THIRTY-SIX

Billie shook as she made Jamie listen to the message on her answerphone.

'What are we gonna do? I'm so scared. Say he tries to snatch DJ or—'

'Ssh.' Jamie stopped her in mid-sentence and protectively wrapped his arms around her. 'Everything's gonna be fine, Billie. Look, first things first. Marsha said we have to report any threats to the Old Bill, so we'll go and do that now. They'll advise us what to do next, and in the meantime you can ring Marsha and see what she suggests.'

'OK.' Billie Jo felt sick with fear. Danny O'Leary was a nutcase and she wished she had never laid eyes on him.

Michelle sat in Hazel's car and watched the people entering the building.

'They all look like not-rights,' she said to Hazel.

'They're just normal people who have problems, Chelle. They're no different to me and you.'

Hazel had found Chelle a list of AA meetings on the internet. Chelle's solicitor had insisted that she attend. He had told her it would do her forthcoming court case the world of good if she were to make an effort. Chelle had been totally against the idea.

'I'm not sitting round a table telling my innermost secrets to a load of fucking gone-wrongs,' she'd obstinately told Hazel.

'You have to go, Chelle. As your brief says, he can't help you unless you're willing to help yourself.

Begrudgingly, Chelle had agreed. 'I ain't going to a meeting round here, Hazel. I'm bound to be recognised and I'm definitely not sitting on some council estate with a load of fucking down-and-outs. Find me one in a well-to-do area where there is a better class of drunk.'

Hazel chuckled. Typical Chelle. She searched the net and found a meeting in Chigwell for her.

'Right, I'm ready. Wait here for me, Hazel, in case they're a load of nutters. If they are, I'm not staying.' Taking a deep breath, Michelle strode towards the building.

Debbie Jones put the quilt over her head and sobbed like a baby. The bedding smelt of Danny's aftershave. Breathing in his scent, she tried to fathom out why things had gone so bloody wrong. Before he'd gone into nick, their relationship had been great and he hadn't been able to keep his hands off her. Since he'd moved in she rarely saw him. He worked late most nights and sometimes didn't come home at all. When he did come home, he was distant with her. Being ignored Debbie could handle, but him attacking her had been unexpected and totally uncalled for.

Looking at her phone, she debated whether to tell her mum. She quickly decided against the idea. Her mum had always told her that she moved men in too quickly. 'I told you so' was the last thing she needed to hear at this particular moment. Pregnant and alone, Debbie sobbed herself to sleep.

* * *

Jamie drove slowly into the cul-de-sac, allowing Billie to clock the numbers.

'Number eleven, that's it. Park here, Jamie.'

Obeying his girlfriend's orders, Jamie smiled at her. 'Now are you sure you don't want me to come in with you?'

'I'll be fine. You stay here with DJ. I won't be long.'

Fighting her way through the overgrown front garden, Billie tapped on the door. She had decided to ring Danny's mum after coming out of the police station. 'Pop round and see me, darling,' Brenda had insisted.

'Hello, lovey.'

Ushering her into the living room, Brenda moved some toys off the sofa. 'Sit there, Billie, while I make you a coffee. I'm sorry about the mess, my kids are a bloody nightmare. No matter how much housework I do, the place always looks like a shithole.'

Billie smiled to herself. The place looked as if it had been ransacked. It was absolutely rotten. No wonder Danny had liked it round her mother's house.

'Thanks,' Billie said, as she was handed a chipped mug.

'Where are the kids?'

'My Shane's got a girlfriend now, he's round hers. Jermain, Brandon and Aleesha are out playing. Streetrakers they are, I've no control over 'em whatsoever. How's my grandson? Why didn't you bring him with you, Billie?'

'I needed to talk to you alone, Brenda.'

Eyes filling up with tears, Billie filled Brenda in with the latest news. She let her listen to all of Danny's abusive messages. Brenda handed the phone back to Billie.

