‘Gabe, I’m really not sure this is a good idea. What if she has nothing?’
‘I don’t believe that. Also I don’t think we have a choice any more. This has cost our families dearly, we have to see it through.’ He places a hand on my stomach. ‘Do you really want Arnie as this baby’s grandfather?’
I tense. ‘No I fucking do not.’
‘Get ready then, and let’s get this over with.’
I walk into the now familiar space of the tavern and await Robyn’s arrival. As I nurse a tonic water, Gabe sitting beside me, I watch the clock click around to ten-fifteen.
‘She’s not coming Gabe. What if something happened to her?’
‘No.’ He says, nodding towards the doorway, ‘She’s here.’
I look up to see a tiny, long haired brunette walk through the door. I see her swallow when she notices me. Gabe gestures to her and moves himself away. She walks towards me, looking like a little frightened baby starling. I can’t help but fold her into my arms. She falls into them and weeps.
‘You have to help me.’
Chapter 7
I buy her a vodka and she drinks it down quickly.
‘I know your sister was involved with the porn films,’ I say quietly. ‘I don’t know anything else. Will you tell me, so I can help you?’
She nods, ‘that’s why I’m here. I didn’t know what to do and then I saw about his tape,’ she points at Gabe, ‘and then I knew. There’s someone who can understand.’
Gabe’s looking as she points to him. I hold my hand up, indicating he should wait.
‘Sheree was a Grade A perfect student with her whole life ahead of her. She was adored. She was four years older than me. I idolised her.’ She looks off into the distance for a moment, then her gaze sharpens. ‘My father often had people around for dinner parties. They’d have too much to drink and they’d go on for hours. No matter that we had school the next morning, they’d never finish early, my parents loved to party. It made them feel important and accepted.’ Robyn’s voice turns bitter. ‘Sheree started to change. Her grades went down. She started not bothering to wash herself properly. My family were worried sick. They took her to all sorts of doctors who diagnosed her with ME, but that’s not what it was at all.’ Her voice tapers off to a whisper.
I look at her waiting, not wanting to rush her.
She touches her throat. ‘Could I have another drink please?’
I gesture to Gabe, who goes to the bar for us and drops a drink off at the table.
‘It’s good you have someone who cares about you that much,’ says Robyn.
‘I know. But he’s a recent addition to my life. It takes some getting used to.’ I reply.
‘Our parents loved us, but Dad was so busy at his job. Once Sheree got sick, mum focused all her time on her. We all did.’
She looks at the floor. ‘One night, I woke up as I usually did when the parties were so noisy, but this time I really needed to visit the toilet. My mum had always told me to stay in bed and get straight back to sleep, but I really couldn’t this time.’ She stops talking and sucks on her top lip.
I touch her arm gently, ‘Go on, Robyn. I’m here, I’m with you.’
‘After I went to the bathroom, I saw Sheree’s door was ajar, so I thought I’d go and climb in with her, because her room was quieter than mine. She wasn’t above the noise like I was. When I stepped near the doorway I saw that she had her legs open and he, Arnie, was between them and he was licking her.’
She starts sobbing.
‘How old was she then Robyn?’
‘Thirteen.’
‘Oh my God.’ I place my hand at my mouth.
I wait a moment for her to gather herself. I look across at Gabe and blow my breath through my lips to indicate just how difficult this is.
‘Do you feel okay to carry on? We can stop this right now, or we can go back to Gabe’s house?’
‘No. I’ll be okay, I feel better sharing it, knowing I can finally tell someone everything.’
‘Take your time.’
‘I left and went back to my room, because I didn’t really get what was happening. I knew the man was a friend of my dad’s, but I’d never come across anything like that before. I knew I didn’t want him to come into my room so I moved my chair behind my door. The next day when I asked Sheree about it, she said it was their secret and I was never to tell my mum or dad because Arnie would put our dad in jail if he found out.’
I feel sick, but I let her carry on talking.
‘And then, then -’
I hold her hand and nod, ‘I know.’
