Read Online Dangerous Lady by Martina Cole - Free Book Online Page B

High-spirited tearaways. Or, at least, she hoped that’s all they were. Putting the kettle on the gas, she went to her daughter and hugged her tightly. Joe was lying in the hospital bed. Nurse Walton looked’ down at his battered face. She shook her head and turned
     
    to see the policeman by the bed grimacing at her. She blinked and sighed.
    ‘Who would do such a thing?’ Her voice sounded very young.
    PC Blenkinsop pushed out his narrow chest and tried to look like an all-knowing, sophisticated officer.
    ‘You’d be surprised. It’s a wicked life out on the street these days. He might look like an old man who’s been run over a few times to you, but to me …’ he puffed his chest out even further ‘… he’s a vicious criminal.’
    Nurse Walton looked suitably impressed. ‘Just wait until I tell my mum!’
    PC Blenkinsop looked as if he was readjusting his shoulders inside his tunic top. He thrust out his chin and smiled. joe groaned and immediately had the attention of both of them. ‘Mickey … Mickey.’
    PC Blenkinsop was writing down Joe’s words with a flourish of his pencil. Licking it, he waited expectantly.
    Michael stood in the entrance to the ward. He had known that a policeman would be in attendance. Squaring his shoulders, he walked down the ward towards Joe’s bed. He could see the young PC and the nurse through the inadequate screens. Putting a sober expression on his face he went to the bed. PC Blenkinsop noted Nurse Walton’s reaction to Michael Ryan and it annoyed him. He thrust out his lip like a petulant schoolboy.
    ‘And who might you be?’ He stood up and seemed to roll on the balls of his feet. Michael gave him a scathing glance. He picked up Joe’s hand which was heavily bandaged. He turned to the nurse and smiled sadly at her.
    ‘How bad is he?’ His voice sounded wretched. Nurse
    Walton stared into his dark blue eyes and was immediately filled with pity for him.
    ‘He’s very bad. The doctor says he’ll be surprised if he lasts out the day.’ If she had known Michael, she would have noticed the glimmer of relief that came into his eyes.
    ‘Has he said anything at all?’
    The PC interrupted. ‘He has been calling for a …’ he glanced importantly at his notebook ‘… Mickey.’
    Michael nodded. ‘That’s me.’
    The young nurse brought Michael a chair and he sat beside Joe, holding the old man’s hand and stroking it every now and again. The PC watched him. So this was Michael Ryan. He couldn’t wait to get back to the station and brag about how he’d seen him.
    The nurse brought Michael a cup of tea and he thanked her, giving her one of his radiant smiles. PC Blenkinsop could have cried. She didn’t even know he was there now.
    Shortly before seven in the evening Joe opened his eyes and immediately recognised Michael. He passed his tongue over his cracked lips and tried to speak. Michael could see by the look in his eyes that he knew who had ordered his accident. Agitated, Joe tried to lift his head off the pillow.
    ‘Mickey … Mickey … you …’ Then his head fell back and he died.
    Michael closed his eyes, a feeling of euphoria surging through him. He had got away with it! Then, as could happen with him, he felt a deep despondency, replace his feeling of elation. Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling over on to his cheeks. In his own funny way he would miss Joe who had been his passport into the real world. For that he would always be grateful to him. He would give Joe the Fish the best send-off anyone had ever seen.
    PC Blenkinsop looked embarrassed. Later on in the
     
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    station canteen he had everyone hanging on his words.
    ‘Yeah, I’m telling you. It was quite touching. Michael Ryan cried like a baby. Well, it was to be expected really. After all, the old boy died calling out his name.’
    At Joe’s funeral a week later, the police noted that all the gang bosses stopped to pay their respects to Michael Ryan. He was well and truly established