Shafted (35 page)

Folding her arms now, letting the woman know that she’d sussed her out and wasn’t playing the game, Tania said, ‘You can drop me off here. I’ll walk the rest of the way.’

Taking a shot in the dark, even though the girl looked so different now with long blonde instead of short black hair, and with a much more voluptuous figure, Georgie said, ‘It’s okay, Tania, we’re nearly there. It
is
Tania, isn’t it? Tania Baxter?’

Pursing her lips, Tania said, ‘You obviously know, so why play the innocent?’

‘I’m not playing anything,’ Georgie replied calmly. ‘I’m just interested to know about this relationship you claim to have had with Larry.’

‘Like I’d tell
you
,’ Tania retorted bluntly. ‘Do you even
know
him?’

‘Rather better than
you
do, I suspect,’ Georgie murmured.

‘Yeah, right,’ Tania sneered, looking her up and down. ‘Like he’s ever slept with an old bag like
you
.’

‘And he slept with you, did he?’ Pulling in to the kerb when they reached the first block of houses on the run-down estate, Georgie turned to look the girl in the eye. ‘Is that what you’re telling me?’

Grimacing now, sure that the woman was jealous, Tania reached for the door handle, saying, ‘I’m not telling you
anything
, you fucking weirdo.’

‘I’m his agent,’ Georgie informed her as she opened the door. ‘And it’s my duty to protect him from damaging stories.’

‘Yeah, but who protects him from
you
?’ Tania shot back. ‘Making out like you’ve got something going with him at your age. That’s just disgusting.’

Ignoring the childish insults, Georgie said, ‘Look, I know you’re upset with Larry because you think he snubbed you, but he genuinely didn’t remember you, so you shouldn’t take it personally.’

‘It
is
personal,’ Tania snapped. ‘Very personal, actually – not that it’s got anything to do with you.’

‘Maybe not, but I shouldn’t think his girlfriend would be too happy to hear you talking like this.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Tania scoffed. ‘Larry hasn’t got a girlfriend.’

‘Yes, dear, he has, and they’re very happy,’ Georgie insisted, wanting the girl to understand that it was futile to chase Larry. ‘Whatever you’ve been thinking would happen between you, I guarantee you it won’t,’ she went on kindly. ‘I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think you should put the dreams away and find yourself a nice boyfriend of your own age, because you’re a pretty girl, and you must have—’

Hissing ‘Get lost, you lying old bitch!’ Tania leapt furiously out of the car and flounced away down an alley between the houses.

Sighing, Georgie reached over and pulled the door shut. Doing a U-turn then, she set off for home, going over the conversation in her mind. Larry had always denied sleeping with that girl, and Tania’s own denials had backed him up at the time. But she was telling a different story now, and if it was true, then Georgie had unwittingly supported Larry through two years of lies – and she would not be pleased with him for deceiving her like that.

Tania’s bare arms and legs were covered in goose bumps as she stalked angrily through the estate, but a boiling pit of rage was simmering in her gut. Girlfriend? Since when did Larry have a fucking
girlfriend
? There had been nothing about it in any of the papers or magazines, and he hadn’t mentioned it in any of his radio or TV interviews either. And she’d have known if he had, because she’d read, listened to, and watched every single one.

There had been plenty of pictures of him coming out of parties and clubs with women since he’d got back on telly after getting attacked by that criminal. But Tania hadn’t been worried about them, because – just like before – it had never been the same one twice, and she put them down to his needing sex while he was waiting to get back with her. But the word
girlfriend
implied something more serious than a one-night stand, and that bothered her. If it was true, and he’d given up waiting for her and let some other bitch into his life, he’d be sorry.

Very, very sorry.

Yanking the heavy communal door open when she reached her block of flats, Tania marched past the gang who were hanging about in the stairwell with her nose in the air. Yelling ‘Fuck off!’ when one of them called after her, asking if she fancied a shag, she hurried up the next two flights. Key already in hand in case they followed her, she jabbed it into the lock when she reached her door and had just stepped inside when the lads caught up with her.

Gritting her teeth when she saw that the leader, Chappo, had stuck his foot in the door, Tania stuck a defiant fists-on-hips pose and said, ‘What do you want?’

‘An apology,’he drawled, smiling slyly.‘Not nice being told to fuck off when you ain’t done nothing.’

