"I can be there in thirty minutes tops. What's happened?"

"You're-" The phone-line went dead.

Ash swore, his mind now racing, trying to figure out what could've happened.

"Is everything alright?" Juliet asked, attempting to get the car started. The engine whined and complained, needing a good kick up the rear like its absent owner. Juliet revved it again, getting it started this time.

"Tiana wuz crying, and hung up mid-word."

"You want me to drive you there?"

"No, drop me home so I can take Dante's car. This one's too slow."

"Sure." Juliet headed out of the car park and onto Tiri Road.

Ash's phone went off again. He pulled it out, surprised that it was Sledge. "What do ya want?" he said, the discomfort he always felt with his baby brother creeping back in. His conversation with Dante came to mind, and regardless of whether he thought Sledge deserved what he got, he still felt awkward and guilty. He wondered whether his father felt the same way with him.

"Where are you?" Sledge asked.

"On the way home with Juliet and Dante."

"Don't go there. The place is swarming with pigs."

Ash frowned. "Why?"

"Len Jones wuz found stuffed inside Angelo's old playhouse with his throat slit."

"Stop the car!" Ash hollered as Juliet went to turn onto Pleasant Parade."

She stomped on the brake, causing everyone to jerk forward. "What's wrong?"

Ash ignored her. "Are there any cops near you right now?" he asked Sledge.

"No, I'm out the back of Mr Murphy's place, but there's one inside with the old dude."

"What do ya know 'bout the murder?"

"Someone called the pigs, saying they saw Dante enter the property after Len, then shouting and banging started up."

Ash's stomach dropped, now knowing why Dante had lost his head. He turned around and hollered at Dante in the backseat, "Why the f.u.c.k didja kill Len Jones for?!"

Dante's eyes widened. "I didn't kill him."

"Bulls.h.i.t! That's why you flipped out, you lying sonofab.a.s.t.a.r.d."

"But I didn't, I haven't seen him in months."

"The cops found him in Angelo's playhouse with his throat slit. They got a call saying that you were seen entering the property after him."

"They're lying! Someone's setting me up."

Ash pointed the phone at Dante. "Or you're lying."

"I didn't do it! And if I wanted to top Len I wouldn't b.l.o.o.d.y hide him on our property, and I definitely wouldn't have used a knife after what happened to Mum. You should know that."

Although Ash knew Dante's words made sense, he still couldn't shake the feeling that his brother wasn't being completely honest. But regardless of whether Dante was innocent or not, Ash needed to protect him.

"This is what's gonna happen," Ash said. "Juliet, you're gonna drop me off at Tiana's, then take Dante to Craven's. I'll phone Saul now, giving him a rundown on what's goin' on. Once I check Tiana's fine, I'll go to the cops-"

"You still there?" Sledge yelled through the phone.

Ash put it back to his ear. "Yeah, what?"

"Stay clear of the pigs until I get some more info outta them."

"Okay, but call me as soon as you do."

"Most definitely, and Ash..."

"Yeah?"

"Stay safe. I... I love you." Sledge hung up, leaving Ash clinging onto the phone, his brother's words taking him by surprise.

"You alright, Ash?" Juliet asked.

"Um, yeah," he said, hanging up. He looked back at Dante, who narrowed his eyes at him. "Don't worry, bro," Ash said. "I'll sort this out."

Dante's brows pulled together. "Really?"

"Yeah, cos no matter how much you p.i.s.s me off, I still love you, you f.u.c.kwit."

"Ash!" Juliet snapped, "Why do you always say nice things, then go and ruin it?"

"Don't worry, J," Dante said, "Cos I love the f.u.c.kwit too. And I would kill if anyone threatened you guys; I just didn't do it this time."

"This time?" Ash asked.

Dante looked out the window. "At all."

Ash turned back around as Juliet started driving again, his mind returning to Len's murder-and the guy's cousin, someone who would also kill for their family. He closed his eyes, knowing the police were the least of his problems.

24.

Sledge Sledge re-entered Mr Murphy's house, heading through the kitchen and into the lounge. The place was covered with photos of the late Mrs Murphy along with other family snapshots, of which Sledge had been told about many times over. Running trophies as ancient as the man himself lined the mantelpiece above the fireplace, while brightly coloured furniture filled the room, giving the place a seventies feel.

Mr Murphy and the policeman, who Sledge recognised from Tama's investigation, focused on him as he approached the couch. The large scar under the officer's chin looked like someone with a bad aim had attempted to slit the guy's throat. Sledge grimaced, the thought reminding him of Len.

"Have you managed to get a hold of your brothers yet?" the officer asked, remaining seated.

"No, but I left messages on their phones."

"Good, because it's essential they contact us straight away." The officer indicated to Mr Murphy, the old guy smiling up at Sledge like he was having Christmas and his past eighty-odd birthdays all at once. "Mr Murphy has given me another account of what happened, one which conflicts with the emergency call. He's stated that it was not Dante who followed the victim onto the property but a much older man, and that the unidentified man had been sitting in his van for a good hour, watching the place."

Mr Murphy cut in. "I went up to him and introduced myself, and asked who he was waiting for, because you can't be too careful nowadays with these horrible people casing places to burgle."

"That wasn't a wise thing to do, Mr Murphy," the officer said.

