21
Barb was back by the tenth and I can’t say it helped the atmosphere in the house much having her around again. I packed my things and went back home and left them to it. I knew I had to attend to Charlotte and after a week of bike repairs, housework and cleaning I welcomed the chance to go sponge a little at hers. She did her best to make me feel at home. I knew where this was all headed if I let it happen.
Nothing eventful happened until the seventeenth and a very mild January. Any snows had long gone chased by moderate westerlies. I’d finished the bike for Rebecca by the Thursday afternoon and it looked outrageously ‘bling’ as she wanted, if I say so myself even if it really was a boy’s bike. She looked suitably pleased when I took her outside to show it off.
Robert came round for her at five on his bike and they took a test run down on a cigarettes errand for Denise on a good pedal I hope. In their absence Barb wanted to quickly show me something in Lita’s room.
“ Look at this, Leo! This is what’s been going on behind my back! Taking the piss!”
I gulped and nervously took a peek at where she was pointing. I was something on the inside of Lita’s closet as my wife held the door open. “ What am I meant to be looking at Barb?”
“ See! There, Leo, open your goddamn eyes will you! “ She took out the thigh length back boots that Lita had got for Christmas.
“These! You see!”
I was mystified but intensely relieved all at the same instant. My chest pounded.
“ See-Leo! Scratched and gouged and filthy-mud all over them! She’s had them on and been out with them.” She snorted.
“ Brand new £150 boots trashed! Where were you when that happened? Either you took her on one of your sad jaunts or you were out with one of your Internet whores and couldn’t be bothered to do what I asked!”
“ Well, I never saw her wear them.” I countered. “The only time she was not in my sight was when she went out on Friday and Saturday nights with Cilla….it’s the bloody Karaoke!” I surmised.
She continued to rummage through Lita’s stuff. “ I don’t know where all the loose change has gone.”
“ What loose change?” “ Lita’s with coins collection! You know-that huge bottle-must have been fifty dollars…POUNDS!… disappeared.”
She was indignant and stomped across the landing to Rebecca’s room and flung open the door immediately summoning my presence.
“ Barb, don’t you think it’s a bit deceitful doing this? Why not just have it out with the kid when she gets back?” I pleaded.
“ No , no no! This is the end. Here it is! Look for yourself! Almost all gone!” The wild one held up the outsize Coke bottle like a battering ram-it had a few brown coins at the bottom.
“ Are you sure that’s Lita’s? It might be one Rebecca has started.” I Flowerly suggested.
“ No way-she won’t save anything -she’s a spender. She’s been in my purse, too. I know she has. I bet she’s helped herself to hundreds over the months. God, she’s taken the piss for the last time!”
At that instant the front door sounded. Robert and Rebecca.
“ Hi, Leo, Hi Barb- just us- we’re going to be out for a bit.” Rebecca called out. “ See ya later!” The door shut again and they were gone.
“ Oh, pedal pie! The little bitch- she’s run off ‘cause she knows I’m onto her! She’s seen me put her light on. You wait till she gets back!” Barb was indignant.
The firestorm somehow abated until Sunday. Twenty-sixth of January 2003 and it was set to blow big time. The Goodmans came round for a visit late morning prior to an excellent lunch of beef. The roast smell pervaded Barbara’s conference of war. Just like Claire had before: Denise, Hector and Robert confirmed the worst. The word on the streets, in the schools, on the Internet was the same: her vile malignancy spread. Cancer hill beaver. Her presence at the house had been under the condition she had regular sex with me. ‘Lies, lies and more damned lies’ we pleaded. But how can it go on now? She had to go.
“ It’s a tragedy, Babs…Leo….you poor people.” Denise gave poor old Barb a pitying look. Hector just shook his head. I took Robert aside into the study and went through his maths homework. He was very matter of fact about it.
“ Is Bex going into care, now Leo?”
“ She’s her own worst enemy, Robert. I’m sorry…I really am really am”
“Some of them say I’m having sex with her, too, Leo. But I’m not, honest.”
“It’s ok, Robert. You don’t have to tell me…..I understand how you feel. I know words can be twisted.”
22
Later that evening a car pulls up outside. We wait. I hear the car door slam and wait. Tense. I remembered being a child. I remembered my father and his drunken fury. Trapped. The door shut and him wielding his big, thick leather belt. The thwack of buckle on skin screams the writhing agony of it. Each horrific moment of time stutter slowly in freeze-frame and every frame a picture burning into your soul. The lashes, my yelps, pain burning into my flesh from a frenzied, flailing fury of cruel, remorseless hate.
The door lock clicks open. Then it erupts once more. Barbara leapt forwards and slammed Rebecca agonisingly into the stairway banisters in a whirlwind of flailing arms and hair. What muscle power. I froze on the spot helpless and dumbfounded. She snorted angrily, in a blur of motion, forgetting her pain for a moment and drew in a sharp breath“ You evil, selfish fucking bitch!” She coughed-spits of blood dribbling from her nostrils. Again she screams out her rage at the treacherous creature. They fell brawling. Barbara gave a grunt as she rolled over, trying to get purchase on Rebecca’s throat with a gush of deep red blood spurting from a wound. Bile fear flooded my throat. My palms began to sweat. I went rigid and my face went clammy and cold. I wanted to vomit.
They fought entangled like cat and dog adversaries scratching and hacking ferociously. They were tearing at each other’s hair- fighting with all their strength. In the wild frenzy she irrationally clutched the tea towel against her chest. I caught a glimpse of bloodied clumps, torn from the roots-wow-my wife- few women as strong. A vivid sight. Rebecca struggled up to her knees then threw her back up against the front the door. Her head thudded dully into the heavy metal plate of the letterbox and a jet of crimson scythed from her split lip. She now twisted in agonising pain.
I could take no more. I rammed my arms between them hoping to loosen my wife’s grip, only to start her fighting me, her fingernails tearing at my flesh. We tumbled to the floor out of the melee. I felt her body underneath me stiffen then for some reason, relax before tensing up again. She coughed, spits of blood dribbling from her nostrils “ Get the fuck off me, you scumbag! You take the bitch if you want her!”
A bruise was already beginning to show on her left cheek, stretching up to her eye. Instantly, I grabbed Rebecca round her waist and pulled her from the tangle and unravelled her hair from her face left reddened but undamaged.
Rebecca’s body felt lax but her eyes were tense with fear-or was it hate. I pulled her into me and shielded her with my tight-wrapped body to hers. She trembled as I tried to reassure her. I half expected my wife to start fighting again, but she didn't. Her bony fingers tapped at the telephone.
“ I’m calling the police…you can both face the consequences… you’re finished…done…both of you…...burn in hell…parasites….fucking scumbags!”
Shaking she still clutched the tea towel to her breast. Wounded. She refused to meet my eyes as I gathered up the broken side table. Broken china an objects scattered about the floor. She took care of her business the best way she knew. Then she dabbed the towel to her nose and saw the dashes of blood.
The police officers got to Cedar Drive within minutes. Constables Ellis and Taylor. Both women. That surprised me.
“Er…I’m the husband…. God knows what my wife told you on the phone….she’s been really stressed recently.”
