The five prisoners sat together in a cell at Tooting police station. They felt an mixture of excitement and fear as they waited.
29 year old Will and 23 year old Peter were co-defendants who’d committed an aggravated burglary together. Winston was a Jamaican crack dealer. Scouse Joe was a skinny junkie from Liverpool who’d been nicked for pick pocketing a ladies purse from her handbag. And Jamie was a 21 year old homeless person who’d been remanded in custody for shoplifting a sandwich.
The five prisoners were being held in police custody because the London remand centres were full to breaking point, and were seriously overcrowded. It was late in 2004 and over a period of many years, Britain’s prison population had continued increasing.
The prisoners were being held on a small corridor that had three cells on it, and also a toilet and shower room. The cell doors were open all day so that the five prisoners could mix together, and the corridor had a barred gate at its entrance that was kept locked. Every half an hour like clockwork a police officer would come to the barred gate to check on the prisoners.
The policeman who came next was a new recruit called Max. “You alright lads?” Max called through the gate.
The five prisoners tensed apprehensively. 29 year old Will stepped out of the cell he shared with his co-defendant Peter, and looked at Max through the barred gate and said, “Yeah guv, we’re alright.”
Max smiled and asked, “Where’s all the others?”
“They’re in my cell playing cards.”
Max smiled again, “Ok mate. I’ll check you all again later. Enjoy your game.”
Will forced a little grin to try and hide his nervousness, “Ok guv.”
Max then walked through the empty room next the cell corridor, down another short corridor and into the main part of the station, where the desk sergeant Brian was seated with two other officers behind the counter.

As soon as Max had left, the five prisoners sprang into action. They quickly went into the corridor. Peter, Will’s co-defendant stood watch beside the barred gate.
In the middle of the cell corridor was an old sash cord window with bars in front of it. Will took the junior hacksaw that had been smuggled in beneath a kebab in a box that Will’s girlfriend had brought on a visit. And Will frantically began sawing through one of the bars on the window. To mask and drown out the sound of the bar being sawn, Winston turned up his radio and blasted out dance music on Kiss Fm.
The prisoners had planned the escape after another police officer had innocently let slip that the CCTV camera pointing down the corridor they were on, wasn’t working. The part of the police station they were being held in needed renovation and the electrics needed rewiring. Which was why the CCTV camera wasn’t working. The part of the station the remand prisoners were in had actually been shut down for a while, but they’d had to open it for holding prisoners, due to the crisis of the London remand centres being so overcrowded.
After less than a minute one of the bars had been sawn through at the bottom. Will then started sawing through the same bar, but about three feet higher, and a minute later he’d sawn through it and the bar came away in his hand. The prisoners then grinned at each other and Winston said, “Wicked.”
Will pushed the sash cord window up and Winston said, “Try an’ get through.”
Will then pushed his head through and squeezed his shoulders and chest through as well, before pulling back and saying, “I can get through it…You try.”
Winston looked unsure. Will was tall and slim, but Winston was shorter and stocky in build, with a broad chest and shoulders. “I don’t think I’m gonna get through that man,” Winston said.
“Try,” Said Will.
Winston tried to squeeze his shoulders and chest through, but got stuck and pulled himself back and said, “We gonna need to saw through another bar to make the gap wider.”
Will looked nervously at Peter who was tensely keeping watch at the gate. Will realised that they would need to take out another bar for Peter as well, as Peter was short, but chubby. Will then handed the hacksaw to Winston and said, “You do it.”
Winston sawed through both ends of a bar in in just ninety seconds. Now the two bars were removed, they all looked at each other excited.
“Lets go,” Said Will, “You go out first Winston.”
“Cool,” Said Winston, and he squeezed easily through the bars and out of the window onto the police station yard.
“You go next,” Will said to scouse Joe, who smiled and said, “Nice one.”
After Joe was out, Jamie the homeless guy climbed out and it was just Will and his co-defendant Peter left.
“You go next Pete,” Will said grinning.
But Peter suddenly said, “I’m not going.”
“What?” Will asked confused.
“I’m not going.”
“Are you mad?” Will asked, “You could be lookin’ at seven years for aggravated burglary. You’ve got a chance to be free now.”
“I can’t go man,” Peter said wondering if he was going crazy.
“Why?” Will asked pained.
“I can’t got on the run,” Peter said again, “Kerry’s pregnant. Where could we go? I just wanna do my time an’ get it over with.”
Will knew time was running out and he had to get out before Max checked up on them again, “Ok man, whatever, but I’m going.”
“Go then,” Said Peter, then they suddenly stepped towards each other and hugged.
“I love ya man,” Said Will, and he kissed Peter on the neck.
“I love ya too man,” Said Peter, feeling like he was going to cry.
“I gotta go,” Will said, and moments later he climbed out through the bars and onto the yard where the other three inmates were waiting.
There was a parked police car on the yard, right next to the wall, the other side of which was the street. The four escaped prisoners climbed onto the bonnet, then the roof of the car and over the wall, then they all quickly fled.
Back in the corridor, Peter picked up Winston’s radio, which was still blasting out dance music, and he lowered the volume and took it into his cell. He laid down with tears in his eyes and wondered if he was going mad. He also wondered if he was a fool for not taking his chance to escape. His solicitor had previously told him to expect anything from three to seven years for the aggravated burglary he’d committed. For a moment he thought about climbing through the bars and escaping after all. But then he decided to stay and he suddenly felt a sense of peace, and he knew in his heart he’d made the right choice.

When Max came back to check on the prisoners, half an hour after he’d last checked, he stood at the gate and said loudly, “Alright guys.”
Peter heard him but didn’t answer.
“Guy’s,” Max said again, but got no reply.
Max suddenly sensed something was wrong. He opened the gate and walked down the small corridor, stopping at Peter’s open cell. He smiled at Peter and asked, “Where is everyone?”
“They’ve gone guv,” Peter answered quietly.
Max smiled again, feeling slightly confused, and asked, “Are they playing cards in the other cells?”
“I’m sorry guv…They’ve gone.”
Max suddenly felt a sense of panic and he looked in the other cells and was confused to see them empty. And as he stood in the empty corridor he suddenly saw the missing bars and open window.
“Shit,” Max blurted, and he ran back out of the corridor, through the empty room and through the other little corridor, before arriving in the main part of the station, and Max shouted, “Four of the prisoners have escaped.”
“What?” Asked Brian the desk sergeant.
“Four of the prisoners have escaped.”
Brian and the two other policemen with him stood up quickly, and Brian asked, “How?”
“They’ve sawn through the bars in the corridor.”
“Jesus,” Said Brian, “We’re bang in trouble.”

Two weeks after being remanded in custody, Peter appeared back at South Western magistrates court, where he was due to have his case committed to The Old Baily for sentencing.
John, Peter’s solicitor came to visit Peter in the cells beneath the court and spoke to Peter through the hatch in the cell door. “Good news,” He beamed smiling at Peter, “The police are no longer objecting to bail.”
Peter raised his eyebrows stunned and asked, “Why?”
John smiled again and said, “It seems the police have softened towards you for doing the right thing and not escaping when you had a chance to. They trust you now.”
Half hour later Peter stood in the dock and the prosecutor outlined the details of Peter’s case, telling the magistrate that Peter had committed an aggravated burglary with an accomplice at a mansion in Richmond, Surrey, in the early hours of the morning.
“Is there any objection to bail?” Asked the magistrate.
“No your honour,” Answered the prosecutor.
The magistrate looked at Peter sternly and said, “Peter Philips I am committing your case to The Old Baily for sentencing. Until then I am releasing you on unconditional bail.”
Kerry, Peters girlfriend who was six and a half months pregnant, and who was sitting in the public gallery, burst into tears of joy and Peter looked at the magistrate and said, “Thank you your honour…Thank you so much.”
The magistrate smiled slightly and Peter’s solicitor came over to the dock and shook hands with Peter and said, “It will probably take at least a few months before you get a court date at the Baily, so hopefully you’ll get to see your child being born.”
Peter’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears of emotion and he said, “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

That night Peter and Kerry had a Chinese take away meal in their flat, then they sat on the sofa, Peter with a glass of beer and Kerry with a glass of wine.
Kerry said, “I don’t know if I should be drinking while I’m pregnant.”
Peter smiled, “Its ok occasionally, and in moderation. Plus its just a treat to celebrate. I can’t believe the magistrate give me bail man.”
Kerry smiled, “I know. That was a right result. I’m so glad you didn’t escape with Will. It would have just got worse. You’d have been in so much more trouble.”
Peter took a mouthful of beer and said, “My brief says that it will probably take at least a few months before my case comes up for sentencing at the Baily. I’ll definitely be at the birth when our kids born.”
Kerry took a sip of wine and said, “I don’t feel so bad about it all now. When you first got nicked, it was a real shock, I was devastated, but now I’m starting to get my head around it. Your solicitor says you’ll get between three and seven years, so lets say you get a five stretch, if you behave, you could be out in less than two.”
“Yeah, its not that long is it?”
“Nah,” Kerry smiled, “Two years will fly by.”

Will was smoking crack with Jenny in their top floor council flat, four floors up. Their kids were in bed. Will looked out of their living room window at a white van parked down below in the street.
“Do ya think our flat is under surveillance?” Will asked.
“I don’t think so,” Jenny replied, putting another small piece of crack on the glass crack pipe.
“That van looks dodgy,” Will said, “Do you think there’s old Bill in it pointin’ cameras at our flat?”
“I don’t think so babe. You’re just getting’ paranoid now.”
Will turned away from the window and Jenny handed him the pipe and said, “Have another lick babe.”
Will took the pipe and stroked the flame of his lighter over the piece of crack and sucked the smoke into his lungs. He then went over to the window again, Whilst Jenny prepared a pipe for herself.
“That vans puttin’ me on edge man. Its bin parked there for days. I swear there’s cozzers in it watchin’ us.”
“Babe, your just bein’ paranoid,” Jenny said before smoking the pipe. She then said, “Can you stay the night babe?”
Will turned away from the window to look at Jenny and said, “I can’t babe. If the police are watchin’ this place, they could raid us in the mornin’. That’s why I’m stayin’ with my uncle Frank. I gotta be out of here in an hour, by five. Old Bill usually raid people about six in the mornin’.”
Jenny sighed, “Ol babe, I really wish you could stay the whole night an’ sleep in our bed.”
“I know babe. I just can’t take the chance. I don’t wanna get nicked. I’d rather be dead than go back to prison.”

Peter went to South Thames college in Wandsworth, where he was studying filmmaking. He went to his tutor Paul’s office and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Said Paul.
Peter opened the door and sheepishly entered and Paul immediately raised his eyebrows and said, “Hello stranger.”
“Alright Paul,” Peter replied.
“Where you been? I ain’t seen you for over two weeks. I’ve tried phoning you several times but your phone was switched off.”
“I’ve been in jail,” Peter said quietly.
Paul raised his eyebrows again and half smiled, “What, did you rob a bank or something?”
“No. I robbed some people in their mansion.”
“Shit. What did you do that for man? You on drugs or something?”
“Nah, but it’s a long story.”
“Tell me man. I’m curious.”
Peter took a deep breath and said, “Well basically one of my old pals asked me to do a job with him. And I said yeah. I didn’t really wanna do it, but I dunno why I did. I just couldn’t really say no to him.”
“Did he force you?”
“Nah, nah, nothin’ like that. He just asked me and like I said, for some reason I just couldn’t say no…I’m not blamin’ him though. But I was just too weak to not get involved.”
Paul suddenly sighed and said, “I’m disappointed with you man. I thought you’d dropped out.”
“I am gonna drop out. I just came to say goodbye. I really wanted to complete the course, but I won’t be able to. I’m on bail at the moment, but in three or four months I’ll probably be at The Old Baily for sentencing. My brief reckons I’ll get between three and seven years.
“Don’t drop out,” Paul said firmly, “Keep attending the course till you go to court. Have faith, anything could happen in court. And I don’t mind attending court to give you a character reference.”
Peter smiled slightly, “Thanks man.”
“Like I said…Keep attending the course. The worst thing you can do while you wait to go to court is sit around doing nothing. You need to get your mind off it and get it focussed on something.”

