by Karen Clow
“He’s far from that believe me, but she’s very convincing. She told him you met in a bar and you used the date rape drug on her. Fortunately for you, I’ve got the only photos. After he sent me the images from her phone, he deleted the originals.”
“How is that fortunate for me?”
“Well, I’ve been looking into something for someone else and quite frankly he’s a much bigger fish than her husband and it just so happens that the person who he wants information about is a friend of yours. So the way I see it is, you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.”
Willy asked who Lenny was referring to. Lenny said Davy Sheridan.
“I hardly fucking know him and even if I did, I wouldn’t fucking tell you. I know what he’s like; I’d rather take it up with her husband.”
In return for information, Lenny would give him the photos. Willy made it clear he didn’t work for Davy; he’d just helped him out a couple of times.
Lenny told him he needed him to ask his mate, Nathan, Sheridan’s minder some questions. Instantly, Willy asked what sort of questions. He denied all knowledge when Lenny asked about the two druggies he’d taken out with Nathan.
“Cut the bullshit Willy, we both know you were there. So either tell me the truth, or I’m out of here and I’ll forget we ever had this conversation. You can just take it up with her old man. I’m not interested in what you did for Davy, I just need some information.”
“All I know is, they owed Sheridan money, so what? They were a fucking waste of space anyway.”
Lenny agreed, but then mentioned the two young girls, Spider and Beth had kidnapped for Davy Sheridan. He believed Willy when he stated he had fuck all to do with any kidnapping. He had no dealings with anything like that.
“I know that’s why I’m talking to you now. All your problems could disappear if you just ask Nathan a few questions for me. The man who hired me wants to know if Sheridan was working on his own or for someone else.”
“You must think I’m some sort of dick head, this is a fucking set up! What I ought to do is take you outside and beat the shit out of you!”
“I’ll ask you one last time, are you interested? If you say no I’ll just walk away and send your details to her old man. It’s up to you, but set up or not, she’s real and so is her husband.”
He wrote a mobile number on the back of a beer mat and handed it to Willy. If he hadn’t heard from him by Friday, he would know he wasn’t interested.
“How do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t, but I’m true to my word. If you do decide to help me, we never had this conversation and her old man doesn’t come looking for you.
CHAPTER 25
Lenny had called Mickey to tell him that he believed Big Willy would try and help them. He’d also mentioned that he was doing a private job for Tony. Despite Mickey being curious, he’d decided not to push Lenny as he was sure Tony would mention it at some point.
Lenny had arranged to meet Tony at Sweet Cheeks around nine that evening, when he arrived at ten past, Tony took him straight to the office. Lenny took an envelope from inside his jacket and passed it to him. Tony looked through the photos that were inside. They were photos of his mistress, Tanya with another man. They weren’t sexual, but it was apparent that they were more than just good friends. One shot showed them kissing and cuddling, another showed them holding hands.
Tony asked about the young man she was with.
“His name is Dominic Anders; he’s a fucking hair dresser! Works at Le’ Hair, it’s a unisex salon round the corner from her apartment Tony. I asked some questions and the staff there seem to think they’re a couple.”
“Nice work Lenny, I won’t need you to follow her anymore.”
Opening his desk drawer, he passed him an envelope and confirmed everything they’d just discussed was strictly between them. Lenny nodded.
Five minutes later, they were standing at the bar talking to Shane and the other staff. Lenny left around half ten.
As the time approached midnight, Tony told Shane that he had some business to sort out and he wouldn’t be back that night. Five minutes later he left the club. Outside in his car, he dialled a number on his mobile but there was no answer. Starting his engine, he drove towards the Thames, stopping at the apartment block, next to the one that Jimmy had lived in. It was the apartment that he rented for Tanya; she had been his mistress for three years since moving here from the Ukraine when she was eighteen. They had met when she had gone to the club looking for work as a dancer. Her English wasn’t very good them, but Tony paid for her to have private lessons. She was pretty and petite, just over five feet tall, with short spiky blonde hair. One thing he liked was the fact that she had a good figure with a large bust. He would try to see her at least once a week if not more. He paid for everything and for the best part he treated her well. Allowing her to have friends and socialise, but other men were a definite no go area.
Taking the lift to the third floor, he let himself into the apartment. It was obvious she was out, so pouring a scotch he waited. It was just after one when he heard voices outside the door. Looking through the spy hole, he could see her kissing Dominic before he went back down in the lift. Tony was seething; he was just about to open the door as he heard her call, “Goodbye, see you tomorrow.”
Walking back into the lounge and sitting down, he heard her key turn in the lock.
Tanya noticed that the light was on so she called out, “Hello, Tony is that you?”
“Where the fuck have you been!” he replied angrily from the lounge.
The moment she saw him, she ran towards him almost hurling herself at him and kissing him passionately.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were coming, I wouldn’t have gone out.”
The way he stood looking at her made her feel uneasy, nervously she asked if he was staying. Without answering her question and gripping her arm he asked arrogantly where she had been. She knew that something was wrong by his tone. When she said the theatre with a friend, he asked what friend. Trying to defuse what she knew could be a dangerous situation, she light heartedly replied her girlfriend Anaya.
