by Linda Calvey
The suitcase lock clicked open.
‘Come and see your money. It’s been good doin’ business with ya,’ said Lloyd. Before the Albanians could see what was inside the suitcase, Lloyd pulled out a machine gun and opened fire.
Two of the bodyguards were killed instantly, but Saban was quick. He’d pulled out a gun and with one single blast shot Archie in the chest. Archie fell backwards as Ruby fired her gun, pointing at Saban’s head.
BANG. Blood sprayed from Saban’s forehead, and for a moment he stayed there, swaying, looking at Ruby with something like disbelief.
Then he staggered back, blood running down his face, soaking his expensive jacket, his shirt, even his chinos.
BANG, BANG, BANG!
Ruby stared at the cartel boss as he fell to the floor. Gunshots rang out behind her and within seconds the henchmen she’d sent to the warehouse the day before walked out of the shadows, each holding an automatic firearm. One of them was instantly recognisable. It was Alfie, Archie’s twin. Ruby had recalled him from South America. She’d realised they’d need all the loyal back-up they could get.
‘Take that, you lyin’ fuckers!’ grinned Alfie, his eyes wild. He released another round of bullets, pumping them into the air, crowing with delight. ‘DIE, YOU FUCKERS!’
Blood, thick and red, soaked into the earth. All five Albanians lay dead in the dirt.
Ruby turned round, still holding her gun aloft in case there were more but the place was silent. Then she dropped her weapon and ran to her husband’s side. He’d hit the floor hard but as she cradled his head in her arms, his eyes fluttered open.
‘Bloody lucky I wore a bullet-proof vest,’ he said, smiling up at his wife. She kissed him gently on the lips.
‘Bloody lucky,’ Ruby said, as she tried to blink back the tears threatening to spill. She could have lost him. If he hadn’t worn his vest, if she had been a second slower with her gun. She’d shot her first man, but all she could think was how grateful she was that she’d been quick enough. Trembling with adrenaline, she tried to direct Archie’s attention away from her shaking frame. ‘Look who’s ’ere. It’s Alfie. He’s come home to help us out.’
Archie smiled up at his brother, the spitting image of him, yet so unlike in other ways, and took the arm offered to help him up.
‘Bruv, good to see ya,’ Archie said, hugging his twin.
‘It’s been too long. Look what ’appens when I leave ya, you get into all sorts of bother!’ Alfie laughed. He slapped Lloyd on the back as his dad greeted him.
‘Alfie, son, it’s good to see ya. Still got spirit, eh?’ which made the twins laugh.
‘You don’t know the ’alf of it, Dad.’
‘Sorry to break this up, but we need to go before the Old Bill arrive,’ Ruby reminded them all with some urgency.
The twins nodded.
‘I thought you was a goner there, son,’ Lloyd laughed to Archie, throwing the suitcase into the boot while the twins and the other bodyguard got into the back seat.
‘Leave the dud coke, and the bodies,’ Ruby commanded, ‘when the police come they’ll write it off as a deal gone wrong.’ She was amazed at how steady her voice was. She’d killed a man and it hadn’t bothered her one bit.
Lloyd glanced over at his daughter-in-law as he drove the car away at speed. She was sitting in the front passenger seat, staring out of the window.
‘You did well there, girl. You did well.’
Ruby smiled over at him, then turned back to her thoughts. The Albanians might be fixed but she had more trouble to deal with – her brother George.
CHAPTER 36
‘Look, Archie, I can handle it. Give me a box of weed and I’ll double your money by Monday,’ George wheedled.
Archie looked to Ruby, whose face was like thunder. They were standing in the lounge of their Chigwell home after flying back to sort out George. His stay at Bobby and Belle’s had been, on her older brother’s account, fraught, as their little brother had refused to talk about school or what he would do next.
‘I’m not havin’ ya dealin’, got it? I won’t allow it,’ she said, knowing how this would rile her younger brother, who appeared to do nothing all day except play video games or go out with his mates.
‘For fuck’s sake, Rube, you ain’t my mother. You don’t tell me what to do,’ shouted George, turning to her.
Quick as a flash, Archie went to Ruby’s side. ‘Don’t speak to your sister like that. She’s as good as your mum, and you’ll treat her with respect,’ he warned.
