by Edie Baylis
ANNA CLUTCHED AIDEN’S hand gratefully as they walked from where he’d parked towards her mother’s house. Her heart pounded almost painfully in her chest. She knew she’d be faced with a host of awkward questions about why she hadn’t been in touch for so long and she wasn’t quite sure how to answer them.
She was glad Aiden was with her. Not only did it take some of the pressure off, but it also meant he was serious about her. She squeezed his hand tighter, hardly able to believe her luck. It was finally beginning to sink in that how he felt about her was real. And it felt amazing.
Almost as amazing as how she’d felt when they’d last made love. Anna smiled shyly to herself. The difference between the first and second time had been astronomical. She now understood the noises she’d heard coming from the Wright’s bedroom.
She glanced up at Aiden and smiled. “You seem to know where you’re going,” Anna joked as he turned towards the group of houses containing her mother’s.
Aiden forced a laugh. “Lucky guess!” Damn! He really must pull his socks up. His mind was on overdrive and he was on edge. A fucking massive edge. If they rounded this corner and the place was cordoned off with police tape then everything would be ruined. They’d taken a risk by making the decision to let Anna discover her mother’s body, but Eliza said it would have more impact. Still, it didn’t mean he had to get slack on what he was doing.
“You realise she’ll bombard you with questions don’t you?” Anna said, hoping her mother’s overbearing attitude wouldn’t put off the man she’d heavily fallen in love with.
Aiden stopped and gently tilted Anna’s face up toward his. The old bat had bombarded him with fucking questions last night, but she wouldn’t be asking any more... “Nothing could make me not want you,” he lied, gently pressing his lips down on hers.
He tried to concentrate how his reaction should unfold when Anna opened the front door to find her mother in a heap in the back lounge. He needed to act as surprised and horrified as she was, right? Remember, remember, REMEMBER, he chanted silently.
Aiden silently wondered how long he’d have to listen to her anguished wailing. Probably all fucking night knowing her. For God’s sake. This was all such a ball-ache.
He’d been hoping to see that juicy barmaid for another session tonight, but again that had to be postponed. It would have been so much easier if Anna was more like her sister: dead from the neck up.
When he’d got back last night to report to Eliza the job had been done, Tina had been so happy she’d even offered him a blow-job for his services. He’d rather have had oral sex with a fucking alligator than allow that skank anywhere near his cock, but saying that – even that might have been preferable than having to put up with Anna crying in his arms all night.
He grabbed Anna’s hand. “Come on, we want to see your Mum don’t we?”
“You’re so thoughtful,” Anna gushed as she walked besides him. How could she have got this lucky?
“WHAT THE FU....” JASON Miller nearly dropped a tumbler of whisky down himself in shock when Seth burst into his office.
“Jason!” Seth smiled far too brightly. “Good to see you. Got a minute?”
Jason glanced around, completely off guard. He’d given the staff strict instructions not to let Seth Wright in. Not that he was overly bothered by the man, but on the same vein he didn’t want a face-off with him either.
It didn’t change the fact he didn’t want any involvement - publicly or otherwise with Seth Wright. Even though the ‘we have a good marriage’ damage limitation story had made some amends to public opinion of Seth’s reputation, there was still general suspicion – especially within the Limelight.
“What do you want Seth? I made it clear I wanted you to keep your distance until all the shit died down. You sh...”
Seth stepped forward so his face was an inch from Jason’s. “Except you didn’t have the decency to say anything to me did you?” he snorted. “You thought you’d send the message via one of my men.” How he’d love to pour petrol all over Miller’s orange fucking hair and then light it.
Jason stepped back a pace, not liking anyone in his personal space. “Is this what it’s been reduced to? You coming in here playing the big man? I’m not frightened of you,” he growled, matching Seth’s harsh stare.
Seth felt his temper may erupt beyond control at any second. “I don’t expect you to be frightened of me Jason,” he snarled. “Exactly what would be the point of that? What I do expect though is more respect than you’ve fucking delivered of late. The last thing I thought you were was a coward.”
