Payback

by Kimberley Chambers

  ‘No, I don’t think so. Trouble is, he’s given me a wad of money to spend in Bond Street, and I have no idea how I’m going to explain coming home with no shopping bags. What about Michael?’

  ‘No bother there. He went out before me this morning. His dad wanted to go back to Ipswich. I think Albie had the hump with him for making up with Vinny.’

  Joanna was astounded, but also quite pleased. ‘I didn’t know they’d made up. Vinny never said. When did this happen?’

  ‘Earlier in the week, apparently. I didn’t know either until Albie told me last night that they’d called a truce. Even Queenie has disowned Vinny now, so that says it all really, doesn’t it?’

  ‘Has she? Vinny never told me that either.’

  With the traffic light red, Nancy put her handbrake on and squeezed her friend’s hand. ‘You have to leave him, Jo. For Molly’s sake if nothing else. He’s no good.’

  Joanna snatched her hand away. ‘Vinny is a great dad to Molly, and we’ve got our relationship back on track. We had the most amazing sex the other night and Vinny told me how much he loved me. He’s been so different since what happened to Lenny came out in the open. I know what he did was wrong, but I think keeping it to himself was a massive weight on his mind. He even told me that he’s glad Michael told his mum.’

  Knowing if she argued the point it would be like smashing her head against a brick wall, a disappointed Nancy turned the volume of the radio up. George Benson was crooning ‘Give Me the Night’. ‘I love this song, Jo. Let’s forget about our men today, have a singalong and just enjoy ourselves, eh?’

  Joanna grinned. ‘That sounds like a great idea.’

  Vinny Butler was a big believer that it was a mother’s duty to look after the kids. However, he and Molly were having some quality time alone together. His daughter took after him for loving Marmite and they were currently huddled up on the sofa scoffing Marmite soldiers and watching Sesame Street on the video recorder. ‘Daddy, look at Big Bird,’ Molly shrieked excitedly.

  When the phone rang, Vinny leaned across his daughter to answer it. ‘Dad, you need to come to the club quickly. The cellar’s flooded. It’s in a right old mess. I think it’s the washing machine.’

  Little Vinny had been good as gold since their father-and-son chat the other morning. The offer of a proper wage seemed to have worked wonders. ‘See if you can get hold of Michael, boy. I’m looking after Molly.’

  ‘I’ve already tried, Dad, but there was no answer.’

  Vinny sighed. ‘OK. I’ll be there in ten.’

  Johnny Preston cried as he wrapped his arms around his beautiful daughter.

  ‘Dad, stop it! You’re embarrassing me,’ Joanna urged, even though she was crying herself.

  Johnny chuckled, wiped his eyes with the cuff of his suit, and stood back to look at her properly. He had seen some recent photos of Jo, but nothing beat seeing her in the flesh. ‘Wow, look at you. Can’t believe my baby girl is all grown up. You look like a model.’

  Feeling herself blush as every guest was staring their way, Joanna playfully punched her father’s arm. ‘Stop it, Dad. No, I don’t.’

  Deborah and Nancy were standing side by side watching the tear-jerker of a reunion. ‘How’s that bastard treating her?’ Deborah whispered in Nancy’s ear.

  Joanna had already warned her on the journey not to say anything about Vinny, so rather than betray her friend, Nancy smiled politely. ‘She seems happy enough at the moment, Deborah.’

  ‘Really? Well, I bet that won’t last long. That bastard is evil, and the quicker my Jo wakes up and smells the coffee, the more sleep I will get at night.’

  The boy was lurking in a nearby doorway. He had just seen Vinny Butler pull up in his posh motor and dash inside the club with what he presumed to be his daughter in his arms.

  Grinning as he remembered the time he scratched ‘cunt’ down one side of Vinny’s car with a key and ‘wanker’ down the other, the boy took a swig of his cider. He would up his game now he was older and wiser, that was for sure.

  The boy took another swig of cider and scowled at the old man who was looking at him. ‘What you staring at, you nosy old fucker? Wanna photo, do ya?’

  Mr Arthur tutted, then carried on walking. He wondered what the world was coming to these days. Had he fought in the war and lost so many friends for the likes of that surly teenager?

