Beautiful Beast (Gypsy Heroes #3)(62)

‘I’d never harm your family, Jake.’

I fix him with a stare. ‘No, you’re too clever for that.’

He flicks ash into the ashtray. ‘War between us is good for no one. The Mafia learned that the hard way, eh?’

‘He’s young, I hope he didn’t give too much away,’ I say.

He barks out a laugh, short and sharp. ‘Too much? Shane? You don’t give him enough credit.’

I say nothing. I drag another lungful of smoke and exhale it slowly. Suddenly I feel worried. What has Shane got himself into? What could he possibly have done that Lenny is so pleased with himself. I expected to find him spitting blood.


I frown. ‘What exactly did you agree to with him?’

‘Relax, Jake. He’s a chip off the old block. He didn’t have to give too much away. It was no big deal. I was happy to give her up. She’s damaged goods. I was keeping her as an act of charity.’ He looks at me craftily. ‘He helped set me up with a juicy deal.’

He glances at his cigarette tip. ‘And the little punk introduced me to two of the best whores I’ve ever had. I’m flying them both over for this weekend. One of the f*cking bitches is double-jointed. She can suck her own *.’

He stops to catch my gaze, and there is something chilling about his eyes. ‘They put up a good show. I could give you their phone numbers if you want?’

There is a sour taste in my mouth. Amazing to think this was my life for so long. It wasn’t me then, and it’s certainly not me now. I grind the cigarette butt in the ashtray on the table. ‘Thanks, but I’ll pass.’

Lenny watches me with his empty eyes. I know he is hiding something. That bullshit about keeping Snow as an act of charity, my four-year old daughter could see through that one. Shane has something on him, but I don’t need to know how far Shane has gone. Shane did what he had to do. All I need to know is that Lenny has not been left with a grudge. And I am satisfied that no retaliation is due. I stand up.

‘See you around, Lenny.’

‘Give my regards to Snow,’ he says.

I turn around and stare at him.

He smiles slowly. ‘Bad joke,’ he says.

I open the door and walk out of his property never to return.





Thirty-seven


SHANE

I stand outside the gates to her parents’ house. There is a bell, but before I can ring it, a skeletal man in an old shirt and stained baggy trousers starts crossing the garden and comes towards me. His face is full of wrinkles and he has only a few yellowing sticks for teeth. He stands a foot away from the gate and peers worriedly at me.

‘Snow. Is Snow home?’ I ask with a friendly smile.

And suddenly his face splits into two with a happy greeting. Nodding vigorously, he unlocks the gate and lets me in. I wait while he relocks the gate, and when he makes a beckoning gesture with his right hand, I follow him. He opens the front door, kicks off his rubber slippers and looks pointedly at my shoes.

‘Of course,’ I say, and take off my shoes.

He points to a sofa. I sit and he quickly disappears. I look around me. It reminds me of a Balinese interior with beautiful hardwood furniture and two fans tuning lazily on the ceiling. I walk to the window and look out … and I immediately see her.

She is in the garden sitting on a covered swing reading a book. I turn away to go to her and find a blonde woman in her early to mid forties standing at the entrance of the room. She is beautiful in a hard sort of way, and even though no two women could be less alike, I know immediately that this is Snow’s mother. She has the chilly, stern air of a school mistress. Her eyes sweep over me disparagingly. Oh f*ck! T-shirt and jeans. Not a good look, Shane, my boy. She would have warmed better to a sharp suit and a Rolex watch.

She comes forward. ‘You are looking for my daughter, I believe,’ she says in such a strong British accent that she must take great pride in it to keep it so strong after all these years of living in a foreign country.

‘Hello, Mrs. Dilshaw.’

She inclines her head to acknowledge my guess. ‘I’m afraid I have no idea who you are.’

‘I’m Shane Eden.’

‘Have a seat, Mr. Eden.’

I walk to the settee I just vacated. She perches daintily on the one opposite mine. ‘May I ask what you want of my daughter?’

I smile. ‘I guess you could say that I’ve come to ask your daughter out.’

Her eyes become hostile. ‘Didn’t my daughter run away from you?’

‘No. She misunderstood the situation. I’ve come to explain.’

‘I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Mr. Eden.’

I frown. ‘Why not?’

‘This is not London, Mr. Eden. We have different customs here. Certain … niceties have to be observed. Reputations are so easily ruined. Snow’s father is in the process of negotiating a marriage for her. I’m sure you’ll appreciate how confusing it will be for her to have your presence here now. I’m sorry you have had a fruitless journey, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to see my daughter.’

‘I totally understand. Thank you for being so frank with me,’ I say and stand.

She stands too, but with surprise etched in her eyes. I don’t think she expected such an easy victory.