Retribution

by Heather Atkinson

  “We need to come up with a plan,” said Ryan. “Reid’s not alone, he’s got three friends hiding out with him.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re scared of a few arseholes?”

  “No but I want to do it properly and ensure there’s no comeback on ourselves.”

  “Fine. You fart arse about putting a plan together. Just let me know when you’re ready to hurt someone.”

  “You’ll be the first to know.”

  Rachel glanced at the clock. “Where’s Leah? She should have been back by now. I told her she was to be home by eight.”

  “It’s only five past,” said Jules.

  “That wasn’t the deal. She was supposed to be back bang on eight o’clock.”

  “Boy you’re strict.”

  “Understandable after what Leah got up to,” said Jez.

  “I suppose,” said Jules.

  “I thought Sarah’s dad was supposed to be bringing her back?” said Ryan.

  “He was and he’s never late.”

  “Maybe give it a bit longer Rach,” said Jez. “His car could have broken down or maybe his clock’s just five minutes slower than yours?”

  “You think I’m overreacting?”

  “Yes,” said Jez and Jules in unison.

  “Sod it,” said Rachel. “I’m calling her. I’ll only worry if I don’t.”

  “Let me do it,” said Ryan, picking up the home phone from the sideboard. “You’ll only get angry and she’ll come back with an attitude.” He dialled then hung up, looking troubled. “Her phone’s switched off.”

  “Switched off?” repeated Rachel, paling. “That’s not like Leah.”

  “Now don’t panic,” said Jez. “Her battery might have died.”

  “Maybe,” said Rachel, anxiously chewing her lip. “She’s always on that thing.”

  “There you go then,” he said.

  “I’m calling Sarah’s dad,” said Rachel, snatching up her mobile phone and dialling. After speaking to him, she hung up. “Leah didn’t even get there,” she said, voice trembling, hands shaking so hard she could barely hold the phone. “Sarah got a text from her just as school finished saying something had come up and she couldn’t make it. That was five hours ago.” She looked at them all helplessly. “What if Reid’s got to her?” Rachel almost dropped her phone when it started ringing in her hands. “It’s Leah, thank God,” she breathed, answering the call. “Where are you young lady? It’s after eight o’clock…”

  “What is it?” said Ryan when all the blood drained from her face.

  “It’s Reid. He’s hung up. He said he’s sending me a message.” She looked to her husband with large, scared eyes. “How has he got Leah’s phone?”

  He didn’t reply, both of them swallowing hard when her phone beeped. Rachel’s fingers frantically tapped at the screen, opening up the message.

  “It’s a video,” she rasped, terrified to open it. Steeling herself, she pressed the play button then placed the phone on the table, so they could all see.

  “Oh God. Leah,” whispered Rachel, eyes filling with tears when she saw her daughter gagged and tied to a chair, looking terrified.

  CHAPTER 44

  “The fucking bastard,” snarled Ryan.

  Leah was flanked by two men dressed in jeans and t-shirts, wearing balaclavas. A third man appeared on the screen, blocking out the sight of Leah, his long black hair - the ends tinged with blue - sticking out of the bottom of the balaclava he wore.

  “Mr and Mrs Law,” opened the man.

  “That’s Reid,” Ryan said for the benefit of the others while Rachel stared at the screen in horror.

  “Little Leah has been naughty, hasn’t she?” said Reid, voice a sing-song taunt. “But you two have been even naughtier, sticking your fucking noses into my business and for that you will pay. Soon I’ll text you an address where you will go. Just you two and that pair from haggis land you’ve been charging about the town with, stirring up trouble. If you involve the police then pretty little Leah will be punished for your sins.”

  He stood aside so they could see Leah. One of the men drew a knife and pressed it to her throat.

  “No,” screamed Rachel.

  “If you obey my instructions she’ll be unharmed,” continued Reid. “Break them and she will suffer,” he added, running his fingertip down Leah’s face. Despite the nightmare she was in, Leah glared up at him.

  Then the video went black.

  “Leah,” cried Rachel. She snatched up the handset and screamed at it, “I’m going to cut your fucking heads off.”

