‘It’s not us!’ Paul protested. ‘Honest!’
Jane laughed. ‘Don’t worry, we’re just teasing.’
‘If you want my opinion,’ Vanda said, ‘I reckon some of them could do with a good kicking. Like that one you had in last night, cheeky sod!’
‘I know!’ Jane squealed. ‘I couldn’t believe it!’
‘I’d have chopped his bloody hands off,’ Vanda said.
‘What’s this?’ Paul asked, intrigued.
‘Oh, just this bloke who came into Casualty last night,’ Vanda said. ‘I’ll let Jane tell you.’
Jane’s eyes sparkled as she told the story, and Paul couldn’t help but smile.
‘. . . And the next thing I knew,’ she said, coming to the end, ‘he had his hand up my bloody skirt! Well, I just couldn’t believe it!’
Paul was grinning now. ‘What did you do?’
‘I bloody well lamped him one!’ she said, bristling with self-righteous indignation. ‘And if it hadn’t been for the doctor walking in, I’d have ripped his fucking head off! Oops!’ She threw a hand across her mouth. ‘Pardon my French!’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Paul laughed. ‘Good to know you’re human.’
‘Gee, thanks!’ she said, mock-offended. ‘And just what did you think I was? Robot? Animal?’
‘Oh, God! I’m sorry!’ he spluttered. ‘I didn’t mean that!’
Jane laughed good-naturedly. ‘Don’t worry about it.’
‘So was he with one of ours, then?’ Paul asked, covering his embarrassment behind his glass.
Jane took a drink and slammed her glass down. ‘No, but he bloody should have been! Handcuffs were invented for creeps like him – people who can’t keep their hands to themselves. I’m so glad I’m on earlies now. The creeps don’t like the daylight.’
‘What was he in for again?’ Vanda asked. ‘Didn’t you say he’d been shot?’
Paul’s ears pricked up, a tingle of anticipation bristling the hairs on his neck. ‘Pardon? Did you say shot?’
‘Well, no,’ Jane said. ‘Not exactly. He’d smashed his head open, which needed quite a lot of stitching, and he’d cut his arm.’ She motioned with her hand across her bicep. ‘It wasn’t too bad, as it turned out, but when I first looked at it, I don’t know why, I just thought it looked like a bullet wound.’
‘What made you think that?’ Paul pressed.
She shrugged. ‘Because it was a perfect line, I suppose. Like something had gone across it really fast and burned it.’
‘So what was it?’ Paul asked.
‘He slipped climbing the fence at Alex Park,’ she told him, rolling her eyes. ‘You know the railings there? The big metal spiked ones? Well, he slipped on them and caught his arm on one of the spikes, and when he fell, he smashed his head.’
‘Oh, I see,’ Paul felt deflated. ‘Still . . . while we’re on the subject of shooting injuries, you didn’t happen to get any in last night, did you?’
Jane shook her head. ‘Not that I know of. Sorry.’
Eddie came over to the table then, his beaming face red and sweaty. He picked up the pint Paul had bought him and took a long swallow before slamming it back down.
‘Having a good time with Asia?’ Jane asked innocently.
‘Wonderful!’ he announced. He patted Paul on the shoulder then, winking as he said, ‘Don’t mind if I abandon you, do you?’
‘Not in the slightest,’ Paul smirked, wincing as Jane and Vanda kicked him under the table. ‘I’ll see myself home. Have fun!’
‘Oh, I aim to!’ said Eddie.
14
It was ten-thirty. Only a few hours since they’d left the hospital for their celebration party, but the events of the night before, added to the mixture of drugs they’d indulged in since arriving back at the flat, were beginning to take their toll.
Mal had got them all so coked up in the first hour back that Sam had eventually begged for something to bring him down. Now they were all zonked on the temazepam Lee and Elaine had managed to score from the junkie with the dogs on the floor above.
Ged was sleeping – naturally, having neither wanted the coke nor needed the temazepam.
Elaine – quiet, at last – was huddled on the couch with Lee, who had a possessive arm around her as they watched yet another of the videos he’d persuaded Sam to drive over to his flat for.
Mal and Sam were playing cards on the coffee table, with the entire contents of Suzie’s copper jar spread before them as betting money.