  The boy plastered on a grin as the old man glanced back at him, but the moment the old git looked away his shoulders slumped and he put his head in his hands. It was painful, coming back to this place after everything that had happened. Just the sight of the club brought back Mark’s cries of agony as he was being burnt to a cinder that night of the fire. And it hadn’t even been Mark’s idea to set light to Vinny’s gaff, it had been his.

  The boy looked up to the sky. ‘I will get revenge for you, Mark. Hand on heart, I fucking promise you that.’

  Relieved that her sister had not gone off her rocker again, Queenie was stood next to Vivian in the local TV rental shop. Most of their neighbours rented their televisions, and Vivian had decided she wanted to rent a new video recorder.

  ‘This is our latest model and it is very popular,’ said the salesman.

  Vivian turned to her sister with a look of contempt on her face. ‘What’d he say?’

  Queenie wanted to laugh, but somehow managed to stop herself. The poor sales assistant not only had a strange face but a bad speech impediment to go with it. ‘He said it’s their latest model, Viv.’

  ‘Oh right. Can you come and fix it up to my TV?’ Vivian asked the man.

  ‘Yes, of course. When would you like me to install it?’

  When Vivian turned to her for the second time to ask what the poor man had said, Queenie put her hand over her sister’s mouth and dragged her out of the shop.

  After half an hour of trying to mop up the worst of the water, a disgruntled Vinny walked back into the club area. Edna his cleaner did any washing that needed doing at the club and this was the second time that poxy machine had caused a flood in the past year. Tomorrow, he would buy a new one and get a decent plumber to fit it this time. ‘Vin, Molly, where are you?’

  Spotting his son lying flat on his back on one of his leather sofas, Vinny ran towards him and shook him violently. ‘Where’s Molly?’

  Little Vinny rubbed his eyes and sat up. ‘She’s ’ere somewhere, Dad. Sorry, I must have dozed off.’

  Feeling the panic rising, Vinny yelled his daughter’s name repeatedly, then told his son to look in the club while he searched upstairs. ‘Molly, where are you?’ he shrieked, as he took the stairs two by two.

  Searching everywhere he could think of and finding no sign of Molly, Vinny ran down the stairs. ‘You found her, Vin?’ he shouted.

  Little Vinny looked ashen-faced. ‘No, Dad. I can’t see her anywhere. I’m so sorry for falling asleep, but I was knackered. Molly was playing with her doll next to me before I dozed off.’

  With a gut-wrenching ache like the one he’d experienced the night Lenny died, Vinny ran towards the entrance of the club. The door that he was positive he’d closed as he rushed in earlier was now wide open. Vinny felt as though his heart was about to pack up as he ran into the street. His daughter was the most important person in his life. She was his little angel whose smile lit up the dullest of days. ‘Molly, Molly, Molly!’ he screamed.

  Receiving no reply, he stopped a passerby. ‘Have you seen a little blonde girl? My daughter’s gone missing.’

  ‘No, sorry. I haven’t.’

  Feeling bile rise in his mouth, Vinny vomited into the gutter before setting off at a run down the Whitechapel Road, yelling his daughter’s name over and over.

  Unaware that her daughter was currently on the missing list, Joanna was knocking back the champagne and thoroughly enjoying herself. ‘I’m having such a good time, Nance. To watch your parents get married is truly something special. So lovely to see my dad again, and I can’t believe how much Johnny Junio
r has grown up. Me and my brother was never that close when we were young, but I feel we will stay in contact now.’

  Nancy sighed. Joanna was not a big drinker as a rule and the champagne seemed to have knocked her sideways. ‘We should be going soon, Jo. You know what Vinny is like and if you arrive home drunk, he will go mental.’

  ‘Aww, but I really don’t want to go yet. Let’s stay for another hour or two, Nance? This might be the last chance I have to spend some quality time with my mum, dad and brother, and there’s no other family members here to celebrate with them.’

  ‘Aren’t your grandparents here?’

  ‘No. My mum’s parents don’t like Dad, and my dad hasn’t spoken to Grandma Shirley since they fell out over Auntie Judy. Please can we stay?’

  Wondering if Joanna had taken leave of her senses, Nancy reminded her friend of the conversation they’d had when they pulled up in the car park earlier. ‘Jo, I need to pick the boys up from school, and you said you had to be home early because Vinny has to go out somewhere.’

