The Dirty South (26 page)

‘It's Mum, Dennis. Where are you? Something the matter?'

‘I'm just pulled up outside Brockwell Park, Mum.'

‘Are you OK?'

‘Yes, Mum.'

‘If you start to feel dizzy you come straight home. Even leave your car where it is and one of us will come and get you.'

‘No need for that, Mum. I feel OK.'

‘You sure, Dennis?'

‘Yeah I'm sure, Mum. I'm gonna park somewhere and go for a walk in the park. I might try swimming later on.'

‘Well you look after yourself, Dennis, and if you're feeling dizzy you call me or your father straightaway. Oh, and park your car legally, Dennis. You know what Lambeth parking wardens are like.'

‘Yeah, Mum, they're brutal.'

‘Have you got the doctor's number in your mobile?'

‘Er, yes, Mum.'

‘OK, Dennis. I'm just walking into my office now. It's your dad's day off today so if you need anything, he's there. Bye.'

‘See you later, Mum.'

Just as I killed the call, the Lexus and the BMW arrived outside the mosque. Courtney and his brethren climbed into the rides as they shouted badwords at Muslim elders… Other male worshippers emerged from the mosque and they were gesturing with their arms for Courtney's posse to move the fuck away. I thought of bouncers at the Ministry of Sound nightclub and laughed to myself again.
Pussies
…

Should I follow them? Do I have the nerve? Of course I should track their black asses! You think Noel would have pussied out? Noel would have stepped up to the mosque and shanked Courtney right there and then.

I kept a safe distance as they turned left into Bricky High Street. As usual in rush hour the traffic got vexed and the pavements were proper heaving with pedestrians… The traffic lights seemed to stay red for ages at the crossing to Bricky underground station. Hundreds of people were getting on and off buses and for a moment they filled my vision. But I could just see the BMW about thirty yards away. Above, the clouds were parting and it looked like the Choice FM DJ was right about the weather. Noel loved days like this when he would cruise in his ride and feast his eyes on buff chicks, halting traffic as he chirpsed girls walking by. I won't hear Noel's deep laugh again while he's doing shit like that. Thompson has to be merked.

I followed the BMW and Lexus up Brixton Hill and after turning left into the South Circular, they made their way into Palace Road council estate. I was surprisingly calm. But I had to be careful now, not too much traffic on road. Don't want them pussies to turn around and see my black ass.

They pulled up outside a shop within Palace Road estate and two of them got out. The flat we used to live in was just a three
minute walk away. There's probably refugees living there now. Stay focused, Dennis!

Remaining a safe distance away, I parked and just watched. A mother walked inside the shop with her two kids. Older kids were performing wheelies on bikes and one fell off… The others laughed out loud. Shouldn't the brats be in school? No, it's the summer holidays. Dennis, don't get distracted. Focus on the cars.

Courtney stayed in the BMW. He was in the back seat. The mother with the kids came out with a newspaper and was lighting a cigarette and if I smoked cancer sticks I would have lit one too. I should've burned a fat-head after breakfast to help relax me.

After a couple of minutes the two fake Muslims who went to the shop returned carrying bottles of drinks, crisps, other sweets and cigarettes. The two rides performed U-turns and headed in my direction. It caught me off-guard and I had to move
Mission Impossible
-quick. I ducked before they went past and my heart did some pole-vaulting shit but I soon regained my composure. When their rides passed mine, I could hear hip hop music blaring from their windows. Yeah, fear was in me but I had control of it.

Executing a frantic three-point turn, I tracked them to the back streets of Streatham. I looked into my rear-view mirror and realised I was sweating and gripping the steering wheel too tight. Relax, Dennis. Relax. I pressed the play button on my ride stereo. Mya was singing ‘Taste This'. I could picture Akeisha singing in a MTV Base-style video. Then the screen suddenly went blood-red. When it cleared Akeisha was laying on the ground. She had been shot through the head. Courtney appeared on screen with a smoking gun in his hand. He was laughing manically. Laughing. He didn't stop laughing.

I shook my head madly to rid myself of the image.

