CHAPTER 7

Back in the hallway Dee momentarily stopped laughing but then she could not help it. She burst out laughing again. This time even louder, making her double over. The sight of her mother shaking, stomping her feet. Her hair bunched up on her shoulders and that look. She had not seen that look before. Tears leaked from her screwed up eyes. Teeth bared like a snarling wolf. Her rapidly heaving chest and the sound of hissing air. Dee dodged a swinging hand and watched as her mother slumped onto her chair landing with a solid thump and the words, “I think I’m going to faint.”

  In the background Jimmy’s look of concern was real. Sure he had some small affection for Gloria but mostly he was starting to think the opportunity to grasp more of her wealth could be slipping away. The situation seemed serious. He had no idea what Gloria could be referring to. What money was there other than takings? But Dee knew and that was a pretty good reason why she was still laughing.  

Suppressing his curiosity Jimmy said, “Come and sit in the front room, my dear, and I’ll get you a drink. Brandy, I think will do the trick.” 

Her breathing had eased and Gloria sat sagging in her chair. Head on her folded arms. After a moment she looked up at Jimmy and just mumbled under her breath her words barely audible, “They took it all. How did they do that? The cupboard door. The safe. The combination. How could they get into the safe?” 

“Come on,” said Jimmy gently trying to lift her by the arm. “I’ll get you that drink.” 

“I don’t want a bloody drink,” snapped Gloria, “ and don’t my dear me. I’m not in the mood.  I want my money.” She stood, shoved past Jimmy and threw the safe door open, “Look at that. It’s all gone. How did the bastards get into my safe?” Then she turned and looked long and hard at Dee, “You find this so funny. You tell me how they did it.” Then a thought struck her, “Is this anything to do with you?” 

Dee had been waiting for that and had a genuine look of dismay already prepared as she said with a deliberately sharp tone, “How would I know. You don’t let me anywhere near the money, especially your precious safe. Unfortunately, safe cracking is way beyond me.” 

Gloria’s glare lingered. Whether she believed Dee or not, who knows? She moved back to her desk and threw open the bottom drawer. Pulled out a half empty bottle of gin and her moulded glass tumbler. Put the tumbler on the tray with the day's takings. Picking it up and with the gin bottle in her other hand, said, “You can stuff the brandy, Jimmy. We’ve got some serious talking to do.” Without looking to see if he was following she stomped through the front room door, crashed down on the sofa, put the tray on the long coffee table and filled the tumbler just short of overflowing.   

 

Watching Jimmy disappear through the door Dee wandered back to her room thinking of Dexter Carmichael and the time she outlined her scheme. She knew exactly when that was. Two months and a week after the ride in the grey A30. Just about one month ago. Two in the morning and they crept up to his bedroom. Past the sign in the hall that said no women, His two rooms on the first floor. Not above Dora Kemp, his landlady though. She lived in the rooms out back of the kitchen. Her private domain as she called it, away from the lodgers but, unfortunately, not so far she did not know what was going on.  

Their fifth or maybe the sixth night dancing and they had drunk a few sherbets as Dexter called them. Classy cocktails with a real kick. The ballroom, not so large but nice. A bit up market from the normal Pally. Intimate. Tables around the walls in the darker spaces. Round with a neat white cloth cover clipped to the wooden surface. Comfy chairs. Waitress service. The all blonde, mostly dyed, black clad beauties there to entice and sell expensive alcohol. The five piece on stage bashing out all the tunes. The girl in the long white dress and stilettos with the voice of an angel. Blonde hair swirling as she swayed to the rhythm. Dee had looked at Dexter as he watched the singer. Tapping his fingers to the beat. Smiling when the high notes were hit. Clean with no forced squawk. She watched him, thinking, this one’s a miracle. Dodgy, yes, but he was sure nice and knew how to live. And he could dance. Tall and broad but he could still swing it with the best of them. 

She had snuggled in tight on the long walk back to his place. Real tight needing his warmth. Laughing and giggling. And that was not just the alcohol. The things Dexter said and his long drawn-out speech made her laugh. It was true: this was the best night of her life and again that was definitely not the alcohol talking. For the first time she could remember she had felt extraordinarily happy. As he fumbled for his key she stood on her toes and kissed him full on the lips, “Thanks for a great night,” she said. 

Up the stairs. One creaking step made them slow down. Then the key turned the lock and they were through into the bedroom. A complete contrast to the slow climb. An urgency consumed them. Clothes almost torn off as they fell onto the bed. Wriggling and wrestling. Caressing and kissing. Then a pause. The long explore of mutual affection. Joining eyes in understanding. Smiling. Taking their time. Making the moment last until the ultimate conclusion. 

Curled up in his arms Dee was thinking. Thinking how to get away from her mother’s grasp. She was careful was her mother. Paid Dee just enough but not enough to make leaving easy. But there was a way. The money in the safe. Her mother thought she did not know about that. But she did. Why else did she put that big mirror in the hall opposite the understairs cupboard? Why was the stained glass in the front door unusually clean? Dee washed it. That was why. She cleaned the outside very regularly. Usually when her mother was opening the safe. With the front door closed Dee could see through the small clear section near the side. The beauty of that was her mother did not know she was watching. In the mirror she saw the safe. Saw the combination through a pair of opera glasses and saw the pile of notes crammed into the top shelf. How much was there? It looked like thousands. She was not sure where it came from but there was so much cash it was sure to have been accumulated over a long period of time. And here she was snuggled up to a man who had the nous to steal all that money. What was more, a man who she really liked who she was certain would not blink at the opportunity to gain not only wealth but a woman who would love him forever. 

