‘I couldn’t be more surprised or pleased,’ he said. ‘I was expecting either Paddy or Stephen. Now I’ve seen you I’m over the moon. How are you, darling?’
Pleased with herself for surprising him, Donna said: ‘I’m fine, Mr Brunos. Now sit yourself down and today I’ll go and get the teas, and the KitKats, and the Mars bars. I broke into my piggy bank on purpose!’
Ten minutes later they were sitting hand in hand.
‘I must be honest, Georgio, I pinched Paddy’s VO for a reason. Tomorrow I’m off to Scotland with Alan Cox. We’re seeing a man about a break-out!’
Donna saw his expression change and looked enquiringly at him. ‘What’s wrong, Georgio? I thought you’d be over the moon.’
He squeezed her hand painfully. ‘What do you mean, you’re off to Scotland with Alan Cox?’
Georgio’s face was dark and he was more than surprised when Donna began to laugh deliriously. She put back her head and literally roared with laughter.
‘Give over, Donna, everyone’s staring at us.’
She clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling the loud guffaws, shoulders heaving with suppressed mirth.
‘Oh Georgio, you’re priceless, do you know that? I can’t believe it - you’re jealous! You are actually jealous. You talk me into doing all this and then when it gets under way, the first thing you do is get all jealous. If it wasn’t so funny I would be really annoyed.’
Georgio heard the underlying anger in her words and admitted to himself for the first time just how much his little wife had changed. She questioned him, challenged him, stood up to him - something she would never have done before his sojourn in Parkhurst. Yet he knew that she was absolutely right. The thought of her and Alan Cox going away for a weekend was like gall in his mouth. He had expected Alan to do all the collar and Donna to relay the messages; he had never expected Cox actively to involve her.
‘Donna, I think we should get something straight here, love. I want you as nothing more than a go-between. You can give up any ideas of jaunting off to Scotland this minute. It’s a dangerous thing you’re taking on and the less you have to do with that side of it, the better. Tell Alan I trust him to keep you out of it. What the fucking hell’s he playing at, eh? What’s the next step? You going to turn up here riding shotgun on a fucking helicopter or what?’
Donna’s voice dripped ice as she answered her husband.
‘Don’t swear at me, Georgio Brunos. Sometimes I wonder where the hell you get off. You talk me into putting my liberty on the line, my life in Alan Cox’s hands, and then you have the audacity to sit there and out of petty jealousy tell me that I can’t go and do the job you specifically asked of me.
‘Did it ever occur to you,’ she went on hotly, ‘that I can walk into a lot more places than you or Alan Cox? That I have a better cover for what we’re doing than anyone? That I have a bit more brain in my head than you obviously give me credit for? And, finally, that I might want to help out properly? It’s bad enough that Alan Cox thinks I’m about as much use as a chocolate fireguard, without my husband agreeing with him - and to my face as well. Thank you very much! Shall I take up knitting then? Or shall I get myself a lover? A lot of the women do, you know. Oh, I’m not as sheltered as you think. I keep my eyes and my ears open. Some of the talk on the ferry coming over here would make even you blush. So you tell me, big man, what am I to do?’
Georgio listened with increasing annoyance, yet he knew that he needed this woman in front of him, and more than she needed him at this time. This wasn’t his little Don Don, who jumped at his whim, this was a grown woman, and in all his years with her she had never looked as desirable as she did now. Her hair was awry, her eyes were glinting with temper, and her face was flushed. She had what he called ‘the just-rogered look’, and what he wouldn’t give to have been able to put that look on her face properly!
‘I’m sorry, Donna. I worry about you, darlin’.’
She relaxed slightly and said softly, ‘It’s a pity you didn’t worry so much before all this, then neither of us would have to be here today.’
The look of hopelessness on Georgio’s face as she uttered the words made her feel a prize bitch. Gently caressing his face she said: ‘I love you, Georgio. Christ knows, I love you with every ounce of my being. For the first time ever I am really of use to you, I can be equal with you. Don’t you understand how that makes me feel? We haven’t talked so deeply in over ten years, not since we lost the boy. It gives me a reason for going on. I want you back, I want you beside me, can’t you at least understand that? After my initial fear, my worry about what I was doing, I am finally resigned to it all. How can you deny me this now?
