Strong Women

by Roberta Kray

  Jo’s head was beginning to swim again. She had never met anyone like Gabe Miller before, someone who could turn almost any argument around and make their own twisted logic sound perfectly reasonable. And it wasn’t just his mental agility that bothered her; she was suddenly aware of how physically strong he was too. He was the type of man, she imagined, who wasn’t used to being contradicted.

  ‘I have to find Susan before it gets that far,’ he continued. ‘You can help me or not. And if you can’t – or you won’t – you can at least do me the favour of keeping your mouth shut for the next few days.’

  Jo couldn’t contain her scepticism. ‘You seem more concerned about Susan than the actual victim in all this.’

  ‘Perhaps that’s because we have differing opinions as to who the actual victim is. I realise that you’re probably not feeling too sympathetic towards her at the present but do you really want her dead?’

  ‘That’s not fair!’ Jo couldn’t deny that she was angry at what Laura had done, how she’d used her, but that was a far cry from what Miller was suggesting. She knew she was being manipulated, forced into a corner, but she was still determined to get some answers before making a decision. ‘Perhaps it would help if you explained what Silver was doing in your hotel room.’

  ‘If that’s what it takes.’

  ‘I’m listening.’

  Miller folded his arms on the table. He leaned forward again. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘What you need to understand about Silver is that on top of being your normal troubled teenager, she lost her mother when she was a kid and has a bimbo stepmother young enough to be her sister. Add into the mix a father who rarely takes much notice of her and you’re probably beginning to see the picture. Delaney gives her all the material possessions she wants and enough cash to get her into the kind of trouble that he then resents her for, but that’s as far as it goes. When it comes to any kind of relationship, he doesn’t have a clue.’

  ‘But you do?’

  He raised a hand and dropped it back down. ‘Is there any point to this? You’ve already made up your mind.’

  ‘And who’s the one making presumptions now?’

  Miller shrugged, thought about it and carried on. ‘What Silver has got in the habit of doing when she wants some attention is running away. This was her third great escape of the year. She doesn’t usually go far or make it that difficult for Delaney to find her but this time was different. About a month ago she nicked a couple of grand from Daddy’s safe and took off with a no-mark called Ritchie Naylor. He’s nineteen and a user in every sense of the word. Delaney didn’t hear from her and started to worry. That’s when he called me in.’

  ‘And you tracked her down.’

  ‘Eventually,’ he said. ‘She was holed up in a B&B in Blackpool, a nasty backstreet dive with nothing to recommend it other than the price. Ritchie, unsurprisingly, had bailed as soon as the cash ran out and with his habit that hadn’t taken long. As you can imagine, she was feeling pretty sorry for herself.’

  ‘So you dragged her back to London and kept her in your hotel room.’

  Miller’s eyes flashed. ‘I didn’t drag her anywhere. And I didn’t force her into doing anything she didn’t want to do. Let’s just say that we talked it through and I managed to persuade her that coming back, although it might involve a small loss of face and a few apologies, was still a better option than staying where she was.’

  ‘Mr Diplomacy,’ she said.

  ‘Whatever.’ He shrugged again. ‘I’ve been called worse.’

  ‘So why not take her straight home? What’s with the whole hotel business?’

  ‘We weren’t sharing a bed if that’s what you think.’

  Jo’s cheeks flushed pink again. ‘I didn’t suggest you were.’

  ‘Sorry. I just got the impression that you were thinking the worst. Forgive me if I was wrong. Anyway, we only drove down from Blackpool today. It was Delaney who booked the room. He’s been in Spain, doing a spot of business, and his flight wasn’t due in until this evening. It made sense to meet up at the hotel. It suited us both; I prefer to get paid on neutral territory and he didn’t want Silver returning to the house without him. Nina – that’s the wicked stepmother – isn’t exactly the welcoming sort.’

  ‘He’s been in Spain while his daughter was missing?’

  ‘Yeah, he’s a real sweetheart.’

