Kimberley Chambers - Payback

Vinny knocked his drink back and put his hands on top of his head. He and Ahmed usually parted with three hundred grand between them every three months. The gear was the proper uncut stuff, so it could be turned into millions in street value once it was mixed with other substances. It did involve a big outlay though. Vinny and Ahmed never got their own hands dirty, which meant a long line of people on the payroll, from the boys who cut the stuff right down to the two-bob merchants who punted it out in wraps on the street.

‘I’m gonna need to think about this one. Is there no way you can bypass Emre and go straight to his suppliers while he’s inside?’

‘Are you fucking kidding me, Vinny? I know for a fact the drugs come from Nicaragua. Do you fancy a trip out there? Because I sure don’t.’

Vinny shook his head, then put it in his hands. ‘I’ve had a hectic week, mate, and I’m not thinking straight at the moment. No way I can give you a decision right now. This is something I need to sleep on.’

Little Vinny was sitting with Ben Bloggs in their den. It was a remote spot they had found about a year ago and it was what they referred to as their special place. Little Vinny had only had his going-out ban lifted the day before and even though he had promised his dad he would be good from now on, today he and Ben had stolen two bottles of cider from the off-licence along with six packets of crisps.

‘I don’t like the taste of this. I wish we’d nicked lemonade instead,’ Ben said, screwing up his face and passing the bottle to Vinny.

Vinny didn’t like the taste either. Neither he nor Ben were used to alcohol, but seeing as they had taken the trouble to steal it, he was determined it wouldn’t be wasted. ‘I don’t want to go home. Let’s kip here tonight, Ben. It will be exciting and we’ll have a laugh.’

Ben shook his head. His mother wouldn’t care if he didn’t come home for a week, but he knew Vinny’s dad would go mad. ‘You got to go home, Vin, else your old man will kick off and blame me. Then, he won’t let you out again.’

‘My dad don’t care about me no more. All he cares about now is Molly. You should see how he is around her. He don’t leave her alone. I never remember him being like that with me. He loves her more, I know he does.’

Seeing his best pal near to tears, Ben Bloggs put a comforting arm around his shoulder. ‘It’s only ’cause Molly’s a baby, Vin. You ain’t used to having brothers and sisters, but I am. I’ve got six of the buggers, and you get used to it. My mum barely notices me; neither does my nan, but I just go out to play to get away from them all.’

Little Vinny took another mouthful of cider. ‘I wish my mum was still alive. Her name was Karen and she was lovely.’

‘How did your mum die?’

‘My dad said she was a drug addict, and killed herself.’

‘My mum takes drugs too, Vin. I’ve seen her, she smokes them, injects them – it’s horrible. I don’t really like her much. I wish I had a dad like yours. At least he buys you nice things and cares about what you do.’

Little Vinny glared at his pal, then pushed him in the chest. ‘No, he don’t. Since he met that slag Jo, he’s changed. All he cares about is her and Molly now. I fucking hate him and I hope Jo and Molly die in a car crash like Lenny did.’

On the day of Vivian’s homecoming, Queenie Butler was all of a fluster. A few months ago, Vinny had treated her to a posh new kitchen. It had gold Formica counters, an electric double oven, harvest gold vinyl flooring and dark wooden-looking Spanish-style cabinets. It even had something called a dishwasher, but Queenie couldn’t get on with that. No machine could clean her plates and cutlery as well as she could.

It was Vinny’s idea that Vivian would like a similar kitchen, but now Queenie wished she had said no. Vinny had said it would be good for Viv if she came home to a nice surprise, but Queenie knew what an old stick-in-the-mud her sister could be at times and she was dreading her arriving home and hating it.

Going over Viv’s house once more with the duster and polish, Queenie put the vase of fresh flowers in the centre of the coffee table. She had popped in every day to check on things while Vivian was in hospital and had put air fresheners in all the rooms and opened the windows regularly to keep it smelling sweet.

Remembering she had not yet dusted Viv’s old grandfather clock that sat in the corner of the hallway, Queenie smiled. Another couple of hours and her wonderful sister would be out of that nuthouse and back where she belonged.

Another person in a fluster was Joanna Preston. Her mother had rung her out of the blue and said she wanted to visit. She was travelling to London today with her friend Sandy and even though Joanna was looking forward to her mum meeting Molly, she was also very nervous. Little Vinny had been treating her like shit lately whenever Vinny wasn’t about, and Joanna knew if he did it in front of her mother, Deborah would say something back and that might cause an argument with Vinny. Her mum’s sudden change of heart was bothering her a bit too. Only last week Deborah had flatly refused to come and see Molly, and Joanna couldn’t help wondering what had happened to change her mind.

‘You OK, babe? Don’t be worrying about your mum’s visit. It’ll be fine, I promise,’ Vinny said, cupping his hands around Joanna’s cheeks and kissing her on the forehead.

When Joanna tried to put her arms around his neck and kiss him properly, Vinny grabbed her wrists and chuckled. ‘I’ve got to go out, Jo, so don’t start getting me all excited.’

It was a lame excuse. They hadn’t made love or even had a proper kiss in months. ‘You do still fancy me don’t you, Vinny? I will lose this bit of baby weight soon, I promise.’

Feeling guilty, Vinny took Jo in his arms and squeezed her tightly to his chest. When they had first hooked up he had enjoyed the sex immensely, but that was only because he was getting one over on her father. Vinny had always hated kissing, he found it too intimate, and the only sex he ever enjoyed was the really rough kind. ‘I’ll tell you what, how about we get the Jubilee out the way then shoot down to Kings at the weekend? My mum and Auntie Viv will come, so they can look after Molly and we can have some us time. What do you say?’

Desperate to feel loved and wanted again, Joanna grinned. ‘That sounds like a great idea.’

Nancy Butler looked at Michael in total disbelief. Not only had he tried to make love to her again this morning and failed miserably, he had just had the cheek to inform her that Daniel and Adam would not be going to her parents’ street party, they would instead be going to Queenie’s.

‘But I’ve already told my mum and dad that I’m bringing the boys to theirs.’

‘Well, best you untell them. You don’t think I’m gonna leave Lee to spend the day with just us adults, do you? The Silver Jubilee is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and, seeing as they’re so close, the boys should spend it together. I don’t mind you going to your mum’s party, but only if you take Lee as well.’