Betrayal

by Martina Cole

  ‘Eric, darling, listen to me, please. Aiden and Colin Clark are not a good partnership. Remember that I warned you about them.’ Standing up, she stretched with tiredness. ‘I’m going to pick up my boy, and I’m going to spend a rare evening with him. Because, for once, your businesses can run themselves. I need a break, Eric.’

  He smiled at her. He genuinely cared about Jade.

  As she slipped on her coat, she said quietly, ‘Seriously, Eric, even Reeva is not impressed and that alone speaks volumes.’

  After she left, Eric Palmer poured himself a large brandy and, as he sat behind his desk, admiring his expensive offices, he sighed heavily. He truly believed that Aiden and Colin were a good fit; the fact they got on so well could only be to everyone’s advantage. He had taken on board what Jade had said; he trusted her with his life. But he also knew that she had her own reasons to keep Aiden beside her and not want him out on the fucking town with Colin Clark. They were getting a reputation together, and that suited Eric Palmer. The truth was, he genuinely saw their friendship as bringing nothing but good to the table. Both were well known for their aptitudes for extreme violence, and for the fact that they would not suffer fools in their circle. They were men of honour in their own way; they believed that you should never bite the hand that fed you. He trusted Aiden to keep Colin in line because, when all was said and done, it was Aiden who would be calling the shots. Eric had made perfectly clear that he expected that from Aiden. Aiden had appreciated his input, because it took the onus off him. Aiden could always remind Colin that it was Eric who ran the show and, even though he was retiring from the front line, he would still be running everything for a good while yet.

  Chapter Seventy-Six

  Reeva was not really sure about Colin Clark, but she had to admit he did make her smile at times − he could be very funny. As she dished up one of her legendary dinners, she could not help laughing as he said to Aiden, in mock annoyance, ‘Hang on a minute, you, Aiden O’-fucking-Hara. I still think that Scarface pissed all over Goodfellas.’ He looked around the table at all the brothers and they were laughing as he said jovially, ‘“Say hello to my little friend!” Hilarious and clever dialogue from Oliver Stone. The man is a fucking legend.’

  Aiden was laughing along with everyone else. ‘No way. You can’t beat Goodfellas when they did the robbery at the airport. That was fucking class. Especially when that cunt turned up with his old woman in a fur coat. I loved the truth of that. He had told them all, don’t spend any money, do not draw attention to yourselves. It stands to reason.’

  Colin grinned and, taking a large mouthful of Reeva’s perfectly cooked roast beef, he said truthfully, ‘Yeah, I give you that one. Very astute. But when they went after his wife, I didn’t like it. That’s why I fucking loved Tony in Scarface. He wouldn’t harm a woman or kids. He shot the fuck before he could blow the car up.’

  Porrick was rolling up, he loved this banter – they were like a fucking comedy duo. ‘Look, The Godfather is the ultimate. It had everything.’

  They all turned to look at him in shock; he wasn’t normally one to throw out an opinion.

  Eugene shrugged as he poured out the wine. ‘I agree with him, though for me it was The Long Good Friday. Stunning fucking film, and British.’

  There were nods of agreement. Reeva loved dinners like this; her boys around her, feeding them good food and watching them enjoy it.

  Eugene put his fork out to grab another roast potato when Colin said jokingly, ‘You are really black, Eugene. Blacker than him.’ He gestured to Patsy.

  Tony looked straight at Reeva, wondering how she would react, while the others looked at Aiden.

  ‘I mean it in a good way, mate. But Patsy is much lighter than you, ain’t he?’

  Patsy didn’t find the conversation funny at all, and that was clear when he said dangerously, ‘Why would you give a fucking fuck?’

  Aiden looked around the table for long moments before saying to Colin, ‘My brother, the brown one, not the really black one, has a point, Colin. Why would you fucking care?’

  Colin Clark sensed immediately that he had just made a major fuck-up. The tension around the table was palpable. Suddenly, laughing uproariously, Aiden said, ‘Are you trying to say he is not as black as he’s painted?’

