She picked up the phone again and dialled Bobby’s number.
‘Bobby?’
It was obvious her brother had been expecting her call. There was no small talk, no ‘hello’, just straight down to the business in hand.
‘He’s ’ere. He says he didn’t do nuthin’ wrong. He didn’t want me to ring ya yesterday, he thought they might take him back. I take it they haven’t?’
‘No, they haven’t,’ Ruby said stiffly. ‘Hand me to him,’ she insisted. ‘George? What happened?’
‘Rube, they stitched me up I swear it,’ George’s voice was angry, and a little self-pitying.
Ruby knew by the sound of it that her own flesh and blood was lying to her. ‘Did they now. So, why would they do that, George?’ she said, keeping her tone light, her manner calm.
There was a pause. George stayed silent on the other end of the phone and it gave her a chance to collect her thoughts. She knew Archie would despair when he found out, which is why she didn’t plan on telling him until the handover was done – and the Albanians sorted.
Ruby spoke first. ‘What do I keep tellin ya? Don’t give them anythin’ to take you down with! Let others do the dirty work. And anyway, why would you deal drugs? Surely you ’ave enough money, so why bother?’
George was silent still.
‘I didn’t do nuthin’,’ he replied eventually, a barely adequate answer, making his older sister sigh.
‘All right, George, I believe ya,’ she answered, though she didn’t at all. She just didn’t want an argument when there was so much at stake in Spain right now. ‘Stay with Bobby and we’ll fly back as soon as we can. All right?’
There was no answer from George, then her older brother’s voice reappeared.
‘It’s Bobby. He’s gone off to the kitchen. He doesn’t seem fussed, Rube. Doesn’t care about school at all. Listen, we’ll look after him. Perhaps he needs a break from all those lessons. He’s fine with us – don’t worry, sis.’
Ruby hung up, her mind not put at rest by her brother’s words but wanting to believe them, nevertheless.
‘George, I ain’t forgotten you. I just need to sort this first, then I’ll be home,’ she whispered to herself.
At that moment, Archie walked into the hallway.
‘Anythin’ wrong?’ he said.
Ruby straightened up. ‘Nuthin’, nuthin’ at all,’ she lied. She’d wait to find her moment to tell him. One storm in a day was more than enough for her to handle.
CHAPTER 35
The night of the handover arrived.
Ruby, Archie, and Lloyd packed the holdall filled with money into the back of their armoured Range-Rover.
Ruby climbed into the back, while Lloyd sat in the front passenger seat and Archie drove the car, waving to the security guards to let them out of the main gates.
‘We want them to see us leavin’, let them know we’re on our way,’ Lloyd said in a low voice. ‘They’ll ’ave people watchin’ the villa, and the guards might be paid off by them anyway.’
Ruby nodded. She’d suspected that many of her staff were on Saban’s payroll. Well that would all change once they’d sorted this.
The drive was a long one. They didn’t stop, though. Archie wanted to get there before Saban and his henchmen. There was no doubt in their minds he’d be bringing more than just one bodyguard.
Pulling off the road, Archie peered at what looked like an old, dusty farmhouse.
‘I think it’s down ’ere. Yes, look, there’s the warehouse.’
The car tyres made the gravel crunch as they drove towards the neglected building. There was nobody about.
‘We’re early. That’s good,’ said Lloyd, craning his neck to look round the site.
‘Let’s do this,’ Archie said, waiting for Ruby and his father to nod their assent. Archie opened the door and got out, going straight to the back of the car to open the boot.
Ruby stepped down onto the dirt road, her heels making stiletto marks in the dust.
‘Ready?’ Lloyd said, beside her.
‘Ready.’ Archie replied, lifting out a large suitcase. The mood was fraught with tension. The three of them walked up to the warehouse.
‘We’ll stop here,’ Ruby said, looking around.
Archie put the suitcase down on the ground carefully.
‘Stand behind me, Ruby,’ he commanded, as he spotted a puff of sand being thrown up on the road.
‘They’re here,’ Lloyd stated.
Ruby felt her heart freeze. She watched the vehicle draw closer, her palms sweating. If she got this wrong they’d all die today. She glanced around. She didn’t want to disappear here, in this bleak place in the middle of nowhere.
Hold your nerve, hold yourself, Ruby. She centred herself.
The car pulled over to one side and Saban got out. He stood for a moment, grinning, a cigar held in his teeth, his gold Rolex winking in the sunshine, as the back doors all opened. Out of the back of the car came three burly men, and out of the front came the driver, all carrying guns, which were now pointed at them.
‘Such a shame you came today. I can’t bear to see such beauty do such dirty business,’ Saban sighed exaggeratedly.
Ruby took a deep breath and smiled back at him. ‘Nice of you all to drop by. I can see you’ve brought your . . . friends. That wasn’t the agreement, Saban,’ she said, ignoring his rather clumsy attempt at seduction.
‘Ah, what can I say? I never travel so lightly. You cannot expect me to agree to such terms. Only one bodyguard? Why, I’d have been outnumbered.’ Saban held out his arms as if to make his point.
‘Enough. Show us the goods,’ ordered Archie.
Stay calm . . . . keep it together . . . Ruby thought. Don’t rile them yet. She could see the strain building on her husband’s face.
‘Yes, of course, we have it all here,’ Saban clicked his fingers and one of the men ran round to the back and brought out a large sports bag. Whatever was inside it was clearly heavy. The gunman dumped it on the ground halfway between the two parties then ran back,
