However, now the bastard was free, things were very different. Queenie wasn’t the only one who expected Vinny to even up the score for what had happened. The entire London underworld would be waiting for him to get even.
Vinny picked up the phone and rang the bungalow at Kings. ‘Is Jo there, Mum?’
‘No, love. She dashed in earlier, grabbed Molly and said she was going out for the day.’
‘When? What time?’
‘I can’t remember exactly, about an hour ago. Why? What’s the matter?’
‘Johnny Preston’s been released from prison. She better not be fucking meeting up with him, Mum, because if she is, I won’t just kill him, I’ll kill her too.’
Hearing his father ranting and raving in the lounge, Little Vinny grinned. Seconds later, with a few of his belongings in a sports bag, he successfully crept out of the house without getting caught.
Johnny Preston took a deep breath of fresh air and sighed blissfully as the sun shone down on him. When he had first got banged up, he had never believed he had the strength to get through such a long sentence. It had been tough at first, really tough, but the worst part had come afterwards.
Finding out that Vinny Butler was involved with his beautiful daughter had been like somebody sticking a knife through his heart. The thought of Butler kissing or touching Joanna had made him want to top himself. And he very nearly had, but as luck would have it the heroin overdose had turned out to be the wake-up call he’d needed. With Deborah’s strength and support, he had finally seen a light at the end of the tunnel.
‘Johnny,’ Deborah shrieked as she ran towards her man and hugged him.
Johnny held her close, savouring the moment. He had been a bastard to her in his younger days, forever having affairs and one-night stands, but she had been his rock during the dark days in prison, and he planned to treat her with nothing but total respect for the rest of her life. Even her weight did not bother him any more. So what if she was a size sixteen? Deborah had a beautiful face and a heart to match.
‘You spoken to Jo?’ he asked hopefully.
‘Yes, the other day. She sounded a bit down, if I’m honest.’
‘Did you tell her I’d been granted parole?’
‘Yeah, I told her and she seemed dead chuffed. I suggested we all have lunch, but she mumbled something about having to see to Molly and got off the phone. She loves you, Johnny, I know she does, but she’s obviously too afraid to meet up with you in case that bastard finds out.’
Johnny could not hide his disappointment. ‘No way is Vinny stopping me from seeing my own daughter, Deb. He has no right.’
Deborah sighed anxiously. They’d made it one of Johnny’s parole conditions that he had to live in Tiptree for the time being, which had scuppered his dream of moving to London. He was also banned from having any contact whatsoever with the Butler family. ‘Please don’t do anything rash, Johnny. Joanna will see you, I know she will, but she just needs time to get her head around it all. Now, let’s not talk about this subject any more today. I’m so happy that you’ll be sleeping next to me tonight, I don’t want anything to spoil our reunion.’
Johnny kissed Deborah, then smiled. ‘I’ll tell you what, let’s head home and stop on the way for a nice slap-up bit of grub. Then later, I shall ravish you like you’ve never been ravished before.’
Vinny Butler was absolutely livid as he pummelled his fist against Ben Bloggs’ front door. Little Vinny had left a note on his bed:
Dad,
Can’t be held prisoner no more. Need to see my girlfriend.
Will ring you when you get back from Kings. But not coming home if I ain’t allowed out again.
Vinny
Hearing Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ blaring out, Vinny pounded on the lounge window instead. It was opened seconds later by a dirty, bedraggled-looking little girl. ‘Is your mother in?’ Vinny asked.
‘Mum,’ the child yelled.
Vinny felt physically sick as Alison Bloggs staggered towards the door in a filthy dressing gown with a joint in her hand. No wonder his son had gone off the rails, mixing with a child of hers. ‘I’m looking for my son. Is Ben about?’ Vinny did not believe for one second that his son had a girlfriend, so had guessed he would be with Ben.
If there was ever a moment Alison wished she’d had a bath and put on her mini-skirt and make-up, then this was it. Vinny Butler was gorgeous, her dream man, and she would have been only too happy to fuck him and suck his cock for nothing.
‘Ben’s upstairs, but Little Vinny ain’t ’ere. Do you want a drink? I’ve got some cider.’
‘Don’t be lying to me,’ Vinny hissed, pushing past Alison and running up the stairs.
