Classic Bestsellers from Josephine Cox: Bumper Collection. Josephine Cox

‘He wouldn’t thank me for it, and I wouldn’t blame him. Besides, you’re wrong about him. You said yourself, you know nothing about the man, while I’ve served time alongside him; slept on the bunk above him and talked well into the night about nothing and everything. We’ve ate garbage at the same table; slopped out together and looked out for each other.’

      He paused, remembering how it used to be, and hating every last minute he’d wasted of his life. ‘I reckon I know Don Carson well enough to be sure he’d never get mixed up in what you say. He might be a petty thief and he might like to use his fist when he’s had a drink or two. But he wouldn’t entertain murder … not for a woman, nor a wad o’ money, however tempting. He just wouldn’t do it!’

      Jack nodded. ‘All right, matey, forget what I just said. Happen she just fancies him after all, eh?’ Placing his two hands on the smaller man’s shoulders, he smiled to ease the tension. This was the first time he and Roy had exchanged such strong words. ‘Happen he gives her what she can’t get from her other men, eh? A bit o’ rough and tumble.’

      ‘Mebbe.’

      ‘I didn’t mean anything by what I said. You asked me what I thought and I thought wrong. OK?’

      Calmer now, Roy nodded, ‘OK.’

      ‘So, will you finish your coffee or what?’

      ‘No, I’d best make my way back.’ Needing to clear his head, he made his way to the door. ‘G’night, Jack.’

      ‘G’night, Roy.’

      Following him to the door, Jack watched him go down the street, shoulders hunched and hands thrust deep in his pockets. ‘I think you’re getting out of your depth mixing with Carson,’ he mused, ‘but you’ll need to find that out for yourself, because I’ll not risk our friendship by interfering.’

      Another startling thought occurred to him. ‘Unless o’ course you’re in danger. If I thought there was a chance you might be hurt …’ his expression darkened, ‘o’ course, that would be a different kettle offish altogether.’

      Hurrying along, Roy heard the door close behind him. He looked back but Jack was already gone.

      The chilling air seemed to clarify his thoughts, making him consider what Jack had said.

      Now that there was a distance between himself and Jack, and the cool air had sharpened his reasoning, he could see the sense in at least some of what Jack had said. ‘I suppose it would make sense if she was planning to have Stratton done away with,’ he voiced his thoughts in a harsh whisper, ‘… considering what he did to her sister. But if she is keen to have him out of the way for good … and I’m not even sure about that … why would she go after Don? As far as I know, they go back a long way and they’ve allus looked out for each other.’

      He tried to work it through in his mind. ‘If she’s done her homework … and she looks like the kinda woman who would, then she must know the last thing Don would do is to arrange for Arnold Stratton to be murdered. They’re best buddies for Chrissake!’

      All the same, Jack’s warning was strong in his thoughts, and now, he was made to see things in a different light. ‘She is getting to him though,’ he admitted reluctantly, ‘even I could tell that. By! She’s the kind o’ witch who could worm herself all the way into a man’s soul if he wasn’t careful.’

      He thought of the way Don looked when he spoke of her … kind of proud and excited all at the same time; wanting to look his best when she turned up, yet not complaining if she unexpectedly turned up early, when he was still in his rough.

      ‘It looks to me like she’s already twisting him round her little finger,’ he muttered. ‘If she can make him behave like a lovesick schoolboy, then what else can she do to him, eh?’

      And back came the answer, ‘She could work on him, until he’s ready to do whatever she asks.’

      He couldn’t believe what he was thinking. ‘Would Don really have his best friend done away with?’

      He hated himself for even entertaining the idea. ‘No.’ The thought was abhorrent to him. ‘He wouldn’t. Never!’

      He dismissed the notion from his mind as quickly as it had entered it.

       Chapter 10

      SEPTEMBER HAD BEEN such a glorious month, it came as something of a shock when October arrived with a vengeance. For three days and nights the heavens opened and drenched the earth below.

      Today was the first Tuesday of October. The heavy downpour had mellowed into a steady, soaking drizzle, but the wind was still strong.

      ‘Bugger me, Mrs Tooley …’ With a clatter and a thump, Daisy fell in through the door, her umbrella inside out and her hair standing up like the rag end of a floor mop, ‘it’s like all hell’s cut loose out there!’

      Mrs Tooley remained firmly behind her counter. ‘Don’t you dare come near me dripping wet!’ she exclaimed, holding her hands up in protest. ‘I’m wearing my best clothes.’

      Her smile all teeth and wrinkles, she proudly informed Daisy, ‘Mr Leyton has invited me to dine with him,’ she giggled like a dizzy girl, ‘at the Royal Hotel, no less.’

      Wet to the skin and unable to muster any excitement on Mrs Tooley’s behalf, Daisy took her time in answering. She shook her brolly all over the floor and threw off her wet coat and hat, which she then hung over the radiator, and now she came forward, sneezing and coughing and frightening Ma Tooley into retreating a few more paces behind the counter.

      ‘Don’t you think that’s wonderful, Daisy?’ Mrs Tooley persisted, desperately needing to be told how clever she was at having secured a date with the man who owned two ironmonger’s shops, and wore suits from Jacob’s tailors.

      ‘Well, I never, Mrs Tooley!’ Daisy answered, in a manner that had the older woman bristling. ‘Aren’t we the lucky one. Ooh! The Royal no less! Bleedin’ hell, whatever next, eh?’

      ‘Hey!’ Incensed, Mrs Tooley dared to venture near. ‘I’ll not have you talking to me with that attitude, young lady. Moreover, I will not have someone working in my café who can’t keep a civil tongue in their head.’ Giving Daisy one of her commanding stares, she asked, ‘Do you understand what I’m saying?’

      Daisy understood, and was mortified at her own rudeness. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Tooley,’ she answered meekly. ‘It’s terrible out there. The tram was late, then I stepped off into a puddle. The wind drove the rain right at me all the way here, and now I’m soaked to the skin and freezing cold. I didn’t mean to be cheeky, honest.’

      ‘Hmm!’ Mrs Tooley took note of Daisy’s red nose and bedraggled hair and the way her feet squelched as she walked, and she felt a wicked feeling of satisfaction. ‘So, it won’t happen again, will it?’

      ‘No, Mrs Tooley, it won’t happen again.’

      As Mrs Tooley turned away with a condemning comment, Daisy put out her tongue, only to swiftly retrieve it when Mrs Tooley suddenly turned on her heel to tell Daisy, ‘I’m being collected in less than an hour. I’ve seen to the till and filled out the shelves and that’s my little bit done for today.’

      ‘Yes, Mrs Tooley.’

      ‘Go on then, young lady. Get a move on. Into the back and get yourself straightened up. You’ll find a new towel hanging on the loop, and make sure you replace it with a clean one when you’ve finished.’

      ‘Yes, Mrs Tooley.’ Half-tempted to curtsy, Daisy managed to contain herself. She didn’t want to risk losing her job, at least not yet. ‘I’m on my way, Mrs Tooley.’ Silently mouthing, she started off towards the back room.

      ‘And be sharp about