Bad Blood Rising Read online

  “What is this, twenty bloody questions?” Aggie said irritably. “Take a word of advice Marion and keep your nose well and truly out of Karl’s business. Now, let’s get on. You’ve a lot to learn and not very much time to learn it in.”

  SEVENTEEN

  Erica rose early that morning. Karl was still sleeping. By the time he did get out of bed, Erica had washed and tumble-dried her clothes from the suitcase and was half way through the ironing.

  “Good morning,” she greeted cheerfully as Karl came into the kitchen. “Want a coffee?”

  “I want more than a coffee. Where’s the aspirin? My head’s killing me.”

  Erica got the packet of aspirin out of the kitchen cupboard and handed him two tablets along with a glass of water. He swallowed them and greedily gulped down the water.

  “Christ, that Danny can’t half put the booze away,” Karl moaned. “I won’t be going out with him again any time soon.”

  “He was telling me he is going to live in Benidorm with his boyfriend,” Erica said as she turned on the kettle. “Do you want your coffee black this morning?”

  “Yeah, black and strong,” he said, walking through into the lounge.

  Erica busied herself at the ironing board as she waited for the kettle to boil. “I thought I’d go to the supermarket this morning. The fridge is looking a bit empty.”

  “Never mind the supermarket. I want to talk to you first about something important.”

  “You’re not going to have another go at me over Mary, are you? I’ve told you…”

  “No, it’s not about Mary,” Karl snapped irritably. “I told you, this is important.”

  The kettle came to the boil and Erica busied herself making the coffee.

  “What is it?” she asked as she walked into the lounge and handed him the drink.

  “Sit down,” he said abruptly.

  Erica sat on the couch and her husband sat next to her.

  “Next week you’re twenty-one.”

  “Yes, next Monday. But Karl, I don’t want a fuss, I told you that. Please don’t organise a party.”

  “Party? No, it’s nothing like that. Erica, I want to talk to you about the money that you will get from your parent’s estate.”

  “I don’t want the money, Karl. I told you that. I don’t want anything from that pig after what he did.”

  “So what do you want to do with it? Give it to the government because that’s what will happen.”

  “I thought I could give the money to a charity. Barnardo’s, perhaps?”

  “Erica, charity begins at home, our home. We need that money for the business.”

  “No, I don’t want it. Nothing good will come of it. Mary felt the same about her share. She never accepted it when she was twenty-one either.”

  “What did she do with her share?”

  “She gave it to me.”

  “So you’re entitled to the full amount?”

  “Yes, but I…”

  “Erica, we need that money. It’s for our future, don’t you understand?”

  “No!” Erica said defiantly. “I won’t touch a penny of it. Never!”

  Without warning, Karl slapped Erica hard across her face, causing her to yell with pain. She desperately tried to get up off the couch but he grabbed her by the hair and held his fist menacingly to her face.

  “Do I have to remind you about what you did, you stupid little bitch?” he snarled. “One word from me and you’re finished. Is that what you want?” He began shaking her violently. “Well, is it?”

  “No,” she whimpered through her sobs. “Please Karl, you’re hurting me.”

  “I’ll stop hurting you when you stop acting like a stupid selfish cow.” He dragged her to her feet and frogmarched her into the kitchen. Reaching out, he picked up the hot iron and held it close to her face.

  “Now, are you going to do as I ask or do I have to really hurt you?”

  “Please don’t,” Erica screamed hysterically. “I’ll get the money, Karl, I promise I will. Please don’t hurt me.”

  Karl held onto his terrified wife for a few seconds before releasing his grip. He watched as she fell to the floor sobbing.

  “Get up,” he hissed.

  Slowly Erica got to her feet. She could see Karl was still holding the iron.

  “I’ll… I’ll ring the solicitor,” she said through her sobs. “I’ll make an appointment for Monday morning.”

  “Don’t bother,” Karl grinned. “I’ve already done it. Now, where’s my breakfast?”

