The Reckoning (Carter Brothers), page 3
Lexi McKay had never felt so excited, and as soon as her shift had ended at the salon where she worked as an apprentice hairdresser, she’d scoured the shops in Romford, on the lookout for the perfect dress to wear to her eighteenth birthday party.
Three hours later and laden down with shopping bags, she let herself into her mum’s home in Upminster and dumped her purchases on the sofa.
‘What have you done,’ Maxine remarked, ‘bought out the whole of Romford?’
As she spun around, there was a mischievous twinkle in Lexi’s hazel eyes. ‘Not quite,’ she laughed. Not only was she a beautiful young woman but she was also the image of her elder brother. Like two peas in a pod, Maxine had often remarked.
From the doorway to the lounge, Maxine studied her daughter. ‘Wouldn’t you prefer a family meal instead?’ she asked, ever hopeful that Lexi would change her mind about hosting the party in her ex-husband Danny’s club. Not that she was holding her breath – at the best of times, her daughter could be a stubborn cow once she’d set her mind to something. ‘We could invite your friends over and you could order in your favourite, Italian.’
‘Erm, let me think about that.’ Pressing a forefinger to her lips, Lexi pretended to think the question over. ‘No,’ she laughed. ‘I’m eighteen, Mum, and I want to go to a club, Dad’s club.’
Maxine’s heart sank. Much to her dismay, Lexi had always been a daddy’s girl. She adored her father and had him wrapped around her little finger. The further away her son and daughter were from Danny, the better, in her eyes. The man was no good. In fact, he tainted everything and everyone he came into contact with. Considering their genes, she was surprised her children had managed to turn out so well and was only thankful that her ex-husband had never managed to fully get his claws into them, that he’d not been able to mould Lexi and in particular Logan into younger clones of himself. The fact she had once loved Danny with all her heart was wiped from her mind. She had spent so many years hating him, so many years regretting the fact she had once shared a bed with him, that she was unable to remember the good times. And there had been good times, lots of them, at least at the beginning of their marriage, anyway.
Wrapping his arms around his wife’s waist, Maxine’s second husband Steve laughed. ‘Let her do what she wants, Max, she’s a big girl now and she can make her own decisions, ain’t that right, darling?’ he said, giving his stepdaughter a wink.
‘Exactly,’ Lexi agreed with a smug grin.
Holding up her hands, Maxine bit back a retort. What was even the point in expressing her thoughts? Lexi had always done exactly what she wanted, regardless of the consequences; it was in her nature. The girl couldn’t be tamed, and God only knew how many times Maxine had tried. As Lexi twirled around the lounge with her pale blue sparkly dress held up against her, Maxine’s heart sank. As much as she didn’t want to, she couldn’t help but notice the all-too-familiar tell-tale green flecks in her daughter’s hazel eyes that both her son and ex-husband shared.
3
Aaron was buzzing. Positioning his fingers into the shape of a gun, he pretended to take aim and pull an imaginary trigger. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on the firearm that Joey Mann had acquired for him, couldn’t wait to end his father’s life. In his mind, it was nothing less than what Moray deserved. A familiar sense of bitterness coursed through Aaron’s veins. Even when he’d been banged up, his old man hadn’t softened his attitude towards him, and the few times Moray had actually taken the time to write to him, he’d had the gall to send him holiday snaps, fucking holiday snaps. While his old man and his new family were having the time of their lives sunning it on some far-flung beach, he’d been stuck behind bars. All he’d had to look forward to were meal times and even then they were nothing to get excited about; half the time he’d had no idea what he’d actually been eating, the food in prison was that bad.
‘Are you sure you’re gonna know how to use it?’ Skinny asked, watching him warily, his forehead furrowed.
‘Course I will,’ Aaron answered, which wasn’t entirely true. He’d never even held a gun before, let alone actually fired one, not that he would admit this fact out loud, of course. Besides, how hard could it be? He’d watched enough action movies to know that all he had to do was take aim and squeeze the trigger. ‘Has Mann definitely smuggled it in?’
