Dumfries (20 page)

  “
Good evening.  My name is John Turney and these are the news headlines in Scotland tonight. 

Housewives across Scotland have hit out at the alarming rate of price increases on food and have termed the rise scandalous. Economic experts claim that the soaring prices are as a result of the governments stern anti-inflation measures and are causing even the most ardent conservative MPs to recoil in horror and worry about their political prospects in the weeks and months to come.  The government is being urged by all sides of the political divide to come up with measures to assist those on low pay who are suffering severe hardship…

  Police have raided two major scrap dealer yards in the city in the early hours of this morning, hunting for stolen car parts.  The yards, one in Balmore Road in the north of the city and another in the Broomielaw area of Finnieston are thought to be major illegal processing plants for stolen car parts.  Police refused to comment on whether any incriminating parts were found, but it is believed that no arrests took place.  A spokesman from Central HQ, Superintendent Daddy Jackson said that enquiries were continuing… 

Two men have been admitted to The Royal Infirmary after being shot at close range in broad daylight from a passing car on Alexandra Parade this afternoon.  A sixty-six-year-old pensioner was taken in a separate ambulance after having suffered what is believed to be a heart attack, a few minutes after the incident.  Police sealed off the Parade and redirected cars onto Cumbernauld Road, causing major traffic disruption with tailbacks into the city centre…

  City Councillors are backing moves for famous Glasgow Country and Western Singer, Sarah May Todd, to be awarded the freedom of the city after it was revealed she had sold out her five-night concert special at The Apollo in November in less than five hours.  A spokesman for The Apollo said that it was an astonishing feat that The Rolling Stones couldn’t achieve.  Some fans camped for three days around the block to ensure they got tickets…

The number of women and children being made homeless and seeking alternative accommodation due to domestic abuse is on the increase, a women’s charity claimed today…”

Chapter Eighteen

  “Fanny, are you awake?  What’s wrong?” Jardine whispered.

  “Nothing.  Go back to sleep, darling.”

  “You’ve been tossing and turning half the night.  Something’s bothering you.”

  “What time is it?” she murmured.

  “Twenty to five.”

  “Only two hours before I have to get up.  God, I’ll be shattered by this afternoon,” she groaned, turning o’er and resting her heid oan his bare chest.

  “Tell me what’s bothering you.  Is it work?” he asked, stroking her hair.

  “In 1968, when I was working in Thistle Park Approved School in Paisley, I started working with a group of young boys from Glasgow.  They basically ran rings around me and took me to the cleaners.  To cut a long story short, they stole my car and used it to escape back to where they originated from,” she said, staring intae space, a pained expression oan her face.

  “Did you ever get the car back?”

  “Yes.  It was my first car as well.  Someone once told me that some cars had bad karma and brought their owners nothing but grief.  They must have had that one in mind when they came up with that one.  It was a nice little green mini.  I really loved that car, until it was stolen, that is.  You wouldn’t have thought that it had been used in an escape.  It was still in the same state that it was in before it was taken, apart from my workbag, containing the files of all the boys, which went missing and a burned-out clutch.  I had to get rid of poor Nelly…that’s what she was called, soon after her return though.  It just didn’t feel the same, knowing that the boys had stolen her.  Every time I looked at the car, it reminded me of what had been going wrong in my life at the time.  It was also around that time that I found out I was pregnant with Jake.  I felt really hurt and down during that period of my life.  The boys had lured me in to a false sense of security, as had Jake’s father.  From feeling on top of the world, with everything to live for, I ended up with nothing.  I packed in my job and was going back to live with my parents with my tail between my legs.  I felt so humiliated.  Even now, I can still feel the hurt, pain and shame of having to face Mum and Dad.  I phoned my mum to come and pick me up.  I don’t know where my head was at the time.  I can remember telling my mum over the phone that I was pregnant.”

  “What was her reaction?”

