THIRTY-NINE

After trashing every bit of furniture in the flat that belonged to Jimmy the Fish, Danny felt slightly better. 'Who does he think he is? Cunt, telling me I can live here rent free.' Muttering to himself, he packed his clothes and belongings into a suitcase. 'He can stick his fucking flat up his arse, the old has-been.'

Deciding to polish off the last of the lager he had in the fridge, Danny sat on the floor and pondered his next move. His financial situation wasn't great at the moment. He wasn't skint, but the few grand he had wouldn't go far. He'd borrowed some money off Billie, but she could go and fuck herself now, there was no way he was giving that back. Luckily, he had a fair bit of gear around him. Unknown to Jimmy and the others, he'd been siphoning off a bit here and there, partly to support his own ever-increasing habit and partly for a bit of security.

Not wanting to waste money renting some poxy flat, Danny weighed up his options. He had two choices really: going back to his mother's or moving back in with Debbie for the time being. His mother's was a definite no-go. Living in that cramped shithole with his brothers and sisters would be impossible for him now. Loading his case and sports bag into his Shogun, he decided to go cap in hand round to Debbie's.

He knew she was still pregnant with his kid, he'd heard it through the grapevine. Apparently, she'd attended the clinic, but hadn't been able to go through with it. She'd sent the five hundred quid he'd given her back via a friend, with a message saying she couldn't get rid of it, but accepted that he wanted nothing to do with it and she wouldn't be asking him for a penny.

Danny had pocketed the money and not bothered contacting her. 'Silly bitch,' he'd told his pals. 'She don't even look after the two kids she's already got, her mother has 'em all the time. What the fuck does she want another one for?'

Debbie heard the knock on the door and looked through her peephole. Her heart leapt when she saw it was Danny. Her friends had said she was mad to keep the baby after what he'd said and done to her. Her mother had been supportive though. 'I'll look after the baby if you can't manage,' she'd told her.

Debbie didn't really want any more kids. It was only because this one was Danny's that she couldn't get rid of it. Even though he'd been a bastard and frightened the living daylights out of her, she still wanted him badly.

As she opened the front door, Debbie tried to hide her feelings. 'What's up, Dan?' she asked casually.

'I can't stop thinking about you and the baby and that,' Danny lied. 'Maybe we could give it another go, me and you, like. What do you think?'

Debbie invited him in, handed him a can of cheap lager and sat in the armchair, looking serious. 'I don't know, Dan. Part of me would like to give it another go, but you frightened me so much when you tried to strangle me that night. I'm not sure it's a good idea.'

Danny walked over to where she was sitting, crouched down on the floor and took her hands in his. 'I'm so sorry about that, babe. I don't know what came over me. I had so much stress at work with Jimmy and the boys. It won't happen again, Debs. I'm outta there now. I'm gonna set up on me own, work for meself. It weren't me, babe, that attacked you back then. I was so fucked up in the head, I didn't know what I was doing. I swear, now I'm away from that lot, I'm different.'

Debbie looked at his handsome face and melted. Her eyes filled with tears. 'I do love you, Danny. I'm willing to give it another go with you, but if anything like that happens again, it'll definitely be the end. Next time you lay a hand on me, I swear it's over for good.'

Danny kissed her passionately. 'It won't, babe, I promise. I'll just pop downstairs and get my case.' Danny smiled to himself as he ran down the stairs. 'Silly bitch,' he muttered. 'I'll be out of here like a shot once I sort meself out.'

'You're quiet, Billie. What's up? You're not pissed off because I'm going out tonight, are you?'

Putting down her duster and can of polish, Billie picked up DJ who was whinging and stood facing Jamie. 'You silly sod, I don't mind you going out. I like to see you have a night with the boys.'

'Why are you so quiet then? You've hardly said a word all afternoon.'

'I want to go to Jamie,' DJ said, wriggling out of her arms and clambering onto his idol's lap. Billie sat down next to the pair of them.

'I ain't got the hump with you, Jamie, honest. Sorry if I've been quiet, I've just got an awful feeling that something bad is about to happen.'

Jamie looked at her with a silly grin on his face. 'Having another one of our psychic moments, are we, dear?'

Billie gave a false laugh and walked into the kitchen. She'd had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach since first thing this morning. It was the same kind of feeling she'd had on the day after her dad had gone missing. She could quite easily have clumped Jamie for taking the piss but she didn't want to create a scene. He was popping out tonight for a few drinks with a couple of the lads he used to work with on the market. He never went out without her and DJ and Billie had encouraged him to go to the birthday drink that he'd been invited to. That's why she didn't want to row with him, it would spoil his night. Trying to put the unease she felt out of her mind, she plugged in the Dyson and carried on with the housework.

