Blood Tracks (20 page)

Declan’s blue lips quivered with cold and impotent rage. He nodded meekly.

Tom leaned over and gave him a hearty slap on the back. “Good boy. Now let me just make myself clear; I like young men with ambition, they remind me of myself, but if I ever even suspect that you’re spying on me, we’ll go for another boat trip and next time I’ll dump you a mile out at sea and I won’t be so quick to fish you out. You understand, don’t you, Declan?”

Declan looked into his boss’s cold blue eyes. Yes, now he understood what kind of man Tom Cotter really was and he felt sick with fear.

Gina held out her hand to Declan as the dinghy came in to land, bumping against the side of the jetty. “God, Declan, you gave us a fright.”

Declan didn’t respond as he stepped unsteadily out of the boat.

“He’s had a shock; he’s freezing. Come here, love, let’s get you back to Tom’s house,” her mum said, drawing her coat around the silent boy.

“How did you fall out?” Danny asked.

Tom answered for him. “He stood up. He didn’t listen to me.”

“You’re a right divvy,” Danny laughed.

Declan’s face remained grim.

Danny suddenly realized it wasn’t a laughing matter. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he added.

“He’s fine. He just needs to find his sea legs,” Tom said encouragingly.

Back at the house Tom was an attentive host. Fussing over Declan, insisting that he kept the change of clothes he gave him and trying to coax him to stay for dinner, but all Declan wanted to do was to get as far away from his boss as possible.

“I really need to get home.” He smiled at Tom through gritted teeth.

“We’ll all go,” Gina’s mum said.

“No, please don’t. I’ll get the train, it’s no bother.” His voice was blank.

“Well, I really enjoyed our little sailing lesson, Declan. Anytime you want another one, just let me know,” Tom offered, generously.

Declan shot him a cutting look.

Gina followed Declan out of the front door and onto the sweeping driveway.

“Are you sure you feel well enough to go home alone?”

“Stop fussing, Gina, it was only a dip in the sea.” He gave a weak smile and began to walk away but suddenly rushed back to her, throwing his arms around her and squeezing.

She tapped three times like a submitting judo opponent. “Declan,” her muffled voice called out from his chest. “I can’t breathe.”

He released her.

She saw his crumpled face, his eyes watery. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just all that sea water, still stinging my eyes.” He backed away and strode down the path. “Please, take care, Gina,” he shouted without turning round.

By the time Declan stood on the railway platform his fear and shock had turned to anger. He waited impatiently for his call to be answered.

“Hello, Declan,” the thick voice said.

“He’s on to me!”

“What are you on about?” Stevie asked.

“Cotter, he’s just nearly drowned me in the sea. He knows I’ve been spying on him. He threatened me. He’ll let me drown next time.”

“You didn’t tell him anything, did you?” the man asked anxiously.

“Of course I didn’t! I’m not stupid.”

“Good lad. You’ve done well. We’ve got him on the run.”

“It doesn’t feel like it. It’s not safe. I can’t do this any more.” Declan’s voice wavered.

“We can’t stop now. You’ll be fine. Cotter was testing you out and you held your nerve. People make mistakes when they’re rattled and Tom Cotter is obviously a nervous man. You’ve got nothing to worry about; I’ve got your back!”

“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”

Danny opened the door to their bathroom and found Tom in a haze of steam and scents, a towel wrapped around his waist, his toned torso stretched as he vigorously rubbed another towel over his wet hair.

“Sorry,” Danny said in sleepy surprise. “I didn’t know you were here. I’ll wait outside.”

“No, come on in, I’ve finished. I stayed over last night, downstairs.” He beckoned Danny in and then spun him round, tutting playfully. “Let me have a look at that bedhead. You need some serious attention.”

“You can talk. You look like you’ve got a hangover,” Danny retorted, looking at Tom’s bloodshot eyes.

It was true that Tom wasn’t looking his best. Yesterday evening he’d come round to see the family after work, determined to stay the night. Before Clare knew it, it was late and he’d drunk too much whisky to drive home. He’d quietly suggested to Clare that he might sleep over, on the sofa bed in the living room. At first she’d seemed unsure. “But what about Gina?”

