The Traitor (43 page)

Eddie rolled on top of her and pinned her down to the bed. ‘Your wish is my command, my angel.’

Frankie studied the tape recorder. ‘It is small, ain’t it? I didn’t think you could buy ’em this tiny.’

Kerry pressed the record button. ‘Let’s talk for a minute and we’ll play it back. It’s really clear, Frankie, you can hear everything. My mum’s mate said they’re ever so expensive to buy in a shop.’

Frankie had cheered up somewhat since the previous evening. She was still furious with her father, but after stomping out of the restaurant, she and Kerry had gone to a local pub and had a right good laugh. It had done her the world of good and they had even got chatted up by a couple of blokes.

‘Say something, then,’ Kerry urged her.

Giggling, Frankie started to sing Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’. She stopped at the end of the chorus. ‘Jed’s got the country and western version of this. Dolly Parton sings it, I think.’

Kerry stopped the tape and rewound. ‘I bet Dolly Parton sounds a bit better than you do, and she’s got bigger knockers,’ she said as she pressed the play button.

Frankie was surprised by the quality of their recording. ‘Cor, it’s really clear,’ she said, as Kerry turned the volume up.

Kerry grinned. ‘Brilliant, ain’t it? We can find out everything them bastards are up to with this little beauty.’

Frankie agreed. ‘Let’s hope they say they’re working away again soon.’

‘I can’t wait until then. If Jed and Sammy go to work tomorrow, put it in the motor then. They’re bound to talk about what they’ve been up to this weekend when they’re alone.’

‘OK. If I can, I’ll do it tomorrow.’

Kerry stood up. ‘I’d best be going now before Sammy gets back. Hide that somewhere safe, Frankie. Whatever you do, don’t let the kids get hold of it or, worse still, let Jed find it.’

‘I’ll hide it in the top of my wardrobe.’

Kerry hugged her friend. ‘Good luck. Once we find out what the shitbags are really up to, we can both move on, can’t we?’

Over in South Woodham, Harry had had a restless night’s sleep and Joey was worried about him. ‘I don’t think we should take him out today. I’m sure he’s got a temperature, and he’s really not himself. Do us a favour Dom, ring Frankie, and if she’s in, take him home for me.’

‘Aren’t you coming with us?’

‘No. I can’t believe she went out last night celebrating with my dad. I don’t want to see her at the moment, she winds me up. I’ll tell you what, if you take Harry home for me, I’ll buy you lunch. Deal?’

Dominic smiled. Joey could be very over-dramatic at times, but he loved him dearly. ‘OK. Deal.’

After making love to Gina, Eddie showered, got dressed, then rang Gary.

‘I’m sorry for shouting at you last night. Apologise to Ricky for me as well. It weren’t yours or his fault, it was just one of them things.’

Gary was very understanding. ‘Don’t worry, Dad, it’s forgotten. You still up for tomorrow? What time are you and Raymond meeting us?’

‘We’ll meet at yours. I’m picking Raymondo up at nine. You’ll have to fill me in on everything that’s been going on, then you can take me round and show me any new clients. I think the best thing to do, Gal, is halve the work and we’ll work in pairs. That way we can expand a bit and get stuff done a lot quicker. You stick with Ricky and me and Raymond’ll pair up. It’ll be like old times, won’t it, boy?’

Gary laughed. ‘The East End’ll be shaking in its boots, Dad.’

‘Now, what shall I do about Frankie? There’s no point me ringing her today, she’ll only put the phone down on me. I think I should pay her a little visit, but I don’t wanna turn up and bump into that pikey cunt. When ain’t he about? And what’s her actual address?’

Gary gave him directions. ‘It’s just like a field, Dad. I think Jed works away a lot of weekends, so you’re probably best turning up then. What I’ll do is ring her next Friday and find out if he’s away. If he is, I’ll let you know and you can turn up there unexpected.’

‘Cheers. I can’t leave things as they are. Me and Frankie were getting along so well and I’m dying to see the grandkids.’

Eddie smiled as he ended the phone call. Gina had just walked into the room in faded tight jeans, a black fitted T-shirt that enhanced her ample breasts, and tan, knee-high leather boots.

‘Wow, you look hot. Where we going, sexy?’

‘Wherever. I haven’t been in any of the local pubs around here. Shall we go for a drive and see where the car takes us?’

‘Sounds good to me, babe.’

