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| unfinished business; Bad Girls / Judge John Deed trilogy | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 22 2008, 10:39 AM (19,817 Views) | |
| Sashindu | Aug 14 2008, 11:27 AM Post #76 |
Sashindu
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You are a master story teller!!!!!!!!!! |
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| yankeelady | Aug 14 2008, 08:45 PM Post #77 |
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G3 Curtain and Duvet!
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Richard, Its been awhile since I've done any serious reading...life sometimes does happen. Nothing bad...I've just been wicked busy lately. I think, perhaps, that it's due to the short summers we have in the northeast...which my partner refers to as southern Canada. I've just finished reading your story from the start, and I am totally hooked. I love the storyline and the seamless fit with the continuing series. The scene with Yvonne is beautiful; it was dead on dialogue. I am so looking forward to the rest. Thank you for a great read! Pat |
| Nikki...Don't get jealous... | |
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| emtsue | Aug 15 2008, 05:54 AM Post #78 |
G3 Curtain and Duvet!
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Richard you kill me!I was rolling on the floor when you had Nikki driving up to Larkhall in the red peugot(now Helen and Nikki's red peugot)."I am the one original Nikki Wade",what better way to put Neil Grayling in his place! Classic! Leave it to Yvonne to plant the seed to Nikki's epiphany concerning her and Helen's life at larkhall and what it meant to everyone.Now there were 2 people ,Karen and Yvonne,who made it quite clear that Helen and Nikki's presence at LH kept them sane,hopeful,and on an even keel.Truth is they probably didn't realize this themselves until Nikki and helen actually left LH.There's no telling how one person(in this case two) can affect so many others lives.In this instance it's an even greater shock due to the fact that Helen and Nikki felt they wereforever fighting the system and never getting anywhere, from either side of the bars. Richard I have to be honest and say, I did not watch Bad Girls after series 3,so my thoughts are completely my own with no hind sight. |
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| richard | Aug 15 2008, 08:15 PM Post #79 |
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This feedback is truly inspiring and makes me do a 'double take on this fic' To you Sashindu, I'm glad that this piece has come over just right. To you, Yankeelady, I remember as someone who posted regularly on the debates, I'm glad that the Nikki Yvonne scene has come over dead right. This was a scene I could visualise so well. To you, Emtsue, I hadn't quite realised the real significance of Nikki driving the Peugeot and I absolutely agree that till then, Nikki and Helen hadn't realised how much of a difference they had made. You have brought that out so clearly and I'm only too glad that the storyline without the TV version in your mind has made the impact that it has. I admit I am pleased with the second part of this bit of storyline. |
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| Andliv2laf | Aug 16 2008, 05:12 AM Post #80 |
G2 landing
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Richard, Richard, Richard...what talent! I must agree completely with emtsue, she hit the nail on the head. One thing I am really glad to see is that Nikki is seeing more of what Helen was going through by dealing with her and having to leave her to continue a life outside. This can only make their relationship stronger. It's nice to see that Nikki sees that the right, legal way is the right way!! Anyway, great writing as usual...can't wait for more!
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| BETTELA | Aug 16 2008, 09:41 AM Post #81 |
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BETTE
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What more can anyone say but absolute WOW.
