Bloodline Read online

  Bloodline

  By C.W. Hancock

  COPYRIGHT

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  First Edition C.W.Hancock asserts the moral right to be identified as the sole author.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form other than that in which it is published.

  Chapter One

  ‘I’d hoped for a better day than this,’ Suzy said.

  Matt reached out and took her hand in his. ‘Don’t let it ruin your day; no-one can do anything about the weather.’

  She sighed deeply. ‘I just want him to enjoy himself that’s all, it’s been so long.’

  ‘I know you do! And he will, don’t worry about anything.’

  Moments later as they approached the venue he instructed the cab driver to pull up as close to the door as possible. Stuffing a note in his hand he thanked him and followed Suzy into the club, pulling his jacket up over his head to protect him from the bitter rain as it pelted down.

  ‘Evening Mr. McQuaid,’ the doorman said as he walked through unobstructed.

  ‘Alright Jack? Everything alright?’ Matt replied without pausing. The rhetorical question remained unanswered. ‘Suzy wait up,’ he called out to her in her haste.

  ‘You don’t understand Matt, how could you?’ she called back. ‘You never had a father.’

  ‘I had the small dancehall reserved for us, you go there and I’ll get an update on his arrival. It’s a free bar remember.’ He paused and took a turning to the left toward the manager’s office. He ignored her comments, although some may have taken offence at the brusque manner in which they were spoke he was not so easily upset. Her words were not said from spite, the absence of his father was something he had accepted a long time ago and she knew it only too well.

  ‘Judging by the sound of it a lot of the guests have already arrived,’ he said entering the familiar room.

  ‘Matt!’ exclaimed the startled occupant. ‘I’ve just had the call. He was released at 6pm, someone just picked him up. That degenerate Cyrus by all accounts so with a bit of luck he doesn’t know anything about this shindig and won’t turn up.’ He was busy putting an overflow of cash into the safe, bundles of crisp notes of large denomination sat wedged tight against each other.

  ‘I hope he does for Suzy’s benefit, it’ll kill her if he doesn’t.’ He looked at the Rolex watch on his wrist. ‘7.15pm, bet he’s pissed standing there waiting in the rain for that long.’

  Locking the safe Griggs turned to face him. ‘Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke though could it?’

  ‘No… it most certainly couldn’t, although I wouldn’t let Suzy hear us speak of him like that,’ Matt replied with a grin spreading across his smooth clean shaven face.

  ‘So what do think he’s going to say when he finds out it’s you that’s marrying his daughter?’

  Matt dismissed the question. ‘If it wasn’t me then it would be someone else, I doubt very much that he’ll remember me anyway. We only met the once.’ His hands were placed inside the pleated trousers that damply hung from his trim waist; a casual jacket that suited the event adorned his toned frame.

  ‘Remind me. How was that again?’

  ‘Its going back a while but I’d just qualified and the law firm that I was working for was tasked with representing him, I was briefly involved with his case but only on the fringes, he took an instant dislike to me one day in passing. I can’t for the life of me remember why but I think he’d just got the deal and wasn’t taking it so well.’

  Griggs laughed. ‘So he’s not going to blame you for that then?’

  ‘Not for that, but I am taking Suzy off his hands so I suppose that’s more than enough reason for a man like him.’

  In the main hall Suzy had completed the rounds, greeting all her guests on a one to one and proceeded to check that her instructions had been followed to the letter. A well stocked bar was the most important thing with a bottle of the finest scotch whisky double blended and aged for her guest of honour. If her memory served her well it was once his favorite tipple.

  ‘I take it the banners are what you wanted?’

  The voice from behind took her by surprise, she looked up at the welcome home written above the bar and the ceiling littered with balloons. ‘Wonderful Tina, just as I had hoped. Thanks for taking care of it for me; I was swamped with last minute arrangements to take care of.’ She reached out and pulled her sibling close confident her younger sister was as nervous as her. ‘Are you excited? It’s been a while since you’ve seen him hasn’t it?’

