by Jacqui Rose
‘And, like you wanted me to, I’ve arranged to meet him again. I’m seeing him this evening … If that’s okay with you.’
Johnny held Bree’s stare, then he smiled, although it didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘You know what happens if you turn us over, don’t you, Bree? Ryan will have to pay. He’ll be the one to get it. He’ll be in more trouble than he’s ever been in … Ain’t that right, Ryan?’ Johnny stopped and turned to look at Ryan, who sat on the bench looking handsome in his grey marl tracksuit as he played with one of his kittens.
‘Ryan, tell Bree what happens … Tell Bree that Ryan gets it.’
‘Ryan gets it. Ryan gets it. Ryan gets it …’
Johnny turned back to look at Bree as Ryan continued to chant. ‘See, even he knows it.’
Unable to hold back the tears, Bree shook her head. ‘How can you even think like that?’
Taking the screwdriver he was holding, Johnny began with menacing slowness to trace Bree’s face with the sharp, metal end. He then traced her neck, dragging the point across her skin, eventually stopping at her chest. He poked the tool hard against her body. ‘I love my brother, so the last thing I want is to have to hurt him, and I know you don’t want to see that either. So that puts us on the same page. We both want what’s best for him. And it’s real easy for us to keep him safe. I tell you what I want, and you do as you’re told. That ain’t hard, is it?… I said, is it?’
‘No, Johnny, it’s not.’
‘So, all this talk of how you don’t want to hurt Alfie is a thing of the past? You need to worry about Ryan. Right?’
Bree nodded quickly. ‘Absolutely.’
Satisfied, Johnny threw down the screwdriver, picking up and taking a sip of tea Ma had brought him earlier. ‘So how long are we talking? How long until you get some info out of Alfie?’
‘I don’t know if he’ll even tell me, Johnny. I haven’t seen him for years so he’s hardly going to just open up about what’s going on, and if he does, then it’s going to take time.’
Slamming his tea on top of the car’s bonnet, Johnny raised his voice. ‘But you ain’t got time because I ain’t got time. So you need to find a way around this. Find out what’s going on. I don’t care what you have to do.’ Johnny stopped and grabbed her face hard. ‘I don’t care, as long as you don’t enjoy it. You hear me, Bree? Don’t you enjoy it. You’re mine, every single bit of you.’
Bree trembled, terrified to think of what would happen if she didn’t manage to pull this off. ‘Yes, Johnny.’
‘Good. See, that ain’t hard, is it? Go on, baby, get yourself dolled up.’
As Bree walked away, Johnny, his voice warm and cheerful, said, ‘Ain’t you forgetting something, Bree?’
She turned around, forcing a smile, walked back towards Johnny and planted a kiss on his cheek.
‘And Bree, don’t forget, I love ya … Tell her, Ryan. Tell her I love her.’
‘I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her …’
With her back turned to them, tears ran down Bree’s cheeks, her lips barely moved as her whisper caught in the wind. ‘And I love you too, Ryan. Always.’
At the wetlands of Abberton Reservoir, which spanned twelve hundred acres, close to the coast of Essex, Bree could see him standing by the long marsh grasses. She stopped before calling out, watching him as he stared out across the lake, tall and handsome as the wind swept through his soft black hair. Waiting for a moment to calm herself, she took a deep breath.
The low greyness of the evening sky added to the remoteness of the area. A long time ago she’d visited when the sun shone high and the wetland was an explosion of life – in happier times – but in the rain, the desolate silence, the trees and bracken gave the whole area an oppressive undertone.
As Bree opened her mouth to shout his name, he turned, smiling, sensing her presence and putting her slightly more at ease. She watched as he walked towards her. Perhaps it would be easier than she thought. Perhaps he’d just tell her what she needed to know.
Alfie smiled. ‘Hello, you.’ His voice was a combination of velvet softness and the coarseness of his life. He lent forward to kiss her gently on her cheek, producing a smile on the face of the carp fisherman who was watching them, unnoticed on the opposite side of the lake.
