‘Roy and Michael are waiting in the corridor. The nurse said we could only come in two at a time, so I’ll send them in next. You had a fall-out with our Vinny and Roy?’
‘No. What makes you ask that?’ Albie asked defensively.
‘Because I’ve sensed a bad atmosphere the past few days. What’s going on, Albie? I ain’t some silly old fool, you know, and I will find out, so you might as well tell me now. What you done to upset them?’
Albie looked at his wife with pure hatred in his eyes. Here he was, with two broken legs and three broken ribs, confined to a stinking hospital bed for Christ knows how long, and instead of concern, all Queenie was worried about was her precious sons. Was it any wonder he strayed at the drop of a hat?’ I ain’t done anything to upset the boys, OK? Now, please go and get me a bottle of brandy to help me with the pain. Killing me, my ribs are. I would give you the money, but the bastards who attacked me nicked me wallet.’
‘The doctor said you were on strong painkillers. You ain’t meant to drink with them, Albie. You might keel over and die in the night,’ Queenie advised him.
Hoping that her sister’s warning just might come true, Vivian put her hand inside her handbag. ‘Poor sod’s been right through the mill. I’ll treat him to a bottle.’
Knowing full well why Vivian had made such a kind gesture, Queenie had a fake coughing fit, then dashed out of the ward before Albie could realize she was laughing.
Little Christopher Walker was mesmerized by the dark-haired man in the charcoal suit.
‘Stop gawping at people. Go and collect any empty plates and cups,’ Mary hissed in her son’s ear.
Another person who had her beady eyes on Vinny was Freda Smart and when Christopher approached her, she couldn’t help but speak her mind. ‘Should be strung up by the balls, the lot of ’em. Bloody murderers,’ she said in a loud voice.
Vinny smirked. Freda had been extremely friendly with the café’s previous owners and was the only person in the East End who would have the nerve to accuse him of killing Old Jack and Ethel’s son. She was spot-on actually. Fifteen-year-old Peter had had a habit of exposing himself to young girls and had one day made the fatal mistake of touching up a neighbour’s eleven-year-old daughter and forcing her to touch him in an undesirable place. Absolutely fuming, Vinny had decided to rid Whitechapel of such an unsavoury character and a few weeks later Peter was found at the bottom of the Thames.
Vinny turned around in his seat. He loved winding the old battleaxe up. The café wasn’t packed, but Vinny could see the worried expressions on the other diners’ faces. ‘Spouting cock and bull again, are you, Freda? Can’t be long now until they cart you off to that funny farm,’ he said.
‘Sod all wrong with my marbles. I know exactly what yous Butlers are and unlike everyone else round ’ere, I ain’t bleedin’ frightened to tell you either. You can do me in next for all I care,’ Freda yelled, stomping out of the café.
Vinny chuckled and raised his eyebrows to fellow customers. It didn’t bother him that Freda accused him of being a murderer in public. In fact, she was doing him a favour as it just made people fear him more.
With no-one waiting to be served, Mary darted out into the kitchen to fill Donald in on what had just happened.
Aware that the young boy’s eyes were on him once again, Vinny smiled at Christopher. He had already recognized him as the one who had been sitting opposite the snooker club earlier. ‘Can you show me how to use your jukebox?’
Christopher ran over to the Wurlitzer. Vinny put on Roger Miller’s ‘King of the Road’, which happened to remind him of himself, then handed the child half a crown.
Absolutely ecstatic at the unexpected gift, Christopher ran out to the kitchen to show his parents.
‘Who gave you that?’ Donald asked, his face reddening with anger, knowing only too well who it was likely to be.
‘The man in the suit gave it to me because I taught him how to use the jukebox,’ Christopher explained.
‘Can I have some money too, Daddy?’ Nancy asked, tugging her father’s sleeve.
Donald was fuming. He wanted no involvement with this Butler family and he had always forbidden his children to accept money or gifts from strangers. ‘What have I told you about taking money off people, eh?’ he said, dragging Christopher out of the kitchen by his arm.
‘Stop it, Daddy. You’re hurting me,’ Christopher said, bursting into tears.
‘Donald, stop overreacting for goodness’ sake,’ Mary urged him. She didn’t want to upset or make a scene in front of their customers.
Vinny had just dotted his cigarette out and was about to leave when Donald marched up to him with Christopher in tow. ‘Is this the man?’ he asked his son.
