The Downfall Series Box Set

by Edie Baylis

  Anna stopped herself from raising her eyebrows. As if Tina gave a fig about anything she felt!

  Sensing the expression on her sister’s face, Tina swallowed the urge to smash the chipped mug she was holding into Anna’s mouth. She was obviously going to have to work her first, the miserable bitch. “You look different,” she smiled, looking her sister up and down appraisingly.

  “Don’t know why!” Anna replied sulkily.

  Snotty bitch! “You just look great!” Tina lied. “I mean, really you do. It’s the clothes! Did you not see those blokes over there perving on you when we came in?”

  Anna couldn’t help the small hint of a smile that formed on her lips. She had noticed them looking at her breasts in her new top. She’d thought they were taking the rise out of her at first, but gradually realised that men had actually been giving her the time of day recently. And she was secretly enjoying this belated attention from the opposite sex. Not that she’d admit it to Tina of all people.

  “You got a bloke or something?” Tina pressed.

  Much to her horror, Anna felt the blush rise up from her chest to her face.

  “My baby sis got herself a bloke at last?” Tina raised her hands to her mouth theatrically. “Oh come on Anna! I know we don’t see eye to eye, but I am your sister.” Come on! I’ll pretend I like you, just give me the fucking shirt.

  Anna frowned. Don’t see eye to eye? That was a bit of an understatement wasn’t it? Still, she was dying to tell someone – even if that someone was Tina.

  Tina raised her hands in mock resignation. She knew full well Aiden was working his magic on Anna and from the dreamy look on her sister’s face it seemed it was working. “Listen, it’s about time you found yourself a nice man,” she continued. “All these years you’ve been working and you’ve done so well.”

  “Well enough to be blackmailed obviously.” Anna was unable to stop her retort.

  Tina feigned a suitably hurt expression. “It won’t be for ever. Do you think I’d do this if I had any other choice? I fucked up. My life’s hardly good is it?”

  Anna stared at her sister and against her better judgment felt sorry for her.

  Tina was on a roll. She’d seen the wavering doubt behind Anna’s eyes and knew she was showing signs of softening her attitude. “If you’ve met someone then I want to know who the lucky man is!” she smiled.

  Lucky my arse, Tina thought bitchily. Aiden had already filled them in about his ‘fun-filled’ night with Anna. ‘Like talking to a cardboard cut-out,’ he’d said and that ‘kissing her was like dabbling in necrophilia!’ He’d had to run though scenes from pornos in his mind to make his cock suitably hard to look like he meant business apparently. He’d had them all in stitches over it during the meeting yesterday.

  Anna, desperate to say something even if it was to her piece-of-shit blackmailing sister, leant across the table and lowered her voice barely above a whisper. “Well, there is one guy....”

  “Yes...?”Tina said, hoping her attempt at eager interest was believable. “Who then? Don’t keep me in suspense.” Like I don’t know already...

  “After we met up the other week I bumped into this guy I’d met at the Miller’s party,” Anna continued.

  “What that posh party?” Tina whispered. Of course Anna couldn’t resist the temptation to name drop. Make herself look important.

  Anna nodded. “He was walking past after I left you. I couldn’t believe it! We got talking and he asked me out for a drink!”

  Tina watched the smile on Anna’s face almost splitting it in half. “You like him then?” She saw Anna look down at the floor shyly and giggle. God how old was she again? This was downright embarrassing! “I take that as a yes and that the feeling’s mutual?”

  Anna couldn’t help herself and grabbed Tina’s hand over the table. “Oh my God Tina, he’s really into me. His name’s Aiden. He was kissing me – like really hard. Like how you see on the films, you know and well, I could feel his... you know, his...”

  Trying not to laugh, Tina pretended to look shocked. “You mean you touched him?”

  “No! I could feel it, but I didn’t touch it. It was pressing against me. His, you know, his...”

  “His cock?” Tina said loudly.

  Bright red, Anna glanced around the café, cringing with the thought that someone might have overheard. “Sssshh!”

  “Oh don’t worry about it! So, did he have a big dick then?” Tina said equally loudly, revelling in Anna’s embarrassment.

