Page 1 of Savage Justice

CHAPTER 1

Nico

“You need to buy what?”

“Something liquorice flavoured.”

“What sort of a something?” I send a bemused glance Tony’s way. “You don’t even like the stuff.”

“But Jenna does. It’s her latest craving, and a step up from crunching ice cubes.”

“Ice cubes?” I’m at a loss.

“Yes, but that was last week. Megan thinks it may be due to iron deficiency, so I’m stocking up on brown rice and beans as well.”

“Sounds revolting. How’s young Robbie taken the news that he’s going to be a big brother?”

Tony grimaces. “Not well. He was convinced we’d be sending him away now we’re going to have a baby of our own. I sat down with him yesterday and tried to explain. Not sure he bought it.”

“Poor kid. He’s had a lot of upheaval and disappointment in his life.”

The boy’s only seven years old and had a difficult start in life. His mother pretty much ignored him for the first few years he was in her so-called care. Now, she’s doing a ten stretch for prostitution and dealing in stolen goods, and no other extended family has come forward offering to care for him. Jenna and Tony fostered Robbie, and it’s been uphill work, trying to convince a child who has never known a day’s stability in his life that he’s a permanent addition to their household.

Their patience has paid off, though. He’s been with them for about a year, and after a slow start he’s thrived in their care. I swear he’s grown a foot in height, but that’s nothing in comparison to the personality transplant they seem to have achieved. He’s gone from being quiet and withdrawn, a silent little boy scared of his own shadow, to a bright, curious, confident child. To call him outgoing would be pushing it, but he’s certainly blossomed.

I guess the penny will drop eventually, that he’s staying, but in the meantime, he has to get his head around the prospect of a new baby due in just four months.

“Pull up over there. I’ll nip into that newsagent’s for a bag of humbugs or whatever.”

“Humbugs? Christ…”

I swallow my disgust and signal to pull in to the kerb just as a bunch of children in school uniform descend on the shop. “Looks like you’ll have a wait while that lot rummage through the penny tray.”

“Penny tray? What century are you living in, arsehole? There’s nothing for less than fifty pence nowadays.” He opens the passenger door and exits the SUV. “I’ll growl at them and get to the front of the queue.”

“You do that.” I settle back to wait.

In groups of twos, and threes the schoolchildren trickle out clutching cans of fizzy drinks, chocolate bars, and the occasional bag of crisps. They congregate at the bus stop just in front of where I’m parked, chattering loudly, pushing and shoving one another. I’m relieved when the bus arrives and they all pile on. The peace is heavenly.

The bus moves away just as a girl on her own emerges from the shop. She runs for the bus, but it’s already trundling off down the road. She stands for a moment watching it go, then plonks herself on the now deserted bench seat in the bus shelter.

I drum my fingers on the steering wheel. So much for growling and scaring the kids. I suppose I should be grateful Tony didn’t just produce his Glock and wave that about. I’m considering a blast on the horn to hurry him up when a white van pulls into the empty bus bay a couple of yards ahead of me. Some delivery guy wanting a pack of cigarettes, probably. Serve him right if the next bus comes along and blocks him in.

The driver gets out and wanders around to unlock the rear door of his van. Ah, a drop-off. He opens one of the double doors but makes no attempt to unload anything. Instead, he strolls away from the vehicle.

Moron. He’s asking to be robbed. A few years ago, I might have obliged him myself…

He makes a beeline for the girl at the bus stop, stops to talk to her. Asking for directions, maybe?

She shakes her head.

He says something else and gestures to his van.

The girl shakes her head again, harder, and this time gets up and sets off walking down the road.

The man follows the couple of paces it takes to bring her level with the open rear door, then without warning he grabs her, lifts her off her feet, and hurls her in the back of the van. He slams the door shut and sprints around to the driver’s door.

Holy fuck! Now I do blast the horn. Anything to attract attention, anyone’s attention, but no one else saw what just happened. All they know is there’s some idiot who must have got a new horn for Christmas.

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