‘I want to help you in any way I can,’ she said softly. ‘While you’re locked in here, I’m only half-alive, I might as well have been locked up with you. Leave me be now, darling. Let me work for you, beside you and with you on this. Just this once, Georgio, don’t throw it all back in my face. Not after all the trouble I’ve taken.’
Georgio took a deep breath. He needed this woman more than anything. Instinctively, he knew that while Donna was rooting for him, he had no worries. His moment of petty jealousy was over as quickly as it had come. As he had said to Sadie, he had other fish to fry.
‘I’m sorry, Donna, but you’re a very attractive woman.’ She smiled now, gently and heartwarmingly.
‘I’m glad you finally noticed, Georgio.’
He wiped a hand over his face. He had expected a lot of things today, but Donna and her newfound independence wasn’t one of them.
‘I put the house up for sale by the way,’ Donna suddenly announced, ‘and guess what! I had a visit from Bunty Robertson into the bargain.’
Georgio’s face darkened. ‘What did that parasite want?’
‘Well, that’s the funny thing, Georgio. I was amazed to see her on the doorstep after the way she treated me when you first got put away. I was annoyed she had already heard the house was going up actually, because it’s not as if there will be a For Sale notice or anything. I want it all low-key, like you asked me. Anyone looking in our price range will be given a colour brochure. I have no intention of letting people knock the door just for a glimpse around our home, and that’s what most of them would be after. I phoned the estate agent and gave him a piece of my mind.’
‘I can believe that.’ Georgio’s voice had regained its equilibrium.
Donna sighed. ‘I seem to be giving a little more out each day. If I’m not careful I won’t have any left!’
‘You seem to be doing all right. If you get a bite on the house, I’ll give you an account number to place the money in offshore. The last thing we want is our cash going into Nat West, ain’t it? We need it transferred out of the country. So whatever happens, you tell anyone interested that you can’t move until whatever date we have for me going on the trot.’
Donna nodded. ‘OK. I don’t think it’ll take long, to be honest. I put it up for three-quarters of a million. That’s a saving of at least two hundred and fifty thousand, so anyone with half a brain will jump at it.’
Georgio grinned. ‘Good girl. A bargain is a bargain. Shame really, when you think of all the work that went into the place.’
Donna grasped his hand and sighed again.
‘I thought of that actually, and it really made me sad. But wherever we can be together will be home to me. It’s taken me an awfully long time to come to terms with everything, you know, Georgio. I realise now how naive I was. I didn’t think for one second you were into any kind of dodgy deals. The mere thought would have shocked and horrified me, to be honest. Now all this has happened, I realise I couldn’t give a monkeys’ what you’ve done as long as I can still have you. As long as we can be together.’
Georgio stared down at their joined hands, his breath suddenly coming in short gasps. Donna’s open adoration of him, her naked longing, hurt him to watch.
‘Thanks for everything, Donna. I’m just sorry it had to come to this. I love y
ou, girl. I’ll always love you.’
Donna basked in the glory of his words.
‘I still haven’t broken the news to Dolly that we’re moving,’ she said after a minute. ‘What do you think I should tell her?’
Georgio shrugged. He picked up a Mars bar and opened it nonchalantly.
‘Don’t tell her nothing. Just say we’re looking for a smaller place now. You can give her the bad news nearer the time.’
Donna frowned slightly. ‘That seems a bit callous after all the years she’s been with us.’
‘Listen, Donna, we’ve done her proud over the years, right? This is no time for sentiment. I will be leaving my parents, my brothers and sisters, everyone I care about. So Dolly for me is quite low on the list. I need to get out of here, and soon. I can’t fucking hack it here much longer. So don’t give me grief over bloody Dolly. She’ll survive.’
Donna bit her lip at his harsh words, realising the position he was in. Desperate times meant desperate measures. But his cavalier attitude over Dolly stung her to the quick.
Georgio read this in her face and his features softened. ‘Listen, Don Don, Dolly will be given a lump sum, a golden handshake. She ain’t going to be badly off, I promise you that. All I’m interested in at the moment is getting out of here. I have Lewis and his henchmen breathing down my neck. Let me get out and I’ll sort out Dolly and everyone else, OK?’
