by Clive Barry
‘Ya, we’ll stay,’ Said Paul’
While they were waiting, Mike decided to go outside and tell the lads in the van what was happening and that they should keep their eyes open for any other big lads in white vans that may just follow young Simon into the bar. Mike then returned to the pool room.
Almost to the minute, a tall, slim, very well dressed young man in a light grey suit walked in. Looked around and made a beeline to Jacko. After a few words together Jacko walked over and introduced Simon to the brothers.
‘Right guys, this is the lad I was tellin’ yeh about. His name’s Simon, I’ll leave ‘im wi’ yeh cos I’m gonna practice over on the fuckin’ pool table for a while outta the way. Shout us if yeh fuckin’ need us.’
Jacko walked over to the other end of the pool room as Simon sat down at the table opposite Paul and Mike. It was difficult for the brothers not to see how beautiful Simon was and they both felt somewhat confused by their feelings. It was almost like looking at a pretty, vulnerable young lass in lads clothing and they felt that they should somehow be protecting him.
‘Hi Simon. I’m not gonna tell yeh our names for obvious reasons, but we understand that yeh have some news about stuff comin’ in by boat for the Albanians?’
‘You’re not undercover cops or owt are yeh? cos don’t yeh ‘ave to tell us if yeh are?’
‘No mate, we’re not cops.’
‘Right, okay then, well it’s like this. I work for an agency owned by a Mr Donika Demaci and I was told the other day that if I wanted the job then I had to be interviewed personally by Mr Demaci at his apartment in the Tower Flats. Anyway, I got the job, but it seems that he’s taken rather a shine to me. At least he has for now and I’ve been up to his place nearly every day this week. So, as I said to Jacko earlier, Mr Demaci does a lot of his business from home and yeh get to hear all sorts of weird stuff. Apparently he was bollocking his right hand man Bashkim for doin’ summit stupid the other night at some elderly couple’s house. Mr Demaci was goin’ mad sayin it had better not compromise the big shipment that arrived earlier in the week on board a container ship called the Rangoon Princess. I don’t know all the little fiddly stuff, but he said it could have a street value of more than four and a half million and it was goin’ to be hidden in bags of cement arriving from Karachi.’
‘Was that everything?’
‘No, they talked for a little while longer, but I couldn’t hear everything they said. I did make out that it was waiting for customs clearance, then it was gonna be delivered to building sites in the area and that one of the containers was specially marked. I think this Bashkim was gonna follow the container that was marked and pick up the stuff from the building site after it was delivered.’
‘Right Simon, you’ve been a massive fuckin’ help mate. Would it be too much to ask yeh to keep in touch if yeh hear owt else?’
‘No love, that’s fine. Do yeh want us to call yeh direct or should I call via Jacko.’
‘Call me direct son, that way it will be quicker when the time comes. It also cuts out any middle man, so less chance of the wrong ears hearin’ owt.’
Simon gave Paul his mobile number and Paul called it straight back leaving his number on Simons phone. They all shook hands and Paul gave Simon a hundred quid out of the drug haul money for the information, letting him know he would be well rewarded if it all went through as planned. Simon waved to them both in his gentle effeminate way and left.
‘What the fuck do we do now bro, this is too fuckin’ big for us to take on.’
Paul nodded to his younger brother in acknowledgement.
‘Aye, I know. We may hafta get Dave’s crew onta this fuckin’ one mate. Come on we’ll pop around to Sally’s place and have a word.’
Paul and Mike got up to leave and Jacko came back over.
‘So, gentlemen was that worth a visit? Did Jacko deliver the goods then?’
‘Ya, ya, yeh did well Jacko lad, but keep your ears to the ground and if yeh hear owt else let us know. Right here’s another hundred to tide yeh over. We’ll be in touch soon okay?’
With a quick wave, the lads walked out, saying tarah to Dougie behind the bar as they left.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Sally and Dave walked hand in hand from the car and climbed the two flights of stairs leading to Dave’s flat.
