by Sam Michaels
Molly was grateful for the sweet warm tea, and the slice of cake that came with it. Dulcie fussed over Edward whilst Georgina looked out of the window. It was obvious that she was keeping her eyes peeled for Billy, but she was trying to do it covertly. They were doing their utmost to behave normally but she knew it was all an act. Everyone was on edge, and though no-one said it, Molly knew they were all frightened too.
48
Jane fidgeted nervously on Billy’s navy blue and cream sofa. She checked the clock on the mantel again. It was five minutes past six. Molly had told her he was normally home by six. The barrel of the gun dug into the top of her thigh. She stood up and paced the room, hoping she’d be more comfortable.
Another ten minutes passed. Jane tried not to think of what she was about to do. Then she heard a car pulling up outside. She looked out of the window and was filled with dread. It was Billy. At last, he was home. She drew a deep breath and took a firm stance on the cream rug in the middle of the lounge.
‘Mother!’ Billy said surprised when he walked in and saw her. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I know everything,’ Jane answered gravely.
‘What are you, an encyclopaedia?’ Billy said with an uncomfortable chuckle.
He walked past her to an onyx and gilt table and poured himself a drink. ‘Would you like one?’
Jane could feel her heart hammering hard. She felt giddy with nerves but tried to keep her voice calm. ‘No, thank you. Sit down, Billy,’ she said.
Billy walked back past his mother and sat in an oversized armchair. He looked relaxed with his legs up on a small stall, a glass in one hand and his father’s pipe in the other. There was something in his eyes though. Was he goading her?
‘It’s nice to see you.’
‘I wish I could say the same, Billy.’
‘Do you want to tell me what this is all about? I suppose you know Molly is upstairs?’
‘Actually, she isn’t. How could you have locked her up there like that? She and the baby could have died!’
‘Baby? Has she had the baby? Where is she?’ Billy said, jumping to his feet.
‘Yes, as a matter of fact, she’s had a little boy but you’re never going to see your son.’
‘Where are they, Mother?’ Billy growled.
‘Don’t you dare take that tone with me. SIT DOWN!’
Billy’s eyes widened, and his brows lifted, but he did as he was told.
‘I get it. You’re going to give me a good telling-off, and I probably deserve it. It was wrong of me to keep Molly upstairs, but I thought she’d be all right. I’m calling him Norman, my son, what do you think about that?’
Jane couldn’t believe her son was smiling as if nothing was wrong. ‘You’re a sick bastard! That’s what I think about that. You killed your father, Billy. My husband, dead, because of you.’
Billy stepped towards her, so Jane quickly pulled the pistol from her skirt and pointed it at him. He stopped in his tracks and held his hands up.
‘Whoa, Mum… take it easy…’
Tears pricked at Jane’s eyes, blurring her vision. ‘Sit back down,’ she said, hoping to keep a distance between them.
Thankfully, Billy slowly stepped back and lowered himself onto the armchair. He didn’t look quite so relaxed now.
‘Why? Why did you kill your father? How could you have?’ Jane asked, hoping at least to get some answers.
‘I didn’t want to, but he pushed me to it. He knew how to wind me up and he kept on until I snapped. It was his own fault… he bloody asked for it.’
‘Even now, you’re still blaming your dad. You’re not man enough to own up to it. Norman was a good father and husband. Something you’ll never be!’
‘I’m sorry, Mum, I never wanted you to be upset.’
‘Upset? I’m devastated! And I’m scared, Billy!’
‘You’ve got nothing to fear. I’d never hurt you – you know that. I love you, Mum.’
‘I thought you loved your father. And what about Sally? How could I ever trust you around her?’
‘I promise I’ll never touch a hair on that girl’s head. I know she means the world to you. Put the gun away, Mum. You don’t need it. I’ll always look after you, honest.’
Jane noticed her hand was shaking and tears were streaming down her face. Her voice was shaky, but she said, ‘Norman meant the world to me too, but you killed him. I’ll never forgive you, Billy… never.’
A dark look descended in her son’s eyes and his face twisted. ‘Do you think you’re going to shoot me then, Mother? Is that your plan? Rid the world of Billy Wilcox?’
‘Yes… it’s my responsibility to destroy the evil I created.’
‘Ha, don’t flatter yourself. You had nothing to do with who I am. Look at you… you’re weak. You can’t even hold the gun steady, let alone pull the trigger. Killing isn’t as easy as you’d think, is it? You need strength, Mother… and you don’t have what it takes.’
Jane squeezed the trigger. She wanted to do it. She felt she had to do it. But Billy was right… she couldn’t and cried out in anguish.
‘It’s all right, Mum, don’t upset yourself,’ Billy said softly with a wicked leer. ‘It’s good that you can’t murder your own. Now, hand me the gun.’
He stood up and slowly walked towards her again. But she couldn’t let him have the gun. He was mad enough to use it to shoot her. She wouldn’t put anything past him. Then if she was dead, Sally would be next and then Penny.
Resolute, she closed her eyes and, BANG, fired it. The noise was almost deafening and left a ringing in her ears. She didn’t want to look but forced herself to open her eyes.
Billy had fallen at her feet and was holding his shoulder. He looked up at her with a ridiculous grin on his face. ‘You did it, Mum. I can’t believe you actually bloody did it!’
Jane dropped down beside her son and took his head in her hands. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she cried. ‘God forgive me, but I had to do it.’
‘I know, Mum… I love you.’
Billy’s eyes closed. Jane gasped. ‘NO,’ she shouted. ‘Don’t die, Billy… please don’t die.’
She placed her hand over the gunshot wound and tried to stop the warm sticky blood from oozing out. Someone was knocking on the front door. The noise must have alerted the neighbours.
