The Front (27 page)

       
‘Oh, but it was,’ The Man countered, his voice low and mean. ‘If you hadn’t been mixed up with these skanky smack-head rip-off merchants you wouldn’t be in this mess now!’

       
‘That’s a pile of shit!’ Max slapped a hand down on his leg. He was getting riled now. He’d always respected The Man, but now he was pure taking liberties. ‘Nah, man!’ He shook his head angrily. ‘You ain’t got no right involving me like this!’ He jumped to his feet, his eyes blazing. ‘I was doing you a favour, man – I didn’t expect you to diss me for it like this! I’ve had it with this shit, man. I ain’t sitting by while you drop me right in it. Nah!’

       
‘Sit down,’ The Man growled, glowering at Max over the back of the couch.

       
‘Nah, man . . . It ain’t right!’

       
‘Sit . . . down!’

       
Max dropped back into his chair, huffing. The Man came around the couch and sat down, facing him. His nostrils flaring, he breathed deeply, consciously calming himself to regain a clear perspective on the situation.

       
‘All right,’ he said at last. ‘I admit you’ve got a point, Max. I won’t do nutt’n right now. I’ll wait a couple of days . . . let some people see your boy Millie alive and well, so no one can finger you when I get round to him. Okay?’

       
‘Okay,’ Max grumbled. ‘Only, let me know when you’re planning to go so I can get myself an alibi, yeah?’

       
‘Sure. I’ll tell you when. Don’t worry.’

Suzie’s eyes were open before she even realized she was awake. She stared at the clock on the bedside table, unable to focus for a moment. Then the fog cleared and she saw that it was only one forty-five. She’d been asleep for just over three hours. So why had she woken up again?

       
Then she heard the sounds again – the ones that had penetrated her dream, alerting her subconscious that something wasn’t right. They were coming from the living room. Hushed whispering, and muffled giggles. Surely it wasn’t Elaine? She should have gone ages ago. Then again, if Lee was setting up camp on the couch she’d probably decided to stay with him.

       
Turning over, she was surprised to find that Mal wasn’t beside her. Why hadn’t he left them alone and come to bed, she wondered. They were probably dying to get it on, and Mal was more likely than not cramping their style. He could be so thick-skinned sometimes. On the other hand, he was likely to have fallen asleep on the floor.

       
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and reached for the dressing gown lying across the foot of the bed. She’d go and check, she decided. Wake him if he was sleeping, or, if they were still partying, join them – try to make amends for being such a moody bitch all day.

       
All right, so Elaine had turned up a few days early – did it really make a difference? Anyway, Elaine was going out with Lee now, so she’d probably be around a lot from now on. And maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have a friend of her own again.

       
Pushing her feet into her slippers, she pulled the dressing gown tight and padded into the hall. The noises were louder here. She paused outside the living-room door, frowning. It sounded like Elaine and Lee were at it. But surely not? Not in front of Mal.

       
She hesitated with her hand on the door handle. Maybe Mal had nipped out? He could have gone over to Sam’s, or down to the all-night garage?

       
When she heard Mal telling Lee to get the mirror out, she smiled. He was still here after all. The sex sounds must be coming from one of the videos.

       
Pulling on the handle, she pushed the door open. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her. Elaine was at it, all right – but not with Lee. With Mal!

       
All three of them were naked, but Lee had obviously had his turn as he was now lining a heap of coke up on the mirror, watching Mal as he bent Elaine beneath him over the couch to take her from behind. And Elaine was squealing like a stuck pig, obviously enjoying every second!

       
Suzie stood there for an eternity of seconds, transfixed by the sight of the sordid scene. Unable to speak, she began to hyperventilate as her racing heart seemed to leap into her throat, blocking her breathing.

       
As a wave of dizziness overtook her, she felt herself falling and just about managed to clutch at the door to stop herself crashing to the floor in a dead faint.

       
Hearing the sound of her palm slapping against the wood, all three of them turned to look over to the door at the same time. Suzie saw their faces change like a slow-motion cartoon. Lee’s was a picture of shocked horror. Elaine’s crumpled, not sure whether to laugh or cry. But Mal . . . Mal looked neither shocked nor horrified. If anything, he looked perversely pleased.

