‘Carrie Tanner reckons I should get married,’ Billy went on regardless. ‘I could ’ave married ’er once. She liked me enough ter marry me but I was too interested in me boxin’.’
‘I reckon it was the worst day’s work you ever done lettin’ ’er go,’ Sadie remarked. ‘That gel’s made that cafe into a really good business. ’Er ole man wasn’t doin’ all that well before she took it over. Nellie Tanner was tellin’ me ’er Carrie’s got a good ’ead on ’er shoulders when it comes ter business matters.’
‘Well, anyway, I’m gettin’ married,’ Billy said again.
‘Anybody in mind?’ Sadie asked.
‘It ain’t Dirty Dora from Bacon Buildin’s, is it?’ Joe asked, feigning horror.
‘I’ve warned you,’ Sadie hissed.
Joe put up his hands. ‘P’raps one of us never explained fings properly ter Billy,’ he grinned, looking over at his father.
Daniel was never alive to a conversation when he was reading his evening paper and he jumped when Sadie shouted at him. ‘Oi, Dan! Are yer gonna sit there wivout sayin’ anyfing?’
‘What d’yer want me ter do, book the church ’all?’ he growled.
‘Well, I’m definitely gettin’ married,’ Billy said. ‘I’m gonna ask Annie McCafferty out soon as I can.’
‘Sounds like a good Irish Catholic name,’ his father remarked, feeling he should at least try to show some interest.
‘S’posin’ she don’t want ter go out wiv yer,’ Joe said, holding his tea mug up to his lips.
‘I’m gonna marry that gel one day,’ Billy informed them.
‘Well, yer’ve got a job at least,’ Sadie said, beginning to feel that perhaps her eldest son was being serious for a change.
‘I’m gonna see ’er termorrer an’ I’m gonna ask ’er out,’ he said firmly. ‘I’m jus’ tellin’ yer now so yer’ll all know.’
‘’Ow can yer see ’er if yer workin’?’ Sadie asked.
‘Well, we’ve got a job on near the church where Annie works an’ I’m gonna slip away fer ’alf an hour ter see ’er,’ he explained.
‘She’s not a sister, is she?’ Joe asked.
‘Annie works in the children’s clinic at the church. She’s one o’ those welfare nurses who look after the kids,’ he told them.
‘Well, I wish yer luck, son,’ Sadie said fondly.
‘Yeah, good luck,’ Joe repeated, raising his eyes to the ceiling.
‘Yeah, good luck,’ Daniel mumbled, scanning the winners of the Ascot race meeting.
‘Is my ovver shirt ready fer termorrer, Ma?’ Billy asked.
‘I’ve gotta put a patch in it,’ Sadie replied, and seeing his disappointment added quickly, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll do it before I go ter bed.’
Sadie was as good as her word and next morning Billy went off to work whistling. It was late morning when he slipped away from the site and crossed the road to the church. He found the clinic entrance, and taking a deep breath he walked in to the sound of babies wailing.
‘Yes?’
Billy stared at the stern-looking nursing sister. ‘I’ve, er, I’ve come about me baby,’ he said hesitantly.
‘Yes?’ the sister said again in a deep voice, making Billy feel nervous.
‘Well, yer see, it’s like this,’ he began. ‘It’s not my baby really, but it belongs to a very good friend o’ mine an’ she’s too scared ter come ’erself.’
‘You can tell your friend that there’s nothing to be frightened of here, young man,’ the sister replied.
‘Yeah, but the problem is, if she brought the baby ’ere ’er ’usband would knock ’er about,’ Billy told her.
‘Oh, I see,’ she said, clasping her hands together. ‘Is the baby ill?’
‘Not really. It’s the farvver that’s ill,’ Billy explained, after the sudden urge to laugh.
‘Then he should see his doctor, surely,’ the sister replied.
‘The trouble is, ’e’s a bit sick up ’ere,’ Billy said, pointing to his head, ‘an’ it’s the baby that’s sufferin’.’
‘Are we talking about malnutrition, or is it ill-treatment, or both?’ she asked.
‘Nah, it’s not that. The baby won’t stop cryin’ an’ its ole man keeps sayin’ ’e’s gonna chuck it out o’ the winder one o’ these days.’
