A Family Divided (Dividing Line #3)

by Heather Atkinson

  “What’s wrong?” he said.

  “Planning permission has been denied.”

  He experienced a sinking feeling. “How did that happen?”

  “I don’t know, it was in the bag.” They had councillors on their payroll who ensured any planning applications they made were always passed. “I’ve just been to talk to Beale, who voted against it.”

  “But he’s one of ours.”

  “I know. Someone got to him.”

  “Strang,” he growled.

  “I don’t think so, he looked terrified of something. No matter how much I offered or gently threatened he wouldn’t back down. Whoever he’s scared of, they’re more intimidating than us and it wasn’t just him, there were others too.”

  Alex briefly flitted through Ryan’s mind but he dismissed him. It didn’t make sense that he’d do this, although he’d no doubt he could scare someone enough. If he wanted to hurt them he could have left him to sweat when he’d been arrested. He wouldn’t help them like that then stab them in the back this way. But there was no one else he could think of.

  “What grounds did they give?”

  “That it’s a site of cultural importance. We can’t make any changes. What the hell are we supposed to do with it? No one’s going to want to buy it, that decision will show up in the searches. I’m sorry Babe, I’ve really messed up.”

  “You weren’t to know.”

  “I checked first, they said permission would be granted. Now I’ve blown a million on something that’s completely useless. We can’t do it up but we can’t knock it down. Now I know why Strang didn’t bid, he knew already, the bastard. What the hell do we do with it?”

  Ryan lapsed into thought then broke into a slow smile.

  “What is it?” she said.

  “I’ve had an idea, a really weird one, but it could work.”

  “Don’t keep it a secret then.” When he whispered in her ear her eyes widened. “A what?”

  When he explained in greater detail she was beaming as broadly as he was.

  “You’re insane. I’ve never heard anything like it.”

  “I know but we can make it work. That sort of thing is really popular at the moment. What do you think?”

  Her eyes danced with mischief. “Let’s do it.”

  Katia sternly eyed the five terrified women as they were ushered in by Alex and Col. They were all bedraggled after the long journey but she could see their potential.

  “What do you think?” Alex asked her.

  Katia grabbed the chin of a woman with hair the colour of honey and yanked her face up to hers. “This one will be very pretty when she’s cleaned up. Good skin.” She scowled fiercely at the woman. “Open your mouth,” she snapped in Slovak. When the woman looked back at her blankly she repeated the order in Hungarian and then in Czech, to which she finally responded. Katia peered into her mouth. “Nice teeth,” she said in English before switching back to Czech. “Your new name is Honey. That is the only name you will respond to here. Forget your old life, that is gone.” Just to demonstrate her authority she slapped the girl hard across the face, who squealed and started to cry. Katia grabbed her by the hair and hauled her to her feet. “Stop snivelling,” she yelled in Czech. She shoved her towards a tall redhead named Daniela, who was her second-in-command. “Get her cleaned up. Dress her in white, it will look beautiful with her hair.”

  Daniela nodded and led the shaking girl away then Katia turned her attention to the next one, a sulky dark haired woman who glared ferociously at her. Katia smiled predatorily. “So you think you are tough little one?” she said. The girl didn’t respond to her, not in any language. Katia frowned as she took in her distinctly yellow pallor, her eyes the same strange colour. She noticed something on her left arm and grabbed the limb roughly, slapping the girl when she tried to pull away. Katia studied the rash on her arm then sighed and got to her feet. “We don’t want this one.”

  “Why not?” said Alex.

  “You see her yellow skin and eyes and the rash on her arm. I think she has hepatitis.”

  Alex was livid. “What?” he roared, causing the women to flinch. “What the fuck am I supposed to do with her now?”

  Katia shrugged.

  “Send her back?” suggested Col.

  “I’m not a fucking travel agent. Those Russian bastards promised to send me only healthy ones, what use is a diseased whore in an establishment like this?”