An officious arm with little time for pleasantries pointed me outward to the street. Given no time to ponder I went outside. Denise was peering out from behind her curtains. The Goodmans kept their distance. Nothing like this was in their ken. It was a bitterly cold night so I waited in the car engine running. I nursed a bruised hand. Rebecca went straight to one of the officers. A message was relayed from inside. She had to leave the home permanently. My gut instincts told me not to take Rebecca to my place. Cilla answered the phone instantly like she knew-eerily calm.
I continued to watch from the street. I saw through the shadow of an officer pointing and gesturing. Rebecca then came out scurrying to the with two bulging black plastic bin liners. The shadow of my wife I saw shepherded from one window to another room. Once all her belongings were extracted we made our funereal departure to Eccles Drive.
She suddenly found her voice again as we stored her belongings, “ This is a lovely bedroom, Leo, so warm…so spacious...was it Lita’s? It’s wonderful!”
“ I’ll drive you to school tomorrow, Becky… it’s been an awful night…let’s get you next door to Cilla’s…leave it all here at mine for now we can sort everything tomorrow.” Rebecca grudgingly tramped down the stairs looking around her new domain.
When I returned the phone rang. It was Barb. Her voice was cold and to the point.
“ It’s over, Leo, you took her side….I knew you and her were up to something….I’ll be filing for divorce. Keep away from me. You keep the car….it’s yours…I’m going home to New York.” The phone clicked. I felt the finality of it then. It was over.
23
I slept badly. My mind was in turmoil. I was up early next day and I drove Rebecca to school. I felt all the peering eyes were on my at the school gates. I had to talk with Cilla right then. It wasn’t good. She confirmed that Rebecca alleged Barbara had pressurised her into having sex with me. The next few days I was in a deep black fog. The days were grey and cold and the evenings were worse. The phone rang. I anticipated it was my wife. Wrong as usual.
“ Hi Charlotte… yes….it’s happened…Barb threw Becky out…they had a fight….I….I…defended Becky…..no…no….she’s at Cilla’s…..I need to sort my head out…thanks….I’ll call you soon, darling…don’t worry…I’m ok...g’night.”
Then I heard a knock at my front door. In the cold yellow haze of the streetlight I see the willowy figure of Rebecca through the frosted glass door. She smiles as I welcome her in. Her eyes are like deep, dark pools.
“ Drink? Sorry…. I haven’t got any strong stuff but you’re welcome to a cold coke or a hot tea or coffee.”
She strides into the lounge theatrically casting off her overcoat and slumping deeply into the soft sofa. “ No…I’ve just had dinner thanks…..oh what a relief…I’m so glad we’re free of all that crap now, Leo…I am so much happier….with just Cilla…. The kids…. And…of course… you.”
She is wearing long black boots, back short skirt and back wrap around blouse. She looks so much older what with the lipstick, eye shadow and smarter clothes.
“ Have you been treating yourself to new clothes? I haven’t seen you wearing that outfit before.” I asked. She tells me her new friend ‘Shev’ who lives around the corner and shares the school bus with her had given her some old clothes that grew too small for her.
She sticks out her legs, my Spanish ballerina to point striking for me one of her exaggerated odalisque poses. “ You like my new boots and my new look?”
I avoided mentioning my problems and wore my upbeat face just for my ‘vaina’, my special ‘scabbard.’
I try to smile, “ You look stunning, babe. Have you heard from the college yet about your place? You should hear soon-you must be nervous and excited. …one door closes and another one opens….. I told you I would sort it out for you, didn’t I?”
“ Mmm… you did, Leo….you have been the best……the very best. I’m so lucky to have you.” She jumps up nimbly like some angelic fawn and plants a wet kiss right on my dry lips.
She looked at me through that tousled dark frond of hair that she carefully left fall over her errant eye. I sensed I could have her now if I took her. She was there to be had. I wanted to take her but I didn’t. Something in me said not yet.
“ I spoke with Cilla earlier. She says you told her a lot of things that happened at Cedar Drive. She says you were glad to be rid of Barbara…..you told her you …. You said… you were being made to have sex with me.”
She paused momentarily and sat herself up straight in the chair. She looked me straight in the eyes. “ I was forced…. She told me to… I was supposed to do whatever you wanted me to do. … and you know that…we all know that.” Her demeanour changed. Was she admonishing me now?
“ Rebecca, have I ever asked you to have sex with me? Have I ever done anything to you ?” I pleaded.
“We both know what you wanted to do, Leo…..it was going to happen… I felt it.”
I sit down beside her. “ Becky….I feel… you know… we are… we have gotten close. I do care….but I am a schoolteacher. I can’t….. it’s like people will look at me….. I need to work…god…it gives me headache what other people say and think!”
She stands up and says she has to go. She is supposed to be at Shev’s by seven. Cilla needs her back by eight to mind the children. I let her go. I felt empty.
The following day I look out of my front window. It is just after four. As expected I see Becky walking up the path towards Cilla’s. There is a knock at the door. It’s her. She is wearing one of her best broad smiles.
“ Hi Leo!”
She beams at me. Ah, the charm of that asymmetrical face-it never fades. I was once the moth to her bright flame and now she comes back running. Was she here to ask if she could come live in bliss with me in Leohampton? Did she wish to spend a perfect vacation in Bloomsville upon Sea? Did she want to plant for me a columbine kiss?
“ Hi Bex…you’re looking very well as usual. Isn’t it a nice day today? The sun is as bright as your smile….so what can I do for you, young lady?”
She nodded agreement. It was unseasonably warm for February. She says Cilla was asking if I wanted to come round for a coffee and a chat. Come round in the next half hour- she said- give her a chance to get changed and settle.
I sat on the floor of Cilla’s lounge. She shows me a pile of papers one inch deep. Cilla hands me a mug of coffee. Rebecca sits in the armchair in the corner looking on.
Becky announces, “ We’ve been having lots of girly chats…you know…it’s great to be living with someone who is so much like me.”
Cilla pipes up. “ Oh, yes…it’s really doing me a lot of good having another woman in the house what with just the boys to keep me company up to know.”
Cilla reveals she is just a big teenager at heart. The two of them have become closer and closer in the past couple of months since the karaoke weekends started.
“ Becky has been good…she looks out for me at the pub… not one of those drunken sods gets under my feet when she’s around to protect me.”
They both laugh.
“ I told Cilla there’s not many decent men in pubs anyway… she’s on a dating web site now, Leo…. it’s so much better! She’s been showing me who she’s been looking at and talking to…it’s so funny…some of them are really full on!
They laugh together heartily. Cilla gives Rebecca a nod and she carries on,” It’s so funny, Leo, you should see what they are like…have a read… there are some photos, too.”
Rebecca picks up a pile of papers from the coffee table and hands them to me: dozens of print outs of men’s dating profiles and the logs of cyber chat room conversations. She kept meticulous records with dates and times with Cilla’s and Rebecca’s own hand written comments, aside. I looked in disbelief. I was like an amateur in the online dating game.
“ Another coffee, Leo?” Cilla asks as she gets up to go the kitchen. I reply ‘no thanks’ and Becky furtively comes to sit beside me on the floor. She gets right into my’ private space’.
“ Don’t you think Cilla is attractive? She has amazing bone structure-she could easily have been a model when she was younger.”
“ Ha…well…er.. maybe. I never thought of her… actually she’s not really my type. Er…did she not tell you?”
“ Tell me what?” she replied.
