Widows

When Shirley and Audrey entered the lounge, Dolly had recovered her composure and was sitting, smiling, with her fourth brandy in her hand.

‘You know Mrs. Rawlins, Mum?’

‘Lovely home you’ve got,’ Audrey said, putting on a posh voice and trying to pretend she’d been inside a house like this before.

‘Sit down,’ Dolly waved her hand at an armchair. She got out her purse. ‘Here’s one hundred pounds for your Greg and two hundred for you, for your trouble.’

‘Bleedin’ ’ell!’ Audrey exclaimed, taking the money. Shirley rolled her eyes at how quickly her mum’s classy facade had slipped.

‘What I’d like you to do, Audrey, is drive my Mercedes into London and then go south, through Croydon and onto the A23 toward Gatwick,’ Dolly explained as though it was the most natural thing in the world to ask a stranger to do at four o’clock in the morning.

Audrey stared at Dolly, jaw dangling so low she was in danger of dribbling down her coat. ‘I’m not sure I quite understand—’

‘Mum,’ Shirley interrupted, dragging on a newly lit cigarette. ‘Just do as Dolly asks. Please.’

‘Since when have you smoked?’ Audrey shouted.

‘Mum!’

‘The other thing is, Audrey,’ Dolly continued, getting back on track, ‘that a man in a Ford Granada will probably follow you. If you could do your best to try and lose him around the Croydon area, that’d be best. Now,’ she got to her feet. ‘Would you excuse me for a moment?’

As Dolly left the room, Audrey leapt to her feet. ‘What the bleedin’ ’ell’s going on, Shirl? Are you going away with her? How come?’

‘Please, Mum. She’s got some heavies after her and I’m helping her out, that’s all.’

‘That’s all! That’s all? That’s enough, my girl. She dragging you into trouble, is she? Cos we can leave now...’

‘No, mum.’ Shirley bowed her head, recalling the row she and Dolly had just had. ‘She’s my friend and I want to go with her.’

Audrey took the cigarette from Shirley and took a huge drag, then puffed the smoke out in a circle as she turned to admire the ornate room. ‘A Merc!’ Audrey laughed. ‘Bet you didn’t tell her I ain’t passed my test yet.’

When Dolly came back downstairs, she was carrying a designer dress, patent leather shoes and a headscarf of her own. ‘There’s a cloakroom just by the front door. Go and get changed.’

Bewildered by the request, Audrey did as she was asked for Shirley’s sake. Dolled up — and from behind — Audrey looked surprisingly like Dolly. From the front, she still looked like a market trader, but with Dolly’s headscarf, make-up and sunglasses, the disguise would be good enough to fool Eddie.

Audrey’s own coat looked awful and ruined the entire effect, so Dolly went to the hallway closet and returned with the long black mink coat Harry had given her for their eighteenth wedding anniversary. Eddie had been at that party and had commented on how amazing it was. This would definitely fool him.

Dolly held the coat up and Audrey carefully slipped her arms into the sleeves. ‘Oh, this is lovely,’ Audrey said, completely distracted. ‘Lovely. Ain’t it, Shirl?’ Audrey stroked her own arms — the coat felt like silk. She felt like the bee’s knees.

Shirley and Dolly stood back and examined Audrey from top to toe. Although things were still strained between them, they both knew this part of the plan had to go smoothly. If Eddie doubted for a second that Audrey was Dolly, he wouldn’t follow her and they wouldn’t be able to escape.

Dolly’s an odd sort of woman, Audrey thought, very exact, yet edgy. Mind you, Shirley seemed very jumpy too. She couldn’t figure out why her daughter was going away with the much older Dolly Rawlins. Couldn’t figure out how or why they’d be friends or even know each other, really. She knew they had dead husbands in common, but the women themselves had never been pally. Above all, Audrey wondered who was after Dolly and why Shirley was willing to put herself in the firing line. As for Audrey’s part in all of this, she’d have danced naked on the doorstep of the local nick for £200, so driving a Merc about dressed in a mink coat was nothing but a pleasure.

Dolly and Shirley nodded at each other. Audrey was as ready as she’d ever be. Dolly handed Audrey the car keys to the Merc. ‘You can keep the mink,’ she said, then, ‘Shirley, love,’ she went on, ‘would you grab my dark glasses from the dressing table drawer, please?’ When Shirley left the room, Dolly turned back to Audrey. ‘I need you to do one other little thing for me, please.’ She handed Audrey an envelope. Seeing the stupid woman’s eyes light up, she leaned slowly toward her. ‘I need you to buy a stamp and post this for me. Today.’

Audrey was clearly disappointed, but as she slipped the envelope into the pocket of the mink coat, she smiled. I post a letter and get a mink coat for me troubles, she thought to herself. Not a bad day’s work, Audrey. Not a bad day’s work at all.