Gangster Girl

by Dreda Say Mitchell

  Rick and Daisy gave him a minute head start before Ricky revved the car into motion. Just as he got ready to press forward he suddenly switched the engine off.

  ‘What you doing?’ Daisy asked, eyes wide.

  ‘He ain’t going to a car, he’s going to the tube.’

  ‘What are we going to do?’

  ‘We’ll have to bloody follow him on foot.’

  The rush hour was still in full swing as they kept a discreet pace behind their target as he briskly walked across the huge concrete park that led to one of London’s busiest underground stations. They followed him into the entrance, which was covered by a huge glass canopy, and down the long escalator. When they reached the bottom they saw the last thing they were expecting to see: the police.

  ‘Shit,’ Ricky spat as he ground to a halt.

  Up ahead stood six uniformed cops, one who was holding a large dog on a leash. They stood next to a metal frame, eyeing the commuters as they streamed past.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Daisy’s voice was fretful and nervous.

  He grabbed her arm and propelled her to the side. ‘It’ll be a stop and search for knives.’

  ‘So what, we’re not carrying are we?’ She looked up at him. ‘Are we?’

  ‘No.’ he answered. ‘But you can bet your life I fit their profile for a quick frisk. I knew I should have whited-up before I went out playing tag.’ His hand moved inside his pocket. ‘I gotta get rid of this.’ He pulled out a small block of black cannabis resin. ‘If we’re delayed we might lose him. You go up ahead, get the tickets and keep an eye on him.’ He popped the resin in his mouth. Chewed. Screwed his face into a very unpleasant expression. Swallowed. ‘What you still doing here?’ he hissed.

  ‘But won’t they stop me as well?’

  ‘Nice white girl like you?’ he scoffed. ‘Yeah, you well fit the profile, don’t you?’

  And with those last words she left him and nervously made her way in the direction of the police stop. She slapped a smile on her face as she got nearer. She reached the police and kept moving. Two of the cops eyed her up, but no one stopped her. Quickly she looked down and found their target moving down the stairs towards platform 1. She looked back and saw Ricky making his way towards the cops. And prayed that he wasn’t stopped. She headed for the ticket machine and punched the top selection. Purchased two tickets. She twisted back around and groaned when she saw the cops stop Ricky in his tracks.

  ‘Would you mind coming this way please, sir.’ The policeman stepped back as he indicated for Ricky to go through the metal detector.

  Knowing there was little he could do about it Ricky stepped through it. The metal detector pinged. With a flourish Ricky opened his jacket. ‘It’s my belt.’

  Ignoring his information the policeman insisted, ‘This way please sir.’

  Ricky moved to the side. Two cops approached him. ‘If you could stretch your arms out.’

  With a sigh Ricky spread his legs and arms. One of the cops ran his hands under Ricky’s arms. Ricky caught Daisy from the corner of his eyes. She held up a single finger and he knew she meant that their target was on platform 1. As the cop ran his arms over his arms Ricky looked up and caught the display board.

  1 STRATFORD 2 MINS

  If he didn’t get out of here soon they would lose him. Irritated he looked at the cop as he leant down. Annoyance got the better of him and although he knew he shouldn’t do it he began to mouth off. ‘Any chance you could speed this up boys? Only in my line of work, time is money – drugs don’t deal themselves you know.’

  The police took no notice of his sarcasm; they’d heard it all before. Ricky continued his rant. ‘Cos that’s what us black folks do, you know? When we’re not holding them wild all-night parties, of course.’

  The police said nothing. As the cop ran his hands down Ricky’s legs he caught Daisy in the distance shaking her head and waving her hands in the air at him and mouthing ‘Shut up.’ He took a deep breath. She was right. As the cop’s hands ran down the outside of his legs he said, ‘Sorry, guys, I know you’re only doing your job.’

  The cop didn’t acknowledge his comment, just kept on with the search. Ricky glanced furiously at the screen.

  1 STRATFORD 1 MIN

  They weren’t going to make it.

  ‘Thank you, sir.’ The policeman straightened up.

