Sleepless in Manchester

by Woods, Karen

  “Where the fuck is my money you cunt? Did you think I would just sit back and take it on the chin?” Billy was trying to break free but he was fighting a losing battle. Lesley and Fallon tried to grab Woody from Billy, but he just turned and snarled at them both with gritted teeth. He looked dangerous. Fallon spoke in a low voice.

  “Woody, he’ll get you your money. He never said he wasn’t going to pay you. He just needs a bit more time.”

  “Time! He’s had plenty of fucking time, haven’t you Billy?” Billy was wiping the blood that was pumping from his lips.

  “Yeah Woody, but I’ve just been on my arse. Just give me a week and I’ll have it for you.”

  Woody twisted his head and looked at Lesley with a menacing look in his eye. He let go of Billy and walked over towards her. “Why are you wasting your life with this wanker?” His hand slowly touched her face with his fat fingers, Lesley quickly shoved him away, and her body cringed. Woody was looking at her a bit longer than necessary, he was up to something. He moved in closer, his nose was touching hers. Thinking for a few seconds he turned to face Billy. Slowly his hand rubbed his crotch. “Your Mrs can work it off it you want.”

  Billy was being held by the throat as he screamed at the top of his voice. “No, just you leave her out of it. Don’t you dare go near her.” It was too late Woody dragged Lesley out of the room while Fallon gripped Denva. Her piercing screams shook the room. Fallon tried to help her, but one of the henchmen stopped her dead in her tracks. A gun was rammed into Billy’s mouth and the guy had him in a grip so he couldn’t move. “Keep fucking still, you bastard, otherwise I’ll fucking shoot you.” Billy seemed to melt into the floor as the screams of his girlfriend got louder in the hallway. Fallon closed her eyes and hid her head away in the baby’s neck, she was sobbing. There wasn’t a single thing she could do. Silence filled the room.

  The men waited for Woody to come back into the front room. H looked red in the face and he held a cocky smile on his face. “She wasn’t worth five grand but ay, beggars can’t be choosers.” Billy tried to run at him, but a quick head butt from the man at the side of him sent him crashing to his knees. The men left and Fallon jumped up. The sound of sobbing was coming from the hallway as Fallon rushed to Lesley’s side. She was sat up with her knees to her chest. She was rocking to and fro, her hair was all over the place.

  “He fucking raped me Fallon, he raped me.” Lesley’s top was ripped open and her skirt was dangling from her waist. “Billy,” she screamed. “I want my Billy.”

  A shadow of a man now stood at the doorway. Once he saw his girlfriend he sank to his knees and punched his clenched fist into the floor. “Bastard, Woody you’ll pay for this you dirty, dirty, bastard.”

  Fallon held her best friend in her arms and cried with her. She knew more than anyone how she felt. Denva came to his mother’s side. He was upset and Lesley cradled him in her grip. Billy crawled to her feet and his hand slowly stroked her leg. “Don’t touch me Billy; take your hands off me. This is all your fucking fault.”

  He bolted up from the floor; he was dragging his fingers through his hair in desperation. “Lesley, I’ll make him pay. I’ll kill him. Do you hear me? I’ll kill him.” Billy grabbed his coat and ran back inside the front room. You could hear his car keys rattling. He came back, bent his knees down and held Lesley’s face in his hands. He was crying. “I swear to you Lesley, he’s not getting away with this. I’m going to Skid’s now and I’m getting the gun, Woody’s a dead man walking. Who the fuck does he think he is?” Billy closed his eyes and yelled at the top of his voice. “No!” the sound of the door slamming could be heard. Billy was gone.

  “Come on love; let’s get you back into the front room. I’m going to phone the police.”

  Lesley‘s legs shook as she tried to stand up. “No, keep them out of this. Billy will sort it.”

  Fallon looked horrified. “No, Lesley. That isn’t the way. People like Woody want locking away. He’s raped you, are you forgetting that?”

  “I’m not forgetting anything; just let me think, will you. Give me a cig.”

  Fallon lit two cigs up and sat next to Lesley on the sofa. “Come and stay at our house. You can’t stay here anymore. If Billy’s gone for Woody, it will be war. Come on, get some stuff together. We need to get you out of here as soon as possible.”

