Taken (19 page)

‘You don’t have to do that. I’d like you to stay.’

‘Vaughn please, it’s complicated …’

‘Only if you make it.’

Vaughn stood up and walked across to Casey in the small lounge of the flat. He crouched down and lifted up her chin, gently kissing her on her lips. He was expecting her to push him away again but she kissed him back and closed her eyes.

‘Let me make love to you.’

Casey nodded. She wanted to feel loved, so she let Vaughn lead her to the bedroom, trying to blank out everything else as he gently started kissing the nape of her neck.

Vaughn slowly pulled off Casey’s top, exposing her perfect breasts. He picked her up effortlessly and laid her on the bed, taking her clothes off slowly and admiring her body.

‘You’re a beautiful woman, but a mystery to me.’ He smiled at her and started to take his own clothes off, exposing a tanned muscular torso.

Vaughn bent over to kiss Casey’s body, making her relax and helping her not to think how she might be making a mistake. He slipped the rest of his clothes off and lifted her naked body up towards his; she kissed him passionately, feeling loved and letting herself fall into the moment.

His tongue circled her nipples, biting and sucking her breasts gently and making her gasp. He moved his body down hers and buried his head between her legs, using his tongue expertly.

‘Are you alright?’ Vaughn moved his head up and looked at her tenderly, stroking her hair as she opened her eyes and nodded. He held her gaze and Casey caught her breath as his penis entered her slowly. She responded in rhythmic motions and she bit down gently on her lip as he started to make fervent love to her; taking her body to a place it’d never been to before. She let out a cry as he held her tight, gripping hold of her hand as they climaxed simultaneously.

‘Shit, I’ve left my phone. Pass me your keys and I’ll be back down in a minute.’

Vaughn prayed the phone, which hadn’t really been forgotten and was actually in his pocket, wouldn’t ring. He left Casey watching the in-car television in his Porsche 4x4 and went upstairs to her flat.

Inside, Vaughn quickly looked round; he only had a few minutes as he didn’t want to arouse Casey’s suspicion. He went into the bedroom first and glanced round, seeing nothing apart from the rumpled bed.

He went back into the lounge and saw her black zip bag thrown onto the bare floorboards. Vaughn looked in it, not quite knowing what he was looking for but hoping he’d find some sort of a clue to who she was and where she’d come from. He was falling for her and he’d no intention of getting a nasty shock. He needed to know exactly who she was before he allowed himself to fully trust her – he wasn’t good at being hurt and if she wouldn’t tell him, he’d have to find out himself.

Again, there was nothing, apart from clean and dirty clothes all mixed up together, and three empty bottles of scotch. Vaughn stood up perplexed. He couldn’t understand it. There was nothing, literally fucking nothing, which gave him any clues to who she was, which was odd in itself. It was if she’d erased her whole life – or never really had one in the first place.

Still, he hoped he’d persuaded her there was nothing to worry about in Alfie’s club. He knew Lola wouldn’t say anything when Casey went to visit her. He really wanted to have another talk with Lola, but he’d leave it until she got home; there was plenty of time to talk later.

Having a last glance round, Vaughn was about to leave the flat but turned back to use the bathroom.

‘Casey?’

Casey looked up absentmindedly at Vaughn; she’d been watching
Masterchef
and had got quite submerged in it, marvelling at how a few tins of tomatoes and a few herbs could transform a plain meal into something special. She looked at Vaughn, whose eyes were twinkling with mischief.

‘Casey, I did something stupid.’

‘What?’

‘I opened the bathroom door.’

Casey’s laughter was heard all the way down Dean Street.

His day was going from bad to fucking worse, and it’d started off so well after the phone call. Alfie kicked the back tyre of his car. How he’d got a flat, Christ alone only knew. He was supposed to have left by now but Emmie had had a hissy fit with Janine again and he’d been left to sort it out.

He didn’t want to take the Audi; there was something wrong with the catalytic converter in it and he hadn’t had an opportunity to take it into Epping to get it fixed. There was nothing to do apart from take Janine’s Range Rover.

‘I’m taking your car.’

‘Alfie, I need it.’

Throwing the can of Pepsi cola he’d just opened into the sink, Alfie turned on his wife fuming.

