The Front

by Mandasue Heller

  ‘Leave her be,’ The Man reprimanded him sharply. Turning to Max, he raised a questioning brow. ‘So?’

  Max grinned widely, revealing a row of large square teeth with a valley-wide gap in the centre. ‘It dealt wid!’ he purred, running a finger like a knife across his throat. ‘The man ’im gahn!’

  ‘Nice, nice!’ The Man said. ‘An’ no one checked you?’

  ‘No one ’cept the fishes,’ Max said. ‘An’ they be too busy chewin’ junkie to chat!’

  The Man pulled an envelope from his waistcoat pocket and threw it across to Max. ‘There’s a lickle extra this time,’ he said. ‘F’ bein’ quick.’

  Opening it, Max flipped his thumb through the notes inside and smiled. ‘That’s sound, star!’ Standing, he slipped it into his pocket and said, ‘Well, better make tracks. Got me a hot little gal waiting. Thanks again for this.’ He patted his pocket. ‘It’ll come in han—’ His voice trailed off as he saw the deep scowl on The Man’s face. An icy prickle raised the hairs on the back of his neck. ‘ ’S up?’ he asked, backing up a step as he wondered if his luck had just run out – had The Man found out he’d been skimming from the collections?

  ‘You’d better tell me you didn’t bring no pussy round my yard!’ The Man growled, his easy patois replaced by a broad Mancunian accent. ‘You know I don’t want no fucker knowing my business!’

  ‘What d’y’ take me for?’ Max asked, his face a picture of wounded integrity as he breathed an internal sigh of relief. ‘I ain’t never done nutt’n stupid like that, an’ I ain’t gonna start now. She’s hanging at the blues, man!’

  ‘You sure?’

  Max nodded quickly. ‘Course, man. I wouldn’t do that to you.’

  The Man held his hand up in a sign of acceptance and settled back into his seat. ‘I had to ask, Max. You know how it is these days. Can’t be too sure of no one. See you later, yeah?’

  Max nodded. He knew the score. Everyone was stabbing each other in the back since smack became such hot business, and no one was taking any chances.

  Turning to leave, he stopped when The Man called out to him again. The icy prickle returned.

  ‘Where you headed?’ The Man asked.

  ‘Down The Nile,’ Max told him. ‘Why, what’s up, bro’?’

  ‘Just want you to do one more thing,’ The Man said, holding the spliff out towards him.

  ‘Sure,’ Max agreed, leaning across to take it. ‘So long as it ain’t popping no one else, ’cos I ain’t equipped no more.’

  The Man shook his head. ‘I just want you to drive past the estate and see if Pasha’s still there. You got your mobile?’

  Max nodded and patted his pocket, smoke swirling up from his nostrils. Taking another pull, he handed the spliff back. ‘Is that all, just drive past? You don’t want me to go and see him?’

  The Man shook his head. ‘Nah. If the lights are still on, it’s cool. I just want to know if he’s there or not.’

  ‘I’ll bell you as soon as I see anything,’ Max said and, waving, he hotfooted it out of there before they thought of anything else to detain him.

  Jake let him out, waiting until the heavy security door on the ground floor swung firmly into place before closing The Man’s door. While he was relocking it, Linda emerged from the bathroom and staggered past him into the living room.

  Kicking off her stilettos, she floated down to the floor at The Man’s feet and sifted lazily through her purse for the lump of soft black draw he’d given her. Finding it, she attempted to roll a spliff. Her head lolled forward in deep concentration, her mouth hanging slack and wet.

  Coming back, Jake looked at her with disgust. ‘She’ll be a junkie in a week,’ he declared venomously. ‘She like it too much.’

  ‘She’ll be paying for it if she wants to carry on,’ The Man said. ‘I ain’t keeping her supplied.’

  ‘She working?’ Jake asked.

  ‘Not yet,’ The Man said. Leaning forward, he coiled Linda’s long hair around his hand and pulled her head back. She looked up at him, her eyes rolling heavily. Laughing softly, he let go and sat back. ‘Not yet,’ he repeated.

  ‘So what you gonna do with her?’ Jake asked. ‘You ain’t planning on keeping her round, are you?’

  The Man shook his head. ‘Nah. I’ve done everything I want with her already. Anyhow, Patrice is coming home soon, so she best be gahn, else she’ll be losing all them Goldilocks – and she won’t be earning much without them, eh?’

