The Victim

by Kimberley Chambers

  Jed jumped off the cart, tied the horse up to a post and followed Sammy into the boozer. What with Sally’s suicide, Frankie’s threat to spill the beans, and tomorrow’s court case about the kids, he’d had a lot on his mind recently. Jed sat down opposite Sammy and slurped his lager.

  ‘So, what did you wanna talk to me about that was so important?’ Sammy asked.

  Jed leaned across the table so no one could hear the conversation. ‘I think things are getting a bit on top round ’ere. I think me and you should split.’

  Sammy nearly chocked on his beer. ‘What! Why? It ain’t ’cause of that message you got from Danny Cooper, is it?’

  Jed shrugged. ‘It ain’t just that, but if Frankie does spill her guts, me and you are both in shit street. Sally’s old man is another worry. He’s bound to blame me for Sally topping herself and I don’t fancy another tear-up with him. I’m telling you now, Sammy, if I lose this court case tomorrow and they allow Frankie access to the chavvies, then I’m fucking off, whether you come with me or not.’

  ‘Where you thinking of going then? You’ll have to go miles away ’cause if the gavvers catch up with ya, they’ll take Georgie and Harry away from you, ya know.’

  ‘If they allow that slag access to ’em tomorrow, then I’m bound to lose ’em in the long run. You know what these do-gooding cunting judges are like. When Frankie gets out, they’ll give her custody anyway, my brief told me that. He reckons they always side with the mother.’

  ‘So, where you thinking of going?’ Sammy asked shocked.

  ‘Dunno, up north, I suppose. Come with me, Sammy boy, and bring your chavvies with you an’ all. I mean how often do you get to see Sammy Junior and Freddy boy? Four times a fucking month is bollocks, mate. If you come with me, you can see ’em all the time.’

  Sammy was dubious. ‘What about Tommy and Julie? I can’t just leave ’em. And what about your mum and dad? We can’t just fuck off and not tell them, Jed.’

  Jed smirked. ‘If we go, you can guarantee me mum and dad will come an’ all. As for Tommy boy – snatch him. Don’t bring Julie though, it’s too risky.’

  Sammy shook his head. Usually he loved his cousin’s bright ideas, but this one was bordering on ridiculous. ‘You gotta be winding me up, Jed, and if you ain’t, then you’re a proper fucking dinlo.’

  Beverley’s funeral turned out exactly as Eddie has expected. Apart from himself, Gary, Ricky, Albert, Reg, Vi and Joanie, only ten other people turned up. One was Bev’s sister, another her cousin and the other eight were drunken low-lifes.

  Unable to set foot near the house where they had found their mother’s rotting corpse, Gary and Ricky met their father at the City of London Crematorium. Beverley had developed a passion for marijuana as well as drink in the latter part of her life and had told Gary and Ricky of her wishes many times.

  ‘When I go, I wanna be cremated so I can go up in a puff of smoke like one of these,’ she would say, puffing furiously on a joint.

  The service was short and sweet. Gary said a few words and Ed was glad when it was all over. He felt dreadfully sorry for his sons, but he had had no feelings for Beverley other than disgust for many years. The one tear Eddie did shed at the end was in memory of Jessica. Not being allowed to attend the funeral of the wife he had loved would leave an imprint on his heart for ever.

  Jed sat on the sofa opposite his parents. The kids were in the garden playing, so he had their full attention for once.

  ‘Don’t be so fucking stupid!’ Jimmy yelled, when Jed repeated what he’d told Sammy earlier.

  ‘I dunno what you’re worried about. There’s no way them courts will ever let that old whore ever look after them chavvies again. She tried to murder you, the wicked bitch,’ Alice said, her eyes brimming with tears at the thought of not seeing her grandchildren regularly.

  ‘But I’d want you two to come with me. And what about Terry Baldwin? You know what a nutter he is, Mum. You saw him nearly batter me to death once and now Sally’s dead, he’s bound to come after me again,’ Jed said, trying to make his parents see sense.

