Divided Loyalties (15 page)

“Well that got us nowhere,” said Alex when they’d all retreated to the warehouse to discuss their options.  “Fedir was telling the truth, he was in Liverpool when Danny was shot, I‘ve checked.  Ricky French wasn’t lying either.  Johnny Jackson was banged up the night before and the police seized his rifle.  He’s still inside.”

“Who was he going to kill with it?” said Ryan.

“His next door neighbour’s dog.  Apparently it barks at night and has been driving him crazy.  Before he could use it he got into a row with the neighbour and beat the shit out of him, which is why he got banged up.  The police found the weapon so he’ll be going down for a while but he’ll more than likely be put in a psychiatric hospital, looks like he lost the plot.”

“Sounds like a prick,” said Frankie.  “So who else is there we can pay a little visit?”  He was reluctant to go home just yet, he was enjoying all this.

“There are more hitmen we can visit and another arms dealer, although he works for us, I can’t see him supplying a weapon like that without letting us know but we’re running out of options.  It’s getting late, I suggest we all go home and meet up in the morning.”

They all nodded, except Rachel.  “Shouldn’t we keep at this?”

“No, we need to weigh our options carefully, we’ve already stood on some powerful toes.  Fedir wasn’t without influence, that could come back on us.”

“But…”

“We’re calling it a day for now and you look dead on your feet.”

She just nodded.  Her shoulder was aching badly and she wanted to curl up and sleep but the burning desire for vengeance refused to quit.

“We will get them, I promise you,” said Alex.

“Come on, I’ll take you home,” said Ryan gently.  “I’ve got to meet up with Jez anyway.”

“Okay,” she replied, knowing further protest was futile.

“Bruiser’s already back at the house to make sure it’s safe,” said Battler.  “I’ll join you shortly.”

She nodded before following Ryan out the door and down to the underground car park.

“How are you holding up?” he asked her when they were in the car.

“Not so bad.  I’ll feel better when we’ve caught this bastard.”

“I think we all will.”  He couldn’t stand knowing she was in danger, he’d been constantly on edge ever since the shooting.

Ryan decided not to mention the car following them to Rachel, she’d got enough to worry about.  After dropping her off he drove around the corner, parked up and crept back onto Rachel’s street, keeping to the shadows.  He saw the car draw to a halt outside Rachel’s house and a figure climb out of it, gently closing the door behind them so as not to make any noise. 

Ryan approached cautiously, not as yet certain who he was dealing with.  When the figure began to creep through the bushes he knew he must act.

Moving quickly, Ryan raced across the road, delved into the bushes and dragged the figure out backwards.  At first the figure struggled against him but Ryan slammed his head on the bonnet of the car.  Dazed, the figure slumped to the ground, his hood falling back, causing Ryan to recoil.

“Holy fuck,” he gasped.

The man’s face was hideous, an horrific mass of livid scar tissue.  Then recognition dawned.

“Steve?”

Snatching up Steve’s car keys he popped open the boot and shoved him in.  He had the feeling he could answer a few questions.

Leaving his own car behind, Ryan drove Steve’s shit heap back to the Maguire compound.  Fortunately Alex, Mikey, Battler and Frankie were still there.

“I hope this is important Ryan.  I was just about to go home,” frowned Alex.

“I promise it won’t be a waste of your time,” he replied, popping open the boot.

They all peered inside and recoiled.

“What the fuck is that?” demanded Alex.

“Don’t you recognise your own handiwork?  That is Rachel’s ex-boyfriend, Steve.  I noticed him following us when I took her home.  After I dropped her off I stayed behind to watch and he tried to sneak up to her house so I shoved him in the boot and brought him here.”

“Nice one mate,” said Alex.  “We owe you one.”

“No you don’t.”

“Does Rachel know about this?” said Mikey.

“No, I thought it best not to mention it.  She’s got enough on her plate.”

“Good call.”

“It’s very suspicious him sneaking about like that.  Perhaps he’s Benton’s mysterious witness?”

“I agree Ryan, it is very interesting,” said Alex.  He looked at Battler.  “Get him out of there.”

Battler lifted Steve out of the boot as though he weighed nothing and he started to scream.

“That won’t do you any good down here,” said Alex.  “It’s soundproofed.  Have a guess why.”

Battler and Mikey tied him to a chair.  Frankie knelt before him and stared at him in fascination.

