The Betrayal

by Linda Tweedie

  Sean glowered and mumbled, “I’ll be fine, just a bit of a headache.”

  “Sure it’s a headache, mate? You’ve not been up to anything you shouldn’t?”

  “Like what?” challenged Sean.

  “Like maybe setting up a new crew and excluding me?”

  “New crew, what new crew are you talking about?” Sean seemed totally bewildered. He had obviously forgotten the conversation from the day before. “Are you trying to get me into bother? Why would I be going to put a new crew together? Why would I go against my brothers?”

  “Hey, don’t shoot the fucking messenger. It was you who was spouting off the other day. You were certainly on some kind of recruiting campaign, so if it’s off you better hope your brothers don’t get to hear about it.”

  “Don’t know what you’re on about.” Sean shut his eyes and settled back in the passenger seat.

  It was the bang that woke Sean up. “What the fuck? What’s up, Gerry?”

  “This fucking Herbert shot the lights,” Gerry got out, hauled the other driver out of his vehicle and had him by the throat over the bonnet of the car.

  “It was my fault, honest it was my fault. Sorry, mate,” the other driver pleaded with Gerry, who had now realised the predicament he was in. He had to get off his mark before the boys in blue arrived. He certainly didn’t want to hang around with his consignment in the boot.

  “Look, mate, I’m in a hurry. Call it bump for bump, but remember, I’ve got your number, so if you make bother I’ll be paying you a visit.”

  Back in the car Sean was twittering on about Gerry’s driving, about him making trouble and generally being a pain in the arse.

  “Will you shut the fuck up?” Gerry roared at his passenger. “I’ve just about had enough of your blabbering. Do you ever ask yourself why it’s only me you ever see? None of your old mates come about. Your brothers can’t stand to be in the same room as you. Do you never ask why?”

  “Don’t talk shit, man. I’ve got plenty mates and my brothers have business to take care of.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” said Gerry, suddenly realising he knew the street they had turned into. His old address. Memories came flooding back and it was difficult to hold things together.

  He turned to Sean and asked, “Do you know my surname, Sean?”

  The other man looked blankly at him. “What’s this, a fucking quiz? Why the fuck would I be interested in what your name is? You’re a lackey, nothing more. Here at my beck and call.”

  The colour drained from Gerry’s face. “Do you know what street we are on, Sean?”

  “Oh, fuck, it’s Mastermind now. No. I don’t know what fucking street I’m on. Wait a minute, it’s Munro Street. This used to be my stomping ground back in the day.”

  “I used to live here, with my wife and kids.”

  “Dump you when you were inside, did she? Get a better offer?”

  Gerry had taken as much as he could. This was not the time or place, but he was close, very, very close.

  Extension

  The last few days of Erin’s stay flew past in a whirl. Diane appeared to be devastated that she had been unable to persuade the young mum to stay. She had not however, accounted for her son’s charm and charisma. On the day before her departure, Bobby took Erin out to lunch to, as he put it, finalise arrangements.

  “I’m really going to miss you both,” oozed Bobby, taking hold of Erin’s hand. They were in a quiet little restaurant overlooking the harbour in Puerto Banus.

  “I don’t know why, we’ve hardly spent more than an hour in each other’s company since I arrived,” said Erin. “Us being here has certainly not interfered with your social life in the slightest.”

  “But Erin, what was the point? I’ve always known you were going back to Glasgow. You were never staying here permanently so I wasn’t putting myself through all that again.”

  “All what again?”

  Bobby knew she was hooked; it was time to reel her in. “All the pain. I was heartbroken, you must have known.”

  “Pain? What pain? You’ve certainly not been declaring undying love up until now.”

  “Well, this situation hasn’t exactly been conducive to romance, has it? Every time I came across your father, he smacked me in the mouth. It was a bit hard not to take it personally.”

  “Maybe so,” she smiled, “but you went out of your way to upset him.”

  “For God’s sake, Erin! He murdered my father. What did you want me to do, welcome him with open arms?”