Ben was asleep, and when Vinny prodded him, he woke up, petrified. ‘I ain’t done nothing wrong. What do you want?’ he babbled, sitting bolt upright.
‘I want to know where my son is – and don’t fucking lie to me because I will chop your tongue off if you do.’
‘I swear, I haven’t seen Little Vinny. I’m telling the truth, honest I am.’
‘Little Vinny reckons he’s got a girlfriend. Do you know if that’s true?’ Vinny bellowed.
Not wanting to admit that he had been with his pal the night he had met Shazza, but too afraid to blatantly lie, Ben admitted that he knew Little Vinny had met a girl called Shazza and that she came from Dagenham.
‘Look, boy, I won’t be wild if you have seen Little Vinny, but I need you to tell me his girlfriend’s address.’
Ben could feel beads of sweat developing on his forehead. ‘I don’t know where Shazza lives. Vin met her at a party in Dagenham, that’s all I know.’
Vinny glared at the child and then pointed a finger in his face. ‘If I find out you’re lying, you’re gonna regret it big time.’
Alison Bloggs said nothing when her trembling son burst into tears. Nobody messed with Vinny Butler, herself included.
With the late August sun at its peak, Queenie and Vivian were sunning themselves outside the bungalow. ‘Gawd, stone the crows! Is that who I think it is, or are my eyes deceiving me?’ Vivian exclaimed.
Queenie was furious when she spotted Albie trotting alongside Michael with a suitcase in his hand. Kings was her and Vivian’s place of tranquillity, so what was Michael thinking, bringing that old toad down here? ‘Ruined our holiday you have, Michael. Thanks very much,’ Queenie yelled, the bitterness evident in her voice.
‘Yeah, what a bastard liberty,’ Vivian added loudly.
Aware that his father was visibly shaking, Michael unlocked the door of his bungalow and urged him to go inside. He then stormed over to where his mother and aunt were sitting. ‘That bungalow belongs to me and if I want to bring my father here for the weekend, then I shall. Dad’s been through a tough time lately, so if you haven’t got anything nice to say, best you say nothing.’
‘Who do you think you’re speaking to, you cheeky little sod? That drunken, womanizing old goat led me a dog’s life for years, or have you forgotten that?’ Queenie spat.
‘And you led him a dog’s life too, Mum. Now let’s just leave it at that, shall we?’
When Michael strutted off, Queenie and Vivian were both left dumbstruck. Michael had always been the cheeky, happy-go-lucky type compared to Vinny and Roy. Whatever had happened to him?
Carol Young was a very laid-back type of parent. She had brought her only daughter up singlehanded after her ex had left her when Sharon was a baby, and she liked the fact that her daughter’s friends deemed her cool. So when Little Vinny knocked at the door and asked her where Shazza was, Carol invited him in.
‘Shaz, you’ve got a visitor, love,’ Carol shouted out.
‘Send them up to my room, Mum.’
Little Vinny ran up the stairs. He could hear Althea and Donna singing ‘Uptown Top Ranking’; so followed the music. ‘All right, Shazza?’
Shazza was surprised to see Vinny. ‘What you doing here? You’re, like, nearly a week late.’
‘I know and I’m sorry. I had some problems at home and I couldn’t ring you, your phone number was written down wrong. Look for yourself if you don’t believe me,’ Little Vinny urged, handing Shazza the piece of paper.
‘What’s in your sports bag?’ Shazza asked.
‘Some clothes. I left home today. I bought you a present to say sorry as well.’
Shazza grinned when Little Vinny handed her a box of Milk Tray and a bottle of cider. She wasn’t used to lads buying her presents. ‘So why have you left home? Have you had a row with your mum?’
‘I haven’t got a mum. Mine died years ago. I left home because my dad is a bastard. Can you see that bruise on my face?’
Shazza nodded.
‘Well, that’s where my dad punched me for having my head shaved again.’
‘God, that’s terrible, Vinny. My mum doesn’t really like me being a skinhead, but she would never stop me from being who or what I wanted to be,’ Shazza replied, sparking up two cigarettes and handing one to Vinny.
‘Won’t we get in trouble for smoking? Say your mum smells it?’
