Chapter Three: A Friend In Need
"Something has you in a good mood today."
Hazel Byrne, one of the other waitresses at Tony's Cafe paused in her
evaluation
of an order to examine the expression on Sheila's face, a thoughtful
look
on her own. "You're actually smiling, with five hours left of your
shift
to go - what gives?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sheila responded with a grin.
"Wonder where she got to last night." Emma Royce, the other
waitress
on that shift put in snidely from across the room. "If you don't know
where
she gets that expression from yet, Hazel, you need to grow up some!"
"Actually, Emma, you're the one who needs to grow up. Not all
of us
spend our whole lives chasin' after no good blokes." Sheila shrugged.
"I
got me sax, is all."
"You gonna give us a concert, then?" Hazel demanded. Sheila laughed.
"I've had it ten minutes!" she protested. "Not likely. At the moment me
dumb
folks don't even know about it!"
"Where'd you get it?" Emma demanded. "I presume you did buy it..."
"Course, love. I saved up me pay." Sheila responded. "I ain't rising to
you
today, neither...I'm in too much of a good mood to bother. And where?
The
music shop in town...I can't wait for my free day so I can play it
properly!"
"I can't wait for my free day, period." Hazel groaned. "I've such a
headache
from the stupid flickering lights behind the bar...roll on Sunday!"
"I'm working this Sunday." Emma grimaced, then, "Ooh, looks like we got
ourselves
some action!" As something in the doorway caught her attention.
"What?" Sheila turned, then pulled a face. "Cops...what they doin'
here?
Off duty?"
"Probably gonna decide that this whole cafe is a cover for some big
international
spy ring." Hazel giggled. "Come on. We oughta get working before they
arrest
us for nappin' on the job."
"They can arrest me any day." Emma remarked. "That one with the dark
hair
is cute..."
"Come on, you flirt." Hazel laughed. "Mr Randall ain't gonna be in any
sweet
mood if we just stand here and gawk at them, and though Sheila might
get
away with murder, I wanna keep this job."
"I don't! He scolds me as much as anyone!" Sheila protested.
"Yeah, but you ain't been fired for insubordination yet." Hazel
reminded her.
"And I know that if I dared mention his baldin' I'd be outta here in a
flash.
He's sweet on you, Sheila."
"Nah." Sheila snorted. "Not 'im."
"Reckon if we offered service with a smile those cops would tip us
good?
I could do with the extra cash." Emma wondered. Sheila laughed.
"Emma, love, the kind of service you'd like to do they'd arrest you
for!"
"Shut up." Emma retorted, though there was a smile on her face. "At
least
I do date...when was the last time you had a guy?"
"Like it matters." Sheila was scornful. "But I ain't into
'relationships'." She made imaginary quote marks in the air to
illustrate her point. "I've been
out with blokes for a drink or darts or whatever, but I'm not into all
that
mushy stuff like you are. Waste of my time."
"Heartless, that's your trouble, Sheila." Hazel teased her. "No sense
of
romance."
"Nope, not me." Sheila agreed cheerfully. "Men are only good for one
thing...well,
two if you count money..."
"You're terrible." Emma told her. Then, "Hey! They're talking to Mr
Randall...think
they're gonna arrest him?"
"What could he have done? He's soft as anything." Hazel protested.
"C'mon.
We gotta stop dawdling...people are startin' to send us bad looks."
"All right, already." Sheila retorted. "'Ere, you take table seven, and
I'll
see to cleanin' up table four. Okay?"
As the girls headed their separate ways to do their various chores,
Sheila
became aware that she was the focus of some attention, and glancing up
she
saw with both surprise and trepidation that the two policemen who had
been
talking to Mr Randall were now heading her way, the boss in tow.
Inwardly
she began recounting her deeds over the last few nights, but could come
up
with nothing that she had done to invoke such serious expressions from
the
law.
"I've been a good girl, really." she told herself. "So what the 'eck
this
is about I don't know."
"Sheila, can we have a word?" Mr Randall's voice was unusually sombre,
and
Sheila nodded, slipping her most composed act into place and stepping
away
from the table.
"A word? Sure. No problem. What about?" she asked.
"You are Sheila Burns?" One of the officers asked. Sheila nodded again.
