‘Oh my God!’ Maggie groaned. ‘I know what you’re saying Alex. You’re going to chop off his head and hands – no fingerprints, or dental records. Not even hair.’
‘While he is frozen solid, we can transport him elsewhere and dump him. At least that way there won’t be any blood trail.’ Maggie and Deana could see Alex’s mind working overtime. The horrendous idea made them feel sick inside.
‘Well, we need to get this ball rolling. First of all, I need to tell a very twitchy Mark that his buddy is feeling much better and has now tested negative. He’s been in every day asking about you. He really thinks a lot about you.’ Maggie smiled. ‘We’d better put a shirt on you to cover the bandage. It’s much better now, but if I tell him, the whole world will know.’
Alex rubbed his shoulder. ‘I need to take a look at this. Is there a big hole?’
Maggie’s face lit up. ‘Not any more. While you were unconscious, I got my needle out, then Dante glued it together. Quite surprisingly really, but it actually worked and it seems to be healing well.’ Pleased with her and Dante’s nursing skills, she smiled, although Alex winced inside.
‘Thank God for that.’ Alex laid his head back on his pillow. ‘I need to stop taking the medication now; I think it’s making me more light-headed and drugged up. I need my wits about me.’
Maggie unwrapped the bandage and waited as Alex slowly looked down at his wound. ‘My God, that’s amazing. In time, you will hardly notice it. Christ, I half expected you to have used pink cotton.’ He grinned.
‘No, Dante got some invisible thread and we used that. No wonder he’s doing great in his biology classes. I have to admit Alex, he’s been fantastic. You make sure you let him know that.’ After putting a clean bandage on his wound, Maggie put a clean shirt on him and made him look more respectable. ‘Right, I’m going down to let Mark know. I will send up some food for you.’ Blowing him a kiss, Maggie left to spread the news that Alex was on the mend.
Deana waited until her mum had gone before saying, ‘The phone, Dad. I want to text Luke and let him know you’re okay.’
‘Fair enough. It’s behind the vent in the bathroom.’ Just then they both heard a thumping up the stairs and looked at each other. ‘Mark!’ they said in unison and laughed as the door swung open.
‘Alex! Christ, I thought Maggie had buried you under the patio. Great to see you mate.’ Holding two bottles of beer in one hand and a plate of sandwiches in the other, Mark sat down on the end of the bed. ‘Boy, have I got loads of shit to tell you.’
As Deana was about to leave the room, she cast one last look at her dad and smiled. Her mum was right, she thought to herself. Mark might be a pain in the bum, but already the colour was returning to Alex’s cheeks as he listened to Mark’s funny stories. He was doing him the world of good. They didn’t even notice when she shut the door behind her.
Now Deana knew where the mobile phone was, she followed Alex’s instructions and found it. Switching it on, she saw the only number on it was Luke’s, or so she presumed. Pressing call, she waited. Finally, Luke answered the phone. ‘Alex! Oh my God, it’s great to hear from you, mate. I’ve been worried about you.’
‘No,’ stammered Deana. ‘Erm, it’s me… Deana. Dad’s a lot better now, but I thought you’d like to know.’ Suddenly, she felt shy. She couldn’t think of anything else to say, but didn’t want to end the call.
Taken aback, Luke also seemed awkward. ‘Oh, Deana… He told you where to find the phone, then? Well, he must be feeling better. How’s you?’
A warm feeling filled Deana, although she couldn’t explain it. Maybe it was because she had found someone she didn’t have to lie to, someone who would help her when times got tough. He had already proved that. ‘I’m okay Luke. It’s good to hear your voice. Maybe we’ll talk again soon. How’s your mum, by the way?’
‘She’s asked about you. I said you had family stuff to sort out.’
‘Send my regards Luke. Maybe I will see her some time.’ Deana crossed her fingers, hoping for an invite.
‘Well, you know where we live Miss District Nurse,’ he laughed again.
It wasn’t the invitation she had hoped for, but it was better than nothing. ‘Bye Luke.’ Ending the call, she felt pleased she had called, but disappointed with the outcome. He hadn’t seemed bothered if he saw her again or not, but at least she had passed on to him that Alex was okay.
