Chapter Fifty-Three
THE TRUTH
The Monday edition of the local Trentbridge Times newspaper is disappearing off newsagents’ shelves faster than anyone can remember in its entire 128-year history.
With the headline ‘Lotto Winner Cleared of Cheating’ and the sub-heading ‘Local Drug Dealer Dies in Police Custody’, it’s no wonder.
The article explains how police caught a local big-time drug dealer, the man accusing James Sheldon of stealing his winning Lotto ticket. According to police sources, when they examined papers belonging to the drug dealer they found evidence that the stories of the stolen Lotto ticket and that it was his idea for the Asbury Park project were false. The dealer is also suspected of being behind a recent murder that was staged to look like a suicide. However, the suspect has died of a suspected heart attack whilst in police custody.
It is also made public that inside Dave’s files the police found the press releases prepared by Alison Crook and interviewed her at the MJA Housing Foundation offices, much to the surprise of everyone involved. She admitted what she had done and after the police left, Susan Heffer told her to clear her desk and leave. Alison was dismissed from her very well-paid job with immediate effect for a serious breach of her employment contract.
Inside the newspaper, there is a much smaller article on Page Seven detailing that The Albion Hotel, which had been speculated to close to make way for luxury flats, is not only to remain open but is going to be refurbished and is expected to remain open throughout the period of renovation work. No jobs will be lost and it is anticipated that extra staff will be required in due course.
Peter Hogan, head of the local planning committee, reads the story and weeps. The £200,000 pay-off he has been expecting and has worked so hard for is not going to materialise. His plans to leave his wife and move in with his mistress, Monique, will have to be put on hold.
In fact, they will need to be put on hold for a lot longer than he realises. The police have found incriminating evidence against him in Dave’s files and are working with the CPS to bring charges. Where he is going he won’t be in the company of any women for quite a few years.
The other members of the planning committee are relieved to hear the news. This means that when they cast their vote they can accept the highest bid so the council will receive a much better deal and the Asbury Park project can go ahead and enhance the town of Trentbridge. Now the highest bidder has been exonerated, this will make them look good.
The police drug squad are working overtime. The information gleaned from Dave’s mum has given them a substantial amount of information regarding the local drug dealers.
They have names, addresses, mobile phone numbers and details of what they have bought and when. It seems Dave kept extremely detailed notes. With court orders they can gather evidence against all these dealers that will stand up in any court of law.
Of course, within days of them putting these dealers away others will take their place but that’s the name of the game. The convictions won’t harm their arrest targets at all. In fact, a few commendations might be in the offing after this.
Chapter Fifty-Four
ASBURY PARK
Being the only bid left on the table, the council planning committee members have voted in favour of selling the site of Asbury Park to MJA Housing Trust, the charity led by James Sheldon.
The deal is announced on the front page of the Thursday edition of the Trentbridge Times with a council spokesperson saying they are delighted and the thirty-five million pounds they will receive would be a much needed boost.
They also speak about the proposed bridge and road structure which will finally get the go ahead and unite Asbury Park with the town centre, and they talk about the hundreds of jobs this will create for the local economy. The council has already seen the plans and hopefully approval will be granted as quickly as possible.
Six weeks after the planning committee has agreed to sell Asbury Park, the sale is completed and work starts immediately to refurbish the houses street by street. Two firms of local builders are contracted to do the work. They have been chosen on their reputation rather than putting in the lowest bids.
The charity also agrees to use the council workforce to repair all the roads around the site. Most of them are in a good state of repair because they haven’t been used for many years.
Susan Heffer, in her capacity as a volunteer with various housing charities for over twelve years, has compiled a list of sixty-one families who she considers will be good tenants. They are all invited to see the first set of refurbished houses and asked for their views on what they would like to see and how the properties should be decorated and presented.
Most of the families are currently living in private rented properties with rents as high as £620 a month for sub-standard homes, many of which are small flats with no gardens. The new houses on Asbury Park are being offered at a rent of £400 a month and each one has a generously sized garden.
One of the main priorities has been to ensure the transport links. Working with the council, the plans for the bridge and road structure have been approved, mainly due to the fact they had been part of the original plans in the late seventies and early eighties when the estate was originally built.
With last-minute delays from the council, it takes nearly seven months before the bridge and road structures are finally complete and Asbury Park is united with the town of Trentbridge.
Even the Minister of Transport comes up
