Free Gangsters Wives by Lee Martin Page A

name, and he dealt with them. Now it was Sadie’s job, and pretty quickly she discovered that they were in deep financial difficulties. Every day bills printed in red dropped through the letterbox. And worse, she started getting increasingly stern phone calls from various financial institutions, demanding prompt payment for debts she didn’t even know they had.
    She checked their bank accounts and found that what she had once thought of as bottomless pits, were pretty well all empty. They owed the building society. The cars she thought were theirs were leased, and the payments well in arrears. Even her precious gold card was up to and beyond its limit, and she couldn’t even afford to pay the minimum payment each month. Worse than the red bank bills were the threatening calls from loan sharks who would stop at nothing to get back their money, with interest. Sadie knew it would only be a matter of time before one of them got his goons to pay her a house call, safe now Eddie was away.
    The next time she received a visiting order she went along to the prison with her handbag full of final demands.
    She sat in the cheerless visitor’s room as Eddie came in. ‘Hello doll,’ he said. ‘You OK?’
    â€˜No Eddie, I’m not,’ she replied, avoiding contact as he tried to touch her hand. ‘What the fuck has been going on?’
    â€˜Not guilty,’ he replied. ‘I’m inside, remember?’
    â€˜How can I forget? Every day I get reminders. Final ones mostly.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Bills, Eddie. Great big fucking bills—everything from the phones to the council tax. What happened?’
    â€˜Shit happened love. I got stitched up and chucked in here.’
    â€˜But there was that forty grand…’
    â€˜Every penny gone. Briefs who screwed up. Bent cops who took the shilling then got a conscience. A judge who retired early on medical grounds and who’s living in bloody Portugal in a villa I bought. It’s endless darlin’.’
    â€˜So are these debts Eddie.’
    â€˜What can I say love? What can I do?’
    â€˜Aren’t you owed?’
    â€˜Yeah. Plenty. But there’s nothing I can do from inside the shovel.’
    â€˜What about the other boys?’
    Eddie pulled a regretful face. ‘They helped out. I owe them too if the truth be known. Don’t worry. They won’t be coming round for their dough. They know the situation.’
    â€˜What about the bank deposit boxes? You’ve still got them haven’t you?’
    â€˜Sure. But believe me, they’re not stuffed with cash. You’d know if they were.’
    â€˜So what is in them?’
    He hesitated. ‘OK sweetheart. I’ll tell you. But not a word.’
    â€˜Go on then,’ she said.
    He hardly moved his lips as he spoke. Nobody knew who might be watching. ‘There’s shooters, ammo, and the plans for a big job,’ he said. ‘I was going to tell you in time.’
    â€˜Thanks for keeping me in the loop.’
    â€˜Sorry. Listen, I’ll speak to Lewis at the solicitors. He’s got the keys. He doesn’t know which banks or the numbers. He’s got a letter for you with all the details inside. It’s sealed. Make sure it still is when you get it. I’ll put in a call today. You go tomorrow. The boys are going to do the job. I’m the architect as always. You’ll get a cut. Otherwise, you’ll have to duck and dive Sade. Do what you can. I’m fucked in here.’
    â€˜Not literally I hope.’
    â€˜No love. There’s prettier fish than me to fry. Thank God for that. Anyway, I can take care of myself. Always have. I’m just extra careful about dropping the soap in the shower. Know what I mean?’ And he laughed.
    Sadie didn’t share the joke. ‘I miss you Eddie,’ she said, and meant it.
    â€˜I miss you too doll. I wish I was out there with you. Us against the