Chapter 11
Unexpected Visitors
As Nigel walked home alone that afternoon, the implications of what
Evan had told him kept running through his head. No doubt. Evan had
said, hadn't even touched him. To Nigel, the inescapable conclusion
was it might be even worse for him because Ian the monster had touched
him. How he wished he hadn't told Evan! How he wished Evan hadn't
told him!
When Nigel came through the front door and stepped into the foyer, he
than should have been. Although the tellie wasn't on, Mummy was
sitting there in the divan as she always was. And beside her sat
Daddy, as he never was. He always came home from work on the train at
6 o'clock. Directly seated in kitchen chairs across from Mummy and
Daddy were two complete strangers. One was a man and the other a
woman. They were both dressed professionally in suits and ties and
with professional looking spectacles and they both suddenly looked up
at him with professionally inquiring expressions. The whole room
seemed rapt in anticipation.
They all stood up and approached Nigel. The man and woman had
television smiles, but Mummy and Daddy looked very worried.
"Sweetheart," Mummy whispered, stooping down beside him and trying to
put on a smile, "These two nice police officers would like to talk to
you about your therapist, Ian."
Nigel stared up at them as if they were locomotives thundering down on
him.
want to."
"They need to know what happened the day you visited Ian for your
problem," she explained and gave him a reassuring pat on the bottom,
"Could you, sweetheart?"
In desperation Nigel looked at Daddy, whose face was as pale as his
own.
don't feel good."
"I understand, son," Roger nodded grimly, "But we want you to tell
them what happened, just as you told us. They want to help. We'll be
right here at your side."
The man officer leaned into Roger's ear to whisper.
"If you don't mind, it would be best if you and your wife waited in
another room," he said softly, "Your presence during the interview
could bias whatever information the boy gives. We'd rather not do
this twice, you see. I'm sure you understand."
right in the next room."
"Alright then."
right there in the kitchen if you need us."
Nigel watched her turn away. She put an arm around Daddy's waist and
they both dutifully went into the kitchen and out of sight. When the
lad turned back again, the man and the lady were broadly grinning at
him.
Sock monkeys, the boy thought.
encouraged with a chuckle, "We help children, and I think you can
help, too. Come over here and sit in the divan so you'll be
comfortable."
Nigel eased himself into the divan. He was anything but comfortable.
He sat there as angular and stiff as a wooden chair, his head sunken
between his narrow shoulders, his knees clamped together and his hands
clasped tightly in his lap. The two officers scooted their kitchen
chairs up to him.
"My name is Officer William Stuart, but you can call me Willie if you
want," the man officer began brightly, and then nodded at his partner,
"And this is Officer Susan Knight."
"Susie," Officer Knight added, leaning forward amiably, "Nice to meet
you, Nigel. So how was school today?"
Nigel simply stared into his lap.
"Did you have fun?" she asked with an expression of exaggerated
interest, "What did you do today?"
Officer Willie and Officer Susie asked him several more questions; if
he knew what time it was, if he knew the date, how many children in
his class, where he got his Pooh watch, what his favourite programme
Only an imbecile would have thought they had come for that, and Nigel
was no imbecile. He suspected they were trick questions. So he gave
vague answers, all the while wondering when they'd get 'round to
him out so quickly.
"Nigel, we're police investigators," Officer Stuart explained, "When a
child is hurt or abused by a grownup, we investigate what happened. We
want to talk with you for just a little while about Ian Monroe, who
was your therapist. Mr. Monroe has been charged with inappropriate
contact with several children. It is our job to gather evidence to
give to the magistrate in court, so it can be determined if Mr. Monroe
is innocent or guilty of these charges. So it is very, very important
you tell the truth. Do you understand, Nigel?"
Nigel nodded.
"Do you remember what happened that day you went to see Ian?"
Nigel nodded.
Investigator Susan, who was poised with a silver pencil to write in
her black leather portfolio, leisurely reached out and rubbed Nigel's
knee comfortingly.
"Good, Nigel," she smiled, "Now can you describe to us what happened
little matter ..."
Nigel nodded again and shifted his knee away from her.
"Go on, dear," the lady encouraged him, and she picked up her pencil
expectantly.
"I went in to the little room," the boy started off nervously, "And I
took off all my clothes."
"Did Ian tell you to take off your clothes" Investigator William
asked.
"No."
"Why did you do that?"
"Because I was uncomfortable ..."
"I see," William said, "Then what happened?"
"Could you speak a bit more loudly, Nigel?" the policeman grinned.
to be his friend and I didn't want to draw and I just wanted to go out
to my mum and go home but he said in a little while and that she was
waiting just outside the door, but first we had to make promises and
an examination."
"What promises were those, Nigel?"
Nigel began anxiously vibrating his legs up and down.
"We promised that we would talk about things," he explained haltingly,
"And not tell anyone."
"What did you talk about?"
"Why I take off my clothes and my fight at school with Dirk when he
took my Pooh watch and my hurt shoulder when I fell down."
"Then what happened?" William asked.
"Ian said he had to examine me because I had a bruise on my shoulder,
and he picked me up and put me on the tall table and looked at me all
"Were you still naked? Can you describe how he picked you up?"
Nigel swallowed nervously. The investigator lady began writing again,
quite rapidly, even though he'd hardly said anything.
"What did he examine, Nigel?" Investigator William asked, "Tell
everything you can remember."
The boy suddenly felt his tummy rise up, and the colour drained right
out of his face. Almost imperceptibly, he began rocking back and
forth and fiddling with his todger through his trousers.
"Good!" the policeman urged eagerly, "What else do you remember he
touched?"
"Yes?"
And with that, Nigel vomited his lunch down Investigator Willie's new
Herringbone slacks and onto his stylish brown side-lace Oxfords.
HMSVV Christmas 2011
God Save the Queen.
God Bless the Prince of Wales.
God Preserve the Windsors.
Rule Britannia!
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