  As Ricky went to move forward the cop held up his hand holding Ricky back. What the fuck now? He took out a leaflet and handed it to Ricky.

  ‘This is to explain why we stopped you. If you have any questions please contact . . .’

  Ricky didn’t hear his last words. He watched the train pull in, saw the pushing and shoving when its doors opened, the doors closing, before finally he watched it slowly pulling away.

  They’d lost him.

  ‘I can assure you sir that we are not stopping men from particular ethnic groups, but all males who fit our profile in the eighteen-to-thirty age bracket. And . . .’

  ‘Yeah, thanks boys. Keep making London safer . . .’

  The police finally let him go. He walked briskly towards Daisy.

  ‘What were you doing?’ she blasted at him.

  ‘Save it. We’ve missed the train.’

  ‘No we haven’t. That was platform two.’

  Before she could finish a male voice on the loudspeaker announced, ‘The next train to Stratford is approaching platform one.’

  ‘Come on let’s go.’

  They rushed towards platform 1. Hung back as they looked down at the people-packed platform. ‘Where is he?’

  ‘I tried to keep an eye on him but I lost him in the crowd.’

  They took the steps two at a time. They hit the platform, the same time the train rolled in.

  ‘You look that way.’

  Daisy followed Ricky’s order, desperately scanning the people and faces on the left side of the platform. The crowd started shuffling forward, each person trying to get into pole position to board the train. Her eyes darted left, right, back, forward. She couldn’t see him. The train stopped.

  ‘Can’t see him,’ she shot back at Ricky who was on tiptoes scanning the crowd.

  The train’s doors opened. The crowd surged forward. Someone knocked Daisy in the side almost toppling her over.

  ‘There he is.’ Daisy followed Ricky’s gaze and saw their target boarding the train three carriages ahead of them.

  ‘Get on,’ he whispered urgently.

  They jumped onto the carriage facing them.

  ‘This is what we’re going to do,’ Ricky whispered as the train took off. Suddenly he blinked his eyes rapidly and shook his head.

  Concerned, Daisy whispered back, ‘You OK?’

  He shook his head some more. ‘Just the weed doing its thing.’ She’d completely forgotten about his eating the cannabis. He waved his hand. ‘Forget that. We’re gonna make our way down to the far doors, OK?’

  She nodded. They weaved their way through the jammed block full of people reading novels and newspapers, staring blankly into space, or lost in the world of music from their ipods – basically doing what Londoners did best, pretending they were on a desert island. They kept going until they were stopped by a mum holding a pushchair in one hand and a toddler in the other. Ricky tried to ease past, earning a tut of irritation from the woman as she pulled the pushchair out of the way. Ricky nodded his thanks, but the woman just threw back a lethal look. Finally they reached the end door and stopped under a Metropolitan police poster advertising for community support officers. As the train rocked and rolled to the next station they stood by a couple of women engaged in a chit-chat.

  ‘. . . Can you believe it, when the starter arrived instead of waiting for mine to come he just tucked in. By the time mine had arrived he’d not only finished but had time to wipe his mouth. A second date, well I don’t think so . . . .’

  Daisy let the conversation go over her head as she watched Ricky. He looked composed as if he did this type of stuff every d
ay of the week. She, on the other hand, was a lawyer for God’s sake, so why the heck was she following someone on the tube system? The train rolled into the next station. Shuddered to a stop.

  Ricky stuck his head out watching the passengers from the other carriages get off. Their target wasn’t among them.

  ‘Quick.’

  He jumped onto the platform. In a blur Daisy followed him not sure what they were doing. He rushed forward and jumped onto the next carriage. But Daisy was too slow. The doors began to close. She looked at Ricky’s disappearing figure in disbelief. Breathing heavily she rushed forward, but she knew she’d never get in the gap. She wasn’t that skinny. Suddenly Ricky’s hands gripped the doors. He groaned. Managed to hold the doors back. But the gap was still too small. But Ricky didn’t let go. He wasn’t leaving without her. Abruptly the doors jerked back. He let go. She jumped on.