  Jo finished her coffee and stared down into the empty mug. Her own father wasn’t the most attentive parent in the world but even he wouldn’t have been so heartless. She slowly lifted her gaze as another thought occurred to her. ‘I still don’t understand how Laura … how Susan … knew where you’d be. She told me last night that you were staying at the Lumière.’

  ‘That’s been bothering me too. The exchange was only arranged yesterday. Someone must have tipped her off, someone close to Delaney. There’s no other way she could have found out.’

  ‘So she’s not working on her own.’

  ‘I doubt it,’ he said. ‘You can always find some hard-nosed, greedy bastard prepared to sacrifice his loyalty on the altar of hard cash.’

  ‘And do you have any idea as to who that might be?’

  ‘Not yet. Delaney’s surrounded by creeps. It could be any one of them.’

  Jo looked down into her empty mug again.

  ‘Do you want another?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Another coffee,’ he said.

  At that moment the door to the café opened. Jo wouldn’t have noticed if it hadn’t been for the way Miller looked over her shoulder. She saw his body tense and quickly turned around. Two tall men were heading towards them. Her heart began to pound. She had a few seconds of blind sweaty panic – were they the guys who had been at Euston? – before her vision eventually made contact with her brain. These two weren’t the same at all. They were younger, milder, dressed in T-shirts and jeans. Sliding down on to the seats at a nearby table, they laughed and gestured the waitress over.

  Jo swallowed hard and pressed her hand against her mouth. It took a while for the fear to subside.

  ‘This is ridiculous,’ Miller said softly. ‘Isn’t there anywhere else we can go?’

  ‘No,’ she said.

  ‘I need to call Delaney again.’

  ‘So do it. No one’s stopping you.’

  He sighed. ‘It’s hardly the type of call I can make in public.’

  ‘So use the Gents.’

  ‘Oh yeah,’ he said, ‘like that’s really bloody private.’ He glanced towards the toilets. ‘Unless you’d like to stand guard outside the door and make sure nobody comes in for the next five minutes?’

  Jo didn’t like.

  ‘I didn’t think so,’ Miller said. ‘Christ, we shouldn’t even be sitting here. We’re asking for trouble. This caff is like a goldfish bowl. Anyone could walk past and see us.’

  Jo knew he was trying to scare her. Unfortunately, she also knew that he was right.

  ‘You owe me,’ he persisted. ‘I’m in the shit and you helped to put me here. I need to keep my head down. We both do. Just for a few hours.’

  ‘No,’ she said again. She wasn’t going to take him to the flat. There might be a risk in sitting here but at least there would be witnesses if anything happened. And that was preferable to being alone with him.

  ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘It’s your decision. I can’t force you. But let’s just get one thing clear: if I’m out on the street and Delaney’s men pick me up – and they’re going to be swarming all over the place – I’ll have to tell them exactly what happened tonight. And as that involves you—’

  Jo felt a cold chill run the length of her spine. ‘You wouldn’t,’ she whispered.

  His dark eyes gazed coldly back at her. ‘It’s your choice, sweetheart.’

  Chapter Nine

  Marty Gull peered through the narrow slats of the grille. There was only a dim light inside, a single low-wattage bulb hanging from the ceiling. The girl was lying on the mattress, her body li
mp, her long fair hair spread out across the pillow. He watched, wanting to be sure that she was still breathing. The last thing he needed was a corpse on his hands.

  He glanced over his shoulder. ‘How much has she had?’

  ‘I’ve no idea. You gave Ritchie the stuff.’

  He looked back into the room. Ritchie Naylor was a cretin; there was no knowing what he’d mixed it with. It was only as she moved, as her fingers trembled against the blanket, that he finally allowed himself to relax. Poor little Silver. She wouldn’t be too happy when she came to in the morning – that Rohypnol crap gave you one hell of a headache. Her days of silk sheets and fancy living were well and truly over. No more parties. No more fun. From now on, the only tune she’d be dancing to was his.

  The woman whispered behind him. ‘Are you sure Delaney will pay?’

