Kimberley Chambers 3-Book Collection: The Schemer, The Trap, Payback. Kimberley Chambers

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СКАЧАТЬ yes,’ Marge urged, nudging Marlene’s arm. She hadn’t had a decent holiday for years and couldn’t wait to get stuck into all the free drink and food on an all-inclusive. Some people might not get their money’s worth on those types of trips, but she bloody well would.

      ‘OK, I won’t say it no more.’

      ‘Ain’t you got anything else to add to that?’ Barry asked, taking a sharp right turn.

      ‘Like what?’ Marlene asked, stroppily.

      ‘Like I’m sorry for saying it in the first place, and thank you son for paying for me and my friend to go on holiday,’ Barry replied. His mother was such an ungrateful cow at times. Always had been, always bloody would be.

      Marlene felt her lip curl into a snarl. She had just spent the whole night stuck in a cell because her son had run off and allowed her to be arrested, yet she was now meant to grovel and thank him. ‘If it weren’t for me you’d never have been born, boy, so if I were you I’d just shut your trap and fucking drive.’

      Barry smirked. That was exactly the kind of reply he had been expecting.

      Pamela Crouch knew her daughter like the back of her hand. After trying to call Stephanie for the past few hours, as soon as she finally got through to her, she knew by the tone of Steph’s voice that something was dreadfully wrong. ‘Whatever’s the matter, love? Have you heard some news about Wayne?’

      The mention of her missing fiancé immediately sent Stephanie into a blubbing mess. The guilt she felt was immense. Poor Wayne could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere, for all she knew. Too embarrassed to admit to her mother what had happened with Barry, Steph blamed the argument with Tammy for her upset.

      ‘Why don’t you come over ’ere and stay with me tonight, love? Aidan’s gone to Ireland with his dad and grandparents, so you can stop in your old bedroom. Lin’s coming for dinner and I know she’d love to see you. I ain’t at work tomorrow, either, so we can go out for lunch or something before you go home, if you want?’

      Stephanie had read Barry’s note twice, then screwed it up and threw it in the bin. If Barry was going to ring this afternoon, she knew full well that if he didn’t get any answer he would turn up at her door, and she couldn’t bring herself to speak to him, let alone face him. She made her decision there and then. ‘I’ll have a quick shower, then I’ll be over, Mum.’

      An hour later, Stephanie was driving over Dagenham Heathway hill when her phone started to ring. She pulled over. Seeing the caller was Barry, she waited for it to stop ringing, then turned the bloody thing off. She closed her eyes. ‘Dear God. I can’t be alone, I’m not strong enough. Please find my Wayne and send him home to me. Amen.’

      Stephanie waited for her tears to subside, then continued her journey.

      ‘Mummy,’ Dannielle yelled, running out of the house to greet her.

      ‘You all right, darling? Where’s your brother? Has he been behaving himself?’

      ‘No, Mum. Tyler’s been naughty,’ Dannielle replied, honestly.

      Pam gave her daughter a big hug as she walked into the hallway. ‘You OK, love? Don’t be worrying about Tammy. I’m sure she’ll be in touch before she goes to Spain.’

      ‘I’m not bothered if she rings me or not, to be honest. Has Tyler been OK?’

      ‘He had one little tantrum earlier, but he’s been fine other than that,’ Pam replied. She had marks on her already swollen ankles where the little sod had kicked her, but she wasn’t about to tell Steph that. Her daughter had enough on her plate as it was. ‘Do you want a cup of tea, love?’

      ‘No, but I could kill a glass of wine,’ Steph said, handing her mum a carrier bag. She had stopped at the off-licence on the way over and bought a couple of bottles.

      ‘Try and find out what’s a matter with Lin for me. She’s been ever so quiet since she got ’ere and she asked for a cuppa rather than a beer. Keith’s gone up the Vernon for a pint with Michael and I don’t think they’d had a row as they seemed friendly enough towards one another. She’ll talk to you,’ Pam whispered in her daughter’s ear.

      Pam made sure everybody had a drink then sat down on the sofa. She was in hysterics as Cathy told Linda and Stephanie the story of Barry’s sister Chantelle, who’d had a fight in the street earlier with her ex-boyfriend. Pam and Cath had found it compelling viewing. It was pure comedy gold.

      ‘Talk about like mother like daughter. How that poor Barry ever got lumbered with Chantelle as a sister and Marlene as a mother, I will never know. He’s such a lovely boy compared to those two,’ Pam said.

      Stephanie didn’t answer and was relieved when Dannielle asked, ‘What time will dinner be ready?’

      When her mum and Cathy dashed out to the kitchen to start dishing up, Steph moved over to where Linda was sitting. ‘What’s up with you? Why aren’t you drinking?’

      Linda took a deep breath. ‘If I tell you, don’t say nothing to your mum until Keith gets back, will ya?’

      ‘What’s a matter? You’re not ill, are you?’ Stephanie asked anxiously.

      Linda grinned. ‘No. I’m up the duff.’

      Barry was sitting in a restaurant in Hornchurch, tucking into a bit of steak. He had been trying to ring Stephanie for the past three hours and knew she must be purposely avoiding his calls. Pushing his plate to one side, Barry took a sip of his lager. As a lad he had fantasized over what it would be like to make love to Stephanie many a time, and for a long time after he had split with her, Barry had still had some weird obsession about her. He had hated Steph with a passion, yet he’d always slept with girls who reminded him of her in some way. He had slept with loads of other birds, too, ones who hadn’t reminded him of Steph, but it was the ones who had, whom he’d enjoyed the sex with more. Picking up his mobile, Barry tried both of Stephanie’s numbers once again. He knew she must feel embarrassed over what had happened the previous evening, so he motioned to the waiter to bring him the bill. Barry downed the rest of his drink and ran his fingers through his hair. Last night’s shenanigans had disturbed him slightly, and he knew that the quicker he did what he had to do and sodded off back to Spain, the better. Leaving thirty quid on the table, Barry stood up. It was time to pay Stephanie a little visit.

      Back in Dagenham, Pam was in a state of incredulous shock. ‘Pregnant! Whaddya mean, you’re pregnant?’

      Keith squeezed Linda’s hand. ‘Lin means that me and her are going to have a baby, Pam. What do you think she means?’ he asked.

      Pam started to laugh. ‘You’re winding me up, you pair of sods, ain’t ya?’

      It was now Stephanie’s turn to squeeze her mother’s hand. ‘Lin isn’t joking, Mum. She really is pregnant.’

      ‘But you can’t have a baby. You’re forty next month and how you gonna cope with your size, Lin?’ Pam stuttered.

      Linda shook her head in annoyance. Seconds later she gave her elder sister what for. ‘You’re just like Mum deep down, ain’t ya, Pam? You pretend you ain’t, but I know that you are. I will always be grateful to you for letting me live with you when Mum died, but whenever I’m around you, I know you see me as different. And why? Because СКАЧАТЬ