‘You started it,’ she retorted indignantly. ‘’Cos it’s not very nice being asked for a shag like that, either, you know.’

‘You wasn’t so fussy last week,’ Chappo said, sucking on his spliff and blowing the smoke into her face. ‘So, you letting us in, or what?’

‘Or what,’ she said, trying to close the door. Furious when he didn’t move his foot, she said, ‘Look, just piss off, Chappo. I can’t be doing with stupidness tonight. I’ve got a raging headache, and I need to go to bed.’

‘Don’t let me stop you,’ he quipped, trawling his gaze down her body now, leering at her breasts and her pierced belly button, which was on display in the uncovered section between the hem of the top and the waistband of her short skirt. ‘Where’ve you been, all tarted up like that, anyhow? You look like a right slag.’

Wanting to punch him, but resisting because she knew full well that she’d get it right back, Tania folded her arms, letting him know that he wouldn’t be getting an invite into her bed again any time soon. She’d made that mistake once, practising to make sure that she was on form for Larry, but he’d been way too rough and crude for her liking, so she wouldn’t be repeating it.

‘You’re pissing me off now,’ Chappo said darkly as his mates sniggered behind him. ‘I’m talking to you, so the least you can do is fucking answer. Think you’re too good for me now, or something?’

Knowing that she’d offended him, and that none of the neighbours would come to her aid if he kicked off, Tania was just wondering if she might have to give him what he wanted to get rid of him when her mobile phone began to ring. Jumping because she hadn’t expected it, she pulled it out of her purse and got a shock when she saw that it was her dad calling. Scared that something might be wrong with her mum, but more scared of what Chappo might do if she didn’t get rid of him, she answered the call as if she’d known it was coming.

‘Hi, Dad, you nearly here? Two minutes? Yeah, that’s fine. Just come straight up; the door’s open.’

Hopes of a shag dashed, Chappo gave her the two-finger down-pointed-gun salute, saying, ‘Catch you later, bitch.’ Then, jerking his head at his mates, he turned and walked away.

Sticking two fingers up at their backs, Tania shut the door and pushed the bolt firmly across, saying, ‘Sorry about that, Dad. I was trying to get rid of someone.’

‘Never mind “sorry”,’ Phil Baxter snapped back at her furiously. ‘I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours, Tania, but I don’t find you at all funny. And me and your mum don’t appreciate being woken up at this bloody time of the morning, either.’

‘Er,
you
rang
me
,’ Tania reminded him, walking through to her tiny living room and wrinkling her nose at the musty smell of damp wallpaper and soggy carpet. ‘Have you been having a nightmare, or something?’

‘Yeah, I’m having a flaming nightmare,’ her dad replied sharply. ‘Wondering what the hell you think you’re playing at, chasing after that bloody Logan again after all the trouble it caused last time.’

Frowning, Tania perched on the edge of the sofa, wondering how on earth he’d heard about her and Larry.

‘Well?’ her dad demanded. ‘What have you got to say for yourself?’

Irritated that he was talking to her like she was still a child, despite the fact that she was eighteen now
and
he’d kicked her out, forcing her to move into the first dump the council had offered her, Tania said, ‘I don’t have to explain myself to you. If I want to see Larry again, it’s my business.’

‘Don’t you bloody
dare
talk to me like that, you ungrateful little bitch!’ her dad yelled, audibly slapping his wife’s hand away when she reached out to try and calm him down. ‘You might not think it’ll affect us if you end up in the papers again, but the neighbours already think we’ve bred a slut and a liar, so what the hell do you think they’ll say when they see you acting like an idiot again?’

‘It might help if I knew what you were talking about,’ Tania retorted defensively.

‘That bloody reporter,’ her dad informed her tersely. ‘Turning up here at this time of the bloody night, trying to interview you. He’s lucky I didn’t do more than kick his arse off the path!’

‘Reporter?’ Tania repeated, excited to hear that she was being sought out by the press after running away from them earlier.

‘The same smarmy little shit who exposed you for what you really are the last time you made a bloody fool of yourself over Logan,’ her dad spat. ‘And I’m warning you now, Tania, if you—’

‘Did you get his number?’ Tania interrupted.

