The Vine Cross (The Vine Series Book 1)

by S P Dawes

  Five minutes later she sat in the corner of the kitchen. Knees up to her chin, sore and bruised, stripped of all dignity. Unable to stop the tears, she heard the music, coming from the other room. It was ‘that’ song again. He played it every time he felt the need to show her who was boss.

  She swore if she heard Tainted Love one more time, she’d take a sledgehammer to the player before putting it through his skull, and be damned with the consequences. Hayley knew he was just tormenting her, it was working, that song would be the death of her.

  Chapter 27

  The day after, four men in white suits turned up in a transit van outside the house. Demy was out, but no doubt their neighbours would notice the visitors.

  The older man knocked on the door with a clipboard in his hand.

  “We’re here to check on your gas supply. We’ve been made aware there might be a leak on the property.”

  Nodding, Hayley let the guys in.

  When the door closed, he moved closer to her. “You on your own?”

  After she nodded again, he clapped his hands together. “OK lads, crack on.”

  She stood watching the men open their tool boxes and take devices and wires out. They started by unscrewing the television set, the light bulbs, the fire alarm and fiddling with the radio in the kitchen. One man wanted to move upstairs but Hayley held her hand out to prevent access.

  Martin, looked at the young technician after scanning Hayley’s face. Understanding, he shook his head and the younger man turned back to the living room.

  Hayley’s heart was pounding. They had to get this completed quickly. If he caught them, the game was up and her sister would die. She was searching through the blinds at the window, chewing her non-existent thumb nail nervously when Martin walked up to her.

  “Are you OK?”

  Turning to Martin, she saw concern written all over his face. “I wish you’d stop asking that.”

  Smiling politely, they went back to watching the activity in the room. They reminded her of worker ants scuttling around.

  “If you want to stop, the codeword is caterpillar. Failing that, give the TV over there,” pointing towards it, “a thumbs up, OK?”

  Nodding, Hayley tried controlling her breathing. She could already feel sweat dripping down her back. She had no intention of calling time on this, not until she knew Lynnie was safe. But the temptation to just leave with them was enormous. All she could imagine doing was running into Jesse’s arms like she was off some chick flick.

  “Guys, how long?” He called out to the technicians, jarring her from her thoughts.

  “Two minutes sir, just checking we’re getting a feed,” the one knelt down with a computer laptop on the coffee table answered.

  “When’s he due back?” Martin asked, turning to Hayley.

  Shaking her head, she watched Martin looking at her with an expression that she guessed mirrored her own. Glancing back to the window wishing they’d hurry, she blinked away threatening tears.

  “How long you got?”

  Swinging back to him, wondering what he meant until he flicked his gaze to her stomach. “I’ve no idea, not exactly done the whole prenatal package, but I’m guessing two or three months.”

  Sadness was clear in his eyes, so she quickly looked away before he witnessed hers.

  “You sure you’re up to this?”

  Nodding, Hayley kept her eyes on the road outside. She had no idea if she was strong enough, but what choice did she have?

  “Just promise me one thing?” Turning back to him so he could see her eyes, to show how serious she was, she pleaded. “Don’t let him watch.”

  Jesse was pouring orange juice into a glass tumbler when Rob walked in. Turning to see his brother, he picked up the glass to drink.

  “I’m going to see Caity today.”

  Jesse raised his eyebrows whilst finishing his orange.

  “Any messages?”

  Jesse looked at him reproachfully.

  “She’s going through hell in there you know.”

  Jesse slammed the glass down on the counter worktop, choosing to exhale the rage rather than look Rob in the eye.

  “You know she was fucking used; it wasn’t all her fault.”

  “My heart fucking bleeds Rob,” he spat back sarcastically while replacing the orange juice back in the fridge door.

  Turning back, his face met with Rob’s fist, and he swung back into the fridge. Clearly, they heard the noise from the front room as their mum and dad came rushing out to see what was wrong. By the time they arrived, Jesse had already swung back. Michael grabbed hold of Rob and Marie pulled Jesse back by his shirt, right as Rob’s nose had exploded.

  “What the bloody hell is going on?!” Bellowed Michael.

  Rob was trying to mop up the blood from his nose whilst Jesse shrugged off his mum and stood staring at Rob, breathing heavily.

  “Is someone going to explain?!”

  “He doesn’t like the fact his crazy bitch is in prison,” answered Jesse, turning to leave the kitchen.

  Michael looked at Rob, with bewilderment and disappointment in his eyes.

  “He was fucking asking for it.”

  Marie glanced at Rob. She hated it when the boys fought, always had, but back then it had been play-fighting. This time it had been for real. She hadn’t brought them up to hurt each other, and they were bigger now, able to inflict serious damage.

  “I think you need to go,” said his dad.

  “You’re chucking me out?” Asked Rob, scrambling to his feet, stunned. “He sent Caity down for something she had no control over.”

  “She could have gone to the police at any time, she didn’t. She decided to put Hayley’s life at risk and then you expect me to take your side over your brothers?” Michael sneered; they often left him wondering how two brothers from the same parents could be so different.

