John was amazed at the operation, and couldn’t wait to tell Tony who was sitting in a police car outside, waiting to take them back to the station. The detainees had already been taken in a police van. He related to Tony what he had found in the flat. To his surprise, Tony didn’t share his incredulity as it wasn’t the first time he’d seen a cannabis farm.
“It beats me why they called us in though,” Tony commented. “They were hardly armed and dangerous, were they?”
John laughed. “There must have been a reason for it. Maybe there have been reports of violence or they were considered a threat or summat. But there were no firearms found in the property,” he said.
“Oh well, at least it was a nice easy job. I wish every raid was as straightforward as that one.”
“Yeah, but don’t forget,” said John. “It’s the easy ones that prepare us for when things get really tough.”
Chapter 5
Friday 14th June 1996 - Evening
Paula greeted Rita and Yansis enthusiastically when they arrived at the home she shared with Rita’s brother, John. They lived in a three-bedroomed semi in Droylsden, a working-class area and former mill town about four miles east of the city centre. It was also more than three miles away from the Riverhill Estate, which suited John.
“John’s in the back, just opening the wine,” she said, causing Rita and Yansis to laugh as they held up a bottle each, one red and one white.
“Oh, you needn’t have bothered, we’ve got plenty,” said Paula.
They went through to the dining room and Rita gave John a hug. “Alright, little brother?” she asked.
Although John had inherited height from his father’s side of the family, and towered above Rita, he was two years younger. She therefore liked to fondly refer to him as her ‘little’ brother.
“Hi Sis, hi Yansis. It’s nice to meet you properly at last,” said John, shaking Yansis’s hand before addressing both of them by adding, “You didn’t need to bring any wine, we’ve got loads.”
“That’s what I just told them,” said Paula.
“Yeah, we got a bit carried away at the supermarket. We were spoilt for choice so we thought, sod it, we’ll have the lot,” said John.
Rita gazed around her appreciatively before commenting, “This is a nice place you’ve got.”
“Thanks. We bought it a couple of years ago. It was in a right state but we’ve done a lot of work on it, and Paula’s pretty good at deciding what looks right.” John then looked behind Rita and Yansis before asking, “No Daniel?”
“Oh no, we decided it was best to leave him at Julie’s. He’ll only get restless with a load of adults. Besides, he loves it there, and Julie and Vinny were happy to take him off our hands. Anyway, judging by the amount of booze you’ve bought, I don’t think we’ll be in any fit state to look after him,” Rita laughed.
They sat down to dinner. Paula took care of the food, and seemed to be a dab hand in the kitchen. She had prepared a Chinese meal for them with mixed starters, and three dishes for the main course. While she served up the food, John sorted out the drinks, pouring Rita and Yansis a generous glass of wine each.
Noting the enormous glasses, Rita commented, “Bloody hell, John, are you trying to get us drunk, or what?”
“Don’t worry, Rita. I will carry you home,” laughed Yansis.
“Aye, that’s if you’re in a fit state yourself.”
The meal got off to a good start with all four of them getting along well together. Rita chatted away to Paula who was eager to find out all about their life in Greece, while John and Yansis got to know each other.
“You’ll both have to come and visit us in Greece,” said Rita. “You’re welcome to stay anytime.”
“Yes, that’s right,” agreed Yansis.
“Oh, thank you. It sounds lovely,” said Paula. “We might just take you up on the offer.”
Then Rita and John began to share family banter, amusing Paula and Yansis with stories of their childhood.
Rita and Yansis were enjoying themselves so much that they didn’t realise how frequently John was topping up their glasses. By the time they finished eating they were all the worse for wear.
“That was a nice meal, Paula. You’re a brilliant cook. I’m so full I can hardly move.”
“Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it. We don’t have to get up yet. Stay a bit longer; there’s no rush.”
They were having such a good time, they didn’t want the evening to end. So, rather than retiring into the living room or calling a taxi home, they remained at the dining table drinking more wine and chatting.
When the drink was running out, John went into the kitchen to fetch more. He returned with a tray containing another two bottles of wine, four brandy glasses and a bottle of brandy.
“Come on, let’s have an after-dinner toast,” he said, placing the brandy glasses on the table and pouring a liberal measure into each.
“Not for me,” said Yansis. “I’ve already drunk too much.”
“Oh, don’t be miserable,” coaxed Rita. “It’s not every day I get to spend some time with my little brother and his new wife.”
“Yeah, come on,” giggled Paula who would have been wise to leave the brandy alone. “To brothers and sisters, no, no … to sisters-in-laws and brothers-in-in-law,” she slurred.
They all raised their glasses in a drunken toast, then Rita and Yansis continued chatting to John. Meanwhile Paula sat giggling at something imagined that must have amused her.
“Anyway, little brother, you’ve not told us much about what you do,” said Rita. “What’s it like being in the police? Do you get to lock up many bad guys?” she teased.
Before John had a chance to reply, Paula made an ill-advised and hasty response, “Oh yeah, he sorts out all the bad guys.” Then she lowered her voice, whispering in the exaggerated way that drunken people do, “Gangsters.”
