The Good Life (22 page)

Just then her aunt Dolly came into the room with two teas and a small hand mirror. She did not look happy in the least. Caroline was well aware that she was on her last chance where Dolly was concerned; the woman was heartily sick of her and what she called her ‘antics’.

‘Well, she certainly made a mess of your boat race, Caroline.’ Caroline didn’t answer her, so her aunt went on in the same irritated voice, ‘You are not to press charges, Caroline, do you hear me?’

Caroline didn’t know what to say.

‘If you press charges, this becomes bigger than it ought to be. You had your shot at the girl and she’s kicked your arse. Let it go now, for fuck’s sake. Just let it go.’

It was the horrified scream that accompanied her peep into the small hand mirror that brought the nurses running back to her room.

Jenny Riley looked at her reflection in the mirror and was pleased with what she saw. The hotel was perfect. Close to the prison, it wasn’t the first time a Face’s bride-to-be had stayed the night. They knew the score and they didn’t intrude too much, though they had sent her up a bottle of champagne and some chocolates. She didn’t care that she was a prison bride, she just wanted to be a bride − Cain Moran’s bride. She had waited so long for this day and now it had finally arrived. She felt the buzz of excitement as she sipped at her glass of champagne to settle her nerves.

Her mum and Molly were still getting ready and Cain Junior was waiting patiently down in reception in his new suit, looking handsome and gorgeous just like his dad. These were her last few moments alone, and she raised her glass to her reflection and toasted Cain silently. She felt the sting of tears, but she fought them back. This was a day of happiness and nothing and no one was going to ruin it for her.

Closing her eyes, she thought of Caroline. Even after everything, she felt a wave of pity for the woman who she knew had been determined to destroy this day for her. In Caroline’s warped mind, it was going to be Jenny with a broken nose and two black eyes, not the other way around. Jenny couldn’t believe that she had actually broken the other woman’s nose! It was so far removed from her usual behaviour that it still shocked her to think of it. But Caroline had asked for it − kick a dog enough times, eventually it will turn and bite you. That was an old East End saying but a true one. She had seen red that night, as if someone had turned on a switch inside her and she had just gone absolutely demented.

She was lucky to get away relatively unscathed herself before the wedding. A lot of ice and arnica on her knuckles in the past forty-eight hours had concealed most of the damage to her hands, and a good manicure had done the rest.

Thankfully, Caroline had refused to press charges and with Freddie Marks’s help she had been well looked after. Freddie had proved himself to be a good friend, and she needed a friend these days. She could sense she and Bella were growing apart. They led different lives now, and the fact that Bella was too scared to come to her wedding spoke volumes.

Well, she wasn’t going to think about that. Now Jenny just wanted to enjoy her wedding day and spend the rest of her life in peace and tranquillity. It had been a long time coming. She took another look at herself, satisfied with what she saw. She only hoped that Cain liked what he saw too. But she was sure he would. After all, he loved her as much as she loved him − that was all there was to it really.

Molly and Eileen didn’t always see eye to eye. Eileen in particular could be jealous of Jenny’s closeness to Cain’s mother. But today they had called a truce of sorts. Molly was dressed in a pale blue, well-cut suit that Jenny had chosen for her, and a small pillbox hat that looked sophisticated and cheeky at the same time. Eileen was in her green silk confection and the two women admired themselves as they stood side by side in the suite.

‘You look lovely, Eileen, that green really brings out your eyes.’

Eileen smiled. ‘I know. She can pick clothes, my Jenny. Fuck knows where she got that knack from − it certainly wasn’t me.’

They both laughed.

‘You look nice and all, Moll. That blue suits you a treat.’ Eileen poured them both more champagne, and they toasted the bride and groom together.

Eileen sighed. ‘I never thought my Jenny would be getting wed in Parkhurst.’ There was an unusual note of sadness in her voice and Molly laid a comforting hand gently on her arm.

‘Sure, she is a good girl and, whatever the circumstances, they love each other.’

