The Family Firm

Chapter 67

As he drove north on the A12, Fred's mind was racing from the combination of the information his sister had just provided him with and the amphetamines coursing through his veins. He always knew Donny was a cunt, even back when they were teenagers, back when they had first met. They had been mates one, though the fact was almost hard for Fred to believe at that point. Donny had always tried to play the nice bloke with him, and for Frankie's sake Fred had as well, but neither of them got on and that was just the way it was. They were oil and water, it was in their nature to oppose one another. But that didn't mean it hadn't come as a shock that Donny had betrayed him like this! That meant the word in Manchester Wallace had told him about, whatever it was, really had come from Donny, and not McElroy as he had presumed.

Honestly, Freddie was almost impressed. He didn't think his brother-in-law had the balls to do something like this, but as it turns out there was more to Donny than any of them had known. The gall of it was astounding. Well, no matter. Fred would top the fucker and that would be the end of it.

By the time he reached his parents' home in Chingford, it was half eight. Even though he'd sped, it had still taken nearly an hour to drive up from Croydon where he had been having a meeting with some of his employees in the South. They were a hard bunch to handle, accustomed to working for Jack and so Fred had been extra careful to appease them, while still giving them enough of a slap to keep them in line. It was stressful work, and a job he had brought along his nephew—well, son—with to teach him how things were done. After all, he wanted to ensure his legacy was left with someone competent, and Junior had more than excelled. He was intuitive and tough, and had the drive Freddie knew was necessary to do the business they did. All in all, Freddie was impressed with the lad and was more than glad to show him the ropes, so to speak. The fact that this cunt Donny was Junior's supposed "father" really rankled.

But, he supposed he had the last laugh. After all, Freddie Evans Jr was his son, not Donny's. And besides, after Fred got his hands on him, Donny wouldn't be capable of laughing regardless.

He pulled into the drive, taking note that Donny's car was nowhere in sight, and parked his BMW. A moment later, he calmly stepped outside, pocketing his keys and opening the front door, which was unlocked, without knocking.

The TV could be heard droning on from the other room, and Fred could already see in his mind's eye his father sitting there, in his recliner, nursing a Stella and watching the latest episode of EastEnders. Peering into room after room, he searched for any sign of Donny before Beth wandered into the hall, having heard the noise.

'What's going on?' she asked, her look of confusion deepening into something more as she caught sight of her step-son. 'What's wrong?'

Fred hadn't even looked at her, his intense eyes darting around the room in further search of the bastard. 'Has Donny been here?'

'Donny?' she asked, stuttering out a moment. 'Er, well he stopped by, oh . . . around seven, I suppose. What's the matter?'

'What did he want?'

Beth glanced around, her concern growing. 'Well, he come in and said he needed to have a look around the shed. Popped in and left not five minutes later. He'd asked to keep summat there, this was years back now. Said it was for work, but I never asked what it was. Suppose he didn't trust your sister enough to keep it in hers. Why, what's he done? What's wrong?'

By the time she had asked her question, Freddie was already storming through the kitchen and out the back door into the back garden, hustling towards the small shed. As he yanked open the door, Beth had slowly followed him out onto the lawn, rubbing her arms in the chill of the evening air.

Fred could feel her eyes on his back as he rummaged through the shed, upturning everything in sight, searching for something though he wasn't quite sure what. A clue, anything at all. Unfortunately, it looked as if whatever Donny had been keeping there was gone now. He sighed. The bastard must have cleared out, which meant whatever he was scheming was soon coming into fruition. If he was in trouble with the Old Bill, which might have been his first guess, Fred would have heard about it by then.