The Goldsworth Series Box Set

by Davie J Toothill

  Now, she looked at the letter with apprehension, as if it might explode. Gingerly, she picked it up and opened it, sliding the letter out onto the table.

  She read in silence and folded her arms when she had finished. It was much the same as the first letter had been. He wanted to see her. Nathaniel was persistent; she had to give him that.

  But Toni could be just as stubborn as he could.

  In a swift moment, Toni rose to her feet and picked up the letter. She tore it into pieces, careful to check that nothing could be derived from any individual fragment, and threw it into the bin.

  Toni leaned heavily on the kitchen counter, ignoring the soft whine of the pipes as a neighbour ran hot water. She tried to force herself to stay positive but things were looking grim.

  At least he hasn’t turned up at the flat, that was surely a positive.

  But what would happen if he did?

  The thought terrified Toni.

  She knew that for all her positive thinking, he had the upper hand. Whilst she had everything to lose, he had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

  And that made him a dangerous enemy.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Bolton looked around the small kitchenette and shook his head.

  “It’s too small,” he said, and the estate agent raised an eyebrow in surprise. Bolton ignored her, and turned to Charley, who was looking at him expectantly. “We can afford somewhere better than this, babe.”

  Charley’s eyes wandered around the flat and her gaze lingered on the doorway to the master bedroom, a large room with a view of the concrete jungle around them.

  “This is a big place, are you sure we’ve got the money for somewhere else?”

  Bolton nodded, feeling both frustrated at her doubts and proud that he was being honest. The weekly pick-ups that he and Dante made, now unassisted by Kareem, were bringing in big money for him. Uncle Jasper was pleased with him and had hinted the last time that they had met that Bolton would go far in the business if he kept up his good work. The words had given Bolton the boost he needed. No longer would he need to worry about financial burdens and providing for his unborn child. It would all be taken care of now.

  “If you’re sure then,” Charley said, clasping his hand in hers and leading him out of the flat, the estate agent trailing behind them in her beige suit, a frown on her lips. “I saw a nice one on the way here, maybe we can have a look at that one.”

  “Whatever you like,” Bolton said.

  The estate agent locked the flat door behind them and led them down the stairs and out into the street. Bolton stood at the kerb with Charley as the estate agent drove away, and Charley turned to him, hand on hip.

  “That flat was nice,” she said, pursing her lips. “I know you say we’ve got the money for somewhere better, but that’s no reason to go overboard. We don’t want to blow it all on a deposit and have nothing left for the baby, you know.”

  Bolton felt his pride deflating and swallowed down his frustration.

  “We’re not going to run out of money, so stop worrying.”

  “What if you lose your job or something?” Charley asked, glaring at him. “There’s no need for us to take risks, not when there’s still months until the baby comes. And we haven’t even bought a cot or anything yet.”

  “I’m not going to lose my job and it’s bringing in good money. We’ll be able to spoil this baby rotten and still have plenty left over for a luxury pad.”

  Charley looked uncertain, but her body relaxed and Bolton wrapped an arm around her waist and gently guided her down the road.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice quiet. “I just want everything to be right. I don’t mean to doubt you. It’s just hard to believe that things are finally getting better.”

  Bolton smiled and kissed her on the top of her head and felt her lean against him, closing the gap between them.

  “I know it’s going to take some getting used to, having all this money and stuff, but let’s just roll with it. We might as well enjoy ourselves before this baby comes and keeps us up all night.”

  “You’re right, I was just being stupid,” Charley sighed. “And I guess that flat wasn’t the right one. That bathroom was disgusting and there was no wardrobe space.”

  “We’ll find you somewhere with huge wardrobes, don’t worry,” Bolton said, feeling himself relax now that Charley had softened. “You’ll need them for all the clothes I’ll buy you.”

  “I’ll hold you to that, you know that don’t you?”

  “I know you will,” Bolton said, kissing her on the lips and sticking his hand out for a passing black cab.