  “Pete wasn’t exactly an innocent in all this. He and Canon O’Farrell held me and Amy prisoner. God knows what could have happened.”

  “Look, I didn’t bring you here to go over old ground. Let’s try to put all that behind us. I know it won’t be easy, but we can try for the boy’s sake. How about staying another week?”

  “No, I don’t think so. Maybe it’s better we leave now and come back in the spring.”

  “But that’s six months away. If you stay, I’ll take time off work and spend it with you and Ryan.”

  “What about your big blonde piece? Won’t she be a bit put out?”

  “Probably, but so what? Go on, stay. Just a week and we’ll see how things go.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  He knew she would stay; she was merely playing hard to get. It was a shame really, thought Bobby. She was a lovely girl and it was sad what the future held in store for her. But, an eye for an eye, and Bobby had sworn he’d take revenge for his family.

  The girls checked out of the hotel the following morning and made their way to the airport.

  “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

  “I’ll be fine, no matter what, and I’ll be back next weekend. Its Granny Lizzie’s birthday and my mum would skin me alive if I missed it.”

  “Okay, remember to let your folks know what’s happening and I’ll see you next week. Good luck with Diane.”

  “I’ll need it,” smiled Erin. “Say bye-bye, Ryan,” and the baby extended a chubby little hand.

  The apartment was empty. Bobby had some things to take care of and would be back around lunchtime. Erin had no idea where Diane was.

  Pleased to have time with Ryan on her own, Erin donned her bikini and made her way to the pool. There was only one other sun-seeker, a young English girl who, she discovered, stayed on the floor below Diane.

  The two chatted for a while until a figure appeared on the balcony, summoning Erin to lunch.

  “Nice meeting you,” said Erin, taking leave of her new friend.

  “You too, see you around,” replied Sophie. “I try to get a bit of sun most mornings around this time, so I’ll maybe catch you again.”

  As a rule Ryan was a cheery, good-natured little soul, but that day, whether he was teething or perhaps had had a bit too much sun, he certainly wasn’t a happy bunny. He grouched most of the afternoon and Bobby, unused to the disruption, was just as grouchy as his son.

  “Heavens, I wonder if there’s time to catch a flight home tonight, if this is how it’s going to be?” moaned Erin.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” snapped Bobby. “Can’t you give him something to shut him up?”

  “He’s just a bit off-colour and wants his mummy. I think we’ll have to put off going out this evening. I can’t leave him like this.”

  “He’ll be fine with my mum. We can’t put tonight off, I’ve arranged something special.”

  “Let’s get something straight right now,” Erin stated. “If he’s not well, I’m going nowhere. I’m sure your mum would do a great job, but he’s my son and that’s an end to it.”

  As she suspected, Bobby went into a monumental sulk. Jesus, she thought, it’s like having two kids.

  Bobby was annoyed, to say the least. His plan depended on Erin going missing on the first evening of her extended stay. It would be too risky and entail a monumental cover-up if she was to be seen the following day. Whatever it took, he had to get her to the club tonight.

>   The little boy eventually settled for the evening and with great reluctance Erin agreed that she would accompany Bobby to the club, on the strict proviso that if Ryan woke or was fretting then Diane would ring her at once.

  Erin had not been out clubbing for a long, long time and as soon as she heard the music she hit the dance floor.

  He’s in a funny mood, she thought, watching Bobby at the bar. I wonder what the surprise is. She made her way back to the VIP area where Bobby was waiting with her drink.

  “Could you get me some water, please? I don’t really want to drink in case I have to go back for Ryan.”

  “Jesus, Erin, forget him. He’ll be fine with my mother. She knows what she’s doing.”

  As usual Bobby was at the centre of a crowd, everyone wanted to be in his circle. Absolutely no-one paid attention to the girl in the blue dress, stunning though she was.

  “I think I’m ready to go now,” she announced.

  “Okay, one more drink, then we’ll hit the road.”

  Having expected an argument, Erin was pleasantly surprised, and one more drink was fine with her – it wouldn’t have been if she’d seen what he spiked it with.