‘I’ve always loved this spot. I used to come here as a kid. When me old man came down to visit one of his mates, instead of staying around to watch him get pissed, I use to nick the boy next door’s bike and cycle off for hours. I tell you, round this place, I felt free. Like I was flying. Anyway, I thought it’d be nice to meet here. Bit of peace and quiet and away from nosey ex-wives.’ He stopped and grinned, wondering if his chatting was down to nerves. Then he added, ‘Maybe you’d have preferred a restaurant?’
Bree shook her head. ‘Not at all. You’d be surprised how little time I have just to get out and about.’
‘Would I?’
Bree shifted her feet uncomfortably. ‘I mean, you know, with the kids. Life. It gets busy, don’t it?’
Alfie looked at her. ‘Does it? So, tell me about your old man. You never told me anything before. I take it you’re with someone.’
Bree spoke quickly. ‘No. I was. But it didn’t work out. These things happen.’
With his words filled with careful compassion, Alfie said, ‘So, who did that to your face then?’
Bree’s hands rushed up to touch her bruised cheek. Taken aback, she reddened, more uncomfortable than ever. ‘What? Oh this, it’s nothing. I … I do martial arts. Wanted to learn self-defence a while back and it took off from there. Even the kids do it.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. I love it.’
‘What kind? What kind of martial arts.’
Bree’s head was whirling. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. ‘Sorry, do you mind if we go back to the car? I’m really cold.’
Alfie’s gaze was steady. ‘Whatever you want.’
And with that, Bree turned to walk back to the car, followed by Alfie, the troubling doubt coming back into his head.
With the car windows of his Range Rover steamed up, Alfie sat in the back next to Bree, both of them having decided to leave the packed supper Lola had lovingly made.
‘I’ll have to dump it before I get home. She’ll be well gutted if she found out we didn’t eat it.’
‘She sounds nice. Everyone does. You’re lucky to have good people in your life.’
Alfie thought for a moment, then nodded. ‘Yeah, I tend to take a lot for granted. It’s been good. Not all of it, but it’s certainly been an adventure.’
She smiled, her face lighting up as she looked at him. ‘It really is good to see you, Alf.’ She paused, trying to edge into the next part of the conversation naturally. ‘So, what is it that you do now?’
‘Me? Nothing much. You know how it is?’
‘No, not really. Tell me. I’m interested.’
Bree slipped her shoes off and cosied her legs underneath her on the heated leather seat of the car.
‘Are you, Bree?’
‘Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?’
A frown appeared on Alfie’s forehead. His handsome face looking troubled. ‘I don’t know. You just seem odd.’
Bree gave a half laugh. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just nervous. I’m not very good at this. It’s been a long time. Look, if you’d rather do this another time, we can.’
Alfie was quick to reply. ‘No. It’s probably just me. Been in the game too long. I get paranoid and edgy and I think I’m a bit nervous too.’
‘Well how about I start off then. I’ll tell you about me, and then you tell me about you. How’s that?’
Alfie grinned, relaxing slightly and feeling a rush of happiness. ‘Sounds like a pukka plan.’
‘Well don’t get excited, there isn’t much to tell. I left care, got a job and trained as a hairdresser, then I worked on the cruise ships a bit, which was fun. Met this guy, came back to Essex and married him, had a family but
we separated last year.’
‘What’s his name?’
‘Who?’
‘Your ex.’
The pause, although fractional, was noticed by Alfie.
‘Andrew.’
Alfie nodded. ‘Bree, why are you lying to me?’
Red-faced, unable to look straight at Alfie, Bree’s eyes darted around. ‘What? I’m not!’
‘You are! Listen babe, I’m not proud of it but I’ve made me living out of lying, and I’ve spent more hours than you can imagine getting the truth out of liars. Not only that but most of my working days I’ve been surrounded by liars and they’ve been good ones. So, I think I’m qualified to know when someone’s lying to me, especially when they ain’t good at it.’
‘Alf, I swear …’
A tinge of sadness came into Alfie’s voice. ‘Why you doing this?’
‘I’m not doing anything.’
