Schemer (50 page)

Tyler Jackman and his pal Brad put their hoods up as Mimi’s front door opened. ‘See, I was right. Look how dolled up Danni is. She said her and her mate were staying in to watch films and I knew she was bloody well lying,’ Tyler said, angrily.

‘I still don’t think we should be spying on her, Ty. I mean, I know we like spying on people, but it ain’t right to spy on your own sister. I bet she’s just going to the pub or something.’

Ducking his head back behind the bush as his sister walked down the pathway, Tyler was furious as a minicab pulled up outside the house and the girls got inside. ‘Oh, bollocks. Danni ain’t just going to some pub, Brad. She knows I drink, I know she does, and she would tell me if she was going out on the lash. I know my sister and it’s only today she’s been acting weird. Something dodgy’s going on and, seeing as we’ve got this week off school, me and you are gonna find out what.’

Dannielle was a bundle of nerves as the cab drove down Manor Road. She had no idea if the man she had met would be in a cab, his own car, or on foot. Nor was she even sure he would turn up. ‘Say he was just winding me up? He might have thought I was some stupid kid or something and decided to play a prank on me,’ she said to her friend.

Mimi glanced sideways at her pal. She and Danni had met at secondary school, had been best pals ever since, and Mimi had never known Dannielle to be as nervous and sickly over any boy or man before. Noting that her pal’s hands were visibly shaking, Mimi squeezed them for comfort. ‘Of course he’ll turn up,’ she said. Mimi then shut her eyes and silently prayed that Mr Whateverhisbloodynamewas didn’t. He had already had a strange effect on her best friend and Mimi could sense that, whoever the bloke was, he was going to cause Danni nothing but bloody grief.

Unaware that her daughter was about to meet up with her very worst nightmare, Stephanie was surprisingly having a jolly time with her mum and Lin in the restaurant. She really hadn’t felt like socializing at all earlier, but getting out and forgetting all her troubles had actually done her the world of good.

‘Well, I have to say that was one of the nicest pizzas I have ever eaten in my life,’ Lin said, polishing the last piece off.

‘Yous pair aren’t in a rush, are you? Shall I order us another bottle of wine?’ Stephanie asked.

‘Yes please! I thought I was in the Sahara desert,’ Lin replied, cheekily.

Pam didn’t see the funny side of her sister’s humour. ‘I don’t think you should have any more, Lin. Don’t forget we’re going home by train and I can’t carry you if you end up getting pissed.’

Stephanie chuckled. ‘Mum, you are not going home by train. I’ve got an account now with a local cab firm. I set it up so I know that Danni’s always safe when she’s out gallivanting and it’s handy for business purposes as well. You’ll be getting a cab home tonight, and I’m sure if Lin collapses the driver will help you get her out the car.’

Pam relaxed. ‘We’re still paying for the meal and drinks though, aren’t we, Lin?’ she said, nudging her sister.

‘Yep, of course we are! Now, can we have some more bleedin’ wine before I die of dehydration?’

When the waiter brought the wine over, Pam decided that it was as good a time as any to bring Angela into the conversation. ‘Your sister popped round at the weekend. I’m not just saying it, Steph, but since she came home from Greece and started being a proper mother to Aidan, she don’t ’arf seem to have changed for the better. I think she wants to wipe the slate clean. She knows she was a horrible cow and she wants to make it up to you.’

Stephanie pulled a sarcastic face at Lin. In her heart, she would always love and miss Angie, but there was no way she was going to allow her sister or anybody else for that matter to ever hurt her again. Steph had endured enough humiliation to last her a lifetime, which had left her with a heart made of stone.

‘Leopards don’t change their spots, Mum,’ she said coldly.

‘I know what you’re saying, love, and I can understand why you’re saying it, but I truly believe that Angie wants to try and build some bridges now. She spoke to me in an honest way I’ve never heard her speak before. She said she realizes that she was an awful person in the past and a terrible mother. She also said that spending more time with Aidan has made her realize just how important her family is to her. Between me and you, I think she’s loved-up. Aidan said something to me about she met this bloke out in Greece. He ain’t moved over to England with her because he runs his father’s business over there, but apparently he’s bought her a beautiful apartment to live in in the Docklands and he gives her money every week so she don’t have to go to work any more.’

‘And has Aidan met this wonderful mystery man yet?’ Lin sneered, with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

‘No, not yet,’ Pam replied, wishing her sister would shut up.

Stephanie raised her eyebrows. ‘What a surprise! The reason Angie hasn’t introduced her lover to her son yet, is probably because the bloke she’s hooked up with is some married old Greek sugar daddy.’