‘Okey doke. Back to Scotland. We’re going to arrange your route once you’re off the Island. Probably most of it will be overland. I’ll have more to tell you next time I visit, OK?’
Georgio found himself smiling. ‘You sound like a bleedin’ gangster’s moll!’
‘I feel like one!’ Donna giggled. ‘Whoever thought I’d be laughing about something like this, eh? Me, timid little Donna, afraid for years to open my mouth unless you’d already briefed me on what to say! Wheeling and dealing in the London underworld no less! But in fairness to Alan Cox, he tried to frighten me out of it all. Once he knows I’m capable of looking after myself, he’ll change his tune. To be honest I get the impression he isn’t too chuffed with you for having me as the number two. But then, he doesn’t know me like you do, does he?’
‘Be careful this weekend, won’t you, love? This ain’t a game, you know. You’re going to meet some dangerous men and some violent people. Watch your step, and for Christ’s sake dress down. You’re too good looking for the cretins you’ll be meeting up with. Their idea of foreplay is not to smash the old woman around the head before sex!’
Donna smiled at his words but picked up the meaning behind them.
‘Stop worrying, Georgio. I intend to work at anything and with anyone to get you home. After my initial upset, I realised I would have you on any terms. Nothing you could do, could ever stop me loving you or wanting you.’
Her eyes were wet with tears and Georgio put an arm around her shoulders.
‘I never deserved you, Donna. In fact, if the truth’s only known, I still don’t deserve you.’ He smiled proudly. ‘Who would have thought that my Donna could have come up trumps like this?’
Before she could answer her husband she heard a cultured voice call his name.
‘Georgio! Introduce me to your lovely companion.’ The words were clipped, and without real emotion.
Donna glanced up at the man before her. He wasn’t very tall, or very well-built, but his whole demeanour spoke of a violent nature.
‘Donna, this is Donald Lewis.’ Georgio’s voice was flat. She could feel his embarrassment at having to kowtow to the little man before him.
‘How do you do, Mr Lewis?’
Donald looked down at the strained white face and despite himself he was impressed. He could almost taste her fear as she looked at him, and he decided there and then to be charming. It would have been fun to intimidate her, get Georgio’s goat well and truly up. But something inside decided him against it. He was amazed to find that he rather liked the look of her. She had the same bearing as his mother, was similar in looks. Also, she was a smart dresser and her voice spoke of a good education and upbringing, things he had always admired. No, he would leave the frightening of her to another day; today he would be nice. He sat beside her, aware that his intrusion was being witnessed by more than a few people.
‘Georgio has told me a lot about you, my dear - may I call you Donna?’ Before she could answer he pressed on, ‘But he never told me just how beautiful you are. Why, I’m amazed a woman with your assets is still bothering with a man like Georgio. He is indeed a very lucky fellow. I was rather under the impression his taste in women was not so refined. It just shows you how wrong you can be, doesn’t it?’
Lewis was enjoying Georgio’s discomfort. He ignored him, secure in the knowledge his taunts had found their mark.
‘I hear you have taken over the businesses, too. My mother is a strong woman, Donna. I have always respected women, though I’m not a great lover of them in general. My tastes run more to masculine friendships, you understand. But now and again a woman comes along whom I like, and I have a feeling you’re going to be one of them.’
Donna nodded graciously. ‘Thank you, Mr Lewis, I shall take that as a compliment. Is your mother visiting you today?’
He shook his head. ‘Not today. Maybe on Monday. It’s a very tiring journey for her. She’s well into her seventies, but marvellous for her age. I have her chauffeured down every two weeks by a friend on the outside. It’s wonderful to have friends on the outside, isn’t it, Georgio? Especially attractive ones. They brighten up the dreary days in here.’
‘I’ll look forward to meeting your mother, Mr Lewis, she sounds an amazing woman. I lost my parents when I was very young. I always feel that mothers are very special, particularly to their sons.’
For the first time ever Georgio saw Donald Lewis actually smile genuinely at someone, and he was even more amazed to find the smile bestowed on his wife.
‘You’re a very astute girl and I see I was right in my first impressions. I think you and I will be great friends, Donna Brunos.’ He looked at Georgio. ‘I hope you appreciate this girl, Georgio?’