‘Or what?’ George sneered.
The sixteen-year-old was wearing his usual gear; a black hoodie pulled up over his dark hair, and slouchy jeans worn low at the back. A single, thick gold chain hung around his neck and he was wearing an expensive pair of new trainers. The effect was menacing, and Ruby almost recoiled.
‘I know I’m not your mum, but you are my responsibility. I promised our mum I’d look after ya, and that doesn’t mean sendin’ you out to deal drugs!’
‘Ruby’s worried about ya, we all are,’ Archie added, which made George even more furious.
‘You ain’t my father either. I don’t ’ave a fuckin’ dad, or a mum, so you can drop that shit right now.’
‘I do understand. I lost them too . . .’ Ruby said, her snappy mood disappearing in an instant at the familiar recognition of their orphan status. It still caused her pain to know how much she, George and Bobby missed them.
But Archie wasn’t fooled. He almost exploded with rage. ‘Never talk to Ruby – or me – like that again. I don’t ever want to hear it. Don’t give us that shit about bein’ an orphan, playing that old card again. Ruby’s done everythin’ for ya, and more, so it’s time you grew up.’
The air was tense. Both men squared up to each other. Ruby wasn’t sure who’d win if it came to a real fight. Archie was tough and muscular but George was fiery and once his temper was up, there was no telling what he’d do.
‘Go fuck yourself. Just give me the fuckin’ drugs,’ George swore. He seemed jittery on top of the temper. He paced up and down the room, only stopping to face her husband. They looked like two fighting dogs, ready for the whistle.
‘I won’t give ya any fuckin’ drugs. You’re not a dealer, whatever you like to tell the mugs you hang out with,’ Ruby snapped.
Archie was quiet now. He’d mastered his anger, which only seemed to rile George more.
‘What ’appened to you, George? Ruby and Bobby are good people, but you, you’re rotten to the core—’
‘That’s enough,’ Ruby interrupted them. She stood up out of the silver velvet sofa in her immaculately designed lounge, a tasteful setting with vases of fresh-cut flowers, a marble table and matching armchairs.
Ruby’s husband looked almost pale in the light from the table lamps. The family had been back in England for a few months since Ruby insisted they come home and take George back to their Chigwell house to try to work out what to do next. The situation was so serious they brought Cathy with them, taking her out of the international school temporarily and employing a private tutor in England instead.
Now, George was actually asking Archie if he could supply him drugs.
Before she could speak again, George lost his temper completely. He yelled, ‘Don’t fuckin’ lecture me. I know what you do for a livin’! I know you’re drug dealers so don’t come all innocent with me. You run coke from Colombia to Spain! You supply half the fuckin’ dealers I know! So, why shouldn’t I get in on it? I’m as much a part of this family as Archie is and yet you never let me into the deals and the money.’
For a moment, Ruby was stunned.
She wasn’t naive enough to think that George had no idea of what they did, but she hadn’t realised he knew as much as he did. She and Archie had made a pact early on never to talk about business in front of George, and certainly never to let him do anything dangerous or take on any role within the cartel. It was simply too risky, and Ruby’s instincts were always to p
rotect him, just as if she really was his mother.
‘Didn’t ya think I’d realise why we always ’ave security guards with us? Didn’t ya think that some of the guys at school would talk? They’re not stupid. They can see you don’t run a legit business, that’s fuckin’ obvious. The only thing is, you never told me! You think I’m an idiot, well I’m goin’ to prove you wrong. I fuckin’ hate you both!’
There was silence for a moment. Archie looked like he might pounce on George. The vein in his neck was prominent, showing he was stressed. He was gripping his fists tightly. Ruby knew she had to calm this down.
‘We never meant to lie to you, George,’ she said, imploring him to listen to reason.
‘Bullshit! You lie all the time. You’ve always lied. Nuthin’ you tell me is ever the truth,’ he spat back at her.
‘I’ve told ya, don’t speak to Ruby like that, you little fucker,’ Archie shouted now. ‘She and Bobby are good people.’
‘Good people? Good people? Don’t make me laugh,’ George spat. ‘My big brother’s been banged up and my sister and you are drug dealers. You’re as much scum as I am. The only decent person in this family is Cathy.’
