by KERRY BARNES
She sat down on the sofa before she fell down. The reality hit her like a brick around the head: yes, she’d been well and truly fucked over. All she had was her house, and no doubt her father was buried somewhere in the back garden. A sneaky grin curled her lip. ‘And this place, Nicolas? Is this still in my name?’
The audacity of the woman had Nicolas’s eyes twitching. ‘No, it fucking ain’t, you cheeky bitch. You signed that back over to me. And, Shelley, it’s all above fucking board. Brandon Miles is one of the best lawyers this side of the country, so fuck you, ya money-grabbing, emotionless cunt.’
* * *
Raff sat nervously next to Willie; he’d never seen a man look so incensed. ‘Willie, don’t get too close up his arse, mate. He’ll have a reason to look in the fucking rear-view mirror.’
The high-pitched chuckle leaving Willie’s mouth made Raff jump.
‘Don’t fucking worry about that, me ol’ son. He’ll see my fucking face soon enough, and I’ll make sure it’s the last fucking boat race he ever sees. You’re sure it’s him, though, ain’t ya? I’d hate to do over the wrong fella.’
‘I wouldn’t mistake that pompous prick. Oh, it’s definitely him all right.’ Raff sighed and shook his head. ‘I can’t believe I ever got involved, and I promise you, Willie, if I’d ’ave known it was your kid or the fact that they were gonna kill him, I never would’ve got involved. I tried to talk Colin out of it, ya know.’
Willie slowed down, dropping off from Dr Bourne’s Maserati. ‘Did ya?’
‘Yeah, I did, but he was adamant that he would go through with it. I know he still loved Shelley because he knew the truth. What really killed his wife wasn’t Shelley shacking up with Nicolas, it was Colin fucking every tart in sight. When she found out about his PA, she made a decision not to start her chemotherapy. I reckon he had to blame someone, and Colin being Colin, he’d hardly lay the blame at his own feet. Anyway, mate, I did try.’
Willie unexpectedly took his hand from the steering wheel and put it around Raff’s shoulders and pulled him close. It told Raff that he was forgiven.
‘Raff, mate, you’ve done good since, and I know Mikey wants you on the firm, but ya know what it takes, so be prepared to get ya hands dirty, starting with that poncey prick in front.’
As they followed the Maserati, they noticed how the properties in the country lanes were getting larger. Long drives, huge conifers, and grand mansions were prominent.
Tired from his early start, followed by the uncomfortable last-minute flight, Dr Bourne didn’t notice the Mercedes behind him until he pulled into the drive. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he glanced back to find two men standing there and smiling at him.
‘Can I help you?’
Raff had his sunglasses on and a beanie hat; it looked so wrong on every level. However, it was enough for Dr Bourne not to recognize him.
Willie calmly walked over to him with what looked like a leather holdall. ‘Yeah, Doc, you can. Go inside and we can talk.’
Raff kept behind Willie, trying to hide his face before Dr Bourne realized who he was.
‘Look, I’m sorry, but who are you and what do you want?’
His sharp tone pissed Willie off. ‘Just go inside, will ya?’
The doctor shoved his nose in the air. ‘No, I won’t. In fact, if you do not leave my property now, I will call the police.’
Willie laughed. ‘Oh yeah? Good, ’cos I think the police will have a fucking field day with you.’
‘What? What do you mean …?’ His voice faltered as soon as he thought he recognized the deranged-looking man.
Willie wasn’t interested in having a conversation with this stuck-up prick on the front drive of his mansion. He gripped his face, pushing him against the door. ‘Now, listen to me. You’ll fucking open that door because me and you ’ave some business that needs taking care of, don’t we, Dr Bourne?’ He let the doctor go and then pulled his gun from his pocket and pushed it under the doctor’s chin. ‘I think you’ll wanna open that door now, won’t ya?’
Dr Bourne’s eyes bulged as he held his breath. He knew there and then that he had to open the door and let them in because the wild-looking man had ‘fearless’ written all over his face.
His hands shook as he tried to find the right key.