Suzie herself was curled up on Mal’s chair – fed up to the back teeth that Elaine was still here and seemed to have no intention of ever going home again. Suzie was also more than a little pissed off that she hadn’t been offered any of the coke. Not that she would have taken it if she had been – it was the principle of the thing. Elaine was not only offered the stuff but actively encouraged to have some. It wasn’t fair.
She was just wondering if anyone would notice if she slipped off to bed when Sam threw his cards down with a loud slap.
‘Well, that’s me!’ he declared. ‘I’m whacked. I’m off home.’
‘Aw, not yet!’ Mal said. Gathering the cards together, he shuffled them and started to redeal.
‘I’ve got to,’ Sam insisted, struggling to his feet. ‘Have you seen the time? Louise has been on her own with the kids since last night. She must be going spare.’
‘She’ll be all right,’ Mal said. ‘Just give her another ring.’
‘No, I can’t.’ Sam was adamant. ‘Wendy’s gonna flip as it is.’
‘Fuck Wendy!’ Mal snapped, annoyed that he wasn’t getting his own way.
‘Oh, yes, please!’ Lee piped up, wincing as Elaine dug him in the ribs with her elbow.
Sam patted his pockets for his keys, then tapped Ged on the shoulder. ‘I’m off, Ged. Do you want a lift?’
Ged stretched and bounced to his feet. ‘Yeah. Thanks, mate.’
‘Not got your car?’ Lee asked.
‘Nah.’ Ged shook his head. ‘It’s not taxed or MOT’d so I don’t drive it unless I have to.’
‘It’s a heap of shit anyway,’ Lee went on with a smirk. ‘My Mark II creams it!’
‘The Mark I’s got a better engine,’ Ged retorted smoothly.
‘Can we go?’ Sam asked impatiently. ‘I’m knackered.’
‘Yeah, sorry,’ Ged said, frowning at himself for getting into Lee’s game of one-up.
‘Think I’ll go to bed as well,’ Suzie said, getting up stiffly.
‘Night, sweetheart,’ Ged said, smiling as he followed Sam to the door.
‘Yeah, night, Suzie,’ Sam called, waving back at her. ‘Night everyone.’
‘Night-night, John-Boy and Jim-Bob!’ Elaine yelled after them. ‘Night, Grandma!’ she added, looking pointedly at Suzie.
Ignoring her, Suzie went to bed.
Ged and Sam began to come alive in the cold night air as they lumbered down the stairwell a minute later. As they rounded the corner and stepped into the tunnel, a man turned in from the road end. They carried on walking, paying him no heed as he came towards them. He was big, but Ged was bigger, and Sam was glad to his heart to have him there. He was still paranoid about bumping into the City Road Posse, but with Ged to back him up he knew he’d stand a chance of escaping unhurt – unless they pulled a gun.
Max passed the two men, then turned back and called out to them. ‘Yo!’
Turning, Ged jerked his chin up suspiciously. ‘Yeah?’
‘You live here?’ Max asked.
‘No, just visiting,’ Ged said. ‘Why? What’s up?’
‘I’m looking for someone called Melly,’ Max told him. ‘Millie, or Melly. Something like that. Know him?’
Ged and Sam looked at each other and shrugged. ‘Nah, sorry, mate.’
‘Right, thanks.’
Max turned and headed for the stretch of grass as Ged and Sam carried on walking down the tunnel.
‘Hang about,’ Sam said as they came to the road e
nd. ‘There is a bloke called Millie. Smack dealer – lives on William Kent.’
‘Oh, yeah,’ Ged said. ‘Milton something-or-other. Little fella?’
‘That’s the one. Should we tell him?’ Sam nodded towards Max who was standing on the grass, looking up at the flats.
Ged considered it, then shook his head. ‘Nah. I want to get home. Come on.’
They got into the car and Sam reversed out. Driving past the tunnel they both looked to see if the man had gone. He was still there. Sam stopped the car and wound his window down.
‘What are you doing?’ Ged asked.
Sam wrinkled his nose sheepishly. ‘Let’s put him out of his misery, eh?’
Ged laughed. ‘You’re a right soft git, sometimes. Go on, then.’
‘Yo, mate!’ Sam called.
Max turned and peered at them down the tunnel. Sam waved him over.
‘This bloke you’re looking for,’ he said when Max reached them.
‘Yeah?’ Max leaned down with his hands on his knees. ‘You know him?’
