ASBO: A Novel of Extreme Terror(35)

Frankie kissed her hard on the mouth and then pushed her down onto the sofa beside Penelope. “Yeah, baby. It’s going to get real, but we have all night so just settle in and get some gear on the go.”

“That’s what I’m talking about,” said Dom, hopping up and down. Jordan was in agreement and slapped his twin on the back.

“Before we do that, though,” said Frankie. “Let’s get the women sorted. Last thing we need is them getting away.” He turned to Davie. “Get the old bird taped up, little bro.”

Davie stared at his brother to make sure he was serious. “She won’t do anything, Frankie. I’ll watch her.”

Frankie grabbed the tape off Dom and threw it at Davie. “I’m getting real sick of your arguing, man. Just do what I’m telling you and tape the old bag up.”

Davie stared at his brother a while longer, but realised he was pushing Frankie’s patience. He turned away and pulled off a strip of tape. “I’m sorry,” he told the woman, and then began taping her up.”

She didn’t resist him, but the whole time he wrapped the tape around her wrists she had a look of utter hatred on her face. It made Davie feel wretched inside. As soon as he was done, Davie stood up and moved over to his brother who was peeking out of a gap in the curtains.

“What you want, little bro?” Frankie asked as Davie approached. He didn’t turn away from the window.

“How you know it was me?”

“Cus it seems like lately every time I turn around you’re on my back.”

“Just looking out for you.”

Frankie let the curtain go and turned around. He smiled at Davie. “I know you are. You’re my blood and that means more than anything. But you keep riding me and we’re going to have a problem. You get me?”

Davie nodded. He tried to swallow but found himself unable.

“You don’t need to worry about me,” Frankie continued. “I got my shit tight – wrapped up solid.”

Davie turned and looked at Andrew in the armchair. “They’ll go to the pigs as soon as you let them go, you know? You’ll end up back inside.”

Frankie smirked. “You see, that’s where you underestimate me, little bro. Who said I’m going to let them go?”

Frankie moved away from the window, leaving Davie to think about what his brother intended. He looked around the living room at Andrew and his family: Bex unconscious and her mother taped up and frightened. Then he looked at Michelle, the twins, and his brother. He knew right then that he was different to them all – the odd one out. Unlike them, he was not enjoying this. Not enjoying it at all.





Chapter Twelve


Andrew looked down at his daughter and fought the urge to cry. He would not give these thugs the satisfaction of that. He knew now that he had indeed heard something snap as his precious child had been pushed viciously down the stairs. Her left wrist was purple from the subdural bleeding almost certainly caused by a broken bone. Agony would consume her when she awoke and Andrew hoped with all his heart that she slept till this was all over.

But when will that be, and what will have happened in the meantime?

Andrew watched Frankie, who was kneeling beside the coffee table that was now turned right-side-up. He was emptying a small plastic bag onto the glass surface and a small pile of fine white powder was building up. Frankie’s girlfriend – Michelle – crouched beside him with a small makeup mirror. She was using it to sweep the substance into several parallel lines. The twins stood watching nearby like baying dogs, almost drooling at the sight of the powder in front of them.

Then there was Davie, Frankie’s younger brother – little bro. Andrew watched the boy sitting beside Pen and couldn’t work him out. He was as complicit in this as the rest of them, but something about the expression on his face told Andrew that Davie was not enjoying any of this.

In fact it looks like the kid wants out of here as much as I do.

While everyone was busy doing other things, Andrew took the opportunity to test his bonds. He wriggled side to side, trying to loosen the adhesion of the duct tape that held him to the chair. At first the tape started to give a little, but then the plastic bunched up and became unbreakable. There was no chance of getting free.

Which means I’m f*cked.

Andrew watched while Frankie and his entourage began snorting the lines of white powder, their noses twitching frantically as the substance entered their bodies. Frankie’s regular twitch had now gone into overdrive.