  Marty slid the grille shut. ‘Course he will. She might be a pain in the ass but she’s still his little girl.’

  ‘You’d better be right.’

  He smiled. The stupidity of women never ceased to amaze him. It had long been his belief that if you wanted something risky doing, you should get someone else to do it. That way, when the shit hit the fan, you were always in the clear. And Susan Clark, with all her rage and bitterness, fitted the bill perfectly.

  ‘I have to get off,’ he said. ‘Make sure you keep an eye on her.’

  Her voice, edged with anxiety, rose a little. ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘Where do you think? Vic’s doing his nut. If I’m not back in the next half-hour, he’ll want to know why.’ He jogged smartly up the stone steps and passed through the kitchen into the living room. ‘And don’t call unless you have to. The less contact we have, the better.’ He put his leather jacket on. ‘I’ll try and get over tomorrow.’

  ‘What do you mean, you’ll try? You can’t just leave me to—’

  ‘I’m not,’ he said. ‘We’re in this together, babe, but we have to be careful. You’ve got your job and I’ve got mine. I have to stay close to Delaney, find out what’s he’s thinking. Just keep things ticking over. So long as she’s got food and water, she’ll be fine. Keep watch but don’t get too close. Don’t go into the room unless you have to and, whatever happens, don’t let her see your face.’

  ‘She might panic when she wakes up.’

  Marty looked in the mirror and smoothed down his short black hair. He took a moment to admire his reflection, his smooth olive skin and dark brown eyes. Not bad for forty, even if he did say so himself. ‘She’ll be okay. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

  ‘How soon?’

  He shifted his gaze to focus on her. ‘Don’t stress. I’ve already told you – tomorrow or the day after. It depends on what’s happening.’

  ‘Are you sure Naylor’s going to keep his mouth shut?’

  He turned, struggling to keep his tone patient. ‘What’s with all the questions? I told you I’d sort it and I have.’

  ‘You didn’t sort Miller.’

  ‘Yeah, well, that was just bad luck. The boys were a bit slow on their feet. But it’s not a problem. He’ll be well gone by now.’

  ‘I wouldn’t be so sure.’

  Marty frowned. He was less than pleased about earlier events and he didn’t like to be reminded of his failures. He headed towards the hall. ‘Look, Suzy—’

  ‘It’s Susan,’ she said sharply.

  ‘Okay, okay,’ he said, holding up his hands. ‘No need to bite my head off.’ God, she could be a stroppy bitch. Women like her deserved a good slap, a reminder of who was really in charge, but for now he had to keep her sweet. ‘All I was trying to say was that he won’t start sniffing round. Why should he? Vic’s gonna kill him if he comes within a hundred yards.’

  ‘Gabe’s been stitched up and he’s not going to like it.’

  ‘Who does?’ He laughed and opened the door. ‘See you later, Susan.’

  As he walked along the path, he was aware of her still standing there. Without turning, he raised his hand and gave her a wave. Immediately, he heard a firm click as the door closed behind him. It was followed by the sound of a bolt being shot across. He smiled. He thought of his girl, his precious spoiled Silver, all safe and secure inside. It gave him a nice warm feeling.

  Chapter Ten

  It was almost dark outside, the lowering sky striped with deep cobalt blue and slashes of pink. Jo looked left and right before quickly crossing the road and passing through the gateway to the Green. She could smell the sweet scent of the grass, freshly mown that afternoon. For a while Miller kept silent, his steps keeping steady pace with hers. They were ten yards in before he spoke again.

  ‘What about your husband? What are you going to tell him?’

  ‘I don’t need to tell him anything. He’s not there.’

  Miller nodded. ‘You don’t make a habit of this, do you?’

  ‘What?’ she said, still angry at being forced to make a decision she hadn’t wanted to make. ‘Taking strangers back to my flat? No, it doesn’t rate as one of my favourite pastimes.’

  ‘I meant walking across here on your own. It’s kind of quiet.’

  ‘It’s a bit late to be worrying about my welfare. The age of chivalry, as you so perfectly made clear, is long dead.’

