by Roger Rapel
After breakfast Jackie rushed around then went to work as Jim slowly started to get ready. He sat at the table and opened his A4 book and began reading his notes trying to bring himself back up to speed with the case before meeting Vicky at 11am. There was nothing startling; it was just good to refresh his memory for later.
Vicky was already in Langton’s office as Jim entered; she said ‘looks like you’ve had a good time by your tan?’ ‘It was hard work, but enjoyable thanks, and before you ask, no I can’t discuss it.’ Vicky smiled saying ‘Oh okay enough said.’ The discussion then continued on with regard to the documents and the committal case having been submitted to CPS also a top QC had been chosen for the trial. Langton confirmed that the Chief had been in contact with the head of chambers regarding Farquharson; there had been no shortage of QC’s queuing up for the case, especially after he had been suspended and word spread as to the reason why.
Jim smiled at Vicky she acknowledged his and Langton’s gratitude for a job well done, but they all knew that a file of this size once a QC got hold of it, would mean mountains of further enquiries and statements to take.
Vicky and Jim went out into the office where they sat and went through all the notes with regard to the whereabouts of Sumner, but nothing came to light, not even Vicky’s informant Tim, could get a handle on where he had buggered off to.
It was now just a waiting game; although there was no doubt, he was on the Costa del Sol, shacked up with some bird or being hidden by friends.
Jim arrived home to see Jackie bopping in the kitchen he slapped her bum, then she turned and shoved him backwards to the bedroom where she gave him one of the best blow jobs he had ever had, after she had finished she hugged him and said ‘that’s for my lovely watch darling.’ He smiled as he hugged her and said ‘anymore jewellery you need.’ She laughed and slapped his arm, ‘come on dinner will be done; you can service me later.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Jim went to see one of his long term informants, he hadn’t seen him for a while, he was one of those that needed a gee up to get him going; as he only rang when he needed some cash; although he was always spot on with the information he gave.
‘Hi Joey, you okay?’ ‘Yes Jim fine thanks; what’s going on, not seen you for a while?’ ‘You should be you telling me what’s going on?’ ‘Okay, look there’s an armed robbery planned for next week, it’s a cash delivery job, one of the big banks, Barclay’s I think, they are having a big replenishment; you know, the main one in the High Street.’ ‘Who’s up for that?’ There’s some tasty names Jim, some real hard nuts, shooters, sawn-offs the lot.’ ‘Come on then the names and when?’ ‘They are doing a recon tomorrow and planning it for next week.’ ‘You involved?’ ‘No just offered up the job.’ ‘How close are you?’ ‘Pretty close, know what I mean.’ ‘Come on mate you involved?’ ‘No, straight up Jim; scouts honour.’ ‘Fuck me that count’s for a lot Joey, so when were you going tell me about this one then?’ ‘Honest Jim, was going to call you tomorrow after they had sussed it out proper, no what I mean.’ ‘Yeah right; and what is your cut going to be?’ ‘10K for the job and the getaway route.’ ‘Right I want names, shooters and motors okay; like yesterday.’ ‘Okay Jim but, one of the main players is Braxton,’ ‘Who Colin Braxton?’ ‘Yeah, one and the same.’ ‘But he’s only just got out from a ten stretch, you sure?’ ‘Absolutely; look, they may have someone inside the bank so don’t go sniffing around asking questions, as they will get to know about it. Apparently there’s a big delivery next week, close on five mill; that’s why they are going for it; one man and a trolley full of dosh.’ ‘Five mill now that is a serious touch.’ ‘To right and have a guess what, one of them is dressing up as a woman and will be outside the bank wheeling a pram with a sawn-off in it; he will be the confrontation with a back-up coming up from behind.’
‘Fuck me Joey you know a lot for not being involved?’ ‘Yeah I know; they asked me, but I said no; I was happy with 10k for the info.’ ‘Just be careful Jim, Braxton is a tasty villain; he’s looking to hop over to Spain after, so he won’t be fucking about.’ ‘Okay Joey what time is the delivery tomorrow?’ ‘10.30 that’s the normal time; there will be loads of people on the street, a couple of shots in the air and everyone will be scattering in confusion; then into a tranny with loot and gone.’ ‘Where’s the change-over vehicle and the slaughter.’ ‘Not sure about the slaughter, the change-over is in the lorry park next to the transport café near the motorway junction.’ ‘Yeah I know it, good man; okay you know what I need; how many handed, shooters, and motors okay?’ ‘See what I can do.’ Jim then gave him a wedge of his own money then went back to HQ’s.
