This is a narrowboat that is typically used for leisure on the UK canals. 6'10" wide and up to 72 feet long.

Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 9

Barbara. Chief Protagonist AKA Bab’s.

Lola (Seventeen) Barbara’s oldest adopted child. Transgendered girl rescued from an attempted murder.

Olivia. (Fifteen) Barbara’s second adopted daughter: Black lesbian girl fostered out of care then adopted. (With Olivia’s consent!)

Joyce Banks. Bristol Social worker.

Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to -

Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.

They are a married couple who own a narrow-boat on the canal. Friends of Lola

Mickey Talbot (Twelve) Aaron and Shirley’s oldest child.

Jessica Talbot (Eleven) Aaron & Shirley’s middle child.

Bianca Talbot (Nine) Aaron & Shirley’s Youngest child.

Billy Medical colleague of Aaron’s – he also owns a narrow boat in Bristol.

Sandra Her parents also own another Narrowboat in Gloucester.

Jackie Sandra’s friend (a bit headstrong and ‘adventurous’)

Julie Third member of the threesome, (more level-headed and sensible than Jackie).

Jason. (Black) London Gang member deals in drugs at the children’s homes

Tyrone (Black) Also a gang member, friend of Jason. Also a dealer.

Tyson (White) Also a gang member into drugs and trafficking young girls.

Angela (Angie), Olivia’s trafficked, drug-addicted friend (Rape-gang Victim and important witness)

Sergeant Davis, female police bodyguard for Angela.

Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation in Birmingham.

Chapter 9

Once the two girls and the Police detective were travelling in the Police car towards Gloucester they lightened up. Learning of the size and the severity of the Rape Gang case had been a very sobering moment for both girls. Lola was sitting in the front passenger seat while Olivia was spread more comfortably in the back. Although the compulsory seat harness did not allow for much spreading. Lola asked the detective.

“Did Inspector John say he was going back to do paperwork?”

“Yes. There’s a lot to catch up on.”

“What! On a Sunday?”

“Yes.”

Olivia snorted with returned amusement.

“Blood hell. It must be a big case is they’re paying ‘im overtime on a Sunday.”

The Detective Sergeant glanced back through the rear-view mirror.

“It is Olivia. The young girl’s body was found in Manchester and she was taken from a children’s home in Nottingham.”

“Oh my god! How old was she?”

“Eleven when we found her body but she was ten when she disappeared.”

“Bastards!” Olivia cursed as Lola asked.

“Is it the same gang that took Angela?”

The detective nodded and replied.

“Some of them are. There are cells scattered around the country, something like biker gangs. Some big, like Birmingham and London, some small.”

“And they’re all wogs!” Olivia spat.

“We can’t use that word Olivia.” The detective censured her, “Besides, they’re not all Asians.”

“Bet they’re all Muslims though.”

“I can’t say that either, young lady.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Cos they’re not all Muslims!”

“It’s the Muslim boys who are always pestering us at school.”

“Surely no more than boys are always pestering girls, all boys that is.”

“Nah, there’s something else, something about their attitude. Like we’re not allowed to say no or fuck off.”

“But what about Tyson, Jason and Tyrone?” Detective Sergeant Davis countered. “Their attitude was far worse and they’re white and black. They certainly didn’t take no for an answer, did they?”

Olivia fell silent. The detective was right. Unbelievingly she had rated the Muslim boys as worse than Tyson and Tyrone almost as though they were excused responsibility because they were known as drug dealers and wide boys on the estate. The muslim boys were strangers to her people and she knew little or nothing about the muslim girls except that most of them either worked hard at school and went onto uni or left to get married at sixteen. She even found herself wondering if she was racist.

Then she recalled that most of the Asian rape gangs were definitely muslim and the ones she had seen at the music festival looked like Muslims with big beards. Some even wearing those djibbah coats. The more she thought about the whole case, the more confused she became. She lost count of time and awareness and by the time she recovered from her confused introspections, they were pulling into a MacDonald’s. To her surprise, Lola was on first name terms with ‘Brian’ the detective.