  EIGHTEEN

  Karl hadn’t visited his younger brother, Jason in over a year. In truth, he hadn’t even thought about him in all of that time, so it had come as a shock that morning to receive a letter from Jason in the distinctive HM Prison envelope.

  “What the fuck…?” he muttered, tearing it open. Inside were a Visiting Order and a brief note. ‘Need to see you, bro,’ it said. ‘It’s urgent.’ Karl felt irritated at the request and a little uneasy. Jason was volatile and aggressive, forever getting into trouble with the police. He stared at the note for a few seconds before picking up the phone.

  “Joe, I need you to go to the club this morning and keep an eye on Danny for me. He’s moving his stuff out and I want to make sure he doesn’t take anything he shouldn’t. I have some urgent business on but tell Danny I should be back to see him off at about four.”

  “Sure, boss,” Joe answered. “No problem.”

  “Thanks, mate. See you later.” Karl then dialled Victor.

  “Victor, I need you to drive me to Manchester this morning. Be here as soon as you can, okay?”

  “Yes, Mr Karl. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  Karl poured himself a coffee and waited for Victor to arrive.

  “Erica, I’m going out,” he shouted from the lounge as he heard the car horn sound outside a few minutes later. “I’ll meet you at the club at four.”

  “Alright, darling,” she answered. “See you then.”

  Erica got out of the shower and began to dress. She chose the slinky new black lace underwear she had bought in Ireland, the set that Karl hadn’t seen yet. Looking through her wardrobe, she settled on the red dress with the black lace overlay. The skirt came just above her knees and showed off her shapely legs, as did her patent stiletto heels. Carefully she applied her makeup and brushed her hair, leaving it loose to fall onto her slim shoulders. A spray of her favourite perfume and she was ready.

  Karl sat on the hard plastic chair in the visiting room waiting for Jason. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the small table in front of him and looked anxiously at the door for sight of his brother. After a few minutes, a guard opened the door and came into the room followed by half a dozen inmates. They all went to sit at the various tables where their visitors were waiting. Jason was the last to enter the room. Karl was shocked to see how much his brother had changed since he had last seen him. His once thick black hair looked lank and greasy. His skin had a strange yellow pallor and his face looked gaunt. Jason strode into the room and sat across from Karl.

  “Thanks for coming, bro. You’re looking well.”

  Karl wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. “What’s up?” he asked abruptly. “You said it was urgent.”

  “Yeah, well, it is urgent, at least to me.” Jason smiled and Karl could see that his teeth were in a poor state.

  “I’m up for parole next week, Karl. It looks like they’re letting me out of this shithole at last.”

  “That’s great news. So what are your plans?”

  “Well, I thought you could put me up for a bit, just until I get on my feet.”

  “Sorry, Jason, I don’t have the room. We’ve only got the one bedroom.”

  “I could kip on the couch. You wouldn’t know I was there.”

  “Maybe not, but Erica would.”

  “Erica? Oh, you mean your wife Erica. I haven’t met her yet. Does she know about me?”

  “No. Why should she?”

  �
��Come on, Karl, we’re brothers. We’re supposed to stand by each other. After all the shit we’ve been through together, it’s only right.”

  “Things have changed,” Karl snapped. “I have a wife and a business to run now.”

  “You make it sound like you’re legit,” Jason smirked. “We both know you’re nothing more than a lousy pimp.”

  “If you’ve asked me here to be insulting…”

  Karl began to rise from his chair.

  “No, no, sorry, bro. I didn’t mean nothing, honest. I just need some help when I get out of here. I could be very useful to you.”

  “Useful? How can you be useful to me?”

  “Word is you’ve bought Danny’s place and you’re making it into a club. You’ll need plenty of bouncers on the doors when you open up. Pole dancing clubs attract all sorts of weirdos.”

  “That’s taken care of,” Karl said dismissively. “Anyway, working on the doors is the last sort of job you should be doing. With your temper, you’ll end up back in here in no time.”

