by Woods, Karen
Susie looked chuffed with herself and nodded her head slowly. “Yeah fuck me, there’s loads, Tim. I could just about get it in the front of my pants.” Her face smiled from cheek to cheek. Tim tapped his fingers on the table, and his head was twisting about all the time. “What’s up with you?” Susie hissed.
Taking a few moments to answer her, he stuttered his words. “Nowt, I’m just a bit pissed off that’s all, fancy bringing our Helen with you.”
Susie gasped “Fucking hell, Tim, I can’t believe you’re going on one over this, usually you’re always saying why hasn’t any of my family come to see me. I can’t fucking do right, by doing fucking wrong, me.” Two people sat at the table now in complete silence. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife.
Helen marched over to the table carrying a red tray in her hands. The plastic tray was covered in biscuits, drinks, crisps and sandwiches. Pushing herself back into her chair she pushed the food towards Tim. “Get stuck into that lot our kid.”
Helen reached over and her body was stuck into Susie’s face. “Fucking hell,” Susie moaned as she pushed her blubber away from her. Helen sat back down in her chair. Peeling her cheese and onion butty open she rammed the white piece of bread into her mouth. Speaking with her mouth full she spoke to her brother. “My mam’s been going mad because you haven’t written to her, she said to tell you, you’d better get writing.”
Tim huffed; he wasn’t listening to her properly, he seemed in a world of his own. “When do you want me to pass this lot over then, it looks quiet now, should I give it to you?” Susie whispered. Tim shot his eyes about the room, she was right the time was right; he nodded his head at her. Digging her hands down the front of her jeans she clenched the large parcels of drugs. Bringing her hand back to her lap she rested it there for a moment. Her hands came over the table as she leant over to kiss him. During the kiss she passed the first of the six drops.
Jenkins was visible inside the visiting room. He looked hot and flustered. A few other screws were standing next to him. They were all whispering amongst themselves. Tim was sat at the table, he hadn’t concealed the parcel yet, his eyes were all over the place he was debating his next move.
In an instant Tim’s head was dragged behind him. His hands were twisted up behind his back. The screws were shouting in a loud voice for him to stop resisting. Susie stood to her feet and was ranting at the top of her voice. “Get ya fucking hands off him now, you load of pricks.” Helen was joining in and they were cursing the men. Tim was dragged off the visit. All the other visitors and inmates were up in arms. They knew what must have happened but still they sided with the inmate. Tim was gone within seconds.
Susie scanned her eyes about the room, her face was snow white. Chewing on her fingernails she whispered to Helen. “Come on, it’s on top, let’s get the fuck out of here.” Helen grabbed the left-over butty from the table and got on her toes towards the exit. Both women jogged to the door and were greeted by a gang of screws. Susie was waving her hands above her head as she was dragged away from the door. Helen stood bewildered with her hands dug deep in her coat pocket. Susie was livid.
The two women were taken to another part of the prison; Susie could see Jenkins smiling at her before she left. At that second the penny seemed to drop. “No,” she yelled as her body sank to the floor. Helen was trying to bring her back to her feet but it was no good Susie was like a lead weight. The noise was deafening in the corridor, lots of bodies were all over the place. It was frantic. Susie was flung into a holding cell on her own. She could hear Helen shouting outside the room, she too was being held against her will. Standing with her back to the door, Susie listened carefully as her body folded into two. “Get ya fucking big daft hands off me? I’ve done fuck all wrong, what are you holding me for.”
A male voice could be heard talking in a loud tone. He was telling Helen that the police were on their way. “Police,” Helen cried, “What the fuck have you phoned the dibble for?”
The words Susie heard sent shivers down her spine; goose pimples were visible all over her arms. “Intent to supply drugs,” the screw replied.
Helen shrugged her shoulders. “Listen, you fucking arsehole, go and check the cameras, and you’ll see I haven’t done anything wrong.” Her hand was waving about in front of her now. “Go on Inspector fucking Clouseau, go and check the CCTV.” The sound of a door slamming could be heard. Helen was kicking and punching the walls. “Susie if you can hear me, you’d better sort this shit out, I’ve got kids to go home to.”
