The Jump (57 page)

‘Quite.’ The one word conveyed to Candy that Donna put her on a similar level and her face hardened.

‘Listen here, Mrs High and Mighty Brunos. Your old man couldn’t wait to come in with us, and he’s had a good bit of bunce off us since. I assume you shared in it, so don’t you dare sit there and fucking look down your hooter at me, lady. I do what I do because it’s all I know. But I ain’t justifying myself to you or anyone else. You’re here now because it all fell out of bed for a while and your money is drying up. So don’t you dare put yourself above me and mine, I wont have it. You should have let fucking Stephen or Paddy sort this out, love, if you couldn’t handle it.’

‘Or Davey Jackson.’ Donna had regained her equilibrium. ‘With respect, Candy, I don’t have to like what we’re doing, do I?’ The other woman relaxed into her seat again and sighed.

‘No, you don’t. No more than I do, I suppose. But it’s like Jake says: if we weren’t doing it someone else would be, and at least I see the kids are looked after for the most part. I don’t have no bondage or nothing for the little ones. In Thailand, you know, there’s brothels where the kids are chained all the time to a bed and have ten or more men a day. When I was in Bangkok a few years ago, a brothel near us caught fire and all the little girls died, burnt alive they were, because they were chained to the beds. Broke my heart it did. No, they don’t have too bad a time of it here. I never keep them more than eighteen months or two years. Even the really young ones look shagged out by then.’

Donna nodded, unable to trust herself to speak.

The phone rang, sending a shrill shock through the quiet of the room.

Candy picked it up with an abrupt: ‘Yes?’

Donna watched the changing expressions on her face.

‘What do you mean? Listen, Stephen, your brother’s wife’s here with me now.’

Donna rose in consternation. As she stood up, Candy waved her back to her seat, fear in her eyes now. Donna walked from the room and out towards the back of the house. She stood in a wide doorway watching the children as they sat in the shade. They were all different shapes and sizes, different shades of brown. All had large expressive eyes, and unsmiling mouths.

She was still watching them when Candy walked out to her and said, ‘I think me and you had better have a little talk, Mrs Brunos, don’t you?’

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Candy took her firmly by the arm and led her back into the office. Donna slumped in the chair once more. She looked frightened; she was frightened.

‘What really brought you out here, lady?’

Donna lit herself a cigarette and took a deep draw on it.

‘What do you think? I had no idea what was going on - oh, I admit I had had my suspicions, but I thought that if I came out here and found out the score then I could decide what I was going to do. I had to know if my husband was involved, you see.’

Candy grinned. ‘Oh, he’s involved all right, up to his neck. This was all his idea, love. Georgio was the brains behind it all. But you can discuss that with Stephen. He’ll be here later today.’

She saw Donna’s fleeting look of fear and half-smiled,

‘You should look frightened, my dear, because Stephen is livid. I opened me big trap, didn’t I? But as I said to him, I didn’t realise I was doing anything wrong. You looked the pan and acted the part. Now you’re going to get in a lot of shit, and it’s my job to keep an eye on you until he arrives. So let’s get one thing straight, shall we? If you attempt to leave I’ll break your fucking legs, and that’s no idle threat. I am quite capable of doing it. That was my forte in the girlie houses in Bangkok. I was a head girl with a difference, you see,. To me they’re all scum.’

‘What happened to all your talk earlier, then? About how you look after the kiddies?’

Candy looked shocked.

‘But I do. That’s the point, see? I do look after them, but they’re all the same, love. In these countries you find out what life is really all about. Now in Bangkok I worked with the teenagers. Fucking pain in the arse most of them. But, you see, I’m quite partial to girls myself. Not kids, never. But the older girls are always willing to lighten their burden. They’re clever, shrewd. We’re not talking kids like the ones back home. The children out here are born fucking old. They adapt to their lives, they’re pliable, don’t cry that much either. I used to

find that weird at first. But not any more. It’s like I said earlier, they were never kids in our sense of the word.

‘In some of these villages the seven year olds have been working on the tea plantations since two or three. They do a full day’s collar. In Thailand they work the paddyfields or making baskets. They’re not kids. Not in their minds. We’ve got mothers and fathers queueing up to sell their kids to us, accept it as a part of life. That’s the difference, see? Once you get over your Englishness and start looking on it all from their point of view, you find life becomes a lot easier.’

Donna looked down at the floor. ‘My husband would have nothing to do with anything like this, I know that better than you. When he finds out there will be murder done here.’

Candy laughed gently and lit a cheroot. ‘Your precious husband was out in Thailand a few years ago, love. I supplied him with thirteen and fourteen year olds. He liked the three-headed blow job best.’

She watched Donna’s look of shock and disgust and smiled sadly.

