The widows, p.13
The Widows, page 13
‘You must live in that kind of world then.’
Ruby said nothing. That kind of world. And yet this woman had taken her in and shown her compassion. The best thing she could do was to be grateful and get out of here as soon as possible, so that she would be far enough away from here if the cops came calling.
Ruby half nodded.
‘It’s hard to explain. But I want to thank you for what you’ve done for me and I promise I’ll be gone as soon as possible.’
‘What are you going to do? Catch a bus?’ She gave Ruby a half-sarcastic look.
‘I don’t know, I’ll figure it out. I need a car.’
‘You can’t take mine. It’s an old banger and it wouldn’t get you far. And I need it here.’
‘I need to think of some way of getting a car. Is there any place not too far, in the next town or something, somewhere that sells second-hand cars? For cash?’
‘Yeah. I can have a look. We’ll see. You might as well stay here tonight. We’ll figure something out in the morning.’
After a silence, Ruby asked, ‘You live here on your own? Do you farm the land?’
‘No. Not much. I have a few cows and some chickens and stuff like that. My husband was the farmer. He passed away eighteen months ago.’
‘Oh. I’m sorry for your loss.’ She didn’t know what else to say.
‘He got sick. He seemed to be getting over it then he got pneumonia and it turned out he had a tumour in his lung. It was very quick.’
She looked at Ruby, then down at her bowl and across at the fire. In the silence Ruby saw the tiredness in her eyes.
‘I can’t imagine how awful that must have been.’
‘I have a little boy, James. He’s only four. It’s tough. Luckily, he doesn’t really understand, I just told him his dad is in heaven. But it’s been hard. He’s over at my parents’ for a couple of nights. They adore him.’
Ruby’s instinct was to help this woman in any way she could, financially or whatever, but she didn’t want to broach the subject for fear of offending her, so she said nothing. After eating, the woman collected their plates and made a pot of tea and they sat by the fire, Ruby’s eyes getting heavier.
‘If you need a couple of days, you can stay here,’ she said. ‘I can go into town tomorrow and see if there is a car you could get. Do you want me to do that?’
‘Would that be okay? I have the cash to buy a car. I don’t want to drag you into anything.’
‘You wouldn’t be. I don’t mind helping you. I believe you. Maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe you are a drug-dealing gangster and a killer, but you don’t seem like it to me. I know what it feels like to be scared and in a bad place. If I can help, I will. And then that’s it. You go away and I never hear from you again.’
Ruby nodded.
‘I promise. I’ll be out of here and away as soon as I can. Thanks.’
It had taken Ruby a while to fall asleep, between the pain in her ankle and the cuts and scratches on her face. But the painkillers eventually kicked in and she’d fallen into a deep sleep. It was the voices that woke her, and for a few seconds before she opened her eyes, she couldn’t figure out where she was. Then she took in the surroundings of the small bedroom, the chair with her clothes draped on it and the little window opposite her bed where daylight was trying to break through the grey sky. She concentrated; the voices seemed to be coming from downstairs. She listened hard, and could hear what she thought was Ellie’s voice. She sounded defensive, as if trying to calm someone down. But the male voice was angry, harder.
‘You’ve had enough fucking time, bitch. There’s another grand added onto your bill if you can’t make the payment. So that’s two and a half thousand you owe me now.’ The male voice was emphatic.
‘Christ’s sake, Jimba! I only borrowed five hundred. I said I’d pay you back.’
It was definitely Ellie’s voice, stressed and pleading.
Ruby crept out of bed and pulled on trousers and a jumper. She didn’t want to move across the room in case the noise would be heard downstairs. She listened, barely breathing.
‘Yeah.’ The man sounded dismissive. ‘But you haven’t paid me back, have you? If everyone I loaned money to kept making excuses for not paying, I’d be out a fortune – so enough of your shit.’
‘I’m sorry, Jimba.’ Ellie’s voice was barely audible.
Everything went quiet for a moment and Ruby stood still, her heart thumping, wondering what was going to happen next, if he was going to beat her up. Then she heard him speak again.