Susie held her hands over her ears. Tears trickled down her face and she knew she was well and truly fucked. Feeling the front of her pants she realised that she still had drugs on her body. Her eyes were all over the room. It was bare and there was nowhere to hide anything without anyone seeing it. She was screwed. Crawling to the small platform at the back of the room she cradled her arms around her body and rocked. All her eye make-up was running down her face and it seemed like she was crying black tears. Her head dipped onto her knees as she tried listening outside the room.
Tim was still down the block in the prison. Jenkins came into his cell and made sure nobody could hear him. “Job done, they’re both still in the prison, they’re in the holding cells waiting for the police to come.”
Tim sprang to his feet, “What the fuck is gonna happen to me, they’ve got a parcel from me.”
Jenkins smiled, “All you say is that, she passed it to you, you never tried to conceal it I’ve checked on the cameras. Just say she said, here get hold of that. I mean you just took it from her and we were on you, so the story fits.”
Tim smirked. “Are you sure I’m gonna be alright?”
Jenkins nodded his head. “Trust me Tim, I’ll sort it, I just want all this shit to end now, and to get on with my life.”
Tim agreed. “How is Susie anyway?”
Paul Jenkins hung his head low. “She’s a mess; she’s gonna do big time for this, no matter what.”
Tim paused and coughed to clear his throat. Taking a long deep breath he stared at the walls for a minute. He placed his hand on Jenkins shoulder. “It’s all over for you now boss, she’s an evil bitch and I’m sorry for what she’s put you through. I’ll never tell a soul about what we’ve done, just make sure I don’t get a nicking for this.”
Jenkins smirked as Tim continued talking with a smug look on his face. “As for Susie, let her do her roast like I’ve had to do for all this time, she’s a wrong ‘un you know, and she’s got what she deserved.”
Jenkins blew a laboured breath and months of stress seemed to vanish from his face, he looked relieved. “What about the other woman with her? She’s kicking right off that one,”
Tim chuckled. “Our Helen is innocent; like you said when they see the footage they’ll see it’s only Susie who was carrying drugs.”
Jenkins quickly checked the door. Reaching his hand out to Tim they shook hands. “Good luck,” he whispered as he left the room.
Tim bounced back onto his bed. Looping his hands behind his head he let out a menacing laugh and cackled. “Told you, you would pay bitch, didn’t I? Look who’s laughing now, ay.” Laughter filled the room as he kicked his legs out in front of him. His clenched fist punched into the air. “Result, fucking result,” he shouted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Susie dried her eyes and sank her head into her chest as she heard the cell door opening. A male police officer walked inside, he shot her a look of disgust and pulled out a small note pad from his pocket. Taking a minute to gather his words together, he read out her legal rights. He’d arrested Susie on intent to supply drugs. Susie was handcuffed and led from the holding area; they told her they were taking her to a police station in Salford.
Walking from the room, she could now see Helen being brought out of her cell too. As soon as she saw Susie she was like a woman possessed. “You better sort this you, there is no way I’m getting slammed for fuck all.” Susie dipped her head but gave no respo
nse. Helen could still be heard shouting as Susie left the building.
The pair were taken to Pendleton police station. The officers told her they were waiting for her solicitor to attend and then she would be interviewed. The legal representative was one that Tim had used in the past; she was hoping he would get her off the hook with the offences she was facing. Susie was ordered to take a bobble out of her hair and the small laces she had in the front of her boots. She was being searched. Susie looked distraught; she still had the drugs on her. She was chewing rapidly on her bottom lip. A female officer started to search her; she was patting her hands all over her body. Susie thought she was safe as her crotch was never touched; a relieved look came to her face and she thought it was all over. The female officer now brought a flat machine near to her body and asked her to hold her hands out to the side of her. The machine was slid all over her body. The sound of a buzzing noise could be heard. Susie looked at the officer and hunched her shoulders. “What does that mean?” The woman walked off and came back with two more officers. They knew she was concealing drugs without a shadow of doubt, the machine was buzzing like a bumble bee. The officer spoke.