  Ryan pulled her to him, shaken to his core while Rachel cried into his chest.

  “Fucking manky dirty pervy bastards,” snarled Jules, furious. “Don’t you worry, we’re going to get her back.”

  “Yes we will,” said Jez. “They’re not getting away with this.”

  “Fucking right they’re not,” said Jules, drawing the knives from her wrists and slamming them point down into the coffee table.

  “Their main target is you two, for some reason,” Jez told Rachel and Ryan. “Leah is their ace up the sleeve. They won’t hurt her.”

  “I’m calling Brodie,” said Ryan. “And Battler and Bruiser. We need all hands on deck.”

  “I’m going to call someone else in too,” said Jules, taking out her phone. “You’ve not met her but she can help.”

  Rachel nodded, black eyes full of tears. “She can help us slaughter these bastards?”

  “Too right she can.”

  “Then get her here.”

  Brodie and Cass were the first to arrive, both of them stunned to see the footage Reid had sent Rachel. Brodie was particularly furious, he was very fond of the girl.

  “Jez is right,” said Brodie when he’d finished watching the footage. “They won’t do anything to her.” He had no idea if that was true but he felt they should be given something to cling onto to stop themselves from going insane. “Now let’s get a plan together. The way I see it, we’ve got an advantage. They know me and Cass are here but they don’t know about Jules and Jez.”

  “Yeah, that’s true,” said Jules. “You four go in, like they asked and me and Jez can surprise them, as well as Raven.”

  “Raven?” said Brodie.

  “A fellow bounty hunter and the only one I’ve ever worked with. Trust me, you want her on your side.”

  Their words kept Ryan grounded and anchored to the present, preventing him from losing his fucking mind. It had been hard enough when Rachel had been kidnapped but this situation had put him in a place way beyond fear. It was cold and empty and he thought he might go mad with it. Instead of completely losing it he concentrated on how to get her back. “What have you got in your box of tricks Jules? They’re okay,” she added when she glanced at Brodie and Cass.

  “Aye you’ve no worries there hen,” said Brodie. “Hurting dicks like this is one of our favourite things to do,” he added, gesturing from himself to Cass.

  Jules nodded. “Good. I’ve two Glocks with plenty of rounds, two gas canisters and a small incendiary device.”

  “Impressive,” said Brodie, amber eyes twinkling.

  The front door burst open and Battler and Bruiser stormed inside without knocking, bursting with fury.

  “We’re here for you Rach,” said Battler, pulling her to him.

  Rachel buried her face in his chest while Bruiser patted her on the back.

  “What do you need us to do?” said Battler.

  Rachel looked up at him with her pitch black eyes. “I honestly don’t know. Reid said he’d send the address where we’re to meet but he’s not sent it yet.”

  “He won’t want us making a reccy of the area before he’s ready,” said Battler. “Spring it on us last minute, making it hard for us to come up with a plan of attack.”

  “The sly bastard,” said Jez.

  “He’ll stick with territory he knows well, where he’ll feel comfortable,” said Battler.

  “And where he’ll be
able to control the situation,” added Brodie. “We know who his contacts are. Maybe there’s somewhere connecting them?”

  “That’s not a bad idea,” said Battler. “But we don’t have time to go around shaking down all his contacts.”

  “No, please stay here, all of you,” said Rachel. “He could send the address at any time and we need to go mob handed.”

  “Rachel’s right,” said Ryan. “We need to stick together.”

  “Then all we can do is wait,” sighed Battler. “Where are the boys?”

  “Spending the night at my mum and dad’s, thank God,” replied Rachel. “Things have been tense around here lately so we thought they could use a break.”

  “I’ll send a couple of my men to keep an eye on the house. It’s probably not necessary but I’m taking no chances.”

  “Thank you Battler,” said Rachel as he pressed his phone to his ear.

  Rachel turned to Brodie and Cass. “I’m so sorry you two got dragged into this. I know it’s not what you signed up for.”

