‘You think?’
‘I can’t get any sense out of the girl, she’s a mess… ’
Joshua screwed his face up in disbelief. This was a fucking shambles.
‘Why the fuck was your broker on the boat? Why wasn’t he back at the camp in Calais?’
Vincent looked coy.
‘He should have been, yeah, but our plans changed at the last minute. Korab pulled a bit of a sneaky one. It turns out that the girl and her husband didn’t have enough money to make the journey, so Korab took it upon himself to make a deal with the husband. He slept with the girl in return for guaranteeing them a place on the boat.’
Joshua rubbed his head, agitated. The situation was getting worse by the second.
‘I wasn’t happy when I found out about it either, Joshua, so I thought I’d teach Korab a lesson. Make him earn his fucking keep. The skipper we had lined up was sick, so instead of sending one of my men I figured that it made sense to get Korab to do the crossing. I thought it would teach him a lesson: make him work for his money. I told him to dump the boat a few miles away from the coastline and to get his arse back to France in the motor boat. Same as we always do. Only I didn’t hear from him again.’ Seeing the baffled look on Joshua’s face, Vincent continued, trying to explain. ‘Next thing I knew, I was getting a call to say that the boat had sunk. I figured that he must have drowned alongside the others—’
‘Until you ran into this girl!’ Joshua spat. ‘What’s she saying?’
‘That’s just it; as soon as I mentioned about the boat sinking she just kind of freaked out. I could see by her face that she genuinely didn’t know. She didn’t really make much sense after that. It was like she had gone into shock or something. Like she was having some kind of a fucking breakdown.’
‘Fuck’s sake!’ Slamming his glass down on the desk, it took all his restraint not to launch himself over the top of it and throttle Vincent. ‘What sort of fucking Mickey Mouse operation are you fucking running here?’
Joshua was seething. This was not the way that he wanted his businesses run.
‘I’m sorting it, bruv—’
‘Sorting it? I don’t fucking think so. This is a fucking mess!’ Joshua stood up, launching his glass against the back wall – the glass shattering into pieces.
‘Where’s the girl now?’
‘She’s with Saskia and Misty, at Misty’s place. The kid was doing my nut. Wouldn’t stop screaming.’
‘And you think that’s wise? What if she starts blabbing her mouth off to the girls too?’
‘She won’t! Like I said, the girl was all over the place, boss, babbling on about fuck knows what in her own language. No one could understand a word she was saying. She wasn’t making any sense. She took the pills I gave her and conked out. I’m going back around there in the morning, first thing.’
Joshua winced now, as he tapped his fingers agitatedly against his desk. Vincent looked his brother in the eye.
‘I’m trying to fix it, Joshua. I will fix it. As soon as the girl is awake, I’ll find out where Korab is and I’ll get it sorted. It’s already in hand, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t start running his mouth off either. The bloke’s a fucking liability. Far too cocky for his own good. I should have got rid of him ages ago.’
Joshua was beyond agitated. ‘How much does this Korab know about the op?’
Knowing that Joshua wouldn’t accept any more bullshit tonight Vincent answered truthfully. ‘He knows more than he was supposed to,’ he said now with caution. ‘He was a hard worker, bruv. The men liked him. He kind of just tagged along, fitted in. I think the men let their guard down around him, treated him like he was one of us… ’ Korab getting so involved with his men had been a major oversight on Vincent’s part. He was well aware of that now.
‘Are you fucking kidding me? He’s a fucking camp rat… ’ Joshua glared, the prominent vein in the side of his head pulsating. ‘What does he know?’
‘He knows enough.’ Rubbing his temples again Vincent felt like a prize cock. He’d worked so hard to prove to Joshua that he was up for the job and now, all because of one fucking broker, he’d royally fucked it all up.
‘Like what? Enlighten me… ’ Joshua probed.
‘He knows the pick up and drop off points. A few names. The other men trusted him… ’
‘Well, if he’s so trustworthy, why hasn’t he made contact? Why’s he just vanished into thin fucking air, huh?’