Gently grabbing her hands, Alfie pulled Bree towards him, looking into her eyes. His face inches away from hers. ‘Sweetheart, I’ve known you for so long and when I saw you the other day, I couldn’t believe me luck. I ain’t stopped thinking of you. You’ve always held a special place in me heart, but now you’re breaking it, cos the Bree I know wouldn’t have lied to me … What’s going on, darlin? Why you mugging me off?’
Bree pulled her hands away. ‘The Bree you knew was a long time ago, and a lot of things have happened since then, but I ain’t lying to you. I don’t know why you think I am.’
‘Oh, Bree.’ He leant over and gave a kiss on her cheek, closing his eyes as he did. Then he opened the door and simply said, ‘I think you’d better go.’
42
Bree sat on the sofa looking down at her pregnant stomach. She was exhausted. She still had a couple of months to go but at times she felt so big and fat she wished she could get the pregnancy over with. She also wished she didn’t have to get up. The effort seemed so much but Ma had insisted, and even though Ryan had kept on at her to get up, she just couldn’t find the motivation.
‘Baby kicking?’ Johnny spoke as he looked up from the paper he was reading whilst checking the time on the clock on the wall.
‘A little bit. Not too bad. Last night was worse. I couldn’t sleep, Ryan had to rub my back for me.’
Johnny nodded, saying nothing, and continued to read his paper. The room fell silent save the ticking of Ma’s grandfather clock which took pride of place. And in the warmth, Bree began to drift off to sleep.
It felt like only moments later when Bree was crudely awoken by Ma barging through the door. She stared at Johnny, then looked at Bree.
‘There’s been an accident.’
Bree, trying to get her bearings after having been asleep, sounded puzzled. ‘What?’
‘It’s Ryan. Ryan’s had an accident on the racetrack.’
43
Exhausted, having not been able to sleep, her mind had been whirring all night thinking over what happened with Alfie, and the bag she’d found in Kieran’s duffle, which now sat hidden in one of the boxes in the barn. Bree looked at Kieran who sat at the breakfast table sharing his fruit pop with Molly.
She was worried about him. About both of them. Kieran had been very secretive lately and neither she nor Johnny had been able to get to the bottom of how and why Molly had fallen into the stream. And Molly, usually one to talk, had been particularly quiet; each time Bree had spoken to her, she’d clammed up. A nervousness about her that wasn’t usually there.
Without saying a word, Kieran picked up his bowl of cereal and threw it in the sink before stomping out of the kitchen, a big scowl on his face.
Hearing the front door open before being slammed closed, Bree sighed, moving to sit next to Molly. Taking her daughter’s hand, she smiled.
‘Molly, sweetheart. Is there something you need to tell me?’
‘No.’
‘Are you sure? I mean I still don’t know what happened with Kieran and why you fell in the stream.’
Molly pouted, shrugging her mum’s concern away. ‘Just did.’
‘But you don’t just fall in the stream unless you went too near it. Is that what happened, where you playing too near the water?’
‘No.’
Bree looked up, watching out of the window as Kieran skipped across the yard. She frowned, turning back to her daughter. ‘Is this about your brother? I promise I won’t tell anybody … Molly, please talk to me. Is this about Kieran?’
Molly nodded, a tear running down her cheek. ‘I can’t tell you.’
‘What can’t you tell me? Molly, I’m worried. I promise and I cross my heart I won’t say anything to anybody.’
Looking up at her mum, her big wide eyes full of fear, Molly spoke in a whisper.
‘Kieran’s got a secret but he said if I told anybody about it he’d hurt me again.’
Alfie Jennings sat at the table with his sister looking at the unopened texts on his phone. He could see they were all from Bree but so far, he’d resisted reading them. Not that he hadn’t wanted to, he had, it was just when it came down to women perhaps it was best for him to leave well alone.
‘So, what do you think?’
‘You’re asking me for advice? I married Eddie, so I don’t reckon I’m the best person to give you relationship advice, do you?’
Alfie got up, switching the kettle on. ‘What’s wrong with you? I ain’t looking to marry her. I just don’t know what to think. You were best mates with her.’
‘About a hundred years ago. I don’t know anything about her now. A long time ago I heard she was in the area, but I wouldn’t know any more than that.’
