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"What are you fuckin' bastards up to?" he demanded once he'd caught his breath.
"You're on your way to segregation, Leach," said the first officer. "You won't be seeing daylight for another thirty days," he added as they dragged him down the spiral staircase, his knees banging on every step.
"What's the charge?"
"Supplying," said the second officer as they marched him, almost at a jog, along a purple corridor no prisoner ever wants to see.
"I've never touched drugs, guv, and you know it," protested Leach.
"That's not what supplying means," said the third officer once they reached the basement, "and you know it."
The four of them came to a halt outside a cell that had no number. One of the officers selected a rarely used key while the other two held firmly on to Leach's arms. Once the door was open, he was hurled head first into a cell that made his upstairs accommodation seem like a motel. A thin horse-hair mattress lay in the middle of the stone floor; there was a steel washbasin bolted to the wall, a steel lavatory without a flush, one sheet, one blanket, no pillow and no mirror.
"By the time you get out, Leach, you'll find your monthly income has dried up. No one on the top floor believes you've got an aunt Maisie."
The door slammed shut.
"Congratulations," was Beth's first word when Da
"English, maths and business studies," Da
"She?" said Beth suspiciously.
Da
"When you win your appeal," said Beth, "you must continue with your A levels, otherwise Miss Lovett and Nick will have wasted their time."
"But I'll be ru
Beth hesitated. Her father had told her not to raise the subject. "The garage isn't doing that well at the moment," she finally admitted. "In fact, it's barely breaking even."
"Why?" asked Da
"Without you and Bernie, we've started losing business to Monty Hughes across the road."
"Don't worry, love," said Da
Beth smiled at Da
"Possibly, although I can't say too much at the moment," said Da
"What's he in for?" asked Beth.
"I can't say. You'll just have to trust me."
"Have you told Mr. Redmayne?"
"I wrote to him last week. I was guarded because the screws open your letters and read every word. Officers," he said correcting himself.
"Officers?" said Beth.
"Nick says I mustn't get into the habit of using prison slang if I'm going to start a new life once I'm out of here."
"So Nick obviously believes you're i
"Yes, he does. So does Big Al, and even some of the officers. We're not alone anymore, Beth," he said, taking her hand.
"When's Nick due to be released?" asked Beth.
"In five or six months' time."
"Will you keep in touch with him?"
"I'll try to, but he's off to Scotland to teach."
"I'd like to meet him," said Beth, placing her other hand on Da
"Friend," Da
Christy tumbled to the ground after trying to take a step toward her father. She began crying, and Da
"Pass her over," Beth said. "We seem to have found something Nick hasn't been able to teach you."
"No whit I'd call a coincidence," said Big Al, who was glad to have a private word with the captain while Da
Nick stopped writing. "Not a coincidence?"
"Leach ends up in segregation and the next morning Mortimer's back, desperate tae see the doctor."
"You think Leach was his supplier?"
"Like I said, no whit I'd call a coincidence." Nick put down his pen. "He has the shakes," continued Big Al, "but that always happens when ye start a detox. Doc seems tae think this time he really wants tae come aff the stuff. Anyway, we'll soon find oot if Leach is involved."
"How?" asked Nick.
"He gets oot of solitary in a couple of weeks. If Mortimer stops turning up tae the hospital fur treatment the moment Leach is back on the block, we'll know who the supplier is."
"So we've only got another fortnight to gather the evidence we need," said Nick.
"Unless it is a coincidence."
"That's not a risk we can take," said Nick. "Borrow Da
"Yes, sir," said Big Al, standing to attention by the side of his bed. "Dae I tell Da
"You tell him everything, so he can pass on the information to his barrister. In any case, three brains are better than two."
"Jist how clever is he?" asked Big Al as he sat back down on his bunk.
"He's brighter than me," admitted Nick. "But don't tell him I said so, because with a bit of luck I'll be out of this place before he works it out for himself."
"Perhaps it's time we told him the truth about us?"
"Not yet," said Nick firmly.
"Letters," said the officer. "Two for Cartwright, and one for you, Moncrieff." He passed the single letter to Da
"No, I'm Cartwright," said Da
The officer frowned, and handed the single letter to Nick and the other two to Da
"An I'm Big Al," said Big Al.
"Fuck off," said the officer, slamming the door behind him.
Da
Nick shook his head, unfolded the letter and began to read. Big Al sat up, but didn't speak. The unusual doesn't happen that often in prison. As Nick read, his eyes began to water. He brushed a shirtsleeve across his face, then passed the letter across to Da
Dear Sir Nicholas,
I am sorry to have to inform you that your father has passed away. He died from heart failure yesterday morning, but the doctor assures me that he suffered little or no pain. I will, with your permission, make an application for compassionate leave in order that you can attend the funeral.