Joey hugged Dominic as he opened the front door.

‘Thanks for doing that for me. How was Frankie? Did she say anything about me?’

‘No. She thanked us both for looking after Harry and said she’ll keep an eye on him. She didn’t seem too worried when I said we thought he had a temperature. She said he had a bit of a cough and cold last week, so it was probably something to do with that.’

Joey nodded and then changed the subject. ‘I’m starving. Where shall we go for lunch?’

‘Shall we try Rettendon for a change? There’s a pub there called the Bell that’s meant to do a mean Sunday roast.’

‘Sounds great. Don’t drive though, Dom. Let’s both have a drink today and let our hair down. Call a cab; it’s my treat.’

Dominic pecked his boyfriend on the lips. ‘Do you think the driver will let us take Madonna with us? I don’t want to leave her home alone.’

Joey laughed. Both he and Dominic were so besotted with their new addition to the family that they paid the woman next door fifty pounds a week to babysit Madonna while they went to work.

‘Of course they’ll take Madonna, and if they dare say no, I’ll get her to bite the evil driver.’

Over in Rainham, Frankie plastered on a false smile as Jed walked in. The tape recorder was hidden in her jacket pocket and the jacket had been carefully folded up at the top of the wardrobe.

‘You all right, babe?’ Jed asked, handing her a cheap bunch of flowers.

‘I’m fine. And you? How was work?’

‘Knackering. Get us a beer, will ya?’ Jed ordered, as he picked up Georgie and flopped on the sofa.

‘Say hello to Harry, then,’ Frankie urged him.

‘Hello, Harry. Come to Daddy,’ Jed said in a sarcastic tone.

Aware that Jed was being facetious, Frankie stormed into the bedroom. She was determined not to lose her temper with him, as she didn’t want to give him an inkling that she was on to him.

‘What’s up?’ he shouted out.

‘Nothing. I’m just gonna change the beds,’ she said in the calmest voice that she could.

Opening the wardrobe door, Frankie put her hand on her jacket and fingered the tape recorder. Jed was a bastard to their son and the quicker she could find an excuse to leave him, the better.

Eddie took a sip of his beer and stood up. ‘Just going to the toilet. Won’t be a minute, babe.’

Gina smiled and studied the menu. She’d had quite a lot to drink last night, which must be the reason she was hungrier today than usual.

‘I think I’ll have the hunter’s chicken,’ she said, as Eddie sat back down.

Eddie shook his head. ‘We ain’t staying ’ere. The bogs are fucking rotten.’

‘What’s that got to do with us having some lunch?’ Gina asked, laughing.

‘Me Auntie Joan. Whenever I was a kid and she took me anywhere, the first thing she did was check the khazi. “If the khazi is rotten, imagine the state of the kitchen,” she’d say, and then she’d drag me out.’

‘You’re having me on,’ Gina said, laughing.

Eddie downed the rest of his beer and stood up. ‘I ain’t, babe. Come on, drink up and we’ll find somewhere else to eat.’

Joey ordered the food at the bar and thanked the guvnor again for allowing Madonna inside the pub.

‘As long as it doesn’t bark or run about, you’re OK,’ the pleasant landlord had told him.

Joey walked back to the table, sat down and grinned. ‘Nice pub, isn’t it? The customers are a bit old, but they all seem friendly and the food smells amazing.’

Dominic agreed. ‘I think Rettendon is an area where a lot of people choose to live after they’ve retired. I don’t know about you, but after spending the week in the City with all its bedlam, I’m happy to while away my weekends in a pub like this.’

Joey burst out laughing. ‘We’re like an old married couple, me and you. And Lady Madonna is our baby!’

Eddie and Gina pulled up outside the Bell.

‘This looks a bit more like it. You can always tell if the food’s up to scratch by the amount of cars in the car park at lunchtime.’

Gina giggled. ‘You’re very fussy for a man that’s been eating prison food for years. And I thought you said you could tell if the food was good by the toilets.’

‘Shut up and move your carcass,’ Eddie said affectionately.

Dominic dropped his knife and fork and crouched down.

Seeing his boyfriend clutching his chest, Joey began to panic. ‘Help, I think he’s ill,’ he said to the people sitting at the next table.

Dominic, who was deathly white and also shaking, immediately waved the people away. ‘I’m fine. I choked on the beef,’ he mumbled.

