by Martina Cole
Lenny bit into his sandwich with gusto and said through his chewing, ‘No way. Fuck the Carters and the Wilsons. Fuck them all.’
Reggie was glad to hear him say that.
Lenny finished his sandwich in two bites and placed the plate on the floor. Leaning back against the pillows, he said seriously, ‘I never would have believed that this would ever be me. But I am glad we have each other, Reggie.’
Reggie smiled. This was the nearest Lenny would ever get to saying, ‘I love you’.
Reggie changed the subject, as he knew that Lenny found it difficult to talk about feelings, particularly their feelings. He still had the innate fear of homosexuality that was present in many men, especially those who denied their true natures.
‘I wonder what Jack and Frank Barber got up to in their day?’
Lenny was lighting them up two cigarettes as he said, ‘I wondered about that too. We will have to ask about, see what we can find out. Jack can be very close-mouthed when the fancy takes him.’
‘I know. I heard a while back that he was a right handful when he was a young man.’
Lenny laughed at that. ‘He could be a right handful now and all, I reckon.’
Reggie laughed with him. He saw Lenny looking at his watch and knew it was the sign he had to go.
Reggie stood up and said casually, ‘I’ll get the shower going for you, and make you a fresh coffee before you go.’
Lenny was already up and out of the bed. Reggie hated this part of the evening, even though he knew this was how it had to be. He heard Lenny singing tunelessly in the shower as he rinsed out the cafetière in the kitchen.
Chapter Sixty
Frank Barber was not a big man by any means, but he was mean. He had the look of one who was unpredictable and who could be capable of great violence. It was as if he was trying to hold it inside him, and that communicated itself to the people around him and made them wary of him. He had grey hair that was thick and wavy, and his eyes were a greeny-blue that gave him a claim to good looks. When he had been a young man he had been a fine specimen. Now he was in his sixties, but he still got the odd look from women.
Frank Barber’s saving grace was that he loved his kids with all his heart. His eldest son was severely disabled and Frank had taken him everywhere with him, as proud of him as he was of his daughters. His son had died while Frank was doing a nineteen and it was said that he’d cried like a baby. Then he had smashed the wing up and spent three months in solitary. One of the screws that had tried to contain him had lost an eye. He was a hero in the nick, but he had missed his son’s funeral.
Now he was out on the streets, eager to get back into the game and, as he stood in the pub, he wondered at how the world had changed while he had been banged up. A few of his old cronies had come to pay their respects and Frank had been shocked at how they all looked. Thanks to his own fitness regime in the nick, he was still in pretty good shape for his age. He was holding court when two big, dark and handsome men came over and introduced themselves.
He had heard of Lenny Scott and he was pleased at the way the boy and his companion respectfully shook hands with him. He liked the way they were deferential to the older men there and that they wore decent suits and good shoes. Things like that were very important to Frank Barber. After wishing him well, they said their goodbyes and left the pub quickly.
One of the men there, Davey Foster, said sagely, ‘That is Jack Johnson’s blue-eyed boy.’
Frank nodded. ‘I know all about him and that young Reggie Dornan. They are the new guard, mate. Nice enough lads, though.’
The men agreed with him, as they had to – whether they really did or not. Frank wasn’t a man who took kindly to being mugged off in any way, shape or form.
‘I hear Jack has done well for himself.’ No one elaborated on what he said and he smiled. ‘I’m going to see him soon. We go back a long way, me and Jack Johnson.’
Still no one said a word either for or against him.
‘I think he needs a lesson in etiquette personally, and I might be the one to give it to him.’
Then he ordered another round of drinks and the talk changed to other subjects. Everyone had forgotten how mercurial old Frank could be. They wouldn’t do that again in the future.
Chapter Sixty-One
Lenny was quite taken with Frank Barber. He admired the old fucker; he had done a nineteen without too much trouble and he seemed a nice enough bloke.