‘Well, thanks for nothing.’
Sandra looked at her brother. ‘What do you want me to say, Alf? So, you think she lied to you, but you don’t know for sure.’
‘I do. I could see it in her eyes.’
‘Have you heard yourself? Maybe she just don’t want to tell you about her life. Maybe there’s stuff she’s embarrassed to talk about and the last thing she needs is some tactless oaf grilling her like she’s under arrest. Anyway, it’s not like you ain’t a liar.’
‘Thanks for that, Sandra.’
‘Well it’s true. When was the last time you were fully honest about your life? Just enjoy it for what it is.’
‘I wish I could but …’
‘But what?’
Pouring too much milk in his tea, Alfie said, ‘It’s not just that, though. There’s something else I can’t quite put me finger on. I just got a bad feeling about her.’
‘You’re just too paranoid.’
‘Maybe. Anyway, let’s forget it … Have you found Barrie by the way? That cat has more lives than a rechargeable battery.’
Before Sandra was able to launch into a monologue, Alfie put his hand up. ‘Shhh, did you hear that?’
‘What?’
‘Shut up … There, you must’ve heard that?’
Sandra nodded as Alfie went over to the kitchen drawer quietly, opening it up and carefully pulling out a gun. ‘You stay here.’
‘What are you doing?’
‘Shhh, Sandra, don’t make a noise, and don’t leave this room.’
She nodded, her face tense. Then making his way across the kitchen, Alfie pulled the gun up to his chest, holding it close. He edged the door open, pulling it with his foot.
‘Alfie! Maybe I should come with you.’ Sandra, suddenly becoming scared, ran across to her brother. He spoke in a whisper back to her.
‘It’s fine, just stay here. It’s probably nothing.’
He gave a tight smile, his gut not quite allowing him to believe his own words.
Tiptoeing slowly along the hallway with the gun still held tight, Alfie followed the noise. He could hear his own breathing in the silence of the house.
Getting to the back door, he slowly and carefully opened it, looking around before stepping out into the courtyard.
Sidling along as quietly as he could, Alfie craned his neck around the corner. He
pulled back quickly at the sight of three blacked-out Range Rovers parked and spread across the entire width of Janine’s driveway. The driver’s door of the end car opened and a man Alfie didn’t recognise got out, but what he did recognise was the large sawn-off shotgun he held in his hand, and there was no mistake about that.
‘Shit!’
Alfie charged back to the house, along the corridor and back into the kitchen to Sandra. He burst in, dragging her off the chair.
‘Hurry up! Come on! Run! We have to go!’
Without asking questions, Sandra, terrified, ran as fast as she could, holding on to Alfie’s hand as they made their through the newly built extension to the sound of the front door being kicked in.
Alfie, with his gun drawn, signalled to Sandra as they made their way into the garden.
‘Listen, we need to get out of here, we can’t be seen.’
‘What’s happening? Who are they?’
‘Ain’t got time to explain now, but whatever you do Sand, stick with me and don’t look back.’
Bending down by the roses Alfie gestured to Sandra, but he froze as he heard voices, knowing whoever it was they were only metres away on the other side of the courtyard.
Running to the end of the wall, he craned his neck. He could see at least four men, all armed, walking by the trees. The whole place seemed like it was surrounded and if he didn’t think of something quickly they were in deep trouble.
Scanning the grounds, looking for an obvious way out, Alfie’s eyes rested on the garage.
He whispered urgently to Sandra. ‘If we can get over there, that will be our best bet … You okay?’
Shaking, Sandra nodded. ‘Ask me after we get out of here.’
‘It’ll be fine. Come on, let’s go.’
He ducked down, checking around as he ran with Sandra following closely behind. She slid up next to him by the corner of the stables, petrified, and spoke in the smallest of voices. ‘How many do you think there are?’
‘I reckon, worst-case scenario, a dozen.’
Sandra’s eyes were wild and panicked. ‘And the best?’
‘Half, but every single one of them is probably armed. Come on, Sand, the place is crawling and if we don’t get a move on, any minute now we’re going to be spotted and that won’t be good … It ain’t far. Just there.’