Tainted Love

‘Inny, Inny. Wha dat?’ Oliver giggled, pressing his chubby finger against his grandfather’s nose.

Little Vinny smirked. ‘That’s the nose of a man who won’t do one small thing to please his son on his wedding day. Never mind, boy. When you’re older and you get married, I’ll do anything to make you happy. That’s what being a dad is all about.’

‘Bye, bye, Michael. I’m so excited now. See you tomorrow,’ Antonio said, before handing the phone back to his mother and jumping up and down on the sofa with joy. He’d never had a daddy like his friends did, but whenever he was with Michael, he felt like he did. People always said they looked alike and Antonio loved that. It gave him a sense of belonging.

‘Go and play in your bedroom if you’re going to jump about, Antonio. Mummy is trying to talk to Michael.’

When her son skipped out of the room, Bella smiled. ‘He is absolutely over the moon we are all going out tomorrow, Michael. He cried earlier, bless him, when I said you couldn’t make today. He truly adores you as much as I do.’

‘And I adore him too, babe. So sorry about today. I feel guilty now, but there was sod-all I could do about it. It’s family shit that has to be sorted,’ Michael explained. Vinny had sent Carl down to the Cross Keys yesterday evening, but unfortunately Brenda’s loser of a bloke was nowhere to be seen. Michael could have defied Vinny by refusing to cancel his date with Bella in favour of waiting for a phone call, but to be honest, it wasn’t worth the grief. Vinny seemed to have a real hang-up over his relationship with Bella and to put her in front of family business would only cause World War Three.

‘How are your mum and aunt?’ Bella asked.

‘As mad as ever. I haven’t had a chance to tell ’em you’re back from Italy yet, but they’re bound to want to see you when I do. Ava’s living with my mum, so I thought perhaps Sunday week, I’ll pick you and Antonio up and take you over my mum’s for dinner? If I remember rightly, Ava and Antonio were inseparable at Vinny’s fortieth, and Antonio adored the mutt. Fred lives there too,’ Michael chuckled.

Bella’s stomach churned. Ava was Antonio’s half-sister and that thought alone made her feel physically sick. ‘Let’s not rush things, Michael. Don’t tell your mum and aunt I’m back yet. Let me get settled again and then we’ll surprise them together. I can’t wait to see them again though. I thought they were lovely and so funny.’

‘OK, babe. Whatever you want. I’ve gotta go now. There’s a geezer here to see me. I’ll bell you later.’

Bella said goodbye, replaced the receiver, rested the back of her head against the sofa and stared at the ceiling. Living a life littered with lies and deceit was awful, but what choice did she have? She’d tried to live without Michael and couldn’t. She had to keep telling herself that she was the only one that knew the true identity of Antonio’s father and there was no reason for anybody else to believe it wasn’t Clint. Only Vinny, perhaps? And no way was Bella ever going to allow her son to be in his company. She was afraid if she did, Vinny would take one look at her beloved boy and, because of Antonio’s age, black hair and piercing green eyes, put two and two together.

A sunny day always brought droves of shoppers to Roman Road market and the Enemy was pleased that the crowd started to thicken as he walked past Cardigan Road. He’d kept a good twenty feet or so behind Queenie and Vivian since he’d spotted them at Percy Ingle’s and had stopped to browse at stalls whenever they had stopped. Queenie was wearing a floral dress accompanied by a bright-red jacket. Vivian’s dress was bright green, and the silly old cow had some kind of fur draped around her neck. The Enemy liked animals – he’d recently bought a kitten – and in his eyes the fact some poor creature had been skinned alive so that old witch could drape it proudly over her shoulders was a good enough reason to kill her.

Spotting a gorgeous blonde, the Enemy began to smile at her before realizing there was no point as he was in this ridiculous disguise. Had he not been, he reckoned he could have been in with a chance. He’d always had all the girls at school after him and he hadn’t done too bad while locked up. He’d lost his virginity to a twenty-five-year-old brunette called Dawn who was meant to be teaching him art. He’d been a hero amongst the other inmates when their affair had come to light. Dawn hadn’t though. She was fired on the spot.

When Queenie and Viv did a detour into the arcade, the Enemy decided to wait outside and order himself a jacket potato. He wasn’t hungry, but the less conspicuous he made himself look, the better. He was determined to carry out his plan today. Fucking hard-faced old slappers. They deserved everything coming their way.

Shirley Preston feared nobody. When her grandson Jamie had been falsely accused and then subsequently banged up for murdering Molly Butler, Shirley had dealt with the barrage of abuse and bricks aimed through her windows by chucking abuse back, along with the bloody bricks.

