A Tangled Web Read online

  A TANGLED WEB

  A DCI PILGRIM CRIME THRILLER

  BOOK 2

  By

  A L Fraine

  The book is Copyright © to Andrew Dobell, Creative Edge Studios Ltd, 2019.

  No part of this book may be reproduced without prior permission of the copyright holder.

  All locations, events, and characters within this book are either fictitious, or have been fictionalised for the purposes of this book.

  Book List

  www.alfraineauthor.co.uk/books

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to my wife Louise for her tireless support and great suggestions, my kids for being amazing, and my family for believing in me.

  Thank you to my amazing editor Hanna Elizabeth for her critical eye and suggestions, they’re always on point.

  Thank you to my fellow authors for their continued inspiration and help.

  And finally, thank you to you, the readers, for reading my crazy stories.

  You’re all amazing.

  Thank you.

  Table of Contents

  Book List

  Acknowledgements

  Table of Contents

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  Author Note

  1

  “I gave you everything! Anything you ever needed. And this is how you repay me? This is how you treat me, you bitch!”

  Curled up on the bed, her arms wrapped around her legs and her back pressed against the wall, Olivia cowered. Her eyes were wet from the tears that ran freely as she hid her face. Her cheek stung, her side hurt, and she just desperately didn’t want to get hit anymore.

  “Look at me,” he raged above her, but she daren’t, she couldn’t, and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it would end. “God damn it, look at me Olivia, or I’ll smack you so hard…”

  Terrified, she raised her head and peeked above her arms at the young man standing before her.

  Jacob locked eyes with her.

  “You’ve brought this on yourself. You know that, right? This is your fault. You’ve treated me like shit, so this is what you deserve.”

  Unable to bring herself to speak, she merely nodded. She didn’t really agree with him, of course, but she’d say anything to get him to stop hitting her.

  “How dare you do that, Olivia! How dare you humiliate me! I don’t ask much. Just a bit of loyalty in return for everything that I do for you! I give you money and a home. All the clothes you could want, and all I ask is that you show me some GODDAMN RESPECT!” he raged, eyes bulging.

  Raising his arm again, he tensed, about to strike her. Olivia stiffened, waiting for it as she buried her head.

  “Fuck!”

  The hit didn’t come. She looked up. Lowering his arm, he breathed hard, staring at her. “You and Lily, you’re not going out again, got it?”

  She nodded quickly.

  He grunted in frustration and turned away from her. “Stupid fucking…” he muttered, cursing under his breath as he stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him, only it didn’t shut, and sprang back, coming to rest half-open.

  She listened to him go, walking off along the hall and then down the stairs, leaving her in relative silence. The house wasn’t that quiet, though. Music played downstairs somewhere, and she could hear voices too.

  But she didn’t pay them any attention.

  Hiding her face, Olivia felt the tension fall away from her body as the adrenaline faded from her bloodstream. Fresh tears fell, and she sobbed into her sleeves, letting the emotion of the moment drain away.

  What had her life become? How had she ended up in this godawful mess? She hated it and wanted out. This was the final straw, and she knew she’d be better off anywhere else but here, even at her stupid-ass parents’ house.

  Literally, anything was better than this.

  As she sobbed, her despair turned to anger, and she punched her mattress in pure frustration. She had to do something. She couldn’t stay here anymore. There seemed to be no more good times to have here.

  Sometimes she wondered how things had got this bad, but the truth was that it had been good, once. It had been fun and rebellious. She’d felt like a grown-up, like an adult, and not like a child anymore. She always hated that her parents had treated her like a baby and never let her do anything.

  But Jacob had been different. He’d never treated her like a kid, or even as a teenager. He’d talked to her like an adult, like a peer. She’d loved that. She’d loved the money too, and how he’d bought things for her, taken her out, and shown her what life could be like.

  Over time, she’d left her life behind. Her parents, her friends, none of them understood her, none of them knew what was best for her. They didn’t love her or care for her. They hated her.

  Or, that’s what Jacob had told her and convinced her of over months.

  At the time, she hadn’t realised.

  But then came the drink, and the drugs, and the violence, until she’d ended up here, isolated, alone, shunned even by her own parents. No one could help her now, not even Lily, her only friend in this place.

  But the other night, at the club, she’d seen a new life, a life outside of this horror show.

  She needed to get out.

  Tonight.

  Now.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  Olivia looked up through her lank blonde tresses at the girl who was creeping into her room. She nodded, and then changed her mind and shook her head. “No, not really.”

  Lily grimaced, before turning and closing the door behind her as quietly as she could, then crossing the room to sit on the bed beside her.

  Olivia looked up at Lily and smiled, grateful that she would risk leaving her room. Lily was usually such a nervous girl, always careful never to put a foot out of line and doing as Jacob and Vassili asked. And yet, here she was, risking a beating by coming to check on her. There was a strength in Lily that she kept buried deep, and hardly ever showed. Olivia found this small act of rebellion inspiring. Smiling at her friend, she drew strength from her and sniffed her tears back.

