Sam soon realised, however, that this was not a realistic objective. It became clear that he would need several months of recuperation to get back to anything close to his former state of fitness and longer still if he intended to surpass it - which he felt would be necessary if he was to effectively carry out his planned retribution.
Presently, he was almost skeletal in appearance and as weak as a kitten, but if he was going to pick a fight with a skinhead then he would need to be in peak physical condition.
There were other issues, too, which needed to be addressed before he began his quest for vengeance, namely those concerning his father’s business affairs.
Vasily had relieved much of the burden with regards to his parents’ estate; dealing with their lawyers on his behalf so that matters related to their combined fortune were settled as efficiently as possible.
However, as the sole heir, Sam was now the rather reluctant head of a huge conglomerate and the members of the board required placating. Indeed, since his parents’ untimely death, shares had plummeted and Sam needed to steady the ship fast or see everything that his father had worked for slowly decay into nothing.
In the space of a little over three months, Sam’s life had altered dramatically which, in turn, had led to his decision to leave university.
However, the thought of telling Vas and Miri this had vexed him more than he cared to admit.
But now Miri had asked the question and he had to give his answer.
“Sam?” Miriam queried, having received no response, her eyes now searching his, sensing the reticence. “You are coming back - aren’t you?”
“Coming back where?” Said Vasily as he burst into the room carrying two McDonalds bags containing a variety of burgers, fries and nuggets - mostly for him but there was something for Sam and Miri too.
“To university,” Miri said softly, somehow already knowing the answer.
“Course he is,” said Vas boldly before looking to Sam and seeing the pained expression on his face. “You are, aren’t you?”
Sam stared at the pair of them. His two best friends; their loyalty and commitment to him proven beyond any doubt. Without them he would be nothing. Indeed, after losing so much, they were all that remained of the good life he’d had before.
But now, at least for the time being, he was going to leave them behind, too.
“No, Vas,” he said at last. “I’m not coming back.”
“What? But why?” His friend replied, the shock written on his face.
“Because I can’t.”
“But I don’t understand,” said Vas.
Yet Miriam did. Whether it was sixth sense or just women’s intuition she suddenly saw it all clearly and was completely appalled. “Because you’re going to go after those men aren’t you?” She snapped angrily, her tone more accusatory than intended.
“What?” Asked Vas again. “After who—?“
“Those men who murdered Claudette,” Miri said bitterly, tears welling in her pretty green eyes. “He’s going to hunt them down and try to avenge her - probably even get himself killed in the process - aren’t you Sam?”
She was breathing heavily now, obviously distressed, as she stared imploringly at him. Vas, too, was staring, realising that Miri was speaking the truth.
“Is that it, Sam?” He asked, his disappointment undisguised. “Is that what you’re going to do?”
Sam stared back, his eyes saying more than any words could, but he spoke anyway. “Yes,” he said softly. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Oh mon dieu - vous êtes stupide!” Miriam huffed, throwing her hands up in despair as she vented her exasperation.
“I don’t believe it,” Vas said. “You’re really going to give everything up to go on some wild goose chase?”
Sam’s voice was now firm and his resolve steady. “It is not some wild goose chase. If you saw what those bastards did - if you saw what I saw, what I had to endure - then you would understand.”
“But I do understand,” Vas said. “Both of us do. It must’ve been hell - absolutely horrendous - but that’s what the police are for. They’ll get—“
“The police know nothing.” Sam snapped. “They’ve got no leads. No witnesses. Nothing at all. Their case is all but dead.”
“But what can you do?” Implored Miri. “Look at you - you’re half dead now - they nearly killed you the first time so God knows what they’ll do if you find them again.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Sam spat. “But I can get stronger, make myself tough - do whatever it takes - and if they kill me then so be it but by God, I will take some of them with me.”
Miriam looked at him with alarm, the tears spilling down her cheeks. This was not Sam. This was not the man she knew and to hear him speaking that way distressed her more than words could say. How could he not care if he lived or died - did he not think of how that might effect her - or Vas, or anyone else that knew him?
“But if the police have got no leads then how on earth can you—“ Vas began.
“Because I know more than the police!” Sam blurted, revealing the truth of things for the first time. “Not much, I admit. But enough. I’ve also got time and money - unlimited amounts of both - two things that the police do not and will not have - and I intend to put them to good use.”
“But surely if you told the police all that you know—“ said Miri, weeping.
“Then it might help a little, yes,” Sam interjected. “But would it bring justice? Would it bring down on those bastards everything they deserve? No, it would not.”
The room was silent for a moment as Miri and Vas digested all that Sam had said.
As tempers slowly cooled, Sam spoke again, his voice little more than a whisper. “Before I do anything, I need to go back to New York to address The Board. Shares in The Company are in free fall and The Directors are getting antsy. Somehow I need to reassure them and try to get things back on track.”
Both Vas and Miri looked at him with sympathy, knowing after all that had happened, this was the last thing he needed.