‘I see,’ the sister replied, taking up a notepad. ‘Give me the address of your very good friend and I’ll get one of our nurses to call around.’
‘Well, it’s a bit tricky, yer see,’ Billy said, beginning to feel more confident. ‘If my friend’s ole man finds out I’ve come ter see yer it’ll be me ’e chucks out o’ the winder.’
‘This friend of yours seems to be married to a very violent man,’ the sister remarked, putting down her pen. ‘Look, Mr - er . . .’
‘Smedley. Fred Smedley,’ he said quickly.
‘Well, look, Mr Smedley. Unless you give me your friend’s address there’s little we can do to help. You’ll be fully protected. We never give the source of our information in cases like this.’
Billy scratched his head in a show of uncertainty. ‘I understand that,’ he said nodding, ‘but yer see I’m frightened fer the poor lady that ’as ter go round ter see ’im. The baby’s farvver could quite easily attack ’er, an’ I’d blame meself.’
The nursing sister was beginning to lose her patience. ‘Well, I think you’ve got to make your mind up what you intend to do if you want to help this friend of yours,’ she said sharply. ‘You come in here to report a case of neglect and then waste my time by refusing to give me the necessary details. I suggest that either you give us the address or you leave. Am I making myself clear, Mr Smedley?’
Billy nodded sheepishly. ‘I was wonderin’ if I could ’ave a word wiv the welfare lady who comes round our way. Then I could arrange wiv ’er the best time ter call. I could get the ’usband out the way while she talks ter the baby’s muvver. That way nobody would get ’urt.’
‘This is most unusual,’ the sister replied.
‘P’raps it is but it’s the best I can do,’ Billy told her with an appealing look on his face.
‘Well, at least tell me the name of the street,’ she urged.
‘Page Street,’ he replied.
‘Wait here a minute and I’ll see if the nurse is in the building,’ the sister informed him sternly.
Billy looked at the health posters around the cream-coloured room and glanced up at the high window. He could smell disinfectant and it reminded him of the room he was taken to when he received a badly gashed eyebrow while boxing and had to have it stitched.
It was not long before the sister returned and Billy’s face dropped as he saw with her a huge woman in a navy blue uniform coat which was buttoned up to the neck. She was carrying a black handbag in her gloved hands and on her head there was a wide hat with a badge at the front.
‘This is Nurse Carmody. She’ll talk to you,’ the sister said, going back to sit at her desk.
‘Come along with me, young man,’ the nurse ordered him in a booming voice, leading the way into a side room.
There were two chairs beside a small table and Nurse Carmody motioned for him to sit down. ‘Sister Jones has put me in the picture. Now let me get this straight,’ she said loudly in an official voice. ‘You want me to play hide-and-seek while you lure the father out of the house and then I can talk to the baby’s mother. Am I right?’
Billy’s mind was racing. His little scheme had backfired on him and he had to think of another way to see Annie McCafferty. ‘Yeah, that’s right, nurse. This bloke’s a real violent man,’ he told her, his eyes opening wide to make the point. ‘’E got drunk one night an’ it took four coppers ter put ’im in the Black Maria.’
The nurse looked unimpressed. ‘I think I should have a word with this animal myself,’ she said, cracking her knuckles and glaring at him. ‘That sort doesn’t intimidate me, young man.’
Billy believed her and he nodded. ‘I reckon you’d be able to
’andle ’im, luv, but yer see it’s the muvver I’m concerned about,’ he said, looking worried. ‘After yer’d gone ’e’d set about ’er.’
‘Not when I’d finished with him, he wouldn’t,’ the huge nurse bellowed at him. ‘I’d put the fear of God into the man, and if he laid a finger on that poor wife of his I’d have him arrested and put into prison, you can be sure.’
‘All right, nurse. I’ll leave it ter you,’ Billy said, crossing his fingers under the table. ‘The address is 52 Bacon Buildin’s, Bacon Street, an’ the name is Mrs Brown. By the way, I saw one o’ your nurses in Bacon Street the ovver day. I fink she was from ’ere. She was wearin’ the same uniform as you, but she was only small. I’m glad it’s not ’er that’s got ter face Mr Brown.’
