Tainted Lives

by Mandasue Heller

  ‘Where is she?’ he asked.

  ‘I don’t know.’ Harry shrugged, the fear returning to his eyes.

  Vinnie didn’t believe him. But, while it would have been easy to knock the truth out of him, he thought Sarah would appreciate it more if he eased it from him instead.

  ‘Look, I know you think you’re protecting Sarah but I can do that better than you. Think about it . . . They’re not just gonna sit back and wait for her to drop Chambers in it now you’ve let them know she’s blabbing, are they? They’ll go looking for her to shut her up.’

  ‘They wouldn’t hurt her,’ Harry murmured guiltily. ‘Dandi says she’s special.’

  ‘She is,’ Vinnie agreed slyly. ‘We know that, but they’re just saying it to cover their backs.’ Pulling his head back, he gave Harry a matey smile. ‘Who knows her best, eh? Him who did that shit to her, and that fat-arsed slag that’s protecting him, or us? Why d’y’ think she brought him back the minute she got rid of Sarah? Don’t tell me they’re trying to help her, ’cos I’m telling you now that they’ll be looking to shut her up. Is that what you want?’

  ‘No!’

  ‘So, help me make sure they can’t get to her. Tell me where she is so I can warn her.’

  Harry didn’t like the way things were going. Vinnie probably did want to help her, but would she want his help?

  ‘I haven’t got all day,’ Vinnie was saying now, his voice tight with irritation. ‘Give me her address.’

  It wasn’t a request – it was an order. Backed into a corner, Harry blurted out the first address that came to mind – that of a couple who’d fostered him a couple of years earlier. Vinnie would get really mad when he found out, but Harry would jump off that bridge when he came to it. At least by then he’d have had a chance to warn Sarah. If she did want Vinnie’s help, he’d just say that he’d made a mistake and take the other boy to her.

  Watching nervously as Vinnie scribbled the address onto the back of his hand, Harry winced when Vinnie reached the hand towards him. But Vinnie just nudged his chin and smiled before leaving.

  Alone, Harry made plans. As soon as it was dark, he would sneak out and warn Sarah what was going on. He just hoped that she didn’t get mad at him for stirring things up.

  In his own room, Vinnie was making plans of his own. He would sneak out after dark and visit Sarah – put her in the picture and let her know that he was there for her; that he fully intended to take proper care of her as soon as he was officially free of this place.

  The important thing was to stay low. If Dandi noticed that Vinnie was missing, she’d have the police after him in a flash. And that was the last thing he needed when he was so close to getting out with a clean record. Sarah wouldn’t want the hassle of a ‘wanted’ boyfriend. If he was to stand a chance with her, he had to play it straight until he was in the clear.

  Straight, and heroic. Sorting Chambers would be Vinnie’s big gesture. She would be for ever in his debt once he’d punished the bastard for taking advantage of her like that.

  Harry sat alone at dinner, his face so pale and troubled that he didn’t have to try too hard to convince Dandi that he felt ill.

  Feeling partly responsible for stressing him out in the confrontation that morning, she sent him to bed with a cup of cocoa. She would talk to him in the morning, she said – try to clear things up, and help him deal with the whole Sarah misunderstanding.

  Harry drank the cocoa. It was cold outside and he would need something warm in his belly. Pulling two jumpers and two pairs of trousers on, he slipped into his winter coat and wrapped his scarf around his neck. Arranging the pillow beneath his quilt to look as if he were sleeping should anyone decide to check on him, he turned off the light and slipped out.

  Staying close to the wall, he crept down the back stairs. The kitchen door was ajar and he could hear the clatter of knives and forks going down as dinner came to an end. Peering through the gap, he saw the housekeeper bringing a stack of plates to the sink. When she went back for another lot, he ran through the kitchen and slipped out of the back door, closing it quietly behind him.

  Pulling his hood up, he made a head-down dash across the garden, out of the gates and all the way to the bus stop at the end of Wilmslow Road.

  Five minutes later, Harry was on the bus headed for Moss Side, praying with all his heart that Sarah would be in when he got there.

  15

  Sarah got out of the taxi and slammed the door. She begrudged the five-pound fare, but she had spent far too long in town and had little time left to get ready for work. She really needed to get a bath and wash her hair – just in case Bernie decided to pop in.

