Face in the Frame (22 page)

“You’re the only drama queen in here. Put that down,” he said, snatching the pen from her hand.

“It’s your turn to see Ricky. I’m not doing it.”

“For once in your life don’t be a selfish cow.”

“I don’t like going when he’s just had an episode, he’s bloody scary. I’m sure Miss Wonderful here can oversee everything while you go,” she said, scowling at Cass.

“Don’t push it Nat. We’re all on edge and Cass is leaving.”

Natalie’s smile could only be described as delighted. “You mean, permanently?”

“Yes I do so this isn’t a good time for your shit.”

“Good, I’m glad she’s going. Stuck up cow.”

“What did you say?” said Cass, jaw clenched.

“Just because you’re my sister doesn’t mean you have the right to insult everyone who works here,” said Brodie. “You watch you nasty tongue.”

“Before I pull it out,” added Cass in a cold voice.

Natalie smirked up at her, secure in the knowledge that she wouldn’t dare hurt her in order to avoid being prosecuted. “We both know that’s not going to happen. You wet your pants when you thought I was going to the police when you hit me last time.”

“I think you overestimate how much it bothered me,” retorted Cass.

“No I don’t,” continued Nat, perfectly secure in her own safety. “You act all tough but underneath you’re just a wuss hiding behind my brother’s name.”

“Nat, I said that’s enough,” said Brodie, noting how Cass was on the verge of exploding.

Nat ignored her brother, running her amber eyes ran up and down Cass derisively. “Look at you, a sad, lonely spinster no one wants.”

Cass’s smile was sly. “Actually I’m moving to London with a famous, handsome millionaire.”

“You’re joking?”

“Nope. Tell her Brodie.”

“It’s true,” sighed Brodie, feeling well and truly caught in the middle. He was even more eager to put an end to this scene when he heard his office phone ringing, hoping it was Hans Albrecht. “I really need to answer that. Christian, Ross, keep an eye on these two,” he said before hurrying back into his office, slamming the door shut before snatching up the phone.

“Hello?” he said.

“Ah hello, I’m wishing to speak to Mr Brodie,” said a heavily-accented voice.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Even when he spelt his name out for people they still got it wrong. “Aye, this is him.”

“Hello, my name is Hans Albrecht. You wished to speak to me about Oliver Fender.”

Brodie was quick to spot the way he spat Oliver’s name out. “That’s right. I’ve been commissioned by a client to gather as much information as I can on him. I was informed you might be a good place to start.”

“Why do you want to know? I don’t understand.”

“I’m afraid I can’t go into too much detail, I have to respect my client’s confidentiality.”

“Is this against Oliver or are you trying to help him?”

“Most certainly against.”

“Well, in that case, what do you want to know?” said Hans, the reticence falling away.

“Just if you encountered any odd behaviour from him when he was your agent?”

“It would have been easier if you’d ask me if I’d encountered any
normal
behaviour from him. Then I could have said no.”

Brodie resisted the urge to punch the air in jubilation. “Are you willing to give me any details?”

“Oh yes. To put it simply, he was in love with me. He would not leave me alone and whenever I began a relationship with a woman he would interfere and mess it all up. I am only thankful the woman I married is strong and ignored all his silly attempts.”

“Did he interfere with your work or did he just let you get on with it?”

“He interfered non-stop. In fact he practically took it over, telling me what to do and how to do it. When he began producing similar pieces to mine I said enough was enough and I got myself a new agent.”

Brodie sighed at the sound of raised voices filtering in from the next room. Cass and Natalie were in a full-blown argument. Peeking through the blinds he saw Christian and Ross standing between them, pleading with both women to calm down but both were ignoring them. His mobile phone began to dance and sing on his desk and Brodie threw it into a drawer when he saw it was bloody Shelley again.

“What is that screeching sound?” said Hans.

“It’s just a couple of…parrots.”

“Ah, you like the birds?”

“Too much pal. These pieces Oliver made, were they any good?”

“Yes, very. It was hard to tell them from the real thing. He said his client before me didn’t mind, he liked him to help out, it took off the pressure of constantly having to produce new work.”

If Brodie had been a cartoon a light bulb would have come on over his head. “Thank you Sir, you’ve been very helpful.”

“Is that it?” said Hans as Brodie hung up on him.

Brodie didn’t have time to mull over what he’d just learnt because there was a cry from outside. He exited his office to see Cass dragging a screeching Natalie to the door, one arm around her neck while Christian and Ross continued to plead with her to release her.

“Let me go you mad cow,” exclaimed Natalie, unsuccessfully struggling against her. Cass might have been slender but she was also very strong and Natalie was no match for her. “Brodie, get her off me.”

