by KERRY BARNES
Dear Father,
It’s been six months. I haven’t heard how the business is going. I can send more money if you need it. I have just sold my bike. Please write back. I am anxious to know how our investment is doing. When can I move to Bristol to be with you? Mum’s not well and so any good news will lift her spirits.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Your Son,
Torvic
His story was unravelling, and now Zara was getting a clearer picture of who he was and why he had grown into such a monster. His real name was in fact Torvic, the man her father had referred to as the Russian, but he’d used an anagram – Victor. She wondered if her mother knew the truth. Nevertheless, she had called him ‘Vic’ in her letter – perhaps short for Torvic.
Chapter 15
Mike’s head was in a mess. He’d tried ringing Zara, but the phone just rang off.
‘Calm down, Mike. Please, listen. Zara is safe in that hotel room. No one knows where she is, okay? She’s probably in the shower.’
‘Nah, Staffie. I’ve had a missed call. It’s from her. Something ain’t right.’
Staffie suddenly came to a stop. ‘Right, then. D’ya want us to turn around and head back?’
Mike wasn’t listening; he was awash with sick thoughts of what Torvic would do to her if he got hold of her.
‘Mike, try her again, and if she don’t answer, then we’ll head back.’
Mike redialled her number.
* * *
Totally absorbed in reading the note from Torvic to his father, Zara almost ignored the call when her phone rang.
‘Hello, Mike. What’s up?’
‘For fuck’s sake, Zara, I’ve been calling you for ages! Jesus, you had me worried to death. Where are you?’
Zara realized she couldn’t lie so she sidestepped the question. The desperation in Mike’s voice was more than worry. ‘I’m okay, Mike. What’s going on? You sound, er …’
‘Eric’s dead. Torvic’s killed him. Oh my God, Zara, he’s dead, and that bastard will come for us, one by one. I thought when you didn’t answer, well, you can imagine what ran through my head.’
Zara was uncharacteristically quiet; she just didn’t know how to respond to that devastating news, although they’d both somehow expected it. With Eric dead, she knew it would break Mike. As much as the two brothers had their differences, she was aware that Mike was a loyal and devoted man, and he’d always loved his brother, no matter what.
‘I’m so sorry, Mike.’
‘So, can ya see why I need you to answer your fucking phone when I call?’
Normally, Zara wouldn’t have taken that stroppy attitude from anyone, but today she swallowed it.
‘Of course, love. I’m very sorry. Are you okay?’
He sighed heavily, soothed by Zara’s contrite response. ‘Yeah, just gutted. Look, me and Staff are gonna go over to see if Jackie’s okay, and then I’ll come back. Have you heard from Neil or anyone else?’
Zara paused before answering, her mind on Jackie and what Mike would find when he got there.
‘Zara?’
‘Er, no. Sorry, Mike, I haven’t heard anything. Look, please be careful. Promise me?’
‘Yeah, I’ll call once I’ve been to your place, yeah?’
He didn’t wait for an answer before he put the phone down.
She stared ahead and thought about what state Mike would be in when he returned to the hotel. With Eric now dead, he would soon see his ex-wife dead too. She didn’t ask how Eric had died and wondered if Mike had walked into a torture scene. Her mind was still on trying to track Torvic down before he hurt anyone else – most of all, Mike.
Just as Staffie pulled away, Mike’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. It was a withheld number. Taking a deep breath, Mike said, ‘This might be Torvic.’
Staffie concentrated on the road ahead as Mike answered the phone.
‘Mr Regan?’
‘Yeah, who is it?’
‘Detective Inspector Lowry. I’ve just been called to a fire. It seems that Torvic, the so-called Governor, is dead. The car, in his name and insured in his son’s name, was found just a short distance from Zara Ezra’s home. It had been burning for some time. The man inside, although now unrecognizable, is believed to be him.’
‘How can you be so bloody sure?’
‘Oh, trust me, Mr Regan, I’m sure.’ His arrogant tone irritated Mike.
