The Guilty Couple(30)

Kelly’s expression hardens. ‘I’m not grassing anyone up.’

‘I’m not asking you to. And I’m pretty sure Olivia’s not in any hurry to break the law again. I just want to know what the two of you chat about and where she goes day to day. I need to know where her head’s at.’

A mischievous light enters Kelly’s eyes. ‘I got it wrong, miss. You’re not stalking me. You’re stalking her.’

‘I’m not stalking anyone. I’m just trying to keep people safe.’

‘Safe, eh? What’s it worth?’

Dani’s face remains expressionless but there’s a spark of jubilation in her chest. She knew Smith would mention money eventually. It’s all solidarity and not grassing your mates up until money is involved.

‘Well you won’t go to prison for one.’

‘That’s not what I meant.’

‘I know exactly what you meant.’

‘I’m not helping you stalk Liv.’

‘You sure about that?’ Dani says. ‘Because I’ll be nicking her next and she’s on probation. She’ll be back inside before she knows it. I wonder how many more of her daughter’s birthdays she’ll miss. Shame you don’t want to save her from that, Smith.’

The defiance in Kelly’s eyes softens, ever so slightly. She might not care about going back to prison, but she doesn’t want her mate to miss out on any more of her daughter’s life.

‘I just want the occasional text,’ Dani says, ‘that’s all I’m asking.’

‘You’re covering your back, aren’t ya?’ Kelly says, a smile pricking at her lips. ‘She’s got you worried.’

That’s part of it, Dani thinks but doesn’t say. If Olivia is sniffing around to prove she was framed then it won’t just be Dom she takes down.

‘Like I said,’ she says. ‘I’m just keeping people safe. So, are you going to do it or am I going to take you both down the station now?’

Smith searches her eyes. She’s still suspicious, and with good reason. ‘What’s to say you won’t nick us anyway?’

‘That depends if you commit another crime.’

‘Or if you catch me.’

‘I’ll catch you, believe you me. And if you tell Olivia about this, or if I get the slightest inkling that you’ve lied to me or omitted to tell me something, it won’t just be a breaking and entering charge you’ll both be facing. I’ll make sure you’re both sent down for a very, very long time.’

Kelly stares back at her, disgust twisting her face as she shakes her head slowly from side to side. ‘You’re a piece of shit.’

Dani raises her eyebrows. ‘Takes one to know one, Smith.’ She thinks about the envelope in her car, stuffed with twenty-pound notes. It’s nowhere near enough to get Casey to rehab but it’s more than enough to seal this deal. She can’t trust Smith not to tell Olivia everything. The threat of prison isn’t enough. But cash might be. She can see it in Kelly’s eyes – she’s tired and she’s hungry. She’s grubby too, and shivering under her cheap bomber jacket.

‘I’ll give you fifty quid now,’ Dani says, ‘to buy yourself something to eat.’

Kelly remains defiant. ‘I don’t need anything to eat.’

‘No? But you’d like a shower, wouldn’t you? And a warm flat? Fifty quid will feed the electricity meter for a while.’ She holds up a hand as the other woman attempts to interject. ‘Yeah, yeah, you could nick well over fifty quid’s worth of stuff in half an hour and sell it on, but how long is that going to take you? How many pubs and flats are you going to have to visit to shift it all? Assuming you don’t get caught first. The security guards in that shopping centre will be on the lookout for you now. You’ll have to “shop” somewhere else. Fifty quid, Smith. Now, in your hand. And another fifty at the end of the week if you do what you’re told. And if you don’t do what you’re—’

‘A hundred,’ Smith counters.

Dani pulls on her arms, still twisted up behind her back. ‘Forget it. Let’s go down the station. We can pick Olivia up en route. Let her know that you had the chance to save her and you screwed her over.’

‘All right, all right.’ Kelly whimpers in pain as Dani pulls on her arms again. ‘I’ll do it. I’ll do it, okay?’





Chapter 21


OLIVIA


Ayesha drops into the armchair, puts her feet up on the footstool and sighs with satisfaction.

‘Thanks.’ She takes the mug I’m holding out and shoots me a grateful smile. She blows on the tea then takes a sip. ‘God, I needed that. Remind me how much it knackers me out, the next time I volunteer to arrange a team retreat.’

I take a seat on the sofa, nursing my mug of tea. ‘Was it that bad?’

‘No. It was all right, quite good fun, but I didn’t stop the whole time.’ She casts an appraising eye over the flat. Thank god I went on a massive cleaning spree the other day. ‘How are you anyway? You look tired.’

‘Yeah, I struggled to get to sleep last night. I did my first cleaning shift and … well, a lot’s happened since I last saw you.’