Hunted (5 page)

“Your mum told me you were upset about not being able to move into the house yet,” he opened, perching on the edge of the bed beside her.

Leah nodded. “She said it’s because it’s not ready but I know what they found under the annex. Everyone was talking about it at school. They all knew before I did and they kept asking me about it but I didn’t know anything and I looked stupid and Mum lied to me.”

She hurled all this at him, lip wobbling and eyes filling with tears, although she was trying her hardest not to cry.

“She didn’t mean to lie to you,” he said gently. “She was just trying to protect you.”

“I’m not a baby anymore.”

“I know that Cupcake and so does your mum but when you’ve got children you’ll do anything to protect them from the bad things in life. You’ll understand when you’re older and you have children of your own.”

Leah considered this. “You mean like when you went after Uncle Alex to protect us all?”

Ryan hated that she was aware of any of this but she was so sharp it was difficult to keep anything from her. She truly was her mother’s daughter. “Yes, although this is a bit different.”

“Is that body Uncle Alex?”

Ryan had been expecting this question. He could only imagine what horrors had run through her head when she’d heard the news from her school friends. “Absolutely not Cupcake. He is far, far away from us and he can never hurt anyone again. That body has nothing to do with us, it was put there before we moved in.”

“It was there all the time we were living in the house?”

Ryan nodded weakly, hoping he wasn’t making everything ten times worse, but if he didn’t tell her she’d only hear it from someone else.

“Do the police know who it is?”

“Not yet. They’re still trying to work that one out.”

“You don’t like police, do you Dad?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not their biggest fan.”

“Because they’ve arrested you?”

“Yes, when I was young and foolish. Now they’ve no reason to, I’m a good boy,” he smiled. “So, do you forgive your mum for telling you a little fib?”

Leah sat up and nodded. “Yes. After Uncle Alex stole her I don’t like falling out with her in case someone else steals her.”

“Come here,” he said, pulling her into a hug so she wouldn’t see the anguish in his eyes. He would love nothing more than to cut Alex Maguire’s head off again for what he’d done.

“I tell you what, since it’s Friday why don’t we go out for dinner then we’ll go to the pictures?” he said.

She released a cheer then hugged him again. Ryan clung onto her, he loved this little girl dearly. It didn’t matter to him that she was Danny Maguire’s biological daughter and not his.

“Now, do you want to go downstairs and make up with your mum?” he said.

“Definitely,” she said, jumping up and racing downstairs, looking much happier. As he’d suspected she just needed to know what was going on and be reassured that Alex Maguire wasn’t coming back.

He stood at the top of the stairs and smiled, listening to the sound of Leah apologising to her mum for sulking and to Rachel apologising for not telling her the truth. His girls.

CHAPTER 7

Joel Starklaw strode past the queue waiting to get into Club Decadence, everyone arrayed in a variety of bizarre and imaginative outfits. He was followed by his younger brother Ollie, backed up by two of their bodyguards. Joel never went anywhere without protection now. He’d heard Mikey Maguire and Jez Law were gunning for him and, if he was really honest with himself, he was a little scared. But his life had always been about front and if he showed anyone he was afraid he’d be finished. So here he was brazening it out, sticking to his normal routine. It was all he could do.

“Evening Wolf,” said Joel, striding into the club past the huge bouncer with the ponytail.

“Evening Mr Starklaw,” he replied.

“I always did like your nice manners Wolf,” said Joel, sliding a twenty into the top pocket of his black blazer.

“Prick,” muttered Wolf after Joel and his entourage had gone inside.

Joel and Ollie handed their long black trench coats over to another bouncer, revealing very elaborate and risqué costumes consisting of leather and chains, their two bodyguards doing their best not to look disgusted. The costumes left little to the imagination.

“Sam, what are you doing there? Where’s Jennifer?” Joel chirpily asked the man behind the coat check counter, who was usually seen working the door with Wolf.

“Off sick Mr Starklaw, so I’m stuck in here doing a girl’s job,” he muttered unhappily.

“Never mind,” grinned Joel, sliding him a twenty pound note along with his coat. “I hope that’ll cheer you up.”

“Yeah, thanks,” replied Sam, not looking too impressed by the tip.

The four men made their way deeper inside the club, their excitement growing as the throb of music grew louder, the chains on their costumes rattling.

They stepped inside and stopped.

“What the fuck? This is a bit dead, isn’t it?” remarked Ollie.

They surveyed the vast room, which was completely empty. They both jumped when the music came to an abrupt halt and the doors slammed shut behind them.

“Dane,” breathed Joel with relief. “Thank Christ. What’s going on here?”

“Private night gentlemen. VIP’s only.”