  “You know what my mother’s like.  She was twittering away, ten to the dozen.  I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.  On reflection, I was probably in the process of having a full-blown nervous breakdown.  All I can remember is shouting down the phone, informing her of my situation.  There was this deafening silence, before I heard her body crashing onto the floor.  In the background I could hear my father’s footsteps running towards her, screaming out her name, panic and fear in his voice. I don’t think my father has ever forgiven me for that.”

  “I’m sure he has, Fanny.  Your father isn’t one for holding grudges for too long,” he said soothingly, caressing her hair.

  “And my poor mother?  She still hasn’t got over the shock.  The shame of her only darling daughter ending up with a child out of wedlock wasn’t what they’d had in mind for me.”

  “But why is this bothering you now?  You’ve got me and Jake, whose grandparents, aunts and uncles on both sides all simply adore him.”

  “The boys.”

  “What about them?”

  “Two of them, including the one that was the ringleader back then, have arrived in Dumfries, with another on his way.  I have an appointment with the ringleader tomorrow, I mean today, and I’m not looking forward to it.”

  “He’ll probably not even know who you are.  You said so yourself.  They were only kids back then.  They must all be in their late teens by now.  Back then, you were Miss Fanny Flaw and you’re still…what?…Ms Fanny Flaw?” he said.  “Is that still the same?” he asked, as the baith ae them burst oot laughing.

  “You know, it’s not only my parents who don’t fully understand why I kept my maiden name.  My boss, Alex, said that I did it deliberately to upset George Crawford, Alison Crawford’s husband.  I had a meeting with him and Father Leonard.  He just doesn’t know what to call me, so instead of Miss Flaw, it’s Mrs,” she said, chuckling.   “On a serious note, though…some of the prison officers are nervous, what with all the trouble that’s been brewing in the adult prisons these past few years.  Father Leonard said that with the arrival of these YOs, the management are concerned that they’ll incite the others to undermine the regime.”

  “And will they?  What’s your thinking?”

  “I’m not sure.  On paper, with regard to their convictions, they’re much and such the same as the majority of the other YOs in the place.  It’s what’s said in their background intelligence reports, which accompany the files on all the inmates as they pass through the system, that’s the problem.  I only got a hold of Guc…er…the ringleader’s one, just before I left earlier this evening.  I’ll have more time tomorrow to read it before I meet him, but from what I did read, he’s suspected of having been involved in a string of murders, underworld slayings in Glasgow…and he’s still only nineteen.”

  “Nineteen?” Jardine asked, rolling aroond oan tae his left side, propping his haun under that chin ae his as he searched her face, worried. 

  “God, can you imagine the life he’s led?  If only I’d had the time to work with them for longer when I had them in my care when they were young,” she groaned, biting oan her bottom lip.

  “You don’t think you’re in any danger, do you?” Jardine asked, alarmed.

  “No, I don’t think so.  The governor has heightened the security level and there’s a new chief officer arriving on Monday.  They say he’s one of the old school types, which doesn’t bode well.”

  “What’s Father Leonard saying about it?”

  “He says we’ll just have to go with the changes meantime.  We don’t really have much choice in the matter.”

  “Why don’t you take a few days off?  Spend some time at home with Jake and I?  I’m sure Jake would be delighted to see you at the school gates in the afternoon when the bell rings.”

  “I can’t.  I’ve only just returned after our holi…honeymoon,” she said, looking up at him, before smiling and kissing him.

  “
Good evening.  My name is John Turney and these are the news headlines in Scotland tonight. 