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| Axiegirl21 | Aug 16 2008, 10:47 PM Post #82 |
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Out of Dorm
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Hey Richard your right I totally forgot that Karen got a new place after her split with Fenner, anyway onto the last update..... It was great, just picturing Nikki walking back into Larkhall gave me the shivers never mind her. Grayling's smarmyness was right on the money, I wonder how many buzz words he'll throw at Nikki during her time there Bodybag and Fenner's reactions were as expected but Di's certainly wasn't, I didn't think she ever had a bad run in with Nikki but I guess been married to the oil slick that is Grayling has warped her mind Should've known Nikki would recruit Yvonne's help in her investigation though, she's definately got the V.I Warshawski thing going on, that's gonna be interesting. Richard again fabulous work, I'm wondering now if Nikki will be recruiting anyone else for her, ahem, 'unoffical' investigation into Karen's case, I can see the two Julies doing a passable Cagney and Lacey (how many more cop shows characters can she compare our gals to she wonders) :rolleyes: Totally agree with Andliv2laf about how Nikki will be able to see Helen's point of veiw now that she's on the other side of the bars, having to leave her friends there each night, I think it willl bring her and Helen closer
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The past is history. The future a mystery. And now is a gift thats why we call the present. Larkhall Lovelies Rule | |
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| richard | Aug 17 2008, 09:20 AM Post #83 |
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This fic is creating an awesome amount of really great, thoughtful feedback and real debate. Wonderful. To you, Bettela, this is a very heartfelt compliment. To you, Andliv2laf, you have got it precisely right in nikki being in Helen's shoes and therefore strengthening the bonds between the two women. There's nothing like 'lived' experience - I couldn't resist Nikki using the favourite Helen expression 'gotta go,' though not in the exactly same context. There's more of this ahead. To you, Axiegirl21, it's lovely to see this degree of imagination being sparked by this fic, especially your reaction in seeing Nikki go back into Larkhall. You make a valid point about Di that she was well disposed towards Nikki but you can see how Di has this paranoid, suspicious mind and, especially during her association with Grayling, darker sides of her personality have come to the fore |
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| terriw1979 | Aug 17 2008, 10:55 PM Post #84 |
Terriw1979
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Richard, I must confess that until now I have been something of a silent reader of this fic. I was put off it at first because I never watched John Deed and thought I might struggle to follow the storyline. But I gave it a go anyway and I am so glad. I've been following this story for what seems like forever, and I'm so in awe of your writing skill. You capture the characters of Helen, Nikki, Yvonne and the other POs so well. I love your dialogue too, it's spot on. It's clear that you've really thought out your writing before you post it, and I for one appreciate that. You've also sparked a whole forum of debate and discussion, and I think that's great. Thanks for sharing this incredible fic, and apologies for my lack of posting on the thread before now. Tx |
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terriw1979@hotmail.co.uk | |
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| richard | Aug 18 2008, 05:32 PM Post #85 |
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Hi terriw1979. You are very generous and kind in your praise for my writing. I have very great respect for readers like yourself who have taken the step of immersing themselves in the John deed characters and been able to assimilate this fusion with characters we all know and love. You are so right about the awesome debate that has grown up about something that’s seeming to be something bigger than all of us. The debates that have grown up have that marvelous way of adding to the fic. You are welcome to post anytime you like though I must admit feeling guilty at not getting to reading other fics,including your own. Thanks a million. |
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| richard | Aug 19 2008, 07:25 PM Post #86 |
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This is the second part of nikki's investigation which I hugely enjoyed writing. Enjoy. ...................................................................................................................... Scene Twelve “Right, Dr Nicholson, let me introduce myself. I’m Nikki Wade of the Howard League for Penal Reform. You should know that I’m here to do some research and this prison has been selected. Obviously, I’m particularly interested in the medical care provided here,” Nikki said in her crispest manner and wearing her brightest smile,” I would be grateful if you could fill me in on your qualifications for dealing with psychological as well as physical illnesses. That applies for both you and your staff. What access do you have to NHS resources in both these areas?” “Who are you to come barging in here?” Dr Nicholson said suspiciously and aggressively. “I have written authorization to come here and ask these questions. If you refuse to cooperate, I’ll be reporting it accordingly.” “I oversee the workings of the specialized psychological unit