There wasn’t much to see in here, presumably most of her stuff was at Inveresk. Along one wall was a giant map of the world, six feet wide, dozens of red pins stuck in it.
‘Everywhere Mum and Dad have been,’ she said. ‘Mostly without me.’
He went over and touched a pin in the UAE, then one in the Philippines. Looked at the distance from Kabul to Edinburgh.
‘I can’t imagine going to all those places,’ he said.
‘Me neither, that’s the sad thing.’
She had a dresser with a mirror, white wood. An old gymnastics certificate, a couple of photos of her with medals round her neck, bright-red leotard, smile on her face.
‘Oh God,’ Flick said. ‘There are so many pictures of me around this house.’
‘So?’
‘I can’t stand seeing myself.’
‘I like it,’ Tyler said. ‘You’re cute.’
She was watching him in the mirror, mussing her hair, blinking.
‘Why don’t you come over and see the real me,’ she said, patting the duvet next to her. She was taking the piss but serious at the same time. Make a joke of it, then if you get rejected, pretend it was for laughs.
He stared at her for a long time until she looked away.
‘Fuck’s sake, I won’t bite,’ she said.
He took two steps towards her, hands trembling.
The doorbell rang.
Flick rolled her eyes. ‘It’s the postman, ignore it.’
It rang again, three times, then a thud on the door, hard.
‘What the hell?’ Flick went to the window. ‘Oh shit.’
Her phone rang and she declined the call.
The doorbell again, then more thumps, a fist on the door over and over.
‘It’s Will,’ Flick said.
‘The ex?’
A voice came from outside, shouting up to her bedroom window. ‘I know you’re in there, Flick. I saw your car round the corner. And I know what you did to my house.’
Flick raised her eyebrows and smiled at Tyler. He didn’t return it.
‘How could he know?’ Tyler said.
Flick shrugged.
‘Did you tell him?’
‘Of course not, he must’ve guessed.’
‘How?’
Flick looked irritated.
Will was back to smacking the front door, sending reverberations through the walls. ‘If you don’t come down and talk to me, I’m going to do the same to your house.’
Tyler thought about the rugby type he’d seen in the family pictures at Will’s house.
‘He’s bluffing,’ Flick said.
A stone clattered against the glass of her window and she jumped. Tyler wondered if there was a way out through the kitchen patio doors without being seen.
‘The next one’s a rock,’ Will said.
Flick sighed and went to the window. ‘Just a minute.’
She turned to Tyler at the door. ‘Wait here, I’ll get rid of him.’
Tyler walked to the doorway as Flick ran down the stairs. He listened as she opened the door, heard them arguing. He shouted at her, called her a psycho bitch. She denied anything to do with the break-in at his house, but she couldn’t hide the sarcasm in her voice, couldn’t help herself letting him know she was responsible.
It sounded like she hadn’t let him in, that all this was happening in the doorway. His voice became quieter, still pleading but calmer. Tyler heard her counter him, complain in return. He kept asking to come inside but she said no. Then there was a smack of wood on plaster that made the house shudder, a scuffle of feet on the floor.
‘What the fuck?’ Flick, trying to sound composed.
‘You think you’re such a smart bitch, don’t you?’
‘Get off me.’
‘You think you’re better than everyone. You think you’re better than me.’
‘You’re hurting me.’
More scuffing of feet then a thud against a wall. This was inside the house now, for sure. Tyler moved to the top of the stairs and began walking down.
‘Well, you’re not in charge now,’ Will said, voice level and calm. ‘I can do anything I want to you.’
‘Let go, you’re scaring me.’
‘Good,’ Will said. ‘About time someone made you realise you’re not fucking untouchable. Stuck-up bitch. You can’t walk about like a prick-tease and expect to get away with it.’
‘Will.’
Tyler was on the landing, could see them now. Will had Flick pushed against the wall, his arm across her chest, pinning her arm. With his other hand he was grabbing at her crotch.
‘Leave her alone.’ Tyler stood with his fists clenched.
