by Lee Martin
‘Anyhow, I’m off now. Things to do, people to see. Keep in touch.’ And he smiled again, turned, walked off and vanished into the lunchtime crowds. Kate looked after him, and felt a pang that he was going.
She ran across the road, followed Sadie’s directions and found the pub. ‘You took your time,’ said Poppy. ‘Drink’s getting warm.’
‘Sorry, got lost,’ said Kate. ‘Who’s got a light?’
As Ali walked away from Kate, it wasn’t only her luscious body that was on his mind. He knew all about Eddie and the mail van robbery that had gone badly wrong, with three of the robbers still at large, and he knew who they were, but had no proof. Eddie led to Robbo and the other two cheap villains sitting up in the public gallery with their swag on their backs. Better suits than Ali could afford on his police salary. And with their flash birds, one of whom at least would suck Ali’s dick dry whenever he wanted. Kate. Ali yearned for her like a teenager with his first girlfriend. And there she was surrounded by the scum of East End villains. And he fucking envied them.
Bastards. Ali was no fool. He knew why he was on a fast track for promotion. The colour of his bloody skin. And he also knew people were watching him. Important people. Some ready to push him onwards and upwards, and others ready to drop him like a hot brick if he put a foot wrong. And shagging Kate Ellis wasn’t a particularly good career move. Or maybe it was. Only time and results would tell. Besides, he couldn’t leave her alone. She was like smack to a junkie. Catnip to his old mum’s moggie. An addiction, and just spotting her there in court, and later in the street, was an aphrodisiac. But he kept a poker face, even though he saw hers go white at the sight of him. Keep calm, babe, he thought. Keep very calm.
Since Ali had first met Kate they’d managed to meet several times. Always at Kate’s instigation. She called him on his mobile, gave a time she was free, and it was up to him to say yes or no. It had always been yes so far, even though he had to neglect his job sometimes to make the date. They always met at hotels where Ali booked the room, arrived first and waited for her in the bedroom. Their sex was sometimes fast and furious, sometimes tender and loving. Kate was the happiest she had been for years, but knew that if Robbo ever found out, she’d be in a world of pain.
Ali partly justified the meetings by any information he could glean about the gang during their pillow talk. Kate was wise to all that and gave little away, but Ali lived in hope. All he wanted to do was to get a lead on Robbo and the gang’s plans, nick them, get them sent down and have Kate all to himself. That was his dream, but he knew that even if she was free, her background would always be suspect. But people in love, whatever ulterior motives they might have, constantly live in hope.
So when Eddie’s trial came up, Ali wheedled his way into the court, on the pretext that when he moved up in rank, which he knew he would, he wanted to be au fait with all sorts of criminals. It was weak, but it worked. Ali sat in the CCTV control room and listened intently to the goings on. Later, when Eddie changed his plea, he thought, one down, three to go.
After lunch, as soon as there was a break, Kate made an excuse that she needed some air and left the building. As soon as she was clear, she found a bench in a tiny public park and called Ali. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ she demanded when he answered.
‘This is not a good time cousin,’ replied Ali. Cousin was part of their code.
‘Bloody right it’s not,’ she hissed. ‘I nearly fainted when I saw you.’
‘Sorry, I couldn’t let you know,’ he replied. ‘You know why.’ He was still forbidden to call her.
‘Christ,’ she said. ‘Are you going to be there again?’
‘No. I’ve got a lot of other things to do. I was just in the area,’ he lied.
‘Thank Christ for that. When are we going to meet?’
‘Up to you. Call me. I can’t talk now, I’m with some senior officers and they’re giving me the evil eye,’ he whispered.
‘I will,’ and she hung up without a goodbye, and realised she was shaking. Fear, anger, lust, all mixed in a stew of emotion. She lit a cigarette and tried to relax, but stubbed it out half smoked, got up and went back to the court.
18
Kate had told no one about Ali. Not even Sadie, her best friend. She could just imagine the reaction. A copper, and an Asian to boot. Christ, that would set the cat amongst the pigeons. She suspected that Ali was grilling her about the workings of the gang, but she was convinced that wasn’t what their affair was all about. He was too eager and loving to be that conniving. But she knew men, and their ways, so she was always careful.
