Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 16.

List of Characters.

Barbara. Chief Protagonist AKA Bab’s.

Lola. (Seventeen) Transgendered girl rescued by Bab’s 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, (Bridie) female police bodyguard for Angela.

Detective Sergeant Davies. (Brian) Bridie’s twin brother.

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

Erica. Another girl victim thought to have been killed by the gang.

Chapter 16.

As Angela continued weeping into Babs’s blouse, the old woman motioned to Lola to bring a towel.

“I’m getting rather wet.” She mouthed silently.

Lola grinned as she took a warm towel from the airing cupboard and handed it to her Nina.

“She looks about all in,” Lola remarked to nobody in particular. “I think the best place might be where she wanted to be an hour ago. – Bed.”

Bridie and Inspector John were reluctantly forced to agree. Angela was beginning to grow pale with exhaustion as her sobs became more convulsive. Then to everybody’s relief, Angela fell asleep. Without hesitation, Inspector John lifted the girl-child in his arms and carried her up to the bedroom. Olivia followed him into her bedroom and met his concerned gaze.

“I’ll undress her for bed, no funny stuff I promise.”

“Well done girl. You’re growing up and that’s a good thing.”

To Olivia, praise from the inspector was praise indeed and she felt a warm glow of satisfaction as he closed the bedroom door and left her to attend to her friend.

Once Angela was in her nightie and between the sheets, Olivia returned downstairs to find the adults and Lola quietly discussing the next steps going forward.

“Shall I make some cocoa?” She asked.

Heads nodded and after making the drinks, Olivia joined Lola curled up on the settee. The discussions went on for a couple of hours and Olivia learned a lot. The Strangest was being told that Lola and she then Angela were now publicly referred to as 'Children 'Ex' , Y and Zed.' Eventually, the day’s events began to take their toll and she yawned unashamedly before announcing she was going up.

“I think I’ll go too,” Lola announced, “You shower first babes, or we can save water and shower together.”

Olivia glanced uncertainly towards Babs who shrugged her lack of concern as she observed.

“It’ll save water and allow me to go up earlier as well. Off you go girls.”

“Well, I’m for bed as well, Bridie declared.

Inspector John glanced up from the table.

“I’ll follow in an hour sis. Just got these forms to sort out.”

As midnight approached, Babs emerged from the bathroom and was approaching her room when she met Lola on the landing.

“Are they asleep?” She whispered to Lola.

Lola nodded, “I think so, are you going to check.”

Bab’s nodded and gently eased the catch on the old cottage style door.. They both peeped carefully inside to see two sleeping figures spooned together with hair splayed over the pillow.

“I don’t see any mascara tear-stains on the pillow so Job done I hope.” Babs whispered as Lola grinned affirmation.

As Bab’s gently closed the door so as not to disturb the sleeping pair, Lola leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Babs’s neck..

“Wha’ss that for?” Bab’s asked in surprise.

“Just to say thanks, thanks for everything.”

“Oh tish girl! It’s what any decent person would do for kids in trouble.”

“With a warm heart, Bab’s padded softly to bed while Lola completed her ablutions. The last thing Bab’s heard was Lola whispering to Marmalade as she returned with the cat to her bed. She was fast asleep when Inspector John had completed his paper-work and picked his way along the towpath to the caravan.

ooo000ooo

At dawn a long plaintive ‘Miaoww’ dragged Bab’s and Lola from their slumbers. Then there was a soft click followed by some whispering that Bab’s recognised as Olivia talking to Carbon her adoptive cat. The next moment there was a squeal followed by a muted curse as Bab’s recognised that Carbon had employed his usual ‘wake-up’ technique on Angela’s toe.

“Ow! You little monster! Ollie, can’t you control your cat?” Angela protested. “He’s just scratched my toe and bitten it.”

“I think he’s jealous sis. Normally it’s his prerogative to sleep with me.”

“Well if he’s going to continue, he’ll have to learn to share.”

The cat debate soon quietened down and Bab’s heard Lola give a squeal of delight.

“What’s up darling?” Bab’s called from her bed.