Jason Miller clenched his teeth. He refused to rise to the bait. It was true he should have spoken to Seth personally about stepping away, but he’d been busy and - well, Seth hadn’t been available. “You were the one who was locked up if I remember rightly?”
Ignoring the fuelled jibe, Seth continued. “We’ve worked well together for some time, but the first sign of shit on the horizon which could raise questions and you fuck off in the other direction. That doesn’t say a lot to me!” He ran his hand across his beard thoughtfully. “I doubt your old man would be impressed if he knew your spine’s gone bendy,” he spat, knowing his words would simmer in Miller’s brain because they were true. All of them.
At the insinuation of disappointing his father, Jason’s eyes flashed with rage. Lunging forward, he grabbed Seth’s lapels. “You cunt! You know jack shit about my father!”
Seth grinned, happy he’d achieved the desired reaction. “Oh but I do. You’ve fucked up by turning your back on me, Miller and you know it!” Putting his hands over Jason’s, he yanked them away. “I’ve been doing the work around here trying to find out who’s been upsetting things for far too long. I’m the one putting my neck on the line to make sure both of our clubs remain undamaged and profitable, but you and your crew have done nothing! You’ve happily sat back leaving everything down to me. Bit strange don’t you think?”
Jason scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Seth laughed. “You think I don’t know what you’re trying to do Miller? Setting me up won’t work.”
Jason seethed with Seth’s words. “Setting you up? You’re being ridiculous!”
Seth helped himself to a glass of Jason’s whisky and perched on the edge of the mahogany desk surface. He casually inspected his fingernails before moving his stare directly back to Jason. “I might add all this started from your vindictive fucking dried-up trout of a wife’s big bitchy gob, but you’ve gone too far this time!”
Jason clenched his fists. “Leave Linda out of it!”
Seth laughed loudly. “Why? Pretending that’s not true either? That she doesn’t bitch-slap you into whatever she wants? That she loved the opportunity to have a dig at me because I refused her?”
Seth pulled himself away from the table and moved back into Jason’s face. “Yeah, that’s right. She tried it on with me ages ago. Obviously I turned her down. I mean, why the fuck would I go there when I’ve got Jane? You know – my wife – the one your dick keeps pointing towards?”
Seth’s hand shot forwards, gripping Jason tightly around the throat. “Don’t try to deny that either! You think I’ve been blind the past few years do you? The difference is I have the fucking decency to see past that. You on the other hand...” He forced control back into his raging mind. “Think you can set me up!”
Seth pushed Jason backwards and away from him, knowing if he didn’t get the two-faced bastard away from him then he’d surely clump him. And he wouldn’t be able to stop once he’d got started.
Staggering back, Jason raised his hand to his throat and steadied himself against the table. Linda had tried it on with Seth Wright? The fucking bitch. He might have known... And what was all this about setting him up? More like the other bloody way around...
Jason kept his expression level, not wanting Seth to see that his scathing comment had cut deep. “At least my wife doesn’t fight my battles!”
Seth
laughed. “My wife believes in me and has short shrift with bitches and yellow-bellies? That wrong is it?”
He folded his arms across his chest and raised his eyebrows. “Sinking in yet is it Miller?” Seth snarled, enjoying that Jason’s attempt to conceal what was going through his mind had failed miserably. “Sorry to have to force you to swallow some home truths, but life’s hard sometimes.”
Jason pulled himself up to his full height. He needed to claw back some standing. “I think you should leave now.”
Seth smiled. “Do you now? Well, I think you should tell me why you purposefully gave me a fucking shite PI for a start! Another dig was it? I’d never stoop so low to aim for your kids Miller. Not that you have any, so you wouldn’t understand how important they are.”
Jason sneered. “Oh for God’s sake! Mulligan not up to your standards now is that it?”
