plus a stepfather who thought giving change to a little girl while a welfare worker was present might be enough to provide him with
a halo. ‘Where’s Mrs Tunstall?’ she asked as she reached the doorway.
‘In bed. A bit of a stomach upset,’ he answered.
‘I’ll come back next week,’ was her parting shot before she stepped outside to breathe in sweeter, cleaner air. Things in Rosie Tunstall’s house were not right.
As she strode past the rest of the Lady Streets, she noticed a tall, bearded man standing at the bottom of Myrtle. He leaned casually against a wall, reading a newspaper. Emily Garner turned and
walked towards the school while the man made his way down Ivy Lane, the road onto which all local terraces led. He walked past the end of Isabel Street just as Emily went through the school gate on
Myrtle Street. She marched up to the head teacher’s office and rapped on the door.
Theo welcomed his visitor. ‘Hello, Emily.’
She sat down opposite him. ‘It’s a pigsty,’ she informed him. ‘Now, I know children who live in similar circumstances, but there’s something else there. The
stepfather reminded me of a snake, though I’m sure that’s an insult to the reptile population. Mother was absent, supposedly in bed with a stomach problem. There’s fear in
Rosie’s eyes, in her stance. She has bruised arms—’
‘I know. May I ask who told you about Rosie?’
‘A vicar. He can’t disclose his source, but it must be someone who lives near enough to hear and see things.’
He studied her closely. ‘Can you leave it alone for a few days? There’s a plot on. We have neighbours onside, and Tunstall won’t be granted bail.’
‘You’re getting him arrested?’
He nodded just once.
‘For what?’
He tapped the side of his nose. ‘If I told you, you’d mess it up. We want him red-handed, you see. Please, please trust me, and trust the good people of Isabel Street. He’s a
repeat offender, and we’re praying that he’ll be passed on to Crown Court this time. I’m begging you, Emily.’ He delivered one of his most delicious smiles, broadening it
when she shifted in the chair. Some women were easily distracted, and he was more than willing to take advantage of weaknesses when necessary.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘How long do you need?’
‘Until Friday night next week. Oh, you must come to our staff end-of-year party in a couple of weeks. We’re having a quiz and a buffet.’
‘How can I possibly resist?’ she asked sweetly.
‘And I promise we’ll deal with Tunstall. Well, the police will.’
She stared hard at him. ‘Is the mother fit to look after Rosie?’
‘I don’t know.’ Sometimes, truth was best. ‘But the maternal grandmother’s nearby, and she’s an excellent woman.’
Emily stood up. ‘I’ll hold back my report until you’ve had your pound of flesh, Shylock.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Must dash and check in at the office, or
they’ll think I’ve emigrated.’ She rose to her feet. ‘Oh, and good luck.’
He stood and shook her hand. ‘See you soon, Emily.’
When she had left, he sank back into his chair. ‘The battle of Little Big Horn had to be easy compared to my job. I’ll go and see Tia.’
He was thrilled with her. Miss Ellis was thrilled, too. Tia Bellamy wore bright, colourful clothes at school. It was all part of her plan to stimulate children. She was
unconventional, imaginative and completely unafraid. Three times, she had come in; three times, the class of five- and six-year-olds had learned through drama, poetry, well-chosen prose and
fun.
For a couple of minutes, he watched through a glass panel in the door.
The children pretended to be asleep while she sang to them.
Theo entered quietly and sat at the back. Part of his brief was to observe and comment on probationers, and he felt he might have been happy watching this one five days a week, full time. She
reached the end of a song about Christopher Robin
a halo. ‘Where’s Mrs Tunstall?’ she asked as she reached the doorway.
‘In bed. A bit of a stomach upset,’ he answered.
‘I’ll come back next week,’ was her parting shot before she stepped outside to breathe in sweeter, cleaner air. Things in Rosie Tunstall’s house were not right.
As she strode past the rest of the Lady Streets, she noticed a tall, bearded man standing at the bottom of Myrtle. He leaned casually against a wall, reading a newspaper. Emily Garner turned and
walked towards the school while the man made his way down Ivy Lane, the road onto which all local terraces led. He walked past the end of Isabel Street just as Emily went through the school gate on
Myrtle Street. She marched up to the head teacher’s office and rapped on the door.
Theo welcomed his visitor. ‘Hello, Emily.’
She sat down opposite him. ‘It’s a pigsty,’ she informed him. ‘Now, I know children who live in similar circumstances, but there’s something else there. The
stepfather reminded me of a snake, though I’m sure that’s an insult to the reptile population. Mother was absent, supposedly in bed with a stomach problem. There’s fear in
Rosie’s eyes, in her stance. She has bruised arms—’
‘I know. May I ask who told you about Rosie?’
‘A vicar. He can’t disclose his source, but it must be someone who lives near enough to hear and see things.’
He studied her closely. ‘Can you leave it alone for a few days? There’s a plot on. We have neighbours onside, and Tunstall won’t be granted bail.’
‘You’re getting him arrested?’
He nodded just once.
‘For what?’
He tapped the side of his nose. ‘If I told you, you’d mess it up. We want him red-handed, you see. Please, please trust me, and trust the good people of Isabel Street. He’s a
repeat offender, and we’re praying that he’ll be passed on to Crown Court this time. I’m begging you, Emily.’ He delivered one of his most delicious smiles, broadening it
when she shifted in the chair. Some women were easily distracted, and he was more than willing to take advantage of weaknesses when necessary.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘How long do you need?’
‘Until Friday night next week. Oh, you must come to our staff end-of-year party in a couple of weeks. We’re having a quiz and a buffet.’
‘How can I possibly resist?’ she asked sweetly.
‘And I promise we’ll deal with Tunstall. Well, the police will.’
She stared hard at him. ‘Is the mother fit to look after Rosie?’
‘I don’t know.’ Sometimes, truth was best. ‘But the maternal grandmother’s nearby, and she’s an excellent woman.’
Emily stood up. ‘I’ll hold back my report until you’ve had your pound of flesh, Shylock.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Must dash and check in at the office, or
they’ll think I’ve emigrated.’ She rose to her feet. ‘Oh, and good luck.’
He stood and shook her hand. ‘See you soon, Emily.’
When she had left, he sank back into his chair. ‘The battle of Little Big Horn had to be easy compared to my job. I’ll go and see Tia.’
He was thrilled with her. Miss Ellis was thrilled, too. Tia Bellamy wore bright, colourful clothes at school. It was all part of her plan to stimulate children. She was
unconventional, imaginative and completely unafraid. Three times, she had come in; three times, the class of five- and six-year-olds had learned through drama, poetry, well-chosen prose and
fun.
For a couple of minutes, he watched through a glass panel in the door.
The children pretended to be asleep while she sang to them.
Theo entered quietly and sat at the back. Part of his brief was to observe and comment on probationers, and he felt he might have been happy watching this one five days a week, full time. She
reached the end of a song about Christopher Robin
Similar Books
