Dirty Game

by Jessie Keane

  She couldn’t forget how repulsive it had felt when he kissed her and she didn’t want him thinking he could try anything like that again. When was the stupid bastard going to take no for an answer? When Max finally snapped and killed him stone-dead?

  Probably Redmond and Orla had engineered this evening with the best of intentions, but she wished they’d let her know Kieron was going to be here. Because then she wouldn’t have been.

  Weeks had gone by since the police raid, and Annie had stayed at the Limehouse parlour with her friends. A sort of fatalism had settled over her. All right, she was going down. Fair enough. It had given her a certain clarity of mind. She now strongly felt that there were people in her life who shouldn’t be there, and people who weren’t in her life whose company she would appreciate.

  She knew it was finished with Ruthie. There’d been no word from her, although Kath must have told her what had gone on. Even if Kath hadn’t told her, it was splashed all over the bloody papers. Difficult to miss. So Ruthie clearly didn’t give a toss what happened to her sister. Fair play to her – Annie didn’t blame her. It was almost a relief to have all that over with, she thought. Now she’d get the court case done with, do the time, and then start again. Preferably somewhere else. Somewhere new.

  She thought of Max. No good doing that. Give poor bloody Ruthie a chance now. Do the right thing for once in your life.

  ‘Well, this is a nice meal,’ she said brightly for Orla’s sake, spooning up the mousse although her appetite was gone. ‘The condemned woman ate heartily,’ she quipped.

  ‘Ah, don’t say that,’ said Kieron. ‘You’ll get off, never fear.’

  ‘I don’t think anything is to be gained by giving Miss Bailey false hope,’ said Redmond. ‘A sentence seems inevitable.’

  ‘You’re famous, Annie,’ said Orla, trying to make light of it all. ‘In the papers and all.’

  ‘More like notorious,’ said Annie.

  ‘Surely it won’t be a long stretch,’ said Orla.

  ‘Maybe two years.’

  The thought made her blood freeze. Sure, everyone was rallying round, trying to cheer her up, but the prospect of prison was daunting. Aretha, who had done time in her youth for some unnamed crime, had told her to be careful.

  ‘You watch out for they bull dykes in there, girl,’ she’d said. ‘You find yourself a nice friend and keep close. No wanderin’ off alone, an’ keep out of Ambush Alley.’

  ‘Ambush Alley?’ Annie had echoed.

  ‘The showers, silly. They hang about in there, lookin’ for fresh young flesh.’

  ‘Do you think you’ll get time off for good behaviour?’ said Redmond.

  Annie nodded. ‘And I’ll appeal.’

  ‘Eat up that mousse now,’ said Kieron like a mother hen, curse him. ‘There’s hardly a pick on you.’

  ‘Thanks for the meal,’ said Annie when they finished eating and were on coffee and brandy.

  ‘It was the least we could do,’ said Redmond.

  ‘Yes it was,’ said Kieron. ‘After all, you were involved too, weren’t you Red? And you’ve got off scot-free whereas Annie’s going to carry the entire can.’

  Redmond gave his younger brother a freezing glance. ‘That’s the way it works, Kieron. You know that.’

  ‘It’s all right,’ said Annie, wondering what the hell had got into Kieron to talk to his brother like that. The row must have been a bad one. ‘I know that. I took full responsibility. That was always the deal.’

  ‘All the responsibility and half the profits.’ Kieron threw back his brandy in one hit. ‘That doesn’t seem such a good deal to me.’

  ‘Well no one is asking you,’ said Orla.

  ‘Oh pardon me.’

  ‘Shut up, Kieron. If you can’t be civil, at least be quiet.’ Orla looked at Annie. ‘I apologize for him, Annie.’

  ‘Don’t apologize on my behalf,’ snapped Kieron. ‘I’m just stating the facts, that’s all.’

  ‘Well – don’t,’ said Redmond with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

  Kieron’s eyes locked with Redmond’s for a few beats; then his gaze dropped away. He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Ah, feck it. I’m not good company tonight.’ He looked at Orla. ‘We’ve had a few upsets over the last few days, haven’t we Orla?’

  Orla nodded guardedly.

  ‘It’s all knocked me off-centre,’ said Kieron. He turned to Annie. ‘Look, let’s the two of us go on to a club and leave these two homebodies to it.’

