The Sting

by Kimberley Chambers

  ‘Yes. Really,’ Scratch smiled. ‘I don’t care that you’ve changed your surname. You’ll always be Tommy Boyle to me.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  I cannot tell you how happy I was after meeting up with Scratch again. She looked so different to the way she used to look. Beautiful inside and out, same as my mum. She sounded different, more eloquent, but I suppose I did too. We were adults now, not kids. Dumbo still sounded the same though. He will always be a big kid, bless his cotton socks.

  I suppose, looking back, it was that night that sealed my fate because once I’d seen Scratch again I found a part of myself I thought was dead and buried, and I couldn’t shut it down. I even got a hard-on in bed that night.

  It wasn’t long before I saw Scratch again, but the next time was a date. God I was excited, but ever so nervous. She seemed as interested in me as I was in her, and it felt fucking amazing.

  At the back of my mind I suppose I did worry about what the Darlings would do. Robbie was my world. He was such a daddy’s boy, my absolute life that little lad.

  Looking back now, I should have realized I was playing with fire. But I didn’t at the time. More fool me.

  Tommy was the first to arrive at the Indian restaurant. He wasn’t a big lover of Indian food, but Scratch obviously was as she’d suggested coming here, saying the food was great. She obviously knew the area far better than himself and Tommy, being a gentleman, would always let the lady choose.

  While getting ready, Tommy had never felt so excited since he’d been a young lad waking up on Christmas morning. Since seeing Scratch again, she’d been on his mind constantly. He could think of little else all day.

  When Scratch arrived, she did not disappoint. Dressed in a skin-tight peach dress and high-heeled brown wedges she looked incredible. Tommy kissed her on the cheek and moved the chair so she could sit down. ‘You look beautiful.’ He was absolutely blown away.

  Scratch grinned. ‘And you look more like the Tommy I remember. Not that I didn’t like you in your suit. You looked very handsome in it. But I prefer you in this outfit. Reminds me of the old days.’

  Tommy felt a warmth inside. He had felt a bit overdressed last night, so had chosen to wear a navy Fred Perry polo shirt, faded Levi jeans and his desert boots this evening. He liked the Mod look, thought it suited him. ‘Thanks. What would you like to drink? Shall I order a bottle of champagne, wine? Tonight is on me, by the way.’

  ‘My, my, how sophisticated you’ve become, Tommy. I’ll stick to half a lager and lime if that’s OK. You can take the girl out of Maylands, but you can’t take the Shitlands out of the girl.’

  Tommy laughed out loud. ‘You are so right.’ He called the waiter over. ‘A pint and a half of lager and lime please, mate.’

  The restaurant was quite empty and as Scratch asked him question after question, Tommy began to feel slightly uneasy. He knew the Darlings had a reputation but he wanted to protect her from that, so quickly closed the conversation down. ‘I’ve already told you babe, it’s all kosher with the Darlings, I help run a bar and Danny and I are in charge of the gaming machine side of things. Brilliant family they are, wouldn’t be where I am in the world without them.’

  Realizing she was going too fast too soon, Scratch smiled. ‘I’m so pleased you ended up with a decent family, Tommy.’

  ‘Me too. When Jack first changed my surname by deed poll and gave it to me as a surprise, I must admit, I was a bit taken aback. But soon after, I realized why he did that. Tommy Darling is a far better name for me than Tommy Boyle. They’re my adopted family, Scratch, and without them, I wouldn’t be the man I’ve become. I hope you understand why I didn’t come back, I wanted to but I owed it to them not to.’

  ‘I understand. I felt like that when I moved in with the family whose children I looked after. They treated me like one of their own.’

  ‘Same here. So, what music you into now? It’s weird, you know. I have thought of you so much over the years. You were the first skinhead I really knew. Then the Specials and Madness came out. Then boom, there were skinheads everywhere.’

  Scratch chuckled. She truly felt uncomfortable though, as there was virtually nobody in the restaurant and S011 were sitting two tables away. ‘I love the Specials and Madness. But I’m a big fan of the Jam too.’

  Tommy grinned. ‘Me an’ all. I actually think we might be soulmates, but I’m gonna leave it to you to order the food. I’ve not really been to many Indian restaurants in my time. I prefer Chinese.’

