‘Try not to think about that side of it, Deb. Let’s just hope when Jo reads that letter and knows the full story she will see Vinny in a different light. I mean, you only told me everything yesterday, and I was shocked to the core. Surely your Jo will feel the same as I did, eh?’
‘I hope so. If not, Johnny will have to sort it. He knew a lot of heavy people back in the day, so I’m sure one of his old pals can step in and help him out in his hour of need. I just hope he can handle the news being in prison. I hope it doesn’t fuck his head up completely.’
Sandy gave her friend a comforting hug. ‘Everything will turn out just fine, mate. I know it will.’
With Nancy refusing to look after the kids yet again, claiming she had another migraine, Michael had no option other than to ask his pal Kevin to accompany him to Eastbourne. He needed someone to keep an eye on and entertain the boys. Kevin was now a married man himself with a two-year-old son.
Michael couldn’t help but chuckle at the way his pal’s life had turned out. When Kev was young he used to take the piss out of his mixed-race roots by putting on a fake Jamaican accent, yet he had now ended up marrying a Jamaican girl and made his living out of selling black music to black people.
The journey to Eastbourne went quickly as Michael and Kevin chatted about old times. ‘Right, this is the care home. My mum said the beach is literally five minutes from here, so you take the kids there, and I’ll come and find yous when I’m done. Wish me luck. I think I’m gonna need it.’
Roy was sitting in his bedroom staring out of the window when he heard a knock on his door. ‘You have a visitor, Roy,’ one of the carers said, in a silly sing-song voice.
Wheeling himself over to the door, Roy opened it. His mum had said she was going back to Whitechapel. Little Vinny was due to have the plaster off his arm, and he had already missed the first two weeks of his new term at school. ‘I’m not expecting any visitors. Who is it?’ Roy asked.
‘A man called Michael. He says he’s your brother, and it’s urgent.’
The word ‘urgent’ pricked Roy’s interest. Perhaps one of the family had died or had an accident. If that was the case, then he hoped that person was Vinny. ‘OK. Send Michael in here.’
Michael felt terribly guilty as he walked into Roy’s bedroom. It was a cheerful-enough looking room with a nice view, but he immediately clocked that his brother had lost weight, looked slightly unkempt, and dead behind the eyes. ‘Hello, bruv. So sorry I haven’t got down to Eastbourne before. I’ve had a lot of problems, as Mum has probably told you.’
About to tell his brother to cut the niceties and get straight to the point, Roy remembered his mum telling him that Denise and her mother had died in a car accident, and Lee was now living with Michael. ‘Mum did tell me bits and pieces. How is Lee getting on?’
Michael went on to explain that Lee had settled in well, but that he thought Nancy was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
‘That’s a shame. I thought Nancy was a nice girl when I spoke to her. She reminded me of my Colleen in her mannerisms.’
‘How do you feel about Colleen getting engaged again?’ Michael asked, innocently. He had no idea that his mother hadn’t informed Roy that Colleen had a new bloke who had recently proposed to her.
Feeling like his heart was about to break in two, Roy wanted to cry, but instead put on a brace face. His mum obviously hadn’t told him the news because she was worried about how it would affect him. ‘Colleen deserves to be happy. She’s a good woman. Where are the boys today? Is Nancy looking after them?’ he asked, desperate to change the subject.
‘I should be so lucky. Nancy can’t even function, Roy. Lee has started school now, but I kept him off today so he could come to Eastbourne with his brothers. Kev travelled down with me. He’s taken the boys to the beach.’
‘Can you take me to the beach so I can see them?’ Roy asked. He used to gabble his sentences once upon a time, but each now took him many seconds to complete, which still sometimes infuriated him.
‘Yeah, ’course I can,’ Michael replied. He was amazed his brother seemed so jovial.
‘So, what was the urgent news?’ Roy asked.
Michael put his hand in his trouser pocket and handed the letter to his brother.
‘Who is it from?’
‘It’s from Dad, but you musn’t tell anyone I gave it to you. Dad gave it to me just after the shooting and I promised him that one day I would give it to you when I felt the time was right. Put it in your drawer and read it later when you are alone, eh?’