Nearly three months had passed since Will escaped from Tooting police station. It was now half past two in the morning. Will entered the back garden of a very large house in a private road in Kingston, Surrey.
He tried a back door handle and it immediately opened. Will smiled slightly at his stroke of luck. It never ceased to amaze him at how lapse some people were with their security. He’d lost count of the amount of unlocked back doors and windows he’d found in all the years he’d been a criminal.
Will stepped through the door into a very large, open plan kitchen. He opened some drawers looking for a large knife to arm himself with, then he found a large meat cleaver, which he picked up. He was wearing a balaclava like a hat, then he lowered it to mask his face, leaving only his eyes and mouth showing.
Will then crept up the large winding staircase. He quietly opened four of the doors leading to bedrooms and saw no one in them. Then he opened a fifth door that led to the master bedroom and he could see the shape of a couple in bed. He switched on the bedroom light and said loudly, “Wake up.”
Malcolm, the middle aged man in the bed sat up suddenly, feeling disorientated and said in a posh voice, “Oh my god.”
Jennifer the lady in bed stirred and opened her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming, then she looked at Will in the menacing balaclava and clutching the meat cleaver. She gasped in shock.
“Who are you?” Malcolm asked.
“Don’t worry about who I am,” Said Will, “Is anyone else in the house?”
“No, It’s just us,” Malcolm said, rubbing his eyes to wake up more, “Our children are at their grandparents for the night.”
“Where’s yer safe?” Will asked.
“Pardon,” Answered Malcolm.
“Where’s yer safe?” Will asked again.
Malcom said, “We haven’t got a safe.”
“I’m gonna ask you one more time,” Said Will, “An if you don’t tell me where yer safe is I’m gonna bury this meat cleaver in yer neck.”
Jennifer sat up in bed and suddenly burst into tears and Malcolm said, “Steady on old chap. I’m being honest with you. We haven’t got a safe.”
“Where do you keep yer cash an’ jewellery?” Will asked.
“I keep a thousand pounds for emergencies in a tin in the kitchen, and my wife keeps her jewellery in that jewellery box on the dressing table there,” Malcolm said pointing to it.
“Ok,” Said Will, “What’s that watch you’ve got on?”
“It’s a Rolex,” Malcolm answered.
“Take it off,” Will said, “And what’s the watch yer wife’s wearin’?”
“It’s a Rolex as well,” Said Malcolm.
“Take it off,” Will said to Jennifer.
Jennifer started sobbing even louder and Will scowled and said to her, “Take yer rings off as well, an’ yer earings.”
Jennifer stared at Will a moment frozen and Will said firmly, “Now…Rings an’ earings.”
Jennifer sobbed and touched one of the rings she had on, which was a diamond and ruby ring and she said, “This was my mothers ring. She died of cancer three months ago.”
Will stared at Jennifer a moment without speaking, then he asked, “What’s the other two rings yer wearin’?”
My engagement ring and a platinum wedding ring.”
“Take those off then,” Said Will, “But you can keep the one yer mum gave you.”
Jennifer sobbed again then said, “Thank you. Thank you.”
Will gave a little sigh and said partly to himself, “I must be goin’ bloody soft.”

It was about three’o’clock in the morning when Kerry woke up with a feeling of discomfort in her stomach. Moments later she felt her waters break and the bed was soaking wet. She sat up feeling slightly panicked then woke Peter beside her.
“What’s the matter?” Peter asked, groggily and half asleep.
“I’m going into labour.”
Peter suddenly sat up and asked, “You sure?”
“Yeah, my waters have broke.”
Peter grabbed his phone on the bedside cabinet and said, “I’ll call a cab.”
Twenty-five minutes later they arrived at St Georges hospital in Tooting. In reception Peter told one of the staff that Kerry was going into labour. The receptionist then called a staff member and they sat Kerry in a wheelchair and wheeled her to the labour ward, whilst Kerry clutched her stomach with one hand and held Peters hand with the other.
Six hours later whilst Kerry lay on a bed, Peter and Kerry’s son arrived and moments later one of the midwives placed the baby on Kerry’s chest and Peter burst into tears, so overwhelmed with emotion. It felt like the most amazing thing he’d ever seen and the memory would stay with him for the rest of his life.
After another couple of minutes, one of the midwives cut the umbilical cord and they cleaned up the baby, weighed him, and the scales said eight pounds. A midwife then wrapped the baby in a towel and looked at Peter smiling and said, “Would you like to hold him daddy?”
It was the first time anyone had ever called Peter that, and he felt his eyes well up with tears of emotion again, and he said, “Yeah.”
The midwife handed the baby to Peter and Peter immediately kissed the baby’s forehead and said, “I love you son.”
Peter then looked at Kerry, who was beaming, and Peter grinned back and both of them felt like they were in heaven.

TO BE CONTINUED

At 5 Pm, 29 year old Will and his 23 year old co-defendant Peter, were sitting in one of the cells with about 30 other prisoners at Lambeth holding cells.
Several times a prison officer opened the door and called the names of small groups of prisoners, who were then taken to remand centres or police stations.
After a while just Will and Peter were left in the cells with three other inmates.
A Jamaican inmate called Winston looked at them all and said, “I gotta feelin’ we all gonna end up in police custody.”
“Whad’ya mean?” Will asked.
“Most of da remand centres are full,” Winston continued, “Prison overcrowding, so a lot of remand prisoners are being held in police stations. Jails are more overcrowded since they shut down two of the wings in The Scrubbs. They doin’ repairs as the wings were smashed up in da recent riot there.”
Joe, a skinny junkie from Liverpool joined in the conversation and said, “Well listen guys…On a positive note, it looks like we’re gonna end up in police custody. Which is good man. Police stations are much more cushy than remand centres. The last police station I was in we could have unlimited visits each day…They let us make untold phone calls…An’ we could have food brought in and money, so we were sending the gavvers out to get us pizzas, KFC, Kebabs an’ chocolate…It was a doddle in there.”
“What about gear?” Asked Will.
“No problem,” Replied Joe, “Sometimes after a visit the police would just do a rub down, an’ sometimes they didn’t even bother doing that…An’ there were no strip searches. My bird was bringing me wraps of heroin an’ I was chasin’ it in the cells.”
“Didn’t they smell it?” Asked Will.
“I dunno man,” Joe continued grinning, “I just kept spraying deodorant around the cell sometimes to mask it.”
“What about puff?” Asked Peter, joining the conversation.
“We were getting puff as well,” Said Joe, “But we didn’t smoke it. We just got stoned by eating little bits of it now an’ then.”
They all laughed and Peter said, “Sensible.”
After a pause Winston looked at Will and Peter and asked, “What you guys in for?”
“Aggravated burglary,” Answered Will, “We broke into a mansion in Richmond in the early hours of the mornin’ an’ made the owners open their safe.”
Winston grinned and said, “Wicked.”
Then Will asked Winston, “What you in for?”
Winston grinned again, “Sellin’ crack, plus possession of firearms. Bullman raided my yard an’ I get ketch with half ounce of white, an’ they found me handgun under da floorboards.”
Winston then looked at Joe, the skinny junkie from Liverpool and asked, “What you in for?”
Joe grinned and said, “Pick pocketing. Undercover police were following me an’ nabbed me when I dipped a woman’s handbag on the tube.”
“Wicked,” Grinned Winston again. He then looked at Jamie, who was wearing jeans with rips in them, odd socks and boots with no laces, and Winston asked him, “What you in for?”
Jamie, who was only 21, looked nervous and replied, “Shop lifting.”
“Whad’ya teeth?” Winston asked.
“A sandwich from a supermarket,” Jamie replied suddenly blushing.
Will frowned, “What…They remanded you in custody just for that?”
“They said they had to remand me in custody because I ain’t got an address to be bailed to.”
Wills frown deepened, “Why ain’t ya got an address?
“I’m homeless,” Jamie replied looking more embarrassed.
Will shook his head and said, “That’s rough man. Puttin’ you in jail, just for nickin’ a sandwich.”
The five of them pause a moment in silence and the cell door was suddenly opened and a prison officer said, “Right lads we’re taking you to a police station in South London.”
“Whereabouts in South London guv?” Asked Will.
“Tooting,” Answered the prison officer.
“Yes,” Will said euphorically.
Peter also smiled and said, “Just up the road from where we live. Do ya think they’ll let us have a visit there tonight guv?”
I don’t see why not,” Said the officer, “They’ll let you make a phone call when you get there, so you can contact a friend or relative and let them know where you are.”

When they arrived at the police station there were half a dozen police officers in the custody area to great them. The sergeant, a middle aged, overweight, bearded man called Brian said, “Right lads, you know you’re remanded in police custody because the London remand centres are full. We’ll try to look after you as best as we can here. We’ll let you make phone calls, have visits, and let you have a bit of exercise on the yard every day to get a bit of fresh air.
“If you don’t give us any trouble,” Continued Brian, “We won’t give you any trouble. Treat us with respect, and we’ll treat you with respect…Any questions?”
Will asked, “Would we be able to have a visit tonight guv?”
“Yes,” Answered Brian.
Peter then asked, “Can we have a phone call to let people know we’re here?”
“Yes,” Brian replied and again added, “We’ll let you have visits in some of the interview rooms and we’ll be housing you in part of the station that’s been shut down for a while as they’re doing some building work and electrical rewiring soon.
“There’s a row of three cells on a corridor. Four of you will have to share two to a cell, and one of you will be in a cell on your own. But we’ll keep the cells open all day so you can mix together and get a little bit of space. But we’ll keep the gate locked at the end of the corridor that the cells are on. There’s also a toilet and shower room on the corridor. Basically guys we’ll just leave you alone, and just check up on you guys every half an hour to check you ain’t escaped or killed each other.”
Everyone laughed or smiled.

The prisoners were each given a phone call and after Will and Peter had notified their girlfriends, Jenny and Kerry arrived together. The police officers let them into different rooms, Jenny and Will in one and Kerry and Peter in the other.
As soon as Kerry sat down she burst into tears and said to Peter, “Why did you commit this crime? I thought you weren’t doing crime anymore. You were doing so well. You were at college and we were getting ready to have a baby.”
“I’m sorry babe,” Peter said with tears in his eyes.
“Its no good saying sorry,” Kerry said still crying, “Its too late for that. You could end up getting seven years…Our child’s gonna grow up just seeing you on prison visits every two weeks.”
“You’re gonna stick by me then?” Peter asked still fighting back tears.
“Of course I’m gonna stick by you,” Kerry replied sobbing, “I’m having your baby.”
Peter suddenly broke down in tears and they stood up and hugged each other. “I’m so sorry darling,’” Peter sobbed, “I swear to God that I’ll never ever commit another crime again.”

In the next room Will and Jenny sat opposite each other. Will looked around the room suspiciously and said quietly, “Do ya think they’re taping us?”
Jenny looked around and said, “I don’t think so.”
Will continued speaking quietly, “You don’t think the copper sitting outside the door can hear us do ya?
“Nah,” Said Jenny, “Not if we speak quietly.”
They stared at each other a moment in silence then Jenny said, “Kerry’s in bits. She cried all the way up ‘ere in the cab.”
Will didn’t answer and Jenny continued, “Peter’s not gonna be there when she gives birth in three months.”
Will sighed and ran his hand through his dark cropped hair, “I know man, I feel terrible.”
They both pause in thought, then Jenny asked, “What about us? What am I gonna do for money while you’re away?”
“You can sell my car,” Said Will.
“How much will I get for that?”
“About three or four grand.”
“Well that won’t last long. I’m gonna be visiting you an’ I guess you’re gonna want me to bring you gear each time.”
“Did ya bring anything this time?” Will asked desperately.
“Just puff,” Said Jenny.
Will grinned, “How much?”
“Just a quarter.”
Will then looked at the door and said even quieter, “Give it to me now.”
Jenny also looked nervously towards the door then pulled out the quarter ounce of cannabis resin from her bra, gave it to Will who immediately put his hand down the back of his trousers and pushed the cling film wrapped narcotic up his anus.
Will then grinned again and said, “Maybe you can bring us up some E’s one day.”
Jenny looked at him wearily and said, “Ok.”
A pained expression suddenly appeared on Wills face and he asked, “How are the kids?”
“Gutted,” Jenny replied equally as pained, “They can’t believe you’re back in jail again.”

During the next four days the five prisoners got into the routine. They went on the yard twice a day for half an hour each time. Three of them would be handcuffed together and two of them together. It wasn’t a secure yard like a prison, so the police would have to take precautions and three of them sat out on the yard whilst the prisoners walked, and there was also a police dog present.
The prisoners had visits each day, except Jamie the homeless guy, as he didn’t have any family or friends.
Will and Peter were visited by their girlfriends Jenny and Kerry each afternoon and evening, and the police let them have a half hour visit each time.
Will, Winston and scouse Joe smuggled drugs from their visits, and all the prisoners ate little bits of the cannabis resin now and then. It made them all feel relaxed. And Joe was also smuggling wraps of heroin his girlfriend brought up and he was chasing it on silver foil Kit Kat wrappers and he was so glad that none of the other prisoners took heroin, so he didn’t have to share it.

One Saturday night, four of the prisoners had put some money together and decided to order a bargain bucket of KFC. 21 year old Jamie seemed a bit embarrassed as he couldn’t contribute anything, but Winston smiled at him and said, “Don’t worry yute…We love ya.”
Jamie smiled sheepishly and Will ruffled Jamie’s hair affectionately and said, “You’re one of us mate. We’ll look after ya.”
Jamie smiled again.
When the police officer Gordon came to collect the money for the KFC Will suddenly asked grinning, “Eh guv, if I give you the money I don’t suppose you could get us all a can of beer each could ya?
Gordon raised his eyebrows surprised then frowned and said, “This is a police station lad, not The Ritz hotel.”
“Ah come on guv,” Pleaded Will, “Just a can of beer each…It’s Saturday night.”
Gordon looked unsure, then said, “Let me ask Brian the sergeant.”
A couple of minutes later Gordon came back with a smile on his face and said to Will through the barred gate at the start of the cells corridor, “Serge said yes lads. We’ll get you a can of beer each to go with your KFC…But this is a one off only. And don’t tell a soul that we let you drink beer in this police station.”
The guys all smiled and Winston the crack dealer put his fist through the barred gate and Gordon touched fists with him and Winston said, “Respect guvnor.”

Gordon came back to the police station with the KFC and five cans of Fosters for the prisoners.
The five of them sat in Will and Peter’s cell and they all tucked into the chicken and fries, which they washed down with the lager.
Winston said, “I never thought I’d be eating fried chicken an’ drinkin’ lager in a police cell.”
They all smiled and Will then said, “I’ve gotta surprise for you all.”
“What?” Asked Peter.
“We’re all gonna be raving in a police station,” Said Will.
“Whad’ya mean? Asked Winston.
Will suddenly put his hand down the front of his boxer shorts and produced five pills in cling film.
“Know what these are?” Will asked them all grinning.
Peter looked stunned with surprise and asked, “Is it ecstasy?”
“Yeah,” Grinned Will, “I wanted to surprise you all. Jenny brought them up today.”
“Wicked,” Grinned Winston, “Lets tune our radios to Kiss FM an’ let da ravin’ begin.”