‘No, I bloody well didn’t! What the hell do you think I am, Tania? Your flaming secretary?’

‘Oh, thanks a lot, Dad!’ she snapped petulantly. ‘You’ve always hated me. If it was
Cindy
they were looking for, you’d have told them fast enough. But you’d do anything to stop me from getting anywhere.’

‘And where exactly do you think it’s going to get you if you keep getting yourself in the papers for being a stupid obsessed little girl who can’t leave well enough alone?’ her dad demanded. ‘If he wanted to know, he’d have kept in touch with you after that last nonsense.’

‘Who said he didn’t?’ Tania sniped, wanting to wipe the sneer out of his voice.

‘You’d better be lying,’ Phil Baxter said angrily. ‘If I find out he was messing around with you behind my back all along—’

‘You’ll what?’ Tania hissed. ‘I’m eighteen now. There’s nothing you can do to me. You can’t even
ground
me, and I bet that’s really killing you, ’cos you’re nothing but a big control freak and everyone hates you – even my mum, ’cos you’re a shit husband, and an even shittier dad!’

Hanging up then before her father had a chance to explode, she hurled her phone across the room, where it bounced off the wall and landed in three parts on the floor. Groaning, she dropped her face into her hands. Well, that was it: she’d totally burnt her bridges with her dad now. She just hoped she hadn’t got her mum into trouble by dragging her into it like that – even if it had been true. But it was her mum’s problem if she wanted to stick around and put up with him. Tania had escaped, and she had no intention of ever going back – not that he’d let her, but she wouldn’t even if she could. Now all she wanted to do was get herself to where she should be in life: at Larry’s side, gracing the front pages of the papers and magazines, the pair of them like David and Victoria.

Only her selfish bastard dad had gone and ruined her big chance by sending the reporter packing. And with no idea how to get in touch with the journo concerned, all she could do was sit and wait and hope that he would track her down.

15

Larry was already up and dressed when Georgie arrived at his apartment the next morning. Looking relaxed and happy, he hugged her when she came through the door, then waved her through to the kitchen, saying, ‘Great night, wasn’t it? Got to admit I was a bit drunk, so it’s taken a while to put the pieces together in my head. But I think it went really well.’ Nodding at the newspapers she was carrying now, he said, ‘I was just about to send out for mine to see what the critics are saying. So, go on . . . what’s the score?’

‘Rave reviews, as expected,’ Georgie told him, pulling one of the tall stools out from under the breakfast bar and sitting down. ‘You’ll particularly like the write-up in the
Mirror
. But take a look at these pictures first.’

Looking over her shoulder as she laid the newspapers out, Larry smiled when he saw all the shots of his limo at the studio gates, taken from various angles to highlight the blonde girl in the too tight top and
way
too short skirt who was sprawled over the bonnet in one, looking suspiciously knickerless; trying to yank the door open in another; and kicking out at the photographers in another, with black mascara streaks running from her eyes to her chin.

‘Jeezus, she’s a mess,’ he snorted, shaking his head. ‘I had no idea any of that was going on.’

‘Notice anything familiar?’ Georgie asked.

Wondering if Stephanie had been right to worry after all, and the camera flashes
had
exposed them at it on the back seat, Larry peered at the car’s blackened windows. Satisfied that nothing was visible, he said, ‘Nope.’ Then, laughing, ‘Unless you’re talking about you in your car behind? Christ, look at your eyes. You’re like a rabbit in headlights.’

‘I’m not talking about me,’ Georgie said, impatiently jabbing a finger down on a shot of the girl. ‘I’m talking about
her
.’

‘What about her?’ Larry asked, moving away to fill the kettle. ‘Coffee?’

‘Yes, please. So you don’t recognise her?’

‘Should I?’ Switching the kettle on, Larry reached into the cupboard and took out three cups.

Guessing that Stephanie must have stayed the night – or maybe he’d picked someone else up after dropping her off, because who knew what he got up to when he thought nobody was looking? – Georgie said, ‘I’d say you should, considering you slept with her.’

‘Did I?’ Larry looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. ‘Can’t say I remember.’

‘Tania Baxter?’ Georgie persisted, watching his face for signs of recognition. Tutting when she saw none, she said, ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Larry. It’s the girl from the telethon. The one who destroyed your career, and almost ruined your life. Remember now?’