Barking Boy Read online

  “Is that so? Well, it’s always nice for the girls to have a bit of eye candy to look at while they’re working.” Lillian laughed at her own wit, before leaning in toward Tommy. “If only I was twenty years younger.”

  “And if only I wasn’t a married man.” Tommy winked back.

  Lillian laughed at Tommy’s reply. “You’ll do,” she grinned. The girls would see him as fair game, and it was always good to let them know where they stood early on. It saved her dealing with the drama months down the line.

  Tommy’s eyes were wide as he walked through the club doors. The heady scent of sweat and stale cigarette smoke hit his nostrils immediately. The heavy beat of the music vibrated underneath his feet, as girls in all different stages of undress danced seductively. Some danced across the laps of punters, others gyrating up against floor to ceiling length poles on a stage in the middle of the vast room.

  “When you work here, you make sure the punters pay up, and that they don’t start any trouble with the girls,” Mad Dog shouted above the music.

  Tommy nodded his head. He gave the scene before him one last glance, before following Mad Dog back through to the foyer.

  “And down here, we keep these, just in case of trouble.” Leaning over the reception desk, the Scotsman pulled out a baseball bat. “You’ll probably not need to use them that often. Usually your fists or boots are enough to get your point across.”

  “And you’ll probably find it’s the girls causing the most trouble. They’re a fierce bunch, that lot in there. Don’t let their pretty looks deceive you. They’d stab you in the eye as quick as look at you,” Lillian said.

  Tommy nodded his head once again. He had a feeling his Stace wouldn’t like him working here, and it would be yet another secret he had to keep from her.

  It was a week after the beating, and although Jimmy’s face wasn’t as swollen, he was still sporting yellow bruises over his body and face. He’d spent most of that week locked up in the bedroom he shared with his younger brothers, trying to keep out of Tommy’s way.

  “Come on, love, why don’t you come down and have your tea with us?”

  “I’m not hungry.” Jimmy ignored his mother’s pleas. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Tommy would go ape shit if he was to walk in and catch him sitting with the rest of the family as though nothing had happened.

  Janet bit down on her lip. The situation had gone on for too long between her sons now. “Don’t make me get your dad up here to drag you out, Jimmy,” she threatened. Despite what Tommy may think, her Frank was still the head of this house, and for as long as they lived under their roof, the boys would have to toe the line. And that meant all of the boys. Tommy wasn’t excluded from that, just because he so happened to work for Davey Abbott. “I mean it, Jimmy.”

  “Just leave me alone.”

  Janet sighed, before making her way wearily down the stairs. She would need to have a word with Tommy about this. However angry he may be with his brother, enough was enough. And if that didn’t work, then she would go and see Davey Abbott herself. She knew her sons would listen to him.

  Tommy’s reputation had begun to precede him, and he knew people were wary when he walked into their premises. He’d quickly grasped the context of protection racketeering. Small businesses, such as pubs and restaurants, paid Davey money to make sure they had no trouble from other firms or wayward punters. And if they were stupid enough to choose not to pay up the cash on a weekly basis for protection, then they themselves would smash up the premises.

  He strolled into The Brewery Tap public house, in Barking, with an air of confidence, and knew his arrival had been duly noted by more than one person.

  Simon Wilson stood behind the bar. He’d been the landlord for more than ten years. With a cheerful disposition and a friendly face, his good nature had been taken advantage of on more than one occasion. Just two nights ago, his pub had been smashed up for the third time that month. He’d always paid Mr. Abbott on time, and now wanted answers as to why nothing was being done about the situation.

  Tommy nodded his head toward the landlord, and indicated for him to join Mad Dog and himself at a corner table.

  Grabbing a bottle of scotch and three glasses, Simon followed the two men. He unscrewed the bottle top, and poured out their drinks before taking a seat.

  Tommy took a sip of the scotch. It wasn’t his usual tipple, and if he was being honest, he would have preferred a pint of lager, but seeing as both the landlord and Mad Dog had gulped theirs down, he followed suit, before wiping the back of his hand across his lips, as the alcohol burned at the back of his throat.

  “Another?” Simon offered, the bottle already raised in his hand.

