Wicked Girls, page 23
‘Being interviewed at the polis station too but Duncan Blackwood sent his fancy lawyer down there, so they won’t be holding him for much longer. What did you tell them?’
‘That me and Seb were visiting Frankie’s house when it was attacked and that I’d no idea who was responsible because it was dark. I didn’t mention anyone else, I don’t want you all dragged into it. So far, the polis only think me, Seb and Frankie were there and that’s the way it’s going to stay.’
‘I appreciate you keeping us out of it, but I thought you’d want Liam punished for what he’s done?’
‘I do, but I’m no’ a grass and I’ll deal with him personally,’ she said, a storm gathering in her eyes.
‘Now you’re talking. I’ll help you.’
‘You really don’t want to get involved – I’m going to fucking destroy him.’
‘Are you kidding? That’s just my sort of gig. There’s nothing like bloody revenge, believe me, I know,’ murmured Toni, eyes turning black and shark-like as she relived memories of killing Roddy.
‘I’ll help too,’ said Caesar.
‘I thought Liam was your pal?’ said Valerie.
‘He was, but Toni’s the one I’m loyal to now.’
‘Liam seemed really focused on hurting Seb,’ said Toni thoughtfully.
‘Aye, and he’s gonnae fucking pay for it,’ snapped Valerie.
‘But why? I know he has a crush on you, but that doesn’t seem enough reason.’
‘You think there’s more going on than we know?’
‘It’s possible. We’ll make him talk, have no fear about that.’
‘We will, but we can’t do anything tonight, not with the polis sniffing about, and I want to speak to Frankie first.’
‘He’ll go to war with the Thompsons over this, he has to if he’s to protect his reputation, and his retribution will be very bloody,’ said Toni with pleasure in her eyes.
‘I’ve no doubt about it.’ Valerie glanced at Moira, wondering if she was going to comment on the activities of her children, but she said nothing, staring down at the floor. It seemed she’d given up long ago, or she was just too afraid to intervene.
‘Why don’t you stay here tonight?’ said Toni. ‘You shouldn’t be on your own and you can be here when Frankie gets back.’
Valerie’s limbs felt like lead, and she wanted to be around Toni because she understood. If she went home, she’d have to explain to her parents what had happened and endure their questions and told-you-so looks and she wasn’t sure she had the stamina for that. For the first time in her life, Valerie felt fragile.
‘Aye, all right,’ she said.
‘Great. You can share my bed, top and tail like we used to when we were wee.’
‘That sounds really nice,’ Valerie said, choking up. ‘Thanks.’
‘Everything will be all right,’ said Toni, wrapping an arm around her. ‘You’ll see.’
Valerie just nodded, not trusting herself to speak without bursting into tears.
Valerie was rudely awoken by the sound of shouting. For a moment, she was tempted to ignore it, she was so warm and comfortable. She turned onto her side and hoped the noisy bastard making all that racket would soon shut up. Then it struck her that the voice was Frankie’s and all the horror of the previous night came screaming back.
She sat bolt upright and saw she was alone in Toni’s bed wearing one of her cousin’s zebra-print nighties. Frankie was ranting and raving about the police and how stupid and inept they were, his language colourful and littered with F-bombs.
Squinting at the clock, she saw it was 8.30 in the morning. She’d only got four hours’ sleep, but she was amazed she’d managed to get any at all. She’d expected to lie awake with recent events swirling through her mind and tormenting her, but she’d been out like a light the moment her head had hit the pillow.
Valerie got up and changed back into her clothes before padding downstairs. Frankie for once appeared rumpled, his clothes creased and hair dishevelled. It was clear he hadn’t got any sleep. Toni was up, fully dressed in one of her figure-hugging, cleavage-revealing outfits, hair and make-up immaculate, making Valerie feel like a mess, as usual. Moira was also there in her wheelchair, wearing her dressing gown and pyjamas, but there was no sign of Caesar.
‘Thank goodness you’re back, Frankie,’ said Valerie.
‘What the fuck did you tell the polis?’ he demanded, pointing a finger at her.
