Fatal Page 20

  ‘What are you doing here? Didn’t they tell you to stay out of this side of the house?’

  Alice jumped as a strange-looking man walked out of the shadows, his dark eyes wild, his face sunken and hollow, looking like a corpse in the moonlight.

  ‘I … I …’

  ‘I take it you’re Alice.’

  Abel’s hand hovered over Alice’s face. He turned his head to the side, staring at her strangely as she hid what she was holding behind her back. ‘Do you know who I am?’

  Alice breathed deeply, her face only inches away from his. ‘You must be Abel.’

  ‘I am.’

  Terrified and unable to think of anything better to say, Alice, her voice shaking, said, ‘It’s nice to meet you.’

  Abel Gray smiled, though it didn’t show in his eyes. He whispered, his tone gravelly, ‘I’m not sure about that, only time will tell … But you still haven’t told me yet what you’re doing in this side of the house.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know I shouldn’t be here.’

  Abel nodded. ‘Stay away, you understand?’

  Alice answered quietly, her chest tight from fear. ‘Yes, yes.’

  Leaning even closer to Alice, Abel said, ‘Can I ask you something?’

  Backed up against the wall, Alice nodded. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Did they hurt you?’

  ‘Who?’

  Abel’s blue eyes were void of emotion. It felt to Alice like she was looking into a deep, dark ocean.

  ‘The men who are after you. Alfie’s told me all about them, but he didn’t tell me that. Did they hurt you in any way, Alice? Did they touch …’ Abel stopped.

  ‘No … no.’

  Abel let out a deep sigh. His voice was strangled. Monotone. Devoid of sentiment. ‘I’m glad, because if they did … if they did, Alice …’ He paused, unable to speak of it anymore. ‘Anyway, I bid you goodnight, and maybe it would be best if you went back to your room, locked the door behind you. It’s for your own good.’

  Alice, always curious and feeling slightly braver, asked, ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I don’t sleep very well and sometimes I have dreams, waking dreams that seem to control me. It’s strange, I know, and sometimes when I do wake, I’m in places where I shouldn’t be, and I wouldn’t want to give you a fright … You know, I hear her, calling me.’

  Still inches from his face, Alice stared at Abel. ‘Who?’ she whispered.

  ‘Natalia. She calls me, and I have to go to her, make sure she’s all right. I hear her voice.’

  Not knowing who Natalia was, but intuitively knowing she must be someone special, Alice, losing her fear, smiled kindly. ‘That’s good then, isn’t it?’

  Surprise crossed through Abel’s eyes before the light went out of them as suddenly as it had appeared. ‘Yes, yes, yes, you’re right, Alice, it is … Now goodnight. Sleep well.’

  ‘Goodnight.’

  As Abel walked down the corridor he spoke softly. ‘And keep away from this side of the house, remember that.’

  Alice didn’t answer but watched Abel glide down the wooden hallway, waiting for him to disappear.

  Once she was certain he had gone, Alice brought out Lola’s bag from behind her back. Nervously, keeping an eye out, she rummaged in the bag, quickly finding what she was looking for … Lola’s phone.

  Leaving the bag in the shadows of the corridor, Alice slipped the mobile into her pocket, making her way carefully down the stairs to the pantry window she’d left open earlier on in the day.

  Climbing out easily into the courtyard, Alice, jumpy and afraid, looked behind her and froze. Was there someone moving at the window on the top landing? She couldn’t be sure. Maybe it was just a shadow, she couldn’t tell.

  For the next few minutes Alice remained still, her heart pounding as she made certain nobody was coming, assuming it must have been her imagination and trying to push down her fears. Then Alice started to run.

  She darted along the side of the huge house. Though dismal in appearance, it hid a magnificence under the neglect. She sped through a courtyard, unkempt with weeds and grass growing between the large stone slabs, past outhouses that were once stables and summerhouses but were now derelict and hidden mostly by wind-bent trees and bushes. She noticed a lot of the windows of the house had been walled up, while others had rusting bars across them.

  Uneasy, Alice checked behind her again as she hurried down the white gravel driveway, finding herself by a walled rose garden. She leant back against the wall, pulled Lola’s phone out of her pocket, dialled a number off by heart and listened as it rang.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Nico, it’s me, it’s Alice.’