  Tina pulled away from the embrace. ‘Is everything settled now or is there something else that I can do?’ she offered semi reluctantly.

  ‘I do have one worry…It’s just that I don’t know where he’s staying tonight, I don’t know if he’s made his own plans or just assumed he’d be staying with one of us. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.’ Suzy explained her woes ignoring her sister’s blatant push off.

  ‘Well you know him; he always does what’s best for himself to hell with everyone else!’

  ‘For Christ’s sake Tina, not tonight Ok! It’s not fair on him; he’s not like that now.’ She protested against the usual complaints that she had heard a thousand times before, nipping the venom from her mouth in the bud before it took hold and ruined the evening’s plans.

  “So it was fair on Mum then when he got sent down, fair on us having to fend for ourselves listening to all the rumours and stories about what he got up to?’

  ‘Of course not… I’m not saying that!’ she said at the retaliation. ‘I assume Mums not coming then?’ She bit her bottom lip nervously, although sure of the reply she wanted to remain hopeful.

  ‘What do you think?’ Tina replied sarcastically. ‘I’m going to circulate now Ok!’ she added before walking off.

  ‘Just let him enjoy his first night out alright Tina!’

  Two hands offered her the familiar comfort and security that she had grown to depend upon, placed on her shoulders from behind she didn’t need to question who they belonged to.

  ‘That sounded like an order, everything alright?’ His hands relocated around her waist holding her tight while he nuzzled her bare neck, the strong scent of her perfume filling the air that surrounded them.

  ‘Just typical Tina tantrums, I don’t understand why she’s being like that, she was so little when he went away I’m surprised she can even remember any of it let alone be affected by it.’

  ‘I don’t know babe, she’s always been touchy about him. Maybe that’s why she likes the older man.’ He pointed to the opposite side of the room where she was sitting, giggling with new found company.

  ‘That’s not funny. I don’t even know who that is so why is she practically sitting on his lap? I better have a word before she cops off and wakes up with yet another pang of regret.’

  He held her tight refusing to release her from his grasp. ‘Not tonight babe, take your own advice and enjoy it, she’s a big girl, she can make her own mistakes.’

  ‘Yeah, but I’m the one who has to sort them out when they come home to roost,’ she replied enjoying the show of affection. It would be a reminder to the observing slappers who had their eye on the prize that it was already hers and the engagement ring on her finger sealed the deal.

  ‘That’s the downside of being the eldest Suzy,’ he told her. ‘Now let’s make the most of the free bar.’

  Seated in the passenger seat of the worn out
Jaguar he was soaking wet and hurtling along faster then he felt comfortable with. ‘Jeez didn’t you get my message? I’ve got one set of fuckin clothes at the moment and now they’re damn drenched and clinging to my body. As if the fuckin suit wasn’t tight enough already,’ he said pulling at his collar.

  The window wipers were on full to cope with the torrential downpour beating down on the car as it sped through the streets. ‘Prison food that good ah Billy?’ asked the driver averting his attention toward the newly released man for a brief second.

  ‘Nah, it’s fuckin shite but my age has caught up with me, I aint able to burn it off as easy anymore.’ He reached over into the back seat where he had thrown his small luggage bag and felt through until he found an old t-shirt. He wiped the rain from his face, dabbing his eyes he froze at the reflection staring back at him in the vanity mirror. ‘Seventeen years Cyrus,’ he said. ‘Seventeen long fuckin years them filthy cozzers took from me, I lost my wife, me businesses and my lovely girls,’ he added bitterly.

  ‘I know Billy,’ he answered again taking his eyes off the road.

  ‘And for what? Just so some crown prosecutor gets his promotion. I get stiffed so someone else gets a pay bump, that’s just fuckin wrong.’

  ‘I know what you mean Billy, it don’t sound fair when you put it like that.’ He slowed down at the roundabout and took the third exit, about twenty minutes to go and the journey would be over. Feigning sympathy didn’t come easy to him.

