Ester sucked in her breath, Well, I dunno about you two but I think it stinks. What’s she doing driving around with him? What’s he doing here anyway?’
Dolly and Mike parked in a small turning which led into a field. He said what he’d come to say and then waited.
‘Ex-army bloke, is he?’ Mike nodded. ‘You sure it’s the truth?’
‘All I’m saying is what he told me. Now, I done what I said I would and that’s it.’
Dolly pursed her lips. ‘Yes, but I’m worried. I mean, how do I know I can trust you?’
Mike leaned back in his seat. ‘I have to trust you. Don’t stitch me up, Mrs Rawlins.’
‘Oh, I know, love, but I’ve got more to lose than you.’
‘I got my job, my kids, my wife. I don’t want to know anything else. Like I said, I’ve done what you asked me and that’s it.’
Dolly examined her fingernails. ‘Sorry, love, it isn’t. I need some Semtex.’
‘What?’
‘You heard.’
‘I can’t get that kind of thing!’
‘What about your friend?’
‘You must be joking! He works for the ruddy security firm, I can’t go asking him for bloody Semtex. As it is I’ve got myself in trouble — he thinks I want a job with his firm. No way.’
Dolly shifted her weight in the seat. ‘What about some of your other old army friends? Could they help at all?’
‘Look, I got to go, I can’t do any more.’ He hung on tightly to the steering wheel. ‘Let me off the hook, Mrs Rawlins, and if you want some advice, whatever you’re planning, and I’ve got a bloody good idea what it is, you’ll never hit that security wagon. It’s armour-plated, they got a convoy, cops at the front, cops at the back, they keep right on its tail. You do yourself a favour and scrap whatever you’re thinking of doing.’
‘Why? Because you know about it?’
‘Because it’s a no-hoper right from the start and—’
‘And?’ Dolly waited, watching him, seeing him sweating.
‘Look, I grass on you and I’m in the frame so hard I’d get time just for what I done to date — I won’t grass on you. All I’m doing is telling you to pull out, forget it. I don’t care how many blokes you’re using, you’ll never do it.’
Dolly opened the car door and looked down at him. Thanks for the advice, maybe you’re right.’
She straightened up and could see Angela heading towards her with the three little girls. ‘Here’s Angela and, Mike, she doesn’t know anything. You tell her and she’ll freak out.’
‘Well, at least that’s something.’
Angela was almost at the car when she saw Mike. ‘Hello, my darlin’s.’ Dolly held out her arms for the girls and they ran to her. One had been collecting some pussywillow twigs and presented them to her.
‘Thank you.’ She turned to Angela. ‘Have a word with Mike, just a few minutes, I’ll wait here.’
Dolly took the girls towards a hedge and began looking for a bird’s nest, but she could hear what they said and she’d noticed that Mike still had the pen stuck in his jacket pocket.
Angela sat on the edge of the passenger seat, the door open. ‘Hello, Mike.’
‘Hello, sweetheart.’ He reached out and took her hand. ‘Look, I know what I said to you the other day was crass, I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry about the baby, I really am.’
She clung to his hand. ‘I love you.’
He sighed. ‘I know, but, Angela, it can’t work. I got a wife and two kids and I’ve no intention of leaving them. I never had. If I led you to believe I would, then it was a shit thing to do but you have to know, it’s over, sweetheart. It should never have started.’
‘But it did, Mike.’
‘Yes, I know, and it’s all my fault but you’re better off without me.’
She started to cry, and he cupped her face between his hands. ‘I’m sorry, really sorry.’
Dolly coughed and called over, ‘We should go, Angela love. Say goodbye to the nice man, girls.’
The three little girls waved at Mike, even though they had no idea who he was. Angela got out of the car, weeping. He pulled the door shut, feeling like a heel. He wound down his window. ‘Mrs Rawlins, can I have a quick word?’ Dolly went to the window. ‘You hurt her, get her involved, and I’ll see you get busted.’
‘Will you now?’
He knew the threat sounded empty. ‘Why? Why are you even thinking about it? You got those kids.’
‘And you got their mother banged up,’ she spat out fast and he turned to face her.
‘You got that house — why? Tell me why.’
She seemed bored by the conversation. ‘Because I won’t have it for long, I’m broke.’
‘So are a lot of people but they don’t do what you’re doing.’
She cocked her head to one side. ‘I’ll look after Angela, don’t you worry about her. You just worry about me, Mike love, and remember, I know everything.’
Mike felt worn to a frazzle but he knew she wasn’t finished with him yet. It wasn’t anywhere near over; now, somehow, he had to get hold of some Semtex and it made him sick just thinking about it.
They watched him drive down the lane, Dolly with a small child’s hand in hers. ‘Don’t cry over him, Angela, he’s not worth it. You’re gonna lead your own life now.’
Angela picked up little Sheena as they all walked down the lane.
‘You ever been to Switzerland?’ Dolly asked suddenly.
‘No, I never been nowhere abroad,’ Angela said.
‘Well, as soon as you get that passport, you’re gonna get us secret travel tickets, all five of us, with not a word to the others, because that’s where we’ll all go, Switzerland.’
Dolly breezed into the drawing room and was confronted by a stony-faced Gloria, Ester, Julia and Connie.
‘We want to know what the hell is going on,’ Ester said angrily.
Dolly put her hands on her hips. ‘You sorted out that business with the video, have you?’
‘You know I haven’t,’ Ester snapped.
‘Then when it’s done, when I’m ready, we’ll talk. That goes for all of you, all right? Is that all right?’ She crooked her finger at Connie. ‘You go and get the shotguns today. You, Gloria, give them all a lesson in how to use them. Go up into the woods and don’t come down again until you can all handle them.’
‘You know how to use them, do you, Dolly?’ Gloria asked sarcastically.
‘My husband made sure I could always take care of myself. And you, Ester, sort that video business. You, Julia, get the cladding for the horses, and, Connie, you go to that builder, and tell him to order a leaf-suction machine. I dunno what you call them but they suck up garden leaves.’
‘I can’t see him,’ Connie said petulantly.
‘Why not?’
‘Because I hate his guts.’
Dolly turned on her and pushed her backwards. ‘Then unhate him, just do it. That goes for all of you. We get through today and then maybe tonight we’ll talk.’
They watched her walking out, calling for Angela and the girls to get ready.
‘What did that cop want?’
Dolly stopped as she reached the door. ‘You’ll know later. Angela! Dress them up in warm clothes.’ She turned back to the angry women. ‘We’re going on a boat. See you later for the ride.’ The door closed behind her.
‘I think she’s bats,’ Gloria said.
Ester shrugged. ‘Well, she’s got until tonight and then we force her to come out with whatever she’s got inside that twisted head of hers.’
‘She is twisted, isn’t she?’ Connie said.
Julia sprang up, ‘Well, let’s get cracking. We’ll know by tonight so why waste time talking about it? Let’s just do what she wants and keep her happy.’