  A British Frigate reported earlier today that she had been in collision with an Icelandic gunboat on the high seas amidst fears that the Cod War between Iceland and Great Britain is escalating…

  A senior director, Mr James Anderson, informed members of the Social Work Committee of Glasgow Corporation today that the department was in a serious position due to an extreme shortage of staff.  Mr Anderson informed councillors that the department was 25% short of the staff required to provide an acceptable service to the needy.  Mr Anderson also informed the committee that he would shortly be putting forward proposals to give new social workers coming to Glasgow a removal and disturbance allowance, assistance with housing and loans to purchase cars to undertake official duties…

  A postmaster is believed to be in a critical condition in Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary after being clubbed and shot during a robbery in Balornock early this morning.  Mr Jack McFarlane was said to have struggled with one of the attackers after refusing to hand over bags containing money that had just been delivered by a GPO van for the area’s pensioners.  After being clubbed over the head by what witnesses described as an iron bar by the assailant, the other robber shouted for his accomplice to move aside before he shot Mr McFarlane at point blank range. It is thought the robbers made off with a four-figure sum of money.  Local Springburn Inspector Paddy McPhee is appealing for witnesses or for anyone who saw a red Ford Cortina parked outside the Post Office just after nine o’clock this morning…

  Two Clydeside Provident Company employees were violently assaulted and robbed in two different parts of the city last night.  The incidents, two miles apart, in Milton and Auchinairn, brings the number of Clydesdale Provident employees robbed and assaulted this year alone to nine.  A company spokesman said that all employees are trained to hand over money without resistance if confronted by would-be robbers…

  An ex-police inspector whistle-blower, previously stationed in Paisley, has lost his appeal against being sacked after it was discovered that he was responsible for disclosing corruption amongst serving police officers in Glasgow to a national newspaper.  The dossier he provided was used by The Glasgow Echo in a series of articles that exposed levels of corruption and malpractice up to and including middle-ranking police officers, which subsequently led to a number of resignations and arrests by an outside police force…

  Fourteen Dalmatian puppies were born in the home of Jack and Dorothy Baker on the twentieth floor of the Red Road flats yesterday afternoon. Mrs Baker said that Elsie, the bitch, was doing fine and doting on the new arrivals whilst the father, Ben Gurion, was so far showing little interest. Dog breeding expert Jackie Phimister told the news desk that this isn’t unusual in male dogs…   

  A group of women, lead by an off-duty casualty department ward sister from Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary, converged on Central Police Headquarters today, protesting against the use of male officers interrogating rape victims. Superintendent Daddy Jackson refuted claims that male officers often appeared unsympathetic to the plight of victims and stated that his officers treated all victims of crime equally.  Superintendent Jackson pointed to the high conviction rate as a result of dedicated police work.  A spokesman for the protesters, Jill Shand, stated that the Chief Superintendent had missed the point and that the distress felt by women who’d just been violently raped by a male before being subjected to aggressive challenges by a male police officer in a uniform, to ascertain whether the victim’s claims were true or not a short time thereafter, was totally unacceptable…”

Chapter Nineteen

  The Governor sat fidgeting behind his desk, fingers drumming oan his ink blotter.  He glanced across at The Chief who wis staunin ramrod straight, his eyes almost invisible under the shadow ae his peaked cap, facing the door.

  “Ah don’t see whit’s so special aboot Gucci, Governor.  Why gie him special treatment?  Wance ye start that, they’ll aw be expecting it.  These wee so-called tickets feed aff ae their notoriety, so they dae,” Mr Baker, the new chief, hid advised earlier.

  “He’s not getting special treatment, Chief.  Gucci has requested an audience, as is his right.  I get similar requests from YOs every day of the week.”

  “Aye, bit Ah’m sure that ye always know whit they’re efter before they arrive.  Agreeing tae see Gucci, withoot knowing the reason beforehaun, is unusual, tae say the least.”

  “I think we can make an exception on this occasion.  This will be the first time that I’ll have come face to face with him since his arrival.  It’ll give me a chance to see what we’re dealing with.  If he steps out of line just one inch, I’m sure SO Dick and his security escort detail will be able to neutralise him, don’t you?”

  “Aye, Donald Dick is a good man tae hiv roond aboot ye, Governor, bit Ah jist think that if ye allow these animals tae twist the rules, it’ll be guaranteed tae come back and bite ye oan yer arse, if ye’ll pardon the expression,” The Chief hid growled.

