by Edie Baylis
“How nice,” Aiden sneered. “Like I care. Now, who does this fucking delivery? Last chance, bitch!” He glanced towards the door, knowing he needed to be quick because someone else would undoubtedly be due in for a break soon.
“I-I don’t know anything about the deliveries,” the girl insisted. “Honestly. Now let me go!”
“Have it your own way,” Aiden said, pulling a blade from his pocket. He’d have to make this look good at least.
“No, NO!” the girl cried, her voice alarmingly loud.
“Shut up bitch!” Aiden shouted, swiping at her face.
It was only when Billie-Jo went silent, standing frozen in shock did Aiden see exactly what he’d done. He needed to get out of there fast. “Let that be a message to your boss!” he muttered. “He’ll know who it’s from...”
Watching as the girl slumped against the wall and slid slowly to the floor, Aiden pulled open the outer door, rapidly removed the balaclava and headed out towards the lobby.
Disappearing into the night, Aiden lit a cigarette and hastily made his way back to his car. Shrugging with indifference over what had just occurred, he fished his keys from his pocket. Time to meet Anna.
MAGGIE HADN’T BEEN altogether surprised to see Jane on the doorstep. Obviously upset, she’d ushered her in and sat her down at the kitchen table.
“So who were the flowers from?” Maggie asked.
Jane looked up in surprise. “Not you as well! How did y..”
“We had Seth ranting about it last night,” Dan explained with a touch of irritation in his voice.
Jane breathed a sigh of relief. So he’d been here rather than the club. “I don’t know who they’re from.” Watching Dan raise an eyebrow, her eyes narrowed defensively. “So you think I’m lying too?” she snapped.
“We didn’t say that did we?”
“You didn’t have to,” Jane remarked sullenly.
Maggie glanced at Dan. “But why did you try to throw the card away?”
Jane angrily helped herself to a glass of vodka. “In answer to your question, I threw the card away because I knew it would cause problems. I didn’t have an explanation for it, but I swear I don’t know who sent them. All of that shit in the card is lies and I don’t know how it made its way out of the bin either!”
Dan cleared his throat. “Seth think it’s Miller.”
“That’s insane! We’re just friends,” Jane muttered.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit strange what was written on the card?” Maggie asked. In all honesty she’d be lying if the thought as to the truthfulness of it hadn’t crossed her mind. Although it was a long time ago, Jane hadn’t a great track record where her fidelity to Seth was concerned.
Jane sipped at her drink and sparked up a cigarette. She frowned, her mind working overtime. “Someone’s setting me up.”
“Who would do that? And why?” Dan asked, unable to think of anyone who would have reason to go to that trouble or what it would achieve. It made no sense.
“I even threw the bloody flowers away after all of this. They were nice as well,” Jane said, attempting some humour in the ridiculous situation.
“It’s not funny though Jane is it? You know what Seth’s like,” Maggie said.
“He’s not as bad as he used to be,” Jane muttered, noticing the disbelieving looks which passed between Maggie and Dan. “And I got a phone call this morning.”
“Who from?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t recognise the voice.”
Dan frowned. “What did they say?”
Jane stared at the table. “It was a man. He said he saw me at the restaurant and would expose my so-called affair with Jason.”
“What? The Italian restaurant the other day? Seth was with you wasn’t he?” Maggie said.
Jane clocked the silent looks exchanged between Maggie and Dan and slammed her hand down angrily on the table. “What the hell’s going on? Do you really think any of this shit is true? It’s a bloody set up! That much is obvious!”
“No of course not babe,” Maggie muttered feeling uncomfortable. “Could this be anything to do with Lacey?”
Jane looked up, startled. “Lacey? Why would it be anything to do with her?”
“You could have trod on someone’s toes by getting involved. The boyfriend perhaps?”
Jane frowned. It was ridiculous. “Maybe I should fill Jason in about what’s been going on.”
Maggie glanced nervously at Dan. “Seth wanted to go and have it out with Jason last night. Thankfully Dan talked him down. The mood he was in I think he might have killed him.”
