by Sam Michaels
‘You filthy bitch,’ he muttered as he flicked on the light switch.
Her rheumy eyes blinked against the light. ‘Mother… Mother…’
‘It’s me, Geert, your husband,’ he said as he impatiently stamped towards her.
‘Who are you? Get out… GET OUT!’
Doris was sat in an armchair that he’d covered in old sheets. Her blankets were on the floor at her feet. He rolled his eyes, thinking here we go again. The nightly struggle to get her into bed was wearing. She’d fight him at every opportunity, spitting and scratching him. But if he wanted her money, he had no choice but to tolerate it. Doris had made sure of that! As her illness had set in, his wife had consulted a solicitor. The house and her savings would only come to him if he cared for her and didn’t put her in an institution.
Doris flailed her arms in the air. ‘Don’t touch me,’ she screeched.
Geert managed to grab her arms and pulled her from the chair, unceremoniously throwing her onto the bed.
‘I’ll call the police,’ she screamed. ‘Don’t rape me!’
Huh, he thought, there was no chance of that happening! The woman stunk of urine and faeces. He pulled the covers over her thin, pale legs but she kicked them off.
‘Suit yourself, but you’ll get cold,’ he warned.
‘Who are you?’ she asked again, calmer now.
‘Geert, your husband.’
‘No you’re not, I’m not married! Go away, leave me alone,’ she said and let out a long, screeching cry.
Geert slapped her hard around her face. ‘Shut up, woman. Shut up,’ he hissed.
Doris screamed louder.
He put his hand over her mouth until she eventually stopped struggling and quietened down. Oh, he’d have liked to have left his hand there and silenced her for good. But he didn’t and she gasped for breath. He looked down at her with contempt. He’d told Eva that he cared for Doris. That was a lie. Maybe once he had, a long time ago. As a young man, he’d been infatuated with her. But Doris was a manipulative woman and had controlled his life. He resented that he’d had to beg her for every penny he needed. She’d used her fortune to rule over him. And as her money had been in trust from her father, there had been nothing that Geert could do about it. But soon, he hoped, very soon, he’d be inheriting Doris Neerhoff’s wealth.
‘Die soon, bitch, die,’ he hummed sweetly as he flicked off the light and left her to rot in her own mess.
20
‘Christ, Elsie, is that the time?’ Johnny said as he studied the face of the wristwatch in his hand. He slammed it back down on the bedside table and threw the blankets off before jumping out of the bed. ‘I’m late, Miss Garrett won’t be happy,’ he muttered, scrambling to put on his clothes.
Elsie wiped sleep from her eyes and then stretched her arms and yawned.
‘Come on, you’d better get up too. You’re supposed to be working in the café with Charlotte,’ Johnny told her.
‘It’s going to feel strange to earn my own money,’ Elsie said as she threw her legs off the bed. ‘I’m looking forward to it. I really need some clothes and things. I know you collected what you could from Jacob’s but I’d really like to wear more fashionable clothes. Jacob would never allow it and now, well, I can wear what I like.’
‘Yeah, that’s great, Elsie, but get a move on. You can think about shopping for clothes and all that later,’ Johnny said impatiently. He was now fully dressed and annoyed that Elsie was still naked and standing in front of the wardrobe gazing at her dresses.
‘I think I’ll throw these away. They were all Jacob’s choice, not mine.’
‘Great, you do that. But just put one of them on for now, eh, sweetheart?’
‘Do you like any of them?’
‘Yes… no… I don’t know, I don’t bloody care. You look lovely in anything. But hurry up, we’re late.’
Elsie spun round from the wardrobe, her loose blonde hair falling teasingly across her face. ‘I’m tired, Johnny. You kept me up for most of the night with your love-making. Let’s take a day off and get back into bed,’ she purred, and crawled back under the covers.
‘I’d love to but we’ve both got jobs to go to.’
‘I wouldn’t have to work if I could claim Jacob’s house.’
‘Without declaring him dead and without a body, there’s no chance of that.’
‘I wish you’d collected my jewellery too.’