  Birthday Girl

  The Coyles had never been big on birthdays or parties. They somehow brought the worst out in them. But this was different; this was for Lizzie. Lizzie, who had only ever celebrated her special day opening a bottle of sherry with her old pal, Theresa. Lizzie didn’t hold with drink at any other time. This was due to the years of poverty she had suffered because of her late husband’s love of a refreshment or two. But this was different, there had been invitations sent and acceptances received.

  “You know, Theresa, I never thought I’d ever be R.S.V.P.ed, did you?” she asked her friend.

  “No, Lizzie, I can’t say I ever thought you’d ever be R.S.V.P.ed,” answered her friend, the sherry beginning to kick in. “Will I ever be R.S.V.P.ed, do you think?”

  “I don’t think so, hen. No, I don’t think so. But you can share mine.”

  “Can I, Lizzie? That’s awfy good of you. By the way, what is an R.S.V.P.?”

  “Fucked-if-I-know, but it sounds good, pal. Here, I don’t think we should have any more or we’ll be in no fit state to meet them all.”

  “Hey, Bridget,” Lizzie called to her daughter-in-law as she arrived to collect the party girls. “Where’s Erin and my bonnie wee great-grandson? Don’t tell me she’s still in Spanish Spain, living with those bloody heathens?”

  “Her flight’s been delayed, Lizzie. They’ll be here soon.” Bridget didn’t actually know. She’d been trying relentlessly to contact her daughter for the past four or five days, with no luck. Every call went straight to voicemail. The last communication she’d received from her daughter had been a text saying Carol and Amy were on their way home and she, Erin, had decided to stay on.

  Carol had assured her that Erin was definitely coming home for Lizzie’s birthday party. It had been the last thing she’d said to Carol, but it was now five o’clock on the day of the party and there was no sign of her. There was only one more flight that day, arriving at seven o’clock. Surely they’d be on that one?

  The private room at the hotel was decked out with bunting and balloons. Almost a hundred of Lizzie’s family, friends and neighbours were there, scrubbed and dressed in their finest to celebrate her special day. The only ones missing were Sean and the errant Erin and Ryan.

  “Where’s your charge, Gerry? Why is he not here?” Paddy asked him.

  “I went to collect him as arranged, but the doors were locked and the lights out. I presumed he had tagged along with your mother.”

  “Bugger him,” said the Big Man. “If he’s sulking at home, we can enjoy the party without worrying about him all night. Forget him, mate, let’s go and have a drink.”

  All Alone

  You’re only a lackey. The words went round and round in Gerry’s head. How dare he? How fucking dare he call him that? That psychotic low-life junkie had the nerve to call him a lackey. Gerry didn’t know how he’d managed to stay calm, how he had stopped himself from strangling the breath out of Sean Coyle. Well, he knew one thing: he wouldn’t be taking any more of his crap.

  The man before him was clad in an Armani suit, a Turnbull and Asser shirt, pure silk tie and custom-made Italian shoes. He certainly had the look of a wealthy man about town. But it was all a sham. The best clobber in the world couldn’t disguise a junkie.

  “What you doing here so early? I’m not ready to go yet.” Sean had questioned Gerry. He was annoyed that Gerry had pitched up half an hour before the arranged time. He’d counted on being alone to sort himself out, but this smartarse had spoiled his plans.

  “Wait in the car, Gerry, till I call you.”

  “You’re having a giraffe. Since when did you give the orders? Tell me, why exactly do you want rid of me?” Gerry picked up a bag from the bedside table.

  “Is it this you need?” he waved the bag under Sean’s nose.

  “Give me that back! It’s fuck all to do with you what I do.” Sean lunged at Gerry who dropped the bag, giving him the opportunity to switch the smack Paddy had provided with pure, uncut and one hundred percent lethal heroin.

  Sean was beyond hiding his antics. As he prepared himself his fix, he listened to Gerry jabbering on. Why the fuck could he not just piss off and leave him alone? What was it to do with him, that Gerry’s kids had been taken off him? As for knowing his surname, as far as he was concerned, it was cunt. Laughing at his own joke, Sean was almost ready, ecstasy was minutes away.

