‘Who’s gonna give us an alibi then?’
‘I dunno. I haven’t thought that far ahead yet, but we’ll get one. Trust me with this, Lee, will ya? I know what I’m doing, and we won’t get caught.’
Lee forced a smile. His brother was a born leader and usually right. ‘OK. I trust you.’
Little Vinny hadn’t wanted a stag do. He rarely touched alcohol since Oliver had been born and would’ve been quite happy to spend the night before his wedding at home alone, chilling and watching TV. His father, however, had other ideas and they’d compromised on going out for a meal.
‘Hello, boy. How you feeling? Excited? Nervous? Or like a condemned man being led to the gallows?’ Albie joked. His eyes were still red from crying over Brenda’s murder – he couldn’t believe his daughter was dead. But he was determined to be jovial for his grandson’s sake.
Little Vinny grinned and hung his suit on the door frame. ‘I’m not nervous at all. I can’t wait to put that ring on Sammi’s finger. Here it is. Put it away safely and for Christ’s sake don’t have too much to drink and lose it, Granddad.’
Unlike most lads his age, Little Vinny had no close friends. The only good mate he’d ever had was Ben Bloggs, and seeing as he was six feet under, Little Vinny could hardly dig him up and ask him to be best man. After discussing the matter with Sammi-Lou, both had agreed that Albie was the perfect choice. Little Vinny felt he owed his grandfather big time. Nobody else had wanted him living with them when his dad got banged up, and if it wasn’t for his granddad moving to Barking to take care of him, Little Vinny would’ve been left in limbo.
Albie poured himself a brandy. His nerves were shattered over this best man lark. His grandson had only asked him a fortnight ago, and he hadn’t told his father. None of the family knew yet, bar Michael, whom Albie had told to keep his trap shut. Queenie was going to have a fit when she found out, and even though Albie was honoured to be asked, he wished he hadn’t been. Truth was, he couldn’t wait for the bloody day to be over. And to add insult to injury, he had to wear an awful cream suit that made him look like an old pervert.
‘Don’t worry, Granddad. Everything’s gonna be fine,’ Little Vinny said in a reassuring tone. ‘I’ll tell Dad over the meal tonight. Once I’ve explained my reasons, I promise you he’ll understand.’
Remembering how Vinny had once kicked seven bells out of him for having an affair with Judy Preston, Albie flinched. He’d suffered two broken legs, numerous broken ribs and been laid up in hospital for weeks after that attack. His eldest son might be a lot of things, but understanding was not one of them.
Feeling as guilty as hell, Michael rang Bella. He hadn’t spoken to her since he’d informed her of Brenda’s death. ‘You all right, babe? Sorry I haven’t been in touch since yesterday morning, but as you can imagine I’ve had a lot on my plate.’
Sowing the seed for her no show at tomorrow’s wedding, Bella put on her best not-feeling-well voice. ‘I understand. Any news? Have the police got any leads yet?’
‘Nope. I rung them again earlier and they have nothing new to tell us. What’s up with you? You got a cold?’ Michael asked. He would never tell her about Jake. That was men’s business.
‘No. I wish I did have. A cold would be far more pleasant than the bug I’ve got. I was on and off the toilet all night, Michael. And today, I’ve been sick three times. I’ve sent Antonio round to my friends’. They are picking him up from school and he’ll stay with them tonight. I don’t want him to catch this.’
‘Poor you. Do you want me to pop round later this afternoon and bring you some medicine and stuff? A bottle or two of Lucozade might perk you up.’
‘No, but thanks anyway. I’m going to take myself off to bed. Hopefully, it’s only a twenty-four-hour bug and I’ll feel fine by the morning. I’m so looking forward to the wedding and spending the day with your family,’ Bella lied.
For the first time ever, Michael was actually relieved Bella didn’t want to see him. He’d taken his pal Kev’s advice, contacted Katy, and she’d agreed to meet him to talk things through. He was picking her up from the top of her road at four. ‘I’ll let you get some kip then, sweetheart. I’ve got that pre-wedding meal tonight. Dreading it, I am. Vinny’s bound to go ballistic when he finds out Little Vinny’s asked our father to be best man. I love my brother dearly, but he can be a proper psycho at times.’
Bella squirmed. ‘Michael, I have to dash. I think I’m going to be sick again.’
