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  “Have you any idea how ridiculous you…”

  It wasn’t often Rachel was silenced but Dwyer thrust his face into hers, standing so close he could have kissed her.

  “You know I’ll do it,” he said. “I’ll fix up evidence against them not even they could unpick, with the help of The Coalition. I know you know all about that,” he glowered. “But you can save them. You’re a bigger prize to me than even them. Confess to the murders of Jarvis and my brother and they’ll go free.”

  “I knew it. You’re fucking insane, just like your brother.”

  “Do it,” he said, bristling with aggression. “Or they will fucking pay with their lives, I promise you that. Do you want to look into the eyes of your nephews and nieces knowing you could have saved their parents and didn’t because you put yourself first? I know you Rachel, that would eat away at you for the rest of your life.” He smiled at the hatred in her eyes. “I’m right, it would destroy you. I’ll give you two days then they’re fucked.”

  Rachel watched him return to his car and set off. It seemed she had to step up her plans.

  “Alright Rach?” smiled Dolores. “Come on in.”

  “Thanks,” she replied, stepping inside the cottage.

  On the outside Dolores and Vince’s home looked like a cute cosy cottage. On the inside it was incredibly sleek and modern with granite worktops, a grey and white colour scheme running through the entire house and every modern gadget conceivable. Vince’s emphysema had rapidly improved lately and he leapt up with a spriteliness that almost startled Rachel.

  “Alright love,” he said, kissing her cheek. “Do you want a brew?”

  “No thanks Vince, this is a flying visit. I need to ask you both a favour.”

  “Anytime for you after what you’ve done for us.”

  He gestured for her to sit and she took the smaller of the two couches, which was so soft the cushions felt to close in around her as she sank into it.

  “So what’s up Rach?” said Dolores with concern. “You look tense.”

  “I need you to say, if anyone asks, that I was here with you tonight. Leah’s staying at Jacob’s, the boys will be with my parents and Ryan’s still in Manchester, so there’ll be no one at home.”

  Dolores frowned. “Are you asking us to give you an alibi?”

  Rachel nodded. “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you why. I just need you to do this for me.”

  “Yeah, course we will,” said Dolores, Vince nodding in agreement. “Just tell me you’re not going to do anything dangerous. Or silly.”

  “I’m not, I promise. It’ll be fine. This is just a precaution. I know I’m asking a lot of you both but I really need you to do this for me.”

  “You’ve got it Rach, no explanations necessary.”

  “Thank you so much. I’ll come back this evening and leave my car outside. I’ll come inside and leave through the back door.”

  “Just tell me you’re not doing anything that could lead to you getting hurt?”

  “It’s totally safe, promise.”

  Dolores didn’t like it but if she could help Rachel out she always would. She knew Vince felt the same. “You’ve got it Rach. No questions asked.”

  “I knew I could rely on you two,” she said, eyes shining with gratitude.

  Archie and Craig had retreated to a rundown part of the city to some empty industrial units to practice firing the gun, blissfully unaware that the Greater Manchester Police were hunting them.

  “My turn, my turn,” said Craig, practically salivating with excitement.

  “Alright,” said Archie, handing him the weapon. “No, not like that,” he sighed when Craig pointed it at the wall side-on.

  “That’s how they do it in the movies and it looks so cool.”

  “It’s not how the professionals do it,” said Archie. “You do that and you’ll just miss. Hold it straight.”

  “Fine,” said Craig.

  Before Archie could give him any more instruction, he pulled the trigger hard rather than squeeze it gently. The bang filled his ears. Pain shot through his hand and he dropped the gun with a yelp.

  “It broke my wrist,” he exclaimed.

  Archie scooped up the weapon. “No it hasn’t. Stop being a girl.”

  “Oy, what are you two doing?”

  The boys turned to see a security guard bustling towards them. “What was that bang?” he demanded. “If you’ve been setting off fireworks…” His eyes settled on the gun in Archie’s hand and widened. “Is…is that real?”

  Archie aimed the weapon at the ground near his feet and fired. “What do you think?” he said when the dust had cleared.

  “Jesus Christ,” exclaimed the man. He held his hands out placatingly. “Alright lads, let’s not get excited. Everyone just stay calm.”

  “You’re the only one getting excited you wanker,” said Craig. He looked to Archie. “Give me it. I want to shoot him.”

  “No,” cried the man, backtracking.

  Craig ignored him. “Aww come on Archie, you’ve already shot someone. I want to know what it feels like.”

  “Please don’t shoot me,” said the man. “I’ve got two kids.”

  “Alright, you can have a go if it stops you going on,” said Archie, handing Craig the weapon. “And squeeze the trigger this time, don’t pull it so hard.”

  When Craig aimed the gun at the security guard he broke into a run, frantically zig-zagging. Craig let off a few shots, missing, sending up puffs of dirt as the bullets ploughed into the ground around him. It was only one lucky shot, when a bullet ricocheted off a wall and struck the guard in the left shin, that he fell.

  “Fuck me, I got him,” grinned Craig. “Look, he’s trying to crawl away,” he laughed. He took aim and fired again but nothing happened. “Shit, it’s empty.”

