Christmas to Come: a heartbreaking coming of age saga set in London's East End

by Carol Rivers

  Then suddenly a a hard object jerked into Lenny's ribs and his grip around Micky's throat loosened. The next second, Micky was pushing a gun in his face. 'Get off me, you bastard,' croaked Micky breathlessly. 'You nearly choked the life out of me.'

  ''I meant to,' Lenny muttered as he rose to his feet.

  'I thought you was in clink,' Micky rasped, keeping the hand gun aimed at Lenny's face while hauling himself up.

  Lenny stepped in front of Gina, spreading out his arms as he stared ferociously at Micky. 'No, what you thought or rather hoped, was that I was dead like that poor bastard, Milo.'

  'I never laid a finger on him,' Micky protested.

  'Course you didn't,' Lenny sneered. 'You got someone else to do your dirty work for you.'

  'How do you know that?' Micky gasped, coughing as he rubbed his throat.

  'Word gets round quick in the jug and there was whole dossiers on Micky Bryant. You've carved up half the blokes in there for one reason or another. Someone's going to nab you if McNee doesn't get you first.'

  Micky visibly paled at this. 'McNee is just a loser, anyway.'

  Lenny had always suspected that Micky was heavily in debt to the notorious villain - big time. Now, as he stared into the depths of Micky's manic eyes, he saw another truth. 'I suppose, after putting the finger on Milo, you would've come after me too, if I wasn't sent down?'

  Micky raised the gun. 'It ain't too late, is it?'

  'Use that thing and it's the end of the line,' Lenny threatened calmly. 'I wrote everything down. It's all on paper, tucked nicely away in a deposit box with Old Bill's name on it, should anything should happen to me. Every last detail right back to the still. The Strattons, the Manor and the money. And what you did to Terry.'

  Lenny watched his words slowly take effect. Micky's eyes sprang about in his head, a nutter if there ever was one, borderline crazy. Lenny could feel his legs trembling as the gun wavered up and down in Micky's hand. 'Get out,' he snarled jerking his head towards the street. 'Me and Gina won't grass on you. You are Ronnie's brother and Bella's husband. Family. And that counts with us. You've got one chance here, Micky. And this is it. You've had your chips if you pull that trigger. The cops will make mincemeat of you.'

  Lenny braced himself. Micky was madder than the proverbial hatter. The shooter was waving everywhere. His real concern was Gina. He didn't care about himself. Perhaps he could throw himself on Micky before the bullet left the barrel?

  Then suddenly, the door opened behind them. Two young kids stood there and Lenny closed his eyes. Christ, this could be a bloodbath. When he opened them, Micky was running and the young people just stood there with their mouths hanging open as he hurtled past them.

  'Far out man,' the kid grinned as the car parked outside began to roar off.

  'Not far enough if you ask me,' Lenny muttered, taking the boy's arm and guiding the couple back into the street. 'Forget what you've seen, right? It was just a misunderstanding.'

  'You want us to hang around?' the boy said, looking up at Lenny with admiration.

  Lenny grinned and shook his head. 'No, thanks, mate. We're closing now. The action's over for the day.'

  After they'd gone, Lenny locked the door and turned to Gina who was holding onto the counter. 'I ... I can't believe what just happened,' she stammered, her usually strong voice very weak. 'Is it you, Lenny? My Lenny?'

  'It's me,' he said softly, almost afraid to touch her. 'Sorry if I gave you a fright.'

  Gina swayed and put her hand to her head. 'Jees, Lenny, Micky nearly put a bullet in you tonight.'

  'He didn't have the balls.'

  'Perhaps not, but you took a big chance.' She looked him up and down as if she had just realized what he was wearing. 'Don't tell me you're a bloody bus conductor?'

  'No,' he said with a grin. 'I'm the driver.'

  Lenny didn't know what would happen next. Either way, she hadn't immediately turfed him out. In Lenny's book, it was a definite result as he waited more nervous now than when Micky has stuck the shooter in his face.

  But what he didn't expect was her laughter, her body quivering as she threw back her head and gave vent to the amusement she felt at either escaping death or discovering he was now a fully paid up member of the human race.

