Black Mail (2012) Read Online Free Page B

his money – another couple of days wouldn’t be a problem. She kept her eyes glued to the screen, not wanting to give this guy any pretext to start up a conversation. Snatching out her card as soon as it reappeared she shoved it into her coat pocket, the pounding of her heart against her ribcage seeming louder than the mechanical shuffling of the notes about to be disgorged. She could hear his quick, shallow breathing and she sensed he was standing very close to her. His cold breath came wafting over her shoulder and she felt something brush against her earlobe. Instinctively she lifted her hand to flick it away, then there was a sudden, violent, searing pain in her left ear as she was yanked across the confined space, her ankle twisting beneath her as she toppled over on her high heels and thumped down painfully on the tiled floor, skinning both knees. Her handbag fell from her grasp.
    He was standing with his back against the cubicle door, staring at her through pinpricks of dark eyes sunk into deep red sockets. In his late teens, thin as a rake, his hair was close shaved, almost skinhead, his forehead acne-pitted. He was wearingwhite tracksuit trousers, pinched at the ankles, above a pair of white trainers. His light blue jacket was unzipped, the sleeves rammed above his elbows exposing his skinny forearms, blotch-marked from the cold.
    Tracey saw him move his hands slowly back and forward in front of his face and she realised he was holding something. When she tried to scramble to her feet he yanked his hands backwards, sending her pitching forward onto the floor. She screamed in agony as the pain shot from her ear to her brain and when she jerked her hand to the side of her head she felt the piece of string he’d looped through the pewter rings in her left ear.
    ‘On your feet,’ he panted, tugging on both ends of the string and forcing her to her knees. When she grabbed at the string again he pulled on it hard, bringing her crashing down. ‘Try that again,’ he snarled, ‘an’ your fuckin’ ear’s comin’ aff.’
    Tears of pain and terror were bubbling from Tracey’s eyes, rivulets of mascara oozing down both cheeks. ‘What do you want with me?’ she whimpered. ‘Why are you doing this?’
    Gripping her by her braided hair he dragged her to her feet. He snatched the money from the cashpoint machine, glaring at her when he saw the two ten-pound notes. ‘Twenty measly fuckin’ quid!’ He stuffed the money into his hip pocket. ‘That’s sod all use! I need more than that.’
    ‘It’s all I’ve got.’
    ‘I’m warnin’ you.’ He gripped her arm painfully. ‘Don’t mess me about.’
    Tracey looked in desperation over his shoulder at the cars queuing up at the traffic lights; a line of bored drivers, staring straight ahead. When she saw two youths hurrying past on foot she let out a scream, but neither head turned, then she screamedeven louder when he yanked her across the booth by the string in her earrings and slammed her face into the cashpoint machine, splitting open her bottom lip. Spinning her round he pressed his body hard against hers, pinning her to the wall, their faces inches apart.
    Tracey screwed her eyes shut. ‘That wisny very clever,’ he panted. His breathing was coming in short gasps. She could feel his spittle in her face. Her whole body went rigid.
    ‘Look at me when I’m talkin’ to you,’ he commanded. Tracey sank her teeth into her bottom lip, tasting her own blood, but kept her eyes squeezed shut. Taking a step back he launched a sickening punch at the pit of her stomach. ‘I telt you to fuckin’-well look at me, you stupid wee bitch!’
    Tracey folded at the waist, clutching at her stomach. He grabbed her by the hair and forced her to straighten up. ‘Did you hear what I fuckin’-well said?’ he screamed in her face. Wheezing for breath, she slowly opened her eyes. Tears were coursing down her swollen cheeks.
    ‘I need more money,’ he panted. ‘My dealer