The Downfall Series Box Set

by Edie Baylis

  Maggie smiled. Perhaps now she’d get over Jim.

  FOURTEEN

  AT LUNCHTIME BEN SAT on the bench in the park. It wasn’t overly warm, but he needed some time out to clear his head. He ran his hand through his blonde hair and sighed miserably.

  Opening his sandwich wrapper he took a bite out of it. He wasn’t hungry, but knew he had to eat something. He’d been over the moon thinking Marie was going to give him a chance, but nothing had materialised. She’d refused him every time he’d asked to see her, bullshitting she didn’t want to get involved and just wanted to be friends.

  How could they just be friends? He wanted her to be his. Properly.

  Ben smiled wryly. If someone had said a while back that he’d be desperate for a serious relationship he’d have laughed in their face. He’d liked his free lifestyle: the ability to fuck who he wanted when he wanted, until Marie had turned up.

  She’d completely buggered up his mind-set and that one night of sex had been out of this world. He felt his groin tightening with the thought of sinking into her. Apart from his balls needing emptying, he wanted more than anything to be with her.

  But there were things that didn’t add up. First of all there were the comments Shelley had made about Marie causing her injuries. He knew Shelley had a grudge and felt she’d been passed over in favour of Marie, but it was never like they’d had anything serious. For fuck’s sake, she was as much of a tart as he’d been and the arrangement had worked fine. It had been nice having a guaranteed shag on a Friday night, but that was all it had ever been.

  Then there were the letters. Shelley had seen Marie trying to hide a letter and there was that one that she’d snatched off him before. Ben had made light of it. After all, Marie wasn’t obliged to show him her mail was she?

  But there was a seed of doubt in his mind. Marie had turned up out of the blue to work in the office, she wasn’t from around here and was always vague when asked where she was from.

  Despite not wanting it to this had played on his mind. Maybe Marie was with someone else and that was why she said she couldn’t be with him?

  His eyebrows knitted together and a further knot of fear formed in Ben’s gut. Something wasn’t right. He put his head in his hands. He needed to make her see that they were right for each other.

  CHARLIE TRIED TO LOOK as innocent as possible as he caressed the back of Eliza’s neck whilst she stood with her back to him. Christ. He needed to sort this out. She was as jealous as hell.

  He tried to hide the smile creeping across his mouth. She’d got it bad. Perfect. “Darling, you’ve got it all wrong.”

  Spinning around, Eliza glared at him hoping her anger masked her hurt. “How can I have got it wrong? I saw you with that blonde tart the other night and you looked fairly cosy to me. I haven’t even seen you since and that’s two days now!” Her eyes welled up. “You were supposed to come round yesterday and you didn’t bother. Still fucking that trollop were you?”

  She grabbed a bottle of whisky from the bar and unscrewing the top, took a swig. She hated whisky and it burnt her throat, but she needed to take away this pain. She felt so fucking worthless and resented that he’d made her feel this way.

  Charlie placed his arms tightly around Eliza’s waist and pressed himself against her back. He knew she’d feel his erection pushing against her arse cheeks and with any luck her newly-discovered sexual pleasure would side track her enough to get her back on side.

  How could he have been so stupid? This could fuck up the whole deal he’d been working on if she decided to put a spanner in the works. All for the sake of a shag with some tart who ended up crying half way through! What a mistake that had been!

  Thinking quickly, he wound his fingers in Eliza’s auburn tresses, careful not to pull any of her hair extensions. That would make things even worse. “Baby, two things. I couldn’t see you yesterday because I had a meeting with some guys to sort out the deal that will enable us to be together”.

  It was true. Well, partly. Not the bit about wanting to be with her – he didn’t, but he had allowed Dan to talk him into having another meeting with Jim.

  His initial reaction had been to tell him to fuck off, but being as he wasn’t exactly overrun with choices for this job, he’d reluctantly agreed. Surprisingly though when he’d met up with them in the Mitre yesterday afternoon, he’d realised Dan’s instinct about this Jim guy had been right.

