‘Since the head incident she’s been like a maniac, Mum, and in some ways I don’t blame her. It even gave me one up.’
‘Jasus, I think about it all the time meself. Sure, that Benny is a fecking case and no mistaking. In a way I’m glad that Janine is dead or this lot would have killed her for sure.’
She saw Lee trying to stifle a laugh and felt a moment’s anger at him. That was her children’s answer to everything, laugh about it. No matter how bad it was they found a joke in it. And some of the things they did were not funny; Benny decapitating a young man on the threshold of his life was anything but funny in her opinion. Disgusting, violent and depraved certainly, but not funny. Not at all.
‘Benny isn’t all the ticket, son. Even Sheila must understand that much.’
‘She ain’t interested, Mum. Wants me out of all this, and if I don’t agree then she wants a divorce. Garry and Maura know the score, they’ve left me out of things for a while, but with all this shit with Vic . . .’
He shrugged.
‘How are the boys?’
He smiled now, a genuine smile.
‘They’re great. And the babes . . . oh, Mum, she is adorable.’
She saw the love in his eyes and heard it in his voice. She grasped his hand in hers.
‘Then go home, son. Maura and Garry will understand if I explain.’
He grinned and looked so handsome then with his trademark Ryan black hair and deep-set blue eyes. They were a good-looking family, there was no doubt about that, and in her own way she was proud of each and every one of them. Even Maura made her happy since their reconciliation.
‘Go on, get away home. You have a large family to take care of and I have a feeling on me that things are all going to get very difficult before it’s resolved.’
‘I can’t, Mum, I wish I could. I’m as sick of it all as you are but even Roy has been drafted in for this final confrontation. I just hope it’s all over soon and with the minimum of fuss, eh?’
She nodded, aware that she was wasting her time. He would do what he had to and wouldn’t listen to her, no matter what she said. That was one thing she had learned over the years.
Lee, however, was actually watching over his mother though Sarah was not to know that. When the ear arrived at Vic’s auntie’s, which it should have done by now, there was going to be murder done. Vic was going to be looking for all the Ryans and he would find them. Vic had a habit of getting what he wanted. But then, so did Maura.
Lee just hoped it would all be over soon so he could go home to his family. Once this was through he was going to get out. Sheila was right, it was all too much now. Their lives were in danger, and their kids’. It was time to break away from it all and get back on the old footing with his beloved wife before it was too late.
Kenny met Maura at Thurrock services and as he climbed into her car he was half-pleased to be in her company once more and half-worried about whatever mayhem she was about to cause. He was gratified she wanted him with her, though. It must show she respected him if nothing else.
She smiled at him and he saw that she was looking far more confident than when he had last spoken to her.
‘Where we going?’ he asked.
‘Vic’s auntie’s. See if he swings by there to comfort his old mum.’
Kenny’s blue eyes looked doubtful. He had nice eyes, Maura found herself thinking. A different shade from the Ryan blue, clearer and paler. Not weak though. There was nothing weak about Kenny Smith. He had a very direct way of looking at you. Kenny inspired trust in people. She supposed it was something he’d had to cultivate in his line of work, but found it reassuring nevertheless.
‘I think you should wait for him to get in touch, Maura.’
‘I can’t, Kenny. I really can’t sit around waiting for that ponce any longer. Word is out that we are finished and it’s going to cause us a lot more problems if we don’t nip this in the bud once and for all. Someone tried having over one of the betting shops, and that in itself speaks volumes.’
He listened attentively. She liked the way he did that instead of always trying to put in his sixpenn’orth like Tommy and her brothers.
‘Another thing. It was two of Joe the Jew’s boys who tried to rob the shop. Interesting, don’t you think? They’ve got the inside track from someone and it ain’t me. I knew that old ponce was hiding something all along. He’s in with Vic, I can smell it.’
