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  ‘I can’t, the phone’s not connected, Eddie, on my mother’s life.’

  Her mother had been dead since she was twelve but Eddie seemed to believe her, even though he also knew her old lady was six feet under. He swore and then the bell rang for the first section of visitors to move out. He gripped her hand tightly. ‘Get them. Then next time you come I’ll arrange for you to meet someone. You do it, Gloria, they’re all I got left in the world, them and you, so I’m depending on you, understand me? I depend on you, Gloria.’

  She nodded and he drew her towards him and they kissed. She always felt like crying when he did that but this afternoon she was all on edge and she’d gone and told him about Dolly Rawlins. For a second she’d hoped he’d forgotten but he suddenly smiled. ‘And if that cow don’t want to part with her diamonds, you got the gear to make her, haven’t you? Use them, sweetheart. You get me some dough and we’ll go abroad, nice holiday when I get out.’

  He was already being monitored by the officers, pointing for him to return to the corridor outside and be returned to his cell.

  ‘I love you, Eddie,’ she said softly.

  ‘I hope so, Gloria. Tarra, see you next week.’

  He seemed quite cheerful as he walked after the prison officer, even offering him a cigarette. He’d got eighteen years and there he was talking about when they would go on a bloody holiday together. She’d have a zimmer frame by the time he got out.

  Dolly paid off the taxi and carried her purchases inside the front entrance of the manor. Ester’s Range Rover was nowhere to be seen. She went straight to her bedroom and sorted out what she would wear for the afternoon, then started to pack her few things. She was leaving and would leave without a goodbye. She would get the cheque stopped. She swore at herself: she should have done that as soon as she came home. Dolly headed down the stairs as Ester breezed in, wafting a big brown envelope.

  ‘Hi! They said you’d left when I went to the town hall so I did a grocery shop. Here you go, Dolly, the lease all signed, and now the place is really all yours.’

  ‘Oh, is it? Well, you can take it and stuff it. I don’t want this place, I don’t want anything to do with you and I’m gonna stop that cheque.’

  ‘What?’

  Dolly glared at Ester. ‘I said, I’m stopping that cheque. You really did me in, didn’t you? Never thought to mention this place was a brothel.’

  Ester tossed the envelope down. ‘You knew what I was.’

  ‘I didn’t know you ran a whorehouse from here, though, did I?’

  ‘All you had to do was ask.’

  ‘They all know about this place, they told me at the social services.’

  ‘So what?’

  This place has got such a bad reputation that, along with my record, you think they’ll give us the go-ahead?’

  Ester looked to the ceiling. ‘Why should they even know I’m here, for one? This is bloody stupid, Dolly. For chrissakes, look at the place.’

  ‘That’s just what I have been doing and I’m out.’

  Dolly was about to walk back up the stairs when Ester yelled, ‘You tell me where you’ll find a better place for kids. There’s a swimming pool, stables, you can bloody have twenty kids here. They’ll be more likely to give you the go-ahead on a place like this that’s crying out for kids than any terraced place in fucking Islington or Holloway or wherever you planned to buy it – and they cost, Dolly. You’ve been away a long time, any house in that area’s gonna cost you at least a hundred and fifty grand. Here you got beds, furniture, linen, all thrown in, but if you don’t want it, then that’s up to you …’

  Julia walked out and leaned on the kitchen door. ‘She’s right, you know, Dolly. This is a fabulous place for kids.’

  Dolly hesitated. Julia’s soft voice seemed to calm her. ‘The orchard and the gardens, the pool doesn’t need much doing to it, then you can even get a horse for the stables … You list all those to the services and …’

  Ester winked at Julia. ‘She’s right, Dolly. I mean, you’d get grants, wouldn’t you? Each kid’d bring in about two hundred a week. I’m right, aren’t I, Julia?’

  ‘Yep, and then you’d get grants to rebuild and convert …’

  Dolly sat down on the stairs, more confused than ever. Ester glanced at her watch. All she needed was a few more hours for the cheque to go into the system then Dolly couldn’t stop it as it would have gone through.

  ‘Look, why don’t we make an inventory, list all the gear? There’s all the crockery, glasses, tableware – that’d cost if you started from scratch.’

