Billie Jo (30 page)

Jimmy the Fish walked into the seedy backstreet bar and
spotted Kiki immediately. With her six-foot frame, she
stood out like a sore thumb and reminded him of a young
Grace Jones.

Kiki, whose real name was Susan Brown, kissed Jimmy
on the cheek, linked her arm in his and led him to a quiet
table at the back of the bar where they wouldn't be
disturbed.

Calling out to a waitress to bring over a couple of
drinks, Jimmy smiled at her. 'It all went smoothly then,
eh, babe?'

Kiki took a sip of her gin and tonic and grinned broadly.
'Everything went to plan. You were right, he was an easy
touch.' Fishing into her Dior handbag, Kiki pulled out a
large brown envelope and handed it to him.

Checking the ten grand was all intact, Jimmy reeled
off a grand and handed it back to her. 'Good work, darling.
Did you have to shag him?'

Kiki stuffed the cash into her purse and grinned. 'That's
for me to know and you to find out.'

Jimmy finished his drink, kissed her goodbye and
climbed into the newly purchased Jaguar that he'd left
parked nearby. Putting his Sinatra CD on at full blast,
Jimmy smiled to himself as he sang along. Ol' Blue Eyes
was his hero. Jimmy liked it when things went to plan
and this latest one had worked like a dream. He'd known
Susan, aka Kiki, for years. She was a good girl and a
bloody good actress. He trusted her implicitly. When
called upon, she always did a good job for him. He'd had
no choice but to set Danny up good and proper. The way
he'd been performing lately, Jimmy had been left with no
other option.

Deep down Jimmy was gutted. At one time he'd thought
of Danny as a surrogate son. When the lad had done the
bit of bird for him, Jimmy had expected to be eternally
grateful. Lately, though, Danny had fucked up big style
and Jimmy now knew he had to get rid of him before the
boy got the whole lot of them nicked.

Jimmy had tried over and over again to make Danny
see sense, but he may as well have been talking to a brick
wall. Danny was too far gone, the gear he was shoving
up his nose had taken hold of him and the boy was on a
one-way trip to hell. Jimmy had needed an excuse to drop
him from the fold and yesterday's set-up was perfect. He'd
made Leon drag Danny to the bar where Kiki was dancing.
Kiki had been told to hit on the geezer with Leon and to
go home with him and stay the night. Today's lunchtime
meeting in the Cross Keys was a set-up as well, that's
why Jimmy hadn't turned up. He'd just wanted Danny out
of the flat so Kiki could sift through and find the cash
that Jimmy knew was hidden there.

The whole turnout was such a fucking tragedy and
Jimmy planned to let the lad down as gently as possible.
He had no choice, Danny knew too much.

'That's life – that's what all the people say; you're
ridin' high in April, shot down in May.' Jimmy sang along
to his favourite song as he pulled up outside Danny's flat.
He was dreading delivering the bad news, but in business
you had to be ruthless.

Billie Jo was stirring the bolognese sauce when she felt
Jamie's strong arms around her waist. 'What's the matter,
babe? You're not your normal chirpy self.'

Billie put the wooden spoon on the side as he hugged
her tightly. 'I'm just worried about my mum, Jamie.'

Jamie smoothed her hair back off her forehead. 'Look,
your mum's a lot stronger than you think. She ain't no
mug, she'll look after herself, you'll see.'

Billie took a deep breath and gave a worried sigh. 'I
hope you're right, I thought she would have rung me by
now. You're allowed phone calls in there, aren't you?'

Jamie smiled. Billie was far too kind for her own good.
In spite of all the shit her mother had dished out to her
over the years, she was still desperately worried about
her. 'She's probably only just got settled, I'm sure she'll
call you as soon as she can. Now, any chance of my dinner
in the near future? I'm fucking starving.'

Billie laughed as she turned back to the cooker. Jamie
had an uncanny ability of making everything all right and
she worshipped the ground he walked on.

After explaining to Jimmy that the ten grand had been
stolen from his flat, Danny didn't take the news that he
was to take a break very well at all. 'What the fuck do
you mean, Jim? I did bird for you, you cunt, and now
you want me out the picture,' he said, looking near to
tears. Jimmy felt a slight twinge of guilt, but stuck to his
guns.