‘I know someone called Millie,’ Sam said. ‘Lives on the third floor of that block over there.’ He pointed back through the tunnel.
‘What number?’
‘Sorry, I don’t know that,’ Sam said. ‘But someone over there will. It’s on the third floor, anyway. Just ask when you get there.’
‘Respect!’ Max put his fist into the car, touching it to both of theirs. ‘I owe you one!’
‘No problem.’ Sam grinned and, waving, pulled away. ‘Nice guy,’ he commented.
Ged shook his head with a smile. ‘Mr Bleeding Heart!’
Fuelled by a sudden rush of adrenalin, Max hurried across the grass towards William Kent Crescent. At least Stevo had given him the right name – just the wrong block. All he had to do was find out which flat it was, and this whole mess would be sorted.
Except for the ounce he’d laid out that morning.
He ground his teeth angrily. He was going to cut Stevo up so bad for taking off like that. And he wasn’t in the mood for poncing about these flats either, but he had no choice. Stevo had a lot to answer for!
As luck would have it, just as he crossed the road heading for the stairwell, three young student types came out. So busy looking at whatever the one in the centre was holding, they didn’t see Max until he stepped in front of them. They stopped dead then, their eyes wide with fright.
They were only too willing to point him in the direction of Millie’s flat when they realized he wasn’t going to mug them. They’d just come from there themselves, they told him, and yes – Millie was alone. Max thanked them, advising them to stash their gear away before the Babylon gripped them.
He shook his head with amusement as the boys legged it to an ancient Volkswagen Beetle to make their noisy escape.
Now to find number 327.
Elaine giggled as Lee and Mal coaxed her to take another line. She was being treated like a queen, and loving every minute of it. She was so glad she’d met up with Suzie again. But, God! What was up with the girl? She’d turned into a right miserable cow. She’d done nothing but whinge all day. Still. That was her problem. Elaine was having fun.
Taking the rolled-up fiver from Mal, she leaned over the mirror and snorted – wondering why she’d never got into this before.
‘Go on, girl!’ Lee encouraged her. ‘Get the whole lot down yer neck!’
The rush knocked her for six. She clenched her fists, clamping her teeth together as a million starlight prickles coursed up through her body, from her feet right up to her head, lifting the hair right off her scalp.
‘Oh, yeah, baby!’ Lee leered, eyeing her nipples as they stiffened beneath her T-shirt. ‘Let it ride!’
‘Charlie loves a virgin!’ Mal laughed.
‘Eh! I ain’t no virgin!’ Elaine giggled, opening her eyes at last.
‘Well, I never would have guessed!’ Mal teased her.
Taking the tube, he bent his head over the mirror. ‘Put another film on, Lee,’ he said, snorting the fattest of the lines.
15
Dead on one o’clock, Jake pressed the buzzer to release the security door down below. Then he unlocked the flat door and waited. Finally, Marie appeared, hauling herself up the last flight with a hand on the rail.
‘Wotcha, darlin’!’ she puffed, stopping to take a breath. ‘Bugger me, them stairs are a killer! He inside, is he?’
Jake nodded and waved her in with a smile. Marie was the only one of The Man’s girls he could stomach. Well into her forties, she was sassy and smart. She might look a bit done in, with her dyed black hair backcombed like a poodle’s tail, and the face of a seasoned battler, but she was sharp as a knife. She’d been on the game for twenty-odd years because she wanted to be, not because she’d been forced into it by a pimp, or lured by drugs. She never touched drugs – just alcohol. But she was in control of that and, in a funny way, Jake respected her.
The Man definitely did. Probably because he’d never had any sort of relationship with her, other than business. And she was good at that side of things. He trusted her judgement implicitly. And she was a real asset when it came to keeping the other girls in line – not averse to slapping them down if necessary, or tipping Jake the wink when they were on the fiddle.
Marie had her hands on her hips when Jake joined them, looking down at Linda who was sleeping in a heap on the floor by the couch. ‘Bit young, Sim,’ she was saying. ‘You sure she’s kosher?’
‘She reckons she’s nineteen,’ The Man said. ‘You think she’s lying?’
Marie gave him a look, then shrugged. ‘Far be it from me to call the kid a liar when I ain’t even spoken her. You got anything to drink in this place?’
‘Yeah, sure. What’s it to be? Coffee? Tea?’