‘So, you know what you’ve got to do, you little slut, don’t you?’
There was silence. Then he spoke again.
‘On your knees then.’
The sound of scuffling came from the kitchen.
‘Stop, you’re hurting me, Jimba.’
‘On your knees, I said.’
Then it was quiet again. It didn’t take much imagination for Ruby to picture what sordid little scene was going on, and she knew to stay out of it. This was none of her business. She knew nothing about this woman other than that she’d helped her when she was in trouble. But now she was in trouble and Ruby had to stand back and let it happen. This wasn’t right in anybody’s books. The woman was clearly being forced to do something against her will. Whoever this bastard was down there, whether he was working for some other parasite up the chain, or working for himself, he was extorting money out of this poor woman, and it took every fibre of Ruby’s being not to storm downstairs and beat the shit out of him. She stood motionless, as she could hear his groans and gasps, then one final grunt and it was over. Then finally, he spoke.
‘You’ve got two more days and I’ll be back. And you won’t get away with a fucking blow job next time. You got that?’
She heard footsteps and then a door slamming. Ruby peeped out of the window and saw the dark blue Ford Focus starting up, then it roared out of the yard and down the track. She didn’t know what to do or what to say when she went downstairs. She sat on the bed for a while, took out the bag of money and looked inside it for the first time. She could see there was at least a hundred grand in there – probably more. Whoever owned it was not getting it back and they would be looking for it. And the cocaine. She was sitting on a timebomb and she had to get out of here with it. This woman was in enough trouble as it was. Ruby felt disgusted and violated that she had even heard what she’d heard, so she could only imagine the humiliation for Ellie.
Eventually, she ventured downstairs, and Ellie was in front of the fire, raking over the glowing embers and coaxing it to life.
‘Morning,’ Ruby said, hoping her voice didn’t betray what she felt.
Ellie glanced over her shoulder briefly, but their eyes didn’t meet.
‘All right? Did you sleep?’
‘Yeah, not bad, thanks. It’s comfortable up there. Was in a bit of pain, though. But I’m okay now.’
‘I’ve got the kettle on for some coffee, or tea if you want.’
She continued with the fire until the flames began to flicker and she put some kindling on it. Then she stood up, and went across to the cooker area without actually looking at Ruby. She knows I know, Ruby thought. But Ruby had no words for this, so she said nothing. She sat down at the table as Ellie opened the wall cupboard and reached in and brought out two mugs. Then she took a loaf from the bread bin and put a couple of slices in the toaster. Finally, she turned around to face Ruby, and Ruby could see her eyes were red from crying, and there was the beginning of a swelling in her eye. Ruby said nothing but watched as Ellie swallowed hard and brushed the back of her fingers over the bruise.
‘I’m sorry for what just happened to you, Ellie.’
Ruby said it before she could stop herself, and Ellie glared at her, swallowing hard as she fought back tears. She nodded.
‘I’m sorry you had to hear it,’ Ellie said.
The kettle boiled and she turned away, spooning instant coffee into the mugs, calling over her shoulder.
‘Sugar? Milk?’
‘Just milk, please,’ Ruby said.
Ellie picked up both mugs and set them down on the table. Then the toaster popped and she took the toast out and buttered it. Ruby watched the butter melt into their toast and Ellie stayed with her back to her for a long moment. Then she sat down. Nobody spoke until eventually, Ruby broke the silence.
‘He’s a loan shark, yeah?’ Ruby asked quietly.
Ellie tightened her lips and gave a slight nod. ‘Things just piled up on the farm since David died. I thought I could manage but I can’t. But it’s all I’ve got. For me and my boy. I have to make it work. I will make it work. I just need some more time.’
‘How did you get in tow with a scumbag like him?’
Ellie shook her head.