She could hear Dexter’s breathing slipping into that regular rhythm of approaching sleep so said, “Are you asleep?” 

“Not yet,” came the reply, “but I’m sure working on it hard.” 

“I’ve got a plan that you might be interested in.” 

That perked Dexter up a bit. He turned onto his side and in the light of the streetlamp coming through the thin curtains could make out her face. She was smiling. “Oh yeah,” he said, “and what might that be?” 

“You know I told you I wanted to leave the Bay View, well I’ve thought of a way to do it with enough money to set us up.” 

Now Dexter was really interested, “Go on,” was all he said. 

“In the safe in the cupboard under the stairs there’s a pile of money. Mostly notes but a few bags of change. No copper, half-crowns mostly.” 

“How much?” 

“I’m not sure but there’s always the month’s takings and I would say a few thousand in fivers and one-pound notes plus a few ten bob notes.” 

“That seems an awful lot to have locked away. Are you sure?” 

“Positive. I’ve seen it. Somehow, she’s salted it away and that’s the thing, it’s sure to be some sort of scam so she won’t call the police if it’s stolen. Maybe something involving Jimmy Raynott. Yes, that’s sure to be it. He’s sure shady enough.” 

“Does she suspect you know?” 

“Definitely not. I’ve watched her put money in the safe but through the front door glass. She does not realise I can see.” 

“So, the cupboard can be seen from the door?” 

“No, that’s the beauty of it. I put a mirror on the hall wall opposite the cupboard. I can see the reflection. It’s why she doesn't know I watch her.” 

“What about the safe? What sort is it?” 

“Combination.” 

“I’m not so hot on those. I normally just do the ones where I can pick a lock.” 

“But I know the combination. I can see it in the mirror and see all the money.” 

“Okay, that’ll work. What about the rest though. Your mother sounds like a shrewd one. How do I get in?” 

“You book in for the night but there’s a problem. The rooms are mainly on two floors. Four on each. The doors squeak and the locks rattle. There is no way you could get out without waking someone. Two rooms are on the ground floor but it would be just potluck if she allocated one of those to you. But we are always full. If you just turned up early evening, about seven-thirty would be right. She’ll be at her desk in the hall. She’s always there fiddling with papers. Two things. She’s greedy so will be tempted by the extra guest but also she’s susceptible to a bit of charm and you have loads of that. She’ll offer you my room in the attic.” 

“And if she doesn’t?” 

“There’s nothing lost, is there? Besides, I’m positive she won’t let an opportunity, to make a bit extra, slip. If she’s reluctant, offer her some money but make it enough. At least a fiver. She won’t want a fight with me to get out of my room for less than that. That’ll do it for sure.” 

“You’ll be able to put on a good show? With the fight, I mean.” 

“Oh yes. Believe me, I’ll have no problem there. I’ve had plenty of practice.” 

“Okay, so what then?” 

“You arrive with a case. Obviously to put the money in. The notes and the coins. The coins will be heavy but the case cannot look light. She’ll see right away if it’s light or heavy. It’s what she does. Wonders what the fellas are carrying. You’ll have to arrive and leave with a case that looks the same weight.” 

“I’ll weigh it down with a brick wrapped up and tucked in tightly. How about that?” 

“Perfect. So, you get to the room and wait. What’s the best time when people are sleeping deeply?” 

“Between two and three.” 

“Okay, leave the brick in my room. I’ll get rid of it. Take the case downstairs. The cupboard has two padlocks. The keys are in the right-hand top drawer which is locked.” 

“No problem. Thirty seconds to pick a drawer lock.” 

“That’s it then. You’ll have the combination. Load the case. Keys back into the drawer and lock it. Upstairs to my room and away in the morning… What do you think?” 

“I think it’ll work. There’s little risk as well. If it starts to go wrong I just leave. Anyway, what could she do against me?” 

“You’ll be surprised. Where money is concerned she can be deadly.” 

“Okay, I appreciate that but even so I’d be on my toes before anyone could react… When do you want to do it?” 

“End of the month. Her friend Jimmy Raynott will be coming to collect the takings. He invests it for her. When he’s arriving there will be the maximum amount of cash in the safe. So, we might as well get all we can.” 

“And then?” 

“And then you and I can start a new life. How does that sound?” 

“That sounds just perfect… Now, there’s a price to pay for waking me up,” he said as he let his hand glide over her smooth skin.” 

 

As she left her mother screaming and yelling with Jimmy in the sitting room Dee went back to her room. She felt a tinge of real excitement. That all went so well tomorrow she would pack what little she possessed and slip out in the evening to meet Dexter as arranged. In the meantime, there was her work to finish before the guests started to arrive late afternoon. She would go to the wholesalers and butchers and arrange the deliveries. There would be a new batch of tins and a few other bits to sort out. There always was after Jimmy had been. Apart from investing money it was what the slippery devil was good at.