East End 02-East End Diamond

by DS as Dani Oakley Butler

  CHAPTER 21

  Shortly before midnight, Ruby Morton slipped out of bed and quietly put on the skirt and blouse that she’d stashed on the chair beside her nightstand before lights out.

  No one else in the dormitory was awake. Ruby had to share a room with six other girls. The school was run like a prison, and the dormitories were inspected twice a day.

  Ruby absolutely hated it there, and she hated her mother for making her stay.

  Tonight she was sneaking off to meet her brother, Derek, and his new friend, Stuart. It was something they’d done a few times since their mother had dumped them out in the sticks. Ruby liked to feel like she was getting one over on her mother.

  Stuart was a total dreamboat, and as Ruby thought of his handsome face and sandy hair, she couldn’t help smiling.

  She winced as she opened the cupboard to retrieve her shoes and the door gave a squeak. She held her breath for a moment, but nobody stirred.

  Sighing with relief, she quickly slid her feet into her shoes and grabbed her cardigan. She was almost at the door when Clara Tottingham let out a small snore and turned over in bed.

  Ruby froze by the doorway. Clara was a complete snob, and Ruby didn’t like the stuck up, toffee-nosed girl at all. Clara had attempted to bully Ruby when she arrived but had had no idea who she was dealing with. She soon realised she had picked on the wrong girl.

  Ruby gave a self-satisfied smirk. She bet Clara now wished she had never started their feud. In the short time she’d been there, Ruby had played some delightful pranks. At least, that part of her school life was entertaining.

  The best trick she’d played was pouring a bowlful of water on Clara’s bed at night, and convincing all the other girls that Clara had wet herself. Now she was known as Clara Leaky Drawers.

  Confident that none of the other girls had woken up, Ruby left the dormitory and strode down the corridor. It was dark, but she had made this trip a few times now. It was easy enough to escape for an hour or so, and Derek’s school was only a short walk away.

  He hated it as much as Ruby did — or at least he said so. He’d made friends and managed to settle in. The boys in his classes weren’t quite as snobby and nasty as the girls at her school.

  Trust her mother to send her to a school run by bleeding nuns! Ruby shook her head. The head of the nuns was a dried up old prune called Sister Bernadette. She was supposed to be religious, forgiving and kind, but Ruby saw none of those qualities in her. Instead, she thought the woman was vindictive and enjoyed punishing her students. If she found one of the girls out of bed, Ruby was sure she would be able to think up a very imaginative punishment. Ruby shivered as she got to the large oak front doors. There was no chance she would get out that way without being seen, so she quickly walked past the front door and headed to the laundry room.

  The laundry room door backed out onto a small courtyard and it was always locked, but they left the old window above the sink open a crack as the latch was broken.

  Young and agile, Ruby climbed on top of the counter, stepped over the sink, opened the window and slipped outside, pushing the window shut behind her.

  The courtyard garden was where the nuns grew vegetables and roped the girls into helping with the weeding, which Ruby felt was practically slave labour.

  On the far wall of the courtyard, there was a trellis supporting a low-growing apple tree, and Ruby nimbly climbed up the trellis and swung her leg over the wall. The other side was a little trickier — but because the wall was old and crumbling, there were little holes she could use for her feet, and she managed to grip onto the old stone.

  Smiling and feeling pleased with herself, she turned ready to dash off, but then she heard a rustling in the bushes on her right. She pressed back against the wall in fright before she heard the sound of giggling. Bloody Derek! She’d murder him!

  Derek and Stuart had obviously decided to play a trick after getting bored waiting for her.

  As both boys sheepishly climbed out of the bush, Derek pulled a twig from his hair and said, “I thought you would never get here. What took you so long?”

  “It isn’t quite as easy for me!” Ruby said indignantly.

  At the boy’s school, they had a porter who was supposed to monitor the boys at night, but fortunately for Derek and Stuart, the porter enjoyed a tipple and was always fast asleep in his chair by eleven o’clock every night. The boys were then able to exit the school via the gym. They didn’t have to navigate any high walls or climb out of windows.

