Reckoning

by Heather Atkinson

  “Nice try. What’s it really, a remote control for a telly?”

  Seven….six…“I’m telling you the truth you thick prick. I’m going to blow you and your men into tiny little bits.”

  “What a load of bollocks. Now come here girl, I want to give you a serious fucking spanking,” he said, advancing on her.

  Three…two…“You’ve finally got my interest,” she retorted. “What a shame.”

  One…

  With that, she flicked the switch.

  CHAPTER 22

  Mark steered the car around the side of the compound at such speed it went up on two wheels.

  “Jesus, take it easy,” said Grant, clinging onto the door.

  “I know what I’m doing,” he said, eyes glued to the road. “Driving erratically will make it hard for anyone to keep a gun trained on us.”

  “It’ll be fucking easy for them to shoot us if you flip us over.”

  “I won’t,” he retorted, bald head shiny with sweat. The gates came into sight. “Just a few seconds more, please Jules.”

  “Jules,” groaned Mikey from the backseat, trying to fight unconsciousness.

  As the car sped through the gate they sensed more than heard or saw the blast. It came upon them in a rush of hot air, which felt to momentarily retreat, sucking all the oxygen away with it before bellowing it all back out in a rush of fire and heat.

  “Shit,” exclaimed Grant, gripping onto the door tighter as the back end of the car fishtailed, Mark wrestling with the wheel to keep the car straight on the road.

  Glancing in the rear-view mirror he saw nothing but a huge ball of orange flame, causing him to stomp harder on the accelerator. They sped through the gates and hit the road, tyres screeching on the tarmac, pushing the accelerator to the floor until the flames disappeared from view.

  “Jules, whispered Mikey before finally losing the fight against oblivion.

  Between them Mark and Grant got Mikey into the modest bungalow surrounded by a high hedge in a quiet, unassuming suburb of Manchester that was the new centre of Maguire-Law operations. While Mark left to fetch the doctor, Grant settled Mikey in one of the bedrooms, peeling off his shirt, which was stiff with blood, relieved to see the wound to his shoulder wasn’t bleeding as profusely. Mikey seemed to be in a fever, throwing his head from side to side on the pillow, murmuring Jules’s name. Grant had no idea what had been going on between Mikey and Jules but that kiss he’d witnessed told him there was more to it than cousinly love. Even though he thought first cousins shouldn’t kiss each other like that he determined to keep what he’d seen to himself. It wasn’t any of his business but he got the feeling that if Jules had died in the explosion or at the hands of the Slatterys then Mikey was going to be pretty cut up about it.

  Grant was helpless to do anything to alleviate Mikey’s suffering as he waited for Mark to return. He daren’t give him painkillers or a drink in case it delayed any treatment the doctor might need to give him. All he could do was try and make the bleeding stop by applying pressure and hope Mark hurried up, while Mikey continued to writhe and moan. For the first time since he was a boy Grant prayed. He prayed that Mikey lived. Jules had been right, if he died they were all well and truly fucked. Jared Slattery and Toni McVay would have them killed. While he waited he managed to get hold of Dane, who was almost at the compound - fat lot of use that was - and told him to go home and keep well away.

  Fortunately Mark was incredibly efficient and returned forty minutes later with a thin, nervous, dark haired man with a goatee beard that made him look a bit like Satan. Mikey had cultivated this young, dynamic man to take the old doctor’s place until the man’s vices had forced him to accept the offer Mikey had thrust upon him. At first the good doctor had seen this offer as his salvation, now he realised what an albatross around his neck it really was.

  “Oh hell,” said the doctor, which was rather appropriate, given his appearance. Mikey Maguire was bleeding all over the bed he’d been placed on, his skin white and sweat-soaked, hair stuck to his forehead and eyes rolling about in his head.

  “Jules, get back here,” he groaned, flailing at Grant’s arm.

  “We’ll get her back Boss, don’t worry,” replied Grant, doubtful eyes flicking to Mark.

  “Who’s Jules?” said the doctor.

  Grant’s eyes were hard. “You don’t need to know. Help him.”

