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

by Heather Burnside

  “Jesus, Jenny, aren’t things bad enough?”

  “You won’t believe what I found in his hiding place, Rita.”

  “What?”

  “Weapons. Guns, knives, a flamin’ machete!”

  “Oh Jesus Christ!”

  Rita was back to running her hands through her hair, then she was up on her feet. “Come on, show me.”

  Seeing the evidence for herself didn’t make any difference; there was nothing she could do. But she had to see it. She needed some form of authentication so she knew exactly what they were dealing with. But now she wished she hadn’t asked to look.

  Despite the amount of damage that guns could inflict, it was the sight of the machete that made her sweat. Its elongated steel blade curved menacingly towards a sharp pointed tip. As she stared at it, Rita had a mental vision of trips to the butchers when she was a kid. Watching the butcher hacking away at slabs of meat. Separating the joints. Sawing through bone. The thought that one of these weapons could be used in a similar way on a live human being was too much.

  It was unusual for Rita to be speechless, but for several seconds she froze. Then, she became aware that her younger sister was looking to her for guidance.

  “Jenny, I think you need to get out of here. Now! And we should report this lot to the police.”

  “The police! Are you joking? You don’t grass up anyone to the police, Rita, especially gangs. How safe do you think we’d be if we did that? We wouldn’t just have Leroy to worry about; the whole bloody gang would be after us! And I can’t move out. Where can I go? This is my bloody home.”

  “I know, I know, I’m thinking.”

  At least, Rita was trying to think. But her mind was in turmoil. There was too much to take in, and danger at every level. Drugs. Guns. An illicit affair under a vicious gangster’s nose! How much worse could it get?

  “Right, OK … You can’t go to my mam and dad’s. We’ve already said that. It’s the first place he’d look for you. What about friends?”

  “No! He knows them all. I couldn’t have Leroy going round their houses, anyway. It wouldn’t be fair.”

  “OK, well Julie’s is out of the question for the same reason. I’ve brought enough trouble to her door already.”

  Before Rita went any further, Jenny interrupted her.

  “Rita, he wouldn’t harm me, not while I’m carrying his baby. Don’t you see? The weapons are to fight the other gangs. It’s in the Evening News all the time. I just didn’t know he was part of all that. He might not even be the one that uses the weapons; he might just store them for the gang.”

  “Oh get wise, Jenny! Why the bloody hell would he risk keepin’ them here if he wasn’t gonna use them? You’re still in danger, Jenny, even if the weapons are for the gang to use; especially if he knows about you and Winston.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t know, otherwise, why hasn’t he done anything? Honestly, Rita, he wouldn’t harm me. If I thought he would, I wouldn’t hang around, I promise you.”

  “Right, well you’d better make bloody sure he doesn’t find out about you and Winston then! It’s not just him I’m worried about, though. What if his gang find out he’s been dealing with the Cheetham Crew?”

  “We don’t know that, Rita. Besides, if that is what he’s doing, then, like you say, he might be keeping this address secret.”

  “What about a guest house? I’ll help you out if you can’t afford it.”

  “Where would I put my stuff for the baby? I’d never manage in a guest house with a baby.”

  “It wouldn’t be for long; only till we can get you to Greece after the baby’s born.”

  “No, we don’t have to do that. I’ve told you, I’ll be OK. I’ll take care that he doesn’t find out about me and Winston. And he’s not stupid; if he’s buying from Cheetham Hill, then he’ll have been careful about telling people where he lives. As far as I know, there’s only Winston and Carl who know this address.”

  “I just wish there was more I could do for you, Jenny, but it won’t be for long. What are you now, 31 weeks?”

  “Yeah, that’s right.”

  “Well, let’s hope it soon passes. In the meantime, you be extra careful. If anyone strange comes to the house, you’ll have to be alert, especially if it’s a group of guys looking for Leroy. If you suspect they might be after him, then you need to get out of here as quickly as you can.”

