Blood Sister: A thrilling and gritty crime drama (40 page)

She shook her head. ‘I never knew about any of that. Come on, leave it out. I would never—’

‘Shut the fuck up,’ Dee shouted, lunging towards Tiffany; her husband grabbed her arm and she bounced back like an elastic band. Dee was steaming. ‘If you don’t answer the question in three seconds flat, I’m coming over there to rip your tits off.’

Rip my tits off? I’d like to see you bloody well try. The old Tiffany came in the room. She’d been trapped in enough corners in her youth to remember how to get out of them by swinging her fists. She popped her hands brazenly on her hips, letting Dee know straight off that she was no pushover. ‘’Course I knew it was him.’

The other two looked stunned; they hadn’t been expecting her to admit that. ‘So why did I keep my mouth zipped? I’ll tell you why. Because I hate that scumbag’s guts and didn’t want to have anything to do with any shit he might be up to his neck in.’

‘But you could’ve told us where to find him,’ Dee said. ‘You’re meant to be loyal to us. What you’ve done is rank, out-and-out betrayal.’

‘What? And bring you straight to my sister’s door?’ She stopped because she saw the truth on their faces. A chill instantly started cooling her blood. ‘Tell me you haven’t been to Jen’s?’ Their silence gave her the answer she didn’t want to hear. ‘My sister’s a good person; it isn’t her fault that the fella she hooked up with turned out to be the ponce from hell. All she wants is a quiet and decent life for her kids. What mother wouldn’t want that?’ She looked straight into Dee’s eyes. ‘That’s why you got me in to work with Nicky – because you want him to have a decent life too.’

‘But if you’d spoken up we could’ve maybe sorted this out a different way,’ Dee said, some of her anger disappearing.

‘I ain’t buying a word of it,’ John jumped in. ‘You know what I think? I think you’re involved in this, right up to your lying gob. There was no glass in the driveway, which means that someone left the keys in Dee’s motor. That someone was you Tiffany.’

Tiffany mentally belted herself up for the hard ride she knew was coming. ‘And when would I have done that? As soon as I came back with Nicky, both of us came into the family room together and I didn’t leave. I was there with you when the car was taken. So you tell me, when was I supposed to nick Dee’s car key and leave it in the car?’

Dee looked indignant. ‘You saying I left the keys behind?’

Tiffany quickly shook her head again. ‘No. What I’m saying is that Nuts could’ve hotwired it—’

‘No way,’ Dee said. ‘As soon as I bought my Marilyn I got someone to sort her out so no one could tamper with her.’

‘Come on, Dee, Nuts is more nifty with his fingers than friggin’ Houdini. He might be a total moron but if there’s one thing he does know, it’s cars.’ She saw the doubt creep into Dee’s face and so pressed on. ‘You’ve got to believe me, I wouldn’t in a million years help that scrote. As far as I’m concerned if you want to burn him at the stake I’ll bloody well light the fire for you. All I ask is that you leave my sister well out of this.’

‘We can do that, but all you’ve got to do is tell us where he is,’ Dee said.

‘Don’t you think if I knew where he was, I’d be telling you? I know that Jen hasn’t seen him because she would’ve let me know. No one has clapped eyes on him. He’s probably done a runner and scarpered out of London.’

‘Well, that’s a real shame that is,’ John said moving towards her.

‘What do you mean?’ Tiffany could feel something bad coming.

‘By coming to my home where my son is and taking my wife’s motor, your whack job of a brother-in-law has involved
my
family.’

‘No,’ Tiffany let out desperately.

John got right into her face. ‘If that car isn’t back in my driveway without a scratch on it by tomorrow evening you better tell Nuts that I’ll be coming after his family.’

John’s heavies dumped Tiffany outside the first tube station they came to, but she was in such a state she didn’t even check which underground station it was. Once the car was out of sight, she desperately dragged out her Nokia.

‘We’re in deep shit . . . Just effing listen . . . You need to meet me now . . .’

Fifty-Five

Babs was buying some chocolate chip Cornettos for her grandkids in the twenty-four hour mini supermarket when she heard that slapper Mel Ingram’s voice carry over to her. She didn’t want a run in with the old trout so she remained hidden in the frozen food section until her number one enemy was gone. She recognised the voice of the person Mel was speaking to: Ryan Mallory, The Devil’s resident booze artist. Ryan would sell his own daughter (if she wasn’t tucked up in the care system, away from him) if it meant money for another bottle of the hard stuff.

