A Fine City

Norwich is a fine city. It has its own aura, in a laid back but bustling kind of way. It’s the best place to shop and meet friends in the entire county of Norfolk. Steeped in history and medieval buildings, it’s a great place to live… if you can afford to live.

For those with nowhere to belong it’s just another urban sprawl boasting bright lights that somehow never seem to be giving of their best, and manage to end up just a confused mess of meaningless, jumbled dazzle.

To some, the city of Norwich is only good enough for leaving.

Elsie isn’t quite there yet. She’s not a typical rough sleeper. For her it’s a bitter choice, not a necessity. She might end up leaving, if one day the time seems right. So far it hasn’t.

Eighteen years old, intelligent and smart, she could have been anything she wanted, if not for one fateful episode a year ago, which instantly ended every dream she ever had. Betrayed and demoralised, she quit what was once a happy home and joined the sleeper community in Norwich, soon discovering she had more in common with people who accepted her for what she became than she did with those she left behind.

Elsie has forged a life on the streets, now and again taking a liberty or two, but generally staying within the bounds of the law. She neither needs nor wants to break the rules, even though at times the temptation becomes stronger than she would like it to.

Then, without her even realising, the day that changed everything arrived. A very unfortunate series of events led to her coming face-to-face with someone who made an unexpected and dramatic impact.

Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine a young policewoman from Uganda could have such an effect on a girl in her late teens with a poor opinion of authority… but somehow, despite being fought at every turn, she did.

A great big, impossible to ignore impact.

And one that started with getting arrested.

One Way Only

A week after the day that changed everything...

Elsie woke with a start. Rough-sleeping in the centre of Norwich meant she often woke that same way, but this time it was a gentle hand on her shoulder that wrenched her from sleep.

‘Kolo?’ she mumbled, the vestiges of sleep slurring the word, and forcing her to unzip the sleeping back a little further to make sure it wasn’t a dream.

‘Elsie. I’m sorry…’

‘What are you sorry for?’ she glanced straightaway to the empty sleeping bag lying on the other side of the hard floor of the large disused doorway outside the store that used to be Debenhams. It told her a story, without another word being spoken.

‘Where is he?’

 ‘I came to fetch you. We’re at the entrance to Chapelfield Gardens. I think you should come.’

‘Who’s we?’

‘The serious crime squad, Elsie. I’m sorry…’

Elsie scrambled frantically out of the bag, her heart pumping far more blood than it should through her veins. For a second her world began to spin. She shrugged it away. ‘If something’s happened… but it obviously has, hasn’t it?’ she spat out, rubbing the mistiness from her eyes that hadn’t just been induced by sleep.

‘We need to get there, Elsie.’

Together they headed around the corner of the vacant department store, and along the slight rise of Theatre Street past the Theatre Royal. There was no one around, but the dazzle of flashing blue lights in the distance speared foggy laser beams of dread through the frosty November air. Elsie glanced at her watch. ‘It’s two in the morning.’

‘Let’s hurry.’

‘Tell me what’s happened, Kolo?’

There wasn’t time. An officer lifted the ribbon of black and yellow tape as they reached the scene. Kolo told him Elsie was a family member, and he let them through. Elsie let out a cry as her eyes fell onto the blue plastic incident tent hastily erected on the pavement just outside the corner entrance to the park. Her face set itself into a tight, emotionless expression as she glanced questioningly to the young policewoman by her side, who seemed unable to say anything meaningful.

An older man with a craggy, stress-lined face held out an arm to stop them reaching the tent. Elsie shoved it angrily out of the way, but he was strong and grabbed her around the waist instead. ‘Elsie, you can’t go in there.’

‘Like hell I can’t.’

Kolo added an arm to try and tame the wildcat. ‘Elsie, it’s a crime scene. You can’t go contaminating it. You want us to find out who did this or not?’

‘It’s him, isn’t it? You still haven’t said.’

Reluctant to say words, Kolo could only nod. In truth, there wasn’t anything worthy of saying. Elsie had already worked out the truth. Then, she didn’t need words of explanation anyway. A new set of blue lights added their unwelcome strobes to the scene, as an ambulance drove slowly up to the tent and two paramedics from the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital climbed out.

DCI Richardson met them. A few words were exchanged, and then the medics pulled resigned faces and nodded. They’d seen it all before. They turned away and sat back in their seats in the cab, waiting for the forensics team to complete their work.

Watching it all, Elsie tried to quell the multitude of emotions bubbling up to boiling point in her heart. Letting out a desolate wail and covering her eyes didn’t turn off the gas. Nothing would turn it down, ever again. Her off-switch was broken, and there was nothing she could do except let the pan boil over.

Then, Richardson made it all worse. He lifted his hands from his sides like he’d done nothing more than to tell a tramp to move and stop trespassing. To Elsie’s shattered heart, it looked like he didn’t care… like in his pathetic world it was just another unfortunate incident to disturb a peaceful night.