“Sorry Nat, I tried to warn you,” he called cheerfully, watching as Cass shoved his sister through the door before slamming it shut and ramming the bolt home. Natalie started banging on the other side, demanding to be let back in.

Cass slammed both fists against it before yelling, “do one you daft bitch before I chuck you down the stairs.”

The thumping stopped.

“Fine but Brodie you’re visiting Ricky,” Natalie called back. “If you think I’m going after this then you’re going to have a shock you bastard.” This was followed by the sound of footsteps heading down the stairs, to all their relief.

Silence reigned as Cass stood stock still, breathing hard, hands balled into fists and glaring furiously at the door, the three men regarding her warily before she said, “sorry Brodie. It was either throw her out the door or throw her out the window.”

“It’s alright hen. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you had chosen the window, she gets on my tits too. I guess from now on I’ll have to throw her out myself.”

Cass just nodded sadly, looking down at the floor again.

“Listen Cass,” continued Brodie.

She looked back up at him hopefully.

“I know you’re going to London with Lucas but just do me a favour and keep your guard up with Oliver.”

Cass blinked at him. “I thought it was Lucas you weren’t sure about.”

“I can change my mind, can’t I? Oliver’s a dodgy wee bastard so just please, take care. He’s going to be even more pissed off at you now.”

“I will,” she said softly, eyes huge and sad.

Brodie cleared his throat and dragged his eyes off her and onto the other two members of his team. “You two,” he barked.

“Yes Boss?” they said in unison.

“Cass needs to go home and pack. Go with her, she’s not to be left alone for a minute, not until she’s left for London.”

“She’s in trouble?” said Christian.

“Well done Poirot,” spat Brodie. “Turns out someone she did over for beating the crap out of their wife is Big Malc’s half-brother.”

“Oh shit,” said Ross.

“Oh shit indeed,” replied Brodie. “Let’s just hope Toni doesn’t take it as personally as Big Malc’s going to. I’ll talk to him.”

“No. I’ll sort it,” said Cass.

“Will you please trust me with this?” he told her. “You’re my employee, this is a work-related incident and I will sort it out.”

Her temper flared. That was all she’d ever be to him, something work-related. “Fine. I’ll go home and pack then.”

Brodie’s expression hardened. “Fine.”

He watched her turn on her heel and storm out, Christian and Ross racing to catch up.

“Bastard Lucas Thorne,” said Brodie when they’d gone. “Bastard Big Malc, bastard McVays. Bastard, bastard, bastard,” he thundered, slamming both fists down on Ross’s desk. She was going to leave with that smooth prick and he would never see her again, what time he would have had with her before she left taken away from him by a bunch of sodding gangsters. He didn’t know what he’d do without her.

CHAPTER 20

Lucas frowned at the dented face, Bill the security guard shuffling beside him. “What on earth happened?”

“Dunno Mr Thorne. I started my shift and found it like this. I reckon it was the cleaners, they’re really clumsy.” Bill could feel himself sweating, terrified Lucas was going to click on to what he’d done.

“It looks like someone’s punched him.”

“Those cleaners are a nasty lost,” he said, his voice feeling to catch in his throat, pinched with nerves. If Lucas cottoned on to what he’d done and tried to take Sylvie away from him he knew he’d finally snap.

“Is there CCTV in this room?”

“No,” said Bill, annoyed when he sounded relieved. He swallowed what felt to be a boulder when Lucas stared at him with those eerie eyes. Bill just stood there, certain Lucas could see right into his brain to what he’d done.

“What on earth happened here?” said a voice.

Bill was relieved when the man he knew to be Lucas’s agent walked into the room, forcing Lucas to take his death stare off him.

“It looks like there’s been an accident,” said Lucas quite coldly, to Bill’s surprise. He’d thought he was very fond of his agent.

“Accident?” shrieked Oliver. “This is vandalism, blatant vandalism. I bet it’s…”

When he abruptly broke off they both peered at him curiously.

“You bet it’s who?” said Lucas.

“No one,” squeaked Oliver.

“Ollie, if you know who did this then you must tell me,” pressed Lucas.

“Oh, it’s Ollie again, is it? So you haven’t forgotten all about me then,” he sniffed.

“Don’t be ridiculous, I could never do that. Do you know who did this?”

Oliver frantically thought. He couldn’t admit his suspicions that he thought it was Brodie MacBride, he was afraid of both Lucas’s reaction as well as Brodie’s. “I bet it’s the cleaners,” he eventually said.

Lucas stared at him before saying, “you’re probably right.”

Bill sighed inwardly with relief. It appeared Lucas had accepted that explanation so he could relax. For now. As he watched the two men manoeuvre the handsome man off the wall, hoping he ended up in the bin, he thought how close that had been. It would be so easy for his Sylvie to be taken from him and that he could never allow. He liked and admired Lucas Thorne but he’d see him dead before he let him take his love away.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” said Christian as Cass moved about her flat, randomly throwing things into a bag. “You don’t have to go all the way to London.”

