The Driver (13 page)

‘Are you serious?’ Billi gasped when he unzipped his fly and came towards her.

‘What do
you
think?’ Grinning, Daz slipped his dick out and waggled it in front of her face. ‘Come on – you know how I like it.’

Billi was shocked that he was actually expecting her to have sex with him after he’d attacked her like that. But she wasn’t about to set him off again by refusing, so she took a deep breath and leaned forward. Gagging when he put his hand on the back of her head and rammed himself deep into her throat, she prayed that he would finish as quickly as he usually did.

Daz didn’t disappoint her. Climaxing after a couple of minutes, he waited until the shudders had subsided and then flopped down onto the couch beside her with a smile of satisfaction spread across his face.

‘I’ve got a right thirst on me after that. Got any brewing gear?’

Billi pulled a face as the disgusting froth of his sperm slithered down her throat. ‘I’ll see what I’ve got. But I need to clean up first.’

‘Don’t be long,’ Daz said, reaching for the remote for her portable TV as she headed for the bathroom. ‘And make us a butty while you’re at it.’

He was watching
Family Guy
when Billi came back after swilling her mouth out. Hoping that he would go when he’d had what he wanted, she made him a cup of tea and a cheese sandwich. But Daz had no intention of leaving just yet, and when he’d finished eating and the programme had ended he wiped his mouth and stood up.

‘Think I’ll hit the sack,’ he said, yawning as he headed into her bedroom.

Billi stayed on the couch after he’d gone, infuriated that he was acting so normal after being such a beast. Spying his jacket draped over the back of the couch, she cast a furtive glance at the bedroom door before easing her hand into a pocket. She was looking for loose cash or drugs, but when she came across the money bag her eyes widened as she peeped inside and saw the thick bundle of notes.

‘You coming or what?’ Daz called just then.

Jumping as if she’d been electrocuted, Billi stuffed the bag back where she’d found it. ‘Won’t be a minute. Just making sure everything’s switched off.’

She couldn’t take the money there and then because Daz would beat the crap out of her if he caught her. And there was no way she could do a runner with it because he would only chase her and she had no chance of outrunning him. But if he was as set on staying as he seemed to be, it would give her time to figure out a way of getting her hands on it. And if she had to pleasure him to keep him sweet in the meantime, so be it. She’d done worse.

10

Cheryl knocked on Joe’s door at nine-thirty the next morning and Joe immediately felt guilty when he opened it. He’d forgotten that she’d said she was coming round and he’d just made arrangements to go out with Carl to pick up Eddie.

‘Sorry,’ he said, grimacing. ‘I’m going to have to give it a miss. Something’s come up.’

‘Good.’ Cheryl looked relieved. ‘I was only coming to tell you I couldn’t come – if that makes any sense. I’ve got to go and see Molly. You know she’s in hospital?’

‘No, why?’ Joe asked.

‘She had a fall,’ Cheryl told him. ‘I’m surprised you didn’t hear the ambulance, ’cos Fred next door said it happened yesterday just after I went out and you came in. They had the full sirens going and everything.’

‘I had a headache so I went to bed to sleep it off,’ Joe said. ‘Is she okay?’

‘Broken hip.’ Cheryl sighed. ‘I only heard after I got back from Vee’s so I nipped over last night – to see if she needed a nightie or anything. She was proper upset, poor thing. They’ve told her she might have to stay in for a few weeks, and she was fretting about her cat. But I’ve said I’ll feed it till she gets home.’

‘That’s nice of you.’

‘Couldn’t have left her like that, could I? Anyway, it’s only twice a day so it’s not going to kill me.’

‘I’ve hardly seen her since I moved in,’ Joe said guiltily. ‘Do you think I should get her some flowers or something?’

‘Are you kidding?’ Cheryl smirked. ‘She’ll be telling all the nurses they’re from her toyboy. Maybe you could go in instead, though, ’cos she needs to be told off about leaving her spare key in the plant pot, and she might listen to you. I told her last night. I said it might have been okay to do stuff like that in the olden days – but not nowadays, ’cos anyone could get their hands on it. But she said it makes her feel safer to know that someone can get in if she ever needs help. Stupid, isn’t it?’

‘Not too smart,’ Joe agreed. ‘But my nan was exactly the same, and there was no talking to her.’

‘Mine too,’ Cheryl admitted. ‘Anyway, best go. She asked me to fetch her some juice and biscuits, and I’ve only got a couple of hours before I have to pick Frankie up.’

‘Tell her hello from me and I hope she’s better soon.’

