CRUEL SECRETS Read online

  “You ain’t me mate.” In an instant, he grabbed Rudy by the throat, with neither Rudy nor Lippy seeing it coming. Lippy tried to intervene, but Eddie, from nowhere, pulled a gun and held it up at Rudy’s face.

  “Get inside!” he growled. Lippy backed off, afraid of Rudy taking a bullet; this man was not messing. He threw Rudy backwards and pointed with the gun to go in. With his foot, he flicked the door back, slamming it shut, and sauntered into the house.

  Rudy walked backwards, not wanting to take his eyes off the barrel. Lippy followed, too afraid to do much more. Once they were in the lounge, Eddie told them to sit down.

  “Right, tell me what you wanted with my kid, ’cos, it seems to me, ya wanted her for something.”

  Although the gun was still pointing at his face, Rudy didn’t like Eddie’s tone and wasn’t going to have him making sick suggestions.

  “I don’t fucking know you, but I am guessing you’re Kelly’s father.” His anger was now getting the better of him and he stood defiantly. “I found Kelly walking the streets of this shithole, alone and fucking terrified. We took her in, ’cos, unlike some people, we ain’t all fucking bad.”

  “Sit down, you black bastard. What did you want from her, ’cos no one does anything for nothing? I ain’t an idiot, so don’t mug me off!” spat Eddie, in his deep, raspy voice.

  Rudy remained standing. “Yeah, she did pay me back for a bed and food!”

  Before he could finish, Eddie, launched himself at Rudy and shoved the gun under his chin. “Ya fucking dirty no-good cunt, slipping your black cock into my little girl!”

  Sickened by his comment, and without thinking, Rudy palmed the gun away with accomplished ease. “Don’t fucking judge me by ya own standards. I never touched her!” he growled.

  Eddie stepped back in amazement, still holding the gun. No one would try that stunt, risking a bullet through the head. “Oh yeah, so how did she pay you back?” With a menacing expression, he inclined his head.

  Rudy turned to Lippy and smiled a resigned expression. “She taught me to read and write.”

  Totally flummoxed, Eddie hadn’t expected that as an answer at all. Unbelievable. He looked at Lippy and then back at Rudy.

  “Yeah, Eddie, like I said, we ain’t all after a piece of fanny. Some of us have standards. I don’t touch kids. I never laid me hands on her,” asserted Rudy.

  Lippy felt the confidence in Rudy mounting and sensed it wouldn’t end up in his favour. “Look, Mr Raven, our lickle Kelly is a good chil’. She helps around the house, runs a few errands, and that sort of thing. We did her no harm, so, please, leave us alone.”

  Eddie knew they were telling the truth, but he was angry with the thought that his own daughter had more respect for this home and its oddball tenants than him, her own father.

  “I ain’t having my daughter wrapped around you bunch of idiots. Where’s her room?”

  Lippy was insulted and stepped forward. “Us idiots, loved that chil’, when she had no one!”

  Eddie felt his rage hit the danger threshold; in a sudden move, he backhanded Lippy across the mouth. Rudy lunged forward to grapple with him, but Eddie was strong on his feet. He cracked Rudy on the side of the head. “Next time, it won’t be a smack, it will be a bullet. Now, show me her fucking room!”

  The clump caught Rudy off guard and made his eyes water. He knew then that Eddie wasn’t fucking about, and if they pushed him too far, one of them would get shot.

  “All right, we don’t want any trouble.” Rudy was glaring at Lippy not to say another word.

  Rudy hoped that when Eddie followed him into the adjoining room, the dog would attack the stranger. But Legend was sulking. Since his best friend and mistress had left home, he just moped about, despite their attempts to fuss over him. He lifted his head to see who was there but only to find Rudy and another man, not his owner, Kelly. He flopped his head down, uninterested.

  “Does that mutt bite?” asked Eddie, staring at the lump of a dog.

  “He’s Kelly’s dog. He would attack someone, if she told him to,” replied Rudy.

  Rudy watched as Eddie pulled open the drawers, sifting through her girly belongings. He was not careful either, smashing her neatly placed make-up and trinkets.

  Rudy was perplexed. “What ya looking for?”

