The Sting

by Kimberley Chambers

  ‘Tek’s,’ Donna wept. ‘Tek was the Turkish lad I dated before we met. He doesn’t know Robbie is his. I never told him. You can still be part of Robbie’s life. You’ve been such a good dad to him, I would never stop you seeing him.’

  ‘How could you do this to me?’ Tommy stared at Jack. ‘I fucking loved you like a dad. I trusted you.’

  ‘Donna’s not leaving you. She’s not taking your son away. I won’t allow it,’ Jack bellowed.

  ‘But he ain’t my fucking son, is he?’

  ‘And you,’ Tommy pushed Danny in the chest. ‘My best mate. The brother I never had – or so I thought. How could you betray me like that? I trusted you with my life.’

  ‘It weren’t like that, Tom. I had no say in the matter. Dad and Mum wanted you to be part of the family. They love you like a son,’ Danny explained. He was very near to tears, felt awful.

  ‘No. I’ll tell you what you saw. A care home kid who you could easily manipulate to do whatever you fucking wanted.’ Tommy pointed at Donna. ‘I bet that slag didn’t even love me in the first place. No wonder our marriage was a shambles.’

  ‘I did love you,’ Donna sobbed.

  ‘Shut up, you fucking slapper,’ Tommy spat.

  ‘No need to speak to Donna like that, Tommy. I know you’re upset son, but we need to all calm down and sort this situation out properly, like a family,’ Jack said.

  ‘Go fuck yourself,’ Tommy pointed at Jack, Ronnie, Danny and Eugene. ‘Family? It was only muggins ’ere thinking you mob were my family. Well, you can all go fuck yourselves now. You’re dead to me, the lot of ya.’

  ‘Go after him, Danny,’ Jack urged as Tommy bolted down the stairs.

  ‘Daddy! Daddy, where you going?’ shouted Robbie. His mum had left the car window half open.

  Ignoring the son that wasn’t his, Tommy leapt in his Merc and as he pulled away very nearly ran his treacherous so-called best mate over.

  *

  ‘Where’s Dad gone?’ Robbie asked his mother.

  ‘You go home and you sort this out with Tommy. Do you hear me?’ Jack yelled. He stood in front of his daughter’s car. ‘I mean it, Donna. You’ll do as I fucking say,’ he said, punching the windscreen, his gold sovereign ring chipping the glass.

  Donna nodded, then pulled away from the pavement. She had no intention of going home. Everybody needed to calm down a bit. She’d had enough of her family ruling her life. It was about time she decided what was best for her, not them.

  ‘Where we going, Mum?’

  ‘John’s house. Want to go for another ride in his car and play in the swimming pool again?’

  ‘Is Daddy coming too?’

  ‘No, love. He isn’t.’

  Tommy dashed home, chucked some clothes in the boot, his stereo and other personal belongings.

  As he was about to lock up the phone rang. Expecting it to be Danny or Jack, he ignored it. Then he heard the answerphone message. ‘Hi, Tommy – it’s Ray from Maylands. Can you call me on this number?’ Ray rattled off a number that Tommy scribbled down. Ray then ended the call by saying, ‘It’s rather urgent.’

  Tommy contemplated driving to Clacton to spend some time with his sister. But not only would she be at work, he didn’t want to burden her with this. She’d grown very fond of Robbie, was bound to be devastated by the news. Linda had her own life now anyway. A happy one, thank God.

  His head all over the place, Tommy drove through the Blackwell Tunnel. He needed to get out of South London. He only had one true friend now. Scratch would understand.

  Jack Darling was furious. Suzie had driven around Donna and Tommy’s house. Neither were at home. She’d also rung the school and Robbie wasn’t there. ‘We need to find Tommy first, then we’ll deal with your sister and her bit on the side afterwards,’ Jack said to Danny. ‘Who’s that fucking plum your brothers are talking to?’

  Danny put his forefinger to his lips. ‘Tommy’s mate. You said he could start work here today. Be nice to him, for Christ’s sake. We need to get Tommy back on side, Dad.’

  Jack marched over to the lanky-looking streak of piss and held out his right hand. ‘All right, lad? I’m Jack, the owner.’

  ‘Nice to meet you. I’m Dumbo. Where’s Tommy? He promised to be here to show me the ropes.’

  ‘Tommy had some urgent business to attend to. But don’t you worry, Eugene ’ere will show you the ropes,’ Jack replied, slapping his youngest on the back. It was obvious just by looking at Dumbo he wasn’t the full shilling. Even his suit looked five sizes too big.