Eileen nodded her agreement. ‘I always saw her having the whole nine yards, you know? Church, bridesmaids, the lot. I know she wanted Bella to be here but she couldn’t do it. Bella is scared of all this, bless her.’

Molly sipped her drink and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, careful not to crease her good suit. ‘Well, that’s as may be. But your Jenny has her head screwed on. I admire her so much. She has done a wonderful job with that lad, and she’s always known what she’s taking on. She’s no fool. They’d have done it years ago if Caroline hadn’t fought Cain at every turn. I swear that if I thought for one second Jenny was doing the wrong thing I would have said it to her. But, you know, I honestly believe they are meant to be together. I think the fact that they’ve let nothing drive them apart all these years just proves it. I have never known my son so enamoured of anyone for so long in my life. And I love Jenny like my own for the goodness in her, and the loyalty she has in abundance. You should be proud, you know, Eileen? You obviously did something right, lady.’

Eileen basked in the compliment, all the time thinking,
You would think that, you old bat. It’s your son you’re interested in, not my girl who’s wasting most of her life waiting for a man who she can’t even hold in her arms
. But she didn’t say any of that − she wasn’t a complete moron. Instead she raised her glass, and said sweetly, ‘To the bride and groom! God help them.’

Cain was showered and primed, amazed at how excited he felt. It was due mainly to the fact he had had the nod to say he would get an hour alone with his wife rather than anything to do with the wedding itself. It was going to be worth the wait. His mind kept replaying Jenny naked and waiting for him. After all this time it would be a fucking thrill to feel himself inside her again. He was sweating just thinking about it. His Jenny, a room to themselves, and an hour that needed to keep them going for another fifteen years. It was a tall order but he felt up to the job. He closed his eyes and pictured his Jenny and groaned out loud.

Hearing the laughter of Blokko he guessed the man had sussed him out. He shrugged as nonchalantly as possible. The man had given him an invaluable heads-up about what was really going on with young James Banks. Blokko was a real mate, and Cain would always be grateful for his help. He had not expected such loyalty and friendship from him and it was all the more appreciated because of that. Now he knew exactly what he was dealing with and how to put an end to it. Blokko had certainly taken a load off his back, there was no doubt about that.

Cain had a few axes to grind, and this was the perfect excuse to get sharpening his chopper and pay out some much-needed retribution. He had swallowed his knob for ten years, because he had needed to protect his family. But this revelation put a completely different complexion on things. He needed to assert himself, let the people concerned know that he was back and not about to let them keep him down any more.

If the Irish were out of the game, and according to Blokko that was the case, then it was open season. And that cunt who had been holding him to ransom all these years would be the first the feel the effect of Cain flexing his muscle. He had taken over the use of a certain officer’s mobile phone and arranged his own little party for
that
particular ponce and his grassing sidekick. All in all, Cain Moran was feeling life was looking pretty good.

James Banks Junior was as excited as Cain Moran – although for a very different reason. He was going to make his move sooner rather than later. He’d been thinking about it for days. Cain Moran thought he was getting a pass until after his wedding. But he wasn’t. He wouldn’t be expecting that − no one would be expecting that.

James rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and started to burn some H − just a little buzz to keep him calm and collected. Stevie had introduced him to the healing benefits of heroin and he was finding it did help the time to pass. As he fished a yellow jelly diazepam out of his little leather kit bag to melt with the powder, he imagined what it would be like to plunge the knife between Cain Moran’s shoulderblades. He felt quite breathless at the thought. Nervous and excited at the same time. He would be set for life, and that’s what he wanted more than anything in the world: to be somebody, to achieve a proper status.

It didn’t occur to him that if this came off,
he
would eventually be in the same position as Cain Moran. There would always be a youngster looking to off
him
so he could take on his mantle. That was much too forward thinking for young James Banks.

