Blood Bought

by Robin Roughley

  'Changes that will stop you burning out.'

  'And how do I do that?'

  She turned to him and he saw the concern in her dark eyes. 'You're my brother and I love you, there are other people who feel the same way, each and every one of us is worried about you.'

  'And how do you know that? I mean, it's not as if you're in contact with these mystery people.'

  'I talk to Odette and I talk to Suzanne.'

  Lasser's face blanched in shocked surprise. 'Since when?'

  She shrugged before taking a sip from her own drink. 'For a while now, sometimes we'll meet up for a coffee in town or at one another's houses.'

  'Just to talk about me?' he asked, placing the cup in the holder, his hand shaking slightly.

  Tasha raised an eyebrow. 'No, but somehow your name always comes up.'

  Lasser fumbled the cigarettes from his pocket and lit one.

  'You smoke too much.'

  'I know.'

  'Odette told me about you going into the house after the man had fired a shotgun at them.'

  'Yeah, well she shouldn't have done.'

  'Why not?'

  The buzzards continued to swirl around on the wind as if preparing to do battle with one another, each searching for the chance to attack.

  'Because it's against the rules.'

  Tasha eyebrow rose even higher. 'Come on, Nick, you can hardly start quoting the rules and regulations, not when you've broken every rule going.'

  As always, when anyone used his first name he grimaced. 'Sometimes in the spur of the moment you have to.'

  'In the past week you've been shot at, fought with the gunman, attacked by three men – one of them armed with a baseball bat who left you black and blue – and you've managed to get yourself suspended.'

  This time Lasser could do nothing about his mouth as it fell open.

  'You also went into Medea's home not knowing who was there or if they were armed,' she finished.

  'How the hell do you know about all that?'

  'Odette, Suzanne and Alan.'

  'Alan?'

  'Your boss.'

  Lasser felt the anger start to rise and then his sister jabbed out a finger.

  'You need to calm down.'

  'I am calm,' he lied.

  'We all know you hate to see crime going unpunished but in the past three years you've been stabbed and shot, and God knows what else, next time you could end up dead.'

  'So what?' Lasser snapped out the two words before he had time to think about what he was saying.

  Tasha lurched back towards the passenger door as she saw the truth explode on her brother's face.

  Then she was fumbling for the door handle, tears shining in her eyes.

  'Tasha, wait, I…'

  Wind blew into the car as she scrambled out, slamming the door behind her she stormed across the grass.

  With a heavy sigh, he pushed his own door open and climbed out.

  She was standing twenty feet away, her black hair whirling in the wind, ten yards in front the field ended, the drop down to the stone quarry below yawned open, like a hungry mouth ready to swallow the unwary.

  Flicking away the cigarette, he walked over, his shoulders slumped; reaching her side he came to a halt. 'I'm sorry, Tasha, that was out of order.'

  She turned and looked at her brother, her hair streaming out behind her. 'Why apologise if it was the truth?'

  He lowered his head in shame at the hurt in her eyes. 'I didn't mean it, I just blurted it out.'

  Tasha looked at her brother, his eyes downcast, his jaw clamped, and she was suddenly transported back to when they were kids growing up on a rough estate with just a father who didn't give a shit about their welfare. Even back then her brother had been the one to make sure no harm ever came to her. She remembered the fights he had got into when the older boys made some crass comment about the way she looked, he would wade in and usually the older kids would end up with bloody noses, their faces shocked at the ferocity with which he went for them.

  Soon, his reputation had spread, and Natasha had found herself having a peaceful time from the morons who all looked at her brother with a nervous edge in their eyes.

  The truth was, over time she had taken him for granted and forgot that he was always there for her no matter what. Of course, as she grew older and started to take an interest in boys then her brother's reputation started to become a problem. She remembered one lad, who she had fancied for months, telling her that he would never go out with her in case her brother got wind of it.

