A Gangster's Grip: The Riverhill Trilogy: Book 2

by Heather Burnside

  During the years that Rita lived there, she had grown accustomed to the abundance of litter, overgrown gardens, graffiti ridden walls and stretches of worn grass used as dumping grounds for old furniture. The latter doubled up as play areas for small children who used the bug infested mattresses and sofas as trampolines.

  She hadn’t been home for four years, although she had paid for her parents to come to Greece once. The visit hadn’t been successful, thanks to her father’s loud mouth and bad manners. Her mother’s behaviour, on the other hand, would have been endearing if it hadn’t been so embarrassing. She had been in awe of everything; it was as though Rita was the first person on earth ever to have owned a restaurant.

  Rita had intended to visit home more frequently, but the restaurant was often busy, and somehow the time never seemed right. Now it was different though; she was here through necessity rather than choice. Much as she loved her life in Greece, the health services were inadequate, so it was back to the chilly UK and the good old National Health Service.

  Four years on from her last visit home, and the view had shocked her. As she caught sight of the drab streets, she wondered how she had ever lived like that. Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, she had encountered the hostilities indoors against the backdrop of mismatched furniture, clutter and general chaos that was her family’s home. And all this while she was still reeling from the theft of her purse.

  Julie had moved on from Longsight as well. Her husband Vinny’s building business had benefitted from the late 80s housing boom, and they were now living in their second home together. It was a four bedroom Victorian semi in the leafy suburb of Heaton Moor, which they had bought eighteen months previously. The tidy, tree lined avenue was a welcome relief for Rita, and the room dimensions inside Julie’s tastefully decorated home were impressive.

  Rita took in her surroundings. The room they were in was a good size, with a dado rail around the walls, which were papered below the rail and painted above in a complementary, lighter shade. The curtains were dramatic with fashionable swags, tails and a pelmet. In a smaller room they would have been overbearing, but in a room this size they were a stunning focal point. The plush furnishings had been selected to match, with a careful balance of plain and patterned. Overall the room was light and airy as well as cosy.

  After Rita and Yansis had made a fuss of Julie’s two-year-old daughter, Emily, they settled into the comfy leather suite. Rita then recounted her recent visit to her parents’ home over a cup of percolated coffee while Emily played at the other side of the lounge amongst hordes of toys.

  “It’s so good of you to put us up at such short notice Jules. You’re a life saver. I can’t tell you how glad I am to get out of my mam and dad’s house.”

  “What happened? You said something on the phone about them not having enough space for you.”

  “Ooh, that’s not the worst of it. What’s pissed me off is the reason they didn’t have any space. And to top it all, I had my purse snatched while I was trying to pay the taxi driver.”

  “Oh, no! How did that happen?”

  “Some kid on a bike. He flew by before I hardly knew what had happened.”

  “Poor you, that must have been awful!”

  “It was; it gave me a right bloody shock, I can tell you. Then we walked in, and there was this meanest looking black guy you’ve ever seen parked on my mam and dad’s sofa, acting like he owned the place. The cheeky bastard didn’t even stand up to be introduced. He just started weighing me and Yansis up like we were the shit under his shoes.”

  “Shshsh,” pleaded Yansis, in reference to Rita’s bad language, as he nodded towards Emily.

  Rita lowered her voice. “Apparently he’s called Leroy and he’s Jenny’s boyfriend. It looks as though they’ve been getting on pretty well too, judging by the size of her stomach.”

  “Oh, I wondered if you knew about that, but I didn’t think it was my place to mention it.”

  “Oh don’t worry, I’m not blaming you, Julie, but you would have thought one of them would have had the decency to tell me. The best of it is, I just know he’s a bad sort. He’s smoking cannabis in front of my mam and dad in their own home, so what’s he up to when they’re not around? And my dad’s carrying on as though he’s the next coming of Christ. He hangs on his every word. Not only that, but I overheard him on the phone, and I didn’t like the sound of it one bit.”

  “Who, Leroy?” asked Julie.

