Owning Jacob - SA (35 page)

'Where is Jacob today?' Rogers asked.

'He's actual y at school,' Kale's solicitor answered, throwing it up for approval. 'My client is now aware of the importance of his son's education, and has given me an undertaking that he wil attend as normal in future.' I'm glad to hear it. But I'm afraid we stil need to satisfy ourselves that the undertaking wil be adhered to. And we also have to consider any additional action that may have to be taken to make up for such a long period of deprivation.'

'My client realises that, and-'

'He's not deprived of anything,' Kale said.

'I was speaking in an educational sense,' Rogers said.

'Jacob's autistic. He needs-'

'He's my son. I'm al he needs.'

'I know the background to this case, Mr Kale, and I do appreciate how difficult this must be for you, but al owances can only be made so far. We're here to try and decide-'

'There's nothing to decide.' Rogers glanced at Kale's solicitor. "Perhaps you can explain to your client that it's in his own interests to co-operate, Mr Barclay. He'l have a chance to give his views later, but right now there's nothing to be gained by obstruction.' The solicitor anxiously leaned towards Kale and began whispering to him. There was a general shuffling of papers as everyone else pretended not to take any notice. Kale didn't speak but his jaw muscles were bunched tightly. Ben felt the policewoman looking at him. She gave him a cold stare when he smiled at her.

Final y Kale's solicitor sat back, but with the cautious air of a man wil ing a precarious structure to hold. He smiled unconvincingly at Rogers.

'Okay,' he said.

The professionals al had their say. An education welfare officer spoke first. He was a short, plump man with a stubbly beard.

He described the excuses made by Sandra for Jacob's absence from school; that he was il , he had a cold, a temperature, then told how he had recently visited the scrapyard and found Jacob sitting in a derelict car while his father used a cutting torch near by.

'He didn't appear to be il , and there was certainly no reason I could see why he shouldn't be at school. When I asked Mr Kale why he wasn't, he refused to answer.' He glanced at Kale. 'In fact he didn't say anything at al . He continued working as if I wasn't there.' Ben imagined Kale with a cutting torch in his hand and thought the man had got off lightly.

A child psychologist spoke next. She was a specialist in autism, and stressed the importance of special schooling and mixing with other children. Depriving an autistic child of these was 'irresponsible', she said, and the way she avoided looking at Kale as she spoke was eloquence itself Kale sat through it al as if it were nothing to do with him.

The social worker from Sandra's old authority had a boyish face that was fal ing in on itself. Speaking with a faint stammer, he told them that she had been drunk on the night when her daughter was taken into care. Police had raided the council flat where she lived with her husband, intending to arrest him on drug charges, and found the baby girl dehydrated and half starved, and lying in her own urine and faeces.

Sandra kept her head down as he described the injuries that had been discovered when the child had been admitted to hospital, the evidence of broken bones partial y healed, internal bruising, a fractured skul .

'The father admitted hitting her,' the social worker said.

'He said it was to shut her up. He blamed his wife, but only because she couldn't keep the child quiet. He didn't appear to think he'd done anything wrong. The little girl died in hospital three days later, from pneumonia. Wayne Carter was sentenced to three years for manslaughter, and another two for drug-related charges. Mrs Carter' - he inclined his head at Sandra, who had her hand shielding her eyes - 'was found guilty of neglect, but it was felt she'd been dominated and frightened of her husband. She was put on a year's probation. After that she moved out of the authority's jurisdiction.' He closed his file. 'That's al .' There was a choked noise from Sandra. Her shoulders heaved as she covered her face. Ben saw that her nails were raw. He stamped on the involuntary stirring of pity.

'Are you al right, Mrs Kale?' Rogers asked.

She nodded without lifting her head. Her hair bounced up and down. The dark roots looked sad and vulnerable against the bleached yel ow.

"Would you like to take a break? We can-'

'Just get it over with.' Sandra wiped her eyes and lowered

her hands. Her face was red and blotchy. The solicitor handed her a tissue, which she took silently.

Kale watched her, impassive, then looked away. She might have been something he had never seen before.

