Diamonds Forever (23 page)

‘Right. I'll see you shortly. Oh, by the way, have you called the police?'

‘Sure I have. They couldn't help. Said he couldn't be classed as a missing person yet and to call them tomorrow if he still wasn't back. But I'm sure there's something wrong …'

‘Right. Bye then.'

She put the phone in her pocket and turned to Linda, now nodding along to
Pointless
.

‘I have to go out,' she said.

Linda raised her eyebrows.

‘What about them out there?'

‘Never mind them out there.'

Jenna picked up her jacket and made a purposeful path to the door.

The communal hall was still heaving with photographers, all laughing and joking with each other. Her opening of the door seemed to take them aback, and it was a few seconds before the first flash.

‘Here's a story for you,' said Jenna loudly, keeping her arms held in front of her face. ‘Deano Diamond has gone missing. He didn't go to a meeting this morning and hasn't been seen for several hours. Here's your chance to make the news – go fetch him!'

A barrage of questions flew at her, but she parried them all with a shake of her head.

‘I've tipped you off, and that's all you're getting. Now run along and call your editors.'

Miraculously, they stood aside to let her through. She made it to the fire door, then ran to where she'd parked her car, behind a skip at the back of the shops, where it couldn't be seen.

Hooray, it was intact and unvandalised.

She got in and, though she wouldn't have admitted it to herself, rather enjoyed the tyre-screeching speed with which she manoeuvred out of the car park and up the estate road.

Deano was missing. Jason was missing. Something told her that the two facts might not be unrelated.

‘No way. You really said that to Skeletor?'

‘Yeah. Got suspended for it, but it was worth it.'

‘I bet.' Deano was lost in admiration. ‘You must have been a right little rebel.'

‘Oh, I was a right mouthy cow, me. I cringe when I think of what I was like back then.'

‘Fearless,' said Deano.

There was a silence.

‘I wish,' said Kayley quietly.

The reminder of their current situation was unwelcome. Reminiscing about teachers and local characters they'd both known had allowed them to forget their anxieties in a pleasant little bubble, but time was passing and there was still no sign of their being released.

She shivered.

‘Is it me or is it freezing in here?'

‘It's not you,' said Deano. ‘Hey, come here. You're shaking.'

He put an arm around her, drawing her close.

‘Best way to keep warm,' he said softly. ‘Shared bodily warmth. Why don't we lie down and huddle for a bit?'

‘Are your ribs OK?' she asked as he winced slightly on the way into the suggested position.

‘They'll be fine,' he gasped. Whatever pain he had to go through was worth it, to be lying here close to this amazing, kind, funny, brave girl. Pretty too. How had he left out pretty?

‘Weird, isn't it,' said Kayley, speaking into his shoulder, ‘that we used to think Skeletor was as evil as it gets? All he was trying to do was get us through our Geography coursework.'

‘Poor old Mr Kelly,' said Deano. ‘Is he still there?'

‘I think so. God, he must be about ninety-two by now.'

‘What about Miss Hales? All the lads fancied her.'

‘I don't remember a Miss Hales.'

‘Aw, are you sure? Blonde, leggy, taught French?'

‘Oh, you might mean Mrs Cooper?'

‘Damn, she got married! I had this stupid fantasy now and again of going back to school in all my rock star glory and sweeping her off her feet in the assembly hall.'

‘Weren't you with Jenna by then?'

‘Well … yeah,' he admitted shiftily. ‘But you never forget your school-kid crush, do you?'

Kayley giggled in his arms.

‘Mine was one of the lab technicians. He was a bit of rogue, used to flirt back. He left after one term though … wonder why?'

‘Er … because he was a nonce?'

‘Oi! Don't call my thirteen-year-old self's fantasy man a nonce!'

‘You said yourself he flirted with thirteen year olds.'

‘Oh, yeah. I suppose you're right. Ugh. Bit creepy really. Funny how you don't notice these things at the time. God, I wonder if he took it too far with one of the kids?' She shuddered.

Deano enjoyed the feeling of her wriggling against him, even though it reawakened all his sore spots.

