Free The Driver by Mandasue Heller Page A

money again?’ Smirking when Eddie nodded, he said, ‘Mine’s the same. And it don’t help that her sister’s gone and shacked up with that loaded cunt. All I ever hear these days is Chantelle’s fella’s got her this, Chantelle’s fella’s got her that . Does my bleedin’ box in.’
    Amused by Clive’s camp imitation of his wife. Eddie glanced over the seat at the two lap dancers snuggled up together in the back. Chrissie had been spot on about him being cagey because he was in the company of someone who didn’t know about his girls, although it hadn’t even crossed her mind that it might possibly be a female – or two. But she could blame Clive’s wife Letty, not him, because it wouldn’t have happened if Letty hadn’t abandoned Clive and pissed off to Lanzarote for a hen week. And Eddie was way too good of a mate to abandon him in his hour of need, so he’d had no choice but to go along when Clive had invited the tarts back to his for a party last night.
    And what a party it had been. Eddie couldn’t remember the last time he’d necked so much coke and downed so much cognac, and his poor dick had never worked so hard in its life. He was absolutely knackered now, with the mother of all hangovers, so there was no way he was tagging along while Clive dropped the tarts back in Bury. He was just getting a lift over to his boy Kenny’s to pick up his money, and then he was going home to his bed for a well-deserved rest.
    When Clive pulled up at the corner of a row of terraced houses in Moss Side, Eddie got out and strolled down the alley. Letting himself into one of the small backyards, he smiled when Kenny’s mum answered the door.
    ‘Morning, darlin’. He up yet?’
    ‘He’s still in his pit,’ she told him, stepping back to let him in. ‘Go straight up, love.’
    Eddie took the stairs two at a time and crept down the landing. Pressing his ear against Kenny’s door, he grinned when he heard a faint snoring sound. Then he hammered his fist on the wood, yelling, ‘Get your hands where I can see them, you little prick – you’re busted!’
    Kenny was out of bed and halfway out of the window when Eddie pushed the door open a second later. ‘Fucking hell, man,’ he croaked when he realised who it was. ‘What d’y do that for?’
    ‘Just keeping you on your toes, matey,’ Eddie said, laughing at the sight of Kenny’s bare arse. ‘Ain’t warm out there – best watch nothing drops off.’
    Kenny climbed back inside and snatched his crumpled jeans off the floor. Pulling them on, he reached under his mattress and took out a cloth money-bag.
    Scowling now, Eddie snatched it out of his hand. ‘See, that’s what I’m talking about. You would have fucked off and left this, wouldn’t you?’
    ‘I was asleep,’ Kenny muttered, as if that made any difference.
    ‘Well, strap it round your fucking cock if you’re going to do any naked flits in future,’ Eddie warned him. ‘’Cos I’m telling you now, if you let the pigs waltz off with my money you’re dead.’ Looking into the bag now, he stared at Kenny accusingly. ‘Where’s the rest?’
    ‘Aw, come on, man, don’t be making out like you think I’ve been dipping into it,’ Kenny moaned. ‘I’m not like Tommy.’
    ‘No, ’cos you can still feed yourself,’ Eddie said, grinning again as he headed for the door.
    He went back downstairs, taking a couple of twenties out of his pocket on the way. Popping his head around the parlour door, he tossed them onto the couch beside Kenny’s mum.
    ‘I’m off, sweetheart. Get yourself a little something with that, eh?’
    ‘Oh, no, love, you can’t keep giving me money,’ she protested, scooping them up and flapping them at him. ‘Here, take it back.’
    Winking, Eddie closed the door and let himself out. She always tried to give it back but they both knew she didn’t mean it. Anyway, it made him feel good to bung her a few quid because the poor cow reminded him of one of those women in