  The truth was, it wasn’t Terry Baldwin or Frankie getting her hands on the kids that Jed was worried about. It was the threat he’d received via Frankie and he hadn’t had a decent night’s kip since Danny Cooper had told him. Frankie knew everything bad about him and if she opened her big mouth, he could be looking at life in prison or, worse still, be chopped up in bits by Eddie fucking Mitchell. Jed didn’t know which thought was worse, but he couldn’t tell his parents the truth, as neither had a clue that it was he who was responsible for Harry Mitchell’s death.

  Alice walked over to the sofa, sat next to Jed and held her worried son in her arms. He was obviously anxious about tomorrow’s court case, bless him. ‘Georgie girl and Harry both know what they’ve got to say, me and your father went over it again with ’em this morning. All you’ve gotta do is keep calm and everything will work out fine.’

  Jed sighed at the word ‘fine’. He had an inkling that things were going to turn out anything but.

  After leaving the cemetery, Albert, Reg, Vi and Joanie went straight home. None of them had been close to Beverley and they had only gone to the funeral to support Eddie and the boys. Eddie, Gary and Ricky went for a drink in the Barge Aground in Barking. Beverley had been more of an indoor’s drinker, but when she had ventured out for an evening, the Barge was always her number-one choice. When Bev’s low-life friends finally turned up, Ed smiled politely at them.

  ‘You took your time, where yous lot been?’ he asked. Ed had spoken to them after the funeral and told them to come to the Barge for the wake.

  ‘We had to wait for a bus,’ came the reply.

  Generous by nature, Eddie walked up to the bar and handed £300 to the barman. ‘I want to keep that mob over there in free drinks all day,’ he said, pointing to Bev’s eight friends.

  The barman nodded.

  ‘If any money’s left over, give it to ’em to get some food or something with.’

  The barman smirked and nodded. He could have a right little earner out of this mug.

  Seeing the look on the barman’s face, Eddie leaned across the bar and grabbed him by the neck of his scruffy t-shirt. ‘Oh, and don’t even think of pocketing any dosh, because I’ll be back tomorrow to pick up the drink receipts and, believe me, if I find out you’ve fiddled me out of one penny, I will chop your fucking hands off, got it?’

  The barman went deathly white and this time nodded with pure fright.

  Eddie walked over to the table where Bev’s pisshead friends had sat down. He told them the score, then walked back over to Gary and Ricky, who were standing in the corner looking melancholy. ‘Come on, boys, let’s get out of this dump and go and get pissed somewhere decent.’

  * * *

  The following morning, Alice dressed Harry in his new, smart suit, which Jed had purchased especially for the occasion, and Georgie in a pretty pink corduroy pinafore dress. The children hadn’t been expected to attend the court hearing, but both Jed and his solicitor, Malcolm, thought it was a good idea that they went.

  ‘It’s important that these do-gooding cunts listen to what them chavvies have to say and Malcolm reckons that it will be good for the judge to see how happy and well-kept Georgie and Harry look. Remember, it won’t be long till that slag gives birth to another one, and when she does, I want custody of it. No chavvie of mine is gonna be brought up by some psycho in prison,’ Jed told his parents.

  Alice was no Naomi Campbell in the fashion stakes and usually spent her days dressed in black leggings teamed with baggy t-shirts. Today however, Alice had made an effort and had chosen to wear a smart black suit that she usually only reserved for funerals. Her thick, dark, long hair she wore up in a bun and as she walked into the lounge, Jimmy wolf-whistled and Jed grinned.

  ‘You really look the part, Mum,’ Jed said, impressed.

  ‘You look a million dollars, love,’ Jimmy told her. He had also made an effort and both
he and Jed were dressed in grey suits with shirts and ties.

  Jed crouched down in front of Georgie and Harry, who were sitting quietly on the sofa. ‘You’re not nervous, are ya?’ he asked them.

  Both children shook their heads.

  ‘Now, remember everything Daddy told you to say, won’t you?’

  ‘Yes, Daddy,’ Georgie said grinning.

  ‘You told us to say that we don’t wanna visit Mummy in prison,’ Harry said, proud that he’d remembered his father’s exact words.

  ‘And we gotta say it ’cause if we don’t the nasty people will take us away from you, Nanny Alice and Grandad Jimmy and make us live somewhere else,’ Georgie said, remembering the rest of her father’s speech.

