The Informant (37 page)

Having taken a rapid inventory of the pros and cons, Neville sighed.

‘Okay, I’ll get the address. Go and talk to her by all means.’ He raised an admonitory finger. ‘But that’s it – no rough stuff, right? Because you give this
lot the least excuse, they’ll revoke your licence and you’re back inside.’

Sean opened his palms. ‘Swear to God. She’s my wife. I love her.’

Neville wondered what love meant to a man like Sean Phelps. He didn’t think there’d be much kindness involved. But he still took out his mobile, rang the office and asked for Helen
Warner’s PA.

Kaz stirred scrambled eggs round one of her borrowed pans, she’d just about got the measure of the ceramic hob. The eggs set but remained light and fluffy, she felt
pleased with her efforts as she spooned them on to two pieces of buttered toast. After Bradley had left she’d lain awake for some hours juggling hopes and possibilities. Part of her wanted to
believe in his sincerity, but experience told her that it was probably all bollocks and she’d be a fool to even let herself dream.

Nevertheless his offer and the vista it opened up had set her thinking: if there was a real chance to walk away, would she take it? Since Helen had dumped her flat she’d been in a spin
most of the time. Angry and resentful she’d turned to Joey; at least he wanted her. But she knew in her heart that he too was selling her a fairy story. All this talk about using the Net and
eventually turning the firm legit: Joey was a drug dealer, that’s what he was good at. She’d seen him at the cannabis factory and the lab, he enjoyed it. He was smarter, richer maybe,
but it was still the old man’s world and denial had always been the name of the game. Every villain Kaz’d ever met called himself a businessman; it was just part of the con.

If she’d learnt anything in the last six years, it was that she liked waking up every morning clean and sober. And she liked art. Feeling the texture of cartridge paper as her pencil
skated across it, the smell of paint, mixing blue and yellow to create green – these were Helen’s gifts to her. With Helen she’d also discovered what it was like to be totally
honest with someone. It had given her such a feeling of relief when she’d told Helen the truth about Southend. But where did that leave her now? Caught between two worlds.

Suddenly Bradley’s mad plan seemed very attractive.

Glynis was sitting up in bed sipping a mug of tea. She didn’t look that good, but on the other hand she didn’t look half dead and desperate any more. Kaz settled
the plate of scrambled egg and toast in her lap.

‘There you go. Want you to eat at least half.’

Glynis smiled, her lip quivered. She reached out for Kaz’s hand. ‘I meant to say before . . . y’know I’m really . . . really grateful for all this.’

‘You did say before, now eat up before it gets cold.’

‘I been thinking about burying Dave. I’d like him to have a nice send-off.’

‘Could be a while before they release the body.’

Glynis took a tentative mouthful of egg. Kaz sat down on the side of the bed and started on her own plate. Glynis winced as she tried to chew. She put down the fork.

‘I was only a kid when I got with Sean. I thought he was great, such a man’s man. He’d’ve thought Dave was a right pussy. He asked me if I really loved him.’

‘What – Sean asked you?’

‘Yeah. We had quite a ruck about it. So I told him Dave was the love of my life.’

‘Was he?’

Glynis leant back against her pillow. ‘Nah, he was a lovely bloke. Kind. Being with him was easier. But I always went for the bad boys.’ A wistful look crept into her eyes.
‘Sean and your dad, they was always exciting to be around. You was guaranteed to have a laugh.’

Kaz gave her a sceptical look. ‘Guaranteed a shedload of grief too.’

Glynis gazed out of the window, lost in memory somewhere. The side of her face was one huge mottled bruise, red, violet and yellow. The colours were vibrant, Kaz imagined painting her. Glynis
looked down at her plate and sighed.

Kaz was scraping the plates and loading the dishwasher when she heard a soft tap at the front door. She checked her watch: it was nearly ten thirty. Bradley had promised to
return as soon as he’d spoken to Mike Dawson, but Kaz hadn’t really expected that to be before midday. And she wished he’d use the bloody entryphone. Still, she felt a secret
surge of excitement as she went to answer the door. Had Mike agreed to help her? Was there really a chance she could be going to the States?

She didn’t want to open herself up too much to Bradley so she was concentrating on playing it cool as she unhooked the chain. Without warning the door flew back in her face, the hinges
cracking away from the frame under the impact of a heavy boot. It knocked her sideways, she had to reach for the wall to stop herself falling. As she scrabbled to retain her footing Sean Phelps
filled the doorway. He’d showered and shaved, black shirt, black leather jacket and he had Tolya at his back. He beamed, grabbing her arm to steady her.