“Do you want to eat inside the cafe or go somewhere to eat?”

“We might as well eat in the car.”

“Not in my car you won’t. I’ve got kids of my own and after learning my lesson about the mess kids leave, eating in the car, it is a big no-no!”

“Aaaww. Sergeant!” Olivia whinged.

“You might as well call me Brian, Lola already does. I know a good picnic spot outside Gloucester.”

Olivia rolled the name ‘Brian’ around her tongue and decided it was less cumbersome than ‘Detective – Sergeant – Davis’.

“Okay, - Brian.”

They drove to the picnic spot overlooking the River Severn and ate their burger meals and drinks. When they were nearly finished Brian’s phone beeped with a text.

“They’ve checked out the cottage and it’s all clear. Finish your grub.”

No longer having to kill time, they made good speed to the cottage and parked the car inconspicuously in the large ‘visitor’s car park’ at the top of the lane. As they walked down to the tow-path Brian nodded with satisfaction.

“This is a lovely site, pretty and yet difficult to sneak up on.”

“Yeah we both love it,” Lola answered for both girls, “though we never thought to consider it as a defensive position.”

They chatted as they approached the cottage to find Bab’s had spotted them from the kitchen window and the kettle was already boiling.
With the late afternoon sun bathing the little front garden in it’s gentle glow, they settled in the garden chairs to discuss strategy and tactics; what was okay and what was unsafe.

“You might find some of these restrictions irksome but believe me, if thing’s do go pear-shaped, you’ll thank us.”

Olivia nodded then asked Brian.

“When will Angie be likely to come?”

“I can’t say Olivia. I should think, or rather hope, within a month or so.”

“Will we be able to go and see her at the clinic?” Lola asked.

“By all means, indeed, Bridie will collect you at least once a week sometimes more; then take you to Gloucester station and you take the train to Birmingham New Street. That way, you’ll arrive on your own anonymously and make your own way to the hospital and Bridie’s face won’t become too familiar. The other tactic is to drive you to a local bus stop several stops away from the hospital, and you arrive by bus, a different bus route each time and they’ll have no idea where you’ve come from.

However, when leaving, you’ll have to be much more circumspect. Choose a bus number, then inform us then we can arrange to have a plain-clothes officer to be on the bus when it picks you up at the hospital. If they try anything on the bus, our officer is armed!!!!!

Then catch a bus to the railway station and we can arrange a station anywhere in the midlands to meet you. Choose an express train so they won’t be able to follow you by car while your guardian officer will be close behind you in New Street station. Don’t forget Olivia, these men are desperate because their gang members are facing very long sentences.

While Angela is still in the clinic, we’ll be sorting out a narrow-boat for Bridie and me to live on in that handy little dock behind here.”

Lola suddenly had a thought.

“Are you using Ollie as bait to trap anybody who tries to follow her?”

“Not deliberately,” Brian declared, “but we can’t be sure how desperate these gangsters will be. It’s important that you stay in touch to and from the hospital. We’ve got facial recognition cameras at the hospital and New Street station. You’ll be well protected Olivia! Now that Lola’s mentioned the ‘bait’ potential, are you still prepared to visit Angela in hospital?”

“Yeah I think so. Will Lola be able to come with me?”

Olivia was pretty much satisfied with the arrangements then she turned to the lady sergeant.

“Bridie.” Olivia grinned. “Is that your name Sergeant?”

“Yes blame our grandmother, it was Brian if it was a boy and Bridie if it was a girl. We’re twins.”

“Crickey! Neat,” Olivia clapped her hands joyfully. “I’d have loved a sister.”

The conversation stopped as Bab’s emerged with a tray of scones and tea, then Lola and Olivia took both sergeants on a grand tour of the river lock then the Marina further up the canal. On reaching the Marina both sergeants questioned the girls to get as much information as they could. They were thoroughly satisfied and pleased that Lola at least, knew every boat-owner by name as well as by reputation and habit while Olivia was learning fast as she earned painting and decorative work. Furthermore, the Marina manager vouchsafed for the girls.