  She had tried to explain that there would be no problem, but he had backed away shaking his head.

  'I really like you, Natasha, but your brother is a mad bastard,' he had said before turning and hurrying away.

  His words had seeped into her mind and taken root and she had started to see her brother with fresh eyes, suddenly the help became a hindrance and her attitude towards him had started to change. Until then they had always been close, but in order to live a normal life she had started to distance herself from her brother. She recalled the hurt in his eyes as she lost her temper, telling him to leave her alone, she could look after herself.

  The truth was, she had turned into a bitch, deliberately ignoring him when he tried to ask her where she was going and who she was seeing.

  Now, as she looked at him with his head bowed, she felt her mind twist and she realised that in part she was to blame for how he was. In a way all he was doing was looking out for the weak and the needy, just as he had with her. Suddenly, she felt her own heart weighed down with guilt, when it suited her she had used him to keep her safe, and then she had all but abandoned him when it didn't suit her.

  The tears slipped from her eyes and she stepped forward and took his hand.

  She could see the despair in his eyes, a haunted look that spoke of all the times he had tried to help people and failed.

  'Listen to me, Lasser.'

  He blinked as she used the surname they shared.

  'I'm sorry,' she whispered, her words almost lost on the wind.

  'But…'

  'You were always there for me, always looked after me, and I pushed you away when it suited me.'

  Lasser looked at her in confusion, and then she reached up and brushed his face with her fingertips.

  'You are the best brother any sister could ever want, and I love you so much, and yet I still managed to mess things up.'

  'Come on, Tasha, you just wanted a normal life, and I insisted on pushing my nose in.'

  She shook her head in the negative. 'All you were doing was watching out for me, just like you do for the people you care about, and we are all guilty of taking that help when we need it, but who's there for you when you need help?'

  'I…'

  'All the times you are busy looking out for others, and then they get on with their lives while you put yours on hold again helping someone else.'

  Lasser smiled sadly and gave her hand a squeeze. 'The truth is I don't have much of a life,' he said, and inwardly cringed at the admission. 'I do all this in the hope that I will forget what a sad fucker I am, and…'

  Taking his face in her hands, she lifted his head until they locked eyes. 'That's not true, you're just frightened of having one in case it all goes wrong.'

  'Yeah, well, look at Medea? I had the chance of a proper life and I screwed that up.'

  'Medea wasn't the one for you,' she replied with conviction.

  Lasser looked at her, his eyes growing ever wider.

  'If she had been then you would have given all this up, gladly.'

  'But I don't want to give it up.'

  She stepped even closer until he could smell the apple scent in her hair. 'No one is asking you to, but you need to calm down, you need to make the most of this time to get your head sorted.'

  'And how do I do that?'

  'Well, we could always go away for a few days.'

  'I can't do that, not while I'm on suspension.'

  Nat
asha gave him a sharp look, searching his eyes for any hint of deception. 'Are you sure?'

  'Positive, but once they reach a decision then I'll come with you.'

  'And how long will that take?'

  Lasser shrugged and she sighed.

  'OK, well for now we can go out tonight for a meal.'

  'A meal?'

  'Yes, it's pointless sitting in an empty house, we…'

  'It isn't empty, Karen's there.'

  'You have an answer for everything, don't you?'

  'I was just saying.'

  'Well, I'm sure she won't mind if you get out for a few hours.'

  High above, the buzzards continued to circle one another, the wind picking up speed.

  Lasser hesitated for a moment before nodding. 'OK, I'd like that.'

  Slipping her arm through his, they made their way slowly back to the car, the wind stinging Lasser's tear-filled eyes.

  65

  Cheryl Hucknall looked young enough to be Viner's daughter, she sat on a plush sofa, perched at the top of a swanky apartment block that had views out over the distant Rivington moors.

  Bannister and Odette sat facing her as she stroked the French bulldog sitting by her side.

