Phillip Murphy and she must never forget that, or what he was capable of. She nodded her understanding and he smiled at her then. That wide, all-encompassing smile that told everyone that all was right with the world.
'Good. I'm glad we got
It was the first time he had ever come back at her like that, and she knew she had to have pushed him too far at last. That he had spoken to her like he had proved to her that even he had his limit, and she knew she would have to be careful in the future.
When he left the house she felt the anger returning once more, and wondered at a man who could still want someone who so obviously loathed him. She took an extra few pills, and washed them down with her first drink of the day. She liked the numbness of booze; it evened out the edges of the world and made her forget for a while that she was like a caged bird. The cage was lovely, there was no doubt about that, but it was a cage all the same.
Chapter Eighty-Five
Ted was sad to admit that he had gone off his elder grandson, and the knowledge grieved him. The boy was a sullen, rude little oik, and that was being nice about him.
As he watched the lad walking around the shop, he could almost feel the resentment coming off him at even having to be there. But this was one time when Ted Booth agreed with his son-in-law. Philly needed a lesson in respect and dealing with the people from this area should give him just that. These were plain-spoken people who said what they thought, and who often possessed a certain rough dignity, even though their surroundings weren't exactly conducive to the finer things in life. But they had something this boy desperately needed – the advantage of being streetwise, and that counted for a lot in this neighbourhood. Maybe seeing how other people had to live might make him appreciate just how lucky he actually was. Ted could only hope so anyway – from what he had heard the boy had been asking for this for a long time. People protected him because of Phillip's reputation, Christine especially. It seemed to him she couldn't see what the boys were really like; but then half the time she couldn't see what was in front of her face she was so out of it. No, this time he thought Phillip had done the right thing by his grandson, and he would help him sort the lad out with pleasure. Young Philly, for all his swaggering, posturing and bravado, wouldn't last ten minutes on this estate, and that was something he needed to learn, and learn fast. Philly had had it too easy, and it was making him weak and vulnerable. Phillip would not tolerate weakness of any kind in his family.
Ted was pleased that Phillip had entrusted the boy to him; it told him that Phillip respected him in a way he had not realised before. And even though he would never like this son-in-law of his, he was willing to do the best he could for his grandson.
'Come on, Philly, start filling those freezers. That stuff will be defrosted before you even open the bloody boxes!'
Philly sighed heavily, but he started the job as requested. He knew his granddad had to give his father a rundown on his behaviour. It was laughable – he was nineteen and still being treated like a kid. But he also knew he had got off lightly in many respects. At least this got him away from the seafront for a while; he was still embarrassed to be seen there, and he would appreciate the chance for everything to calm down and be forgotten about before he showed his face again. He knew it was cowardly, but that was how he felt. But his granddad's- shops were the pits; all Happy Shopper teabags, old people and processed foods. The young blokes looked like armed robbers, and he was fascinated at how respectful they were to his grandfather. He wasn't a fool though, he knew it was because of his father – everyone he knew was scared of him, himself included. His dream was not to be like him, but
He opened the box and started to unpack the cheap pizzas and frozen lasagnes. Growing up on a farm he had developed a healthy disgust for this kind of food, and he was glad he had not been brought up on it. Especially if the kids he saw every day were anything to go by – most were already overweight before they started school, and ate crisps and sweets as if they were staple foods instead of treats. It had certainly been an eye-opener all right.
The door opened and Philly automatically looked over to see who it was. He was very pleasantly surprised to see a tall, slim blonde, with killer boots and a come-get-me smile swagger on to the premises.
As she picked up a loaf of bread and a pint of milk, he rushed to the till, saying loudly, 'It's all right, Granddad, I'll see to this young lady.'
Tiffany White looked at the young lad with the handsome face and expensive jeans and decided the day was not going to be a total wipeout after all. Smiling at one another, the two began the ritual mating dance of the young, and suddenly things were not looking so bleak for Philly Murphy. In fact, he was already looking forward to coming back to work in the morning.
Ted Booth smiled in exasperation; he could see the attraction, but he had a feeling that this young hussy might turn out to be a bit too knowing for his grandson, not least because she was already the proud possessor of a nine-month-old daughter. But he knew it would be pointless trying to give the lad advice; after all, he'd only worked here a week and apparently he already knew everything. This was the kind of situation where only experience would be of any real use, and Ted Booth knew for a fact that Tiffany White had enough experience for the both of them; she had been at it since she was thirteen. Ted should know – he had chased her from the backyard of the shop enough times. He had a feeling this grandson of his was about to get his initiation into the real world, especially when he saw Tiffany writing her mobile number down on the back of his grandson's hand.
He went through to the back of the shop, and allowed himself a little chuckle. She'd eat him for breakfast and spit out his balls, without even pausing for a breath. This was going to be fun to watch for a while, and he could do with a laugh.
Chapter Eighty-Six
'Is everything OK, Phillip?'
Declan had not seen Phillip like this in years, he seemed preoccupied and far too quiet for anyone's good. There was definitely something bothering him.
Phillip shrugged, the shrug that he used when he couldn't be bothered to talk. He was chewing his thumbnail, a definite sign of aggravation.
'Is it Christine?'
Phillip nodded. 'She is really pulling my chain lately, and it can get a bit wearing, if you know what I mean. She's always ready to argue with me, and I don't want to fight with her. I just want her to be happy.'
Declan could hear the exasperation his brother's voice. 'Well, look on the bright side, at least she ain't all quiet any more.'
Phillip laughed then. 'Didn't know when I was fucking well off, did I? Do you know, I was about two inches from clumping her today, that should tell you how annoyed I was.'
'Fucking hell, Phillip, that is serious, mate.'
'Precisely. I think we're together too much and that is never good in any relationship that entails the opposite sex.'
He lit a cigarette; he was smoking a lot lately and it wasn't like him. But his perfect life wasn't so perfect any more, and he was restless; he had everything he needed and yet he still didn't feel he had enough. He was unhappy in a way he had never been before, and he wondered if it was because he had gone as far as he ever could, and there was nothing left for him to achieve. It was a sobering thought. Even the other businesses, the guns and the betting were running so smoothly he barely thought about it all. Breda was good at what she did, exceptionally good in fact, and Declan took the main load off his shoulders here so really, other than the farm, he was without any real purpose. It occurred to him that he was bored. It was a concept he had never experienced
