CRUEL SECRETS Read online

  Angry now, Kelly remained unperturbed by the three of them.

  Sheila flicked her head at the two men and marched past Kelly, heading for the front door. The older woman’s gentle movements were now hard and quick. In some ways, she reminded Kelly of her own mother, that protruding jaw and foreboding in her eyes. Junior and Jordan followed their mother, like the two lap dogs they were. Junior stopped at the front door and turned slowly, looking Kelly over. “You have made a big mistake. We could have helped you, but you are on ya own and God help ya. Me mother don’t like to be pissed off, and you have just gone and rubbed her up the fucking wrong way.”

  Kelly walked towards him silently, and when he had stepped outside, she slammed the door shut. That experience left her shaking with a mixed bag of emotions. There were so many unanswered questions, but she couldn’t sit there playing happy families, when they had their own agenda.

  She watched them out of the window, as they strode back to the car. Her eyes widened, when she saw Keffa pull up outside and Sheila turn on her heel and make her way towards him. Kelly stared intently, trying to read Keffa’s body language, but he turned his back. Then she saw Jordan shake his hand and they left. Kelly’s heart was racing; she felt a lump in her throat and her eyes filled with bitter tears.

  The man she had grown to love, and trust, had secrets of his own, and they somehow included her. She watched him playing with his phone, as Sheila drove away. He then got into his car and vanished up the road. Her man, the one person she had given her heart to, had now betrayed her. She didn’t know how or why but he was in on something. Her mind was running away with her; were Rudy, Ditto, Reggie, or even Lippy involved as well? And had Rudy just pretended he had found her roaming the streets all those years ago by accident? She took a deep breath; this situation was crazy, and she wasn’t going to allow herself to be weakened by insane paranoia.

  Her deeps thoughts were interrupted by Ditto, as he rushed into the lounge clutching a letter and sniggering to himself. She watched him; he was so like Rudy in the way his whole body shook when he laughed. He looked up from the envelope, with big boyish eyes. “Here, Blue, a present for you.”

  He handed her the envelope and urged her to open it. She tore away the sealed strip and pulled out the paperwork. The top of the page had her details and then a date for her driving test. She felt her anger and confusion subside: Ditto or anyone in her new family couldn’t be anything but true to her. She dropped the letter and flung her arms around him. She held him tight, more relieved than anything.

  “Cor, blimey, Blue, it’s only a test,” he laughed.

  Kelly let him go and shook her head. “I know, Ditto, it’s just …” her words trailed off.

  Ditto sat down and began untying his laces to his new, fresh trainers. “Tell me, Blue, what’s wrong … I mean, I know things have been shit for yous lately, but is there anything else?”

  She sat beside him, running her hands through her hair. “Ditz, what do you really know about Keffa?”

  Instantly, Ditto shot her an intense sideways glance. “Why, what’s he done?”

  Kelly took a deep breath and sighed. “I dunno, Ditz, there is something strange going on. Look, I have to go out for a bit. I think I need to talk to someone that may have the answers.”

  Ditto nodded. “Okay, but are you sure you are all right, Kel?”

  Giving him a resigned smile, she left, heading for the makeshift office; once inside, she quickly logged on to the computer, googled a few details, and pinpointed the address. She kissed Ditto on the cheek and asked him to keep an eye on Legend, before she hopped into the awaiting mini cab. It seemed to her that Ditto was too kind and caring to be doing something behind her back. Yet Keffa, shaking hands with Jordan, was still taunting her mind. She had well and truly had enough of all the secrets.

  The night was closing in and the only light was from the moon. It wasn’t something she ever looked at, however. As the cab driver drove along the Kent country lanes, with the vast open fields, she got a sense of peace and took more notice of her surroundings, savouring the blue-lit fields. One day, she thought, maybe I should live out here.

  As they turned off the main road, the driver stopped. “Well, we are here.”

  Kelly looked around but all she could see was what looked like another country lane.

  “There’s nothing here … err, could you just drive a little further, please?”

  Unexpectedly, what she thought was another narrow road was now lit up. It was a drive. As they continued, she noticed two enormous gates and was almost blinded by the security lights. She stepped out of the cab and then pressed the buzzer.