  Jake laughed. Patrice was The Man’s baby-mother. A gorgeous, crazy black queen. She wouldn’t take too kindly to this bimbo, that was for sure. A white woman getting it on with her man was a soon-to-be-dead white woman.

  ‘She got her own place?’ he asked.

  ‘Dunno.’ The Man shrugged. ‘But I’m thinking to move her into a nice place of her own anyway. Get her away from her lickle friends, mek her more high-class.’ He nodded thoughtfully, voicing the idea that had been growing all week. ‘I’m thinking she’d be good for business types with them baby blues.’

  ‘So long as she can keep them open!’ spat Jake, throwing Linda another filthy look.

  Standing up, he stretched, rolling his tongue around his dry teeth. ‘You want a drink?’

  The Man nodded and glanced at his watch with a frown. His patience was beginning to wear paper-thin now. Pasha Singh was pushing his luck big-time. This was pure disrespect, and he couldn’t afford to let it go unpunished. If the cunt was playing games, he’d have to pay the price. Even if he wasn’t planning a rip-off, he was pure taking the piss with his timekeeping, and he’d have to be dealt with. He’d decide how when Max reported back.

  Back at the shops, Suzie was just beginning to think Wendy wasn’t coming when she heard a car turn onto the road behind her. It came to a stop outside the gate, its lights already dead as the door opened and soft footsteps headed towards her.

  ‘Suzie?’ Ged hissed into the dark. ‘Where are you?’

  ‘Over here,’ she croaked.

  Ged hurried across to her and gave her a quick, reassuring hug. ‘Are you all right, sweetheart?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m okay,’ she said, leaning gratefully into his solid warmth. ‘But we’ve got to get Lee out of here.’

  Giving her icy hand a squeeze, Ged reached out to Lee and shook his shoulder gently. ‘Lee, mate. We’re going to get you in the car. Do you think you can walk if we get you on your feet?’

  ‘Dunno,’ Lee mumbled. ‘It hurts . . .’

  ‘You’ll just have to try, mate,’ Ged said, putting an arm under Lee’s back and pulling him upright. ‘Come on. Let’s get you out of here. Give me a hand, Suzie.’

  With one of Lee’s arms around each of their shoulders, they walked him to the car. Suzie leaped in the back to pull him in as Ged pushed, and as soon as they were all in, Wendy reversed back out onto City Road and raced away, tyres squealing.

  ‘He’d better not be bleeding on my seat!’ she snapped over her shoulder. Then, more gently: ‘You all right, Sooze?’

  ‘Yeah,’ said Suzie quietly and, flopping her head back, she closed her eyes.

  Halfway down City Road, a silver BMW streaked smoothly past them heading towards the shops. Instinctively checking the rear-view, Wendy saw the red glow of the other car’s brake lights shining back at her like a pair of demon’s eyes. She put her foot down hard as a sharp pain gripped her stomach.

  In the kitchen, Jake was adding ice to two tall glasses when he heard the phone ring. Carrying the drinks through as The Man answered, he waited to see if his moment had come.

  The Man was frowning, making ‘Hmmm . . . mmmm’ noises as he listened. After a minute, he said, ‘Yeah, tek a look. I’ll wait.’ Covering the mouthpiece, he explained the conversation to Jake. ‘Max says the lights is all off, but the jeep’s still there.’

  ‘Want me to go round?’ Jake asked hopefully.

  The Man shook his head, then held his hand up for quiet as Max came back on the line.

  Walking over to t
he table, Jake put the glasses down heavily, splashing juice onto his hand. He licked it off, waiting for the nod he felt sure was coming.

  ‘What’s his fucking game?’ The Man shouted. ‘No one at all? Nah, man, just tek a look in the yard! Yeah, I’m holdin’! Shit!’

  With a furious scowl, he held his hand out for a glass.

  ‘ ’S up?’ Jake asked, passing one over.

  The Man took a long drink and slammed the glass back down on the table. Leaning down, he peeled the draw from the sleeping girl’s hand and tossed it to Jake. ‘Mek a smoke, man – a strong one. Something ain’t right.’

  Jake could feel a kicking coming on. Rolling the spliff, he psyched himself.

  ‘What? Where?’ The Man barked. Then, suddenly, his tone changed, becoming edgy and cautious. ‘Nah – don’t, man! Leave him be. Don’t touch him! Shit! What about the bag?’ he asked then. ‘Is the raas bag there? Fuck! Nah, man. Just clear out of there fast! In fact, come back here. No! I’m deadly fucking serious!’

  Slamming the receiver down, he turned to Jake with blazing eyes. ‘Fucking guy’s lost his face, star!’