"Yeah, that's me. So what?"
"Miss Burns, last night we made an arrest - I believe you have a
brother named
Jeremy?"
"Yes...Oh, what's he done now?" Sheila raised an eyebrow. "Double
parked or
somethin'?"
"Miss Burns, this isn't a joke. Your brother has been arrested on a
charge
of armed robbery, and has named you among his accomplices." The other
officer
clearly did not find the matter at all light-hearted.
"What?" Now Sheila paled, her composure sliding away as the horror of
the
man's words dawned on her. "He what? But...but that's impossible! He wouldn't...and
I...I didn't..."
"Sheila, I think it's best you go with them now and clear things up."
Mr
Randall intervened. "I believe you, if you say you didn't do it, but
these
things must be taken care of properly."
"But..."
"Miss Burns, we have no choice...we have a warrant for your arrest."
The
first officer intervened. "It would be as well for you if you did as
your
supervisor suggests and come with us. If there is a mistake it can be
cleared
up more easily at the station."
"I...I guess I don't have a choice, neither." Sheila sighed heavily,
though
inwardly fear had gripped her young heart. "When I get me 'ands on you,
Jeremy
Burns, I'll make you wish you'd never been born! Okay, I'm comin'. You
don't
need to cuff me, I ain't resisting."
Aware all eyes were on her, she sauntered out of the cafe as
nonchalantly as she could muster beneath the terror welling up in her
soul. She had been
raised with a deep-rooted mistrust of policemen and had always loathed
being
locked in...no matter how hard she tried to quell the panic, it was
with
great difficulty that she maintained any kind of composure. Jeremy had
never
been caught before...and had never betrayed her so thoroughly before.
And now...well, now who knew what her fate would be?
The ride to the police station passed in a blur in Sheila's mind. It
wasn't
until she found herself in a starkly painted room, with a police
officer
in front of her and the door firmly shut did it dawn on her that they
expected
something more from her than simply a plea of innocence. Again panic
gripped
her. What should she do? How should she tackle this? What had Jeremy
said
to them...and why?
"Miss Burns...you know I believe why you are here." The police officer
spoke
in quiet tones. "You are over the age of eighteen, I trust?"
"Yes." The word was no more than a whisper.
"You are aware of your right to have a legal adviser present?"
"I...I just want this over with and sorted out. I didn't do anything!"
Finally
Sheila's daze snapped and she gazed at the officer helplessly, her eyes
filling
with unfamiliar tears. "You have to believe me...he's lying! I know
nothing
about any stupid robbery!"
"Miss Burns, if you could just answer the questions." The policeman was
unmoved.
"This interview is being recorded, so you would be advised to tell us
only
the truth. You are acquainted with a man named Jeremy Burns, are you
not?"
"Yes, you blinkin' well know I am." Sheila retorted.
"What is this man to you?"
"He's me no good, lyin' brother, that's what he is." Now the tears
fell.
"Please, you 'ave to listen to me...I don't know anything about
this...I didn't
know a thing till you mentioned it!"
"Where were you last night, between nine and eleven, Miss Burns?"
Almost automatically,
and certainly without much sympathy the police officer pushed a box of
tissues
towards his companion, as if dealing with near hysterical young ladies
was
an everyday occurence in his profession. Sheila took one almost
automatically,
beginning to tear it absently into shreds, her mind in a whirl. At
first
she did not answer, and the police officer repeated his question.
"I...I don't..." This time the question registered, but she faltered in
responding,
for in her panic her mind had gone blank. Then, suddenly, it came to
her.
"I was...I was at a friend's house!"
"A friend's house?" The police officer repeated. "What friend would
this
be?"
"L...Laura Cunn..ningham." Sheila twisted her hands together
uncomfortably. "I was at 'er place till 'alf midnight, when I got a cab
back 'ome."
"And can Miss Cunningham confirm that?"
"Of course she can! Think I was in 'er 'ouse without 'er there?" Sheila
demanded.
Then, "Oh...but she's in Yorkshire till some time tomorrow...I...I
don't
know when she'll be back. She gave me a ride to work this mornin', but
she
didn't tell me when...when she might be 'ome."
