The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) T. Belshaw (management books to read .txt) 📖

Bill shook his head. ‘You have your methods, Mr Duncan.’

‘I’ll tell you anyway, shall I? It was the two pathetic individuals you sent to beat up that lawyer.’

‘That wasn’t him, he had nothing to do with it,’ Nicola shouted. ‘Tell him, Bill.’

Dougie ignored her.

‘I wouldn’t have been any the wiser about your whereabouts, but with the police knocking on my door asking if I knew anything about the attack, well, I had to make my own inquiries.’ He shook his head. ‘Those two soft bastards gave you up in seconds, Bill. They gave you up, they gave up your get rich quick plans and they gave up working for you. They’ve left town for a while.’

‘Doug… Mister Duncan, the only reason I came back was to make it right with you, honestly. I just want to make it right.’

‘That’s very nice of you, Bill. Just tell me, how are you going to go about it?’

‘My daughter, Mister Doug… My daughter, she’s inherited a fortune from her grandmother. She’ll give you the money I owe; I promise.’

‘But I don’t want the money from her, Bill, I want it from you.’ He turned around towards Nicola. ‘As you see, I don’t hurt women and I don’t threaten them. Only cowards do that, hey, Bill?’

Bill nodded. ‘If you say so.’

‘Oh, I do, Bill. You see, my mother had a hell of a time with my dad when he was around. She protected us from the worst of it, and I always respected her for that. He was a coward, Bill, just like you.’

‘I’ll get the money… Five thousand, I’ll get it as soon as I can. I just need to talk to her, she’ll understand.’ He looked towards Nicola. ‘Won’t she, love?’

Dougie took two steps forwards, grabbed hold of Bill by the neck and forced his head down onto the table.

‘It was five thousand five years ago.’ He lifted a fist and brought it down onto Bill’s temple. ‘But, with interest and inflation… I’d say that amount has risen somewhat.’ He brought his fist down again. ‘So, let’s call it a nice, round, twenty thousand, shall we?’

‘I’ll get it… Let me up, I’ll go find her. She’ll pay, she—’

‘You’ve got until the banks open in the morning,’ Dougie let go of Bill, turned away and nodding towards Nicola, walked out of the house.

As Nicola slammed the door behind him, Bill stood up groggily and held his hand to his ear.

‘Thanks for the help,’ he spat.

‘What could I do?’ Nicola stepped towards him. ‘I’ll see if I’ve got something to put on that cut.’

‘Never mind the sodding cut,’ Bill raged. ‘Just ring that bloody useless daughter of yours. Tell her to get round here this minute.’

Chapter 41

Jessica had just pulled out of the car park and onto the rough track when her phone rang. She took a quick look down, then stopped and picked it up.

‘Hello, Mum?’

‘Jess, could you come over please?’

‘Is he still there? I’m not coming if he is.’

‘Please, Jess, we need you… I need you, please come as quickly as you can.’

‘What’s wrong, Mum? is it him? What’s he done now?’

‘Please, Jess… for me.’

The call was cut off.

Jess sighed, then putting her car into gear, drove up the dirt track, waited for a lorry to cross in front of her, then pulled out behind it and headed for her mother’s house.

As she climbed out of the car on Burnett Street, she noticed Mrs Kaur, waving frantically from the door of her shop. She opened it as Jess approached.

‘I’m worried about your mother, Jessica. I saw a brute of a man go in about half an hour ago, he’s gone now, but there was a lot of noise while he was there.’

‘Thanks for your concern, Mrs, Kaur, but I think she’s okay. At least she was a few minutes ago when she rang me.’

‘I’m pleased to hear it, dear. He looked a nasty piece of work.’ She paused, then spoke again as Jess turned her back to leave.

‘I know she thinks I’m a bit of a tyrant, but I have her best interests at heart. I’d have sacked anyone else, months ago.’

Jess smiled at her. ‘I know she has her problems Mrs Kaur, and I do appreciate you keeping her on. Going to work regularly will be the way out of the mess she’s in, she just has to realise it.’

Jess crossed the road to her mother’s house. the door opened as she was about to knock.

‘Jess, thank goodness.’ Nicola ushered her inside, took a quick look up and down the street, then closed it behind her.

Bill was sitting at the table, an ice pack held to his ear. ‘Don’t ask how I am, Jess.’

‘I wasn’t going to, Dad. I’m sure it was well deserved.’

Bill jumped to his feet. ‘Don’t take that tone with me, young lady. You’re not too old to be put over my knee.’

‘I’d like to see you try.’ Jess glared at her father.

His demeanour quickly changed.

‘Let’s not fight all the time, Jess. Just for once, let’s have a civilised conversation.’

Jess looked at her mother’s tearful, frightened face, then giving her father another glare, sat down at the table and put her bag in front of her.

‘Would you like tea, love?’

‘No, thank you, Mum, I’ll get one when I get home.’ She turned to her father who had moved to the opposite side of the table. ‘Well?’

‘This,’ Bill pointed to his bleeding ear. ‘Was a gift from Dougie Duncan.’

‘As I said, Dad…’

Bill took a deep breath as he tried to control his temper.

‘He, erm, reminded me that I still owe him the money I borrowed before I went away.’

‘I didn’t think he’d come round to wish you a Happy Christmas,’ replied Jess.

‘This is just a taste of what he’ll do if I don’t pay him back when the banks open tomorrow.’

Jess shrugged. ‘Do you even have a bank, Dad?’

‘Jess, I’m serious. The man will kill me.’

‘For five thousand pounds? I doubt it. It’s