by Mel Sherratt
‘Got any money on you?’
Jess shook her head.
Danny turned to Becky. ‘You?’
‘No.’
He banged his hands on the steering wheel again. Sheepishly, he turned to Austin. ‘I don’t suppose…?’
Austin smirked, knowing he had a twenty in his pocket. ‘I’ve only got a fiver and you’re not having that. You’ll have to get another car and make sure it’s got a full tank this time.’
‘A fiver between us?’ Danny laughed loudly to hide his embarrassment.
They sat in silence while the radio blasted out some dreary tune. Suddenly, Danny opened his door. ‘Come on, you lot!’
Becky and Jess wriggled across the back seat and into the cool night air. Parksy followed. Danny retrieved his crow bar, tucked it inside his jacket and the five of them stood on the pavement.
‘Are you going to do another one?’ Jess asked, wide-eyed with excitement.
Danny nodded and strode off up the road. ‘I’ll have to. I don’t get my giro ’til later in the week so unless I can thieve a bit off the old lady again, my car’s got to stay put.’
They all followed behind. Danny finally spotted a small hatchback parked in the alleyway between two rows of terraced houses. He pointed at it.
‘This’ll do,’ he said. ‘No one will see me if I’m quick.’ He pulled the crow bar out from underneath his jacket. ‘You two carry on walking,’ he told the girls. ‘We’ll meet you around the corner.’
‘Do you think we should be doing this?’ Becky said to Jess as they walked towards the end of the street. ‘Cathy will kill us if she finds out.’
Jess linked her arm. ‘Relax. No one will find out.’
‘It’s not nice, though. To have your car nicked.’
‘Needs must.’
Becky wasn’t sure she liked Jess’s attitude. If they nicked a car, someone would miss it.
‘Danny’s done it lots of times,’ Jess told her. ‘It’s not as simple now though. Most of the modern cars have alarms and immobilisers. That’s why he picks older models. He’ll run this one around for a while and drop us off.’ She grinned. ‘Well, drop you off actually. I’m hoping to stay with him, have me some fun.’
‘That Austin’s a bit of all right,’ said Becky, trying not to blush as she said his name.
‘Isn’t he just! Actually, I might try him out and you can have Danny, if you like.’
‘Jess, I need to tell you –’
Danny screeched to a halt beside them in the stolen car. ‘Get in,’ he said, looking directly at Becky.
‘It’s that easy?’ Becky was shocked.
‘Of course it’s not that easy. He just does it all the time.’ Jess made for the door handle first.
‘Not you,’ said Danny. ‘You’re going nowhere. Parksy, you can get out as well. Becky, you can get in.’
‘But I –’
‘Couldn’t you at least drive us home first?’ Parksy pleaded. ‘We’re miles away from the estate.’
Danny leaned over and patted his friend’s stomach. ‘The walk will do you good,’ he grinned. ‘Besides, you might be able to kop off with her, if you’re desperate.’
‘I heard that!’ said Jess.
‘You were meant to. Now come on you lot, get your arse into gear. I’m not in the mood to get caught tonight.’
‘No, just laid, you dirty bastard.’ Parksy glared at Austin. ‘So why does he get to stay? He’s only been around for a few weeks and already you’re –’
The look Austin gave Parksy made him get out of the car.
‘What did he mean about getting laid, Becky?’
Becky tried to shrug it off. Unsure what to do, she waited. Austin ushered her forward with a nod of his head. She climbed back in.
‘Becky!’ Jess pointed at Parksy. ‘You can’t leave me with him!’
Becky moved to get out but Danny slammed the door lock down.
‘Oy! Let me out!’ she said. ‘I thought you were joking. I’m not staying without Jess.’
Danny looked at her with a mixture of lust and menace. Then he laughed and after a quick wink at an irate-looking Jess, he screeched off again.
‘Ciao for now,’ he shouted through the window.
‘Stop!’
Becky looked back as they rode away, this time heading down the main road and away from the city centre. Jess could hardly be seen in the distance.
