Amanda appeared embarrassed. ‘He has his own business, well a few actually, but I’m not with him just for that.’
‘Must be good in bed then,’ Rita nodded and Julie laughed at her effrontery.
‘All men are a bit demanding though, aren’t they?’ replied Amanda.
‘Yes, they’re all the same,’ said Jacqueline.
Jacqueline didn’t have much experience with men. She had been brought up in a sheltered environment by a domineering father. He had terrorised her mother for years, and Jacqueline had witnessed his use of mental cruelty. According to him, any liaison with the opposite sex outside of marriage was a sin. So Jacqueline had been unable to have intimate relationships with men until she was old enough to leave home.
By that time she found it difficult to relate to them on both a social and a physical level. Consequently, her relationships usually lasted a matter of weeks. This didn’t stop her from trying though, and she hid her lack of experience behind a façade.
‘They’re all bastards!’ chipped in Debby, and Jacqueline was forced to agree.
‘Well, we all seem pretty much in agreement there,’ announced Julie, laughing.
‘Yes, all after one thing and if they don’t get it they’re soon off,’ stated Jacqueline, to which Rita replied, ‘Yes, and even when they do get it, they soon bugger off when they’ve had their fill,’ which brought uproarious laughter from the other girls except Jacqueline who displayed a subconscious look of disapproval.
As they were celebrating Amanda’s birthday, the girls decided to make the most of it by going on a pub-crawl, followed by a nightclub.
When they reached the second pub, which was situated upstairs from the Downtown bar, Jacqueline was filled with excitement as she noticed a man, who she termed an “old friend” standing at the bar. She excused herself and dashed over to greet him, to everybody’s surprise.
The other girls looked at each other in silence, which was broken by Rita, saying, ‘Well girls; looks like we’ll have to carry on without her.’ Then, turning towards Debby and Amanda, she continued, ‘I tell you what, why don’t me and Julie go to the bar and get the drinks in while you two go and find a table?’
Julie guessed that Rita was up to mischief when she noticed how keenly her eyes followed Amanda and Debby as they went in search of a table. When Rita was sure they were out of earshot she whispered to Julie. ‘Do you think Amanda will notice if we add a little something to her drink?’
Julie giggled, ‘Oh Rita, you bugger. Go on then, go for it. It is her birthday tomorrow when all said and done. I’ve never seen Amanda when she’s paralytic but she’s funny enough after a few drinks. It should be a good laugh. Just put one measure of vodka in to start with. It’s the hardest to trace, but don’t let that bloody Jacqueline know or there’ll be hell to pay.’
They then joined Amanda and Debby at the table, and adopted serious expressions as they awaited Amanda’s reaction to her drink. It wasn’t until Amanda had taken a couple of mouthfuls that she commented. ‘There’s something funny about this drink. It doesn’t taste like Bacardi and Coke at all; in fact, it tastes really strong.’
Julie was quick to respond. ‘Eh, that’s happened before in here. I don’t think they wash the glasses properly. Do you remember that drink you had once Rita, the one that tasted of Pernod?’
Rita managed to suppress a giggle. ‘Oh yeah, I do. I took it back didn’t I?’
She then looked around at the bar area, and when satisfied that she had achieved a suitable effect she continued. ‘Mind you, you’re wasting your time in here tonight, it’s mobbed. It took them ages to serve us. You’d be there forever trying to get it changed.’
‘Oh it doesn’t matter,’ said Amanda.
‘Well, I tell you what we’ll do,’ added Rita. ‘We’ll drink up quick in here and then head for The Boardrooms ’cos I don’t fancy queuing up half the night and then drinking from dirty glasses into the bargain.’
‘What about Jacqueline?’ asked Amanda. ‘She doesn’t look as if she’d be too happy to leave this pub.’
‘Oh she’ll be all right. The Boardrooms is only over the road. If you tell her where we’re going, she can always follow later if she wants,’ assured Rita.
Julie and Rita downed their drinks straightaway setting a pace that the others felt obliged to follow. They then stood up, Rita stubbed out her cigarette and they headed towards the door.
