Widows

Linda decided she’d better get to the point pretty quick. ‘I think he was the fourth man. The one who did the disappearing act on our fellas.’

Dolly said nothing. She waited for Linda to speak again.

Linda slid a folded piece of paper wrapped around the photo of Jimmy Nunn she’d taken from Shirley’s photo album across the table to Dolly, like a spy delivering a secret message. ‘He’s an ex-racing driver friend of Terry’s. That’s his address. Thought you might want to suss him out, seeing as you’re the boss. Then I think we should all have a meet, don’t you?’

‘I’ll say when we have a meet,’ said Dolly. ‘And this one being in public might not be doing us any favors, Linda.’

‘You’re a dab hand at losing the filth by now, ain’t ya?’ Linda said.

Dolly ignored her. She read Jimmy Nunn’s address, glanced at the photo, and then put them in her coat pocket.

Linda continued. ‘I didn’t knock on his door or speak with neighbors. I just parked up and watched for a bit, but I never seen him come or go. I bet your life he’s the fourth man you’re looking for, Dolly. Bet you he’s the bastard who left our men for dead.’ She sat back and waited for Dolly to say something... something like, ‘well done’ or ‘good work.’

‘Waiter!’ Dolly summoned the cafe owner over. ‘I’d like some biscuits, please.’ When they arrived, she leaned down and started feeding them to Wolf.

Fuck, thought Linda. Had that blabbermouth Shirley already told Dolly about Jimmy Nunn because of his connection to Terry?

Dolly broke off another piece of biscuit, fed it to the little rat and then looked at Linda.

‘You’re not the only one who’s been playing detective,’ Dolly said. ‘Why did you lie to me?’

In that split second, the power dynamic flipped right back. Linda could feel the sweat building on the palms of her hands. ‘I ain’t lied, Dolly,’ she said. ‘Me and Shirl found Jimmy Nunn’s picture in an old album and—’

‘Not about Jimmy Nunn,’ interrupted Dolly. ‘I’ll deal with that from now on. I’m talking about your new boyfriend. Carlos, isn’t it?’

Linda was taken totally by surprise. She could feel the warmth rising in her cheeks as her face flushed red.

‘You haven’t told him anything about us, have you? About what we’re doing?’ Dolly demanded.

‘He’s not a boyfriend, Dolly. He’s just that mechanic I had a bit of a thing with after I bought the car,’ Linda said. ‘That weren’t nothing.’

Dolly’s stare burned into Linda’s soul, a strange mix of anger and disappointment. ‘You stood on that beach, looked me right in the eye and told me you were seeing no one.’

‘It was none of your business,’ Linda bit back, lighting a cigarette. As she sucked hard on the cigarette, she wished she’d never bothered calling Dolly at all. Why the hell was she more bothered about Carlos than Jimmy Nunn?

‘Why do you think I asked about him?’ Dolly said. ‘You think I want to know about your dirty sex life, or do you think maybe I’m trying to protect you? Protect all of us.’

The smile slipped from Linda’s face. She knew she was about to be put in her place and, once again, she hadn’t seen it coming. She stared at Dolly, waiting for the big hit.

‘Carlos works for Arnie Fisher,’ Dolly said. ‘Your lover boy, Linda, is a little queen; a poof hopping from your bed straight into Arnie’s. Apart from servicing Arnie Fisher as his bum boy, Carlos also services all of his dodgy motors. He’s as bent as they come... in more ways than one.’

Linda was numbed into silence. The name Arnie Fisher rang round her head. The thought that he was having sex with Carlos made her feel physically sick. Her mouth dried up and she didn’t notice her burning cigarette dropping ash on the table. Dolly fed another piece of biscuit to Wolf, giving Linda time to absorb what she’d just said.

Eventually, Linda’s brain caught up. She attempted a smile and drew on her cigarette. ‘I don’t believe a word you’re saying.’ But although she hated Dolly sometimes, Linda knew that she’d never lied. Ever.

‘Boxer Davies told me,’ said Dolly. ‘Before someone made mincemeat out of him. So when I asked you about Carlos at the beach and you said you weren’t seeing him anymore, I knew you were lying. I chose not to say anything cos we had a heavy day ahead and I thought you might wise up of your own accord... but no. You just race from one stupid decision to another, don’t you?’ The short pause Dolly left before continuing was excruciating for Linda. ‘What car were you sitting in when you were outside Jimmy Nunn’s flat?’ Dolly was going in for the kill. Tears welled up in Linda’s eyes. ‘Were you sitting in your own car by any chance? The car Carlos helped you repair? The car he’s seen parked outside your flat, and outside your place of work, and outside this cafe that you called me to so the whole world can see us together? Was it that car, Linda?’

Linda wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. But still Dolly didn’t let up, even as the tears rolled down Linda’s face.