and you can move in here with Bren,’ Queenie insisted, when Dean finished explaining.
‘I will be fine staying at my nan’s house. Honest, I will. But, thanks for the offer anyway, Queenie.’
Queenie shook her head vehemently. ‘No, you bloody well won’t. I’m not having the father of my Bren’s baby living with a thug like Terry Smart. Go and get your bits and bobs now. You’re moving in here, and that’s final.’
Vinny Butler waited until the people walked away from the shop with their groceries, then casually approached it himself. As luck would have it, there was an Articles for Sale board in the shop window, so Vinny pretended to be engrossed in that while he tried to get a better look inside. Recognizing Donald Walker, Vinny felt an element of fury surge though his veins. How dare Michael disobey him in such a way? And how could he put their relationship in such jeopardy over some stupid tart?
Walking away, Vinny kicked a nearby wall in pure frustration. Michael might be about to open the biggest can of worms ever and he needed to put a stop to their tainted affair as soon as he possibly could.
Freda Smart was distraught as her grandson walked up the path with his suitcase in his hand. Twenty-two stitches the poor little sod had, and Freda would give her Terry what for when he finally showed his drunken face.
‘Don’t cry, Nan. You’re making me upset. I promise I will ring you every day and we can meet whenever. I just don’t wanna come back here any more because of Dad.’
Freda nodded miserably. She had been more of a mother than a nan to Dean, and now he was leaving her. When he waved one last time before he traipsed off down the road, Freda knew she had lost him for good. Once that vulgar Butler mob got their evil claws in him, Dean’s life would be all but bloody over.
Vinny was still livid when he popped into his mother’s house.
‘You won’t believe what our Michael has gone and done, Mum. He’s heading for a good fucking hiding, I’m telling ya.’ Aware that Lenny and his son were both ear-wigging, he handed his cousin a crisp pound note. ‘Take Little Vinny round the shops, Champ, and get yourselves some of them Jamboree Bags, eh? I need to talk to your Auntie Queenie about a few things.’
When Lenny and his son had left the house, Vinny explained to his mum about Michael’s secret relationship.
‘Well, it ain’t ideal, but I don’t think you should worry too much, Vinny. That unfortunate incident with Dave Phillips happened years ago, and if that Nancy’s brother was ever going to retract his original statement and blab, he’d have done it long before now. You know what our Michael is like for chopping and changing his birds. Give it a month, it will have fizzled out with Nancy and he’ll be onto his next victim,’ Queenie chuckled.
‘Well, I really ain’t happy about it, Mum. That family fled the area because of what happened and I just don’t want them to be reminded of it. If the brother finds out that Nancy is involved with Michael, I bet he fucking tells her and his parents the truth. The police re-opening the murder case is grief I really don’t need.’
‘’Ere, before I forget, I’ve been meaning to tell you, Roy is organizing a surprise engagement party for Colleen and secretly inviting all her family over from Ireland. You’re gonna have to make your one just for Brenda and Dean. Roy will be furious if it’s a joint do, I know he will.’
‘The party is just a small family celebration, and if Roy wants to organize another big bash later in the year, then he can. There ain’t even fifty people going, Mum. It’s just us and a few friends, that’s it.’
‘OK, but if Roy isn’t happy, don’t say I didn’t warn you. As for Michael, you gonna confront him with your findings?’
‘No, I’ve got a better idea than that.’
‘What?’
Vinny grinned. ‘I’m gonna pay his ex-bird a visit to get her to pretend she is pregnant and it’s Michael’s. If that don’t make Nancy Walker run a mile, then nothing will. It will also teach Michael a lesson for dipping his wick so often. Don’t worry, it’s just a bit of fun, Mum. As soon as Nancy has scarpered, Michael will see sense anyway.’
Queenie raised her eyebrows. Her Vinny was as sharp as a razor, only he could think that one up. ‘You need to sort that Terry Smart out an’ all, boy. He’s gone and glassed Dean now. It doesn’t look good on us as a family if he isn’t dealt with. We don’t want people to think they can take liberties with us and get away with it, do we?’
‘We can’t be seen to be doing anything too rash, but Terry will be dealt with good and proper this time. Smart by name that prick is, but obviously not by nature,’ Vinny replied.
Knowing that dealt with good and proper meant dead, Queenie smiled at her son. She had never liked that Terry Smart anyway.
Johnny Preston was not in the best of moods. The engine of the van he and Graeme had purchased had blown up this morning, so they were now back to square one. Part of Johnny just wanted to risk shooting Vinny, then driving back to Dagenham on the bike, but he had to think of his kids’ welfare if he got a life sentence. He knew that he stood far more chance of getting away with his crime if he put the bike in the back of the van and made his escape that way, so as Graeme had insisted earlier, they just needed to be patient.
‘Right, I’m gonna pop out and see my daughter for a couple of hours,’ Graeme informed his pal.
Johnny nodded miserably. He wanted to get the job over with, then get back to his kids. He decided to call home. ‘Hello darling. What you been up to? I hope you’re looking after your mum for me while I’m away?’ Johnny asked his daughter.
‘You’ve got some front. I know your dirty little secret,’ Joanna hissed, her voice full of anger.
Johnny immediately felt his pulse start to race. ‘What?’
‘I’m talking about having sex with women behind my mum’s back.’
‘I wouldn’t do that to your mum, Jo. If someone has told you that, they are telling you lies.’
‘No, they aren’t. That lady whose house you stayed around last week is my mate Georgia’s mum. I haven’t told Mum, it will break her heart, but I really hate you, and I never want to speak to you again.’
When his daughter slammed the phone down on him, Johnny put his messed-up head in his hands. Sod the bloody van. The quicker he killed Vinny Butler and got back to Tiptree to sort out this terrible mess, the better.
Nancy Walker had never stayed in a hotel room in her life before, and she was amazed by how plush it was compared to her poky little bedroom. Soft beige deep-pile carpet, satin bedding, even the lampshades looked like they had cost a fortune. ‘Wow, isn’t it ace, Michael?’
‘Only the best for you, my darling,’ Michael said, truthfully. He usually shagged in the back of his car, or at the club. He had never spent this kind of money on any girl in the past.
Michael looked gorgeous in his dark suit, white shirt and black tie, and when he began kissing her passionately, Nancy felt the first stirrings of unrest. Michael made her feel alive and the thought of spending the whole night in bed with him was exciting, yet frightening at the same time.
Denise Thompson was amazed to see Vinny Butler’s posh motor
