Chapter 16

Gang War.

About this time a new problem suddenly occurred, when one Friday evening Danny together with Tom rode into Birmingham to a small pub off the Stratford Road called the ‘Forge’. There they met a guy named Jake who regularly supplied them with various motorcycle parts. They knew most of these came from the B.S.A. motorcycle factory but they never asked whom he obtained these from. This arrangement had worked successfully for over a year, with Danny giving Jake a list of the parts they need on a Friday night, after which Jake would ring to say when he had the parts ready. These, they would then pick up in their old van after paying him in cash.

After getting three pints at the bar the two of them sat at Jake’s table to give him the latest list of parts they wanted. After looking at the list, Jake looked a little embarrassed then shook his head before informing them that he was sorry, but he would not in future be able to continue with their arrangement.

Danny looked at Tom who, having just taken the first sip of his beer the top of which now flew across the table, spluttered, “You, what the fuck is going on here?”

Danny stared at Jake, who as he looked down at the table was unable to look the boys in the eyes. Danny still not understanding his change of heart asked, “Have we not always paid you on the dot?”

Jake by now looking very uncomfortable, nodded. “It is not up to me boys. I have been instructed that if I do not sell all my parts to them, my life will not be worth living.”

Danny looked worried as he asked the question, “Them, who the fuck is them?”

Sweat ran down Jake’s face. He rubbed his eyes clear of this as he looked around the room furtively before answering, “Abe Corbet, that is who.”

Danny ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to remember where he had heard that name before. He seemed to recall Mazza had mentioned someone of that name but in what context he could not remember. “So, what does this Abe Corbet want with your parts?”

Jake was by now, they could see, very frightened and although he was angry, Danny did not lose his temper, but instead tried talking softly to Jake to find out more about this guy called Abe Corbet. “Jake, we have, I like to think, become friends as well as doing business together, so tell me why you are so reluctant to continue.”

Jake now looked around him as he answered, “Danny, you do not know what this guy is capable of, believe me he is an animal. He runs all the crime in this part of the city from here across to Aston and Witton. Club staff, pawn shops to move dodgy gear, everything and now motorcycle parts, especially the parts I get from the B.S.A. factory.”

These were the very parts that Mazza treasured, parts that Jake got via some workers at the factory who might chip a small piece off, for example, an alloy head. This was then consigned to the scrap bin, after which the workers would bring these to sell to Jake for cash.

As they talked Danny now learned more from Jake about Abe Corbet. It seemed that he was the result of a wartime romance between his mother and an American G.I. who having made her pregnant got himself killed on the 6th of June 1944 on Utah beach in Normandy.

After this his mother never married again, but thereafter had devoted her life to Abe, while living in just a small, terraced house in Aston that stood in the shadow of the giant Kynoch ammunition plant, this now being part of the Imperial Metal Industries Ltd group. Indeed, he still lived with his mother, whom he idolised, in the same small street.

He also learned that Abe ran his criminal empire from a small pub near there called, ‘The Well Head’.

Seeing no more could be achieved here in talking to Jake, Danny decided the best move was to reassure Jake that they would somehow resolve the issue with Mr Abe Corbet himself.

To which his answer was, “Fucking good luck with that, son.”

Later that day when they reported all that had happened to Mazza and Sean, whose tempers were such, that after telling them they stood well back until they considered it was safe to enquire what if anything they could do to rectify the situation. Mazza revealed that he had indeed heard of this guy called Abe Corbet but did not know much more than that he was a crime Boss from Birmingham.

Mazza worked out how much in monetary terms not being able to supply these motorcycle parts to their customers was going to cost them. He then asked Danny if he thought a meeting with this guy might be to their advantage. Danny informed him that from what Jake had said he did not hold out too much hope that this would work, but with nothing to lose and everything to gain they decided to give it a go.

