The Escape
Lynda La Plante is a Number One bestselling author. Born in Liverpool, she went to drama school and worked in theatre before becoming a television actress. She then turned to
writing – and made her breakthrough with the hit TV series
Widows
. Her novels have all been bestsellers worldwide. Her script for
Prime Suspect
won many awards, and
Above
Suspicion
,
The Red Dahlia
and
Deadly Intent
have been hugely successful for ITV in recent years. Lynda La Plante was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in
2008. She joined the Crime Thriller Writers’ Hall of Fame in 2009.
Visit Lynda at her website:
www.lyndalaplante.com
Follow her on Twitter: @LaPlanteLynda
Also by Lynda La Plante
Quick Read 2012: The Little One
Wrongful Death
Backlash
Blood Line
Blind Fury
Silent Scream
Deadly Intent
Clean Cut
The Red Dahlia
Above Suspicion
The Legacy
The Talisman
Bella Mafia
Entwined
Cold Shoulder
Cold Blood
Cold Heart
Sleeping Cruelty
Royal Flush
Prime Suspect
Seekers
She’s Out
The Governor
The Governor II
Trial and Retribution
Trial and Retribution II
Trial and Retribution III
Trial and Retribution IV
Trial and Retribution V
First published in Great Britain by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2014
A CBS COMPANY
Copyright © Lynda La Plante, 2012
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
No reproduction without permission.
® and © 1997 Simon & Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.
The right of Lynda La Plante to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act,
1988.
Simon & Schuster UK Ltd
1st floor
222 Gray’s Inn Road
London WC1X 8HB
Simon & Schuster Australia, Sydney
Simon & Schuster India, New Delhi
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-47113-228-5
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-47113-229-2
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Typeset by M Rules
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY
During my research for the ITV series
The Governor
I worked with many prisoners and encouraged their writing projects. They told me many stories about their lives.
The Escape
is a work of fiction but based on a series of events told to me by two inmates. The names of the characters and the location of the prison have been changed. As that was some
years ago, the prison systems have since been upgraded, but it remains a very moving and thrilling story.
Lynda La Plante
Rules for Dating a Romantic Hero
Why not start a reading group?
Other titles by Lynda La Plante
PRIME SUSPECT 2: A FACE IN THE CROWD
PRIME SUSPECT 3: SILENT VICTIMS
Colin lay on his prison bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had never in all his life felt as depressed and worthless as he did now. All he wanted was to be left alone in his
one-man cell on West wing at Barfield Prison. His thoughts were cut into by the sound of the cell door being unlocked.
‘Come along, Colin, you need to get your stuff together. It’s time to move over to East wing and meet your new cellmate,’ Officer Reardon said with a big smile as he entered
the cell.
Colin rolled over and turned away from Officer Reardon, who sat down on the end of the bed.
‘You can’t let prison life get to you like this, Colin. I know you’re deeply upset, but the Governor’s not going to change his mind about your day release to be with
Karen for the baby’s birth. If you want someone to blame about being moved to another wing, then I can tell you that it was down to me.’
Colin, shocked by what he had just heard, turned and looked at Officer Reardon. ‘Why? Why do you have to move me? I’m not doing anything wrong and all I want is to be left alone.
There’s no crime in that, is there?’
‘No, but I’m trying to help, not hinder, you, Colin. You haven’t been eating properly or taking part in prison activities for nearly a month. You’ve shut yourself off and
that’s not good for your health, for your body or your mind. Having a cellmate will give you someone to talk to and help get you back on your feet again.’
Colin let out a big sigh. ‘But I don’t need anyone else to talk to, Mr Reardon.’
‘OK, here’s the deal. Give it a couple of weeks and see how it goes. Your new cellmate is called Barry. He’s a nice young lad like you and he’s looking forward to a bit
of company. But, if it doesn’t work out, I will get you moved back here. How’s that sound?’
Colin still wasn’t happy about moving, but he liked and respected Officer Reardon. In fact, not one of the inmates on West wing had a bad word to say about Mr Reardon. He was experienced
and kind-hearted, and he often helped to make prison life bearable. Colin got up off the bed and started to remove the blanket and sheets to take with him.
‘Good lad, Colin. I’ll do that while you get your wash kit and other bits together.’ Officer Reardon patted him on the back before starting to fold the blanket. Colin was ready
to go after putting his few personal belongings in a clear plastic bag.
Colin Burrows was twenty-two years old and had two years to go before he had any chance of release on parole. He had pleaded guilty to burglary and handling stolen goods at the
Crown court. The judge had granted him bail, but stupidly Colin went on the run. During the time it took police to find him, he had met and fallen in love with a beautiful and generous girl called
Karen.
