Babs' New Year's Resolution 90

© Beverly Guinevere Taff

Lola Smith Bab’s adopted trans daughter.
Callista Denton (Callie). Transgendered Duchess of Denton.
Margaret Denton (Maggie). Callie’s wife.
Molly Denton Callie’s grandmother
Ellie Denton Callie’s mother.
Bab’s Barbara Smith. Lola’s adoptive ‘Nana’
Olivia Smith Bab’s adopted daughter. Lesbian black artist
Angela Smith Bab’s adopted daughter Olivia’s lover
Erica Bab’s foster daughter.
Sergeant Bridie Davies Lady Police detective protecting the girls.
Sergeant Brian Davies. Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation.
Gareth Jenkins, Police office trained in firearms and protection.
Belinda Harrington Lola’s university girlfriend.
Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to –
Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.
Mickey Talbot Aaron and Shirley’s oldest son.
Jessica Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s middle daughter.
Bianca Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s youngest daughter.
Henry Denton Callie’s only son.
Charlotte Denton Callie’s only daughter.
Beverly Callie’s maternal great aunt (Ellie’s paternal aunt)
Wendy Smith Beverly’s Operations Manager for Hull
Louisa Wendy’s Daughter
Griselda & Mia Wendy’s younger twin daughters.
Susan Harvey Prosecution counsel advocating for Erica in court.
Han’s The policeman’s son Erica fancies
Uncle Phillip CIA Agent.
Emily Jackson. Texan girl Kidnapped to Holland & Turkey
Sandra Jackson Sister to Emily kidnapped in Texas as a hostage.

Chapter 90.

Bab’s watched the Land Rover full of five excited girls as it climbed the lane and onto the main road. She got a final brief glimpse of it through the trees then turned to her preparations to receive the two Texan girls. Sergeant Bridie had received a confirmation of their arrival time and they finally turned in at elevenish.

Bab’s however did not sleep well and it was only when she heard the whispered beseechments by the older girls to the younger girls to (‘Shh – be quiet – she’s sleeping!’) that Bab’s knew her chicks were home safe.

“She’s not sleeping!” Bab’s called through her bedroom door, and the whispering immediately ceased.”

“Sorry Nana.” Erica’s apology answered for the five.

“You might as well come in and tell me all about it, I can sense you’re bursting to talk.”

There was a guilty silence for a few moments then the doorknob slowly eased open and Lola’s eager smile appeared.

“Well?” Bab’s inquired. “Are you going to tell me or not?”

“Are you okay to talk?” Lola asked.

“Of course I am. Tell me all about it. Firstly, did you feel safe?”

“Well yes, it was crowded though. It seemed as if every under-eighteen-year-old was there.”

“How did you younger girls feel. Did you see any drugs being dealt?”

“Not inside, there were too many cameras and security people but outside, on the street, we saw plenty of deals.” Belinda explained. “It’s like a gauntlet getting past the offers.”

“Weren’t the police there?” Bab’s pressed.

“Yes, but they were overwhelmed.” Lola replied. “They made a few arrests but after they went to process the dealers, more appeared until the police returned. The sniffer dogs were working overtime.”

“Were you approached?”

“Of course we were,” Olivia observed. “Five girls together, we were a perfect target. We were approached about seven times even while queuing.”

“There was even a drug rehabilitation team going around passing out literature. Mostly older girls who’ve kicked the habit.” Angie replied. “I got talking to one.”

“You didn’t reveal any of your details did you?” Sergeant Bridie asked as she arrived from off the boat.

“We’re not that dumb,” Erica protested, “though we did accept their pamphlets. Some of them were religious and one was a rehabilitation scheme run by the council.”

“Are you thinking of joining their team.” Bab’s asked.

“No!” Erica declared emphatically. “That would make me too vulnerable and too high profile. The moment word got around, there would be a snatch squad after me. If I do anything, it’s under-cover and not for some time yet. I just want to live a normal life for a while.”

“Amen to that,” Olivia agreed as they finished their chocolate drinks and collectively headed for bed.

Erica chose to wash the cups and took the opportunity to talk privately to Bab’s.

“I’ll try sleeping in my own bed tonight, but if I get the heebie-jeebies, can I come in with you?”

Bab’s wrapped her arm around her shoulder and agreed.

“Of course love. You know that’s a given.”

She sensed the tension slacken in Erica’s body and knew that Erica still had a long way to go. At least however, it seemed she was well and truly over the drugs and that was a huge step.

“If you want, you can share my bed right now. It’ll save me finding cold feet waking me up at four.”

“Thanks Nana,” A tearful Erica hugged her tight.

ooo000ooo

“The plane’s due at Heathrow at fourteen hundred. Who wants to meet them?” Bab’s asked.

Inevitably all hands went up despite the sleepy mood around the table.

“Well you’d better hurry then, Sergeant Bridie declared. There’ll be an unmarked minibus and a police escort standing by if we’ve reason to believe the gang have latched to them.”

“Is there some sort of leak in the police security?” Angie asked.

“We don’t know but we’d like you girls to be there in case you recognise any old familiar faces.”

“I’m game!” Erica declared. “The more of those bastards behind bars, the better.”

“Would you be prepared to work with our plain-clothes squad – again?” Bridie hazarded.

“You bet. I’m getting the hang of this now.” Erica finished.

