Dirty Dealings

by Gillian Godden

  ***

  ‘Here’s hoping you all have a great holiday, girls.’ Raising his glass to everyone sat at the dining table, Tony felt relieved that the people he loved most would be away from danger. It was one less thing to think about.

  Wringing her hands and looking slightly worried, Elle looked around the dining table. They were having the usual family Sunday lunch and the house was full to bursting. ‘I’m not sure I can go.’

  ‘Why not?’ asked Julie. ‘Is Albert putting his foot down or something?’ The very idea of Albert putting his foot down made them all look at each other and smile. From the very beginning it was obvious who was boss in their house.

  ‘No, it’s just that Minnie has had a death in the family and she is very upset. And, of course, we don’t know if police charges are going to be brought against her.’

  Putting down his fork Jake looked up. ‘Police charges against Minnie? What the hell has she done?’

  ‘Possible assault, I think,’ said Elle, making space for yet another dish of roast potatoes.

  ‘Assault? You have to be joking. Who the hell has she assaulted? She’s a pensioner! Start from the beginning, Elle, you have totally lost me.’ Tony looked around the table, confused.

  Taking her place at the table, Elle looked at them as they waited with bated breath. Some had even put their forks down and stopped eating.

  ‘Well, Jake. You know that old man, Pete, who lives across the road from us, who lost his wife last year?’ Everyone nodded. They were still confused because no one could see where this was going. ‘Well, it seems he’s been a bit lonely of late and, as Minnie is the only single woman down our street, he has taken to paying a lot of attention to her. Carrying her shopping bags and stuff,’ Elle stammered.

  ‘What, you’re telling us he wants a bird after his wife has died and the best thing he could come up with is your bingo pal, Minnie? Bloody hell, she must be a hundred years old and he is desperate!’ Jake exclaimed. They all started to grin, but they didn’t want Jake stopping this story. It held far too much intrigue.

  ‘She’s not that much older than me, thank you very much, Jake. And you’re not too old for a clip around the ear,’ snapped Elle, giving him one of her warning looks.

  ‘Shut up, Jake. This is interesting. Go on, Elle, tell us about Minnie, the Jezebel of your street.’ Ralph sat back on his dining chair and folded his arms. This was going to be a story and a half and he didn’t want to miss any of it.

  ‘Anyway. Minnie went home one day and, as she opened the door, there was a half-eaten bar of chocolate on the doormat. When she walked into the lounge Butch, her thirteen-year-old Border collie, had been sick on the rug, poor thing.’ Elle waited for a reaction but there was none. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and they were listening intently. ‘To make matters worse, when she went into the kitchen, poor Butch was dead on the floor. She was so upset.’

  ‘So what has this got to do with the old man across the road wanting to see what is under Minnie’s tabard? That woman even wears that apron when she goes to bingo.’

  ‘Shut up, Jake! I’m waiting.’ Ralph couldn’t wait to hear the punchline of this story. It all seemed very jumbled and he was trying to make sense of it. Looking around at the furrowed brows of the people at the table, he knew they felt the same.

  ‘She saw Pete when the vet sent someone around to pick up Butch. And he asked her if she had liked the chocolate he had put through her letter box. That is when the vet and Minnie realised what had happened.’ Looking angry and adamant, Elle folded her arms in disgust. ‘That stupid old fool put a large bar of chocolate through the letter box and Butch ate it. Chocolate kills dogs and this was a bar of fruit and nut. Chocolate and raisins are the two most toxic things for a dog. Stupid old fool!’

  Raising her hand to her mouth to stifle her smile, Julie looked across at Francesca. She could see the look in her eyes which meant she felt the same.

  ‘He killed her dog? So why is she on an assault charge?’ This time Tony couldn’t help interrupting.

  ‘Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?’ Elle snapped. ‘When she realised what he had done, and him standing there all bloody lovely with himself, smiling, she punched him on the nose and started hitting him with her shopping bag, but it had a frozen leg of lamb in it. One of those special constables was walking down the street and saw everything. He had to drag Minnie off Pete. Oh, goodness there was a real hue and cry.’

  ‘Are you telling us, Granny Elle, that Butch survived cancer, even though he lost one of his legs? He was half blind and after surviving all of that a bar of chocolate killed him? Poor sod.’ Bobby tried being the voice of reason, although looking around he could see everyone’s expressions.