Vincent shook his head. ‘There were at least a hundred people on that boat. If your bloke starts blabbing his fucking mouth about our business, we could be looking at a multiple murder charge.’
Joshua was incensed. This is not what he had wanted to hear. Gritting his teeth as he spoke, he got up from his seat. ‘This is a major fucking problem, Vincent, and we both know how we deal with problems around here.’
Joshua’s eyes were fixed on Vincent; staring at him with such intensity that he couldn’t help feeling nervous as his brother opened the office door, ready to show him out.
‘I pay you to sort out the mess; so, as soon as that girl wakes up I want you round there, sorting it. If you’re not up for the job, then you know where the fucking door is. There can be no more fuck-ups!’
28
Waking up in unfamiliar surroundings Lena’s eyes flickered around the room as she panicked, trying to gather her bearings.
Roza? Where was Roza?
The fancy furniture? An ornate cream dressing table displaying rows of expensive-looking bottles of perfume and toiletries? Sitting up, she caught her reflection in the mirrored wardrobe that stood against the wall at the end of the bed, recoiling at the barely unrecognisable sight that stared back at her.
She looked awful: her hair matted flat to her head, her skin, pale and sallow.
She was still dressed too. Looking down at herself she winced at the contrast of her heavily soiled clothes against the beautifully made-up bed she’d just slept in. Cocooned by thick fluffy cushions and pillows, the warmth of the duvet draped over her, her own clothes looked even more filthy in comparison, like rags. She could smell the fresh, clean bedding too. Like freshly cut flowers. Lilies or roses. The scent faint – not strong enough to mask her own stale smell. Confused, pulling back the covers, Lena swung her legs over the side of the bed and let her bare feet sink into the thick pile of the carpet.
Soft and soothing against her aching soles, it was a strange sensation. They didn’t have carpet at home in Albania; all the floors were cold tiles.
She saw her ragged shoes then – the gaping holes in the leather. Cast aside, discarded on the floor as if they had been pulled from her feet.
She remembered everything. Last night, at the hospital, how she’d been running away.
Vincent. He had been there too.
He’d helped her? Him and another girl, slightly older than her. They’d brought her here.
Vincent had been asking her questions about the boat!
Lena remembered him telling her that it had sunk, that all those people she had travelled to England with had drowned. She couldn’t remember much more after that. Everything had been a bit of a blur. In shock from the news, and exhausted after everything that had happened over the past week, it had all been too much. Her head had been spinning; the stress of the last few days catching up with her, overwhelming her.
Vincent had been questioning her about Korab and Ramiz too, she recalled. Asking if they were alive. If they had survived the boat capsizing.
She tried to answer, but she hadn’t been able to; she’d been a mess.
He’d got angry, frustrated with her.
She remembered his tone as he had shouted at her to answer him, but his aggression had only made her worse. It had all been too much for her. In the end, he’d given her something. Some kind of tablets; he said that they would help her to get some rest, would help to calm her down. That the girl, Saskia, would watch Roza for her. That she was safe now.
Lena hadn’t wan
ted to take the tablets. All she had wanted was her baby, but Vincent had made her.
Somehow she’d slept without her?
Making her way towards the bedroom door, Lena pressed her ear up against it, listening anxiously. Unsure of what she was about to walk into, she needed to find out where her daughter was.
It was only women’s voices she could hear though; two of them talking, their voices in hushed whispers. Too low for Lena to make out what they were saying, but she suspected they were talking about her.
She heard Roza then too. Gurgling, cooing. Relief spreading through her, she was unable to stop herself; she pushed down the handle and opened the door. She needed to see her baby to make sure that Roza was okay.
‘Ahh look, Roza, here is your mummy. It’s Lena isn’t it?’
The girl nodded.
She seemed even younger now in the cold light of day, Saskia thought. Just a child. She looked anxious too. The poor girl probably didn’t have a clue what was going on. Walking towards her, Saskia offered her a friendly smile.
‘Someone’s been missing you,’ she said softly as she handed Lena her baby.
