The Feud (25 page)

‘About four o’clock, sis, if that’s all right? Polly’s dad wants us to go for a quick drink in his local before we leave.’

‘That’s fine. Well, give our love to Polly and her family and tell her we’ll look forward to meeting her tomorrow.’

Jessica smiled as she ended the call. ‘He sounds so loved-up for the first time in his life,’ she said.

‘What did he say, then? Did he say what the house was like?’ Joyce said, getting more agitated by the minute with the lack of information she was receiving. All Raymond had told her was that Polly’s parents were well off and lived in Chelsea. Joyce couldn’t wait to meet them. If their daughter was getting serious with her son, then she had every right to check out the in-laws.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon passed pleasantly and at half-past two, Jessica ordered Eddie to start carving the turkey, ham and beef.

‘Frankie, can you give me a hand with the vegetables?’ she asked her daughter.

‘Can’t Nan help you?’ Frankie whinged.

Joyce stood up and Joey ordered her to sit back down. ‘You’re a guest, Nan. I’ll help Mum,’ he said, glaring at Frankie. She was a lazy cow, his sister, and she only got away with it because she was his dad’s favourite.

The dinner looked delicious and, as Jessica brought in the stuffing balls, cauliflower cheese and sausages rolled
in bacon, she urged everybody to tuck in. ‘Help yourselves. I’m just gonna make a drop more gravy,’ she said, as the phone rang.

‘Leave that or give it to me and I’ll tell whoever it is to fuck off,’ Eddie shouted out.

Jessica answered it and was surprised to hear Paulie’s voice on the other end. ‘Jess, is Eddie there?’ he asked her.

‘We’re just eating our dinner. Can he call you back, Paulie?’

‘No, it’s urgent, Jess, I need to speak to him now,’ Paulie replied.

Sighing, Jessica took the phone into the dining room. She had no time for either of Eddie’s brothers; they were both arrogant bastards. ‘It’s Paulie. He says it’s urgent,’ she said, handing the phone to Eddie.

Cursing, Eddie put down his knife and fork. Snatching the phone, he stormed out of the room. ‘This had better be important. What’s the fucking problem?’ he asked his brother.

‘No one knows where Dad is. He was meant to be here hours ago and he ain’t showed. I’ve rung Reg and he ain’t heard a dickie bird from him. I wondered if he’d rung you.’

Eddie felt his pulse quicken. His dad was Mr Reliable and he instinctively knew that something was wrong. ‘He ain’t rung me. Maybe he’s still over at Mum’s grave. What time was he due at yours? Have you been round to the house?’

‘He said he’d be here by twelve. I sent Sharon round there at two, but she said there was no answer. I’ve rung the Flag, but he’s not in there. I ain’t got a key to his house. Joan’s got one, but she’s away.’

‘I’ve got a key,’ Eddie said immediately. ‘I’ll leave now. Can you meet me there?’

‘Course. Shall I bring Ronny as well?’

‘No, just bring yourself. I’ll be about twenty minutes, if I put me foot down.’

Replacing the receiver, Eddie noticed that his hands were unsteady. ‘Please God don’t make him have had a stroke or heart attack or something,’ he mumbled to himself.

Poking his head around the dining-room door, Eddie urged Jessica to come outside.

‘Whatever’s the matter?’ she asked concerned.

‘It’s me dad. He ain’t turned up round Paulie’s for dinner. It ain’t like him. I reckon he might have had an accident or a funny turn indoors. I’ve got a spare key, I’m gonna shoot round, make sure he’s OK.’

Jessica nodded understandingly. ‘I’ll warm your dinner up for you when you get back. Will you be OK? Do you want me to come with you?’

Eddie shook his head. ‘I’ve got me mobile. I’ll call you when I’ve found out what’s happened.’

Jessica was worried as she heard Ed’s Land Cruiser zoom away. Eddie was very close to his dad and it would be awful for him if he’d fallen seriously ill on Christmas day.

‘What’s up?’ her mother asked, as she walked back in the room.

‘Nothing. Ed’s just had to pop out for a bit.’ Jessica said awkwardly. She didn’t want to spoil everybody’s day and there might be no reason to panic yet.

Frankie glared at her mother. ‘Well, you must know where Dad’s gone. It must be important or he wouldn’t have left his dinner.’

Jessica pushed her plate away. Suddenly, she didn’t feel hungry any more. ‘He’s popped round your grandad’s. Apparently, Grandad was meant to go to your Uncle Paulie’s for dinner, but he never turned up.’

Frankie shrugged. ‘Knowing Grandad, he’s probably out on the lash with his mates and Dad’s had a wasted journey,’ she said.