  Charlie had weighed up the big man sitting in front of him and saw things in his eyes that only like-minded individuals could see. There was something else about him too, but try as he might he’d been unable to put his finger on it.

  Jim had seemed completely at ease and straight away he’d apologised about the previous night. Apparently he’d been on his way, but there had been a bit of trouble which he’d had to deal with. Staring at the steely resolve behind the man’s piercing eyes, Charlie had nodded, placated.

  Jim had asked for confirmation as to what would be expected of him and Charlie had willingly given him the information. He’d already decided the guy was perfect for the work and hoped desperately he’d be on board. Thankfully once money and timeframes had been discussed, he’d agreed.

  It wouldn’t be long now before they got the nod because Ernie was on his way right now to have another meeting with Bill.

  Rotating his pelvis, Charlie rubbed his hard cock against Eliza’s buttocks and heard her breath hitch. Ah, he was getting somewhere. “You know how much I wanted to see you baby. I always do.”

  His hand splayed across Eliza’s stomach and teasingly fiddled with her belt. “I needed to get this meeting done and dusted. You know how much I want to provide for you.” Yeah, right...

  “But,” Eliza whispered, “what ab...”

  “And secondly,” Charlie interrupted, knowing what was coming next. “I certainly wasn’t shagging anyone yesterday afternoon or the night before,” he lied, having just thought of a relatively feasible excuse.

  “Well, who w...”

  “The blond ‘tart’ as you put it is my cousin, not a slag. She’d been attacked by an ex-boyfriend and he’d shook her up well and proper.”

  Turning to face Charlie, Eliza tried to read his eyes.

  “I was angry and wanted to sort this bloke out, but I needed to calm her down, so we had a few drinks in the pub.” He lowered his mouth down to a few inches from Eliza’s. “Then I walked her home.”

  Deciding to try his luck, Charlie lowered his hand and lightly brushed it down the front of Eliza’s tight skirt. “I could hardly turn up at yours that late could I? Ernie would have been suspicious.”

  Eliza stared at Charlie’s lips close to hers. “So you and her, you didn’t d...”

  Feeling home and dry, Charlie slipped his hand up Eliza’s skirt and brushed his fingers against the lace of her knickers, hearing her moan softly. “No, of course I didn’t. How could I make love to anyone else when I’ve got you?”

  He said ‘make love’ not sex, Eliza thought and unable to help herself, pressed against his fingers.

  Charlie smiled and lowered his mouth hungrily onto Eliza’s. Sorted!

  ERNIE SAT IN A PLUSH velvet chair in Bill Benson’s office and ran his fingers impatiently down the metal upholstery studs around the edge of the seat as he waited. He felt his annoyance bubbling. Why was he being kept waiting? No one kept him waiting.

  He really thought he was all that didn’t he, this Benson. He may have had his day once, but he was well past it now. Ernie smiled. He was no spring chicken himself, but at fifty, he was a good ten years younger than Benson and it was about time the man took on board it was time to step aside. Still, he needed to be pleasant and amicable. At least until Benson had agreed to his terms. Of which he would of course. He couldn’t be so stupid not to.

  Ernie looked around the room with its bookcases and red velvet drapes. Benson’s desk in front of him was handmade from mahogany and a silver letter opener sat on top of the dark green leather inset of the wri
ting surface. Very nice, very nice, he thought appreciatively. He was looking forward to having this as his office when he took over the running of the gaff and wouldn’t have to wait long now.

  Hearing the door open behind him, Ernie turned to see Bill Benson enter the office looking dapper in an expensively tailored dark grey suit, his hair slicked back and a wide smile across his tanned face.

  “Ernie! Hello!” Bill boomed, stepping forward with his hand extended and a large smile. The twat had fallen head first into his trap.

  Ernie rose from his seat, immediately plastering on a grin and shook the proffered hand. “Afternoon Bill. You’re well, I hope?”

  Gesturing for Ernie to sit down, Bill continued to the drinks cabinet and poured two whiskies from the decanter into crystal tumblers.

