Page 60 of All Mine (The All Mine #1)

Etienne

Etienne’s phone rang and he wished it could be Isabella, even knowing how impossible that was. But instead it was Walker and his voice was slightly out of breath. He was walking and talking at the same time.

‘Etienne. I’ve come out of the police briefing to tell you they’ve found a link between all the victims of the arson attacks,’ he said, the sound of his boots echoing on the pavement.

Etienne moved away from where Fred was watching the evening news on an overly loud television and made his way over to the window.

‘Go on,’ he said.

‘Everyone who has been targeted has got into money troubles. They’ve borrowed money that they couldn’t pay back.

Susie Malone took out pay day loans after her husband left them high and dry.

The hire company took out loans to buy the hire equipment in the first place and when the business didn’t take off they couldn’t pay it back.

The man in Shalford borrowed money for a new car.

Another family owed money for a holiday.

Fred Barrow, we think, ran up some debts through betting. . .’

‘On the horses. . .’ Etienne finished, glancing across at Fred, who’d had the racing on the television all afternoon and his feet, in his new slippers, on the footstool in front of his armchair.

‘Exactly,’ Walker said. ‘So, all of these people owed money and all of these people got burned for not paying it back quick enough. And I think your problem just got much, much worse.’ Etienne heard him take a deep breath the other end of the line.

‘They all owed money to the Dougalls.’

Etienne felt his blood slow in his veins. Life paused for a single second as the impact of it struck home.

‘How much did they owe? Do you know?’

‘All of them less than fifty thousand pounds. So, all of them less than Alex.’

Etienne pushed a hand through his hair.

‘How late were they with their payments?’ he asked.

‘Between a week and a couple of months,’ Walker said, not needing to say the rest. Etienne rubbed his stubble on his jaw.

‘I think you need to be on the lookout,’ Walker said quietly. ‘Call me if you need me.’

‘Thanks.’

Etienne hung up. He looked out the window at the street-lit square, trying to assemble his thoughts into some kind of order.

The Dougalls were punishing people who owed them money and didn’t pay it back fast enough.

The Dougalls were the ones responsible for burning families and businesses and old people out of their homes.

The Dougalls were the ones pulling the strings for Alex.

But he wasn’t weeks late or months late in making good on his debt.

He was four years late. What kind of interest were they going to add to that?

A taxi pulled up opposite on the square and Gabriella climbed out of the back seat, dragging a large bag with her.

Isabella ran out of the front door of Tutto Mio and scooped her into a long hug in the dusk.

Etienne could almost feel the intensity of it, and wished it were him she was holding so tight.

Nonna appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron as she waited for the opportunity to hug her other granddaughter.

At least he’d done the right thing by Isabella. She was safe even if he wasn’t. He’d made sure of that.

‘Ooh, look, you’re on the telly!’ Fred pointed at the television and Etienne turned away from Isabella outside to see her face on the screen instead.

Her grin was so wide it stretched her cheeks.

Her hair tumbled around her face as she gestured and laughed.

He remembered the warmth of her fingers in his, the gentle pressure of her thumb against his skin.

He turned away, unable to watch it any more.

‘I’m going to meet Walker and Fox for a drink,’ he called to Fred, who gave him a double thumbs up from the armchair.