The little boy was sobbing. He not only felt embarrassed, he wanted to keep his half a crown. Nodding his head, Christopher stared at his feet in shame.
‘Excuse me, sir. It was very kind of you to give my son this money, but I’m afraid I have brought my children up not to accept gifts off people they do not know, so I insist you take it back.’
Vinny stared Donald in the eyes and immediately disliked him. He could tell he was one of life’s do-gooders. ‘It wasn’t a gift. Your son earned it by showing me how to use the jukebox,’ Vinny replied casually.
‘Well, Christopher won’t be accepting it all the same,’ Donald said, putting the coin on the table and dragging his son away.
About to tell Donald that he should get off his fucking moral high horse, Vinny saw Christopher’s distraught little face glance around and decided not to bother. The old man was obviously a twat, so what was the point of upsetting the kid even more? Slipping the half a crown into his pocket, Vinny nodded politely at Mary, and quietly left the café.
Determined that their father being hospitalized wouldn’t spoil their younger brother’s sixteenth birthday, Vinny and Roy got up with the larks the following morning and walked around to their mother’s house, pushing the moped between them.
Both Vinny and Roy had stayed at the club again last night and Roy had just suggested to his brother that they have the upstairs decorated properly so that they could live there permanently.
‘I dunno. We’ve got to pay that conning bastard Geary fifteen hundred quid next week, which will leave the coffers a bit lean, Roy. Not only that, I like to keep a daily eye on Mum and Auntie Viv and make sure Champ is OK. Leave the idea with me and I’ll have to think about it.’
Due to the freezing December temperature and the lack of heating in his bedroom, Michael decided to skip having a wash until after he’d had a cup of tea to warm himself up.
Queenie sang ‘Happy Birthday’, as her son galloped down the stairs.
‘Thanks, Mum. Is there any tea in the pot? Bleedin’ taters, I am.’
‘It’s just started snowing, boy. Told you yesterday the sky looked full of snow, didn’t I? Bet you’re glad you took this week off work, eh?’
Michael nodded. He had left school earlier in the year and was working as a trainee mechanic in a local garage. He loved the job as he loved tinkering with cars and bikes, but the money was crap, and the garage was freezing cold this time of year.
‘I’m gonna pop up the hospital and take your father his toothbrush and razor before we go out for lunch. Do you wanna come with me so he can wish you happy birthday?’ Queenie asked.
‘Yeah, I’ll come,’ Michael replied without hesitation. Unlike his brothers, he was actually very fond of his father. He often went for a pint with him on Sunday lunchtimes and he was upset that his dad had been set upon by those bloody yobs.
‘Many happy returns, bruv,’ Roy said, giving Michael a manly hug.
‘Is it present time yet?’ Queenie asked excitedly.
‘Sure is,’ Vinny grinned.
Ordering Roy to go and get Vivian so she wouldn’t miss out on the fun, Queenie handed Michael a parcel. ‘That’s from me and your dad. Your brothers picked it, so if you don’t like it, blame them,’ she chuckled.
Michael was thrilled when he unwrapped the paper and saw the blue Fred Perry polo shirt. ‘That’s well nice, Mum. I’ll wear it today,’ he said. Fred Perry shirts were really in for Mods at the moment. His best mate Kev had two of them.
‘Happy birthday, Michael,’ Lenny said, running into the house with a handmade card in his hand.
Michael hugged his nephew to his chest. ‘Cheers, Champ.’
‘Right, you ready for mine and Roy’s present?’ Vinny asked.
‘Yep.’
‘Follow me then,’ Vinny ordered.
Queenie and Vivian followed the boys out the front and clapped their hands with glee when Michael caught his first glimpse of the trendy moped.
‘Oh my God! It’s a Lambretta! Is it really all mine?’ he asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
Vinny threw him the key. ‘Yep, it’s all yours. Me and Roy have got another surprise for you as well, but you won’t find out what that is until we get to the restaurant.’
‘Bloody hell! This is the best birthday ever,’ Michael exclaimed, throwing his leg over the saddle. He already knew how to ride a moped. Kev had got one over a month ago and had let his friend ride it many a time.
‘Be careful because that bleedin’ snow’s settling,’ Vivian yelled, as Michael fired the engine up.
‘So, what other surprise have you got for him?’ Queenie asked Vinny and Roy.
‘A mohair suit. We want him to come and work with us at the club. He’s old enough now,’ Vinny replied casually.