‘Tell me what the fuck for? What the fuck are you doing which is so important you need your car today?’

Janine Jennings had been planning to go shopping in Bluewater shopping centre. She was after the new Prada handbag which she’d spotted in
Vogue
on the arm of Paris Hilton, but by the looks of Alfie’s face she wasn’t going to be able to go today. Without saying a word, she handed over her keys to him.

En route to the club, Alfie went over the short conversation he’d had with Vaughn.

‘Alf, it’s me. We need to talk; I’ll meet you at the club at five.’

‘It’s good to hear from you, Vaughn, I’m happy you changed your mind.’

‘Just be at the club.’

He’d put the phone down and immediately the feeling of panic in his stomach disappeared. He wasn’t sure why Vaughn had changed his mind and actually he really didn’t give a shit why; all that mattered was he had.

What had irritated him had been the constant squabbling of Emmie and Janine. He knew his wife was a moody bitch and he accepted that, but now his daughter was turning into one. She’d been sulking for the past day or so, since the day he’d seen Oscar, and it was starting to get on his fucking wick. If he had some time later, he’d try and stop off at Harvey Nicks
and pick her up a new Chloe handbag or something; that way she’d have nothing to moan about.

Parking in Soho was a nightmare as usual, and predictably the NCP car park in St Martin’s Lane was full. Alfie drove round and round hoping to get lucky with a car park space not too far away from the club. In the end he found a space in Bloomsbury Square, a good ten minutes’ walk away from Whispers.

‘For fuck’s sake.’ Alfie raised his voice at the ticket machine, causing passersby to turn round and look nervously at him. It wasn’t taking credit cards and he knew for a fact he only had a couple of pounds on him, and he certainly wasn’t going to leave the car without a ticket to go looking for some change, only to return to see some cunt who was working for Camden council towing it away.

Alfie opened the glove compartment and saw it was full of empty chocolate bar wrappers and crisp packets. His wife was a slob, no question. Alfie remembered the mess at home when they’d first got married, but he’d soon put a stop to it and had hired two cleaners. Now it seemed she was still a slob, but only one in the confines of her own car.

There was no change in the glove compartment or in the money holder, which would’ve been the obvious place to put it in, but Alfie guessed too obvious and too organised for Janine.

He bent down and looked under the front seats and saw a couple of fifty pence pieces and a few coppers – no good to him. Stretching his hand further, he pulled out a piece of paper which was stuck underneath the runner of the seat.

Alfie glanced at it nonplussed until he saw what it was. It was a ticket dated from a couple of weeks ago and it was for Whipps Cross
Hospital
car park. He didn’t know Janine had been to visit anyone in hospital, or she hadn’t said, and that was unusual for her as she liked to spell out in tedious detail what she’d been doing every day. Unless, of course, she was hiding something.

Alfie carefully folded the ticket up in his pocket and got back into the car. When he got home later he would find out exactly what was going on, but for now he needed to go and find a space. Putting the car in drive, he set off with the ticket very much on his mind.

‘Sorry Vaughn, motherfucking car park spaces. I tell you the guy I’ve just left was lucky I didn’t smash his head in. He was fucking with me, trying to tell me it was his space. I asked him to show me where his name was written. The cunt came back with some cheeky comment about looking up my arse for it and I tell you, Vaughnie, I had him out of his seat and on his bonnet before he could say “yellow line”.’

‘I take it he gave you the space.’

‘Of course; it went to its rightful owner. I see why you don’t drive in. Have they sorted you out a drink?’

‘I’m fine. I actually drove in today, ironically. Shall we go into the back?’

The back room of the club was chilly. Alfie switched on the heater and grabbed himself a packet of peanuts out of one of the boxes in the corner.

‘What changed your mind, V? Not that I’m complaining. I appreciate it. I was well and truly up Fuck-up Street with Oscar, he was giving me till Friday. Christ. All the times I’ve helped him out. He wouldn’t be anybody without me, and he treats me like a cunt.’

Vaughn looked at Alfie’s swagger and wondered how long they’d remain friends in the long term. He didn’t miss the violence of his old lifestyle and he sure as hell didn’t miss the arrogance and bravado which went with the people. He was too old for bullshit; he could smell it a mile away, and Alfie Jennings’s stench was getting stronger by the minute.

