Mickey's Way

by Karen Clow

  An hour later she appeared in the lounge, carrying a tray of tea, complete with hot scones, jam and butter just as the film was about to start. Billy jumped to his feet to help her and looking at the contents on the tray.

  “Blimey more grub, if you ever feel the need for a house boy, body guard, or child minder in the future just let me know babe, because I’m your man!”

  Everyone laughed.

  Maria thanked him for his help.

  “Stop arse licking Billy” joked Mickey, “anyone would think you never ate a hot scone!”

  “Believe me Mickey, if it doesn’t come out of a box, bag, or the freezer, I don’t eat it! I can tell you all feel sorry for me, but compared to what I eat this is like a five star hotel!”

  “Fuck me you’ll have us all in fucking tears in a minute, so sit down, stuff your face and watch the film, it’s just starting!”

  Everyone laughed as Billy took a plate and put a scone on it.

  By one o’clock everyone was in bed. Mickey hadn’t forgotten what she had said earlier about not wanting to say what was bothering her, but as he snuggled up to her he noticed that she was just lying there staring at the ceiling. Reaching over he pulled her close to him and asked her what was bothering her. He was stunned when she said that there were times when she thought he still liked Monica. Instantly he asked why she would even think that. It was simply because he joked with her and there were sometimes sexual references. He knew that with everything that had happened she was simply feeling a bit vulnerable, but once everything settled down she’d be fine.

  “I hope you’re right, because I feel as though I’m in turmoil. I’m so afraid and I know I said no to a body guard before, but I’ve been seriously thinking about it. When we were downstairs tonight do you think Billy was just joking, or do you think he would consider staying on permanently?”

  Now it was Mickey’s turn to feel insecure. He had been serious about it, but not Billy.

  “Why not him Mickey, he hasn’t got any ties; the girls think he’s great, even Rosie likes him.”

  “What about you Maria, how do you feel about him?”

  “I really like him, he’s funny, tough, likable, I’m happy that he’s here, he’s fitted in with the family.”

  Then Mickey said something that surprised even her.

  “Maybe you like him a bit too much, I’m not blind Maria. I’ve seen you chatting to him; laughing and joking maybe we should get one of the other lads down and let Billy go back to the club?”

  Totally horrified with his snidey accusation, she rolled over with her back to him and snapped, “Goodnight Mickey, we’ve got nothing to discuss!”

  “What’s the matter, have I hit a nerve?”

  Getting out of the bed she snapped that if he was going to act like an arsehole she would sleep in the spare room.

  “Wait babe, please babe, get back in the bed, I’m sorry and you’re right I’m an arsehole!”

  Although she got back in the bed, she stayed sitting up. When he tried to cuddle her, she did not reciprocate his affections, so he tried again, but still she sat there unresponsive. Finally she broke down.

  “I thought you were different Mickey, but you’re not. I should have stayed on my own and then I would never have conversations like this to deal with.”

  “Babe I was out of order, I’m tired that’s all, it’s been a stressful time for both of us. I’ve said I’m sorry and I meant it.”

  “For the first time in my life, I thought I could actually be myself, because you led me to believe that I could, but I was wrong you’re just like Jimmy!”

  Taking offence at her attitude, he looked angry he asked what she meant by being herself.

  “When I was with him I never admitted to liking any man, be it only on a friendship level. I never felt comfortable enough to laugh and joke with any man, including you! Jimmy always misinterpreted it as something it wasn’t. God Mickey, he even accused me of having an affair with you and now you’re doing it!”

  Suddenly he felt humbled by what she’d said. He remembered what Jimmy had been like and how he’d hated him for it. Gently he touched her face and said he was sorry, he knew she didn’t want Billy and he shouldn’t have said it. Truth was he didn’t know why he had. He wanted her to be herself and not have to act around him. Tears rolling down her beautiful face she asked if he trusted her.

  “Hundred percent babe; you’ve never given me reason not to.”

  “Then never say anything like that again, unless I’ve given you good reason.”