  Jed ruffled his children’s hair, stood up and smirked. He’d brainwashed the little ’uns and now it was time to head to court and break Frankie’s fucking heart in two.

  Unaware of Jed’s malicious plan, Frankie hugged her friend Kerry and sat down opposite her with a big smile on her face. Frankie had already told Kerry on the phone all about the civil court case and she could barely contain her excitement at the thought of seeing Georgie and Harry again soon.

  ‘Today’s the day and Larry reckons I’ll definitely win. He says that social worker has got it all sewn up.’

  Kerry was thrilled that Frankie looked so happy and enthusiastic. They had been through the mill together while living with Sammy and Jed, and Kerry couldn’t imagine how awful it was for Frankie to have no contact with Georgie and Harry. Just knowing they were living with the O’Haras was awful in itself. However, Kerry was extremely aware of Jed’s cunning nature and she didn’t want Frankie to build her hopes up too much in case it all went wrong.

  ‘I so hope the court lets you see Georgie and Harry, but you know what Jed’s like. He’s a born liar, Frankie, and he’s bound to have made up some cock and bull story to tell the judge,’ she warned her friend.

  Frankie shook her head confidently and leaned across the table. ‘I couldn’t tell you this on the phone, but I sent a threat to him. I’ve warned him, if he fucks this up for me, I’m gonna tell the Old Bill everything.’

  Kerry was stunned. ‘How did you manage that?’ she whispered.

  Frankie explained how she had met Katie in prison and then befriended her so she could get the message to Jed. ‘I bet the evil bastard is shitting himself as we speak,’ Frankie said, grinning.

  Kerry wasn’t quite so convinced. Jed and Sammy were a law unto themselves, but, not wanting to burst Frankie’s bubble, she smiled and nodded in agreement.

  Over in Essex, Jed was anything but shitting himself as he spoke calmly and politely to the woman judge. His solicitor, Malcolm, had already said his piece, and Jed was pleased that he’d now been allowed to speak, too.

  ‘That’s why I brought my children here with me today, your honour. They might only be young in years, but Georgie and Harry are both very wise for their age and they certainly know what they want. Since living with myself and my parents, the children have flourished and I’m worried that seeing their mother in prison will upset them and disturb their young minds all over again. It was only recently that they witnessed the murder of their half-brother, Luke, and I don’t think they could cope with any more upheaval.’

  Larry, Frankie’s solicitor and Carol Cullen, the social worker whom Larry had employed to take on this case, glanced at one another in disbelief. Scared of losing his rag, Eddie Mitchell had decided not to attend the court case, but, had warned them about Jed’s cunning nature and had also said. ‘He’s a thick, uneducated pikey. He won’t come across well in front of a judge.’

  Larry stared at Jed as he continued his well-rehearsed speech. The little bastard seemed to have the woman judge eating out of his hand and, as for sounding uneducated, his use of the English language was top-drawer.

  Jed had introduced his parents to the judge and then ordered them to wait outside the room. His mother had a habit of losing her rag and he didn’t want her to balls things up for him. He smirked at Larry and Carol and then turned back to the judge. ‘Shall I bring the children in now?’

  The judge ignored Jed’s question and turned to Carol and Larry. ‘Would you like to speak on behalf of Francesca Mitchell now?’

  Larry spoke first, then Carol did her very best to assure the judge that Georgie and Harry would benefit from contact with their mother. The judge listened intently about the evening the children ran away, until Carol brought the swear words that Alice had taught them into the equation.

  ‘This is a court, not a playground, Mrs Cullen. Telling tales isn’t going to sway my judgement,’ she said sternly.

  Carol felt deflated as she glanced at Larry. She had attended many of these civil court hearings and had had many success stories, but this particular judge, whom she had never dealt with before, seemed like a complete cow and Carol would put money on it that the old bat was childless herself.

  The judge turned to Jed again. ‘Could I speak to the children now?’

  Georgie and Harry were waiting outside with Jimmy and Alice and, as Jed left the room to collect them, Larry turned to the judge. ‘You do realise that the children are three and four years old, don’t you? Whatever do you expect to gain by talking to them? Isn’t it blatantly obvious that their father has probably taught them their answers? That’s why he brought them here.’

