by Sam Michaels
Charlotte knocked on the familiar back door of the pub. ‘Please be alive, Tobias,’ she murmured, her legs jigging.
Mr Rowland came to the door and eyed her up and down. ‘If you’ve come begging, you can sling your hook,’ he said and went to close the door.
‘No, I’m looking for Tobias,’ Charlotte said with urgency.
‘He ain’t here so bugger off.’
‘I’m his, erm, friend. Where is he?’
‘Ain’t you heard? He’s been nicked. You won’t be seeing Tobias for a very long time.’
With that, the door was slammed in Charlotte’s face and she was left feeling some relief – at least Tobias wasn’t dead. But he’d be of no use to her now. She was penniless, and her stomach grumbled with hunger pains. She stood staring at the back door. What was she to do? It felt hopeless. She couldn’t even go and beg on the steps outside Clapham Junction railway station like her mother had done. It would be too risky as someone would be bound to see her.
Deflated, Charlotte turned around and saw the dustbin she’d once hidden behind. She lifted the lid and peered inside, searching for anything edible. But there was nothing, just an awful stench. She slammed the lid back down and leaned against the cold brick wall before sliding down to sit on the ground. Hugging her knees to her chest and feeling very sorry for herself, she hung her head and sobbed.
She had no doubt that Georgina had been behind Tobias getting arrested. And he’d probably got a good hiding too. She didn’t like to imagine what would happen if Georgina found her. It wasn’t safe in Battersea. She’d have to move on, but where?
Charlotte dried her tears on the cuff of her cardigan and pushed herself to her feet. The sooner she got away, the better, she thought, and walked towards Battersea Bridge. She’d crossed the Thames before when she’d been looking for a friend. She’d thought she’d found one in Daphne but that friendship had been short-lived. Maybe she’d have better luck this time. Maybe she’d find a friend, someone like Tobias who’d look after her. Someone to offer her a home. Someone who’d never heard of Georgina bloody Garrett!
*
Benjamin leaned across the table to Aubrey and in a hushed voice, said, ‘Look at this,’ and held a large diamond-encrusted bracelet in the flat of his hand.
Aubrey picked it up, his brown eyes owl-like. ‘It’s beautiful, dahling,’ he gushed and draped it across his wrist.
‘I know and worth a pretty penny.’
‘From your father’s jewellery shop?’ Aubrey asked.
‘No, but my father will be trading it for me. It’s s gift, from Georgina.’
‘Well, I say, you do have an extremely generous boss. What did you do to deserve such a thing?’
‘Nothing much. I merely gave her a bit of information.’
‘It must have been valuable information.’
‘It was. You remember I told you about my father’s uncle’s cousin twice removed who tried to rip my father off by selling him lead bars dipped in gold?’
‘Yes, but your father was too astute to fall for it.’
‘That’s right. He’s getting on a bit but he still has all his faculties about him. But the whole thing really upset my dad. He’s always believed in family loyalty so it bothered him that a relative would do that to him.’
‘I should think it did, but your father’s uncle’s cousin twice removed is hardly a close relative.’
‘That’s not the point, Aubrey. It’s still family, though that side are staunch Orthodox.’
‘If you say so.’
‘I do. But considering they showed no respect for family ties, I decided I wouldn’t either.’
‘What did you do?’ Aubrey asked, sounding intrigued.
‘I told Georgina about where they’d be doing business and she arranged to, let’s say, intercept the goods.’
‘Oh, Benny, baby, you were the brains behind a robbery. How thrilling.’
‘Shush, I don’t want anyone knowing.’
‘Of course, dahling, my lips are sealed, except for drinking champagne. Talking of which,’ Aubrey said, and looked behind him before calling for Ivy. ‘Bring us another bottle, there’s a sweetie,’ he told her.
‘Georgina didn’t tell me what happened but I read about it in the papers and it seems the incident was quite brutal.’
‘Are you regretting your actions now, Benny? Surely this stunning bracelet eases your guilt?’
‘No, I don’t feel any remorse but what does that say about me?’ Benjamin asked, wondering if working for Georgina and witnessing violence, fraud and deception was beginning to rub off on him.
