Retribution

by Heather Atkinson

“One day you’ll be ready. I…I just wanted to say, don’t let anything hold you back. If you want to be with him, you should be.”

  “You’ve changed your tune. Would that make you feel less guilty about Cindy?”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “But it would?” she pressed.

  “Yeah, alright. It would. But this has been a wake-up call for me. I heard all the stories about you but I had no idea what you…” He trailed off, feeling awkward.

  “What I’m really capable of?”

  He nodded. “It’s a lot different seeing it up close.”

  “The Jules you got was real too.”

  “I know and I love her.”

  She smiled fondly and nodded. “But you love Cindy too. Don’t bother to deny it,” she said when he opened his mouth.

  Jackson sighed and nodded.

  “I want Cara to stay with you,” she said. “Permanently.”

  He tried to hide his delight but failed. However to Jules it only went to show how much he loved her daughter. “Really?”

  “Yes. You and Cindy can give her the stability she needs. But I hope one day she’ll be ready to have visits with me and perhaps stay over once or twice a week?”

  “She will be ready, one day. Just give her time.”

  “I’m trying,” she said, shoving her hands into her pockets. “Well, I’d better be off. It’s a long drive to Devon.”

  “This had better not be some trick and you end up disappearing again because your daughter does need you.”

  She held up her hands. “It’s not, I promise. I thought I was doing the right thing by you all by leaving but now I see I would have just ended up hurting everyone.”

  “Good because I couldn’t go through this again.”

  “You won’t, I swear.”

  He nodded. “Right, well, I’ll let you go then. Bye Jules.”

  “Bye Jax,” she said softly.

  He turned to go, hesitated then spun back round, pulling her to him while crushing his lips against hers. Jules clung onto him, raking her fingers through his hair.

  When the kiss ended he gazed into her eyes, cupping her face in one hand. “I will love you for the rest of my life.”

  “Me too,” she whispered.

  He planted one last kiss on her lips before walking away, forcing himself not to look back. Jules watched him go, exhaling shakily. Finally it felt like they’d brought some closure to their relationship.

  “Glad you’re staying Jules,” called Mark. “No one cracks me up like you.”

  “Yeah,” said Shane. “It’s a lot more boring without you.”

  “Thanks boys. I’ll be home soon, you can count on it.”

  “Excellent,” grinned Shane.

  Jules smiled as she watched them get back into the car with Jackson. It was nice to be wanted.

  “You ready to go?” Jez asked her, clutching his overnight bag, which he’d taken out of the boot of the car.

  “Yeah, I just want to make a stop off on the way,” she said with a smile, wishing she could see Ellen’s face when she found the surprise she was going to leave her. “Then we can go and surprise Ryan and Rachel. They’ll probably be pleased to see us. I bet things down there are as boring as hell.”

  CHAPTER 42

  Ryan and Brodie burst into the penthouse dressed all in black and wearing balaclavas, wielding baseball bats, non-plussed to see no one there.

  “I better not have got dressed up like a fucking vampire for no reason,” said Brodie.

  “Ssshh,” said Ryan, frowning when he heard a strange noise.

  Together they crept deeper into the flat. They hesitated outside the door where the noises seemed to be emanating from. Ryan nodded at Brodie, who nodded back, grasped the door handle and shoved it open.

  They rushed in and from inside Brodie’s balaclava came a snort of laughter. “Bloody hell, what a sight.”

  Delmar Fitzgerald’s vast bulk was spread out across the bed, a blond astride him, doing her best to look as though she was in ecstasy while he puffed and panted beneath her, face beetroot red.

  The blond leapt up with a squeal and threw herself behind the bed, arms wrapped around her bare breasts.

  “Urgh,” said Brodie, regarding Delmar and his rapidly deflating cock. “Want a bicycle pump?”

  “Who the fuck are you and what do you want?” demanded Delmar.

  “We’re looking for Reid,” said Ryan.

  “Reid?” he said, confused. His frown smoothed itself out. “You mean that wanker with the piercings?”

  Ryan nodded.