“No he goddamn isn’t! The guy looks like a mashed-up retarded fucking thug! He sent us on some bloody pointless trip around the country for a load of bollocks. I don’t care if you hate me Miller, but you hurt Jane with that cheap stunt,” Seth raged.
Jason momentarily forgot the argument. “What are you talking about? A thug? Mulligan doesn’t look like a thug! He’s an old man! He looks like someone’s Grandad!” It was true. Carl Mulligan may well look like someone’s Grandad with his brown tweed jackets, but he was one of the BEST private investigators around.
Seth sneered. “Fucking funny Grandad you’ve got if he looks like that! Another wind up is it? Well screw you Miller! I suggest you open your eyes and take a look around at what’s going on here. You never bothered to find out who cut up that poor girl of yours did you?”
He watched Jason shift uncomfortably. “It had to be one of your staff and you’re ok with that are you?” Seth’s voice raged. “Cos I’m not! You need to get a fucking grip, Miller!”
Seth pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and thrust it into Jason’s face. “Look at this! Go on, look at it!” He pushed it further forward. “Some cunt is now threatening my child!” he roared. “Know anything about this do you? Or is that supposed be to my doing as well?”
Jason stared at the typed words on the paper. “That’s nothing to do with me! Who’s it from?”
Seth snatched the paper back. “Do you think if I knew that I’d be wasting my time talking to you? If it isn’t you, then I don’t know who sent it, but I’ll be finding out. Everyone right now is a suspect. Especially wankers who play fucking games!”
Jason’s eyes narrowed and he stepped forward incensed. “I hope you’re not suggesting I had anything to do with that! I’d never do som...”
“Shut it Miller!” Seth screamed. “I wouldn’t put anything past you if you thought it would save your fucking skin or enable you to stick your cock in my wife!”
“Now wait a minute! You...”
“No, YOU wait a minute. You’ve shown your true colours and I won’t forget that. You’ve made a fucking huge mistake.”
Jason sneered. “Are you threatening me?”
Seth laughed. “I’m not threatening you Miller, I’m promising you!” He slapped Jason Miller in a mock-friendly gesture on the shoulder which meant anything but and then casually strode out of the office, leaving the man standing alone.
THIRTY FOUR
“WHY HASN’T SHE ANSWERED the door?” Anna cried, panic evident in her voice. Her mother never went out in the evening. Something was wrong. It HAD to be.
“Calm down,” Aiden said gently, pleased things were progressing nicely. He forced a worried look on to his face and pulled Anna towards him. “There must be a rational explanation. She’ll be fine.” She wasn’t though was she? She was far from ok.
He knew first-hand what Anna would see when he played the Knight in shining armour and got her inside the house.
Anna’s eyes were frantic. “But you don’t understand!” It was no use. She’d have to tell him. Otherwise he couldn’t take on board just how serious this may be.
She clutched onto Aiden’s arm and her heart pounded so hard she was sure it was going to fly out from her chest. “My sister Tina, she works for this place...”
“Didn’t know you had a sister? What place?” Aiden interrupted. How much did Anna know?
“I-I don’t know. We don’t get on. She’s, erm, it doesn’t matter – but the place she works for – it won’t be ‘nice’ if you get my drift?”
Aiden shook his head, trying to play dumb. “Not really, but carry on.” So she didn’t know anything about the Elipse? That was good. Well done Tina!
“Tina’s been blackmailing me. She’s run up a debt she needs to pay off and she needed some info from me that would do this. If she didn’t get the info or the money, then she’d get hurt or perhaps even our Mum would instead.”
Aiden acted surprised. “Information? What sort of information?”
“The people Tina owes money to have some kind of issue with the Wrights,” Anna garbled.
Aiden frowned, pretending to try and work out what Anna was saying. “Are you telling me you’ve been getting dirt on the Wrights and passing it to your sister?” he asked incredulously.
Anna stared at the floor in shame. What would Aiden think of her now? He’d be horrified being involved with someone who would behave in such an underhand manner. “I-I know it was wrong and I didn’t want to do it. Oh, please don’t hate me Aiden,” she begged, clutching at his arm. “I-I love you. I really love you and I know I shouldn’t have done it, but...”