Like clockwork Gordon the police officer came to the gate at the start of the cell corridor half an hour after giving the prisoners KFC and lager. The inmates were blasting out dance tunes on Kiss and were milling around in the corridor.
“How was the beer guys?” Asked Gordon.
“Pucker,” Said Will.
When Gordon appeared at the gate half hour later again he was stunned to see the five inmates dancing around like nutters. The ecstasy pills had now taken full effect.
“You alright lads?” Gordon asked raising his voice to be heard above the music.
“We cool guv,” Grinned the Jamaican Winston.
Will then came closer to the barred gate and said, “Eh guv, I wanna tell ya something.”
Gordon smiled and said, “What, you’re not going to confess to any crimes are you?”
“No guv,” Will replied.
“Then what do you want to tell me?”
Will grinned with his eyes shining sensuously and said, “I wanna tell you that I love ya.”
Gordon looked stunned again and Winston also grinned and said, “I love you as well guv.”
Gordon suddenly laughed and said, “You light weights. You’ve only had one can of lager and you’re drunk.”
When Gordon went back to the reception area he said to the sergeant Brian, “You won’t believe this. Two of the prisoners just told me they love me.”
Brian raised his eyebrows and Gordon continued, “They’re dancing round the corridor like nutters. Listening to house music on their radios. They’ve only had one can each.”
Brian paused in thought a moment then said, “Do you think they’re on something else?”
“Don’t know serge. They might be. They’re dancing like lunatics.”
“Do you think we should search them?
Gordon thought a moment then said, “Nah, Just leave them alone. They’re not harming anyone.”

When Gordon came back again about half hour later to check on the prisoners they were still dancing round the corridor.
Gordon looked through the barred gate and Will smiled at him again and asked, “Guv, why do ya need to keep checking up on us? Can’t you just see us on the camera?”
Will then pointed to the CCTV camera above the gate in the corner of the wall pointing down the corridor.
“It don’t work,” Gordon said smiling.
“What?” Will asked wondering if he’d heard right.
“The camera don’t work,” Gordon said again, “ This part of the building needs refurbishment and a lot of the electrics need rewiring. That’s why the CCTV in the corridor ain’t working.”
Will was so happy to hear this information that if he could of squeezed his head through the barred gate he would have kissed Gordon. And when Gordon left, Will quickly addressed the four other prisoners and asked, “Who wants to escape with me?”
“Escape?” Asked Winston, “How we gonna do that?”
Will walked over the to the old sash cord window in the middle of the corridor. There was a row of thick metal bars in front of it. And Will said, “We’re gonna saw through these bars, then climb out the window.”
Scouse Joe looked confused and said, “I thought of that, but they’re watching us through the camera in the corner. If we started sawing through the bars they’d see us.”
Will grinned and said, “The camera don’t work. This part of the station needs rewiring.”
“How do ya know that? Joe asked.
“Didn’t ya just hear me talkin’ to the copper?”
“Nah,” Joe answered, “I was just listening to the radio tunes.”
Winston suddenly felt excited, which was even more euphoric because he was buzzing on the ecstasy pill, and he said, “We’re gonna need a hacksaw to saw tru the bars. How we gonna get one?
“Don’t worry,” Grinned Will, “I’ll think of something.”

The next night Jenny came up to visit Will. It was her second visit that day as she’d visited him in the afternoon and Will had told her the plan. When Gordon, who was on duty again, opened the old interview room for Jenny and Will to have their visit in, Jenny said to Gordon, “I’ve bought up a couple of kebabs for Will and Peter. Can you give this to Peter now so It don’t get cold?”
“Sure,” Said Gordon as Jenny handed him one of the polystyrene boxes.
After Gordon had shut Will and Jenny in the room, he took the Kebab to the corridor and called Peter through the barred gate.
Peter came out of his cell and came to the gate and Gordon said, “Your mates girlfriend bought you a kebab.”
“Thanks,” Said Peter looking tense.
Gordon suddenly opened the lid of the box and said, “Mmm. Looks nice.”
Peter froze with fear and Gordon asked, “Can I have a bit of your meat?”
“Ok,” Peter said tensely.
Gordon picked out a slice of Donner meat and ate it and said, “The chilli sauce is lovely.”
Gordon then closed the box and handed it through the barred gate and Gordon said smiling, “Enjoy your meal.”
Peter then took the box now feeling terrified and Gordon suddenly looked concerned and asked, “Are you alright lad?”
“Yeah,” Peter replied tensely, “I’ve just got a bit of a headache.”
“Oh, ok,” Gordon said, “Just eat your meal and I’ll see if I can get you a couple of Anadin.”
“Thanks,” Peter said still tense.
Peter walked back into his open cell and Winston, Joe and Jamie looked at him with wide eyed expectation. Peter immediately opened the Kebab box, lifted out the Kebab and beneath the pitta bread was a junior hacksaw which Peter held up for the others to see.
Winston grinned and said, “Wicked. We’re out of here.”

TO BE CONTINUED

Lilly was dressed for work. She was wearing a mini skirt, high heeled stilettoes and a low cut top that revealed her cleavage. In her handbag she had twelve condoms, a purse, a phone, door keys, sweet tick tacks, chewing gum, a packet of win gums and some folded tin foil for smoking heroin.
It had been a week since Lilly was attacked by a client, so her black eye had now faded. She was twenty-five years old and with her curvaceous figure and long curly dark hair she looked like she could be a model, apart from the greyish tinge to her complexion and the slightly vulnerable and haunted looking persona.
Right now Lilly was seated in a quiet café in Penge, South East London, a multicultural urban area that was a mix of wealthy and poor people. The area was buzzing, beautiful and edgy.
Lilly used a teaspoon to shovel the fresh whipped cream on top of her hot chocolate into her mouth. After a few spoonful’s of it she stirred the rest of the cream into the hot chocolate then sipped it from the mug.
Lilly watched Rita, a middle aged black woman take a final sip of her coffee, stand up and put a pound tip on her table, then start walking to the door. Lilly looked away, then surprised looked up as Rita stopped beside her, smiled and said, “Would you like to come to my church barbecue?”
“What?”
Rita smiled again and repeated, “Would you like to come to my church barbecue?”
Lilly half laughed feeling a mixture of shock and surprise, then said, “I don’t do church.”
“Why’s that?” Rita asked still smiling.
“Why’s that?” Lilly answered struggling to find the right words, “Lets just say I’m too bad for church.”
“No ones too bad for church,” Rita said with certainty.
“Trust me,” said Lilly, “I really am.”
“So what’s so bad about you then?”
“You really wanna know?”
Rita smiled again and said, “Yeah.”
Lilly looked self consciously around the café, then speaking more quietly said, “I’m a drug addicted prostitute.”
Rita smiled again, “I used to be addicted to drugs…And I got a seven years sentence for trying to smuggle cocaine into the country.”
Lilly raised her eyebrows in shock and surprise, “But you’re a Christian.”
“That was before I became a Christian.”
They both stared at each other a moment in silence, then Rita said, “Please come to my church,” Rita took out a leaflet from her handbag and handed it to Lilly, “Here’s a leaflet with my church address and details of the barbecue. Its only a five minute walk from here, and its all free.”
“I dunno,” said Lilly, “I’m not sure that I’d feel comfortable in a church.”
“I’ll be there,” Rita said smiling, “And all the people there are really friendly. I’ve also got some friends in church I could introduce you to. People who’d also been drug users and criminals etc. But you’ll see how much God has changed them.”
Lilly looked puzzled, “What…People like that go to your church?”
“yeah, all kinds of people. Teachers, doctors, cab drivers, filmmakers, builders. Rich people, poor people, old, young, Black, White. My church is a real mix of people. And we’re all like one big family. You need to see it for yourself…You will come won’t you?”
Lilly looked slightly weary, “I’ll think about it.”
Rita smiled, “That’s great,” she took out a pen from her coat pocket and said, “I’ll write my phone number on the leaflet as well.”
After Rita had written her phone number she said, “I hope to see you later then…And by the way…What’s your name?”
“Lilly.”
“Rita smiled again, “My names Rita. She held out her hand and Lilly shook it slightly smiling.

Lilly got on a bus to a notorious red light district. She walked up and down the leafy street and within minutes a car pulled up at the kerb, and Alan, a middle aged balding man, unwound electronically the passenger side window. Lilly leaned down to peer in and Alan asked, “You doin’ business luv?”
“Yeah.”
Alan paused in thought a moment, checking out her looks hungrilly, then he said, “Get in.”
Lilly got into the car and moments later Alan drove off with her.

It was late in the afternoon when Lilly walked into a dingy looking snooker hall. In one corner, a Jamaican crack and heroin dealer known as Baldy was playing snooker with a young black guy with short dreadlocks.
Baldy looked up after taking a shot as Lilly appeared. He smiled flashing several gold teeth and said, “Alright Lilly.”
“Alright Baldy,” Lilly replied, and looked at the other guy who she’d never seen before, and the guy nodded at her then fixed his attention on her long curvaceous legs.
Baldy gave Lilly a brief hug then asked, “Whad’ya want Lilly?”
“A rock an’ a score joey.”
Baldy reached into his bum bag and pulled out a small sliver of silver foil, from the many he had, and gave it to Lilly. Inside the foil was a rock of crack about the size of half a chocolate smarty. Then from another part of his bum bag he took out one of the many postage stamp size paper wraps of heroin and he handed it to Lilly who gave him two twenty pound notes.
“Cheers Baldy,” said Lilly.
“No problem,” Baldy replied as he watched his friend pot a red. He then said, “Why don’t you stay around a while an’ play some snooker with us.”
Lilly looked slightly flustered, “I’m cluckin’ Baldy. I just wanna go home an’ smoke this rock.”
“Cool. You do that then. One day though I don’t want you to rush. Stay an’ play a game of snooker wi’ me.”
Lilly smiled slightly, “Yeah I will…See ya later.”
“Laters,” Baldy replied.
Lilly then nodded at the young black guy with dreadlocks again and he smiled and nodded back, then Lilly walked towards the exit and she half smiled again when she overheard the young black guy say, “Man, she’s fit.”

Lilly let herself in to her small, dingy bedsit above a parade of shops. As soon as she got in she sat on her bed and picked up the makeshift crack pipe on her bedside table. It was a small plastic water bottle, half filled with water, with a thick straw poking through the side of the bottle and on the top of it was silver foil with pin holes in it. Lilly then put some cigarette ash on top of the foil then opened the rock of crack and used her thumb nail to split a third of the milky looking rock and put the piece on to the foil at the top of the bottle. She then put the straw into her mouth and flicked her lighter onto the rock and as it melted she sucked on the straw, inhaling the crack smoke into her lungs whilst the water below it bubbled. She then slowly exhaled the smoke feeling the euphoric rush of the drug.
Grace waited a few minutes then repeated the ritual. Then after three pipes the rock was gone. Ten minutes later she tipped some of the heroin out of the paper wrap, onto a piece of silver foil about six inches long and four inches wide. She then put the toot in her mouth, which was a small tube, also made of tin foil and she lifted up the foil with the heroin powder on, then flicked her lighter beneath the foil until the powder turned to liquid. She then continued stroking her flame under the foil and let the liquid heroin run slightly downwards whilst she used the toot to suck in the smoke and fumes left in its trail. This was commonly referred to as chasing the dragon.
After chasing for a while she started to feel the warmth of the drug and she felt blissfully mellow and dopy. She then reached into her handbag and pulled out the flyer that Rita had given her earlier advertising her church barbecue. Lilly suddenly felt hungry and realised that all she’d eaten that day was an apple, and she’d only drank a can of coke and a hot chocolate. As usual she’d spent all her money on drugs and the only thing she had in her fridge was a tub of margarine, half a tin of beans and a yogurt.
She started to think about the barbecue and felt saliva flow into her mouth. Now she weren’t clucking and was stoned, it was enough Dutch courage to make her decide to go to the church. And quite simply…She was starving.