I started to explain that six or seven years earlier, before I married Barb, I had a brief fling but I cut myself in mid sentence as Cilla re-entered the room.
“ Never mind… hope you don’t mind you two… but I have some lesson prep to do…I am working tomorrow at the middle school. I’m going to have to get going.”
Oh, enough of those games! Meddling Miss Matchmaker cum mismatching. I was wise to them now. I get back indoors and the phone goes. It’s Barb. She wants to meet. She has something to show me. I’m not ready. I needed to have some more time to myself. No show means the gloves are off and charges against Rebecca and me will ensue. I laughed. It’s over and done with. Everyone got what he or she wanted in the end. I was being flippant. I didn’t really care right then. She became more agitated. Click goes the phone.
Later that evening I send an email to Rebecca telling her I am not interested in Cilla and I was annoyed that she had been telling people I wanted to have sex with her. I get an electronic apology from her the next day. Yet another phone call, its Barbara; she finally convinces me to come round and talk. Her face was stern. The venom was still there. She told me she had been doing her homework though and been in touch with Rebecca’s mother. She wants to meet with us.
It’s Friday- Valentine’s Day. I have a card from Charlotte. Good old Charlotte. At about five Rebecca pops in for a quick visit. Nothing more? I get a peck on the cheek. She informs me she and Cilla are going to visit her parents address that evening on their way to karaoke. Her sister is eleven today. She plans to deliver a birthday card to her. I am frustrated. I remind Rebecca that her mother had forbidden her from going to the house or anywhere near her sister. I remember something about a court order and warn her she may face arrest for harassment. It’s no good, I thought, she’s not listening to me any more. She had that glazed look again in her eyes. The look she had when it evident she was set on her way. She wanted to show me the little gift she had bought for her younger sibling. In her hand she held a vacuum-packed plastic and cardboard set of figurines called ‘Tinybrats’ or some thing. They were a set of seven little garishly painted; bare-limbed immobile vanilla nymphs each dressed in cheap gauze individually coloured to represent a rainbow. I remembered that the idea of such children-colours must have been lifted from a passage in James Joyce.
She was myopically beaming at me, “ Isn’t it lovely?”
I bellowed something to the effect that it would be wholly inappropriate for her to call on the family without any word of warning. We both knew full well that to the van Hiller household wayward Miss Beanie was persona non grata. As she snatched from my hands her tacky gift the word ‘prick’ shot from the corner of her painted lips. The sharp end of a metal staple from its flimsy packaging drew blood from my finger. In that instant I lashed out at her with the back of my hand across the back of her ear. Back came an ululation of pain. In the next moment my hurt little pod cupped her ear with her hand and pushed me aside making her dash for the door. In remorse I flung myself at her feet and sought the poignant sweetness of atonement, grovelling love, the hopelessness of reconciliation. I tried to immolate myself but it was too late. She was gone.
24
“Hello, Leo. You need to listen carefully to this. There’s been an incident. Rebecca’s mother’s just called. There was a big stink at the house-Valentine’s Day. I’ll give you the scoop when you come pick me. Lunch on me ok?”
I tell my wife I’m taking us to the docks- a neutral venue or no man’s land and the edge of the world to some.
“You’ve never taken me this way before, Leo” We drive to park up. Walking from Beresford place we followed in the order named Lower and Middle Gardiner streets and Mountjoy square, west: then, at reduced pace, Gardiner's place by an inadvertence as far as the farther corner of Temple street: then, at reduced pace with interruptions of halt, bearing right, Temple street, north, as far as Hardwicke place. Approaching, disparate, at relaxed walking pace we crossed the circus before George's church diametrically, the chord in any circle being less than the arc which it subtends and we arrived at the unexplored world besides the far quay.
We eye a spot suitable to our purpose. An eastern looking restaurant called the Siduri. An ‘A’ board with a golden sun symbol and an arrow pointing towards a tunnel underneath a culvert. Into it we step and are instantly greeted by a swarthy looking bearded gentleman dressed in white shirt and bow tie. ‘Salem Alekum.’ He introduces himself. He is Gilgamesh, white-aproned and beckoning us forward into his establishment. “ Oh, how, mysterious and enchanting! This must be the immigrant quarter…something exotic-seafood? Any fresh catch of the day?” Soothing exotic music played to Barbara’s enthral. ‘Ah, piped, ole! ’She did say. Racial belch? Never!
We are taken up a spiral staircase into the vantage point any voyeur would love. We are seated close to the window where our eyes were drawn to the white tower beyond framed by a green sea backdrop. Sparkling lights glistening like jewels, ‘hi, opal deep’ and shadows floated silently by through the morning peace from the stair head seaward. Inshore and farther out the mirror of water whitened on the breast of the dim sea. I cast my conqueror’s gaze across the vast horizon and thought of Alexander and his march eastwards in order to find the end of the world, since his boyhood tutor Aristotle told him tales about where the land ends and the Great Outer Sea begins.
“Did you know the great Greek king, Alexander, integrated foreigners into his legions? Some scholars say he was the word’s first true multi-culturalist with a ‘policy of fusion.’”
My wife looked at me unimpressed. “He encouraged marriage between his soldiers and foreigners…..he even practiced it himself. I think he’d approve of you and me-wedded over waters.”
Gilgamesh furnished us with wine and bread. I noted finely carved clay tablets mounted on the wall. They had pride of place. A gregarious character, he says they are of Sumerian legend. Twelve of them. He was a bricklayer in his homeland and he spoke wistfully to us of people he left behind to find his own opportunity and fortune. Not a fan of Alexander was our Gilgamesh. He joked, “ ah the accursed one and destroyer of Persia!”
Drink up! And fill your glass! More red? Decanted blood red was the fruit of the vine and the work of human hands. I guess my wife found the Persian pleasing to her Mediterranean eye. She commented on his moustachioed face, equine in
its length, and his shiny untonsured hair, grained and hued like dark oak.
But for a moment a sombre interlude of her precious dearly departed (antecedents and geographical) Barbara spoke solemnly. But be of good cheer dear wifey! Drink the Chablis your favourite wine and think upon a summer divine. But we are all immigrants here! She found a kindred spirit, she thought, a traveller and seeker of knowledge. The peregrines swapped tales of past voyages and wisdom gained and what hopes they still held for future adventures. Seasons come and seasons go but the sun-ripened juice will always flow! Carpe diem. He shares with us how he had made his fortune-not of money but of riches of the soul-of hope and hard work. He was reminded of his greatest gift: the building a mighty wall to protect his family from the storms of those inclement times. The wall saved them from a great fire tempest that scorched their village near the Euphrates River. Thus he gave his gift to them. A man shall be a god when he strives to make great works here on earth.
This gentle Mesopotamian spoke sagely and eloquently of history and tradition. He spoke of Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar. He regaled us with his knowledge of the ancients. We marvelled further at the many brightly coloured glazed tiles about this fine establishment, crafted in relief sculpture. Incongruously, amongst the finely framed prints on the wall, an erotic woodcut, perhaps an oddment traded once along the silk road. I much admired the piece and he told me knew a dealer who traded in fine Shunga woodblocks at a fair price.
“My new friends be happy but also be wary. There is danger here.” His wrinkled eyes sparkled in their blackness.