Friday evening came as Mazza with both Danny and Sean in attendance decided to pay Abe Corbet a visit at the ‘Well Head’ pub. This, they found to be a typical small city pub, the interior of which when they entered was thick with cigarette smoke. The three of them moved to the bar area where Danny ordered three pints of M & B bitter. Looking around the room they could see it was quite full of customers, some of whom looked as if they had just left work and were having a pint on their way home. However in one corner there sat a group of men, all who looked to be smartly dressed and in their twenties, these they guessed were the guys they needed to speak to.

The barman was wiping the copper bar top with a cloth, so Mazza leaned across and quietly asked him if Abe Corbet was by any chance around. Without saying a single word, the barman indicated with his eyes that the group they had noticed in the corner did include the man himself. Much to Danny’s relief Mazza instructed him to stay where he was at the bar, while Sean and he would approach their table. As the two of them reached the little group all conversation at the table stopped as four pairs of eyes suddenly looked up at them.

Mazza after looking back at each of them asked, “Am I correct in assuming that one of you gentlemen is a Mr Abe Corbet?”

A thin guy, with a crew cut, took the cigarette from his mouth and answered with just one word, “Why?”

Looking directly at the same guy Mazza answered, “Because I wish to have a polite word with him, if indeed he is here.”

But before the one with the crew cut could reply, a tall guy with blonde hair and blue eyes that looked as hard as flint answered, “I am Abe Corbet, but who is it that am I talking to?”

Mazza politely said, “Mr Ray Mazzon.”

Mazza held out his hand towards Lee. For just a minute nothing happened as Abe’s men looked to their boss not knowing what if anything he was about to do. They looked more at ease when a smile appeared on his face as he leaned forward to hold out his hand saying, “So, now I know your name, which I have, by the way, heard of. But I still do not know what if anything I can do for you.”

Mazza and Sean were invited to sit down at the table, where after setting their beer down in front of them Mazza continued, “There is just one thing that you could do for me, Abe, that I would be most grateful for.”

Looking directly at Mazza with his pale blue eyes, Abe held out his hands in a gesture indicating that Mazza should continue.

“Motorcycle parts or to be more precise the parts that on your instruction, Jake from the ‘Forge Inn’ is or so it seems reluctant now to sell to us.”

Abe leaned back in his chair and after looking casually around the table at his friends he shook his head. “Sorry my friend, but I cannot do what you ask, because this is part of a new venture for me that I think will be quite lucrative, and I am keen to get it started. And as the source of this operation is right here in Brum, I think I have the right to acquire it.”

He lit up a cigarette before continuing, “Let me put it another way, if I came to Walsall and took away a part of your little operation, you would not be happy I am sure, but I don’t do this because I believe that what you do in your area is your business and what I do in Birmingham is my business, simple as that.”

The room seemed to go quiet as if a stalemate had been reached, which in a way it had, but to take something away from Mazza that he wanted was the same as trying to take a bone off a starving Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Mazza, realising they were getting nowhere in a hurry now stood up, then looking once more at Abe Corbet said, “I am sorry you feel this way Abe, a turf war will not do any of us any good, so think on what I have asked, after all it is not much to ask. So, let us say, give it a week for you to reconsider. I will send one of my boys over, in one week, to get your answer.”

No more was said by either side as the three of them left the pub, then climbed into a white Jaguar to drive the 10 miles back to Walsall.

One week later, Mazza sent his cousin Tony, who at 6ft tall and the head doorman of the ‘Water Splash’ night club, was himself quite a scary guy, to get Abe’s answer. When he returned though it was not the answer Mazza had hoped for. The reply consisted of just one word, “No.”

The four of them Mazza, Sean together with Danny and Tom, held what might be called a council of war after hearing Abe Corbet’s reply. Sean with Mazza’s approval was all for taking a few of his heavies across to Brum and trashing Abe’s pub the ‘Well Head’. Danny meanwhile pointed out that all that would achieve would be to invite them to retaliate, costing maybe hundreds of pounds in damage.

Sean shook his head before sarcastically asking, “So, what do you recommend then Mr Brainbox?”

Danny ignored his friend’s sarcasm as he suggested, “I think we should take; shall we say? - a softer approach by finding out first if Abe Corbet has an ‘Achilles’ Heel’ for instance.”

