“She needs you like she needs a hole in the head. Fuck off,” he said, giving her chair one final push, sending her rolling down the corridor, the carer scrambling to catch up with her.
Jackson returned to Jules’s bedside and slammed himself back down in his chair.
“You okay?” said Mikey.
“Just fucking peachy,” he snapped back.
Rachel popped her head out the door. “Looks like she got the message. She’s going.”
“Good because if she comes back I’ll throw her and her chair out the window,” said Jackson.
“I don’t think she will,” said Rachel. “She won’t want her carer hearing about what she did to Jules.”
“What did she do to Jules?” said Leah.
Rachel cursed herself. Leah had been so quiet it was easy to forget she was there. “She…hurt her.”
“Yeah I got that but how?”
“Alice and her husband weren’t nice people.”
Leah didn’t need any more details. She knew what the word ‘paedo’ meant. “Poor Aunty Jules. Why does horrible stuff keep happening to her?”
“My sentiments exactly,” muttered Jackson to the floor.
“Things will be better when we’ve got someone guarding the door,” said Mikey. “Then we’ll be able to control who gets in. Speak of the devil,” he added when the others returned.
“We’ve got Riley to guard the door,” said Jez, patting him on the shoulder, Ryan beside him.
Jackson got up to shake his hand. “Thanks, this means a lot to me.”
Riley nodded, glad he could help his friend. “No worries. It leaves the others free to get Cara back. I’m so sorry mate.”
Jackson nodded and ran a hand through his hair.
“Alice Parker just turned up,” said Mikey.
“You’re kidding?” said Jez. “I can’t believe she had the brass neck.”
“Well she did but Jackson saw her off. Actually he gave her wheelchair a shove down the corridor so she had no choice.”
“You should have shoved it off a cliff.”
“Will you please get out of my way,” said Beth, struggling to see over the three men. “I want to see Jules.”
“Sorry babe,” said Riley, standing aside to let her through.
Beth hesitated when she saw Jackson, whose eyes flicked to her stomach. Jules had told him about her pregnancy and her heart broke when his eyes filled with tears.
“Excuse me, I need some air,” said Jackson, rushing from the room.
“Oh hell,” sighed Beth.
“What was that about?” said Rachel, hugging her friend when it looked like she was going to burst into tears.
“Me and Riley are having a baby,” said Beth. “I got pregnant at the same time as Jules. Our due dates were about the same. I should have thought before I came here.”
“It’s okay, don’t get yourself worked up,” said Riley, rubbing a hand up and down her back.
“He’s right,” said Rachel. “Sit down and take the weight off.”
Beth nodded, took the seat Rachel had vacated and gazed at Jules. “Has she woken up at all?”
“Not yet,” said Rachel.
Ryan glanced at Rachel but she refused to look back at him, making his heart sink even further. Mikey and Jez both spotted this and frowned at each other.
Mikey had got nowhere with Rachel, so he decided to tackle Ryan instead. The opportunity presented itself when Ryan excused himself and vanished out of the room.
“I’m going to get a brew,” said Mikey, so it wouldn’t look like he was following him, Rachel was super sharp. “Anyone want anything?”
They all shook their heads except, to his annoyance, Jez. “Yeah, I’m thirsty. I’ll come with you.”
“I’ll get it mate, you stay here with Jules.”
“But I don’t know what I want. I want to see what they’ve got.”
“It’s a hospital. I doubt they’ll have mochas and lattes and all that fancy crap you like.”
“All the same I’d like to see,” said Jez. “Jesus, what are you, the coffee police?”
Mikey knew he couldn’t push it without making Rachel suspicious so he just said, “fine, come on then.”
CHAPTER 19
“What’s got into you?” said Jez as he hurried after Mikey.
They left the intensive care unit, Jez frowning when Mikey stood there, looking up and down the corridor. “Canteen’s that way,” he said, pointing to the left.
