Fatal Read online

  Refusing to give in, digging deeper than he’d ever done in his life and unaware he was biting down on his tongue, Alfie used every muscle in his body to gather the brutal strength he needed to haul Alice up and through the window. As he felt her body beginning to pull towards him, Alfie – red-faced, with a trail of blood dripping from his tongue down to his chin – tugged her back, ignoring the burning pain in his arms and feeling like his elbows were being ripped out of their sockets. He panted through his exertion as she finally fell into his arms. With tears of relief cracking his voice, he held her close.

  ‘I got you, baby, I got you, Alice Rose!’

  Next door in Cabhan’s bedroom, Salvatore called to his brother Bobby. ‘Try in there. She’s got to be in here somewhere.’

  Bobby ran to the walk-in closet, flung open all the doors and checked behind the immaculate colour-coordinated suits and clothes. He turned back to Salvatore, shaking his head. ‘No sign.’

  ‘She’s got to be here somewhere. Look again, we saw her come in.’

  Bobby shrugged, incensing Salvatore enough to strike his brother hard around the face with the butt of his gun, the mask taking some of the impact.

  ‘Who the fuck do you think you are, Bobby? I want her found, understand me?’

  Enraged, Salvatore turned away, but as he did, he noticed the window and a sudden thought crossed his mind. He pulled up the blinds and tried to open the window. It was locked.

  Quickly, he picked up the little stool by the dresser and threw it squarely at the window, smashing the glass. Then carefully, he poked his head through the jagged pane and looked down. Seeing nothing, Salvatore glanced to the side, catching a glimpse of Alice’s feet scrabbling through the window next door.

  ‘She’s there! Come on!’ Salvatore pulled back, running out of the bedroom just as Alfie and Alice headed out onto the landing.

  Seeing the men, Alfie raced back into the room dragging Alice and locked the door behind them. They ran through the interconnecting closet, back down the stone stairs, hurtling along with the men not far behind. Alfie kept pulling Alice on through the tiled hallway until they reached the side door of the mansion.

  As they made their way out, Alfie, out of breath and in pain, felt Alice tug on him. He spoke quickly, his eyes on the house, knowing any minute the men would appear. ‘Come, Alice, keep going, darlin’, we’ve got to keep going!’

  Drained of colour and wide-eyed, Alice shook her head. Her voice shook with fear. ‘What about Dad?’

  Swiping the blood that dripped from his head and mouth, Alfie tried to pull Alice away from the house, but she was rooted to the spot, staring hard at him.

  ‘Alice, we ain’t got time for this, we’ve just got to leave him. Come on, before it’s too late!’

  ‘We can’t just go. I heard gunshots, he might be injured.’

  Raging and beginning to panic, Alfie kept his eye on the door. ‘And so will we if we don’t get out of here. Your dad knows what he’s doing; he’d want us to leave him. We’ll call an ambulance, police, whatever you want once we’re out of here.’

  ‘No, Alfie, he’ll be scared on his own. Let’s go back to Dad. I saw what they did to Sister Margaret. Please let’s go back!’ Verging on the hysterical, Alice trembled, her face red and puffy from crying.

  ‘No way, darlin’. Come on, we need to go.’

  Distraught, Alice covered her face and speaking through her hands, Alfie could see her tears seeping through her fingers.

  ‘Why are you doing this, Alfie? Why won’t you help him?’

  Still trying to drag Alice, and with his vision slightly blurred from the bang on his head and the throbbing in his arms still causing him pain, Alfie snarled, seething inwardly at Cabhan. ‘For fuck sake, this is his doing, don’t you get it? And any minute now, you’re going to be next. Now move it … I said, move it!… Fine, Alice, then you ain’t given me much choice.’

  And with that Alfie grabbed Alice, threw her over his shoulder and ran for the woods without looking back.

  ‘Sal! Sal! They’re getting away!’

  The masked men ran out of the front door and into their truck as they saw Alfie and Alice disappear into the distance. Salvatore slammed on the accelerator, taking the corner at speed, punching the steering wheel as he turned into the deserted country lane.

  ‘Shit! Fuck! Fuck!’ He turned to two of the men in the back, barking out his orders. ‘You get out here and search on foot. Me and Bobby, we’ll drive around and look for them, okay?’

