Raven Ch. 14

"Okay, any idea where he is?"

"Big flower stall on the other side of the market. Sign says, 'Reg's Bloomers', I'll let you work it out from there."

"Fuck off."

"And be nice. I notice you've changed outfit and brought company." Max was in the background chatting to another stallholder.

"You said there was bother, so I prepared for bother." Raven was in black jeans, blacktop, boots, and tan overcoat.

Kax grinned. "Well, try the non-bother approach first."

"Of course, my liege and 1st Wizard!" Laughing, Raven made her way to' Reg's Bloomers', an old git's joke if ever she heard one.

The stall was a double frontage, a whirling block of colours melding and shimmering into each other. Frustrated, Raven closed her eyes, trying to clear her head. To buy time, she began browsing nearby. Concentrate on the two guys running the stall, block out the rest. Better. The two men came into focus, becoming sharper. Father and son given the resemblance. Reg was florid-faced and running to fat. There appeared to be no sign of the other son. She nodded to Max as they approached separately.

"Can I help you, darling?" Reg approached Raven with practised jollity.

"Just looking, thanks."

"What's the occasion? Birthday?"

"Someone in hospital."

"Sorry to hear it, any of my blooms will cheer them up. What takes your fancy?" Reg stood aside as Raven wandered into the interior of the stall.

"All very lovely, hear there is a new shop across the square, doing special offers may look there as well."

Reg snorted, "Special offers! The girl is a half-wit, besides they've had some problems, so I doubt if they will be open today."

"What problems?"

"Just problems," he shrugged.

"I heard you may have some insight into them."

"You heard wrong," said Reg flatly. His son drifted over, then turned back to attend to a customer. "You buying? If not, hop it."

"I'm not buying, and I have an interest in that shop with the problems."

"Oh, you're hooked up with the blacks," there was a sneer in his voice." The half-wit and the black guy I've seen around."

"Yeah, they're family."

"Figures, no self-respect, getting down in the filth--"

Raven snapped her gloved fist hard into Reg's nose, then side-stamped his knee in one fluid movement. Reg fell heavily to the ground, a stunned look on his face, blood falling freely. Pulling out the rounders bat clipped to her belt, Raven pressed the tip hard into his throat. "Don't fucking move!"

"Hey!" The son finally found his voice, only for Max to cold cock him. Dropping the flowers he had just purchased, Max checked the prone son.

"He's out," said Max.

"Thanks, Max," said Raven.

"No problem. Nice strike, Lady. Fast. He didn't see it coming."

"Thanks." Raven looked around, it had taken less than ten seconds, and both had fallen out of view. A couple of stallholders were looking their way but more in puzzlement than alarm. She messaged Kax, who joined her a minute later.

"What happened?"

"He made it personal. Get them out of sight around the back. Max, keep watch."

"Aye, Lady."

Reg was starting to get vocal as the pain and shock receded. Kax shushed him and dragged both into the back.

"Is Pete okay?" Reg croaked, looking up at Raven.

"Yes. Did you trash our shop?"

Slumping back against a crate, Reg nodded. "Phil and Pete, just to register, we weren't happy, like. Nothing major, just ruin some stock and upset the half-wit, girl, make her price things properly."

"Okay, call the girl a half-wit again, and I will burn your fucking stall to the fucking ground. Insult me or my family, and I will burn everything else you fucking own. Understood?"

"Yes." Reg collapsed like a punctured bladder.

"This stock you have here, I'm going to take it to replace what you damaged."

Reg nodded, then began to cry. "My knee hurts," he snivelled.

"Yes, it will. You've had a bad fall and hurt yourself. You may have to go to St Edwin's. Can your other son pick you up? If not, I can have Max take you in your van."

"Phil is picking up stock, he won't be back for an hour or so. Are you sure Pete is okay?"

"Yes." Raven's tone did not encourage further debate. There was a rising level of voices from the front. A small crowd of stallholders was milling around Max, but no one was willing to push past.

"Can I help, anyone?" Raven asked, emerging from the back.

"Yeah, just seeing if Reg is okay, except this big lug won't let us past."

