‘Jesus, Bill, that was another red light.’
‘I don’t see no bizzies.’
‘I told you, they’ve got honorary bizzies over here. They’re just local twats given a badge to check the hedgerows don’t overhang, but they can stop you for traffic stuff.’
‘Burn ’em off in this bitch.’
He speeded up, then braked sharply as he came upon an unexpected bend. ‘Fuckin’ hell! Where’s a good stretch of road in this place?’
‘Out west. Five Mile Road. It’s not even five miles. Just seems it to these inbreds.’
‘Is it on our way?’
‘No. Let me check where we’re at.’
Louise turned on the interior light and peered between the open map and the passing turnings. ‘Can you slow down? I can’t see the names.’ He didn’t respond. ‘For fuck’s sake, it’s a thirty-mile-an-hour speed limit! You’re clocking fifty.’
‘You been here too long.’
‘Slow down.’
‘Wanna get there before he goes out for the night.’
‘We’re not going to get there at all if you don’t let me check the road names.’
‘How many times you been there?’
‘Once. To threaten him. His wife was there. He damn near shat his kecks when he saw me.’
‘What’s he gonna do when he sees me?’
‘He might not be there. Like you said, he might be out.’
‘Then we’ll wait.’
‘Okay, there’s a left coming up … here … Fucking slow down!’
Billy wrenched the steering wheel and, as the car swung towards a lane, the back end slid round and clipped a garden wall. Billy gunned the engine and skidded off, whooping and punching the horn.
Louise had originally hooked up with Billy for status and power. Being his girl meant she was somebody. She had thought they were equals, that in time she could control him. Before he’d been put inside that notion was already sliding away from her. Now it had vanished. Billy was living proof that prison was not a corrective, she thought. He was like a difficult dog sent off for training that had come back knowing how to rip out a throat. She had been sure he would get up to no good inside, and have his sentence extended to the point at which, when he came out, he couldn’t reasonably express any claim on her, preferably being a frail old man. But he was here now, next to her, desperate to prove himself the harder man, the bigger man, the richer man. But the really big men, Louise thought, the so-rich-they-couldn’t-spend-their-money-in-a-lifetime men, well, you never knew who they were. Billy was small-time, would always make too much noise to get away with anything bigger.
‘Take a right here.’
‘Where?’
‘Here!’
It had started to rain harder than the wipers could cope with. That, and the lack of streetlights, meant Billy turned too late and smashed the left headlight into a granite gatepost.
‘Fuck! These stupid fuckin’ pissy roads.’ He reversed back and carried on.
‘There’ll be nothing left of this car by the time we get there.’
‘He got nice wheels?’
‘A few.’
‘We should take a new ride, then.’
‘Let’s not push our luck, Bill.’
‘You what?’
‘We don’t want to push him to the point he’d call the cops … bizzies.’
‘I thought you said he wants to keep his missus.’
‘Keep it to threats, don’t actually touch him. And, honestly, let’s not go too high. Maybe another ten.’
‘I told you, I need fifty. And another car.’
‘What if he comes after you? With the law?’
‘He won’t. I’ll know where he lives.’
Louise realised this was not going to end tonight. Rob would never be free of Billy, which meant she would never be free of either of them. ‘Let’s think for a moment.’
‘I am thinkin’, and it seems to me you might still be a bit sweet on this guy.’
‘No.’
‘What if it wasn’t a honey-trap? What if you’re his fuckin’ bit on the side?’
‘Why would he give me ten grand?’
‘Buy yourself a nice flat, set yourself up, so he can come and fuck you somewhere other than that shithole bedsit you’re livin’ in. Or does he take you to his hotel?’
‘You’ve got it all wrong.’
‘We’ll find out, won’t we?’
‘He’s not going to tell you anything I haven’t.’
‘I’m sure he’ll play along with your story, but I’ll be lookin’ at your face when I open him up. See if you shed a tear for him.’
