Dwyer studied her carefully. She actually believed the conviction of her words, that they were both innocent. He already knew Mikey had nothing to do with Amber’s death but Jez did plot to kill Amber and he was present at his mother’s death. Unless someone else pulled the trigger on Estelle? It would be typical of that cowardly bastard not to get his hands dirty, he probably preferred to incite others to do his killing for him. But she genuinely believed he had nothing to do with Amber’s death either. Interesting.
“Is that all you came here for?” she said. “Because if you did you’ve had a wasted journey.”
“Worth a shot, although I didn’t really expect you to do the right thing.”
“What would you know about the right thing? You seem to think that because you carry a warrant card your every action is good and righteous.”
“Because I work for the benefit of the local community, not myself and my immediate family.”
“Immediate family? Who are they precisely? Your brother’s dead and you don’t get on with your parents. You have no other family and no friends. You’re all alone in the world Dwyer and that’s why you’re so obsessed with me and my family, because it’s the only human connection you can get.”
“What the fuck do you know about my family?” he bellowed at her as that raw, gaping wound inside him was prodded.
The door flew open and Leo stormed in, ready for action but Rachel indicated for him to stay put. Dwyer was so furious he hadn’t even noticed his entrance, his eyes locked on her.
“I know everything,” she told Dwyer. “I’ve gone into every tiny detail of your life. I know that you were bullied from aged nine to eleven, until you kicked the shit out of your tormentor. I know you had no friends, even back then, all except for your half-brother. Your dad had an affair, which your older brother was the product of. You were very close but whereas he was popular you were considered the weird loner in your neighbourhood. But you got a reputation for being handy with your fists and you had your half-brother’s protection, so you were left alone. You went to see a child psychiatrist for depression at fourteen years of age after your grandfather died, the only person in the world other than your brother you had a proper relationship with. You were briefly engaged to a woman named Margaret Snell but that fell through before the wedding when she dumped you for another man. When you were twenty seven you almost died from a ruptured appendix. You quickly flew up the career ladder in the police with an impressive arrest record until you reached where you are now, although your career has been dogged with whispers of fitting people up. Tell me DCI Dwyer, did I miss any of the major events of your life?”
Dwyer could only stare at her as she laid his life bare before him. He’d always found his life very fulfilling but the way she’d put it made it sound sad and empty. It was her comments about his brother and grandfather that really stung. Although she’d said nothing derogatory he couldn’t bear mention of them passing her evil, tainted lips, it felt as though she could infect their memories. He was close to exploding but he kept it all inside, refusing to give her the satisfaction of knowing how much she’d got to him.
He cleared his throat before speaking. “You have done your research, haven’t you?”
“I like to know everything about my opponents. You do enjoy making out that you’re some omnipotent being who knows all but at the end of the day you’re just a sad, frail individual whose nasty little plots will come to nothing.” She tilted back her head. “Now get the fuck out of my house.”
“I’ll leave you my card,” he said, placing it on the hallway table. “Have a serious think about my offer. It’s the only way to save your family. If you go down nothing really changes but if Mikey and Jez go down then your entire family will be in danger. Jules might be able to keep things together for a while but what about all those who initially made their deals with the Laws? And there’s Glasgow too. There’s no telling what Toni McVay might do.”
Rachel knew every word he was saying was true but she wasn’t about to offer herself up as a sacrifice to a deal that he probably wouldn’t honour anyway.
“Oh piss off Dwyer. I don’t need your shit right now.”
“Yes, I heard about your son being accused of molesting young girls.”
“He fucking didn’t.”
“Let’s hope he’s not going the same way as his dead uncle Alex. He liked sexually assaulting women too, didn’t he Rachel?”
Red blurred Rachel’s vision and the next thing she knew her hands were around his throat. “What the fuck did you say?” she yelled.
“Rachel,” said Leo, rushing to her side. “Let him go.”