  “Yeah, I think he’s dealing in drugs or summat. He said something about goods and his turf, and then H. You know what H is, don’t you? It’s heroin.” she whispered.

  “I know that it can refer to that, Rita, but it might not be. It could be anything.”

  “Well anyway, I think he’s bad news, and he definitely didn’t want us round there.”

  “D’you know, one of the lads that works for Vinny lives on the Riverhill estate? He’s called Rob. If you want, I can have a word with Vinny when he gets home from work, and get him to see what he can find out about Leroy.”

  “Would you, Jules? Tell him to be careful though. I’m telling you, that Leroy looks like a nasty piece of stuff and I don’t want him to find out we’ve been asking questions. You never know what he might do.”

  “I will, don’t worry. Anyway, let’s change the subject. That’s not what you’re over here for, is it? When are you going to see the doctor?”

  “As soon as possible. I’ll be on the phone on Monday, as soon as they open.”

  “Oh good. I hope you manage to sort things out. Good luck with it anyway.”

  “Thanks Jules. I think we need all the luck we can get at the moment.”

  “How long will you be over for?”

  “I’ve no idea. It all depends on the treatment, but I’ll let you know as soon as I find out. If it’s not convenient though, we can always find somewhere else to stay.”

  “No, I wouldn’t dream of it. Take as long as you want; there’s plenty of room here.”

  “Thanks, Julie, that’s really good of you.”

  Yansis then went over to join Emily, and the girls watched as he crouched down to her level so he could show an interest in what she was playing. Although she was guarded at first, she was soon showing him each of her toys, pointing to them, and describing them as best she could with her limited vocabulary.

  “Sweet, isn’t it?” Rita whispered to Julie.

  After a moment’s silence, Julie asked, “How are things in Greece? Are you still loving it?”

  “Yeah, the restaurant gets busy at times, but I wouldn’t swap it for the world. I love it, and the people are great. His mam and dad are darlings. Aren’t they, love?” she shouted to Yansis, but he was engrossed in watching Emily play.

  “Oh, I’m glad for you,” said Julie.

  “Yeah, there’s only one problem,” Rita whispered. “I can’t bleedin’ swear in front of them.”

  In between giggles, Julie replied. “Oh, Rita, you don’t change, do you?”

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  Saturday 9th March 1991 - evening

  It was a few hours since Rita had left her parents’ home with Yansis, and Leroy and Jenny had gone out for the evening. Ged and Joan were sitting in their living room, discussing the day’s events while the background noise of Michael Aspel & Company droned on the TV.

  “That’s all we need is our Rita stickin’ her nose in where it’s not wanted,” complained Ged.

  “Why, what are you worried about?”

  “I just don’t want her asking questions. You know what she’s like. I’ve been making a packet since Leroy came on the scene. He sorts me out with some really good stuff.”

  “She wouldn’t say owt. What do you think she’s gonna do, tell the coppers or summat? Our Rita wouldn’t do that.”

  “You never know. Me and our Rita have never seen eye to eye. Anyway, it’s best you keep your mouth shut. The least she’ll do is give me a load of earache, and I can do without that. If she doesn’t know
, then she can’t say owt, can she?”

  Ged was referring to the constant supply of stolen and counterfeit goods that Leroy had been providing him with over the last few months. Ged had been a petty crook for years; it was one of the reasons he and Rita didn’t get along. When Leroy started going out with Jenny, Ged was already familiar with him because he lived in the local area. They each knew a little about the other’s reputation, so it didn’t take long until they fell into a mutually beneficial arrangement.

  Because of Leroy’s regular trips to Cheetham Hill, it was easy for him to get hold of low cost goods of many types; the area was known for trading in counterfeit and stolen merchandise as well as mainstream legal trading. Leroy had lots of contacts in Cheetham Hill so he knew who to go to for specific products. He would pass them on to Ged who sold them to his cronies in the local pubs, and Leroy would take a good cut of the profits. Leroy didn’t bother with selling on any of the goods himself; he dealt in other products that gave him much higher profit margins.

