Josephine Cox - Songbird

“I might have known it. Useless, the lot of you!” Taking a breath that doubled the size of his chest, Drayton leaned forward. “Did you make up to her like I said – flattery… money? Did you offer her whatever she wanted?”

“I swear, I did all that. But she’s one of them rare women who can’t be swayed by fancy promises. Would you credit it, she actually believes in marriage? Dotes on her husband, so I believe.”

For too long a moment, Drayton stared at him, the tips of his fingers drumming on the table.

“Lord knows, I tried. I followed her like a puppy after its master, offering all sorts of inducements. But she threatened to report me if I didn’t leave her alone, so I backed off. You can see how it was.”

“So, is she the only woman who works behind the desk at the maternity unit?” Exasperated, Drayton momentarily closed his eyes. “I’m surrounded by damned fools!”

“The other women were too official – they’d have you thrown out, soon as look at you. But there’s a young fella, recently taken on from what I can gather. He’s one of the porters, forever flitting in and out behind the main reception desk. As he’s going out with one of the nurses, I reckoned he might be my best bet, so I got friendly with him – told him my mother was in for regular treatment with her arthritis. The thing is, I’m making headway with him.”

Pleased with himself, he gave a nervous little grin. “I’ve already found out that he owes money, and that his girl is pushing him to get wed. So it’s only a matter of time before he’s desperate enough to get me the address we’re after.”

Drayton momentarily lost concentration. He had other problems behind these prison walls, without having to tell idiots like Danny Boy what to do. “I don’t give a bugger who you talk to, or chat up, or even go to bed with.” In a dark, impatient mood, he seemed to bounce on the chair, his big outstretched hands nervously twitching. “I want this done – and quick. Do whatever you have to do. Whatever it takes. Just get that address.”

He lounged back in his chair, as though letting Danny dwell on his instructions. Then he leaned forward, bent his head like a venomous snake and hissed out a final warning. “I won’t have that bitch getting the better of me. The next time you come here, you’d best be telling me that you’ve done what you were sent to do. Or so help me, it’ll be your neck on the line.”

From the way he kept glancing about and twitching, it seemed to Danny like Drayton was on drugs or something. “Are you all right, guv?”

For a moment, the other man gave no reply. Instead he stared at Danny as though he was having difficulty concentrating. “Tell me, Danny Boy, have I given you a job that’s too big to handle? Is that it?”

“No, boss. I’ve said I’ll find her and I will. I’m this far,” he pinched his fingers together, “from finding out where she went after leaving the hospital. We’re also covering other avenues besides the hospital. I’ve got the men on their toes, and because she had the baby in Blackburn, and Jimmy sighted her in Lytham, it follows that she would live in the area, though I accept the possibility that she’s long gone from there.”

“Don’t assume the obvious. She’s a cunning bitch.” Had he once loved her? Drayton thought drowsily. For a second, sweet music – the sound of his Songbird singing onstage – filled his memory, as well as a vision of her seductive beauty, and her smile… The moment lingered, and caught inside it, he recalled the sensation of happiness. But then it faded, being quickly replaced by a black wave of fury.

“Look, boss, she’s bound to make a false move soon,” Danny whined. “We’re closing in, I can promise you that. It hasn’t been easy. Up to now, she’s either been very clever, or damned lucky.”

“Lucky, eh? Well, you listen to me, Danny Boy. I’m stuck here in this damned hellhole, having to rely on scum such as you. You say she’s been lucky. Well, you won’t be so lucky if the next time you come here, you haven’t done the job I’m paying you for.” He smiled that wicked, unstable smile. “I hope you’re getting my gist… Danny Boy?”

When Danny opened his mouth to answer, Drayton got up, sauntered over to the officer on duty, and without a backward glance, gestured to be taken out.

Behind him, Danny lost no time in getting outside to the fresh air, where he stood a moment, reflecting on Drayton’s increasingly odd demeanor. “Mad!” He scurried off down the street. “Mad as a bleeding hatter!”

There was no doubt in hs mind. Drayton had made a direct and chilling threat to him. “If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll get this job done,” he muttered. “He wants the girl and he wants the kid. Like he said, I’d better get the job done – and soon!”

The day followingMaddy’s phone call, Ellen had finalized her plans, right down to the last detail.

And now, on this Thursday morning, and still in her dressing gown, she bade cheerio to her grandfather, who was leaving for a day at the races with his old friend Jasper. “You enjoy yourselves,” she told them. “I’ll see you when you get back, Grandad.”

“I’m not sure I’m looking forward to it,” he confided when Jasper went to play pat-a-cake with Michael. “I had a real bad night with me left knee, and to be honest, I’d rather go straight back to bed.”

“Aw, you’ll love it.” Ellen wanted him out of the way. “You and Jasper haven’t been out together for months, not since he had his hip operation. But look at him – he’s raring to go now, aren’t you, Jasper, and once you’re there, you’ll have a wonderful time. So go on,” she said, handing him the bag of sandwiches and a flask, “take this. There’s enough in there to keep the pair of you going all day long.” And then some, she hoped.

After the two men had gone off in Grandad’s Rover, she carried Michael upstairs and put him in the playpen amongst a collection of his favorite toys. She then quickly rooted through her wardrobe. After some deliberation, she put on a burgundy-colored jumper and a pair of blue Levis, together with a short green anorak which she had last worn the night before she left for the bright lights of London town.

The garments still fitted her. In fact, if anything, they were a little loose, though that might work to her advantage, she thought. She then located a long-time favorite, a denim baseball cap, together with her sunglasses, and put both items in her coat pocket.

Next, she filled a large overnight bag with clean underwear, a couple of other jumpers and tops, two more pairs of jeans and a second pair of shoes. She then squashed in a pile of Michael’s freshly ironed garments, and a number of spare nappies and other necessities. Then, after pushing the lot down as far as she could, she zipped up the bag and set it aside, next to a carrier bag crammed with their toiletries.

She then got Michael dressed and ready, and carried him downstairs, where she strapped him in his pushchair with a biscuit to keep him quiet. She had a freshly made bottle of baby food, two rusks, a banana and two jars of Cow & Gate meals for later.

“Now, where does he put it?” Standing in the kitchen, chewing on her fingers, she tried to remember where her grandfather kept his “rainy-day” money. He had always been adamant; “You need to keep a bit o’ ready cash for emergencies. After all, banks don’t open on a weekend, do they?”

Suddenly it came to her. “Aha!” She distinctly recalled him mentioning something about… Hurrying to the hallway, she opened the understairs cupboard and stooping low, switched on the light. Peering into every shadowy corner, she could see nothing that might be a savings box, or biscuit tin.