A Gangster's Grip: The Riverhill Trilogy: Book 2

by Heather Burnside

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  Thursday 28th March 1991 – late evening

  Rita had gone up to bed. Her intention had been to read a few pages of her latest novel then go to sleep, but Yansis had other plans. She had been avoiding Yansis’s amorous advances all week. Since her confrontation with her father on the previous Friday, lovemaking had been the last thing on her mind. The visit to Debby hadn’t helped either. Rita had spent most of the week thinking about the situation; the danger her sister might be in, Debby’s lifestyle, the threat to Debby’s children, and her own father’s involvement with Leroy. And the more she thought about everything that was happening around her, the more stressed she was becoming.

  The problems with Rita’s family were taking over her life to such an extent, she had almost forgotten why they had come back to Manchester in the first place. Yansis hadn’t forgotten though. While Yansis wanted to concentrate on their problems, Rita wanted to thrash over the same ground that she had already covered tirelessly.

  “Who’d have thought Debby would have ended up a junkie? Honestly, she was always a bit dizzy, but I never thought she’d have been that stupid. Mind you, I shouldn’t be surprised, judging by the low-life she’s married to.”

  It was rare for Yansis to lose his temper, but now he raised his voice to grab her attention and put a stop to her fretting.

  “Rita, Rita, you need to stop this! You need to be happy, I want to make you happy. Come to me; for tonight, let us just think about us. I know you have problems, but just for one night I don’t want to hear any more. You will make yourself ill, and I want you to relax.”

  His unusual outburst stunned Rita into silence. She turned and looked at him, his dark, chiselled features scrunched up in a mask of fury, and felt a pang of guilt. Her reaction calmed him, and his voice softened as he spoke to her. “Tonight you are mine, Rita; no Jenny, no Leroy, no Debby, just you and me.”

  His use of the English language had always endeared her. Even when he was exasperated with her, he still spoke in full sentences. After more than five years together, he hadn’t adopted much of her Mancunian slang, and his accent was more appealing than ever. He moved over to where Rita was sitting on the edge of the bed, until he was crouching behind her. With practiced skill, he massaged her shoulders and the back of her neck, kneading the tight knots that had formed.

  “Take off your top and lie down on your front,” he instructed.

  Rita wasn’t the type to be dominated, but she could feel her tense muscles relaxing under Yansis’s ministrations, and was enjoying the release. She followed his instructions, then waited as she felt him climb on top and straddle her from behind. He undid the fastening on her bra and let it drop to her sides, then took her arms and placed them above her head. She felt herself shiver as the cool air caressed her skin while Yansis made her wait for a few seconds, the anticipation heightening her desire.

  Then he worked on her back, pummelling the muscles, ridding them of tension, and giving her the same release she had felt with her shoulder and neck muscles. When she was feeling more relaxed, the pummelling turned to soft caresses, as his hands skimmed down her sides and reached under her torso, feeling for the button and zipper on her jeans. He undid them and slipped them and her briefs slowly down while planting tiny kisses along the backs of her thighs.

  Just when she wasn’t expecting it, he flipped her over and began caressing the front of her body; touching, kissing, feeling, licking. Within no time she was overcome by sensation, and all thoughts of her troubles were temporarily pushed aside. She returned his caresses, lost in the moment. By the time he entered her, she was ready and he soon sent her body into spasms, making her gasp with pleasure and call out his name.

  When it was over she curled up next to him, her head on his chest. After a few minutes, she was asleep, more relaxed than she had been all week. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. At four in the morning, she woke up to go to the bathroom. Once she was awake, she was again plagued by troubling thoughts, and found it impossible to get back to sleep. Like many nights since she had returned to Manchester, she lay by Yansis’s side and worried.

  Chapter 9

  Friday 29th March 1991 – late afternoon

  Rita was visiting her sister again. Yansis was out working with Vinny, and she was getting restless at Julie’s, so she left the house and jumped on the 192 bus. She went to see her mother first, then caught a taxi to take her the short journey to her sister’s home.

