Retribution

by Heather Atkinson

  “Fuck,” she hissed, picking up the box and slamming it into the bin. Obviously Declan Maguire wasn’t the weak link she’d thought he was.

  “Ashley,” said Rachel when she opened the front door to him. “To what do we owe this pleasure?” She and Ryan had expected this visit but it still made her uneasy to find him on her doorstep.

  “Can I come in please Rachel?” he said.

  The use of her first name reassured her and she opened the door wider. “Course.”

  He followed her through to the lounge. Rachel thought it fortunate he’d come so late and that Leah was in bed because she felt quite sure her nerves would have given something away.

  “Hello Ashley,” said Ryan, not deigning to get up from the couch. “Is this about Liam Howard’s body?”

  “No, work’s still progressing on that. They’re being careful during the search so as not to disturb any evidence. I come on another matter.”

  “Oh yes?” said Ryan, gesturing for him to sit.

  “Thank you,” he said, slumping onto the couch.

  “Tea? Coffee?” said Rachel.

  “No thanks, I won’t stay long. I’m just here to let you know that a man who fits the description of the dog walker you were looking for was admitted to Torbay Hospital this afternoon.”

  “Interesting,” said Ryan. “Who is he?”

  “His name’s Reid Miller. As well as being beaten he has a broken right arm. The doctor said it had been snapped cleanly in two by a great external force.”

  “A fall?” said Rachel. “Or do you think it was done deliberately?”

  “It was done deliberately, without a doubt.”

  “Do you know by who?”

  “I was hoping you’d tell me,” he said, turning to Ryan, gaze piercing.

  “And how would I know?”

  “Because you are very capable of exerting enough force to snap someone’s arm in two. You proved that when you broke one of the Dartmoor Butcher’s jaws and made him eat his own eyeball.”

  “Because he deserved it. Don’t tell me you have any sympathy with that sick bastard?”

  “Not at all but I do think it strange how a man matching the description of someone you were looking for only yesterday turns up badly beaten.”

  “Maybe I wasn’t the only one looking for him? Maybe he has a habit of lurking around families? Besides, we don’t even know that he was the man I was looking for.”

  “Which is why I want you to come to the hospital with me. Then you can tell me if he is.”

  “It’s very late.”

  “I didn’t think the dark would worry a man like you.”

  “It doesn’t but it has been a long day and I’m tired. We were just about to go to bed.”

  “I’m sorry Ryan but I really must insist.”

  He sighed and got to his feet. “Fine, far be it from me to stand in the way of law and order.”

  Ashley’s look was withering.

  The hospital was darkened and quiet when they arrived, although members of staff were bustling about the dim corridors.

  As Reid had been the victim of an attack, he’d been given a private room. He was asleep when they arrived. Ryan was expecting to identify him just by looking through the window but Ashley opened the door and stepped inside. Obviously he was hoping to see Reid’s reaction to him but the boy was knocked out on painkillers so he didn’t stir.

  “No,” said Ryan, after pretending to study him carefully. “It’s not him.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He nodded. “Perfectly. The man I saw was stockier and he looked a bit older. This one looks so young.”

  “He’s twenty years old, in line with the description you gave.”

  “He doesn’t look it. He looks like a kid.”

  “He has a piercing in his left cheek and blue in the ends of his hair.”

  “I’m sure plenty of people do.”

  “No they don’t.”

  Ryan shrugged. “It’s not him.”

  Ashley sighed and shook his head. “Even if he was the same man you wouldn’t tell me.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Because of who you are. I’m the enemy.”

  “Where did you get that idea?”

  “I know you don’t like me but don’t treat me like a fool. You see all police as the enemy, which doesn’t surprise me given your history. But something’s going on and I don’t like it. I believe this is the man you saw and for whatever reason you put him in here.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about Ashley and I don’t like it.”

  “This is all part of your vigilante quest.”

  “Not that again,” he sighed.

  “Yes this again. The sooner you accept it’s not going away the better.” He lowered his voice. “Did he kill those two men?”

  “I have absolutely no idea.”

  “If you do know and you don’t tell me that makes you an accessory.”

  “Then it’s fortunate I don’t know anything. Now are we done? It’s almost midnight and I would like to be in bed with my beautiful wife.”

  “Fine,” said Ashley through a gritted jaw.

  They both left Reid’s room, Ashley angrily striding on ahead while Ryan casually followed.

  “Know this,” said Ashley once they were in the lift. “I will bring you down if you’re anything to do with this. I don’t care how rich and powerful you are.”

  “I know, you’ve told me many times.”

  “You have the life most people would kill for. Don’t mess it up.”

  “You’ve said that before too,” he sniffed.

  Ashley was so pissed off he was tempted to punch him. However he’d seen what happened to people who tried that, so he restrained himself.

  Ryan found Leah was waiting up with Rachel when he finally got home.

  “What are you doing up?” he asked his daughter.

  “I heard Ashley come and when I saw you leaving with him I got worried.”