‘But he’s already got a job and you know how he has his heart set on being a fully qualified mechanic,’ Queenie reminded her sons.
‘Yeah, and he’s on shit money and spends half his life covered in grease and making the tea for that prick he works for. That ain’t a job, it’s a piss-take, Mum. From now on, he works with me and Roy.’
Determined to see Vinny again in the hope that he might still give him the half a crown, Christopher Walker bribed his sister with a bag of sweets so she would sit in the doorway opposite the snooker club with him.
‘Dad is gonna go mad if you take money off that man,’ Nancy said, taking her aniseed twist out of her mouth so she could speak properly.
Christopher glared at his sister. He hadn’t wanted to bring her to the club, but his parents were adamant that he could only go out to play if he took Nancy with him. ‘Dad won’t find out, will he? Unless you’re gonna tell him, of course.’ ‘I’ll tell you what. If Vinny gives me the money, I’ll share it with you. But, you must promise me you won’t say a word about us coming here to Mum and Dad,’ Christopher said.
Unlike some of their friends back in Stoke Newington, neither Nancy nor Christopher had ever received much pocket money. They were given the odd penny or two sporadically to get some sweets or a comic and both were desperate to feel the jingle-jangle of coins in their pockets.
Nancy grinned. ‘OK, I promise.’
Judy Preston lived in a one-bedroomed council flat in Forest Gate. Her mum usually popped in most mornings to help her look after her son Mark, and when the doorbell rang, Judy just assumed that her mum had forgotten her key.
At three years old, Mark was into everything and after Judy flung open the front door, she immediately ran into the kitchen to scold her son for chasing and terrorizing the cat. ‘He’s been a little bastard this morning, Mum,’ she shouted out, as she smacked Mark on his bottom.
Hearing no reply, Judy turned around just as the door slammed. Seeing the two men in suits and Crombie coats, she let out a piercing scream.
Vinny grabbed Judy and put his hand over her mouth. ‘Take the little ’un into the lounge while I have a chat with Mummy dearest,’ he ordered his brother.
‘Come on, little fella,’ Roy said, picking up young Mark.
‘Don’t you dare hurt my baby. If you lay one finger on him, my brother will kill you,’ Judy spat, when Vinny moved his hand slightly to enable her to speak.
‘It ain’t your son I’ve got a problem with, it’s you, ya slag. Now, I’m gonna take my hand away from your mouth properly, so we can have a nice little chat. Open it and scream and I shall put my fist straight down the back of your throat, understand?’ Vinny asked, his eyes gleaming dangerously.
Judy nodded. She had now guessed her intruders were Albie’s sons and wasn’t so frightened any more. ‘What do you want? Has your father sent you around to terrorize me?’
Vinny stared at his prey. She wasn’t bad-looking in a common, tarty kind of way and he wondered what the hell she had ever seen in his father. ‘For your information, my old man doesn’t know I’m here. He is currently residing in the London Hospital with three broken ribs and two broken legs. He had a very unfortunate accident, you see.’
Wondering if Vinny was winding her up, Judy shrugged. ‘Nothing to do with me, I’m not seeing him any more.’
‘Sensible girl. But what about the baby? You’ll need money to get rid of it.’
‘I’m not aborting my baby. My Marky would love a little brother or sister to play with and I’d then qualify for a council house with a nice garden. Your dad can go to hell for all I care, but I’m keeping his child.’
Grabbing Judy by her throat, Vinny shoved her roughly against the wall. ‘You ain’t keeping it, you silly whore. I’ll give you a fortnight to get rid and if you don’t, I shall fucking get rid of it for you. Now, do we understand one another?’
Suddenly feeling frightened again, Judy nodded lamely. Vinny had mad eyes and she found him quite scary.
Vinny took his hand away from Judy’s throat, pulled fifty pounds out of his pocket and handed it to her. ‘That should cover your heartbreak, darling,’ he said.
Judy took the money and was relieved when Vinny called his brother.
Roy came out of the lounge with a giggling Mark in his arms and handed Judy her son. ‘Cute kid,’ he said, as he followed Vinny towards the front door.
‘I’ll be back to see you in a fortnight,’ Vinny shouted, glancing back at her.
Judy said nothing. She would keep the fifty pounds and let her brother deal with Vinny and Roy. No one was going to make her get rid of her baby, that was for sure.
When the snow started to come down more heavily, Nancy begged her brother to come home with her.