  “I’ve got a spare magazine,” said Archie, producing it from his pocket.

  “Do you know how to change it?”

  “I think so,” he said, frowning at the gun.

  Neither of them were concerned by the injured security guard crawling away, leaving behind him a trail of blood.

  Archie managed to eject the spent magazine, which fell into the dust. “I think it’s this way,” he said, attempting to insert the new one. He frowned when it wouldn’t fit.

  “Try it the other way round,” said Craig.

  Archie did and it slid into the weapon.

  “Nice one,” grinned Craig. “It’s still my turn.”

  “No it’s not, it’s mine now.”

  “Hey,” said Craig, looking around. “Where’s he gone?”

  “Not far on that leg and we can follow the trail of blood.”

  “Yeah, awesome. We’re like detectives in a film.”

  They crept around the corner to find the security guard had managed to get to his feet, leaning against the wall, blood trickling down one leg while frantically gabbling into his mobile phone.

  “Who are you calling?” frowned Archie.

  “The police,” he yelled back. “They’re on their way so you’d better leave before they get here.”

  “Shit, he told on us,” said Craig. “We have to shut him up.”

  “I’ll tell them I didn’t see your faces,” said the guard, sweat pouring down his face. “Just go. They won’t know who you are.”

  “He’s lying,” said Craig. “He needs to be silenced.”

  “I won’t tell them anything,” he wept. “Please, I just want to go home to my family. My kids…”

  “They’ll be fine,” said Archie. “I don’t have a dad and I am.”

  “No, please,” he screamed when Archie aimed the gun and fired.

  Nothing happened.

  The security guard released a strangled cry of relief.

  “What’s wrong?” exclaimed Craig.

  Archie frowned at the gun. “Not sure.”

  As they puzzled over the weapon the security guard took out his keys and staggered towards a side door leading into a closed d
own engineering plant. He practically fell against it, frantically searching through his large bundle of keys for the right one.

  “Is the safety still on?” said Craig.

  “No,” frowned Archie.

  He aimed at the frantic guard again and fired and still nothing happened. The guard’s breathing was coming out in rapid, high pitched gasps, hands shaking so badly he could barely hold the keys anymore.

  “Fuck,” breathed the guard when the key refused to turn. It must be the next one, he was sure. He found the key and jammed it into the lock, crying out loud with relief when it turned.

  “The magazine’s not in properly,” said Archie, banging it in with the palm of his hand.

  As the guard flung open the door Archie aimed and fired, hitting him in the back. The man cried out and pitched forward through the door. Despite his injuries he managed to slam the door shut behind him.

  “You got him,” exclaimed Craig with delight. “Look at the blood,” he said, indicating the spray up the wall. “There’s some bits of stuff in it.”

  “Probably skin and flesh,” said Archie.

  “It doesn’t look like that in the films. It’s usually smooth.”

  “Do you think he’s dead?”

  “Yeah, course he is. You shot him twice. I mean, that’s got to do it, hasn’t it?”

  Archie shrugged. “Probably.”

  “He called the police. We need to get out of here before they come. They won’t find him in there.”

  They strolled away together, discussing where they should go next.

  CHAPTER 46

  Beth’s heart sank when DS Gillingham returned, regarding her sympathetically with sad eyes. She sat up as straight as her belly would allow and tilted back her head. “If you’ve got bad news just come out with it.”

  “Archie and his friend just shot a security guard at an industrial park.”

  “Is…is he…”

  “The guard was shot in the leg and the back. He’s currently in surgery.”

  “Will he be okay?”

  “That remains to be seen.”

  “Oh God.”

  “Do you have any idea where they could have gone?”

  “You mean you’ve no idea?”

  “The area they were in has patchy CCTV at best. They walked off camera and vanished.”

  “So my fifteen year old son is out there, shooting people and you have no bloody idea where he is?” she yelled, frantically losing her grip on her temper and fear. Pain rippled through her belly but she was so worked up she barely noticed.

  “We’ve got everyone out looking for them and we will find them. Is there anywhere special to Archie?”

  “Well, he has been idolising his dad lately. I mean Alex, not his stepdad. He’s set up a little shrine in his wardrobe. He thinks I don’t know about it but I always check his room when he’s at school.”

  “So he’d go somewhere with a connection to his dad?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “Where should we look? Alex’s body was never found, was it?”

  “No,” she replied. Although she knew who had killed Alex she had no idea what had happened to his body, neither did she want to know. “There’s Victory Park,” she offered. “Alex used to take Archie and Alfie there to play football. It’s the only place I can think of,” she sighed before sinking back onto the couch, rubbing her aching belly.

  “Okay, thanks Beth. I’ll send a team of officers over there.”

  Beth’s eyes bulged and she doubled over.

  “What’s wrong?” said an alarmed Mary, leaping to her feet.

  “My waters just broke,” she replied as she felt the warm fluid leaking out of her. “Oh God, please not now,” she exclaimed before releasing a cry of pain.

