The Downfall Series Box Set

by Edie Baylis

  The problem was he doubted whether Eliza would accept that. He just wished he knew what was going on with the police. If he could get some inside information as to why Seth had been released then things would be a lot clearer.

  If the press were correct then it looked like charges against Seth had been dropped because the police had issued a statement:

  ‘...the arrest had been an unfortunate mistake and all charges against Mr Wright were unfounded...’

  It had been when he’d read something about an unnamed woman being held in police custody awaiting trial for aiding and abetting that the alarm bells had really begun to ring. If someone such as Tina’s sister had opened her gob, the Police would know it had been a set up and they’d definitely be looking for another suspect to ‘help them with their enquiries...’ He didn’t want it to be them.

  Digger watched Eliza reading the letter for the fourth time. “I think we need to make plans to disappear for a while,” he muttered.

  Eliza’s head snapped up and she looked at Digger with disbelief. “You what? What are you talking about?” The last thing she needed was Digger getting cold feet on her. “Are you suggesting we do a runner?”

  Digger shook his head. “No, I’m suggesting we go on an extended holiday for a while. Just until this has died down.” He frowned. “Something’s not right Eliza, I can feel it. Something’s going to happen and it won’t be good.”

  Eliza rolled her eyes and slapped the letter down on the desk. “Do you realise how ridiculous you sound? You been on the gear or something? Why are you so paranoid? If the cops had anything on us, they’d have come for us by now!”

  Digger shook his head. “Not necessarily. We did a very good job of not having much to trace back to us where this business is concerned or where we live if you remember?”

  Eliza stood up from her chair. “I haven’t got time for this. You sound like a bleating hormonal woman! Who exactly has got anything on us then I’d like to know. Aiden is dead, Lomond is here, Tina is fucked and so busy playing mummy to that brat she won’t say anything, so pray tell me who else there is?”

  “Tina’s sister?” Digger suggested. “I think it must be her they’ve got in custody and who got Seth off with the evidence thing.”

  Eliza narrowed her eyes. “Tina’s sister is as green as a leaf! She knows zilch anyhow. She never knew who Aiden worked for and she doesn’t know where Tina lives or works either, so what could she say even if she wanted to?” she exclaimed.

  “Well, I just feel something’s going to happen,” Digger pushed. “I think we should go.”

  “So you want to give up our business along with everything we’ve worked for because you’ve got a feeling? What would we do then huh?” Eliza barked. “You going to get a job as a fucking psychic are you?” She sneered contemptuously. “Did Seth Wright cut off your balls, as well as the other bits?”

  Digger rose from his seat and caught Eliza by surprise when he backhanded her around the face with his good hand, quickly knocking her to the floor. “Shut your fucking mouth Eliza! You think you know it all do you? You with your stupid hair-brained schemes! You’re a bloody joke!”

  Eliza raised her hand to her stinging face and glared at Digger. Like that was it? He could run away if he saw fit, but she’d worked far too hard to let the chance of finishing that pair of psychos who’d ruined her life slip through her fingers again. She was continuing with this whether Digger liked it or not.

  “If you want to do a runner Digger, then go for it!” she spat. “I’m finishing what we started.”

  SETH REPLACED THE PHONE into its cradle and smiled. “That was Mulligan. He’s sourced Eliza and Digger’s home address like I suspected he would.”

  Dan stared across the table at Seth. “Ok, so what’s the plan?”

  Seth turned his cigarette packet around methodically on the desk. “First and foremost we get Toby. Then we pay Eliza and Digger a visit at their house.” He glanced at the clock. “Miller and a couple of his men will be here soon, as will Barry and Martin. I need to keep everyone assembled in the event I get the call tonight.”

  Dan nodded. He knew things weren’t necessarily going to happen tonight. It all very much depended when this Selena girl called. He’d already silently questioned Seth’s decision to put power in the hands of a slip of a girl whom he’d never met until today, but also acknowledged he had little choice but to hope she delivered without any conditions.

  He knew full well time was of the essence, especially where the safe return of Toby was concerned. If he’d been in Seth’s shoes, then he’d probably have made the very same choice.