The pastor was a middle-aged Jamaican called Leon Sparks, and he was looking forward to marrying this couple today. He looked around the small chapel room and smiled happily; the place looked almost festive. He took in the expensive flowers and the ornate wedding cake that looked like it should be on the cover of
Hello!
magazine. It never ceased to amaze him what the cons were capable of in this place. Good luck to them too − he wasn’t a man who thought they should be locked up every second of every day. He liked to do the weddings, it made a change from preaching to a church full of men who were only there to do deals or relay messages. He wasn’t a fool − he knew the score.

Now, as his eyes swept the place to make sure nothing had been forgotten, he set about distributing the hymn books on the few chairs, and making sure that the music was in place in his little ghetto blaster. He was still smiling as he went through to reception to meet the blushing bride. He liked Jenny Riley, soon-to-be Moran. She was a decent, steady woman who loved her husband-to-be with a passion that was painful to watch at times. But you played the hand God dealt you − that was all anyone could do.

The POs were still nervous about the situation regarding James Banks and Cain Moran. That something would happen was inevitable. They were each just hoping that it wouldn’t be on their shifts − the paperwork would be fucking outrageous. Statements to be taken, local Filth swarming all over the place, treating them like they were no more than glorified fucking mall cops. It would be a nightmare.

The wedding had lifted the mood. There was good-natured slagging off going on at breakfast where the men had been drinking champagne and orange juice and Cain Moran had even made scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. The atmosphere had been good, everyone toasting the groom and making lewd jokes about his wedding afternoon; it was common knowledge he was getting the opportunity to be alone with her. The men were jealous and impressed by that in equal measure. One thing was certain, it would not have come cheap. Everyone had seen photos of her too, so there were definitely going to be a few marathon wanking sessions tonight. She was a good-looking piece, and so loyal too, never the hint of a scandal surrounding her.

Nevertheless, Jock McFarland couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding. He had spent a lot of time on this wing, and he knew when there was something about to erupt. He could feel an undercurrent of malice, hidden under the coating of camaraderie and jokes. There was something just a little bit off − nothing he could put his finger on, but it was there all the same. Until something happened, though, he could only advise his men to keep alert for the first signs of aggravation, and then to steam in as fast as possible. It would be over in seconds, but the reverberations it would cause could be felt for years.

Until that James Banks had wangled his way on to this wing, it had been a good place to work. They were hard men, admittedly, but sensible, wanting to do their time with as much comfort and ease as possible. Now the place had an air of tension underlying everything. Jock wanted it over with the minimum of fuss.

That aside, he still had a tenner on Cain Moran. After all, if it was going to happen, the least he could do was make a few quid off it. That was only human nature.

The car was a white Rolls-Royce and, as Jenny and her family piled into it, she couldn’t help smiling as the other hotel guests waved her off in a friendly fashion. She wondered how many guessed she was going to a prison to make her vows. But she didn’t care what they thought − all she wanted was to marry the man she had loved since she was sixteen years old.

She shivered as she thought of the hour together he had promised to bag them. She knew it would have cost in excess of twenty grand, but that was a small price to pay for the opportunity to feel his arms around her, feel him inside her once more. She had hardly slept for thinking about him and what they were missing. She tried not to let herself dwell too much on the physical side of their relationship, but it had been very important to them both and if she allowed herself to think of them together, making love, it killed her. God, how she missed him, the smell of him, the taste of him. She pushed the thoughts from her mind − this was neither the time nor the place.

She smiled at her son who was chatting away to his nanas, full of excitement at the day ahead. He was the best man and kept taking the rings out of his pocket to check he hadn’t lost them.

Molly and Eileen looked great and she smiled at them, her stomach fluttering once more at the thought of soon feeling the man she loved holding her. She fought to blink the tears behind her eyes away.

Cain Junior looked at her, and said seriously, ‘I feel like crying too, Mum. It’s not every day your parents get married!’

Eileen and Molly laughed but they too had a catch in their throats. The lad looked so very happy, and he was obviously looking forward to the day. It was a bittersweet moment, and even hard-faced Eileen found she had a tear in her eye.