‘Let me out of the car,’ she cried.
‘Quit whining.’ Danny flashed a glare through the rear view window.
‘I will not. Let me out!’ Becky’s mind started to work overtime. Not only was she stuck with Danny who she knew would expect sex, but there was another man in the car. Someone who none of them knew well at all. If he was nasty, two men could do anything to her. Fear flew through her veins. For a second, she thought about opening the door and flinging herself into the road to escape. Stupid, stupid cow to get herself into this situation.
But then Austin turned and gave her a smile. She wasn’t sure why but its warmth was reassuring. She settled down again. Danny was trying to work the CD player.
Austin held up a ten pound note. ‘Found this in the glove compartment.’
‘Cool!’ Danny took it from him. ‘There’s enough petrol in this one so we can get a few cans.’
Austin snatched the note back. ‘I’ll decide what to do with it.’
‘Of course, boss. Whatever you say.’
They stopped off at an off-licence store and Austin went inside. He came back out minutes later with a few cans and they sat outside while she and Austin drank it. For all his hard boy attitude, Danny wouldn’t drink and drive. He’d rather have his freedom.
By this time, Becky had begun to calm down and once the booze was finished, she felt in control of the situation again. She was beginning to have a bit of a laugh until Danny drove off towards the disused track they’d been to before. Once there, he stilled the engine and climbed into the back with her. Austin got out, lit a cigarette and walked a few yards in front.
Danny began to kiss her and for a short while they did nothing else. She became increasingly turned on as he pushed his tongue into her mouth, exploring her deeply. His hand went up the back of her T-shirt, his fingers teasing the bare skin up and down her spine. She followed suit, pulling him towards her so that there was no room between them. He shoved his hand down the front of her jeans. And that was when the panic began to take over. If she let Danny do this, then what would Austin want?
Danny’s hand moved further down, cupping her, trying to get his fingers inside her.
‘No! Stop!’ Becky said breathlessly.
‘Ah, come on, Becks. Don’t do this again. You’ll get a rep as a dick-tease.’ Danny pressed her hand down on to his erection. ‘You know you want it really.’ He sniggered, glancing at Austin who had walked back to the car. ‘You know you want it from both of us.’
Becky suddenly became very sober. ‘Leave me alone.’ She pushed Danny away and with the force of a tornado, she lashed out. She punched; she kicked; she slapped.
Danny grabbed her wrists and held her down. ‘What’s wrong with you? You were quick to give it away the other night. I’m only after a repeat performance.’
‘No, I –’
Before she could protest again, Danny was lifted from her and thrown from the car. He fell to the ground on his back, scraping across the gravel.
‘What the –’
‘Leave her alone.’ Austin stood over him. He flicked open a knife.
‘Whoa!’ Danny retreated a few feet backwards. He held his hands up in surrender. ‘There’s no need for that, mate. She’s my girl, you know. I don’t just shag anyone.’
Austin turned to Becky with a look in his eyes that she would never forget. It was danger personified. She held her breath as he stared at her.
‘Is that right?’ he asked her. ‘Is he your man?’
Becky shrugged slightly, not wanting to admit anything. She flinched as he took
a step towards Danny.
‘Yes!’ she cried. ‘Yes, he’s my man.’
Austin stood still for a moment. Then he put the knife away and helped Danny up as if he’d simply tripped over.
‘I suggest you treat your girl with a little more respect.’ He clasped Danny’s shoulder. ‘Take her home. I think she’s had enough for one night. And I need this car for something else later.’
‘You’re home early,’ Cathy said looking up from her magazine as Jess flopped beside her on the settee and folded her arms in a strop. ‘It’s only half past nine. Are you feeling okay?’
‘No. I’ve had a crap night, if you must know.’
‘Where’s Becky?’
Jess shrugged her shoulders.
‘But you left with her. Where did she get to?’
‘She got into a stolen car with Danny Bradley, leaving me to make my own way home.’