  “She might have had a relapse,” offered Katia. “She might have looked clean when she left then the disease returned on the journey here.”

  “Maybe,” sighed Alex. “Check the others.”

  She studied the remaining three girls one by one and pronounced them clean from Hepatitis. “But to be very sure, you need to test them.”

  Alex sighed in irritation. “I’ll get the doc on it.”

  They were taken away until only the black haired girl remained.

  “So what do we do with her?” said Col.

  “She can’t go back. I’ve greased the wheels on the way in but I’ve nothing in place for the way out and the Russians won’t take her back. She needs disposing of.”

  “I think she speaks English,” said Katia when the girl’s eyes filled with panic.

  Before any of them could move, the terrified girl raced off down the corridor, aiming for the door she’d come through.

  “Don’t let her get out,” exclaimed Alex.

  Katia picked up an expensive vase from the small stand beside her and threw it at the girl. It hit her in the middle of the back and sent her sprawling. When she started to scream Col hit her round the back of the head, knocking her out.

  “Get rid of her,” Alex told Col, who nodded, picked up the girl and slung her over his shoulder.

  “How many languages do you speak?” Alex asked Katia as they watched Col carry the girl out the back door.

  “Five. Slovak, English, Hungarian, Czeck and Polish.”

  “I’m very impressed, especially with the way you dealt with those girls.”

  “I only want to do my best for you.”

  “And you do Katia. I hope you know how much I appreciate it,” he said softly. Her powerful display had excited him and only made him want her more. Their eyes locked and Alex was drawn into her gaze. She fascinated him like no other woman had before, not even Beth.

  “I do,” she whispered. “I keep thinking about your kiss, it felt so good.”

  Unable to stop himself, he reached out to touch her face, exhaling shakily at how soft her skin was. He let his fingers wander down her throat to the gentle swell of her breasts.

  “Alex,” she breathed, wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue. “I want no man to touch me, except you.”

  His hand slid lower down her firm thighs and up inside her skirt, eliciting a moan from her.

  “So wet,” he smiled.

  Her hands gripped his shoulders as she opened her legs wider, pleading in her eyes. She pressed her own hand to the bulge in his crotch, making him growl and she smiled.

  “What do you do to me?” he said, pressing his face into her hair.

  “I think about you all the time and when I do, I do this to myself,” she said, encouraging his hand to rub against her.

  “I would love to watch you do that.”

  She let her lips brush his. “Just tell me when.”

  He withdrew his hand and stepped back. “Not today, I’m busy.”

  Katia groaned with frustration, her cheeks flushed with desire. “You would leave me like this?”

  Alex smiled darkly. “I’ll enjoy thinking about you here wet and dreaming about me.”

  With that he gave her a wink before strolling out the back door, whistling a happy tune. Katia sighed and leaned back against the wall, heart pounding and so turned on she thought she might faint. Why wouldn’t he make love to her? She lived and breathed for Alex Maguire.

  “So, what do you think?” Ryan asked Rachel as she stared at the figures assembl
ed before her uncertainly.

  “They’re scaring the crap out of me.”

  “Excellent. That’s what they’re supposed to do.”

  There were a dozen of them, clothes ragged and covered in filth, hair matted with blood, faces riddled with ugly sores and open wounds, eyes wide and staring yet full of cunning. The eyes were white, the pupils just tiny black dots in the centre, making them look dead. Some even had their lips missing, giving the lower half of their face a skeletal appearance. There was a huge bald man, a large ugly gash in his left cheek, mouth lolling open and emitting a feral groan, skin pale and pitted. His suit had once been smart, perhaps designer but now it was torn, the pristine white of the shirt spotted with blood and gore. He took three shuffling steps towards Rachel, hand reaching out, the groan turning into a snarl.

  “Alright Mike, you’ve made your point,” smiled Ryan when Rachel took two steps back.

  The zombie stopped and grinned.