  “I want Jules,” roared Mikey, attempting to push himself upright.

  “Hold him down, I need to sedate him,” said the doctor, rummaging through his bag, hands shaking. These people scared the crap out of him, he was only involved with them thanks to his weakness for gambling, unwittingly running up massive debts in one of Mikey’s shady underground casinos. Clearly Mikey had been shot but he had no interest in finding out by who or why.

  He injected Mikey in the arm and a few seconds later his cries for Jules were silenced. As he worked, clearing away the blood and gore to finally reveal the wound, he idly wondered who Jules was because he knew Mikey had a wife called Amber. It didn’t surprise him that Mikey was a cheat, after all he was already a murderer and a drug dealer. Infidelity didn’t seem so bad in comparison.

  “How bad is it?” said Grant.

  “The bullet’s still stuck inside but it doesn’t appear to have broken any bones, which is good news.”

  “So you can treat him?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  Grant released a slow, shaky breath, which the doctor took to mean he was relieved. Both these men were wound up so tight it frightened him and he was horribly aware of them watching his every move as he removed the bullet and sewed up the wound, making sure he didn’t do anything to put Mikey’s life at risk and it was an effort for him to stop his hands from shaking.

  Even unconscious Mikey Maguire radiated menace and strength and he pitied the poor berk who’d shot him because he would survive this injury and then he’d go after them bringing the fury of hell with him.

  Twenty minutes after the doctor had left, Jez arrived with Declan and Shane in tow.

  “Jesus Christ,” said Jez as he stared down at Mikey, “Is he going to be okay?”

  “The doctor said so, he dug the bullet out,” replied Grant, gesturing to the bullet sat in a dish on the cabinet next to Mikey’s bedside.

  “It’s all over the news about the explosion,” said Jez. “Who detonated the compound?”

  Mark and Grant glanced at each other but, before they could reply, Jez added, “where’s Jules?”

  “She was inside the compound when it exploded,” said Mark. “I’m sorry.”

  Jez was rocked by a profound grief that was as sudden as it was unexpected. Taking a leaf from Ryan’s book, he forced his features to turn into granite. “Who detonated the compound with my sister inside?”

  “She did,” said Grant. “We’d gone down to the cellar and Mark had gone out to fetch the car. Mikey had already been shot. I was going to stay behind but Jules couldn’t get Mikey out, she wasn’t strong enough to lift him, so she offered to stay behind instead.”

  Jez grabbed Grant by the shirt front and slammed him up against the wall. “You left my sister behind to die?”

  “She wasn’t supposed to die, she was supposed to detonate then get out, the cellar was fortified against the blast. But she never showed up.”

  “We didn’t know how bomb-proof the cellar was, there’s a good chance the whole thing caved in on her. If it didn’t she would have been killed by the Slatterys. How could you leave her behind?” he roared.

  “We didn’t want to, there was no choice and it was her idea, she said Mikey had to survive or we’re all finished, you and Ryan included. Toni McVay wouldn’t honour her arrangement just with you because she thinks Rachel and Ryan murdered her brother. Toni would switch her allegiance to the Slatterys and together they’d wipe us all out.” Sweat popped out on Grant’s forehead as he stared into Jez’s furious face. He looked to Mark for assistance, who watched the scene impassively,
face inscrutable.

  Jez had to own that made sense but his sister was gone and it fucking hurt. “If Mikey tells a different story when he wakes up then I’ll cut your fucking head off, I swear to God.”

  “He’ll tell you the same thing because it’s the truth,” replied Grant, praying Mikey could remember what had happened. He’d been injured and bleeding out at the time so his memory might be hazy at best.

  Jez glared at him, his grip momentarily tightening on Grant before releasing him. “I’m going to the compound to find out whether my sister’s dead or alive,” he announced to the room.

  “You can’t go down there,” said Declan. “What if the Slatterys are still about?”

  “Like they’re going to top me in front of a load of coppers and firefighters.”