  Tommy nodded his head. He would take his time with this glass he decided. “So,” he said, looking around him at the obvious damage. “Who was it causing trouble in here?”

  Simon shrugged his shoulders. He was hoping they would already know the answer to that question. “I don’t know who they were, but I heard Mr. Abbott’s name mentioned once or twice.”

  Tommy raised his eyebrows before looking across to Mad Dog. “Are you sure they definitely mentioned Mr. Abbott?”

  “As plain as day, that’s what I heard.”

  Intrigued, Tommy sat back in his seat. He couldn’t get his head around this. Why would someone come into a packed boozer, smash it up and mention Davey’s name? There was only one explanation. Whoever was responsible, wanted it to get back to Davey.

  “It’s the third time this month, Tommy. Now, I pay Mr. Abbott for protection without fail every week.”

  Tommy held up his hand, cutting off Simon’s words. He got the picture. In other words, they weren’t keeping up their end of the bargain. “Let me speak to Mr. Abbott. Don’t worry, we’ll get this sorted out.”

  Simon nodded his head, before gulping down his drink. It was what he’d expected them to say, and he felt a shiver of fear run down his spine. The men responsible for smashing up the pub had forced him to organise this meeting. They’d said they would hurt him and his family if he didn’t. He kept his eyes on the door, waiting for the men to burst in at any moment.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Tommy turned his attention back to Simon. “Are you expecting trouble, guvnor?” Not missing a trick, Tommy’s body was suddenly tense. He could feel Mad Dog also stiffen beside him.

  “He’s fucking set us up.”

  Simon jumped up from the table. “He said he’d hurt me kids if I didn’t get yous here.”

  “Who did?”

  “Dean Johnson.”

  The name meant nothing to Tommy, and he turned to Mad Dog. “Who the fuck is Dean Johnson?”

  Mad Dog paled at the name. He groaned, before wiping his hand across his face. “No time to explain, Tommy. If I were you, I’d get yourself tooled up. You’re gonna need it.”

  Stunned, Tommy looked around him. How the fuck was he meant to get tooled up? Thinking quickly, he walked behind the bar and grabbed a beer bottle, then smashed it against the bar top. The jagged remnants made the perfect weapon.

  “Are you ready, lad?” Mad Dog asked, not taking his eyes from the doors.

  Tommy blew out his cheeks. “As I’ll ever be,” he reluctantly answered. He had to be. He had Stacey and his unborn child to think about.

  Chapter Six

  Janet had had enough. She would bypass Tommy and go straight to Davey, she decided. After pulling on her coat, she’d silently slipped out of the house and made her way toward Davey Abbott’s betting shop. After pushing open the door, she’d stood with her hands on her hips, and told the woman behind the counter she wanted to see Mr. Abbott, and that she wasn’t leaving until she’d seen him.

  “Mrs. Carter, what can I do for you?” Walking from the back office, Davey smiled in a greeting.

  “I want a word about my boys.”

  Nodding his head, Davey gestured for Janet to come through to his office. “Please take a seat. Can I get you a drink?”

  “No.” She g
ave a small smile, then excused her harsh tone. “No, thank you.”

  “So, how can I help you?” Taking a seat behind his desk, Davey sipped at a glass of brandy.

  Feeling slightly foolish now that she was here, Janet placed her hands in her lap and looked Davey in the eyes. “It’s my two boys. Things are getting out of hand at home between them.”

  “And, how can I help exactly?”

  “Can’t you have a word with them? They respect you. They’ll listen to what you have to say.”

  Davey frowned. Janet Carter obviously had no idea just what her sons, mainly Tommy, were capable of. “I don’t think I can make a difference, Mrs. Carter.”

  Tears sprang to Janet’s eyes. She’d been convinced Davey would be the solution to her troubles.

  “Hey, hey, come on. It can’t be that bad.” Davey reached across the desk and clasped Janet’s hand.

  Wiping her fingers across her eyes, Janet sniffed back her tears. “My Jimmy hasn’t been out of his room all week. Petrified he is, of our Tommy.”

