Ruby

by Heather Burnside

  ‘OK, but what will you do?’ asked Ruby.

  ‘You don’t need to know too much,’ Josh replied. ‘All you need to know is that it’ll get sorted. Just leave it with us.’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Ruby, her initial reluctance now replaced by relief.

  She gave her cousins all the facts she could think of relating to Kyle and his gang and they both listened while Calvin made notes. Although she had dreaded being judged by her cousins because of her weakness, it seemed they had finally grown up. Now, rather than putting her down, their main concern seemed to be in defending her and they had been surprisingly receptive.

  ‘There’s something else,’ she ventured once she had told them as much as she could relating to Kyle. ‘There’s another guy who’s got it in for me. He hasn’t really done anything yet, but he’s threatened revenge. I think he’s just biding his time, but he might even have sent Kyle’s gang round as a way of getting back at me.

  ‘What’s his name?’ asked Josh.

  ‘Aaron Gill but they call him Gilly.’

  ‘Never heard of him,’ said Calvin, ‘And if we ain’t heard of him then he must be small fry. Is he from Manchester?’

  ‘Yeah. He hangs out in the Rose and Crown. He’s a pimp.’

  ‘Why’s he after you?’ asked Josh, and Ruby told them both what had happened.

  ‘He sounds like a nasty little fucker,’ said Josh, ‘but Calvin’s right, he ain’t no big shot. And there’s no way he’ll be behind Kyle and his gang. Trust me; they don’t have anyone pulling their strings. But if you want us to sort this guy out as well, we can.’

  ‘Yeah, I do,’ said Ruby. ‘Oh, and thanks.’

  ‘No probs, cuz,’ said Calvin, ruffling her hair. He turned to Josh. ‘Come on, bruv, let’s go.’ Then he laughed. ‘Me and you have got work to do.’

  Once they had gone Tiffany took Ruby in her arms. ‘Are you OK?’ she asked.

  Ruby pulled away from her embrace and nodded as she replied. ‘I think so.’

  ‘Do you think they’ll be able to sort it?’

  ‘Should be able to. I think Josh and Calvin are involved in a lot more than we know about. They didn’t seem too bothered about the situation. In fact, they seemed to be looking forward to going up against Kyle’s gang. I hope they don’t go too far. I should have told them just to warn him off.’

  ‘Do you think they’ll be alright?’ asked Tiffany.

  ‘I hope so. If owt happened to them I’d never forgive myself. But I don’t wanna think about that right now. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping they can scare Kyle’s gang off.’

  ‘Try not to worry, Rubes. After all, it’s not as if you had a choice in the matter, is it? And it beats sitting around doing nothing while we wait to see what Kyle’s going to do to us next.’

  Ruby shuddered. ‘Yes, you’re right.’

  54

  July 2011

  The following night arrived too quickly and Kyle was soon standing at the reception desk ready for his pre-arranged meeting with Ruby. As she looked at him, she felt a tug of repulsion. There was no way she could go through with this, and the meeting with her cousins had given her the courage to put him off even though she was still fearful of his reaction.

  ‘I’m not doing it,’ said Ruby.

  ‘You what?’ he asked, glaring at her.

  ‘I can’t. I thought I could, but I can’t.’

  ‘What the fuck’s wrong with you? You’re not some innocent fuckin’ virgin, y’know. I know for a fact you’ve had plenty of customers in the past; I’ve been asking around. And now, just cos you’re the fuckin’ madam, you think you’re too good for the customers.’

  Ruby could feel her heart racing and her hands were sweating as she saw the look of fury on his face, but she tried to keep her voice even as she said, ‘It’s up to me whether I take customers or not, so if I say I don’t want to do it then I won’t do it.’

  Kyle swiped angrily at her, catching the attention of two of her girls and a customer who were in the waiting area, but she dodged away quickly. He then leaned over the reception counter, his head poking forward.

  ‘If it wasn’t for the fact that that lot might call the cops, I’d drag you into one of those fuckin’ rooms now!’ he threatened. ‘I’m having no fuckin’ tart thinking she’s too good for me. You’re lucky to get a decent looking bloke after some of the fuckin’ weirdos you’re used to shaggin’ so you’d better have a rethink and fuckin’ quick if you know what’s good for you. I’ll be in touch.’

