For Your Own Protection(70)

‘So give it to him, and he’ll go away.’

‘I wish I could.’

‘Why can’t you?’

‘Because I don’t have access to the money or the drugs.’

‘Who does?’

‘James. The plan, to defraud Samson, it was his idea. He dealt with the finances for everything and controlled the supply of the drugs.’

‘Then tell him to give everything to them.’

‘I’ve tried,’ he said. ‘I tried to reason with him, to tell him to just hand it all over, and then maybe they’d leave us alone. But he said he’d sold the remainder of the drugs and spent all the money.’

‘He did you over?’

‘I wasn’t convinced he’d spent all the money. And when you told me about finding that bag of cash hidden in Beth’s house, well, it kind of changed things in my eyes.’

‘You think Samson believes James has run off with the money and the drugs?’

‘Yes.’

‘So he sent Joseph Deed around here to get you to tell him where James was?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m surprised he let you off with such a light beating.’

‘He was in the middle of beating the crap out of me when he got a phone call. Said I was a very lucky man. Then he left.’

‘What if he comes back to finish what he started?’

‘Then we’re in big trouble.’

Matt checked the time. It was gone 1 a.m. ‘First thing in the morning, we go and get Beth and Charlie. Then we’re going away, to lie low for a while.’

‘You serious?’

‘Of course. I’d do anything to protect my family from danger.’





CHAPTER FORTY-NINE


Matt lay on his back, staring at the ceiling in Sean’s spare room. The thin cream curtains let the city light flood in from outside, casting shadows across the room. In the distance, he heard a siren. He leaned over and checked the time on his phone – twenty minutes to two. This promised to be a long and painful night. He rolled over on to his side and closed his eyes, willing himself to drift off.

But sleep proved impossible.

He looked again at his phone. For a second, he considered calling Beth. But she’d be asleep, as would Charlie. A call now would probably wake both of them. It would serve no purpose except to put his mind at rest. He toyed with the phone, then sat up in bed and began typing a text message.

Hope you’re both okay. I’m staying the night at Sean’s. Will be around first thing in the morning. Matt xxx He deleted the kisses, then pressed ‘Send’, before placing the phone back on the side table.

Less than a minute later, his phone buzzed.

Matt. What’s going on? I’m really worried. Sean wouldn’t tell me anything.

So Beth was awake, too – worrying. He typed back a reply: He told me everything earlier. Will tell you tomorrow morning.

Then, as he waited for the reply, he shot off another message: Is your door locked? Turned from the inside?

A few seconds later came the answer.

Yes. Why?

His reply:

Put a chair in front of it too. If anyone knocks in the night, DON’T answer it.

And another thought came to him:

If there is a phone in your room, DON’T answer if it rings.

He waited for the reply.

You’re scaring me Matt. What the hell is going on? I wish you were here now.

He replied:

I wish I was too. But we have to wait until the morning.

Her answer was one word:

Okay.

Matt tapped out his final message of the conversation: See you in the morning.

And then he added:

I will always love you and Charlie. I was a fool to throw it all away. Matt xxx He didn’t expect a reply, and none came.



The text conversation with Beth must have soothed his mind, as he woke at 7 a.m., feeling more refreshed than he’d dared to hope. He showered quickly and wolfed down his breakfast, waking Sean up as he got himself ready. By eight o’clock, they were ready to leave the apartment.

‘What if they’re still around, waiting for us?’ Matt said, as they stood in the hallway.

‘Then we don’t go to the hotel,’ Sean replied. ‘We try to lose them. Maybe call Beth and get them to go somewhere else, away from London. We could meet up with them there.’

‘Sounds like you’ve given this some thought.’

‘I was up quite a lot of last night,’ Sean revealed. He smiled apologetically. ‘Did quite a bit of thinking, to see how I could get you out of the mess I’ve helped to create.’

‘Don’t worry about whose fault it is or isn’t,’ Matt said. ‘Let’s just concentrate on getting through this in one piece, with everyone safe.’

Sean’s hand had just touched the door handle when his phone shrilled. He shot Matt a worried look as he put it to his ear. Sean raised his other hand as he listened, his face ashen.

‘Yes, I understand,’ he said finally, bringing the phone back down by his side. He appeared crestfallen.

‘No,’ Matt said, ‘they’ve not . . .’

Sean winced as his hand went to his swollen nose, eyes closed, his face a mass of bruises.