The People Traders

The People Traders

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

Published by

Ragged Cover Publishing

Copyright 2010 Keith Hoare

978-0-9560191-1-0

www.peopletraders.com

2

CHAPTER 1

Susan, a big girl for her age, used this to her advantage, pushing smaller girls aside as they scrambled to get out of the school at lunchtime. Many scowled, others muttered threats under their breath. All of them too frightened of this girl to risk a confrontation.

As the girls flooded out, some went to waiting cars, others gathered in groups around the playground, with a few making their way to the park alongside, meeting boyfriends, or just to sit around on the grass eating their lunches.

Susan followed these girls and was soon sitting alone on a park bench, chewing a crust spread messily with peanut butter. She had no real friends; in some ways she couldn't care less, but in other ways she felt bitter towards the popular ones. These were girls who would always wear the top fashions, were often attractive and had parents with pots of money. She, on the other hand, had a father who lived in the pub, never coming home until closing time, and often full of some madcap scheme to make easy money, usually brewed up by others drinking in the bar.

It was one of these schemes that had brought Susan to the park. Her dad had met a man who wanted to talk to one of the older girls from her school. The man had told her dad that he was the girl's uncle, but that the family had broken up through some silly argument. He'd tried to heal the rift between the families but the girl's parents didn't want to know. However, he'd got on with the girl when she was younger and believed, if he could talk to her, she would be the key to bringing the two families together again.

"Who's the girl you're talking about?" she'd asked.

Her dad had pulled an empty cigarette packet from his pocket before squinting at a name written on the flap. "Karen, Karen Marshall," he'd grunted.

Susan remembered staring at him in shock, "Karen! She's in the Upper Sixth," she'd replied. "What do you expect me to do, just go up to her and say, ‘Please, Karen, your Uncle wants to talk to you’? Get real, Dad!"

He'd looked at her strangely. "She's a schoolmate, isn't she? Surely you know her well enough to speak to?"

‘
Yes
', she'd thought to herself, ‘
trying to speak to Karen's like talking to God'.
The girl was a year older and way out of her league, besides being attractive, rich and constantly surrounded by her friends. Turning to him, she'd shaken her head. "Forget it, Dad. I've as much chance of getting her to come with me to meet a man, as you have of winning the lottery. The girl's not approachable by the likes of me. She's stuck-up and normally has her current boyfriend waiting at the school gates. I say current, because she…" her voice changed tone with bitterness and envy, "changes them as often as I change my socks."

He'd gone quiet for a moment, and then looked at her, "Think about it, Susan, there must be some way. Ask her to help you, offer her something, anything, just try, won't you? It's worth two hundred quid and God knows we need money like that."

"Two hundred quid!" she'd gasped. "Why does this man want to pay us that? Surely he could just wait for her after she finishes school?"

Her father had sighed annoyingly. "I told you, the family won't speak to him. He just wants her alone so he can explain his side of the story. The man's convinced Karen will want the family together after she understands how petty the argument was to start with, and then push her parents into mending the rift. Besides, if it was me trying to see you under those circumstances, I'd pay anything if I thought someone could help."

Susan remembered she'd leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. She'd felt proud of him and although she didn't really agree with the drinking all the time, sometimes his words showed just how much he loved her. "Okay, Dad," she'd replied, "I'll think of something. We'll get that two hundred quid no matter what. I've just got to think how."

It was left at that and no more was said. However, only three days later, an opportunity fell straight into Susan's lap. She'd heard Karen was looking for a CD of one of her favourite bands, but they'd sold out everywhere and she'd been asking around if anybody had it. Normally Susan wouldn't have bothered, they couldn't even afford to buy singles let alone albums, but this was an opportunity that had possibilities and she'd purposely bumped into Karen outside the toilets.

"Sorry, Karen, I didn't see you," she'd mumbled.

Karen had responded, saying it was really her fault then began walking away; after all, they'd nothing in common to carry on any meaningful conversation.

However, she'd shouted after Karen. "Say, weren't you asking around about the 'Fire Birds' latest album?"

Karen had stopped in her tracks and turned to face her. It was the first time Susan had really taken much notice of the girl. What hit her first were Karen's eyes; they were sparkling and the most intense blue she'd ever seen. Her auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders, not straight like many girls, but perfectly cut and shaped round her face. Susan was only five foot four; however, Karen had a good three inches on her and was slim. Even in her school uniform Karen looked decidedly attractive. Instantly she'd been jealous and had hated the girl stood in front of her.

"You've got it?" Karen had asked, bringing Susan out of her thoughts with a jolt.

On her part she'd tried to act indifferently. "Got it last week from Woolly's for my brother's birthday. Want a copy?"

"Of course, if you could do it for weekend?" Karen had replied.

"That's easy, bring a blank CD and we'll record it tomorrow night if you want?"

"Can't I just borrow your CD and I'll copy it?"

However, Susan had been ready for this response. "My brother would kill me. Our only chance is to go straight from school and copy it before he gets home from work. My mum's at work too so there's only my gran, and she's not all there half the time."

Karen hadn't seemed to want to do this. "Tell you what, I'll give you five quid if you record it for me and bring it in tomorrow?" she'd suggested.