  Dolly frowned. ‘I got to go to London, let me think about it.’

  ‘You want a lift, do you? To the station?’

  Dolly nodded, got up and went to her room.

  ‘By tomorrow the cheque will have gone through,’ Ester said quietly to Julia. ‘Where do you think she’s going?’

  ‘I don’t know, do I?’

  Ester pulled her into the kitchen. ‘What if she’s going for the diamonds?’

  Julia chewed at a fingernail. ‘If she’s got millions of quid’s worth of diamonds, how come she’s getting so hot under the collar about laying out cash for this place?’

  ‘Because she’s a tight-fisted old bag, that’s why!’

  ‘Yeah, you may be right, but if she’s tight-fisted now, how do you think she’ll feel if we were to take the diamonds off her?’

  ‘I don’t give a shit how she feels. If she gets them, then so do we. You make some excuse, say you got to go to London as well, see where she goes and who she talks to.’

  ‘Oh, for chrissakes, Ester, that’s ridiculous. You mean follow her around?’

  ‘What the hell do you think I mean?’

  By the time Dolly came back downstairs, Julia was already sitting in the Range Rover.

  ‘Julia’s got to go and see her mother so she’ll catch the train with you.’

  ‘What’s the matter with her mother?’ Dolly asked as she followed Ester out.

  ‘She’s old and being kept in the lap of luxury by her beloved daughter. She has no idea Julia was even picked up and put in the slammer, never mind that she was a junkie. Julia’s been paying for her for years, she’s in a wheelchair or somethin’, so that’s housekeepers and cleaners and … you name it. That’s why Julia’s broke.’

  Julia knew Ester was talking about her and she turned to stare across the stable yard. Sometimes she hated Ester. As soon as Dolly got into the car, she started asking her about her mother. ‘She’s very old, Dolly. I don’t see why she should be upset or for that matter know what a mess I’ve made of my life.’

  ‘Where does she think you are, then?’ Dolly asked.

  ‘Well, when I was in Holloway I got friends to send postcards from Malta. She thought I was working over there with the Red Cross.’

  ‘And now?’ Dolly asked.

  ‘Well, since my release, I told her I’ve been looking for a new practice. She doesn’t know I was struck off – she doesn’t know anything about me, really.’

  Dolly nodded and looked at her watch: she was going to be late for the meeting with Jimmy Donaldson. She didn’t know how she was going to get all the way over to the theme park on time. Well, if he left, he left. She’d just have to rearrange the meeting.

  Connie had asked the cab driver to wait. She had then hurried into the mansion block of flats. Lennie always left just before lunch, did the rounds of his girls, then checked his club for the previous night’s takings. He would then come home, change and have something to eat. Connie had usually cooked him a light meal before running his bath. He would change and leave the flat between eight and eight thirty in the evening, rarely returning until early morning. Lennie was a well-organized man – frighteningly well-organized. His girls, his club, his Porsche and his well-furnished flat came before any love or relationship. Connie knew that now. She hadn’t, not for a long time. She had truly believed Lennie cared for her. She had been with him for three years, cooking, cleaning, kee
ping his flat spotless. Occasionally she went to the club and they dined out frequently, but then he had started knocking her around and a few times told her to be ‘very nice’ to friends of his. When they became a regular weekly session, she knew it was all over between them, that she was no longer his ‘special’. He was getting ready for a change, as if she was part of the fixtures and fittings. He had beaten her up so badly one night, broken her nose, that he had arranged for her to have facial surgery. She had her eyes done, her nose remodelled, a cheek implant and a breast implant. She had felt wonderful. He had visited her in the clinic and been kind to her when she came home in the bandages. She had believed he’d changed, that perhaps he really did care for her, but when the bandages came off and she admired herself, preening in front of him as he lay in bed, he had said, lighting a cigarette, ‘Well, now, girl, you can make up the money, seven grand you owe. I reckon you’ve a few more years in you now so you’re going to share with Carol and Leslie.’

  Connie couldn’t believe it. They were two of his girls and he was moving her out and in with them, as if there had been nothing between them. ‘But, Lennie, I want to try going straight. You know, get a proper agent and do some modelling.’

