ASBO: A Novel of Extreme Terror (21 page)

“Cornered him and murdered him,” said Wardsley stepping up beside his partner.

Andrew examined both officers.  If they were doing their jobs correctly, he would’ve already been in handcuffs by now, in their squad car and on his way to the station.

But they’re letting me talk,
thought Andrew,
which means they sympathise.

“Do either of you have children?” he asked the both of them.

Both of them shook their heads.

“Then you have no idea what you would you do in my situation.”

“Perhaps,” said Dalton, “but what I wouldn’t do is murder someone in a hospital in front of frightened members of the public.”

Andrew laughed.  “Makes it sounds like you disagree with my methods more than my actions.”

The suggestion was met with silence.  Andrew looked into Dalton’s eyes and tried to read what she was thinking, but he couldn’t.

“You’re going to go to prison, Mr Goodman,” said Wardsley.  “How does that help Rebecca?”

“It doesn’t help her,” Andrew admitted.  “But maybe by killing Jordan I’ve helped other people’s daughters.  He was just a teenager; plenty of years ahead of him for terrorising more innocent people.”

“Maybe, you’re right,” said Wardsley, “but we still have to take you in.”

Andrew nodded.  “And I’ll let you.  Just let me finish what I started first.”

Both of the officer’s eyes went wide, shining in the darkness.  Obviously the request had shocked them.

“I’m already going to prison,” Andrew explained.  “Let me do some good before that happens.  Let me make the world a safer place for other families so that they don’t end up like mine.  Frankie is a cancer and I want to go and cut him out.”

“You’re insane to even ask such a thing,” said Wardsley.  “It’s ridiculous and I would suggest you don’t say anything else.  We are officers of the law.”

Dalton stepped aside, leaving the pathway open and clear.  She motioned with an arm that Andrew was free to walk by her.  “You do what you have to do,” she said, “but soon as you’re finished you hand yourself in and confess everything.”

Andrew nodded vigorously.  “You have my word.  Thank you.”

“What the fuck are you doing, Laura?” Wardsley asked his partner.  “You’ll end up doing a stretch with him.  Have you lost your mind?  We’re taking him in.”

“I’m just letting him do what we’re failing to do, Jack – making the streets safer.  How many criminals have we seen walk free just to commit more crimes.  How many killers are walking the streets right now laughing at how powerless we are?  I for one am sick of it.  It’s time someone hit back and showed these thugs that they don’t get to avoid all consequences for their actions.”

Wardsley shook his head, exasperated.  “If anyone finds out…”

“No one will,” said Dalton, “and admit it – you want to see Frankie punished as well.  Not just him but every arrogant little yob like him.  We’ve been in the force almost ten years each, Jack.  Wouldn’t you like them all to know that sometimes the victims bite back?”

Wardsley thought about things for a moment and then seemed to relax his shoulders.  It was clear he was struggling with something internally, but it was also clear that he trusted his partner.  He stepped aside from the path and nodded at Andrew.  “I don’t know how you’re going to find him, but he’s been known to hang around with a local drug dealer, Damien Banks.  14 Middleton Mews.”

Andrew thanked the both of them and hurried past, sprinting down the path.  But he stopped in his tracks before disappearing completely, halted by the sound of Officer Dalton’s voice.

“Penelope’s dead,” she told him.  “We got word she died twenty minutes ago.  The hospital have been trying to contact you.  I’m sorry.”

Andrew said nothing, didn’t turn around, or even move.  Instead he glared forward into the rain-soaked night with nothing else but murder on his mind.  “I’ll see you both in the morning,” he said to the officers, then disappeared into the darkness.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Davie waited anxiously for Frankie to get off the phone.  His brother was clutching the mobile so tight to his face that it was threatening to crack his skull.  Davie didn’t know who was on the other end of the call, or even what was being said, but he could tell one thing for certain: things were bad.

“No fuckin’ way!”  Frankie screamed into the phone.  “I can’t believe it.  How the hell did it happen?”

After several more minutes of shouting and cursing, Frankie ended the call and put the phone back in his jean pocket.  He then proceeded to stand there saying nothing, staring at an invisible spot in the sky.  His twitch was acting up again and his whole face seemed to be breakdancing.