He warned us of the warriors of the apocalypse who move ever forward in stealth and who covet the homelands. He raised these portents of more evil deeds and plundered chattels, thieves of antiquities. But with good fortune and by god’s will from this brewing chaos should come change; from that fledgling change should spawn hope
“So let’s drink in hope of victory!” We laughed. Then planned and strategized our expedition to foray the hinterlands of vanilla’s own past and secret world.
About a week or so later Barbara and I go meet Cheryl van Hiller, Rebecca’s mother, at her home. Re-live clan breach. She was much fatter than I expected and shorter. She was a surprisingly very plain looking woman about our age. We sat in conference at her dining table and the three of us conversed for over an hour. I was struck by the normalcy of the vanilla mother and her home. This was not a den of torture. These people weren’t ogres. She tells us that on the evening of February fourteenth Rebecca and Cilla approached the house uninvited. It was an unpleasant whirlpool of a scene. The sister had her birthday party ruined because of it. Rebecca allegedly scratched the family car when the father saw her and got angered- told her to clear off. Cilla got annoyed shouted back at him, “ what’s your fucking problem?” China cab reveller. She had no conscience, no nagging voices for good in her subconscious. No inner remonstrations to herself from Rev. Rich Cleanable, Rev. Chile Barnacle or Rev. Anarchic Belle.
Then we met the little girl. School was just out. She came in gently and her name was Rachel, she was charming. She came in and sat close to her mother-a pretty, dark-haired girl, but oh so very shy. She reminded me greatly of my own daughter. Racial belch? Never!
“We’ve been talking about your sister, my love.” Breach lilac nerve. The chubby woman asked of her little bundle if there was anything she wanted to say to us. The child took her mother’s hand and gave her a knowing look. We took this as our cue to leave. As we made our way to the door the young sister uttered her only words judiciously to the point, ’ please tell Rebecca to leave me alone!’ We had it all now.
We got in the car and for a moment looked back upon a very average looking terraced house of a very average family. Barb wore a smug and self-satisfied face.
“ You see, Leo..I was right…I knew it….we’ve all been had….and you’re still falling for it!”
“ Oh shut it woman…you’re annoying me again!”
On we went with our journey into the past. Many innocents had been robbed, deceived and had their hearts and homes looted. A street harlot she was of the most cunning brand. Her miscreant young salacious lieutenants had been eager for her favours exchanged freely in a senseless quest of self- annihilation.
“ Now is the time to act, Leo. It’s beyond a joke- we know she’s got hundreds of pounds worth of Lita’s clothes….we know she’s a thief…a compulsive liar….a street prostitute….. she’s a human whirlwind of destruction … You’ve given her a green light to a college course with access to young kids…. you thought she was your rough diamond but she has a heart as black as coal and now she’s ruined your reputation and mine too. ….and you want all this on your conscience?” Evil breach lancer.
Her goading was wearing me down. “ Ok…ok….I’ll get round there and try another little chat-for all the good it will do. I’ll tell Cilla that we’ve spoken with the younger sister…… and all the other stuff…I’ll tell her what I saw…if that’s what you want!”
25
I get up when I want to. Except on Wednesdays when I’m rudely awakened by the dustman. But this morning the rudeness was from a different quarter. I catch Cilla shortly after I see Becky has set off the school bus. She looks dishevelled in her dressing gown and grudgingly lets me in.
“Sorry to hassle you this early hour, Cilla…well...I’m here not on a social call but business…sort of…about Becky.”
She rolls her eyes in anticipation of what’s coming.
“I’ve met Becky’s mum…nice lady....she really is….honestly. She says Becky caused a great commotion on the little sister’s birthday….”
“Hold on, Leo…..before you start sounding off I need to let you have something to think on first. Your charming wife has been phoning on and on and on plus your foul-mouthed stepdaughter has been texting and calling Rebecca night and we’re not having it! Everyone knows that Barbara and Becky never got on….your wife has a vicious temper…and.….well to lock that kid in the house and then to take her benefits money off her….well…that’s so out of order…..that’s money that she’s entitled to and it’s not meant for you or your wife’s pocket…you hear me? And I know for a fact what you get up to when your wife’s back is turned….making out you’re all innocent…..everyone round here sees it….women in and out…..and you have the nerve to stop this kid having a boyfriend or two?”
“Hold on, Cilla…her mother told me…Becky is not meant to go near that kid…restraining orders have been issued….it’s wrong! And she damaged the car….”
“Now you take your hypocritical wife and her stupid ideas and you take them….and tell her to shove it! Now out….please leave my home….you’re not welcome and don’t come back and don’t you dare give that kid any more trouble or it will be the last thing you ever do!”
As I turn on my heels and exit the door a stocky, bald headed figure meets me coming in-fancy Dan the Porsche man. As I took my car keys from my pocket I saw where he’d parked. Bumper to bumper and the third time in a week he’d, blocked me in. I sounded my horn. Nothing. I hammered loudly at the front door till he came out.
“ What! What! Can’t you leave people alone for one minute?”
“ Do you need to leave your car quite so closely to mine or is that some point you’re trying to make?” I raged.
The corner of his mouth turned almost imperceptibly to a smile.
“Got you in a bit of a pickle have we, old son? That’s an awful shame….might be a while in here you see…I’ve got some business that needs attending to…..now toddle off…..not that it’s any concern of yours…I mean…and let’s agree on something…..you might not want to cause too much fuss what with you getting known for having a thing for young girls and all…..not safe to live anywhere any more is it?
“Are you threatening me? Is that a threat? Do you know that there’s laws about that?”
“Don’t go getting yourself in any deeper, old son…people might start to think you’re due for a comeuppance….if you know what I mean.”
“Right…that’s it…get that car shifted or I’m calling the police!”
“Ha…that’s a pearler! You won’t find any friends there!”
“Now piss off…I’ll be out in a minute.”
26
In the island of Mindanao, Filipino soldiers are reported to exchange taunting text messages with the Muslim guerrillas on whom they are waging war. "Some are obscene and offensive messages, which I cannot describe publicly," Brigadier General Eliseo Rio Junior admitted, adding: "It's better than exchanging bullets."
We sat slouched and ponderous together on the sofa drinking our coffee. The mood was intense. I had a pounding headache and a sense of divided loyalties. My wife had just shown me the state of Rebecca’s old room. She was ramming the point home. Semen-stained underwear were kept like trophies stuffed down under the bed, endless screwed up bits of paper with mobile phone numbers, the treasured diamond eternity ring that her mother had given her before she dies mysteriously found in the corner of van Hiller’s closet. It was worse than I’d feared.
“ Do you now see why I’ve been right on the edge…. of losing it these past couple of months, Leo? Ellis and Taylor- those officers…. craziness they took her side- shoved me in another room. They caused all this, Leo…. those dumb police gave that bitch a free run to rob us out of our own home!” Valance rich rebel!
I wasn’t sure what to feel but I guess the three A4 printed sheets that my wife put into my hand right then was the clincher.
“What’s this, Barb? Something else left by your house guest?”
I began to read the pages in disbelief.
“What’s all these numbers mean, Barb on the side of each message?”
Barb explained:
“ The first row of numbers starting 447….they’re all mobile phone messages….that’s the country code….of the mobile phone the message are sent to…. and the second column…you see that one…07/03/2003 22:15:46 is the date and time with the message underneath.”
