Face in the Frame (29 page)

“Eloquence isn’t your strong suit,” commented Jez.

“No but bringing down murderers and drug dealers is.”

“Boys please,” said Toni, placing a warning hand on Mikey’s chest when he tried to lunge for him. “I would love nothing more than to see you two go at it, it would be incredibly exciting but we have a lot to do.”

Mikey huffed out a breath and took a step back, jaw so tense it looked like his teeth could crack.

“Bye bye boys,” called Brodie in a camp voice as they left.

“That wasn’t wise,” said Cass when they’d finally gone. “You’ve just made an enemy out of one of the most dangerous men in the country.”

“He’ll get over it, the prick. Right, now that shower’s finally gone do you want a brew? I want to give them time to get a good distance from here before leaving.”

“Go on then, stick the kettle on,” she said, staring at the scrunched up drawing of herself in the bin. “I can’t believe how many people have seen that.”

“It’s given Toni more fantasies to dream about.”

She pulled a face. “She creeps me out. Tomorrow I’m buying new bedding.”

“I don’t blame you hen.”

“Lucas is going to get away with it, isn’t he?” she said sadly. “He might serve a bit of time for what he did to me but then he’ll be out. He said he’d never let me go.”

“And if he doesn’t we’ll persuade him to.”

“He’s not the type to give up easily.”

“Whatever it takes hen. Whatever it takes.”

“Thanks Brodie. I’m so lucky to have you in my life.”

“I’ll always be here when you need me.”

They smiled at each other, Brodie disheartened when she picked up Lucas’s shirt and ran her fingers over it. When her eyes filled with tears and she buried her face in the shirt he quietly retreated into the kitchen and closed the door, giving her some privacy with her grief.

When his phone rang again he was convinced it was going to be Shelley but to his surprise an entirely new number flashed up on the screen.

“Hello?” he said tentatively, afraid it was a trick of Shelley’s.

“Hello, Mr MacBride?”

“Yes,” he said in a friendly voice. He had time for anyone who got his name right.

“I’m Doctor Sandler, I’m treating Lauren Creegan.”

“Bollocks,” he whispered.

“Sorry?”

“Nothing. What you wantin’ hen?”

“Lauren is desperate to speak to you. Your colleague explained you’re very busy at the moment and it’s difficult for you to leave Glasgow but I wondered if you would be so kind as to speak to her over the phone? She just wants someone to chat to, that’s all.”

“Right, fine,” he sighed.

“Thank you. I’ll put her on.”

“Now?”

“Yes. Is that a problem?”

“No,” he mumbled, thinking it would be better to get it over and done with.

“Thank you Mr MacBride. One moment please.”

A minute later a shy little voice said, “hello Brodie.”

“Hello Lauren. How are you?”

“Not good. You promised to visit me.”

“I know and I’m sorry hen, it’s just been so hectic here.”

“I know, I saw it on the news about your friend Cassandra. I hope she’s okay?” Lauren had a crush on Brodie and at first she’d hated Cass because she’d seen her as competition for his affections but after assuring her that wasn’t the case she’d come round to her.

“She’s shaken up but she’s tough, she’ll get over it.”

“He’s a horrible man and I hope he goes to prison for years.”

This made him warm to her a little more. “Hopefully he will. What can I do for you?”

“Nothing really. I just want to talk.”

“Okay. About what?”

“Just my days really and the treatment. You don’t mind?”

He settled himself down at the breakfast bar. “Not at all hen. You go right ahead.”

As she began to talk about very mundane things he felt himself start to unwind. How messed up was his life if he found talking to a murderer relaxing?

Lucas watched the big brute of a policeman with the bad hair exit Cass’s apartment building. Just as he’d thought she was still in there, his love. He would leave her be, for now, she was bound to be hurting. He would get the court case out of the way first and then he would win her round, there was still hope for them and he was unwilling to relinquish her. One day they would be together and she would never be able to run from him again.

“Ready?” called Oliver from the driver’s seat of the black Mercedes.

Lucas took one last look at Cass’s apartment building before jumping into the passenger seat and slamming the door shut.

“I was getting edgy sitting in a public place with what we’ve got in the boot,” said Oliver.

“Relax, no one’s going to stop us as long as you don’t do something stupid like drive over the speed limit.”

“As if I would.”

Oliver flinched when Lucas’s head snapped round to face him, eyes blazing. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I’ll be extra careful, promise,” he said, feeling his palms start to sweat.

“You’d better be,” said Lucas before turning to gaze out of the window. “The last thing we need is to be caught with a body in the boot. You packed him well?”

Oliver nodded, steering the car into the traffic. “He’ll be fine until we get you back to your special studio in London. I don’t understand this penchant you have for the homeless.”

“I find them interesting. Besides, no one misses them.”

“That brute Brodie did.”

“Yes, I rather underestimated him. He can pack a punch too,” said Lucas, all-too aware of his bruised, puffy face. There was a beat of silence before Lucas added, “it was a good idea of yours to throw his suspicions on you. He fell for it so easily.”

“It’s fortunate I’m good at a German accent,” he smiled.

“Shame it didn’t work though, not that it was your fault. I believe it was my damn parents who put him back onto me. I must pay them a visit soon to show them how grateful I am.”

As always, Oliver experienced a shudder at how cold Lucas could be sometimes but he still worshipped him, no matter what he did. “What about Cass?” he said. “Will she join your collection?”

“I do hope not. On reflection I was impetuous but I was just so hurt that she didn’t want to be with me anymore. When all this is over I’ll approach her again and hopefully convince her to change her mind.”

“And if you can’t?”

“I can’t lose her,” he said through gritted teeth. “I can’t.”

Oliver smiled to himself as they hit the motorway that would lead them out this godforsaken city. It would give him great pleasure to see that bitch’s dead face on a wall.

THE END

Thank you for reading my work, I really hoped you enjoyed it. If you did I have many other books available to download on Amazon Kindle, including the Dividing Line series, if you’re curious to read more about Mikey Maguire, Jez Law and the McVays.