‘So you're not the best judge of character then?' he said teasingly. ‘The lab technician, Harville …'

‘I suppose,' she said. ‘I get impressed by stupid stuff. The lab tech's good looks, Harville flashing his cash around. I get taken in. At least, I did. Not any more.'

‘You're not thinking of becoming a nun, are you?' said Deano, slightly alarmed at the hollow little pang this thought gave him.

‘Hardly,' she replied stoutly. ‘I've never been a God-botherer. But I've been single ever since the Harville mess. Just can't seem to trust anyone now.'

‘What did he do to you?' A flame of anger burned in his chest. More than anything, he wanted to get out of this place and flatten Harville.

‘Oh, you know, classic story. Sweet-talked me, made me feel special then … pimped me out.'

‘Ugh, that's fucked up. Why would he do that?'

‘Because
he's
fucked up. And now he's passed it on to me. He's generous like that, is our Lawrence.'

‘Didn't you think you could say no to him?'

‘I couldn't say no to him. He's a scary bastard, in case you hadn't noticed. And besides, he had me hooked on his drugs. I needed them, so I needed him.'

‘Shit. But you're clean now, yeah?'

‘Yeah, for years. Clean and sober, hard-working, proper grown up. Even got a pension plan. I just don't do the relationship stuff.'

‘Well, you needed a bit of space, I should think,' said Deano. ‘Recovery time. That doesn't mean you'll never …'

‘I don't know,' she said firmly. ‘Like I said, I have trust issues now. Can't take a compliment off a bloke without wondering what he's after.'

‘It's a shame,' sighed Deano. ‘A cracking lass like you.'

She hooted with laughter.

‘What?' said Deano.

‘You, just then,' she said. ‘You can take the boy out of Bledburn … “cracking lass”.' She laughed again.

‘I think it's being with you. You're rubbing off on me,' he said.

‘We'll have you packing your snap tin for't mine if we're not careful,' she said cheerfully.

‘Weird, that,' said Deano.

‘What is?'

‘How the mine's not there any more. Those pit heads were part of the landscape of my childhood. I keep looking for them.'

‘Country park now,' said Kayley.

‘I know. What does everyone
do
here, now the mine's gone?'

‘Nowt,' said Kayley. ‘Head for Nottingham or Sheffield, mainly, if they've got any sense. Obviously I haven't.'

‘What does that say about me? I came back.'

She nudged against him, turning to give him an earnest look.

‘What, for good?'

He wanted very badly to stroke her messy hair from her forehead and cup her face in his hand. And then maybe try to … No. He shut his eyes for a moment, banishing her image.

‘Well, who knows?' he said, the thoughts forming themselves almost as he spoke them. ‘LA's had me long enough. Perhaps it's time for a change.'

‘Are you kidding? You'd leave LA and move back to Bleddy?'

‘Jenna did.'

‘I thought she was only here for a year. Mind you, what with Jason and all that …'

‘You think she'll stay?'

‘I think she might. I mean, he's got his art career going on now. If they leave the country, he'll have to make his name all over again.'

‘She'd put her career on hold for his sake?'

‘Why not? She's got enough money, she's got enough fame. He's only at the start. And she loves him.'

Deano was silent for a long moment.

‘Yeah,' he whispered. ‘Yeah.'

‘Sorry.' Kayley squeezed his hand, which sent a mad kind of pulse all the way up his arm and down into his stomach.

‘What for?' For a second, he genuinely didn't know.

‘I know you want her back. But I really think she's moved on now. I wish I was good at breaking things gently but … not me. Bull in a china shop, I'm afraid.'

He was about to speak, about to say that perhaps he'd changed his mind about absolutely everything, when the sound of footsteps on the stone steps beyond their little prison made them both stiffen and fall silent.

When the door opened, they couldn't make out who their visitor was, because the bright torchlight made them squint and see stars.

It was his voice that gave him away.

‘Well, now, my dears,' said Harville. ‘I think it's time for some serious talk.'

Ross was a terrible driver. He hurtled along the dual carriageway, swerving from one lane to the next at random, sometimes finding himself nose to tail with the vehicle in front.

‘Take it easy, eh?' implored Mia. ‘We're not going to be much help if we're dead.'