‘She killed herself. Couldn’t take it any longer. She felt sick at having not only a dirty man playing with her but now he was making her do stuff to girls too and filming it. She used to come home and tell me everything. Tell me what she’d done and make me promise that I would never let him anywhere near me, but she never told me she wanted to die.’
She looks at me with anger flashing in her eyes, ‘I decided that he needed to pay. I went to see him, when I was fifteen. I knew I looked like my sister. I figured he’d want me and I could get him for my dad and for Sheree. He laughed in my face. Told me I was too old for him. A couple of years later I met Harry. I didn’t know that he’d been sent by Arnie. They set me up in the press’ eyes as a wild child. The pregnancy faking Judge’s daughter in order to ruin my reputation against anything I might try and accuse him of in the future. Dad says he was blackmailed by Arnie. The bastard blackmailed my sister into being in his sick fuck videos and then blackmailed my father over me. My dad accepted membership of The Rodeo in the hopes he’d be able to get the tapes back or find something he could use as leverage on Arnie, but it never happened.’
I hug her towards me as she cries some more, but I reflect on what she’s told me and although it’s terrible and a tragedy, there’s nothing here we can use against Arnie. I slump back defeated and stroke her hair.
‘I’d like to say we could do something to stop him, but I’m really not sure we can.’ I tell her. ‘I really just don’t know anymore.’
Robyn reaches into her bag and lifts out a video cassette.
‘What’s this?’
‘One afternoon Arnie came around when my parents weren’t at home. He got Sheree to meet him in the garage. At night we used to put a security camera on. Sheree told him I wasn’t home, but I was. I went to the security camera and I switched it on. I recorded everything.’
She hands it to me. ‘No-one knows this tape exists. I didn’t want my father to see Sheree like that. I thought he’d kill Arnie, and then myself and my mother would lose Dad too, but I realise this can’t go on any longer so take it.’
I take it from her hands and hold it tightly.
‘I realise I may have just signed by own death warrant doing this, so it was nice to meet you if we don’t get to do it again.’ She puts the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
‘Don’t talk like that. You’ve given me this, I can’t thank you enough. We finally have something that can stop him. You hear that? We might finally be free.’
She gives me a brief wan smile and gets up to leave. I pick up my bag and wander outside.
What happens then, happens so quickly that I can’t register it on one hand and yet on the other it’s like I see it in slow motion.
It’s dark and pouring with rain, the road slick with wet. As Robyn goes to cross the street, a car pulls out and I just know it’s going to knock her over. I’m about to scream when Gabe shoots past me, pushing Robyn clear. He’s lifted and flies over the bonnet of the car. I begin to run as fast as I can screaming and crying towards him as he lies motionless in the road.
‘Gabe, no, no!’
The back door of the car opens, a tissue is placed in front of my face and everything goes black.
I come around to find my hands tied behind my back. I’m propped up against the wall of the coffee shop.
‘How the? -’
I see Ronnie and Co
l similarly strapped up, tied to chairs. Ronnie looks at me. ‘We stayed late to stock take.’
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Shut it,’ yells a man with short white shaved hair. His teeth are yellow from smoking and his nose is so crooked it must have been broken several times.
I can see daylight leaking through the cafe shutters so I know I’ve been out for hours.
‘Now listen lady, you’ve gone too far and now you’re going to pay. It’ll be my pleasure to watch you squirm. Keeps me in a job and well paid, so thank you.’ He lifts a knife and sweeps it down the top of Col’s arm. I see the skin tear open. Though he tries to grit his teeth, the most horrific scream comes from Col’s mouth. It must be agony. Blood starts to run down his arm, he’s going to need medical attention. Ronnie is trying to get out of her restraints.
I squeeze my eyes shut, but I can hear Col’s moans and whimpers. ‘What do you want? Please, just leave my friends alone.’
‘You know what we wanted. For you to leave the fuck alone, but you just couldn’t do that could you?’
He stops Ronnie’s chair and starts to rub himself against Ronnie’s arm. I want to kill the sick bastard. Ronnie gives an infinitesimal shake of her head, no. She lets out a groan, as if it turned her on.