"Reg is fine. He took a tumble and hurt his face. Pete is looking after him. My Firm," Raven flashed her business card, ignoring the derisive snort of disbelief from the crowd, "have been asked by the insurers to investigate the break-in at Kayla's Flowers, and Reg was being very helpful."

"Doesn't sound like Reg!" Laughter.

"Raven, I got your message. what's up?" Jane arrived with Stephen in tow.

"Flowers in the back, take whatever stock you need to replace what was damaged. You have an eye for these things, I haven't a clue."

"Okay," She and Stephen slipped past Max and then stopped short at seeing the two men on the floor.

"What the fuck happened?" Steve exclaimed.

"Lady and Max are what happened," grinned Kax.

"We're here for the flowers," said Jane.

"Help yourselves, Reg doesn't mind, do you, Reg?"

Reg shook his head, watching as Kax picked up a money box and opened it. "That's theft!" he mumbled unhappily as Kax pocketed the money.

"Yes, it is," replied Kax tossing the empty box to him.

****

"What's with the Ninja look? You been fighting again?" Mary was in a short gown and smelt of alcohol, her face was puffy. Age and drink thought Raven.

"Just a scuffle."

"Yeah, I bet. You and your scuffles. You'll get hurt one day. I was in the crowd when you and Shan took on those two big black dykes, you were lucky. Shan saved your arse in that bout."

"She did, they were going to pound me. Coffee?" Raven put on a fresh pot." They did pound us both later, that was some wild sex. You let the cleaning staff go?" The place looked like it could do with a good clean.

"In between agencies. We should set one up."

"Come off it, Mary, a cleaning agency? How exciting!" Raven scoffed, carrying the coffees into the lounge. "Here."

"Thanks."

"You stink, by the way. Men."

"It was only one. He left late this morning."

"Good for you, I guess."

"So why are you here?"

"Wondering why the fuck you are not in the office. Wondering what the fuck you are doing in general."

"I'm your boss, not the other way around."

"Like fuck you are."

"Don't you fucking talk to me--" Mary trailed off uneasily. "Look, why don't we just have some fun? You like a stinky woman."

"Is that why you are flashing your pussy at me? Not sure I want to go anywhere near that skanky hole of yours."

"When you first joined, you would have begged me. Remember that first time when you crawled under my desk and licked me out. Pretty good for a first-timer. Where did that fair, sweet girl go?"

"You had her attacked, besides she never was that sweet. Jan Brody spotted it from the off. You missed it."

"That evil old bag," scowled Mary." You spent more time with her than I realised. Pouring her poison in your ear. Is it true what they say? You're in line to take over when she pops it? Inherit her Kingdom of Depravity?"

"Does it bother you that I spend time with her?"

"So it is true. Fuck."

"I have no idea," lied Raven." Does it bother you?"

"A little. I wish I had handled you differently. Why did you never punish me?"

Raven kept her expression neutral. "Never seemed to be the right moment." And you were useful to me.

"You need to be careful with Brody. The Council are not happy at her leaving the property and grounds to you. There is talk of challenging her competence. I'm their legal counsel, so I shouldn't be telling you this."

"Please, the 'Council'! A collection of perverts who think they own the town. Do me a favour."

"They wield a lot of influence, politically and within the police. Like Jan they know a lot of secrets and scandals. You working your way in has blindsided them. They want the estate when she goes."

"What she does is her affair. I spend time with her. I'm the daughter she wished she had."

"Mother and daughters. Christ, I fucked that up."

"Chris?"

"Yeah, I miss her, never thought I would. I mean, I punished her, hated her, fucked her. Loved her. Mothers eh? You know about that more than I do." Annoyed with herself, Mary got to her feet and stalked to the large window, looking out over the town. Raven joined her.

"I'm lonely, that's all," continued Mary. "Towards the end, Chris and I kind of found each other again, and maybe I'm getting old and soppy in the head, but I don't have what you have. I don't have anyone that loves me," she waved Raven away as she wiped her eyes," It's the booze talking. You know I enjoyed living with you, our time together. Then you left me."

"I was pregnant, just seem my father for the first time in a decade. I had to protect myself, and leaving seemed the best way. It was good for me. I learnt a lot from Mehzin."