  “It’s still too dangerous. They might spot you and follow you back here. We have to keep this location secret otherwise they’ll turn up here and we’ll be well and truly finished.”

  “Declan’s right,” said Mark. “We’ve never been weaker and everyone will be smelling that weakness. We stay low and we gather our strength.”

  “But Jules…”

  “We don’t know that she is dead. If Jared’s smart, which I think he is otherwise he wouldn’t have pulled this off, he’ll have taken her with him to find out what she knows.”

  “You mean he’ll torture her until she talks?”

  “Perhaps,” said Mark quietly but so steadily it simply became a fact Jez found it hard to argue with. “If that’s the case then we can get her back. First, we need to assess our position. We lost a lot of men today but we still have some good men behind us. We need to keep our heads down, gather our strength then fight back.”

  “We don’t have time to sit about. In the meantime the Slatterys will be ripping our businesses apart and handing out the pieces to the cunts who helped them.” Jez sighed and dragged his hands down his face. “You,” he said, pointing at Declan, “get onto our contacts and find out if they’ve found Jules and don’t fuck it up. I’m calling Toni McVay. Let’s hope she’s still onside or we’re dead. I just pray she’s like her brother and she’ll see this as an attack on her too. Then I’m calling Ryan to tell him his sister’s either been blown to bits or being tortured. He’s going to be majorly fucked off.”

  The others weren’t sure which was scarier - a pissed off Toni McVay or a furious Ryan Law.

  Taylor frowned at the man approaching him. He was already nervous about being alone in a deserted warehouse and seeing someone he didn’t expect to see only made him more edgy. “I thought I was meeting with Mikey or Jez,” he said.

  “They’re indisposed,” replied Declan.

  “Dead?”

  Declan shook his head.

  “Thank Christ.”

  “You’re probably the only copper in the whole city who’d be glad about that.”

  “I’d rather have them running things than the sodding Starklaws and Bobby Nilsen. They’re a pack of wolves.”

  “They’re being backed by Jared Slattery.”

  “Never heard of him.”

  “He’s an Essex wide boy.”

  “Essex? What the hell’s going on?”

  “Slattery thinks he can run the whole country by putting his puppets in charge up here. As I’m sure you’ll understand, Jez is very anxious about his sister. Did you find her at the compound?”

  “I’ll tell you what we’ve found, nine dead bodies so far.”

  “Were any of them Jules?” said Declan impatiently.

  “No, they were all men.”

  “Was anyone in the cellar?”

  We don’t know, we’re still searching. Tons of concrete and metal fell on top of it,” he continued at Declan’s exasperated sigh. “We’ve got rescue dogs, CO2 detectors, listening equipment, thermal imaging, the works. It’s going to take time. If you know someone was down there you need to tell me.”

  Declan didn’t deign to answer that.

  “Mikey’s going to have to come out of hiding eventually. We found nine bodies, seven shot and two stabbed. Some are local faces, some I’ve never seen before. He has to answer for it.”

  “And Jez?”

  “Legally he’s nothing to do with it, the compound belongs to Mikey and witnesses saw him at the hospital when it exploded.”

  “Mikey was nothing to do with it either, he wasn’t even there.”

  “Then why did you ask if anyone was in the cellar? And why doesn’t he come out of hiding to set the record straight?”

  “If you hadn’t noticed there are people trying to kill him. Jared Slattery broke into the compound and attacked our men.”

  “Give me some proof so I can arrest him.”

  “Arrest?” laughed Declan. “That’s not going to happen. Now earn your fucking money and make this go away.”

  “How do you think I can possibly make it go away? Do you think no one noticed a great big fuck off building explode?”

  “You’re not the only one we’ve got on our payroll. The story will be that Mikey wasn’t there and the compound was attacked by unknown assailants.”

  “And the ton of explosives in the building? How am I supposed to explain that away?”

  “It was planted by the people who broke in.”

  “I suppose that makes a bit of sense, more so than Mikey detonating his own headquarters.”

  “Exactly. This was an attack on an innocent local businessman by gangsters. End of story.”

  “That’s going to be a lot harder to swing,” he said cynically.

