44

Bill squared up to Anton. ‘I said that’s enough.’

Now that he was on his feet it occurred to Paula that when she’d come in he’d had his hands behind his back as if they were tied. But now he had nothing around his wrists but his shirt sleeves.

‘Will somebody tell me what the hell’s going on?’ she demanded.

‘Sit down, Bill.’ Daphne’s voice barely concealed panic. She was looking from Bill to Anton and her face suggested she was worried about what Anton was capable of.

‘Yes, sit down, Bill,’ Anton said as he bared his teeth.

‘No. I’ve had enough. Time after time I’ve listened to you, and time after time you’ve gone too far. I want out. I’ve had enough of you and your threats.’

‘I don’t threaten, Billy, I act.’ He held the knife up. ‘Now unless you want this, you’ll sit down right now.’

But Bill stayed on his feet and stared at Anton as if considering making a challenge. If he did that someone was going to get hurt, thought Paula. Probably Bill.

Desperate to try and diffuse the situation she said, ‘Will someone please tell me what is going on here? Daphne? Bill?’

Daphne sat as if shrinking into herself, her face tight with fear. Bill examined Paula as if he was wondering how he could say what he needed to say.

There was a look of grim satisfaction on Anton’s face, as if all of his plans were about to come to terrible fruition.

‘Will you tell her, or will I?’ Anton asked Bill.

‘Don’t you…’ Bill began, but Anton held up the knife to silence him.

Then he turned to Paula. ‘Mr Gadd and I have been in business together for some time. Quite a few years actually. Selling a bit of this and a bit of that. Then he began to sample too much of the merchandise…’

‘Hey…’ Bill protested.

‘I will use this,’ Anton shouted, brandishing the knife again. ‘Sit. Now.’

Bill looked both furious and wary. Whatever had been in the script had not included this.

Anton waited, but Bill remained standing, almost daring Anton to use the knife. What did sampling too much of the merchandise mean? Drugs? Prostitution? Paula stared from Bill to Anton. Bill blinked first and sat down.

‘I thought you worked in that menswear shop,’ Paula said in a low voice.

Bill looked over at her. ‘Work it out, Paula for Christ’s sake. You always were the smart one.’

She studied Bill as if this was the first time she’d laid eyes on him. Didn’t he work in a men’s shop at all? Or was that just a front so people wouldn’t ask where the money was coming from? If it was drugs he was involved in she hadn’t seen any signs. Certainly, since Christopher died, Bill and Daphne had been less and less in their lives, but even so, how on earth did she miss all of this? With a turn of her stomach, she wondered just how much Thomas had been involved.

‘Your husband was mister goody two boots,’ Anton said, mangling the phrase. ‘He had no clue about drugs, but I worked out he was good prospect for helping me move big money for my clients, and then Father Joe made a mess of his gambles … it was like a gift.’ He gave her a nasty smile.

‘You mean you didn’t help Thomas rebuild the cottage?’

Anton threw his head back and laughed, as if this was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. ‘I don’t know what way to use screwdriver. No way can I build house.’

Open-mouthed, Paula shook her head. Could she have been any more naïve? She’d have to process that fact later. If there was a later. She turned to Bill. ‘So, if Anton hadn’t already met you, Joe would never have got involved. You’re happy for your brother to believe he was responsible for all of this mess? How do you sleep at night, Bill Gadd?’ Her tone was scathing.

‘Hey,’ Daphne sat forward in her chair. ‘Your Tommy was no bloody saint. So get off Bill’s back, you little tart.’

Paula looked at Daphne as if she was a stranger. In this situation, why was she having a go at her? She struggled for something to say. All she could manage was, ‘Don’t talk to me like that.’

‘Oh, please.’ Daphne adopted a whiney tone. ‘Don’t talk to me like that.’ She laughed bitterly. ‘You were about to shag my husband.’

‘Wait … what?’ Daphne knew?

‘And if that isn’t a kicker.’ Daphne’s eyes were full of loathing. ‘If you knew what he’d gone through for you…’

‘Daphne,’ Bill shouted. ‘Enough.’

Daphne looked up at her husband, shifted on her seat and swallowed what it was she was about to say. Then went with. ‘Whatever, precious Paula. Know this. Tommy was no saint. He stole a million pounds from those accounts. And if we don’t get it back we could all die.’

At the mention of the missing money both men returned their attention to Paula. And from Anton’s expression his previous attempt at assault was about to be resumed.

Squirming in her chair, Paula thought about everything Anton had done so far. Her death, should he go that far, wasn’t going to be more than the weight of a feather on his conscience.

She needed to give him an answer.

But where could Thomas have hidden the money? And in this moment of danger she found she wasn’t that bothered about herself. If she died, she died. All she wanted was that it might be painless. But his next stop after her was bound to be Joe, and she’d fight to protect him. She needed to give Anton a place to search.

‘I check the cottage. Very thoroughly,’ Anton shrugged. ‘Nothing there.’

‘Please believe me. I’ll get down on my knees if it makes any difference, but I know nothing about this million pounds. I had no idea you people were involved in that much money.’

‘Then I have to show my bosses something or they kill me – after they rape my wife and daughter in front of my eyes. Better you than me and mine.’ He stepped towards her.

‘Wait. Wait,’ Paula shouted, putting her hands up in front of her. She was trembling so hard it was a wonder she could speak. ‘If you kill me you have no chance of finding the money.’

‘Go on,’ said Anton and took a step back. And another step back, moving until he was standing between the seated Daphne and Bill.

‘I knew Thomas best, right? I’m sure if given enough time I can work out where he hid the money. Please. I just need some time to think this through. Let’s all go and I’ll…’

‘I have no time, Mrs Gadd. My bosses need money now, or they need a body. That body cannot be mine.’

‘Oh, Jesus. How am I supposed to think about this right now?’ She was shaking so badly the words barely sounded in the room.

‘Perhaps you need a little help?’ asked Anton with a mild tone.

‘Yes. Help. I need some help.’

Anton smiled. ‘Then I hope this works for you.’

Without pausing, Anton swung to the right, hard and so fast his arm blurred as he buried his knife into Bill’s chest.