  Lenny moved forward and caught her as she fell into his arms, and together they were laughing, hugging and kissing, until at last they realised they had an approving audience still outside the coffee bar window.

  A year had gone by already, Ronnie reflected as he looked at the bunch of white roses. Tomorrow, Tuesday, was Joyce's anniversary. He'd bought the roses today and put them in the bowl in the sink to keep fresh. Meanwhile, he kept himself busy. Not that he was home much, but he remembered to clean the grate now and then, push a cloth round occasionally and wash up the dishes. As soon as tomorrow was over he was going to –

  His thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the telephone rang. He went into the hall and answered it. Two minutes later he was dragging on his coat and rushing down to the airey.

  He banged on the door. 'Bella, Bella, are you there?'

  After a while, he heard the bolt go and Bella was there, staring at him, fear filling her eyes.

  'Thank God for that.' He felt relief flow through him, until he glanced over her shoulder, praying he wouldn't see Micky.

  'Are you alone?' he queried softly.

  'Michael's over at Teresa's. Why? Is something wrong?' She looked alarmed, her face drawn and ashen under her auburn waves. He hadn't noticed before, but she seemed to have lost weight.

  'I'm afraid Micky's in trouble.'

  Bella took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she asked him in and they sat down together on the couch. 'Is it to do with the fire?' she said anxiously.

  'What fire?' He frowned, more confused than ever.

  'Ron, I should have told you but that Inspector Reynolds called round on Boxing Day. There was a fire at this place called Downey Manor. Lady Downey perished and they found a receipt for a car signed by Micky a few weeks before Terry died. They're investigating the link.'

  'Why in heaven's name didn't you say?'

  'You had enough to think about. And it might not have come to anything - '

  'I'm afraid it has,' he interrupted her sharply. 'Are the cops sure it was Micky's signature? That he was there?'

  'Yes, they went to the garage and checked the dates. The inspector also told me that Milo was killed in an accident a little while after it was sold.'

  Ronnie shook his head bewilderedly. 'I don't know what this is all about but we've got to get over to Gina's. Micky was there earlier and tried to rob her.'

  Bella stared at him in disbelief. 'Oh no! Is she all right?'

  'According to Lenny, yes.' Ronnie put up his hand when he saw her surprise at the mention of Lenny's name. 'I'll tell you the rest in the car. Can you tell Daisy to watch out for Michael?'

  'Yes, but I don't understand what's going on.'

  'That makes two of us.' Ronnie had a feeling that they were about to find out.

  The coffee bar was in darkness so Ronnie and Bella took the lane leading down to the yard. Gina was waiting for them at the open back door. She fell into Bella's arms.

  'Oh, love, are you hurt?' Bella asked as they went inside.

  'I'll live, girl,' Gina responded shakily. 'Thanks to Lenny.'

  Lenny was sitting at the small plastic table in the storeroom surrounded by crates and boxes. He wore a navy blue uniform under a greatcoat and Bella thought he looked much older now as his thick black hair had turned grey. He stood up when he saw them, an embarrassed smile on his face. 'Hello, Bella. Ron.'

  'Lenny!' She threw her arms round him. 'Where have you been all this time?'

  He hugged her gently and shook Ron's hand. 'It's a bit of a long story.'

  Gina laughed without humour. 'You can say that again.'

  Bella didn't ask any questions. All she wanted to hear was that Micky hadn't harmed her friend or
stolen any money. 'Are you really all right, Gina?'

  'Yes, apart from a lump on my jaw thanks to Micky. The maniac came bursting in, said he wanted everything note I had in the till. Of course I told him to sling his hook. The next thing I knew I was on the floor.'

  Bella looked down. 'Oh, Gina, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault.'

  'How can it be, love?'

  'Micky's been acting strange, you see,' Bella began but Gina waved this away.

  'He's always behaved bloody strange.'

  'Gina, if I'd given him some money he would never have come here and - '

  'Look,' Gina said, interrupting Bella gently, 'let's sit down and take the weight off our feet. Better not go in the front as someone will knock on the window and want to come in.'

  Ronnie unstacked the plastic chairs and they all positioned themselves around the table. 'Right, you first, Bells,' said Gina.

