Ged didn’t even have a van, and he’d had to borrow a rusty old Ford Escort van from one of his mates. It wasn’t the ideal choice of vehicle for moving house, due to its size, which meant they were having to make several trips.
Although the house was in the same area as theirs, it had taken them well over two hours, and they hadn’t yet completed the second trip. There were only the three of them, and Jenny was in no condition to carry much. With the time it took to load the van, drive it there, unload it, put everything in place and drive back, it seemed that they would be at it all day Sunday as well.
The state of the furniture was annoying him too. He’d been sick to death of hearing Jenny boast about the things that Leroy was getting for her. Fair enough, he had got hold of a 28 inch Phillips TV, and a top notch stereo player, but they were knock-off. The rest of the stuff either came from second-hand stores, or were bits they could spare. The trouble was, he wouldn’t dare complain to Leroy, so he was taking his bad mood out on his wife.
“Our Rita would have helped if we’d have asked,” said Joan.
“You must be bloody joking! I’ve told you, the less she knows the better.”
“She’s bound to want to visit Jenny in her new house. She’ll see the tele then, and you know our Rita; she’s bound to ask where it’s come from.”
“Aye well, let her ask her questions when I’m not around. I can do without the earache. Let’s get the rest of this stuff inside, then we can have a sit down while you put the kettle on.”
They struggled into Jenny’s new two bedroom house, with some loaded cardboard boxes, then Ged took a seat while he waited for Joan to make the drinks.
After a while, he heard Joan shout from the kitchen, “Did anyone pack the kettle?”
‘Jesus,’ he thought, ‘all bloody weekend wasted and I can’t even have a brew. I’ll be glad when this is over.’
Chapter 5
Monday 18th March 1991 - morning
Following the revelations of Friday night, Rita had been desperate to get hold of Jenny. She needed to warn her about Leroy, before he moved in. She wasn’t sure whether Leroy was planning to move in with Jenny as soon as her house came through, but she presumed so. It sounded as though he had already been staying with Jenny regularly, at her parents’ home, so she couldn’t see any reason he would hang around once Jenny got her own house.
Rita gathered, through her mother, that the property was listed under Jenny’s name. That made sense, because if Leroy wanted to make himself scarce, then he would avoid having his name listed on public records.
It was important for Rita to warn Jenny about Leroy as soon as possible, then perhaps she could get her away from him before it was too late. The trouble was, she’d been ringing her parents’ house all weekend, and had no luck. When she got up on Monday morning, she tried the phone again. If there was no answer this time, she would go round and find out what was going on. Rita was amazed when her mother answered after a few rings.
“Jesus, Mam, I was beginning to think you’d emigrated or summat.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“I’ve been ringing all weekend, and there’s been no answer. Has the phone been out of order, or has my dad not been paying the bills?”
“No, don’t be daft. We were helping our Jenny move house.”
“Move house? You mean, she’s moved already?”
“Yeah, I told you she was getting the house in a few days.”
“I didn’t know what day she was moving, though. You might have told me; I could have helped out.”
“I wish I had have done, love; we’ve been at it all weekend. I’m bloody knackered.”
“All weekend? Why, where’s she moved to, Land’s End?”
“No, Royle Way, but your dad borrowed this knackered old Escort van, and it took us umpteen trips to shift everything.”
Rita couldn’t help but laugh. “An Escort van to move house? I can just imagine the scene; I bet it was like summat out of bloody Steptoe and Son.”
“Aye, except their cart could carry more than the Escort, and it was in better nick too.”
When they had finished laughing, Rita told her mother she wanted to get in touch with Jenny, but she didn’t reveal why. Although Rita had a relatively good relationship with her mother, she knew her parents were close, and that her father was the dominant one in the relationship. She wasn’t sure how much her mother knew, and thought that perhaps she wasn’t even aware of the dodgy goods that her father sold.
