Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 30.

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.

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
Sandra Her parents also own another narrowboat in Gloucester.
Jackie Sandra’s friend (a bit headstrong and ‘adventurous’)
Julie Third member of the threesome.
Jason. (Black) 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 girls.
Angela (Angie), Olivia’s trafficked, drug-addicted friend.
Sergeant Davis, (Bridie) female police bodyguard for Angela.
Sergeant Davies. (Brian) Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation in Birmingham.
Erica. Another vitally important witness/victim. Very attractive.
Gareth Jenkins, police office trained in firearms and witness protection.
Belinda Harrington. Lola’s new girlfriend in college.

Bab’s New Year’s Resolution Chapter 30. ©

“Yes your honour.” Inspector John replied, “we do.”

“Very well. You may detain the suspect for sixty days for questioning.” The Judge intoned.

“But your honour. Are we not allowed to represent our even interview our client?” The Defence Barrister pleaded.

“On the basis of the information presented by the police and indeed the audio-video evidence put before me, I must conclude that there is a serious terrorist element associated with this very alarming case. The evidence presented by the police officers from Germany, Denmark, Turkey and Holland serve to reinforce my conclusions.

Furthermore, I have also received evidence from her Majesty’s Armed forces ballistics department, that the heavy assault rifle used by the assailant was used during terrorist associated incidents in both Syria and Iraq. The striations on the bullets compare exactly to bullets recovered from terrorist victims in Iraq and some of the mud deposits on the body of the gun match identically those with mud found in the upper Euphrates river!

There is little if any doubt that the weapon was somehow transported from one of those countries to the United Kingdom. I am convinced that there are elements of this case associated with terrorism and therefore I am disallowing any advocacy or representation of either individual until all the police and her majesty’s armed forces have completed their inquiries to their own satisfaction.
That is all.”

As the court stood, the defence barrister let out a short expostulation of frustration when it was made abundantly clear that neither powerful political connections not diplomatic immunity was going to get their man free of the grip of the police.

He turned to the several people behind him and wagged his head before explaining.

“No doubt about it! He’s being held for two months without charge.”

“But that’s illegal isn’t it.” One of the gentleman protested; don’t they have to be charged within a couple of days.”

“Read your recent history sir.” The Barrister shrugged. “If terrorism is deemed to be connected, they can hold a suspect for a lot longer.”

Outside the courtroom the police were secretly videoing all the people gathered around the defence barrister. It was almost certain that somebody amongst the group, would be connected to the crimes and possibly even the supply of the assault rifle. Back in the police canteen the police team were chatting casually about the case when Inspector John appeared with a smaller figure who’s head was covered by a close fitting woolly ‘bobble hat and a woolly scarf across her face. He turned to the girl and grinned.

“D’ you want to say thank you to the team?”

“There’s a lot of them.” Erica observed as she unwound the scarf. “Are those the foreign police?” She asked as she gave a friendly finger wave to everybody.

They made various friendly responses to Erica as Inspector John re-iterated for not the first time.

“It’s a big case Erica. You heard the judge declare that the rifle had been used in either Iraq or Syria.”

“Will I ever be safe?” She asked the inspector.

“Hopefully, yes, once these bastards have been put away. By the way; there’s a few foreign police officers who want to give you a special thanks because your evidence has helped them trap a few very bad boys indeed.”

“I know, the Danes, Dutch, Turks and Germans. Are they here?”

“Yes over there, go and talk to them while I get the coffees and a bite to eat.”

When he re-joined Erica she was describing the wound in her butt and how she got it. In addition to the sympathetic chuckles, there were offers of thanks from the officers as they explained just how wide-spread the case was in Northern Europe and how much Erica’s contributions had helped. While they drank their coffees and ate their snacks Erica observed.

“I just cant believe how my passing through Europe in a couple of weeks has opened up the case.”

“Yes young lady,” Han’s the German Officer explained. “They got a bit too confident and shot themselves in the foot by advertising you to clients through their websites. The backgrounds to one or two of the pictures put you in certain locations and your confirmations of the dates ties a lot of evidence together. That plus your identification of some of the big players has nailed it. The bastards were too obsessed with your beauty and couldn’t resist associating with you.”

“Yeah; don’ I know it!” Erica reflected sombrely, “I wouldn’t have called it associating.”

Hans paused apologetically before adding.

“Sorry Erica. I Can only try to imagine what you’ve been through. Believe me, we are truly grateful for what you have done for us. It’s hardened up the evidence sufficiently for all of us to break this case and the gangs. That’s why we’re here also to contribute to your protection. The more hands and guns, the better. We all know about your British cultural denunciation of guns but your experiences with that criminal outside your school has demonstrated the extent of the danger you are in. Your evidence is invaluable to us in Europe as well as your police.”

“Here – here,” the other European police applauded as Erica crimsoned with embarrassment and busied herself with her food.

It was early evening when Inspector John and two ARU officers finally brought Erica back to Canal cottage. They arrived as the conversation was centering around ‘whether the girls could remain at the cottage. Fortunately Inspector John was able to reassure the girls and Babs.

“There’s funds enough thanks to the European connections. The officers that Erica met again today, are staying until the case is closed. She is every bit as vital to their casework as she is to ours. Furthermore, the legal process has been speeded up so that the girl’s schooling and education won’t be too severely compromised. It looks like the case will be tried early this summer at the Old Bailey then the European trials will follow later through the summer. There’ll be a lot of travelling through northern Europe for Erica and Angela particularly.”

