Savage sisters, p.12
Savage Sisters, page 12
‘You’re gonnae pay for that, you fucking twat,’ Meg yelled at him.
The two men lunged at Dean simultaneously. Everyone watched in amazement as Dean grabbed one of the men and hurled him across the room, sending him crashing into a table, which was fortunately vacant. He punched the second man in the face, grabbed his right arm and twisted it so hard the man sank to his knees, crying out in pain.
Carly’s eyes widened when she saw Meg slyly pull a knife from inside her jacket. She rushed out from behind the bar, grabbed one of the brass drip trays and clobbered her in the back with it. Meg fell forward with a cry, the weapon falling from her hand; Carly kicked it out of reach of Meg’s friend, Fay, when she tried to grab it. Fay rounded on Carly and tried to punch her but she raised the drip tray, which met Fay’s fist. Fay screamed with pain, clutching her hand to her chest.
‘Right, you lot,’ said Derek, who had shaken himself out of his surprise. ‘You’re barred.’
He stalked out from behind the bar, grabbed the man Dean had thrown by the back of his coat and dragged him to the door, kicking him up the arse before hurling him outside.
Dean released the man he was holding, who rushed out of the door, cradling his aching arm. He knelt by Stuart’s side and began rummaging in his pockets. He produced a couple of twenty-pound notes and waved them before Stuart’s face.
‘I’m keeping these,’ he told him. ‘They can go towards a new laptop.’
‘Bastard,’ mumbled Stuart through his broken nose, from which blood still dripped.
‘Piss off before I batter your fucking head in with my busted computer.’
Stuart tried to haul himself to his feet and failed, so Derek dragged him upright and hurled him out the door.
‘You’re going to pay for this, you bitch,’ Meg told Carly as she and Fay stumbled towards the door. ‘You and your cousin are fucking dead.’
‘Aye, good luck with that.’ Carly smirked at her.
With one last glare, Meg and Fay left too.
The entire pub erupted into applause.
‘That was bloody brilliant.’ Derek beamed at Dean, shaking his hand.
‘Aye, thanks,’ he muttered, regarding his laptop with a forlorn look.
‘Don’t worry, you can get yourself a new one.’
‘Aye but all my work’s on this one. God, I hope it can be retrieved. I’d nearly finished my essay too; it took me days.’
‘I’m sure you’ll be able to save it,’ said Derek, patting him sympathetically on the shoulder.
‘Thanks for what you did,’ Dean told Carly. ‘I mean with the drip tray.’
‘Nae bother,’ she replied. ‘But they will come back at us harder.’
‘Aye, I know,’ he muttered, still looking depressed about his computer.
‘You did the right thing,’ said Jim. ‘It’s about time someone brought those twats down a peg or two. The Alexanders and their cronies, as well as the Bitches, have thrown their weight about Haghill for too long.’
‘That’s true,’ said Derek.
‘Who are you calling?’ Carly asked her cousin when he took out his phone.
‘My brother,’ he replied. ‘They might come back mob-handed.’
Derek appeared a little alarmed at this prospect and considered closing for the night but his customers congratulated Dean and bought more drinks, so he decided against it.
12
Carly was worried when neither the Alexander family, the Bitches nor anyone associated with them turned up at the pub that night. She would have preferred to get the inevitable confrontation over with but when it didn’t happen, she knew that meant they were preparing something extra nasty.
Dean drove himself and Carly back to the flat in silence when her shift had ended, Harry following in his own car. On their return, Dean walked inside clutching his ruined laptop, still miserable about its destruction.
‘I feel really bad about what happened to his computer,’ Carly told Harry once they were inside the flat. Dean had headed straight into the kitchen to see if anything could be done for it.
‘It’s no’ your fault,’ replied Harry. ‘But he’s gonnae go fucking mental about this. He’ll make them pay.’
'I think he made them pay enough tonight.'
‘He won’t think so. He never loses it that much but he’ll tear them to pieces. I’m hard but Dean’s on another level.’
