked over the paperwork from Paul and left him a bluey with instructions regarding all my properties and pub which drew a look of concern from Paul. A bluey is a letter all soldier write before being deployed into a war zone detailing their last wishes if they failed to return. Standing outside having a smoke I heard Paul opening my safe in the hall floor behind the front door and asked if I needed to take my Glock 19 which I refused, if I needed any kind of firepower I knew where to go in Glasgow.  Waiting for the taxi to arrive I decided to call an old friend to inform him of my travel plans, everything going on in my home city was under the watchful eye of one of it’s leading players, Tam Kennedy was the most respected, and if you were foolish enough to be on his bad side, feared man I have ever known, worked with and faced off to. but over time I regarded him as a good friend and someone to be highly trusted, everything I needed to know since I’ve been away I could get from Tam in several minutes over the phone.

Things are bad here son, old school villainy has no place in today’s Glasgow.  Tam informed me.

I hear The Major is planning something big in terms of the Clyde waterfront Mr Kennedy?.  I asked.

Since you left the shit hit the fan big style, but yes he has plans he’s pushing through, I’ll bring you up to speed when you’re home.  He replied.

Home, as much as I would like to think Los Angeles was my home you can never take the Glasgow out of a Glasgow boy no matter where he is in the world, home. Before I left a war had broken out between the Blacks from Govanhill and the Cowans from Shawlands, a war that left many top players taking sides angering The Major who quickly snatched one main player from each side who were then slashed and had their throats cut and their bodies displayed in the city centre for all to see and heed the warning to end all feuds in his city, an act that worked but set in motion a time frame for the removal of the most feared man in Glasgow. Hearing Tam’s voice got me thinking that if that hatred still lingered The Major just might want him and several other top players removed a thought I quickly dismissed as much as Glasgow’s underworld has changed some of us still have a code, a street code where we don’t remove men that are highly respected and are a non threat to those who want all the power even if it causes a blood bath. Paul waited until I finished my call before he tried one last time to talk me out of going back.

How long do you think you’ll be Caleb.  He asked holding the bluey in his right hand resting against his hip.

Not to long.  I replied rather hopeful.

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Chapter 2 

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As he stood opposite the man he feared and loathed in equal measures Hammy wasn’t too worried about the reaction he would get when giving The Major an update with his latest task, Hammy knew he was in for an arse raping and he prayed it was only an arse raping. Hammy Kane was an intimidating figure powerful build, thanks to many years of steroid abuse as a bodybuilder tall with dark short hair, but he was losing his looks due to the drugs he relied on, his teeth were starting to discolour his eyes were puffy with dark circles and his skin