Shazza chuckled. ‘It’s OK. My mum lets me smoke indoors, but says I must never tell my nan and granddad. She knows I sometimes drink cider too. My mum always says she would rather me be truthful with her and do what I want indoors than have me doing it behind her back.’
‘Your mum sounds well cool. Wish I could say the same about my old man. It’s his fault I wasn’t allowed to visit you before. He kept me prisoner.’
‘Well, never mind. You’re here now. Sit down and share this cider with me.’
Little Vinny grinned as he sat on the bed. Shazza’s room was perfect. She had a big Union Jack pinned up on one wall and the other wall was decorated with posters of the Selecter, Madness and the Specials. She also had a massive mobile stereo system and a record player.
‘So, where you gonna be living now, Vin?’
‘Dunno yet. I’ll probably stay at my mate Ben’s house.’
‘You can stay here for a bit, if you want? My mum won’t mind, and if we promise to behave ourselves she might even let you stay in my room.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. My ex-boyfriend used to stay here all the time.’
Little Vinny took a slurp from the bottle of cider, then awkwardly asked Shazza the question he had been gagging to ask her all week. ‘Shaz, will you go out with me? You know, like be my bird?’
When Shazza nodded, then leaned towards him and gave him his first ever passionate kiss, Little Vinny wondered if he had actually died and gone to heaven.
Donald Walker was a very inquisitive man, so he’d been none too pleased when his son was rather vague about the details of the meet with his informant.
Today was the first time since the meet that Donald had managed to drag his son out for a pint, so as soon as they sat down at a table, he started his own interrogation.
‘What are you keeping from me, Christopher? You’ve hardly said anything about this chap you met. Surely you trust me, don’t you?’ Donald asked, putting on his most wounded expression.
‘Don’t be daft, Dad. Of course I trust you. I’ve already told you that the meet went well and the informant seemed kosher. There really isn’t much more to say at the moment. He’s the only one who knows Vinny’s movements, so all I can do is play the waiting game until he contacts me again.’
‘Have you told anyone at work yet? And how exactly do you plan to arrest Vinny?’
As much as Christopher trusted his father, there was no way he was going to reveal every detail of his meeting with Ahmed. That would be totally inappropriate, and besides, there was far too much at stake, including his own head on the chopping block. ‘No, I haven’t informed anybody at work yet, Dad. As for your other question, I’ve told you all I can for now. As soon as I have more news, you’ll be the first to know, I promise. Now, can we just drop the subject, please? I want to forget about work on my day off and just have a few pints and relax.’
Donald smiled. He was so proud of Christopher. ‘Of course we can, son.’
After leaving Ben Bloggs’ house, Vinny Butler shot back to his own, picked up a few bits, made a couple of phone calls, then with a face like thunder, drove towards Eastbourne.
Today had not been a good day, and Vinny’s mind was in overdrive. His son was becoming a real thorn in his side, and that disappointed him immensely. When he was Little Vinny’s age, he might have been a fucker, but he’d never disobeyed or played up his mother. Did the boy have a screw loose? Because if so, it came from Karen’s genes, not his.
Being mugged off by a fourteen-year-old kid was not something Vinny was willing to put up with. Much as he was relieved that his boy was banging some bird instead of knocking about with the likes of Ben Bloggs, there’d be a rude awakening for the little shit when he got back from Kings.
Hooting at the car in front for driving slow in a fast lane, then treating the driver to a wrist sign as he put his foot on the accelerator and zoomed past, Vinny turned his thoughts to Joanna.
Once he’d got the word that Johnny Preston had been granted parole, he’d had a gut feeling the bastard would be out by this weekend, which was why he had planned a trip to Eastbourne. Vinny hated leaving the club unattended by himself or Michael of a weekend, especially since the fire, but he knew his doormen Pete and Paul were more than capable of running the gaff. It wasn’t even as if weekends were that busy these days.
Cranking up the volume of his car stereo, Vinny sang along. ‘Ashes to Ashes’ was David Bowie’s latest chart hit and the title gave him a great idea.