The day after Eddie was sent down, Kate called Ali. ‘Hello cousin,’ he said. ‘Long time.’
‘I’ve been busy.’
‘You’re not the only one.’
‘Yes. We need to meet.’
‘When?’
‘Tomorrow lunchtime?’
‘Can do. The same place as last time?’
‘Fine.’
‘Call me tomorrow morning and I’ll give you the details.’
‘OK. I’ll ring when I’m on my way. I should be there around one.’
‘I’ll be waiting.’
‘We need to talk,’ she said.
‘And that’s not all.’
‘I’m serious.’
‘So am I cousin, so am I.’
With that, and a quick goodbye, he broke the connection.
Their meeting place of choice was a Holiday Inn on the A12 close to the Millennium Dome, just south of the Blackwall tunnel. It was convenient with a big car park. Anonymous, but clean and safe, and the room service was discreet.
Kate phoned Ali en route and he gave her the room number. As usual he was first to arrive, and she took the lift to the fourth floor and tapped on the door. He welcomed her wearing a white towel wrapped round his waist, exposing his chocolate-coloured skin and taut stomach. His hair was wet and shiny, and she thought he looked good enough to eat. ‘Thought I’d take a shower,’ he said. ‘Be nice and clean for you.’
‘Are you working?’ she asked as she closed the door behind her and he swept her up in his arms.
‘Supposed to be. Just routine enquiries. My time’s my own.’
‘Lucky you.’
He smiled. ‘Lunch? I’ve ordered us chicken salads and coffee as we’re both driving.’
‘Aren’t you law abiding?’ she said.
‘Neither of us needs a pull at this time, right?’
She nodded agreement.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door and lunch was served. Ali gave the waitress a tip and she left.
‘You wanted to talk,’ he said. ‘Let’s do it over lunch, then get down to the important things in life—us, and sex.’
She smiled. Ali could always charm her round his little finger. They sat together at the table overlooking the busy road outside and tucked in. ‘So, what’s up?’ said Ali round a mouthful of food.
‘You, turning up at the court, that’s what.’
‘I’m a copper. That’s my job.’
‘Not Eddie’s case.’
‘So what?’ he asked again. ‘He got what he deserved.’
‘Maybe.’
‘Connie, Robbo and Joseph were the others on the blag weren’t they?’ he asked innocently.
‘As if I’d tell you if they were.’
‘No. The old code, right?’ he said sarcastically.
‘It was how I was brought up.’
‘Which is why you never told about what your father did to you and your mother. Or what Robbo does to you now.’
She looked away, the food turning sour in her mouth. ‘That’s none of your business.’
‘It is Kate,’ he insisted, ‘I think I love you, and it hurts me to see what you have to go through.’ Kate was shocked at his revelation. Shocked and excited, but tried to stay cool.
‘Not half as much as it hurts me,’ she said. ‘And you only think. What good is that?’
‘Christ K
ate, give me a break.’
‘Typical man. Wants his cake and eat it too.’
‘So tell me, how do you feel about me?’
‘Me. Always me. Like I said, a typical man.’
‘So what are you saying? Is this it? Did you come down today to give me the elbow?’
She threw the remains of her food down onto her plate. ‘I can’t. I can’t give you up, whatever happens. But I know it’s so wrong. Robbo would kill you, then me, if he ever found out. I could never forgive myself if something happened to you.’
‘Christ, but you had me worried there. I mean it Kate. About loving you I mean. But I was scared to own up. What with everything that’s going on. I’m putting my life in your hands, you know that.’
‘I know.’
‘So tell me something,’ he pleaded. ‘Anything. I don’t do this. Beg, I mean.’
‘Doesn’t go with your self-image, tough guy?’
‘You could say that, but right now I don’t care.’
‘Good.’ She smiled.
‘So you do have feelings for me?’
‘Of course I do.’
