Widows

Having regained her composure, Dolly left the toilets. As luck would have it, a rubbish truck was held up in traffic, so as she walked casually by the rear of it she threw her holdall into the back. Crossing the market square, she headed up James Street to Covent Garden tube station, which was by now bustling with commuters on their way to work. She bought a day travel card and headed slowly down the long flight of stairs to the platform. She could hear the rumble of the trains down below. It felt good to have finally stopped running.

Linda was changed and ready to leave in no time, though her hand was shaking so badly that she’d smudged her lipstick over her cheek and had to redo it twice. Bella and Linda gave each other a big hug before going their separate ways. Bella, now wearing a smart coat and matching chic hat, walked from the car park carrying her suitcase and hailed a taxi on the main road. ‘Luton Airport, darlin’,’ she said as she got in the cab.

The taxi driver couldn’t believe his luck. ‘Glad to get out of the city, miss,’ he said. ‘I’ve had a hell of a morning! Something was up in the Strand underpass first thing. There’s been massive traffic jams...’

Dolly got off the tube two stops along at Piccadilly Circus, crossed the platform and took the next tube back to Covent Garden. She stood at the bottom of the deep stairwell and looked up briefly before deciding the lift was a better option: she’d had enough exercise for one day. Once out in the street, she walked casually toward the car park, taking a moment here and there to do some window-shopping. Police cars were patrolling slowly up and down Long Acre, but elsewhere traffic had come to a standstill. It didn’t worry her. She’d no need to make a fast getaway now. She was just another woman out on a shopping trip.

As Linda drove out of the car park along level one, she saw Shirley’s car, stopped and got out to see what was up. Shirley was sitting in the driver’s seat, still in her overalls, hunched over in agony. Linda opened the car door. This wasn’t good. Shirley should have been on her way ages ago. They had planes to catch.

‘Come on, girl,’ Linda said. ‘I know you’re in pain, but you gotta work through it for now. At least get that overall off and, when you get to the airport, you can nip to the loo and change.’

Shirley limped out of the car and supported herself on the roof, while Linda helped her out of the overalls and put them in a bin bag.

‘I’ll bin these for you,’ Linda said. ‘You pick up the pace now. Let’s get back on track.’

Shirley got back in the car, opened the glove box and removed some make-up. She looked up at Linda through her tears and gave her a weak smile.

Linda laughed. ‘No matter what happens, you always have to look your best, don’t you?’ Returning to her Capri, she drove off.

As she entered the car park, Dolly saw Linda’s car drive off down the road. The relief she felt was so overwhelming, she could hardly stop herself running up the stairwell to her Merc. When she reached the top level and opened the boot, she smiled. All three rucksacks were neatly laid together. Once in the car, Dolly opened the glove box, removed a wig and dark sunglasses and donned her second disguise of the day.

On the way out of the car park, she nearly hit Shirley’s Mini Estate as it lurched out of the parking bay, stopped and lurched forward again, hitting the car park wall and denting the bumper. Dolly screeched to a halt, jumped out and raced across to Shirley. Before Dolly could ask, Shirley had opened the window. She was in floods of tears.

‘It’s my ankle,’ she moaned. ‘I can’t hold the clutch down properly it hurts so much. I don’t know what—’

Dolly didn’t wait for her to finish. Pulling the door open, she helped Shirley out of the Mini and supported her as she limped over to the Merc. Dolly opened the passenger door, dropped the front seat down pushed Shirley onto the back. Shirley winced in pain.

‘There’s a rug. Cover yourself — right over your head — and hurry. Where’re your flight tickets?’ Dolly asked.

‘In me handbag under the driver’s seat... and one of me plimsolls just fell off.’

Dolly ran to the Mini, retrieved Shirley’s handbag and plimsoll and chucked them on the back seat beside her.

‘The keys, the keys, Dolly! They’re in the ignition. And my case — what about my case?’

Dolly slammed the passenger door shut and got back in the Merc. ‘There’s no room for your case and we have to go now. Shut up and cover yourself.’

With Shirley hidden by the blanket and sobbing in the back seat, Dolly began the drive to the airport. All around Covent Garden the police sirens screamed; traffic remained at a standstill. Dolly realized there was no way she was going to get Shirley to the airport anytime soon — and in any case being seen at an airport together would be a really bad idea, even if Dolly was only dropping her off. They’d have to go back to Dolly’s and work out their next move from there.