Lilly could smell the barbecue food before she saw it. The tantalising smell of charcoal grilled sausages, beef burgers and fried onions. Christ Central Church didn’t look like a traditional church building, and it was in fact a large converted ex warehouse. As Lilly walked along she suddenly spotted a large group of people in the church carpark where they were barbecuing. An orderly queue was formed leading to the food being cooked. Lilly had expected to see a lot of square looking people, which was her mental picture of what she imagined Christians to be like, so she was quite surprised to see that Rita had been right, and it looked like a real mix of people, ranging from people with tattoos and piercings, to little old ladies and children of all classes and colours.
Lilly felt slightly tense as she queued and she listened to the conversations of people around her. She expected that the people would all be talking about Jesus and Bible bashing each other, but the conversations were about everyday things and Lilly quickly concluded that the people seemed quite normal. A woman walked past Lilly carrying a paper plate with a hamburger on and she smiled at Lilly and Lilly suddenly felt more relaxed.
As Lilly got to the front of the queue, Brian one of the church elders who was one of the three people serving on the large barbecue, smiled at Lilly and asked, “What would you like?”
“Could I have a hotdog please?”
Brian smiled again, “Sure…Would you like onions with that?”
“Yeah please,” Lilly suddenly realised she was starving, “Is it ok if I have two hotdogs?”
Brian smiled again, “Sure. You can have three if you want.”
Lilly smiled slightly and felt more relaxed, “Its ok. Two’s enough.”
“Ok,” Said Brian smiling again. He then looked in the direction of two tables about ten feet away, “There’s some salad, pasta and rice and things on the table over there. Just help yourself. There’s drinks as well.”
Lilly looked in the direction he was looking in, then looked back at him, “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Said Brian again.
Lilly suddenly thought that she’d never been anywhere where she’d seen so many smiling people. She went over to the other food tables and found some tomato ketchup, which she put on her two hotdogs and she saw that there were lots of bottles of fizzy drinks and cartons of fruit juice, but she specifically wanted some coke, which someone was pouring into a plastic cup. The person Jacob looked at Lilly and asked, “Do you want some of this?”
“Yeah please,” Lilly replied feeling slightly shy.
Jacob then poured her a cup of coke and smiled at her as he gave it.
“Thanks,” Lilly said.
“You’re welcome,” Jacob replied.
Lilly then saw the doors leading into church were open and feeling slightly nervous she walked into the building carrying her two hotdogs on a paper plate and her cup of coke. She was again surprised as for some reason she expected to see rows of hard wooden pew chairs, but instead she saw all the chairs in rows were soft and comfortable looking. There were small clusters of people sitting, talking and eating.
Lilly felt a bit self conscious, so she went to the back of the church and sat down on her own. She then wolfed down the first hotdog, and she’d just finished the second when Rita appeared beside her smiling and said, “Hi Lilly…I’m so glad you could make it.”
“I only came cos I was ‘Ungry,” Lilly replied.
Rita smiled again, “Well, whatever the reason. I’m really pleased you’re here.”
They both paused a moment in silence, then Rita said, “Tell me about your life Lilly.”
“You really want to hear it?”
“Yeah, I do Lilly. I’m interested in you. And more than that, God is interested in you.”
“I dunno why. My life’s been terrible,” They both pause, then Lilly continued, “I’ve been a prostitute since the age of sixteen. I grew up in care. I got taken away from my mum at the age of four, when my mum had a schizophrenic breakdown. She killed herself two years later by throwing herself in front of a train.”
“Oh Lilly…I’m so sorry.”
“No need to be sorry. It weren’t your fault.”
They both pause in silence a moment, then Lilly continued, “I was sexually abused in the care homes I was in. I ran away from one on my sixteenth birthday and then this man started talking to me in Trafalgar Square. He seemed really nice and when I told him I’d ran away he said he’d put me up at his flat and said he had a spare room. That night he raped me.”
“Oh Lilly…That’s so awful.”
“Yeah it was. Then I started sleeping rough in the West End and I met up with some other young runaways, an’ they introduced me to heroin…They gave me my first free bag and I felt like I was in heaven…The cold didn’t bother me…The rough sleeping…I just felt totally blissed, but within a few weeks I was selling my body to pay for drugs everyday.”
“I partly know what you mean Lilly,” Said Rita, “I was addicted to coke…First snorting it, then smoking it as crack.”
“Did you sell your body for it?”
“No,” Answered Rita, “But I fed my habit by dealing it, then I became a mule and smuggled it into the country from Jamaica…The first three times I got away with it, then the last time I got stopped by customs and they found two kilos in my suitcase, and I ended up getting a seven years sentence.”
“That must have been tough,” Lilly said feeling empathy.
“Yeah, it really was.”
They both pause a moment in silence, then Rita asked, “Have you ever had counselling Lilly?”
“No.”
“I’ve got a friend who’s a Christian counsellor. I think it would really help you if you saw her and talked about all the things you’ve told me.”
“I couldn’t afford counselling. I need money to pay for drugs every day. I can’t even afford to eat properly…All my money goes on gear.”
“The counselling my friend does is free. She works for a Christian charity and you only need to give a donation for each session. Most people give from a couple of quid to a tenner.”
They pause again, then Rita asked, “How much drugs do you take each day?
“Three or four rocks of crack and fifty to seventy quids worth of heroin…I wanna get into a rehab but I need a letter from a doctor, but haven’t found a doctor yet as I’ve only just moved into this area.”
“I could help you find a doctor.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I could help you with that.”
“Thanks,” Lilly replied.
Rita then said, “Your life maybe a mess now, but God can change that. I’ve met so many people who’d had messed up lives, but you wouldn’t believe how them and their lives have changed.”
They both pause again, then Rita continued, “Jesus is calling you Lilly…And in the future I’m sure you’ll be drug free, out of sex work, and healed of all the abuse and trauma that you’ve ever experienced.”
“What makes you think that Jesus is calling me?”
“Because Jesus loves you Lilly…He loves you so much.”
Lilly looked at Rita a moment then suddenly burst into tears. Rita then hugged her while Lilly continued sobbing.
“You’re gonna be alright Lilly,” Rita whispered softly, “You’re gonna be alright.”

TO BE CONTINUED

“Do you wanna come creepin’ tonight?” Asked Will, as he drove the stylish BMW.
“Creepin’?” Asked Peter, then added, “I don’t do crime no more man.”
“Don’t you need money?”
“Yeah an’ no,” Answered Peter.
Then Will said, “I just thought that if you earned some money with me you could buy yerself some camera equipment and editing stuff. You told me at yer 23rd birthday party that you wanna start a business makin’ music videos.”
“Yeah I do,” Answered Peter, “That’s why I’m studying filmmaking at college.”
Will, who was 29, then said, “Well listen man. You can come out with me tonight. You know I only creep rich peoples houses…An’ I usually earn at least a few grand when I’ve sold their jewellery and things.”
Peter tilted up the peak of his baseball cap and said, “I can’t do that anymore man. I can’t risk goin’ back to prison. I’ve only been out nine months, an’ Kerry’s six months pregnant.”
Will pulled up the BMW behind a car that had stopped at the traffic lights, and he turned to look at Peter, who was short and slightly chubby looking and handsome with piercing blue eyes, and Will said, “Well maybe you should come creepin’. Put a bit of money aside for when the baby’s born…Babies cost money man. Believe me, they’re bloody expensive.”
“I dunno man…I dunno if I wanna risk being nicked.”
“Suit yerself then,” Said Will, as he pulled away when the traffic light changed. Then he added, “Its easy money. If you don’t wanna earn though its up to you. I’ve probably made fifty grand in the past six months…Easily.”
Peter looked at Will, who was also wearing a baseball cap. And Will was also good looking. He was tall, athletically built, with dark cropped hair, dark stubble and a deep scar running from the corner of his mouth to the bottom of his chin. Will had got the scar after being glassed during a pub fight when he was a teenager.
Peter then asked Will, “So what you spent fifty grand on?”
“You know what I’ve spent it on. I’ve spent most of it on crack, ecstasy, clothes, night clubs, an putting food on the table for Jenny an’ our kids.”
Peter adjusted his baseball cap nervously and said, “Its not what I’d spend it on. I’d put some money away for when the baby’s born…An’ like you said, I wanna get some camera equipment and start my own business.”
“Well I wouldn’t tell you what to spend it your money on. Do what you want with it. But all I’m saying is that I earn easy money, an’ I thought of you cos your my pal an’ I know you need money.”
Peter paused a moment in thought, then asked, “So where would we go creepin’ then?”
“Anywhere,” Will replied, “Wimbledon, Chelsea, Richmond. Anywhere there’s rich people…You wanna come or not?”
“I dunno man,” Peter replied, then after a pause he added, “Ok man. Just this once.”
Will looked at him and smiled, before turning back to the road ahead and said, “Cool man. You won’t regret it.”

It was three’o’clock in the morning when Will parked the BMW in a leafy street in Richmond. Will switched off the engine and lit up a cigarette and suddenly said, “You know what, I dunno if we should do this now. Maybe we should come another night…I don’t feel right.”
Peter adjusted his baseball cap nervously, “Lets just do it. We’re here now.”
Will flicked cigarette ash out of the window and said, “Come on then, lets go.”
They both got out of the car and looked at the houses.
Will said, “Nice drums ain’t they?”
“Beautiful,” Peter replied, “Big as well. Probably at least five bedrooms, all detached, big drives, big gardens. They probably all cost at least a couple of million each.”
“I told you man. I only rob rich people.”
Peter and Will started creeping around the houses, climbing in back gardens and looking for unlocked back doors and windows. After nearly an hour, Will spotted something and said to Peter, “Look.”
“What?”
“There’s an open window above that flat roof extension.”
“Oh yeah,” Said Peter.
“Looks like a bathroom window or something,” Said Will, “I’ll climb in and let you in…Wait by the front door.”
“Ok.”
Will climbed up onto the extension roof and just about managed to squeeze through the open bathroom window. Then a minute later he unlocked the front door and said to Peter, “we’re in.”
Will then looked around the hallway and said, “Keep yer baseball cap pulled low an’ take one of them scarves from the coat rack. Tie it round the bottom of yer face to mask yerself. I’ll do the same.”
“Ok.”
Will then said, “Let’s go in the kitchen and get some sharp knives…Then we’ll take the bedrooms.”
“Ok.”
They got two large carving knives and crept up the stairs. Then Will switched on the light in the master bedroom and said loudly, “Wake up.”
Malcolm, a middle aged man sat up in bed shocked and said, “Oh my God. What are you doing in my house?”
Malcolm’s wife Patricia also stirred and sat up half asleep and said, “Jesus.”
“Just behave yerselves,” Will said firmly, “An’ you won’t get hurt…Have you got a safe?”
“No I haven’t,” Said Malcolm, struggling to comprehend what was happening, “What are you doing in my house?”
Will ignored the question then asked, “Who else is in the house?”
“Just our two daughters,” Answered Malcolm.
Will looked at Peter and said, “I’m gonna get them.”
“Please don’t hurt them,” Said Patricia, “They’re only teenagers.”
Will looked at Peter again and said, “Watch these two.”
“ok.”
A short time later, Will was back in the master bedroom with the two frightened half asleep girls. The youngest of them, thirteen year old Michaela, burst into tears when she looked at her father and asked, “What’s going on daddy?”
“We’re being robbed darling.”
Will then said firmly, “I’m only gonna ask you one more time…Where’s yer safe? If you don’t tell me I’m gonna kill both yer daughters.”
Susan, the older of the two girls also suddenly burst into tears and said, “Tell them daddy.”
“Ok,” Said Malcolm, “Its in the floor of the walk in wardrobe. I’ll open it and just take what you want and go you bloody animals.”

Will started up the BMW and as he pulled away he said, “We’ve had a result man. Gold and diamond Jewellery. One Rolex and two Cartier watches an’ eight hundred pound in cash…You pleased?”
“Yeah…I feel a bit bad though.”
“Don’t feel bad. They’re bloody rich,” Said Will, “They’ll just claim it back on their insurance.”
“I know. But it can’t be nice being woken up in yer own home…An’ they looked really frightened when you said you’d kill their girls.”
Will didn’t speak for a moment, then said, “You know I didn’t mean that. I just said that to get them to open their safe…You know I’d never really harm women and kids.”
Peter didn’t speak, then Will asked, “You ‘ungry?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll stop at the garage an’ get us something to munch.”

Will pulled up the car at a twenty-four hour petrol station and put thirty pounds of petrol in the car, then he opened the drivers door and said to Peter, “I’ll get you a meat pasty. Do you want anythin’ else?”
“Yeah, can you get me some cheese an’ onion crisps and a can of coke.”
“Ok.”
Will walked to the service window. Just then a police car pulled into the garage and stopped behind Will’s car. Peter looked at the rear view mirror tensely and watched two policemen exit the car.
One of the policemen went over and spoke to Will, while the second policeman, Brian, tapped Peter’s passenger side window and Peter nervously opened it. Brian said, “Can you step out of the car please.”
Peter stepped out and Peter became aware that the officer had body armour on and a handgun in a holster.
“Can you tell me what you’re doing out this time of the morning?” Brian asked.
“We’ve just come from a nightclub,” Peter said nervously.
“Ok…Have you got any drugs on you?”
“No.”
Brian studied Peter’s facial expression intensely then said, “I’m going to search your car then search you.”
Peter swallowed nervously, “Ok.”
Brian opened the passenger door and immediately found the carrier bag where Peter’s feet were and he asked Peter, “Who’s bag is this, and where’s all this jewellery and cash come from?”
“I dunno.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? You were sitting there. Is it yours?”
“No.”
“Is it your mates?”
Peter swallowed nervously again and answered, “I dunno.”
“You don’t know much do you?” Brian said sarcastically, “My instincts tell me that its stolen, so I’m going to bring you to the station and make some enquiries.”
Peter made eye contact with Will across the petrol station forecourt, and the other policeman was leading Will to the police car by holding Will’s arm. Brian then grabbed Peter’s arm and started walking him to the police car as well. Peter suddenly yanked his arm free and started running. And seconds later Brian pulled the gun out of its holster and chased after Peter.
“Stop or I’ll shoot,” Brian shouted, but Peter just kept running while Brian gave chase and shouted again, “I said stop or I’ll shoot.”
Peter just kept running and he was terrified, expecting to get a bullet in the back at any moment.
“I’m not going to tell you again,” Shouted Brian between gasps of heavy breathing, “I said stop or I’ll shoot.”
But Peter just kept running in blind panic, and he ran into a block of garages with just one exit in and the same exit to get out. He was trapped and turned around to face Brian who’d stopped and pointed his gun at Peter.
“Get on your knees and put your hands in the air.” Brian shouted.
“Ok,” Said Peter lowering himself to his knees and raising his arms in the air, “Don’t shoot me please. I’m unarmed.”
Brian continued pointing the gun at Peter and said, “Now lay face down on the floor and put your hands behind your back.”
Peter did as Brian instructed and moments later Brian roughly snapped a pair of handcuffs on Peter and said, “You’re nicked.”