They climbed out of the rides on Faygate Road and I watched them from about a hundred yards away… I wiped my face and concentrated my eyes again. I don't think they suspected a damn thing.
Pussies
. My heartbeat gathered pace as I saw Courtney Thompson climb out of the BMW. He was wearing this
gold-coloured skull cap and he was smoking a cigarette. If I don't merk him I hope cancer duppies his wannabe bin Laden ass.

They all entered a house and my eyes were focused on that front door for another two hours… Nobody of the original crew departed but others arrived, some in Muslim-type clothes and some in normal garms. What is this place? A recruitment centre for terrorists?

I recognised at least one of them. Didn't know him by name but he was a shotta from Black Prince Road, Vauxhall ends. A tall, messed-up face ugly brother. Maybe he was paying his tax 'cos he was only in the house for five minutes.
Pussy
.

3 p.m. At last some movement. Courtney and his crew come out from the house. They were still wearing their bright garments and too-small hats. They climbed into their rides as I started my engine. They headed to Brixton Hill and I followed them as they turned into New Park Road. I was quite calm and kept a safe distance. They drove into New Park Road council estate, Brixton Hill ends and I considered if I should follow them in. And then I remembered that Courtney's mum still lived in the estate. I parked fifty yards away from the estate entrance. I started on another pack of cheese and onion crisps as Tupac rapped about ‘No More Pain'.

Five minutes later I saw the BMW and the Lexus emerge from the estate. Courtney wasn't inside any of the cars. What do I do? Just wait? When I get the gun I don't wanna merk him near to where his mother lives. Can't do that shit… No, I'll just wait and see where he goes.

Wait I did. I was proper determined. Tupac kept me company in the late afternoon and early evening. I got my reward at 8.30 p.m. when I saw the BMW return. Sure enough, the ride picked up Courtney and they drove out of the estate and headed for central Bricky. I was about ten car lengths behind as we passed Bricky Town Hall. The usual winos and drunks were mingling around Windrush Square and I noticed the weather was still warm enough for drinkers at the Bug Bar to sample their shit on the outside seats and benches. Some drunks were flat out on the grass.
Don't
get distracted, Dennis. Focus.

The BMW drove along Bricky High Street but they didn't turn into Gresham Road as I expected them to. I felt a pang of hunger but I had no more crisps. The empty packets were now surrounding my feet and I only had half a Lucozade bottle left…

Just as I was thinking that Noel would have loved to own that BMW, it now turned right, towards Angel Town. I drove one-handed as I clicked open my glove compartment. I had a black metal bar inside there. It was Noel's. I speeded up as images of Akeisha filled my head. I glanced at the metal bar, then looked ahead of me and back to my weapon. I wound down the driver-side window all the way. Then the BMW turned off towards Loughborough Junction. I heard myself breathing out hard but my heart was still pumping. I closed the glove compartment and slowed down a bit. I wondered if they saw me in their rear-view mirror. Tupac was chanting ‘Heartz Of Men'.

I watched the blue BMW pull up at the feet of one of the white-coloured council tower blocks that dominated this part of Bricky. I was about seventy yards away and I parked my ride and turned off my engine. It was only Courtney that got out of the Bimmer and he made his way to a white council block. From where I was I could see the balconies of the block where Courtney headed so I got out of my ride and just looked upwards. The sun was setting in that direction so I put my sunglasses on. Meanwhile, the blue BMW pulled away. They still hadn't seen me.
Pussies
.

Two minutes later, Courtney appeared on the fourth floor balcony. He walked along and then rattled a letter box. Moments later, this white girl opened the door. I didn't see much of her, just half a face, one leg and one arm. I bet she had a Croydon facelift. Courtney glanced behind him before entering and closed the door behind him. Bang went my chi chi man theory.

I'll merk him there, I said to myself. Before he gets in the lift. Yeah, next Friday. I just hope that white bitch is a regular Friday night wok for him. I've done all my scouting and shit. Fuck! Was it this easy to stalk somebody and they don't know shit? I'm gonna blaze him, duppy his motherfucking wannabe-a-terrorist ass. But I still need somebody to justify it. I'll see Cara after the weekend.
Yeah. See how Cara is. Haven't seen her since the funeral. I haven't even seen Priscilla and checked on how she is.

