East End Trouble

by Dani Oakley

  Big Tim shrugged, and Kathleen noticed his fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

  “I just do what I’m told. He asked me to pick you up. Maybe his plans have changed. Do you want a lift or not?”

  Kathleen nodded, but she looked down the street. She could just make out her front door. “Can I just tell my mum I’m going out?”

  “No, there’s no time. You don’t want to keep Martin waiting, Kathleen. He’s not the sort of man to wait around for a woman.”

  Reluctantly, Kathleen walked around the car and opened the door to the passenger side. She would have preferred it if Tim had acted like a gentleman and opened it for her, but she got the feeling that Big Tim didn’t like her very much.

  “No kid?” Tim asked her gruffly.

  “I left him with my mum today.”

  Tim nodded and then with his jaw clenched and his eyes fixed on the road, he drove away from the curb.

  * * *

  Linda was walking home from Bevels and saw Kathleen step into the large, black car. She frowned. It was quite unusual to see such a fancy car around these streets. She assumed it was Martin Morton’s. He was the type of man to have a car like that. Linda shivered when she thought about Martin Morton. She hoped Kathleen knew what she was doing, because despite the fact her friend could be a selfish cow at times, Linda really did worry about her.

  As the car disappeared from view, Linda buttoned up her coat against the cold winter chill and quickened her steps. Her mum was cooking cottage pie this evening, and she didn’t want to be late for that.

  Chapter 46

  Kathleen sat in the front passenger seat, feeling very annoyed. She’d planned to take her time getting ready tonight and had wanted to dress up and fix her face before going out. But Tim hadn’t given her time for any of that.

  She hadn’t even had a chance to change her outfit, so she was still wearing the uncomfortable red dress. It was so tight it felt like it was cutting her stomach in half right now.

  Kathleen reached into her handbag and pulled out her powder compact. At least, she could fix her face before she got there.

  As she applied the powder, she took a sideways glance at Tim, but he was staring straight ahead.

  Kathleen powdered her nose and said, “So which restaurant are we going to?”

  Tim shot her a look and then hesitated. “An Italian one,” he said. “I’ve forgotten what it’s called.”

  Kathleen smiled to herself. Italian! That was very romantic. It seemed as if Martin was finally coming around to her way of thinking. She fished out a red lipstick from her bag and tried to apply it carefully, cursing the bumps in the road.

  After Kathleen had snapped the lid back on the lipstick and closed her powder compact, she noticed that the roads they were travelling on were very quiet. Residential roads. “Where is this restaurant anyway?”

  “Bethnal Green,” Tim said.

  Kathleen had lived in the area all her life, and she knew all the little side roads like the back of her hand. She knew for sure that this little road was not the most direct route to Bethnal Green.

  “You’re not going the right way,” Kathleen said. “You need to turn around and get back on St Paul’s Way.”

  “A few roads have been closed. It’s due to a burst pipe or something, so I’m taking another route.”

  Kathleen sunk back into the seat and licked her lips. She was suddenly feeling nervous.

  She stared out at the dark road. As they drove on, the houses got fewer and fewer and gave way to old warehouses as they headed closer to the docks.

  She suddenly wished more than anything she could be at home with little Jimmy in her arms.

  She shot another anxious look at Tim. “We’re not going to the restaurant, are we?”

  Tim refused to look at her, and that told her everything.

  She reached out her hand for the door lever, wondering how badly hurt she would be if she jumped from a moving vehicle.

  “Don’t even try it,” Tim snapped as he glanced down at her hand.

  She put both hands back in her lap, and realised even if she did manage to get out of the car, there was nobody around here who would help her, and Tim would soon catch up with her. Her best chance was to try and talk her way out of it.

  “Please, I want to go home,” she said, her eyes filling with tears.

  When Tim wouldn’t turn around or look at her, she put her hand on his arm. “Please,”

  When Tim finally did turn around and looked her in the eye, she could see that he was struggling with the situation. He didn’t really want to do it.