  The Governor and The Chief baith stiffened in unison, as the sound ae feet entering Miss Beaker’s outer office reached them.

  “Right, Mr Baker, let’s remember to stay calm, shall we?  Let me do the talking, unless of course, you feel the need to intervene.  We wouldn’t want to distress Miss Beaker any more than she already is.”

  “Loud and clear, Governor,” The Chief replied stiffly, as the door swung open.

  “Inmate Gucci, Governor,” SO Dick hollered, jist aboot bursting everywan’s eardrums, marching the prisoner in, accompanied by three other officers.

  The Governor looked at the prisoner in front ae him.  So, this wis the animal that hid caused so much distress and mayhem in his life, he thought tae himsel bitterly.  The Governor didnae need tae look at the file sitting in front ae him tae compare the description it contained wae the murdering thug staunin sandwiched between the two prison officers oan either side ae him.  Nineteen-year-auld Anthony Gucci, hauf Atalian, oan his father’s side, wis five feet ten inches tall, and weighed in at jist o’er eleven stane.  He sported nae tattoos, bit hid an unusual distinguishing mark in the form ae a scar oan his wrist that appeared tae suggest that a large dug hid a grip ae him in it’s jaws at wan time or the other.  His file colourfully highlighted the fact that he hid a bit ae a Jack-the-lad reputation aboot him when it came tae the opposite sex.  The Governor didnae know aboot that, bit he knew fine well that behind that handsome, greasy Mediterranean pallor and shiny jet black hair, there lurked a ruthless, heartless killer, who’d ably demonstrated oan a number ae occasions that he’d hiv nae compulsion in liquidating anywan that stood in his way.  His psychological profile hid him marked doon as a future psychopath by the time he wis first detained in Larchgrove Remand Home in Glesga, while still in primary school in the early sixties.  Despite his best efforts, The Governor shuddered, thinking aboot whit wis gaun oan behind they dark hazel eyes that wur noo fixed oan his.

  “You requested a meeting with me, Gucci?”

  “Aye.”

  “It’s aye, sir, when ye’re staunin in front ae The Governor, Gucci!” The Chief barked.

  “Well?” The Governor asked, quietly drumming they fingers ae his oan the blotter.

  “Ah wis wanting tae know whit hid become ae a good pal ae mine, who’d arrived here a few days ago,” the prisoner replied.

  The Governor felt a rush ae blood tae his heid, bit jist managed tae keep himsel in check.  He took a deep, hopefully, no too noticeable intake ae air, using the cover ae looking doon, as he opened Gucci’s file and pretended tae read.

  “And who would that be then?” The Governor asked finally, looking up.

  “Silent.”

  “Silent?”

  “Samuel Smith.”

  “Oh, him?  What about him?”

  “Where is he?”

  “And what, may I ask, has that got to do with you?” The Governor asked pleasantly, eyes narrowing intae slits.

  “Ah’m whit somewan like you wid probably refer tae as his guardian, so Ah am, oan account ae him no hivving any family.”

  “All inmates in here are under my guardianship and are the responsibility of the Scottish Prisons Home and Health Department…including you,” The Governor reminded him, relaxing.

  “How long is he in the digger fur?” the prisoner asked calmly.

  “For as long as I say, which could be anything from seven to twenty eight days, if I so desire.”

  “And Johnboy Taylor?  Whit’s the score wae him then?”

  “Taylor?” The Governor asked, playing ignorant.

  “Smith’s co-accused, who’s still up in Longriggend, awaiting transfer, Governor,” The Chief volunteered.

  “He means the casualty department,” the prisoner retorted quietly.

  “Look, what is it you want, man?” The Governor growled, starting tae get irritated by the cheek ae Gucci hivving the audacity tae come in tae his office and question him.

  “As Ah’ve jist telt ye, Ah’m wanting tae know whit the score is wae Silent…and the state he’s in,” the prisoner replied, turning tae look across at The Chief this time.

  “Why, ya cheeky impudent bastu…”

  “Chief!” The Governor hissed.