“Miss, we know you have illegal substances on you. We need to strip search you.”
Susie backed away from them and stood with her body pressed against the wall. “Fucking not a chance in this world are you shoving your fingers up my arse, I want to see my solicitor.” Her face screwed up and she looked distressed. Thinking for a few minutes, she knew it was on top and she was gasping for breath. Digging her hand deep down the front of her pants she started to yank out all the drug packages. The officers nudged each other as she placed them all on the nearby table. Her face looked hot and she looked faint. “Can I have a drink of water please,” she asked. The female officer walked away and you could hear a tap running in the distance. Susie huffed, “There you go, and that’s the lot. I’ve got fuck all else.” Her hands were patting her body. “Tim made me do it; he said if I didn’t, he would get me sorted out.” Her face stared at the officers. “And he would you know, you don’t know the half of it, he’s an evil bastard when he wants to be.”
Susie was strip searched, it was the procedure. They couldn’t take her word on it. No more drugs were found on her body, but the amount they did uncover was enough to send her to jail for at least five years if not longer. Once her photograph and fingerprints had been taken they led her back to her cell to wait for her solicitor to attend.
Helen bounced out of her cell; it was her turn to be searched. She looked hot and clammy and she wasn’t taking any of this lying down. “Do we have to go through this; I’m nothing to do with it,” she moaned, “ask Susie if you don’t believe me.” Helen’s head was spinning around to the officers, “Hasn’t she already told you?” Her eyes were all over the show now, and she was waiting for some response from the dibble, there was none. Once she was body searched they waved the silver machine over her body. Bleeping noises could be heard. “What’s that fucking thing going on about,” Helen moaned as she swung her arms out in front of her.
“We need to strip search you, you have traces of drugs on your body,” the officer snarled.
“Have I fuck, you barmy twat, I don’t touch drugs,” Helen raved.
The officer raised her eyes to the ceiling. She’d heard this story so many times in the past. “Sorry love, its procedure.” She spoke in a loud tone and shot her eyes over to her work colleagues.
Helen stood smiling, “Well come on then, you won’t find jack shit on me.” The officer led her to another room, all of a sudden Helen halted, and she looked like she’d seen a ghost. Her legs turned to jelly, gripping her jacket she remembered the stash she’d nicked from Susie earlier. Her lips were dry as she slid her tongue over them. The officer urged her to carry on walking, her face was pale. Stuttering her words she gripped the door frame. “Erm... Can I just go to the toilet please?”
The police officer shook her head, “Sorry love, we need to get you searched first.”
Helen’s body folded into two, dragging at her hair she pulled at the officer’s legs. “Right, this is no bullshit, please you’ve got to believe me.”
The woman shook her from her leg. “Come on now, we need to get this sorted.”
Helen sprang to her feet yelling. “I’ve got drugs on me, yes. But I wasn’t going to give them to anyone in jail. Susie had it all on the table in her house, so I just nicked some from her to earn a few quid that’s all.”
All the officers were stood round her now. She was making the case a lot stronger for them. She was telling them more or less that they both sat down and planned the drug run together. If this was the case they knew they could bang a conspiracy charge on the both of them. Helen searched the lining of her coat. They could see it was the same packaging as the drugs Susie had given them. Helen was well and truly fucked; there was no way she was going to talk her way out of this one. Her tears fell and she kept asking them if she was going to jail. The female officer held nothing back.
“Helen, no matter what, you’ve taken drugs into a prison.” Her eyes scanned the table as her fingers touched the drugs they’d found on her, “and looking at this lot, you’re in big trouble.”
Helen was taken to have her prints done. Her face was red and tears were falling down her cheeks at record speed. “I can’t go to jail.” she sobbed. “What about my kids?”
Nobody was listening to a word she said. To the officers she was just another criminal who’d been caught in the act. There was no doubt in their minds; this woman was getting slammed in nick, no matter what.