She couldn’t stop it, didn’t want to stop it. There was no caging the rampant beast born of horror and pain. The brew of a hundred emotions spilled over and ignited the flames. His feeble ‘I’m sorry,’ seemed to echo over and over in the chill of the night that had suddenly become arctic. His inane, pointless words ricocheted inside her skull from side to side, each bounce getting faster and faster until they blurred together into a nuclear explosion with only one safety valve.

As the tears rolled down Elsie’s terrified face she turned away, her one last attempt to douse the flames burning her soul to a charred lump of black. It was futile. Everything was futile. She screamed out her anguish and launched herself at Kolo, slamming her trembling hands into her chest with a force so great it almost knocked her off her feet. Her actions fuelled by anger, helplessness and guilt, nothing else made enough sense to stop her right then.

‘Now look what you’ve done! It’s all your fucking fault!’

______

Chapter 1

A Week Earlier

In the grand scheme of things, it maybe wasn’t Elsie’s best move ever. To begin with it seemed like a great idea, and for the first fifteen minutes it was for sure total heaven.

Until a bottle of bubble-bath made its presence felt.

An innocent bottle of Tesco’s own-brand muscle-relaxant, it cost her just a single pound… the kind of insignificant, not-worth-thinking-about purchase that could never claim the ability to change anyone’s life.

It would turn out to be the defining possession of her entire existence.

Elsie spent most of her days wandering around Norwich’s city centre. As a rough sleeper, there wasn’t much else to do. In the last year she’s forged a strong friendship with the small community of deprived, down-and-out people who had nowhere to go but the shop doorways of St. Stephen’s Street, or a quiet corner of Chapelfield Gardens.

To begin with Elsie hadn’t really felt like one of them, but she’d forced herself to make it so. A teenage boy called Danny befriended her, and together they kept each other’s spirits up, making sure that living rough was an adventure rather than a depressing necessity.

He really didn’t have anywhere else to call home. At the age of sixteen his junkie waste-of-space parents gave up on anything resembling responsibility, and being placed into so-called care by a failing child-protection agency turned out to be everything it was supposed to not be.

By the time he was seventeen he was a seasoned rough sleeper, running away to join the ranks of those who were normally older, and discovering that there at least he was in charge of his own destiny.

Such as it was.

The two of them often wandered aimlessly together along Gaol Hill, gazing through the windows of the shops. One of the biggest, a bathroom showroom, didn’t really interest them very much. Not until the day that changed Elsie’s life.

Three things contributed to that fateful day. The first was that she spent it alone. Danny had gone to do something that seemed important to him. She didn’t ask what… on several occasions over recent months she’d voiced the question of what he did when he went off on his own. She’d been told politely to mind her own business. She didn’t ask again.

The two of them had a strong bond, but it was one that Danny felt more comfortable keeping at arm’s length. Elsie gave him the space he needed.

 The second contributing factor to the fateful day was that Elsie liked her creature comforts a little too much. The third factor was that the shop owners had taken full advantage of their big, full height windows, and displayed a fully-fitted luxury bathroom for everyone passing by to see. A few times in recent weeks she’d gazed through the glass at the expensive Jacuzzi bath sitting there, dreaming an impossible fantasy that it was full of hot water, cocooning her in total bliss as she whiled away an hour or so in perfect relaxation, letting her imagination fly her to a tropical rock pool fed by hot springs.

That morning she’d gazed through the window once again, but this time things were different. The kind of different that made her believe the impossible fantasy had half a chance of coming true. The salesman was demonstrating the joys of the Jacuzzi to an enthusiastic well-dressed couple, whose tongues were hanging out in obvious awe. It looked like the sale was all but closed. The taps were running, filling the bath that was already bubbling away with jet-streams of warm, aerated air.

Elsie’s eyes lit up. She didn’t give a toss whether the salesman earned his commission or not, but she sure did care about what else she was seeing.

It wasn’t just a fully-fitted display bathroom… it was a fully-working one too.

As she turned away, a sneaky plan was already forming in her intelligent mind. It was just too tempting, too much of a golden opportunity to ignore. Later that night, when it was dark and everyone had gone home, that Jacuzzi bath was going to be more than just a working display.

It was heaven. And making it happen had been a walk in the park. The door to the delivery entrance at the rear of the showroom was easy to pick, the alarm simple to shut off, and the lights had been left on. Not as brightly as they were during opening hours, but plenty bright enough to illuminate the displays for people window-shopping.

Plenty bright enough for Elsie to make her fantasy reality, and enjoy the delights of the Jacuzzi bath for herself.

The designers had been on her side too. The bath had been fitted with its own shower curtain, a perfect screen she’d pulled across before stepping in and removing her clothes. It was the screen that made it all possible. The last thing she needed was people in the street outside gawping at a random girl bathing naked in front of their eyes. The display wasn’t right in the window, but it wasn’t that far away either.

She lay back and turned on the taps. As the bath began to fill with water a satisfied smile crept over her pretty face. Already it was a joyous feeling, and she hadn’t even turned on the jets.

She tied back her blonde hair, and tipped in a little bubble-bath from the bottle she’d bought from the Tesco store next to the market. Just a tiny bit… otherwise as soon as the jets were switched on, too much gel would result in suffocation by bubbles.