  Almost before the two men managed to jump out, Salvatore punched the accelerator again and drove along the tree-lined lane, his eyes narrowed as he gazed across the fields. Suddenly, a grin spread over his face.

  ‘There! Over there! I think it’s going be our lucky day after all.’

  29

  From behind the trees Alfie spotted two masked men, armed and heading towards their hiding place. Knowing the area well, Alfie didn’t doubt for a moment that if they stayed where they were they’d be spotted in a couple of minutes.

  ‘Alice, come on! It ain’t over yet!’

  Giving her no choice and ignoring her protests, Alfie, his heart pounding, gripped her hard by the wrist and dragged her along, through the bushes and vast scrubland as fast as he could. As they scrambled over the gnarled roots of the blossoming oak trees they finally came to a small copse.

  Breathing hard and looking agitated, Alfie stared at Alice. He grasped her by the shoulders, bending down so he could look directly into her face.

  ‘Alice, you trust me?’

  Panting, Alice whispered her reply. ‘Yes, of course.’

  ‘Then give me your hand.’

  Puzzled, Alice slowly held out her hand to Alfie, who gripped it hard as he led her through a tiny thicket into a small clearing. Immediately, Alice began to shake her head. She pulled back as hard as she could, but her strength was no match for Alfie’s.

  ‘Alice, come on! We’ve got this far, we’re nearly there now.’

  ‘You’re crazy. We’ll die!’ Alice trembled, her eyes resting on the abandoned quarry, Alfie was pulling her towards it, with its hundred-foot sheer drop and a pool of dark green water sitting ominously in the pit of it.

  ‘I thought you said you trusted me,’ Alfie said hurriedly but gently.

  ‘I do but …’

  ‘Then let me get you out of here. You and me are a team now, we’ve got to look out for each other and from what I see, you’re a cat, Alice, you’ve got nine lives. And I reckon this geezer, this God you believe in, is probably going to protect you, cos he has so far and with any luck, he’ll protect me as well. So, what do you say?’

  Then, without waiting for Alice’s answer, Alfie ran forward, holding Alice tightly as he jumped off the quarry cliff, the girl screaming helplessly as they hurtled down to the waters below.

  Alfie, having lost hold of his grip on Alice’s hand, yelled out as his feet broke the surface of the water, hitting a large rock, sending a searing wave of agony up his legs.

  ‘Alfie, help me! Help me! I ca-n’t sw-im.’

  Alice bobbed beneath the surface, water rushing over her face and into her mouth as she cried out for help.

  Wincing, Alfie swam over, a dark billowing cloud of blood blooming around him. ‘I’m here, Alice. See, darlin’, I told you you’re a cat. It’s okay, baby, I got you … I’m here … That’s it, Alice, don’t panic.’

  Treading water, Alfie grabbed hold of Alice, gently turning her onto her back and holding his hand under her chin as he towed her to the side. Swimming slowly, he managed to get her to the bank. He dragged himself out and crawled towards the bottom of the cliff, out of view of anyone looking down from the top.

  ‘Now, I need you to help me, baby. Can you do that?’

  Alice nodded as she reached down and ripped open his torn trouser leg to reveal a badly lacerated and bleeding wound, gouged deep from below the knee to his ankle.

  Seeing the look on Alice’s face, Alfie forced
a smile. ‘It ain’t that bad, darlin’, it’s just a scratch. Believe me, I’ve had worse.’

  ‘Here.’ Alice crouched down, pushing away her own fear as she wrapped the scrap of torn trouser leg around the deepest part of Alfie’s wound, tying it tightly to try to stop the bleeding.

  Through his pain Alfie gave Alice a small smile. ‘A Girl Scout as well, you’re pretty smart, ain’t you? Tougher than you look.’

  Grimacing from the pain, Alfie pulled his phone out of his pocket. He stared at it before banging his fist on the stony ground.

  ‘Fuck, no signal! Damn it! Damn it!’

  Overcome by exhaustion, Alice sat down amongst the wild weeds and cuckooflowers and began to cry low, racking sobs. His heart went out to her and an idea came to him. Picking up the phone again, Alfie pressed redial and turned slightly away from Alice so she wouldn’t see he still couldn’t get a signal.

  ‘Hello, emergency, we need help …’

  Pretending somebody was on the other end of the line, Alfie proceeded to give the address for both Cabhan and the quarry, smiling at Alice as he talked, hoping to reassure her, at least for now, that help was on its way.

