by Edie Baylis
Two birds with one stone and all that...
ON THE DRIVE BACK FROM the woods, it hadn’t taken Seth long to revert to screaming at Jane about Clint and she’d just about had enough, but as she swung the car into the space next to the Senator, the steering wheel span on the column.
“What the fuck?” she yelled, slamming the brakes on as the car scraped down the side of Seth’s Senator.
Opening the passenger door, Seth eyed the gouge running down his paintwork. “What the hell are you doing, you stupid fucking cow!”
“The steering went!” Jane snapped, yanking the key from the ignition and storming off in the direction of the stairwell. “You drive it and see for yourself if you don’t believe me!”
Seth followed his face like thunder, but on seeing the front door to the flat lying on the floor, he quickly moved Jane to one side before rushing in.
The first thing Jane saw was Shadow lying in a pool of blood, but as she knelt next to the dog Ginning appeared and grabbed her.
Spinning on his heels, Seth’s eyes narrowed into slits. He knew exactly who this cop was and he’d been waiting a long time to catch up with the bastard. “You CUNT!” he screamed, hammering his fist repeatedly into Ginning’s face. He may have spent all night drugged up to the eyeballs and chucking his guts up, but was still capable of packing a quality punch.
With blood streaming out of his nose and a gash over his eye, Ginning flailed around pointlessly trying to shield himself from the relentless blows crashing into his smashed face. The fact his colleagues were nowhere to be seen hadn’t escaped his notice either.
Hearing the commotion as he placed various bits and pieces into evidence bags, PC James glanced at the other officers, knowing none of them were making any attempt to go to Ginning’s aid. He pressed the button on the radio, smiling as he heard further shouting and bangs coming from the hallway. “They’re back.”
One of the officers glanced at him. “Do you think we should go and help?”
PC James nodded reluctantly. Although none of them wanted to admit they were enjoying Ginning, the slimy wanker, getting a pasting, they’d have to be seen to be doing something when the DI returned otherwise they’d have to explain themselves.
WHEN DEBBIE TURNED the key in the lock she felt a funny prickling sensation, like she was being watched. Glancing over her shoulder, she looked up and down the deserted road. These weird night shifts finishing at 5.30 in the morning were clearly fucking her head up and making her imagine things.
Satisfied she was being stupid, Debbie pushed the door open and stepped into the dark hallway. Flicking on the light she stopped. It was quiet. Ian and Teddy must have gone to bed for once rather than crash out on the sofa. That was ok. It would give her a bit more time to think.
Since hearing on the grapevine that the psycho-bitch had managed to lose Seth’s baby it meant that there was little point in putting her latest plan in action anymore. Although it may still be worth poisoning the stupid slag just for the fun of it, rather than purely to offload the fucking kid.
Debbie smiled as she sparked up a fag. Yes, she’d think about it a bit longer before deciding whether she needed a new plan. Kicking off her shoes she walked into the lounge, deciding she’d just have a quick drink before hitting the sack.
It took a few seconds for her brain to digest the carnage in front of her before hearing a dreadful high-pitched wailing noise. It was several more seconds before she realised the horrible noise was coming from her own mouth.
DI CHARLES BURST THROUGH the doorway, pleased to see Ellerton lying face down on the underlay with her hands cuffed painfully behind her back. According to PC James, the psychotic little bitch had fought like a tigress, punching and head-butting him when he’d tried to cuff her. Apparently it had taken three of them to finally take her down.
He winced looking at James’ watering eyes and broken nose, then glanced back at Jane who studied him with contempt.
Turning his attention to the wheezing bloodied body of Ginning propped against the bedroom doorway, he shrugged. That twat was irrelevant in the scheme of things. Providing they could get the shit to stick on these pair of bastards, he didn’t give a fuck what happened.
He was even happier to see Wright manacled and held down by more officers whilst another whacked him with a truncheon. “Seth Wright and Jane Ellerton.” DI Charles’ voice was clear and loud. “I’m arresting you both on suspicion of possession of controlled substances with intent to supply, handling of stolen goods and assaulting a police officer.”