Lena almost broke down then. Having Roza back in her arms, wide awake, alert. She looked a million times better than she had in hospital.
‘We met last night. I’m Saskia and this is Misty.’ Sensing the young girl’s sudden emotion on being reunited with her daughter, Saskia sat back down at the table with Misty, giving the girl some space to gather her bearings. Lena hadn’t said a word yet. Saskia wondered if she could understand what she was saying.
‘You speak English?’
‘Yes.’ Lena nodded. ‘I learnt English back home in Albania. In school.’
Lena thought back to Vincent last night. Shouting at her. His tone aggressive. She knew even more words now.
‘What’s that in her mouth?’ Lena asked seeing a pink mound of plastic poking out of Roza’s mouth.
‘Oh, this is a dummy, or a soother. It helps babies to relax, gives them something to concentrate on to stop them from crying.’
Lena nodded, unsure of the thing, although Roza certainly seemed content. Her eyes were alert; she was looking right at her and Lena felt the connection between them. She was overjoyed that her little girl was well again.
‘I hope you don’t mind but I gave her a little wash in the bathtub last night. She had a bit of an accident, a bad tummy. I popped some clean clothes on her, and she was hungry too, so I’ve given her some milk. I didn’t know how you were feeding her… I hope that was okay?’
‘Milk?’ Lena stared at Saskia’s chest.
Saskia laughed then, her cheeks flushing.
‘It’s formula milk. Powdered. You buy it from the shop. It’s very good. Apparently it has all the same nutrients in it as breast milk.’ Saskia pointed to the tub on the side. The powdered formula that Vincent had bought. Wary now that maybe she had overstepped the mark. ‘You just add hot water to it. I’ve made you up some bottles for today too… ’
‘Did she drink it?’ Lena asked.
‘Every last drop.’ Saskia nodded. ‘In fact, she’s finished two bottles so far this morning, and I would put money on her taking another one too, if it was offered to her. She certainly has an appetite on her.’
Lena started crying then.
‘I can’t thank you enough for looking after her for me.’ Lena had tears in her eyes, her voice trembled as she spoke. Hugging her daughter tightly to her, she kissed the top of Roza’s head, inhaling the lovely clean smell as she did. She was so relieved that her daughter had her appetite back. She was going to be okay. Lena could feel it. Roza was over the worst.
‘It was our pleasure. Roza was good as gold, wasn’t she, Misty?’
Lena looked to the other girl now, standing over by the dining table. She smiled too, but she looked a bit wary.
‘She’s been an angel. Well, apart from one little incident involving a very dirty nappy… ’
Misty couldn’t take her eyes off Lena. Saskia was right: the girl was exactly that, just a child. She couldn’t have been any more than sixteen.
‘Do you fancy some breakfast? You must be starving, sweetie.’ Sensing that the girl was probably hungry, Misty pulled out a chair. ‘I didn’t know what you’d fancy. I only have muesli in, but I can make you some toast—’
‘Oh no, the muesli will be lovely, thank you.’ Unable to even remember the last time she’d eaten, Lena sat down at the table and watched as Misty poured her out a bowl.
‘Do want me to take Roza for you while you eat?’
Lena shook her head. She’d already been apart from her child for too long. She needed her close. Besides, the two girls had done enough for her already. She could take over again from here.
Spooning the cereal into her mouth she suddenly realised how hungry she was. Her stomach ached with a hollowness and she still felt heady from the tablets she’d been given.
Suddenly remembering the man from the boat Lena stared around the flat now, anxiously. There was no sign of him.
‘Is everything all right?’ Saskia asked, sensing the girl’s unease.
‘Where is the man from last night?’
‘Vincent? He’s not here,’ Saskia said, watching the girl relax. ‘He’ll be here soon though. I said I’d call him as soon as you woke up.’
Lena stiffened. Saskia could see she wasn’t comfortable with the thought of seeing Vincent again.
‘There’s no hurry though, eh? I can call him in a bit. You just eat up, honey. We can sort all of that out later.’
‘Saskia?’ Misty glared at Saskia now.