  “Where’s Maggie?” Seth asked. Maggie had been tasked, once they’d lifted Toby, with taking him back to the house, accompanied by Barry for protection whilst they dealt with the rest of the problems.

  “She’s sorting out things with Jane upstairs,” Dan replied. Jane was getting things ready for when Toby got back. She wanted to make sure he’d got everything he needed on tap. Maggie was concerned about what would happen if they didn’t succeed in getting him, but Dan suspected Jane would not consider that as being a viable option. How could she? Jane and Seth needed their child back and there was no time to lose.

  Dan studied Seth’s strong-jawed face, set in an expression of intense concentration. What a bloody mess all of this had become.

  Seth fixed his gaze back to Dan. “Before you ask, no we’re not taking Lomond out,” he smiled savagely. “You might think that strange, given what he’s done and his big part in this...”

  “Well, I do a bit, yes.”

  Seth folded his arms and grinned. “I’ll be giving him a pasting, but I won’t finish him. I figured given with what he’ll be going down for, I don’t want to give him the benefit of being dead when there are so many blokes in prison just itching to rip people like him apart. I’ll personally make sure several influential residents at Her Majesty’s Pleasure will know to expect him.”

  Dan had to smile. Seth’s attitude to all of this took some beating when all was said and done.

  “In a way it would be nice to give Eliza and Digger that experience too,” Seth mused. “However, what they’ve done is far too personal to warrant anything other than obliteration. Jane would divorce me if I suggested we let them walk away from this.” He frowned. “Don’t forget, I let them go last time – a huge oversight on my part with what’s happened, as you can probably appreciate.”

  Dan nodded. “Understood.” He did. It made sense. He just hoped Seth wouldn’t disappoint himself again by losing his temper at Lomond. It would defeat the object.

  Seth sparked up a cigarette. ‘When all this is over, we can concentrate on getting Grace back. We’ve managed to place it on hold for the time being, so at least we have a bit of breathing space.’

  Dan thought Seth made everything sound so straightforward, when with everything considered it was anything but, however he wisely chose to keep that point to himself.

  DIGGER FORCED A SMILE across his scarred face as he grabbed Eliza around her waist from behind and pulled her close against him.

  Feeling her stiffen and start to shrug him off in one of her usual petulant tantrums, Digger kept hold and trailed kisses down the side of her neck. If he could get her mind off all this business that she’d got her knickers in a twist over, he stood a very good chance of talking her into doing a flit with him whilst they still had the bloody chance.

  “Digger, get off me will you? I’m not in the mood,” Eliza snapped, twisting her body in an attempt to get out of his grip.

  Not in the mood? She usually was with everybody else... Digger persisted with his advances. “Come on babe!” he murmured in her ear, pulling her even closer knowing she’d feel his hardness pressing against the small of her back.

  “We’ve been so stressed out lately, what with all the crap that’s been going on.” Digger’s tongue flicked teasingly in Eliza’s ear. “What do you say to knocking off early tonight? Let’s go home and
spend some time together.”

  Eliza paused. She could do with a bit of release if she was honest... “But what ab...”

  “Forget about everything,” Digger said, remembering to keep his voice calm. He turned her around to face him. “Forget all of this – all the grief, the kid thing, Lomond. Forget Seth and Jane. Let’s just ditch it all off for one night.”

  Digger’s good hand inched underneath Eliza’s short skirt. “I know I haven’t been giving you enough attention lately and I’m sorry...” He wasn’t. He wasn’t at all. She pissed him off and he was fed up of it.

  Hearing Eliza let out a small moan as his fingers slipped inside her knickers, Digger smiled to himself. “Let’s crack open a bottle of champers at home and have a bit of fun. It’s been too long and we’ve both been far too distracted recently. You’ll see - after a bit of fun, things will be a lot clearer and we can work out what to do.”

  Eliza pulled back slightly and looked up at Digger accusingly. “I’m not running away and leaving this,” she stated. “That won’t change Digger, whatever you think.”