They’d all had breakfast together earlier and neither of the two bairns seemed to be showing any undue signs of stress or sorrow from having been told that their nana and grandad had passed away.
Dave drove both kids to school, then after, Sally and him did a bit of a shop at the local supermarket.
While they were out and had plenty of time, Dave figured they might as well drive around to his flat and pick up some clothes and any few bits and pieces he might need.
While Dave had been washing the breakfast pots earlier that morning, Sally had gone through all the drawers and cupboards emptying the last vestiges of Charlie ever having lived in the house. Putting everything in black bags ready to give to the next charity bag collection that came through the door, or failing that, put it all in the bin.
They’d both decided that if Charlie did come back, he would be asked to leave and Dave would stand Sally’s corner with her. We all know that was never going to happen though, don’t we?
Dave opened the door to the flat and asked Sally to excuse any mess. She must take into account him being a bachelor and as a rule didn’t get too many visitors if any.
The whole place, although minimalistic, was furnished very modern and in good taste. Immaculate throughout with not a thing out of place. It was a two bedroom flat overlooking a park in a nice residential neighbourhood.
The flat had a small but fully functional kitchen, a large lounge cum dining area, one double bedroom with fitted wardrobes, dressing unit and a large king size divan bed against the only spare wall. The second bedroom was nearly as big but only contained a cheap Ikea desk with a computer on it and strewn around were various body building paraphernalia plus a weight bench.
‘Make yourself at home sweetheart, I’ll go empty the fridge and pack my gear into me holdall.’
‘Can I ‘ave a nose ‘round then, or are yeh hidin’ summit I shouldn’t maybe see?’
‘Help yourself Sal, I got nowt to hide from you.’
Dave went and emptied the contents of the fridge into a carrier bag to take back to Sally’s place, then took his wash bag into the bathroom and filled it with his shower gel, razors and deodorants, finally he went to pack some clothes.
It was as he entered the master bedroom, that Sally began to shout breathlessly.
‘Dave! Dave! hurry up man, quickly.’
Dave ran into the spare bedroom and there laid on the weight bench was Sally with a thirty kilo bar in her hands, laid across crushing her chest.
‘How the hell did yeh do that lass?’ he asked lifting it easily off the recumbent form of his new lady love.
‘I just saw it and figured I can do that, it looks easy on the telly,’
‘Well it’s easy liftin’ them off, the hard part’s puttin’ them back up again. Besides them on the telly practice for hours every day, I wouldn’t want you to have muscles like them, I quite like yeh just the size yeh are.’
‘Well I know that now don’t I? besides I don’t need a bloomin’ lecture officer Riley, I need a kiss to make me feel better.’
Dave put his arm around her and as their lips locked, his doorbell rang.
‘Who the hells that? They must ‘ave been watching for us coming in.’
Dave pressed the intercom connected to the downstairs front door.
‘Hello, who is it?’
‘It’s yeh mam and sister, aren’t yeh gonna lerrus in then pet?’
Dave gave Sally a look of total frustration and shrugged his shoulders while pressing the electric catch to open downstairs door.
After a few minutes a middle aged lady and a pretty blond woman of around thirty walked through the door
Dave was stood holding open. As they passed him, they both kissed him on the cheek.
‘Oh, we didn’t know yeh had company our Davey,’ said his mam’
‘Mam, Kate, this is Sally, Sally me mam and big sister Kate.’
Sally felt suddenly very vulnerable and quite speechless in front of the two older women.
‘Hello Mrs Riley, nice to meet yeh and you Kate.’
The two women smiled. They were genuinely friendly smiles and Sally began to relax. The women both made themselves comfy on Dave’s big sofa in the lounge.
‘So where are you two off to then? Anywhere nice? I can see you’ve got yeh bags packed our Davey.’ said mam Riley
‘I’m staying over at Sally’s place for a while Mam, took a stint off work, so we can spend some time together.’
‘Oh how lovely, have yeh known each other very long then?’
‘We went to school together. I was in the same year as Sally’s older brother Mike, but we lost touch for a little while, anyway I found her again.’
