‘It’s me, Mum,’ Jimmy called out as he walked towards his mother, sensing the disappointment on her face that he wasn’t his father.
‘Oh Jimmy, love, come through to the kitchen, son. I’ll do you a bit of dinner if you’ve got time to stick around for a bit?’
Seeing the look of longing on his mother’s face, Jimmy couldn’t refuse her. Even though he was already going out for dinner later that night, he could sense that his mother was yearning for company.
‘Go on then, Mum. But I can’t stay for long,’ Jimmy said as he strode towards her, his arm laden with a bouquet of flowers, a huge shopping bag in the other.
‘You’d better not have been wasting your money again on me, Jimmy, son. You do a-bloody-nough around here as it is, my boy,’ Joanie said sternly; though truth be told, she loved her Jimmy making a fuss of her. For her it wasn’t about the money: the real prize was the fact that her son still made time for her. In fact, he doted on her. He was a diamond; especially given what he could have amounted to, with Michael Byrne as his father.
If it wasn’t for her Jimmy, she wouldn’t even have a roof over her head. Her son had paid for the place for her outright. Buying it solely in her name too, much to his father’s dismay.
Joanie was a homeowner. That had set the cat among the pigeons in the neighbourhood with all the curtain twitchers around here. The neighbours had been gossiping about them for months. Wondering where all the money had suddenly come from. The Byrne family were on the up and Joanie wanted to make sure that everyone knew about it.
Jimmy was doing well for himself.
He was a property developer now. An entrepreneur.
She’d heard the rumours about the other stuff: the local gossip about the illegal activities her son was supposed to be involved in; though, of course, Joanie wouldn’t even entertain the idea of it. People around here were just jealous. Running their mouths off, trying to put her Jimmy down.
The neighbours could think what they wanted. Joanie knew the truth. Her son was a businessman and he was doing well for himself. She was so proud of how he’d turned out, so handsome and clever, that she could burst.
‘I told you before, Mum, if I can’t spoil my old dear, who can I spoil, huh?’ Jimmy grinned, leaning down to plant a kiss on his mother’s cheek as he greeted her.
Joanie thanked the Lord, as she did many times a day, that her one and only child hadn’t been cut from the same tainted cloth as his low life father. Jimmy had inherited her good Irish genes. A strapping lad just like her father and brothers had been. He looked nothing like Michael, thank God.
Seeing the wary look on his mother’s face as she thought about her husband for the umpteenth time that day, Jimmy guessed what was on her mind.
‘Don’t tell me you still haven’t heard from him?’ he said, as Joanie shook her head.
She’d thought she was doing a good job of playing down her fears, of acting normal, but her worry must have been written all over her face. Besides, nothing ever got past her Jimmy.
The creased forehead, the look of concern in his eyes – he could read her like an open book.
‘I know he’ll show up eventually. He always does in the end.’ She shrugged, trying to hide her unease.
‘You know what he’s like. He’s probably just off on another bender of his. Pissed out of his face again in some squalor of a pub somewhere, doing his usual of annoying the arse out of anyone that shares the same airspace as him,’ Jimmy added, his tone curt.
Joanie nodded, although this time she didn’t look convinced. ‘It’s been nearly a week now, son.’
Jimmy sighed. He’d thought his mother would have been glad of the respite, but he could see that she was worried out of her mind. It angered him the way that his father could spend a lifetime treating his mother like she was nothing, and yet all his mother did was worry about the man.
‘Aren’t you glad of the peace and quiet with him gone?’ Jimmy said. He watched her gaze flicker towards the doorway as if she was willing his father to walk through it at any minute.
Joanie looked sad. ‘Your father is the bane of my existence, Jimmy, but the old bugger is still my husband and, as much as I loathe him at times, he’s all I have. He’s company for me. Even if his offering of intelligent conversation only seems to stretch to talking about the football results and the price of a pint,’ she said, as if she was only just realising this herself. ‘He’s a bastard, Jimmy, I know that but when I took my vows I meant what I said. Until death do us part.’ Joanie was unable to stop the tears that glistened in her eyes.