  ‘Who?’ Jake frowned. ‘Pasha?’

  ‘Shit, yeah!’ thundered The Man, slamming his fist into the arm of the couch. ‘Some raas pussy’s smoked my man and took off with my fucking money!’ Jumping to his feet in a furious rage, he kicked the girl out of the way and began to pace the room.

  ‘Ooowww . . .’ she whined, picking herself up and pushing her hair away from her face as she tried to locate him through the haze. ‘Whassamatter?’

  Without looking at her, The Man thumbed towards her. ‘Get rid!’ he demanded, his voice pure ice. ‘I don’t want her listening when Max comes back!’

  Although he’d have liked to have heard what Max had to say himself, Jake was more than happy to oblige. Gripping Linda’s arm, he hauled her to her feet none too gently, saying, ‘Get ready, darlin’. You’re going home!’

  Sobering fast, she struggled against him. ‘But I don’t wanna go . . . I wanna stay here. Simeon, tell him—’

  Jake grabbed her face and squeezed her cheeks together, puckering her lips. ‘I said, get . . . ready! You are leaving!’

  ‘Owww!’ she screeched, sticking her nails into his hand and kicking out at his shin.

  Smiling maliciously, he opened his mouth wide.

  ‘JAKE!’ The Man shouted. ‘Don’t! Things are hot enough without that shit! Here—’ Picking his keys up from the table, he threw them across to Jake. ‘Tek her home – and be nice, seen?’

  ‘Seen!’ Jake grinned. He turned back to the girl. ‘Come, darlin’. We’re tekkin’ a ride!’

  ‘I want my bag!’ she yelped as he dragged her towards the door. ‘I can’t go home without my keys. I won’t be able to get in.’

  Still gripping her arm, Jake dragged Linda the few feet back to where her bag lay open on the floor. Picking it up, he snapped it shut and slammed it into her hands. ‘There! Now let’s go.’

  Protesting all the way, she just about managed to grab her shoes and, hopping along the hallway behind him, got her feet into them, half sobbing as Jake pushed her roughly up against the wall. She made a half-hearted attempt to duck past him as he undid the locks, but he was too quick for her.

  Slamming her into the wall with his elbow, he grabbed her hair, twisting her head to the side. ‘Listen up,’ he spat into her terrified face. ‘The more you fight, the more I like! You got that?’ He ground his pelvis into hers to emphasize his meaning.

  She nodded quickly, her eyes wide and wet.

  Jake lowered his face to within an inch of hers and opened his teeth over her mouth. He was gratified to see the horror in her eyes. Sniffing loudly, he said, ‘You pissed yourself, darlin’?’

  Linda shook her head, yelping as he tugged her hair again.

  ‘Good. Now stop fucking about or I won’t be nice to you no more!’

  Ged carried Lee up the stairs to Mal’s flat and laid him down on the couch. Suzie kneeled beside him, holding his hand to comfort him as Wendy looked him over.

  He seemed to have perked up a bit now that the icy chill had left him, but they were all dreading the worst. It was obvious from the damage to his sleeve that he’d been shot – the leather was scorched and shredded. How badly his arm was hurt was what they were dreading finding out.

  Cutting the sleeve away from the cuff to the shoulder – about which Lee complained bitterly – Wendy was soon able to put their minds at rest. The bullet hadn’t penetrated his skin, it had just skimmed it, leaving an inch-wide groove of rawness in its wake.

  The real damage he’d sustained was a gaping wound to the back of his head where he’d hit the floor when he fell. This was two inches long and half an inch deep, and a lot of blood had drained from it already. It was this that had laid him flat.

  As she tended to this, Wendy kneeled directly in front of Lee, with her aching stomach resting on her thighs and her breasts at such an angle that he was afforded a fantastic view of her cleavage each time she bent forward. Unaware of the enormous pleasure she was granting him, she dabbed at the wound with a sponge, regularly squeezing the blood into the bowl of water Ged had placed on the floor beside her. When this needed changing for the second time, she sat back with a frown.

  ‘This needs stitching. It’s too deep and it won’t stop bleeding.’

  Lee shook his head – as best he could lying face down with Wendy holding his crown in her vicelike grip. ‘No!’ he squealed, his voice muffled by the cushion. ‘I’m not going to the sick house. Stick some plasters on it, it’ll be all right.’

  ‘Don’t be stupid,’ Ged scolded him gently. ‘If it needs stitching, it’ll have to be stitched. I’ll take you to the Infirmary.’