  Ernie acknowledged through gritted teeth that Benson’s decanter and tumbler set was much nicer and more expensive than his. It would soon be his though. Soon be his...

  Bill placed one whisky on the desk in front of Carter before moving the other side and sitting down in his swivel chair. Leaning back he slowly took a sip from his glass. “So, what can I do for you?”

  Confusion passed across Ernie’s face. What did he mean? Surely Benson remembered their conversation from last week? Regaining his composure, he leant forward and rested his elbow on the edge of the desk. “I’m surprised the important question of who’s supplying the club’s cocaine has slipped your mind, Bill.” He tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. Amicable remember. Amicable.

  Bill smiled again knowing it would irritate Carter further. “Ah yes of course. No, I hadn’t forgotten, but I won’t beat around the bush – I’ve decided to stay with my usual suppliers.”

  Ernie sat back bewildered. Was he serious? “Even though we can offer you a better price?”

  Anger over being questioned flashed momentarily across Bill’s face before he replaced it with an easy smile. “Well, I beg to differ on that, but each to their own.” Finishing his whisky, he rose from the chair and extended his hand once more towards Carter. “Thank you for the offer Ernie, but I won’t keep you any longer.”

  Knowing he’d been dismissed ignited fury at the heart of Ernie’s being, but knew he needed to keep a lid on it. Forcing himself to shake Benson’s hand, he gripped it hard, hoping he’d crush the bastard’s fingers.

  Ernie smiled as best as he could. “I think you’re making a mistake, but like you say – each to their own.”

  Leaving the office, once he’d reached the privacy of the external corridor leading to the main staircase to the club’s reception, Ernie scowled freely. The bloody idiot. The stupid, jumped up old cunt. Oh well, no skin off his nose. He’d just put the wheels in motion for the takeover to proceed. Benson obviously wanted to make this difficult for himself, so game on!

  Relaxing back in his chair, Bill smirked as he picked up the telephone. He needed to phone Charlie to give him the nod, but first he had one other call to make.

  He lit a cigar from the carved wooden box on his desk and breathed out the thick smoke as he dialled the number.

  “Hello?” a gruff voice muttered.

  “Phil?” Bill said, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “I think we can safely say the ponce has enabled phase one to be put into action.”

  There was a low chuckle from the other end of the line. “Good. I’ll put my thinking cap on for who will be the best for the end job now shall I?”

  Bill flicked the ash from the end of his cigar into the gold ashtray. “Yes son, I’d say you should.”

  FIFTEEN

  SHELLEY HAD BEEN LUCKY to get a lunchtime appointment at the dentist in the first place and now she’d finally had her front tooth capped, she was feeling a lot better.

  All the bruises had disappeared and she’d disguised the scar on her eyebrow with the help of a fabulous Max Factor eyebrow pencil. Plus since having her hair styled in a pretty feathery cut, the long fringe detracted from the slight lump on the bridge of her nose and she felt almost back to her old self. It was the best she could do anyway until she’d saved up enough for a nose job.

  She glanced at her watch. If she got a wriggle on she’d only have half an hour to make up after work. Continuing down the road she suddenly saw a familiar figure coming down the steps of a building further along.

  Shelley stopped in her tracks and watched as Marie reached the bottom of the police station’s entrance before glancing up and down the road, then continuing back in the direction of the office. What was she doing there?

  ELIZA TURNED HER NOSE up when the smell of sweaty feet enveloped her whilst she walked up the stairs to her office in Crystals. What a bloody dump!

  Even though Ernie accepted he needed to up his game with the girls he offered and the general state of the place, he’d become so obsessed with this crap concerning the Glint, sorting out his own club had fallen by the wayside.

  However he’d gone for a meeting about the takeover of the Glint today, so with any luck once that started rolling, he’d put his concentration back into Crystals. Either that or she’d migrate to the Glint without him, which she was more than happy to do.

  Eliza sighed. Charlie needed to hurry up and get everything sorted.

