Finders Keepers Edie Baylis (phonics readers .TXT) 📖

mouth bleeding profusely as he lay bound in the boot of his car. Wanker, he thought as he slammed the lid shut and clambered into the drivers’ seat. Now this stoner prick had double-crossed him like everyone else did, he had no diamonds to placate the situation or guarantee release of the girl.

Keith knew he’d done some shit things in his life, but he wasn’t being party to this cruel bollocks any longer. Enough was enough. He’d dump this prat at the house and do whatever it was that Saul wanted him to do. That would be the last thing he’d ever do before he served Saul up to Jonah, then he’d go round and release the girl. Once he’d released her then he’d take on the chin whatever Saul or Saul and Jonah would have in store for his betrayal. But he wouldn’t take it until the girl had been set free. He hadn’t got anything left to lose – not now... But he did have a small shred of self-respect left that he was determined to cling on to before he was killed.

Nerves pricked at the thought of being ripped apart by the Powell brothers like a pack of hyenas. But he would not be leaving this world until he had exposed what Saul had done. That would be his parting gift.

Driving rapidly through the streets to Jonah’s large house, Keith sighed. After everything, his life had amounted to sod all. He’d got jack shit for his life’s work for the Powells and now he would die in shame as a traitor.

Lighting up a cigarette, Keith turned into Jonah’s road. Turning up the drive, he frowned at Gwen’s car parked next to Saul’s BMW.

Absentmindedly shrugging, Keith turned the engine off and got out of the car, flicking the boot open. He unceremoniously hauled Joe out of the boot, not taking a blind bit of notice when the man’s head thwacked against the bumper.

THE SILENCE WAS DEAFENING. Gwen knew Saul had said something in response to the words Lena had uttered about Jacky, but all she could hear was high-pitched ringing deep inside her ears.

How long had she sat motionless for? How long had everything carried on with and without her? She tried to look at Saul, at Lena, but found herself paralysed in a state of suspended animation.

She could hear a muffled voice, like she was deep underwater. Her head swam, unable to believe that her worst nightmare had finally come true. Saul knew about her and Jacky. Saul knew and Jonah would soon know. Everyone would know...

Somehow forcing herself back to the present, Gwen realised that only seconds had passed.

‘I asked you what the fuck Lena was talking about, Gwen,’ he spat, his voice rising. Reaching down, he grabbed Gwen by her suit jacket and pulled her to her feet, his eyes searching hers. ‘Tell me it isn’t true. Tell me you weren’t sleeping with my father...’

Gwen swallowed, her eyes locked on to Saul’s – his vicious expression also holding a hint of desperation. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words became jammed in her throat.

‘Gwen!’ Saul cried, his eyes mere slits, knowing her lack of response confirmed everything. Adrenalin pumped wildly in his veins and his body tremored. He’d always liked Gwen, but all along... White fury descended. ‘You disgusting bitch!’ he snarled, grabbing her around the throat.

‘L-Let me explain... I...’ Gwen spluttered, Saul’s fingertips crushed against her neck. Oh dear God, he was going to kill her. He would kill her and she’d never get to explain to Jonah how it really was.

Saul pushed himself closer to Gwen’s face. ‘Because of you, my father wasn’t there when my mother died. I remember no one could find him that night and it was because he was between your legs, you dirty whore!’

Tears poured down Gwen’s face at Saul’s venomous diatribe, his words slicing like knives. ‘It wasn’t like that! Please! We...’

‘Get away from me, you despicable witch!’ Saul roared, backhanding Gwen.

Flying across the room, Gwen landed heavily against the wall, pain shooting through her shoulder. ‘I understand you’re angry, but if I can just explain. It...’

Eyes flashing with menace, Saul strode over to where Gwen lay, smirking as she cowered from his reaching grasp. ‘Shut it! There’s fuck all you can say!’ Grabbing her by the lapel of her jacket, he lifted her off the floor like a limp doll. ‘I’ve had enough of all of you pointless bastards!’

Dragging Gwen with one hand, the other grabbing a dining chair, he plonked her onto it, wasting no time in binding her to the slatted wooden back. His mind seethed. He’d had enough of people taking the piss. And to think he’d been happy to have solved the grating problem of Lena thinking she could lie her way into the family, when all along – all these years, there had been another lying whore in his midst.

Oh, he’d had enough alright. Even his right hand man didn’t like how he did things anymore, the stupid bastard having developed a conscience for the slag in the flat. Well, fuck him and fuck all of them. Keith would be here any minute like he’d instructed and he could deal with getting rid of these two. Once he’d done that, he’d be joining them.

Saul’s brow furrowed. He was Saul Powell. No one, but no one took the piss. Things had slipped too far in his absence. People had forgotten and he wasn’t having it. Those diamonds were his and if Jonah failed to step up after all of this... If he still insisted pussy-footing around whilst everyone around him was taking him for a mug, then brother or not, he was done too.

‘Saul,’ Gwen squeaked. ‘Please stop this and untie me. We can talk about this an...’

‘I’m done with talking!’ Spinning around, Saul paced up and down the hallway, his mind racing. Yanking one of the hall curtains clean off its pole, he tore at it, fashioning