I tried to smile at him, but I wanted to see Gabriel. Obviously, I didn’t hide my disappointment very well.
‘Bloody hell, Sam, you don’t have to look so miserable about it.’
‘I’m sorry, Dad. I was just expecting Gabe, that’s all.’ I gave him a genuine smile then and linked my arm through his as we headed out of the door. I hadn’t mentioned my pregnancy to him yet, and had warned Gabriel not to either — not until I’d had my first scan and confirmed everything was okay.
I walked to my father’s car with him and wondered why Gabriel hadn’t mentioned earlier that he wouldn’t be able to pick me up? I had been on edge since he’d left my office that afternoon. I loved spending time with my father, but I currently had an itch that only Gabriel could scratch. Sitting in the passenger seat of my father’s car, I took out my phone and sent Gabriel a text.
What time will you be home? I miss you. I was hoping we could pick up where we left off. Phone me x
I waited for a response but one didn’t immediately arrive the way it usually did. Especially when I had mentioned anything remotely sexual.
‘Where did you say Gabriel was?’ I asked.
‘Just taking care of some business,’ he answered nonchalantly.
‘What kind of business?’
‘Just business, Sam,’ he said, his tone making it clear that he didn’t intend to discuss it any further. ‘Don’t worry. Everything is fine,’ he added as he turned to me.
I sat back in my seat and listened to my father talking about the plans Kayleigh was making for their wedding. I knew he was trying to take my mind off Gabriel and wherever he was, because usually organising a wedding would be the kind of topic that would bore my father to death.
Twenty minutes after I had sent the message, and just as we were pulling up outside Gabriel’s house, he responded.
Can’t phone. Be home late
Then immediately after.
Love you x
My father came into Gabriel’s house with me and insisted he was going to cook us some dinner. He said I didn’t look very well and then his over-protective side kicked in. I tried to enjoy spending time him, as I usually would, but my stomach was in knots. I felt incredibly nauseous and wasn’t entirely sure whether it was pregnancy related or the worry of where Gabriel was.
I ate as much as I could of the delicious meal my father cooked and then we sat on the sofa together and watched my favourite childhood film, Hook.
By 10pm, I could barely keep my eyes open and I decided to go to bed. I was surprised when my father insisted on staying, but he assured me that it was only because he needed to speak to Gabriel when he came home. I didn’t believe him. Something was going on. But I didn’t have the energy to argue with him.
Chapter 80
Gabriel
Alfie Cunningham’s scrap-yard was closed when I arrived. Despite that, there was a flurry of activity. One of his boys opened the giant wrought iron gate for me, while another three restrained the dogs which constantly patrolled the site. Vicious little bastards they were — the dogs and the boys. Alfie was the most ruthless individual I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. I’d known him for years and after the incident with Calvin Stewart he’d offered me a job. I’d politely turned him down, but our paths had crossed many times over the years. He and his sons ran East London with an iron fist, although I had always found Alfie to be fair, as long as you didn’t try and take the piss. Many a man had walked through those gates and never been seen again. Alfie had lots of friends in very high places and was considered untouchable. Anyone who crossed him would end up either severely maimed — or worse.
His two sons, Alfie junior and Joe, were equally fearsome. However, there was one blot on Alfie’s otherwise perfect, landscape. Six years earlier, his youngest son, Mark, had been convicted of the rape and murder of a fourteen year old girl. Mark had befriended the girl in the local park. He used to buy her and her mates cider on a Saturday night and sit drinking with them. But he was a good lad. He was twenty-one but still had the mind of a child — a kid trapped in a man’s body. He’d always found it easier to connect with children rather than adults and most of the kids from the local high school knew, and liked him. No-one who knew him believed that he’d done what they said he had, and those who didn’t know him dare not admit it if they did think he was guilty. For all his friends and his contacts, Alfie wasn’t able to stop his son going to prison for life.
