‘But things have changed since then. So the answer’s no.’
There was a long, cold pause.
Then Harville said, ‘I’ll show you those photographs.’
‘No!’ cried Kayley, at the same time as a shout echoed down the stairs from above.
Harville stood still, apparently torn between continuing to torment his prisoners and finding out what was going on upstairs.
‘Excuse me one moment,’ he said, leaving them and locking the door behind him.
Dusk had fallen properly now, and the lights were on in the front window of the cottage, so Jason and Mia could see the figures of Ross and Harville through the panes. Harville looked disgusted and Ross was wringing his hands, doing his best to extend the encounter for as long as possible, as Jason had suggested.
‘Wonder what they’re talking about,’ he muttered to Mia, leading her around the side of the building.
‘Drugs. Money,’ she said dully. ‘The usual.’
‘But you’re out of all that now,’ he said.
‘Well out of it.’ She shuddered. ‘For good.’
‘This must be the kitchen.’
He peered into a darkened back window, standing on a broken rabbit hutch to get a better look. He could see a light through the half-open door, but nothing more. He pressed his ear to the glass, hoping to catch some of what was being said, but it was no use.
‘You really think Deano’s here? I couldn’t see him in the front room.’
Mia was plucking at loose threads in her jumper, apparently keen to put an end to the foray.
‘We haven’t seen the bedrooms yet,’ he said. ‘He’ll be in there, I suppose. Reckon the back door’s unlocked?’
He tried it and, to his great surprise, it was.
He turned around, eyes widened at Mia, and stepped quietly into the dark kitchen.
‘I’ll stay out here, in case,’ she whispered, and he nodded agreement.
He shut the door gently and stood behind the fridge, listening.
Now he could hear voices from the living room, though he couldn’t make out every word they said. Ross was whining and pathetic, Harville barking back at him.
‘I can’t keep bailing you out,’ he heard Harville say. ‘You’ve had thousands of pounds worth of free gear from me. I’m not some kind of charity for hopeless losers.’
‘But we’re friends,’ said Ross. ‘The old school, dorm mates, everything. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?’
‘It means I should have had better dorm mates,’ said Harville. ‘I’ll sue that school for putting your sorry arse within a mile of me. Now get out.’
‘I’m not leaving,’ he heard Ross vow, then there was a scuffling sound.
‘For fuck’s sake, get off your knees.’ Harville sounded utterly appalled. ‘Get up, man. Didn’t our alma mater teach you anything about self-respect?’
‘Didn’t it teach you anything about compassion?’ said Ross, with what sounded like a sob.
Jason had to hand it to the guy. He was playing a blinder in there.
But he mustn’t get distracted by the amateur dramatics. Somehow he had to find out where Deano was, and try to get him out. If he was still alive.
He tiptoed towards the door, putting his eye to the crack to try and work out what lay beyond. It was a hall, off which all the other rooms of the house lay, apart from an upstairs area in the roof. Nobody appeared to be in the hall, which was only lit by the shaft of brightness spilling out of the open living room door.
He took a deep breath and nudged the kitchen door open further, stepping into the hall. It was shabby, with fraying carpets and peeling wallpaper. A photograph of some old-fashioned guy in a military uniform hung cockeyed over a broken umbrella stand.
There was shouting coming from the living room now, and Harville appeared to be ordering his goons to get Ross out of there. Shit.
Jason opened the nearest door, which proved to be a broom cupboard, and stuffed himself into the narrow space.
More scuffling and shouting, and what sounded like punching, ensued.
Christ. He hadn’t meant for Ross to get himself beaten up. He itched to leap out of the cupboard and join the fray – but that wouldn’t solve the problem at hand.
‘Get out of here,’ shouted Lawrence. ‘No, don’t get up. Crawl. On your hands and knees. It’s all you’re good for. Boys, give him the order of the boot.’
From the crack between the hinges of the slightly ajar cupboard door, Jason saw Ross crawl out, his nose bleeding and his glasses broken, while the two hulking goons followed him, aiming kicks at his backside to hurry him along.