  'We're sorry to bother you, Miss Hucknall, but we'd like to ask you a few questions about your relationship with Frank Viner.'

  Hucknall looked Odette up and down before turning to Bannister and smiling as if she expected a flash of her white teeth would help remove the frown from his face.

  'I call him Frankie, he hates the name Frank,' she replied as she continued to stroke the dog, her long, garish nails leaving thin lines in the short fur.

  'How long have you two been together?' Odette asked.

  'About twelve months, we met at a club in town.'

  'What do you do for a living?'

  She shrugged before sliding her shining auburn hair behind her ear. 'Well, I used to work as a dental receptionist, but I gave that up a few months ago.'

  'So, you don't work?' Bannister asked, although he suspected he already knew the answer.

  'Frankie doesn't like me working. I mean, he can call around anytime and he likes to know I'm here.'

  Odette sighed, and Hucknall looked at her curiously – as if she didn't see a problem with her answer.

  'And you have no problem with that?' Bannister asked, leaning forward, elbows on knees.

  'Why would I have a problem with someone looking after me?' she replied, sounding genuinely interested.

  'How old are you?'

  'Twenty-two.'

  'And how old is Viner?' he asked.

  She shrugged her shoulders, the dog yawned as if bored with the chatter. 'Late forties, I think.'

  'That's what he told you, is it?'

  The smile slid from Cheryl Hucknall's face. 'Look, it doesn't matter to me how old he is as…'

  'Long as he keeps paying the bills,' Bannister finished.

  She tilted her head slightly, her full lips pouting. 'It's hard to find a job these days,' she explained, not realising the irony in her words. 'And besides, I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you.'

  Bannister smiled. 'I think you'll find that you do. Now, we've already spoken to Viner and he says that ten days ago, Wednesday to be precise, you two spent the night together.'

  'Wednesday?'

  Bannister nodded.

  For a moment Cheryl's brow creased in concentration. 'That's right we did.'

  'Was that here or at Viner's house?'

  'Here.'

  'And what did you do exactly?'

  'I cooked a meal, spag boll, then we had a bath together and watched a film.'

  'Which film?' Bannister asked in a tight voice.

  'Actually, we watched two, the first was Bridges of Madison County, I love that film. We watched that one in the bath and Frankie fell asleep, then I woke him, and we went to bed and I put…'

  'Dirty Dancing on?' Bannister interrupted, his eyes shining.

  Cheryl shook her head. 'No. I love that film, but we watched Ghost, Patrick Swayze was gorgeous in that film, well truth is he was gorgeous in every film.'

  Bannister felt the sense of disbelief rise through his mind like a bubble of confusion. Viner had been a bit vague about the first film they had watched, though he had mentioned seeing Clint Eastwood, but he had named the second film as Ghost.

  'What time did you actually go to sleep?' Odette asked as she felt Bannister tense by her side.

  'Well, Frankie almost made it to the end of Ghost but just as it was ending one of my friends rang, she's having boyfriend trouble. I went to make a coffee because I knew she would want to natter, by the time I came back to the bedroom Frankie was dead to the world, so I closed the door and came in here to talk with her.'

  Odette stood up and Bannister followed suit.

  'Thanks for your help,' he said reluctantly.

  Cheryl smiled as they headed for the door.

  Once outside, the DCI pressed the lift button and they waited in silence for the doors to open.

  Stepping inside, Odette hit the button and the door glided closed.

  'Fucking unbelievable,' Bannister snarled.

  Odette sighed as the lift started to head downwards.

  66

  'May, I need you to stay behind tonight, we need to get this sorted.'

  She looked up from the computer. 'I'm sorry, Scott, but I can't do that.'

  Her boss frowned as he looked at her. 'Whatever it is you'll have to cancel it; Alec Walker has an appointment at the bank first thing Monday and he needs the facts and figures to show to the manager.'

  'But I've done them all, I gave them to you yesterday.'

