Chapter 82
Olly walked briskly across to his car, conscious that he had a cardboard box overflowing with bundles of cash. His heartbeat was starting to return to a more normal pace. So far, so good.
‘Hey, buddy!’ Diego shouted across to him. ‘Get what you came for?’
‘Yes! Thank you!’ he called back. Olly could only hope that they now didn’t decide to mug him for his thirty grand. But Diego seemed like a solid bloke.
Sure enough, both he and Andrés simply waved to him and appeared to be staying where they were. If he’d had a hand free, Olly would have waved back.
‘Look after that little girl of yours,’ Diego called.
‘I will do!’
Opening the boot, Olly tossed the baseball bat inside. He sighed with relief, glad that he hadn’t had to use that. When all was said and done, he wasn’t one for violence. Lola Cody might not feel quite the same, but he was pleased that this had been handled swiftly and smoothly. It had, in the grand scheme of things, been quite a painless operation. Like taking candy from a baby. He had got what he’d come for. Olly allowed himself a smile. Wait until he told Nell. She’d be beside herself with joy. He took one last look at the money he’d just recovered, their money, then he started to lower in the box.
As he did, the door of the Home Mall offices burst open and Benito and Lola Cody launched themselves out of it. They barrelled over to where he was and both pounced on him. The cardboard box fell on the ground and the bundles of money spilled out into the dust.
Benito Cody grabbed his arms, while Lola Cody pulled his hair and clawed at his face with her manicured nails. It was like wrestling with two vast marshmallow mountains. Within minutes, they’d pulled him to the ground and Lola Cody sat on him. His breath was squashed out of him instantly.
While she had Olly pinned to the floor, her husband scrabbled on the ground to retrieve the money. This was all going horribly wrong and he could see Nell’s money slipping away from him.
‘Help,’ Olly gasped out. ‘Help me.’ He didn’t want to die in a dirty Miami alley being squashed by an extraordinarily fat woman. That wasn’t how it was supposed to end.
Then he heard the pounding of feet heading his way and Diego and Andrés appeared at the back of the car. They both grabbed Lola Cody and hauled her to her feet. Olly breathed again, gasping at the hot air. She was shrieking like a banshee and struggling against the grip of the strong mechanics.
As his lungs were working again, Olly jumped to his feet and went to tackle the husband. Benito barged into him with his huge bulk and sent Olly flying. He was tempted to grab the baseball bat again from the car boot but, that way, danger lay.
Benito Cody waddled away, picking up surprising speed and dodged back into the Home Mall offices.
‘Get the money and get in the car,’ Diego shouted. ‘We’ll hang onto her.’
Olly didn’t have to be told twice. ‘Thanks,’ he said, still panting. His chest hurt where Lola Cody had crushed his ribs.
‘Thanks so much.’
He scooped the money up and dropped it back into the cardboard box and then into the boot of the car. Splitting one of the bundles, he gave Diego a wedge of money for them both. It could have been as much as five hundred dollars but, frankly, it was worth it for their help in getting out of this pickle. Who knew that these two fat felons would decide to bite back!
‘Have a drink on me,’ Olly said. ‘I appreciate your help.’
‘No need, man,’ Diego replied. ‘But thanks.’ Lola Cody, still restrained, spat at him.
‘Nice,’ Olly said. She spat again.
‘That safe in there is stuffed full of money, guys. Fill your boots!’ Then, hurriedly, he slipped into the car.
‘Give my love to the Queen,’ Andrés said.
Olly turned the car in the alley and then started to pull away. In the rear-view mirror he could see the two guys still holding Lola Cody firmly and she seemed to be spouting venomous abuse in his direction. Well, she could shout all she liked; he now had the money safely in the boot of his car.
Then he saw that Benito Cody had reappeared from somewhere. The man was staggering towards the car, a deranged look in his eye. His arms were up, pointing forwards and, to his horror, Olly saw that Benito had a gun clasped in his hands.
Instinctively, he ducked as the shot hit the back window of the rental car and shattered it into oblivion. He felt the bullet whistle past his ear. He touched his face. There was blood on it. In shock, he slowed down.