  Davey wasn’t surprised Jimmy was terrified. After all, he’d seen the boy’s brother lay into him, and it hadn’t been pretty. “I’ll have a word with Tommy. And tell your Jimmy to come and see me in the morning.”

  “Thank you Mr. Abbott. I’ll do that.” Janet, gave a small smile. She felt a little more hopeful now.

  Tommy glanced across at Mad Dog. Beads of cold sweat broke out across his forehead. In his fist, he held the broken bottle. He could barely believe this was happening. He didn’t even know who the fuck Dean Johnson was.

  The packed boozer had turned deathly silent. The last few remaining customers, too intoxicated to have picked up on the vibes, continued supping their pints.

  “Get them fucking out,” Tommy screamed toward Simon. The last thing he wanted was their blood on his conscious.

  His face deathly pale, Simon ushered the customers out of the pub, before running out of sight.

  “Give me the low down,” Tommy snapped.

  Not taking his eyes off of the doors, Mad Dog quickly filled Tommy in. “Years ago, Davey and Dean Johnson were partners, before they had a major falling out. Dean’s brother, Chrissy, was killed in the crossfire. Dean has wanted revenge ever since. I’m guessing this is it.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? How the fuck do we get out of this?”

  Mad Dog glanced across at Tommy, his lips remained set in a straight line. “We don’t get out of it, lad. All we can do, is just hope for the best, and pray we get to go home at the end of the night.”

  Tommy swallowed deeply. He didn’t like the sound of this one little bit.

  Feeling happier, Janet returned home with a spring in her step. Pleased that Davey was going to take control of the situation, her heart felt a lot lighter than it had previously.

  She turned the key in the lock, and was faced with pandemonium.

  “Where have you been, woman?”

  Janet’s mouth fell open. It wasn’t like her Frank to take that tone with her. “I only popped out for an hour. What the hell is going on in here?”

  “It’s the baby. It’s coming. Get in there and sort her out.” Frank nodded toward the bedroom Tommy and Stacey shared.

  Not needing to be told twice, Janet raced toward the room. “Someone go and fetch her mother. And where is our Tommy? He needs to be here.”

  Frank shrugged his shoulders, his face serious. “Who knows where that boy is. He stays out until all hours.”

  Rolling up her sleeves, Janet called out to her youngest son. “Jonny, go to the Williams’ house and fetch Stacey’s mum.”

  Wide-eyed, twelve-year-old Jonny did as he was told and raced out of the house.

  “I’ll bleeding well clout our Tommy one when he finally turns up. He knows the girl is near her time, and he should have been stopping close by,” Janet stated, before pushing open the bedroom door.

  Hanging onto the bed sheet, Stacey twisted the thin cotton material in her fists, as a contraction ripped through her. “I want Tommy and I want me mum. It hurts.”

  “I know it hurts girl. I had six of me own. Now, when that contraction finishes, you need to get yourself dressed, so we can get you down the hospital. Our Jonny has gone to fetch your mum.”

  “Where’s Tommy?”

  Janet wanted to curse her eldest son. Where was he indeed, that was the question on everyone’s mind. “I’ll get Jimmy and Gary to go out searching for him. Don’t you worry, he’ll be there.”

  Jimmy wasn’t happy, but did as his mother asked of him anyway, and went out looking for Tommy. He could only hope and pray it would be Gary who actually found him. He didn’t want another run-in with his brother.

  “Where do you suppose he is?” Gary asked, as he lit a sneaky cigarette.

  Jimmy shrugged his shoulders. They were making their way toward the centre of Barking. “Gawd knows. But I’m guessing Davey Abbott must have an idea where he is, so we should start there.”

  “Are you and our Tommy ever gonna make up?”

  Ignoring the question, Jimmy carried on walking in silence.

  “It was a pretty shitty thing to do to Tommy, grassing him up like that.”

  Jimmy came to a halt. Staring at his brother, he grabbed hold of his arm in a vice-tight grip. “What do you know about any of that, eh?”

  “We’re not stupid. We all know what you did. Did yous really kill Stacey’s brother?”

  Shocked, Jimmy tightened his grip. “You need to learn to keep your mouth shut, Gary. Look at what our Tommy did to me. Do you want him doing the same to you?”