that serves all the wings while I am based on the medical center dealing largely with normal aches and pains. Of course, we have to be careful with the drug addicts who can be very convincing to the layman in trying to con us out of prescription drugs,” came the cold patronizing reply. “You’re talking about the ‘Muppet wing’.” Nikki said brightly. “That is a scandalous lie. I don’t know what gutter language you picked up, but if you carry on that way, I’ll make a complaint to your superior.” Nikki looked at the man contemptuously at his lowering air of bulldog aggression. Him and Fenner were two of a kind except that, beneath the surface, this man was spineless and incompetent. She wondered how in hell he was re-employed by the prison service, after Helen and Karen had got rid of him. “So why is it called that by the inmates?” “We get used to all kinds of abuse. It comes with the job description.” Nikki let that one go and shifted to another point of attack. “Correct me if I am wrong… but didn’t your predecessor Dr Thomas Waugh introduce a far reaching set of reforms, which linked medical prison records with NHS records on the outside?” “I do recall the name. I inherited a load of useless red tape. Needless to say, I got rid of it all.” “You know, women here do have a history on the outside. You could gain access to it if you wanted. It would give you something to go on rather than blindly feel your way.” “You’re just some college educated, politically correct interfering busybody. I bet you’ve never seen anything of real life. We see everything here and I back my years of experience against all your fancy theories.” “Zandra Plackett, eh?” Nikki replied, her voice as cold as ice, her eyes dancing with restrained anger. All her memories flooded back to fire her up with rage against this useless man.” I was in the 4-bed dorm and saw her collapse and die of a brain tumour. With all your big talk of ‘your years of experience’, you messed up, diagnosing her condition, till it was far too late. And there’s bound to be others. Pamela Jolly for instance?” “Just who are you? You can’t have been here before?” said Dr No-No incredulously, as Nikki shifted her vocal style from the correct and professional to something like her ‘street talk’ style. He screwed up his eyes to remember who she might be. He wasn’t good at remembering names as they all meant the same to him and that was very little unless they crossed him personally. He was further agitated. The depth of knowledge that this woman conveyed shook him, along with the patented sarcastic thrust, that Nikki had borrowed off George, and most of all, by her restrained but lethal anger. He was looking forward to a cushy life without that troublemaker Betts around to rock the boat and now, another dangerous woman turns up to haunt him. “Don’t you remember, Dr No-No? I used to be a lifer till I got out on appeal and got my record clean. Who better than me to research this place? Still, I’m lucky to have kept well while I’ve been here and out of your hands. There are those less lucky than me and for this reason… I’ve got such a lot of questions to ask you. I mean to get some answers.” Nikki was amazed how rapidly this man cowered before her as her anger boiled over. It was true what she’d heard that a bully is just an angry coward. Once he was matched against someone who could stand up to him, he crumpled up and was now clearly intent on saving his own skin. Her relentless questioning was payback time. ************ Nikki had got her official business done and dusted in quicker time than she had expected and the pressure was off her. She thought she would spend a little time on the wing and the prospect made her a little nervous. This was once her old stomping ground in more ways than one and yet she was just another outside visitor. She knew it and her engrained memories told her that the Julies for two, were highly sensitive souls who would both know this and generously do their best to paper over the cracks. She was a little nervous and unsure of herself. “Hey Nikki. Great to see you back. Come and have a cup of tea.” Julie Saunders exclaimed loudly and Julie Johnson echoed “….to see you back.” Automatically, Nikki reached for a blue plastic mug and Julie Johnson looked apologetically at the taller woman. She seemed incredibly sophisticated in her smart suit and shirt. Both women felt at a disadvantage in their skimpy tops and short skirts that had been through the prison washing machines too many times. “I’m afraid it’s the usual stewed tea in the urn. I’d make a fresh lot if you want.” “Don’t worry, Julies. I’ll have it as it comes. I’m not too proud to muck in. I’m not the bloody Queen. If you’re free, let’s take a drink over here.” Nikki’s warm tones had a calming, reassuring effect on them. She sounded a bit ‘posher’ than they remembered but she was still the same mate of theirs. Both women beamed at her and poured themselves a cup each. They felt comfortable chatting to Nikki even if Fenner was glaring impotently over at them. Both women were sure that he’d look for the slightest chance to tell them to get on with their jobs, but he daren’t, any more than if Nikki was still here as a prisoner. “You look fantastic in that suit of yours. Dead classy.” “I was wondering if you’d still remember me. I’ve been away from here nearly a year,” Nikki smiled. “Forget you? Not after all you’ve done for us and not after seeing you on the telly. We was cheering like mad when we saw you let Fenner have it good and proper. We saw you when that bastard of a copper was shown up for who he was. I always wished I’d have the gift of the gab what you always had,” Julie Saunders said enthusiastically. “You ain’t changed since you got on the outside, Nikki even if you think you have. We know what’s on your mind,” Julie Johnson said with incredible warmth. Unexpectedly, Nikki felt emotions welling up from deep within her soul and she felt tears in her eyes. Unexpected kindness always had that effect on her. She wasn’t to know that Julie Saunders was suffering with breast cancer and in a roundabout way, this explained their new haircuts. “Hey love, you can’t spoil your makeup,” Julie Johnson said in her kindest tone of voice. “I remember what you said ages ago to Monica when she got out, ‘Everyone who gets out of here gets out for all of us.’ Those were your very words, Nikki.” Julie Saunders declared. This shook the taller woman. She was taken back to that moment in time and she knew that she had meant every word that she said. What bothered her was what she’d done since she’d got out. “Your trouble, Nikki, is that whatever you do, you don’t think you’re doing enough. It means you’ll keep on trying to do bleeding miracles, but it makes you unhappy when you shouldn’t be. It’s only right that you should be on the outside. Me, well ending up in the nick, is like, an occupational hazard. Just didn’t know it would turn out to be so bleeding long, that’s all.” Nikki was troubled by the brief downcast expression on the other woman’s face and realized that her bright and breezy exterior was just as much a mask as what she could conjure up by way of makeup. “Hey, never mind about us. Want to hear all the latest gossip?” Julie Saunders asked as if it were the old days. Nikki eagerly nodded her agreement. ****** It was a little while later when Denny came out of her room. She rubbed her eyes with disbelief. She wondered about quickly hearing when Julie Saunders shouted out to her. “Guess who’s here? Nikki Wade.” “You ain’t got into more trouble, man?” Denny asked with an anxious expression on her face. In her experience, this was the only reason anyone who got out of Larkhall ever came back there, like Crystal for instance. “Course she’s not. She’s working for this Howard something or other to investigate this dump and do a report on it.” “You need to come back to find out what it’s like at this dump, man?” Denny asked with an expression of incredulity on her face.” You were here long enough and you’re smart enough to know better.” “I wanted to refresh my memory, Denny,” Nikki said, grinning from ear to ear. Denny’s inimitable turn of phrase came back from the recesses of her memory. “Well I hope you tell it like it is Nikki,” Barbara said enthusiastically. She had heard the conversation and that tone of voice that had always bucked her spirits and had enjoyed a rapturous reunion with her hold friend. She proudly told Nikki of her future with Henry and received a reply with that typical sensitivity and understanding. “Like you’re going to forget? Is this dump ever going to get any better?” came Denny’s affectionately cynical reply. “I just want to be sure and get up to date on what’s going on,” Nikki said softly. “So you heard what’s going down here?” “From the best authorities,” Nikki said, slipping back so easily into that oblique language of those who are forever overheard, who had lost that privacy that Nikki had taken for granted. “That’s good, man. Want to see my paintings while you’re here?” “She’s dead brilliant, Nikki. Only I’d warn you, some of the paintings are, well, a bit grim and, well, sad.” Julie Johnson interjected, in her most comically naïve tone of voice. “I’d love to see them,” Nikki said eagerly. “Come on, we’ll be stuffing envelopes in a bit.” ******** Nikki came out of the 4-bed dorm where Denny’s paintings had been hung, terrifically impressed by the stark, moody pieces. They weren’t easy on the eye and weren’t meant to be. She marvelled that a woman, whom she’d always thought was verbally limited, was so expressive in another form. They had that primitive feel about them that was all the more powerful for it and spoke volumes of her damaged life. She’d always watched Nikki with great uncertainty, feeling obviously intimidated by Nikki’s intellect, not to know how Nikki had always taken that for granted. When Nikki fervently expressed her appreciation of Denny’s work, she looked like a pleased little girl, the center of attention at her birthday party. It had made Denny’s day. Nikki compared this reality with what she read of prison conditions and she renewed her vow to herself, to avoid seeing prisoners as merely academic objects of concern. She was highly conscious that she shouldn’t just look up her old mates, emotionally satisfying though it might be. So she strolled up the staircase to the 3’s, in her old footsteps. It was in this curiously nostalgic frame of mind that she decided to look in at her own cell. The door was left slightly open and Nikki delicately slid the door open, figuring that the cell should be open at this time of the day. Immediately, the sight of Selena Geeson rocketing backwards off the bunk where a blond haired prisoner was sitting confronted her. Nikki blushed faintly at the total incongruity of this experience. It crossed her mind that history was the supreme exponent of irony and this was a total masterpiece. How many times had either Dominic or Karen intruded into tender moments between her and Helen in such a way? “What the frigging hell are you doing, barging into my cell?” shouted an angry voice. Nikki took in this woman in a flash. She wore jeans with low-slung side pockets in the entirely appropriate cut of combat trousers as she had that seethingly angry persona. She was slim built and her