“You fucking lying whore,” he shouted as he slapped her round the face. Fearful, she tried to get away from him but he wouldn’t let her go. Then when he began hitting her she started screaming.
“Shut up you stupid bitch!” Standing in front of him she begged and pleaded for him to listen to her and believe that she loved him. Several times she repeated it over and over, but unnervingly he just stared at her.
“Please don’t be angry, I’m sorry, please Tony, I love you!”
“Sorry for what, for fucking Dominic!”
At that moment she felt real fear. Tony was a big bloke and now angry towering above her she felt intimidated. Without saying a word he hit her again, this time with such force that she fell onto the coffee table smashing the glass bowl that was on it. When she tried to get up, he kicked her in the back. Screaming almost hysterically she begged him to listen to her. Ignoring her, he hit her several more times. Finally when she could barely stand, he dragged her into the bedroom and threw her onto the bed. In a dazed state from the beating, she just laid there and begged him to leave her alone.
Looking down on her and without saying a word, he undid his trousers, pushing them just past his buttocks. Tanya knew what was about to happen. She struggled to get off the bed, but he held her down and raped her. When he finished, she tried to tell him that Dominic was just her friend.
“Do you really think I’m that fucking stupid? I’ve had you followed for the past week; don’t take me for a prick! I’m paying for everything and you’re fucking a hair dresser!”
Realising that she couldn’t deny it, she sobbed.
“Please Tony, I’m so sorry, I have been stupid. I love you, only you. I will do anything to make it up to you!”
“I want you out of here by the morning you fucking whore!”
“I have nowhere t
o go and I love you” she screamed hysterically. “Please don’t send me away. I’m so sorry Tony, I love you. I will tell him that I don’t want to see him anymore. I love you, please, please don’t send me away!”
As he began to walk away, she held onto him. Slapping her and pushing her away, she fell to the floor. Desperate to make him listen, she held onto his leg as he tried to leave.
“Let go Tanya! If you’re still here in the morning, I will fucking kill you. Do you understand?”
Screaming and pleading with him to forgive her she still wouldn’t let go of him.
“Do you realise how good I’ve treated you bitch? You’ve made the mistake of underestimating me if you think I’m going to let you stay, you fucking stupid bitch!”
Sobbing hysterically, she begged him not to go.
“Listen to me you fucking stupid whore! I want you gone by ten in the morning. I don’t give a fuck where you go, or who you go with, just make sure you go!”
Seething with anger he punched her in the face. As she laid there he just smirked and then spat at her before heading towards the door. She screamed at him angrily, because she knew he wouldn’t back down. Now she wanted retaliation, at the very least she would try and salvage some of her pride.
“Fuck you Tony; you think you’re such a big man because you are rich and powerful. Well you are a fucking arsehole! You think I just sit here every night waiting for you to come and fuck me! Well you are wrong, I find another man to fuck me and we run away to get married, he loves me!”
Punching her several times, he called her an ungrateful bitch before grabbing her by the hair and throwing her against the wall. Dropping to the floor, angry and in terrible pain, she screamed at him.
“I expect your wife has a lover, because you are always fucking other girls!”
Had she not mentioned Isabella, he probably would have just walked away, but now she had made it personal. Grabbing her arms, he dragged her to her feet and shook her. Trying to defend herself, she punched his chest and screamed hysterically.
“I told you never to mention my wife. Now shut your fucking mouth you stupid whore!”
“You don’t love your wife Tony, she’s probably just another whore to you! You have no respect for women; you think you are a great lover, well you’re not! You are dirty old man with money! Dominic is a great lover with passion!”
Listening to her barrage of words and smirking, he began to walk towards the door. Had she kept quiet he would have simply left, but it was what she would say next that would seal her fate. Just as he started to open the door he turned to look at her.
“Remember Tanya, be gone by tomorrow.”
“Before I leave, I call your wife and tell her what a bastard you are!”
That was enough for him, slamming the door shut he ran across the room towards her. Grabbing her firmly by the shoulders, he head butted her full pelt in the face. Blood poured from her nose. Seconds later her body began convulsing and then she went limp. Releasing his grip, she dropped to the floor like a rag doll. Tony knew she was dead before he even checked for a pulse.
Calmly he poured himself another drink before calling Terry. He arranged for Terry and Reggie to come over and remove her body. Thirty minutes later they arrived.
Terry spotted her lying on the floor covered in blood.
“Fuck me Tony, what the fucking hell happened?”
He gave them brief details of the argument and then they wrapped her in a large rug, ready to carry her to Terry’s van. They cleaned the place up before they left.
When Tony was alone in the apartment, he showered and changed his clothes, then he went through the wardrobes and cupboards and removed everything that belonged to him. He always kept a change of clothes and some personal toiletries there for when he stayed. First thing in the morning he would send a couple of the club cleaners round to spring clean the place and then he would ring the letting agency. He had always been careful, always paying cash and renting it in her name, so there wouldn’t be any come back on him.
It was almost dawn by the time he arrived home. Throughout the drive, he had thought about Isabella and what Tanya had said about her having a lover.