“You’ll have to tell me how you did this Alex, it really is excellent work.  I can think of a couple of people I’d love to make look like this.”

“No problem, I can show you right now,” Alex replied, walking to the locked metal cupboard and opening it up to pull out a sander.

Steve started to weep, tears running down his ruined face, slaloming through the wrinkled flesh. 

“It was with this,” said Alex, holding up the sander and tossing the plug to Mikey. “Danny held him down while I put it to his face.  You remember, don’t you Steve?”

When he wet himself Frankie recoiled in disgust.

“Dirty wee bastard.”

Alex loomed over Steve with the sander in his hand.  “What were you going to do to Rachel tonight?  Rape her?  Kill her?” 

He switched on the sander, which buzzed into life.  Steve started to shake violently and struggled ineffectually against his bonds, which had been tied too efficiently by Battler.  Alex knelt before him, holding it torturously close to his face.  Steve appeared mesmerised by the weapon, eyes full of fear.

“Don’t worry, I won’t go for your face this time but I will remove every inch of skin from the rest of your body if you don’t tell me what I want to know.  Did you kill my brother?”

“No, it wasn’t me,” he shrieked.

“Do you know who did?”

Steve glanced up at Battler nervously, whose eyes glittered with danger.  “Yes,” he replied, swallowing hard.

Alex looked at Battler.  “Shirt.”

Battler ripped open Steve’s shirt to reveal smooth white flesh.

“Tell me who did and I might not skin you alive,” glowered Alex.

CHAPTER 15

Rachel was surprised to have a visitor so late.  At the knock on the door Bruiser indicated for her to stay in the living room while he investigated.

“It’s Benton,” he told her quietly.

She relaxed.  “It’s okay, let him in.”

Bruiser opened the door and Benton frowned when he glared at him harder than usual.

“What’s your problem?” said Benton.

“Nothing,” muttered Bruiser sullenly.

With a shrug Benton walked past Bruiser into the house, glancing back over his shoulder, not wanting to turn his back on the ape.

“Hello Rachel,” he smiled.

“Hello.  I’m surprised to see you here so late.”

“Sorry but it is rather urgent.  Can I speak to you in private?”

“You can tell me anything in front of Bruiser.”

“I’m afraid I can’t.  This is strictly confidential.”

“Very well.  Could you give us a minute please Bruiser?”

“Alex said I wasn’t to leave you alone for a minute.”

“It’s okay, it’s only the superintendent.”

The minute Bruiser disappeared into the kitchen Benton’s expression changed to one of worry and it scared her.

“What is it?” she said.

“I’ve evidence that the person who shot Danny is definitely inside your firm, someone close.”

“What evidence?”

“A grass of mine.”

“Did they tell you who?”

“No, sorry.  I need you to think Rachel, which one of them would want Danny out of the way?  Who would benefit the most?”

“None of them, they wouldn’t do this to us.”

“Alex is in charge now.”

“Reluctantly.  He wouldn’t hurt Danny.”

“What about Ryan or Jez?  This could be a coup to take over.”

Ryan would never hurt me,
she thought.  “Your grass must have got it wrong.”

“He’s never been wrong before.  Think about it Rachel, it makes perfect sense.  The killer knew where you were having lunch and at what time.  They knew what car you were driving even though you changed it regularly.  It had to be someone in the family.”

“No, this is all wrong.  The killer could just have followed us.”

“Rachel I’m right, it fits the evidence we have.”

She sank onto the couch, looking bewildered and scared.

“I can see you’ve had a shock.  Let me get you a drink.”

He walked into the kitchen, leaving her alone with her thoughts.  Was it possible someone she loved and trusted murdered Danny and tried to kill her?  Benton was right, it was logical it was someone in the family but she couldn’t imagine any of them betraying her like that, not even the Laws.

She frowned when she heard the exchange of angry voices, followed by a thud.  She raced into the kitchen just in time to see Benton hit Bruiser round the head with a bottle and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.  A gun lay on the floor between them.

“What the hell is going on?” she exclaimed.

“I think I’ve just caught Danny’s murderer.  He pulled this on me,” replied Benton, indicating the gun.

“Not Bruiser, no way.”

Benton stared down at his prone form.  “He must have got bored being the hired help.  Maybe he wants more power?  After all, his brother was with you when the attack happened, he knew where you were and at what time.”