Over in Whitechapel, Queenie and Vivian were discussing the police’s latest visit regarding Brenda when the doorbell rang.
Queenie peeped through the curtain, but couldn’t see anybody because they were obviously standing on her actual doorstep. ‘Answer that, Viv. Whoever it is, tell ’em to sod off. I’m really not in the mood for nose-ointments.’
‘I want to answer the door,’ Ava insisted, lip pouting.
‘No. Get Fred off Auntie Viv’s leg and let her answer it,’ Queenie ordered sharply. Ava had driven her mad these past couple of days, behaving like a proper spoilt brat.
‘Horrid little ratpig needs its nuts chopped off,’ Vivian moaned, as she stomped into the hallway. ‘And what do yous two meddling pair of trouble-making old trouts want?’ she yelled, seconds later.
Guessing immediately who the unwanted visitors were, Queenie leapt out the armchair. Nosy Hilda was holding a card, Mouthy Maureen a bunch of flowers. ‘You’ve got some fucking nerve, knocking ’ere after the trouble you caused. Get off my doorstep. Go on, scarper,’ Queenie shouted.
Petrified, both Hilda and Maureen did a backwards walk away from the house. ‘We heard about Brenda. We’re truly sorry for your loss. I’ll leave the card here,’ Nosy Hilda gabbled, placing it on the bush.
‘And the flowers are to say sorry that we got things so very wrong. We never meant to cause trouble between yous two, nor Albie. We’re your neighbours and we think the world of you,’ Mouthy Maureen apologized, the sob in her voice genuine. She might not like Queenie and Viv much, but nobody wanted to fall foul of the Butlers. Only a person with a death wish would contemplate upsetting Vinny’s beloved mother or aunt.
Absolutely livid, both Queenie and Viv flew out the house. Queenie ripped the card into shreds. ‘I don’t want or need your sympathy. And if you ever darken my doorstep again, you’ll know all a-bleedin’ ’bout it.’
Picking up the flowers, Vivian smashed them against Hilda and Maureen’s heads as she chased them across the road. ‘I’ll give you holding hands with Albie, you pair of lying old whores.’
Hearing the commotion, Notright Norman – who lived with his equally notright mother in the house between Queenie and Viv’s – opened his front door. ‘Howdy, ladies. Just checking everything is OK?’ he chirped, tilting his cowboy hat with one hand, and placing his other on the plastic gun in his holster.
Fred was a friendly dog as a rule, but had a huge dislike for Norman and as Ava opened the front door, the small mutt with a big personality darted towards his enemy, baring his teeth and yapping until Norman scarpered indoors.
Ushering a giggling Ava, the dog and Vivian indoors, Queenie saw the funny side. ‘The look on Hilda and Maureen’s faces as you clumped ’em with those flowers. It truly was a picture,’ she roared.
Vivian held her crotch as she literally cried with laughter. ‘And Norman’s face. There he was, all big and bold, stood there like John bastard Wayne, and that scrote of a ratpig had him running for his life! He even dropped his plastic gun as he bolted back indoors.’
Not really understanding the conversation, Ava jumped up and down, joining in with the laughter. ‘I am glad you and Nanny are friends again, Auntie Viv.’
Still laughing like hyenas, Queenie and Viv hugged one another. ‘And so are we,’ the sisters said in unison.
Michael Butler felt physically sick as he saw Katy walking towards him. He was dreading the conversation he was about to have with her. So much so, he would rather be chopping up or burning bodies
with Vinny. And that was another huge dislike of his.
As she approached his BMW wearing a tight-fitting peach Lycra dress, Michael stared at her stomach. He could barely see a bump, so perhaps she was lying? Or she’d purposely got up the duff by somebody else after he’d dumped her to try and pretend the child was his to snare him? He only hoped Kev’s joke would turn out to be true and, if Katy was up the spout, the baby would pop out black. That’d certainly be the answer to all his prayers.
Having been absolutely appalled and so very disappointed at the way Michael had spoken to her last night, Katy had thought long and hard about his reaction since. She’d cried herself to sleep, but had woken this morning with a fresh determined strength. She was no fool. Back in school she’d had all the lads eating out the palm of her hand, and every lad she’d ever dated since she’d ended up dumping them. Perhaps it was because Michael was an older, incredibly handsome gangster that had kept her from seeing things so clearly. But she had seen the light now, and was not about to let Michael walk all over her.