“I’m not after the sodding canteen, I want to talk to Ryan. There he is,” he said when he spied him heading in the direction Jez had pointed.
“What about?” said Jez, hurrying to keep up. “And why all the secrecy?”
“Something’s not right between him and Rachel and I want to know what it is.”
“Yeah, there is a weird atmosphere.”
“I asked Rachel but she said she wanted to tell Ryan first.”
“Tell him what?”
“I don’t know, she wouldn’t say.”
“Then how’s he supposed to know if she’s not told him yet?”
“I don’t know but he might have inside information. I’m worried about them.”
“Yeah, okay but Ryan doesn’t like people sticking their noses into his business, not even family. Trust me, I know.”
“Tough,” said Mikey determinedly.
They found Ryan sitting at a table by the window, gazing outside while sipping a cup of tea. It looked like he was lost in his own world but when they approached his table his head snapped round, fully aware they were there.
“What do you two want?” he sighed.
“Charming,” said Jez, sitting opposite him, Mikey taking the chair beside Ryan so it would be difficult for him to do a runner.
“Do you mind?” Ryan told Mikey. “You’re invading my personal space.”
“Deal with it,” he replied, causing Ryan’s eyebrow to arch. “We want to know what’s going on with you and Rachel.”
Ryan sighed and stared miserably into his mug. “I wish I knew.”
“You mean you have no idea either?” said Jez.
“I’m completely baffled. She’s been very standoffish with me for a couple of weeks, including in the bedroom.”
Jez was amazed his brother was being so open with them and surmised he needed to get it off his chest.
“I’ve asked her several times what’s wrong,” he went on. “But she just says she’s tired, feeling a bit under the weather.”
“Maybe she is?” said Jez.
“If she was ill she wouldn’t go near the intensive care ward,” said Ryan. “She was a nurse, she understands these things. When she walked in without a moment’s pause I knew she was perfectly healthy, which of course is a relief, I don’t want her to be unwell.”
“Maybe it’s something that’s not contagious?” said Mikey.
“If so then why not tell me?”
Mikey was lost for a reply, so instead he said, “I asked her what was wrong too. She said she wouldn’t tell me until she’d told you.”
“Told me what? Did she give you any idea?”
“No, sorry.”
Ryan sighed and shook his head. “As much as I hate to admit it, I’m terrified she’s having an affair.”
“No way,” said Mikey. “She adores you, she’d never look at anyone else.”
“Don’t tell me it didn’t cross your mind when she said she needed to tell me first.”
“Well…maybe for a moment but I know Rachel, she loves you to bits.”
“We have been married a while, things turn stale.”
“Have things been stale between you?”
“No, not until the last couple of weeks anyway. Before that everything was fine, normal.”
“I think this calls for an intervention,” said Jez. “Rachel isn’t herself and with everything else going on we need to get to the bottom of this and fast. We can’t have you being so distracted when we go to Essex, it could
be dangerous.”
“I must admit it would be a relief to finally know,” said Ryan. “But I don’t want to lose my wife.”
“That won’t happen,” said Jez. “You and Rachel were made for each other.”
“Yes but what if I’m not enough for her anymore?”
Jez cleared his throat. “We need to do this as soon as possible, today preferably.”
Between them they came up with a plan.
Riley popped his head around the door of Jules’s room. “There’s a DI Dwyer here,” he said. “He wants to talk to you Jackson. I’ve already checked him out, he is who he says he is.”
Jackson looked to Rachel, who nodded. “He won’t go away until he talks to you,” she said.
“I thought Mikey and Jez had fixed it so no one would come asking any questions?” he whispered back to her.
“It’s probably just routine,” she replied.
Jackson nodded. “Let him in,” he told Riley.
Riley nodded back and turned to talk to a figure they couldn’t see. “You can go in.”
“Thanks,” replied a curt voice.
Rachel, Leah, Beth and Jackson all stared curiously at the tall, thin figure before them, dark hair immaculately combed into a neat side parting, face long and thin, eyes sharp and blue.