“Yeah! They’re good kids; couple of times they’ve helped boatowners out as well as general handy-man stuff amongst the boats. Boat-owners have even gone knocking on Babs’s door to ask for their help.”

“You know the kid’s back-grounds?” Bridie checked.

“Yes I do, Doctor Aaron and Shirley do as well. No need for everybody to know. Far as I’m concerned they’re okay.”

“Well we’re up here to let you know, we’ve got a boat and Bab’s has let us use the layby berth behind her cottage.”

“Lucky you. She guards that spot jealously; it belongs to the cottage.”

“Yeah, well we’re distant relatives.”

Olivia and Lola exchanged secret smiles and broached the subject when they were returning to the cottage.

“Distant relatives my arse! I didn’t know the police could lie so effectively.”

Bridie grinned then chuckled as she explained.

“We’re all distant relatives Ollie. From Adam, that is.”

“Ha!! Lola snorted. “She’s got you there Ollie. She’s not exactly lied, has she?”

“Would you Adam and Eve it!” Brian interjected.

A general groan of ironic condemnation erupted from the three girls.

As they approached the cottage Lola turned to practicalities.

“So when’s this narrow-boat coming and where will Angie stay when she gets here?”

“The boat should be ready in about a week. We’ll be staying in a caravan by the lock until then under the pretence of being surveyors for the Water authority. Once the boat is habitable, we’ll settle in.” The lay-by berth is not very noticeable from the canal so we won’t draw much attention to ourselves. By pretending to be employees of the water authority, people will presume it’s perfectly normal. Besides, we’re going to station some genuine fish monitoring equipment for the Severn-Trent river authority so it will be technically a genuine monitoring station.”

“Very clever,” Babs added as she re-joined them in the Garden.”

After various arrangements and preparations were discussed and organised, Brian and Bridie left the cottage while the ‘family’ went to sleep.
The following Wednesday, Bridie delivered Olivia to Temple Meads station instead of Gloucester just to throw any searchers off the scent. While they waited for the express, Bridie took Olivia through the plan then bid her a safe journey as Olivia boarded her train. From the bustle of Birmingham New Street, she made her own way to the hospital where a secret rendezvous had been arranged with Angela. Olivia was stood admiring some paintings in an anonymous office when she turned as a second door opened and her erstwhile friend appeared alone.

A wave of emotion ripped through Olivia’s guts as Angela emerged alone. For a full second, Olivia stood rooted to the spot before she recovered her composure and she cautiously stepped towards Angie.

“Hi Angie!” Olivia whispered uncertainly as she noted the slight improvement in her friend’s appearance.

Angie’s eyes were less sunken and some fullness had returned to her once gaunt face. More importantly, her eyes seemed more alert and bright while her general demeanour seemed more attentive and aware. When Angie recognised Ollie she reached out with her arms and squealed with delight as the two friends rushed forward and flung their arms around each other.

The intense embrace lasted for several minutes until Oliva felt her blouse becoming damp and she realised Angela had started crying.

“Hey!” Olivia reassured her friend. “Come on now, you’re getting better and you’ll be out of here soon.

“Will I?” Angie wept.

“Hey! You’re not a prisoner, you’re a patient. I can see you’re getting better; well you certainly look better. How do you feel, you know in yourself?”

“The skin crawling has stopped and I don’t get withdrawal cramps. They think I’ll be off the Methadone in a couple of weeks.”

“That’s fabulous news! How’s your appetite?”

“They make us all work out in the gym every morning for an hour before breakfast and it’s hard work. We have to burn off so many calories before we get breakfast and by then we’re starving. I eat like a hog for breakfast but more importantly, the food stays down.”

“Well that’s a good thing and you’re certainly looking better. So what’s the plan when you get out?”

“I don’t know. They say I have to go into protective custody for all sorts of reasons.”

“Fuck!” Cursed Olivia as she feigned ignorance. “What does that mean exactly?”

“I dunn’o. Some sort of safe house or something but far from London.”

“That’ll be to keep you from falling into the gang’s clutches.”

