The Victim (19 page)

Pulling herself together, Blyth shut her open mouth, stood up and put her arms around the distraught girl who was now sobbing her heart out. ‘Oh, you poor, poor thing. Everything will be OK now Frankie, I promise you that. Jed will pay for what he has done and I will personally make sure that he does.’

Terry Baldwin was frozen stiff. It was a bitterly cold January evening and the snow that had fallen earlier had now turned to ice. Once again, Terry was sitting outside the iron fence with the red lettering in River Road in Barking, but this time he was in a white transit van and was meeting Jamie Carroll, aka the fixer, in person.

Glancing at his watch, Terry clenched his hands together and blew into them to keep them warm. The heating in the van was broken and Jamie was over half-an-hour late. Wondering whether something had gone tits-up, Terry was relieved as he saw headlights approaching. As the blue Transit van pulled up behind him, Terry got out of his own van.

‘Fucking taters, ain’t it?’ he said to Jamie.

Jamie ignored the comment and opened the back doors of his van. He was a man of very few words, especially when it came to discussing the weather. ‘That’s it. Untraceable, and goes like a fucking thunderbolt.’

Terry handed Jamie the envelope stuffed with cash and asked for a hand to get the motorbike into his own van.

‘He was a bit weird, that geezer who met me last night. Are you sure he’s kosher?’ Terry asked, as he and Jamie pushed the bike up the wooden ramp he’d brought with him.

‘Anyone I deal with is kosher,’ Jamie replied, pissed off that Terry had questioned his work ethic.

‘Well, thanks for everything and if I need anything else, I’ll bell ya.’

Jamie nodded, jumped in his van and sped off.

Terry did the same and headed towards his lock-up. Jamie was an ignorant bastard and the other geezer he’d sent last night still sent shivers down his spine, but at least they had delivered the goods. Terry allowed himself a smirk. Now he had everything he needed, it was almost time for action.

Stanley was more anxious than usual as he got underneath the covers. Usually when he and Pat retired to bed for the evening he had plied himself with cans of bitter, but today Pat had insisted on a total booze ban and Stanley’s nerves were beginning to jangle.

When Pat came in from the bathroom, took off her dressing gown and got into bed beside him, Stanley felt his legs start to tremble. Last week she’d grabbed his hand and rubbed it against her vagina and he just hoped that that wasn’t part of her little surprise. In all the years Stanley had been with Joycie, he’d never had to touch her vagina, all they’d ever done was have missionary-position sex, and that was only to make babies.

‘Now, take them pyjama bottoms off, Stanley,’ Pat ordered him.

‘Do I have to?’ Stanley asked apprehensively.

‘Yes, I can’t give you your little surprise with them on, can I?’

Stanley took his bottoms off under the quilt and shut his eyes. Whatever Pat was going to do, he knew he wasn’t going to like it and he just wanted to get it over with.

When Pat began kissing his chest, Stanley breathed a sigh of relief. It felt quite nice and relaxing. ‘What you doing now?’ he asked, as Pat’s head moved down towards his belly button.

‘Just relax and enjoy yourself,’ Pat whispered seductively.

Stanley was anything but relaxed when a minute later Pat put his John Thomas in her mouth.

‘What the fuck are you doing? There’s something very wrong with you, woman,’ he screamed as he jumped out of the bed and turned the light on. Heart beating like a drum, he quickly put on his pyjama bottoms.

‘What have I done wrong? I only wanted you to have fun and enjoy yourself,’ Pat said, bemused by Stanley’s reaction.

‘Have fun and enjoy myself? What, by indulging in utter filth? It’s perverted, Pat, that ain’t normal.’

‘Well, my Vic used to like it,’ Pat said, near to tears.

‘Well, I ain’t your Vic, am I?’ Stanley yelled, as he slammed the bedroom door behind him. When he’d served in the army as a young man, he’d overheard men talking about vile sex acts like that, but he didn’t think he’d ever be a victim of one, especially at his age. Didn’t the stupid woman realise she had nearly given him a heart attack?

Walking into the spare room, Stanley sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. He couldn’t live with Pat any more, not after this, but he very much doubted Joycie would have him back, and he had little money and nowhere else to go.

