Dangerous Girl_An utterly heart stopping thriller

by Emma Tallon

  Freddie gave him a small smile. He knew Ted Sparrow well. Ted had been on his payroll for years. He came in handy for the odd bit of information and made sure that any speeding tickets were disposed of before they reached his doormat.

  ‘Nah, I felt like having a pint with one of my close friends. You seen her? Tall, built like a bloke and a personality that would turn milk sour?’

  A few of them glanced towards the back corner of the pub where Sarah Riley sat red faced, nursing a large gin and tonic.

  ‘Ah. There she is… Thanks, boys.’

  The pub was a well-known social hub for policemen and women. It was situated right by the station and was even called The Pig’s Head, much to Freddie’s delight. It was as much of a contrast to The Black Bear as you could possibly get and somewhere Freddie normally chose to avoid. Today, however, he had a reason for coming here.

  ‘Wily-Riley…’ Freddie’s cold smile didn’t reach his eyes as he looked down at her. He sat down at her table. ‘And you are a little wily, ain’t ya, eh?’ He raised his eyebrows in question.

  The man who’d been about to join Riley at her table thought the better of it and stayed at the bar instead.

  ‘What the fuck do you think you’re doing?’ Riley hissed. ‘We are most certainly not friends,’ she continued, acid in her tone.

  Freddie’s eyes flashed, and Sarah caught a glimpse of the naked hatred in his eyes.

  ‘No. We’re not. You and I are going to have a little chat. We can either have it here or you can be at Land’s End in ten minutes. Choose. Now.’

  ‘Land’s End,’ she replied quickly. ‘Now fuck off.’

  Freddie immediately got up and left, nodding at Sparrow as he walked out the door. Everyone stared at DCI Sarah Riley and suddenly began to question her loyalty to the force. How did she know Freddie Tyler? Why were they on such familiar terms? And what had she done to piss him off so much that he would walk in here?

  Sarah fumed in her seat, absolutely furious. In the space of two minutes Freddie had started a chain reaction that would take no time at all to undermine her trustworthiness with everyone on the force. She could already see it in their faces.

  Slamming her chair back against the wall, she picked up her phone from the table and stormed out. She didn’t care if he was still grieving. She was going to give Freddie Tyler a piece of her mind.

  Freddie watched as she flew in through the door of the more neutral pub like a hurricane. He almost smiled, but not quite. He hated her too much to find her amusing.

  ‘How dare you come in there like that? Do you know what you’ve done?’ she said angrily.

  ‘Sit down,’ Freddie demanded. His hard voice brooked no nonsense, and his eyes flashed dangerously.

  ‘No thanks,’ Sarah replied. ‘I’ve just come to warn you to stay the fuck away from me, or I’ll bring you down regardless of what your agreement with Ben was.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think you will. I don’t think you’ll be bringing anyone down again, in fact,’ Freddie replied. He watched her hesitate, curious as to what he meant. ‘Sit down,’ he repeated.

  Sarah looked towards the door that she so badly longed to walk out of, but she needed to know what Freddie was talking about. She sat down and glared at him over the table. The barmaid brought over Freddie’s pint, and he thanked her politely before continuing.

  ‘There’s this funny thing about people. They never really change. I mean, they might get fit or dye their hair, go on some Buddhist retreat, but they never really change deep down. There are very few things in life that actually do change us, for better or worse. Which means when we display a trait, its usually something that’s been there all along.’

  ‘What, like your little brother?’ Riley taunted.

  Freddie clenched his jaw but didn’t rise to it. His level stare began to make her feel uncomfortable.

  ‘There’s a calculatedness and instinct for self-preservation in you that I’ve watched with interest throughout our encounters lately. You have no problem going against the law you swore to uphold, as long as it covers your back or lines your pockets. And given the ease with which you did it, I was pretty sure this wasn’t your first time. Your spending habits gave you away too. Like I said before, the designer gear, the expensive jewellery, your lifestyle – they don’t come easy to a pig on a salary. Not even at your level. But the money had to come from somewhere, didn’t it? So, I did some digging. It’s amazing the things you can find out when you’re someone like me.’ Freddie paused to take a deep drink from his pint glass.

