Everything to Lose Read Online Free PDF Page A

tried to get away from them they tried to drag her and Jess into their red Ford estate car. Jess's piercing scream brought the school lollipop man and two parents to their rescue.
    Laraine thought they had the wrong person because she didn't understand what they wanted. They were Eastern European and she didn't understand their truncated English. Yordan pulled Laraine into her living room and pushed her into the armchair nearest the door. He stood behind her.
    Ivan walked casually into her kitchen. He dried his hands on a kitchen towel then returned with a long kitchen knife. He handed Yordan a towel to dry his head. He stood in front of the armchair and ran the knife through the palm of his left hand. The knife-edge was blunt and barely left a mark on his palm.
    She stared at her kitchen knife. First time she had ever seen someone handle a knife in a threatening way. He stepped closer to her and she moved her feet apart while trying to keep her knees together.
    He pointed the sharp end of the knife at her chest. She moved her eyes away from the knife and focused on his hand. His fingers were puffy and his nails long and dirty.
    Laraine tried to move her body in the chair. Ivan eased the knife slowly toward her sternum. He pressed the knife into her skin just above the neckband of her top and she felt the hard cold metal. A fraction more would break her skin.
    She moved her gaze to his face, now not more than two feet from hers. His tanned face and baldhead were wet as if he was sweating but it was rainwater. The strain in her legs became unbearable. She moved her feet and knees to a more relaxed position. The knife pressed harder against her chest. Her pain intensified and terrified anguish defined her face. He knew he was hurting her. A little push further and the tip would slip into her chest.
    She agitated her hands as if she was going to grab his arm to make him stop. Yordan grabbed her head from behind. She clawed the arms of the armchair. Clamped her eyes shut expecting the knife to penetrate.
    Ivan moved the knife to her face and set the tip on her top lip under her nose. He turned the knife so it was perpendicular to her nose.
    He levered the knife upwards against her nose. She opened her eyes and their eyes met. She arched her back up in the armchair. She was frightened, sweating and panting. Her eyes glared and Ivan decided she was ready to talk. Ivan turned rapidly and threw the knife into a sideboard on the opposite side of the room. He stepped back from the armchair.
    "Oliver Mansole. Where is he?" he asked.
    "I don't know," Laraine said with surprise.
    "She lies. I kill her. I take her girl," Yordan threatened.
    "You're his woman," Ivan said.
    "No I'm not. He's my friend that's all."
    "You were with him at judo night. Where is he now?"
    "No-one's seen him since that night. I don't know where he is."
    Ivan stood at the sideboard. He looked at the knife stuck in the door. He looked at a display of photos of Laraine and her family. He turned back and showed her a silver foil blister pack containing sealed vials of amber liquid.
    "He leave more of this here?" Ivan asked.
    "He didn't leave anything here."
    "Tell truth or I ask child."
    "He didn't leave anything here. I swear on my daughter's life."
    "I find him. If he says my gear is here. I rip your house to pieces. I take your child."
    He pointed to the room upstairs where he'd seen Jess through the window. He saw the reaction on Laraine's face.
    "If I had anything, I'd give it to you."
    The two men looked at each other and decided she was too frightened to hide anything. Ivan knew it was a long shot but others said she and Oliver were involved so he had to check her out. As they sat in their car waiting for a pause in traffic, Yordan reverted to his native Bulgarian tongue.
    " Her girl is perfect."
    "Do you mean replacement for Galina?"
    "She's a strong girl, good age."
    "Maybe."
    "I want to take her now."
    "Not now Yordan, wait. We have to find this pig Oliver