‘I know it’s hard to admit to these things. But there, the truth hurts, don’t it? Your husband is as much a part of all this as I am. It was his idea not to bother decorating the place. The men who come here don’t give a flying fuck what the surroundings are. In fact, I think the more sordid it is the better they like it. The stench of the place turns them on. Degradation is a heady drug, love, that’s why we make so much dosh. In Phuket, you can pick up a little boy or girlon the beach, lay with them all afternoon - if you want in broad daylight. It’ll be the same here in a few years. It’s the Asian black economy. Goa is just opening up now, as is this place.

‘Your husband had the foresight to see all this, along with his brother. We make films here, do anything we want to do, and no one can stop us. It’s a bit hairy at the moment, granted, but once we get ourselves off to Krautland we’ll be laughing. I don’t know why you’re looking so green around the gills. It’s all this that’ll get your old man home, and keep you in luxury for the rest of your days.’

Donna stood up. ‘Oh no it won’t, lady. I’m leaving.’

She made to walk towards the door, but Candy grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip.

‘You ain’t going nowhere, and if I have to belt you one right across the boat, I will. Stephen wants a word, and by the sound of it you’ve annoyed him. If I was you I’d sit yourself down and think what you’re going to say to him when he arrives. He ain’t a bloke to cross. Believe me, I know.’

Donna saw the determined glint in Candy’s eyes, and the taut muscles in her heavy arms. Eyes shining with tears, she pulled herself free.

‘This is all disgusting, all of it! You’re scum,, do you know that? Fucking scum! And I’ll see you lot blown wide open, you just see if I don’t.’

A high-pitched scream echoed through the house and Candy opened the office door instinctively, Donna hot on her heels. Outside was a young Sri Lankan male of about eighteen. ‘Keep hold of this lady, Kassim. Make sure she doesn’t leave here.’

The boy nodded, staring at Donna with a mixture of awe at her whiteness and adolescent lust. The three went along the corridor to the right of them. The child’s voice was a low moan now. Candy opened a heavy wooden door and entered a large room, Donna and Kassim hot on her heels.

The room was dirty. A stale odour assailed Donna’s nostrils. On the bed was a girl of about ten. Her long hair was tied to a heavy piece of wood across the end of the bed. Standing by it in just a white shirt was a tall thin white man. He had sandy hair and his face and body were red raw from too much sun. He looked frightened, and on closer inspection of the child Donna could see why.

The little body was lying awkwardly against the end of the bed. He had tried to turn her over on to her stomach and her hair had stopped the procedure. The little girl’s head was at an odd angle and blood was seeping from her mouth and nostrils. She was naked, and blood, was smeared on the tops of her legs.

The man was pulling on his shorts, his breathing harsh in the still room.

‘What the fuck’s going on here?’

Candy swiftly examined the child. Then, taking Kassim’s hunting knife from his belt, she began cutting the girl’s hair to release her from her bonds, all the while talking.

‘Who let you in here, Mr Gainsborough?’

The man was standing staring at the child, whose moans were becoming less and less coherent.

Donna rushed to her side. Taking a hankie from her pocket, she wiped the child’s brow and face. The blood was lessening now.

‘It wasn’t my fault, Candy. She was struggling … She just kept struggling.’

Candy looked at the man in annoyance and said distinctly, ‘Well, so would you if someone had you tied by the hah-. You shouldn’t even be here during the day. Who gave the say-so, eh?’

Mr Gainsborough, assistant manager in a Surrey bank and a married man, stood on his dignity.

‘I arranged it with Jake, actually. I prefer the daylight. I don’t like coming when it’s busy.’

The child free now, Candy laid her on her back. She stood up to her full height and said loudly, ‘I don’t give a monkey’s what you like and what you don’t like. No one ties up my girls - no one. It’s something I will not tolerate. Now my advice to you is to get yourself down the beach or to your hotel and come back tonight. Otherwise keep away, Mister. These kids only work nights while I’m here. Not all bloody day as well. Now piss off.’

She turned from him and said to Donna, ‘Help me get her into bed. He’s pulled the muscle, that’s all. Could have broken the poor little whore’s neck.’

Donna shook her head in consternation. The child was semiconscious.

‘She needs hospitaj treatment, Candy. Take her to hospital.’

Candy stared into Donna’s eyes. ‘She’ll be all right. Now help me get her into bed.’

Donna’s voice shocked even herself as she bellowed: ‘This child is dying, you stupid bitch. He’s crushed her fucking windpipe! Jesus Christ, will you get her to a fucking hospital!’

Donna could feel hysteria rising up inside her like a dam. She had opened her mouth to scream once more when Candy punched her in the face. The next thing she knew, she was careering across the room, an explosion of lights in her eyes and a black haze of pain running through her cheekbone.

Candy stood over her, and the menace in her face and voice were not lost on Donna or Kassim.

‘Don’t you dare tell me what to do, lady. You come sneaking in here, causing hag with me and Stephen. Then you tell me what’s best for my girls. Well, the buck stops here. Kassim, take her to one of the rooms and lock her inside until Mr Stephen gets here. I don’t want to hear one word out of her, OK? And put Asheem outside the window in case she decides to try and escape that way. Mr Stephen wants her later, you understand! She goes nowhere.’