Rogers turned to Carlisle. 'I think it's time we heard the social services' views, Mr Carlisle.' The social worker drew a deep breath. 'Ah, wel , to start with I think I should point out that although Mrs Kale - or Mrs Carter as she was then - failed to protect the child from its father, she had no direct involvement in her daughter's death. So while the, uh, breakdown in communication was unfortunate-'

"There was no breakdown,' the other social worker interrupted, calmly. 'We weren't approached. And it's al a matter of record anyway.'

'Even so, I'd like to make clear that-'

'Mr Carlisle,' Rogers interrupted, 'while I'm sure there wil be questions to be answered as to why Mrs Kale's background was overlooked, that isn't the purpose of this conference.

We're trying to assess what the present situation is and how to deal with it, not apportion blame or excuses.' Carlisle seemed about to object, but the man Usherwood had identified as his manager put a restraining hand on his arm.

'Excuse us.' They held a brief, murmured conversation. Carlisle straightened, reddening. He looked as though he had bitten on lemon rind. Ben felt a quiet chime of satisfaction.

As the social worker described the findings of their investigation, he could feel Kale staring at him, though. The weight of it was mesmeric. It required a physical effort to keep from looking back, but he didn't want to meet those eyes right then. He didn't even realise he was no longer listening to what was being said until the sound of his own name brought him around with a jerk

"Would you like to talk us through these, Mr Murray?' Ben looked at Rogers stupidly for a second. She was holding copies of the photographs he'd taken of Jacob and Kale. He glanced around and saw that so was everyone else.

Or nearly everyone. Sandra was stil half curled in her chair.

Kale's blank gaze was stil fixed on him.

He felt scalded by it as he haltingly described what he'd seen going on in the garden.

'If you were worried why didn't you approach the authorities before you did?' Rogers asked at one point.

'There was no point. I'd already tried.' He looked at Carlisle. 'I knew no one would believe me.'

'And you didn't think it worthwhile to express your concerns to Mr Kale either?'

'He'd already warned what would happen if he saw me again,' Ben said. 'And when he did, he beat me up and shot his dog.' There was a mild commotion at that, protests from Kale's solicitor, but Ben wasn't listening. He forced himself to meet Kale's stare across the table.

He saw his death in it.

They had to leave the room while the deliberations were being made. There was the choice of waiting either outside in the corridor or in an adjacent anteroom. Ben hung back until the Kales and their solicitor chose the anteroom, then went into the corridor. Usherwood came with him. She didn't offer any speculations, for which he was grateful.

He fetched coffee from a vending machine, and they sat in silence.

Before they had left, Rogers had asked Kale if there was anything he would like to say. 'Either about anything you've heard so far, or if there's something you'd like to add before we come to any decisions about Jacob.'

He had turned and looked at her. 'Steven. His name's Steven.' He didn't say anything else.

They were invited back into the conference room as Ben was on his third cup of coffee. He put the plastic cup under the bench and told himself that it was the caffeine that was making him shake as he stood up. The Kales were already sitting down as he and Usherwood entered. He took his seat, conscious that Kale was already staring at him. Sandra was stil avoiding looking at anyone. Her eyes were red and swol en as she gnawed at the corner of her thumbnail.

Rogers waited until everyone had settled. "We've discussed the situation and are ready to make recommendations for a care plan based on the information we've heard. While Mrs Kale's background has to be taken into account, we are prepared to accept that what happened twelve years ago does not necessarily have any bearing on her present family situation.

There is no suggestion that Jacob' - she seemed to stress his name - lias suffered or is likely to suffer any deliberate physical harm.

However, because of his special needs it's felt that he may suffer emotional harm if he doesn't attend school, and this matter can't be ignored any longer. We feel that this risk is enough to warrant placing him on the Child Protection Register. In addition, he'l have to be assessed to see if any supplementary schooling or therapy are necessary to make up for the time he's lost.' Ben felt disappointment settle on him as the implications sank in. Jacob was staying with Kale. Although he'd tried not to expect anything else, the confirmation was stil bitter.