blond hair was raggedly cut. By contrast, Selena Geeson was embarrassed and nervous, surprising for her self-possessed personality. It hit Nikki with the force of a sledgehammer that this prisoner wasn’t a million miles from the woman that she used to be. It made her more conciliatory than she might have been otherwise. “I’m ever so sorry for barging in as you say. The fault is entirely mine.” “Just who are you?” this blond prisoner asked, her aggressiveness hardly diminished by the apology. “Kris, this is Nikki Wade. I met her earlier on. She’s all right, I promise you.” “Nikki who?” questioned Kris Yates, her blue eyes still glaring at her. “I don’t expect everyone I meet for the first time to fall at my feet and ask for my autograph,” responded Nikki in dry ironic and very precise tones,” so I’ll introduce myself. A number of years ago, I ran a lesbian bar with my then girlfriend. Trouble was, this copper with one screwed up mind kept hanging round till one night, I came to pick her up and found him on the point of raping her. I took him out with a broken bottle, became a hated figure in the tabloid press, and got life for it. I was here three years till a very intelligent and understanding wing governor saw through my ‘hard case’ act and got me to appeal my sentence. When I got on the outside, I found that I could only get some lowly office job so I re-appealed and got my sentence wiped clean. It prompted me to give back in return for what I’d been given. I got a job with the Howard League of Penal Reform to try and keep some the shit off the prisoners that bastards in smooth suits will land on you. I figured out that for all my research, I was rather out of touch with what was really going on. So I’ve come here.” “What about your old mates? They’ll really love to see you swanning around this dump and then head off back to your cushy home,” sneered Kris. “I’ve talked to them. They understand. You talk to the Julies, to Denny and Yvonne if you don’t believe me.” The last name really took the wind out of Kris’s sails. For all her cocky manner, this woman secretly impressed her. She was tough and sounded as if she knew what she was talking about. “Yvonne Atkins? Who are you kidding? She’s down the block.” “Selena will back me up. She was on escort duty.” The blond PO nodded in agreement and Kris’s eyes switched back and forth from her lover to this very formidable woman. “My advice to you, Selena is be very careful. This dump is dangerous, much more so than in my time. There are bad guys on the loose. If any of them had come in here instead of me, you’d really be in the shit. The last thing you need is to be fired from your job.” “Meaning Fenner,” Kris said, eyeing Nikki with growing respect, she maintained a discreet silence. This woman was holding something back and that she ought to keep her mouth shut, rather than ask too many questions. She’d been kissing Selena passionately and had slid her hand hungrily up her lover’s skirt just when the knock on her cell door made her jump out of her skin. She realized that she was stroppy also because felt gauche and unsophisticated compared with this woman. “I hope your researches go well….Nikki.” “Don’t worry, they will. I’ve learnt a lot, which I’ll put to good use. I’m pushing off… so I’ll leave you to your personal officer interview,” Nikki said softly. This reminded Kris that Nikki knew exactly what had been going on. ******** “Jesus Christ, what a day I’ve had,” exclaimed Nikki as she fell into Helen’s arms and clung onto her. The feel of her lover’s body against hers put her in contact with the one sure thing around her. “My head feels like it’s exploding. Still, I’ve got some ideas out of it. ” “You tell me about it when you’re ready, sweetheart. I’ve got the dinner on and a nice chilled bottle of wine in the fridge.” “That sounds lovely babes,” Nikki sighed as cooking smells wafted in her direction.” If you don’t mind, I must lock myself away with the computer and write up what I’ve found.” “Both official and unofficial,” added Helen with a knowing look. ”I’ve been there as you well know.” Nikki nodded. What was extraordinary was that she was back home in their comfortable flat and didn’t feel guilty that her old friends has the high calorie pie and chips for their evening meal, washed down by stale tea. They’d put her mind at rest to that extent. All that remained was to commit her observations to print. |
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| emtsue | Aug 19 2008, 08:34 PM Post #87 |
G3 Curtain and Duvet!
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Post Traumatic Stress,in a good way. An oxymoron I know,but how else can you explain Nikki's travels through G-wing?It must have been quite cathartic to finally come face to face with Dr. No No and openly confront him about Zandra and Pam Jolly, though anger and rage were at the surface.Then of course you have the two julies and Denny, who in their inimitable way, were able to soothe, and show even more perspective to Nikki's past and present life.Even walking in on Kris and Selena served a significant purpose in further releasing Nikki from her prior existence at Larkhall, she was able to go home to Helen with no guilt.What a concept!! |
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| Andliv2laf | Aug 20 2008, 02:14 AM Post #88 |
G2 landing
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Well said emtsue! Well done Richard! I now see where your response to my comment about Nikki seeing more of Helen's issues when she was in Larkhall was headed. I can't wait for more, Nikki and Dr. No No was great! Thanks for a wonderful job as usual Richard!
