The Betrayed: A shocking, gritty thriller that will hook you from the first page

by Casey Kelleher

  He wasn’t the only one staring.

  Colleen didn’t even have to look over at her mother or Nellie to know that the two women would be standing gawping at them both now too. They’d be lapping up every moment of this, she was sure of it.

  ‘How are these?’ she asked as Jimmy eyed the flowers, and nodded.

  ‘I’ll wrap them for you then, shall I?’ Colleen said, happy to have an excuse to turn her back to the man.

  Jimmy waited patiently, grinning to himself that despite the fact Colleen seemed so stand-offish with him, he clearly had some kind of effect on the girl.

  That amused him greatly.

  Jimmy was enjoying himself now. Getting a rise from Colleen.

  ‘Did you hear that, Edel? Your daughter suggests the cream roses instead of the red ones I’ve been buying. She says they’re classy. Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong all these years, eh?’

  ‘Oh, you can’t go wrong with cream roses, Jimmy. Red is for romance, but the cream ones are for purity. That’s why so many brides opt for them,’ Edel said as she placed the display of purple flowers on the counter for Jimmy to inspect. Glad that Nellie had stuck around now after all.

  ‘Maybe this girl will be the lucky one, eh?’

  ‘Maybe, indeed!’ Jimmy grinned. ‘You never know.’

  ‘There you go,’ Colleen said. Turning back to Jimmy, she placed the smaller bunch of flowers on the countertop, next to her mother’s bouquet.

  ‘Wow!’ Jimmy said as he eyed the flowers. ‘You were right, Colleen. They are perfect. Delicate yet beautiful.’

  Again Colleen blushed, busying herself with running the two prices through the shop’s till. She was annoyed at herself for letting Jimmy have any effect on her. The way he looked at her, like he could see right through her, it was intimidating.

  ‘That’s thirty pounds then, please,’ Edel said, butting in on the awkward exchange between her daughter and Jimmy Byrne.

  ‘Give my love to your mother, Jimmy,’ Edel said as she took Jimmy’s money before passing him the large purple bouquet for his mother, purposely making out to Nellie that she was a close friend of Jimmy Byrne and his family, despite the fact that she’d never laid eyes on the woman.

  It was just another thing for Nellie to gawp at, Edel thought smugly. The woman had ears like a satellite dish; she was taking every word of this in to repeat to all her old cronies down at the bingo hall later. Edel wanted to make sure that the woman had a good story to tell.

  ‘Thanks, Edel, I will.’ Jimmy grinned at the woman, only too happy to play along. He knew the score. Jimmy was more than used to people making out they were best buddies. It was quite funny really, seeing people almost falling over themselves to make him happy, and in return, Jimmy was only too happy to turn on the charm.

  ‘Have a nice afternoon, ladies!’ Jimmy said, making his way out of the shop, leaving the smaller bouquet on the counter.

  ‘Wait, Jimmy. You forgot the other bouquet. Your lovely cream roses?’ Edel shouted out to him, ready to run over to the counter and scoop them up for him.

  Only Jimmy shook his head.

  ‘No. I didn’t forget them.’

  Turning to Colleen now, he shot her one last smile. ‘The beautiful flowers are for the beautiful lady who put them together for me,’ Jimmy said, enjoying the look on the three ladies’ faces. Edel and Nellie’s jaws were on the floor. Colleen had gone a bright flushed red.

  ‘I’ve left my number there on the card, Colleen. You know, if you fancy going out some time?’

  Jimmy didn’t wait for an answer. Full of certainty that Colleen would call him, he marched out of the shop.

  Leaving all three women staring at the door as it closed behind him. Each one of them speechless, as they watched Jimmy get into his brand new Range Rover that was parked just outside the shop, before quickly driving off.

  Edel was the first to speak. ‘Well, I never. Talk about hitting the jackpot, Colleen. You couldn’t do any better than Jimmy Byrne,’ she said, ecstatic at today’s turn of events. It was as if she was walking on air.

  ‘I doubt I could do much worse either,’ Colleen muttered, not as impressed as her mother clearly was with Jimmy’s arrogant attempt at asking her on a date. ‘I mean come on, he really just thinks that I’m going to ring him?’

  Edel and Nellie nodded in unison.

