Revenge Inc. - Pt Three

Andy Rivers

Fifteen Years Ago

Raymeo & Lizziet

Pulp wrote a song years ago about unrequited love. Some schoolkid who just proper ached for a lass he knew and she never noticed him. It wasn’t quite like that with me and Lizzie but I did proper fancy her. One of the reasons was also in the song, something about her having great tits, which was also fucking bang on the money. Not the only reason though.

I was first aware of her when I was about thirteen and somehow managed to bluff my way up a set in maths, taken out of the divvies class I got sat next to this lass with amazing red hair, a lovely smile and top-level cheek that a shy lad like me could only dream about.

She ignored me at first. I didn’t mind, I was trying not to embarrass meself and saying nowt was much, much better than saying something daft. I would just listen to her effortlessly putting down the smartarse lads in the class and smile to myself, she was something special this lass.

Then one day she turns to me and says, ‘You don’t say much Raymondo do you?’

I hadn’t spoke to lasses much by this time, my constantly flushing cheeks saw to that, but I thought I should have a go.

‘I’m not clever enough to have a pisstaking contest with you Lizzie...and I’m not stupid enough to try mate.’

I was quite pleased with that. I heard a few sniggers behind me from the sporty fuckers, the ones who were top of everything and captained all the first teams. The ones with semi-detached houses in nice areas and parents who drove cars, those fuckers. They wouldn’t be sneering at me come breaktime though the mugs.

She nodded.

‘That’s what I like, a boy who knows his place.’

I just grinned back. I knew someone would take the heat off me any second.

‘Yeah Lizzie, that place is on top of you aye?’

And the wankers belly-laughed at the world’s shittest joke as attention shifted from me and I was back in the shadows enjoying the show as she made short work of the donut daft enough to dig her out.

Later that year we had a test. I was shit at maths and really shouldn’t have been in that set, this test was ganna send me back down to the nut huts with the rest of the shite. I’d struggled through the first few questions when an algebra sum had me fucked, I just stared at it while my eyes swam and my head pounded. I had to close my eyes as everything was just blurry and the stress was eating me up. Fail this, go back to the shithead class, learn nothing, leave school a thicky and end up on the dole, no future, no life.

I felt like crying. Obviously not going to happen, I don’t wear a skirt after all, but I was gutted.

Then I felt a hand on my back and I looked up. The answer, and the workings out, were scrawled on my test paper, and Lizzie was looking straight at me.

‘I’ll never let you fail Coxy, I’m not having anyone else sit next to me.’

I could only smile back at her and whispered ‘there’s a joke in there somewhere about you liking to be close to Cox but I’m not brave enough to make it.’

She chuckled at that.

‘You’re quick enough to be able to make those jokes but nice enough not to, that’s kind of why I like you.’

She winked and went back to the test. I just checked her out on the quiet. She’d really blossomed the last six months. A couple of parts of her had really, really blossomed, and they got commented on a fair bit so I avoided that, I had noticed though.

Looking back at the test I cursed my knowledge and taking one last look at Lizzie I cursed my confidence. I had no chance.

***

‘Got any snouts Coxy?’

‘How many you after Deka?’

‘Five mate.’

‘That’ll be ten bob to you, do you need matches?’

Of course he did. They always did. I’d moved on from being the quiet little kid in class, now sixteen and heading towards the dole queue. I’d filled out and filled in a few mouthy types on the way. As a result I held the dubious honour of being considered too much to mess with for the real top boys, helped in no small part by my dad’s well-known friendship with Billy One-Punch, which also cleared the way for me to hold the lucrative position of being the main fag salesman for the rest of the school. This paid for my cider down the park on a weekend and made me a bit more popular with a certain kind of lass around the estate. Nice.

While I appreciated the attention, I was sixteen after all, I still fancied Lizzie Feltham like mad. I didn’t see much of her at school, my predictable removal from the top set at maths saw to that, and on the estate we sort of moved in different circles. So as leaving day fast approached I knew I had to make some kind of move. She’d changed a bit over the last couple of years an all, wasn’t as forward and confident as she used to be and looked a bit skinnier as well, I just put that down to her growing up and that. Girls mature faster don’t they?

I knew the bus she got home, I’d ditched that years ago realising I could walk home in twenty minutes and save a fiver a week in bus fares, so headed for the bus stop practicing my patter all the way. Who decided lads had to do all the asking out anyway? Fucking shit rule that if you ask me.