Karen had made him happier than he had been in his whole life. They got together when he found work as a painter and decorator for her father’s small company, where she was a secretary.
Because of Karen, and her family’s support, he had been determined to go straight. They had been living together in Karen’s two-bedroom flat in Croydon for a year when she agreed to
marry him. A month after their small wedding, she had proudly told him she was pregnant. They were both thrilled, and had just set about decorating the box room as a nursery when the police came
knocking at the door.
Colin’s re-arrest had really shocked him. As the months had passed he had come to believe that the police had given up looking for him. Karen and her father had stood by him but they
didn’t know that Colin had previous convictions for petty theft. The judge took no notice of his having a job, his marriage to Karen or the fact she was pregnant. He was sentenced to a total
of four years in prison.
Depression at the prison sentence had almost crushed Colin and he was shattered at being separated from Karen. He was relieved that she was still sticking by him and was visiting him regularly
in prison. Her father had promised that, when Colin was released, he could return to work for him. But Colin doubted that would happen. His boss had been disgusted when he learned of his
son-in-law’s criminal record.
On her last visit Karen had said she would not be able to come again as the baby was almost due and she was finding it hard to travel. Colin broke down in tears when he got back to his cell and
was so upset he couldn’t eat. When his request to be released for the birth of his child was then denied, his depression grew worse.
Officer Reardon escorted Colin over to East wing, where they were met at the entrance gate by another officer. Officer Reardon shook Colin’s hand and told him to cheer
up, be positive and not to look so down in the dumps. Colin still felt very depressed, but he didn’t want to upset Mr Reardon. He forced a smile and thanked him for his kindness. The other
officer then escorted Colin up to his new cell, unlocked the door and virtually pushed him in. Then he slammed the door and locked it.
‘Hi, I’m Barry Marsden, and you must be me new cellmate. Colin, isn’t it?’ said the man on the top bunk, sitting up straight with a big welcoming smile. ‘I’ve
only been in a couple of days. The officer said you’re a first-timer like me and been in a few months, but you was a bit down so I should try and cheer you up.’
Barry Marsden was twenty-one, a jovial friendly young man on remand in custody from the magistrates’ court. He was a bit overweight, and had a pleasant face, though he looked a little
nerdy with thick jam-jar glasses and he had bad body odour.
A sad-looking Colin said nothing as he placed his belongings, wash bag, bed sheets and blankets on the bottom bunk. He sat down on the end of the bed, put his head in his hands and began to
cry.
‘Cor blimey, Colin, you is in a bit of a state. Fancy a game of “I spy with my little . . .”?’
‘No I don’t. Just leave me alone,’ Colin replied sharply.
Unlike most of the inmates, Barry actually liked prison life and more than anything enjoyed the three meals a day. He had come from a very difficult family, and had been in and
out of a series of foster homes. Social Services had often been involved because of his step-father’s drinking and violence. Barry’s first attempts to make friends with Colin were met
with moody silences, but finally his easy manner and persistence paid off. He felt very sorry for Colin, who was heartbroken that he would miss the birth of his first child.
Colin wrote endless letters and called home whenever he could, but hearing Karen’s voice only made him feel worse. After a couple of weeks of watching his cellmate weep every night, Barry
came up with an idea.
‘I’m new to the wing, right? Nobody really knows me, and I’ve never met any of the officers on the main gates.’
Colin shrugged, not at all interested, until Barry excitedly suggested the idea that he could, if they worked together, plan Colin’s escape. Interested and slightly bemused, Colin asked
what the plan was.
‘It’s simple. All we do is switch identities! You go in my place to the magistrates’ court in a couple of weeks and do a runner when you get there,’ Barry said.
At first, Colin thought it was the most stupid idea he had ever heard. Apart from having similar hair colour and being the same height, they didn’t even look that much alike. And doing a
runner from court was why Colin got four years in the first place. However, desperate to be at the birth of his baby, he decided to listen to more details of Barry’s plan. The more the two of
them discussed the escape, as farfetched as the idea was, the more it seemed as if it might work.
The two inmates whispered together through the night. Barry told Colin that it was usual to be questioned by the prison officers before being taken to court. As part of the
plan, Barry told Colin everything about his life, explaining that it was important to remember as many details as possible. Colin listened intently as Barry spoke about his brothers, his mother and
his violent step-father, who had given him regular beatings. Worse still was the abuse Barry had suffered at various foster homes. Colin worried about being able to keep all the facts straight in
his head, because one mistake could cause the escape to blow up in their faces.