  Eddie stopped what he was doing and glared. “Kelly wants some of her old gear back. You keep ya mouth shut, got it! It ain’t none of your business. This is family stuff.” He was bent over the chest of drawers, moving her underwear with his gun.

  “She had an old bunny and a pair of socks with holes in,” said Eddie, looking up.

  Rudy shrugged his shoulders. “She had nothing when she moved in, just a school uniform, not even a bag, no money, fuck all.”

  Eddie stepped closer. “Where’s her school uniform, her jacket?”

  Rudy guessed right away he was up to something. He was going to play his game.

  “Eddie, look, I want to help, in any way I can. Kelly meant a lot to us all, and if she wants her stuff to make her feel better inside, then I can get some boxes, help ya pack it up.”

  Eddie sniffed the air. “No! She wants the bunny and her old socks. Where’s the uniform? She might have them in the pockets. She never went anywhere without them.”

  Rudy sensed the desperation in his voice. “She burned the uniform in the fire, afraid of getting caught with it, I s’pose. As for a jacket, she didn’t have one. She was frozen when I bumped into her. She ran with all she had on her after the—”

  “Bollocks!” Eddie interjected, as he pulled open the wardrobe door. He sifted through the jackets and coats that Kelly had neatly lined up. He went through every pocket, whilst keeping an eye on Rudy. Then, gripping the corner of the mattress, he lifted it away from the bed in one fell swoop, tipping Legend onto the floor. Under the bed, it was clear there was no soft toy. He returned to the wardrobe and rummaged through the dresses.

  “She bought them after she came.”

  “With what fucking money?” yelled Eddie.

  Rudy put his hands up. “Hey, all right, mate, calm down. She used to sell fake bags up Commercial Road. Earned her own money, she did.”

  With a cruel, calculated grin, Eddie stopped what he was doing and looked at him quizzically. “Oh yeah, and who fucking told her to do that, eh?”

  Lippy, hearing everything, was now in the doorway. “No one did. That chil’ had a keen eye for business. She made her own money.”

  With an evil eye, Eddie looked from one to the other. “You make sure if the filth come sniffing around, you tell ’em that Kelly only rented a room here. You know nothing about her, or her comings and goings, got it?” he spat, wielding his gun.

  They both nodded in unison.

  Without another word, he pushed past them both, opened the front door, and was gone.

  Eventually, Rudy’s shoulders relaxed. Lippy rubbed his back. “Poor Bluey, a father like that, eh.”

  Lippy wandered off to the kitchen to make a saucepan of milky cocoa for everyone. Rudy then looked at the row of coats hanging on the six-hook rack on the hallway wall. He smiled to himself. The rack was ready to fall off the wall, with old coats from years gone by, dusty, and out of fashion. He lifted the two heavy coats belonging to Ditto, and there, underneath, was the thin school jacket of Bluey’s. Placing the heavy coats back on top, he walked away, with a satisfied grin on his face.

  The others joined them for the hot cocoa, discussing the event. Lippy kept shaking her head.

  “That chil’ don’t fit with that man. She’s too sweet,” she declared.

  Ditto and Phoenix offered to tidy Kelly’s room. Lippy shook her head. “There’s girly things in there. I’ll make sure she has it all spick and span, when she comes home.”

  It then hit them that it could be a long time before they ever saw her again, unless she agreed to send a VO.

  *

  Keffa was pacing the floor, waiting to hear from Rudy. Suddenly, ther
e was a bang at the door. He froze, thinking it was Eddie. He moved away from the letterbox, in case whoever was the other side peered in. The next bang was louder, followed by Rudy shouting, “It’s me, Keffa, open the door!”

  It was 2 a.m. and Rudy needed to speak to someone. Keffa flung the door open. “I was waiting for you to call me. What happened?”

  Rudy marched past and sat heavily on the sofa. “That Eddie Cako is crackers. I dunno, I’ve faced some men in my time, but he had a look, mate, that sent shivers up me spine. Came in with a fucking shooter up me hooter. He ransacked Bluey’s room, looking for a toy bunny and a pair of socks. The man’s a real fruit and nut ... Oh, and he fucking backhanded our Lippy. I mean, who hits an innocent ol’ bird, eh?” His chest was heaving in and out with fury.

  Keffa was in his loose tracksuit, but Rudy noticed the sweat marks under his armpits. “Been jogging?”