  ‘You don’t seem your usual self Cyrus, you seem very quiet. You got a problem?’He threw his damp unorthodox face towel over his shoulder with no consideration to his friend’s thoughts on the matter.

  ‘Seventeen years is a long time Billy, we’ve all changed in that time, what we might have stood for once, we might not now.’ He glanced over his left shoulder to make the point that was duly noted.

  ‘Yeah, tidy up as we go then,’ he replied stuffing the t-shirt in his bag like a scorned child.

  ‘We should be there about 7.45.’ He flicked the indicator down and turned right, the beam from the headlights engulfing the road as they tackled the speed bumps.

  ‘Where we actually going, I expected a surprise welcome home party but no fuckers been in touch with the whereabouts.’

  ‘I only found out by chance, how anyone expects you to know is beyond me, it wont take much longer to get there though.’

  ‘Well don’t tell me, leave it as a surprise, it was probably a crossed wire, it’s not like someone planned it so I’d get left off the list.’ He laughed. ‘Aint no-one that stupid.’

  Stopping at the traffic lights he looked to his companion. ‘Times have changed Billy, we all got older and wiser and the new generation got wickeder, more violent and less acceptable to being ordered about.’ The lights followed their sequence through to green; he dipped the clutch, released the handbrake and gently pressed the accelerator to pull away.

  ‘Sounds like you got scared Cyrus,’ he replied. ‘But I’m not, my names not been forgotten, I deserve respect and I aim to get it. These young fuckin upstarts from the tower blocks don’t scare me,’ he swore with conviction.

  That was exactly what worried Cyrus, he had stepped back from frontline crime, he just flitted about in the background accepting menial tasks when offered to him from the players of the day, these people didn’t care or fear their past accomplishments. To them they were nothing. He didn’t want his life to be compromised, it was comfortable as it was yet he knew from a feeling in his gut and the words coming from his old friend’s mouth that he would take more convincing.

  “So tell me more about this fella that my Suzy’s dating. I’ve heard chit chat banded about the wing but nothing solid. What’s the cunts business and where’d he pop up from?’

  ‘Look Billy…..’ he answered hesitantly. ‘You’ll do well to watch your mouth around him, he aint a cunt and he don’t tolerate unnecessary rudeness. The last bloke that offended him in that way just disappeared one morning while out for a pint of semi.’ The road ahead was clear with the rain slowing down enough for him to switch off the intermittent wiper.

  ‘So what are you fuckin saying then? That you think this geezer has got more fuckin clout behind him than me?’

  He wanted to admit the obvious comparisons, Billy owned only the old fashioned suit that he sat in with the remainder of his personal belongings in the small holdall on the back seat of a car that wasn’t even his own, Matt on the other hand owned a five bed home with indoor swimming pool, a walk in wardrobe bursting at the seams with designer outfits, top end jewelry and drove a spanking new Mercedes each year, all that on top of a property portfolio including a couple of clubs, a pub, a row of shops and a couple of semi detached houses.

  ‘No, course not Billy. I’m just saying you need to be careful, that’s all.’ He had hit a nerve; his friendly advice had been taken the wrong way, caused offence and upset his old friend who once had a fearsome reputation.

  The remainder of the journey continued in awkward silence, Cyrus knew that Billy only ever shut up when he was sleeping or thinking, and usually when he was thinking it didn’t end well for those around him.

  ‘So who the hell’s the old man Tina? You don’t half pick them!’ Suzy queried ordering drinks for her and the absent Matt at the bar as she was approached from behind.

  A large measure of vodka and lime with a slice of lemon was sloshed down in front of her by the handsome barman, followed by an equally large shot of Jack Daniels with ice and a splash of coke.

  ‘Dunno Suzy, aint caught his name yet but for an oldie he aint that bad. I checked the body out and he’s quite solid in all the right places if you know what I mean.’

