Prisoner

by Ross Greenwood

  ‘Good luck, sir, and thanks for everything.’

  Nasima’s knock on the hub window grabs our attention. She beckons me in.

  ‘Well, there’s a barricade with two inside on Charlie wing. They’ve decided to go in. They’re looking for enthusiastic men and women to put a hand in the air.’

  I suck the air between my teeth.

  ‘There won’t be too many keen if it involves the Langleys.’

  ‘I told them both of yours were up.’

  ‘You’re very kind.’

  ‘It’s a chance for you to show them who you are.’

  ‘The Langley brothers?’

  ‘Yes. Get over there as fast as you can. They’re fetching the shields and riot gear now. Don’t worry about coming back today. You’ll have paperwork until Christmas when that door opens.’

  ‘Okay.’

  To leave like this is an anticlimax after everything that’s happened. I look down the landings and see the wing officers locking up the last few stragglers before work. It’s quiet, but not too quiet. Just relaxed and calm. I wonder what else I’ll miss. I give Nasima a nod.

  ‘Thanks for your help, ma’am.’

  ‘You too, Dalton. Take your knowledge and experience with you and spread the word. You’ve done your best, and that’s all we can expect from anyone.’ She reaches over and shakes my hand. ‘But we both know it’s time for you to go home.’

  I sling my rucksack over my shoulder and leave the hub. After a final glance and a quick sniff of the air, I hustle over to the men’s side. At least I won’t have to risk hearing Billie’s demands for another two hundred pounds. As I’m approaching the male houseblocks, a young lad is escorting Colt and his gang across to Reception to process their release. Judging by his shiny boots and starched trousers, the officer must be a new guy. Colt sees me and peels off.

  ‘Jimbo! Here to say goodbye! Nice one.’

  ‘Yeah, I wanted to make sure you’d gone. You were getting too comfortable here.’

  ‘True dat.’

  ‘And go and see your sister.’

  ‘Laters, bruv. Call me, innit.’

  The new officer has caught up with Colt.

  ‘Excuse me, sir, you need to come along with us,’ he says to Colt.

  Colt and I share a moment. The newbie sounds eerily similar to C-3PO. Colt leans into the officer’s personal space.

  ‘Or what, super screw? I’m a bad man. You’re going to have to wrap me the fuck up, cos I is free. Get me?’

  Colt turns and winks at me, then trots off after his mates, who are lounging at the doors to Main Street like some kind of boy band from the back streets. I’ll be amazed if they aren’t all in here again within six months. In fact, the only one who probably won’t be present in the prison is that new officer, if he’s smart.

  I open the houseblock doors and chuckle at the heady smell. Home indeed. I walk to the hub.

  ‘Where the fuck have you been, Dalton?’ says SO Bowell with a grin.

  ‘I was just with your wife.’

  ‘Well, it’s a credit to you that you’ve survived the experience. Get suited up, we’re going in when you’re ready. Want to lead?’

  ‘Hell, yeah!’

  I stride to the manager’s office where we usually suit up. Fats and Lennox are in their underwear.

  ‘Did you bring any oil, Dalton?’ says Fats.

  ‘I always carry my special recipe.’

  ‘Gross,’ says a laughing Lennox.

  Chuckling now, I drag off my clothes and pull on a boiler suit. I put my boots back on, then shin and elbow guards, and a stab vest. Finally, the helmet and thick gloves go on, and I’m ready. Bowell walks in with another new officer holding a camcorder aloft.

  ‘Okay, team,’ says Bowell. ‘Team one is Dalton, Fats and Lennox. They’ll take point and aim for the bigger brother, Clay. Team two is Atkins, Taufel and Garvey. Hit the other brother but be aware it will be a mess in there. If you find yourself on the wrong man, don’t worry. Grab an arm, head or leg, and hold on. Smith and Warren are back-up. If you get injured, roll away. I’ll send Smith and Warren in after ten seconds anyway to secure their legs.’

  He pauses and looks around the room into each of our eyes.

  ‘These guys are strong, but together you are stronger. Visors closed. Let’s go.’

