‘Ruby’s worried about ya, we all are,’ Archie added, which made George even more furious.
‘You ain’t my father either. I don’t ’ave a fuckin’ dad, or a mum, so you can drop that shit right now.’
‘I do understand. I lost them too . . .’ Ruby said, her snappy mood disappearing in an instant at the familiar recognition of their orphan status. It still caused her pain to know how much she, George and Bobby missed them.
But Archie wasn’t fooled. He almost exploded with rage. ‘Never talk to Ruby – or me – like that again. I don’t ever want to hear it. Don’t give us that shit about bein’ an orphan, playing that old card again. Ruby’s done everythin’ for ya, and more, so it’s time you grew up.’
The air was tense. Both men squared up to each other. Ruby wasn’t sure who’d win if it came to a real fight. Archie was tough and muscular but George was fiery and once his temper was up, there was no telling what he’d do.
‘Go fuck yourself. Just give me the fuckin’ drugs,’ George swore. He seemed jittery on top of the temper. He paced up and down the room, only stopping to face her husband. They looked like two fighting dogs, ready for the whistle.
‘I won’t give ya any fuckin’ drugs. You’re not a dealer, whatever you like to tell the mugs you hang out with,’ Ruby snapped.
Archie was quiet now. He’d mastered his anger, which only seemed to rile George more.
‘What ’appened to you, George? Ruby and Bobby are good people, but you, you’re rotten to the core—’
‘That’s enough,’ Ruby interrupted them. She stood up out of the silver velvet sofa in her immaculately designed lounge, a tasteful setting with vases of fresh-cut flowers, a marble table and matching armchairs.
Ruby’s husband looked almost pale in the light from the table lamps. The family had been back in England for a few months since Ruby insisted they come home and take George back to their Chigwell house to try to work out what to do next. The situation was so serious they brought Cathy with them, taking her out of the international school temporarily and employing a private tutor in England instead.
Now, George was actually asking Archie if he could supply him drugs.
Before she could speak again, George lost his temper completely. He yelled, ‘Don’t fuckin’ lecture me. I know what you do for a livin’! I know you’re drug dealers so don’t come all innocent with me. You run coke from Colombia to Spain! You supply half the fuckin’ dealers I know! So, why shouldn’t I get in on it? I’m as much a part of this family as Archie is and yet you never let me into the deals and the money.’
For a moment, Ruby was stunned.
She wasn’t naive enough to think that George had no idea of what they did, but she hadn’t realised he knew as much as he did. She and Archie had made a pact early on never to talk about business in front of George, and certainly never to let him do anything dangerous or take on any role within the cartel. It was simply too risky, and Ruby’s instincts were always to protect him, just as if she really was his mother.
‘Didn’t ya think I’d realise why we always ’ave security guards with us? Didn’t ya think that some of the guys at school would talk? They’re not stupid. They can see you don’t run a legit business, that’s fuckin’ obvious. The only thing is, you never told me! You think I’m an idiot, well I’m goin’ to prove you wrong. I fuckin’ hate you both!’
There was silence for a moment. Archie looked like he might pounce on George. The vein in his neck was prominent, showing he was stressed. He was gripping his fists tightly. Ruby knew she had to calm this down.
‘We never meant to lie to you, George,’ she said, imploring him to listen to reason.
‘Bullshit! You lie all the time. You’ve always lied. Nuthin’ you tell me is ever the truth,’ he spat back at her.
‘I’ve told ya, don’t speak to Ruby like that, you little fucker,’ Archie shouted now. ‘She and Bobby are good people.’
‘Good people? Good people? Don’t make me laugh,’ George spat. ‘My big brother’s been banged up and my sister and you are drug dealers. You’re as much scum as I am. The only decent person in this family is Cathy.’
It was then that Ruby saw how drawn he looked. Where he’d once been a well-built boy, he had lost weight on his face and he had dark shadows under his eyes. He was sweating now, and he seemed agitated. Again, he was fidgeting on the spot, almost dancing from foot to foot and he kept running his fingers through his short hair, peeling off the hoodie then placing it back over his head, covering his eyes,
Suddenly, she knew what was going on. ‘George, you’re on drugs right now, ain’t you?’ Her voice was quiet, her manner calm. She could see that George was on a knife-edge. ‘Tell me, what have you taken?’ Ruby stepped towards him, her hand held out to him. Her heart ached at the realisation that, under their eyes, George had gone deeper than she’d ever realised into the underbelly of their profession.
The human cost of their work was something she knew about, but had rarely seen first-hand. The lure for her was always the power – and the excitement.
Suddenly, the real cost of running drugs was revealed to her, in her own house, with her own little brother. Some part of Ruby crumbled inside, yet she felt inexplicably angry with him. They were meant to be on the winning side! They were meant to be the ones supplying the drugs, selling them, moving them, profiting from them. They weren’t meant to be the