'Look, I'll never forget what you done for me, Dan,
and I'll make sure you're not short of dough. You can
stay in this flat, rent free, but at this moment in time, you
desperately need a break. Splitting up with Billie Jo, not
seeing your boy, Debbie getting pregnant, it's all taken
its toll on you. You've gotta sort yourself out, son. You're
drinking far too much and taking too much gear and in
this game that's no good. Look at last night, Dan, ten
grand of my fucking cash you've lost. You'll end up dragging
us all down, boy, unless you sort yourself out.'

Danny stood up to face him. He was still high on coke
and wasn't up to being treated like a child. 'Do you know
what it was like sitting inside that cell every day, hour
after fucking hour? Do you?'

Jimmy stood up. 'Look I ain't arguing with you, you
did me a favour and you've since been compensated for
it. What I've told you is for your own good, Dan. Sort
yourself out and you're back in.'

Danny paced up and down the room, his eyes bulging
with anger. 'You were like the dad I never had, Jim. I loved
you and looked up to you. That's why I did your sentence
for you and this is how you fucking repay me, discarding
me like a bit of old rubbish.' Danny couldn't help his temper.
Losing the plot, he flew at him, fists flailing.

Jimmy might not have been a spring chicken, but he
was a wily old devil. Grabbing Danny by the neck
he shoved him against the wall. 'Don't fuck with me, son,
'cause I'm telling you now, you'll be messing with the
wrong man. Take on board what I've said and learn by
it.' Kneeing Danny as hard as he could in the bollocks,
Jimmy managed to momentarily paralyse him.

'Cunt,' Jimmy could hear him screaming as he left the
flat and ran down the stairs. 'I swear to you, Jim, I'll have
you. I ain't no pushover, you know.'

Jimmy smiled as he shut the communal door. 'Mug,'
he said quietly.

* * *

Michelle sat on the uncomfortable little bunk and thought
about the day's events.

New inmates were meant to have their own cell, but
due to a fire, she'd been forced to share with someone.
Her cell mate was nowhere to be seen.

Lying back on her bunk, she was about to take stock
of her life when she heard the door open.

'All right?' a voice said.

Michelle looked in horror at the girl she was meant to
be sharing with.

Tall, big and butch, Jane Murphy was an obvious
lesbian.

'I'm fine, thanks,' Chelle replied politely. Trust her
fucking luck that the prison had been practically burnt
down on the day before her arrival. Pretending to read
a book, Chelle kept quiet, but was clocking Jane out of
the corner of her eye. She'd never had much to do with
rug munchers in the past and was fascinated by this
woman.

She reminded Chelle of someone, but she couldn't
place who. At last, it came to her. She looks like Ray
Winstone with tits, Chelle thought, smiling to herself. She
was determined to keep up her sense of humour, even if
she couldn't say things out loud. An hour later, the uncomfortable
silence between the cell mates had been broken.

'What you in here for?' Jane asked her.

'Drink-driving. It makes me sound awful. I'd had a
few glasses of wine and I don't remember much about
it, but unfortunately the person in the other car died.'

'Fuck me, that's a bummer.' Jane smiled at her cell mate
The last bird she'd got lumbered with was a smackhead;
this one seemed all right. 'I'm in for GBH meself, but
don't worry, I ain't into hitting birds, it was a geezer I
done over. The screws know I'm proper. Normally, they
wouldn't stick anyone in with a GBH'er, but I'm sweet,
they know that.'

Whether it was her own nerves or Jane's voice, which
made her sound like Perry in the Harry Enfield sketches,
Chelle tried but couldn't stop laughing. This could only
happen to her, sharing a cell with a lesbian doing a stretch
for GBH. Chelle's hysterical laughter was infectious and
Jane couldn't help but join in with her. Even a couple of
hours later after the lights were turned out, the pair were
telling each other funny stories, joking about their messed-up
lives and roaring.

'Tone it down in there, people are trying to sleep,'
shouted Rita, the most miserable screw on the block.

Chelle and Jane tried unsuccessfully to smother another
fit of uncontrollable giggles. The ice between them had
well and truly thawed.

