Beyond the Rage (8 page)

15

Kenny woke early in the pitch black and reached for Alexis. She mumbled and turned over, facing away from him. He spooned into her, pushing his arousal against the silk of her bare backside, hoping she would take the hint. She mumbled again and burrowed deeper under the quilt.

He smiled. Thought how this was like being married. He didn’t mind. The girl needed her sleep.

Turning over onto his back, Kenny realised he was wide awake. Because of the blackout curtains he couldn’t judge what time it was so he stretched across to the bedside cabinet and pressed a key on his phone. His phone lit up to show it was six-thirty. Like that was a surprise. He closed his eyes and judged if he could get back to sleep. Nope. That wasn’t going to work. Wide. Awake. His running gear was in his luggage. He
’d
put that on and go for a jog along the side of the loch. That would beat his usual background of Glasgow’s streets. Then by the time he returned maybe Alexis would be up for some more. He grinned.

The receptionist offered a smile behind a yawn when he went downstairs.

‘Been a long night?’ Kenny asked, his eyes automatically going for the badge. ‘…Davie.’ Davie’s face was lined and long, his hair grey and short and his eyes sparked with good humour.

‘That’s me just started for the day, sir,’ Davie answered. ‘People are beginning to stir. We have a few fishermen staying over and they’ll be hoping to catch a couple of hours on the loch.’

‘Never did get the fishing thing,’ said Kenny as he stretched out his left calf.

‘Never did get the running thing,’ said Davie with a grin.

‘Yeah,’ said Kenny, feeling himself respond to the man’s good humour with a grin of his own.

‘Did you sleep well, sir?’

‘Very well,’ answered Kenny, resisting the comment about not much sleep being had. His grin amped up a few notches. Davie raised his eyebrows and smiled.

‘Romance is good for the soul, is it not?’

‘Is it that obvious?’

‘If you don’t mind me saying, sir, it’s written all over you.’

‘Do you share the love of a good woman, Davie?’

‘Married ten years. Started late. And been wondering every day since why I waited so long.’

‘Right,’ said Kenny, feeling his grin fade. This was a conversation he didn’t want to go any further. Next Davie would be asking him when he was getting married and if they had any plans for kids. Jeez, it was just gone six o’clock and his life story was up for grabs. ‘Man, it’s too early and I’m too sober for this conversation to go any further.’ He turned and walked towards the door. Realising he had been a little short with Davie, he turned back and offered the man a wave.

‘You have a good day.’

As the words issued from his mouth, Kenny was thinking, Holy fuck, O’Neill, you have a night of passion and you come over all American.

• • •

‘Smirr’ was the Scottish word for the constant, light rain that coated his skin within seconds. As he stretched, his even breathing was like a whisper in his ear. He ran on the spot, looking around himself. The sky was overcast and mist hung above the waters of the loch, stretching up the wall of the far hills. The world was in soft focus; picture-postcard perfect and Kenny had rarely felt so alive.

He stretched some more by the hotel door. He looked along the building. Everything was clean and precise, understated and classy, from the wood used for the door to the urns of fresh flowers placed along the wall. Good choice, mate, he congratulated himself and then set off for his run.

He reached the bottom of the hotel road and looked left and right. Left took him back along the loch towards Balquhidder; right took him God knows where. He turned left, thinking it would be nice to stand once again in the places his father took him all those years ago.

As he ran he thought about Alexis. She
’d
still be snuffling in her sleep, pleased to get the bed to herself. He recognised that their relationship was not the norm. He also recognised that his feelings for her were too strong and that they were not reciprocated. What did Alexis see in him? A punter who didn’t repulse her? A set of male genitalia with a wallet?

The previous night over dinner she attempted to take their relationship on to a different level altogether. Kenny grinned when he remembered his response.

‘Let me get this right. You want me to become your pimp?’

‘God, that is such a horrible word,’ replied Alexis.

‘But it’s the right word and the answer is no.’

‘It’s not the right word. After that...’ – her face twisted as she remembered the attack – ‘...evil prick had his way with me I just to feel that I need someone to protect my interests.’

‘So what happens between us? I like the fact that...’

‘You looking for some free booty, Mr O’Neill?’ Alexis grinned.