With Madonna clutched to his chest, Joey crouched down next to him. ‘You sure you’re not having a heart attack or something? Whatever’s wrong? Please don’t die on me, Dom.’

Remembering the awful experience he’d once had at the hands of Joey’s father, Dominic put one hand protectively over his private parts and pointed towards the left-hand side of the pub with his other. ‘Joey, your dad is in here. He’s standing at the bar with a dark-haired woman.’

Joey shook his head in disbelief. ‘It can’t be. Are you sure?’

‘Of course I’m bloody well sure.’

Petrified for his partner’s safety, Joey moved towards the people on the next table and urged Dom to do the same.

‘You don’t mind if we sit here with you for a minute, do you? We need to sit with our backs to the bar.’

Seeing the fright in the two young men’s eyes, the grey-haired lady made room for them. Then, being nosy by nature, she turned to Joey, ‘Who are you hiding from, dear?’

‘My dad. I’m gay and he can’t accept it. He’s already attacked my boyfriend once and cut him with a knife. He’s a real nutter; he’s just come out of prison for murdering my mum.’

Dominic kicked Joey under the table to shut him up. He could see the look of astonishment on the woman’s face. Her husband looked like he’d just seen a ghost, and the other lady was totally dumbstruck.

The woman stared open-mouthed at her husband and sister. For thirty years they’d all lived in Rettendon and they’d thought it was such a safe, quiet little village. Now there was a mass-murderer on the loose and he was standing at the bar in their local pub.

‘Shall I call the police?’ the lady asked Joey.

‘No,’ Dominic said, turning around to see if Eddie was still there. He turned to Joey. ‘Your dad’s got his back to us, he’s facing the bar. I suggest we get out of here while we can.’

‘Thanks for your help,’ Joey said, as he gingerly stood up.

‘Don’t worry, we’ll watch you and make sure he doesn’t follow you,’ the woman replied.

Gina was the first to spot Joey and Dominic. As a private detective she had to have eyes like a hawk and it had been her that Eddie had hired to tail the boys when they’d first got together. Eddie had called himself Mr Smith and had told her that Joey was the son of a friend, but Gina had always known the score. Grabbing Eddie’s arm, she pointed out of the window.

‘I don’t really know how to say this, but Joey has just run out the door with a Chihuahua in his arms.’

Eddie looked at her as though she had lost the plot. ‘What? Don’t be silly. What the fuck you on about?’

Gina dragged him over to the window. ‘Look, sprinting across the road. It’s definitely Joey and I think that’s Dominic with him.’

On impulse, Eddie ran outside the pub. ‘Joey!’ he yelled.

Hearing Eddie’s voice, Joey and Dominic picked up speed.

‘Oi! You leave that boy alone. He’s told me all about you and if you chase after him, I’m calling the police,’ shouted a voice behind him.

Eddie turned around and came face to face with an elderly woman with grey hair who seemed to be chasing after him. ‘I’m his dad. I only wanna speak to him.’

‘We don’t want the likes of you around here; this is a decent area with decent people,’ the woman said bravely.

Realising that Joey had blabbed to the old biddy, Eddie ignored her and ran across the road. ‘Joey!’ he yelled again.

As his son, his lover and the dog disappeared down a remote country lane, Eddie gave up the chase, and ran back to the pub. If that old cow called the Old Bill, he’d have some explaining to do to his probation officer, and he couldn’t chance being banged up again.

Gina was standing outside the boozer and, as Eddie approached, he could see the grey-haired woman, the guvnor and all of the other customers staring at him through the windows. Embarrassed beyond belief, he marched straight over to the motor.

‘Where you going, Ed? I’ve ordered our lunch,’ Gina shouted.

Eddie’s eyes clouded over and, unable to stop himself, he repeatedly booted the door of Gina’s new BMW.

‘Fuck lunch. I ain’t hungry any more. Get in this car and cunting well drive it, Gina. Now.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Frankie shut the Shogun door and ran back inside the trailer. She was pleased with the hiding place she had found. Jed had never looked after his motors very well and there was a loose bit of plastic interior in the back that she had managed to fit the tape recorder behind.

‘You off, then?’ she asked as Jed came out of the bedroom.

‘I might have another couple of slices of toast. You trying to get rid of me or something?’

‘Don’t be silly. I just want to get some housework done before I take Georgie to school. I might have a mooch around the shops later and I don’t want to have to clear up when I get back.’