The Jump (41 page)

Five minutes later the flat was clear and Nick was sipping his tea in silence while Albie started to clear away the remains of the front door.

Sandy shook her head sadly. ‘He’ll be back, Nick, with Jack Coyne in tow.’

‘No he won’t, love,’ Nick grinned. ‘He’s found out what he wanted to know, so don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Now I’d better get me make-up on, I have people to see today.’

The conversation was closed.

As she watched Nick fluttering around the flat she reasoned with herself about her feelings for him. No one, her mother especially, could understand her fascination with him. But they didn’t know the Nick she knew, the man in the dark of the night when he was himself.

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When he loved her body and her mind. He was more of a man than most of the so-called macho types.

But only she knew that, and if she wanted to keep him, she had to keep the information to herself.

And Sandy wanted to keep him.

‘Why did you let Albie shoot him?’ she asked.

Nick smiled. ‘Because he’s a nonce, love, the same kind of nonce who cut out Albie’s tongue. Don’t feel any pity for Jojo O’Neil. I only wish Albie had shot his fucking balls off!’

Sandy stilled the beating of her heart. ‘Shall I make you more tea?’

Nick smiled at her lovingly. ‘Okey doke, love. I’ll have to get Skinny Bill round to clear this lot out. There’s more claret on my floor than at a Millwall at home game.’

Sandy made the tea.

Alan was surprised to see Anthony Calder sitting in Amigo’s at six-thirty. He had the delectable Sharon in tow and she’d settled herself at a table where she could get a good look at the waiters. Sharon was twenty-two, short, with big breasts and streaked blonde hair. Alan could see nothing about her good enough to marry, but Anthony was besotted with her. Alan put it down to the child. He worshipped the child, and therefore he worshipped the mother. It was his only blind spot. Sharon had a voice that could break glass and a laugh you would only expect on a Jimmy Jones video. She was ordering a double vodka for herself when Alan and Anthony went upstairs to the office. Once inside the office Anthony burst out laughing.

Alan grinned. ‘What’s the joke?’

‘You know Nick’s Albie? He shot fucking Jojo O’Neil this afternoon. Straight up-Shot him in the hands and thighs. He’s lost three fingers and a lot of blood. Jack Coyne told me.’ . Alan’s eyes widened in wonderment. ‘You’re having me on?’

Anthony laughed again. ‘Straight up. With a fucking Uzi and all, if you don’t mind. I knew there’d be conflict there, but fuck me, I never expected anything like this, did you?’

Alan shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t, but like the advert says, I know a man who does.’

‘You don’t think Georgio …’ Anthony’s face clouded. ‘Why would he want to do that?’

Alan poured out two small brandies and said quietly, ‘I know why, and believe me when I say I’d love to tell you, Ant, but I can’t. He’s used us to settle a score, but then that’s Georgio all over, ain’t it? I’ll fucking slaughter him for this. I should have sussed it from the first.’

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them Anthony sipped his brandy. ‘What’s going down, Al? I have a right to know if I’m in on it and all.’

Alan sighed. ‘It’s a long story. I only know the half of it myself, but I know enough to suss out the rest. If I could tell you, I would, but I can’t. I owe Georgio one, a big one, and he knows it. All I can assure you of is this: that will be the end of it. Jo Jo has had his warning, and he’ll heed it.’

Anthony shook his head in bewilderment. ‘Do you honestly think Jack Coyne will swallow his best mucker being shot at? Are you off your fucking rocker? There’ll be murders up north. We won’t be able to set up a friendly game of football after this lot!’

Alan held up his hand.

‘All I can say is, Nick knew the score. He owes Georgio one and all. He knew what was going down and he played the game. Jack Coyne will not be retaliating, because Jack knows the score, too. It will all settle down in a few days, I tqke oath on that.’

‘So what you’re saying is, Georgio used me and all?’

‘In a way, I suppose he did.’ Alan sighed heavily. ‘Look, Ant, if anyone should have the fucking tit and bump about it, it’s me. I should have seen it coming. So don’t you get the hump and all. That’s all we fucking need now! It’s over and done with, leave it at that.’

Anthony Calder leant across Alan’s desk and said through his teeth: ‘You tell Georgio fucking Brunos that if he ever pulls a stunt like that again, Lewis won’t be in it when I fucking get going! I don’t like people using me for anything, especially not jumped-up bubbles from Canning Town who need me a damn sight more than I need them. I’m a fixer by trade, and if he wanted Jo Jo fixed I’d have sorted it for him. Properly, mind you. I don’t get personally involved in any of my deals. And you tell Georgio that if he ever steps on my toes again, I’ll rip his fucking head off and shove it where the sun don’t shine!’