  “You won’t be the only one taking that line, I can promise you that. Let me know the second you find anything.”

  With that Declan walked away, leaving Taylor to wonder if the whole world had gone round the twist.

  Ryan hoisted Aaron onto his shoulders and the little boy giggled with delight as he raced up the hill, passing Rachel holding Ethan’s hand, Leah on the other side of her. “We’re going to beat you,” he called.

  Leah leapt to answer the challenge and rushed after them, Ryan diplomatically slowing to give her chance to catch up, making sure both he and Leah reached the top at the same time, so neither she nor Aaron would be upset about losing.

  “It’s a draw,” cried Leah. Breathlessly she turned to look back down the hill. “And Mum and Ethan are last.”

  “I’m not last,” pouted Ethan.

  “You’d better hurry up then.”

  The little boy burst into a run, reaching the top of the hill with his arms raised, cheering. Rachel reached the summit much more sedately.

  “Mummy’s last,” said Ethan.

  “I prefer to think of it as being fifth,” she smiled, turning to look at the view of Newton Abbot and the Teign Valley below. Rachel closed her eyes to enjoy the cool caress of the gentle breeze on her face and listen to the birdsong. Living here still hadn’t lost its novelty, she loved the fact that they were surrounded by beautiful countryside and fresh air rather than stuck in a big, busy city. Happiness welled up inside her as she watched Ryan running around with their kids, laughing and smiling. However this happiness was marred by worry about what was occurring in Manchester. She knew it was war again, the same heavy dread had settled in the pit of her stomach, dulling the bright sunny day, sucking the joy out of everything.

  “Come on Mummy, run,” said Ethan, grabbing her hand. “We’re going to lose again.”

  Together they tore after Ryan, Leah and Aaron, who were racing back down the hill. As they reached the bottom Ethan slipped and went down on his bottom.

  “Are you okay sweetie?” said Rachel, kneeling before him and checking him over for injuries.

  He looked up at her, grey eyes watery with tears.

  “It’s okay, you’re alright baby,” she assured.

  Rather than the expected tears, he broke into a big smile. “I’m fine,” he said chirpily before jumping to his feet and racing to his brother, who joined him in running round in circles.

  The sound
of Ryan’s mobile phone ringing echoed across the countryside. “Hi Jez. Yeah fine, just out with the family.”

  Rachel felt sick when he abruptly stiffened. He retreated a few paces to take the call, leaving her to try and keep the children occupied by pointing things out in the magnificent view while surreptitiously keeping an ear on her husband’s phone conversation.

  The second Ryan hung up and turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of rage, pain and sadness, she knew it was bad. Very bad. She looked back at him questioningly but he shook his head, indicating not yet.

  The children raced towards the play park, their parents following at a more sedate pace. While Leah played with her brothers, alternating pushing them on swings, Ryan and Rachel talked.

  “The compound’s been blown up,” he opened.

  Rachel gaped at him. “The Maguire compound, are you serious?”

  “I am. Mikey himself had the bombs planted to stop it falling into the wrong hands. When the Slatterys attacked he decided it was time to detonate.”

  “Are you saying the Slatterys actually managed to breach the compound?”

  He nodded.

  “How?”

  “It seems two of Mikey’s men betrayed him and let them in. All that security and in the end it meant nothing.”

  “Is everyone okay?”

  “Mikey got shot.”

  Rachel’s eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “No.”

  “He’s okay, it was just a shoulder wound. It’s been treated and he’ll be fine,” he said, hugging her. “I know it’s hard but try and keep a lid on it, we don’t want to upset the kids.”

  She nodded and wiped her eyes. “Was anyone else hurt?” Her heart almost stopped when he heaved in a deep breath. “Ryan?”

  “Jules was the one who detonated the bomb, Mikey was too injured and rightly she thought if he died then Toni McVay wouldn’t honour her deal with Jez. She sacrificed herself so Mikey could escape.”

  “Sacrificed herself? Is she dead?”

  “Details are sketchy but it seems they’re still searching for her.”