Читать книгу Life of Crime: The gripping, epic new thriller from the No 1 bestseller - Kimberley Chambers - Страница 19

Jason Rampling woke up at six a.m. In eight hours’ time he would be a married man, and for once he had no doubt he was doing the right thing.

Jason sat on the edge of the bed. He and Melissa were yet to find their perfect property, but Johnny owned a few flats that he rented out. The tenants of one had recently done a midnight flit without paying the rent, so he and Mel would be moving into that for the time being. It was a palace in comparison to the Mardyke Estate. There was no doubt that Darlene was going to react like a mad woman when she learned he’d got hitched, but Jason was done with her now. He had given her the option of allowing him and Shay to move in with her, and she’d knocked him back.

Grinning, Jason stood up. This was a new chapter of his life and he was determined to give it a whirl. Melissa was a decent person and tonight he would hold her in his arms and make love to her like a husband should.

‘Stunning! Oh, Mel, you really do look beautiful. Your dad and Jason are going to be the proudest men alive when they see you,’ Carol Brooks beamed. Mel’s wedding dress was traditional white. The bodice had a crochet effect, and the skirt flowed out from the waist downwards with crochet along the bottom. Melissa had chosen to wear her dark hair up, so had a matching crochet headpiece to hold her hair in place. She truly did look stunning, like a princess, Carol thought.

‘No. Don’t want to put it on,’ Shay screamed, knocking the purple bridesmaid dress out of Carol’s hands. Shay hated Melissa even more now she was marrying her beloved father.

Carol sat on a chair and urged Shay to sit on her lap. She stroked the child’s hair and spoke gently in her ear. Shay could be unruly when she worked up a temper, but was very loving towards her. Carol felt sorry for the poor little mite. She’d rarely left that flat on the Mardyke Estate, by the sounds of it. ‘Remember I was telling you all about the seaside last night?’

Bottom lip trembling, Shay shrugged.

‘Yes, you do. I told you about sandcastles and explained what the sand and sea look like. And the boats that sail in the water.’

‘And chips and sweets,’ Shay mumbled.

‘That’s right. You’ll love eating chips on the beach, and as for those sticks of rock, yum yum. So, if you’re a good girl for Auntie Carol and you put your dress on, how about me and Johnny take you and Donte to the seaside tomorrow?’

The tiny underfed-looking child’s eyes shone as she flung her arms around Carol’s neck. ‘I love you. Can I call you Nanny?’

Jason Rampling studied himself in his pal’s full-length mirror. The long-tail tuxedo was a tonic mohair with matching trousers.

Terrence Arnold walked into the room and wolf-whistled. ‘Looking good, buddy. If I wasn’t married to Susan, I’d half fancy you meself. Any last-minute doubts?’

Jason had only ever owned one suit in the past. A cheap, black one that he wore for funerals. Studying his smart new look once again, Jason knew he could easily get used to the finer things in life. ‘No, mate. None whatsoever.’

Johnny Brooks felt extremely proud but also very sad as he laid eyes on his wife and daughter in their wedding regalia. Carol’s peach skirt-suit now looked a size too big for her. She still looked beautiful though and Melissa looked absolutely amazing. ‘Beautiful, both of you look,’ he sighed.

Carol beamed with happiness. She had prayed to God that she wouldn’t suffer one of her migraines today of all days, and thankfully he’d listened to her. She didn’t even feel tired, considering she’d barely slept last night. Excitement had kept her awake and today she was full of adrenaline. ‘You look so handsome, Johnny. Doesn’t he look smart, Mel?’ Carol gushed. Johnny, Terrence and Donte were wearing the same suits as Jason, bar the bright purple waistcoat the groom had chosen to separate his look from the others.

‘I dunno about handsome,’ Melissa laughed, giving her father a hug. She couldn’t wait to become Mrs Rampling now and the thought of herself and Jason finally sharing a bed later this evening sent tingles down her spine.

‘Donte, come and show your mum and nan what a big boy you look in your suit,’ Johnny said.

Carol burst into tears at the sight of her beloved grandson looking all grown up.

‘Don’t cry, Mum. You’ll ruin your make-up,’ Melissa urged, her own eyes brimming with tears.

‘Mel, ’ere a minute,’ Tracey shouted out. Melissa had insisted Tracey was to be a bridesmaid, even though Jason was none too keen.

‘Wow! You look incredible,’ Mel gushed. Shay and Tracey were wearing stunning purple off-the-shoulder dresses, and Melissa couldn’t help thinking that Tracey looked far prettier than she did.

‘I got something for you,’ Tracey smiled, handing Melissa a small box. ‘It’s that bracelet you loved of mine with the blue stone. Something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new.’

‘I thought they were meant to be separate items. Not unlucky if they’re all the same, is it?’

‘No. Don’t think so.’

Unaware that her marriage was doomed anyway, Melissa happily put the bracelet on.

‘Answer the door, Babs, and get rid of whoever it is. Not in the mood for visitors,’ Debbie Rampling shrieked.