Alan grinned. ‘In those exact words, Ant? Only it’ll cost me a fortune to get a message like that inside. It’ll be bigger than his fucking court transcript!’

Anthony laughed, but his heart wasn’t in it, they both knew why.

‘You know what I’m saying, Alan. Get it sorted. That could have caused hag for us all. I use Jack and Jojo a lot in my dealings, as I do Nick Carvello. I can’t afford them all to take umbrage with one another at this moment in time. Let’s face it, even I’m wary of Jack Coyne, and so are you if you’re truthful about it. He’s a bona ride nutcase.’

Alan shrugged. ‘Jack Coyne and Jojo have had their day, believe

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me. Georgio was just warning them - through Nick. It’s a personal score he wanted settled.’

Calder finished his brandy in thoughtful silence.

‘Listen, Alan, I’m a man of the world, you’re a man of the world … has this got anything to do with Georgio’s dealings abroad at all? I heard a whisper about them. Can I second guess from what I heard?’

Alan shook his head. ‘I can only promise you this: when I can, I’ll tell you the lot.’

He stared into Anthony’s eyes .and the two men looked away simultaneously. Alan knew Calder had put two and two together and would no doubt soon be making the miraculous four.

‘I’d better get down to Sharon, she’ll be pissed otherwise.’ Anthony stood up. ‘One last thing, Al. Why are you helping Georgio so much?’

‘For old time’s sake,’ Alan told him. ‘He done me a right favour when I was banged up inside, a favour you have to repay. Without him, I wouldn’t have had a lot to come out for, you know.’

Anthony nodded. ‘I never really liked Georgio,’ he confessed. ‘I never trusted him. I don’t know why, he never did anything to me personally, like - it was just a gut feeling. I’ve got that feeling now.’

Alan stood up and looked into his friend’s face.

‘Remember this, Ant. It’s me who’s paying for everything, so keep that in mind. The favours are for me: not Georgio Brunos. Remember that won’t you?’

Anthony nodded. At the door he turned and said gently, ‘Make sure Georgio knows how I feel about what went down. Make sure he knows that whoever’s paying don’t mean a flying fuck when he puts my contacts on the line like that, OK?’

“I’ll tell him, Anthony. Don’t worry. By the way, the meal’s on me. Enjoy yourself.’

Anthony shook his head. ‘Thanks all the same, Al, but unlike GeorgioiBrunos, I pay me own way. See you soon.’

Alan watched him leave the room, and inside felt the balloon of anger welling up.

Georgio had managed to poison a friendship Alan had nurtured for years. Anthony Calder would not trust him for a long time to come and it galled him.

Because of the two of them, Anthony and Georgio, he preferred Calder any day of the week.

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them Chapter Twenty-Nine

Donna drove past the car lot on her way to Maeve’s. As she glanced towards the forecourt she was amazed to see Stephen Brunos and Davey Jackson loading boxes into the back of a white Ford transit van. Parking her car, she walked back towards the forecourt and quietly went-over to the two men.

‘Hello, Stephen, Davey. Thought I’d pop in and see if the insurance has been paid out yet.’

Davey dropped the box he was lifting on to the concrete and turned to face her.

‘Hello, Donna love, all right? Come inside and I’ll make us a cup of coffee. Fill you in on everything.’ He glanced over his shoulder at Stephen. ‘You’ll be all right here, won’t you?’

‘Course I will. You two get inside. I’ll ring you later, Davey.’ He carried on loading the boxes.

‘What are they?’ Donna’s voice was high. ‘I mean, what’s in the boxes?’

Davey shook his head ruefully. ‘Believe me when I say you don’t want to know, love. Just a bit “of hookey gear we’re shifting for a friend.’

She frowned, and as Davey went to take her arm, she shrugged him off. Even Davey was surprised at the action.

‘Hookey gear - hidden on my car lot, with insurance people crawling all over the place? Hardly an intelligent act, is it? What kind of stuff is it anyway?’

Stephen placed another box in the van and turned towards Donna, his face dark with anger.

‘Listen, Donna, this is fuck all to do with you, love. Now go inside and have a cup of coffee, and keep your big nose out of this, all right?’