“Truth is,” Sam continued, “I might even be facing a vote of no confidence and then everything my old man fought for will be gone for good - our family’s association with The Company well and truly over. And that will be on me.”
“But it’s not your fault,” Miri said. “No one can blame you—“
“Doesn’t matter. Whether I like it or not, I’m in charge now and the buck stops with me - either that or I’ll be voted out and whatever I try to do will be irrelevant.”
“Is there no one you can turn to on The Board for support?” Vas asked.
“My father’s oldest friend, Marcus Ellison. I’m sure I can rely on him and he’s been with The Company almost as long as my dad.”
“So what is it that you want?” Vas enquired.
Sam looked at him, “Ideally to install Marcus as Chief Executive in my stead. He’ll guide The Company in the right direction, be a steadying hand and restore faith in The Shareholders and The Board. He’s trustworthy and he’ll do the right thing until I’m in a better position to take over the reins myself - hopefully at some point in the future.
“Okay,” said Vas, intrigued. “Then what?”
“Then I have to go somewhere to recuperate, regain my strength and get fit again - maybe the house in The Hamptons, it’s peaceful there. Quiet. Just what I need.”
“And when you’re fit?” Vas asked. “What then?”
“Then I will return to Cambridge and find the men who murdered my fiancé,” Sam replied, his voice cold and determined. “And give them the justice they so badly deserve.”
Vas rubbed his chin, considering all this. He was short, slightly overweight with dark wavy hair and a high forehead. Unshaven and dressed in an ill-fitting shirt and baggy jeans he did not look like
much. But he was smart with a shrewd legal mind and cleverer than all his classmates put together.
“Fair enough,” he said eventually. “Want some help then?”
“What? Do you mean it?” Asked Sam, slightly taken aback.
“Of course. Claudette was my friend too you know. I want justice for her just as much as you do and I’m sure my father has contacts who might be able to help. His network is vast.”
“Christ, Vas, your father - that’s brilliant!” Said Sam. “I never even thought of him - do you think he would help us?”
“Hey,” Vas winked. “I’m his son aren’t I? And the first thing those men should have learned is never fuck with the son of an underworld kingpin.”
“Mon dieu,” Miriam exclaimed impatiently, raising her eyes skywards, “I can’t believe the pair of you. You’ve both gone mad!”
But Vas was on a roll. “Let me come with you to New York. I need to finalise things with your father’s lawyers about his estate anyway so I may as well do it in person. I might also be useful with The Board - they’ll be certain legalities involved which I can give you a hand with. At the very least I can help you convince your father’s friend. What do you say?”
For a moment Sam was speechless. “Sure,” he said at last. “That’d be great - fantastic - but what about your studies, won’t it interfere?”
Vasily pulled a face. “I’m ahead with those anyway - a week or two’s compassionate leave won’t hurt a thing - besides, the course is boring me senseless!”
“Sacré bleu! What - are you crazy?” Miri cried. “Don’t encourage him - can’t you see that what he’s intending is dangerous - that he could be killed?”
Vas turned to her, “Of course I do, Miri. But I think he’s right, too. Claudette does deserve justice - proper justice - and if left to the police her killers are just going to escape scot free. Either that or face some puny prison sentence. At least with Sam’s way they might just get the punishment they deserve.”
“But he could be killed!” Miriam insisted again. “Don’t you get it?”
“Yes, I get it. But maybe with my help - or, more accurately, with my father’s help - we can somehow reduce the odds a little. Surely it’s got to be worth a try - don’t you see? For Claudette - our lovely, beautiful friend who went out one day and never came back!”
Miriam glared at him, fuming. To use Claudette as an argument against her was a low blow. How dare he?
She looked from Vas to Sam, sitting in the chair, every rib visible, his arms and legs no thicker than her own, his whole body having shrunken to half its former weight.
He looked almost pathetic, like a bedraggled puppy as he stared back at her through determined eyes and her heart went out to him.
“But you’re not some tough guy, Sam,” she said, her voice now much softer. “You’re a nice, normal guy. Hell, at the moment you can barely stand up let alone—”
“But I’ll train Miri,” he broke in. “I can build up my strength, learn how to fight, learn how to defend myself - if Vasily’s father can help then I might not even need to. But those bastards have got to pay - surely you must agree. Don’t you?”
“Merde!” Miriam huffed with indignation. It was so unfair. Yet she could not deny that a prison sentence seemed so ineffectual - if, indeed, Claudette’s murderers even got that. From what Sam had said the police had nothing more to go on and even if he told them all that he knew it would not necessarily lead to prosecution, never mind justice.
Vasily’s father was immensely powerful, Miriam knew that. She was also aware that he had wide reaching connections and with his help maybe there was a way to bring justice upon the six individuals without Sam getting hurt anymore. Indeed, with the resources available to Sam now he certainly had the wherewithal to get the job done properly - he could probably even hire someone to do it for him.
What is more, in time, when things were less raw, she could maybe persuade Sam to go down that route. After all, justice would still be served yet Sam would be safe from any further harm.