  Having chosen to let the evening drift by without incident, she held her tongue over her sisters soon to be most recent indiscretion, the countless times that she had put herself out to ensure she rectified the previous evenings mistake by supplying her with the morning after pill, was still fresh in her mind.

  ‘Sent you over to get the drinks has he? Already treating you like the little woman in his life, he probably sees you as a replacement for his dear old wife that went and died on him. Just beware when Dad arrives Ok, he won’t be so accepting and I don’t want any trouble tonight,’ she cautioned. She picked up her two glasses and turned away from the bar. ‘That’s what the older generation treat their women like! You’ll do well to find a younger man,’ she said and walked back to her empty table.

  Griggs walked into the bar with a message to pass on and scanned the increasingly packed room for the intended recipient, the deafening music ringing in his ears as he set eyes on Suzy and made his way through the crowd toward her. ‘Sorry love but he’s tied up for a bit,’ he said catching her attention. ‘He won’t be able to get back in here to greet Billy; he’ll catch him a bit later. Is this his?’ He pointed to the Jack Daniels that sat untouched on the table.

  ‘Bloody hell!’ she exclaimed. ‘Why the heck can’t he take one night off eh? I really wanted him to be by my side as soon as Dad arrived, I thought he knew that!’ She crossed her arms in disappointment; with all the familiar faces in the room to greet her father the most important was absent. ‘Yeah that’s his you might as well take it to him before the ice melts.’ She twisted her wrist to check the time. ‘You’re coming back though aren’t you? He should be here soon.’

  Griggs picked up the glass. ‘I’m sorry Suzy but I have to stay with Matt.’ He avoided her glare refusing to make eye contact.’ We’ve got a business meet upstairs in a few minutes, it’s unavoidable but I’ll make sure it doesn’t drag on too long Ok.’

  ‘Anyone would think Dad being released isn’t a good thing,’ she mumbled as he walked off.

  Upstairs in a back room of the club Matt sat on the brown leather sofa wondering why the sudden call to meet, especially tonight of all nights when all he really wanted to do was show his support to his betrothed no matter how difficult it might be. Griggs entered the room and passed him his drink, s
lightly more watery than he liked. He thanked him and asked if he was any the wiser to the purpose.

  ‘Only that O’Donnell needs a favour, and we do owe him a couple after that thing the other month!’

  Matt took a sip of the drink and lowered the glass to the table; he silently nodded his head in agreement to the reference, ‘Less said about that the better,’ he said before pausing for a few seconds. ‘Is she Ok? Or is she going to cut my ball’s off when I finally show my face?’

  ‘Understandably she’s a little put out, but I don’t think you’re in any danger yet although I won’t be able to say the same once you’re said your nuptials. It’ll be the old ball and chain for you then.’

  Matt nodded. ‘Maybe but there’s no point the both of us risking her wrath, you may as well go down and greet the old man. I’ll deal with 0’Donnell, it’ll just be a matter of agreeing with whatever he say’s, after all, as you say we do owe him unfortunately and the sooner we’re free of that debt the sooner we can start charging him again.’

  ‘I’ll stay if it’s all the same to you, you might need the moral support.’

  ‘Hum…whose doing who the favour here? You know Billy from a long time ago; I thought you might have been more eager to reconnect.’

  ‘To be honest Matt, I don’t want to have anything to do with him; it was my old man that hung around him all the time. I was just dragged from one boozer to another driving them about to complete their business. Don’t get me wrong I used to get bunged a good chunk of dough at the end of the week, more than any of my mate’s that were slogging their gut’s out on a building sight sixty hours a week and I had no work expenses, but then come the middle of the week the old man would tear my room up to see if I had any money left because he was skint again and had no money for booze...’ He was interrupted by his phone ringing, taking it out of his pocket he read the caller display. ‘It’s Jack, I told him to give me a head’s up if he saw them arriving. I’ll go show them the way.’

  ‘Yeah alright then, I can’t wait to hear what this one’s about!’ He reached for what remained of his now warm drink; sure it would be the first of many.