Dangerous Lady (56 page)

The blond man watched him leave. After a quick moussaka and a brandy, he paid his bill and left. He drove to the nearest phone box. He had to let Marsh know that Garry Ryan had tumbled him. Maura and William were’ visiting Benjamin. He had been

home from the hospital for ten days and was not taking

kindly to his new regime. Not drinking, no smoking, no

fats.

.:”.. ‘Seems bloody silly living if you can’t enjoy yourself.’ William smiled.

‘Really, Mr Ryan, once you get used to the changes they won’t seem so bad.’

‘I dunno about that. It’s easy for you to say, ain’t it? You ain’t been told you can’t enjoy yourself no more.’

William shook his head. Benjamin Ryan was not only ignorant but stubborn. He had absolutely refused to conform to any advice that the doctors had given him.

‘Nuffink but a load of bleeding foreigners. Can’t understand half of wot they’re waffling about. Bloody macaroons, eye ties and sodding krauts telling me wot to do!’

Maura laughed.

‘Oh, Dad, Doctor Hummelbrunner isn’t German. Hes Austrian.’ I’ll

‘All the bleeding same if you asks me.’

‘Leave him, Maura. I’ll make sure he follows the doctor’s orders. Now shut your trap, Benjamin Ryan, whefl we’ve got visitors. Would you like another cup of tea, L°r William?’ ‘?

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‘I really wish you wouldn’t call me that, Mrs Ryan. Willy will be quite adequate.’

Sarah smiled uneasily. She didn’t like having a lord in her house. It made her uncomfortable. Where her daughter was concerned, there seemed to be nothing but trouble. Sarah had read about this Templeton in Geoffrey’s papers. He was a villain. Only in Sarah’s eyes he was worse than her children, because he had been given a good start in life which was more than her brood had ever had. It wasn’t right…

Sarah was beginning to regret her newfound friendship with her daughter. She should have kept it as it was. Kept her away from the house. The trouble being she was the apple of her father’s eye. She waited every day for that Petherick to call her about the papers she had given him and up till now she had heard nothing. She was beginning to wonder if she had done the right thing.

‘You all right, Mum?’

Sarah looked at Maura.

‘Tired, Maws, that’s all. I think you two had better make a move in a minute. I want to settle your father for a nap.’

‘Okey doke. I’ve got to meet Leslie and Garry anyway.’

William Templeton got up and placed his cup and saucer °n the coffee table.

Maura went to the bed that had been put in the lounge and kissed her father goodbye.

‘Take it easy, Dad, and do what Mum tells you.’

I will, girl. See you tomorrow then.’

‘Goodbye, Mr Ryan.’

‘Tata, son. See you again.’ He winked at William. ‘Bring

a medicinal brandy next time.’

‘Oh, Dad. Give it a rest, will you!’

When Maura and William had left Sarah settled Benjamin

for his nap. ‘Our Maura’s done well for herself there, Sar. Looks like he’s got a couple of bob.’

‘Well, money isn’t everything and I don’t think our Maura’s exactly hard up.’

Benjamin caught hold of her hand. ‘I never give you much, did I, gel?’

She looked into his rheumy eyes.

‘Well, you did your best. Now try and get yourself off to sleep. I’ll call you at nine o’clock for your tablets and we’ll watch a bit of telly. How’s that?’

‘All right, love.’

Sarah collected the used cups together and carried them out to the kitchen. As she filled the sink with hot water she looked around her, remembering the cockroaches, the empty bellies, and the years of hardship she had experienced within these walls. And she remembered Maura with her long blond hair flying behind her as she played out in the street… Leslie’s permanently running nose. ‘Silversleeves’ the others had called him … She could almost hear Mickey’s voice floating up from the basement…

She turned off the tap and began to wash up. In her mind’s eye she could see Geoffrey on the day Maura had made her first Holy Communion. Geoffrey had been so proud of her. All the boys had been scrubbed up and taken to the church. Garry and Lee had been irritating her all that morning. Geoffrey had thumped the pair of them. She had felt so proud of them that day. She had walked, head high, with her nine children all clean and shining.