‘I can’t imagine being banged up for nineteen years, can you, Reg?’
Reggie laughed. ‘Can I fuck! I’ve only done a few years and that was hard enough. But the thing is, Len, once you’re in there, you got no choice, mate. You have to wipe your mouth and get on with it. It’s a mindset really.’
Lenny nodded. ‘I suppose so. If we had a capture for some of the stunts we’ve pulled, we wouldn’t get out ever!’
They laughed together at the truth of it.
‘If it did come to that, there’d be nothing for it but to knuckle down and make the best of it, I suppose.’
Reggie laughed again. ‘Turn it off, Lenny! You’re giving me the fucking heebie-jeebies.’
Lenny lit them both cigarettes and passed one to Reggie before saying, ‘I had a chat with Dennis Dunmore last night. I met him outside the off-licence near my mum’s house. Interesting man.’
Reggie frowned as he said, ‘In what way?’
‘Well, he didn’t exactly come out with it, but I got the impression that Jack started his businesses on what was, in effect, Frank Barber’s money.’
Reggie whistled through his teeth. ‘That might be why Jack is so interested in seeing what Frankie Boy has in mind.’
Lenny nodded. ‘Maybe. I don’t like to think that Jack tucked someone up. I think we need to get the full SP before we start wondering about things that as yet don’t even concern us.’
Reggie dropped him outside his house and they smiled at one another.
‘Shall I pick you up tomorrow?’
Lenny shook his head. ‘Nah. I’ll drive meself. See you in the morning.’
Chapter Sixty-Two
Sharon was waiting up for Lenny again. As always, she had her hair done and make-up on; she still made the effort. He knew that he was lucky to have her, but if he had his time over, he would have waited before marrying her. He loved her, but he wasn’t in love with her any more. They had been kids, as her mum had pointed out, playing at being grown-ups. But he loved his sons too, and he knew he couldn’t leave her. Nevertheless, it was getting harder and harder to pretend that he was really content with this life at home.
‘You look nice, Shaz. How was your day?’
It was what she wanted to hear and, as he sat and ate the food she had so lovingly prepared for him, he tuned her out. Reggie had once said that his sister Gerry prattled on, and that was exactly the word for Sharon’s scintillating conversation. Prattling. He knew he was being unfair but couldn’t help stifling a yawn. She instantly became quiet.
‘Shall I run you a bath, Len? You look like you could do with an early night.’
He was overwhelmed with guilt again and so he said jovially, ‘Only if you get in with me!’
He jokily leered at her and she laughed with genuine happiness.
‘I think that could be arranged!’
He smiled once more. ‘That’s a date then, darling.’
She removed his empty plate and started to load the dishwasher. He watched her movements; she was still a good-looking girl. Suddenly he wanted her, wanted her underneath him. He stood up and, before she knew what was happening, he was inside her, pushing into her as she leaned against the sink.
She loved it when he was like this, when he took her without warning. It proved to her that he still desired her. That he still loved her.
He had to shush her as she started coming in case the two boys came down. They finished together and, as he held her to him, feeling her heart galloping in her chest, he wished he was anywhere in the world
but his own kitchen.
Chapter Sixty-Three
Lenny got into work early. He had rung Jack and arranged to meet him at 7 a.m. and he was waiting for him when he arrived. They were both drinking large mugs of tea when Lenny asked him the question he needed the answer to.
‘I heard through the grapevine that Frankie Barber was drinking down the road so I popped in with Reggie to pay my respects, like, and get a look at him. He seemed all right – a bit of a handful I should imagine if crossed – but he gave me my due and I gave him his. Now, I am asking this with all respect, Jack: did you have any dealings with him in the past that he might have a problem with?’
Jack Johnson laughed loudly. ‘You mean, did I tuck him up?’
Lenny nodded. ‘Did you?’
Jack stopped laughing. He said seriously, ‘Truthfully? Yes and no.’
