‘Can you see Sammi?’ Little Vinny asked. He hadn’t told Ahmed about her pregnancy in case he told his dad.
‘Champagne, gentlemen?’ a waiter asked.
Ahmed took a glass off the tray and urged Little Vinny to do the same.
‘Nah. I’m gonna stick to orange juice.’ Little Vinny didn’t have a problem with alcohol as such. It just dredged up memories he’d rather forget and made his temper worse. There was always the chance he could blurt out something stupid in drink as well.
‘Hello, Vin. Sammi’s in the marquee,’ Meg Allen said.
‘Happy birthday. I got you this,’ Little Vinny replied, awkwardly thrusting a gift-wrapped bottle of Cartier perfume Meg’s way.
‘Aw, thanks, love. That’s very kind of you.’
‘And I bought you these. I’m Ahmed, by the way, Vinny’s father’s best friend.’
Meg thanked Ahmed for the huge bouquet and turned away. She was immediately accosted by her husband. ‘Who’s that foreign-looking geezer with our daughter’s boyfriend?’
‘His dad’s mate.’
‘Why didn’t he bring one of his own mates? Hasn’t he got any?’ Gary hissed.
‘I don’t know, do I? I know you’re not struck on the boy, Gal, but you wouldn’t have liked whoever Sammi brought home.’
‘Yes, I would. And I wouldn’t say I dislike him. I just find him a bit of an oddball. My mum always said to me “Never trust a man who won’t look you in the eye” and that boy won’t hold my gaze.’
‘He’s probably too scared, that’s why. You’re enough to scare most boyfriends off,’ Meg chuckled.
Positive that Sammi-Lou’s parents were talking about him, Little Vinny dragged Ahmed inside the marquee. He spotted Sammi-Lou straight away. She was on the dance floor, wearing a tight-fitting white dress.
Staring at her stomach, Little Vinny felt himself go all hot. She definitely had a slight pot belly now which he’d never noticed before, and if her father were to spot it there’d be mayhem. ‘Excuse me, Ahmed. I need to have a chat with me bird. I won’t be long.’
Sammi-Lou was only dancing because her friend had told her that Little Vinny had arrived. He’d been acting all weird with her since she’d told him the baby news and even though she felt lonely and worried, she was determined to act as though she didn’t have a care in the world.
‘Can we talk?’ Little Vinny asked.
Sammi-Lou nodded, and led her boyfriend to a secluded spot in the garden.
‘How are you?’ Little Vinny asked awkwardly.
‘OK. Not getting any morning sickness, if that’s what you mean. I was thinking that tonight is probably the best time to break the news to my mum and dad. They can’t kick off with all these people here, can they? And I’d rather you were with me when I told them.’
Little Vinny squeezed both of his girlfriend’s hands. He was crap at saying the right thing, but knew he had to try to be diplomatic, seeing as a baby was involved. ‘I do love you, Sam, you know that. But … we’re far too young to be parents. Why don’t we get rid of this kid? I’ll pay. That way your mum and dad never need to find out.’
Snatching her hands away, Sammi-Lou looked at her boyfriend in horror. ‘I’m a Catholic, so are my parents. We don’t believe in abortion. How can you even suggest such a thing, Vinny? Doing away with our own baby would make us child-killers.’
The word sent Molly’s angelic little face flashing through his mind and he could feel himself breaking out in a cold sweat. ‘But it ain’t even a proper baby yet, is it? It probably ain’t even the size of my thumb. I’m worried about your dad, Sam. I can tell he don’t like me, and if you tell him you’re up the spout, he’s gonna kill me.’
‘No, he won’t. My dad might not jump for joy, but I know once I tell him the news he’ll support us. My dad’s loaded, so he can easily pay for our wedding and buy us a house to live in.’
Little Vinny opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. The mention of a wedding had obviously affected his power of speech and the only thing he was capable of mumbling was ‘OK.’
Melissa Baker screamed as she opened the front door and her battered and bloodied husband fell into a heap in the hallway. ‘Oh my God! Shell, come quick.’
Shell Baker knelt down next to her brother. ‘Ring an ambulance, Mel. He needs to go to hospital.’
