THIRTY-FOUR

Billie sat on a chair, ended the call and stared aimlessly around her new flat. The phone call from Hazel had been a shock, to say the least, and she didn't know what to do for the best. Part of her hated her mother and wouldn't care if she never saw her again, but the other part realised that whatever had happened in the past, you only get one mum.

Tucking Hazel's phone number safely into her handbag, Billie picked up DJ, sat him on her knee and gave him a cuddle. Jamie would be home soon. He was sensible in these situations and would help her decide what to do for the best.

After dinner, Billie decided to broach the subject. She told Jamie, word for word, the conversation she'd had with Hazel.

Jamie thought carefully before answering. 'Did she mention what sort of trouble your mum was in?'

Billie shook her head. 'No, she just said that she was in a lot of trouble and needed to see me.'

Jamie took a sip of his lager. 'If I was you, I'd go round and see her. If it turns out to be a load of old bollocks, you haven't got to go back. Don't take the little 'un with you, in case it's a ploy to see him. I'll look after DJ for you.'

Billie moved over to where Jamie was sitting and gave him a hug. 'I don't know what I'd do without you, Jamie Jackson. I'll ring her tomorrow. I've also got to ring Danny and tell him that he can't have DJ at the weekend. I'll do exactly as Marsha told me. I'll tell him that I've made other plans and if he kicks off, I'll ring the police. He obviously doesn't know I've moved yet, but you can guarantee that it won't be long before he finds out where I am.'

Jamie screwed up his empty lager can. 'Don't worry about Danny, babe. I'll look after you from now on.'

Billie smiled at him gratefully. 'I know you will.'

Jamie stood up. 'Right, are we ready to unload the rest of the boxes?'

Billie giggled. 'You make a start while I put DJ to bed.'

Jamie playfully threw the empty can at her. 'You slippery cow, by the time you've bathed DJ and tucked him up, I'll be bloody finished.'

Two hours later the pair of them were sitting down having a drink to celebrate unpacking. They'd actually moved all the stuff out of the old place yesterday. Jamie had managed to borrow a white Renault van and, with the help of his mate Ryan, three trips later it was done and dusted. Lying on the sofa with Jamie's arm around her, Billie felt totally at home in her new surroundings and very much at ease. She decided to take the plunge and ask him something that had been on her mind all day. Moving closer, she smiled at him.

'Jamie, you know you said that you'd stay here with me whenever I wanted you to?'

'Yeah.'

'Well, I've been thinking. I know it's early days, but we've known one another ages. Why don't you move in with me and DJ?'

Jamie looked at the beautiful girl lying in his arms and knew his answer straight away. 'Only if you improve at cooking and promise to feed me on demand and wash up every night.'

'You bastard,' Billie said playfully, punching him in the arm. 'Is that a yes, then?'

'Oh, go on then.'

Billie was over the moon. Jamie was everything she had ever wanted, and more. 'Do you fancy an early night?' she asked suggestively. Picking her up off the sofa, Jamie carried her into the bedroom and made love to her with a feeling and passion that previously she could only have dreamt of.

'Goodnight, Jamie. I love you.'

Jamie held her close. 'I love you too, Billie Jo. Much more than you'll ever know.'

Danny O'Leary snorted the two lines of gear that lay in front of him. He sniffed as hard as he could and felt it run down the back of his throat. Feeling on top of the world, he walked out of the toilet and back to the bar where his pals were waiting. Danny was out celebrating today. He and the boys had pulled off a nice deal in the early hours of this morning. Half a dozen kilos of coke had arrived safely in a lorry from Spain. Jimmy the Fish had organised the delivery, but because he was still on holiday until the weekend, it had been left to Danny to oversee the job.

The couver had been hidden in boxes of coffee and tea and was driven from Spain to a warehouse in Barking by an old boy called Sid the Snake. Sid was as honest as the day was long and had only earned his nickname over the years because of his love for the slithery reptiles. His two pet boa constrictors, Ronnie and Reggie, were his babies and had the run of his four-bedroom house.

Danny had picked up the gear personally and stashed it away as arranged with Jimmy. The handover had gone without a hitch and Danny was on such a high that, rather than go home to Debbie, he went out on the piss with a couple of pals to a boozer in Stratford. He knew it was open all night, as it was a regular haunt of the train drivers who had just finished their shift.