  Sarah was distinctly worried now, and it showed on her face.

  ‘Turns out, I was right. But, of course, you know that, don’t you?’ Freddie said coldly. ‘I picked up some details of a very interesting job that went down about five years ago. Do you remember that bank job in Holborn? I do. In fact, my good friend Bill was the one who put together the plan. Not that this can be proved of course, because he never actually physically went on the job – the CCTV footage that was stolen along with the money that day would never have picked him up. Thing is, though, rather than destroying them, Bill kept hold of those tapes just in case he ever needed them down the line.’

  Freddie paused to take another slow drink. After all she’d put him and his family through, he was savouring the look of downright fear that was now spreading across her face. ‘You were the first plod on the scene that day. It was your patch. You even got awarded for bravery when you chased the thieves out and saved one bag stuffed full of cash. How very noble. Except that wasn’t actually what went down, was it?’ Freddie lifted one eyebrow in question. ‘No. When you got there, no one was in the vault. They had already scarpered and had accidentally left two bags of cash behind. They probably meant to go back but had seen you arrive and thought better of it. The camera, though, that picked you up taking a bag full of cash back out to your car before returning and playing the hero. There was somewhere between eighty to ninety grand in that bag, and you, the noble policewoman, stole it from the Bank of England. Now what is that about?’

  Freddie sat back and waited for her to respond.

  ‘There weren’t any tapes there that day,’ she said slowly. ‘I checked.’

  ‘Oh, there were. But Bill had a friend on the inside take them out after the fact and slip them to him down the side alley. He was watching over everything from outside.’

  Sarah’s face paled, and she shrank back into her seat. She swallowed the lump in her throat before replying in a fearful whisper, ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘Me? Nothing. You, on the other hand, are going to walk back into your office, hand your notice in with immediate effect and walk right back out again. You will never work in the police force again. Because if I hear even a sniff of it, I’ll send these tapes to every news station this side of fucking Mars. And the second that gets out, you’re looking at a minimum of ten years inside.’ He leaned forward with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. ‘And you wouldn’t last ten minutes in prison.’

  Riley floundered as she realised in dismay that she had no choice but to do exactly as Freddie was saying. And it was entirely her own fault.

  Game, set, match, Freddie thought. He had won.

  Without a word, Sarah stood up and left the pub, her face still set in an expression of shock. Freddie watched her leave and felt a deep sense of peace wash over him. She was done in this life. He would never have to think of her again.

  Bill stood up from his seat, two tables away and sat down next to Freddie, watching the DCI’s retreating back through the window.

  ‘Thanks for that, Bill,’ Freddie said to his old friend.

  ‘Any time. Especially if it gets rid of scum like her. Shall we go get a proper drink?’ Bill eyed the weak beer with disgust. He had never much liked the stuff.

  ‘Yeah, let’s go. I could do with something stronger myself.’

  Freddie felt a wave of appreciation hit him as he and Bill left the pub. He wouldn’t know what to do without hi
s men. They were as loyal as they came. And there was nothing more valuable than loyalty in this world.

  54

  Tanya, Anna and Amanda chinked their shot glasses together as they sat in a line at the bar of Club Anya.

  ‘Well, here’s to a new start for all of us, with no more secrets,’ Anna said.

  ‘Hear, hear!’ said Amanda happily. She was like a whole new woman now that she’d kicked Daniel out. Her solicitors had told her that things were going to be fine, and she finally had her future back. Her relationship with Anna was as close again now as it had been ten years before. Even though she had only sought Anna out after realising her relationship to Tanya, she was really glad that she had, and Anna had forgiven her after she’d apologised for hiding her intentions. She had even begun to really like Tanya too, and their friendship was beginning to blossom. She felt happy and hopeful for the first time she could remember.