“Mr Driscoll?” he asked Jackson.
He nodded and got to his feet, shaking the large hand Dwyer extended.
“I’m investigating the attack on your wife.” He noticed Rachel and his eyes narrowed. “Rachel Law.”
“Yes?” she said. As he stared at her an intense feeling of dislike crept over her but it wasn’t hers, it was coming entirely from him.
Dwyer’s eyes flicked to Leah, skimming over Beth altogether. “And you are?”
“My daughter,” said Rachel, putting a protective arm around her.
“How old are you?” he asked Leah, ignoring her mother.
“She’s fifteen,” replied Rachel.
“Maybe you should wait outside Leah? I need to interview Mr Driscoll.”
“Go and get yourself something from the vending machine,” Rachel told her, dipping into her purse and placing some money in her hand.
“I can stay if you want Mum,” replied Leah. DI Dwyer creeped her out and she didn’t like leaving her mum with him, although Jackson was there and Riley was on the door.
“It’s okay, go on,” she gently encouraged.
“I’ll come with you,” said Beth. “I could use a brew.” In truth she wanted to get away from Dwyer, he made her uncomfortable.
Leah nodded and left with Beth.
“It’s not necessary for you to stay either,” Dwyer told Rachel. “I believe you weren’t even there.”
“I’m here for Jackson, we all band together at times like this.”
“Protecting Mikey and Jez’s interests?” he said cynically.
“No,” she frowned. “Like I said, I’m here for Jackson.”
“Let her stay,” said Jackson, thinking Dwyer’s attitude slightly odd.
“Fine,” he said, sinking into the seat Beth had vacated and taking out his notepad and pen.
“You haven’t shown us any identification yet,” said Rachel.
“I showed it to your husband guarding the door,” he retorted.
“That’s not my husband. He’s my brother-in-law, Riley Cutter, a decorated soldier.” She’d noted the derision with which he spoke about Ryan and it irritated her. Who was this creep?
“Oh,” was all he replied before turning back to Jackson, leaving her fuming.
Jackson couldn’t tell him anything useful, not until he’d received the phone call from Mikey telling him to get to the hospital and Dywer seemed disappointed. When it became evident Dwyer wasn’t going to get anything useful and Jackson could more than handle him, Rachel slipped out of the room to speak to Riley.
“I don’t like that guy,” she said. “He’s creepy.”
“I know. I’ve already called the station. Unfortunately he’s leading the investigation into the attack on Jules.”
“I’ll ask Mikey to do some digging, see what his contacts can tell him. Something’s not right but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Some of my staff are ex-police, they might know him too. I’ll ask them.”
“Thanks, that would be great.”
“I’ve had to call in a couple of members of my team to help guard Jules. I can’t be here twenty four seven, I need to eat and sleep and use the bathroom. Plus I need more eyes to help me if you’re all going to be tearing down to Essex. So I called in Fletch, you remember him, he worked security in one of your nightclubs and he’s helped guard you and your family in the past.”
“Course I remember Fletch,” she smiled. “He’s very good at what he does.”
“He’s usually teamed up with Leo but he’s on paternity leave at the moment so I’ve brought in Paula, she’s worked for us for over a year, she’s a pure professional and very trustworthy.”
“Okay Riley, we trust your judgement and like you said, you can’t be here twenty four seven.”
When she went rigid he wondered what she’d seen to make her react like that. Looking down the corridor he saw Mikey, Jez and Ryan approaching and he wondered which one of them had upset her.
“I’ll see how Jackson’s doing,” she said before hurrying back into Jules’s room.
Ryan saw how his own wife winced at the sight of him and practically dove into Jules’s room just to get away from him.
“Don’t worry bruv,” said Jez, who had seen it too and felt awful for his brother. “We’ll get it sorted.”
“Yeah,” said Mikey. “A plan of ours has never failed yet.”
