The Downfall Series Box Set

by Edie Baylis

  SETH WAS RATHER PLEASED with himself. He patted the wad of notes Bill had handed both him and Digger and after depositing Charlie as agreed, they’d returned to the Glint where a table had been arranged for them with drinks on the house.

  Now he was off duty for the night he’d easily got into the swing of chucking good quality spirits down his throat, as had Digger. They were both feeling a lot more mellow and relaxed and there was still a good couple of hours of drinking time left before the club closed in the wee hours.

  Bill had initially joined them for a few before making his excuses. He needed to speak to Sheila, he’d said. More likely to give her a seeing-to, the sly old dog.

  Digger leant over. “It’s a nice set up here isn’t it? I could get used to this sort of lifestyle.”

  “You and me both, Digs,” Seth grinned.

  Digger laughed and sparked up a cigarette. “Almost like the old days.”

  Seth smiled and then his face fell. “Not quite, mate. Not quite.”

  Digger ran his hand over his head, feeling uncomfortable. “Jeez, sorry mate. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean to...”

  Seth waved his hand. “It’s ok. Forget it.” He smiled once more and summoned the waitress to refill their drinks. As she stood in front of them with an almost awestruck expression across her face, Seth gave her one of his trademark drop-dead handsome smiles and playfully slapped her backside. Giggling, she scurried off to fetch their order.

  Digger watched and raised his eyebrows. He knew Seth would do anything rather than face what had happened in the past. But that was good. At least for him. He didn’t want to give rise to any opportunity which would give Seth any hint that he’d been lied to.

  Barry walked up to their table. “Sorry to interrupt guys. There’s a girl – Charlie’s girl, here to see Bill,” he raised his eyebrows. “She’s in a bit of a state. She was with Carter when he learnt of the fire at Crystals and she was the one to find Charlie. Can you look after her for a while until Bill’s free?”

  Seth nodded. “Sure. Bring her over.” He’d already been brought up to speed about this woman and what the arrangement had been between her, Charlie and Carter. A bit of sly one by all accounts.

  Eliza was waiting in the lobby when Barry returned, motioning for her to follow him. Her legs still felt like they didn’t belong to her and seemed to be shaking independently of each other on their own accord.

  Although she knew something was on the cards for Ernie, she’d been genuinely shocked Crystals had been torched with the girls in it. And she hadn’t guessed in a million years Charlie would have been taken out by Benson.

  She was of the understanding Ernie would be the one to get rid of Charlie once he’d discovered the betrayal, but it seemed Bill had beaten him to it. She frowned as her jelly legs continued to somehow propel her along the plush red carpet.

  If he could offload Charlie then he could easily offload her. She sorely hoped Bill didn’t class her as the same two-faced type as Charlie. Even though she’d swapped sides twice she was different wasn’t she?

  Beginning to sweat, Eliza glanced from side to side as she followed Barry’s hulking figure through the club. Although the lights were subdued she couldn’t see anyone concealed behind the red velvet drapes around the perimeter of the room waiting to pick her off with a machine gun - but then they’d hardly be that obvious would they?

  Eliza swallowed nervously and glanced up at the show underway on the stage. Where was she being taken to now? At least she could have a drink. Stone cold sober she was and she didn’t like it.

  Suddenly stopping, Barry turned. “Here you are, Eliza. These two will take care of you until Mr Benson is available.” He pulled out a chair. “Sit yourself down and I’ll send a waitress over.”

  Nodding her thanks, Eliza gently lowered herself on to the chair, hoping her legs would not give up on her now she’d got this far. “Thanks Barry.”

  Placing her bag under the table she looked up at the two men sitting at the table. Oh no! It’s Seth again! She felt her cheeks start to colour and was glad the lighting was low. Her heartrate began to race as she studied the other man. Holy fuck. Digger as well?

  “You alright, girl?” Seth asked, half-recognizing the woman in front of him. She reminded him of someone. Ah yes, she was the one he’d done that night with the Chantal woman wasn’t she?

  Trying not to hyperventilate, Eliza nodded and gulped down the drink which had been deposited on the table by the eager-to-please waitress. It was definitely Seth.