"I see." The policeman paused, then, "Is there anyone else who can
provide
you with an alibi for that night, Miss Burns?"
"No...I...I don't think so." Sheila's voice dropped to a whisper. "You
don't
believe me, do you? You think I'm makin' it up!"
"We will talk to Miss Cunningham in the morning." The policeman ignored
the
question. "And if she can confirm your story and is willing to give a
statement
to that effect then that will of course change your situation...for
now,
Miss Burns, I think you must realise that you are in a very serious
situation.
Your brother's statement implicates you fully in last night's
robbery...unless
you can firmly prove you were not there then I am afraid you will be
charged."
"Tomorrow?" The rest of the man's words were lost on her as the first
part
of it sunk in. "You mean...you mean I gotta stay 'ere? All night?"
"Unless you have someone to put up bail, yes." The officer nodded. "Is
there
anyone you want to call?"
"No bloomin' point." Sheila was bitter. "I don't 'ave Laura's number up
north
and me parents ain't gonna help me out if it involves spendin' money.
I'm
stuck 'ere." She buried her head in her hands. "Damn you, Jeremy! I'll
never
forgive you for this...not ever!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"What's all this?"
Laura stepped out of the car, a frown crossing her face as she
registered the policeman who had just given up trying to get a response
from the house and was heading back down her drive to his car. "Excuse
me, can I 'elp you?"
"Maybe you can. I'm looking for a Miss Cunningham." The officer smiled
at
her. "Laura Cunningham."
"That would be me." Laura's frown deepened. "What's up?"
"We couldn't get an answer at your house by phone, understood you were
out
of town, but I came over on the offchance of finding you." The officer
responded.
"I'm sorry to take up your valuable time, Miss Cunningham, but there's
a
matter of some urgency we need your help in."
"Mum and I have both been away for the past day or so. There's been
noone
home since yesterday morning." Laura responded. "Urgent? What is it?"
"You are acquainted with a Sheila Burns?"
"Sheila?" Laura stopped dead. "Yes, of course. Why? What's happened?"
"Miss Burns was arrested yesterday after being named as an accomplice
in
an armed robbery at a jewellery store. Two security guards were
hospitalised - it was a nasty affair." The officer responded.
"But...that's impossible! Sheila...she just wouldn't!" Laura's eyes
opened
wide. "And what can I do to help you?"
"The robbery took place at ten the night before last...Miss Burns
claims to
have been with you till gone midnight. We need you to confirm or deny
her
alibi." The officer said. "She hasn't been charged, as yet...your
testimony is important."
"Well, she was with me till late." Laura nodded. "She often comes over
mine
in the evening. We ordered pizza too...maybe the pizza guy would
remember her also. She paid him."
"She didn't mention that to us." the officer frowned.
"Well, I expect she was shell-shocked. Sheila may be wild sometimes but
she
wouldn't do anything like this!" Laura responded. "I guess I gotta come
file
my statement, huh? Get her out of there. I trust once I give my side of
things
she will be let go?"
"If you make a statement confirming her whereabouts on the night in
question,
then of course, though we might require her further for questioning on
other
affairs." The officer nodded.
"Then let's go." Laura's tone was determined. "I know she's
innocent
and I'm gonna get her out of there!"
PART ONE: SHEILA
Chapter One: Life in London
Chapter Two: The Saxophone
Chapter Three: A Friend In Need
Chapter Four: Never Again...
PART TWO: A DESIGNING WOMAN
Chapter Five: Sheila's Decision
Chapter Six: A Band In Crisis
Chapter Seven: First Night
Chapter Eight: Making It Happen
PART THREE: BACK IN THE CITY
Chapter Nine: The Misfits In London
Chapter Ten: On Every Screen...
Chapter Eleven: A Musical Reunion
Chapter Twelve: Jealousy
Chapter Thirteen: An Old Acquaintance
Chapter Fourteen: Doing London
Chapter Fifteen: Sabotage!
Chapter Sixteen: The Final Straw
Chapter Seventeen: Opening Night
Chapter Eighteen: Jetta
(The Misfits and Holograms and other animated Jem characters are copyrighted to Hasbro Inc. All characters who do not appear in Jem episodes are my own creation. This story is copyrighted to E.A Woolley (2001)