The bath was filling nicely so she turned on the jets, and then gasped out in a kind of pleasure-pain way. The Jacuzzi makers knew exactly where to position one of the jets. Three minutes later the bath was full, with just the right froth of bubbles to cocoon her in total luxury. She turned off the taps, and buried herself in the aerated water so just her face was exposed. For the first time in weeks she realised the muscles in her back had tied themselves into little knots. The words ‘muscle relaxant’ on the bottle were doing exactly what they’d promised.

Heaven.

She should have anticipated it really. Living on the streets wasn’t exactly a pushover for much of the time. Outsiders didn’t believe there was ever that much to do, but in reality staying alive was a full-time job… and somehow it was exhausting. By the end of each day she was ready to curl up in her sleeping bag and drift into dreamland.

The Jacuzzi sure wasn’t her sleeping bag, but it was much more conducive to drifting gently away than the hard floor of a shop doorway. She’d not bothered to stop her eyes closing either, which hadn’t really helped with staying awake.

She felt her body jerk violently, as something in her subconscious told her it maybe wasn’t the best idea to fall asleep in a building she’d broken into.

Half-conscious, foggy eyes glanced around at her bath-sized watery world enclosed by the full shower curtain. How long had she been almost-asleep? It seemed like only seconds, but it could have been longer. The Jacuzzi was still bubbling away, the warming jets keeping the water at the perfect temperature. She breathed a sigh of relief, and relaxed again. Everything seemed fine, as long as she kept her eyes open and told herself falling asleep would be the worst idea ever.

Everything wasn’t fine.

It took her a crucial minute before she realised something was missing. It wasn’t quite the first indication that life was about to get anything but relaxing.  That was the bubble level, rapidly and unstoppably rising like a bouncy castle being pumped up around her. She sat up quickly, her eyes narrowing. What the hell?

That was the moment she discovered what wasn’t present anymore. The cap of the bubble-bath bottle was still where she’d put it… on the side of the bath. The almost full, cap-less bottle, which should have been standing next to it, was nowhere to be seen.

She cried out in horror, realising what she’d done. When her subconscious had jerked her body violently, she must have knocked the bottle. Maybe it hadn’t been the best move to balance it on the side of the bath, but she hadn’t planned on falling asleep.

Idiot.

Then sheer desperation made her do something else that could have been classed as mildly-idiotic. The bubble-level, about to invade the showroom floor, should have told her what she needed to know, but a manic refusal to accept the harsh truth made her ease the shower curtain away from the bath a little, to see if by some miracle the bottle had dropped to the floor outside the bath.

Of course it hadn’t. The cap-less, virtually full bottle had fallen into the bubbling water.

As the eruption began to spill across the tiles, Elsie panicked. She’d already wasted precious seconds in the vain hope the bubble-bath hadn’t fallen into the Jacuzzi water. She wasted a few more seconds taking a deep breath and fumbling through the bubble mountain to find the bottle.

She found it. It was empty. Of course it was. The lava-like mountain of foam about to engulf everything was clear evidence of that. Finally she had an intelligent thought, and switched off the jets. It was too late. Like a statue frozen in a sitting position, the foam was about to swallow her up along with everything else. She stood shakily up. She had to stand, if she wanted to breathe actual air.

Getting to her feet might have been essential to life, but it taught her another lesson. A serious excess of bubble-bath has one other downside. It makes the bottom of the bath very slippery.

As her feet went from under her, she did what every self-respecting girl would do… grabbed at something to stop herself going down. In Elsie’s case, there wasn’t a lot to grab. Just the shower curtain.

Almost like a Simpson’s cartoon without the canned laughter, as she pulled hard onto it to keep herself upright, the flimsy clips holding it to the rail pinged apart in rapid succession, one by one. In a single second they’d all come away, and the curtain was being a screen no more.

It wasn’t so bad. At least it had kept her upright. If she retrieved her clothes and got out of there quickly, no one would ever know who had turned the place into a winter wonderland.

It was so bad. A gleeful, muffled shout filled her ears. Her wide eyes flicked to the window fifteen feet away. Three teenage lads in the street outside were jumping up and down and waving pointed fingers enthusiastically, delighting at the hard-to-believe sight in front of their eyes.

Elsie froze again, inadvertently giving them a few seconds longer to stare in awe at the view they’d never expected to see in a bathroom showroom. Then she realised the crumpled shower curtain was still in her hand, and tried to cover up the bits of her that really needed covering.

Left with no choice but to climb out of the bath, she used the curtain like a giant towel, intending to scuttle for cover. Okay, they’d got an eyeful, but there was still time to make her escape. None of the lads looked familiar.

For the third time that night Elsie was wrong. Just as she stepped out of the bubble mountain and wrapped the curtain hastily around her, something else appeared.

The shouting and cheering had caught the attention of a passing vehicle. As Elsie watched in even more horror, a policewoman stepped out of a blue-and-yellow.

It seriously hadn’t been her best move ever. It sure as hell wasn’t her best night ever.

Chapter 2 

‘Name please.’

‘Elsie.’

‘Surname?’

