TRAPPED (24 page)

Gypsy shouted, infuriated with the accusations.

‘Are you out of your mind? How many times do I have to tell you I ain’t done nothing. Tell him, Lorn; for God’s sake tune us out of our misery and let your brother know he needs to be looking somewhere else – and then we can all get back to normal.’

All eyes turned to Lorna. She looked at Frankie first and then at Gypsy. It’d only just become clear what they were saying. Frankie, for some reason thought Gypsy had attacked her. She didn’t know how and why but she could always ask questions later. What was apparent though was the need to get this sorted; clear up anyone’s confusion, any misunderstanding, so everyone knew exactly where they stood.

‘Well, Lorna?’

Frankie’s voice urged her on.

‘Well Frankie, it’s like you say. It was Gypsy.’

A howl was let out – Frankie wasn’t sure if it was his wife or Lorna, as Gypsy flew across the room onto Lorna’s bed.

‘Get her off me, Frankie. Get her off me.’

Frankie leapt in trying to pull Gypsy away as her red nails scratched in the air.

‘Piss off, Frankie. Let go of me, I’ll bleeding strangle the truth out of her.’

The door was swung wide open and three horrified nurses, alerted by the noise, came rushing in with a security guard. The guard leapt in and grappled Frankie, assuming it was him attacking both Gypsy and Lorna.

Lorna let out a fishwife’s screech as she saw her brother being pushed around. Gypsy clung onto the covers, and they pulled away with her as she was pulled back by Frankie. He in turn was pulled back by the Indian security guard. Lorna’s high pitched shriek cut through the air. ‘It’s her not him, let go of him yer bleeding moron.’

Gypsy snarled back as her perfect hair fell over her eyes. She panted as she struggled to get away from Frankie who was effing and blinding at the guard and the nurses, who didn’t know what was happening.

‘Shut up, Lorn, you’ve been nothing but trouble from the first day you came. Tell him the truth; tell him I ain’t the one who did it.’

‘You did it, like you did it when you were copping off with that fella in the street. I followed you Gyps. Frankie told me to. I saw you.’

‘What fella? You lying cow!’

Lorna, eyeing up Gypsy’s hair and seeing it was in her reach, pulled it, bringing Gypsy’s head up to her own face. She hissed in her ear, making sure no one else heard.

‘Make your mind up, Gypsy, you can take this as a way out. Say it was you or I’ll tell him
now
about the letter.’

All fight fell away from Gypsy. She froze and blinked several times, then sadly shook her head at Lorna. Her action seemed to be a cue for the others to stop. Everyone stilled themselves in the room, craning to hear what Gypsy was saying as she whispered hoarsely and tears came to her eyes.

‘Okay, okay … I …’

Lorna’s eyes were wide in anticipation as Gypsy recomposed herself to be able to continue.

‘Lorna’s right. If that’s what you want to hear and want to believe I did it, but as for filling your head with poisonous lies that I was cheating on you, that ain’t true Frankie. You have to believe me, it’s always been you babe.’

Gypsy turned to her husband. The nurses and the guard stayed silent, hooked by the conversation they didn’t
understand
, only that the woman had just admitted to doing something.

Frankie faltered. Shocked by Gypsy admitting she’d attacked Lorna. For a second he turned away as he heard the plea in his wife’s voice. So much of him had wanted to believe otherwise.

She’d been so convincing telling him she hadn’t done it. He’d as good as believed her and had only gone on about it because he was angry. Angry and hurt but mainly jealous. Now here she was saying it was true; but she still expected him to believe she
hadn’t
been shagging the cock off other men?

He looked at her and he saw something in her eyes which made him doubt it for a minute, then an image of Gypsy romping naked with some stranger came into his mind. It was all too much for Frankie Taylor to bear.

‘Do you really expect me to believe anything which comes out of your mouth now, Gyps? If you never cheated on me, why did you sneak out of the house? You disgust me.’

‘You really think I’d cheat on you? I’m not like that Frank, you should know that.’

Lorna chipped in, angry at not seeing any fury on Frankie’s face. The only thing she saw was weakness and she certainly wasn’t going to stand for that. Lorna laughed coldly, full of scorn. ‘You wouldn’t cheat on him? Do me a favour. I’m guessing you don’t want me to jog your memory.’