Seth laughed. “WHAT? Yeah, right!”
DI Charles continued, ignoring Jane rolling her eyes in boredom. “You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something you later rely on in court.”
“You’ve killed my fucking dog!” Seth growled, pulling against his cuffs. “I’ll mention that, shall I?”
Jane almost laughed as an officer moved forward and placed a boot firmly on the small of Seth’s back. It was funny how it took seven of them to take him down, but now he was shackled, they were acting like trophy hunters.
STUART’S HEAVY AND erratic breathing steamed up the thin glass in the window as he pressed himself against the pane. His throbbing erection was almost painful as his hand pumped faster and faster along the length. Oh, this was so fucking good.
Savouring the feelings coursing through his body, the smile plastered across Stuart’s face widened when Seth and Jane were dragged across the courtyard. Unable to contain himself, he felt his legs begin to shake.
Seth glanced up at the window and his eyes connected directly with the man pressed against the glass, but as Stuart’s hot fluid spurted out like a geyser against the anaglypta wallpaper he was too far gone to notice he’d been seen.
THE DUTY SERGEANT LOOKED towards the ceiling, realising on retrospect it hadn’t been a great choice to bung Wright and Ellerton in the same cell this time.
Admittedly he’d done it before because it tended to shut them up. Like a pair of weird co-joined twins, they made more noise when they were separated. Plus he enjoyed watching them shagging. It livened up the boring shifts that got repetitive with the usual steady stream of glue-sniffers and crap burglars. Not tonight though. There’d definitely been no shagging tonight. They’d been at each other’s throats for a good hour and it was getting worse.
Although one good thing had come out of tonight, he thought, smiling. He hadn’t been able to hide his joy when he’d heard about Ginning and felt like shaking Wright’s hand for that one. It was about time the greasy pervert got a slap.
Another bout of shouting and screaming finally pushed him over the edge. Stomping towards the cell door, he banged loudly with his fist. “SHUT THE FUCK UP WILL YOU!”
He yanked the metal grill open just in time to see Ellerton whack Wright round the head with the cell chair. Sighing, the sergeant rushed back to the desk to answer the phone, only to be told there was some fat bird in reception rattling on about dead bodies.
Another fucking nutter he didn’t doubt, but now he’d have to send some of his guys to investigate regardless. This meant he’d have to attempt to split Wright and Ellerton up on his own and he wasn’t looking forward to that one little bit.
FORTY FOUR
DODGE WAS LIVID. HE eyed Seth’s gear piled up in one side of the lock up and scowled. It had been weeks now and if the man hadn’t shifted it by the end of the week, he’d get it out himself and dump it on the steps outside Seth’s bloody flat.
He didn’t want the fucking cops sniffing around his gaff. Not with all the ringed motors he pulled off. He wasn’t as lucky as that jammy bastard and would get sent down quicker than two shakes of a ducks tail.
Dodge was well aware that the Highwaymen’s lawyer had come up trumps again and all the charges lumped on Seth and Jane had been dropped due to lack of evidence. Well, he didn’t have people like that to rely on and if he was pulled in, he’d be straight back in
nick and he didn’t want that. It was fraying his fucking nerves.
Raising his eyes up to the leaky ceiling, Dodge brushed his hair off his forehead and picked up one of Seth’s crates. Impotently moving it on top of another, he sighed.
MAGGIE WASN’T SURE she’d heard correctly and blinked rapidly. “Dead?”
Jake nodded, his lank hair flapping around his face. “Last week. Both of them. Found by Ian’s sister.”
Maggie was sure she must be hallucinating. “Debbie?”
Jake nodded. “That’s the one. Went berserk she did.”
“What happened?”
“No one knows. It’s all very weird. Word has it that it was some form of satanic ritual gone wrong.”
Maggie knew well enough it wouldn’t have been that. No, someone had done this. A tear ran down her cheek. “I need a drink.”
Putting his arm around her shoulders, Jake steered her towards the bottom end of the high street. “Come on. Let’s go to the Kings.” If he played his cards right he might be on to a winner.
