by Sam Michaels
Also by Sam Michaels
Trickster
Rivals
VIXEN
Book 3 in the Georgina Garrett Series
Sam Michaels
AN IMPRINT OF HEAD OF ZEUS
www.ariafiction.com
First published in the United Kingdom in 2020 by Aria, an imprint of Head of Zeus Ltd
Copyright © Sam Michaels, 2020
The moral right of Sam Michaels to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 9781789542196
Cover design © Heike Schüssler
Aria
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Contents
Welcome Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Become an Aria Addict
Dedication
To Victoria Munro-Webb and her three beautiful children, Lilly, David and Joey.
Your dad said, ‘I’m very proud of you all and you bring me enormous amounts of joy.’
May your lives be like a good book; and they all lived happily ever after.
Lots of love and from, Mama Sam xxx
1
3rd September 1939. Battersea, London.
Victor hammered on the scruffy front door and Georgina Garrett stood closely behind him. She could tell by the state of the dilapidated, small terraced house that the family who lived here were poor. But that didn’t excuse Bobby’s behaviour. She’d already given him fair warning yet he’d chosen to defy her and had taken it upon himself to rob Ezzy Harel’s jewellery shop in Clapham Junction.
She heard Johnny Dymond’s car pull up and glanced over her shoulder to see him park behind her own black Rover.
‘Sorry I’m late, Miss Garrett,’ Johnny said as he swaggered towards her, his unbuttoned, fur-collared cashmere coat catching in the breeze and billowing out behind him to reveal a smart three-piece suit. ‘Ain’t Bobby home?’
‘Yes, he’s in there, probably hiding his slimy arse,’ Georgina answered, her lip curling in disgust at the thought of the man. She’d guessed that no-one would come to the door. The sight of her pulling up with her huge bodyguard and Jonny Dymond in tow would be enough to put the fear of God into anyone. ‘Kick the door down, Victor,’ she ordered, her patience wearing thin now.
With one hefty boot from Victor, the frame splintered and the door flew open. Georgina glanced inside. The bare floorboards and musty smell reminded her of Molly’s old house and the poverty her best friend had endured. Her heart went out to Bobby’s wife. She pitied the woman and her children but she couldn’t allow Bobby to take liberties. Not again.
Georgina marched in determinedly, her heels clicking on the dusty wooden floor. She pushed open the first door to see a sparsely furnished room, just two mattresses on the floor and a small table. There was nowhere to hide so she moved on to the rear of the house and here she found Bobby’s terrified-looking wife. The woman was huddled in the far corner with her arms around her three small children. The kids were barefoot and Bobby’s wife wore little more than rags.
‘Where is he?’ Georgina asked.
The woman shook her head.
‘I promise you, no harm will come to you or your children. Just tell me where he’s hiding.’
The woman’s eyes inched towards a ragged curtain that covered an alcove. She’d knowingly given away her husband’s whereabouts but she remained silent.
Georgina nodded. ‘Take your kids out. They won’t want to hear their father screaming.’
Bobby’s wife quickly ushered the children out of the grimy scullery and avoided any eye contact with Georgina as she passed.
‘Johnny, see that she’s looked after,’ Georgina said quietly, and added, ‘Twenty quid should do it.’
She waited for Johnny to pass the woman the money and watched as the broken front door was pulled closed behind them. Then she stepped towards the curtain and whisked it back. Bobby had pushed his body up against the wall and defensively held a small knife in front of him.
‘That ain’t going to do you any good.’ She smirked.
‘Please, Miss Garrett… I ain’t done nuffink wrong,’ Bobby stated pleadingly, his eyes wide with fear.
‘Really? What about Ezzy Harel’s jeweller’s?’
‘I didn’t know I weren’t supposed to turn him over. Honestly, I wouldn’t have done it if I’d known he was under your protection.’
‘Bullshit. I’ve already told you once about doing things you shouldn’t be doing, haven’t I?’
‘Yes, Miss Garrett, but I swear, I didn’t know.’
‘Not even when you held that knife to Mr Harel’s throat and he told you that I look after him?’
‘No, he never said a word. He never told me. I had no idea.’
‘You’re a liar. In fact, from now on, you’ll be known as Bullshit Bobby. It suits you.’
‘I’m sorry, Miss Garrett, really I am.’
‘I’m sure you are, Bullshit Bobby, and I can be reasonable, so how about you drop that pathetic knife and come and sit down for a nice little chat,’ Georgina offered, her voice softer.
The colour had drained from Bobby’s face but now his cheeks seemed to be pinking up a bit. ‘Erm, OK,’ he answered nervously and placed the knife in Victor’s upturned waiting hand.
‘Good man,’ Georgina told him and pulled out a seat at the table, quickly wiping off crumbs with her hand. The legs were uneven and it wobbled as she sat down.
Victor walked behind Bobby, towering over him, and then Bobby also pulled out a wooden chair.