It was then that Ruby saw how drawn he looked. Where he’d once been a well-built boy, he had lost weight on his face and he had dark shadows under his eyes. He was sweating now, and he seemed agitated. Again, he was fidgeting on the spot, almost dancing from foot to foot and he kept running his fingers through his short hair, peeling off the hoodie then placing it back over his head, covering his eyes,
Suddenly, she knew what was going on. ‘George, you’re on drugs right now, ain’t you?’ Her voice was quiet, her manner calm. She could see that George was on a knife-edge. ‘Tell me, what have you taken?’ Ruby stepped towards him, her hand held out to him. Her heart ached at the realisation that, under their eyes, George had gone deeper than she’d ever realised into the underbelly of their profession.
The human cost of their work was something she knew about, but had rarely seen first-hand. The lure for her was always the power – and the excitement.
Suddenly, the real cost of running drugs was revealed to her, in her own house, with her own little brother. Some part of Ruby crumbled inside, yet she felt inexplicably angry with him. They were meant to be on the winning side! They were meant to be the ones supplying the drugs, selling them, moving them, profiting from them. They weren’t meant to be the ones falling foul of them, being broken by them. What had gone so wrong?
‘I knew I should never ’ave sent you to boarding school. In my heart I knew it was wrong to abandon you in England while we returned to Spain,’ Ruby murmured. ‘And this is what it’s led to. Oh George, I’m sorry, we let you down, I can see that now.’
Her words fell on deaf ears. If anything they made George nastier, more spiteful, more keen to hurt her in any way he could.
‘I. Don’t. Give. A. Shit. I want your husband to sort me out with some puff, and I want it tonight,’ George snarled.
Ruby stepped back as if she’d been slapped.
‘We can’t do that, George,’ she replied.
Archie stepped towards her, protectively.
George looked at them, then shouted, ‘Hypocrites!’ before pushing past them and slamming the lounge door loudly behind him.
Seconds later they heard the front door slam. It was then that Alfie appeared.
‘Didn’t want to interfere . . . he’s bang out of order. D’ya want me to ’ave a word?’ Archie’s twin grimaced and stared straight at Ruby, who suddenly felt deflated.
‘No, leave him,’ she said, giving her brother-in-law a small smile.
‘That boy needs a taste of reality. Let me sort him,’ Alfie said menacingly. He looked livid. George had riled the whole house up – except for one person.
Cathy sidled in.
‘Did you hear the argument, darlin’?’ asked Ruby, and Cathy shook her head. ‘I just heard voices. Is George OK?’
Archie looked over at her and his face reflected her relief. Cathy hadn’t heard the nitty-gritty; that her parents were big-time dealers.
‘We’ve just had a stupid argument, and George walked off. Nuthin’ to worry about,’ Ruby lied.
‘Don’t worry Mum, he’ll come round. I’ll speak to him, make him see he can’t behave like that. Honestly, it’ll all be fine.’ Cathy was always the peacemaker, always determined to see the best in people.
‘Look, love, why don’t we go out for dinner, somewhere nice like The Ivy. You need a treat, and it’ll give George time to cool off?’ Archie said. ‘I think we all need a bit of space . . .’
Ruby thought about it for a moment and then nodded. ‘All right, that might be for the best. Cathy, why don’t you wear that lovely new dress I bought for you last weekend?’
‘Oh, Mum, I won’t come. Honestly, I’d rather wait in for George. You go.’ Cathy pretended to shoo them all away.
Ruby smiled at her daughter, her worries receding. ‘You’ll be all right?’ she said to her daughter.
‘Course, Mum!’ Cathy laughed.
Ruby wasn’t completely sure. The mood in the house had been ugly, until Cathy appeared.
Her attention was distracted by Archie, who was now speaking to his twin.
‘Alfie, fancy a bite at The Ivy? It’s your last night, we need to do somethin’ special with ya after all that!’
‘Sounds good, bruv.’
Ruby made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. She sat on the bed heavily, her mind racing. She wondered when it was that she’d failed her little brother so badly, and whether she could ever make it right again.
