‘Well, of course he did, you silly cow. That is what he came for,’ Ray snarled at her, throwing her from him with such force she had to catch hold of the table she fell against to steady herself.
She was hardly aware of this, however, because she could scarcely believe the words that Ray had flung at her. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I mean, my dear, stupid bitch, that Collingsworth wanted a virgin and I had one that he paid dearly for.’
‘I can’t believe that I am hearing this,’ Molly said, aghast. ‘You know that I wouldn’t do anything like that. Surely to God you didn’t expect …’
‘But I did,’ Ray said wearily. ‘Fool that I was, I did. I told you to be very nice and I asked you if you knew what I meant and you said yes.’
‘I didn’t mean …’ Molly began through the tears seeping from her eyes.
‘I told you to do whatever he wanted, didn’t I?’
‘Yes, but …’
‘And what did you do, but bugger all except near kill the man.’
‘Is he … is he all right?’
‘Yeah, no thanks to you,’ Ray said. ‘I suppose I don’t have to tell you that you are not his favourite person at the moment. In fact if you were before him this minute he would kill you with his bare hands and I wouldn’t do a thing to stop him.’
Molly shuddered in sudden fear of this man for the first time. ‘Don’t say things like that.’
‘Even if they are true?’
‘But they are not. Normal people don’t go on like this.’
‘Collingsworth isn’t normal. Even on your limited acquaintance you must have been aware of that.’
‘I don’t know a thing about that man, nor do I want to,’ Molly said. ‘But I thought I knew you, that you cared.’
Ray gave a humourless laugh and his eyes glittered with dislike. ‘Cared?’ he said sardonically. ‘Cared for you, my dear? Wrong again, I am afraid. To me you were just a commodity, something to sell to make money from. I wouldn’t touch you with a bargepole.’
Molly was shaken by Ray’s words and she felt cold and lost inside. ‘And I thought that you were just being a gentleman,’ she said sadly.
Ray shook his head. There was no danger in telling her now. He didn’t intend to leave her alive long enough to pass it on to anyone. ‘No, I am not a gentleman, my dear. I prefer gentlemen.’ He laughed at the confusion in her eyes and went on, ‘To have sex with, I prefer men. Or to be more specific, boys, and the younger the better.’
Molly was so appalled that her lips retracted from her mouth in an expression of total contempt.
‘Don’t you sodding well look at me like that, you bloody excuse for a woman,’ he yelled at her. Then his punch knocked her to the ground and the kick rendered her unconscious.
Ray hauled her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. He could finish her off he thought, put a pillow over her head now, and it would all be over. He actually picked up the pillow, but couldn’t bring himself to do it and he put it down again. He needed Charlie, because he would have no qualms about finishing her off when he knew what she had done, and he’d have some idea where to hide the body too.
He checked his watch. He wouldn’t find Charlie at home at this time, though he had no idea where he would be either. He probably would not be home till the morning. Ray yawned suddenly, worn out with the events of the evening, and decided to make for his own place and grab a bit of kip.
It was as he was about to go out the front door that he remembered the money belt they had taken from Molly that he had put in a drawer and forgotten about. He took it out, opened it and stuffed all the notes and coins into his pocket before going out of the door, locking it behind him.
Will was still walking the streets, too churned up to return home, and when he saw Ray coming towards him from the direction of Collingsworth’s flat he wondered if Ray had killed the girl already. He had to know, and so though he would far rather have spread Ray’s length on the cobbles, he greeted him.
‘You still about?’ Ray said.
‘Yeah, but I’m off home now,’ Will answered, struggling to keep the disgust for the man from his voice. ‘Where you making for?’
‘Back to my own flat for a bit of a kip,’ Ray said. He had no idea that Will had listened in to the conversation he’d had with Collingsworth and yet he knew that it had been the chauffeur who had found the man at the bottom of the stairs because Collingsworth himself had told him that much, so he said now, ‘Bet you would like to know what it was all about, that shindig?’
Will shrugged. ‘If you like,’ he said, and added with a grim smile, ‘I have found Mr Collingsworth in many strange places, but that was about the most weird and, of course, being stark naked as well put the tin hat on it, as it were.’
‘Was he naked as well?’ Ray said incredulously. ‘Christ, he dain’t tell me that.’
‘I bet he didn’t,’ Will commented. ‘Well, what was it all about?’
He listened to the potted version of events that Ray fed him, but he made no mention of getting rid of the girl. What he did say, though, was, ‘Course, I was bloody mad, furious. I mean, what did she think she was there for? I gave her a good smacking, though Collingsworth had made a bloody mess of her first anyway. I knocked her clean out in the end and now I have locked her in the bedroom to stew. After I have grabbed a bit of shut-eye, I will have to run Charlie to ground because there is a little job I want him to do with me.’
Will knew exactly what that job was, and he felt sick. He couldn’t stand the man’s company any longer. ‘I’m away.’ he said. ‘I am bushed and chilled to the marrow.’
He swung away from Ray as he spoke. He knew he would have to walk home, for there were no trams running at that time of night, but it wouldn’t be the first time he had the long tramp home after a day’s work. Anyway, that night he almost felt glad of it, and hoped that by the time he reached home his mind would have stopped its leaping about and allow him to sleep.
His house was in darkness and he was glad of it as he tiptoed up the stairs. In the light from the landing he surveyed his sleeping wife, with her cheeks flushed pink and her brown hair spread out on the pillow, noting how sleep made her look so very vulnerable. As he slipped in beside her he thought of that young girl, just as vulnerable, who was unaware what was being planned for her and felt his whole body recoil in distaste.
He faced the fact that he wasn’t totally innocent either and it was no good pretending he was. Though he hadn’t known when he began working for Collingsworth, he was soon aware that Ray would pick up runaways at bus and train stations and then sell them on to the knocking shop, after keeping them at the flat, doping them up with the white powders and gin till they were so addicted to the stuff they would do what they were told, because if they didn’t their supplies were withheld.
He had never seen the girls concerned and had always told himself that it was none of his business. Now he listened
