Two Women

by Martina Cole

  ‘You seem very sure about that, Junie. Is there something you’re not telling me?’

  June shrugged.

  ‘What’s not to tell? All I know is, Jimmy’s tucked you all up by the sound of it. And I’m glad he has. Because for all he dumped me, Maureen, he still deserved better than you.’

  Fifteen minutes later Maureen had trashed the place. June had watched her, drinking tea and smoking all the while. She’d allowed herself one or two little grins as she saw Maureen becoming more and more desperate as time went by.

  ‘Found anything yet?’

  Maureen pushed one sweating hand through her now unkempt hair.

  ‘Nothing. Nothing at all.’

  June grinned.

  ‘Well, I did try to tell you. Jimmy used to say, “You can trust everyone but still trust no one, June. It’s the only way to get on in this world.” I didn’t really know what he meant till now.’

  ‘If you’re lying to me, June, I’ll find out and then you’ll wish it was the Davidsons coming after you because when I get annoyed I can give anyone a run for their money. You should listen to what they say about me and take heed, girl. I’ll rip your fucking heart out and laugh while I’m doing it.’

  June shrugged nonchalantly.

  ‘I can’t tell you what I don’t bloody know, can I?’

  Maureen leaned across the table and sighed.

  ‘Listen to me, June. Half of me believes you, but I tell you now - if you’re lying you’ll be sorry. And that is no idle threat. There’s money to be pulled in and it has to be pulled in soon, right? The Davidsons want their bunce and so do I. There’ll be no auction of Jimmy’s stuff because we’ve already paid a high price for it. Remember that, keep it in the forefront of your mind. If you keep information close to your chest, there’ll be more than one unhappy punter looking for you, June.

  ‘It’s not just the Davidsons and me involved in this, it’s also the Bannerman family. Now Mickey Bannerman wants what Jimmy had and so do the Davidsons. You think about that and if and when you want a chat, come and see me, okay? Because I know what the score is and I walk in these circles every day of my life. They respect me, understand me, and want to work with me as much as Davey Davidson does. If you take anything to Mickey Bannerman, even through word of mouth, you’re a dead woman, June. So have a little think, and if you come up with anything, knock on my door.’

  Maureen walked from the house, shutting the door quietly behind her and feeling the urge to cry.

  This was too complicated now, far too complicated.

  Even she was frightened.

  June looked at the clock. It was just after nine on Christmas morning. But that would not bother the Bannermans or the Davidsons. It would be a normal working day for them. Going into the bathroom, she stood on the toilet seat and pulled open the heavy lid of the toilet cistern. Taking out the water-soaked plastic bag, she removed the documents inside and placed them inside her panty girdle.

  After she’d finished dressing she plastered her face with make up. Then she picked up the rest of the kids’ presents and began the long walk to her old home. Inside she was trembling. The Bannermans were the most terrifying family in London and she had something they wanted.

  Inside her bag was a huge amount of money and she knew that if she had any sense she would walk to the train station and disappear.

  But she also knew that wasn’t an option.

  Wherever she went they would find her.

  What she had to do now was think clearly and decide what to do next. Damage limitation was on her mind now, not money.

  Mickey Bannerman had practically beaten to death a man who had complained about his dog barking. Mickey lived in a nice road in North London, the man he had beaten was a banker. He had walked away from the Old Bailey on a charge of attempted murder because the victim had refused to give evidence.

  Even a well-heeled banker had seen the error of his ways, so where would that leave June McNamara? Up shit creek without a paddle was her final decision and June knew that it was the right one. She would talk to Joey, see what he knew. He worked for the Davidsons, he might be able to sort it.

  All along the roads Christmas trees stood in windows, their coloured lights cheerful in the darkness of the cold winter’s morning. Children were opening presents and women were preparing breakfast and Christmas dinner.

  June felt ill with worry now, a physical sickness inside her because she realised she had taken on something she could not hope to pull off.