“It made things worse that you concealed the note,” Dan pointed out as Jane sighed irritably.
Jane finished her glass of vodka and held it out to Maggie for a refill. “I know... I didn’t think. I just didn’t want to put any thoughts like that in his head. Probably because I knew it wasn’t true!” she paused. “There’s something else though.... I think I might be being followed...”
Dan looked up. “Followed?” Even with the incidents they’d had at the clubs, trying to set Jane up on a personal level didn’t make sense.
“Watched. Followed. I don’t know. I also don’t know who by before you ask. A car at the bottom of our drive has been there twice now and no, I haven’t told Seth yet.” Jane watched as yet again, Dan exchanged glances with Maggie. “Do you think I’m making this up or something?”
Not getting an immediate answer pushed Jane’s patience too far. Standing up she grabbed her bag from the table. “Forget it yeah? You believe what you want. I’ll see myself out.”
SIXTEEN
LACEY NOW FELT A HUNDRED percent better both physically and mentally. She felt like a thousand ton weight had been lifted from her shoulders since the abortion.
The only fly in the ointment was Jane had been non too pleased she wouldn’t divulge any further information as to who had put her in this position and yesterday had said if she wasn’t honest about it she’d have to leave.
Lacey was in a state of panic about that. This was the first time in years that she’d felt safe and she didn’t want that to change. She’d do anything to ensure she could stay. Even if it was only for a month or so until she’d figured out what to do, but Jane had been adamant.
Lacey wrung her hands together. Jane didn’t know Digger and Eliza and had no idea just how crazy they were. If she breathed a word they’d hunt her down and kill her. Jane probably didn’t believe that was possible, but she did. She knew it.
As much as she’d like to be able to tell Jane everything, she’d been too indoctrinated with threats for the last God knows how long and Jane didn’t understand that. Look at the place she lived in and what they had. No, she’d have to think of a way to try and remain here.
She’d considered approaching Jane again tonight, but her and Seth had been arguing and only Seth was in. He’d even given Anna the night off, so Lacey had sat in her room most of the evening.
She pushed herself to the edge of the bed. She’d go and speak to Seth about her staying. Maybe she could convince him?
SETH STARED IRRITABLY at the pile of paperwork. Picking up an envelope he turned it around in his hands then ran his fingers through his thick hair. He glanced at the clock. It had been three hours since Jane had flounced out of the house in tears and he was getting concerned.
He shouldn’t have accused her of having an affair with Jason Miller. Realistically he knew she hadn’t gone behind his back.
Seth poured himself another large measure of whisky and stared at it. Jane hadn’t given him any reason to doubt her since they’d got back together, but Miller definitely had a fascination with her. What with everything else that had been going on he’d begun to suspect that she might be right and it was a set up.
But who would do this and why? Apart from Miller of course... Maybe he was staging this elaborate set up? Perhaps Miller wanted both the monopoly of the clubs and his wife?
Shaking his head to dislodge
these raging thoughts, Seth frowned. His initial urge had been to steam round to Miller’s and rip his throat out, but admitted he wasn’t good with trusting people. After all, even his closest friends had shafted him in the past.
Topping up his glass once more, Seth focused his eyes back on the envelope. It did him no good going over and over the myriad betrayals he’d had pulled on him. He wouldn’t act on his suspicions until he knew for a fact Miller was behind it. He just hoped that he was wrong. He’d kill anyone who tried to hurt his family. That was a fact.
He placed the glass back on the desk and took a deep breath. When Jane got back they’d talk, but if she didn’t return soon he’d have to go and find her. The thought of her wandering around somewhere upset made his blood run cold. Especially if there really was someone trying to cause trouble.
Seth’s mind turned to the phone call he’d received earlier from Carl Mulligan, the latest private investigator. He’d got some information so they’d arranged a meeting for tomorrow. He hoped it would be what they’d been waiting for. Either way he wouldn’t mention it to Jane until he knew the score. He didn’t want to get her hopes up if this one, like all the others, amounted to a dead end.