  “Thank you for coming to see me.”

  “I heard what he did. Ooh, that looks nasty,” Lily replied, frowning at Olivia’s face.

  “I’ll be okay,” Olivia replied as her cheek twitched where it stung with pain.

  “Are you sure? I might be able to get some plasters and antiseptic cream later.”

  “Thanks, but I’m okay.”

  “So, he found out then?”

  “Looks that way,” Olivia replied. “I don’t know what he knows exactly, other than we went to that club.”

  “That’ll be enough,” Lily replied.

  Olivia nodded, but suspected it was more. She remembered that night clearly and fondly, and she also remembered who she’d met. She was sure that was the issue. But how did he know?

  How did he find out what she’d done and who she’d met?

  She’d kept her phone hidden from him. Out of sight, out of mind and all that, so he couldn’t take it. So how did he know?

  Whatever, it didn’t matter. She knew what she needed to do.

  “I need to get out of here. I can
’t stay here anymore.”

  “But you can’t. He’ll kill you. You can’t just leave.”

  “And I can’t stay either. I can’t do it anymore. You should come with me.”

  “No.”

  “You must. You can’t stay here. I don’t want you to go through what I have.”

  “You won’t get out the house,” Lily protested. “Look, don’t make such a rash decision right now. Sleep on it. Things will look better in the morning. I’m sure he’ll apologise.”

  “Apologise? And that’s meant to make it all better, is it? After what he’s done?”

  “We did break his rules, and you were very friendly with that man.”

  “I did nothing wrong,” Olivia protested.

  “I don’t think he sees it that way.”

  “I don’t give a shit how he sees it, I’m not his property, despite what he thinks.”

  “What’re you going to do?”

  “Leave. I… I can’t stay here. I need to get out. He’ll kill me one of these days.”

  Lily nodded solemnly. “Where will you go?”

  “Away from here.” Olivia pressed her lips together and looked at the door, listening hard, but couldn’t hear anything. She knew where she’d go, she had a plan… of sorts. “I need to get moving.”

  Taking a breath, she slipped off the bed and reached underneath it, running her fingers along the underside of her mattress and the slats that held it up, until she found what she wanted.

  Grabbing it, she pulled out the phone with its cracked screen. She checked its power and then slipped the device into her pocket. “I’m going to meet someone.”

  “Who?”

  She sighed, unwilling to say until she was well away from here. “Come with me,” Olivia hissed.

  “I can’t leave,” Lily protested.

  “You know what he’ll do to you.”

  “He might not do anything.”

  “You know he will,” Olivia insisted.

  “You go… if you must. But I can’t.”

  She nodded, reluctantly accepting Lily’s choice. She’d never make it out if she had to drag Lily along too. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” Lily insisted. “I understand. I’ll be alright.”

  Releasing a held breath, Olivia shook her head. “You have to do what you think is right, I guess.”

  “And so do you. When will you go?”

  A steely resolve settled over her as she considered her options, but there was only ever one choice. “Now. I’m not staying in this dump one more second.”

  “You think you can get out? You think he’ll let you? There’s nowhere for you to go, and you know he’ll come for you.”

  “I’d like to see him stop me,” she replied. The house wasn’t really a fortress or a cell. They had certain freedoms. Instead, Jacob, Vassili, and the others relied on threats both physical and psychological to keep them in line.

  “No, Olivia, wait until later, when it’s quiet.”

  “No way. I’m not sitting here waiting for him to come back and… do whatever to me again. No way. I need to get out,” Olivia replied, her heart thumping against her ribs like it was trying to escape.

  This house rarely got truly quiet. Someone was always here, always up. And then there was the possibility of Jacob coming back. The thought of him returning and hurting her or wanting sex or something again, made her skin crawl.

  A shiver ran up her spine as she made up her mind.

  She had to make a run for it now. She’d go crazy if she stayed here another moment.

  Pulling a bag out from under the bed, Olivia lifted it onto the mattress.

  “You packed already?” Lily asked.

  “I packed last night, but then I chickened out,” Olivia admitted, feeling frustrated at her own weakness. “I should have gone, but… I couldn’t.”

  Lily nodded, her eyes searching around the room as Olivia turned and checked her bag. Everything was there. It wasn’t heavy. She’d made sure she’d be travelling light, just in case she needed to leg it.

  “Maybe I can help,” Lily said looking up at her, her eyes hopeful.

  “Help? How?”

  “I’ll distract them.”

  “And how will you do that?”

  “I’ll think of something,” Lily answered, her core of steel revealing itself again.

  “If you think you can. Don’t do anything silly, though.”

  “You mean like what you’re doing?”

  Olivia raised an eyebrow at her friend.

  “Sorry,” Lily replied and then got up. “Let me check the hall.” She walked to the door, opened it, and peeked outside. “It’s all clear.”