  Clicking off the phone, his hand shaking as he tried to hide from her the agony he was in, Alfie said reassuringly, ‘See, everything’s going to be all right. They’re on their way. So you don’t have to worry about your dad. Okay? It’s going to be all right.’

  There was a moment of silence before Alice said, ‘What did you mean?’

  Distracted by the throbbing in his leg, Alfie shrugged. ‘What?’

  Alice, her voice breaking under the strain, rubbed her arm as nettles stung her skin. ‘What did you mean, Alfie?’

  Massaging his head before flinching from the wound the Russos had inflicted, Alfie leant back on the cold rocky stones taking in deep gulps of air to manage his pain.

  He glanced at Alice and for the first time took in how young and vulnerable she looked, certainly younger than sixteen. Trying to muster up patience – something he was never usually good at – Alfie sighed heavily. ‘Baby, what are you talking about?’

  Alice’s voice was quiet. ‘You said this was his own doing. What did you mean by that? Why was this Dad’s own doing?’

  ‘Can we do this some other time? My leg’s killing me.’

  ‘Just tell me, Alfie.’

  Alfie screwed up his face, his discomfort making him angry and irritable, though his focus of anger was mainly on Cabhan and Franny for the position they’d put Alice in, not to mention himself. It wasn’t fair on the girl. She was innocent, or at least she had been before all the shit had gone down, and innocence was a rare quality, something to be cherished. Except now she’d seen and been through what most men he knew would’ve run from. But although there was a fragility about Alice, he could feel and see a strength shining through her. Christ, he didn’t know many people who wouldn’t have become a quivering basket case after dealing with what she had these past few weeks, yet here Alice was, trying her best, and there he was opening his big, fat mouth and making it worse.

  ‘I don’t know what I was talking about.’

  ‘Back at the house you said all this was Dad’s fault.’

  Alfie shrugged his shoulders again. He reached over and lifted Alice’s head up to wipe the tears away with the torn and bloodied cuff of his grey top.

  ‘You must’ve heard wrong, darlin’, and if I did say it, I didn’t mean it. I was talking crap, more worried about keeping us alive than what was coming out of me mouth.’ He winked at her, hoping now she would drop it.

  ‘You did say it and I know you can remember. Please, tell me what you meant. I just want to know what’s going on. I’m really scared, Alfie, and I don’t know why we’re here, why any of this has happened. I feel like I’m going crazy and if it wasn’t for being able to talk to …’ Alice stopped suddenly, changing her mind about what she had been going to say. ‘Well, anyway, Franny’s been great and so have you, but nobody’s telling me anything. Please. Who are those people?’

  Alfie gazed at Alice and saw the confusion in her eyes. ‘Jesus, this ain’t a good time right now. Talk to me later, when I’m not going out of me mind with this leg.’

  ‘You’ll just make more excuses.’

  ‘Look, Alice, it’s complicated, not everything is as it seems, not everything is so clear-cut, and a simple explanation doesn’t always do it. Believe me, I know … Alice, for God’s sake, where are you going? Come back here.’

  Alice looked down at Alfie, anxiety rushing over her again. She couldn’t think straight. It was like every adult was talking in riddles when all she wanted was straight answers. The only person who gave her the truth was Nico. Not even Franny had been honest with her, and she could see that Alfie was doing everything he could to avoid answering her.

  ‘Not until you tell me.’

  Alfie glared. Even though he felt for the kid, this shit he did not need, especially as he could hardly run after her and he was beginning to get pissed off. Teenage girls were not something he wanted to deal with when it felt like his leg was on fire. So, fuck it, maybe he should just tell her, not everything, but enough to shut her up.

  ‘Look, your dad …’ Oh Christ, how could he put it to her without frightening her off?

  ‘My dad, what? What, Alfie?’

  ‘Well, you know how people sometimes hide things to stop others from getting hurt? Well, that’s what your dad did. He didn’t want you to get hurt.’

  ‘What does that mean?’ Tears pooled in Alice’s big almond eyes, her voice brimming with fear. ‘I don’t get it, Alfie. I don’t get it! Is it me? Have I done something? Why are they after me?’

