by Sam Michaels
‘You really don’t understand women very well, do you? It’s obvious that Elsie Flowers wants Georgina out of the way because she mistakenly feels that Georgina stands in the way of her stealing my husband. He’s a powerful man and very generous with his lovers. Mrs Flowers has known of my husband’s indiscretions for years. Her husband did Temi’s accounts. She would have seen how much money he lavished on his tarts. That woman has always had a liking for expensive things. And now she has a liking for what Temi can give her.’
Johnny refrained from slamming his fist down on the table, but anger coursed through his veins. Elsie Flowers had taken him for a ride and made a fool of him.
A tap on the window caused Lora to flinch. Johnny saw it was Fleur and Charlotte ran out of the storeroom to let her in. Johnny rose to his feet and said quietly, ‘I have to get word to Miss Garrett.’
Lora scraped her chair back and she too rose to her feet. ‘Yes, you must. I have to go now, but please take care of Miss Garrett and yourself too… all of you,’ she said as she looked from Charlotte to Fleur.
Once Lora had left, Johnny said urgently, ‘Temi Zammit is after Georgina and may hit the café. Fleur go home, sweetheart, and lay low until I tell you it’s safe to come back.’
Fleur, her eyes like saucers, nodded and hurried out, calling, ‘All right. I’ll see ya.’
‘Charlotte, the café ain’t opening so you can go home too.’
‘Why is Temi Zammit after Georgina?’
‘Elsie told him it was Miss Garrett who turned over his father’s shop. And it won’t just be Miss Garrett that they’re after.’
‘Shit! The bitch! I knew it. I knew she couldn’t be trusted.’
‘Yeah, well, we’ll worry about that later,’ Johnny mumbled as he fished in his pocket for the key to Georgina’s office.
Johnny picked up the telephone receiver and held it to his ear. He wasn’t looking forward to having this conversation with Miss Garrett but he couldn’t hide it from her. At least she was safe where she was. He doubted the Zammits knew about Molly Mipple and the farm in Kent. At least, he hoped they didn’t, for all their sakes.
*
Charlotte paced back and forth behind the counter while keeping an eye out of the window. She could ring that bleedin’ Elsie Flowers’ neck and would if she ever set eyes on her again.
Johnny emerged from the office. ‘I can’t get through to her. The line doesn’t seem to be working.’
‘Keep trying,’ Charlotte spat.
Another ten minutes passed and Johnny came into the café again.
‘Well, what did she say?’
‘Nothing. I still can’t get through. Fuck, I’ll have to drive down there.’
‘Hadn’t you better tell Ned and the Barker twins what’s going on? They’re at risk an’ all and ain’t got a clue.’
‘Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Come on, I’ll drop you at the Barkers’. They can keep an eye on you for now.’
‘You can sod right off. I ain’t staying with them or anyone else for that matter. Don’t worry about me, Johnny. It’s Georgina they’re after.’
‘But they’ll take us all down with her. I ain’t leaving you here by yourself and you can’t go home in case they go there looking for Miss Garrett.’
Charlotte chewed on her thumbnail while she thought. What would Georgina do? Certainly not run off and hide with the Barker twins. And neither would she wait at home like a sitting duck. Knowing Georgina, she’d face the problem head on. But Charlotte knew this was too big for her to deal with. ‘I’m coming with you to Kent,’ she told Johnny.
‘No, you ain’t. I don’t want you anywhere near me or Miss Garrett and you know full well that she’d do her nut if I didn’t look after you properly. Just go home and don’t answer your door to anyone.’
Charlotte huffed. They treated her like a little girl and seemed to forget she was almost a married woman. ‘I have to do something to help.’
‘Laying low is the best thing you can do to help me. You’ll be one less person to worry about. And that’s final.’
Charlotte reluctantly agreed. She could see that Johnny wouldn’t change his mind and they were wasting valuable time by arguing about it. ‘Fine, I’ll stay out of the way, but not at home. I’ll go to Fleur’s.’
‘Good girl,’ Johnny said and looked at his watch. ‘Christ, look at the time. I’ve got to find Ned and the Barkers before I go to Kent. Shit, I’d better let Dina know an’ all. At this rate, I won’t get to Miss Garrett until teatime.’