  She was soon to discover that looking less than perfect was the least of her worries.

  Rushing inside with her bags, she ignored John when he came out of his door. She avoided him whenever possible these days. He’d had all the free cigarettes he was going to get.

  ‘Sarah,’ he called as she started up the stairs. ‘Just a minute.’

  Something in his voice made her turn around.

  ‘You’ve got a visitor.’ He gestured back towards his flat. ‘You were out when he got here, so I took him in. He’s been waiting ages.’

  ‘Who?’ she asked, frowning.

  Holding up a finger, John turned and shouted back into his flat, ‘Yo, kid! Come here.’

  Sarah almost fell back down the stairs when Harry appeared. Dropping her bags, she ran to him and hugged him tight. Pushing him back after a moment, she gazed at him with concern. ‘What are you doing here? What’s happened? Are you okay?’

  ‘He’s fine, aren’t you, Harry?’ Grinning fondly, John reached out to ruffle his hair. ‘He was sitting on the steps when I come back. Freezing he was, but he’s all right now. I give him a brew and a bit of toast.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Sarah murmured gratefully.

  ‘No problem.’ John shrugged. ‘He’s a good lad. We had a nice chat, didn’t we, Harry?’

  ‘Yeah.’ Harry nodded, grinning. ‘He was telling me about the mad dogs.’

  ‘Well, thanks again,’ Sarah said. ‘I really appreciate it.’

  ‘Any time,’ John said. Then, ‘I, er don’t suppose you’ve got a couple of ciggies?’

  Taking four from her pack, she handed them to him. Then she turned and picked up her bags, saying to Harry, ‘Come on, you. Let’s get you upstairs and find out what you’re up to.’

  Harry followed her up to the flat, a broad grin splitting his face.

  Letting him in, Sarah dropped her bags and went to run her bath. Coming back, she made tea and sat him down to quiz him.

  ‘So, what’s going on?’ Lighting a cigarette, she peered at Harry closely. ‘And don’t say nothing, ’cos this is way too late for a visit. You’re gonna get in a pile of trouble for coming out at this time.’

  ‘Don’t care,’ he muttered, taking the smoke from her fingers and puffing on it. ‘Told you I didn’t want to stay there without you.’

  ‘You haven’t run away?’ she groaned. ‘Please tell me you haven’t?’

  ‘I didn’t mean to.’ He passed the smoke back. ‘But I’m here now, so why don’t I just stay? I won’t get in the way, or nothing. John was gonna let me kip on his couch if you didn’t come back. I can just sleep on yours instead.’

  Sighing heavily, Sarah said, ‘No, you can’t. We’ve had this out already, remember. You’re too young. There’ll be ructions when they find out you’re here.’

  ‘But they won’t find out,’ Harry argued. ‘I didn’t tell anyone I was coming – not even Vinnie.’

  ‘Vinnie? Oh, no! That’s why you’ve run away, isn’t it? He’s started on you again, and it’s my fault.’

  ‘No, it’s not like that. He’s been dead good since you went. Honest. He really likes you. He – he just wanted to know where you were so that he could look out for you.’

  ‘What you talking about? Why do I need looking out for?’

  Blushing, Harry looked at the cup in his h
ands and told her what he’d been doing since she left, and what had happened earlier that day.

  ‘You’ve been wrecking his car?’ Sarah gasped. ‘How could you be so stupid? They could send you to Borstal for that.’

  ‘I don’t care,’ he muttered unhappily. ‘I hate it without you. And I hate him most! You should see him, Sarah. Laughing and joking like he’s done nothing wrong, and all the kids falling for it. Vinnie’s the only one who knows the truth, and he hates him as much as we do.’

  ‘You’ve told Vinnie? What d’y’ do that for, you pillock? He’s the last person I wanted to know. He’ll love that.’

  ‘No, you’re wrong. He’s really mad about it, I could tell. He wants to protect you.’

  ‘From what? I’m out of there. I never have to see the bastard again.’

  ‘They know you told me,’ Harry admitted, blushing again. ‘And Vinnie reckons they’ll come after you to shut you up. I’m sorry, Sarah, but they were winding me up, going on about how you’d remember what really happened one day and feel terrible about it. And that I’d make it worse, ’cos you’d feel guilty about me smashing up his shitty car as well.’

