Deceit: A gripping, gritty crime thriller that will have you hooked. Kerry Barnes

up. I know how to treat men, though, just as they treat us. I use them for a free ride on their cock, get ’em to buy me a few bits and pieces, and then fuck ’em off.’ She looked Kara up and down and sighed. ‘I guess you ain’t learned the rules yet, ’ave ya? I suppose he sucked you in, got what he wanted, and then he spat ya out, moving on to the next unsuspecting bitch?’

      Kara wanted to say, ‘No, it wasn’t like that at all. He loved me and never used me,’ but then, in this new environment, she would look a right idiot. ‘Oh, I knew the rules. It’s just a shame that my neighbour didn’t,’ she replied, with a smirk, even believing her own slander now. Nevertheless, it was easier than admitting the truth. It was her way of escaping the reality of the situation.

      At once, the tension seemed to ease, and Dora, now looking more relaxed, giggled. ‘No flies on you, gal.’

      Colette joined in and smiled. ‘I bet the bitch knows now, though, eh? With a face like Freddy Krueger, she won’t be messing with no woman’s man again. Who would want her now?’ She slapped her thigh and laughed even louder.

      Kara was feeling nauseous. That poor woman. What if she really was scarred … and worse, what if she was dead? Kara resignedly sat on the bed, her legs weak and wobbly, and yet Dora and Colette took it as if she was joining in with them and having a laugh at the neighbour’s expense.

      The inmates’ levity was cut short by the appearance of a large woman, with jet-black hair half up and half down and a deep jagged scar across her forehead, standing in the doorway. Kara smiled but was sneered at. The woman was in her late thirties, good-looking and yet hard-faced. She had on the prison issues, a green tracksuit, but her sleeves were rolled up showing her tattoos. ‘Cole, I want some gear!’

      Kara watched the dynamics. Dora had her head down, and Colette jumped to her feet, flustered. ‘Er, Vic, I ’ave only got a bit of puff.’

      Victoria Meadows, commonly known as Big Vic, was obviously someone with clout. She exuded confidence and her demeanour said, ‘Don’t fuck with me’. She was scratching her neck, and as Kara’s eyes followed her hand, she could see the raised swirls of red inflamed skin.

      ‘I need something now, Cole. You’d better call on everyone on the wing, or I’ll be smashing a few heads in.’ Her beady dark eyes glared at Colette, who was clearly shitting herself.

      ‘What do ya need, then, Vic?’

      ‘I need anything that’s gonna stop this fucking itching, something to knock me out, and I don’t care what it is, meth, brown stuff, or puff!’

      Kara bravely stood up and stepped towards the woman.

      Vic stepped back with her forehead creased. ‘What are you fucking looking at?’

      ‘The rash on your neck,’ replied Kara, totally unfazed by the woman’s harshness.

      ‘Go fuck yaself.’ She turned to face Colette. ‘Who’s this fucking numpty?’

      Colette was still uneasy. ‘Er … that’s Posh. She’s in with me. Tried to kill the neighbour who was sniffing around her ol’ man. She burned the fucking house down.’

      ‘You got any gear, Posh, or are you just another waste of space?’

      ‘I don’t have any gear, but I can tell you what’s wrong with you.’

      In a flash, Vic snatched Kara by the hair, bending her back. ‘You can tell me about meself, yeah? Ya cheeky fucking whore. I run this wing, so you’d better know ya fucking place, or I’ll show ya!’

      Kara then realised what she’d said had been taken the wrong way. ‘No, I mean your neck. I know why it’s inflamed.’

      Vic dropped her like a hot brick and glared at Colette and Dora. ‘Get out!’ she hollered. Instantly, the two women darted out of the cell. Vic then closed the door behind them and glared at Kara. ‘Oh yeah, some kinda doc, are ya?’

      Kara looked at Vic unblinkingly and nodded. ‘Yes, sort of.’

      As Vic sat down on the bed, Kara noticed the woman’s demeanour soften. ‘So ya know what this is?’ She lifted her baggy green tracksuit top revealing swirls of raised red circles covering her chest.

      Leaning forward, Kara ran her finger over the inflammation. ‘Does that irritate you?’

      Vic was like a patient in a surgery. ‘Yeah.’ Slowly, she rolled her top back down.

      ‘What did the doctor give you for it?’

      ‘That ol’ cunt said it was a heat rash. Four weeks I’ve had this, and it’s getting worse. The blind ol’ fucker, I could smash him round the ’ead. So, what is it?’

      ‘It’s a fungal skin infection.’

      ‘What!’ screeched Vic. ‘You better be joking! You mean, I have a fucking fungus growing on me skin?’

      Kara knew it would make anyone feel ill, imagining a fungus growing over their body. ‘Yes, but don’t worry, it’s easily cured. I promise you, all you need is an antifungal cream. You know, like athlete’s foot or thrush?’

      With wide eyes, Vic slowly nodded. ‘Yeah? So, that’s all I need, just that cream?’

      With a compassionate smile, Kara replied, ‘Yes, that’s all you need, and within a couple of days, it will be gone. Try not to scratch it and keep it cool for now.’

      ‘Right, I’m going back to tell that idiot fucking doctor. I swear if he don’t give me that cream, I’ll smash the living shit out of him.’ She jumped up and went to walk away, but then she turned back. ‘Er, listen, this is between me and you, yeah?’

      Kara nodded. ‘Of course. Oh, by the way, my name is Kara. Cole just calls me Posh.’

      ‘Yeah, well, you are posh. Everyone calls me Vic or Big Vic … Er … if ya need anything, give me a nod, yeah? But you’d better be right. I don’t take too kindly to being mugged off.’

      With a warm smile, Kara nodded again. She had got the picture loud and clear. It was going to be a testing time. She had to prove her worth and use everything she had, if she was going to survive. She lowered her eyes and sighed. If she believed in God, she would pray that she hadn’t got the diagnosis wrong. Then the muscles in her jaw relaxed. If she had got it right, then perhaps she would have a friend on her side.

      At that moment, Colette and Dora hurried back in. ‘So, what did she say?’ asked Colette, looking flushed.

      ‘Nothing much. It was personal, really.’

      With a deep laugh, Colette went on, ‘Personal, there’s no such thing in ’ere. Anyway, no matter, whatever you said, ya got her off my back.’

      Perhaps she was making headway at last for a peaceful life.

       Chapter 4

      The sun was just starting to rise. While Lucy was in the shower, full of the joys of spring, Justin sat on the end of the bed, with his hands cupping his tired face. It had been a long night, a stressful one, and he felt like shit. He’d rolled on his side just to avoid any affectionate contact and had found himself almost hanging off the bed most of the night. He took a deep breath. What the hell am I doing? I don’t even know her. It’s all madness.

      Lucy obviously hadn’t taken the hint, as she casually walked into the bedroom from the bathroom completely naked. He’d looked up and thought about Kara. She was never so provocative, more sweet and shy. He was always the one doing the running, making the first move, but he liked it that way, not having it handed to him on a plate. Something about Lucy’s body made him blink. He thought perhaps his longing for Kara had messed with his mind because Lucy’s figure with her neatly shaped breasts and slim thighs was almost identical. He looked away.

      ‘Justin,