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‘As long as you’re quick.’
Je
Emily jutted her chin defiantly. ‘I lied.’
‘Why?’
‘You said that if I helped then I could stay out of prison, you didn’t say it had to be the truth,’ Emily said.
Je
‘I wish I never spoke to you, all I get is grief, and for what?’ Emily said, sweeping the messy room with her arm. ‘Look around you, do I look like I’ve made from this?’
‘Do you know what I think? You’ve gotten yourself involved in The Reborners and you’re in way over your head. Why did you join them? Is life so bad that you have to resort to drugs?’
‘The best gift in life is a second chance …’ Emily mumbled, her voice tailing away. She plopped onto the chair, as if the life had left her legs.
Je
‘Things happened when I was a kid … stuff no amount of soap can scrub clean. If I could forget … maybe I could be like the mothers on the telly. I want that, really I do,’ Emily said, her gaze turned inwards.
‘So why are you so scared? Why have they put the frighteners on you?’
Emily fell back into silence as her defences rose.
‘Tell me who they are,’ Je
Emily stabbed her finger to her chest, but the anger in her voice could not disguise the worry behind her eyes. ‘I’ll do what’s best for me.’
Je
Emily rubbed the back of her neck and choked a dry, bitter laugh. ‘You really have no clue, do you? This thing … it’s bigger than both of us. I want you to leave. It’s not doing me any good talking to the cops. It makes people nervous around here.’
Je
‘And what are you go
‘Well don’t do what you did today and open the door without checking who’s there first.’
‘Don’t worry. Next time you come calling I won’t answer,’ Emily said petulantly.
Je
‘You think it’s so easy, don’t you? With your well-paid job and fancy house. Have a nice husband at home, do you?’ Emily curled her lip in disgust, ‘People like you just don’t understand the real world.’
Je
Emily turned the latch to let her out. ‘I’m able to look after myself.’
Je
Emily’s mouth turned upwards in a half smile. ‘Is this a bribe? Because if it is I want more …’
The colour drained from Je
Emily snatched the money. ‘All right, keep your hair on, I’m only saying. You don’t get nothing for nothing in my world.’
Je
Chapter Four
Bert
The ti
He headed for breakfast and a shower in ‘The Truck-Stoppers Cafe’ and then went shopping for a cheap suit. After all, nobody would want their prophecy told by an old man smelling of last week’s refuse. Bert traipsed around the shops for a while, but the young assistant’s stony glare made his hackles rise. As his a
His morning breakfast of a bacon sandwich had earned Bert a serious thirst, and he welcomed the trip to the country pub to quench it. Squeals from a group of females made him pause at the double doors. She’s here, Bert thought as he drove himself onwards to the busy bar, where he laid his cards face down.
Right on cue, the lanky blonde tottered over to the bar. She waved her folded twenty-pound note like a wand at the staff, who were busy serving a coachload of pensioners.
‘Felicity, love, just get me a coffee, it’s too early for booze,’ a croaky voice shouted over the din.
Felicity guffawed, a loud hoarse laugh. ‘You’re having a proper drink, babe, I don’t care what time it is.’
Bert bristled at the sight of the girl, her Prada sunglasses perched precariously on her head. His eyes trailed over the various designer brands draped over her body. Handbag, jewellery, shoes, clothes, not to mention the overinflated breasts on par with her chin. Felicity guffawed again and Bert ground his tobacco-stained teeth. You know what you have to do, he thought as he forced himself to strike up conversation. Painting on a smile, he pointed to the plastic L-plate gaudily hanging from her low-cut pink angora sweater. ‘Getting married?’ he said, the overpowering smell of Chanel No. 5 wafting up his nose.