  Then he was gone and Ruby felt her shoulders slump in relief. She saw one of the girls in the waiting area look across at her but she quickly raised her hand palm outwards to stop her from coming over. ‘It’s OK,’ she said. ‘Just a troublesome customer, nothing to worry about.’

  Ruby looked down at her computer screen, refusing to maintain eye contact with the girl. She’d tried her best to play it down but was worried that if her staff saw the fearful expression on her face, they would realise the threat that Kyle really posed.

  *

  While Kyle was busy terrorising Ruby, her cousins were waiting for one of Kyle’s gang, Ash, to make his way back home from the pub. It hadn’t taken long to find his address; their scary reputation ensured that people were anxious to give them information.

  They had hidden behind some bushes near to the house where he lived, their car parked further away and out of view. The house was only accessible by public footpath and they knew he’d have to pass them on foot once he’d completed the journey by car or taxi. They’d had a tip-off telling them the time he usually arrived home from the pub, and had got there early so they wouldn’t miss him. Apparently he didn’t usually stay late, often going back early with his girlfriend once he had met with the rest of the gang. But after almost half an hour of waiting they were becoming restless.

  As Josh began to wonder whether Ash would arrive home at all that night, his initial adrenalin rush was abating. But when he spotted a man getting out of a car then walking arm in arm with a girl, the rush of adrenalin quickly returned. Ash fit the description they had of him: below average height, slight and only in his early twenties. He must have got a lift home from the pub and was now making his way unsteadily towards them. Although it was still only ten-thirty, he seemed drunk.

  ‘He’s there,’ he whispered to Calvin. ‘But he’s not on his own.’

  Calvin peered through the bushes. ‘You get the girl and I’ll take him. It should be a doddle; he’s half pissed.’

  Josh nodded and pulled the knife from his pocket as they watched Ash stagger up the footpath. As soon as he and the girl passed by, they jumped from the bushes and pounced on them from behind. The girl began to scream but Josh quickly put his hand over her mouth, pulling her close to him and jabbing her in the back with the knife.

  ‘Keep your fuckin’ mouth shut, and nowt will happen to you,’ he hissed, dragging her into the bushes.

  Josh watched as Calvin jumped Ash, wrapping his left arm around Ash’s middle and dragging him towards him while he prodded the knife at his throat. But Ash was surprisingly quick. He aimed a sharp backwards kick at Calvin’s calf, his heel painfully connecting with the shin bone. Calvin let out a yell and slackened his hold. It gave Ash chance to pull away. Then he spun round and pulled out his own knife.

  Josh felt helpless as he watched what was taking place, his heart pumping fiercely and his hand sweaty against the girl’s face. The need to help his brother fought with worry about letting go of the girl. He couldn’t let her raise the alarm.

  Before he could do anything, Ash charged at Calvin, his drunkenness making him fearless. But it also made him clumsy and, as Calvin sidestepped him, his blade caught the edge of Calvin’s arm, grazing his jacket but missing his flesh. With nothing to stop his momentum, Ash keeled over.

  Calvin was straight on him, pinning him down where he lay on the ground. As Ash tried to break free Calvin held his knife to the side of his neck. But Ash didn’
t heed the warning, and continued to put up a fight.

  ‘If you keep still, you little fuck, you’ll be alright,’ threatened Calvin. ‘We’re not after you. We just want you to send a message to Kyle.’

  But Ash carried on struggling, yelling abuse and wriggling around on the ground.

  ‘Shut the little fucker up!’ yelled Josh, as he noticed a light come on in a house further along the footpath.

  Calvin grabbed Ash’s hair at the back and yanked his head up off the ground. Then Josh noticed one swift moment and Ash lay still. It was only when he saw the blood seep from beneath him that he realised Calvin had slit his throat.

  Calvin sprang up, away from the body, as though it was contaminated. And for a moment the brothers remained still, both in shock at what Calvin had done. They had only intended to scare him!