Elsie panned her eyes over the young policewoman sitting behind a desk in the squad room. The black hair styled in long cornrows was tied loosely behind her head, and somehow the shapeless uniform didn’t manage to hide the impressive curves that gave away her origins. Her black skin was flawless, the full lips beautifully formed. And she clearly wasn’t a native of Norfolk.

‘What’s your name?’ Elsie asked, making sure her defiance was front and central.

‘I’m putting the questions here, if you don’t mind.’

‘I just wanted to know who I’m talking to.’

‘You mean who it was who arrested you, let’s get it straight.’

‘Okay, if you insist on being politically correct. So what is your name?’

‘It’s Kolo.’

‘Kolo? That’s weird.’

‘Not where I come from.’

‘You’re not part of Hawaii Five-O then?’

The pretty policewoman sighed, like it wasn’t the first time someone had said it. ‘That’s Kono. I need your surname, please.’

‘It’s Mullins, if you must know.’

‘Seriously? Elsie Mullins? And you pull me up about my name?’

‘Okay, so I sound like I should be in a Charles Dickens novel. Get over it. So what’s your surname, Kolo?’

‘Address?’

‘Tell me your other name, and I’ll give you my address.’

‘We’re not here to bargain, Elsie.’

Elsie tightened the silver thermal blanket around her, and pierced another defiant stare into her arresting officer. ‘Okay then, I’ll just shut up.’

Kolo narrowed her big eyes at the girl sitting stubbornly on the other side of her desk. She’d only been a fully-fledged constable a year, but the attractive, blonde-haired teenager she’d just arrested for indecent exposure in a bathroom showroom was already looking like the most awkward criminal she’d ever had to deal with. She shook her head and sighed, knowing she wouldn’t get anywhere unless she opened herself up to more smart remarks.

‘I’m Constable Namugongo.’

Elsie stifled a giggle, using a hand to not really cover her mouth. ‘That’s a silly name.’

‘It’s Ugandan.’

‘What, Constable?’

Kolo shook her head, trying to hide the slight smile that seemed to creep over her face before she could stop it. ‘I’m a constable… as I’m sure you’re aware.’

‘Oh… I see. So you’re Kolo Namugongo. It’s still a silly name.’

‘Says you, who should be selling sweet red roses.’

‘Very funny. I didn’t think an African woman would know much about musicals based on Dickens novels.’

‘I didn’t think teenage criminals would either.’

‘I’m full of surprises.’

‘So, give me one less surprise. Age?’

‘Almost nineteen.’

‘Eighteen then,’ said the policewoman, scribbling away.

‘If you insist.’

Kolo threw her eyes to the ceiling, and then found a smile she didn’t feel much like smiling. ‘If you’re almost nineteen then you must be eighteen, unless you’ve invented a new number.’

‘Got me there.’

‘Address?’

‘Debenham’s defunct doorway, Red Lion Street, Norwich city centre. Sorry, don’t know the postcode.’

Kolo stopped writing down the address, staring in disbelief at her arrestee. ‘So you’re a rough sleeper? You don’t look like someone who lives on the streets.’

‘Yeah well, I do take a Jacuzzi bath once in a while.’

‘Now you’re being flippant again. So how many times have you broken into the bathroom showroom?’

‘It’s the first time, if you must know. Usually I break into John Lewis. There’s a better class of clientele there.’

Kolo shook her head, like a headmistress frustrated with a slow pupil. ‘We’re not getting very far are we, Elsie?’

‘So just charge me with criminal damage by bubble-bath, and let me go.’

‘Not yet. I need to get more answers. And your clothes are being de-bubbled as we speak anyway, seeing as they didn’t escape the onslaught either.’

‘Thanks. They don’t dry too well hung over a bus shelter in November.’

‘So why, Elsie?’

‘Why what?’

‘Why are you living rough?’

‘Why do you care? I don’t do drugs, and I don’t steal stuff.’

‘Maybe that’s why I’m curious. I couldn’t help noticing the designer black jeans and smart coat aren’t exactly rough-sleeper wear.’

‘I’ve got a parka and a woolly hat in my backpack, for when it gets really cold.’

‘Not buying it, Elsie. We’ve been dealing with rough sleepers for a long time, and you don’t strike me as typical.’

‘I’m not typical, okay? I’m new to the game.’

‘How new?’

Finally Elsie broke her unrelenting eye contact, and focused instead on her hands. ‘Been here about twelve months.’

‘Stop bullshitting me. There’s still a sparkle in those pretty blue eyes of yours, and your hair is silky and clean. You’re not rough-sleeper material.’

‘Give me a few more months, and I’ll look exactly what everyone’s image of a rough sleeper is.’

‘I think you’ve got a story to tell.’

‘Even if I had, I’m not telling the likes of you.’

Kolo smiled deliberately, like she’d just been presented with an open goal. ‘Oh, I see. I didn’t take you for a racist.’

‘Look, I’m not. Not at all. I meant, the likes of you being police.’

‘So you’re a murderer in hiding then?’

‘Now you’re putting words in my mouth. No, I’m not a friggin’ murderer, just someone trying to keep herself to herself.’