‘What we agreed – that a bunch of people attacked your house when me and Seb were visiting, and we didn’t see who they were because it was dark.’
‘Well, they suspect it was the fucking Thompsons and they’ve hauled in Tam, Jamesie and Paul too. Did you fucking grass?’
‘No, I did not,’ retorted Valerie, swelling with indignation. ‘How fucking dare you? After everything I’ve been through, you accuse me of that? I could punch you right in the face.’
Toni and Moira’s jaws dropped open at her nerve. No one threatened Frankie, not without losing a vital part of their anatomy, and he glowered at her, lips drawing back over his teeth, as though he were about to bite. But instead of launching into the expected frenzy, he threw back his head and barked with laughter.
‘So last night didnae break you, then,’ he said. ‘I was afraid it would.’
‘You must be joking,’ said Valerie. ‘I want to track down Liam Thompson and pull his spine out.’
‘And we will, the Thompsons are fucking done. Duncan’s already given me the go-ahead but we have to be patient and wait until the polis stop sticking their fucking beaks in.’
‘I thought Duncan would be able to make that happen?’
‘He’s working on it. Until then, we have to wait,’ he said, looking furious about the fact.
Valerie thought it would be good for Frankie to learn some patience, but she was keen to get her hands on Liam and make him feel a lot of pain. ‘Why did you accuse me of grassing? Has someone said something?’
‘Aye, they have. The polis know there was a big fucking battle in the street. Right now, they’re interviewing my nosy bastard neighbours.’
‘It was probably one of the neighbours who grassed. All they would have had to do was stick their heid out the window to see what was going on.’
‘Aye, maybe,’ he said, simmering down a little. ‘Where the fuck’s Caesar?’
The way his eyes narrowed with suspicion said Caesar was one of his main suspects for grassing.
‘He went to his brother’s house to warn him because he’s worried the Thompsons will take it out on him,’ replied Toni.
‘And you’re sure he no’ made a stop at the polis station on his way to his brother’s?’
It was Toni’s turn to be indignant. ‘Quite sure. He’s no’ a fucking grass either.’
‘All right, sweetheart, simmer down,’ he told her.
‘Caesar saved my life last night, so show some bloody gratitude.’
‘I am grateful, okay?’ he yelled back at her.
‘Good,’ sniffed Toni, folding her arms across her chest.
‘How’s Seb?’ said Frankie, turning to Valerie.
It seemed Seb was way down his list of priorities but at least he’d asked, eventually. ‘Stable. He got through the surgery, but he lost a lot of blood, so he’s not out of the woods yet. His family won’t let me see him because they think I stabbed him,’ she said miserably.
‘The fucking dicks. Don’t worry, Seb will set them straight.’
‘If he wakes up.’ Valerie almost added that they’d also find out that she was a McVay but thought Frankie wouldn’t take kindly to finding out she’d kept that a secret, he took enormous pride in his lineage.
‘Why don’t you call the hospital and find out how he is?’ Toni asked her.
‘They won’t tell me anything. Seb’s parents will have told them not to give me any information.’
‘You don’t need to tell them who you are. Say you’re someone else.’
‘I could say I’m his Aunty Sarah.’
‘Go for it. You can use the phone,’ said Toni, gesturing to the telephone sitting on the sideboard.
‘Cheers,’ said Valerie, having to look up the number for the hospital in the phone book before dialling and asking to be put through to intensive care. ‘Hi,’ she said nervously to the voice on the other end. ‘Could you tell me how Sebastian Robertson is, please? I’m his Aunt Sarah.’ She breathed a sigh of relief at the reply. ‘Thank you so much, that’s wonderful.’ Valerie hung up and turned to the others with a smile. ‘He had a good night and he’s woken up.’
‘Great news,’ said Toni. ‘See, things are already on the up and he will already have told his family that you didn’t stab him.’
‘I’ve just had a thought – the polis will be talking to him soon and it won’t even occur to him to lie.’
‘You need to get to him and tell him,’ said Frankie, eyes sharpening into knives.