  But then the girl noticed the blood too. She became hysterical, fighting to free herself from Josh. He held on tight despite her thrashing about and kicking. Then he felt a sharp pain in his hand as the girl chomped down hard. Josh yelled and pulled his hand away. She was about to make a run for it when Calvin pounced on her so she was trapped between them both. Calvin quickly stepped back and aimed a sharp slap to her cheek, stunning her into silence.

  ‘Shut the fuck up!’ he yelled.

  The girl remained quiet, her body trembling and tears pouring down her face as she stared helplessly at Ash’s prone body. Josh grabbed hold of her arm and hissed into her ear.

  ‘Right, we want you to deliver a message. It’s for your boyfriend’s leader, Kyle. With the knife still in his hand, he pointed it towards Ash. You tell that fuckin’ Kyle that that’s a warning. And tell him to leave Ruby’s Parlour alone, and anyone who works there, or there’ll be worse to come. Do you understand?’

  The girl whimpered in response so Calvin grabbed hold of her chin, forcing it upwards till their eyes connected. ‘Are you fuckin’ listening to what he’s saying?’ he yelled.

  ‘Yeah,’ the girl cried, and Calvin let go of her.

  ‘Right, well you make sure that fuckin’ message gets back to Kyle or we’ll be back for you. OK?’ The girl nodded but the only sound coming from her was a painful whine. ‘I said, OK?’ Calvin yelled again.

  ‘Yeah,’ said the girl, but it sounded more like a plea than an affirmation.

  ‘C’mon, let’s go,’ said Josh, afraid someone might emerge from the house where the light had been switched on.

  He let go of the girl and she slumped to the ground, her legs weak with fear and grief. They left her where she fell, and ran.

  55

  July 2011

  Ruby was on reception with Tiffany when she heard her mobile phone ping. She jumped at the sound, aware that it could be Kyle, but also expecting to hear back from her cousins at any time.

  ‘Who is it?’ asked Tiffany as Ruby picked up the phone. She looked as anxious as Ruby felt.

  Ruby scanned the text message then showed it to Tiffany.

  Your biggest problem has been dealt with. On our way to deal with the other one. We’ll be in touch soon.

  Even if she didn’t have the number stored in her phone as Josh, Ruby would have realised who the text had come from. He was being deliberately cryptic, maybe to cover himself in case of comeback.

  Tiffany looked at her knowingly and Ruby nodded back. But although Ruby didn’t say anything her thoughts were alive; wondering, speculating, worrying. If Josh had felt the need to cover himself then how bad had things become? What exactly did dealt with mean? And who had been dealt with: Kyle’s gang or Gilly? She was anxious to know exactly what had happened.

  ‘Hang on here,’ she said to Tiffany. ‘I’m giving them a ring. I want to find out more.’

  She went inside an unused room for privacy but, despite ringing both of her cousins, she couldn’t get a reply. Ruby continued to ring throughout the night but neither of them answered the phone. They were obviously occupied sorting out problem number two.

  *

  The night’s events had taken Josh by surprise. He didn’t like to resort to killing if he could help it; not so much out of compassion for the enemy, who deserved everything they got, but more because it usually resulted in even bigger problems. He knew Kyle wouldn’t take the news of Ash’s death well so they had to be prepared for comeback from him.

  It wasn’t as if it was the first time Josh and Calvin had killed; in their line of work it was an occupational hazard. And, even though the death of Ash was still fresh in their minds, they decided to go ahead and deal with Gilly that same night just as they had originally intended. Calvin was already fired up from the incident with Ash anyway and was eager to carry on.

  When they arrived at the Rose and Crown they went straight inside, having already discussed how to play it. It was a short while after last orders so they knew there wouldn’t be many customers inside the pub, just a few of the regulars. They strode straight up to the bar and soon picked out Gilly from the photograph relating to his court case, which Ruby had shown them.

  Josh walked up to him and whispered in his ear. ‘We want a word, outside.’

  Gilly backed away and looked slyly from one to the other of them. ‘No chance! Whatever you’ve come to say, you can fuckin’ say it here.’

  Some of the pub’s customers became interested in what was happening. ‘Everything alright, Gilly?’ Josh heard one of them say.

  Josh looked at the customers standing at the bar and weighed up his chances. Having decided there was no major threat he sidled up to Gilly and whispered into his ear again. ‘What would the landlord think if we smashed this place up because we had beef with you? Then, when we’d done that, we’d haul you out of the pub and kick the shit out of you.’