Gypsy’s face turned red and she pointed a finger.

‘Don’t you dare, Lorn, don’t you frigging dare. You’ve no idea what you’re talking about and you better leave it well alone. I said I’d done it, so you can leave it at that.’

Frankie stared at his wife not understanding what was going on. ‘I’d like to know what you’re talking about. Am I
missing something here? Is something else going on that I need to
know about?’

It was Lorna who answered.

‘I’ll tell you what it is. Your wife here would do anything to save her neck. She’s been rolling you for years.’

It was another cue. Gypsy once again flew at her sister-in-law, followed closely by the security guard and Frankie.

‘I’ll flipping do you in if it’s the last thing I do.’

Through flying arms, and hair Lorna screeched.

‘You see Frank, you see. She’s a bleeding animal.’

A stampede of uniformed hospital security officers came rushing in and between the chaos Gypsy managed to strike out at Lorna, hitting her across her face.

‘I’m not playing your games no more, Lorna. I’ve done like you said and I see what you want. You’re nothing but a money-grabbing bitch and as for you Frankie, I expected more from you. Yeah I sneaked out of the house, I bleeding had to. Your grip on me was tighter than a frigging cobra on heat, but unlike you, my idea of a good time isn’t sleeping with strangers. I’d never do that because asides from the fact that I love you, I know how much it’d hurt you. I could never hurt you. If you don’t know that by now, our marriage isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.’

‘What would you know about marriage, Gypsy?’

‘Maybe nothing Frankie, but I do know when it’s time for me to leave.’

Gypsy shook off the security guard who was lightly holding onto her arm and picked up her red Mulberry bag from the floor. She pushed past the rest of the people in the room, turning as Frankie grabbed her.

‘And where the fuck do you think you’re going? You’re my wife don’t forget.’

‘I know Frankie, and I always will be, but I’m going home to pack my stuff.’

Frankie’s face flushed red.

‘You ain’t got no stuff Gypsy, everything you have, I bought, remember? It all belongs to me.’

Gypsy looked at Frankie sadly, taking in his rugged handsome face, his piercing eyes and the way his mouth curled up at the sides. She lightly touched his chest as she spoke very quietly.

‘Okay Frankie, if after everything we’ve done and gone through together the most important aspect of it all is who bought bleeding what, then I ain’t going to fight you.’

She went into her bag and pulled out her house keys and wallet, taking hold of her husband’s hand and placing them in it. ‘Have it all Frank, if that’s what makes you happy, have it all darlin’.’

With that, Gypsy turned and walked away, watched by the guards and the three female nurses.

‘Gypsy, wait!’

‘Bleeding hell. Let her go, Frank. How the bleeding hell can you be calling her back, it’s beyond me.’

Frankie Taylor turned and stared at his sister with a furious look on his face; the one Lorna had been hoping to see all afternoon, but not directed her way. He walked towards the bed and leaned into his sister, speaking through gritted teeth.

‘Lorna, do us all a fucking favour girl and shut yer bleeding pie hole.’

Leaving his sister aghast, Frankie stormed off out of the room. He marched along the corridor, ignoring the waves from the old women and wishing he had a cosh to finish off the job himself.

Gary Levitt was anxious. There was no mistaking it and no pretending to himself he wasn’t. He could tell by the drip of sweat which was slowly making its way down his back. The ticking of the grandfather clock didn’t help with his nerves either; seemingly synchronising itself with his beating heart, emphasising the agony of having to stand in front of Max Donaldson as he stared at him with dark sunken eyes from beneath wiry overgrown eyebrows.

‘You were late, Gary. I don’t like people that keep me waiting. Makes me unhappy son.’

Max’s Irish voice was brimming with anger and once again Gary admitted something to himself that he wasn’t really keen to; he was afraid.

‘I’m sorry about that Max, you know how it is.’

As Max kept his voice low, Gary’s fear of him rose.

‘No son, I don’t know. Tell me.’

‘I was doing a deal when your call came in.’

‘So I’m the fool who pays your wages but some crack head comes before me, is that what you’re saying boy?’

‘No, no of course not, it’s …’

Gary decided it was wiser not to say anything more; it could only get him into trouble.

