“Agreed.” Jason nodded. “Sounds like they covered their tracks pretty well.” He hesitated. “Until now.”
“What do you mean?” Raw said.
“Lacey, whose phone did Suzy call you on?”
“Todd's.”
“Jason frowned.
“What?” The three others said almost in unison.
“They will have been keeping tabs on his number. It's possible they've already traced that call. If they have, we need to find them fast.”
“Do you know anyone who could trace the call for us?” Raw asked.
“Possibly.” Jason said. “First, we need to discuss the money.”
Lacey saw Raw's expression change.
“What about it?” Raw demanded.
“What's the status?”
“The status.” Raw didn't attempt to hide the disdain in his voice. “Is that the two casinos have already been paid in full. There's money in the bank waiting to be transferred to the Gordons just as soon as I know the precise amount and I have their bank details. I'm still waiting on you for that information.” Once again he turned his glare on Jason.
“They're playing hard ball.” Jason said. “They want to have their cake and eat it.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Raw said.
“It means they want their money, but they still want to teach Todd a lesson.”
“Tell them they don't get a penny unless they guarantee not to hurt Todd.”
“It's going to take a little more money to persuade them of that.”
“Why doesn't that surprise me?” Raw said. “How much?”
“They want three times his debt.”
“And what's your cut?”
“Raw!” Carol was on her feet. “What's wrong with you? Jason is trying to help us.”
Raw shook his head. “He might have you under his spell, but he doesn't fool me.”
Lacey grabbed Raw's arm, but he shook her hand away.
“How much do you actually know about him, Carol? Don't you think it's rather convenient he wandered into your life just as all this was going down?”
Carol reached over the table, and slapped her brother across the face. “Bastard!”
“It's okay.” Jason took Carol around the waist, and pulled her back into her chair.
“If we pay this money, how do we know we'll ever see Todd again?” Raw said.
“You don't,” Jason said. “Waverley is still going to be looking for him.”
“We have to do this.” Carol had tears in her eyes.
“She's right, Raw,” Lacey said.
Raw looked at Lacey, then at Carol, and finally at Jason. “Okay. But trust me on this—if you double-cross us, and anything happens to Todd, I will hunt you down.”
His words washed over Jason without any obvious effect.
There was an uncomfortable silence around the table for what felt like an eternity. It was Jason who eventually spoke.
“The priority now is to trace that phone.” He stood up. “Carol, will you text me Todd's number. I'll see what I can find out.” He began to walk towards the lift.
“I'll come with you.” Carol made as if to follow.
“No—it could be dangerous. I'll see you back at your place later.” His words left no room for negotiation.
“You really are a piece of work,” Carol said to Raw, once Jason had left.
“We don't know anything about him.”
“He's with me. That's all you need to know.”
“Yeah because your track record at picking men has been so good.”
“Raw!” Lacey shouted.
“You can be a real arse hole sometimes.” Carol wiped a tear from her eye. “There's no wonder Todd doesn't want anything to do with you.”
“I seem to remember he doesn't want anything to do with you either.”
“Enough you two!” Lacey yelled. “This isn't helping Todd or Suzy. You're both as bad as one another. If you want to fight then at least wait until those two are safe.”
Raw and Carol looked first at Lacey, and then at each other.
“She's right,” Raw said. “We have to work together. I'm sorry.”
“Me too.”
Lacey took a deep breath. She'd chosen one helluva family to buy into. If she didn't love every last molecule of Raw, she'd be out of there.
“What else did Suzy have to say?” Carol asked.
“Not much. She was only on the phone for a couple of minutes.”
“Was Todd there with her? Could you hear him?”
“No. I think they'd had a bust-up. Nothing serious, but she said she needed to get away from him for a while.”
“Could you hear any sounds in the background? Did it sound like she was in a city?”
“I could barely hear Suzy. I did ask where she was, but she said she wouldn't say without asking Todd first.”
“At least we know they're alive.”
“For now,” Raw said.
Both women turned their gaze on him.
“Sorry. I didn't mean that. We'll get them back. Both of them.”
Chapter 19
“Go on then, try it.” Suzy said. “And I want the truth.”
She'd spent the last two hours preparing the meal. Todd had never eaten Yorkshire pudding before. It looked delicious, but how would it taste? If he didn't like it, she'd know, and would be devastated after so much time and effort.
“Go on!” she urged.
He took a mouthful of potato, meat and Yorkshire pudding.
“Well?” Suzy said, impatiently.
He frowned.
“I knew it. Don't know why I bothered. I can't cook for shit.”
“I'm kidding.” Todd beamed. “It's delicious.”
“You're just saying that.”
“I'm not, honestly. It's fantastic. Try it for yourself.”
She studied his face for several seconds. He was telling the truth; she would have known if he was lying. Suzy tried a taste. And then another. Holy crap—it was delicious.
“It's the first time I've ever made a real meal. One that didn't come out of the microwave.”
