“Cheeky bastard coming in here, thinking you can push me about in my own home,” yelled Duncan, attempting to kick Ryan but he rolled out of the way. Duncan came at him with a series of kicks that indicated he’d had some martial arts training. Sadly for him the only fights he’d had were in the safety of the Dojo, unlike Ryan, who was careful to keep out of the way of those size nine trainers frantically coming at him until he saw his opportunity. Ryan grasped Duncan’s foot and tipped him, his arms pin-wheeling comically as he fell.
“You really are very stupid,” said Ryan before punching him, knocking him out.
He patted him down, found his mobile phone in the pocket of his hoodie and scrolled through the list of contacts, smiling when Reid’s name popped up on the screen.
Mikey was hauled unceremoniously into the police station by a beaming Dwyer.
“Book this piece of shit,” he said, thrusting him towards the duty sergeant.
“For what?” replied the sergeant.
“Possession of a firearm.”
“But you’ve not found any firearm,” said Mikey.
“Is that right?” said the sergeant.
“Yes but it’s only a matter of time. I’m bringing in his car to be stripped down and searched.”
“Why would I put a gun inside my car?” said Mikey. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Drug dealing and murder doesn’t make any sense either but you still do it.”
“I keep telling you, I’m a respectable businessman and you are persecuting me. I’m going to sue your fucking arse off.”
“Shut up,” Dwyer told him. He looked to the sergeant. “Are you going to get him processed or what?”
The sergeant seemed unsure but one glare from Dwyer was enough to get him stabbing at his computer.
“I want my phone call,” announced Mikey grandly.
“There’s time for that,” said Dwyer, waving his hand.
“What are you doing here?” said Amber when she opened the front door to Declan.
“You don’t need to worry about Mikey catching us,” he grinned. “He’s been nicked.”
Her eyes lit up. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “I watched from the other end of the bridge. Silly bastard didn’t even know I was there.”
“You saw him getting arrested, with your own eyes?”
Another nod.
“Yes,” she cried, flinging her arms around his neck.
“Dwyer obviously found the gun I planted,” he said. “Mikey is never getting out.”
“I’m afraid he will. I’m afraid his contacts will let him out.”
“Remember what I said? Have some faith.”
She took a deep breath and nodded. “I do.”
She jumped when Declan’s phone began ringing in his jacket pocket. She anxiously waited as he nodded seriously before saying, “be right there.”
“What’s wrong? Has he been let out?”
“No, that was Jez. He’s calling an emergency meeting because he’s just found out about Mikey’s arrest. I’ve got to get to the bungalow,” he said, kissing her before heading to the door.
“Keep me updated,” she called after him.
“Will do,” he called back.
When he’d gone she burst into maniacal laughter, clapping her hands and jumping around with glee. The two boys, sitting on the floor with their toys, gazed up at her with confusion.
“That’ll teach you to cheat on me Mikey you bastard,” she muttered, face cracking into a ghastly smile.
Jez sat at the head of the table in the bungalow, sternly regarding those gathered around him. Grant, Mark, Declan and Shane had all scrambled to gather together, stunned by this turn of events.
“How the hell did this happen?” said a shocked Grant.
“Dwyer could just be throwing his weight about,” said Jez. “It seems he got a tip off that Mikey was carrying a gun but when he searched him he couldn’t find one on him.”
“Couldn’t find one?” said a stunned Declan. Fortunately they were all feeling shocked so none of them found anything suspicious about his reaction.
“Yep. So he nicked Mikey and took his car in to be stripped down.”
Declan wondered how Dwyer couldn’t find the gun. There was only one explanation - Mikey had found it and disposed of it before Dwyer had come along. Shit, what the hell was he going to tell Amber? She was relying on him. He cursed himself for putting the gun in such an obvious place but he hadn’t wanted to put it in the boot because Mikey had been going shopping and he thought he’d go in there. People didn’t tend to look under the car seats every time they got in. Hopefully Dwyer would find something else to pin on him while he was in custody.
“So what’s the plan?” said Mark.
“I’ve sent our solicitor round there,” said Jez. “She should get him out no problem on that trumped-up charge. My worry is who the fuck tipped off Dwyer about Mikey carrying a gun? As if he’d do something so stupid.”
“You want us to track down the grass?” said Mark.
“Too right I do and when you find them bring them to me. I want a personal word with that bastard.”
Declan rose with the others, following them out as they discussed how to find who the grass was. He pretended to listen when in fact his head was spinning and he felt sick. His grand plan had gone horrifically wrong. Still, Mikey hadn’t been released yet. Not all was lost.
Mikey sat in a cell wearing a white paper suit, scowling at the stained tiled floor. Not only had his clothes been taken away but he’d had to suffer the indignity of a sniggering, overweight copper sticking his finger up his backside. His fury was escalating, which only made him madder because he knew that’s what Dwyer wanted. He was trying to push him until he cracked but there was no way he was giving that fascist bastard the satisfaction.
