Numb: A Dark Thriller by Lee Stevens Page B

the microphone for all to hear, “I love you son. Happy twenty-first.”
    Everyone clapped again as the father and son hugged it out.
    “I’d like you all to raise your glasses to Michael.” Nash raised his own glass. “To Michael!”
    “To Michael!” the room echoed.
    Riley tipped his glass and took a swig of water.
    “Now, one more thing before the food,” Nash said. “If any of you wish to brave the cold and follow me outside, I have one more little surprise...”
    His words hung in the air as he led his son towards the door and excitement soon spread throughout the room like an electric charge. Within seconds most of the guests hurried towards the doors and headed downstairs behind the father and son.
    Even Riley felt intrigued enough to follow.

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    The main entrance of the club was made up of large double doors crafted from thick tinted glass. Embedded within were small glittering stones to resemble twinkling stars. They were flanked on both sides by two concrete pillars which connected to the overhanging first floor to create an alcove where the guests had now gathered, semi-protected from the biting wind and drizzling rain.
    Riley positioned himself at the back of the crowd next to the doormen as Nash led Michael junior to the side of the road. The closest family and friends were up at the front and Riley didn’t feel he belonged with them. He noticed Howden was up there, next to the woman he thought he had a chance with later. Turner had stopped off at the bar for a fresh drink and would probably push his way up front when he came down also. Sandra was up there, playing her part and feigning interest as she wrapped her arms around Wendy who seemed both confused and excited by what was going on. Riley then saw Purvis appear, casually fighting his way through the crowd to take his place beside them. Sandra flashed him a smile, obviously delighted to have his company for a few minutes and Purvis smiled back as he placed a hand on Wendy’s shoulder.
    The little girl didn’t budge, as if the touch on her shoulder felt right, natural, as if deep down she knew it was the protective hand of her true father.
    “What’s going on, dad?” Michael junior asked, looking around. The road was quiet, hardly any traffic, and only a few people were walking the streets. Most had stopped to see why everyone was vacating the club in a hurry.
    “You like the watch I gave you for your birthday?” Nash asked, loud enough for everyone to hear.
    “Yeah, it’s great.” Michael rotated his wrist to show off the flashy silver Rolex.
    “Well, how about this?” Nash looked up the road. Waved both hands in the air, as if beckoning some unseen person closer.
    Riley, along with the crowd, looked up the street. Saw a parked up lorry, its rear door lowered down to the road like a ramp. From the black pit inside, headlights suddenly blazed into life like demon eyes. Soon after, a sleek and shiny vehicle gracefully descended onto the road and headed towards the club. The horn sounded, the driver obviously a budding musician trying his hand at the first line of Happy Birthday .
    Be-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep!
    A universal gasp came from the crowd as the silver Aston Martin DB 9 pulled up next to the father and son, its metallic bodywork and alloy wheels sparkling in the gloom.
    “Happy twenty-first,” Nash said and slapped Michael firmly on the back.
    Michael’s mouth fell open, as if his father’s slap had loosened his jaw, and he watched in stunned silence as McCabe climbed out of the Aston, leaving the engine running and the door open for Michael to jump in to try out his new toy.
    No wonder you didn’t want Moore’s Nissan , Riley thought as the other guests clapped and cheered and Michael’s friends whooped and hollered like excited frat boys. He knew enough about cars to assume that the model must have cost a hundred grand at least, even at a knocked down price. But that was peanuts to Nash, and giving Michael –