“Battler and Bruiser have been with this family since they were teenagers, they’re deeply loyal and Battler saved my life.”

“They were loyal to Frank but he’s gone and Battler could have saved your life as a ruse to keep your trust.  They probably don’t like the new regime.”

“I don’t believe it, they stood with me and Danny against Jake and Terry.”

“Where is Battler now?”

“With Alex I think.”

“Then he’s in danger.  This could be a plot to take him out too, eliminate all the family members with power at once.”

“This isn’t right…”

“Rachel there isn’t time.  Phone Alex and I’ll call it in,” he said, pulling his mobile from his pocket.

Stunned, Rachel turned to retrieve her mobile phone from the coffee table but before she could reach it she threw herself to the floor as a bang echoed around the room, a sound she knew all too well.  Turning she saw Bruiser with blood trickling down his forehead grappling with Benton, who had a gun in his hand.

“Run Rachel,” yelled Bruiser.  “It’s Benton, he’s the one.”

But he was still woozy from the knock to the head and when Benton punched him he went down.  Rachel scrambled to her feet as Benton grabbed the gun off Bruiser and fired but she veered into the dining room and the bullet slammed into the wall to the left of her head.

“Get back here you fucking bitch,” bellowed Benton, racing after her.

She tried to circle back round through the living room to the front door but Benton fired again and she had no choice but to run upstairs.

“Shit,” spat Benton, chasing after her.  How had it gone so wrong?  He was supposed to shoot her cleanly downstairs.  Now he had to chase her through this big house with all its nooks and crannies and he had to finish the job quickly, someone would have heard the shots.  He wished he’d decided on the silencer after all but he wanted to make it look spur of the moment and a silencer showed premeditation.  Jesus, he couldn’t wait to put a bullet in her fucking chest too.

Alex, Mikey, Frankie, Battler and Ryan piled into Alex’s car, shoving Steve back in the boot.

“Bruiser’s not answering his mobile,” said Battler, a rare tremor in his voice.

“Neither is Rachel,” said Mikey, frantically redialling.

“I don’t fucking believe it,” said Ryan as Alex drove at warp speed.  “I knew Benton was willing to try anything to bring us down but I didn’t think he’d stoop to murder”

“He’s a zealot,” said Alex grimly.  “He probably thinks he’s performing a public service.”

“He wouldn’t be the first bizzie to murder someone,” interjected Frankie.

“The bastard killed my brother and now he’s going to kill Rachel,” said Alex.

He slammed his foot down on the accelerator to speed through an amber light, sending the car lurching forwards.  Mikey was jolted forwards and Battler grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and yanked him back before his face slammed into the back of Alex’s seat.

“Seat belt,” growled a very troubled Battler.

Rachel crouched in the dark of her bedroom, listening to Benton creeping about the house.  She had no weapon, her taser downstairs in her handbag. 

She held her breath, listening as he got closer and closer.  There was the wail of sirens in the distance and her heart soared, help was on its way, someone must have heard the gunshots. 

Apprehension struck her.  What if they were on Benton’s side and were as bent as he was?  Or what if they took his word over hers?  He could make up any shit he liked and they’d believe it.

No time to worry about that now, he was almost here.  She must do something, there was no way she was going to let him kill her like he’d killed Danny.  Stay alive now, work out the details later.  That was the plan.

“What the fuck?” said Ryan as Alex steered the car onto Rachel’s street to find it swamped with police.

They dumped the car at the kerb and leapt out, attempting to race up to Rachel’s front door but they were stopped at the bottom of the drive by a cordon of police officers.

“You can’t go in there,” said the most senior of the officers.

“What’s happening?” demanded Alex.

“Shots have been fired.”

Panic engulfed Ryan.  “Rachel,” he bellowed, straining against the officers holding him back. 

“No one’s getting in there until armed back-up arrives,” the officer told them.

“But Rachel’s in there, she could have been shot,” exclaimed Mikey.

“My brother too,” roared Battler in a rare moment of high emotion.

“It’s Superintendent Benton,” yelled Alex.  “He killed my brother.”

“Very funny.”

“It’s not a joke you wanker, it’s the truth and we can prove it.”

The officer frowned.  “Are you serious?”

“Course I’m fucking serious.  He killed Danny and he’s trying to kill Rachel.  You have to go in there now.  She could be dead already because of your arsing about.”

