Sweetie (14 page)

‘You understand why we’re doing this, don’t you, Lucy? It’s just so we can go over everything again, see if there’s anything else you can remember, no matter how small or unimportant it might seem.’

‘I know, and I remember everything,’ said the girl with a determined set to her jaw.

‘Yes, I’m sure you do.’

Grace finally arrived home with bags of shopping around half-past four to find John and the boys watching the women’s final at Wimbledon on the telly. She glanced briefly at the TV and wondered how on earth the players managed to look so com -

posed and fresh. John looked pissed off; he was probably still moody with her, smarting from the way she’d gone off that morning.

‘Christ, we’ve had some right fun and games! It’s all been going on today, I’m exhausted,’ said Grace, scooping baby Luke off the floor and giving him a big cuddle. ‘Oh, John, he stinks. When did you last 127

change his nappy?’ She flopped down on the sofa between him and Adam, Luke on her lap, happy and relieved to be home; she put her arm around Adam and pulled him in close to her.

She looked lovingly at her first son – her pride and joy – and wanted to scream at the injustice of what he’d been through, but she was grateful too. For the first time since the attack he was smiling and she gazed at him with a wave of love and optimism before going on with her story.

‘I went round to Sue’s and I’d only been there ten minutes when little Benny came in saying Jamie had gone – so of course we all thought the worst. Bloody hell broke loose, we were all running round like headless chickens – it was a nightmare. Gill was doing her nut and we were all out looking for him.

Anyway, we got back to Sue’s and there he was, sitting at the table eating egg and chips and having a Coke, like nothing had happened. I thought Gill was going to crown him!’

John sat grim-faced on the sofa, staring straight ahead at the telly and not speaking. Grace sighed and told herself to stop chatting. Her husband was obviously still upset with her; she wanted to make amends, tell him she was sorry and that she loved him. She took the baby off to change his nappy then came back to the kitchen where she flipped the kettle on and whistled to herself as she washed up the breakfast dishes still in the sink.

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That business with Steven Archer was awful, really awful, but she had to put it behind her, forgive John and get back to normal. He was her husband, he idolised her and their boys, and she knew she was lucky to have him. The world was full of weak men like Michael Potts and Terry Williams, but her John wasn’t one of them. Yes, he’d gone along with them and he had hurt Steven, but she had to forgive him one slip-up. Her life, her marriage, her whole future, depended on her getting things back to normal as quickly as possible. John worked hard, provided them with a beautiful home and a good life. He’d done what he had because he’d wanted to protect them. She understood that now. She came back into the front room with two mugs of tea in her hands and a bag of doughnuts from the baker’s held between her teeth. She set the mugs of tea down on coasters and sighed with contentment. But still John didn’t look at her.

‘Look, love, I’m really sorry about last night and this morning, I just felt it was all getting out of control and I was frightened. You know I like young Steven –

that I’ve always had a soft spot for him? I felt terrible about what happened to him, and even worse when I knew you were involved. We were talking today, me and the girls, and realise we all made a dreadful mistake, but let’s not dwell on it.’ Grace waited for a reply and when none came continued, ‘John, I’ve said I’m sorry, don’t be pissed off with me.’

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‘It’s not that.’ His bottom lip was trembling and she could see him physically shaking.

‘Well, what is it then? We’re all right, aren’t we?

Little man here is getting better, and Jamie came back.’

‘Yeah, but Wayne didn’t.’ John still couldn’t look at her. He dropped his head into his hands and began to weep.

‘What do you mean?’ That cold feeling ran through her again.

‘Sue rang about ten minutes ago, Grace.’ He raised his head with an effort and looked into his wife’s ashen face. ‘Wayne hasn’t come back. He went off on his own to find Jamie and hasn’t been seen since.

Sue’s just called the police.’

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Chapter Eight

Kelly Gobber watched events unfold throughout the whole morning and early afternoon. She was bored with everything and now that Sha and the others had gone home for lunch she sat on the low stone wall, swinging her legs restlessly. Lunch for her would be half a loaf filled with chips and lots of salt and vinegar – all from the local chippy. As a latch-key kid, there was nothing for her to go home to. Her mum would be down the local with one of her many men friends, getting sloshed, and Kelly had become streetwise enough to look after herself. She needed nothing and no one. Money was handed over on a regular basis, to shut her up and keep her out of the way while her mum staggered home with a client and occupied the bedroom in a noisy fashion.