  She tried to study him without making it obvious. Her stomach flipped once again. Holy Mother of God. She’d shagged him. She’d actually finally shagged Seth Wright!

  Her mind involuntarily flicked back to the years she’d spent fantasising over the man in front of her. How much she’d envied Jane for having Seth’s heart as well as his body. But it didn’t matter now did it? It was her turn.

  Feeling both men scrutinising her, Eliza realised she needed to get a grip and fast. She forced her eyes to move back to Digger and Seth’s faces and pushed on a smile that she hoped to God didn’t look as false and panicky as it felt.

  FORTY ONE

  SHELLEY WAS SWEATING like a pig and her ears remained constantly alert to any noise. Her hands shook as she pulled out another bunch of paperwork from a drawer in the sideboard.

  Ben had been right about it being easy to get into the flat. He’d previously cased Marie’s place and noticed a kitchen window was faulty. With a bit of fiddling she’d been able to prize it open enough for the catch to flick loose and squeeze through.

  Shelley swallowed, her mouth dry as a bone. For all her previous bravado and trappiness she’d never in her life done anything like this. In fact, anything remotely illegal, apart from perhaps a bit of soft drugs like weed.

  She’d wanted to refuse to do it full stop. Especially after Ben had done a disappearing act again on her last night. Get a takeaway indeed? He’d turned up hours later, drunk as hell and gone to bed without so much as an explanation, let alone an apology.

  Sighing, she quickly sifted through the paperwork she’d got in her hand. She wasn’t even sure what she was supposed to be looking for. “Anything interesting,” Ben had said. Well, she could hardly take all of it, because it would be obvious someone had been in there.

  Shelley eyed the vodka on the side. She’d kill for a glass of that. Oh sod it! A bit wouldn’t hurt. Pushing the selected paperwork into her handbag, she grabbed the vodka and took a long drink from the bottle, gasping as the spirit burnt her throat, leaving a hot trail in its wake.

  She placed her hand on her belly and smiled feeling that fluttering again. Like butterflies. She loved her new shape. She’d seen the look in Ben’s eyes when they’d made love and knew her body, ripe and growing, turned him on.

  Taking one more gulp of the vodka, she placed it back where she’d found it and moved into the bedroom. Staring at the bed with its purple embroidered throw she felt slightly sick knowing that bitch had probably fucked Ben on there.

  Still, it was her who’d won. She’d got Ben for keeps now, not Marie. His baby was inside her, not Marie.

  Flinging open the drawer in the bedside cabinet, Shelley rummaged around. Nothing of interest here; Packet of condoms, a book. Sighing, she got down on her knees and bent to look under the bed.

  Pulling out a shoebox, Shelley opened the lid. There were all sorts in here. Little keepsakes. A ring. Certificates. Letters and photos.

  Pocketing a couple of photos and a handful of the paperwork that looked like it might be promising, she quickly pushed the shoebox back under the bed. She needed to leave. She’d been long enough.

  “SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW?” Sheila sat on the edge of Bill’s desk and lovingly brushed back a wisp of his hair which had come free from his usual perfectly brylcreemed style.

  Bill trailed his fingers gently up Sheila’s arm and smiled. “God Sheila, sit over there will you. You’re distracting me!” He watched as she ga
ve him a mischievous wink and slowly removed herself from the desk to reposition herself on the chair opposite, knowing full well his eyes were fixated on her legs.

  Sheila grinned. Goddam it, she may be getting on, but her pins as well as the rest of her were still shapely and Bill never failed to remind her so.

  What was even better was at the weekend they’d viewed a few houses and there was one she’d especially liked. It was cosy and had the most beautiful garden.

  She hadn’t said too much about it as it has been miniscule in comparison to the soulless mansion Bill lived in and was small even compared to the standard properties he owned, but he obviously hadn’t lost his ability to read her mind, because he’d only gone and put an offer in for it without her knowledge.

  Better still, the offer had been accepted and he’d surprised her with the news this morning.

