Riot

by Heather Atkinson

  “Like it,” said Declan.

  “I’m curious,” said Ronan. “Will killing Jules be enough for you? Or will you want to go after Mikey himself?”

  “Killing her would destroy him and give him a good idea of how I feel. I hope that’s enough because if he ends up getting sent down for life it’ll be more difficult to get to him.”

  “But not impossible.”

  “True. I’ll think on it. We have to ensure this trap is perfect or she’ll never stick her head above the parapet again.”

  Dwyer returned home from the chaos of the prison riot, relieved. His worst fear had been Mikey and Jez getting killed and thereby avoiding justice. He wanted to be the one to take everything from them, not some thug with a shiv.

  Contrary to what everyone thought, he was actually very house proud. His home wasn’t large but it was spotlessly clean and one of his favourite places to be - three bedrooms with immaculate gardens front and back. He went down on the lawns on his hands and knees with scissors to ensure his grass at all times maintained unsullied perfection. He loved gardening, it relaxed him more than anything. Occasionally he’d go to the pub with his colleagues, just for the sake of morale but he didn’t enjoy drinking. Or socialising. He wasn’t a big fan of human beings. Even his parents, who had moved to Sheffield seven years ago taxed his patience. He was happiest when he was all alone in his haven, it was why he’d never married. The thought of sharing his personal space with another person, having their messy things spoiling his nirvana made him shudder.

  After removing his shoes and hanging up his coat he sank onto the plush tan sofa, enjoying how its cushions cradled him. And so it should, no one else’s backside had ever graced it, he jealously guarded his sanctuary from the world. He had the next two days off. If the riot hadn’t abated he would have had to work through his time off but fortunately it was over. As much as he would love to spend the next two days pottering about his home, gardening, reading and doing odd jobs he had to head down to Devon. Ryan and Bruiser were in Manchester, meaning he could speak to Rachel Law in peace.

  He headed upstairs to one of the spare bedrooms and opened the door to reveal the walls covered in more photos of the Laws and Maguires. He’d set up a similar incident board here to the one he had in his office at work with photos he’d pinched from police files or cut out from newspapers. As usual, at the centre of it all was the bitch queen herself, Rachel Law. Even though she had quit the gangster lifestyle and moved to Devon she was still mixed up in it all. Yes the Maguires and Laws had been operating long before she’d come onto the scene but if it hadn’t been for her they never would have united and his brother’s plan to send them into a war that would have destroyed them all would have succeeded. She was the heart of it all and if you cut out the heart of a beast it died.

  CHAPTER 35

  Leah exited the corner shop and began the five minute walk to college. She’d wanted to grab a few snacks, having skipped breakfast because she’d got up late. Usually her mum woke her if she slept through her alarm but today she hadn’t. She was worried about her mum, she seemed so preoccupied, which was no surprise with Uncle Mikey and Uncle Jez in prison, Dad away in Manchester and the mess Ethan was in.

  A shiver ran down her spine even though the day was mild and she glanced over her shoulder, certain someone was behind her but no one was there. The main college crowd had already surged into the building but her first lecture wasn’t until ten thirty, so she was pretty much alone on the pavement. Hitching her backpack higher over her shoulder she increased her pace, walking confidently with her head held high, as her mum had schooled her. She wished Jacob was with her, they usually walked in together but his first lecture had started at nine fifteen, so he was already there. They’d arranged to meet up in the canteen for lunch.

  To distract herself from the uncomfortable, creeping sensation she concentrated her thoughts on Jacob and the date they’d arranged for that evening at the cinema. They would miss most of the film, spending it locked in a clinch in the back row. God she loved him, he was so amazing.

  No matter how hard she tried to distract herself, her mind kept returning to the uncomfortable present. Leah looked all around her but she was unable to see anyone. It would be easy to blame it on her imagination but dismissing her instinct would be stupid. It had kept her alive in the past and it was telling her now that something was wrong. She was walking by a small park. This area wasn’t known for crime but you never knew who could be lurking in the bushes.

  Reaching into her jacket pocket, her hand closed around her door key. She gripped it between her knuckles, ready to ram into the eye of any would-be attacker. The most innocent of objects could make the most brutal weapons.

  Leah nearly sighed with relief when a man stepped out onto the pavement in front of her, having exited the park, his gaze on the newspaper in his hands. He looked very respectable, attractive even, dressed in an expensive suit with a pricey watch on his wrist but Leah knew this meant nothing. The most civilised of exteriors could hide a monster.

  He looked up at the sound of her footsteps and smiled, standing aside to allow her to pass.

  Leah held her breath as she walked by him, her grip on the key tightening. His attention appeared to be back on his newspaper but every fibre of her being was screaming at her that this man was all wrong.

  Rather than walk right by him she detoured out into the quiet road, not caring what he thought. When he failed to chase after her she began to relax while maintaining her fast pace, anxious to leave him behind. She started to wonder whether it had all been her imagination after all.

  “Leah,” called the man.

  She was so surprised she stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at him. “Back off,” she hissed when he started to jog up to her, producing the key from her pocket.