Kelly had known from a young age that sex sells.

Her father had left before she was born, and since then it had just been her and her mum. Everyone knew that Cath Gobber was the local bike, but Kelly, with her money and trendy clothes, was a popular girl. Whatever her mum did, it never stopped Kelly being liked.

There was nothing left to see now that all her 131

mates had gone home and the street was quiet once more, save for that idiot who just wouldn’t turn the radio down. Bored, hot and hungry, Kelly made her way over to the chip shop to get her lunch.

It wasn’t Sue who worried first. For someone who spoke so vehemently about the need to deal with the sex attacker, she had a surprising amount of faith in her eldest boy’s ability to look after himself. She was certain that Wayne had simply got sidetracked by some of his mates and would come back as soon as he was hungry or needed money. She didn’t fret unnecessarily about her Wayne – he was a big boy, a tough little bugger, a bit of a ringleader like her, and more than capable of taking care of himself and his mates.

Wayne Williams was a known face in the neigh -

bourhood and even boys several years his senior had learned to their cost not to pick fights with him. He wasn’t a bully, though, and despite his rough and ready exterior, Wayne always had a soft spot for the underdog. Perhaps it had something to do with having TJ for a little brother – he adored him, could be sweet and protective with other young children, and took his position of eldest child in the family very seriously.

It wasn’t unusual for Wayne to go missing; he often stayed out way past the time he was meant to come home. He’d been like it since junior school, and 132

now he was in his first year of secondary modern he had met an older crowd and the nights just got longer. He’d often come strolling home at half-past ten, even on a school night, and Sue and Terry had given up trying to rein him in.

It wasn’t that he was a bad boy; far from it. It was just that he was a bit of a lad. His frequent detentions at school were almost a badge of honour. Terry often bragged about Wayne’s antics in the pub, and Sue loved to regale the other women at coffee morn ings with his comings and goings and outrageous behaviour. The other mums all loved him too; he was always there to watch their little ones. Wayne Williams, a real character.

Terry began to have his doubts after lunch. Wayne was a fucker, but he didn’t like to miss out on anything that was going on. Granted Jamie was back now, but it did seem strange that Wayne hadn’t been home to check. Gillian had been so relieved when she got back to Sue’s and found her son sitting at the kitchen table, eating egg and chips, and was full of apologies for turning on him earlier. The kettle had been switched on to celebrate and cigarettes had been lit and everyone felt their spirits lift.

‘You nearly gave your mum a heart attack, going off like that,’ scolded Nanny Parks. ‘You must always tell her where you’re going.’ Jamie was in disgrace for a while, but things soon went back to 133

normal. The boy was safe and that was all that mattered.

Grace had said she’d better get cracking as she’d been out all morning and would probably get home to find Adam and Luke still in their pyjamas. Slowly the other women drifted away; Gillian scooped up Benny Jr and warned Jamie he wasn’t to step out of her sight, he was coming home with her. Nanny Parks and Lizzie Foster decided to jump on the bus together and go up to the hospital to visit Steven:

‘Take him some of those
Spiderman
comics he likes, eh, Liz? Get the keys from Eileen and maybe go and tidy up the flat.’ As if their collective guilt could be erased with a bit of bleach and a squirt of Mr Sheen

– the East End mentality at its simplest. Having overcome their panic about Jamie they were full of goodwill towards their fellow men. Even the ones who, until just hours ago, they had thought needed to be taught a lesson.

Sue was quietly relieved to be back on good terms with Gillian and Grace, who she’d sensed pulling away from her. The Parkses had always been the local family to look up to. In spite of her old man, Iris had looked after her kids properly and gained the respect of the whole neighbourhood. Sue didn’t want to be cast out of that inner circle. Grace, with her lovely clothes, beautiful hair and striking face, was starting to look down her nose at Sue and she couldn’t stand that.

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She knew she’d never be a match for Grace in the looks department, nor have the same beautiful home, flash car and a handsome, hard-working husband like John, but like her son Sue was a natural leader, a force to be reckoned with, and she wanted it to stay that way. She had to have some way of competing with the Parkses: her own natural authority. She wanted other women to look at her and think, There’s Sue Williams, best not get on the wrong side of her. Safer to stay in with her. Even ruling by fear was better than not ruling at all.