  ‘Yes. No more secrets please,’ Tanya said emphatically.

  Anna squeezed her arm and gave her a sympathetic look. She knew how hard Tanya was taking the whole Daniel thing. She had spent years with her guard up, and the moment she’d let it down, it had been to let in a snake. Anna knew as well that Tanya was finding Amanda’s sudden interest in her difficult to handle. But Amanda would not be put off easily, so it seemed Tanya was stuck with her new friend whether she wanted it or not.

  She looked fondly at her best friend, noting the sad droop of her eyes and mouth, even through the forced smile. She hoped that she wouldn’t close herself off again. Tanya needed someone who would really love her. She deserved it.

  The door opened and more customers came in; a group of men geared up for a lads’ night out. She took no notice, expecting the hostess to take them over to a table soon, but then she saw, out of the corner of her eye, one of them walking over. She turned and frowned, assuming they were looking for someone to help them, but the hostess was already there with the rest of the group. The young man who’d walked over had slowed to an awkward halt beside them and was smiling at Tanya, trying to catch her attention. Anna studied him. Who was he?

  ‘Tom!’ Tanya said in surprise. ‘You came. I’m so glad!’ Tanya’s face brightened up immediately, and she beamed over at Anna. ‘Anna, this is Tom, the guy I told you about. The one who saved me eating concrete on the Tube, when, er, well—’ She glanced at Amanda whose face coloured as she grimaced apologetically. ‘Well, that’s all in the past now, but this was the hero of the hour.’

  ‘Ah, you’re the big, muscular hero we keep hearing about,’ Anna said cheekily. No one answered. This was an interesting turn of events. Tanya was eyeing Tom up like he was a fillet steak, and Tom clearly had a crush on Tanya, judging by the eager way he was looking at her.

  ‘Come on, I’m putting you guys on the VIP table tonight,’ Tanya said, leading Tom away. ‘All drinks are on the house.’

  ‘Are you sure? Like I said, you don’t need to. I just fancied seeing you again, to be honest.’ Tom answered.

  ‘No, I insist,’ Tanya bossed.

  Anna saw how her cheeks turned pink and her eyes sparkled with excitement at Tom’s admission that he had wanted to see her again. Well, she thought, signalling Carl to pour them another shot, perhaps I’ve no need to worry about Tanya’s bruised heart after all.

  ‘There she is,’ Freddie’s voice sounded behind her, and Anna turned to find him walking towards her. Paul and another man she didn’t know were with him.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ She reached up for a kiss.

  ‘Thought we might pop in for a drink. Paul has someone he wants to introduce to you.’

  Paul looked nervous, Anna thought. She wondered why.

  Tanya walked back over to them, to get some drinks for her guests. ‘Alright guys, what happ’ning?’ she greeted them fondly.

  Paul stepped forward and shifted from side to side awkwardly. He had never been someone who enjoyed direct attention. He cleared his throat.

  ‘Er, yeah. So, this is James. My partner,’ he said.

  ‘Nice to meet you,’ Anna immediately replied, smiling at James.

  ‘Yeah, good to meet you. Fancy a shot?’ Tanya offered with a grin.

  There was silence. Paul shot Freddie a look, not sure the girls had understood. Freddie stepped forward to explain the situation to them.

  ‘Yeah, partner as in… you know, his boyfriend,’ he said. Freddie stepped back to stand beside Paul, showing his support for his brother.

  Anna and Tanya glanced at each other.

  ‘Yeah, we got that,’ Tanya said. ‘Do boyfriends not drink shots or something then?’

  ‘Doesn’t have to be a shot,’ Anna added. ‘What would you guys like to drink?’ She waited for their answer.

  Paul and Freddie looked taken aback by their easy response. Paul scratched his head, confused. James hid a smile.

  ‘You aren’t surprised?’ Freddie finally asked.