Lin spat her mouthful of wine back in the glass with glee. ‘Or, worse still, Angie’s mystery man might be your Wayne.’

When Stephanie fell silent, Pam glared at her younger sister. Lin had a terrible habit of saying the wrong thing once inebriated, but what she had just suggested to Steph was not only thoughtless, but well below the belt. Pam snatched Lin’s glass of wine away from her and moved it over to the other side of the table.

‘What did you do that for?’ Lin asked, indignantly.

‘Because I think you’ve bloody well had enough, that’s why. You’re bang out of order, Lin. I want you to apologize to Stephanie immediately.’

Steph pulled herself together and smiled. ‘Don’t have a go at her, Mum. Lin was only joking. Anyway, knowing my vindictive sister as well as I do, I wouldn’t put anything past her. Wayne’s dead, I know in my heart he is, but I bet Angie would have run away with him had she had the bloody chance. I will never forgive her for the way she showed me up in front of them police officers. She insinuated that my Wayne was a paedo, if you remember rightly, and the Old Bill were always funny with me after that. Looked at me like I was scum, they did, so please save your breath trying to organize a tearful reconciliation. I never want to see Angela again, Mum.’

Barry’s heart skipped a beat as he spotted Dannielle through the pub window. She had a sleeveless, tight-fitting black dress on and looked even more sexy then she had the previous evening. Downing the rest of his drink, Barry stood up and went to greet her. ‘You all right, sweetheart? I didn’t know if you’d turn up or not. You look absolutely beautiful, may I say.’

Dannielle felt incredibly nervous as she looked around for Mimi. The cab had dropped them outside the car park, and when she hadn’t spotted Barry waiting for her, Dannielle had allowed her friend to go inside the pub to say hello to her sister.

‘There’s no need to look so nervous. I’m not gonna bite you, babe,’ Barry said, staring intently into Dannielle’s eyes.

Dannielle felt nauseous through pure fear of the unknown. Barry was dressed immaculately in a dark grey suit and open-necked white shirt, and he was standing so close to her, Dannielle could almost taste his gorgeous aftershave. Whoever this guy was, he was sex on legs, and Danni had a feeling that she was way out of her depth. ‘There you are. Where you been?’ she asked with relief as Mimi reappeared.

‘I’m sorry, Dan. My sister is upstairs looking after Callum. He’s not well, bless him,’ Mimi said. Callum was her two-year-old nephew. Mimi turned to Barry and glared at him. ‘Hi, my name’s Mimi and I’m Danni’s best friend. There is no way I am letting her go out on a date with a strange man on her own, so either I come as well, or she don’t go.’

Barry could immediately tell that Mimi hated him on sight, so decided to do what he did best, which was turn on the charm. ‘I can fully understand your concern for your friend and of course you are welcome to join us, Mimi. Now, where would yous ladies like to dine? I know a couple of nice restaurants in Chigwell.’

‘No, we can’t go out round here. We’re only sixteen, our parents will kill us if we’re spotted in a restaurant with some old bloke,’ Mimi said bluntly.

Barry couldn’t help but chuckle. He had been called lots of things in his time by birds, but never ‘some old bloke.’ ‘A pal of mine told me about a nice Chinese restaurant in Abridge. How about we go there?’ he suggested.

Dannielle immediately shook her head. ‘My mum has a beauty salon and quite a few of her clients live in Abridge, so we can’t go there. Can we just go into Romford or somewhere? Me and Mimi don’t want to get into trouble and we’re less likely to bump into our parents’ friends around there.’

Barry grinned and pressed the key to unlock his Range Rover. ‘Your carriage awaits, ladies,’ he said politely.

Suddenly feeling scared herself, Mimi grasped Dannielle’s hand. ‘We can’t get in there with you. You’re gonna have to tell us your name and your phone number first,’ she said to Barry. Mimi had recently watched the movie
Essex Boys
with her mum and the way Barry was dressed, and the fact he owned a black Range Rover, reminded her of one of them gangster types in the film.

‘If you want to take my phone number, I’ll give it to you,’ Barry said, grating his teeth. He had started to get very pissed off with Mimi already, but was desperate not to let it show.

‘What’s your name, then?’ Mimi asked coldly, as she took a pen out of her handbag.

Looking into Dannielle’s eyes, Barry decided it was either shit or bust. He would have to reveal his true identity soon, so rather than stand in the car park all night, he might as well do it now. ‘My name is Barry and when Danni was very young she used to drive me mad to sing “Incy Wincy Spider” to her,’ he said gently.