‘I haven’t changed my mind, Alfie: I meant what I said.’

Alfie’s face dropped and a look of bewilderment came over it.

‘I thought that’s why you arranged this meeting.’

‘No, you assumed it was, and I didn’t like to talk on the phone. Casey’s been asking questions.’

‘Casey? What the fuck are you talking about? What the hell does that cock tease know?’

‘Watch your mouth, Alfie.’

Alfie looked at him and sneered. ‘That bitch has messed up your brain.’

Vaughn launched at Alfie and dragged him over the table.

‘I said watch your mouth; you’re walking a fine line.’

Alfie’s face was aglow with anger; he couldn’t believe what he was hearing and he certainly couldn’t believe he was lying flat on his back with one of his oldest friends threatening him in the back room of his own club.

‘Get the fuck off me,’ Alfie growled at Vaughn who let go and stepped back, dusting down his expensive suede jacket.

‘I don’t know why I bothered, but my better judgement told me to warn you. Casey saw your little arrangement upstairs.’

‘What the fuck was she doing snooping around?’

‘This is like déjà vu. She wasn’t snooping; the night of the fight she went upstairs and that’s when she saw them. I told her it was nothing and the reason they probably looked rough was because you have extraordinarily bad taste in pussy.’

Alfie rubbed his head. He appreciated that he hadn’t broken the code of honour, though he wasn’t going to admit that; he was too pissed off about not getting the money. He knew he was being unreasonable because he’d always known Vaughn would never approve of the women, but at this moment he was too angry to care.

He had to get the girls out of the club. Alfie looked at Vaughn and wished he’d never got involved with this venture. As Vaughn turned to go he spoke, feeling sad at the way things were turning out between him and Alfie, but there was nothing he could do until he started seeing sense – and the way things were going that was looking more and more unlikely.

‘Did you hear about Lola?’

‘Lola?’

‘She’s lying tubed up in the UCH. I don’t think it’s very hard to guess who did it.’

Alfie didn’t say anything as Vaughn walked out of the door, suddenly feeling as if he’d been abandoned. His bad day was quickly turning into a nightmare.

Sun 14th March 1996

Back at home after staying in hospital for what felt like ages. Caught a bug and they kept me in; it was miserable but not as bad as being here. Mum is walking round like nothing has happened. I want to shout the word ‘Baby’ in her face but I don’t think it’ll make a difference. Nothing touches her. Dad has hardly come home. I want my baby back!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sun 12th May 1996

Dad has gone. Moved out and left me with Mum who seems to be drinking herself to death. I hate Dad for going but I actually don’t blame him, I’d go myself if I could. Found a stash of Mum’s vodka. Was going to throw it away but decided to drink it myself instead. Felt better for a while then was sick everywhere. Mum went mad. Stupid cow.

The buzzer was just as dirty as before, but this time somebody answered, making Casey’s legs nearly give way underneath her. The voice was a woman’s and it sounded harsh.

‘Yes?’

‘Mrs Simms?’

‘Who’s asking?’

‘Casey Edwards, I just wanted a word.’

‘What about?’

‘My baby.’

The flat was overcrowded with mismatched bits of furniture. There were photos all over the walls and huge boxes with ‘shipping’ written on them.

Casey followed Mrs Simms into the lounge, and as she did so she noticed her hunched back and strong body odour. The flat was on the eighteenth floor, and standing in the middle of the room Casey took in the stunning views of the rooftops of Soho.

‘Sit down love. You’re lucky you caught me – I’m off tomorrow to go and live with my sister; she lives in Australia would you believe. Been pestering me for years to go over there. I wasn’t bothered before but now my husband’s dead there’s no reason for me to stay here on me own. I’ve never even been on a plane but here’s me packing up to emigrate down under. You don’t mind if I busy myself; I’ve got so much to do still and the moving people said they’ll be here in a couple of hours to take my stuff.’

Casey tried to force a smile as Mrs Simms laughed. ‘Thank you. I was hoping you’d be able to help me. I’m looking for my baby; well he won’t be a baby now, he’ll be sixteen. I know you fostered him when he was born, and I wondered if you might have an address or still keep in touch with whoever took him.’

Casey stopped and watched as the old woman put in her false teeth, taking them from a tissue on the side.