  As Ged reached for his jacket he noticed Wendy wincing for the fourth time since they’d picked Lee up. It suddenly occurred to him that she might be in labour, and he asked if she was okay.

  ‘Yes!’ she hissed through gritted teeth, releasing a series of short, sharp breaths. ‘I’m . . . absolutely . . . fine!’

  ‘Ooowww!’ squawked Lee, twisting his head as her fingers dug in hard. ‘Wendy! I know you love me, but can’t you control your passion?’

  ‘Fuck off!’ Wendy snarled, then bent double as another pain tore through her stomach. ‘Oh . . . God!’ she groaned, gritting her teeth again and pressing down on the rock-hard bump as she waited for the pain to subside. Her face turned purple.

  Lee’s face, just inches from hers, was a picture of puzzlement. ‘What’s up, Wend’?’ he asked. ‘You constipated, or what?’

  ‘You stupid prick!’ Wendy laughed despite the pain. Lee came out with the most absurd things. ‘I’m having the bloody baby, you moron!’

  Sam sat bolt upright in his chair. ‘You what?’ he squawked. ‘Now?’

  ‘Yes, now!’ Wendy hissed, shooting him a filthy look. ‘Not that you’d notice, dickhead!’

  Sam’s hands fluttered ineffectually at his sides. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to help, but what could he do?

  ‘Should I get some towels?’ he asked eventually. ‘Boil some water, or something?’

  Wendy gripped her stomach, thrusting her chin hard onto her chest. ‘Why? Planning to wash the car, are you?’

  Mal, who’d been lying on the mat in front of the fire, clutching a bottle of brandy to his chest throughout, now rolled lazily onto his side and propped his head on his hand to watch the floor show. Seeing the expression of amazement on Lee’s blood-drained face, he sniggered and waved the bottle tantalizingly.

  ‘Yo, Lee! Y’ look like you’re in shock, mate. Wanna little drinky-poo?’

  ‘Too right!’ Lee’s wide eyes shifted from Wendy’s pain-racked face to Mal’s drunken grin. Reaching for the bottle, he made to roll off the couch, but Wendy, temporarily recovered from her latest contraction, shoved him back with her fist.

  ‘Owww!’ he yelped, rubbing at his shoulder where he could feel the imprint of her knuckles. ‘What a woma
n!’

  Wendy launched herself at him then, teeth bared, eyes blazing as she grabbed the front of his T-shirt and shook him viciously, bouncing his head off the cushion. ‘You . . . stupid . . . little . . . BASTAAARD! It’s your fault I’m having it now. If you hadn’t started this, none of us would be here now! I hate you!’

  ‘Ooohhh, baby . . .’ Lee leered, blood trickling down his hair onto the cushion. ‘You’re sooo sexy when you’re mad!’

  As another pain ripped through her, Wendy had to let go of him. Doubling over, she screamed, ‘Get me to hospital! It’s coming!’

  Suzie staggered to her feet, her own body a mass of aches and pains. ‘I’ll call an ambulance,’ she said, tottering over to the phone.

  ‘Nine, nine, friggin’ nine,’ Mal drawled. ‘Nee nah, nee nah! Yeah, that’s a fucking great idea, that, innit? Some cunt gets shot an’ the next thing you know, there’s a fucking ambulance shooting round to my fucking gaff! Yeah, great! Let’s call the dibble while we’re at it, eh? And how about the National fucking Guard? That’d be a fucking big laugh, that would!’

  Pulling the bottle round, he tipped it up for a drink and smacked himself in the teeth. Laughing crazily, he rolled around on the mat, splashing brandy everywhere.

  Ged watched him in undisguised disgust for a moment, then turned back to the others. Seeing Sam’s pasty face, and Suzie helplessly wringing her hands by the phone, he sighed heavily, once again feeling the burden of responsibility falling on him.

  ‘Sam?’ He spoke calmly, waiting until Sam’s helpless eyes swung from Wendy to him before going on. ‘You’ve got to get ready to go to hospital. Go and get some water on your face and sober up, yeah?’

  Nodding mutely, Sam stumbled into the kitchen. When he’d gone, Ged turned to Suzie and told her not to phone for an ambulance because it would be quicker in the car. Suzie said she’d get her coat and go with them, but Ged shook his head.

  ‘Thanks, sweetheart, but I don’t think you should. It’ll look funny enough taking Lee in like this without anyone seeing the state of you. Stay here and get some sleep. Okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ she agreed reluctantly.