She smiled to herself. If only you had an idea what was in store for your children! All those years ago she had thought Maura would grow up, marry, and give her grandchildren. Instead, she had grown up and done the complete opposite. First thing in the morning she would

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phone that Petherick and see what was going on. If she had to wait much longer she’d have a heart attack herself! Once Maura was arrested she would be able to breathe freely. Whatever happened, she had to get her away from the boys. Benjamin’s heart attack had shown her that they weren’t getting any younger. If she was to sort her family out before she herself died, she had to do it now. Maura and William were in Le Buxom by ten o’clock. Gerry Jackson had been in the act of throwing out a prominent Member of Parliament who had a penchant for trying to dance with the strippers when Roy had arrived. Recognising the man, Roy had taken him down to the restaurant to try to sober him up before the place got packed. He left him with one of the waitresses and went back into the club.

‘That old bastard gets worse, Gerry.’

He nodded.

‘He gets on my bloody nerves. He’ll be on telly tomorrow or the next day telling everyone to listen to their consciences and vote for the Tory Party.’

‘Mickey had the right idea, you know. He used to keep records on all the prominent citizens and use them to his advantage.’

‘Yeah, I know. The West End’s full of bloody Arabs at the moment. That’ll cause hag, it always does. They won’t go near the black birds and so the blondes will be “going case” two or three times a night, which means permanent bitching. By the way, that coon Rubber was in here earlier, selling coke. I slung him out but I thought I’d let you know. All the hostesses are as high as kites.’

‘Thanks for telling me, Ger. That’s all we need. Well, keep your eye on them. I don’t want them fighting with the punters. They can do what they like to one another.’

Roy went back up to the offices to see Maura. ‘All right, Roy?’

‘Yeah, not too bad. We’ve got the Right Honourable Dickhead in again tonight and that bloody Rubber’s been in and sold the hostesses coke. Other than that, everything’s fine!’ Maura laughed. ‘Send Leslie round to have a word with him. I heard through the grapevine he got a good hiding outside the Pink Pussycat last week for selling bad stuff. Tell Leslie to make it plain that this is his last warning. I don’t want this place raided for drugs.’

‘Okey doke. Leslie and Garry are due in shortly anyway. Actually, Garry rang in earlier. Reckons he was being followed by a bloke in a blue Granada.’ Maura rolled her eyes to the ceiling and took a deep breath. ‘I don’t believe him! He is so paranoid it’s a joke!’ William Templeton looked at her, puzzled. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Oh, Will, it would take all night to explain it.’ Roy started to chuckle. ‘He thinks that he’s being followed all the time. We all wind him up about it. He’s really paranoid.’

‘Has he always been like this?’ ‘Since he was a kid. He told me once that when he gets really wound up he hears voices!’ Roy laughed. ‘Good God!’

Maura put her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggl pounds -‘No, not God … more like the devil!’ William smiled but in fact he was disturbed. ‘What did you say to him?’

‘Not a lot, Maws, just the usual. That I’d phone around the Bill shops and see if they had any information. I’ll him later it was just a mistake on his part.’

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‘Good. Humour him. That’s the best way.’

‘If you want to shoot off, Maws, I’ll pick up the rents. I’m staying on here for a while anyway.’

‘Thanks, Roy. That would be great. Once Les has been sent to sort out Rubber, would you ask him to pick up some parcels for me? The addresses are on this piece of paper.

‘We’re meeting Isaacs again on Sunday night to complete the deal, so I want you, the boys and Gerry Jackson with me. Tooled up. Sawn-offs, not handguns.. OK?’ ,

‘What time?’

‘We’ll meet here at about five-thirty. Right then, Will, let’s get going.’

He stood up.

‘Would you like to go out to eat?’

‘Why not?’

‘See you’s later then.’

When Maura and William left, Roy started going through the papers. Sunday was two days away, and he was going to wish that he had listened to Garry’s story. Although none of them knew it, the net was closing. Lenny Isaacs was sitting in his hotel room, shaking like a leaf. Terry Petherick and Superintendent Marsh were sitting opposite him.

‘I swear on my mother’s grave, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’

Terry flicked the ash from his cigarette onto the carpet.

‘Listen, Lenny, we know everything. We know about the gold, about the robbery, and we also know about you. So why don’t you save yourself some trouble and just tell u” what we want to hear?’

Lenny was biting his lip. His short stubby fingers were

trembling and he was trying as hard as he could to stop himself crying.

Marsh looked at him pityingly.

‘I can promise you, Lenny, that the Ryans will not know where we got our information from. All we want to know is when the meet will be. We’ll do the rest.’

‘I’m sorry. I know nothing. I’m over here on holiday.’