‘Hurry, Johnny. You go, I’ll lock up and as I need to go home to pick up some stuff, I can warn Dina to lay low too.’
‘All right, and thanks,’ Johnny said, dashing off.
*
Nearly two hours later, Charlotte was sitting on an uncomfortable wooden seat in Fleur’s front room. She reached out to put her cup and saucer on the table.
‘Your Morrison shelter doubles up nicely as a table,’ Charlotte said, shuddering at the thought of sleeping under it like a caged animal. It looked just like a large rabbit pen but with a heavy top. And there was only just about enough room for one person to lie in it.
‘Yeah, awful thing. I hope I never have to get inside it. Her downstairs gave it to me when I moved in. I was grateful for it as a table if nothing else. It ain’t like I’ve got much.’
‘It’s not too bad here, Fleur. Now you’re earning decent wages in the café, you’ll soon have this place looking nice.’
‘Yeah, I will. Are you sure you’ll be all right on the floor tonight?’
‘No problem. It’s dry, warm and safe enough.’
‘Are you allowed to tell me why we have to hide out here together?’
‘No, Fleur, sorry, I’m not. But you know Georgina. She’ll soon get it sorted and everything will go back to normal.’
‘I hope so. I like me job in the café. It’s a lot better than being a prossy. I didn’t think anyone would ever give me a normal job.’
As she reached out for her tea, Charlotte’s eyes roamed the sparsely furnished room. The single bed in the corner looked rickety and the mattress appeared to be as thin as cardboard. There were several nails banged in the wall, which Fleur’s clothes hung on. A wash bowl and jug sat on a small wooden cupboard that had the front door missing. Charlotte could see half a loaf of bread on the shelves inside, a cup, three small plates and a tin of sardines. The Morrison shelter took up most of the space in the centre of the room, a wooden chair on each side. Thick, dark curtains hung at the window. They looked to be in good shape. There was a small rug on floorboards in front of the window. It was threadbare but at least added a bit of colour to the room.
Charlotte thought back to her days as a child. She had grown up in poverty. This room reminded her of the two rooms she’d shared with her family. Georgina was staying with them on the farm now, a far cry from their humble beginnings and probably enjoying a big pot of Molly’s stew with fresh vegetables from the farm. Charlotte missed Molly and her mum. But her life was different now. Georgina felt like her family. Oh, gawd, poor Georgina, blissfully unaware that the Zammits had put a target on her head.
‘Do you think it’s all right to pop to the shops? Only I ain’t got much in for us to eat.’
‘No need,’ Charlotte said with a smile. She reached down into her bag beside her and pulled out two buns, a wedge of sliced bacon, a loaf of bread and a small lump of cheese. ‘I shoved this lot in me bag before I left. I didn’t want it going to waste.’
‘You ain’t ’alf clever, Charlotte,’ Fleur said, smacking her lips together.
Charlotte had thought quickly enough to have picked up a few provisions but she didn’t think she was nearly as smart as Georgina. If she was, she wouldn’t be sat in Fleur’s room. She would be out there, predicting the Zammits’ next move and beating them at their own game, just as she hoped Georgina would.
29
‘He went out like a light,’ Molly said to Georgina when she came into the cosy front room. ‘That s
tory you read him must have worn him out.’ She’d just tucked Edward into bed though at gone eight, it was well past his bedtime.
‘He really is a credit to you, Molly.’
‘And me,’ Oppo piped up from the armchair beside the roaring log fire.
‘Yes, to you both,’ Georgina added. She’d never mention his name but every time Georgina looked at Edward, she hated to admit that he reminded her of his father, Billy Wilcox. Edward had his father’s eyes, but surely he wouldn’t grow up to be evil like Billy? From what she’d seen of the child, Edward was very well behaved and affectionate with his mother. Though Georgina had a suspicion that Steven had screamed earlier because Edward had sneakily pinched him. Only time would tell and Georgina hoped that Molly’s and Oppo’s influence would sway Edward from growing into a vile monster like his father was.
‘I’m going over to the barn for an hour. I’ve got to try and get my plough repaired before morning. Fanny’s taken to her bed to read. You two can have a good girlie chat,’ Oppo said as he heaved himself out of the comfortable chair.