Will and Peter sat in the dock at South Western Magistrates court. In the public gallery were Will’s girlfriend Jenny and Peter’s pregnant girlfriend Kerry. Both women looked tired and drained. They hadn’t slept properly since they’d learned that Will and Peter had been arrested the morning before.
The prosecutor said to the magistrate, “Your honour, I now present to you a case of aggravated burglary involving defendants William Morris, aged 29, or Earlsfield Road, South West 18. And Peter Philips, aged 23, of Garrett Lane, South West 18.
“At approximately 4 A.M on Tuesday 29th of August, 2004, the two defendants entered the premises of 14 Welbeck Road, Richmond, Surrey, and woke up the occupants and stole approximately forty-thousand pounds worth of Jewellery and eight-hundred pounds in cash.
“During the burglary the defendants threatened the victims with knives and the defendant William Morris threatened to kill two teenage girls if their father didn’t open a safe for him.”
The magistrate peered above the top of his horn-rimmed glasses and asked the prosecutor, “I see, is there an application for bail?”
“There is your honour,” The prosecutor continued, “Both the defendants are applying for bail, but the police are strongly contesting this and want the defendants to be remanded in custody.
“Both the defendants have recently been released from prison, William Morris just six months ago was released after serving a Four and a half year sentence, again for aggravated burglary and possession of crack cocaine.
“And Peter Philips was released from prison nine months ago after serving a two year sentence for burglary, handling stolen goods and possession of cannabis.
“Police are opposing bail due to the serious nature of the offence, and the likelihood that an inevitable long custodial sentence would cause the defendants to flee and not attend court.
“Both the defendants have a serious criminal record, dating back to offences committed when they were teenagers.
“The police also fear that the defendants would try to interfere with the victims and try to persuade them not to give evidence, and Peter Philips also failed to appear at court on a burglary charge four years ago, and as I’ve already mentioned, its likely that he would fail to appear again, knowing he is looking at a long custodial sentence.
“Its also felt that William Morris would fail to attend court for similar reasons, and he has a history of escaping, having escaped twice from custody. Once when he smuggled himself out of prison in a lorry after he concealed himself in a laundry sack, covered by dirty clothes and sheets etc, that were being taken to an outside laundry for cleaning. On another occasion William Morris also walked out of an open prison when he was nearing the end of his sentence.
“The police also fear that if the defendants were released on bail they would commit further offences, especially William Morris, as he has a history of crack cocaine addiction.”
Will and Peter’s solicitors tried to state a case why they should be given bail, but the magistrate was for the police. And Peter’s solicitor had stated that Peter was studying filmmaking at college and his girlfriend was pregnant, but the magistrate had no sympathy.
The magistrate looked at Will and Peter sternly and said, “I’ve listened to the prosecution and your defence solicitors, and I’ve decided to remand you both in custody. You will appear at this court again in two weeks for committal proceedings, then your case due to its serious nature will be transferred to The Old Baily.”
The magistrate then looked at the two prison officers in the dock with Will and Peter and said, “Officers…Take them down.”
Peter looked helplessly at his girlfriend Kerry in the public gallery and Kerry put her hand on her pregnant stomach and burst into tears.
Will also looked at his girlfriend Jenny and she smiled painfully and said loudly, “I love you babe.”
Will smiled back and blew her a kiss, then moments later the prison officers took Will and Peter down to the cells.

TO BE CONTINUED

Donna, a young black prostitute stood a moment at the entrance to an alley off the high street and lit up a cigarette. As she inhaled smoke into her lungs, she suddenly heard a low moaning sound, and feeling nervous she walked a little further into the darkness and suddenly spotted Lilly laying amongst a pile of black rubbish sacks.
Lilly was also a prostitute, 25 years old, white, curvaceous, with long curly dark hair, and was holding her face in her hands.
Donna asked, “Is that you Lilly?”
Lilly peered up, struggling to make out Donna’s face in the darkness. Then when she recognised her, Lilly said, “Yeah.”
Donna walked closer to Lilly then saw the swelling around Lilly’s left eye, “Are you alright Lilly? What’s ‘appened?”
Lilly grimaced, “I’ve just been attacked.”
“By who?”
“A punter…I just had sex with him an’ when I asked for the money he just laughed and punched me in the face. My head is poundin’ man.”
“Ah Lilly. I’m sorry to here that. What did ‘e look like?
“A short stocky geezer. Tanned with black hair.”
“Don’t ring a bell.”
Donna walked closer to Lilly and held out her hand, “I’ll ‘elp you up.”
Lilly grabbed Donna’s hand and got unsteadily to her feet, then she smoothed down her mini skirt slightly with her palms, then touched her face again and asked, “Is it swollen?”
“Lets get out the alley and look at it properly under a street light.”
They stopped beside a lamp post and Donna stared at Lilly’s face and said, “Looks naughty. Your face is all swollen round yer eye.”

It was nearly 10 Pm when Lilly buzzed the intercom at the bottom of a tower block in Penge, South East London. Moments later Baldy, a Jamaican crack and heroin dealer with a bald head spoke, “Yo.”
“Yeah Baldy, its Lilly…You ‘olding?”
“Yeah, come.”
Baldy buzzed Lilly in and she stepped into the tower block and pressed the button of a lift. As it opened, John, a white guy who spoke black and his girlfriend Lisa stepped out.
“Yo gal,” said John, “Wha ‘appened to yer face?
“Punter,” Lilly replied.
John smiled flashing a gold tooth, “Wha you couldn’t satisfy him?”
“Your funny,” Lilly replied dryly, “Can any of you lend me forty quid? Last punter I ‘ad ripped me off. Mug didn’t pay me.”
“Did ‘e do that to yer face?” asked Lisa.
“Yeah.”
“seriously,” asked John, “Wad ‘e do it for?”
“Dunno. I’d just ‘ad sex with ‘im an’ when I asked ‘im for the money ‘e just laughed an’ punched me in the face…nearly knocked me out.”
The three of them paused a moment, then Grace continued, “Can any of you lend me that money. I really need a lick. I ain’t ‘ad a stone since this afternoon. I’m cluckin’ man, an’ my heads poundin’.”
“I ain’t surprised,” said Lisa, “E must of whacked you proper ‘ard to do that to yer face…I ain’t got money though. John bought our stones.”
Lilly looked desperate and asked, “Can you lend me forty quid John?”
“When can you pay me back?”
“Tonight. When I’ve ‘ad a rock an’ some brown I’ll go out graftin’ an’ find some more punters.”
John pulled a wad of notes from his pocket and said, “You know what gal yer in luck. I clapped a yard today. Right posh ‘ouse in Dulwich. I got two Rolexes and a Cartier, an’ sold ‘em fer eleven ‘undred quid.”
John peeled off two twenty pound notes and handed them to Lilly. And Lilly said, “Ol thanks John. Yer a diamond. I’ll pay you back in a couple of hours. As soon as I’ve earned I’ll pop by yer flat.”
“Don’t worry Lilly,” John replied, “Me feel sorry for ya. Juss keep the corn.”
“Ol thanks man. Yer a star. Gimme a hug.”
Lilly hugged John who pulled away slightly embarrassed and said, “Rah gal. Don’t go gettin’ all soppy wi’ me.”
Lilly looked at Lisa and said, “You got a right nice geezer there Lisa.”
“I know,” smiled Lisa, “Thass why I’m with ‘im.”
They all smiled at each other then Lilly pressed the lift again which opened and Lilly said, “I’ll see ya both later.”
“Yeah laters,” said Lisa.
“An’ get some sunglasses,” said John still smiling, “You’ll frighten the punters.”

Lilly got out of the lift on the eleventh floor and walked to a door with a metal gate in front of it. She pressed the bell and moments later Baldy opened the door and stared at Lilly through the security gate.
“Rah, what ‘appened to yer face?” Baldy asked.
“Punter.” Lilly replied.
“Liberty.”
“Yeah,” answered Lilly, “I know.”
“That looks bad,” said Baldy, “Bad fer business.”
“Yeah. I’ll still find punters though.”
“Yeah, you still got a fit body, no matter what yer face looks like.”
Baldy smiled slightly and Lilly Didn’t answer, then Baldy unlocked the security gate and Lilly stepped into the flat.
There were another two criminals in the living room. One of them Tony, nodded at Lilly, whilst the other one Jay was smoking crack on a pipe. Baldy then asked Lilly, “You wanna stone yeah?”
“Yeah, an’ a score Joey.”
Baldy reached into his bum bag and pulled out a small rock of crack in a piece of silver foil and a twenty pound rap of heroin. He handed them to Lilly, who then gave Baldy forty pounds. The flats intercom suddenly rang and Baldy smiled, “More customers, more money.”
Baldy walked back into the hallway and Lilly sat down on one of the sofas next to Jay. She picked up a pipe from the coffee table, made from a plastic water bottle, half filled with water and with a straw poking out the side and silver foil with pin holes on top of it. Lilly looked at Jay and asked, “This dead?”
“Yeah,” Jay replied, “Use it.”
“Thanks.”
Lilly looked at Tony, the other criminal, who’d just smoked a bit of rock, and Lilly asked him, “Can I use some of yer ash?”
“Yeah, sweet. ‘Elp yerself.”
Lilly used a small piece of cardboard from a cigarette packet to scrape some of the cigarette ash from an ash tray with two half burned cigarettes in them, then tipped some of the ash onto the foil on top of the crack pipe. She then undone the foil from her rock and used her long thumb nail to cut a third of the small rock and placed it on top of the ash on the pipe. She then picked up a lighter from the table and looked at Jay and asked, “This yours?”
“its mine,” said Tony, “Use it.”
“Cheers.”
Lilly then flicked the lighter and run the flame across the rock of crack whilst she sucked through the straw in the side of the bottle, inhaling the smoke above the water half filling the bottle. She held the smoke in her lungs a few seconds, then slowly exhaled. Jay and Tony smiled at her, and Jay asked, “Good lick?”
“Yeah man…Pucker. I’ve waited hours for that.”
“Yeah man, so have I,” Jay said smiling, “I went out drummin’ this afternoon an’ couldn’t find one ‘ouse to burgle. In the end I snatched ‘undred quid off some geezer about half hour ago who’d juss got it out of a cash machine.” Jay laughed and continued, “Mug chased me all up the high street an’ through Packworth Estate. The geezer weren’t giving up an’ I was gettin’ knackered. In the end I stopped runnin’, picked up a bottle, smashed it on the kerb an’ said, you keep chasin’ me you mug I’ll rip yer face open.”
Tony asked, “What ‘appened then?”
“Geezer backed off,” said Jay, “Didn’t bother chasin’ me after that…I’m a bit worried though. There’s cameras all along the high street an’ I only ‘ad a baseball cap on. Didn’t ‘ave nothing covering my face.”
“You know they’ve got cameras on Packworth Estate now,” said Tony.
“Yer Jokin’,” Replied Jay.
“Nah, straight up…They’ve got ‘em fixed to the sides of a couple of tower blocks.”
“Shit,” said Jay, “I snatched a woman’s hand bag on that estate the other day.”
“You wanna be careful man,” said Tony, “You might ‘ave been on camera.”
“Shit…Mind you it was at night again. The resolution on those cameras ain’t that good, so even if they did see me it might not ‘ave been clear cos it was dark.”
“You dunno man,” said Lilly, “them cameras are gettin’ better. They can zoom in on yer face an’ blow up the picture. They’re gettin’ right clever with technology these days.”
“Don’t say that man,” Jay said starting to look worried, “Las thing I wanna get nicked for is hand-bag snatchin’. An’ I don’t wanna get nicked for that snatch earlier. I’m already on bail fer burglary. If I get nicked again, I definitely ain’t getting bail…Straight remand in custody.”
Tony looked bitter and said, “There’s cameras everywhere these days. One day you won’t even be able to wipe yer arse without some mug spying on ya.”

Baldy came back into the room with Tina and Tom, a mixed race couple.
Tina said, “Alright Lilly. Alright Jay.”
Jay nodded at the new arrivals and Lilly smiled and said, “Alright Tina. Alright Tom.”
Baldy looked at them both and asked, “Wha’ yer both want?”
“Just a couple of rocks for later,” said Tom.
Baldy reached into his bum bag and pulled out two stones and Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out forty pounds and gave it to Baldy, then Tina looked at Lilly and asked, “’Ere Lilly…You fancy comin’ to a rave with us?”
“A rave. Where?”
“Ministry of dance. We’ve got a spare ticket. There’s three rooms of sound there.”
Lilly raised her eyebrows, “Three rooms?”
“Yeah. There playing house in one room. Garage in another. And drum and bass. Should be wicked…You wanna come?”
“I dunno,” said Lilly, “I might have to go out later an’ earn some money to get some brown to come down with after I’ve smoked the rest of this rock.”
Baldy looked confused and said to Lilly, “You already bought a score joey off me.”
“Thass for someone else,” Lilly replied, not really knowing why she’d lied.
“Ol come on Lilly,” continued Tina, “Should be a laugh. I’ve got a couple of valium in me bag. You can ‘ave ‘em. They’ll ‘elp you come down from the rock.”
“Go with ‘em gal,” said Baldy, “’Ave a night off. Enjoy yerselt.”
Lilly thought for a moment, then said, “Oh…Alright then.”
Tina then suddenly noticed Lilly’s eye, “Wassa’matter with yer face Lilly?”
“Got hit by a punter,” Lilly answered.
“Looks naughty,” said Tina, “I’ve got some sunglasses in me bag if you wanna borrow them.”
“Cheers, thanks.”
Tina took the sunglasses out of her bag and gave them to Lilly, who put them on.
“Thass better gal,” said Baldy, “You look a bit like a model now.”
Lilly smiled.

