Retribution

by Heather Atkinson

  “What if he grasses on us?” said Mick.

  “So what if he does?” said Hayden. “It’s just his word against ours and I’ve already arranged for an entire nightclub of people to testify we were there. Plus he knows nothing about our real businesses, he was a glorified babysitter. We’re untouchable.”

  “Nice one,” chuckled Mick. “I wish I could see the little prick’s face right now.”

  Katia looked through the back window as the farmhouse disappeared from view. Robbie had been her friend, one of the truest and she had betrayed him. She hardened her heart against him when she thought of the cameras in her home. But he had betrayed her first. No one did that.

  All Robbie could do was lie on the floor beside Jared’s still body, his knee agony, listening to the sound of the police getting closer, fury coursing through him. He knew that bastard Hayden was going to stab him in the back one day but he hadn’t expected it to happen here and now and with Katia around. He noted he’d waited until her back was turned to do it because otherwise she would have protested. Well he was going to get that bastard back somehow. Ice settled in the pit of his stomach. Hayden had said they’d found his cameras. Katia knew what he’d done but if he could just talk to her he could bring her round, convince her to give him another chance. But he had to get Hayden out of the way first.

  He physically jumped when he recalled he was carrying a gun. Hastily he dragged it out of his pocket, hands shaking with fear and the agony in his knee, wiping his prints off it as best he could on his shirt before tossing it towards Slattery, just in time too because armed police swarmed into the room through the shattered kitchen door, yelling at him to get his hands up. Robbie did his best to obey, given that he was lying on his side. He cried out with pain when he was forced onto his front, cuffed and frisked.

  “Watch my bloody knee,” he wailed.

  “Get us out of here,” Jez told Mark when the sound of sirens became audible.

  Mark nodded and yanked at the steering wheel, doing a furious three point turn in a passing place and the next thing they knew they were heading back towards Bracknell.

  “What the fuck is going on?” demanded Jackson as Jez stuffed his mobile phone into his jacket pocket.

  “I think, for the first time in her life, Jules called the police.”

  “On Slattery?”

  “I don’t know, she just said to stay away so that’s what we’re going to do.”

  “So where is she?”

  “She got out of the farmhouse but she said she’s leaving the country.”

  “Now?”

  He nodded.

  “We need to find her.”

  “Yes, thank you, I know. Why don’t you come up with something useful for once? Shane, you’re good with the internet. Find out where the nearest airport and ferry port is.”

  “Did she say where she was going?” he replied.

  “Oh yes, she gave me the flight number and everything.” He scowled. “Of course she didn’t you idiot. People who are doing a runner tend to keep stuff like that to themselves.”

  “Alright, take it easy Bossman.”

  “I told you not to call me that,” he snapped.

  Shane ignored his tirade, too busy tapping dexterously at his phone. “The nearest airports are Heathrow and Gatwick.”

  “Great, the busiest ones in the country,” said Jez. “Well that should be easy.”

  “Portsmouth is just over an hour away,” said Shane. “The ferries go across to France.”

  “Shit, airports or seaport,” said Jez. “Which do we choose?”

  “Jules is on her motorbike, right?” said Jackson.

  Jez rolled his eyes. “You saying it sprouts wings and flies?”

  “No,” he glowered. “I’m saying she’ll want to take that with her. No way she’d leave it behind and she can’t take it on a plane.”

  “Alright, that makes sense but we don’t know for sure that she is taking it. She could flog it and buy a ticket to Kuala Lumpur.”

  “She once told me it was a dream of hers to tour Europe on her bike.”

  “I need to know what we’re doing,” said Mark. “We’re approaching the motorway.”

  Jez bit his lip before saying, “Portsmouth.”

  “If we’re wrong and she’s gone for one of the airports then we’ll never catch up with her,” said Shane.

  “My money’s on the ferry,” said Jackson.

  Jez nodded. “I agree. Portsmouth Mark.”

  “Just in time too,” he said, steering the car down the slip road leading to the motorway.

  Jules was early for the ferry, so she left her bike in the queue and headed into the café for a coffee and something to eat. The sun had just come up and she was booked on the first ferry of the day.

  She cradled her cup, unable to pin down exactly how she felt. On the one hand she was miserable at leaving everything and everyone behind. On the other she was strangely elated. Jared Slattery was finally dead and her daughter was safe. No responsibilities, no cares, just the open road before her. There was excitement in that but also a lot of loneliness. Was it really an adventure if she was going it alone? She thought about Jackson, her brother and their families and how much she would miss them. She didn’t even dare think about Mikey, she couldn’t. After giving him hope her vanishing would really hurt him but she was doing him a favour. She’d only end up dragging him down, like she had Jackson. One day he’d see that.

  She tried not to think about Cara either, if she did she knew she’d break down but she was doing this for her, because she would be so much happier with Cindy as her mother, someone sweet and stable with a normal job. Well, semi-normal anyway. At least strutting about holding up a placard in your underwear didn’t usually end up with you being abducted, blown up or put into a coma.

