The Book of Revenge (10 page)

‘Until what time?’

‘I dunno. Got a bit pissed to be honest. We went back to mine, think I must have had more than I realised ‘cause I woke up this morning on the sofa with Brucie slobbering all over me…’

‘What about Kevin?’

‘Went home I guess. What the fuck is this about?’

‘Anyone at home with you?’

‘Kylie was upstairs.’

Matt finished his drink and stood up. He picked the photo up and folded it carefully in half before putting it into his pocket. Then he looked at Andrew. ‘Change your lock.’ He said seriously.

Andrew was surprised. He shook his head. ‘You’re just being paranoid...’

Matt stared at the other man, watching closely for a reaction. ‘Kevin’s dead. Shot early this morning.’

Andrew looked shocked, really shocked, and more than a little bit scared. Matt walked away.

He was sick of the looks. Some were pitying, some were mocking, some were curious and a couple were malicious. He wanted to get out and stay out but he wouldn’t give any of them the satisfaction. He sipped his coffee and kept himself shut away at his desk. The office was small and luckily it had been pretty empty for most of the day. He had a list of names and phone numbers in front of him and was ringing his way down. It was every name from the photo he took from the Rugby club. Most he remembered and the few that he didn’t he got from the newspaper archives. At the time of the win it had been considered news worthy enough to warrant a full name list of the winning players, along with a copy of the photo. There they were in grimy black and white print, the victorious team.

Two players had already died, one from cancer and one in a road accident. Two had moved out of the area and he was struggling to find them. One had immigrated to Australia, Four were dead, shot by the killer and the rest he was trying to contact to tell them to change their locks and be extra careful. It was proving to be a difficult task.

He looked up as Jen hurried into the office. He casually covered up the list. She had that look of determination and contained excitement that he had come to dread.

‘Socos found a hair,’ she said.

He knew there was more to come. He was right.

‘A woman’s hair,’ she added, looking directly at him.

Matt knew from her expression what was coming.

‘Long and dark,’ she paused. ‘Gov, we went to your house, Avril wasn’t there. Do you know where we can find your wife?’

‘No.’

‘Gov...’

He shook his head. ‘She left. I’ve no idea where she went. But I do know that you are wrong. Avril might be lots of things but she isn’t a killer.’

Jen looked at him and he had a horrible feeling he saw pity in her eyes. ‘DNA won’t match.’ He said adamantly.

‘We just need to talk to her Gov, see where she was last night.’

Matt knew she was right, obviously Avril needed to be eliminated as a suspect. He scribbled down a couple of addresses and handed the paper to Jen. ‘Couple of her friends, she might be with them.’

Jen took it and they looked at each other awkwardly.

‘So she wasn’t at home with you last night then?’

He shook his head. ‘No, told you she moved out…’

‘I’m sorry,’ Jen said, with what looked suspiciously like pity in her eyes.

She left and Matt felt a pang of guilt. Avril wouldn’t appreciate the police turning up at her friend’s house. But then if she had nothing to hide... he let the thought trail away. There was a small nagging doubt, which seemed to be growing bigger in his head. He found himself questioning how well he really knew her. She had always kept him apart from her family and rarely spoke about them. Hell, they hadn’t even attended the wedding. He hadn’t considered it strange. He knew some families just didn’t get on and besides they got hitched on a beach in Florida. His parents and their new spouses attended along with some of their mutual friends but she had no family with her at all. In hindsight he should have asked more questions, been more curious, but his energies were diverted by trying to keep his sniping parents apart. Hindsight was a wonderful thing! Don’t they say that everyone has a secret? Although he never knew who ‘they’ were. What if Avril’s was so huge and so dark that it had turned her into a vengeful killer? Plus there was still the question of where was she between leaving Brian’s house at twelve and turning up at home, just a ten minute drive away, nearly two hours later.

He stood up from his desk and stretched. While Jen was tracking Avril down he decided to do a bit of digging of his own.

Andrew was sober and worried, Kevin was dead. The pub was on the edge of town and not a place he usually visited. Certainly not a place you’d take a girl on a date. It was a dump, a dangerous dump.

Two men looked up when he entered. One of the men made a small movement with his head, enough to let Andrew know that he was in the right place. Both men were smoking. Above them, on a wall, was a no smoking sign. Someone had written ‘fuck you’ across it.

Andrew sat down opposite the men and pulled an envelope from his pocket. He glanced around nervously, but no one was paying any attention to them or their transaction. He passed the envelope to one of the men.

The man peeled it open and glanced inside. His fingers ran across the top of the wad of notes, seemingly to check the amount. Although it was far too fast an assessment for him to have counted it. Apparently satisfied, he handed a package to Andrew. It was small but bulky and wrapped in a thick paper bag. The type that shops used now instead of plastic ones; a save the earth type bag. Andrew took it and thought it might just be a save the Andrew bag. He smiled at his own joke and with a brief nod to the men, the silent transaction was complete.

Andrew drove himself home. The package was on the seat beside him. He knew he should keep it hidden and out of view but he liked to know it was in easy reach. He liked the fact that he had it, and wondered why he’d never thought to get one before. Trust Kevin to have contacts like that. He didn’t want to think about Kevin. Couldn’t believe he was really dead. He turned the radio up and blanked it from his mind.

He knew he’d have to find a hiding place at home. The local paper had reported that Edward had been shot in his bedroom, so maybe that was the place to stash it.

Kylie heard the car pull onto the drive. That was unusual. It was early evening. He never came home till late, and rarely by car. He was normally too pissed to drive. She got up from her desk where she’d been on her laptop and went to the window. She saw him climb out of the car and lock it. He had something in his hand, he was hugging it tight against him as if to shield or hide it.