  “You’re very good Mike,” said Rachel. “You all are.” She looked to Ryan. “Are you sure about this? A zombie apocalypse? I’ve never heard the like.”

  “Trust me, it’ll go down a storm. They’re springing up all over the place; London, Reading, Cheshire and they’re doing really well. They’re popular with stag do’s or as birthday presents. People come in a group of zombie bashers either in the morning or afternoon session, each lasting three hours. The whole place has been rigged up with sound effects and props and there’s a real storyline, which I wrote myself.”

  “You did?”

  He nodded proudly. “The typical infection outbreak in the UK, only a handful of survivors left, the usual. They have access to the building, outbuildings and grounds and they get pistols and shotguns and basic weapons training too with police firearms specialists. Airsoft guns,” he hastily added when she appeared shocked. He turned to address the zombies. “Don’t worry guys, you’ll be safe. The worst they do is bruise.”

  Rachel looked from him to the zombies - who all appeared to be very excited at the prospect - unable to believe what she was seeing.

  “It’s a full immersion experience and this place is the perfect setting; a huge creepy derelict building with plenty of places to hide. So, what do you reckon?” he said.

  “I really don’t know, I’ve never come across anything like this before but it’s clear you know what you’re doing. Have you ever been on one of these experiences?”

  “Actually yeah, not long before we got together. I went on a friend’s stag do at the one in Cheshire. It was brilliant fun.”

  Her lips twitched. “How did you get on?”

  “I kicked ass,” he smiled. “The groom-to-be got taken down though. He was in tears when all the zombies surrounded him.”

  “And what happens when the zombies catch someone?”

  “We promise we won’t eat them,” said Mike with a cheeky smile.

  “I’m relieved to hear it.”

  “Their team members are given the opportunity to rescue them. No harm will come to anyone.”

  “And what if someone has a heart attack during the game?”

  “A disclaimer has to be signed and any underlying medical conditions discussed first. No one under sixteen or over sixty five. If it works out I’m thinking of doing a riot experience too. You can be the rioter or the copper.”

  “Who’s doing the make-up? It’s very good.”

  “A couple of guys who’ve worked in the special effects department of a film company and the police specialists are all retired and kosher. It’s a professional job.”

  “I don’t doubt it. And I take it all you guys are actors?”

  The zombies nodded as one. “I’ve been an extra in all the soaps,” said Mike.

  “I was on The Bill a few times, till the swines cancelled it,” said a woman with an ugly gash in her neck. “I was an assault victim twice and a reporter.”

  “Well, I can’t argue with those credentials,” said Rachel. “I think you’ve got everything under control,” she told Ryan. “Any bookings yet?”

  “We’re already booked solid for the next eight months and that’s just the beginning.”

  “I’m very impressed.”

  “The first experience starts in half an hour. Want to hang around? There aren’t any viewing areas but you can watch them set off. They should have finished weapons training soon.”

  “Why not? It’s not something you see every day.”

  Rachel was highly entertained by the group of twelve men who all thought they were Bruce Willis because they carried pretend guns full of plastic pellets. Rachel thought they wouldn’t be so full of bravado when they set eyes on the horror that awaited them.

  “Are you sure we’re not about to mentally scar someone for life?” she said as the zombie bashers raced off into the yawning mouth of the hotel, a loud robotic voice counting down from ten, like a twisted hide and seek. When the voice announced zero the room was filled with a flashing red light, the wail of the siren deafening. There were a few seconds of silence, followed by a loud groan then a high pitched scream.

  “Good zombies,” grinned Ryan.

  “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  “Damn right I am. I might even have a go myself. Fancy it?”

  “No thank you. I don’t want to have nightmares for the rest of my life. I don’t even like watching zombie films.”

  “It’s just harmless fun.”

  “It’s gross and isn’t this breaking the planning ruling?”

  “Nope. All the effects are movable and run off a generator, nothing permanent that can damage the building.”

  “It’s Mikey’s birthday soon. Do you think he’d like to have a go as a present?”

