Babs was unconvinced. ‘Did you really? I didn’t even know bookies took gold bars as stake money.’
Fred gave her a twinkly look with his eyes and said no more.
And Nicky back from his travels Down Under accompanied by what his mum distastefully termed, ‘a fast piece.’
The place was decorated up a treat. Balloons, banners, beautifully arranged tables, nosh and booze aplenty.
Babs’ heart hitched in her chest as she spotted her groom. Wow, he looked a total knockout in his dashing, startling white suit with a red carnation in a buttonhole. His best man, his son, stood up with him.
A hush fell as Babs walked down the aisle with her daughters and grand girls behind her. Flippin’ hell, her heart was galloping like it was in the Grand National.
When she reached her groom he gripped her hands like he didn’t want to let go.
‘Finally,’ he whispered.
She whispered back, ‘finally.’
The Minister called everyone to attention and started the service.
He started the vows. ‘Do you Richard Tricky Dickie Johnson…’
The place erupted into uproarious laughter.
‘You silly sod,’ Babs told Richard.
‘I did it for you. Anything for you.’
Babs couldn’t believe she’d wasted so many years when she should’ve been spending it with this one of a kind fella.
When they were pronounced man and wife everyone whooped it up. That was the signal for the piss up to begin.
An ecstatic Babs and Richard did the rounds of congratulations. Everyone ahhed when a horse and carriage appeared to take the couple away for the start of their honeymoon in a cottage by the sea in Cornwall.
Before Babs got into the carriage she let her gaze span over The Devil’s Estate. She was going to miss the place. For all its faults and secrets this had been her home, the place she’d reared two of her children.
Under her breath she whispered, ‘Good-bye old friend.’
Then, as Richard gallantly lifted his bride into the carriage, a disturbance broke out.
Someone drunkenly groused, ‘’Ere? I know him. Ain’t he a plod?’
‘And what of it?’ that was Tiff’s growl.
‘Yeah,’ Flo bustled in beside her sister, ‘what you got to say about it?’
Patrick made to go back but Babs grabbed him as the argument started to get out of hand.
‘Leave it. It wouldn’t be an East End wedding if there wasn’t a punch up.’
As the carriage rolled away Babs pulled Tricky Dickie’s head down and gave him a smacker to last a lifetime.
A note from the author
Thank you!
Thank you for reading Blood Secrets. I hope you enjoyed it. We had a total ball writing it!
I adore hearing from readers, so please do get in touch with me if you’d like to.
You can contact me via
My website: https://dredamitchell.com
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I love to hear what you think about the books.
So please leave a review
More Books
The Flesh and Blood Series
Blood Sister
Blood Mother
Blood Daughter
One False Move (Quick Reads: The Reading Agency)
Gangland Girls Trilogy
Geezer Girls
Gangster Girl
Hit Girls
DI Rio Wray Series
Vendetta
Snatched (e-novella)
Death Trap
All About Dreda
Dreda wrote five books before partnering up Tony Mason to continue her writing career. Dreda scooped the CWA’s John Creasey Dagger Award for best first time crime novel in 2004. Since then she has written eleven crime novels. She grew up on a housing estate in the East End and was a chambermaid and waitress before realising her dream of becoming a teacher. She is a passionate campaigner and speaker on social issues and the arts. Dreda has appeared on television, radio and written in a number of leading newspapers including The Guardian. Some of Dreda and Tony’s books are currently in development as TV adaptations.
Blood Secrets_A gripping crime thriller with killer twists Page 33