‘Hi, Katy. I wanna apologize for last night. It was such a bloody shock, and what with my sister being murdered, I just couldn’t think straight. I’d had a fair bit to drink an’ all, but I should never have spoken to you the way I did,’ Michael grovelled, as the dumb tart he wished he’d never laid eyes on parked her arse on his passenger seat.
Looking directly at Michael’s handsome face, Katy wanted to hug him, tell him she loved him and was so sorry about his sister, but she did nothing of the sort. His words had hit her like a sledgehammer and she had to act tough and grown-up. Like Bella, who he was obviously so in fucking love with. ‘Can you please drive somewhere, Michael? I don’t want any of my neighbours to see me in your car in case it gets back to my parents. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, our baby is due early November. I’m four and a half months pregnant.’
Feeling like he’d suddenly contracted Parkinson’s disease, Michael put his trembling hands on the steering wheel, and somehow managed to steer the vehicle.
Aware that his son wanted a chilled evening before his wedding, Vinny Butler had organized the meal at Nick’s Restaurant in Stratford, a venue that he partly owned. He’d invited male family members, apart from his tosspot of a father. Plus Eddie Mitchell and Jay Boy. Carl, Pete and Paul were running the club in his absence.
‘You’re early. I said seven, not five,’ Vinny complained as Jay Boy let himself in his flat with the spare key.
‘I need to talk to you. Not here. Let’s go for a quick walk.’
‘But I was about to get ready.’
‘Do that afterwards,’ Jay Boy urged, gesticulating for Vinny to follow him.
Guessing by the look on his pal’s face that the news concerned Nadia, Vinny followed his pal outside, then along the street.
‘The body’s been found. Gnasher heard it on the news earlier,’ Jay Boy explained.
‘Gnasher! You ain’t fucking told him what happened, have ya?’ Vinny asked, alarmed. It’d been Gnasher he’d paid to get rid of Joanna. The tosser had been happy enough to kill Vinny’s ex-wife, but when he found out that her boyfriend’s young son was in the back of the motor when he rammed it into the ditch, Gnasher had been none too impressed. The kid had survived, and Vinny had paid Gnasher more dosh to keep him sweet, but he’d never had any dealings with him since and had no desire to.
‘Course I never told Gnasher! I met him for a bit of scran earlier and he just mentioned hearing on the radio that the burnt remains of a body and motor had been found in Purfleet. He reckoned it was probably a bird he knew who’d been reported missing. She was one of the regulars at Elliots, and her boyfriend was a drug dealer who used to clump her – one time he got stuck into her in the club and Gnasher had to drag the geezer outside and give him a proper hiding. He said the minute he heard she’d gone missing, he thought the boyfriend must’ve done her in.’
‘So he didn’t mention no names?’
‘No. And it would’ve looked well dodgy had I asked. I assume he was talking about Nadia though, unless another bird has been reported missing. Did Nadia say where she lived?’
‘I was out of my nut, Jay Boy. And no, far as I remember we skipped the formalities in favour of fucking, so I can’t tell you where she lived.’
‘Well, if it is her, Gnasher said she had two young kids.’
Vinny shrugged. ‘Oh well, shit happens.’
Michael Butler was astounded by the change in Katy. He’d driven her out to a quiet boozer in a country lane in Essex and she was currently sipping lemonade in the beer garden, with a steely look in her eyes. Gone was the stupid love-sick young tart he’d made the mistake of shoving his penis up. And in its place was a very determined young lady.
‘Of course I know you’re not a slag. I’ve already said sorry, yesterday was a bloody difficult day for me. My nut was in overdrive. A man can only deal with so many shocks at once.’
Michael had never taken her anywhere before, apart from to bed, and Katy was chuffed she finally had his undivided attention. She was also pleased that the man she was and probably would always be in love with, was treating her respectfully. ‘I’m so sorry about your sister, Michael. I’m all over the place too. I only realized I was pregnant recently,’ Katy fibbed.
‘Don’t give me that old flannel. You must have had an inkling beforehand. I’ve been a father in the past remember, Katy? It ain’t rocket science when a woman’s periods stop there’s a chance she’s up the fucking duff.’