Whilst Amanda was talking to Jacqueline, Rita whispered to Julie, ‘Right, we can’t pull that stroke again in the next pub or she’ll suss us, so what I think we should do is this …me and Debby will go to the bar while you drag Amanda off to a table. Then, instead of putting something else in her drink, we’ll just order her a double Bacardi with plenty of Coke. She’s already had one dickey drink so she shouldn’t tell the difference. Then, we’ll see how she goes on with that and we can always nip to the loo together to decide our next move.’
‘Oh Rita,’ said Julie, laughing, ‘you make it sound like a military operation.’
They didn’t notice that Amanda had returned until they heard her say, ‘What’s this about a military operation?’
‘Oh erm, Rita was just planning our pub crawl,’ Julie replied.
They were relieved to hear that Jacqueline wasn’t going to join them until later, as this gave them more opportunity to carry out their deception.
They all settled at a table in the next pub and awaited Amanda’s reaction as she tasted her drink. ‘That’s more like it,’ she commented, after taking her first mouthful. Rita and Julie managed to stifle a giggle.
When they had been in the Boardrooms for about ten minutes, they noticed Jacqueline enter hand in hand with her “old friend”. She left him by the door as she made her way towards them. As she looked at Amanda, she announced, ‘He’s offered to take me for a meal. Do you mind?’
‘Not at all,’ Amanda replied. ‘You go and enjoy yourself.’
For the first time that evening a smile lit up Jacqueline’s face as she turned and walked away from them.
‘Just be careful that he doesn’t want you for afters!’ shouted Rita, teasing. As soon as Jacqueline was out of earshot, she announced to the others, ‘Well girls, if she’s copped tonight, there’s hope for all of us!’
Julie, embarrassed by Rita’s outburst, said, ‘Rita, don’t be so mean, and don’t forget, she’s Amanda’s friend.’
‘Oh don’t mind me,’ remarked Amanda. ‘I admire Rita’s frankness, after all, there’s no point pretending Jacqueline’s a stunner when we all know she isn’t. I say good luck to her. I hope she hits it off with him, if you know what I mean.’ Then she burst into uncontrolled laughter and giggled. ‘Mind you, it would be a first, according to rumour.’
Julie and the others looked at each other in astonishment. For Amanda that was a very scathing comment. All of a sudden the realisation hit Julie – the spiked drinks were having an effect and it looked as though they were about to see another side to Amanda. Following this encouragement they continued to mercilessly spike Amanda’s drinks with shorts at every opportunity, adding a little more as Amanda grew progressively drunker. As the evening continued, Amanda became bolder than Julie had ever seen her.
On one occasion, she noticed a small hole in Debby’s tights, and could not resist the temptation to stick her finger in the hole and work it further. This brought about peals of laughter from Julie, Rita and Debby, who soon retaliated. In no time at all they were tearing the tights from each other, dashing about under tables in order to entrap their victims and unable to contain excited squeals of amusement.
By the end of the evening Amanda had sung several popular songs, danced on tables and acted a total fool. In terms of entertainment, the girls had got a good return on their initial investment of a few spiked drinks.
Chapter 4
Friday 20th June 1986
As it approached closing time in the pubs, they tried to decide where to go next. Rita and Debby were keen to go to a wine bar,
which stayed open until 2am and usually had a live band on stage. Julie, however, had reservations.
‘I think we should get Amanda home. She’s really plastered now,’ she said. ‘Look at the state of her! She’s thrown up three times and knocked a drink over!’
Rita and Debby looked at Amanda who was sitting with her head tilted to one side and remains of vomit smeared around the outside of her mouth. She was muttering incomprehensibly, and giggling to herself.
‘Oh she’ll be all right, we’ll get her to drink some water to sober up,’ replied Rita, refusing to be discouraged.
‘I’ll go and get it,’ volunteered Debby. They didn’t realise that she had spotted a man who had been chatting to her earlier.
After a few minutes Julie and Rita grew tired of waiting for Debby to return from the bar.
‘What the hell’s she up to?’ asked Rita, standing on tiptoes in order to see through to the bar. ‘I should have guessed! She’s copped off. The dizzy cow’s probably that busy being chatted up that she’s forgotten all about the glass of water! I’d better go and get it my bleedin’ self!’ With that she stormed off in the direction of the bar.