  There was no escape and nowhere to hide.

  Susan was so pleased to see her mother she nearly cried. After two hours spent with her father she felt fit to scream. Joey was still in bed and the stench in his room of stale sweat and alcohol had made her feel sick.

  When he had finally fallen into a light sleep she had attempted to move from the bed but an arm like a steel band had pulled her back. Lying there in the early-morning light she wondered what had happened to him to make him do these things to her.

  By focusing on Barry Dalston, schoolwork, and finally just blanking her mind completely, she managed to get through the night. In her mind’s eye she kept thinking of poor Jimmy being shot and the picture affected her, made her want to cry. He had been kind to her, had Jimmy. Had always given her a bit of his time.

  No wanting her to sit on his lap or give him kisses she didn’t want to give. He’d treated her as an older man should treat a girl.

  As she had finally slipped from the bed at five-thirty she had felt a terrible urge to go into the bathroom, run a bath and slit her wrists while lying in the warmth. Then Debbie had woken up and started her usual morning moans and it had taken all Susan’s will-power not to slam a fist into her sister’s face. With the arrival of her grandmother, she’d felt as if God Himself had turned His back on her.

  The old witch had driven her hard for hours: preparing more vegetables, making a trifle and cups of tea. It was a never-ending spiral of work.

  Debbie as usual was asked to do nothing but look pretty and chatter about her little life. When June arrived it was as if the light infantry had knocked on the door to save Susan. She was kissing and hugging her mother for ages until June, laughing, said, ‘All right, Susan. Relax, love. I’m here now so stop your carrying on.’

  Deep inside June loved it, loved all the attention after her night of worry.

  ‘I’m sorry about Jimmy, Mum, really sorry. He was a nice man.’

  Joey heard this just as he emerged from his bedroom.

  ‘Fuck Jimmy! Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say.’

  He walked into the kitchen and shouted, ‘Merry Christmas to one and all.’ He kissed his mother and his daughters then taking his wife in his arms, cried gleefully, ‘You coming home then, girl?’

  The kitchen was quiet now as the three other occupants waited with bated breath for her to answer.

  ‘Of course I am, I told you that last night.’

  Granny Mac screamed with derision.

  ‘You’d take on that Scottish ponce’s leavings? You would and all, wouldn’t you? Where the fuck I got you, Joey, I don’t know. Any other man would take the teeth from that whore’s head with his fist after all she’s done over the years.’

  June bowed her head. Her hair was mussed, her make up smeared. She looked like a smudged painting about to dissolve in front of their eyes.

  Turning on her mother-in-law, she bellowed, ‘Right, that’s it. Out! I want you out - now.’

  She looked at Joey then, her face hard, and he realised the change in his wife. Gone was the old June. Here was a much stronger character.

  ‘I want that out of my kitchen unless she can keep a civil tongue in her toothless old head.’

  Joey looked at his mother and suppressed a smile. Inside he knew it was time someone put the old bat in her place and if it was June who did it then so much the better.

  He knew that his wife’s coming back after all that had happened would be a nine-day wonder in the street an
d he would have to front it out. But he wanted her back; Junie was in his blood somehow. No matter what she did he still wanted her.

  He looked at Susan’s devastated face and felt shame creep over him. If June found out about her there would be murder done.

  Inside he knew he’d been wrong but his daughter was there, she was available. He could dominate her.

  Debbie would have screamed the place down. She was too spoiled, too sure of herself, whereas Susan was born to be used and used she would be all her life. He was as sure of that as he was of his own name.

  With a face and countenance like hers, there wasn’t much else in store for her. Not around these parts anyway. She did what she was told, did Susan. It never occurred to her not to. He attempted to smile at her and she froze.

  His mother was still in her chair, her face white with anger and incredulity. Her son was taking his wife’s part in this and the knowledge made Ivy doubly aware just how precarious her own position now was in this household.

  She hoisted up her bust with her forearms and snarled at them.