  Scott Moss scowled. 'I don't have to explain myself to you, you'll have to stay and upload the figures to the new system. End of story.'

  May looked at the man, he was in his early thirties, dressed in a flash suit, his blue tie askew, his hair swept back and held in place by ''product''. His tan was deep and golden from the two weeks in the Bahamas with his girlfriend.

  He had been back a week and every time she had seen him he had been over near the water cooler showing the ones he favoured the pictures on his phone of his ''holiday of a lifetime''.

  May felt the annoyance turn to anger inside, though she tried to hide it behind a brittle smile as Moss thrust out his chest and jabbed a finger at her.

  'I want it all on my desk ASAP, so don't even think of going home until you've sorted it.'

  Suddenly, she felt something inside her mind snap and she slowly stood up. 'I'm leaving at five,' she said.

  She felt eyes swivel towards her as the rest of the team glanced in her direction.

  Moss narrowed his eyes in surprise. 'What did you say?'

  'You heard well enough, as soon as the clock hits five then I'm gone.'

  'Really?' he asked, folding his muscular gym-toned arms, his chin jutting out.

  'Yes, ''really''.'

  'Well, if that's the case then you've no need to come back, because I need people who will give one hundred and ten percent, and…'

  'Just like you do, is that what you mean?'

  May heard one or two people in the office gasp in shock.

  'How dare you!' Moss barked.

  May reached down to her desk and lifted her phone up. 'You've been back from your holiday for seven days,' she started to tap at the screen. 'Since you came back you have spent over six hours standing at the watercooler showing everyone what a great time you had in the Bahamas.'

  Holding the phone up she thrust it towards Moss, the image showed him laughing by the watercooler as he showed another member of staff the images on his phone.

  'What the hell…!?'

  'I started filming every time you stood there, it shows the time you started to talk and then I stopped it when you eventually quit nattering about the beach and the women and the drink.'

  'I…'

  'The phone recorded the time you started and stopped which adds up to just
over the six-hour mark. I also have you sitting in your car on three separate occasions that amounted to over two hours.'

  The whole room fell silent, fingers stopped hitting computer keys, phones were placed back on cradles and they waited to see what would happen.

  'Get out, you're sacked!' Moss suddenly bellowed.

  May held his furious gaze. 'I'll go – but not before I show this to Mr Walker.'

  'What!?'

  'You say you want one hundred and ten percent, yet you never practice what you preach. Everyone here works hard, I did the work you asked of me and it was on your desk yesterday and now you tell me I have to stay to upload it, you give me no time to rearrange my plans and you threaten to sack me because I refuse to bend to your will.'

  'I'm sacking you because you spied on me and because you won't do your job!'

  'Well, let's ask Mr Walker and see what he has to say about all this. I do my job, I hit deadlines set by you and all because you fail to do your job!'

  More gasps filled the silence but May kept her eyes locked on the man who fumed in front of her.

  'You little bitch, I'll finish you for this, I'll make sure you never work again, I'll…'

  'I'm recording this,' May interrupted with a smile. 'And believe me, I'll be making sure management get to hear it loud and clear.'

  Moss lunged forward, his face ravaged with anger, May leapt back, the camera held up, filming as he lunged over the desk, his arms outstretched.

  His right arm hit the computer and sent the screen crashing to the floor, his eyes were wide and manic, and then May tapped at the screen to halt the filming.

  Moss snarled, she dashed forwards and lashed out with her free hand, the palm cracking across his right cheek.

  Someone in the office let out a yelp of a cheer and someone else clapped.

  Pocketing her phone, May picked up her bag and slipped it over her shoulder.

  'I'm going to see Mr Walker now, and by the time I'm done I suspect you will be the one clearing your desk.'

  The whole room watched in amazement as she headed to the lift that would take her up to the management floor.

  Scott Moss placed his head on the desk, the fear and hatred writhing inside as he realised the enormity of what had just happened.