  “Course I will but, like I say, I don’t think they’ll know he’s here. That’s even if they are after him. We don’t know that.”

  Rita knew she was wasting her time trying to reason any more with Jenny, who was determined to stay put till after the baby was born. When they had run out of conversation, Rita headed back to Julie’s. Each time she left Jenny, she found it increasingly difficult.

  As she walked to the bus stop, she mulled everything over in her mind. Despite Jenny’s brave words, Rita was worried about her. She wasn’t convinced that everything would be alright, and she wondered how much of Jenny’s assurances had been bravado, and how much of them had been naivety. Did Jenny really still think that Leroy was OK, and that he wouldn’t harm her?

  It was incredible to think that Jenny had allowed herself to end up in this situation. But she had always been foolish as a child. Always hung around with the wrong crowd, and got up to things she shouldn’t. Rita had lost count of the number of tricky situations she had helped her out of. Things were never black or white though. Jenny also had a sweet, loving side. And she was very trusting with people, although that might have been more of a fault than a virtue.

  Rita deliberated about how much of this latest information she should share with Yansis. He would tell her she was getting too involved, and would think she was a fool for doing so. Yet he would still stand by her, because Yansis was like that. He loved her with all his heart, and would do almost anything to help her if she was having a bad time, even if he wasn’t particularly happy about it.

  But, at the end of the day, Jenny was her sister. As tempted as she was to go back to Greece, and put all this behind her, she knew she couldn’t. Rita’s conscience tugged at her; she wouldn’t allow herself to abandon Jenny. If she did so, and something awful happened to her, she would never forgive herself.

  Chapter 21

  Thursday 16th May 1991 - evening

  On 16th May 1991 at 9.41pm, two young lads walked into a Moss Side pub and headed to the bar. One of them asked if he could buy some crisps to take out. While the lad was being served his friend looked around the room, noting where certain people were sitting. They completed the exchange and left.

  Ten minutes later, six masked men entered the same pub, their weapons concealed under long coats. Customers looked at them, confused, their minds not having chance to register what was happening. Two of the men approached the bar. The landlord, assuming they were after his takings, dashed towards the phone.

  “Don’t touch that phone!” ordered one of the masked men, withdrawing a revolver and aiming it at the landlord.

  Meanwhile, his partner covered the customers that hung around the bar area, swivelling his gun from side to side, to let them know they were all within range. “If you all keep calm and don’t do anything stupid, you’ll be OK.”

  The customers stared, alarmed at the sight of the guns, and the pub fell silent.

  The other four men took only seconds to get their bearings. Having been tipped off beforehand, they knew where their enemies would be situated. After spotting a few of the MSC members sitting around a particular table, they took out their weapons and opened fire. Customers gasped in horror, a couple of them dropping their glasses in shock.

  Two minutes later it was all over. The gang left the pub and sped away in two stolen cars. The burnt out cars were found abandoned later, three miles away.

  -------------------

  Friday 17th May 1991 – early evening

  It was the latest in a series of anxious calls that Jenny had made to Rita. Leroy hadn’t been home for two da
ys and she was worried. It wasn’t unusual for him to stay away for days at a time. She had no doubt that he spent time with other women, as she had already told her sister. However, in view of what Rita had told her about gang rivalry, she wondered what could have happened to him.

  There had also been a report in the press about gangland killings last night. Several men wearing masks had walked into a pub and shot at a number of customers, who were believed to be gangsters, killing five. What if one of the dead was Leroy?

  She hadn’t failed to see the irony of her situation; if anything had happened to Leroy it would provide the perfect escape for her and Winston. And yet she was concerned. She guessed there was a tiny part of her that still cared. A part of her that still yearned for the charming persona she had fallen for when she first met him. Sadly though, that facet of Leroy was much in abeyance nowadays.