I returned home. I needed to wind down. I found Paps reading his newspaper. When he saw me he placed his newspaper on the floor and he glared at me. I was about to leave the room but he said, ‘Sit down, Dennis.'

I sat down and I felt more nervous than I had been following Courtney Thompson. Sweat returned to my forehead with a vengeance. ‘In the hospital,' Paps began, ‘when you was interviewed by the police, I was wrong to make my outburst. Wrong.'

‘Yeah, so?' I said. I didn't want the conversation to last more than a minute. I wiped my face with the palm of my hand.

‘We have to trust the police, Dennis,' Paps said.

‘You what?'

‘Trust the police. Yes, it might sound hypocritical but it can't be a “them and us” situation for ever. We have to work together, trust each other. Too many black kids are getting killed and the killers are going free all because no-one in the black community will talk.'

‘You've changed your programming,' I remarked.

‘Dennis, I feel you're hiding something.' Paps' voice was now deeper, more serious. I was trapped in his angry gaze.

‘No I'm not,' I answered.

‘Are you sure you didn't recognise any of your attackers?'

‘You calling me a liar?'

‘No, I'm not calling you a liar. But I think you might be scared to reveal who did this to Noel and you. It's quite understandable, nothing to be ashamed of.'

‘I'm not scared, Paps.'

‘So you don't know who did this?'

‘No, Paps!' I was shouting now.

‘Don't you want these people to get caught?' Paps asked.

‘Of course I do! I don't know who it was! And you're a hypocrite! All my life you've been telling me stories how the Feds were corrupt, how the Feds planted evidence, how the Feds framed black brothers, how the Feds pounded you in cells. And now you're
telling me we have to work together? You never trusted them and I don't. Simple as. Got nothing to tell them anyway.'

‘Yes, I am a hypocrite!' yelled back Paps. ‘But please, Dennis… If there is anything that you know can help the police you have got to tell them… The police are
not
the enemy here.'

‘I don't know anything else.
Nothing
to add!'

Paps picked up his walking stick, glared at me for half a minute and then limped out of the room. He slammed the door behind him in disgust. I didn't care. I had to merk Courtney Thompson. Anyway, back in 1981 Paps and his crew duppied a Bricky crime lord. He didn't go to the Feds when Auntie Denise was kidnapped… So
burn
Paps and his hypocrisy.

That night I went to Akeisha's. I wasn't good company and I didn't play with Curtis like I normally did. I didn't really want to speak to Akeisha's parents either. I just crashed out on Akeisha's bed and tried to sleep for a while. Despite closing my eyes all I could see was Akeisha getting shot by Courtney Thompson and Noel getting kicked to death.

Akeisha woke me up with a kiss and we made frantic love like it was the last time we would ever be together. Usually we worried about Akeisha's parents hearing us but this time it was so intense. We didn't care, or I didn't care. Throughout, my face was within an inch of hers and I was just kissing her on the lips repeatedly, looking into her eyes. I kept on thinking what would become of me if Courtney Thompson merked my girl? I was bordering on insanity now so there wouldn't be much hope for my state of mind if my worse scenario actually happened.

After we made love we were laying in the bed, wrapped together. Her left cheek was pressed against my right cheek. I liked it like that. As usual I was holding her too tight but I liked that too.

‘What you scared of, Dennis?'

‘What do you mean?'

‘You were shaking earlier when I hugged you and you've been preoccupied about something.'

‘It's the medication I was on. Even though I stopped taking all the tablets I still feel drowsy.'

‘No, Dennis. This wasn't drowsy. You're scared of something.'

‘Yeah, maybe.'

‘You'll be alright now, Dennis. You got people who love you and will look after you. You're safe now.'

‘I'm not scared of that, Akeisha.'

‘Then what?'

I sat up and looked at her. Then I cradled her jaw and cheeks with my palms like the way my mother always did to me. ‘You can read me good, Akeisha. Yeah, you're right. I am scared. Proper scared. Scared of losing you.'

She smiled and kissed me on the lips. ‘You're being silly,' she laughed. ‘I ain't gonna leave you! No way! Ain't we been tighter than we've ever been? Stop sweating, Dennis! This girl's not gonna go walking out or go missing on you. And I can't wait to go Crete with you. Everything's gonna be alright.'