‘It is a bit of a mess, isn’t it?’ Kelvin said thoughtfully. ‘But there must be something they can do. Do you want me to talk to them?’
‘No. I didn’t tell them I was staying with you in case they thought something was going on. You know what they’re like.’
‘So what now?’
Amy shrugged again. ‘She says she’ll make me an appointment to talk about getting me into a refuge while my case is being assessed. But I’ve got to take ID, and everything’s back at mine.’
Kelvin sighed and flopped back on his pillow. He didn’t like the idea of her going into a refuge, but if it was the only way she could start the process of getting her kids back, he wasn’t about to stand in her way.
‘Tell me what you need and where it is, and I’ll go and get it,’ he said.
‘No, you can’t – it’s too risky,’ Amy argued. ‘Someone might see you.’
‘Not if I go straight from work in the morning,’ said Kelvin. ‘Just ring her back and make your appointment, and leave the rest to me.’
28
Marnie was up, dressed, and sitting at the dressing table drying her hair by seven. It usually took a firework up her backside to get her out of bed before noon, but she had an appointment for a 3-D antenatal scan at a private clinic this morning, and she’d hardly slept for excitement at the thought of seeing her baby for the first time.
Yates was still asleep and snoring loudly in the bed behind her. Marnie glanced at him in the mirror and smiled. When Amy had disappeared, so too had some of the initial thrill that Marnie had got from sleeping with her man. She couldn’t help it; she’d always preferred attached men. It was the ego boost of knowing that the blokes would rather shag her than their own wives and girlfriends that did it – that, and being able to tell them to fuck off when she was done with them, knowing that they couldn’t harass her for fear of wifey finding out.
It was a hard habit to break, so she had carried on sleeping with a few of her other men for a while after she and Lenny got together. But she’d stopped all that as soon as she’d found out she was pregnant. And now that Lenny had effectively moved in, she knew she wouldn’t be getting rid of him so easily. But she didn’t really mind. It was a bit weird having to take someone else into consideration after years of doing her own thing but, pros versus cons, she’d rather have him here when the baby was born, because the thought of having to look after it by herself filled her with dread. She just hoped it didn’t come out looking like him. But if worse came to worst and it was an ugly little fucker, at least it would be the best-dressed ugly little fucker in Manchester.
Dragged from her thoughts by a noise on the other side of the wall, Marnie cocked her head. Nobody had set foot in Amy’s house since the fire, and she wondered if the council had finally decided to clear it out. Curious when she heard footsteps clattering down the uncarpeted stairs, she rushed to the window and eased the edge of the curtain back in time to see a man come out with a sports bag over his shoulder and a plastic bag in his hand. He walked down the path with his head down but, when he paused at the gate and glanced up at her window, she gasped.
‘What’s up?’ Yates woke with a start and reached under the bed for his cosh.
‘A man just came out of Amy’s,’ Marnie told him. ‘I thought it might be council, but I’m sure it’s the bloke who called round there the day I found out I was pregnant. Remember I told you about him?’
‘You what?’ Yates jumped up, rushed to the window and shoved her out of the way.
‘Ow!’ she yelped, rubbing at her elbow when it banged against the wall. ‘That really hurt.’
‘There’s no one out there,’ said Yates, peering down the road. ‘You sure you didn’t imagine it?’
‘No, I bloody didn’t,’ Marnie snapped. ‘I heard him in there, then saw him walk out clear as day.’
‘Can’t be the same bloke,’ Yates muttered, reaching for his jeans. ‘Amy said he was selling double glazing.’
‘Well, she obviously lied,’ Marnie said huffily, pissed off that he was more concerned about Amy than about having hurt her. ‘And where are you going?’
‘To catch him.’ Yates shoved his sockless feet into his trainers. ‘See if he knows where Amy is.’
‘Why?’ Marnie stepped in front of the door to stop him from leaving. ‘You’re with me now, what you still thinking about her for?’
Angry when Yates pushed her aside and trotted down the stairs, she ran out onto the landing and yelled, ‘You’d better not be long. We’ve got the scan, and I’m not going on my own.’