With Eddie’s unexpected absence, the mood at the dinner table became sombre. ‘Do you want some more meat or potatoes, Dad?’Jessica asked, trying to keep things normal.

‘No thanks, love,’ Stanley replied.

‘I’ll have some,’ Frankie said.

‘Have you got any more sausages in the kitchen, Mum?’ Joey asked.

With only Frankie and Joey still eating, Jessica began to clear the plates away. ‘Who wants Christmas pudding and who wants banoffee pie?’ she asked brightly.

‘Why don’t we wait till Eddie gets back, dear?’ her mother said soothingly.

Joey and Frankie nudged one another. ‘I’m bored. Shall we get pissed?’ Frankie whispered.

Joey replied with a wink.

Paulie was already waiting outside his dad’s house when Eddie pulled up. ‘I’ve knocked again and rung the bell,’ he told Eddie.

With a heart that felt like lead, Eddie fumbled for the key in his pocket.

‘Dad! Dad!’ he shouted, as he opened the front door. His legs were like jelly.

‘Fuck! No!’ Paulie whispered as they walked into the lounge. The place had been ransacked.

There was no sign of their father, so Eddie ran up the stairs. ‘Dad!’ he screamed. ‘Dad!’

Walking into his father’s bedroom, the first thing Eddie saw was splattered blood. ‘No, fucking God, no!’ he screamed, as he cradled his battered father.

Hearing his brother’s screams, Paulie galloped up the stairs. ‘Oh no! Tell me he’s alive, Eddie. Please tell me he’s still alive.’

Tears running down his face, Eddie could barely bring himself to speak. ‘Who’s done this to you, Dad? Who’s done this?’ he cried.

Taking a closer look, Paulie saw that his father’s head was pummelled to a pulp. ‘I’ll call the police, I’ll ring an ambulance,’ he shouted.

Kneeling in his father’s blood, Eddie cradled his father’s face in his hands and sobbed. ‘It’s too late. We’re too fucking late. He’s dead, Paulie, Dad’s dead!’

Paulie made the 999 call. Within seconds of the Old Bill arriving, Eddie washed his father’s blood off his hands and his shock turned to fury. He couldn’t show himself up in front of these mugs – it wasn’t an option. ‘When I find out who’s responsible for this, I’ll torture the cunt for so long, he’ll wish he’d never been born,’ he said to his brother.

Approached by a DS, Eddie distractedly shook his hand.

‘I know this has been an awful shock for you, but are you able to answer a few questions for us, Mr Mitchell?’ asked the copper.

Still in a trance, Paulie poured two large brandies, handed one to Eddie and urged him to do all the talking. Eddie explained exactly what had happened. ‘So when me dad never turned up for dinner, me and Paulie came round to check on him, and that’s how we found him.’

The DS nodded sympathetically. ‘Can you think of anyone who might have a grudge against your dad? Maybe someone he’s recently had an argument or some kind of falling-out with?’

Eddie shrugged his shoulders. His father had probably upset hundreds of people over the years, but he could hardly tell the filth that, could he?

‘What about them young kids dad was having grief with? You know, the kids he was talking about on Christmas Eve?’ Paulie said, remembering the conversation in the pub.

Eddie repeated the story, and then told the copper that he’d had enough. ‘Me head’s all over the place. I’ve just found me father with his brains hanging out, for fuck’s sake. Any other questions are gonna have to wait.’

Topping up his brandy, Eddie dragged Paulie out into the garden. ‘I bet the O’Haras have got something to do with this. Seems funny it’s happened just after Butch died.’

Paulie shook his head. ‘It’s too unprofessional for them. They’d have just shot Dad through the head; they wouldn’t have bothered to ransack the place.’

Eddie shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t put anything past them pikey scumbags. How do you know they ain’t just made it look like a burglary to cover it up?’

Paulie handed his brother a cigarette. ‘You’re barking up the wrong tree, Ed. I mean, Dad told us about them kids he’d had grief with and, if you want my opinion, it looks like the work of young ’uns.’

Eddie disagreed. ‘Dad might have been knocking on, but he was still as strong as an ox. He’d have killed a couple of kids with his bare hands. This is the work of men, strong men, you mark my words.’

‘Excuse me, Mr Mitchell.’

Eddie dobbed out his fag and walked towards the DS.

‘We’re going to do some house-to-house enquiries. In such a residential area, we’re sure somebody must have seen or heard something.’