‘Move it!’ Willie urged.
Fumbling and shaking, Dr Bourne finally managed to enter the house. Willie pushed him in and looked around. The hallway was grand and every inch was immaculate. The marble floors, the spotless paintwork, it was such a pity, thought Willie. He grinned to himself. He knew it wouldn’t look like this for much longer.
Waving his gun, he gestured for the doctor to go into the dining room. Although the room had the same marble floors and pristine white walls, it looked nothing like as finished off as the entrance to the house. Just a large dining table and eight chairs comprised the total contents. Willie could only imagine the mess to the place when he’d finished.
‘What do you want?’ asked Bourne, less confident now.
Willie was grinning like a sick nutcase. ‘Your fucking kidney, mate, seeing that ya took me boy’s and …’ – he jumped forward and spat in Bourne’s face – ‘ya left him to fucking die!’
Bourne felt his stomach churning and his bowels moving, yet he didn’t feel the warm liquid run down his leg until he heard it drip onto the floor. He looked at Raff, hoping for any kind of help, praying that the big guy with the olive skin was in charge of the raving lunatic. However, all he saw was mirrored sunglasses that reflected himself.
‘Look, please, I can give you money.’ He knew he couldn’t deny what he’d done. He’d previously just hoped that the kid hadn’t recognized him. He hadn’t considered the man at the hospital – this giant – who was obviously the boy’s father.
‘Money!’ screamed Willie.
Bourne nodded. ‘Yes. I’ll offer you a lot of money in compensation.’
Willie was on edge and jumping about all over the room. Cocaine always fuelled his appetite for violence, and he was pumped up now, ready to do some serious damage. He wanted to hear the man scream.
Surmising what was about to happen, Bourne tried in desperation to make a run for it, while the nutcase was delving into his holdall. But he hadn’t noticed the chunky guy’s hand gripping a metal bar, and as he shot past, trying to make his way to the front door, a hard whack to the back of his head knocked him completely off his feet.
Willie shook his head in disappointment. ‘Raff, I wanted that cunt awake when I started on him. Shit, never mind, I’m sure he’ll wake up soon.’
Raff looked at the axe in Willie’s hands and suddenly felt light-headed. Surely not, he thought. Taking a massive intake of air, he looked away.
Dr Bourne was out cold with a nasty gash in the back of his head. Lucky for him, he didn’t see the terrifying vision as that axe came down and instantly chopped straight through his right wrist.
As Willie lifted the shaft high above his head for a second time, the doctor stirred and his eyes opened. Seconds later, as the axe came down again, severing his other hand, he felt the most excruciating pain. Holding up his two mutilated wrists, he screamed in terror.
‘Now, you’ll never operate again, you no-good cunt!’ shouted Willie.
Willie took pleasure in watching the man writhe around in disbelief and pain.
Gasping and screaming in utter terror, Bourne just couldn’t comprehend that his hands were missing. ‘Jesus, Jesus!’ he screeched, as he watched the blood shooting out like water pistols from his two stumps.
Willie stood up straight, stared down at the man, and smiled. ‘Oh, fuck it, the show’s over.’ With that, he held the axe above his head, and with all his immense strength, he swung it and completely beheaded Bourne. Moments later, the twitching stopped.
Raff threw up instantly. Bent over and gagging, he tried to catch his breath.
Willie, however, was as cool as a cucumber, just staring at his final deed. ‘No one hurt
s my boy and lives to tell the tale.’ He stared at the severed head. ‘He was an ugly fucking bastard, anyway.’
Once Raff had caught his breath, wiped his mouth, and straightened himself up, he looked at Willie. ‘Are we done now?’
‘Nearly, mate. We’ve just gotta clean up.’
Raff looked at the blood everywhere. ‘Fuck, I hate cleaning up blood. Anyway, I guess we’ve got all day, assuming we don’t get any visitors to turn away.’