‘Oh, Benny, you’re so sensitive. These men would have been laughing had they had gotten away with selling your father fake gold bars. You’ve every right to protect your loved ones. Now forget about it and do me a favour.’
‘What?’
‘Go and ask that nice young man over there if he’d like to dance with me. I’m feeling rather playful this evening.’
Benjamin smiled at his friend and took back the bracelet. ‘Looks like he’s coming across to ask you,’ Benjamin replied as the blond-haired tall man sidled towards them.
Benjamin left his friend to flirt with the good-looking man and went to help Ivy serve behind the bar.
‘How’s Miss G?’ she asked.
‘Not herself at all. Her joy has gone – it’s quite sad to see.’
‘It’s early days. Lash ain’t been dead a month. She’ll cheer up, eventually.’
‘I do hope so, Ivy. She doesn’t seem to have any passion for anything anymore. She spends more time at home than in the office. It can’t be good for her, all alone surrounded by Lash’s things.’
‘She’s not alone. Victor is with her.’
‘I know but he hardly speaks. I suppose it would be better if Alfie was home but she won’t have him back until she knows who killed Lash.’
‘I can’t say I blame her. Do you think she’s any closer to finding out?’
‘I’ve no idea. She never tells me anything until after the event. But if she is… if she knows who murdered her husband… well, I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes.’
17
Guy Fawkes had passed and December was approaching. Jack sat twiddling his thumbs. He’d spent his whole life thieving for a living. Ducking and diving and doing dodgy deals to keep a roof over his family’s head and food in their stomachs. So it felt odd to be sat in an office overseeing Lash’s printing business. He didn’t know the first thing about typesetting or how the machines worked but young Brian had given him an overview. Without him, Jack thought he might have made himself look a bit of a dunce in front of the small workforce.
Georgina had asked him to step in and keep an eye on the printing press but with Brian managing the place, there wasn’t much for him to do. He sat back in Lash’s office chair and crossed his legs with his feet resting on the desk. So, this was what it was like to go straight, he thought, boring. There was no need for him to steal anymore but he enjoyed the thrill of it. Not that he relished the idea of getting caught and doing time again. Once in prison was enough. But anything was better than sitting here and twiddling his thumbs.
Jack closed his eyes. He didn’t ’alf fancy a pint but had vowed to Georgina that he’d never drink again. And she had enough on her plate at the moment. She never said much but he could see she was bereft since Lash’s funeral. It had been over a month ago but his grieving daughter had become quiet and withdrawn and even more snappy than usual. He wished he could take away her pain and make it his own.
‘Sleeping on the job,’ Brian said.
Jack opened his eyes to see the young man grinning at him. ‘There’s not much else to do here. You’ve got it all running smoothly.’
‘Does that mean I can have a pay rise?’
‘Sod off, you cheeky beggar, you’ve already had one. But keep up the good work and you might get a bonus.’
‘I will, thanks, Jack. And can you pass on my gratitude to Mis
s Garrett? Thanks to her, I ain’t gotta go to the army training camp.’
‘You don’t fancy yourself as a soldier then?’
‘No, not me. I had enough of being told what to do in the kids’ home. I couldn’t be doing with some stuck-up officer expecting me to jump when he says.’
‘Don’t blame you, Son. I saw the state of a lot of the men who survived the Great War and they never got no thanks for fighting for the King. Take my advice and stay well away.’
‘I will, Jack.’
‘I suppose I might as well get off. There’s no point in me hanging around and doing nothing.’
‘All right, see ya tomorrow.’
Jack stood up, picked up his jacket from the back of the chair and threw it over his shoulder as he whistled a happy tune. The weather outside was mild for November and he was glad to be out in the fresh air and away from the stuffy office and noise of the machines. He was about to jump on a bus and head home to Clapham but decided he’d call in to see Georgina first. It was early afternoon but she hadn’t been spending as much time in her office lately, favouring her bed. It wasn’t like her – she was normally such a fighter – but losing Lash had hit her hard. He’d watched helplessly as, since the funeral, his daughter had gone downhill. Her despondency was becoming a worry and Jack thought he’d give her a good talking-to. She had to pull herself out of the doldrums before Alfie came back from his stay with Lash’s family, though Georgina had said she’d written and told them to keep the boy for a while longer.