Six months into his sentence, Mark was found murdered in his cell. Rumour had it that he’d been sexually assaulted too, although Alfie made sure that rumour was put to bed before many people could hear it. Alfie knew his son was innocent, and he had been desperate ever since for any chance to find out had who really killed that poor girl — and exact his revenge. It ate him up day and night.
‘Gabriel Sullivan,’ Alfie boomed as I walked into his portacabin and he pulled me into a bear hug. ‘Long time no see, son. In fact, I haven’t seen you since the last time you turned down the chance to work for me,’ he said with a wink.
‘Well, I’ve been busy, Alfie.’
‘Yes, I heard, doing well for yourself by all accounts.’
‘Not bad,’ I said with a nod.
‘Good,’ he said. ‘I always liked you, Gabriel. Always knew you’d go far. Now, what the fuck are you doing here?’
‘It’s about Mark,’ I said and I could feel the atmosphere in the room change immediately. There were several sharp intakes of breath.
‘Tread fucking carefully, son,’ Alfie warned me.
‘The barrister who defended Mark-'
‘The one I paid a shitload of money to?’ Alfie snapped.
‘Yes, him. He also took a massive pay-out from the father of the real murderer to make sure that Mark went down for the crime. The prosecuting barrister was paid off too. The three of them were old Cambridge buddies. The prosecuting barrister was an odious piece of shit called Stanley Baker – and of course you already know the barrister for the defence.’
‘Jackson Carver,’ Alfie spat, his face full of venom.
‘Who did kill that girl then?’
‘Marcus Payne. Spoilt little fucker. Daddy has bailed him out of all kinds of scrapes. He’s the same age as Mark, and similar build.’
Alfie nodded. ‘Explaining that eye witness who saw someone fitting Mark’s description running away from the scene?’
I nodded.
‘How the fuck do you know all this?’ he asked. ‘And what’s in this for you? What do you want?’
‘I know because I’ve had lots of people digging into Jackson Carver, and this is what they came up with. What I want, Alfie, is Carver dead.’
‘If what you’re telling me is the truth, then I will make that happen, without a fucking doubt. He’s doing time, isn’t he? He’ll be easy to get to. But I want some fucking proof, Gabriel. Do you have any?’
‘Nothing concrete other than the word of some people who I trust. But I understand you want more than that, so I thought we could pay Stanley Baker a little visit tonight — and extract the truth from him?’
‘That sounds like a good idea. But if you’re leading me up the garden path,’ he pointed his finger in my face. He didn’t finish his sentence — he didn’t have to.
An hour later and I was sitting in a van with Alfie and his sons, waiting for Stanley Baker to leave the gentleman’s club he always frequented on a Thursday night.
‘That’s him.’ I indicated as I saw Stanley’s cumbersome body lolloping down the street.
‘Fat fucker, ain't he?’ Joe sneered. Then he and Alfie junior jumped out of the van. Putting an arm each around Stanley’s shoulders, they bundled him into the back of the transit, throwing him onto the dusty floor.
He started to whimper. ‘Please. I have money…’
I scowled at him. He had money, did he? I despised how people like Stanley thought that everything and everyone could be bought and paid for. I savoured the look of fear on Stanley’s face. He
looked up and saw me and at that point, he pissed his pants as his whole body started to shake, obviously remembering our brief encounter in the coffee shop. A part of me wished that Samantha was there to see it.
We drove in silence back to the scrap-yard listening to Stanley pleading with us to let him go, offering money or whatever else we wanted. Eventually Alfie junior punched him in the head and told him to shut the fuck up.
Stanley was strapped to a chair with gaffer tape in Alfie’s office within five minutes of us arriving back there. He was crying then, begging us to release him. I wondered if Samantha cried and begged him to let her go? Fucker! I wanted to knock every tooth out of his head, break every bone in his body — but I couldn’t. This was Alfie’s show.
‘Tell me what you know about Marcus Payne, Stanley,’ Alfie said to him. His voice low and full of menace.