  “It’s fine. Ashley hasn’t a clue what’s going on.”

  “Are you sure?” said Leah, anxiously wringing her hands.

  “Yes,” he smiled, taking her hands. “It’s over. Now you can relax.”

  “Although you are still grounded indefinitely,” added Rachel.

  Leah nodded. Compared to what she’d expected, being grounded didn’t even feel like a punishment. She suddenly felt sleepy as the anxiety and adrenaline drained right out of her.

  “Get yourself to bed,” said Rachel, seeing her eyes grow heavy.

  “Yeah, thanks Mum.” She hugged her dad. “I’m glad you’re home safe.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

  When she’d gone upstairs Ryan said, “we’ve got to knock the vigilante business on the head for a while. Ashley’s even more suspicious. He guessed perfectly that Reid was responsible for killing those two men.”

  “I told you he was intelligent.”

  “An intelligent police officer? He should be in a museum.”

  “Ha bloody ha. But you’re right, we need to keep a low profile. We’ve got a lot of new deals to sort out at the moment, we should concentrate on those.”

  “Agreed. Reid won’t be getting up to any more trouble for quite a while, Leah’s safe and no one knows she was involved with his antics and Jules is on the road to recovery. All is right with the world once again.”

  “Hopefully we’ll get a bit of peace now.”

  “Hopefully.” He leaned in to kiss her. “Now, to bed.”

  “To sleep,” she yawned. “I’m knackered.”

  “Bloody Ashley,” he muttered as he followed her upstairs.

  THREE MONTHS LATER

  “Hello, Jackson,” said Cindy, waving a hand before his eyes. “Are you okay? You’ve gone really pale.”

  She’d asked him to come to her house as she had something to tell him. He’d assumed it would be something to do with Cara and E
mily. The last thing he’d been expecting was this bombshell.

  Jackson gazed down at her, stunned. “You…you can’t be pregnant.”

  “I am,” she said.

  “And it’s definitely mine?”

  “Of course it’s yours,” she exclaimed. “What do you think I am?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply…it’s just come as such a shock.”

  “I knew I shouldn’t have told you. Jules is going to be released from the home tomorrow, you’re finally getting her back. I wasn’t going to tell you at first, I was going to keep it to myself but that didn’t feel right. I thought you should know you’re going to be a daddy.”

  Jackson couldn’t help but beam at these words, it was what he’d dreamed of his entire life. “I am, aren’t I?” he said, unable to resist a smile.

  She nodded, huge eyes wide.

  “So you’re what, three months gone?”

  “Yeah. What do you think? Should I keep it?”

  His smile fell. “Don’t tell me you were considering an abortion?”

  “I really don’t know. I didn’t think you’d want this baby.”

  He took her hands. “I do want this baby. You’ve no idea how much.”

  “You do?” she smiled. “Thank God, I couldn’t have gone through with an abortion but what about your wife?” She swallowed hard. “And her family.”

  “They won’t hurt you, they’re not like that.”

  “That’s good to hear but it’s you I’m worried about.”

  “They won’t do anything because Jules won’t allow it.”

  “You’re kidding, right? She’s going to be furious and I can’t blame her.”

  “If I know Jules like I think I do she won’t let them hurt me.”

  “It’s so unfair,” she said, eyes filling with tears. “You should be having this baby with her. She can’t have kids ever again.”

  Finally Jackson saw a way to keep his marriage alive and still have the child he longed for. But was that fair to Jules, who couldn’t have any more children? Yes she had Cara but she didn’t want to be anywhere near her. This was going to hurt her but he couldn’t keep it from her. That would be wrong.

  “I’ll go and talk to her. Right now. The longer I leave it the worse it’ll get. And she deserves the truth.”

  “Okay. What will you say?” she said as he picked up his car keys.

  “I’ll tell it to her straight. She wouldn’t appreciate anything less.”

  “She is going to be so angry.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” He saw how afraid she was and he pulled her into his chest. “It’ll be okay, promise.”

  “How can it be okay? Her family are the most dangerous people in Manchester.”

  “They won’t hurt us.”

  “You hope.”

  He took her face in his hands and gazed down at her, buoyed up now he knew he was going to finally be a dad and Cindy was going to be a wonderful mum, she was great with her own kid and Cara too, who adored her. He thought how angelic she looked with her huge blue eyes and masses of blond hair. Plus she was so gentle and tender, the complete opposite to Jules, who was all hard corners and spikes, most of the time anyway. “Everything’s going to work out. You’ll see.”

  He pecked her on the lips then he was out the door, leaving her to anxiously watch him leave.

  Jackson’s good mood was eradicated when he arrived at the home. No way was this going to go well but Jules needed to know. He just prayed it didn’t finish his marriage. Or his life.

  She’d made a full recovery and regained the use of her legs and speech, although she did suffer from a reduced concentration span. With that as the only side effect of spending seven weeks in a coma, Jules considered herself very lucky and she was being released tomorrow.

