by Caz Finlay
‘You look just like her,’ Greg said as he stared at Grace so longingly he was almost drooling.
‘But if you get us the money, I’ve promised Greg we can go abroad to somewhere where the women are much cheaper, and he’ll settle for just an hour or two in your company. It’s up to you, Grace,’ Eddie said as he stood up.
‘I won’t give you a fucking penny,’ she spat. Her anger was all she had left. If she refused to pay them, they’d have to rethink their plan.
‘Fine by me,’ Eddie said. ‘Me and Eve would just be happy to see you suffer, wouldn’t we, Eve?’
Eve nodded furiously. ‘Fucking evil bitch,’ she spat.
‘Why?’ Grace asked. Surely it was all about the money?
‘Why?’ Eddie shrieked, his temper flaring so quickly, he reminded Grace of his father. ‘Because you killed my dad, you fucking murdering bitch.’
Grace winced at his words. Her ex-husband’s demise was a memory she tried her best to bury in the deepest recesses of her brain. So that was what it was really about for Eddie. But Eve? What was her deal? Surely she couldn’t hold that much of a grudge for being thrown out of The Blue Rooms? Before Grace could ask the question, Eve stepped closer to her, with a look of such pure hatred on her face, for a split second it made Grace recoil. But she was Grace Sumner and these three cretins weren’t going to get a penny out of her.
‘And what the fuck am I supposed to have done to you?’
Eve glared at her, her eyes narrowed into thin slits and her lips set in a grimace. Grace heard Eddie chuckle softly in the background and from the corner of her eye noticed Greg shifting from one foot to the other as a smile stretched across his face.
‘What have you done to me?’ Eve shrieked. ‘You stupid cow. Do you really want to know?’
‘Tell her, Eve,’ Eddie goaded her.
Grace’s heart started to hammer against her chest as Eve leaned her face close to hers. The pungent cigarette smoke made her eyes water and she blinked as Eve started to grin maniacally, lips peeled back over her gums, showing her yellow dentures.
‘I’m Eve Conlon,’ she spat. ‘You murdered my son. You fucking whore.’
Chapter 91
Eve Conlon scowled at the woman in front of her who had once been her son’s wife. She wasn’t so fucking stuck-up now, was she? All her money and designer gear meant nothing now that she was in Eve’s world. Once they’d milked her for every penny they could get, that Greg lad was going to have his fun with her, and then bury her body where it would never be found.
Eve hadn’t seen her son for years before he was taken from her so cruelly. They’d taken him off her when he was a kid and he’d been sent to some care home. It had probably been for the best – she wasn’t cut out for looking after snot-nosed little kids. And his dad didn’t want to know him. Tommy fucking McNulty – big hard man who’d threatened to kill Eve if she ever revealed Nathan’s true parentage. She’d made sure she screwed that bastard for every penny she could over the years though – she wasn’t stupid, and she knew her silence was worth a lot to someone like Tommy.
When Nathan had grown up a bit and had finally become someone interesting, she’d got in touch with him, but the cheeky little sod told her to fuck off. She’d reminded him that she’d given birth to him. Had given up her figure and her life for that ungrateful little bastard, but he’d told her he wanted nothing to do with her. She was dead to him, he’d said. He threatened to put a bullet in her head if she ever came near him again, and she sensed that, at that moment at least, he’d meant it. He was just like his father in that respect. But she knew that one day he would come round. He’d have seen sense eventually and welcomed his old mum back with open arms.
When she’d heard he’d been murdered she’d been devastated. There was no way she’d ever get a chance to worm her way back into his affections after all. No chance he could look after her now that she was getting on a bit. She knew his ex-wife had done it. It was all over the papers. But they’d said it was self-defence after he’d almost killed her. Eve had known her boy had a bit of a temper on him and had accepted that these things happen.
But that was until a few weeks ago, when Eddie Redman had walked into her life. He was a mate of Angie Anderson’s lad. Eve had lived next door to Angie and her brood, and she’d always liked the woman. Her kids were another story, but Angie was a generous woman who always had a spare ciggie or a can of cider for a neighbour in need.
