The Victim

by Kimberley Chambers

‘Fuck,’ Eddie mumbled as he ended the call.

  ‘What’s up?’ Gina asked, walking into the lounge with her daughter in her arms.

  ‘Just another lead we had to the O’Haras that’s gone by the wayside.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sorry, Ed. Shall we go out for lunch? I can’t be bothered cooking today?’

  ‘McDonald’s!’ Aaron shouted.

  Eddie picked his urchin of a son up and dangled him over his right shoulder. ‘Little boys with sore throats shouldn’t eat McDonald’s, so we’ll have to go to a boozer instead.’

  ‘Says who?’ Aaron asked cockily.

  Eddie looked at Gina and laughed. ‘Says me, you cheeky little shit.’

  Surprisingly for Frankie, once she got over the initial shock of returning to Southend, she found she actually enjoyed herself. Peter Pan’s was like a proper fairground and watching Brett’s excitement reminded her of when she and Joey were young.

  ‘Me mum and dad took me and Joey to the fairground once. I think it was the Dagenham Town Show, actually. Oh, it was hilarious, Stu. Joey was a right wimp when he was a kid. He was travel sick and would spew up at the drop of a hat. Anyway, he didn’t like the rides and ’cause my dad was always trying to toughen him up a bit, he forced Joey to go on a scary one with him. I can’t remember what ride it was, but within seconds of them getting on it, Joey sicked up all over my dad’s expensive clothes. You can imagine the old man – he went mental and we were dragged straight home after that,’ Frankie recalled, laughing.

  Stuart chuckled and decided to drop one of his regular hints. ‘Your dad’s a top geezer, you know. I would never have got through my sentence if I hadn’t been sharing a cell with him. That’s what you should look for in a geezer, Frankie, someone who has your father’s manner and qualities.’

  Frankie linked arms with Stuart. ‘Sod off. Men are off the menu for me, and as long as I’ve got you as a mate, I’m happy.’

  Alice O’Hara was not having the best of days. Georgie’s eternity ring had worried the life out of her when she’d set eyes on it this morning. Then she’d done a reading for her neighbour, Mary, and had seen the woman’s husband, Bill, being terribly injured in some sort of accident and, to top it all, Harry had just been driving Jimmy’s truck up and down the road and had accidentally run over Mary’s lurcher dog and killed it stone dead.

  ‘Get in ’ere now, you little fucker,’ Alice screamed, as Harry studied the dead dog that was lying, mouth open, in the middle of the site.

  ‘I didn’t mean it – it run out in front of me, Nan,’ Harry said, defending himself.

  ‘What have I told you about nicking the keys to your grandfather’s truck? You’re too short to see over that steering wheel, you dinlo.’

  ‘No I ain’t and anyway, it’s only a bloody dog,’ Harry snapped.

  ‘But it ain’t no stray, is it? It’s Mary’s dog. I wouldn’t mind, I looked into me crystal ball not two hours ago and saw her poor husband having a bad accident.’

  ‘Well, perhaps you got Bill mixed up with the dog, then,’ Harry said, giggling.

  ‘Don’t push me, Harry, ’cause I’ll give you such a good hiding you won’t know what day it is. Now, where’s your sister? I ain’t seen her since this morning.’

  ‘Probably playing with Ryan’s cory,’ Harry replied cheekily.

  As Alice lunged towards him, Harry ducked her swipe and ran outside laughing.

  Frankie was now sitting in a fish restaurant under the arches in Southend thoroughly enjoying the taste of freshly caught cod and chips. Then, without warning, Brett piped up with the question she’d always dreaded him asking.

  ‘Mummy, I know Stuart is my pretend daddy, but who is my real daddy? Why don’t I see him?’

  Frankie’s hunger immediately vanished and she put her knife and fork down. ‘Why are you asking, darling? Did somebody tell you to ask?’

  Brett nodded. ‘Josh, my best friend at school.’

  Stuart squeezed Frankie’s hand under the table. ‘Do you want me to help out?’ he whispered in her ear.

  Frankie shook her head. Jed was her mistake; therefore it was her duty to explain so to her son. ‘Mummy was very young when she met your daddy, Brett. I was only sixteen when I fell pregnant with your older sister, Georgie, and then eighteen months later I was pregnant with Harry, your brother. As time went on it turned out your dad wasn’t a very nice person, sweetheart, that’s why we split up and that’s why you don’t see him.’