“It seems I do,” she sighed, scowling at a CD before throwing it into the bag too.

“But you hardly know Lucas.”

“I love him. That’s enough.”

“What if one day you stop loving him and you’re hundreds of miles away from your friends, all alone.”

“Thanks Christian for your encouragement,” she said sarcastically.

“I just don’t think you’ve thought this through properly. Brodie will talk to Toni and get it all smoothed out.”

She paused packing. “You’re right, I haven’t thought it through.”

“Good,” he smiled, relieved. “Instead of running off to London with Lucas just take a holiday until it all blows over with Big Malc. Then you can come back to your life.”

“I mean I’m not going to let Brodie face Toni over this. She’s already pissed off with him and this might be the final straw. It’s my mess and I’ll sort it myself.”

“But…how?”

“Hold this,” she said, throwing the bag at him.

Before he could stop her she’d run out of the flat, lithely hurdling the couch and was out the door before he’d had a chance to move.

“Oh hell. Ross,” he called.

The man himself appeared in the doorway leading from the kitchen clutching a mug of tea. “What is it?”

“She’s done one. If we let her get away the boss will skin us alive.”

Ross plonked the mug down on the coffee table and they both raced after her. They ran outside just in time to see Cass’s car pulling away from the kerb.

“Do you think we can get away with not telling Brodie about this?” said Ross hopefully.

“Unfortunately no, I don’t,” replied a dismayed Christian.

Brodie sat before his brother, pouring his heart out to him even though he knew he wasn’t listening. His doctor had been forced to up his meds after he’d attempted to jam a spoon up the nose of a fellow patient. He’d got it halfway up before he’d been pulled off by the staff. He didn’t look much of a danger now, slumped in a chair, staring off into space, drool trailing from one corner of his mouth, amber eyes dull and empty. The first time he’d seen Ricky like this Brodie had torn the staff into strips. Now he realised there was simply nothing else that could be done for him when he got into one of his rages, short of tying him down. He was fucking enormous. Ricky worked out religiously, it was the main way he rid himself of his often uncontrollable anger, which stemmed from the time he’d sawn their abusive dad’s head off. When Ricky was in a temper everyone was at risk. In a day or two he’d be taken off the strong meds and he’d be back to his usual self. Sometimes he could be quite jolly, they shared the same sense of humour. Ricky knew all about his feelings for Cass and often acted as a soundboard, sometimes unconsciously, like now.

“So she’s moving to London with Lucas and I’ll never see her again,” said Brodie. He looked to Ricky, who just stared vacantly into the air. “I wish you’d bloody say something, I may as well talk to the wall.” He sighed and folded his arms across his chest. “What would you do? Probably stick a spoon up Lucas Thorne’s nose. Fat lot of use you are.”

Brodie felt bad for saying that, Ricky had given up his freedom and his sanity to free both him and Natalie from more abuse. Plus he was never sure just how much Ricky took in when he was in this state.

“Sorry, didn’t mean that. You know me and my runaway gob. Anyway, how are things with you? Fascinating,” he added when Ricky continued to drool and stare. He sighed again when his phone rang, relieved to see the number wasn’t Shelley’s, she was still being persistent. “Yes Christian? What do you mean you drew the short straw?” He shot to his feet. “You fucking fannies, you let her run off? Stop stammering and meet me at Big Malc’s club. That’s where she’s headed.”

Cass glared up at the massive scowling slab guarding the door of the nightclub. It wasn’t even open but it went to show how cautious Malc was being by having someone on the door during the day.

“I want to see Big Malc,” she said.

“So do a lot of people. He’s not seeing anyone,” replied the slab.

“He’ll see me. Tell him I’m here.”

“Bugger off.”

“If you don’t go and tell him then I’ll have to hurt you.”

“Ha ha ha, I’d like to see you…”

He released a squeal when she grabbed his crotch and squeezed.

She thrust her face into his. “Big Malc. Now.”

“Okay,” he squeaked, getting on his radio.

Two minutes later she was standing before Big Malc’s desk in his office, the huge man glowering up at her from his chair.

“So you’re the one who put my wee brother in the hospital?” he opened.

“I am,” she replied.

“It took me ages to get it out of him. He tried to make out it was a gang of three men, which became four, then five. I knew he was bullshitting so I kept on at him until he told me. He couldn’t bear the shame of a woman getting the better of him.”

“Well here I am. I didn’t know he was your brother when I did it and it’s certainly nothing to do with Brodie.”