After Oppo had gently closed the door behind him, Molly jumped up and went to sit beside Georgina on the sofa. She grabbed Georgina’s hand and held it tightly.
‘I’ve been so worried about you behind bars,’ Molly said. ‘Was it awful?’
‘Yeah, it wasn’t exactly a picnic,’ Georgina answered.
‘Well, I’m glad you’re out now and even more glad that you’re here!’
‘Me too. It’s lovely here, Molly. A proper home and family. This is what I want for my children.’
‘There’s nothing stopping you from having it. Move down here with us. Oh, Georgina, imagine… it would be smashing. Edward and Alfie could be best friends, just like me and you have always been.’
‘I dunno, Molly. It’s just a dream, ain’t it. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love it, but I’ve got work to do first and I need to make a living. I know the farm turns a profit but I couldn’t expect Oppo to support me and the kids.’
‘You know he would and he’d never question it.’
‘Yeah, I know, but I’ve never had a man support me. I’d need to make my own money and what the hell could I do out in the sticks?’
‘I don’t know, we’d work it out. We’d think of something.’
Georgina sighed. ‘I don’t know if I’m capable of living a normal life. I’ve been stealing and fighting for as far back as I can remember.’
‘I remember the first time I saw you fighting. Do you remember? It was when Billy was picking on me. I thought you was a boy!’
‘Yeah, I remember. You, in rags and stinking of horse muck. I remember everything, Molly. Sometimes I wish I didn’t.’
‘Well, there’s a lot of things that would be best forgotten. Like what the police did to you in the cells. And when Billy tried to burn you alive, and when he had Malc and Sid beat you to a pulp. I wish I could forget what he did to me too. I try not to think about being locked in the attic and giving birth to Edward up there. I don’t think I’d ever been so frightened. But we can’t change what’s happened. Though I wish we could.’
‘Do you? Do you wish things had been different? I mean, look at you now… you’re happy with Oppo and you’ve got a beautiful son.’
‘Yeah, I’m happy now but I wish I’d been happy as a kid too. Don’t you? Don’t you wish you could change the past?’
Georgina thought for a moment. ‘I don’t know, Molly. I suppose I wish that me gran was still alive, and me dad, of course. But the past has made us who we are today.’
‘Can you imagine what you would have been like if things had been different when we were kids?’
Georgina smiled wanly. She’d had years in prison with nothing to do other than to think. And much of what she’d spent her time mulling over had been about her past. A tear slipped from her eye. ‘My gran and my dad loved me. They did their best for me. Me dad even gave his life to save mine. But Billy, the police, Kevin Kelly and Ruby’s dad before them when I was just a tot… they damaged me, Molly. Proper damaged me. I know I ain’t like other women. I’m different. I’m not normal.’
‘Don’t talk daft, of course you’re normal. But yeah, you are different but in a good way. You’re stronger than anyone else I know. And I’ve never met anyone who cares about people as much as you do. You got damaged but they never broke you and it brought the best out of you.’
Molly looked into Georgina’s eyes; she too was crying now.
‘Look at us, silly pair of cows,’ Georgina sniffed. She let go of Molly’s hand to wipe her cheeks. ‘As my gran would have said, there’s no point crying over spilt milk.’
‘I loved Dulcie. And your dad. I always wanted them to be my family. I used to think you was so lucky.’
‘Yeah, I was,’ Georgina said thoughtfully. ‘They were the best.’
Fanny came rushing into the room, her face pale as she gasped for breath. ‘Can you hear that? Listen, it’s the bloody Jerries again, I’m sure of it,’ she exclaimed as she pointed upwards.
‘Don’t be daft, Mum. The Germans ain’t dropped bombs on England for ages now.’
‘Shush… listen.’
They all held their breaths and looked towards the ceiling. Georgina could hear a distinct droning noise and yes, it did sound like incoming planes. She leapt from the sofa and dashed outside into the cool, night air.
Oppo ran across the yard from the barn. The sound of the planes became louder. Georgina stared up into the sky and there, illuminated by the moonlight, she saw twenty or so Luftwaffe planes, bombers flanked by fighters.
‘Oh, no, not again,’ Molly said, standing beside Georgina now.