'Apart from apologising for giving birth to him, I don't know what to say to you. What was he going on about when he said you'd run off with his best mate?'

Billie felt embarrassed as she explained the situation to Brenda. 'Jamie's been so kind to me and DJ. Honestly, Bren, without him I don't know what I would have done. I tried everything I could to make things work with Danny, but all he ever did was throw it back in my face. I told you at the party what he did to me. He raped me, cheated on me and hit me. Jamie is so different to him. Please don't think badly of me, will you?'

Brenda stood up and moved next to Billie. Putting an arm round her, she smiled. 'If you've got a chance of happiness, you grab it with both hands, girl. Me, I never had that chance. Bastard after bastard I picked and look how my life's ended up. Part of me blames myself for the way Danny is, you know. I was on the game when he was a kid. He had a terrible childhood, I know he did. I was off me head on drink and drugs most of the time, whilst Danny was left to fend for himself.'

Billie noticed a couple of tears running down Brenda's cheek and hugged her tightly.

'Don't go beating yourself up over the past. Don't blame yourself, Brenda. You're a lovely person and it's not your fault that you had a hard life.'

Wiping her eyes, Brenda smiled. 'That's the nicest thing that anyone's ever said to me.'

Billie stood up. 'I'd best being going now, Jamie's outside waiting for me. I'm gonna leave you both of my phone numbers, Bren.'

Billie took a piece of paper and a pen out of her bag and scribbled them down. 'Ring me any time you want. I'd like to take you out for lunch, just me, you and DJ.'

'I'd love that.'

Billie walked to the door. 'If you do see Danny, please don't tell him I've been round, will you?'

'Never in a million years. You're my friend, Billie, and I would never betray you.'

Waving goodbye, Billie knew that Brenda was telling the truth. She could sense that the woman was loyal and Billie was positive that their newly found friendship was the start of something special.

Over in Chigwell, the meeting was coming to an end and Michelle was asked to stand up and speak. 'Hello, my name's Michelle and I'm an alcoholic.'

'Hello, Michelle,' said the seventeen other cheery voices.

Anna, the team leader, noted Chelle's embarrassment and stood up.

'Michelle is a new member, everybody. This is her first meeting and I think she deserves a round of applause.'

Michelle smiled as everybody clapped and quickly sat back down. She desperately needed a drink, but obviously this was the wrong place to ask for one. Glancing to her right, she noticed the old girl next to her had nodded off. What the fuck am I doing here? she thought.

'Now, Michelle. Is there anything you want to tell us today?' asked Anna.

'No,' Chelle replied, glaring at her. Chelle had hated the team leader on sight. She'd singled her out from the word go.

Fat, with glasses, Anna had a face like a smacked arse and a voice you'd like to throttle.

'Well, that's it for today. All that's left now is for us to say our prayers.'

Michelle bowed her head and unwittingly joined in.

Jimmy the Fish walked into the Ship and Shovel pub in Barking. He ordered a drink, made his way to a corner table and looked at his watch. He was ten minutes early.

Sid the Snake had rung him this morning to arrange a meeting.

'It's urgent, Jim,' Sid had told him.

Jimmy didn't have a clue what Sid wanted, but instinct told him that the news wasn't going to be good.

'What do you want to drink?' Jimmy asked as Sid arrived.

'I'll have a Scotch.'

The two men sat down facing one another.

'Come on then. What's up?'

His face etched with worry, Sid finally spoke.

'Look, Jim, I didn't wanna be the one to tell ya, but someone has to. It's Danny, he's becoming a bit of a problem, mate.'

Jimmy sipped his drink. 'In what way?'

'He's being very loud, Jimmy. I've been hearing lots of rumours about him. Bang on the gear he is and his tongue keeps running away with him. If we're not careful, he's gonna get us all into a lot of trouble.'

Jimmy the Fish wasn't a man of many words. Finishing his drink, he slammed the glass onto the table.

'Don't worry, Sid. It's dealt with.'