  Crossing the room, Olivia nodded as she slung the bag over her shoulder. “Okay, good. I’m ready.”

  Pausing, Lily looked her in the eye. “Be careful, okay? And text me once you’re out and safe.”

  “I will, and thank you,” she answered, hugging her friend. “I’ll miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you more.”

  “If I can come back and get you…”

  “I’m okay. Don’t worry about me,” Lily replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Now shut it, you’ll just make me cry.”

  Olivia smiled warmly, her heart aching now that the moment had come.

  “Let me go first,” Lily said and stepped out onto the landing. Olivia reached the door and looked out as Lily started down the stairs. The music that echoed up from downstairs was noticeably louder, thumping through the house. The neighbours had learnt long ago not to complain.

  Stepping out of her room, Olivia looked up the hallway, and then back into her room. She felt bad for leaving, but she couldn’t stay.

  Maybe once she was out of here, she could call someone, try to change things, and help her friend. Letting out a long breath, she moved to the stairwell and looked down.

  Below, Lily glanced up and nodded before walking into the front room.

  “Evening, guys,” she heard Lily say. “What’s up?”

  Taking that as her cue, Olivia crept down the stairs, keeping her feet towards the sides of the steps where they didn’t creak so much. Moving slowly and treading carefully, she winced each time she shifted her weight onto the next step, hoping it wouldn’t alert anyone.

  Halfway down, a step creaked.

  She froze, hoping no one had heard her, but the music was loud, and after a few seconds, she felt sure no one suspected anything. No one should really, anyway.

  Focusing on the hallway at the bottom of the steps, she pressed on, moving swiftly, until she finally stepped onto solid ground.

  Taking a breath, she crept up the corridor, her eyes flicking between the entrance hall up ahead, and the door to her left.

  Glancing back, she looked towards the kitchen at the back of the house. To her relief, no one was back there watching, so she pressed on.

  As she passed the open door on her left, which Lily had pushed half-closed to try and conceal her escape, she caught a glimpse of Lily standing before the fireplace, apparently lost in the music and dancing slowly, sashaying her hips left and right.

  Clever girl, Olivia thought and left her to it.

  Reaching the deserted entrance hall, she approached the front door and found it left ajar. Olivia frowned. This wasn’t right.

  Gently, she pulled on the door, widening the gap, and looked through.

  She stiffened as she spotted Jacob outside, puffing on a cigarette in the dull morning air.

  Shit.

  Frozen to the spot, she wasn’t sure what to do and bit her lip as she considered her options. Backing away, she glanced back the way she’d come and could hear voices. No, she couldn’t go back now. She had to get out of here. She had to just run for it. This was her chance, and she wasn’t going to just turn around and slink back into her hellhole of a room.

  Steeling herself, she grabbed the door handle and pulled it wide to find Jacob standing, facing into the house as he crushed his cigarette unde
rfoot.

  Surprised, Jacob locked eyes with her. “Wha…?”

  Olivia returned his gaze and then charged at him, raising her hands and shoving him away with a grunt. “Ugh.”

  “What do you think you’re…” Jacob exclaimed, and reached for her, grabbing her arm as she tried to push past.

  “Aaagh, get off,” she hissed.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Away from you,” she replied and stamped on his foot as hard as she could. He winced and grunted, but held on.

  “Ugh, you’ll pay for that.” He tried to grab her with his other hand. Olivia fended him off, twisting and pulling herself around and away from him.

  “Get off me.”

  “Come here, you…”

  Rage built up inside her. She would never go back in that house, ever, not while there was still breath in her body. Almost entirely on instinct, Olivia balled her fist and lashed out, swinging at his face.

  Jacob yelped in pain and let go of her, staggering back. Olivia fell and landed on her rear as Jacob held his face and dropped to the ground.

  “Aaah, my eye. What did you do? What did you do?”

  “What?” she gasped.

  “My eye, you’ve blinded me you crazy bitch.”

  “But, I…” She looked down at her fist and saw blood on the ring she wore. For a second, a pang of regret flared in her mind. She didn’t mean to really hurt him.

  For a moment, she nearly went to him to check on the wound, and then reality slammed back into place, and she mentally scolded herself for still caring.

  This was her chance. She could leave, and frankly, screw him.

  “No less than you deserve,” she said.

  Jumping up, Olivia backed out over the front garden, up the drive, watching Jacob at the front of the house.

  “Come here. Come back. Don’t you dare leave! I’ll kill you! Do you hear me? I’ll find you, and I’ll kill you!”

  Turning, Olivia ran taking a left out of the driveway and sprinting up the street.

  ***

  The day seemed to crawl by, as she counted the minutes and hours while waiting. Olivia had spent the day riding buses from Redhill to Epsom and then hiding in cafés and supermarkets, jumping at shadows as she prayed Jacob wouldn’t find her.