‘Here come more and they look like they’re heading for London. They sound like they’ve got full loads too.’
‘Come inside, come on,’ Oppo said, ushering the women back into the house.
‘Shit, Molly, I need to call Charlotte and warn her. She’ll be alone and terrified.’ Georgina dashed to the telephone and picked it up but she couldn’t hear the normal low hum from the line. She clicked the receiver down and tried again. Still nothing. ‘I don’t think the telephone is working.’
‘Here, let me try,’ Molly offered and took the phone from Georgina.
‘No, there’s nothing,’ Molly said nervously. ‘Oppo, the telephone’s dead.’
Oppo came from the front room and tried the line. ‘Old Jake has probably knocked down the pole again. He’s as blind as a bat. He shouldn’t be allowed out on his tractor.’
‘Yeah, it wouldn’t be the first time but that’s no help to us now. Those planes are going to drop their bombs on London. We need to speak to Charlotte to warn her,’ Molly cried desperately.
‘I’m sorry, love, but it’ll take a few days before they get the line up and running again. There’s nothing we can do. But don’t worry. Charlotte will have fair warning. The sirens will sound so she’ll know to take cover,’ Oppo reassured.
‘Oh, Georgina, it’s awful. I hate to think of Charlotte all alone and scared. I’ve been so worried about her.’
‘I know, but Oppo’s right. There’s nothing we can do. She’ll be fine,’ Georgina said. ‘Dina is in the house and Johnny will probably check on her.’
‘I know she doesn’t get on with my mum, but I wish Charlotte would change her mind and move back here. It would put my mind at rest.’
‘She won’t, Molly. She likes living in town. Country life isn’t for her. And anyway, she’s going to be a married woman soon.’
‘Yeah, I know. But every time the Germans fly over, I worry meself sick until I hear from her.’
‘I’ll go home tomorrow. I’ll leave first thing in the morning and once I’ve seen Charlotte, I’ll phone the post office in the village and leave a message for you.’
‘Thanks, Georgina. I’m sorry if it’s cutting short your visit.’
‘No, it’s time I got back to work anyway.’
‘Cocoa?’ Fanny asked as she brushed past them,
heading towards the kitchen.
‘Yes, please,’ Molly answered, ‘Though it won’t help me to sleep. Nothing will.’
Georgina was about to offer her best friend some reassurance but Oppo interrupted.
‘I can hear a car,’ he said and walked towards the front door. ‘Who would be calling here at this time of the evening?’
When he pulled the door open, Georgina was surprised to see Johnny pulling up outside. ‘What on earth,’ she mumbled, her pulse quickening. Johnny wouldn’t have travelled from Battersea unless something was very wrong. She pushed past Oppo and went to meet Johnny as he climbed from the car. ‘What’s wrong? Please tell me it’s nothing to do with Charlotte?’
‘It’s nothing to do with her,’ he answered but his voice was grave.
‘What is it then?’
‘The Zammits. They’re after you and probably the rest of us too.’
‘Fuck. This is all I need. Why? Do you know why?’
‘Yeah,’ Johnny replied, looking uneasy. ‘Elsie told them it was you who turned over the jewellery shop.’
‘What? But why did she do that?’
‘Apparently she’s after Temi and his money and you’re in her way.’
‘That doesn’t make sense. I’ve no interest in the man.’
‘I know, but it seems Elsie thinks you have. Talk about stabbing me in the back.’
‘Shush,’ she whispered as Molly came towards them. ‘Don’t mention this.’
‘Is everything all right?’ Molly asked suspiciously.
‘Yes, everything is fine but this lot can’t cope without me. Johnny’s driven up to take me back. That’s handy, ain’t it?’
‘Yes, very. But are you sure everything’s all right?’
‘I said so, didn’t I? How about you get Johnny a cup of that cocoa too. He must be knackered.’
‘Yes, of course. Sorry, Johnny, come in,’ Molly invited.
‘Yeah, thanks. Just give me a minute to stretch me legs.’
‘All right, I’ll leave the door on the latch. We don’t want all the heat escaping.’
Molly went back inside and Georgina turned to Johnny, her eyes blazing. ‘How did you find out?’