  “You didn’t drag us, we came willingly,” replied Cass. “And it’s not the first time we’ve dealt with a group like this, is it Brodie?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. We’ve put plenty of the bastards in hospital.”

  “We’re going to do more than that to Reid and his friends,” said Ryan, face set. “You up for that?”

  Brodie’s amber gaze didn’t flinch. “Too fucking right we are pal.”

  Ryan nodded, surprised to find he was glad Brodie and Cass were here. “Good. Then let’s decide what we’re going to do.”

  “Oh who the fuck is that?” sighed Rachel when the doorbell rang. “The last thing we need is a visitor.”

  “It’ll be Raven,” said Jules, already making for the door.

  “Wait,” said Ryan. “What if it isn’t? We don’t want anyone knowing you’re here. You two wait in the office.”

  Jules and Jez nodded and rushed down the hall into the office.

  “I’ll come with you,” Brodie told Ryan.

  Cass waited with Rachel, wrapping an arm around her shaking shoulders.

  The two men strode down the hall, the doorbell ringing again, followed by a thumping at the door.

  “Who the fuck’s making that racket?” said Brodie.

  Ryan peered at the monitor and sighed. “Ashley.”

  “The polis? Get rid of him.”

  Ryan opened the door. “Ashley, it’s not a good time…”

  Ashley stormed inside past him but for once he didn’t look angry or official. In fact he looked desperate.

  “You have to help me,” he cried. “I don’t know where else to turn.”

  “What’s happened?” said Ryan, closing the door.

  “It’s my daughter, Bianca. She’s been kidnapped.”

  Ryan and Brodie glanced at each other as Ashley took his mobile phone out of his coat pocket and prodded at the screen.

  Ryan’s heart sank when he saw the exact same scene he’d just watched with Leah, only it was Ashley’s red-haired daughter in Leah’s place, tears rolling down her face as Reid stroked her cheek.

  “Jesus,” said Ryan.

  “I can’t take this to my colleagues, God knows what he’ll do if I do, he’s already told me no police. Please, I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye but you have to help me get my daughter back.”

  Ryan nodded. “Come through. There’s something you should see.”

  Ryan walked back into the lounge. Rachel’s furious black-eyed stare demanding to know why her husband had brought a police officer into their home.

  “Ashley’s daughter’s been kidnapped,” he said.

  Rachel gasped, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I’m so sorry,” she said, hugging him.

  “It’s alright, you can come out,” called Ryan.

  Ashley, who had clung onto Rachel, released her when Jules and Jez walked into the room.

  “Thank God you’re here,” he said, approaching Jules, eyes full of desperation.

  Jules grimaced and took a step back from him, fearing he was going to hug her too. “Alright, what’s up with the creepy guy?”

  “His daughter Bianca has been kidnapped too,” said Ryan.

  “Wait,” said Ashley. “What do you mean ‘too’?”

  Ryan played the footage of Leah for him, casting his eyes to the floor, unable to look a second time. “It’s Reid Miller and his friends,” he explained.

  “Reid, the man I took you to see in the hospital?”

  Ryan nodded.

  “I wish I’d held a pillow over the bastard’s face,” he yelled. “Why is he doing this?”

  “I wish I knew,” said Ryan.

  Ashley turned back to face Jules, his desperate eyes full of hope. “You found Ryan when no one else could. You can find Bianca and Leah.”

  “Don’t touch me,” she said when he held her by the shoulders.

  “Sorry,” he replied, retracting his hands.

  “Why take Bianca?” said Ryan.

  “Is she friends with Leah?” said Jules.

  Ashley shook his head. “Bianca’s two years younger than Leah and they go to different schools. As far as I’m aware, they’ve no connection.”

  “Then maybe it’s something to do with your work?” said Brodie. “Have you been investigating Reid for anything?”

  “No. Although Leah told me he was responsible for killing those two men on Christmas Day, he’s not being officially investigated. I’m still working out a way to turn the investigation round to him.”

  “Reid got close to Leah,” said Brodie. “He groomed her.”

  Rachel screwed her eyes tight shut and took a deep breath, feeling sick. “I hate that word.”

