The Locksmith by Linda Calvey (reading in the dark .TXT) 📕

the brown fabric aside she saw heavily armed officers wearing full military-style black gear, guns pointing at Sarah’s kitchen door.

‘Bloody ’ell, what’s goin’ on?’ Bobby burst into the room rubbing his eyes. His pale blue pyjamas were rumpled and faded from repeated washing, and his sandy-coloured hair was sticking up without the gallons of gel he usually applied to it.

‘Shhhh,’ Ruby gestured to her older brother to be quiet, putting her finger to her lips and motioning for him to come over to where she stood. There was little furniture in the small room: a bed with a pink bedcover that Ruby had had since she was a young girl, a lamp for reading and a wardrobe. Bobby sidled over next to her and peered out.

‘Be careful, you don’t want the Feds to see ya!’ Ruby admonished her brother.

Bobby shrugged. ‘What’s it to do with us, anyway?’

‘It’s bloody Sarah’s ’ouse, that’s what!’ snarled Ruby. Just then there was a loud crash as the door was kicked in and the line of black-clad coppers shoved their way into her friend’s home. Ruby’s heart was beating wildly, though it wasn’t out of fear for herself or her family. Bobby was right, they hadn’t done anything to bring the Feds to their door, but Ruby was terrified for her friend. What would happen to the family if they nicked Sarah’s dad? What if they nicked Sarah? How would she cope being banged up? Ruby pushed Bobby aside to try to get a closer view.

‘Ouch, Bobby!’ Ruby elbowed her brother as he trod on her foot clumsily. They peered out of the window, waiting to see what would happen next.

‘What’ll they do to him when they get him?’ Bobby whispered. He seemed shaken by the experience though he’d grown up around criminals and the ever-present threat of them being caught.

The question was answered almost immediately. A young woman’s voice escalated to its crescendo, screaming for all she was worth. ‘Dad! DAD! GET YER ’ANDS OFF HIM. DAD, DON’T LET THEM DO THIS TO YA! ’

It was Sarah’s voice. Ruby craned her neck, trying to see her friend, just making out her blonde hair and a flash of her pink pyjamas. Ruby wanted to help and felt desperate knowing there was nothing she could do to stop this. Then came Julie’s voice. ‘You fuckin’ bastards. Get yer ’ands off my ’usband. He ain’t done nuthin’ wrong. NUTHIN’.’

Just then, they caught sight of Mike being tussled to the ground, almost bringing down a line of washing along with him. Expensive underwear, designer tops and luxury cotton sheets threatened to engulf them all.

Ruby was frantic now. ‘Poor Sarah. Oh my God, they’re arrestin’ her dad. What will they do without him?’

One of the coppers threw off the washing, and was greeted with, ‘Oi, you mind my sheets, you FILTH!’

Ruby was unable to tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding beneath her window. She saw Mike kick a bin over, all the while yelling at the top of his lungs.

‘Bloody ’ell, they’ve nicked him, all right,’ Bobby exclaimed, forgetting to whisper. One of the officers suddenly looked up, though Mike was making a real racket as he shouted obscenities at the Feds and they couldn’t possibly have heard him.

‘Shut the bloody curtain!’ Ruby never swore in front of her family as she always got a smack for it, but this was something else.

‘I can ’ear them takin’ him down the alley,’ said Bobby. He was right. They heard the sound of metal clanging as more bins were kicked over. The captured man grappled along the back alleyway to where a cop car would surely be waiting.

Both of them peered round the curtain again to see Mike, who was now in handcuffs, disappear, though they could still hear him.

Then several more policemen appeared from the kitchen door, all carrying boxes of the stolen goods that had been piled up in Sarah’s house. Seconds later, a copper walked out carrying the large black holdall Ruby knew only too well. At the sight of it, Ruby froze. ‘Oh my God, they’ve got the gun!’

Ruby’s voice was low but Bobby heard well enough. He turned sharply to look at his younger sister. ‘They’ve got the what? What the ’ell do you know about a gun, Ruby Murphy?’

‘That’s exactly what I’d like to know!’ Louie’s voice thundered behind them. They both turned in shock to see their father standing at the bedroom door, his face wearing an expression of pure anger. ‘I ’eard ya, Ruby. What d’ya know about guns?’ Louie’s hair was still tousled from sleep, but his dark eyes were hard as he scanned his daughter’s face. ‘Tell me the truth.’

‘Dad, I don’t know nuthin’ really, I promise,’ Ruby stuttered. ‘Last week Sarah showed me where her dad kept that holdall. The gun was inside it. That’s all I know! It was nuthin’ to do with me, and I hated seeing it. I know I should’ve told ya but I didn’t want you and Mum to worry . . .’ Ruby trailed off miserably, wondering what punishment she would receive for not imparting this information sooner.

At the sight of her distress, Louie changed tack, becoming softer. He ran his hands through his thick black hair and looked back at her, this time with concern. ‘Ruby, all we want is for you to be safe. We’ll talk about it this evenin’, but I want you to swear to me you’ll never go round to Sarah’s house again.’

Tears started to fall down Ruby’s cheeks, but she nodded. She’d heard her friend’s distress without being able to help, and she’d witnessed the unthinkable, a parent being arrested and taken away. All she could think of was how upset Sarah must be now – and she couldn’t even go to comfort her.

Louie saw the tears, and with a soft voice said, ‘Now get back to bed the both of you. I’m just glad neither of you are caught up in all this. We don’t ’ave nuthin’