The police had strongly advised Shirley to take up their offer of a safe house far away from Poplar, but Shirley was having none of it. Unlike her parents, she’d survived the war and Hitler’s bombs, so could bloody survive anything. To run away would have been a sign of guilt and even though, at first, the evidence had been stacked against her grandson, Shirley had always known in her heart Jamie was innocent. A silly boy at the time for leading the police up the garden path, but no child killer.

Roman Road wasn’t Shirley’s usual stomping ground. She much preferred to shop at Chrisp Street market, but today was her friend Madge’s sixtieth birthday, hence her visit to Bow. ‘I like that top, Shirl. The glittery silver one,’ Madge pointed out.

About to take a closer look, Shirley was struck in the side of the head by a fist. ‘How dare you show your face around this neck of the woods! Scum like you and that grandson of yours should be hung from the rafters,’ Queenie Butler screamed.

The Butler and Preston family had more bad blood and betrayal between them than your average soap on TV could produce in a whole year.

Shirley’s lip curled up in fury. ‘He’s innocent, my Jamie, you senile old bat. You wanna look closer to home to find your granddaughter’s killer. Jamie heard through the grapevine that Ben Bloggs killed himself on the day of Molly’s funeral. I wonder why?’ she bellowed.

Shoppers froze and looked on in amazement as all hell broke loose. ‘Your son killed my Roy,’ Queenie yelled, dragging Shirley to the floor by her hair.

‘And your Vinny killed my Joanna and Johnny,’ Shirley shouted. The driver of the red truck that had ploughed her granddaughter’s car into a ditch had never been caught and Shirley knew in her heart that Vinny had organized Joanna’s death. Her son Johnny had been a broken man and had ended his own life shortly afterwards.

As Madge waded in, Vivian did the same. ‘Get off my sister, you fat slut,’ Vivian screamed, aiming blows at the over-sized woman. ‘Your whore of a daughter ended my sister’s marriage,’ she bellowed, punching Shirley as well. Back in the sixties, Albie Butler had had an affair with Judy Preston, Shirley’s daughter. Jamie was the child the Butlers had never known existed until he killed Molly.

When stallholders joined the fracas, the Enemy cursed his luck. Should he hang around? Or would his urge to murder a Butler have to wait until another day? In this crowd no one would see who struck the final blow …

CHAPTER NINE

‘Put another ten kilo on for me, Jay,’ Vinny ordered. He’d originally caught the training bug while serving time and now couldn’t imagine life without his regular gym sessions.

‘I spoke to Michael yesterday. You didn’t tell me Bella was back on the scene, Vin.’

Grimacing as he lifted the overloaded bar above his head, Vinny hissed, ‘She’s a slapper and a messer. Don’t you think I have better things to talk about than her?’

A bit taken aback by the look of hatred on Vinny’s face, Jay Boy sensibly dropped the subject.

‘I need to make a phone call. I won’t be a tick,’ Vinny said.

Vinny took his phone out of the locker and rang Michael. ‘We’re gonna sort out that little problem today. It’s definitely a goer. I’ll pick you up from your club at four.’

‘No way can I make today, Vin. I had to blow Bella out yesterday ’cause you said it was definitely a goer then. I’m not cancelling my plans again.’

‘You wuss! Can you hear your fucking self? Get a grip, Michael. Your bit of fluff sodded off for months on end with no real explanation, and now you wanna put her in front of family business. What are you? A man or a fucking mouse?’

When Michael slammed the phone down on him, Vinny smirked. His brother would blow Bella out in favour of giving Brenda’s bloke a good hiding, and that was the plan.

Nosy Hilda and Mouthy Maureen loved a bit of gossip, and today’s was far juicer than most. Neither woman particularly liked Queenie or Vivian, but they loved discussing their business.

‘Start from the beginning and talk more slowly. You ramble when you’re excited,’ Maureen ordered her friend.

‘I told you something was going on between Albie and Vivian when I saw them in the pub together, holding hands and gazing into one another’s eyes. Well, Queenie’s obviously cottoned on because it all kicked off down the Roman yesterday. Old Mother Taylor told me Jewish Harold on the clothes stall told her that Queenie yelled “You’ve stolen my husband!” Apparently, they were rolling about the pavement like a pair of fishwives, fighting.’

‘Blimey! That’s a turn up for the books. Let’s go for a walk around Mr Patel’s. Queenie usually gets her paper about nine-ish. Be good to hear what happened from the horse’s mouth. The stuck-up old cow might even want to be friends with us now if her own sister’s stabbed her in the back.’