  “You burst in here for that? Jesus, you could have just asked nicely, I’d have told you. I don’t owe that bastard anything. He’s a crap bodyguard, too busy keeping one eye on the totty. An axe-wielding assassin could have come at me and he wouldn’t have noticed.”

  “Great,” said Brodie. “You gonnae put on some clothes while we talk?”

  “No,” he retorted. “You barge in here without knocking this is what you get.”

  “I’ll never eat blancmange again,” he sighed.

  “You want to know where he is or what?”

  “Yes please,” said Ryan. “Ignore motor mouth here,” he added with a nod at Brodie.

  “It’s a bit bloody hard to.”

  Ryan sighed, fed up. “Just tell us where he is then we can leave you both in peace.” The blond remained crouched behind the bed, only her eyes visible, looking from one to the other as they spoke.

  “Right, okay,” said Delmar, as though it was all a big nuisance, hauling himself up to a sitting position. “Reid’s not here.”

  “Jesus, we know that,” exclaimed Brodie.

  “If you’d let me finish,” frowned Delmar. He jerked a thumb at the blond, who had realised she wasn’t in any danger and had sparked up a cigarette, still sitting on the floor, looking bored. “In more ways than one.”

  “Tell us what we want to know then we’ll let you get back to your squelchy jiggle fest,” said Brodie.

  Ryan was surprised to find himself stifling a laugh. He had to give Brodie his due, he had a way with words.

  “He was here a couple of days ago,” continued Delmar. “He was a jittery bugger, which was a first. He’s normally so cool and calm. I take it you two are the reason why he was so nervous?”

  “So he’s not that fucking thick then,” said Brodie.

  “I gave him the address of a safe house where he could lie low for a while.”

  “Fantastic,” said Brodie. “What’s the address?”

  “I could give it to you but it wouldn’t make any difference because he’s already gone.”

  “Where?”

  “Dunno.”

  “You’re not being very helpful Delmar and that’s dangerous.”

  “I can’t tell you what I don’t know,” he smirked.

  Brodie raised the bat. “You see this?”

  “Yeah,” replied Delmar, unconcerned.

  “Why do you think we brought them? Do you think we’re off to play rounders when we’re done here?”

  “If you were going to use them you’d have done it by now. I know your type, all mouth and no bollocks.”

  “Wait,” said Ryan when Brodie raised the bat, ready to bring down on Delmar’s own bollocks. “I have a better idea, something less messy and a lot quicker.”

  He produced a syringe and slammed the point into Delmar’s blotchy left thigh.

  “What have you done to me?” he wailed, finally looking worried. “You’ve poisoned me.”

  “No I haven’t,” replied Ryan. “I’ve just given you a laxative.”

  “Laxative?” sniggered Delmar. “Is that the best you’ve got…” He went silent when he farted loudly.

  “I should have mentioned that it’s a very potent and fast-acting laxative,” said Ryan.

  Delmar’s eyes widened when he let rip again, glancing nervously at the blond, whose lip had curled with disgust.

  “Better tell us
what we want to know before you disgrace yourself in front of the lady.”

  “I,” he began, blushing when he passed more wind in an unpleasant bluster. “I need the loo,” he said, attempting to leap up but Ryan pushed him back on the bed with the end of the baseball bat.

  “You’re going nowhere until you tell us where Reid is.”

  “Please…you can’t do this,” he cried, all smugness gone. “I’ve just bought these sheets…and the mattress.”

  “Then you’d better tell us quickly.”

  Everyone grimaced when he farted again, an unpleasant smell filling the air.

  “I’m sure a bit came out then,” whispered Delmar.

  The blond snorted with laughter before dragging on her cigarette.

  “Where is Reid?” said Ryan.

  Those steely grey eyes glaring at him through the balaclava, plus the urgent need of his bowels to explode finally undid Delmar. “He’s lying low in a flat above a pub - The White Hart in Crediton. That’s all I know. Now can I please go to the toilet?”

  Ryan decided he was telling the truth and nodded. “Alright, off you go then.”

  Delmar leapt up and rushed into the en suite bathroom, leaving behind a brown smear on the white sheets. The door was slammed shut, shortly followed by, “oh that’s better.”