‘Just somebody I heard about through other people. You know, things get around. Money lenders, they’re everywhere these days. I was told this mob were different, that you could get a loan, and as long as you made some kind of payment it wasn’t the way you heard about with other guys, with the interest tripling if you’re late with your payments. But that’s not how it turned out. This guy’s been threatening to torch the place. With me and my son in it.’ She stopped, trying to compose herself. But she couldn’t, and she covered her face with her hands. ‘What he made me do just now . . . I’m so ashamed. I hate him. He’s made me do that before. I can’t pay him this week, and now it’s going to be worse the next time.’
‘Needs fucking shooting, that one does,’ Ruby said.
Ellie almost smiled in her despair.
‘I’ve thought about it,’ she said. ‘But then what? Jail for life and my boy in a home.’
Ruby sighed. It had been a very long time since Ruby had moved in the kind of circles where loan sharks battered down your door. But she’d been there. She’d seen it first hand, and seeing it now, hearing what she’d just heard, brought all the misery back. She’d been helpless as a little girl when she had witnessed this kind of brutality. But she was not helpless now.
‘Do you know who he works for?’
‘Some bigger guy in the town. There’s always some bigger guy, isn’t there?’
‘But he’s a nobody, this guy who was just here,’ Ruby said. ‘He’s just an enforcer, collecting money, making his own rules. Nobody would even miss him if anything happened to him. The guys who run him would put it down to collateral damage – assume he’s been pissing off the wrong people. That’s how it happens.’
‘How do you know?’ Ellie asked, studying Ruby’s face.
‘I just know,’ Ruby said.
She took a bite of toast and they both sat in the silence of the farmhouse kitchen with the fire building up and warming the room, giving it a cosy atmosphere. But given what had just happened, in reality that was far from the truth.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
It had been two days since the crash, and Cissy and Bella were still in hospital but were on their feet and able to walk the few yards to the day room. Cissy was still nursing a gash on her forehead and limping quite badly, and Bella had been fitted with a cast on her wrist, which they’d told her was a hairline fracture. She was also having checks on her ribs as they ached when she took a breath. The doctors had told them they were lucky, but from where they were sitting, in the faux-leather easy chairs in the day room with not a penny between them, Bella thought they were far from lucky.
‘We need to get the hell out of here,’ Bella said, turning to Cissy, who was staring at daytime TV but not actually watching it. ‘We should have been discharged by now because there’s nothing seriously wrong with us. I think the police have asked the hospital not to rush us out. But I want us gone, before that big cop comes back round, asking more questions.’
‘And go where?’ Cissy asked, taking her eyes off the screen. ‘We’ve no money. That cop said all our belongings that were in the car are with them now while the investigation goes on. So, what do we do without a credit card?’
Bella sighed.
‘I don’t know, but we have to think of something. The clothes we had on are in our bedside cupboards. I saw mine this morning. So I suggest we get dressed and get out of here smartish when things quieten down for the night.’
Cissy hesitated a moment then agreed.
‘Yeah, you’re right. But without any money, I don’t know where we can go.’
‘I found nearly fifty quid in notes in the pocket of my jacket when I was going through my stuff,’ Bella said. ‘That’ll get us into Manchester. I’ve got a mate there who I think will help.’
‘What mate?’ Cissy asked.
‘Just a woman who used to go to the same AA meetings I went to. We used to get a cup of tea afterwards and talk about the shit we got ourselves into with the drink. She’s a real diamond.’
‘When did you see her last? Is she still sober?’
‘About two years ago. Yeah, she was sober then.’
‘Where does she live?’
‘Outside the city. She was on her own then, but I’m pretty sure she would help us if she could.’ She paused, and grimaced. ‘Her number’s in my mobile, though.’
Cissy puffed.
‘So we just pitch up at her door, skint and homeless? How do you think that will go down?’ Cissy asked, frustrated.
Bella took a moment to answer, then spread out her hands.
‘Well, all we can do is ask. We don’t have much of an option.’
Cissy pushed out a sigh.
The door to the day room opened and the ward sister, a forty-something woman with a round face and kind eyes, gave them an apologetic look. Bella and Cissy turned to see the big detective and his female sidekick arrive behind her. The ward sister backed towards the door.