  When Rita arrived, Jenny had company. She had noticed a red Audi parked outside, but didn’t realise it was connected with her sister.

  “This is Winston,” said Jenny, indicating a young, good looking black guy sitting on the sofa. “This is my sister, Rita.”

  “Hi, alright?” enquired Winston. “Actually, I was just going,” he added, standing up.

  “Oh, don’t go on my account,” said Rita.

  “No, honest, I was going anyway. I’ve got some business I need to take care of, but it was nice meeting you, anyway.”

  He rushed from the room, nodding repeatedly as he passed Rita, and she replied, “It was nice meeting you too, Winston. Maybe another time?”

  He let himself out of the door and was gone within seconds.

  “Who’s that?” asked Rita. “He looked like a nervous wreck.”

  “Oh, he’s alright, Winston. He’s probably just worried because he’s late.”

  “Late for what?”

  “He’s meeting Leroy … He works for him, OK? Selling goods! He’s a bit late because he’s been helping me sort the house out, and we didn’t realise what time it was.”

  Rita’s involuntary response was ‘Jesus, not another one selling God knows what!’ but she didn’t voice her thoughts. She was also tempted to ask why Winston was helping her with the house, instead of Leroy, but she held her tongue. She didn’t want to turn this into an interrogation.

  It was important to keep on good terms with Jenny if she was to maintain her confidence. That way, she might stand a better chance of getting her away from Leroy when the time was right. How she would do that, she wasn’t sure, but she knew that falling out with Jenny wouldn’t help.

  Instead, she said, “It looks as though he’s been doing a good job.”

  “Yeah, we’re getting there,” said Jenny.

  Looking around the living room, Rita could see that things had moved on a great deal since she visited a week and a half ago. The room and hallway were now carpeted, and there were no longer any boxes scattered about. All the living room furniture was in place; there were ornaments on display, and pictures on the walls.

  “Did you manage to empty all the boxes upstairs as well?”

  “Yes, every single one of them. Winston’s been a godsend.”

  “Great, it’s looking really good.” Rita couldn’t resist adding, “I would have helped you move in if you’d have asked, you know. Just because I’m not keen on your choice of boyfriend, doesn’t mean I’m not there for you.”

  “I know, but not to worry; it’s all done now.”

  As the conversation dwindled, Jenny took the usual measure of putting the kettle on. Once Rita was alone, she heard a noise coming from the back garden and went to the window to find out what was causing it. On spotting her, a pit bull terrier bounded across the garden, barking ferociously. It launched itself at the window, stretched upright on its hind legs, and began growling at Rita, who leapt back in alarm.

  She had come face to face with the dog, and been close enough to see the madness in its eyes. Even now, it was still leaping at the window, frantically trying to get at her.

  “Jesus Christ, where the hell did that come from?” she asked.

  On hearing the commotion, Jenny dashed back into the room.

  “Down, Tyson!” she shouted, and after a few seconds, the dog’s growls diminished. “It’s Leroy’s,” she continued. “He used to keep it at his mam’s, but now he’s brought it here with him. Don’t worry, it’s trained; it’s just not used t
o you, that’s all.”

  “You didn’t tell me he had a dog! How come it wasn’t here last time?”

  “He takes it out with him a lot. Don’t worry, I know how you feel about dogs. I’ll make sure I put him out the back when I know you’re coming round.”

  There weren’t many things that frightened Rita, but dogs always unnerved her, especially aggressive looking ones. She was relieved that it was on the other side of the window but, nevertheless, it took several minutes until her heart rate returned to normal.

  “Doesn’t it bother you?”

  “No, it knows me. I used to see it when he lived at his mam’s. You just have to make sure it doesn’t know you’re scared, otherwise you’ve had it.”

  “Well thanks for that, Jenny. If it ever comes indoors, I just hope it won’t be able to hear my bleedin’ heart going nineteen to the dozen, or see my knees knockin’.”