Rita immediately reacted on hearing the word ‘gangsters’, remembering how her sister had died at the hands of a ruthless gang a few years prior. “What do you mean?” she asked, responding to Paula’s statement but looking at John.
“Firearms,” said Paula. “That’s what he does.” Then she hiccupped and dropped back out of the conversation, sitting with her head lolling to one side.
Rita raised her eyebrows questioningly as she looked at John, noting the look of annoyance he flashed at Paula.
“I think I’d best get Paula a glass of water,” he said, getting up to leave the table.
But Rita wasn’t put off so easily, and when he returned she resumed the conversation.
“What’s going on, John?”
“Nothing, it’s not what you think … You think I’m on some bloody revenge mission or summat, but I’m not. It’s not like that. It’s just coincidence.”
“Quite a big coincidence, John.”
Yansis was gently tugging her top to get her to hold back but she wasn’t prepared to give up.
“Look,” said John. “They were looking for guys who were used to handling guns to set up a special task force to tackle gun crime. Obviously those who have been in the army are ideal because they’ve already had the training. I wanted to leave the forces and settle back home and I needed a secure job, so I thought, why not.”
“And do you … shoot gangsters?”
“Rita, I don’t shoot anyone if I can help it. I shouldn’t even be talking to you about this. Paula shouldn’t have said anything.”
Paula lifted her head on hearing her name, but when she realised no one was expecting a response from her, she let it droop again.
“Look, I think it’s best I get Paula up to bed,” said John.
“OK,” said Rita.
While John was putting Paula to bed, Yansis said, “Rita, I think it is getting very late. We should get ready to go.”
“In a bit, Yansis. I just want to talk to John a bit longer first.” She took a large swig of her brandy as she waited for her brother to return.
After a few minutes, John entered the dining room. The atmosphere had now changed between them. The jollity of the evening was replaced by solemnity at the reminder of how their sister died. However, they were still very drunk so Rita wasn’t as subtle as she might otherwise have been.
When John joined them at the table, she asked, “Have you ever killed anyone, John?”
“Yes, but only if I’ve been put in a situation where it’s them or me. I’ve only done it if it’s been absolutely necessary.”
“Have you any regrets?”
“Rita, this is not nice,” said Yansis. “I think it is time for us to go.”
“No, it’s OK,” said John. “We’ve started this now so we might as well finish it. I’m not an animal Rita. I don’t kill for the sake of it. And yes, of course I have regrets, two big ones, actually.”
Rita could see that John was getting a little emotional and she decided not to push him any further, but just as she thought John wasn’t going to say anymore, he continued.
“Most of the time I don’t regret it. You can’t afford to; it’s what you’re trained to do. You just have to view it as part of the job. But there was one. He was young, too young. I had no choice; it was either him or me. Still doesn’t make me feel any better though. It’s one thing taking them out at long range, but this guy was only a couple of metres away …”
He broke off and looked into his glass where he nervously swirled the brandy around before taking a long, hard swig.
“What was your other regret?” asked Rita.
“God, you haven’t changed, have you Sis? You don’t bloody give up, do you?”
“OK, OK, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I’ve had too much to drink.”
“It’s alright, you might as well know.” Rita could see him getting emotional, his eyes tearing up as the alcohol relinquished his control. “My other regret is that while I was away doing my duty for Queen and country, some bastard here was shooting my sister. I should have been here protecting her. Maybe if I’d have been home, I could have saved her. I might have been able to warn her about what she was getting herself into.”
“Don’t be so bleedin’ daft,” Rita snapped as Yansis gripped John’s shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. “You can’t blame yourself. There was nothing anyone could have done. I should know that; I tried hard enough to get her away from him. She chose her partner and the consequences that went with that. She must have had an idea from the start that he was bad news, but you know what Jenny was like. She always ran with the wrong crowd.”
John now had his head bowed down and had resorted to staring aimlessly into his brandy glass.
There were a few moments of silence while they were all immersed in their own thoughts. Then Rita, knowing what she needed to say, and plucking up the courage to do so, took a deep breath before speaking again, “There’s just one thing I need to know, John … that you won’t do anything stupid because of what happened to Jenny.”
“No, of course I won’t! That’s not why I joined the task force. I hope I never have to shoot anyone again. We mostly have the guns for self-protection and to act as a deterrent. But if push came to shove, and I had to do it, then I would.”
Rita accepted his explanation. Although, deep down, she was still a little concerned about his motivations, she took his word for it. And she believed him when he said he didn’t have any ulterior motive in taking the job.
***
Saturday 15th June 1996 - Morning
When Paula came downstairs the following morning, John planted a kiss on her cheek.
“Ooh, watch my head, it’s throbbing,” she said.
“I’m not surprised, with the amount you were throwing back last night.”
“You can talk,” she laughed.
Turning serious, he asked, “Do you realise you let the cat out of the bag?”
“What do you mean?”
“About my job; that I’m on the Special Task Force.”
“Oh, that … I’m sorry. I’m not exactly subtle when I’ve had a few, am I? I’m sure it’ll be OK though, John. She is your sister after all; they can be trusted.”