Willie smiled. ‘If my info is correct, mate, we’ve got forever. From what Kirsten the nurse told me, he only pops back once every couple of months. He’s got no kids, no missus. He’s just a lonely money-grabbing cunt.’ He looked around and shook his head. ‘Colin only had to ask Liam if he would donate his kidney, but, no, the sly bastard didn’t think for one minute that Liam would say yes.’
Raff frowned. ‘Oh, come on, Willie. If Liam had said no, then you would’ve known right away what had happened to him. And who would’ve been responsible? You see, Colin believed everyone was like himself.’
‘Well, he was wrong, because my boy said he would’ve given his brother a kidney if he’d only asked.’
* * *
Shelley paced the floor, watching out of the window for the doctor to arrive. ‘Aw, for fuck’s sake, where is he?’ she muttered to no one.
Nicolas appeared and stared at the woman he once loved but not anymore. Yet he did feel some sadness for her. ‘Shell, love, listen: it’s too late.’
She spun around, with her head inclined. ‘What? … No! He can’t be!’ she screamed, as she ran past him and flew up the stairs.
Nicolas listened to the screams and then the apparent silence. He guessed she was sobbing. He wouldn’t interfere now: this was her grief, not his.
Chapter 25
A year later
Mike was fidgeting in his suit.
Gloria gave him a nudge. ‘Stop it, will ya? Stand still, for Gawd’s sake. That lovely girl will be walking down the aisle soon. You men have no patience. The drinks will be flowing the minute this is over.’ She looked around, and the other men, including her own husband, looked bored. She, however, had her tissues at the ready.
Willie was the only man not so restless. He decided today was not one for snorting cocaine. He’d even had his hair cut and a proper barber’s shave with a cut-throat razor. By his side was Kirsten, the English nurse, who had risked her life for his son. He had carried out his promise and made sure she was set up in a nice flat, conveniently nearby his own house. Despite his scary appearance and wild ways, Kirsten soon realized that, along with those closest to him, she was one of the lucky ones to see the soft and loving side of Willie.
Ricky and Arty stood side by side, both as tall as each other and just as muscular. Mike peered at his son and smiled with pride. His boy, handsome and smart, was dressed in his best suit, alongside a young, pretty girl, a friend of the twins, there on his arm.
Arty had Brooke glued to his hip. She was hanging on to him as if her life depended on it, yet Arty remained still and reserved with his hair immaculately gelled back.
Then Mike glanced at Liam, and an unexpected tear filled his eye when he thought back to the day they’d all believed he was dead. There he stood, with his face beaming and his cheeks glowing. Mike had to blink because, for all the years they’d joked about his looks, today they’d been transformed. Maybe it was the new-found confidence in him. Who knew? But one thing he was sure of: Liam was a diamond.
The registrar stood behind the table in the grand registry office and announced the congregation to be upstanding for the bride. As Mike looked around, he wondered if there was a dry eye in the house. Staffie was rubbing his nose and wiping his face. Mike knew he’d been crying. Lou shuffled from foot to foot, obviously emotional, and Gloria had her handkerchief in her hand.
The music played Michael Bublé’s ‘Close Your Eyes’, and then the real snivels began.
As Mike turned to see Poppy in her beautiful princess wedding dress, he felt a lump in his throat. She looked stunning, breathtaking in fact. He nodded to her father who was positively beaming.
Then he felt Zara sniff. As he peered down, she clung to his arm. ‘Aah, Mikey, don’t she look lovely? And Liam. What a proud boy he is.’
As Poppy passed her bouquet to Brooke, she turned, and a tear left her eye. Liam was the man she’d fallen in love with the moment she’d laid eyes on him, and with their little one on the way, she was thrilled to be walking up the aisle with her father – her real father, Lance – by her side. With their money, the wedding was booked and paid for with no expense spared.
Brooke walked back to Arty, clutching the bouquet. ‘That’ll be us one day soon, Arty,’ she whispered.
A sudden look of horror spread across his face. ‘What? Are you expecting an’ all?’
She giggled. ‘No! I meant getting married.’
Arty rolled his eyes. ‘Yeah, babe, but not just yet, eh? Maybe in five years.’
