Read The Lottery Ticket for Free Online Page A

it.
    As she left the children at Nan’s and biked to her first client she thought some more about the picnic idea. They could take it to the ‘Rec’ and perhaps play ball or something. Not having the money to take the girls further a field the least she could do was to make a day of it away from the house and it would be nice for Julie to invite her friend.
          “Yes, we will go on a picnic outing”, she said to herself as she set about her work.
    ------ x ------
    Thursday morning at 8 o’clock Roger busied himself getting himself ready to meet his ‘fence’. He had no doubt that what he had to offer was worth more than the stuff he had handed over last time.
    He drove over to the lockup and met Mick there with the keys. With little said between then they filled the van with the contents of the sacks from the Tuesday nights haul and Roger made his way to the meeting point for the swap.
    The time Roger spent in prison had completely washed away any feelings towards another living soul. Even his family, try as they might, could not release any kind of emotion from him. The fact that he had robbed one of his daughter’s friends meant nothing to him.
    The factory unit Roger drove up to was a drive in one. The blue Audi A6 stood to the side of the unit with the driver sitting inside. When he saw the van heading for the unit he recognised its driver and began to open the door. He had to be careful not to be seen with a known ex-con.
    He opened the shutter doors and beckoned the van in to the open space.
    In one corner of the unit was a small office by the side of this was a wide table. At the back of the unit were a number of wooden crates. Roger had been here before many times and he didn’t need to guess what these contained, for this was some of his handy work.
    Roger also knew that he was not the only one that the ‘fence’ dealt with and that he drove a hard bargain with them all.
    As he emptied the van of his spoils he laid them on the table. He stood back as the other man inspected the items one by one.
          “This is your best haul so far”, commented the ‘fence’.
          “I thought you might be pleased”, replied Roger as he eyed the jewellery for the first time.
          “Come into the office Roger and we’ll settle up”, said the ‘fence’ as he walked across the floor towards the office with Roger close on his heels.
    The office as he called it consisted of a small table with a chair either side. It was obvious which chair Roger would be sitting in, it was the hard plastic one you often have to sit on in the doctor’s waiting room. The ‘fence’ slumped into the heavily padded chair that you would expect Lord Sugar to sit on in his boardroom.
    This was not the environment for small talk or chit-chat. This was where the deals were struck and the goods changed hands for cash. These two men had one purpose in mind, to do the necessary negotiations and quickly leave.
    The opening gambit from the fence’ was for £500 for the lot. This was more than the gang had ever been offered before even with larger items.
          “You and I know that that lot out there is worth much more than that Keith”, Roger said, replying to the initial offer.
    This was the first time the ‘fence’ had been named and he was not best pleased.
          “I warn you, don’t call me by name ever again”, the ‘fence’ reprimanded Roger.
    His concern was that no one would overhear his name mentioned even though they were out of earshot of anyone else. He was a great believer in the saying that ‘walls have ears’.
    Getting back to the negotiations he offered Roger a further £250. Although Roger was tempted he held out for more.
           “That stuff has got to be worth at least £1500”, he suggested.
           “Look, you know I could shop you anytime for what you do and who would they believe, me a detective sergeant or you an ex-con and besides there are two other