“What is it?” Davie asked.  “What’s happened?”

Frankie lowered his gaze slowly until it focused on his brother.  “Jordan’s dead.”

Davie could not have cared less about the twins, but the shock of hearing something so unexpected hit Davie in his stomach like a lead-filled boxing glove.  There was no way Jordan could be dead
.

I saw him last night
.

Frankie elaborated.  “That fucker bowled up to him at the hospital and gutted him like a fish.”

Davie suddenly felt hot; a fire in his stomach radiated throughout his entire body.  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  “You mean Andrew did this?”

Frankie nodded angrily.  “Dom heard a nurse give a description to the police.  It was definitely him.  Fucker’s dead meat.”

Davie still couldn’t believe it.  Andrew committing murder was insane.  “What was Jordan doing at the hospital anyway?  He should have known Andrew would be there with his family.”

“He was getting his face checked out.  Dom said he almost fainted this morning because it was so infected.  He had no choice but to go the hospital.”

“Is Dom still at the hospital now?  What about Andrew?”

“Dom’s out looking for the piece of shit as we speak. He’ll kill the guy if he finds him.  Works out well for us, actually.”

Davie couldn’t understand how calm his brother was being.  Hadn’t Jordan been his friend?  “What do you mean it works out well for us?”

Frankie shrugged as if the answer was obvious.  “Because the guy’s a problem and needs dealing with.  If Dom gets to him first then we don’t have to worry about him coming after us.”

“You think that’s going to happen?  You think Andrew is planning to do the same to us as he did Jordan?”

“Seems likely,” said Frankie.  “The reason Jordan was alone when he got stabbed was that his brother had gone to look for that guy’s family – to see if they were still alive and whether or not we’re facing a murder charge.”

“And are we?”

“Yes and no.  The girl’s okay, apparently, but the old dear snuffed it about the same time that Jordan did.  Messed up, if you think about it.”

You don’t have to think about it to see that the whole thing is fucked up, Frankie.  I could have told you that from the start.

“So you see,” said Frankie, “if Dom gets to Andrew first he’s doing us all a favour.  The police are after his ass, his wife is dead, and he has nothing else left to lose by coming after us.”

“He still has a daughter,” said Davie, holding on to the fact that they had not taken away absolutely everything from the man.

“Yeah he does,” Frankie nodded, “good thinking, little bro.  We still have something to use against him if we need to.”

“Fuck sake, man!”  Davie felt like beating the shit out of his brother.  If only he could have.  “Have you not done enough damage?  I can’t believe you’re still thinking about hurting people.”

“Chill the fuck out!”

Davie shoved Frankie hard in the chest.  “No,
you
chill the fuck out!  I’m so out of here.  You can go right to hell for all I care.”

Davie turned away from his brother and started walking.

“You get back here right now!” Frankie shouted after him.  “We need to stick together with that psycho on the loose, you hear me?”

Davie turned back around and started marching back towards his brother.  “You don’t get it, do you, Frankie?  The only psychopath here is you.  You belong in jail, man.  They should never have let you out”

Frankie pulled out his gun and pointed it in Davie’s face.

“Seriously?”  Davie shook his head sighed.  “You’re pointing that thing at
me
?  You going to shoot your own brother now?”

Frankie’s face twitched and the movement seemed to tremor down to his arm which was holding the revolver unsteadily.  In fact his entire body was shaking.

“Just do it!” Davie ordered him.  “I don’t give a fuck anymore.”

Frankie’s face contorted, the veins in his neck bulging like worms beneath his skin.  Davie had never seen his brother like this – so close to freaking out.  After a few tense seconds, Frankie chose to lower the weapon.  Tears glistened in his eyes, but he did not speak.

Davie had nothing to say either.  He started walking away.

Frankie shouted after him.  “I don’t want you to get hurt, Davie.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied over his shoulder.  “You gave me a gun.  If I’m in danger I’ll take a leaf out of your book and start killing people.”

“Where are you going to go?”

Davie thought about it.  Then said: “Home.”

Frankie followed after him, footsteps keeping time with his own.  “That’s the first place Andrew will look for us.”