Before Seth could come to any concrete conclusion the sound of a knock on his study door startled him. Looking up, he was surprised to see Lacey standing in the doorway.
“Sorry to disturb you Mr Wright,” Lacey said timidly.
Seth smiled. “It’s not a problem. You’re not disturbing me. What can I do for you? And call me Seth.” He beckoned the girl into the room noticing she was distinctly nervous. He could hardly be surprised. Understandably she had little trust in men, or anyone for that matter, so it was his call to put her at ease – at least as much as he could.
Seeing the girl standing uncomfortably two feet from his desk surreptitiously glancing around his study, Seth smiled once more and gestured towards the seat the other side of his desk. “Come and sit down and tell me what’s bothering you?”
Seth topped up his glass as Lacey sat on the chair. “I’d offer you a drink, but I’ve only got whisky,” he laughed, hoping his easy tone of voice would relax her.
“T-That’s ok with me,” Lacey said quietly. “I-I mean I’d like a whisky if that’s ok?”
Seth frowned. She was only sixteen. Still she’d been through enough to warrant one he supposed. “Ok,” he smiled. “Just a small one.” Grabbing a second glass, he poured a measure from the decanter and handed it to Lacey.
“Mr Wright, I mean Seth... I need to speak to you,” Lacey said, determination evident in her voice.
Seth leant back in the chair and folded his arms. “I’m listening.”
Lacey cleared her throat. “Jane said that if I didn’t tell you about when and how my, erm, situation happened then I’d have to leave. She said you’d agreed with her.”
Seth nodded. “I see and yes, I do agree with her. It doesn’t mean we want you to leave though.” He thought for a moment. He had to be careful how he worded this. “Lacey, what you’ve been through isn’t acceptable under any circumstances and we need to ensure it doesn’t happen again to anyone. My wife has risked a lot doing what she did for you and..”
“I know and I’m grateful, it’s ju...”
Seth held his hand up. “I haven’t finished. Like I said, Jane’s risked a lot getting involved in something that isn’t her business to and she could be risking some form of comeback. We all could – hence why we’ve asked you to be honest.”
Lacey remained silent, her eyes cast down to the floor.
Seth decided to try another approach. “While you’re under our roof and being as we’ve become involved in this to help you the least you can do is to tell us what you know.” He raised an eyebrow. This was a gamble. “Or we might start presuming you weren’t being straight with us at all and that your pregnancy was the result of a boyfriend. Perhaps you just didn’t want to tell your parents?”
Lacey’s head shot up, her eyes brimming with tears. “So you think I’m lying? You think I’m lying about everything do you? I knew it!” she wailed.
Seth sighed. “No sweetheart, I didn’t say that. I said it makes us wonder why you won’t tell us the whole truth.”
Tears fell freely from Lacey’s eyes and rolled steadily down her cheeks.
Watching the young girl in front of him sobbing openly, Seth began to feel bad for even suspecting what she’d said hadn’t been kosher. “Now come on, don’t get upset. I just need to know. It’s important. If these people are doing what you say, then they know you’ve disappeared and will be looking for you.” He paused, sensing he’d got her full attention. “We want to know what to look out for so we can protect you and I also need to ensure there are no retaliations on my wife. I do not want anything happening to her as payback.”
Lacey laughed hollowly. “They won’t want her. She’s too old.”
Seth frowned. “Thirty-two’s not old Lacey.”
“I know that!” Lacey spat. “But to them it is.”
“Are you saying they only deal with children?” Seth pushed, his skin crawling at the thought.
Lacey shook her head. “Not children children. At least not as far as I know. It’s younger girls - mainly around sixteen – some a bit older, but they’d use even younger ones if they could. Jane must have told you everything I told her about the place.”
Seth nodded. “She did, but I want to know the name of this place and of the people that run it.”
“I-I can’t. They’ll find me and kill me for definite. They’d know it came from me.”