  ‘After all I’ve done for you, you treat me like this?’

  June laughed gently.

  ‘Sit down, you old hag, you can stay. But you keep your mouth shut and your head down, you hear me? One word out of place and you’ll go out that door like nobody’s business, do you get my drift? If, and I mean if, I come back there’ve to be a lot of changes here. And you, lady, are among the first of them. No more coming round here giving out with your vicious tongue. No more interfering in my business or the girls’, right?’

  Joey gleefully watched the changing expressions on his mother’s face. If this new Junie was going to shut her up, he was all for it.

  Susan and Debbie were watching closely too, both as interested as their father to know whether their granny would swallow this lot, especially as for once she had a point.

  Their mother had abandoned them and their granny had looked after them as best she could. Or at least as well as someone with her nasty outlook and nasty tongue could look after someone. They’d had clean clothes and meals. Even if Susan had done the lion’s share of the work.

  Debbie’s eyes were bright with interest to see whether her mother was going to be the victor. She hoped she was, her granny got on her nerves. Unlike Susan, when her granny picked on her Debbie told her in no uncertain terms to get stuffed and it worked. Susan was different, she would do literally anything for a quiet life.

  The old woman was in a quandary. She didn’t want to go back to her flat. Everything she wanted was here. Company, food and drink, and most of all her precious son. Her Joey whom she loved in her own way more than life itself.

  She wanted June out of the way so she could take over again but guessed correctly that her son would put her out the front door without a moment’s thought if June made him.

  So Ivy swallowed her pride and sat down again. Her eyes were bleak, her mouth was downturned and her stance that of a prizefighter who has just found out he’s won the fight but won’t be paid.

  Swallowing down her natural aggression she dropped her eyes and was quiet.

  It seemed as if the whole place had gone still, so deep was the silence as everyone realised there had been a major shift in power and for once it was on June’s side. She was finally the winner.

  Realising she had to lighten the situation, and feeling just a bit sorry for her mother-in-law, she shouted loudly, ‘Did you hear all that, Maud, or has the glass slipped off the wall with the shock?’

  Everyone laughed, even the old woman.

  June put the kettle on, then turning to the girls, said gaily, ‘It’s Christmas and whatever else has happened we’ll have a good time, right?’

  The two girls nodded.

  She gave them the bags with their presents in.

  ‘Go into the front room and have a butcher’s at what I got you, eh? I’ll make a start out here and we’ll have the best Christmas ever.’

  The girls nodded. She saw the shadows under Susan’s eyes and swallowed down her own guilt.

  There was something radically wrong with her daughter and June didn’t know what it could be. Later she would talk to her, but at the moment she had too many other things on her mind.

  Half an hour later she was in the bedroom with her husband. Joey looked shaken by her revelations.

  ‘What the fuck have you done, June? You stupid, stupid cow!’

  She swallowed down the rising panic inside her breast and said calmly, ‘I have what they all want. We can make out of this, Joey. Just once we can come out on fucking top. Can’t you see that?’

  Her voice was husky with exasperation and annoyance. He could never see the big picture, that was his worst failing. Joey looked bewildered, frightened and sick. It was this that was scaring June so much. She realised that maybe she had done something stupid but she didn’t tell him about the money. She wasn’t that stupid.

  ‘The Bannermans and Davey Davidson will cut your throat, Junie, when they find out what you’ve done. Jimmy was topped for what you’ve got and he was a hard nut to crack. What makes you think they’ll treat you any different? They’ll guess you’ve taken the goods and come looking for you. That means they’ll be looking for me as well. I am after all your husband, though you forget that when it suits you, eh?’

  June saw the logic in what he said but still felt they had a good case. She was entitled to some compensation. That was the term used when a woman’s husband or partner was topped. The perpetrator always saw the woman all right, it was the villain’s code. You took their breadwinner so you gave the widow compo. It was the only decent thing to do.