‘Really?’
‘Aye. The Alexanders don’t know what’s about to hit them.’
With this he walked into the kitchen, leaving Carly to frown after him. That was it, she had to do some digging on her cousins.
She went into her bedroom to do a little research on her phone. Nothing popped up, so she decided to go to Clydebank to find out what she could about them. The question was, how did she get there without her ever-present bodyguard? She could sneak out but she didn’t want her dad to worry. There was no choice, she had to confide in Jane and get her to cover for her.
Carly popped into her dad’s room but he was asleep, so she quietly crept out. Rose was already in bed as it was after eleven o’clock. Jane was in the kitchen with the brothers.
‘Thanks for seeing me home safely,’ Carly told them. ‘But you can go now.’
‘We don’t think that’s a good idea after what happened in the pub,’ said Harry, replying because his brother was too busy taking his laptop apart with the help of a screwdriver. ‘Me and Dean are staying the night.’
‘But… there’s no room.’
‘I’ll take the couch and Dean has an airbed in his car. He can put it on the floor in here.’
‘It won’t be very comfortable.’
‘We’ll be fine, we’ve slept in rougher places.’
‘Like where?’ said Carly, seizing on the opportunity to learn a bit more about them.
‘Camping with the scouts,’ he replied.
‘Oh aye,’ she said, smiling. ‘Did you have wee woggles too?’
‘Yes,’ he replied, deadpan.
‘Oh.’ Carly glanced at Jane, who appeared amused that her sister’s joke had fallen flat. How would she talk to her sister in private now? Then inspiration struck. ‘I need some fresh air, to get rid of the stench of beer.’
‘If you’re going for a walk one of us will come with you,’ said Harry.
‘I’m just going into the back garden. You don’t need to come; I’ll be safe enough.’
‘I’m no’ sure about that.’
‘Jane can come with me, can’t you Jane?’ she said, throwing her sister a meaningful look.
‘Course I can,’ she replied, catching the look.
‘Okay, but leave the door ajar so we can hear if you scream,’ said Harry.
‘You really are an optimist, aren’t you?’ said Carly wryly before exiting the kitchen via the back door.
Jane pulled on her trainers and jacket and followed.
‘What’s wrong?’ Jane whispered to her sister the moment they were outside. ‘Is it about what happened at the pub tonight?’
‘In a way,’ replied Carly. ‘Dean was pretty impressive by the way.’
‘I knew it, you do fancy him.’
‘I do not.’
‘Course you do and there’s nothing wrong with that, he’s really good-looking.’
‘It sounds like you’re the one who fancies him.’
‘Naw, I prefer older men.’
‘He’s strange, I can’t work him out. Anyway, that’s not what I want to talk to you about. I want to go to Clydebank and ask around about our uncle and cousins. There’s a lot they’re not telling us and I want to know what that is.’
‘Have you thought that there may be a good reason why they’re not telling us?’
‘Aye, and it makes me suspicious.’
‘I don’t think this is a good idea.’
‘We have to know what they’re involved in. What if it bounces back on us?’
‘They might not be up to anything.’
‘Has Harry told you anything about how they earn their money?’
‘No, but I haven’t asked.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because it’s none of my business.’
‘It is if they’re up to something criminal and we get dragged into it.’
‘Even if they are, why should we get dragged into it? And what if by poking around you’re the one who drags us into it?’
‘I’ll be subtle.’
‘I think you should leave it be; no good will come of it.’
‘Forewarned is forearmed.’
‘By running away from what we fear we end up running right into it.’
Carly frowned. ‘What?’
‘You’re going to make everything worse. Please don’t go.’
Carly sighed. ‘I was hoping you’d cover for me so I could go to Clydebank, otherwise my plan won’t work.’
‘Good. I don’t want it to work. Please drop it, Carly. It’ll make everything worse.’
‘All right,’ she mumbled. ‘If you insist.’
‘Thank you,’ Jane breathed with relief. ‘I’ll tell you what – I’ll see what I can find out but I won’t do it by poking around in Clydebank.’