Sean shaking his head as he looked towards Mazza asked, “A fucking ‘Achilles’ Heel’? What the fuck are you going on about Danny?”

Mazza though held up his hand to stop Sean from arguing further, knowing that in the past Danny had more than once come up with a solution to a tricky problem, and this was indeed just such a problem. He looked towards Danny to hear what if anything he had in mind.

Danny brought something to their attention by saying, “Abe seems to be very close to his mother, so let us maybe put a little pressure on him via her.”

Once more Sean scoffed at this. “So, what do you suggest, we kidnap his mother, then tell him if he does not agree to our terms, we slit her throat?”

Tom entered the discussion for the first time telling Sean, “You are watching ‘Z Cars’ on telly too much Sean, why don’t you let Danny finish, unless, that is, you have a better idea.”

After this Sean sulked as he lit yet another cigarette and nodded at his friends to indicate they should carry on without his input.

Mazza now taking charge of the discussion asked Danny what, if anything, he had in mind that they might do.

Danny, having thought about the problem for a few minutes, informed them, ‘I do have the outline of a plan in my mind that might just ruffle Abe Corbet’s feathers a little. Have you noticed in the city phone boxes, those cards stuck on the inside walls containing photos of prostitutes with phone numbers so someone can contact them?’

The three others listening to this, all nodded their heads, but still looked perplexed as to where it was leading. Mazza knowing how in the past Danny had been quite devious in some of his dealings, was confident that his friend had maybe thought of an idea to solve their problem. Now he asked him, ‘Okay I get that Danny, but I am still at a loss to see where you are going with this.’

Knowing he had their full attention Danny now outlined his plan in more detail.

“If we obtained a photo of Abe Corbet’s Mum, then get your friend, you know the guy who does your fake I.D.s at that photo lab in Walsall, to run us off say 100 copies with his mum’s face superimposed on a sexy photo, and her phone number on them. We then place these in a hundred phone boxes around Birmingham. After our doing this what do you think Mr Corbet would do?”

His three friends burst out laughing, all agreed that Abe Corbet would go ballistic.

After agreeing to his idea, they now planned firstly how to obtain a photo of the lady in question, then secondly who would distribute the photos around the city. Mazza though solved the second problem right away by announcing, “Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.”

Now it should be explained that this dubious nick name was given to twin brothers named Dez and Jez Cleg, who had always hung around the fringe of Mazza’s gang wanting to be one of the main players, but they were so dumb that they were only ever used for very minor jobs. But this, Mazza thought would be right up their street so to speak. They both rode around on a little Honda 50cc bike, always arguing who should ride and who should be pillion. Both were short in stature with ginger hair, but their most noticeable feature was their faces, which were as wrinkled as a road map and so red in colour that they looked like the sun rising at dawn on a summer’s morning.

The task of obtaining a photo of Abe’s mother fell to Sean, who after following Mrs Corbet to where she did her shopping one morning, did with his gift of the gab politely ask her if he could take her picture as part of his studies at art school. She was only too happy to oblige giving him her best smile.

So now armed with the cards showing Mrs Corbet with her face superimposed on a scantily dressed woman complete with a sexy message and her phone number, the boys could proceed with the first part of their plan. ‘Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum’ were so pleased to be asked to help, after which they rode happily off on their little Honda to place these photos in phone boxes all around Birmingham. Stopping for a quick drink at the ‘Well Head’ pub they then cheekily placed one on the pub’s notice board. After this part of the plan was completed, the gang sat back to see what if anything Abe Corbet would do.

That same evening Abe Corbet was as usual sat in the ‘Well Head’ bar surrounded by his gang of cronies, when suddenly a customer came over to his table and whispered something in his ear.

Abe jumped up knocking the drinks on the table flying across the floor in the process. His friends all looked alarmed wondering what had caused his change of mood as he rushed across to the pub notice board. He stood for just a moment staring at the photo of his mum, then tore this off the board before rushing back to his table, where all his friends sat staring at him not knowing what if anything to do.

Abe now looked around the table at each of his friends, then holding the photo in the air he exclaimed, “Look at this filthy object, just look at it.”