‘Are you still in touch with Dad then?’ Roy asked, after he’d put the letter away.
‘It’s a long story, Roy. I want you to read that letter tonight, then tomorrow we’ll speak on the phone, OK?’
Roy gave his younger brother a half-smile. ‘OK.’
Johnny Preston was a bundle of nerves as he was led down the corridor by two screws. He knew something serious was occurring. There was no way Deborah would cut her trip short and request a visit if she didn’t have bad news of some kind.
Every scenario of what might have happened flashed through Johnny’s brain. Thank God he had only just found out about the visit, because if he’d have known about it yesterday, he’d have gone off his head through worry. ‘Ain’t you taking me to the normal visiting room?’ Johnny asked the screws.
‘No. I cleared it with the guvnor that you and your ex-wife could chat in the interview room. It’s more private in there.’
Johnny got on well with all of the screws he had dealt with in the Scrubs. He had learned early on that if he respected them, not only was it handy to get a few perks, they seemed to respect him also. His mother used to say to him when he was a child, ‘Johnny, always speak and treat other people how you would like to be spoken to and treated yourself.’ Johnny had never forgotten that sound piece of advice, and had found it worked especially well in prison. ‘Lads, can I ask you a favour? I know you are meant to stand in on this visit, but would you mind awfully if you waited outside? My Deborah has never requested a visit such as this before, so it’s obvious something awful has happened. I would just rather be in the room alone with Deb when she tells me, if you know what I mean?’
Gerry, the taller screw, glanced at his colleague for approval, then nodded. Apart from a table and chairs, there was sod all else in the room, so he couldn’t see the harm in allowing Johnny some privacy.
As soon as Johnny entered the room and saw the look on Deborah’s face, his worst fears were well and truly confirmed. ‘Whatever’s wrong, babe? Is it Jo?’
Urging her ex-husband to sit down opposite her, Deborah wrapped both her hands around his. ‘It’s our Jo’s new boyfriend. I found out who it is.’
‘What is he, black? Indian? Spit it out, woman,’ Johnny demanded.
‘It’s Vinny Butler,’ Deborah said, her hands shaking at the thought of Johnny’s reaction.
Unable to comprehend what Deborah was trying to tell him, Johnny looked at her as though she were stark raving mad. ‘Vinny Butler! What about Vinny Butler?’
‘Vinny is Joanna’s secret boyfriend. She’s moving to London next month to be with him. She’s gonna work as his secretary.’
Letting out one almighty roar, Johnny Preston grabbed hold of the table, lifted it up and threw it against the wall so hard, two of the legs fell off of it. Seconds later, the two prison officers barged through the door and wrestled a deranged Johnny to the floor.
Nancy Butler was rocking to and fro in the armchair and crying like a baby. Her mum had just rung her to tell her that her brother had been stabbed by an armed robber, and even though Nancy no longer had any contact with Christopher, the thought of somebody sticking a knife in him had upset her badly.
Nancy thought back to when they were kids. She and Christopher had been so close once upon a time. The short spell they had spent living in Whitechapel particularly sprang to Nancy’s mind. Their parents had been so busy trying to make their new business venture work
, Nancy had no other option than to hang out with her little brother. Neither of them knew any other children in the area; they had left all their lifelong friends in Stoke Newington.
The thing that stuck in Nancy’s mind the most was Christopher’s obsession with the posh man with the posh car who owned the club around the corner. Ironically, that had turned out to be Vinny Butler of all people.
Nancy put her head in her hands. Even though her dad was a pompous prick at times and Christopher a little know-it-all shit, Nancy suddenly realized how much she missed having them in her life. She had forsaken her family just to be with Michael, and for the first time ever, she wondered if she had done the right thing. She wasn’t a Butler at heart, never would be. She was a Walker.
Roy Butler ripped open the creased envelope, unfolded the letter, and took a deep breath as he started to digest the words.
