Toxic (13 page)

Chapter 18

“What time are they coming?” Lacey asked. She and Raw were in the penthouse of the Commodore.

Raw checked his watch. “They should have been here by now. Carol said ten o' clock.”

“It's only five minutes past.”

Raw took out his phone. “I'll give her a call.”

“Let's give them another five minutes.”

Raw sighed
.

“What are you so worked up about?” Lacey asked.

“I'm not.”

“It's Jason, isn't it?”

“How am I meant to trust him? We don't know anything about him.”

“Carol trusts him.”

“Is that meant to make me feel better? She has always been a terrible judge of people.”

“You're over reacting.”

“Am I? Every man she's ever been with has been a total loser.”

“Says who?”

“It's true. They seem to be attracted to her, and she's too naive to see them for what they are.”

“Jason is trying to help.”

“So he says. We only have his word on that. How do we know he isn't playing Carol?”

“What do you mean?”

“He was quick to volunteer as the middle-man. How do we know he won't take the money and run?”

“I trust him.”

“You're meant to. That's all part of the plan.”

“What other options are there?”

Before he could answer, the lights above the lift illuminated.

“They're here,” Lacey said. “Give him a chance.”

Raw huffed.

“Sorry we're late,” Carol said. “Traffic was a nightmare.”

“You should have rung,” Raw said.

Lacey glared at him, but he didn't notice.

“What happened to you?” Raw was staring at the bruising on one side of Jason's face.

“It's nothing,” Jason shrugged it off.

“It doesn't look like nothing.” Raw took a step closer. “If this has anything to do with Todd, we need to know.”

“It was an accident. I fell.” Jason waved it away.

 “I don't believe you.” Raw was in Jason's face now.

“Raw, leave it!” Carol said. “It has nothing to do with Todd.”

“Says who? Him?” Raw's gaze was fixed on Jason “You'll believe anything he tells you. I want the truth.”

“Raw!” Lacey grabbed his arm, and pulled him away. “This isn't helping Todd.”

Raw turned his gaze on Lacey
—his eyes were still burning with anger.

“Let's all sit down,” Lacey said.

Raw took one last glance at Jason before walking over to the boardroom table.

“Are you sure Suzy didn't tell you where they were when she rang?” Carol asked.

“I would have said.” Lacey tried not to let her indignation show.

“Sorry. I'm just worried. But she definitely said Todd was with her and that he was okay?”

“Yeah. She said they were both all right.”

“What did she tell you about the men who came after them at the hotel?” Jason asked.

“Nothing much. Just that one of them had two gold front teeth.”

Jason nodded.

“Do you know who he is?” Raw demanded.

“Sounds like Goldie. He works for the Gordon brothers. Hired muscle. That's good news at least.”

“How is that
good
news?” Carol said.

“It's unlikely the Gordons want your brother dead. They've probably told Goldie to rough Todd up a little. I'd be much more concerned if it was Waverley's men.”

“It's been over a month since Todd and Suzy made a run for it,” Raw tapped the table nervously. “If Gordon's men had followed them, surely we'd know by now.”

“Agreed.” Jason nodded. “Sounds like they covered their tracks pretty well.” He hesitated. “Until now.”

“What do you mean?” Raw said.

“Lacey, whose phone did Suzy call you on?”

“Todd's.”

“Jason frowned.

“What?” The three others said almost in unison.

“They will have been keeping tabs on his number. It's possible they've already traced that call. If they have, we need to find them fast.”

“Do you know anyone who could trace the call for us?” Raw asked.

“Possibly.” Jason said. “First, we need to discuss the money.”

Lacey saw Raw's expression change.

“What about it?” Raw demanded.

“What's the status?”

“The
status
.” Raw didn't attempt to hide the disdain in his voice. “Is that the two casinos have already been paid in full. There's money in the bank waiting to be transferred to the Gordons just as soon as I know the precise amount and I have their bank details. I'm still waiting on you for that information.” Once again he turned his glare on Jason.

