Guts for Garters

by Linda Regan

  As usual around this estate when anything went down, a crowd gathered. That was now happening, mainly kids, as young as six or seven, circling around with their goose-pimpled legs curled around the pedals of bicycles that were far too small for them. They were the ‘youngers’, the ‘tinies’, of the estate gangs, there to grab information and then cycle back and sell the information to the elders on the estate, so the elders were up to date with what was happening. These youngers could outrun any police officers, so were paid by the elders to hide drugs and guns when a police raid took place.

  But who were the elders, or gang hierarchy around here? These youngers knew, but would be paid not to tell. Georgia hoped Alysha wasn’t up to her neck in a girl gang, as Celik had suggested. She had a soft spot for Alysha, and she also admired the fact that Alysha cared and wanted to help these kids. It was obvious, just by looking around, that by rebuilding the recreation area and, as Alysha suggested, the community centre, that these youngsters would have more chance of avoiding a life of crime. Banham continually told Georgia that it wasn’t her job to nag the council, she was a detective, not a social worker, but Georgia believed a good detective looked at all ways of stopping crime, and that Alysha’s plan was a good one.

  She looked up and saw Alison Grainger followed by Banham making their way across the estate grounds.

  ‘Have you found out who the lock-up belongs to, yet? Georgia asked the uniformed sergeant who was waiting with his team for further orders.

  ‘Belongs to an Albert and Vera Wilkins, ma’am,’ Sergeant Austin told her. ‘They live on Magpie block, number 211.’

  Georgia shouted across to Banham and Alison as they approached. ‘Garage belongs to Albert and Vera Wilkins. They live round the corner.’

  Alison glanced at Banham, then back to Georgia. ‘Let’s pay them a visit. See if they’ll give us a key, before we take the door down,’ she shouted back.

  Georgia turned to Stephanie. ‘You go and grab a bite to eat while I do that,’ she told her with a grin. ‘And then oversee the door to door. Show everyone the photos of Burak and Zana. If anyone shows even a faint recognition when they look at either of them, bring them in for questioning.’

  ‘Will do, ma’am,’ Stephanie nodded. ‘Thanks, but, we won’t hold our breath on that score.’

  ‘You never know,’ Georgia winked, ‘Might be your lucky day. You didn’t think you’d get a food break before midnight, and hey presto, the magic fairy obliged. So don’t give up.’

  There was an icy wind blowing. Georgia watched Banham pulling Alison’s woolly hat further over her head and checking her scarf was warm against her neck.

  ‘Don’t fuss, I’m fine,’ Alison told Banham, then looking to Georgia, she said. ‘Let’s go then.’

  ‘If you don’t get a key within the next ten minutes, this door’s coming down, tell them,’ Banham shouted as the women walked towards Magpie block.

  On hearing that, the young kids on bicycles turned and rode off. They had info, and they needed to sell it before anyone else did. The bicycles all sped along the footpath, bells ringing loudly.

  ‘Sergeant Green,’ Georgia called out to Stephanie. ‘See what direction those kids are heading.’

  Stephanie lifted a thumb. ‘Will do my best.’ But she was too late. The kids cycled past her, knocking her over, and disappeared before she could even get back up.

  Melek Yismaz was being very cautious as she crept around the back of the Aviary, heading for the Sparrow Block. She had been warned, by Alysha’s girls, of the heavy police presence. They were everywhere, stopping people as they walked around the estate, and knocking on doors. If they spotted her, shaking and filthy, grazed and bruised, with a swollen face, thanks to that bastard Harisha and his boys, then, for sure, she would be picked up and brought in again, and that wasn’t worth thinking about.

  She was very familiar with the estate and knew all the nooks, crannies, and alleys that she could hide in if she saw a fed, and that gave her the upper-hand, just, as she crept, slowly and cautiously, towards Sparrow block.

