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."Name and number?""I don't have to tell you nothin'.""You'll have to tell me your name if you want to take out a book, because otherwise I can't make out a library card.""Leach, 6241," he snarled.Danny made out a new library card.He hoped Leach hadn't noticed his hand was trembling."Sign on the bottom line."Leach put a cross on the place where Danny was pointing."You'll have to return the book within three days," Danny explained."Who do you think you are, a fuckin' screw? I'll bring it back when I feel like it."Danny watched as Leach grabbed the book and walked out of the library without saying another word.He was puzzled.If Leach couldn't sign his name.CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTCRAIG LEFT HIS black Porsche in the visitors' car park an hour before they were due to see Toby.He had already warned Gerald that it was almost as difficult to get into Belmarsh prison as it was to get out: an endless rat-run of barred gates, double-checking of credentials and thorough body searches, and that was before you even reached the reception area.Once they had given their names in at the desk, Craig and Payne were handed a numbered key and told to place any valuables, including watches, rings, necklaces and any notes or loose change, in a locker.If they wished to buy any items from the canteen on behalf of a prisoner, they had to hand over the correct amount of money in exchange for small plastic tokens marked £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, so that cash could not be passed to an inmate.Each visitor's name was called separately, and before being allowed to enter the secure area, they were subjected to a further search, on this occasion by an officer assisted by a sniffer dog."Numbers one and two," said a voice over the loudspeaker.Craig and Payne sat in a corner of the waiting room with only copies of Prison News and Lock and Key to help while away the time as they waited for their numbers to be called."Numbers seventeen and eighteen," said the voice some forty minutes later.Craig and Payne rose from their places and made their way through another set of barred gates to face an even more rigorous security search before they were allowed to enter the visits area, where they were told to take their seats in row G, numbers 11 and 12.Craig sat down on a green chair that was bolted to the floor, while Payne went off to the canteen to buy three cups of tea and a couple of Mars Bars in exchange for his prison tokens.When he rejoined Craig, he placed the tray on a table that was also bolted to the floor and sat down on another immovable seat."How much longer will we have to wait?" he asked."Some time yet, I suspect," replied Craig."The prisoners are only let in one by one and I expect they're being searched even more thoroughly than we were.""Don't look round," whispered Beth, "but Craig and Payne are sitting three or four rows behind you.They must be visiting someone."Danny began to shiver, but resisted looking around."It has to be Mortimer," he said."But they're too late.""Too late for what?" asked Beth.Danny took her hand."I can't say too much at the moment, but Alex will be able to brief you when you next see him.""It's Alex now, is it?" said Beth, smiling."So are you two on first-name terms?"Danny laughed."Only behind his back.""You're such a coward," said Beth."Mr.Redmayne always refers to you as Danny, and he even told me how pleased he was that you'd started shaving regularly, and grown your hair longer.He thinks it just might make a difference when it comes to the appeal.""How's the garage coming along?" asked Danny, changing the subject."Dad's slowing down a bit," said Beth."I wish I could convince him to give up smoking.He never stops coughing, but he won't listen to anything Mum or I have to say on the subject.""So who has he made manager?""Trevor Sutton.""Trevor Sutton? He couldn't run a whelk stall.""No one else seemed to want the job," said Beth."Then you'd better keep a close eye on the books," said Danny."Why? You don't think Trevor is on the fiddle?""No, but only because he can't add up.""But what can I do about it?" said Beth."Dad never confides in me, and frankly I'm pretty overworked myself at the moment.""Mr.Thomas driving you hard, is he?" asked Danny with a grin.Beth laughed."Mr.Thomas is a terrific boss, and you know it.Don't forget how kind he was during the trial.And he's just given me another pay rise.""I don't doubt he's a good chap," said Danny, "but—""A good chap?" laughed Beth."Blame Nick," said Danny, unconsciously running a hand through his hair."If you go on like this," said Beth, "you won't be able to mix with your old mates when you're released.""But you do realize," said Danny, ignoring her comment, "that Mr.Thomas fancies you.""You must be joking," said Beth."He always behaves like the perfect gentleman.""That doesn't stop him fancying you.""How does anyone ever manage to get drugs into a place as well protected as this?" asked Payne, looking up at the CCTV cameras and the prison officers on the balcony peering down at them through binoculars."The carriers are getting more and more sophisticated," said Craig."Children's nappies, wigs—some even put the gear in condoms and then stuff them up their backside, knowing not many officers enjoy searching around in there, while others even swallow the stuff, they're so desperate.""And if the packet breaks open inside them?""They can die a horrible death.I once had a client who could swallow a small packet of heroin, hold it in his throat, and then cough it up when he got back to his cell.You might consider that one hell of a risk, but imagine being on twelve pounds a week, when you can sell a packet like that for five hundred pounds—they obviously think it's worth it.The only reason why we were put through such a rigorous search is because of what Toby's in for.""If Toby takes much longer our time will be up before he even makes an appearance," said Payne, looking down at a cup of tea that had gone cold."Sorry to disturb you, sir." An officer was standing by Craig's side."I'm afraid Mortimer has been taken ill, and won't be able to join you this afternoon.""Bloody inconsiderate," said Craig as he rose from his place."The least he could have done was to let us know.Typical.""Bang up! Everyone back in your cells immediately, and I mean immediately!" bellowed a voice
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