Hi all, this is a story for Emily who is my saviour now the computer has died :D Love you girlie, hope you enjoy this...okay so you've already read a lot of it...but I hope you'll enjoy the future chapters just as much xxxxxpip
"Assault at Whitegate Shopping Centre, can anyone deal?" The voice rang out through all the radios. Beth snatched up hers quickly as she and Diane had been without a call for well over an hour and she was beginning to get bored listening to daytime radio programmes. Once they'd been registered as the assigned unit Diane swung the car around and they drove back they way they'd just been.
Beth pulled her hat on as she followed Di into the shopping centre and towards one of the security guards who directed them to one of the upper floors. Out of breath, Beth paused at the top of the steps and looked around before she caught sight of the crowd outside one of the large clothes shops. Barging through the crowd, the two women began to diffuse the situation. Di dispersed the crowd as Beth bent down beside the victim who was hunched in on herself, several cuts to her face and arms, a few of which were bleeding quite heavily.
"It's okay, I'm a police officer." Beth said softly as the young girl flinched when she rested a hand on her shoulder. "We need to get those cuts looked at, an ambulance has been called but do you mind me asking a few questions now?" She continued as the girl sat up, her back against the glass of the shop and she shook her head. "Okay first thing can I have your name and address."
"Annie Marks and I live at…err…no. 64 Parker House on the Jasmine Allen Estate." She replied, hesitating slightly when asked for her address.
"No offence Annie but you don't seem too sure about where you live." Beth smiled and Annie too grinned.
"Yeah sorry 'bout that, we've just moved from the other side of London, I was just about ready to give you my old address but then I remembered we're on the Jasmine Allen instead!" Annie said raising her eyebrows slightly.
"Okay well thank you for that Annie, the paramedics are here to take you away now. PC Noble and myself will follow you in the area car, we'll take you down to the station after you've been checked over so you can answer our questions if that's okay with you?" Beth asked as she helped Annie to her feet.
Two hours later, Annie was well bandaged up and was sitting in the soft interview room with a cup of tea clutched in her hands. "Okay Annie, can you just tell me what happened." Beth said leaning forwards to pick up her own cuppa.
"I was in Whitegate with a few mates, we finished our shopping and they went home. I was on my way to pick up lunch for Mum and me when I felt someone grab my bag from behind. I turned and ducked but he was struggling against me and then I felt him tear my jacket sleeve and he was lashing out at me with this knife…like a kitchen knife and I just let him have the bag and he ran off. People started crowding round me and then somebody phoned you lot." Annie said, a lot more bravely than before.
"You're doing great Annie, now can you remember anything distinguishing about his features, what was he wearing…things like that?" She asked and Annie bit her lip.
"He was about oh I dunno, 5ft8 or so. He 'ad on a red hoody and blue jeans so I didn't see his 'air but I did get a look a 'is face he was quite good lookin' actually!" Annie remarked making Beth chuckle.
"Would you recognise him if you saw him again?" Beth asked and Annie nodded smiling at her. "Okay you've been a great help to us Annie, we'll be in touch if we get more leads." She added as they walked through into reception. "You're quite far from the Jasmine Allen now, can I call someone to come and pick you up? You're Mum…or Dad?" She asked and Annie stiffened.
"No…no I could do with the exercise." Annie said sharply and she avoided Beth's eyes, walking over to the main doors not paying attention to anything but the floor so she walked straight into Will who was coming in the other way.
"Watch it." He said irritably and Annie stood frozen to the spot.
"Dad?" Annie whispered and Will turned round eyeing her suspiciously. He shook his head and turned the corner and sped through one of the coded doors rolling his eyes as he thought how stupid some of the kids brought in were and how they just loved to latch onto you so you could bail them out in the future…still he'd never been called Dad before, that was one to add to his list.
Annie slammed the door shut behind her and kicked her trainers off in the pile by the hall cupboard. She wandered in her socks through into the kitchen and flipped the switch on the kettle as she banged about the mugs and bowls on the work surface. A few minutes later she skidded through into the living room, a mug in each hand and the bowl of biscuits in her mouth. Emma looked up from the sofa and smiled as Annie handed her a mug of tea and the bowl. "What did you get today?" She asked eyeing Annie's bags that had been left by the door.
"Oh that, I just got a few t-shirt from Primark and a pair of pumps from New Look." Annie said offhandedly as she stole one of the chocolate digestives from Emma's hand. "Sorry I'm late." She said through a mouthful of crumbs. "I got assaulted at the shopping centre, had to go down the Nick to make a statement." She added as Emma frowned disapprovingly at her.
"You sure it's not just a cover story for you getting in trouble with the police again Annie?" Emma said in a tired voice. They'd only lived on the Jasmine Allen for a few months and already Annie had been down the police station about as many times as she'd actually been to school!
"No Ma, I've been a good girl today, even stopped Chanice nickin' stuff from Boots. The security guard was watchin' us…it woulda been well stupid." She said as Emma gave her an amused look. "I've got homework to do." She added as she stood up, taking her mug with her. Emma snorted and Annie laughed as well. "Okay so I'm gonna go phone Nathan." She said, knowing she could never lie to her Mum.
"Tea's at six." Emma said softly and Annie turned half way down the hall.
"Yeah, yeah I'll put the pasta on soon." Annie said looking down at her watch and then to the back of her Mum's head as she'd already began to watch TV again. "Mum…you know like about Dad and stuff…you said he was a police officer well I think I saw him today." Annie said and she could see Emma prickle even from where she was standing.
"Your Dad doesn't want anything to do with the two of us, you'd better just get used to it." She said robotically, just uttering the same sentence that she'd been parroting to Annie for the past fourteen years. She knew know it had been a mistake coming back to Canley, Annie being Annie was bound to run into her Dad at some point.
"No I really did see him. He looks just the same as in his picture. He hasn't aged a bit, he's still a PC though!" She said wrinkling up her nose. "PC Will Marks." She added feeling a sense of pride warm her stomach at the same time Emma felt guilt stab at hers. "I want to see him." Annie said decisively and Emma shot to her feet.
"You will not go anywhere near the man Annie. He has a right to his own life. He has the right to have nothing to do with you. We manage just fine on our own." Emma protested loudly.
"Oh yeah, we live off benefits and you're depressed all the time. We've got a great life!" Annie screamed, losing all patience with her mother as she stormed off down the hall, hearing the front door slam a few seconds after her own bedroom door.
From her bedroom window Annie saw Emma run sobbing along the walkway and over towards the stairwell, the sobs shaking her small frame. Annie pressed her palm to the window, had she pushed her too far this time?
I tried to fight the feeling, the feeling took me down, Every day I fight these feelings,
I struggled and I lost the day you knocked me out,
Now everything's got meaning and meanings bring me down,
I'm watching as a screening of my life plays out.
For your sake I will hide the real thing,
You can run all your life, all mine I will chase...