  Lesley looked like she was in a trance, her eyes seemed vacant. Flexing her fingers she slowly turned her head to Fallon. “I’m going to make sure the fucker never breathes again. If Billy doesn’t deal with him, trust me I will.” Fallon rubbed her arms as goose pimples appeared all over her skin. Lesley meant every word she said.

  *

  Billy hid the gun in his pocket. Skid wanted no part of this mission. Woody was a notorious gangster in the area and he couldn’t chance having him on his back. Skid tried to talk Billy out of it but he was adamant that Woody was a dead man.

  The doors swung open in the vault of Billy Greens pub in Collyhurst. Billy scanned his eyes around and he could see Woody sat in the corner with his men, they were playing cards. His chest was rising frantically and his hands were shaking. Without thinking any further he yanked his hood up over his head and ran to where the rapist was sat. Billy knew he didn’t have long, pulling the silver pistol from his pocket he aimed it at Woody. “Told you I would be back you twat, didn’t I?” Without anymore talking Billy squeezed the trigger on the gun and fired a bullet straight into Woody’s chest. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion now. The men sat around the wounded man. They watched in terror as his firm body fell to the floor. Billy waved the gun about at them and that was enough for them to remain still. Billy turned quickly and made his get away from the pub. Screaming from behind him could be heard. His feet pounded along the pavements as he weaved in and out of the back streets. He never turned back once. He just kept on running until he was out of the area. Billy hammered on Skid’s door with his fists.

  Once the door opened he fell to his knees. Skid dragged him inside by his arms. “Fuck me Billy, what the fuck have you come back here for? The firm knows I chill with you. I bet they’re on their way here as we speak.” Skid was frantic as he plonked his mate down on the sofa. Sirens could be heard blaring in the distance. Skid was up at the window and he was shaking with nerves. “Billy we need to get the fuck out of here. We need to get out of Manchester.” Billy was lifeless, and sat staring about the room, nothing was registering. He grabbed his hands. “We need to do one. Come on, we can go to my cousins in Bolton. Billy! Are you listening?”

  Billy let out a roar like a lion. He’d definitely lost the plot. “I want to go back there and make sure the cunt is dead. He raped my Lesley.”

  “I know mate,” Skid said in a low voice, “But for now we just need to get your arse out of Manchester. The police will be on it soon. Trust me, someone will grass what’s happened, they always do.” Skid ran about the house holding a black holdall in his hands. Once he’d got everything he needed he grabbed Billy by the arm. “Come on we need to get on our toes.” Billy stood to his feet.

  “I’m going nowhere until I’ve seen Lesley. I need to see her.” Skid banged his flat palm on the side of the table.

  “Right, we will, but for crying out loud, let’s move our arses, it’s on top to fuck.”

  Lesley and Fallon sat with Beryl in the front room. None of them had told her the full story. They just told her that Lesley needed to stay there for a few days. Fallon told Beryl that the loan men were giving them a hard time and they just needed to get away for a bit. She never questioned them. Beryl knew more than anyone that loan men could give you a hard time. She’d hid from them in the past and she still owed them money herself. Loan men were the only option sometimes when you were skint and everybody used them on the estate.

  Fallon’s mobile started ringing. She clocked Billy’s name on the screen and went into the kitchen, her voice was low. “Yeah Billy, she’s here with me. We’re at my Mam’s. Are you coming? Okay right
, right. I’ll tell her.” The phone call ended and Fallon returned to the front room. She pierced her eyes at Lesley and urged her back into the kitchen. Beryl was playing with Denva and she didn’t suspect a thing.

  “Billy wants you to go to the corner of the street in a minute. He’s with Skid, he needs to speak to you.”

  Lesley blew a laboured breath. “What’s happened Fallon, has he been for Woody. Please let him be okay.”

  Fallon quickly hugged her. “Go on; go now before my Mam gets onto you. I’ll just say you’ve nipped to the shops”. Lesley quickly grabbed her coat and hurried to the front door.