  ‘You have no right to say that about my client. His children have every right to air their views,’ Jed’s solicitor said angrily.

  The judge ignored Larry’s questions and, as Jed returned with Georgie and Harry, ordered Carol to wait outside. She had never been a fan of social workers and had taken an instant dislike to Carol Cullen.

  Jed grinned cockily at Carol as she passed him. She might have passed a load of exams and all that palaver, but she was nowhere near as clued-up as he was.

  Because of the children attending the case, the judge had chosen to hold the hearing in a room with a big round table, rather than a formal-looking courtroom. She always did this when young children were involved, as it was less daunting for them and they seemed to speak far more freely in pleasant surroundings.

  The judge smiled as Georgie and Harry were helped onto two big chairs. She introduced herself and then asked them if they knew why they were at the court.

  ‘We don’t want to see Mummy in prison,’ Georgie said immediately.

  ‘And why do you not want to see your mother?’ the judge asked.

  ‘’Cause we don’t. We do love our mummy, but we don’t want to go to prison,’ Georgie said bluntly.

  Larry shook his head in disbelief as the judge spoke to Harry and he virtually repeated word for word what his sister had said. It was obvious to any fool that these children had been brainwashed, so why couldn’t the dopey tart who had been put in charge of the case see that?

  The judge asked the children a couple more questions, then told Jed to take them outside while she delivered her verdict.

  Larry had extremely bad vibes about the verdict. He had told Eddie that this case was a foregone conclusion and had promised to ring him straight after the hearing.

  Jed walked back into the room and sat down next to his solicitor. The judge cleared her throat to gain everybody’s attention and spoke clearly and abruptly. ‘I have decided that it is not in the best interests of the children to have contact with their mother while she is in prison. If and when Francesca Mitchell is released, we can review the situation once more.’

  Jed wanted to laugh as Larry stormed out of the room with a face like thunder. Fuck Frankie and her idle threats, who did she think she was?

  Jimmy and Alice were thrilled when Jed told them the verdict. They had sort of guessed what had happened when they’d seen Larry stomp past, but having confirmation that Georgie and Harry were all theirs was a fantastic feeling. Alice was overjoyed, as she loved looking after the kids, and Jimmy was as pleased as punch, knowing how annoyed Eddie Mitchell would be.

  Jed
thanked his solicitor once more, then smiled at his children.

  ‘I’m hungry, Daddy,’ Harry said, tugging his leg.

  ‘Did we say the right thing, Daddy?’ Georgie asked innocently.

  Lifting up both of his children, one in either arm, Jed swung them around. ‘You both did good and now no one is gonna take you away from me, ever.’

  ‘We will see Mummy again one day though, won’t we?’ Georgie asked, remembering her father’s promise. Her dad had told her and Harry that if they told the judge that they didn’t want to visit their mother in prison, then he would let them visit her when she came out of prison, which would be very soon.

  Jed ignored his daughter’s awkward question. The kids had barely mentioned Frankie over the past few weeks and, give it another six months or so, their young minds would forget all about the evil bitch. He turned to his parents. ‘Come on, let’s go to a boozer and fucking celebrate.’

  * * *

  Eddie Mitchell was in total disbelief when Larry told him the grim news. ‘So, you’re telling me, after running away in search of their mother, Georgie and Harry both sat in that courtroom and said they didn’t wanna see her?’

  ‘That’s correct and I’m positive that was what swung it, Ed. If the children had said differently, I’m sure they would have been allowed to visit Frankie. It looked to me like their father had preplanned their answers for them, but the judge was obviously fooled. As for Jed sounding uneducated and not coming across very well, he came across completely the opposite, I’m afraid.’

  Eddie slammed the phone down and walked over to the drinks cabinet.

  ‘Are you OK, love?’ Gina asked, guessing full well that he wasn’t, but not knowing what else to say.

  Ed turned to her. He’d already had the day from hell: the Old Bill had rung him and said they were ready to release his brothers’ bodies, so he’d spent the whole morning sorting out funeral arrangements, and now he had this shit to deal with on top of all that. Knocking back a large Scotch, Ed immediately poured himself another and turned to his fiancée. ‘I wanna speak to Stuart alone and make some phone alls. Go and sit upstairs for a bit,’ he ordered.