Chapter 20

Christmas 1966.

Danny, now at 20 years old had definitely made his mind up that once he reached 21 years old, he would leave the Black country behind and move down to Devon to be near his Mum and Dad. He had not said anything to a soul as he was not sure how Mazza would take this news.

Then just before Christmas as a snowstorm swept across the country something happened that would change both Danny’s and Tom’s lives forever.

Danny had a fire roaring in the old wood stove in the workshop. It was a Saturday morning so due to the weather; trade was slow and he sat enjoying the fire while toasting a round of bread. Tom looked outside as the snow fell heavily covering the ground like a clean white blanket. Inside the workshop the wind as it was drifting the snow against the workshop door was also rattling the old tin roof sheets.

Tom commented, “This weather will fuck us up for going out tonight, son, what do you think?”

Danny agreed with him. Just then Mazza arrived together with Sean, who after knocking the snow off his jacket called out, “Top of the morning, to you both.”

Sean then picked up the piece of toast that Danny had just buttered and began to eat it.

“You are the cheekiest bastard that I know,” Tom called out while trying to grab this back but failing in his effort.

Mazza seemed quiet, just walking up and down the workshop. Suddenly he stopped, then instructed Sean to close the door, saying that he had something important to tell them.

All four of them sat each eating a buttered round of toast, as Tom exclaimed, “Is there anything better than this on a snowy day? I bloody love buttered toast.”

Sean looked at him shaking his head, “I tell you what Tom, you are easily pleased.”

Danny asked, “What did you want to tell us, Mazza?”

Mazza looked around the workshop as if to assure himself that they were not being observed before answering, “I have not involved either of you two boys in some of my other business, I know, but something big has come up and I, or rather we, need your help.”

Danny shook his head thinking back to what had recently happened at the ‘Station Hotel’ before he answered his friend, “Mazza I am grateful for what you have done for me, but I or we, because I know I speak for Tom as well, do not wish to be part of that side of the business.”

Mazza held up his hand. “Danny will you just hear me out? That is all I ask. Then if you two do not want to be involved, no more will be said, is that fair enough?

Tom interrupted his cousin by saying, “That sounds fair enough to me Mazza.”

Turning to his cousin he looked for his approval. As Danny nodded, Mazza continued,

“We have the chance to do one job, that is so big, that after doing this one, we need never to do another one again.”

Tom grinned. “What, like the Great train robbery?”

Mazza turned to face him. “You may laugh, Tom, so the answer is no, it is not as big as the Great Train robbery, but there would only be the four of us to share the cash. I am asking you two because I know you would never blab, and I can trust you both.”

“How big?” Danny asked.

Mazza took a deep breath, “I cannot be exact but bet-ween £150.000. and £250.000. according to the weather.”

Both Danny and Tom were lost for words until Danny finally asked, “When will this take place, assuming that is we take part.”

Mazza looking deadly serious answered, “Easter Saturday 1967, that is when. So, do you want to know more or not?”

Tom now thinking of the money said, “So, each of us would have an equal cut is that right, Mazza?”

Mazza nodded. “That is correct, Tom, minus a small amount for expenses, plus what I have to pay someone for the information that we need to set it up.”

Danny looked towards his cousin before once more answering, “Okay let us hear what your plan is then we will say yes, or no, fair enough Mazza?”

Mazza smiled knowing that he now had their full attention, “Fair enough Danny boy.”

He explained the job and the conditions that came with it. Everything he insisted must be done just as he would instruct them. “I have no wish,” he explained, “to visit prison again I can assure you.”

First the job. It is the takings from the Easter Friday and Saturday race meetings at Stafford racecourse. All the money from the Tote, plus the bars and entrance money is transported away at precisely five o clock on the Saturday evening after the last race, this being run at four thirty pm. This is then taken away by a company called ‘Chase Security’ in one van by the same route each time to a secure store in Lichfield, where it is always kept until the Banks open on Tuesday morning, Monday being a Bank holiday.

Tom now wide eyed asked, “So, you are going to hit the secure store over the weekend, is that the plan, Mazza?”

Mazza allowed himself a smile. “No Tom, we would need a Centurion Tank to get into that vault, we shall hit the van before it reaches the store.”