  “Rude, what’s he really after? I mean, a fucking bunny and socks. What’s that all about?”

  “She never went anywhere without them. He wants to get on her good side and take the two things to her she carried everywhere. To make her feel better, I s’pose,” replied Rudy, none the wiser.

  Throwing his head back, Keffa laughed. “No way. Let me tell ya. He is after something.” He sat down on the chair opposite. “I haven’t told you everything, Rudy. I didn’t want you to worry, but Eddie is a sly cunt. He is out for his own ends. Trust me, man, I know him.”

  He peeled the sweatshirt away from his neck, revealing the length of the scar.

  Rudy’s eyes widened like two saucers. “Fuck me, no way! Did he do that?”

  Keffa nodded. “Fifteen years ago, after he acted like a friend, taking me into his confidence, he then turned on me. We were in a pub, five of us, all sat around this table. A dirty old pub, but then, who was I to moan? He was high on cocaine and acting twitchy. Then he turned. Out of the blue, he pulled a knife and cut me throat. Fuck, I was petrified, I really thought I was a gonna. But I must be thick-skinned or something ’cos he missed me artery. I don’t know if he meant to kill me or not. But I was in shock, clutching me throat. The others jumped up when they saw the blood and three of them ran from the pub. Eddie just sneered, folded his knife in half, and said, ‘You should have kept ya mouth shut. My business is my business’. They left me there, bleeding to death. Luckily, I survived and kept away from him. He never paid me what he owed. Then, I realised he didn’t do it because he thought I had let me mouth run, ’cos I never did. He did it to show his new wingman just how ruthless he was. I tell ya, Rudy, he ain’t looking out for his girl. I reckon he is after something else. That psychopath always has another agenda.”

  Rudy agreed and told Keffa the full conversation with Eddie. No sooner had he finished, when Keffa jumped from his seat. “Jesus wept! That cunning rat, what’s he up to? Why, Rudy, would he want you to say that she was just a tenant and you don’t know her comings and goings?” Exasperated, he whirled around with spite on his face. “He don’t want Kelly to have an alibi for the night of her mother’s murder. Jeez, that arsehole killed her mother and he’s gonna let the poor kid take the blame.”

  Rudy was looking at Keffa and seeing another side to him. Usually, he was cool and reserved, but not now though. He was hopping about, like himself.

  “The police have already been to the house. They took a statement from me about three weeks after she was arrested.”

  Keffa frowned. “That’s weird because they should have taken a statement as soon as they had her nicked. Rudy, there is something fishy going on and I don’t like it. Poor Bluey, she’s a kid for fuck’s sake. Anyway, what did you tell them?”

  “The truth. She moved in, lived with us as a family, and the following weeks after Patrick’s murder, she hardly ever left the house.”

  “So, Rude, you are her alibi. Don’t, for fuck’s sake, let Eddie know,” cautioned Keffa.

  “I don’t intend to. I am gonna write to Bluey and let her know what’s going on, ’cos the poor lickle thing might be sitting in a cell, shitting herself, thinking she has no one helping her.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Kelly spent that night tossing and turning. She couldn’t sleep: there was too much on her mind, what with Eddie and Toni in her face with their agenda and her mother and Patrick harbouring secrets from the grave.

  Toni was treading on eggshells and so decided to keep quiet. Eddie had made it clear she was to keep his daughter sweet. By the morning, Kelly had made a decision and resolved to inform Toni right away about something she had arrived at the previous night. She perched herself on the side of the narrow bed and smoothed back her messy hair. Toni was already dressed and ready to go to the kitchen. Even her cocky body language irritated Kelly. There was nothing very feminine about Toni’s present appearance; she would have been pretty except for the harsh sneer she carried around all day long.

  “Toni, I need to talk to you,” voiced Kelly, in a resigned tone.

  With her cocky stance, Toni leaned on the doorframe and rolled her eyes. “Look, Kel, I dunno what the fuck your problem is, but I ’ave done nuffin but try and make your life easier. Unless ya gonna say sorry, then I ain’t interested.”

  With the tension rising, Kelly sighed heavily. “Yeah, I am sorry, Tone, for not being someone you expected me to be.”