  Colin started to laugh then too. ‘Fucking Spike Milligan, talking about Gandhi!’

  The others smiled in relief though there was something going on that none of them could understand. Reeva felt dread deep inside and it frightened her.

  Just then Agnes came in from Mass. Aiden pulled out a seat for her and she sat down quietly, looking around the table at her family and, smiling shyly at Colin, she said, ‘What have I missed?’

  Aiden hugged her tightly saying happily, ‘Nothing really. How was Mass?’

  Agnes sighed. ‘Really nice. I like the new priest, he is young and he isn’t as serious, you know?’

  Aiden was busy piling her plate with food. ‘I know. I think he will do well. Aiden Junior likes him, and he is usually a good judge of character.’

  Colin Clark was watching Agnes surreptitiously; she was a good-looking girl and decent too − she was a fucking Brahma. Bit too religious for his liking but he respected her for her beliefs. The chattering had started once more around the table and the awkwardness passed, but Colin Clark had learned a big lesson. Thanks to Aiden he had dodged a bullet. Aiden had chosen to overlook his faux pas, but Colin was quiet for the rest of the meal, and that did not go unnoticed. There had been a subtle shift in the dynamics somehow, and everyone around the table was aware of that. Colin Clark was amazed to find that it had worried him when he had believed that Aiden had taken offence. Not just because it had made him a bit nervous but because he actually did like him.

  Book Four

  Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times?

  Matthew 18:21

  Because I don’t trust him, we are friends.

  Mother Courage and Her Children, Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956)

  Chapter Seventy-Seven

  2002

  Joshua Dyke, known affectionately as Joshie D, was a DJ, a drug dealer and an all-round nice guy. The product of a Scottish mother and a Jamaican father, Joshie had inherited both his parents’ excitable personalities, along with his father’s thick dreads. Like the O’Hara boys, he had blue eyes and that gave his already good looks the edge where the ladies were concerned. Also the men. Joshie was bisexual, as happy with a male partner as he was with a female. His long-term girlfriend had had his twin sons, and she didn’t seem in the least bit bothered about his sexuality. Although it was a real bugbear as far as a lot of his contemporaries were concerned – they were not sure how to react to him. His lifestyle was so far out of their remit. These were men who were brought up to be men − real men. The fact that Joshie D was a bit suspect, but could still hold his own if needed, seemed bizarre to them. His saving grace was he could fight like fuck, as had been proved on more than one occasion.

  Joshie embraced his lifestyle with exuberance and extravagance. He dressed like a male model and he could command an audience wherever he appeared. He was working on music with other artists, and making a name for himself in the real world. He could also work out a deal down to the last penny. His cousin was a big man in Jamaica and Joshie had a house in Kingston, where he spent a lot of time − not just DJing but arranging deals too. He was on his way, getting a reputation in the club world and in the world of criminality. Nothing was out of reach for anyone who had the nous to go for it these days and Joshie had everything to play for.

  Aiden O’Hara had deliberately nurtured Joshie because he recognised that he could be a viable part of the organisation. Aiden found that Joshie’s sexuality didn’t bother him as much as it did everyone else. He wasn’t that interested in other people’s sex lives. As long as they earned, that was enough for him. But it went deeper than that with Aiden; he was surprised to find that he liked Joshie
and he wasn’t alone. Patsy thought he was a diamond and Eugene, who was working with him, thought he was the dog’s knob. He bothered Porrick, but then, everything bothered Porrick. He was turning into a very particular bloke; he had a fucking opinion about everything. Now, as Aiden waited for Colin and Joshie to arrive, he poured himself a large brandy. He had a feeling he was going to need it. Patsy was quiet, and he poured his brother a drink without asking him. As he passed it to him, Patsy said tiredly, ‘We’re going to need this – Colin has been pretty vocal about his opinion on Josh.’

  Aiden shrugged. ‘I know, bruv, but I must be honest. I really don’t get his fucking anti-gay shit. Why would he let that bother him?’