  Pulling her down in the bed he kissed her. This time she did reciprocate, within seconds his hands were all over her. It was clear to both of them that they would make love.

  CHAPTER 15

  Saturday morning saw the arrival of the workmen. Mickey took them out tea because he had left Maria in bed sleeping.

  When she came downstairs at nine thirty, Madeline told her they were going to feed the ponies. Sarah was coming over at ten.

  Fifteen minutes later, Mary and Den were getting ready to take them. The twins said they wanted Billy to go with them.

  “I am coming with you” said Billy, “I’m just finishing my tea first.”

  “You’re a hit with my girls Billy, if we ever seriously thought about a body guard would you be interested?” asked Mickey.

  “I’d apply for the job, your girls are a hit with me too and even if they weren’t, Maria’s cooking would swing it!”

  Everyone laughed. Maria knew that it was Mickey’s way of saying he also liked and approved of Billy and that what he had said the night before meant nothing; it had been said in the heat of the moment.

  They decided to stay home for the day. Mickey asked the girls if they fancied a swim. Instantly they both replied, “Yes,” they loved being in the pool.

  He lent Billy a pair of swimming trunks as he had forgotten to pack his. Mary and Den said they would watch, as did Maria. They laughed, as the two men lifted the girls up onto their shoulders and had a play fight.

  They returned to the house around five. Swimming always wore the twins out, by seven they were both fast asleep in bed.

  After watching the late film the adults turned in for bed around one.

  Billy was woken about three o’clock that morning by Rosie barking. Getting up he made his way downstairs to investigate. Although he thought it was probably a fox or a badger, he decided not to turn on the lights, just in case it was an intruder. Following the sound of Rosie’s barking, he made his way into the dining room. Straining his eyes to see outside, it was pitch black, the countryside had no street lighting like London. Suddenly he caught sight of something moving about outside the door, just a shadow, silhouetted against the waning moon. He picked up a heavy bronze statue from the side board as a weapon, before opening the patio door. Immediately Rosie shot out into the darkness. Moments later, Billy heard a male voice shouting. It was obvious by the noises that Rosie had got someone. Billy rushed out into the darkness, barely able to see until a security light went on. Suddenly, he became aware that Rosie was attacking someone on the grass. Running towards them, he swung the statue at the intruder hitting him in the face.

  Inside the house, the other four adults were by then awake and aware that something was happening. Mickey told the two women to stay with the girls in their bedroom, then grabbing a baseball bat from alongside the wardrobe he hurried down the stairs. His dad was already waiting at the bottom. Mickey shouted for him to turn the outside lights on.

  As the grounds lit up, they could see Billy beating down on someone with Rosie still attacking. Mickey ran over to them, telling Billy to stop and let the bloke up. The intruders face was covered in blood from the beating Billy had given him. Rosie was still biting at his legs as Mickey called her off. Assessing the situation, he told Billy to take the bloke to the pool house. He would go back to the house and tell the others what was going on.

  When he turned to leave, Billy called over to him and asked him to brin
g his jeans and jumper backs with him. He was freezing having chased the bloke in just his boxer shorts.

  Mickey went straight upstairs to let them know that everything was ok. Fortunately, the twins had not heard anything. By the time they’d woken up, Billy had caught the intruder, so all they heard was the dog barking. When they asked where Rosie was, Mickey said she’d gone after a fox and she’d be back in a minute.

  He told Maria and his mum to stay with the kids. He would send Rosie back up. Maria walked to the bedroom door with him and quietly asked what had happened.

  “Just some drunk who wandered onto the grounds babe, there doesn’t appear to be any signs of a break in, we’re going to talk to him.”

  “Call the police Mickey.”

  “It’s nothing babe, we’ll deal with it; now get in Melanie’s bed and get some sleep.”

  Crossing over the landing to Billy’s room, he grabbed him his clothes. Rosie was sitting by the patio door when he returned downstairs. Ordering her back upstairs, he went outside. Noticing a holdall lying on the patio, he picked it up and looked in it; inside were several wads of money. Carrying it, along with his bat and Billy’s clothes, he headed for the pool house.

