Feeling Laura appear by his side, Nick looked at her.
‘You okay?’ Laura asked.
‘I am now,’ Nick said, looking over at the young police officer who was reading the man his rights beside a police van that had just arrived.
‘God, I’m glad they arrived when they did,’ Laura said.
‘I thought he was going to kill me,’ Nick said. ‘I’ve no idea how they got him to put the bottle down.’
After five minutes, the young officer came over, took their details and listened to their explanation of what had happened. He told them they might need to give official witness statements if charges were brought against the man.
Laura looked up at the pub and then at Nick. ‘Do you want to go back inside?’
Nick shook his head. ‘No.’
‘Come on then. We’ve got twenty minutes of the century left,’ Laura said, grabbing his hand.
Walking away from the noise and chaos, Nick put his arm around Laura. It was getting cold.
Nick looked left and saw the towering spire of St Mark’s Catholic Church. It was lit all around with an orange hue. A police car drove past, slowed for a moment and then continued.
Nick gestured to the police car. ‘When I grow up, I think I’d like to do that.’
Laura stopped and looked at him. ‘Be a police officer?’
Nick was afraid that she was going to mock him for a moment.
‘Yeah. Why not,’ Nick said. ‘Just a thought.’
‘You’d be a brilliant police officer. Seriously,’ Laura said.
Nick felt a warm glow inside. He wasn’t used to getting compliments. ‘Really?’
‘Yeah. It’s a tough job but rewarding ... Plus you get a handy pair of handcuffs,’ Laura smirked.
Nick raised his eyebrow. ‘Kinky.’
They smiled and kissed for a moment.
‘When you go to Liverpool,’ Nick said, feeling very awkward even though he was drunk. ‘Is that it ... for us, I mean?’
For a moment, Laura didn’t say anything and Nick’s stomach tensed.
‘Do you want that to be it?’ Laura asked.
Nick shook his head. ‘No. No I don’t.’
Laura smiled. ‘I’m glad you said that.’
They kissed again, longer and more passionately.
The church bells started to ring out, signalling midnight and the beginning of a new millennium.
Laura stopped and looked directly at him. Her face was bathed in the orange hue of the church lights. ‘I love you, Nick. You know that?’
‘I love you too,’ Nick said as he felt his insides turn with emotion.
CHAPTER 2
The Sugar Cane Club, Liverpool
October 2000
Curtis crossed the wet road in the centre of Liverpool, jogging to avoid the traffic. Black cabs and a double decker bus trundled past, their tyres hissing in the surface water. Wearing a designer shirt and black Armani trousers, Curtis knew he was looking good. Looking good, feeling good. He checked the two grand TAG Heuer Chronograph watch that Shaun had bought him for his birthday. It was nearly eleven o’clock. He had arranged to meet Shaun inside The Sugar Cane Club. They were going to have a boss night.
As he approached, Curtis looked at the long queue of mugs trying to get inside. He’d had a cheeky line in the car and was feeling on top of the world as he swaggered towards the entrance. He sniffed and wiped his nose as he noticed that the back of his throat was now numb. The dopamine was kicking in. Fucking lovely.
Two enormous bouncers spotted him, unclipped the red rope and ushered him in.
‘Evening chaps,’ Curtis said.
They were on the payroll. Curtis gave them a wink as he passed inside.
A nineteen year old kid from Croxteth and I’m now the Prince of Liverpool! This is the fucking life, eh? he thought to himself as he strolled straight past the till and cloakroom. The banging House music was getting louder as he approached the main room. ‘Pasilada’ by Afro Medusa was playing, the bass thudding hard under his feet.
Coming into the bar, Curtis smelt the mix of alcohol, perfume and aftershave. It was only about half full. It would be bouncing by two am. He had a surge of excitement as he thought about the night ahead. Another bouncer and the barman nodded their acknowledgement as Curtis scanned the club for his brother.
‘Oi, Curtis, you divvy. Here!’ a voice said. Shaun was grinning at him from the roped off VIP area. He gestured to the table where he was standing.