  ‘Indeed, Bobby love. I knew you would understand.’ Pleased at the fact that Bobby, at least, had shown some sympathy, Elle carried on. ‘Well, we need to know if Pete is going to press charges. Especially as his eyes are all black where she broke his nose.’

  ‘What the fuck!’ Jake exclaimed. Looking at Adam, he excused himself, then put his foot in it again. ‘Well, in my opinion, the greedy bastard got everything it deserved. How does a three-legged dog that is half-blind find its way to the door, sniff out a bar of chocolate and eat it, paper and all?’ Jake was amazed and couldn’t help butting in between mouthfuls of food.

  ‘For someone that always thinks of his stomach, Jake, that’s a joke. And you’re no spring chicken,’ laughed Julie.

  ‘So, what are the police going to do?’ Ralph held his hand up to stop Jake. This was the best bit of gossip he had heard in a long time. And it was a light relief to all their troubles.

  ‘Well. That depends on that dog-killer, Pete,’ Elle spat out. ‘If he wants to press charges on her for assault. But Minnie has told him she is going to give him the bill for Butch’s cremation.’

  The room fell silent as everyone looked around the table and exchanged glances. They couldn’t hold it in any longer. The eruption of laughter was enough to raise the roof. Ralph raised his napkin to his eyes as tears rolled down his face. As serious and as sad as this was, they couldn’t stop themselves laughing.

  Elle looked on with disgust as the bad jokes were exchanged. ‘Poor Pete the stud, he thought there was life in the old dog yet, giving Minnie the wink and the nod and he gets a punch on the nose,’ laughed Jake.

  ‘Yes, well,’ Julie retorted, trying to catch her breath in between squeals of laughter. ‘There’s no life in the old dog now, is there?’

  Trying to contain herself more than the others, Francesca looked at Tony, who was splitting his sides laughing. He could hardly speak. It was the first time in weeks she had seen him laugh so much without a care in the world. Poor old Minnie’s tale of woe about love and sadness had done the trick.

  ‘Bring her with you, Elle. The break will do her good and we will pay any cremation bills. Tell her not to worry. Butch will have the best there is.’ Julie was trying to compose herself and she still wanted Elle out of the way. Staying behind with Minnie was not what she intended would happen.

  ‘Really, Julie? Well, she does have a passport, she goes on those coach tours across to France now and again. I think she would like that. It would take her mind off things.’

  Elle was impressed by Julie’s kindness, not knowing she had an agenda to keep the family safe.

  ‘Yes, well, let’s hope she doesn’t go on a coach mystery tour to the chocolate factory.’ Again, Jake chirped up.

  ‘You know what, Elle, if I hadn’t heard it from you I wouldn’t believe it. I am going to dine out on that for the next hundred years!’ Shaking his head, Tony couldn’t believe his ears. ‘So. Is it settled then? Are you all going to Italy for a break? Get old Minnie away from randy old Pete, although I would say that’s cooled his ardour a bit. Cheap bastard. He wants to date a woman across the road to save on petrol and gives her a bar of chocolate. If only it was that easy!’ Again, they all thought Minnie’s plight was hilarious, but Tony saw Elle nodd
ing.

  ‘Yes, she will come, Tony. Thank you, Julie.’ Elle looked across at Julie, who was still in hysterics, and patted her hand.

  ‘No problem, Elle. But I have just realised. Ralph has life insurance so I might just pop down the sweet shop for a bar of chocolate. Whoever heard of someone being killed by chocolate? Well, they do say it’s not good for you. And that Butch learnt the hard way.’

  ‘Well, I can see this isn’t going to stop anytime soon, so you had all better get it off your chests now and be done with it.’ Elle smiled. Thinking on it now, she, too, could see the funny side of things.

  The banter and the laughter that filled the room was warm and genuine. Whatever was on Tony’s mind these days, this had well and truly taken its place … for now, anyway. Looking around the table at her family and friends, Francesca smiled to herself, contented.