He went into see Langton and explained the potential job, ‘Fuck me Jim nothing like short notice is there.’ ‘He wouldn’t have told me the little shit if I hadn’t have met him.’
‘Okay I’ll ring the crime squad see if they can cover this, we can’t cover it.’ Jim nodded, ‘it will be good to see some of them again.’ Okay can you script this up ASAP; I will need to brief ACC Ops and get his sanction to go with it, at least tomorrow is a dry run so we have some breathing space,’ ‘what if it isn’t? What if that’s what they have told certain people, so if there is someone who is loose mouthed they’ll have the job done and be in the Costa’s sunning it up, whilst the old bill are planning the interception for the following week.’ ‘Good thinking Jim, okay script it up now and I’ll start making calls.’
Jim saw Langton’s secretary and smiled at her as he said ‘you want some now? Some of my dict?’ He sidled up to her. She laughed and said ‘Oh come on then if you must give it to me,’ as she laughed. Jim then dictated the information as he knew it. As he was getting to the amount of money and firearms, she looked at him, ‘this is a big job Jim; I know of Braxton from other reports; he is ruthless.’ ‘I know, he commands a lot of respect.’ The report was finished, although he left out the change-over location as that involved Joey and would complicate matter;, he read it and took Sandy’s hand and kissed the back of it. ‘Thank you once again for taking my dict so quickly and efficiently.’ She coloured up as she ‘Oh bugger off Jim, but you know I always like your dict.’ Sandy liked the light hearted banter; all she got normally was serious stuff from Langton. He laughed at Sandy as he went to Langton’s office; he had anticipated the need for a couple of copies so photo copied couple more off.
He knocked Langton’s door and was called in. He saw Ops there in all his braid. ‘Come in Jim and sit down.’ Ops said ‘we meet again Jim as he shook his hand. Jim had a lot of time for Ops, he had worked his way up through the ranks not one of those university fliers. Jim handed them both a copy of his report.
The room went quiet as they read the report making notes as they did so. Ops said ‘I notice you made mention that your source is not involved in the robbery, although he has played some role, in it?’ ‘Yes I only put that in to show you how close he is although I could leave him out if you want?’ ‘Can you run off another report leaving any mention of him out, just say he’s not involved; and destroy these,’ Jim nodded and took reports then shredded them. He just caught Langton’s secretary before lunch, she quickly rattled off another report leaving out the sources involvement. He then returned handing out the newly typed reports. Langton suggested calling the crime squad and the firearms commander to get the job at least on the radar. Ops nodded and made his way back to his office saying ‘page me when they are all assembled I need to inform the Chief, just so he is aware.’
Chris from the Regional Crime Squad attended and discussed the job; if he was sure it was the right job for the squad, he would script it up; then look at the plot for the team the following day.
Ops had a meeting with the Chief where he discussed the pros and cons of the job. The Chief asked the same question are we sure there is no agent provocateur, or participating informant in this?’ ‘No sir, DS Broadbent has assured me that as far as he is aware it is straightforward information, the Chief
looked side wards at Ops and said ‘as long as there is nothing to come back and bite us?’ ‘Take it as red I will ensure all the t’s are crossed.’ ‘What if it is tomorrow?’ ‘The crime squad have been called, so has firearms Ops, we will cover it tomorrow as if it is a go, and hopefully that will give us a week to set it up properly, I am due to meet them in Langton’s office as soon as they page me.’ With that his pager went off and he excused himself, ‘Can I have your green light sir?’ The Chief just nodded then said ‘Yes.’
The meeting went well; then Chris and the firearms ops headed out to plot the bank and get positions to strike, if the job came off tomorrow.