  “It’s okay,” he said, tucking the newspaper under his arm and holding up his hands. “I don’t mean any harm.”

  “Just stay right there.”

  He obeyed, coming to a halt half a dozen paces from her. “I just want you to pass on a message to your estimable mother.”

  “What message?”

  “Look how close I got.”

  “Look how close I got?” she repeated with a frown. Her eyebrows shot up when she realised the meaning behind that message - Look how close I got to your daughter.

  Although she had no idea who this man was she turned on her heel and raced off down the street, determined not to stop until she was safely through the college gates. Glancing over her shoulder she was relieved to see he wasn’t pursuing her. He was just watching her go, smiling.

  “Come on in Ashley,” said Rachel, welcoming him into her home.

  “You okay?” he asked as he stepped inside. “You look tired.”

  “There’s a lot going on.”

  “Yes, I heard about the riot.”

  “Fortunately Mikey and Jez got through it alive but so far there’s eleven dead. More are critically ill in hospital, so that number will probably rise.”

  “It was always bound to happen, the UK prison service is incredibly overstretched thanks to government cuts. I just hope this incident doesn’t spark off riots in other prisons around the country.”

  “Do you want a brew?”

  “No thanks. I stopped by to let you know what I’ve found out about Liam Garrick. Has he given you more hassle?”

  “He approached me at the boys’ school yesterday and basically said I’m all alone and vulnerable because Ryan and Bruiser are in Manchester. You can listen for yourself,” she said, producing the phone and playing back the recording.

  Ashley sighed. “The implication is clear but he doesn’t overtly threaten you. He’s a lawyer so he knows what he can get away with.”

  “Maybe that’s all he’s capable of, childish threats and pranks?”

  The look in Ashley’s eyes destroyed her hopes.

  “Sadly I don’t think so,” he replied. “I’ve gone into some depth and
found that when he had his office in Exeter there were several sexual assaults nearby. When he moved to Newton Abbot the rate decreased, while here it increased. Also Sharon Bailey, who claimed he’d been responsible for attacking her killed herself a year ago. According to her parents she couldn’t live with what had happened.”

  “Oh God,” said Rachel, only able to imagine what that poor woman had gone through. “Surely there must have been something linking him to it?”

  “Not strong enough to get him inside a courtroom. Even worse, it seems the investigating officer didn’t take her claims too seriously. Liam’s reputation was second-to-none. I could imagine the officer being reluctant to charge such a fierce lawyer.”

  “This is fucking ridiculous,” exclaimed Rachel. “I am so sick and tired of people getting away with crap because they’re rich and influential.”

  Ashley didn’t like to mention that her own family had got away with so much over the years for those very reasons but he understood and could sympathise with the point she was making.

  “He’s far too clever and careful to get caught,” she continued. Her gaze met his meaningfully. “Someone needs to stop him.”

  “If you’re thinking what I believe you’re thinking then no.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t want you going after this guy alone. Who knows what he’s capable of? At least let me try going after him via the legal route.”

  “That won’t work either. You’ll never get him inside a courtroom and even if you did he’d worm his way out of it.”

  “At least let me look into it closer first. Neither do I want to make a move without Ryan here.”

  “I don’t need him to hold my hand,” she snapped.

  “I know that but he’d kill me if he knew you’d gone near this creep alone. Just hold your horses, okay?”

  “Fine. I won’t do anything, for now but I’m not giving you much time, a few days at best.”

  “Thank you. I’ve got to get back to the office now but one more thing before I go - stay away from Jenna Garrick. I know you tried to talk to her.”

  “I did and that woman is terrified of her husband.”

  “Can’t say I’m surprised. I only just managed to convince her not to press harassment charges against you.”

  “But I only spoke to her once. That’s not harassment.”

  “Stay away from her Rachel, I mean it.”

  She didn’t reply as he left, which Ashley did notice.

  As she watched his car leave from the window Rachel chewed her lip, wondering what she should do next. Once again her thoughts turned to Ryan but if she called him he’d charge back down here, leaving Jules to cope alone and then he’d pull Liam’s head from his shoulders without thinking twice about it. No, she had to handle this herself, she was more than capable.

  Rachel sighed when her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.

  “Mum,” exclaimed Leah’s voice before she could speak.

  “What’s wrong?” she demanded, heart almost stopping at the panic in her daughter’s voice.

  She listened as Leah explained her close encounter with a man who - from the description she gave - she gathered was Liam Garrick. The message he’d given Leah to pass on chilled Rachel to the bone. A rapist was threatening her daughter.

  “Who is he Mum?”

  After all Leah’s experiences Rachel knew she could handle being given the truth.

  “Liam Garrick, Freddie’s father. He’s a psychopath Leah. Now listen to me - I’ll pick you up from college. In fact I’ll take you in and drop you off every day until this is resolved. You do not leave the campus for anything and when you’re on your break you stay close to Jacob and your friends. Do you understand?”

  “Oh my God. And yeah, I understand. I won’t go wandering off alone.”

  Rachel knew she could trust her daughter to do as she said, she was incredibly streetwise. “Good girl. I’ll take care of this, I swear sweetheart.”

  “Are you going to tell Dad?”