  Toni frowned. It took a second before she realised the full meaning.

  “I’m not like you, and I can’t pretend to be either. Your little crew, sidekicks or whatever they are – well, they are your friends that get you. I never grew up with the Ravens. I was dragged up by me mother, and believe it or not, I’m not like her either. I think it’s best that I go back to me original cell. Before you say anything, I ain’t stupid. I know you don’t like me and you’re probably just pretending for Eddie’s sake.” She lowered her gaze, having said all she needed to say.

  Toni took a deep breath and sat back on her own bed opposite Kelly. If Eddie knew she was out of her aunt’s sight, he would knock her into next week. “’Course I like ya, Kel, you’re me own flesh and blood. Truth be known, if I had a girl, I would want her to be just like you.”

  “I wanna be alone, Toni, and please don’t arrange any more visits with Eddie. I don’t wanna see him again.”

  Those words were like a tornado whirling through Toni’s head. Mixed with anger and fear, Toni jumped up. Her eyes narrowed and her chin protruded. “You wanna fucking watch ya mouth, ya selfish little bitch. Cor, I’ve a mind to smash your head up the wall. Eddie is your farver and you need to learn respect. You’re his daughter, and sooner or later, you’re gonna have to deal with that fact. He brought ya into the world, and sure as hell, he can take you out again. You are fucking clueless, and the sooner you wise up, the better!”

  Kelly was pacing her breathing, trying to keep a lid on her temper. If anyone could make her lose it, then it was Toni.

  “My lawyer reckons it’s best if I stay away, ya know, ’cos of the trial.” Kelly knew she was stirring up a reaction but that was her intention.

  “You what? What lawyer and what did they say?” The words were pouring out in a panic.

  Kelly guessed there was more of a need for her aunt to cosy up to her. She studied her face closely. “Surely, Toni, you didn’t think I would go to court on a double murder charge without a brief? Now, that would be stupid.”

  “But I thought … you said earlier you didn’t have a brief.” Her words tailed off as her mouth dried up.

  “I never told you I wasn’t represented, so I don’t know where you got that from.”

  Toni was glowing red and her eyes looked wild, as if she had just been caught for murder herself. She swallowed hard. “So why is it not a good idea to be around me? What’s it got to do with me?”

  Kelly got up from her bed and came nose to nose with Toni. “Well, Tone, I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

  In a fit of rage, Toni grabbed Kelly’s arms and shook her. “What the fuck have you been saying?”r />
  With a half-smile she replied, “Nothing, except it wasn’t me that murdered me mother.”

  Instantly, Toni let go, as if she were holding hot coals.

  Kelly eased past and left the room with a confident skip in her step and confirmation to her questioning thoughts.

  By the afternoon, Kelly had collected her belongings and got the okay from the number one governor to return to C wing. Her original cell was empty, so there was no reason not to return there.

  *

  Sophie returned to the prison, armed with folders, and ready to hear and record Kelly’s account of the incidents. She was determined to make sure that this young woman didn’t go down for a murder she didn’t commit. Sophie was nicknamed the secret squirrel because, unlike other barristers, she was into digging up evidence herself and playing the detective.

  Kelly was looking forward to the legal visit. She, too, was eager now to fight for her rights and taking the rap for her mother’s murder wasn’t one of them. She may have hated her mother, and for good reason, but she never killed her. No one had the right to do that: in her book, only she did.

  As soon as Kelly entered the room, Sophie smiled and she quickly noticed the girl’s new-found demeanour and confidence on her face. In fact, this was obviously the new Kelly, who was now eager and livelier.

  “Well, Kelly, you look great. How do you feel?”

  Kelly sat down, admiring Sophie’s pink wool bouclé suit that shouted Chanel. “I am good. I guess I can say, I’m very clear-headed.”

  “Right, here’s what’s happening. Next week, we will have the trial date. They are moving this on fast for two reasons. First, it’s high profile, and second, you’re a juvenile, so we don’t have a lot of time. It also means they will hand over their evidence for me to look at. I need to be a step ahead. I can assume most of the content, but you must tell me everything and I mean everything. I am on your side, so even if you think what you tell me will damage the case, trust me, it won’t, okay, because the information you tell me, they will almost certainly know, so I have to be prepared and also prepare you.”