  Rob shoved his way out, making progress to the car. He hadn’t intended to get into a fight with his brother; he knew how much he’d been hurting. But everyone had conveniently forgotten how his world had turned upside down.

  The police had charged his fiancé, and she was currently awaiting the trial. There seemed no chance she was getting off, especially since the girl she’d helped abduct remained missing and was going out with one of their own. He knew she’d only done it to protect Leon. He’d got in with a dangerous crowd, made some decisions that had cost him dearly and Caitlyn, when she’d tried to pay for his freedom. Rob knew what she had done was wrong, but he couldn’t help feel for her being made the scapegoat because of police incompetence.

  Michael sat himself down next to Jesse, who was rubbing his red knuckles. “You OK?”

  Jesse nodded. “I shouldn’t have hit him, I’m sorry.”

  “Sometimes your brother needs a bit of sense knocking in to him.”

  Jesse looked at his dad and couldn’t help feel mildly better.

  “When he gets down off that high horse of his, he might start seeing the wood for the trees.”

  Jesse lowered his head, looking at the carpet through his legs.

  “They’ve bugged her house today, so at least we have eyes and ears now. Now, I’ve just got to hope he says something incriminating within those walls,” explained Jesse.

  “So, you’re in it for the long run?”

  Jesse nodded.

  “Are you going in on the surveillance?” Asked his dad worried.

  Jesse shook his head. “No, Hayley made sure Martin promised not to let me near.”

  Michael smiled, smart girl.

  “She didn’t even want him to tell me he’d found her.”

  “Something’s you can’t unsee,” remarked Michael and his son agreed. “Means she’s thinking of the future.”

  Jesse glanced at him to confirm what he meant.

  “If she doesn’t want you to see what’s happening…”

  “Doesn’t stop me worrying, though,” reminded Jesse.

  “Don’t underestimate her.
” Michael slapped his son on the back and walked back into the kitchen, leaving Jesse alone with his thoughts.

  The bugs had been in place for a week. Hayley was sure Demy had noticed; nothing had really happened. It had been a fairly boring, non-eventful few days, which, on its own, rang an alarm bell. But with the surveillance in place, she was well and truly terrified he was on to her. Hayley knew he usually made the phone call a round teatime and also knew she would normally try to keep him sweet, at least until he had ended the call. She had learned that he already identified this trick and had prolonged starting that call, just to torture her further. She’d have to suck it up.

  On Thursdays she had to be compliant. Fridays she normally rebelled about something, just to show he hadn’t completely doused her spirit. But she was believing he enjoyed Fridays even more than Thursdays.

  “The neighbours said they had the gas-men round last week.”

  Swearing in her head, she froze.

  “You didn’t tell me.”

  “I forgot. They were in the area, claimed we had made them aware of a leak, but they found nothing.”

  Demy walked over to her, placing his hands on her stomach, while resting his body on her aching back. “You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?” He queried so close to her ear she could feel the heat of his breath.

  “Course not.”

  He massaged her belly, and she held onto the worktop, trying not to move.

  “Cus, if I found out, you’d be punished,” he said, almost singing the last words.

  Hayley bit her tongue. Getting into an argument was not an option today. “I wouldn’t lie to you, not with the baby,” she said, attempting to sound genuine.

  “That’s what I thought.” Dropping his hands, he walked away.

  She let herself breathe again and carried on washing up, hearing Demy sit down on the sofa and start flicking through channels. The television crackled, but after banging the set, it stopped.

  “Something just came loose on the TV, we’ve lost visual.” said PC Davis, assigned the laborious task of monitoring the CCTV and audio transmitters, announced.

  “Shit! I’m need to get in, to reconnect it.” PC Vacher sighed, whilst taking a swig of coffee from the polystyrene cup. “We still got the kitchen?”

  PC Davis nodded, listening in on his headphones.

  Jesse had heard that the information gained from the house hadn’t been extensive enough to warrant going in yet, so they were biding their time.

  If they wanted to bring down his criminal organisation, they needed more than circumstantial evidence.

  The proof they had was too thin and easily argued. Therefore, they had taken the decision with Hayley’s consent to keep surveillance in place until they had something concrete or Hayley called time.

  They needed to hear Demy set up a meet or confirm his part in past misdemeanours.

  So far all they had really heard was enough to raise their eyebrows, but not enough to stop a competent lawyer tearing their investigation apart.

  Jesse was less than enthused to hear that they weren’t any closer to finding Lynnie, or that conversations between Demy his team were only rewarding them with tips about antique cars.

  The discussions he had on the phone seemed to be irrelevant, no doubt coded, and in Russian, so they had brought a translator in, but without a lead on Lynnie’s whereabouts they were still in the dark.

  Vice was in regular contact.

  Everybody agreed that something big was about to happen, but intelligence was thin on the ground and sending in another undercover officer was risky.

  Everyone was waiting on tenterhooks for the vital piece of information that would bring everything together and allow them to move in.

  The Detectives in the surveillance van had borne witness to his ferocious temper with people on the phone and the emotional abuse of Hayley. So far, he hadn’t touched her. They had concluded more had happened upstairs, but they were thankful they hadn’t had to watch it; they’d have plausible deniability if they ever had to speak with DI Hallam.