“I’ve had an email from the clinic!”

“Good news from the sound of it.”

“They’ve given me a date for my surgery!”

With that, Lola knocked excitedly on Babs’s bedroom door.

“Come in girl, let’s see.”

Lola burst in with her lap-top in hand, closely pursued by Olivia. Angela was a bit more circumspect about bursting into Babs’s bedroom for she felt she had not achieved that privileged status yet and she hesitated uncertainly.

“See. July next year, after my first year exams, that’ll give me until September to recover.”

“You have to wait another year!” Bab’s observed whilst being slightly disappointed for the girl. “I’d have thought you’ve waited long enough.”

“I’m only happy that they’ve agreed to do it during the summer hol’s. At least I won’t miss a year at Uni.”

“Well, that’s true darling.” With that Bab’s sensed Angela’s reticence to enter. “Come in girl! Don’t be standing out there on ceremony; don’t be shy!”

Angela entered and joined Olivia squatting at the end of Babs’s bed while Lola was sitting beside her as they studied the email.

“So this is the hormone regime they want you to follow is it?”

“Yes. The sperm bank is happy with the sperm samples I’ve deposited so everything is go, go, go.”

Olivia scrambled up the bed to hug Lola so Angela followed suit and they ended up in a group hug. Then they heard the front door being opened as Bridie called up the stairs.

“Come on you lot. It’s ten o’clock!”

“Why? We’ve got nothing arranged for today.” Bab’s called back. “We’re having a chin-wag up here.”

“What about?” Bridie asked as she started making the tea.

“Lola’s got her surgery dates.”

“Good news is it?”

“We-ell, sort of. She’s got to wait about ten months but it means she’ll not miss any uni. It’s booked for the summer hol’s. So why so much fuss about us being abed at ten o’clock?”

“I was going to offer the girls another trip into Cheltenham. I’ve got another meeting at GCHQ. Apparently there’s some high ranking politicians tangled up in this business.”

“Oooh! Where – what countries?”

“All over. That’s what I’m going to find out. More files, more faces. I’ll be bringing back some homework tonight and hopefully run it past those two. - - - - oh, and something else, I’ll have a better idea about the criminal compensation figures tomorrow. Brian will be doing a stint down here tomorrow while I’m up in Birmingham seeing the compensation board.”

The girls appeared in the kitchen before Bridie had even finished making the breakfast tea because the mention of Cheltenham meant a day out and a new experience for Angela. Eleven thirty found the three girls and Bridie in Cheltenham where Bridie set them down with arrangements to meet at four.

When Bridie arrived at GCHQ in Cheltenham she soon learned of the extent of the trafficking and the many threads that tied into various drug trading routes. In one instance she even detected a definite link to the case affecting either Angela or Olivia or even both. She was tempted to phone them but decided to stick rigidly to the rules for their safe house and avoid any reference to drugs, or trafficking. It would all have to wait until they met again later that afternoon. As she was taken deeper and deeper into the case she became more angry and sickened by the revelations, particularly the many suspected connections to high ranking politicians especially in Asia and South America.

Meanwhile the three girls had started the day inevitably shopping but being as funds were short, they could purchase very little.
Inevitably, their wanders about the shops whilst just looking and not buying attracted the attentions of various security staff and store detectives. Angela and Olivia being black did not help matters as inevitably a suspicious (and probably racist,) security guard in one of the stores deemed them to be shop-lifting.

They were stopped as they were leaving the store and asked to return to the security office.

“What for?” Demanded Angela.

“We have reason to believe you might have stolen goods upon you.”

“We haven’t stolen nothin’!” Olivia protested. “We were just lookin’. Bloody hell! We ‘aven’t even got bags to hide stuff!”

“Would you turn out your pockets please?”

“Bugger off! We aven’t even got pockets, they’re leggings! Look, loose tops, my ‘bum-bag’ an’ leggings. Where would we hide stuff?”

Olivia stood resolutely uncooperative while Angela raised her arms to show no hiding places.

Now Lola pitched in and the security guard turned on her.

