‘Don’t!’ Ellie shuffled towards her headboard. She was sobbing now. ‘Just go,’ she said. ‘Please. Just leave me alone!’ And she thrust her face into her bloodied pillow.
They pieced it together. In the living room and with barely a discussion they worked out what, when, why. Who, they did not tackle. In one respect, they could hardly hope to. In another, they both already knew.
Ellie’s coat was taken from her just as Felicity’s had been. The ink: it was Felicity’s blood. They might have used fairy lights, had they found any. They might have threatened to drag her to the river.
‘I’ll talk to the school,’ Leo said. He glanced at Megan, who was beside him on the sofa, staring at the blank television screen. ‘Her teacher. The headmistress. I’ll go in first thing.’ Although, as he spoke, he was struggling to see how he could afford the time. After the riot Daniel had changed his story, had admitted what everyone else had already known. So there was the confession to get on record and the remand hearing to discuss and the boy’s parents to deal with because everything was moving at such a pace that Leo had not really had a chance yet to—
‘First thing,’ Leo said. Megan sniffed and fiddled with her tissue and seemed not to have sensed his vacillation.
Leo shuffled closer and reached an arm around her shoulders. ‘It’s kids, Meg. It’s kids being cruel like only kids can be.’
His wife pulled away from him.
‘Meg? What’s wrong?’
Megan hesitated before answering. ‘I was spat at,’ she said.
‘What?’
‘We were. Ellie and me. Yesterday, at the supermarket. I wasn’t going to tell you but… after today…’ Her voice seemed colder all of a sudden.
‘Spat at? By who?’
‘By a woman. A mother. She was my age, younger. She had a shopping trolley and two children and as she passed me she turned and spat.’
‘What? Are you sure? I mean—’
‘I’m sure, Leo. I’m perfectly, one-hundred-per-cent sure.’
‘No. I know. I just meant, why? Did you say something to her or—’
‘It wasn’t my fault!’
‘Calm down, Meg. I’m not saying it was. I’m just trying to understand what happened.’ He shook his head. ‘Why on earth would someone spit at you? Do you think… Are you saying… You think it was because of the case?’
‘The thought occurred to me.’
‘Why though?’ Leo said again. ‘How did she even know who you were?’
‘Your secret’s out, Leo. You’re a big name, suddenly, in a small town. No.’ She corrected herself: ‘You’re a small name in a smaller town full of even smaller-minded people. That’s why, Leo. That’s how.’
Megan shuffled round to face him. She took his hand and held it. ‘The point is, it’s not just kids. What happened today, what happened at the supermarket: it’s not just kids.’
Leo looked down. He felt Megan’s plaintive stare and turned from it.
7
What more was there to say? The whole episode: it was deplorable. Entirely contrary to the ethos of the school and not, Ellie’s head teacher had assured him, behaviour that would be tolerated. The culprits would be identified and punished. Mr Curtice could no doubt understand, particularly given his profession, that it was difficult at this stage to say how exactly but the school – she, personally – would not let Eleanor down. It would help, of course, if Ellie could be encouraged to come forward – to name names, as it were. But no, yes, of course, it must be extremely difficult for the poor child and yes, indeed, just as you say, the onus must of course fall on the school to get to the bottom of things. And they would. Of
Ms Bridgwater was a slight, suited woman washed in scent and smeared in make-up. She had deflected Leo’s anger with the practice of a politician. Leo, having expected a twelve-round brawl, had felled his opponent with a single swing – and was left as dazed as he would have been had he lost.
‘Well,’ he said. He sat straight, gave a firm nod. ‘Good. I appreciate your cooperation. And I… apologise if perhaps I seemed a little – ’ he rolled a hand ‘ – upset. Before.’
‘Not at all, Mr Curtice. You have every right to be upset. As a parent myself, I can fully appreciate the distress you must be feeling.’
‘Yes. Well. Thank you.’
‘And of course,’ Ms Bridgwater added, ‘there is the pressure of your work.’
‘My work?’
Come now, the head teacher did not say. ‘The case, Mr Curtice. The Forbes case.’
‘Oh. I see.’
‘Forgive me for mentioning it but, well.’ Ms Bridgwater pinched a smile. ‘I saw you on the news. You’re quite the local celebrity.’
Leo fumbled a laugh. ‘Oh, I wouldn’t go that far.’
‘There is no need for modesty, Mr Curtice. And besides…’ The head teacher’s smile turned gluttonous. ‘Doing what I do,’ she said, ‘being in the position that I am, I cannot help but take an interest in these matters.’ She raised her arms from her lap and settled them on the edge of her desk.
Leo, this time, returned a frown. ‘Ms Bridgwater. You appreciate, surely, that I cannot discuss—’
‘Oh, please don’t misunderstand me, Mr Curtice. I wouldn’t dream of putting you on the spot. My interest is not so much in the case itself. It is, rather, in… the boy. The accused.’
Leo made to stand. ‘I’m sorry but I’m really not comfortable…’
The head teacher leant across the desk, reached an apologetic hand towards Leo. ‘I thought perhaps I might help. That’s all. I thought I might offer
Leo drooped into his chair. ‘Me?’
The head teacher tipped her head. ‘The boy,’ she said and, perhaps noticing Leo stiffen, quickly raised a palm. ‘I know, I know – his identity has not been disclosed. But this is a small town, Mr Curtice. There is a limited number of secondary schools and a very active branch of the National Association of Head Teachers. We talk, just as you talk, I’m sure, with your fellow professionals.’ Again Ms Bridgwater smiled.
‘Well, naturally, but—’
‘The boy. The accused. If it is whom I – we – suspect it is – ’ the head teacher gave a twitch that was almost a wink ‘ – then, as I say, I would perhaps have some insight that you might find instructive. He is not, I am sure, the most cooperative of clients.’
Leo resisted his instinct to agree. ‘I’m still not sure I follow. I don’t want to sound ungrateful but what insight could you offer?’
‘We taught him,’ the head teacher said. Then, when Leo began to dissent, ‘Not most recently, I concede. But he was here, for about as long as the boy has spent anywhere.’
‘Here? But…’ But this was his daughter’s school. It was a good school. A state school but as reputable a state school as a parent could hope for. Leo shook his head. ‘When?’
‘He started his secondary education here. We excluded him after a term. This is all on the assumption, of course, that we are indeed talking about the same boy.’ The head teacher studied Leo. She gave him seconds to respond. ‘But you will have access to the boy’s records,’ she said when Leo did not. ‘You will be able to confirm the precise dates, I’m sure.’
Ellie would have known him. No, not necessarily. It was a big school, one of the biggest in the county. She will have seen him, though. She will have passed him, brushed against him. He will have seen