Stanley felt like crying as he got into bed and pulled the quilt over his head. Tomorrow he would ring his grandson. If anyone could talk Joyce into taking him back, then that person was Joey.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

DI Blyth had been due to have the following day off. She had arranged to spend it with her husband and friends, but had now cancelled her plans to return to Holloway and take a proper statement from Frankie. The police had all but closed the case on Harry Mitchell’s murder due to lack of evidence and Blyth was desperate to get Frankie’s allegation written down in black and white so she could reopen the investigation.

‘Are we ready?’ Blyth asked Frankie.

When Frankie nodded, Blyth picked up her pen and paper. Frankie had insisted on giving a written statement, rather than a recorded one.

‘It was my friend Kerry’s idea to plant a cassette recorder in Jed’s Shogun and press the “record” button just before him and his cousin Sammy went out. We knew that they were playing around with other girls and we also knew that they were earning a living by conning old people and we just wanted to get enough evidence on tape so that we could leave them. Jed had always threatened that he would never let me take the kids away from him and Sammy told Kerry the same, that’s why we needed something on them, so we could blackmail them and threaten to give the tape to the police. That way they would have had to let us leave,’ Frankie explained.

‘So where is the tape now?’ Blyth asked.

‘Sammy got hold of it. I was so stupid, I left it in my handbag. If only I’d have hidden it somewhere else, we would have ’em bang to rights.’

Blyth was gutted. Without the tape, unless there was some evidence to link Jed to the scene of the crime, it was just Frankie’s word against his. ‘So was it on this tape that you found out about your grandfather?’

Frankie nodded. ‘They were laughing about his death and joking about how they had tortured him. What will happen now? Will you arrest Jed and Sammy?’

‘Not yet. We need to reopen the case and find some evidence to link them to it first. What we musn’t do is let Jed and Sammy know that we’re on to them, so tell no one about this conversation, OK?’

Frankie had already told Babs, but she didn’t tell Blyth this, as she knew her friend could be trusted. ‘I did send a threat to Jed via a travelling girl in here,’ Frankie admitted.

‘What exactly did you say?’

‘Just that I was going to tell you everything.’

‘Well, don’t send any more threats, for goodness’ sake. We don’t want to frighten them off,’ Blyth said.

‘What about my dad? Say Larry tells him that you’ve been to see me? What should I say?’

Like most police officers in the East of England, Blyth was only too aware what would occur if Eddie Mitchell got wind of Jed being responsible for his father’s murder. There would be a massacre of some kind, that was for sure.

‘You must say nothing to anyone about what happened to your grandfather, Frankie. If your father finds out that I’ve been to see you, you tell him that you gave me some information about Jed robbing old people, OK?’

Frankie nodded. ‘What about Kerry? Will you speak to her as well? I told her I was going to tell you about the tape.’

‘Yes, I will have to speak to Kerry to verify your story and obviously two witnesses who have heard what was on that tape are far better than one.’

‘Now, can you remember Jed and Sammy’s exact words when they were discussing your grandfather?’

Frankie’s eyes filled up with tears. She would never forget that particular conversation until her dying day.

Seeing that Frankie was upset, Blyth put her pen down. ‘Would you like to take a break and I’ll ask if we can get a cup of tea or coffee brought in for us? I’ve got some chocolate biscuits in my bag.’

‘Yes. Talking about what Jed did is making me wanna chuck up.’

Joey got to north London early. He wasn’t due to visit Frankie until this afternoon and it had been his boyfriend’s idea to make a day of it.

‘Let’s get a train and have lunch at the Angel before you see Frankie, then afterwards we can go up Covent Garden,’ Dom suggested.

As soon as Joey stepped off the train his phone burst into life. It was his dad.

‘Don’t forget to tell Frankie what I told you last night and I need you to find out what’s going on, Joey. If your sister’s gonna tell anyone, it’ll be you. Dig deep and make sure you find out why she spoke to the Old Bill. I’m relying on you to get the information, son.’

