The Know by Martina Cole Page B

stared out of the kitchen window she noticed that the nights were drawing in and this pleased her. Darkness made her job easier. It also kept her young daughter where she could see her.
     
    Inside the flat.
     
    Jeanette walked into the kitchen also looking like a glamour puss and said to her mother gaily, ‘Didn’t she look fantastic, Mum?’
     
    The pride in her voice made Joanie want to cry. But she nodded. It was so rare that Jeanette did anything with her sister, she didn’t want to spoil it.
     
    ‘Like a little woman. But do me a favour, Jen, don’t get her up like that too often.’
     
    Jeanette pushed her thick brown hair back as she said gently, ‘Don’t worry, Mum, I won’t. It was really quite shocking to see her like that even though she loved it. Do you know what I mean?’
     
    ‘I do, love. It scared me to be honest.’
     
    ‘I took a few photos of her in the bedroom to keep her happy, then I washed it off her face. Before Jon Jon saw her. But you should have seen her posing on the bed, a right natural and all, grinning away one minute and looking all sultry the next. She’s a case, eh?’
     
    Joanie ruffled the girl’s hair.
     
    ‘You’re an old softie really, ain’t you?’
     
    Jeanette laughed but she didn’t push her mother away as usual and Joanie chanced giving her a hug. It was returned and soon Kira joined them and they were all still laughing and hugging when Jon Jon burst through the door.
     
    ‘Can anyone join in this session or is it for members only?’
     
    ‘What’s a member?’
     
    Kira’s voice was high and interested and Joanie answered her with a quip.
     
    ‘That depends on who you ask, my lovely.’
     
    Everyone laughed except Kira but she enjoyed the happiness around her and then laughed anyway, even though she didn’t know why.
     
    Jon Jon was deliberately putting them all in a good mood and Joanie could have kissed him for it. Their laughter was loud and long. She had not felt so happy for a long time.
     
    As Joanie served up the food later she looked at her kids and felt the swell of pride she always did when she saw them en masse. When they were all happy in each other’s company it made it all seem worthwhile.
     
    They weren’t a bad family. At least they loved one another, cared for one another. Most of the time anyway.
     
    The evening breeze was cool, and Monika and Joanie were chatting as they waited for the cars to stop.
     
    One of Todd McArthur’s young girls wandered towards them. She was as high as the proverbial kite and her smooth-skinned face was grey.
     
    ‘You all right, love?’ Joanie asked.
     
    The girl stared at her glassy-eyed and barely managed a nod. Her slow blinking gave the game away to the other women; she was seriously out of it. Looked like she had just come round from an anaesthetic.
     
    Joanie sighed. The poor little mare didn’t know what was going on. She wasn’t capable of getting in any motors tonight.
     
    ‘Come on, let’s get you home.’
     
    The girl shook her head, but it was obvious that was about as agile as she was going to get. Not that that would bother the punters at this end of the market. Romance they certainly didn’t want.
     
    ‘Leave her, Joanie, you’ll only end up with McArthur on your back.’
     
    Monika’s voice was bored.
     
    Joanie grabbed the girl’s arm.
     
    ‘Fuck him! She ain’t in no fit state to do anything. She’s a danger to herself.’
     
    The girl was trying to struggle but she was so out of it that all she could manage was a few head shakes.
     
    ‘Call a cab, Mon.’
     
    Monika was shaking her own head now.
     
    ‘No way, she ain’t our responsibility.’
     
    Joanie started to walk the girl towards the pub nearby. The young girl was stumbling along, and as she took her arm to steady her Joanie saw the line of track marks and sighed.
     
    What a piece of work that McArthur was! Scum, he was, scum. She remembered his mother, a nice woman with a respectable