‘I’ll buy you some jewellery, just hurry up and get ready.’
‘You?’ Elsie asked incredulously. ‘You couldn’t afford to buy me the sort of jewellery that Jacob did.’
Johnny thought she had a point. He didn’t have the money to buy her expensive jewels but he could steal them. It was becoming clear that Elsie had a taste for nice things. And if the woman wanted lavish gifts, then he’d ensure she got them. He’d have to wait until tonight. Then, once it was dark, and taking advantage of the blackout, he’d rob a shop. He’d spotted one when he’d taken Miss Garrett to see the Zammits. It didn’t appear to have the usual shutters, which made it an easy target. A quick smash and grab. He would have it clean away on his toes and back into bed with Elsie before midnight. If Johnny could have, he would have given Elsie all the diamonds and gold in the world. But for now, a nice haul from a West End jewellers would have to do and he knew it would put a smile on her pretty face.
*
‘All this talk of art and paintings. Everyone I meet lately seems to be into art. It’s a new world to me. I didn’t know there was so much money in it,’ Georgina said as, under her desk, she crossed one leg over the other.
‘My dear, the art world has always been there. You’ve just never noticed it before,’ Lord Hamilton replied. He cocked his little finger as he sipped the cup of tea Charlotte had brought through from the café to Georgina’s office.
‘This painting Oleg wants, you say you know the owner?’
‘Yes, quite well, in fact. I’ve seen the original painting many times and have always admired it. It’s a small piece, he has it hung in his library.’
‘Do you think you could take it and replace it with Geert’s painting?’
Lord Hamilton sat bolt upright, nearly spilling his tea. His brow furrowed as he asked, ‘You want me to steal it?’
Georgina smiled. ‘Yes.’
‘But, but what if I get caught in the act?’
‘Well, make sure that you don’t.’
He placed his cup and saucer on Georgina’s desk and stood up, twiddling his moustache as he walked from side to side, a worried expression on his face. ‘I assumed your men would creep in during the night and make the swap. I’m not sure this is something I could do.’
‘Yes, you can and it’ll be a breeze. It makes more sense for you to do it than it does to risk my blokes getting done for burglary. Go and see Geert and tell him what we need. I want the painting in three days. If it’s only a small picture, like you say, that should be plenty of time for him.’
‘Three days! The paint won’t even be dry!’
‘It’ll have to be. Look, I appreciate you’re new to how my business operates but you’d better get used to the pace. I don’t do all this for the fun of it. I’m in it to make money, not to sit on my backside waiting for paint to dry. You said you wanted in. Are you sure you still do?’
Lord Hamilton sat back in the seat opposite Georgina’s desk. ‘Yes, I most certainly do,’ he said with a grin. ‘It’s terribly exciting. A tad scary but absolutely thrilling.’
‘Good. Now go and see Geert. You’ve plenty of time before The Penthouse opens.’
Once Lord Hamilton had left Georgina’s office, Charlotte stuck her head through the door.
‘Can I get you anything?’ she asked Georgina.
‘No, thanks. Is Elsie in yet?’
‘No, not yet. Late on her first day. I shall be having words with her.’
‘Yeah, make sure you do. And Johnny’s going to get a mouthful from me too.’
‘Do y
ou think they’re all right?’
‘I’ve no reason to think they’re not. Do me a favour – shut the door. When they get here, make Johnny wait in the café. I don’t want to be disturbed.’
Georgina clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them, staring at the closed door. Christmas had passed and so had the new year, yet The Top was still alive and well. He’d murdered the man she loved and though she tried to shake the feeling of needing revenge, she couldn’t. It was eating at her, gnawing her flesh and chewing her bones. Images of The Top gunning down David played out in her mind. They intruded on precious thoughts of her children. She’d tried to push the imagined pictures of David’s last moments away but day and night, they crept back in. It was time to take action. She had a lot to lose, possibly her life. But while The Top lived, she knew she’d never have any peace. It had to be done. The Top’s blood needed spilling and then, if she survived, she could finally get on with her life.