  She was angry as well as shaken, but there was no way he was getting away with what he had done, and this opportunity was perfect for her. Alysha had summoned Melek to the flat immediately when she’d rung and told Alysha what Harisha had done, and said she wanted to join the ACs. She hadn’t dared go home first to change, so she had nipped into the Indian shop on the outskirts of the Aviary – the one that kept open all hours and sold all kinds of food and drink. There she had nicked the table cloth from under the display of freshly cooked chapattis, and now, to add insult to injury, as well as being cut and bruised, she stank of curry powder. But beggars couldn’t be choosers, she told herself, covering her nudity was more important. And not just because the sharp wind was biting into her private parts – that in itself was a bastard – but more worrying was the feds seeing her; a half-dressed, injured girl would be stopped and questioned immediately.

  There was no way she could have gone home. If her father saw her torn jeans and bare arse, she would get the beating of her life, or worse still be dragged to the feds again. Harisha had gone too far this time, her arse was raw and throbbing from the bastard’s roughness. She was fighting the urge to cry – and that wasn’t like her. Her journey to the thirteenth floor of Sparrow block was taking a very long time, but she was getting there. She and Alysha Achter had business to sort.

  Vera Wilkins looked terrified as she opened the door of her flat to the sight of Georgia and Alison flashing their warrant cards. She quickly crooked her turkey neck to the left and then to the right. No one seemed to be watching her, so she opened the door and ushered them hurriedly inside.

  The flat smelt musky and stale as they followed through into the sitting room.

  The room was dark and old-fashioned, an over-crowded mess. The sideboard was dusty and cluttered with fading photographs in old frames, and little trinkets obviously collected over the years. Dusty imitation flowers stood in a long-stemmed green glass vase, a few odd glasses on a tray beside it. Georgia found the room depressing.

  She thought Albert’s clothes looked as though he had owned them since he was a boy. The grey flannel trousers and home-made knitted waistcoat looked exactly like the one child evacuees always wore in wartime photographs, the only difference being that Albert’s trousers went to all the way to his ankles. Georgia was reminded of those frightened young boys, with short haircuts and gas masks in their tiny, terrified hands. She appreciated this old couple had seen many, many changes during the years they had lived on the estate.

  ‘How long have you lived here?’ she asked as she waved away the teapot of tea that Albert offered. She didn’t want to think how long the tea might have been in the pot, or the state of the cup it would be served in. Alison also refused.

  ‘We’ve been here since we married,’ Albert answered looking over to his gentle-faced but highly nervous wife.

  ‘We celebrated our golden anniversary two years ago,’ Vera nodded, pushing a hair-clip that had slid from her fine, light grey bun at the back of her head, back into place.

  ‘How long have you had your garage?’ Alison asked.

  The couple turned to each other, both looked terrified.

  ‘You have a garage at the edge of the estate. 14b, is that right? The red one with a skull and cross pinned to the door?’ Alison persisted.

  Albert shook his head, as Vera nodded hers.

  ‘It’s a straightforward question,’ Alison said a little curtly.

  When both became silent, Alison said, ‘You need to know that we are investigating a murder enquiry, and this lock-up could have something to do with it. If you withhold vital information, or give us false information, that is a crime that could carry a custodial sentence.’

  Georgia glared at Alison, as the old couple made eye contact.

  ‘I’ll tell them,’ Vera said. Her hand had moved fearfully to her cheek, and Georgia noticed the large liver-coloured age spot above the woman’s now tr
embling, lips. Georgia knew, that this couple had been warned off talking to the feds, threatened that the punishment from the ruling gang would be too terrifying to think about. Watching the behaviour of this vulnerable old couple made her more determined than ever to crack down on crime around the Aviary.

  ‘We do have a garage,’ Vera said, still looking at Albert for assurance.

  Albert looked back at her, terrified. ‘We had a car, you see,’ she told them. ‘A little Nissan Micra. I used to drive us in it as Albert’s eyes aren’t too good these days.’ She frowned and hesitated, taking a second before saying, ‘The car was stolen. We didn’t get it back, nor could we claim the insurance money for it. The insurance company said the garage wasn’t secure enough, so they wouldn’t pay out. We couldn’t afford to buy another car.’ She shrugged. ‘Anyway, next thing we knew, we’d lost the garage too.’

  ‘How do you mean lost the garage?’ Alison asked her.

  Vera looked at Albert again. He was now sitting upright and nearly stiff with terror.

  Vera shrugged and shook her head.

  ‘Did you report any of this?’ Georgia asked her.