  Chapter 28

  Hayley was in the house alone. The monotony of every day was tiring. She was coiled up like a spring, walking on eggshells, waiting for the next outburst. It rattled her nerves so much that by the time she had to fight back, her muscles and mind were too weak to deliver the performance she required from them. Added to the fact she was barely eating as the nausea kept her from doing so, the baby was greedily zapping every bit of energy for itself.

  She’d read every book the property possessed, not that there were many. But she drew the line at the bible, that was one book she could do without. Having it preached to her daily was more than enough direction. With only so much cleaning one person could do, she wandered up the stairs to have a lay down before she’d have to prepare their evening meal.

  Spying something hanging from the attic, she pulled on it. Coming away, she looked down at the sticky fibres in her fingers. It resembled dark brown hair, much like how her own used to be. It had residue reminiscent of marmite along it. Running to the bathroom, she ran her hands under the tap, scrubbing them clean while the pinkish water flowed down the plughole. After drying them on a towel, she went back to the attic door.

  Hayley had no idea where the key was for the lock, and if she opened it with a force, he’d know. But the sight of long brown hair disturbed her, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to just forget about it. What if someone was up there?

  Running in the bedroom, she looked through his drawers, opened containers, ran her hands around gaps, but nothing. Waddling downstairs, she opened tins and cupboards, but still couldn’t find a key. Making sure she’d replaced lids and everything looked as it did before, she moved back upstairs, looking at the attic door on the landing.

  Remembering an old film, she had seen where they’d jiggled the lock open with a safety pin, Hayley shuffled downstairs to the cupboard. She knew there were some pins and needles for threading inside. Thrusting the tin under her arm, she heaved herself up. Trying all the different-sized instruments, jiggling them as hard as she could. She was about to give up, as sweat poured off her brow and down her back, when she finally heard a click. Yanking on the lock she opened it, realising she was too short to push the lever back on itself. She heaved a dining chair up from downstairs and stood on it. Pushing back the door, it flipped.

  The musty smell hit her, then the baby kicked her as if warning her not to do it. Momentarily put off balance, she cursed before taking deep breaths to steady her nerves.

  “Come on, give me a break,” she whispered.

  Levelling the feet of the ladder and pulling it down, she stepped on. When she was sure the rungs would stand her weight, she climbed up, being careful not to slip. At the top she felt for a light and touched a cord above her, pulling on it.

  The light flickered.

  All she could see around her were cardboard boxes, piled one on top of the other. Stepping from the ladder onto the beam and precariously leaning from the middle, she opened a box. Inside, she saw pictures. Taking a handful out, she tilted them towards the light bulb to get a better look. She could see women, laughing, drinks in their hands, smiling for the camera. Flicking through them till she found some of herself. Her legs buckled, and she put her hands out to stop herself falling. Steadying herself, Hayley knelt down as best she could, ignoring the rough edges of the wooden floor digging into her knees.

  Flicking through the pictures she noticed herself and Jesse at the beach, on the fairground, dancing and drinking in the bar. Someone had been watching them, and she hadn’t even known. Forcing her hand into the box again, she pulled out more photos. Pictures of Jesse, at work, on crime scenes, in the coffee shop and on the street.

  There was a wedding photograph. She held her hand up to her mouth to cover the gasp; she knew the bride. It was the lady she’d spoken to in London. She remembered the meeting being strange. The woman had been more interested in speaking to her about staying safe,
rather than interviewing her. She hadn’t understood at the time and thought she had arrived at the wrong place. They hadn’t spoken long, but they didn’t have to. She wouldn’t forget that cool, confident woman who had a smile as wide as her head, and legs up to her armpits. She was holding onto Jesse, both smiling for the photographer.

  She couldn’t work out what was going on. Why did Demy have them? And why had Jesse’s wife asked for her? Was all this just some hideous plan, had Jesse delivered her? Opening another box is saw more photos, but these were disturbing, young women sprawled on the floor, cuts across their stomachs, lines around their throats and haunting looks in their eyes. Dropping the photos, she could feel her body shaking. Was this what he meant about setting Jesse up? Had he not followed through with his plan yet?

  She had to get the prints to the camera downstairs, show them what she’d found. Bundling most of them up and stuffing them back in the box, she took as many as she could carry in one hand. Carefully she made her way down the steps, rushing towards the television as she spread them on the wooden floor in front of it.

  “Shit, she’s showing us something,” said PC Davis, sitting up.

  Tapping erratically on the computer, he tried to get a clearer picture. “But I can’t see what, the fucking video’s still down.”

  “Yeah, I’m still waiting for orders to go in. Can’t we improve the kitchen one?”

  “Not so it picks that up, no, it’s twenty foot away,” exclaimed PC Davis anxiously.

  “Shit!” PC Vacher slammed his palm down on the desk. “What do you think it is?”

  “Pictures maybe? By the size, it’s hard to tell. But she’s got a shitload of them, and she’s desperate we see them.”

  “We need to get in there.” PC Vacher was looking at the other monitors, rubbing his chin. “Shit! he’s on his way back!”