  ‘And what did you say?’

  ‘That I’d tell everyone if they didn’t get off my back.’

  ‘Oh, great.’ Sarah sighed. ‘Well, you know what’s going to happen now, don’t you? It’s you they’ll be after shutting up. They’ll be watching you like a flipping hawk.’

  ‘They didn’t do too good a job of it tonight.’

  ‘They’ll check your room, you idiot. They’ve probably got the police out already.’

  ‘They won’t know I’m not there yet. I said I was ill and went to bed. Dandi said she’d see me in the morning.’

  ‘Yeah, well, even if you get away with it tonight, I reckon you’re on your way out. They’re covering for him and you’re threatening to blow it. They’ll want rid.’

  ‘I don’t care!’ Harry was defiant. ‘I hate them.’

  ‘You’re a brat.’ Sarah laughed, amused despite the potential seriousness of the situation. ‘Honest to God, Harry, you’re a brat. What am I gonna do with you?’

  ‘You’re letting me stay, then?’ He looked up, his face glowing with hope.

  ‘I didn’t say that. Anyway, what did you tell Vinnie? ’Cos if you gave him my address he’ll lead that lot right to my door.’

  Grinning sheepishly, Harry said, ‘I gave him a false address.’

  ‘What are you like, you crazy little sod! Vinnie will kick off good style when he finds out.’

  ‘He’ll have to find us first.’

  ‘Us?’ She snorted. ‘Listen to the little fugitive.’ Sighing again, Sarah slapped her hands down on her knees and stood up. ‘Right, well, I’m going for a bath. You’d better have a good think while I’m gone, and come up with a sensible solution.’

  Giving him a mock-stern look, she went to turn the taps off. Coming back a moment later to change out of her clothes, she found Harry standing in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips and a disapproving frown on his face.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Figuring out where to start cleaning. It’s a tip in here!’

  Laughing, she pushed past him and went into the bedroom, calling back over her shoulder, ‘If you’re trying to persuade me to let you stay by making yourself handy, forget it. You can stay tonight, and that’s it. First thing tomorrow, you’re going back.’

  ‘Really?’ he yelped, running to the bedroom door. Blushing when he saw that she was about to undress, he turned his back. ‘Can I really stay?’

  ‘Yes, really. You can have my bed while I’m at work. But I meant what I said – you’re going back tomorrow.’ Leaning forward, she pushed the door shut.

  ‘Whatever you say,’ Harry called through, thinking Yeah, right! ‘Where’s your polish?’

  ‘Kitchen drawer. And you can do the dishes while you’re at it. I haven’t got round to them in a while, either.’

  Twenty minutes later, bathed and dressed, Sarah was sitting cross-legged on the floor, curling her hair. Harry was lying on the couch watching, a rapt expression on his face. Catching sight of him in the mirror that she had propped against the table leg, she said, ‘What you staring at?’

  ‘Nothing.’ He blushed. ‘I, er – do you want a brew?’

  ‘Not enough time.’ Unwinding the tongs carefully, Sarah inspected the last ringlet. ‘Look at that. Perfect!’

  ‘It’s nice,’ Harry said, his tone darkened by a sudden pang of jealousy. ‘Do you always get dressed up for work?’

  ‘Kind of,’ she admitted, grinning bashfully as she pinned some of the curls up. ‘I like to look good in case my boss comes in. I told you about him, didn’t I?’

  ‘Mmm.’

  ‘Oh, he’s gorgeous, Harry. You should see him. He’s got these blue eyes that go all crinkly when he smiles.’

  ‘Must be old if he’s got wrinkly eyes.’

  ‘I said crinkly, not wrinkly. And he’s not old. He’s only about thirty something.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘You got a problem, snot-rag?’

  ‘No. You’ve already told me all this in your letter.’

  ‘Didn’t go on too much, did I?’

  ‘Kind of.’

  ‘Sorry, babe. But he’s gorgeous. Wait till you see him.’

  Harry smiled to himself. It was pissing him off that Sarah was gushing over this Bernie, but she was talking as if Harry would be around for a while, and that had to be a good sign. Maybe she was changing her mind about sending him back? He hoped so.

