Gangsters Wives (11 page)

But first she wanted to test out the gun she'd taken from the safety deposit at the bank. She didn't know when she might need it.

The next morning, after a breakfast of bio-yoghurt, muesli with strawberries and coffee, Sadie loaded the other magazine she'd taken from the second bank deposit drawer with its fifteen 9mm bullets. Retrieving the already loaded Glock from its hiding place, she wrapped both guns in an old sweater and stashed them under the spare wheel in her 4WD Mercedes.

She drove down to Epping, into the forest where she and Eddie had done some courting, which was a euphemism for some hot and heavy sex in the back of the Jaguar he'd owned at the time. She drove off road until she was deep in the woods, far away, she hoped from prying eyes and ears.

She opened the back of her SUV and took out the gun and spare ammunition clip. Just holding it turned her insides to water. It was all very well reading the instructions, but she had never held a gun in her life before, and although it was a lightweight piece, it still felt hot and heavy in her trembling, sweaty hands.

She looked round for a target. There was a lightning struck tree about fifteen metres away, its blackened trunk strangely looking like the shape of a man, and it would do.

Here goes, she thought gripping the pistol in both hands like they did in the films, and she squeezed the safety, and pulled the trigger. The noise of the shot seemed massive in the quiet woods, and the gun kicked, and she almost dropped the thing as the bullet went God knows where.

‘Fuck,' she said aloud, in a voice she hardly recognised through the ringing in her ears. ‘That was no bloody good.'

She relaxed her grip slightly and fired again, and a strip of wood sprang from the very edge of the tree. She smiled and fired again, then once more, as she grew more confident. When the gun was empty she went and looked at the trunk of the tree. She counted eight hits out of the fifteen rounds she'd fired, and thought that was pretty good for a beginner. She dropped out the empty magazine, inserted the spare, slapped it home, depressed the lever at the side, and the action clicked home. She put a bullet in the chamber, but decided she'd been in the clearing too long, and made enough noise to wake the dead, so it was time to split. She stored the Glock and the empty magazine away again and drove home. She saw no one, coming or going.

She'd arranged to meet Connie that afternoon, and arrived on time at his house on the Island. He was alone. ‘Niki's out with her mate Poppy,' he growled. ‘Those two are always together these days.'

‘You don't approve?' asked Sadie.

‘Couldn't give a fuck really,' Connie replied. ‘As long as she's home in time to make my tea.'

Nice, thought Sadie. ‘Look Connie I'll come straight to the point. Eddie's told me about this job you lot are going to do.'

‘What job?' Connie interrupted.

‘The bank truck. Old cash.'

‘Don't know what you're talking about.'

‘I think you do.'

‘Not women's business.'

‘It's this woman's business. I'm skint, Connie. Going under. I need money.'

Connie shrugged. ‘You've had a pot, the pair of you over the years. If it's all gone it's not my problem.'

Sadie could hardly believe her ears. ‘What's the matter with you Connie?' Sadie demanded. ‘You're mates. The old firm.'

‘Eddie's away. The old firm don't exist no more.'

‘And if he'd talked to the law, so would you be.'

‘He'll be looked after.'

‘So you do know about the job?'

‘Maybe.'

‘And?'

‘And we'll do it, when we're ready.'

‘When Deep Throat gives you the word.'

‘Deep Throat,' Connie mocked. ‘Whose bright idea was that?'

‘Do you know who he is?'

‘Course I do.'

‘Who?'

He touched the side of his nose. ‘What you don't know can't hurt you.'

‘And what will Eddie's cut be?'

‘Whatever we give him. He always was too flash, your Eddie.'

Sadie felt like getting the gun she had in her car and putting one in Connie's head, but she kept calm. ‘What happens when I tell Eddie what you've said?'

‘Tell him. See if I care. We'll do the bizzo when we're good and ready, and you'll get what's his. What's the fucking problem?'

‘I don't like your attitude.'

‘Get over it.'

‘I never thought it would come to this Connie.'

‘But it has. Now if that's all, I've got things to do.'

Sadie left the house and sat in her car looking at Connie's front door. ‘Right,' she said aloud. ‘If that's the way it's going to be. Bring it on.'

Eddie gave Sadie a ring most days when his phone card was in credit. She'd already told him she'd done what he'd told her at her last visit, without giving any details. Walls have ears, and so do pay phones in the nick. ‘Gotta see you,' she said. ‘Urgent.'

‘What's rattled your cage?' he asked.

‘I'll tell you when I see you.'

‘OK, I'll get a VO sorted,' he said. ‘You're OK though?'

‘I'm all right, it's the rest of the world's what's fucked.'

‘See you soon,' he said, and hung up.

She got a visitor's order for the day after next, and could hardly contain her impatience as she remembered Connie's attitude, and the bills kept piling up.

She was first in line for the visit, and when Eddie joined her at the table, he said, ‘Where's the fire?'