Yates ignored her and ran outside. Pissed off when he remembered that he’d left the car with Keith last night because he’d been too bladdered to drive himself home, he legged it down the road. A bus was just pulling away from the stop when he turned the corner, and he quickly ducked out of sight when he spotted a familiar face peering out of the window.
Marnie was standing on the step when he got back to the house, arms folded, scowl on her face. ‘Find out what you wanted to know, did you?’ she sniped.
Too angry to answer, Yates ran up the stairs and slammed the bedroom door shut. Eyes blazing, chest heaving, he snatched his mobile phone off the bedside table. He couldn’t believe Mani’s security guard had dared to show his face around here. Twice Yates had seen him since Amy had fucked off, and both times the cunt had looked him in the eye and smiled like butter wouldn’t melt, when all the time he’d obviously known where she was.
‘It’s me,’ he said when Keith answered his call. ‘Fetch the car. And whatever you’ve got planned tonight, cancel it, ’cos we’ve got a job on.’
Amy had been on pins all morning, waiting for Kelvin to come home. Terrified that he might have been seen or, worse, caught, she was so relieved when he walked in unscathed she almost hugged him. But she folded her arms to prevent herself from overstepping the mark, and asked, ‘What happened? Did anybody see you?’
‘Don’t think so.’ Kelvin slipped his jacket off and looped it over the hook behind the door. ‘His car wasn’t there, and all the curtains were shut so I don’t think your friend was up.’
‘Probably not,’ Amy agreed. ‘She always stays in bed late.’
‘Well, hopefully I got everything you need so you won’t have to go near the house again.’ Kelvin handed the bag to her.
‘Thanks.’ Amy opened it and smiled when she saw her purse and her mobile phone charger. There was no money in her purse, and no credit on her phone, but it was good to have them all the same.
‘Brew?’ Kelvin headed for the kitchen.
‘I’ll do it.’ Amy followed and put her bag down on the ledge.
Kelvin leaned back against the fridge and watched as she filled the kettle. ‘I, er, thought we might go out for a walk later,’ he said. ‘You’ve got that appointment in the morning, and I know you’re nervous, so I thought it might help if we do a trial run.’
Already shaking at the thought of going out, Amy murmured, ‘Thanks.’
‘No problem.’ Kelvin gave her an understanding smile. ‘And I’ve got a hoodie you can wear, in case you’re worrying about someone recognising you.’
Amy nodded, forced out a smile, and blinked back the tears that had sprung into her eyes. A couple of minutes ago she’d felt great, but now she felt sad, as if she was about to lose something precious. But she pushed the emotion aside and got on with making the teas, reminding herself that the sooner she was out of here, the sooner she would get her kids back.
29
Yates was scowling as he drove through the deserted streets of Levenshulme at 5:30 the next morning. He’d been awake for almost twenty-four hours by now, and he was wired to the max. It was Marnie’s fault. She’d pissed him off good style, calling Amy all the dirty junkie whores under the sun, and slating him for sticking it out when everyone else had seen Amy for what she was and given up on her. Even the scan hadn’t shut her up, and she’d mouthed off in front of the nurse to the point of being an embarr
assment. If it hadn’t been for the worm-like child in her belly that he’d seen on the screen, Yates would have battered the fuck out of her as soon as they left the clinic. But, instead, he’d dropped her off at the house and gone to his flat to get his head together.
When he reached the road at the back of Mani’s cash and carry he switched off the headlights and, using the silvery dawn light to guide him, reversed into the yard of the closed-down shop unit at the end of the block.
‘How long do you think he’ll be?’ Keith asked, covering a yawn with his hand. He’d only had a couple of hours’ sleep thanks to Yates turning up in the early hours with a shitload of coke and a pack of cards, and he was absolutely knackered.
‘Half an hour, give or take.’ Yates pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and tossed one to Keith before lighting his own. ‘He’ll do his rounds after the tarts have gone, then come past here on his way for the bus.’
‘What about the boss?’
‘He goes straight to his office.’
‘Isn’t that where he keeps the CCTV monitor?’