Liking Ray Winstone with tits more and more, Chelle
smiled.

Maybe prison life wasn't going to be so bad after all!

After trashing every bit of furniture in the flat that
belonged to Jimmy the Fish, Danny felt slightly better.
'Who does he think he is? Cunt, telling me I can live
here rent free.' Muttering to himself, he packed his clothes
and belongings into a suitcase. 'He can stick his fucking
flat up his arse, the old has-been.'

Deciding to polish off the last of the lager he had in
the fridge, Danny sat on the floor and pondered his next
move. His financial situation wasn't great at the
moment. He wasn't skint, but the few grand he had
wouldn't go far. He'd borrowed some money off Billie,
but she could go and fuck herself now, there was no
way he was giving that back. Luckily, he had a fair bit
of gear around him. Unknown to Jimmy and the others,
he'd been siphoning off a bit here and there, partly to
support his own ever-increasing habit and partly for a
bit of security.

Not wanting to waste money renting some poxy flat,
Danny weighed up his options. He had two choices really:
going back to his mother's or moving back in with Debbie
for the time being. His mother's was a definite no-go.
Living in that cramped shithole with his brothers and
sisters would be impossible for him now. Loading his
case and sports bag into his Shogun, he decided to go
cap in hand round to Debbie's.

He knew she was still pregnant with his kid, he'd heard
it through the grapevine. Apparently, she'd attended the
clinic, but hadn't been able to go through with it. She'd
sent the five hundred quid he'd given her back via a friend,
with a message saying she couldn't get rid of it, but
accepted that he wanted nothing to do with it and she
wouldn't be asking him for a penny.

Danny had pocketed the money and not bothered
contacting her. 'Silly bitch,' he'd told his pals. 'She don't
even look after the two kids she's already got, her mother
has 'em all the time. What the fuck does she want another
one for?'

Debbie heard the knock on the door and looked through
her peephole. Her heart leapt when she saw it was Danny.
Her friends had said she was mad to keep the baby after
what he'd said and done to her. Her mother had been
supportive though. 'I'll look after the baby if you can't
manage,' she'd told her.

Debbie didn't really want any more kids. It was only
because this one was Danny's that she couldn't get rid of
it. Even though he'd been a bastard and frightened the
living daylights out of her, she still wanted him badly.

As she opened the front door, Debbie tried to hide her
feelings. 'What's up, Dan?' she asked casually.

'I can't stop thinking about you and the baby and that,'
Danny lied. 'Maybe we could give it another go, me and
you, like. What do you think?'

Debbie invited him in, handed him a can of cheap lager
and sat in the armchair, looking serious. 'I don't know,
Dan. Part of me would like to give it another go, but you
frightened me so much when you tried to strangle me
that night. I'm not sure it's a good idea.'

Danny walked over to where she was sitting, crouched
down on the floor and took her hands in his. 'I'm so sorry
about that, babe. I don't know what came over me. I had
so much stress at work with Jimmy and the boys. It won't
happen again, Debs. I'm outta there now. I'm gonna set
up on me own, work for meself. It weren't me, babe, that
attacked you back then. I was so fucked up in the head,
I didn't know what I was doing. I swear, now I'm away
from that lot, I'm different.'

Debbie looked at his handsome face and melted. Her
eyes filled with tears. 'I do love you, Danny. I'm willing
to give it another go with you, but if anything like that
happens again, it'll definitely be the end. Next time you
lay a hand on me, I swear it's over for good.'

Danny kissed her passionately. 'It won't, babe, I
promise. I'll just pop downstairs and get my case.' Danny
smiled to himself as he ran down the stairs. 'Silly bitch,'
he muttered. 'I'll be out of here like a shot once I sort
meself out.'

'You're quiet, Billie. What's up? You're not pissed off
because I'm going out tonight, are you?'

Putting down her duster and can of polish, Billie picked
up DJ who was whinging and stood facing Jamie. 'You
silly sod, I don't mind you going out. I like to see you
have a night with the boys.'

'Why are you so quiet then? You've hardly said a word
all afternoon.'

'I want to go to Jamie,' DJ said, wriggling out of her
arms and clambering onto his idol's lap. Billie sat down
next to the pair of them.