If Joanna ever disobeyed his orders by allowing Molly anywhere near that shitbag of a father of hers, she wouldn’t just end up dead behind a dustbin like Little Vinny’s mother had. He would personally cremate her, while she was still alive, just as he had with Trevor.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Queenie and Vivian shared a worried glance as Vinny paced up and down the bungalow, letting off steam. Joanna was still nowhere to be seen and Vinny had visions of her, her mother, father and Molly playing happy families somewhere nearby.
‘Sit down, love. You’re wearing the carpet out. I’m sure Jo has gone out with Nancy, ’cos we haven’t seen her and the boys all day either. Nancy’s sour-faced mother has been down here for the past week now. Bloody cheek, if you ask me. Didn’t have the guts to stay opposite us though. Booked her own chalet, apparently.’
Vinny was too bothered about his own problems to care whether Nancy’s mother was still in the vicinity or not. ‘Pour us a Scotch, Mum, and make it a large one,’ he ordered, collapsing into an armchair.
‘Where’s Little Vinny? You left him at home?’ Vivian enquired.
‘Don’t talk to me about that little shit. Gonna get the hiding of his life when I get home.’
‘Why? What’s he done now?’ Queenie asked.
When Vinny explained that Little Vinny had run away, then showed them his letter, both women tutted with disapproval. ‘Needs a bloody good fawpenny one, if you ask me,’ Vivian mumbled.
Queenie sighed. ‘You are seriously going to have to take a firmer hand with that boy, Vin. He’s spiralling out of control. You, Roy and Michael never gave me grief like that. Brenda was my biggest worry, and that was only because she’s a girl. Well, she was a cheeky little mare an’ all, but yous boys were angels compared to her and Little Vinny.’
‘I bet he’s staying with that Ben Bloggs. Disgusting family they are. Vermin of the very worst kind,’ Vivian said.
‘I went round the Bloggs’ place, he wasn’t there. Ben reckons Little Vinny has met some bird called Shazza who lives in Dagenham.’
‘Oh, my gawd! She sounds choice with a name like Shazza,’ Queenie remarked.
‘Next thing you know he’ll knock her up and you’ll be a granddad, Vinny,’ Vivian added.
‘Don’t bleedin’ say that. I’m not old enough to be a great-granny yet,’ Queenie spat.
‘I dunno what I�
�m gonna do with him. I thought working at the club would help make him grow up, but the boy’s got a mind of his own. He’s even had his head shaved again. Gave him a clump for that, but nothing I seem to do has the desired effect. He’ll know all about it when I get hold of him next week though. I’ll knock seven colours of shit out of him if I have to.’
‘And so you should!’ said Queenie emphatically. ‘Better that than he becomes a liability to you. I don’t want him spoiling the good name of this family.’
Vinny managed a smile for the first time that day. ‘We’re hardly that family out of Little House on the Prairie, Mum, but I do know where you’re coming from.’
‘Aw, my Lenny used to love that programme. Cried his eyes out sometimes while watching it he did. That and Lassie,’ Vivian reminisced.
‘I remember him crying over Lassie. I think you stopped him watching it in the end, didn’t you, Viv?’ Queenie asked.
Whenever he was in the same room as his mother and aunt and they started to discuss Lenny, Vinny always felt terribly awkward. Today was no different, so he quickly changed the subject. ‘Aw, bless Champ. Still miss him every day, I do. But going back to Little Vinny: he must take after Dad’s side of the family, Mum. He certainly don’t take after me and you.’
‘Speaking of which, your father is no more than thirty feet away as we speak. You need to have a stern word with that brother of yours, Vinny. Upset your mother terribly, Michael has, bringing him down here. And he was bloody rude to me and your mum earlier.’
Vinny’s face was etched with surprise. ‘What you going on about, Auntie Viv?’
‘Your father. Michael’s brought him down here on holiday, the old bastard.’
‘You’re kidding me! Dad stayed with Michael all last week, I knew that, but I thought Michael would drop him home before he came down here. What did he say to upset you both?’
‘Leave it, Viv,’ Queenie urged. She hated it when her sons argued.
‘No, I’m not leaving it, Queen. Bang out of order what Michael said to you, and Vinny should know the truth.’
Vinny was absolutely livid when he was informed that Michael had accused his beloved mother of leading his tosser of a father a dog’s life. ‘I ain’t fucking putting up with that. Where are they now? In Michael’s bungalow?’
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