SETH THRUST THE VIDEO camera into Jane’s hands. “Film it!”
Jane eyed the heavy camera. “Where have you got this from?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he mumbled, “just film it.”
“You want me to film it?” Jane glanced across to Clint whose stoned eyes were staring straight at her.
“Yes Jane,” Seth hissed, staring hard into her eyes. “I want you to film it. Did I not just say that?” As he brushed his lips on hers, she curled her arms around his neck.
Feeling Jane’s body against his Seth realised he could quite easily forget the whole thing and just take her there and then. “Later,” he murmured, pulling away. He needed to do this first to get some bloody self-respect back.
Jane scowled as Seth walked over to where Clint was trussed up against a tree with rope. She was unable to see what he was planning to gain by any of this and wished he’d just get over what happened at the party. It was more than a week ago. Did he really have to be so melodramatic, for God’s sake?
She studied Seth as he leant against a tree fiddling with his revolver, admitting even after years and far too much shit, there was still something about him she found utterly irresistible. On the flip side, she also found him equally aggravating and her feelings constantly alternated between wanting to fuck him or kill him.
PHIL FROWNED, PRETENDING he was interested in what Dodge was going on about, when really he wished he’d shut the fuck up. He’d only come to the King’s for a quiet pint when he’d been accosted by the bastard, which only served to remind him why he hadn’t been in here for ages.
Dodge’s arms waved around, his voice rising. “But he’s got to move that stuff, it’s been there for weeks and I don’t want any attention on me.”
Phil gritted his teeth and gripped Dodge’s arm hard. “Keep the noise down, you stupid cunt!”
Dodge’s eyes darted around the bar to see who was listening, but there was only a bunch of half-conscious hippies and some fat bloke. The only person staring at him was one of Jane’s mates, but she looked like she’d lost the plot anyway. “Sorry. Sorry!” he muttered and tried to winkle his arm out of Phil’s vice-like grip.
“Chill out,” Phil whispered under his breath. “I’ll sort it.”
Nodding, Dodge quickly scuttled out of the pub before he was grabbed again. He knew his every move was being watched by the biker’s steely blue eyes.
Nodding to Lee to signify a refill, Phil placed his empty glass on the beer towel and turned around. He leant against the bar with his elbows and gave Maggie a wide manic smile as he picked up his fresh pint.
He’d pop round Seth’s later and remind him to shift the gear. He didn’t trust that Dodge. He was far too fucking jumpy and the way he was playing his trap he’d drop them all in it.
At least Seth seemed to be getting his act together, so maybe he’d be ok to do some work again? He’d weigh it up later he thought and smiled to himself. This beer was going down far too well.
Phil shouted up another. One for the road maybe.
ALTHOUGH CLINT WAS STONED off his bonce, panic was rising and threatening to mess up his chilled demeanour. Seth wouldn’t actually do anything stupid would he? This was to prove a point, right?
He’d been told far too many times Seth and Jane were fucking nutters and to stay clear. His eyes moved to Jane who was messing with something. What was it? It looked a like a video camera.
An involuntary smile passed across Clint’s mouth as an idea formed. Maybe they were all going to fuck and film it? Looking at Jane, her legs encased in skin-tight black denim, he felt his groin tightening. There was something about that woman that flicked his switch.
Clint tossed his head slightly, trying to get a long curl out of his eye and wished he could move his arms. It was all starting to get a tad uncomfortable.
Jane smiled spotting the bulge in his leather trousers and Clint smiled back, feeling a lot less paranoid. He savoured the heady rush of the dope rolling through his brain and breathed in the sweet scents of the woodland.
Snapped out of his reverie by a clicking sound Clint opened his eyes to the barrel of a gun and his mouth fell open. He had no time to register anything more before he was punched hard in the stomach. Crumpling over as much as the ropes binding him would allow, he heaved and gasped for breath.
Hard green eyes stared into his. “I did say ‘no tongues’ now didn’t I, Clint?” Seth growled.