En route, Jack called into Mrs Peterson’s shop and bought the biggest bar of chocolate the woman stocked. Georgina had always had a sweet tooth but he knew it would take more than a treat to put a smile back on her face.
When he turned into her street, he saw her car outside and after letting himself in, wasn’t surprised when Victor told him Georgina was in her room. He crept up the stairs and tapped lightly on her door.
‘Georgina, it’s me, sweetheart. Can I come in?’
‘I’m sleeping,’ she called back.
‘Well, you obviously ain’t unless you’re talking in your sleep and I’ve got a little something for you.’
‘Please, Dad, I’m tired.’
Jack ignored her plea and gently pushed the door open, looking through to see the top of his daughter’s head on the pillow, the rest of her huddled underneath the eiderdown.
‘Go away, Dad,’ she mumbled.
‘Sorry, can’t do that,’ he replied and plonked himself down on the edge of her bed. ‘I’ve brought chocolate,’ he said in a teasing voice.
Georgina sighed heavily and pulled the covers from her face. When Jack saw her, he could see she’d been crying and his heart ached for her.
‘Oh, sweetheart, this ain’t healthy for you,’ he said, soothingly.
‘Just leave me be, please, Dad.’
‘Look, I know you think I’m just your silly old man, but I do understand what you’re going through. I was in bits when your mother died. It knocked me for six, it really did. But I had you to think about and your gran would never have allowed me to wallow in me bed.’
‘I’m not wallowing, I’m just…’
‘What?’
‘All right, I suppose I am wallowing.’
‘Well, enough’s enough. Get up, get dressed and wash your face. That’ll be a start.’
‘I can’t, Dad. I can’t face the world right now.’
‘Oh, Georgina, you’re the strongest and bravest person I know. There’s nothing you can’t do. There’s a war on, sweetheart, and there’s gonna be thousands of women left without their husbands. But they can’t all take to their beds or the country will fall apart. You have to get up and deal with it. It might sound hard, but that’s what your gran would have told you.’
Georgina huffed and pulled the covers back over her face.
‘I ain’t budging ’til you sort yourself out,’ he said firmly as it seemed the gentle approach with his daughter wasn’t working.
‘You don’t know the half of it,’ she replied scathingly, her voice muffled by the covers.
‘Then tell me. Tell me what’s got you like this.’
Jack was stunned when he heard Georgina sobbing and the bed rocked up and down as her body jerked with anguish.
‘You’re worrying me now, Georgina. I ain’t never seen you like this. What’s going on?’
Slowly, she pulled back the covers and Jack could see pain and fear in her violet eyes.
‘Talk to me,’ he urged.
Georgina pushed herself up so she was sitting, and leaned back against the heavy oak headboard. Her puffy eyes glistened with tears and she drew in juddering breaths.
‘Kevin Kelly murdered Lash,’ she said.
‘Jesus Christ. You’re positive?’
‘Yes. He told me… At Lash’s funeral.’
‘Oh, sweetheart, what a time to find out something like that! And you obviously want to pay him back for what he’s done. Have you organised something?’
‘Yes,’ Georgina sniffed. ‘But I’ve messed up. I sent Wayne Warner there to do it.’
‘Fatso from the Vauxhall mob?’
‘Yeah, him.’
‘Bleedin’ ’eck, I don’t reckon much on his chances. Why didn’t you speak to Lash’s family? They’ve already dealt with Kelly once and would do it again.’
‘I had to organise it for myself, and anyhow, they’ve got Alfie to protect. I won’t have them involved whilst my son is with them. There could be reprisals, I won’t risk it,’ Georgina answered, her mouth set in a grim line. ‘But Wayne… he’s dead and Kelly is still alive, probably coming for me next. Kelly knows I sent Wayne to Liverpool to kill him. He isn’t going to let me get away with it. He’s killed Lash, now Wayne and I’ll be next.’