  We hustle out of the office into quiet. The male prison is locked down. We double past Braddock, who is swinging on the wing gate that he’s opened for us. I give him a thumbs down as I pass.

  ‘Flatulence,’ he shouts. ‘Doctor signed me off.’

  I line up on the right of the door with Fats and Lennox behind me. We form a V: me at the front with one of them on each shoulder. I raise the shield. Taufel’s team mirrors ours on the other side. The two brothers are in a big cell, but there still won’t be much room in there, and the doorway is only wide enough to let one in at a time. If they’ve got a weapon or anything to throw, the first person in will swiftly discover what it is.

  Bowell looks at me. He has his key out ready and gives me the nod. He opens the door and I charge in with an almighty roar. Clay steps forward and hurls a pool ball, which pounds into my shield. Another one thrown by Bart ricochets off the top of my helmet. I pitch the shield at an angle and stab down towards Clay’s groin. Fats yells at the top of his voice and Lennox’s banshee cry rings in my ear next to me. We thump into the growling prisoner and slam him against the wall. Nasima was right. This is where I belong.

  77

  Four months later

  I double-check the figures are correct for the wings. It’s lunch time bang up in an hour and I need to get out on time to pick up Ivan and Tilly from their grandparents. Abi’s parents moved back last month and they’ve been a great help, despite her dad’s battle with cancer. That’s what made him change his mind about everything. When the end is in sight, money and opinions matter little, you just want to be with the people you love. I guess he’ll have to put up with me at the same time.

  They tried to get back in touch with their son but he wasn’t interested in maintaining ties. Wyatt will be able to add that to his list of regrets later in life.

  Lennox enters the hub.

  ‘Those two from Alpha who went to court are back on the wing, boss,’ she says.

  ‘And Halifax, the hospital escort?’

  ‘No word. He was having some piles removed, so he’ll probably be a while.’

  We both grin. Halifax is inside for breaking his partner’s arm. Last time he was in the prison, he’d broken her nose.

  ‘Let’s hope they forget the anaesthetic.’ Lennox laughs.

  Our eyes meet for that extra moment that means you’re either good mates or attracted to each other. Fats reckons she only bought me that Woody mug because she fancies old people. She leans over me to look at the details and I get a waft of perfume and feel the heat from her proximity. She doesn’t need to be this close, so maybe he’s right. But I’ll take friends. There’ll be no more mistakes. I have too much to lose.

  The hub phone rings.

  ‘Senior Officer Dalton speaking.’

  I listen for a minute with my chin lowering to the floor.

  ‘You are shitting me,’ is all I can eloquently manage.

  I listen further, still stunned.

  ‘Okay, I’ll get him out. We have time if I bring him down myself.’

  I gently place the receiver in its holder. In the last six months, I’ve aged little, yet I’ve changed plenty. Now I’m mature enough to understand what maturity is, I’m surprised by how wrong I was about it. Experience and common sense are not about knowing everything, maturity is actually understanding that you don’t know everything, and you never will. Mistakes will happen, and you will always judge people wrongly. It’s called being human. Knowing that, and acting accordingly, is what makes you a grown-up.

  I leave the hub and lock the door behind me. I reach Delta wing, where a few of the inmates are lounging with their arms through the wing
gates. On this side of the jail, if a new officer tells them to shift, the prisoners will say no and they’ll need to be threatened. Previously, if I’d told them to move, they would have done so grudgingly. With my shiny red badge, I don’t even say anything. They disappear with a look.

  ‘Gronkowski,’ I shout down the landing.

  He pops his head out of the servery, smiles and walks towards me. How his T-shirt hasn’t split apart Hulk-style, I’ll never know. A couple of the YOs stare at him in awe despite the apron looking small and effeminate on him due to his size.

  ‘Yes, boss. Have you come for lunch? Good range today, some of it warm. Maybe even meat in meat pie.’

  ‘Tempting. Are you still saying you’re innocent?’

  ‘Of course. I am no killer.’

  ‘I have news.’