  Stuart held up a chocolate bar. “Peace offering.”

  Ruby’s mouth watered.

  There was no chocolate at her school. It was all home-cooked and home-grown food. She had no idea where Stuart got the chocolate from, but she was more than happy to share.

  The three of them walked far enough away from the school so they wouldn’t be spotted and strolled along the wide country lane until they reached a small copse of sycamore trees.

  Under the cover of the trees, Ruby sat down on an upturned tree trunk, and the boys joined her.

  “That school is driving me mad,” Ruby complained, taking the piece of chocolate Stuart offered her.

  “We’ve only got another few weeks until the summer holiday,” Derek said, speaking through a mouthful of chocolate.

  That was easy for him to say, he didn’t have to put up with the nuns.

  “I’m going to make her pay for this,” Ruby said glaring down angrily at the floor and kicking a pile of leaves with her foot.

  “She doesn’t care about us,” Derek said philosophically. “She just wants us out of the way.”

  Ruby scowled. “Yes, she does. But Dad will be out of prison soon, and then she won’t be able to send us away anymore.”

  Derek shrugged.

  “What will it be like having your dad around again?” Stuart asked. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to live with a criminal.”

  Both Ruby and Derek shot Stuart a scornful look. He had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. There was no doubt about that.

  At the moment, Ruby hated her mother with a passion because she was the one who was around and seemed to be trying to ruin Ruby’s life, whereas she believed her father was a hero, who’d been hard done by and wrongly persecuted.

  “Our father is innocent,” Ruby said. “He was fitted up. He’ll be out soon, and everything will go back to how it should be.”

  Derek looked dubious, but he didn’t say anything.

  Ruby noticed her brother didn’t seem particularly supportive of their father and she glared at him. “You do tell people that Dad is innocent, don’t you?”

  Derek shrugged. “No. I quite like them thinking my father’s a gangster. Everyone wants to ask me questions about it. I’ve had three boys invite me to their houses over the summer!”

  Stuart grinned. “I’d invite you to mine, but I’ve already told my mother about your father, and she’d have kittens if you showed up at our house. She has already threatened to disinherit me unless I stay away from you. Apparently, you are a bad influence.”

  Derek found that exceedingly funny and laughed loudly. “That’s me, a bad influence through and through.”

  Irritated with the pair of them, Ruby put a finger to her lips. “Keep quiet. Anyone would think you wanted someone to hear us.”

  Derek stood up and stretched. “You worry too much, Ruby. And you shouldn’t scowl like that. You look just like our mother when you pull that face.”

  Ruby sprung to her feet and launched herself at her brother.

  Stuart was so shocked, he scooted back on the log they’d been sitting on and ended up falling arse over elbow into the ferns and stinging nettles.

  Stuart’s cries of pain drew Derek and Ruby’s attention, and they stopped their fighting only to fall about laughing.

  Stuart got to his feet, grumbling about the lack of sympathy, and Ruby gave her brother one last shove. “Take it back.”

  Derek grinned. “Don’t worry. I’m
only teasing you. You look nothing like Mum.”

  Ruby nodded, mollified, and then blushed furiously when Derek added, “Stuart thinks you look pretty, don’t you Stuart?”

  Stuart looked horrified at his friend’s betrayal and couldn’t look Ruby in the eye.

  “I think it’s time for us to get back,” he muttered.

  They walked back to Ruby’s school first, and Derek got down on his hands and knees, so Ruby could climb onto his back and get a bunk up over the wall.

  Although he was less than gentle, and Ruby managed to graze her hands on the other side of the wall, she couldn’t help smiling.

  So, Stuart thought she looked nice. She grinned again as she imagined the shock on her mother’s face if she came back home with a boyfriend.

  It would serve the old cow right.

  * * *

  While her children were messing about in the woods, Babs was tossing and turning in her bed. She couldn’t sleep. The moonlight was streaming in through her bedroom window.