“I know what Alex did,” taunted Dwyer. “Declan told me all about it. What a betrayal from a man you considered to be a brother.”
She shoved him back against the wall, eyes pitch black.
“That must have hurt you so badly,” he smirked.
“Rachel,” said Leo. “Let him go. This is what he wants, then he can arrest you for assaulting a police officer.”
She took a long, shuddering breath and released Dwyer. He’d shaken her to her very core. For one awful moment she’d felt to be back in that dilapidated house in Manchester, facedown on that stinking bed, Alex’s heavy weight pinning her down.
“Leo, see him out,” she said, turning her back, not daring to look at Dwyer again. If she did she knew she’d do something she could never come back from.
“No need Leo,” said Dwyer with annoying chirpiness. “I’ve got what I came for.”
“I bet you did you creep,” he growled.
Dwyer threw back his head and bellowed with pain. Teddy had clamped himself onto his right shin, all four paws wrapped around his leg, claws in his flesh, teeth embedded in the cloth of his trousers, which he was frantically shaking.
“Get your fucking dog off me,” he cried, jiggling his leg.
“Teddy isn’t a dog,” replied Rachel with a grim smile. “And he’ll only get off when he’s good and ready.”
Even Leo was grinning as they watched Dwyer hop about the hallway, screeching. It was only when he leaned against the hallway table and vigorously shook his leg that Teddy had decided he’d had enough and relinquished him. The cat trotted up to Rachel with his tail in the air, proud of his achievement.
“Good boy,” she said, stroking his head.
Teddy began purring and rubbing his head against her leg.
Dwyer straightened up, panting and dishevelled. “I could do you with assaulting a police officer.”
“Oh piss off you wanker,” said Leo. “What are you going to do, put Teddy in cuffs? Get out of here before I throw you out.”
“This isn’t over Rachel,” said Dwyer before storming out, Leo following.
When the front door closed behind them and Teddy had retreated into the lounge for a well-earned nap, Rachel snatched up the vase on the hallway table and hurled it at the wall with a scream before tearing Dwyer’s card up into tiny pieces. She was so sick of men threatening her. First Liam Garrick, now Dwyer and thanks to that dickhead Alex’s spectre felt to be looming over her, the man who’d almost raped her. Well no more. Alex was dead and gone, Ryan had seen to that but she was going to take care of the other two.
After calming down she retreated into the office and sank into the large chair. Ryan’s presence always felt so strong in here. She pictured him lounging back in this very chair, one leg elegantly crossed over the other, sipping from a tumbler of single malt whisky.
Shoving aside the longing this image instilled, she opened a drawer and took out Ryan’s bottle of scotch. She splashed some into a glass and took a large gulp, enjoying the burn and the smoky taste. It was a bit early for her to drink but she didn’t care, she’d earned this. It helped ease the shaking Dwyer’s mention of Alex had caused and enabled her to shove away his spectre. She reclined back in the chair, the only movement the rise of her arm as she lifted the glass to her lips.
Enough fucking about.
&nb
sp; Rachel Maguire was back.
CHAPTER 36
“Time to move,” said one of the prison officers guarding Mikey and Jez.
“Where are we going?” said Jez while Mikey held his breath.
“C wing.”
Mikey released the breath he’d been holding, relieved.
“You mean we’re staying in this prison?”
“Yeah, which is just delightful for us.”
“Mr Alby I do believe you’re being sarcastic.”
“Me? Never. Come on then, up you get.”
Fresh bedding was shoved into their arms and they followed him into C wing, which smelled slightly of the smoke that had drifted over from K wing. At their entrance the other inmates began nudging each other and pointing.
“Alright, they’re not sodding pop stars,” grumbled Mr Alby as they made their way up to the second floor. This wing was set out exactly like K wing, only the atmosphere wasn’t as tense and forbidding. “You’ve got to share a cell because we’ve run out of space thanks to the antics of your lot.”
