Disobey (18 page)

And like his niece, Chloe-Jane had seen just hours before, Alfie saw the look in Franny’s eyes that told him she was serious. It was over. It was pointless saying another word.

Turning round without a goodbye, Alfie Jennings walked out of the ICU, determined never to talk to Franny again.

Lola put her hand on Franny’s arm, she smiled. ‘So that leaves you and me then.’

Franny nodded. ‘Then you and me is what it’ll take.’

27

Chloe-Jane hugged her knees tightly as she hid behind two stinking bins in the alley behind Oxford Street. She sat shivering on the hard concrete surrounded by the overflow of the rubbish as the rain drenched through her clothes, dripping down her back and soaking into the top of her pants.

She raised her head up to the night sky, feeling the drops of rain sting against her face. The smell of the bins was making her feel sick but she was too frightened to come out of her hiding place, at least until morning.

The streets at night were unsafe; they were dangerous. She had learnt that the hard way. The last time she’d slept rough, she’d been jumped on, and if it hadn’t been for the passer-by she would’ve been raped, or worse. She’d been lucky that night; she’d come away with only a loose back tooth caused by the man’s fist smashing into her face.

The stranger who’d helped her had taken Chloe-Jane back to his bedsit, but instead of giving her a safe, warm haven for the night, he’d locked her in, calling her names and insisting on her giving him oral sex.

She hadn’t thought she’d be back on the streets, or rather she’d
hoped
she wouldn’t. She’d really believed that
somehow
, somewhere there’d be a life she could carve out for herself. And if there was a place where she’d thought that was possible, it had been Soho, with her Uncle Alfie. But it’d all gone so wrong. So horribly wrong. Chloe-Jane put her head in her hands and began to sob again.

It was so cold. Her hands were part-way between numb and freezing. She didn’t think she could make it through the night feeling this way. She had to do something. The idea of waiting there for God knows what to happen to her in the shadow of the night had her pulling out her phone.

Her hands shook; freezing fingers dialling the number. As soon as it was answered, Chloe-Jane started talking.

‘Uncle Alfie … No please, don’t put down the phone. Please, listen to me … I’m sorry.’

‘What the fuck do you want?’

‘Can … Can I come and stay with you?’

‘Tell me … Tell me you ain’t being serious, Chloe?’

‘I ain’t got anywhere else to go.’

‘And you thought you’d call me because …’

‘… Because I need you.’

Alfie had had enough of women. Every bird he’d ever come across; every encounter with them, it’d always led to this. Ear ache. Grief, and ultimately a fucking great big guilt trip. But he wasn’t going to accept it, no way was he was going to accept responsibility for this.

To Alfie, this was all Chloe-Jane’s fault. If it hadn’t been for her turning up and stirring things, then opening up her mouth, he and Franny would still be together.

‘Do me a favour Chloe, you really are taking the piss. How you have the gall to call me or are you coming back for second bites? What is it that you’re going to destroy this time, hey babe? My house, my money, my daughter, me? Oh no, you already did that. Come on Chloe, do your worst. Come on, put the bullet in … What?… Got nothing to say?’

Chloe-Jane
didn’t
have anything to say, because she couldn’t. She just couldn’t. The loathing she heard in Alfie’s voice cut her deeply. Broke her heart. He had been her last chance. Quietly and without any fuss, Chloe-Jane locked off the phone, putting her head back in her hands once more.

‘What have we here then?’ The cold water being sprayed onto Chloe-Jane had her scrambling up from her concrete bed. She spluttered, gasped and coughed and for a moment she didn’t know where she was.

‘Get up you lazy tramp!… Come on, move it.’ The road cleaner shouted angrily at Chloe.

‘Sorry … Sorry, I’m going.’ Chloe tried to gather her things; her bag and the jacket and jeans she’d used as a pillow stuffed into her arms.

‘Too late darlin’.’ Nastily the man cackled as he held the cold water spray, dousing her down in cruel pleasure.

‘Please stop it … Please stop it.’

The sweeper, now joined by his colleagues, continued to taunt Chloe.

‘I’ve always loved a wet t-shirt competition! Take some of that dirt off her! Tramp! Tramp!… Come on love give us a smile … What’s the matter you fleabitten bitch, I thought you’d be pleased to get a shower!’

‘You bastards! Leave her alone!’ A loud voice was heard and the men turned around to see a woman swinging a broomstick.

‘What the fuck …’ The men shouted and ducked all in the same moment as the first blow to the head with the broom handle landed clean on the tallest of the road sweepers’ head.