  “Yes, can I help?” came the deep voice.

  “Oh, hello, it’s Kelly Raven to see Cyril.”

  She waited a few moments before the gates opened and then climbed back into the vehicle. The magnificent old mansion, standing proudly in all its grandeur, and the extensive gardens were completely illuminated. They approached the front entrance and Kelly paid the driver. The gravel drive crunched under her feet on the short walk up to the steps where a tall, stocky man was standing, dressed in a bespoke suit, and waiting for her. He nodded for her to go inside. She stopped for a second and thought about what she was doing. She was impulsive but then that was her all over. It might have been better, however, to have planned this before sticking her neck out. Too late for that though. Before she had a chance to change her mind, the squeak of bare feet could be heard, and then Cyril appeared.

  “Kel, what are you doing here?” he asked, holding his arms out for a hug.

  Kelly wanted to laugh at the extraordinary sight before her. There was Cyril, in his burgundy smoking jacket and Paisley cravat, smoking a cigar, with nothing on his feet, living in a mansion suitable for a duke.

  “Come through, babe. D’ya fancy a tea, coffee, Scotch whisky?”

  Kelly walked behind him into the drawing room. It was huge, and as she gazed around the stately residence, she smiled. “Cor, this is something else.”

  Cyril laughed. “Yep, I am fucking lording it up these days. I ain’t taking me dosh to the grave, so I might as well live like a toff. Anyway, take a seat, babe. What can I do for ya?”

  “I, well—” She didn’t finish.

  “Jeeves, in here, mate!” ordered Cyril.

  Kelly wanted to laugh. “Is he really called Jeeves?”

  Cyril winked. “Is he fuck. Nah, ’is real name’s Ronnie Pratt. I can’t ’ave a butler called fucking Ronnie. It would ruin me reputation. He don’t mind being called Jeeves.”

  Ronnie appeared in the doorway. “Yes, sir?”

  Cyril winked at Kelly again. “Jeeves, get me niece some refreshments.”

  Impassively, Ronnie turned to Kelly. “What would you like, madam?”

  Kelly smiled convivially. “Tea will be fine, thank you.”

  As he left, Cyril laughed loudly. “Fuck me, it’s like Downton Abbey, but it suits me. Now, babe, I don’t think ya came all the way ’ere to talk about the price of eggs, so what’s on ya mind? Need money?”

  Kelly shook her head. “Cyril, I have been lied to, for so damned long now. All I want is the truth about everything. Me muvver, me real muvver, me farver, and now Sheila.”

  Cyril sat upright at that point. “Sheila?” his eyes narrowed and he rubbed his bristly chin. “Right, girl, it seems to me you have been born into a real complicated web of deceit. Jesus, if only I knew back then what I fucking know now.” He took a deep breath. “Well, let’s get something straight. You can trust me, babe, to tell the truth and spill the fucking beans, as it were. I mean, I ain’t for all these underhanded shenanigans. It was different in my day. We never had women running businesses because their place was looking after the home and the kids. Not that I had any kids, well, none that I know of,” he chuckled.

  Kelly trusted Cyril; she had a vague memory of him, enough to remember his face, and how he was kind to her.

  “Get yaself comfy, babe, it’s gonna
be a long night. Ya can stay ’ere if you like. I got fucking fourteen bedrooms, or maybe sixteen, I don’t know. Anyway, you can take ya pick.”

  “Oh, I dunno, Cyril. I mean, I was a kid back then. I don’t know ya really, do I?”

  Cyril stood up and walked over to the huge drinks display cabinet. “I know, my babe, and that’s a fucking shame. I should have stayed in contact with Maureen, ya know, just to keep an eye, really. Still, look at ya, a real stunner and with a good head on ya shoulders. Ya right not to trust me, well, anyone for that matter. You keep ya wits about ya, girl. But I won’t hurt ya. I loved you when you was a nipper. You were always running around with a huge smile on your boat. Honestly, you would have melted anyone’s heart. Ya sat on me knee and I would make up silly stories and you’d giggle.”

  Kelly smiled. “I remember there was a story about a tin man and his dog.”

  Cyril swung around. “Cor blimey, Kel, ya remember that, eh?”