21
That night, after a tense day with Miss Garrett and taking an earbashing from her, Johnny was in the West End. He hadn’t dressed in dark clothes or worn a balaclava. But he did have his trusted gun with him, tucked away in the inside pocket of his coat. He swaggered along the street, passing the jewellery shop that he intended to rob and inconspicuously checked the security. This was going to be a doddle, he thought. The street was quiet and he hadn’t seen a copper walking about all evening.
It was bitterly cold, which he believed worked to his advantage. The freezing January weather kept folk indoors. But it also meant Johnny didn’t want to hang around for longer than he had to. He reached the end of the street and turned around, heading back towards the shop. His pace quickened and so did his pulse.
Johnny glanced over his shoulder. No one was behind. He stopped outside the shop and looked left and right. It was clear so he quickly pulled a hammer from his coat pocket and a cloth bag from the other. He glanced around again. The street was still empty. This was it. He had to act now and be fast. He held his fedora in front of his face and whacked the shop window. The sound of shattering glass was immediately drowned out by the screech of an alarm.
Johnny was panting now. He nudged a couple of hanging glass shards with his elbow. The glass fell, giving him enough room to reach inside to the jewellery on display. The sound of the alarm bell rang in his ears, making him feel panicky. He grabbed handfuls of whatever he could, dropping some bits of jewellery as he shoved it into his bag. There was no time to stop and pick up the items he’d dropped and he reached inside again, this time taking pearl necklaces and several rings. That was it. He had enough. But as he went to turn to run away, he spotted a spectacular brooch of a peacock decorated with red, blue and green precious stones. Elsie would love it, he was sure of it. He put his arm back through the broken window. As he reached for the brooch, the sound of a police whistle pricked his ears.
‘Shit, fuck, shit,’ he muttered, quickly retracting his arm.
A sharp piece of glass caught him, ripping through his coat but not his skin. He glanced at his arm and then at the brooch that still sat on display. It was too late. He couldn’t get it now. Police torches illuminated him from the shadows. Two or maybe three policemen were running towards him. One was shouting at him, telling him to stand still. The other blew hard and long on his whistle.
‘Sorry, chaps, you ain’t getting a feel of my collar tonight,’ he whispered under his breath and ran in the opposite direction.
As he pounded along the street, the sound from the coppers seemed to be getting closer. Johnny ran as hard and as fast as he could. He dashed around a corner and nearly bumped into a young couple holding hands.
‘Beg your pardon,’ he said breathlessly and carried on sprinting.
‘Stop that man,’ he heard a policeman yell.
Around another corner. His car wasn’t far away. Just a few more streets to go.
‘POLICE… STOP!’
Temi Zammit’s club was within sight. He thought about running in. Maybe Mr Zammit would hide him from the Old Bill. No. Get to the car. Come on, Johnny, run faster. Run.
He turned another corner and into an alleyway which led to the street where he’d parked his car. Almost there. Keep going.
Johnny was halfway along the alley when he saw a figure step in front of him, blocking his exit onto the street. The figure was tall, with a policeman’s helmet on his head.
Johnny came to an abrupt halt.
‘There’s nowhere to run,’ the copper said, staring at him.
Johnny peeked over his shoulder. The coppers chasing him weren’t in sight but he could hear them coming. He looked back towards the copper in front of him. The man had taken several steps closer and had his truncheon poised.
‘Don’t be a fool. We’ve got you covered. Come quietly.’
Johnny looked over his shoulder again. He could see the lights from the policemen’s torches. Without thinking, he reached inside his coat, pulled out his gun and then aimed it at the policeman.
The copper threw his hands in the air. ‘Don’t shoot,’ he pleaded.
Johnny felt like a caged animal and reacted instinctively. He squeezed the trigger of his gun, firing a shot directly at the policeman.
The noise from his gun echoed through the alley but the copper didn’t make a sound as he fell to the ground. Johnny ran past him. It was too dark to see where his bullet had hit the man but he noticed the copper’s eyes were closed. Had he killed him? Shit, he hoped not but he couldn’t hang about to find out.