  “Oh, aye, er, sorry, Governor,” The Chief blustered, apologising, stepping back tae where he’d been staunin before the ootburst, eyes boring intae the YO.

  “Look, Gucci, whether you like it, accept it, or not…you’re in Dumfries Young Offenders Institution now.  We’re in charge here.  You’re not running around the streets of Glasgow, frightening poor defenceless, timid people with your threats this time.  Threats don’t work behind these walls.  When we wish to inform you of what is happening, we will.  In the meantime, I…we…expect you to abide by the rules…our rules.  Should you or any other inmate step out of line, we’ll be down on you or them like a ton of bricks.  Do I make myself understood?” The Governor said in a tone he wis well-pleased wae…firm and bold.

  “Ah hear ye loud and clear, bit if Ah might take the liberty ae letting ye know where Ah staun, then we’ll maybe be able tae come tae some sort ae understaunin, if that’s okay wae yersel, sir?”

  The Governor stared at Gucci.  Their eyes bored intae each other’s.  The Governor wis relatively satisfied wae his performance.  Apart fae The Chief butting in inappropriately, he himsel hid kept relatively calm, considering the tension in the air.  He felt good…in control…superior.  Aw he hid tae dae, as The Governor, wis tae click they fingers ae his and the officers, including The Chief, wid be aff ae their leash and oan tae the animal staunin in front ae him in a flash.  Although Gucci hid talked calmly, in a quiet, measured tone, The Governor wisnae fooled.  Gucci hid deliberately and willingly volunteered tae walk intae the lion’s den tae test the temperature ae the water.  Ae that, he wis in nae doubt.  The Governor hid awready worked oot his strategy.  He’d choose his words carefully before sending the insolent thug packing.  He wis jist oan the verge ae daeing jist that, when a thought suddenly interrupted his contemplation.  The only problem he could foresee wae his carefully laid plan wis that he’d be kicking himsel fur the rest ae the day, if he allowed Gucci tae leave the office withoot finding oot whit it wis he wis really efter in the first place.  The Governor thoughtfully weighed-up the situation carefully.  He couldnae detect any evidence so far ae Gucci hivving engineered the dialogue that transferred any advantage across tae him.  The cards wur definitely stacked oan The Governor’s side ae the table.  The Governor placed his elbows oan the desk and clasped his hauns thegither before resting his thumbs under his chin and index
fingers below his nose, never taking his eyes aff ae the animal in front ae him.  Maybe he’d been gieing Gucci too much credit.  So far, Gucci hidnae come across as being particularly clever, either that, or he wis the best poker player The Governor hid come across in a long time.  He supposed the question he needed tae be asking himsel wis…should he allow Gucci the space tae say whit it wis he wis really wanting tae say in the first place?  He started tae rationalise the situation in his heid.  Whit wid be wrang wae coming tae an understaunin wae Gucci and his crowd, fur the benefit ae everywan, thus ensuring, at least, fae The Governor’s corner, that the effective running ae the prison continued?  It happened aw the time.  That’s how institutions worked.  The benefits wid be that everywan wid know where they stood, therefore, nothing wid come as a surprise if and when the situation changed and hid tae be effectively dealt wae when wan side or the other stepped oot ae line.  Gucci wis where he wis meant tae be…in prison…at least fur the time being.  There wis nothing the Atalian could dae tae alter that.  The Governor looked at The Chief and the security escort.  He wis well-satisfied.  The cards wur well and truly stacked where they wur supposed tae be.

  “Go on,” The Governor finally said, wae a nod ae his heid.

  “Ah’ve heard disturbing stories that Silent…Samuel Smith tae youse…is lying doon in yer digger dungeons here, sporting a sore face.  Ah’ve also been telt, oan good authority, that Johnboy Taylor wis set upon by wan ae yer mufti-crews up in Longriggend.  Noo, Ah don’t hiv a problem wae rules.  In fact, believe it or no, Ah believe in rules.  However, when the goalposts start tae get shifted and liberties taken, wae the odds tipped in wan particular direction, then that’s when things kin start tae get a bit hairy, if ye know whit Ah mean?”