Eve had been gobsmacked when Eddie had turned up at her flat one Sunday afternoon. She’d been craving a drink and, with only a few pence left to her name, had been contemplating going out and pinching herself some cider from the local offy. Then he’d told her who he was and she could have kissed him. He had the same cheeky grin as his dad and she’d been over the moon that he’d found out about her from Angie and had looked her up. Eve had tried to keep some tabs on Nathan over the years, and she knew all about his other kid, Jake, but she’d had no idea about Eddie. Now here he was, and with a plan to make them both a shitload of money. And when he’d told her what really happened to her Nathan, and how that bitch had tried to burn him alive, well, she’d wanted to kill the little whore herself.
Eddie was a smart lad – just like her Nathan. He had the perfect plan. And tomorrow Grace Sumner would pay for killing Eve’s boy – in every possible way.
Chapter 92
Grace blinked as she stared at Eve’s grinning face and tried to process the information she’d just been given. Surely she’d misheard? There was no way it could be true.
‘What did you say?’ she asked
‘You heard me,’ Eve sneered. ‘Nathan Conlon was my boy and you killed him. You scheming little bitch. Now, we’re going to make you pay. One way or another.’
Grace shook her head. ‘No. You can’t be … He told me—’
Before Grace could finish her sentence, Eve came closer and slapped her across the face with the back of her hand. Running her tongue across the inside of her cheek, Grace tasted blood. Well, if the old crank was telling the truth, the apple certainly hadn’t fallen very far from the tree. But why had Nathan told her Eve was dead? Had he even known the truth?
Eddie started to laugh, snapping Grace from her thoughts.
‘Couldn’t believe my luck when I found my dear old nan alive and well and living it up in Birkenhead.’ He put an arm around Eve’s shoulders and she patted his chest adoringly.
Eve nodded. ‘He’s a good lad, this one. Not like that stuck-up little brat of yours. Letting you and those hired thugs kick me out of his precious little club. When he was the only reason I’d even set foot in the place. I’d been in there every sodding week, waiting for the right time to tell him who I was and then you showed up and fucking ruined everything, you spiteful bitch,’ she snarled.
Grace had to shake her head to stop herself from laughing out loud. If it wasn’t so bloody terrifying it would have been comical. So, it was all about revenge. The two avenging angels. Nathan’s mother, the woman who’d abandoned him as a child and set him on the road to becoming a psychopath. And Eddie – the son whom Nathan wanted absolutely nothing to do with. Whose mother he’d threatened to kill if the truth about Eddie’s paternity ever got out. Nathan hated the pair of them so much, he’d denied their very existence, and here they were seeking revenge for his death.
‘We’ll leave you to think over your options for the night,’ Eddie said as the three of them started to leave the room.
‘What if I need the toilet?’ Grace asked.
‘You’ll just have to piss yourself,’ Eddie replied and the three of them burst into laughter. Grace watched as the door closed and the last sliver of light disappeared. It took her eyes a few minutes to adjust to the darkness, but when they did, she scanned the room for a weapon, or anything that might help her escape.
She saw none and the thought that she might die in this awful hellhole filled her with terror.
Chapter 93
Grace strained to h
ear what was being said in the other room, but any voices had been drowned out by the blaring of the television. The theme tune of Coronation Street confirmed she’d been lying in this filthy cesspit for at least three hours. Her wrists and ankles burned where the rope began to cut into them from all her twisting and wrenching to try and loosen them, but to no avail.
The indignity of it all. Tied, spread-eagled, to a bed. She was desperate to use the toilet now and wondered how long it would be until she had to release her full bladder. God, who would have thought she’d go out like this? Alone, in a dark and dingy flat in Birkenhead that smelled of weed, stale beer and rotten food. She wondered how long it would be before someone would miss her. Jake had discharged himself from hospital and was recovering at home with Siobhan. He would notice when she didn’t phone him tomorrow, but would probably assume she was busy packing. Belle was with Michael for the whole weekend, so that was two more days before he’d bring her back and find Grace missing. Libby was probably on her flight to Barcelona by now. She’d gone to join Maria and meet her family. Grace had the weekend off from the club to sort the packing for her move. Who else would even notice she’d gone?