Anyway, I’ve got there and she’s there looking ace. On her own as well - bonus! I’d noticed she didn’t have as many friends as she used to but again put that down to them being a bit childish for her now, the times I’d seen her in school lately she’d had an air of it all being a bit beneath her these days. She always made time for me though, always looked genuinely pleased to see me and would have a little chat, and, of course, I always got tongue-tied, blushed and made a simpering fool of myself. Not this time. I’d rehearsed it and I wasn’t fucking about. I was sixteen for God’s sake and virtually a man. Wasn’t even a virgin anymore, there was nothing to hold me back now.

‘Hi Lizzie, you alreet?’

Slow turn of the head and a grimace that turned into a smile when she saw it was me.

‘Well big Ray, to what do we owe this honour - a man of your standing getting the bus with the plebs.’

I made a mental note to look up what plebs meant when I got home and pushed on.

‘I wanted to see you didn’t I’

I know this sounds big-headed or typical ego-driven male bollocks but she genuinely lit up when I said that. I’d fancied her for years and knew she liked me but even I was surprised at her reaction. I was all set to go for it when the bus pulled up. Bollocks I hadn’t actually planned on getting on the fucking bus.

She bounced on, paid her fare and then looked back at me with another smile.

‘There’s a spare two-seater at the back.’

I was straight on and ten-seconds later sat next to her as the bus pulled off.

‘Lizzie I...’

I could feel myself going red, the familiar fear of humiliation started rising in my chest...and...there was a distinct stirring in my jeans, fucking buses!

She looked straight into me eyes and smiled. Not one of those pretend ones you get when you’re boring the life out of someone and they’re being polite. It was another absolute belter that started with her mouth and travelled all the way to her eyes. And as she was smiling she gave a tiny little nod.

She was telling me to do it wasn’t she? She was saying it’ll be alright Raymondo, go on, put yourself out there. It was now or never.

‘Lizzie, I’ve liked you for years, and we’re going to leave school soon and I never see you round the estate any more so...’

Gulp.

‘...can we gan oot sometime?’

The sweat was dripping down me back and I was sure the baldy old, big-nosed bastard in the next seat was laughing at me. Then she spoke.

‘I would love that Ray; I’ve liked you for years an all you divvy.’

And just like that everything was cool.

---

Pair of Tits

These lads, Keith and Ray, I like them. I know Keith’s a burglar but I also know he doesn’t actually do houses - well, not on the estates anyway. And Ray? We could have had something years ago if those bastards hadn’t done what they did. I’ve been with men in the intervening years and I’m not damaged like that, I can still enjoy myself with them but a relationship and maybe love? I don’t know.

I do like him though. Ray’s a genuine bloke who won’t take a backward step if he thinks he’s in the right and he has a decency about him that’s probably thought of as old-fashioned these days. Funny really how those that are considered the underclass by the higher levels of society usually have better morals than the shithouses higher up the chain. Thinking about these things I’m caught off guard when a police car pulls up outside the house. From my hiding place in the garden I can see the two coppers running straight in, one of them even has a key. There’s the sound of feet crashing upstairs and shouting.

Giving a low whistle I see Ray’s head pop out from behind the shed and I jerk my head in the direction of first the car, and then the open front door.

He nods and we move towards it slowly.

As we get inside and approach the stairs the voices get louder, as if they’re moving up there.

‘Hit him again Jonesy the mouthy little prick.’

There’s a sound of fist on bone and a shout.

‘Think you can break into a coppers house Blakey son do you? Your luck’s finally ran out.’

‘He’s a fucking paedo man. Got a film on in front of your eyes and a house full of fucking evidence. What more do you want?’

Another punch in the face. They’re in on it and Keith’s not really built for this kind of thing.  Luckily, we have someone in the club who is. Ray looks at me and then nods at the stairs before mouthing the word ‘diversion’.

I stand hidden behind the open door while Ray steps to the side of the stairs and wait.

‘Do you understand yet Blakey? Do you realise why your dad got singled out on that fucking picket line?’

‘Bastards!’

‘Oh, he’s resisting arrest Jonesy, wriggling like that he’s probably ganna fall down the stairs as well. Unlucky for him that.’

‘Fuuckking scum...’

‘Just before you fall down and bang your head so hard that you end up a cabbage like your old fella did I’ll give you the rest shall I? Your dad beat up a longstanding and senior circle member, in doing so he also deprived the circle of the services of his son. Your dad had to pay...and he fucking did. Just like you’re going to now you little prick.’

‘Hello boys...’

