Читать книгу The Make - Jessie Keane - Страница 26

Chapter 17

Lefty Umbabwe hauled back and belted Mona a hard one right across the cheek. What else could he do? She was a loud-mouthed cow, always complaining. Lefty was beginning to regret his decision to take Gordon’s advice and draft in the club dancer to help him track down Alfie.

‘Ow! You fucker!’ yelled Mona.

‘Mona by name and moaner by nature, that’s you,’ shrieked Lefty, right in her face.

‘Listen, I’m shagged out here. My legs are worn to stumps, these bleedin’ heels ain’t meant for walking in. How much longer you planning to drag me around town, Lefty, uh?’ Mona grumbled, cupping her sore face with one hand. It was a bitterly cold night. Her breath was like fog in front of her face. Her toes were numb. All she wanted was to be home, indoors, in her own bed, nice and cosy.

‘What, you want me to tell Deano you didn’t want to help with this?’ demanded Lefty, playing his Ace card.

Mona frowned. How had she got into this? Her ma was babysitting her little girl Josie at Mona’s place, and that was where she wanted to be, too. Josie was only five; she needed her mama. Josie’s dad had taken off just as soon as he’d put Mona up the duff, but that was okay: she had her ma to help, she had her baby girl, she was happy enough.

But now Lefty had railroaded her into this. Okay, he was offering some bucks and she needed the dosh, but she didn’t even like Lefty. She certainly didn’t like Deano; she was shit-scared of that creep. But it was work, it was money, what could you do?

‘No, but . . . for fuck’s sake, Lefty, I’m done. I really am.’ She didn’t want it getting back to Deano that she was a reluctant helper, no way. Deano Drax was a horrible, pervy bastard, she didn’t want to go crossing him.

Lefty drew back. Rummaged in his big leather coat, found the can, took a pull. Mona was watching him with distaste. Bloody junkies. If Deano Drax was so damned keen on the boy, he shouldn’t have left this butane-sniffing fool in charge of him. And look at the state of him. Stapled head, greyish, sweat-smeared skin. He looked like death warmed over and served up as fresh. And they’d looked for the boy, oh God how they’d looked, searching for any trace of him and the man who’d snatched him away. They’d questioned cabbies, late bus drivers, tried down the tube, they’d even done the nearest trimmed and tinselled YMCA, but Lefty didn’t seem to be finished, even now.

‘This is hopeless,’ Mona told him, trying to keep her tone light and reasonable. She didn’t want another smack in the chops. ‘Come on, Lefty honey, can’t you see it’s no good?’

Lefty said nothing.

‘Look,’ said Mona, pushing forward her advantage. Personally she shuddered over what had become of the boy. Probably he had been picked up by another stinking nonce, and if he was ever found at all it would be on waste ground, stone-cold dead. She didn’t like to think about the boy too much, it made her feel bad. ‘Come on, Lefty. You’ve done your best.’

‘No, you don’t understand,’ said Lefty. ‘Best? That ain’t good enough. Not by a mile. The only thing that’s gonna work in this situation, babe, is a result. And that result is to find the boy. Find Alfie. That’s all that’s gonna work here.’

‘Oh come on . . .’ Mona wheedled.

‘No!’ Lefty grabbed her arm, his fingers digging in viciously. Mona cried out as her upper body was hauled in horribly close to his. He smelled sour, disgusting. Junkies didn’t wash. His eyes looked demented and bloodshot as they glared into hers. His teeth were clenched in a grimace of utter determination. Suddenly she realized that Lefty Umbabwe frightened her.

‘Lefty . . .’ she protested faintly.

‘No. You listen up, girl. You think a cheap whore like you’s going to lay down the law to Lefty Umbabwe? We go on looking. If we don’t find him tonight then we come back and try tomorrow night, and the night after that, and the night after that, you got me? We find him. That’s all there is to it, girl. No other option. None at all.’

Mona nodded her head slowly. She was really in the shit here, being linked up to this lunatic.

‘Sure, Lefty,’ she said. ‘Let’s do that, okay? Let’s do that.’

Lefty released her arm. Mona rubbed at it gingerly. It would be all colours of the rainbow tomorrow, she knew it, and her cheek still stung painfully from the blow he’d inflicted. Bastard. But she had to keep on his good side. He was still looking at her face. She raised an unsteady smile with an effort. She didn’t want to cross him. Most especially, she didn’t ever want to show up on Deano Drax’s radar.

‘We’ll keep looking,’ she smiled.

Lefty nodded sharply, satisfied that he’d put his point across.

He took another long toke from the can, and together they walked on.