  'Well, for some while Micky's been short of money,' she explained. 'He told me he's in debt to McNee.' She looked at Ronnie. 'I'm sorry to spring this on you Ron, but it's true. Micky came here because I don't keep any money at home because he took some off me before.' She turned to Gina. 'It belonged to the business you see, but I sold my jewellery and managed to put it all back.'

  'You poor cow,' Gina said sadly. 'You needn't have done that.'

  ' I thought keeping quiet was the best thing to do at the time.'

  Gina sighed. 'Well, it's been a night of surprises, so one more don't make any difference. The biggest one being him.' She flashed a dark glance at Lenny. 'When your old man was about to stuff his pockets with our hard earned takings, this one appeared and grabbed him by the throat.'

  Everyone looked at Lenny. 'I was standing over the road,' he said lamely.

  'Doing what?' Ronnie enquired.

  Lenny looked down at his hands. 'I come here to watch the coffee bar sometimes. After everyone's gone like, when it's closing time. I don't do nothing, just watch, see how she's getting on.'

  'So it was you who Gina saw before?' Bella murmured.

  'Yeah, but I didn't have the guts to come in.' Lenny glanced nervously at Gina. 'Thought she'd send me off with a flea in me ear.'

  'Too right I would after the way you buggered off,' Gina said angrily.

  'Go on,' Ronnie interrupted. 'What happened next?'

  'Like Gina says, Micky turned up and decked Gina. I lost my rag, run over and would most likely have throttled him if he hadn't stuck this shooter in my face.'

  Bella gasped, horrified. 'A gun?'

  Lenny nodded. 'I told him that if he pulled the trigger the shit would hit the fan as I'd written everything down on paper for Old Bill to find.'

  'What do you mean everything?' Bella said looking from one to the other.

  Gina lifted her eyes. 'Go on, Lenny, you'd better tell them what you told me.'

  Bella listened to Lenny speak in a low, halting tones as he described how Micky had organized a robbery and got Terry, Milo, Lenny and another man to help him to rob a country house in Downey Wood. When Lenny explained about the safe and the counterfeit notes she knew it was true as Detective Inspector Reynolds had already told her about the forged money. But when Lenny came to the part about Terry being shot, tears filled her eyes.

  'How could you let that happen, Lenny?'

  'I swear I didn't know Terry was coming on the job. Micky sprung it on us.'

  Bella sniffed back her tears. 'You should have stopped him somehow.'

  Lenny wiped his own eyes. 'I know. I'm sorry girl, I really am.'

  'What good is sorry now?' Gina demanded. 'It's too late for remorse.'

  For a moment everyone was silent.

  'What made you do the job in the first place?' Ronnie asked as Lenny tried to compose himself. 'I would have thought after the still you'd learned your lesson.'

  'I dunno,' Lenny said miserably. 'Micky took me to this coal yard that was for sale. Said it could be mine if I helped him nick some money from this old girl's safe. He said when I bought the coal yard it would prove to Gina that I could be successful. And I was daft enough to believe him.'

  'Daft is not the word,' Gina said as her eyes flashed accusingly. 'I can think of a few better ones.'

  Lenny shook his head wearily. 'I was all mixed up with what Micky kept telling me.'

  'So you're putting the blame on him?'

  'No, course not.' Lenny's head sunk lower. 'I've no one else to blame, only myself.'

  'What a fool you are!' Gina exclaimed, red spots of anger on her cheeks.

  'What mystifies me,' Ronnie said wearily, 'is how you all got away with it.'

  Lenny swallowed and cuffed his nose. 'Micky said we'd never be rumbled if we swapped straight money for funny money. He knew a bloke that printed it. An Alfred someone.'

  'Where is this Alfred now?'

  'Not got a clue, Ron.' Lenny lifted his hands. 'He was a bit of a shrewd operator, I reckon.'

  Bella dried her tears. Now she was angry. How could Micky do such a thing? He'd kept quiet all through the investigation and had taken Terry on what was a mission to either death or imprisonment. 'Do you know who it was that shot Terry?' she managed to ask.

  'It was like the police thought. A poacher or someone. There was a couple of shots as if someone was after animals.'