  Eugene put an arm around Dumbo’s shoulders and grinned at his brothers and father. ‘He reckons he’s an expert on making cocktails, even better than Tom Cruise. Trouble is, the name Dumbo don’t exactly suit our establishment, eh, lads?’

  ‘Button it, Euge, will ya?’ Danny felt embarrassed. There was no need to blatantly mock the poor sod.

  Not taking the hint, Eugene grinned at Dumbo. ‘Seeing as he looks like a certain Trotter brother, I think we should call him Dave after Rodney.’

  Ronnie creased up laughing. ‘Brilliant.’

  Dumbo grinned like a Cheshire cat. ‘Only Fools and Horses is my favourite programme. I’d be honoured to be called Dave.’

  Tommy stopped at an offie, bought four cans of lager and a half-bottle of brandy, then parked up near Central Park. Without the fairground there, it was hard to know exactly where Smiffy had died, so Tommy picked a spot randomly, sat down and took a swig of brandy.

  How could he have been so stupid, especially when all the signs were there? Yes, he’d been young. But Jesus, he must’ve been thick. Looking back now he could see it all so clearly. Donna throwing herself at him. Jack and Suzie encouraging the relationship. Ronnie booking that caravan holiday for the pair of them, when they’d only been dating five minutes. Robbie being born early and Suzie telling him that was normal with a first-born child. Robbie’s dark skin and nearly black hair. No wonder he looked so Mediterranean if his real father was Turkish. Jack showing him photos of himself and his father from donkey’s years ago insisting Robbie had their colouring. What a load of old bollocks.

  Tears streamed down Tommy’s cheeks as he remembered how proud he’d felt when he’d held Robbie for the very first time. How Robbie had clung to his hand, not wanting to be parted from him on his first day at school. How he’d gently dabbed calamine lotion all over the poor little sod when he’d had a bad case of chickenpox. ‘Dadda’ was the first word Robbie had spoken. Lies, lies and more fucking lies, Tommy thought bitterly.

  Cracking open two cans of lager, Tommy poured one on the grass beside him. ‘This one’s for you, Smiffy. Wherever you are, it has to be better than where I am. This is fucking hell down ’ere, I’m telling ya, pal.’

  Tommy downed his lager and punched the grass with frustration. Even Danny had lied to him and that hurt badly. He’d thought he could trust Danny more than anybody, but obviously not. He must be as manipulative as the rest of the Darlings. Any true friend would have told him the truth, not allowed him to raise a child that wasn’t his.

  Tommy visualized Robbie’s innocent face. The lad was a great kid, didn’t deserve this shit. Robbie was bound to miss him, but there was no going back. Tommy had already made his mind up never to see the lad again, or Donna. He’d been bored with his job for a while now, had wanted out, so perhaps this was an opportunity to part company with the Darlings? Jack knew he could be trusted. He’d been involved in too much skulduggery himself to ever open his trap. A clean break, that’s what he craved.

  Glugging another mouthful of brandy, Tommy laid back on the grass. He had to try to look at the positives, not the negatives. At least if he was a free man, he and Scratch could be together.

  ‘Fancy a takeaway tonight?’ Sam asked Scratch.

  ‘Yeah, whatever.’

  Sam sat on the edge of the sofa. ‘Come on then. Spit it out.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Whatever it is that’s bothering you.’

&n
bsp; ‘Nothing’s bothering me. I’m fine,’ Scratch fibbed. She wasn’t going to tell her best mate that Tommy had kept her awake last night and she’d begun to have second thoughts about Operation Sting. That would make her look weak. She’d signed up for this; the whole reunion had been her bloody idea in the first place. She had to put her head down and get on with it now.

  ‘What’s that mark on your arm?’

  ‘I accidentally cut myself while cutting the bread,’ Scratch lied.

  ‘What, on your arm?’

  ‘Yes. On my fucking arm.’

  ‘You can talk to me, mate. You know that,’ Sam urged.

  ‘There’s nothing to talk about,’ Scratch insisted.

  When the phone rang it was Sam who answered. ‘Oh, hi, Tommy. This is Lee, Scratch’s flatmate. Hang on a tick. I’ll see if she’s out of the bath yet.’