‘Hope who’s better soon?’ Carl asked, coming out of his door in time to catch this.

‘Molly,’ Cheryl said, turning to look at him. ‘The foot of her walker got stuck on one of the broken slabs outside, and she fell over and broke her hip. Didn’t you hear the ambulance either? It happened just after I went out and you two came in.’

‘Nah, I went straight back out. Hope she’s okay.’

‘She will be now she’s got all the nurses fussing over her,’ Cheryl said. ‘Subject of nurses, that’s a hell of a cut you’ve got there. What happened?’

‘Got into a bit of a fight,’ Carl admitted, grinning sheepishly. ‘But if you think this looks bad, you should have seen the other four.’

‘
Four?
’ Joe raised an eyebrow.

‘All right, three,’ Carl said. ‘But you’d have thought there was four if you’d seen the size of them.’

Cheryl already didn’t believe him. Tutting, she rolled her eyes at Joe. ‘Can’t help himself, can he?’

Joe shook his head and reached back inside for his jacket before pulling the door shut.

‘So, where are you two off to?’ Cheryl asked, linking her arms through theirs as they set off down the stairs. ‘If it’s anywhere near the hospital I wouldn’t say no to a lift.’

‘Sorry, babe, we’re off to Levenshulme,’ Carl told her – walking a bit taller than usual, Joe noticed. ‘He’s just got a job, haven’t you, mate?’

‘Really?’ Cheryl gazed up at Joe. ‘That’s great.’

‘I think so,’ he agreed. ‘And it couldn’t have come at a better time, ’cos my electric bill’s just come in and I didn’t know how I was going to pay it.’

‘Oh, that reminds me . . .’ Carl pulled a twenty out of his pocket. ‘Eddie said to give you this for petrol.’

‘You’re working for Eddie?’ A shadow crossed Cheryl’s eyes. ‘Are you sure that’s wise?’

‘Don’t be daft,’ Carl scoffed. ‘He’s not going to come to any harm.’

‘You reckon?’ Cheryl murmured, pointedly eyeing his forehead.

‘Aw, this was nothing to do with Eddie,’ Carl said dismissively. ‘Not in the way you’re making out, anyway.’

Shaking her head, Cheryl let go of their arms when they reached the ground floor. ‘I’ve just got to get something from my place,’ she said, giving Joe a hooded look to let him know that she wanted a quick word.

Picking up on it, Joe said, ‘Oh, that reminds me. I didn’t leave my watch here the other day, did I? Could you just have a quick look?’

‘I’ll wait outside,’ Carl said, heading for the door. ‘See you later, babe.’

‘Bye,’ Cheryl said, waving. Turning to Joe when Carl had gone, her smile disappeared and she peered up with concern in her eyes. ‘Please be careful. I know Eddie, and he’s got a way of letting other people take the rap while he stays squeaky clean. I don’t want to see you get into trouble because of him.’

‘Nothing’s going to happen,’ Joe reassured her. ‘I’m only going to be driving.’

‘Yeah, well, I hope it works out like that,’ Cheryl murmured. Then, feeling a bit guilty about putting such a dampener on things because she knew he needed the money, she smiled. ‘Go on, then. Get moving. You don’t want to keep Eddie waiting on your first day.’

Winking at her, Joe went out and joined Carl who was waiting patiently by the car.

‘Did you find your watch?’ Carl asked.

‘Er, no.’ Joe shook his head. ‘Must have left it somewhere else.’

‘Take it it’s not that one?’ Carl nodded towards Joe’s wrist. ‘That’s the kind of stupid thing I’d do,’ he added with a grin. ‘Turn everything upside down looking for it, only to find out I’ve been wearing it all along.’

‘No, it’s not this one,’ Joe told him. ‘But I know what you mean.’

Driving over to Levenshulme now – which turned out to be purely to give Eddie a lift to Clive’s place in Cheetham Hill – Joe thought about what Cheryl had said. But while he was grateful for her concern he was sure that she was worrying about nothing. He was actually really pleased that he’d been given a way into Eddie’s world, because the man intrigued him. Unlike the guys in the younger gangs, who seemed to flash their guns the instant there was even a
hint
of a dispute, Eddie seemed to keep control without having to resort to that kind of posturing. People spoke about him as if he was some kind of maniac, and yet they also seemed to adore him and would do anything for him. Like his dealers. From what Carl had told him, no matter how many times they got arrested in possession of Eddie’s drugs they
never
gave him up. But then, they knew that their fines would be paid if they were lucky enough not to get time. And if they weren’t lucky, they knew that their jobs would still be there when they got out. It was pure old school but it obviously worked, and Joe was glad that he’d been invited to be a part of it.