Under normal conditions five quid, for her, was not to be sneezed at, but the money offered by the man was far more and of course she didn't really have the CD. "Forget it," she'd replied, "I don't want five quid. I just thought you'd like to come and have a cola or something, and then I could show you my CD collection. But if you only want a copy, I'm out of here."

She'd kept her fingers crossed, aware she needed to play it craftily with this girl, and as she'd turned to walk away, every hair on her head had been tingling. She was aware Karen wouldn't be expecting someone to walk away from her, but had hoped Karen really did want the copy enough to agree to come to her house.

"Susan, wait!" Karen had called. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I thought it would be a bit of a liberty to come round and copy it for nothing, that's all. I'd love to come and see your collection, but I meet some of the other girls at seven and I've got to go home for a shower. I also need to get out of these school clothes. We're going to the Bridge later; they've got a live band on tomorrow."

She'd turned back and pretended to look shocked. "That's a pub, you're only seventeen, how do you get in there? The last time I went to a pub they tried to direct me to the children's room, refusing to serve me any drink, except cola."

Karen had laughed. "Tell you what, I'll come to your house and then we can copy the CD. I'll also get changed there and we'll talk about how you can get in a pub under age. Is that a deal?"

"You're on," she'd said to Karen. "I'll wait outside school for you."

"No, I can't do that," Karen had replied. "My boyfriend picks me up on Fridays and we go to his flat. But with me going out he's taking me straight home, so rather than get ready at home, I'll pick my clothes up and be round at your house for half four."

She'd agreed, and now Karen was coming to her house so the money was all but earned and maybe she'd helped a family get together again?

Susan was brought out of her thoughts when a man, who looked in his fifties, took the seat alongside her. She looked him up and down. His black curly hair looked dyed, contrasting with a partly grown, grey beard. His clothes, though smart, had seen better days.

"Are you Susan?" he asked politely.

She nodded. "You must be Frank?"

He turned his head and looked directly at her, then grinned, showing a mouth full of sparkling teeth. "Yes, I met your dad quite by chance in the 'Bull' just off Market Square."

Susan smiled to herself.
'Where else?
' she thought, but before she could reply Frank continued.

"I suppose my request to your father seemed strange?"

She shrugged. "It did at first, but my dad explained. Anyway, I've got Karen to come to my house tonight, but don't let me down. You see, the excuse was to record a CD she wants, but I've not got it."

Frank patted her leg and Susan pulled back, thinking he was becoming too friendly.

"I'll be there, Susan, you can count on it. Karen and I have lots to talk about. I'll explain your little deception. Karen will understand, believe me."

Susan frowned, worry written all over her face. "You won't tell her about the money? I'd die if it got round school."

"I certainly won't, the money is between you and me. Anyway, talking of money, your dad said I'm to give you fifty quid up front."

"Yes, have you got it?"

Frank didn't reply, but pulled the notes from his pocket and pushed them into her hand.

Susan's eyes lit up and she clenched the money tightly before stuffing it into the inside pocket of her blazer.
'Some of that's mine'
, she said to herself,
'now I can buy a half decent pair of jeans.
' She grinned at him and stood. "I've got to get back, so I'll see you at about quarter past four. Karen will arrive about half past so don't be late. My dad gave you the address, didn't he?"

"He did, Susan, and don't look so worried, I'll be there. Karen will be so delighted she'll probably thank you and not even bother about the CD."

He watched her go and leaned back in satisfaction,
'The stupid kid fell for it, I should be an actor
,' he thought, then spoke aloud as if someone was at his side. "Daddy's done it, darling. You and I have waited so long for this day and I won't let you down, love."

***

Later that afternoon, around four fifteen, Susan opened the back door of her house and Frank entered. Glancing round the room he pulled open a door to a walk-in larder. "I'll wait in here. You put a CD in the computer. Tell her you're already recording it; give her a drink or something. When she's relaxed I'll come and surprise her."

Susan agreed and rushed to put a CD in the drive before opening a computer program that copied CDs.

Ten minutes later she opened the door to Karen, after the doorbell had rung. "Hi, come in, shut the door after you. I'm already recording the CD... Do you want a drink?" Susan asked, before she ran back down the hall to an open door at the end.

Karen entered the dingy hall and her nose wrinkled at the smell. "No thanks, not for the moment," she replied, at the same time pushing the door closed before following Susan. Glancing at the computer running, Karen pulled a blank disc from her bag.

Susan suddenly realised that Karen may want the sound turned up, so she cut in quickly. "It's on mute at the moment because my gran's just gone to lie down. We'll give her ten minutes to get to sleep, and then we can play it as loud as we want."

Karen nodded, offering Susan the CD. "Here's a replacement CD for the one you're using. Tell you what, Susan, if your gran's wanting to settle down, do you mind if I change first, then we can sit and relax for a while?"

Glad Karen hadn't looked too closely at the computer, Susan jumped at the suggestion, asking Karen to follow her upstairs. Leaving her in the bathroom, Susan came back to the kitchen. She could hear the shower running, so she pulled open the door of the larder. "She'll be down soon," Susan said quietly.