  She shook her head, still watching Albert. ‘We didn’t need a garage, as we didn’t have a car anymore, so we didn’t say anything. When we walked past it, it was occupied, and we were told to make ourselves scarce.’

  ‘By who?’

  ‘We couldn’t say,’ Albert butted in. ‘Can’t tell these days, they all look the same, hoods up, and masks over their faces.’

  ‘Were they male or female?’

  ‘Both, both, there were both,’ he answered quickly nodding his head a little too many times. ‘Look, we don’t want to say any more. Will you go now? Please?’

  ‘It isn’t as easy as all that,’ Georgia told him. ‘If you didn’t report the keys as stolen, then officially you’re still responsible for it. If there is anything in there that shouldn’t be, then you may be held responsible. Unless you can tell us who has taken it over?’

  ‘And you need to give us the key,’ Alison told him. ‘Or we will break the door down.’

  Albert’s voice was breaking as he spoke. ‘We haven’t got a key, they changed the lock.’

  ‘Jail would be preferable to being killed,’ Vera said. Noticing the shock that registered on Alison and Georgia’s faces, she explained, ‘That’s what happens round here if you talk.’

  ‘We haven’t anything to tell you, and we haven’t got a key, so please will you go now,’ Albert said, his voice now quiet and defeated.

  Georgia stood up and headed for the door. Alison followed her.

  ‘Don’t go to bed just yet, you might not be sleeping here tonight,’ Alison told them as she opened the door to let herself and Georgia out.

  ‘What was the point in frightening them?’ Georgia said angrily as they walked back down the one flight of steps at the side of Magpie block. ‘They already live in terror on this estate. All the honest citizens do. And it’s mostly our fault. We have failed them by not protecting them from the gangs and drug barons. Frightening them will make it worse. That man looks like a heart attack waiting to happen.’

  ‘If there are weapons in that garage, then who do you think will carry the can, not the bullies,’ Alison argued. ‘That couple need to know that we are to be feared too if they get on our wrong side, otherwise our battle against gang warfare round here is lost. Right now we are in mid-fight.’

  ‘Gang fighting has escalated nearly out of control in the past few years,’ Georgia argued. ‘You’ve been out of this for a while, and this estate is the worst in London. It’s –’

  ‘Oh do give it a rest,’ Alison snapped back. ‘I’ve been in the force a lot longer than you, and just because I took time out does not mean I took up knitting,’

  Vera and Albert were standing at their window watching Alison and Georgia walking back to the garage.

  ‘We should have said something, we should have told them,’ Vera said to Albert.

  ‘They can’t prove nothing,’ he argued. ‘’Sides, getting done for withholding evidence is a lot more preferable than seeing you beaten up again. That would be more than I can take.’

  ‘Maybe if we had told them, then all this would go away.’

  ‘It’ll never go away.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s like the last lot. They got them, finally, after all the hidings people took, and now it’s starting all over again. It’s never going to end, flower. I just wish we didn’t know what we know and hadn’t seen what we have seen.’

  ‘But we do know, and we did see, so now we’re involved.’

  ‘Well, block it from your mind. Tell yourself we don’t. We don’t know nothing.’

  The red enforcer crashed through the lock-up door, and Alison, Banham, and Georgia moved straight in. They stared around an empty garage that reeked of cleaning fluids.

  ‘Someone’s tipped someone off,’ Alison said.

  ‘Or Harisha Celik has lied to us,’ Georgia suggested, feeling, secretly, a little relieved.

  Banham shook his head. ‘He wouldn’t have had time to sort anything out,’ he said, turning to take Alison’s arm. ‘Home,’ he said to her. ‘Come on, let’s get you home, you look exhausted. And you need to eat.’

  ‘It’s been a tough day,’ Georgia agreed, noticing Alison blush as Banham spoke to her as if she was a small child. But Banham wasn’t even listening, he was heading out of the garage, in the direction of his car, holding Alison’s arm as if it was a crystal glass.

  Georgia watched them.

  All she had to look forward to was a long hot bath.

  When Melek finally got to the thirteenth floor flat, Alysha, Panther, Lox, and Tink were all there, waiting for her.

