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Isobel’s hands began to shake and she had to cling to the shelf to stop them. Slowly, methodically, she moved the duster over the now-empty shelf. There were five families overlooking the cove. Clyde and Janice and the Redferns were two of them.
“Hugh Redfern called the police and they checked the property.” Edna lowered her voice as though conspiring, instead of sharing local gossip. “There were tool marks around their front door lock and their garage had been broken into. But Hugh didn’t notice anything missing, so he thought it might have been teenagers messing around as well. Although how he would know if anything was missing with the state of his garage, I wouldn’t know. Linda Redfern keeps a filthy house. I don’t know what that woman does all day long, but it isn’t clean.”
Isobel thought she might vomit. There was no mistaking the intent of the men lurking round her neighbours’ properties. They had to have been looking for the body she’d removed. Or worse, looking f
or the person who’d been watching them.
Isobel got to her feet, on legs that were weak. “I need to make a call,” she said. “I’ll be back in a sec.”
Edna jerked straight. “Where do you think you’re going? You just got here. Don’t think I’m paying for your time when you aren’t working. I’m docking this from your wages.”
Isobel wasn’t interested. Her attention was on her phone. She pulled the piece of paper with Callum’s number out of her pocket and started to dial as she left the shop. Her concentration on her phone, she walked around the corner to the little car park, hoping to find a private corner.
“Hello love,” someone called, making her stop dead. “I was wondering when you were going to come out of the shop. Thought I’d have to send Raymond here in to get you. Ain’t that right, Ray?”
Isobel felt the blood drain from her face as she backed away from the car that Eddie Granger was climbing out of. The loan shark was smiling at her with lots of teeth and cold, flat eyes. He wore a black suit and black shirt. The jacket gaped over his pot belly, and Isobel inanely wondered if it was even possible to button it shut.
“You didn’t answer my messages, Isobel.” Eddie swaggered over to her. “Ray here was worried. Ain’t that right, Ray?”
“Aye.” Ray looked like the type of man who’d rather hit someone than talk to them. He was a genetic mutant of a man. Short and stocky with far too many steroid induced muscles for his body shape. His eyes never stopped moving, assessing. He wore jeans and a Celtic football shirt. There were heavy rings on every finger, and Isobel didn’t have to ask, to know that they would act as knuckle dusters when he punched. And she got the impression that Ray very much liked to punch.
“We need to have a word about what you owe me,” Eddie said as he stepped close. Too close. Isobel had to suck in her stomach to stop any part of her body from touching his.
She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. “I still have three days. You’ll get your money.” How, she didn’t know. She mentally went through everything she owned, looking for something to sell, and came up empty. She had absolutely nothing of value.
“I know money is tight,” Eddie said with saccharine sweetness. “I’m a thoughtful guy. I don’t want to put you under any undue pressure to get the cash in time. I’m willing to negotiate.” His eyes slid down her body, lingering over her breasts, and he licked his bottom lip. “I’m willing to let you work off the debt.”
Isobel fought the urge to shudder. “That’s kind of you, but I’ll have the money.”
Eddie grinned, showing stained and broken teeth. “You hear that, Ray? I’m kind.”
Ray didn’t answer; he was too busy looking around. Whether he was keeping an eye out for a threat to his boss, or looking for something to hit, Isobel couldn’t even begin to guess.
Her attention was dragged back to Eddie, when he ran a fingertip down her cheek. Bile rose in her throat, burning and making her want to gag.
“See, here’s the thing—as I said, money is tight all round right now.” He gave her that fake sympathetic smile. “I can’t let you just pay the interest anymore. I’m going to need the whole amount on Saturday.”
Isobel gasped. “I can’t. I don’t have that kind of money.” She didn’t have any money.
“I understand; I do. Times are tough. I’ve tried to help you out by letting you pay what you could, but I can’t do that no more. I need the rest this weekend.”
Isobel’s mind raced. What he was asking was impossible, and he knew it. He was enjoying this; she could see it in his eyes.
“Thirty-four thousand by Saturday.” He looked at her and his eyes hardened. “Best get one of your sisters to look after the kids, because when I come back here, I’ll be collecting, one way or another. And it will take a lot of paying off to square with me.”
His fingertips trailed down her throat, over her collarbone and across the swell of her breast.
“I’m gonna enjoy collecting from you, Isobel Sinclair.” He turned towards his car then looked back at her. “Saturday.” He nodded at Ray. “Drive the message home. But restrain yourself. I have plans for her.”
“No,” Isobel said as she tried to press herself into the wall and disappear entirely.
Ray took a step towards her. His smile was serpentine.
CHAPTER 11
CAMPBELTOWN ONLY HAD ONE PAWNSHOP, but it was doing a thriving business, which said a lot about the state of the economy in the area. Although anybody could have guessed that people were struggling, by the amount of empty shops on the high street. As far as Callum could see, the only businesses doing a decent trade were the second-hand shops, the pubs and the pawnbroker.
The shop was crowded with goods people had either sold, or had pawned and then were unable to buy back. Callum took his time perusing the stock, paying particular attention to the camera equipment. He didn’t see anything particularly high-end, which made him think that the things Isobel had brought in had already been sold. As he pretended to shop, Callum kept a close eye on the guy working the counter.