He waved the picture of his mother in front of their eyes, but his friends could not clearly see what was offending him so much, because he still waved it around.

He then banged his fist on to the table sending the remaining glass that stood there flying. “I shall personally kill the bastard that has done this to my mother.”

The penny then finally dropped but knowing how much Abe idolised his mother they held back saying nothing. Things became even worse as Mrs Lock, his mum’s neighbour came into the bar complete with a head full of curlers to inform him that his Mum was at home crying, because she informed her of some dirty phone call that she had just had.

Later that evening after his volcanic temper had abated somewhat, Abe discussed with his friends who they thought could have instigated this vile attack on his mother’s good name.

His friend, with the crew cut, suggested that it may be a rival Irish gang from ‘Small Heath’, but although they had clashed in the past over who ran certain areas of Birmingham, nothing Abe thought that they had done lately would have warranted this kind of response.

After no one had spoken for a while, Abe’s other friend suddenly called out, “It’s those bastards from Walsall, you know, the ones who came to see you about the Motorcycle parts.”

Abe though still unconvinced shook his head, until that is another of his group now recalled seeing a strange looking bloke with a strong Black country accent in the pub earlier, who could easily have placed the card found on the pub’s notice board, then slipped away with no one noticing. Abe’s brain now went into overdrive as he came up with the idea that they should drive to Walsall to observe Mazza’s base, then if the strange looking guy could be seen hanging around there, they would then know that Mazza was behind it all.

It was late in the evening before Abe and his crew finally after driving to Walsall and asking around found out where Mazza hung out. The four of them now sat in Abe’s dark blue Ford Zephyr parked to the rear of the ‘Horse & Jockey’ a pub in Walsall Wood where they had earlier observed Mazza with three of his friends enter, but so far there had been no sign of the strange guy they sought. It was only one hour from closing time and still there had been no sign of him. They were by now considering having to give up, when suddenly a little red Honda 50 with two men on board pulled up parking next to the entrance. When both the men removed their crash helmets Abe’s friend suddenly called out, “Fuck me that is him but look there are two of the bastards.”

They all could now see that the two blokes were indeed identical twins, even to them both wearing the same clothes. Abe lowered himself in his seat saying as he did so, “So now we know for sure who is behind it, so come on let’s not hang around here. I have to plan my revenge on these twats.”

With the score now at one nil in Mazza’s favour, Abe’s retaliation was not long in coming as one morning the following week when arriving to open up the workshop, Danny suddenly noticed the paint on the workshop doors was sticky and peeling. Looking around him he now to his horror saw Mazza’s Jaguar that was parked adjacent to the workshop was no longer gleaming white in colour, but great streaks of bare metal was now showing across its once pristine paintwork. Danny knew at once what this was. Someone had poured an industrial paint stripper over the workshop doors and the Jaguar.

On seeing this Mazza did not need telling who the culprit was and knew that war had now been declared between the two gangs. They tried pouring gallons of water over the doors of the workshop and the Jag, trying to salvage something, but all it achieved was to stop the acid content of the stripper burning them when they touched its surface. They then sat down to discuss what if anything they should now do. Sean was all for finding some other brutal way of payback. But that would in turn, Danny now pointed out, leave Abe with the only option but to return this in kind. So, he then asked them where they thought this would all end and who if anyone would be the winner?

Mazza who now began to see the sense in what Danny had said, asked his friend what if anything he could suggest they do.

After deliberating for a while Danny looked at Mazza indicating that he might not like what he was about to say, but to him it seemed the only solution. “I think we should call this feud a draw, to carry on with it will only cost us both money that neither gang can afford.

So, I suggest one of us meet with Abe to point out the futility of carrying on this vendetta, after which why not offer to buy the parts that he now gets from Jake, if he would give us some sort of discount. This way he makes money without having to find any customers, as we will be buying all the parts in bulk that come out of the B.S.A. plant.”

Sean was not in favour of this, pointing out that it would in his opinion make them look weak, but Mazza and Tom thought it worth considering, although they did not volunteer to be the person who would have to approach Abe Corbet with this offer.