  After she had watched Aspel & Company for a few minutes, Joan asked, “How come Leroy doesn’t sell the stuff himself anyway? How come he gets you to do it?”

  “I don’t know, do I? Anyway, you’re not complaining are you? At least we’re not skint anymore. Keeps you in booze and fags, doesn’t it?”

  “Suppose so.”

  “Right, well then. Anyway, why are we watching this shit? Let’s go down the pub; I fancy a pint. What d’you say?”

  “Go on then, but only if we stop off at the Chinese chippy on the way back.”

  “Course we will love. You can have a beef curry and rice if you like. I told you, I can get you whatever you want now, can’t I? Only if you’re nice to me though. The money’s rolling in, and there’s plenty more where that came from, as long as you keep your mouth shut.”

  Inside, Ged was heaving a sigh of relief, knowing he had skilfully deflected his wife away from a topic of conversation he wanted to avoid. He had a good idea why Leroy didn’t sell the dodgy goods himself; it was just a side-line for him. Ged had heard the rumours about Leroy being a drug dealer, and by all accounts he was vicious too. But what could he do? He was in over his head now, and he wasn’t daft enough to challenge someone like Leroy. Not a chance!

  Anyway, life was sweet. He’d not been this well off for years; his dole didn’t go very far by the time he’d tipped up for the housekeeping and bought a few pints. No, Ged Steadman was nobody’s mug; he knew when to keep his mouth shut.

  Chapter 3

  Sunday 10th March 1991 – late morning

  Leroy was at the wheel of his black BMW, driving along the busy Cheetham Hill Road, on his way to a meeting with his suppliers. He cruised through this vibrant multi-cultural area where new architecture mixed with old, and industrial units, furniture stores and car showrooms stood alongside churches, mosques and synagogues. He’d left early intending to collect some other goods before his meeting.

  Cheetham Hill is an area to the north of Manchester where Sunday trading was a regular occurrence long before the Sunday Trading Act of 1994. Leroy drove past the proliferation of wholesalers, retail shops and fast food outlets lining the streets and adding to the eclectic mix; their bright, garish signs advertising their wares. Here the shops sold a vast array of goods from food and clothing to electricals. As someone in the know, Leroy visited traders that were a little off the beaten track; the illegal traders who supplied counterfeit and stolen merchandise at knock down prices.

  Leroy was accustomed to the area, so he knew where to go for the best prices, and how to drive a hard bargain. He parked his car next to one of the back alleys, out of view of the main drag, so he could visit a number of his contacts. Once he had cut the engine and opened the car door, the sound of excited bargain hunters and the aroma of fast food assailed his senses. Leroy obtained a selection of cheaply priced goods that he knew he could sell on through his network of associates, including Ged. He would put a high mark-up on the cost of the goods, and take the bulk of the profit for himself.

  After stashing the merchandise in the boot of his BMW, Leroy glanced at his Gucci watch. There was still half an hour to go before his meeting, so he passed the time in a back-street café, drinking coffee and smoking weed. The café owners knew Leroy, and therefore knew better than to complain about him smoking illegal substances on their premises.

  The meeting place was an old derelict building approached via the back entrance, through a maze of alleyways. Leroy was there five minutes before the arranged time, eager to obtain the drugs, which were already two days overdue. After a couple of minutes his contact arrived.

  “About fuckin’ time,” complained Leroy. “What you got?”

  He was pleased that his contact had brought a good supply with him, enough to keep Leroy going for a while. Despite his satisfaction, he was careful not to give anything away, negotiating a reduced price because of the delay. His justification for this was the loss of custom.

  “Now don’t forget, not a word about our arrangement to anyone,” said Leroy.

  “You worried about Mad Trevor?” asked his supplier.

  “I ain’t worried about no-one! It’s just best that the rest of the gang don’t know, that’s all. You know how they feel about you lot. But me, I don’t have any problems with you, man; we go back a long way. Besides, if the MSC hadn’t got everything sewn up for themselves, we’d still be getting H from our other sources, and I wouldn’t have to come to you. Now that ain’t my fault, is it? If you ask me, Mad Trevor’s been upsetting too many of the suppliers. They’re not as friendly with us as they used to be, but the fuckin’ MSC have got ’em eating out of their hands.”