Louise felt sick to her core. She knew that whatever she said, whatever Rob said, didn’t matter. Billy was going to half kill him. He would be hospitalised. His wife could be at home. There was no way to avoid questions and investigations, which would end where it had begun, with her and a blackmail charge. She’d thought Billy might scare Rob into upping the money, and she had no problem with him taking a few slaps – he was still a prick. But he didn’t deserve what was about to happen to him. And, crucially, neither did she.
Rob’s house was coming up on the right. She recognised the ludicrous lamps that blazed over the too-short drive. Lights were on. Someone was home.
‘Keep going straight for a while.’
‘Me and straight don’t go too well!’
They had passed Rob’s house and she could send Billy round in circles while she thought of what to do – she doubted he’d recognise the road when they came back on to it: he wouldn’t twig she’d played for time. No, they couldn’t come back on to this road. She had to get through to him.
‘Another right here, then keep going till I tell you.’
He turned, this time without damaging the car.
‘Bill, you’ve just got out. I don’t want you to go back inside.’ She put her hand on his upper thigh and stroked it, hoping to disguise the shake that had set in.
‘Yeah, you were pinin’ for me big-time, over here suckin’ some rich man’s cock for money.’
‘I told you, it wasn’t like that.’
‘I were against you doin’ it again, but if it’s what you like, maybe you should. Maybe I should put you to work, suckin’ cocks. You like cocks, I like cash. We both win.’
She mustered some of her old fire. ‘You don’t own me, Billy McCaffrey. You went away. What I did then is not your business. I don’t know what you did inside – for all I know you were sucking cocks for ciggies and taking it up the arse for an extra go on the table football. I don’t give a shit. What’s done is done. We’re here now. If you want me, you better treat me with some fucking respect.’
‘That’s better! That’s my Lou! You fuckin’ scared me back in your room. Folded like a little girl. Fine, you’re forgiven, but he fuckin’ isn’t.’
‘No.’
‘No? Watch it, girl, you’re still my old lady. I ain’t bein’ told what to do.’
‘They’re on to you.’
‘Who?’
‘Bizzies. They know you’re here.’
‘How the fuck d’you know?’
‘One of them came to see me.’
‘What? Why the fuck you tellin’ me now?’
‘Because I knew you’d be like this.’
‘What’d he say?’
‘That a Scouser stuck a knife in a bloke’s mouth. Jesus, Bill.’
‘This Island has one dealer – one! Imagine how easy it’ll be to take over.’
‘They won’t put up with it here, same as they won’t put up with you beating the shit out of some local businessman. They’ll come down on you like a sledgehammer. Best thing you can do is get on a boat in the morning, and get the fuck off.’
‘Best thing I can do? Thought we was back on. Thought you didn’t want me back inside.’
‘If I wanted you back inside I’d take you straight to Barney.’
‘Who’s fuckin’ Barney?’
‘The cop.’
‘You on first names with a bizzie? You fuckin’ him too?’
‘You’re paranoid.’
‘Go on, then. Take me to Barney. I don’t fuckin’ believe you. I don’t believe he exists. And you should be fuckin’ glad of that, because if I thought you were talkin’ to the bizzies, I’d put you under the fuckin’ wheels of this car.’
‘Yeah, ’cause it’s really easy to get away with a murder on an island this small.’
‘You just want me off so you can go back to your fuckin’ boyfriend ’cause he’s got money. Well, I’m gonna take his money.’
‘Calm down—’
‘Shut your fuckin’ whore mouth! Do not speak unless it’s to tell me where to drive.’
Louise gripped the side of the seat to stop herself quivering. She was out of moves. She could direct Billy down to Rouge Bouillon police station. There was no way he’d drive in, but she might be able to jump out, run in and yell for Barney or anyone who was around. But then what? If they caught Billy, best-case scenario they’d confiscate the ten grand on the back seat and blame him. Worst case, she’d be done for blackmail, either because Billy would land her in it out of spite or because, knowing her luck and this spider’s web of an island, someone at the station would recognise the briefcase, the initials or both and call Rob in to have her stuck in a cell next to Billy’s, from which he’d find a way to get to her. She’d be the rat who’d landed Billy in jail: there’d be no shortage of volunteers to fuck her up.