  ‘Scratch, Tommy’s on the phone. You out of the bath, mate, or shall I tell him to call back?’ Sam shouted out, walking over to Scratch. ‘He sounds agitated, said it’s urgent,’ she whispered in her pal’s ear.

  ‘Coming,’ Scratch replied, pausing for a few seconds before picking up the receiver. ‘Hi, Tommy. What? Slow down. Yes. Yes, that’s fine. OK. Give us half hour or so though. I’ve only just stepped out of the bath and I need to dry my hair and get dressed.’

  ‘He’s coming round?’ Sam asked.

  ‘Yeah. Right, where’s me pager? I need to message Hunter. Actually, can you shoot down to the phone box and call Hunter for me?’ Scratch scribbled down a number. ‘Tommy’s only in the Albion pub and I can’t risk him seeing me. Grab some beers while you’re out. If he’s here when you get back, I’ll pretend I sent you out to get them. Oh, and I think it’s best if you go out anyway. Something’s happened. Something terrible, he said. He won’t open up if you’re here. He’s definitely been drinking and sounds upset.’

  ‘No. SO10 said I was to stay in my room if he comes to the flat. I ain’t leaving you alone with him.’

  ‘Tommy isn’t dangerous, trust me. Listen, when he gets here, stay in your room. If I want you to leave, then I’ll come in and ask if you’re going out for a drink, OK? Now go and tell Hunter all this and give me your pager. I need to put it with mine in the hidey-hole soon as I’ve messaged Hunter. I’ll tell him to keep his phone line free.’

  ‘Hunter won’t want you left alone with Tommy, mate. Not if he’s been drinking.’

  ‘Then don’t fucking tell Hunter he’s been drinking. Look, we need a result and sharpish. Only I don’t think I can do this much longer. Now go, and if you can’t get hold of Hunter, call Banksy. Oh, and watch what you say when you come back, Lee. No slip-ups. Only I’m flicking the switch on in a bit.’

  ‘OK. See you soon.’

  Scratch paced up and down the flat. The switch was hidden behind the TV, had been made to look like an ordinary plug socket, but Scratch couldn’t bring herself to switch it on yet. She was a bundle of bloody nerves and the thought of the team watching and listening to her every word filled her with dread.

  Remembering she had a couple of beers in the fridge, Scratch took one out and drank it quickly to calm herself. She couldn’t let the cat out of the bag, not now. If she acted like she felt, Tommy would soon realize something was amiss.

  ‘Did you get hold of Hunter?’ Scratch asked when Sam got back. ‘I haven’t turned the equipment on yet, so you can talk,’ she added.

  ‘Yeah. He said “Do what you got to do”, but he wants me to wait nearby in the car and he’s sending back-up too. He’s gonna be watching live, so if you feel you’re out of your depth at any point, he wants you to offer Tommy a cheese and pickle sandwich. Oh, and give me my pager. Only he’ll need to message me to arrive home if that were to happen. I told him we didn’t need back-up, but he was insistent. He said if it got too heavy, I was to act a bit pissed and pretend I’d invited a couple of lads back from the pub.’

  Scratch scrambled underneath the cupboard below the sink, lifted the false bottom and handed Sam her pager. ‘Shit!’ she mumbled as the buzzer sounded. ‘Right, get in your room and I’ll flick the switch on. Oh, and play some music so he knows you can’t hear us. But not too loud, obviously.’

  Scratch said a silent prayer as she flicked on that switch. If she fucked this up, not only would she lose Hunter’s respect, that piss-taker Banksy would never let her live it down.

  The buzzer sounding hadn’t been Tommy, it had been a pizza delivery by somebody who’d got the address wrong.

  Scratch sat in the lounge, her heart beating wildly. She’d been filmed on other undercover operations, but never with her own team watching her. She wasn’t sure if it was that or the fact she was trying to set up Tommy that was making her feel physically sick.

  Thankfully, the only camera was in the lounge, hidden in the plant pot, so Scratch went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. She needed to get a grip, swiftly.

  The buzzer sounding a second time made her jump. She answered it. ‘It’s me,’ a familiar voice said.

  Faking a smile, Scratch opened the door to him. ‘This is a nice surprise, Tommy.’

  Tommy put his arms around Scratch and held her close to his chest. ‘I’m in bits, babe. I’ve been done up like a kipper. Those Darlings ain’t to be fucking trusted.’

  The whole flat was wired for sound, but Scratch led Tommy into the lounge where the camera was. She could tell her first love was extremely inebriated, but knew from past experience that the drunker a man was, the more liable he was to spill his guts. ‘Sit down, Tom. I’ll get us a drink. Then you can tell me all about it.’