  He had laughed. ‘No way. You can earn more for me than doing any bleedin’ cereal advert …’

  She hadn’t said anything, not argued back, afraid he’d maybe whack her. She had simply waited for him to leave at his usual time, called Ester Freeman and said she would be free to come to the manor. She had packed fast and run off. Now Connie was back she let herself in and went straight to the kitchen. She began unplugging all the movable equipment she could lay her hands on. She then went into the bedroom and cleared out her side of the wardrobe. At least she was alone; he hadn’t moved anyone else in yet.

  Lennie’s portable phone was on the stand, recharging. She was so busy filling the suitcase that she didn’t notice it. Lennie never went anywhere without his portable. Right now he was swearing as he realized he’d forgotten to put it in his pocket, right now doing a U-turn and heading back to the flat to pick it up.

  The cab driver noticed the metallic blue Porsche park, watched the dapper West Indian straighten his draped suit as he headed back towards the mansion block. He returned to reading the Sun, giving a quick look at the meter. It was ticking away and he wondered how long the girl would be; she’d said about ten minutes but she’d already been gone that. He swore, wondering if she’d just done a Marquess of Blandford on him and wouldn’t be coming out, but he saw she had left a bag on the back seat so continued to read his paper.

  Connie had filled two cases when he walked back in. She heard the front door slam and backed in terror. He kicked open the door and looked at her.

  ‘Hello, Lennie, I was just packing me gear.’

  ‘I can see that. You missed anything? Like the light fittings?’

  ‘I’ve not taken anything that wasn’t mine, Lennie.’

  ‘I gave you the cash for everything you’re standing up in, sweetheart. Now what the fuck do you think you’re doing and where’ve you been dossing down?’

  She was terrified of him, blurting out she was staying in Aylesbury with some friends. He came closer and closer. ‘Don’t hurt me, please don’t.’

  He laughed. ‘Aylesbury? You kiddin’? Who you staying there with?’

  ‘Dolly Rawlins, you don’t know her, but listen, Lennie, I might be on to a good thing. She’s got diamonds, a lot of diamonds and—’ Connie panicked, trying anything to stop him coming closer. His fists were clenched and she backed away, repeating what she had said, but he did not believe her and she pressed herself against the wardrobe, bracing herself for what she knew was coming. She tried to protect herself, pleading for him not to hit her in the face.

  The cab driver saw the smart alec sweep out and get back into his Porsche; it roared off. He got out of his cab and opened the passenger door to peer inside. He picked up the bag Connie had left. It was full of vitamins. He tossed it on to the back seat, getting more and more pissed off, when he saw her coming out. She carried a suitcase and was wearing dark glasses and a headscarf. He took the case from her. ‘You all right, love?’

  ‘Take me to Marylebone station, please.’ She got into the back seat as he stashed her case up front, then he started up the engine.

  ‘Right, station …’ He could see her in the mirror. She had a handkerchief pressed to her face and it was covered in blood. ‘You sure you’re okay, love?’

  ‘Yes, yes, I’m fine, thank you.’ She could feel the swelling coming up under her eyes. Her nose was bleeding, but she didn’t think he’d broken it, her neck covered in dark red bruises. She had pretended to be unconscious so he had walked out, saying he would see her when he got back. She was never going back. She would kill him if he laid a finger on her again.

  ‘Kathleen? Kathleen?’ Ester shouted. Kathleen was on her bed. She’d had a few drinks and was sleeping it off. Ester barged into the room. ‘Didn’t you hear me calling you?’

  ‘What do you want?’

  Ester shut the door. ‘I think she might be going for the diamonds today. Who do you know that we could trust to fence them?’

  Kathleen lifted her head and then flopped back. ‘Well, it depends, doesn’t it? I mean, they’re still hot but I’ve got a few people I’d trust.’

  Ester was pacing up and down. ‘If they were valued at two million when they were nicked almost nine years ago, what do you reckon they’re worth now?’

  ‘Could be double, it all depends on the quality. Soon as I see them I’ll be able to tell you the best man. Are we going to see them, Ester?’

  ‘I think she’s maybe doing something about them this afternoon.’