‘Can you imagine Viv and Albie humping? Makes me feel ill. I’ll get me coat. Let’s go.’

‘Michael!’ Antonio D’Angelo squealed with delight as he threw his arms around the man he hoped would one day marry his mum and become his daddy.

‘It’s so good to see you, Antonio. I’ve missed you and your mum so much. Open your presents, boy,’ Michael urged.

‘You really shouldn’t have bought him gifts, Michael. He has everything a child could wish for as it is,’ Bella chuckled.

Gesticulating for Bella to follow him into the kitchen, Michael took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. Even in a red velour tracksuit, she looked simply stunning. ‘I’m so sorry I can’t make the restaurant, babe. It’s a long story but my sister’s had some grief with her bloke. I’m gonna have to shoot off about three, if that’s OK with you?’

Bella forced a smile. She knew exactly the way Vinny’s evil mind ticked and what he was trying to do. ‘That’s fine, Michael. Family comes before pleasure.’

‘Here she is! Say what you said you was gonna say,’ Mouthy Maureen hissed.

As Queenie approached the newsagent’s, the first thing Nosy Hilda noticed was her black eye. ‘Oh dear! Are you OK, Queen? I heard what happened. You must be distraught. I mean, who’d have thought it? Your Albie and Vivvy. I was gonna tell you when I saw them holding hands in the pub, but you know me, I don’t like to gossip about other people’s business.’

Queenie looked at Hilda in astonishment. It wouldn’t be the first time the ugly scarf-wearing old hag had got the wrong end of the stick. ‘What the hell you going on about? I had a tear-up with Shirley Preston, not my Viv. Albie and Vivvy holding hands in the pub! When? And what fucking pub?’

‘Sorry, Queen. We’ve obviously got the story arse-upwards.’ Mouthy Maureen tugged her friend’s arm. ‘Come on, Hilda. Let’s go.’

Vivian had offered to keep an eye on Ava and the horrid little mutt while her sister went out to get the newspapers and some eggs. ‘Put the ratpig in the garden, Ava,’ she ordered as the dog tried to hump her left leg.

‘His name’s Fred, not Ratpig! And he’s got his dingle-dangle out again, Auntie Viv,’ Ava giggled.

‘Just do as I say, Ava, please. Now!’

‘Ava, take Fred upstairs. I need to have a word with your Auntie Viv,’ Queenie yelled, slamming the front door. She’d chased Hilda and Maureen down the road demanding answers when they’d tried to swerve their accusations.

‘Whatever’s wrong?’ Vivian asked.

‘You cosying up to Albie in the Grave Maurice, holding fucking hands, Viv, is what’s wrong. A laughing stock, I am, thanks to you and that womanizing old wanker. How long you been seeing him behind my back?’ Queenie yelled, her eyes blazing with fury.

Vivian leapt off the sofa. ‘Don’t talk so bleedin’ daft. You’ve lost the plot, you have.’

‘That nosy old trout Hilda told me exactly what she saw, and she’d be too scared to lie. I don’t care about my feelings, what I care about is my sons’. Mouthy Maureen knows an’ all. Can you imagine who else must know if them two old crows have been talking about it? My Vinny and Michael have worked bloody hard to secure their reputation and I am disgusted with you, Viv. Albie, of all people! I knew you’d warmed to the old goat, but truth be known, it was all your fault that our marriage failed. Did you always have designs on him for yourself? Well! Did ya?’

‘I’m not listening to any more of this old bollocks. I had a quick drink in the Maurice with Albie when me and you fell out recently. He was trying to cheer me up – end of! And of course I wasn’t holding his bastard hand. Nosy Hilda must want her eyes fucking tested. As for you blaming me for ending your marriage, look closer to home, sweetheart. That murdering monster of a son of yours lost you your husband. Not me. Just like he lost me my Lenny. Like it or lump it, your precious apron-string clinger is a complete and utter wrong ’un.’

‘All right, bruv? The prick’s deffo in the Keys today. Carl’s already there,’ Vinny explained.

Having spent a bit of quality time with Bella and Antonio, Michael decided not to moan. ‘Sweet. At least we can get this done and dusted today. Don’t go overboard on him though, Vin. I know what your temper’s like, and Bren will know it’s us if the tosser disappears off the face of the earth.’