  ‘Why ain’t he nice?’ Brett asked confused.

  ‘He used to hit Mummy. He did lots of other stuff as well, which I’ll tell you about when you’re a bit older.’

  ‘Will I ever meet him?’ Brett asked, picking a chip up with his fork.

  ‘I don’t think so, love.’

  ‘What about Georgie and Harry? Can I meet them?’

  Seeing Frankie’s eyes well up with tears, Stuart automatically stepped in. ‘One day you will, Brett, but not just yet. Now, no more questions, eat them fish fingers before they get cold, boy.’

  After recovering from his earlier annoyance over Raymond and Terry hitting yet another brick wall, Eddie Mitchell had had a rather jolly day. They’d taken the kids to a boozer with a playground and he, Gina and the children had all enjoyed themselves immensely. Gina had offered to drive home so that Ed could have a good drink and as he glanced in the back at his zonked-out children, he had a naughty urge come over him.

  ‘Stop it, Ed,’ Gina said giggling, as he put his hand up her skirt and moved it towards her thigh.

  Ed stared at her excited expression as he ignored her request. ‘Pull over somewhere where there’s no houses,’ he ordered.

  ‘No, and please stop doing what you’re doing, in case I crash the bloody car.’

  Ed found her clitoris with his middle finger and smirked as Gina gasped with pleasure. ‘I said, pull over,’ he said, putting her left hand on his swollen penis.

  A mile down the road, Gina was so turned on that she had no choice other than to comply with her husband’s orders. ‘We’re only a short distance from home. I’m not doing anything in the car in case the kids wake up,’ she said maternally.

  ‘Turn the engine off, lock the doors, and you see that tree over there? I’m gonna fuck your brains out against it.’

  ‘We can’t leave the kids in the car on their own,’ Gina said anxiously.

  ‘We’re only ten yards away from ’em, babe and they’re soundo.’

  About to argue, Gina smiled as Ed unleashed his rock-hard manhood from his trousers. ‘Come on, then, let’s be quick though.’

  On the journey back from Southend, Stuart did his best to cheer Frankie up by chatting away endlessly and telling silly jokes. As she laughed at his latest quip, he glanced at her and could see that her laughter wasn’t quite reaching her eyes.

  ‘We’re nearly home now. Shall I come in for a nightcap or not?’ he asked her hopefully.

  ‘Not tonight, eh? That fairground’s worn me out,’ Frankie replied, falsely yawning.

  Stuart drove the last few minutes of the journey in silence and only spoke again when he spotted a car parked outside Frankie’s drive, blocking it. ‘Who the fucking hell’s this piss-taking bastard?’ he mumbled in annoyance.

  Frankie stared at the black Golf and gasped as she recognised the girl that got out of it.

  ‘What’s a matter? Do you know her or something?’ Stuart asked, concerned.

  ‘She’s a pikey. I was inside with her. What the fuck does she want? Why has she turned up here?’

  ‘Stay in the car, I’ll sort it,’ Stuart said gruffly.

  ‘Please get rid of her. I hate her,’ Frankie begged him.

  ‘What do you want?’ Stuart asked, as he slammed the door of his BMW. The girl had long brown hair and looked as rough as old boots, so he could understand why Frankie didn’t like her very much.

  ‘I need to speak to Frankie. It’s really important,’ the girl replied in a strange kind of accent.

  �
��You talk to me, then,’ Stuart said angrily.

  The girl ignored Stuart, ducked past him and ran over to the car.

  Frankie was frightened now and quickly locked her door. She’d always thought that Katie was one of Jed’s spies and wondered if Jed had sent her to snatch Brett. ‘Go away, leave me alone!’ she screamed tearfully.

  ‘Please listen to me, Frankie. I’m trying to help you,’ Katie pleaded with her.

  ‘Right, that’s enough, get in your car and fuck off,’ Stuart warned, grabbing Katie by the shoulders.

  ‘Frankie, I know where Georige and Harry are,’ Katie screamed as she was dragged away.

  ‘Get in the car and lock the doors, Stuart. I’ll speak to her,’ Frankie shouted out.

  ‘Don’t get out, she might be a fucking loony,’ Stuart said apprehensively.

  Frankie ignored his advice and, as he got back in the car, she got out and nervously faced Katie.

  ‘What’s a matter? Is Mummy OK?’ Brett asked, crying. All the shouting had woken him up.

  ‘Your mother’s fine. She’ll be back in a minute,’ Stuart reassured him.