  The house felt so empty without the children. Since she had dropped them off at school, she had received only one letter from Ruby and had heard absolutely nothing at all from Derek.

  Not for the first time, she wondered whether she’d done the right thing.

  Before she had packed them off to school, she was sure both children would eventually get over their temper tantrums and realise she had done this for their own good, but now she was second guessing herself.

  It was hard not knowing what her children were doing every day. Babs was certain they’d be getting up to mischief, but she reassured herself they couldn’t get into too much trouble at boarding school, especially not the ones Babs had picked out.

  She particularly liked the idea of Ruby being taught by nuns and being out of the way of any boys.

  She remembered what she’d been like at Ruby’s age.

  Babs sat up in bed and rearranged her pillows. She remembered giving her mother hell when she’d been a teenager, and then her mother had died not much later. She’d give anything to have that time over again and to let her mother know how much she appreciated her. But it was too late for that. There was no going back.

  Ruby was old enough to leave school now, and Babs knew she was in for a struggle if she wanted to persuade Ruby to go back for another year in September.

  But the girl wasn’t ready for real life yet. It would chew her up and spit her out. Babs couldn’t imagine any job Ruby would want to do after leaving school, and there was no way she would agree to let Ruby marry at a young age and ruin her life like she had with Martin.

  It might make Ruby hate her, but Babs thought it would be best if she stayed at the boarding school for another year.

  With a sigh, Babs adjusted her rollers. Maybe she should have told Tony about her plans for Old Mo. It was a big step to take on her own.

  But if she changed her mind now, she would look weak. She’d already issued orders to red-haired Freddie, and if she didn’t see it through, Martin’s men would lose respect for her.

  She glanced outside at the large moon and then tried to get comfortable by rearranging her pillows yet again. She needed to get to sleep because she had a huge day ahead of her tomorrow.

  CHAPTER 22

  Babs had bags under her eyes the size of suitcases. She had had a terrible night’s sleep and felt like she’d only just managed to drift off when suddenly it was time to get up. Her stomach churned, and she had been forced to skip breakfast, making do with an extra strong cup of tea.

  Just before nine a.m., Babs approached one of the abandoned warehouses on the docks that was owned by Martin. The surrounding area was deserted, and Babs’ heels clicked loudly across the cobbled road. She was wearing her fur coat, as usual, but it was already starting to warm up, and the sun overhead was promising a hot day to come. She was sweating but didn’t know whether that was due to the sun on her back or fear.

  Old Mo had to be dealt with. There were no two ways about it. Babs had been married to Martin long enough to know these things went on, but somehow, being the one behind the order wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. It was easy enough, to tell the boys to get rid of Old Mo and wash her hands of it, but if she wanted to gain their respect, she needed to be there when it happened.

  Babs pressed her lips together. Her mouth felt dry, and she would have killed for another cup of tea.

  When she reached the third warehouse along Wharf Road, Babs paused outside. This was it. There was no turning back now. But still she hesitated.

  Why was she having all these doubts? Old Mo had clearly been cheating the Mortons and laughing at them as he did it. He deserved to be punished. He didn’t deserve Babs’ pity.

  Despite that, Babs had an overwhelming desire to turn on her heels and run back home. Before she could, the big, old door at the front of the warehouse creaked open, and Henry the Hand poked his head out.

  “All right, Babs? I thought I heard someone out here. He’s inside.” Henry gave an evil chuckle. “We’ve warmed him up for you.”

  Babs nodded and followed Henry inside the warehouse. Compared to the bright sunshine outside, the warehouse was dim, and Babs’ eyes struggled to adjust to the light.

  Babs blinked. She could just about make out a couple of figures in the centre of the huge building. They were at least fifteen yards away. As she walked towards them, she recognised Freddie’s bright red hair and saw the fat figure of Old Mo tied up in a chair. When she got closer still, she saw the blood.