Dannielle put her hand over her mouth in shock. She knew she had recognized Barry when she had seen him last night. ‘Oh my God! I can’t believe it,’ she exclaimed.

‘Do you actually know him then?’ Mimi asked, looking at her pal with a quizzical expression on her face.

‘Yes! Yes, I do! He was once my Uncle Barry.’

When Dannielle threw her arms lovingly around his neck, Barry held her tightly and grinned. Stephanie had obviously kept her trap shut about what had happened between them, which thankfully left the pathway open for him and Dannielle.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Not wanting to spend her evening sitting in a restaurant like some gooseberry while Dannielle and Barry reminisced about the past, Mimi decided it was now OK for Danni to go out alone with Barry. ‘Listen, I’m going to stay here with my sister if you don’t mind? Me and her can get a takeaway and watch a film or something. I feel awful leaving her when I know she’s so worried about Callum.’

‘But, I’m meant to be staying at yours, Mimi. I don’t want to have to go home,’ Dannielle said anxiously.

‘We can still stay at mine. Go for your meal, Barry can drop you off back here, then we’ll get a cab home.’

‘Is that OK with you?’ Danni asked Barry.

Absolutely thrilled that the bitch of a friend wouldn’t be joining them, Barry smiled. ‘That’s absolutely fine, and I promise I’ll have you back here by eleven at the latest. Now, can we make a move? My stomach feels as though my throat has been cut.’

Giggling at Barry’s funny comment, Dannielle kissed Mimi on the cheek. ‘Have a nice evening with your sister and I’ll fill you in on all the gossip later,’ she whispered in her friend’s ear.

About to get into his motor, Barry decided that now Mimi wasn’t coming with them, he’d better cover his arse. ‘Ere, don’t be saying nothing to your sister or anybody else about me taking Danni out tonight. If anyone asks you, she’s out with a friend, OK?’ he said as Mimi walked away.

Mimi turned around. ‘What’s the big secret, then?’

Telling Dannielle to get inside the motor, Barry walked towards Mimi. ‘There is no big secret. The only reason I don’t want anybody to know is because Dannielle’s mother doesn’t know I’ve moved back to England yet, and I would rather she be told by me or Danni than some local gossip. I take it you’ll do as I ask?’

Knowing that Barry had just delivered a warning rather than a question, Mimi glanced at the coldness in his eyes and nodded.

‘Thanks, and don’t worry, I shall take good care of your friend,’ Barry said as he walked away.

Watching the Range Rover pull out of the car park, Mimi felt a shiver travel down her spine. Uncle bloody Barry was trouble and she didn’t trust or like him one little bit.

Over in Woodford, Pam was annoyed with herself for ordering a calorie-laden dessert. ‘Well, I definitely ain’t going to me weigh-in tomorrow. I must have put on half a stone this week, I ain’t stopped bleedin’ eating,’ she said, pushing her empty dish away.

‘Don’t be beating yourself up. You’ve done so well and it doesn’t hurt to have a little blowout once in a while,’ Stephanie said.

‘I’ve had more than a little blowout. I’ve eaten double me bleedin’ points,’ Pam replied, chuckling.

‘How’s Cathy, Mum? I haven’t heard you mention her all day,’ Steph asked.

‘Yeah, Cath’s fine. I told you her Michael has finally got his own flat at last, didn’t I?’

Stephanie nodded. ‘Where you going?’ she asked her aunt as she stood up.

‘For a slash,’ Lin replied, as ladylike as ever.

‘You’ve been guzzling that bleedin’ wine like there’s no tomorrow, so best I come with you in case you fall arse over tit,’ Pam suggested.

Lin glared at her elder sister. ‘I might be short, but I’m not a child and I am quite capable of going for a piss by myself.’

When Stephanie began to laugh, Pam raised her eyebrows. ‘Ere, that Marlene’s got herself a new bloke. Big black man he is. She caught me bogging at her out of the upstairs window the other day and gave me a right mouthful, the cheeky mare.’

‘How funny. I hope you gave her a mouthful back?’

‘Yeah, I did, and Angela turned up in the middle of the argument and gave her what for an’ all.’

Seeing Stephanie’s expression change when her sister was mentioned, Pam quickly changed the subject. ‘Ere, I can’t remember who it was now, but someone told me that they bumped into Tammy’s sister in Hornchurch,’ Pam lied. She knew Steph wouldn’t want to listen to the story if she was aware it had come from her sister’s mouth.