  “No. He’s got enough on his plate in Manchester and I don’t want him distracted. You can tell Jacob though, his mum’s working on this with me.”

  “Okay. You be careful too Mum. Liam’s a really creepy guy.”

  “I know. I love you.”

  “Love you too Mum,” she said before hanging up.

  Before she’d had the chance to process this shocking information she received another call, this time from Leo who was on sentry duty at the gates at the bottom of the drive.

  “Yes?” she sighed.

  “There’s a DCI Dwyer from Manchester here. He wants to talk to you. Can I let him up? I’ve checked his credentials, he’s legit.”

  For a moment she was so stunned she couldn’t speak. “DCI Dwyer, are you sure?”

  “His ID checks out.”

  “Side parting, looks like Hitler?”

  “That’s him.”

  “Well, you’d better send him up then,” she said with a frown, hanging up the phone.

  She set her phone to record and slid it into her trouser pocket. Such a ploy had proved useful during her encounter with Liam Garrick, so hopefully it would again.

  Rachel waited until there was a knock at the front door before opening it. Sure enough there was the man himself, looking as repellent as always. Leo was idling around the front of the house, wanting to be close just in case.

  “This is a surprise,” she said.

  “That was the intention,” replied Dwyer. “Can I come in?”

  “Why should I let you? No doubt you’ve only come to have another go.”

  “Actually, no. What I have to say may be of interest to you. ”

  “Then you can tell me here.”

  “Let’s be civilised about this Rachel.”

  “When I let your brother into my home he shot Bruiser and tried to kill me.”

  “I come in peace. Have your man search me if it makes you feel better.”

  Leo had accompanied Dwyer up the drive and he stood in the background, awaiting orders. At a nod from Rachel he stepped forward and quickly and efficiently frisked Dwyer.

  “He’s clean,” announced Leo.

  “Just as I said,” replied Dwyer. “Now can I come in?”

  She studied him carefully, weighing up her options. He had been known to plant evidence to fit people up, which was why she was reluctant to let him in but what if what he had to say affected Ryan and the others in Manchester? She couldn’t take that chance. So Rachel nodded and stood aside for him to enter.

  “Thank you,” he said pleasantly.

  As Dwyer stepped through the door, Rachel glanced at Leo and gave him a nod, indicating she wanted him to stay close.

  He nodded back and took up position outside the front door.

  Dwyer paused in the hallway to take in his surroundings. The house was huge, which wasn’t a surprise. People like the Laws needed a big home to satisfy their equally big egos. He knew this wasn’t the original building, which had burnt down. The new had been built on the remnants of the old. It was stylish, he couldn’t deny that but the floors were all wood, which echoed with the sound of Rachel’s high heels. Although pleasing to the eye, the house lacked the cosy homeliness of his own modest abode, which he infinitely preferred to this totem to wealth and power.

  “Finished having a nosy?” she said, noting the way his eyes eagerly flicked around the room.

  He couldn’t deny he was enjoying this foray into the Laws’ most private space but he was here for a reason. Unfortunately she’d come to a halt in the hallway, refusing to allow him any further into the house. “What can I say? I’m a detective. Being nosy is necessary for the job.”

  “If you’re looking for something illegal you won’t find it here.”

  “I wouldn’t waste my time. Could I have a glass of water please? I’m thirsty after the flight.”

  “No. Say what you’ve got to say then get out.”

  “Gracious as ever,” he smiled,
grin increasing at the annoyance in her eyes. “Alright, as you wish I’ll get straight to the point. I can release your two brothers-in-law from prison.”

  Rachel’s face didn’t betray a flicker of emotion, apart from her already black eyes darkening even more. She had iron control over her emotions and expressions but her eye colour was beyond her command.

  “Go on,” was all she said.

  “As you’ve probably heard, the evidence against them is circumstantial at best. They could well go free at the trial.”

  “Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

  “That’s the funny thing about trials, the unexpected can always happen.”

  “Meaning if it looks like they’re going to go free you’ll fake more evidence to set them up.”

  “That’s a shocking accusation Mrs Law, one I wholly refute.” His words were at odds with that interminable knowing smirk of his. He probably suspected she was recording him.

  “Oh just get on with it,” she snapped.

  “As I was saying, I’d be willing to drop the charges against them on such flimsy evidence.”

  “In exchange for what?”

  “Your confession.”

  “My confession?” she said casually.

  “I want you to admit medical negligence while you were working as a nurse, when you failed in your duty and allowed Superintendent Jarvis to die, just as my brother always said you did. You also orchestrated the plot to have my brother, DI Benton, murdered in prison.”

  Rachel actually laughed out loud at the absurdity of it. “Are you serious?”

  He nodded.

  “You want me to confess to things I didn’t do? What sort of police officer are you? Actually, scratch that. You’re famous for fitting people up.”

  “All I’m asking you to do is take responsibility for your actions. You could put an end to Mikey and Jez’s suffering, your husband’s brother and the man you consider to be a brother. Surely it’s worth sacrificing yourself for their sakes?”

  “They’re innocent of the charges you’ve laid against them and that will be proved in court, so there’s nothing to worry about.”