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| richard | Aug 23 2008, 09:06 AM Post #89 |
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QUOTE Post Traumatic Stress,in a good way UNQUOTE- A highly oroginal concept, Emtsue, and very appropriate. My take on it is that all Nikki's various emotions that came out, were right to come out, especially her controlled anger at Dr Nicholson. Kris was such a ready made Shed character as she shows how far Nikki has come though Nikki had that 'classier' form of aggression. As you and Andliv2laf so rightly point out, by living Helen's dilemmas, Nikki has gained understanding. And now the next part takes in Karen and Yvonne. Enjoy. ........................................................................................................................ Scene Thirteen As the day wore on, the pressures inside Karen’s head made her seriously start to wonder about her sanity. For all the ups and downs in her life, this was one part of her life that she had never, ever thought to question. The intensity of her feelings was such that she was finding it increasingly difficult to put into words. She shoved to the back of her mind, the prospect of being tried for the death of a man, she had never seen before in her life. It was a long way away, outside her control and something she dared not think about. She found very soon that being abruptly severed from her daily routines of running G-wing seriously destabilised her, as she was condemned to having no routines at all. On top of that, she knew far too well that her salary cheques from the Home Office and her comfortable lifestyle were due to run out after the end of September. She really ought to start checking round letting agencies, for some modest flat to live in, but only some paralysis of will held her back. Her nice sporty green MG sports car was already denied her, as it was locked up in some police pound awaiting the trial. She felt as if she had all the troubles of the world on her shoulders yet at the same time, there was nothing she do to could engage her brain. Better by far her life as a busy wing governor with the most difficult problem imaginable, even trying to negotiate with a deranged Shell Dockley locking herself in her cell, clutching a broken bottle and threatening to stab Jim………. At once, her mind reeled away from the rest of the comparison as it took her to areas of her life that she couldn’t face. She was highly conscious that not one prison officer had called her to ask her how she was going on. She hardly expected her enemies to phone her, that spiteful witch, Di Barker, that self centred careerist Neil Grayling nor that monument to narrow mindedness Sylvia Hollamby. It was the others, those whose jobs she’d gone out on a limb for when she’d helped scupper that mad privatisation project. She couldn’t help but think that it was either the old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ or that they were simply too scared to make contact, thinking that they’d be next in line for the chop. It wasn’t especially wicked of them to feel that way, but it depressed her and made her seriously doubt her faith in humanity. The only bright shining light amidst her despair was the inexpressible kindness of Helen and Nikki. Even if they had tailed her car and witnessed the hideous accident, they could have gone off home and left it at that – they needn’t have ‘got involved.’ That modern urban expression depressed and disgusted her as it ran counter to her first profession as a nurse and the way she interpreted her second profession. Yet both women rallied round her even if her past behaviour to Helen had hardly earned such compassion. For all that, it wasn’t until over a week after she had been interviewed by the police that Karen finally got round to engaging the solicitor that Helen had told her about. Without their help she was sure she wouldn’t have acted at all. Their kindness to her made her feel incredible swell of emotions that raised up inside her. After finding the phone number, she deliberated for ages before making the call, something that she would have otherwise decided on and done in a matter of seconds. ******* Jim Patterson was grinning all over his face when he got the tip off about the next high profile case that was coming their way. It was an obvious no hoper. This so called respectable prison governor had gone home, hit the bottle, took off in her car in some random expedition, knocked down an innocent pedestrian, panicked and was pulled in by the police at her very own prison. She was apparently working out her notice after being sacked so that explained the whole thing. She had supposedly spent the evening at home which meant she hadn’t got a shred of an alibi. That high and mighty Claire Walker was getting too big for her boots so that she had got to thinking that she could perform endless miracles. This case looked ideal for her to finally overreach herself and fall flat on her face. He would be only too happy to palm it off on her. “Of course, Claire, I know that you love high profile cases and helping the downtrodden, so the Crown versus Karen Betts should be right up your street. She was asking for you in particular so you’ll have the chance to work your normal miracle and surprise us all.” “Well, I can only do my best,” Claire said non committally. Her first immediate thought was to keep an open mind and not to get locked into other people’s preconception of the