  * * *

  Asher ran a hand through his short hair and groaned into the mirror.

  He undid the top two buttons on his shirt and posed, before doing them up again. He wished that he had not gone along with Carl’s plan and agreed to going out for dinner with Diane. She was expecting a date with him, and Asher shuddered at the thought.

  He had considered calling her to cancel, but then Carl would want to know the reason and Asher would have to think up excuses and lie to him.

  The floorboard outside the bathroom creaked and Toni appeared in the doorway, wearing a dressing gown and slippers. She eyed him with fierce approval and smiled.

  “Look at you all dressed up,” she said, taking in his freshly ironed white shirt and black trousers, and the shiny new loafers he had bought in the hope of impressing Carl. “You take after your father. He was a handsome man, just like you.”

  “Thanks,” Asher said, shifting uncomfortably. Although he had no memory of his father, having been young when he had died, he felt emotional whenever Toni brought him up in conversation, as if he was still around.

  “Are you putting a tie on?” Toni asked.

  Asher shook his head.

  “Not wearing a tie? What will your lucky lady friend think?”

  Asher sighed as Toni moved out of sight along the corridor. He could hear her rummaging around in her wardrobe and she returned moments later with a navy blue tie.

  She draped it around his neck and busied herself tying it for him.

  “Everyone knows that a man who wears a tie is a good man,” she said, fumbling with the knot. “This tie was your father’s. He wore it on special occasions, and he’d want you to wear it for your date. Any girl would be impressed if you show up wearing this tie.”

  Asher remained silent, not trusting himself to speak. He let his mother finish tying the knot and smiled as she stepped back to survey his appearance. She nodded in approval and put a hand to her face.

  “You look handsome,” she said, her eyes watering. “The spitting image of your father when he was your age. This girl you’re meeting is lucky and you’d best make sure she knows it, too.”

  “Yes, mum,” he said, reasoning with himself that he could take the tie off when he left the flat. He splashed some cologne on his cheeks as Toni watched him. He felt irritated with her but he knew that it was all his own fault.

  He should never have agreed to the date with Diane. It was bound to end in disaster and he knew that a braver man would have cancelled. Or better still; have told the truth before it had reached this point. He was giving Diane false hope that they might have a future together and it wasn’t fair to her. He wasn’t attracted to her in any way and he felt uncomfortable at the thought of having to pretend that he was.

  Perhaps after the meal, he could tell her that he had enjoyed himself but that there wasn’t enough chemistry between them. No, that sounded like he was blaming her and that was wrong. He would have to tell her it was him. He was interested in someone else. That would have to be his line.

  Toni watched him and Asher was brought back to reality with a bump. She was surveying him like a designer surveying a new outfit, scrutinizing him for flaws.

  “Perfect,” she said, clapping her hands together.

  “Thanks,” Asher said, stepping past her into the corridor. He felt her at his heels as he w
ent into the kitchen to collect his jacket.

  “You make sure that you’re a gentleman,” she said, smoothing out his shirt. “But don’t let her take advantage of you. A nice boy like you and the girls are bound to try and cause you trouble.”

  “I’ll be careful,” Asher said, pulling his jacket on and heading for the door.

  Toni followed, still giving him advice.

  “And make sure she’s a good girl,” Toni was saying, hand on chest, holding her gown together. “I don’t want you introducing me to a two-bit hooker, no matter how pretty she might be.”

  “Don’t worry, we’re just going for a meal, I’m not going to be proposing,” Asher said, opening the front door and widening the space between them.

  “You never know,” Toni said, her frame filling the doorway as she stood there admiring him. “Nice Christian girls are hard to come by these days. When you find one, you should snap her up quick. Make me proud, not like your sisters.”

  Asher turned and rolled his eyes as he heard the front door close behind him. He loosened his collar and took off the tie, shoving it into his pocket. He loved his mother, but she was hard work.