  “No, Karl, it’s the perfect job. All that free pussy on tap. I can’t wait.” Jason became visibly excited.

  “Don’t be an idiot, that’s not how it works,” Karl said angrily. “The girls are there to work.”

  “I thought they were there for sex?”

  “They are, but only if you pay them.”

  “But I’m the boss’s brother. I wouldn’t have to pay. Perk of the job, hey bro?” Jason laughed.

  Karl sighed. “I’ll see if I can find you a flat, but that’s the best I can do. I don’t want you anywhere near me or the business. Understand?”

  “A flat?” Jason hissed, leaning menacingly across the table towards Karl. “You fucking bastard! You’re my brother. You’re supposed to stand by me and all you can offer is a poxy flat?”

  “Take it or leave it,” Karl shrugged as he walked towards the exit. “You fucked your life up the minute you started taking drugs. You’ve nobody to blame but yourself.”

  Suddenly Jason stood up and reached over attempting to grab Karl, knocking over the table in the process.

  “I bet your precious Erica doesn’t know about Lisa, does she?” he spat. “It would make things very awkward for you if she did.”

  Before Karl could respond, two prison officers ran over and pinned Jason’s arms behind his back. Jason began spitting and kicking out at them.

  “Get off me, you wankers!” he shrieked as they wrestled him to the floor. “Get your fucking hands off me.”

  Another guard pressed an alarm button and soon all the visitors were being escorted out of the room and the prisoners led back to their cells.

  Once outside the prison, Karl got into the waiting car.

  “I don’t want you to mention this visit to anyone, Victor. Do you understand?”

  “What visit, Mr Karl?” Victor grinned. “Do you want to go home now?”

  “No, not yet, I have someone I need to see. Drive up the road. I’ll direct you.”

  The car sped off up the street, making one stop before pulling up outside a block of flats.

  “Wait here,” Karl ordered as he made his way into the building.

  Flat thirty-two had a red painted door and two terracotta flowerpots at either side. An outsider would never guess that behind the red door lived one of the most dangerous men on the planet. Karl rang the bell and it was opened almost immediately by a short, muscular man in his mid-forties.

  “Karl!” he greeted. “Karl Maddox. Good to see you, mate. Come in.”

  Karl entered the well-furnished living room.

  “You’re looking well, Barney,” Karl smiled. “Here, I’ve brought you a present.” He handed him a bottle of single malt whisky.

  “Thanks, mate,” Barney beamed. “I’ll have a glass now. Want one?”

  “When have you ever known me to refuse?”

  “So, big man, what brings you to this neck of the woods?” Barney asked as he sat on the brocade couch, indicating Karl to do the same. “Don’t tell me you’re starting up a business in Manchester.”

  “No, it’s nothing like that,” Karl grinned, taking a sip of the whisky. “I’ve just been to visit Jason in the nick.”

  “I heard he was banged up again, the stupid young bugger. Bit of a bad boy is your Jason.”

  “Bit of a bloody idiot.”

  “Well yes, he always was a feisty little bastard.”

  “I put it down to the drugs. I’ve warned him about it but… well you know what it’s like once they get a taste for it.”

  Barney nodded in agreement. “It’s a mug’s game, that’s for sure.”

  “Barney, the reason I’m here… I want you to do me a favour.”

  “Name it,” Barney said as he swallowed his whisky in one gulp.

  “I want you to arrange for Jason to be kept in jail for a while longer. He’s due for release next week if he keeps his nose clean, but I would prefer it if he doesn’t get out just yet. I’m in the middle of a big deal and I don’t want that little twat messing it up.”

  Barney gave an understanding nod.

  “No problem, mate. I’ll get word out today. Consider it done.”

  “Thanks,” Karl said, finishing his drink, “but Jason must never find out about this conversation.”

  “Don’t worry. This is between you and me, and that big bastard inside that I’ll get to provoke your little brother.”

  Both men laughed.

  “One for the road?”

  “Don’t mind if I do.”