‘Then let’s go to bed,’ he said. ‘I’m not hungry anymore. At least, not for food.’
So they did.
The sex was wonderful as always. Ali seemed even more passionate with their every meeting, and Kate gladly gave herself up to him, coming time and time again until she was exhausted. But she couldn’t shake off the feeling that Ali was more interested in what her husband and the remainder of the gang were doing, than her. Paranoia, she thought as he reached for her again. It has to be. But she was wrong.
19
The weeks passed since Eddie’s imprisonment, things went from bad to worse for Sadie. All her married life, she’d been protected from reality by her husband. He came home with the dough, and she spent it. End of. He’d choose their houses, cars, and other major purchases. Sure, Sadie had a say in them, but as soon as they’d made a joint decision, the money arrived, and all was taken care of. Eddie paid the bills too. Credit cards, mortgage, utilities were all in his name, and he dealt with them. Now it was Sadie’s job, and pretty quickly she discovered that they were in deep financial difficulties. Every day bills printed in red dropped through the letterbox. And worse, she started getting increasingly stern phone calls from various financial institutions, demanding prompt payment for debts she didn’t even know they had.
She checked their bank accounts and found that what she had once thought of as bottomless pits, were pretty well all empty. They owed the building society. The cars she thought were theirs were leased, and the payments well in arrears. Even her precious gold card was up to and beyond its limit, and she couldn’t even afford to pay the minimum payment each month. Worse than the red bank bills were the threatening calls from loan sharks who would stop at nothing to get back their money, with interest. Sadie knew it would only be a matter of time before one of them got his goons to pay her a house call, safe now Eddie was away.
The next time she received a visiting order she went along to the prison with her handbag full of final demands.
She sat in the cheerless visitor’s room as Eddie came in. ‘Hello doll,’ he said. ‘You OK?’
‘No Eddie, I’m not,’ she replied, avoiding contact as he tried to touch her hand. ‘What the fuck has been going on?’
‘Not guilty,’ he replied. ‘I’m inside, remember?’
‘How can I forget? Every day I get reminders. Final ones mostly.’
‘What?’
‘Bills, Eddie. Great big fucking bills—everything from the phones to the council tax. What happened?’
‘Shit happened love. I got stitched up and chucked in here.’
‘But there was that forty grand…’
‘Every penny gone. Briefs who screwed up. Bent cops who took the shilling then got a conscience. A judge who retired early on medical grounds and who’s living in bloody Portugal in a villa I bought. It’s endless darlin’.’
‘So are these debts Eddie.’
‘What can I say love? What can I do?’
‘Aren’t you owed?’
‘Yeah. Plenty. But there’s nothing I can do from inside the shovel.’
‘What about the other boys?’
Eddie pulled a regretful face. ‘They helped out. I owe them too if the truth be known. Don’t worry. They won’t be coming round for their dough. They know the situation.’
‘What about the bank deposit boxes? You’ve still got them haven’t you?’
‘Sure. But believe me, they’re not stuffed with cash. You’d know if they were.’
‘So what is in them?’
He hesitated. ‘OK sweetheart. I’ll tell you. But not a word.’
‘Go on then,’ she said.
He hardly moved his lips as he spoke. Nobody knew who might be watching. ‘There’s shooters, ammo, and the plans for a big job,’ he said. ‘I was going to tell you in time.’
‘Thanks for keeping me in the loop.’
‘Sorry. Listen, I’ll speak to Lewis at the solicitors. He’s got the keys. He doesn’t know which banks or the numbers. He’s got a letter for you with all the details inside. It’s sealed. Make sure it still is when you get it. I’ll put in a call today. You go tomorrow. The boys are going to do the job. I’m the architect as always. You’ll get a cut. Otherwise, you’ll have to duck and dive Sade. Do what you can. I’m fucked in here.’
‘Not literally I hope.’
‘No love. There’s prettier fish than me to fry. Thank God for that. Anyway, I can take care of myself. Always have. I’m just extra careful about dropping the soap in the shower. Know what I mean?’ And he laughed.