Lilly, Tom and Tina had been in the club about ninety minutes and were standing at the bar and the DJ suddenly put on the 90’s club classic ‘I love you baby.”
“Tune man,” said Tina and she grabbed Toms hand, “Lets dance.”
Tina then looked at Lilly and said, “Come on the dance floor with us Lilly.”
“Maybe later,” Lilly replied, feeling slightly subdued from taking the valium Tina had given her.
“Ol come on Lilly,” Tina continued, “It’ll be a laugh.”
“Nah, seriously…I might come later.”
“Fair enough.”
Tina and Tom walked to the dance floor holding hands and a guy called Jerry stopped by the bar beside Lilly and smiled at her, then asked, “Can I buy you a drink luv?”
“Forget the drink,” Lilly replied, “Gimme thirty quid an’ you can shag me.”
Jerry looked shocked and said, “Cor mate…You don’t waste time do ya?”
“You wanna shag me or not?”
“I dunno what to say.”
“I’m not askin’ ya to make a speech. You wanna shag me or what?”
“Sorry luv,” Jerry continued exasperated, “I’ve never paid for sex in my life.”
Jerry then walked away from the bar and another guy Toby stopped beside Lilly, smiled and said, “I couldn’t help overhearing. I’ve got twenny quid. I’ll shag you.”
“Twenny-five,” Lilly replied.
“Fair enough. Where?”
“I know one of the bouncers,” Lilly continued, “He’ll let us use a room. Gimme the money first an’ I’ll speak to him.”
“Ok.”
Toby took twenty-five pounds out of his wallet and gave it to Lilly, who took the money and put it in her purse and then put the purse in her little hand bag, then she said, “Wait there.”
Lilly walked across the club and spoke to two bouncers, Mick and Tony, then she pointed at Toby who was looking towards them smiling.
“That geezer juss tried to sell me an E,” Lilly said.
“Who?” asked Mick, the biggest of the two bouncers.
“The geezer at the bar.”
“The one smiling?” asked the other bouncer Tony.
“Yeah.”
“Cocky little sod ain’t ‘e?” said Mick, “We’ll soon put an end to ‘e’s fun. Thanks for telling us luv.”
Mick and Tony walked towards Toby who was still smiling when they stopped beside him.
“So you gonna let us use a room then?” Toby asked.
Mick and Tony grabbed Toby firmly by the arms and Toby looked confused.
Mick said, “The only room you’ll be using is a police cell.”
“I don’t understand,” said Toby, “What you talkin’ about?”
“A young woman just told us you tried to sell her an E,” said Tony, the second bouncer, “We don’t tolerate drug dealing in this club.”
Mick and Tony started walking Toby to the back office, while Toby tried to tug away from them, then he said, “Bitch…She’s just ripped me off.”

Lilly hurried out of the club and past two bouncers at the entrance. One of them said to Lilly, “Night luv.”
Lilly nodded at the bouncer, looking anxious, then she hurried along the street. She took out her mobile phone from her handbag and dialled Baldy’s number. When he answered she said, “Yeah Baldy. Its Lilly. You still ‘olding stones?”
“Yeah,” Baldy answered, “But I’m goin’ a sleep now.”
“Can you juss wait up a while,” Lilly asked sounding desperate, “I can be there in less than an hour.”
“No can do Lilly. I’m knackered. Gonna switch off my phone in a minute an’ crash.”
They both paused a moment in thought, then Lilly asked, “You think Mary’s ‘olding?”
“Didn’t you ‘ear? She got raided yesterday morning. Bullman found twenny stones an’ some brown. She got remanded in custody.”
“Shit. I didn’t ‘ear that. Where can I get stones this time of night?”
“What about Leroy,” Baldy asked, “Is ‘e still sellin’ stones?”
“’E’s stopped for a while. I saw ‘e’s brother Delroy the other day an’ ‘e said that Leroy ain’t sellin’ stones cos ‘e thinks ‘e’s under surveillance.”
“I dunno what to say then Lilly. All I know is I’m mashed. I gotta sleep. I took two Tomazies about half hour ago an’ I’m crashin’.”
“Fair enough. I’m juss really cluckin’ for a stone.”
“Come in the mornin’. I’ll sort you out then.”
“Alright then,” said Lilly, “Laters.”
Baldy suddenly felt a bit confused and said, “I thought you were at the club with Tina and Tom.”
“I left early. I’m cluckin’ for a stone.”
“Come in the mornin’. I’ll sort you out then.
“Ok,” said Lilly, “laters.”
“Peace. I’m outta here.”
Lilly walked around the streets, not knowing where she was. She walked around a corner and saw two homeless guys, Jim and Jacob, laying in a shop doorway. Lilly asked them, “Do you two know where I can get a stone?”
“What, white?” asked Jim.
“Yeah.”
“Gis a fiver an’ we’ll tell ya,” said Jacob, the other guy.
“Two quid,” Lilly replied toughly.
“Three quid,” said Jacob.
Lilly sighed, “Ok.”
Lilly took her purse out of her handbag and took out three pound coins and handed them to Jacob. And Jacob said, “There’s a cab office five minutes up the road near the zebra crossing. Ask for a guy called the big chief. He’s a cab driver who sells crack.
“The big chief,” said Lilly, “Is this some kind of wind up?”
Jim the other guy said, “Straight up luv. The big chief is an African with tribal scars on ‘e’s face and ‘e wears lots of gold. You can’t miss ‘im.”
“Ok thanks,” Lilly said slightly giggling, “I thought you were takin’ the piss for a minute.”
“Sounds like we are,” said Jim, “But we’re not. The big chief is a real person.”
“Ok, thanks.”
Lilly walked down the road, still slightly unsure that it was a wind up, but then she spotted the cab office. She walked in and the cab controller looked up and asked, “Can I ‘elp you luv?”
“I’m looking for the big chief.”
“’He’ll be back soon. ‘E’s juss done a local job. Take a seat.”
Lilly sat down and moments later the big chief walked in and the cab controller smiled at Lilly and said, “Quicker than I thought,” the controller then looked at the big chief and said, “The young lady wants to see ya.”
The big chief then smiled at Lilly, flashing a mouthful of gold teeth and asked, “You wanna see me?”
“Yeah,” answered Lilly, “Are you the big chief?”
“Yeah…An’ who might you be?”
“Lilly. Someone told me you sell stones. Is that right?”
The big chief scowled slightly and said, “Yeah, but don’t go talkin’ so loud about it.”
Lilly looked from left to right and lowered her voice, “Sorry.”
“Thass ok,” said the big chief, “Come with me into the toilets.”
Lilly followed the big chief into the toilet at the back beside a room with half a dozen drivers in it. The big chief then took some rocks out of his bum bag that we’re wrapped in small slivers of silver foil, then he asked, “How many ya wan?”
“Juss one,” said Lilly, “Twenny quid alright?”
“Yeah, exact.”
The big chief handed Lilly a stone and Lilly took twenty pound out of her purse and handed it to him. Lilly then asked, “Do you know if any night buses round here go to Penge?”
The big chief smiled and said, “I’ll take ya to Penge in the car.”
Lilly looked slightly embarrassed and said, “I ain’t got much money. I can’t afford the fare.”
The big chief put his hand on Lilly’s shoulder and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll take you there for free. This time of night it will only take thirty minutes. There’s a twenny-four-seven Mcdonalds there. I wanna get someting to eat. I ain’t eaten since this afternoon.”
Lilly perked up a bit, “If you don’t mind. That will be brilliant.”
The big chief smiled again, “No problem.”

TO BE CONTINUED

It was 9.15 Am when 7 year old Jane went into the large concrete shed at the end of her long garden. She grabbed her bike and was suddenly shocked to see George, a homeless man who was fast asleep in his sleeping bag.
Jane ran back into the house and said to Grace, “Mummy, Mummy, There’s a man in our shed.”
Grace who was a 32 year old, attractive, slim blond, suddenly stopped the breakfast washing up and said, “What you talking about darling?”
“There’s a man in our shed.”
“What do you mean a man in our shed?”
“Our shed,” Jane continued starting to get exasperated, “He’s asleep.”
Grace suddenly felt frightened and grabbed a rolling pin from the draining board, “Wait in the house.”
Grace then apprehensively walked down the garden and walked into her shed and when she saw her daughter had been telling the truth she felt very fearful.
“Excuse me,” Grace said, then said a bit louder, “Excuse me…Hello…Can you wake up please.”
George slowly opened one eye, then the other, then suddenly sat up.
“What are you doing in my shed?” Grace asked.
George looked just as nervous as Grace, who was still clutching the rolling pin. He then rubbed his eyes feeling slightly groggy from being awoken and said, “I’m sorry. I’m homeless. It was raining last night, an’ I just wanted to sleep somewhere dry. I went for a piss in the alley at the back an’ noticed your shed.”
They just stared at each other a moment. George had cropped hair, was short and stocky and had a rough beard, and Grace was surprised to find herself thinking that George was quite handsome, in a rough edgy way.
Suddenly Jane appeared in the shed and stood next to her mum sheepishly as Grace looked at her still a bit frightened and said, “I told you to stay in the house.”
Jane suddenly looked at her bike and touched the back tyre and then said tearfully, “Mummy, my bikes got a puncture.”
“Don’t worry about that now darling,” Grace said starting to feel like everything was surreal.
“But mummy I won’t be able to ride my bike,” said Jane with tears in her eyes.
“I can fix it,” George suddenly blurted.
“What?” said Grace.
“The puncture,” George continued, “I can fix the puncture. I used to work in a bike shop when I was younger. If you’ve got some spanners and a puncture kit I can do it.”
“I’ve got a socket set in the house, and I think we’ve got a puncture kit in one of the kitchen drawers.”
George suddenly smiled slightly and Grace was surprised to her herself ask, “Would you like a cup of tea?”
George smiled again , “I’d love one, thanks.”
Grace felt the atmosphere suddenly change and she didn’t feel so frightened and she asked, “Do you take sugar?”
“Two please.”
George started fixing the puncture and Grace brought him a cup of tea, then she asked, “Would you like any breakfast? A bacon sandwich or something?”
“No, it’s ok. I don’t usually eat till I’ve been up a few hours cos I usually feel sick in the mornings.”
“Oh. Ok then.”
Within ten minutes George had fixed the puncture and put the wheel back on. Moments later Grace and Jane came back into the shed and Jane said ecstatic, “He’s fixed it mummy.”
Grace and George smiled, then Grace asked, “What you doing for the rest of the day?”
George suddenly looked a bit shifty again and said evasively, “I just gotta do a few things.”
There was an awkward pause then Grace was surprised to her herself say, “If you want to sleep in our shed again tonight your welcome.”
George raised his eyebrows surprised, “Thanks. I might.”
There was another awkward pause again then Jane said excitedly, “Can we go now to the park mum on my bike?”
Grace and George suddenly smiled and Grace said, “Ok darling,” then added, “Thank the man for fixing your puncture.”
Jane smiled and said, “Thank you man.”
Grace and George chuckled, “My names George.”
Grace then said, “How rude of me, I didn’t introduce us. I’m Grace and this is my daughter Jane.”
George smiled, “Nice to meet you both.”

George sat in the underground tunnel in a busy shopping area in Croydon. As people passed him he repeated again and again, “Got any spare change?”
Most people ignored him, but occasionally people dropped change onto the sleeping bag he was sitting on.
It was a good day for George, as within an hour he’d earned over ten pounds. By now he was starting to feel very sick and ill and he walked for half an hour to a council estate and got the lift to the 14th floor of a tower block and he knocked on the door that had a barred security gate in front of it.
The door opened and Jake, a white guy with dreadlocks looked through the barred gate and smiled showing several gold teeth, then he opened the gate also. In the living room of the flat George nodded at a couple of people who were smoking crack or chasing heroin on tin foil.
“whad’ ya want?” Jake asked George.
“Just a tenners worth of brown.”
Jake reached into his bum bag and pulled out a small postage stamp sized wrap of heroin and in return George gave him ten pounds in coins.
George then cooked up the heroin on a spoon, then drew it into a syringe and injected himself in the arm. Within moments the sick, shakiness he’d been feeling went and he felt well and blissfully at peace. He’d had his first fix of the day.
“Good shit, yeah?” Jake asked smiling.
“Yeah,” George replied, “Pucker.”
Jake continued still smiling, “I’ve had to tell a few people who inject to be careful. This shits really strong, its hardly been cut.”

