Widows

‘The investigation into the armed raid on a security wagon in the Strand underpass earlier this morning is now well under way. Four masked men are said to have escaped with over one million pounds. Police are searching for a white Leyland truck used in the robbery and a white GLC van in which the suspects made their escape...’

Ripping off his pajama top, Resnick started to dress.

Harry Rawlins was listening to exactly the same broadcast on a small transistor radio. He knew newscasters liked to embellish a story for the public and doubted that over a million was stolen — he reckoned it was probably between six and seven hundred thousand pounds — but even so, he was still angry that he didn’t know where the money was. In a fit of fury, Harry swiped at the radio, which flew from the table and smashed against the wall.

Trudie jumped. She was cleaning Eddie’s face with cotton wool swabs and disinfectant at the kitchen table. The scalds from the bubbling coffee were now painful blisters and the scratches on his eyelids and ears from Shirley’s beautifully manicured nails were a dark, burning red. Eddie winced with the pain as Trudie dabbed at his face, but he never took his eyes off Harry.

Harry was in a volatile state of mind. He lit a cigarette, took a deep lungful of smoke and let it stream out slowly from his nose as he glared at his nervous cousin.

‘She just came at me, Harry, like a wildcat. I never seen anything like it! I don’t know who the hell she was.’

From the description Eddie had already given, Harry new exactly who she was, but he didn’t tell him. Harry looked at the cheap watch he was wearing and then back at Eddie. ‘Your face looks bad. Must be real painful, son.’

‘It is, Harry, when I get my hands on that cow she’s gonna suffer real bad.’

Trudie looked at Harry. It made her uncomfortable when they spoke about violence, especially toward women. Just then, the baby started crying in the bedroom. Harry looked as if he was about to blow a gasket. He jerked his head for her to go and see to the child, but she continued dabbing Eddie’s face. Harry stood up, kicked a chair over and took a step toward her. Trudie scurried into the bedroom and quietly shut the door.

‘You sure the filth didn’t find the money?’ Harry said, leaning over the table toward Eddie.

Eddie gulped. ‘I’m almost certain, Harry,’ he said in a shaky voice, ‘they wasn’t there that long before they put Dolly in the patrol car and left. She was givin’ ’em a right mouthful and not one of them was carrying any holdalls. In fact, they wasn’t carrying anything at all.’

Harry crossed to the window, stubbed his cigarette out between his fingers then flicked it toward the sink. It fell short and landed on the floor. He leaned his head against the cold window and clenched his fists. He felt incredibly frustrated. He was used to being in control, total control. As the cold glass cooled his temper, his cheek muscled jumped. Robbery was a man’s game and the fact that Dolly seemed to have pulled it off and got away with it infuriated him. All he wanted to do now was get the money and disappear. It wasn’t her money, it was his — his plans, his ledgers, his contacts, his brains... and she was taking all the credit. A grin crept over his face. He couldn’t help but admire her balls. He knew that she’d be running on pure adrenalin right now, and he hoped she knew how to control it. Harry, head still on the glass, laughed out loud. Shirley fucking Miller, he thought to himself. And it made sense, therefore, that Linda Pirelli was also involved. Unbelievable. Then he spoke out loud.

‘Women, eh, Eddie?’

Eddie had no idea what Harry was referring to, so opted to laugh quietly and cautiously.

Harry turned to Eddie and perched on the windowsill. His voice was quiet, as if he was mulling things over to himself. ‘The Old Bill must have searched the house. If she was yappy with ’em, it sounds like she’s already hidden the cash somewhere. Even if she ain’t, she’ll soon find out from the blonde who scalded you that someone’s looking for the money... You really fucked up, Eddie.’

Suddenly Harry moved across the room and punched Eddie hard in the nose. He fell off his chair and onto the floor with a cry of pain. Harry stood over him like a towering, menacing giant. Eddie braced himself for a beating, but thankfully it didn’t come. He sighed with relief as Harry returned to looking out of the window. His nose was throbbing and when he wiped it on his sleeve and saw the blood he thought it might be broken.

‘Get Bill. And watch Dolly like a hawk, 24/7,’ Harry ordered. ‘Don’t lose sight of her.’