He relaxed visibly. ‘Don’t worry, Donald. I not only appreciate her, I depend on her in a lot of ways.’
Donna smiled sadly. Georgio depended on her. There it was, that word again. But this time at least, it didn’t frighten her so much.
Donald Lewis not only frightened her, he positively terrified her, but she kept on smiling and chatting to him, knowing that her husband’s stay in prison depended on this man’s goodwill.
As small and amiable as Lewis seemed at this moment, she could see the latent violence of his nature in the pointed way he talked to Georgio.
She was shocked at her husband’s obvious subservience in the presence of this man, and it made her all the more determined to get him out - and fast. Five minutes of Donald Lewis was wearing enough. What must it be like to have him watching over you day in and day out? Lewis was capable of murder, and she recognised that he was also capable of great charm.
The combination of the two was more frightening than anything.
Chapter Twenty-One
‘Lewis is a terrifying guy, love. Believe me, I’ve had a few run ins with him myself over the years.’
Donna looked out of the car window, half-enjoying the changing scenery.
‘Well, he frightened me, I know that much. There’s a sort of pent-up menace about him, as if at any moment he could attack.’
Alan laughed loudly. ‘That’s the understatement of the year, Donna. I could introduce you to a bloke in Soho who had what’s called in the trade “facial scalping”. No ears, no nose, the bare minimum of eyelids. That’s what happens when you upset Donald Lewis.’
Donna blanched. ‘You’re joking!’ Her voice was small, breathless.
Alan realised that what he had said would only make her more concerned for her husband. He flicked a glance at her, and seeing the strained white of her face, felt like kicking himself.
‘And how can you guarantee it?’
Alan lightened his voice. ‘Because the bloke it happened to was one of Lewis’s amours, that’s why. And he made the mistake of taking on a little friend. Lewis didn’t like that. He owns his boyfriends, you see; they’re his property. Especially when he’s laid out a small fortune on setting them up in a flat and playing at mums and dads, know what I mean? If he was going to hurt Georgio it would be done in a much more civilised way. He’d just have him killed.’
‘Well, that’s made me feel a whole lot better, I must say! Thank you very much, Alan, I really needed that today.’
He pulled on to the hard shoulder of the motorway. Cars and lorries whizzed past his Mercedes. Grabbing Donna’s arm, he pulled her round to face him. Sorry for the fear in her face, but also annoyed at her childishness.
‘Listen, Donna, I know you’re a nicely brought up girl and all that, but at this moment you are on your way to meet some people even Lewis would balk at upsetting. Now we both know Georgio is skating on thin ice, and knowing him as I do, he probably brought it on himself. Well, that aside, me and you are in the throes of springing him from one of the most secure nicks in Britain. Now if you want to act like we’re going on a picnic, that’s your prerogative. Meself, I intend to watch my arse, my back, and anything else that I can watch without breaking me neck. I suggest you do the same. All this being frightened and shocked and ladylike ain’t worth a piss. The sooner you realise that, the better off we’ll be. I can’t look after you all the time, and I don’t see why I should. Now I can drop you off at the nearest train station or I can carry on up this bleeding motorway towards Jockland. It’s up to you.’
Donna pulled herself free. Her face was pale, but this time with anger.
‘You bastard, Cox! You love all this, don’t you? You set out to scare me, and when you know you have succeeded, you always turn on me after. Well, I might be a little ladylike woman in your eyes, I am in my own. But if I wasn’t intent on what I’m doing, I wouldn’t be here. All the same, that’s no reason to keep pushing down my throat the danger we’re in. I know that, for Christ’s sake. I can’t sleep properly for thinking about it. But I’m here, and surely that must tell you something? I came with you, I’m trying to do my bit, and believe me when I say you are not making it any easier. You’re an arsehole, mate. A twenty-four-carat arsehole, and I wish at this moment I had never clapped eyes on you. You have no respect for anyone or anything, and worst of all I think you enjoy frightening me. Facial scalping! Are we talking about Lewis or bloody Haiti? Do you know what I think? I think all this violent talk is just to scare me off. I think you’re frightened - frightened I might just do it all right.’
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