'Another issue that needs to be addressed/ Rogers went on, 'is the possibility of Jacob being injured either because of the unsafe environment created by the, ah, excessive quantity of scrap metal at his home, and also by some of your own actions, Mr Kale.' There was the slightest trace of a frown on Kale's forehead, as if it was only now occurring to him what was going on.

Rogers continued.

'Although we accept that he hasn't been physical y harmed, and that there's no malicious intent on anyone's part, we nevertheless feel that it's in Jacob's best interests for the scrap metal to be removed. I'm sure that won't be too much of a problem, since you work at a scrapyard. If it is, then we can arrange its disposal for you.' Kale was staring at her now.

'Do you understand what I've just said, Mr Kale?' she asked.

He was slowly shaking his head. "You can't. I'm too dose.' There was an uneasy pause. Ben could almost see Rogers choosing her words. 'We're also going to suggest that you undergo an assessment by a mental health worker. I can-'

'Mental health worker?'

'I can assure you there's no stigma attached to this. But we do feel that it would be, ah, helpful in view of … wel , of certain aspects of your behaviour.' When Kale didn't object she seemed to relax slightly. 'I suggest that we hold a review conference in three months' time, when we can hopeful y-'

'No.' The word dropped into the room like a bomb. Rogers spoke patiently. 'I understand how you feel, but-' You don't understand anything.' Rogers turned to Kale's solicitor. 'Mr Barclay, would you advise your client that he doesn't real y have a choice in this.

Co-operation is in his own best interest' The solicitor nodded, but Kale spoke first. 'He's my boy.

We don't need people interfering.' Rogers sighed. 'Mr Kale, we're trying very hard to do the best thing for everyone. But our main concern is Jacob's welfare. Now, I'm sorry to have to be blunt, but we are going

I to interfere, as you put it, and it wil be much easier for al of us if you work with us rather than against us. It needn't be a problem, but if you refuse to co-operate then we may have to consider further options. One of which would be to take Jacob away from you, and I'm sure you won't-'

"You're not taking him away!' There was a wildness in Kale's voice that hadn't been there before.

'I'm simply pointing out the alternatives. I'm not saying-'

"Nobody's taking him again!' Now Carlisle spoke up. 'No one wants to do that, Mr Kale. Al we're-'

'He's done this, hasn't he?' Kale turned his glare on Ben.

"Your bitch took him once and now you're trying to do the same.' He spoke as if there were only the two of them in the room. Ben couldn't look away from the intensity in his eyes.

There was hate, but also something he never thought he'd see in Kale, something like panic.

Carlisle was making a placatory gesture with his hands.

'Look, Mr Kale, I've been involved with you and Jacob from the start, and I can promise you that no one in this authority wants to take him away from you, or to split up your family in any way.' He shot a frigid glance at Ben. 'I understand how hard this must be, but we real y are trying to help you. We're not acting on any one person's say-so. Our investigations show there are areas for concern, and your wife-' He stopped dead. His eyes widened at the size of his blunder. Kale turned to him.

What about my wife?' Ben felt the sudden tension in the room. He was aware that Sandra was sitting very stil , her head down.

I Carlisle's face was crimson. 'Er, I was just about to say that, er ….'

'What about my wife?'

Oh God, Ben thought Rogers tried to take charge again. 'We're getting away from the point here,' she said, but Kale's attention was on Sandra.

'What have you told them?'

"You're not helping yourself, Mr Kale,' Rogers snapped.

'This isn't achieving anything.' Sandra didn't lift her head from her chest. 'Look at me,' Kale told her.

'Mr Kale, I must insist-'

'Look at me!' Sandra shut her eyes. Kale stared at her, incredulous.

He backhanded her.

The sound of it was shockingly loud in the quiet room.

Both she and the chair would have fal en if her knees hadn't struck the underside of the table. It shook with the force of it As the chair banged down on al four legs Kale hit her again.

This time it knocked Sandra to the floor. The expressions of shock around the table were giving way to movement.

The policewoman was first out of her seat 'Al right, that's enough-' she began, reaching to restrain Kale as he stood up. He jackknifed his elbow into her stomach and slammed the back of his fist into her face. She pitched into a set of steel filing cabinets and slid down it. Kale's solicitor said,