Kassim nodded, and helping Donna to her feet, he half-dragged, half-carried her from the room.

Donna’s face was on fire with pain and her mind was screaming with fear: fear for the child and fear for herself. Whatever she had walked into, it was far more serious than she had anticipated. She knew that her life was in danger, and the knowledge gave her fear a physical quality that overshadowed the pain in her face.

She knew that Stephen hated her, and now she had found out what was really going on, seen it with her own eyes, the thought of confronting him frightened her more than anything.

444

Big Paddy and Davey Jackson were both drinking tea in Donna’s kitchen, Dolly chatting away with her usual cheerfulness.

‘I told you the other night, I have no idea where Donna’s gone. I think it was Marbella, but I’m not sure. The girl needed to get away for a bit. Would you two like a slice of cake with your tea? I only made it yesterday, it’s lovely and moist.’ The two men shook their heads.

Paddy sighed. ‘Listen to me, Dolly love. Donna could be in a lot of trouble and we need to help her, so why don’t you just tell us where she’s gone?’

His voice was heavy with innuendo and Dolly feigned ignorance. ‘I just told you, I don’t know. Don’t be an arsehole, Paddy. What kind of danger could that girl be in anyway?’ She decided to turn the questioning around. Paddy stood up, and for a few seconds his sheer size frightened her. She had to shake herself mentally and tell herself that this was Big Paddy whom she’d known for years, not some stranger out to mug her. He walked purposefully towards her. ‘I’m losing me fecking patience, Dolly. Now tell me where she is!’ She pushed him away with both her hands. ‘Are you threatening me, Paddy Donovon?’

Davey stood up, his open face troubled. ‘Come away from her, Paddy, there’s a good man.’

Paddy turned his head to face, him. ‘Keep out of this, Davey, right?’ He whipped round to Dolly and with one large meaty hand, grabbed her hair at the nape of her neck and pulled her head back painfully.

Tell me where she’s gone, old lady, or I swear before God I’ll beat the shite out of you.’

Davey’s voice was shocked. ‘Paddy, for fuck’s sake!’ . ‘Enough! Now tell me what I want to know. I told you - I’m losing me fecking patience.’

Dolly stared up at Paddy with terrified eyes. This was a man she had never seen before, a brute who frightened her witless. Her voice waS frail as she said weakly, ‘She’s gone to Liverpool, that’s all I know. Where she went before.’

Her mind was working overtime to find a destination and now she had found one, she hoped against hope he’d believe her.

Paddy’s face screwed up in consternation. ‘Liverpool? What on earth for?’

Dolly began to cry softly, her voice drenched with tears as she said, ‘I don’t know, I swear to you. She told me not to tell a soul about it. She tells me nothing and now you know why. I can’t be trusted, I

can’t be trusted! Oh Paddy, please let me go, you’re hurting me.’

He released his hold on her hair and snarled into her face, ‘If you’re lying to me, you old cunt, you’ll regret it.’

He stormed from the kitchen and Dolly slumped against the worksurface, holding her hand to her bruised neck.

“I’m sorry, Dolly love, I didn’t think he’d—’

Dolly cut him off. ‘Go away, Davey. Whatever this is all about, I hope to Christ you both lose out by it, I really do. There’s something rotten going on and I hope to Christ you get your comeuppance. That’ll be me prayer from this day on.’

She turned away from him. Davey looked at the bent old back for a few moments before hurrying out of the house and to the car.

Paddywas already behind the wheel, his face like thunder. ‘If she’s gone to Liverpool, she’s gone to Jo Jo or Coyne.’

Davey nodded imperceptibly.

Paddy’s eyes were slits as he barked out, ‘Or she’s gone to Nick the queer. Either way, she could land the lot of us right in it. The stupid interfering bitch! Cox is missing too.’

‘Maybe they’re just sorting out the final details on the jump?’

Paddy nodded as he acknowledged this. ‘Could be - but I don’t trust him and I don’t trust her. There’s been too many rumours on the street. And that Donna, she’s been asking about too much. Stephen told me she’s into everything. Who knows what she’s sussed out, eh? And if she susses out about her big fine husband, she’ll sell him down the river like that!’ He clicked his finger and thumb. ‘And we’ll all go along with him.’

He thumped the steering wheel in temper.

‘We have to find out where she is, and we have to find out soon. Even Georgio would agree with that.’

Davey sat beside Paddy as they drove towards London. His heart was heavy in his chest; he wished he’d never got involved in any of it.

If Carol ever found out … he felt a rush of fear so acute he could almost taste it.

He hated it, hated all of it. It was greed, nothing but greed. Now Georgio was banged up, the merchandise was on the streets and he was in charge of distribution through mail order. Davey was in it up to his neck and knew he couldn’t get out.

Stephen arrived at eight in the evening, hot, dusty and angry. The hotel was just picking up and he walked through the front door with a fixed smile on his face. The sight of the children affected him not at all. He nodded pleasantly at the men and made his way to Candy’s office.