  ‘Well you are, aren’t you?’ Edel said, staring at Colleen intently, shocked that the girl would think there was any other option but to call him.

  Colleen shook her head despairingly.

  ‘I’m going to finish off those wreaths out the back,’ she said, leaving the flowers that Jimmy had left for her untouched on the countertop by the till.

  ‘That’s my Colleen for you. Playing hard to get, ain’t she? Maybe that’s just what the man needs, huh,’ Edel said as she looked at Nellie and shrugged her shoulders in dismay at the girl’s lack of excitement.

  She’d have a word with Colleen later, when Nellie had gone. But for now, Edel was positively beaming.

  ‘You fancy another cuppa before you go?’ she asked Nellie, trying her hardest to keep her cool and play down the excitement that bubbled away inside of her.

  Her friend nodded, gobsmacked at what she’d just witnessed.

  For once Nellie Erikson’s loose lips were actually a blessing in disguise. By the time Walsh’s Florist closed for business today, the fact that not only Jimmy Byrne had been in here spending a fortune on flowers but also that he’d asked her daughter out on a date would be the talk of the town. She’d soon have customers flocking in through the door.

  If this place was good enough for Jimmy Byrne then it was good enough for anyone.

  Eight

  ‘Have one of my cakes, Jimmy. I made them myself,’ Edel said, waving the home-made cakes that she’d baked especially for this very occasion.

  If ever there was a special occasion then it was tonight. THE Jimmy Byrne was gracing her home with his presence, not only that but the man was taking her Colleen out on a date.

  Who would have thought it?

  It had taken a bit of persuasion on Edel’s part to get Colleen to go along with it all, but Edel hadn’t given up until Colleen had finally agreed to call Jimmy and take him up on his offer of a night out. Edel was convinced that once Colleen let down her guard, and spent a bit of time in Jimmy’s company, she’d soon show a bit more enthusiasm.

  She couldn’t make sense of the girl. A funny one was her Colleen. Any other young woman would squeal with excitement if Jimmy Byrne even so much as looked at them sideways. Colleen, on the other hand, was treating tonight as if it was some kind of chore. She’d only gone along with the date to shut her mother up, Edel knew that.

  One date. That was all she’d agreed to.

  Though one date was all the girl needed, Edel thought to herself smugly.

  Now, wafting the tray of cakes under Jimmy Byrne’s nose, Edel could barely contain herself.

  ‘Oh, no thank you, Edel, I’m saving myself for my dinner,’ Jimmy said with a smile, as he sat waiting patiently for Colleen to join them. Then seeing the look of disappointment flicker across the woman’s face, he had a change of heart. ‘Oh go on then, seeing as they look so delicious. One won’t hurt, will it?’

  Edel handed Jimmy the biggest one. Watching him intently as he took his first bite of the cake, she took a seat opposite him.

  ‘She won’t be long. She’s just finishing getting ready. She’s been looking forward to this date all day,’ Edel lied. She was pleased that Jimmy was clearly enjoying her cake, when she saw him pop the entire thing in his mouth and practically swallow it down whole.

  ‘Have another one if you want? Made them all today. There’s plenty more,’ she said, picking up the tray and thrusting them in Jimmy’s direction once more, always glad of a man who appreciated good old-fashioned home cooking.

  Jimmy shook his head. Unable to talk with the dry slab of cake lodged in his throat, he gulped hard, bef
ore coughing loudly and giving Edel the thumbs up to let her know he was all right when he saw the look of concern on her face at him choking.

  ‘Eyes bigger than my belly!’ he laughed before adding as convincingly as he could possibly muster, ‘That was bloody delicious, Edel, but, honestly, I can’t have anymore, I won’t be able to eat my dinner.’

  Edel winked at him.

  ‘I’ll tell you what, Jimmy, I’ll wrap you up a plate of them to take home with you. I’ll have them ready for when you drop Colleen home later tonight,’ she said, puffing her chest out, pleased by Jimmy’s flattery.

  Tonight was just getting better and better.

  She felt like pinching herself. THE Jimmy Byrne. Sitting on her settee, eating her special recipe rock cakes, waiting to take her daughter out on their first date.

  ‘So, Edel? That’s a good old-fashioned Irish name, isn’t it?’ Jimmy said, taking in the woman’s proud smile at his compliment.