Will stopped and turned. Flick turned too, but Tyler couldn’t work out the look on her face. Will eased off the pressure on her chest and dropped his other hand.
‘Who the hell are you?’ he said, catching his breath.
‘Get out,’ Flick said, her voice shaky.
Will kept his arm across her chest, enough to stop her breaking free. He had his eyes on Tyler as he spoke. ‘A new guy already? You don’t hang about.’
‘It’s nothing to do with you,’ Flick said.
Tyler took a few steps down the stairs and Will raised his eyebrows.
‘Get your hands off her,’ Tyler said.
Will smiled. ‘A tough guy. Surprising, given you’re half my size.’
‘Just leave.’
Will finally dropped his arm and Flick staggered away, swiping at his chest as she went.
‘You’re such an arsehole,’ she said. ‘Get out of my house.’
Will stood there, enjoying not doing as he was told. Tyler came down a few more steps until he was almost at the bottom.
Will pointed at Flick but didn’t say anything, then pointed at Tyler. ‘A word of advice, little man. This bitch is more trouble than she’s worth.’
‘Fuck you,’ Flick said.
‘Leave,’ Tyler said.
‘Are you going to make me?’
‘If I have to.’ Tyler was surprised at the conviction in his own voice. The menace. Hanging around with Barry was rubbing off. He tried to stay focused.
Will had his chin out, chest puffed, all the alpha-male bullshit. Tyler thought about how Barry would kill him in ten seconds. He pretended he had the same skills, the same determination.
Eventually Will deflated a little, stood down from high alert.
‘You’re not worth the hassle,’ he said, looking around the hallway as if only just realising where he was. ‘But if I see you again you’re dead.’
Flick shook her head and Tyler remained motionless, face impassive. Sometimes, the best thing to say is nothing.
Will turned to leave, but pointed at Flick one last time. ‘I’m sending you the bill for my house, for the window. You fucking psycho.’
Flick didn’t answer as Will left, leaving the front door wide open.
Flick waited until his footsteps had faded then turned to Tyler. ‘Thanks, seriously.’
Tyler sat down on the step and breathed, tried to loosen his fists, tried to stop his legs from trembling.
19
The playground was hoaching, a gang of younger boys kicking a ball around on the concrete, older girls reapplying make-up and laughing in a corner, a couple of stoners sharing a joint out of sight of the staffroom.
He’d made Flick drop him off round the corner from the front gate. It just seemed easier not to have her involved in this place, in his life. Yet he dropped everything whenever she called.
He found Connell and a couple of other boys hanging out at the edge of the staff car park, doing nothing. He’d missed lunch by now but he didn’t feel hungry, the adrenaline from earlier still pumping through him. His veins felt tight and full.
‘Where you been?’ Connell said, kicking an empty Irn Bru can at him. Tyler had a couple of wee kicks then knocked it back to him. Connell flicked it to one of the other boys.
‘Bean was playing up this morning,’ Tyl
er said. ‘Said she felt sick.’
‘Was she?’
‘Na, just at it.’
Tyler drifted in and out of the conversation as Connell and the other boys bounced chat between them, Hibs’ chances this season, who they might sign, then something about Louisa who Connell fancied, a party at her pal’s house coming up and how they could wangle an invite. Gentle piss-takes and ribbing, the mulch of friendship. He joined in on the surface but felt a rock in his stomach through the whole thing, a dread that wouldn’t shift. He wondered about CCTV cameras at the hospital, about the death threat on Monica’s phone. He thought about Barry hitting him for seeing Flick, pictured Flick pressed up against the wall by that twat Will.
The bell went and they trudged towards the entrance. As the streams of kids merged, he spotted Ryan Holt up ahead, talking to his stupid cousin Lee. They were equally as hard but Ryan had brains. Smart tough guys always need a dumb sidekick to make them feel better about themselves. Just like Barry and Kelly.
He headed in Ryan’s direction.
Connell grabbed his arm. ‘What the hell are you doing?’
