It was just after eleven, and she wasn’t going to waste the rest of the night thinking about things she couldn’t change. Flagging down a black cab, she climbed inside its warmth eagerly, making herself comfortable on the leather seat as she travelled back to East London, glad that the cab driver wasn’t the usual fucking chatterbox. There was nothing worse than a cab driver with a loose mouth and too many stories to tell. It was irritating, especially when they tried to tell her how they knew all the Faces in London, particularly her dad. She saw the way they watched her in the mirror and knew they couldn’t understand for the life of them how her father could let her live the way she did.
She jumped out of the cab at a pub she frequented in Upney, pleased that she had made it there in such good time. All she wanted to do was score and, if nothing interesting was going on, she would go home and sleep.
Her father had presented her with a lovely flat in Canary Wharf; it was the envy of everyone she knew. It was gorgeous – it had fabulous views across the river, and it was furnished to the highest standards; she would have expected nothing less from her dad. Like everything else in his life, he thought that if it cost a fortune then it must be good. She hated the place. It was another reminder of her father’s hold over her. It wasn’t in her name so she was no more than a lodger. It was hers only so he would know where she was living, just like he paid her a weekly wage so he could keep her within his orbit. Everything her parents did had an ulterior motive.
She slipped inside the public house, breathing in the familiar smell of sweat and stale beer. She saw the dealer she was looking for standing at the bar, and she made her way over to him quickly. It was late, and the place was nearly empty.
Georgie Burns smiled at her, displaying his gold teeth. It had been a slow night, and Jessie Flynn was always a good spender. She bought in bulk and paid cash, and that guaranteed her a very warm welcome. With his gold teeth and expensive dreads, Georgie looked every inch the bad man. In the real world, he had a degree in Sociology and his parents were both teachers. He had grown up in a nice house in North London with two sisters and an overweight Labrador called Bubbles. Now he was a dealer because it was the only way he could earn himself a decent living, pay his mortgage, and cover his two daughters’ school fees. His wife was a woman who needed a good wage coming in; she liked the finer things in life. She was also more than willing to turn a blind eye to her husband’s activities.
‘Hello, Jessie. You looking for me, girl?’
Jessie smiled. She genuinely liked Georgie – he was a nice bloke and one of the few men in her life who had never tried to take advantage of her.
‘Of course I am, Georgie. I wouldn’t come inside this shithole otherwise, would I?’
They laughed together, and Georgie motioned to the barmaid for drinks. ‘Agreed. So, what you after tonight?’
‘Just the usual.’ She glanced around her. ‘It’s empty in here tonight. I’m amazed you’re still here.’
Georgie shrugged with irritation. ‘Nothing going on anywhere, girl. I was just on my way home.’ He passed her a large JD and Coke, and she swallowed it down quickly.
‘Soho is the same. Dead as a fucking doornail.’
Georgie laughed at her delightedly. ‘You should have gone clubbing. It’s a week night, for fuck’s sake.’
Jessie grinned. ‘I know. But I didn’t feel like it tonight. How much do I owe you?’
Ten minutes later she left the pub, and made her way towards Upney station. It was a few minutes’ walk. There were usually plenty of minicabs outside the station, and she climbed into the back seat of the first taxi as usual, pleased that she knew the cab driver a little. He had driven her home before, so they chatted amiably together until they arrived at her apartment building.
She paid him, and then walked quickly towards her home. As she was about to unlock the main door that led into the lift area of the flats, she heard someone calling her name. Turning towards the sound of the voice, she expected to see someone she knew, someone like her who was always on the lookout for company, but the man she saw was a complete stranger. Before she could say another word, she felt something come into contact with her skull.
It was all over in seconds.
Chapter Ninety-Three
‘Do you know what, Michael Flynn? If I didn’t know any better I would think you were trying to annoy me now.’ Josephine was joking, but the underlying question in her voice was clear.
Michael sighed. He hated all this ducking and diving, but it was a necessary evil – there was no other way to handle his wife. These days Josephine couldn’t cope with the truth. She was quite happy living in her little dream world. Sometimes it could be very wearing. He had to live in the real world – it was how he earned his living.
‘I just want to know if you think I should warn this Jonny bloke off, Josephine. I know that Jessie has been seeing him and, from what I can gather, he’s another complete fucking waster.’
Josephine sat down on her bed. She wasn’t sure what she should say – as much as Jessie’s lifestyle disappointed her, she wasn’t going to do anything that would alienate her daughter completely. She didn’t want to be the bad guy – that was Michael’s job.