       
His mouth lifted at the corner and, without missing a stroke, he said, ‘Come to join the fun, doll?’

       
‘Mal?’ she wheezed. ‘What are you doing?’

       
‘Thought you’d be able to work that out!’ he sneered, mid-thrust. ‘Obvious enough, innit?’

       
Unable to bear it, she turned and fled from the room. Lee shouted after her, but she ignored him and ran into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

       
Leaning her back against the door, she stared around the room in wild disbelief. No . . . No! It couldn’t have been real! She was still in bed – still dreaming! She had to be. Mal wouldn’t do this to her – he wouldn’t betray her like this. He loved her.

       
The door handle rattled against her back, and Elaine’s voice came through the wood.

       
‘Suzie – it’s me. Open the door, Sooze. Come on. Let me in. I just want to talk to you. Suzie?’

       
‘Piss off!’ Suzie screamed, pressing back harder against the door. ‘Just piss off, and leave me alone!’

       
‘Aw, don’t be like that,’ Elaine wheedled. ‘It’s not how it looked. Just let me in so I can explain.’

       
Suzie gulped back a great sob as it bubbled up in her throat. Not how it looked? How could it be anything
but
how it looked?

       
‘Suzie – please let me in,’ Elaine persisted.

       
‘All right!’ Suzie yelled, wrenching the door open so suddenly that Elaine fell into the bedroom. ‘Go on, then,’ she demanded. ‘Explain to me how it wasn’t how it looked!’

       
‘Aw, Sooze,’ Elaine simpered, reaching out to touch Suzie’s arm. Suzie snatched it away.

       
‘Don’t touch me!’ she hissed, glaring at Elaine’s moon face. ‘How could you do this to me, Elaine? You’re supposed to be my friend!’

       
Elaine closed the door and sat on the bed. Patting the space beside her, she looked up at Suzie sheepishly. ‘Come and sit down, Sooze, please. I didn’t mean to hurt you, and I am your friend. Honest.’

       
Suzie sank down on the bed, afraid that if she didn’t she would fall. She felt as though she’d been knifed through the heart. And here was Elaine talking to her like it was no big deal.

       
Ahh . . . Sorry I ate your last Rolo, Suzie. I’ll get you another packet tomorrow. Honest I will
.

       
Elaine reached for her hand. ‘I swear I never meant none of this to happen. It just sort of did. You know what it’s like.’

       
‘No, I don’t!’ Suzie sobbed, snatching her hand away, amazed that Elaine was being so blasé. ‘I would never have gone with
your
bloke like that!’

       
Elaine giggled. ‘No, I don’t suppose you would. Not with Lee, anyhow. But you’re dead lucky, ain’t you?’ she added enviously. ‘Your Mal’s so gorgeous, I just couldn’t resist. You understand, don’t you? Bleedin’ hell, girl, it’s not like he
fancies
me or nothing.’

       
‘He fancied you enough to get it up for you,’ Suzie snapped, swiping at the tears with the back of her hand.

       
‘Come off it!’ Elaine scoffed. ‘It was them bleedin’ films of Lee’s what done it! Gawd, girl – have you seen ’em? They’re proper horny. Got us all at it, they did.’

       
Suzie gave her a withering look. ‘I noticed!’

       
Elaine dipped her head and peered up into Suzie’s face. ‘Oh, come on. It wasn’t personal. You got to see the funny side, ain’t you?’

       
‘Funny side? What’s funny about walking in on my fella screwing my mate?’

       
‘So we
are
still mates, then?’ said Elaine. ‘You don’t hate me? You know I wouldn’t have done it if I thought it’d hurt you.’

       
‘So how did you think I’d feel, Elaine?’ Suzie asked quietly. ‘You couldn’t have thought I’d be all right about it?’

       
Elaine shrugged. ‘God. I don’t know. I thought you might have seen it as a bit of a giggle. I suppose I even thought we might have done a bit of swapping, like.’

       
‘Swapping?’ Suzie spat the word out. ‘You haven’t even been with Lee two minutes, and you’re talking about swapping?’