Georgina detested everything this weasel of a man stood for. He clearly couldn’t provide for his wife and kids and had already proven himself to be a liar. ‘You got away with a few bits of gold. Where’s your stash?’ she asked.
‘I lost it. I was running home and saw the gavvers. I thought they was after me so I slung the tom over a wall.’
Georgina looked past Bobby and gave one small nod of her head to Victor. Johnny stepped forward as Victor stooped to grab Bobby’s arms and yanked them around the chair and behind his back. Bobby was powerless to protest and as Victor held him, Johnny ex
pertly tied his hands. Victor pressed down on Bobby’s shoulders and Johnny went to tie an ankle to each chair leg. Bobby fruitlessly kicked out but missed Johnny’s face and was soon restrained.
‘As I said, Bullshit Bobby. Now, you won’t be running anywhere until you tell me the truth,’ Georgina said and pulled a pistol from her burgundy beaded clutch bag, which she placed on the table in front of her.
‘No, please, Miss Garrett. It’s the truth, all of it. I ain’t got the jewellery. And I ain’t got no money for it. I made a mistake – I know that now. I promise, I’ll never do anything like it again. Please, don’t kill me. I’ve got a wife and kids to look after.’
‘I feel sorry for them, stuck with a useless wanker like you in this shithole. They’d be better off without you.’
Bobby’s face crumpled and his head slumped as his shoulders jerked up and down. ‘I ain’t a bad man, Miss Garrett,’ he blubbered, unable to wipe the snot that ran from his nose and fell with his tears.
‘Get a grip of yourself. I’m not going to kill you. You’re not worth the hassle, but this is the last warning you’ll get from me. Cross me again and I’ll blow your tiny brains out,’ she warned and eyed him up and down contemptuously. Then she picked up her gun and tucked it inside her bag before snapping it shut. As she scraped back her chair, she looked at Johnny. ‘Kneecaps. But wait until I’m out of the house. I can’t stand the sound of bones breaking.’
*
Georgina sat in the back of her car and Victor asked, ‘Where to now, Miss Garrett?’
‘Back to the office. I know it’s Sunday but I want to pick up something,’ she answered as they pulled away and headed towards Alexandra Avenue. With the proceeds her husband, Lash, had obtained from a bank robbery in Ireland, she’d purchased two semi-detached houses here and had knocked them through. One side was used as her base and meeting room, the other as a brothel ran by Dina, a Russian prostitute.
As they trundled through the maze of streets, Georgina noticed there seemed to be a lot of commotion. Housewives were dashing from their houses and knocking on neighbours’ doors and excited young lads wearing gas masks played fighting games with sticks.
‘Shit, it’s happened,’ she mumbled under her breath. Then told Victor, ‘Stop the car.’
He pulled over to the kerb and Georgina wound down the window before calling to a worried-looking woman who was stood outside her house and frantically glancing up and down the street.
‘What’s going on?’ she asked.
The woman frowned at Georgina.
‘Has something happened?’ she asked again.
This time the woman nodded then answered, ‘It was on the radio. The Prime Minister. That Neville Chamberlain bloke. He said we’re at war with Germany. I need to find me boy. I can’t see him.’
‘Don’t worry, he won’t be far away. He’ll be playing with some lads I just saw round the corner.’
‘Thanks, but I’ve gotta find him.’
Georgina wound her window back up and told Victor to drive on. The announcement of war hadn’t come as a surprise. Many people had already dug out air raid shelters and school children had been prepared. Jack, her father, said that war would be good for Britain. He’d told her the country needed a war to get the men back into jobs and industry thriving again. Georgina wasn’t bothered about unemployment or productivity but she had a good feeling. With war came opportunity and she intended to make the best of every chance that came her way.
*
Half an hour later, the car pulled up outside Georgina’s home. It was the same house she’d lived in all her life, raised by her dear departed grandmother. She could have moved on and rented somewhere bigger and in a nicer area but this was where her heart and memories lived and she couldn’t bring herself to leave them behind. It was the only home she’d ever known, a constant in her life.
Victor opened the back door of the car and as Georgina climbed out, she saw Lash coming from the house towards her.
‘Have you heard the news?’ he asked gravely.
‘Yes, we’re at war. Where’s Alfie?’
‘Your dad has taken him over the park,’ Lash answered and gently kissed her cheek. As he did, the air suddenly filled with a screeching, wailing noise.
‘Air raid sirens,’ Lash said and looked towards the sky.
A woman from a few doors down dashed past them. She was crying and shouting, ‘The Jerries are gonna bomb us… Take cover!’
She noticed the woman was only wearing one shoe and was obviously panicking. Lash reached for Georgina’s hand and gently squeezed it as if to offer reassurance.