  ‘That it is, Jimmy. My family are from Dublin. My parents named me after Edel Quinn, a Catholic missionary who worked in Africa. What about your family? Byrne is a good old Irish name too?’

  ‘My mother was born in Cork. She met my dad on her holidays one summer when my dad was over here working,’ Jimmy said, not bothering to add that back before he was born was probably how long it had been since his father had actually held down a job. ‘They settled here. I guess there was more opportunity for them both to find work and make a life together,’ he said with a smile. ‘We often went back though, to visit family and spend our summers out there. Ireland is a beautiful place.’

  Nodding, Edel couldn’t agree more with Jimmy. Despite living here in London for most of her life, she still classed Ireland as her home really. Her accent had faded greatly over the years, but she still had a Celtic tilt to it. Beaming, now that she knew that Jimmy’s family were clearly from good stock, Edel liked the man even more.

  Jimmy was perfect for her Colleen. Just perfect.

  ‘So are you off anywhere nice tonight?’ she said, prodding for information. Edel guessed, rightly, that a man like Jimmy didn’t do ‘nice’: he did the very best. That was the type of life the man lived. The man was like a local celebrity.

  He had the aura of a Hollywood movie star.

  Even sitting here in her lounge, his huge frame taking up half the settee, Jimmy had a real presence about him. Edel had always known that her Colleen was destined for big things, and if Jimmy Byrne became part of the family then life around here was only going to change for the better for her and Colleen, she was certain of it. She just hoped her daughter realised what a lucky so-and-so she was to have snared a man of Jimmy’s calibre. This was Colleen’s one and only shot; Edel just wanted to make sure she took it.

  ‘I thought we’d just go out for a nice little dinner. There’s a lovely Italian place up the West End that I think Colleen will love.’

  ‘Oh, Italian. Ciao Bella!’ Edel said, reciting the only bit of Italian she knew as she nodded approvingly; she had no doubt that Colleen would love it too. The restaurants around the flat charged a fortune and she could only imagine the type of service that Jimmy received when he was out. He probably had the best seats in the house reserved for him, the best champagne money could buy. Everyone running around and looking after him and Colleen. Catering to their every whim.

  ‘Colleen loves a bit of pasta! And pizza. She loves food in general actually,’ Edel said, missing the amusement on Jimmy’s face as she babbled on in her excitement. ‘I had to stop her from gorging on the contents of the biscuit barrel before you got here. Wouldn’t touch my cakes mind. Said that she could break a window with them, let alone her teeth. Cheeky madam,’ Edel said, rolling her eyes at Colleen’s tart little comment about her cakes.

  Jimmy laughed.

  ‘Your daughter is a tonic, Edel. It’s nice that she’s got her own mind. She’s a lovely girl; you must be so proud,’ Jimmy said again. He was in his element as he seemed to have Edel Walsh eating out of his hand; he knew exactly how to sweet talk the lady.

  Colleen was clearly cherished.

  ‘I got lucky with her, Jimmy. She’s got a heart of gold that one,’ Edel said proudly. She meant it too. ‘She’s a lovely girl inside and out. She’s a bit shy sometimes, that’s all. She just needs someone to help her out of her shell.’

  Jimmy nodded, glad of the titbits of information that Edel was so generously throwing at him; they would stand him in good stead later. He had a feeling that he was going to need all the help he could get.

  Edel was thinking exactly the same thing.

  Peering towards the door, there was still no sign of Colleen; while she was out of earshot there was no real harm in giving Jimmy a little shove in the right direction. ‘And you’ve certainly had an effect on her already, Jimmy. The girl’s done nothing but stare into space since she got off the phone from you the other day, and she’s never been that way before over a man.’

  ‘Don’t you worry, Edel. I’m a gentleman. Your Colleen will be in very safe hands tonight with me, I give you my word.’

  Colleen was exactly the type of girl that his mum had been harping on at him to date.

  A good, old-fashioned type of girl. All he had to do now, was impress her.

  ‘Between you and me, Jimmy, she hasn’t ever gone out on a date before. Not a proper date like this one. She’s not really had a boyfriend of any kind either. Prefers her own company I guess.’ Edel nodded knowingly, her eyes wide as saucers. If Colleen could hear her now her daughter would kill her for butting her nose in, but mothers always knew best, and Edel was doing her a favour. ‘Or, maybe she just hasn’t met the right man until now,’ she said, laying it on thick. Sod the old saying of treat them mean and keep them keen; if you wanted something bad enough you grabbed it with both hands.