       
‘How did you know Lee only took two minutes?’ Elaine sniggered. Leaning forward, she whispered conspiratorially: ‘Have you seen his thingy?’ She stuck her little finger out and wiggled it. ‘Talk about fish bait!’

       
Suzie couldn’t help but smile. ‘You’re terrible!’ she said.

       
Elaine smiled, obviously relieved. ‘So, we’re still friends then? Forgive me?’

       
‘Mmmm, I suppose so,’ Suzie murmured, then added sternly: ‘Only don’t let it happen again.’

       
‘Top one!’ Elaine exclaimed, throwing her arms around Suzie. ‘You know what? You’re sound, you are!’

       
‘Yeah, well, don’t think I’ll be so forgiving if I ever catch you at it with Mal again,’ Suzie warned, disentangling herself.

       
‘Aw, I am sorry,’ Elaine said. ‘Honest, Sooze. I promise I’ll behave from now on!’ She pushed herself up from the bed. ‘Are you coming in?’

       
Suzie shook her head. ‘No. I need a bit of time to myself.’

       
‘Okey-doke.’ Elaine smiled and opened the door. ‘See you in a bit, then.’

Lee was really concerned about Suzie. He’d nearly died when she’d walked in and caught them at it, and he didn’t understand how Mal could be so cool about it. You had to admire him, though – the way he’d just carried on as if nothing was wrong while his woman looked on. Still, she hadn’t half looked upset.

       
‘Do you think she’ll be all right?’ he asked for the third time.

       
Mal snorted contemptuously. ‘She’d bleedin’ better be! She’ll cop for a kicking if she starts any crap with me. I ain’t taking jealous shite from her or no bird.’

       
‘Must have been a shock, though, eh?’

       
‘I don’t give a flying fuck!’ Mal barked. ‘She can think what she wants, but she ain’t telling me who I can or can’t shag!’

       
‘Does that mean I can give your Suzie one, then?’ Lee’s eyes lit up. ‘You give my Elaine one and I’ll give your Suzie one?’

       
Mal’s face darkened. ‘I’ll tell you what, mate,’ he snarled. ‘You ever lay a fucking finger on my Suzie, I’ll slice your fucking dick off!’

       
‘Eh?’ Lee looked up to see if he was being serious. Seeing that he was, he went back to his task of chopping lines on the mirror.

       
‘Tell you what,’ he said a minute later, ‘you want to let your Suzie have a bit of this. Did you see what it did to my ’Lane, eh? Turned her nympho, this stuff did.’

       
‘Suzie ain’t touching it!’ Mal snapped. ‘Anyhow – while we’re on the subject, you still owe me some dosh for what you and her have had tonight. Cost me, that did. So come on – cough up.’

       
Elaine walked back into the room just as Lee pulled a huge wad of notes from his pocket. Her eyes widened at the sight of so much money – in her new boyfriend’s hand!

       
‘Cor! Where’d you get that?’ she asked, dropping to her knees beside him. ‘Here, let’s have a look. Can I hold it?’

       
‘She all right?’ Mal asked, nodding towards the door.

       
‘Thought you didn’t care!’ Lee piped up.

       
‘Shut your trap,’ Mal snapped. ‘I just want to know where her head’s at. You know what birds are like for sulking.’

       
‘She’s fine,’ Elaine said. ‘I told her it were them films sending us all nuts. She’ll be out in a bit. Just wants to get her head sorted. Come on, Lee.’ She turned her attention back to the money. ‘Giz a hold!’

       
‘There’s plenty more where that came from,’ Mal told her, relieved to hear that Suzie was all right – not that he was about to admit it. ‘Play your cards right,’ he went on, ‘and Lee might treat you to something nice.’

       
‘Will you, Lee?’ She grinned.

       
‘I might,’ said Lee. ‘If you behave y’self!’

       
‘You’re ace, you!’ she said, snatching the wad and flipping her fingers slowly through it. ‘Cor! There’s hundreds here!’

       
‘Thousands,’ Lee corrected her smugly. ‘Thousands and thousands!’

       
‘Where did you get it?’ she asked breathlessly.

       
‘Ah, that’d be telling!’ Mal teased.