‘What will you do then?’
‘I still have contacts from my days in the Bitches. I’ll see if they know anything.’
‘That would be great, thanks. I really think we should do something.’
‘Perhaps you’re right but no wandering off on your own, okay?’
‘I won’t.’
‘You promise?’
‘Promise.’
‘Good. Now let’s get back inside, it’s freezing out here.’
They were distracted by a strange noise from the rear wall of the garden.
‘What was that?’ said Jane.
‘Carly,’ whispered a voice.
A face peered over the wall and a hand waved at them.
‘I think it’s Cole,’ said Carly, peering into the darkness, which was lit by a single streetlight.
‘You’re right, it is,’ said Jane.
‘Don’t let Dean know he’s here,’ Carly told her sister. ‘He might take what happened at the pub out on him.’
‘I’m sure Cole can hold his own.’
‘Actually, I don’t think he could against Dean.’
Jane’s eyebrows shot up in astonishment.
‘I’d better see what he wants before our cousins realise he’s here,’ said Carly.
Jane was surprised by the anxiety in her sister’s eyes for Cole’s safety. Dean really must have put on a hell of a show at the pub. ‘I’ll come with you in case there are more of them on the other side of that wall.’
The sisters hurried to the rear of the garden. Because of the height of the wall, Cole was only visible from the chin up.
‘I heard about what happened at the pub,’ he told Carly. ‘I wanted to check that you’re okay.’
‘You could have sent her a text,’ Jane told him coldly.
‘I wanted to see her,’ he retorted before looking back at Carly. ‘So, you weren’t hurt?’
‘No,’ she replied. ‘But I can’t say the same for Meg and Fay.’
‘They’re really pissed off. They’ve been riling up the rest of the Bitches to get you back. Stuart and his pals are furious at Dean. Stuart had to go to hospital, his nose was broken and Mike’s arm was badly sprained by Dean twisting it.’
‘They all deserved what they got,’ said Carly passionately. ‘They behaved like morons and they poured beer all over Dean’s laptop.’
‘Why did he have a laptop with him?’
‘He was writing an essay.’
‘In a pub?’
‘It doesn’t matter why; the point is, Stuart and his friends acted like pricks. If they got hurt, they’ve only themselves to blame.’
‘Ross sent them in to test Dean and see what he could do. He’s raging about what happened.’
‘He should have taken on Dean himself instead of sending his minions.’
‘He’s planning an attack but he won’t tell me the details. I think he’s worried about me warning you. All I know is that he won’t hit you here in the flat. A lot of people were really pissed off about that brick being thrown through Alec’s window and he doesn’t want to look like a cowardly twat by going after a man who can’t defend himself. But the rest of you are fair game, even Rose.’
‘Bastard,’ hissed Jane, hands curling into fists.
Carly was dismayed by the violence that filled her sister’s eyes. Jane used to be an absolute terror and was capable of a lot of carnage when enraged. Since their dad had fallen ill, she’d kept it in check but Carly was afraid this turn of events would bring out her bad side again. ‘So Ross thinks attacking a sixteen-year-old girl won’t make him look like a coward?’
‘You need to be really careful,’ said Cole. ‘I’ll let you know if I find out what Ross is up to.’
‘Thanks,’ said Carly tenderly. ‘We really appreciate that, don’t we Jane. Jane?’ she repeated when her sister stared straight ahead, rage still sparking in her eyes.
‘If your brother’s stupid enough to take on our family,’ Jane hissed at Cole, ‘then I swear to God he’ll end up with all his fucking limbs snapped, if he’s lucky.’
‘All right,’ said Cole slowly. He had never seen Jane this way before. This was the ferocious gang leader and not the responsible, caring older sister. The contrast was a shock.
‘Can you give me a minute?’ Carly asked her sister.
Jane gave Cole a hard, scrutinising look that made him distinctly uncomfortable before nodding and retreating back towards the flat, although she remained outside to watch over her sister.
