Escaping The Shadows Anthology: Shenanigans'19 @ The West Midlands Book Signing.

by Maria Lazarou

  “How do you mean?”

  Durante slightly repositioned his fedora hat. “Well, it will make an interesting contest for sure. I wonder, will your brains outsmart the relentless brawn of Mr McDaid?”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” snapped Seb, eager to crush the audacity out of this New Yorker with his bare hands. Of course, he had heard of the Durante’s' and the part they played in the mob, but nevertheless, their reputation wasn’t diluting his wrath as he worried about Erica.

  “You really should know that I am capable of terrible things Gentlemen if you haven’t figured that out already. I mean, I have already killed your two counterparts with a stunning amount of ease. Being burnt alive and being drowned – both equally terrible ways to die. I could have easily had you two killed by now too, but I prefer to amuse myself by keeping you alive and watching you squirm as you realise that your dear wives are in terrible danger. So, what do you think it is that I have in store for your pretty ladies then boys? Remember I have already used the elements of fire and water?”

  “Earth and air,” said Seb.

  “Very good Mr McDaid, perhaps I underestimated you. You’re not quite the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz after all.”

  “What have you done with them,” demanded Zack.

  “Gentlemen, both your wives are perfectly safe. For now. I’m not altogether a ruthless individual so I am prepared to let one of them live, but which one depends on you.”

  “How do you mean, Durante?” Zack snarled again.

  “I have your two beautiful ladies buried alive.”

  “You bastard,” said Seb.

  “Don’t be alarmed they have air to keep them alive, but one of the ladies will have their air supply removed while the other one is allowed to walk free.”

  “Where are they, you sick fuck,” demanded Seb.

  “You’ll never find them so don’t try. No, your only hope is for one of you to win the contest. The one who wins will have won the life of his lady.”

  “What fucking contest you warped prick,” said Zack.

  “Gentlemen, you two will engage in a bare-knuckle boxing match. I may even run a little book – I may as well make some money out of you two lumps in the process. Whoever is standing at the end of the fight will be the victor and their lady will walk free. However, the loser will have condemned his wife to a very unpleasant death as she fights for her last breath buried within a shallow grave.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Judd Stone removed himself from Gia Talia and they both lay on their backs for a few seconds in an attempt to get their breath back.

  Gia spoke first blowing her misplaced hair from her face.

  “That was nice.”

  “Yep, it sure was. Nice. Like candy floss nice?”

  Gia playfully slapped him. “You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah, I do. It was good. You’re good Gia.”

  “Thanks, but I do already know.”

  Judd turned his head to look at her and they both burst out laughing.

  Now that his testosterone was satisfied, something Gia was always capable of achieving, his mind wandered to other things.

  “So, the mob are in Birmingham?”

  “Yeah. Led by my cousin, Enzo Durante. He may be family but he’s a complete bastard whom I don’t care for much. I don’t want him here.”

  “The cheeky fucker.”

  “He feels he owes the families some revenge for pissing in his pool. He may have a point.”

  “Even if he does, setting people on fire and drowning them is a bit extreme.”

  “That’s how he rolls. Like I say he’s a bastard, he always has been. He used to bully Ray as a kid.”

  Judd removed two cigarettes from their packet and lit both before handing one to Gia.

  “Thanks,” she said. Judd watched her for a few seconds. He had always liked the way that even when nonchalantly blowing out smoke Gia was able to inadvertently make it look sexy.

  “So, his next move is to target the Pentelow’s and the McDaid’s isn’t it?” said Judd. “Do you think they are a match for the Mafia?”

  “Who knows, to be honest, I’m not even sure that the Talia’s can match the Mafia.”

  Gia inhaled another draw from her cigarette before once again seductively releasing the smoke from her luscious lips.

  “I don’t like all of this happening in Birmingham. It’s not a playground for my twisted cousin to flex his Mafia muscles. And he’s willing to break the code the piece of shit?”