  ‘Why didn’t you say so beforehand? I know a nice Chinese in Rainham.’

  Tommy held Scratch’s gaze. ‘Because I’m a gentleman and you are my first and only love.’

  It was only then Scratch felt a flicker of guilt. Tommy was still Tommy and even though she loved Jay, and was now DS Regan, Tommy was and would always be her first love.

  ‘You OK, Tommy? You enjoying the food?’ Scratch asked. He seemed agitated.

  ‘I would be if that prick opposite would stop staring at me.’ Tommy stood up, then marched over to a table where two men were eating. ‘You got a fucking problem, mate?’

  ‘No. It’s Tommy Boyle, isn’t it? Do you remember me? Kirk Jenkins. I was in the year below you in Eastbrook.’

  ‘No. I don’t remember you and if you don’t mind, I hate people watching me eat. Move chairs, eh, before I move ’em for you.’

  Scratch glanced at S011 who seemed totally engrossed in their own conversation. It had been a bad idea coming here. If it kicked off too badly they would surely have to step in and then the whole operation could be blown.

  ‘Tommy, your pager’s bleeping,’ Scratch said, relieved when he strolled back to the table as though he’d asked to borrow the salt.

  It was only then she realized she was truly in over her head.

  Scratch once again checked the interior mirror of the blue Ford Fiesta to ensure she wasn’t being followed. SO10 had registered the car in her childhood name, Rosie Peacock, but if her job had taught her anything, it was that you could never be too bloody careful.

  Hunter was already waiting at the desolate spot he’d chosen to meet her. He stepped out of his car and into hers. ‘So, what’s the problem?’

  Scratch sighed. ‘The surveillance team. Knowing they’re nearby is putting me off my stride. I told risk-assessment that Tommy isn’t a threat, and he isn’t. This has to be done my way, or not at all. It’s not going to work otherwise.’

  Hunter lit up a cigarette and took a deep drag. He’d been very impressed yesterday when Regan had updated him on the events of her and Tommy’s first meeting. Tommy arranging to take her out for a meal alone had been music to his ears. But Regan’s early morning call today had worried him, hence this meet in Essex. ‘What do you think went wrong last night?’

  ‘Nothing. I dunno. It was just awkward. The restaurant I was told to choose was dead quiet. There was only three other couples in there, plus the surveillance couple.’ Scratch rolled her eyes. ‘I can’t connect with Tommy in that type of environment and I could sense his discomfort too. There was no music playing or anything. The conversation was stifled, to say the least.’

  ‘Was that why he left early, d’ya reckon?’

  ‘No. I don’t think so. As I said to you earlier, his pager bleeped. He apologized profusely before dashing off. All he said was there was some problem at work that needed sorting.’

  ‘Did he arrange another date with you?’

  ‘No. But he offered to drop me home first. I told him I was fine, that my mate would pick me up. He seemed a bit agitated, in a rush.’

  ‘Did he give an inkling of what might have happened?’

  ‘I think he mumbled something about Ronnie, but that was it.’

  ‘You sure he doesn’t suspect anything?’

  ‘No. But he soon fucking will if I can’t convince him I’m still the Scratch he once knew. If I can’t pull that off, he’ll lose interest quickly. I need you to sort this for me, Guv. I really don’t wan
t SO11 following me around.’

  ‘Fair enough. Will you reconsider wearing a wire though?’

  ‘No way! That will make me even more paranoid. I can tell Tommy fancies me, if nothing else. Say he makes a pass at me and feels the bloody wire? We’re all in shit street then.’

  Hunter chucked the butt of his Marlboro out of the window and immediately lit up another. ‘What worries me, Regan, is if you’re jumpy over the surveillance and wearing a wire, what the fuck you gonna be like when you get Tommy back to the flat and you know we’re all watching and listening?’

  ‘I’ll be fine, Guv. Honest I will. There are just certain conversations about our past that I need to get out of the way first. When Tommy rings later, I’m going to suggest a day trip to Southend. We used to go there, back in the day. That’s the way forward. I know it is.’ Scratch had decided to broach the subject of their child abuse while in Southend. She would then tell Tommy she never wished to speak about it again. No way did she want her work colleagues listening in on that particular conversation; chances were, if she didn’t bring it up, then at some point Tommy would. The quicker she got that one out of the way, the better.