  “Great idea. Me and Jez can join in too. Maybe Declan if he doesn’t irritate me too much.”

  “You look like a kid at Christmas,” she grinned. “What about Alex?”

  “I don’t like him.”

  “You’re not going to let him play?”

  His smile fell. “No.”

  “He’s helped us out a lot.”

  “I don’t trust him. He’s not the Alex Maguire we used to know.”

  She nodded in agreement. “He’s always had a dark side but sometimes when he looks at me…I don’t know, it’s like he knows something I don’t. I can’t explain it. Last night I dreamed we had this horrible row in the office at the Wherry Tavern.”

  “What about?”

  “I don’t know but whatever it was it made me panic. I woke up sweating and shaking. In the dream I had my taser pointed at him, I was afraid he was going to attack me. It was horrible. What is it?” she added when he frowned.

  “Are you sure it was a dream?”

  “Of course it was. What else could it have been?”

  “I read somewhere that memories can return to us in the form of dreams. What if you remembered what happened the day of the accident?”

  “No way. Why would me and Alex argue like that?”

  “I don’t know but what if it did happen?”

  “It didn’t, surely? It was a really vicious argument. In my dream he would have hurt me if I hadn’t had my taser on me. There’s no way Alex would attack me, especially when I was pregnant.”

  “You were pregnant in the dream?”

  She nodded sadly. “Wishful thinking I suppose.“

  He appeared thoughtful. “What if you argued and he caused the accident in retaliation?” he said, suddenly looking thunderously angry. “It would explain why I couldn’t find the person responsible.”

  “No Ryan, you’ve got it wrong. Alex would not do that to us.”

  “He’s not been himself lately, everyone’s noticed how he’s changing. The Jordans were in Liverpool, it couldn’t have been them and it wasn’t any of the usual little joy-riding bastards. Who else is there?”

  “Maybe it was just an accident? A working man who accidentally hit the accelerator, panicked and drove off. It happens all the time. I’m
sure that’s what happened, don’t read more into it than there is. No matter what Alex has been like lately, he wouldn’t do that.”

  Ryan noted her face was tight with pain, hating his train of thought. He simply couldn’t inflict more hurt on her by accusing Alex outright, she was still fragile after losing Thomas, they both were. “Okay, I’m sorry,” he said, hugging her.

  “Let it go Ryan, it wasn’t Alex.”

  “I believe you,” was all he said. But he was determined to look into it further.

  CHAPTER 21

  Ryan had to wait two days before he found the time to look into the accuracy of Rachel’s dream, mulling it over, becoming more and more convinced it was a memory. There were too many specifics; the pub, the taser, some big secret Alex knew that Rachel couldn’t remember. It would explain Alex’s recent behaviour if he knew something about them that he didn’t like, but whatever that was he couldn’t think. If it was to do with them both then it had to be personal, but he and Rachel had only got together long after Danny’s death. The memory of that steamy encounter in Martina’s Bar returned to him, when Rachel had briefly split up with Danny and he’d gone to make sure she was okay. But they’d been alone, all the staff had gone home, or had they? The problem was Ryan could think of no way of confirming that theory apart from asking Alex directly. He could hardly ask every member of staff if they’d seen him giving Rachel an orgasm while she was still married to Danny. So he did the only thing he could think of.

  “Hello Ryan,” said Beth when she opened the door. “I’m afraid Alex isn’t here.”

  Ryan didn’t think he would be, he never was. “Actually it’s you I’ve come to see.”

  “You’d better come in then.”

  Ryan followed her inside and he was pleased to see the house looking much tidier. Beth appeared bright and alert, although unhappiness radiated off her.

  “I hope you’re happy with Henrieta?” he began.

  “Oh yes,” she smiled. “She’s very nice, the kids love her and she keeps the place spick and span. I couldn’t manage without her.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. Actually I want to ask you about the first day she came to work for you. You said Rachel came here to see you?”