  Fallon sat clock watching. Lesley had been gone for ages; even Beryl was questioning where she’d got to. Denva was asleep on the sofa and the room was quiet. The sound of the back gate scraping on the floor could be heard. Lesley was back. The door opened and Lesley looked like she’d cried a river. Beryl sat up straight in her chair. “What’s up cock, have you been crying?” Lesley snivelled and walked into the kitchen.

  Fallon was up straight away and she pointed her finger at her mother. “Just wait there, I’ll go.” Beryl screwed her face up; she sank back in her chair and raised her eyes to the ceiling. “Hurry up then. If you need me I’m here.” Fallon left her side.

  Lesley was stood looking out of the window; tears were streaming down her face. Her shoulders were shaking as Fallon came up behind her.

  “He’s gone Fallon, he’s killed Woody.” Fallon was lost for words and took a second to regain her thoughts.

  “He’s gone where?” Lesley turned to face her, her voice was low.

  “He’s gone with Skid to Bolton; he’s keeping his head low until it all blows over. He’s killed him though Fallon.” The two girls hugged tightly together and sobbed.

  Beryl’s loud coughing made them pull apart. “Well, what’s going on? I’m not daft, somebody better fill me in now.” Fallon knew her mother was a wise- head and sooner or later she would have put two and two together. She walked to where her mother stood and guided her back into the front room. Lesley stood in the kitchen looking out of the window; she covered her ears when she heard Beryl screaming like a banshee at the top of her voice.

  “No, no.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Fallon was working at the hospital. It had been a hectic day. Grabbing a much deserved rest she went outside for a quick cigarette break. John could be seen in the distance walking towards her. He looked as gorgeous as ever, even the way he walked was sexy. Dipping his head into her, he kissed her cheek. “Give us a blast of that cig. I’m choking for some nicotine.”

  Fallon held the fag up to his lips. Both his cheeks sank in at the sides as he inhaled deeply. John was based in another department and it was very rare that they got to see each other. Making sure nobody was looking he kissed her passionately. “Shall we go out tonight for something to eat, it’s my treat?”

  Fallon nodded, “Yeah, I finish at five, so I’ll just nip home and get changed. What time are you clocking off?”

  John checked his wristwatch, “I should be finished for four, so I’ll come to your house when I’m ready.” The wind was picking up and everyone was walking about with their heads dipped. Fallon could sense someone staring at her from across the road. As she shot her eyes over towards them, the man she spotted looked uncomfortable and started to walk away in a hurry, she was sure he was watching her. Fallon screwed her face up and looked blank. Did she know this man, because something about him seemed very familiar?

  A little later Fallon was in reception and shouting out the next patient’s name to come and see the Doctor. “Alice Moran, please.” A young couple stood up and walked slowly with their child to the door. The little girl looked as if her face had melted. One side of cheek hung lower than the other, it looked plastic. Fallon escorted the patient into the doctor’s room and sat taking notes as the doctor spoke. This little girl was lucky to be alive. When she was four a full pan of boiling hot stew had fallen on her from the top of the stove. Fallon had read this information in her notes and wondered how the family had ever coped with such a trauma. You could tell by the parent’s faces that they still felt guilty for their daughter’s disfigurement. The accident had happened when they were out and she was left alone with her babysitter.

  A tapping at the door caused the doctor to stop talking. Angela, another nurse who worked on the ward, shot her eyes to Fallon. “Sorry doctor, can I just take Fallon away for a moment, she’s needed in the office.”

  The Doctor nodded and carried on with his questions to the girl’s family. Fallon stepped outside and Angela grabbed her arm. “Come on you, come into the office quick.”

  Fallon held her head to the side and placed one hand on her hip. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

  Angela walked inside the office with a smile across her face. Pointing her finger at the table she sniggered. “These are for you, they came before.” Angela dipped her head and smelt the big bouquet of flowers.

  “Orr John must have sent them,” Fallon smirked, “I saw him before but he never mentioned he was sending me any flowers.”

  Angela sighed, “Well he wouldn’t tell you would he? They’re supposed to be a surprise.”

  Fallon chuckled, “Pass me the phone while I ring him, he should be on a break now.”

