Read The Lottery Ticket for Free Online Page B

reasons why you should accept my offer. Firstly this unit is not in my name, it’s in yours and secondly I have to find buyers for these things as you are well aware”, Keith retorted.
    Roger had to weigh up the possibility of whether Keith was bluffing or not when he said the unit was in his name. For several seconds the room fell silent. Roger threw caution to the wind and demanded an offer of no less than £1200.
    Keith admired Roger’s spunk and eventually they settled for £1000 with the commitment that Keith would give Roger a good deal on the wines and spirits if he pulled it off. The lead for the warehouse job was a tip off from none other than the ‘fence’.
    The deal took no more than thirty minutes and once the money was passed over Roger got into his van and made the journey to Mick’s flat.
    As he took the smelly lift up to the flat he felt pleased with his negotiating skills even though he was bargaining with one hand tied behind his back so to speak. He also knew that Keith would get at least three times the amount he had paid him.
    He knocked on Mick’s door and was soon let inside. Yet again the place looked like a pig sty but he didn’t care as long as he didn’t have to live in it.
          “Get hold of the boys will you”, He asked Mick.
    With this command Mick went to the phone and rung Bert and Pete.
          “They won’t be long”, He informed. “How did you get on with the fence”?
    Roger told Mick to wait and he would tell them all what had happened at the meet. Mick guessed by the smile on Roger’s face that he had done well. It was just a matter of how well?
    Now, although only Roger knew who the ‘fence’ was none of the others did. Keith on the other hand knew the whole gang as he was the officer who gave evidence that put them all away. It was another reason why they had managed to avoid being caught so far. Although they were small time crooks Keith was happy with the arrangement as he was supplementing his salary from the force. It was also giving his forthcoming pension a necessary boost.
    After all he was fifty five now and would be unlikely to get promotion before he retired at sixty. He had been a detective sergeant for the past fourteen years and had been leap-frogged by younger officers over those years. He resented the nepotism that was rife in the local force but was wise enough not to show it.
    He was always in control of his different criminal gangs and he looked after the ones who caused him no bother. This was the case with Roger’s gang and the reason he had tipped them off about the warehouse job. Alternatively, those that did not tow the line would be soundly put in their place and if they continued to make trouble they would find themselves back in front of the magistrates. All the gangs were ex-prisoners and none of them knew any of the other gangs that Keith had dealings with. He insisted that only the gang leaders would know him and only they would bring the merchandise to him.
    The meeting between him and Roger had not gone as he would have liked. He was not in the habit of negotiating with the gang leaders. Whatever he offered he expected them to accept. Unbeknown to Roger the gang was on a warning and this meant only one thing in Keith’s eyes. Something would have to be done to bring them back in line.
    Whilst waiting for Bert and Pete, Roger downed a couple of glasses of whisky. The knock on the door came as he handed the empty glass to Mick for a refill. Roger was so pleased with himself that he felt like celebrating. Once he had let the others in Mick obliged Roger by refilling his glass. He thrust a can into the hands of Bert and Pete as they removed dirty clothes from the chairs around the table. Not knowing quite what to do with them they looked at each other and decided to drop them on the floor.
          “I think you will be pleased with the outcome of my meeting with the ‘fence’ this morning” Roger bragged as he smiled at