Harville laughed as he watched, then he came into the hall and opened a door opposite the cupboard.
Jason had presumed this to be another cupboard, because it was right next to the kitchen door, but apparently it wasn’t, for a light was snapped on and the sound of feet descending stone steps could be heard.
A cellar! He narrowly avoided saying the words out loud.
The goons were occupied with Ross. It would be him – and hopefully Deano – against Harville. Jason flitted back into the kitchen and found the biggest, sharpest knife in the block, then returned to the cellar door and opened it, heart thumping.
Harville had gone into a room at the bottom of the stairs and shut the door.
He thought of a phrase Mia had used a lot: don’t be a hero.
Had he ever taken any notice? No, and the result had usually been detention, or suspension, or arrest.
Mia had never wanted a hero, but he thought Jenna would. Jenna wanted to respect him and admire him. And he wanted, more than anything, to be respected and admired by her.
But he would have to make sure nothing happened in the heat of the moment with that knife. It was purely for leverage or self-defence, not for actual attack.
Or so he hoped.
Jenna was at the hotel in minutes.
Before asking to be shown up to Parker’s suite, she had a quick word with the receptionist.
‘Are you sure?’ she said, having found out what she wanted to know.
‘Oh yes. A very smartly dressed man, thirties, brown hair, blue eyes. They definitely seemed to know each other. And they left together.’
‘Thanks. Could you let Parker van Steenburgen in Suite 2 know that Jenna Myatt is here, please?’
Parker came down in a flap, hugging Jenna far too tightly and sobbing all over her T-shirt.
‘Parker, it’s OK. Deano did meet up with Lawrence Harville. The receptionist saw them together.’
‘Oh my God, really? Seriously? But I asked him – I mean, Harville – and he said they hadn’t …’
‘I know,’ said Jenna, leading Parker to the sofas and sitting her down. ‘And the question is, why did he say that?’
‘I can call him and ask him again,’ said Parker, flipping out her phone and dialling. ‘He’s not answering,’ she said sadly, a few moments later.
‘Perhaps he’ll answer me,’ said Jenna grimly. ‘Shit, I blocked his number and now I can’t remember it. Can you …?’
Parker recited the number and Jenna punched it into her phone.
Again the phone rang. But this time it was answered.
‘I found those photographs,’ said Harville, waving a plastic wallet at Deano and Kayley. They were still very close together on the bed and seemed really very friendly for people who barely knew each other. If Harville didn’t know differently, he’d think Deano was seriously interested in the slag. ‘Why don’t you take a peek? They’re not really up to Playboy standard, but maybe they’d make Readers’ Wives in one of the more downmarket wank mags.’
Kayley had buried her face in Deano’s shoulder. He put an arm around her.
‘No?’ said Harville. ‘Are you sure? Come on. I’ll show you a little taster.’
He opened the wallet and drew out a handful of photographs, all enlarged and glossy.
‘What about this? A fellow at each end.’
He held it up for Deano’s perusal. Deano looked away.
‘I know it’s not very tasteful but it’s a great tit shot. Look at that angle. And the way her arse is sticking out, as if begging the man at the back to give it to her harder. Of course, she couldn’t ask outright, because her mouth’s full. Kayley’s mouth was rarely empty back then, not to mention her pussy.’
‘Shut up,’ said Deano fiercely. ‘Leave her alone.’
‘What a gentleman you are,’ said Harville, with elaborate surprise. ‘Well, since you care so much for the lady’s reputation, perhaps you’d like to buy these off me? The price is Harville Hall.’
‘Don’t fall for it, Deano,’ said Kayley breathlessly. ‘I’m a nobody. Who’d be interested in porn shots of me?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Harville. ‘There’s a lovely parallel with certain events in Jenna’s life just now. I think some people would find the link very interesting. First the woman herself is disgraced on camera, then her Girl Friday.’
‘Look, all I can do is talk to Jenna,’ said Deano, sounding defeated.
‘Oh, Deano? Seriously? Would you do that?’