  “I-It felt massive, but I-I...”

  Tina leant forward and dropped her voice. “So, have you got it?”

  “Got what?” Anna asked confused.

  Tina managed to retain her neutral expression. “The shirt. Seth Wright’s shirt. The one you told me about?” she hissed.

  “Oh yes,” Anna said, suitably distracted by discussing the wonderful man who liked her. “Why do you want it anyway?”

  Tina shrugged. “It may be useful at some point.” She guessed Eliza wanted it for some kind of insurance – for what she wasn’t sure, but it hardly mattered.

  Anna handed the carrier bag over the table. “I hope they don’t notice its missing...” Her heart had been in her mouth when she’d sneaked into Seth’s study to retrieve the shirt from the holdall she’d seen him put it in. She’d kept it under her bed ever since in constant fear it would be discovered and if that happened, she hadn’t the first clue how she could have gone about explaining why she’d taken it.

  Tina snatched the bag and quickly stuffed it into her grubby rucksack. “Nah, he’s probably got so many shirts he won’t notice in a month of Sundays! Anyway, forget about that – this Aiden – are you going to fuck him then or what?” she asked, knowing full well her sister would expect at least a five year engagement and a wedding before that happened.

  “Of course not! I’ve only seen him once!” Anna exclaimed, horrified.

  “Oh lighten up. If he’s nice and you like him then what have you got to lose?”

  Anna looked thoughtful. “Quite a lot judging by what happens to some people.”

  Tina’s eyes narrowed as she tried to deduce whether Anna was having a veiled dig. “What do you mean?”

  “There’s this girl who’s been staying at the Wright’s. Jane helped her escape from her boyfriend and this weird place which had some form of hold over her. She’s only young and was pregnant, but....”

  Tina’s skin prickled slightly and she sat up attentively. “Really and who was this then?” It couldn’t be could it?

  NINETEEN

  ELIZA STARED AT THE monitor split into eight different sections that was positioned on her desk. Pressing a button on the keyboard, the split screen morphed into one larger display and she peered closer. What the fuck was the girl playing at?

  Squinting harder, Eliza frowned as she watched the girl on the screen. Her nose wrinkled up focusing on the man’s large white stomach overflowing like a blancmange onto the bed. A thick trail of dribble hung from one side of his mouth as he panted, his hips bucking as much as they could, given his immense weight, whilst the girl knelt by his side, giving the most boring version of oral sex she’d ever seen.

  “Look at this Digger,” Eliza muttered, gesturing towards the screen. “The stupid bitch has barely got the tip of this bloke’s withered cock in her trap! Where’s the deep throat they pay for?”

  Walking over Digger stared at the image on the screen, agreeing the girl was definitely not putting her back into it, but shrugged. “He seems to be enjoying himself.”

  “That’s not the point!” Eliza snapped. “We don’t want a reputation of shoddy service do we? I’ll be calling her up here this afternoon. See how she explains herself when faced with the evidence.”

  “Are these contraptions purely to prove a fucking point to these slags? Is that the only reason we’ve shelled out for the bloody things?” Digger asked. He’d never been in favour of this CCTV system in the first place and had said so, but Eliz
a had gone and had it installed anyway. He’d got back this morning only to find the damn thing up and recording. Now it seemed he was doomed to be stuck with constant streams of fat bastards getting sucked off or screwed all day long.

  At least something was going right though. The stunt they’d arranged at Miller’s club last night was sure to cause problems. Digger made a mental note to get Aiden to follow up with another casual meet with his brother, but would have to leave it a few days yet. They didn’t want to arouse any suspicion.

  On a separate note, Steve Lomond had done alright. In fact he’d come up trumps. He’d cancelled the agreement Seth Wright had with Carl Mulligan by calling his office. Posing as Seth Wright himself, Lomond had insisted on speaking to Mulligan rather than pass the message via his dim-witted secretary. He’d had the foresight to realise if he did that there was a high chance Mulligan would have wanted to call Wright to discuss the sudden change of heart regarding the lucrative assignment of finding his daughter.