  Miller shoved his hands in his pockets and laughed. ‘I can see why Susan liked you.’

  ‘Oh yes?’

  ‘You’ve got a lot in common. You’re almost as irritating as she is.’

  Jo stared up at him, her eyes bright with indignation. ‘I’m nothing like Susan. I don’t use my friends and I don’t steal other people’s children.’

  ‘I’d call it more borrowing than stealing. She does intend to give her back.’

  ‘You think it’s funny?’ Jo snapped.

  ‘Just trying to look on the bright side.’

  ‘Well, there isn’t one. There’s just some poor kid out there who’s scared to death and wondering if she’ll ever see tomorrow.’

  ‘I’ve told you,’ he said. ‘Susan won’t let any harm come to her.’

  ‘You don’t even know who she’s working with.’

  Miller’s only reply was a shrug.

  It occurred to her that he was more concerned than he was letting on. She tried to read his face but without success. She was still in two minds as to whether she was doing the right thing. Before long they’d be at the flat and then … To try and calm herself, she began talking again.

  ‘Susan told me that the two of you were supposed to be meeting tonight. So, if it wasn’t her, who was your appointment with?’

  ‘I got a call about another job. Nobody I know but that’s not unusual. Most of my work is through word of mouth. A guy calling himself Billy Hare rang late this afternoon and said he had to talk. He said it was urgent.’

  ‘And you thought it was okay to meet him?’

  ‘Why shouldn’t I?’

  Jo wrinkled her nose, amazed as ever by his attitude. ‘Because you were supposed to be taking care of Silver?’

  ‘She’s fourteen not four; she doesn’t need babysitting. Silver was perfectly content slouched on the sofa, swigging Diet Coke and watching TV. As it happens, she had it tuned to an endless stream of music videos. Have you ever had to listen to that stuff, to watch it? I was glad of the chance to escape for a while. Delaney wasn’t due for a couple of hours, the door to the room was locked and there was no reason to think that she was—’

  ‘No, I don’t suppose there was.’

  His steps slowed for a second and he drew in his breath. ‘Okay, I made a mistake. I admit it. I screwed up! Is that what you want to hear? Gabe Miller is not infallible and he occasionally gets it wrong. Does that make you feel better?’

  She turned her face away, unable to resist a smile. ‘Marginally.’

  ‘Well, good. So long as you’re happy.’

  ‘I’d hardly call it that.’

  ‘I don’t suppose you would. That’s something else you have in common with Susan – you’re both impo
ssible to please.’

  Jo’s smile instantly vanished. She had no desire to be compared to Laura again. And why did she keep thinking of her as Laura? She was Susan Clark, a virtual stranger. Their friendship had been based entirely on lies.

  As they reached the far side of the Green, Jo turned left along Barley Road, crossed over, and walked up the path to number twelve. She had just put the key in the lock when there was a slight scuffling sound from the side of the house. The noise had barely registered with her before Miller took off. He flew across the narrow strip of lawn, swerved around the car and disappeared around the corner. The next thing she heard was a crash of metal, a stream of curses and a muffled squeal of pain.

  Rushing after him, Jo almost tripped over a bike lying on the gravel. She quickly side-stepped the spinning wheels and peered through the gloom. There was just enough light for her to recognise their would-be assailant. She let out a groan. ‘Oh no.’

  This was no oversized goon, no vicious henchman lying in wait. It was poor Leo Kearns from downstairs. Miller had the boy pressed against the wall, his nose against the brick-work and his arm twisted up behind his back.

  Dashing forward, she grabbed hold of Miller’s sleeve and tried to pull him off. ‘What are you doing? Stop it! Leave him alone. He isn’t … he lives here.’

  It took a moment for her words to penetrate. Miller’s grip eventually relaxed and he slowly released his captive.

  Leo turned and leaned forward, panting hard and rubbing at his arm. He was fourteen but tall for his age, a wiry kid with a thin solemn face. When he finally looked up, his eyes were bright and scared.