Free Gangsters Wives by Lee Martin Page B

world, remember?’
    â€˜Course I do.’
    â€˜Right. You get busy. See Lewis, then see the chaps. You’ll be OK, I swear.’
    So be it, she thought. I’m on my own now. It’s all down to me. No more leaning on men who screw you seven ways from Sunday. Fuck the lot of them. I’m on my own, and I’m tougher than any of them. I’ll have to be. But deep down inside she was as nervous as a kitten. So she hardened her heart, straightened her spine and moved on.

20

    Sadie did just as Eddie told her to. She rang Jack Lewis at the local solicitor they used for small jobs. Not criminal work. He was a pleasant bloke in his mid forties, and he told Sadie he was free from noon onwards. She arrived bang on time and was shown into his office where he offered her coffee which she accepted. He ushered her to a seat, and offered his condolences for Eddie’s state.
    â€˜He’s not dead,’ she said.
    â€˜I know Mrs Ross. My apologies. I didn’t mean it quite like that.’
    â€˜Sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m just a bit touchy these days.’
    â€˜I quite understand.’
    They were interrupted by his assistant bringing in their refreshments, and when they were settled, he said. ‘I had a call from Mr Ross yesterday from… er, well, you know where. I have certain items in my possession he wishes to pass on to you.’
    â€˜Any money?’ she asked hopefully.
    â€˜I’m sorry, no. At least, not that I’m aware. A sealed letter and some keys. There could be some money in the envelope, but from the size of it, I doubt it.’ He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a large brown envelope which he emptied on to his blotter. There were three keys on a ring, each marked with a white sticker. On the stickers were the numbers, 1,2,3. There was also a thin white envelope, taped around the edges and sealed with a blob of red wax. ‘That’s it I’m afraid,’ said Lewis. ‘If you’ll just sign a receipt it’s all yours. And if there’s anything else I can do…’
    Sadie put down her cup on the edge of the desk. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘You’ve always been very kind to us. Do I owe you anything?’
    He smiled. ‘No Mrs Ross. We’re all up to date.’ He passed her over a receipt book which she signed. She then rose to leave as he handed her the brown envelope in which he had replaced the keys and letter. ‘As I said,’ he continued. ‘Anything the firm can do, just get in touch.’
    â€˜I will,’ said Sadie, who made her farewells and left.
    She opened the letter in the car. It was a short, typed note. Just the names of three local banks, one which she could see from where she was sitting, numbers of the safety deposit accounts, passwords, and which of the three keys she’d need to open each. She took the key for the bank across the road, along with the letter, and went to see what exactly it was that Eddie had hidden so carefully.
    It was easy. She asked to see a manager at the cash window, told him the number and password, and he did the rest. She was shown downstairs to the safety deposit room. He had a duplicate key, they both turned theirs in the locks, and when he tugged the drawer out of its slot, she was left alone in a small room with the box. It was heavy, and when she opened it she knew why. Inside were three handguns that looked brand new, neatly boxed, illustrated, and trade marked GLOCK 19. Inside each of the boxes was a little booklet. Underneath them, was what she recognised from all the gangster movies she and Eddie had watched together, as a machine pistol. An Uzi. She left two of the pistols inside the box, putting the third in her handbag along with the booklet. She was amazed how light it was. Nothing like she’d imagined. More like a toy than a real gun. But if Eddie had obtained them, she knew they’d be real enough. She relocked