case. “We’re all right behind you, Claire,” the man said in his most irritating fashion.” Yeah, they’re behind her all right, she thought bitterly…. so they’ll run for cover and she’ll take the heat if anything goes wrong. “Thanks,” Claire said shortly.” I’d better see Karen Betts as soon as possible and get this show on the road.” Jim Patterson’s smile faded slightly, as Claire made a determined exit from their conversation back to her own room. ****** “I suppose you don’t think I’ve got a cat’s chance in hell,” Karen said in despondent tones after she had recounted her version of the events. She reached feverishly for a cigarette and lit it. She handed out the packet, which Claire politely declined. “I don’t underestimate the seriousness of your situation for one moment,” Claire said. She knew very well that she had the delicate task of being honest yet not to cast her client into the depths of despair. She could tell that Karen Betts had a naturally strong and resilient personality. From what Claire had understood of Helen in the same position, it was obvious that Karen had carried on the lonely burden of fighting for the same beliefs for months. The overwhelming shock of recent events had taken all the fight out of her. What was certain was that this woman was telling her the plain and simple truth but there was a lot that was yet to be explained. Getting to the bottom of that wasn’t going to be easy. “You haven’t mentioned the duty solicitor when you were interviewed by the police,” Claire said casually. She was hardly intending a question as she made the perfectly natural assumption. “What duty solicitor?” Karen asked with a blank look on her face till the thought connected. Recounting her story had started to get her brain into gear and now she marvelled. How on earth she hadn’t challenged the progress of the interview when she did. She had heard tales of how this had happened to prisoners in her care and hadn’t understood how come they had meekly let the police do their worst to them. These stories didn’t square with the pushy and obstreperous prisoners in their care. She could never figure out this discrepancy. Now she knew. She shook her head disbelievingly, reading Claire’s very kind-hearted pity on her face. That reality only made her feel worse, as she never took well to being pitied. She answered in a very edgy, defensive tone of voice. “It does happen you know, that in a situation like this, you get momentarily flustered. I wasn’t feeling myself, you know, what with being bundled out of my own wing in full view of everyone as if I were a common criminal which I wasn’t.” “Listen Karen, what you did is perfectly understandable. I’ve been involved in a lot of criminal cases and I’ve seen how ordinarily competent people don’t think straight when questioned, ” Claire urged. Her tone of voice was initially soothing and reassuring. As she started talking, her feelings of rage spilled over at the sloppy attitude displayed by the police. Offering the suspect a duty solicitor was in the basic ABC of police investigations. “……You were never offered legal representation as you should have been. What’s really bothering me is that this fits into systematic pattern of serial abuse of human rights. Let’s put it another way, Larkhall police station has got form.” The blond haired woman’s eyes opened wide with shock. She had enough troubles of her own it didn’t make her feel any better to know that she was just another victim of injustice as opposed to being especially singled out to be victimised. Claire saw that her new client wasn’t really taking the information all in. “Nikki has visited Larkhall on a tour of inspection and has told me everything she’s seen and heard. She missed nothing out, especially a long talk she had with Yvonne who was down the block.” Claire informed her client. Claire’s last casual words jolted Karen back to the present. As she went on to tell her story, the blond haired woman was caught in two minds. On the one hand, the double recitation of events was rendered faultlessly but on the other hand, it didn’t help her direct problems. Her mind started racing forwards impatiently ahead of the story so that she wasn’t properly listening. Putting her hands to either side of her head, she cut Claire short. “It‘s really nice of you, Nikki and Yvonne to be concerned about my welfare… but it doesn’t get us anywhere. I feel I’m in a boat without a paddle heading down the river towards Niagara falls and there’s sod all I can do about it. All I see are well-wishers on either side of the riverbank while I go over the edge. I’m sorry Claire but I get the feeling that we’re going round and round in circles and getting nowhere fast.” Claire didn’t feel that Karen was the woman who could be comforted by a hug and to be told, everything was going to be all right. The other woman’s mental circuits just weren’t wired that way, though perhaps deep down, she could do with being physically comforted. She chose instead to give the intellectual comfort of leaving the best news to the end. “You’re right, we’ve got as far as we can get. That’s why Yvonne suggested to Nikki that we engage the professional services of her niece, Shirley Cheetham. She’s a private investigator and my experience is that she’s about the best in her field.” This news set Karen’s mind buzzing and she fractionally felt normal again to make the first decision in her life after what felt like a lifetime. Her first instinct was that she