Gangsters Wives by Lee Martin Page B

out of bed and found her handbag, from which she pulled out her mobile phone and switched it on. She fiddled with the controls whilst Poppy poured more champagne for them both.
    â€˜What are you doing?’ asked Poppy. ‘Who are you calling? Not Connie?’
    â€˜Don’t be crazy. There.’ And Niki pushed a button and the phone started buzzing in her hand. ‘I’ve put it on to vibrate. Now open your legs.’
    â€˜Niki, you’re terrible,’ said Poppy, and laughed out loud.
    The early afternoon sped past, and soon it was time for them to part. ‘I’ll never forget today,’ said Poppy as she repaired her make up and got dressed. ‘As long as I live. We will do it again, won’t we?’
    â€˜Of course. Whenever you want. Whenever we can.’
    â€˜Soon?’
    â€˜As soon as is possible, but the men must never guess. Not until we’re ready.’
    â€˜Ready for what?’
    â€˜To kill them, what else?’ said Niki, coldly.
    â€˜Are you kidding?’
    â€˜Never been more serious in my life.’
    Poppy could hardly believe her ears. ‘Christ, that’s a bit strong. We can’t.’
    â€˜Then we’ll be on the run for the rest of our lives.’
    â€˜Better that than murdering our husbands!’
    â€˜Poppy, you don’t get it. This is the most serious thing either of us will ever do. If we’re together, we go all the way.’
    â€˜Or what?’
    â€˜Or we cannot be together.’
    â€˜Oh Niki, you’ll have to be strong enough for both of us.’
    â€˜For you Poppy, I’ll be strong enough for an army.’
    â€˜I love you,’ said Poppy.
    â€˜I love you too.’
    â€˜Then I’ll do it.’
    â€˜I never had any doubts.’
    And they kissed again.

28

    By this time Sadie was almost at her wit’s end. There was no cash in the coffers, and she was reduced to pawning some jewellery just to survive. And worse. Eddie’s most hurtful betrayal came when she returned from visiting him at the prison, to find a ‘For Sale’ sign outside the house. She phoned the number on the board and spoke to a rather disinterested woman, who told her that Jack Lewis had organised the transaction. ‘We’ll need to get in,’ the woman said. ‘To look around. Appraise the value of the property.’
    â€˜Over my fucking dead body,’ said Sadie, and slammed down the phone. Only to pick it up again and call the solicitor. ‘What’s going on Jack?’ she demanded, almost in tears. ‘My bloody house is being sold out from under me.’
    â€˜And you were unaware?’
    â€˜Of course I bloody well was. Why do you think I’m phoning you now?’
    â€˜As a matter of fact I’ve been trying to get in touch with you on the same subject.’
    â€˜My mobile’s dead,’ said Sadie. ‘I forgot to charge the battery. And I’ve been out all day.’
    â€˜Maybe you’d better come in,’ said Lewis. ‘Tomorrow morning, and we can talk.’
    So, just as she did when Eddie was first banged up, Sadie again went to Lewis’s office. But this time she declined coffee. And this time she knew a whole lot more about the trouble she was in. ‘What the hell do you mean by putting my house up for sale without a word?’ she said, trying to keep the anger and frustration out of her voice.
    â€˜Strictly speaking it’s Mr Ross’s property,’ replied Lewis. ‘And the mortgage is well in arrears.’
    â€˜I’m going to sort that out,’ said Sadie.
    â€˜But he called me from the prison, and gave me instructions.’
    â€˜Instructions not to tell me?’
    â€˜No. I had no idea, Mrs Ross. This is most disturbing. We’ve always had a good relationship. If I’d known, I would have delayed speaking to the agents. I only tried to get in touch with you so that they could gain access to