Kenny closed his eyes momentarily as he realised this was it, what he’d been dreading. It was all about to come down on them and Maura would be right in the firing line.
She glanced sideways at him. Once again his face wore its professional mask of inscrutability. His shaven head, prominent scar and heavy body promoted the impression of a hard man, a bully boy. But Maura knew that inside he was a decent man. She was also shrewd enough to understand that his bad boy looks would attract a certain kind of woman. Kenny looked just like a man in his line of work should look, and that would give some of his admirers a real buzz. They probably wouldn’t have been half so impressed if they knew about his softer side, the one Maura was beginning to appreciate more with every day that passed.
She opened her mouth to speak to him, and her mobile rang. Sighing, she answered the call and recognised Vic Joliff’s voice immediately.
Carla and Joey were walking up Lancaster Road. They had a truce at the moment and as they had Benny’s money, had been on a marathon shop. Maura was not going to welcome her niece back into the fold with open arms but there was a definite thaw and that pleased Carla. At least she didn’t feel that constant sickness any more, wondering what Maura was going to do or say next.
Even Joey seemed happier in himself. He was always out these days and because of what she saw as his aberrant sexuality Carla didn’t question him too much about where he went. In truth, she didn’t want to know.
She studied him as they strolled along together. He was a good-looking boy and had always had, if not friends exactly, plenty of acquaintances. He was naturally very outgoing and friendly but she knew he had had grief at school because of his effeminate ways. The fact he was related to the Ryans had helped put a stop to all that, of course.
The only people he got on really well with were Benny and Abul. Benny took the piss mercilessly but Abul had always given him his time. Not that he would any longer, of course.
It was a shame really that she had not kept in closer touch with the boy’s father. It was only now that he was older that she realised Joey needed a man in his life. But the decision had been taken all those years ago when Malcolm had betrayed her with that stuck-up bitch of a secretary of his, and that was that. Maura and the boys had seen to it that he had never come near or by them again without express permission.
Joey was squealing now as he waved to Nana’s next-door neighbour, an actor who had appeared in many films and always played a gangster or a psychopath. Now, though, he waved and squealed back every bit as loudly and over-exaggeratedly as her son did. If only his legion of female fans could see him – and the pretty boys who seemed to be forever coming and going at all hours of the night. Even his cleaner was a Filipino boy with a tight bod and a rather used-looking mop.
She waved to him half-heartedly and he repaid her with a winning smile that could melt the hardest of female hearts.
‘She likes you, Mother.’
‘Will you stop referring to men as ‘‘she’’, please, Joey? It irritates me.’
He sniffed loudly.
‘Everything irritates you lately.’
Carla knew he was speaking the truth and tried to smile at him. He was glowering at her and she felt sorry because she knew she had hurt him. That she had hurt him many times with her words and her actions.
‘Look, Joey, I know me and you don’t see eye to eye . . .’
He flounced away from her and she followed him up the steps to the front door.
‘Please, Joey.’
He opened the front door with his key and went inside
. Carla knew she had hurt him again and was sorry. In the kitchen he put on the kettle and she sat at the table, trying to find the words to make everything better. Why couldn’t she be more like Maura, accept everyone as they were instead of pushing them to be how she wanted them to be?
‘Look, Joey, things haven’t been that easy for me either, you know.’
He faced her then, laughing, and said, ‘Oh, really? I would never have noticed if you hadn’t mentioned it! Well, Mother dearest, any problems you are experiencing stem from your own bloody actions. You knew that Tommy was with Maura and you were stupid enough to try and hook him when even I know that men like him are just chasing a bit of strange. You’re hardly a spring chicken, are you? Now you’ve been bummed out you want me. Well, it’s too fucking late, love. I don’t need you, I don’t need any of you, and soon you will all find that out.’
He was looking at her strangely as if he was the proud possessor of a great big secret, which of course he was. She realised that by the smug look that had come over his handsome face.
‘What on earth are you on about?’