Dear Roy,
I am writing this letter as you are currently fighting for your life in hospital. Realizing you had been shot broke my bloody heart, and I so wanted to be at your bedside with the rest of the family willing you to pull through. Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be. I was forced to leave the area for good, and I had to tell you this, son, as I would hate you to think that I didn’t care enough to be with you in your hour of need. Nothing could be further from the truth.
As you well know, I am not a man of many words, Roy, but I just wanted you to know that you are never far from my thoughts and you will always have a special place in my heart.
Love always,
Dad
Roy felt a mixture of emotions as he laid the letter beside him on his bed. Today had been a funny old day. He had thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Michael, even though his heart was broken at the thought of Colleen sharing her bed and life with another man. That hadn’t stopped him going to the pub and having a decent bit of grub and a few pints for the first time since he’d been shot though, and he was proud of himself for not letting the news ruin his day. The letter from his dad was a nice surprise. It was lovely to know that his father loved him and hadn’t abandoned him, but the part in the letter when his dad had informed him he had been forced to leave the area for good had made Roy really angry. The reason being, he knew his evil fucker of a brother was the only person in the world who could be behind such an act of nastiness.
Roy read his father’s letter again, then put it in his bedside drawer. For once he felt quite mellow. The reason being, he just needed to add the last couple of pieces to the jigsaw, then he could do what he had wanted to do for the past five years. As the old saying states, revenge is a dish best served cold, and Roy was planning on serving his up at below zero.
Vinny Butler had just bent over his desk to snort a line of cocaine when his office door burst open and Lenny strolled in. ‘What you doing, Vin?’ Lenny asked innocently.
‘What have I told you about always knocking before you enter, Champ? Made me jump out my fucking skin, you did,’ Vinny said angrily.
‘Sorry. I forgot. What’s that white stuff?’
‘Headache tablets I crushed up. I’ve still got hangover from last night and I can’t swallow the bloody things. They’re too big and get stuck in my throat,’ Vinny lied.
‘There’s a man on the phone wants to talk to you, Vinny. He says it’s urgent.’
‘Who is it?’ Vinny asked, discreetly putting his bag of gear back in his safe. He now kept his own stash at the club. There was nothing worse than fancying a livener and not being able to have one.
‘I don’t know, but he said hurry up because he’s in prison.’
Vinny dashed out to the bar area. The phone in his office was definitely on the blink as it hadn’t bloody rung again. ‘Hello,’ Vinny said, putting the receiver to his ear.
‘It’s me. Just thought you’d want to know the shit has hit the fan. He’s gone mental apparently. Had to be put in solitary.’
Vinny smirked. ‘Did the old woman visit?’ he asked. He and Scottish Pat never used names on the phone but both knew who the other was referring to.
‘Yeah. About three hours ago.’
‘Thanks for keeping me in the loop. I’ll get Pete or Paul to visit you with another parcel. Update me if there is any more news, yeah?’
The pips went before Pat had a chance to reply.
‘You look happy, my friend. You win the football pools?’ Ahmed said, sauntering towards Vinny.
‘Ahmed! Can you take me to see Layla again soon?’ Lenny asked, running towards the big man and giving him a bear hug.
‘I don’t see why not, Champ.’
‘Come in the office. I have some gossip. No, not you, Champ. I need you to scrub the steps out the front and give the outside of the doors a good wash down. Looked fucking filthy as I came in this morning, they did.’
Ahmed followed his pal. ‘So, where is your lovely wife-to-be today?’ he joked.
‘Haha. Very funny. I gave her two hundred quid to go shopping with and sent her up the West End. Having her stay here with me has been doing my head in, mate. I’m me own man, like to come and go as I please. Feel like I’ve got an albatross hanging round me neck at the moment. Anyway, on a brighter note, Scottish Pat has just rung me from the Scrubs. Preston has found out. Gone off his head apparently and has been put in solitary.’
‘Do you think he might send someone to the club for revenge? If so, I’ll stay here with you.’
‘You’re having a giraffe, ain’t ya? Preston is a mug. He used to hang around the Richardsons and Mad Frankie years ago. He was more of an albatross around their necks than his daughter is round mine. They used to laugh at him behind his back. I ain’t worried at all about repercussions. The geezer’s a nobody. None of the big guns will help him out. He ain’t worth a wank.’