Rita soon returned and busied herself with trying to get Amanda to drink as much of the water as possible.
‘Not so fast!’ insisted Julie. ‘You’ll have her throwing up again.’
Rita, however, ignored Julie’s comment while she made sure that Amanda finished the pint of water. She then rushed off for another one. When she returned, she said to Julie, ‘That bleedin’ Debby’s still at it you know. I suppose it’s the last we’ll see of her tonight.’
Julie surmised that Rita was probably feeling a bit envious as she and Rita were being faced with the possibility of accompanying Amanda home.
After drinking two pints of water, Amanda remained extremely drunk. Julie attempted to appeal to Rita’s more caring side by insisting that they see Amanda safely home. ‘There’s nobody more disappointed than me Rita, but we can’t leave her in this state,’ Julie cajoled.
‘Oh, all right then,’ Rita conceded. ‘I suppose I’d never live with myself if we just shoved her in a taxi and something happened to her, and she’s in no fit state to go anywhere else.’
‘Good on you Rita, you’re a pal,’ said Julie.
‘Oh think nothing of it,’ replied Rita, glancing at her watch. ‘Besides, if we get cracking now, we might just make it somewhere else after all.’
Julie couldn’t resist a smile. ‘You don’t give in, do you? You bugger.’
They virtually carried Amanda from the pub, with her arms slung around each of their shoulders, propping her up between them. As they passed within a metre of Debby, they looked at her, and, before she had chance to say anything, Rita shouted, ‘Don’t tell us, you’re going to the wine bar! Well I hope you have a better bloody time than we’re having.’ Pausing, she then added, ‘Oh, and Debby … don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!’
When they arrived at the taxi rank, they were disappointed to see that a large queue had already formed. While they were waiting they tried to find out Amanda’s full address, but this was proving difficult. However, eventually they succeeded. After about half an hour, they reached the front of the queue. By this time, Amanda’s condition had improved a little. They surmised that this was perhaps because the water was now beginning to have an effect.
By the time they arrived at her home, she was starting to liven up again and had burst into a chorus of, ‘Show me the way to go home.’ This was much to the annoyance of the taxi driver who had been reluctant to carry them at first, due to Amanda’s state. After paying the taxi driver, they got out. Rita asked him, ‘Will you wait a minute for us while we get her to her door?’
‘You’re joking, aren’t you?’ replied the taxi driver. ‘It’s Friday night, and I’m not missing any fares while I’m sat here buggering about with you lot!’
‘Oh never mind,’ Julie said to Rita, ‘Sod him, we’ll ring another from Amanda’s place.’
‘Yeah,’ shouted Rita, ‘Sod you, you miserable old git!’
The enraged taxi driver sped off, leaving them standing on the pavement outside Amanda’s home.
Rita tried not to let this put her off as she turned to Amanda and said, ‘Come on then Mandy, get your key out, then me and Julie can be off once we know you’re all right.’
Amanda began fumbling about in her handbag, but after a few minutes of searching, it became apparent that the keys were not to be found. Rita sighed. ‘Is he home?’
‘It depends if he’s back yet,’ slurred Amanda.
Amanda and Les’s flat was one of several contained in a large Victorian house. Julie looked on the nameplate at the front door and saw that the flat was on the first floor. She realised that in order to get Les to answer the door, he would have to come out of his flat and down a flight of stairs. Julie winced at the thought of disturbing Les at this time of night. Knowing his reputation for moodiness, she guessed that he wouldn’t be pleased, especially when he noticed the state Amanda was in, but, she thought, if it has to be, then it has to be! ‘We’ll have to ring the doorbell!’ she suggested.
Amanda stepped towards the door. Unfortunately, her state of intoxication did not give way to subtlety, and as she hammered at the door, shouting, ‘Let me in sweetheart!’ Julie felt that she could probably be heard several blocks away.
After a few minutes of shouting and ringing the doorbell, the door was yanked open and the enraged form of Les appeared.
‘Just what the hell do you think you’re playing at? You’ll wake the neighbours up with that racket!’ he shouted.