‘Yeah, but it’s behind his desk so he won’t be looking at it.’
‘What if he hears us?’
‘For fuck’s sake! Are you just gonna moan all fuckin’ morning?’
‘I’m only asking.’
‘Well, don’t. I know what I’m doing, so just keep it zipped and do as you’re told.’
They sat in silence for the next half hour, the peace fractured only by the thud, thud, thud! of Yates’s fingertips drumming on the steering wheel. It was seriously starting to do Keith’s head in, so he was glad when a couple of girls walked past.
Slouched low in his seat, Yates counted those who followed. When the last had gone, he pulled on his gloves and tugged his balaclava down over his face before stepping out of the car.
‘What d’ya bring that for?’ Keith hissed, spotting the gun in his friend’s waistband as he climbed out the other side. ‘I thought we was just gonna do him over and find out where Amy is.’
‘We are, but he’s a big fucker so I’m not taking any chances,’ Yates hissed back, his eyes scanning the road. ‘Pull your bally down and come on.’ He jerked his head and set off at a trot.
They slipped into the shadows of the cash and carry’s yard and darted into the narrow alley at the side of the metal door. Then, squatting behind a wheelie bin, they waited.
It was another ten minutes before the heavy back door creaked open and Kelvin came out. He closed it with a loud bang, and Yates and Keith listened as the key turned in the lock. When Kelvin turned to make his way towards the gate, they pounced, grabbing him from behind and dragging him into the alley.
Kelvin’s survival instincts kicked in and he easily twisted free of Yates’s grip. But it was harder to shake off the larger man, and they fell to the floor in a struggling heap. Kelvin managed to draw his fist back, but they were wedged too tight between the walls for him to get a clear shot at the man’s head so, when he saw a flash of flesh between his glove and jacket cuff, he sank his teeth in – hard. When the man screamed and released his hold, Kelvin scrambled to his feet and aimed a kick at his head. He winced at the sound of crunching bone, but this was no time for conscience because they wouldn’t have jumped him if they didn’t want to cause him serious harm.
He drew his foot back to kick again, but froze when a voice snarled: ‘Yo, cunt, start praying.’
He hadn’t had time to stop and think about who he was fighting, but there was no mistaking that voice. His heart lurched when he turned and saw the gun pointing at him, but the adrenalin was pumping too hard to let him stand and wait for the bullet, so he put his head down and ran.
Yates fell when Kelvin shouldered him out of the way, and a shot rang out as he involuntarily squeezed the trigger. Kelvin carried on running, but just as he reached the gate another shot was fired, aimed this time, and he went down.
‘What’s going on out there?’ Mani’s scared voice floated down from a window above. ‘I can see you! I know who you are, and the police are coming to get you!’
Yates and Keith hauled themselves to their feet and, pausing just long enough to look at Kelvin’s body, hobbled out of the yard and back to the car.
‘What the fuck did you do that for?’ Keith squawked, pulling the balaclava off and stuffing it into his pocket. ‘We were only supposed to be putting the frighteners on him to get him to tell you where Amy is, you didn’t have to fuckin’ kill him!’
‘Did you want me to let him kick you to death?’ snapped Yates, shoving the key into the ignition and tearing out of the yard.
‘I was all right,’ Keith argued, gingerly wiping his bloodied nose on his sleeve. ‘He was only trying to put me down. He’d have left it after a minute.’
‘Wasn’t how it looked to me,’ said Yates, swerving into an alley when he heard the sound of sirens heading their way.
‘Yeah, well, you still didn’t have to kill him,’ Keith repeated, exhaling loudly as his heart began to slow down. ‘We’ll have to go on the hop now. The boss recognised you. They’re probably already looking for us.’
‘He was bluffing – he didn’t see klish,’ Yates said confidently.
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘I heard it in his voice. Anyhow, I’m not going nowhere till I’ve found her.’
‘Oh, man!’ Keith groaned and covered his face with his hands. ‘This is getting way out of hand. I can’t keep doing this.’
‘Fine.’ Yates shrugged. ‘I’ll do it meself.’