  Shamefaced, Gary looked to the floor.

  “Well, do you?” When his brother didn’t answer, Jimmy continued. “No, I didn’t think so. Keep your nose out of things that don’t concern you.”

  “All right.” Puffing on his cigarette, Gary decided to keep his own counsel. He and his brothers had heard the hushed conversations, and knew exactly what Tommy and Jimmy had done. “I hope we find him,” he said, changing the subject.

  Jimmy rolled his eyes in annoyance. He was starting to think it would have been better if he’d come alone.

  Tommy’s eyes were wide, as Dean Johnson and his henchmen entered the pub.

  “Mad Dog,” Dean nodded his dark head, “been a long time. I see you’re still running around for Davey.”

  “Aye, and this business is between you and Davey, not me and the lad.”

  Turning to look toward Tommy, Dean smirked. “So, this is the famous Barking Boy I’ve been hearing so much about.”

  Tommy glanced across at Mad Dog. He took his lead and kept quiet.

  “Cat got your tongue, boy?”

  “Come on now, leave the lad out of it,” Mad Dog said.

  Dean held up his hand. “If he’s old enough to run around for Davey, then he’s old enough to speak up for himself.”

  Tommy cleared his throat. “I don’t even know who you are.”

  “Now, I am insulted. Surely Davey must have mentioned me. We go back years, isn’t that right, Mad Dog?” Taking a seat, Dean lit a cigarette. Noisily, he blew out the smoke. “Well, I’ve heard of you, Barking Boy. In fact, a couple of my men had a run in with you, in the gents toilets, of all places.”

  “You mean that was to do with you?” Tommy was shocked. So, it wasn’t Pete after all.

  “So, where is that old bastard Davey?” Dean asked, ignoring Tommy’s question.

  “He’s not here. It’s just me and the boy.”

  “I can see that. Hiding out somewhere, is he?”

  “What is it you want, Dean?”

  Standing up, Dean took a step toward Mad Dog and Tommy. “What I’d like to see, is both of your heads on spikes, but seeing as we’re in this lovely boozer, and it would be a shame to ruin the decor, it’ll have to be plan B.”

  “Which is?”

  Dean turned to look at Tommy. “He’s a cocky one this one, isn’t he? Plan B, son, is to see the both of you on the floor begging me not to e
nd your sorry lives.”

  Tommy felt his heart sink. This wasn’t looking good for either Mad Dog or himself.

  Davey Abbott was about to close up shop, when the two Carter brothers burst through the door.

  “We need to find our Tommy,” Gary stated. “His wife is having the baby.”

  Davey’s eyes widened. He knew young Tommy was out with Mad Dog, but where exactly was anyone’s guess. Sliding the bolt across the shop door, Davey gestured for them to follow him through to the office.

  He knew they were due to visit the strip clubs in the West End, and from there, they were going to The Brewery Tap. “Let me make a few calls, lads, and see if I can locate him.”

  Replacing the phone into its cradle, Davey’s face had turned ashen. He looked at the two boys in front of him. “Your brother is in a spot of bother.” Having just come off of the phone with the landlord of The Brewery Tap, he rubbed at his temple as he tried to think. He needed more manpower, that’s what he needed.

  Jimmy and Gary glanced toward each other, before turning back to Davey. They watched with baited breath as he made phone calls.

  “What sort of bother?” Jimmy asked, concerned. They may have fallen out, but no matter what, Tommy was still his brother.

  “The sort of bother that’ll get him killed if he doesn’t think fast.”

  “Fucking hell.” Gary’s eyes were wide. “We need to go and help him.”

  Davey held up his hand. “And we will do so, once back-up arrives.”

  “Yeah, but our Tommy needs us now.”

  “And unless you want to end up getting yourself killed son, you’ll wait. Now, this is the plan.”

  “Now, get on your fucking hands and knees and beg.”

  Tommy swallowed deeply. His mouth was dry, and he felt as though he was swallowing sandpaper. Every instinct inside of him, told him to do as Dean Johnson had ordered, yet his pride wouldn’t let him.

  “Do as he says, lad,” Mad Dog said, as he began to get down on his knees.