  'What did Micky mean about Milo?' Gina asked.

  Lenny drew his hands over his face. 'Milo was the driver. Micky promised him a bundle, but in the end, only bunged him a few quid and they had a blooming great row. Milo threatened to expose Micky. The next I heard Milo was dead.'

  'Inspector Reynolds told me it was a road accident,' Bella said, so shocked she could barely speak.

  'Did Micky put the finger on Milo?' Ronnie asked bluntly.

  Lenny looked straight at him. 'You'll have to make up your own mind on that one, Ron.'

  Looking pale and angry, his grey eyes full of sadness, Ronnie shook his head. 'You are a fool, Lenny, but it's Micky who has to answer for all this.'

  'What are we going to do?' Gina wondered aloud.

  Ronnie stood up. 'He'll be at one of the clubs. I'll try the Fortune first.'

  'I'm going with you.' Bella rose too, trying to grapple with the painful truth that made Micky not only a thief and a liar, but a murderer too.

  'No, way!' Ronnie's refusal was final. 'Michael needs you now. Lenny, lock up after we go and don't open the door to anyone.'

  Gina drew Bella to her. 'Do as Ronnie says. Take care of yourself and the boy,' she whispered in her ear.

  Bella sat quietly in the car as Ronnie drove back to Piper Street. She was afraid, desperately afraid. Not for herself, but for Ron. Would he find Micky and what would happen then? Ron's face was set, as if he had made up his mind to do something terrible. If only she could speak to Micky first and try to talk a bit of sense into his head.

  Chapter 30

  Bella watched Ronnie drive away down Piper Street. The night was very still, despite the light showers of rain and inside Daisy's house she could hear Michael and the girls' laughter drifting from the top window. She knocked on the door.

  Daisy smiled as she opened it wide. 'Come in. The children are playing upstairs.'

  Bella stood in the hallway. It was a house just like their own with two floors above ground and one below. A pleasant smell of cooking was coming from the kitchen and Daisy's husband Leonard strolled out, his tall, lean frame clad in a pair of dungarees. He was a dustman and often brought home things for the house, hence every corner was filled with an ornament of some kind.

  'Hello Len.' Bella smiled.

  'Wotcher, girl.'

  Daisy frowned when she saw Bella's strained face. ''What's happened?' she asked when they were alone in the front room.

  'I'll tell you later, Daisy. But could I ask a favour?'

  'Course you can.'

  Bella hesitated, as she knew that Ronnie would be annoyed if she followed him. But she couldn't help herself. She had to see Micky.

  'Would you have Mic
hael a bit longer? I wouldn't ask, but I must do something important.'

  'That's not a favour, it's a pleasure. But it's you I'm worried about. You look dreadful. Would you like some supper first?'

  Bella shook her head. 'No, thanks all the same.'

  They went to the front door. Daisy patted her shoulder. 'Don't worry about Michael. He can always sleep on the put-u-up.'

  It was beginning to rain as Bella took the car keys from her purse. There was a heavy, tense feeling in her stomach as she climbed in and began the drive to Soho.

  Bella was driving along the Tottenham Court Road, recalling the night she had spent here with Micky. She had wanted him too much to care about their squalid surroundings. He was everything to her and her love knew no bounds. What had happened to them over the years? Micky had watched her grieve over Terry and admitted to nothing. How could he have led Terry into danger and left his body in a wood?

  Bella parked the car near Wardour Street, tears pricking at her eyes. All the memories came flowing back of the night Micky brought her to the Fortune. She had thought they were going to see The Barefoot Contessa and had worn her new blue dress for the occasion.

  The club had been a big disappointment. Was it still as seedy as it had been all those years ago? Everywhere she looked now, the buildings were old and dirty. The gutters were overflowing and the neon lights of the gambling clubs and strip joints reflected in the water. Couples stood on corners and smoked cigarettes in the rain touting for custom. They stared at her as she passed by and some made remarks. How could Micky ever want to be in a place like this?

  The Fortune looked even dirtier and smaller than she remembered it. As old and disreputable as all the other clubs in the street. Posters of naked women were peeling off the walls and water plopped noisily from the broken pipes. A man in a shabby suit stood outside.