  “Code? What do you mean?”

  “In the world of gangsters, children under the age of adulthood and women are usually left alone. Except for me of course.”

  “Of course, you’re the most powerful gangster in Birmingham, Gia.”

  “But the evillest as it stands is my trespassing psychopathic cousin. I’ve heard on the grapevine that he has kidnapped Roxy and Erica, the wives of Zack and Seb.”

  Judd took a long drag on his cigarette as the names of the two women registered.

  “Well, in that case, I’ll have to do something about it, won’t I?” Judd stubbed out the cigarette in a nearby ashtray before placing himself above Gia using his arms to support his weight.

  “But not before we have a go at round two Ms Talia.”

  “You fancy yourself as a bit of a stud don’t you Judd?”

  “Well, it rhymes doesn’t it?”

  “Then kiss me. Judd the Stud.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Zack Pentelow and Seb McDaid would never class themselves as friends but they held a deep mutual respect for one another and they each detested being placed in this humiliating yet crucial situation.

  True to his word and to add insult to injury Enzo Durante had ensured that bets had been placed on this mouth-watering bare-knuckle contest, but no clear favourite had materialised. The victor of this fight was anybody’s guess.

  At first being in such a surreal situation the men were reluctant to fight one another but with the noise of the crowd and the realisation that their respective wives were in danger they each soon concluded that they had no choice. Zack’s initial quick flurry of punches were halted by Seb’s sledgehammer of a right-hand connection and before long both men were fully embroiled in the fight of their life.

  The rules had been spelt out to them before the fight began, which was basically that there were no rules. The winner would be the last man standing, it was a simple as that. And they were not even allowed to partake in rounds as in a traditional boxing match, this was a fight for every second it lasted, there would be no opportunity for recuperation.

  A makeshift ring had been erected in the disused warehouse which served to contain the fighting men in their very own battle zone, and boy could they battle. Durante had a permanent smirk on his face as he marvelled at the blood flying across the canvas. Both men were extremely strong and both had amazing stamina. Zack was the smaller of the two, and although it had been like hitting a wall, he had managed to break a couple of ribs on the left-hand side of Seb’s bruised torso. Seb had broken Zack’s nose and drew a substantial cut across his opponents left eye which was causing a problem as the blood constantly ran into Zack’s eye compromising his vision. The betting had proved accurate, there was nothing to choose between these two seasoned warriors as they traded punches, kicks and even bites through an impressive display of capability.

  The ability to hear anything from their buried locations was extremely difficult for both Roxy and Erica, but the vibrations that rattled through the earth indicated that more than one vehicle had arrived somewhere in the vicinity above them. It was impossible to make out any clear dialogue but a differentiation of voices a few moments later also became apparent. Whatever was happening was enough to be able to even shake Erica from her Transcendental Meditation. Both ladies feared the same imminent outcome and the development of the activity above them equated to their shared terrifying conc
lusion. This was the end.

  It had taken a considerable amount of time but finally the two battered and beaten men began to tire. The reduction of their energy only served to heighten the excitement of the crowd as they began to smell blood and sensed the fight was close to its conclusion. But to name the man who was finally going to win this thrilling fight was an impossible call.

  By now the exhausted fighters had each dropped their guard but most punches were going wayward from their intended target. The once finesse art of accurate punching that had been so expertly displayed earlier in the fight had now been replaced with more of a hit and hope strategy than any slog landing with their earlier conviction. Just staying on their feet was now seemingly taking priority for both men as opposed to engaging in any meaningful combat. But suddenly both men reached deep within themselves and located a momentous inner strength which resulted in each of them simultaneously connecting perfectly on one another’s lower jaw. As they both dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes, the designated referee, who until now actually hadn’t intervened at all, stood over the two flat-out bodies, and began his count.

  “1-2-3,” neither man batted an eyelid.

  “4-5-6,” neither man stirred.

