Call & Response (9 page)

‘So how are you finding Carlisle?’

‘You’re local, aren’t you?’

‘Born and bred, but don’t worry about that. You say what you think. I won’t smack you with this bottle. Not ’til it’s empty, anyway.’

Mary laughed.

‘It’s too soon to stay. But it seems like a good place to bring up a family. And the Lakes are on your doorstep.’

‘You want to keep away from them, Mary. We keep all that for the bloody tourists. We’ve got Wetherspoons and an ATM, like. That’s enough for most of us round here.’

They talked about where Mary was living, how her mum was managing with her dad gone, and about her nephews and nieces.

‘You sound like a fantastic auntie.’

‘But I can give them back when I’ve had enough.’

‘That’s the best way.’

‘You don’t mean that. You’ve got a little boy, haven’t you? The one I met in the hospital.’

‘Ben, that’s right. And no, I don’t mean it. In fact, I’d better be getting back home in a bit.’

‘You go whenever you need to, Pepper. I mustn’t keep you.’

‘I didn’t mean right now. This has been fun. And you’re right. It’s not easy making friends, not in this job.’

‘The hours?’

‘Shifts don’t help, but I don’t do those now. Unless there’s a big case on I’m a nine-to-fiver these days. No, I suppose it’s the job itself. It just makes you, I don’t know, watchful about people.’

‘Do you mean cynical?’

‘Aye, I suppose I do.’

‘That’s just life, love. I spent fifteen years at that bloody company and by the end of it I didn’t trust a bloody one of them.’

They both laughed, and Pepper held up her glass in a farewell toast.

‘To the cons, the toe-rags and the chancers. May they never get any better at their job, and may we never get any worse at ours.’

Saturday, 5th September, 11.50am

Petteril Street, Carlisle.

Pepper put an extra spoonful of coffee into the cafetiere. Justin looked as if he could do with it.

‘So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?’ His voice was thick with singing, tiredness and booze.

‘Sorry to have got you out of bed so early, love. It’s about one of those pictures that you emailed me last night. This one.’ Pepper spun her tablet round and tapped to turn the screen back on. Justin glanced down at it.

‘Aye, that’s Flash Harry. What about him?’

‘You saw him turn up at the hotel after Flynn? How long after? A minute? Twenty minutes?’

‘A minute or two. Certainly less than five.’

‘So you think they were meeting?’

‘I do. I’m sure of it, in fact. And it’s not just the timing. Don’t laugh, but there was something about their clothes.’

‘I can’t see any stripy jumpers and swag bags, love.’

‘Don’t be daft, Pepper. No-one can tell villains and entrepreneurs apart these days, we all get that. No, it was just as if they were wearing some kind of uniform, you know. Dark suits, white open necked shirts. I thought that Flynn seemed overdressed for the places he was visiting in town.’

‘When I was a kid, if you saw a bloke in a suit you locked all the bloody doors.’

‘Don’t boast. We didn’t all have the benefit of your deprived childhood, Pepper.’

‘Very funny. And these are all the pictures you got? You’re sure?’

‘Aye, that the lot. Why? You know my mate Flash Harry, then?’

‘I went to school with him. We used to play in his nan’s paddling pool. But I haven’t seen him in years. Last I heard he’d made it big down in Manchester.’

‘Property development, or something?’

‘Or something. He’s only ever been inside once, to my knowledge, but he’s the real thing is David Young. Protection, prostitution, drugs, people smuggling; he’s the proper criminal all rounder I hear. Mind you, he might not be calling himself by that name now. But it was what he was called in the playground, like. Was he staying at the hotel, do you know?’

‘No, like I say I scarpered when he looked over towards me. He shouldn’t have been able to see the camera, not from that far away, but maybe light reflected off the lens or something.’

‘You did the right thing.’

‘Like I said, I can look after myself, Pepper.’

‘Of course you can, love. I just meant that I wouldn’t want him to know that we’re on to him being back up here already. But I can’t work out what a real player like Young wants with a low-life nobody like Flynn.’

‘I thought you said Flynn was a fixer?’

‘He is, in a way, but he’s unreliable and unpredictable, and he gets caught too often. Look at the way he’s showed out by assaulting Henry like that. A pro would never do that. It’s bad for business, is that, whichever way you look at it.’

‘So does Young being back mean that we’ll see even less of you in future?’

Pepper poured the coffee before she replied. ‘Who’s we?’

‘You know, me and Ben. And all your mates, of course. Everyone who cares about you.’

‘Look, love, I know you think that I work too hard, but these things are relative, aren’t they?’

Justin’s supportive expression cross-faded straight to vexation. ‘Bloody hell, lass. I try really hard, if that’s what you’re getting at. The Working Poor has a chance, I just know it.’