Max got up from his chair and walked over to the small cherry table near the fireplace. On it were some cut lines of cocaine and Max leant over and snorted them up noisily, reminding Gary of a baying mule.

‘I want you to find Nicky.’

‘Has something happened to him?’

Max scornfully faced Gary, wiping the excess cocaine off his nose.

‘You sound like me wife. Why all of a sudden is everyone concerned about that low life?’

‘I just thought …’

‘That’s why I decided to work with you Gary, I assumed you wouldn’t think.’

‘No, it’s …’

‘Still talking, Gal? If you’ve trouble keeping it shut, how about I put yer face through the fucking wall.’

Gary straightened himself up and consciously gave a check to make sure his mouth was closed as Max continued to pace round the room and talk.

‘I told you I wanted him sorted – I expected you to do it straight away. I don’t understand why nobody’s concerned about the money he owes. You see, the way I figure it Gary, now you’re working for me, anyone who owes you money ultimately owes
me
money. So I want it back. I want you to find Nicky and teach him a lesson he won’t forget. No one walks away without my say so. And when you find him, I want you to call me. Understand?’

Gary nodded and as he did, Max walked over to him. He could smell the sickly sweet smell of stale coffee on Max’s breath and the bitter residue of cocaine.

The punch in his stomach was low and hard and took Gary by surprise. Immediately winded, he fell forward onto the floor, clutching his middle, rolling into a foetal position and trying to get some air into his lungs as the excruciating pain took hold of his belly. Through his agony he heard Max speaking in no certain terms.

‘And if you don’t find him, Gary, next time I won’t be so easy on you. Do I make myself clear son?’

Gary could barely nod, but that didn’t stop him understanding exactly what Max had just said very clearly indeed.

This was the fifth time Maggie had been to the flat but she still couldn’t help smiling. She didn’t think she ever would. It was tiny, but it was everything Maggie could’ve ever wished for; clean and bright and high enough for the view from the sitting room window to soar over the red and grey roofs of the West End. In the distance Maggie could see Soho; it seemed so far away and it felt so refreshing to get away from the madness which circulated through the tiny streets.

‘You still like it, babe?’

Johnny came up behind her but didn’t touch her. He didn’t want to push it and scare Maggie into retreating into herself again. He knew her better than that. He needed to give her time, then eventually she’d come to him. Johnny could see she was genuinely still taken aback by it.

‘I love it. It’s perfect.’

Johnny smiled, out of relief as much as happiness. He knew how hard it was to please women. Maggie was beautiful but stubborn with it. Over the years he’d known her, he’d been baffled by her as much as he’d loved her.

‘And Gina, is she alright with the arrangement until we find someone else? She knows we’re going to keep a close eye on her.’

‘Yes she knows that but she wasn’t happy. She nearly swallowed her arm when I told her, but what choice has she got? She ripped me off good and proper like I was a bleedin’ piece of paper on a notebook, but then so did …’

Johnny stopped, not wanting to sour the air talking about Nicky. He knew how much Maggie loved her brother, for all his faults. She’d been more hurt than angry with Nicky; though she’d given it a good shot trying she hadn’t been able to hold the anger for long. Like always, she defaulted to defending and feeling sorry for him.

‘I know what you were about to say, Johnny – I know what Nicky did but it’s really not him that’s doing it.’

Johnny raised his eyebrows. If it wasn’t Nicky doing it, he didn’t know who was. Nicky was a druggie first and foremost and no matter how much Maggie loved him, drugs would always come first. There was no saving to be done, because the only person who could fish himself out of the deep hole he was in was Nicky. Unfortunately he’d been in the dark for so long he was blind to it and as far as Johnny was concerned, Nicky just didn’t care.

Of course he wasn’t stupid enough to verbalise this, and merely raised his eyebrows, letting Maggie continue to pour on metric units of sympathy to Nicky.

‘He’s had it hard, Johnny. He was the youngest one and perhaps even the weakest one of us all. I dunno. By the time he came along Mum was tired. She’d almost given up and if she hadn’t protected us before from Dad, she certainly didn’t have the strength to protect Nicky when he came along.’

‘Don’t give me all that Mags. I know it was you who put yourself out there. You were the punch bag, not them.’