for a Sunday roast? Mum’s isn’t as good as yours,’ Oliver Butler said, winking at his mother.
Queenie gave her favourite great-grandson a hug. He was sixteen now, a proper little man. Unlike his father, who was a typical Butler male, tall and dark-haired, Oliver had the trademark Butler bright green eyes but was blond. ‘Where’s your brother?’ Queenie asked. Oliver had two brothers: Regan, the youngest, was currently serving a sentence for stabbing his school teacher; it was the middle child Queenie was referring to.
‘Calum’s gone round a pal’s to play Pokémon,’ Oliver replied.
Little Vinny raised his eyebrows. ‘How times have changed since I was a lad, eh, Nan? Kids don’t want to breathe fresh air or do much bar play computer games these days.’ The truth was, Calum had been in a foul mood and refused to visit Queenie, but Little Vinny didn’t want to hurt his grandmother’s feelings by telling her that.
‘Oh well, at least if Calum’s indoors playing games he can’t put you through what you did me. Little bastard, you were, out street-raking with that Ben Bloggs. Surprised I never went grey.’
Seeing her grandson’s relaxed expression change, Queenie grabbed him by the arm. ‘Your father and uncles were bastards an’ all. Now, come and look at the garden. I’ve decided to do a memorial fence in honour of Vivvy.’
Little Vinny followed his nan outside. She pointed to the right-hand fence and told him of her plans to put a plaque up, plus a framed photo of Viv. ‘I’ll plant a rose bush in her honour too. She loved a garden, did Vivvy, boy, and I can’t see myself going to that cemetery much. Be too upsetting, especially as it’s all still so raw. If and when those bastards finally decide to release her body, I’ll go to the funeral then remember her here for the time being. You and your dad can drive over there once a week to make sure the grave’s tidy, can’t you? Leave some fresh flowers an’ all. Vivvy’s going in the same grave as Lenny. Be nice, pair of ’em resting in peace together. It’s what she wanted.’
Little Vinny couldn’t speak. Lenny’s grave was very close to Molly’s and he hadn’t been able to visit that cemetery for years. How could he, after the atrocious crime he had committed? The guilt wouldn’t allow him to. It wasn’t right. But neither had he been, back in the day. Not right at all. In fact, he’d been evil.
Having dreaded the evening ahead, Gina Mitchell was pleasantly surprised. Vinny had been thoroughly charming and his pretty young girlfriend was adorable, rather posh and extremely good company.
Vinny clicked his fingers. ‘Another bottle of champers over ’ere, guv,’ he shouted, well aware that he and Eddie were the focus of the rest of the diners. With their swagger and sharp suits, they looked what they were: top-class villains. Both had evaded the law and had their fingers in many pies over the years while hiding behind legit businesses.
‘You still got the salvage yard, Ed? Not heard you mention it for yonks,’ Vinny asked.
‘Sold it a while back. I thought I told you. No need to hang on to it any longer. Everything’s above board for the first time in my life,’ Eddie chuckled. Unlike Vinny, who’d always owned a club or two, Ed’s enterprises, aside from the salvage business, had all been dodgy. Earnings from pub protection and loan-sharking weren’t exactly something you declared to the taxman. He’d made plenty of dosh over the decades, but these days Gina and the kids came first and he didn’t want to take unnecessary risks so he’d knocked everything bent on the head. He was looking forward to getting his teeth into the new venture, and had put the nasty surprise received yesterday to the back of his mind. He’d yet to tell Vinny that he thought the gypsies were behind it, but he planned to when the time was right.
‘Found a new number plate earlier: VB1. Gonna treat meself to it, put it on the new Range Rover. Arm and a leg job the price, mind,’ Vinny bragged.
Eddie burst out laughing. ‘You bell-end. I remember you telling me private number plates were a waste of wonga and a curse, ’cause every bastard clocks where you are. You’ll stand out like a sore thumb with that one, pal.’
Vinny shrugged. ‘As you said, we’re all above board now, so why not? I certainly haven’t got any enemies, so if you have, best you speak up now.’
Eddie gave Vinny a warning look. He had told him earlier that under no circumstances was he to mention the dead rats to Gina as he didn’t want to worry her. ‘Oh well, each to their own, mate.’
Aware that Vinny wasn’t very amused, Gina chuckled falsely and punched Eddie on the arm. ‘Don’t be taking no notice of him, Vinny. He made me go for a test drive in a Rolls-Royce with him the other day. A bright red convertible, I kid you not.’
Vinny put his arm around Felicity’s shoulders and leaned back in his chair, rolling up. ‘You prick! Don’t tell me you bought it, Ed?’
‘Nah. Gina reckoned it wasn’t suitable for everyday use with the kids. She has got a point, I suppose. I was bloody tempted though. You should’ve seen the interior. It’s the bollocks of a motor and a dream to drive.’
When the men started chatting and bantering about motors, Gina moved next to Felicity. She was very beautiful, classy and reminded Gina of a younger version of Bella, Michael Butler’s other half. Gina knew that Vinny had once had a fling with Bella when she and Michael weren’t together. They’d even produced a child, and Gina could not help wonder if that was what had attracted Vinny to Felicity in the first place. She could remember Eddie telling her a while back that Vinny had once had a fixation with Bella.
‘Is it always like this, people looking over? I know when I worked at the club, Vinny was seen as some kind of god, but I didn’t expect him to be so well known in a restaurant in Ongar,’ said Felicity.
Gina smiled. Smith’s restaurant was a favourite haunt of hers and Eddie’s, and it was her husband who’d suggested coming here when Vinny rang up earlier. ‘You’ll get used to it. I think Eddie and Vinny are reasonably well known wherever they go. It can be a pain in the butt at times, especially if the children are with us. I remember going to a restaurant in Brentwood a few years ago and Eddie got pestered left, right and centre. Aaron was only young then and the attention scared him.’
‘Vinny doesn’t take me out much, to be honest. You’re the first friends of his I’ve dined with. That lady with the short blonde bob we spoke about earlier is looking over again at your Eddie. Does that not bother you, Gina?’
Gina laughed. ‘Not at all. For a start, Eddie is well aware I’d chop his testicles off if he even thought about messing me around. And secondly, there are some sad, lonely women in this world. The amount of times I’ve seen women try to chat Eddie up or pass him their phone number is far too many to count.’
‘Really! I don’t think I would like that at all. It’s very disrespectful to do such a thing in front of you.’
Having been half-earwigging, Vinny turned to Felicity. ‘What’s disrespectful?’
‘Nothing important. We’re just having a girlie chat.’
‘Come on, I wanna hear it. Otherwise that’s disrespectful, isn’t it? To be sitting on the same table as your bloke, who’s treated you to a top night out, and whispering behind his back.’
Gina glanced at Eddie while Felicity spilled the beans. She knew her husband wouldn’t be bothered about anything they’d spoken about, so why was Vinny?
Eddie moved seats and