  ***

  ‘What is wrong, Tony? What is the real reason for all of this stress?’ After waking up in the middle of the night, Francesca had noticed Tony was not beside her in bed. Walking along the landing, she found him in Adam’s bedroom sitting in the dark, but with the curtains open so that some moonlight shone in. Tony sat in the rocking chair beside the bed, staring into space.

  ‘Fran. I couldn’t sleep, that’s all. You go back to bed. He’s beautiful, isn’t he?’ he said, pointing at Adam

  ‘Answer the question, Tony. I think I have been patient for long enough. You’re sitting in Adam’s bedroom in the early hours of the morning and you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.’ Sitting on the edge of the bed, Francesca reached out and held Tony’s hand. ‘Tell me. Whatever it is. Just tell me.’ Their eyes met in the moonlit bedroom and he squeezed her hand.

  Letting out a long sigh, Tony nodded. ‘There is trouble brewing, Francesca.’ Their hushed whispers seemed to make the conversation more intense. ‘I don’t want to involve you, but this could all go very wrong.’

  There was a long pause while Francesca waited for Tony to carry on. She could see he was troubled, almost in agony. ‘Go on, Tony. I’m listening.’

  ‘Oh, God, Fran. It’s Sharon,’ he blurted out. The darkness of the room seemed like some sort of confessional. It hid all the embarrassment.

  Rolling her eyes upwards and smiling, Francesca squeezed his hand again. ‘You mean you know she is cheating on Jake and you feel you should tell him. Is that it?’

  ‘What?’ Tony couldn’t hide the shocked surprise in his voice. ‘What do you mean?’ Now it was Tony’s turn to listen.

  ‘Oh, I hear things, Tony, love. Like when Julie went to Paris a couple of months ago. She popped into the casino and saw Sharon with a man. She left unnoticed and without saying anything. Is that what is troubling you?’

  ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me?’ Almost raising his voice, Tony could not hide his amazement. Francesca and Julie both knew that Sharon had a boyfriend?

  ‘Shush! You will wake Adam. It wasn’t my secret to tell. Everyone knows they are having problems. They barely spend a couple of hours in the same room together. It’s not our business. It’s not the first time Sharon has cheated on Jake, is it? I didn’t tell you because I knew if I did you would tell him out of loyalty, but he wouldn’t thank you for it. You would break his heart. So. Getting back to the beginning, what is wrong? You’re not so stressed out because Sharon is cheating on Jake. That would not cause you sleepless nights. I want the truth, Tony.’

  ‘You will hate me, Fran. I’m not the man you think I am. I want to tell you. I need to because, if this all goes very wrong, I could end up in prison for a very long time. That’s if I was ever allowed out. And Adam would be a grown man with children of his own by then.’

  Fear gripped Francesca. Now she knew it was bad. Tony seemed close to tears, rubbing his face with his hands. Francesca had never seen him like this before. For a few moments the only sound in the room was Adam’s breathing as he slept soundly.

  ‘I know you’re not squeaky-clean, Tony. I knew that when I first met you. And, as much as you have become a legitimate businessman as the years have passed, I get the feeling not everything is as legitimate as it should be. What has come out of the woodwork? I need to know what I’m facing.’

  Tony seemed to take a huge breath then, eventually, everything came out. The money laundering. Sharon’s betrayal. And the very fact that Ralph Gold was more concerned about what other little stories Sharon had shared with her boyfriend during pillow talk.

  Stunned somewhat, Francesca sat and listened to how Tony thought he could go to prison for harassment or even murder. Bloody hell, this was worse than she’d thought. She knew he carried a gun and was in all kinds of rackets, but she thought he had given all that up a long time ago. Although sometimes the past has a way of coming back and biting you on the arse. Francesca could feel the stress leaving Tony’s body as he made his confession. It seemed like a weight had lifted off his shoulders.

  ‘I would rather you know this now, Francesca, from me, then hear it for the first time in a whole courtroom full of people. I want you to know the truth. I have never lied to you. I just wanted to protect you. I wanted to be the man you wanted me to be.’

  Wrapping her dressing gown around her and shivering slightly at the early morning breeze coming through the window, she tried keeping her voice steady. ‘What are you going to do? How much does Sharon know?’

  Bending over and burying his head in her knees, Tony’s voice was almost a sob. ‘I don’t fucking know, Fran. I don’t know anything. My whole world is falling apart and for the first time in my life I don’t know what to do.’