Skinny nodded and whipped his mobile phone out of his pocket. ‘It’s been left in one of the toilet cubicles.’ He squinted at the screen. ‘It’s on top of one of the cisterns.’
Aaron nodded, then glanced at his watch. Just a few more hours to go and it would all be over. His old man would be dead.
The VIP section of Ritzy’s nightclub in Romford was almost filled to capacity by the time Lexi made her grand entrance and, as Danny made his way over to his daughter, he was more than aware of his ex-wife’s eyes boring into the back of his skull.
‘Happy birthday, darling.’ Danny wrapped his arms around his daughter and planted a kiss on her cheek. ‘You look beautiful,’ he remarked with a sense of pride. With long brown hair and hazel eyes, Lexi was simply stunning. He could still hardly believe it: his little girl was eighteen, where had all the years gone? It seemed like only yesterday that she’d needed to hold his hand to cross the road.
‘Thanks, Dad,’ Lexi gushed, her eyes shining with excitement, ‘this place looks amazing.’
Danny gave her a warm smile in return and gestured towards the bar. ‘Let me buy you your first official alcoholic drink.’ He turned to look at Maxine and held up his hands. ‘As long as that’s all right with you?’
Maxine gave a curt nod of her head and, as Danny signalled to the barman for a bottle of champagne, Logan sidled up beside his father.
‘Thanks, Dad,’ he said as he motioned towards the rose gold-coloured balloons positioned across the rear wall that spelt out his sister’s name and the number eighteen. ‘Lexi’s made up with what you’ve done.’
Danny turned his head in time to see his daughter mingle with her friends. ‘Yeah, well,’ he answered with a slight shrug, ‘she deserves the best.’ He gestured behind him. ‘I’m not so sure your mum’s happy about it, though.’
Turning to look at his mother, Logan sighed. His dad was right; his mum might as well have been chewing wasps, if the expression across her face was anything to go by. For the life of him, he was unable to understand her animosity. No matter what had gone on between his parents in the past, his dad had never let him or Lexi down. He’d always been there for them, and not just financially, every other weekend they’d stayed with him, and not once had Danny ever fucked them off just so that he could have a night out with his pals. And in the grand scheme of things, that was all that mattered, wasn’t it?
With the glasses of champagne handed out, Danny made his excuses to leave and, as he made his way across the dancefloor, he breathed a sigh of relief, if for no other reason than to get away from his ex-wife. There were only so many daggers he was willing to take from her before he ended up causing a scene and asking her what her problem was.
‘I hear congratulations are in order?’
Turning his head, Danny smiled. ‘Stace, you came,’ he said, enveloping the woman in front of him in a warm hug.
Dressed up to the nines, Stacey Carter nodded. In the years following her husband Tommy’s death, Danny and Stacey had become firm friends. Not only did Danny look out for his friend’s widow, but he also genuinely liked her and enjoyed her company. To his surprise, they had a lot in common, and even shared the same sense of humour, not forgetting the same work ethic. Both were of the opinion that a bit of hard work never hurt anyone. ‘I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. Where is she?’ she asked, referring to Lexi. 'Where’s the birthday girl?’
Danny chuckled and jerked his thumb towards the VIP section. ‘She’s with her pals,’ he answered. ‘I very much doubt we’ll see her for the rest of the night.’
Following his gaze, Stacey smiled. ‘And I hear you and Maria have some big news of your own?’
‘Yeah.’ Danny raised his eyebrows. News certainly travelled fast, and he shot Moray a glance, certain that his best mate was the one to have blabbed about his and Maria's engagement. ‘We’re just waiting for Maria to come on,’ he said, gesturing towards the dimly lit stage.
‘Well, in that case,’ Stacey laughed, ‘you can buy your old friend a drink while we wait.’
Danny was only too happy to oblige and, as he steered Stacey towards the bar, he couldn’t help but wish his old pal, Stacey’s late husband Tommy, was still alive to see the day when he finally settled down.
With Skinny trailing beside him, Aaron made his way across the car park towards his father’s club.