‘His parents won’t let me in.’
‘Then we need to smuggle a message in to him.’
‘There’s your Uncle Martin,’ said a voice.
They all turned to Moira, who they’d forgotten was there.
‘He’s a cleaner at Glasgow Royal,’ she continued. ‘He’ll be able to give Seb a message.’
‘Great idea, Maw,’ said Frankie with pride in his eyes. ‘I’ll gi’e him a bell.’
Frankie snatched up the phone and dialled. Valerie thought he spoke to their uncle rather arrogantly, ordering him rather than asking, but Martin dabbled in the criminal underworld, so he’d probably already done some work for Frankie.
‘He said he’d dae it,’ said Frankie, returning the handset to its cradle. ‘And he works on that floor, so no one will think twice about seeing him there.’
‘And if Seb’s only just woken up,’ said Toni, ‘then his doctor will probably still be keeping the polis away from him for a wee bit longer until he’s stronger.’
‘We can but hope,’ said Valerie. ‘And it will be one less thing to worry about.’
‘I’ve got people out looking for Liam and Bill,’ said Frankie. ‘They’ll be lying low but I will find them, drag them oot their hidey-holes and batter their fucking melons until they split, and by melons, I don’t mean heids,’ he snarled, left eye twitching.
‘And I’ll help you,’ said Valerie. ‘They’ve ruined everything.’
‘Don’t you worry, doll,’ replied Frankie, mayhem shining in his eyes. ‘We’ll make them pay in buckets of blood for what they’ve done.’
‘I can’t wait,’ she hissed, hands curling into fists.
Frankie and Toni smiled. Their cousin was back.
22
Uncle Martin managed to pass on the message that morning to Seb, who accepted it with weary resignation. Seb asked Martin to tell Valerie that he loved her and had asked to see her, so Valerie was determined to figure out a way to get into the hospital to see him.
She was forced to return home as word had spread about what had happened the previous night and her mother phoned Moira’s house demanding answers.
Valerie gave them the same story she’d given the police and Seb’s parents, and their eyes filled with disapproval. They knew she was lying but they didn’t want to know the truth, so they didn’t press her for answers. They were more concerned with Seb and were appalled when she told them his family had thought she’d stabbed him. They then launched into a lecture about how they’d warned her to stay away from Toni and Frankie, and Valerie stormed out of the house before they could finish their tirade. She needed comfort and reassurance, not censure.
Once outside, she had no idea where to go or what to do, so she just started walking, everything churning through her mind in confusion. She replayed the fight outside Frankie’s house, Seb falling to the ground injured, his blood on the blade looking black in the moonlight, Liam’s eyes shining with the desire to commit murder.
Valerie found herself making her way to Stevie Johnson’s house. If you wanted to know what was going on, he was the one you spoke to.
She knocked on his door, which was pulled open by Stevie himself, who was surprisingly up and dressed.
‘Valerie,’ he said with surprise. ‘And to what do I owe the honour of this visit?’ His eyes filled with nervousness. ‘Frankie’s no’ here, is he?’
‘No, I’m alone. He doesn’t even know I’m here. I really need to talk to you, Stevie. Can I come in?’
‘Aye, course,’ he said, opening the door wider.
Valerie stepped inside and he peered out nervously just to make sure no one else was there before closing it.
‘I’m glad I didn’t wake you up,’ she told him as she stood in his neat front room.
‘There’s nae danger of that, I havenae been to bed yet.’
‘I suppose you’ve heard about what happened last night?’
‘Aye. The Thompsons attacked Frankie’s house, the mad bastards that they are, but no one’s supposed to know that. Frankie’s told the polis he doesnae know who it was, which they don’t believe for a moment.’
This confirmed her suspicions that Stevie had his own contacts in the police. Maybe he had friends or relatives on the inside?
‘I’m not surprised,’ she said. ‘So you’ll know that Liam Thompson stabbed my boyfriend?’
‘I didnae know it was Liam who’d done it, I just knew it was a Thompson.’ His eyes filled with sympathy. ‘How is he?’