  When they were settled with a drink each, Rita broached the subject of her recent visit to her friend Debby’s. She was careful to be matter of fact; just two sisters sharing a bit of gossip and scandal. Jenny was aware of Debby’s unkempt appearance, having seen her around the estate, but she appeared shocked that she had been taking drugs. Thankfully, Jenny seemed as outraged as Rita on hearing that Debby had left drugs within easy reach of the children. ‘Good’ thought Rita, ‘at least that’s a good sign that Jenny isn’t taking them too.’

  Rita moved onto Debby’s choice of husband but, although Jenny knew who he was, she couldn’t remember him from years ago.

  “Yes, he was always a cocky little shit,” said Rita.

  “Really?” asked Jenny. “He seems alright.”

  “Oh, do you know him then?”

  “Yeah, through Leroy.”

  “Oh, of course. Debby mentioned that he works for Leroy. Bloody hell, Jenny, he’s doing alright your Leroy, isn’t he, with all these men working for him?”

  Rita was playing out that old adage of ‘flattery gets you everywhere’ and, as the conversation was in full flow, she took the opportunity to find out as much as she could about Leroy. She was careful not to be too pushy but, instead, tried to make it sound as though she had a genuine interest in Leroy’s business. It was difficult feigning curiosity bordering on admiration for someone who dealt in stolen goods and drugs, focusing on the former and deliberately omitting to mention the latter.

  Her act paid off; by the time she left Jenny’s, she had established that Leroy obtained his goods from Cheetham Hill where he made regular visits, as well as his visits to Moss Side. Rita surmised that these must therefore be the places where he both bought and sold drugs.

  Rita lost track of time. She hadn’t set off from Julie’s until two o’clock in the afternoon, and she was surprised to find it was soon a quarter to five. Once she realised how late it was, she left Jenny’s, knowing she would already have hit the rush hour traffic. While she walked to the bus stop, she mulled things over in her mind, thinking about the connection with Winston. And as for that dog! One thought that hadn’t occurred to her until now was how Jenny expected to bring up a baby with a dog like that prowling around. It was all too much to take in.

  As soon as Rita reached Stockport Road and noticed the traffic crawling along, she knew that the journey back would be slow. Although she didn’t wait long for a bus, when it did arrive it was full, and she had to stand for most of the way. Because of the heavy traffic, the journey was stop, start, and she was thrown about the bus, finding it difficult to keep her balance in her high heels.

  Her hands gripped the metal rails, as she tried to avoid eye contact with the other passengers, and tried her best not bump into them. Neither of these was easy to accomplish, as the passengers were tightly packed together, and there was nowhere-else to look because the windows were steamed up. The constant jerking motion, combined with a lack of fresh air, were making her feel nauseous, and the screeching of an overtired toddler wasn’t helping matters. This was one experience she hadn’t missed during the years she had spent in Greece, and she was thankful when she reached her destination.

  “Bloody hell, Rita, we’d given you up for dead,” said Julie, when she walked through the door.

  “That’s just how I feel after that bus journey.”

  Noticing how pale Rita looked, Julie beckoned her to sit down, and gave her a few minutes to recover before she served their evening meal. Vinny and Yansis were already home and, once Rita was feeling a little better, Yansis embraced her and asked her about her day. Rita knew that he probably felt guilty for being short with her the previous evening, but she didn’t blame him in a way. She had been consumed with her anxieties over her family since they’d returned to Manchester. Nevertheless, things needed discussing, and she knew there was no way she could keep it inside. She was anxious to share the latest revelations with them all, so during the meal she opened up.

  “I’ve been to see my mam and our Jenny again. There’s not much to tell about my mam. Same old, same old, but at least my dad wasn’t home when I went round, so that’s one good thing. I found out a few things when I went to Jenny’s though.”

  The rest of them listened in eager anticipation.

  “There was a lad there when I arrived, called Winston, about Jenny’s age. He didn’t seem a bad lad, polite, not ignorant or aggressive like Leroy, but nervous as hell. In fact, Jenny was a bit shifty when I first got there too. Apparently he works for Leroy too, selling goods, according to Jenny, but I think we all know what goods means by now. Anyway, he couldn’t get out of the house quick enough. She said he had to meet Leroy, and he was late. I reckon he must be frightened to death of him, judging by the rush he was in.”