‘Go, go, go,’ Diego shouted at Olly through the car window. ‘Don’t stop! Go! Get out of here.’
Another shot rang out and Olly flinched, but it didn’t seem to connect with anything.
Andrés let go of Lola Cody and Olly saw a monkey wrench travel through the air and knock the gun spinning from the hand of her husband. It skittered across the ground and Benito lunged for it. But Andrés was way too fast for him and kicked it out of harm’s reach. The mechanic was on top of Benito before Olly hit the end of the alley.
His mind whirled. Should he stop, help them? But then he wasn’t really sure he wanted to know what happened next. Christ, he was out of his depth here in this mean neighbourhood. It had turned violent so quickly. He’d had no idea that Benito Cody might produce a gun. His hands were shaking as he gripped the wheel, his knuckles white.
‘Go!’ Diego shouted again. ‘We’ll take care of it.’
So that’s what Olly did. He floored the accelerator of his rental car and went.
Chapter 83
I’ve heard nothing more from Olly since his one text message. I’ve tried his phone over and over again, texted him and have even thrown words out into the universe. As yet, I’ve heard nothing back.
Petal is at nursery. Jen, who continues to be an unfaltering support, took her there this morning. The idea was that I would have some peace and quiet in which to work. All I’ve done is drink coffee and stare at my screen in a trance. I can think of nothing but Olly and where he might be now. Until he comes back I am in complete limbo.
Mid-morning and the doorbell on the shop door chimes. Tod shakes the raindrops from his hair as he comes in.
‘Is it raining?’ I say in the way that we British do.
‘Summer shower,’ he says. ‘It felt quite nice.’
I wonder if it’s raining where Olly is. ‘Come up to the flat and I’ll make some coffee.’
‘I don’t want to disturb you.’
I sigh. ‘Believe me, Tod, I’m not doing anything but staring into space.’
‘Hard, eh?’
Like I couldn’t have begun to imagine. Where did my previous life go when I had a happy boyfriend, a job that involved dolling out chips and smiling, and no worries? Tod probably doesn’t even know that Olly has gone AWOL.
‘Not working on any new designs?’
I don’t like to tell him that I think my creativity has gone the same way as my money – down the pan.
‘Let’s take a ten-minute tea break.’ Turning the closed sign on the door, I lead the way upstairs to the flat. My footsteps sound leaden. Tod wanders around the living room as I bang about with the kettle and cups. I even find the teapot.
Thanks to Jen, we have an exciting supply of biscuits, and milk, and coffee, and sugar, and even nutritious vegetables in the fridge. What would I have done without her? Petal and I could well have starved.
Putting some of the chocolate chip cookies my friend bought on a plate, I take a tray over to Tod. I sit on the sofa and he flops down next to me.
‘I’ve texted and texted you.’
‘I know. I’m sorry I didn’t reply.’ I sigh. ‘I was in a bad place.’
‘I just wanted to come round and say that I’m sorry.’
‘You already apologised, Tod, and I told you then that none of this is your doing.’ I pour us both tea and Tod takes a biscuit. Nursing my tea to me, I enjoy the feel of the cup burning against my hands. To feel something is better than feeling nothing.
>
‘I still feel that I let you down,’ he says. ‘I should have advised you better about the shopping channel contract. I had no idea it might be a scam.’
‘Me neither,’ I say.
‘I think I just got caught up in the moment. I so wanted it to happen for you that maybe my normal rationalisation went out of the window.’
The same way that mine did. ‘I don’t blame you at all.’ This is, undoubtedly, all my own fault.
‘You don’t know what it means to me to hear you say that, Nell.’
Who’d have thought that Tod Urban would ever need my approval?
‘I thought you were blanking me out of your life.’
‘No,’ I say. ‘I’ve just been having some… troubles.’
He brightens. ‘So you’re happy to continue working with me? There are still things we can do to turn this round.’