Georgina returned the gesture with a tender smile. ‘They’re probably just testing them out. I’m not worried – there’s nothing here for the Germans to drop bombs on. I bet Alfie is loving it – you know how he enjoys playing soldiers. Come on, let’s get inside and put the kettle on. I’m gasping for a cuppa.’
As she followed Lash into the hallway, over the shrill sound of the sirens, she heard the telephone trill. She guessed it would be Molly. Her friend would be calling to voice her fears about the war. But when she picked up the receiver and before she had a chance to say hello, Molly began blurting out something about Charlotte.
‘Hey, slow down. The line is crackling, I can’t hear you properly,’ Georgina said into the mouthpiece and rolled her eyes at Lash.
Molly took a deep breath and explained that Charlotte had run off again from their farm in Kent. She suspected her sixteen-year-old sister was in Battersea somewhere.
‘Don’t worry, Molly, I’ll find her,’ Georgina said and then she heard Fanny’s voice in the background, scathing, as usual. Molly’s mother still blamed Georgina for the death of her other daughter, Ethel, and made no secret about it.
Molly told her mother to be quiet and Georgina promised she’d do everything she could to locate Charlotte.
‘What was all that about?’ Lash asked as Georgina hung up the telephone.
By now, the sirens had stopped but Georgina’s head was still buzzing. ‘Bloody Charlotte has run away again,’ she answered as she walked through to the kitchen.
‘Well, she’s sixteen. She can choose to live where she likes and she seems to prefer Battersea to the farm.’
‘Yeah, but you know what Fanny’s like. I’ve offered to give Charlotte a job and keep an eye on her but Fanny won’t hear of it. Do me a favour, darling, and get on the phone to put word out. She’ll turn up again soon, like a bad penny.’
Georgina filled the kettle at the sink and gazed out into the backyard. Her eyes set on the piece of dirt next to the coal bunker. Still, no grass grew over that area where her beloved grandmother had buried a barrel with her second husband, Percy, inside. Well, thought Georgina, her grandmother had lived through the Great War. In fact, Georgina had been born on the day war had been declared and she’d survived unscathed. She had no reason to worry about this one. And like she’d told Lash, there wasn’t anything round here worth bombing. Huh, she thought defiantly, if the Germans thought they’d like to visit her town, they should be the ones to be scared. After all, she’d built herself a reputation and now just about everyone in Battersea either respected or feared the name Georgina Garrett and that’s how she intended to keep it.
2
Charlotte looked up and down the street as she knocked on Ivy’s door. She knew by now that Molly would have called Georgina and the woman would have her gang out searching for her. But this time, when they found her, she’d refuse to be taken back to Kent. They couldn’t make her go and she wouldn’t!
Ivy opened the door but didn’t appear surprised to see her. As Charlotte had suspected, word had already spread.
‘They’re looking for you,’ Ivy said and folded her arms across her flat chest.
‘Yeah, I thought they might be. Can I come in?’
‘I’d rather you didn’t. If Miss G finds out that I’m hiding you, she’ll have my guts for garters.’
‘Please, Ivy. I won
’t tell if you don’t,’ Charlotte begged and offered her sweetest smile.
‘Come on then, but you’ll be the death of me,’ Ivy said reluctantly and tutted.
‘Thanks,’ Charlotte replied and checked around her again before entering the small flat in a shared house.
She followed Ivy up the stairs and into her two rooms. ‘You’ve got it looking lovely,’ she said as her eyes took in the exotic paintings on the walls and coloured scarves draped over three armchairs.
‘Benjamin helped me design it. Them queer blokes have got a good eye. So, you’ve run away again? How did you get here?’
‘I hitched a lift. I had to. I can’t stand it at the farm. It’s so boring. Please, Ivy, can I stay here, just for a night or two?’
‘No, you bleedin’ well can’t! Miss G is bound to ask me if I’ve seen you and I ain’t gonna lie to her.’
‘Just for tonight then, please? You’ll be at work in The Penthouse Club. You won’t even know I’m here.’
‘No, Charlotte, I’m sorry but I’m annoyed with you for putting me in this position. I’ve got a good mind to march you round to Miss G’s right now.’
‘I’m not going back and not you or anyone else can force me to! If you won’t put me up, I’ll find someone who will,’ Charlotte said, bluffing, and spun round to walk out.
‘Wait,’ Ivy snapped.
Charlotte hid a wry smile. She knew Ivy was a soft touch and wouldn’t see her on the streets.
‘One night, but then tomorrow we’ll go and see Miss G together. You can tell her you’re staying in Battersea.’
‘Yeah, all right. Thanks, Ivy,’ Charlotte said sincerely but had no intentions of facing Georgina. ‘’Ere, did you hear that siren earlier?’ she asked in a bid to change the subject.
‘Yes, you couldn’t bloody miss it. They said on the radio it was a false alarm, thank Gawd. Bit frightening, ain’t it?’
‘I wasn’t scared ’til I saw this old girl bawling her eyes out. Have you got a shelter out the back?’