Joey promised his father that he would call him as soon as he left the prison. He ended the call and his phone rang again almost immediately. ‘Oh, it’s you,’ Joey said when he heard his grandfather’s voice. Stanley was the last person he’d expected to hear from, seeing as they weren’t even talking at the moment.

‘I was wondering if we could meet, Joey. I really need to speak to you about your nan.’

About to tell his grandad to get lost, Joey bit his tongue. He could tell by his grandad’s grovelling tone that the silly old fool had probably come to his senses and, as much as his nan pretended she didn’t miss his grandfather, Joey knew differently. He often caught her crying, and she’d never been quite the same woman since Stanley had left.

‘I can’t meet you today, I’m up town, but I can meet you for a drink tomorrow lunchtime, if that’s any good. You’ll have to come over my way, though.’

‘That’s fine. Where shall I meet you, Joey?’

‘Say one o’clock in the Bell at Rettendon. Dom will be with me, as we were going there for a Sunday roast anyway,’ Joey replied.

‘Who was that?’ Dom asked when his boyfriend ended the call.

‘My grandad. He’s meeting us down the Bell tomorrow. Sounds full of self-pity. I’d put money on it that he wants to move back in with my nan.’

Dominic shook his head in disbelief. Stanley running off with some tart had been a bolt out of the blue for all of them. ‘Joycie won’t take him back, will she?’

Joey chuckled. ‘Dunno, but if she does, the one thing you can guarantee is that Nan will lead him a dog’s life. If my grandad does move back to Rainham, I’m telling you now, the senile old philanderer will wish he’d never been born!’

Unaware that their mother had just given an in-depth statement to the police that, if proved, could put their father away for many years, Georgie and Harry were playing happily in the garden. Harry, who was now described to fellow travellers as an up-and-coming Stirling Moss, was now allowed to drive his Christmas present without any supervision.

‘Get off!’ he screamed at Georgie as she stood on the back of the car. She liked him to drive with her holding on to the back, but Harry hated it because her weight stopped the car from going as fast.

Georgie giggled at her brother’s annoyance. She loved feeling the wind in her hair as Harry drove along – it made her feel as free as a bird.

Remembering the conversation he’d had with his father the previous evening, Harry put his foot on the brake. Jed had bought him a pair of boxing gloves recently and after last night’s sparring session, his dad had sat him on his knee.

‘When I was your age, your grandad Jimmy used to make me box in the ring against other boys. That’s why I’m big and strong and no one messes with me now. You wanna be like your dad, don’t you, Harry?’

Not really understanding the conversation, Harry decided it was best to nod.

‘Well, you gotta promise me, then, that if anyone annoys you or won’t do what you tell ’em to do, then you clump them. You got that?’

‘What, punch them, Daddy?’ Harry asked innocently.

‘Yep, that’s right, son. Whether it be a boy, girl, man, woman, or even a fucking animal, if it gets in your way, you crack it one.’

As Harry jumped out of the car, grabbed hold of her long dark hair and dragged her to the ground, Georgie stopped giggling. ‘Stop it,’ she screamed, as Harry started to punch her.

When Georgie clutched her face and began to cry, Harry immediately realised the error of his father’s instructions. ‘I’m sorry, Georgie,’ he said as he kneeled down beside her and put his chubby arms around her. ‘I love you, I didn’t mean it. Daddy told me to do it.’

Frankie hugged her twin brother and then sat down opposite him with a false smile on her face. Reliving the memories of what Jed had done to her grandad had made her feel physically sick, but she knew she had to put on a brave face. Joey knew her better than anyone and she didn’t want him clocking that anything was amiss.

‘So, where’s Dom? I thought he was coming with you,’ she enquired brightly.

‘He’s waiting for me in the pub. I thought it was best I came alone, so we can talk, Frankie. There’s stuff we need to discuss.’

‘Talk about what?’ Frankie asked, as innocently as she could.

Joey leaned across the table. ‘Like why you wanted to speak to that DI Blyth woman. What’s going on, sis?’

‘Nothing! I just wanted to tell her some stuff about Jed, that’s all.’

‘Like what?’ Joey asked suspiciously.