“And it didn't take many pots and pans to do it.” Todd gestured towards the pile of dirty plates, pans, trays, pots and cutlery piled high on the sink.
“I don't know what you're laughing at.” She grinned. “You have to wash those.”
“By myself?”
“Unless you can persuade Ben to help you.”
The dog was sitting right next to the table—his nose twitching.
“You can have the leftovers, boy,” Suzy said.
“There won't be any.” Todd tucked into the meal.
With each day that passed, the house began to feel more and more like a home. It couldn't last forever, but neither of them wanted it to end. The thought of going back to their old lives filled them both with dread. They'd found a sanctuary where the world couldn't touch them—somewhere they could be themselves.
“Are you really going to make me do this all by myself?” Todd was standing by the sink.
“Yep. I cooked—you wash. That's fair.”
“We could leave the pots, and go to bed instead?”
“Nah. I'm too full.” Suzy patted her tummy. “Get on with it like a good boy.”
“I'm not sure I like you any more.”
“Just wash the pots, whiner.”
Todd knew when he was beat, so he began to run the water.
“While you're having fun with the Fairy Liquid.” She smirked. “I'm going to take a walk into the village. They've got a few paperbacks. I'll see if there's anything I fancy.”
“You bored of me already? Why do you need a book when we could go to bed?”
“There's only so many times we can shag—”
“Make love.”
“Whatever. There's only so many times we can do it in one night.”
“You're underestimating Big Todd.”
“I seem to remember that last night, I couldn'
t get a rise out of Big Todd.”
“We'd already done it twice.”
“I was just getting started.”
“Fine. Go get your book. Don't worry about me slaving over a sink full of pots.”
“I won't. See you later.” She made for the door. “Ben? You coming?”
The dog didn't need to be asked twice.
“Traitor.” Todd called after the dog.
Suzy threw the ball, and watched as Ben shot off after it. The beach was deserted as usual. Most tourists favoured the stretch of sands beyond the headland. Suzy, Todd and Ben rarely ventured that far—they preferred their own company. She'd done more walking during the last few weeks than she had for years. And she was eating much better—no fast food outlets for miles. No drinking either except for the one visit to The Fisherman. All in all, she couldn't remember when she'd felt better.
“Here boy,” Suzy called Ben to come to her as soon as she spotted the car. There was normally very little traffic on that stretch of road. Few locals ventured beyond the village, and tourists usually approached the headland from the other direction. Once the car had passed safely by, she let go of the dog's collar.
“Morning, Suzy,” the owner of the village store greeted her.
“Morning, Mr Warne,” Suzy said.
Old man Warne had told them to call him Jim, but neither Suzy nor Todd could bring themselves to do it. If anyone looked like a Mr it was Jim Warne.
“Where's that fellow of yours?” he asked.
“I left him washing the pots.”
“Don't you tell my Nancy that or she'll expect me to start doing them.”
“Don't tell me what?” Mrs Warne came through from the back.
“Nothing dear.” He smiled at his wife. “Suzy just mentioned the weather forecast wasn't good for later.”
“And why on earth shouldn't she tell me that?”
It took all of Suzy's resolve not to laugh as the old man tried to dig himself out of the hole.
“No reason, I err—. I just thought you might be going out later.”
Mrs Warne stared blankly at her husband, and then turned back to Suzy. “Men? Talking of which, where's that handsome young man of yours?”
Mr Warne shook his head—unnoticed by his wife.
“I left him—” Suzy hesitated. “With his feet up—fast asleep.”
“Typical!” Mrs Warne huffed. “They're all the same.”
The old man mouthed 'thank you'.
“What can we get for you today, Suzy?” Mrs Warne asked.
“I thought I'd take a look at your books.”
“Young couple like you shouldn't need books for entertainment,” Mr Warne said.
“Jim!” His wife gave him such a look.
“I've got things to do in the back.” Mr Warne scurried away.
“Take no notice of him, dear,” Mrs Warne said. “Trust me; I had to read plenty of books when we were young. Jim only had so much stamina.” She winked.
Suzy couldn't hide her surprise at the woman's words. It was hard to imagine those two old dears at it.
**********
It hadn't taken Suzy more than a few minutes to pick out a book, but then there were only two shelves-full to choose from. When had she last read a book? It must have been at school, and even then it would have been under duress. She'd chosen a horror story. Suzy often used to drag Lacey to see horror films. It was the only way she could get her flatmate to go because Lacey was a real scaredy cat who spent most of the movie with her hands over her eyes.
Ben dropped his ball at Suzy's feet for the thousandth time.
“Hold on boy.” She grabbed hold of his collar, and waited until the car had sped past them. It was the same one she'd seen on her way to the village. Most likely tourists who had discovered there was nothing to do or see this side of the headland.
“Fetch it!” She tossed the ball towards the sea. Ben raced after it, and caught it just before it reached the water's edge.
“Go find Todd!” She pointed to the house. “Go find him, boy.”