  Joanna giggled. ‘Sod Vinny. Can’t you ask your mum to pick the boys up, Nance? Please, pretty please?’

  Nancy smiled. She would do anything to get her best friend away from that sadistic bastard Vinny, and if that meant bringing her home late, then so be it. ‘OK, Jo. I’ll ring my mum now.’

  Back in Whitechapel, Queenie and Vivian were both on the sherry. Today had been the first day since the truth had come out about Lenny’s death that either woman had properly smiled. ‘That poor man’s face in the shop was a picture, Viv. You are a case.’

  Vivian chuckled. ‘Not as much of a picture as when you called Mouthy Maureen an interfering fat cow. I was so busy smashing up that video recorder, I never even heard what she said back to you.’

  ‘Can’t remember – I was too busy trying to get you back indoors. Why did you smash that up, Viv? Was it really because it had ripped up Shoestring? Or was it because Vinny bought it for you?’

  Her face turning serious again, Vivian shrugged. ‘Bit of both, I suppose. I know we’ve had a laugh today, Queen, but I need to ask you a favour.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I want a new headstone for my Lenny. No way can I go to visit him again with Vinny’s name plastered across the one we’ve got.’

  Queenie clasped her sister’s hand. Vinny was her first born, had always been her number one son, and she would miss him terribly. However, backing Vivian was the correct and morally right thing to do. ‘OK, I’ll speak to my Michael. He’ll sort a new headstone out for you.’

  Michael Butler was stunned to see police swarming like flies outside his club. They had even blocked the road off, so Michael parked along the main road and ran round the corner.

  When he tried to get near the entrance of the club, an officer blocked his way. ‘You can’t go in there, sir. The premises are currently being searched.’

  Michael’s heart skipped a beat. Even though Vinny had always denied it, Michael had known deep down that his brother was involved with drugs, and if anything was found inside the club, Michael would disown the bastard just like his mother had. ‘Look, I’m part-owner of this club. Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on? Is my brother Vinny inside?’

  Aware that there were more and more gawping onlookers arriving at the scene, the officer led Michael to one side. ‘I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your niece has gone missing. However, I want to reassure you that we are doing everything in our power to find Molly.’

  Feeling as though his legs were about to buckle, Michael sank to his haunches. ‘Oh no. Not Molly,’ he mumbled.

  Queenie Butler was thrilled that her sister had her appetite back. Vivian had just scoffed two bowls of her homemade bread-and-butter pudding with clotted cream. ‘Bleedin’ sirens is all I’ve heard this past hour. Something bad has happened. Probably another armed robbery,’ Queenie remarked.

  ‘Not safe to go out the door these days. Gone downhill terribly has the East End. Not like the old days when we used to leave our front doors open. Some bastard would rob and murder us in our home if we did that now,’ Vivian reminisced, her voice heavy with bitterness.

  Queenie was prevented from climbing onto her own soapbox by the frantic ringing of the doorbell. ‘All right, all right, I’m coming,’ she yelled as she marched up the hallway. Why could people not settle for ringing the bell once? Did they think she was deaf?

  Nosy Hilda was that out of breath, she could barely get her words out. ‘Thank God you’re in,’ she panted.

  ‘Whatever’s the matter?’ Queenie asked. Her heart then nearly stopped when a police car pulled up outside her house. The sirens. Surely not another of her sons had been shot?

  Nosy Hilda did love to be the first to spread news, whether it be good or bad. ‘It’s your Molly. She’s gone missing.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Little Vinny sat with his head bowed as he answered the policeman’s questions. ‘I honestly don’t know how long I was asleep for. Not long, I don’t think. It could have been five minutes or ten. I swear to you though, before I laid down, Molly was sitting opposite me playing with her doll.’

  Unable to control his emotions any longer, a distraught Vinny smashed his fist against the wall. His daughter had been missing for over an hour now, it was lashing it down with rain outside, so why wasn’t everybody out on the streets looking for her? The club had been searched thoroughly by the Old Bill and there was no sign of Molly or her doll. ‘We ain’t gonna find my little girl unless we search for her, are we? Some fucking nonce might have grabbed her, so best you mob get your arses in gear,’ Vinny yelled at the copper who was speaking to his son.