‘I won’t. Just wanna give him a firm warning. You heard from Mum? She’s in a right old state. Reckons Auntie Viv’s been having it off with our wonderful father. I told her she must be wrong, but you know what Mum’s like once she gets a bee in her bonnet. It better not be true, otherwise that old bastard will truly pay for his sins this time.’

‘Of course it ain’t true. And if you dare lay one finger on Dad, you’ll have me to answer to, Vin. When you last duffed him up, I was only a nipper. Be warned. I’m not now.’

Vinny chuckled. Albie had spent weeks in hospital when Vinny had learned of his affair with Judy Preston, and it served him right. ‘How’s your stalker? You heard any more?’

Michael was absolutely relieved to have gotten rid of Katy. ‘Not a peep, thank Christ. I think the grand did the trick.’

‘You’ll be lucky! She’ll reappear as soon as she finds out you’re seeing Bella. Nothing worse than a scorned young psycho,’ Vinny taunted.

Michael glared at his elder brother. ‘What is it that pisses you off so much about me being happy with a bird? Didn’t you also try and split Roy and Colleen up in the past, if I remember rightly? Just because you can’t find love, Vin, you shouldn’t be bitter towards others.’

Wanting to yell that he too knew every part of Bella’s body inch by inch, Vinny instead put his foot on the accelerator and said nothing.

Albie Butler had a Sunday routine. After finishing work at the club, he’d always pop into the Blind Beggar and have a catch-up with a few old pals before heading home to Barking.

‘Does it still get busy with those strippers, Albie? I’m surprised your heart can take ogling all that young flesh at your age,’ Big Stan joked.

About to reply, Albie was drenched by his own pint of Guinness. ‘What the hell! Why d’ya do that?’

‘Because you disgust me, you dirty old toad. And so does that so-called sister of mine. I know what the pair of you have been up to,’ Queenie yelled, clouting Albie around the head with her umbrella.

Holding Fred’s lead, Ava was standing behind her nan, giggling.

‘You’re deranged! Always bleedin’ well have been. Me and Vivvy! Don’t make me laugh. Ruined my suit now, you daft old bat.’

Queenie sneered, hands on hips. She loathed the thought of Nosy Hilda and Mouthy Maureen spreading gossip about how she’d been betrayed, which was why she’d decided to come to the pub and spread the word herself in true Queenie style. She’d give the bastards something to talk about, all right.

By the time he got to Dagenham, Vinny Butler was in a foul mood. He and Michael had been having a dig at one another throughout the journey and were now bickering over the wedding suits.

‘We’re gonna look a right pair of tossers, end of. You should’ve backed me rather than telling my son you were happy to wear the bastard thing. Why tell him you liked it when you’d already told me you hated the poxy suit?’ Vinny demanded to know.

‘Does it matter? Jesus, Vin, we’ve only got to wear it for one day. Get a grip, will ya?’

‘Gonna be a laughing stock, all thanks to you. You might be happy prancing around looking like a gay hairdresser, but I fucking well ain’t.’

‘Enough about the suits now, Vin. Can we discuss what we’ve planned for Dave? Only I know what you’re like when you’re in this type of mood, and the last thing I’m short of is you going overboard and snapping his neck.’

‘I’m hardly gonna touch him. Well, not where bruises show anyway. Carl will get him out the boozer. He does most of his dealing in the car park, by all accounts. We’ll drag him into the graveyard and give him a good warning about his future conduct. That’s about it really.’

The men continued their journey in silence and five minutes later were parked up next to Carl. Carl got out of his motor and stepped into Vinny’s Mercedes. ‘He’s still in there, but looks a bit pissed. I suggest I get him out now before he collapses,’ said Carl.

‘How do we know he’s going to come outside and hand over drugs to a complete stranger?’ Michael asked.

‘He will. I got introduced to the prick the other night and bought him a beer.’

Michael glared accusingly at Vinny. ‘But you said he weren’t in the pub any of the other nights.’

Realizing he’d slipped up, Carl Tanner immediately covered his tracks. He had no idea why Vinny had sent him to the pub on three different days, yet still not acted on Carl being present. Vinny was his boss and Carl simply did as he was asked. ‘Dave had too many hangers-on with him before, Michael. It wouldn’t have been the right time. I told Vinny it was sensible to leave him be.’

Not overly convinced by Carl’s explanation, Michael demanded, ‘What we waiting for then?’

Dave Green was standing at the corner of the bar having a rant about the West Ham result when Carl approached him. Brenda had always been the one to advise him who he should and shouldn’t trust, but she was barred from the Keys now so he had to make his own choices and happily followed Carl outside.

