The Lipstick Killers

will.’
    ‘You’ve got my number. Just call me and I’ll be there.’
    ‘Thanks Mahoney – Mike,’ she smiled at him and left the way she’d come in.

39
     
     
     
    Roxie and Mags headed up the A3 through the late rush hour and managed to arrive in Battersea before eleven. Margaret parked up in a resident’s bay and they went to her flat. ‘Nice digs,’ said Roxie when they got inside.
    ‘It does for me. It’s just a rental. Hard to get on the property ladder in London on a copper’s wage.’
    ‘A bit spartan though.’
    ‘What do you mean? No fluffy cushion covers or stuffed animals on the bed?’
    ‘Something like that. In fact there’s nothing much at all really.’
    ‘Send me a straw donkey in a sombrero when you get home then. It’ll cheer the place up.’
    ‘Don’t get antsy. I only said,’ said Roxie, giving her sister a hard look.
    ‘Too much sometimes.’
    ‘Calm down sis, I didn’t know you were that sensitive .’
    ‘So what’s the plan?’ asked Roxie, changing the subject.
    ‘I’ll get some clean things, and we take my guns and I’ll go for a sniff round.’
    ‘This Antarctic Holdings place?’
    ‘Well, that’s where we start.’
    ‘You gonna go on your own?’
    ‘In the first place. It’s not for you this Dolly.’
    ‘Will you be armed?’ said Roxie, looking apprehensive .
    ‘No. Not immediately. It’s not a good idea until I’ve seen what kind of security they have. I’ll leave the guns with you.’
    ‘So, where are they now?’
    ‘Come see.’
    Margaret led the way to the gun safe on the wall, opened the door and stepped back.
    ‘Empty,’ said Roxie, disappointment in her voice.
    ‘Don’t you believe it,’ said Margaret and manipulated a small lever that opened the false bottom, revealing her two illegal weapons and ammunition. ‘Go ahead,’ she said, with a smile.
    Roxie hefted the Colt .45. ‘Chase told me his granddaddy had one of these,’ she said, wistfully. ‘Antique.’
    ‘They might be old, but clean, and untraceable.’
    ‘I wasn’t complaining,’ said her sister, working the action with an oily click. It moved smoothly. ‘Sweet. You look after them.’
    ‘Never know when you’ll need a gun,’ said Margaret. ‘You sure that one’s not too big for you?’
    The gun looked massive in Roxie’s little hand, the dull grey metal bringing her hot pink nails into sharp relief. She shook her head. ‘I like them big,’ she said. ‘The bigger the better. Guns and blokes.’
    ‘Don’t be disgusting,’ said Margaret, but she laughed anyway, as she took the .38 revolver from its hiding place. ‘I’ll get a bag for this lot.’
    Roxie began to take out the boxes of ammunition revealing a leather wallet at the bottom of the box. ‘What’s this?’ she asked.
    ‘My other identity,’ said Margaret. ‘A snide warrant card. That’s how I intend to get inside Antarctic Holdings and find our Mr Haywood.’
    ‘Blimey, you’re showing our hand aren’t you?’
    ‘If I don’t, the real police will catch up to us pretty damn quickly.’
    ‘So what are you going to say?’
    Margaret shrugged. ‘I’ll think of something. Come on, let me find some clothes, get these stashed away and let’s go.’
    ‘Got any more coke?’ asked Roxie, a glint in her eye.
    ‘You’re a glutton aren’t you?’
    ‘Well, have you?’
    ‘A bit.’
    ‘Lay one out then. A livener for the day ahead and all that.’
    Margaret went into the kitchen, took down a container marked ‘mixed herbs,’ opened it, and dug out a wrap. ‘Not very original,’ she said. ‘But it does.’
    She laid out two long lines on the kitchen top and the women snarfed up one each.
    ‘So good,’ said Roxie. ‘Can we get some more?’
    ‘Fancy a trip to my drug dealer, do you?’ said Margaret.
    ‘I love the low life.’
    ‘OK. On the way back. It’s a bit early for him, he doesn’t get to bed until 5am most nights.’
    ‘Lovely,’ said Roxie. ‘Might as well finish this up then.’
    ‘Sure.’
    Margaret found a baseball cap in her wardrobe, plus a scarf to wind round her chin and a pair of sunglasses to hide her eyes. ‘Look like me?’ She asked her sister.
    ‘No chance,’ said Roxie.
    ‘Perfect then. Let’s go.’

40
     
     
     
    Once in the car, the guns and luggage stashed in the boot,Margaret headed across the river in the direction of Kensington.
    ‘Do you think he’ll fall for it? asked Roxie. The drugs had made her more alert but her heartbeat had