Kolo chuckled ironically. ‘I think three leering lads might disagree with that.’

‘Yeah well… that was just a series of unfortunate events.’

The policewoman closed the notebook that didn’t contain a lot of notes, and clasped her hands together like a judge about to pass sentence. ‘Elsie Mullins, I’m going to have to charge you with breaking and entering, plus criminal damage. Do you understand?’

‘I’m not a moron. Can I go now?’

‘I’ll find out if your clothes are dry.’

‘You’re very kind.’

Elsie changed back into her clothes in the ladies restroom. Kolo kept her company, watching her closely. Elsie threw her a turn-to-stone glare. ‘You gay then, Kolo?’

‘No, definitely not. I was thinking how gorgeous you are though. Off the record of course.’

‘You are gay.’

‘Just quit with the assumptions. I was just wondering what your story is, because you sure don’t look like you need a good meal.’

‘You saying I’m fat now?’

‘Stop being so full of animosity. You know what I mean. I don’t think you’re thin and emaciated either, so I can’t see you sitting in that doorway begging for a pound to get a coffee.’

‘That’s because I don’t beg. It’s demeaning.’

‘Most rough sleepers have to, demeaning or not. So why don’t you?’

‘Are you going to shove me in the cells if I don’t tell you?’

‘No, you’re free to go… until your court appearance.’ She handed Elsie a clear plastic wallet with the few personal possessions they’d found in her pockets. ‘I would like to know how a rough sleeper manages to have a hundred pounds in her inside pocket though.’

Elsie grabbed the wallet, like it was going to be snatched away at any moment. ‘I didn’t steal it, and it’s not drugs money either.’

Kolo lifted her hands from her sides, reminding Elsie of her mother when she’d backed her into a corner. ‘Did I say it was? I’m trying to understand you here. I’m asking, not assuming.’

‘Well don’t bother. It’s mine, okay? I’m going now.’

Elsie pulled the money from the plastic wallet, tucked it back inside her coat, and then thrust the wallet into Kolo’s chest to confirm the conversation was over. The policewoman frowned as her charge stomped away, and then quickly followed her back to reception. ‘Elsie…’

The words faded. Elsie was already heading for the door to the outside world. There was nothing Kolo could say or do to keep her there, no matter how curious she was.

Just before she reached the door, it opened. Two people walked in. One was a constable on night duty. The other was someone Elsie knew.

‘Danny?’

The teenage boy clad in a scruffy Parka looked shocked she was there. ‘Elsie? What are you doing here?’

‘I got caught taking a bath. It doesn’t matter about me. What are you doing in this shithole?’

The boy with the sparrow’s face framed by shoulder-length mousey hair looked away. ‘Um… bit of unfortunate timing…’

Kolo spoke to the constable with his arm on Danny’s. ‘Mike… what is this about?’

‘Caught him selling drugs, Kolo. Is Interview Room One free?’

‘Um, yeah. It’s all yours. I’ll find the DC.’

Elsie grabbed Kolo’s arm to stop her walking away, shaking her head manically. ‘Hey… Danny doesn’t sell drugs. There’s got to be some mistake.’

‘I take it Danny is your friend?’

‘Yeah. I know him. He wouldn’t…’

‘Elsie, that’s not your concern right now. It’s not mine either. You should go.’

‘I want to wait for Danny.’

‘It could be hours, or even tomorrow morning. You need to go, before you get dragged into this as well.’

Elsie’s words were spat out, accompanied by a look of genuine anger. ‘So why do you care about that?’

‘I… I just do, okay? Let me find out what’s going on, and tomorrow I’ll come and find you.’

‘You’d better. Just make sure you knock my door before you come barging in, okay?’

‘I’ll ignore the obvious sarcasm in that sentence.’

Chapter 3

‘Knock knock.’

Elsie glanced up to the owner of the voice. ‘So you do have a sense of humour. Only a circus clown would knock on a nonexistent door.’

‘You asked me not to enter without knocking first.’

‘Do you listen to everything I say?’

‘That depends if it’s the truth or not.’

Elsie waved an arm at the open wall of her home. ‘Do you see a door? That was a lie, and yet you still knocked on nothing.’

‘There’s a difference between intentional lies and trying to be funny.’

‘I don’t try. I am funny.’

‘So can I come in?’

Elsie’s reply was accompanied by a shake of the head. ‘You’re only here to move me on. You know I’ll be back again tomorrow.’

Kolo sighed, feeling verbally outwitted even before the conversation had really started. ‘No, I’m not here to move you on, Elsie. I’m here to see how you are.’

‘My skin feels zingy and exhilarated, thank you.’

‘Do you always resort to humour?’

‘It helps me survive.’

‘Okay, give you that one.’ She handed Elsie the polystyrene cup of Costa coffee in her hand. ‘Flat white, no sugar. Hope that’s okay?’

‘So you read minds as well?’

‘I got it right then.’

‘Thanks. What’s the score with Danny? I don’t see him sitting next to me.’

‘That’s because he’s still being interviewed.’