‘You crazy bitch!’

‘Oh you haven’t seen anything yet! Now get out of here, before I really lose it.’

With the men gone, Chloe-Jane looked up at the woman who had helped her. ‘Thank you … Thank you.’

‘Listen, why don’t I rustle up a nice bit of bacon and eggs for you, and perhaps if you’re lucky a piece of my special fried bread; can’t beat a bit of fat to block up the arteries in the morning … Come on Chloe-Jo, you’ll be alright.’

Chloe-Jane looked at Lola, seeing not the old woman she’d seen before, but a woman whose eyes said she’d seen many things but had come out the other side carrying warmth and love with her.

‘Jane. It’s Chloe-Jane.’

Lola frowned looking puzzled. ‘Alfie said it was Jo; Chloe-Jo, I’m sure he did, yes I can hear it now, Chloe-Jo.’

With a big effort, Lola helped Chloe off the ground, pulling her up. ‘Bleedin’ roll on, I ain’t what I used to be. Me back’s knackered, still it could be worse, I could’ve lost me looks.’ Lola cackled, showing off her almost-toothless grin. She smiled at Chloe, but it was tinged with sadness. ‘Chloe-Jo, I’m sorry what happened with Alfie and Fran.’

Chloe shrugged. ‘Don’t worry about it. I brought it on myself.’

Lola grabbed Chloe by the shoulders. She shook her. ‘Don’t you say that! Don’t you ever say that! I never want to hear that out of your mouth again. It
wasn’t
your fault. None of this is your fault. You got caught up in the middle of something you didn’t understand. I love them both but they had no place letting you get involved. You’re just a kid, and I know what it’s like to be out on your own on the streets. I know what it’s like to have no one.’

Chloe-Jane sobbed her heart out and as she did, Lola pulled her into her. ‘Now come on, dry them tears. Like I said, I’m going to take you to mine and get you something to eat. You can get yourself washed, dried and cleaned up. We’ll get you back to looking like a princess again. And it won’t be a problem for you to stay the night. Just one, like.’

Chloe-Jane almost knocked Lola over in her excitement. ‘You mean it? I can really stay?’

Lola laughed. ‘Of course I mean it. But listen, I can’t tell Franny. I don’t think it’ll go down well with her at the moment.’

Chloe’s face dropped. ‘You mean you’re going to lie to her.’

Lola looked hurt. ‘Ain’t nobody said anything about lying. No … No, I’m not going to lie to her, I’m just not going to tell her the truth, which isn’t quite the same, is it?’

As Chloe-Jane walked down the street, wondering quite why Lola was armed with a broomstick at all, she knew Franny wouldn’t see it like that. No, she wouldn’t see it like that at all.

28

‘Another piece?’ Lola held a burnt piece of fried bread over Chloe-Jane’s plate. She was happy to see the girl eating. She could never understand the girls of today who thought there was something sexy about making themselves look undernourished and hollow-eyed. When she had been Chloe’s age, it’d been all about the curves, now it was all about the scrag and bones.

‘Thanks, Lola but I’ve got to go and meet someone; chance of a job.’

Lola sat down next to Chloe, picking at the rind of her bacon. ‘Yeah, what’s this all about; you kept this quiet.’

Chloe-Jane smiled; she’d had a long bubble bath, complete with candles. She’d washed and dried her hair and Lola had let her wear a pair of True Religion jeans and a black fitted Gucci shirt she’d found amongst the pile of stolen clothes Lola had apparently got from some of the girls who worked in the sauna in Brewer Street.

‘It’s nothing really, I met a girl in a pub and she said she might be able to get me some work.’

Lola frowned, not really liking the sound of it. ‘And what exactly will you be doing? You know you can’t trust people.’

Chloe-Jane smiled. ‘It’s all above board.’

‘So what is it, ’cos as far as I can see jobs don’t grow on trees? Maybe I can find you a few shifts at the café, once Fran has calmed down of course. It ain’t a bad gig, Casey worked for me and she had no complaints.’

At any other stage in her life, Chloe-Jane would’ve leapt at the chance of working at Lola’s caff, a few shifts here and there, but after what had happened with Franny, the idea of getting close to someone again frightened her. She’d get a job on her own, that way no one could take it away from her.

‘Thanks for the offer, but I think this is a sure thing. And don’t worry, it’s just a marketing job, you know, promoting clubs and bars.’

