A Prisoner of Birth Read online

  ‘Yes, of course I will,’ said Alex, surprised by his father’s question.

  The old man frowned. ‘Then all I can say is good luck, because if Cartwright didn’t do it, who did?’

  ‘Spencer Craig,’ said Alex without hesitation.

  18

  AT FIVE O’CLOCK the heavy iron door was pulled open once again, accompanied by a raucous bellow of ‘ASSOCIATION’ from a man whose previous occupation could only have been as a Guards sergeant major.

  For the next forty-five minutes all the prisoners were released from their cells. They were given two choices as to how they might spend their time. They could, as Big Al always did, go down to the spacious area on the ground floor. There he slumped in front of the television in a large leather chair that no other inmate would have considered occupying, while others played dominoes, with tobacco as the only stake. If, on the other hand, you were willing to brave the elements, you could venture out into the exercise yard.

  Danny was thoroughly searched before he stepped out of the block into the yard. Belmarsh, like every other prison, was awash with drugs and dealers who would hurriedly ply their trade during the only time in the day that prisoners from all four blocks came into contact with each other. The system of payment was simple and accepted by all the addicts. If you wanted a fix – hash, cocaine, crack cocaine or heroin – you let the wing dealer know your requirements, and the name of the person on the outside who would settle up with his contact; once the money had changed hands, the goods would appear a day or two later. With a hundred remand prisoners being driven in and out of the jail to attend court every morning, there were a hundred different opportunities to bring the gear back in. Some were caught red-handed, which resulted in time being added to their sentence, but the financial rewards were so high that there were always enough donkeys who considered it a risk worth taking.

  Danny had never shown any interest in drugs; he didn’t even smoke. His boxing coach had warned him that he would never be allowed in the ring again if he were caught taking drugs.

  He began to stride around the perimeter of the yard, a patch of grass about the size of a football pitch. He kept up a fast pace, as he knew that this would be his only chance of getting any exercise, other than a twice-weekly visit to an overcrowded gym during the day. He glanced up at the thirty-foot wall that circled the exercise yard. Although it was topped with razor wire, that didn’t stop him thinking about escape. How else would he be able to seek revenge on the four bastards who were responsible for stealing his freedom?

  He passed several other prisoners who were walking at a more leisurely pace. No one overtook him. He noticed a lone figure striding out in front of him who was keeping roughly the same speed. It was some time before he realized that it was Nick Moncrieff, his new cellmate, who was clearly as fit as he was. What could a guy like him have done to end up behind bars, Danny wondered. He recalled the old prison rule that you never ask another con what he’s in for; always wait for him to volunteer the information himself.

  Danny glanced to his right to see a small group of black prisoners lying bare-chested on the grass, sunbathing as if they were on a package holiday in Spain. He and Beth had spent a fortnight last summer in Weston-super-Mare, where they made love for the first time. Bernie had come along too, and every evening he seemed to end up with a different girl, who had vanished by the light of day. Danny hadn’t looked at another woman since the day he had seen Beth at the garage.

  When Beth had told him she was pregnant, Danny had been surprised and delighted at the news. He’d even thought about suggesting going straight to the nearest register office and taking out a marriage licence. But he knew Beth wouldn’t hear of it, and neither would her mother. After all, they were both Roman Catholics, and therefore they must be married in St Mary’s, just as both of their parents had been. Father Michael would have expected nothing less.

  For the first time, Danny wondered if he should offer to break off the engagement. After all, no girl could be expected to wait for twenty-two years. He decided not to make a decision until after his appeal had been heard.

  Beth hadn’t stopped crying since the foreman had delivered the jury’s verdict. They didn’t even allow her to kiss Danny goodbye before he was taken down to the cells by two officers. Her mother tried to comfort her on the way home, but her father said nothing.

  ‘This nightmare will finally be over once the appeal is heard,’ her mother said.

  ‘Don’t count on it,’ said Mr Wilson, as he swung the car into Bacon Road.

  A klaxon proclaimed that the forty-five minutes set aside for Association was over. The prisoners were quickly herded back into their cells block by block.

  Big Al was already slumbering on his bunk by the time Danny walked back into the cell. Nick followed a moment later, the door slamming behind him. It wouldn’t be opened again until tea – another four hours.

  Danny climbed back on to the top bunk, while Nick returned to the plastic chair behind the formica table. He was just about to start writing again, when Danny asked, ‘What are you scribblin’?’

  ‘I keep a diary,’ replied Nick, ‘of everything that goes on while I’m in prison.’

  ‘Why would you want to be reminded of this dump?’

  ‘It whiles away the time. And as I want to be a teacher when I’m released, it’s important to keep my mind alert.’

  ‘Will they let you teach after you’ve done a stretch in ’ere?’ asked Danny.

  ‘You must have read about the teacher shortage?’ said Nick with a grin.

  ‘I don’t read a lot,’ admitted Danny.

  ‘Perhaps this is a good chance to start,’ said Nick, putting his pen down.

  ‘Can’t see the point,’ said Danny, ‘ ’specially if I’m going to be banged up in ’ere for the next twenty-two years.’

  ‘But at least you’d be able to read your solicitor’s letters, which would give you a better chance of preparing your defence when the case comes up for appeal.’

  ‘Ur yous ever gonnae stop talkin’?’ asked Big Al in a thick Glaswegian accent that Danny could barely translate.

  ‘Not much else to do,’ replied Nick with a laugh.

  Big Al sat up and removed a pouch of tobacco from a pocket in his jeans. ‘So whit you in fur, Cartwright?’ he asked, breaking one of prison’s golden rules.

  ‘Murder,’ said Danny. He paused. ‘But I was stitched up.’

  ‘Aye, that’s whit they aw say.’ Big Al took out a packet of cigarette papers from his other pocket, extracted one and laid a pinch of tobacco on top of it.

  ‘Maybe,’ said Danny, ‘but I still didn’t do it.’ He didn’t notice that Nick was writing down his every word. ‘What about you?’ he asked.

  ‘Me, I’m a fuckin’ bank robber,’ said Big Al, licking the edge of the paper. ‘Sometimes I pull it aff and get rich, other times I dinnae. The judge gied me fourteen years this fuckin’ time.’

  ‘So how long have you been banged up in Belmarsh?’ asked Danny.

  ‘Two years. They transferred me tae an open prison for a while, but I decided tae abscond, so they’ll no be takin’ that risk again. Huv yous no got a light?’

  ‘I don’t smoke,’ said Danny.

  ‘And neither do I, as you well know,’ added Nick, continuing to write his journal.

  ‘What a pair of numpties,’ said Big Al. ‘Noo I’ll no be able to huv a drag till efter tea.’

  ‘So you’ll never be moved out of Belmarsh?’ asked Danny in disbelief.

  ‘Not until mah release date,’ said Big Al. ‘Wance ye’ve absconded fae a cat D, they send you back tae a high-security nick. Cannae say I blame the fuckers. If they transferred me I’d only try it again.’ He placed the cigarette in his mouth. ‘Still, I’ve only got three years tae go,’ he said as he lay back down and turned to face the wall.

  ‘What about you?’ Danny asked Nick. ‘How much longer have you got?’

  ‘Two years, four months and eleven days. And y