Four cans of crap lager, a beefburger and chips and a quick shag later and Danny was already bored out of his brains. It wasn't hard to remember why he'd left Debbie in the first place as she did his fucking brain in. Danny suffered her waffling until she insisted on discussing baby names. Unable to listen to any more of her shit, he decided to make his getaway.

'Fuck me. Is it eight o'clock, Deb? Shit, I forgot, I'm meant to be meeting a geezer at half eight in Brentwood.'

'Aw,' Debbie said in her best whining voice. 'You've only just moved back in. Do you have to go out tonight? Is it really that important?'

Danny jumped out of bed. Truth be known he had nowhere to go, but he just couldn't get away from her quick enough. 'Yeah, it's important, it's about work. I've got you and the baby to support now, haven't I?'

Debbie smiled. The baby was due in less than four months. That's what she liked about Danny, he was a go-getter. She'd never want for anything now she had him back and their baby would be so spoilt. 'OK, babe. I understand.'

Danny kissed her on the cheek. 'Laters, yeah.'

Starting up his car, Danny drove round the corner, parked in a little lay-by and turned off the engine. He didn't have a clue where he was heading, he hadn't thought that far ahead. Deciding to give the Cross Keys a wide berth, as he knew he wouldn't be welcome, Danny stopped at the first pub he came to. 'Give us a large Scotch.'

Linda, the barmaid, stood facing him, her hands planted firmly on her bulging hips. 'You've forgotten the magic word, love.'

Danny wasn't in the mood to play games. 'What the fuck you on about?'

Leaning her fat elbows on the bar, Linda looked him in the eye. 'If you can't say please when you ask for a drink, then you won't be getting served by me.'

Danny looked at the cocky fat tart facing him and wanted to knock her lights out. Debbie had driven him mad earlier and now this. All he wanted was a bit of peace and quiet, but obviously that wasn't meant to be. 'Can I have a large Scotch, please?' His voice was full of sarcasm.

Linda smirked as she handed him the drink and took the money. She was looking after the pub for her mate Sharon who was on a two-week holiday in Turkey. Being in charge and calling the shots suited her perfectly. She'd already barred five of the regulars for one thing or another and that was just the start of it. By the time Sharon came back, all the riff-raff would be gone for good, Linda would make sure of that.

Danny knocked his drink back and immediately asked for another. An hour later, he'd downed six or seven large ones, saying 'please' every time he ordered. 'What am I doing sitting here?' he mumbled to himself. The pub was a complete shithole and was in desperate need of a refurb. Turning round on his barstool, he noticed there were only five other people in the dive and four of them looked like bloody vagrants.

'Do you want another one?' Linda asked cockily, noticing that his glass was almost empty.

Danny sipped the last drop of Scotch out of his glass and swilled it round as if it were mouthwash. Clutching the glass tightly in the palm of his right hand, he chucked it at Linda as hard as he could, aiming at her big fat head. Missing her by no more than an inch, the glass hit the optics behind her and smashed into a thousand pieces. Danny laughed at Linda's shocked expression. Her cockiness had now disappeared and was replaced by a look of fear.

'No, I don't want no more. I've had enough, thank you!' Laughing loudly, he strolled out of the door.

In the car, Danny shoved the whole gram up his nose. Sniffing hard, he felt the strength of it reach the back of his throat and let out a small sigh of pleasure. Turning his ignition on, he cranked Kiss FM up full blast and headed towards Romford.

Jamie walked into the pub in Romford and spotted his three pals immediately. 'Happy birthday, mate,' he said, patting Ben on the back. 'All right, Dave? All right, Lee?' he shouted to the other two lads that were playing pool.

The four of them had known one another a good few years. At one point they'd all worked down Romford market together, which is where they'd formed their original friendship. Ben the birthday boy now had his own stall, selling flowers, whereas the other two had moved on to different careers and pastures new.

'What we doing? We staying in here all night?' Jamie asked. It'd been ages since he'd had a drink with the boys and he was out of practice with the routine.

'I dunno, mate.' Ben handed Jamie a bottle of Bud. 'Let's get a few of these down us, have a couple of games of pool and see how the evening pans out, eh?'

Jamie downed his lager greedily. 'Same again, lads?'

'Yep,' answered three thirsty voices.

Half a dozen games of pool and a few beers later, Jamie and the boys were bored with the pub they were in and decided to head off somewhere more lively. Walking slowly, they headed towards South Street.

Danny stood in the bar in South Street and walked over to the girl in the short white miniskirt that was blatantly eyeing him up. 'All right? The name's Danny. Wanna drink?'