I shrug. ‘The way things are going, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to continue to work at all.’ How do I explain to him that I care about nothing but getting Olly to come home? ‘I’m thinking of asking Phil to take me back in the chip shop.’
‘He won’t do that,’ Tod says. ‘He knows how much you have to offer.’
I don’t tell him that Phil has already knocked me back on that front. Nor do I tell him that he’s offered me the money to pay off the bank.
‘You can still do great things, Nell. Don’t lose that belief in yourself.’
Do I confide that actually remembering to breathe in and out is all that I can cope with at the moment?
‘Is Olly OK with it?’ He purses his lips. ‘I don’t like to pry, but are things all right at home?’
The fact that my husband is currently absent makes me think not. I would say that pretty much shows that they’re not all right at all. I can keep this all to myself and pretend that Olly and I are fine, but what would that achieve? I decide to come clean. ‘Olly’s not around at the moment,’ I say. ‘I don’t know where he is.’
‘But you need him here.’
‘Yes, I do.’ Can’t argue with that assessment.
‘Has he left you?’
Tears burn behind my eyes. I didn’t want to get into this with Tod, but my emotions are raw, rubbed open, and I haven’t the strength to hide them. Just pretending to Petal that everything is fine is taking all my energy. ‘I don’t know.’
He takes my hand. ‘I’m sorry to hear that, Nell. I had no idea that things were so bad.’
‘That makes two of us.’
‘Did he give you any reason?’
I shake my head, unsure of my voice. Then, ‘I haven’t heard from him in days.’
‘What will you do if he doesn’t come back?’
‘Wait.’
My mentor looks as if he doesn’t think this is the best plan, but I can’t think what else to do.
‘If there’s anything I can do to help, you must let me know.’ Tod clears his throat. ‘This may well be inappropriate timing, but you know that I care more about you than simply being your mentor.’
‘You’re right,’ I say softly. ‘This probably isn’t the time.’ At any other time, any other place, with any other woman, Tod would be one hell of a catch. But I’m not interested in anyone else but my husband.
‘I wanted you to know that you’re not alone in this. All you have to do is say the word and I can be here for you.’
‘That’s nice to know, Tod. You’re very kind.’
‘And you’re still very much in love with Olly.’
‘Yes,’ I say. That just about sums it up for me.
Chapter 84
Olly drove back to the motel. Once inside, he locked the door and leaned against it, breathing heavily. The cardboard box full of money was in his hands, clasped against his chest.
Blood dripped down the side of his neck and he put the box down on the bed and went straight into the bathroom before he added to the blood-stain count already in the room.
In the mirror, the one with the dim strip light above it, he examined his wound. It looked like the bullet had just grazed his ear and it had bled profusely. He pulled some toilet paper from the holder and dampened it in the cracked sink, then used it to wipe away the blood. Once it was cleaned up, it didn’t look nearly so bad. A little nick; that was all it was. But if the bullet had travelled just an inch to the left, he might not be here to tell the tale. He might never have seen Nell or Petal ever again. The very thought of it made him shaky.
He rinsed his face and dragged his fingers through his hair, hoping that it would make him look better. It didn’t.
Back in the bedroom and he changed his shirt, which was soaked with perspiration and dirty with his own blood. He threw it in the bin and then he tipped the rest of his possessions out of his holdall onto the bed. Suddenly he was grateful that he wouldn’t have to spend another night in this room. He was going home. He was going home to his girls. The thought nearly had him undone.
He upended the cardboard box and the money spilled out. Quickly, he counted the bundles, putting each of them into the bottom of his holdall as he did so. The money was all there, present and correct. Perhaps Diego and Andrés had gone in after they’d dealt with Lola Cody and her husband and had helped themselves to a bit of their cash – goodness only knows there was enough of it stashed in the Codys’ safe for them not to miss some. Olly wouldn’t have blamed them if they had. In fact, part of him hoped that was exactly what his two saviours had done. He hoped that Diego had taken enough to start a new and better life with his darling daughter somewhere away from the hell hole of Opaville.
The money just about fitted into his bag with room for a few toiletries and his dirty laundry on top. He zipped it up tight. No one was going to get this baby out of his hands.