‘No, Lowry. I wanna know how you are so fucking sure because the man has managed to fucking murder my brother, and I do believe he’s on the warpath.’ He paused and frowned. ‘Lowry, how the fuck did you know he’d escaped? Because a message was sent to Stoneham to say that we had captured Torvic, and I don’t remember any of us telling you otherwise, or that he’d gone on the run.’
‘Well, Mr Regan, I was briefed that you had him, but my informant told me he knows that he’d escaped because there’s a million-pound bounty on his head. So, I assumed … Anyway, forensics are taking his body to the lab, although, to be honest, there isn’t much left of him.’
‘So you can’t be fucking sure then, can you?’
‘My informant was one of the men who watched him burn like Guy Fawkes, and I have no reason to doubt him, none whatsoever. You see, Mr Regan, you weren’t his only enemy. Remember, there were many people who wanted that man dead.’
‘I fucking hope to God you’re right.’
‘I wouldn’t put you or your family in danger. So, trust me, when I say it’s him. Okay?’
Mike felt his entire body tingling; maybe it was from shock or relief.
‘I hope whoever it was, they burned him alive.’
‘Apparently, he was burned alive, handcuffed to the steering wheel, so I know my informant was telling the truth because the handcuffs were there around the charred bones and so was a titanium ring on the remains of his right hand.’
Mike remembered seeing a ring on the man’s fat, sausage-like fingers when they had him tied to the chair in the hangar.
‘Do you know who did it?’
‘A gang of Yardies, I believe. Torvic had disfigured one of their sisters before one of his sons raped her.’
‘Which Yardies?’
‘Mr Regan, I can’t reveal that. I’ve told you enough.’
‘Okay, Lowry. Cheers, mate.’ He finished the call and turned to face Staffie.
‘Torvic’s dead. Some Yardie gang’s set him alight.’
Staffie swerved. ‘Christ alive. Are you sure, Mikey? This ain’t no wind-up, is it?’
Mike rubbed his bristly chin. ‘Nah, I think he’s telling the truth. He’s the DI, and what he said sounded convincing to me. That bastard Torvic would’ve had a lot of enemies. The bounty we put out there would’ve had people sniffing around. Maybe they plotted up near Zara’s place, waiting to see if he would turn up, and then, bingo! I have to give it to whoever killed him – they were one step ahead of us. But, to be honest, I don’t care, as long he can’t hurt any of us now.’
‘So, what are we doing now, Mike? Are we going to Zara’s place or back to the hotel?’
‘Zara’s. I’d better check to see if Jackie’s okay and if Stephan’s car is missing. Remember, we had it parked up in Zara’s garage. Then we’ll get a look at this burned-out car. I should imagine it will be taped off by the police by now. Knowing Torvic’s dead will certainly give me peace of mind and help me sleep at night. My only wish is that I had watched him burn.’
By the time they reached Zara’s house, they could see police vehicles up the lane. Staffie decided to drive past the property towards the hive of activity. As he slowed down, they could see the area where the car had been burned out. Even the surrounding trees had been blackened by the flames.
Two men dressed in white suits and carrying cases stepped out of a black van.
As they watched, a police officer tapped on their window.
Mike lowered it and asked the officer what was going on.
‘You’ll h
ave to turn around. We’re closing the lane.’
‘So, what’s happened?’ He pushed the officer to be more forthcoming.
The officer looked behind him and then back at the occupants in the car. ‘It looks like we’ve a possible murder scene on our hands. There’s a car burned out with someone still inside. But you can’t drive on. As I said, they’re closing the lane.’
Staffie nodded. ‘Okay, Gov.’
As Staffie made a three-point turn, Mike continued to glare as the area was taped off.
‘Let’s hope that Eric meets him on the other side and gives him hell.’
Staffie wanted to laugh, but it wasn’t appropriate. ‘I’m sure he fucking well will do.’
‘Staff, we need to get a move on. If the police start calling at any of the neighbours’ houses, we’d better make sure Jackie’s out of the way.’
‘The police are hardly likely to go sniffing around Zara’s house, are they?’
Mike shrugged his shoulders. ‘Who fucking knows? This day is getting crazier by the minute.’