  Hunter coughed, a phlegmy splutter. ‘Well, for your sake, I hope you’re right. Because if you’re found floating in the bastard sea, I ain’t taking the blame, Regan, that’s for fucking sure.’

  ‘Chop-chop, Tommy. Load those tools in the fucking van, will ya? Whassa matter with you this morning? You’ve been walking around in a dream, lad,’ bellowed Jack Darling.

  ‘Sorry,’ Tommy mumbled, obeying orders. A pal of Jack’s owned a piece of land in Kent that a mob of Irish travellers had moved on to. They were refusing to leave, hence him having to leave Scratch in the restaurant last night. It had been gone ten by the time he’d reached Churchill’s, at which point Jack had decided they’d be best doing the job in the daylight. Jack’s pal was a good payer. Ten grand he was offering to remove the unwanted tenants.

  The drive took around fifty minutes and as they pulled down a desolate lane, Danny urged everyone to put their balaclavas on. They had plenty of back-up. Six of his father’s doormen were in the Ford Transit behind.

  ‘Right. Go. Now!’ Ronnie bellowed, leaping out the back of the van, machete in hand. His dad had stayed at Churchill’s, so he was temporarily in charge. He knew his father put Danny and Tommy in control of parts of the business these days. But not when it came to violence. He was the only pro boxer in the family, albeit retired.

  Women and kids screamed as the ten balaclava-wearing men ran towards them, tooled up.

  There were only five caravans, but out of those soon appeared a dozen-plus men and lads all armed with tools.

  Mayhem quickly ensued. Tommy clumped a teenage lad repeatedly with his baseball bat and the lad went down like a sack of potatoes. A man leapt on Tommy’s back, dragged him to the ground and began kicking seven bells out of him. At first Tommy didn’t see his face properly, but when he clocked it, he couldn’t believe his eyes. ‘Dad!’

  Patrick Flanagan ripped Tommy’s balaclava off. ‘Stay there, keep schtum and I’ll sort this,’ he hissed before covering his son’s face again.

  ‘Stop this shit! All of you,’ Patrick bellowed.

  Patrick’s family and friends reluctantly did so. Joey Boy was well pissed off as he’d got the better of at least three of the men, but there was no arguing with Patrick. He gave the orders.

  ‘Who’s in charge ’ere?’ shouted Patrick.

  Ronnie held his hand up. ‘Me.’

  ‘Let’s call it quits before any real damage is done. Give us a few hours to pack up our stuff and we’ll be off this land later today.’

  ‘Fair enough. But if you’re not, we’ll be returning with guns,’ Ronnie warned.

  Eugene and Danny were helped to their feet. Both had taken a pasting before being clumped over the head with a piece of machinery.

  Patrick walked over to where Tommy was sprawled on the ground. ‘I’m very sorry, boy. For everything. You take care of yourself. Heard your name bandied about a lot recently and I am truly fucking proud you made it in life. Like father, like son, eh? Be lucky.’

  Tommy nodded, then scrambled to his feet.

  ‘You all right, Tom?’ Ronnie asked as they pulled away from the land. ‘Dad’ll ring the doc, get him to take a look at Danny and Eugene. You need looking at as well?’

  ‘No. I’m fine,’ Tommy replied. He actually was. Not only did he have Scratch back in his life, his real dad had acknowledged him as his son for the first time and told him he was proud of him. Perhaps Patrick Flanagan wasn’t such a bad bloke after all. It was a strange feeling but it was like a part of him was healing inside. Tommy shook his head, he was going bloody soft, that’s what it was.

  Scratch ended the call to Caroline. She was so busy with work that she didn’t visit the family who had sort of adopted her half as much as she should, which made her feel a bit guilty at times. But she made time to speak to them all on the phone regularly. Keith had retired from the police force now, was working in security.

  Fiona would be fifteen in August, so Scratch had treated her to an early birthday present. Duran Duran mad, Fiona was, and she’d been thrilled when Scratch had informed her she’d got two tickets to see them live at the Dominion Theatre in July.

  As for Mikey, he was six going on sixteen, football bloody mad. There was a little park in the road Caroline and Keith lived in and whenever Scratch called in the afternoons or early evenings, if Mikey wasn’t at school, he’d be over there kicking a ball about with the older lads who lived next door.

