Page 48 of Ryder
He pushes his mobile under my nose, showing a photograph of Finn with the Chief, the caption reads, ‘Working together with local business owners.’
“So,” I say, shrugging. Griff grins and zooms in on the picture. It shows a reflection in the glass window, I can just make out the image of Neve and my whole world stops spinning for a second. Relief floods me and Griff pats me on the back. “He has her still, and she’s alive. That’s the confirmation you needed.”
“But they’re out together. With the chief. Is she there by choice?” Suddenly doubts flood my mind. What if she’s gone back to Finn of her own free will and the whole abduction thing is a disguise so that Ryder doesn’t follow her?
“Brother, you’re over thinking. They wouldn’t go to all that trouble. He’s holding her somewhere and this was a stage for him to cover his arse. So, while you were sleeping off your hangover, I called the chief, told him that I’d been having an affair with the girl in that picture and so I needed to know who she was to Finn. Finn told him that they were making a go of their marriage, but the Chief said she was quiet and withdrawn. She had faded bruises and she looked unwell, like she hadn’t eaten in days. He asked if that shit was my fault or Finn’s, cheeky fucker.”
“Fuck, I just need her back, Griff. I can’t function without her. Should we tell the chief she’s been taken?”
Griff shakes his head, “We all know he’s a bent mother fucker, we’ll be in his debt and who knows what shit he’ll have us doing. Let’s leave him as a last resort. My guy got in touch, he’s at another warehouse tonight but this time he’s inside. He’s one hundred percent sure that they are auctioning women off.”
“Let’s hope he doesn’t decide to auction off Neve!”
“And risk the chief asking questions, it wouldn’t happen.”
Adelina, the new woman in the cellar, is also not from England. But she speaks some English which makes communication so much better between us all. We sit crossed legged on the bed listening to how she left her home in Syria some weeks ago to come here and clean houses for rich people. She was sold a dream that would see her and her parents much better off financially. But when she got here, she realised she’d entered a nightmare.
“A man met me, he took me to hotel. Two men there waiting, it felt not right,” she says, her English broken in places. “I scared. I try to run but I get caught and beaten and . . . and hurt, then I bring here!” I sit patiently whilst they speak in their own language.
I feel sick knowing this is all down to Finn. I gave him a child and now I’m tied to him forever. I knew deep down when I met him I should have been more cautious, should have asked more questions but everything was so rushed and I didn’t have time to think too deeply about where all his money came from or why he was always buying nice gifts whenever I questioned him.
“We escape, Malia have plan,” smiles Adelina.
I shake my head, “We can’t, there are too many guards out there with big dogs and guns. They’ll kill us.” Adelina recounts that to Malia and they both look crestfallen.
“We think of other plan?” Adelina suggests.
I nod in agreement, not sure what we could possibly come up with but not wanting to crush them any further.
The door opens and we break apart, waiting to see who descends the stairs. The times it’s a large man with a protruding stomach hanging over his tight belt. His cheeks are ruddy and red, and he seemed short of breath by the time he reaches the bottom step. Two men follow, holding guns by their sides and wearing an earpiece. For a second, I think they’re here to help and I get to my feet. It’s soon diminished as the man sneers, “Just three, is Finnegan trying to make me look stupid?”
A man on the steps puts his mobile to his ear while the fat man circles me, eyeing my body in the ripped dress. He seems unconcerned by the dried blood on my face or across my legs. He then reaches for Malia, tugging her to stand and circling her. I focus back to the man on the phone, realising he’s talking to Finn, which means I didn’t manage to kill the fucker. “Get here now!” he orders, before disconnecting.
I turn to the sound of Malia sobbing, watching as the man runs a finger along her collar bone. “Is he coming?”
“On his way, Sir.”
“This one is too skinny,” he grumbles, turning away from Malia and reaching for Adelina. “But this one, umm, I like this one. Name?”
“Adelina,” she whispers.
“I like that name, pity you won’t get to keep it.” He grips her shirt between his pudgy hands and tugs hard until it rips and the buttons fly off. Adelina flinches, folding her arms to cover herself.
“Hey,” I yell angrily, “Don’t do that, leave her alone.” I push myself between them.
“You’re English,” he smirks. “Interesting.”
“Fuck you,” I spit and he slaps me across the face so hard, I fall to the ground.
“Maybe this one would be more entertaining,” he says, and the two other men laugh.
Finn runs down the steps, looking harassed. His eyes darted between me and the man. “Mr Sharp, I wasn’t expecting you until this evening.”
“Clearly, three girls, Finnegan, three?” The man moves towards Finn, “How can I put on a show with just three women?”
“Erm, actually two. She’s not a part of this,” says Finn, nodding his head towards me.
“Oh, she is, unless you can get me at least three more then she is very much a part of this. You have…” the man looks at his large gold watch and smiles, “Three hours.”