  As he entered he could see Billy and Den standing in front of a young man, his face was swollen and covered in blood. Obviously terrified he was visibly shaking. They had gagged him and tied him to a patio chair. Mickey looked down on him and in an aggressive manner asked who the fuck he was what he was doing on his property? Pulling the blokes gag down he had five seconds to tell him or his head was going to have a run in with his bat. Intimidatingly, he swung the bat into the palm of his other hand.

  The intruder tried to speak, but he had blood in his mouth from having the inside of his cheek ripped when Billy had he hit him with the statue. Mickey asked Billy to get the bloke a glass of water.

  Moments later, Mickey was tipping the glass up to his mouth and telling him to spit out the blood.

  “You better start fucking talking boy, because my batting arm is getting heavy!”

  “Please, don’t kill me,” pleaded the bloke “I’ve brought the money back!” “What fucking money?”

  The intruder tried to reply, finding it difficult to talk because his mouth was filling with blood. After spitting another mouthful of blood out onto the pool room floor, he said the ransom money. Mickey asked his name.

  Before answering “Dudley Carville,” the bloke spat out more blood.

  On hearing his name, Billy landed a left hook on his jaw. Screaming in agony from the pain he rocked back and forth in the chair. Mickey told Billy to lie off.

  “So Dudley fucking Carville, you’re the fucking brave bastard who took my kids?”

  “Please, I’m begging you, don’t kill me! I left the money in a holdall by the side of the patio door; I never hurt your kids. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

  “You didn’t hurt my kids, so you think that makes it ok? They were fucking terrified, they’re fucking four years old you bastard! Tell me who paid for the job!”

  “I swear I don’t know,” desperately he tried to talk but he kept choking on his blood and had to keep spitting it out. “Some bloke contacted Spider and said did he want to know what really happened to his dad. I didn’t go with him, Beth did! Spider said some big fucking half cast bloke met them in a bar in the West End, he told Spider some bloke had his old man topped in prison, because he didn’t want to pay some fucking money or something. According to Spider, his old man was innocent, but he took the rap for some big bloke he worked for, something like that?”

  He began choking again. Mickey told Billy to untie one of his hands so he could hold the water himself. Then he picked up a towel that was lying on another chair and passed it to him.

  Dudley wiped his mouth and sipped the water. Mickey ordered him to carry on.

  “Spider went to some club in the West End a few times after that first meeting with the half cast. Spider never said a name and every time Beth went with him. They only met the half cast bloke, but he wasn’t the boss. Spider was told the bloke who did the books at the time his dad went to prison, was meant to pay his old man twenty grand and then three hundred every month to Spider’s mum for her and the kids, but she said she never saw a penny of the money, because his dad was murdered the debt was never paid.”

  “I was the fucking book keeper” snarled Den “and that lying whore got her money and three hundred every month for five years after Joey was killed! She always was a fucking bitch, so why did this West End bloke want Spider to know all this?”

  “I asked Spider that, he said the half cast told him the book keeper was dead, but he had a rich son who had caused some grief for his boss in the past. I don’t know, something to do with his granddad or something? That’s all I know, I swear I never wanted any part in kidnapping, but I didn’t have a choice!”

  “You had a fucking choice,” snapped Billy “but you made the wrong one!”

  Mickey asked Dudley who killed Spider and Beth?

  “The half cast and another bloke, it was after they’d dropped the money off, we met back at Beth’s flat. Spider said the West End bloke had believed that it was you who’d come up short on the money. Spider and Beth took some ecstasy, I went for a piss, next thing I know all fucking hell broke loose! I watched through a crack in the door frame. Beth was already high from the ecstasy, when two fucking big blokes burst in. Spider tried to run, but the big black guy grabbed him and jabbed a needle in his arm. Then they did the same to Beth, they didn’t know I was there, I thought they would just leave, but they took Spider and Beth with them. Next thing, their bodies had been found, so I’ve been hiding at my mate Gary’s and then when that undercover cop showed up, (they knew he was referring to Lenny) and the two heavies jumped him. I knew they were going to kill me and that’s why I brought my share of the cash back, I don’t want it!”