  When she’d lain in his arms earlier, much to her horror he’d said she must be nicer to Ernie. Why didn’t the knowledge she was still sleeping with the old fart piss him off? Furthermore how could she pretend Ernie was making her come now she knew what it was really like?

  Walking into the room, Eliza glared at the skanky women on the sofa waiting for clients. Most of the girls she’d worked with before her promotion had long since moved on to more delectable clubs and the ones left were just plain nasty. Recently the level had slipped even further, but she was hardly surprised.

  What she did know was she didn’t want to be associated with this place for one minute longer. She’d had enough and deserved somewhere with a bit of bloody class. She’d come here today with the intention of sorting the rotas out, but the prospect of dealing with these low-grade hookers, regardless of what they called themselves, was leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

  Eliza pursed her lips and watched as one of the women aimlessly picked at the cold sore scabs around her garishly painted mouth. That was it. She was leaving! She’d tell Ernie she wasn’t prepared to deal with these fucking tramps any more.

  Feeling anger rise she grabbed her bag from the counter. Charlie had just better hurry up and sort things out because she’d waited far too long as it was.

  “Here! Where you going? We need our rota sorting!” came a screechy voice from a woman busy eyeing Eliza’s nice clothes malevolently.

  “Sort it out your fucking selves!” Eliza snapped and flounced down the stairs.

  PHIL SAT AT THE TABLE in the Chapter House lounge and smiled at Digger. He ran his hand over his shaved head and picked up his bottle of beer.

  “So what’s the score?” Digger asked, his bull head jutting forward on his massive frame.

  Phil smiled. “Well it seems we do indeed have a problem with our coke supply at my old man’s club.”

  Digger watched Phil spark up a cigarette. “What, so this silly cunt you’ve told me about is actually fucking stupid enough to try and muscle in on your old man?”

  Phil nodded, and then grinned. “Yep, which means he’s stupid enough to muscle in on us as well! However we have to remember that was part of the plan.”

  His father had told him this Ernie Carter owned a shit hole and once it was done up it would be the perfect addition to his club. Plus it had been promised he’d be supplying the gear there too once it had all been sorted.

  He’d been pleased. Although his father hadn’t been around when he’d been growing up, when they’d finally met up a couple of years ago, it was apparent they’d definitely been cut from the same cloth.

  It didn’t matter Bill was miles away. In fact, it was a bonus because it meant there were no issues with territory and also that he got an in wi
th deals without even being present. For this, he was happy to provide decent muscle when required who wouldn’t be recognised.

  “The old man’s got a couple of local guys to put the frighteners on Carter and his crew,” Phil said meeting Digger’s eyes. “Once Carter attempts to be heavy-handed - which he will undoubtedly do by the sounds of it, they’ll put the pressure on.”

  Digger raised his eyebrow and scratched at his stubbly chin. “And if he doesn’t try to move in?”

  Phil laughed. “They’ll take him whatever he does. He’s got no choice. It just looks better if it’s done this way. The thing is the old man wants us, or one of our lot to be there for the hit on Carter at the end. He won’t use one of his own boys – says it’s too close to home.”

  “I can understand that,” Digger said, slugging at his beer bottle.

  “It can’t be me as you know.”

  Digger nodded. Phil had always separated the drugs and gun running from the violence. The cops he’d got in his pocket could only swing so much for one person these days, he knew that. It worked both ways. The henchmen Phil sent always stayed out of the drug dealing. There had only really been one person who’d dealt with both.

  “So you want me to find someone?”

  “I do want you to find someone, but the right someone,” Phil muttered, fixing his eyes on Digger.

  Reading Phil’s expression, Digger raised his eyebrows. “Are you suggesting who I think you are?”

  After a lengthy pause, Phil nodded slowly. “I think you know full well who I have in mind...”

  Digger stared at his now empty bottle and began turning it around in his hand. “I think I do and I think you’re right. Except whether we can or not is another thing.”

  “Of course we can! We know where Seth is. He’s always made sure of that,” Phil smiled. “He said to call him if we need anything major as payment for what we did for him.”