Davie turned back around and shrugged.  “Then I’ll have to deal with the consequences.  It’s not as though we didn’t cause trouble at
his
house, is it?  We deserve whatever we get.”

“Why the hell you care so much about this guy?”

“Because if I didn’t care then I would be just the same as you, and I never want that.  Never.”  Davie could tell he had hurt Frankie with his words, the silence told him so, but he didn’t care. 

“Do what the fuck you want!” said Frankie.  “But if I go down I’m taking you with me – and you wouldn’t last ten minutes inside.”

Davie laughed.  “I think that’s actually something to be proud of.  I’m glad I’m not cut out for prison – means I’m still a human being and not an animal.”

For the first time in his life Davie turned his back on his big brother and walked away.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Andrew had no clue what he planned on doing, but he had lost none of his motivation that he would do
something.
  For all he knew, he could be walking towards a house full of druggies carrying knives even nastier than the one he currently had hidden on his person.

The house in front of him was large, posh even, and certainly not what Andrew had been expecting.

I guess crime really does pay.

Before Andrew even had chance to complete his walk along the path, the front door opened and a topless young man stood in the opening.

“The hell are you?”

Andrew stopped on the path.  “I’m looking for Frankie.”

“Join the club.”

Andrew didn’t understand.  “Do you know where I can find him?”

The young man, who Andrew surmised must be Damien, stepped out onto the pavement to meet him.  “You’re the guy that has a beef with him, ain’t ya?”

Andrew raised his arm slightly, ready to grab the knife stuffed into his waist band at the slightest hint of a threat.  “I guess you could say that?”

Damien grinned.  “Well, I hope you fuck him up, mate!  He has it coming big-style.”

Andrew felt his brow wrinkle.  “Huh?”

“Frankie jacked some of my shit earlier.  He ain’t a friend of mine no more.”

Andrew attempted a nervous smile.  It seemed appropriate in that moment to show friendliness. 
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
  “T-that’s…good to hear.  So do you know where I can find him?”

Damien shrugged.  “Honestly, I don’t, mate.  If I knew, I would tell you.  What he done to your family is screwed up.  How are they?”

“My wife is dead.”  Andrew would allow no emotion into his voice as he spoke.  He could not afford to be weak right now.

Damien was shaking his head and seemed genuinely angry.  “Guy has a goddamn screw loose!”

Andrew sensed an opportunity to get answers.  The young man in front of him was genuinely on his side.  “Is that why he did this to me?  Because he’s crazy?”

“Dunno.  Maybe.  Knowing Frankie, it could just be because he don’t like your face…”  Damien’s words trailed off for a minute and a realisation seemed to dawn on his face.  “You know…now that I’m looking at you…”

“What?” Andrew asked.  “Do I look like someone?”

Damien huffed and shook his head.  “Damn, no wonder the guy hates you.”

Andrew sensed that Damien was about to say more, but then someone appeared in the doorway behind him.  Anger welled up inside of him at the sight of her.  His eyes narrowed.  “Michelle…”

Michelle stared out at Andrew, obviously surprised to see him, her badly-bruised jaw agape.  Then she turned angry.  Running at Andrew, she screamed, “You killed Jordan, you bastard.”

Andrew sidestepped and shoved out at her.  The girl went skidding into the grass on her hands and knees.

“I assume you two have met, then?” Damien quipped from the doorway.

Andrew turned to him.  “You going to get involved with this?”

“Hell no!  She made her own bed, she can fucking well lie in it.”  Damien started to close the door but halfway he stopped and gave Andrew some advice.  “Hey, man, watch yourself with Frankie, okay?  The stuff he jacked from me, it was a pair of shooters.”

“Guns?”  Andrew attempted to clarify, but Damien had already closed the door and turned off the hallway light.

“You fucker!”  Michelle cursed more obscenities at him as she clambered to her feet.  She was half-naked and muddy, covered only by a pair of linen shorts and a strappy top.  It didn’t seem to bother her, though, and she launched another attack at Andrew.

Striking out like a seasoned pugilist, Andrew struck the girl’s ribs.  She fell back to the ground, sucking in air.  “How’s that feel, sweetheart?  I got a blade in
my
ribs so you still have a ways to go before you know about pain.”