'I ain't got the hump with you, Jamie, honest. Sorry
if I've been quiet, I've just got an awful feeling that something
bad is about to happen.'

Jamie looked at her with a silly grin on his face. 'Having
another one of our psychic moments, are we, dear?'

Billie gave a false laugh and walked into the kitchen.
She'd had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach since
first thing this morning. It was the same kind of feeling
she'd had on the day after her dad had gone missing. She
could quite easily have clumped Jamie for taking the piss
but she didn't want to create a scene. He was popping
out tonight for a few drinks with a couple of the lads he
used to work with on the market. He never went out
without her and DJ and Billie had encouraged him to go
to the birthday drink that he'd been invited to. That's why
she didn't want to row with him, it would spoil his night.
Trying to put the unease she felt out of her mind, she
plugged in the Dyson and carried on with the housework.

Four cans of crap lager, a beefburger and chips and a
quick shag later and Danny was already bored out of his
brains. It wasn't hard to remember why he'd left Debbie
in the first place as she did his fucking brain in. Danny
suffered her waffling until she insisted on discussing baby
names. Unable to listen to any more of her shit, he decided
to make his getaway.

'Fuck me. Is it eight o'clock, Deb? Shit, I forgot, I'm
meant to be meeting a geezer at half eight in Brentwood.'

'Aw,' Debbie said in her best whining voice. 'You've
only just moved back in. Do you have to go out tonight?
Is it really that important?'

Danny jumped out of bed. Truth be known he had
nowhere to go, but he just couldn't get away from her
quick enough. 'Yeah, it's important, it's about work. I've
got you and the baby to support now, haven't I?'

Debbie smiled. The baby was due in less than four
months. That's what she liked about Danny, he was a
go-getter. She'd never want for anything now she had
him back and their baby would be so spoilt. 'OK, babe.
I understand.'

Danny kissed her on the cheek. 'Laters, yeah.'

Starting up his car, Danny drove round the corner,
parked in a little lay-by and turned off the engine. He
didn't have a clue where he was heading, he hadn't thought
that far ahead. Deciding to give the Cross Keys a wide
berth, as he knew he wouldn't be welcome, Danny stopped
at the first pub he came to. 'Give us a large Scotch.'

Linda, the barmaid, stood facing him, her hands planted
firmly on her bulging hips. 'You've forgotten the magic
word, love.'

Danny wasn't in the mood to play games. 'What the
fuck you on about?'

Leaning her fat elbows on the bar, Linda looked him
in the eye. 'If you can't say please when you ask for a
drink, then you won't be getting served by me.'

Danny looked at the cocky fat tart facing him and
wanted to knock her lights out. Debbie had driven him
mad earlier and now this. All he wanted was a bit of peace
and quiet, but obviously that wasn't meant to be. 'Can I
have a large Scotch, please?' His voice was full of sarcasm.

Linda smirked as she handed him the drink and took
the money. She was looking after the pub for her mate
Sharon who was on a two-week holiday in Turkey. Being
in charge and calling the shots suited her perfectly. She'd
already barred five of the regulars for one thing or another
and that was just the start of it. By the time Sharon came
back, all the riff-raff would be gone for good, Linda would
make sure of that.

Danny knocked his drink back and immediately asked
for another. An hour later, he'd downed six or seven large
ones, saying 'please' every time he ordered. 'What am I
doing sitting here?' he mumbled to himself. The pub was
a complete shithole and was in desperate need of a refurb.
Turning round on his barstool, he noticed there were only
five other people in the dive and four of them looked like
bloody vagrants.

'Do you want another one?' Linda asked cockily,
noticing that his glass was almost empty.

Danny sipped the last drop of Scotch out of his glass
and swilled it round as if it were mouthwash. Clutching the
glass tightly in the palm of his right hand, he chucked it at
Linda as hard as he could, aiming at her big fat head.
Missing her by no more than an inch, the glass hit the optics
behind her and smashed into a thousand pieces. Danny
laughed at Linda's shocked expression. Her cockiness had
now disappeared and was replaced by a look of fear.

'No, I don't want no more. I've had enough, thank
you!' Laughing loudly, he strolled out of the door.