  “7-8-9-10,” not even a twitch of a muscle.

  “I declare this contest a draw.”

  To be fair a draw could only have ever been the most justifiable outcome from this impressive and violent fight between two very evenly matched fighters.

  But what fate was now in store for Roxy Pentelow and Erica McDaid considering the result? Neither man had won but neither man had lost either. Did this mean that due to their valiant efforts the lives of both wives had been saved?

  Enzo Durante reached into his trench coat pocket, pulled out a mobile phone and punched in a number. He cocked his hat slightly as he waited for the recipient to answer the call. It was answered after four rings which triggered Enzo to make his declaration in his most menacing New York accent. “Fuck it, kill both of those bitches.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The voice at the other end of the line was not who Enzo Durante had expected.

  “I’m afraid that won’t be happening Mr Durante.”

  “Who the fuck are you?” the New York gangster demanded.

  “My name is Detective Sergeant Sabita Mistry. My colleagues have your goons under arrest. That’s right Mr Durante we have raided you.”

  “Under arrest for what?”

  “Kidnap and false imprisonment for starters. Your clowns would have done a much better job if they had buried the mobile phones with the two ladies, who have been found safe and sound by the way.”

  “Do not refer to my men as clowns. I hate fucking clowns.”

  “Well, what would you call them? By confiscating the ladies’ handbags, we were easily able to track the signals of their mobile phones. This most likely wouldn’t have been possible if they had been buried underground with them. We were able to follow the signals easily and this led us perfectly to your clowns. Then not long after we found the shallow graves of the ladies and freed them. They’re a little shaken but they’ll be fine. The women that is, your men thought it was a good idea to try and resist their arrest and I’m afraid they have come off worse. They were totally outnumbered you see. It’s not every day we get the opportunity to arrest an array of New York gangsters on our patch now is it?”

  Durante looked to the heavens in disbelief. “Mama Mia.”

  “I’m not sure she can help you Mr Durante, but any second now my boss will appear, and he may have a way to help you get out of this. Goodbye.”

  As the words of DS Mistry ended the phone call the sound of a motorcycle entered the vicinity.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Who the fuck are you?”

  This was becoming a commonly asked question.

  The motorcyclist removed his helmet and then produced a badge from his inside pocket.

  “Detective Chief Inspector Judd Stone, or in other words your worst fucking nightmare.”

  “You’ve got a fucking nerve coming here pig.”

  Judd anchored the motorcycle by perching it on its integrated stand and stepped away from the saddle in order to move closer to the New York gangster.

  “I think you’ll find that I’m the one holding all the cards here Mr Durante. However, I am prepared to offer you a deal.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I see that you are very fond of bare-knuckle boxing. The thing is this type of fight that you have arranged here is an illegal practice in this fine city of Birmingham. So, I could arrest you right here, right now for that crime alone, but we also know that we have murder and kidnap on the list.”

  “You will never prove any of it.”

  “Oh, don’t be so sure. We have some of your men already detained remember. Just think of the wondrous effect it would have on my career by bringing down the Mafia in my own city.”

  Durante looked aggravated. “So, what’s this deal you speak of?”

  “It’s quite simple. You found it amusing pitching McDaid and Pentelow together didn’t you. I found it all a bit sick to be honest. Now I’m not particularly concerned about those two wannabees, but you are quite the real deal, aren’t you? Coming over here throwing your New York swagger about and fucking with some of Birmingham’s best-known gangsters. You must have some balls.”

  “They shouldn’t have pissed in my pool.”

  “But now you are pissing in mine. I wonder if you really are as tough as you make out. I have a proposition for you. I want you to put your money where your mouth is.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “I want you to fight me.”

  “You’re joking.”

  “Do I look like a fucking comedian? Same rules as you’ve just made for McDaid and Pentelow apply. So, therefore, no rules except last man standing is the winner. If I win you get the fuck out of Birmingham and head straight back to New York and I lock up those maggots who you deployed to terrorise those poor women. Those brawds, that’s the term in NYC, isn’t it? Those brawds had nothing to do with any of this and so you crossed the line.”