The more she thought about that possibility, the more she felt sure she could convince him.
Indeed, she was not yet a qualified doctor but even someone without any medical training whatsoever could tell that Sam was in no condition to exact vengeance of any kind just yet.
Furthermore, it would be some time before he would be and in the intervening period, Miriam hoped she could get both Sam and Vasily to see things her way.
“Well, Miri?” Sam asked again having received no reply. “Do you agree or not?”
Miriam studied the pair of them with gritted teeth and fists clenched in exasperation. But the battle was over. “Yes,” she said at last, her shoulders sagging in defeat. “I do agree, damn you. But it doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Sam nodded. “Understood,” he said, admiring her strength and loyalty and respecting her all the more for it.
“Good,” Vasily declared brightly. “Then that’s settled.”
***
Ten days later, the three of them were standing at the entrance to Departures at Heathrow. Sam and Vasily had checked their suitcases through and now only held one small flight bag each. Miriam, meanwhile, had merely accompanied them to the airport and would be returning to Cambridge, in the car they had rented, after her two friends went through.
Sam was now looking much better. Although still skinny, he was eating well and the weight was slowly creeping back on. His complexion, too, was also looking much healthier; the sallow, sickly pallor, replaced by the wholesome natural tan he had been born with.
From his first, tentative steps out of bed, it had taken him only two more days of dogged determination to walk by himself with the aid of a stick.
After a week, the stick had been dispensed with, too, and his physical movement was slowly returning to normal, although his muscles were still extremely weak and anything too energetic was strictly out of the question.
Nonetheless, his recovery was coming along nicely and his doctors had seen fit to discharge him from hospital on the proviso that he took things easily for the next few weeks, which he had agreed to do.
Detectives Grainy and Coyle had spoken to Sam a couple more times prior to him being discharged but each time they had nothing more to offer. Indeed, on their final visit, Grainy had all but admitted that the case was dead, saying that Sam should not expect anymore progress unless a significant breakthrough was made - which frankly, he said, was highly unlikely.
Sam shook their hands and thanked them for their efforts, feeling a pang of guilt, once more, for not being completely honest with them. In return, they were satisfied that he could not help them further and gave him their blessing to fly back to The States to begin his convalescence.
Sam also felt a stab of guilt whenever he was with Miriam. He knew that she hoped to dissuade him from his intended course of action - that, given time, she might convince him to hire someone more suited to the grizzly task he had set himself - and he had let her believe that it might be possible.
Indeed, with the means at his disposal, he could hire someone - a whole army of people if necessary - to exact his retribution. But the fact was, that he wanted to do it himself. He wanted to feel the snap of bones, enjoy the squelch of bleeding flesh and hear the delicious cries of pain that his vengeance would surely bring.
Only then would his need for revenge be properly satiated.
When each and every one of the six men lay dead at his feet, slain by his own hands, Sam would finally be done.
And no third party was going to rob him of that satisfaction.
But he had not shared this with Miriam. Nor Vas either. And that suited him well enough for now. In the weeks and months to come, he would try to make that clear to them, although Miriam, he suspected, would be much harder to convince.
Nonetheless, in his time away, he
would speak to her regularly via telephone and perhaps his case would be easier to make without having to see the disapproving look in her eyes for the unlawful campaign he felt compelled to undertake.
For now, however, it was time to go home and when the boarding gate number appeared on the screen overhead, the three of them set about saying their goodbyes.
Vasily would be returning to England in a couple of weeks to rejoin Miriam, but Sam had no clear idea of how long it would be before he saw the pair of them again after that.
However, he had one firm lead so far in the form of the skinhead with the harelip who was local to the Cambridge area, so Sam hoped his convalescence would be speedy and his return to the U.K. swift, otherwise the man might slip through his fingers and take with him any possibility of finding the others.
Firstly though, he had to concentrate on getting back to full fitness and, after Vas said farewell to Miri, it was Sam’s turn.
Tears were welling in her eyes as she hugged him tightly and kissed him on both cheeks. “Take care of yourself,” She said. “I’ll be calling regularly to make sure that you are - and remember it’ll take time to get fully fit - so please, do nothing before that. Promise me?”
“I promise,” Sam said. “Scout’s honour.”
“Très bien. Pleased to hear it.” She said. “And if there’s anything - anything - I can do, please just let me know.”
“I will,” said Sam sincerely, “but there’s only one thing from you that I truly want, Miri.”
She looked puzzled, “Oui, of course, anything,” she said. “What can I do?”
Sam looked deeply into her big green eyes, his expression earnest and meaningful. “No matter what happens. No matter what the future holds - be my friend. If nothing else, please be that.”
Miri hugged him again as her tears flowed once more. In the last few months she had cried more than in her whole life previously. Yet, she was not naturally a cryer at all and was, in fact, a very brave young woman but she was still mourning the loss of one of her best friends and with Sam now hell bent on revenge, she was terrified of losing another.
Perfect Day Page 8