Kayley was clearly touched.
Harville’s phone shrilled out. He tutted, but gave the screen a cursory look.
‘Oh, now!’ he exclaimed. ‘This is serendipitous indeed.’
‘It’s what?’ said Kayley.
‘You’ll never guess who …’ he said, but he answered the call before finishing the sentence.
Deano and Kayley both sat up poker-straight as he spoke his first words.
‘Jenna, my dear, how lovely to hear from you. To what do I owe the pleasure? Yes, he is, as a matter of fact. Of course. I’ll put him on.’
He handed the phone to Deano, while looking through the photographs of Kayley in an exaggerated manner and holding one up from time to time, just to keep the conversation on track.
‘All right, Jen?’ said Deano, clearing his throat as a particularly lurid crotch-shot of Kayley was held up for his perusal.
‘Where are you? What have you been doing? Parker’s been going insane with worry here.’
‘Well, I’m with Lawrence, as you know. We had a meeting.’
‘But where?’
‘He has a little place in the country.’
Lawrence gave him a warning look as Jenna asked the exact whereabouts.
‘Uh, not sure exactly,’ said Deano. ‘Tinted glass in the car, y’know, couldn’t really tell.’
‘But you’re OK?’
‘I’m fine. Chillax, hey? You and Parker both. Anyway, I didn’t know you cared.’
‘Of course I care if you drop off the radar and nobody knows where you’ve gone. Honestly, Deano. You could be a bit more considerate. Oh, no, I forgot. You couldn’t. You don’t know how.’
Harville was making gestures that indicated he thought Deano should move the conversation on to the subject of the Hall, but Deano thought Jenna’s waspish tone didn’t promise much.
Putting his hand over the speaker, he mouthed, ‘She’s not in a good mood.’
Harville shrugged and held up a picture of Kayley fellating a dildo.
Deano resumed the conversation.
‘Parker’s just overreacting,’ he said. ‘It’s what she does. Anyway … er … it’s funny you should call because I’ve been thinking about you.’
‘Deano, I’m not here for sweet nothings …’
‘No, that’s not what I mean. I’ve been thinking about the Hall.’
‘Harville Hall?’
‘Yeah. I had this great idea for what you could do with it, I mean, once you’re done with the refurb and back from your sabbatical.’
‘Well, I was thinking hotel, but I haven’t decided yet. It depends on a lot of things, especially Jason …’
‘This would be so much better than a hotel. The whole thing of being back in Bledburn and seeing how things are for the kids here has made me think.’
‘First time for everything.’
‘Ouch, my ego.’
Kayley smiled at the theatrical delivery, but she was still on tenterhooks. Seeing those enlarged pictures of herself wasn’t helping either.
‘Go on, then. What’s your amazing idea?’
‘We use it to open a kind of school or, or, refuge. For talented kids from underprivileged backgrounds. It would be the perfect project for both of us, and a massive boost for Bledburn.’
There was a silence. Harville leant forwards, his eyes glittering.
‘You know,’ said Jenna slowly, ‘I like that. I really like it. It’s a good idea.’
Deano smiled, holding his breath.
‘But … where has it come from? Have you done any research? Looked at any figures?’
‘Not yet. I mean, I only just had the idea myself.’
‘Only just? Hang on. You’ve been with Harville all day. Has he put this into your head? Is it some kind of ploy to get me out of the Hall?’
Deano shook his head apologetically at Harville, whose face scrunched up in anger.
‘Don’t be daft, Jen, there’s nothing in it for him if I turn the place into a charity school, is there? It’s nothing to do with Harville.’
‘What do you mean, if you turn it into a charity school? It’s my house, last time I checked.’
‘I mean I was thinking of buying it off you first.’
‘Why? If I think it’s a good idea, I’ll do it myself.’
The pause was tense, broken eventually by Jenna.
‘This is something to do with Harville, isn’t it? Put him on.’
Deano handed the phone to Harville, who scowled throughout the entire exchange.