* * *
Now that Torvic was dead, Mike found no reason to go sneaking about with his gun on show. He used the key Zara had given him to let himself in. Staffie was close behind.
‘Ya know what, Mike? This house still gives me the shivers. It’s so fucking creepy. I dunno how Zara ever returned here.’
Mike sighed. ‘She gets some comfort from being close to her farver, I guess. My Zara ain’t easily spooked. That’s what I love about her. She’s a tough cookie.’
Staffie didn’t need to be told how tough Zara was because he’d seen her in action, and those memories still made him go cold on their own. Perhaps she suited this house. The Devil’s house and the Devil’s daughter. He felt tired to the point his mind was all over the place.
They marched along the hallway to the door on the left and then hurried down the staircase towards the basement suite.
‘Jackie, get the fuck up!’ called out Mike, before he even reached the door.
Staffie stared ahead, the smell hitting him first before his eyes focused between the bars. He experienced another cold feeling, similar to the one when he’d entered Mack’s house.
Mike swerved the pile of vomit and stopped and stared ahead. Jackie’s blood had pooled onto the floor. Then, when he stood on tiptoes to get a better look, he found the source – the hole in her head. It was right between her eyes, just like Eric’s execution.
‘We’re too late, Staff. Look, Torvic’s shot her. Perhaps we should never have locked her in here. She didn’t stand a chance, the poor cow.’
Staffie looked at Mike, who was just staring, and wondered how on earth he could suddenly go all soft on the woman who’d caused them all a mountain of heartache. He bit his lip before he said something he’d regret.
‘I reckon DI Lowry was right, then. Torvic must have come here, shot Jackie, took his son’s motor, and was then followed by the Yardies, who ran him off the road and set the bastard alight.’
Staffie nodded. ‘So after all the running around to capture the man again, the bleedin’ Yardies got to him first.’
‘Well, to be honest, I couldn’t give a shit who killed him. I’m just relieved that he’s bloody dead,’ replied Mike, in a flat tone.
Two loud, sharp knocks at the front door startled the men.
‘Staffie, I’ll go. You wait in the office. Let me deal with this.’
‘D’ya reckon it’s the Filth?’
Mike nodded. ‘Yeah, I do.’
He was right. As soon as he pulled open the door, two officers in uniform, both looking wet behind the ears, gazed at him enquiringly.
‘Hello, how can I help?’
‘Sir, there’s been an incident a mile up the lane. We’re calling to ask if you’ve seen any suspicious activity?’
Mike noticed the other officer, a younger man, looking keenly past him along the hallway, his eyes taking it all in. And to any visitor, the grand entrance with its oversized gilt frames and gloomy appearance would, initially, be a surprise.
‘No, I’ve been away. I’ve just returned to collect some clothes before I head back to London. Why?’
‘An incident occurred a few hours ago. A body was found burned inside a car. We wanted to know if you have seen anyone hanging around or acting suspiciously. Can we take a look at your CCTV? We noticed you have cameras that might reveal something.’
Mike didn’t expect the officer to ask that question.
‘I’m afraid they don’t work. We’ve had issues ever since they were installed. You can come and see for yourself.’ His voice was loud enough for Staffie to hear.
The two officers stepped forward, which irritated Mike, since they hadn’t taken his word for it. He racked his brain, trying to think if the footage showed Jackie at the house, which would then set off another load of questions. His palms began to sweat as he nervously showed the officers through to the office. He looked at Staffie with trepidation, yet Staffie seemed very relaxed, with a smile on his face.
‘Oh, hello, sir, I didn’t realize … Mr—’
Staffie stood up from the desk. ‘Hello, Officers. What’s the problem?’
The younger officer gazed around the room, his face pale. ‘Er, who owns this house?’
Mike, now annoyed, answered coldly. ‘Sorry, I thought you were here to ask about the incident along the lane?’
The officer’s eyes met Mike’s, and he realized he wasn’t in a position to interrogate him.
‘Oh yes, sorry, it’s just that it’s such an unusual place, I wondered who lived here.’