  “Is that a threat, Gucci?” The Governor asked, frowning.

  “Ah believe Ah respectfully asked yer permission tae speak and Ah wis under the impression that ye’d sanctioned that request.  If ye don’t happen tae like whit ye’re hearing, then maybe we kin leave it fur another day when ye’ve hid time tae reflect oan whit it is Ah’m trying tae say…sir.”

  Silence.

  Wis Gucci calling his bluff, in front ae the officers, The Governor wondered tae himsel?  The Governor wis starting tae get fed-up wae this cat and mouse game.  He swithered whether or no tae jist gie the escorts the nod and let the officers loose oan him.  It wid probably upset Miss Beaker fur a day or two, bit she’d come good in nae time as she usually did, wae a wee bit ae subtle praise, feigned attentiveness oan whitever it wis she wis prattling oan aboot at a given place and time and a couple ae cakes ae Alison’s Avon soap and bubble bath that wis overflowing in their bathroom cupboards, slung in as a wee sweetener.

  “Carry on.”

  “Ah’m only daeing three years, which means Ah should be back oot oan the streets in jist under two years time, if ye take ma remission and untried time intae consideration.  Ah feel Ah hiv a responsibility, no only towards ma other two co-accused, bit towards ma good friends, Johnboy Taylor and Silent Smith.  Ah also don’t want tae be in here any longer than is necessary as Ah’ve goat a lot ae business, and people, tae catch up wae, when Ah get oot.  Noo, as far as Ah’m concerned, the people Ah’ve jist mentioned ur the only family Ah’ve hid since Ah wis a wee snapper, so they ur.  When Ah get oot, it’ll be a wrench fur me tae leave anywan behind, away fae the people who care aboot them.  Nowan likes tae think that when they go abroad or ur away fur long absences, that their family ur in any danger.  That’s why it’s always good tae take precautions, tae try and anticipate any eventuality, tae dae everything in wan’s power tae ensure that when ye leave the people who mean everything tae ye behind, that they’ll be safe until ye see them again.  That’s how Ah feel aboot ma family.  So, while me and the people Ah care aboot happen tae be stuck in a place like this, Ah think Ah kin safely say that yer rules ur probably workable fur somewan like me and the people Ah’m talking aboot. We only want tae dae oor time withoot any hassle fae anywan,” Gucci said, before adding,  “Ah mean, ye widnae want a situation tae arise, doon here in Dumfries, oan a par wae whit’s being gaun oan in some ae the adult jails these past few years, jist because ae some misunderstaunin, noo wid ye?”  Gucci asked him calmly.

  Silence.

  The Governor felt the blood drain fae his face.  He wis well aware ae the increased breathing ae the security escort officers fae where he wis sitting.  Whit hid Gucci jist said?  Should he ask him tae repeat it, word fur word?  The Governor glanced across at The Chief.  He could tell that The Chief’s berry-red, ruddy face, which hid turned a whiter shade ae grey, wis appalled, bit wis relieved that he wis still staunin stock still.  The Governor turned back tae Gucci.  Gucci’s eyes wur steady, focussed, staring intae The Governor’s. The Governor involuntary looked away, and immediately cursed himsel inside.  He’d blinked first.  He could’ve cut the tension in the room wae a knife.  He cleared his throat.

  “So, what exactly are you saying, Gucci?” he croaked, coughing, tae clear his throat.

  “Ah believe Ah made masel quite clear the first time roond, Governor, don’t you?”

  Silence.

  “Right, well,” The governor said, clearing his throat again.  “You’re proposition, if that’s what it was, has been noted.  I’ll let you know what my response is, if one is required, in my own time.  That will be all,” The Governor said nonchalantly, struggling tae keep his voice steady as Gucci aboot-turned and the officers escorted him oot intae Miss Beaker’s office.