"But he was perfectly polite and was very happy to talk to me. He said Ash and Dante were his boys, which probably explains why you and Juliet don't look like your brothers."

"No, we have the same parents," Sledge said.

"Really, but you look more Mori, like that fella who used to live with you. I thought he was your father."

Sledge knew the old guy was talking about his cousin, because they did have an uncanny resemblance. "What did the man look like?" he asked.

"He had two teardrop tattoos and a whopper of a scar down his face."

Sledge brought a hand to his face. Chaz turning up at his brothers' house wasn't unexpected, but hearing he'd been there still made him want to throw up.

"What's wrong, son?" Mr Murphy asked.

Sledge lowered his hand and focused on the officer. "That's my stepfather. I a.s.sume you know what he did to my family?"

"Yes, I'll call it in," the officer said, grabbing his radio.

"I thought you were s'posed to have a patrol car watching my brothers' place."

"Our resources don't stretch far enough to have one there twenty-four/seven."

"You lot are as useful as t.i.ts on a bull." Sledge pulled out his phone and dialled Ash's number, getting more agitated when his brother didn't pick up. Swearing, he hung up then dialled Juliet's number.

She answered on the third ring, "What's happening?"

"Chaz killed Len."

She gasped, while the officer said "It's only a possibility."

Sledge ignored him. "Who are you with?"

"Ash and Dante."

"Good, pa.s.s on the message."

"Will do."

Hanging up, Sledge turned back to the officer and Mr Murphy, who were both watching him intently. "That wuz my sister, she's gonna keep trying my brothers while I ring my other relatives. I'll go outside to do it."

The officer nodded then turned back to Mr Murphy, who instantly started jabbering about Beth having broken up with Ash, and all the shouting that had been coming from the place of late, though how the h.e.l.l the old man knew about the first one was beyond Sledge. For the briefest of seconds, he felt sorry for the policeman, the old fella knowing how to chew the ear off corn.

He headed out the back again, going around the side of the garden shed so he didn't get any nosy old men or cops sneaking up on him. He dialled his grandfather first, relaying what had happened and to pa.s.s on the message to everyone up north. His grandfather started cursing in Croatian, then stated he was coming down to Auckland, which Sledge nipped in the bud, using the policeman as an excuse to keep him away, the old fella not in the best of health.

Next he rang his father in Taranaki, who went silent for a moment, then said he would be there in six hours, something that Sledge didn't discourage, because he knew Dante would need him. Once he'd finished contacting the rest of his relatives, he phoned Naf, giving him the rundown on the situation.

"Are you talking 'bout Kirstin's dad?" Naf asked.

"Yeah, though s.h.i.t knows how Chaz stuffed the fat b.a.s.t.a.r.d into that small playhouse."

"Man, that's horrible. Poor Kirstin and Tyler, they must be gutted."

"f.u.c.k Tyler!"

"Woah, man, take it easy, it wuz his uncle. Gotta feel sorry for the dude."

"Not after what he did to Corey."

"He did nuthin' to Corey."

"He f.u.c.ked him."

"Dude, too much info."

Sledge went quiet. He'd fumed and swore continuously on the car ride over, but as soon as he'd seen the cops swarming his brothers' place like flies on s.h.i.t he'd pushed Corey out of his mind. But now, the little b.a.s.t.a.r.d started creeping back in, making him feel guilty as h.e.l.l. He hadn't meant those words he'd said to Corey. He didn't want to never see him again, far from it, but Corey choosing Tyler over him hurt, because for that one moment when Corey had admitted to loving him, needing him, he'd almost cracked and given in. And if Tyler hadn't shown, he might have made love... Made love? Christ, what the h.e.l.l was wrong with him?

"Sledge," Naf said, "You still there?"

"Yeah," Sledge answered, trying to control his voice. How could he have gone from wanting Corey as a best friend to wanting to do him? It was warped. No! He was warped, and totally f.u.c.ked in the head. Sick, sick, f.u.c.king sick, he couldn't do that s.h.i.t, s.h.i.t literally. G.o.d, what he needed was for someone to hit him over the head so that his brain rattled about and clicked back to focusing on chicks, and not d.i.c.ks, because the only d.i.c.k that should be in the picture was his, and preferably inserted up some hot piece of a.r.s.e, NO, he meant p.u.s.s.y. Dammit!

"Sledge?"

"Sorry, a.r.s.e, no, I mean s.h.i.t... No, no, I didn't call you an a.r.s.e or a s.h.i.t, I meant to say bad stuff seems to be piling up at my door, and the only reason I know 'bout Tyler's uncle is cos he told me. I went to his place, and found Corey sleeping in the guy's b.l.o.o.d.y bed. I tried to get him to come home, but he wouldn't."

"Well, if he wants to stay with Tyler, leave him be."

"No, Tyler is a Jones. They're dangerous."

"Not all of them. Kirstin wuz alright and Tyler's harmless. He totally went to pieces under you, even Corey could take him on and win and that's saying sumpthin'. So, if my bro's fine with him, don't worry 'bout it."

"He's not fine! And he should come home where I can look after him."

"Well, you're doin a pretty s.h.i.t job of that, he got hurt cos of you."

"He did not! He got hurt cos you took him to that party and let Tyler f.u.c.k him. This is yours and Tyler's fault, not mine."