‘Mr Eton, I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him.’ Charlie Eton turned around to see one of his men trying to pull back Alfie Jennings from entering the room. Puzzled, he looked at Alfie, who stood drenched to the skin.
‘It’s fine, you can leave us now.’
‘Are you sure, Mr Eton, because I can get him out if you like?’
Charlie, as was his habit, picked up the nearest object – a chair – and threw it in the direction of his henchman. ‘Get the fuck out of my sight before I do something you won’t like!’
The man scurried away leaving Charlie, red-faced and breathing hard, with Alfie.
‘This is a nice surprise, Alf. I take it you’ve come to a decision.’
Alfie shook his head, hardly able to speak as he stared at Charlie, who stood only in a pair of white faded underpants.
Pulling on a Ralph Lauren purple velvet tracksuit, Charlie gave a sideward look to Alfie.
‘Then to what do I owe the pleasure, because as you told me the last time, my merchandise is a little bit too young for you … You look fucked by the way. Jesus Christ, Alf, what’s going on?’
Pallid and sweating, Alfie’s voice was strained. ‘You need to tell me the truth, Char. I promise it won’t go further than these two walls. Please, just tell me. I don’t want you hiding anything from me.’
‘Alf, calm down. You’re not making sense, mate.’
Trembling, Alfie stared at Charlie, wiping the sweat and the rain off his face. ‘Just tell me if you’ve got one of these as well.’ He pulled out the letter he’d shown Franny, shoving it into Charlie’s hand.
Charlie read it, and shrugged. ‘This is a joke. Some muggy prankster.’
He pushed it back to Alfie, who began to pace.
‘It ain’t a joke, I just know it.’
Still none the wiser, Charlie said, ‘Well who do you think it’s from?’
Alfie’s face turned into a picture of bemusement. He clutched his head, his whole body tense and strained. His voice shaking, loud and anxious, he said, ‘Are you fucking kidding me? Are you being serious? There’s only one person it could be from, and you know it as well as I do. I know it’s from him, and you’re probably gonna get one too—’
‘Alfie mate, it ain’t from him.’ Charlie’s voice held an unusual warmth. ‘Jesus Christ. Look, I know you and me have a lot of agg at the moment over the club, but I don’t want to see you like this. You’re losing it, mate. You need to go home, have a shower and a shave. You’re looking terrible, and I swear, Alf, I don’t know anything about any letters.’
Ignoring what Charlie had to say, Alfie charged over to him, grabbing hold of his tracksuit top and shaking him hard. ‘Char, you’re lying! I know it!’
‘I’m not, and do you know why, mate? Listen to me carefully here. Because they ain’t from him. Now let go of me.’
Blinking, and with a manic, faraway look in his eye, Alfie nodded, dropping his hold. He began to pace up and down again at the same time as Charlie went over to the large black locker in the corner.
Opening the top drawer, Charlie pulled out a bag of cocaine, tapping some out on the side before cutting it up finely. He waved a silver toot at Alfie, still speaking gently to him. ‘Here, mate, take some of this – it looks like you need some.’
Sounding broken, Alfie walked over to where Charlie was standing. ‘Yeah thanks.’ But about to snort a line, Alfie stopped, staring intently at Charlie. ‘You really think it’s not from him?’
‘Jesus, Alf, how many times – of course I don’t.’
A shallow exhalation came from Alfie as he tried to get his breath, shame rushing over him. ‘Cos I’m scared, mate, and I know it’s stupid, but I’m scared.’
Charlie gave a small but genuine smile. ‘I know you are, but it’ll be fine, Alf … I’m here. It’s going to be fine.’
And almost to himself, Alfie nodded, the tears falling down his cheeks as he leant his head on Charlie’s shoulder. ‘It’s going to be fine … it’s going to be fine … it’s going to be fine.’
‘For fuck’s sake! Jesus Christ!’ Vaughn banged on the horn. Fuck! What the fuck did she think she was doing?
‘Get out of the way! Get out of my way!’
Shannon stood in front of the revving car, smiling a semi-toothless grin at Vaughn. She’d seen Bree come out of the flat and although Bree had been with some woman she didn’t know, she’d made up her mind to go and say hello – after all, at one time they’d known each other pretty well – but when she’d seen Vaughn’s car turning around in the street, the thought of getting a lift back to Soho was more inviting than a quick chat with Bree.
It was an absolute touch that she’d seen him. The weather was shit plus she’d spent all her money, so she couldn’t even get a night bus back to town.
She shouted warmly, raising her voice above the pelting rain. ‘What you still doing here, mate? I thought you’d pissed off home?’
Vaughn stared at Shannon and sighed. He’d no hope of catching Franny up now. She was well and truly gone because of some stupid kid. Shit, as sweet as Shannon was, he’d thought that he’d seen the last of her. He certainly didn’t need to babysit some crackhead … Maybe that was a harsh thing to think. He was being unfair. It wasn’t her fault she’d had the life she did, but that didn’t make it any less of a bitter pill to swallow that for one sweet moment, he’d thought he’d got Franny right where he wanted her.
But Christ knows, he couldn’t see the kid out in the street in this weather and especially as it seemed she didn’t really have anywhere to go.
So, with a heavy heart and trying to push down his irritation, Vaughn signalled for Shannon to come around to the passenger side. He shouted back, though not as warmly as she had done. ‘Come on then! Come on if you’re coming! Jesus!’
Jumping in, wired and smiling, Shannon, soaked to the bone, giggled. ‘I thought it was you. You don’t get many gold-coloured Range Rovers round here. You going back to Soho, mate?’
Flatly, Vaughn nodded, smelling the distinct, acrid aroma of burnt crack cocaine coming off Shannon’s breath. ‘It looks like I am, doesn’t it?’
Shannon looked at him oddly, her words slurred from the drugs. ‘You all right? You seem a bit pissed off.’
‘I’m fine. I just saw someone I knew. I was hoping to catch up with them, that’s all.’
Looking out of the window, Shannon absentmindedly murmured, ‘That’s funny.’
Vaughn scowled as he turned a right, heading towards Blackwall Tunnel. ‘What is?’
‘That we both saw someone we knew … not that I’ve seen Bree for ages. One day she just …’
Vaughn slammed on his brakes, sending Shannon flying forward. He swivelled round in his seat to stare at her. ‘Who? Shannon, who did you say?’
Nonplussed, Shannon shrugged. ‘Bree. Back there. I saw her just before I saw you.’
With his mind racing, Vaughn spoke slowly. ‘Shannon, do you know this person’s second name?’
Looking at Vaughn strangely, Shannon nodded. ‘Of course I do. It’s Dwyer. Bree Dwyer.’