  I search his face for signs of deceit or suspicion, but there has never been any since that incident where he smoked spice and attacked us. It turns out he was a prison officer back in his home country. That was how he knew the rules here, whereas I’d automatically assumed he’d been on the wrong side of the bars. I’d also suspected he was guilty of the crimes he was charged with.

  ‘As you know, the girlfriend of the man who died in your case had regained consciousness but remained semi-vegetative, but she’s talking now. She has given the police a description of the man who battered her and killed her boyfriend.’

  Gronkowski raises his chin as if to take a blow.

  ‘It sounds exactly like you. Strong, maybe six-feet tall.’

  He looks baffled for a moment. I continue.

  ‘Perhaps a bit less. Slim, probably a teenager, and Asian.’

  His lips twitch and he shakes his head repeatedly. He walks backwards, then forwards, then back again. With his huge arms held out to the side, he bellows, ‘It is over? I can go?’

  ‘Yes, the police have dropped all charges against you.’

  ‘Oh, God. My baby, my girlfriend.’ Tears pour down his face. He steps towards me and pulls me into an embrace that threatens to snap my neck like a chicken bone. ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ he bellows at the ceiling, causing everyone to come out of their cells.

  ‘If you pack your stuff quickly, I can get you down to Reception before bang up.’

  ‘Screw my stuff! These guys can have everything. All I want is my freedom.’

  ‘Well, you’ll need your ID card and you should take the photos your girlfriend sent in of the baby for you, and her letters.’

  His enormous smile of complete joy shines from his face like a holy light in this dark place of despair. He pelts down the wing, people scampering out of his way, and leaps up the steps to the top landing, where he punches the air, Rocky-style. I walk along the landing as he disappears into his cell. All the usual goons are hanging over the balconies, trying to look cool or hard, but even they are smiling. Gronkowski was one of the good guys. Who’d have known?

  Gronkowski appears two minutes later with a full carrier bag and runs down the top landing, high-fiving laughing cons on the way. At the gate, Scranton comes out of the laundry room, hands in his trousers pockets, and sneers at him.

  ‘Pissing off, are you? Great. There are too many Russians around here.’

  Gronkowski turns to me.

  ‘Do I have ten seconds?’

  ‘Take as long as you need.’

  Gronkowski drops his bag and shoves Scranton back into the laundry room. The door closes. Eight seconds later, Gronkowski reappears alone and rubbing his knuckles.

  ‘Worth it?’ I ask.

  ‘Totally. I no get in trouble?’

  ‘No, it’s slippery in there. He should be more careful. Scranton may be a dick, but he’s no grass. He knows the rules.’

  I walk Gronkowski off the houseblock. A few of the officers wish him well when I say where he’s going. We walk along Main Street. I can’t help smiling at the energy glowing from him. At the doors to Reception, I stop before I let him through.

  ‘Why did you attack our staff that morning?’

  ‘I am sorry. That is why I knock Scranton out. He gave me spliff. I very upset because I innocent and have baby. It too strong, full of madness, but I smoke it all thinking it stop me acting like asshole. Then remember nothing. Wake up with sore biceps and bad head. Will you accept my apology and tell others?’

  ‘Yes, of course. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. It must be nice to leave this place. But it’s hard to think that you’ve been locked up here for so long when you didn’t do anything wrong. The fact you handled it so well is impressive. It’s tough to live in these conditions under any circumstances. Although I sometimes wonder who has it worse in here: the officers or the prisoners.’

  ‘Then you crazy. You get to sleep with nice pillow, see your woman, eat steak.’

  ‘Yes, but this place has a strange effect on me. My presence still lingers here, even when I’m at home.’

  Now it’s Gronkowski who studies me.

  ‘That is why you are good man. Everyone knows that, even if they not want you knowing. By the way, Gronkowski is pronounced with a v, like in kovski.’

  ‘Really? Why didn’t you say?’

  He laughs as I unlock the door.

  ‘It not important compared to rest of nightmare.’

  We lock hands at the reception desk and I leave, smiling. Didn’t Peabody say something similar when we got his name wrong?

  When I get back to the houseblock, lunch and meds are under way. In the hub after the roll is in, we shake our heads at Gronkowski having spent around six months in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. What happened to being innocent until proven guilty?