  They’d also set a date for their wedding which would be February next year - on Valentine’s day. She’d never dreamt it would have been possible for her to be so happy and she felt like pinching herself.

  Sheila looked back at Bill who was still undressing her with his eyes. “You still haven’t filled me in with what’s going on Bill,” she said.

  Bill shook his head to clear it from carnal thoughts. “Ernie’s got to accept he’s defeated. Crystals is ruined and I know he hasn’t the free capital to reinstate it. Besides, it was so run down he’d lost seventy percent of his client list and that’s a fact. He knows it’s over.”

  Sheila frowned. “Knowing Ernie bloody Carter as I know him I’m sure there’ll be some sort of retaliation.”

  Bill laughed. “What with? Charlie’s gone. Not that he was on his side anyhow, which he now knows. His strong-arm monkey, if you can call him that, has previously been dispatched and the rest of his firm - that motley collection of YTS rejects - are as much use as chocolate teapots!”

  Sheila helped herself to a glass of white wine chilling in a cooler on the desk. “I agree with you, though I still think he’ll attempt something. Even if he knows he’s lost, he’ll come back at you with something to gain back some pride. He’ll have to.”

  “That be as it may, but it can’t be anything too complicated. He hasn’t got the nous to do anything clever.”

  Sheila frowned. “He’ll be even more annoyed he wasn’t the one to take Charlie out, you know that don’t you?”

  Bill laughed once more. “Why do you think I made sure it was done by us? Regardless of Carter being a prize cock, I would have felt the same about needing to off Charlie personally if I’d have been him. If would bother me, then it would also bother him, see?”

  Sheila smiled. “So there is method in your madness?”

  “Absolutely my darling, absolutely.” Bill folded his arms. “But that leaves us with a couple of issues.”

  “And what are they?”

  “Well, the girl who served Charlie up to Carter - it was agreed her part in this would guarantee her a job at the Glint.”

  Sheila scowled. “Now hang on a minute Bill, this is that Eliza girl isn’t it? She came in to see me previously about a dancing job.”

  She topped up her wine. “She’s alright looking, I’ll give her that - if you like surgically-enhanced that is, but there’s just something about her. We run a class act here and I’ve worked very hard to ensure that. The girl may be ok to look at, but she’s – oh, I don’t know – there’s something.... She’s brassy. She dresses nicely and is neatly manicured, but she’d still stinks of cheap.”

  Bill took Sheila’s word for it. He’d personally never met the woman and even if he had, he wouldn’t have taken much notice anyhow. One thing was for sure and that was he trusted Sheila’s take on stuff like this.

  “Plus if she set Carter and Charlie up, do you not think her capable of doing the same to you? After all’s said and done she’s no different to Charlie, right? Look how you felt about him.”

  Bill acknowledged Sheila had a point. He personally didn’t think the silly tart would try that with him, he was more concerned about her giving off a brassy impression. One girl coming over as cheap or even slightly common would not have a good impact on his rep. Things spread like wildfire in these circles and his membership list and rank of clientele was not to be sniffed at. He didn’t want that diluted by someone giving off an air of anything less than high-class.

  He stretched against the back of his leather chair. “Well there’s another option I’ve been giving some thought to behind the scenes.”

  Sheila’s eyebrows knitted together. She didn’t like the sound of this.

  “You were supposed to hang up your hat a few weeks’ ago,” Bill said.

  Sheila immediately put her hand up. “Stop right there, Bill. You know full well the only reason I’m still here is because you begged me to hold fire on leaving until all this shit with Carter has been closed.”

  “Yes and it hasn’t closed yet.”

  “Not quite, but it will be soon,” Sheila pushed.

  “Yes, very soon, but I want you to continue. Indefinitely.”

  Shaking her head, Sheila folded her arms and sighed. “Oh Bill, you know that’s impossible. Marie’s more than capable of running the joint. She does most of the running here anyway now and she’s certainly doing all I was doing, apart from these impromptu meetings with you.”

  Bill smiled. “Be that as it may, but I’m not in love with her am I? I’m in love with you!”

  Sheila grinned. “That still isn’t a good enough reason for me to stay. You’re just being daft.”