  A sharp pain ripped through Alfie’s leg, making him lose his cool and spit out his words angrily. ‘Jesus, Alice, you don’t take any prisoners, do you? For fuck’s sake, we don’t need to do this. Your dad loves you and that’s all you really need to know. If you insist, fine, I’ll tell you, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Your dad is not what he says he is. Come to think of it, neither am I. I’m not saying I’m ashamed of it, but sometimes I ain’t exactly proud of it either.’

  ‘Alfie!’ Alice yelled, tears streaming down her face.

  Realising he still wasn’t saying what he should, Alfie held up his hands. ‘I’ll tell you but just keep your voice down, they’ll hear us … Look, your dad’s a face, or he was, now he’s—’

  ‘Face?’

  ‘Gangster. Your dad’s a gangster and—’

  ‘And that’s why those people are after him?’ Alice, hysterical, scrambled to her feet.

  ‘I said be quiet! But yeah, they’re bad people, Alice.’

  ‘And what, my dad isn’t?’

  Sensing the conversation was not going the way he’d hoped, Alfie tried but failed to stand up. ‘Alice, hold up, he ain’t bad, not like them.’

  ‘How could he not be, you just …’ Alice stopped, a look of horror on her face. ‘Is that why Sister Margaret was killed, because of Dad?’

  ‘Alice.’

  Alice screamed at the top of her voice, fury and pain and confusion soaring into the air. ‘Is it?’

  ‘Yes. Fuck! Fuck! Yes,’ Alfie said, trying to quieten her, ‘but it wasn’t as if it was his fault, not really.’

  ‘Is that what you are?’ Alice asked, shaking her head. ‘A gangster?’

  For some reason Alfie felt embarrassed. ‘Yes.’

  Almost unable to say it, Alice murmured the words, ‘And Franny, please tell me that she isn’t part of it.’

  Alfie opened his arms. ‘Darlin’, listen to me—’

  ‘Oh my God, she is, isn’t she?’ Alice gasped, her eyes wide. ‘None of you are who you say you are. What is this? Who are you?’

  ‘We’re still us, Alice.’

  Alice shook her head, backing away from him. ‘No, no, you’re not. Everything’s a lie. I just want to go home.’

  ‘This is your home now.’

  ‘No, no, it’s not. I don’t care;
I don’t want to be here. I’ll go and stay with my friend, Isaiah, if I have to. I don’t want anything to do with you. I hate you!’ Alice spat out.

  Alice continued to back away, when Alfie suddenly leant up and grabbed her.

  ‘Get off me!’ she screamed as Alfie put his hand over her mouth to muffle her.

  Alfie struggled to hold onto Alice as she squirmed. ‘You can’t go, I won’t let you. Those men will kill you if they find you! Do you understand what I’m saying?’

  Without hesitation, Alice bit down hard on Alfie’s hand. Yelping, he released his grip, giving Alice the opportunity to push away from him and out of their hiding place.

  ‘Fuck! Alice, come back! Alice! For fuck’s sake, if they find you they’re going to kill you, Alice! Alice!’

  Watching Alice disappear, Alfie crawled along the side of the cliff, staggering and dragging himself until a few minutes later he heard his phone beep – he had signal. He dialled a number, which rang and then clicked to voicemail.

  ‘Fran, I need your help. It’s a disaster. A fucking disaster, and you need to call Alice, now!’

  30

  ‘What did they say? What did they say about Cabhan?’ Lola Harding’s hard stare bored into Alfie.

  ‘What did who fucking say, Lola? I ain’t got time for waffle. Alice is missing and I can’t get hold of Franny, and Bree ain’t picking up either. As for Cabhan, all I did was call for an ambulance. I didn’t give me name or hang around for a chat, so I don’t know anything more. My head’s wrecked enough, so the last thing I want is you chewing me ear off whilst I wait for some poxy nurse to sort me leg out.’

  Lola, deciding not to retaliate, stood in the corridor of the A&E department of Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, the strong smell of bleach overpowering as Alfie continued his rant.

  ‘She could be anywhere. You should’ve seen the way she went off – she was in a right mess, Lo. I can’t blame her; everybody should’ve been straight with her from the start. She ain’t got her phone on her either and … Oi! Oi!’ Alfie hailed the stern-looking casualty nurse who marched purposefully through the A&E. ‘Listen, darlin’, the only reason I’m here is cos I can’t walk, not so I could camp out amongst the walking wounded. I’ve got something really important to do, therefore what I need you to do is stitch me up and do what you girls do, then I can be on me way.’