Babs trudged along the hallway. ‘It’s Dave the Rave, Mum. He’s got a present and card for Jason.’

Dave the Rave was the estate’s speed and ecstasy dealer. Never one to miss the chance to ponce an illegal substance, Debbie darted towards the front door. ‘Jason don’t live ’ere no more. What you bought him a present for? It ain’t his birthday.’

‘It’s a wedding present. Ain’t nothing special, just a card and bottle of plonk.’

Having already drunk two litres of strong cider, Debbie wondered if her hearing was playing her up. ‘Wedding present! What do you mean?’

Dave the Rave pulled his Nike baseball cap over his eyes. He was on a paranoid one, thanks to the three acid tabs he’d popped last night, and Debbie had always scared the living daylights out of him even when he was straight. He stared downwards at his Diadora trainers. ‘I saw Jase in the Working Men’s Club last night. He was on his stag do. Look, just give this to him, will ya?’ Dave mumbled, shoving the carrier bag in Babs’s hand.

Not one to be shaken off easily, especially when two sheets to the wind, Debbie chased Dave towards the lift and grabbed him by his scrawny arm. ‘When is he getting married? Where?’

Knowing he was about to have a panic attack, Dave the Rave was desperate to get away. ‘Langtons, today at two. Look, I gotta go. Not been a-bed all night.’

‘Is Jason really getting married?’ Babs asked as her mum stomped back inside the flat.

‘Don’t ask me, I’m only his bastard mother. Get the boys dressed. And ask old Lil if you can borrow a fiver.’

‘Why?’

Debbie glared at her thick daughter. ‘Why d’ya fucking think?’

Jason arrived at Langtons Registry Office with Terrence, his best man. ‘I don’t know a soul here,’ he whispered to him, as he made his way to the front of the aisle to await his bride.

‘Jason, Jason,’ a voice bellowed.

Aware of all eyes on him, Jason walked over to his nan who had bagged herself a seat in the front row.

‘You said I could bring someone, so I brought Ted. You remember Ted, don’t ya? It was his grandson Timmy you used to nick the lead off the church roofs with.’

‘Yes, I remember, Nan,’ Jason hissed, putting a forefinger to his lips in hope she’d get the message. She was only five foot three. A sturdy woman with dyed burgundy-coloured hair. But she literally had a voice like a foghorn, and he could sense all the Brooks’s posh friends looking at her. The last thing he needed was for her to tell embarrassing stories about him all day. Johnny Brooks would literally have a heart attack.

‘Shake Ted’s hand then. Say hello properly,’ Peggy ordered.

Jason did as he was told. Ted was a lanky dark-haired Irish bloke who had a dreadful taste in clothes. The cream suit he was wearing looked horrendous. He stood out like a sore thumb.

‘The bride’s arrived,’ somebody shouted.

Jason took his place at the front of the aisle. This was it. Shit or bust.

Johnny Brooks squeezed his wife’s hand as the vows were exchanged. Carol was smiling broadly, but crying at the same time.

Jason grinned at his bride. She looked lovely in her dress and he was actually looking forward to ripping it off her later and making love to her for the first time. ‘I promise to care for you above all others, to give you my love and friendship, support and comfort, and to respect and cherish you throughout our lives together,’ he vowed.

Tracey Thompson was secretly seething. She’d been sure Jason would get cold feet and couldn’t believe he’d gone through with it. She didn’t believe he loved Mel. He was only marrying her because her father was loaded, she thought bitterly.

‘So it is fucking true,’ a voice bellowed from the back.

Johnny Brooks looked around in horror.

‘You no-good deceitful little cunt. What type of son gets married without telling their own mother, eh?’

‘Mum, can we just go?’ Babs begged, tears streaming down her face.

Jason wanted the ground to open up and swallow him as his drunken mother marched towards him. The guests looked shell-shocked and he could fully understand why.

‘Are you having a party, Jase?’ Elton asked.

‘Get rid of her, Jase,’ Melissa hissed.

‘You don’t wanna be marrying him, girl. He don’t love any bastard other than himself. Only reason he’s getting hitched is because your family are cake-o,’ Debbie slurred loudly.

‘Do something, Johnny,’ Carol urged. She couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

Johnny Brooks stood up. ‘How dare you turn up here uninvited and ruin my daughter’s wedding. Get out! Go on, before I physically throw you out.’

‘Who d’ya think you are? Rambo? Ya fucking midget,’ Debbie retorted.

Peggy Rampling stood up, hands on her hips. She’d never met her other three grandchildren and had no wish to. ‘Look at the state of you, ya drunken trollop. No wonder the boy didn’t want you at his wedding. You’d break the fucking camera. Barging in ’ere with all your unwanted kids in tow, you should be fucking ashamed of yourself,’ she yelled.

As the fiasco continued, Tracey Thompson grinned and said a silent thank you to God. She had been praying that something like this would happen.