I looked closely and saw that they were in sequence.
“ These messages….they look like they’re to and from Lita’s mobile phone….but…….there’s numbers here I don’t recognise.” I was befuddled by it.
“ What’s the other number? Is that a mobile? Who’s is that?” I enquired.
“ That’s the Internet mobile phone number that Lita was using on the Internet account you set up for her…when she went back to the States.” She replied.
I looked intently at the jumble of letters-mainly consonants and very few vowels and the incongruity of numbers placed in the midst of words I had never before seen the like of. The first message had nothing readily identifiable to me apart from what seemed like a couple of names. The other random strewn characters were baffling in the extreme. Was I in the realm of cryptography? Have mobile phones become the new portable ciphering machines?
Ey saggipuss ~
Baz hre hwz u? GBTM4 sme of dat specl luvN u lk x
It started to make sense. I had to read the messages from the bottom upwards as the last one was printed first and the first message was at the bottom of the last sheet.
“ Who’s ‘Baz’? “ I asked.
There were names on here I had never seen before.
“ And who the hell is ‘Saggipuss’?” I was bemused.
“ Ha… that Saggipuss thing is the name the kids at school called Rebecca….and no prizes for guessing why!”
She explained that ‘Baz’ was one of the older married guys she saw a long time back. He had moved on since Lita had said-wife found out. Claire said that he was the type that paid for sex. I studied carefully the dense abbreviated code that is the language of the text message.
“ Charming…. so it looks like these messages are something Lita and Claire knocked up to prove Rebecca was a slapper? I suppose that’s not the only thing getting knocked up in New York!”
I took a sip from my cup and picked out a chocolate biscuit from the box Barb had thoughtfully placed between us on the sofa.
“ Funny man! …you’d not blame them would you after all the lies the bitch had been spreading about the two of them. She found things on the phone that Lita never erased-private things-and the bitch has used it against her. She’s twisted-she makes herself look better by trashing other people!”
“ Yea, Barb…but is this the right way to go about it Whose idea was this anyway? Have you been in on this too? It’s not too clever of you to let her carry on with this, Barb.”
My wife began that scratching of her arms again that warned me she was about to blow but I made my point.
“ Look, put an end to this silly soap opera….I don’t know what you were planning on doing next…..where’s this all heading?”
“Look Leo!” I had no idea that Lita and Claire had started up this scheme”
“How long? How long has this been running?”
” Few weeks…few weeks without my knowledge…but look what we now know! You need to get a grip and either get this straightened out or we get the police back in…that little bitch has it coming to her and you need to reflect on that college reference you wrote, too!”
I ran my fingers through my hair, hesitated and gave out a sigh and looked again at the pages.
She snarled. “ You still are sticking up for her…you had her all to yourself…you may have been scheming with her for all I know! I could see what was going on, Leo…you were totally obsessed…Even Denise and Hector could see it!”
“ Ok..ok….All these messages end with ‘reply within 24 hours’…what’s that all about?” I countered.
“ Oh…let me see…give it here!”
She put her coffee cup on the small occasional table in front of us then snatched one of the sheets from my hands and studied it carefully.
“Ah…right….I think…..yes…..that’s because the messages are Internet based and sent from your ’Hentai’ account or whatever it is, to Rebecca’s phone…..its only a temporary reply phone number attached to it…..after a day you lose it….if she doesn’t reply within that day she can’t send you anything at all….. I think.”
“ Ok….clear as mud then….so what was Lita wanting to do? Jesus, it reads as it’s all trying to get Rebecca to meet this ‘Baz’ character on her own for a threesome and blowjobs!……do you really think she’s going to do all that……for twenty quid?” I said. I shoved another biscuit into my gob and slurped tepid coffee.
“Well…she might….she might not……at least its got her freaked out a bit. I bet she would love to know who is really sending them……all I care about is Lita getting her CD’s and clothes back … I want my ring, too. That’s missing”.
She paused then smiled mischievously wrapping both her hands tightly around her cup. “ How would you feel if she did come to meet ‘Baz’?’”
“ Why…..you think I’m jealous then?…..She can do what she likes…..I think her and me are finished anyway …..I don’t want anything more to do with that nut!”
I brushed the biscuits crumbs from my shirt and sipped the murky brown stuff.
“ It’s hard to know with you…. whether you mean it…you were all on her side when you took her away to Cilla’s that night…. The whore….two whores!…Together…..fine friends they turned out to be!”
I saw hostility and determination in those eyes. Ms Karibdis was going to get a taste of her fury. She went on:
“ Cilla must be the dumbest of dumb if she has taken all those lies in about us…… so naïve to think Rebecca is the victim in all this…..I’d love to prove how wrong she is on that!
I thought for a moment and added: “What do you care what Cilla thinks? She’s nothing to anyone. She was never you’re real friend. How many times have I told you that in the past? Get real! Look… go ahead and set up your little meeting…finish what you’ve started then! I just don’t think Rebecca will really fall for this little charade…she’s outsmarted us both already. If she does show up it proves she is what she is but we already know it”
“Well, Leo…grow some balls then…..help us fix the bitch…. Teach her the best lesson you can!”
“ Ha… go on…laugh all you want, Barb. But don’t count your chickens just yet…she won’t show!”
“She will!! Watch….. you better believe it!”
The phone suddenly rang out. It was five thirty and Lita was making her daily call. I listened. Barb explained I now had the full story and was now in on the deal. We mulled it over and a I agreed to arrange a date and time. I had three days of supply teaching coming up. It had to wait till after.
Lita agreed to E-mail me instructions on how to use that Internet SMS service. I’d give it a go tonight. I overheard my wife moaning down the phone about her mother’s lost ring. It had more sentimental than financial value but Lita’s things were worth over £500. They weren’t going to back down-payback was coming.
“ Right….I’m off now….before I go…this is your last chance…...are you absolutely sure you don’t want the police to handle it.”
Later that evening I ensconced myself in my bedroom cum study. I booted up my computer and logged online. Lita’s E-mail with all the instructions she promised was there as was an attachment of all the text messages: both those sent and those received. I re-read it this time more carefully. First I got a handle on her prose style. I weighed the meter, the syntax and the play of words. I wanted to know the genre, feel its pentameters and rhythms. This new love poetry would have Shelley, Byron and Keats revolving in their graves. Oh, how, please tell me how we should mourn the passing of such a rich culture. No longer a language expansive, with breadth to assimilate, to re-invigorate and stimulate, but now a distillation, a simplified sensory dumbing down for utilitarianism. I thought of battle-weary, trench-hardened troops in First World War bomb-cratered trenches, lying in the pools of filth, the stench of decay, bodies of fallen comrades with limbs tore apart lying around them. Their only comfort being the warmth of their sweathearts words read over and over again as the teaming rain belted down on their battered steel helmets. Then to lift up their tear-filled eyes and look for comfort and solace in those impassioned words of devotion:
My dearst babe mn of me lyf, I lng 4 yr hugs, yr gntL soft tuch. I so ms yr luvN Iyz, yr firm hands, doze days B4 dat wkd battl. Yr mum n dad av bn lk rokz d kin S hangN tuff n stix 2gtha. Yr kids spk afr u. evry1s a gr8 hlp. cum hom 2 me safe tuf guy.mn of me drms,
Yr luvN yFxxxxx
In my time I had done my share of crossword puzzles, anagrams, acrostics, you name it. But this was the first time I was going to have to employ a subterfuge of phraseology for a surreptitious purpose. I was going to have to master the language of the cell phone. Welcome to the age of button pressing, thumb straining predictive texting, instantaneous ethereal transmissions. Does anyone write with pen and paper any more? Litalemonletterer had given me her ultra masterful tutorial to defeat the Wehrmacht. My secret mission was to skilfully encrypt and decrypt secret messages to engineer our victory. Taxing work composing this drivel.