Johnny was pleased to see his car now in sight. He could only hear one whistle blowing now. He didn’t check behind him as he jumped in his car and threw the bag of stolen jewellery onto the passenger seat before speeding off.
He took the back streets to Battersea, hoping to avoid any police blocks en route. If he’d killed that copper, word would be out and every man in uniform would be searching for him. If they caught him, he’d hang for it. He’d swing in the gallows with a rope around his neck. But as he climbed the stairs to his flat, he finally breathed a little easier. He’d done it. He hadn’t been caught and now he couldn’t wait to see Elsie’s face light up when he presented her with the bag of jewels.
*
The next morning, Georgina noticed Johnny was shifting from one foot to the other as she read out loud the headline from the paper.
‘It says here that the policeman was shot and killed while in pursuit of a man who’d robbed a jewellery shop. I can’t believe anyone was foolish enough to turn over that shop. Temi Zammit’s dad owns it. Whoever did it will have the Old Bill and the Zammits after them. Blimey, if it was me, I think I’d prefer to have my day in court rather than face the Zammits.’
Georgina noticed Johnny swallowed hard. Surely he didn’t have something to do with it?
‘Please tell me this has nothing to do with you?’ she asked.
‘No, course not,’ Johnny answered.
He hadn’t looked her in the eye and Georgina wasn’t convinced. She was about to question him again but was interrupted by a light tap on her office door.
Elsie came in carrying a tray of tea and a plate of biscuits. ‘I made these myself,’ she said, looking proudly at Johnny and smiling.
Georgina noticed Johnny was frowning at Elsie, and then she saw that Elsie was wearing a pair of earrings that looked like real diamonds. ‘Leave us,’ Georgina abruptly told the woman.
Johnny ran his hand through his hair. He seemed worried and now Georgina knew why. ‘It was you, wasn’t it?’ she asked gravely.
He pulled back a seat from in front of her desk and slumped onto it, hanging his head in his hands. ‘I’ve fucked up good and proper.’
Georgina sighed heavily. ‘Yes. You have. Why, Johnny? Why the fuck did you do it?’
‘I dunno. I wanted to treat Elsie. I didn’t mean to kill the copper and I had no fucking idea who owned the shop. Shit, this is bad.’
‘It really is. I don’t know if I can protect you this
time. Temi Zammit is a reasonable bloke but his father, well, you know as well as I do what the man is like. The man is merciless. Fuck, Johnny, what’s happened to you while I was in prison? Has your brain turned to mush? It’s been one thing after another but this… this tops it. Whether it’s the Old Bill or the Zammits who get you first, either way, you’re dead.’
Johnny picked up a biscuit from the plate, took one bite and threw it back down. ‘I did it for Elsie. Christ, she can’t even cook,’ he said, grimacing.
‘Tell her to get those earrings off. And get rid of the jewellery.’
‘What shall I do with it? Take it to Ezzy Harel?’
‘No,’ Georgina snapped. ‘Don’t you dare put him at risk. I don’t care what you do with it. Throw it in the Thames or something. Just get it out of your flat.’
‘I could hide it for a while until the fuss dies down.’
Georgina slammed the flat of her hand down on her desk. She leaned forward towards Johnny and hissed, ‘I said, get rid of it.’
‘All right, all right, I heard you. I’ll dump it but it seems a shame. There’s a good few bob’s worth in the bag.’
‘Worth dying for, is it?’
‘No, course not. I was just saying.’
‘Well, don’t.’
‘Sorry.’
‘Do you think anyone saw you?’
‘No, only the copper and he can’t say nothing. Cor, last night, when I was running away, I thought about hiding in Temi Zammit’s club. Bleedin’ good job I didn’t, eh?’
Georgina couldn’t bring herself to answer Johnny. She’d always respected him and thought he had half a brain on him, but now she was beginning to doubt his intelligence.
‘Once I’ve dumped the stuff, do you reckon I should lay low until it blows over?’ he asked.
‘I suppose so. I’m not willing to discuss it with Temi. You’ve already stepped on his toes and got away with it. I doubt they would be forgiving for a second time.’
