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Vicki was stood with her back to me in her yard, puffing on a cig. My heart fucking jumped a good’un, thinking it was that Lozza Price from down the garages, with that same bloody hair again. It weren’t, though, it was Vick, hair hacked into a messy blonde bob. It was more yellow than blonde in the sunlight, a bit like a canary. Didn’t like it much. Smiled anyway.
“Look different.”
She spun around at the sound of my voice, smiling bright. “Like it? Fancied a change. Where the hell you been, Cal? Slay’s been missing ya.”
“Around,” I said. “Busy, like.”
“Deliveries?”
I flushed with guilt. I’d been slack on deliveries, too busy painting. Needed to go and see Jack Willis before he forgot my rounds, but I didn’t want to freak Vicki out. “Yeah, working.”
“I heard they beat you up,” she said. “Got you good, didn’t they? That’s why you been staying away. I know you, Callum Jackson. I ain’t a fool, know you didn’t want me to see.”
“Been around, Vick, just been busy.”
“Rumours been flying all around the estate, Cal. Heard you were kissing that estate manager down by Al’s. That true?”
“You sure know a lot, don’t ya? Dunno where you get it all from.”
She held up her mobile. “Facebook.”
I fucking hated that shit and she knew it. “Me getting beat up’s all over the internet is it? Un-fucking-likely, Vick. Ain’t nobody knew about that.” Her colour drained, and that’s when I knew. “He’s been round, ain’t he? Jones? You’d better have called the fucking pigs.”
“Ain’t calling the pigs, Cal. He didn’t stay long.”
My hands clenched into fists in my pockets. “What’d he fucking want?”
“Said he could look after me, like. Me and Slay. Said he could tell the Stoneys to back off, leave me alone.”
“Stoneys ain’t coming after you and Slay, Vick. Debt’s mine now.”
She offered me a cigarette and I took it gladly. “He says Stoneys won’t give a shit if you’ve taken the debt, still me they’ll come for.” She leaned into me, eyes wide and scared. “He said they’re hardcore, Cal, the real deal. Showed me a vid on his phone, of them poisoning someone with some shit, lad convulsing all over the place, real sick. Couldn’t even watch it. Ty thought it was funny, sick cunt. He said they cut off people’s fingers too, burn them as well if they need to.”
“He’s full of shit, Vicki. Call the fucking pigs next time.”
But he weren’t full of shit and I knew it.
“He said you’re dead meat. Said some tough guy from Croydon’s after you, too. Don’t reckon you’ll be round much longer.”
“That’s complicated,” I said. “Just mind your own, will you? I’ll sort it.”
“Where you been, Cal, really? You been hiding?”
“Summat like that.”
“You wiv her? That Harding woman?”
I shrugged. “Got no answers, Vick. Just hanging out.”
“What about me, Cal, whenwegonna be hanging out?”
I felt fucking shitty, trying to protect her but making her so fucking sad. “Dunno, Vick, whenever you want. I’m here, yeah? Always will be.”
“Tonight?” she asked. My heart dropped. I thought of Soph at hers, her sweet, warm arms. Her sweet, hot cunt all hungry for me. Vicki sighed. “Please, Cal. Hardly seen you.”
I looked into Vicki’s eyes and I knew I couldn’t say no. Mates look out for each other, and Vick needed me. I could see it in her. “Alright, yeah. I’ll come back later.”
She looked so pissing happy it made me sick to my stomach.