  He found her standing in front of the mirror, fiddling with her hair. “Hi babe,” she smiled when he walked in. “I was wondering, do you think I should cut my hair short again?”

  “I don’t know. Listen Jules…”

  “I think I might keep it long. New me and all that. Plus I quite like it, it makes me look gentler.” She turned to him with a grin. “And guess what?”

  “What?” he sighed.

  “I’m feeling horny, for the first time since I woke up.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bed.

  “Jules, please,” he said, refusing to allow her to pull him down on top of her. “I really need to speak to you.”

  “Alright,” she frowned, sitting up, catching the seriousness in his tone. “What’s wrong?”

  She looked so concerned he wanted to cry. This was going to devastate her.

  “Please Jax,” she said, realising that whatever it was, it was big. “Just tell me.”

  “Alright,” he said, straightening up and running an anxious hand through his hair.

  “Is it Cara? Is she okay?”

  “Oh yes, she’s fine babe. No one’s hurt, it’s nothing like that.”

  “Thank God. So what is it then? Jax?” she repeated when he continued pacing. She’d never seen him like this before and it frightened her. What shit was about to hit the fan now, just when she was back on her feet?

  He sighed and turned to face her. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to come out with it.”

  “About time. Well?”

  “When you were in the coma I, well I…got drunk. Really drunk…”

  Jules’s eyes lit up with fury and she leapt to her feet. “Who the fuck did you shag?”

  He didn’t even bother to deny it, he was just relieved he didn’t have to say the words. “One of the ring girls.”

  “You porked one of those dumb tarts who strut about in their underwear holding up numbers? Is that what you’re saying?”

  He nodded miserably. “Yes.”

  “How many times?” she snarled, hands balling into fists.

  “Just twice.”

  “What do you mean, just twice? Just once would have been bad enough but you want back for seconds, you lousy bastard.”

  “Take it easy Jules,” he said, holding out his hands to ward her off as she advanced on him.

  “Take it easy? Are you for fucking real? You’ve just told me you shagged some stupid slapper when I was fighting for my life.”

  “I didn’t mean it to happen. I love you but I was a mess, I didn’t know what I was doing.”

  “You knew enough to manage to stick your dick in her. How fucking dare you?” she screamed.

  “She’s pregnant,” he exclaimed.

  The anger drained right out of Jules, eyes filling with hurt, body seeming to collapse in on itself as she slumped onto the bed, gazing up at him with stunned, tear-filled eyes. “Pregnant?” she said, her voice regressing back to that childlike one she’d used after waking from the coma.

  “I’m so sorry,” he breathed, the devastation in her eyes tearing him in two. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

  Jules blocked him out when he began to babble his excuses. All her anger was gone, eradicated by the knowledge that Jackson was finally going to have the baby he longed for, which she could never give him. But the knowledge that some other woman was carrying her husband’s child was like a knife in her chest, the agony almost as bad as when she’d found out she’d never carry a child again.

  “Jules?” he said when he realised she wasn’t listening. He sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders but she shrugged it off. “Please say something. You’ve been quiet for ages and that’s not like you.” He struggled to catch his breath when she looked up at him with impossibly sad eyes, silent tears sliding down her face.

  “You’re going to be a dad,” she said.

  “Yes,” he said slowly, half-expecting this statement to be followed by a punch to the face. But the blow never came.

  “You need to be a father to that baby,” she eventually said.

  “Really?” said Jackson, fearing it was some sort of trick.

  She
nodded. “It’s what you want, more than anything and I can’t give it to you. Just tell me honestly, do you love her?”

  “No,” he said passionately. “I love you.”

  He tried to take her face in his hands but she pushed him away. “Don’t.”

  “Sorry. But you have to understand, I wasn’t thinking straight. I was devastated when you were put into that coma and we…we lost our baby. I got drunk a lot, I didn’t know what I was doing. I would never knowingly do anything to hurt you.”

  “I know,” she said, forcing herself to look at him, not because he disgusted her but because she disgusted herself. She’d done this to him, dragged him into her sordid world. It was only luck that meant he hadn’t been at the house when the Slatterys attacked because if he had he would be dead now. He’d given her and her daughter his name to protect them from Jared and what had he got for his trouble? Nothing but pain, his child murdered in her belly. “It’s not your fault,” she said.

  Jackson couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Do you mean that?” he said, fearing she was lulling him into a false sense of security.

  She nodded. “All this with Jared happened because of me. You didn’t ask for any of it.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief and took her face in his hands, Jules resisting the urge to push him away, knowing his hands had touched another woman.

  “I’m so glad you’re being understanding about this,” he said. “But it’s not your fault either.”

  “I’m not going to sit here playing the blame game. This is happening and we have to deal with it.” She took a deep breath and looked deep into his eyes. “Do you still want to be married to me?”

  “Of course I do.”

  She nodded before looking down at her hands and picking at her nails.

  “The question is,” he said. “Do you still want to be married to me?”

  “I think so,” she said slowly.

  “Even though I’m going to have a baby with another woman?”