Tyler shook him off and kept walking. He could sense Connell shrinking into the background behind him, the other guys too, they didn’t want any part of this. Nobody wanted a piece of Ryan Holt, that was crazy.
Ryan was stubbing out a cigarette, unbothered about a teacher seeing him. He would soon be out of here and into the family business, making serious money. Meantime there were good contacts to be had at school, plenty of kids after drugs or other contraband.
‘Ryan.’ Tyler raised his voice over the chatter of the playground. A few girls in between them melted away. Ryan looked up, narrowing his eyes. Lee watched his cousin, gauging his body language. People didn’t usually bother Ryan Holt.
Ryan stuck his chin out, a challenge for Tyler to explain himself.
‘I heard about your mum,’ Tyler said.
Ryan’s shoulders went back. ‘What?’
The playground felt very quiet, as if they were in a sci-fi film and everyone else had disappeared, transported to the mothership.
‘I heard she’s in a bad way in hospital.’
‘What the fuck is it to you?’
‘I just wanted to say I was sorry, that’s all.’
‘What exactly did you hear?’
Tyler pictured her lying there, the look on her face. Barry stepping round her, blood on the floor, Kelly’s idiotic look at Barry.
He felt strong, the power of not giving a shit. The power of knowing you’re in the wrong and whatever comes, you deserve it.
‘I heard your house got robbed and your mum was stabbed.’
‘Who told you that?’
Tyler looked around. To his surprise, there were dozens of kids milling about pretending not to watch. He searched the faces for Connell, spotted him with his head down, then turned back to Ryan.
‘You know what this place is like,’ he said.
‘Tell me.’
‘Word gets round.’
Ryan lengthened his neck. ‘So every cunt is talking about my family, that right?’
‘Not like that.’
‘Slagging me off, slagging my mum off.’
‘Not at all.’
Tyler was surprised he didn’t feel scared. Lee was at Ryan’s shoulder, too close, invading his space. Tyler wanted to push him away, make it just about himself and Ryan, strengthen the bond between them. He pictured Ryan sitting at his mum’s bedside, holding her hand, head down, praying for her to get better. Or cursing the bastards who did this, promising violent revenge, torture, murder. Rumour was that his dad had killed enemies, and nobody doubted it. A couple of rival thugs over the years had died, one in a hit-and-run, the other stabbed outside a pub. Another up-and-coming wide boy just went missing a few years back. Some said he’d fucked off to Amsterdam to work the angles there, but a stronger rumour said he was at the bottom of Duddingston Loch.
Was the ability to kill genetic? If Deke did it, could Ryan? Maybe it was down to how you’re brought up, a lack of respect for human life, bad role models and all that. Tyler thought about Barry in the Holt place with that knife, with a baseball bat another time, some poor bastard bad mouthing him, jumped and battered as Tyler watched, left for dead, now in a wheelchair and fed through a tube. He thought about Bean, seeing Barry and Kelly and Angela fucking up time and time again.
‘What else did you hear?’ Ryan said.
Lee was grinning behind him, showing off jumbled teeth.
‘Nothing,’ Tyler said.
Ryan grabbed the front of Tyler’s shirt, pulled him close, spoke soft. ‘Tell me.’
Tyler could see Connell at the back of the crowd over Ryan’s shoulder, shaking his head, concern and fear.
Tyler held his hands out but didn’t try to wriggle out of Ryan’s grip.
‘That’s all. I just wanted to say I was sorry to hear about it.’
‘Are you taking the piss?’
Lee leaned in. ‘Sounds like it to me.’
‘Fucking shut it,’ Ryan said, turning.
Lee’s grin disappeared and he slunk back.
Ryan turned back to Tyler. ‘You think you’re better than me, don’t you?’
Tyler wondered where that came from. ‘No.’
‘You do,’ Ryan said. ‘Swanning about here like you’re above it all. Well you’re no better than us, you’re right in the fucking shit with the rest of us. Got it?’
‘Take it easy.’
‘Take it easy,’ Ryan mimicked. ‘Take it fucking easy. I will not take it easy. My fucking house got robbed and my mum got knifed and when we find the cunts they’re dead.’