‘What?’ Cathy put down her magazine.
‘I would never have done that. Mates don’t leave other mates behind. And she knows I fancy Danny Bradley. She is so dead when I get hold of her.’
‘But you shouldn’t have left her on her own! Where did you last see her?’
‘I’ve told you,’ Jess snapped. ‘She got into a stolen car with Danny Bradley and some other bloke called Austin. How the hell should I know where they took her?’
‘But I trusted you to look after her and –’
‘This isn’t my fault. I told her not to get into the car but she ignored me. And then they left me to walk home! Do you think I wanted to walk miles? My feet are killing me.’ She took off a shoe. ‘Look at my blisters. I won’t be able to walk tomorrow. But what sympathy do I get for doing the right thing? All you do is moan at me.’
Cathy touched her arm gently. ‘Sorry, I’m just worried about her. I never expected Becky to go off the rails.’
‘Like me, you mean.’
‘No, I didn’t say –’
‘If you’re so bothered about your precious bloody Becky, then maybe you’d better start looking for her.’
Cathy stood up. ‘I think I might do that.’
She was outside in the driveway when a police car pulled up in the street. Cathy flew into panic mode. An officer got out of the driver’s seat. Luckily, it was PC Andy Baxter.
‘I believe I have something – or someone – that belongs to you.’ He opened the rear door. Becky climbed out.
‘Where the hell have you been?’ cried Cathy.
‘I’m not late,’ Becky retorted.
‘I picked her up not far from where a stolen car was abandoned,’ Andy explained. ‘We’d been following it for a while: two males and a female inside it. Looked suspiciously like Becky but she’s denying it.’
‘It wasn’t me!’
‘She won’t tell me who was driving it and I didn’t get a good look at him. But I have my suspicions about that too.’
Becky gulped. This was all she needed. After the mix up with Danny, they’d been on their way to drop her off. It was when they were driving past Vincent Square, heading for Christopher Avenue, that they’d first heard police sirens. Through the back window, Becky noticed an unmarked car, only a few feet behind them. Danny had raced around the estate for several minutes trying to lose them. But in the end, he’d driven into a large fenced yard and he and Austin had got out. They’d legged it up and over a row of garages and dropped into the field behind. Becky had sneaked through a privet hedge and ended up in someone’s garden. She’d run down the path and was out in the street when Andy had collared her.
Now she was in big strife and not only from Cathy. She could see Jess watching from the doorway, running a finger across her throat as if she were threatening to kill her.
‘Jesus Christ, Becky,’ said Cathy. ‘Every time you go out, you bring home trouble. I –’
‘I didn’t have any choice! And – and Jess left me, you should be mad with her too!’
‘Don’t try and put the blame on me, you cow!’ said Jess.
‘You –’
‘Ladies!’ Andy nodded towards the house. ‘Shall we go inside? Dirty laundry and all that?’
Becky marched past Cathy to go into the house. But Cathy pulled her back. She grabbed Becky’s chin and sniffed.
‘I thought so. You’ve been drinking! I told you to be careful. In your state, you shouldn’t be drinking at all. What were you thinking of!’
Andy didn’t look at all shocked by the news that Becky was to become another teenage statistic.
‘You don’t look pregnant,’ he told her. ‘When’s it due?’
‘Never if it’s got anything to do with me.’
Cathy squeezed her arm roughly. ‘I could slap your stupid face, do you know that? I wish you weren’t so… so… You can ruin your own life, Becky, but you have someone else to think about right now.’
‘I don’t want to be pregnant,’ said Becky tearfully.
Cathy calmed a little at this remark. Maybe this could be an opportunity to get to the bottom of her little secret.
‘Kitchen. Now,’ she demanded but her tone was a little bit lighter. Andy followed them in. Close on his heels was Jess. Cathy stopped her in the doorway.
‘I’ll handle this.’
‘But –’
She closed the door, leaving her protesting in the hall. Then she sat down beside Becky at the table.