He smiled mysteriously.
‘You’ll find out soon enough. I have a few tricks up my sleeve, Mother.’
‘What kind of tricks, Joey?’
He smiled once more, enjoying her consternation.
‘As I say, you’ll know soon enough.’
‘Life can be very difficult at times, Joey . . .’
Now he did laugh. The thought of her giving him advice about anything made him crack up. She could save the bullshit for someone who believed it.
‘Life? What do you know about life? At least I have a fucking life, which is something you have never had.’
She could see how incensed he was and it actually made her nervous. He had the same quality about him now as Garry had when he was upset. He looked as if he was capable of anything.
He turned towards the kettle and started to make the coffee as he said in a firm voice, ‘Just don’t try and give me pep talks. Face it, Mother, we are not the close couple you thought we were and as far as I’m concerned it’s too late for us to start now. So let’s have a coffee and then I’m off out, OK?’
She didn’t answer him; she really didn’t know what to say.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Listening to Maura talk to Vic, Kenny felt as if his guts had turned to ice water. She started to laugh and he marvelled at her ability to sound in control even when her heart must have been making its way into her mouth like a rocket. She was good, there was no doubt about that.
‘No, you listen to me, Vic. You moved the goalposts. You should have rung when you said you would. Do you think we ain’t got nothing better to do than wait on your calls?’
She listened and laughed.
‘I am soooo scared, Vic. Can’t you hear the way my voice is shaking? Oh, sorry, that’s yours.
‘Let’s cut the crap, shall we? You want a meet. So do we. But we’re playing by our rules and doing it our way. Your mate Jack won’t be needing his place any time soon so why don’t we say the barn, noon tomorrow, smart casual, guns will be worn. That good for you, Vic?’
She rang off without waiting for his reply and looked at Kenny.
‘I wonder where he got my mobile number from?’
Kenny shook his head.
‘Is it safe?’
‘About as safe as you can get. I only received it yesterday.’
He frowned as he took in the implications.
‘Who’d you get it off?’
‘Cranky Bob, the BT bloke. He’s supplied them to me for the last couple of years.’
‘Well, he’s sound enough. I use him myself. Wonder if he’s working for Vic as well?’
Maura looked grim.
‘Must be. I think a visit to Bob is well in order, don’t you? Kenny, will you get us there? I need to brief Garry on the arrangements for tomorrow – and then I’m calling in a shedload of favours.’
Sheila always enjoyed some time alone even though she missed her children when they were not around. She was luxuriating in a steaming bath full of lavender oil when she heard the sound of heavy footfalls on the stairs.
She closed her eyes in irritation and waited for Lee to come into the bathroom. The door was eventually thrust open when she called his name. She opened her eyes to see Vic Joliff staring at her.
He smiled appreciatively.
‘Mrs Ryan, please excuse me for intruding on your ablutions. But me and you need to talk.’
‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’
Sheila was trying to cover her body as best she could.
Vic threw her a towel.
‘Get yourself out and downstairs, please. Quick as you can.’
She remembered him from Sarah’s the day he had brought the flowers and for some reason she wasn’t frightened of him. Why that was she didn’t know. She knew she should be scared, very scared, but she wasn’t.
She dried herself off as fast as she could and put on a bright blue candlewick dressing gown. She saw that the phone was ripped from the wall but had expected as much. As she walked downstairs to the kitchen she was amazed at just how calm she actually felt.
Vic had made them both some tea and smiled at her in a friendly manner as she entered.
‘I must apologise for all this shit, Sheila, but I have no choice in the matter. Your husband’s family insists on aggravating the life out of me.’
‘What do you want?’
She sat herself down on one of the high-backed stools at the breakfast bar.
‘Nice drum, love, very homely.’
She smiled.
‘Thank you very much.’
He smiled again and she found that despite everything she quite liked him.
‘Why are you here?’