  What had Martin told him to do? Threaten to beat her up?

  “Look, Tim. I understand how all this works. I know you’ve got a job to do. Martin’s told you to warn me off. But you don’t have to hurt me. I’ll leave. I’ll take little Jimmy and leave tonight. You’ll never see me again. How’s that?” Kathleen’s words left her mouth all in a rush. She could feel her heart thundering in her chest.

  Her lower lip wobbled as she waited for Tim to respond.

  He turned the car into a small side street and then parked up by the canal.

  “It’s nothing personal,” he said.

  Kathleen felt her throat tighten. “No, please. Please don’t hurt me.”

  Big Tim’s huge frame was shaking as he got out of the car and walked around to Kathleen side.

  She struggled for a moment, pulling the door closed, but her strength was no match for Tim’s, and he wrenched it open, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her out.

  She stumbled on her heels and fell to her knees on the cobbles. From that position, she looked up at him beseechingly.

  “Please, please, please.”

  She was so scared. She couldn’t form a coherent sentence now. All she had was that single, solitary word. She pinned all her hopes onto it and repeated it over and over.

  Tim took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. It was a clear night, and his breath came out in streaming puffs of white.

  Kathleen’s mind was whirring. She was sure he didn’t really want to do it… She had a chance.

  But she couldn’t wait for him to change his mind. She quickly scrambled to her feet and lurched off, trying to get away from the docks and the canal. She kicked off her shoes and ran as fast as she’d ever run in her life.

  But it was no good.

  With a couple of huge strides, Tim was by her side, and then his hands closed around her throat.

  Kathleen’s eyes bulged, and her legs kicked out as she desperately fought for life.

  The last thing she saw were the tears pouring down Big Tim’s face as his hands tightened around her throat and he squeezed the life out of her.

  * * *

  Afterwards, when it was done, Big Tim fell on his hands and knees and retched. He didn’t stop for five long minutes. His whole body was desperate to rid itself of the evil act he just committed.

  But it was no good. When he turned back, he could still see Kathleen’s lifeless figure splayed out on the edge of the canal.

  His hands were trembling, as he reached out and stumbled towards her.

  For a moment, he looked down at her large, empty eyes staring up at him.

  “I’m sorry,” he muttered, and then he leaned down and pushed Kathleen’s body into the canal.

  There was a splash, and for a few seconds, she floated on the surface, her eyes still open, staring accusingly at him before she drifted away.

  Chapter 47

  At the very moment Kathleen’s life drained away, Martin and Babs were hosting a party at their new house in Essex.

  Martin had purchased a four-bedroom house in a cul-de-sac. It was tastefully decorated. The kitchen was the latest model, with gleaming, shiny surfaces, and it was fitted with all the latest equipment. The beautifully manicured garden was the icing on the cake. Despite the fact the whole place was a knock-out, Babs was moaning. She hated it out there.

  “All the neighbours turn their n
oses up at me,” Babs said.

  “That’s why we’re having the party, ain’t it? To get to know the neighbours, let them see we are decent people.”

  Martin shuffled his pack of cigarettes and plucked one out. He handed one to Babs. Martin had hired a little firm to lay on a few fancy nibbles and staff to serve the cocktails. Babs hadn’t had to lift a finger, but there was no pleasing the woman.

  Martin took a whisky sour from a tray carried by one of the waitresses he’d hired. He smiled at her. She was a tasty little number. He might follow up later if Babs ever let him out of her sight.

  “This is supposed to be a party,” he hissed at Babs. “So for God’s sake, look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

  * * *

  Babs scowled as Martin turned away from her. It was no good. Martin might have his heart set on a place in the country, but it wasn’t him that had to bleeding live there!

  It was Babs who had to suffer, and the kids who had to go to a swanky new school they hated.