  His phone beeped and he read a text from Diane. She was looking forward to their date. Asher sighed and headed down the stairs, dreading the hours ahead of him.

  * * *

  With Asher gone, Toni sat in her armchair and switched on the television. She flicked through the channels, listening to the sounds of Huw playing a videogame in his bedroom.

  The flat was quieter than usual and Toni was grateful as she felt herself relaxing into the cushions. Charley was with Bolton, Asher had gone out for his date, and Torey was out with her friends, getting up to mischief and no doubt making trouble that Toni would have to deal with soon enough. But Toni pushed the thoughts from her mind and focused on relaxing.

  There had been no letters from Nathaniel for weeks and she was beginning to think that he had given up. She had sent no replies to his letters and he had obviously got the message. He wasn’t welcome and it was time he accepted that.

  She found a documentary and watched it absentmindedly, allowing her thoughts to wander as she put her feet up on the footstool and felt the armchair groan beneath her.

  She knew that the quiet was only temporary, and that trouble was lurking just around the corner, but for now she was happy to enjoy the quiet and not have to deal with any drama.

  * * *

  “How’s the flat hunt going?” Leigh-Ann asked, raising her glass and taking a sip of vodka and diet coke.

  Charley shrugged and closed the magazine she had been flicking through.

  “We’ve seen some places, but they’re all either too dirty or too small.”

  “There’s such a thing as cleaning,” Leigh-Ann said, laughing. “And it’s not like your mum’s place is a palace. I thought you just wanted to get away from her, no matter what the place was like.”

  “I did at first, but now Bolton’s earning some money, he thinks we should get a better place. I mean, I see his point. If we’ve got the money we might as well find somewhere nice.”

  “I heard he was making a good wedge. What’s he doing exactly?”

  Charley glanced at her and saw Leigh-Ann’s glass pause at her lips. Charley trusted her friend but she wasn’t sure whether she should say anything.

  After all, Charley had told Leigh-Ann about her pregnancy and a few weeks later, everybody had found out. Not that it was Leigh-Ann’s fault that her mum had gone through her exercise book, but it was a reminder that secrets rarely stayed so once divulged all the same.

  “I don’t really know,” Charley said, avoiding Leigh-Ann’s gaze. “He’s never told me and I guess it’s for good reason.”

  Leigh-Ann took another drink and eyed her wearily.

  “But you have an idea.”

  “I’m guessing he didn’t find it down the job centre, if that’s what you mean,” Charley said and Leigh-Ann shook her head.

  “Just be careful,” Leigh-Ann said. “You hear all kinds of stories. You hear about that Troy Banks from school? Some real crazy shit is going down with him and his brothers and that’s all from messing with things that ain’t meant to be messed with, if you get my drift.”

  “Bolton’s being careful. He’s not stupid. And it’s only for a while, so we can get a place of our own and get everything ready for the baby.”

  “If you say so.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing,” Leigh-Ann said, setting her drink down on her kitchen table and folding her arms across her chest. “It’s just that it sounds like you’re taking a big risk and I don’t want to see you getting hurt. You can’t just think about yourself now.”

  “Like I said, Bolton knows what he’s doing and the money he’s making outweighs the risks. I might not know exactly what he’s doing, but he wouldn’t do anything stupid.”

  “Just as long as you don’t get yourself in trouble, not like that Sasha girl. You heard she’s dead right? Shot, right near here and all,” Leigh-Ann said, finishing off her drink. “Now, I need myself another vodka.”

  Charley smiled and watched as her friend rummaged in the fridge and made herself another drink. Her thoughts drifted to Bolton and what he was doing now. He had told her he had to go to work and Charley had thought nothing of it, but now she wasn’t so sure.

  Leigh-Ann was right. Charley didn’t just have herself to worry about now and whatever Bolton said about being financially secure, the future was unpredictable and she wanted everything to be perfect for when the baby came. She was sure Sasha had not seen what was coming, could not have predicted it.