  Jenny’s brain was trying to process all the information that had come to light over the past few weeks. Things had deteriorated, and she somehow couldn’t reconcile who Leroy was with who he had seemed to be. When she met him she had felt proud. To her he was tough, and respected by everyone, and he treated her like a princess. It made her feel special when she was out with him.

  Then, as the weeks went by, his attitude changed. He became surly and preoccupied, and conversation was sometimes strained. She never knew whether he would be up or down. At first his good moods more than compensated for the down periods, so she learned to tread carefully when he was feeling irritable, and made the most of the times when he was upbeat. But as time went on, his mood swings increased, and she knew better than to tackle him about it.

  Now, though, it was about more than coping with Leroy’s mood swings. Could he really be a dangerous man? The man she had once loved? The man who had told her he loved her too? Surely not! Despite being frightened, she consoled herself with the thought that he wouldn’t harm the woman he professed to love, not while she was carrying his baby.

  Rita was once again trying to offer words of comfort when he walked through the door. Although Rita had told Jenny to act normal, due to her anxious state she jumped as the door opened, and the dog ran towards her barking. Realising that he couldn’t overhear Rita on the other end of the phone, Jenny attempted to calm herself and turned to greet him. She knew as soon as she saw him that he wasn’t happy. ‘Best tread carefully,’ she thought.

  “Hiya love, where’ve you been? Are you alright?”

  He ignored her and walked past, so she tended to the dog. “Come on Tyson, down boy!” Then she whispered into the phone, “Rita, I’d best go.”

  “I thought as much. OK, you take care, and don’t forget what I’ve told you. See you soon.”

  Jenny felt trepidation as she walked into the living room to encounter Leroy slumped in his chair. He was already clutching a can of lager. She had to say something. After he had spent two days away, how could she say nothing? Nevertheless, she was wary of being confrontational.”

  “Is everything alright?”

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “With you not being home, I thought something might have happened. I was worried about you.”

  “Just business,” he said, as he levered the ring-pull on his can of lager.

  “Oh, it was just … with you not ringing. I was worried.”

  “Stop fussing, woman.” He pointed to her as he spoke his next words. “Just ’cos I moved in with you, don’t mean I answer to you, right?”

  “But, I was worried, Leroy.”

  “No-one tells me how to run my fuckin’ life!”

  She could feel his anger building, and knew she had to defuse it before it got out of control. “It’s only ’cos I care about you.”

  A sly grin formed on his lips. “Right, well stop giving me grief then, and get me summat to eat.”

  To signal that it was the end of the conversation, he picked up the remote control and switched on the television. Jenny retreated to the kitchen, crestfallen. Her feelings were a mixture of fear, anger and humiliation, but she attempted to rid herself of the overwhelming emotions by the time she served up their meal.

  As she washed and cleared away the dishes, Jenny wondered what the evening had in store for them. It was rare that Leroy took her out nowadays, so chances were that he would either go out again, as he often did after they had eaten, or she would have to sit through his choice of television programmes until it was time for bed.

  “Load of shite!” he cursed when she walked into the living room. He was flicking through the television channels, rejecting each of them in turn. “Don’t know why we bother with a tele. It’s nowt but shite.”

  He looked at Jenny, for affirmation, she assumed. She was about to say something in support of his views when he announced, “Let’s go up.”

  “What?”

  “Upstairs. Nowt else to do; might as well go up now.”

  His demand took her by surprise. Any spontaneous lovemaking had taken place earlier in their relationship. Lately, he had settled for a quickie before they had both gone to sleep. This wasn’t like the spontaneous lovemaking of a passionate relationship though. It was more of an order. It was on a par with ‘make the tea’, ‘bring me a beer’ or ‘feed the dog’. There was no love involved, and the thought of this unnerved her.

  “I don’t really feel up to it tonight, Leroy. I keep getting bad indigestion ’cos of the baby.”

  “A bit of wind will do you no harm. Bit of action might get rid of it, as long as you don’t fart on the job,” he laughed. “Anyway, you’ll soon come round to the idea. You know what a randy little cow you are when you get going.”

