Babs’ New-years’ Resolution 5

List of Characters

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.

Chapter 5

Olivia pulled the storm beak of her hoodie down over her forehead, replaced her sunglasses then pulled the cheek-strap drawstring over her lower jaw so virtually none of her face was recognizable. Lola wagged her head at her ‘sister’s’ endeavours but sympathised with her desperate need to avoid recognition. After her own experiences of being taped up and then dumped in a black bin bag in a freezing icy stream by some crazy transphobe, she thoroughly understood Olivia’s fear. Once Olivia moved towards the glade of trees, Lola located the police inspector and crossed the field to where he was scanning the crowds.

He noticed her approaching and immediately realised she was the companion of the anonymous informant who had so successfully led them to the Asian rape gang and the Black London gangster who had been dealing in class A drugs all afternoon. The inspector had had a very successful afternoon and was preparing to wind down their operation until the anonymous informant had mentioned somebody called ‘Angie’ in the same sentence as drug addiction and kidnap.

He, the inspector, had this worrisome case where several young girls had been rescued from an Asian rape-gang’s brothel in Birmingham and they were so damaged by drug overdoses and distressed by sexual abuse, that they could hardly remember who they were. One of the girls spoke with an estuarine accent very similar to the anonymous informant and the inspector now wished to locate that informant again and speak to her. That girl had inadvertently declared her name to be ‘Angie’ and the anonymous informant had mentioned the name in casual conversation to Lola. The inspector watched the companion frequently turning to look towards the glade of trees as she walked towards him. As she came in earshot he called.

“Are you connected to the girl who’s informing on the gang?”

“Why d’ you want to know?” Lola riposted.

“Which one is she?”

“Why d’ you want to know?”

“Just now we overheard her talking to you about a girl called Angie and drugs. Do you know anything about that?”

“Yes. She had a friend called Angela. The girl was kidnapped and the police did nothing. She saw it happen just below her window in the children’s home but now she so distrusts the police that she doesn’t want anything to do with them.”

The inspector sighed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me. We’ve got a kid called Angie being treated in a dependency unit in Birmingham. She was found in a brothel run by Asians.” Can you point your friend out?”

“Not in that crowd, she’s gone amongst the trees.

Just at than moment Olivia’s voice came over the Inspector’s com’s.

“I can see them. There’s three of them, Tyson, Tyrone and Jackie. They’re drinking coffee.”

Before Olivia had finished the inspector had spoken to his plain-clothed unit and pointed his hand towards the glade of trees. Lola watched as a dozen men and women started to approach the glade from the field. The inspector then turned to Lola.

“You’d better stay with me, are Tyrone and Tyson members of the same London gang?”

“Yes. Be very careful. My friend does not want those two to find out who dobbed them in.”

The inspector then spoke to the anonymous informant again on the police com’s.

“Young lady, you described the one in the red leather biker’s jacket. What’s the other one wearing?”

“Same sort of thing; a biker's leather jacket but mostly white with black piping. They’ve got three helmets with them as well. The third helmet must be Jason’s. Have they come down from London on bikes?”

“Yes, we think so but we don’t know where they parked their bikes.”

“They must be close by.” Olivia opined. “They didn’t have the helmets with them earlier so they must be planning to leave without Jason.”

The inspector took on board Lola’s information about the informant not trusting the police and reflected that the Rotherham scandal surrounding Asian rape gangs and police negligence had done untold damage to the police reputation. He knew he was going to have to be extremely diplomatic and sensitive if he was going to keep the unidentified informant on board. He spoke again over the com’s.

“Young lady, you’ve been unbelievingly helpful. Do you know the addresses of any of the gang members?”

“Yes,” Olivia replied and she gave them Tyson’s address.

A quick check confirmed that there was no motorbike registered to the address but a BMW car was. He described the car to Olivia who confirmed it as Tyson’s car.

“I cant remember that particular registration number but Tyson has; or rather had, a black ‘beamer’.”

“It’s still registered to him. Thank you very much young lady. The motor-bikes are probably stolen.”

There was a pause then Olivia came back.

“They’ve most probably stolen them then bought the jackets and helmets. Oh shit their moving out and taking Jackie with them! For fuck's sake be quick. They’re heading for the main exit. Jackie looks confused, I’ll bet they’ve drugged her coffee!”

Lola was silently impressed at the swift response of the police team for she had already spotted more uniformed police starting to gather at the main entrance and exits. She turned to the inspector.

“Can I speak to my friend over that com’s thing you’ve got.”

“What d’ you want to talk about.”

“Her missing friend Angie. You mentioned the girl you’ve found in Birmingham and it could be her friend. If I tell her she might respond more positively. I know they used to be best friends in the children’s home. She talked a lot about her.”

The inspector could see a valuable opportunity so he immediately handed the com’s to Lola and nodded. Olivia was surprised to hear Lola’s voice come through the police number. Lola explained about the Angie case in Birmingham and Olivia immediately responded.

“Ask the inspector to describe her.”

Lola immediately sensed Olivia’s concerns but had to explain.

