Backstabber. Kimberley Chambers

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СКАЧАТЬ loner, Ben Bloggs. Little Vinny would call the shots and Ben would dance to his tune. It was when they got into the skinhead scene that Little Vinny’s behaviour went from bad to worse. He was a lost soul back then and had a ruthless, evil streak. Sniffing glue, getting drunk and smoking cannabis became the norm to him, and he was paranoid and eaten up with jealousy that his father doted on his little sister. So he’d planned three-year-old Molly’s abduction, enlisting Ben’s help, and then callously strangled her – dumping the body in a shallow grave near Hackney Marshes.

      ‘There you are! Are you OK? You’re shaking. I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Did you find the service too upsetting?’ Sammi-Lou asked, her kind face full of concern.

      Panic attack in full flow, Little Vinny took deep breaths like the doctor had once told him to, and nodded his head. What else could he do? Admit that he’d murdered his beautiful little sister and the police had locked up the wrong person?

      The sun continued to shine for the actual burial, then the rain lashed down again.

      ‘Gawd stone the crows! That has to be a sign from Vivvy, boys. She wants us to know she’s OK. I mean, come on, it’s not stopped raining this week, has it? Not up until the hearse arrived.’

      Vinny and Michael glanced at one another. Neither were big believers in the afterlife, but they agreed with their mother, offering words of comfort. If it made their mum feel better to think that Viv had the power to change the bloody weather, then so be it.

      ‘The caterers have done us proud. I belled Nick when I popped to the loo, and he reckons they’ve laid on a feast fit for a king. The seafood display is the bollocks, by all accounts,’ Vinny said.

      Relieved that the funeral was over, Queenie managed a smile. ‘Loved her seafood, did Vivvy. She’d eat winkles like they were going out of style, bless her.’

      Wanting to laugh at his mother’s innocent turn of phrase, Michael instead put his arm around her. ‘Ted’s gonna sing all of Auntie Viv’s favourite songs. I’ve given him a list, and I’ll put money on it she’s looking down singing along with us all, sweetheart.’

      ‘I’ll second that. Gonna be the best wake ever. One that people will still talk about in years to come,’ Vinny insisted.

      Little did Vinny know at that point that the wake would turn out to be the worst in living history. It would be spoken about for many years to come, mind. But for all the wrong reasons.

       CHAPTER SIX

      Vivian’s wake was held at a restaurant in Stratford that Vinny part-owned. His pal Nick ran the gaff and had rearranged the furniture to accommodate the many mourners.

      ‘Ted’s not singing until later. I thought it best that people have a chat and something to eat first. I’ve given him a list of songs that Auntie Viv liked,’ Vinny informed his mother.

      ‘I love that photo of Vivvy. Who got it blown up? She looks so beautiful and radiant, doesn’t she?’ The huge framed photo on the wall had been taken in Queenie’s back garden a couple of years ago.

      ‘Michael sorted it. He said you’re to take it home with you later. Her smile lights up this joint, eh? I’d put money on it she’s here with us in spirit. I can sort of feel her presence, can’t you?’ Vinny said kindly. He knew it was what his mum wanted to hear.

      Queenie nodded, then received a hug from the handsome Eddie Mitchell. Vivvy would be thrilled he’d attended her funeral. She’d always had the hots for Eddie.

      ‘A lovely send-off for a lovely lady, Queenie,’ Eddie gushed.

      ‘Thanks, Eddie. How’s Joycie?’

      ‘You’ve got yourself a fan there. Not stopped raving about you since her party. She tells me you’re going shopping together soon.’

      ‘Yes. We’re going to Lakeside. I’ll give her a bell tomorrow. I couldn’t concentrate on shopping beforehand, not with the funeral looming over me. Will cheer me up no end to see Joycie again.’

      ‘Great stuff. Joycie’s a one-off, like yourself, Queenie. What you see is what you get with her. Be good for you both to pal up and get out and about a bit. Stanley drives her doolally indoors.’

      Spotting a white feather stuck to her shoe, Queenie grabbed Vinny’s arm. ‘Look! Another sign.’ Viv had always believed in the myth surrounding white feathers.

      What neither Queenie nor Vinny realized was there was one almighty sign heading their way, and it was by no means pleasant.

      Mehmet Malas studied the photograph of Vinny Butler. It had been taken many years ago, but Vinny was very distinctive looking and shouldn’t be too hard to pick out of a crowd. ‘How long till we arrive?’ he asked his brother.

      ‘About thirty minutes. No hanging around. Straight in, do the business, then we leave immediately.’

      The Turks continued their journey in silence. All three had been good pals with Ahmed and Burak Zane and it was obvious what had happened to them. Vinny Butler had had it coming to him for a long while, and now he was finally going to get it. If you live by the sword, expect to die by it.

      ‘Slow down a bit, Vin. You haven’t half been knocking them back,’ Sammi-Lou advised her husband. Little Vinny didn’t usually touch alcohol and wasn’t the best drinker in the world on the odd occasion he did.

      ‘Don’t nag me, babe. I need a drink today. Spent a lot of time with Auntie Viv when I was young. I miss her,’ he replied. The real reason he was knocking them back was to recover from the trauma he’d suffered at the church, but he could hardly admit that to Sammi-Lou.

      ‘I think I’ll make a move with the boys if you’re going to get plastered. You can get a cab home later.’

      ‘Stay ’ere and chill. The music’s starting now.’

      Teddy Chapman was a legend on the East End pub and club circuit. He’d once worked at Vinny and Michael’s old haunt in Whitechapel, and kicked his set off with Sinatra’s ‘Fly Me to the Moon’.

      ‘Vivvy loved this song, boy. She would’ve much preferred this played inside the church than Vera bloody Lynn. She didn’t even like Vera,’ Albie informed his son, before knocking back another straight brandy. He’d been drinking like a fish again since Viv had died.

      Michael put an arm around his father’s slumped shoulders. ‘I’ve told Ted you’ll be singing “Spanish Eyes” later. It’s what Auntie Viv would’ve wanted, so bollocks to Mum and Vinny. They start kicking off, they’ll have me to deal with.’

      Tears in his eyes, Albie managed a weak smile. ‘Thanks, boy. Means the world to me, and I know it would’ve meant the same to Viv.’

      Psyching himself up, Mehmet Malas ran his fingers gently along the barrel of the machine gun. He’d been sentenced to a hefty stretch inside for supplying a large quantity of heroin around the time Ahmed and Burak had disappeared, hence his delay in getting revenge for his dear friends. ‘Brothers’, he liked to refer to his compatriots as. Ahmed and Burak were the real deal, had always been there for him and his family.

      Deniz was driving and СКАЧАТЬ