Alex’s words sent Ryan into a frenzy.  “Let us in there if you’re too fucking scared you cowardly bastards,” he roared, attempting to break through the cordon again but he was pushed back to the road.

Another shot rang out and they all instinctively ducked.

“Get back,” shouted the officer.

“Cause a distraction,” Ryan told Alex and Mikey.

They hurled themselves back into the line of officers, who raced to push them back.  While their attention was drawn Ryan, Frankie and Battler ran around the cordon, pelting up the driveway.  When one officer tried to stop Ryan, Frankie head butted him and he dropped like a stone.  Frankie stood waiting for the rest to rush him, coolly adjusting his cuffs.

“Bring it on you bastards,” he yelled at them.

Battler followed Ryan, knocking over anyone who got in his way but he was rugby tackled by two officers and went down like a felled tree.  However Ryan was faster and he managed to dodge them all and raced into the house.

Rachel leapt out from her hiding place in the bedroom as Benton entered, simultaneously hitting the light switch.  Benton blinked myopically in the sudden light and raised the gun and fired but he was momentarily blinded so the shot went wide and embedded itself harmlessly in the wall.  Rachel threw herself at him, knocking the gun from his hand and it went skittering across the floor.  He grabbed her by the throat and pinned her up against the wall, Rachel stunned by his strength.  His eyes shined diabolically.

“You killed Danny,” she gasped, trying to prise his hand from her throat.

“Yes.  I tried to kill you too but unfortunately I missed.  I fucking hate you.  No matter what I did you slipped through the net.  Not even setting you up for murder was enough.  Sorry Rachel, you’ve used up all your lives.  This ends now.  You will die but on the bright side you’ll be reunited with your bastard of a husband.”

“You fucker,” she snarled, kicking him in the crotch. 

He released her with a groan and she followed the blow up with a punch to the face and he dropped to his knees.  She made a dash for the gun but he grabbed her foot and she crashed to the floor, knocking the air from her lungs.  Benton jumped up and ran for the weapon but a shape loomed in the doorway and Bruiser staggered into the room, blood dripping from a scalp wound.  He put himself in front of Rachel and made a lunge for Benton, who snatched up the gun and fired.  Bruiser fell, leaving Rachel a sitting duck.

“Die bitch,” he hissed before pulling the trigger.

Ryan sped into the room just in time to see Benton fire, the shot knocking Rachel onto her back as the bullet embedded itself in her chest.

“No,” he cried, running to her side.

“Don’t move Ryan,” ordered Benton, levelling the gun at him.

But Ryan ignored him as he knelt by Rachel’s side, her eyes closed, not moving.

“Rachel,” he exclaimed, the panic completely overwhelming.  Too many thoughts crowded his mind at once for him to concentrate on a single one.  He couldn’t lose the only person who meant anything to him.

“I said don’t move Ryan,” said Benton.

But Ryan didn’t even hear him as he assessed Rachel. 

What appeared to be the entire Greater Manchester Police Force burst into the room, led by armed officers and Ryan ignored them too as he studied Rachel.  Why was there no blood?  Hope surged through him and he ripped open her blouse to reveal the Kevlar beneath, the bullet embedded in the armour.  As he pulled open the vest her eyes flew open and she took in a ragged breath of air.

“Rachel, thank Christ,” he breathed.

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight, not caring what anyone thought. 

She clung to him, shaking and trembling.  “He killed Danny and he tried to kill me.”

“I know Sweetheart, I know,” he said, gently rocking her.

Benton’s jaw dropped open when he saw she was still alive and he was sorely tempted to shoot her again, despite the heavy police presence.  Fortunately he had a back-up plan.

“Arrest her.  She killed her husband and when I found out she tried to murder me.”

She stared at him, outraged.  “You murdered Danny you bastard, you admitted it.”

DCI Richardson looked from one to the other.

“Don’t just stand there, arrest her,” barked Benton, “for murder and attempted murder.”

“He killed Danny and we can prove it,” interjected Ryan.  “We have Steve Watts.  He admitted that he plotted with Benton to take out Danny and Rachel.  We even know where the gun came from.”

“Bullshit,” retorted Benton perfectly calmly.  “She killed him, she wanted it all, didn’t you Rachel?  Being the little woman wasn’t enough, you wanted complete control.  I found out and she and her accomplice,” he said, indicating Bruiser still lying on the floor, “tried to kill me.”