‘The detective inspector wants to talk to you, ladies.’ She turned to glance at the DI. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’ She disappeared and the door clicked shut.
Bella glared at the officers.
‘What, no flowers, Inspector? Oh, you left them with the nurses . . .’ Bella said, deadpan.
The officer shook his head.
‘No,’ he said. ‘No flowers.’
The female officer’s face showed nothing. Nobody spoke for a few seconds, then the DI took a breath.
‘Okay, I can make this a bit easier for you,’ he said. ‘Or we can do it the hard way.’
Bella felt her stomach tighten. She glanced at Cissy.
‘So far – as I told you – we have two dead men, and ripped batches of cocaine sprinkled around the crash scene like baking soda. You’re in here and your mate Ruby is missing. It looks like she might be dead; some clothing was found at the edge of the river.’ He stopped for effect, looking at both of them. ‘The river was fast-flowing, so she might have tried to cross and didn’t make it, and is tangled up in the weeds face down somewhere downstream. That’s the theory anyway at the moment in the absence of a body. But if she’s on the run, we’ll find her. Mark my words.’ He paused and swallowed.
‘So that just leaves us with you two in the middle of what is a murder scene with a pile of drugs. So, before we go any further, it is in your interest to tell us what went down the other night.’ He paced the room confidently. ‘Our snitches have told us that some scumbags who run the show around here were planning to rob the car on its way to a delivery, and that it had been a set-up, so you were either a part of this or you weren’t. I’m prepared to give you the chance to save your own skin by telling us everything you know. That is, who set this up and why, as well as what your part was in it all. If you do that, then you might get away with a lesser charge and less jail time for helping police.’
Bella could feel her mouth go dry and a flush rising up her neck.
‘What? What the hell do you mean, lesser charges and less jail time? We haven’t fucking done anything! We were in a car crash. That’s all we know, Inspector. Christ! You must know that.’
‘No, I don’t. All I know is you’re in the middle of all this. We’re looking at conspiracy to murder and drug dealing at the very least.’
‘No way! This is ridiculous.’ Cissy’s voice was high and scratchy with a tremor.
The officer didn’t answer, he just looked from one to the other. Then eventually, he spoke.
‘You have to think about what you’re saying here,’ he said. ‘I’m telling you how it is. Either you start talking or face the consequences.’
‘We can’t tell you anything because we know nothing. Christ almighty!’ Bella said.
He stood for a long moment then let out a sigh. He nodded.
‘Okay, have it your way. But you’re going to regret this. I’m giving you the chance to save your skin here.’
‘We haven’t done anything. I’ve told you a dozen times.’
He stood for a moment, then turned to his officer and they both left.
‘Holy fuck!’ Bella said. ‘We’re going to go down for this, Cissy. Those bastards are going to charge us.’
‘Jesus, Bella,’ Cissy said. ‘I’m scared.’
Bella glared at her.
‘Well, you need to stop being scared right now. Because this fucker will be back here by the morning and we’ll get charged. So, we need to get out of here pronto. Soon as it quietens down after dinner, and lights out, we get the hell out. You need to get your head around that, because we have no option.’
Cissy nodded in agreement, but Bella could see the terror in her eyes.
Bella checked her watch. It was almost one in the morning, and the ward was deadly quiet. The lights were dimmed, and the curtains were drawn in the rooms along the corridor. The only sound was the odd snore and the coughs of other patients. Somewhere on the vast ward a patient’s buzzer alarm was going off and a few seconds later she could hear the soft footsteps that must be one of the night shift nurses on their way down the corridor. She stepped out of bed, now fully clothed, and crept out to Cissy’s room next door. To her surprise, Cissy was standing, ready, barely breathing, her clothes caked with mud and her shoes filthy from the crash. Her tired eyes looked haunted.
‘Now,’ Bella whispered. ‘We need to go. I saw the nurse away down the far end. There’ll be nobody on the desk. Let’s go. Quickly.’