‘I want to catch a big fish, and you, my love, are the bait. Now drink your tea and get dressed. We have a little journey to make.’
Cranky Bob was in his forties and had acquired his nickname after having a tear up in a pub in Bristol. He had been there for the weekend and had got into an altercation with two local wide boys, one of whom had glassed him. Forty stitches and a lot of pain later he had been left with no muscles in his face so that even when he smiled he looked miserable. Hence the name Cranky Bob.
As he stood in the betting shop placing his bets he was more than surprised to see Maura Ryan standing in the doorway, motioning for him to follow her outside. Bob being Bob, he finished placing his bets before strolling out of the door and walking over to where she was standing beside a big saloon car.
‘You took your fucking time.’
Her voice was hard and he was non-plussed for a second.
‘Get in,’ the bully boy with her ordered.
Kenny’s voice made Bob aware that he could be in danger; all previous friendliness between them was gone now and he got into the car quietly and with the minimum of fuss. Maura sat in the back with him and this made him feel even more nervous for some reason.
‘Have you been passing on our numbers to other people, Bob?’
Her voice was low and he knew he was skating on thin ice here.
‘What makes you think that, Maura?’
She grinned.
‘Don’t fuck me about, Bob, I am that far from beating your brains out.’ She put her thumb and forefinger together. ‘Did you give our numbers to Vic Joliff?’
Even Kenny could see the confusion on the other man’s face.
‘Why would I give your numbers to him? I don’t even know him.’
It was obvious he was telling the truth.
‘Well, you have given them to someone.’
‘Only your family, love, no one else.’
‘Who, for example?’
‘Your niece Carla – I gave her a few numbers because she had lost her phone. Oh, and her son, the poofter. I gave him the numbers because he said Benny wanted them.’
‘When was this?’
‘Well, Carla was weeks
ago, but the boy, Joey, he’s always on the blower. You know what a dork he is. I said to him yesterday he should get a fucking phone book tattooed on his fucking arse. Gets on my wick he does, always on the phone fucking moaning in that poncey whining voice of his . . .’
‘Joey?’
He nodded.
‘Yes, wanted your new number again. He also wanted a safe mobile for himself and I dropped it off to him not an hour ago.’
‘Where did you drop it off?’
‘He was in a wine bar at the top end of Portobello Road. Then I dropped him back at your mother’s house.’
‘What was his new mobile number?’
Bob opened his black leather Filofax and gave her the number.
‘Thanks, Bob.’
He sneered. It was the closest to a smile he would get this side of plastic surgery.
‘You are welcome. Can I go now?’
She nodded.
When they were alone in the car Kenny said, ‘I had a feeling there was someone close to home but I never dreamt it was him. Vic must have got to him through Tommy or Abul, mustn’t he?’
‘So it would seem.’
She was nearly in tears at this fresh betrayal.
‘I gave that boy everything, you know that. I put him and his mother up when it all fell out of bed with Malcolm, and this is how I am repaid. I bet they laughed up their sleeves at me. I bet they thought it was fucking hilarious. Silly Maura, the prat who paid the bills.’
‘Don’t be so harsh on yourself.’
‘Harsh?’ She laughed. ‘I tell you what, Kenny, even Benny as mad as he is has more loyalty in his little finger than those two have in their whole bodies. Funny that, ain’t it?’
Kenny didn’t know what to say to her.
‘What is it with me, eh, Kenny? First Tommy and Carla. Now Joey. And fucking Abul thrown in. I mean, the fact he skanked fucking Tommy from under our noses speaks volumes. No one’s heard from him since. He must have gone over to Vic. Why don’t I see the people I care about for what they are?’
She lit a cigarette.
‘I’m supposed to be a shrewdie, right? People respect me for my strength and so-called business head. Yet my niece and her son tucked me up like a fucking kipper and I never saw it coming. Not Tommy, and definitely not Abul. I mean, him and Tommy only ever spoke about two words to one another.’