  After a brief discussion, they were about to do the exchange when they heard footsteps scurrying down the alleyway. Leroy stepped into the backyard of the property, opened the gate a few inches and peered out. He could see two men running down the passageway, carrying leather jackets, fake designer clothing and cardboard boxes containing other goods. He bent his head around the opening in the gate to see what the men were running from, and noticed a policeman dashing across the top of the alley.

  “Shit, it’s a raid!” he told his contact.

  They quickly completed the exchange then left the yard, running in the same direction as the other two men. It was fortunate for Leroy that he was familiar with the labyrinth of passageways; this enabled him to dodge the police and reach his car, which was parked just a few minutes away. He climbed inside and concealed the drugs in a special compartment built into the car, underneath the dashboard.

  There wasn’t much he could do to hide the counterfeit goods, but that was a chance he was prepared to take, knowing that the penalties were far less severe than those he would face for carrying heroin with a street value of several thousand pounds. He started his engine and continued along the length of the back alleyway, taking a circuitous route that avoided the main Cheetham Hill Road until he was out of the area and well on his way to Manchester city centre. He heaved a sigh of relief as he passed through the centre on his way to the Riverhill Estate in Longsight. That had been a close call, but at least the drugs were safely with him. Now all he had to do was find somewhere to conceal them until he moved into his own place with Jenny.

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  Tuesday 12th March 1991 - evening

  Rita and Yansis had been staying with Julie and Vinny for three days, and were feeling very much at home in the spacious guest bedroom. Rita had arranged a doctor’s appointment for the Tuesday evening, and by the time she and Yansis returned from the doctors, Vinny was already home from work.

  “Ooh, just in time,” said Julie. “The tea’s ready. I was going to give it a few more minutes, and then we would have had to start without you.”

  “You should have done anyway; don’t spoil your tea on our account,” said Rita.

  “No, it’s fine. We want to have a chat with you anyway. Vinny’s found out something today about you know who.”

>   Rita stared wide-eyed at Vinny in anticipation. She hadn’t expected to find out anything about Leroy so soon; not after Vinny had told her that his employee, Rob, had been off sick on the Monday. Evidently, he must have returned to work already.

  “Let’s eat first, before it gets ruined, and then he can tell you. How did you go on at the doctors, anyway?” Julie asked, as she strapped Emily into her high chair.

  “Not much to tell really. He’s made a hospital referral, so we’ve just got to sit tight and wait a few weeks. We won’t know anything till after that.”

  “Oh well, at least you’ve made a start. I hope you don’t have to wait too long, and that you manage to get things sorted out.”

  “Me too, Julie.” Rita looked across at Yansis, and gave him a hesitant smile as she spoke.

  Vinny tucked into Julie’s home-made shepherd’s pie with such relish that Rita felt guilty quizzing him before he had finished. Rita hardly tasted the food though; she was too eager to find out what he had learnt about Leroy. She didn’t have to ask any questions; Vinny picked up on her air of expectancy as soon as he had eaten his last morsel and placed his knife and fork down onto the empty plate.

  “Do you want a pudding?” Julie asked.

  “Not for me,” Rita quickly interjected before Vinny could reply. Then, seeing the expression on Julie’s face, she added, “Oh sorry, go on, Vinny; you have your pudding if you like, then tell me about Leroy after.”

  Her tone and manner made it obvious that, although she was feigning politeness, she didn’t want to wait any longer, and she was thankful when Vinny acquiesced.

  “It’s alright, Julie, I’ll have it later.” Then, turning to Rita and Yansis, Vinny added, “Come in the living room, and I’ll tell you what I’ve found out.”

  He led her and Yansis out of the dining room, and left Julie feeding Emily the remainder of her tea. Rita surmised that this must be serious if he didn’t want his two-year-old daughter to overhear any of the conversation.