  “You still here? What the fuck are you on about?”

  “Answer me a question, Sean, and then I’ll leave you in peace.”

  “Fuck off, muppet.”

  “Just one question, mate.”

  “I’m not your mate, I’m your employer,” Sean snarled at the man standing over him. “For fuck’s sake, if it’ll get rid of you, go on.”

  “You told me when I first took you on the deliveries that you used to collect in Munro Street, but you couldn’t remember who from.”

  “Aye, that’s right, I did. I remember now. A wee blonde thing, couple kids, old man inside, bit of a goer, if I remember rightly.”

  Gerry smacked him straight in the mouth. A bit of a goer, was she? He just couldn’t help himself and although Sean was panicking, trying to protect his gear, that sly, cunning look had passed across his face.

  “For fuck’s sake, don’t tell me she was your wife? It was you she was cheating on? To think I had a go on that myself. Christ, man, you’re better off without her. She was a proper little slapper.”

  Gerry could feel the bile rising in his throat. He wanted to hammer this excuse for a man to a pulp. He could barely hold himself in check, but he had to do things the way he had planned. That way there was no comeback, no way the Coyles could set him up.

  “Goodbye, Sean, I’ll see you in the next world.”

  What the fuck was he talking about, the mad bastard?

  Gerry watched Sean out the corner of his eye and saw him insert the needle, the brown liquid flowing down into the syringe. Within seconds Sean’s eyes were popping in terror. He desperately tried to draw the liquid back into the syringe, but it was too late.

  In Trouble

  Erin felt strange as they wove their way through the packed club. She was having difficulty focusing and she was desperate to reach the exit. If it hadn’t been for Bobby supporting her, she wouldn’t have made it.

  “There’s something wrong, Bobby. I feel awful.” She couldn’t hear herself speak. God, was she losing her voice again?

  Outside the club Bobby signalled to the two carabinieri patrolling the area. The officers bundled Erin into a police van and drove off. But the situation didn’t go unnoticed. Watching the scene unfold was Sophie, the young girl Erin had met at the swimming pool earlier that day.

  “Goodness, what was all that about?” asked one of her friends.

  “I’m not sure, but I
know she’s staying with the Macks, so why on earth would they have her arrested?” Sophie replied.

  “That’s weird, but hey, it’s nothing to do with us and you know what the Spanish cops are like.” The girls made their way into the club.

  God almighty, where was she? She felt awful: her head was pounding and her thirst was indescribable. She looked around. She was in a small, bare room with bars on the window, containing only a bed frame and a blanket, which, it seemed, she shared with a million cockroaches. In the corner was a filthy, disgusting toilet. The smell was overpowering. The clanging of metal doors and the shouting from other inhabitants confirmed she was in a Spanish jail, but why?

  The door opened and a large, butch, female officer handed her a mug of brown liquid and some hard bread.

  “Why am I here? What have I done?” Erin pleaded with the woman.

  “No English,” was the response.

  “Get me someone who can speak English.”

  But the officer merely shrugged and closed the door with a clang.

  Although Erin desperately tried to recall what had happened in the club and how she had ended up in prison, all she could remember was telling Bobby she was ready to call it a night and, vaguely, leaving the club feeling sick. Then nothing. She’d felt like this only once before, when the canon had drugged her and Amy to hold them captive. But why would someone want to do that to her now? She was no threat to anyone. They’d got the wrong person. Bobby would come and get her. Shit! What if he’d been arrested too? Maybe that’s why she was here – because she had been with him. Damn, she couldn’t think straight. Ryan, what about Ryan? Diane would take good care of him, he’d be okay.

  Her head was all over the place. Were prisoners allowed to make a phone call? Should she call Bobby or her dad? If Bobby had been arrested then there was no point in calling him but her dad was so far away. She’d call Diane, she would sort things out. But how to get the number? It wasn’t likely they’d give her back her mobile phone. What about a lawyer? What was she being charged with?