  Michael laid a hand on his arm. ‘Calm down, bruv. The section sergeant has just turned up and he’s organizing a search for Molly as we speak. The police are doing all they can, honest they are.’

  ‘Well, I’m gonna search for her too. No way I can sit here any longer, it’s doing my fucking nut in. What am I meant to say to Jo, eh? That I let my retard of a son keep an eye on Molly for less than half an hour and she disappeared into thin air? I can’t believe this has happened. I keep pinching myself to make sure it isn’t a bad dream. I swear, Michael, if one hair on that child’s head has been harmed, I will kill whoever is responsible. I don’t care if I get fucking life for it. I love that little girl. She is my world.’

  Aware of the look of distress in his brother’s eyes, Michael gave him a comforting hug. He could imagine the anguish Vinny must be going through. Molly was a little darling and Michael felt sick at the thought of her disappearance. It really was every parent’s worst nightmare.

  Queenie Butler’s hand trembled as she took a sip of brandy. Her house was only a short walk from her sons’ club, and the two police officers had just had a quick search to check that Molly had not toddled out of the club to her nan’s house or garden without Queenie’s knowledge.

  Vivian, who was as white as a sheet, knocked back her own brandy in one gulp. Even though she now despised Vinny, she loved that little girl. Molly was a real character and if she would have ever been blessed with a daughter, she’d have wanted one just like her. ‘They’ll find her, Queen. She can’t have gone far,’ Viv said, squeezing her sister’s hand. The officers had already informed her that it was suspected the front door of the club had accidentally been left open.

  The female officer glanced at her male colleague. Like most local coppers, they knew all about the Butler family and what they stood for. Nevertheless, with a three-year-old child missing, finding her was all that mattered.

  PC Denning took a notebook out of her pocket. ‘I know this is a difficult time for you both, but I need to ask you some questions. Obviously, Molly is our only concern right now, and our aim is to find her as quickly as possible.’

  When her sister began to weep, Vivian held Queenie close to her chest, then gave the policewoman a nod. ‘Fire away. We just want Molly back here where she belongs.’

  PC Denn
ing sat on the armchair opposite the two distraught women. ‘Please don’t be alarmed, these are just routine questions, but I have to ask whether there is anybody you can think of who might hold a grudge against Vinny and therefore snatch Molly?’

  Queenie dabbed her eyes with a tissue and took a deep breath. Her motto in life had always been to tell the Old Bill as little as possible, but with her beautiful granddaughter missing, she had no alternative other than to spill her guts. ‘Johnny Preston. Only just got out of nick and he has every reason to snatch that child. Molly is his grandkid and he isn’t allowed to see her. He also has a massive grudge against Vinny. Tried to shoot him once, which is why he got banged up for years. Silly sod was so pissed that he shot my poor Roy instead.’

  Hopeful that Molly was with Johnny, in which case she would be found safe and sound, Vivian decided to add her two penn’orth: ‘Queenie’s right. Seems a bit of a coincidence that Preston comes out of nick then Molly goes missing. Molly’s mum, Joanna, is Preston’s daughter. But Jo can’t be in on it. That poor girl must be beside herself, bless her heart.’

  With his colleague furiously writing down notes, the male officer asked Queenie if Joanna and Vinny’s relationship was a happy one, and whether Joanna was on good terms with her father.

  ‘My Vinny has his faults, and I doubt he’s an easy man to live with. That said, Jo has never seemed unhappy to me. They’ve had their ups and downs, like any couple, but Vinny is a very generous man, and neither Jo nor Molly go without. He’s a brilliant dad to that little girl. As for Johnny Preston, I’m not sure if Joanna is in contact with him or not. I know last weekend my Vinny was proper paranoid that she had met up with her dad, but she hadn’t. She was out with my daughter-in-law, Nancy.’

  ‘That’s all helpful information, Mrs Butler. Now, is there anybody else you can think of who might hold a grudge against Vinny? Or have reason to snatch Molly?’

  ‘No, not off hand. Can you think of anyone, Viv?’ Queenie asked her sister.

  Vivian could, but decided to keep schtum in front of the police. If she spouted her mouth off, it would open up a massive can of worms.