‘That’s the point... I like to know that I can call you when I feel the urge, hand over the cash and we can...’

‘That won’t change, Kenny.’

‘But do I get mates’ rates?’

‘Mates’ rates? This is a new one on me.’ Alexis paused and took a sip of her wine.

‘It means... never mind what it means, I don’t like it, Alexis.’

‘Okay, Kenny, let’s go over it one more time. You value the service I provide, yes?’

‘Yes,’ said Kenny and looked into Alexis’ eyes, thinking she had never looked so beautiful.

‘Do you agree that other men might also value such a service?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you not also agree that this sort of service keeps sex for sale off the streets and makes it much more...’ – she considered the right word – ‘...palatable?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you not also agree that if I were to take on a stable of girls like myself and the service was marketed in the right way that it could make a lot of money?’

‘Yes.’

‘And as the manager of such a service would you not also be in a position to make a lot of money?’

‘Yes, but...’

‘Whenever I hear someone say the words “Yes, but” I know they think I am right but they just don’t want to face it.’

‘Not if it comes with the size of the but I have.’

‘Oh, I dunno, Kenny.’ Alexis’ smile sent a flicker of pleasure straight to Kenny’s penis. ‘Your butt is just the right size.’

‘Anyway,’ – Kenny fought down his answering smile – ‘you couldn’t describe me as a man who was shy of making a few pounds, nor one who is shy of the legal process in doing so. However, I do have some scruples. I don’t deal in human misery; drugs and prostitution are definite no-no’s.’

‘Well, good for you, Kenny.’ Alexis sat upright in her chair. ‘We all need to draw the line somewhere.’

‘Don’t get sniffy with me, Alexis. I just–’

‘You are just a hypocrite, Kenny.’ She leant forward in her chair, nostrils flaring. ‘Ignore your emotional needs by paying for sex if that’s what does it for you, but don’t pretend you are not part of the problem...’

‘Wait a wee minute here.’ Kenny always believed the best form of defence was attack. Whether that was in a physical fight or verbal one it didn’t matter. ‘Why this? Why now? Is this something to do with the man that attacked you? Aren’t you really just looking to take advantage of my muscle?’

‘Aren’t you just looking to take advantage of the honeypot between my legs? We both have something the other wants.’

‘I’m confused,’ said Kenny. ‘Where is this argument going?’

‘Hopefully to a resolution that benefits us both,’ Alexis said and leaned forward on to her elbows.

‘Can we sleep on it?’ Kenny asked. ‘My gut reaction is no, but I need to think through the implications.’

Alexis took a deep breath. Swallowed as if forcing herself to lighten up. Kenny read something else tightening her fine features. Was it fear? Was there something she was hiding from him?

This question came back to him as he ran. How long had he been meeting Alexis... and why had she come up with this now? Surely there was a link to the man who attacked her.

He got his guy to rape me.

The text:
Lesson learned?

Kenny had tried on several occasions to dig into the facts of those statements and gotten nowhere. Alexis wasn’t being totally up front with him and he had to find out the truth before they took things any further.

There was also the matter of his mother’s death. He had achieved nothing there either. Harry Fyfe had produced a little background knowledge but nothing more. As soon as this weekend was over he needed to get back on the case.

The road took a dip and then a small climb. Kenny enjoyed the variation and stretched out his legs, pushing up the work levels. Another bend and he came across a car parked in a passing spot. He tutted. Not the done thing in these small roads. This was a single-track road. The passing places were there so cars could pull over and let cars coming in the opposite direction drive past. If some numpty parked there, it could cause a problem. Must be a tourist, he thought.

It was a blue car. He ran closer. A blue Toyota Yaris. He reduced his speed to a walk. When he arrived the day before he was worried that just such a car was following him. Could it be the same car? Surely there were loads of these cars on the roads, but two of them down such a quiet road in the space of a few hours? Must be the same one.

The windows were slightly steamed up, suggesting that whoever was it in it had been there for some time. He didn’t believe in coincidences. He
’d
have to check this out.

He could see a man-sized shape through the window. The driver’s seat had been reclined all the way back. The driver had his head facing away from him and looked as if he was fast asleep.

Kenny knocked on the window.

The head turned round and faced him. The man sat up, pushed open the car door and stepped out on to the road.