CHAPTER 37
Ruby, Archie and Alfie went up to the West End in a cab. Archie was well known by the staff at The Ivy and always got a table.
‘We’ll find an answer, I promise ya,’ Archie said as they were seated, picking up on his wife’s sombre mood. Ruby smiled at him, trying to hide her sense that all was not well. She barely ate anything though, so instead she sat and listened as Archie and Alfie talked business. Alfie had a fresh contact in Colombia, someone high up in the police force who could prove very useful to them.
‘We’d ’ave more chance of safe passage of the goods, no questions asked, if we put Matias on the payroll,’ Alfie said, winking at Ruby.
Ruby smiled back at him, watching the men as they talked. Where Archie was always well groomed, his hair tousled expertly, his face freshly shaven and smelling of expensive cologne, Alfie looked wilder. His hair was cut much shorter now and it made him look older. Alfie had stubble and wore more gold jewellery than his brother. Archie only ever wore discreet embellishment, his Rolex and his wedding ring, whereas Alfie loved a bit of bling. He wore gold chains and gold rings, making him appear harder, more threatening, than his brother. Perhaps that was what he intended. He had to keep up certain appearances while doing the dirty, dangerous work of drug-running in South America. He would be used to casual violence on a scale Ruby was glad she had avoided so far for the most part. Alfie looked the part of a dealer and businessman in one of the most dangerous regions of planet Earth.
Much later, when the twins had knocked back a good bottle of expensive wine and eaten their fill, it was time to leave.
As Archie called a cab, Ruby took her mobile out of her bag and called home. She rang and rang but no one picked up. She tried George’s mobile – no answer, but that wasn’t unexpected. She dialled Cathy’s mobile – and when her daughter didn’t pick up, her instincts sharpened. Something was wrong, badly wrong, she knew it.
‘Get me home, Archie,’ she said.
Instead of waiting for the ordered cab, Alfie jumped out into the road and waved down a passing black cab. They piled in. ‘Chigwell – as fast as you can,’ Archie said. ‘There’ll be a fifty quid tip in it if ya can do it faster than I would in my Merc.’
A hair-raising journey later, the three arrived back at the house, the cab driver having secured his tip.
Ruby ran up to the
front door, then stood stock still. She took in the lack of lighting. It was pitch black inside the enormous house. No light from the kitchen or the lounge. No sound from the televisions or music. No sound of the kids squabbling or laughing. It was all wrong.
‘Cathy, love, where are you?’ Ruby shouted, though her throat was suddenly dry. Her heart hammered as she headed straight for the stairs. Something told her she would find what she was looking for up there.
‘Cathy? CATHY?’ She stopped again. The sound of weeping filtered through Cathy’s closed bedroom door.
Ruby’s heart almost stopped. It wasn’t childish upset, it was raw, choking sobs.
‘Oh, darlin’, what’s the matter?’ Ruby said, pushing open the door.
At first she couldn’t make out her daughter’s shape, but as her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she saw her, curled up on the bed. Ruby felt a rush of icy shivers go through her. She felt cold to her bones.
‘Darlin’,’ she said again, softly, approaching the bed. ‘What is it? What’s happened? Oh, Cathy!’
At once Ruby saw the state of her daughter. There was blood smeared across her face and an ugly red mark forming across her cheek. Her T-shirt was ripped and her jeans open at the top but pulled up haphazardly.
‘Who did this to you?’ Ruby cried, reaching her arms around her sobbing child. Eventually, Cathy’s sobs subsided enough for her to speak. She wiped her hand across her face, moving the blood up into her hair.
‘Where’s George? Is he OK?’ Ruby was breathing fast now. ‘Tell me, Cathy. What happened? Who did this?’
She stared into her daughter’s swollen red eyes, her blood pounding in her ears. It was as if her heart knew the answer, knew with every beat.
‘It was . . . it was . . . Please don’t be angry with him, Mum. He didn’t know what he was doin’. He was actin’ all weird and drugged. He was off his head. I was tryin’ to comfort him but he got it all wrong and then he just grabbed me, wouldn’t let me go, and then he . . . he . . . raped me.’
The words were sharp in Ruby’s ears as if made of steel blades that slashed into her mind. It couldn’t be . . .