Lola nodded cautiously. ‘Are you sure, ’cos it’s not good trying to pull the wool over my eyes because I am the bleedin’ wool. I see everything love, and I’ve been everywhere.’

‘I know Lola, but it’s fine. Really … but thank you, thank you for everything.’

Lola wafted Chloe away. ‘You soft cow. Christ knows what you’d be like if I’d made you some of me scotch eggs.’

‘I better go, I’m meeting my friend at two.’

‘Well like I say, there’s no problem with you staying here tonight; I always like a bit of company, but as I said …’

Chloe-Jane smiled at Lola. ‘I know, Franny can’t find out.’

‘That’s my girl. I think you and me will get on just fine, Chloe-Jo.’

Half past two came and went and there was still no sign of Jodie. Chloe-Jane was about to start to despair when an unmistakable voice was heard coming from the other side of the bar.

‘Chloe-Jane, Chloe-Jane, Christ almighty you’d never believe the trouble I had getting here. You look tired, are you alright? How’s that uncle of yours? Did you see the news yesterday? They showed Soho; I thought of you. Oh that’s a nice shirt, me friend had one like that, not as nice as yours though, think she got hers from Primark. Have you had anything to eat, I’m starving. Do you know anywhere round here to eat?’

Chloe-Jane burst into laughter so hard she had to hold her sides. Since the last time she’d seen Jodie so much had happened and she’d been sucked into things she certainly didn’t want to be a part of. So it was good to see Jodie; really good.

Instead of answering any of the questions, Chloe-Jane just hugged her friend. ‘It’s great to see you. For a moment there, I thought …’

‘What? You thought I wasn’t coming? I’m as good as me word I am, unless of course me word is bullshit.’

‘So when are we meeting him?’

Jodie winked. ‘You’re eager, he’ll like that. He always likes girls that are.’

A slight cold worry ran through Chloe-Jane, but she pushed it away, trying to ignore it.

‘What do you mean?’

Jodie grabbed Chloe-Jane by the arm, pulling her towards the exit. ‘Oh don’t worry. I’m just being silly. Come on then if you’re coming. He don’t like to be kept waiting.’

Although it was only four o’clock, the dark basement of the tall six-storey building in Gerrard Street they were in made it seem much later. Chloe-Jane could smell something that made her want to be sick. She wondered if it was coming from the restaurant she’d seen on the ground floor of the building, with its array of powerful smells. Crispy belly pork, duck and what looked like a squashed deep-fried goose had hung from hooks in the window and Chloe had decided nothing could’ve looked less appetising.

‘Are you sure it’s down here?’

Jodie answered from the darkness, and Chloe could imagine her smiling. ‘Of course I’m sure, I’m not taking you on a tour of the London dungeons you know.’

Chloe didn’t say anything, mainly because it was exactly how it felt. Damp, cold walls and eerie sounds reminding her of the day one of her foster parents had taken her for a day out at the popular tourist attraction. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve certainly said that they were there, rather than underneath one of the buildings in Chinatown.

‘Are we there yet Jodie, I’ve never been keen on the dark.’

‘Baby!’

Chloe was about to protest but Jodie opened a door into a large room, which was also dark, but certainly nothing like the labyrinth of corridors they’d just come along.

‘Jodie, it’s good to see you, and who have we here?’ A man’s voice came out of the darkness making Chloe-Jane grab hold of Jodie in fright.

‘It’s the girl I told you about, Chloe-Jane.’

‘Bring her nearer.’ Mr Lee spoke out from behind the two-way mirror. It was important for him at this stage not to be seen.

Chloe was pushed forward by Jodie into the middle of the room where she stood feeling more exposed and self-conscious than she had done in a very long time. The eeriness of talking to someone she couldn’t see made her feel nervous

‘Jodie tells me you’re interested in working for me.’

‘Yes, I need to get meself a job.’

‘Then why haven’t you?’

‘I’ve tried, but things haven’t been so easy …’

‘And how do I know you’re a good worker?’

‘I am, I’ll work really hard. I don’t care what I do. I’ll do anything.’

‘Really? That’s a huge statement to make.’

For some reason, Chloe found herself blushing. She shrugged, not quite sure what she was supposed to say. ‘I dunno.’

‘Take your clothes off, Chloe.’

Chloe’s head whipped round to stare at Jodie, who looked away. ‘I … I …’

‘Right, well I can see you’re wasting my time, Chloe. I don’t think there’s anything more to say. Jodie will show you out; thanks for coming.’