After much deliberation among the four of them the dubious honour of carrying out this task fell to Danny, with his cousin Tom to accompany him as back up. Mazza chose Danny because of his previous display of verbal talent in helping solve Bill Hedge the bookie’s problem, him being another Brummie of dubious character. So, after contacting Abe Corbet via Jake the parts man, a meeting was finally agreed to, where Abe consented to at least listen to Mazza’s proposal put to him by Danny.

The meeting was arranged to be held in the snug of the ‘Old Crown & Cushion’ a pub situated in ‘Perry Barr’ about 1 mile from Abe’s home turf in ‘Aston’. As Danny and Tom entered the pub’s snug, they found it empty except for Abe and just two of his friends. Abe indicated that they should sit down and get right on with what, if anything they had to offer. No drinks were offered to them so Danny after sitting down thought it best to just try to appease Abe. “Firstly, can I please apologise for the upset those cards must have caused to both you and your dear mother.”

Abe spluttered, “Upset?”

Then looking at Danny as if he was only saying this to torment him further said, “There is not a word that I can think of to explain what you did to us; I will have you know that my mother has not left the house since those vile pictures appeared.”

After taking a deep breath Danny once more attempted to defuse the situation. “That whole idea was due to one of our crew advising Mazza that he could sort out his problem with you, after which Mazza in all innocence, just told him to get on with it. But not knowing until after the event, exactly what the guy had gone ahead and done. Later after he found out may I add, to Mazza’s disgust that someone should be so depraved as to think up such a vile idea.”

He now looked towards his cousin Tom, who nodded in agreement before adding himself, “I can also tell you Abe that the pervert has now been punished for soiling our gang’s good name by carrying out such a vile thing without Mazza’s approval, so may we now please tell you what we would like to offer to, shall we say put all this bad feeling behind us.”

Having let Tom finish speaking Danny now just sat waiting for Abe to reply.

Abe though said nothing, he just turned to look at Danny, who was at this point pleasantly surprised by his cousin joining in on the conversation. Danny once more took over the proceedings by telling Abe that, although the damage to both his Jaguar and the workshop was quite extensive and had cost a substantial amount of money to rectify, Mazza wanted to draw a line in the sand, so to speak. He then went on to explain what they would like to do in respect of the bike parts, after which if Abe agreed, he informed him that Mazza himself would personally call on his mother to give her an apology for this dreadful misunderstanding.

Abe scratched his head indicating that he was clearly surprised by what they had offered.

Danny once more on seeing Abe’s hesitation stood up adding, “We do not expect you to make up your mind right here and now, so I suggest that to give you some time to think this over, shall we say one week before we return for your answer.”

Abe seemed somewhat relieved to be given time to think on this, so he just nodded his head and looking up at them both said, “Yes, okay one week.”

On leaving the pub the pair of them were both relieved to have not only managed to get their point over, but that they had then managed to walk out in one piece afterwards.

Mazza was pleased when they reported back on how the meeting had gone, the only thing he was not keen on was Danny’s idea of him having to apologise in person to Abe’s mother.

He was both relieved and pleased even more when one week later, Abe answered that he would indeed accept the terms, also adding to Mazza’s relief that it would not be necessary for him to apologise to his mother in person.

Soon after this latest incident the amount of time Danny spent with Mazza caused Linda his girlfriend to finally become fed up with playing second fiddle to him, so she finished with Danny. Only for him to find out a few days later that she was now seeing his friend Rabbi.

Danny was sad and missed her, but not for too long. He had earlier that year visited his Mum and Dad in Devon, and while visiting there the weather had been good, so he saw Devon at its best. He was very impressed with the place, so much so that when he came home, the Black country seemed somewhat scruffy compared to Devon. In his mind he thought that sometime soon he would move to Devon to make a new start, as in the last two years he had been to four of his friend’s funerals, all killed on their bikes. Sometimes being in a motorcycle gang, it felt like playing spin the bottle, so that one time it would eventually stop and be pointing at you.