  Digger smiled and gently moved one of Eliza’s loose hair extensions off her face. “It was only an idea, babe. Besides, do you really think I’d go if you weren’t? It’s me and you babe. Me and you. Always.” Yeah right. If she wanted to wait to be lynched, then fair play, but he had no intention of doing that. Tonight however, she could think what she wanted just as long as she got off his case.

  Eliza grinned and palmed her hand over Digger’s crotch. “Glad to hear it. Come on then, let’s go and drink that champagne. You can show me just how much you love me as well.”

  Eliza snatched up her handbag from the desk and quickly left the office with Digger following behind.

  At the end of the corridor, Selena slunk back further into the shadows and pulled her mobile phone Seth had handed her from her pocket.

  FIFTY FOUR

  JANE’S HEART WAS BEATING like a drum as they drove along the road. Bile had been lurking ready to creep into her throat ever since Toby has been snatched, but even more so since Seth’s mobile had rung three-quarters of an hour ago.

  She hadn’t expected for him to get the call so quickly and just hoped this wasn’t yet another set up. The prospect that Selena could be part of a ruse was first and foremost in Jane’s mind, but like Seth had pointed out, they had little choice but the trust the girl. Correction. They had no choice but to trust her. They were out of all other options.

  Jane’s nerves were completely shredded. She grasped pointlessly at the side of the car door purely for something to do to quiet her fidgety hands. If Toby wasn’t there after all this, she didn’t know what she’d do. Her heart already felt like it had been ripped clean out of her chest since the moment he’d gone and her mind was lurching between angst and anger. She was unable to quieten either of these overwhelming emotions.

  Sweat trickled between her shoulder blades and whether she wanted it to or not, the images of Toby’s dismembered corpse in the corner of a room flitted in and out of her mind. She shut her eyes and shook her head in a vague attempt to dislodge the reoccurring images, but to no avail.

  She glanced in the wing mirror double-checking for the tenth time the white van containing the men was still following, along with Barry’s car bringing up the rear and carrying Maggie. Satisfied they were all still there, Jane glanced at Seth, his green eyes fixed on the road ahead and his knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel.

  “What if he’s not there?” she asked, watching the nerve in Seth’s neck twitching rapidly.

  “He will be,” Seth muttered, still looking straight ahead.

  “But what if he’s not?” Jane cried. She had to try and prime herself for all eventualities, but she was struggling. She might die if her son wasn’t within the confines of this dump of a building they were driving towards or worse – they’d done the unthinkable and killed him.

  Tears burnt at the back of her eyes and Jane angrily blinked them away.

  “He’ll be there Jane,” Seth replied. “Selena confirmed he’s with Tina when she called.”

  “I’m going to kill that bitch!” Jane spat, her jaw aching from clenching her teeth.

  “No point in that,” Seth said. “By all means give her a slap but save your wrath for your mate.”

  “She’s not my mate!” Jane snorted, not appreciating Seth’s sarcasm. Oh yes, she’d definitely be catching up with Eliza, but she needed Toby back safe and sound first. Then and only then could she concentrate.

  “I think this is it,” Seth pulled up alongside the kerb outside a row of large terraced houses.

  Jane stared at the houses to the right. “What, here?”

  Seth nodded. “This is the address.”

  Jane eyed the tall row of houses backing onto an old industrial estate, full of disused factories. “This doesn’t look like a brothel!”

  “I don’t think it’s supposed to look like a brothel! Isn’t that the point?” Seth barked.

  Jane shrugged and clambered out of the car.

  TINA WAS CRADLING TOBY on her lap, softly singing a song when the door to her bedroom burst open. “What the...”

  Her eyes widened with fear seeing Seth and Jane Wright crash into the room, closely followed by several other unsavoury looking characters.

  “Thank God!” Jane cried, spotting Toby and rushed towards Tina as Seth grabbed a handful of the woman’s hair, pinning her firmly into her chair.

  “Give me my child,” Jane spat, snatching Toby effortlessly from Tina’s arms.

  “I’m sorry!” Tina garbled, her face contorting into a grimace when Seth’s hand tugged harder at the remaining hair left attached to her scalp.