In the car, Danny shoved the whole gram up his nose.
Sniffing hard, he felt the strength of it reach the back
of his throat and let out a small sigh of pleasure. Turning
his ignition on, he cranked Kiss FM up full blast and
headed towards Romford.

Jamie walked into the pub in Romford and spotted his
three pals immediately. 'Happy birthday, mate,' he said,
patting Ben on the back. 'All right, Dave? All right, Lee?'
he shouted to the other two lads that were playing pool.

The four of them had known one another a good few
years. At one point they'd all worked down Romford
market together, which is where they'd formed their original
friendship. Ben the birthday boy now had his own
stall, selling flowers, whereas the other two had moved
on to different careers and pastures new.

'What we doing? We staying in here all night?' Jamie
asked. It'd been ages since he'd had a drink with the boys
and he was out of practice with the routine.

'I dunno, mate.' Ben handed Jamie a bottle of Bud.
'Let's get a few of these down us, have a couple of games
of pool and see how the evening pans out, eh?'

Jamie downed his lager greedily. 'Same again, lads?'

'Yep,' answered three thirsty voices.

Half a dozen games of pool and a few beers later,
Jamie and the boys were bored with the pub they were
in and decided to head off somewhere more lively. Walking
slowly, they headed towards South Street.

Danny stood in the bar in South Street and walked over
to the girl in the short white miniskirt that was blatantly
eyeing him up. 'All right? The name's Danny. Wanna
drink?'

Emma Jones didn't need asking twice. Saying goodbye
to her mates, she followed Danny over to the corner of
the bar, away from the speakers and the drum and bass.
Handing her the alcopop she'd asked for, Danny turned
to face her.

'Tell me about yourself then, babe? Who are you? What
you all about?'

Emma smiled at his directness and proceeded to tell
him her life story in ten minutes flat. 'I've got to go and
do a wee, Danny,' she said in her Essex drawl. 'Hold my
drink for me. I don't like leaving it lying around, in case
someone spikes it.'

Danny did as he was told. The ladies' toilets were
upstairs in Brannigan's, and he felt his cock stiffen as he
watched her long tanned legs striding above him.

'I gotta go to the little boy's room now,' he said on her
return. 'You stay right there, babe. I've got big plans for
you.'

Emma smiled as he walked away. She couldn't believe
her luck; he was well fit. Normally all she ever met in
Romford were silly little kids barely out of school uniform.
Danny was different, he was cool and she'd noticed the
big wad of money that he'd waved at the barman to order
the drinks. He must have had at least a grand in his hand.
Emma worked in a local shoe shop and had never seen
that kind of money before. Sipping her drink, she patiently
waited for his return.

Danny could be charming when he wanted to be, and
after topping himself up on charlie, he came back on top
form. That was until he saw Jamie enter the premises
with a few of the lads from the market. With anger
pumping through his veins, Danny struggled to keep his
cool. His court case to gain access to his son was next
week, so he couldn't do anything in public. Billie Jo and
Jamie would love that, if he created a scene. That would
be playing straight into their Judas hands.

Emma noticed that Danny's mood had changed and
he'd become edgy. 'You all right? What's the matter, Dan?'

Danny turned his back to the section of the bar where
Jamie was standing. 'I'm OK, it's a long story. Look, do
me a favour, you see that blond geezer up at the bar with
the tan leather jacket on? Keep your eye on him for
me. If he goes anywhere, let me know. You do that for me,
Emma, and I'll take you out for a nice meal tomorrow
night and explain everything.'

Emma nodded dumbly. She found Danny well exciting
and would have agreed to do anything he suggested. Going
out for a nice meal would be the icing on the cake and
she could hardly contain her excitement.

Jamie stood by the bar, sipping his drink, pretending
he was enjoying himself. Looking around, he couldn't
believe he'd once had a good time in this type of place.
Looking at his watch, he noticed it was midnight. He
really didn't want to be here now. He'd enjoyed himself
playing pool earlier, but now he'd give anything to be
snuggled up next to Billie Jo, with DJ somewhere nearby.
Yawning, he finished the last of his drink.

'I'm gonna have to make a move now, lads. I've gotta
get up for work in the morning,' he lied. He was enjoying
a week off, but they weren't to know.