Ryan nodded, jaw tense, hoping he looked the essence of cool and calm when inside he was panicking like hell. Once he’d dared to briefly consider life without Rachel but it so horrified him he had soon stopped. However he had to face up to the fact that his future may not lie with her, despite what he’d thought from the moment he’d seen her standing on the church steps on her wedding day to Danny Maguire.
It was almost a relief when his phone started ringing, it meant he wouldn’t have to deal with Rachel for a few more minutes. “Excuse me,” he said, stepping back out into the corridor.
Riley stopped Mikey and Jez from going into Jules’s room.
“You’re taking your duties a bit far, aren’t you?” said Jez. “Or do you think we’re dodgy?”
Riley rolled his eyes. “I have to tell you that one DI Dwyer is in there talking to Jackson.”
“Dwyer?” said Mikey. “Never heard of him.”
“I checked him out before I let him through, he’s the lead investigator on the inquiry into the attack on Jules.”
“I thought that was supposed to be DI Sanders,” said Jez. “That bastard is in our pocket.”
Riley shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
“I’ll call Sanders,” said Mikey.
“I’d best get in there,” said Jez, opening the door.
He hurried in to find Dwyer getting to his feet, who regarded him with contempt. “Ah, it’s Mr Law.”
“I didn’t see anything,” said Jez flatly.
“So I believe but I am most anxious to speak with Michael Maguire.”
“It’s Mikey, not Michael.”
“Isn’t Mikey short for Michael?”
“No.”
“How odd.”
“Is that what you want to speak to him about, his name?”
“Why don’t you just be a good boy and go get him for me?”
Jez frowned at his sarcastic tone. He was blatantly taking the piss out of him, albeit politely.
“Well, where is he?” said Dwyer with infinite patience.
“He went outside to make a call,” replied Jez.
“In that case, please could you tell him that he can’t hide from me forever.”
“Mikey hides from no one.”
“How nice for him,�
� he said as though he were talking to a three year old. He turned to Jackson and nodded graciously. “Thank you Mr Driscoll. I hope your wife improves soon.”
Jackson just nodded, refusing to look at him.
Dwyer’s cool, steady gaze settled on Rachel as he left the room, slightly mocking. When Rachel’s eyes turned black with anger his lips twitched with amusement before he disappeared out the door.
“Thank Christ for that,” said Jackson when he’d gone.
“Did he give you a hard time?” said Jez.
“He kept asking me where Cara is. I told him she’s staying with relatives because I didn’t want her to see her mum like this. When he asked which relatives I told him it was none of his business, it’s not like he can question her. I didn’t want to say anywhere specific in case he turned up there to check.”
“Do your mum and dad know what’s happened?”
“They’re on holiday in Rome. I’ve tried calling them but I can’t reach them and they’re both useless with technology so there’s no point e-mailing them.”
“Probably for the best until we bring Cara home.”
“You’re right. They’d probably fall to pieces if they were questioned by the police and I don’t want to blow their world apart just yet, they adore Cara and Jules and their trip to Rome is the holiday of a lifetime.”
“There was something strange about Dwyer,” said Rachel.
“Just a bit,” said Jez. “We’re going to do some serious digging into that bastard, Mikey’s already on it. That’s a point, I’d better call him and tell him to stay out of sight until Dwyer’s done one.”
CHAPTER 20
Just as Ryan put his phone to his ear, an elderly woman stepped up to him clutching a phone of her own, holding it out to him.
‘Take the phone from her,’ said the voice in his ear, a voice that caused all his muscles to clench with anger.
“Hayden Brody. Well, well, well, I never expected to hear from you again. I thought you were more sensible than that.”
‘I’m not talking on this line, it’s not secure. The phone she’s holding out to you is.’
“Who is she?”
‘My cleaning lady. She’s a good old bird, don’t worry.’
Ryan pulled a pair of leather gloves out of his jacket pocket and put them on before touching the phone. “Thank you,” he said to the sweet old face staring up at him.
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