you wanted. She’d usually flog whatever she got at half the marked-up price to the women down the bingo hall, but now and again would choose something for herself.
Jason paced up and down his nan’s front room. ‘He wants me to marry her. Given me an address in Hatton Garden of a pal of his and the dosh to buy her a ring today. I don’t love her. She ain’t even my type. What the hell am I meant to do, Nan?’
‘For Christ’s sake, boy, calm down. You sound like you’ve inhaled helium. Who wants you to marry who?’
‘That Melissa I told you about. Put it right on me, her father did. He’s even got me a job with a mate of his on a building site. A proper job. I can’t do that. I don’t do proper jobs. Reckons he’s gonna buy us a house to do up and put it in mine and Mel’s names. But I don’t love the girl. I barely know her.’
‘Bit hasty, ain’t he? Why the rush?’
Jason flopped on to the armchair and put his head in his hands. ‘Mel’s mother’s dying and apparently it’s her wish to see her daughter married off. Why me, eh?’
‘How much did he give ya to buy the ring?’ Peggy enquired.
‘Five grand.’
‘Well, the way I see it, you got two choices. You either do a runner with the five grand. Or you marry the tart, stay with her a couple of years and cop for half the house. Is she that bleedin’ ugly?’
‘No. Well, I dunno. More plain than ugly, I suppose.’
‘Any brothers or sisters?’
‘One brother. But the old man don’t get on with him.’
‘Sometimes in life, Jason, you gotta look at the bigger picture. If the old girl’s on her last legs, you’re one death away from a wonderful inheritance.’
Johnny put the mug of tea on his wife’s bedside cabinet, smiled and kissed her on the nose. ‘How you feeling? I thought I’d cook a fry-up this morning. Bet poor little Shay will think it’s Christmas, bless her.’
‘Aww, my little mate.’
Desperate to make his wife as happy as possible, Johnny said, ‘If I tell you a secret, you got to promise me you’ll keep schtum about it. We don’t want to spoil the surprise.’
‘I won’t say anything. What surprise?’
‘When we was in the pub last night, Jason asked for my permission to propose to Mel.’
Carol sat up and put her hand over her mouth. ‘Really! What did you say? I mean, they haven’t known one another long. But it’s so romantic. Did you tell him it was a bit too soon?’
‘No, love. I gave him my permission. I hadn’t been with you that long before I proposed. When you meet the right one, you just know, don’t you?’
‘I’m so pleased he asked your permission, but it’s a bit quick – we were together five months, not weeks. I’m not sure she’ll say yes, you know. It’s a big step, but oh wouldn’t it be wonderful.’
‘We will find out soon enough. He’s proposing this Friday.’
‘Not again. What am I meant to have done now?’ Jason asked, as the police ordered him to step out of his XR2. This was the third time he’s been pulled over along Dagenham Heathway in the past six months.
‘We know it’s you peddling filth, Rampling. Only a matter of time until we catch you red-handed,’ an officer informed Jason as his colleague searched the car.
Jason looked at his watch. He never argued with the police. It wasn’t worth antagonizing them. They’d once planted drugs in Lenny Anderson’s car because they couldn’t catch him outright. Lenny had given them a load of gyp whenever he got tugged, the silly boy. A three-stretch he’d ended up with because of that.
The van Jason used when carrying anything illegal was kept in a mate’s garage and wasn’t registered to him. A local headcase, Mickey Two Wives, had sold him the vehicle and it was registered to an address in Wolverhampton. Following Mickey’s advice, Jason had never sent off the logbook. It was easy to get a bent MOT and insurance certificate to tax the van. Mickey lived in a caravan just off the A13 in Purfleet and would get his gypsy mates to sort the paperwork for a oner a pop. The van was sign-written, had once belonged to an electrician and still had the company’s details plastered down both sides. Jason always wore a dark baseball cap when driving it to cover up his distinct blond hair and not once had he ever been tugged. The Old Bill thought they were so clever, but they weren’t. He had always been one step ahead of them.
‘All done, guv,’ the second officer said, slamming Jason’s boot in disgust at finding it empty of anything untoward.
The other officer handed Jason his licence back. ‘Watch your back, Rampling.’
Jason smirked. ‘Thank you, officers. Have a nice day.’
Darlene Michaels had just returned from the shops when there was a knock at the door.
‘Oh, it’s you. Got a fucking cheek, turning up ’ere unannounced, seeing as you blank all my calls these days. Fourteen times I rang you yesterday, ya no-good bastard.’ Darlene’s heart was beating like a drum as it always did when she and Jason argued. She loved him so much it bloody hurt at times.
‘I was proper busy yesterday. Sorry. Come ’ere,’ Jason said, holding his arms out. He was dying to get his end away, could feel his penis throbbing with anticipation.
Darlene pushed him away, her eyes glinting angrily. ‘I ain’t stupid. Been round the block a few times meself, ya know. Who is she? And don’t pretend there is no she, ’cause I know there fucking is.’
Knowing this was his chance to come clean, Jason chose his words carefully. ‘It’s not what you think. I’m in shit-street, Dar. Had a massive bust-up with me mum and I’ve moved out. I needed help with Shay, so I’ve got a pal helping me out. She’s a bird, but a proper plain Jane. I swear on Shay’s life I’m not banging her. I don’t look at her in the way I look at you. I’m just sort of using her, to be honest.’
‘Do I look simple? Well, do I?’ Darlene screamed. ‘No way is some tart gonna look after Shay without getting something in return. Got money, has she? You’re a slippery snake, Jason, that’s what you are. I knew you were up to no good, can always tell. Fuck off, go on. Get out my flat and life.’
‘Dar, please don’t be like this. You know as well as I do, sometimes in life we gotta put our kids first. That’s why me and you can never live together or be seen out, ’cause you don’t want Andy finding out. This bird means nothing to me – unlike you, who means the world. You gotta believe me.’
Screaming abuse and throwing punches, Darlene pushed him out the front door. ‘And don’t come fucking back,’ she bellowed.
‘Can I have another cuddle?’ Shay asked Carol. This woman was nice and Shay hoped she was her new nan. She was friendly and smelled lovely. She was nothing like her old nan, who swore constantly and smelled nasty.
Carol chuckled. The child had almost a feral look about her. ‘Go upstairs and look in the bathroom. There’s a black brush on the sink unit, you’ll
