‘Eddie, tell him, please.’
The hammering on the front door stopped all three of them. It was late, and all of them knew no one ever knocked on Freddie Thompson’s door like that unless they didn’t value their own life, not unless they were the police.
Linda pulled open the door. It was Johno.
‘Where’s Freddie?’
‘In the kitchen.’
Johno ran past her, pushing her to one side. ‘Freddie, there’s trouble at one of the walk-ups and Ray-Ray’s bang in the middle of it.’
‘You want me to do what?’ Eddie looked at Linda in amazement. He didn’t need this. He was already worried about Ray-Ray but when he’d tried to go with Freddie and Johno, they’d refused point blank. Now Linda was adding to his anxiety by stressing about Tash.
‘Please, Eddie; help me.’
‘We’re in enough trouble already.’
Linda snapped at Eddie. ‘Then doing this won’t make the slightest bit of difference will it?’
‘Look, she’ll be fine.’
‘How do you know?’ Linda grabbed hold of Eddie’s arm as he turned away, not wanting to be drawn into it any more than he already was.
‘Even if I was going to help you, what makes you so sure Tasha hasn’t just run off? It seems a bit excessive darling. You lot are all the same.’
Linda looked at Eddie, shaking her head. ‘She ain’t Nora, Ed. I know my sister, and I know she’d tell me if she was seeing some other fella. She was piss scared of this geezer. Wouldn’t even talk about him. She couldn’t tell Freddie like she normally would if someone was bothering her, because she knew what he would do to her. So she was on her own.’
Eddie shrugged his shoulders. ‘I dunno.’
Linda’s eyes pleaded with Eddie as she spoke. ‘Well I do. Please. I know you care about her.’
‘Where would we even start to look? Did she tell you where she was going tonight?’
Linda shook her head. ‘No, she just went off all excited.’
‘Then we’re stuck. It’s been hours. She could be anywhere. We can go by the place he was staying at, but he’s probably long gone, so unless you can think of something, it’s pointless. I’m sorry.’
Linda sat on the edge of the couch feeling deflated and chewing her fingernails. She rubbed her eyes, not sure what she was supposed to do next. She had to think. Problem was, Tasha had talked so little about Arnie, she didn’t have a clue. Then it came to her. Something Tash had said. Linda looked up at Eddie.
‘It ain’t nothing much but she did say he talked about some place of his father’s a lot. He was always asking her to go there with him, but you know Tash, she ain’t exactly a wellington boot and mud kind of gal. It was somewhere up north.’
Eddie’s face changed from an intense frown into a relieved smile.
‘Baby, you’d be surprised how sometimes an
ain’t nothing much
can turn into something important.’ Eddie picked up the envelope Freddie had thrown on the table. He pulled out documents and letters, discarding most of them until he came to a tatty piece of paper. He scanned it with his eyes. ‘Here it is. I knew I saw it. Sole benefactor to his old man’s estate.’
Linda snatched it, reading it over. ‘Let’s go.’
‘Go where?’
Linda waved the piece of paper at him. ‘Here. To this place in the country.’
‘What? You want to go all the way there on a long shot?’
‘No, I want
us
to go on a long shot. Eddie, what else have we got?’
He looked at Linda and saw the worry in her eyes. How the hell he’d ever got involved in the first place he didn’t know. Women. They’d always been his downfall. With a roll of his eyes, Eddie grabbed his coat. As he got to the door, he saw Freddie’s car keys to his brand new Porsche lying on the side. Shrugging his shoulders he grabbed them too. He already had a lot of explaining to do, so he might as well do it driving a hot set of wheels.
Freddie ran along the street, not caring that he didn’t have his shades on. All he wanted to do was get to Ray-Ray. He didn’t know what kind of trouble Ray-Ray was in or who this woman was, but all that mattered was that his son needed his help. And he was the one who was going to sort it.
Freddie and Johno pulled out their guns and crept up the stairs, leaving Yvonne who was already waiting for them at the entrance. The wooden steps creaked underfoot and Freddie cursed under his breath. At the top of the stairs he could hear voices inside. Pushing his head against the door he listened, wanting to hear how many people there were.
Ray-Ray was frozen with fear, his eyes fixed on the flame of the Zippo lighter which Baz was holding in one hand. His other arm was tightly around Laila’s neck. Baz laughed cruelly. He could see the terror in Ray-Ray’s eyes and it served only to spur him on.