Curtis grinned. It had been a month since Shaun had done a deal with Shayne Carr, the owner of the club, to use it to launder their drug money. He fucking loved his brother. The Curtis brothers were on the up.
We’re like the Krays of Liverpool, Curtis thought as he went and hugged Shaun.
Shaun grinned at him. His eyes were like saucers.
‘Christ kid, you hammering the charlie already?’ Curtis said, giving his brother a slap on the cheek.
‘We’ve got a lot to celebrate, la.’ Shaun gestured to a barman. ‘Eh, tell that clown to hurry up with my Cristal, would you?’
‘I’m gonna get a beer,’ Curtis said as he headed for the bar. He couldn’t stand the taste of champagne.
As he arrived, the barman looked up and then visibly recognised him. ‘Everything all right?’
‘My brother says that if he doesn’t get his Cristal in the next minute, he’s gonna have a word with you,’ Curtis said, watching the colour drain from the barman’s face. ‘Just joking, mate. And can you get me a very cold bottle of San Miguel?’
Spotting an extremely attractive girl a few feet down the bar, Curtis gestured to her. ‘And put whatever she’s having on our bill too.’
Now she is fit, Curtis thought, watching the girl look over as the barman told her that the drinks were being paid for. She smiled at him and raised her glass. She had wavy brunette hair and big brown eyes.
Curtis approached and gave her his best cheeky grin. ‘Hope you don’t think I’m being rude?’
‘If you want to pay for my drinks, I’m not gonna stop you,’ the girl said turning to go. She was probably the same age as Curtis.
‘Where are you going?’ Curtis asked.
‘Back to my friends,’ the girl said with a flirty smile. Curtis looked at her dark eyes, cheekbones and lips.
Okay, she is seriously fit! I’m in fucking love.
‘Oh, you can’t go. Not yet,’ Curtis said, smiling and putting his hands together as if in prayer.
‘Why not?’ the girl asked, raising an eyebrow.
‘I told my brother that you were the most attractive girl in this club. Then he bet me a hundred pounds that if I came to talk to you, you would walk away. So, I need you to stay here for at least a minute.’
‘Okay. And then we can split it and you can give me fifty quid,’ the girl said with a broad grin.
Curtis laughed. ‘Okay. You’re on. Curtis by the way.’
‘I’m Laura,’ she said as she sipped her drink.
‘Okay Laura. I’ll make you another bet. You’re a student,’ Curtis said.
‘Is it that obvious?’ Laura asked.
‘Smart, incredibly attractive, funny Welsh accent. You can’t be from around here,’ Curtis explained.
‘Llancastell actually,’ Laura said.
‘Oh well, never mind,’ Curtis joked. As far as he knew, Llancastell was a boring, slightly grotty town in North Wales.
‘Hey!’ Laura said in mock defence as she grouped the glasses together ready to take back to her friends. ‘Thanks for the drinks, Curtis. You can give me that money later.’
Curtis watched Laura as she went. He was fascinated. He had never met a girl with that kind of confidence or sharp wit.
FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS, Curtis and Shaun entertained friends in the VIP area with champagne and coke. However, Curtis couldn’t help but keep an eye out for Laura. She and her friends were dancing on the far side of the club, close to the DJ booth. When the DJ put on ‘Bad Habit’ by ATFC,
Curtis decided to make his move and weaved his way onto the dancefloor. Making eye contact with Laura, he feigned mock surprise as he moved over to dance with her.
The music was pounding and as they started to talk, Curtis moved close to her ear to make himself heard. He could smell her perfume and her hair. As she leaned in to respond, he could feel her breath on his neck.
I need to spend the night with this girl, he thought.
As they danced, they locked eyes for a moment before smiling and laughing at each other. Curtis took her by the hand and led her across the dance floor to the VIP area where he introduced her to Shaun and the others. Moving back into the booth, Shaun poured her a glass of Cristal and then took out a wrap of coke. He started to tap the powder out on the glass surface of the table and then cut it into lines with his credit card.
‘Do you want some?’ Curtis asked.
Laura hesitated, ‘I don’t know.’
‘You’ve never done coke before, have you?’ Curtis could see it in her face.