“They're playing hard ball.” Jason said. “They want to have their cake and eat it.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Raw said.

“
It means they want their money, but they still want to teach Todd a lesson.”

“Tell them they don't get a penny unless they guarantee not to hurt Todd.”

“It's going to take a little more money to persuade them of that.”

“Why doesn't that surprise me?” Raw said. “How much?”

“They want three times his debt.”

“And what's your cut?”

“Raw!” Carol was on her feet. “What's wrong with you? Jason is trying to help us.”

Raw shook his head. “He might have you under his spell, but he doesn't fool me.”

Lacey grabbed Raw's arm, but he shook her hand away.

“How much do you actually know about him, Carol? Don't you think it's rather convenient he wandered into your life just as all this was going down?”

Carol reached over the table, and slapped her brother across the face. “Bastard!”

“It's okay.” Jason took Carol around the waist, and pulled her back into her chair.

“If we pay this money, how do we know we'll ever see Todd again?” Raw said.

“You don't,” Jason said. “Waverley is still going to be looking for him.”

“We have to do this.” Carol had tears in her eyes.

“She's right, Raw,” Lacey said.

Raw looked at Lacey, then at Carol, and finally at Jason. “Okay. But trust me on this
—i
f you double-cross us, and anything happens to Todd, I will hunt you down.”

His words washed over Jason without any obvious effect.

There was an uncomfortable silence around the table for what felt like an eternity. It was Jason who eventually spoke.

“The priority now is to trace that phone.” He stood up. “Carol, will you text me Todd's number. I'll see what I can find out.” He began to walk towards the lift.

“I'll come with you.” Carol made as if to follow.

“No
—it could be dangerous
. I'll see you back at your place later.” His words left no room for negotiation.

“You really are a piece of work,” Carol said to Raw, once Jason had left.

“We don't know anything about him.”

“He's with me. That's all you need to know.”

“Yeah because your track record at picking men has been so good.”

“Raw!” Lacey shouted.

“You can be a real arse hole sometimes.” Carol wiped a tear from her eye. “There's no wonder Todd doesn't want anything to do with you.”

“I seem to remember he doesn't want anything to do with you either.”

“Enough you two!” Lacey yelled. “This isn't helping Todd or Suzy. You're both as bad as one another. If you want to fight then at least wait until those two are safe.”

 Raw and Carol looked first at Lacey, and then at each other.

“She's right,” Raw said. “We have to work together. I'm sorry.”

“Me too.”

Lacey took a deep breath. She'd chosen one helluva family to buy into. If she didn't love every last molecule of Raw, she'd be out of there.

“What else did Suzy have to say?” Carol asked.

“Not much. She was only on the phone for a couple of minutes.”

“Was Todd there with her? Could you hear him?”

“No. I think they'd had a bust-up. Nothing serious, but she said she needed to get away from him for a while.”

“Could you hear any sounds in the background? Did it sound like she was in a city?”

“I could barely hear Suzy. I did ask where she was, but she said she wouldn't say without asking Todd first.”

“At least we know they're alive.”

“For now,” Raw said.

Both women turned their gaze on him.

“Sorry. I didn't mean that. We'll get them back. Both of them.”

Chapter 19

“Go on then, try it.” Suzy said. “And I want the truth.”

She'd spent the last two hours preparing the meal. Todd had never eaten Yorkshire pudding before. It looked delicious, but how would it taste? If he didn't like it, she'd know, and would be devastated after so much time and effort.

“Go on!” she urged.

He took a mouthful of potato, meat and Yorkshire pudding.

“Well?” Suzy said, impatiently.

He frowned.

“I knew it. Don't know why I bothered. I can't cook for shit.”

“I'm kidding.” Todd beamed. “It's delicious.”

“You're just saying that.”

“I'm not, honestly. It's fantastic. Try it for yourself.”

She studied his face for several seconds. He was telling the truth; she would have known if he was lying. Suzy tried a taste. And then another. Holy crap—it was delicious.