Page 47 of Doubting Hearts

“Thank God for that.” I rolled my aching shoulders, blowing out my cheeks. “At least they’ll be fine until they come down for their cream tea. I need to go outside and check on the bins.”

Tammy nodded, absorbed in completing all the paperwork sitting on the desk. “Uh-huh. I’m just going to sit here and get this check-in stuff finished, or I’ll be here until midnight.”

I ruffled her hair as I passed. I went outside to the large dustbins at the back to perform my usual evening chore of checking that they were closed properly. They were located right at the back of the hotel, in a secluded area, and nobody really came out that way unless it was for the occasional smoke. In the past, the lids to the bins had been left open, and we’d had guests complaining about the smell wafting up to their rooms, let alone the fact that the area was a magnet for all the bloody cats in the area. As it was a warm evening, and the hotel windows were open, I didn’t want any ponging smells making their way up to an already traumatized and needy Japanese clientele.

I was muttering to myself and swearing when the blow hit. I felt a surge of pain in my back. I stumbled forward, reaching out to grasp the bin in front of me. There was heavy breathing over to my right, and I saw a pair of hard green eyes staring out from beneath a woolen balaclava. I knew it was Neil Haydock. His fists were clenched, and I guessed he’d punched me in the kidneys, from the pain I felt.

“Neil, what the hell are you playing at?” I gasped. “There’s no use hiding behind the balaclava, you fucking idiot. I know it’s you.”

He moved toward me, and I balanced on the balls of my feet, ready to defend myself. “You need a lesson in manners, Toby,” he snarled.” You can’t just come to a man’s home and make trouble.”

He squared up, moving toward me with intent. “I thought a little duffing up might make you realize your place. No one will believe you if you say anything, anyway. I have mates who’ll swear I was with them all afternoon. So, it will be your word against mine.”

He launched himself at me, I sidestepped swiftly, and his fist connected with the metal bin behind me. He might be bigger, but I was quicker. He cried out in pain. “You bastard!”

Drops of blood fell from his damaged hand. I moved away from him, hoping he’d give up. I knew I should shout for help, but that just wasn’t like me. I needed to handle this myself. But he didn’t give up. Instead he reached into the dumpster and pulled out a glass beer bottle, holding it by the neck and smashing it against the metal bin. He brandished the weapon in my direction.

“I’m going to cut for you for that.” His menacing tone sent a thrill of fear through me. I looked around for something to use as a weapon. I saw a piece of two-by-four lying a few feet away and made a beeline for it just as he rushed forward. Unfortunately, we met in tandem, and the sharp, jagged edges of the broken bottle sank deeply into my side, ripping the skin, making me cry out in pain. I ignored the agony. The old violent rage I’d felt in the past when I’d been in situations similar to this kicked in.

I’ve fucking had enough of people treating me like shit.

I grabbed for the piece of wood, picked it up, and turned back in one fluid motion to hit him across the side of the head as he loomed over me. Neil toppled like a falling domino. I raised the wood, ready to strike again, and felt a strong arm grip mine. I turned in my rage, ready to fight back, and looked into the face of Lucas. He had a grip like steel and a face that said not to mess with him.

“Toby, mate, it’s all right. Simmer down. Put that bloody thing down. Come on. Give it to me.”

I was shaking, but I let Lucas remove the piece of bloodstained wood from my hands. He laid it on the ground gently. When he looked at my side, blood was pouring out of a deep gash across my ribs, and I felt sick with pain.

“Christ, Toby, we need to get you to the hospital. You’re as white as a polar bear.”

He reached into his pocket and dialed. I watched out of hazy eyes as he called 999.

“I have a man who’s been stabbed and another one knocked unconscious. Can you get an ambulance to the Duck and Drake as soon as possible? Thanks. You have my mobile number if you need to get hold of me for anything.”

He put his phone back in his pocket and turned to me. “I heard someone cry out, so I came to take a look. Thank God I did. Can you stand on your own while I take a look at the tosser on the ground?”

I nodded, leaning over, and vomited. My side felt like a hundred bees were stinging me all at the same time.

Lucas knelt beside the man on the ground, who was lying ominously still. “Mate, are you all right? Can you get up?” The figure didn’t move.

Lucas reached down and removed the head covering to reveal Neil’s waxen face. His eyes were closed, and he definitely wasn’t conscious. Lucas slapped his cheeks gently, but he didn’t stir. Lucas looked at me, the first trace of worry on his face. He moved back over to me, concern in his eyes. “He’s out like the proverbial light. Toby, what the fuck happened? I came out, and you were getting ready to bash him.”

“He hit me,” I managed to get out from dry lips and a mouth that felt as if all the demons from hell had laid sulphur eggs in it. “He was going to fuck me up, and then he smashed the bottle and stabbed me. So, I smacked him with that.” I waved at the piece of wood, nearly losing my balance. Lucas held my arm anxiously as I wavered on my legs. It was all going really fuzzy, and I closed my eyes. I heard a commotion at the open side entrance to the kitchen and looked up to see Rain rushing toward me with a look of sheer panic on his face.

“Jesus Christ, what the hell happened? Are you okay?”

I giggled, relieved to see him. “Just had an altercation with a beer bottle.” I waved a hand airily. “Nothing to worry about.” And then everything went dark.