Once Upon a Crime by Jimmy Cryans

Author:Jimmy Cryans [Jimmy Cryans]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781857827347
Publisher: John Blake Publishing
Published: 2012-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-four

It didn’t take me too long to find out why the law were so keen to arrest me. On Saturday afternoon I called an old pal of mine back in Newbury who always had his finger on the pulse of anything to do with villainy. Steve Garroway was a real thorn in the side of the law.

I had known Steve for years and had been involved in a few escapades with him. He was a big lump, over 6ft and powerfully built and he could have a row. His speciality was smashing up pubs to persuade them they needed a bit of protection and knocking out coppers and anyone else who incurred his wrath. But he could also be a very funny guy and his loyalty was without question, and I had a real soft spot for him.

Steve was able to tell me that on the previous Thursday at just about 5.30 a lone gunman had robbed a delivery to the Midland Bank in Newbury. The word on the street was that the coppers were saying it was down to me. The heavy team had crashed through his front door at six o’clock that very morning looking for me and they were led by the big Scottish DS.

‘Listen, Jimmy,’ Steve said. ‘For fuck’s sake stay away and don’t let that slag get hold of you. He’s gonna do you for this. He said to me, “Tell your wee pal Jimmy I am going to make sure he gets at least a ten stretch this time.” If you need anything doing at this end just let me know. I’ll make sure your mum knows you are OK and I’ll look out for her.’ Steve was aware of how close me and my wee ma were and it was a really nice touch. I had been close to Steve’s own mother Phyllis and had looked out for her when Steve had been away.

This news was a body blow. I knew that I now had very few options. Handing myself in was a non-starter as I was on parole licence and would almost certainly be in breach of the conditions, which would mean an immediate return to Long Lartin. I would now have to go on the run. I also knew how hard this was going to be for Ma and this bothered me more than anything else. The cops had been back twice more to her house but she was made of strong stuff, my wee ma, and had told them they could come back every day if they liked but they wouldn’t find me hiding under her bed. She even said to Sergeant Bastard, ‘If you bumped into my Jim and you were on your own, you would shite your trousers and run away, wouldn’t you?’ She was some wee woman, my ma.

Hughie told me he would return after he finished work and would bring any news and also some money. Hughie was a real rock for me at this time and gave me total and unconditional support.

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