The Choice. Kerry Barnes

and everything in place. I don’t want you interfering, or you’ll fuck things up, and I ain’t going to jail for you, so you stay well away. My private jet will be leaving tonight for Spain, with Lucas on it.’

      ‘Oh shit! You’re flying him out of the country, then?’

      ‘Yeah, tonight, so keep away. I have my people on the case, and they know what they’re doing. I’ll have your ticket ready at the airport. You fly separately, though. Understood?’

      ‘Yeah, sure, but why Spain?’

      Colin flared his nostrils in a temper. ‘Shelley, either you want my help, or you don’t. If you have the right bloke, then he is in fucking Alicante. Your dipshit of a son is just lucky I have contacts in Spain to sort out this problem. Now shut up with the fucking questions and piss off.’

      She had a million things to ask, but she knew it was her call to leave.

      Colin watched as his daughter, dressed in her tight-fitting black tube dress and her short cream leather jacket, toddled out of his office like some Barbie doll on drugs.

      He sighed and took out a small bottle of Scotch from his side drawer. It was hard to believe that his daughter, the former love of his life, was now like a looming dark shadow, gnawing away at his conscience. He’d planned to go completely straight and leave all his criminal days behind him, yet Shelley bursting once more into his life was sending him right back to the past where he’d done anything to get to the top. Now he was at his peak, he was annoyed that she’d put him in this position.

      All he could do was to thank his lucky stars that he knew many people who owed him, and now he had to call in every single favour. He shuddered; pouring another drink, he gritted his back teeth.

      * * *

      Amanda Wells, Colin’s personal assistant, had the door to her office partially open, hoping to earwig on his conversation with Shelley. She’d heard Colin on the phone the day before and knew that his daughter was expected around mid-morning. Knowing Colin’s history with Shelley, Amanda felt uneasy that he was even entertaining his daughter. ‘Gold-digger,’ she mumbled, under her breath, as she heard the clip-clop of Shelley’s stiletto shoes recede along the corridor.

      * * *

      As soon as Shelley stepped outside, where the blustery, cold wind whipped around her bare legs, she felt as though a sudden dark veil of guilt and sadness covered her mind. She did miss her father, if she was being honest with herself, and now there was just him alone, she wondered if he was happy. Would he have still been the same man if she’d not gone down the path she had? It was too late now though – or was it?

      Once he met Lucas, he would see that the boy was just like him, his grandfather. Maybe Lucas was not as handsome, but he was tall and smart looking, with the same chiselled face, except his nose was longer and his eyes were piercing blue. Yet she saw her father in him and hoped her father would too.

       Chapter 6

      Jackie sat nervously in her caravan as she watched Torvic pace the floor. He tutted and moved her belongings out of his way, using his forefinger and thumb as if he might catch some disease.

      He growled, with his eyes glaring at her. ‘I gave you enough money as security to get a decent car and follow the bitch and keep a lookout. Yet you fucking turn up in your shitty jeep with gaffer tape and an engine, which, in another twenty miles, would have given up the fucking ghost. Bloody hell, woman, how fucking stupid are you? The fumes blacked out the village. Talk about leaving a fucking trail. Ya nearly gassed half of Kent.’

      With each sharp word, she blinked. ‘Look, Mr Torvic, you didn’t give me any time to get a decent motor. One minute, you were at my door, putting on the bleedin’ charm, and the next, I was hiding in the fucking bushes with a bloody pair of binoculars watching …’ She paused and looked away, reliving the horrific scene. ‘Well, let’s just say, I didn’t expect to be caught up … in this shit.’

      Her last words faltered as she recalled the moment Torvic poured that acid over the bloke’s head. Her ex-husband, Mike, who she’d lived with over thirteen years ago, had a reputation, and that was no secret. But she’d never seen him in action, and as for Zara, she shuddered, because a while ago, she’d fronted the woman out and got swiped across the face with a blade for her trouble. Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever believed her life would’ve turned out in the way it had.

      Nausea made her mouth fill with saliva. It was all very well in the past giving Mikey some verbal stick because she believed then, deep down, he wouldn’t have hurt her. After all, she was the mother of his precious Ricky. Now, though, after what she’d witnessed in that hangar, she was having second thoughts. Equally, she was stuck in her poxy caravan with some nutter and his granddaughter, who was in and out of consciousness. She swallowed the rising puke and took a deep breath.

      ‘Right, listen to me very carefully. I need to sort something out. This is the last place that Mike or that bitch Zara will think of coming to. So I need you to take care of Tiffany for an hour or so, and I mean take care of her. You’ll get the rest of your money, all in good time, but, for now, guard that kid with your life!’

      Jackie looked over at Tiffany who was slumped on the sofa. She leered at her in annoyance. Kid? Was he having a laugh or what? She was a woman. End of. She stared at Tiffany more intently, noticing the gold chain around her neck and the expensive-looking watch on her wrist. Yes, those would keep her in Grey Goose for a couple of months, she thought.

      Torvic snatched her car keys, shook his head, and exited, without even closing the door behind him.

      ‘Fucking pig,’ she grumbled, under her breath. Then, she turned back to Tiffany, who suddenly appeared to be coming round. Her eyes blinked, and she tried to sit up.

      ‘Where am I?’

      With flushed cheeks, Jackie excitedly jumped to her feet. ‘Aah, it’s all right, babe. Your grandfarver’s gone to get some ’elp. He said to give you something.’

      Tiffany’s long dark hair was matted, and her usually pretty, made-up eyes were smudged as if she’d been on the piss all night.

      Jackie pulled open the drawers, like a frantic burglar, until she found the box of sleeping tablets. Pouring four in the palm of her hand, she shoved them under Tiffany’s nose.

      ‘Take these. You’ll feel so much better. Ya grandfarver said to take ’em. He’ll be back soon.’ Jackie tried to sound soft and motherly, but it really wasn’t in her nature. Still, she would give it her best shot.

      ‘Go on, babe. You’ve been through one ’ell of an ordeal. This’ll take the edge off.’

      She gave the tablets to Tiffany and went over to the rotten, dirty sink where she grabbed a glass that had congealed milk at the bottom, swirled it under the tap, and then filled it with fresh water.

      Tiffany was still slightly wobbly and didn’t notice the tiny milk particles floating on the top. She threw the tablets to the back of her throat, groggily took the glass, and swallowed the contents. The cold water seemed to help: it livened her up. Suddenly, her expression was different: cold and dark.

      ‘Who the fuck are you?’

      Jackie stepped back and frowned. ‘Ya grandfarver asked for my help. He’s just popped out.’

      Tiffany had a teenager’s attitude, but her level of violence was that of a grown mental maniac at times; it was a trait which made Torvic thoroughly proud.

      ‘What am I doing in this shithole? Fucking ’ell, don’t tell me that Pops has been banging a skank like you? Jesus!’

      Seriously insulted, Jackie retorted, ‘Oi, ya cheeky little cow. If it weren’t for me, you would still be inside that room pissing in ya knickers.’

      ‘Oh, shut up. Who d’ya think you are?’

      ‘Me,