  “Jesus, sounds like the army’s testing artillery in there,” said Brodie when a series of explosions and whimpers sounded on the other side of the door.

  “I think he’ll be in there for the rest of the day,” said Ryan.

  Brodie guffawed. “Ha, that’s fucking beautiful pal. I’ll have to remember that one. Simple but so effective.”

  “We’ve got what we came for. Let’s go.”

  The blond leapt to her feet, still stark naked, hand on her hip and a provocative smile on her lips. “Do either of you big, strong men want to give me a lift home?”

  Ryan thought how she was nothing compared to Rachel.

  Brodie thought how she was nothing compared to Cass.

  “No,” they replied in unison before stalking out.

  “Bastards,” she muttered, grimacing at the sound of the violent wind-breaking coming from the direction of the bathroom.

  Brodie and Ryan want straight to the pub to scope it out, sitting in Ryan’s car across the street minus the balaclavas, watching the building. As it was almost lunchtime the pub was busy, customers sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine.

  “Nice gaff,” said Brodie. “I expected it to be a shithole but it’s even got hanging baskets.”

  “Yes, it’s wonderful,” said Ryan flatly. “The curtains are drawn in the flat upstairs. Looks like someone’s in and Leah said Reid likes to sleep in. He doesn’t usually get up until late afternoon.”

  “Lazy vampire bastard. That’s if it is Reid up there, Delmar could have sent us on a wild goose chase so he could enjoy one-to-one time with the lavvy.”

  “Cass mentioned your famous gut instinct. What’s it telling you?”

  “That the walloper’s no’ there and that he’s hiding somewhere else, like a scared wee mouse.”

  “I agree but we do have to make sure and I have no wish to sit here all day waiting.”

  “Who are you calling?” said Brodie when he took out his phone.

  “Battler and Bruiser. I’ll see if they’ve a man to spare to watch the building.”

  Battler told them they did have a man available called Roger who was young and too inexperienced to help with the big stuff but perfectly capable of keeping an eye out for someone.

  “Jeezo, we should have got one of your sons to do it instead,” said Brodie when Roger turned up. “They’re older than him.”

  “Give him a chance,” said Ryan, getting out of the car to greet Roger, a handsome twenty year old with floppy blond hair and a very serious expression.

  “Well it’s Roger the Cabin Boy,” grinned Brodie.

  Roger frowned at him. “Eh?”

  “Ignore him,” said Ryan. “You know what to do?”

  Roger nodded. “Battler emailed me a photo of the mark. I won’t leave until I’ve confirmed whether he’s in there or not.”

  “Thank you and if he does leave, follow him and let us know where he goes.”

  “I will Sir.”

  Ryan was pleased with his respectful and dedicated attitude while Brodie was unable to get past his name. “Have you brought your pal, Master Bater?”

  “What’s he talking about?” Roger asked Ryan.

  “Never mind. Get to it.”

  “Yes Sir,” he replied before returning to his own car.

  “Can you not be serious for five minutes?” said Ryan, rounding on Brodie. “Just when I was beginning to think that you might not be such a colossal wanker after all.”

  Brodie’s eyes narrowed. “You’d better watch your mouth big man.”

  “Funny, that was just the advice I was going to give you,” he said before getting back in his car and slamming the door shut.

  Brodie hastily leapt into the passenger seat as Ryan started the engine, looking like someone who was perfectly willing to leave him stranded on the pavement in a strange town.

  The two men returned to Ryan’s house in hostile silence, both disappointed at the setback in the progress they’d made but both unwilling to admit it. However it seemed Rachel and Cass had fared far better because they found them laughing and joking together in the lounge over a cup of tea.

  “So while we’ve been out there slaving away and putting up with windy sacks of shit,” said Brodie. “You two have been having tiffin and messing about?”

  “No, not exactly,” retorted Cass. “We’ve been to speak to Delmar’s lady friend. She was really nice actually and it’s a no go. She knows Reid, she met him a few times when he was guarding Delmar and she thinks he’s an arsehole. She wouldn’t rent him one of her properties, which are all high end.”

