by Joan Jonker
‘The police got it back for him.’ Corker was rewarded by the startled looks exchanged between father and son. He derived great pleasure out of seeing these two squirm. And he hadn’t finished with them yet. ‘The police will be around later, asking questions, trying to find out who the thieves are. Yer’ll probably get a call from them.’
‘We don’t want no coppers comin’ to our ’ouse.’ The fear in the man’s eyes didn’t go unnoticed by Corker. ‘There’s no cause for them to come to us, we’ve done nothin’ wrong.’
‘Me dad’s right,’ Brian said, looking decidedly nervous. ‘We ain’t done nothin’.’
‘In that case yer’ve nothin’ to worry about, have yez?’ Corker’s heavy brows drew together. ‘Only someone with a guilty conscience has cause to fear the police.’
‘I’ve got no guilty conscience.’ Mr Bradley’s act of bravado didn’t quite come off. He was scared and it showed in the dirty look he threw at his son. ‘I just don’t want no bleedin’ coppers knockin’ on my door.’
‘Oh, it won’t be an ordinary copper,’ Corker told him, ‘it’ll be a detective in plain clothes.’
‘They can go to soddin’ hell.’ Mr Bradley jerked his head at his son. ‘Come on.’
Corker waited until they were inside their house, then smiled at Malcolm. ‘You did well, son, I’m proud of yer.’
‘I wasn’t a bit frightened, Sinbad, honest!’
‘I know yer weren’t, son.’ Corker patted the boy’s head. ‘Now yer can ride yer bike to yer heart’s content.’
‘Nah, I’ll have to take it in now, Sinbad, ’cos me mam doesn’t let me play out on a Sunday.’
Lizzie Corkhill was watching through the window, and when she saw Corker pat Malcolm’s head, tears came to her eyes. Her son loved children and was so good with them. It was a cause of sadness to Lizzie that he’d never married and had a family of his own. He’d make a wonderful father. She ran a hand across her eye to wipe away the sign of tears, before saying to Ellen and George, ‘They’re coming now. Will you help with the tea, Ellen?’
Molly was the first in. ‘I still think they’re gettin’ off light,’ she sniffed. ‘Thieving swines, that’s what they are.’
‘I agree with yer, girl!’ Nellie looked at the chair she’d occupied before and shook her head: she wasn’t going to go through that again. So she chose one of the straight dining chairs and plonked herself down. ‘I wish there was a detective goin’ to see them.’
‘Will you all sit down.’ Lizzie and Ellen had been busy while they were out. The table was set with plates of sandwiches and biscuits, and the teapot, with its knitted cosy keeping it warm, was standing on the hob. ‘It’s not much but I wasn’t expectin’ visitors.’
‘It’s just the job, Mrs C,’ Molly said. ‘I’m gasping for a drink.’ She took a sandwich from the plate Ellen was holding out and put it to her lips. But before she took a bite, she said angrily, ‘After all the things they’ve done, they’re gettin’ off scot-free! Ooh, me blood’s boiling!’
Corker was leaning forward, his elbows on his knees. He waved away the plate of sandwiches Ellen held out. ‘No thanks, love.’ The dainty triangles wouldn’t even fill the gap in his teeth. He’d make his own later, like the ones he was used to on board, as thick as doorsteps. ‘There’s somethin’ fishy about that family,’ he said. ‘I think the father’s spent some time inside.’
‘Yer mean in prison?’ Jack showed no surprise. ‘The thought had crossed my mind, as well.’
‘Oh lord, that’s all we need!’ Molly rolled her eyes. ‘Flamin’ convicts in our street!’
‘Now we’re only guessing, Molly, so be careful,’ Jack warned. ‘Yer could land yerself in trouble.’
Ellen sat down as far away from Corker as she could get. She’d gone the colour of beetroot when he’d called her ‘love’, and although no one seemed to have noticed, she’d busied herself pouring tea out until the colour she could feel burning her face had subsided. ‘Mrs Bradley’s got a terrible tongue in her head. She came in the shop yesterday, and being Saturday we were packed out. The language she came out with was somethin’ shockin’, and all the customers were disgusted. In the end Tony told her to watch her mouth and she got real snotty with him. I won’t repeat what she said, but it amounted to takin’ her custom elsewhere.’
‘What happened then, love?’ Corker asked.