“W-What?” Clint stuttered, trying to override the crushing pain in his torso and began to think he may have slightly misread the situation. “Oh c’mon man, you were all for it!” He smiled, ever hopeful. Maybe this was all part of the game?
Seth gripped Clint’s face and pushed his head back sharply against the tree trunk. “I didn’t say you could fuck her!” he snarled. “You took the piss.”
“I wasn’t taking the pi....”
“YOU FUCKED MY WIFE!” Seth roared. “You must think I’m some sort of cunt if you think I’d be ok with that?”
Clint’s eyes darted towards Jane as she leant against a tree, the camera resting on her shoulder. Her eyes met his and she shrugged. “You’re joking, right?” he gibbered.
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Seth muttered.
MAGGIE FELT LIKE SHE was speeding. Her brain thundered along like an express train and she couldn’t concentrate on what Jake was saying.
She’d seen the look on Dodge’s face and even though she hadn’t heard much of the conversation, she’d heard Seth’s name mentioned. As for Phil, well - he was just mental and scared the life out of her. Her hands shook as she picked up yet another drink Jake had bought. She needed to leave, but couldn’t will herself to move. If she stood up, her legs might turn to jelly and she’d collapse on the floor, then everyone would stare at her and she couldn’t cope with that.
A wave of nausea flooded her. Why had Jane been so sure she wouldn’t get any more grief off Ian? Were their deaths something to do with Seth?
Feeling tears welling in her eyes she glanced back to the bar, feeling even worse as Phil grinned at her again. This was like a bad dream and she needed to talk to Jane. She’d know what to do.
Swallowing hard, Maggie felt wretched and could no longer stop the hot tears falling down her face. Neither did she have the energy to move Jake’s arm away when it snaked around her shoulders.
SETH STUDIED CLINT CLOSELY. Abject paranoia and fear of losing Jane coursed through him and rage at being taken for a mug beat on a path that was not going to be quashed. Clint was a nice looking guy and he could see why Jane found him attractive, but he didn’t like it one little bit.
“B-But wait,” Clint stuttered, wishing he wasn’t so stoned. “I’m sorry if I went over the line, but Jane was up for it. It wasn’t just me.”
Realising too late this was the worst thing he could have said, he watched as Seth’s eyes narrowed into slits, then his head was slammed harder into the trunk than before.
> “So what are you saying?” Seth roared. “That I’m not enough for her?”
“No, NO!” Clint looked pleadingly towards Jane.
“Come on, Seth,” Jane said amiably. “That’s enough now.”
Seth’s head flicked around and he smiled savagely. “You’re right Princess.” His voice was strangely calm. “It is enough...”
A quiet sigh of relief escaped from Clint’s mouth when Seth took a few paces away. “What say I buy you guys a drink?” He knew he could definitely do with one.
“No thanks.” Spinning around, Seth raised his pistol and fired a single shot into Clint’s chest.
Jane continued filming as Clint’s body went rigid against the tree trunk, his head flopping forward and a stream of thick purple blood pouring from his mouth. She wondered whether they were going to be much longer here because she needed some more coke.
Placing the pistol back in his inside pocket, Seth gave Jane a wide, bright smile. She stopping recording and gratefully pulled the heavy camera down from her shoulder.
Seth untied Clint, who fell in a heap at the base of the tree and tossed the rope on top of the body. Fishing a can of petrol out of nowhere, he gave it a shake.
Jane made her way back towards the car whilst Seth chucked a liberal amount of fuel around, concluding she was slightly responsible for all of this. Did she feel bad? Did she fuck.
She felt sod all.
“Sorry about that,” Seth smiled, grabbing Jane from behind. Swinging her around, he kissed her hard.
“Urgh, you stink of petrol!” Jane frowned, trying to prise Seth’s hands off her as he pushed her playfully into the car. “Feel better now?” she asked as he jumped behind the wheel.
“That I do,” he grinned.
“Not think you went slightly over the top?”
“No I don’t!” Seth raised an eyebrow and fired the engine. “This is what happens when you decide to fuck someone other than me. Now let’s get home. There’s more stuff I want to film.”