  Babs knew nobody in Essex, apart from her snobby neighbours who hadn’t been friendly or welcoming at all. The only reason they’d come tonight was to get an eyeful of the nouveau riche element that moved into their exclusive little cul-de-sac.

  The bespectacled man from next door approached her. “You have a lovely home, Mrs. Morton.”

  Babs knew from talking to him once before that he had some kind of job in advertising, in the city. The boring bastard hadn’t stopped going on about his job when he’d cornered Babs one day as she came back from the shops. Ten tedious minutes had passed before she thought up an excuse to run back to the house.

  “Thanks,” Babs said. He had exactly the same layout in his gaffe. All the houses were the same on this estate.

  “I hope you don’t mind me bringing this up, but I have noticed that the leaves hadn’t been swept up from under your sycamore tree. I wouldn’t have mentioned it, but we do like to keep the neighbourhood looking smart.”

  Babs blinked at him. Was this really what she had to look forward to? Conversations about bloody leaves falling in the garden!

  She couldn’t remember the man’s name — Morrissey… Morrison, or something like that.

  Babs glared at him. “Well, that’s what trees do, isn’t it? They lose their leaves in the winter. It’s nature.”

  The man chuckled as if Babs had made a particularly funny joke. “Yes, very good. But you still need to rake them up, dear. Or at least, employ someone to do it. I know your husband isn’t home much.”

  Babs did not like this man’s tone one bit. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to have a face full of her bloody cocktail in a minute.

  “I can give you a number of a very good gardener if you’d like.” The man persisted.

  Babs sneered. “Why don’t you give it to my husband? He deals with things like that, even though he is not here that much.”

  Babs walked away from the man. She needed a break from these people. Martin had some stupid, social ambitions. When would the silly sod realise that these were not his people?

  She escaped into the kitchen and leaned back against the wall, taking a sip of her drink. She only wished she could hide in the kitchen all night.

  They’d had the telephone installed just after they moved in, but as no one else Babs knew had a phone, she didn’t see the point.

  The kids were being teased at school about the way they pronounced certain words, and Babs felt guilty. It was all her fault. If she had stood up to Martin, then they would be back in the East End where they belonged.

  Babs suddenly realised she wasn’t as alone as she’d thought. There were voices coming from the garden. It was a cold, frosty night. Why anyone would want to be out there, freezing their bits off, was beyond Babs.

  She quietly lifted the latch on the kitchen window and opened it an inch so she could hear better.

  She instantly recognised the voices. It was Martin and his brother, Tony.

  “Carter is beside himself. You are missing out on a prime opportunity, bruv,” Tony said. “Carter is off his game. If you don’t do something now—”

  When he replied, Martin’s voice was scornful. “I don’t give a monkey’s if he is off his game. Even when he’s on his game, I can beat him fair and square. I’m ten times the man Carter will ever be. Besides, I’ve got something else on my mind at the moment. I need to give that my full attention.”

  “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

  “None of your beeswax,” Martin said.

  The shrill ring of the telephone made Babs jump, and she quickly stepped back from the window, afraid Martin would catch her eavesdropping. She put her drink down on the kitchen counter and hurried out to answer the telephone.

  She picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

  At first, no one answered, but Babs could definitely hear the sound of someone breathing on the other end of the line. “Hello, I’m sorry…I can’t hear you. Is anyone there?”

  Finally, the person on the other end of the line spoke, “Babs, it’s Tim. I… I need to speak to Martin, please.”

  Tim didn’t sound right. If he hadn’t identified himself, Babs would never have recognised his voice. It was barely a whisper.

  “All right, love. I’ll just go and get him for you.”

  She headed back over to the sink and rapped on the kitchen window.

  Martin’s face appeared at the window, and Babs moved to the kitchen door to let him in.

  He stepped inside and looked at Babs suspiciously. She knew he suspected her of eavesdropping.