‘A chance of what?’

‘You know, of making it. Finding an audience.’

‘How about making a living?’

‘There’s more to life than money, Pepper.’

‘True enough. But I’ve had sod all, and I’ve had enough to get by on, and I know which I prefer.’

Justin got up quickly, leaving his coffee untouched, and Pepper wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t the first time, and she doubted that it would be the last.

‘You just don’t get it, do you?’ he said. ‘I’m trying to make something new, something real, and all you do is try to fight the battles of the past. Your past, Pepper. But no-one gives a shit, and you won’t make any difference to anyone’s life. You won’t be able to save a single kid from going through what you did. And for someone who seems so bloody sure that they’re doing something for other people you’re pretty good at taking, aren’t you?’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ she said sharply, to Justin’s back.

Later, when she was at the swings with Ben, she sat on a bench while he scaled the climbing frame, and called her contact on the intelligence team at HQ. But she was ready to drop the phone and get into the catching position at the first sights of over-confidence from Ben. Her mate told her that he was in a DIY store, looking for some special kind of raw plug.

‘I expect you’ve got a man who comes in for all that, Pepper.’

She let it pass, but only because she was after information, and she didn’t want to wait until Monday. And maybe she didn’t want anything on paper either.

‘Have you got anything new on David Young, formerly of this parish?’

‘No, should I have?’ She could tell from his tone that DCI Baker was no longer thinking about innovative wall fixing solutions.

‘Probably not. I just heard a whisper, that’s all.’

‘A whisper?’

‘That’s right. Someone said he’d been seen in the city, a few days back.’

‘Probably just visiting family. Unless he’s eliminated them all and had them incorporated in the flood defences. I wouldn’t put it past him, mind. He’s like one of my dog’s farts is Dai Young: silent but deadly.’

This time Pepper laughed. ‘No, as far as I know the whole clan is still alive. Anyway, sorry to trouble you, Pete.’

‘No problem. But Pepper, one thing. You will let me know if you find out anything solid about Young, won’t you? And you’ll not hold anything back either, will you, love? Because I’d be pretty pissed off if I got in to work on Monday morning and found out that someone has just committed the crime of the bloody century on my patch. Because you’ll know whose names will be the first and second ones that will pop into my head, don’t you?’

‘Like I said, it’s probably nothing. Forget I called.’

‘Oh, I’ll not do that, Pepper. I certainly won’t do that.’

Henry Armstrong wasn't enjoying his shift, and he hadn’t expected to. In fact, when the DS had given him the case he wondered if he’d done something wrong. Other than get himself beaten up without laying a hand on his attacker, that is. He just knew that Pepper would have expected better, even though she’d never had said so.

‘So let me get this straight, boss’ he’d said, when she’d tasked him with the job. ‘Our complainant, Billy Brown, had some gear nicked from him after he’d burgled a house, and when he tried to take the stuff back off the kids who’d done it they just robbed him again. Is that right?’

‘Aye. Brilliant, isn’t it? But forget about Billy. They can rob him every single day of the week for all I care. No, you’re missing the point here, Henry. Because the good thing is that we have a crime report now, don’t we? Uniform have known about this for ages, and those kids are well on the way to becoming a proper little gang, so let’s get in amongst them while we can.’

‘What do you want me to do? Nick one of them for it?’

‘If you can, aye, but that’s a bit much to ask. Just let them know we’re watching them, OK?’

‘But won’t they know it’s this Billy Brown who’s grassed on them?’

‘Aye. But he hasn’t named names though, has he? And, like I say, he’s not our concern.’

‘Do we know who these kids are?’

‘Most of them. You’ll find them by the shops, I dare say. Like I say, just have a word. Let them know that they’re on our radar. And that we’re in charge, not them.’

They were exactly where Pepper had said they’d be. Six of them, but they didn’t look much like kids to Armstrong. He sat in the car and watched them for a while. And then he realised exactly why Pepper had sent him out on this nothing job. She wanted to find out if he’d lost his nerve. Well he hadn’t. But as he reached for the door handle his phone started to ring, as perfectly timed as if they were somehow connected. It was Copeland.

‘What’s happening?’

‘I’m out on a wild goose chase, following up on some bullshit robbery report.’

‘On your own?’

‘Aye. Pepper just wanted me to have a word. They’re just a load of kids. Big kids, mind.’

‘Stay where you are. I’ll come out and join you. I’ve been looking forward to seeing the mean streets of Carlisle.’

‘I doubt you’ll be all that impressed.’

‘How long will it take me to reach you?’

‘Ten minutes.’

‘Right, I’ll see you in five. Because I can drive like a bloke, Henry.’