‘Thanks for the warning,’ Carly told Cole. ‘I really appreciate it.’
‘Nae problem. I was so worried about you when I heard what had happened at the pub. Listen, I did a little digging on your cousins. Please don’t be angry but I only did it because I care about you. I’ve a couple of pals in Clydebank. They told me Dean and Harry are the terrors of the town; everyone there is shit scared of them.’
‘Why?’ she said, wide-eyed.
‘Their da’s a known robber with a fierce reputation. He trod on the toes of a local family who are known for being pretty savage themselves. He sent his sons after them and they twatted all the men in that family. They put three of them in hospital; it took months for them to get over their injuries. After that, Eddie was left well alone. Those boys batter anyone who gets in their way.’
‘I knew Uncle Eddie didn’t win that money on the horses.’
‘He’s no’ just a robber, he’s a drug dealer too and Eddie and his sons will beat up anyone, as long as they're paid enough cash.’
‘I knew it,’ said Carly, eyes narrowing.
‘They’re dangerous, babe. You need to be careful.’
‘Have you told anyone else about this?’
‘No. I came straight here as soon as I found out.’
‘Please keep it to yourself. Don’t even tell Ross.’
‘I have to. He needs to know what he’s up against.’
‘I don’t want my da’ hearing about this. It’ll upset him so much. He and Uncle Eddie are talking again after being estranged for years and if he finds out what his brother’s into, he’ll disown him and that will make him so unhappy.’
Cole’s smile was tender. ‘Still putting everyone else first. It’s one of the things I love about you the most.’
His hand reached over the wall and Carly extended her arm to take it.
‘Hey,’ yelled a voice.
Carly turned to see Harry and Dean burst out of the back door of the flat. Jane made no move to intervene as they tore across the garden towards them.
‘Go,’ Carly told Cole. ‘I’ll stall them.’
‘I love you, babe,’ he told her before running down the back street.
Carly turned and held out her hands to her cousins. ‘Stop,’ she said.
‘Was that Cole?’ demanded Dean, looking furious.
‘Aye, it was. He was making sure I was okay after what happened at the pub, that’s all.’
‘More like he was scouting for his bastard brother.’
‘No, he wasn’t,’ she snapped back at him.
‘You should have told us he was here,’ Harry practically snarled.
‘I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react like this.’ Carly didn’t want to admit that she was a little intimidated by the brothers. They were pumped up with aggression, which made them look even bigger and the rage glittered in their eyes. If they got hold of Cole, she was positive they would tear him limb from limb. ‘You’ll leave him alone; he meant no harm.’
‘You must be joking,’ said Dean. ‘He’s an Alexander and they always mean harm.’
‘What do you know about it? You don’t even know the family.’
‘Let’s continue this conversation inside,’ said Jane when she spotted some of the residents of the surrounding flats peering out of their windows.
The four of them returned to the kitchen, Harry closing the door behind them.
‘You’re being way over the top about this,’ Carly told her cousins. ‘One pint of lager over a laptop and you lose your minds.’
‘It’s no’ just that,’ said Harry. ‘It’s the brick through Uncle Alec’s window and you being threatened and terrorised. I don’t get why you’re sticking up for the Alexanders.’
‘Because she’s still in love with that wee rat, Cole,’ said Dean, regarding Carly disapprovingly.
‘Yes, fine, I do still love him but that is absolutely nothing to do with you.’
‘Keep your voices down,’ hissed Jane. ‘You’ll wake Da’ and Rose.’
Dean took a deep breath. ‘Sorry.’
‘Look,’ said Carly in a gentler tone. ‘I know you’re upset about your laptop, which seems to mean a lot to you.’
‘I knew you’d say it like that,’ retorted Dean, eyes flashing angrily.
‘Now what have I done?’
‘You said it like I was an idiot for liking my laptop.’
‘After the books I’ve seen you read the last thing you are is an idiot but I do think you need some perspective. You’re talking about starting a war between two families over a computer.’