Lenny frowned at his words. Jack Johnson sighed. He knew he would have to explain himself. The strange thing was, he didn’t want Lenny to have a bad opinion of him. Lenny was a straight arrow in many respects and, though he was capable of great violence and great cruelty, Lenny Scott was also what was known as an honourable man.
‘It’s a long story, son.’
Lenny grinned one of his crooked smiles and said, like a schoolteacher, ‘Then let story time begin. I’ll make us another cuppa first.’
Lenny was intrigued. He couldn’t imagine Jack tucking anyone up. But, as his dad always said, you live and learn.
Chapter Sixty-Four
Reggie was waiting at Custom House to meet Detective Inspector Daniel Smithson. Reggie had been shocked to get the early morning call from him, demanding they meet in private. Seemed it was of the utmost urgency and only he could help him.
Reggie Dornan’s healthy disregard for the police as a whole had come in handy and he had managed to make the man think he was doing him a big favour by giving him a half-hour of his time. Christ knew, they paid the fucker enough. But it was handy to have Old Bill beholden to them, and something personal could always be used at a later date. So, he waited, looking out over the Thames and wondering what the fuck could be so important he was out of bed at this ungodly hour.
It was the beginning of autumn and the cold was setting in across England. There was a grey mist over the water and he could see the faint lights of office buildings in the distance. Reggie heard a car pulling up and turned to meet Smithson. He didn’t like the man, but that was neither here nor there. You didn’t love a guard dog, but you fed it and you housed it because it could be useful to you.
Smithson got out of his car and Reggie could see the worry on the man’s face as he walked towards him. He wasn’t exactly the answer to a maiden’s prayer; he was tall, thin and looked like he had not eaten a decent meal in months. His sparse, sandy hair was badly cut, and he always seemed to have an aroma of peppermints that Reggie and Lenny guessed rightly was to hide the smell of his serious boozing. He was scum as far as they were concerned, tucking up his own. But they wisely kept that opinion firmly to themselves.
Reggie shook the hand that was stretched out to him and then smiled diffidently. He wasn’t in the mood for small talk and he let this be known. Smithson came straight to the point, as Reggie had hoped he would. He passed a brown envelope over to Reggie which, when he opened it, he saw was full of glossy eight-by-ten photos. He looked at a couple of them and made a disgusted face.
‘I’m assuming these weren’t developed in Boots,’ he said, trying to lighten the situation.
Smithson didn’t answer and Reggie saw that the man was genuinely terrified of the photographs and what they could mean for him and his career.
Reggie shook his head, as he said quietly, ‘Fuck me, but you are one ugly bloke. And she’s not just young enough to be your daughter.’
Smithson still said nothing. He didn’t know what to say.
‘Where were these taken?’ Reggie decided not to torture him just yet; there was plenty of time in the future for that.
Smithson finally spoke. ‘At a house in King’s Cross.’
Reggie’s ears pricked up. ‘The Carter twins’ old place?’
The man nodded.
‘What do they want from you?’
Smithson looked into his face and said dramatically, ‘They want you. Or, to be more specific, they want Jack Johnson.’
Reggie was frowning now. ‘What? Terry? He wouldn’t fucking dare!’
Smithson shrugged. ‘It ain’t him you need to be worried about, Reg. It’s that cunt Frank Barber. He walked in and demanded it as his right. Reckons he had an understanding with the Carters. He’s been shouting about how you and Lenny took them out.’
Reggie was quiet. He needed to think. Putting the photographs in his inside pocket, he said seriously, ‘Leave this with me. I will be in touch.’
Smithson was scared. ‘What do I say? What do I do?’
Reggie rolled his eyes in exasperation, as he said nastily, ‘What do you want me to do, you gormless cunt? Hold your fucking hand? Use your loaf for once in your fucking life.’
With that, he got in his car and drove away.
Chapter Sixty-Five
Lenny was amazed at the story that was unfolding. But he could see Jack’s point of view all right, and he said as much.