“That wasn’t us,” said Mikey.
“Oh no, you’re just poor innocent people, aren’t you?”
“Finally, someone who understands us,” smiled Jez.
“Stop pissing about and get inside.”
They walked into their cell clutching their new bedding.
“Association’s finishing up so you’re getting locked in now,” said Alby before closing the door and locking it.
Mikey and Jez dumped their bedding on their respective beds and stared at each other from opposing sides of the tiny room.
“So,” said Jez, the first to break the silence. “What happens now?”
“We have two choices - we pick up where we left off and continue beating the crap out of each other. Or…”
“Or?”
Mikey sighed. “We move past this mess.”
“I like the second option. How about you?”
Mikey sank onto his bed. “I don’t want to fight you Jez but you’ve betrayed me.”
“That wasn’t my intention. I was trying to protect you.”
“I understand that in your own way that’s what you were trying to do but you shouldn’t have done it, end of. But I know that if I can’t get past it, it will mean war and I don’t want to destroy our family. If we start fighting each other then the McVays and every other family in the country will target us while we’re weak. If we go to war with each other Jez, we’ll get everyone killed.”
“You’re right and we can’t risk that. We’ve worked well together for years mate. This is the first time we’ve had a ruction.”
Mikey nodded.
“Let’s put it behind us and look to the future.”
“I can forgive what you did but I don’t know if I can ever trust you again.”
“I get that but I promise I will never go behind your back again.”
“You promised you wouldn’t go behind my back in the first place but you did.”
“And I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t do it again.” He held out his hand. “Come on Mikey,” he pressed when he just stared at him. “The alternative is unthinkable. We have to do this, not just for ourselves but for everyone else.”
Mikey got to his feet and shook his hand.
“Nice one mate.”
“You’re still my brother-in-law and best friend and I love you.”
“Don’t say that too loud or we’ll get no peace in the showers. But yeah, I love you too mate.”
Mikey actually smiled. Then the grin dropped with frightening swiftness, eyes turning cold. “If you do anything like that again it will be fucking war. You get it?”
“Yeah mate, I get it.”
Mikey’s gaze cleared and he nodded. “Right. Now let’s put it behind us and move on. Jules will have us sprung soon.”
“For Christ’s sake,” yelled Jules, kicking over the bin in the office of The Manor.
“What’s wrong?” said Ryan, calmly righting the bin and replacing the rubbish back inside it, which fortunately consisted of nothing more than balled up pieces of paper.
“That was the manager of Mikey’s casino. He needs me to go over there to sort out some dick of a high roller who’s kicking off because he thinks the casino cheated him. The manager reckons he could possibly be right, he’s suspected one of the dealers of skimming but he was waiting for more concrete evidence before booting their arse out the door.”
“Why can’t the manager sort this out himself? That’s his job.”
“The high roller’s Franco Cipriani.”
“He moved back to Italy after his cancer scare.”
“Apparently he’s back visiting friends and the manager’s shitting himself because Franco can be bloody terrifying when he wants to be. Honestly, the shit’s never-ending right now.”
“You stay here. I’ll go and sort this out. Franco and I are old friends. He’ll listen to me and you can’t poke your head out of the door.”
“You’re a target too. If Declan sees you he won’t hesitate to blow your head off.”
“I’ll take the bike.”
“Don’t bother yourself. I can go on the bike.”
“No. I’m sorry but I’m insisting here Jules, as your big brother. You were told not to leave this house, an order you’ve already disobeyed several times. Right now you are the most important member of this family. It won’t take long,” he said, already striding for the door. Besides, he wanted to speak to Franco. Even though he’d been out of the country for a while he still had his contacts. He could have some useful inside knowledge.
Ryan mounted the powerful Ducati but before setting off he called Dane and asked him to meet up with him. He wanted some back-up. For all he knew this was a trap set by Declan.