Vinny leapt out of the car and dragged Dave into the graveyard by his neck. ‘Like knocking women about, do ya? Answer me, cunt,’ he yelled, kneeing Dave ferociously in the groin.

Michael gave Dave a sharp dig in the ribs. ‘Nobody hurts our sister and puts her in hospital. Understand what we’re saying?’

Eyes like organ stops, Dave fell to the ground and covered his head with his hands. ‘I’m sorry. Really sorry. I love Bren and it will never happen again,’ he stammered.

Crouching next to the terrified waste of space, Vinny took a flick knife out of his pocket. ‘Get your cock out.’

‘No. Please God noooo! I really am sorry, Vinny. Truly I am,’ Dave wept.

‘Do as I say or I’ll slit your throat,’ Vinny demanded. He loved terrorizing the less fortunate, got off on it completely.

Hands shaking so much he could barely unzip his flies, Dave Green somehow managed to do as he was asked.

Vinny held the blade against the loser’s manhood. ‘I swear to you, you ever lay a hand on my sister or upset her kids again, I will dismember this little tinkler. And you’re not going to mention to Brenda that you’ve been paid a visit. Comprende?’

‘Yes. Y-you have my word I will never upset Bren or the kids again,’ Dave gabbled. He’d never sobered up so quickly.

‘Let’s go,’ Michael urged.

Unable to help himself, Vinny stood up and stamped on Dave’s penis with all his might. He then did the same to the man’s stomach.

Not for the first time, Michael had to witness his brother losing his rag completely and with the help of Carl managed to drag him away before they had another murder on their hands. Vinny was such a loose cannon on occasions, he really was.

Vivian Harris stared forlornly at the television. Brookside, EastEnders, The Two Ronnies, This Is Your Life and Only Fools and Horses were just some of the programmes she and Queenie always watched together, and viewing them alone was no fun at all.

Pouring herself another sherry, Vivian sighed with discontent. Her and Queenie had been inseparable since they were kids. Their father had been a drunken bully who’d beaten their lovely mum up regularly, therefore she and Queenie had always sought solace in each other. They’d had some fall-outs over the years, like all sisters do. None more so than when it turned out Vinny had killed her beloved Lenny in that car crash. But they’d always managed to put things right between themselves, until now.

When the phone rang, Vivian guessed who the caller would be. She and Queenie had never needed friends. They’d always been content with each other.

‘How are you, love? Cheered up a bit today?’

‘I’m not too bad, thanks, Albie. I rung Little Vinny about an hour ago. Told him no way can I face the wedding. She’ll only go off on one again. Not worth the grief or spoiling that poor boy’s big day.’

‘Apparently, she’s told Michael if either you or I attend, she ain’t going. Ain’t it ridiculous, Vivvy? A load of fuss over nothing. The woman’s gone off her bleedin’ head. Bonkers!’

When Albie stayed on the phone chatting for the next half an hour, he cheered Vivian up no end. Unbeknown to anyone, she’d always had a soft spot for him, and he was the only friend she had right now.

CHAPTER TEN

As spring turned into summer, the Butlers remained in turmoil. Queenie still hadn’t spoken to Albie or Vivian and continued to insist that she wouldn’t attend her grandson’s wedding if either turncoat attended.

Today, Little Vinny had decided to visit his nan with Oliver in an effort to make her see sense. He was sick of all the childishness. It was spoiling what should be a happy time for him.

‘Ain’t he grown! Gonna be a tall ’un like you, your father and Michael. Give your nan another cuddle, Ollie. She’s far more important than that scruffy mutt,’ Queenie chuckled.

When Oliver tried to pull Fred’s tail, Little Vinny gently scolded his son, then ordered him to go and play nicely in the garden. ‘I bought you these, Nan,’ Little Vinny said, handing Queenie a box of Milk Tray and a bottle of Baileys.

‘Aww, bless you. But I’ve told you before to stop spending your bleedin’ money on me,’ Queenie said, secretly pleased with her gifts. Her grandson had been a selfish little sod in his youth, had never even bought her a card when he’d lived with her. He’d changed so much since meeting Sammi-Lou and having a child himself though. Turned into a real charming, generous, young man.

‘Nan, we need to talk about my wedding. All this silliness going on is upsetting me and Sammi-Lou. I will be devastated if you don’t attend. It will truly spoil my whole day.’

‘I’m not sitting in church with them two traitors, boy. Either you uninvite them or I won’t come. I would hate it to all kick off and your big day be ruined. What would Sammi’s parents think? Be shameful.’