  She wanted to know what Bolton did to earn his money, but she knew he wouldn’t tell her and she didn’t want to break his trust by finding out through other channels. It wouldn’t do her any good to worry herself. She needed to take Bolton’s advice and roll with it all.

  Leigh-Ann dropped into her seat in front of her and lit a cigarette. Charley forced herself to smile at her friend’s glance and opened the magazine again.

  * * *

  Asher followed the waiter to the table, where Diane was already sitting, her hair and make-up done, wearing a black dress. Asher was surprised, having only seen her in her usual uniform in the past.

  Diane smiled as he joined her and gestured towards a bottle of white wine.

  “I ordered some wine before you got here,” she said, sounding apologetic. “I thought I should order something, the waiter kept hovering over me like a vulture. For a few minutes I thought you might not show up.”

  She laughed and took a sip of wine, leaving a lipstick mark on the rim of the glass. Asher poured himself a glass and took a long drink, hoping it would help him get through the night.

  “You look nice,” Diane said, brushing a strand of hair off her face. “I wasn’t sure what to wear, so I got this out the back of my wardrobe. I haven’t worn it in a few years, but it still fits, thank God.”

  Asher smiled and took another drink.

  “You look great too,” he said, realising a second too late that she was expecting him to have complimented her by now.

  Diane muttered her thanks and blushed.

  Asher felt awkward and looked down at the menu, hoping that the wine would kick in soon. They remained silent for a few minutes, until the waiter returned to take their orders.

  Diane looked at Asher and he wondered what he was expected to do. He ordered for them both and felt sweat under his armpits, feeling the stress of the evening. He took another long drink from the glass of wine and caught Diane’s eye. He smiled and she blushed again.

  “You know, I’m surprised you invited me out for dinner,” she said, leaning forwards and folding her arms on the table.

  “How come?” Asher asked, trying to hold her gaze.

  “I just assumed you already had a girlfriend. You never seemed interested in anyone at the station and I never heard any gossip about you trying it on with a junio
r recruit or anything like that.”

  “A junior recruit?” Asher repeated, amused.

  He too had heard rumours about some of the officers trying it on with young women fresh out of training academy. Diane laughed and he joined in.

  Their starters arrived and they were quiet as they ate. Asher realised that his glass was empty and poured himself another. Realising that Diane would be expecting more, Asher played the part of the gentleman and poured her one, leaving the bottle empty.

  “Looks like we’ll need another,” Diane said, pausing between mouthfuls. “I don’t know about you, but I could do with one.”

  Asher nodded, feeling himself begin to relax. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the wine or because Diane seemed so relaxed. He had been worried she would be all over him but she was keeping her cool, probably waiting for him to make the first move after dinner. He was safe until then, he reasoned.

  He stopped a waiter and ordered another bottle. He pushed thoughts of what would happen after the meal was finished out of his mind and decided to focus on the present. At the moment, everything was going fine and he was beginning to loosen up.

  All he had to do was keep this up and he’d be able to make excuses and get home soon enough. Then he’d be able to put Diane out of his mind and forget about tonight.

  * * *

  Bolton watched as Dante snorted a line of cocaine and felt the urge to join him. As if reading his mind, Dante looked up and cut another line.

  “You want to try some of this stuff?” he asked. “It’s fucking amazing.”

  “No thanks, I promised Charley I’d meet her later.”

  Dante groaned and returned to his line.

  “You spend too much time with her,” he said a few moments later, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. “You shouldn’t ditch your mates for her so much.”

  “She’s my girlfriend,” Bolton said, not wanting to get into a discussion about this with him again. “And she’s pregnant. She needs me around.”

  “More like she needs a place to stay.”

  Dante busied himself cutting another line and Bolton clenched his fists. He hated the effect the cocaine had on Dante. He went from being his best mate to someone else in seconds. His comment had been meant to get a reaction and Bolton fought the urge to rise to it, but he couldn’t.