Schemer (57 page)

‘Nope, not seen hide nor hair of her still,’ Stephanie replied miserably.

‘Oh dear! Shall me and Lin come over to the salon?’

‘No, don’t worry. I’m gonna shoot off home in a minute and leave Maria in charge. I’m not in the mood for work today.’

‘So, have you rung Danni to see where she is?’ Pam asked anxiously. Stephanie had never had a moment’s worry with Dannielle in the past, and it was so out of character for her granddaughter to behave in such a rebellious way.

‘No, there’s no point me ringing her because if she answers, she’s only going to lie to me, and then I’ll go off me head at her again.’

Pam sighed. She knew exactly how her daughter was feeling. ‘Look, the best thing you can do is try and calm down a bit, love. I know it’s difficult because when you and your sister were Danni’s age, many a time I felt sick and out of me mind with worry. The more you lose your temper with her though, Steph, the more you’re gonna push her into this boy’s arms – and you don’t want that to happen, do you now? Take my advice and don’t lose your rag no more, and I bet within the next few weeks, Danni will introduce you to this lad of her own accord. Better still, the relationship might have even fizzled out by then.’

‘Let’s hope so, Mum. The thing that has worried me more than anything is this morning Tyler informed me that this lad has a car.’

‘How does Tyler know that? Did Danni tell him?’ Pam asked, suspiciously. She knew what a wind-up her grandson could be at times.

‘He wouldn’t tell me how he knew, but he swears he can find out who this lad is for me, so I’ve let him have the week off school.’

Pam couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘He’s a thirteen-year-old boy, Steph, he ain’t bleedin’ Inspector Morse. What’s the betting the little sod’s pulling a fast one just so he can have another week off?’

‘I thought that at first, but I’ve got a feeling Ty already knows more than he’s letting on, Mum. We shall see if he comes up with any evidence. He asked me for twenty quid to buy some of them throwaway cameras and he swore to me that he would get pictures of the boy and his bloody car. I’m petrified this lad has just passed his test and is racing about like some loony, Mum. He might drink and drive or anything. Worried sick, I am. So much so that, apart from half a chicken sandwich yesterday, I’ve not eaten anything since Saturday evening.’

Pam sighed. ‘You must start eating, love, else you’re gonna make yourself ill. You sure you don’t want me to come over?’

‘I’m fine, Mum, honest. I’m not much company at the moment and I promise I’ll get myself something to eat in a minute. Are you in all day?’

‘Yep, not going anywhere.’

‘Well, as soon as I hear from Tyler or Danni comes home, I’ll ring you,’ Stephanie said.

‘OK darling, and try and keep your chin up. Things will sort themselves out in the end – they always do.’

Tyler was standing in view of the station when he saw the black Range Rover pull up. He immediately put the hood of his sweatshirt up and rang Brad. ‘He’s here, Brad. Danni ain’t seen you following her, has she?’

‘No, she ain’t even left the house yet.’

‘Blinding! Right, get your arse down ’ere and then I’ll start clicking away with the camera. I want you to ask the man if you can have a photo taken with his motor. That way I can take a few and get him in the picture an’ all,’ Tyler told him.

‘I don’t really want to ask him. Can’t you ask him and I’ll take the pictures?’ Brad asked, nervously. He didn’t like the look of the man they’d seen in the Range Rover one little bit.

‘No, because if he lives local he might know what I look like. For all I know, Danni might have shown him some family photos or something. Just bowl up to him and say nice car, mate. Then ask, is it OK if my pal takes a photo of me standing next to it? I doubt the old codger will say no, then I can make sure I get him in the photo an’ all. Once we’re done we can go get some beer and fags.’

‘Danni’s just opened the front door, Ty,’ Brad replied.

‘Well fucking hurry up then. Quick, run.’

While waiting for Dannielle to arrive, Barry decided to give his mate Martin a call at work. ‘How’s it going, big man? When you gonna pop round and see me new gaff?’

‘When I get a proper invitation,’ Martin replied, chuckling. ‘So what’s been occurring? How’s it going with the new girlfriend?’

‘Yep, all good.’

‘What about Jolene’s father? You received any more threats?’ Martin asked.

‘No, but I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s flying over to England today to try and track me down. Been running around Fuengirola telling everyone I’m a murderer, the mug has, and it sounds like people have started to believe him.’

‘Well, I suppose it don’t look good on your behalf if Jolene ain’t been since you took her out on the boat, does it? What you gonna do if he turns up at your gaff?’