It had been a long time since he’d been in a police cell. Ironically the last time had been when Dwyer’s own brother, DI Benton, had arrested him. It was actually Rachel he’d come to arrest for assault and he’d just happened to be there. However they’d both been released pretty quickly. He had anticipated being released by now. Jez had already sent over the solicitor who acted for them both and she was putting enormous pressure on their contacts to get him sprung but so far nothing and that was starting to worry him. Now he was stuck in this shithole when he could have been at the care home, spending time with Jules.
To take his mind off his current situation he pondered on who could have made that call to Dwyer and what he was going to do to them when he found out. His first instinct was to look at someone close to home however, as he thought over the last few years it had always been unexpected enemies bringing trouble to their door - Jared Slattery and the Jordans all the way from Essex, the McVays in Glasgow. It wasn’t necessarily a local boy. This could be Jared Slattery’s revenge. But then again he couldn’t imagine someone like Slattery making a snide call to the police, it wasn’t his style. He was as subtle as a sledgehammer. He ruled Toni McVay out too. No way would she ever use the police for anything. Naturally his thoughts strayed to Katia. Her he could see making a call like that, despite her education at the feet of Alex Maguire. A tip-off to the police seemed a bit weak, the option of someone with no power of their own and unfortunately Katia did possess some power now, but not enough to attack them directly and he was very aware of how much she hated him for abducting her sons. But someone like Katia wouldn’t want him rotting in a prison cell for the rest of his life. She would want revenge, up close and personal and very bloody. No, he didn’t think she was behind it either. This smacked of someone closer to home. Maybe it was one of their weak, pathetic competitors attempting to get them out of the way? If so then Jez would be the next logical target. No doubt he’d already taken steps to ensure he wouldn’t get nicked too. He hoped he’d got their men onto tearing the city apart searching for the fucker who’d stuck him in here.
Ryan took the phone he’d taken off Duncan straight to Battler
and Bruiser. The latter had gone out on a job but Battler was still there, pulling on his jacket.
“You just can’t keep away” said Battler. “You after a job?”
“You’re the second person to ask me that. As fun as working here sounds, no thank you. I wondered if you could trace a number for me but it can wait, I can see you’re on your way out.”
“I’ll do it now. Family comes first,” he said, holding out his huge hand for the phone.
Ryan watched over Battler’s shoulder as he worked at the computer, his thick fingers hitting each key with speed and precision. Ryan would never admit that he was impressed.
“Found the bastard,” said Battler. His face dropped when he saw where the trace on Reid’s phone said he was. “Oh shit.”
He leapt up and followed Ryan, who was already running out the door.
CHAPTER 22
Leah wished it wasn’t Wednesday. The boys had their swimming lessons after school on a Wednesday, which their mum drove them to, meaning she had to get the bus home. However, as she lived in a farmhouse up a quiet country lane that wasn’t part of the bus’s route she had to walk the last leg home. It was a chilly grey day, overcast and already it was getting dark. There was no one else around, no cars had passed by and she was feeling uneasy. She supposed it was just the isolation of her position making her so nervous but her parents had taught her to trust her instincts and her instincts were telling her something was wrong.
To distract herself she thought about the conversation she’d had with Alfie on the bus ride home. He’d called her several times since her return to Devon to see how she was doing. She’d done her best to try and ease his fears but Alfie was a worrier and she was touched by how much he cared about her. She was so glad to have him in her life, their relationship very similar to her mum’s and Mikey’s. He had the same uncanny knack of always making her feel better.
As she came around a bend in the road she could see her house sitting in the middle of farmland, a gleaming white beacon in the insidious grey landscape. Hopefully her dad would be home, she didn’t want to be alone in the house.
She increased her pace but refused to run. Then she remembered - the press were camped outside her house thanks to the Dartmoor Butchers thing rearing its ugly head again. Usually she loathed the cockroaches but today they were welcome. At least it would mean she wasn’t alone.
Leah rounded the bend, expecting to be confronted by hoards of journalists - but no one was there. What was that about? They never usually gave up so easily.
“I told them your parents are at a restaurant in town,” said a voice.
Leah whipped round, appalled when Reid stepped out from behind a bush.
“They all jumped in their cars and left,” he continued. “I just wanted it to be you and me.”
“My parents are in the house,” she retorted.
“No they’re not. Your mum takes the boys swimming on a Wednesday, I carefully filed that one away when you told me and your dad’s out. We’re all alone.”
Leah considered what her mum would do and tossed back her head, eyes flashing, refusing to look intimidated, even though she was nervous. She was capable of putting up a good fight but Reid was trained in martial arts and she didn’t think she’d be able to stand up to him.
“What do you want?” she said, trying to sound as casual as she could. “I have homework to do.”
“I miss you Leah,” he said, using that wheedling voice she’d used to find so adorable but that now just irritated her.
“Why are you here? I told you my parents are on to you. You need to get out of here.”
“Your dad’s been looking for me,” he glowered. “You told me you’d put him off the scent.”
“I thought I had. I had no idea he was looking for you. That’s even more reason for you to get out of here. You don’t know what he’s like, he’s unstoppable. After all the shit our family’s been through he won’t want to take any chances.”