  “Did you ever hear any names dropped? Think carefully Dudley your life depends on it!”

  Still shaking he tried to remember, as he looked down at his jacket and realised it was covered in blood, as was the floor. After coughing up more blood he said, “One of the heavies who killed Spider was called Nathan, but I’m not sure which one, I only heard the name not who said it.”

  Billy looked at the others and said, “Isn’t that the name of Davy Sheridan’s gorilla?”

  “Yes,” said Mickey “this whole fucking thing stinks of the fucking Sheridan’s. Killing Jimmy was one thing, taking my fucking kids is another and that bastard Davy has gone too fucking far this time! Anything else you can remember Dudley, like what happened to Beth and Spiders share of the money?”

  “The two blokes took it.”

  “How come they didn’t take your share?” said Billy “and you said the big black guy? Do you mean the half cast?

  “No, one was black and one was half cast. I’d already taken my money and put it in a carrier bag, they just picked up Spider’s bag and they didn’t count it, so they must have thought it was all there. I’ve told you everything I know, are you going to let me go now?”

  “Let you go,” snarled Mickey aggressively “you took my fucking kids! Did you really think I was going to let you get away with it?”

  Dudley started screaming and trying to free himself. Billy restrained him and retied his hand to the chair, before pulling the gag back over his mouth.

  The chair was almost lifting off the floor as Dudley struggled. Mickey walked over to a cupboard and took out a new pack of towels, carefully opening them so as not to tear the polythene bag. Then placing the towels back in the cupboard, he walked back towards the others. Dudley was frantic with terror, he made noises through the gag and rocked the chair frantically, he knew he was about to die.

  Mickey walked round behind the chair and stood behind him.

  “Think yourself lucky I’m not clubbing you to death; it’s only because my kids said you gave them something to eat I’m not!”

  Then he opened the bag and pu
shed it down over Dudley’s head. The other two men just stood and watched as Dudley frantically moved his feet to try and lift the chair up so he could escape his executioners grip, but his effort was futile. Mickey had pulled the bag opening tight round his neck.

  They watched as Dudley gasped his last breaths, before turning blue as the oxygen ran out. Dudley’s body went limp as he slumped down in the chair and Billy said “Rot in hell you fucker!”

  Mickey asked his dad to fetch a tarpaulin from outside the pool house, while they started clearing up the mess. Den returned a while later carrying a large tarpaulin that the workman had used. They laid it out on the pool room floor and put Dudley’s body in it. Between them they cleaned up all the blood and put the chair back. Forty minutes after murdering Dudley, the pool house was exactly how they had found it.

  They carried his body to Billy’s car, throwing it into the boot. Mickey told him to drive to the docks; he would call Terry and tell him Billy was on his way.

  It was almost half five that morning when Billy left and Mickey and his dad went back into the house. They were surprised as they walked in to see their wives waiting in the kitchen. Mary asked them if they wanted a cuppa. Maria just sat there looking at the two men; she noticed Mickey had what looked like blood on the bottom of his trousers and his shoes.

  Mary poured them a tea and asked what was going on? Mickey didn’t reply, he simply asked why they hadn’t gone back to bed. His mum just looked at him and raised her eyebrows. Maria could tell that he was apprehensive to say what had happened, especially when his mum asked where Billy was. Den interrupted, Billy was running an errand and he wouldn’t be long. Mickey walked over and sat with Maria.

  “What happened to the bloke and where’s Billy gone? I want the truth Mickey.”

  Mary told her not to worry about Billy, like they’d said, he was running an errand.

  Suddenly Maria stood up.

  “Stop it all of you!” she shouted “I want the truth I’m not stupid. It’s six o’clock in the morning and I know Billy isn’t running an errand!”