The last message from Rebecca read:
Ok LMK-cant meet til aftr nxt mon tho. 04/03/03 17:09:21
Acronym? I tapped at the keys. Using the vernacular I composed a message:
N1 Bex evngs r bst nxt week-wat plce? Wud 8pm B ok?sexihunk69xxxxx
My alembics told me she should stop being a psychovanillintease only if she was brought down a peg or two. I had cast the die and now it was my moment of truth. With another tap it was sent. I got on with reading my E-mails- something from Charlotte and bits of junk mail. Suddenly, the red flag icon popped up cartoon style at the top of the screen. I clicked and saw her message.
‘ ok-wed mar 12-not 8 plz mak it 6-at Truva prk? u knw it? 05/03/03 21:18:44’
I knew. The park was only minutes away. Ironically, I had been there before with her and my kids last September. Cilla’s two boys, Harrison and George, she took there now. I sent my acknowledgment back. It was all set. I scratched my head in wonder and took a sip from my glass of red then flicked over the switch on the stereo. I needed music to soothe my troubled mind.
Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur for what is known as parklife and morning suit can be avoided if you take a root straight through what is known as parklife john's got brewers droop he gets intimidated by the dirty pigeons they love a bit of it parklife who's that gut lord marchin you should cut down on your parklife mate get some exercise all the people so many people they all go hand in hand hand in hand through their parklife know what I mean get up when I want except on wednesdays when I get rudely awaken by the dustmen (parklife) I put on my trousers on, have a cup of tea and then think about leaving the house (parklife) I feed the pigeons I sometimes feed the sparrows too it gives me a sense of enormous well being parklife) and then I'm happy for the rest of the day safe in the knowledge there will always be a bit of my heart devoted to it its got nothing to do with the vorsprung durch technique you know and its not about you joggers who go round and round and round.
27
MARCH 11TH 2003. Eighteen hundred hours. Our reconnaissance of the entire area was applied with military precision. The park off Truva Road was divided into two segments-inner and outer. Sturdy aluminium railings with two sprung gates either end surrounded the inner perimeter to deter dog fouling. The play apparatus was set inside a well-designed soft-safe environment of rubberised tarmac on the ground and rounded corners on every piece of equipment ideal for younger children with the ubiquitous slide, log segment climbing frame and a couple of swings. A graffiti-covered playhouse spoilt the look of what was an otherwise pleasant facility.
We took note zero hour would be around dusk. The weather forecast was overcast with light to moderate north-easterly winds. It was going to be chilly. Our battle plan was to encircle the enemy in a pincer movement in the twilight and employ a sneak attack to her rear. March 2003 was also the invasion of Iraq, codenamed "Operation Iraqi Freedom." The Second Gulf War and Gilgamesh’s prophecy realised. The element of surprise was the key. Our assessment of our enemy was that she had not the defensive measures in place to repel our overwhelming force. We had decided that I would lead the first assault wave heavily armed. I would hit Rebecca full force with the printed text messages and employ a barrage of sophisticated psychological warfare. It was going to be ‘shock and awe’ as Lita’s army boyfriend, Ryan, would say. He was a US Marine Reservist and just got the call to mobilise.
We had decided Barb would take up the optimum strategic position hidden behind the large bushes near to the adjacent road. From there she could observe the battlefield and assess the situation. Barb was the reserve guard that would launch a second wave to the enemy’s side: more American ‘gung-ho.’
THE ASSUALT CHARGE
‘RECORD OF INTEVIEW’ The police document was headed, ‘’WITNESS STATEMENT’ (CJ Act 1967. S9 MC 1980, ss5A(3a) and 5B MC Rules 1981, r 70)’
This was the police statement of PC GODBOLT: GODBOLT: Age Over 18 years.
I read it carefully.
On March 27th 2003 I interviewed Leonard Odysseus Bloom in interviews recorded on the following tapes:
Tape number 248409 which I produce as Exhibit BG/1:BG
Tape number 248408FA which I produce as exhibit BG/2:BG
A request for summaries of the tapes was forward to the tape summary office.
I received the summaries of these interviews, which I have read, and state that they are balanced, accurate and reliable summaries of these interviews. I produce these summaries as exhibits BG/1ABG and BG/2A respectively. Signed B Godbolt PC543.
Person Interviewed: Leonard Bloom
Place of Interview: Interview Room. North Haven Police
Date if Interview: March 27th 2003
Time commenced: 22:24. Duration of Interview: 47 minutes. Audio Tape reference no. LOW/03/4264. Interviewing Officer: PC Godbolt. Other persons present: none.
After the usual introduction the interviewee is cautioned in accordance with CJPO94. The caution is explained. The interviewee confirms the interviewee understands the caution. The interviewee is advised of the interviewee’s legal right in interview but declines legal representation in this interview. He is reminded of his arrest on 27.03.03, suspected of an assault in Truva Park on 12.03.03 at about six in the evening.
Clock counter time 02:41
BLOOM: “…I had been sending anonymous texts to Rebecca for…three weeks as part of an investigation into her exploits as a prostitute. We had…..Rebecca in our care for ten months from April 2002 until January 2003 and we…. Had been informed by friends of the family and neighbours that Rebecca was meeting under age boys (thirteen or fourteen or so) for paid sex… We couldn’t prove this….but we had taken Rebecca to her doctor several times and he had diagnosed her as suffering from psychopathic disorder, … anti-social personality disorder….She went three times to a counsellor and then declared herself fit enough not to go any further. We contacted social services and we asked them to…investigate ‘cause she is suffering from delusions of all sorts. …We knew she was…a very…accomplished liar. And the problem is….as a schoolteacher…I tried to help her.”
“As of July or August my wife had asked me to get involved with Rebecca because our daughter, Lita, had gone back to the States and ….there was nobody in the house…to be a role model to Rebecca. So I tried to encourage her to get on with her schoolwork and I actually attended a parents evening with her…”
Clock counter time 05:53
Bloom explains that van Hiller was academically able and had been given a place at the local college. He was worried about this. She had received a caution for indecency with two thirteen-year-old boys. Bloom and his wife knew she was unreliable, untrustworthy and promiscuous. The couple felt they had to obtain proof, confront her with the proof and demonstrate to various officials that she needed psychiatric help.