Mel didn’t sound happy at all. ‘I’ve already given you a score and I’m not giving you a penny more unless you’ve got something new to tell me, you piss head.’

‘Don’t be like that, Mel . . .’ Babs heard hard footsteps walking away. ‘Alright, Mel, I’ll tell you what I heard the neighbours say.’

Footsteps coming closer again. Mel was back. ‘Spit it out, I haven’t got all day.’

‘Give me the dosh first—’

‘If you’re pulling a fast one—’

‘Swear on my life, Mel, I’m not.’ There was the sound of rustling which Babs took to be the exchange of hard cash. ‘The neighbours heard slamming doors and stuff. Then the fella scarpers and a little while later some posh motor turns up with some guy – not a hair on his head – in it. He pays her a visit and while he’s doing whatever he’s doing . . .’ He winked at Mel . . . ‘he leaves two of his gorillas on the landing.’ He looked around, as if checking no one else was listening and then stepped closer to her. ‘One of the neighbours hears the two goons chatting about a car their boss is asking after. After he leaves the two little girls start bawling their eyes out.’

The two little girls.
A shiver went down Babs’ spine.

‘What car?’

‘Dunno. But, I did hear something else.’

‘Well, what you waiting for? Midnight mass? Spit it out.’

He smacked his lips and whined, ‘I’m a bit dry at the moment. My mouth could do with wetting. So why don’t you jack me up with another tenner . . .’

Babs heard a bit of a scuffle and then Ryan let out a long ouch. ‘Mel, let go of my balls.’

‘You keep pissing me about and I’ll tear them off and leave them in the freezer section.’

‘Alright, alright. They were looking for that geezer of hers, the one that did a bunk out of the flat. Sounds like he had something to do with the car disappearing in a puff of smoke.’

Geezer of hers.
If this was about her Jen, Babs knew the geezer was that no-mark Nuts. The judge should’ve instructed the prison authorities to sling the key away once they slammed the cell door on him in Brixton.

‘You sure about that?’ Mel went on.

‘I’m only telling you what I was told . . .’ Footsteps clacking away. ‘Hold up, where’s my tenner?’ The shop door tinkled as it was opened and then shut. Ryan waited a few seconds then let out in a menacing tone, ‘Bitch. She doesn’t know who she’s dealing with. I used to be king of the ring. The undisputed champ at Jo-Jo’s club . . .’

Babs came out of her hiding place and approached him as he still ranted. He looked like a proper dosser – dirty clothes and he stank of urine; he must’ve wet himself sometime during the day. ‘How are tricks, Ryan?’

He stopped mouthing off and his bloodshot eyes widened. He tried to hurry away from her, which confirmed to Babs that he’d been gossiping about her Jen. She grabbed his arm and decided to treat him differently from Mel and give him the ole softly-softly routine. ‘That Mel’s a right old cow. I mean, she should have respect for someone like you.’

He shuffled his feet like he was back in the ring and nearly toppled over with the liquor inside him. Once he righted himself, he agreed, ‘You got that right.’

As they talked, Babs steered him towards the counter where the spirits were kept safely away from anyone trying their hand at the five-finger discount.

‘I was going to have a nice evening in with a little something to hold in my hand.’ She looked up at the bottles of drink. ‘I just don’t know which one to choose. Brandy, whiskey, no, maybe some gin; I just don’t know which one to choose.’ She looked at him and wasn’t surprised to see his inflamed, purple tongue licking his cracked lips as his mouth watered.

‘You know what, Ryan son, I think I’ll come back when I’ve made my mind up.’ She half-turned away, but his hand on her arm stopped her.

He leaned in close to her and Babs had to hold her breath when the stench of his unwashed mouth hit her. ‘Tell you what, Babsie babe, I’ll give you a little tickle about something if you get me a bottle of Johnnie Walker.’ His eyes went all innocent. ‘Not that I need you to buy me a bottle because I would’ve come to see you to tell you anyway.’

The lying scrote. ‘’Course you would’ve.’

Half a minute later, Ryan was guzzling away at the bottle like he was at his mother’s breast.

‘So what’s that you’ve got to tell me?’

He wiped his mouth with the back of his dirty hand. ‘Heard there was a bit of bother at your Jen’s last night. Some geezer and his associates give her a hard time looking for her fella.’

Babs already suspected what had gone on but hearing it still rocked her foundations. ‘What did they want?’

He swayed and would’ve fallen if it weren’t for the counter. ‘Something about a car . . . Dunno . . .’ He pulled the bottle back to his lips and Babs knew that she’d lost him to the booze.