“Yeah, but the only problem is, she thinks there’s something dodgy about me taking on the job in the first place. She thinks I’ve taken it to get revenge for what happened to Jenny.”
“Oh, yeah. I think I can remember her quizzing you before I went to bed. What did you tell them?”
“Everything. I guess I’d drunk too much as well.”
“What exactly is ‘everything’?”
“The young kid in Iraq, my regrets that I wasn’t here for Jenny.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry, I also told her that Jenny wasn’t the reason I joined the task force. We both know it’s true, but whether Rita believed me or not, I don’t know.”
“Don’t let it bother you John. As long as your conscience is clear, that’s all that matters.”
Chapter 6
Saturday 15th June 1996 - Morning
“Where are you lot off to?” asked Julie.
“I thought I’d show Yansis and Daniel the delights of Manchester City Centre,” said Rita. Then, looking at Yansis, she added, “It’s high time I introduced you to Manchester’s biggest public toilet, Yansis. You don’t know what you’ve been missing.”
While Rita and Julie laughed, Yansis looked perplexed.
“Manchester Arndale,” Rita explained. “It’s a big shopping centre, but the press called it a giant public toilet when it first opened because the outside walls are covered in dingy yellow tiles. It’s got some great shops though, so who cares what they used to build it?”
“Come on, Daniel. Let’s get you ready,” said Rita.
Daniel was glued to the TV set watching a Thomas the Tank Engine video with Julie’s four-year-old son, Thomas. Since they’d arrived in the UK, Daniel had got along well with Julie’s children. He was particularly close to Thomas who was nearer in age to him than seven-year-old Emily. Thomas introduced Daniel to the delights of Thomas the Tank Engine videos. The fact that the star engine bore Thomas’s name added to the appeal, and Daniel was impressed with this idea.
“Aaw, please can I stay and play with Thomas? I don’t want to go to a toilet.”
Rita, Julie and Yansis laughed at Daniel’s innocent remark. “We’re not going to a toilet. Mummy was only joking. We’re going into Manchester where there are lots of shops. Thomas is going to see his grandma and granddad.”
“Please can I go to see Giagiá and Pappoús?”
Rita smiled, aware that Daniel was referring to Yansis’s parents, and using the Greek for Grandma and Granddad. As Daniel regarded Rita and Yansis as his parents, as far as he was aware, Yansis’s parents were therefore his grandparents. He’d spent almost all of his life in Greece so he was used to Yansis’s parents, but this was his first visit to the UK.
At five years of age, he didn’t fully understand the concept of travel so he couldn’t appreciate that it wasn’t just a matter of popping round to his Greek grandparents and then back in time for tea. She tried to explain to him, as gently as she could, that they would be in the UK for a while, and that he would have plenty of time with his grandparents once they returned to Greece.
“Well, can I wait for Thomas?” he asked, not yet sold on the idea of going shopping.
“No, cheeky. There’ll be no one here to look after you. Anyway, Thomas will be here when you get back and if you’re a good boy, we might get you a treat.”
“Ooh, what is it?”
“You’ll have to wait and see. It’s a surprise.”
Rita smiled fondly at her son. He had brought her and Yansis such pleasure over the years, and now he was turning into a proper little character. Daniel was at the inquisitive age when he was full of curiosity about the world around him. He was constantly asking questions and trying to put things into a context that his five-year-old mind could interpret. His endless thirst for knowledge and frequent misund
erstandings caused them much amusement, and he had boundless energy and an enthusiasm that was infectious.
The promise of a treat did the trick, especially when Daniel saw that Thomas was, in fact, leaving the house. Julie’s home then lost its appeal and Daniel became eager to join his parents on their trip to the city centre.
“Right, before we go, you need to have your inhaler,” said Rita.
She took Daniel’s large nebuhaler and inserted his inhaler in the aperture at one end, then attached the facial mask to the other end before gently placing the mask over Daniel’s face. When Rita pressed the inhaler, Daniel knew what was required of him and he kept the mask over his face to a count of ten to allow all the asthma medication from the nebuhaler to reach his airways.
“That’s a good boy,” said Rita. “Right, now let’s get your shoes on.”
She bent to tie his shoelace, then sat up straight to face him again. “How’s that?”
Daniel smiled, and she waited for his reply. As she looked into his eyes, she pictured her sister, Jenny, the last time she saw her alive.
Attempting to speak. Struggling to utter her final words. Rita talking to her. Waffling about their childhood, grandparents, food, anything. Trying to keep her awake. Trying to keep her alive. The blood. The smell.
Then everyone seemed to speak at once.
Daniel: “They’re fine, Mummy.”
Julie: “Are you OK, Rita? You don’t look well.”
Yansis: “What is the matter?”
“Oh sorry, I was miles away,” said Rita, rushing to reassure them while Julie and Yansis appeared concerned. She brushed the incident aside while she continued to focus on Daniel.
Once they were ready, Rita and Yansis set off, accompanied by one excited little boy who was looking forward to finding out what treat was awaiting him.
Yansis waited until they were outside before he asked. “It is happening again, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but don’t worry. I’m OK.”
Danger by Association: The Riverhill Trilogy: Book 3 Page 4