‘No, don’t. I don’t want the filth involved,’ Karl groaned, clutching his ribs. His attacker had given him a real good going over, and Michael had threatened to cut him into small pieces and feed him to the pigs if he grassed. ‘Mel, get me some painkillers and a neat vodka. I’m gonna have to go to the dentist first thing tomorrow. Two of me teeth are loose and I’m in agony.’
Shell was extremely suspicious. She knew Karl had sold drugs in the past and wondered whether he was up to his old tricks again. ‘Who did this, Karl? I need to know if you’re in any trouble in case they turn up ’ere. I’ve got the boys to think of.’
‘Nobody will turn up providing you keep your trap shut. And we mustn’t play any more loud music, or argue with those two old cows who live either side of us. We have to be nice to them from now on.’
‘What!’ Shell exclaimed.
‘It was them, them two old bags that organized this,’ Karl said, pointing at his battered face. ‘That Queenie’s son is a fucking lunatic, I’m telling ya, and so was his mate.’
Back at the party, Little Vinny’s non-alcohol policy had gone right out the window. Traumatized had been the only way to describe how he’d felt when Sammi started talking babies and weddings, and knocking back glass after glass of champagne had seemed the best way to deal with the situation.
The DJ was spinning mainly sixties and seventies tunes, which was not to Little Vinny’s taste, but the temporary dance floor was crammed with people who were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Ahmed was one of those people. He was currently thrusting himself against some pissed-looking old tart in a green dress in time to George McCrae’s ‘Rock Your Baby’.
As Ahmed caught his eye, Little Vinny gestured to him.
‘I’ve pulled. I will fuck her senseless before we leave,’ Ahmed chuckled, slapping Little Vinny on the back.
‘I wanna go soon. I really don’t feel comfortable. It’s full of old fogies and I’m sick of Sammi introducing me to people. Her old man keeps giving me the evil eye an’ all.’
‘Don’t be so boring. Have some of this and you’ll soon liven up,’ Ahmed offered, pressing a wrap into Little Vinny’s hand.
Remembering the lift cocaine had once given him, Little Vinny nodded and headed off to the toilet.
Shell and Melissa Baker were both shocked to the core. Karl was now lying on the sofa with a plastic ice-cube tray against his swollen eyes, but he couldn’t relax at all. His ribs and his teeth were giving him terrible gyp.
‘So, what exactly happened, Karl? I’m fucking fuming. Them old bats next door ain’t gonna get away with this,’ Shell spat.
What had happened was that Karl had been driven to a secluded spot, tormented, threatened, then beaten to a pulp. He could still hear Michael Butler’s final words to him as he kicked him out of the van near his home: ‘If you ever upset or disrespect my mother or auntie again, I swear I will bury you alive, you skinny-gutted cunt.’
‘I really don’t wanna talk about it, Shell. I just want you to promise me that you and Mel will behave and be nice to the neighbours in future. You need to tell the boys to stop playing loud music an’ all. If you don’t abide by the Butlers’ rules, then I’m fucking dead meat, I’m telling ya.’
In the past when Little Vinny had snorted cocaine with Ahmed it had made him feel happy and confident, but for some reason tonight it was having the opposite effect. He felt overwhelmed with anxiety.
‘Vinny, will you dance with me?’ Millie asked, grabbing his hand.
Shuddering, Little Vinny snatched his hand away from the child and shook his head. Looking at the curly blonde hair, doleful eyes and sweet innoc
ent smile, it was all he could do to remind himself that this was Sammi-Lou’s younger sister, not Molly as the seven-year-old she’d not lived to become. ‘Nah. Go and find Sammi,’ he snapped. ‘She’ll dance with ya.’
Ahmed chuckled. ‘Don’t be so cruel, Vinny. She’s only a nipper. Dance with your future sister-in-law.’
At that precise moment, Sammi-Lou appeared with some posters. ‘You must see these, Vin. My dad had some old photos blown up. This is my mum when she was my age. Don’t we look alike?’
‘Yeah, you do.’
‘And this is my mum holding me as a toddler. My hair was much curlier back then, but I was cute, wasn’t I?’ Sammi-Lou chuckled.
Little Vinny recoiled in horror. If he’d thought the sister was like an older version of Molly, it was nothing compared to the resemblance between Sammi-Lou and his sister. Surely this must be God paying him back?