George went back to his begging pitch for another few hours until he’d earned another tenner. He’d also been giving a sandwich by a member of the public, and a sausage roll by someone else, and two other people each bought him a cup of coffee.
A lot of people knew that most homeless beggars spent the money they earned on drink or drugs, so many people gave them food instead of money. And it was a real blessing to people like George, as if they had a choice between buying food or drugs or drink, they would buy drugs or drink, and if they weren’t eating properly, they would be in an even worse physical and mental state.
George went back to Jakes flat and bought another ten pound bag of heroin and injected it. He then went back to his begging pitch for another few hours and when he had another tenner he went back to Jakes for the third time that day and bought another ten pound bag. He didn’t inject it there though as he’d save it for later.
George decided to go back to Graces concrete shed. It was 7 Pm and it was just starting to get dark. He let himself in through the back gate in the alley behind Graces garden, and then went into the shed through the unlocked door.
When George got into the shed he was stunned for a moment, then pleasantly surprised. There was a single mattress on the floor, a pillow and a thick duvet. There was also a small lamp, a radio plugged in and it was the first time George noticed that the shed had electricity.
George turned on the radio and was again pleased that it was tuned to Heart Fm, and the first song that came on was ‘It must be love’, by Madness. He also switched the lamp on, and within ten minutes it was dark outside.
George then cooked up the heroin he’d purchased earlier, using a metal spoon, a tiny bit of water from a bottle he’d bought earlier, and his lighter. He drew the liquidised heroin into a syringe and for the third time that day, he injected himself in a vein in his arm. A minute later though before he’d even pulled the syring out of his arm, he felt like something was wrong. The last thing he remembered was Jake having earlier told him to be careful with the drug as it was very strong and had hardly been cut. George then slipped into unconsciousness.

In Grace’s house, her seven year old daughter Jane looked out of the kitchen window. She was in her Pyjamas almost ready for bed. Jane suddenly said excitedly, “He came back mum. The lights on in the shed.”
Grace looked out of the window and smiled slightly, “Its your bed time young lady.”
“Can we just go and say hello to him?” Jane asked still excited.
“No darling, its your bed time.”
“Ol please mummy. I want to see if he liked the mattress and the radio.”
Grace paused In thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll tell you what, we’re just go and ask him if he wants a cup of tea or something.”
Jane smiled.
“As soon as we’ve done that though darling, your straight to bed. You’ve got school tomorrow.”
“Ok mum.”
Grace tapped on the door to the shed a couple of times whilst she waited with Jane. There was no answer. Grace tapped the door again and said, “George,” but still there was no answer. Grace suddenly felt a bit nervous and then opened the door fully and her and Jane stepped in. They were both immediately shocked. George was just laying there unconscious with the syringe still in his arm, and his complexion was deathly pale.
“Get back in the house darling,” Grace said to Jane.
But Jane wasn’t listening and she just stared at George wide eyed and confused.
“Back in the house darling,” Grace said again and she quickly grabbed Jane’s hand and started walking her back through the garden.
“Is he alright mum?” Jane asked, still confused.
Grace didn’t answer and when they got back in the kitchen Grace said, “I need to make a phone call. Go and wait in your bedroom.”
“Is George alright mum?”
“No. I think he’s overdosed.”
“What does that mean?”
“look darling. You’re too young to understand,” Grace said picking up her mobile, “Just go up to bed. I’ll be with you soon.”
Jane just stared at her still confused.
“Go on. Up you go. Before mummy gets cross.”
“Ok.”
Jane started walking up the stairs and Grace dialled 999 and asked for an ambulance and said a homeless man had overdosed on drugs in her garden shed.

The ambulance came and rushed George to hospital. Grace sat on Jane’s bed to get her ready for sleep. Grace felt extremely tense and worried and her daughter felt the same.
“Do you think he’ll be alright mum? He won’t die will he?”
“No darling. I’m sure he’ll be ok.”
But Grace still weren’t sure that was the truth and she felt disturbed.
About an hour later when Jane was sleeping, Grace phoned the hospital to check on George. It took a while to get through to the right ward, as she didn’t know what Georges surname was.
“He’s regained consciousness,” said one of the nurse who was looking after George, “He’ll be kept in overnight and he’ll see a doctor tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you,” Grace said relieved, “I’m so glad he’s ok.”
“No worries luv. Try and get a good nights sleep. I’m sure he’ll be alright. We’re looking after him now.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
When Grace got off the phone she felt slightly better. She then poured herself a glass of wine and sat in her living room and put Heart Fm on.

In the morning the first thing that Jane asked was, “Do you think George is ok mummy?”
“He’s ok darling. I phoned the hospital last night and they said he’d regained consciousness.”
Jane smiled, then after a pause asked, “Will you let him stay in our shed again mummy?”
“No darling.”
Jane’s face dropped, “Why mummy?”
“He’s a drug addict darling. I didn’t know he was on drugs when I let him stay.”
“What’s a drug addict mummy? Jane asked looking confused.
Grace didn’t know how to explain, “Your too young to understand darling.”

Grace drove Jane to school in her Mini, then she drove to her local hospital as she didn’t need to be in work till 10 Am, and she worked as a bank cashier there between 10 and 2.30 Pm each weekday. At the hospital she found the ward George was on and he was pleasantly surprised to see her.
“I just came to see if your alright,” Grace said, “And to say goodbye.”
“Oh,” George said slightly taken aback, “Ok.”
“Why didn’t you tell me your were on drugs?”
“I just met you. Its not something you go broadcasting, is it?”
“You should have told me. Me and my daughter trusted you.”
“But you probably wouldn’t have if I told you.”
“No your right, I wouldn’t have.”
There was an awkward pause, then Grace asked, “How much heroin do you take each day? I guess it is heroin you take is it?”
“Yeah…I take anything from thirty to fifty quids worth a day.”
“Do you take any other drugs?”
“Yeah, sometimes I take crack…Depending on how much money I’ve earned.”
“Crack as well. Its just gets worse don’t it. How do you get money? Do you steal?”
“No I beg.”
Again there is an awkward pause, then Grace asked, “Can’t you get off it?”
“Well I suppose I could stop smoking crack. That’s just an occasional treat. As for heroin though, I’m addicted. I could take Methadone which is a heroin substitute and get gradually weaned off. But I can’t get a prescription of Methadone unless I’ve got a doctor. And I can’t get registered with a doctor because I’m homeless and ain’t got an address.”
“So if you were on Methadone you’d stop taking heroin?”
“Yeah, the Methadone would stop me clucking.”
“What’s clucking?”
“Withdrawal symptoms and craving.”
“So it would stop you being ill?”
“Yeah.”
Again, there was an awkward silence, then Jane said, “We’ll listen. I really hope you get your life sorted out. It was nice to meet you. I just came today to see if you’re alright and as I say to say goodbye. I really wish I could help you, but I’ve got my daughter to think about.”
“Don’t worry. I understand…And thanks for letting me stay in your shed. That was really kind of you.”
Grace suddenly stood up and said, “I gotta go.”
“Ok,” George said sadly.
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Grace walked out of the ward and out of the hospital. When she got into her car she sat there a few moments then said to herself, “I must be going mad.”
She got out of the car and went back to the ward that George was on. George looked pleasantly surprised when Grace appeared in front of him again and said, “You can stay in my shed again for a while, and you can use my address to register with a doctor and then you can start taking Methadone.”
George raised his eyebrows, “You serious?”
“Yeah…If you want me to help you that is?”
“I do. Thanks. That’s really kind of you.”
“When your on Methadone you won’t need to take drugs anymore, so you won’t need to beg anymore. And you can stay in the shed till you find somewhere to live…And who knows, maybe you can find a job or something.”
“Cool. I’m a painter and decorator by trade.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a City and Guilds qualification in painting and decorating.”
Grace raised her eyebrows, “Maybe you can decorate my house for me. My husband walked out on me a year ago. Ever since then I’ve wanted to get the house decorated. Get rid of some of the memories. A fresh start if you know what I mean?”
George smiled, “Yeah I do.”
“Great then. Looks like we can help each other.”
“Yeah,” said George.
They both smiled.

Colin stepped out of the gate at Wandsworth prison. Although he was in his mid thirties, he looked older. Maybe it was the tattoos that covered his face, hands, neck and other parts of his body, that made him seem older. And as the prison gate slammed shut he stood there a moment feeling slightly bewildered, with his shoulders slightly hunched and his clothes looking dishevelled on his tall skinny frame. He took out a roll up from his tobacco pouch, lit it, and took a deep pull into his lungs. He then slowly started walking along the road.
After walking for about half an hour in an area he didn’t know, he walked into a café on Garratt Lane, a busy shopping road in Earlsfield. A few people looked up from their meals to stare at Colin as he sat down. Emma the part time waitress, who was an attractive, slim, 19 year old dance student, then approached him and stared at him coldly, instantly judging him because of the tattoos on his face.
“What would you like? Emma asked holding out a small note pad.
“Could I ‘ave egg, chips and beans?
Emma scribbled the order onto her pad, then turn on her heel to walk away.
Colin called after her, “A cup of coffee as well please love.”
Emma seemed to visibly freeze, then scribbled on her note pad again.
A couple of minutes later, Emma put Colin’s coffee onto the table.
“Thanks,” Colin said smiling.
A few minutes later Emma put Colin’s meal on the table and Colin said, “Thanks love.”
Emma appeared to freeze again, then she walked away.
“Could I ‘ave two pieces of bread and butter as well please,” Colin called after her.
“That will be an extra fifty pence,” Emma replied coldly.
“Thass alright,” Colin replied still smiling.
When Emma walked back behind the counter, she said to Ollie, the middle aged, fat, balding café owner, “Do ya see that mans face? Ow could you get tattoos all over yer face.”
“Its obviously what ‘e likes,” said Ollie.
“’E looks like a right weirdo,” continued Emma.
“Yeah, well. As long as ‘e pays for e’s food,” said Ollie, “E’s welcome.”
Emma scowled and said, “If this was my café, I wouldn’t serve ‘Im.”
Ollie said softly, “Yeah, well, e’s still a human being. Mans gotta eat, even if ‘e does look a bit odd.”

After walking aimlessly for about another twenty-five minutes, and not knowing where he was going, Colin was pleased to find Wimbledon Park. He walked around the edge of the large lake there, then went and sat on a bench overlooking the children’s play park. About fifty feet away, two mothers, Jane and Victoria were pushing their daughters Kate and Abbey, when Jane said quietly to Victoria, “That man on the bench is making me feel uncomfortable.”
“There’s bloody weirdo’s everywhere,” said Victoria.
Both the woman stared at Colin, then Jane said, “I think we should leave. You read about strangers and perverts in the paper everyday”.
After she’d spoken, Jane stopped the swing with her daughter Kate on, and Victoria said, “There’s no such thing as a safe place anymore.”
Kate, Janes’s daughter suddenly whined, “Mummy, why have you stopped pushing me?”
“We’re going honey,” Jane replied.
Kate then whined again, “But we haven’t been here long”.
“I’m sorry darling,” Jane replied, “But there’s a strange man over there.”
Victoria stopped pushing her daughter Abbey as well, and Abbey asked, “Are we going as well mummy?”
“Yes love,” Victoria replied.
Abbey then whined again, “Ol’ mummy, why do we have to go?”
“There’s a strange man over there,” Victoria replied, “And me and Jane don’t think its safe for us to be here.”
“Is the man a murderer?” Abbey asked excitedly.
“I don’t know love,” Victoria said, “But we’re going. We can play in Jane’s garden.”
The two women started lifting their daughters off the swings and Abbey moaned, “But mummy…There’s no swings in Jane’s garden.”
“Yes,” Victoria said sounding flustered, “But at least you’ll be safe there.”

Two police officers, Alan and Trevor approached Colin, who was laying on the bench in the park.
“Excuse me sir,” said Alan.
Colin opened his eyes and sat up, and Trevor the second policeman said, “This is a play park, not a place for dossing.”
“I was juss laying down for a while an’ gettin’ some fresh air,” Colin said.
“Well,” said Trevor, “We’ve had a complaint from one of the parents, saying you were staring at children.”
“What…Are you ‘aving a laugh,” Colin said, flushing red and slightly angry, “I ain’t staring at anyone. I juss got out of jail this morning. I’ve bin banged up in a little cell for three months an’ now I wanted to get some fresh air in a wide open space.”
Alan asked, “What were you in jail for?”
“Shop lifting,” said Colin, still slightly red, “I was homeless an’ starvin’, so I nicked a sandwich from a supermarket, but got caught.”
“Where do you live now?” Asked Trevor, the second policeman.
“Nowhere,” Colin repied, “I’m homeless again.”
Alan, who seemed the softer of the two officers, asked, “Didn’t they sort out somewhere for you to live whilst you were in there?”
“Nah,” Colin replied, “They tried to find me a hostel to be released to, but none of them would ‘ave me as I got into a fight and broke someone’s nose in a hostel five years ago, so none of the hostels would take me, cos I’ve got violence on my record.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Alan, slightly softening, “But you can’t stay here. This is a public park. People bring their kids here.”
“Yeah, well, like you said,” said Colin, “This is a public park, an’ I’m one of the public. I’m not a fuckin’ paedophile.”
“I’m not saying you are,” replied Alan, “But your appearance is frightening people.”
“What do you mean frightening people,” Colin said hurt and angry, “Ain’t people ever seen tattoos before.”
Alan sighed, then said, “This is a posh, wealthy area mate. I suggest you move on somewhere else.”

After looking for somewhere to sleep, Colin found an alleyway that lead to the back yard of a supermarket. There were some large wheely bins there and Colin took out several large cardboard boxes and flattened them to make a ground sheet and he laid down on them. After about thirty minutes he started dosing into a light sleep. He sat up startled though when the supermarket security guard shined a torch in his face.
“You better sling yer ‘ook mate,” said the security guard, “Your on private property.”
Colin rubbed his eyes and said, “I’m not disturbin’ anyone.”
“Your disturbin’ me,” the guard said arrogantly, “Now like I said…Sling yer ‘ook before I call the police.”
Colin slowly stood up and picked up the flattened boxes.
“And you can leave those boxes behind as well,” the guard said.
“I got them out of the bin,” Colin said slightly exasperated at the security guards attitude.
“Yeah, well,” continued the guard, “They’re private property. You got no right taking them out of the bin. Them bins belong to the supermarket.”
“But they’re rubbish.”
“Like I say,” said the guard, “You either leave ‘em behind or I call the police and get you nicked for theft.”