“So how do they get these girls to work for them? How did you start working there?”
Lacey stared bleakly at the floor as Seth got up from his desk and walked around the other side. He put his hands on the girl’s shoulders, feeling her trembling beneath his fingers. “You can talk to me Lacey. Just tell me how you wound up there.”
“I-I ran away from home. I had to. I was sleeping rough and then I met this woman. She seemed ok and bought me some food. Said she knew someone who’d give me somewhere to stay.”
“And you went?”
“I didn’t have much to lose by then,” Lacey muttered.
“And what was this woman called?” Seth asked.
“I’m not sure,” Lacey lied. Seth’s hands on her shoulders make her feel safe. She didn’t want him to release this reassuring hold.
“Yes you are. What’s her name?” Seth pressed, sternness in his voice.
“T-Tina,” Lacey stammered. It didn’t matter giving her name out surely?
“Surname?”
“I’ve no idea,” Lacey answered truthfully.
“And she’s the woman who runs it?”
“No, that’s someone else. She just works there.”
“As a prostitute?”
Lacey shuddered, acknowledging that’s how she would have to describe her past. “No. She’s the one who finds the girls. She looks round stations, parks etc. for likely ones. At least that’s what I understand of it.”
“Ok, so you now need to tell me who runs this shit-hole of a fucking place. Come on girl! I need to sort this out for you and all the other girls,” Seth barked, his patience wearing thin. He didn’t have time to sit through counselling sessions. He needed the info sooner rather than later so he could deal and deal now.
“I can’t say anything else,” Lacey repeated, the shutters slamming down. She’d already said too much and now the man was losing his temper. Like all men did. Tears fell from her eyes once more.
Looking up into Seth’s hard green eyes, Lacey grabbed his arms. “Please Seth. Please don’t make me go just because I can’t tell you.”
“It’s not that you can’t tell me. You won’t.” He tried to smile. “I know you don’t trust me, but you need to Lacey.”
“Just please don’t make me go!” Lacey sobbed. “I’ll do anything.” She wanted to tell Seth and Jane about Eliza and Digger, but her ingrained fear was too strong.
If she kept quiet she might be able to get on with her life without having to look over her shoulder for the rest of it.
Lacey looked back into Seth’s handsome face. “You have no idea what you and Jane have done for me. I’m so grateful, really. I don’t want you think I’m not. I’d do anything to thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank us,” Seth said.
“Oh, but I do.... I’d do anything to make you believe I’m thankful and not being untruthful,” Lacey cried, throwing herself against Seth’s chest.
“Well you know what I’d like you to tell us...”
“That’s the only thing I can’t do,” Lacey whispered, a glimmer of an idea forming in her desperate mind. He was a man. Her hand dropped from where it lay against Seth’s chest and she took his hand.
She pulled Seth’s hand onto her left breast, whilst her other hand ran down his thigh to his crotch. “I can show you how grateful I am though,” she whispered.
Yanking his hand away in horror, Seth recoiled, his shock immediately replaced with anger. “What the fuck are you doing you stupid bitch?” he roared. “You think I want that? From you? You think I want that from a kid? How fucking dare you!”
Lacey stood frozen in terror, realising she’d misjudged the situation horribly. She’d been wrong. Seth Wright wasn’t like the other men. “I-I’m sorry! I thought....”
“Whatever you thought, you thought fucking wrong!” Seth spat. Grabbing Lacey’s arm, he marched her to the study door. “I suggest you get yourself out of my sight and never try something like that again!”
SEVENTEEN
AIDEN KEPT HIS LINE of concentration on Anna rather than the girl who was smiling in his direction from the bar. He’d already eyed the barmaid’s slender figure encased in a tiny red dress and knew that if he could choose, he’d go for her rather than the woman sitting opposite fiddling uncomfortably with her handbag clasp. Still, he had a job to do, so needs must.
Consoling himself with giving the red-dressed girl a wink whilst Anna wasn’t looking, Aiden attempted to steer her into some form of conversation, but it was hard.