Open Your Eyes, page 19
Chapter Thirty-Six
Liam left the library soon after Trish. He made sure to leave it long enough so it didn’t look like he was going after her, but he also didn’t want to hang around after she’d screamed at him. He was ignoring everyone around him, but he could feel their eyes on him all the same.
The walk home did nothing to quell his temper, if anything he arrived even more wound up. He was fucking livid. The more he thought about Frankie fucking Currington, the more he decided she was the cause of all his problems. The epitome of his regrets.
There she was telling girls they deserved more and that they should raise their standards and stand up for themselves, meaning nothing would ever be good enough for them. Men like Liam could try their hardest and do their best, but it would never be good enough for the likes of Frankie Currington. The more she was allowed to encourage women to be brash and bold, the less chance there was for normal guys like him to find a girlfriend. Surely he deserved some slack? Surely he deserved to be loved? Surely he deserved to have sex?
At home, he was relieved to find his mum wasn’t in. He went straight up to his bedroom and logged on to the forum. It was time to come up with a plan to put the bitch back in her box.
He sent @beta2 a private message. Although it wasn’t the done thing, he felt sure, on this occasion, it was the right thing to do.
Liam took his time composing the message. He needed to get it right and be sure @beta2 had all the facts as Liam understood them. He explained what had happened in the library and how he had felt completely humiliated and then palpably livid when he’d realised who was behind Trish’s rejection. He ended his message by saying:
I know there are plans in the pipeline to deal with her, but I want to be involved. I want to be the one to do it and I want to be there when she pays the ultimate price. Once she is brought crashing back to earth the Stacys and Beckys will realise they can’t fuck with us anymore.
Liam leaned back in his chair and ran a hand back and forth across his head while he read his message. Satisfied he had explained himself clearly, he hit the send button and waited.
At first, he just sat and stared at the screen waiting for the read message to appear and then the three little dots to tell him @beta2 was replying.
After ten minutes of impatiently refreshing the screen, Liam realised a quick reply would not be forthcoming. Instead, he decided to have a browse through the posts and see what been happening.
His attention was drawn to a long post that had attracted over 2,000 likes and 400 comments. This looks juicy. Liam clicked on the header and began reading.
He was quickly engrossed as he realised it was a post discussing their latest strike against Frankie Currington. He’d forgotten about the plan to kidnap her after she appeared on the Neil Stuart show. He got more and more excited as he read the driver’s account of what had happened. Liam could hardly believe she’d been stupid enough to get into a random car without actually checking it was a taxi first. Mind you, from what he’d heard about the radio interview, it was no wonder she’d been distracted.
He had not anticipated the failure of the plan at the final hurdle and couldn’t help but swear at his computer screen when he read how Frankie had been rescued by some police guy. The driver had gone on to apologise for forgetting to take Frankie’s phone from her, but he’d been so surprised when she got in the car no questions asked, all thought of it had gone from his mind.
* * *
I’m going to need to take a step back now. Although I used fake number plates, they both got a really good look at me and I can’t risk being involved in anything high-profile for a while. Obviously happy to help out in the background if you need me to though.
* * *
Although Liam was a little gutted Frankie had managed to escape, in a way he was glad too. It meant the glory was still there for the taking. He still had the opportunity to be the one to destroy her once and for all.
After posting a congratulatory comment, Liam checked again to see if he’d had a reply from @beta2. Noticing the little red dot that indicated there was an unread message, a thrilling spark shot through his core.
His eyes raced over the message, but it took a couple of passes for him to fully understand what was being said.
@beta2 had a plan and it did involve Liam.
If Liam successfully executed the plan, then his debt for the revenge game would be settled.
The question Liam had to ask himself was, was he prepared to pay the extortionate price being asked of him?
For the next few minutes he considered his options. As he did so, his thoughts drifted back to Kirsty and how she’d humiliated him, and then to Trish, and finally to Frankie Currington and he knew what he had to do.
His reply to @beta2 simply said:
I’m in. What do I need to do?
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The following morning over breakfast, Todd filled Craig in on what he had learned from the forum the night before.
‘They talk in code, so it’s kinda hard to figure out what they’re on about half the time. Although, I was able to google some of it. It definitely looks like there is some sort of vendetta against Frankie, but I can’t see what, if anything, is coming next.’
‘Jesus, it’s all a bit scary. Do you not think maybe you should take this to the police?’
‘I thought about that, but Frankie said her mate, Ruby, had a man on the inside, so I think I can assume he’s taking care of that. My main concern is being able to alert Frankie to any danger.’
‘So what are you going to do now?’
Todd glanced at his watch. ‘I need to go into work. They’re not going to put up with my shit for much longer. And anyway, I’m feeling better now I’m doing something proactive.’
After his day shift at the gym, Todd went straight back to Craig’s. Retrieving his laptop and notepad from the bedroom, he carried them to the dining table and logged on to the Black Knights and Black Pills forum.
