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Back Brutal Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. BRUTAL
  3. Dedication page
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. Prologue
  6. PART ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. PART TWO
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. PART THREE
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. Epilogue
  55. BRUTAL
  56. By Mandasue Heller

‘I’ve never seen owt like it in me life,’ Billy was saying when she reached the open workshop doors. ‘There was a horse with a dick the length of a hosepipe, and the bird was givin’ it pure—’

He abruptly stopped speaking when another man spotted Marie and nudged him, and he and the others turned to face her.

‘You can’t come in here, love,’ one of them said. ‘Reception opens at eight, so you’ll have to come back later.’

‘I’m looking for Evan,’ Marie said to Billy. ‘Have you seen him? Any of you?’ she added, including the others now; some of whom she recognized, some she’d never seen before.

‘I told you when you rang the other day, he hasn’t been in all week,’ Billy reminded her.

‘I’m not talking about here,’ she said. ‘I’m talking about anywhere. You’re his mates; one of you must know where he is?’

‘Not me.’

‘Me neither.’

The men all shook their heads, and Billy shrugged.

‘Sorry, love.’

Marie stared at him before sweeping a gaze over the others.

‘One of you knows something,’ she said accusingly. ‘Did he tell you to lie to me? Are you all in on it? Laughing at me behind my back?’

‘Come on, don’t get upset,’ Billy said, walking over and ushering her back out into the alley when tears started glittering in her eyes.

‘Don’t touch me!’ She jerked away from him. ‘I know all about the stupid bro code, and I can see you’re all lying through your teeth. Just tell me where he is. I promise I won’t let on that I got it from you.’

‘For the last time, I don’t know,’ Billy insisted. ‘And I’ve got to set my machine up before my boss gets here, so—’

‘Billy, please,’ she implored. ‘I’m his wife; I’ve got a right to know.’

‘For fuck’s sake, leave the man alone and go home,’ one of the others called out from the doorway.

‘It’s no fuckin’ wonder he’s done one, state of her,’ someone else muttered from inside.

‘Take no notice,’ Billy said apologetically when her cheeks flared. ‘None of us has seen or heard from him. And, between you and me,’ he went on quietly as he walked her along the alley, ‘he’ll be getting his cards if he doesn’t show his face ASAP. So if you do manage to find him, give him a heads up, yeah?’