23 MISSING PERSONS
Paul Pereira banged his fist on the table, making his plastic coffee cup wobble and slightly spilling the contents. ‘You’re telling me that they are still bringing the court case to trial? I thought you had come to tell me I will be out of here. I know there is a fucking court case looming! Why are you wasting my time – and my money?’ His eyes widened, and his face flushed red as he glared at his lawyer. Spit dribbled from his mouth as he shouted. He was angry, bloody angry. When he had been told his lawyer was coming to visit, he had expected good news, not this!
‘Mr Pereira, please calm down. I only came to tell you that they are setting a date for the trial and if there is anything you wish to go over, now is the time.’
‘Go over with you! We’ve talked for a lifetime, now I want some action. Get me out of here. That is what you’re being paid for!’ Paul’s anger was such that he couldn’t stop shouting. He hadn’t heard a word about Alex Silva’s demise. He had heard nothing about Alex at all, and now this! If this court case went ahead, he would be serving a full life sentence. It had also crossed his mind that he could be deported. Knowing he had more enemies in Portugal than he did in England disturbed him.
Standing up, the lawyer started gathering his files together. ‘Mr Pereira, I will be in touch when there is a definite date. I suggest you practice calming down. If you start shouting like this in court, the jury won’t look upon you favourably. You will do yourself no favours, believe me.’
Throwing his hands in the air and standing up, Paul paced around the table till he was looking his lawyer directly in the eyes. ‘Favours? Are you living in a bubble? They are not going to look upon me favourably anyway, given who I am. Go and fuck off out of here and don’t come back until you have a freedom date for me…’ He turned away from his lawyer and then, as an afterthought, Paul stopped him. ‘Wait. Does Alex Silva know the case is soon? Has he been informed?’
‘I can only presume that Mr Pereira, although, there have been no new statements from him over the last week and no other evidence has come to light.’
Paul looked his lawyer up and down. ‘You have heard nothing about Alex for a week? I thought you had regular meetings with the police and lawyers about his accusations?’ A wry grin crossed Paul’s face; maybe without saying anything, his lawyer had given him the news he’d been waiting for. Not a word had been heard from Alex. Now that was good news indeed.
Picking up his briefcase, his lawyer shrugged. ‘Well, he hasn’t come up in any conversation I have had Mr Pereira. But he isn’t the only one making accusations against you. I’ll be in touch.’ Walking towards the door, his lawyer knocked on it and looked through the small square glass.
Escorted back to his cell, Paul couldn’t help feeling optimistic. His lawyer had heard nothing about Alex in recent days? He would call Leon later and find out what he knew. But if Alex was dead, he would have been informed by now surely?
Twitching in his cell, Paul wanted no company today. The sound of the dinner bell seemed to take forever, and that was what he was waiting for. Everyone, including the guards, would be busy during this time and then he could make his call in private. Smiling to himself, he fantasised about being free. This time next week or so, he could be drinking whisky in his own home. Oddly enough, as much as he loved his wife, being at home with her had used to annoy him. She was a good woman, mother and cook, but home matters bored him.
Now, the idea warmed him. To be sat in the comfort of his own home, being waited on hand and foot by her seemed like paradise. These grim walls were getting him down, no matter how he dressed his cell up.
Standing on the balcony, he looked around, watching everyone march in the opposite direction towards the dining room. Shutting his cell door, he removed the brick in the wall and pressed the speed dial that connected him to the outside world. Leon answered instantly. ‘Boss, how you doing?’
‘Stupid question Leon, I’m not doing much. Not much at all. Well, do you have news for me?’
‘Not heard anything yet boss. But no news is good news, eh?’
‘What the fuck does that mean?’ Paul whispered, trying to control his temper.
‘Boss, no one has seen or heard about Alex. Jacob never told anyone when he was going to do the job, but it’s been a week. I sent one of the lads to have a drink in the pub and to ask about Alex, but they were given some cock and bull story that he’s got Covid. Personally, I think the police are keeping this close to their chest. If Silva is dead they will have to use other evidence they have, we know that. A lot of rats have turned on us Paul. No bloody loyalty, considering what they have had out of you. Some of them are even killing each other; this place is like a war zone. Believe me, you’re better off where you are – well out of it. I don’t know anything else boss, sorry.’
Frowning, Paul was puzzled. ‘What do you mean they are killing each other? No one has said anything to me about this.’
‘Boss. The police are up to speed with the trafficking. People take that very seriously these days. Everyone is pointing the finger about those containers you had to transport people while they were taken out of the country to the brothels that you and Matteo owned.’