  37

  ‘Did you know? Did you know?’ Alice was hysterical as she spoke into the phone, all her pent-up feelings and emotions pouring out.

  ‘Alice, I think you’d better calm down.’

  Ignoring what Nico was saying, Alice yelled, her voice accusatory and the feeling of betrayal rushing through her. ‘I said, did you?’

  ‘What are you talking about, Alice?’ Nico snapped. ‘First I don’t hear from you and now you’re calling to shout at me, is that how any friend behaves? I thought I meant something to you.’

  Shaking, Alice paced along the wall of the rose garden as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She felt confused and blubbered out her words. ‘You do mean something to me, of course you do, but I want to know if you knew about Dad. Everyone’s been lying to me and I couldn’t stand it if you’d been lying as well. Please, just tell me the truth, Nico, please.’

  In his cell, Nico held onto a window bar as he looked out across the penitentiary yard. He thought for a moment, carefully working out what to say.

  ‘Alice, Alice, calm down. Tell me exactly what you’re talking about and then we can sort it out. That’s what I’m here for, to talk, to help you deal with what’s troubling you. Your problems are my problems. Come on, stop crying. I’m here now, Alice, so take a deep breath … That’s right. Now just imagine I’m there next to you, holding your hand, comforting you. Imagine that I’m close to you, really close …’ he purred down the phone.

  Alice nodded, taking a deep breath as Nico had told her to do. Not wanting to disappoint him, she fought back her tears as she spoke. ‘My dad, he’s not what he says he is; everyone isn’t who they say they are. I found out that my dad, he’s … he’s …’

  ‘He’s what, Alice?’

  Embarrassed and ashamed, Alice quietly said, ‘He’s a gangster, he does bad things, and that’s why all this has happened. What happened in the convent was because of him, and what happened back at the house, well, it’s all because of Dad.’

  ‘And you think I knew? Is that what you’re saying?’

  ‘Yes, no, I don’t know, maybe. I just want you to tell me the truth. Are you a part of this as well, like Franny and Alfie are?’

  There was silence, then Nico answered slowly, ‘I think you’d better go, Alice. I have no wish to talk to you.’

  ‘What? What! No! No! You can’t go!’

  Nico smiled to himself. ‘Why not? What’s the point? I thought you trusted me, I thought we understood each other when nobody else does. But it’s clear I was wrong. How could you think that of me, Alice?’

  Alice cupped the phone tightly, her tears running off the screen as she shook. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Nico. I just feel so lost and I am scared. I just want to go home.’

  ‘Look, Alice, maybe you’re right. Maybe I have lied to you, but I was only doing it for your own good, trying to protect you. Look, let me explain and then you can be my judge. This is as much as I know … Your dad worked for me, insurance, do you remember me telling you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Okay, well, about a year ago he decided to leave the company. He told me he was after more money, he had to think about you, about your future, and I couldn’t afford to give him a pay rise so I wished him well. Then I heard through the grapevine he was working for
this thug, some criminal guy, and of course I was shocked, but what could I do? Then when you called me about his birthday party and it was clear you didn’t know what he did, I wanted to protect you, so that’s why I said he still worked for me. So, there you go, Alice, that’s the truth, judge me if you like.’

  Breathlessly, Alice whispered, speaking quickly, ‘No, Nico I don’t want to do that. Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Matthew 7, chapter 1. Thank you, Nico, for caring … I love you.’

  There was a pause before Nico smiled, his eyes narrowing darkly. ‘I love you too, Alice, but you have to realise others won’t understand.’

  ‘I don’t care.’

  ‘Where are you, Alice? Tell me.’

  Alice looked round the grounds. ‘I don’t know, not exactly. There’s a guy called Abel we’re staying with.’

  The pause, the tension, the hatred from Nico was palpable. He could barely say the name.

  ‘Abel?’

  ‘What are you doing?’

  Alice spun round, clicking off the phone. Her face drained as Abel Gray stood opposite her looking deadly. ‘Nothing … nothing.’

  ‘I said, what were you doing?’

  Terrified, Alice stepped back, but Abel continued to follow her, his eyes raging dark and black.