Emma Jones didn't need asking twice. Saying goodbye to her mates, she followed Danny over to the corner of the bar, away from the speakers and the drum and bass. Handing her the alcopop she'd asked for, Danny turned to face her.

'Tell me about yourself then, babe? Who are you? What you all about?'

Emma smiled at his directness and proceeded to tell him her life story in ten minutes flat. 'I've got to go and do a wee, Danny,' she said in her Essex drawl. 'Hold my drink for me. I don't like leaving it lying around, in case someone spikes it.'

Danny did as he was told. The ladies' toilets were upstairs in Brannigan's, and he felt his cock stiffen as he watched her long tanned legs striding above him.

'I gotta go to the little boy's room now,' he said on her return. 'You stay right there, babe. I've got big plans for you.'

Emma smiled as he walked away. She couldn't believe her luck; he was well fit. Normally all she ever met in Romford were silly little kids barely out of school uniform. Danny was different, he was cool and she'd noticed the big wad of money that he'd waved at the barman to order the drinks. He must have had at least a grand in his hand. Emma worked in a local shoe shop and had never seen that kind of money before. Sipping her drink, she patiently waited for his return.

Danny could be charming when he wanted to be, and after topping himself up on charlie, he came back on top form. That was until he saw Jamie enter the premises with a few of the lads from the market. With anger pumping through his veins, Danny struggled to keep his cool. His court case to gain access to his son was next week, so he couldn't do anything in public. Billie Jo and Jamie would love that, if he created a scene. That would be playing straight into their Judas hands.

Emma noticed that Danny's mood had changed and he'd become edgy. 'You all right? What's the matter, Dan?'

Danny turned his back to the section of the bar where Jamie was standing. 'I'm OK, it's a long story. Look, do me a favour, you see that blond geezer up at the bar with the tan leather jacket on? Keep your eye on him for me. If he goes anywhere, let me know. You do that for me, Emma, and I'll take you out for a nice meal tomorrow night and explain everything.'

Emma nodded dumbly. She found Danny well exciting and would have agreed to do anything he suggested. Going out for a nice meal would be the icing on the cake and she could hardly contain her excitement.

Jamie stood by the bar, sipping his drink, pretending he was enjoying himself. Looking around, he couldn't believe he'd once had a good time in this type of place. Looking at his watch, he noticed it was midnight. He really didn't want to be here now. He'd enjoyed himself playing pool earlier, but now he'd give anything to be snuggled up next to Billie Jo, with DJ somewhere nearby. Yawning, he finished the last of his drink.

'I'm gonna have to make a move now, lads. I've gotta get up for work in the morning,' he lied. He was enjoying a week off, but they weren't to know.

'You're a fucking lightweight, Jamie. Don't go yet, you boring bastard. Stay another hour at least,' the lads protested.

'No, honestly, I've gotta go. I'm knackered. You boys enjoy yourselves. I'll ring you tomorrow to see how the rest of the night went. I'll see you later.' Without a backward glance, Jamie walked out of the pub.

'He's just walked out on his own,' Emma said, pleased that she was being so useful.

'Stay here.' Danny handed her a score. 'Get yourself a drink, I won't be long.'

Jamie felt quite unsteady as he walked towards the nearest cab firm. He wasn't used to drinking large amounts any more and he felt pretty pissed. He walked along cheerfully in deep thought. He was so happy at home with Billie Jo and DJ. He loved his new-found family more than words could say. One day, he and Billie would have a child of their own. He'd mention it to her soon, see if she was up for it.

Danny hid in a shop doorway as he saw a crowd of people walking towards him. He could see that Jamie was staggering and he didn't want to be noticed walking behind him.

Passing the travel agents, a bargain holiday caught Jamie's eye. 'I wonder if Billie and DJ would like that?' he muttered to himself. He could easily get the time off work, his job was a doddle. Because he always did plenty of overtime he was also given plenty of time off and took full advantage of it by spending lots of odd days with Billie Jo and the little 'un.

Danny lightly rubbed his thumb over the blade in his hand and double-checked the street. It wasn't empty, but there was nobody nearby and this was about as quiet as Romford was gonna get. Tiptoeing nearer and nearer to his intended victim, he felt as high as a kite. Moving in the shadows towards his helpless target, he felt like laughing with glee. Somehow he managed to stop himself.

Jamie heard footsteps behind him, but thought nothing of it. Romford town centre was a busy old place and there were always people about.

Clutching the knife tightly in his right hand, Danny said one word over and over again as he aimed it towards the tan leather jacket. 'Cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt.' The five spoken words were the same number of times he stuck the blade in.

He didn't just jab it. With all his might, Danny rammed the bastard as hard as he possibly could.