As soon as Stanley heard the name Marcus Payne, the realisation of why he was there visibly dawned on his face. That told Alfie all he needed to know, and I thanked Christ that Nick and Jayne Hunter’s information had been spot on. It only took a few slaps and threats to do unspeakable things to him and his family, to get Stanley to confess everything. He threw Payne and Carver straight under the bus to try and save his own skin. That was when Joe pulled out his specialised toolkit from under the desk. It was a kit full of all manner of torture devices designed to extract the truth from even the most hardened of men.
I doubted that Stanley would last five minutes before his heart gave out. As much as I hated Stanley Baker, I didn’t particularly have an urge to watch the man being tortured to death. Just knowing that it was going to happen was enough.
I looked around the room at Alfie and his two sons and knew that they were in their element. ‘If you don’t need me, I need to get home. I’ve got some other business to take care of,’ I said, feeling guilty for calling Samantha business, but not wanting any of the men in the room to know anything about her.
Alfie nodded. ‘Of course, son. Thanks for your help. I’ll let you know as soon as I find that little nonce, Marcus Payne.’
‘Good. And Carver?’
‘He will not see out the end of the month. I promise you that.’
‘Thanks, Alfie,’ I said.
Alfie walked over to me and put his hands on my shoulders. I saw tears in his eyes. ‘No. Thank you, Gabriel. I know you have your own reasons, but I owe you. You have...’ he choked up.
‘You don’t owe me, Alfie. I knew Mark. He was a good lad. And that poor girl, and her family — the fucker who did that needs to pay. And the bastards who helped him get away with it.’
Alfie nodded. ‘And believe me, they will.’
Chapter 81
Samantha
I was asleep when Gabriel finally arrived home. I woke as he slipped into bed beside me.
‘Where have you been, Gabe? And don’t tell me it was just business. What have you been doing?’
He pulled me to him until I was lying in his arms and I breathed in the scent of him. His skin was cool and I could smell the fresh air on him.
‘Sam,’ he said as he smoothed my hair. ‘I promised you that I would never lie to you. But right now, please don’t ask me what I’m doing. I will tell you when it’s all over. But for now, please just trust me?’
I sat up and turned on the bedside light. ‘Why can’t you tell me? Is it dangerous? Is it illegal?’
‘Please, just trust me,’ he said softly, kissing my forehead.
‘You’re asking a lot.’
‘I know I am, baby. But have I ever given you a reason not to trust me? Everything I do is for you. For us. The three of us,’ he said as he placed a hand on my stomach.
‘I can’t say I’m happy about it,’ I said with a sigh. ‘But I’ve got a feeling you’re not going to tell me anyway, and I’m tired of fighting with you, Gabe. Promise me you’re not doing something completely stupid? Promise me you’re not going to get yourself hurt.’
‘Why would I risk losing you, Sam?’ he said before kissing me.
I turned off the bedside lamp and lay with my head on his chest, his strong arms wrapped around me. Despite his assurances, I knew that he was up to something dangerous, and I had an idea it was something to do with my psychopathic ex-husband.
Chapter 82
Gabriel
I frowned as I heard the vibration of my mobile phone ringing beside me. It was only 6am and I had to untangle myself from Samantha’s beautiful, warm body to answer it.
I saw Alfie Cunningham’s name flashing on the screen and groaned inwardly. It had been a week since we had kidnapped Stanley Baker together and his disappearance had been on the news. Thankfully, Samantha hadn’t asked me any questions about it and I was glad. She was tired and wrapped up in a case, but I knew she’d want some answers soon enough.
‘Now’s not a great time, Alfie,’ I said quietly.
‘I need some back-up, Gabriel. I’ve found the cunt. My boys are on a job. I thought you’d want to help me sort the fucker out.’
‘I do. It’s just-'
‘Are you fucking scared or something? This is not a request, Gabriel.’
‘I’ll be there in half an hour,’ I said as I put the phone down.