  The taxi horn blared down below. Looking at her watch, Sarah frowned. It was early, but never mind. She was ready. Slipping her jacket on, she did a twirl in the middle of the floor.

  ‘How do I look?’

  ‘Nice,’ Harry murmured, feeling the tears welling up in his eyes. She didn’t look like the Sarah he knew. She looked like a proper woman.

  ‘I do, don’t I?’ Sarah agreed, stepping back to view herself in the mirror. The dark green dress accentuated her curves and strengthened the luminous green of her eyes. Her lips were glossy and full, and her hair was clipped into place with tiny, sparkly clips, some ringlets loose around her face and some snaking down her back. She looked good, and that made her feel good. Leaning down, she kissed Harry’s cheek.

  ‘Right, I’m off. Don’t forget what I said about keeping the door locked, and make sure your feet don’t stink up my sheets. See you in the morning.’

  Looking up at the window when she climbed into the taxi a minute later, she saw Harry silhouetted there and felt a twinge of remorse for leaving him on his own. He looked so tiny and vulnerable. But he’d be safe enough. And he could always go to John if anything happened.

  For some reason, he had really taken to John, and he had pretty good instincts. But she’d keep her eye on them, nevertheless – make sure that John didn’t corrupt him. Harry wasn’t stupid, but there was no telling what he’d agree to if his new friend put the pressure on.

  Settling back, Sarah cleared her mind and concentrated on what Coxy, her regular driver, was saying as he filled her in on the latest exploits of the girls from Cheetham Hill – his all-time favourite subject.

  Ollie went to his room and turned the light on, sneering when he saw Harry huddled beneath his quilt.

  Snatching up his dumb-bells, he glared at the lump as he began his nightly exercises, wishing things were back to normal so he could get his exercise from a good old kicking session instead. But Vinnie had put the mockers on that particular activity. Fuck knew why, but Ollie wasn’t going to risk getting his own head kicked in for going against him. At the same time, there was no way he was going to bed at this time. No way he was going to let his developing muscles turn to mush just because mong-boy wasn’t well and wanted the light off!

  Dandi popped her head around the door just after he got started. Glancing pointedly at Harry, she put her fingers to her lips before withdrawing. Rolling h
is eyes, Ollie dropped to the floor and started his push-ups instead.

  He couldn’t wait till Vinnie got his head sorted. It was just a good job the little git didn’t snore! That would have pissed him off, having to listen to a racket like that while he was trying to concentrate on his body.

  Coxy turned off the Princess Parkway, heading towards Hulme instead of into town. Leaning forward, Sarah tapped him on the shoulder.

  ‘Er, where are we going?’

  ‘Oh, sorry, didn’t I say?’ He grinned sheepishly in the rear-view. ‘I’ve just got to nip to my sister’s for a minute. I’ll be dead quick. I’ve just got to drop something off. Don’t mind, do you?’

  ‘Suppose not.’ Sitting back, she looked out of the window. It was a bit of a cheek, doing his errands on Bernie’s time, but it was all right, she supposed – as long as he didn’t take too long. If he made her late and she got into trouble, she’d kill him.

  She shivered when they turned into the Crescents. She hadn’t been here since she was a kid and her mother used to bring her along on a score. The huge concrete blocks joined together by steel-railinged walkways had always terrified her. They were so dark and menacing, and the people who lived there looked shady and dangerous.

  Pulling into the pitch-dark parking bay between the Iron Duke pub and the back of John Nash Crescent, Coxy killed the engine and opened his door, telling her that he’d be back in a minute.

  ‘Hang about,’ she yelped, wrestling with her door. ‘I’m not stopping here on my own. I could get mugged, or anything!’

  Sighing, Coxy ran a hand through his hair. May wouldn’t like it if he took Sarah to her flat, but he couldn’t leave her sitting here if she didn’t want to. And he’d never forgive himself if anything happened to her.

  ‘All right,’ he said. ‘But don’t say I didn’t warn you, ’cos it isn’t nice. Our May’s a sloppy bitch, and her kids are a load of little bleeders.’

  ‘I don’t care,’ Sarah said, sticking close to his side as they made their way up to the third floor.