‘I truly hope the cock does find me now, ’cause I’ve got a nice little surprise waiting for him if he does.’

‘Enlighten me?’ Martin asked, intrigued.

‘I’ll fill you in properly tomorrow, Mart. I’ve got some nuisance of a kid banging on me window and Danni will be ’ere any sec. Laters, yeah,’ Barry said, opening his window. ‘What do you want, boy?’ he asked.

‘I love your car, mister, it’s well cool. Is it OK if my mate takes a picture of me standing next to it, please?’ Brad asked politely.

Barry grinned. The kid had a right cockney accent and reminded him of himself as a lad. ‘I’ll go one better than that. You jump in the driver’s seat, get your mate to stand next to you and I’ll take a picture of the pair of you,’ Barry said, leaping out of the motor.

‘He wants to take a picture of both of us,’ Brad shouted to Tyler.

Academic Tyler wasn’t, but quick-thinking he most certainly was. ‘I need to take it because it’s for a school project. We’re doing a photography lesson and our teacher said we have to take all the photos ourselves,’ he said, walking towards Barry.

‘Why you got your hood up on a hot day like this?’ Barry asked, chuckling.

‘Because it’s the fashion. So, can I take the photos please?’ Tyler replied. He was worried that Dannielle might appear at any second.

When Barry nodded, Tyler quickly started clicking away. He then held out his right hand to Barry. ‘Thank you, and what’s your name, mister, in case my teacher asks whose motor it is?’

Barry laughed. ‘Me name’s Barry, lads, but me pals call me Bazza.’

‘Cheers, Bazza. Come on, we gotta go now,’ Tyler said, grabbing Brad’s arm and half dragging him away.

As the boys ran down a nearby street, Tyler burst out laughing. ‘That was well wicked. I got about three close-up pictures of him.’

‘Getting his name was well cool. Me and you make a great team, Ty. We should be private detectives when we’re older and start our own business,’ Brad suggested excitedly. ‘Shall we get the lagers and fags now? David Smith’s brother said he’ll go to the offie for us. I asked him this morning.’

Out of breath through excitement, Tyler leant on a nearby wall. ‘We need to get the photos developed first. That shop I showed you had a sign saying that they’re ready in one hour. We can get the beer and fags after.’

Brad grinned. ‘Come on then, let’s go.’

Stephanie was forcing herself to eat a prawn mayonnaise sandwich when her mobile phone rang. Her heart lurched when she spotted the caller was her son. ‘What’s happened? Has she come home?’ she asked, on tenterhooks.

‘Yep, she came home, got changed, went out again, and I’ve got the photos I promised you.’

‘Go and get them developed, Ty. I’ll give you some more money, boy,’ Steph said, her heart beating nineteen to the dozen.

‘I’ve already got ’em developed, Mum. I’m looking at ’em as I speak.’

‘Oh my God! Well done you! Where are you now, Ty?’

‘I’m heading back towards home.’

‘Well, stay where you are and I’ll pick you up to save you walking.’

‘Nah, don’t do that, Mum. I think it’s best that I meet you at home.’

‘Why? What’s the matter?’

Tyler screwed his face up. He was dreading telling his mother this piece of information, but she was going to find out soon enough anyway. ‘You ain’t gonna like this, but Danni’s boyfriend is really old.’

‘Really old! How old? Does he look about twenty? Twenty-five, or what?’

‘He actually looks older than you, Mum,’ Tyler said bluntly.

Stunned and horrified, Stephanie dropped the phone in shock.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Unaware that her distraught sister had just gone zooming past her in her BMW, Angela Crouch pulled into the car park of Ye Old Kings Head in Chigwell. Angela was with her old school pal, Chloe Martin, who had recently moved into a house nearby on the Limes Farm Estate, and after lunching in Buckhurst Hill, the girls had decided to stop at a pub on the way back to Chloe’s house.

‘Oh, I don’t like the look of this, Ange. There ain’t many cars here and it looks a bit old-fashioned. Shall we find somewhere a bit more modern and lively?’ Chloe suggested.

‘Anywhere particular you fancy trying?’ Angie asked. She didn’t care where they went.

‘I don’t really know anywhere round here yet, mate. Have a look on that list you bought with you,’ Chloe replied.

Angela was no expert on the area, so had printed out a list of nearby pubs and restaurants that she had found via the internet. ‘Where did I put that list, Chloe?’ she asked, as she searched through her handbag.

