Gangsters Wives (8 page)

The day went badly. The witnesses for the prosecution were wheeled out and led through their carefully rehearsed evidence. The driver of the hijacked truck, his mate who'd been badly beaten, bystanders and coppers. The evidence was overwhelming. It should have been a simple job. Something the chaps could deal with blindfolded. The Mail were stupid. They never learned that everywhere there were sharp eyes watching for cash on the move. Sharp eyes that saw a pattern and sold to the likes of Eddie. The vans moved thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds to branch post offices every Thursday morning in front of the weekend, where the public cashed in their giros and pensions at the counter, even though The Mail pleaded with them to have the money transferred direct to their bank accounts. In London a lot of people didn't have bank accounts, even in this day and age. Besides, they liked to feel the crinkle of cash in the purse or pocket, so money was always flying around in big red armoured trucks. But armour is only as strong as its weakest part. And the weakest parts were always the humans inside the vehicles. Underpaid and often resentful, they were the links in the chain that parted easiest. But for once the human was more resentful of the robbers than his employers, and he paid dearly for his loyalty.

‘It was only fucking money,' said Eddie, after the event. ‘Just print some more. Anyway it wasn't his dough. Silly cunt.' The silly cunt in question being the driver's mate, a young man from Camden Town named Billy Liquorice.

The armoured van was driving down The Great West Road when three motors joined it. In front went first, a Ford Cosworth for the getaway driven by Robbo, a white Transit truck driven by Eddie, to block the road, with Joseph literally riding shotgun armed with an AK47, and behind, a Bedford tow truck to rip off the back doors with Connie at the wheel. All four had Tony Blair plastic masks hanging round their necks, and at the pre-arranged spot all four pulled them up over their faces. At 9:10 precisely Eddie slammed on the brakes of the Transit and cut the Mail van off as Joseph jumped out and pointed the machine gun at the windscreen of the van. ‘Switch off,' he screamed and fired a single shot at the engine compartment, as Connie spun the tow truck round in a tight circle. A woman in a Range Rover behind him tooted her horn, but at the sight of Tony Blair glaring back at her, and the sound of the shot she dived into the passenger well of the SUV and stayed there.

Now, if all had gone smoothly, the driver and his mate would have been forced out of the van as Eddie connected the tow-truck's hook to the handles on the back of the money wagon. But Billy Liquorice would have none of it. Even as the driver literally wet his trousers, Billy shoved him against the driver's door, got behind the wheel, slammed the van into reverse and drove back into the tow truck, then attempted to by-pass the Transit. The armoured vehicle slammed into the back of the trannie and stalled, and Joseph switched the AK to full automatic and fired through the passenger door of the van. The glass was supposed to be bullet proof, but the AK was loaded with armour piercing bullets and the side window imploded, covering Billy with shards of glass which almost cut his throat. He was lucky a bullet didn't blow his head off. So was Eddie, as he'd have been up for murder instead of the charges he faced. The tow truck had been pushed back into the bonnet of the Range Rover with enough force to ram the steering wheel back and inflate both air bags, narrowly missing the driver's face as she peered over the dashboard. Both radiators fractured sending clouds of steam into the morning air. When the gang heard sirens they abandoned the job, the trannie and the tow truck and made their escape, empty-handed in the Cosworth. The very next morning Eddie's lock up was raided, and the rest was history. As the evidence mounted, Sadie felt her spirits droop.

When day one was over, Sadie found Eddie, whose bail had been retained, and they left by a side door where Tom had parked his car. But this time things were different. There was an imposing press and TV presence and Sadie and Eddie had to fight through a crowd of reporters shouting questions. They shielded themselves behind stony expressions and barged through the melee to the car, which screamed away with a shriek from its back tyres. ‘Christ,' said Eddie. ‘That was fucked.'

Tom kept his face to the front.

‘I'm going down,' Eddie whispered in Sadie's ear. ‘Things are looking bad.'

They drove the rest of the way home in silence, Sadie holding on to Eddie's hand as if she was drowning.

Once indoors Eddie said, ‘Listen, I've spoken to my brief. I'm going to change my plea.'

‘What?'

‘It's all going pear shaped babe. I'm being let down by people I thought I could trust. If I cop a plea, then the judge might go a bit lightly.'

‘But I thought everything was sorted? Like always?'

‘I'm being fucked over darlin'. ‘Trust me, it's the only way. I promise you though, you'll be all right.'

But she wasn't.

The next day, Eddie did as he said and after the jury was excused, he was sentenced.

‘This was a brutal and vicious robbery,' the judge intoned. ‘And although you have pleaded guilty, your accomplices are still at liberty, and you appear to show no remorse. I therefore sentence you to fifteen years in prison. Take him down.'

Sadie felt her world begin to slip away, and she almost fainted. Kate was on one side of her and Poppy the other with Niki sitting behind next to Connie. Sadie felt their hands supporting her and she knew she mustn't give in to the feelings of pure terror she was experiencing. Eddie would never forgive her the weakness, so she pulled herself together and left the court with her head held high.

She was allowed one brief interview with her husband in the holding cell in the bowels of the building. ‘Sweetheart,' said Eddie. ‘You'll be all right. When I'm settled we'll get you a VO.'

‘Where are you going Eddie?' she asked

‘The Marsh. I'll be close. Now don't worry. Love you.'

‘Love you too,' said Sadie, and there wasn't much else to say.

Sadie hadn't been the only one to get a shock on the first day of the trial. At lunchtime Robbo, Joseph and Connie had gone off alone together. ‘Business,' was all they said. ‘See you later.'

‘Looks like we're ladies who lunch alone then,' said Sadie to the other three girls. ‘Eddie's brief told me there's a decent boozer round the corner. The Three Stags. Does a fair lunch. Though I'm not hungry, but I could go a livener. What about it?'