‘Careful little cousin. You’ll do yourself a mischief.’

Kaz wrenched herself free, anger masking her fear. ‘What the fuck you playing at? Look what you done to my bloody door!’

‘Sorry sweetheart. I know it’s a bit over the top. But I had this odd feeling you might not be that pleased to see me. Tell me I’m wrong.’

‘Wrong don’t even begin to sum you up Sean. You was wrong the day you was born.’

He tipped back his head and laughed, his teeth sharp and jagged, like a small rodent. ‘See? This is what I like about her Tol – more balls than any bloke.’

Tolya gave him a vague smile.

Sean sighed and turned to Kaz. ‘I don’t think he understands half what I say.’

‘What d’you want Sean?’ Kaz glared at him. She needed a way out. But Tolya was blocking her escape. ‘’Cause I’m expecting Joey.’

‘Yeah? That why you’re half dressed?’ He ran his gaze down over her body. ‘I’m not saying you don’t look appealing . . .’

Kaz took a deep breath, both to calm herself and to create the impression she was unconcerned. ‘I was just getting dressed.’

She turned on her heel and stalked off down the hall.

Sean had an amused smile playing around his lips. He gave Tolya a nod and they followed Kaz into the living room.

Sean glanced around appreciatively. ‘Nice gaff. I presume I’m paying for this.’

‘Joey paid for it.’

Sean grinned. ‘That’s what I mean. Out the firm –
my
firm.’

Kaz folded her arms. In pyjama bottoms and a thin T-shirt she felt next to naked, but she fixed him with a hard stare. ‘What d’you want? ’Cause Joey’ll be here any
minute. When he sees your boot print in that door, he’s not gonna be happy.’

It was a lie. She’d already phoned Joey a couple of times and he wasn’t picking up, shacked up with some girl she’d presumed.

Sean gave her a contemptuous smile. ‘You reckon?’ He took a deep breath and hollered: ‘Glynis! Come out here now! Don’t make me fucking come and drag you.’

Kaz’s eyes darted around the room, trying to locate her phone. It was on the kitchen worktop, close to the kettle. She had to find a way of getting hold of it without being seen. But
although Sean had turned his head towards the hall, Tolya’s gaze remained firmly fixed on her.

Glynis appeared in the doorway. She was clutching her broken arm in its sling and shaking. Her eyes were downcast, she couldn’t meet Sean’s gaze. He didn’t seem angry, more
resigned. He stared at her. Then Kaz noticed him swallow hard. The muscles in his jaw flexed as he forced down any emotion.

‘Right, first up, we need to get a few things clear. I didn’t kill Dave.’

Glynis was crying, but she didn’t utter a sound. The tears merely coursed down her bruised cheeks.

Sean took a step towards his wife. ‘I made you a promise Glyn. Remember? You come home, we get back to normal and I’ll let it go. That’s what I said and that’s what I
done.’

Glynis raised her head, met his eye finally. ‘You got someone else though, din’t you? Got someone else to do it.’

Sean slapped the palm of his hand on the kitchen worktop. ‘No I bloody didn’t! You and the old bill, you all seem to think I’m a fucking fool.’

Glynis glared back at him, her eyes brimming with tears, her body shaking; Kaz couldn’t tell if it was fear or rage.

Her voice erupted in a hoarse scream. ‘Who done it then Sean? Who done it? Everyone liked Dave. He din’t have a fucking enemy in the world!’

For an instant Kaz thought Sean was going to hit her. But he rammed his hands in his jeans pockets and turned away. Kaz moved across the room, put an arm round Glynis and shepherded her to the
sofa. They both sat down.

Sean paced the room. His face was flushed, he wiped beads of sweat from his forehead with the palm of his hand.

Kaz eyed her phone on the worktop by the kettle. She stood up, feigned a sigh. ‘Well, I think maybe we could all do with a cup of tea.’

Sean turned on her, two strides across the room and he was looming over her. ‘I din’t come here to drink fucking tea. I come for some answers. And you’re gonna give ’em
me little cousin.’

He was right in her face, so close she could smell his sour breath, but Kaz returned his gaze fiercely. ‘Answers to what? I don’t know who killed Dave.’

‘You must think I was born yesterday.’ Sean thrust his jaw forward. ‘First you try grassing me up to the old bill, when that din’t work, you come up with a better plan,
din’t you?’

Kaz wanted to step away, put as much distance between them as possible, but she knew standing her ground was vital. She folded her arms. ‘Now you’re being ridiculous.’