  Daisy pushed her hand over her forehead as most of the eyes in the carriage glued to her.

  The driver’s voice came on. ‘Can I remind passengers that obstructing the doors is dangerous and causes delays.’ As if his words opened a floodgate a few of the passengers sent her dirty looks. She tucked her head down too embarrassed to meet their gazes. But Ricky defiantly threw back a few ‘What’s your fucking problem’ stares of his own.

  He pulled Daisy towards him as the train resumed its journey. ‘Stay close.’

  ‘What do you think I was trying to do?’ Her words were furious but quiet. ‘If you’d told me what we were doing I would have followed you.’

  Ricky gave her a cheeky grin. ‘Even into the Gents?’

  She gritted her teeth. This wasn’t a time for joking. This time she took the lead as they made their way to the end door.

  They kept up the carriage jumping until they reached their target’s carriage. They spotted him immediately at the far end, his head deep inside one of the Evening Standard. Ricky and Daisy caught each other’s eyes with relief. Daisy leant back against the door.

  The train rolled into Stratford station.

  Ricky whispered, ‘If you lose me next time I’m gonna have to go it alone, got it?’

  Stratford station was heaving. The station had been transformed from what some said was a shabby junction whose only purpose was to take you Up West in quick time to one that was now a major gateway just waiting for the 2012 Olympics to roll along.

  Daisy and Ricky kept a respectable distance as they tailed Miah through the station. When he turned they turned. When he went up they went up. When he went down they went down. It was Daisy who finally realised where he was going – the Central Line. They followed him up the stairs to the eastbound platform. The crowds were still thick even though it was almost seven. The platform was at ground level. The sky was fierce as night took hold.

  They shuffled closer to Miah and watched as he folded the newspaper under his arm, then pulled something out of his pocket. His mobile.

  ‘I’m nearly home, love. A few delays . . .’ A huge smile flashed on to his face. ‘Sure, I’ll pop into a shop. Bye, love.’

  Daisy winced as she heard him talking. Hearing him speak to his wife it finally dawned on her what they were going to do. Take this man’s wife and maybe his kids hostage. A week earlier she would have been nodding in agreement at an outraged caller on a phone-in demanding the rope for people who hurt women and children. Now she was one of those people with the noose around their neck. Ricky caught her thoughts.

  ‘Don’t do it.’

  Daisy stiffened in the cold as she tilted her head to her partner in crime. ‘Do what?’

  ‘Turn him into a husband and father. It will only make you feel worse.’

  She didn’t try to deny her thoughts. ‘I can’t feel any worse than I already do.’

  ‘Believe me it could be much worse. At least they don’t want to pour petrol on him and threaten to set him alight. That happens.’

  The Epping train pulled up. Miah moved forward. Got on. They got on using the next door. They jammed themselves into a corner as they continued to secretly watch Miah.

  Passengers got on and off as the train whizzed on, the crush of people jamming Daisy and Ricky into a corner near the red emergency stop lever. Their target remained in place as the train rolled into station after station.

  Leyton.

  Leytonstone.

  Snaresbrook.

  The thickness of the crowd almost obscured their view of Miah. The train pulled into South Woodford station. No movement from Miah as the doors opened. Daisy eased back taking a few much needed deep breaths.

  ‘Keep focused, he’s on the move.’

  Ricky’s words made Daisy look alarmed through the crowd to see Miah approaching the open doors. Miah was off the train before they could shove through the crowd. The doors banged shut.

  ‘What we going to do?’ Daisy whispered frantically as the train started to move.

  Ricky rubbed the back of his hand against his mouth. ‘Throw yourself on me. Make it look like an accident.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Just do it.’

  She threw herself against Ricky, throwing him against the doors. She realised what he was about to do when she saw his hand move. Her body acted as a shield so that no one else saw. One of his hands snaked around Daisy’s waist and held her tight. His other hand whipped up. Grabbed the emergency stop lever. Pulled. The train wheels screeched as the train slammed to an abrupt halt. Someone screamed as the force of the unexpected stop flung people on top of each other. A child’s cry ripped through the air.