‘Listen,' she said in a stage whisper. ‘Your mates have gone off the reservation.'

‘Not so fast,' he interrupted. ‘You checked the boxes?'

‘Yes. I told you.'

‘Everything I said. Was there, I mean?'

‘Yeah.'

‘So, go see the boys and tell them you speak on my behalf.'

‘I already did.'

‘That was quick. Who?' he asked.

‘Connie.'

Eddie nodded approval. ‘And?'

‘More or less told me to fuck off.'

‘You know Connie,' said Eddie. ‘He's old school. Don't believe that women should be in the loop.'

‘Eddie,' said Sadie, ‘he said the old firm's dead and buried. You're in here. They're going to do the job and throw a few crumbs our way.'

‘I bet he never meant that. You got the wrong end of the stick.'

‘Did I bollocks. He had me out of the house so fast my bum nearly caught fire.'

‘Sounds like Connie.'

‘What? Is that it? Sounds like fucking Connie. Are you having a laugh?'

‘Keep your voice down, love,' said Eddie. ‘You'll frighten the screws.'

‘Christ,' said Sadie. ‘I expected more than this from you. Are you going stir soft?'

Eddie shrugged. ‘What can I say?'

‘You can say that little bastard did the mail van with you, and end up sharing a cell.'

‘Can't do it love. It's against the code.'

‘Fuck the code.'

‘I don't grass,' said Eddie. ‘Whatever happens.'

‘So what about me? Does he know everyone involved? The real names?'

Eddie nodded. ‘We had to keep on top of things. In touch. Soon as I knew I was in for a stretch, I told Connie and the boys the lot.'

‘Jesus,' said Sadie. ‘No wonder he told me to take a hike. He can drop you right out. Honour amongst thieves eh?'

‘This thief.'

‘But Eddie, what am I going to do? We're going to lose the house, the cars, everything.'

‘Start again doll.'

‘What? And you expect me to be there when you get out? Seven years and change if you're a good boy. Otherwise, when?'

‘I'm sorry love. You could always get a job you know. Flog the place off. We've got equity. Buy a flat.'

‘Christ Eddie. What's happened to you? This isn't the man I married.'

‘It's the man you're married to now. I done all right by you girl. Now go and sort something out for yourself.'

‘I don't believe this,' said Sadie.

‘Listen love. I know what you got up to when I was out and about at work. You shagging anything with a dick. I never done nothing because I was at it myself. You pissed on our marriage with those geezers. Now you're on your own. And I warn you, there's worse to come.'

‘You bastard,' Sadie almost spat.

Eddie shrugged, and with tears in her eyes Sadie got up and left the room, without another word or a backward glance.

By this time Poppy and Niki were lovers, their friendship gradually having evolved into something deeper. It started in the changing room of one of the boutiques on Canary Wharf. The two women had met for morning coffee, as had become a habit. They enjoyed their freedom and each other's company, as the hordes of office workers and construction workers swarmed through the place. ‘Think it'll ever be finished?' asked Poppy, as yet another bunch of builders in overalls and hard hats passed by, clutching bags from one or other of the sandwich shops that fed them.

‘What, this place?' said Niki. ‘I don't know. Seems that every time a new tower is finished, they start on another. I can see them from my bedroom window. It's like on the Island. All they do is build more flats on every available space. I think if you left a car in the street for long enough someone would try to put a penthouse on top of it.'

They both laughed, and Poppy bit into one of the pastries they'd bought. ‘How come you speak such good English?' asked Poppy. ‘You're amazing for someone who hasn't been here long.'

‘American films at home in Russia. On satellite and video. And I had a good language teacher at school. I'm lousy at mathematics though.'

Poppy laughed. ‘I'm lousy at everything. Fancy a go round the shops?' she asked.

‘Sure.'

They wandered through the malls, stopping every now and again to admire a garment or a pair of shoes, or sometimes to wonder who would be seen dead in something or other.

Then Niki saw a dress she loved. It was nothing special. Nothing flash. Just basic black that even Connie couldn't moan about. But if course she had no money or card to buy it with.

‘Try it on,' said Poppy. ‘Can't hurt. If it looks good I'll treat you.'

‘I can't,' said Niki. ‘It's too much.'

‘It's Joe's money,' said Poppy. ‘And if I spend some on you, at least the bitch and her bastard won't get it.'

They went inside. The shop was empty apart from a blonde behind the counter studying
Heat
magazine and filing a nail. ‘The dress in the window,' said Poppy. ‘Black. Have you got a size…?' She looked at Niki.

‘Eight,' she said.

‘Lucky girl,' said the assistant. ‘I can't get below a ten whatever I do. Let's have a look.'

She went over to a rail and swished through the dresses on it, until she pulled one out. ‘An eight it is. They come up a bit small I warn you, but I think it should be fine with your figure. Give it a try. Dressing room's through there.' She handed Niki the dress and pointed to a narrow corridor between more racks of clothes, and went back to her magazine.