by Emma Tallon
Michael stared levelly at Freddie until he’d finished. He wiped the blood from the side of his mouth and slowly stood up, straightening his jacket and brushing it down. His expression was calm but cold.
‘How did you find her?’ he asked.
‘That doesn’t matter. Answer my questions. I’m not messing around, Michael. This is serious.’
Michael walked into the open-plan kitchen and picked up a glass and a bottle of whisky from the side.
‘Want one?’ he asked, raising a questioning eyebrow at each of his brothers.
Paul shook his head gravely. Freddie considered it for a moment. He had never wanted a drink so badly, but he knew that he needed a clear head if he had any chance of sorting this mess out. He declined. Michael took a large gulp of his drink and sat on one of the stools at the breakfast bar. There was a long silence, which Freddie eventually broke.
‘Why, Michael?’ he asked flatly. ‘Was it to get back at me?’
‘Get back at you?’ Michael seemed genuinely confused. ‘Why would I want to hurt you? You’re my brother. You’ve taught me everything. I appreciate that.’
‘When you came back three years ago, you hated me. You told me then that one day you would overtake me. I thought that was all behind us, but I’ve never forgotten that.’
‘Oh, I will overtake you. One day. But not now, and hopefully when I do it will be with your blessing. That’s something for the future,’ Michael explained.
Freddie frowned. That wasn’t how things were done. They were the Tyler brothers – they ran the firm together and in sync. It was also an unspoken fact that Freddie would always be the head of the family. Not only was he the eldest, but he was the one who had spent blood, sweat and years building their empire up from nothing. This wasn’t some corporate rat race where you stepped over people to get to the top, but it sounded like that was exactly what Michael thought it was.
‘This has nothing to do with either of you,’ Michael continued. ‘But it does have a lot to do with how unhappy I was back then.’ His face clouded over. ‘They really did torture me at that school, you know. One boy especially.’
Freddie froze as he remembered Michael’s explosive outburst when he’d arrived home angry, in shame and expelled.
‘William Hargreaves…’ Freddie said in shock, as he finally made the connection.
It had been Hargreaves’ son who had made Michael’s life a misery at boarding school. He had bullied him mercilessly, and Michael had kept quiet about it, right up to the point he was expelled for dealing drugs. It had affected him badly, but Freddie had thought that was over and done with.
‘Bingo,’ Michael replied.
‘What?’ Paul asked, looking at Freddie.
‘William was at school with Michael – he bullied him,’ Freddie updated Paul before turning to Michael. ‘But, Michael, that was years ago. You were kids. He was a cunt, sure, but that doesn’t warrant all this.’
‘Bullied!’ Michael snorted. ‘Such a weak word for what he put me through,’ he snapped, glaring at Freddie.
Michael’s controlled mask had slipped, and Freddie was shocked at the look he saw in his brother’s eyes. It was almost feral and eerily absent, like Michael wasn’t even there anymore.
‘That piece of shit put me through hell. Not only did he and his friends beat me up every single day, but he belittled me and tore me down in front of anyone who was there to watch.’ Michael snarled at the memory.
Freddie realised that this was what had cut Michael so deeply. Michael didn’t take well to small jokes that were made at his expense. For someone to ridicule him and laugh at him like William had would be unacceptable. But even so, this had been taken way too far.
‘I wanted him to feel some of the helplessness that he made me feel,’ Michael said. ‘He adored his sister. It’ll have killed him, knowing she was suffering. He deserves it. It didn’t take much to find her,’ he said, a cold smile on his face. ‘She’s quite the social butterfly. All it took then was a couple of compliments at a bar one night and we got to chatting. I told her she should come to the club, that I would make sure she got in free. I knew I could take her undetected from there. The club really isn’t that well covered by cameras, you know. I always thought that. You should probably look into that actually, when you get a chance.’
Freddie shook his head in amazement. Michael was talking to him as though everything was normal suddenly.
‘And what about your demands that William kill himself, Michael? When were you going to put a stop to that?’ Freddie asked.
‘Put a stop to it? Why on earth would I do that?’ Michael laughed as if that amused him. ‘He needs to die,’ he said earnestly. ‘He has to pay for what he did to me. And what better way than by his own hand, saving someone he loves? That way, he really has atoned for his sins.’ Michael nodded as he talked. He clearly believed wholeheartedly in everything he was saying.
Freddie was horrified. The man in front of him right now, the honest and true Michael, was a madman. There was no regret in his eyes. There was no remorse in his words. Michael thought, even now, that he was going to go through with his plan. Freddie realised in disbelief that Michael still actually thought his brothers would be on his side. He stared at Paul, whose horrified expression surely mirrored his own. What on earth were they going to do?
‘Michael… This isn’t going to happen. There’s no way I’m letting you go forward with any of this madness. I’ve already dropped Katherine to the hospital, and I pray to God she lives. Hargreaves already knows she’s safe. William won’t be topping himself for you any time soon.’
‘No!’ Michael’s enraged cry resounded through the minimally furnished room. His face contorted as he tried to process this disaster. ‘What have you done?’ he yelled.