Sadie didn’t share the joke. ‘I miss you Eddie,’ she said, and meant it.
‘I miss you too doll. I wish I was out there with you. Us against the world, remember?’
‘Course I do.’
‘Right. You get busy. See Lewis, then see the chaps. You’ll be OK, I swear.’
So be it, she thought. I’m on my own now. It’s all down to me. No more leaning on men who screw you seven ways from Sunday. Fuck the lot of them. I’m on my own, and I’m tougher than any of them. I’ll have to be. But deep down inside she was as nervous as a kitten. So she hardened her heart, straightened her spine and moved on.
20
Sadie did just as Eddie told her to. She rang Jack Lewis at the local solicitor they used for small jobs. Not criminal work. He was a pleasant bloke in his mid forties, and he told Sadie he was free from noon onwards. She arrived bang on time and was shown into his office where he offered her coffee which she accepted. He ushered her to a seat, and offered his condolences for Eddie’s state.
‘He’s not dead,’ she said.
‘I know Mrs Ross. My apologies. I didn’t mean it quite like that.’
‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m just a bit touchy these days.’
‘I quite understand.’
They were interrupted by his assistant bringing in their refreshments, and when they were settled, he said. ‘I had a call from Mr Ross yesterday from… er, well, you know where. I have certain items in my possession he wishes to pass on to you.’
‘Any money?’ she asked hopefully.
‘I’m sorry, no. At least, not that I’m aware. A sealed letter and some keys. There could be some money in the envelope, but from the size of it, I doubt it.’ He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a large brown envelope which he emptied on to his blotter. There were three keys on a ring, each marked with a white sticker. On the stickers were the numbers, 1,2,3. There was also a thin white envelope, taped around the edges and sealed with a blob of red wax. ‘That’s it I’m afraid,’ said Lewis. ‘If you’ll just sign a receipt it’s all yours. And if there’s anything else I can do…’
Sadie put down her cup on the edge of the desk. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘You’ve always been very kind to us. Do I owe you anything?’
He smiled. ‘No Mrs Ross. We’re all up to d
ate.’ He passed her over a receipt book which she signed. She then rose to leave as he handed her the brown envelope in which he had replaced the keys and letter. ‘As I said,’ he continued. ‘Anything the firm can do, just get in touch.’
‘I will,’ said Sadie, who made her farewells and left.
She opened the letter in the car. It was a short, typed note. Just the names of three local banks, one which she could see from where she was sitting, numbers of the safety deposit accounts, passwords, and which of the three keys she’d need to open each. She took the key for the bank across the road, along with the letter, and went to see what exactly it was that Eddie had hidden so carefully.
It was easy. She asked to see a manager at the cash window, told him the number and password, and he did the rest. She was shown downstairs to the safety deposit room. He had a duplicate key, they both turned theirs in the locks, and when he tugged the drawer out of its slot, she was left alone in a small room with the box. It was heavy, and when she opened it she knew why. Inside were three handguns that looked brand new, neatly boxed, illustrated, and trade marked GLOCK 19. Inside each of the boxes was a little booklet. Underneath them, was what she recognised from all the gangster movies she and Eddie had watched together, as a machine pistol. An Uzi. She left two of the pistols inside the box, putting the third in her handbag along with the booklet. She was amazed how light it was. Nothing like she’d imagined. More like a toy than a real gun. But if Eddie had obtained them, she knew they’d be real enough. She relocked the safety deposit box, had it returned to its home and left.
Inside the next bank she found the ammunition. Hundreds of brass jacketed rounds, slotted into the kind of thick white foam that previously she’d only seen protecting domestic items in their packaging. Each box contained fifty bullets. The boxes were all marked 9 MILLIMETRE, with the name of the manufacturer from some Middle American state. At the bottom of the box were four ammunition magazines. Three were short and looked like they fitted the Glock hidden in her bag. The fourth was longer, and she guessed that one belonged to the Uzi. She took a box of fifty rounds and put them in her bag too. She realised with all that she’d found she could start a small war, and maybe that’s what she would have to do to get out of trouble.
