The Locksmith by Linda Calvey (reading in the dark .TXT) 📕

Ruby stared at him as if she’d never seen him before.

‘Drop it?’ Her voice was cold, measured, now. Her fury mounted. ‘I won’t drop it, Bobby. No, I won’t do that. D’ya know what I’m goin’ to do?’ Ruby’s eyes bored into her brother’s.

He looked away. Her anger frightened him. ‘No, Rube, what are ya goin’ to do?’ he said, cautiously.

‘I’m goin’ round there and I’m goin’ to ’ave this out with Freddie. That’s what I’m goin’ to do.’

Bobby seemed alarmed.

‘You mustn’t Rube. We shook on it. It’s as good as a contract.’

Ruby looked at him again. She saw her soft-hearted brother, always thinking the best of people, always ready to share what he had and take little for himself, and she knew in her bones that she was made of different stuff. She had no fear of Freddie Harris and his mates. Let them see.

Without a word, Ruby turned and stalked out of the kitchen.

‘Ruby?’ Bobby shouted after her, but her only reply was, ‘Stay where you are. Look after George.’

Ruby blazed through the streets until she got to the council flat where Freddie lived with his parents and younger sister. She knocked and seconds later, Freddie came to the door.

‘What an honour! Ruby Green Eyes comin’ to my door. Perhaps you want that date now? ’ave you decided to play with the big boys like meself?’

‘Big boys!’ spat Ruby, laughing mockingly. ‘You’re hardly a big boy, Freddie. Whatever you are, there’s one thing I know about you and that’s the fact that you mugged off me and Bobby.’

Freddie’s oily charm immediately dissipated. He seemed to know instantly what all this was about. Now, he got down to business.

‘Bobby agreed a grand. We shook ’ands on it so don’t come round ’ere accusin’ me of anythin’.’ Freddie was acting flash, smiling at her cockily, as if she was just some silly local girl who’d fall for a bit of flattery and a few notes in her hand. What he didn’t seem to understand was that Ruby wasn’t silly, she wasn’t stupid at all. In fact, she was pure class, and if Freddie didn’t know that by now she was going to remind him.

Ruby took a step closer. She turned her piercing green eyes on him. ‘I’ve spoken to Bobby since ya did that job. He told me you knew about the safe because your girlfriend works in the office. I’ll bet any money ya knew how much was in there that night. I’ll bet any money you set the fee with Bobby knowin’ full well there was ten grand in there.’

Freddie sized her up and down. ‘All right, Rube, maybe I did know, maybe I didn’t. What’s it to you? Me and Bobby made a deal.’

‘Oh, did ya? Well, I’m tellin’ you that the deal was a bad one and ya mugged us off. I know you stole this job off Charlie Beaumont. You wouldn’t want him to know ya nicked his job on purpose, would ya? Charlie might forgive someone accidentally takin’ his job, but doin’ it on purpose? My Bobby wouldn’t ’ave a problem, but you would.’

Freddie’s face hardened. He shuffled his feet again. His eyes narrowed as he opened his mouth. She’d hit the target.

‘Well, Bob shook ’ands on the deal for a thousand,’ he replied weakly.

‘Well the term’s ’ave changed. We want half the money, and if we don’t get it you won’t ’ave a hand to shake if Charlie Beaumont finds out.’

‘So, now you’re a “proper” gangster are ya, Ruby Green Eyes, turnin’ up ’ere and givin’ me grief?’ Freddie sneered. ‘Wasn’t so long ago you’d turn yer nose up at workin’ with the likes of me, and now you’re round ’ere playin’ with the crooks.’

‘Oh dear, Freddie, you could be in a lot of trouble . . .’ Ruby almost burst out laughing at seeing the discomfort on his face. Then she went in for the kill. ‘I want our half of the ten grand at mine tonight. You bring it round or I go to Charlie and let him know he’s been mugged off too. Would you like that, Freddie Harris?’

The shifty man’s face was pale now. His eyes still refused to meet Ruby’s but instinctively she knew she’d won.

‘You might think we’re mugs but know this: my brother will never work for you and your “big boys” again unless ya give us our half.’ Ruby said defiantly, staring hard at the weasel. ‘So, let me tell ya what I want. I want five thousand pounds, in cash, brought round to me tonight. Is that clear? If ya don’t bring it, I’ll ’ave a word with Mr Big.’ Ruby smiled a slow smile of satisfaction. Freddie looked as uncomfortable as a man could possibly be.

‘Look, Ruby, darlin’, I’ll ’ave a word with Bobby. We’ll sort this out man-to-man.’ Freddie tried to charm her but Ruby cut in, her voice low and dangerous, ‘You deal with me from now on. You take my terms or nuthin’.’

Ruby stood, her head high, her back straight. Her hair fell down her back, almost to her waist and she held Freddie’s gaze until he pulled away. She’d won. It was a feeling she would never forget. If she could face a villain, what else could she do? A sense of possibility grew inside her.

Freddie nodded reluctantly, looking over her shoulder. He plastered a sly grin on his face. ‘I’ll be round later. Got some business to do first but I’ll be there.’

‘You’d better be,’ Ruby said grimly.

She stalked off, her heart pounding, but it wasn’t fear, it was pure exhilaration. Yes, she wanted a fair share of the takings, but suddenly she realised this was what she was born to do. This was power, pure and simple, and, in that moment, she realised she liked the feeling of it. She realised she could use her brains, and her brother’s skills, and they’d never want for money ever again.

Ruby arrived back at the house