Widows

‘It’s hard, Bella,’ said Linda. ‘It’s like she’s ripped the soul out of me... but I’ll do me best to keep me mouth shut. I don’t want to ruin it for you and Shirl.’

Bella patted her shoulder and went to put the false plates on the van.

Ten minutes later, Dolly breezed in and plonked a bag of shopping on the floor. She was still on a high and eager to tell the girls about her morning. ‘I’ve got us the final route and times for security van,’ she said with a beaming smile.

Shirley and Bella went over and congratulated her. Dolly waved her hand to Linda to join the group, and then cleared a space on the table, laid out the route map Brian Marshall had given her and lit up a cigarette. Bella wanted to ask how she had got the route map, but if Dolly wanted them to know, she’d tell them.

‘OK, so I’ve spent the afternoon driving this route,’ Dolly started. ‘I done it about six or seven times. To do timings, and find the best position for the blocking van to be parked up before we head into the underpass, that sort of thing.’ Dolly quickly flicked through the other papers given to her by Marshall. ‘We’ve got the exact date and time now... it’s two weeks ahead of schedule.’

‘How come?’ Linda asked, just to be awkward.

‘Because that date and time gives us the best balance between cash haul and the opportunity to pull the job quickly and successfully. We’ve got to account for rush hours, road works, school holidays, all that sort of thing. I got it under control, Linda, don’t you worry.’

As usual, Dolly’s patronizing tone got right up Linda’s nose, but she bit her tongue as Dolly continued.

‘Memorize the route and then we’ll burn it. Drive it as many times as you think you need to, so you learn all the tricky parts, the lights, the roundabouts, the zebra crossings, anywhere things could go wrong.’

As a train rumbled by overhead, the big dog in the lock-up next door barked. Wolf started yapping. Linda felt the tide of anger rise.

‘I also marked on the map where the getaway car will be parked, so learn that as well. Drive it from the pick-up point to the car park, where your own motors will be parked, ready to get you to the airport. Time everything down to the last second. Drive it again and again till you can do it blindfolded. You lot got your holiday stories sorted?’ Dolly asked.

They were all prepared; their plans had to be above suspicion. Linda was either to leave the arcade or get herself sacked, and Bella was to quit her job at the strip club. No one must suspect they had any contact with each other. Shirley was uncomfortable lying to her mum, but she’d do it. She had to.

‘Right, here are your tickets to Rio. You got your passports? There’s two flights that day, so I’ve booked Bella and Linda onto the first one. Shirl, you’ll fly later the same day. Keep away from each other till you land,’ Dolly continued. ‘Learn your flight times and numbers, and your weight allowance. We can’t have anyone being stopped for something stupid like their suitcase being too heavy!’ Dolly laughed and Bella and Shirley were polite enough to giggle, albeit a little late. Dolly seemed perkier than usual as she ticked off everything she’d covered in her precious notebook. ‘Right,’ she said with a buoyant tone to her voice ‘Let’s see what you been up to.’

She was pleased with the work they’d done. The paint job and signs on the van were very good, and the set of number plates were a copy of ones they’d seen on a white Ford van on their trip to the beach near Brighton. Bella demonstrated how fast the signs could be peeled off and the van’s false plates changed back to the originals.

Dolly walked over to Linda, who was checking the spark plugs on the van. ‘You sorted the lead truck, yet? You’re going to have to nick it earlier now.’

Linda couldn’t look Dolly in the face. ‘I got a big Leyland laundry van lined up,’ she said offhandedly. ‘It’ll be perfect and a doddle to nick.’

‘How big’s “big”? Will it fit in here or do we need somewhere else to stash it?’

Before Linda could snap back, Shirley butted in. ‘Mum’s block of flats. She’s got a parking bay underneath. You can dump the van there, no problem. Market vans come and go all the time so it won’t look out of place or nothing.’

Dolly remained focused on Linda. ‘Can you get it this week?’

‘I can get it whenever,’ Linda said curtly, straining to hold back her temper. She walked away from Dolly.

‘We need it quick Linda!’ Dolly raised her voice as she followed Linda to the other side of the lock-up. ‘We got to change the number plates and reinforce the rear bumper with a metal bar... you sure a laundry van can withstand a heavy security truck crashing into the back of it?’

Linda ignored her and picked up one of the sawed-off shotguns on top of the tool trolley. She would have liked to turn it on Dolly and blast her right there and then.

‘What’s up with Linda?’ Dolly asked Bella.