Clock counter time 05:53
BLOOM: “ …So we had started this anonymous texting, as of February 2003, to her…. asking about her availability to have…. paid sex. And she agreed that she had a week away with her boyfriend but on her return to town she would actually meet this person for sex and would have intercourse for £10 or £20, depending on what else was on offer. A week after this she got back from…her boyfriend’s. I sent her a text asking when it would be suitable for her and she sent a text to me giving information about the place and the time, which she said would be Truva Park at six in the evening on March 12th (which we both agreed was fine). I asked her to be alone and she said she would be alone……..that was the arrangement we made. Before going to Truva Park at five thirty I asked my wife to accompany me and we both drove up Odyssey Road and parked behind the bushes at Truva Park. My wife observed the whole scene. I approached Rebecca with …..three pages of printouts of the texts and she was very shocked to see me…I said.’ Rebecca, this is proof that you are seriously in need of psychiatric help. I could be anybody approaching you now. You’re a great danger to yourself…I have no choice: if you don’t get help immediately I’ll have to inform the school and the city college that you’re not fit to work with young children.’ She immediately started getting abusive. She said’ You’re ruining my fucking life. Go away. I don’t need this’….I said’ Rebecca, you really do need help. Please sit down and be calm.’ She started shouting and being very abusive at the top of her voice. I tried to calm her down. She sat momentarily and she took her cigarettes out and started to smoke one. But she was very shaken and obviously upset…..I explained to her that I had no choice. She had already used me as a referee for her college application and I said, ‘ I cannot actually, as a teacher, ….ignore my responsibility to the college,’ and I had to inform them of her behaviour…She told me: I let her down; I was no friend of hers;…. I was a ‘complete fucking bastard.’ She got up and she decided she was going to kick me. She tried to kick me. She kicked me in the shins. I held her wrists…..trying to hold her back She was shouting abuse constantly. I tried to restrain her. But she fell back and dropped her bag and dropped her inhaler. Her inhaler fell out of her bag at that point. I walked- I ran back to the car where my wife was and I told her, ‘ Don’t get involved, Barbara, because of what happened last time in January will happen again….she’ll kick and scream and fight you as well. You’d best keep out of it….best let her go and walk away.’ I ran back to Rebecca. She tried to pick up her inhaler. She couldn’t find it. So she just walked back to…thirty Eccles Drive. I followed her back to thirty Eccles Drive because I live at number thirty-two. I warned her on the way. I said,’ Please Rebecca. This is your last chance. I cannot let this go. I want you to get immediate psychiatric help to stop this behaviour. Please tell Cilla and please show Cilla these texts.’ And I made sure that I pointed to the texts in her hand. I said, ‘ That is evidence, Rebecca, that you are reckless and a danger to yourself.’…. That was the last of that incident that night.
Clock counter time: 10:34
Bloom explains that van Hiller had had five addresses during the eighteen months before he and his wife looked after her because none of her family would. She had been promiscuous before being cared for by the BLOOM’S. Rebecca had given the BLOOM’S stepdaughter a list of thirty males whom she had had paid sex with. BLOOM explains that in April 2002 van Hiller lived at 13 Cedar Drive with his wife, Barbara and his stepdaughter, Lita. Bloom had always lived at Eccles Drive and had never lived at Cedar Drive with them. Bloom had spent much time with van Hiller, observing her behaviour. He asserts she lies pointlessly and has no friends. He explains that the girl and Cilla Karibdis had visited Rebecca’s younger sister in February in breach of a court order. Van Hiller made a scene and a car was damaged. He explains Cilla is his neighbour, who at the time of this interview, looks after Rebecca and is completely taken in by her. On 12.03.03 after the incident in the park, Bloom and Barbara wrote to Rebecca’s teaching staff and various government officials. They also telephoned the police station and spoke with a male officer. They urgently requested psychiatric help for van Hiller. Bloom explains that he and Barbara had all the anonymous text messages printed out from the Internet.
Clock counter time: 16:24
Bloom explains that he and Barbara had heard van Hiller had been telling school friends during the Autumn Term the he was her ‘sugar daddy’ and taking her out. He explains he had taken her to a few public houses to play pool. He explains he had become concerned about her state of mind when she had just laughed when a youth had grabbed her indecently in a pub while she was playing pool with him. Bloom explains he had supported her academically but had lost faith in her when he learnt Rebecca van Hiller had been lying to others (including Cilla) that Barbara had sought to persuade van Hiller to have sex with Bloom to encourage Bloom to stay in their marriage. Cilla runs karaoke evenings. Rebecca had got to know her through attending these evenings run by Cilla. had built up a friendship with Cilla and spun a web of lies about the Bloom’s.
Clock counter time: 18:46
Bloom explains that when van Hiller was accepted on an ‘early learning’ course at the college, starting in September 2003, Bloom had expressed misgivings to the teacher in charge of the course.
Clock counter time: 19:42
PC GODBOLT: “You continued sending these texts messages to Rebecca which eventually…”
BLOOM: “Yeah”
PC GODBOLT: “…resulted in her agreeing to meet you?”
BLOOM: “Yeah”
PC543 “ …And that was in Truva Park at six in the evening on the twelfth of March?”
BLOOM: ”Yeah”
PC543 “ You said to her then to come alone?”
BLOOM: “Yeah….but I initially used the name ‘Baz’ because we spoke to some of her ex friends about who that she was really attracted to, and apparently…she wanted to have sex with someone called ‘Baz’. So we used the name ‘Baz’ initially and she immediately responded…we knew then that we were onto something here so we persisted with the texting.”
PC543 “…Did you move onto some other name after that?”
BLOOM: “We didn’t use….she was asking, ‘who are you?’ so then we just….thought, ‘well, it doesn’t matter who we are let’s push it and see if she will meet a complete stranger for sex.’”
Clock counter time 20:53
Bloom states they signed only one text message ‘Baz’. They then selected the name ‘sexihunk’ and used that instead. He asserts van Hiller met males through the Internet ‘chatrooms’ for the purpose of sex. She arranged to meet one male in the town without having any idea who he was. She had not realized Bloom and Barbara were monitoring her Internet access and checking her emails for months.
Clock counter time 21:55
Bloom explains that he and Barbara had undertaken a dry run on the 11.03.03. Because Van Hiller had assaulted Barbara in January they decided Barbara should keep her distance (Bloom had encouraged Cilla to look after the girl). They parked so Barbara would have a good view from the car but could also walk closer if necessary. When they arrived Rebecca was walking around the park. There were three boys in the park, one of who shouted ‘whore’ at her. When she had clamed down and was smoking a cigarette in the park Bloom had returned to Barbara and told her everything was all right.
Clock counter time 24:31
PC GODBOLT: “…Did Rebecca know it was going to be you that was there, do you think?
BLOOM: “ No idea.”
PC 534 “ –from her reaction?”
BLOOM: “She was shocked. She was really shaking violently. She dropped her bag and when she dropped her bag…her….brown….asthma inhaler fell out. She struggled to pick it up.”
Clock counter time 25:35
PC GODBOLT: “….You…said…she tried to kick your shins and you held her wrists…..”
BLOOM: “She tried to slap me across the face and I grabbed her wrists.”
PC GODBOLT: “ ..What made her do that? Had something been said beforehand?”
BLOOM: “…I actually said, ‘Rebecca, you are a common prostitute. You are a prostitute.’ She said, ‘ I’m not a fucking prostitute.’ I said, ‘ Rebecca we’ve got witnesses you’re a prostitute.’….First of all she tried to swing at me and I jumped back…..She swung at me with her right hand. She tried to slap me across the face. And then immediately she tried to kick me so….I put my hand out to grab her other arm to hold her back form me. I ended up holding both her arms….trying to hold her at arms length….Although I was holding her with both arms she was kicking me in the shins.”