Her earlier terror and fear seemed to have been replaced by an acute sadness. Grace had never felt so alone in all her life. She thought about Marcus. Ben. Nathan. And Michael. Michael, whom, she realised, she loved more than any of them, but had never even had the chance to tell him. He’d arranged to have Belle every other weekend when she moved back to Harewood. But now it looked like he’d have to look after her permanently. It gave her some comfort to know that Michael would be a doting father to Belle, and her daughter would be loved and cherished. But would Belle even remember her? Grace choked back the tears as she realised that she probably wouldn’t. Her little girl would grow up without a mother. No one would ever love her as much as Grace did, and Belle would never know it.
Grace was still thinking about her daughter when the door creaked open and the unmistakeable stench of Greg filled the room – sweat mixed with tobacco and stale cider. He walked silently towards her and sat on the bed.
‘You’re not going to scream, are you? Don’t make me put that gag on you again.’ He ran his fingertips up her bare leg.
Grace flinched and tried to move away from him but her restraints prevented her from doing so.
Greg laughed. ‘Eddie and Eve are asleep. So, me and you can have some fun now, can’t we?’
‘Fuck off, you dirty little weasel. You’re fucking disgusting. You make my skin crawl.’
He laughed again. ‘Aw, that’s not very nice, is it, Grace? Especially as I like you so much.’ He licked his lips as he leered at her. ‘I’ll show you a good time, don’t worry.’ He grinned at her, showing his rotten teeth, and she thought she might vomit all over him for a second time that day. He ran his hand further up her leg until it was sliding up under the fabric of her dress and along her inner thigh.
She closed her eyes and tried to pretend she was somewhere else but it didn’t work. Maybe there was some way she could use this to her advantage instead? Persuade Greg to untie her? Yes. She’d manipulated much smarter and tougher men than this pathetic piece of shit.
She was thinking about her next move when the loudest bang she’d ever heard and the shattering of glass exploded through her ears. Then what sounded like a small army platoon came running into the flat. Before Greg could move an inch, the door to the bedroom burst open with such force that it came off one of its hinges.
The noise was deafening. Shouts. Screaming. Swearing. Banging. Suddenly, Greg was being lifted into the air as though he was made of feathers. She watched his body as it was launched through the now open doorway.
Then she saw Michael standing beside the bed and her heart almost burst out of her chest with relief. He had come for her.
‘Michael,’ she whispered, her voice hoarse from lack of fluids.
‘Get her out of here. Now!’ he barked to whoever was standing on the other side of the room.
‘Will do, son.’ Grace recognised Patrick’s voice as he rushed to her side and Michael disappeared through the doorway.
‘You’re all right, love. We’ve got you now,’ Patrick soothed as he cut through her restraints. Then he lifted her from the bed with the strength of a man twenty years his junior, and despite hobbling without his stick, he carried her out of the flat. Grace buried her head in his shoulder and clung onto his neck, fearing that if she opened her eyes it would all turn out to be a dream and she would be back in that awful room with Greg trying to rape her.
Chapter 94
Jake was waiting on the doorstep when Patrick pulled his car into her driveway. As soon as the engine stopped, Jake hobbled as fast as he could on his crutches to the passenger door, opened it wide, and pulled Grace into a hug as soon as she stepped out.
‘Mum,’ he said, tears pricking his eyes. ‘Thank God you’re okay.’ Releasing her from his embrace, he looked her over, as though appraising the damage. She hated the scrutiny and hoped he didn’t see how terrified she’d felt – still felt. She leaned against him to avoid his gaze. It was so good to be near him.