Jim obtained an up to date picture of Braxton and photocopied a couple for the briefing the next morning. Just as he was putting more paperwork together when he received a call from Joey, ‘must be quick, look it’s a five handed team, Braxton will be the guy with a sawn-off coming from behind; the guy dressed up is Graham Sexton, he will have a sawn off as well, the van driver, and the other two in the rear of the transit will load the loot.’ ‘What colour is the transit?’ ‘An old white one, just like a builders van. That’s it must go.’ ‘Hold up Joey, is tomorrow a dry run still?’ ‘As far as I know, but they are acting funny getting things prepared for the off. So I would cover it tomorrow just in case.’ ‘Fuck me Joey; hold up a minute, is the change over the same location as discussed?’ ‘Look can’t stop, it’s as I told you.’ That was it he was gone.
Jim then waited for Chris to return so he could write up an operation order. He called Jackie informing her he would be late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Colin Braxton was an across the pavement armed robber, he was hard and commanded a lot of respect inside prison, and out; he had seen more bird than an aviary. His favourite weapon was a sawn off, it looked the part and made a lot of noise; also when looking at the wrong end, it was a frightening sight. ‘Point a sawn off at someone and you get instant respect,’ was one of his favourite sayings.
His last job was a disaster; too many people involved which got to the ears of the old bill and the job ended up in an ambush. He had set the job up, a Security van heist; a transit blocked-in front, with another behind, preventing the van reversing; he had jumped out of the front transit and blasted the front windscreen of the Securicor van with his shotgun shattering the screen, but the bullet proofing prevented the shot from penetrating the screen. It was then that the old bill sprung their trap; they arrived in their own transit with more fire power than Braxton’s team had; so they put their hands up. Someone had grassed them up big time. Braxton was seething, although he never did find out who it was. He served a ten stretch for his part; the judge had given him the biggest slice for his life of crime.
This was his big one; he had already bought a place near Marbella in the hills, so this job would see him comfortable for a while. He had also got a tickle going with a prostitution racket, using a couple of local massage parlours with a pimp running them on his behalf; which kept a wedge coming in as well.
The team met in a back room of the Blind Beggar pub, it was a haunt for villains. They huddled around the table. ‘Right I want this job to go down nice and sweet, the shooters are for conformity, don’t go blasting anyone unless they have a serious go. Okay Graham, you looking pretty outside the bank with the pram and sawn off you understand?’ Graham nodded.
‘Pat you drive the tranny, go slowly until the jobs gone down; don’t go drawing attention; we don’t won’t the old bill sniffing around for speeding right?’ Pat nodded ‘understood Col.’ ‘Right we follow the van in and pull up short on the other side of the road and wait for it to unload the cash onto the trolley, then just as it is pulled towards the entrance of the bank, I will jump out of the tranny as Graham pokes the sawn-off under the guards nose, I will come up from behind to ensure no one else interferes. Then Pat, you drive across the road and the two in the back load the trolley into the rear then we pile in the tranny and we’re off, job done; it should take twenty-thirty seconds max, any questions?’ Pat said ‘is the change-over place the same?’ ‘No I’ll tell you where, when we’ve done the job.’
Braxton raised his hand to the barman who poured another round of drinks and placed them on the bar; he sent Pat to bring them over. They raised their glasses and chinked them to a successful job and some well-deserved sun for those going to Spain.
Braxton had arranged for Joey to nick another transit any colour other than white, false plate it; he would let him know when to drop it off at the lorry park; this was an ideal location for the transfer, leaving the keys in a magnetic box under the driver’s side wheel arch would prevent someone having to carry the keys on them and the risk of losing them.
Braxton wanted Pat and the others to believe he had made an alternative location, it would keep them guessing. The last thing he wanted was the old bill there waiting as they changed vehicles.
Braxton got home and kissed his old lady and had a quickie before getting some sleep; not that he could, as he was on edge. His old lady had already packed her essentials, most of her clothes and Colin’s were in the villa in Spain; she would be gone in the morning travelling by cab to the coach station then to Birmingham airport. She would be in the air; on a flight to the sun before his job went off. Colin’s ticket was on kitchen table, he would be joining her after it was all over. She needed his money to keep up the appearance of a villain’s wife. Although towards the end of his ten-stretch she had to draw her horns in a bit, and spend less, as the safety deposit box was nearly empty. No bank accounts for the old bill to snoop around, the money she spent was money from good friends if they asked.