He could see straight away there had been a flurry of activity while he’d been at work. Turning to a clean page in his notebook he clicked on the top post, which seemed to be attracting a lot of attention, and began reading.
Horror filled Todd as he read what these monsters had done to Frankie that afternoon. When he read about the moment the bastard had climbed on top of her, Todd felt sick. It was quickly followed by pride when he read about how she fought back and then anger when he realised she’d asked for help from the policeman.
When Frankie needed someone the most, when she thought she might not be able to help herself, instead of turning to her boyfriend, the man she supposedly loved, she had turned to a stranger. That’s what Todd told himself anyway, Menzies was a stranger. He tried not to think of the time he’d come home and found him with his arm around Frankie after she’d been attacked in the street; the way they’d looked so comfortable sitting together on the couch.
No, he was definitely not jealous, just annoyed that Frankie would think to go to him before she turned to Todd.
As Todd read through the replies, the sick feeling returned to his stomach. Each comment was congratulatory in tone, with a few also commiserating that ‘the bitch’ had managed to get away. He picked up his phone, checking to see if he’d missed a call or a message from Frankie. Surely she would have thought to tell him what had happened? Just because they were taking a break didn’t mean he didn’t care anymore. He knew if something ever happened to him, she would be the first person he called. But there was nothing. He even checked to see if a message had somehow been marked as read, but the last message from her was the one telling him to stay away.
Todd’s instinct was to call her immediately and demand to know what happened, but he knew that wouldn’t work. Frankie would clam up and he’d make things worse. Should he send a text? Or should he go round there?
He checked his watch. Craig would be home from work soon, so Todd decided he would wait and ask him what he thought he should do.
Craig was running late though, and when he finally did arrive home almost two hours later, Todd was prowling around the living room like a caged tiger.
‘Where’ve you been?’
‘Err, did we get married and somebody forgot to tell me?’
‘I needed to speak to you. I thought you’d be home ages ago.’
‘Seriously, mate, one of the benefits of being single is no nagging. Pack it in. Grab me a beer while I get changed and then you can tell me why your knickers are in a twist.’
When Craig came back into the living room, Todd handed him a bottle of Coors and took a long swig of his own. Craig settled himself on the sofa in an overly dramatic fashion and sighed contentedly.
‘You finished?’ asked Todd.
‘I’m ready, you may begin.’
‘Thank you.’ Ignoring his friend’s eye-roll he, once more, explained what he’d found out and then asked what Craig thought he should do.
‘You mean you haven’t been round there to see her?’ Craig leaned forward in his seat, eyes wide.
‘No. I didn’t know what to do. I was about ready to explode and the one thing I did know was that wasn’t going to help.’
‘No, I suppose you’re right. But I tell you what, if it had been me, I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself.’
‘Right, but what do you think I should do now?’
‘It’s too late to turn up there now, really. Maybe text her and ask how she is? Ask if she minds if you go round?’
‘Okay, okay, that’s good. I’ll do that. Text message.’ Todd pulled out his phone and tapped away on the screen. ‘There, sent.’
‘What did you say?’
‘Exactly what you told me to!’
‘Yeah, but—’
‘Sh, she’s replied… ah shit!’
‘What?’
‘She wants to know how I found out.’
‘Oh fuck. She doesn’t know you’re in the forum, does she?’
‘No, she doesn’t. I told her I wasn’t doing it and she said I didn’t need to anyway.’
‘You’re going to have to tell her.’
‘Fuck.’
Todd decided a phone call might be better than text messages.
‘Hi, it’s me. I found out from the forum. I’ve been having a poke around to see if I can find out what they’re up to. I thought if I could, then I could warn you and help keep you safe.’
‘Todd, please tell me you are fucking joking? I asked you to stay out of it, I asked you to give me some space and now you tell me you’ve found out I was attacked from the people who attacked me? Can you not see how fucked-up that is?’
‘I was only trying to help! I don’t want to lose you, Frankie, and I thought if I could learn about this stuff you’re interested in all of a sudden, I could understand more. But I also wanted to look after you – it’s too much. They’re coming after you, you know that, don’t you?’
‘No, they came after me. They wanted to put the fear of God into me and they have.’
‘So you’re going to stop then?’
‘No! I’ve spoken to Callum and he doesn’t think it’ll escalate any further.’
‘Oh, Callum is it now?’
‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
‘Nothing. Look, can I come and see you? I need to see for myself you’re okay.’
‘You’ll have to take my word for it. I’m fine. I don’t want to see you.’
With that, Frankie ended the call.
‘For fuck sake!’ He launched his phone into the sofa then dropped down beside it and held his head in his hands. He knew what Frankie wanted, but he wasn’t sure he was capable of walking away.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Amy was gawping at Frankie across the table in their favourite pub. Frankie took a sip of her wine and feigned nonchalance, even though she knew she’d dropped two bombshells on her friend.
‘So, let me get this right? You were kidnapped by a taxi driver—’
‘He wasn’t a taxi driver, he was pretending to be one.’