Chloe was too busy watching the handsome gangster-looking bloke and the young girl who had just walked out of the pub grope one another to answer her friend’s question. ‘Ere, look at them two, Ange. He’s well old for her and I bet he’s a drug dealer or something. Look at his flashy motor and his expensive-looking black suit and sunglasses.’

Angela looked up just in time to see the dark-haired bloke get into a spruced-up black Range Rover. The girl was also about to get in, but suddenly turned on her heel and went back inside the pub. ‘Oh my God!’ Angela exclaimed, her eyes fixed on the girl.

‘What’s up? Do you know them or something?’

‘I didn’t really see the bloke, but that girl is my niece. That’s Dannielle, Stephanie’s daughter.’

Chloe couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She had never liked Angela’s sister when they were kids. Steph was too up herself for Chloe’s liking. ‘Are you sure it’s Steph’s daughter? I didn’t think you’d had nowt to do with her or her children for years?’

‘I haven’t, but Jason threw a birthday party for Aidan recently and Danni was there. I didn’t want to go, but Aidan begged me to, so I went and stayed for about an hour. That is definitely her,’ Angela said, as Dannielle walked out of the pub towards the black Range Rover once again.

‘Well, well, well. I wonder what Miss Prim and Proper thinks about her daughter dating some middle-aged gangster then?’

‘I’ve got to follow them, see where they go,’ Angela said, turning on the ignition. ‘I never saw the bloke’s face, I only saw the back of him as he got in his motor. How old would you say he was, Chloe?’

‘I reckon he looked older than us, mate, but I must say he was quite a sort. I’d definitely swap him for my Paul, if I could.’

Angela chuckled. Chloe’s husband, Paul, was a pleasant bloke and a good dad, but he’d put on a lot of weight recently and was certainly no oil painting. ‘I hope the bloke don’t clock we’re following him,’ Angela said, indicating left to follow the Range Rover.

‘Would your niece recognize you, do you think?’

‘I doubt it. She was at Aidan’s party with three of her friends and I never spoke to her or anything. I’ve got a feeling Aidan never told her I was there, and as I said, I didn’t stay long anyway.’

‘He’s indicating to turn into a driveway. If you pull up just past it, I’ll walk back and clock the gaff if you want?’ Chloe offered a few minutes later.

‘No, let’s drive up the road, wait five minutes, then drive back again. You never know, he could have clocked us following him and he might just be turning around or something.’

Angela sat in silence as Chloe waffled on about her two children. Aidan had always told her what a lovely girl Dannielle was, and even though Angie didn’t see eye to eye with her sister, she didn’t want her niece to end up going down the wrong road. If something like this had happened a couple of years back, Angela knew she would have gloated over it, but meeting Theo and finally bonding with Aidan had somehow changed her views on life. She could still behave in an inappropriate manner at times, she knew that, but because she was now happy in her own life, her evil streak rarely raised its ugly head any more. ‘Right, let’s drive back now. What I’ll do is drop you off, then I’ll park up on the corner and you can meet me there. Just clock what the house is like, and check if there are any other motors on the drive. I would walk past there myself, but I’d rather not, just in case Danni does see me and recognize me.’

‘Come on then, what we waiting for? I’m dying for another glass of wine, so the quicker we do this, the faster we get to a pub,’ Chloe said, grinning.

Angela did as she was told and stopped near the driveway. ‘It’s the one opposite that red jeep,’ she told her pal.

When Chloe got out, Angela drove to the end of the road and waited patiently on the corner. ‘Well?’ she asked, as her friend reappeared a few minutes later.

‘The house looks quite big. If I had to guess, I would say it was a four-bedroomed, and the black Range Rover was the only motor on the drive. It must be that bloke’s house, I reckon. It has to be.’

‘Oh dear,’ Angela said, starting the ignition.

‘So, what you gonna do now? Will you tell Steph?’ Chloe asked.

‘I don’t even know my sister’s address, let alone have her phone number. If I was gonna do anything about it, I’d tell me Mum, but I know she won’t believe me, so what’s the point?’

‘But, why would she not believe you? I’ll back you up if you need me to. I mean we’re mothers ourselves, so surely your mum will realize we wouldn’t muck about if it was something to do with Steph’s daughter?’

Keeping her eyes firmly on the road, Angela shook her head knowingly. ‘Actually, I think I will tell her, because if something bad happened to Dannielle, I could never forgive myself. I doubt it will do much good, though. My mum is so blinkered when it comes to Steph, she thinks the sun shines out of her and her kids’ arses. I know my own mother, and she would rather eat dog shit than believe that Steph’s precious little girl is up to no good.’