‘Sally and Mike? don’t tell me yeh played netball and have an older brother called Paul as well?’ Kate spoke for the first time.
‘Aye, I do,’ said Sally, ‘why?’
‘Well, if it’s who I think it is, then your last name should be Vickers.’
‘Ya, Sally Vickers, how on earth did yeh know all that?’
‘I was in the same class as Paul Vickers, at the same school you’s two went to. I had the biggest crush on him. Tall long dark hair past his shoulders, all the girls fancied big Paul Vickers, played rugby for the school team.’
Sally and Dave laughed out loud and looked at each other in disbelief, what a small world.
‘Oh dear, I think maybe I should shut up, but was that your mam and dad we heard about on the telly last night in the fire Sally love?’
Sally nodded and mam Riley and Kate came over to her, together putting their arms around her. This of course set Sally off sobbing again and it took several minutes for her to regain her composure.
‘That’s one of the reasons, I’m goin’ round to stay at Sally’s place. The other one is yeh couldn’t keep me away if yeh tried, she’s gorgeous.’
‘She’s most certainly that our Davey. Such a bonny young lass. You make sure yeh take good care of her me lad. You let me know Sally love if he misbehaves at all and I’ll sort him straight out for yeh pet.’
‘I was sorta hopin’ he was goin’ to misbehave a little bit Mrs Riley,’ said Sally wiping her eyes on a tissue.
They all laughed. Small talking up in the flat for a few more minutes, then Dave ushered them all out saying they had to be on their way.
Dave locked up and all four descended the stairs together, with mam Riley and Kate getting in their car and Sally and Dave getting in theirs, they all waved, then drove off in opposite directions.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
Mike was driving the Mondeo and pulled up outside Sally’s house with Dave in the Golf pulling up directly behind.
‘Oh bollocks,’ said Dave.
‘What’s the matter Dave love?’ Sally questioned.
‘Why, I was plannin’ on spendin’ the afternoon ‘avin’ nookie with you Sal, that’s bloody all.’
Sally laughed and laid her hand on his arm, ‘don’t worry lover, you’ll get your share of nookie before the day’s out, I promise.’
They all said their hello’s whilst Sally unlocked the front door letting Paul and Mike in. Then went back to give Dave a hand with the shopping and his bag of clothes. When they all got inside, Mike had already put the kettle on.
‘Now then,’ said Paul, ‘how you two doin’?’
‘We’re fine thanks, I keep havin’ a few tears every now and again but otherwise we’re all okay.’
‘You settled in Dave? Sal and the kids drivin’ yeh fuckin’ nuts yet?’
‘No, actually we’ve just been to my place and picked up some clean clothes and bathroom gear. Don’t tell Sal but I’m slowly moving in bit by bit. Sally met me mam and older sister. Oh! and by the way, our Kate sends her love.’
‘Kate, I don’t think I know any Kate?’
‘I hope yeh do, cos she remembers all about you apparently. Her and her mates thought you were quite hot with your long hair out on the rugby playin’ fields. She was in your class, Kate Riley.’
‘Fuckin’ ‘ell, aye. Excuse me mate but your sister was quite fanciable herself if I remember. Shit Kate Riley, who’d of thought.’
‘Well if yeh want her number, I can give it to yeh. She’s single, divorced actually, with a young lass of ten, Gina. Kate’s ex was Italian, couldn’t live without his momma though and Kate couldn’t cook pasta to save her life by all accounts.’
‘You know Dave, I may just fuckin’ take you up on that. Your Kate was a right cracker. Okay, right, do yeh both wanna hear about what we got up to last night then?’
Sally brought the tea’s over and sat next to Dave at the little kitchen table, while between Paul and Mike they verbally revisited the sorties of the night before. Excluding the shootings and violence that may have otherwise been frowned upon by the new family member of the law enforcement fraternity.
‘So, you were all busy then. Where’s Jockey and the Timber now?’
‘They’ve gone for another look ‘round, but I’m not sure we’re gonna do anything more for the moment.’
‘Why? do yeh think you’ve maybe hurt them badly enough?’