‘For your information, my periods have always been irregular,’ Katy lied again. She’d lain in bed last night wondering how Bella must look and act. Katy was very aware of her own beauty, and wondered if she resembled Bella. She knew Michael’s ex was much older than her, hence Katy’s plan to act much more mature herself. ‘And swearing at me isn’t going to get us anywhere, Michael. Whether you like it or not, we have a baby on the way that I’ve yet to even tell my parents about. What am I meant to say to them? They are very religious, and will be horrified. So will my brothers. My eldest brother’s a solicitor.’
‘Solicitor! For fuck’s sake, you kept that one quiet, didn’t you? I didn’t even know you had any brothers. You winding me up?’
‘No. I’m not close to my brothers. They’re much older than me and left home years ago,’ Katy replied truthfully.
If Michael thought his day could not get any worse, it just had. ‘Katy, you can’t tell your parents or brothers that baby is mine. In fact, you can’t tell any bastard. Who else have you told, other than your mate you brought to the club?’
‘A few of my other close friends.’
‘Well, this is what you have to do. I want you to convince your mates that baby ain’t mine. Say you lied, that you slept with somebody else – make out it was some random geezer. If you do that, I promise to look after you and the kid. I’ll even rent or buy you a gaff to live in. But only if you keep my name out of it. You know the world I’m part of, Katy, and if it gets out that I’ve knocked up somebody as young as you, everybody will look at me as some fucking pervert. My mother and kids will probably disown me,’ Michael pleaded. He didn’t mention his biggest worry: what would happen if Bella found out.
‘But I want our child to have a dad that’s part of his or her life. I’ll agree to what you’ve asked, but only if you agree to play Daddy and visit regularly.’
Michael’s brain felt as if it was about to explode. Katy had always come across as pleasant, but very naïve. Was she actually a clever calculating bitch who’d had a plan to trap him all along? Well, whatever she was, he had no option but to try to keep her silent and sweet. ‘Of course I’ll visit you and our child, but the gaff I get you can’t be local. I’ll find you somewhere nice, in the sticks.’
Katy smiled. She still had high hopes that once Michael laid eyes on their baby, he would finish with Bella and they could finally be a real family. So what if she was a lot younger than him? She was hardly a bloody child. ‘OK. I’ll tell my p
arents I had a fling, and my friends the same. I won’t let on the baby is yours.’ She took another sip of her lemonade and smiled. ‘I hate living where I do anyway. It’s a dump.’
Vinny Butler was aware of all eyes in the restaurant on himself and Eddie Mitchell as they greeted one another warmly. Both were equally well known in this neck of the woods, and Vinny had no doubt that the star-gazing gawpers would be full of this story for years to come. The night they dined out with him and Eddie – the mugs.
‘You nervous, lad? I remember being shit-scared in the days leading up to marrying my Jessica. She was lucky I even turned up,’ Eddie Mitchell joked, shaking hands with Little Vinny.
‘Nope. Not nervous at all, me. In fact, I can’t wait. We plan to try for another baby as soon as the big day is over, so the honeymoon should be fun. We don’t know where we’re off to yet though. Sammi-Lou’s dad wants to surprise us.’
‘Is this it? Only the three of us? You not invited any of your pals, Vin? And where’s Michael?’ Eddie Mitchell asked.
Handing Eddie a glass of champagne, Vinny answered for his son. ‘Michael’s running late, but he’ll definitely be here with his boys. Jay Boy’s on the way too. We like to keep things close to home, so Little Vinny didn’t invite any pals. It’s not a proper stag night. And after what happened to Brenda, we thought a quiet celebration was far more appropriate.’
‘So sorry about your sister, mate. Proper tragic,’ Eddie sympathized. He and Vinny had already discussed Brenda’s death on the phone.
‘Carl, Pete and Paul would’ve come, but the club’s busy on a Friday and I needed ’em there. Where’re your boys? I thought they were coming with you, Ed?’
‘Gary and Ricky are out clubbing. Got a different bird on the firm every week, those pair. And I didn’t bring Joey, ’cos Frankie would’ve gone right into one that she weren’t invited. Twins are a pain in the arse, trust me,’ Eddie chuckled.
Tainted Love: The gritty new thriller from the #1 bestseller Page 12