Colin woke up early having caught a couple of hours sleep, he was tired, but his adrenalin was beginning to seep into his system, he could feel the thumping of his heart in his ears as he picked up his happy bag, which contained a pump actioned sawn off, overalls and a mask. Braxton called Joey ‘right mate pick me up now.’ He kissed his old lady goodbye as she got into a cab saying ‘see you in the sun,’ shortly after Joey arrived. ‘Right mate take me to a lock-up and pick up the change-over tranny, I moved it so no one other than me knows where it is; then I will drop you off at the Blind Beggar at 9.30 so the gaffer can see you. Not that I don’t trust you, I just want you where eyes are on you, you understand?’ Joey nodded then said ‘no problems Col or do you want me to take your Missus somewhere?’ ‘Fuck off Joey did you hear what I just said?’ Braxton had an aggressive tone to his voice. ‘Yes mate no probs; Blind Beggar 9.30 I’m there.’ Joey picked up Braxton then drove to the lock-up under his directions. Once there Braxton said ‘right Joey hands up.’ ‘What?’ ‘Put you’re fucking hands up now, do as you’re fucking told.’ Joey put his hands up as Braxton patted him down. ‘Fuck me Colin you are paranoid, you think I’m wired up, what the fuck is going on?’ ‘Sorry mate just suspicious of everyone, since the last job.
‘I was talking to others inside, who said trust no one.’ ‘Do us a favour Colin, me a grass; leave it out son.’ ‘Right you drive the tranny, wear these gloves no traces okay?’ ‘Yeah no probs. Where we going?’ ‘The lorry park.’ ‘Okay see you there, you picking me up? ‘Yep I’ll be behind you.’ ‘Not mercenary Colin, but when do I see my slice?’ ‘Here’s 5k now and 5k on completion, I’ll make sure you get it okay.’ ‘Joey nodded, knowing if it went down he wasn’t going to see the other five.
The drive to the lorry park was uneventful it took about 40 minutes; Joey parked up at the edge of the lorry park so as not to be in the way of the lorries and cause attention, which could have the old bill sniffing around. Once parked up Braxton put the key in a magnetic box and placed under the driver’s side front wheel arch, it clunked as the magnets grabbed hold of the metal.
They dove back to the Blind Beggar which took about the same time. Joey knocked on the pub door just after nine; the landlord came down and said ‘you’re early?’ Braxton watched as the gaffer let him in then gave a thumbs up sign as the gaffer waved ackno
wledging him. ‘You want a coffee Joey?’ ‘Love one please I’m gasping; just milk no sugar.’ ‘What’s this all about anyway Joey, Colin just said make sure you stay here?’ ‘No idea, I think he might be shagging some bird and doesn’t want anyone knowing where she lives; I don’t know could be anything, I think that last stretch did his head in,’ as they both laughed.
What Braxton didn’t know was the crime squad were watching the lock-up where the white transit was hidden and had plotted it up. The adrenalin was now running as all the villains turned up. Chris put a call into Jim ‘fuck me Jim they’re all here, it could be going down today.’ ‘Cheers Chris, keep me updated.’
‘Fuck me guv the full team are at the lock up, it looks like it’s on for today.’ Jim called the firearms team to get them on standby.
Braxton was giving the last of the briefing ‘right I’m telling you all one last time, no one makes any phone calls till we are at the slaughter and then only when the split has been made, you all understand, fucking tell me you all understand?’ There was a mutual agreement rumbling through the team. ‘Right just so as your all clear; Joey is at the Blind Beggar, he is under the eye of the gaffer; so just in case anyone thinks about making a call, I will personally take their fucking knees out, you understand?’ At the same time he racked the action of the pump action sawn off. The look of fear as they all looked at the mad eyes of Braxton said it all. Then all of a sudden Graham came out of the lock-up office in a blonde wig and a dress on, there was raucous laughter from everyone which broke the tension. Pat said ‘me first darling give us a kiss.’
