Vinny punched the lad again. He was on a roll now. ‘Can you swim, kiddy fiddler?’

Fifteen-year-old Peter was petrified. ‘No. I can’t swim. Please take me back to the cafe. I beg you.’

Vinny grabbed the lad’s neck and had a full-blown erection as he tightened his grip and watched the life seep out of him.

‘For fuck’s sake, Vin. Enough’s enough,’ warned Roy.

Ignoring his brother, Vinny kept on squeezing as the lad’s face turned beetroot. He didn’t release him until he stopped choking and went still.

Roy was in bits by the time Vinny jumped back in the van. He’d watched in the interior mirror as Vinny checked for a pulse, then lugged Peter’s lifeless body out. ‘What the fuck! You’ve killed him, ain’t ya? I don’t think Mum and Auntie Viv meant us to do that. We can’t leave him here.’

Vinny squeezed his brother’s arm. ‘Mum and Auntie Viv meant exactly that. You’ve got a lot to learn, bruv. Let’s leave him ’ere tonight, come back tomorrow, weigh the nonce-case down and chuck him in the Thames. Job done. Don’t feel bad about it, Roy. The streets’ll be a lot safer for the likes of our Brenda and her friends.’

Vivian pulled the key from under her mother’s plant pot. She’d knocked on the door again and there’d still been no answer. ‘You ready, Queen?’

Queenie nodded.

The two sisters walked inside the house hand in hand. Molly Wade was dead in the armchair with her knitting still in her hand.

‘Mum. Oh, Mum,’ sobbed Vivian.

Queenie hugged her sister. She felt none of the raw emotion she’d experienced when Mrs O’Leary died. She couldn’t even cry.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

‘You OK, my dear? What a lovely send-off for your dear mum. She’s gonna be sorely missed down this street, let me tell ya. Molly had such a good heart, was always bringing food for me and a lot of the older generation. Since I lost my Peggy, there’s many a day she’d turn up at the door with a roast dinner on a plate or a slice of her wonderful date and walnut cake. An angel, she was. I couldn’t fault her,’ said Mr Shipton.

Queenie smiled politely, patted Mr Shipton’s arm and walked over to where Vinny and Roy were. Today was the day of her mother’s funeral and it had been Viv’s idea to hold the wake back at her mum’s house. The house that held so many dreadful memories for Queenie, especially after Mary had died. She’d hated going round there. It reminded her of Aunt Edna, her drunken bully of a father, the hardship during the war years. Very few happy memories had been made there.

Vinny put a strong arm around his mother’s shoulders. ‘You all right, sweetheart?’

‘Yeah, feet are bleedin’ killing me though. Gonna take these new stilettos back to Blind Keith. He’s definitely got the size wrong. I’ve crippled meself.’

Vinny chuckled. ‘What have I warned you about buying hooky goods off Blind Keith. Not only do I believe he can see better than me and you, I know for a fact he changes the sizes in stuff. I’ve seen him do it with me own eyes. I’ll take the shoes back for you tomorrow and get you a refund plus compensation.’