Marie gave a raucous belly laugh and flopped down into a chair, kicking her shoes off and rubbing her toes. ‘Do me a favour! I’m bollocksed! Give us a Scotch.’
The Man nodded to Jake to pour the drink. Then he sat down, facing Marie. Leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, he nodded towards Linda. ‘What do you reckon, then?’
Marie groaned and put her feet down. Reaching across, she moved the girl’s hair away from her face and took a good look. Leaning back, she put her feet up on the coffee table and reached into her bag for a cigarette.
‘Pretty,’ she said at last. ‘I can see why you picked up on her. But, if you want my honest opinion, she’s never nineteen. More like sixteen, I’d say. Still, that’s legal, so you haven’t got a problem. Oh, thanks, luv.’ Taking the Scotch and ice from Jake, she swallowed a mouthful and wiped her hand across her mouth. ‘God! I needed that! Now then. You didn’t get me over her just to tell you if I think she’s pretty or not, did you? What’s the plan?’
‘She needs a place,’ The Man said. ‘Somewhere a bit decent.’
Marie raised an eyebrow. ‘Think she’s a bit special, then, do you?’
The Man gave her a lopsided smile and tapped the side of his nose. ‘Me hear tell she likes playing rough, so me figure she’d go down a bomb with the city-slicker men. Them we had to turf out last year, seen? The ones with all the money!’
‘You mean them clowns what messed Samantha up?’ Marie cast a worried look at the girl. ‘Bit much for her, ain’t they? Thought you said she’d never done this before?’
‘Jake auditioned her.’ The Man laughed. ‘Seems she can tek it, no problem!’
Marie shot a glance at Jake. ‘You been naughty?’ she asked, mock-stern. ‘Tut, tut!’
Jake grinned. ‘She keen for it, Marie. Believe me – she keen!’
‘Well, you got nothing to lose by trying her out,’ Marie said. ‘Needs a bit of work, though.’
‘Yeah, I know.’ The Man nodded. ‘It’s sorted. I gave her some money to get herself some gear. You tek her downtown tomorrow and help her choose some tasty stuff, yeah? You know better than me what them pervy guys like.’
‘Sure,’ Marie agreed. ‘No probs. Now,
about this place you want. How’s about she comes in with me for a bit? That way I can coach her, and keep an eye on her – make sure she don’t get too roughed up, like.’
‘Hey, that’d be great!’ The Man smiled. He pulled some money from his pocket and handed it to Marie. ‘Take this, then – to keep her while she’s learning. I’ll give you more in a week, depending how it goes, yeah?’
‘Sound as a pound!’ Marie said, sticking the money in her shoe. ‘How about family?’ she asked then, the flicker of a frown crossing her face. ‘I don’t need no irate mother calling the pigs on me.’
The Man shrugged. ‘Dunno, I ain’t asked her. But she seems to come and go as she pleases.’
Marie nodded. ‘Good. I can’t be doin’ with any of that shit. When do I get her, then?’
‘Now, if you want,’ The Man said – pleased to be killing two birds with one stone, since Max would be coming over soon.
‘You wanna wake her up, then?’ Marie said. ‘Only you know I hate touching smack-heads. That is what she’s on, innit?’
‘She’s only had a little bit.’ The Man shrugged. ‘Jake can carry her down and give you a ride home, yeah?’
‘That’d be fantastic,’ Marie said, smiling gratefully. ‘Me feet are throbbing like a donkey’s dick already, without having to traipse about looking for a taxi!’ Gulping the remnants of her drink down in one, she swung her feet to the floor and, groaning, forced her feet back into her shoes.
Jake shook Linda’s shoulder until she stirred.
‘Whazzup?’ she mumbled.
‘It’s time to go,’ he said, pulling her to her feet.
She was confused, stumbling and clutching at Jake to keep her footing as he walked her to the door. ‘Where we going?’ she asked. ‘What’s happening?’
‘You’re going to stay with this nice lady,’ he told her, leading her out of the flat and down the stairs.
In the doorway, Marie turned to The Man with a serious expression. ‘There’s just one thing, Sim. If I’m taking the kid on, I don’t want her touching the gear again. It’s different with them slags out there. They got on it all by themselves and don’t need no help staying on it. But she’s just a kid. It’ll fuck her up.’
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