  ‘What do you mean, you know where my kids are?’ Frankie spat, as she walked towards Katie.

  ‘They’re in Scotland. They’re living on a private site in Glasgow with Jed, Jimmy and Alice.’

  ‘You fucking liar. Jed’s dead,’ Frankie screamed.

  Katie glared at the angry girl she was so desperately trying to help. ‘No he ain’t. Jed’s alive and if you’d just trust me for once, I can prove it to ya.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Frankie was shell-shocked as she stared at Katie in a gobsmacked silence.

  ‘I ain’t lying. I swear on my chavvies’ lives, I ain’t lying,’ Katie said.

  Stuart lifted Brett out of the back of the car and walked towards where Frankie and Katie were standing. ‘What’s goin’ on?’

  ‘She reckons Jed’s still alive and is living in Glasgow with Georgie and Harry,’ Frankie replied. She felt sick and her legs and hands were shaking uncontrollably.

  Stuart glared at Katie. If she was building Frankie’s hopes up and playing some sick joke, he would personally kill the fucking girl himself. ‘Let’s go inside. We can’t talk properly out here,’ he commented sensibly.

  ‘So, what’s the address? Have you seen my kids? What do they look like?’ Frankie rambled. She had so many questions, she didn’t know where to start.

  ‘What’s a matter, Mummy?’ Brett asked, tugging Frankie’s arm.

  ‘Can you put him to bed for me and then pour us all a large brandy or something?’ Frankie asked Stuart.

  As Stu left the room, Katie answered some of Frankie’s questions. ‘I went to a family funeral a few weeks back and my cousin Danny was there with his wife, Trisha. When Trish’s pissed, she’s a bit of a blabbermouth and she was the one that told me about Jed. They’d been loads of rumours flying about over the years as to why the O’Haras had disappeared. Some people thought Jed had been murdered, but Trish reckons his cousin Sammy was killed, not him. That’s why the O’Haras left, apparently, ’cause they knew the bullets were meant for Jed.’

  ‘Have you got an actual address for him?’ Frankie asked. She was still very sceptical.

  ‘No, I couldn’t ask too much, ’cause I didn’t want people to get suspicious, but I wrote down all the info I managed to get out of Trish for yer. I was worried I’d forget it if I didn’t.’

  As Stuart walked back in the room, Frankie told Katie to repeat what she’d just said. Stuart felt his hand tremble slightly as he poured out the brandies. If what Katie was saying was true, and Terry Baldwin had shot the wrong person, Eddie would go fucking apeshit.

  Frankie studied the piece of paper that Katie had given her. ‘Who’s Babby Bower?’ she asked, confused.

  ‘It’s the pub in Glasgow Jimmy O’Hara drinks in. I dunno if I got the name exactly right, I ain’t much good at spelling, but that’s what it sounded like.’

  Stuart handed the girls their drinks and snatched the piece of paper from Frankie. ‘Who’s Mickey Maloney?’ he asked Katie.

  ‘He’s the bloke that owns the land where Jed and the kids are meant to be living. Jimmy and Alice live there as well, so Trish reckons.’

  ‘So, why did this Trish tell you all this?’ Stuart asked suspicously.

  ‘Because she knows that Sammy raped me and I had his kid. She wanted me to know that I ain’t ever got to worry about him turning up again. It was my cousin Danny that told her Sammy was the one that got murdered and Jed is still alive. Trish might have been drunk when she told me, but I know she weren’t lying. The truth comes out in drink, don’t it?’

  ‘Where you going?’ Frankie asked, as Stuart got up.

  ‘To get me phone out the car. We need to tell your Dad all this, Frankie.’

  ‘No, you can’t tell him. He’ll go mental; he’ll do something stupid and get himself locked up again. Ring DI Blyth instead, I’ve got her number in the address book, she’ll know what to do,’ Frankie insisted.

  Usually Stuart allowed Frankie to get her own way with things, but on this occasion he couldn’t. Ignoring her advice, Stuart picked up his car keys and walked out of the room.

  Over in Rettendon, Eddie Mitchell was winding up his wife. When they’d stopped the motor earlier, she’d thoroughly enjoyed their spur-of-the-moment liaison, but since returning home she’d had her appalled head on instead.

  ‘Don’t you ever do that to me again, Eddie Mitchell. It wasn’t even that dark. Say the police would have pulled up or something? They’d have definitely reported us to social services for leaving the kids unattended.’