  “But it’s true. This is how these creeps operate. Could he have done the same to Bianca?”

  “No,” thundered Ashley. “And who the hell are you to ask me a disgusting question like that?”

  “This is Brodie MacBride,” said Rachel. “And his colleague Cass. They’re private investigators and they’re very good at what they do. Plus Brodie used to be a detective inspector in Glasgow. He knows what he’s talking about. Please think about his question Ashley, for Bianca and Leah.”

  He nodded. “You’re right. Sorry,” he said to Brodie.

  “It’s okay pal but think carefully. If she’s been groomed she’ll protect Reid from you, she won’t tell you about him. Has she seemed secretive lately? Or have you caught her sneaking out or going somewhere she shouldn’t?”

  “Now I think about it, she has been keeping herself to herself lately but I just thought it was a teenage girl thing.” His eyes widened. “And I’ve noticed she doesn’t leave her phone lying about, she’s always got it with her and she’s constantly on the bloody thing. Again, I thought that was a teenage thing, I didn’t think she was secretly communicating with a man. Jesus, what’s wrong with me? I’m supposed to be a police officer for God’s sake.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Rachel. “It’s easy to miss the signs, believe me, we know.”

  “But even if he did groom her,” said Jules. “Why take her hostage? Why would he want to drag a copper into this?”

  “Maybe he found out about Leah’s trip to see you?” Ryan said to Ashley.

  “How?” he said. “I didn’t tell anyone. Apart from Leah only us in this room know.”

  “Maybe one of your colleagues?”

  He shook his head. “No way would they give information to that creep.”

  “Corrupt police officers do exist,” said Rachel. “Believe me, I know. One killed my first husband and tried to kill me. He even shot Bruiser.”

  Bruiser nodded, eyes clouded.

  “Our inquiries have shown that Reid and his friends have been operating as a group,” said Ryan, gesturing from himself to Brodie. “We assumed they were just working as vigilantes and indulging in over-the-top violence but what if it’s something even more sinister? After all, both Leah and Bianca are un
derage.”

  “That’s how these scumbags operate,” said Brodie. “One will groom the victim and the rest will help them get together. Then, if the polis get involved and the one doing the grooming gets a restraining order against them, he can still gain access to the victim without breaking the order and getting arrested.”

  “That’s fucking sick,” scowled Jez.

  “You’re right there pal,” said Brodie. “They pretend to be the victim’s white knight, turning them against their parents, making them out to be the enemy so the victim will go to any lengths to protect them. They don’t see what the groomer is doing as abuse. They think they’re in love with them and want to be with them. It’s easy to play on that, especially with young girls, who see it as romantic.”

  “But Reid’s only young himself,” said Rachel.

  “Not all paedos are creepy old men,” said Cass. “We’ve seen this before. One particularly nasty bastard we sorted out was nineteen. His oldest victim was twelve.”

  “But Leah didn’t defend him,” said Rachel. “She told us everything and Ashley too.”

  “Because she’s one tough cookie,” said Brodie. “But Reid deliberately targeted Leah.”

  “She said he’s obsessed with our family,” said Ryan.

  “Maybe there’s more to it than that?” said Cass. “Have you come across any of Reid’s gang before?”

  “She’s referring to your vigilante antics,” said Ashley. “Don’t bother trying to deny it anymore, we don’t have time.”

  Rachel nodded. “No, I don’t know any of them.” Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. “Hughes.”

  “Who?” said Jules.

  “Oh Christ Rach,” said Battler. “You might be onto something there.”

  “Onto what?” said Ryan impatiently.

  “David Hughes,” said Rachel. “He was released from prison for sexually abusing a four year old. The victim’s father asked us to make sure he couldn’t hurt a child again. Ryan was in Manchester at the time so me and Battler sorted him out.”

  “What did you do to him?” said Ashley.

  “We hanged him,” she replied steadily. “But we didn’t kill him.”

  “Shame,” said Brodie.

  “It was just to put the wind up him,” said Battler. “He couldn’t leave the area because he was tagged but he kept himself to himself after that, we made sure of it.”