Having stayed there all morning, Danny had left and gone on an all-day bender, visiting pubs in Barking, Ilford, Dagenham and Hornchurch. By his sixth pub, he should really have been dead on his feet, but due to the adrenalin of the job going so well, plus the enormous amount of gear he'd shoved up his hooter, he was still raring to go. His good mood was soon cut short when Lenny Barrett entered the boozer.

Lenny owned a fruit and veg stall down Romford Market and hadn't seen Danny since he had left there. After catching up on old times, Lenny dropped a bombshell by asking Danny, 'So, are you all right with Jamie going out with your ex-bird?'

'What you on about?' Danny asked casually.

'You know, the bird that's got your kid.'

Danny nigh on choked on his bottle of Bud. 'You what? Jamie going out with Billie? What the fuck you going on about?'

Lenny stood there, looking sheepish. He had a habit of opening his big mouth and not for the first time wished he had kept it shut. 'Oh shit. Look, forget I said anything. I've probably got it wrong anyway.'

Danny's eyes blazed angrily. Dragging Lenny away from his mates, he pushed him aggressively outside the pub. 'Now don't fuck with me, Lenny. We've known one another too long. Tell me what you know, or I'll fucking knock it out of ya.'

Lenny took one look at Danny and knew he meant business. At fifty-one years old Lenny didn't need this shit. He was far too old for fighting. 'I only know what I've been told, Danny, that they're an item. Jamie told one of the lads on the market and word got about. Apparently, a few of the boys have seen them out and about together as well, looking all loved up and that.'

'Well, are they really?' Danny patted Lenny on the back. 'Thanks for telling me, mate, and do us a favour, don't tell no one you told me, yeah?'

Lenny nodded. Danny had a look on his face like a maniac and he was damned if he was getting involved any more. 'I won't say a dickie bird, Dan, I promise.'

Danny went back into the pub and tried to carry on as before, but couldn't. How could he stand in a pub laughing and joking, when all he could think of was his so-called one-time best mate shagging the mother of his child and playing daddy to his son? Feeling nothing but anger and hatred, he forced himself to finish his beer. Billie Jo had been a virgin when he had met her and now she was nothing but a fucking slag. Banging his bottle on the bar, Danny told his pals he had some business to sort out and had to go. Ignoring their pleas to stay, he stormed out of the door and jumped into his car.

Pulling up at the house that he'd once shared with Billie, he kicked the front door as hard as he could. Hearing no response, he took the key out of his pocket and tried the lock. Realising the bolts weren't on, Danny feared the worst as he walked inside. He put the lights on and knew within a split second that Billie had done a runner.

'Fucking bitch,' he screamed out loud. 'As God is my judge, I'll kill her for this. I'll fucking kill her.'

Danny jumped in his car and raced towards Jamie's mum's. The flats had a security door and no one seemed to want to let him in, but after getting his baseball bat out and threatening the disabled geezer on the ground floor with it, the door was soon opened. Knocking on Jamie's door, he looked through the letter box. He could tell no one was there, but tried to kick the door in anyway. It dented, but wouldn't budge. 'Cunt,' he screamed. Hearing sirens in the distance, Danny flew down the stairs, started up his car and drove off at top speed.

Pulling up outside Debbie's flat, he opened up the bottle of Jack Daniels he'd just bought and took a swig. Searching for his wrap, he snorted a line off the dashboard, took his mobile out of his pocket and rang Billie's number. Her answerphone greeted him. Het up with jealousy and anger, Danny was nigh on foaming at the mouth as he left her a message.

'If I don't have my son at the weekend as planned, Billie, I'm telling you now, girl, I'll kill you. Don't fuck with me, Billie Jo, because I swear wherever you are I will hunt you down. That's my boy you've got there, the boy's an O'Leary and don't you ever forget it, you fucking slag.'

Ending the call, he immediately tried ringing Jamie. It came as no surprise that his phone was switched off as well. Deciding he couldn't face going indoors to the whining bitch, Danny headed to his local. He rang Jamie again and this time he decided to leave him a message as well. He kept it short and sweet.

'You're dead, you cunt.'