Ben still had the ball clamped in his jaws as he raced to the house. Suzy watched him disappear through the open front door.
She followed the dog's paw prints, and was surprised when Ben came running back towards her. His ball was no longer in his mouth.
“Go find Todd!” She yelled.
Ben barked manically as he ran in circles around her.
“Daft dog. Come on let's find him.”
Suzy led the way into the house, Ben hard on her heels.
Todd had only washed about half of the dishes. She was going to have to have serious words.
“Todd! What do you call this?”
There was no response. The lazy sod was probably fast asleep. “Get up and finish these dishes!”
The bedroom was empty.
“Stop pissing around. Where are you?”
Suzy checked each room, but there was no sign of him. If he'd followed her to the village, she'd have seen him. He must have gone to the headland.
“Find Todd!” She shouted to Ben.
The dog barked and then raced outside. She'd expected to see Ben racing towards the headland, but instead he was waiting for her at the roadside.
“Where is he boy?”
Ben gave out a low whimper.
Suzy looked out towards the headland. There were no footprints on the beach.
A cold chill pulsed through her veins as she looked back towards the village.
“Oh god. Oh god!”
**********
“Suzy, what's wrong?” Mrs Warne said.
Suzy tried to speak, but she could barely draw breath. She'd run all the way back to the village.
“Are you okay? Is it Todd?”
“Phone.” Suzy managed to say. “I have to use your phone.”
“Of course, dear. Is it Todd? Is he hurt?”
“No. I don't think so. Where's the phone.”
It seemed like an eternity as the call rang out.
“Hello?”
“Lacey. It's me.”
“Suzy? What's wrong?”
“It's Todd. He's gone.”
“What do you mean? Where?”
“I don't know. I was only gone a few minutes, but when I got back. There was a car. I think they might have taken him.”
“Who? Did you see them?”
“No. I wasn't paying any attention. Lacey, I'm scared.”
“It'll be okay. Where are you?”
Suzy told Lacey where they'd been staying, and explained there was no network coverage.
“Where are you calling from?”
“The landline in the village store.”
“Can you stay there? By that phone? I need to get hold of Raw or Jason.”
“Who's Jason?”
“It doesn't matter. Stay put. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“Here you are dear.” Mrs Warne handed Suzy a cup of tea. “Looks like you need this.”
“Thanks. Is it okay if I wait here until they call me back?”
“Of course.”
“Couldn't help hearing what you said,” Mr Warne said. “Don't you think you should call the police?”
“No.”
“But if someone has taken your boyfriend?”
“No! Sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I have to wait until I get a call back.”
Suzy almost dropped the cup when the phone rang.
“Hello!”
“It's me,” Lacey said. “I've spoken to Raw. He's arranged for a cab to pick you up from the store.”
“Maybe I should stay here, just in case—”
“No. It's too dangerous—they might come back. The cab should be there within thirty minutes.”
“I'm not sure what time the trains run.”
“Don't worry about that. The cab is going to bring you back here—to the Commodore.”
Chapter 20
The Warnes agreed to look after Ben until Suzy returned. The dog's
howls sliced through her heart as she climbed into the cab. Would she ever see Ben or Todd again? After the first few miles, the driver gave up all attempts at small talk. Suzy wasn't in the mood.
The driver had called ahead, so Lacey was already waiting outside the Commodore when the car pulled up. Suzy threw herself into her friend's arms.
“Are you okay?” Lacey said.
“No, not really.”
“Let's go up to the penthouse. Raw and Carol are there.”
Suzy pulled away. “Have you heard from Todd? Is he okay?”
“We haven't heard anything.”
“We have to call the police.”
“Let's get upstairs first.”
“Was it the same men from the hotel?” Raw asked, as soon as Lacey and Suzy stepped out of the lift.
“Let us get inside first” Lacey pushed past him, and led Suzy to one of the leather sofas. “Do you want anything to eat or drink?”
“I'm okay,” Suzy said. “I didn't see who took Todd. I was at the village store. All I saw was the car that took him away.”
“How do you know which car it was?” Carol asked.
“Hardly any vehicles travel along that short stretch of coast road. It's no more than a narrow track which doesn't really lead anywhere. The car came past me as I walked to the village, and then again on my way back.”
“You must have seen who was inside it,” Raw said.
“Don't you think I'd tell you if I had?”
“I don't know. Would you? You didn't bother to tell us where you were.”
“Raw!” Lacey said angrily.
“It's okay, Lacey. He's right. We should have told you. It was selfish.”
This was a side of Suzy which Lacey hadn't seen before.
“Let me guess.” Raw said. “You were both too smashed to think about letting us know you were safe.”
“Raw.” Lacey yelled. “This isn't helping.”
“Todd didn't have a single drink all of the time we were there.”
“Sure.” Raw scoffed.
“Whether you believe it or not, it's true. None of that matters now. All that matters is finding Todd.”
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