The Faithless - Martina Cole [81]
Cynthia glanced around the room, remembering when they first came here, seeing the kids when they were still small enough to do as they were told, before they turned into a pair of scheming bastards like their father.
James had killed himself to spite her, she was convinced of that. Deep down she thought he had done it to teach her a lesson. She grimaced through her tears. Well, he had wasted his time, because she felt no guilt where he was concerned. None whatsoever.
She wiped her eyes carefully, then she went up her beautiful staircase and ran herself a bath. She had never been one for regrets. Instead, she would do what she had always done – look after number one.
Smiling now, she sank into the scented water, and planned her next move. The past was the past – she had a future to look forward to, and that future was going to be as a young widow with no kids, no ties, no nothing.
Fuck Jonny Parker, and fuck her family. She could get along without any of them, and that was exactly what she intended to do.
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Jonny had always enjoyed the food at the Greek restaurant in Dagenham. He liked the owners and it served good food. He particularly loved the kleftiko. As he ate there with Linford Fargas before their meet about the villa scam, he pondered on how a life could change overnight, and not always for the good either.
‘Do you reckon she’ll go on the trot, Jonny?’ Linford asked.
He shrugged. ‘Who? Cynthia? Yeah, I do. She won’t stick around where she ain’t wanted. Anyway, if she doesn’t, I’ll give her a nudge in the right direction.’
Linford nodded. ‘I’ll nudge her if you like, with my boot in her arse!’
Jonny grinned. ‘She did have a great arse, I’ll give her that.’
Linford snorted, saying disdainfully, ‘No arse is worth all that, mate, not even Madonna’s.’
They were quiet again for a few moments before Linford said, ‘When’s the meet in Bow again?’
‘For fuck’s sake, Linford, how many times? Eleven thirty, at a scrapyard. We meet all the other investors then, and get the run down on how much is in place. I think there’s a chance of shifting some more gear as well. That little Derek was asking me about puff and I told him we could accommodate anyone for any amount. He seemed interested. Nice young fella, he is – I like him. But then his old man was on the up – well liked, by all accounts. Should get a walk in the next few years.’
Linford grimaced. ‘All that time behind the door. Fucking disgraceful really. I couldn’t do it.’
‘’Course you could. It’s just getting your head around it, that’s all.’
Linford didn’t answer, but he wondered how well Jonny Parker would do in the same position. The threat of a great big lump and actually having to do a great big lump were two completely different things altogether. Jonny would have an easy ride being who he was. But Linford wondered at how well he would take his liberty being curtailed. That was why his brother hanged himself, he was sure of it. He had been looking at a twenty at least, and funky Brixton wasn’t exactly hotel standard. But Jonny Parker was like a lot of the men in the game; they were too far removed to ever get a big capture. Too many smaller fish to catch before them. In a way, Linford supposed, he was in a similar position.
‘Derek’s dad was a real hard case in his day, wasn’t he?’
‘So the stories go, real, serious hard man – took no prisoners.’
Linford remembered hearing a story about him, but he couldn’t remember what it was. Shrugging, he said carefully, ‘As long as you’re sure about this scam, that’s all. Derek is young, and he hasn’t got any real reputation yet. From what I’ve heard, he was only a whipping boy for a long time.’
Jonny sighed. Linford could be an old woman at times. ‘Look, I’ve done me homework, and he’s a kosher kid, OK? He’s had a few good earns and this is his big one. He’s getting a good little rep and I want him where I can see him, and that means working for me.’ Jonny was getting pissed off now and, seeing two young men at another table watching him, he snapped at