Her mother had always seemed naïve, but maybe it was all an act. Could anybody be that gullible? Maybe she knew what Ged got up to, but didn’t want to see it. There were times in the past when Rita had criticised him, and her mother had usually made excuses for him, or jumped to his defence. If she was unaware of what was going on, then Rita decided it was best to keep it that way for now. If, on the other hand, she knew about the stolen and fake goods, and had a good idea about Leroy, what would Rita gain by getting her involved? Her father was the one with the influence, but Rita wanted to speak to Jenny before she discussed the matter with anybody else.
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Monday 18th March 1991 – late morning
After coming off the phone with her mother, Rita asked Yansis if he would go with her to see Jenny at her new house. Having waited all weekend, she didn’t want to waste any more time, so she was anxious to get there as soon as possible. The insurance company had already sent someone to replace the windscreen on Vinny’s car that morning, and Vinny and Yansis had changed the damaged tyre over the weekend. Although Rita and Yansis felt bad about the damage to the car, Vinny had insisted that it wasn’t their fault, and he was happy for them to carry on using it.
They said goodbye to Julie, who wished Rita good luck. Once they were in the car, Rita had a quick glance through the A – Z. Unlike the trip to the Buckthorn Estate, she had a good idea where they were going. She recognised the name Royle Way, and knew that it was part of the Riverhill Estate in Longsight, but on the opposite side of the A6 to her parents’ house.
It was situated a mile or so from her parents’, and she had walked around the area several times as a girl. A problem with these estates, though, was that they all had limited access by car, so she wanted to check the route before they set off.
When they arrived, she was relieved to notice that there were no other cars parked outside. Hopefully, that would mean Leroy was out, so she would have chance to talk to Jenny alone. It took a couple of sharp knocks on the door before Jenny answered.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“Lovely to see you too!”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean owt. I just thought it might be my mam and dad. They said they’d help me sort everything out. There’s still stuff all over the place.”
“Or maybe you were expecting Leroy. He’d soon have this lot shifted, big lad like him.”
“No, he’s got a key. Anyway, Leroy’s busy.”
“Bloody hell, it’s not taken him long to get his feet under the table, has it?”
“We live together. Anyway, what have you got against Leroy?”
“Nothing. I’m not having a go, but he wasn’t exactly friendly when we met the other day.”
“That’s just the way he is. He’s alright once you get to know him.”
Rita stopped herself before things went any further. She couldn’t believe that she and Jenny had got off to such a bad start. They had always got on so well as kids. Despite the age gap of four years between them, they were always close.
Maybe the age gap was part of the problem. Because Rita was older than Jenny, she had always protected her and stuck up for her. When Rita had gone to live in Greece, Jenny was still only 17, and although she got up to mischief, she still had a lot of respect for Rita and would listen to her advice. Besides, at that time, Rita wasn’t averse to getting up to a little mischief herself.
Now though, as she assessed the situation, Rita realised that things had changed be
tween them over the last few years. Jenny was a young woman of 22 who was making her own decisions, and her own mistakes, as far as Rita could see. Their grandparents had long since passed away, and with Rita no longer around, and their brother John away in the army, it left Jenny with no moral compass. Much as Rita hated to admit it, even to herself, her father’s morals left a lot to be desired, and her mother was weak-willed. She wasn’t a bad person; she was just easy to manipulate, and content to bend to her husband’s will.
Once they were inside the living room, Jenny went to the kitchen to make drinks, leaving Rita and Yansis sitting on the worn sofa. While she was away, Rita looked around the room, taking in the flash TV and multi-stack stereo system, which seemed incongruous next to the shabby furniture. The house was freshly painted and papered, although the floors were bare, apart from the standard dingy brown tiles that the council fitted in all the houses on the local estates.
She could still smell the fresh paint, but there were other odours that hung in the air; the smell of marijuana mixed with a strong, dirty stench she couldn’t quite identify. She guessed that it was some form of waste matter, although whether it was human or animal, or a mix of the two, she wasn’t sure. It was usual for the council to do a full repair and redecoration if the previous residents had left the property in a state. That generally took care of most things, but some stenches you just couldn’t shift.
