Free Shattered (Dividing Line #5) by Heather Atkinson

To take his mind off it he picked up Gavin’s gold teeth off the gurney where he’d left them. They could come in useful.
    “Here, you can put them in this,” said Frankie, producing a small plastic tube with a lid from inside his jacket.
    “Thanks,” said Ryan, accepting it. “You carry these around?”
    “They’re great for storing fingers in. See,” he replied, producing another tube from the opposite jacket pocket complete with a severed finger still wearing a gold ring.
    “Who does that belong to?” said Ryan, glad his voice once again sounded calm.
    “Some fucking ned who thought he was the bollocks. He hasn’t got any of those left either,” he grinned.
    Ryan thought that explained why the Greater Glasgow Police were looking for him.
    “What’s a ned?” said Mikey.
    “Non-educated delinquent. In other words, a fucking turd in a tracksuit,” replied Frankie before roaring with laughter.
    Ryan was keen to move the conversation on before Frankie pulled someone’s testicles out of his jacket pocket too. “Let’s go get Sabine. Hopefully she’s still alive.”
    “Why do we need to bother?” sighed Frankie.
    “This is for Rachel. I made her a promise.”
    “Then that’s your problem. I’ve got a very cosy money-laundering operation going on with a Russian and for all I know they could be related so I am not risking pissing them off. You’re on your own with that one.”
    “No he’s not,” said Riley and Jez in unison. This habit they were developing irritated them both and they frowned at each other.
    “In that case, why don’t you check out the other two brothels?” Ryan told Frankie.
    “Why the fuck should I? It’s a smart business idea.”
    The fire inside Ryan flared, lighting up his eyes and tightening every muscle. Jez and Riley took a step forward, ready to put themselves between him and Frankie should the need arise. Fortunately Ryan remembered Riley’s words and forced himself to contain it. When his demeanour relaxed, so did his brothers.
    “Because we’re trying to hit Alex’s finances,” Ryan patiently explained. “As hardly anyone knows about the brothels I assume the money is going straight to him and don’t forget, he didn’t bother to tell you about them.”
    “You’re right,” said Frankie, his eyes rolling back in his head. “I don’t like being kept in the fucking dark.”
    “We’ll put the attacks on the brothel on Alex so if the Russians do retaliate they’ll take their displeasure out on him instead,” said Ryan wearily, wondering how he could have got involved in this business in the first place. It was one endless fight and he was sick of it. He longed for the peace and happiness of his life in Devon.
    “Nice thinking,” said Frankie. “Turn all his allies against him, cut him off from everyone who might back him up.”
    “Exactly.”
    “You know, I can’t wait to work with you. You’re almost as smart as me. That makes you unique.”
    “Thanks,” he said dryly. “Why don’t you and Mikey check out the other two brothels owned by Alex while me, Riley and Jez find Sabine.”
    Mikey sighed inwardly. He was lumbered with the axe-wielding psychopath again.

CHAPTER 7
     
    The hatred in Ryan’s eyes when he looked up at the exterior of the brothel Rachel had been taken to could have cut through the brick. “I’m looking forward to burning the fucking place to the ground,” he said.
    “Yes but there’s something I want to check first,” replied Jez. “When we came here looking for Rachel I noticed something I thought we could use so I got a couple of my men to guard the place.”
    Ryan followed Jez and Riley inside with mixed feelings about being back here. On the one hand he had no urge to see the revolting place again but on the other he wanted to raze it to the ground for what had been done to his wife. He wouldn’t feel easy knowing it was still standing.
    Inside it was deathly silent. Jez’s crew had removed the dead security