No Matter What (53 page)

His heart was beating fast and hard, the night air cold on his face as he sped through the streets of
L.A.
, the sounds of the city at night surrounding him.
 
He hoped that whatever Terry had planned – because he had
something
planned, that was obvious now – he just hoped he was in time to stop it.
 
He just hoped more than anything that he was on time.

***

Jimmy Cash stood by the window and watched as Terry parked up in his usual spot.
 
He’d pulled the roof of the convertible up this time and Jimmy watched as he stepped out of the car and opened the back door, leaving it slightly ajar before getting back behind the wheel.
 
Looked like he was setting up the quick getaway.

Jimmy stubbed out his cigarette and opened the top drawer of his desk, taking out the only item in there and placing it in his inside jacket pocket, closing the drawer gently.
 
He had to make his move now because he knew Charley would waste no time.
 
And it was all about timing tonight.

He walked calmly and quietly down the stairs.
 
He’d needed to make sure Charley had no clue he was around, which is why he’d spent the last hour or so in his office.
 
She never came anywhere near his office so he knew he’d been safe hiding out there.
 
He’d let her think he’d already left, let her think it was just that little bit safer to get out of there, and he’d let her think that, because letting her think she was safe made everything that little bit easier for him.

He stood in the shadows, far enough away from the door for her not to notice him but close enough for him to act.
 
He’d told Jake to wait outside, out of sight.
 
He’d know what to do.
 
He’d take his cue when he needed to.
 
He’d play his part.
 
Now all Jimmy had to do was wait.

***

Terry’s heart was beating like he’d never felt it beat before.
 
It felt as though it was almost jumping out of his chest he was so nervous and excited.
 
He’d never had an adrenalin rush like it!
 
Any time now she’d come running across that road and into her new life and he had so many plans - he couldn’t wait to tell her everything.
 
He couldn’t wait to begin their new life.
 
He’d even taken tomorrow off work to help her settle in; help her make that new start.
 
He just wanted to be there for her because he had no doubt that she needed that.
 
She needed
him,
and Terry couldn’t believe how good that felt.

He played around with the radio, trying to find a station he wanted to listen to but he was too jumpy to concentrate.
 
Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel he stared out ahead into the darkness, waiting for her, waiting to see her, wanting to get this over with and just get out of there.
 
He couldn’t settle just sitting here.
 
He was on edge, the nerves were creeping in now, threatening to overwhelm him, so he got out of the car and leant back against the driver’s door, pulling his jacket around him.
 
He checked his watch. 10.29pm. Any time now.
 
It was going to happen any time now.

***

Kenny had to stop the bike and take a break because he was driving round in circles, his mind trying to get to grips with his whereabouts.
 
The darkness was confusing him and he needed to get his head together.
 
Quickly.
 
He was running out of time.
 
He had a bad feeling about all of this and he was running out of time.
 

***

Charley looked at the clock on the wall.
 
10.30pm. With a rush of excitement and stomach churning nerves she grabbed her bag from the floor of her dressing room and closed the door, checking around her all the time.
 
She had to make the move now and run, just run.
 
Why Jimmy had left early, and why nobody seemed to be watching her struck her as strange but she didn’t want to waste time thinking about it.
 
She just needed to get out while she could.
 

So she took off her shoes, shoving them into her bag, and ran like her life depended on it.
 
She ran until she reached the door, pushing it open with a force she never knew she had in her as she escaped out into the night.
 
Terry was across the road, she could see him leaning against the car, and she was within seconds of that escape, within seconds of reaching that promised new life.
 
She was within seconds of it all.
 
Just seconds away...

***

Kenny skidded the bike round corners like some rally cross driver, almost coming off on more than one occasion but his determination to get to where he needed to be was keeping him one step ahead.
 
He hoped he was right and that this was where Terry was headed.
 
He hoped he’d got there in time to stop him from doing anything stupid because he could help him, he could, but not like this.
 
This wasn’t the way to do this.

And then he heard them.
 
The gun shots.
 
Two solitary gun shots that rang through the night sky like some perverse firework, and that’s when Kenny knew - he knew he was too late.

He ditched the bike and ran, so fast it made his chest hurt because he didn’t know what he was going to see, he didn’t know how he was going to deal with whatever was going to meet him when he turned that corner, but, as he practically skidded round the bend, almost colliding with the back of Terry’s Mercedes, he was left with no choice but to take in the scene that lay in front of him.
 
And all he could do was sink to his knees with his head in his hands, and cry.

CHAPTER 27

“We really should get back to the party,”
India
sighed, snuggling up against Michael, although she didn’t really want to go anywhere.
 
She wanted to stay right where they were.
 
Sometimes she just needed to be alone with him, and this was one of those times.
 