  Sam entered the flat and immediately took off the bastard Underground uniform she kept having to change in and out of. She was sweating like a pig in this heat. ‘Has Tommy rung you yet?’ she shouted out.

  ‘No. But there’s something I need to tell you.’

  Having put on a pair of Adidas shorts and a T-shirt, Sam plonked herself on Scratch’s bed. ‘What’s up?’

  ‘Nothing. But I thought you should know I spent part of my teenage years living in a children’s home. That’s where Tommy and I first met.’

  ‘But I thought after your mum, your aunt and uncle took you in?’

  ‘They’re not my real aunt and uncle, they’re relations of Connie, who ran the home. When I started at Hendon, I didn’t want to own up to my background. Who wants to be known as the care home kid?’

  Sam put an around her pal’s shoulders. ‘I would never have judged ya, you know.’

  ‘I know that. Others would have though. All I wanted was to forget about my shitty past and concentrate on building a decent future.’

  ‘Well, you’ve certainly done that. So why you telling me this now?’

  ‘Because if Tommy comes round here, you’re bound to find out anyway. Plus, I don’t want you referring to Caroline and Keith as my aunt and uncle. Far as he’s concerned, they’re a couple who gave me a housekeeping/nanny job. Don’t mention they’re related to Connie, for goodness’ sake.’

  ‘Course not.’

  The phone rang and Scratch snatched at the receiver. It was Tommy.

  The following morning, Scratch was up with the larks. She’d had a crap night’s sleep. She couldn’t remember exactly what the nightmare was about, but she knew Tommy was in it and Jay. They were arguing, fighting over her, and Jay called off their engagement. That’s all she could recall.

  Scratch lay in the bath thinking about her fiancé. Jay had been extra busy at work since the Security Express van robbery and they’d hardly seen one another lately. She was looking forward to the weekend though. At long last he had some time off and they’d planned to view some more properties, then spend a romantic Saturday night in a hotel in Hertfordshire. She could not wait to spend some quality time with her man.

  ‘Morning, bird. All ready for the seaside? Got your bucket and spade?’

  ‘Very funny.’

  ‘Good luck today.’

  ‘Thanks. Why you up so early?’
>
  Sam grinned. ‘Spending the day with the missus. Taking her shopping.’

  ‘You’re a changed woman since meeting Dolly Parton, you are,’ Scratch laughed.

  ‘’Ere, not so much of the woman. Geezer bird suits me just fine.’

  Tommy didn’t know Rainham too well, so had to stop twice and study his A to Z before finally finding the right address. He’d told Jack his sister had a bit of bother and he needed to sort it urgently to get the day off.

  Tommy rang the buzzer of number 5. Scratch answered immediately and said she was on her way down.

  Tommy opened the passenger door of his Mercedes.

  ‘Wow! I love your posh car.’

  ‘It had only done twelve thousand on the clock when I bought it. You look really nice, by the way.’

  Scratch hadn’t known what to wear, so had opted for denim pedal-pushers, a bright green vest top and jellies. She’d also brought a sweatshirt with her in case it got chilly later. ‘You look nice too. Won’t you be hot in those jeans though?’

  ‘Nah. I’ll be fine. Got me trunks on underneath in case we fancy a dip. My legs are as white as a sheet, so I didn’t wanna scare off any holiday-makers.’

  Scratch laughed. ‘Well, I certainly won’t be taking a dip. I’ve been petrified of the sea since watching Jaws,’ she lied.

  ‘I got the stereo system in the boot. Thought we could chill on the beach with a couple of cans and listen to some tunes. I made a special cassette up last night. All the songs that remind me of Maylands. I thought you might like it.’ Tommy had thought about his time at Maylands a lot since meeting up with Scratch again. They’d had some great laughs, running wild without a care in the world. He hadn’t appreciated that kind of freedom at the time, but he bloody did now. He couldn’t wait to take another trip down memory lane today with the girl who knew him better than anybody.

  ‘Awww, that’s so thoughtful. Can’t wait to listen to it. What’s that mark on your face, Tommy? You hurt yourself?’

  ‘Long story that involves my real dad, believe it or not.’