  By pretending he was the man himself, Mulligan had had no choice but to swallow it without question. Then masquerading as Mulligan, Lomond had called Seth Wright, telling him he’d got some information. He’d arranged a meeting this very day.

  Digger smiled. That guy had some brass neck. What a top job! He couldn’t have done it better himself!

  There should be no complications with getting their hands legally on the Wright’s kid the way this was going. They’d got another day lined up with the brat coming up which was a pain in the arse, but knowing achieving this would rip Seth’s fucking heart out made up for anything else. Just the mere thought of his final destruction was what gave him the drive to get up every day.

  Digger turned back to Eliza seeing she was still staring at the CCTV monitor.

  “Digger, this system isn’t just for filming the girls. I thought if we play our cards right it won’t be too long before people will come in who will be worth blackmailing.” Eliza pouted, pressing a button and the view changed to the reception desk, the front door and the car park. “Plus we have these views too which are always useful.”

  Digger peered at the screen once more. “Fucking hell Eliza! You’ve had all those put in too? How much did it all cost?”

  Eliza wrapped her body around Digger’s and pushed herself up against him. She ran her hand up his thigh and over his crotch. “It’ll pay for itself babe, you’ll see.” Ok, so she’d got most of it free in exchange for giving the installation engineer a personal seeing to, but Digger didn’t have to know that.

  Feeling himself start to harden as Eliza continued palming his groin, Digger smiled and slipped his good hand inside her bra. “I guess it would be useful, yes.”

  “Sorry to bother you,” Tina yelled, bursting into the office. “I’ve got some important news.”

  Irritably pulling away from Eliza, Digger glared at Tina. “For God’s sake Tina! What is it now?”

  Eliza rearranged her top and shot daggers at the woman who had rudely interrupted her soiree. “Fuck off will you?”

  Tina stood her ground. “Trust me, you’ll want to hear this and I’ll be wanting payment for what I’m about to tell you.”

  Eliza stepped forward, her rage boiling with the blatant cheek of the heroin-riddled cow.

  Sensing what was about to happen, Tina realised she’d better act fact unless she wanted a slap. “I know what’s happened to Lacey!” she blurted.

  Eliza froze in shock and then rapidly sat down. “Tell us everything you know. Now Tina.”

  Satisfied she’d got their full attention, Tina sat casually in the opposite chair and smirked. “Lacey’s been living with Jane and Seth Wright.”

  “What?” Eliza screeched. “How?” She knew it. She’d always suspected Jane had something to do with the disappearance and she’d been bloody right.

  Tina sat back and paused, immensely enjoying that for once she had complete control. “I don’t know entirely. Anna said Jane ‘rescued’ Lacey from her ‘boyfriend’ and a place that had a ‘hold’ over her.”

  Eliza paled. Did Seth and Jane know it was them? Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! This would ruin everything. “Well where is she? What did she say?” Eliza gabbled. “Do they know about us?”

  Tina read the thoughts speeding through Eliza’s mind and raised her hand knowing she was risking pushing this situation. “What’s in it for me?”

  Digger sat forward aggressively in his chair. “Are you trying to blackmail us you cunt?”

  Tina sneered. She couldn’t lose here. They needed her.

  Eliza grabbed Digger’s arm, her nails biting into his skin. “Don’t start. We need this information.”

  Digger gritted his teeth. “What do you want Tina?”

  Tina smiled sweetly. “Two hundred quid and some H.”

  “Done!” Eliza said quickly. She’d been expecting the skank to ask for a lot more than that.

  “Get on with it then,” Digger snapped irritably.

  “Jane got Lacey out of the hospital. Took her back to theirs and that’s where she stayed. That’s how she disappeared,” Tina stated calmly, eking out every morsel of information she’d gained for as long as possible.

  Eliza ran her hand through her auburn hair extensions, growling in irritation when her nails caught painfully on a knot. “I don’t believe this. So it was her? For fuck’s sake! After all the shite Jane Wright’s pulled over the years and she still plays the fucking martyr?” God, she really needed to get that adoption finished and total that bitch’s sanity for good.

  “As far as I know, or rather as far as my sister knows, Lacey wouldn’t give them any information about you.”