  Eddie laughed out loud. ‘A bit of spontaneity never hurt anyone, and you certainly weren’t complaining earlier.’

  ‘I’ll answer that while you pour me another glass of wine,’ Gina said haughtily as the phone rang.

  Ed took a bottle of Pinot Grigio out of the fridge and was about to open it when Gina dashed into the kitchen. ‘It’s Stuart. He said it’s really urgent.’

  Eddie snatched the phone off her. ‘What’s up?’ he asked. When Stuart answered his question, Ed’s face paled within seconds.

  ‘I’m coming over right now. Keep the girl there,’ he insisted.

  ‘Whatever’s the matter?’ Gina asked him.

  Eddie picked up his bunch of keys and ran to the front door. ‘I’ll explain later.’

  Frankie spent the next twenty minutes firing question after question at Katie. She was now ninety-nine per cent sure that the girl was telling the truth, but she would never be totally convinced until she saw her children with her own eyes. Over the years, because she had thought Jed was dead, Frankie had tried to erase what he had done to her grandfather from her mind. Apart from Babs and DI Blyth, she had never told another living soul about her and Kerry’s discovery, but if Jed was still alive, perhaps she should have told her dad. If he ever found out that she knew, her dad would disown her, Frankie was sure of that.

  ‘Explain to my dad outside what’s happened, so I can talk to Katie alone for a minute,’ Frankie said, as she heard Ed’s car pull up outside.

  ‘I’d better go soon. I left the kids with my sister and she’ll be wondering where I’ve got to.’

  ‘You’d better leave your address and phone number, in case I need to contact you again. I’ll give you my number an’ all. How did you find out where I live, by the way?’

  ‘I’ve known roughly where you lived for a while. I only live in Basildon meself and I have a lot of mates round this way. One of my mates, Dawn, her son David goes to the same school as your Brett. Dawn don’t live anywhere posh like you, though. She lives in a tower block near the town centre. Anyway, I asked her to follow you home from the school so I could come and see you myself.’

  Frankie had heard Aaron mention a boy called David. ‘So is David’s mum a traveller?’ she asked, paranoid. Her dad had moved her from Upney and bought the house in Brentwood just so Brett could go
to a better school and mix with a better class of kid. Also, if this David’s mother was a traveller and Jed was still alive, she might tell him which school Brett attended and he might try and abduct him as well.

  ‘No, Dawn ain’t a traveller. Apart from my own family, I don’t mix with many travellers. Most of my mates are gorjer girls.’

  Suddenly the lounge door flung open and Eddie flew into the room like a man possessed. ‘This best not be some kind of a sick fucking wind-up, ’cause if it is and my daughter gets her heart broken once again, I’ll break more than your heart and I mean that,’ he snarled at Katie.

  ‘Dad, stop it. See, this is why I didn’t want him involved – I knew he’d lose the plot,’ Frankie screamed. Katie looked petrified and if Eddie continued shooting his mouth off and making dumbass threats, then he would lose them the only bloody lead to her kids that they had. ‘Katie’s not lying. I know her well enough to know that much. She hates the O’Haras just as much as we do,’ Frankie said, glaring at her father.

  ‘I’d better go now. Do you wanna meet up again tomorrow?’ Katie asked, standing up.

  ‘Oh no you don’t,’ Eddie spat, standing in front of the girl so she couldn’t leave.

  Frankie stood up and with fire in her eyes, ordered her father to sit down and calm down. ‘I’ve got Katie’s address, home number and her mobile number,’ she told him.

  ‘And have you checked out the address and tried ringing the fucking number?’ Eddie asked cockily. He hated pikeys so much that he found it hard to believe that there was a decent one among their breed.

  ‘Ring my mobile now if you like, and my landline. My sister will answer ’cause she’s looking after the kids for me at my house,’ Katie said worriedly.

  Frankie did what Katie had suggested and was relieved as her mobile rang. She then tried her landline and handed the phone to Katie as a woman answered. ‘Tell my mate how we’re related, and also tell her whose house you’re at now and the address,’ Katie asked.

  Frankie put the phone to her father’s ear as Katie’s sister confirmed what they had already been told. She gave the phone back to Katie, waited until she’d ended the call and took her by the arm. ‘Right, you get home to your kids now, mate, and I’ll call as soon as I have some news. If the news is good, I’ll take you out for a nice meal to say thank you.’