Chapter 5

"The girls are in there," Willie said solemnly and watched as his boss strode past him and flung open the door to the double bedroom.

The two naked girls were sat on the bed and got up as Tony entered. "Your friend said you wanted to play," the blonde girl cooed, and pushed her bosom out in front of her. "Said you had big needs." Tony grunted and closed the door behind him. "Said..."

She started walking towards him, pushing her hips out as she walked when Tony stopped her with the a wave of his hand. "Stop, which one of you bitches has been blubbing to the cops 'bout me?" He asked waving the gun around. The brunette girl whimpered when she saw it and he pointed it at her.

"We ain't said nothing, Tony," she promised and the two girls looked at each other. "We ain't been saying nothing."

"I'm gonna kill both of ya 'less I hear some answers." He cocked the small revolver and took aim at the two girls in turn. "Which one of you cunts has been off to the Cop Shop?"

"We haven't..." the girls cried in unison and the blonde girl burst into tears.

"We just work to pay our bills," she sobbed. "And please don't 'urt me. I got two little kids."

He snorted and looked at the brunette, letting her see the gun. "I'm gonna kill someone 'less I find out." The tall, leggy brunette looked at her friend and nodded.

"Twas me," she told him with her eyes closed. "I did it." Tony sighed and he licked his lips involuntarily as his grip tightened on the weapon in his hand. "Let her go and I'll tell you everything."

Tony stared at the young blonde. "Fuckin' stay there," he warned and turned his attention back to the brunette. "Ya fuckin' tell me everything."

"Let her go," Tony was told but he ignored her and aimed his gun at her chest.

"What d'ya tell them."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Everything I could remember, plus they put in a tape recorder the last couple of times." Tony stood emotionless in front of her, lowered his weapon and squeezed the trigger, firing a bullet into the young prostitute just above her belly button. The room went silent for a second as the echo from the gun died out and then the blonde girl screamed.

Panic gripped her blood spattered face and she scrambled to her feet, panting quickly and her hands shaking. "You ... killed ... her."

Tony nodded and looked at the tearful girl – his favourite prostitute - and fired the gun into her chest. "Sorry. Can't have any witnesses," he told her as she fell onto the floor. "You understand, right?" He cackled nastily and sighed.

Tony surveyed the scene, and fired a bullet into the heads of both of the girls and opened the door. "Get that room cleaned up," Tony told Willie and gave him the "execution gun" back – now devoid of bullets. "And the fucking bitches told me. Twas them."

Annabel started the Ford Capri of her lover and waited for shouts or screams, but there was nothing: silence. Except for the gentle purr of the engine.

No one had seen her take Abigail, her belongings and the contents of Tony's drawer containing two expensive watches, almost five hundred pounds in cash and dozens of pieces of jewellery.

Annabel took a deep breath and slowly pulled out into the quiet street; her driving lessons she had had a year ago all seemed such a long time ago as she grated the gearbox and clipped a wing mirror on the way past. She swerved to the right as there was a bang and she then broke sharply as she went through a red light, parking up outside her friend's flat.

George hopped as she held Abigail on his doorstep. "I'm going," she said the moment he opened the door. "I got everything I need, I'm going. Come with me," she begged and he shook his head.

"Where?"

"The night. I dunno. Anywhere. I need out of London. Tony's lost it."

"I can't," he told her. "I will. But I can't yet."

"Why?" Annabel asked, tears streaking down her cheek. "Please George. He hit me with baby, and I'm scared. He's going to kill me. And he is going to kill little Abigail."

George squinted. "I can't love. Listen, he dain't know 'bout me. I got some stuff to tidy up and then I'll join ya."