  ‘What have you got in your hand?’

  Abel stalked towards her as Alice, panicked, backed further away. Her body thudded into the wall and she pressed herself against it, trying to get as far away from Abel as she possibly could.

  Rage danced in Abel’s eyes, his voice gravelly, his cockney accent harsh. ‘What’s in your hand? You’d better answer me, Alice, otherwise I won’t be held responsible for my actions.’

  Abel’s breathing was hard as he stood in the wet grass of the night staring wildly, then Alice, glancing to one side of him, took her chance. She ran, but Abel, surprisingly quick, managed to grab her. He squeezed her arm tightly and Alice gasped from the pain, all the while holding onto Lola’s phone tightly.

  Far stronger than he looked, Abel threw Alice to the ground, standing over her as she tried to crawl away, but he grabbed her legs and pulled her back towards him as she screamed in terror. ‘Give me what’s in your hand!’

  ‘No! No! No! Get away from me! Get away. You’re hurting me!’

  Abel wrestled her hand open and grabbed the phone away, scrolling through to the last number and pressed redial.

  ‘Hello, Alice, what happened? You were cut off.’

  Abel reeled, staggering backwards, images flashing through his mind as he clicked off the phone, recognising the voice. He leant against the tree trunk and vomited, retching violently, many expressions crossing his face before, in barely a whisper, wiping the sick from his chin, he murmured, ‘Nico. You’re speaking to Nico.’

  Quaking, Alice was too scared to say anything as Abel leant over her, his screams rising into the air. ‘Why are you speaking to him, why?’

  ‘He’s my friend, he … he understands me.’

  The veins in Abel’s face bulged as he hovered over Alice. ‘How long? How long have you been speaking to him?’

  ‘What’s going on?’ Alfie, having reached the opening of the rose garden, stared at Abel. ‘What the fuck have you done to her?’

  Lola, catching up to Alfie, pointed at Abel, her voice shaky. ‘You’d better not have frightened her, do you hear me? She’s just a kid, Abel. A kid!’

  Abel stared, cold and hard, as he turned to Lola. Then, leaving Alice, he walked towards Lola and Alfie, his face twisting with rage. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes piercing.

  ‘What is that?’ He pointed his long sinewy arm towards Lola and nervously she looked behind her.

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘That!’ Abel screeched.

  Lola looked down slowly, confusion etched on her face.

  Walking even closer to Lola, Abel continued to shake. ‘That! That! Get it off, get it off, now!’

  Lola touched the white nightie she was wearing. ‘I got it out of the drawer.’

  ‘Now!’ Abel suddenly lurched at Lola, ripping at the nightie, tearing at it, the force of his actions pushing her over into the grass.

  Alfie dragged Abel off Lola, who covered her body with the torn nightie, and roared like a lion, ‘What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Abel?’

  Although Abel had neglected himself over the years, he was still strong and still capable of handling a fight. He twisted out of Alfie’s grip and before Alfie had time to react, smashed his fist into Alfie’s face, the hard blow instantly splitting open his lip. Lola screamed as Abel expertly continued to slam his forearm into Alfie’s throat, pinning him down on the grass, their faces nearly touching.

  Spitting with anger, Abel growled his words. ‘Tell her to take that off. Tell her, Alfie, before I rip it off her.’

  ‘What … what are you talking about?’

  Abel pushed down harder on Alfie’s neck, stopping him talking further, his face turning scarlet. He hissed in a whisper, ‘I’m talking about what she’s wearing. It’s Natalia’s. She needs to get it off. You hear me? She needs to take it off, now!’

  Alfie gave a tiny shake of his head as saliva spluttered out of his mouth. He pulled at Abel’s arm, desperate to get away from the choking hold, then out of the corner of his eye Alfie spotted a small stone. He slid his hand to the side, stretching and straining towards it, but it was too far to reach. Suddenly, Alfie felt the weight of it placed into his hand gently. Quickly, he turned his eyes to see Alice crouching down, pressing the stone into his palm, her eyes filled with fear.

  Exchanging the briefest of glances with Alice, Alfie brought the stone down hard on the back of Abel’s head. Although it didn’t knock him out, it gave Alfie the chance he needed. Grabbing Abel by the shoulders, Alfie turned him over and underneath him, slammed his elbow into Abel’s face. He heard a crunch.