Jimmy shook his head, bewildered. All his mother ever did was moan about the old man, and since he’d been on the missing list, all she did was mope about, as if she’d lost an arm. Women. He’d never understand them.
‘Look, Mum, leave it with me, okay? I’ll put the word out. The daft bugger will turn up soon, you’ll see!’ Jimmy said with conviction; glad when he saw his mother visibly relax at his words.
Bored with talking about his prick of a father, Jimmy changed the subject. ‘Something smells bloody delicious, what have you made?’
‘Chicken curry.’ Joanie beamed. ‘I’ve done it in the new microwave oven you bought me, Jimmy. I tell you what, son, that thing has changed my life. It cooks my dinner for me in just seven minutes. You just shove it in, press a few buttons and hey presto! Sandra from over the road almost went green with envy when I showed her. I’m the only one in the street that has one.’
Jimmy laughed, as Joanie placed the plastic tray of food inside the microwave oven.
‘I don’t need a demo, Mum. I’ve got one at my own place! It’s dead handy, I’ll give you that.’ Jimmy was pleased that his mother was enjoying his new-found wealth. He wanted her to have the best of everything. ‘Here, before you finish whipping up a three course meal in a matter of minutes, why don’t you come and have a look at what I got for you,’ he said, showing her the huge bag he was holding.
The start of a smile spread across his mother’s face, despite her protests.
‘Ahh. You shouldn’t have, Jimmy,’ Joanie said, with tears in her eyes. ‘You have to stop, Jimmy, you spoil me, boy.’
‘Just have a look, will ya!’ Jimmy grinned, knowing full well that once his mother clocked eyes on the new coat he’d bought her, she’d soon think twice about telling him to stop buying her things.
‘Oh Jimmy! You didn’t? This cost a bleeding arm and leg!’ Pulling out the fancy fur coat that she’d been eyeing up in the window of one of the fancy new boutiques just off Shaftesbury Avenue, Joanie knew that it was an expensive gift. ‘And flowers too? You’re a thoughtful boy, son. Thank you.’
‘You deserve it, Mum! I keep telling you. You did enough for me over the years. It’s payback. It’s my turn to spoil you now,’ Jimmy said raising a brow. ‘Besides, I’m celebrating, Mum. Me and Alex signed a big contract today. We’ve just invested in a huge development off Dean Street. It’s a load of run-down flats and shops at the moment, but by the time we’ve finished, they will be the most sought after flats in London,’ he said, still buzzing from the deal that he and his business partner, Alex Costa, had set up together.
He and Alex were proving to be a good team. Jimmy had the kudos and the money to make the investments, and Alex Costa had the brains. The bloke was a clever fucker, and astute with it. They were set to make a killing if they carried on like this. His mother had no idea of the wealth that would soon be coming their way. If she thought that he was doing well at the moment, she hadn’t seen anything yet.
‘I’m doing good, Mum. Better than good! Besides, you better get used to that and a whole lot more. Now come on, get it on ya and give us a twirl!’ Jimmy laughed pulling the expensive coat around his mother’s shoulders, knowing full well that she couldn’t wait to put it on.
‘You’re like royalty, Mum!’
‘I feel it, son!’ Joanie laughed. ‘You’re a good boy, Jimmy. You know that, don’t you?’ she said removing the coat an
d hanging it over the back of the chair. Then hearing the microwave oven ping, she clapped her hands together. ‘Take a seat, I’ll grab your dinner.’
In her element now, as she dished up a huge portion of food for Jimmy and a small plate for herself, Joanie made her way back over to the kitchen table. Placing the plates down on the mats, she took a seat opposite her son and watched as he took no time in tucking in.
‘See! It’s good, isn’t it?’
Jimmy nodded.
‘It’s handsome, Mum! Really nice.’
As Jimmy devoured his dinner, Joanie figured there was no time like the present to broach what was on her mind.
‘So where are you off to tonight, then? You’re not still seeing that young one, are you? What was her name again? Dominatrix or whatever it was?’ Joanie asked unable to keep the disapproval from her tone. Jimmy seemed to have a penchant for picking the wrong type of girl, but this last one was something else altogether. He had popped in with her the other night on his way out on a date, and Joanie hadn’t thought much of the girl. A proper stuck-up little madam, so she was. Waltzing about Joanie’s home as if she owned the place, when she’d only been through the door for less than five minutes.