‘Still? It’s almost midday. Why the hell have you chained him in the stocks for this long?’

‘Just before my shift ended a half-hour after you left, I checked on him. The DC had called the DCI and been told to lock him in the holding cells until this morning. It seems he wanted to interview him personally, so I’m guessing it only started a short while ago. I’m on shift after lunch, so I’ll find out the latest when I get to the station.’

‘That explains the civilian clothes then.’

Kolo glanced down inadvertently to the dark blue jeans and chunky white jumper. ‘Partly. I didn’t want everyone to see you talking with a policewoman.’

‘Why not? It wouldn’t be the first time.’

‘Maybe. But I’m a kind, considerate copper, okay?’

Elsie smiled, although she didn’t want to. ‘Uncommonly nice of you. Thanks.’

Kolo shook her head just a little, hoping Elsie didn’t notice. She sucked in a deep breath, aware her next words would prompt a negative reaction. ‘I wanted to see you as well, if you must know.’

‘So you are gay after all then.’

‘No… look, where I come from it’s not the done thing. My home country is a bit backwards in that stuff.’

‘Boyfriend then?’

‘Well, no… not yet. This job doesn’t make it easy.’

Elsie chuckled. ‘Agree with that. My career choice doesn’t make it easy either. If you’d offered me a night in I would have said in your dreams… you being a copper and all that.’

‘Not because I’m a woman?’

‘There’s a first time for everything.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Relax. I’m not gay either. I can’t help wondering what it would be like though…’

‘Look, do you fancy a burger? This is not a conversation I want to have next to three busy bus stops.’

‘So you’d rather have it in a city centre burger joint instead?’

‘If we go now it won’t be so busy upstairs.’

‘You buying?’

‘I was the one asking. One question I managed to get in at least.’

Elsie stood up and slipped her arm into Kolo’s. ‘Lead the way then, lover,’ she said, perhaps a little louder than was absolutely necessary.

‘So what’s the crack with Danny then?’ Elsie asked as she sank her teeth into her Burger King Whopper.

‘Maybe that’s not the best word to use, Elsie.’

‘Oh get real. Danny isn’t a runner.’

Kolo lowered her eyes. Giving out the kind of information Elsie wanted wasn’t really an acceptable move, but somehow she couldn’t help herself. ‘I had a word with the arresting officer. Danny was caught selling ecstasy to a guy just outside Chapelfield Gardens. There was no doubt, Elsie. Two officers watched him doing it before they made the arrest.’

‘Appearances can be deceptive.’

‘Sure they can. But in this instance they were undisputable.’

Elsie wiped away a tear. ‘Stupid moron.’

‘What, for selling class A’s or getting caught?’

Elsie threw her a disgusted glare. ‘I hate drugs. And before you ask, I had no idea he was getting into that shit.’

‘I thought he was your boyfriend?’

‘Danny? Nah, he’s just my best mate. I prefer someone with prospects.’

‘Yes, I thought you might.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

Kolo nibbled an onion ring like she needed something to do with her hands. ‘Just that you’re not typical rough-sleeper material. I’m still trying to work out why you’re even on the streets.’

‘It’s my choice, okay? And as I said before, you’re not getting my life story.’

‘Why not?’

‘Cause I don’t trust coppers.’

‘I’m not a copper. Not right here and now anyway.’

‘Sure you are. You people can’t help yourselves. As soon as you get to the station every word I say will be logged on your PC.’

‘Actually it won’t. Believe this or not, but I’m only a copper when I’m on duty.’

‘I’ll believe it when you prove otherwise.’

‘And how do I do that?’

Elsie took another bite of her burger, speaking through the food. ‘Stop asking questions for one thing.’

‘Have I asked you any copper-type questions?’

‘Well, no… but you’re clearly well trained.’

‘I’m not on the undercover team, Elsie. They’re the ones who are trained to not appear who they are.’

She nodded, and took a long sip of her hot chocolate. ‘Tell that to the guy who tried to get over-friendly with me a couple of weeks ago.’

Chapter 4 

‘Sorry? Someone tried it on?’

‘He was deliberately dressed to not impress, but had a neat haircut and clean fingernails. A copper for sure.’

Kolo hid her face behind her chicken sandwich for a moment, the words hitting home uncomfortably. ‘I see. Sure, I know who you’re referring to. He didn’t have much success.’

‘What, with me or arresting the junkies?’

‘He didn’t actually try it on, did he?’

‘No more than he had to. I was just about to tell him I avoid coppers like the plague, but then he seemed to sense he wasn’t getting very far and moved on.’

‘Yeah, we’re not having much success on that score, full stop.’

‘Now who’s using the wrong words?’

‘Sorry. Just a figure of speech.’

‘You gonna tell me about it?’

‘Really? You’re one of th… you’re a rough sleeper.’

‘Oh right… so I’m not worthy of your confidence.’

‘Elsie, that’s not what I meant. It’s a covert police operation that involves rough sleepers, that’s all.’

Elsie took another sip of her chocolate, until the gurgling sounds told her the cup was empty. ‘You want another? It sure warms my rough-sleeping insides.’