Henry glanced down at his watch, the expensive new Omega that his father had given him for his twenty-first, although he had no intention of waiting for anyone. But it was a few more seconds before he got out of the car, and walked towards the group of boys. One of them was standing over a BMX, and for some reason that made Armstrong feel a bit better. The lads spotted him when he was still thirty metres away.

‘Paedo’ one of them shouted, pointing at him. Armstrong felt himself flush, but he reached into his pocket and produced his Warrant Card.

‘Police, stay where you are.’

‘Do you see us running, paedo?’ The lad who was doing the talking and the grinning seemed to be the leader. It was a good point. Henry didn’t.

‘Come to nick us, have you? I bet you couldn’t catch a cold.’

‘I’ve come to talk to you, that’s all. First of all, let’s have your names.’

‘Fuck off’ said one.

‘No’ said the first lad who’d spoken, ‘be nice, Beyonce. Oh shit, I’ve given it away now, ain’t I? You know one of us is called Beyonce now.’

‘Come on, don’t mess me about.’

‘Or what?’ The lad’s voice was still friendly enough, at least for now.

Armstrong reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and took a picture of the group.

‘We never gave you permission for that. Give that phone here.’

‘Don’t be daft, lads. Let’s get your names, and then we can have a chat.’

‘You want us to come to your youth club? Or maybe your church. Is that it, paedo? You want to convert us?’

‘Now listen…’ said Armstrong, stepping forward. But he sensed that the lads weren’t paying attention, and he didn’t have to turn to know who’s running feet he could hear behind him.

‘Look, it’s a pygmy paedo. Fucking hell, we’re getting them in all shapes and fucking sizes now.’

Armstrong hesitated, expecting Copeland to stop alongside him, but he didn’t. And by the time Armstrong’s legs started taking him forward Copeland was right in the talkative lad’s face. Or rather, right in his chest.

‘Did you just use a racist term, sir?’ he said, calmly. ‘I really hope you did.’ One of the other lads, stepped forward threateningly, but Copeland didn’t take his eyes off the tall lad with the big mouth. ‘You stay right there, mate. Take one more step towards me and your mates are going to hear you cry like a little girl.’

The talkative lad shook his head. ‘I’m right northern, me, mate. You’re just not used to how we talk, you being a right little cockney sparrow and all. We often say me at the end of sentences. So I said ‘look, it’s a pig, me’. What did you hear, like?’

‘Really? That’s what you said? So you’re not a racist then. That’s a shame. But you are all petty thieves though, aren’t you?’

‘Who told you that?’

Copeland turned, and pointed up at the CCTV camera on the corner of the shops.

‘That did. Now, here’s what’s going to happen next. On Monday my colleague, DC Armstrong here, is going to come back here, and two of you are going to own up to the robberies that have taken place around here in the last couple of months. As many as you can remember, anyway.’

‘Fuck off’ said one of the lads who was furthest away.

‘No, that’s what you’re going to do. Because we all know what’s going to happen after that. So long as you pick a couple of lads who are under eighteen, then it’ll just be a caution. Everyone’s a winner then, aren’t they? We all get to go on with our lives.’

‘So that’s how it is, is it?’ said the lad who seemed to be the leader. ‘You’ll be asking for a share of the fucking take next.’

‘I’m just being realistic’ said Copeland, mildly. ‘But there is one other thing. If I find that the robberies continue afterwards then I will come back, and I will arrest you all. And I will keep on arresting you until, finally, you get sent to prison.’

‘Never, mate.’

‘It will happen, eventually. I know it seems unlikely, but it will. And you wouldn’t like it inside, lads, I promise you that. Now, are we clear?’

‘Aye.’

‘Good.’ Copeland took a step back, looked round the group and smiled. ‘Has no-one told you that you’re much too old for that funny little bike, son? So do us a favour, boys. Either start getting involved in some proper villainy, so that you’re actually worth our time, or go back to school, or college, or primary school. To tell you the truth, you’re just not cut out for this line of work, lads.’

Copeland didn’t say anything as the two officers walked back to their cars. He seemed to be walking extremely slowly, but Armstrong fell into step. And he resisted the urge to look back, over his shoulder.

‘I didn’t know we had CCTV evidence.’

‘We don’t. That thing hasn’t worked in months, apparently. But those kids don’t know that, do they? This way you get a couple of collars, and the DS will be happy.’

‘I’m not sure. I think this was meant to be some kind of test, like.’

‘You passed then, didn’t you?’

‘I wasn’t scared, you know.’

‘Of course not. There was sod all to be frightened of. They’re just kids.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah. But it’s all relative, isn’t it? Where I come from we’ve caught fourteen year olds with guns. Straight up. And they would have used them too, no doubt about that. But one of those kids was on a BMX, for fuck’s sake. What was he going to do, Henry, run over your toes?’