‘Stable, but Liam was really determined to kill him and I don’t understand why, he doesn’t even know him and I refuse to believe it’s because of Liam’s crush on me. There’s more going on than I know. As Seb’s parents believe I stabbed their son…’
‘What?’ he exclaimed.
‘Aye, I know. It’s mental, they won’t even let me see him, which is why I’m here. You know everything that goes on, so I thought you might be able to help me.’
‘You’re best letting sleeping dogs lie. Knowledge is power but it’s also dangerous. I know that better than anyone.’
‘So I’m right, you do know something. Please tell me.’
‘I like you, Valerie, and you helped me out in the past, which is why I’m gonnae tell you this – let it go.’
‘I can’t. Surely you understand that?’
‘I understand why you want to know, but it will hurt you.’
‘If you’re worried about Frankie finding out that you know something and kept it back from him, then don’t be. I won’t bring you into it.’
He shook his head.
‘Please, Stevie. You owe me,’ she added when he still appeared reluctant. ‘I saved your life.’
He gazed into her pleading eyes and sighed. ‘All right, but don’t say I didnae warn you. Seb isn’t who you think he is. I suppose he’s told you he’s some sweet innocent man who wants to do something harmless with his life – teach at a primary school, probably, or go to Romania and build shelters for orphans.’
‘He said he’s at uni studying Divinity and Philosophy and wants to be a minister in the Scottish church,’ she replied.
Stevie laughed and shook his head.
‘Why the fuck is that funny?’ she demanded.
‘Because he’s a vicious bastard with a criminal record a mile long.’
‘What are you on about? He’s the gentlest man I’ve ever known.’
‘Aye, that’s what he wants you to believe, but he’s got a long history of blood and mayhem behind him.’
‘No,’ she smiled, shaking her head. ‘You’ve got the wrong person.’
‘Sebastian Robertson? Mother Laura, father Jeffrey, sister Emily? Has a sweet old gran called Euphemia?’
‘Aye, that’s him,’ she said slowly.
‘He was arrested when he was fourteen for pushing his best friend down the stairs and severely injuring him. He said it was an accident and everyone believed him, until another friend of his almost drowned in a canal and another fell off the top of a garage. All his friends kept having mysterious accidents, until some of their other friends decided to go to the polis and finally tell them Sebastian had been responsible for all those incidents. It took them so long to say anything because they were all scared of him.’
‘Then they were obviously lying and it was one of them and they threw Seb under the bus to protect themselves.’
‘No charges were pressed because there was no evidence. Their word was not enough and the boys who were injured couldn’t say for sure what had happened as their backs had been turned at the time, so it eventually blew over. Then Seb was done for shoplifting when he was sixteen, followed by vandalism…’
‘So what? So have most of the people around here.’
‘He assaulted a shop owner when he caught him stealing something from his shop, he then hit a security guard in some swanky department store and beat up a traffic warden. He got two years for that last one, but he was out in eight months.’
‘No way,’ she exclaimed. ‘He’s been nothing but sweet and kind to me.’
Stevie continued as though she hadn’t spoken. ‘It doesnae stop there. He made contacts in prison and when he came out, he was even worse. He’s been dealing drugs for years and lately he’s been encroaching on the Thompsons’ patch…’
‘This is fucking crazy,’ she cried. ‘His family’s so kind and good, they’re nothing like my family or the Thompsons. They’re all normal and law-abiding.’
‘Aye, they are, but he’s no’. The problem is they go out of their way to protect him, and his maw’s a bloody good solicitor. She’s got him out of trouble plenty of times.’
‘But they’ve said in front of me that he’s studying at uni.’
‘Maybe he is, but I can guarantee an evil bastard like that isnae studying Divinity and he certainly doesnae want to be a minister.’
‘If he was a dealer then Frankie would know about him.’
‘Seb deals to a lot of posh bastards, they move in different circles, so he’s probably never even popped up on Frankie’s radar. I know your cousin likes to make out that he knows all and sees all but he really doesn’t, which is why he needs me.’
‘Why didn’t you say something sooner?’