Laura shook her head and blinked, ‘No...’
Something about her innocence and the fact that he was supplying her first line of coke gave Curtis a massive kick.
‘Don’t worry. It’s just like doing a tequila shot ... Just better,’ Curtis explained as he rolled a twenty-pound note into a tube and snorted a line.
Laura took the note, snorted a line and then pulled a face at him.
‘All right?’ Curtis asked.
‘Yeah. I think so,’ Laura said rubbing her nose and then taking a glug of her champagne. He could see as she took a deep breath – the coke was kicking in. His eyes flitted down over her body – breasts, hips and legs.
A bouncer came over, smiled at Curtis and shook his hand before walking away. Curtis saw that Laura looked terrified as her eyes widened.
‘It’s all right. He’s not going to do anything,’ Curtis said laughing.
‘Why not?’ Laura asked.
‘It’s my club,’ Curtis said. He knew he was trying to impress her but fuck it.
A moment later, Curtis noticed that Laura’s friends were gesturing to her. They were going home.
‘I’ve got to go now,’ Laura said.
‘Can I have your number?’ Curtis asked, confident that the answer was going to be positive.
Laura looked at him. ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea.’
‘Why not? You think I’m some dodgy scally and you’re a posh girl at Uni?’ Curtis asked with a grin. ‘You’re too good for me?’
He was trying to manipulate her by implying she was a snob. Laura gave him a playful slap on the arm as she got up. ‘No, that’s not it. I’ve got a boyfriend back home. And I’ve got a lot of work to do for my degree.’
‘Okay, but you don’t know what you’re missing,’ Curtis said with shrug.
‘That’s the problem, I think I do,’ Laura said.
Curtis tried to play it cool but he was gutted. He had already got her back to his dockside apartment in his head.
‘Shame,’ he said and then gestured to the VIP area. ‘Well, you know where to find me.’
Laura lent in, gave him a kiss on the cheek and disappeared across the dance floor with her friends.
Curtis watched her go again.
Bollocks. I really thought I was in there.
He wasn’t used to being turned down. But that made Laura even more attractive.
Waiting another fifteen minutes, Curtis decided to call it a day. The coke was wearing off and he was feeling flat and tired.
Getting into his black Cherokee Jeep, Curtis noticed that it was starting to rain. He felt the cold tap of raindrops on his back and shoulders as he closed the car door behind him. He turned on the ignition and started the windscreen wipers.
Curtis looked at himself for a moment in the rear view mirror. He took pride in the reflection that looked back at him. He had come a long way and he was still young.
A minute later, Curtis was driving back past The Sugar Cane Club. The rain was heavy now. The line of people waiting to get in was enormous. They were getting soaked. He didn’t care. The more punters, the more money the club was turning over. And therefore, the more drug money he and Shaun could launder.
Slowing down at a red traffic light, Curtis glanced across at people waiting for a night bus. A group of girls were eating chips and laughing. One of them turned – it was Laura.
Turning the steering wheel, Curtis spun the car in a hard U-turn and pulled up beside the bus stop. He buzzed down the window. For a moment, Laura didn’t register him. Then she saw him and laughed.
‘Oh, hi,’ Laura said giggling.
‘Want a lift?’ Curtis asked. ‘Where are you and your friends going?’
‘They’re getting a different bus to me, towards Penny Lane,’ Laura explained as she walked over and peered into the passenger window that was wound down.
‘You’re getting wet. Get in, come on, I’ll give you a lift home,’ Curtis said smiling at her.
Laura hesitated and looked back at her friends. They gestured for her to get in.
‘It’s all right. I’ll get the bus. Thanks though,’ Laura said, wiping a wet strand of hair from her face.
‘I know. Getting in a car with some cocky scally. Exactly what your mum and dad told you not to do when you got to Liverpool,’ Curtis said with a shrug. ‘Don’t worry. I get it. I’ll see you around.’
They locked eyes for a moment as Curtis revved the engine.
‘Wait ...’ Laura said as she looked back at her friends, waved, opened the passenger door and got in.
‘Where we going, miss?’ Curtis asked.