“Lucky Bitches!” Lola lamented as she added,” while I’ll be in hospital getting done!”

“Any more news about the cottage extension?” Olivia asked.

“They start next Monday and estimate three months to completion. Sorry I forgot to mention that in all the hurly-burly of today in court.” Inspector John replied before finally adding. “And they’re hiring another narrow-boat to accommodate the European police. It’s being moored in front of the cottage so there’ll be fortifications on all sides.”

“What about school? Angie pressed. “I don’t want to miss out on lessons, I was doing quite well with languages.”

“The school have agreed. There’ll be armed female police officers accompanying you to school every day and if the threat is deemed worse they’ll even accompany you into lessons.”

“That’ll help with the German lessons!” Erica chuckled. “I could get quite good at German if Hans teaches me. He's dishy!”

“Oy, bitch! Your there to learn German, not shag a German!” Olivia hooted with mirth.”

“Class discipline should improve then!” Bab’s opined sarcastically to add to the improved mood of levity.

For the first night in several months, the mood around dinner was happy and enjoyable. The girls felt they could see light at the end of the tunnel.
ooo000ooo

The following Monday Olivia and Angela were ripped out of their sleep by the snarl of a JCB as it pulled up outside the cottage and started biting away at the ground next to their gable window.

Olivia snapped bolt upright with alarm and cursed fearfully at first.

“What the fu- oh! It’s the builders. Bloody hell it’s not even daylight yet!” She protested as she squinted at the intensely bright halogen head-lights.

Angie blinked sleepily as the digger shed an intensely bright loom into their bedroom.

“You’ d better close the curtains Ollie! You’re showing your boobs!”

“Christ! It’s only just turned six and it’s still dark!” Olivia complained as she reached out and tugged the curtains closed.
Until that moment, the remoteness of the cottage had obviated the need for privacy, now things had changed. With that, Erica appeared sleepily in the bedroom doorway.

“Next bloody thing they’ll be knocking on the door asking for tea.”

By now the whole house was awake and lights were being turned on in both narrow boats as well. Reluctantly the girls washed, dressed and stumbled sleepily downstairs. After switching on the kettle Olivia peered out through the kitchen window.

“There must half a dozen out there. It’s like an ant-heap.”

“We're gonna need a bigger kettle. Hope they’ve brought their own milk and sugar; can’t see Bab’s budget feeding this lot.” Lola remarked as she entered the house after spending the night on the narrow-boat behind the cottage. Bridie followed her in and they gratefully took the mugs proffered to them by Olivia.

“Looks like a trip to the supermarket for me and Bab’s later, once we’ve got you three off to school.”

“I can help if Bab’s isn’t up to it.” Lola offered.

“Good idea girl. It’ll be a lesson in house-keeping for you.”

“Whadd’ya mean lessons in housekeeping!” Lola protested. “I have to shop for food in college.”

“No you don’t, you’re living 'hall' in for the first year!”

“Shit when did you learn about Cambridge?”

“I did go to uni kid,” Bridie explained, “albeit not exactly Cambridge but halls of residence are the same all over. Anyway, your offer is gratefully accepted. Now to business; don’t forget you girls; this morning you’re going in to school by police car, things will be a bit chaotic at first until the school get’s used to having armed coppers in the classrooms.”

“That’ll teach that stupid Max Barker not to go waving his fucking camera around in people’s faces in future!” Erica gloated. “Coppers in the classroom, the kids are gonna love that!. It’s getting worse than America!”

It did not take long for the girls to join Sergeant Bridie in the unmarked car and when they arrived at the school, Bridie nodded towards the innocuous looking car just outside the ‘no parking’ road markings.

“You’ll have recognised Inspector John of course and that other lady is your armed guard. She’ll be very discreet unless something untoward develops and when you get on the bus in future there’ll already be a guard sitting next to the driver.”

“I’ll be truly glad when all this shit is over,” Erica lamented. “When did you say the court hearings start?”

“At the earliest the last week of May but more probably the first week of June.” Bridie replied.

“And it’s only just the middle of January!” Olivia sagged back into the seat, “roll on the summer!”

“Out you get girls. Inspector John and I are meeting the headmaster this morning. I’ll see you at lunch.”

The girls emerged to a couple of curious stares but not much other interest because the busses had not yet started to arrive. In the classroom their form teacher was already chatting to the armed police-woman about what to do if an attack occurred. Their seating had already been arranged into the optimum pattern established at the beginning of term. Eventually other children arrived, noted the uniformed police officer with a suspicious bulge under her combat jerkin, and promptly took their seats rather quietly. The headmaster had already delivered the ‘pep-talk’ and consequently the mood was subdued.

Once everybody was seated the form mistress explained the drill and very few questions were asked.

Max Barker stupidly asked if they had to hand their phones in and received a short sharp ‘YES’ followed by a further warning.

“It was your actions with your phone on the bus that caused all this, so you should know better than to ask such a question. WPC Daley here will take possession of all phones until home time so hand them all in now.”

She was impressed by the speedy response without any grumbles from the kids and she turned to the WPC.

“Pity you couldn’t stay here permanently; I’ve never seen such an obedient class.”

The students exchanged embarrassed grins and soon dispersed to their various classes.

ooo000ooo