‘Nowhere near Dave lad. We’re just gettin’ fuckin’ started. No, but I got some news this morning that may have changed things a little bit. That’s why we needed to see you and get your thoughts on the subject.’
Paul explained to both Sally and Dave what had been said by Simon and Jacko at the Ship and Anchor. Dave listened attentively without saying anything until Paul and Mike had completely finished.
‘So lads what is it yeh want me to do?’
‘To be fuckin’ honest Dave, this is a bit too big for us to handle. We don’t ‘ave the expertise to deal with it properly. This is gonna hurt the Albanians far more than anything we could do by ourselves, but we don’t ‘ave either the manpower or organisation skills required for summit of this fuckin’ size. I think we may need the big bobbies.’
‘Okay, so let’s get this straight. Yeh want me to have a word with someone back at the shop? You know there gonna wanna speak with yeh about it don’t yeh? You’re probably gonna hafta confess to a few issues about last night and hand in the money and drugs yeh took once I let the cat out of the bag.’
‘Ya I figured that much, but we didn’t do it for the money or the drugs. We did it to hurt those fuckin’ Albanian bastards and this’ll hurt them much more. Besides we didn’t know what to do with the drugs anyway and if there’s a few fuckin’ quid gone missin’, who’s to know?’
Dave and Sally both agreed this could be the best way forward and it gave them all a good chance of staying a little bit closer to the right side of the law. While Sally went to put the kettle on, Dave went into the living room to make some calls, returning just as the kettle boiled.
‘Right lady and gentlemen. I’ve spoken to my desk Sergeant and he put me straight through to the guys in the National Crime Agency who are sending someone ‘round within the next hour or so to have a little chat. Apparently, they’re all fully aware of your escapades from last night and are well impressed. For them to have got that far in such a short time would have meant cutting so much red tape, albeit they would have done it legally, they’d never have managed to get away with what you guys did. So you lot are up there in hero worship land with the lads on the front line. They said it seemed to have been well executed and they were particularly impressed cos no civvies had been involved or injured. Hopefully that will stand you guys in good stead with the law.’
The happy family talked around the kitchen table for a while longer, then Dave got up and went upstairs to unpack his bag while Sally came and sat on the bed chatting to him about her past life in general.
Nothing was mentioned about the beatings and the abuse that Sally had received at the hands of Charlie. She was worried that this might inflame a resentment and anger in Dave that there was no possibility of him ever being able to extinguish. Maybe when and if their relationship grew, there might be a time at a later date when she would tell him, but for now with everything else going on, this was not it.
Sally and Dave heard the knock at the front door and both came downstairs together. Paul had already opened it to two very casually dressed plainclothes officers. He let them in and everyone entered the living room, with Mike and Dave carrying the bench seats from the kitchen so there would be enough for everyone to sit on.
‘Hello folks, my name is Detective Chief Inspector John Turner and this is my associate Detective Sergeant Barry Whitmore. We are NCA officers and at this moment in time we have been assigned to the drug enforcement department. We understand from Constable Riley here that you were personally responsible for the raids carried out last night on the drug drops in the Seaborough city centre is that correct Mr Vickers?’
Paul nodded his head in acknowledgement.
‘Right, can you please explain to me the purpose behind those incidents?’
Paul went into an extremely edited version of the events leading up to the raids. Explaining that Charlie may have had dealings with Oggy and then done a runner with some goods. Oggy in turn had dealings with the Albanians and then the Albanians turned up looking for Charlie.
Paul explained that it was his belief, the Albanians were solely responsible for their parent’s deaths and the fire that had been started around the corner was the result of an incident between Mike and Hamiti and it had been the fire and death of his parents that had instigated his retaliation against the drug lord Donika Demaci and his henchman Bashkim Hamiti.
Paul further explained, without giving out any names or too many details, that information had come into his possession of a large shipment of heroin with a street value of around four point five million pounds being delivered within the next few days.
‘So, at no time Mr Vickers did you ever consider notifying the police of any of this information?’