‘Whatever.’ Amy batted the air. ‘This guy kidnaps you, takes you to some abandoned industrial estate and attacks you. Except you’ve managed to get a message to Top Totty Callum, so he comes to your rescue. Have I got that right?’
Frankie cringed at Amy’s new nickname for Callum. ‘That’s pretty much it.’
‘And then, when you get home and TT Callum is supposed to be behaving like an upstanding member of the police force and looking after you, he shoves his tongue down your throat.’
‘It wasn’t quite like that. It was actually a really nice kiss and I definitely wasn’t upset about it.’ She grinned at her friend. In fact, she had barely stopped smiling since Callum had left her flat and said he’d be in touch about the photographs they needed to take of her injuries. Then she remembered Todd had been in contact and her face dropped.
‘What? What’s the matter?’
‘Todd.’ Frankie sighed. ‘He just doesn’t get the message. He’s been looking into the Black Knight forum to try to “protect me” and he found out about the attack. Why can’t he understand the more he tries to “look after” me, the more smothered I feel?’
‘He cares about you.’
‘I know he does, but he’s been trying to wrap me in cotton wool recently and all it does is make me feel claustrophobic and want to push him away. He doesn’t seem to realise I’m an adult and I don’t need a protector. At least not like he’s trying to be anyway.’
‘What do you want?’
Frankie had been asking herself that for a while now and the truth was, she really wasn’t sure. She did know that what she was doing, her writing and raising awareness, felt important. It felt like she was making a difference in the world.
Up until recently, if asked, she would have said her and Todd were in it for the long haul. The volcanic eruptions part of their relationship had passed and now they lived in comfort together; flowing nicely through life. Todd had always been supportive of her job and although she knew she could have been more supportive of his, she only pushed because she knew he was capable of so much more.
Maybe that was it. Maybe when it came to it, Todd was giving her a taste of her own medicine?
Or maybe they had become too much like friends. Sure, the volcano had died down, but shouldn’t there be fireworks sometimes? Frankie couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt a flutter in her stomach when Todd was around.
‘I think maybe it’s over between me and Todd,’ she whispered. ‘I think it has been for a while, but we’ve been too comfortable to see it. It’s taken us to fundamentally disagree on something for us, or me at least, to see what’s been there for months now.’
Frankie’s throat started to close and a single tear slipped down each cheek.
Amy reached across and squeezed her hand. ‘It’s okay. We’ll get you through this, I promise.’
Frankie gave her friend a watery smile and squeezed her hand back.
After a moment, she cleared her throat and pulled a tissue out of her bag. She wiped her eyes, careful not to smudge her mascara, and blew her nose. With a shake of her head she looked up and tried to put a sparkle in her eye.
‘Anyway, enough of that. Ruby will be here soon and I don’t want to talk about this with her. It’s all a bit raw.’
‘Understood. More wine?’
An hour later, Frankie and Amy had been joined by Ruby and their second bottle of wine was almost finished.
Frankie had caught Ruby up with everything that had happened since they’d last seen each other, but left out all the Todd/Callum stuff. It was hard enough admitting her feelings to Amy, let alone someone she didn’t know very well.
Ruby stood up and picked up the empty bottle. ‘I’m going to get us another one of these, and then I want to talk to you about something.’
Frankie raised her eyebrows. ‘Intriguing.’
Ruby pressed her lips tightly shut and wandered off to the bar.
‘What do you think she wants?’ asked Amy, her face animated.
‘God, knowing Ruby it could be anything.’
Ruby returned to the table a few minutes later, complete with a fresh bottle of wine. She spoke as she poured them each a glass. ‘Do you remember ages ago we talked about doing school events? Talking to boys and girls, aiming to make them aware that feminism isn’t only about women?’
‘Yeah, I remember. I’ve always thought it would be a good idea for you to do that. So many people assume it’s about women getting their own way. And yes, I’m fully aware I was one of those people,’ said Frankie, catching the look on Ruby’s face.
Ruby smirked and raised one eyebrow. ‘Well, the opportunity has come up for us to do exactly that at Corstmount High.’
‘Corstmount?’ said Frankie. ‘I went to Corstmount.’
‘I know, which is why I think you should do the talk.’
Frankie stopped and stared, glass of wine halfway to her lips. Slowly, she lowered her glass and her gaze to the table. Only when she had positioned the base of the glass exactly in the centre of the beer mat did she look up.
‘I’m sorry, but I could’ve sworn you said you wanted me to do a feminism talk at Corstmount?’
To the side, Frankie could see Amy glancing back and forth between her and Ruby.
Ruby held Frankie’s gaze. ‘That’s exactly what I said.’
‘Did you forget about the part where I told you I was kidnapped and he attacked and attempted to rape me? Do you really think it’s a good idea for me to be putting myself in the public eye so soon?’
‘Of course I didn’t forget. Anyway, isn’t that the point? That you show them you’re not scared of them and you’re not going to stop because they say so?’