  And Jimmy Byrne was more than worth grabbing hold of. Edel was sure of that.

  In fact, if she was thirty years younger herself, Edel would have taken a shot at the man, and back in her younger days, Jimmy Byrne wouldn’t have known what to do with her.

  ‘Let’s hope so, eh!’ Jimmy grinned. It pleased him no end that he seemed to have won the delightful Colleen over already, and that she wasn’t the type to have a lot of boyfriends.

  ‘Oh here she is,’ Edel said quickly, as Colleen walked into the room, and almost caught the tail end of the conversation. ‘You look beautiful, darling,’ she said; Edel was pleased that Colleen had gone to such an effort tonight, and judging by the stunned look on Jimmy Byrne’s face, it was an effort clearly worth making.

  Jimmy stared at Colleen, speechless, for a few seconds. Finally he spoke.

  ‘You look stunning!’ he said as he looked Colleen up and down approvingly. He meant it too. The girl was almost unrecognisable. Her red hair teased into loose simple curls; a slick of make-up on her lips and eyes. The dress she wore was basic, simple. A little black number that sat just above the knee, the neckline high. Revealing barely any flesh, yet making her look even more alluring because of that.

  It was classy and elegant.

  Just like Colleen.

  ‘Really lovely!’ Jimmy said, smiling at Colleen as he greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.

  ‘Now you behave yourselves tonight, do you hear me,’ Edel said, wagging her finger playfully at Jimmy as she caught the lustful look on the man’s face.

  ‘Mum!’ Colleen said, feeling her cheeks go bright red, but also loving the effect she was clearly having on Jimmy. She’d spent ages getting ready this evening, but the way he was looking at her now had made every minute worth it.

  ‘Right, when you’ve both stopped gawping at each other like a pair of love-struck teenagers, maybe you could hurry up and bugger off out to whatever fancy place you’re off to,’ Edel said, clapping her hands as if to make a point. ‘I’ve got my own hot date tonight myself, with a very handsome Les Dawson. Blankety Blank is just about to start; I love that programme, so if you don’t mind,’ Edel said as she shooed the pa
ir of them out towards the front door, eager for them both to go off and have a fabulous time together.

  ‘We’ll get out of your way then, Edel, leave you and Les Dawson to it.’ Jimmy winked, held his hands up good-naturedly, smiling at the old lady before kissing her on the cheek.

  It was Edel’s turn to blush then. The sheer size of Jimmy, his presence in the room. There was just something about the man that was so captivating. If he stayed here any longer he was going to make her go giddy at the knees.

  ‘Go on, off with you both.’ Giving her daughter a swift peck on the cheek, Edel had barely waited for them to step out the door before she closed it behind them, unable to contain herself any longer before she screeched with excitement. Clapping her hands together wildly, she practically skipped to the kitchen to pour herself a cheeky celebratory gin and tonic.

  Now that was a couple in the making if ever she saw one. Colleen looked smitten tonight, and if she wasn’t much mistaken, Jimmy Byrne did too. Sod her Colleen and all her sensible comments about Jimmy not being her type. The girl never left the flat enough to know what her type was. Besides, as the old saying went, mother always knew best, and if her hunch was right about Jimmy and Colleen, then she would be buying herself a fancy hat in no time.

  Those two were destined for each other. Edel just knew it.

  * * *

  ‘You look gorgeous, Colleen!’ Running around to the passenger side of his Range Rover, Jimmy Byrne opened the car door and offered Colleen a seat. He was determined to make a good impression tonight, to make sure Colleen had a night to remember. Seeing as she had good-old fashioned values as Edel had also warned him, he intended on being nothing more than a gentleman this evening.

  Especially now he’d laid eyes on Colleen. She’d clearly made an effort for him, which could only be a good sign he figured. Colleen looked classy. Sophisticated even.

  ‘You look stunning!’ he said again as if he’d forgotten he’d already told her, giving Colleen one last approving glance as he jumped in his motor and started up the engine. He wasn’t just saying it either. He was unable to take his eyes off the girl.