‘Liked that did you, you little hussy with the hot pussy? Might give you a lesson later. In the meantime, I just want to let you know,’ he walks over and gets right up into my face. ‘We have the tape now, so Mr Gregory Sr is quite safe. Can’t say the same about Gregory jr.’
‘You sick fuck.’
He smacks me across the cheek. ‘I said shut it. Now you’re going to get me in trouble cos I’m not allowed to touch a hair on your head. Mr Gregory wants that pleasure all to himself. Why don’t you use this time to say goodbye to your friend?’
I look up at him panicked.
‘Goodbye?’
‘Well none of you are going to make it are you love? First though I’m going to have some fun with your friend and you can watch.’
‘Don’t touch her,’ yells Col.
Bleach-head doesn’t like it and cuts his other arm. I wince again at the scream and fear I’m going to vomit.
Ronnie licks her lips as Bleach-head walks to her side.
‘You ready for me love? I’m huge, gonna tear you apart.’
‘I love a big cock,’ says Ronnie, ‘and I’m all wet and ready cos you tied me up which is just what I like. Now are you going to untie me so I can play?
He saunters up to her. ‘Any funny stuff and I’ll slit his throat,’ he points to Col. ‘My mate’ll be back in a minute so I need to hurry up. He leans over Ronnie and sticks his tongue down her throat. She kisses him back hard. I can’t believe what I’m seeing; what is she doing? He reaches over to untie her hands. The minute she’s free she pulls him over her, fixing her arms around him and twisting his arm behind his back and then she knees him straight in the face. As he drops to the floor, she gets up from the chair and drops straight on him pinning him by the arm.
I gasp.
She spits on the floor. ‘Gross. The biggest cock is on your head honey.’
He lifts his head slightly and even though its with a grimace, he sneers. ‘Yeah, what you gonna do now bitch? Your friends are still tied up and Gaz’ll be back soon.’
‘Shucks, hmmm, let me see.’ Ronnie bites on her lip, ‘Erm, this.’
She wraps her arm around his neck and holding her hand in her other palm she pulls until Bleach-head is unconscious. Then she gets up and unties us.
‘Just wh-what the fuck happened? Forget it. Right now I have no words.’ I tell her.
Ronnie quickly slips her belt off her trousers and ties Bleach-head with it. ‘Stupid fucker didn’t tie me very tight. My arms didn’t go dead.’ She then phones the police and an ambulance. Col has gone into shock, he looks clammy and his breathing is rapid. She rushes back over to him and sits at the side of him, cradling his head.
I pull out my phone and check my messages. There’s one from my mother saying she’s about to leave the hospital. I quickly text her. Then I remember.
‘Gabe. Gabe got knocked down.’ I yelp, covering my mouth with my hands.
‘Go find out what’s happening, I’ll deal with this here.’ She says.
I look at her.
‘I said go.’
I get up, legs wobbling, I’m not sure I can move. ‘Ronnie. I don’t know what that shit was you pulled but thank you. You saved all our lives.’
‘Had a crush on a martial arts expert, attended far too many classes and never even got to first base. Now go.’
I drag myself out of the door and get my phone back out to phone a taxi.
‘Stella darling,’ a voice drawls as a man walks from my apartment building, ‘so glad you could make it.’
Chapter 8
My hands fall to my sides. ‘The police are on their way Arnie.’
He smirks, ‘To do what? Certainly not to arrest me. Shame about that failed armed robbery in the coffee shop.’
‘I’m going to see Gabe.’
‘No point there love, you’re wasting your time.’ He draws waves in the air, ‘Beep, beep, beep,’ then he draws a flat line, ‘boooooooooooop.’
‘No, no!’ I lift my hand up to pummel him, ‘you are lying, you sick and utter bastard. He is not dead. He’s not.’
He grabs my arm and I feel a hint of something sharp needling at my back. ‘Oh darling, I don’t know how he is, last I heard he’d been taken to the hospital, but the look on your face, well it fair melted my heart then.’ He cocks his head to the side. ‘Young love. Now let’s get up to your apartment, I believe we have some unfinished business.’