‘Now tell me something. How was my wife when you fucked her? I always found her to be a frigid little bitch. I’m curious to know, was she worth losing your face for? Very quiet, aren’t we?’
Freddie burst into the room aiming his gun at Baz who didn’t move, just said coolly, ‘Hero, monster and now here comes the cavalry. London really is the entertainment capital of the world.’
Freddie stared dangerously, his tone of voice reflected in his eyes. ‘Let her go.’
Baz shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. I think
you’re
the one who’s going to move away. I’m taking Laila with me. Come any closer … and whoosh!’
Freddie stared at Laila properly for the first time, who was shivering in fear. Then he realised what was happening. She was drenched in petrol. The smell was overpowering. He glanced at the flame which was held a few inches away from her; any closer and she would catch fire.
‘Listen pal. It’s gone past that mate. The minute you get my son involved, you get me involved.’
‘How touching. It’s a shame you weren’t there to protect him before.’
Freddie looked at Ray-Ray, then at Baz, then back to Ray-Ray as it started to dawn on him.
‘You? It was you …’ Freddie felt the pain rise up in him. His hand shook as he pulled back the safety catch on the gun, not caring if the tears were falling. His voice quivered as he tried to keep his emotions under control. ‘You ruined my son’s life and now I’m going to kill you.’
‘Put the gun down or she goes up in flames.’ Baz held Freddie’s stare, hate cemented on to his face.
Ray-Ray glanced at his Dad, knowing full well what he was capable of. ‘Dad, put down the gun.’
Freddie snapped at Ray-Ray, keeping his eyes on Baz the whole time. ‘Listen to your son. He’s got more sense than you. Now move it.’
Baz began to edge along the wall, keeping his eyes firmly on the people in the room. Laila began to whimper. ‘Ray-Ray, help me.’
Baz pulled on her neck. ‘Shut up. Loverboy isn’t going to help you. I warned you I’d kill you if you ever left me.’
Laila’s big brown frightened eyes fixed on Ray-Ray, silently pleading with him. Baz dragged her along as her knees gave way in terror.
‘Dad, do something!’ shouted Ray-Ray.
Freddie stepped back as Baz shuffled past him. He shook his head, feeling totally powerless, something he’d never felt in his life. ‘There ain’t nothing I can do son.’
Baz backed down the walk-up stairs, pulling a crying Laila with him as Freddie, Johno, and Ray-Ray stood at the top of them, their facial expressions mirroring each other as they followed down the stairs.
Yvonne, at the entrance to the walk-up, screamed as she saw her friend in a neck lock, the lit flame inches from her. She could smell the petrol as Baz kicked out at her. ‘Stay back, Yvonne.’
‘Laila!’
Laila was too terrified to speak; her breathing shallow as her airway was constricted by Baz’s strong hold. The night air hit her and she saw the passersby bolt in amazement, but she was only half-aware of them as Baz began to shout loudly. She could see a crowd forming around her.
The neck hold was suddenly released. Laila fell towards the ground but was held up by Baz’s strong grip on her hair. She screamed in agony, watching the startled faces as they looked on. In the distance she could hear the sounds of the police sirens.
Baz began to shriek, beside himself in anger as she was forced to kneel in the middle of Greek Street. She watched the flame, seeing Baz’s hand shaking as he held the lighter.
‘I want everyone to see you for what you are. See! See! This is what I was given. A whore for a wife. A whore who has brought shame and dishonour to my family.’
Baz saw some people moving forward towards him. ‘Stay back! Stay back!’
Laila was shaking violently, the petrol covering her body, burning her skin, deep into her pores. She looked up through her soaking wet hair. ‘Help me! Please somebody help me!’ The circle of people stood still. No one moved.
Freddie felt Ray-Ray lurch forward but he held him back, fearing for the girl. All eyes were on Baz and the lighter in his hand. All eyes on the flame. The whole of the crowd had horrified looks on their faces; drawn with fear and curiosity. A child began to shout, but was quickly silenced by his mother putting her hand over his mouth. No one dared to move, realising something terrible was about to happen. The sense of terror and helplessness for Laila was palpable, time seeming to pass in slow motion.
Baz stopped shouting for a moment to look down at Laila, his face contorted with rage. He whispered something under his breath, causing Laila to scrunch her eyes tightly shut. He looked up at the crowd, staring at them in angry disdain. He looked up to the sky then yelled. ‘God is great! God is great!’