  “Did you two manage to play nice?” said Rachel, smiling over the top of her mug.

  “To some extent,” said Ryan.

  Rachel and Cass glanced at each other when the two men threw each other angry glares.

  “Well, I suppose it’s a blessing you didn’t kill each other,” said Cass.

  Rachel got to her feet and frowned. “What’s that noise?”

  They all paused to listen.

  “Sounds like an engine,” said Cass.

  Ryan hurried to the monitor at the front door. “It’s a motorbike carrying two people.”

  “Leah said Reid has a bike,” said Rachel.

  “Is it likely he’d come up the drive bold as brass?” said Cass.

  “Pricks do mysterious things,” said Brodie.

  Ryan’s frown turned into a smile of delight when the riders dismounted and removed their helmets. He flung open the door and the four of them stepped outside.

  “Jules,” exclaimed Rachel, racing up to hug her sister-in-law. “This is unexpected.”

  “Not unwelcome I hope?”

  “Course not. It’s wonderful to see you.”

  “It really is,” smiled Ryan, shaking Jez’s hand before hugging his sister. “What brings you both here?”

  “It’s a very long story,” said Jez, stretching out his back. “Jesus, my arse is numb and I’m gagging for a brew.” His grin dropped when he saw Brodie. “Oh Christ, what are you doing here?”

  “Your brother begged me for help,” he grinned.

  When Toni McVay had been locked in a war with her uncle for control of the family, Jez and Mikey had gone to Glasgow to back her up and had ended up meeting the famous Brodie MacBride and his colleagues. They’d taken an instant dislike to each other.

  Jules’s eyes lit up with interest and she stalked up to Brodie, her gaze running up and down him appreciatively. “Who is this fine specimen of highland manhood?”

  “I’m no’ some teuchter hen,” he retorted.

  “I don’t know what that is but I’d love for you to educate me,” she purred.

  �
�I’m no’ into squidgy fun time with gangsters.”

  “Are you sure? It’ll be very exciting.”

  “No thanks, I’m no’ hard up.”

  “I’ve no doubt about it but I promise you will be very hard,” she said with a meaningful wink.

  “Well she’s back to her normal self,” said Ryan while Brodie gaped at her. It was the first time he’d been unable to shock someone into silence with his patter.

  “I know,” replied Jez. “Isn’t it wonderful.”

  Ryan smiled and nodded. “It certainly is. So her and Jackson are over?”

  Jez nodded, grin falling. “But I’ll leave it to her to explain.”

  Rachel decided to intervene before Jules could wrap herself around Brodie. “Jules, this is Brodie MacBride from Glasgow.”

  “The Brodie MacBride? I’ve heard so much about you but I’d no idea you were so impressive.”

  “And this is his second-in-command,” Rachel hurriedly went on. “Cass Carlisle.”

  Jules’s eyes widened again and she walked past Brodie. “Hello beautiful. Why have I never been to Glasgow before? I’m missing out if you two are anything to go by.”

  “Come on in,” said Rachel, linking her arm through Jules’s. “We’ve a lot to discuss.”

  “You coming Cass?” said Jules.

  “She’s coming with me,” said Brodie.

  Jules looked from one to the other. “I honestly can’t decide who’s the luckiest.”

  Ryan looked to Brodie and smiled. “Has someone finally managed to silence the unstoppable Brodie MacBride?”

  “You think some nympho gangster can silence me?”

  “Clearly.”

  “Nothing silences me, I’m just…thinking over the case we’re working on.”

  “Do tell,” purred Jules. “Are you on bodyguard duty or do you need someone to guard your body?”

  Ryan chuckled when Brodie took a few steps back, looking wary.

  “You’ve family stuff to discuss,” said Cass, deciding it would be best to avoid Jules’s comment. “We’ll go back to the hotel and check in with base.”

  “I wouldn’t mind checking out her base,” said Jules as Cass and Brodie headed to their car. Quickly. “And his.”

  “Down girl,” said Jez. “Anyway, shagging about should be the last thing on your mind right now.”