‘Who the fuck are you, please leave the house madam there’s a police operation going on here.’

‘But I’m lonely. I saw the car and I love a man in uniform.’

‘Please put your top back on madam, we’ve apprehended a dangerous suspect here and don’t really have time for this.’

‘Hold on Jonesy, this little thief’s not going anywhere and we are meant to provide the public with a service.’

The older one that’s been doing all the talking about Keith’s dad is nearly at the bottom step, can’t take his eyes off my tits, they are pretty good to be fair, and the other one’s not far behind. Poor Keith’s left in a heap on the landing.

‘Now then madam, would you like to see my truncheon?’

They’re both grinning at that one as they reach me.

I smile back as Ray steps behind them with a look of pure cold revenge on his face. 

---

Protect And Serve

‘You’ll get ten years for this Cox.’

‘What? For exposing a police sex ring?’

‘Don’t be fucking smart son. You and your little pals were breaking into the house of an ex-copper and got caught. You should have just held your hands up and taken the punishment - you’d have got fuck all anyway these days for that, but assaulting two officers in the cause of their duties...that’s different level.’

I know of this desk sergeant. Len Baxter, he’s been around years, old-school veteran type, and nicked everyone from a young Billy One-punch to shoplifters pinching blocks of cheese from the Co-op. He’s meant to be straight as a dye and fair. Let’s find out.

‘Did anyone check what was in the house then Len? Did anyone actually listen to what all three of us were saying and have a look?’

He just looks at me and shakes his head.

‘There’s a whole station here wants a word with you in that cell son, you really ought to shut the fuck up. You might think your little mate Blake got a raw deal when they nicked him but that’s nothing to what you’ve got coming unless you’re very, very careful.’

‘So you’re in on it as well then? You fucking disappoint me Baxter you really do.’

He’s not happy with that. Face goes red and he’s right up at the hatch, eyes bulging.

‘Don’t EVER accuse me of that kind of shit. Now I’m the only thing holding off a hundred truncheons from beating you to a pulp son and that’s because of your dad and Billy. Don’t fucking push me too far.’

With that he slams the hatch shut. We’re fucked here.

When Lizzie distracted the coppers I was raging. They’d battered little Blakey on the stairs and the knowledge they were in on what had happened to Lizzie and the rest of the poor little sods just sent me off the scale. I steamed in before they’d even realised I was behind them and went to town on the nonce bastards. Lizzie had to stop me and then we’d gone to get Ray and plan our next move. Unfortunately, the old paedo upstairs that we’d forgotten about in the melee had made another call while it was all going on and as we’d helped Blakey out to the garden what had looked like a whole riot squad had rushed us and now here we were. Things were looking bad but there’s always positives isn’t there. For starters those two wanker coppers would be in hospital for a while and secondly, I’d seen Lizzies tits so that’d be something to think about while I was banged up for the next ten years.

Yup, we were fucked.

---

Reality Television

‘And after following all the leads in this story we received a tip-off about an occurrence at one of the houses that were of interest to us throughout our investigations. By the time we got there arrests had been made and the police had departed but we’re now here at Clifford Street station and won’t be going away until our questions are answered and the people responsible are made to answer for their crimes.’

‘That’s great Jay, now just do a sign off piece and we’ll go into the station.’

‘Ok Bill, start rolling...ready? As a reporter I’ve always kept my name out of the story, indeed I’ve avoided any kind of limelight for reasons I’ve never digressed to my colleagues but tonight all of that changes. I have a personal interest in exposing these people for the harm and damage they have caused over decades and am more than happy to put myself out there now.’

***

The duty solicitor has come back from getting me a cup of tea with a strange smile on his face. I don’t know why, there’s nothing in this mess to be happy about, that’s for certain.

‘Why are you looking so chirpy? How’s Keith?’

He just sits down, passes me my tea and smiles again before saying, ‘Miss Feltham, regardless of what the previous officer was just saying about your story being a fabrication and that I, as a mere duty brief, should advise you to plead guilty to burglary to get a lighter sentence before you replace me with a solicitor of your own choosing, my strong advice to you is to stick to your story about the paedophile ring and do not be swayed by any promises or inducements.’

He’s changed his tune. Wonder what’s going on?

***

‘Chief Inspector, this is the culmination of a three-year investigation we have been conducting into the alleged paedophile ring operating within your force and the wider community. We have evidence of abuse and cover-ups going back forty years that implicate previously up-standing citizens and have handed this evidence over to the serious crimes squad prior to this recording. Do you have any comment on these findings?’