‘And what makes you think I don’t?’ Mike’s harsh and icy tone put the young officer back in his place.
‘Sorry, sir, I didn’t mean, I just … it’s just, it’s so very grand, is what I was trying to say.’
The older officer was getting impatient. He had a bacon butty on order and wanted to get back as soon as possible. After all, this call was just a routine stop.
‘The CCTV doesn’t work, you say? I’m surprised, sir, because a house like this, with all its …’ – he pointed to the grandfather clock – ‘its antiques, I would’ve thought you’d have made sure it’s secure for insurance purposes, surely?’
Mike’s chest was beginning to expand, ready to let rip, but Staffie intervened.
‘Yeah, you’re right, it’s a nightmare. It was recently installed, but, for some reason, it doesn’t work. Look, see for yourself.’ He pressed a few buttons as they stared at the blank screen.
‘So, what’s going on? What’s happened?’ asked Staffie, drawing both officers’ attention away from the security monitor.
‘Oh yes, a car was found burned out with a body inside. We’re just doing a sweep of the neighbours, asking if they saw anything suspicious.’
Staffie shook his head. ‘We haven’t been here for a while, ourselves, so, no, we haven’t seen anything.’
Mike wanted to laugh as Staffie put on a feminine voice and even pouted his lips.
The two officers nodded, thanked them, and left. Once the men reached their car, Mike turned to Staffie.
‘Fuck me, Staff, even I believed you were me boyfriend for a moment. You pulled that off too naturally for my liking.’
It was the first time that Staffie had chuckled in what seemed a lifetime. ‘Well, think about it. I could see they were trying to imagine you living in this eerie time warp, and, Mike, it just doesn’t go with your persona. But if you were gay, ya know, the theatrical type, then …’
Mike frowned. ‘Theatrical type?’
‘Well, yeah. You couldn’t pull that off, so I thought I’d step in, with you being my bitch lover.’
‘Fuck off!’
Mike laughed along with Staffie and then stopped when he stared at the screen. ‘Did ya turn it off?’
Staffie smiled. ‘Of course I did. Otherwise, they would’ve seen Jackie arriving, wouldn’t they? And then there would’ve been even more fucking questions. Like we’ve said bef
ore, up there for thinking, down there for dancing, mate.’
Mike sighed. ‘Cheers, Staffie. My mind’s been all over the place. Me, I just couldn’t think quick enough.’
Staffie rubbed his smooth head and yawned. ‘I’m bushed, mate, meself. Let’s go.’
Before they left, Mike checked all the rooms and then the back door, to find a broken window and a smashed lock. It confirmed what they’d both thought: Torvic had found a way in and killed Jackie.
‘Staff, you go on ahead. I’ll catch you up in a bit.’
Nodding, with a sad smile on his face, Staffie headed to the car. He knew that Mike needed time to register that his ex-missus was dead. The police turning up hadn’t even given him a chance to absorb the situation fully. After all that Jackie had put Mike and the family through, she had still been a part of his life, and, of course, Ricky’s. He wondered if she’d ever had any feelings for anyone, yet she wasn’t his own ex-wife lying there dead – she was Mike’s – and no one could dictate how his best friend should feel.
* * *
Mike returned to the basement. Why he felt the need to do so, he didn’t know. However, he knew that he wanted at least to say goodbye. As he looked in through the bars of the metal door, he peered once more at Jackie’s face. Perhaps he wanted to see an expression – anything, in fact, that would remind him of the woman he’d first met, but all he saw was the spiteful look, the selfish mother, his son’s abuser. As hard as he tried to visualize a good time with her, all he could see were the fights they’d had over the wickedness she’d shown their son when he was a toddler.
His mind was now on Ricky. How would he take the news? That was his real concern: his boy. He looked away and sighed. The only sorrow he felt for Jackie was that she didn’t live long enough even to attempt to turn her pathetic life around.
As he walked back along the passageway, he was pricked with annoyance. Jackie had always been a thorn in his side, and now, she had caused another problem – disposing of her body without it coming back to bite him on the arse.
