The place was worlds away from what he’d imagined two flash twats like the Boland brothers would be holed up in.
But then again, Pete knew how these things worked.
Having made it his business this afternoon to do his homework on the two men, Pete knew that the brothers were making a real name for themselves and were both on a serious earn.
Flaunting their wealth would only draw attention to them while they were on their way up the ranks.
This place was no doubt a front. That was how the game was played.
‘Yep! This is their place.’
‘What the fuck is Ashley playing at?’ Pete asked, shaking his head sorrowfully. Still unable to believe that in the midst of his own child’s abduction, Ashley was still thinking of himself, and trying to save his own arse.
There was nothing lower as far as Pete was concerned.
And he was under no illusion that Shelby might ever forgive him for what he was about to do.
Rummaging around inside the boot of his motor, Pete pulled out his shotgun, which had been carefully concealed in a hidden compartment under the boot liner. He cast his eye along the street to make sure that they weren’t attracting any unwanted attention, before he placed the gun inside his jacket.
This was it; he wasn’t fucking around anymore.
‘What if you’re wrong, Pete? What if this is Ashley’s way of getting him back? Riley might be in there?’ Carl reasoned, realising now just how angry Pete was.
That his temper had finally got the better of him and he was no longer thinking straight.
He’d been Pete’s right-hand man for longer than he could remember, and they’d found themselves in all kinds of predicaments over the years. Yet, he’d never seen Pete so angry.
The man was fit to kill.
And as much as Carl despised Ashley, Carl only cared about Pete. He didn’t want his friend to do something out of anger that he might later regret.
He had a family to think about.
Going down for attempted murder, or worse, could cost him dearly.
‘What? You really believe that do you? That Ashley’s suddenly the modern-day hero? Don’t you think if this was legit, and he was really trying to get Riley back, he would have come to me for my help? Only instead, he took it upon himself to fleece me for £20k and do this sneakily behind everyone’s backs. What does that tell you, Carl? That he is trying to get his son back? Or is this typical bloody Ashley again? Using the opportunity of his newborn son going missing to pay off a couple of fucking loan sharks. Once again, that imbecile is only thinking of himself and saving his own arse. Either way, this all leads back to Ashley,’ Pete said, shaking his head.
Carl wasn’t a stupid man; he knew as well as Pete did that this was exactly the sort of stunt that Ashley was capable of pulling.
‘And there’s only one way to find out!’ Pete said, giving Carl the nod to take the lead as he followed him inside the back gate and up the pathway towards the back door.
‘Because if my grandson is in there, God help them all. And if he isn’t, then not even God will be able to help Ashley!’
39
‘Well, fuck me. If it isn’t the infamous Ashley Cooke. Your mug’s been all over the telly today,’ Russ Boland said, opening the front door and staring at Ashley Cooke as if he was a mirage or something. ‘I’ve just been watching you do the appeal for your boy. I mean, it’s a shame your face is all smashed up. Doesn’t paint you in the best light, does it? But still… everyone gets their five minutes.’
‘Five minutes? This ain’t about fame. This is about my son,’ Ashley said, seething at the flippant welcome Russ Boland was giving him.
‘Who is it?’ Sam Boland shouted, walking up behind his brother and taking a look for himself. ‘Well, this is a nice surprise,’ Sam said, eyeing the rucksack that Ashley was clutching so tightly, before raising his brow.
‘Don’t tell me you’re finally paying up? How the fuck did you manage all this then? Get the father-in-law to help you out, did you?’ Sam said, ushering Ashley inside the flat so he could make sure it was all there. He’d half expected Ashley to go on the missing list again, convinced that there was no way Ashley would be able to pay up.
He was late, but the fact that he was here at all was a miracle as far as Sam was concerned, so he’d let the stupid fucker off.
‘Something like that. Yeah,’ Ashley said, throwing the bag down on the table and staring around the flat expectantly. ‘It’s all there, every penny. Where’s Riley?’
‘Where’s Riley? Who? Your kid?’ Russ burst out laughing, unable to believe what he was hearing. ‘You’ve got to be fucking kidding?’ He was doubled over now, as if it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. ‘Oh, Ashley. You’re a fucking card, mate. We ain’t got your kid. Is that what you seriously thought? That we were behind all of this?’
By the confused look on Ashley’s face, it seemed that was exactly what the man had thought. He was deadly serious.
‘We may be a lot of things, but we don’t fuck around with anyone’s kids,’ Russ said then, glaring at the man, the very real accusation of stealing kids giving him the hump.
‘Woah!’ Sam said, placing his arm in front of his brother as a warning for him to back off so that he could defuse the situation.
‘We haven’t got anything to do with your son going missing, Ashley. You have my word on that,’ Sam said, seeing the look of confusion on Ashley’s face, quickly replaced with a look of distress as he realised that coming