‘Don’t think you should be parking there, mate,’ said Kenny, aiming for a friendly tone. ‘Could cause an accident.’

The man stretched extravagantly. Yawned. And stretched some more. He was wearing jeans and a checked shirt. Around five feet ten and slim. The man rubbed his eyes and peered at Kenny.

‘And you are?’ he asked with a smile.

‘Just a concerned punter,’ answered Kenny, not completely taken in by the smile. ‘You really shouldn’t park in these spaces. If two cars came along here at the same time, there would be nowhere for them to go.’

‘You’re right, dude,’ the other man said, rubbing his head. ‘I got lost late last night and wasn’t sure where else to go.’

‘American?’ asked Kenny.

‘Canadian,’ the man replied while still smiling.

‘Sorry. You must get that a lot.’

‘More than I care to mention, fella. But no harm done, huh?’ He looked down at Kenny’s bare legs and his running gear. ‘You out for a little light exercise?’

‘Yeah,’ answered Kenny, kicking his legs out to keep them warm and then changed the subject. ‘Didn’t you realise that there was a hotel just down the road?’ Kenny gestured behind him with his thumb.

‘They’re full, man. I arrived fairly late yesterday. Just a spur-of-the-moment thing. Thought I would get in some fishing.’ He looked over his shoulder at the loch. Kenny followed his line of vision to see just through the trees and ten yards down the lochside that there was a small beach. A couple of men were already thigh deep in the water, their lines cast.

‘You going far?’ the man asked.

‘Nah,’ answered Kenny. ‘Another half hour.’ He gave each leg a little kick, took a deep breath and turned away. He waved over his shoulder at the tourist. Paused, smiled and said, ‘Have a nice day.’

He was still chuckling to himself five minutes later.

Ten minutes later he arrived in Balquhidder and thought again about the tourist guy. Pretty nondescript. He
’d
have trouble picking him out of a police line-up.

16

Mason Budge pursed his lips as he considered the sport of fishing. The nearest he wanted to come to a fish was when it was served up with a nice garlic sauce. The thought of standing in cold water up to his balls for hours on end just did not appeal.

Placing his hands on his lower back he arched out his spine. And groaned. Jeez, it was great to get out of that car. What a horrible night. He hated the dark out here in the country and because it had been a cloudy night it had gotten
really
dark. He shuddered. Man, the countryside was messed up. Nature could go and fuck itself for all he cared. All those noises. All those critters scrabbling about in the dirt; heavens only knew what diseases they could pass on.

If you asked him, that was where AIDS came from right there. Some fucker went camping and caught it and then infected the rest of the world. Gay plague, my ass, he thought and grinned at his unintentional joke. Them right-wing scientists couldn’t work out where the disease came from and thought, I know, I hate gays, let’s blame them.

As for those midges. Man, it was a wonder anyone stayed outside the cities in this country. Nasty little fuckers. He had gone for a little walk before dark, going for a little recon, and got bitten on every available piece of skin. He
’d
raced back to the car and blessed its airtight seals for the rest of the night.

It was the army he turned to when his gramps’ money ran out. He thought about going back for more but realised that was a waste of time. Best to find a way to hurt people and get paid for it. The Canadian army welcomed him with open arms and then when it realised he had a knack for it they moved him to Special Ops and from there to NATO’s peacekeeping corps. Peacekeeping, my ass.

He had a ball.

At first.

Before Bosnia, he could pretty much take on anything; after a week in a basement waiting out a sniper, with a dead colleague at his side, he developed issues.

Budge looked back down the road at the runner. Good set of shoulders on him and an easy stride pattern that was eating up the road. What a dick, thought Budge. Who could be bothered? The army tried to beat a love of exercise into him. Didn’t work.

Fortunately, he was naturally fit. A few press-ups and sit-ups here and there was enough for him. Also, his job was physical. Beating up people on a regular basis tended to keep him healthy and strong, he thought with a grin.

He sat back in the car, turned on the engine and wondered how far on the runner was. Thought about the shape of him as he vanished into the distance. They were of a similar height and weight. A thought occurred to him. Might be interesting to find out if they were the same size all over.

No point in coming all the way out here without having a little fun now, was there?