“You need to put him off the scent. We have important work to do.”
“You’re not still wanting to carry on with that? You can’t be serious?”
“I am. What we do is so important.”
“Not we, you,” she said backing away from him towards her driveway. “I was nothing to do with the deaths of those two men.”
“You don’t know what you missed, it was such a rush.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“Really? Your mum and dad are killers. Don’t you find them disgusting too?”
“No because they only did it to protect themselves and our family. You did it because you enjoy it. You’re just dressing it up in righteousness to make yourself feel better.”
“You’ve let me down Leah. I thought you of all people would understand but you’re just a hypocrite, like the rest of them.”
“If that’s all you came to say then you can go now,” she said, continuing to back away from him.
“Oh I’m a long way from finished,” he said, grabbing her by the front of the shirt and pulling her towards him.
“Get off me,” she cried.
She attempted to slam her foot into his left knee, which she knew had been weakened by an injury he sustained during martial arts training. However she missed but she did catch him in the shin, causing him to release her.
She turned and pelted up her driveway but a kick to the back knocked her onto all fours. Remembering her Aunt Jules’s advice never to stop moving she rolled onto her back and the second kick he’d attempted to deliver missed. She rolled again and was back on her feet, swinging her bag at him, catching him in the ribs. As it contained some heavy books he was momentarily winded and she dropped the bag and ran for the front door, scrabbling for the key in the pocket of her coat but she struggled to get hold of it with her gloves on.
She was kicked in the back again and this time she managed to remain on her feet but she was grabbed, swung round and punched in the face. As she staggered backwards he grabbed her arms and pushed her up against the wall. Leah struggled to free herself but he was too strong.
“Help,” she screamed.
“Cry all you want,” he said. “There’s no one around to hear you. Actually, do it again, it turns me on.”
A tear rolled down her cheek when he buried his face in her neck, his breathing turning into a ragged pant, which she found disturbing.
Her Aunt Jules’s words about not taking any shit off any man returned and the fear was obliterated by a tidal wave of rage. When he tried to kiss her she slammed her forehead into the bridge of his nose, sending him staggering backwards with a startled expression and she took off, intending to head towards the stables. Reid was scared of horses.
She froze when she heard the roar of an engine and saw headlights sweep up the drive.
“Dad,” she cried, overjoyed to see his black Range Rover come to a sudden halt at the top of the drive.
The driver’s door opened and he leapt out. “Leah,” he yelled, running towards her and pulling her into his arms. He pulled back slightly to regard her. “Are you okay?”
Leah saw the anger flare in his eyes at the sight of her bruised face. “Reid’s here,” she said, pointing over her shoulder at the black-clad figure standing by the house.
Ryan didn’t ask how she knew his name. Instead he tore after Reid when he attempted to run around the back of the house. Realising he wasn’t going to escape the juggernaut charging at him with surprising speed, Reid stopped and turned to fight. His martial arts moves appeared rather pathetic beneath the iron fury that was her dad, who punched him several times in the face. Reid crumpled into a heap on the ground.
She’d failed to realise Battler was even there until he was standing beside her clutching her sodden bag. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Let’s get you inside, you’re shaking,” he said.
“But Dad…,” she said as he escorted her to the door.
“Don’t worry, he can handle that little t
urd.”
She nodded wearily and placed the key in his hand. As Battler unlocked the front door she saw her dad drag Reid around the side of the house.
“No, please no,” she heard Reid cry. There was a loud crack followed by an ear-splitting scream. Leah’s lips twisted into a smile.
She was incredibly grateful that Battler didn’t quiz her. He just seated her at the kitchen table, dug out the first aid kit and tended to the cuts on her hands then gave her an ice pack for the bruise on her face. He then made them both a cup of tea and he sat opposite her at the table, both of them drinking their tea in companionable silence. Just like her mum, Leah adored the brothers and she was so grateful Battler was here.
“Is that Dad’s car?” she said when she heard an engine start up outside.
Battler nodded. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
“But what’s he doing with Reid?”
“Like I said sweetheart, it’s nothing to worry about.”
“But Dad doesn’t know what he’s dealing with. Reid’s a killer.”
“A killer?” he frowned.
Leah had assumed they’d known exactly who Reid was. Now it hit her that they hadn’t a clue. She listened to Battler call her dad on his mobile phone, feeling sick to her stomach.
Two minutes later he walked in, alone.
“Where’s Reid?” she said, hardly daring to ask.
“In my boot,” he replied. “Ready for a trip to A&E.”
She wasn’t sure if she was happy he was still alive but she didn’t want her dad getting into trouble because of her.
He sat beside her at the table and regarded her seriously. “Tell me everything Cupcake.”
She could have wept with relief. By using her nickname he was telling her that no matter what she told him, they would be okay.
Leah blurted out every single sordid detail - meeting Reid, their so-called romance, getting into vigilantism, leading up to him and his friends killing those men. Thank God she’d been with her family when that had happened. As she talked she just let the tears fall. It was such a relief to get it all off her chest, she’d been so frightened and alone.
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