Bang Up: Prison walls don't just keep criminals in, the keep the outside world at bay Read Free Page B

ten pound note. Rachel snapped it out of her grip and rubbed her palms together rapidly. “Lovely jubbly, we can get home now then. I thought we would have to jib on the bus. It’s shit being skint all the time, it does my head in.”
    Sarah looked her up and down and couldn’t believe she was serious regarding sneaking on the bus. Was this woman for real? She acted like she was still a teenager; she had no respect, few morals. Manchester city centre was busy today and the shoppers were out in full force. As Rachel walked past the shop windows she stopped and licked her lips slowly.  She was edgy and taking one step forward and one step back, hesitating. “Just hang on here for me, chick. I won’t be long. I’ve just got to do something. Stand at the bus stop over there and wait for me. Get under the shelter and stay out of the rain. You’ll get piss wet through otherwise.” Sarah was just about to say something but it was too late, Rachel had gone.
    As she walked into the store, Rachel clocked the security guard to the left of her, she had an eye for detail when she was grafting. A big guy he was, a porker. Just there for show really. He would never have caught her if it came to a chase. She would have dusted him if it came on top. Pulling her coat up over her long thin neck, she headed up the escalator to the women’s department. This was going to be a hard graft. She had no bags with her, no other way of concealing anything she stole. Yes, she could shove it in her coat but that was so on top and not the way she worked. It was back to basics. Rachel liked working alone, she was straight in and out of any store she shoplifted. She was fast and very rarely got spotted. It was all about being confident and in her day Rachel had more of that than anyone, she was a barefaced criminal. Walking over to a pile of jeans, she quickly picked up five pairs and casually walked around the store holding them in her hand. There wasn’t a second to spare, she had to be quick. Wasting time would bring attention on her, raise doubts that she was up to no good. Rachel entered a changing room with haste.
    The assistant stood smiling at her and looked her up and down. She wasn’t the usual type of customer she was used to and she approached her with caution. “How many items are you trying on Miss?”
    Rachel kept her cool and made sure there was no way the young girl could see how many garments she was carrying. “Just two chick, which changing room is free?” Rachel wasn’t hanging about, she headed straight into the changing room before the woman got a chance to check what she was holding. Rachel sat inside the changing rooms and pulled the alarms from three pair of jeans. She always had the tool to get the alarm off on her, she never went anywhere without it. The alarms were yanked off in seconds. Rachel quickly grabbed a price tag and smirked at it. She could get twenty pound a pair for these jeans all day long. Half price was what she charged for most of the goods, it was the going rate and very few people ever moaned about the price. People loved a bargain and even the rich were always willing to get stuff on the cheap. She had a few buyers already who bought in bulk and she rarely struggled to sell her knocked off gear.
    Lifting her head up, Rachel clocked her reflection in the long mirror in front of her. Slowly she stroked underneath her eye with the tip of her finger and pulled at the baggy skin. She’d aged so much over the last few years and any good looks she once had were long gone. She was haggard. Her once pearly white teeth had crumbled away and all that was left were brown stumps, decayed teeth and stale breath. Rachel scooped her thin greasy hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ears trying to smarten herself up. Staring at her reflection, her heart sank. What on earth had happened to her? She’d let herself go big time. Rachel gnawed at the end of her thumb. This was no time to be having regrets