by Sam Michaels
*
‘Hello,’ Charlotte said nervously into the mouthpiece.
She felt the cold metal of the barrel of Sparrow’s gun as he held it against her temple.
‘It’s me. Where’s Georgina?’
Charlotte had never been so relieved to hear Johnny’s voice though there was nothing he could do to save her now.
‘She’s at the hospital. Sparrow’s here.’
‘Put him on.’
Charlotte held the receiver to Sparrow. ‘It’s Johnny Dymond. He wants to talk to you.’
Thankfully, Sparrow took the receiver from her.
She could just about hear Johnny as he told Sparrow that Nancy was dead. He said her face had been blown off and there was a fucking huge hole in her chest. He warned him that if anything happened to her or Mr Harel, Sparrow would have all of Georgina’s men looking for him and it wouldn’t be long before they gunned him down. Johnny said Sparrow had three minutes to run for his life and to take his slag of a girlfriend with him.
Sparrow dropped the telephone receiver and ran to the front door. Charlotte watched as he scarpered and then she picked up the telephone.
‘He’s gone. Thank you.’
‘I’m on my way to the hospital. Nancy has set up Miss Garrett. I don’t know what she’s done but I’ve got to warn her.’
‘I knew it! Hurry, Johnny. She had a call to say that David is awake but I think it was a ruse to get her to the hospital.’
‘Yes, I think you’re right. I’m…’ Before Johnny could finish, the pips sounded. ‘I’m on my way,’ he said and then the line went dead.
Charlotte put the phone down and looked at Benjamin who was standing in the front room doorway and shaking.
‘Sparrow’s done a runner. That was Johnny. Nancy is dead. The safe must have exploded just as Georgina planned. But Johnny thinks Nancy has set up Georgina only we don’t know how. He’s on the way to the hospital to warn her.’
‘I’ve got to sit down,’ Benjamin said.
Charlotte followed him to the sofa and slumped beside him.
‘What do you think Nancy has done?’ she asked.
‘I’ve no idea, Charlotte, but I’m sure we we’ll find out very soon.’
*
Georgina had pulled herself together before the young nurse had returned with a cup of tea. She walked over to David’s bedside and gazed lovingly at him. But she knew she couldn’t stay. Someone had got her to the hospital under false pretences and she guessed Nancy was behind it, though why, she wasn’t sure.
As she turned to walk away, she saw two suited and official-looking men walking purposely towards her. There was nothing she could do to avoid them. She was trapped and cornered.
Georgina placed her hand inside her clutch bag and wrapped her hand around her gun. She had no idea who these men were but if Nancy had sent them to kill her, then she’d shoot her way out if she had to.
‘Miss Garrett,’ the older of the two said, ‘please come quietly with us. We’d like to avoid causing a scene.’
‘Who are you?’ she asked, standing firm. She was aware that all the medical staff were watching the scene unfold. If these men wanted her dead, they weren’t likely to kill her in a crowded hospital.
‘We’re police officers. You’re under arrest. Come quietly and I won’t cuff you until we’re outside,’ the man said showing her his identification.
Georgina’s heart sank and she walked through the hospital with an officer on each side. One of them had a firm grip of her arm.
‘You’ve been pissing off a few people,’ he said quietly to her, ‘and now we’ve got enough to send you down for a very long time.’
‘You’ve got nothing on me,’ she answered boldly.
‘Oh, yes we have, thanks to a good citizen. We’ve got evidence of counterfeit money production and fake petrol coupons run off your printing press. The government doesn’t take kindly to that sort of activity, especially during times of war. You’re coming to the station and then straight to the Old Bailey in the morning,’ he said and handcuffed her hands behind her back.
The young nurse came running towards them and though she looked confused at seeing Georgina in handcuffs, she said breathlessly, ‘He’s awake, Miss Garrett. Mr Maynard is fully conscious.’
Georgina felt tears prick her eyes but wouldn’t allow them to fall.
The policeman pulled on her arm. ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘you can write to him from prison.’
Georgina knew she had no choice and could guess who the so-called Good Samaritan was. But at least she’d serve her time knowing that David was going to make it.