  Babs’ knees almost gave way from under her and she reached out to grab onto Henry’s arm. “Christ, what have you done to him?”

  Henry looked confused. “The usual. We’ve been trying to find out if anyone else was involved in his little scam before we get rid of him.”

  Old Mo looked a terrible state. Babs recognised him from his fat figure and old-fashioned brown suit. He still wore the gold rings on his chubby fingers. But his face had been pummelled to a pulp, and Babs thought his own mother wouldn’t recognise him now.

  His eyes were swollen shut, and he had red marks all over his face, which would never have time to develop into bruises if Henry and Freddie followed her orders.

  Jesus Christ. What had she gotten herself into? This wasn’t right.

  Old Mo had heard Babs’ voice, and he turned his head, even though he couldn’t see her through his bruised and battered eyes. “Babs? Is that you? Tell them to stop. Please, Babs.”

  Babs’ mouth opened in horror. She didn’t know what to say to him. There was no pleasure in seeing a man broken like this.

  Old Mo took Babs’ silence as weakness and tried again to beg for his life. “I’ll repay the money and move out of the area. Please, Babs. Please.”

  Horrified, Babs held a shaking hand to her mouth. She wanted to scream and rush over to untie him.

  “It doesn’t seem like anyone else was involved, Babs,” Freddie said.

  She turned to look at him and realised as he wiped the sweat away from his forehead with the back of his arm that he had blood on his knuckles. Old Mo’s blood.

  Babs shook her head.

  Henry walked over to the side of the warehouse and crouched beside an old, brown sack on the floor. No one spoke, and it was silent apart from Mo’s quiet sobs and the sound of Henry’s shoes hitting the stone floor as he walked.

  When he walked back towards them, he was carrying a long knife. Babs felt dizzy and clasped a hand to her forehead.

  “We’ll finish him off now,” Freddie said as if he were merely discussing plans to slaughter a pig. He took the knife Henry handed to him.

  It was no good. Babs couldn’t let it happen. “No. I’ve changed my mind.”

  Both Henry and Freddie looked at her with puzzled frowns on their faces, but they didn’t get to question her motives because all of a sudden the doors to the warehouse burst open.

  Everyone turned to see who it was, even old Mo, although he wouldn’t be able to see properly. Babs guessed he was
doing it on instinct.

  “What was that? Who’s there?” Old Mo asked with a tremor in his voice.

  It was Tony Morton. “What the hell is going on here?”

  Red-haired Freddie still held the knife in his hand but let it drop to his side as he answered, “We are dealing with Old Mo as ordered, boss.”

  Tony’s gaze rested on Old Mo. “Whose orders?” he demanded.

  Babs had never seen Tony look so angry. He’d never looked more like Martin than he did at that moment.

  Freddie and Henry exchanged glances. They didn’t want to get caught in the middle of a power battle that much was obvious.

  But Henry didn’t dare not answer Tony’s question. “Babs’ orders. She found out Old Mo was cheating and wanted him dealt with.”

  Babs was positive she was going to be sick as Tony turned his eyes on her. He gave her a cold hard stare and then took two menacing steps towards her. “What the hell have you done, Babs?”

  Babs shook her head and stammered, “It was a mistake, Tony. I didn’t think it would be like this.”

  She wrenched her eyes away from Tony’s and looked back at Old Mo, who was now pulling against his restraints.

  “Tony? Tony, is that you? Oh, thank God. Get me out of here, please, mate.”

  Tony’s whole body was tense, and his fists were clenched at his sides.

  He growled at Babs through gritted teeth. “Get out of here. Now.”

  Babs didn’t need telling twice. She turned and hightailed it out of the warehouse, only stopping when she was safely out in the sunshine. She wanted to go home and get out of there as quickly as she could, but something compelled her to stay. She needed to know what Tony was going to do. She slipped down the side of the warehouse and placed two discarded crates on top of each other, so she could stand on them and peer into one of the dusty windows. It was dark, but she could see them all crowded around Old Mo. They hadn’t untied him yet.