‘That would be Nurse McCafferty. She’s very good, I believe,’ the nurse replied.
‘Is Nurse McCafferty in ’ere now?’ Billy asked casually.
‘Why do you ask?’
‘Well, ter be honest I was talkin’ ter Mrs Green the ovver day about what was goin’ on. She lives next door ter Mrs Brown, yer see, an’ jus’ then Nurse McCafferty walked by and said ’ello, an’ she asked ’ow Mrs Green’s leg was. Mrs Green told me she was from the church clinic an’ that’s where I should go. Anyway, when I made me mind up ter come I told Mrs Green an’ she said if I see the nurse I was ter tell ’er that ’er leg’s much better.’
Nurse Carmody gave him a quizzical look. ‘Nurse McCafferty is off today but I’ll give her the message. Now if you’ll excuse me I must get going. Thank you for calling, and rest assured, Mr Smedley, we’ll get this problem sorted out.’
Billy walked out of the welfare centre feeling angry that things had not worked out the way he wanted. He also found himself wondering what the man in number 52 Bacon Buildings was like and what he would do when faced with that mountain of a woman.
It was nearing five o’clock, and in the small office in Druid Street Joe Maitland sat talking with William Tanner. Joe looked worried.
‘I found it ’ard ter believe when I first ’eard o’ what was goin’ on around ’ere, Will,’ he was saying, ‘but the word is that fings are gonna get out of ’and unless it’s stopped. George Galloway ’as bin talkin’ wiv ’is people an’ it seems they’ve all bin approached. There’s money bin promised an’ from what I can make out Galloway’s crowd are dead against it.’
William scratched his head vigorously. ‘I don’t understand all this, Joe,’ he confessed. ‘Yer say that the bloke who put my lights out an’ burnt yer ware’ouse down was this Gerry Macedo an’ ’e was a pal o’ Galloway’s. Now George is up against ’im an’ ’e’s tryin’ ter get ’is little plan scotched?’
Joe smiled briefly. ‘A few o’ the lads I do business wiv come from the East End. They know all about Gerry Macedo. The man’s got it sewn up over the water an’ now ’e’s after gettin’ established over this side. ’E’s got a lot o’ villains be’ind ’im an’ they’re inter gamblin’ an’ prostitution, as well as the protection business. You name it, they do it. Macedo wasn’t above tryin’ ter put me out o’ business eivver, when the money was put up by a few friends o’ the people I ’elped put away. I don’t know if they’ll be satisfied wiv what ’appened or if they’ll ’ave anuvver go at me, that’s why we’ve gotta watch points. From what I can gavver, Macedo put ’is personal stamp on the ware’ouse fire to announce ’is presence. That’s the way the man’s mind works.’
‘It seems strange ’im bein’ there ’imself,’ William said. ‘I could pick ’im out in a line-up if the law pulled ’im.’
‘That’s why I told yer not ter say anyfing ter the police before I asked around,’ Joe told him. ‘Your life wouldn’t ’ave bin worth a brass farthin’ if yer’d agreed ter testify in court. Wivvout your evidence Macedo would walk free. Besides, they left yer there ter die when they set light ter the place, an’ it was in the papers about yer lucky escape. So yer not out o’ the woods yet, by any means.’
‘Fanks fer tellin’ me,’ William said, smiling mirthlessly.
‘I shouldn’t worry. I don’t fink they’ll try ter get at yer as long as yer keep quiet. Anyway, as I was sayin’, Gerry Macedo an’ ’is crowd can see there’s nuffink like their set-up over ’ere. It’s just small mobs runnin’ their own areas. There’s no ambition or drive. Now wiv Macedo we’re talkin’ about an educated man who can deal wiv the big businessmen on their own level. What ’e’s plannin’ is a big nightclub in Rovver’ithe. It’ll be all glossy an’ respectable up front, an’ it’ll attract people from all over London. Be’ind the scenes though there’ll be nuffink but graft an’ corruption. Believe me, Will, if Macedo’s allowed ter get established over this side o’ the water ’e’ll be runnin’ this area like a king. ’E’ll ’ave everybody in ’is pockets, an’ that includes the crooked coppers. Jus’ fink what that means. Yer’ll eivver trade wiv Macedo’s people or yer’ll go out o’ business. All the transport contracts an’ dock work’ll be controlled by ’is crowd an’ the unions are gonna be up against the wall. If they stand out on the cobbles they’re gonna get picked orf. The strike leaders’ll get seen to an’ the men’ll starve, or go back wiv their tails between their legs.’