In a faint voice, Billy said, ‘Go, Mum… get out the back door.’
‘Oh, thank God, you’re alive! Hold on, Son, keep breathing.’
‘I’ll be fine, it’s only a flesh wound. But get out before the police arrive. I’ll lie for you – tell them it was an intruder. I’ll always protect you, Mother… always. You and my son… We’ll all be together, just the three of us.’
Jane caught her breath and realised she’d made a terrible mistake. He’d said just the three of them. Sally and Penny would never be safe, not all the while Billy lived. She stood up and looked down at the creature bleeding onto the immaculate cream rug. She pointed the gun and fired again, this time aiming directly at his head and with her eyes open. The blood of her only son splattered across her face. He was dead, and she’d rectified her mistake.
49
Georgina saw Jane almost running down the street and opened the front door. She immediately noticed the woman had blood on her and hoped it was Billy’s.
‘You did it then?’ she asked and closed the door behind them.
Jane nodded but appeared to be unable to speak. She was clearly traumatised by the experience.
‘Go upstairs and clean yourself up. There’ll be a stiff drink waiting for you down here, along with your grandson, Edward. Keep him in mind, Jane. You did this for him, and your girls, for all of us.’
Again, Jane nodded but said nothing, but as she walked up the stairs, she turned and mumbled, ‘Edward… you said my grandson, Edward?’
‘That’s right. Molly named him Edward.’
Jane half-heartedly smiled and carried on up the stairs.
As Georgina walked back into the front room
, she hoped the woman would one day come to forgive herself. The room was silent and all eyes were on her, waiting for an answer. ‘It’s over,’ she said quietly.
Everyone sighed, as if they’d all been holding their breath. Even Sally look relieved and Fanny exchanged a reassuring glance with Molly.
Minutes later, Jane walked in sheepishly and knelt in front of her daughter. She took the girl’s hand and spoke softly. ‘I’m really sorry, Sally, but your brother is dead.’
To everyone’s surprise, Sally said, ‘I know. Good.’
‘I realise you didn’t get on very well, but it’s OK to be upset. You don’t have to pretend.’
‘I’m not. Oh, Mum, I should have said something to you, but I was so scared of him. He told me what he did to Dad and threatened that if I ever told you, he’d do the same to me. I hated him. He was always hitting me behind your back. I’m glad he’s dead.’ Sally broke down and Jane comforted her.
‘Good riddance to bad rubbish. Now, we’ll have no more talk of… him. We’ve got a new life to celebrate, and I for one reckon we ought to wet the baby’s head. Anyone fancy a whisky?’ Dulcie offered, sounding cheery.
‘Am I allowed?’ Sally asked as she wiped away her tears.
‘No, young lady, most definitely not!’ Jane answered.
‘Oh, go on Jane, it’s only the one and it’s not every day the girl will get to become an aunt.’
‘OK, she can have the one but make it small.’
‘If Sally’s having whisky, can I have one too?’ Ethel chirped.
Fanny was quick to answer, saying, ‘No, and before you ask too, Charlotte, you’re not having one either.’
‘Give me a hand, love?’ Dulcie asked Georgina, beckoning her to the kitchen.
Once they were out of earshot from Jane, Dulcie whispered, ‘Do you reckon she’ll be able to live with what she’s done?’
‘It won’t be easy for her, but she insisted on doing it. She said it was her responsibility. I don’t know, Gran, I’m sure taking the life of her son will leave her feeling guilty for the rest of her own, but I think she knows it was the only way she could protect Sally and Penny. It’s not like she could have gone to the police. Half of them were on Billy’s payroll.’
‘And what about his henchmen, the two that jumped you?’
‘Well, without Billy, they’re nothing. I don’t know if they’ll turn up at Ezzy’s again, but if they do, I’ll be ready and waiting for them.’
‘And what if they don’t?’ Dulcie asked, eyeing her granddaughter suspiciously.
‘Ha, don’t look at me like that – you know me too well! But I know what you’re thinking and you’re right… I’m not going to let them get away with what they did to me. But if they leave Ezzy alone, I’ll leave them alone, for now. Then when Lash comes back, I’ll let him sort them out.’
‘Good on you,’ Dulcie said, and poured several drinks. Georgina carried the tray through, and Dulcie handed round the whisky in china cups, ‘To Edward,’ she said.
Georgina leaned against the mantel and surveyed the scene. Sally pulled a face of disgust at the taste of the alcohol, whilst Molly gazed lovingly at her newborn son. Her gran got up to pour herself another drink, which was sure to make her tipsy. Fanny, Ethel and Charlotte were sat on the floor with a game of draughts between them. Jane looked in shock as she pulled Penny onto her lap. It wasn’t any wonder that the woman appeared dazed after what she’d just done.
Georgina knocked back the dregs of her whisky, then said, ‘Seeing all of us together like this has got me thinking.’
‘Oh no,’ Molly joked. ‘This could be dangerous.’
‘I think I know what you’re going to say,’ Dulcie said, and looked proudly at her granddaughter.
‘We’ve all been hurt, one way or another, but I won’t stand for it, and neither should you! None of us should ever have to put up with any more crap. And we’re stronger together, as we’ve proved. For that reason, I’m going to re-form the Maids of Battersea, and you are now all principal members.’
Acknowledgments
With special thanks to my agent, Judith Murdoch. The wonderful team at Aria and Hannah Smith for championing my book.
Thank you to my family and friends for their encouragement. My mum, Brenda Warren, for her belief in me. My husband, Simon, for doing everything in the house so that I can write.
About the Author
Sam Michaels lives in Spain with her family and plethora of animals. Having been writing for years Trickster is her debut novel.
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