Oh, please don’t let me blush, Ellen prayed silently. Doesn’t he realise I’m embarrassed enough being in his house? ‘Tony told her it would be good riddance to bad rubbish. She got on her high horse when the customers voiced their agreement with Tony, and flounced out, cursing and swearin’ as loud as yer like.’
‘I’m goin’ to make some enquiries about them.’ Corker sat up straight, his huge body eclipsing the chair he was sitting on. ‘One of the policemen down at the dock is a good mate of mine, I’ll ask him to find out.’
‘Good idea, Corker.’ George, always the quiet one, nodded. ‘Even if we can’t do anythin’ about it, it’s best if we know what we’re dealing with.’
Nellie beamed proudly. ‘See, my feller doesn’t say much, but when he does, it’s worth listening to.’
‘I only seem quiet because I can never get a word in with you around.’ George ducked to escape the blow Nellie aimed at him. ‘It’s a mystery to me how yer can go on so long without stoppin’ to take a breath.’
‘Here’s her mate.’ Jack jerked his thumb at Molly. ‘It’s a toss-up who talks the most.’
Molly and Nellie gazed at each other for several seconds, then burst out laughing. What was the good of denying something they knew was the truth? They did talk too much. It was their favourite pastime! ‘There’s worse things than being gas-bags, yer know.’ Molly giggled. ‘We could be off down to Lime Street every day, flogging our bodies.’
‘Oh, that’s where the action is, is it?’ Corker’s roar of laughter filled the room. ‘Thanks for the tip, Molly.’
‘Wouldn’t do me much good.’ Nellie put on a sad face. ‘I’d never make any money. In fact, I’d probably end up havin’ to pay the feller.’
‘Aah, yer poor thing.’ Molly tutted sympathetically. ‘Tell yer what, seein’ as how yer me best mate, I’ll let you count me takings.’
‘Gee, kid, thanks!’ Nellie clapped her hands. ‘Yer kindness is crushing, like yer big feet.’
Lizzie was relaxed now and enjoying the fun. She was fed up worrying about that Bradley family, they were beginning to come between her and her sleep. ‘More tea, anyone?’
‘No, ta, Mrs C.’ Molly leaned over to put her cup on the table. ‘We’ll have to get back to the family or they’ll think we’ve left home.’
‘Or gone down to Lime Street.’ Nellie couldn’t resist, even though George was giving her daggers. ‘Earning a few bob towards doin’ yer room out.’
‘Ooh, yeah!’ Molly hugged herself, a look of anticipated pleasure on her face. ‘I’m off to buy the wallpaper tomorrow.’ She looked towards Jack. ‘Yer’ll have to tell me how many rolls of paper we need, an’ how much border.’
‘Your room’s the same as this, so yer need six rolls.’ Corker narrowed his eyes, mentally measuring the walls. ‘And about twenty yards of border.’
‘I won’t be doin’ the papering until I’ve painted the ceiling and frieze, so make sure yer get the paint for that first.’ Jack looked pained. ‘Proper slave-driver, this one, Corker. If she had her way I wouldn’t see me bed until the whole room was finished. An’ I’m a fool to meself, ’cos once it’s done and she’s got her new furniture in, life won’t be worth living. It’ll be “don’t sit there”, an’ “keep yer fingers off”!’
‘I could do the ceiling for yer,’ Corker offered. ‘I could ’ave it done in a day, while yer were at work.’
A gleam of hope shone briefly in Jack’s eyes, then he shook his head. ‘I couldn’t let yer do that, Corker, it wouldn’t be fair. Yer only home for a few days.’
‘Nonsense! I don’t go away unti
l Thursday, so if Molly gets the stuff tomorrow I can spend Tuesday on it.’
‘Take him up on it, Jack,’ Nellie said. ‘Corker doesn’t need a ladder to do the ceiling, he can reach that high without one.’
Corker burst out laughing. ‘Not quite, Nellie! I don’t need a ladder, but I will need a chair or stool.’
‘That’s the gear, Corker, yer a real pal.’ Molly closed her eyes, thinking of the treasure hidden under the cushion on the couch. She was really going to enjoy spending that money. And who better to share her pleasure than her best mate. ‘Are yer comin’ with me tomorrow, Nellie, help me choose the paper?’
‘Yer didn’t think for one moment I’d let yer go on yer own, did yer?’ Nellie blew out huffily. ‘You need me, mate! Without my guiding hand, my impeccable good taste, yer’d end up buying paper in sky-blue pink with a finny-haddy border.’