  Orla shook her head. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’

  ‘Orla’s right,’ said Redmond, pushing back his chair and standing up.

  ‘I’m a bit tired,’ said Annie.

  She didn’t fancy trying to fend Kieron off yet again. He was nice enough, but she saw him clearly now for what he was – a spoiled little prick who had a talent but who threw his toys out of his pram when he couldn’t get exactly what he wanted.

  ‘Nonsense, I’ll soon liven you up, girl,’ he said, and bounced off to fetch their coats.

  Jesus, get me out of here, she thought.

  ‘Now where shall we go?’ he said, coming back and helping her into her coat. He flashed a grin at a frowning Orla while Annie stood there silent, wondering how she was going to get out of this without making a scene in front of them all.

  ‘Can’t go to the Liberty or the Galway, now can we?’ he said. ‘Someone went and burned the fecking things to the ground. I know. We’ll go to the Palermo Lounge. I’ve heard they get some really good acts there on a Saturday night.’

  ‘For God’s sake, Kieron,’ said Orla, really worried now.

  The Palermo was the jewel in the crown of the Carter clubs – and Max’s favourite.

  Orla was looking anxious. As well she might. Annie didn’t know what had got into Kieron, but she was liking all this less and less and she was getting seriously pissed off with him. What was he thinking of, wanting to take her to a Carter club? Maybe he had a death wish or something.

  ‘Ah, don’t be looking at me like that,’ laughed Kieron, steering Annie towards the door. ‘I’ll be good as gold. On my best behaviour. You see if I’m not.’

  Kieron drove and Annie sat silent in the car. She was feeling tense and worried. He seemed twitchy, she thought. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, whistling, sending her little smiles. He seemed very keyed-up.

  ‘Actually I’d rather just go home,’ she said at last.

  Cheerily Kieron patted her knee. Annie pulled away, irritated.

  ‘Ah, come on. A night out’s what you need to cheer you up,’ he told her.

  ‘No it isn’t.’

  ‘Yes it is. The Palermo’s a good club, you’ll love it. Have you been there before?’

  About a lifetime ago, thought Annie. She didn’t particularly want to go there again, cover all that old ground. Especially not with a Delaney. She could almost smell the stench of trouble on Kieron tonight.

  ‘Ah, but I was forgetting,’ said Kieron, slapping his forehead. ‘Of course you’ve been there. And in the Shalimar, I suppose. And the other one, what’s it called…?’

  ‘The Blue Parrot.’

  ‘That’s the feller. Of course you’ve been in his clubs, you were in his bed often enough after all.’

  ‘Just take me home, Kieron,’ said Annie coldly.

  ‘No, the evening’s just beginning,’ said Kieron, sending her another dementedly cheery little smile.

  Fuck it, thought Annie.

  Max was in his office upstairs in the Palermo. Through the floor he could hear Donald Peers warbling away at a song to wring at the hardest heart. But Max wasn’t moved. Nothing much seemed to move him any more. He added up last night’s takings, sipped his whisky, and thought about the bigger stash of money from the department store job, all safely tucked away.

  He was doing plenty of lucrative work with Constantine Barolli’s properties up West now, and he was thinking maybe of going legit. The Old Bill were getting a bit keen late
ly, and he was sensing a change in the air. But meanwhile there was the money from the heist. He thought of that again, and of where it could take him. Anywhere in the world he wanted.

  But where did he want to go? He’d been thinking about it; every time he drew a blank. Where would Ruthie like to go?

  Now that really did ruin the illusion of paradise. Fucking Ruthie with her drinking and her shrill accusations. What a treat! He’d rather fucking-well stop here than take Ruthie anywhere, the mouthy cow.

  Annie drifted into his mind. Jesus, she was in the shit and no mistake. Running a brothel – oh sorry, judge, a ‘disorderly house’ – and selling liquor without a licence. The Delaneys, of course, had drifted out of the frame and left her to it. So she was going down for a stretch, no doubt about that.

  He thought about Annie, inside. He didn’t like it one little bit. The rough tarts in there would eat her alive.

  There was a knock on the door.

  ‘Come in.’

  ‘Boss?’ One of the boys poked his head in.

  ‘Hm?’

  ‘Thought you ought to know, Boss. Annie Bailey’s just come in with Kieron Delaney.’