‘So, what happens now? You going to dump Joanna?’ Ahmed asked.
‘Got to see how it pans out first, ain’t I? Preston must be stewing sat alone in solitary with images of me sticking my big hard cock up his baby girl. I’m hoping the cunt will top himself. It will save me the task of ending his life for him when he gets out. As for Jo, I shall take her back to Eastbourne tomorrow. I shan’t dump her just yet. I want that piece of shit to suffer as much as my mother has watching Roy lose the plot.’
‘You still trying to get her pregnant?’ Ahmed asked.
‘No. I spunked up her at first, but I haven’t for the past month or so. No need to be lumbered with her or another kid if there’s no point. Let’s see what happens with Johnny Boy first. If finding out that I’m shafting his baby girl isn’t enough to make him go off his rocker, then I will do whatever it takes to torture him even more. I might even ask the silly tart to marry me. Now, that would rub salt in his wounds, wouldn’t it?’
Ahmed chuckled as Vinny laid out two big fat lines of cocaine in front of him. ‘You really are an evil man, my friend. That is why I like you.’
Snorting a line, Vinny handed the rolled-up ten-pound note to his pal and grinned. ‘Me, evil? Never.’
Michael had only just walked indoors when the phone rang. ‘Bruv, it’s me. I’ve read Dad’s letter and I would really like to speak to him. I won’t tell Mum or anybody else, I promise. Can you bring him to visit me?’
‘I can, Roy, but I don’t know when that will be. Dad lives miles away now.’
‘But I need to speak to him a.s.a.p.,’ Roy replied dismally. He had been staring at his gun for the past half an hour, and now he was positive that the time was right to use it, he wanted to tie up the other loose ends in his life as quickly as possible.
‘Listen, Roy, I’ve just this second walked in. Give me a ring back in a bit, and I’ll try and get hold of Dad in the meantime. You must swear you will never breathe a word of this to anyone though, OK?’
‘You have my word, Michael. I have another couple of important phonecalls to make now, so I will call you back in half an hour.’
Roy put down the phone, glanced at the gun and the photo of Vinny, then picked the receiver back up. H
e knew his brother was in London and at the club as his mum had told him earlier. ‘Hello, Vin. It’s me, Roy.’
‘You OK, bruv? Is something wrong?’ Vinny asked. Roy had only ever rung him once since the shooting, and that was to demand he find him somewhere to live by the sea.
‘No, nothing’s wrong. Michael came to visit me and it got me thinking. I feel happier since I’ve moved, and I really enjoyed going to the pub today for a few pints and some lunch. I thought perhaps me and you could do the same? Are you busy on Wednesday?’
Vinny smirked. It might have taken many years, but finally Roy was ready to forgive him. ‘Wednesday is perfect, bruv. It’s your call, so we’ll go anywhere you choose. I would love to show you Kings as well though. The clubhouse is proper. You’ll love it there.’
‘OK, I’m up for that. Can you get here at midday?’
‘I sure can. And thanks for ringing me, Roy. You’ve not just made my day, you’ve made my bloody year.’
Roy said goodbye, replaced the receiver, picked up Vinny’s photo and chuckled. ‘So, you fell for it, you mug. You think you’re so clever, bruv, but you’ll never be as clever as me.’
Back in Barking, Michael was getting angrier by the second.
‘Mummy’s in bed. She won’t get up,’ Daniel said, tugging his father’s arm.
Michael ran upstairs. He’d had enough of Nancy’s silly behaviour now. There was him running around like a blue-arsed fly taking the kids to school, picking them up, cooking their meals, and running a club, and all his dysfunctional wife could do was drink wine and lie in bed all day. His mother and aunt had both said recently that Nancy needed a good kick up the arse, and instead of pandering to her every whim, it was about time she got one. ‘Time to get up, Nance. The boys need some dinner, and seeing as I have to go into work tonight, I think it’s time you learned how to use the oven again.’
Kimberley Chambers 3-Book Butler Collection Page 41