‘D’yer know, Nellie, I’m glad yer reminded me of that!’ Molly, like her friend, kept her face straight. ‘I’d forgotten about my taste bein’ in me backside.’
‘That’s what friends are for, girl! To be there in times of trouble, to hold yer hand, wipe yer tears away, wipe yer flamin’ backside if need be, and stick like bloody glue to yer mate when she’s in the money.’ Her arms folded and resting on the ledge made by her tummy, Nellie asked, ‘So I’ll call for yer at ten in the mornin’, shall I?’
Corker stroked his beard, laughter shining in his eyes. ‘Are these two always like this?’
George nodded his head. ‘Always.’
‘Never known them any different.’ Jack winked. ‘D’yer still want to do our ceiling? Just think, a full day with someone who can talk the hind leg off a donkey.’
‘I’ll go along,’ Nellie grinned, ‘just to make sure there’s no hanky-panky. All this talk about Lime Street might have put ideas into Corker’s head. But don’t worry, Jack, I’ll keep me eye on them.’
‘Oh God!’ Corker groaned. ‘That’s two women talking the hind legs off two donkeys!’
Chapter Nine
‘How d’yer like this one, Molly?’ Nellie picked up a roll of wallpaper and opened it up for her friend’s inspection. ‘He’s sellin’ it off cheap, fourpence a roll.’
‘No, it’s too dark.’ Molly dismissed it with a wave of her hand. ‘I want somethin’ light to brighten the room up.’ She gazed about the walls of the shop where pieces of wallpaper were on display, her eyes lingering longer on some patterns than on others. Then she smiled and pointed a finger. ‘There, that’s more like it.’
Nellie’s eyes became slits as they followed the line of her friend’s finger. ‘That one’s ninepence ha’penny, more than twice the price of this.’
‘That’s only goin’ cheap because they can’t sell it! Even if they were givin’ it away I wouldn’t want it, it’s too dark and miserable. I’ve got to live with it every day, so I might as well ’ave somethin’ that’ll cheer me up.’
‘Suit yerself, girl.’ Nellie rolled the offending wallpaper up and placed it on the counter. ‘You get what yer want, otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it.’
Molly beckoned the assistant over. ‘Could you let me see a roll of that one, please? And some border yer think will match it.’
They watched the man climb a ladder to reach one of the top shelves, and Molly moved forward to take the roll he handed down. She opened it and grinned with pleasure. ‘D’yer know, Nellie, this is exactly what I ’ad in mind.’
Nellie gazed at the light beige paper with its pattern of small flowers and leaves. ‘Yeah, it is nice, girl, definitely oh-la-la-posh.’
The assistant came over with five rolls of border. ‘Try them against the paper, see if there’s one you like. If not, I’ll get some more down.’
‘That’s it!’ Molly cried with delight as the man held the third sample of border against the wallpaper. ‘It sets it off beautiful.’
‘How much is it?’ Nellie asked.
‘Threepence a roll.’ The assistant was being crafty. Monday was a slack day for decorating materials, so a sale would stand him in good stead with the boss. And the best way to make a sale was to let the customer think they were getting a bargain. ‘Mind you, if you’re buying the wallpaper, I can let you have the border cheaper, say twopence a roll.’
I wonder who he thinks he’s kidding? Nellie asked herself. Still, two can play at that game. She gave Molly a gentle tap with her foot, a warning to keep quiet. ‘Me friend is lookin’ for paint as well. For the ceilin’ and the paintwork. We were goin’ to T. J. Hughes’ ’cos we heard it’s cheaper there, but it’s no joke carryin’ paint all that way on the tram. How about knockin’ another ha’penny off the price of the border an’ she can get everythin’ she wants here.’
The man did a quick calculation in his head. If he refused, it was possible he’d lose the order altogether, and his boss would go mad if he let a couple of pounds’ worth of business slip through his fingers for the sake of, at the most, tenpence. ‘I’ll probably get me block knocked off, but okay, you can have the border for three ha’pence a roll.’
Twenty minutes later the friends walked from the shop laden down with paper and paint. ‘You’re a case, you are, Nellie McDonough.’ Molly made a grab for a roll of paper that was threatening to slip from the wrapping. ‘But thank God yer are, yer saved me tenpence.’
‘Yer’ve got to be up to them, girl, otherwise they’d do yer all roads.’ Nellie stopped in her tracks. ‘Hang on a minute till I change hands, this paint’s not ’alf heavy.’