  He leant forward and whispered into Abel’s ear, ‘Tell me why I shouldn’t fucking kill you now, Abel?’

  Just as venomously, Abel whispered back, ‘Because it won’t help you to kill me, it won’t help Franny or Bree, it won’t help anyone but Nico.’

  Alfie pushed Abel as he got off him, sucking the blood from his lip. ‘Make any more moves like you just did and I will kill you.’

  ‘And like I told you, it won’t help, but then, that’s the least of your troubles when you have someone on the inside talking to him … Didn’t I tell you to take that off?’ Abel spoke calmly as he got up from the grass and looked at Lola coldly.

  Lola glanced hesitantly at Alfie and he tilted his head towards the house. ‘Go on, Lola, go and get changed.’ She nodded and walked off as Alfie turned back to lock eyes with Abel. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘I’m talking about Alice. She’s speaking to Nico.’

  Alfie blinked, then blinked again, not quite registering what Abel was telling him. ‘What?’

  ‘She was on the phone to Nico, that’s what this was all about.’

  ‘What is he talking about?’ Alfie shook his head as he turned slowly to Alice.

  Seeing the mixture of confusion and horror on Alfie’s face, Alice began to back away. ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘Alice, I’ll ask you again, what is Abel talking about?’

  Alice glanced towards Abel, who stood in the moonlight holding Lola’s phone. ‘I … I …’

  ‘What the fuck is he talking about?’ Alfie’s voice rose, making Alice jump.

  Trembling, Alice’s eyes danced from Abel to Alfie. ‘He’s my friend. That’s all.’

  Alfie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry; instead, he chose rage. ‘Friend? Nico is your friend?’

  Alice nodded quickly. ‘Yes, we talk, that’s all, he understands me. How … how do you know him?’

/>   Unable to speak another word to her, Alfie turned to Abel. ‘Is she having a fucking laugh? Is she? Tell me this is some sick joke.’

  Angrily, Alice spat out her words. ‘He’s a good man, but then you wouldn’t know what that was, would you?’

  Faster than she could have imagined, Alfie was suddenly just millimetres from her face as she cowered back against the stone wall. ‘Are you being serious? Are you trying to do my head in?’

  Her voice quivered. ‘N-no.’

  Alfie stared at Alice, his eyes blank and forbidding. ‘Then tell me about Nico. Start talking.’

  ‘I can’t, he made me promise.’

  Alfie grabbed hold of Alice and shook her hard. ‘Promise! Promise! You’ve lost the plot.’

  In floods of tears, Alice shouted at Alfie. ‘He said you wouldn’t understand!’

  The rage in Alfie was out of control as he continued to shake her. ‘You stupid, stupid little girl. Have you any idea what you’ve done? I could wring your neck.’

  ‘Leave her, Alfie, don’t do that to her.’ Surprising himself, Abel stepped in, pulling him away from Alice.

  ‘Have you any idea who Nico is? Where he is?’ Alfie continued to rant, his face red, his eyes bulging.

  Hurt and defiant, Alice stood up to Alfie. ‘Of course I have, he’s a friend of Dad’s. Well, he was before Dad went off to work for some … some thug.’

  Alfie snarled. ‘And Nico told you that?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘But he missed out the part that he’s the thug, he’s the one banged up in prison.’

  ‘No, you’re wrong.’ Alice shook her head.

  Alfie laughed bitterly. ‘No, you’re wrong, Alice, because he’s the murderer, the psycho, the one who ordered your dad to be killed, the one who ordered Franny and Bree to be taken.’

  ‘What?’ It was Lola who spoke, coming up behind Alfie in her old clothes.

  He turned to her, his voice cracking at the edges, and nodded. ‘Oh, yes, Lola, you don’t know that part yet. The Russos have got them.’ He stopped and shifted his attention back to Alice. ‘But I haven’t finished the story yet, I haven’t told you the main point Nico left out. He’s not really bothered about your dad or Franny or Bree, he couldn’t care less. The person he really wants is you. It’s you he wants to kill, Alice. You!’