Poppy, Niki and Kate nodded agreement and they set off. Then Kate said, ‘Shit, I've run out of fags. I'll just nip in the shop.' Across the road was a newsagents.

‘I've got plenty,' said Niki.

‘Those things you smoke are too strong for me,' said Kate. ‘Go on, I'll catch you up. Get me a G&T in.'

‘Right,' said Sadie. ‘He said it's left and left again. On the corner. Can't miss it.'

‘Yeah. I'll look for three slags in the Three Stags,' said Kate, ‘then I'll know I'm there.'

‘Cheek,' said Poppy, but they all laughed, grateful for the weak joke on a day when there wasn't much else to laugh about.

Kate trotted across the road and into the shop where she bought twenty Silk Cut purple. As she left and made to re-cross the road, a voice from the next doorway said, ‘I hope you paid for those.'

Kate turned and there was Ali, standing there with a smile on his face.

Kate nearly fainted. He was the last person she wanted to see. Correction. The only person she wanted to see. But not under these circumstances. In a hotel bed with a bottle of champagne and a spliff he'd rolled to get them in the mood. So what the fuck was he doing outside the Old Bailey on the first day of Eddie's trial? ‘What the hell are you doing here?' she demanded. ‘If anyone sees us…'

‘Everybody's off to lunch,' said Ali. ‘I watched.'

‘And I'm supposed to meet the girls.'

‘You will. I'm not going to stop you. I just wanted to say hello and that you look good enough to eat.'

‘But what are you doing here?' Kate asked again.

‘Wouldn't have missed it for the world. Seeing you lot together. One big happy family.'

‘But you weren't in court… Were you?' she added.

‘CCTV love. Smile, you're on candid camera. You do a lovely close-up.'

‘Christ.'

‘I had some time, and I wanted to see some of the trial. Not going well, is it?'

‘Isn't it?'

‘I'd say not. Teflon Eddie's in big trouble.'

‘Don't ask me.'

‘Anyhow, I'm off now. Things to do, people to see. Keep in touch.' And he smiled again, turned, walked off and vanished into the lunchtime crowds. Kate looked after him, and felt a pang that he was going.

She ran across the road, followed Sadie's directions and found the pub. ‘You took your time,' said Poppy. ‘Drink's getting warm.'

‘Sorry, got lost,' said Kate. ‘Who's got a light?'

As Ali walked away from Kate, it wasn't only her luscious body that was on his mind. He knew all about Eddie and the mail van robbery that had gone badly wrong, with three of the robbers still at large, and he knew who they were, but had no proof. Eddie led to Robbo and the other two cheap villains sitting up in the public gallery with their swag on their backs. Better suits than Ali could afford on his police salary. And with their flash birds, one of whom at least would suck Ali's dick dry whenever he wanted. Kate. Ali yearned for her like a teenager with his first girlfriend. And there she was surrounded by the scum of East End villains. And he fucking envied them.

Bastards. Ali was no fool. He knew why he was on a fast track for promotion. The colour of his bloody skin. And he also knew people were watching him. Important people. Some ready to push him onwards and upwards, and others ready to drop him like a hot brick if he put a foot wrong. And shagging Kate Ellis wasn't a particularly good career move. Or maybe it was. Only time and results would tell. Besides, he couldn't leave her alone. She was like smack to a junkie. Catnip to his old mum's moggie. An addiction, and just spotting her there in court, and later in the street, was an aphrodisiac. But he kept a poker face, even though he saw hers go white at the sight of him. Keep calm, babe, he thought. Keep very calm.

Since Ali had first met Kate they'd managed to meet several times. Always at Kate's instigation. She called him on his mobile, gave a time she was free, and it was up to him to say yes or no. It had always been yes so far, even though he had to neglect his job sometimes to make the date. They always met at hotels where Ali booked the room, arrived first and waited for her in the bedroom. Their sex was sometimes fast and furious, sometimes tender and loving. Kate was the happiest she had been for years, but knew that if Robbo ever found out, she'd be in a world of pain.

Ali partly justified the meetings by any information he could glean about the gang during their pillow talk. Kate was wise to all that and gave little away, but Ali lived in hope. All he wanted to do was to get a lead on Robbo and the gang's plans, nick them, get them sent down and have Kate all to himself. That was his dream, but he knew that even if she was free, her background would always be suspect. But people in love, whatever ulterior motives they might have, constantly live in hope.

So when Eddie's trial came up, Ali wheedled his way into the court, on the pretext that when he moved up in rank, which he knew he would, he wanted to be
au
fait
with all sorts of criminals. It was weak, but it worked. Ali sat in the CCTV control room and listened intently to the goings on. Later, when Eddie changed his plea, he thought, one down, three to go.

After lunch, as soon as there was a break, Kate made an excuse that she needed some air and left the building. As soon as she was clear, she found a bench in a tiny public park and called Ali. ‘What the hell do you think you're doing?' she demanded when he answered.

‘This is not a good time cousin,' replied Ali.
Cousin
was part of their code.

‘Bloody right it's not,' she hissed. ‘I nearly fainted when I saw you.'

‘Sorry, I couldn't let you know,' he replied. ‘You know why.' He was still forbidden to call her.

‘Christ,' she said. ‘Are you going to be there again?'

‘No. I've got a lot of other things to do. I was just in the area,' he lied.

‘Thank Christ for that. When are we going to meet?'

‘Up to you. Call me. I can't talk now, I'm with some senior officers and they're giving me the evil eye,' he whispered.

‘I will,' and she hung up without a goodbye, and realised she was shaking. Fear, anger, lust, all mixed in a stew of emotion. She lit a cigarette and tried to relax, but stubbed it out half smoked, got up and went back to the court.