Terry lost his temper.

‘Cut the crap, Isaacs! You’re over here to buy illegal gold. How about we pull you in now? Leak your name to the papers. Say that you’re helping us with our enquiries. Then leave you on remand in funky Brixton where you can sit and wait for the Ryans to waste you!’

Lenny paled.

‘You wouldn’t do that to me!’

Terry smiled. ‘Just try us and see.’

Lenny looked down at his hands. Terry could see his shiny pate through his thinning hair.

‘It’s on Sunday. We all meet on Sunday. You realise that I’m a dead man?’

Marsh stopped chewing his thumbnail and said, ‘We’ll see about that, Lenny. Don’t worry. Now tell us nice and slowly what’s supposed to be going down.’

Lenny cleared his throat and took a sip of his wine. ‘We’re meeting at a place called Fenn Farm.’

‘We know all about Fenn Farm. What we’re more interested in is times.’

‘Seven-thirty on Sunday evening.’

Terry looked at Marsh.

‘That only gives us thirty-six hours.’

‘Don’t worry, Petherick. We’ll be more than ready for them.’

Lenny Isaacs wiped a stray tear from his eye. Maura

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f

Ryan would have his nuts for this. He was already dead. Maura had just put a chicken in the oven and was preparing the vegetables for Sunday lunch. She wanted to eat at twelve so she and William could have the afternoon free. When she had finished scraping the carrots, the telephone rang. It was Margaret.

‘Hello, Marge.’ Maura’s voice was warm.

‘Hiya! I thought I’d give you a quick ring and see how you was getting on.’

‘Terrific. I was just starting the dinner actually.’

Margaret’s voice was incredulous. ‘Maura Ryan cooking! Now I’ve heard everything!’

‘Ha, ha, Marge!’

‘This William must be some guy. If he can domesticate you, he must,be the business.’

‘He has not domesticated me … I often cook.’

‘Pull the other one, Maws, it plays “Hard Day’s Night”! Seriously, I’m just pleased you’re so happy. It’s about time.’

‘Oh, Marge, it’s great! I wish to God I’d got myself in a relationship years ago. I don’t think I’m in love exactly … but I just want to be with him all the time. In fact, I am with him all the time.’

‘I can remember when me and Den were like that!’

‘Come off it, Marge, you and Den are still like lovebirds. You two even embarrass your own kids with all your kissing and cuddling.’ ?

‘Don’t talk to me about my kids …’ i Margaret’s voice was sad.

‘Why, what’s happened?’

‘It’s Penny. She’s got herself a bloke.’

‘What’s wrong with that? You can’t keep them tied to your apron strings forever.’

‘It’s not that, Maws. He’s a bloody Sikh.’

‘You’re joking!’

‘I wish I was. He even wears a turban. Mind you, I had to laugh. Little Dennis saw them together in the High Street and went up and asked him when his head was gonna get better. That’s how we found out. Penny and him had a big fight about it and when I tried to sort it all out, Dennis dropped the bombshell.’

Maura was laughing so hard she had an ache in her ribs.

‘I wish I could see the funny side of it all.’

‘You bloody hypocrite, Marge! You’re the one who brought them up with liberal ideas. Everyone’s the same, no matter what colour they are or what religion. Now poor old Penny’s got herself a coloured bloke, you’re doing your nut!’ ‘Well, I never thought they’d want to go out with one,

did I?’

Maura was still chuckling. ‘What’s big Den got to say?’ v

‘Oh, him! He’s about as much good as an ashtray on a motorbike. “Leave her alone, Marge. Let her find her own way …” I said, “You won’t be saying that when she’s walking round with a red spot on her forehead and a gold lame sari.’ ‘Oh, Marge, stop it. You’re making me guts ache. Can you see her in a sari with all that ginger hair of hers?’ a ‘Oh, I don’t know what to do.’

‘Well, if you want my advice, I wouldn’t protest too much. Remember what we were like at that age. The more people try and tell you what to do, the more you’re inclined to go against them!’ Jas

‘Yeah. I’ve thought of that.’ - .1

‘Let her get it out of her system.’ Maura heard William get out of bed. ‘I’ve gotta go

.mm

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Marge. I’ll try and get over to you tomorrow. Say about lunchtime, how’s that?’

‘All right, Maws. I’ll make us a nice quiche.’

‘How about a curry? You’d better start practising Indian cookery.’

‘Piss off, Maura!’