‘Sorry,' said Ross. ‘I hardly ever drive this thing any more. I keep forgetting how quickly you can accelerate. And the gears … shit.'

The aforementioned gears crunched horribly and Ross had to stop in the next layby to recover his nerves.

‘This is the right way?' said Jason, looking out over the darkening fields.

‘I thought you said you'd been there,' said Ross.

‘Yeah, but I was on foot, over the fields. It doesn't seem right without barging through a load of cows.'

‘It's the right way,' Ross said tersely, then took a deep breath and studied Jason's face. ‘Hey, didn't I see you on the local news? The artist?'

Jason smirked despite his anxieties.

‘Might've done,' he said coyly.

‘Yeah, it was you. And … you're seeing Jenna Diamond then?'

‘Myatt,' growled Jason. ‘She doesn't go by Diamond any more.'

‘Right. Nice work.' He gave Jason a look of frank admiration. ‘But you were at the cottage with her ex?'

‘I know it sounds weird. Deano's a bit of a dick but I think he's a sound bloke when it comes right down to it. Just got used to having his arse kissed all day and night. I'm not saying I'm his number one fan, but I don't think he deserves to be beaten up and worse by Harville and his charming friends.'

‘You think Harville might kill him?'

‘I think Harville is off his nut enough to do anything,' said Jason grimly. ‘C'mon, drive.'

Ten minutes of stalling, bunny-hopping and rubber-burning later, they pulled up in the lane just beyond the cottage driveway.

‘OK,' said Jason. ‘Me and Mia'll get out here. You go in and see if you can scare up Harville. Keep him busy, yeah?'

‘I'll try,' said Ross, but he didn't sound very convincing.

Jason and Mia watched him drive into the cottage grounds. They took up a vantage point from behind the hedge to observe Ross's progress.

He stood on the doorstep for a long time before one of the goons opened up and gave him what looked like a very unfriendly reception.

‘Keep at him,' muttered Jason. ‘Don't let him put you off.'

‘I think I'd be intimidated,' said Mia. ‘That guy's huge.'

‘They definitely don't want to let him in. Shit, do you think they've killed Deano?'

‘I hope not.'

They continued to watch, tense as bowstrings, as the goon turned away and shut the door. But Ross didn't leave the doorstep or ring again.

‘He's waiting for something,' said Mia.

‘Harville, probably,' agreed Jason.

Sure enough, a few moments later, the door was re-opened and Ross was admitted.

‘Right,' said Jason. ‘We're going in.'

It took several blinks to banish the stars from Kayley's eyes. By that time, Harville was sitting on the foot of the camp bed, grinning at them. His face was ghastly in the dim torchlight, and their shadows moved on the opposite wall like sinister doubles.

‘How sweet,' he said. ‘Getting close. People always say I'm good at bringing people together.'

‘Yeah, a real people person,' said Deano, struggling to sit up. ‘If the people are deranged psychopaths. Seriously, what the fuck are you playing at?'

‘Oh, I'm not playing,' said Harville. ‘This is work, Deano. Sheer hard graft. You see, I've had to get used to getting my hands dirty, over the years. The Harville fortune isn't enough to rely on any more. So I need to diversify.'

‘Into drug dealing and kidnap?'

Harville simply smiled.

‘Classy,' said Kayley.

‘Oh, and you'd know all about class, wouldn't you? Don't forget, I have the photographs. Showing your class – and your cunt – to the world.'

Kayley flinched at the harsh language, and she felt Deano tense beside her.

‘Leave her alone. There's only one cunt in this room and we're looking at him.'

‘I know my methods seem unorthodox,' said Harville, unperturbed. ‘But everything is going to work out, I assure you. We can all help each other and then this unpleasantness can be forgotten.'

‘Help? What sort of help?' Kayley pulled the raggedy sleeping bag over her, unconsciously trying to put as many barriers as possible between her and her nemesis.

‘It's lovely having guests in the basement, but I know I can't keep you forever,' said Harville. ‘The world of rock and roll can't do without its Diamond, and as for you, Kayley, well, I daresay
somebody
might be missing you.'