She left him behind as he started singing some dirty ditty and the shop owner tried to hustle him out of the shop. Babs popped two steady pills and, heart racing, moved as quickly as her feet would take her to her daughter’s.

‘Don’t want to go, Mum,’ Courtney said stubbornly as Jen hurriedly put on Little Bea’s coat.

‘Cut it out, Court,’ Jen snapped. ‘Just do as you’re told.’

Jen could’ve slapped herself when she saw the look of hurt sweep across her eldest daughter’s face. If there were two people who had never done anything bad to her, it was her girls. She softened her voice. ‘But I thought you liked going to spend time with your nan.’

Courtney wrinkled her nose. ‘I do, but do we have to stay on Sunday as well? I might not be able to play on the landing with my mates.’

Jen crouched down and straightened the collar of Little Bea’s coat. ‘I’m sure she’ll let you if you ask nicely. Mind you, I don’t want you playing with that Dexter Miller.’

Courtney got all sulky again. ‘Why not? Dexter’s nice. I like him.’

‘I know you do,’ Jen muttered, so her daughter wouldn’t hear. ‘Let’s just get you over to your Nanny Babs and then we’ll decide what you can do this weekend.’

‘Jeeeeen!’ Oh hell. Jen heard her mother calling her from the landing like a foghorn on speed. Babs sounded agitated about something and Jen prayed that she hadn’t heard about her visitors last night. But one look at her mum’s face when she opened the door told her she had.

Jen played it all bright and breezy. ‘I was hoping you could look after the girls for me this weekend, so I was just bringing them over.’

Babs didn’t answer; instead, she turned to the girls and handed Courtney a tub of ice cream. ‘Put that in the freezer for me, love.’ Once the girls were out of the way Babs turned to her with her fists planted on her hips. ‘What’s going on, Jen? And don’t give me no flim-flam nonsense.’

‘Nothing.’

‘Some little birdie told me that some Face and his thugs came around to yours last night looking for that toerag who’s my grandkids’ dad. And I heard that bitch Mel Ingram sticking her beak in and asking questions about it. I want to know chapter and verse about what’s gone on.’

Jen knew there was no way out of telling the truth. ‘Some top geezer came knocking for Nuts and when I told him I didn’t know where he was, he made a little bit of noise. Scared the girls a touch, but he didn’t lay a finger on me.’

Babs was alarmed. ‘Oh my God, are you alright?’

Jen nodded. ‘I don’t think he’ll be back, but just in case, I thought it best for the girls to be somewhere safe for the next couple of days.’

‘And what about you, love? Who’s going to keep you safe if he comes banging on your door again? Why don’t you come and stay with me and Tiff as well?’ Babs pursed her lips. ‘I blame myself. Why did I keep pushing you towards Nuts all those years ago?’

Jen touched her mum’s hand lightly. ‘I was a big girl and made my own choices. And do you know what? I’d do it all over again because I wouldn’t have my beautiful, pretty angels if I’d never met Nuts.’

‘So what’s that berk done now?’

Jen waved her hands hopelessly in the air. ‘I don’t even really get it, but this geezer was all hot and bothered because he said that Nuts pinched his motor. The car must be twenty- four carat gold the way he was shouting the odds about it. Anyway, I wouldn’t like to be in Nuts’ shoes when he catches up with him.’

‘If he’s keeping his head down he needs to stay off the estate because I saw him earlier.’

Jen looked surprised. ‘Nuts?’ She shook her head. ‘You can’t have, Mum; he’s laying low up in Scotland.’

Jen looked puzzled. ‘I swear it was him . . .’ She frowned, then relaxed the skin on her forehead as she shrugged. ‘Must be my mistake.’

‘So will you take the girls?’

Babs squeezed her shoulder. ‘You don’t even have to ask.’

‘Courtney’s bellyaching about wanting to play out.’ Jen grabbed one of her mum’s hands tight. ‘If you let her, Mum, I’m begging you, don’t let her out of your sight.’

‘It’s alright, love,’ Babs said softly feeling the tension vibrate in her hands, ‘like I would on a place like The Devil. Plus, I don’t want her mixing with that new lot next door to me. Their kids should be in cages in London Zoo. When I told the mum that one of her eldest animals had tried to break into my place she just gobbed at my feet and slammed the door.’ Babs shook her head like she couldn’t believe what the world was coming to. ‘What are you planning to do while I’ve got Court and Little Bea?’