  She sat down gingerly on the chair that was offered and started sobbing.

  ‘Pack that up,’ Panther told her sternly. ‘If you want to join us, you’ll have to be a warrior. We fight blokes, if we have to.’ She looked round at the other girls, laughed, and added, ‘Only difference is, we always win.’

  When Melek quietened down, Alysha said, ‘Anyway, we got Tink here. She can fix you up. She’s brilliant at making you look fabulous, whatever the problem. She’s gonna be a beautician and hairdresser soon.’

  ‘It’s only surface grazes,’ Tink said, moving in to study Melek’s messed up face. ‘It won’t scar. I’ll clean it up for you, and make it look much better.’

  ‘My arse is cut too, and my best fucking jeans are in shreds, and I’m wearing a tablecloth that stinks of chapattis, anything you can do about that?’

  ‘Laugh at it,’ Alysha told her, grinning at the other girls. ‘We’ve all had a lot worse than that.’ She gave Melek a few seconds to take that in, then she said, ‘We don’t get upset in the Alley Cat Crew. But we do get even.’

  ‘We got each other, an’ we work together and things get done,’ Panther told her.

  ‘Lox here got raped, regular, by her dad; started when she was about eight,’ Alysha said with a matter-of-fact shrug. ‘Panther was thrown on the fire, when she was nine, for not getting enough money on the streets to pay her uncle’s dealer. Tink was locked in a room and not fed till she’d done thirty punters in a morning. She was eleven then. Oh, and I’ve had to kill someone to survive here. I know your Dad’s loose with his fists, and Harisha’s a cunt, and rapes you to keep you in your place, but now you’ve seen the light fings will get better for you. Well if you work well and we join you up, then they will, but you gotta prove yourself before you can be an Alley Cat. ’

  The other three verbalised their agreement, as Panther proudly showed her scars and missing teeth, and then Tink too lifted her skirt and showed the scar she got from a violent pimp.

  ‘If you join us,’ Alysha told her, ‘then as well as yourself, you ’ave to ’elp the other lost kids round ’ere that are going through all the shit we went through, and help them get chances so they don’t all end up as skanks or druggies.’

  ‘What d’you mean?’ Melek asked.
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  ‘We make money, but we use it to rebuild the estate and make things happen, like Tink’s gonna learn hair and beauty properly and then teach it. Panther’s doing self-defence, stuff like that. You’re a looker, you could be a model if you wanted. As an Alley Cat we would help you, and then the money you make you’d invest back in our youngers an’ stuff.’

  ‘What, don’t you buy nothing for you when you make money?’ Melek asked them.

  ‘Yeah, bits, but we don’t do alcohol no more, an’ we don’t do drugs,’ Tink told her. ‘But we get money all ways we can.’

  ‘Like I’m good at shoplifting, but then I sell the stuff I nick, or take it back to the shop for my money back, and we invest it into the estate,’ Alysha explained. ‘You still wanna be wiv us?’

  ‘Yeah, I wanna be with you,’ Melek said. ‘Not SLR, no more.’

  Alysha studied her, then nodded. ‘Good. I’m glad you’ve seen the light wiv that cunt Harisha. An’ you understand Burak deserved a punishment?’

  ‘Yeah, I know,’ Melek said. ‘He was a lieutenant, they’re all the same. He deserved what he got, no doubt.’

  ‘But we never meant to kill ’im,’ Alysha added quickly. ‘That was an accident. SLRs done over a couple of our old residents, stole their car and their garage, an’ wouldn’t give them no corn for what they done. That stunk an ’e deserved a beating. They was pensioners an’ he mugged them, hurt then, frightened them, stole from them, an’ on our turf. We was never gonna let him get away wiv that, so we wanted to hurt him, but not kill him, but he died.’ She shrugged. ‘We never touched you, cos we don’t hurt girls …’

  ‘Unless they start on us, or cross us,’ Panther jumped in.’ ‘Then we treat them same as blokes that cross us.’

  Melek nodded. ‘I hear you, and I’m not crossing you. I wanna be an Alley Cat.’

  ‘Fair enough,’ Alysha told her. ‘Well you ’ave to go on trial first, you’ll understand that.’