  ‘Is that your mate playing Bowie? I can’t listen to it. It reminds me of – ya know.’

  Scratch put her head around Sam’s door. ‘You going out for a drink, Lee?’

  ‘Er, yeah.’

  ‘Cool. Turn the music off, will ya?’

  Lee said a quick hello to Tommy, then left the flat.

  Tommy drank a can of lager before explaining to Scratch what had happened earlier. He looked dishevelled, had stains on his white shirt and he smelled of sweat, brandy and the salt and vinegar you got on chip-shop chips.

  Scratch couldn’t help but feel sorry for Tommy. ‘Will you go back to work with them?’

  ‘Nah. Once that trust is gone, it’s gone. I’ve got a few quid stashed away. I can live on that while I decide what I’m gonna do next.’

  ‘You still gonna see Robbie?’

  ‘No fucking point, is there? I’m not even related to him. That poor little mite’s gonna be devastated when he learns the truth, and I’m going to make sure that bitch tells him. I don’t want him to think I’ve deserted him.’

  ‘You said the Darlings weren’t to be messed with, Tommy. Say they come after you?’

  ‘Tough shit. We got many secrets between us. They know I’ll never grass as I’d only be dobbing myself in it. Jack ain’t stupid. That’s why he made me do stuff over the years.’

  Scratch held Tommy’s hand. ‘God Tommy. What did Jack make you do?’

  ‘Loads of stuff. Heavy shit.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘You know I’d tell you anything babe, but I also want to protect you. I don’t want you to think badly of me.’

  ‘Tommy Boyle.’ Scratch took a deep breath. ‘You are the love of my life, we’ve lived through all the shit the care homes could throw at us, we are in this together.’

  ‘It’s bad though, I can see now I was only a pawn in their game. Jack would’ve hated Donna getting up the spout by a Turk. Hence silly bollocks ’ere being forced to marry the slut. So yeah, I did what they needed me to do. I’ve also had to dismember bodies and all fucking sorts. I’ve shot a man in the head for them, I thought they were my fucking family Scratch. But I want out. All I want out of life now is an ordinary job, an ordinary life and you.’

  When Tommy leaned in to kiss her, Scratch responded. They were getting somewhere at last.

  ‘Can I stay here tonight? On the sofa,
of course. I haven’t got anywhere else to go.’

  ‘Erm, yeah. But you’ll have to leave when I go out in the morning. I’ve arranged to go shopping with the girls from work.’

  ‘That’s fine. Thanks.’

  Scratch cracked open another couple of beers. ‘So come on, spill the beans, why were you running round the East End killing every Tom, Dick and Harry?’

  ‘It weren’t only me. We all did it. And it wasn’t anyone Scratch, you don’t understand. It was the geezers who got on the wrong side of Jack, who threatened the family. It was all about the family.’

  ‘Did Jack get his hands dirty too then, or just get you to chop ’em up?’

  ‘No. He killed most of ’em, then we had to do the honours and get rid of the bodies.’

  ‘Oh Tommy. What were their names?’

  ‘You wouldn’t know any of ’em. They were from the other side of the water.’

  ‘How did you do it?’

  ‘Burnt ’em, then buried ’em. Can we talk about something else? I’m depressed enough as it is.’

  ‘Yeah, course. What do you want to talk about?’

  Tommy locked eyes with Scratch. ‘Us. Now I’m officially single, will you be my girl?’

  Scratch smiled. ‘Yes. But I will need to take things slowly.’

  ‘I get that. I swear to you though, I would never let you down again. Biggest mistake of my life that was. You’re not only my soulmate; you’re my best friend too.’

  Lee came home at eleven and went straight to bed. Tommy was understandably angry and as the evening entered the early hours he told Scratch that Ronnie was uncontrollable at times and had recently killed his one-time best pal because he’d started working for a rival firm. ‘He was a good lad was Griff. He didn’t fucking deserve to die. Got two little kiddies an’ all. Bang out of order, Ronnie was.’

  ‘It sounds as if getting away from that family is the best thing you can do, Tommy. Say they try to kill you for walking away though?’

  Tommy shrugged. ‘That’s a chance I’ll have to take. I’ll go and see Jack later, tell him my decision. I’d rather part on good terms. For all their faults, that family took me in and treated me like one of their own.’