  Ronnie entered the room, carrying a tray of biscuits, a pot of tea, and a mug. Kelly wanted to laugh – he was hardly silver service. Cyril rolled his eyes. “Lucky I ain’t paying you a full day’s graft. You, me old mate, are still in training. A mug! It’s supposed to be a teacup. Ya know, the ones with dainty flowers and shit.”

  Ronnie rolled his eyes. “Look, Cyril, I’ve been your minder for twenty years. I ain’t any good with the butler thing.”

  “Now, me ol’ son, times have changed. I have no need for a minder, but I do need a butler, so if ya wanna stay on the payroll, ya best get yaself off to butler school, and while you’re at it, mate, do a chauffeur’s course an’ all.”

  Kelly was trying hard not to laugh, but the chuckle escaped and both Ronnie and Cyril were in fits. She felt herself relax, drawn in by Cyril’s charisma.

  “This is grand, though, Cyril. I mean this is like a lord’s house. All ya need are a couple of Irish wolfhounds, a Barbour coat, and a shot gun.”

  Cyril laughed. “Well, I’ve got two Rotties, a Crombie, and a sawn-off shotgun. Ya see, I’ve gotta ease into me new status.”

  Kelly’s memory of her so-called uncle was returning and she recalled how comical he was; her heart warmed at the thought of him.

  “So, my babe …” He had always called her that. She recalled him picking her up, spinning her around, and always plastering her face with kisses. “Are you sure you are ready for all the truth, and I do mean everything? I am assuming you want to know about ya ol’ man?”

  Kelly nodded. “Cyril, before I can get on with me life, I need to know where I came from and what my past was really all about.”

  Cyril got himself comfortable with a large whisky in his hand. Kelly poured the tea and nibbled on a biscuit.

  “Eddie Raven was a kid when I first clapped my eyes on him, a real naughty rogue he was too. The cunt tried to nick me Bentley. That’s how we met. Of course, I bashed the little shit into next week, but instead of running for the hills, the cheeky git asked for a job. I think he knew exactly who I was, and he hoped he could get away with nicking me prize possession, just to prove a point and get in with me firm.”

  Cyril smiled to himself, as he recalled Eddie in his younger days, a feisty, reckless teenager, having an egotistical personality. He knew it was a front, yet he was brazen, and it seemed to Cyril that having this young tearaway on his firm would either be a blessing or a nightmare. Luckily for Cyril, Eddie had the brains not to push Cyril too far and to take notice of his advice. Eddie was given small jobs to start with, picking up parcels, carrying out location recces, and all in all, playing the gofer. It was when Eddie got to twenty that the dynamics changed. He was casing joints and working out plans to take on big jobs – banks, the post offices, and travel agents. Cyril let him get on with it and only took a small amount of commission. Then, as Cyril got older and didn’t need the aggro anymore, he let Eddie take over the firm. His men worked for Eddie, and to give him his due, he paid them well. Yet, that was all he was fair about; his greed for power and money grew at a rate of knots. Cyril gave him space to do things his way, but he still kept Eddie close enough to keep an eye on him.

  The days of big robberies and the protection racket were all gone, as far as Cyril was concerned; he had his money, more than anyone else, and so he was happy to take a step back.

  “So, I took your ol’ man under me wing. I had a big firm an’ all, including Jack McFarlane. Now, he was a good guy, older than Eddie, younger than me. He was shit-hot when it came to explosives and we had him on every job. Then, he got in with Eddie. Jack admired Eddie and they became good pals. They would drink together and share everything. I gotta say, Eddie was getting a bit big for his boots, though. He was becoming a cruel bastard, having men tortured for no real reason, other than to prove a point that ya don’t fuck with Eddie Cako. Anyway, that was his business. Ya ol’ man had his fingers in many pies, too many, and he was taking over manors which, quite frankly, he should have left alone – like Patrick Mahoney’s. Now, he was an Irish geezer running North London. He came from money and used it to buy his men and run his rackets. That’s where he should have stayed. But he didn’t. Patrick came looking for Eddie because he had stepped on Patrick’s toes. But Eddie, being Eddie, didn’t give a flying fuck, and after a particularly awkward meeting, nothing was ever the same.”