Maybe it was because of everything that had happened lately, and it was almost definitely because she now knew what she really wanted – she wanted Michael.
 
And she wanted their baby.

Michael pulled her closer, kissing her quickly.
 
“Another five minutes won’t hurt.”
 
He kissed her again, more slowly this time.
 
“Well, maybe ten, huh?”
 
He smiled at her, just looking into her eyes for a few seconds.
 
“It’s gonna be a good year for us, baby.
 
I can feel it.”

She smiled back, closing her eyes and giving in to him one more time.
 
“I love you Michael Walsh.”

“Yeah ...
 
right back at ya, kiddo.”

***

Reece took the ‘phone call, trying not to let his face show any emotion as he slowly put the receiver down after the brief few minutes it had taken to pass on the news.
 
He had to stay calm now, and he had to be strong.
 
More than anything he had to be strong.
 
He also had to find
India
and Michael, and he had to find them fast, but they didn’t appear to be anywhere inside the house.

He found Vince, who listened as Reece told him what he’d just heard, his face stoic and expressionless despite the news, because if Vince was good at anything it was staying calm in a situation.
 
And this was a situation that needed calm, even if it wasn’t what you were feeling inside.

“Try the guest bungalow, down by the pool,” he said, looking past Reece to the garden outside.
 
“There’re lights on in there.
 
And those two have a habit of disappearing like this.”

Reece pushed a hand through his hair and sighed heavily, still trying to get his head around what he’d just been told.

“I’ll deal with everything in here, Reece.
 
You’d better go and find them.”

“Yeah ... thanks, Vince.”

He was in a daze as he made his way down the garden towards the small bungalow, not really knowing what to say when he got there, his stomach turning over as he remembered Kenny’s voice down the ‘phone; frantic, panicked and desperate.
 
None of it seemed real.
 
It felt as though he’d suddenly been plunged into some surreal nightmare.
 
He was in a situation he couldn’t control here, and it wasn’t what he was used to.
 
He’d never had to deal with anything like this in his life before, and he hoped he’d never have to deal with anything like it ever again.

Reaching the bungalow he stopped for a second.
 
He couldn’t just go on in there, could he?
 
He still didn’t know what to say, so how the hell was he supposed to do this?
 
He approached the small window by the front door and looked inside, immediately turning away.
 
They were making love.
 
His little girl was in the arms of the man she was going to marry and he had to leave them to it, he couldn’t go barging in there now, and yet, he knew he couldn’t wait any longer either.

His heart was beating like crazy and he wished with every ounce of his being that he didn’t have to do what he had to do next.
 
Not to his daughter.
 
Not to anyone, but especially not to his daughter, but this was unavoidable so he closed his eyes and breathed in and out slowly, not wanting to look inside again but knowing that seeing India with Michael was nothing - nothing compared to what was going to happen next.
 
So, steeling himself, he looked through the window but it was over.
 
Michael was still holding her but
India
was partially covered by a blanket now, kissing the man she was so obviously in love with and the pain just tore through Reece’s body.
 
She looked so happy.
 
His baby was happy and it was more than he could take, because what he had to do …

Composing himself, and taking another deep breath, he pushed open the door and tried to smile, not wanting the panic to set in too soon but he knew it would come. It would come all too quickly.

India
smiled at Reece, sitting up and pulling the blanket up over herself a little more, but his look was directed at Michael, who immediately sensed something was wrong.

“Can I have a word, Michael?
 
Please?”

“Yeah ... sure.”
 
He stood up, quickly kissing
India
first.
 
“I won’t be long, baby.”

Reece had to get him outside.
 
He had to get him outside and away from
India
, just for a second, because he needed help here.
 
He wasn’t sure he could do this on his own.

“Reece?”
 
India was on the edge of the sofa now, a confused look on her beautiful face and all Reece wanted to do was make this go away, to protect her like he’d never protected anyone before but he couldn’t.
 
Not this time.

“I just need a quick word with Michael, sweetheart.
 
We’ll be back in a minute.”

Michael followed Reece outside, as confused as
India
was but very much aware that all was not right.
 
Reece’s body language more than conveyed that.
 

Reece looked up at the sky for a few seconds, the calm of the clear Californian night a prelude to the chaos that was inevitably set to follow.

“What is it, Reece?
 
What’s happened?”

He looked at Michael.
 
This man was going to have to love his daughter like he’d never loved her before.
 
He was going to have to be so strong for her now.
 
Reece really needed him to be strong.

“I’ve just had a call from Kenny.”

“Kenny?”

Reece nodded.

“Isn’t he here?
 
At the party?”
 
Michael was even more confused now, and Reece’s demeanour was starting to unnerve him.
 
“What’s going on, Reece?”

“It’s Terry.”