Chapter 22

Trafalgar House Flats, Broadwater Farm, Tottenham.

Wednesday 17th August 2011; 6:15am.

 

DCI Trevor Griffiths was pleased with the way the operation had gone. Every member of the TH Crew was lined up, each one sitting on the concrete wall surrounding a long-derelict water feature. Some looked defiant and angry, others looked forlorn or scared. They were all restrained and armed police stood in front of them.

“No injuries reported, Griff. Plenty of goodies in the flats, though. We have drugs, firearms and some nice looted electrical goods from Curry’s in the High Street.” Sergeant Hollis showed no signs of fatigue, despite having been up all night planning the raid. “Oh, yeah. By the way, the radio is saying that the Assistant Commissioner is on her way over, now the area is secure, for a photo op.”

“They’ll turn the bloody place into a circus, man. See if you can slow them down a bit, eh? Good lad.” Griff didn’t need VIPs at the scene of the crime.

The boys and girls of the gang were sitting sullenly as they were being read their rights individually. A young DS from Hounslow had the task of formally arresting Pete Dockerill. The mothers of the gang members were huddled together in the early morning light, wearing coats and dressing gowns over their nightwear. Most looked resigned rather than concerned.

“Peter Dockerill,” The DS began. “I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Robbie Traylor.” He then read out a long list of other charges, and was reading him his rights when a big woman of West Indian descent broke from the crowd of mothers and stormed towards them.

“You monster, Peter Dockerill!” she screamed. “You murdered my Robbie!” Before the DS could react, she slapped Dockerill so hard across the face that it was a miracle his head wasn’t parted from his body. Dockerill reacted with a look of rage, and then he grinned as his own mother raced from the crowd and headed towards Robbie’s mother. Along with everyone else in the crowd, he saw a fight brewing.

Dockerill’s mother reached the sobbing Meg Traylor and saw her son’s amazement as she placed a gentle arm around Meg’s shaking shoulders.

“Leave him, Meg, he isn’t worth it. The boy is scum, like his daddy.” She then reached over and slapped the other side of her son’s face. The boy had tears in his eyes.

“Mum! What did you do that for? You need to come to the station to get me out!” he whined.

“Mum? You haven’t let me be your mum for so long now I don’t even recognise you. How could you shoot that sweet little boy? You’re going away for a long time, boy, and don’t think I’m going to be in any hurry to visit you. Your gang is your family now.” She turned away and led Meg Traylor back to her flat.

“I’m so sorry, Meg, I had no idea that any boy of mine could do such a wicked thing,” she whispered to her long time friend. The two mothers walked off towards the stairs, both victims of the Flats but in very different ways.

Pete Dockerill looked at his gang brothers but they wouldn’t meet his eyes. He knew then that they would sell him out for a lighter sentence. Dockerill knew that he wouldn’t see the outside of a prison for a long time. Maybe they would let him share a cell with his dad.

 

***

The Community leader made a rare foray into the Flats to appear beside Assistant Commissioner Penny Thomas for a brief press conference and photo opportunity. He was hissed at every time he spoke. The community in the flats seldom saw him, and when they did he was always flanked by community police officers. The man was a sell out. He didn’t represent the real tenants of the Flats and he didn’t help them either.

As the video lights glared and the cameras flashed, a man stood looking on at a distance. Despite the warmth of the morning sun he was dressed in a suit and tie with a Crombie overcoat and a silk scarf draped around his neck. It was still early for a businessman like himself, but he didn’t want to miss this moment. He looked at his driver and handed him an envelope.

“Here. Get this to Bob Radlett and tell him the Boss is grateful for his information and cooperation. I just want to hang around here for a while to look over our new kingdom.”