PC GODBOLT: “ ….She.. ..lost her temper and she tried to slap your face…..with her right hand.”
BLOOM: “ Yeah”
PC GODBOLT: “ But you managed to get hold of…her wrists.”
BLOOM: “ Yeah….her hands were flailing around at that point. She dropped her bag. Everything fell out of her bag.”
PC GODBOLT: “….Did she manage to kick you?”
BLOOM: “ Oh yeah…..she kicked me hard.”
Clock counter time 27:41
Bloom explains his knee was bruised by her kick and a mark remains from this. PC GODBOLT: notes a graze on Bloom’s right knee. When van Hiller ranted at him while he was holding her wrists she swore at him, calling him inter alia ‘ a wanker’, and told him to leave her alone and she did not need him any more.
Clock counter time: 28:59
PC GODBOLT: “….It was while you were holding both her wrists that she fell backwards?….”
BLOOM: “Yeah….she stumbled over her bag, I think. She stepped back and I think she caught her bag in the strap or something and fell backward.”
PC GODBOLT: “Did she fall backwards…..sort of onto her bum, was it? Did she go right down onto the floor?”
BLOOM: “ Well…yeah…she fell right back….I just let her go.”
PC GODBOLT: “….You think it was that point that….her inhaler actually fell out of her bag?”
BLOOM: “ Yeah…everything fell out of her bag: cigarette lighter…everything.”
PC GODBOLT: “….You then said at this point, …..after she fell to the ground and the bag fell over, you ran back ot your wife and told her not ot get involved?”
BLOOM: “ No, before that…..very early on…she seemed to be claming down….I told her to sit on the slide. There is a slide there. I said, ‘ Just sit down please, Rebecca, calm down.’ She was shaking violently. I said, ‘Please sit down. Let’s talk this through’….. she did sit down for a minute or two…..I said, ‘Just wait there. I’m just going to tell Barbara what is going on. I just want to talk to you.’ So I ran over to Barbara ( I didn’t want to shout at her)…..”
PC GODBOLT: “….Did Barbara stay there or did she drive off?”
BLOOM: “ I think she stayed there for a few minutes. But I said to her….if things look okay to you I’m going to walk back to the house with her. If you see me walking back to the house then everything is okay……just go home and I’ll phone you on the mobile.’.”
Clock counter time 31:00
PC GODBOLT: “ …Rebecca is on the floor….she has….stumbled over her bag, causing her to fall down, and you said that it was then that all her stuff came out of her bag?”
BLOOM: “ Yeah.”
PC GODBOLT: “ It was then that Rebecca tried to find her inhaler, was it?”
BLOOM: “ I don’t know whether she did or not… She constantly dropped stuff. She was trying to take things out….she was rummaging through her bag to get cigarettes out and she kept dropping stuff. She was dropping a diary or something. Bits fell on the floor and I picked things up with her and… handed them to her to try to sit her down and get her calm.”
PC GODBOLT: “ ….You followed her back. How did the conversation go?…”
BLOOM: “ I said, ‘Rebecca, you’re walking away and you’re swearing and you’re shouting. You’re angry….You need to sit down calmly and think about this…..Show these texts to Cilla. Get Cilla’s advice. Tell Cilla what is going on in your life.’….. Going back a week or so, after I went to see the mother at her house, I decided to …speak to Cilla…. I went to her and apparently….Rebecca just had a week off school. She had toxic shock syndrome. I didn’t know she had the week off school. And she was obviously ill…They invited me in and I went to the kitchen and I spoke to both Cilla and Rebecca…”
Clock counter time: 33: 41
Bloom explains they both walked together from the park to the front door of her house. He talked to her all the way. She kept telling him she did not want to know.
Clock counter time 34:19
PC GODBOLT: “…Apart from holding her wrist was there any other physical contact between yourself…..and Rebecca?”
BLOOM: “ No, not by me…..not at all.”
PC GODBOLT: “ It was…..approximately 6pm on the 12th of March you arranged to meet with Rebecca but at this time you’re not sure whether or not Rebecca realized it was you that she was meeting or-“
BLOOM: “ She had no idea who I was. None at all. She told me that. She admitted that…..she said to me, ‘ What are you doing here?’ ”
Clock counter time 35:32
PC GODBOLT: “ Because….it was…..an odd situation you asked your wife to accompany you to the park….”
BLOOM: “Well….we…we…actually were discussing the whole thing with friends and family and neighbours. ‘ How do we get this kid into help?’…I also discussed it with two other people. I discussed it with my mother and I discussed it with a friend of mine. And we all said that the only way was to do something drastic: to catch her out, to prove she was a prostitute. And the only way we could do this was by texting her. We used the Internet texting services because we knew we could print it all off and it would be anonymous….its all verifiable….we’ve got it all on computer.”
Clock counter time 37:36
Bloom explains he and van Hiller sat on a slide and he took one of her cigarettes out for her to light while he was trying to calm her down. He and Barbara each had a mobile telephone with them. He had told van Hiller she could not work with young children if she was working as a prostitute.
Clock counter time 39:27
PC GODBOLT: “……You managed to get hold of her arms…..”
BLOOM: “ Yeah…. I got both arms. She dropped the bag…..it spread everywhere. I was holding both wrists and she was kicking out with both feet at me.”
Clock counter time 40:39
BLOOM: “….I only sent her a text….the week before congratulating her. She phoned me, said, ‘ I’ve just got into college, Leo’….”
Clock counter time 44:08
Bloom explains he has known van Hiller since April 2002. She had been staying at Barbara’s home. When his wife had to visit New York none of van HILLER ’s family would look after her. Therefore Bloom moved into Barbara’s home for a week to look after Rebecca. He has never had any form of sexual relationship with van Hiller.
Clock counter time 46:07
Bloom believes he wore a dark blue tracksuit and dark blue training shoes when he met Rebecca in the park on 12.03.03.
Clock counter time 46:45
PC GODBOLT: “….Rebecca……handed me a list of text messages.”
BLOOM: “ Yeah….that’s what I gave her. Should be about three pages.”
PC GODBOLT: “ Can I show you? That’s just one page.”
BLOOM: “ Yeah….I should add that ‘Saggipuss’ is her nickname at school because of her promiscuity. Everybody calls her ‘Saggipuss.’”
PC543 “ …..These are…. A list of text messages that you sent to her?”
BLOOM: “ Absolutely…..yeah.”
Clcok counter time 47:40. 11.07 pm. Tape is switched off.
‘RECORD OF INTERVIEW’
Person Interviewed: Leo Odysseus Bloom
Place of Interview: Interview Room. North Haven Police
Date of Interview: March 27th 2003
Time commenced: 23:08 hours. Duration of Interview: 18 minutes. Audio Tape reference no. LOW/03/4264. Interviewing Officer: PC Godbolt. Other persons present: none. Time concluded: 23:25.
Clock counter time: 02:00
PC GODBOLT: “ Did you realize that……that Rebecca had a tape recorder with her….and she recorded your conversation?”
BLOOM: “ Er..well ….no….…of course I had no idea
looked up to strain a weary eye over me. She perched regally on her throne while she teasingly rolled an exquisite fountain pen between fine her fingers. Kearney, too, was now giving me that disquieting once over and I was starting to feel I was just another humdrum criminal passing across her desk.