Susie’s solicitor walked into the interview room to meet her. Susie had been brought up from her cell. The lady was well dressed and in her mid thirties. Her grey trouser-suit looked neatly pressed and the white crisp blouse from underneath her jacket looked fresh and clean. The woman introduced herself as Nicola. Quickly reading all the notes on the table as she sat down, Susie looked surprised as she had been expecting a man to represent her, but was told he was on annual leave.
Nicola reached for a pen from her bag and started to take a few details from her client. Susie was sighing all the time and shaking her head. “Am I getting out of here, or what?” she huffed.
Nicola sat back in her chair and shot her eyes towards her client. “This is serious Susie; I think you need to know that there is a prison sentence hanging over your head. The evidence they have is enough to hold you in custody, and I have no doubt they will not allow you any kind of bail.”
Susie was up in arms. “Listen Nicola, don’t tell me that, just get me out of this shit-hole, how can you just say I’m not getting bail without talking to anyone.”
Nicola opened her eyes wide and tilted her head to the side, “Susie, I know my job and in my opinion a bail application at the moment would be wasted.”
Susie punched her fist onto the table, “I don’t care what you think, this is my life you’re fucking about with, just get me out of here.” Silence filled the room.
Before long Susie was stood at the charge desk. It was decided she was going to be held in custody and the next day she would appear at court with her co-accused Helen. Sobbing could be heard, as they led her back to her holding cell, it took two officers to get her back inside, she was punching and kicking, and she wasn’t going down without a fight.
Helen lay staring at the ceiling holding her hands on her body and constantly cracking her knuckles. Tossing and turning all night long, she knew there was no way out of this terrible mess. No matter what, nobody would believe her and she would have to face her punishment. Helen told her solicitor all about her stealing the drugs from Susie. Her legal representative told her that when they went to court the following morning he would plead her case to the judge but he told her straight not to expect miracles. Helen’s eyelids were flickering rapidly as she closed her eyes for sleep, her fists were clenched together and you could hear her cursing under her breath.
Tim sat on the end of h
is bed, holding each of Susie’s photographs. Slowly he pulled his lighter from his pocket and flicked the flame. The corner of the snapshot started to curl at the edges, his fingers were moving about as the flame ate away at the last part of his girlfriend’s face. The ashes fell to the floor and he sat staring at them as he repeated the process on all her other pictures.
“Burn bitch, burn bitch,” he whispered.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Vicky sat watching the clock. Declan was already staying over at her sisters and this was her first night of working at ‘Delia’s’. Joan told her point-blank that if she didn’t turn up she would come looking for her, and this time she would deal with her big time. Tim had also been in touch with her. He was angry and told the young girl straight, that she would work to pay every last penny back off she owed him. He told her that the love he thought he felt for her had disappeared and had been replaced by hate and disgust.
Standing to her feet Vicky checked her scrawny body in the mirror. Her make-up seemed dull, there was no glow on her face and all that was left was a face full of regrets. Lighting a cig she pulled open the front door and looked at the surrounding area, everywhere seemed quiet. She shivered as the night air penetrated her bones. Vicky had already drunk half a bottle of vodka to calm her nerves and you could see her body wobbling as she started walking through the council estate towards the bus stop.
Delia’s front door stared at Vicky as she stepped from the bus, her body froze and she looked like she was going to turn back. A few men were staring at her with perverted looks on their faces; she stood debating her next move. Vicky pulled her coat tighter around her body covering her red lacy top and snarled at the men. “Fucking skanks,” she whispered under her breath. The young girl’s legs looked long and slender and the short skirt she wore left nothing to the imagination. Stepping closer to the entrance her fingers trembled as she pressed the buzzer on the intercom. Joan told her to come inside. Her legs began to shake and every step she took looked like she was in pain, at one point she just froze and held the banister struggling for her breath. The scar on her cheek still looked red and sore. The foundation she’d spread across it didn’t cover it up that well.