“Sounds great. Got some special entertainment lined up, have you?” grinned Ollie.

Dane resisted the urge to roll his eyes. God these two were thick. “Actually I have.”

Joel and Ollie turned to look in the direction he nodded, wilting when they saw Mikey and Jez walking towards them.

“Oh shit,” cried Joel, making a lunge for the door but his way was blocked by Dane’s big chest. “Do something,” he yelled at his two bodyguards, whose pluck was rapidly deserting them.

“What’s going on? I don’t get it,” exclaimed Ollie, looking from Mikey and Jez to Dane. “You can’t hurt us, there are people outside waiting to come in.”

“Don’t be a dick,” said Jez. “They were paid to stand there. They’ll be long gone by now.”

Joel and Ollie’s hopes soared when the door leading outside to salvation opened, but it was Wolf and Sam, looking dour.

“I gave you two a tip,” said Joel sulkily. He realised how pathetic that sounded but there was still a little rebellion left inside him. He fixed Dane with an indignant glare. “You set us up. We’ve been friends for years.”

“Correction, we’ve been acquaintances for years, but you’ve overstepped the mark.”

“Why? What have we done?”

“You tried to kill me,” said Jez, voice dripping menace.

“We didn’t,” retorted Joel.

“You bloody did, you got this little shit here to try and stab me in the chest outside the MMA arena.”

Joel rounded on his brother. “What the fuck did you do you stupid little faggot?”

“I didn’t do anything,” replied a bewildered Ollie. “It wasn’t me.”

“What a big pile of bollocks. We know it was you because you were seen,” said Jez.

Ollie looked from his brother to Mikey and Jez. “It wasn’t,” he cried hysterically.

“You stupid, stupid little prick,” roared Joel, punching him hard in the face.

At a nod from Dane, Wolf and Sam dragged him off before he beat Ollie to a pulp and ruined Mikey and Jez’s fun.

“Nice try Joel but it’s not going to work,” said Jez. “We know Ollie wouldn’t have made a move like that without the go ahead from you, so you’re both going to fucking pay.”

Mikey was keeping quiet, allowing Jez to do all the talking. After all, he was the one who was almost stabbed.

“I don’t get this, we didn’t try to stab anyone in the chest,” said Ollie. “Honestly,” he screamed in panic, knowing what was to come and powerless to stop it. Their bodyguards were already melding into the shadows, the treacherous bastards.

“Give it up Ollie, you’re just embarrassing yourself,” said Jez, removing his jacket, carefully laying it over the back of a chair and rolling up his sleeves with an elegance and precision that would have been at home on his older brother.

While Ollie starting crying Joel released a bellow of rage and charged Mikey, who knocked him to the floor with one punch. He laid into him, deciding he wasn’t going to go easy on this prick, he needed a fucking good hiding. It was also very cathartic, a way to vent his horrible rage at his mother-in-law.

Beth gripped the phone tightly, clinging onto every word Riley said. He was in a war zone while she lived in her own personal one. Archie was becoming even more of a nightmare, throwing tantrums for the smallest thing, adopting the attitude that everything in the house was his, becoming a mini dictator. A mini Alex. Poor Holly was retreating into herself, terrified to make a noise or do anything that might set him off and Alfie was rapidly running out of patience with him. On top of that Archie was having nightmares during which he called out for his dad. Riley’s calls were the only thing that were getting her through these dark days, she lived for them. She hadn’t thought it possible to fall in love with someone just by talking to them and not actually seeing or touching them but she had Riley. Her feelings for him had changed so drastically so quickly and she was accepting of that. Rachel was right, Nick would have wanted her to be happy and she thought she just might be with Riley.

“I’m coming home for a bit,” he said.

Her heart leapt. “When?”

“In five days. I’ve got some leave to use up before I leave the army for good. I think my commanding officer’s a bit pissed off at me for resigning.”

“And you’re still sure it’s what you want to do?”

“Definitely.”

She smiled at the determination in his voice.

“How are the kids doing?” he said.

“Holly and Alfie are okay considering but Archie’s still acting up.”

“You won’t have to deal with him alone for much longer.”

Beth felt like crying. His words meant the world to her. “Are you sure you want to take on all of us? It’s not going to be easy.”

“Nothing worth having ever is.”

“You are so sweet.”

“I have my moments. I’ve got to go. If I e-mail you my flight details can I be really cheeky and ask you to pick me up from Manchester Airport?”

“That would be absolutely no problem,” she said, almost breathless at the thought of seeing him again. “Will you want to stay here or do you want your own space?”

“The whole point of this trip is to see you so…”

“You can stay here,” she blurted out. Beth cringed. Why couldn’t she be cool and aloof?