‘I’ll start trimmin’ the paper this afternoon while I’ve got an hour to meself.’ Molly was so elated she felt she was walking on air. ‘I can’t wait to see it all done and me new furniture in.’
‘Where yer goin’ for the dining room suite?’
‘I don’t know yet, I’ll ’ave a good look around before I decide on anythin’. It’ll have to last me a helluva long time so it’s got to be solid as well as nice to look at.’
‘Why don’t yer try that little shop in Stanley Road? I believe he ’as some nice stuff an’ he’s reasonable.’
‘Which shop is that?’ Molly asked as they turned the corner of their street. ‘There’s a few furniture shops in Stanley Road.’
‘It’s at the far end, near Scottie Road. Yer must ’ave seen it, he has furniture outside on the pavement, but that’s mostly second hand.’
Molly shook her head. ‘Can’t say I’ve ever noticed.’
‘I think it’s called Greenberg’s, he’s Jewish. I’ve heard he sells good stuff and is very reasonable.’ They’d reached Molly’s door and Nellie let out a long sigh. ‘Get that key out quick, me flippin’ arms are droppin’ off.’
Molly laid her parcels on the table and took the paint from Nellie. ‘Sit down, sunshine, an’ I’ll make yer a nice cup of tea.’
Nellie listened to the kettle being filled. ‘I’ll come with yer to Greenberg’s one day, if yer like. Wouldn’t mind havin’ a gander meself in case I come into money.’
Molly popped her head around the door. ‘That’s an idea! No harm in having a look before I try the shops in town.’
‘How about goin’ now, after we’ve ’ad a drink?’
‘I couldn’t go today, I haven’t even thought about what we’re ’aving for dinner yet.’
‘Oh, to hell with dinner!’ Nellie snorted. ‘Give them bacon and eggs, somethin’ easy.’ She saw the doubt on her friend’s face and snorted again. ‘An’ don’t make the excuse yer’ve got to trim the paper, ’cos I’ll give yer a hand with it tomorrow, while Corker’s paintin’ the ceiling.’
Molly didn’t need much persuading. For years everything she’d seen that she liked had been behind shop windows, out of her reach. Now, with money in her pocket, she could go into the shops knowing she was in a position to buy. Not that she intended to buy just for the sake of it, it had to be something they really needed, and good value, ’cos once the money had gone, it would never be replaced. Unless Jack came up on the pools again, but tha
t was a chance in a million. ‘I’ll make us a buttie, then we’ll nip down and have a look around, okay?’
‘It doesn’t look very big.’ Molly was disappointed at the sight of the small corner shop, which had chairs and tables arranged on the pavement outside. ‘They can’t ’ave much of a selection.’
‘For God’s sake, don’t start moanin’ before yer even get inside.’ Nellie withdrew her hand from Molly’s arm and pushed her friend towards the open door. ‘If there’s nothin’ there to suit yer, all we’ve lost is the tuppence tram fare, an’ that’s not goin’ to skint us.’
Molly stood inside the shop and her disappointment mounted. It was so packed with furniture it looked a mess. Chairs were piled on top of couches and sideboards, and from what Molly could see, most of the stuff was in a worse condition than her own furniture. ‘There’s nothin’ here for me.’ She bumped into Nellie as she turned to walk out. ‘It’s all second-hand stuff.’
Nellie blocked her path. ‘He sells new furniture as well, so there must be another room at the back.’
‘Can I help you, ladies?’
Molly spun round and stared at the man standing before them. Where on earth had he come from? She couldn’t see a door, but there must be one somewhere, probably behind the big wardrobe at the back. He was a small, chubby man wearing a grey three-piece suit. The bottom button on his waistcoat was undone, not through neglect but because it obviously wouldn’t fasten across his enormous tummy. He had a round, friendly face with rosy cheeks and eyes that smiled at them through steel-rimmed glasses.
Molly returned his smile. ‘I was looking for a dinin’ room suite, but I see yer only sell second-hand furniture.’
‘In here, yes, but there’s a showroom at the rear. If you’d like to follow me I’ll show you what we have in stock.’
As Molly followed the man, Nellie gave her a dig in the back. ‘See! I told yer, didn’t I?’
Walking into the showroom was like walking into another world and Molly gasped with pleasure. There were three dining room suites on display, but the one that caught Molly’s eye was a beauty. ‘Ooh, look at that, Nellie, isn’t it gorgeous?’