  Max sat up straight. He had thought of her and now here she was. With Kieron fucking Delaney.

  ‘Keep an eye on them,’ said Max. ‘I’ll come down.’

  And do what? he wondered as the door closed and he was alone again. Why go down at all? Let them have a drink and a dance, then leave. Why torture himself?

  No good getting older if you didn’t get smarter with it. She was with Delaney, why not leave it at that now? She’d made her choice, he thought bitterly. And it wasn’t him. He took another sip of whisky and went back to looking at the books.

  * * *

  It was over an hour later when Jimmy Bond knocked and entered.

  ‘That Delaney ponce is causing trouble,’ he said.

  Max sat back and looked at him. ‘Is Jonjo in?’

  ‘Yeah, with a girl. Kieron Delaney’s been cutting in, and Jonjo’s about to blow.’ Jimmy cleared his throat. ‘Annie Bailey’s down there with Delaney.’

  ‘I know.’ He didn’t want Jonjo going off on one in the middle of the club when it was packed with good regular punters.

  ‘Ask Mr Delaney to step into the office, will you, Jimmy? Bring Annie up too.’

  ‘There’s more,’ said Jimmy.

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘Redmond and Orla Delaney have just arrived. They’re asking to see you.’

  ‘Looks like we’ve got us a party,’ said Max.

  ‘You carrying, Max?’

  ‘Is it looking as bad as that?’

  ‘I’m not sure. I’m getting a bad feeling.’

  Max nodded. Jimmy’s ‘feelings’ were not to be ignored. His parents were settled Cockneys but his grandparents had been travellers. Jimmy had gipsy roots. Max didn’t ever discount Jimmy’s ‘bad feelings’. On the night of the robbery, Jimmy had been keeping watch and had ‘felt’ that someone was about. He’d gone to what he believed to be the main door, the one all the staff entered through. The manager had come through the back, surprising them all. But Jimmy’s instinct had been proved sound.

  ‘I’m okay,’ he said. ‘You?’

  ‘Packing, yeah. I’ll bring a couple of the boys up too.’

  ‘No. Just you.’

  With Jimmy gone, Max opened his top left-hand desk drawer and looked at the gun and the box of bullets. He took both out, and loaded the weapon in readiness.

  Max’s office was small so it was a bit of a crush with five of them in it. Kieron was flushed and irritable. Max wondered how much booze he’d knocked back tonight. Annie looked tired, almost frail, not like herself. Orla and Redmond, in dark coats that set off their red hair, looked like cool alabaster bookends. Unflappable, possibly dangerous. Jimmy had bundled Kieron up the stairs and Kieron hadn’t liked it at all.

  ‘Take your fucking hands off me,’ he snapped.

  Max nodded. Jimmy released him.

  ‘Wait outside, will you? Jimmy?’

  Jimmy gave Max an ‘are-you-kidding?’ look, but he reluctantly concurred.

  ‘Annie, Miss Delaney, take a seat,’ said Max when the door closed behind Jimmy. Donald Peers was still singing away downstairs, waves of applause following each song.

  ‘You mobsters are so polite,’ sneered Kieron.

  ‘Thanks,’ said Annie to Max. ‘But I’m not stopping.’

  ‘Can I order you a taxi?’ He didn’t want her to stop here, either. If anything kicked off now, Annie would be in the way and he didn’t like that. He wished she’d keep her arty fucking boyfriend on a tighter leash, though.

  ‘No, you fucking can’t,’ said Kieron. ‘She came with me and she’s going home with me. I’ve had enough of you pushing in, Carter.’

  Redmond gave Kieron a cold look.

  ‘And you too,’ said Kieron hotly. ‘Come on Red, don’t be looking at me like that. I know what I’m doing. There’s no need to be coming along after me like I’m some sort of moron.’

  ‘Isn’t there?’ said Redmond. ‘Then why are you behaving like one?’

  ‘I’m sorry about this,’ said Orla to Annie. ‘We thought that when you left Kieron was rather upset. So we thought we’d better come after you, make sure you were all right.’ She looked pointedly at Kieron. ‘I don’t know what’s got into him lately.’

  Annie slumped into a chair. She felt exhausted and she didn’t want to be here. She was very aware of Max sitting across the desk from her, watching all this interaction and wondering what was going on. She wanted to be in her bed, asleep. This was a fucking nightmare.