She was fast asleep when he entered the bedroom. As he got into bed, she stirred. He put his arm around her and kissed her neck. Rolling over to face him; she smiled and asked where he’d been as it was so late. Convincingly, he said they’d had trouble at the club and he’d had to stay behind with Shane. She noticed the bruising on his face and asked if he was alright. Shocked was how she felt when he replied he would be alright after they’d made love.
“Make love, usually you go straight to sleep Tony.”
“Are you saying you don’t want me to make love to you?”
“Of course not, it’s just unusual that’s all.”
“Perhaps I should make love to you more often; I don’t want you looking somewhere else.”
She kissed his chest and moved her head down towards his cock, only stopping momentarily to say she’d never be unfaithful to him. She had always loved him. Then she took him in her mouth. As he lay there enjoying what she was doing, he felt a slight pang of conscience, this was something new to him. He had always kept his club life and other women separate from his family life, but he knew deep down she knew about the other women, although she never said anything. One thing was for certain, he never loved any women the way he loved her and at fifteen years his junior, she was still a beauty and very desirable. Pulling her back up to him, he made love to her. Isabella knew that something had happened that night, but she never asked what. She was just happy that he was there making love to her, because unlike Tanya, she did truly love him. He was the love of her life and she would love him until the day she died.
CHAPTER 26
The next morning Mickey was awake before Maria, it was just before half six. Gently he pulled her close to him as she stirred and turned to face him. Within seconds he began fondling her and it was obvious from her body’s responses that she wanted him.
As they lay exhausted from their early morning love making, he broached the subject of her session with Max. Noticing that she seemed uncomfortable, he said, she didn’t have to tell him about it, he was just worried about her. She snuggled her head to his chest.
“We talked about Jimmy and the way he behaved sometimes, it was nothing really.”
“I suppose Max thinks you need to talk about him because he was a big part of your life and you loved him.”
“Yes, I thought I did, but since I’ve been with you I’m not so sure. The way I felt about him is nothing compared to the way I feel about you.”
“Well you know the way I feel about you babe, we’re soul mates. We’re forever, I hope you know that?”
“I hope so Mickey.”
“Don’t hope so babe, know so, because I mean it.”
He kissed her passionately before asking if she was ok. She nodded her head, then suggested them getting up and showering.
They had only just finished eating breakfast when his mobile rang. It was Lenny. He’d heard from Big Willy and they were meeting up at midday. He would call Mickey later to let him know what happened.
Having decided to go shopping they spent the entire afternoon looking at Christmas trees and decorations at a garden centre. After securing the chosen tree to the roof rack, they finally drove home.
An hour later, Billy and his dad were helping him erect it when his phone rang.
“Just a quick call Mickey, I don’t think Willy is going to find out what we need to know, he did try to ask Nathan some things, but he became suspicious. Willy did give me a few interesting tip bits though. The stories about Davy owing stacks of money are true. Also he’s got a new lover, who by all accounts he’s eager to impress. I think I ought to drive down to you and fill you in on the details, how does tomorrow suit you? Maybe I’ll ask Tony if he wants to join me.”
“Sounds good to me Lenny, how does lunch time suit you? I’ll ask Mar
ia to sort out some grub.”
“Until tomorrow then I’ll bell Tony, catch you later.”
Mickey told his dad and Billy what had been said and then called the others in to look at the tree. The twins loved it and were eager to decorate it.
The men retired to the kitchen for coffee and cake, while the females got on with the tree.
Almost an hour later, the twins excitedly asked them all to come and look. As they entered the lounge, Billy said it was the best tree he’d ever seen. The twins were eager to tell him which decorations they had each placed.
Maria handed him a large box.
“There you go then Billy, you can put these up with the others, while me and mum sort out the dinner.”
The box was full of garlands and musical Christmas items. Mickey grinned and said he’d show him where they all went.
That evening during dinner, Mickey told Maria that Lenny and Tony would be joining them for lunch the following day.
The evening passed quickly, with Maria spending over an hour on the phone talking to Monica.
The next morning she was up early baking. She made a Victoria sponge for them to take back for Reggie.
It was just before one o’clock when they arrived. Tony kissed Maria as she opened the door. After they had coffee the men made their way to the dining room. Maria took the food through and, as always Billy was the first one to fill his plate. Mickey placed five glasses and a bottle of scotch on the table. They ate and drank while they talked about Big Willy.
Mickey asked exactly what Willy had said.
“Well apparently, he went out with Nathan the day before yesterday,” said Lenny “obviously he had to be careful so as not to drop his guard. Anyway from what he said, Nathan knows more than he’s prepared to say, but then he is Davy’s personal gorilla. Willy did tell me that Davy is spending money like water on his new piece of arse! His name’s Sebastian Arnold; he’s twenty four, looks like a fairy and teaches ballet at the Tracey Arnold School of dance. The studio belongs to his sister. I went along and had a nose about; told them I was looking to enrol my grandson and bingo who should just happen to show me round, none other than Sebastian. He looked like a blonde streak of piss, wearing fucking tights!”