As they came to the entrance of the hospital, she saw Victor go to draw his gun and covertly shook her head. She didn’t want him going down as well. The plain-clothed officers led her to their car and as they put her in the back seat, she heard tyres screeching and saw Johnny’s car come to a sharp halt behind hers. Johnny jumped out of the car and Victor rushed to him. They exchanged a few words and then as the police car drove past them, she saw the look of despair in their eyes.
‘I will be back,’ she mouthed silently to them but wasn’t sure if they had understood. And though she had every intention of returning to run the business, she was unsure of what she would come back to. Would her small empire still be standing after she’d spent years languishing in jail? Who would run it in her absence? Charlotte wasn’t ready yet and Johnny wasn’t astute enough. Benjamin didn’t have the bottle and Victor didn’t have the brains. But David was awake. She’d get word to him. He would look after her interests. And she hoped he’d wait for her too.
As the police car drove towards the City of London, thoughts of Georgina’s children went through her mind and once again, she fought back tears. By the time she would be released from prison, the war would be over and her children would have forgotten her. They wouldn’t know who she was, especially Selina. But at least they were safe with Lash’s family. It was little consolation but there was one thought that did make Georgina smile and now she’d seen Johnny, she knew her plan had worked. Nancy was dead. Georgina hoped the woman’s head had been blown off in the explosion she’d had rigged. She trusted Johnny would clean up the mess.
‘This will be your home for the night,’ the policeman said as they pulled up outside the police station.
Georgina recalled the terrifying memory of the last time she’d been held in a police cell. But she wouldn’t let the filthy bastards hurt her again. She was stronger now. She’d got her retribution for what they’d done to her and if it happened again, she’d ensure that each and every copper in the building would pay for it with their lives.
‘And don’t think your local sergeant will be getting you out of this. We know he’s your friend but he doesn’t have any jurisdiction here. This is well above his pay scale but I think you already know that.’
Georgina walked into the police station with her head held high. There were whispers and titters and even a round of applause for the arresting officers. After being walked through the station like a prize won at the fair, she was taken downstairs to the cells.
Georgina’s body tensed as she waited for the cell door to be opened.
‘You treat us with respect and we will do the same to you,’ the younger officer said.
‘You won’t get any trouble from me,’ she replied, thinking her father would be turning in his grave. He hated the Old Bill and believed they were all bent. Georgina agreed with his sentiments but she’d learned how to manipulate people and situations.
‘You know they’re gonna throw the book at you.’
‘Yes, I’m sure the judge won’t spare me any leniency.’
‘There’s already reporters outside. The papers are going to be full of your name.’
Then the older copper spoke. ‘Yeah, and Colt here will probably get a promotion.’
‘Congratulations,’ Georgina said sardonically.
Unlike the last time Georgina was put into a cell, she walk
ed in instead of being thrown in. The door slammed shut and she heard the lock turn. There was no escape. No buying her way out. No-one to come to her rescue. This was it. Her life of crime had caught up with her and she was facing a long and lonely internment. But prison wasn’t going to finish her off and as Georgina stared at the cell door, she said to herself, ‘I’ll make sure they don’t forget me. Georgina Garrett will return. And when I do, Battersea had better be ready for me.’
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my fabbie editor, Hannah Smith.
My agent, Judith Murdoch.
And a special mention and thank you to Deryl Easton and the members of the Facebook group, NotRights Book Club.
And a big thank you to BookLover Bev and all the Kitty Neale readers who have embraced my books.
About the Author
SAM MICHAELS writes gritty historical crime sagas set in Battersea, South London, which is where she was born and bred, the council estates being her playground.
After leaving school at sixteen with no qualifications, Sam married soon after and had a son. The marriage ended quickly, and as a single mother, she worked in various retail positions until undertaking an Open University degree. This led to Sam becoming an analytical scientist and then into technical sales where she met her husband.
A few years later, they moved from Hampshire to Spain. It was then that her mother, the Sunday Times best-selling author, Kitty Neale, inspired Sam to put pen to paper. She now writes her novels in sunnier climates with the company of her husband, four dogs and six cats.
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