‘You can’t murder that girl, or her brother – or Carla either, who we also found chained up like an animal. They’re innocent people!’ Freddie shouted.
‘You murder people all the time. I got rid of two bodies last week alone!’ Michael retorted.
‘I do not murder people all the time. Last week was unusual, and you fucking know it!’ Freddie yelled. ‘In this line of business it happens, yes. But never to innocent people. The only people I ever take out are those who are a serious threat to me and mine. That’s it. They’re bad people with bad intentions, and even then I leave them to it until I have no choice. So don’t you dare compare that to this.’ Freddie fumed. He was always sensitive on that subject. He thought Michael understood his reluctance to kill.
‘One rule for you and one for the rest of us, eh, Fred?’ Michael said sarcastically.
He narrowed his eyes at his older brother. He had thought that now they knew, they would help him finish the job. He was always on hand to help finish their jobs. This was no different.
Michael knew he was different. Death didn’t bother or affect him at all. In fact it excited him. He enjoyed that part of the job. This was something he saw as a strength. He wasn’t weak like the others, who killed as quickly as possible and turned their eyes away when they were done. He didn’t get affected by the feeble emotions of his prey. Fear, sorrow, love. No, he was stronger. He was built to thrive and conquer in their world. If only everyone else could see that.
Paul had been quiet as they talked, but now he stepped forward. ‘I can’t see a way out of this, Fred. He won’t stop if he stays. We can’t protect him like this.’
Freddie nodded. Paul was right. If Michael had made a mistake and had kept her out of fear, if he had been scared and remorseful, Freddie would have defended him to the end. He would have figured out a way of getting him out of it. But seeing him like this, still so hell-bent on revenge and seeing no wrong in his actions, Freddie couldn’t help him. If they covered it up, Michael would still go after William, and then they would all be done for.
‘Yeah, I know.’ Freddie took a deep breath. ‘I’m telling Hargreaves that it was you, and I’m going to tell him why,’ he said to Micha
el. ‘We’ll just have to take it from there.’
‘What?’ Fear crossed Michael’s face for the first time. ‘You must be joking?’
‘You’ll be staying here with Paul,’ Freddie said. Paul pulled a handgun out from his pocket and took a seat at the dining table. Michael’s eyes flickered towards the bedroom.
‘I wouldn’t bother,’ Freddie said. ‘I already took it out from under the bed. There are no knives either. Sit down on the sofa and don’t move until I get back.’
Freddie walked out of the flat, leaving Michael with his mouth gaping open. He needed to tell Ben now, while he still had the guts to do it.
52
Night fell, the darkness washing over London like a blanket. The sky was clear, meaning that from the Portakabin by the docks Freddie could make out a few stars, as their light fought against the constant orange glow shining out from the city centre. It was here he stood, his heart heavier than it had ever been in his life as he waited for Hargreaves and Riley to arrive. When he had told Ben that Michael was the one responsible, he had demanded that Freddie take his life. He had also demanded that it be done in front of him, so that he could watch and be sure that his demands were carried out. Freddie knew he couldn’t refuse them. If he did, Michael wouldn’t just go to a prison for the rest of his life – he would be tied up in an asylum. That was no life for anyone. And he and Paul would be living out their days in maximum security, or if they somehow managed to be quick enough, under a new identity a million miles from home. No, Freddie had no choice. Especially as he knew Michael would just continue on the same path if he didn’t make him face up to what he’d done.
The warm summer breeze drifted up over the river to where Freddie stood. It rippled through his hair, but he didn’t notice. All he could focus on was the quiet sound of an engine turning off on the road at the top of the cobbled path behind him. He heard two muffled thuds as the doors were closed. Freddie waited for them to walk down to him. As they neared, he turned and gave Alan the nod. Alan disappeared into the Portakabin. He returned with Paul. Michael’s hands were tied together with rope in front of him, and he had tape over his mouth. Paul stood Michael next to a pile of plastic sheets at the water’s edge, away from Freddie, and waited for Hargreaves and DCI Riley to reach them.
Ben’s face was as black as thunder as he caught sight of the trussed-up Michael. He made a beeline for him, determined to take out all his frustrations, but Freddie stood in his way and put his hand against his chest.
‘Out of my way, Tyler,’ he snarled.
‘Not a chance,’ Freddie replied strongly.
Ben blinked and looked at Freddie, surprised by his response. Freddie took the opportunity to step forward, forcing Ben to move backward.
‘I’ve held up my end of things. I’ve found your daughter, and I told you who had her. You’ve demanded I kill Michael for what he’s done, and I’ve accepted your right to that request. But he’s still my brother.’ Freddie eyed Ben – hard. ‘I’ve done all you’ve asked, but I will not let you touch him. Do you understand me? You can accord me that respect, considering.’
Ben warred with himself. He wanted to push this low-life scumbag out of the way and beat ten bells out of the man who’d hurt Katherine. But there was a look in Freddie’s eye that reminded Ben just how dangerous Freddie Tyler was, and it made him hesitate.
Sarah Riley stepped forward and gently pulled Ben back by the arm.
‘Sir, it would be safer for you not to touch him, in case the body is found. Any trace of DNA will link you to the murder. That’s definitely something you don’t need.’