  “I don’t feel like …”

  Before she had chance to finish what she was saying, he put down his lager, stood up and was taking her by the hand and leading her from the room. At one time, his assertiveness would have been a turn-on, but now it was terrifying. She dawdled behind him, her heart pounding, as he led her up the stairs and into the bedroom.

  He was soon undressed, and Jenny stared at his erect penis, fumbling at her buttons with unsteady hands. Even his honed body had failed to arouse her.

  “Well, what you waiting for? Are you gonna get your kit off, or what? Anyone would think you were a virgin, not a woman who was seven months gone.”

  She finished undressing and slipped into bed, bracing herself while he slavered over her with eager kisses. She tried to respond but was finding it difficult.

  “For fuck’s sake, Jenny, what’s wrong with you? It’s like being in bed with a zombie. Sex doesn’t do you no harm when you’re pregnant, you know!”

  Jenny didn’t reply. If Leroy thought that was the reason for her reluctance, then she was prepared to go along with it.

  He soon gave up on any attempts at foreplay, and roughly turned her over onto her front. Jenny knew what was required of her, and pulled herself to her knees until she was on all fours. She willed it to be over as quickly as possible. Her lack of preparation didn’t make it easy, and she gritted her teeth as he entered her.

  Not having any regard for her feelings or satisfaction, he soon finished, and she slumped onto her side, facing away from him once he had withdrawn. She heard him walk to the bathroom then return. To her surprise, he started getting dressed. She turned onto her back, her face questioning his actions.

  “Oh, interested now, are you?”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Like you care.”

  She watched as he sat on the bed to put on his socks then stood up and pulled on his jeans. He was just about to walk out of the bedroom when he paused and turned back to her. “There’s summat you need to remember, Jenny. I do what the fuck I like, when I like, and no-one tells me what I can or can’t do. So stop asking questions if you know what’s good for you.”

  Jenny listened to his footsteps walking through to the spare bedroom, presumably to collect something from the wardrobe. He wandered round the house for a few minutes, then he was gone. Once she was sati
sfied that he had left, her tears of relief drenched the pillow.

  Chapter 22

  Saturday 18th May 1991 - evening

  The Buckthorn Crew were celebrating. They had carried out their attack on the MSC in retaliation for Mikey’s death, and it had gone well. It was usual to carry out reprisals on members of the MSC. The two gangs had been enemies for years.

  No-one was sure how it all started; it had been going on for so long. Some said it was over a girl, others said it began as an argument over territory. Everybody accepted it as the way things were. Usually, one of the gangs would attack a member of the other gang, which would result in death or severe injury. The opposing gang would then hit back.

  Lately, the MSC had struck too many times, and the Buckthorns were determined to even the score, especially since Mikey’s murder. Using some of the younger members of the gang, the Buckthorn Crew kept a track of the places where the MSC hung out. When they received a tip off that several of the MSC were drinking in a Moss Side pub, they knew the time was right. That had been two nights ago.

  The police had difficulty gathering evidence. All the witnesses could tell them was that it was a group of men with masks, long coats and shotguns. They walked into the pub, carried out the shootings and dashed back out again. Nobody admitted to knowing the victims. Nobody knew of a reason for the killings. And nobody had seen the registration plates of the getaway cars.

  The Buckthorn Crew later learnt through news reports that five people were dead, and two severely injured. As all the shots were aimed at the MSC, the Buckthorns assumed they were the victims. However, Mad Trevor later found out through his sources that two of the dead were members of the Cheetham Crew. This gave him a double cause to celebrate as he hated them as much as he hated the MSC.

  Leroy wasn’t quite as overjoyed as Mad Trevor. He too had a mean streak, but where Mad Trevor derived pleasure from gaining the upper hand in gang warfare, Leroy’s motivation was more on a personal level. He liked to intimidate people and witness their humiliation and fear, especially if they had wronged him. For now though, Leroy was enjoying the camaraderie.