  “At least we taught the little slag something,” Digger sniped, his blood boiling. So Seth Wright had got one over on him once again had he?

  Eliza rubbed her hands together. “Well this is great news. If Lacey’s at the Wrights it won’t be difficult to get her, even though she must be keeping a low profile. We’ve had the house watched for the last week as it is.”

  She scowled. Aiden obviously hadn’t done a very good job of watching anything! “Now we know she’s there, she’ll have to come out at some point. I’d better make a list of people I need to call.”

  Tina sat patiently, not yet wanting to spoil Eliza’s disillusionment. “Can I have the money and gear then?”

  “Have you seen the girl? Did your sister say how she’s doing? Lomond will be pleased to have her back on the scene. I can’t wait to tell him th...”

  “She’s had an abortion...” Tina said quickly.

  Eliza stopped in her tracks and exchanged glances with Digger. “She’s had what?”

  “An abortion...” Tina repeated. “Jane Wright organised it a couple of weeks ago. There’s no baby anymore.”

  Eliza’s teeth grated together. Picking up a glass from the desk, she threw it against the wall in rage.

  Tina jumped back in shock as tiny splinters of glass shattered around the room.

  “Eliza!” Digger roared. “Keep a lid on yourself!”

  “Keep a lid on myself?” Eliza screeched. “Are you kidding me? That bitch arranged for my girl to get rid of the baby behind my back and I’m supposed to be alright about that am I?”

  Tina raised her eyebrows. Anyone would think Lacey was Eliza’s daughter the way she was going on.

  “The fucking whore! She’ll pay for this.” Eliza paced up and down the room.

  Digger folded his arms and tried to bring the situation down. “Ok, well we can’t do anything about the baby so let’s just concentrate on getting the girl here and back to work. If you’re right and she’s kept her gob shut then it won’t be too hard.”

  Tina grimaced. They were going to like this next piece of information even less. “She’s no longer at the Wright’s.” She screwed her eyes shut in anticipation of another glass being launched across the office, but there was nothing.

  “Where is she then?” Digger asked worrying calmly.

  Tina glanced at Eliza who was
staring glassy-eyed at the desk, anger bubbling from her in waves. “That’s the problem. No one knows. Even the Wrights don’t. They were going to kick her out after she tried to get it on with Seth and wouldn’t give you two up.”

  “She tried it on with him?” Digger asked incredulously. The little whore! Not the innocent like she pretended to be was she?

  Tina nodded. “Anna overheard their conversation. Lacey must have heard it too because the next morning she’d gone...”

  “And no one knows where she is?” Eliza asked, her voice now steady and calm.

  “Not from what Anna said, no. She’s got no reason to lie to me,” Tina confirmed.

  “Right,” Eliza picked up a pen from the desk. “We’ll make sure we’re the ones who find her. Starting now.”

  “Oh and you may want this...” Tina grinned, handing over the bag containing the blood-stained shirt.

  “Thanks,” Eliza muttered, shoving it in her desk.

  Tina stood up from her seat, glad the conversation was over. “Gear and money?”

  Eliza smiled. “You can have it when we find the slag. Now fuck off Tina.”

  SETH NERVOUSLY GLANCED at his watch. Half an hour before Mulligan was due.

  Opening a drawer in his desk he pulled out his calendar, pleased to see he had no further appointments today. Pulling at his collar he pushed his finger under the edge, hoping it would ease the tightness in his throat, but realised the constriction he was experiencing was not to do with his shirt and everything to do with being on edge.

  Jane was in a right state over Lacey’s disappearance, sure something was going to happen to her. She’d wanted him to go out today and find the girl, but he’d refused. How could he spend the day doing that? This meeting he’d got with Mulligan was ten thousand times more important than Lacey.

  Seth had left this morning with Jane adamant she’d scour the city for the girl herself. He ran his hand through his hair. This was all getting too much. He’d tried to call her twice since arriving at the club, but it had gone to voicemail and he didn’t like it. He didn’t want his wife wandering around looking for someone who could potentially have people after her with an axe to grind. She’d have gone anyway. He’d never been able to stop her once she’d got her mind set on something.