"And Jan Brody."

"Yes." Raven eyed Mary closely. "They really going to challenge Jan's competence?"

"Yeah, they asked me to prepare the necessary legal challenge. It's what I have been working on for the last few weeks. See, that's why you have me as a friend. I tip you off." Mary pressed herself against Raven.

"How likely is it they succeed?"

"Good chance. Her mind is wondering. You get the idea. Some scheming little tart sweet talks addled old lady into leaving her everything. Is that what you did? Put pressure on the old bag?"

"I like her and she likes me, that's all it is."

"Sure, that will convince a competency hearing. Anyway now you know. You can thank me later."

"Yeah, thanks. Look, I'm having a dinner party tonight, why don't you come over. I think of you as family."

Mary thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Why not? It will be nice to get out."

"Great, I'll make the arrangements," smiled Raven.

****

Linda looked critically at Becky." You could make more of an effort, dear."

"I am. I told you I'm off skirts and dresses. Its trousers, shirts for me. Besides, it's informal enough. Megan and Judy will probably be naked," grinned Becky.

"Be quiet, I don't like that sort of talk."

"You can't ignore Raven's behaviour forever."

"Michelle," Linda emphasised the name, "is fine. She has some odd ideas I don't always agree with, but then she doesn't always agree with the things that I do, so we agree to accept each other and not to talk about it."

"That's not healthy."

"Well, those are the rules, and Michelle and I are content to stick to them."

And I thought my family was effed up, thought Becky as she followed Linda to the car.

Megan and Judy were not naked. Raven was charming and welcoming, and Becky wasn't the only outsider as Mary Tolliver turned up, fashionably late but sober.

Mary seemed amused that Becky was living with Linda and asked if they were getting married. Linda spluttered on a canape, and Raven got that odd expression of hers.

"We've no plans to get married, dear," Linda reassured her daughter.

"Although, we might in the future," added Becky.

"None of my business," replied Raven stonily. "I married Mr Kax without your say so."

"Well, I do think you have a say. You're my daughter, and that counts."

Raven relaxed a little "Thanks, you always were the best mum, shit, Amanda is awake," her daughter's cry came through the monitors.

"I'll go, any excuse to see my granddaughter," offered Linda.

Raven smiled her thanks and joined Megan and Becky. Kax was chatting to Mary while Judy finished the meal preparations. Becky steeled herself for Raven's barely concealed hostility to her, but tonight she seemed more affable, or was it distracted? The woman was always difficult to read.

"Megan was just telling me about the flower shop and how much she enjoys working there," said Becky.

"Does she? Well, she is doing a good job in running it."

Judy called Megan in to help serve up, and Becky nervously watched her friend disappear.

"Relax, I'm not going to bite," said Raven.

"You like biting."

"Sometimes. Not always. My mother likes you." It was a statement, not a question. "So I have resolved to be nice."

"Thanks." Becky couldn't resist the sarcasm.

Raven actually smiled. Judy called dinner before she could respond.

The evening was enjoyable, warm and cosy. Raven was gracious, Kax was funny, and Linda regaled them with embarrassing stories of Michelle. Looking at Raven, Becky could not see the girl Linda talked about so fondly.

Mary signalled to Raven and made her excuses. "You don't have to come down with me."

"I'm a good hostess," smiled Raven as they waited for the elevator.

"Yes, you are. I enjoyed this evening. Thanks." Mary kissed Raven as they rode down, the elevator doors opening at basement parking. Stepping out, Mary half-turned back "Wrong fl-" A hand clamped around Mary's mouth, her eyes wide and startled as two men in black balaclavas dragged her out. Raven, impassive, pushed the button to return.

Exiting the elevator, Raven dialled a number and gave instructions to the woman on the other end. Satisfied, she pocketed the phone and went back into the flat.

Linda looked up. "Mary, get off, okay? She seemed to have a good time."

"Mary had a great time, she was sorry she had to go, but some old business came up unexpectedly."

"Oh, nothing serious, I hope?"

Raven kissed the top of her mother's head and smiled. "No, it's being sorted."