‘Two.’ She nudged him.
‘Three and we have a deal.’
The claps and whistles as Liam and Poppy said the words ‘I do’ were almost deafening.
‘I’ll tell ya what, Zara,’ Mike whispered to her. ‘She looks stunning, but I have to say you were still the best bride I’ve ever seen.’
Zara cuddled into his arm. ‘You’re just biased, Mikey Regan.’
‘No, I’m not, Mrs Regan.’
As everyone began to leave the room and head for the reception, Mike pulled Zara away from the crowds. ‘I saw your face, Zara, when you watched Lance walk Poppy up that aisle, and I know you were gutted when we got married that it was my dad who accompanied you and not Izzy. Look, I just wanna say, he would be so proud of you. Like I am, you know the day Torvic …’
‘Don’t talk about him, Mikey. It’s all over now.’
‘No, please, listen. He forced you to make a choice: either me or Ricky to die, but you couldn’t choose, could you? You would’ve sacrificed your own life for us.’
Tears filled her eyes and tumbled down her cheeks. ‘I know, but, please, we’re all safe now, and, well, I don’t want to think about it anymore.’
‘Zara’ – he cupped her cheeks as he always did with so much tenderness – ‘I hear you in your sleep. It haunts you.’
She held his wrist and kissed his hand. ‘It’s still my worst nightmare, but, hopefully, I’ll get over it. It’s finished now. We’ll carry on with business and …’
Mike shook his head. ‘No, no more, Zara. The lads and I have agreed: it’s time to retire.’
‘But …’
He tapped her nose. ‘No buts, babe. We don’t need the worry anymore. We’ve enough money to live a life of luxury. World cruises – you name them – we can afford as many as you like. I always thought that it was in my blood and in yours to be a villain. Well, no more. I never want you or Ricky to be in that position again. And, let’s face it, we’ve no need to be.’
He looked at the guests, all excited and laughing, making their way to the reception party. ‘Look! That’s what life’s about now.’
She looked on and saw Ricky with his arm around his new girlfriend, his whole body moving up and down, laughing at something she’d said.
‘You’re right, Mikey. I’ve proved my worth, and I’m not going to do anything that would ever put us in that position again.’ She looked up and smiled. ‘And, yeah, my dad would be so proud.’ She chuckled, as her face blushed. ‘And he would be so proud of you too, Mike. He knew one day we would be married, and he knew the only person he could trust with my life was you. He was right.’
‘Remember, Zara, when your dad, all those years ago, made me make a choice? To work for him and you or …?’
She nodded. ‘He was a persuasive man. I’m glad you chose the first option.’
‘Me too, my babe, me too.’
Want another rip-roaring read from Kerry Barnes? Try Deceit, another gripping thriller from the Governor of Gangland, Kerry Barnes …
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Acknowledgements
Robert Wood, my editor, who never lets me down.
My good friend, Deryl Easton, and all the members of the NotRights book club for all your encouragement and support.
A huge thank you to all the readers. You give me a reason to write and the will to do my best.
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Turn the page for an extract from Kerry Barnes’ thrilling novel The Hunted …
PROLOGUE
South London, 1968
A lamp cast its soft glow onto a round table positioned in the middle of the room. The closed, heavy red drapes gave the room a daunting – almost eerie – feel, as if the assembled group was about to engage in a séance.
Dread twisted around Ronnie’s stomach. For a moment, he didn’t want to speak, so afraid his words would come out as just a mere squeak, and that he would look less than a worthy man. The eyes that glared back at him were narrow and beady, silently interrogating him, or perhaps posed to intimidate. Either way, he was now in the lion’s den, entirely at their mercy.
Was his fiancée really worth it? Her beautiful face and long shapely legs popped into his head – yes, she definitely was. So, he had either to prove his worth or be fucked off by her brother and his close allies. Until now, he hadn’t quite grasped the power of these collective Jewish men. Sensing the intense atmosphere that pervaded the room, he knew they were more than just unassuming businessmen.