Eddie nodded and looked at Paulie. Fuck the police: he would be doing his own house-to-house enquiries. ‘Me and you had better start making some phone calls. You ring Ronny, then Uncle Albert and get hold of Reg. I’ll ring Raymond and I’ll have to try and contact Gary and Ricky,
somehow. Don’t let anyone tell Auntie Joan, Paulie. The shock’ll fucking kill her. I’ll wait till she gets back from her friend’s and go and tell her in person. Don’t let anyone tell Sylvie either. She was courting the old man for years, and it’s only right that I tell her meself. It’s what Dad would have wanted.’

Paulie nodded. His dad was barely cold and already he felt like a spare part. Eddie gave out the orders and, like a mug, he just obeyed.

Jessica was frantic. She had been constantly trying to call her husband’s mobile for the past three hours and was still unable to get hold of him.

‘Try not to worry too much, Mum. Dad’s battery is always flat – they don’t last very long on them mobiles, you know,’ Joey said soothingly.

Stanley and Joyce glanced at one another. Christmas was absolutely ruined and they didn’t know what to do or say.

‘Why don’t I warm up some mince pies and pour everyone a drink?’ Frankie said helpfully.

Jessica looked at her in amazement. She was surprised her lazy daughter even knew how to use the oven. ‘Go on then, love,’ she told her. Until they knew what had happened, they had to try and carry on as normal.

The shrill of the phone diminished any hope of normality. ‘Eddie, where are you? What’s happened? I’ve been so worried,’ Jessica asked frantically.

Her husband’s reply knocked her for six. Feeling the colour drain from her face, she clung on to the armchair to stop herself from falling.

‘Listen Jess, I’ve got to go. The police want to speak to me again. I’ll call you back as soon as I can,’ Eddie told her.

Unable to breathe properly, Jessica felt her legs buckle underneath her. Joyce and Stanley leaped off the sofa and rushed to her aid. ‘Go and get your mum some water, Joey,’ Stanley shouted.

‘What’s the matter, Mum? What’s happened to Dad?’ Frankie asked.

Managing to sit up, Jessica sipped from the glass that her mother was holding.

‘Don’t just stand there, Stanley! She’s in shock, go and get her some brandy,’ Joyce bellowed.

Not able to cope with all the dramatics, Joey burst into tears.

Desperate to pull herself together for the sake of her children, Jessica downed the brandy in one. ‘It’s OK. Dad’s OK,’ she told the twins.

‘What’s happened, Mum?’ Frankie asked fearfully.

Urging her father to top her glass up, Jessica took a deep breath. ‘It’s G-g-grandad, he’s been m-m-murdered,’ she stammered.

Relieved that it wasn’t their father, the twins breathed a sigh of relief.

Raymond walked towards Eddie and grabbed him in a bear hug.

‘You didn’t have to come straight over, Ray. I bet your girlfriend weren’t too pleased,’ Eddie said to him.

‘Her parents didn’t look too happy, but Polly was OK. Now, tell me everything from the start. I loved your old man, Ed, I can’t fucking believe this has happened.’

With tears in his eyes, Eddie repeated the story. ‘He was bludgeoned to fuck, Ray. Paulie thought he’d been done with a hammer, but I’m sure it was a baseball bat. I could see the marks engraved on his face.’

Again, Raymond hugged Eddie. What could he say?
No one would know what to say in a situation like this, there were just no words of comfort.

Pulling away, Raymond looked him in the eye. ‘Who do you think’s responsible?’

Eddie shook his head. ‘I really don’t know. It’s a novice’s job, but my guess would be that Jimmy O’Hara ordered it. I swear, Ray, if I find out it’s him, I’ll skin the pikey cunt alive. My poor dad. Gutted I am, Ray, fucking heartbroken.’

Raymond nodded. ‘If it is O’Hara, I’ll help you get revenge, Ed.’

Seeing Ronny hurtling towards him like a paraplegic Speedy Gonzales, Eddie sighed. ‘Talk to this cunt for me, Ray. He’s pissed out of his brains, been spouting all sorts in front of the filth, he has. I can’t be doing with him right now, I really can’t.’

Leaving Raymond with his brother, Eddie walked over to his Uncle Reg. ‘Is Albert not with you?’ he asked him.

Reggie shook his head. Albert was his and Harry’s younger brother. Albert was a nice enough geezer, but had never been involved in the family firm and instead had spent his life working as a greengrocer. ‘He wanted to come, but I told him to wait at home. You know our Albert, he’s about as useful as a one-legged fucking donkey in situations like these.’

Eddie nodded. He was desperate to get home to Jessica. He needed her arms around him and her soothing voice telling him everything was going to be OK. Seeing Ronny was now annoying the life out of the neighbours, Eddie walked back over to Raymond. ‘Why don’t you, Paulie and Reg come back to mine? There’s no point us standing here, is there? We can’t do anything, can we?’