“Thank you. Perhaps…in your bed?”

He sounded uncertain of himself, uncertain of her reaction and she realised he was feeling his way through their new relationship as much as she was. “If you like,” she replied in what she hoped was a femme fatale way.

“I would. Very much.”

“Me too,” she said, beaming broadly. The memory of the one time they’d had sex after Mikey and Amber’s wedding played itself out in her mind. It had been so passionate and exciting. She could barely wait.

They said their goodbyes, which were so full of promise, then reluctantly hung up. Beth prayed she was doing the right thing and that this time she’d finally found the right man. It worried her what her children’s reactions would be to Riley’s presence in the house. They’d taken to Nick easily enough so she hoped they’d do the same with Riley. Perhaps a dominant male in the house who Archie could look up to might be just what her son needed.

From upstairs there was an almighty bang then the sound of the two boys arguing. Beth closed her eyes and thought of Riley. She could only hope.

When Ryan entered the beauty salon he and Rachel owned he didn’t get the usual flirtatious response from Tracey Baxter, the manageress. Instead she looked at him solemnly with sad, haunted eyes.

“Can I talk to you?” he said.

She nodded and led him through to her office at the back, Ryan dodging women with weird creams on their faces or with their hair wrapped in towels. On his way through he waved to Daina and Sabine, the two Latvian girls he’d rescued from a brothel in Manchester. Sabine’s sister Laila had died saving Rachel from Alex’s own brothel and they’d taken Sabine and her friend under their wings as it was the only recompense they could give. Both of them were very fond of the girls and Daina, a beautiful, big, bubbly girl, was involved in a solid relationship with Bruiser. The girls waved back, both very happy in their new lives.

“Is it my brother under your annex?” said Tracey the second he’d closed the door. Tracey’s brother Luke was one of the missing men and had disappeared five years ago, leaving his sister in torment.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know. The police won’t tell me anything.”

“You can get them to tell you, you have money and influence.” When he looked shocked she closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“The police really don’t know yet. It’ll take time.”

“I thought that was why you were here, to tell me Luke had finally been found. You know I’m hoping it is him, then it’ll be over. We’ll know where he is, we can bury him. It’ll be such a relief.”

“I can only imagine. Actually, I wondered if you’d tell me about Luke’s disappearance?”

“You took my suggestion then?” Tracey had suggested to him once that someone with power and influence should look into the disappearances and Ryan had decided she was right.

“Yes, which is more than the police are doing. Apparently one body doesn’t constitute a serial killer.”

“Do they know how the body died?”

“They’re waiting for the post mortem results. I wondered if you could give me more details about the circumstances of his disappearance and more background of his life.”

“If it’ll help?”

“Maybe it will,” he said gently.

Tracey dabbed at her watery eyes with a tissue. “Okay then.”

“Sit down,” he said, leading her to the chair behind her desk. “Can I get you a glass of water?”

“No thank you. I’m fine,” she said, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

“You told me before he was a paramedic?”

“Yes, a good one. He enjoyed helping people. Ever since he was little that was what he wanted to do, work in the medical profession. But sometimes he took things to heart.”

“In what way?”

“Once he attended the scene of a road traffic accident. A little boy died. There was nothing Luke could have done to save him but he brooded over it for days. He really cared.”

“He…sounds very nice,” said Ryan feeling a little bit like a fish out of water. Sensitive and delicate wasn’t really his area. Maybe he should have asked Rachel to do this?

“He was lovely,” she continued wistfully.

“What did he enjoy doing, apart from his work?” he prompted when she lapsed into silence.

“He was a gym fanatic. When he wasn’t working or spending time with his family he could be found there.”

“What did he do at the gym exactly?”

“Just worked out with weights and he took a judo class.”

“So he was physically fit and strong?”

“Very. He was competitive too, which was one reason why he took up judo.”

“Any other hobbies?”

“No, he didn’t have time. Oh wait, he did like to go walking on the moor. He lived for his wife Jasmine and his son Brandon.” Tracey dabbed at her eyes again. “Brandon was three when his dad disappeared. He’s seven now and he asks about him regularly. What can we tell him?” she said helplessly.

“That must be very awkward,” he said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. He couldn’t stand all this emotion and tears. “Do Jasmine and Brandon still live in the family home?”

“No. She couldn’t afford to keep it on after Luke went missing. They live in a small flat now, they lost their beautiful home. She wanted to keep it too because she said it would be better for Luke if he came home to familiarity. She’s never lost hope that he’s alive out there somewhere.”

“But you’re sure he’s dead?”

“Nothing would keep Luke from his wife and little boy. Nothing, except death.”

“Did he know any of the other missing men?”