“The inspector would have to check back with his colleagues in Birmingham police. That could take some time.”

The inspector spotted a fantastic opportunity and explained to Lola whilst hoping the unidentified informant would overhear the offer he made.

“Tell your friend we’ll take her to Angie’s bed-side in Birmingham right now if she’s prepared to help us further. If she can identify this Angie girl it’ll help everybody.”

Lola spoke into the com’s.

“Did you hear that Sis? You can check if it’s Angela and if it is, you’ll have your friend back.”

“If she’s addicted, I might never get her back. I know what those drugs can do! Besides, they’ll only take her back to London, back to the shit-hole. She’ll fall straight back into the gang’s hands.”

“They might let her stay with us at Babs’s cottage.” Lola suggested hopefully.

Olivia snorted disbelievingly.

“No bloody way. You and I both know how lucky we were to land up with Babs. Besides, there’s no more room at the cottage. Anyway, if she’s that badly addicted, she’ll only do a runner to find more drugs. I wouldn’t want to overload Babs with a serious junkie.”

“Well at least take the inspector up on his offer. If it is your Angie, it’ll mean that Tyson goes down for a long time.”

As Lola spoke a commotion at the exit gate confirmed that Tyson and Tyrone had been arrested and the inspector confirmed this to the unidentified informant.

“The remaining gang members have been arrested in possession of substantial amounts of money and drugs and we’re checking the girl named Jackie right now.”

Both Lola and the inspector could almost feel Olivia’s relief through the com’s and Lola seized the opportunity with both hands. She spoke again to Olivia through the Police Com’s.

“Come on babe’s. If you tell this nice inspector guy everything, we’ll get a free trip to Birmingham.”

“We?” Olivia queried.

“Hell yes. You don’t think I’m going to pass on a free trip to Birmingham with all those shops. Just think!” Lola giggled.

The inspector frowned.

“This is a serious matter miss.”

Lola pulled a mock frown and riposted.

“So is shopping inspector.”

“He could not suppress his smile for he now had many more evidential tools to crack the trafficking case - on top of the drugs busts. He conceded the favour to Lola.”

“Alright then. Arrange to meet your friend and sort your stuff out while I sort out the arrest business at the exit gate.” You can stay in touch on your friend's phone.

Lola needed no further encouragement and she trotted of across the field to find Olivia debating the purchase of a Thai meal or a beef-burger and salad. After making their purchases they located Babs, Aaron and the rest of the party. Sandra and Julie were particularly relieved to learn that Jackie had been snatched from the grip of Tyson and Tyrone.

An hour later, Aaron had taken a taxi with Sandra and Julie to the Goucester hospital to check on their friend Jackie while Babs accompanied her adopted daughters down to Gloucester police headquarters. There Olivia enjoyed the deep visceral delights of seeing Tyson and Tyrone arraigned alongside Jason and a score of Asian criminals for multiple offences including drug dealing, theft and human trafficking. She was also relieved that they could not see her through the ‘one-way glass’

After the protracted interviews with the inspector and a lady police sergeant, they shared coffee and biscuits with Babs and her charges, then they travelled in a police car to the hospital to rendezvous with Aaron Sandra and Julie. Jackie was nearly recovered from the effects of the Rohypnol and the police were waiting to interview her as a victim.

Later, back at the Gloucester Police HQ, the inspector explained how far they had gone in exposing the Rape gang operating countrywide but centred in London and Birmingham. When he showed Olivia photographs of the rescued Angie, Olivia tearfully confirmed it was her friend although from the earlier pictures from the brothel, she hardly recognised the grey-skinned sunken eyed skeletal mask. It was only the later pictures after several weeks in the rehab unit that she could definitely confirm it was her friend Angie.

“Can she be cured of the addiction?” Olivia wept as she asked the inspector who had now wholly gained Olivia's trust..

“I’ll be totally honest Olivia and say I don’t know. Your tears tell me that you know how hard it is to get off some stuff so I’ll not lie. All I can say is that we’ll be doing everything we can because Angie is a vital witness, as of course, you are. Now are you prepared to come up to Birmingham tomorrow and meet this Angela?”

Olivia nodded as she squeezed Lola’s hand.

“Will it help her recover?” Olivia asked hopefully.

“Well we are hoping you can jog her memory about your shared times at the children’s home and that might help her recover some of her life experiences. The doctors can’t tell yet if the memory block is purely a psychiatric issue of if there’s been chemical damage to her brain.

They’re still analysing her blood samples because the forensic people think they might have experimented with some new type, illicit drugs while they had her imprisoned.”

“Bastards! Bastards, bastards, bastards!!” Olivia screamed. “Yes! I’ll be there. Anything to get Angie back!”

“Excellent young lady,” the inspector beamed, “Sergeant Davis will pick you up at the cottage in an unmarked car at eleven tomorrow morning, is that okay?”

Olivia nodded as she stood up and reached out to hug the inspector who self-consciously returned the embrace whilst silently grateful that the older lady Babs was immediately to hand. The next morning the lady police sergeant arrived at the appointed time and Babs’s little family was whisked off to Brum.