  Cyril shook his head and swigged his whisky.

  “It was Patrick Mahoney that I killed. I didn’t mean to.”

  Cyril nodded. “I know, my babe, I know. Anyway, he would have hurt ya, to get his hands on that fucking diamond. Ya see, babe, I did some digging after you left that day. And I have to say, I had no fucking idea what was going on. That safe deposit box heist was the biggest one ever. Not only did Eddie and Jack know what was in there, but so did Patrick and Sheila.”

  Kelly frowned. “Who is this Sheila? I mean, I know she’s Naomi’s mother but …”

  Cyril coughed. “Fuck me, Kelly, you really have no idea, do ya?”

  Kelly shook her head. “No, Cyril, I really don’t.”

  “Well, let me tell ya, that cosy little family set-up was brought together by marriage whose members were either evil, or greedy, or both. Right, Eddie’s sister was hitched up with Patrick.”

  “Yeah, that was weird, Cyril, because I was inside with Toni. It was a couple of years, and, ya know, she never mentioned him or the fact that I killed her husband.”

  Cyril laughed. “She wouldn’t, that was all for show, to strengthen the two families and pull the North London and South London manors together. Anyhow, Jack was Eddie’s best mate, inseparable, so I guess he was like family. So, who better to marry Jack than Patrick Mahoney’s sister, Sheila. She was a name back then.”

  Kelly gasped and threw her hands to her mouth. “You’re kidding! So, I killed me grandmother’s fucking brother?”

  “Yep, ya sure did.”

  “And, my babe, she is one evil psycho. After she married Jack and had Naomi, she had already had, by the way, her two precious sons from a previous marriage, she fucked-off back to Ireland, running a racket of her own. She was much smarter than her brother. But now, this is the thing. She took her boys and left Jack to raise Naomi; she couldn’t stand the child. She only wanted boys – girls didn’t play a role in her life. So, anyway, that diamond heist was carefully planned – two blue diamonds, one worth fucking millions. They disappeared off the radar. No one knew who had them. Like fucking mugs, we all believed that Jack had them and had double-crossed Eddie. So, when Jack and Mickey were fished out of the river, no one looked bad at Eddie. He did what any decent villain would have done. Then, of course, you turned up and the truth came out. So, I think that’s why that ’orrible bitch, Sheila, is on the scene.”

  Kelly looked at Cyril with some confusion on her face. “So, she is after the diamond … But I sold it and gave the money to Eddie. You saw me.”

  “Babe, that ain’t the diamond they are after. Ya see, there were two, and it’s the other one they want, the one that is worth a f
ucking mint. I guess Eddie put them in that toy because he knew Sheila would have his homes ransacked, so the safest place was with you.”

  Kelly stared out of the window in deep thought; it didn’t make sense. That bunny only had the one diamond.

  “Cyril, maybe Eddie really was double-crossed because I only had the one blue gem.”

  “One you say? Well, then, that is a bleedin’ mystery. Listen, Kel, that cunt Sheila will be after you, I know her. She obviously thinks you know where the other one is as well. She will stop at nothing to get that diamond. I s’pose she thinks she has some claim to it … I am sorry about ya real mother, Naomi. She was a lovely kid, and I knew Eddie had been sniffing around her, but then she disappeared. I had no idea she was pregnant with you. Jesus, that’s fucked-up. I guess it’s some consolation that those two scumbags Eddie and Toni are dead, eh?”

  Kelly nodded but her mind wandered off; she thought about Keffa and what his role might be in all of this. Was he after the diamond too?

  “D’ya know Keffa, that big black guy that turned up at Eddie’s?”

  Cyril scratched his stubble again. “Odd you should ask that because I didn’t at the time. Then I got to thinking about him, and it dawned on me who he was.”

  Kelly put her mug down on the Queen Anne table and sat up straight. “Yeah, go on.”

  “He is an arms dealer, well he used to be, back in the day. As I recall, he had a good business in arms. He took the guns that were deactivated and reactivated them. Eddie slit his throat, ya know. Cor, that was a bad move. I honestly thought that Keffa wouldn’t let the little incident go. I guess he must have thought better of it. He supplied Patrick an’ all. Then, I never heard any more about him, until he showed up with you.”