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.’‘You did the right thing, I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel otherwise.Maybe if I knew before what I know now then I may have rushed off and done something completely stupid and you’re right to think that Steve may have been inadvertently dragged into it but it’ll be different now.Whatever happens I can assure you it’ll be well thought out and Steve will be kept well out of it, I assume you didn’t mention any of this to him?’‘Of course not, but what about you?’‘No, and I won’t be,’ he replied.‘That’s not what I meant’ she said at the misinterpretation of her question.‘Will you be kept out of it, will you be safe?’It was a question he hoped she would avoid asking so no not to have to hear the answer or for him to have to lie to her, he couldn’t promise or predict what would happen let alone guarantee his own safety in the process.His hesitance betrayed him although in one way it did him a favour.‘There’s no shame in walking away, letting it slip by as we are the only two that know anything about it, and I won’t judge you like others maybe would.’She had skipped waiting for his reply, hadn’t even bothered to urge him to answer and then he knew that she understood her fears were justified, his only comfort was that she might draw a little peace from knowing his brother would not be drawn into the feud, even if he was just as entitled to revenge as he was.‘Listen Anna, I’ve got to go now.I have some business to take care of Ok?’ The document he had searched in vain for was suddenly right in front of him, hiding in plain sight.He wasn’t being dismissive but felt that all to be said on the matter had been said.‘Alright Matt,’ she replied reluctantly.‘Take care.’Chapter Twenty FourThe heavy breathing aside him encouraged him that the time was right, unable to allow himself the luxury of sleep he had bided his time, waiting until he could leave without disturbing her.What Matt was about to do was weighing heavily on his mind, it had shown to be an inevitability that he couldn’t escape from, lurking in the shadows as if it were predetermined and he had no control or say in it whatsoever.Climbing out of his bed, the night sky looked darker than usual outside the window, an unusual occurrence or possibility that he believed was more of a reflection of his own mood than an act of nature.His movements did not awaken her as he gently lay the duvet back, he stroked her hair moving the obscuring fragments from her face for one final unhindered glimpse of the beauty he risked by carrying out the unspeakable.The stairs creaked as he made his way down them, each one sounding louder than the last as he cringed with every chance of disturbance.Entering his office, the sanctuary of his own uninterrupted space greeted him, he pulled on the comfortable yet disposable clothing that he had chosen for the deed and opened the safe.The cold metal of the untraceable handgun felt even stranger in his hand than earlier that day, the moment was gaining momentum with no obvious alternative left open to him.Matt knew where his prey would be and exactly how to snare him, providing he kept his timing and plan on schedule then the task should be completed without complication.Checking he had everything, although in theory there was very little required to achieve success, Matt ran through the plan again in his mind.His phone was in his pocket, loaded gun in his waistband ready to serve its intended purpose and an equally untraceable vehicle parked strategically for his use.Ironically, what he hated and despised about Billy, his brash cocky manner and the way he instinctively behaved as if he were better than everyone else and even untouchable were the very part of his plan that was indispensible.He was relying heavily upon the assumption that to carry out his nefarious night time activities undetected then Billy must travel alone and unguarded.Checking his watch he had sufficient time to grab a coffee for the short drive to the secondary vehicle, enough caffeine to enable him to see through the early hours of the morning with the ability to concentrate solely on the issues at hand.The office door closed silently behind him, the light inside faded as he made sure to lock the door; with Tina and Sheila in the annex he felt the need for such precautionary measures.He relied on secrecy and discretion for his business to succeed, soon to be kin or not, the two of them were not privy to his deals.The kettle boiled in the kitchen as he peered out the front window, the house silent other than the noise of the water reaching its optimal temperature.The room remained unlit, the streetlights that sat back from the house offering the only light he needed for menial tasks.Returning to take a seat with the boiling drink he sat close by the large window overlooking his elaborate drive and considered how and why it had come to this.Mindful of the time and the importance of being punctual he refused to give into his tired feelings.Nothing would relieve him so much as to lay back and forget about executing his plans, to feel the freedom of relinquishing the burden he felt he carried but without actually doing the deed.In the still of the night, with his mind elsewhere he heard a repetitive noise on its third cycle, alarmed he realized he had drifted so far into his own thoughts that he had been oblivious to the tinkering sound by the patio doors adjacent to the conservatory.A slight tap followed by a scrape that could resemble that of a feline begging for entrance away from the chilly air continued to echo toward him.But he didn’t have a cat.His body followed his stare as he cautiously placed down his drink and made his way in continued darkness toward the area.The blinds that remained shut obscured his view inside the outbuilding; he retracted them to allow a minimal view inside and across the rear gardens.He scanned the area although it was as dark as it was to the front, he saw no reason to be concerned, an overhanging branch from the nearest tree rested on the roof of the building, stroking across the ceiling with every gust of wind.He smiled as he reflected on the thoughts that had first come to mind; paranoid suspicions that maybe he had been beaten to the point by his adversary.Matt turned away, his back to the area he had travelled to inspect pointlessly just as his mobile vibrated in his pocket.He reached in and answered it.‘Dave, I forgot you were calling,’ he whispered.‘I’m about to leave now, I’ll ring back when it’s all done!’Suddenly and from nowhere, a hand was placed tightly around his mouth as he hung up, an assailant pulling him down from behind as he instinctively fought back.His phone fell to the floor landing softly on the deep pile carpet, he grabbed at the intruders hand trying to prise his grip away.The strong muscular arm that fought off his defence remained unmoved.‘Calm down son,’ he was urged by the intruder who wrestled him to the ground rendering him unconscious [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]