‘I just had a thought.’ Skinny grasped his friend by the arm, bringing him to a halt beside him. ‘How are we going to get past the door staff?’ He nodded down towards Aaron’s pockets, where he’d stashed a wrap of coke and a small polythene bag containing several ecstasy tablets. ‘Won’t they search us?’
‘Are you being serious?’ Aaron glanced back towards the club, his breath streaming out ahead of him. ‘I’m the boss’s son, do you really think any of that lot would dare lay a finger on me? There’d be fucking ructions.’
Skinny bit down on his lip and shrugged. At times, he almost forgot that Aaron and Moray were related, the two men were more like strangers than father and son.
‘Come on.’ Wrenching his arm free, Aaron rolled his eyes at Skinny’s stupidity and, as he continued on his way, there was an all-too-familiar cockiness to his swagger.
Not only did Colm Garner love his job working behind the bar, he was also good at it, and as his elder brother approached, he clasped Aaron’s hand and gave him a genuine smile. ‘You didn’t say were coming here tonight,’ he said, ‘what can I get you?’
‘Tequila,’ Aaron answered, returning the smile. ‘And make that two,’ he said, lifting two fingers in the air. ‘Oh, and whatever Skinny wants, the drinks are on the old man tonight.’ He winked and casually leant his forearms on the bar top. ‘Where is the old bastard, anyway?’
As he poured out the drinks, Colm looked up, then discreetly flicked his gaze to the right of where his brother was standing.
Inwardly Aaron groaned, then ever so slowly, he turned his head as he prepared himself to come face to face with his father.
‘What the fuck are you doing here?’ Moray barked. As much as he loved his eldest son, it pained him to admit that he was ashamed of how he’d turned out. As a child, he’d given the boy everything his heart had ever desired and Aaron had repaid him by not only dealing drugs but by also dragging his younger brother into his seedy world with him. On the few occasions that he’d seen Aaron since his release from prison, it had soon become apparent that the years he’d spent locked up at Her Majesty’s pleasure had done nothing to alter his attitude; he still had a chip on his shoulder, still believed the world owed him something, when in reality, it owed him fuck all.
‘Cheers for that, Dad.’ Aaron rolled his eyes, his back immediately up as it always was whenever he was in his father’s company. ‘It’s nice to see you an’ all.’
Moray turned his attention to Skinny and, with contempt written across his face, he studied his son’s friend up and down. How the scruffy bastard had managed to get past the door staff he had no idea. There and then, he decided to remind the men on the doors that there was a dress code and everyone, regardless of whether it was his son or not, needed to abide by the rules to gain entry. ‘I’m warning the pair of you,’ he said, stabbing a stiff finger between them, ‘if you’ve brought any shit into my club, I’ll personally batter the life out of you with my bare hands. Am I making myself clear?’
‘Crystal,’ Aaron answered with a kiss of his teeth. ‘Whatever you say, Dad,’ he said, giving a mock salute, ‘you’re the boss.’
‘Don’t get lairy with me,’ Moray growled, pulling himself up to his full height, his fists involuntarily curling into tight balls.
‘Dad.’ Always the peacemaker, Colm put out his hand in an attempt to stop the situation from escalating. ‘He gets it.’
Reluctantly, Moray nodded and, unclenching his fists, he gave his son one final hard stare. ‘I’ve got my eyes on you.’ He gestured with his fingers before walking away.
‘He doesn’t mean anything by it,’ Colm said as he passed across his brother’s drinks. ‘You know what he’s like when it comes to this place; he’s a workaholic, the club is his life.’
One after the other, Aaron downed the tequilas and, as he slid the empty glasses back across the bar, he shook his head and gave a half laugh. ‘Do you wanna know something, bro?’ he asked.
With his smile still frozen in place, Colm readied himself for what was about to come out of his brother’s mouth; experience told him it wouldn’t be pleasant, and he was only thankful that their father was out of earshot.