  So consumed was she by her desperate thoughts that she failed to spot the group of men huddled around her bike, pointing at it and talking. They looked around at the café, pointing at that instead before marching over to it. Jules only noticed they were there when they walked into the café and surrounded her table.

  “Shit,” she sighed.

  Jez plonked himself in the seat beside her, Jackson opposite. Shane was about to take the seat beside Jackson when Mark grabbed him by the back of the shirt and steered him to a table in the corner.

  “Give them some privacy, eh?” said Mark.

  “Oh yeah,” said Shane, blushing. He still had a lot to learn.

  “I can’t believe you were just going to run out on us,” said Jez, torn between elation at finding her and sheer fury.

  “It’s for the best,” she muttered to the tabletop. She hated the fact that Jackson was here and had no doubt been witness to the carnage she had left in her wake. He was the one who only saw the best of her, the loving wife and mother. She’d shielded him from the worst of herself, despite all the rumours he’d heard and he’d love her. Now she could see in his eyes that his illusions had been shattered. It was fortunate they were getting divorced because if they weren’t she was pretty sure it would be on the cards.

  “Why would you think that?” said Jez.

  “Like I told you, I bring nothing but bad luck down on the people around me. You’re better off without me.”

  “Is Cara better off without her mother?” said Jackson coldly.

  “Of course she is. I’m doing this for her.”

  “No you’re not. You’re doing it for yourself because things have got tough and you can’t deal with it.”

  “I don’t run from anything,” she glowered.

  “What do you think you’re doing right now? You know what Jules, I’m just disappointed.”

  “Hey, shut it you,” said Jez. “We’re trying to convince her to come home here.”

  “No, he’s right,” said Jules. “I am running.” She locked her gaze with Jackson’s. “But you have no idea what it’s like when your own child hates you.”

  “She doesn’t hate you.”r />
  “You’ve seen her, she doesn’t want to be anywhere near me.”

  “And she will, just give her time. I keep telling you but you won’t listen. As usual you know best when you bloody don’t.”

  “Go easy on her,” said Jez. “This is the last thing she needs.”

  “I’m sorry but she led us on a wild goose chase around Berkshire, dealing with scumbags and now we have to sit here and beg her to come home? Well I’m not doing it.” He jabbed a finger at Jules. “Get your arse back home right now because our daughter needs her mother. Stop being such a selfish cow.”

  Jules breathed in sharply and looked down at her hands, frantically picking at her fingernails.

  “Go and sit over there you,” said Jez, pointing at the table Mark and Shane had taken, who were tucking into tea and scones.

  “Fine by me,” said Jackson, shooting to his feet, scraping the legs of his chair across the floor.

  “I’m not being selfish,” said Jules.

  Jez was shocked by the pain and vulnerability in her eyes when she looked at him.

  “I didn’t come to this decision lightly,” she said. “And it’s causing me a huge amount of pain.”

  Jez wrapped his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. “I know,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “But it’s the wrong decision. If you go you’ll regret it.”

  “If I stay you might regret it. All of you.”

  “Stop being soft. Jesus, I thought nothing could break you.”

  “Being in a coma does have an effect,” she said flatly.

  Jez inwardly kicked himself. “Yeah, sorry. But you beat that and you just beat Slattery.” He glanced back at Jackson, who was staring at them stonily. Thankfully he was out of earshot. “And there’s one person in particular who’ll be devastated if you don’t come home.”

  “As I told him, I don’t know if I can give him what he wants.”

  “All he wants is you, so how can you fail?”

  She chewed her lip with indecision and Jez hoped he was finally getting through to her. Until an announcement over the tannoy directed all passengers for the ferry to Calais to embark.

  Jules got to her feet. “I’ve got to go.”

  Jez stood up with her. “No. I’m not letting you.”

  “What are you going to do, keep me prisoner in this café forever?”

  “You are not going,” he said louder, drawing some curious looks from the other diners, many of whom were standing and collecting their things.

  “Get out of my way unless you want me to throw you across the room,” she said.

  Jez sighed and moved aside, knowing Jules was reckless enough to do something like that. He looked to Jackson for assistance, who rolled his eyes and got to his feet. “I’ll be sure to tell Cara her mother didn’t want to be there for her.”

  Jules tilted back her chin. “You’ll tell her I did it for her, so she can have a nice, safe life with two decent parents.”

  “For Christ’s sake Jules,” said Jez. “You’re a brilliant mum.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “She was kidnapped because of me, anything could have happened to her. At least I’ll never inflict myself on another child.”

  “Stop being so ridiculously hard on yourself.”

  She picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, gazing at him sadly. “Love you little brother.”

  “Please don’t do this Jules.”

  “I have to,” she said, a tear sliding down her cheek.

  As she turned to say goodbye to Jackson, Jez wrenched his phone out of his pocket and dialled.

  “Mikey, talk to Jules right now.”

  ‘You found her then? Is she okay?’

  “Yes, fine. I don’t have time to get into all that now. We’re at Portsmouth and she’s insisting on leaving on a ferry to France, for good. You’re the only one she listens to, you have to talk her down because me and Jackson aren’t having any effect.”

  ‘Put her on,’ Mikey practically yelled, panic in his voice.