Colin ended up sleeping in an ally way beside a school and he woke up about 8 Am, then he walked round for a while then went into a chemist and bought toothpaste, a tooth brush, a wash bag, shampoo and soap. He then found a public toilet around the corner from Earlsfield train station and he locked himself in the disabled cubicle and washed in the sink.
About nine ‘o’clock he walked into the café that he’d been in yesterday. As he walked in, Emma the nineteen year old waitress looked at him and whispered to the café owner Ollie, “Face aches back”.
Ollie scratched his balding head and replied, “Yeah, well. You juss treat him the same as anyone else.”
“We’ll ‘e aint the same is ‘e? Look at ‘e’s face. Never seen anythin’ like it.”
Emma went to take Colin’s order. “What would you like?”
“Egg chips and beans please love.”
Emma scribbled on her pad and walked away, then Colin called after her, “Cup of coffee as well please love.”
Emma seemed to freeze, then scribbled onto pad. She then went behind the counter and said quietly to Ollie, “E’s quite polite though really ain’t ‘e?
“Juss cos ‘e’s got tattoos all over ‘e’s face, don’t mean that ‘e can’t ‘ave manners.”
“Well you know what I mean,” continued Emma, “Cos ‘e looks ‘orrible, you expect him to be ‘orrible.”
“For all you know, ‘e might be the nicest bloke you ever met.”
Emma scowled, “I wouldn’t go as far to say that.”
“You never know. ‘E might be a saint for all you know.”
“Ugliest flippin’ saint I’ve ever seen.”
Ollie smiled, “They say that beauties in the eye of the beholder.”

Colin was walking around late at night, exploring the area and making mental notes of possible places to sleep. As he approached the corner of a street, two policemen stopped him.
The policeman called Eddy said, “Excuse me sir, do’ya mind tellin’ me where you juss come from?”
“I’ve juss bin walkin’ round the streets.”
The second policeman George asked, “What in this area?”
“Yeah.”
Eddy then asked, “Know anythin’ about a lady ‘avin’ ‘er hand bag snatched?”
“No…Why?”
The second policeman George seemed the most suspicious of the two then asked, “Do’ya mind if we search you?”
“What for?”
Eddy then said, “A lady’s juss had ‘er hand bag snatched a few streets away. She ‘ad twenny-five in cash stolen an’ a mobile phone…You got any cash on ya?”
“yeah, about eighty quid. I got released from jail yesterday with ‘undred an’ ten quid. Two weeks dole money.”
“You juss got outta jail?” Eddy asked.
“Yeah,”
“What was you in for?” George asked, seeming to become more hostile.
“Shop liftin’. I stole a sandwich cos I was starvin’.”
“What about snatchin’ hand bags,” George continued, “Funny ‘ow a hand bag was snatched juss two minutes up the road, an’ you got out of jail yesterday.”
“Leave it out. I ain’t a hand bag snatcher. That’s not my style.”
George was starting to seem agitated, “Oh yeah. What is your style then?”
“Look man. I’ve still got eighty quid on me from my discharge payment. Why would I snatch a hand bag?”
“You tell me,” George continued, “Got a drug ‘abit at all?”
Colin sighed then said, “Listen man. I ain’t a junkie…I have a bit of puff sometimes, an’ like a drink. But its not the kind of thing you go snatchin’ hand bags over.”
“I half believe you,” said Eddy, “If I ‘ad tattoos all over my face, I don’t think I’d snatch a hand bag. Ain’t as if you wouldn’t be recognised is it?”
“Exactly,” said Colin, “I’m not that stupid.”
George still seemed hostile though and said, “The lady said she didn’t see the attackers face. He run up behind her, snatched the bag and carried on running.”
“Ah leave it out man. You don’t think its me do ya?”
“Listen,” said Eddy, “What we’re gonna do is drive the victim past in a police car and see if she can identify you. If she says it weren’t you, you can go. Are you alright with that?”
“Sure…I ain’t got nothin’ to hide.”
George said into his radio, “Alpha, two, zero. This is Charlie, one, nine. Are you still with the victim?
A policeman called Paul answered by radio, “Yeah, Roger.”
George continued, “We’ve got a suspect on the corner of Regis Street. Can you do a quick drive past with the victim and see if she can identify him?
“Sure,” said Paul, “Be there in a minute.”
Eddy the kinder policeman said to Colin, “The ladies gonna be driven past in a short while, an’ if you’re not identified you’ll be on you’re way.”
Colin nodded looking nervous, and moments later the police car rounded the corner and slowly drove past them, with victim staring at Colin. A minute later a radio message came through to George, “Charlie, One, Nine, the lady said that she can’t be certain as she didn’t see the robbers face, but he was about the same build and wearing similar clothes.”
“Thank you Alpha, Two, Zero,” George said into his radio, “Looks like we’ll ‘ave to bring ‘im in for questionin’. Send a van mate.”
The two policeman look at Colin, and Eddy said with a hint of sympathy, “Looks like we’ll ‘ave to bring you in for an interview.”
Colin seemed really pissed off, “I can’t believe this.”
“Ain’t you’re lucky day is it?” George replied slightly smug.

Colin was in a cell at the police station when the two police officers Eddy and George came in to search him.
“ We are goin’ to have to strip search you Colin,” said Eddy, “We’ve checked yer record an’ seen you’ve got previous for drugs.”
“Leave it out,” Colin protested, “I’ve only bin nicked for ‘arf ounce of puff before.”
“look, we’ve gotta strip search you,” said George slightly smug, I ‘ope you ain’t gonna give us any aggro or we’ll ‘ave to call for more back up an’ strip search you by force.”
Colin sighed, “Search me then. But it’s a waste of time. I ain’t got anythin’ on me.”
“Take your clothes off Colin,” Eddy said softly, “An’ when yer naked, squat.”

Colin was laying on the cell bed when the two police officers came back in. Eddy smiled and said, “Looks like its yer lucky day Colin.”
“Why, whats ‘appened?”
“There was another muggin’ quarter of a mile away, same description,” said Eddy, “A lady ‘ad her hand bag snatched shortly after we arrested you. We believe it was the same robber workin’ the area…We’re gonna let you go mate.”
“What, juss like that. Do I get an apology?”
“We don’t give apologees,” said George, “We pulled you in as part of our job. Yer lucky we’re lettin’ you go.”
“This is a fuckin’ liberty man. You’ve stripped searched me an’ banged me up for nothin’.
“What do your expect with tattoos all over yer face,” said George, “You’ve got jail bird written all over you.”
“So your judgin’ me cos I’ve got tattoos?”
“Look Colin,” said Eddy, the kinder of the two officers, “We’re juss doin’ our job. If you want to get outta here, I suggest you stop arguin’. We’ll take you to reception, give you back yer belongin’s an get you outta here.”
“Yeah, well. Its still a fuckin’ liberty if you ask me.”
“Well we ain’t askin’ you,” said George, “So juss shut it.”
Colin scowled, but didn’t reply.

It was Colin’s third day of freedom when he walked into the café for breakfast. Emma the teenage waitress faintly smiled as she saw him and quickly walked to Colin’s table. Colin smiled and said, “The usual love.”
“Egg, chips and beans?”
“Yeah.”
Emma scribbled on her pad and turned and walked away, then turned back to Colin again and said smiling, “Oh yeah. A cup of coffee as well.”
“yeah please,” smiled Colin.
Emma gave Colin’s order to the café owner Ollie, who seemed slightly surprised as he said, “You’ve changed yer tune a bit.”
“Whad’ya mean?” Emma asked.
“You seem to ‘ave suddenly taken a shine to him.”
“Whad’ya mean?
Ollie smiled and said, “Yesterday you were callin’ him face ache, an’ today you looked like you couldn’t wait to serve him.”
Emma scowled and then lightened, “Well ‘e ain’t really as bad as ‘e looks. ‘E seems like quite an nice geezer really.”
“Like I said. Don’t judge a book by the cover.”
Emma brings Colin’s meal and he starts eating it. After he’d finished Colin took a local paper from the next table and as he flicked through it he came across a properties to rent page. He’s eyes lit up and he called Emma and said, “Can I borrow a pen love?”
“Course you can,” Emma said smiling and gave him a spare biro from her apron pocket.
Colin studied an advert and wrote the phone number on the back of his hand.

Colin entered a phone box and dialled the number he’d written. After a few rings a female called Janet picked it up and Colin said, “Allo.”
“Allo,” Janet replied.
“I’m phonin’ about the rooms for rent,” said Colin.
“Oh yeah.”
“Your advert says you take DSS without a deposit…Is that right?”
Janet laughed slightly, “Yeah, I’m not fussy.”
“Can I come and look at a room then?”
“Sure…What time?”
“About eleven.”
“Ok.”
“There’s one thing,” Colin said slightly awkward.
“What?”
“I’ve got tattoos all over my face…But I’m not a trouble maker.”
Janet laughed softly, “Thass alright. My ex husband was a tattooist. He left me this house in his will. I’m covered in tattoos as well. I used to be a hells angel.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. So I’m not worried about what you look like. I love tattoos,” Janet giggled and added, “I’m sure you look beautiful.”
Colin laughed slightly now relieved, “I’ll see at eleven then.”
“Alright babe.”
Colin was just about to put the phone down and then realised he didn’t have Janet address. “Whats yer address?”
Janet giggled again, “Oh yeah, its 57 Replingham road. Its just near Southfields tube station.
Colin left the phone box smiling like he was on cloud nine.
An hour and a half later Colin came out of Southfields tube station and he stood a moment at the railings lining the kerb. He then asked a man passing by if he knew where Replingham Road was.
“Sorry mate,” said the man, “I’m not from this area.”
Colin then asked a teenage girl the same question.
The girl smiled and said, “Its just across the road. See the road sign,” she added pointing to the sign with Replingham Road on it.
“Oh yeah,” smiled Colin, “Thanks.”
Colin crossed the street and walked down the hill past the parade of shops and rang the doorbell of 57, which was a nice looking house in a terraced row. And the door was opened moments later by Janet, a middle aged, slim, blond woman, in tight jeans and a low cut tee-shirt that revealed lots of tattoos on her arms and a swallow bird above her right breast.
Janet smiled as she looked at Colin and said, “Wow, you really ‘ave got a lot of tattoos.”
Colin smiled and replied, “So ‘ave you.”
“Perks of being married to a tattooist,” Janet answered.
Janet then ushered Colin into her stylish and tastefully decorated house and they settled in the kitchen. She asked Colin if he wanted tea or coffee, and Colin replied, “coffee please.”
While the kettle was boiling Janet showed Colin the two bedrooms she was renting out. The third bedroom was hers. Colin said he’d love to have the biggest of the two spare rooms.
“Ok. Its yours,” Janet said smiling, and she told him he was the first to view it, and said she had three other appointments so far for later that day.
Whilst they were drinking coffee, Janet asked, “I don’t suppose you know any landscape gardeners? I wanna get my back garden done.”
Colin seemed startled a moment, then blurted, “I’m a landscape gardener.”
“Really?”
“Yeah…Well, sort of.”
“Whad’ya mean sort of?”
“Well, I’ve got a qualification in landscape gardening and horticulture.”
“Really?” Janet asked, “What college did you go to?”
Colin looked slightly sheepish and replied, “I did a twelve month course when I was in an open prison four years ago.”
Janet raised her eyebrows interested and said, “My husband was in prison. ‘E got five years for robbery when ‘e was a teenager. ‘E became an artist when he was in prison, an’ when ‘e got out he studied fine art an’ got a degree. An’ when ‘e was twenny-four ‘e got a grant from the Princes Trust, an’ ‘e bought some tattoo guns an’ ink etc, an’ ‘e started a business doin’ tattoos. First ‘e used to do it in peoples houses, then ‘e opened up a tattoo shop an’ ‘e expanded a couple of times, till ‘e had another two tatooists an’ a receptionist workin’ for him.”
Colin listened interested and asked, “Where is yer husband now?”
Janet felt a lump in her throat and tears sting her eyes, “’E died two years ago. ‘E got hit by a speed boat when ‘e was swimmin’ in the sea when we were on ‘oliday in Jamaica.”
“I’m really sorry,” Colin said genuinely.
“’E was only forty-two,” Janet continued, “I miss him so much.”
Neither of them spoke for a moment, then Janet quickly cheered up and said, “If my husband could turn ‘e’s life around after prison, so can you. You could start yer own business as a landscape gardener.”
“Yeah,” said Colin, “I’ve thought about that for years, but I ain’t really ‘ad the chance. I’ve bin in an’ out of jail fer silly things, an’ each time I’ve bin released I’ve bin homeless.”
Janet smiled, “Well yer not homeless anymore, so you’ve got no excuses. Juss take things one day at a time,” They both pause a moment without speaking, then Janet said, “I’ve got a feelin’ that me an’ your are gonna get on really well.”
Colin just smiled and then Janet continued, “I’ve gotta do a bit of shoppin’. The supermarket is juss round the corner from the dole office. I could drop you there is you want an’ you could pick up a housin’ benefit form.”
“Thanks,” said Colin, “Thass really kind of you.”
“No problem,” Janet said smiling, and for the first time in ages both of them felt extremely warm and happy.