“Hey, hey!” he cried, pulling Anna towards him. “I don’t hate you. The opposite. I understand, really I do. What choice did you have? I’d have done the same.”
Anna sagged with relief. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I didn’t even really get anything of any use. I...”
“Shhh, it’s ok.”
“But it’s not. I’m worried th...”
“Listen, I’m sure nothing’s happened to your mum. I doubt whether your sister’s bosses – whoever they are – would really go through with doing something like that to an old lady anyway,” he reasoned. “Besides, it’s probably a good job you weren’t able to dish any dirt. The people to worry about wouldn’t be your sister and her lot, it would be the Wrights!” Aiden smiled reassuringly.
Anna felt less panicky for one moment, until with a jolt she realised she had got the Wrights into grief – inadvertently of course.
She raised her hand to her mouth. “But I have haven’t I!” Anna wailed. “You called the police after I phoned you and I’m sure they know it was me. Then there was that thing about what I said to the press and then you walked me home an...”
“But you didn’t give my name,” Aiden said a little too urgently.
Anna shook her head. “No I didn’t, but I don’t think they trust me.”
“You’re jumping to conclusions. We don’t even know what’s going on yet.”
“What shall I do?” Anna cried, her panic resuming four-fold. “I need to make sure Mum’s ok.”
Aiden perfected the sincere expression plastered across his face. “Then let’s get you into the house so you can put your mind at rest ok?”
DIGGER HAD BEEN OUT most of the evening and Eliza had been waiting hours to tell him that it was all almost cut and dried that they’d won legal guardian status of Grace Wright, or Emily Someone-Or-Other as she was now known.
Social Services had called her last thing this afternoon with the ‘good news’. They’d passed the child visit assessments and the court papers were now being prepared for the date of the adoption. Once they’d received the paperwork, all they had to do was turn up at court on the allotted date, sign a few things and then they’d be taking Jane and Seth Wright’s daughter home with them as their own child. Legally.
Eliza just needed to get these last loose ends tied up and all in all she was in a splendid mood. That was until she clapped eyes on Lomond directly behind Digger on the CCTV monitor, dragging Lacey with him.
�
��What the fu...” Eliza cried as they barged into the office. What the hell was going on? Why had they jumped Lacey? That was Aiden’s job and was set for tomorrow!
“Don’t ask...” Digger muttered. “Where shall we put her?”
Eliza was gobsmacked at this turn of events and unable to answer. She stared at Lacey’s broken jaw hanging loosely with a trail of bloody saliva dripping from her chin. Her smashed face lolled against the ripped top of her chest as, semi-conscious, she was forcibly held upright by Lomond.
“Eliza!” Digger hissed. “Where shall we put her?”
“What the fuck have you done?” Eliza screeched, reality overruling her confusion. “You’ve mashed her fucking face up!”
“Just tell me where to put her!” Digger pressed. He’d deal with Eliza later. Right now he needed to get Lacey out of sight.
“Room Twelve,” Eliza replied, her eyes darting frantically to the row of security monitors to check whether anyone was milling about. “You’d better hurry up!”
Steve Lomond dragged the girl through the door to Room Twelve and went to push the door shut behind him. “What is it?” he snapped irritably, realising Digger was still behind him.
“Leave her for tonight,” Digger said. “See her tomorrow.”
Lomond’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve got to be joking! I’ve waited far too long as it is and I won’t wait a minute longer. Now fuck off and give me some peace.”
Slamming the door, Lomond put Lacey on the bed and impatiently tugged at his flies. He’d had the most uncomfortable hard-on since the alleyway and if he couldn’t offload it into her soon, he’d explode.
He gasped with relief as he freed himself and wrapped his fist around his cock, grateful for the pressure his hand temporarily offered. “You’ve been a very bad girl haven’t you Lacey? A very bad girl do you hear me?”