‘It’s gonna be a buzz, this,’ Carl said just then, interrupting Joe’s thoughts. ‘Daz was a right selfish git. He was the only one with wheels but he never picked none of us up, and only ever dropped us back at home if he couldn’t get out of it. It’ll be ace coming out of my gaff and hopping straight into the motor.’

‘You’ll get fat,’ Joe warned him.

Lighting the spliff he’d just rolled, Carl twisted his head and pulled a face. ‘Shut up, you woman!’

‘Only saying,’ Joe laughed, enjoying himself already. ‘It’s getting paid I’m looking forward to. Job seekers’ is a joke. I’ve never had so many debts in my life.’

‘That’s what you get for letting that ex of yours keep you for so long,’ Carl scoffed. ‘None of us were lucky enough to find a rich bird. That’s why we’re all a load of dodgy bastards round here, ’cos if we had to survive on the dole the estate would be full of skellybobs.
Stoned
skellybobs, mind,’ he added with a chuckle. ‘’Cos if it was a toss-up between food and weed, we’d choose weed every time. Suits me, though, ’cos I’d be out of work otherwise.’

‘You never wanted to do a proper job?’ Joe asked.

‘Fancied being a mechanic when I first left school,’ Carl admitted. ‘But I was too thick to get on the course.’

‘You’re not thick.’

‘Yeah, I know that
now
, but it’s too late to do anything about it. Anyhow, I’m all right working for Eddie. And you will be, too. So long as you don’t mind dropping whatever you’re doing to pick him up or drop him off whenever he calls. ’Cos that’s what’ll happen now he’s got a taxi on the doorstep – you do know that, don’t you?’

‘I don’t mind,’ Joe said truthfully. ‘He’s all right.’

‘Yeah, so long as you stay on the right side of him,’ Carl said ominously. ‘’Cos I’ve seen how he deals with people who cross him and, trust me, it ain’t pretty.’

‘Well, I’ve got no reason to cross him, so I’ll be okay.’

‘Course you will,’ Carl said, passing the spliff to Joe. ‘Next left,’ he said then. ‘And you’d best start remembering, ’cos he’ll expect you to know where you’re going without having to be told.’

Grinning, Joe said, ‘Best get myself a satnav, eh?’

‘You can buy one with your first wages,’ Carl teased.

‘God, that’ll be a good day,’ Joe said. ‘Then I can pay you off and get you off my back.’

‘It’ll never happen,’ Carl declared confidently. ‘You might pay me off this week but you’ll be after another lay-on next week, I guarantee it.’

‘We’ll see.’ Joe smirked. ‘We’ll see.’

11

‘Downstairs, five minutes. Wear black.’

Squinting at the phone when Eddie abruptly disconnected, Joe groaned when he saw that it was two in the morning. He’d only been in bed for an hour.

A quick wash later, he was dressed and heading down to the car park. Shivering as the freezing air bit into his cheeks when he stepped outside, he nodded when he saw Carl already standing by the car.

‘What’s going on?’ he asked, jumping in and starting up the engine to get the heater going.

‘No idea,’ Carl told him as he clambered onto the back seat. ‘Eddie just said to meet him down here in five. Didn’t he say anything to you?’

Shaking his head, Joe glanced out of the window. When he saw Eddie coming out a couple of minutes later, he frowned and said, ‘Oh, great, he’s bringing the dog.’

‘Fuck,’ Carl muttered, scooting right up against the door. He eyed the dog warily when Eddie shoved it in beside him before hopping into the front. Eddie made out like it was some kind of baby, and it might have looked sweet if it had been any other dog lying there with its head on its paws, sighing as if it had been woken in a hurry. But its red eyes and battle-scarred head made it look positively demonic to Carl.

‘Just had a call from Kenny,’ Eddie told them. ‘Daz is hiding out in Longsight.’

‘Really?’ Carl was surprised, because he’d started to wonder if Daz had skipped town.

‘He’s at some junkie bird’s flat,’ Eddie went on. ‘She turned up at a smack dealer’s house over in Rusholme earlier on and bought a load of gear. Long story short, there were a load of guys there and she offered to pay some of them to go to her place and sort out this dude who she reckoned had been holding her hostage for three days. She said she’d spiked him with Temazepam so she could get out, and now she wanted rid. But one of the guys had heard I was looking for Daz, so he put two and two together and got word to Kenny. He’s there with her now, and he reckons she’s got my money – apart from what she’s already spent getting high, but I’ll deal with that later.’