  “Big Tim’s on the phone for you,” Babs said. “And what are you two doing out there on a freezing night like this? Up to no good, I bet.”

  Martin moved past Babs quickly, eager to get to the phone. “Don’t talk daft, Babs.”

  Tony stepped into the kitchen behind Martin and gave Babs a dazzling smile. “Hello, Babs, you’re looking gorgeous as usual.”

  Babs smiled and preened under Tony’s attention. It was hard not to like Tony. He certainly knew how to lay on the charm. Babs wished Martin could be a little more like him, but the brothers were like chalk and cheese.

  Babs knew that her hiding was over for the evening. She needed to go and play hostess, so with a sigh, she picked up her drink and headed back to the front room, where the guests were milling about, gossiping over the furniture choices, no doubt.

  She walked past the telephone table and saw Martin with the phone clamped to his ear. His face was pale, but his eyes glittered with excitement, and Babs couldn’t help wondering what news Big Tim had been delivering.

  As she walked past, Martin said, “Take it easy. You’ve not done anything wrong. We didn’t have any choice. Now get yourself home and get a couple of drinks inside you.”

  They were clearly talking about another one of Martin’s shady exploits. He’d probably got his hands on some more of those knocked-off cigarettes, Babs thought as she headed into the living room and put it out of her mind.

  Chapter 48

  Mary Diamond bounced little Jimmy on her knee. He’d been tetchy all evening, and now he was getting hungry, the poor little mite.

  “It’s all right, sweetheart. Mummy will be home soon,” she said and carried the baby into the kitchen.

  She’d bought a nice bit of fish for supper tonight, which would make a change from the cheap potato stew she’d been serving up the past few nights.

  Mary had to admit, although she didn’t like the man, the money Martin had given Kathleen this week had certainly helped. The small amount Mary earned from the stall didn’t touch the sides, and with Kathleen out of work and a new baby to take care of, they needed every penny they could get.

  Mary had already chopped up all the vegetables, and she now transferred them to a saucepan, holding baby Jimmy tightly in her other arm.

  Holding him was the only way to get him to stop crying. He was a very demanding baby, and he needed to be held and occupied at all times.

  Mary retur
ned to the front room and glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. Kathleen should have been home ages ago. Jimmy was hungry, and Mary’s stomach was starting to think her throat had been cut. She was really looking forward to this bit of fish. She planned to pan fry it, and it wasn’t something you could cook in advance and keep warm or reheat without spoiling. So she’d have to wait for Kathleen to get back.

  As the minutes ticked past and turned into another hour, Mary started to get really angry. Surely Kathleen wouldn’t just have gone off. She knew Jimmy would need feeding. She’d promised her mother she’d only be two hours at the shops, at the most.

  Mary carried Jimmy over to the window and peered out at the dark street.

  Mary had lived in the same house for years, and despite the comings and goings of different gangsters and petty criminals, she’d always felt safe there, so she couldn’t explain the reason why she suddenly felt a cold shiver of dread pass through her body.

  Mary didn’t believe in mother’s intuition or any of that other mumbo-jumbo. All she knew was that she was scared out of her wits.

  Why hadn’t Kathleen come home?

  Kathleen was now a full two hours late. Something must have happened. Mary wrapped little Jimmy up in a blanket. She didn’t bother putting him in his pram as she was only going to walk up the road. As she stepped out onto the street and shivered, she hugged little Jimmy tightly to her. His dark blue eyes were bright and watchful as they looked up into her face.

  Mary quickly walked along the street and then turned left. Maybe she was just being silly, but it was driving her mad, sitting at home waiting. When she reached the Simpsons’ front door, she hesitated then knocked three times.

  The door was opened by Mrs. Simpson, Linda’s mother. Mary had never really got along with the Simpsons. The whole family, apart from Linda, acted as if they considered themselves a class above the likes of the Diamonds.

  But desperate times called for desperate measures, and Mary needed help.