‘It was Dominica, Mum!’ Jimmy said, choking back his mouthful of curry, snorting with laughter at his mother’s version of the name.
‘Dominica? Sounds made up if you ask me,’ Joanie said tartly, recalling the girl’s appearance in her head. All of five foot nothing, a tiny little frame with the most enormous breasts Joanie had ever seen. She could see what her instant appeal had been.
‘As it happens, no I ain’t still seeing her. It didn’t work out,’ Jimmy said, with a nonchalant shrug. To him, women were easy come, easy go. He was never short of offers. As far as he was concerned Dominica was nothing more than a bit of fun. She was a burlesque dancer in one of the little cabaret clubs down on Wardour Street. The girl was as saucy as she was mischievous and Jimmy had enjoyed her company for a while. A few dates here and there wasn’t any hardship, especially seeing as she was a real head turner. Everywhere Jimmy and Dominica had gone, he’d seen all eyes on his girl. The men drinking in her doll-like appearance.
Her looks were about the only thing she had going for her though. The girl didn’t seem to have much going on between her ears, and Jimmy’d had Dominica’s card marked from the get-go. Used to spotting real faces in her line of work, she was a gold-digger. She was only after Jimmy for his money, as were most of the girls he dated. After only a handful of dates, the daft cow had managed to convince herself that Jimmy was ‘the one’.
But all she’d ever been to him was a bit of arm candy. Someone to show off at all the important dinners and business events he attended. So Dominica followed the same fate as the rest of them.
‘She weren’t really my type,’ Jimmy concluded.
‘And what exactly is your type, son?’ Joanie said, her words loaded as Jimmy rolled his eyes, knowing exactly where the conversation was leading.
Catching her son’s look of irritation Joanie shook her head.
Jimmy was too strong-minded for his own good. Joanie had learned a long time ago that her son only ever went by his own decisions. Still, as his mother she had to try and help him make the right choices sometimes, even if Jimmy didn’t thank her for poking her nose in.
‘All I want is for you to settle down, son. With a nice girl. Have a family. You’re never going to do that all the time that you are surrounding yourself with nothing but cheap-looking tarts that are only out for your money,’ she said, with honesty. ‘It’s all well and good treating these girls like they are nothing more than conquests, trophies to flaunt in the faces of your peers, but you won’t be laughing when one of the little trollops deliberately gets themselves pregnant, will you?’ Joanie said, as Jimmy shovelled another large portion of curry into his mouth. ‘Her type would bleed you dry. She’d take you for all you have,’ she said shrewdly. ‘All those loose lips and even looser knicker elastic slappers that you keep going for are no good!’ Joanie knew that her breath was wasted. She’d had this conversation so many times with Jimmy yet he never listened. ‘You need a good girl, Jimmy. One that will give you a nice home.’
‘And a few grandkids too, yeah?’ Jimmy said raising his eyes knowingly. His mother was craving grandchildren and she made no bones about the fact. ‘Isn’t that what this is really about?’
Joanie pursed her lips, unable to argue with him.
‘I’m serious, son,’ she said, almost brave enough to continue her conversation, but then deciding against it. ‘You can still have your fun, Jimmy, if you’re clever enough about it, but you need to think about settling down with someone who’ll give you a good home. A family. It’s what life’s all about.’ Joanie left the words hanging in the air between them.
‘I’ve got plenty of time for all that, Mum,’ Jimmy said as he finished his meal. ‘I’m young. I’ve got loads of time to think about settling down.’ While he spoke, he realised the truth was his mother had a point.
Jimmy had been thinking about having a family more and more lately, what with how well the business was doing, how quickly he was building his little empire. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have someone to hand everything down to one day. An heir to the Byrne throne so to speak. He quite fancied the idea of having a son of his own.
Maybe his mother was right. Only he wouldn’t tell her that: he’d never hear the end of it.