‘Do what?’ Keith twisted around in his seat and stared at him. ‘Kill her? Why? What’s she done that’s so bad?’
‘She owes me ten grand.’
‘Does she fuck!’ Keith slammed his fist down on his thigh. ‘Her hubby only borrowed five hundred. But this ain’t even about the money any more, is it? You’re just pissed off ’cos she escaped.’
‘She’s mine,’ Yates said through gritted teeth. ‘And no one treats me like shit and gets away with it. No one.’
‘Jeezus, I get it now,’ Keith snorted. ‘You fuckin’ fell for her, didn’t you? You fell for her, like a dick, but she wouldn’t play along, so you’ve been punishing her ever since.’
‘Did I fuck fall for her!’ Yates replied with vehemence. ‘I just told you, she owes me. Now, shut up, ’cos you’re boring me.’
Keith shook his head and gave a mirthless laugh. He was right, and they both knew it. But Yates was never going to admit it, and he would only get mad if Keith kept pushing him on it. And then he’d go off by himself and do God only knew what. And, considering what had just happened, that would be dangerous, because he was bound to get nicked, and then Keith would get dragged right down with him.
Whether he liked it or not, Keith was going to have to stick with him until he’d found the girl. And when he did find her, Keith would have to do whatever it took to make sure that she got out alive.
30
Claudine Brown was still in her nightclothes when two policewomen knocked on her door later that morning. She’d just made herself a cup of tea and had been about to carry it back up to bed, but her legs gave way when they told her why they had come, and the cup fell from her hand and shattered on the floor.
‘Lord, don’t tek my boy away from me,’ she wailed, her hands clutched to her breast, her tearful eyes raised to the ceiling. ‘Tek me . . . tek me!’
Already running down the stairs, having been woken by the noise, Evangeline gave the officers an accusing look as she rushed to her mother’s side and helped her up. ‘What have you said to her? Why’s she so upset?’
‘Are you her daughter?’
‘Yeah, why?’
‘There was an incident outside your brother’s workplace this morning,’ the officer explained. ‘We need to get your mother over to the MRI as soon as possible.’
‘No!’ Evangeline clutched her mother’s arm. ‘He’s not . . .? Please tell me he’s not . . .’
‘He’
s in surgery,’ the officer told her. ‘But he’s not good, so we really should leave now.’
Evangeline inhaled deeply and pulled herself together. ‘Come, Mommy . . .’ She took her mother’s hand. ‘Let’s go and get dressed.’
‘No time,’ said Claudine, wrapping her dressing gown tighter around herself. ‘My boy need me. Tek me to my boy.’
Evangeline ran up the stairs as the officers led her mother outside, and she quickly threw on some clothes. Then, grabbing a coat from her mother’s wardrobe, she snatched up her keys and ran back down to join them in the car.
Kelvin was still in theatre when his mother, sister and the policewomen arrived at the hospital. A nurse showed them into a small room and brought them a cup of tea.
‘Do you mind if we ask you some questions?’ one of the officers asked when they were settled.
‘We weren’t there,’ said Evangeline. ‘We can’t tell you nothing.’
‘Don’t be rude,’ chided Claudine, sounding uncharacteristically old and defeated. ‘Me never raised you t’ be rude.’
‘I’m not,’ Evangeline argued. ‘I’m just telling them that we don’t know anything.’
Claudine patted her hand to shut her up, and looked at the officers. ‘Ask me anyt’in, an’ if me can help, me help. She, too.’ She jerked her chin at Evangeline.
‘We need to know if your son is involved in any sort of gang activity,’ the officer asked.
‘No, he’s not!’ spat Evangeline, instantly on the defensive. ‘You think just because he’s black that means he must be a gangster? Well, you’re wrong. Our Kelvin’s an honest, hard-working man, and you won’t find anyone as lovely as him if you tried!’
‘We appreciate that this is difficult,’ the officer said gently when she saw the tears glittering in the girl’s eyes. ‘But your brother has been shot, and we need to find out who did it before somebody else gets seriously hurt. We’re aware that his line of work has probably brought him into contact with some—’
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