‘You and I need to talk,’ she said. ‘And I’m willing to sit here all night if I have to.’
‘I’ve got nowt to say!’
‘I have.’ Andy sat down next to Cathy. ‘I’m going to let you off with a caution this time,’ he took out his notebook, ‘because you’re new around here and because, technically I can’t prove whether you were in the car under your own volition. But if there is one more next time, I won’t be so lenient.’
‘Thanks, Andy,’ said Cathy.
‘But it wasn’t my fault! They locked the doors and I –’
‘Will you shut up and listen to him! He’s giving you a second chance. Not that you deserve one but –’
‘Are you going to be seeing Danny Bradley again?’ Andy interrupted, addressing Becky.
‘Not if she wants to stay here,’ Cathy answered for her.
Becky stood up, scraping her chair noisily across the floor. ‘Leave me alone, both of you. I don’t need your help, or your concern. I can look after myself, and my baby. I‘ll go to the housing association first thing tomorrow, get myself a flat and move out of here. You can wash your hands of me. That’s what you want to do, isn’t it?’
‘Of course not.’ Cathy touched her arm.
‘No, I mean it! I’ll pack my things now. You won’t see me again after tomorrow.’
She stormed across the room. This time, Cathy left her to it.
Andy shook his head. ‘I still don’t know how you do this, Cath. You have far more patience than I’ll ever have.’
‘I don’t always feel patient but I have to keep my wits.’ Cathy sighed. ‘What else is out there for them? I can only take in four of these girls at a time. God knows what happens to the ones that I miss.’
‘I wish Becky would see that.’
‘She’ll come round,’ Cathy said, more confident than she felt about it happening.
Becky paused momentarily when she saw Jess waiting outside her bedroom door.
‘You’re dead when I get you on your own,’ Jess told her. ‘Don’t think you can treat me like a piece of shit.’
‘Leave me alone.’
Becky pushed past her and into her room. Jess grabbed for her arm but she was too quick. In a flash, the door was shut and locked. Sliding down to the floor as Jess hurled a torrent of abuse from the other side of it, she held her head in her hands.
What was it with her lately? Is this how her life was going to pan out? Getting into trouble all the time and then what? Drugs? Prison? If she carried on like this, they’d take her baby into care. Then she’d be alone again.
She rested a hand on her stom
ach. That was laughable really. What could she give a baby when she couldn’t look after herself?
More to the point, what had got into Danny Bradley? Becky might have let him shag her but he didn’t own her. And now Austin thought they were an item, it looked like she’d lost her chance with him. He was much cooler than Danny Bradley would ever be. God, she would have to toughen up.
Exhausted and emotional, she dragged herself across to the bed and flopped down onto it.
‘Stuff you all,’ she said. ‘Stuff the lot of you. I don’t need anyone else.’
Then she burst into tears.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
‘I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour,’ Cathy repeated to Becky over breakfast the next morning. ‘It’s bad enough that you came in drunk and woke up the whole street when you first arrived but to be brought home by the police? Well, it raises eyebrows and I don’t want any of that.’
‘But I told you, it wasn’t my fault,’ Becky cried. ‘They wouldn’t let me out of the car. They left Jess behind.’
‘They left you behind to take the blame.’
‘They are going to kill you when they get hold of you,’ said Jess as she joined them in the kitchen.
‘I never grassed them up!’
‘You’re both as bad as each other,’ said Cathy. ‘I was so sure that you two would become firm friends.’
‘Just because we’re both teenagers doesn’t mean we’ll get on.’ Jess slumped down next to Becky and rested her chin on the heel of her hand. ‘And friends would look out for each other, not leave them in the lurch to walk miles home on their own.’
‘I’m sorry, okay! I didn’t know they’d leave you behind.’
Cathy sighed. All she wanted was a bit of peace and quiet every now and then. But while she had the two of them together, it seemed a perfect time to keep the conversation going.
‘I want you – both of you – to start thinking of other people for a change and show some respect,’ she said. ‘It isn’t much to ask.’