‘Ronnie will send the police.’
‘Ronnie won’t know where the fuck you are will she? Now it just so happens that I’ve arranged for a rather nasty unfortunate accident to happen to you, so lets go, time’s a wasting.’
I feel a sharp point through my clothing and realise he has a knife as cold presses against my flesh. I have my baby to think of, so I do as he says and go with him to my apartment, buying myself time.
My apartment smells fusty after being closed up.
‘Let’s go on the balcony,’ says Arnie, his eyes lit with amusement.
I look at him through gritted teeth. ‘I’d prefer to stay here, if it’s all the same to you.’
‘Fine, let’s sit here for now and have a little chat.’ He indicates the seat.
‘Thank you for allowing me to sit on my own sofa.’ I snipe.
‘Still with the mouth. Thought you’d be begging for your life round about now.’
‘You’ll not kill me, you wouldn’t want to upset my mother.’
There’s a quick tensing of his body, then he sits back. ‘Oh, she’ll get over it in time, like she did your father.’
‘Why did you never go after Mitch?’
‘Mitch has been far more useful to me alive, close enough where I could keep an eye on you all. It would have looked a bit suspicious if I’d killed them both wouldn’t it?’ He stretches his arms across the back of the sofa. ‘Eventually your mother will come to her senses and realise she’s mine.’
‘Never. She loves Mitch.’
‘Well, I’m proposing a little deal to Mitch, just like we’re good at. He gets to keep Samuel, as long as he stays in the states with him.’
‘My mum would move.’
‘That’s not the deal. The deal will be that he leaves your mother. Otherwise, little Samuel can come and live with his father.’ He claps his hands together. ‘Wouldn’t that be nice?’
‘I don’t get this Arnie? You have a thing for young girls, so how does my mother fit in? Isn’t she too old?’
‘Do you know how old your mother was when I first met her?’
‘No.’
‘Thirteen. She was beautiful. I was fifteen.’ He licks his lips. ‘The things I wanted to do to her. That’s what I imagine when I touch those young girls. I imagine they’re y
our mother.’ His face lights up with a strange smirk.
‘You’re sick in the head.’
‘Maybe so. Perhaps that’s why the thought of ensuring you plunge to your death is turning me on too.’
I look towards the balcony, tightening my grip on the sofa. I want to put my hand across my stomach but I daren’t. I’ve got to do something and fast. I try what I saw Ronnie do and pull Arnie across me. It shocks him, but he’s too fast for me and has me in an arm lock before I know it.
‘Stupid, silly girl. Time to go.’
He pushes me towards the balcony. The doors are unlocked and he opens them easily with one arm. I know one thing. If I’m going, I shall do my damnedest to take him with me.
‘Arnie, people will see you push me over.’
‘Well of course they would normally, but that’s not going to happen.’ He whispers in my ear, making my flesh crawl. ‘I had someone come in earlier this week and loosen the railing. We’re going to argue and then unfortunately you are going to step back and fall to your death. Splat. Oops.’
He pushes me through the door onto the balcony. I try and drag my feet, but he’s too strong.
‘Any last words, Stella dear?’
‘I have some,’ says my mother, ‘and the first are take your hands off my daughter.’
I see Arnie’s mouth widen into a smile as the realisation my mother is here hits him.
‘Francesca, my love.’ He keeps a firm grip of my arm.
‘Arnie, has it really come to this?’
‘Your daughter’s tried to ruin me. I’m sorry but she went too far. She has to pay.’
My mother’s voice is strong, almost unrecognisable to me. A sound I haven’t heard since my father died and she protected me. ‘You said you’d never hurt me; yet I find out you were responsible for Brian’s death and now you want to hurt my daughter.’
Arnie looks guilty, ‘You were never meant to know about Brian. He wasn’t good enough for you. I was coming you know, to look after you, but Mitch got there first. He always did have to be first.’
The Alphabet Game the Complete Alpha Series a to X, Y, Z Page 25