Kolo nodded. ‘Sure. Just quit with the attitude, okay?’

Elsie smiled, and headed downstairs to the serving counter.

‘So, this police operation. It’s working out like crap, I assume?’ said Elsie as she handed Kolo a second hot chocolate.

‘You… you assume a lot, Elsie,’ Kolo stammered, knowing Elsie had hit the nail on the head.

‘Well you’re not telling me, so I have to assume.’

‘I could say the same.’

Elsie concentrated on her drink for a full ten seconds. ‘I told you, I don’t trust coppers.’

‘Yeah you did, but you didn’t say why.’

‘Why? I’m a rough sleeper. No one in our community trusts the law.’

‘I get the feeling you formed that attitude before you were a rough sleeper.’

‘That’s very… insightful of you.’

‘And that’s not a word rough sleepers normally use.’

The plastic cup covered Elsie’s face again. ‘I told you it’s my business… so why is your operation crap?’

‘I didn’t say it was.’

‘No, that was me.’

Kolo shoved a whole onion ring into her mouth, trying to give herself a little chewing time to decide if she should attempt some kind of trade-off. Then she realised she was being a copper again when that wasn’t the best approach, so instead took a deep breath and blurted it out.

‘You didn’t hear this from me, okay? There’s a big county lines operation going on in Norwich right now, and it appears they’re taking advantage of rough sleepers, getting them to do the dirty work so they can keep their hands clean.’

‘There’s nothing new in that. Rough sleepers get taken advantage of all the time, especially if they’re halfway attractive.’

‘Yes, I know. But this gang is specifically targeting rough sleepers, knowing they’ll do the necessary for next to no money, and if bad stuff happens they’re unlikely to be missed.’

‘Don’t say that.’

Kolo caught the falter in Elsie’s voice. ‘You’re thinking of Danny?’

She nodded, and sucked in a little more chocolate. ‘He’s got no one. No prospects, no hope. I guess he’s an ideal candidate to be targeted.’

‘Yeah, he is. It sucks.’

‘I tried to help him at first, offered him money to get off the streets, but the stupid moron refused.’

‘And where did you get money from?’

Elsie narrowed her eyes once more. ‘You’re playing copper again, bitch.’

‘Okay, sorry. I won’t ask.’

Elsie nodded in a relieved kind of way, knowing there was more important stuff on the red plastic table. ‘So your bosses in their infinite wisdom decided to plant undercover officers who were useless at pretending to be rough sleepers, hoping they’d get a lead or two?’

‘Yeah, but for some reason the gang seemed to know who they were, and kept their distance.’

Elsie raised her eyebrows. ‘For some reason? Seriously?’

Kolo chuckled mirthlessly. ‘Yeah well, I guess you told me what that reason was earlier.’

‘Sure I did. It takes months to become a convincing rough sleeper.’

‘Even when they break the mould like you?’

‘I only break the mould in some ways. Once you’ve done it for a year it becomes second nature, and you’re accepted into the community.’

‘You’re making it all clear now,’ said Kolo ruefully. ‘The DCI gave the undercover team briefing after briefing, telling them increasingly desperately to act like rough sleepers.’

Elsie pointed a finger at her brain. ‘Duh. Like that was going to work. Those gangs can smell coppers a mile away. If you’re going undercover you actually need to be a rough sleeper, for a while at least.’

‘That’s hard when you’re a copper in disguise.’

‘It’s not hard, it’s impossible. I need the loo, back in a minute.’

Alone, Kolo ran her hands through her cornrows, her mind a mess of revelations. Not the least of which was Elsie realising instantly why the strategy wasn’t working. Her DCI was getting increasingly frustrated that the supposed covert operation was failing dismally to produce leads, but couldn’t work out why.

In two sentences Elsie had explained what he’d spent four weeks not understanding. To be accepted as a rough sleeper you actually had to be one. Rather like becoming a copper, people didn’t just step from the recruitment office into a uniform. It took time to learn how to be a copper, on the inside.

She decided when her shift started in an hour she would sit down with her boss and tell him why the operation wasn’t working… and who it was who’d explained why.

It wasn’t the only thing messing with her mind. A crazy and unwanted idea was forming in her head, even though she tried not to let it take shape. She did everything to convince her head it was just the insane ramblings of a mind that was equally-insane, and that even if she turned it into actual words it would never get the approval of her bosses.

Somehow it didn’t seem to want to part company with her thoughts. She’d just made the decision that the only way to nip it in the bud before it festered and burst was to leave Elsie and go get ready for her shift, when the girl returned and slumped back into her plastic seat on the opposite side of the table.

And then made sure Kolo knew the crazy idea wasn’t only in her head.

Elsie smiled sweetly from behind the last of the hot chocolate. ‘So copper, would you like me to do your job for you?’

‘Elsie?’

‘That’s what you’ve been thinking, right?’

‘You’re in dreamland again… okay, okay, it did kind of occur to me.’

‘It’s pretty obvious when you think about it.’

‘Um… is it?’

‘Sure it is. You lot are failing dismally, because no copper is also a rough sleeper. So you need a rough sleeper to do it for you.’