  I drive home in my old car. Abi has a posh new Audi, which her parents bought her so she and the kids have something safe and reliable to pootle around in. We could have paid a deposit on a house with that money and got something cheaper, but I think her father wanted to see them in it now he knows his time might be short.

  One of my hub caps came off on the parkway last week. I had to pull over and run across four lanes of traffic to reclaim it. It’s lucky her dad wasn’t driving past, or he’d have been tempted to aim for me.

  When I reach the house, Abi is at the door chatting to one of her friends. I park up and walk towards them. At first, I don’t recognise the woman Abi’s talking to, but then she flicks her hair behind her ear, which shows her pregnant bump, and there’s no mistaking Billie.

  78

  I stumble as I step towards them, causing Abi to look up.

  ‘Did you come home via the pub?’ She laughs, but the smile slips from her face.

  I don’t know what to say, but Billie turns with a huge grin.

  ‘Hey, Dalton. I was just telling your wife we used to work on the same wing. You remember that favour you offered when I said I was moving? Well, I’ve found a place and need a hand.’

  I nod at Abi. ‘Give us a minute.’

  I let out a groan as Abi stares suspiciously at me and shuts the door, leaving Billie staring lovingly my way.

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘You’ve got something of mine.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘My locket.’

  ‘You came here to get that?’

  ‘Yes, I want it. Besides, it’s not like I have a busy schedule.’

  ‘It’s in my car.’

  I walk back to our parking space and sit in the driver’s seat. The chain and locket are hidden in a small storage compartment. Abi loved the spinning ring that I got at the same time. I remove the little box and give it to Billie, who’s standing next to the car.

  ‘I’ll also be needing that money,’ she says.

  ‘Billie, I haven’t got it. Look where we live. We’re not rich.’

  Billie crosses her arms over her bump and taps her foot.

  ‘You are compared to me. You’ve got a home, a wife, a car. I have a bedroom in a bail hostel with three smackheads. You’re pretty fucking rich from where I’m standing.’

  �
��You said that first amount was the last.’

  ‘Yes, but that was before Peabody did a runner. He even moved house, the wanker. My kid needs a cot, a basket, new clothes, nappies, cream, the works, and he’s getting it.’

  ‘It’s a he, then?’

  ‘Yes, they told me at the hospital.’

  Suddenly, I think of Rose-Marie and what she did when backed into a corner.

  ‘The money’s not for an abortion, is it?’

  ‘Are you kidding me? I want this baby. I’ve wanted to love someone that’s not going to reject me ever since I can remember. Now I finally have that chance.’

  My anger vanishes at that harsh truth.

  ‘Why don’t you ask Sandringham’s family for help?’

  She snorts air up through her nose and forces it back out.

  ‘I didn’t tell anyone it was his. They might want to get involved and I don’t want that. I’ll raise it my way.’

  She pauses and lifts up the right leg of her tracksuit bottoms. A plastic monitor, about the same size as a man’s sports watch, is around her ankle.

  ‘To be fair to the prison, they got me out on tag, so I’ll keep to my side of the bargain. I have to stay in the hostel from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., or I get recalled. When the baby arrives, they’ve found me a room in a place which just has young mums in it. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Please help me, Dalton.’

  ‘I can’t.’

  The hard look that she returned from HMP Styal with appears again.

  ‘You have to. This is definitely the last time. Tara’s got a job at Amazon. She tried to return to her old career but couldn’t do it. Said she thought of you.’

  I can’t help smiling. Good for her.

  ‘Did she get her money back from that bloke?’

  ‘I went around to see that dirty old twat who nicked her cash. Gave him the word. He’s up to date now. Kitty has a position lined up at a factory for when she gets out. It’s some kind of rehabilitation thing. We’re going to be fine, but I need a little handout now. Don’t forget, you were in a position of responsibility. I bet female prisoners are always flirting with the officers, even the old ones. If you don’t want anyone to find out about your lack of control, or how you forced yourself on me, then get the money out and ring me on this number by tomorrow.’