As Ahmed was dragged towards the dance floor by the drunken woman in the green dress, Little Vinny stood helpless, wishing his stupid girlfriend would put the photos away. If she didn’t, he was sure he would end up punching her.
‘You OK, Vin? You’ve gone ever so white. I wasn’t that ugly as a child, was I? I reckon if we have a girl she’ll look just like me, and if we have a boy, she’ll be dark like you,’ Sammi-Lou giggled in her boyfriend’s ear.
‘Shut the fuck up! Just leave me alone,’ Little Vinny hissed, pushing Sammi away. Then he ran towards his Ford Cabriolet, shoving the parking valet out of the way and driving off at breakneck speed.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Having laid the photos across his desk, the man studied them until he’d absorbed every last detail.
Michael Butler was a lucky man in more ways than one. What he lacked in morals, he made up for in looks. But looks could be destroyed in a instant. Especially with a fucking machete.
Michael Butler stepped out of the car and glanced around. He’d had an uneasy feeling he was being followed the other day, but he was probably just being paranoid.
Satisfied that the coast was clear, Michael made his way inside the prison. He and Vinny still weren’t seeing eye to eye and the only reason he’d agreed to come today was that he guessed his brother wanted to discuss Ava’s existence.
‘Alright, Vin?’
‘Not bad. Yourself, Michael?’
‘Sweet as a nut, me. Oh, and you can tell that geezer you’ve got spying on me that I’ve clocked him.’
‘What the fuck you going on about?’ Vinny spat.
Michael was sure that he’d seen the same man outside the hospital the other evening that he’d also seen loitering outside the club a day or two previously. ‘The tubby dark-haired geezer. Got a squashed nose.’
‘You’ve either lost the plot, or you’ve been taking drugs again. Or has your new-found wealth befuddled your brain?’
Feeling a bit of a prick, Michael chuckled. ‘Chill! I’m only messing with ya.’
‘Look, let’s try to be civilized towards one another today, shall we? Waste of a visit otherwise,’ Vinny said.
Michael shook his brother’s outstretched hand. ‘How did ya manage to wangle a private visit?’ he asked.
‘I didn’t. Frank did. Not sure what he told the guvnor. Family death or crisis, probably. Well? What did you think when you saw the photos?’
‘I was shocked. She don’t arf look like you.’
‘You haven’t told anybody, have you?’
‘No. Not a soul.’
‘Good. Keep it that way. I haven’t decided how I’m gonna play it yet. I’m worried that if I confront Jo when I get out and demand contact with Ava, she’ll up sticks and do a moonlight flit.’
‘You should involve a solicitor. Go through the proper channels to get access. That way, if Jo fucks off, you can do her for abduction. I dunno how I’ve stopped myself tearing a strip off Nancy. She must have known, surely?’
‘You married a wrong ’un, bruv. I’ve always said that. How’s Jay settled in?’
‘Really well. Little Vinny doesn’t like him though. I think he’s got a bit of the old green-eyed monster.’
‘Tough shit. He’ll get over it. Some son he turned out to be. Can’t even be arsed to visit me. How’s Mum and Auntie Viv? Did you sort their problem out?’
Michael chuckled as he explained to his brother what had happened the previous evening. ‘Right weasel Karl was. No way will Mum or Viv get any more grief after the hiding we gave him. Typical small-time puff-dealing loser.’
‘Good. I’m glad you sorted it. Going back to Ava, I think you might be right about hiring a solicitor. I’m happy to do things the proper way, but I’m telling you now, if Jo gives me major grief, I’ll have her done away with. That will entitle me to full custody. No court in the land will hand Ava to the Prestons over me. Especially when they hear her cocktard of a grandfather shot Ava’s Uncle Roy.’
Michael thought Vinny was jesting until he looked into his eyes and saw the evil glint. ‘You can’t murder the mother of your own kid, Vin. She was Molly’s mum an’ all. That’s taking things to the extreme and you’d be the prime suspect.’
About to brag he’d already got away with it once, Vinny bit his tongue instead. Only Ahmed and Burak knew that he’d organized the death of Little Vinny’s mum, and that was the way he wanted it to stay.
Karl Baker now knew the full extent of his injuries. He’d had two teeth extracted and X-rays had confirmed he also had a fractured jaw and ribs.