‘Hang on, slow down. How do you know Wayne is dead?’
‘I received a package. It was on the steps outside my office… Oh, Dad, it was awful. Wayne’s foot was in the box. I knew it was his foot ’cos of the bullet hole.’
‘Bloody hell, that’s harsh. Cor blimey, what a mess,’ Jack said, repulsed at the thought of Wayne’s foot in a box and seething inside that his daughter had to witness something so grotesque.
‘And that ain’t all,’ Georgina said, lowering her head, then quietly added, ‘I’m pregnant.’
It took a moment for her words to sink in and Jack hoped his daughter thought it was a good thing. ‘Pregnant… that’s wonderful, sweetheart, isn’t it?’
‘It would be… if I knew for sure that I was carrying Lash’s child and not Kevin Kelly’s.’
Georgina began to cry again and before Jack could clarify what she meant, she sobbed, ‘He raped me. He raped me at Lash’s funeral…’
Jack felt an uncontrollable anger rise through his body. He jumped to his feet and paced the room. ‘I’ll kill him,’ he seethed. ‘I’ll kill the bastard.’
‘No, please, Dad. You can’t get involved. I couldn’t cope if I lost you too.’
He spun round and looked at his devastated daughter. He’d promised Sissy he’d always look after their child. Huh, he thought, a fine job he’d done of that! He’d let his daughter and his dear beloved wife down. ‘I won’t let that fucking animal get away with this,’ he ground out.
‘God, Dad, I wish I’d never told you now. Don’t you think I’ve got enough to be worrying about without you being a hero? Leave it. I’ll get it sorted.’
‘Leave it… How can I leave it? Look what he’s done to you. Look at the state of you! How fucking dare he lay his filthy hands on my girl!’
Georgina heaved in a long breath, then let out a long, howling cry.
The noise shocked Jack and he ran to her side. ‘I’m sorry, love, I’m just furious.’
‘I know,’ she said, ‘me too. I hate the thought that this could be Kelly’s child growing inside me. I want to cut the thing out of my body… but… but what if this is a part of Lash? Oh, Dad, I don’t know what to do.’
Again, Georgina fel
l apart and her tears flowed freely. All Jack could do was hold her as she cried, stroking her black hair and telling her everything would be all right. But it wouldn’t be. Nothing would be all right until Kevin Kelly no longer walked the earth. And now he understood the reason Georgina hadn’t gone to Lash’s family for help. For he, like her, felt killing Kelly was something he had to do for himself. He had to be sure the job was done properly.
*
Outside the Chelsea Theatre of Varieties, even though it stung, Charlotte smiled at a passing gentleman, hoping to catch his eye. But he threw her a look of disgust and walked on past. Just the same as many others had all evening. Not that she could blame them. She looked like a vagrant and her split lip and black eye did nothing to enhance her appeal. She knew her body odour didn’t smell fresh either. The chances of picking up a punter were slim. But with empty pockets and a raging hunger, she wouldn’t give up trying.
Charlotte touched her thick lip and could feel the scab had split again. She ran her tongue over the wound, tasting the metallic blood. She’d gained the injuries during a brawl with another prostitute. The older woman had gone for her, accusing Charlotte of muscling in on her patch. Charlotte had tried to defend herself but had run off battered and bruised when two other women had joined in against her. Now, she’d come to the theatre in the hope of richer pickings.
‘Got any spare change, sir?’ she asked, her palms upturned to a white-haired gentleman in a smart suit and coat.
‘No, young lady, I never carry cash, but I do have these rather fancy boiled sweets. You’re welcome to them. I’m afraid they may break my teeth,’ he answered with a kind smile and pulled the three sweets from his coat pocket.
‘Cor, thanks. I’m starving,’ Charlotte said and shoved them in her mouth so that her cheeks were bulging like a hamster.
‘You look like you’ve been in some trouble. Don’t you have a home to go to?’
Charlotte struggled to speak with her sore lip and mouth full but managed to say, ‘No. My mum died after me dad left us. Me younger brothers and sisters were taken into one of them homes but they wouldn’t have me seeing as I’m sixteen now.’