“This is nothing to do with you young lady. It’s these two we wish to check.”

“Check what. She’s just shown you there’s nowhere to hide anything; and it has everything to do with me because I’m with them.”

“Well you turn out your handbag then.”

“If you want me to turn out my bag, you’d better call the police. I’m doing nothing for you! You only picked on my friends cos they’re black!”

“Do any of you have ID?”

“No! We don’t. We don’t carry any – and anyway, we don’t have to carry any! If you want our ID’s you will need to call the police.”

(Lola was thinking about the address of the safe house and their identities being compromised.)

The security guard was now getting annoyed because the two black girls were now following the older white girl’s example and refusing to give their names. What intrigued her though was their demands that she and the store manager contact the police.

They contacted Cheltenham central police despite Lola asking them to contact Gloucester Police headquarters or even better, Birmingham police. Eventually after nearly an hour’s argument and delay, (and an hour of the girls being detained at the store before the local Cheltenham police turned up) the police finally had the nouse to do as Lola begged them to and the two police officers called Birmingham police.

On calling Birmingham central police headquarters, the investigating office was given a number to ring by the Birmingham police and she started to dial the number. As she dialled she looked up at the girls and frowned.

“Now apparently, we’ll get some answers.”

The phone answered.

“Hello. GCHQ.”

The phone was on speaker and the woman police officer suddenly paled with shock. She almost dropped the phone.

“Hello. Who is this?”

“Station officer Carter, who am I talking to?”

“Is that really GCHQ?”

“Yes. Who are you and whom do you wish to speak to?”

“I eehh. I. – This is police constable Dawn Sutcliff here; I’ve got three young ladies suspected of shop lifting. They are refusing to identify themselves.”

“Then I suggest you speak to the police madam.”

The police officer let out a snort of frustrated anger.

“I am the police sir. I’ve been instructed by a superior officer in Birmingham to contact GCHQ.”

“Very well officer. Who is it you want to speak to and do you have their extension number.”

The officer let out an exasperated curse then turned to Lola.

“Do you know who I should ask for?”

Lola smirked as she savoured the officer’s discomfort then she relented.

“Well first, take the phone off speaker-phone then I’ll explain.”

The officer angrily adjusted her phone then Lola asked to speak to Station officer Carter. She reluctantly handed her phone to Lola who spoke softly to the Station Officer.

“Hello, Mr Carter. My name is ‘Child Ex’ and could you please contact Sergeant Bridie Davis. She’s currently working with the rape-gang and kidnap investigation team. Her mobile number is - hold on I’ll text it to you.”

There were a few minutes of tense silence then Bridie came to the police officer’s phone.
“Hello; Sergeant Bridie Davis here, is Child ‘Ex’ there?”

“Yes she’s alongside me.”

“May I speak to her please?”

Once again the lady police-officer Sutcliff handed her phone to Lola. Without any formalities Bridie asked directly. –

“Hello Darling, what’s wrong?”

“We’re being accused of shop-lifting.”

“Have you revealed your identities?”

“No. You said not to, under any circumstances! Nor have we surrendered our phones.

“Thank God for that; now, chapter and verse, no names, no pack-drill!”

Lola explained at length what had happened then handed the phone back to the police-woman. Bridie wasted no time in explaining that they could not talk on an open phone but she would come to Cheltenham Police station at sixteen thirty and under no circumstances were the girls to be questioned, interrogated or processed through the police records. Furthermore, she would be accompanied by a senior representative from GCHQ and there would have to be unquestionable, prim-facia evidence of any wrong-doing. Also, any video footage of any activity was to be taken directly to the Cheltenham Police station and there kept safe until Bridie, the GCHQ staff and a police officer of no less than superintendent rank be present when it was being viewed. Furthermore, Inspector John and a Birmingham superintendent were on their way from Birmingham.

To say there was a shocked silence from the store security staff would have been more than an understatement. They were simply stunned at the police response. The fact that the secrity guard and the store manager were residents of Cheltenham meant they were fully cognisant of the status of the work handled at GCHQ.

Work of national importance, no less.

ooo000ooo