Rita also noticed how overcrowded the room was. Jenny was right, there was stuff all over the place. A few feet in front of her and Yansis were boxes stacked on top of each other, which looked as though they still needed unpacking. At least someone had had the foresight to write the contents on the box in black marker pen. It would take several hours to put everything in place, and Jenny was in no fit state to do much. There was also some upstairs furniture still in the lounge, including a chest of drawers, which was chipped on the corners and had felt tip pen scrawled across one of the drawers.
Jenny’s absence gave Rita a chance to rethink her approach, and by the time she heard the cups clinking in the hallway, she had primed herself. It was important to regain Jenny’s trust if she wanted to get through to her.
“Thanks,” she said to Jenny, as she took a mug of coffee from her. Then, after a brief pause, she added, “I doubt whether my mam will be here today; she said she was knackered when I was on the phone to her earlier. I tell you what, me and Yansis haven’t got much on today, so why don’t we help you? When we’ve finished this drink, you could show Yansis what wants putting where, and then he could make a start while me and you have a chat.” Then, as an afterthought, she said to Yansis, “That’s if you don’t mind love.”
“No, I don’t mind at all, Rita. Like you say, we have nothing else to do today.”
“OK,” said Jenny. “As long as you don’t mind.”
They then spent a few minutes making polite conversation while they drank their coffee, with Jenny asking where they were staying, and Yansis asking about the stereo. Rita was only half listening to Yansis’s questions about the stereo’s technical capabilities as her mind was occupied with thoughts of her imminent conversation with Jenny.
It didn’t take Yansis long to finish his drink. Rita had already made him aware of her concerns, and she knew that he wouldn’t want to stay in the same room while she tackled Jenny.
His first task was to carry the chest of drawers upstairs, which he managed by removing the drawers and taking them up first, then carrying the empty carcass. Next, he shifted some boxes into the kitchen, and Jenny showed him which cupboards and drawers she wanted him to put things into. Once Rita was sure he would be occupied in the kitchen for a while, and she and Jenny were unlikely to be disturbed, she broached the subject of Leroy.
“Jenny, there’s something I want to talk to you about. I don’t think you’re going to like this, but it needs to be said.”
When she had captured Jenny’s full attention, she continued. “The other day, when we were at my mam and dad’s, I overheard Leroy on the phone, and I think he was arranging some sort of deal. He was talking about goods, and he mentioned turf, and something about his customers going elsewhere if he didn’t get the goods.”
“So what? Leroy’s a businessman; he deals in goods all the time.”
“What sort of goods, Jenny?”
“All sorts. Electricals mostly, but other stuff as well. Why, what’s the problem?”
“The problem is, I think he’s dealing in drugs.”
“You what? Oh, I get it, he’s black and from Moss Side, so he must be a drug dealer. Is that it?”
“No, that’s not it, Jenny; you know I’m not like that! I heard him say H on the phone … and there’s rumours about him in the Brown Cow.”
“Come off it! H could mean anything. What the hell were you doing listening to his phone call anyway? And how do you know what’s being said in the Brown Cow? You haven’t been home five minutes. I thought you were stopping at your mate Julie’s. She lives nowhere near the Brown Cow.”
“A mate of Vinny’s does. He told us.”
“And you just happened to bump into him, did you, or have you been snooping around? Just what is your problem with Leroy, for God’s sake?”
Rita didn’t like the way this conversation was going. She was trying to tread lightly, but there was no avoiding the facts. The trouble was, the more she told Jenny, the more irate her sister was becoming, but unfortunately, Jenny’s anger wasn’t directed at Leroy. Why couldn’t she see through him? At this point, Rita could have left things alone, but as she’d already come this far, she figured that she might as well tell Jenny everything. Maybe a few shock tactics would get through to her.
“Jenny, my problem with Leroy is that I think he’s dangerous. I found out something else that I think you should know.”
“Go on,” Jenny sighed.