Freddie was struck again by how calculated Riley was. His dislike of her intensified. She was as crooked as they came. Someone who should never have been on the police force.
Ben took the out that Riley had given him and nodded his acceptance. What she was saying made sense, if he was honest. It wasn’t easy to hold himself back, but he would. At least the psychotic bastard would be dead soon. And he would be here to watch it happen. He hoped that might go some way to soothing the anger that was ripping him apart inside.
‘Well, go on then. Do it,’ Ben said, through gritted teeth.
Freddie signalled for Paul to put Michael in position. Michael’s eyes burned into Freddie’s as he stood there, waiting to be shot. His breathing was heavy with adrenaline, and his face was red, but he didn’t try to struggle. He stood tall and braced himself.
Freddie stepped forward and lifted his gun. Pointing it at his brother’s heart, he cocked the trigger. There was a moment of silence as everyone waited for what was coming with bated breath. Freddie’s heart felt heavier than it ever had before, and he swallowed the hard lump in his throat. Taking a deep breath, he blinked away the mist forming in his eyes.
‘God forgive me,’ he whispered. Freddie squeezed the trigger and a single shot cracked through the silence around them, followed by a dull thump as Michael’s body hit the ground.
53
Anna opened the small safe in her office at Club Anya and her fingers rested on a thin A4 file underneath the package with the passports. She pulled it out and opened it up. Inside were the documents that she’d hastily had drawn up by her solicitor only the day before. It was a document that moved Anna’s part-ownership of the club to Tanya. She had signed it and left it in the safe along with a note. It was all she could do at such short notice to make sure that if the worst happened, her friend and their business was protected.
Tanya didn’t know any of this. She had no idea of the turmoil going on in Anna and Freddie’s lives. In truth, Anna hadn’t really known much about it either. She had been completely flummoxed when Thea had turned up at her door with Carla the night before with half a garbled explanation about kidnap and Michael. She had helped Thea with Carla, gently washing the exhausted, trembling girl in the bath as she wept inconsolably, before feeding her and putting her to bed in their spare room. Freddie had sat down with her this morning and finally spilled out the whole story. She had listened in shocked silence as he told her everything, from when he disappeared on her birthday right up to the night before on the docks. Grudgingly she accepted his reasons for not telling her. She wished that she’d known all of this was going on, wished that she could have shouldered some of the heavy burden for Freddie. Her heart broke for him as he told her what he’d had to do.
Taking the contract and letter out of the file, Anna stored it away in her personal file safe. She liked to keep hold of things, even though she wouldn’t be needing those documents anymore. Freddie had told her they were in the clear again. They wouldn’t be running off to start new lives in South America after all. Anna was relieved. She had been dreading getting the call telling her to run.
The news was on quietly on the small TV on the wall. They were now discussing Katherine Hargreaves, so she tuned in.
‘… was found barely breathing but alive on the south steps of the hospital by Dr Markham. It was touch and go whether Katherine Hargreaves would make it after her ordeal. Doctors have fought tirelessly for the last forty-eight hours to stabilise her condition. Our on-site journalist Karim Ali reports.’
‘Yes, thank you, Holly. It was a bad state indeed that Katherine arrived here in, but I’m glad to report that, as of this morning, she has finally begun to stabilise and has even been able to give her statement to the police. Katherine has no memory of how she came to be on the steps, and there is speculation that perhaps her kidnapper had a moment of guilt, but as it stands the police still have very little to go on.’
‘Is it true, Karim, that the police profiler has concerns that this may be a serial kidnapper and that they won’t stop here?’
‘That is correct, Holly – they are concerned about that. The behaviour displayed by the kidnapper towards Katherine has highlighted some big red flags in the psychotic department. They believe the individual behind this needs serious help…’
Anna switched the television off and shook her head sadly. There would be no
help for Michael now. She shivered as she remembered the photos Freddie had shown her of that cold, damp basement and of Katherine Hargreaves when he’d found her. He had kept them, in case he ever needed them should something come back to bite him in the arse. Anna couldn’t believe that the sweet young man she had known, the man she had thought of as a younger brother almost, could be capable of such things. But he was, and he had been caught, and Freddie had done what needed to be done.
Anna sat down suddenly as her tears began to fall and rested her head heavily in her hands. How could he do it? How could he put another person through such horror? Memories of the torture she, herself, had endured at the hands of her ex came flooding into her mind. She couldn’t help but compare them, now that she’d found out who Michael really was. It took a special kind of evil to put someone through such abuse. It took a very sick mind not to feel empathy, to not care or feel bad about doing such terrible things. It wasn’t something she would ever be able to understand.
Anna wiped the tears away and with difficulty closed the door on the painful memories of her past. She couldn’t bear to keep thinking about the monster Michael had turned out to be. She closed her eyes. The world really was never what it seemed.
Freddie opened the double doors of the bright, cheerful pub with a bang. He stepped in and nodded towards all the shocked faces looking at him. They all knew exactly who he was, but they couldn’t understand for the life of them what he was doing in a pub like this.
‘You lost, Freddie?’ a middle-aged balding man asked jokingly.