‘Am I?’ He shot a glance over at Glynis on the sofa. ‘Been looking after you well has she Glyn? ’Course she has. Bit of a change of heart though innit? Her and Ellie, you
think how they treated you over the years. All this nicey-nicey, it’s just a cover-up.’

Kaz could see Glynis out of the corner of her eye, frail and teary-eyed. But she continued to eyeball Sean. ‘He’s talking rubbish Glynis. I spent six years inside, before that I was
out of my box on all sorts. You and me, we hardly knew each other. As for me mum, she’s a right old cow and I’m the first to admit it.’

Glynis sniffed, wiped her nose on the sleeve of her cardigan. She wasn’t looking at any of them, she was retreating into herself, battening down the hatches.

Sean glanced at his wife impatiently. ‘Well, you can think what you like.’ His gaze switched back to Kaz. ‘I ain’t leaving here ’til I got the truth.’

Kaz fixed him with a steely glare. ‘I don’t know who killed Dave. That’s the truth. So now you can fuck off out of here.’

The swingeing blow socked into Kaz’s left cheek and sent her head ricocheting sideways. Sean grabbed her by the shoulders and flung her against the wall. It knocked the wind out of her,
her mouth gaped as she gasped for breath.

He stood back with a satisfied smirk. ‘Right, now I got your full attention let’s take a look at the facts, shall we? Someone here is trying to fit me up. Now who could that be, eh?
Joey, he plays games. Bit of a psycho really our Joey. But my little cousin here, she’s the brains of the outfit, got the brains and balls for both. So she decides to elbow me out and take
over the firm. Getting warm, am I?’

Kaz’s head was spinning, her knees felt like jelly, her recently sprained ankle was making its presence felt. She concentrated on getting enough air in and out of her lungs, but she fixed
her gaze on Sean. Looking away would signal that she was beaten.

He gave her a quizzical smile. ‘Who did you get to do it then, eh?’ He cocked his head in Tolya’s direction. ‘One of this lot? Some Ruskie ex-army? There’s plenty
of them about. Shoot anyone for a blow-job. That how you fixed it little cousin? Waggled your cute little tail? You’re good at that.’

Kaz used all the muscles in her core to lift her body up to its full height, then concentrated on bringing as much disdain into her voice as she could manage. ‘Y’know Sean, you spent
far too long in the nick. ’Cause you really have lost the plot.’

Sean gave a dry laugh. ‘Yeah? Could say the same about you darling.’

Tolya hadn’t moved since he walked into the room. He stood stock-still, his muscular forearms neatly folded. He had followed the exchange with his eyes, though it was hard to tell how much
he actually understood.

Sean turned to him and pointed at Glynis. ‘Take her and put her in the car.’

Tolya nodded but didn’t move. Sean looked at him, jabbed a finger in Glynis’s direction. ‘Her and you’ – he pointed towards the door – ‘in the car. Wait
for me. Got it?’

Tolya went over to the sofa, helped Glynis up. She didn’t object or resist, but he was gentle. He led her towards the door, then glanced at Sean. ‘I come back.’

Sean shook his head. ‘No. No need. Me and my cousin are gonna have a little chat.’

Glynis’s expression was blank. She didn’t look at Sean or Kaz as Tolya led her out. The broken door creaked on its hinges as Tolya pulled it to behind them.

Sean laughed. ‘Fucking Russians, you never know if they can understand you or not. You found that?’

Kaz edged away from him, placing the kitchen breakfast bar between them. ‘I’ve only ever met two: him and his brother.’

‘Y’know it’s a real pity you decided to go down this road Kaz.’ Sean sighed wearily. ‘’Cause I’d’ve seen you all right. I believe in family,
sticking together. Your dad took care of Glynis and I’d’ve taken care of you and your mum.’

‘I can take care of myself.’

‘You think you can, that’s what’s got you in this mess.’ His eyes were skimming over her body, taking in all the curves and contours. ‘Pretty girl like you, you
should be making the most of your assets. It’s a hard world, particularly in our game. You got to be a bloke to survive it, women simply ain’t tough enough.’

He started to move round the breakfast bar towards her. She edged away.

‘I didn’t have Dave killed. And I’m not trying to take over the sodding business. Anyway, since Dad’s stroke what it amounts to is what Joey’s made of
it.’

Sean huffed in disgust. ‘That little psycho? You think the sun shines out of his arse, don’t you? But you should watch out for him little cousin. He comes on like he’s your
best mate, but he don’t give a fuck for no one.’