He looked round the room. If he never had to see another place like this in his entire life, then it would be too soon.
Outside, he jumped back into the car – the car with no back window and shattered glass all over the rear seat. How was he going to explain this to the rental company? For now, that was the least of his problems.
*
Six hours later and his plane was ready to taxi down the runway. Later tonight he would be in Heathrow and it couldn’t come a moment sooner. It had cost him another bundle of dollars to book his ticket, but it was well worth the money. All he wanted to do now was leave this wretched place and get back on home turf. Get back to the ones he loved. The ones who loved him.
The rental company had kept his deposit but it seemed a small price to pay for the damage inflicted on the car. He’d had to fill in a report too but, perhaps unsurprisingly, they didn’t seem unduly fazed by the return of a shot-up car. Maybe it was more common here than it was in Hertfordshire.
On the plane, the air steward had insisted in prising the holdall filled with cash out of his fingers and putting it in the overhead locker for take-off. Reluctantly, he’d parted with it. There was no way he wanted it out of his sight for a second. It was his – his and Nell’s – and no one was going to take it from them again.
Thankfully, he’d got this far without Benito or Lola Cody chasing him, which had to be a good thing. He’d spent an anxious afternoon in the airport expecting them to come crashing through into the departure lounge at any moment, guns blazing – but they hadn’t. Thankfully.
Olly had checked the in-flight entertainment. The films were all high-action thrillers, shoot ’em up stories that were way too strong for the current state of his stomach. He’d opt for the Cartoon Channel instead and, with a restorative brandy, would look forward to nine hours of some of Petal’s favourites – Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and Toy Story III. That should help relax him.
The plane hurtled down the runway and lifted into the air. It swooped away over the sparkling sea, the golden beaches, and the art deco hotels of Miami. None of which he’d seen. Perhaps one day he’d come back here with Nell and Petal for a family holiday. But, then again, perhaps not.
Chapter 85
Jen’s phone beeps and she stops doing the Cinderella jigsaw with Petal and glances at the text which has just come in. We’re all sitting on the floor of the living room and Petal is already bathed and ready for bed.
‘Wow.’ Jen looks up, surprised. ‘I’ve got an offer of a date tonight.’
Now I tear my attention away from the cherry blossom tree that I’m puzzling over. ‘Good for you.’
The picture is of Cinders and her prince dancing together in an enchanted garden, bluebirds flitting round their heads, his magical, ten-bedroom castle in the background. Just like real life, eh?
‘It’s only someone who’s been coming into the pub for a while.’ She shrugs as if it’s of no consequence, but I can tell that she’s excited. ‘No big deal.’ Avoiding my eyes, she fiddles with the piece of unfeasibly blue sky in her hand. ‘Thing is, I’m not sure I want to leave you.’
To prove that I’m perfectly fine, I give a little laugh. ‘You’ve been fantastic, Jen,’ I tell her. ‘I don’t know how I’d have managed without you. But I’m a big girl. I have to cope on my own some time.’
‘I’m a big girl, too,’ Petal pipes up.
‘You are, and we both think that Auntie Jen should go on her date, right?’
‘Yay!’ Petal shouts. Then, ‘Can I come too?’
‘Maybe another time,’ Jenny says. She turns to me. ‘Are you sure, Nell? I don’t have to go.’
‘Of course you do,’ I insist. ‘You should spend your night off doing something more interesting than Disney jigsaws.’
Petal’s face says that she can’t imagine anything more interesting than Disney jigsaws.
‘Besides, I can’t keep you prisoner here for ever. Much as I’d like to.’ The house has run like clockwork since my friend swooped in and took over. It’s given me just the break that I needed, but now I ought to step back into my own life and do it myself again. I’m certainly going to miss Jen though. We’ve never enjoyed so many home-cooked meals – half of them from Jen, the other half from Constance. Mind you, I think I’ve put more than a few pounds back on because of it. The house will certainly seem quieter without Jen, and Petal adores her. I can see why Olly might have… well… let’s just leave it at that.
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