  Erica let herself into the flat and, hanging her coat on the stand, made her way into the neat kitchen. Smiling, she walked over to the fridge. There, on the inside of the door were two bottles of chilled Chardonnay. She removed one of the bottles and, taking two glasses from the cupboard, made her way into the bedroom. She didn’t have long to wait before she heard the key in the lock.

  “So, you decided to come over,” Joe said, standing at the bedroom door smiling.

  “Yes, darling. I’ve got a couple of hours free. I’m not meeting Karl until four.”

  “Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?” he said, taking off his jacket and beginning to unbutton his shirt.

  “You did, many times, but you can tell me again and again,” she laughed. “Now come to bed. I’m feeling lonely.”

  NINETEEN

  Joe was already at the club when Karl and Victor arrived at three-thirty.

  “How’s it going?” said Karl.

  “Everything’s on schedule,” answered Joe. “Danny and Billy are upstairs finishing their packing. The removal van has already taken their furniture.”

  “When are the tables and lighting being taken out?”

  “Tomorrow morning. Half are going to a club in Birmingham and the other half is staying local.”

  Karl nodded approvingly.

  “I got a really good price for them. I didn’t realise they would fetch as much as they did.”

  “The company who are remodelling the club will be here tomorrow afternoon. They’ve fitted out clubs before so they know what they’re doing.”

  “Good. What about upstairs?”

  “I’ve put three quotes on your desk. They’re all available to start work immediately.”

  “It’s all coming together,” Karl grinned, rubbing his hands together. “This place will be ready for business in a few short weeks.”

  “Mr Karl,” said Victor, “do you want me to collect money from Marion now? I didn’t have time this morning.”

  “No, not now, I’ve told you about this before. You collect from the house before the girls start work. It puts the punters off if they see you there. I want you to call round tomorrow morning before twelve.”

  Victor shrugged and looked sulkily down at the floor. “Okay, I’ll call tomorrow.”

  It was just before four o’clock when Erica walked into the club.

  “Ah, there you are,” Karl smiled, holding her head in both hands and kissing her on the mo
uth. “You look lovely, Erica. Is that a new dress?”

  “Yes, I bought it when I was in Ireland.”

  “Ireland? I hope you didn’t wear it over there.”

  “Of course I didn’t. I was busy looking after Mary, not going out partying.”

  Karl frowned as he walked to the bottom of the stairs. “You’d better get a move on, Danny,” he shouted. “The taxi will be here in a minute.”

  “Coming,” Danny replied, somewhat breathlessly as he descended the stairs, a suitcase in each hand. He was followed closely by Billy. Erica walked over to Danny, her arms outstretched.

  “Goodbye, Danny,” she smiled, giving him a gentle hug. “I hope everything works out for you both.”

  “Thanks for coming, Erica. I appreciate it. Make sure you take good care of this man,” he nodded towards Karl. “Try to keep him out of trouble.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Erica grinned.

  The taxi pulled up outside and the driver pressed his horn.

  “Well, time to go,” Danny grinned. “This time tomorrow it will be sand, sea and…”

  “Sex?” Karl joked.

  “I was going to say sand, sea and Sangria, you dirty bugger.”

  Both men laughed.

  “You take care of yourself, Karl,” Danny warned. “Don’t get into any more scrapes. Remember, I won’t be here to patch you up next time you get slashed.”

  Karl walked over to Danny and held out his hand. “You’re starting to sound like an old woman, do you know that?”

  “Just be careful, that’s all I’m saying. I did a pretty neat job, don’t you think?”

  Karl traced the three inch scar on his cheek.

  “Not bad,” he admitted.

  Both men shook hands and Danny and Billy got into the taxi.

  “I still think you got the club too cheap,” Danny said, closing the taxi door. “I could have got a lot more for it than you paid.”

  “You’re absolutely right,” Karl winked. “It just shows what a shit businessman you are.”

  The taxi pulled away from the kerb and Karl and the others waved their goodbyes.

  “Keep in touch,” Karl shouted after the taxi.