  Patsy grinned. ‘You never cease to amaze me, Aiden. In all honesty I thought you would have been more bothered than him.’

  Aiden knocked his brandy back and poured another large glass. ‘I’m offended by that, Patsy. Why would I care?’

  Patsy closed his eyes in annoyance, because whenever Aiden felt he was being judged in any way he always resorted to acting like he had been deeply offended. Maybe he was; Patsy didn’t give a shit either way.

  ‘Come on! We know that Porrick is as gay as a Mexican tablecloth, but none of us mention it, do we?’

  Aiden shook his head. ‘You might not have, but I’ve discussed it with him. Difference is, I don’t give a fuck. I remember him as a kid. He was always a bit of a fucking drama queen, quiet as he was. How many times did he watch fucking Dirty Dancing with Mum and Aggs? I mean, think about it, Patsy.’

  Patsy started laughing. It was infectious and the two brothers were roaring together, holding on to each other, both caught up in absolute mirth.

  ‘Remember Mum, when she caught him in his room with that mate of his, the really effeminate one? What was his name?’

  Patsy was nearly on the floor now. He was almost crying with laughter. ‘That Nigel bloke. The one with the blond highlights. Even our Agnes sussed that one, and she’s as green as the proverbial grass.’

  They were still cracking up when Eugene and Porrick entered the room, and that just made them worse.

  ‘Well, what’s the big joke then?’ Porrick said nastily.

  Patsy just shook his head saying, ‘Believe me, you don’t want to know.’

  Aiden stopped laughing. ‘You know what, Porrick? You have a bad fucking attitude. Sometimes, as I have told you on more than one occasion, it can be fucking annoying.’

  Porrick didn’t answer. He was as red as his hair, and that was never a good look. He was clearly angry − much angrier than was good for any of them. His fists were clenched, always a sign he was spoiling for a fight.

  Eugene tried to keep the peace saying, ‘Look, let’s all calm down here. We are brothers, for fuck’s sake.’

  ‘Really? You are reminding me, the eldest brother, that we are related? I’m the one who makes sure we are on a fucking earn, you all work for me, remember? You having a fucking tin bath, Eugene?’

  Eugene sighed; Aiden had a point. There were times when Porrick could conjure an almighty row out of a mere look.

  ‘All I’m saying is, we don’t need to be at odds now, do we?’

  Aiden and Patsy looked at each other with disbelief. Then, shaking their heads together, they both stared at Eugene as if he had just dropped through the ceiling.

  ‘What I’m telling you, mate, is that I’m sick of having to apologise for my two youngest brothers. So you either take Porrick in hand, or you two can piss in the wind and get yourselves another fucking wage packet.’

  Patsy shrugged and poured them more drinks. It was to everyone’s benefit if they just let the matter drop, but Aiden had been getting annoyed with Porrick over what he called his antisocial behaviour for a while. There was a kink in Porrick that was beginning to worry him. He was a young man who did not seem to have a cut-off point − he would push and push even when it really wasn’t sensible.

  As they took their drinks, Aiden looked at his youngest brother and he said seriously, ‘I mean it, Porrick. You keep causing ructions for no good reason and I am not going to go on saving your arse every time you upset someone. If you weren’t my brother you would have had the shit kicked out of you by now. You got to start reining in your natural fucking bastardy. Because you are starting to piss me off now! And that is never a good idea. Remember that in future.’

  Porrick was offended by his brother’s reaction. After all, this was rich coming from Aiden O’Hara, a man who lived on a different planet to everyone else.

  Chapter Seventy-Eight

  ‘If Aiden finds out he’ll go ballistic, Agnes. You know that as well as I do.’

  Agnes was frightened but she was not going to back down. She was entitled to her own life, and that was something she was not going to forget.