wanted to be part of the deliberations. She wasn’t put off by the idea of a member of Yvonne’s family being involved, rather the opposite. She’d connived with Yvonne to sabotage Grayling’s attempt to privatise the prison and had been relaxed about the protest demonstration. As her traditional sense of official proprieties had become an unnecessary luxury, Yvonne’s particular version of the irregular and underground was a positive attraction especially as her situation was so bloody desperate. ******** A parallel scene took place in Yvonne’s cell. Right after Nikki’s visit, Yvonne had mysteriously been released from segregation with no satisfactory explanation. She’d been equally mysteriously escorted down the block for allegedly ‘swearing at an officer’ that being Jim Fenner but in reality, she had made the mistake of being in his way. It wasn’t anything she hadn’t said to him before. That event had served notice that Karen Betts’ arrest took away the last obstacle to wide scale injustice. The way this dump was now being run had quickly lost any last semblance of rhyme or reason. Chicago gangsters might just as well have been let loose in prison uniforms only they didn’t kill people with Sten guns. Things were as bad as that. The days that Yvonne had been banged up had taken it out of her. She’d been shut away from human company with only her dark thought to keep her company. She’s been deprived of the opportunity to know what was going on around her, something of critical importance in dangerous times like these and something that made her feel grounded. Nikki’s visit was such a miracle that had come from out of the blue and she couldn’t believe how good it was to know that someone really cared. She didn’t like to think of how she’d feel without that help. She’d been on her own long enough to know that her unshakeable self-confidence wasn’t an automatic fact of life. Now she was back with her mates like Babs, the Julies and Denny, she felt better about herself and the only downside was the opportunity for their enemies to spy on her. All in all, she was doing her best to keep up her spirits, and wasn’t it her bad luck when Hedges came along with all his woes. “I wanna get close to you, Yvonne but you keep shutting me out. I can’t stand it with Fenner breathing down my neck every moment. Grayling has told me to back off and I know he’s winding me up about that statement I wrote. I just never thought it would come to this.” “You know what, I can smell your cowardice on your breath,” Yvonne said scornfully.” I told you, we’ve got help on the outside that’s legal. You must remember what Nikki’s like.” “That’s all very well but she is on the outside, a long way away from here. I need some sort of guarantee,” whined Colin Hedges. Yvonne rolled her eyes heavenwards and just about restrained herself from blasting him with the full force of her sarcastic wit There are no guarantees except in the grave, hadn’t his bloody mother ever told him that? She was tempted to snap back in those terms before biting back her tongue. She’d met too many pathetic junkies in her life and she knew how weak they were. She knew that only the needle gave them the sort of guts, like that of every woman who had it tough and needed something just to survive, inside or outside jail. She thought of the Julies whose mothering instincts had to be long distance, too many wasted years spent apart from their kids. She knew that their ‘all merry and bright’ manner concealed their hurt with which they lived with every minute of the hour somewhere in their consciousness. Her innate sense of realism told her that all this might be bloody true; she had to work with what she had. Like it or lump it, she had to keep this shaky ally on side. “Colin, it’s like this. You can’t think just of all that hearts and flowers stuff without what goes with all this shit. You need to be strong, for yourself, for Karen and for me. If you do that, well…who knows?” she finished with an inviting smile. That lovelorn look crept back on Colin Hedges’ face and, most important, it lit that spark of courage in him. She sensed that if she blew it and Fenner pulled the strings on him right, Hedges could so easily drift into his orbit. He knew too much about for her for her liking. Yvonne heaved a sigh of relief as she let him kiss and cuddle her as much as was possible in a dump like this. This wasn’t the most brilliant sexual experience she’d had in her life but everything in her life right now made her feel grateful for the barest crumbs that fell her way off life’s dining table. |
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| Andliv2laf | Aug 23 2008, 01:04 PM Post #90 |
G2 landing
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Richard, this little transition piece has me pondering where you might be taking us. I love the way you show us more of what's affected by this ripple in the water than just the ripple itself. I may have to read this again to make sure I didn't miss anything. As usual this was a great read, and I will be waiting to see where this very, very interesting story goes!!
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Richard you kill me!I was rolling on the floor when you had Nikki driving up to Larkhall in the red peugot(now Helen and Nikki's red peugot).
Should've known Nikki would recruit Yvonne's help in her investigation though, she's definately got the V.I Warshawski thing going on, that's gonna be interesting.

8:47 AM Jul 11