‘So your sister’s child was Frank’s?’
Jack nodded. ‘We were great mates, me and him – like you and Reggie. When he got her in the club, he told her he would never marry her. Remember, this was the early sixties and that wasn’t a bit like now. Those were the days when a pregnancy outside marriage was seen as a terrible thing, you know? The girl was looked on as a whore, especially if the culprit didn’t marry her. And he was a lairy fucker, was Frank. My sister tried to top herself over it all – she was too scared to tell me or my mum and dad. She had the baby – a boy – and he was adopted. But she was never the same. Still a bit touched to this day, if I’m honest about it. Lovely looking girl she was too. I blame meself. I warned Frank off her, see? And that just made him more determined to have her.’ He sipped his tea and saw the wide-eyed incredulity on young Lenny’s face. ‘I couldn’t let the truth out, so I gave him the hammering of a fucking lifetime and I never paid him a penny of what he was owed from our earns. It was the least I could do to pay him back for what he’d done. Then he got a capture and a big lump and that was it. Till now.’
‘Fucking hell, Jack, what a cunt. I feel like slapping him myself.’
It was what Jack wanted to hear but Lenny genuinely meant every word he said.
‘This needs sorting out.’
Jack smiled slowly. ‘My thoughts entirely.’
They heard Reggie pull up outside the yard in his motor and, twenty minutes later, they were drinking strong cups of tea and planning their attack. It seemed everything was falling into place.
Chapter Sixty-Six
Terry Cobb was annoyed, but there was little he could do up against an old Face like Frank Barber. Frank had his creds and, as old as he was, he could still fight his corner in a row. The Carters were gone – no one could say whether he had right on his side or not, so that was a fucking no-go. Plus, Frankie had given him his due in that he was happy for him to run things, and that would have to do to be going on with.
What Frank Barber had not allowed for was Terry’s determination to keep what he saw as rightfully his – and that he would move heaven and earth to achieve that end.
Terry said all the right things and acted in an appropriate manner, but inside he was seething at the injustice of it all. He would put his plans into action and take back what was rightfully his. But he knew how to play the game, so for now Frank Barber would think Terry was full of gratitude to his benefactor.
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Little Liam was sitting on his mum’s lap and colouring with her. He liked these moments when Lenny was at school and he had her to himself. He loved his mum and he loved it when she babied him like this.
‘Did you have a nice time with Daddy
on Sunday, darling?’
He nodded as he concentrated on keeping the colours between the lines. He was colouring in a car and he wanted to give it to his dad later on, with his name printed on it neatly. His dad set great score on neat writing for some reason.
‘Uncle Reggie was funny, as well. He chased us round Uncle Jack’s yard and let us pet the guard dogs.’
He saw his mum frown and wished he had not mentioned the two Dobermans. His mum was what his Uncle Reggie called ‘a worrywart’ and that word had made them all laugh, especially his daddy.
‘Did you and Lenny have cakes and tea as usual? And see the cars?’
She knew that was the highlight for the boys when Lenny took them to the scrapyard. They loved to see the machines and the crushed cars. Lenny wanted them to start their education very early about how much money there was in scrap. She agreed with him on that score, though she thought the yard dangerous for two little buggers like her boys.
‘What else did you do?’
He thought for a few seconds before saying seriously, ‘Me and Lenny were playing hide-and-seek, and I hid in the office.’
Sharon smiled happily, until he looked into her eyes and said honestly, ‘That’s when I saw Daddy kissing Uncle Reggie.’
Sharon Scott felt her heart stop in her chest at his words. As young as he was, Liam was clearly waiting for a reaction so, swallowing down her fear, she said lightly, ‘You must have been dreaming!’
He looked steadily into her eyes as he shrugged and she realised that he had seen something he was still trying to make sense of in his own little head. He dropped his gaze and went back to his colouring.