Dane joined him at a car park a couple of streets away from the casino and they walked the rest of the way. If Declan was inside he didn’t want to tip him off about how they were moving around the city.
Even though it was only one o’clock in the afternoon the vast building was busy. Some of the players looked tired and dishevelled, as though they’d been there all night losing their hard earned money. They might not even be aware it was daytime as there were no clocks in the casino and the windows were blacked out.
Together they walked towards the general manager’s office, which was down a corridor leading off the main floor. The security guard on duty nodded at them and stood aside to let them pass by.
“Has anyone else been down here lately?” said Ryan. “Anyone who doesn’t work here?”
The security guard looked shocked that Ryan thought he’d been derelict in his duty. “No, not at all. I wouldn’t let that happen.”
“Is there any other entrance into the manager’s office?”
“Through the rear fire exit but it can’t be opened from the outside.”
“Have you seen the manager today?”
“Yeah. He came on duty at seven this morning.”
“And how was he?”
He shrugged. “Fine.”
Ryan glanced at the man’s shiny name badge proudly pinned to the front of his suit jacket. “Francis, I’m going to see Gordon. If I’ve not come out in ten minutes call my sister Jules and tell her Declan’s here.”
“Declan?” he frowned.
“She’ll know who you mean. Do you have a contact number for her?”
He shook his big head.
Ryan rhymed off to the guard the number of the burner phone Jules used, who nodded.
“Don’t you need to write it down?” said Dane.
“Nah. Once I hear a number I never forget it. I’m a walking telephone directory.”
Ryan was rather impressed by this and patted his shoulder. “Excellent work Francis.” He looked to Dane. “You know what to do?”
Dane nodded and wandered back onto the main floor.
Ryan headed down the corridor, coming to a halt outside the manager’s office. The blinds had been drawn in the win
dows so he couldn’t see inside. When he knocked a voice called, “Come in.”
He opened the door to reveal the manager sitting behind his desk, sweating so copiously he looked to have been doused in a bucket of water.
“I’m so sorry,” he whimpered. “He made me.”
Ryan felt cold steel jammed into the back of his head.
“Hello Declan,” he calmly said, wishing he hadn’t left his gun at The Manor but he hadn’t wanted to carry it around the city streets.
“Still a clever bastard I see,” replied his Irish brogue. “Hands up.”
Slowly Ryan raised his hands.
“Where’s Jules?”
“Did you seriously think she was going to leave safety for this? I take it Franco’s not here?”
“Course he isn’t.”
“Shame. I would have liked to catch up with him.”
“Jaysus, this isn’t a party,” he exclaimed. “I’m going to kill you.”
Ryan’s smile chilled the horrified casino manager, who was watching from behind his desk. He’d crouched down behind it so just the top of his head and his eyes were visible.
“No you’re not,” said Ryan.
“We’ll see about that. On your knees.”
Ryan obeyed, Declan keeping the gun trained on him.
“Everyone used to say I was the weak link,” said Declan, unable to resist a bit of gloating. “Useless Declan, pathetic Declan but look at me now - I have the mighty Ryan Law at my mercy.”
“That is your opinion,” he sniffed. “Why are you doing this anyway? We assumed you’re the one who shot Shane.”
“How was I to know the sneaky little bastard was wearing a vest? Now, I’m going to use you to draw Jules out. You’re going to make a phone call.”
“You never answered my question. Why are you doing this?”
“For Amber,” he snarled. “You lot fucking killed her.”
“No we didn’t. Ray McGinnis killed her for whatever reason - money, sex, who knows? He was extradited back to the UK and he was facing life inside with men who would spend all those long years torturing him for revenge. He ripped them off you know and while he swanned off into the Spanish sunset his friends were locked up. He knew our family was always the big prize so he sold us out, blamed us for something he did so Dwyer could finally arrest Mikey and Jez. McGinnis won’t ever see the inside of a prison cell for what he did to Amber. He should be your target, not my sister, who didn’t do anything to her.”
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