  ‘It was kind of you to come,’ said Annie to Orla.

  ‘Not kind at all. We have a lot of respect for you. We admire you as a businesswoman, and we have a great deal to thank you for.’

  ‘You have nothing to thank me for,’ said Annie wearily.

  ‘But we have.’ Orla’s face was blank but her voice was sincere. ‘For instance, we have you to thank for solving a major problem for us.’

  Annie frowned. ‘What major problem?’

  Orla smiled gently. ‘Why Pat, of course. He was getting to be a terrible problem, and you got rid of him for us. You and Mr Carter here. Isn’t that the case?’

  There was silence in the room. Annie was aware that Max was tensing as Orla spoke. He was ready to move. But Orla was still coolly sitting there beside her, as if this were a bloody afternoon tea party and not an unexpected meeting that was turning out to be very scary indeed.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said finally.

  ‘Yes you do,’ said Orla. ‘We know most of what happened to Pat. Nearly all of it, really.’

  They’re guessing, thought Annie. They’re hoping I’ll admit something and then their bait will have worked. I’m not falling for it.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she repeated.

  Redmond tutted under his breath and looked at his sister.

  ‘Ellie is a Delaney girl to her bones,’ said Orla. ‘She needed to unburden herself. She wanted to go to the police but she didn’t, and that’s something else we have to thank you for. She confessed to us that you were all in on the killing except her. She tried to stop it, but you dealt the final blow.’

  Annie’s mouth dropped open. That fucking little liar. Out to save her own skin again, the miserable little grass. And to say that Annie had dealt the final blow! Jesus, it was Ellie herself who had jumped on Pat’s back and slit his throat wide open.

  ‘That isn’t true,’ said Annie. ‘It was Ellie who slit Pat’s throat.’

  ‘Be that as it may,’ said Redmond. ‘We’re grateful.’

  ‘Grateful?’

  ‘He used to abuse them when they were children,’ said Kieron suddenly. ‘Him and Tory.’

  ‘Kieron,’ said Orla, her face a mask of horror and shame as her secret was laid bare for everyone to hear.

  Redmond’s look should have dissolved Kieron on the spot.

>   Annie looked at Redmond. Then at Orla.

  ‘Jesus,’ she said helplessly. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘Don’t say anything,’ said Orla, sending Kieron a furious glance. ‘My brother Kieron has a very big mouth and he ought to learn to keep it shut. This is family business.’

  ‘Oh, why hide it away? They were bastards, the pair of them,’ Kieron blundered on. ‘Tory was the instigator, but Pat was happy to participate, the fucking filthy nonce.’

  Annie was trying to take it all in. God, all the times she had quivered with fear at the thought of Redmond finding out that she had been instrumental in the death of his brother Pat. How she and Dolly and Aretha and Darren had schemed and struggled to cover their tracks. And all for nothing. Ellie had told Orla and Redmond a warped version of events, and they had been pleased to hear that their nasty, incestuous, junkie brother had finally left the earth. Pleased.

  ‘Pat was becoming a liability, in any case,’ said Orla. ‘Something would have had to be done about him soon.’

  It was as if she was discussing something totally disconnected from her, Annie realized. This was the key to Orla and Redmond Delaney. Finally Annie understood what she was dealing with. The childhood abuse had made them like this. So cold, so detached, so unable to participate in the normal everyday things of life. Both so beautiful and both so ruined, she thought in pity. No marriage, no children, no feelings for anything except each other. And what about Kieron? What about their parents?

  She couldn’t ask. She looked at Orla and felt only horror and sympathy.

  ‘If you were relieved about Pat, then… you must have been relieved about Tory too?’ she asked.

  Orla shot Kieron a disgusted glance. Then she looked at Annie. ‘Of course we were. But our parents were devastated by it.’

  Kieron was looking fidgety again.

  ‘When our parents went back to Ireland, I burned down the Galway and the Liberty Lounge and we pocketed the insurance,’ said Orla matter-of-factly. She smiled at Max. ‘Like you, Mr Carter, we have plenty of other good things going. We didn’t need them. They were Tory’s invention, Tory’s pride and joy. Every time I so much as thought about them I was reminded of him. I hated them because of that, and they didn’t even pay well. So I got rid.’