Read Online Screams in the Dark by Anna Smith - Free Book Online Page B

as you have wee arseholes like Tam among us – people who might open their trap – there’s always that chance.’
    He went back to his desk and opened a drawer. He took out a gun. Frank felt his head swim. He thought he was going to pass out. Al walked across the room towards Tam.
    ‘So, you have to get rid of the traitors.’
    By the time the last word was out, he had fired the gun into Tam Logan’s chest at point-blank range. Tam slumped, his mouth open in a protest he didn’t get the chance to make.
    ‘Oh, fuck, Al.’ Frank put his hands to his face. ‘Jesus Christ man. You’ve killed him.’
    ‘That was the idea, Frank. Christ, you’re good.’ Al walked back to his desk and put the gun in the drawer. He snorted the other line of coke and sat back, looking at Frank, his pale-grey eyes narrowed. ‘Anyway,’ he half smiled. ‘You’re a bit pale. Don’t worry, Frank, did you think you were next?’ He chuckled.
    Frank felt sick. He watched in silence as Clock and the sidekick dragged Tam out of the door, the blood bubbling out of his chest and onto the floor. Al sat staring, his face cold and expressionless. He’s completely fucking mad, Frank thought. Insane.
    ‘Right,’ Al said, eventually. ‘You might as well go now, Frank. I just brought you along so you could witness that wee situation there.’ He looked him in the eye. ‘Know what I mean, pal? Just in case you get some kind of crisis of conscience and feel like turning us all in.’ He sniggered. ‘Not that any fucker would believe you anyway.’
    Frank stood up and felt his legs weak under him.
    ‘Just keep up the good work, Frank,’ Al said. ‘And stop worrying.’
    Frank said nothing. He nodded his head slightly, then turned and left the room.

CHAPTER 8
    Tanya glanced back at the wall clock in the hallway as she pushed open the door of Frank Paton’s office. At the most she had half an hour to see what she could find. She had no real idea what she was looking for, but she hoped there would be something, some tiny bit of information that would give her an idea what it was that was making Frank Paton so edgy these days. Ever since that day she’d overheard the men seeming to threaten him in his office, Tanya had been watching him closely. She could have put his mood down to grief over the suicide of his best friend, but the dark shadows under his eyes and the redness of his face from booze had got worse since those men told him he couldn’t back out of whatever it was he was involved in. And now, since the visit from the police over the suicide note, he looked even more wrecked.
    Last night, as Tanya had sat in her tiny flat planning her next move, she’d asked herself why she was even bothering to find out what Frank was involved in. Whatwas it to her? It should mean nothing. Because even though whatever it was probably involved Tony, it had been made crystal clear to her from the suicide letter and what she saw at Tony’s funeral, that she’d played no real part in his life. She was nothing. But still, she couldn’t let it go.
    She had surprised herself at how calm she’d been when the detectives arrived at the office to go back over again exactly what she saw when she discovered Tony’s body. Tanya had been expecting them after she’d sent the letter to Millie, and she was prepared. She’d looked suitably bewildered when they asked if there was any note on his desk. She’d shrugged. She would never look on Mr Murphy’s desk she told them. He had always told her to leave his desk as it was and never touch it, because he had his own system where he knew where everything was. So she didn’t even pay any attention to his desk. She’d been so shocked when she saw him hanging from the ceiling, that was all she could see. Tanya had filled up as she spoke about her ordeal that morning. It had been a convincing performance, and she’d found herself feeling quite proud later as she walked back to her flat.
    *
    Now she sat in