  ‘I am entitled to compensation, Joey, you know that.’

  He shook his head in consternation.

  ‘You’re entitled to nothing. They’ll see you right only if you play the fucking game. What are you, June, mental or something? This is the Bannermans we’re talking about here, not the fucking Kray twins! The Bannerman brothers are raving fucking lunatics. They ain’t got no old-style righteousness like everyone else. They’re violent wankers. They told Maureen Carter they’d booked her an appointment with a plastic surgeon. Why else do you think she went with Jimmy in the first place? She was told to.

  ‘I know everything about it. I would, wouldn’t I? Davey had to tell me because of you. He did the decent thing. If Bannerman knew what he’d done, he’d cut his ears off. What you dragged us into now, eh? Like we ain’t got enough trouble, you bring us more.’

  ‘But I thought the Bannermans and the Davidsons were enemies?’

  Joey sighed.

  ‘They are, love. They set Jimmy up and now Davey is going to take what they wanted. Maureen put her oar in with the Davidsons because of the threats from the Bannermans. She ain’t going to take that lying down, she’s a dangerous woman. You know who her son’s father is, don’t you?’

  June shook her head. No one knew so far as she was aware and it wasn’t for lack of trying to find out either.

  ‘Her son’s father is a man called Willie Dixon.’

  June’s mouth dropped open.

  ‘You’re joking?’

  Joey shook his head.

  ‘He’s due out in about two weeks. He’s done sixteen years on the island. Now he’s out and wants what is his due. That means the Bannermans are up against not only the Davidsons, who they don’t give a toss about, but the Dixons though as yet they don’t know that. When they find out they’ll retire gracefully from the fray. But now you have what everyone, including Dixon, wants. Maybe you can see why I’m shitting hot bricks at this moment in time?’

  June shook her head in amazement.

  ‘How come no one knew about Maureen Carter and Dixon?’

  Joey laughed scornfully.

  ‘Because, unlike you, she kept her fucking mouth shut. That’s why she runs with the big boys. Maureen has a good rep, she keeps her trap shut and her eyes wide open. Unlike you whose mouth goes like the clappers and whose legs are spread
at the drop of a hat. Now do you see what Jimmy saw in her?’

  ‘Did he know about Dixon?’

  Joey shook his head.

  ‘I have no idea and frankly I don’t care. All I care about is trying to get us out of the shit you have plunged us into, all right? Now I’d better get dressed and find Davey, see if I can salvage anything.’

  He stuck a finger into his wife’s face.

  ‘I could cheerfully murder you, Junie, and that’s the truth. You have no brain for business. You have no brain, period. In future you keep out of the big boys’ games, okay?’

  She nodded.

  A loud knocking on the door made both of them start with fright.

  ‘It’s started, June, Christmas or no Christmas. You let me do the talking, all right?’

  The bedroom door burst open and two men stood there. Both June and Joey breathed a sigh of relief that it was not a couple of thugs armed with baseball bats.

  That is until the men opened their mouths.

  ‘I am Detective Inspector Harry Knapp and I am arresting you on suspicion of murdering James Vincent. You are not obliged to say anything. Anything you do say will be taken down in writing and can be used in evidence against you.’

  ‘What you on about?’

  Joey’s voice was loud in the small bedroom.

  The two girls watched as their father was marched from the house.

  Chapter Five

  ‘Dad didn’t kill Jimmy, did he?’ Debbie’s voice was low with fright.

  June shook her head impatiently. ‘Of course he didn’t.’

  She watched as the two girls looked at each other. She knew they believed their father had murdered their mother’s boyfriend. That was how it would look to everyone.

  Ivy had been silent since they had taken her son out of the door.

  ‘You caused this, June. My boy will get a great big lump and it will be over you. The sad thing is, you’re not worth it. All you ever did is take my boy’s name and trail it in the dirt.’

  The bitterness in the older woman’s voice was like a red rag to a bull and June turned on her.