‘Besides, shouldn’t you be warning me off getting married with the amount of aggro that prat of a father seems to dish out to you?’ Jimmy said, doing his usual of making no disguise of the dislike he felt towards his old man.
Joanie shrugged once more.
‘I guess so, but what can I say? I’m a glutton for punishment and if it wasn’t for that old prat, I would never have had you, son. Family is all we have,’ she said, feeling her tears threaten once more. ‘I know you think I’m being silly, Jimmy, but I just can’t shake the feeling that it is different this time. That your father is really in some kind of trouble. He’s never gone AWOL for nearly a week before. I think something bad’s happened to him.’
Jimmy wrinkled his mouth, unconvinced.
‘Nah, that old git is like a bionic cat with one too many lives. I’m sure wherever he is, he’s just fine, so stop with your worrying, Mum. He’ll turn up,’ Jimmy said, then clocking the time on his watch he got up and kissed his mother on the forehead. ‘Listen, I hate to eat and run, but I’ve got to shoot off! I’ve got a bit of business to sort out tonight.’
Joanie nodded, understanding. ‘Off you go, son!’
She walked Jimmy to the front door to see him out. She wasn’t one to stand in the way of her son trying to make a good living for himself. She was grateful that he’d popped in for his dinner at all. ‘I was going to watch some of my programmes tonight anyway.’
‘You do that, and don’t you be worrying about Dad either. He’ll turn up soon. I’m sure of it.’ Jimmy grinned. ‘The man’s like a bad bleeding smell. Before you know it, he’ll be home and annoying the crap out of you again, whilst making the place look untidy.’
‘Yeah, you’re probably right,’ Joanie said, with more conviction than she actually felt. Jimmy was right. Michael could be back any minute and before the man’s arse would have hit the settee, he’d have found some way of winding her up.
‘I’ll see you later, son, thanks for stopping by, and thank you for my lovely coat.’
‘Catch you later, Mum!’ Jimmy called as he walked up the footpath, pulling his collar up around his neck to keep off the cold chill of the evening air.
Jumping in his motor, Jimmy turned the heating up full whack, before rubbing his hands together to try and generate a bit of heat.
Catching sight of his mum standing at the door waving to him as he pulled away, he couldn’t help but notice how vulnerable she looked as she scanned the street in the vain hope that his father would magically appear.
He was ann
oyed.
He’d genuinely thought that his mother would be better off without his father knocking about. It was a good job he’d only given his father a bloody beating and he hadn’t murdered the treacherous cunt like he’d initially wanted to. Still, he’d taught the old bugger a harsh lesson that he wouldn’t be forgetting in a hurry. Not only had he beaten the living shit out of him, but he’d left him trussed up in some old abandoned squat in Hackney.
It broke his heart that he’d have to go back and let the man go, it really did.
Jimmy would have gladly left him there to rot, but his mother would be lost if anything happened to the old git and Jimmy Byrne couldn’t have anything upsetting his dear old mum.
He just hoped that he hadn’t left it too late already, that his old man hadn’t gone and fucking snuffed it.
Three
‘Jesus, Edel, what on earth’s your Colleen doing up there? For such a slip of a girl, she sounds like a bleeding herd of elephants!’ Raising her eyes up to the ceiling as another almighty thud vibrated down through the floor above them, Nellie Erikson had thought at first the noise was Edel Walsh. Her friend had been out the back of the florist, in the little kitchenette, making them both a nice cup of tea. The sounds had been getting louder and louder, and had continued even though Edel was back now, standing in front of her.
Nellie could only assume that the noise must be Edel’s daughter, Colleen, upstairs in the flat. Though, how she was making such a noise when Colleen probably weighed less than one of Nellie’s thighs, the woman thought enviously, she just couldn’t fathom.
‘What’s all that banging?’ Edel said, a frown on her puzzled face. ‘I thought that was you.’ Convinced her friend was having her on about there being someone upstairs in the flat, Edel placed the two mugs of hot tea down on the counter, just as another almighty thump boomed out from above them.
The Betrayed: A shocking, gritty thriller that will hook you from the first page Page 2