‘Well?’
‘You told me not to speak unless it was directions.’
‘And you haven’t given me any for a while.’
‘There’s only about four roads on this place. You’re on the right one. Up to the top.’
Rain, dark lanes, the outlines of trees waving, like a giant toddler had grabbed them by the root and was trying to shake off the last leaves of autumn. Louise eyed the lock on the door and wondered if she could unlock and open it before Billy guessed what she was up to. She didn’t have her seatbelt on, but neither did he – he’d be straight after her. Unless she jumped out while the car was moving. But if she landed badly she had no doubt he’d just reverse over her.
‘Where are we?’
She had no idea. They were banking wildly to the left and the right on a downhill lane barely the width of the car. ‘Nearly there,’ she said. ‘He owns all this.’
‘Where the fuck’s his house, then?’
Billy slowed the car as the headlights picked out a small gravelled car park and a sign that said ‘Saie Bay’. They were out of road.
She clenched her jaw, took a breath and turned to him, putting her arms round his neck. ‘Billy,’ she murmured, ‘I’m sorry.’
He turned to her, clearly expecting a kiss, but she pulled him towards her at the same time as she brought her forehead crushing down on the bridge of his nose. He reeled backwards, gasping.
‘Fuckin’ bitch!’ One hand covered his face while the other grabbed towards her, but she had opened the door and jumped out.
She ran as fast she could across the car park and up a small field. She felt herself pushed on and lifted by the wind, which was battering everything around her. Up the slope was a small wood. There were no house lights to be seen. She needed a phone. Between Barney Vautier and Billy she had made her choice. Billy didn’t know where he was but she had a vague idea. Somewhere on the north coast. Just keep moving. A path ran in front of a series of large rocks and she spotted a small brick hut. Suddenly she felt a blow to the back of her head and fell, colours dancing before her eyes in the dark.
‘Cunt!’ she heard Billy yell. A fist-sized rock lay next to her on the muddy ground – he must have thrown it.
‘Fuckin’ cunt!’ he screamed, as he approached. ‘Although respect, that was a fuckin’ great headbutt!’
She felt his hands on her waist. He turned her over, sitting astride her, trapping her arms by her sides. Blood was streaming down his face, giving him a macabre red beard.
‘Please, Bill, no …’
‘I’m not gonna kill you, Lou. I’m gonna do somethin’ worse.’
He leant his head back in the rain, and gave it a shake. ‘Why’d you have to fuckin’ do that, Lou? Why’d you have to do any of it? I fuckin’ loved you! And now you’re makin’ me do this …’
He pulled out a knife.
‘No! Stop! Help!’ screamed Louise.
‘He’s not here, Lou. Not Rob, not that Danny, not your bizzie mate Barney. Just me. I don’t know if you fucked one or all of them. But I know this. None of them’s gonna want to fuck you after this.’
He fish-hooked her mouth open with his left hand and brought the knife in front of her face. She pushed up with her hips and jerked her head round to bite down on his fingers as hard as she could. She tasted blood and heard a crack. He dropped his knife, screaming, and tried to pull his hand free, bucking on top of her, which allowed her to free her arms. She scrabbled around as he leant closer, no longer struggling to free his damaged fingers, but using his palm to push her chin up, exposing her neck.
‘I am going to piss down your slit throat,’ he rasped, picking up his knife and waving it in front of her eyes. Her flailing hand found the rock that had knocked her down. She clasped it, then smashed it as hard as she could against the side of his face. He fell off her, his head hitting one of the large stones. She crawled over to him, and raised the rock again, but dropped it. She could see from the hole in his temple that it wasn’t needed. Billy was dead.