  “And if I win?”

  “You have my word that you can finish here what you started totally unchallenged. You can finish off those two fuckers over there once they wake up if you want but either way you leave the women out of it from now on. So, it’s simple. If I win you get the fuck out of my city and you stay out. That’s a good arrangement considering, because I could bang you up for a very long time, Mr Durante. But if you win you get to do what you want whenever you want. So, is it a deal?”

  Durante habitually cocked his hat slightly.

  “It’s a deal but I wish to change the contest ever so slightly. You see I don’t usually get my hands dirty if I can help it, I get people to do that for me. That’s what being a Mafia boss is all about and separates me from the gangster wannabees of this rain-sodden little land of yours. I accept your proposal, but I won’t fight you, instead, your opponent will be Heavy.”

  The lighting wasn’t great in the disused warehouse, but Judd was still amazed that he hadn’t already spotted the six-foot eight inched tall giant that stepped into the light.

  Durante grinned. “I have one more condition Detective Chief Inspector. If I win, I’ll pin that badge of yours to your fucking heart once Heavy here has ripped it out of your chest and handed it to me. Now, do you still want to wager DCI Stone?”

  Judd didn’t hesitate in answering. “You fucking bet I do,” and no sooner had Judd declared his intent he sent his motorcycle helmet crashing into the huge jaw of Heavy which sent the crowd into an excited and noisy response.

  In truth Judd didn’t have to offer Durante the deal, he could have brought him and the rest of the invading Mob to justice but there were a couple of reasons that had inspired Judd to handle things in the way he had chosen.

  Firstly, even thou
gh he was a Detective Inspector he didn’t have complete confidence that the legal system would follow through the required justice – especially when gangsters were involved. He knew that people in high positions could be paid off and who’s to say that certain US and British parties wouldn’t conspire to save the arse of the Mafia somewhere down the line. Judd found the whole proposal to be a little too risky.

  Secondly Judd Stone simply liked a ruck. He had done since his long-ago days as a prolific football hooligan and now he simply couldn’t resist the temptation to have a go at a Mafia boss, albeit this had now transpired to fighting a giant from New York! Judd Stone had never walked away from a fight in his life and he wasn’t about to start now, even if it was a seemingly David and Goliath type battle and the consequences of defeat were far from ideal.

  Even a man the size of Heavy couldn’t have been a little shaken by having a crash helmet smashed into his face. The impact had caused the helmet to implode and shatter, but Judd’s follow up punch to Heavy’s torso didn’t have quite as much impact and Judd equated the strike as something like hitting a brick wall!

  Heavy retaliated by throwing a punch that seemed similar to a swinging wrecking ball heading towards the demolition of a building. Fortunately, Judd managed to duck and avoid it, the momentum of Heavy’s punch in mid-air unsettling his stance and Judd capitalised with another two punches into the brick wall.

  It became clear that if Judd had a hope of winning this fight, he needed to rely on speed rather than power for this seemed to be the only advantage he had over the huge man stood before him.

  But the next punch thrown by Heavy caught Judd and it instantly stunned him. The punch after that put him on the floor. Heavy reached down to the dazed detective and picked him up in a horizontal position before dropping him down painfully onto the left knee of the big man. The crowd winced as they heard a cracking sound. Heavy repeated the lift but this time decided to throw Judd across the room causing the detective to land heavily amongst the crowd. Some members of the crowd took pity on Judd and actually helped him to his feet, just in time before Heavy reached him. Somehow despite his beating Judd found enough strength to punch the big man’s torso again but this time the sound of cracking was due to the breakage of Heavy’s ribs. This allowed enough time for Judd to strike the huge jaw of Heavy for the first time since the assault with the motorcycle helmet and Judd’s punch was strong enough to unbalance the big man.