David Jack Smith
Big On Family
5
‘So to fucken speak? This ain’t no fucken Home Counties game girl. Kevin told me youse was strong. That sounds fucken weak to me. Can’t be doin’ wiv weak.’
Kevin had also told Melody many things in the two years since Charity’s graveside introduction. The main one being: under no circumstances be indebted to Aaron Fuchs. Ever.
Guy’s a fucking psycho.
Kevin didn’t understand this was the very attribute which made him perfect. She hadn’t moved on. She put on a moved-on game face to all others. She could never move on. Not while monsters in human form existed on this earth. When they were dead and buried, then maybe she could move on and rest.
‘I’m not weak. Not any more. I was. I didn’t know it. I bought I am woman, I am strong, type shit, as you do. You go girl. But it was all a comfortable middle-class lie. I had no idea. Wasn’t real. Till it was.’
‘And you think this is. Real, like. Jesus girl, right corker aincha? Maybe this ain’t for you after all. Maybe best you go back to your sad middle-class life as best ya can. What’s left of it anyways.’
A surge of primal anger blazed through Melody. Her right hand shot out and gripped Aaron’s arm. hard.
‘Told you. I’m in. I’ll hold up my end. You hold up yours. Three for three. That’s the deal.’
Aaron perked up. ‘We’ll see. But I need to hear you say it, to me, out loud, right here right now. Don’t need to be written in blood like, but I’m one a them word is my bond types. Very important to me. Only reason you’re here. And for obvious reasons, this is the last time we meet. On the inside anyway. Too iffy that. For you, by the by.’
Melody released his arm before swivelling around to make sure no one else was listening. Satisfied, she cupped both hands around her mouth to hide her lips and leaned across the table again.
‘Okay. Have to admit, I was totally pissed off you wouldn’t do as I asked. Assumed it would be a simple yes or no—’
Aaron leaned in to Melody, his lively grey-green eyes boring into her.
‘And I was tempted. Yeah, why not. Girl’s blood. Family. We Jews is big on family. And it’s all very Old Testamenty. Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord. But do we listen to him? Do we fuck, ever since the fall and we went our own merry way. I’m up for that right as rain, don’t you worry. But then I am a career criminal as Judge McLean told me. Seven years into a twenty stretch. So couldn’t help to start thinking but what’s in it for me, specially as what I gotta do, ain’t no fucken fruit cake walk. I mean, it’s gonna be obvious to the powers what’s occurring after the first two, maybe first.’
‘Okay, okay, now about that. Your three, they have to be—uh, deserving. Not some petty gang vendetta.’
‘If it were some petty gang vendetta as you put it, I wouldn’t need youse like, would I—’
‘Kevin did mention you’re still the bloke in charge.’
‘Hanging on girl. Nah, when youse inside, y’hear shit all the time. What people do, what they’ve done, what they’re in for, what they got away wiv. What they’ll do on the outside. Why they’re in isolation from other prisoners. Now I done shit. Bad shit, psycho shit even—’
‘I have the internet.’
‘—but not against civilians. Right? See the diff? Think on me as the CEO of an international corporation, on extended leave like. I can’t ask me employees to step outside their purview for some private concern of yours truly, no matter how pressing. All they wants is the moolah. The lifestyle. They ain’t up for private retribution, even from yours truly. Worse—they might get it into their noggins the old man’s losing it. We don’t need him or his shit. Then you pops up, and I’m like what the fuck. This could work. So to answer your question, yeah, they all got it coming, and more.’
Aaron pulled out a small piece of paper from his prison overalls pocket. He pushed it halfway across the table, keeping it hidden under his hand.
‘You need to see this bloke. He’ll fill you in on everything.’
Melody stiffened at the thought of a third party.
‘Relax doll. He’s totally kosher. Trust me. As soon as the first, uh—assignment is delivered, I’ll proceed to remove your problem. And so forth.’
Melody closed her eyes for a few seconds. She heard it again. The damn song. Clear as day.
’It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you—’
She placed her hand on top of Aaron’s hand. Gently this time. This was it. She could still walk away. Nothing more to be said. He’d understand. They were blood, after all.
‘They suffer. Not quick, they have to suffer. And they have to know why they suffer. They have to beg for their lives. Beg for their mothers. But you show them no mercy. There is no mercy for these three. And you do it personally, not some hench-goon inside with you. So you can tell me about it after. In detail. Can you do that?’
Even though this was the sentiment Aaron was looking for, it still shocked him. He gently pulled his hand away. ‘Agreed. Kill them all.’
Melody gripped the piece of paper tightly, before slipping it into her coat pocket. She took a couple of deep breaths, cupped both hands around her mouth again, and lowered her voice to the barest whisper.
‘Kill them all.’