  Jade and Reeva looked at each other in shock. This was Agnes, she was like a nun in waiting. How could she be telling them this, especially now? Not that Reeva understood the real problem here, but Jade was well aware that Aiden was about to do the biggest deal of his life and Agnes could fuck it up in seconds with her news. For the first time in years, Jade was actually sweating with nerves. Reeva on the other hand wasn’t as bothered as she made out; if she was honest she was secretly pleased. Finally she and her daughter had something in common! Reeva wasn’t stupid, she knew that people had questioned how on earth did someone like her raise such a good girl. It grieved Reeva that she had been born when she had − these days no one would have batted an eye at her lifestyle. It amazed her when she bumped into her mother’s cronies and they told her how their granddaughters were having babies and saving up to get married. When she remembered what she had been forced to endure from them it did sometimes make her angry. Hypocrites, the lot of them. A part of Reeva was pleased at how the times had changed, but it still rankled. Still, she was proud of how she had fought to keep her kids and, whatever people might think of her, she loved them more than anything else in the world.

  ‘Actually, Reeva, it’s not if Aiden finds out, is it? It is when.’

  Reeva pulled her daughter into her arms then, looking at Jade, she said honestly, ‘I do get it, Jade. But life happens. You should know that better than any of us.’

  Jade could see the logic of what Reeva was saying, but she also wondered at how this woman could not see that her daughter’s predicament just might cause a teeny bit of upset.

  Tony was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a beer and smoking a joint, and, getting up, he pulled Reeva and Agnes into his embrace. ‘I think Reeva has a point for once. Agnes is not a child any more. She doesn’t have to answer to Aiden or anyone.’

  Jade lit a cigarette and, smiling tightly, she didn’t answer him. Sometimes she could not help but wonder what planet this family actually lived on. She closed her eyes and wondered, not for the first time, why she cared so much.

  Agnes pulled away from her mother and, sitting at the kitchen table, she said seriously, ‘It’s my life, and the sooner you all understand that, the better.’

  Jade looked at this beautiful young girl, who really believed that she had some kind of say over her own life, and she said flatly, ‘Well, good for you, Aggs. I hope it keeps fine for you, I really do.’

  Then she left the house; she was expected at the big meeting, and she was late.

  As she pulled away from the kerb she wondered at where this was going to go, where it was going to leave them. She didn’t hold out much hope for an amicable solution, though stranger things had most probably happened at sea, as Reeva was always trying to convince them.

  Chapter Seventy-Nine

  Joshie D liked Aiden O’Hara a lot, mainly because he had understood from their first meeting that, unlike most of the people he dealt with, Aiden couldn’t give a fuck about his ‘exotic’ lifestyle. He had heard that expression and he had liked it – he felt that it really did encompass his way of living. As he entered the building that Aiden owned in Mayfair, he felt a rush of respect for the man. Aiden O’Hara
had come a long way, and that was something he could really appreciate.

  As the ugly goon in the cheap suit ushered him into the lift, he smiled magnanimously. After all, who was he to look down on a fellow brother? The man was big, black and, without doubt, good for nothing more than being a fucking heavy. But at least the man did his job with a certain respect, so he had that going for him. That was another thing he liked about Aiden O’Hara: his workforce was taught the usefulness of being polite and unobtrusive. There were more than a few complete fucking morons in the game who still didn’t quite understand the new wave of characters or the new businesses that they were creating. They were destined to die out like the dinosaurs they were. The days of open threats and taking people out in public were long gone. The older men were given their due − after all, they had earned it − and the ones with a bit of nous had embraced the new generation. They’d ensured that their sons had been educated so they were well able to join the new world order. If they were not able to keep up, they were just rowed out, simple as that.

  Joshie had turned up alone, but he didn’t need an entourage; he liked to do certain deals with the minimum of fuss. He was also aware that showing up alone not only made him look good, but it also conveyed the message to the people involved that he trusted them enough to not feel the need for any kind of backup. The fact that he had a car with his own people outside was neither here nor there − his arriving at the actual meeting alone was enough. He wasn’t a fool; he knew that his cousins in Jamaica and Brixton would guarantee his safety. But it looked good and it was part of his reputation now.