“Uncle C, it’s not like you to get your hands dirty.” I waved my weapon at him. “Isn’t this below your pay grade.”
He laughed. “Sometimes you’ve just got to show how it’s fucking done.”
“Can you do it without Jameson here?” I looked at her, her face ashen.
“Jameson’s not going anywhere until I’ve got what I’m owed. And neither’s Lawrence.” He looked at him. “Let’s talk, Marvin. We’ve got at least one thing in common – our sons couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery. Shame there isn’t a finishing school we could’ve sent them too. Especially your Marcus. He’s had you in a bit of a bind a couple of times.” Colm had woken up now.
“Let her go and we’ll sort something out in the morning that suits us both.” Lawrie looked less calm now. Before he’d been in control; now Colm was here you could see he was unravelling.
The sound of another car pulling up outside seemed to distract everyone, a vehicle that made one of Jameson’s security head to the door. The atmosphere changed, Lawrie looked to the ceiling as if saying a prayer.
Colm didn’t stir. He kept his eyes on Lawrie, and I suspected this was his endgame from the start. He’d have known that Livi wouldn’t stay away.
There were footsteps, quick ones, and then Livi Finch-Cooper walked into the space, wearing a dress that looked like it could’ve been bought from the Hippie Market. Her hair was down, and she looked as if she’d just stepped out of a spa. Relaxed, calm, ready to hold court. I knew she would’ve played all this out in her head, possibly have made moves before she’d even set off to come here.
“Gentlemen.” She didn’t look at her daughter, just at the men. “This isn’t how we do things here. All of you know that, and you should know better. We keep this island tidy. This isn’t tidy.” She smiled at Colm.
I sat back down on the mattress and put a hand on Jameson’s back, bringing her down to my lap. She could hate me later. Now I could be what she needed which was safety. Warmth. When I glanced at her, I saw a slight smile, a glint back in her eye.
“Lawrie, go home to wherever you’re staying. We’ll talk tomorrow.” The look she gave him was calculating, almost cold. “We didn’t want it to go down this way and I won’t have you drag me into this mess anymore.” She looked at Colm, shaking her head. “Colm, put your weapon away – and we know it isn’t the first time I’ve said that.”
My uncle laughed and put the gun away.
“We’ve agreed how much.” She turned to him. “This is the last mess I’ll clear up, but I like my island the way it is. Peaceful. You promised you’d keep the really bad men away from here, and it’d be safe for my daughters. You’ve broken that promise, Colm.”
“Splitting the cost is what we agreed. But your ex,” he looked at Lawrie, “and his kid get out of here too.”
“Done.” Her plum accent made her sound a lot different from the matriarchs I’d known back in London, who ruled our family with spine of steel, but her tone was just the same. “The police know nothing about anything else you’ve been up to. And neither does your wife.” Livi was smiling as if she was discussing what handbag to buy. “I’ll come see you tomorrow. Let’s use this opportunity to go over those rules we made a long time ago.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your side of things? No police.”
I looked up to the ceiling and prayed for a fucking thunderbolt to crack down on my uncle.
“Because you do. We’ve known each other too long. Split the cost of what the two idiot boys did. Make sure neither of them are going to get in any more trouble, and you keep this island safe. You know that’s in both our interests.” She looked over at Jameson. “And I need to get my daughter home.”
“Midday.” Colm nodded at the men who’d entered with him, who’d all started to look more relaxed. “I’ll provide lunch.”
“That table on the roof would be lovely.” She smiled, heading to Jameson, but looking at me.
Colm left, holding the back of Ash’s neck to make him go with him. Lawrie left too, not looking back, not even a glance in Livi’s direction.
“Tommy, can you bring Jameson home? I’ll see you both by the small pool for a nightcap.” She patted Jay’s shoulder. “I’ll be half an hour behind you and you’ll be okay, Jay Jay. These things make us stronger.”
I gave Jameson a hand to get up and wrapped an arm around her back, guiding her out of the lock up outside to where an early dawn was beginning.
She didn’t say anything, just getting into my car, looking dishevelled and shattered.
I wondered if she’d say anything to me ever again and I wished for another ten summers to change everything I’d said. I did date. As long as it was her.
I wished I’d told her that.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jameson
It should’ve been Lala who was kidnapped. At least she’d have enjoyed the drama of it all.
That was my first thought when I sat down on the comfy outdoor sofa, accepting the blanket Tommy passed to me, and the mug of hot tea. I didn’t remember anything from when the hand had gone over my mouth, to when I woke up on a mattress that was surprisingly clean, but my clothing was intact. Nothing had been messed with, which was my first fear. My next was Tommy. When I’d seen him walk in there, I’d nearly choked on my heart as it had come up from my chest. Ash and his two minions were incompetent; I’d been aware of them arguing as they’d put me down, one of them saying to be careful, and the blanket had been clean. They weren’t practiced in this, and that thought had half-helped and half-scared the shit out of me because it could’ve gone too easily wrong.
