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"Not much else to do," replied Nick with a laugh.
Big Al sat up and removed a pouch of tobacco from a pocket in his jeans. "So whit you in fur, Cartwright?" he asked, breaking one of prison's golden rules.
"Murder," said Da
"Aye, that's whit they aw say." Big Al took out a packet of cigarette papers from his other pocket, extracted one and laid a pinch of tobacco on top of it.
"Maybe," said Da
"Me, I'm a fuckin' bank robber," said Big Al, licking the edge of the paper. "Sometimes I pull it aff and get rich, other times I get di
"So how long have you been banged up in Belmarsh?" asked Da
"Two years. They transferred me tae an open prison for a while, but I decided tae abscond, so they'll no be takin' that risk again. Huv yous no got a light?"
"I don't smoke," said Da
"And neither do I, as you well know," added Nick, continuing to write his journal.
"What a pair of numpties," said Big Al. "Noo I'll no be able to huv a drag till efter tea."
"So you'll never be moved out of Belmarsh?" asked Da
"Not until mah release date," said Big Al. "Wance ye've absconded fae a cat D, they send you back tae a high-security nick. Ca
"What about you?" Da
"Two years, four months and eleven days. And you?"
"Twenty-two years," said Da
"Naeb'dy wins their appeal," said Big Al. "Wance they've got ye banged to rights, they're no going tae let you oot, so ye'd better get used tae it." He removed the cigarette from his lips before adding, "Or top yersel."
Beth was also lying on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She would wait for Da
Mr. Redmayne assured her that he would continue to represent Da
But Beth would be back at her desk on Monday morning, and the honeymoon would have to be postponed for at least a year. Although she had spent her life savings on Da
"Do you want a cup of tea, luv?" her mother shouted up from the kitchen.
"Tea!" hollered a voice as the door was unlocked for the second time that day. Da
An officer was standing at the front of the queue, allowing six prisoners up to the hotplate at any one time.
"More fights break out over food than anything else," explained Nick as they waited in line.
"Other than in the gym," said Big Al.
Eventually Da
"You can 'ave sausages with beans, beef with beans or spam fritters with beans. Take your choice, squire," said one of the inmates who was serving behind the counter.
"I'll have spam fritters without beans, thank you," said Nick.
"I'll 'ave the same, but with beans," said Da
"And who are you?" asked the server. "His fuckin' brother?"
Da
" 'Ow do you get a job workin' in the kitchen?" asked Da
"You have to be enhanced."
"And how do you get enhanced?"
"Just make sure you're never put on report," said Nick.
" 'Ow do you manage that?"
"Don't swear at an officer, always turn up to work on time and never get involved in a fight. If you can manage all three, in about a year's time you'll be enhanced, but you still won't get a job in the kitchen."
"Why not?"
"Because there ur a thousand other fuckin' cons in this prison," said Big Al, following behind, "and nine hundred of thum want tae work in the kitchen. Yur oot of yer cell for most of the day, and ye get the best choice of grub. So ye can forget it, Da
In the cell, Da
Da
"What other jobs are goin'?" asked Da
"Are yous still talking?" demanded Big Al.
Nick laughed again as Big Al lit up his cigarette.
"You could get a job in the stores," said Nick, "or become a wing cleaner or a gardener, but most likely you'll end up on the chain gang."
"The chain gang?" asked Da
"You'll find out soon enough," replied Nick.
"What about the gym?" asked Da
"Ye have tae be enhanced for that," said Big Al, inhaling.
"So what job 'ave you got?" asked Da
"You ask too many questions," replied Big Al, as he exhaled, filling the cell with smoke.
"Big Al is the hospital orderly," said Nick.
"That sounds like a cushy number," said Da
"I huv tae polish the floors, empty the midgies, prepare the morning rota and make tea fur every screw that visits matron. I niver stop moving," said Big Al. "I'm enhanced, aren't I?"
"Very responsible job, that," said Nick smiling. "You have to have an unblemished record when it comes to drugs, and Big Al doesn't approve of junkies."
"Too fuckin' right I don't," said Big Al. "And I'll thump anyone who tries tae steal any drugs fae the hospital."
"Is there any other job worth considerin'?" asked Da
"Education," said Nick. "If you decided to join me, you could improve your reading and writing. And at the same time you get paid for it."
"True, but only eight quid a week," chipped in Big Al. "Ye get twelve fur every other job. Noo many of us like the squire here cin turn oor noses up at an extra four quid a week baccy money."