Amanda attempted to calm him down by throwing her arms about his neck and mumbling words to the effect that she loved him and didn’t mean to wake him up.
He was quick to notice her drunkenness and this further angered him. ‘Just look at the bloody state of you!’
Julie tried to placate him. ‘I’m sorry, she’s had a few too many. We got a bit carried away with it being her birthday, but she’s come to no harm, and we made sure she got home safely.’
‘Come to no harm?’ he stormed. ‘Look at the bloody state of her – she’s out of her head! Anyone could have taken advantage of her.’
‘I’m OK love,’ muttered Amanda. ‘Don’t shout at them, they’re only trying to help.’
‘If they were half decent friends, they wouldn’t have let you get like this in the first place. Now get inside! I want you as far away from this pair of slags as possible.’
Before Julie or Rita could say anything in their defence, Les had pushed Amanda into the house, and slammed the door shut.
‘I don’t suppose there’s any chance of you ringing a taxi for us?’ Rita shouted sarcastically.
‘The bastard!’ shouted Julie.
‘Twat!’ muttered Rita.
Rita surprised Julie by asking, ‘Eh, do you think she’ll be all right with that bastard or what?’
‘Oh, I think so,’ replied Julie. ‘From what Mandy tells me his bark’s worse than his bite. He must have something going for him, she seems happy enough. In fact, some mornings she walks in work as high as a kite with a bleedin’ big smile on her face! I think he’s just worried in case she loses her inhibitions and buggers off with somebody else. She’ll soon get round him. I bet they’ll be bonking within half an hour.’
‘Oh, that’s all right then. Right, how about our bit of fun, Jules? Are we going to get this bleedin’ taxi into town or what?’
‘Are you joking Rita? It’s half past bloody twelve. God knows what time it’ll be by the time we flag a taxi down on the main road - that’s supposing we can find it!’
‘I knew it was a bloody daft idea to take her home! Not that we got any thanks for it. If that bastard of a boyfriend of hers would have let us phone a taxi from their place, we could have been on our way to town by now.’
Julie was tempted to mention that it was their fault for getting Amanda drunk, but she thought better of it. Then R
ita, who was now extremely vexed, added, ‘Right, I tell you what, we’ll go out clubbing tomorrow night instead.’
‘Too late,’ Julie responded. ‘I’ve already arranged to go out with Vinny.’
‘Out where?’
‘Oh, he’s taking me to the Bella Vida for a meal, didn’t I tell you?’
‘No you bleedin’ didn’t. The Bella Vida? That’s a bit pricey isn’t it? I thought it was usually a curry down Rusholme, then back to his place for a bonk. Could this be getting a bit serious by any chance?’
‘Well, put it this way Rita; I wouldn’t go ordering your wedding hat yet.’
This flippant remark helped to lighten the atmosphere between them, and Julie added, ‘No, I told him I wouldn’t be seeing him tonight, so he asked to take me out tomorrow instead and offered to take me for a meal. Well, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, was I?’
‘Are you sure he hasn’t got an ulterior motive Julie, you know, he isn’t going to pop the question or anything, is he?’ Rita teased.
‘Christ, I hope not, otherwise I’m not going!’
They both laughed.
The discussion continued and they finally agreed that they would go for a drink on the Sunday evening instead at their local, the Flying Horse. After a few minutes they found the main road and set about the arduous task of catching a taxi at 20 minutes to one on a Saturday morning.
Chapter 5
Saturday 21st June 1986
When the police car screeched to an abrupt halt outside the police station it jolted Julie back to the present. The police officers marched her into the station where she was thoroughly searched, then introduced to the custody sergeant by the name of Miller, a gaunt, diligent man, who seemed in awe of the inspector.
Inspector Bowden outlined the circumstances of her arrest to Sergeant Miller who then asked her several questions and filled in the appropriate boxes on his custody sheet. He explained procedure to her including her right to a solicitor, her right to have someone informed and the necessity to take a urine sample in order to test for drugs. She tried to protest but was soon hushed by Inspector Bowden who bellowed, ‘Be quiet and listen to what the custody sergeant has to say! You’ll have ample opportunity to speak for yourself later.’
Slur: The Riverhill Trilogy: Book 1 Page 3