‘Like that he used to fucking rob old people. You don’t know the ’arf of it, Joey. Him and that Sammy used to get them to make wills out in their names and all sorts. They were pure evil, the pair of them.’

‘Really! How did they do that, then?’

Frankie explained how Jed and Sammy earned a crust by conning pensioners who were living alone and was relieved when Joey seemed to relax.

‘So that’s the only reason why you wanted to speak to the Old Bill then, is it?’ Joey asked her.

Frankie nodded. She really didn’t need the Spanish Inquisition from Joey, not after the morning she’d had already. ‘Who told you about the Old Bill coming to see me? I take it it was Dad, and Larry had told him?’

‘Dad’s just worried about you, that’s all. I wish you’d make up with him, Frankie.’

Frankie chuckled sarcastically. ‘So how is our wonderful father and the old tart doing? Painted the nursery yet, have they?’

Joey sighed inwardly. He had been closer to their mum than anybody, and if he could accept their dad building a new life for himself, then so should his sister. Remembering his father’s orders, Joey took a deep breath.

‘It’ll be better coming from you and she’s bound to hear it via the grapevine, so make sure you tell her tomorrow,’ his dad had insisted.

‘Look, Dad asked me to tell you something and I know you ain’t gonna like it.’

Guessing what it was, Frankie stood up and angrily pushed her chair to one side. Joey was so far shoved up her father’s arse these days that she doubted anyone would be able to fit a Rizla between the old man’s cheeks.

‘Frankie, where are you going?’ Joey shouted, as she stomped off.

Ignoring her lap dog of a brother, Frankie approached the nearest screw. ‘I feel really sick. Can you take me back to my cell now, please?’

Terry Baldwin couldn’t believe how inconsiderate some people could be. Once, he’d met Anne’s mother, bloody once, and she could have chosen any date on the calendar to pop her clogs, except now. Anne’s mum had moved to Australia many moons ago to be near her beloved son and grandchildren. Anne had never been particularly close to her and, as far as Terry knew, they hadn’t even spoken on the phone for months, which is why Terry couldn’t understand his wife’s overboard hysterics over her mother’s sudden death.

‘We need to book a flight today, Tel,’ Anne stammered, between sobs.

‘But it’s the other side of the world, love. I’ve only met your mother once and you were hardly close to her, were you? You even told me you hated her guts once upon a time.’

‘How could you say such a thing? I never said I hated her guts, all I said was that we clashed a bit. I loved my mum dearly,’ Anne insisted.

‘How about we go to a travel agent and I book you a flight. Your brother’s out there with his kiddies and it’ll be nice for you to spend some time alone with your family, won’t it?’ Terry suggested.

‘You can be such an unfeeling bastard at times, Tel. I spent months caring for and putting up with your daughter and her problems, yet you can’t come to my mother’s funeral with me. I’m telling you something now, if you don’t come to Australia with me, you and I are finished.’

‘Whaddya mean, finished?’

‘I mean I want a fucking divorce!’ Anne screamed.

Terry had a difficult decision to make. He’d wanted to finish off Jed O’Hara as soon as possible, but if he refused to go to Australia, his marriage could be dead in the water. Cursing his luck, and Anne’s mother’s timing, Terry held his pretty wife in his arms. He couldn’t lose her; she was all he had left in the world.

‘Let’s go and book our flights then,’ he said softly.

‘You definitely coming with me?’ Anne asked, relieved.

Terry nodded. His plans to rid the earth of a vile piece of shit would just have to wait a little bit longer.

Over in Rettendon, Eddie Mitchell was busy making plans of his own.

‘I want you to spy on the house for me, Stu. I’ve bought you a little black Fiat to use. Just clock their movements, see what time they go out, come home, go to bed, all that type of stuff. I think we’re gonna have to strike on a week night. We can’t risk Jed being out partying somewhere. If you sit outside the house on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we’ll get an idea of their movements and pick one of those three evenings. It’s gonna be boring for you, mate, but I can’t risk Gary and Ricky doing it, cause if the O’Haras spot them, we’re fucked. You are the only one out of us all that ain’t gonna be recognised.’