‘Did the nurses or doctors mention involving the Old Bill, Karl?’ Melissa asked, as they rode home from the hospital in a taxi.
‘Yeah. I told them I was pissed and had fallen down the stairs. They probably didn’t believe me, but they didn’t push it. Did you tell the boys not to play loud music, Shell?’
‘Yeah. But whatever I tell ’em goes in one ear and out the other.’
‘I need to pick me motor up at some point. It’s still in Barking,’ Karl said.
‘Don’t worry about that today. You need to get some rest,’ Mel ordered.
When they pulled up outside the house, there were two very interested spectators watching from behind the net curtains of the house next door as Karl struggled to get out of the cab.
‘I told you Michael would sort it, didn’t I, Queen? Look at the state of him! He can hardly walk. Bent over double,’ Vivian cackled.
Queenie grinned. ‘Good ole Michael. That’s my boy.’
Deborah and Johnny Preston had patched up their differences, but on one condition. Johnny was never to mention Jamie’s name or visit him again. Johnny had agreed to his wife’s demands, and tried to square his conscience by telling himself that the police were not stupid and would not have locked up Jamie had he not been guilty.
Today, Deborah and Johnny had met their daughter’s new beau for the first time. As Joanna and Darren walked hand in hand with their children to get the ice creams, Deborah nudged her husband. ‘Well? I think he’s perfect for our Jo. Seems ever so genuine and he’s got lovely manners. His little boy is cute too.’
‘So far so good. I must say, I haven’t seen Jo look so happy since Molly died. I just hope he don’t break her heart, ’cause if he does I’ll break his legs.’
‘Don’t say stuff like that, Johnny. Darren seems charming and I can tell by the way he and Jo are looking at one another, they’re both besotted.’
‘Hitler would seem charming after Vinny Butler,’ Johnny mumbled.
Deborah punched her husband’s arm. ‘If you don’t lighten up, me and you are gonna fall out again. What’s the matter? Don’t you like Darren?’
Johnny squeezed Deborah’s hand. ‘I’m sorry. Course I like Darren. He seems a decent guy. I just worry that Jo will get hurt again, that’s all. It’s an over-protective father thing. You wouldn’t understand.’
‘Shush now. They’re coming back.’
Joanna plonked herself on the sand between her parents. ‘You’ll never guess what!’
‘What, love?’ Deborah aske
d.
Eyes shining, Joanna clapped her hands with glee. ‘Darren’s taking me, Ava and Shane to Spain for a holiday. I am so excited. He’s going to book it tomorrow.’
Deborah beamed from ear to ear. Their daughter had found a good man this time round, and she knew it.
Telling Burak to make himself scarce for five minutes, Ahmed walked up behind Little Vinny and playfully slapped him on the back. ‘There you are! I thought you’d left the country.’
‘Sorry about the party. I shouldn’t have left you there, but that gear freaked me out and Sammi did my head in.’
‘Don’t worry about me. I ended up bonking your future mother-in-law’s drunken sister up a tree. She was the one I was dancing with in the green dress.’
When Little Vinny didn’t even crack a smile, Ahmed put an arm around his shoulders. ‘What’s going on, Vin? I know something is troubling you. You can tell me anything and I would never repeat it to anybody, not even your father or Michael. Me and you are pals.’
About to spill his guts about the baby, Little Vinny clocked Michael staring his way and decided not to. ‘I dunno. It’s a bit of everything, I suppose. Me and Sammi have been arguing, and I hate working with Jay Boy. Even Michael thinks the sun shines out of his arsehole now. The cheeky prick had the front to order me about this morning. I ain’t putting up with that, Ahmed. I feel like I’ve all of a sudden been demoted to the gofer, and that’ll only get worse when my old man gets out, because he’s obsessed with that Scouse knob-end.’
‘That’s not on, Vin. You’re a bright lad and a good worker. I’m not fond of Jay either. He’s too sure of himself for my liking. And why does everybody refer to him as a “Boy” when he’s a man?’
‘That was his boxing name apparently. I honestly feel like looking for another job, but I ain’t gonna earn the dosh I’m earning here.’
Ahmed grinned. ‘You will if you come and work with me. And you can be one of my managers.’
The Wronged Page 14