She heard the front door open and then steps on the stairs. He didn’t go to the kitchen first to see the mutt, that wasn’t normal. She hadn’t pushed the drawers in front of her door; she hadn’t expected him home for hours. No time to do it now. Not that it would save her anyway. Not from him or his bastard friend.

She heard him on the stairs, he hadn’t checked on Bruce first. The dog was barking loudly but her father carried on up to the landing. The footsteps hurried straight past her room, he didn’t even pause. Something was wrong. She didn’t want to leave her room, although it was hardly a sanctuary. She was just as vulnerable there as anywhere else. But it just felt safer.

But she knew she had to know what was going on. Kylie pulled her door open slowly, carefully, hoping it wouldn’t creak. If it did then she would just hurry straight to the bathroom. Even he couldn’t punish her for having a pee.

It didn’t make a noise. Barely daring to breath she crept along the landing. His door was open, Just a crack, but enough for her to see him on his knees in his room. Whatever it was he had brought from the car was now being shoved under the mattress.

Maybe it was money. If he had a cash stash then it might be enough for her to run away. She’d have to act fast though because he never kept money for long. That’s why mum had left. He’d drank or gambled his way through every penny he earned.

For the first time in months, possibly even years, Kylie felt the unfamiliar stirrings of hope and optimism. She could be free of him. And soon.

Matt was annoyed. He had tracked down Avril’s Grandmother. He had met the lady once, just before they got married. He remembered her as old and frail even then, amazingly she was still alive. The care worker at the nursing home told him that Mabel had just celebrated her ninetieth birthday.

‘She does get a little bit confused…’ the care worker said.

That was an understatement. Mabel had skin as thin as parchment that was as brown and wrinkly as a walnut. But her eyes were bright and alert and she seemed lively and happy.

‘Hello Mabel,’ he said gently, ‘Do you remember me? I’m Avril’s husband?’

‘Of course I remember you,’ she said, beaming from ear to ear showing off remarkably good teeth for someone so old.

Encouraged, he sat down opposite her. ‘I need to ask you about Avril, about her parents.’

‘Who dear?’

‘About your granddaughter Avril.’

Mabel looked at him blankly for a minute then she started to hum a tune, something catchy and vaguely familiar. He had a feeling he was losing this one. He tried again.

‘Mabel…’

She stopped humming and smiled at him, that bright white toothy grin again. Either she had the country’s best dentist or they were false.

‘Hello.’ She said, looking at him with a questioning gaze as though he had just arrived.

‘Mabel, I need your help, Avril needs your help.’

‘I have a granddaughter called Avril.’

‘Yes you do. Are her parents still alive?’

‘Of course they are.’ She said, looking annoyed and lucid.

‘So why doesn’t Avril speak to them?’

‘Because of Ted.’

‘Who’s Ted?’

Mabel’s gaze slid away from him and she started to hum again.

Matt walked down the High Street. He entered the gym but he hadn’t really gone for a workout. He’d hoped to see Liz. But she wasn’t there and he didn’t think another impromptu visit would be welcomed by her. So he was heading home to an empty bed and an empty life.

He managed to avoid the pub. But he found himself standing at the checkout of the twenty four hour convenience store with a bottle of whisky in his hand.

He glanced out of the window and was surprised to see Jen. She was dressed to impress. Her hair was loose and her face was made up. The trousers were gone and she had legs, she was wearing a short skirt and high heels, she scrubbed up well. He put the bottle down and moved closer to the window. She wasn’t alone, she was with a man. A tall young man, they were walking arm in arm and the man bent down to kiss her. Matt was transfixed. Was she really that stupid? Or maybe she didn’t know? She hadn’t been in town for long; it was possible that she really didn’t know who he was? Either way, it gave Matt a certain satisfaction; it seemed she wasn’t so perfect after all. He pulled out his mobile phone and took a quick picture; it might have some tease value to it if she got too pushy or too cocky.

Liz was restless, drifting in and out of sleep as she fought the dreams that wanted to drag her back to the past.

A young Liz and her sister Melissa were close to the DJ. The pub was crowded and smoky; a small area had been cleared of tables and chairs and was being used as a dance floor. The DJ put another record on and then turned his attention to Melissa. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Liz was grinning happily. She had a glass in her hand and was leaning against the wall.

The DJ, Steve, glanced over at Liz. He looked down at Melissa, ‘she alright?’

Melissa turned her head just in time to see her sister slide down the wall. Melissa and Steve rushed over. Liz was sat on the floor, a silly grin on her face.

‘She’s pissed.’ Steve said, amused.

Melissa took the glass from Liz, which was miraculously still upright and clasped in her hand. She sniffed it, and then tasted it. She looked at Steve. ‘She was supposed to be drinking Cinzano, this is gin...’

Steve helped Liz to her feet.

‘You should marry my sister. She’s in love with you.’ Liz said in a slow, slurred voice.

Steve glanced across at a blushing Melissa. ‘Is she now?’

‘Yep, she told me so.’

‘Liz!’

Melissa took her sister from Steve, who was looking very pleased with himself. The record was reaching its end and he had to change it.

‘Better get her outside.’ He said, ‘fresh air will help to sober her up. There’s a seat at the bus shelter just around the corner. I finish in half an hour. I’ll take you both home then.’

Melissa nodded her head and started to walk away supporting her sister.

Steve called after her. ‘Mel...’

She turned her head. ‘Yes?’

He grinned. ‘I love you too.’

Liz opened her eyes and waited for the dream to fade. She climbed out of bed and headed for the shower.

Dried and dressed Liz made herself a coffee. The toast popped up and she smothered it with butter. Sam was at the kitchen table, still in her pyjamas, tucking into a bowl of cereal.