shop.'
His wife narrowed her eyes, suddenly interested in what he had to say. 'In what way? How could he have helped you? ' It was an accusation.
Teddy took a deep breath before answering. 'Since the balloon went up, people who've been avoiding paying me have suddenly found the money, and he has put me on to a supplier for the off-licence that has doubled the profits. I don't have any aggro from the teenagers any more either, it's Mr Booth this, and Mr Booth that. They even put their rubbish in the bin outside. I don't have to sweep the pavement half as much as usual.' He smiled. 'Even the Martins are all sweetness and light. Now, I am not saying that we should forget what's happened, but in light of what has happened, we should think twice about pushing Christine further away.'
Eileen Booth was staring at her husband as if she had never seen him before. His words seemed to have penetrated her brain for once.
He carried on talking, determined to make her see the positives instead of the negatives. She needed to find a reason to embrace her daughter's new-found family and he was willing to give her one if it meant he could see his little girl again. 'For the first time in twenty years, we don't have to ask anyone to pay up, Eileen. I pulled in three grand this week alone in outstanding payments. It's like people can't be seen to owe us money any more. The off-licence pulled in another two grand profit, and people who normally go to the Tesco down the road are suddenly availing themselves of our little establishment. So all I am saying is that Phillip Murphy, love him or loathe him, is going places and we are feeling the benefit. If this carries on, we'll be out of the woods in no time.'
'Five thousand pounds in one week?'
Teddy smiled wryly at the incredulity in his wife's voice. He nodded, hating the avaricious glint in her eye as she worked out their potential earnings. 'He has a lot of contacts, Eileen, and they are people I wouldn't normally dream of being able to deal with.'
That much was true anyway, the money was nothing to him really. Ted wasn't happy that it took a thug like Murphy to get him all paid up, but that was how it worked in this world. Also the suppliers he had always wanted to deal with were now phoning him with lucrative deals, were now courting him as a potential customer, and he would be a liar if he didn't admit that it felt good to be so in demand.
'What, you think this is all because of Phillip Murphy?' Veronica demanded.
He sighed. 'Think about it, Eileen - in twenty years they ain't returned a call. Now I am being given produce on a sale or return basis. Fresh, frozen and processed foods. Phillip said he would put the word out and he has. He works for Bantry, and that means he has access to all the suppliers in the vicinity. Bantry controls everything that goes on round here, as we both know. So all I am saying is, it could be worse, Eileen. At least Phillip Murphy has the means to give our Christine a good life.'
'But she's only fifteen, Teddy. A baby.'
He nodded once more. 'A baby who has grown up and away from us. All we can do now is try and bring her back into the fold. If we aren't careful she'll stay away for good and I for one couldn't live with that. I could cheerfully strangle her for what she's done but, at the same time, I love her and I miss her, and I know that you feel the same. She's sixteen on Friday, we can make our peace with her then, if you will just calm yourself down.'
But Ted had already won Eileen over, he knew that; she was a slave to money and everything it could bring her. She had already forgotten that she was Mrs Respectable School Teacher, had conveniently forgotten her big fear about how her so-called friends would perceive her daughter's liaison with a budding criminal. She was now picturing the upside of being a part of the Murphys' world. He knew that the
His wife narrowed her eyes, suddenly interested in what he had to say. 'In what way? How could he have helped you? ' It was an accusation.
Teddy took a deep breath before answering. 'Since the balloon went up, people who've been avoiding paying me have suddenly found the money, and he has put me on to a supplier for the off-licence that has doubled the profits. I don't have any aggro from the teenagers any more either, it's Mr Booth this, and Mr Booth that. They even put their rubbish in the bin outside. I don't have to sweep the pavement half as much as usual.' He smiled. 'Even the Martins are all sweetness and light. Now, I am not saying that we should forget what's happened, but in light of what has happened, we should think twice about pushing Christine further away.'
Eileen Booth was staring at her husband as if she had never seen him before. His words seemed to have penetrated her brain for once.
He carried on talking, determined to make her see the positives instead of the negatives. She needed to find a reason to embrace her daughter's new-found family and he was willing to give her one if it meant he could see his little girl again. 'For the first time in twenty years, we don't have to ask anyone to pay up, Eileen. I pulled in three grand this week alone in outstanding payments. It's like people can't be seen to owe us money any more. The off-licence pulled in another two grand profit, and people who normally go to the Tesco down the road are suddenly availing themselves of our little establishment. So all I am saying is that Phillip Murphy, love him or loathe him, is going places and we are feeling the benefit. If this carries on, we'll be out of the woods in no time.'
'Five thousand pounds in one week?'
Teddy smiled wryly at the incredulity in his wife's voice. He nodded, hating the avaricious glint in her eye as she worked out their potential earnings. 'He has a lot of contacts, Eileen, and they are people I wouldn't normally dream of being able to deal with.'
That much was true anyway, the money was nothing to him really. Ted wasn't happy that it took a thug like Murphy to get him all paid up, but that was how it worked in this world. Also the suppliers he had always wanted to deal with were now phoning him with lucrative deals, were now courting him as a potential customer, and he would be a liar if he didn't admit that it felt good to be so in demand.
'What, you think this is all because of Phillip Murphy?' Veronica demanded.
He sighed. 'Think about it, Eileen - in twenty years they ain't returned a call. Now I am being given produce on a sale or return basis. Fresh, frozen and processed foods. Phillip said he would put the word out and he has. He works for Bantry, and that means he has access to all the suppliers in the vicinity. Bantry controls everything that goes on round here, as we both know. So all I am saying is, it could be worse, Eileen. At least Phillip Murphy has the means to give our Christine a good life.'
'But she's only fifteen, Teddy. A baby.'
He nodded once more. 'A baby who has grown up and away from us. All we can do now is try and bring her back into the fold. If we aren't careful she'll stay away for good and I for one couldn't live with that. I could cheerfully strangle her for what she's done but, at the same time, I love her and I miss her, and I know that you feel the same. She's sixteen on Friday, we can make our peace with her then, if you will just calm yourself down.'
But Ted had already won Eileen over, he knew that; she was a slave to money and everything it could bring her. She had already forgotten that she was Mrs Respectable School Teacher, had conveniently forgotten her big fear about how her so-called friends would perceive her daughter's liaison with a budding criminal. She was now picturing the upside of being a part of the Murphys' world. He knew that the
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