  Jez put himself between Jules and Jackson and thrust the phone at her. “Someone wants to talk to you.”

  She looked at the phone uncertainly. “Who is it? I don’t have time for this…”

  “If you feel anything for me as a brother you’ll talk,” he yelled.

  “Alright, fine,” she said. She pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?” When she heard Mikey’s voice she scowled at Jez. “You sly bastard.”

  He jabbed a finger at the phone, indicating he wanted her to talk on it. She sighed and turned her back on him. “You can’t stop me going Mikey,” she said.

  ‘I bloody well can,’ came back his furious voice. ‘Do you remember what you said to me?’

  Her heart clenched. “Yes.”

  ‘You gave me hope then you take it away. You can’t do this to me.’

  “You’re married…”

  ‘I’ve kicked Amber out and started divorce proceedings. We’re through. There’s only one woman I want and it’s not her. Guess who I really want?’

  Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m about to get on a ferry to France. Why are you doing this to me now?”

  ‘Because if you go you’ll be making the biggest mistake of your life and you know it.’

  “I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing it for all of you. I bring nothing but pain and misery to everyone around me. I’ve always been the same.”

  ‘Want to know what you brought me? Happiness.’

  “Are you trying to make me stay or throw up?”

  ‘There she is,’ he said, the smile in his voice making her grin.

  “I have to go. You’ll thank me one day.”

  ‘No I bloody well won’t.’

  “I’ll only end up disappointing you, like I’ve disappointed Jackson.”

  ‘Sod him. I know all about you Jules, you don’t need to hide anything from me. No secrets.’

  Jules thought how nice that would be but she was resolute. “I have to go.”

  ‘Don’t you fucking dare,’ he bellowed, making her ear buzz. ‘You go and I won’t stop until I’ve found you again. Then I will drag you back to Manchester. Do you hear me?’

  “It’s hard not to,” she winced. “But Mikey…”

  ‘No, I’m not having it. Stop trying to be fucking noble and come home.’

  Jules warmed inside. He made home sound like it was right by his side. “You’re not giving me much choice.”

  ‘I’m giving you no choice. If you go I’ll come after you.’

  Jules looked to her younger brother, who looked so sad and anxious it broke her heart. These people wanted her in their lives, even though she didn’t feel deserving of it. “I don’t want you getting your hopes up for something I might not be able to give you.”

  ‘Right now the only thing I want is you back in Manchester. Anything else is a bonus.’

  Jules sighed. “You might regret this.”

  ‘Bollocks. Does that mean you’re coming home?’

  “Yeah,” she said, kicking at the floor with the toe of her boot. “Suppose.”

  ‘You’d better not be saying that just to get rid of me.’

  “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  ‘Good. Don’t be long. Manchester’s not the same without you.’

  “See you soon,” she said before hanging up and holding the phone out to Jez.

  “Well?” he said, accepting the phone from her.

  “I’m coming home.”

  His body sagged with relief. “About bloody time. Let’s get out of here.”

  Jez and Jackson marched her outside between the two of them, Shane and Mark front and back, so she couldn’t run away.

  “Jesus, everyone’s going to think I’m a prisoner you’re escorting,” she said.

  “We’re taking no chances,” said Jez.

  They reached her bike and she kicked up the stand and steered it out of the queue waiting to get onto the ferry and onto the car park, causin
g Jez to breathe a sigh of relief.

  “I’m not coming back to Manchester,” she announced. “Don’t worry,” she added when Jez opened his mouth to yell at her. “Ryan and Rachel are just three hours away. Staying with them before really helped me get my head straight and I think it will again.”

  “I don’t like it,” said Jez.

  “I need to sort myself out. If I don’t, everything will be just the same.”

  “And you’ll be unhappy?”

  She nodded, looking down at her feet.

  “Okay, I suppose that makes sense. I’ll come with you.”

  “You don’t trust me not to do a runner?”

  “I didn’t say that. I’d like to see them too, that’s all.”

  “I’m going on my bike. Think your arse can take it?”

  “I’m no stranger to motorbikes,” he sniffed. “You two,” he said, turning to Mark and Shane. “Take the car back to Manchester.”

  “About time too,” said Mark. He looked to Jackson. “Want a lift?”

  “Yes please,” he replied, eyes on Jules. “Would you give us a minute please?”

  Jez looked to Jules, who nodded. “Alright but we’ll just be over there,” he said, indicating the car.

  Jackson didn’t speak until they were out of earshot. “It’s ironic,” he began, “how Mikey could convince you to stay but I couldn’t.”

  Jules didn’t know what to say so she shrugged.

  “Our divorce is for the best,” he said gently. “I see that now.”

  She looked up at him with surprise. “You do?”

  He nodded. “I love you but we never would have lasted. You’re meant to be with Mikey.”

  “Don’t give me that sentimental soulmate shite.”

  “It’s true. He came through for you when I couldn’t when you were recovering from the coma and he did the same today. He can give you everything you want and you don’t need to hide anything from him like you had to with me.”

  “I don’t know that we will ever be together. I can’t even think that far ahead.”