The Faithless - Martina Cole [67]
Still, he consoled himself with the fact he had fought her to get James Junior the help he so desperately needed, so at least he had done that much. A voice in his head was telling him it was too little, too late. But he ignored that, and left the house quick smart. Cynthia could do the boy’s packing – she was better at things like that than he was.
An hour later he was coked out of his nut, and working on long columns of figures. Only numbers made any sense to him these days, and he lost himself in them like a drowning man grabbing on to a lifeboat.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Vincent O’Casey was waiting for Gabby outside the school gates the next morning and, seeing him, her heart rose in her chest.
‘How’s everything?’ He genuinely cared, and that meant so much to her.
‘I’m on me own today because me mum has to take me brother to some kind of kids’ looney bin in Kent. I’ll skip school, shall I? We can go somewhere and be together.’
Vincent knew he should refuse, but he missed her. Never had he felt like this about a girl before. Gabby was under his skin and, with the certainty of young love, he knew she always would be. She came from a dangerous family, and he was nervous about that, but it was her, Gabby, who filled his days and his nights. If he was honest, she was like a virus infecting every part of him, and he knew that she felt the same about him.
‘I’ve got a motor round the corner, borrowed it off me mate Petey. He’s working for your uncle Jonny actually, and he might get me onboard. I’m thinking of going into the banking business.’
Gabby smiled with pride. Once settled in the rather knackered Ford Capri Ghia, Gabby lit a cigarette and said earnestly, ‘What bank will you work for? Barclays?’
Vincent grinned then and said mischievously, ‘Sometimes, depends what bank we’ll be robbing, don’t it!’
Gabby laughed, but she felt the first fingers of fear inside her belly. She forced it away; he was older than her, and he knew what he was about. It was too late for her now, he was in her blood, and nothing he did would make her feel anything other than love for him.
‘What, with guns?’
He nodded as he pulled out into the traffic. ‘’Course. Bit pointless trying to rob a bank with a fucking lolly stick!’
‘But what if you get caught?’
‘I won’t get caught, it’s a doddle really. Now, let’s drop that, shall we? Where do you want to go? Victoria Park? How about Barking Park? We can go on the boats.’
She grinned shyly. ‘How about Southend? I love Southend.’
‘Southend it is.’
As they picked up the A13, she was quiet for a few moments. ‘I know this ain’t been easy, Vince, but my mum’s a tough one you know.’
Vincent laughed then. ‘Fucking understatement of the year that! She’s harder than most blokes. I mean, you have to admire her, don’t you? She saved her sister from certain death, girl, and, from what I heard, she took out Kevin Bryant quick as anything.’
Gabby didn’t answer; she had heard the stories, and they all differed in some way. She was astute enough to know that the whole truth had been scrubbed out a long time ago. She also knew her mother was capable of anything. And not in a good way. It occurred to her that maybe Vincent was with her for her family connections. She could see that her family could be a big draw to a certain kind of people. The thought saddened her, and she wondered if this man, this young boy who she loved so much, was seeing her as a way into the firm. She felt she had to say something.
‘I wouldn’t give stories too much credence, Vince. Me mum’s got a hard side, and she don’t like you. So any thoughts you’ve got about getting an in with her and me uncle Jonny through me won’t happen. She thinks you’re leading me astray.’
Vincent was serious now. ‘Listen, Gabby, I’ve got in with a nice little firm, and they ain’t nowhere in your uncle’s league, or your mother’s come to that. But I can tell you this, I know I won’t be welcomed with open arms by your mum and dad. I’ll sit it out until you’re old enough to make your own mind up, and we can tip them bollocks, OK?’
At his words, Gabby