Saskia shrugged.
‘What? We will call him, just not yet. Come on, Lena’s only just woken up. Let’s just let her have her breakfast in peace and get a shower first, yeah?’
Misty nodded reluctantly, then seeing Lena smiling again, she agreed.
A few extra minutes without Vincent breathing down their necks wasn’t such a bad idea.
‘Thank you.’ Lena smiled ‘I really appreciate your kindness.’
She was longing for a shower. She could smell the delicious clean scent radiating from her daughter, making her even more conscious of her own rancid stench. She felt sticky, dirty. As if her filthy skin and clothes were contaminating Roza.
‘Wow, you must be starving, you practically inhaled that.’ Misty smiled a few seconds later when Lena had finished the entire contents of the bowl in front of her.
‘Help yourself to another bowl if you want?’
‘No, thank you.’ She blushed as she realised how intently the two girls were watching her; she didn’t want to appear greedy. Not after everything that these girls had already done for her.
‘How about a nice cup of tea then?’
Before Lena could refuse, Misty had placed a steaming hot mug of tea down in front of her.
‘How are you feeling this morning?’ Saskia asked as she casually took a sip of her own tea, savouring its sweetness. God knows she needed the caffeine after spending the night looking after little Roza. By the time they’d managed to settle her it had been almost four a.m. Saskia was exhausted. Still, by the look of Lena, it had been worth it. The girl had been in such a state last night she looked like she really needed a break.
‘I feel much better thank you,’ Lena said, suddenly realising that she wasn’t just saying that either, she meant it.
Last night she’d been close to breaking point. Close to losing her mind. Since coming to England she hadn’t been able to get the image of the boat sinking out of her mind, and last night had been the first respite from the nightmares.
‘Ahh, it’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for you,’ Misty jibed, still put out that she’d had to sleep on the sofa. If you could call it sleep, with Saskia and Roza sharing it with her.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put you both out.’ Sensing the atmosphere between the two girls, Lena shuffled awkwardly in her chair. She was a burden here. As was Roza.
&
nbsp; ‘Oh, ignore her. You’re not a morning person, are you Misty?’ Saskia shot her a look then. ‘It was no bother at all, Lena. You looked like you could do with the rest.’
Misty realised she was being rude. Saskia was right. The girl probably had enough on her plate. She didn’t need to be guilt-tripped too.
‘I was only joking.’ Misty smiled now, feeling bad. ‘Sorry, until the caffeine kicks in I’m super grumpy in the mornings.’
‘Well, just so you know. I really do appreciate what you’ve done for me and Roza. I can’t thank you enough for taking such good care of her. She’s been through so much these past few days. There were moments when I didn’t think she’d make it.’ Lena’s voice was thick with emotion.
‘Can I ask you something?’ Saskia hesitated, unsure whether or not she should try and probe further, but she was curious.
‘Of course, ask me anything.’
Saskia took her time. She’d been thinking about Lena and Roza all night, replaying the scene at the hospital over and over in her head as she tried to work out the connection between Vincent and Lena. Lena didn’t seem the type of girl that would know someone like Vincent, and the way that he’d been talking to her when he’d brought her back here had left Saskia feeling unsettled.
‘Did you take her?’
‘Sorry?’ Lena was confused. Of all the things that Saskia could have wanted to know, that question had thrown her. ‘Did I take who?’
‘Roza?’ Saskia didn’t even want to say it, but it was the only explanation that she could think of. It was the only thing that would make any sense, that would explain why the nurses and the security guards had been chasing her at the hospital. Or why she was so desperate to get away.
‘Is Roza yours, Lena? Last night at the hospital – you were running; the security guards were chasing you… Did you steal her?’ Saskia felt awful even asking, but she had to know for certain.
‘Of course she is mine!’ Lena cried. Horrified that these girls would think so low of her. That they suspected her of kidnapping somebody else’s child.
Looking down at Roza lying in her arms Lena fought back fresh tears. ‘I would never do something like that: take someone else’s child. I’m a good person. Of course she is mine.’
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