‘It seems ’ard ter believe,’ William said, shaking his head slowly. ‘Surely the businessmen who are backin’ Gerry Macedo can see that.’
‘They’re not all honest traders,’ Joe Maitland replied with a cynical grin. ‘They see it as a way o’ makin’ a fortune. I’ve bin given names an’ yer’d be surprised if yer knew who some of ’em were. Fer your safety it’s just as well yer don’t know. One fing though - George Galloway ain’t one of ’em. From what I’ve bin told ’e’s rantin’ an’ ravin’ about anybody tellin’ ’im what ’e can do an’ can’t do, ’specially somebody from over the water.’
William Tanner smiled. ‘I’ve got no time fer the man after what ’appened ter me, but I gotta admire ’is pluck. I only ’ope ’e knows what ’e’s doin’.’
‘I fink ’e knows what ’e’s doin’, Will, but I’m not so sure about that son of ’is,’ Joe remarked. ‘Yer said ter me Frank Galloway could turn out worse than the ole man, an’ maybe yer’ll be proved right. ’E’s bin seen in Macedo’s East End club mixin’ wiv a lot o’ nasty people.’
‘So what’s the answer?’ William asked, taking out his cigarette pouch.
‘Well, fer the time bein’ there’ll be a lot o’ chinwaggin’ goin’ on. Galloway is gonna pull as many people as ’e can be’ind ’im, an’ I don’t underestimate ’im. The ole boy’s bin around fer a few years an’ ’e’s got a lot o’ sway. As fer Gerry Macedo, ’e’s gonna do the same, except ’e’ll be usin’ a different tack. ’E’ll put a few frighteners in wherever ’e can get away wiv it. My big fear is that Galloway won’t be able ter muster enough support, an’ then those waverers are gonna fall in wiv the East End mob.’
William was quiet for a few moments while he rolled a cigarette, then he looked up at Maitland. ‘Was that Macedo’s crowd who smashed up my Carrie’s cafe?’ he asked.
Joe nodded. ‘Yeah. Word is that Frank Galloway coaxed ’is farvver inter bringin’ ’im in when they couldn’t bribe the new union men. Galloway ’ad the old lot in ’is pocket by all accounts. Macedo was responsible fer the attack on Don Jacobs as well, but they come unstuck there. I would fink George Galloway is regrettin’ ever knowin’ that villain. They were pals once, when they did the fights tergevver.’
William had gone quiet, but Joe could see him clenching his teeth as he stared down at his smouldering cigarette.
‘I wasn’t gonna tell yer that much, Will, but there’s nuffink yer can do about it,’ he told him. ‘Macedo an’ Galloway are both gonna get their comeuppance over this, you wait an’ see.’
William smiled bitterly. ‘Galloway’s managed to avoid the reckonin’ before,’ he said quietly. ‘What about you, are you gonna get involved?’
Joe nodded. ‘I’ve got to. I can’t sit on the fence. Anybody in my posit
ion who tries ter stay neutral is gonna get crushed between the two sides. I’m goin’ ter see a few friends ternight an’ then we’re meetin’ up wiv Galloway an’ some of ’is pals. So yer better wish me luck, Will,’ he said with a smile of resignation.
Billy Sullivan was deep in thought as he walked home through the backstreets and suddenly he almost collided with a large policeman who had turned the corner.
‘Well, if it ain’t young Sullivan,’ the policeman said, leering at him. ‘What yer bin up to?’
‘I’m jus’ goin’ ’ome from work,’ Billy replied, cursing his luck at finally coming face-to-face with PC Copeland again.
‘Yer mean ter tell me yer got a job? Now who’d be silly enough ter give a no-good whoreson like you a job?’ the policeman jeered.
Tanner Trilogy 02 - The Girl from Cotton Lane Page 23