  Anna frowned. ‘About what? Paul?’ She and Tanya looked at each other and they burst out laughing. ‘Have you only just found out? Oh, Freddie! Christ, we’ve known since… well, always. That’s not news.’

  ‘You donut,’ Tanya shrieked. ‘Call yourself a brother? Jesus.’ She shook her head, laughing at the surprised expressions on the two brothers’ faces. ‘I’ve got to go, but you guys have fun. Nice catch there, Paul!’ She winked. ‘He’s a hotty. Great to meet you, James.’

  ‘Likewise,’ James called after her with a laugh. He liked these girls already.

  The young man stepped out of the airport in Rio and looked up at the bright blue sky through his glasses. It was roasting hot with not a cloud to be seen. Pulling his one solitary bag along behind him, he looked around for a taxi.

  A young boy in shorts and sandals came running up to him.

  ‘Can I help you, mister? Can I take your bag? Get you car? Where you wanna go?’

  ‘OK, fine. Let’s go.’ He let the boy take his bag and walked alongside him.

  ‘Where you wanna go, mister? What’s your name?’

  ‘Monroe. Steven Munroe. And just take me down to the busiest part of town.’

  ‘OK, Mr Munroe, whatever you say.’

  The young boy loaded the bag into the boot, and the man sat down in the back of the car, thankful for the air con. He looked out of the window at the landscape as he passed. It was rundown in a lot of areas, but he had to admit it was beautiful too. Whatever his opinions, he would have to get used to it for now.

  When Freddie had taken the call informing him of Hargreaves’ intent, he had set this new plan into motion. Pulling out a fake passport he’d already had set up for Michael, Freddie booked him a one-way flight to Rio and gave him a carry-on bag with concealed compartments that held enough money for Michael to live on for quite some time. Freddie had staged Michael’s death using a blank and fake blood. It had been hard to stay so quiet and still, but he’d managed it. Freddie had not allowed Ben to get anywhere near him. From that distance in the dark there was no reason to suspect foul play. Paul had wrapped him in the plastic and moved him to a waiting boat straight away.

  Michael still couldn’t understand why Freddie was angry with him. If anything, it should be him who was pissed off at his brothers for letting him down and grassing on him. His anger bubbled just under the surface as he thought about it again. Their family, their life, their work, it all balanced on loyalty and teamwork. He had done all the dirty jobs that Freddie had required, and now, when he’d needed his help in return, he was killed off and sent away in disgrace. He was livid that Freddie could do this to him and annoyed at himself that he hadn’t seen it coming.

  He calmed his angry, racing thoughts. It was OK. Freddie would pay for what he’d done. They all would. Every dark debt that he was owed, he would collect. Everything that was rightfully his, he would claim once and for all. He owed them nothing now.

  He would stay here for now, out of the way, and lie low. He would be seen to tow the line and bide his time patiently. But one
day soon, when London had all but forgotten him, he would be ready. And when that day came, they wouldn’t know what had hit them. He was underworld royalty. He was a Tyler. And though no one seemed to realise it yet, he was the most dangerous Tyler of all.

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  Also by Emma Tallon

  Runaway Girl

  Dangerous Girl

  A Letter from Emma

  Dear Reader,

  Firstly, thank you so much for choosing my book and entering into my little world for a while. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  For those who would like to hear more about my future novels, please sign up here. You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email address will never be shared.

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  The first book in this series, Runaway Girl, was a very personal story for me. When I started writing it, I had no plans to publish it. Back then, writing was just something I enjoyed and an emotional vent. But when the story started to really take shape and develop, I fell in love with the characters I’d created, and I knew I couldn’t just leave it there. Anna, Freddie, Tanya… they are all so strong and so vibrant. Their stories needed to go on! That is when Dangerous Girl began forming in my mind.

  The new challenges that our characters have faced in this book have revealed even more of their inner strength and just how unbreakable some bonds can be. It has shown us, too, that in the world they live in anything can happen. You never know what’s coming next.