  Bill smiled. “Seriously though Sheel, hear me out. I need both of you and this is what I want to happen. Marie will run the girls and the club side of stuff as planned ok? I then need someone to run the girls at Crystals once I’ve done it up.”

  Sheila slammed her wine glass down onto his desk. “No, no and NO WAY Bill! You have g...”

  “Wait Sheila!” Bill interrupted. “You haven’t let me finish! Like I said, I need someone to run the girls at Crystals and I’m thinking of this Eliza.”

  Sheila paused, eyeing Bill suspiciously.

  “Eliza ran the girls at Crystals before, but walked out when the standards dropped. I intend to have a decent class of girl in there when I run it. Not as classy as here I warrant that, but classy enough. Certainly not Carter’s collection of drug-addled whores.”

  Bill waited for further argument from Sheila and on hearing none, continued. “But Crystals needs to be transformed and I need someone to project manage that. I also need someone to oversee me. Someone that I trust. You!”

  “But...”

  “But Sheila, you won’t have to do anything full-time. You can still spend as much time as you want with the grandkids. It won’t be anywhere near as full on as what you’ve been doing here. Plus,” Bill smiled, “it means we still get to see each other at work.”

  Sheila smiled despite herself. In all truth it wasn’t a bad plan. Not a bad plan at all and it made complete sense. “Ok Bill, maybe you’re right.”

  “Of course I’m right,” he smiled. “Now come over here. I need to kiss you!”

  FORTY TWO

  SETH TOOK A LONG SLUG from the whisky bottle he’d made sure was reachable from the bedside table. As instructed he’d ensured Eliza had been moved into the flat Bill had made available for her and he was keeping a close eye on her whilst the rest of the Carter business was tied up and Crystals readied for her attention.

  The woman had seemed pleased by Bill’s offer for her to take over the running of Crystals after the refurb, but he needed to guarantee she was in no way involved with any dealings or information pertaining to the acquisition in case she slipped any knowledge to Carter.

  Seth smiled to himself, personally thinking the girl seemed far too mercenary to risk losing such a good deal, but agreed it was better to be safe than sorry. The only downside was she wanted him to stay by her side. He didn’t mind fucking the woman, but three nights now she’d wanted him to bed her and he was getting
a little bored.

  Feeling the woman’s tongue running the length of his spine as he lay next to her in bed, Seth tried not to let his sigh be heard. When her fingers traced across the dent of a scar on his bare chest he stiffened. As casually as possible he moved her hand away and got up. He didn’t like anyone touching that.

  Eliza sat back in bed and watched his big frame move over to the chair where he’d thrown his jeans, mesmerised by the muscles rippling on his back and silently quivered as her eyes came to rest on his taut behind. God he was a fine one!

  She smiled. He was everything she’d always dreamed of in the sack and dare she say it, had been worth the wait. He still hadn’t recognised her, but it wasn’t surprising. She’d completely reinvented herself since he’d last seen her years ago. Not that he’d ever really taken much notice of her back then anyway because he’d only had eyes for Jane.

  To be honest, she hardly recognised herself these days compared to how she’d looked back then.

  “Are you coming back to bed?” Eliza smiled and ran her fingernail over her erect nipples, wanting his mouth on them.

  “I’d best make tracks,” Seth muttered, pulling on his jeans. “I need to see a few people.”

  Eliza scowled. He was supposed to be looking after her. “Do you have to?”

  Seth turned and forced himself to smile. “Yes I do.” He watched as Eliza continued touching her own breasts, desperately trying to tempt him to stay. He took a drag of his fag and studied her. “I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

  Eliza kept hold of her composure. She hoped he wasn’t getting suspicious. If he recognised her it would probably ruin everything and all things aside, she was more than enjoying his company and ability. “That’s a really corny chat-up line!” she laughed. “Was it from Crystals?”

  Seth shook his head. “Don’t insult me. That place isn’t my scene. Plus I’m not from around here.”

  “I know you’re not from round here!” Eliza laughed, then mentally kicked herself. “I mean if you had been I’m sure we’d have hooked up before.”