‘I wanted to come with them,’ he said apologetically. ‘But they said I’d have slowed them down, and they were probably right.’
‘I’m glad you were here instead, Jake.’ She would have hated for him to see her like that. ‘To wait for me, and to look after Belle. Where is she?’ she asked, suddenly anxious to see her daughter. Desperate to hold her soft baby body in her arms. Smell her beautiful baby-powder-scented skin.
‘She’s fast asleep upstairs. She’s fine. Libby and Siobhan are here too. Let’s get you inside,’ he said as he guided her towards the front door.
***
Freshly showered and having sat with Belle in her arms for as long as she could before her daughter started to squirm, Grace prepared to make her way back downstairs to her kitchen where they all waited anxiously for her return and for her to tell them that she was okay. Waiting for her to explain how she’d ended up in Eve Conlon’s dingy little flat in Birkenhead. She wanted to curl up in her king-size bed instead and ignore them all. But that would just make them worry more. Besides, there was no way she was going to sleep. She wondered whether she’d ever sleep again. She hadn’t felt like this since she was married to Nathan. The nights she’d lie awake waiting for his return, her heart hammering in her chest, blood thundering around her body, wondering what mood he’d be in, and what fresh torment he’d have in store for her.
After straightening her T-shirt in the mirror, she smoothed her hands over her hair. Time to put her game face on and remind the world who she was. She was Grace Sumner. And no one, least of all a couple of crackheads and an old whore, would knock her crown.
***
‘How are you feeling, sweetheart?’ Patrick asked as Grace walked into the kitchen. Siobhan placed a mug of hot, sweet tea into her hands as she sat down.
‘Okay, considering,’ she replied shakily. ‘If you hadn’t got there when you did …’
‘Shh, don’t worry about that now, love.’ Patrick said softly as he put an arm around her shoulder.
A knock at the front door made Grace jump.
‘I’ll go,’ Patrick said.
A minute later he walked back into the kitchen with Sean.
‘Michael has stayed behind. He wanted to make sure everything was taken care of.’ Sean said pointedly and Patrick and Jake nodded.
Grace noticed the skin on Sean’s knuckles was red and bleeding. ‘I’m sorry I’ve had to drag you out of retirement again.’ She attempted a laugh.
Sean pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. ‘Don’t be so ridiculous. You’re family, Grace.’
Grace felt the tears welling up again so she tried to change the subject. ‘So how did you find me? How did you even know I was missing?’
‘It was Libby who alerted everyone,’ Sean said.
Libby beamed with pride. ‘My flight was cancelled bec
ause of the bloody fog,’ she explained. ‘So rather than go home I thought I’d come here to spend the evening with you. I knew you’d be feeling lonely with Belle at Michael’s and since Marcus – well, you know. And I wanted to spend some time with you before you left.’
Patrick coughed as if to indicate she should get to the point.
‘Anyway, when you weren’t here and I couldn’t get hold of you, I phoned Michael. And when Jake didn’t know where you were, and Michael couldn’t reach you, we started to panic.’
Patrick took over the commentary then. ‘Michael got everyone together in less than an hour. Everyone wanted to help, Grace. Even Nathan’s old mate John Brennan. Michael had everyone looking for you. The twins are on their way back from London as we speak. It was a stroke of luck that one of the barmaids at the club was late for her shift and saw you getting into Eddie’s car. She assumed you were going willingly and she’d remembered him from coming into the club a few weeks ago.’
‘But how did you find Eve’s flat?’
‘Eddie’s so-called mates told us he’d been hanging around with Eve. Michael got in touch with his police contact, who gave us Eve’s address. And the rest is history.’
Grace shook her head. ‘I’m just glad you were able to find me so quickly.’
They all nodded. Then the room was silent and Grace could feel all their eyes on her. Worrying about her. Wondering if she was going to break. She couldn’t stand it. She loved them all but she couldn’t stand their concern. Not right now.
She forced a yawn. ‘I’m really tired. Do you mind if I call it a night?’
‘Course not,’ they chorused.