  “You don’t think Jenny had been taking drugs with him, do you?” asked Julie.

  “No, I don’t think she’s on drugs.”

  Vinny raised his eyebrows, sceptically.

  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being naïve. It was her reaction when I told her about Debby. She was just as outraged as I was at what I found in Debby’s laundry basket, especially with her having two little kids in the house. No, apparently Winston had been helping her sort the house out. It looked a lot better too. It’s really come on since me and Yansis were there, although why Leroy has got this lad, Winston, sorting out the house, instead of doing it himself, is beyond me.”

  “I think it’s about control,” said Vinny.

  “Yes, he likes everyone at his beck and call, all doing his dirty work for him,” agreed Julie. “He’s got your dad selling the dodgy goods, and probably this Winston and Carl selling drugs. That’s as far as we know; there could be others.”

  “Yeah, and don’t forget about his younger brothers,” added Vinny. “They might be part of the Buckthorns too.”

  “I’m not sure, maybe they’re a bit young yet, but you never know … Jesus, just what the hell has our Jenny got herself into?”

  Yansis remained silent, but he reached out and put his arm around Rita’s shoulder, in response to the anguish that was evident in her voice.

  After they had eaten, Yansis asked if they would like to go out for a drink. Julie and Vinny couldn’t go because they had to look after Emily, but Rita guessed that Yansis’s intention was for them to spend time alone together.

  On this occasion she tried not to have too much to drink, although a few drinks at a steady pace helped her to relax. It was a joy to talk about her life in Greece. So much had taken place since she’d returned to Manchester, just under three weeks ago, that she’d almost forgotten their stay was temporary. While they talked about Yansis’s family, their friends, the restaurant and the characters that dined there, she could virtually imagine herself back in Greece. It was a good feeling, and it made her yearn for the day when she could return.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t like Manchester. She loved seeing her mother and Jenny, and Julie and Vinny were great company, but she could do without all the hassle that seemed to surround her family.

  By the time they return
ed from the pub, Julie and Vinny had gone to bed, and Yansis was getting frisky. Not wishing to be caught in a compromising position, downstairs, Rita suggested that they go upstairs. While Yansis went to the bathroom, she got ready for bed.

  Despite the lovely evening she had just spent with Yansis, he was becoming insatiable, and after her recent stresses, she felt too tired to spend yet another night of passion. In the few minutes that it took to carry out his ablutions, Rita had slipped between the sheets and was feigning sleep.

  Chapter 10

  Easter Sunday 31st March 1991 - afternoon

  It was Easter Sunday, and Rita and Julie were in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches to the roast dinner that Rita had started earlier while Julie had been out visiting her parents. The tantalising aroma of roast chicken and vegetables drifted through the house.

  “It’s good of Yansis to keep an eye on Emily while Vinny sorts the car out,” said Julie.

  “Oh give over, it’s no problem; try stopping him. What’s wrong with the car anyway?”

  “Something and nothing. He just said the anti-freeze and water wanted changing, and you know Vinny, he doesn’t hang about if something wants doing.”

  “Did Emily have a good time at your mam and dad’s?” asked Rita.

  “Oh yeah, she was spoilt rotten. Have you seen how many eggs she’s got? She’ll be eating them till Christmas. I don’t know if she’ll manage any dinner because she ate a load of junk at my mam’s, but at least she had a sleep in the car on the way back so she won’t be cranky.”

  Julie went to the safety gate separating the kitchen from the living room, and had a quick look to make sure Emily was alright. Whispering to Rita, she beckoned her over. From the doorway, they could see Yansis crouched on the floor playing with Emily, and trying to engage her in the various functions of her activity toy. He seemed to be engrossed in moving handles, tooting horns and turning dials that made clicking noises. They moved away from the gate, smiling as they went.

  “I don’t know who’s enjoying that more; Yansis or Emily,” laughed Rita.