“Be strong, Clare,” Tom had replied. “Remember, ‘tough love’, you’re the one in charge, not Gina. And I’m only sleeping on the sofa, for God’s sake.”

Clare had taken his advice and refused to listen to Gina’s protests.

When Tom brought in his washbag from the car, Clare was surprised. “You’ve come prepared,” she said.

He laughed it off, replying, “I was a boy scout, you know.”

Gina had gone to bed that night, seething and unsettled knowing that Tom was sleeping in their house.

However, despite his little victory, Tom was regretting staying over. His nerves were in tatters after a torturous night lying in the sofa bed with Martin’s urn looming over him from the shelf opposite. Tom never used to be a superstitious man, but all night he’d been convinced there was a presence with him in the freezing room. He lay awake, unable to tear his eyes from the urn; haunted by his thoughts.

“Don’t be cheeky,” Tom said to Danny. “It’s not a hangover, I just haven’t slept very well. All my beds have those memory foam mattresses, it’s like sleeping on a cloud. You should all spend more time at mine. I’ve got those five bedrooms and they’re all en suite.”

“Yeah.” Danny nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve always thought your house was amazing. I love your snooker room.”

“Well, if I knew you were going to be staying more, I’d think about having a swimming pool built. Would you like that?”

Danny looked like he might burst with excitement. “Oh my God! A swimming pool! That would be brilliant. You’ve got to get one.”

“We’ll see.” Tom grinned. “Now come here and get some gel on that hair.” He skimmed some from a pot on the basin and worked it through Danny’s soft curls.

“Good man, that’s more like it. But if you
really
want the ladies to go wild for you—”

Danny screwed up his face. “Get lost, I don’t want any girls after me.”

“That’s what you say now, Danny boy, but next year, when you hit secondary school, you’ll be falling in and out of love on a weekly basis. So best to start working on your image now, preparing the ground…and I have just the thing.”

He picked out a small cellophane-wrapped box from his washbag. He unwrapped it and pulled out an ornate bottle. With a flourish he eased out the bottle’s glass stopper and poured a couple of drops of the clear liquid onto his hand, clapping his palms together and then patting them on Danny’s cheeks.

“Urgh, you’ve made me smell like a girl,” Danny protested.

Tom roared with laughter. “You should be thanking me. This little of bottle here cost a hundred and eighty pounds!”

“A hundred and eighty quid, for that!” Danny pointed at the bottle in disgust.

“And worth every penny!” Tom declared.

“Is that the bottle you got in France?” Danny asked.

“Yep, I found it in an exclusive perfumery on our Paris trip.”

“Yuk, so it
is
for girls!”

“No, it’s aftershave, Danny. Only real men can get away with wearing this.” He gazed at the frosted bottle admiringly. “I thought I’d never be able to get hold of this stuff again. I’d been looking for it for ages; couldn’t even get hold of it on the internet. Everyone said they’d stopped making it.”

“Yeah, that’s probably because the fumes were killing people.” Danny grimaced.

“You’ve got a lot to learn. This stuff is like a magic potion. It casts a spell – just a couple of drops make you irresistible to women – and I’m talking women who look like models.”

“I’ve got more important things to think of than stupid girls, Uncle Tom; my fish tank is still a mess,” he said, trying to wipe the aftershave off with a towel.

Tom snatched the towel from him. “I know, I noticed that the water was getting greener.”

“Yeah, you can hardly see the fish. They might be suffocating or maybe they’ll all get some horrible disease and die!”

“Well, what can you do about it?”

“I put in a tablet but it hasn’t worked. I need to go to the aquarium, get something stronger.”

“Tell you what, little man. Why don’t you leave that to me?” Tom said.

“Really?” Danny said gratefully.