She felt the heat burning in her cheeks as she flushed with embarrassment.

‘Don’t you speak to me like that, Stephen Brunos. I’ve taken just about all I can from you over the last few months …’

Stephen sighed dramatically. He looked at Davey.

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‘How my brother swallowed this nosy bitch breathing down his neck I don’t know. Well, listen to me, Donna, you have no right to know anything, get that? Anything. So get back in your car, and get back to your own businesses. Go and play at grown ups if you want, but not with me, all right? Can you get a simple message like that or shall I put it in simpler words still? Piss off!’

As he turned back towards the van, Davey Jackson grabbed him by the arm and spun him round.

‘Don’t you talk to her like that, Stephen. I won’t have it, and your brother wouldn’t either if he was here.’

Stephen laughed nastily. ‘Oh, my Gawd, don’t tell me you want to get your hands up her skirts and all. By Christ, Donna, you’ve never had it so good, have you? Wait until I tell Georgio this one. Not content with swanning off to Scotland with Cilia Black’s answer to a good blind date, you’re sweet-talking fucking Davey Jackson. Well, look out for Carol, love. She’ll eat you for breakfast and spit out the bones.’

Davey stepped towards Stephen but Donna pulled him away roughly.

‘You’re dirty-minded, do you know that, Stephen? Well, wait until I tell Georgio that you’re hiding knocked-off stuff on the premises. Let’s see what he has to say about that!’

Stephen laughed contemptuously. ‘Oh piss off, for Christ’s sake, you stupid tart. You’re getting on my nerves.’ Davey’s voice was low as he spoke again.

‘I told you not to talk to her like that, Stephen. Now take note of what I’m saying because I’m beginning to lose my temper.’

Donna saw the subtle shifting in Stephen’s face and realised that he was frightened of Davey, of what Davey might do. ‘Leave it, Davey,’ she told him. ‘I can look after myself.’ Stephen stared into her face. It was white now, her eyes glittering with temper and also, he realised with a lift of his spirits, with fear, a veiled fear. ,This excited him. He liked frightening her.

‘You make me laugh, Donna, do you know that?’ he said spitefully. ‘You swan around in your expensive suits and your handmade shoes, and you drive around in your flash car, and it was my brother who gave it all to you - the house, the lot. Without him you’d have been stuck in a fucking semi, rattling around in it on your own because any other man would have dumped you quick smart when you couldn’t produce a child. My brother raised you when he married you and you could never see it. You looked down your nose at my mum, at my dad, at all of us - you stuck up fucking bitch!’ Donna’s eyes stared in shock as she listened to what he was saying.

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them She watched him push Davey aside and storm round to get into the van. Wheelspinning the Transit, he screeched out on to the road and disappeared.

Donna put her fingers to her mouth as if warding off the sickness inside her stomach.

Davey looked at her haunted face and felt the familiar protectiveness well up inside him. She didn’t deserve that, she didn’t deserve any of what Georgio and his family were laying at her door. Donna was a woman to aspire to, if only that prat Georgio had realised it.

‘Come inside, love,’ he said into the stillness. ‘He’s a ponce, Stephen, always was. Don’t listen to him, he’s a fucking hypocrite.’

Donna looked at Davey and wiped a dry tongue across even dryer lips.

‘He hates me and yet I never knew it before.

In a rare flash of insight Davey shook his head gently.

‘He don’t hate you, Donna, he wants you. He always did. That’s the crux of the problem.’

Picking up the last two boxes from the ground, he carried them back into the office. Donna followed him, crushed under the weight of everything that had happened in the last few minutes.

“I’ll put the kettle on, shall I?’

Placing the boxes by the door, he went into the little kitchenette. Donna heard the water being turned on and the clatter of crockery. Pulling up the flap of the box nearest her, she looked inside. Her heart sank. It was fully of three-inch floppy discs. She had taken all that flak over a few floppy discs.

Picking one up, she stared at it in wonderment. As Davey popped his head round the door she slipped the offending article into her pocket.

‘Don’t worry, Donna, he don’t mean the half of it.’

She took a deep breath and said in her strongest voice, ‘I don’t want this place used for stolen property ever again, and I mean that, Davey. We’ve too much to lose if we get caught out, especially with the insurance people crawling all over us. They’re already suspicious because I insured this place up to the hilt just before the ram raid. So think about it in the future. Your livelihood and Carol’s and the kids’ depends on this place.’