She was cheerfully clearing the plates and mugs and wiping the kitchen table with a J-cloth, thinking how well the whole situation had turned out, when Terry appeared from the front room and stood leaning against the doorframe. His armpits were circled with sweat; he looked thoroughly hot and bothered.

‘Tel, get TJ an ice pop from the freezer, will ya?’

Sue never missed an opportunity to give orders to her husband.

‘Don’t you think it’s strange that Wayne still hasn’t come back?’ said Terry as he fished around in the top drawer of the freezer.

‘Nah, he’ll be all right, you know what he’s like.’

Sue rinsed the crumbs from the cloth into the bowl of soapy water, squeezed it and wiped down the draining board. Her mind drifting, she thought about Gillian and the hard words she’d said. Sue had been 135

called a fat cow twice today and she thought she’d better join that local slimmers’ club – that would show ’em! She was in a world of her own, wearing a size ten dress, when her husband spoke again.

‘Oi, dozy, pay attention. It’s three o’clock and he hasn’t come in for his dinner yet. You know what Wayne’s like for his grub.’ Terry tore off the paper top of the ice pop with his teeth and handed it down to little TJ who was standing with arms outstretched, waiting. Her daydream brought to an end, Sue came back to reality.

‘Don’t worry about it, Terry. Go and watch the tennis. I’m going to take TJ and the girls down the park for some fresh air, it’s bloody cooking in here.

Maybe a go on the swings will cool ’em down.’

But Terry was insistent. ‘Look, go past the betting shop on your way and see if he’s hanging around outside there.’

‘Why would he be hanging around outside the betting shop?’ Sue enquired, turning to look at her husband.

‘Because that’s where he goes to scrounge fags and get a tip on a dog.’ Terry looked down at his feet, fearing the reaction to his admission.

‘Our Wayne doesn’t smoke, Terry, don’t be daft.

And pass me that broom behind you, those bloody crumbs have gone everywhere.’ He retrieved the broom from its place behind the kitchen door and handed it to his wife.

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‘Yes, he does, Sue. Harry the Horse told me he’s always hanging about scrounging off the blokes who go in there. He’s even got some of the older lads putting a bet on for ’im. Got a good eye for a winner, ya know, our Wayne!’

‘But he’s only eleven!’

‘So? I was nine when I started.’

‘Yeah, but you were in a children’s home, Wayne’s got a proper family,’ Sue said cruelly as she rattled the broom about beneath the kitchen table. TJ began to moan as he struggled with his ice pop. She let the broom clatter to the floor and went to sort him out.

‘Open the bloody thing properly, Tel. You know he can’t do it on his own.’

Terry’s face flushed angrily as he considered a reply but thought better of it. He made to turn away then came back into the room and said,

‘No, listen, you stay here. I’m going out to look for him.’

‘But I’m going to the park with the other kids.

You’ll have to stay here in case he comes back, he hasn’t got a key.’ Sue wasn’t used to her husband changing her plans.

‘Tough.’

Terry went out of the front door and slammed it behind him. Sue lowered herself into a chair at the surprise of it all. What had got into him? She didn’t like Terry calling the tune, the silly bugger, that was her job. But finally she shrugged to herself and turned 137

to TJ. ‘Oh, well, love, we’ll just have to fill up the paddling pool, won’t we?’

Kelly wandered around after having her fill of chips and Coke, feeling hot and bothered. A small crowd had gathered around the City Farm and, with nothing better to do, she made her way towards the small group to have a nosy, see what was going on.

‘Well, what a surprise,’ she said aloud. ‘It’s Lucy Potts, the big fat lump!’ So it was true, Lucy had been attacked. Glancing round quickly, Kelly observed the tall dark handsome policeman directing events around Lucy. Lucky bitch, she thought, he’s a bit of all right.

Out of the corner of her eye Lucy spotted Kelly, the most popular girl in the neighbourhood. Now was Lucy’s chance to impress her. She made her way through the crowd. ‘All right, Kel?’ Kelly looked her up and down, unimpressed. ‘I’m ’elping the police with their enquiries. I was attacked, you know, but I got away. Gave ’im a right thump I did. Police say how good and brave I was. I might even get in the paper.’