  Rachel pulled up outside Dolores and Vince’s house in her Mercedes. The front door of the cottage opened to reveal a sombre-looking Dolores.

  Without a word Rachel stepped inside.

  “I don’t know what you’re about to do,” said Dolores. “But are you sure about this?”

  “Yes.”

  “You don’t look it.”

  “I am. I have to be.”

  Dolores nodded and patted her arm, feeling sad. Whatever Rachel was up to she was sure it was going to cost her a piece of herself.

  Rachel kissed her cheek and walked through the house, exiting by the back door and getting into the hire car she’d rented under another identity for this purpose. She might be living the clean life now but she hadn’t forgotten all the old tricks.

  She drove out to the small airfield belonging to someone she and Ryan had helped by beating the crap out of the man who had sexually assaulted his daughter. A small plane was ready and waiting.

  The flight to Manchester took just over an hour, landing at another private airfield. A second hire car was waiting for her and she drove into the city centre. She and Ryan still had their own contacts in Manchester, contacts not connected to the family. They’d already given her Dwyer’s home address.

  She parked where she could see his front door and settled down to wait.

  “The ambulance is on its way,” a frantic Mary told Beth, who was laid on the floor, legs splayed.

  “This baby isn’t going to wait for an ambulance.”

  “You can’t be sure of that,” she said slightly hysterically.

  “I do. I’ve had four kids already,” she gasped before releasing a cry as pain tore through her belly. “He’s coming,” she wailed.

  Mary’s training had in no way prepared her for this. “Oh my God, you’re dilated and everything.”

  “Don’t you think I know that,” she snapped. “I want Riley,” she cried as another contraction gripped her.

  “I wish I could get him for you but…Jesus Christ I can see the head. Where’s that bloody ambulance,” she said, scrambling for her phone again.

  “Forget the ambulance, it’s not going to get here in time. You just need to catch.”

  “Catch what?” she whispered.

  “The baby,” Beth yelled at her.

  Mary looked to DS Gillingham. “Help,” she cried. “I’ve never delivered a baby before.”

  For a moment he was tempted to duck outside but the police officer in him rose to the occasion. Kneeling by Beth’s side he took her hand. “Okay Beth, you need to push.”

  “I am pushing,” she spat. “I’ve done this more times than you. It’s Archie’s fault Riley’s not here, the little bastard, I’m sick of him,” she spat before unleashing another cry.

  “What did you say Mum?” said a voice.

  All three of them turned to look at the doorway to see Archie standing there, holding a gun.

  “Right,” said Jules. “Does everyone know what they’re supposed to do?”

  Ryan, Bruiser, Mark, Carter and Shane all nodded.

  “Although I wish you weren’t exposing yourself to so much danger,” said Ryan.

  “Declan won’t put his head above the parapet for anything less. As long as you all do what you’re supposed to, which I have no doubt you will, then all will be well.” She looked to Mark. “Dane’s on standby?”

  “Yes Boss, although I should warn you that he’s not happy with you exposing yourself to so much danger either.”

  “That makes three of us,” said Shane disapprovingly.

  “Four,” added Bruiser.

  “I’m touched by your concern boys but it’ll be fine. Now let’s get to it. Carter, you’re driving.”

  The five of them piled into the back of the transit van that would take them to the rebuilt clubhouse. Their media contacts had really come through for them. All they could do was hope Declan had seen the footage on the news and put two and two together.

  Carter took the driver’s seat. Ryan would have preferred it if Mark or Shane were driving because he didn’t like being shut away in the back of a van with no windows, unable to see where he was being taken. He still didn’t trust Carter but he was the only one of
the inner circle who Declan didn’t know. If anyone else drove they ran the risk of getting a bullet through the windscreen.

  As the time passed by, Ryan became increasingly tense. “Something’s wrong. We’ve been driving for too long.”

  “You’re right,” said Mark. “The road feels a bit rougher than it should and I don’t like it.”

  Jules’s phone started to ring and she hastened to answer it. “For fuck’s sake Carter, what’s taking so long?” She paused to listen. “Right, no worries.” She hung up and stuffed the phone back into her jacket. “He says he thinks we’re being followed, so he’s taking a detour.”

  “Did you believe him?”

  “No.”

  Ryan leapt for the handle on the back door and tugged but it refused to open. “Does anyone have a key?” he said.

  “No and that shouldn’t be locked,” replied Jules.

  “Get to the left side of the van,” said Mark.

  “I’ll get onto Dane,” said Jules as she scooted to the far side of the van, Mark and Bruiser placing themselves in front of her protectively.

  Once they were all to one side, Ryan took out his gun and fired at the back door. The lock pinged and he peeked out as the door slowly swung open.

  “Where the fuck are we?” said Jules.

  “We’re in the countryside but I’ve no idea where.”

  “Any cars behind us?”

  “No, there’s no one.”

  “Carter you manky traitor,” she snarled, glaring towards the front of the van, which she couldn’t see into because of the partition dividing them. “I don’t fucking believe this. Right, no one else is getting brought into the inner circle. All the newcomers have been Judas bastards.”