“And you Olivia, with your artists’ eye for faces?”

“You need to ask?” Olly squeaked.

Bridie nodded with satisfaction and the minibus departed from Gloucester Police station after Sergeant Brian had delivered the girls incognito from Canal cottage.

On route to Heathrow, Sergeant Bridie explained.

“We won’t be coming home directly down the motorway. We’ll be coming via ordinary A roads and B roads because it will be easier to see if we’re being followed.”

“Is it really that bad?” Olivia sighed.

“Better safe than sorry.” Bridie explained. “Even the Met are excluded from this deal.” Just me, my brother Brian and a couple of trusted firearms crews who we’ve worked with before. You’ll have met them before girls.”

“Is that Gorgeous George and his team?” Erica giggled. “I could fancy him.”

“Stoppit!” Bridie chuckled. “You’ll be telling me you fancy blonds next.”

“He is rather fit,” Olivia added, “I’d love to draw him as an artist’s model.”

“Naked I suppose!” Bridie chuckled.

“Strictly in the interests of art!” Olivia defended herself with a lascivious grin

“Dir-rrty bitch!” Angie charged with a similar grin. “Though when I look at him I could try being straight for a night.”

Olivia gave her erstwhile girlfriend an affectionate thump then a remedial kiss as a vaccination against straightness. Bridie grinned as she caught the cameo in her driving mirror.

‘At least the girls were now comfortable with their sexuality; so much so they could joke about it.’

The happy mood prevailed all the way up to Heathrow and the girls had a hard time suppressing their excitement as they waited outside the departure gate. Bridie had to calm them down as she explained.

“I want you to keep your senses sharp. Any undue interest or somebody you think you might recognise; I want you to report immediately to my team. You know who they are and they’re all in plain-clothes. Don’t draw attention to yourselves.”

“What if they over-react to seeing us?” Lola asked.

“They’ve been given the heads up to tone it down. After the incident in Texas they’re fully alert to the danger, you lot just spread out amongst the crowd but keep an eye on me. I’ll be sporting a discreet sign which Emily and Sandra have been advised about. This is it.”

Bridie revealed the small blue disc on her lapel then instructed Lola to stay by her to recognise Sarah and Emily when they appeared through the exit gate. Then Lola would casually separate and make her way to Osterly station further down the Piccadilly Line. There she could re-join her friends in the car park.

When I collect the girls I’ll take them down to the tube terminal and wait by the cross tunnel at the bottom of the down escalator. You lot gather gradually on the platform then disembark at Osterly. There will be a police minibus in the park and ride. Spread out at Osterly station until we disembark and confirm nobody is following. The same rules apply; if you recognise anybody; contact one of our police team.”

“Why did you bring us, if we cannot greet them at the airport?” Angie asked.

Because if anybody might recognise one of the gang, it would be you guys. Just look sharp and keep your eyes peeled.

After Bridie and Brian explained the details of the plan, the girls separated and loitered amongst the busy crowds. Finally Sarah and Emily emerged from the gate accompanied by a familiar female Texan sheriff that all the girls recognised.

On seeing Bridie casually attach herself to the Texan trio, the girls started filtering down to the tube station and taking separate trains to Osterly.

Naturally, by pre-arranged plan, Erica kept closest to the Texans because she had the most experience of the London gang members; and would therefore be the most likely to recognise and remember any of the gang members who might have been amongst her abusers. Consequently, Erica kept closest to the Texans but did not approach them.

This tactic worked.

Erica noticed a woman studying a picture on an ‘A4’ sheet of paper, and on casually checking closer, she noticed that the picture was that of Emily. Fortunately, the woman did not recognise Erica but Erica immediately recognised her as one of the women from one of the brothels in Amsterdam where Erica had briefly stopped overnight in transit to Turkey. The gang had been very clever and imported the woman from Holland to do their scouting. Erica discreetly busied herself briefly at the tube ticket machine then casually joined the crowds jostling down the escalator to board the next tube train to Osterly station.

By now Erica was behind the Texans and also the female gang member but one of the armed police was casually following the Texans as well. Down on the busy tube-train platform Erica had the opportunity to discreetly stand close to the fire-arms officer and whisper.

“The woman in the turquoise coat and black hat. She’s one of the gang from Holland. Keep a close eye on her.”

The police officer whispered back.

“Thanks Erica now board a different car and vamoose.”

Erica promptly did so and strolled to the very last car so she would be un-noticed and far from any shooting. She felt she had done her share.

There was no wild action at Osterly station for Erica was pleased to see the gang member being quietly escorted off the train at Hounslow station two stops before Osterly. The armed officer had simply arrested her and confiscated her mobile phone before she could determine where Sandra and Emily were being taken.

All importantly, Erica could see that the police officer also held the ‘A4’ picture that the gang-member had been studying.

When Erica arrived at Osterly, the young girl heaved a huge sigh of relief when the only people to disembark at Osterly were herself, Bridie, Lola, Emily, Sarah and the Texan lady sheriff. Nobody was following.

Even so, as a double precaution, she checked with Sergeant Bridie on her mobile, to see if it was safe to cross from the station to the ‘park-and-ride’. Finally everybody had transferred satisfactorily from train to unmarked police min-bus and soon the girls were travelling undetected down the M4 to Canal-Keeper’s Cottage.

ooo000ooo