Queens of Crime: 3-Book Thriller Collection. Kimberley Chambers
Mitchell told Gerry when he was pissed in the Flag. You know how Gerry can’t keep a secret, don’t ya? Told me the following day, he did.’
Johnny smirked and then slid down in his seat. ‘Get your head down, Grae, he’s just pulled up again. That’s the divvy cousin with him this time, ain’t it?’
‘I wouldn’t know what the divvy cousin looks like now. Big lump, whoever it is. He’s got a bird with him as well, and a kid.’
Johnny peeped over the dashboard. ‘That has to be his kid. I dunno who the tart is though. I was always under the impression he was shafting his own mother.’
Graeme chuckled. ‘He’s gone inside now. Do you want to wait for a bit longer to see if he leaves? Or, shall we go and grab some lunch?’
‘I don’t think we should hang about here any more in the day. We need to start watching his movements of a night. Obviously Friday and Saturdays are a no-go because he probably don’t leave the club. Not only that, it will be heaving with punters and far too risky anyway. I reckon we should keep watch every night from tonight onwards, and the first moment that presents itself, I will shoot the cunt straight through the skull.’
When Vinny had finished showing her the ropes, Karen grinned enthusiastically. The club’s décor was truly spectacular. The chairs and sofas were bright red leather, the ceiling a maze of spotlights. There was even a VIP section which was as opulent as anything Karen had ever seen. It was certainly a far cry away from the dirty, drab-looking pub she had recently been working in in Dagenham.
‘What do you think of this?’ Vinny asked, flicking a switch.
Karen gasped and clapped her hands together excitedly. The spotlights had different coloured bulbs inside them and rotated in the ceiling to form the most incredible pattern on the dancefloor. ‘Wow! That is fabulous, Vinny. In fact, I think the whole club looks amazing. You and your brothers must be so proud of owning a place like this! It reminds me of one of those clubs in an American film.’
Vinny grinned. He had based the décor of his club on one that he had seen in an American gangster movie. He had even added to the effect by placing portraits of legendary mafia members, famous American film stars, and jazz musicians around the walls. ‘I’m glad you like it, Kaz. Means a lot to me, that does.’
Karen didn’t want to feel the way she did about Vinny, but spending time with him as part of a family had made all her old feelings resurface. She had seen a much softer side to him as a dad, and as a person, and knew she was falling in love with him all over again.
Aware that Karen was looking at him with a drippy lovesick expression, Vinny was relieved by Lenny’s re-appearance.
‘I’ve swept out the front like you asked me too. Will you show me the disco equipment now? I need to get some practice.’
‘Yep. Follow me, Champ.’
Creatures of habit, both Queenie and Vivian were scrubbing their doorsteps when Michael pulled up in the car.
‘Auntie Viv. I’ve got a bit of news about Bill’s murder for you,’ Michael said.
Vivian dropped her scrubbing brush in the bucket and followed Michael inside Queenie’s house. ‘Don’t tell me the old fucker woke up at the mortuary,’ she joked.
Michael chuckled. ‘No, but they have charged someone with his murder and are ready to release his body now. His funeral is to be held at the City of London Crematorium at 2 p.m. next Wednesday. I thought I’d better tell you because Champ has been banging on about going to it. Reckons he wants to say a proper goodbye to his dad.’
Vivian pursed her thin lips. ‘Well, he can want on, I’m afraid. Over my dead body will I allow my Lenny to attend that bastard’s funeral. Glad he is being cremated though. As the old saying goes, you bury treasure and burn rubbish.’
Unable to concentrate on work, Nancy had been like a cat on a hot tin roof all day. Her father hadn’t spoken to her since their argument at the weekend, and Nancy now knew that the only way she would be able to stay out with Michael was by pretending she was coming home straight from work on Tuesday.
‘So, what you wearing? Show me,’ Rhonda Gibbs said, grabbing her pal’s arm as they took their tea-break together.
Nancy led her friend out the back. She knew to avoid suspicion she would have to bring her belongings into work in dribs and drabs. ‘I hope it isn’t creased. I’m wearing this tomorrow night. What do you think?’
When Nancy pulled the chiffon black and white polka-dot catsuit out of a carrier bag, Rhonda gasped. ‘Oh Nance. It’s beautiful. Do you think you will end up sleeping with him?’
‘No, I won’t! I don’t want him to think I’m some slag. I wish you and Kevin could have hit it off. I wouldn’t be so nervous if all four of us were going to the hotel.’
Rhonda smiled, but said nothing. She had kissed Michael’s best friend on the night they had met at the fairground, but she hadn’t wanted to take the relationship any further. Kevin was sweet, but Rhonda knew that her dad would have murdered her if he found out she was dating a mixed-race lad. ‘You won’t be nervous when you get there. Have a couple of Cinzano and lemonades. That will take the edge off a bit. I’m dreading your mum or dad ringing my house, Nance. I hope I don’t put my foot in it.’
‘’Course you won’t! Just say what I told you to say. I have gone to Katie’s birthday bash and will be home Wednesday teatime, OK? They can’t call you a liar as well, Rhon. Anyway, I am only lying to them because my dad is so bloody unreasonable. I’m sick of him treating me like a child and I’m not putting up with it any more.’
‘But say your dad kicks you out or something?’
Nancy shook her head confidently. ‘No way could he ever kick me out. My mum would never allow it.’
Unaware that he had a spectator, Michael was eating fish and chips and sharing a bottle of cider in the park with Nancy.
Vinny studied the two lovesick fools through his binoculars. The bird was stunning, looked like a model, but tarts like that were trouble. Yvonne Summers had been a beauty, and look how that slag had treated him. Vinny could barely remember what Nancy looked like as a child, so had no idea whether this was her or not. What he did know was that she worked at Woolworth’s, and his soppy brother looked absolutely smitten with her.
When Michael began kissing her passionately, Vinny immediately felt queasy and put down his binoculars. He hated kissing. Mouth-to-mouth contact was far too personal for his liking.
Vinny left it a few minutes, picked his binoculars up again, and was pleased to see Michael and the bird were walking back towards his car. Hopefully time to find out where the bitch lived now. Then, if she was Nancy Walker, he would have to work out what to do next.
‘Eat something then, boy. I know you’re worried about your father, but he’s probably just gone on one of his benders like he always does when the going gets tough. You know what he’s like.’
Dean put down his knife and fork and puffed out his cheeks in exasperation. His dad hadn’t been seen since the day Dean had told him about his relationship with Brenda, and Dean was desperate to speak to him to try and smooth things out a bit. Obviously, his father wasn’t going to be happy about the situation whatever he said, but if his nan could see a light at the end of the tunnel, then why couldn’t his old man do the same? Surprisingly, Freda had managed to get her head around her grandson’s predicament. Obviously, she was still appalled that the Smarts and Butlers would soon be joined in matrimony, but she was willing to overlook who the mother of her first great-grandchild was, because she was determined to be a good nan herself. At least the child’s surname would be Smart and that alone was a consolation. ‘I’m gonna have to go and find him, Nan. He’s clearly still got the right hump, and this needs to be sorted out.’
‘Don’t be going confronting him in a pub, Deano. Wait till he comes home and sobers up, eh?’
‘But,