  People started muttering as they righted themselves. The doors jerked open. They wasted no time in pushing their way through. They hit the platform. Miah was long gone.

  ‘Keep your head down and keep moving.’

  As they moved towards the stairs they heard the train driver announce that the emergency lever had been pulled and the train would remain stationary until the reason for this was discovered. They ran up the escalator and Ricky vaulted the ticket barrier to save time. Daisy fumbled in her pocket for her ticket. Ricky rolled his eyes.

  ‘Jump the barrier, you posh bint. This is Essex, not Chelsea . . .’

  She climbed onto the barrier and Ricky leant over, picked her up by her waist and put her down on the right side. The Underground employee who’d drawn the ‘stop the fare-dodgers’ short straw sprang into action.

  ‘Oi.’

  Ricky twisted around and confronted the irate man. He set his features into his most mean face. ‘Leave it, mate, you don’t earn enough money to take a beating for an Oyster card.’

  The man moved out of their way. He knew Ricky was right.

  They ran. Kept up their pace until the station was far in the distance. The rain licked them in the face as they kept motoring forward. Ricky checked behind and slowed down as he realised that no one was following them. Daisy leant heavily on him gulping in much needed air.

  He grabbed her below both elbows and pulled her straight. ‘We haven’t got time for this, we need to find him.’

  ‘How are we going to do that? He’s long gone.’

  ‘Let’s just walk around.’

  They walked along the main road as the rain became intense and people started to run for cover. The noise of traffic whined beside them.

  ‘Ricky, this is a dead loss,’ Daisy pleaded. She was about to continue when she saw a figure exiting a shop. A man carrying a rucksack. Same height, same clothes.

  ‘There he is. Of course he told his wife he’d pick something up, it must’ve been some extra shopping.’

  They kept their heads down as they followed him along the breadth of the road. Suddenly he made a left turn into a tree-lined street. A nice street. The type of street where the milkman still delivered milk and postmen didn’t have to worry about junkies stealing their post for the giros. Cars were parked outside modest, well-kept houses. They carried on walking as they watched him. He stopped outside the fifth house on the left. Walked up the driveway, where there was a car parke
d outside. He moved to the front door and opened it. Stepped inside.

  A car horn blasted making them both jump. They turned and saw the car of the person they were least expecting to see.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Stella King.

  Both Ricky and Daisy looked at the other woman as she sat in the passenger seat of her car. Daisy wore a stunned expression, while Ricky’s look was halfway between guarded and boiling mad. She just gave them a cocky look back.

  In the front seat sat a preening Jo-Jo. ‘Hello, lover boy and sister dearest.’

  Stella ordered, ‘Get in the car and I’ll tell you all about it.’

  Once inside the warmth of the back seats Ricky said, ‘Has this been some kind of test?’ He was pissed. Really pissed. ‘Sending us spinning around town cos you wanted to see if we were up for the job?’

  Jo-Jo started to giggle. Stella slammed her with a withering stare. ‘Knock it off, shortie, before I stick you over the rear-view mirror.’ She turned back to Ricky and Daisy. ‘After you were long gone Jo-Jo came to see me. She checked out Miah on the Internet and found out that he is the head of the local gardening society. It had his contact details, including his address.’

  Jo-Jo slowly turned so that she faced them. Her features were smug. ‘Now if you two were up for the job you would’ve known to do that. His details were even in the phone book.’

  ‘So why didn’t you get us on the blower?’ Ricky persisted.

  ‘Don’t get your boxers in a twist, lover boy. We tried both your mobiles but with no luck.’

  ‘We were underground, on the tube.’ Daisy joined the furious ping-pong conversation.

  ‘Well we’re all here now,’ Stella cut in slashing back any words the others were ready to say. ‘So we know where he lives. His wife arrived back just before seven. After that a woman left who I think must be their babysitter. I want you two to stay here for a couple more hours, just to make sure we haven’t missed anything.’ She threw the car keys at Ricky. ‘And make sure you both come straight back.’