by Kerry Kaya
“Nah,” Fletch shook his head. “I won’t stop until this no-good bastard is dead.” He re-aimed the gun at his father’s head.
“Fletch, come on, man. Don’t do this.” There was more than a hint of desperation in Stevie’s voice.
“Listen to your friend, son.”
Fletch’s face contorted with rage. “Don’t call me that,” he spat. “You lost the right to call me son a long time ago.”
The sirens became louder, indicating that the police were close by. Cocking his head to one side, George smirked. There was no way his son would be stupid enough to shoot him in front of the old bill. In the distance, a series of flashing blue lights could be seen.
“Then take the fucking shot.” George’s cocky tone was goading. “If you think you’re man enough, do it.”
Fletch snarled. His finger toyed with the trigger. All he had to do was pull it and the nightmare that had become his life would be over.
“Do it,” George sneered.
As the flashing blue lights neared closer, Fletch took aim.
“Do it,” George roared a second time.
The second gunshot was just as deafening as the first, and as his father fell to the ground, Fletch threw his head back and exhaled loudly. Flinging the gun to the kerb, and holding his arms up in the air in surrender, he looked across to his best friend. He could see the shock etched across Stevie’s face, and felt a moment of pity for him. He should never have allowed him to come along for the ride, should never have allowed him to witness the murder.
“I’m sorry,” he mouthed.
* * *
Within moments of the police officers exiting their vehicles, Fletch was slammed across the bonnet of a car, and his arms were twisted up behind his back. He took this time to turn his head. The sight of his father’s body sprawled out across the pavement, brought a smile to his face, and despite the situation he now found himself to be in, his heart felt lighter in the knowledge that not only did Bannerman no longer exist, but that he’d also avenged his brother’s murder. He was dragged away from the scene, and with his wrists encased in handcuffs, he passed Stevie by as he was led toward the waiting police van.
“Look after my mum and my kids for me,” he told him.
“Kids?” Stevie’s eyebrows shot up. “What kids?” He didn’t receive an answer, not that he’d even expected one. That was Fletch all over. He’d always kept matters close to his chest.
Epilogue
One year later.
Sat behind a table in the visiting room, Fletch bowed his head. Wearing prison-issued grey tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt, he heard a series of familiar clip-clops walking across the hard floor and looked up. Dressed to kill, Tina sauntered toward him. He watched other inmates turn their heads as she passed them by, and couldn’t help but smile.
From the designer sunglasses perched on top of her head, to the high-heeled shoes that cost more than most families lived on per week, she looked stunning. It was a shame, really, that he could never find it in himself to love her.
In a cloud of expensive floral perfume, she sat down opposite him and gave a beaming smile.
“You look well,” he said, and it was true. She’d lost her baby weight, and it was clear to see from her freshly cut hair and polished finger nails that she was looking after herself. He wondered briefly if she’d found herself a new man, and hastily pushed the thought of another man bringing up his children to the back of his mind.
“Thank you,” she breathed huskily. “And so do you.”
Fletch raised his eyebrows and chuckled. He highly doubted that, although he had recently been taking advantage of the gym. “Did you move into the house okay?”
Biting on her bottom lip, Tina nodded her head. “I know that you didn’t want us to move into your dad’s house, but the kids will love growing up there. It has everything they need—great area, fantastic back garden for them to run around in, and as soon as they are old enough, I’ll teach them to swim. Gotta make use of that pool, eh?”
Fletch gave her a stilted smile. Being his father’s closest relative, the house had ended up in his possession. Well, in his children’s possession, anyway. And after being handed down a life sentence, without the possibility of parole, it meant that he was more than likely going to stay behind bars for the remainder of his life. Not that he wanted to get his hands on the house anyway; as far as he was concerned, it was tainted, and he couldn’t care less if it burned to the ground.
“How are the kids?”
“Oh great! Austin looks more and more like you with each passing day.”
“And Kitty?” he asked of his daughter.
“She’s doing great. Your mum is looking after them. She and Frank both said to say hello, and that she will try to visit you next month.”
His heart sank at the mention of his mum. He could still remember seeing the disappointment across her face as he’d been sentenced. He allowed her to carry on chatting, and all too quickly, the visit was over.
She reached out to touch his hand, before quickly snatching it back. “I wish you would change your mind about us.”
“It’s never gonna happen, Teen, and you know that.” Fletch shook his head and gestured around him. “There’s no future for us.” He gave a smile to take the edge off of his words. “How can there be? I’m stuck in here, and you’re out there in the real world.”
“I know,” Tina whispered back. It was exactly how she had expected him to answer, but still, she’d needed to ask. It was almost a compulsion inside of her. She stood up slowly and put a false smile on her face. “Well, take care of yourself, Fletch. I’ll see you next month.”
Fletch nodded his head and watched her walk out of the visiting room. All Tina had ever wanted was the big house, the flashy car, pots of money, and above all else, to know where he was, day and night. And now, all thanks to him and his actions, to a certain degree, she’d finally got her wish.
As he watched her go, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It may have come at a price, but in the end, at least one of them had finally got what they’d always wanted.
The End.
About the Author
Kerry Kaya is a British gangland crime author, born and raised in East London.
She is an avid reader and has a passion for books. From an early age, she began writing stories. In her later years, those stories went on to become full-length novels and novellas.
Kerry lives with her partner, Jimmy, and teenage daughter, in Essex.
You can connect with me on:
https://twitter.com/KerryKayaWriter
https://www.facebook.com/KerryKayaAuthor
Also by Kerry Kaya
Barking Boy
Against his parent’s wishes, nineteen-year-old Tommy Carter throws away a promising career as a professional boxer to work for local villain Davey Abbott. Slowly he climbs the ranks and is promoted from collecting debts to working the protection rackets and strip clubs. When Davey’s old adversary Dean Johnson comes on to the scene hell bent on revenge, Tommy must take action and do everything he can to survive. When his boss is murdered in the crossfire, Tommy is stunned to learn that Davey has left his business interests to him. Recruiting his younger brothers to work for him, the Carters become a family that are both respected and feared. But its bank robberies that Tommy really excels at, and staying one step ahead of the police, Tommy plans out the robbery of all robberies when he plans to steal from the Top Dog of the East End, Freddie Smith. After months of planning will it become one robbery too many when as a consequence everyone Tommy loves is at risk from the backlash of Freddie Smith and his henchmen.
Top Dog
Once you’re in, you’re in. There is only one way out.
Danny McKay wants out, his boss Freddie Smith on the other hand has different ideas.
At all costs, Freddie the Top Dog of the East End must protect his reign and if that means disposing of his much younger, stronger, number two, then so be it.
Along the way they discover a secret, a secret so horrifying that it could bring the underworld crashing to its knees.
The question is who will survive and who will be crowned the Top Dog.
Scorned
Spiteful, twisted, and out for revenge, Bethany Johnson is the ultimate woman scorned. After spending the past twenty years abroad she is about to set foot on British soil once more. Hell bent on revenge she is determined to make Tommy Carter pay for rejecting her.
Tommy Carter has got his own problems, a wayward son, a brother who is out of control, and to top it all off in order to save the life of his youngest brother he has been roped in to committing the brutal murders of four men.
Their worlds could not be further apart and it is only a matter of time before they collide together bringing devastating results for everyone around them.