Alfie had found out where Marcus Payne had been holed up and obviously wanted to pay him a visit before he disappeared again. I would rather not get involved. I’d been happy to help give Stanley a good kicking but the type of punishment Alfie had planned for Marcus was not my thing — at least not any more.
Two hours later Alfie and I pulled up outside a cottage in the middle of nowhere.
‘Are you sure he’s in here?’ I asked.
‘Yes, I’m fucking sure. He’s on his own in there as far as I can tell. He’s a fucking no-mark. He won’t put up much of a struggle. We get in, we get him and we get out of there. We’re taking him to my lock-up. Understood?’
I nodded. I knew what happened in Alfie’s lock-up. Marcus Payne would be begging someone to kill him by the time the day was over.
Alfie knocked on the front door, as though we were polite visitors, and I wondered how stupid Marcus Payne would have had to have been to open it. As I expected there was no answer. Alfie gave me the nod and I kicked the door open. It was old and the wood splintered easily, allowing us easy access. As soon as we were inside, we heard a noise coming from the back of the house and ran towards it. Alfie was leading the charge. I knew how anxious he was not to let Marcus get away. As we rounded the corner into the kitchen, I saw Marcus trying to escape through the back door but he couldn’t open it fast enough.
‘You’re not going anywhere, cunt!’ Alfie spat.
Then Marcus turned and in that split second I saw it, the glint of metal as it caught the sunlight streaming through the window. Marcus pointed the gun at us.
There was no time to think, I just reacted. I pushed Alfie out of the line of fire before the crack of a gunshot rang in my ears. Then I heard another shot and watched as Marcus Payne dropped to the floor like a sack of spanners. I turned, everything happening as if in slow motion. Alfie was standing next to me, his right arm outstretched, his own gun smoking in his hand. It took me a few seconds to feel the searing pain. I looked down at my shirt and watched as the white cotton turned to deep crimson.
‘Gabriel.’ Alfie caught me in his arms before I hit the floor.
Chapter 83
Samantha
It was late afternoon and I was in my office when my phone rang.
I was given the news quickly and matter of factly.
My hands visibly shook as I put down the phone. My head spun. I felt dizzy and sick. I forced myself to swallow the bile rising in my throat so that I didn’t vomit onto the floor of my office.
It couldn’t be true.
I could hardly believe it.
Then the tears came, like a river that had been held back by a dam for far too long, forcing their way out of me like a torrent. I wailed. I actually wailed, like some crazed madwoman. I heard
myself, but the sound was so alien to me, I wouldn’t have believed it was coming from my own body if I hadn’t been the only person in the room.
Nick came running in, his face a picture of shock and horror. He crouched down to me as though I was a small child.
‘Samantha! What is it? What’s wrong?’
Through the snot and tears I managed to mumble. ‘He’s dead.’
The rest of our team had piled into our office behind him by this point.
I heard Nick speaking quietly to Sadie, asking her to phone someone although I couldn’t make out who.
‘Yes, of course. I’m on it,’ she replied.
Then Nick wrapped his arms around me and I folded into them, sobbing uncontrollably. Struggling for breath. He held me to him and stroked my hair. I didn’t know how long I stayed there like that, but then Nick’s arms were gone, and someone else was lifting me from the chair, picking me up as though I was made of air.
‘Sam. It’s okay. I’m here now,’ he said.
I looked up into Gabriel’s handsome face and felt like I could finally breathe.
‘He’s dead, Gabe. Jackson’s dead,’ I said and then I clung to him, burying my face in his neck.
‘I know. Come on, let’s go home.’
Freshly showered and in one of Gabriel’s old t-shirts, I curled up on the sofa. Gabriel brought me a mug of sweet tea and sat beside me, pulling me onto his lap.
He stroked the hair back from my face, in that way that always made me feel cherished and safe. ‘Are you okay?’
I sniffled and nodded. ‘Poor Nick. He must have got such a fright, seeing me like that.’
‘He’ll be fine.’
Dark Angel: A Dark Romance: London Ruthless Series Book 1 (The London Ruthless Series) Page 29