‘But… but you’re a civilian… and eighteen years old.’

‘So you weren’t considering it in any shape or form then, leaving aside any age-related bias?’

‘I… well I was, but then I dismissed it.’

‘So now I reemployed it. Seems to me like the perfect storm.’

‘Elsie, these people are dangerous. There’s clearly a Mister Big at the top, and they’re smart and well-organised. They seem to do things a little differently to other county lines gangs.’

‘How so?’

‘From what we’ve learned up to now they operate a tier system. Mister Big has several lieutenants below him, who are like salesmen in a normal business. They spend their evenings in the city pubs and clubs, and the UEA social events, things like that. Their job seems to be to spread the word that those who want it can get their fix from the rough sleeper sellers they recruit during the day, and then make sure the sellers are in the right places after dark. That way they never handle the goods and never get involved in any dealing, so there’s nothing we can get them on.’

Elsie ran shaking hands through her hair, and then used them to prop it up. ‘No, it’s the rough sleepers who risk all the shit… like Danny.’

Kolo nodded sadly. ‘Yeah, and the sellers don’t know anything about who’s running the show, so Mister Big and his henchmen remain a mystery.’

‘Unless someone infiltrates their web.’

‘Elsie… please stop this train of thought.’

‘How do the rough sleepers get their supply?’

‘I said stop… okay, so that part is pretty standard. The salesmen arrange things with a couple of bulk suppliers. They meet up with the street sellers a couple of times a week, give them fresh supplies and collect the takings. Once the sellers have been recruited, the bulk suppliers are the only people they ever see. Unless…’

‘Unless what?’

‘Unless any of the street team fail to come up with the sales. You don’t just get a P45 and redundancy from those guys if you steal from the company.’

‘Yeah, they’re clever. And ruthless. Making sure they stay in the shadows, and the rough sleepers know they have to do their stuff on pain of death. Literally.’

Kolo looked into the steely-blue eyes of the girl sitting opposite her. ‘As I said, they’ve got it well sewn up.’

Elsie rubbed a knowing hand across her face. ‘Sure. They’re all too aware most rough sleepers will do anything for a few pounds.’

‘And so far we’re not getting anywhere with stopping it. Whoever is running the show is as much a mystery as ever.’

‘So you need me.’

‘Why are you so keen to help?’

‘Because of Danny. He’s got himself in the shit, and there’s no way out for him unless I can offer him one.’

‘He was still caught dealing class A’s, Elsie.’

‘So if I do your job for you, then in return you can make it right for him, and together we can be sure he’s safe from… well, you know.’

‘Elsie, my bosses would never agree to bring an eighteen-year-old civilian into this.’

‘It’s a good idea though, right?’

‘Maybe.’

‘Come on Kolo, we both thought of it. That makes it the natural next step in my book.’

Kolo threw her eyes to the ceiling, knowing Elsie was right. It didn’t make it right though. ‘So in the unlikely event my boss agrees, you’d be our eyes and ears on the ground in return for us dropping the charges against Danny?’

‘And forgetting the fact you arrested me for taking a bath, yes.’

‘You drive a hard bargain.’

‘That’s because I hold all the cards. Take it or leave it.’

Kolo studied the girl smiling confidently to her, her stare reinforcing the fact she needed an answer and pretty much knew what it would be. ‘You might hold the cards, but I very much doubt my boss will let you play them.’

‘I guess that’s up to you.’

‘No pressure then.’

‘Hey… Danny and me are the ones under pressure. From ruthless drug lords preying on innocent rough sleepers.’

‘You should have been a lawyer.’

‘I might still be one day, you never know.’

‘Championing the rights of the homeless, yeah?’

‘Sounds like a plan to me.’

They left the Burger King restaurant, and headed back to Elsie’s place. Kolo watched as she unchained the sleeping bag from the door handle of Debenham’s disused side entrance, and slumped down onto it.

‘I was wondering how you kept your bed safe when you weren’t around.’

She smiled. ‘Hey, this is state of the art. A full-body sleeping bag with extra padding on the base. Like the arctic explorers use. Most rough-sleepers would give their right arm for one of these.’

‘And you’ve got two of them.’

‘What, right arms?’

Kolo giggled, despite the cheeky wit being pointed right at her again. ‘No, sleeping bags.’

‘Yeah well, I bought Danny one. After two nights of refusing my generosity we had a frost so he caved in.’

‘I don’t suppose I can ask how you paid for them?’

‘No, you can’t. Just know I actually did buy them. With my own money, just so you know.’

‘You going to let me in on your story one day?’

‘Maybe. If you rope me into your dismally-failing operation.’

‘Okay, you win. I’ll try, but it’s a remote possibility I’ll succeed.’

‘I have faith.’

‘I thought you didn’t where coppers are concerned?’

‘You said it, Kolo. Right now you’re not a copper.’

‘You really would make a good lawyer. You’ve got an answer for everything.’

Elsie chuckled. ‘Just piss off and go do what you’re supposed to. I’ve got a stack of housework to sort.’

‘Yes boss.’

‘And make sure you close the door on your way out!’