Rita moved further along the sofa, positioning herself adjacent to the armchair where Jenny was sitting. Taking hold of Jenny’s hands, and looking into her eyes, she began, “Me and Yansis went to a pub called the Buckthorn Inn in Moss Side. It’s on the estate where Leroy used to live.”
Jenny was now staring at her, with a mixture of anger and confusion, but Rita was determined to continue. “We got talking to some girls, and they pointed out Leroy’s ex-girlfriend, a girl called Laura. She was really pretty, except for a scar that ran down one side of her face.”
Rita took a deep breath before uttering the next words. “The girls suggested that the scar was something to do with Leroy. They said it was because she got too involved with Leroy’s business, whatever that means.”
Jenny swiftly drew her hands away from Rita’s, her right one reaching to cover her mouth as her breath came in gasps, “No, they’re lying! Leroy wouldn’t do that.”
Rita could tell that, although Jenny was saying one thing, her eyes were saying something else, reflecting her fear through wide-eyed shock and dilated pupils.
After a few seconds absorbing this news, Jenny responded, “What the hell were you doing in that pub, Rita? Why are you spying on Leroy? Just what the hell have you got against him? I can’t believe you! Just because he’s not that friendly to you when you meet him, you get some crazy idea in your head, then go around spying on him.”
“Alright, calm down. Maybe the girls were wrong, I don’t know. I just thought it was best to warn you, that’s all. I mean, he isn’t completely innocent, Jenny. He is dealing in dodgy goods, and he’s got my dad selling them down the pub for him.”
“I know all about the dodgy goods, Rita. Big deal! That’s what everyone does round here. That’s how we live. How else do you think we could afford stuff? Your trouble is, you’re so used to mixing with your stuck-up customers in Greece that you’ve forgotten what it’s like in the real world. Life’s not just one long fuckin’ holiday, you know.”
Rita had tried to stay calm up to now, hoping that she could regain Jenny’s trust, but as Jenny became increasingly angry and started to criticise her life
style, there was no way Rita was going to just sit and take it.
“Hang on a minute, Jenny. Those people you call stuck-up, most of them are decent hardworking people who’ve saved all year to go on holiday. And, for your information, me and Yansis put a lot of bleedin’ hours into running that restaurant. We hardly ever have any time off.”
“Yeah well, it’s alright for those that can get good jobs, isn’t it? But round here, we haven’t got much choice other than being stuck on the dole.”
“I come from round here, and I worked for a living.”
“Yeah, at some crappy factory, and you’d still be at some crappy factory if you hadn’t met Yansis.”
“Look, I don’t need you having a go at my personal life.”
“Why not? You’re having a go at mine!”
Just as the argument had reached its peak, Yansis walked back into the living room, jolting Rita back to her senses. She felt ashamed for losing her temper; Rita didn’t like Yansis seeing this side of her character. She had come here to warn Jenny about Leroy and try to help her, but all she had done was turned Jenny against her, and made matters worse.
Rita quickly backtracked. “Look, Jenny, I don’t want to fall out with you. Let’s leave it, eh?”
Yansis’s presence was enough to deter Jenny from carrying on the row, and she nodded her head, looking shamefaced.
“We came here to help, Jenny, not to have a row. I’ve not seen you for years, for God’s sake. Come on, let’s get some more of those boxes emptied while we’re here.”
“That’s just what I come back to ask,” said Yansis, affable as ever. “Where do you want me to put these boxes, Jenny?”
For the next couple of hours, they worked in relative silence. They put all the boxes in the right places, although some of them still needed emptying. The atmosphere was strained, and when they left, Rita asked for a pen and paper to write down Julie’s phone number, so that Jenny could get hold of her.
She then put her arms around Jenny, and said. “Don’t forget to let me have your number as soon as you’ve had your phone connected. I’m not going to say anything else, Jenny, and I’ll try to get on with Leroy, but all I do want to say is that if you ever need me for anything, I’ll always be there for you, OK?”
A Gangster's Grip: The Riverhill Trilogy: Book 2 Page 4