The next moment, a scream was heard as Laila Khan was engulfed in flames.
Ray-Ray ran forward at the same time as Freddie and Johno. He could see them jumping on Baz, and he stripped off his jacket, trying to smother the flames. He could hear Laila screaming underneath the heat of the fire.
‘Roll, Laila, roll! Someone bring some water quick!’ The flames began to subside but they were still too hot for him to be able to get close. A second later he felt some water being thrown and looked up to see one of the restaurant owners holding an empty bucket.
‘Laila? Laila, talk to me.’ Laila didn’t move. Ray-Ray rested his head forward, talking quietly to her. ‘Laila, please. You’re safe now. Please say something.’
Ray-Ray watched the ambulance drive away. He’d wanted to go with her but Yvonne had been so upset he’d let her go with Laila and Tariq to the hospital instead. He sighed, turning to face his dad who was turning away from the chaos, worried the Old Bill would recognise him.
‘I’ll kill him. Don’t worry Ray-Ray, I’ll get some of me contacts to turn him over in prison. He won’t see daylight.’
Ray-Ray looked at his dad in horror. ‘Haven’t you learnt anything? Look at me, look at Laila. How much more do you want, Dad? Enough. It’s enough.’ Ray-Ray’s voice was loaded with anger.
Freddie snarled, not appreciating being spoken to in such a way, and feeling very edgy that he was standing in the middle of Greek Street so exposed. He pulled his son into the walk-up stairway. ‘Your problem is you’re too soft.’
‘No, Dad, I just don’t want any more violence, and for some reason you just don’t bleeding get that do you? That concept is alien to you.’
Before Freddie could answer, Johno interrupted. ‘It’s Linda. She needs to speak to you.’ Freddie shook his head. He didn’t need this shit. Tasha had made her choice. He looked at the mobile phone Johno was holding, and it was all he could do to stop himself throwing it at the wall.
He snatched it from Johno and barked down the phone. ‘Yes, yes, what the fuck is it Linda? What the hell are you going to tell me now?’
Freddie listened to the voice on the other end and Johno and Ray-Ray watched his face turn from anger to fear, then from amazement to shock.
‘You’re where? Put Eddie on the phone.’
‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Freddie listened some more, then slammed the phone at Johno.
‘What’s happened?’ Ray-Ray spoke to his father.
‘Not now.’
Ray-Ray raised his voice, refusing to be pushed aside.
‘Yes,
now
Dad. If it’s about Mum, I want to know.’
Freddie bristled. He didn’t like Ray-Ray speaking to him in front of other people like this. He gave him a warning look. ‘Turn it in son.’
Ray-Ray shook his head and walked over to his father, standing in front of him. His voice was urgent. ‘Tell me what’s happened.’
‘Okay fine. Linda thinks your mum’s in trouble. Satisfied?’
‘You’re kidding right?’
‘No, son.’
‘And you’re standing here, doing nothing? You have to do something Dad.’
Freddie slammed his hand against the wall. He was raging.
‘How exactly do you want me to help her, eh?’
‘I don’t know Dad, but all my life all I’ve ever heard is the mighty Freddie Thompson this, the mighty fucking Freddie Thompson that. But truth is, all I’ve seen is Freddie Thompson wreaking havoc; Freddie Thompson spoiling lives and doing just what he likes. But where is he now when we really need him eh? There ain’t much between you and Laila’s husband.’
Ray-Ray saw the hurt in his dad’s eyes and immediately felt guilty, but he was determined not to stop. ‘You just don’t get it do you? You never did. Me and Mum, we never
wanted
the great Freddie Thompson, all we wanted was
you
. We love you.
She
loves you. I wanted my Dad, and Mum, well she just wanted the man who she’d fallen in love with all them years ago.’
Freddie looked at his son, then turned and began to walk away. Ray-Ray sighed, but then Freddie stopped. He turned to Johno.
‘Johno, how long will it take to get some of our contacts over to Northumberland?
Johno stood staring at Freddie, not quite certain where this was heading. Impatiently, Freddie growled at him. ‘Well?’
‘Er, a good few hours I reckon. Depends where …’
‘Enough.’ Rubbing his head, Freddie looked at Johno and Ray-Ray. ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this. Johno, I need you to go and speak to the Old Bill over there.’
‘What?’
‘Don’t fucking question me. Just listen. I need you to go and tell them Tasha’s in trouble and we need their help.’