Big Malc’s gaze was cold. “Brodie is Toni’s plaything but you sweetheart are mine. Kev’s a bit of a div but he’s still blood and no one hurts my blood. As yet I’m still trying to decide what to do with you,” he said, eyes sliding up and down her body.

“Just so you know, whatever you try I will come back at you ten times harder.”

“Then I’ll just have to make sure you can’t come back at me.”

“You’re in a precarious position right now with Toni. I think you’ve got better things to do than go after me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I could do with some fun. Watch your back sweetheart because I’m coming for you.”

“Why wait? Just get it over with. Come on Malc, me and you, let’s go right now.”

He shot to his feet with surprising speed. Because of his bulk Cass had thought he’d be slow but she’d underestimated him and now she was starting to regret her hastiness. But she would not let Brodie pay for what she had done.

“Alright, why wait?” he grinned. “I am a busy man after all.”

Cass backed up towards the door as he walked round his desk towards her. When the door burst open she only just managed to avoid getting hit.

“Back off Malc,” said Brodie, placing himself before her, Christian and Ross following suit. “You touch her and I’ll rip your fat fucking lips off.”

“Hey, she’s the one who burst in here challenging me,” he retorted. “I didn’t ask her to come here.”

“She was trying to set things right.”

“Set things right? She put my little brother in hospital, he can’t even chew his food.”

“Your brother’s a wife-beating scumbag and you know it,” countered Brodie. “He didn’t get anything he didn’t deserve. His missus begged us to sort him out, she was terrified of him. Not only had he beat her for years but he’d started hitting the kids too.”

“She’s a lying slag,” he bellowed in Brodie’s face.

“No she’s not, you should see the state she’s in. He’s been battering the living hell out of her for years. When he finally gets what he deserves what do you do? Threaten to beat up a woman.”

“Come on Brodie, we both know she’s no ordinary woman,” said Malc, nodding in Cass’s direction. “She’s capable of giving me a good run for my money.”

“Will you both please stop talking about me as though I’m not here?” interjected Cass. “Brodie, I really appreciate you coming here but I can sort this one out myself.”

Brodie ignored her. “Let it go Malc. You’re only going to make a tit of yourself if you push this.”

“She’s been a naughty girl and naughty girls deserve to get their arses spanked,” he said, bristling with rage.

“You are walking a fucking tightrope right now,” said Brodie, jabbing him in his flabby chest with the tip of his index finger. “One wrong move and you’ll fall off straight into the lion’s mouth. Toni hates violence against women, unless she’s the one causing the violence. You hurt Cass and she’ll cut your cock off.”

“Do you think I’m scared of that bitch?”

“Yes I do and if you’re not then you’re a fucking moron.”

“You’re bloody lucky you saved my life because if you hadn’t I would have rammed your head into the filing cabinet for that.”

“No you wouldn’t because there’s four of us and one of you. Your bodyguard is curled up on the floor in tears holding onto his tiny balls. You’d end up in a bed next to your abusive shite of a brother.”

Malc’s face turned purple with rage, the tip of his bulbous nose practically glowing. “You are making a big fucking mistake Brodie.”

“You are if you think you can punish Cass for this. Your brother got what was coming to him, end of. I like you Malc but if you don’t let it go then me and you are going to seriously fall out and right now I’m the only friend you’ve got.”

“What the bloody hell are you talking about?”

“Toni is very pissed off with you and she’s rapidly losing patience. Do you really want a fight on two fronts?”

“You’re a thick bastard Brodie.”

“Not wise words Malc. I saw you with Tam, you nearly wet yourself when he pulled the machete.”

“You think I’m alone, isolated. But I’m not. I’ve got…”

“You’ve got what?” pressed Brodie when Malc clammed up.

“Nothing.”

“What were you going to say?”

“Nothing. I’d finished.”

“Bollocks. You’ve got someone backing you, haven’t you? That’s why Toni’s reluctant to take you out. Who is it?”

“No one. Bugger off the lot of you,” he said, wilting.

“Intriguing,” said Cass, still stuck at the back of the room.

“And you can shut your hole,” Malc barked at her.

“So go on then,” Brodie said to him.

“Go on what?”

“Who’s in on it with you?”

“No one. I don’t need anyone, I can handle it myself.”

“Let’s go Bossman, we’re getting nowhere,” said Christian.

“You’re right,” replied Brodie, surprising everyone.

“You’ve never said that before,” said a delighted Christian.

“Don’t get used to it,” he muttered, steady gaze on Malc. “Leave Cass alone and we won’t fall out. You got that?”

Malc just sneered as the four of them backed out of the room.

“What did you do that for? I could handle him,” said Cass once they were outside Malc’s office, stepping over the doorman, who was still curled up on the floor cradling his crotch.