  He watched Gilly’s reaction and could tell he was trying to decide what to do for the best, so he added, ‘We only want a chat. If you cooperate, we’ll leave it at that.’

  Gilly looked around then whispered something to the man standing at the other side of him. Josh presumed he’d instructed him to bring help if he didn’t return soon but he wasn’t worried. The man looked as though a good meal would kill him; he was an obvious junkie, as were the two men standing further along the bar.

  They were soon standing in the street that ran down the side of the pub. Gilly stopped before they reached the back alleyway, then turned and asked. ‘What d’you want?’

  Josh could see the fear in his eyes straightaway and knew this was going to be easy. His first reaction was physical as he grabbed the front of Gilly’s hoody and gripped it tightly under his chin, his knuckles pressed against Gilly’s windpipe. He could see Calvin hovering to the side of him, keen to get involved.

  ‘I’ll tell you what we fuckin’ want! We want you to leave Trina alone.’

  Gilly made a choking sound so Josh eased the pressure a little, allowing him to speak. ‘Trina?’

  ‘Yeah. The girl who owns Ruby’s Parlour.’

  Gilly’s eyes flashed in recognition. ‘I haven’t fuckin’ touched her, mate.’

  ‘No, but you’ve fuckin’ threatened her!’ yelled Calvin.

  ‘Only cos she grassed me up!’ said Gilly, his pupils now wide with fear. ‘But I wasn’t gonna touch her, I swear.’

  ‘Are you fuckin’ sure about that?’ asked Josh, still clutching Gilly’s hoody.

  ‘Yeah, cos from what we’ve heard you’re pretty fuckin’ handy at beating women up!’ said Calvin, his face now up against the side of Gilly’s head.

  Gilly shifted to one side and Josh released his hold then stepped back, nodding to Calvin who threw the first punch. His fist connected with Gilly’s chin, hard enough to make his head smash into the wall behind him, and Gilly let out a yelp.

  ‘Is this what it fuckin’ felt like for the girl you beat up?’ demanded Josh, sensing Gilly’s panicked reaction and nodding at Calvin to hit him again.

  Calvin thumped Gilly fiercely around the face and head while Gilly made a feeble attempt to defend himself, holding his hands up t
ill Calvin swiped them away. When Josh spotted blood, he ordered Calvin to stop.

  Josh moved in again as Calvin stepped aside. ‘That’s just a fuckin’ taster,’ he said, jabbing his finger in Gilly’s bloody face. ‘If we hear you’ve been anywhere near Trina then we’ll come back and finish the fuckin’ job off!’

  ‘I won’t. Honest. I promise,’ pleaded Gilly.

  Josh turned to Calvin. ‘Come on, we’re done.’

  He’d left the dirty work to Calvin, but Gilly’s obsequiousness had annoyed him. Maybe he should have given him a good smacking himself. The guy was a cowardly bastard!

  But they’d done what they set out to do and Josh was satisfied that there’d be no repercussions for Ruby. The guy was too shit scared to dare! He and Calvin started to walk away but, as they did so, Josh turned back and caught the expression on Gilly’s face. It wasn’t just relief; it was conceit, as though he thought he’d got off lightly. And Josh couldn’t have that. He had a reputation to protect.

  The look of surprise on Gilly’s face when he turned back and swiped him was priceless! Josh laid into him, heedless of the blood spatter and Gilly’s pleas for mercy. He didn’t stop till his energy was spent. By that time Gilly’s face resembled a freakish piece of modern art in scarlet hues with pallid undertones.

  Josh stood in front of Gilly and scowled at him while he got his breath back. Gilly’s mouth was hanging open, the blood pumping from his nose and his bottom lip, and he was whimpering like a baby with tears flowing freely from his eyes. His expression was no longer one of conceit, more of terror and desperation. This time Josh knew they’d done the job right. His deduction was borne out by his brother’s amused expression, which he could see out of the corner of his eye.

  ‘Don’t you ever dare to fuck with us!’ yelled Josh and he was rewarded by Gilly’s look of anguish as he drew his head back, anticipating another blow.