‘Why is Deano wanting to buy the Hall off me, Lawrence? Have you been putting ideas into his head?’
‘I haven’t mentioned the bloody place all day,’ protested Harville. ‘We’ve been talking about the talent show – I suppose that might have got him thinking. But don’t you dare drag me into your petty squabbles.’
‘Petty squabbles!’
Kayley suddenly ducked her head towards the phone and cried, ‘It’s on the Mansfield road, Jen.’
Deano, afraid for her safety, pulled her back and put his finger on her lips.
‘Excuse me, I have to go,’ said Harville hastily, ending the call and turning to Kayley with his hand raised.
Jenna stared at Parker.
‘That was weird,’ she said.
‘Oh my God, is he OK? Is he ill? Where is he?’
‘I’m not exactly sure, but there’s something off about the whole thing. He wouldn’t tell me where they were, then I heard a woman’s voice at the end shouting something about the Mansfield road.’
‘A woman?’
‘Yes, and it sounded … it sounded like Kayley. Parker, we have to find them. I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t like the sound of it at all.’
‘Should we call the police?’
‘That might not be a bad idea, though I’m not sure what I’d tell them. Maybe we should take a trip up the Mansfield road and see if we can find out what’s what first. Do you have a computer? I’m going to check Harville on the electoral roll, see if it has an address for him.’
There was no joy on the electoral roll, so Jenna and Parker eventually decided to take Jenna’s car along the Mansfield road, in search of likely locations.
‘You’re sure you don’t want to call the police?’ asked Parker nervously, seeming to find the Bledburn landscape threatening as she peered through the windscreen.
‘Not yet,’ said Jenna. ‘But I have a feeling we might be needing them later.’
Jason’s ears pricked up as he lurked outside the door at the foot of the steps. Had that been a woman’s voice? It had sounded a bit like Kayley.
He had made up his mind earlier that he would wait for Harville to leave, then tackle him and release whoever was inside – almost certainly Deano, but also Kayley, it seemed – but a thud and a scream from the room beyond changed that decision.
‘Get off her!’ The voice was unmistakably Deano’s, then from Harville, ‘If she can’t keep her mouth shut, I’ll have to shut it for her.’
Jason took a breath and burst into the room, kitchen knife held high.
‘Leave her alone, Harville,’ he roared, causing Harville to take his hands from around Kayley’s throat and whip round to face him.
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake,’ moaned Harville, but he looked far from defeated.
The knife didn’t seem to bother him at all, and Jason soon found out why when he reached into his inside pocket and drew out a revolver.
Deano had been about to leap on him from behind, but he subsided immediately as soon as he saw the weapon pointed at Jason.
‘Get out of here,’ urged Deano. ‘Run.’
But Jason couldn’t move. He’d seen guns before, but he’d never had one pointed at him. Every ounce of sense drained out of his head. All he could do was stare at the thing.
Kayley whimpered and hid her face in Deano’s arm. He held her close, his own face white.
‘Where did you get that?’ It was all Jason could think of to say.
‘Never you mind,’ said Harville. ‘Drop the knife and get your hands up.’
Jason could only comply.
‘Now go and join your friends over there.’
He edged past Harville, but as he did so, he couldn’t help making a lunge for the gun. Harville eluded him, but in the process managed to let off a shot that went straight through the door.
‘You fucking fool,’ he snarled. ‘You could have got yourself killed. Sit down before I lose patience and put a bullet through you. At least that one wouldn’t go to waste.’
‘What are you going to do?’ asked Jason, sitting heavily on the small area of unoccupied bed.
‘I don’t know yet. I’ll have to find a use for you. If I can’t, I’ll take great pleasure in introducing you to a world of pain. Either way will suit me.’
He left, slamming the door behind him and locking it noisily.
‘Well,’ said Jason, as Kayley sobbed through her shock and Deano stared bleakly ahead. ‘This is nice.’
Chapter Fourteen
MIA CLAPPED A hand over her mouth and began to shudder uncontrollably.
Diamonds Forever Page 19