‘OK.’
‘What?’ Ryan said. ‘I didn’t hear you.’
‘I said OK.’
Ryan threw a punch into Tyler’s gut, winding him. He doubled over, gasping. Finally it was going to happen. All this talk, just do it already. He waited for more punches, a kick in the balls, a knee to the face. But nothing came. He stayed hunched over trying to get air into his lungs, but they wouldn’t work, his throat closed and he made choking sounds.
Ryan leaned down and whispered in his ear. ‘I’ll be seeing you.’
He straightened up and walked away, Lee dancing after him.
Tyler finally caught a breath and wheezed, his lungs burning. He looked around. The crowd was a mess of uniforms and schoolbags, faces turned away. As he breathed in he felt strong, empowered.
20
A police car waited outside the school gate, DCI Pearce leaning against it and smiling. It was a squad car not the Ford from last time, so she was making a show of the police being interested in him. For a moment he imagined she wasn’t here for him, maybe she was here to tell Ryan that his mum was dead or that she’d come out of her coma. But the look on her face as he approached made it clear she wanted to speak to Tyler. He tried to walk past but she pushed herself off the car to block his way.
‘Just a minute,’ she said.
‘This is harassment.’
‘I can harass you much better than this.’
‘Leave me alone.’
She looked behind him but Tyler resisted the urge to turn. His schoolmates would be checking him out talking to a cop, who needed to see that?
‘Get in.’ Pearce indicated the front passenger seat.
Tyler noticed she was on her own, no uniformed officer for company.
‘No thanks,’ he said.
She touched the handcuffs dangling from her belt. ‘If you don’t get in, I’ll have to use these.’
Tyler stared at her. ‘Really?’
He felt the crowd of kids now streaming out of the school gates around them, eyeballing Pearce, commenting under their breaths, two boys in the year below him running hands along the squad car paintwork as a wind up.
‘If I have to,’ Pearce said.
‘Outside the school gates? Classy.’
Tyler finally looked behind him. As he expected, Connell and the o
thers were watching him, some of the girls from his year too.
He turned back and pointed left. ‘I have to pick up Bean from primary.’
‘Just five minutes.’ Pearce clanked the handcuffs again. ‘Once round the block for a chat.’
He sighed, walked to the passenger door and got in.
Pearce climbed in and started the engine.
The car smelt of blueberry Jelly Beans and was surprisingly clean, no Burger King wrappers or Krispy Kreme boxes.
‘Seatbelt,’ Pearce said, pulling her own one on.
They headed down Greendykes Road, away from both schools. Tyler thought about Bean waiting in the classroom with Miss Kelvin.
‘Interesting times,’ Pearce said.
‘Get on with it.’
Pearce glanced over as she drove past a fly-tipping site, then the building work.
‘We had a report of another break-in,’ she said eventually.
‘Good for you.’
‘Sometime in the last twenty-four hours.’
‘There must be dozens of burglaries in the city every day.’
‘This was in Clinton Road. Sound familiar?’
Tyler stared out of the window. They passed the derelict house where Snook would be suckling her pups.
‘No,’ he said.
‘The house belongs to a Mr and Mrs Fotheringham.’
Tyler didn’t speak.
‘It was phoned in by their son,’ Pearce said.
‘This is fascinating.’
‘Clinton Road is just round the corner from St Margaret’s Road in Church Hill.’
Tyler sighed. ‘Not this again.’
He pictured Flick, blood on her hands, glass on the floor, that piano music playing.
‘Strange one, though,’ Pearce said. ‘The boy said nothing valuable was taken.’
‘Lucky for him.’
Pearce passed the Greendykes block where Tyler lived and kept going, round into the newer houses, speed bumps on the road, small gardens, social housing. She stopped at a junction and stared at him.
‘Why would someone break into a house and not take anything?’
‘Beats me.’
She pulled out from the junction and headed up to Niddrie Mains Road. ‘Me too.’
Silence in the car as they drove, making their way back towards the schools.
Breakers Page 10