  Kathleen sat up, rubbing her head. ‘Well, shouldn’t you or one of us be with her?’

  ‘Julia’s on her, I hope.’

  ‘Have you mentioned to Dolly that you know about them?’

  Ester shook her head. ‘No, and we don’t. Let’s just take it stage by stage.’

  ‘Fine by me, but she’s such a wily old cow she might pick them up and that’s the last we see her.’

  ‘No, she’ll be back. All her gear’s still in her room.’

  ‘Ah, she might be back. I’m not that interested in her, darlin’, but will she be bringin’ back the diamonds?’

  ‘I bloody hope so.’

  Ester walked out as Kathleen slowly got off the bed. She heard Ester tell her to stop nicking booze as she ran the cold water in her washbasin, splashed her face with cold water and patted it dry. The photographs of her three daughters were placed on the dressing-table, positioned so she could see them from her bed. They were the last thing she saw at night and the first in the morning: the nine-year-old twins, Kathy and Mary, and five-year-old Sheena. They were in care, a convent home, but how long they would remain together Kathleen couldn’t be sure. All she knew was that when she got the cut of the diamonds, they were going home, all of them, going back to Dublin. She’d be safe, the cops wouldn’t find her there. She hoped they wouldn’t find her here either. ‘You get the diamonds, Dolly, love,’ she whispered to herself. ‘Pray God you get them before the cops trace me.’

  Kathleen, like every one of them apart from Dolly, was in trouble. But Kathleen’s problem was not some bloke out to make her a punch-bag: a warrant was out for her arrest on two charges of cheque-card fraud. She had simply not turned up for the hearing. Ester’s invitation to come to the manor not only gave her hope for a lot of cash, but also a safe place to hide.

  Dolly trailed from one station to another until she eventually got a taxi for the last stage of the journey to Thorpe Park. Julia was right on her heels, train to train, and lastly the taxi. She didn’t have to say, ‘Follow that cab,’ but she did say, ‘You see that woman with the short haircut, the blue coat? Will you follow the taxi she’s in?’

  As they arrived at the theme park Julia began to doubt that Dolly was collecting the diamonds. In fact she started to curse at the st
upidity of trailing Dolly around like she, Julia, was Sherlock Holmes but, follow her she did, keeping her distance until Dolly headed towards the funfair section.

  Meanwhile, positioned at each exit and entrance, were plain patrol cars and plainclothes officers. Sitting in another plain patrol car was a moody Jimmy Donaldson. They had arrived at three fifteen and he’d been in the car for over an hour and a half. They were all almost giving up when they got the contact. ‘Suspect has entered gate C, over.’

  Donaldson was wired up, instructed to move slowly, and told not to approach any of the officers. He would be monitored at all times. He was still angry they had not found the diamonds because it meant that some other bugger had, and he spent his time trying to think who could have shifted them. Only Audrey and Dolly knew where they were, and maybe his wife. Could she have moved them? Did she know? Had she found them? It was possible, and they had now shifted his poor wife to stay with her sister in Brighton, so the ‘you’ll be at home, Jimmy’ was all a cock-up. He wished he’d never agreed to it but then he thought that if they could swing it for him to be in a nice, cushy, open prison, why not? What did he care? Well, he knew Dolly Rawlins was a hard-nosed cow but without her old man, just how hard could she be? It was Harry who had had enough on him to put him behind bars for years. Now he was dead. Then he got to thinking that as Dolly had shot Harry she might just whack him one, so Jimmy Donaldson was not a happy man, and getting more and more pissed off by the minute.

  DCI Craigh beckoned him out of the car, pressing his earpiece into his ear, listening. ‘Okay, Jimmy. She moved to the hoop-la stand or something, so you start walking in by gate B, the one closest to us. Just act nice and casual, and don’t keep looking round. Off you go.’

  Donaldson shook his head. ‘You know this won’t work. She’s not gonna like it me not having them with me, you know. She won’t like it.’

  Craigh sighed. None of them liked it one little bit but they couldn’t do anything about it. ‘Just do the business. Tell her to meet you back at your place, that it was unsafe to bring them here – tell her anything.’