  Fallon held the phone to her ear and she was smiling from cheek to cheek. The other nurses were still stood around the flowers admiring them. “Hello,” Fallon said. “Just a quick phone call to thank you for my flowers, I love them.” Her face slowly sank and she turned to look at the flowers in more detail. “Stop lying John. I know it’s you who’s sent them, stop messing about, just admit it.” Fallon held the phone to her ear, after a few minutes she placed the receiver down and stood with one finger hanging from her mouth.

  Angela walked to her side and handed her a small white envelope that was attached to the flowers. “This might help you find out who’s sent them.” The other nurses gathered round her, they loved a drama. “Come on Fallon, open it. We’re dying to know who sent them. Do you think you’ve got a secret admirer?”

  Fallon slowly opened the envelope open and pulled out a white card. Her eyes squinted as she tried to make out the words. The writing was small and hard to read.

  “Long time no see” it said with four small kisses underneath it.

  Everybody looked as if they were thinking. “Who do you think they’re from?” Angela piped up at last. “It must be someone with a few bob, because these must have cost a fortune, look at the size of the bouquet. I got some flowers the other week for my sister and they me cost thirty pounds. They weren’t a patch on these though.”

  Fallon felt sick, her face drained of any colour. Were they from Dalton? She held her hand around her neck and looked like she was going to pass out. “I need to go outside for some fresh air,” Fallon left the nurses gossiping in the room. It was obvious they thought she was up to no good because as soon as she left they were whispering among themselves.

  Fallon stood outside; she reached into her pocket and grabbed her mobile phone out. “Hiya Lesley it’s me.” Fallon relayed the events to her best friend and stood listening on the other end of the phone. “Do you think they’re from Dalton?” Lesley’s voice was loud and you could hear her telling Fallon that Dalton was home visiting his mother. Fallon had a flashback of the man she’d seen earlier looking at her from across the road. It was all making sense now. It must have been him who sent the flowers. Fallon closed her eyes, why was he doing this to her after all these years? She loved John now and Dalton was in her past where he belonged.

  Later that night, Fallon and John sat in the restaurant. They’d both ordered curries. Words were few between them and Fallon could tell something was on John’s mind, he was restless. Reaching over the table she softly stroked his hand. “What’s up, is it the flowers?”

  John dropped his eyes to the table and spoke. He couldn’t look at her. “I’m gutted Fallon. Are you seeing s
omebody else?”

  She was frantic and threw his hand back across the table. “Why are you saying that? I would never cheat on you,” before she knew it her words were flying out at speed, she was fuming. “I think its Dalton who sent them. Lesley said he’s back home in Manchester visiting his mother, so it can only be him who’s sent them.”

  John’s nostrils flared and the vein at the side of his neck was pumping with rage. Just the mention of this man’s name sent him into a wild frenzy; he hated him with a passion. Deep down he knew Fallon didn’t love him the way she loved her childhood sweetheart, and many a night he’d lay awake in bed praying that one day she would rid her mind of him. “Why’s he doing things like this? Have you spoken to him since he’s been home? Have you seen him? I mean, why would he just send flowers out of the blue?”

  Fallon shook her head. “No I haven’t seen him. John I love you. Dalton is my past and if he’s the one who’s sent the flowers then he’s wasting his money. I want nothing to do with him,” she sank her head low. John raised his eyes to the ceiling. This was supposed to be a special night and he’d planned to ask Fallon to marry him, but the way it was going he was having second thoughts. The waiter brought their food over and they picked at the food in front of them. Fallon had lost her appetite and pushed away her plate. Just the mention of her ex-boyfriend’s name sent shivers down her spine.

  John sat back in his chair and he was rummaging about in his pocket. Clearing his throat he stood to his feet. Fallon watched him with eager eyes, had he had enough of her, was he leaving? John bent down on bended knee and slowly took Fallon’s hand into his. It was now or never. Staring deep into her eyes he swallowed hard. “Fallon,” he paused. “I love you with all my heart, and I think you feel the same about me. Will you marry me?”

  Fallon felt hot; she never expected this in a million years. She liked him yes, but was that enough to promise her hand in marriage? John was still on his bended knee and he had the attention of the rest of the diners. You could have heard a pin drop. “Is that a yes then,” he asked. John looked uneasy and his chest was rising with speed. His head dropped low and he was preparing himself for rejection.