  ‘Come here, Antonias.’ Wrapping her arms around him, Francesca held him tightly, knowing it could be a very long time before they shared a moment like this again.

  ‘What’s that?’ He raised his head quickly and looked towards the door. A frown furrowed Tony’s brow as he stood up and walked to the bedroom door. Opening it, he saw no one on the landing. Every door was closed. Tony stood staring out into the empty space as though waiting for something or someone.

  Standing behind him, Francesca followed his stare. ‘What is it? There is no one there.’

  ‘I heard someone, I know I did. Someone was out there listening to us. They only question is, who?’

  ‘Houses like this creak all the time, Tony. You’re just a little on edge. It could be the wind or something. Let’s go back to bed … or do you want a drink of something to help you sleep?’

  ‘No. someone was there, Francesca. I know it. The point is, how much did they hear?’ His curiosity was roused now. He knew full well that someone had been out there but they had vanished into one of the rooms.

  ‘Come downstairs, let’s get you a drink.’ Steering him downstairs, Francesca knew he wasn’t paying attention to her. His eyes were scouring the landing for some trace of anyone that had been listening to his confessions.

  She handed Tony the brandy she had poured him, and took one for herself. She felt she needed one after tonight. ‘If anyone was out there, Tony, I am sure they will say something in the morning. Anyway, we never heard a door close. No one could hear us, we were whispering, and the door was shut.’

  It seemed to satisfy him. ‘Do you hate me, Francesca? Have I disappointed you?’

  ‘No, my lovely Antonias. I could never hate you. But I agree, this needs sorting out. Jake has to know about this. We’ll discuss it tomorrow. Come on, let’s get some sleep and start again in the morning.’ Taking him by the hand, Francesca waited while he gulped back the last of his brandy, then led him up the stairs.

  CHAPTER 22

  REVENGE

  ‘Dad. Mum has been in touch. She has asked me to pass a message on.’ Jack stood in the club beside Jake, looking rather sheepish. Sharon had contacted him at the fire station the day before. She wanted to meet Jake and discuss their future together – or rather, the end of their marriage. She didn’t want anyone else knowing about this because she felt her marriage was their affair. Lik
e the bearer of bad tidings, Jack stood on one foot and then another. He looked almost embarrassed having to pass this on to his father.

  ‘Your mum is here? Did she ask about me?’ Although Jake knew what she had done he couldn’t help but wonder about her. Love had no reasoning. But now she must have heard all the family was away she had made contact, just as Julie had predicted.

  ‘Well, she didn’t say much.’ Again Jack tried hiding his embarrassment. This spoke volumes to Jake. What Jack actually meant was that she hadn’t asked about him or even cared. She had taken the cowardly way and contacted Jack to pass a message on. Taking the piece of paper with the telephone number on it, Jake put it in his pocket. ‘Did she think to ask how you were?’

  ‘She didn’t have time, Dad. She was busy going somewhere. But she wants you to call her as soon as possible.’

  ‘Okay, Jack, don’t fret son. I didn’t expect anything else. Sure, I will give her a call.’

  Jack left the club feeling like he had betrayed his father by speaking to his mother after everything she had done to him.

  ‘Well, Tony, I hate to say it but Julie was right. God, I hate that woman. Doesn’t she ever get fed up of being in the right?’ Jake slumped into his chair. ‘Sharon wants me to call her. It’s a totally different number, but we knew it would be. What do you think she wants?’

  ‘Well, she doesn’t want to kiss and fucking make up, does she? She wants to put her plan into action. Go on, ring her. And don’t forget, I’m not here listening on loudspeaker.’

  They both sat staring at the phone as Jake dialled the number. Instantly, Sharon answered. She sounded flustered.

  ‘Jake, hi. Thanks for ringing. I wanted to give you my number and then it was your choice if you called or not. That is why I didn’t ring you.’

  ‘Not a problem, Sharon.’ Looking up at Tony, he put the phone on loudspeaker. ‘So, what is it you want to talk about?’

  ‘Us, Jake. Well, I need to see you and we need to sort out were we go from here. I have made a lot of mistakes and I’m sorry, love. I really am. I suppose Tony is pissed off with me?’