‘I don’t know. I could do with another drink though,’ Laura said.
‘I know just the place,’ Curtis said.
At that moment, he saw Laura’s mobile phone light up – caller ID Nick.
‘Not going to answer that?’ Curtis asked.
‘No,’ Laura said shaking her head as she declined the call.
‘Who’s Nick?’ Curtis asked. He has to be her boyfriend, doesn’t he?
‘He’s no one. It doesn’t matter,’ Laura said.
LLANCASTELL
December 2000
It was the week before Christmas and Nick was panic buying presents for all his relatives. He had managed to find a scarf for Auntie Pat but for the others he was lost. Maybe a voucher for his cousins. Or was that a bit lame?
As Nick came out of the department store, he looked up into the dark sky on Llancastell High Street. Christmas Carols were playing somewhere nearby and it was beginning to snow. A snowflake landed on his eyelash and he blinked it away. He loved the coloured lights that were strewn high above and stretched away around the corner. It reminded him of when he used to come shopping with his mum. They always ended their Christmas shopping trips in the fourth-floor café of the department store where she would treat him to a hot chocolate. He remembered one year they had got a cab home rather than the bus. Usually they couldn’t afford it, but she said she had won ten quid on the lottery.
Crossing the road, Nick looked up at the old clock tower. He had a couple of hours before he was meeting members of Dinas Padog Rugby Club in The Cross Foxes pub. It was their Christmas night out and would be a messy affair. Last year, Nick had no recollection of anything from nine o’clock onwards.
A figure in a knitted hat and long coat came out of a shoe shop holding bags further up street. Catching the profile of her face, he could see it was Laura. She had dumped him by text about ten weeks ago with little explanation. He had tried to call and even suggested they meet to talk, but Laura had effectively gone off the radar.
Jogging a little to catch her up, Nick wondered if she would even speak to him. They hadn’t fallen out or anything. If he was honest, Nick had been heart-broken and talking to her might not be the most sensible thing to do.
‘Laura?’ Nick called out as he got closer.
She spun around instinctively and looked at him. He hardly recognised h
er. She had lost a lot of weight and her face was gaunt. It didn’t suit her. She had a stud in her nose.
‘Hi Nick,’ Laura said, looking a little awkward but also slightly annoyed.
‘I though it was you. I recognised the hat, like,’ Nick said, aware that he was being strangely cheery, as if they were just old friends bumping into one another.
‘How have you been?’ Laura said, but she seemed distant and distracted.
Well you dumped me by text with no explanation. It broke my heart and made me cry in my bedroom. You didn’t return texts or voicemail messages after that. So, I’m pretty shit, actually.
‘Yeah. Okay. You back at your parents for Christmas?’ Nick asked.
‘Yes. Just for a day or two,’ Laura explained as she looked over her shoulder. It was as if she was waiting for someone.
‘Your Mum said you’ve dropped out of University?’ Nick said. It had been a surprise as Laura had been excited about the course she was doing.
‘I’m gonna defer for a year. I’m doing a few things in Liverpool, so I thought I’d have a year out,’ Laura said.
Something about the way she looked and sounded was completely different. It was as if she was pretending to be someone else. Nick felt like he was talking to a stranger and it made him sad to see her like that.
‘I heard you’re working in a club?’ Nick asked.
‘Yeah,’ Laura said, looking over her shoulder again.
‘What club’s that then?’ Nick said.
‘You wouldn’t know it. The Sugar Cane Club. Not really your kind of scene,’ Laura said.
Nick didn’t know the club but her comment sounded patronising.
What’s happened to you? Nick thought for a second.
‘I hear you’re joining the police next year?’ Laura said. She looked restless as though she couldn’t wait to get away.
‘Yeah. Need to pass the tests, but fingers crossed,’ Nick said, but Laura wasn’t really listening.
‘I’m pleased for you. It’s what you wanted to do, isn’t it? And you can stay in Llancastell, can’t you?’ Laura said.
At that moment, a black Cherokee Jeep with tinted windows drew up on the other side of the road.
The Curtis Blake Killings Page 3