“Sure, as long as you promise to keep that aftershave on all day. Trust me, Danny, report back after school and tell me if I wasn’t wrong.” He put the bottle back in his washbag, which was perched on the side of the bath. He winked at his protégé and exited the bathroom. Danny locked the door and stood on his tiptoes, admiring himself in the mirror, half convinced that perhaps now he really
was
a babe magnet.

Seconds later the handle turned, followed by a knock.

“Danny, is it you in there? Hurry up! I’m running late.”

Danny scowled. “Don’t I get any privacy?”

“Just open the door, will you?”

Gina entered and sniffed the air.

“What’s that smell?” Her voice was a whisper.

“Oh God, does it stink? He told me women love it.”

“Love what?”

“His stupid aftershave. He put it on me.”

“Come here.” She pulled her brother’s face towards hers and inhaled deeply.

“What are you doing?” he said indignantly.

She stood staring into space, her hands still clasped on his cheeks. Danny stamped on her toe and she released him with an “Oww!”

“Bloody hell!” Danny exclaimed. “Uncle Tom said it cast a spell but not on your sister, that’s just sick.”

“Is it Tom’s?”

“Of course it’s Tom’s. It cost a hundred and eighty quid a bottle!”

“Is it new?”

“Yeah, he got it in some stupid shop in Paris. He was going on about how it was his favourite.”

“Have you got the bottle?”

“He put it in his washbag over there. What’s wrong with you? You’re acting weird again.”

“Nothing. Just go, Danny. I need to use the bathroom,” she ordered.

She shut the door behind him and grabbed the washbag from the side of the bath. She took out the ornate bottle and hesitated. “Maybe I
am
insane!” Gina said, looking at her shaken reflection in the mirror.

She held the bottle to her nose and pulled out the stopper with a
POP!
The aroma escaped like a genie. A wave of nausea washed over her, causing bile to rise in her throat. She eased herself down onto the bathroom floor, waiting for the feeling to pass. A rap on the door startled her, but it was her mum’s voice that called out: “Come on, Gina! You’re going to be late for school.”

Gina got off the floor and opened the bathroom door.

Her mum’s brow furrowed on seeing Gina’s sickly-looking face. “Are you okay, love?”

“Yes, fine.” She forced a smile. “Listen, Mum, do you know about this new aftershave Tom got from Paris?” She showed her the frosted bottle.

“Oh yes, lovely, isn’t it? But you shouldn’t be touching Tom’s things, Gina.”

“Has he ever used it before?”

“Yeah. It used to be his favourite. He’s looked everywhere for it. You should have seen him when he found it in this perfumery; he was like a big kid.” Her mum smiled to herself at the recollection.

“When did he used to wear it?”

“How am I meant to remember that?” She straightened her supermarket uniform. “You should ask him yourself.”

“No, I was just being nosy. I was thinking I might get Declan a bottle.”

“Gina, you won’t be able to afford a bottle of that stuff. I bet Declan would be happy with something much less expensive. I could pick you up something from my place, if you want?”

“No, don’t worry. I’ll leave it for now,” Gina said, making a show of replacing the bottle in Tom’s washbag.

“Okay, love. Just hurry up.”

Gina waited for her mum to walk into the bedroom before retrieving the aftershave from the washbag and putting it into her pocket.

She loitered on the landing, trying to think of a way of avoiding Tom, but she knew that if she waited for him to go to work she’d be late for school. She began walking down the stairs using the banister for support. Tom came into view. He was standing in the living room doorway, staring across at the murky green water in the fish tank.

“Look at the state of it,” he huffed, glancing up at her on the stairs. “Bloody Kylie and her fish-keeping skills. Don’t worry, Gina, I’m going to get this sorted for Danny. There must be a simple way to get rid of all that algae, mustn’t there?”

Her silence prompted him to look up at her properly this time. He noticed how tightly she was holding onto the banister. She seemed as twitchy as a mouse cornered by a cat.

“Are you okay, Gina? Aren’t you feeling well?” he asked, concerned.

Gina couldn’t look at him. She ran down the stairs and out of the front door, shouting, “I’ve got to get to school.”