been fine since I moved back in. Been very attentive towards me and the boys and we’ve had some nice family days out. We even went to the zoo last week. Sorry. I’m being thoughtless now, aren’t I?’
Joanna squeezed Nancy’s hand. ‘Don’t be daft! Even though Molly isn’t here any more, I still want to hear about those boys of yours. Actually, I’ve got some news for you, some good news for once, but you must swear that, if I tell you, you won’t breathe a word to a living soul. My mum and dad didn’t want me to tell you – I think that’s why my dad was a bit offish with you earlier. He thinks that if I tell you, you’ll tell Michael.’
‘As if! Spit it out, I’m dying to know. Have you met a new man?’
Joanna shook her head. ‘That day I saw Molly in the mortuary was officially the worst day of my life. I thought today was going to be even worse, until this morning.’ She gave a teary smile, swiping away the tears that were running down her cheeks. ‘Talk about every cloud has a silver lining, Nance.’
‘What you going on about, Jo? You’ve lost me.’
‘I’m having another baby.’
Rather than choke, Nancy spat her mouthful of wine back into her glass.
Feeling ever so weary, Queenie Butler put on her nightdress and slippers and went back downstairs. It had taken her ages to settle Tara and Tommy down, but both were now thankfully asleep.
‘They OK, Queen?’ Vivian asked.
Queenie nodded. ‘Took ’em a while to get off to sleep after I told them about the kids who got stabbed outside Bethnal Green station after asking the wrong geezer to give ’em a penny for the Guy. I think I might’ve frightened ’em.’
‘What you on about? I don’t remember any kids getting stabbed outside Bethnal Green station.’
‘Neither do I.’ Queenie managed a wicked grin. ‘But I had to come up with something that’d put them off begging, didn’t I?’ She sank into her chair with a sigh. ‘You wait until Brenda rears her drunken head tomorrow. You should have seen the state of her. Had her tongue stuck down that bloke’s throat in front of everybody in the pub, and he was a lot older than her. Talk about embarrass the family. Vinny and Michael won’t be too pleased when they find out. Bound to hear about it, even if I don’t tell ’em.’
Vivian tutted disapprovingly. ‘Who was he?’
‘No bloody idea. Knowing Bren, she probably picked him up at the wake. Acting like a whore, she was. I tell ya, Viv, I’m disgusted with her. She’s her father’s daughter all right. As for them poor little mites upstairs, I hate to think what’s gonna become of them with her as a mother.’
Vivian pursed her lips. ‘Tara and Tommy will turn out OK. It’s Little Vinny you should be worried about. His poem and crocodile tears did not fool me one little bit. Molly would still be alive if it wasn’t for him. A clone of his father if I ever did see one.’
After being totally lost for words, Nancy Butler had now composed herself and was trying to think of a polite way to burst her friend’s bubble.
‘You don’t seem very happy for me, Nance. I thought you of all people would be thrilled. I can’t believe my mum and dad advised me to have an abortion after everything I’ve been through. As much as I love my parents, I need to get my own place. I feel smothered, living with them.’
Nancy leaned across the table and held Joanna’s hand. ‘Please don’t take this the wrong way, Jo, but your mum and dad do have a point. If you keep the baby, Vinny is bound to find out at some stage. I can fully understand why you are so desperate for another child. I would feel exactly the same. But do you really want or need the aggravation of looking over your shoulder to protect that child for the rest of your life?’
Joanna snatched her hand away and glared at Nancy. ‘So, what exactly are you trying to say? That I should get rid of it?’
‘I don’t know what I’m trying to say, Jo. All I know is, if you keep the baby, Vinny is bound to find out about it.’
‘No, he won’t! Apart from you, my parents and my brother, nobody will ever know where I live or that the baby even exists. Unless you tell Michael.’
‘Oh, Jo, I would never betray your trust, you know that. I love you like a sister. I’m just worried you’ll never be rid of Vinny, that’s all. I am happy for you, honest I am.’
‘I should hope so too! No child will ever replace Molly, Nance, she was a one-off. But at least I have something to look forward to now, a future. As for Vinny, my dad reckons he’ll be put in prison for a very long time after what he did to Bobby Jackson. Dad said the police have been desperate to lock Vinny up for years and they won’t be lenient with him.’
Nancy forced a smile and tried to pretend she was happy for her friend, but inside she was worried sick. The police could lock Vinny up and throw away the key, but it still wouldn’t stop him claiming Joanna’s baby. But after everything the poor girl had gone through, how could she destroy her hopes of happiness by telling her that?
Back in Whitechapel, Vinny and Michael Butler were having a heart-to-heart about the future of their business. As a mark of respect, the club had not reopened since Molly’s death over a month ago, but Michael expected that to change after the funeral. However, Vinny had different ideas and had just dropped the bombshell that he wanted to sell up as soon as possible.
Michael knocked back his Scotch. He had to be diplomatic due to the circumstances, but wasn’t about to be walked all over. After all, he was joint owner of the club. ‘Look, Vin, I can fully understand why you don’t want to open up again, but I need the dosh. You’ve got other income from whatever you get up to with Ahmed, but I bloody well ain’t. I’ve got the boys to think of and Nancy.’
Vinny sneered. ‘Playing happy families with Nancy again, are you? When you gonna clock on that she’s a psycho, drags you down and you’d be far better off without her?’
‘Probably the same time you clock on Ahmed’s a wrong ’un. Look, bruv, I don’t want a war of words with you, but now is not the right time for us to sell the club.’
‘Yes, it is. We could start afresh, invest our money in a new venture. Bill Evans opened one of them posh wine bars up town last year. Raking it in, he is. I saw him the other week in a brand spanking new Rolls-Royce. It’s had it round here now, Michael, and we aren’t ever going to get all the custom back we’ve lost. I watched the news last night: unemployment at an all-time high. We need to go where the money is.’
‘Have you forgotten that you’re looking at a long stretch inside?’ Michael asked. Vinny had been charged with GBH with intent for the attack on Bobby Jackson and had been told by his brief to expect a lengthy custodial sentence.
‘’Course I haven’t forgot. That’s why I want to set the ball rolling now. We can be long up and running before my trial starts, then you can be earning fortunes for us while I’m away. No way I’m ever gonna work here again, Michael. I’m sure the place is fucking cursed. First the fire, then the shooting and now Molly. Whitechapel’s finished for us. There’s nothing here for us any more.’
As Vinny topped their glasses up, Michael mulled over his brother’s words. Vinny did have a point, but selling up was still a big ask. ‘I’m going to open up again this weekend. You don’t have to be here. Let’s