“Yeah but I’ll be all alone, I’ll have no one.”

“What about the other girls?”
“They are keeping us separate for our own protection and reduce the chances of lapsing back. A safe house is gonna be a nightmare and what sort of set up will it be. Not another bossy bitch like in Brixton.”

“I just don’t know Angie,” Olivia lied and it made her feel like shit. “I suppose they have to do that until the court case.”

“Yeah and they reckon that’s gonna be another year or two before they’ve get their fucking act together.”

“Yeah, well you can blame Tyson and Jason for that, at least as far as we are concerned. They got tangled up with these rape gangs and sucked you in. D’ you know of any other girls from our place?”

“They say there might be two but both are still missing.”

“Which ones were they?”

“D’ you remember the blond one with the very long hair.”

“Yes, Erica. I thought she was fostered out.”

“No, that’s what the social workers said to cover up any shit on their part. I worked it out when the police asked me about her. Anyway, she wasn’t with us in the Birmingham shit-hole and the police are still looking for her. I think she might be dead.”

“Oh shit no. She was an okay kid. Who would have kidnapped her? Tyson and Jason weren’t around back then.”

“No but there was that one from somewhere in Eastern Europe. The Roman one.”

“You mean Allus, the Roma guy. He went back to Slovakia didn’t he? The police were looking for him.”

“Did he fuck go back. He was up in Nottingham and Leicester when I went up there with Tyson. I spoke to Allus and Tyson let him fuck me. He’s a filthy bastard and too handy with his fists.”

“Where in Leicester?”

“No, Nottingham. There’s that club called the ‘Al Ta’ Noor’. It claims to be just a Shisha café but further down the alley towards the river Trent they’ve got the brothel and there’s some very young kids there. It’s surrounded by old warehouses and stuff. I heard screams coming from there a couple of times. I was there with Tyson and a couple of his Muzzie mates another night but I saw Allus coming out of a room with blood on his jacket. He looked pretty pissed so Tyson took me away. Something happened but God knows what.”

Olivia shuddered as she began to learn just what her friend had been through. She knew it was pointless asking for specific dates but she had a stroke of luck when Angie mentioned the Asian obsession with football.

“What wide screens and everything?”

“Oh they’re really big on it. I think I was lucky that night because Tyson had won a bet on Nott’s Forest and Arsenal and the game highlights were being shown on TV. Arsenal had won. Tyson made a bomb on his bet and he decided to take me and his mates for a meal. They were laughing about where to go when Allus came out with blood all over him. The screaming had stopped and he looked panicky. Tyson just grabbed me and we left with his Paki mates. After shit like that, I didn’t have the will to fight it anymore.”

As Angela’s recollections started to overwhelm her again, Olivia grabbed her in another intensely tight hug. It was the only thing she could do and even then she felt helpless. The pair were still crying when the nurse came in with tea and biscuits.

“My god love! D’ you want some medicine?”

Angie tensed and Olivia realised her friend was worried about being drugged to calm her down. Between sobs that wracked both of them, Oliva spat back.

“No she doesn’t want bloody drugs, just let us cry this shit through!”

The nurse, being a trained drug rehabilitation specialist immediately realised that Olivia had achieved another breakthrough. Angela was emoting and crying genuine, copious tears.

She nodded knowingly to Olivia and left the wailing pair with the tea and biscuits. With tea and biscuits interrupting their intercourse, Angela stopped crying and they fell to talking again.

“I wish we could go shopping again. That tall girl who was with you last time, she was fun.”

“That’s Lola. She was already staying with Babs when I moved in with them. Lola and Babs are brilliant. The trouble is, I can’t be seen around Birmingham with you or the gang might put two and two together.”

“How come?”

“I’ll tell you next time I come, and I’ll try and bring Lola. My time’s up and I’ve got a train to catch with my discount saver ticket.”

Angela’s smile dropped slightly and she flung herself again into Olivia’s arms.

“I wish it was just you and me like the old times in the home. You were the only one I really trusted.”

“They hugged again tightly until Olivia was forced to leave.