***

Something’s up like. Lot of activity outside that door, lot of people moving about and trying to keep their voices down. Tell you what else has changed, no more threats. It’s gone from blatant shit like ‘You’re a dead man Cox’ and ‘You’re never coming out shitbag’ to nothing. No interaction at all, no snide comments, no banging on the door, nowt, nada, zilch.

I don’t pretend to be the cleverest bloke in the world but I’ve been in a few cop shops and slept on more than my share of blue beds and I know something just changed round here.

***

‘As you can see behind me the Serious Crime Squad in tandem with the Police Investigations Unit are entering Clifford Street and a number of arrests are being made of serving Police Officers. We’ve been reliably informed that there are simultaneous arrests going on of former high-ranking officers as well as a number of former and serving councillors. What we haven’t yet seen though is the release of the three people who were alleged to have broken into former Chief Constable Higgins home earlier today with the intention of bringing these crimes to light. The two men and one woman were arrested by two officers who have also themselves now been detained. In fact, it looks like they’re coming out now...’

***

I’m fucking sure this is a trick. These bastards were after me for years and they’re ganna give me up just like that, ‘specially when they know I know their filthy little secret now.

‘Come on Ray, you’re getting out son.’

‘It’s Mr Blake to you Baxter and I’m not falling for that. Just so you know if you’re planning on beating me to death and then saying that I ‘committed suicide’ I left an envelope with a brief detailing everything to be opened in the event of my death.’

Wish I had of. Still, I’ve always been a good bluffer.

‘Yeah son, ‘course you did.’

Shit. I’m fucking dead.

And then...he is actually taking me out of the station. The other coppers standing about are just looking shell-shocked. There’s a lot of shouting and computers and files and stuff being removed as well. The fuck’s gannin on?

There’s Ray and Lizzie talking to some television bloke, can only see the back of him like. Wonder if I’ll get paid if I talk to him? Might be Piers Morgan...doesn’t look like a prick though so maybe not. They’re pointing at me and he’s turning now...fucking hell.

It’s Jimmy Mowbray.

---

Epilogue

‘And I’m here Hugh, reporting on the culmination of the now infamous “Paedophile Cop Ring” here in the North-East of England where sentences ranging from life tariffs to a minimum of fifteen years have just been handed down to thirty-six high-ranking individuals both former and current members of the Police force and local authorities.’

‘Thank you Jimmy, on a personal note can you share with us how you feel about justice finally being served to these people?’

‘As has been widely reported Hugh my own childhood was blighted by these vicious, noxious criminals but what was not so well known was that I was lucky to escape thanks to the actions of one man who sadly, paid the cost of crossing this organisation to save me.’

‘Can you expand on that Jimmy?’

‘I’d be glad to Hugh. My own father was abusing me and loaning me to various members of the ring when I was a small boy...’

‘Gasp...You really don’t have to Jimmy...’

‘...I want to Hugh...it’s time. A childhood acquaintance Keith Blake, he lived over the road, his dad Tommy got wind of what was going on and banged on our door one night. When my father answered Mr Blake proceeded to punch him into next week before calling my mother down the stairs and telling her what was going on. We left the next morning and I never saw my father again.’

‘That’s a harrowing story Jimmy, all credit to Mr Blake.’

‘Sadly, I’ve heard since that he and his family paid the price Hugh. Tommy Blake was singled out by the police for special treatment from that day and died in poverty because of that. I’ll always be indebted to him though, in fact during this investigation his son Keith and some friends were working independently of us to acquire the damning evidence which helped to put these people away for a long time.’

Got a bit of a lump in me throat watching this mind. Nice to see me old man finally being recognised as a good man.

‘You ok Keith?’

‘Aye Lizzie, just nice to hear that about me old fella like.’

‘He sounded like a good man mate. Proper stand-up bloke.’

‘He was Ray, he was. Anyway, you two, I’ve had an enquiry about another job. We carrying on in the revenge business?’

Ray looks at Lizzie, looks back at the telly then looks at me.

‘If it’s anything to do with shit like that then not only am I carrying on but I’ll do it for fucking nowt pal.’

‘Lizzie?’

She looks at Ray, half-smile on her lips and then back at me.

‘I’m definitely hanging around so that’s a yes from me as well.’

We’re all smiling at each other as I pick my phone up.

‘Alright Deka lad, Aye it’s Blakey from Revenge Inc…you’re on pal.’

© Andy Rivers 2024