Just then there came a knock at the door followed by a head appearing around it that brought the meeting to an abrupt halt as a voice called out, “Hello, is anybody there? I was just wondering if my moped is ready. It’s bloody cold, hey it, you lot all look nice and warm though by that fire.”

Danny smiling looked towards the man, “Don’t worry, I will have your moped ready by Monday, Mr Moss.”

After looking at each of the four blank faces staring up at him, Mr Moss coughed and spoke, “Okay thanks son, I will be off then.”

“Yes, see you Monday.” Danny smiled as Mr Moss left.

Mazza shook his head. “You have a much better way with the customers than I have, son. I would have just told him to fuck off.”

Danny smiled, “You are good at what you do, and I am good at what I do, it’s as simple as that, Mazza.”

Mazza ordered Sean to make sure that Mr Moss had definitely gone before he continued once more to explain the plan.

“On the route the security van takes, there is a lane, which they have no option but to use. This is not long after they have left the racecourse. And this lane which is in a remote spot is also for one-way traffic. Two of us will be following the van when it turns into this lane. We then stop and pull out a ‘road closed’ barrier from behind a hedge where we will have left it previously. As the van continues the two of you will be blocking their way in front with a van, with false plates, I might add. One of the men in the van knows this will happen. We shall all of us at this point be wearing coveralls and masks.”

Mazza looked around wondering in his mind if they would come in with him, as everything was riding on this happening. He swallowed hard before he once more continued,

“We shall then fire a round from a shotgun into the front of the van’s radiator, the steam from this will then fill the cab. After which they will, believe me, soon unlock the rear doors. We then pick up the grey canvas bags that contain the money and put these into one of our motors.”

Looking at them once more he asked, “Any questions?”

Both Danny and Tom just shook their heads.

After which Mazza took a drink from his teacup, wiped his mouth on his sleeve and continued, “We then tie the two men up before making our way back here. Once here we empty the cash into a pit which we shall have dug under the inspection pit floor. The money will then stay there untouched for at least two months, and I will tell you all now, there is to be no deviation from this plan. The empty bags we then take by the car we shall use, which will not be traceable to us to be dumped in the Atlas pool. After this we pick up the Jag from a place where I will have left it and make our way to London to fix up our alibi. That is just in case we need one.”

After explaining this once more he asked, “Any questions?”

This time Danny was the first to speak by asking, “Do we have to use a gun, Mazza? It puts a lot on the prison sentence if God forbid, we are caught.”

Mazza turned to his friend. “I know you are worried about this, son, but yes, we must use a shooter. I know from the driver that the other guard is absolutely scared shitless of them. It is the one thing that will ensure he does what he is told and opens the rear doors. But before you ask even if he still refuses, Sean and I have devised a method if needed of opening the rear doors of a Morris J2, which is what type the van is, by knocking the hinge pin out with a centre punch and a hammer.”

Tom now piped up, “What about this alibi, how can we have one in London, when we are knocking off a van in Stafford?”

Mazza grinned, then looked to Sean, “Tell them Sean.’”

Sean proud to be asked, now took up the story. “Mazza here is a fucking genius, our alibi will be that we will that afternoon have been watching a football match in London.”

Both Danny and Tom looked perplexed as Sean continued, “Mazza will, beforehand, buy four tickets for a big football game in London, Arsenal v West Brom, it does not matter because we shall never be there. But later we shall be with some of the Albion’s supporters, when on their way home they stop at a pub on the A5 near Watford. We then make sure that the bar staff remember us. It takes just over two hours to reach Watford down the M1. We shall leave here in the stolen car no later than six thirty, then after swapping that on the way for the Jag, we will be with the supporters by eight thirty at the latest, job done.”

Silence prevailed until Mazza at last spoke once more, “Well, my bonny boys that is the job. I have left nothing out so are you in or are you out? Because I will tell you this, it is a once in a lifetime chance and if you say ‘no’ Sean and I will forget it, because this can only work if it is the four of us that pull it off, no one else.”

Danny looked towards his cousin knowing he also would now be thinking of what they had discussed before about not wanting to be part of Mazza’s criminal scams, but this was different. This could give them both the start to do something in their life that would never be possible as it was now.

Tom now mouthed the word “Yes” to his cousin.

Danny also just could not say ‘no’.

So, after standing up he grasped Mazza’s hand saying, “We are both in, son, though I do not mind admitting, I am scared to fucking death at the thought of it.”