  “Don’t be telling me you’re sorry!” Jane spat, before turning to Toby and smothering him in kisses.

  Seth let go of Tina’s hair and threw her roughly back in her chair. “Maggie, take Toby and go with Barry,” he instructed, still watching Tina to ensure she didn’t make any rash movements.

  Jane reluctantly allowed Maggie to take Toby from her arms. At this precise moment she’d quite happily bin off all the other things they needed to do and go home with her son, but she knew that Maggie and Barry needed to get him out of here as quickly as possible.

  There was a very real risk the noise could have disturbed and alerted Lomond from his distraction and they needed Toby as far away as possible if that had happened.

  “Mummy will see you later baby,” Jane whispered to Toby as Maggie smiled, then scurried from the room with Barry in tow.

  Now her son was no longer a distraction, Jane’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Tina.

  “It wasn’t my fault!” Tina bleated, sensing correctly that something was undoubtedly about to happen. “Lomond will hear you!” Even as she said it, she realised how ridiculous it sounded. She glanced back at the people crammed into her small bedroom. Like he’d be able to do anything to this lot!

  “Lomond eh?” Seth muttered. He nodded towards the men to follow Selena who waited in the hallway outside to show them which room he was in. “Wait for us there. We won’t be long.”

  Tina’s eyes flicked between Seth and Jane in panic when they resumed staring at her and she swallowed the lump of dread lodged firmly in the back of her throat. How did they know where to come? Who had sold her out? Anna or Aiden?

  Anna didn’t know where she worked, so she couldn’t have been the one to send them here. Which only left Aiden...

  “I’ve looked after Toby well, I promise you,” Tina blathered. “I’ve enjoyed it actually,” she smiled.

  Jane grabbed Tina around the throat. “And I’m supposed to be pleased about that am I? Are you crazy?” she screamed.

  “I didn’t take him! It was Aiden and my sister. They’re nuts. They were the ones, not me!” Tina pleaded, staring into Jane’s dark eyes that were drilling holes into her brain. “He told you where Toby was, so you know it was him.”

  “Aiden didn’t say a fucking word
, you junky whore,” Jane spat. “You lot obviously have a lot more enemies than you realise.” Enough of the talking.

  Jane began laying into Tina good and proper, raining her fists down into the woman’s face. Tina was no match for Jane’s speed and animal-like aggression and she raised her hands over her face to try and shield herself from the punishing blows.

  Jane continued smashing her fist into Tina’s face, sneering as her nose exploded and more of her teeth became dislodged. As Tina toppled from her chair, Jane started smashing her head into the floor.

  Seeing the woman start to lose consciousness, Seth stepped forward. “Think that’ll do for now, Jane.”

  Jane glanced at Tina’s battered face and the blood pouring from her nose and mouth. “I haven’t come here for you anyway Tina,” she spat even though the woman was now out cold. With one last smash to the head, Jane spat in her face as she pushed herself up. “Don’t you ever touch my son again!”

  STEVE LOMOND WAS QUITE happily enjoying himself watching the girl in front of him slowly remove her clothing. Ok, so she wasn’t a patch on Lacey Garner, but she was the best out of the rest of the bunch.

  He’d been pleasantly surprised when she’d unexpectedly offered him her services tonight because he’d tried to get a session in with her previously, but she’d always managed to be ‘otherwise engaged’.

  He’d been beginning to take it personally but now it seemed he’d been wrong in his assumptions. He was very glad about that as she was a tasty piece.

  Lomond eyed her pert young breasts greedily and ran his tongue along his fat bottom lip in anticipation watching her slip her pink knickers off. He’d get his money’s worth out of this little slapper tonight. Not that he had to pay her, but that wasn’t the point.

  He tugged at the zip of his trousers. “Firstly girl you can get your mouth round this!” he leered, pulling his rock hard erection free.

  As the girl sank to her knees in front of him, Steve Lomond closed his eyes and awaited the feel of her lips around him. That was until the moment was ruined by the door being noisily kicked in. “I said I was fucking busy ton...”