‘You should try taking your head out of the old man’s arse once in a while. You never know,’ Aaron said, screwing up his face, ‘you might actually see him for what he really is. He doesn’t give two fucks about you and me, he never has done. The only thing he cares about is this place’ – he gestured around him – ‘and his new fucking family.’
Colm’s face fell. He’d always liked their father’s wife Sophie and, as for their younger half-sister Tamsin, not only was she a beautiful girl, she also had a heart of gold. On his release from prison, she had welcomed him into her life with open arms. ‘Don’t say that, bruv; it isn’t their fault that you and Dad can’t get along.’
Hatred and resentment burned through Aaron. It was so typical of Colm to take their father’s side; he always had done. As he walked away from his brother and made his way towards the gents’ toilets where the gun was waiting for him, he was even more determined than ever to end their sorry excuse of a father’s life.
As Maria took to the stage, a ripple of excitement filled the air and not only was she given a deafening round of applause but also one or two wolf whistles into the bargain. Ever the professional, she got straight down to business and started off by belting out a Britney Spears medley.
‘She’s good,’ Stacey commented as she swayed in time to the music. ‘A looker as well. I can see why you want to marry her,’ she said to Danny with a playful wink.
Danny chuckled. ‘Yeah,’ he said leaning towards Stacey in a bid to be heard above the music, ‘she’s a looker, all right.’
The feel of the hard firearm tucked into the waistband of his trousers made Aaron’s fingers itch to pull it out. Twice he’d already made to do so and each time his father had chosen that precise moment to swivel round and look at him.
Beside him, Skinny fidgeted, his thin body practically twitching with anticipation. ‘What are you waiting for?’ he whined, his gaze darting around the club so fast that he was beginning to make Aaron feel dizzy.
Aaron didn’t answer and, licking at his dry lips, he instantly regretted snorting the line of cocaine in the gents’ toilets. His tongue felt too thick and furred and he swallowed deeply in an attempt to rid himself of the bitter acrid taste in his mouth.
‘He keeps looking over at us,’ Skinny complained as he continued to twitch.
‘Then keep still,’ Aaron answered through gritted teeth, ‘you’re bouncing off the fucking walls, and he’ – he flicked his head in his father’s direction – ‘is just waiting for a legitimate excuse to throw us out.’
Taking the warning on board, Skinny did as he was told and, crossing his arms over his chest, he dug his fists into his armpits and shifted his weight from one foot to the other in the hope that it would help calm his nerves.
Aaron rolled his eyes. They might as well have had a sign above their heads telling the entire club that some serious shit was about to go down.
With his father in his sights, Aaron inched his hand towards his waistband. ‘Come on,’ he muttered underneath his breath, ‘turn around.’
A loud raucous cheer broke out and, as his father turned to face the partygoers in the VIP section, Aaron took his chance and pulled out the gun.
The firearm felt heavy in his hand and, as his slick fingers grappled with the trigger, nerves began to get the better of him. His hand shook and his breathing became shallow; for the first time since the idea had manifested inside his mind, he wondered if he could actually go through with it and kill his father.
‘Come on, man,’ Skinny urged him, his gaze darting nervously around the club. ‘Do it.’
Taking a deep breath, instinct told Aaron he had only a matter of milliseconds to see the task through before the opportunity was gone and, more to the point, before he lost his bottle. He steadied his hand, took aim, and as his finger curled around the trigger, his expression became one of pure hatred. Then, without even blinking or giving the matter a second thought, he squeezed the trigger.
4
The gunshot was deafening, and as a panic ensued, the club’s patrons pushed and shoved their way down the short flight of steps that led from the VIP section.
Danny’s eyes were wide, and his ears were still ringing as he fought his way through the crowd. All the while, his children’s safety was at the forefront of his mind. As he pushed his way forward, a feeling of dread swept over him. Had one of his kids been hit, were they bleeding out on the floor, were they calling out for him, had their lives already been extinguished? The very thought not only terrified him but made him feel sick to his stomach; his children were his entire world, and it was only because of Logan and Lexi that he’d managed to turn his life around, that he’d made sure he lived his life on the straight and narrow.
