Page 111 of Don't Tell Teacher

‘He doesn’t have one now he’s sold the flat. But every so often he turns up.’

‘Mr Kinnock doesn’t have any address at all?’

‘He’s living in his camper van. Travelling around.’

‘So when did you last see him?’

‘Oh, I can’t quite remember. He comes and goes.’

‘To this flat?’

‘Yes.’

Freddy shouts from the kitchen: ‘I tell him to sling his hook. The great unwashed, telling me what newspaper to read in my own home.’

‘Freddy,shush,’ says Margaret.

‘What about a phone number?’ I ask.

‘Oh, Olly doesn’t have a phone.’ Margaret straightens a porcelain cat’s lace collar. ‘He got a bit down after the court case. He doesn’t want to see anyone.’

‘No one wants to see him either!’ Freddy shouts from the kitchen. ‘He needs a haircut and a good scrub-up.’

‘There must besomeway to contact him?’

Margaret gives a hopeless shrug. ‘I just see him when I see him. I could let him know you came by?’

I get the feeling Margaret isn’t being totally honest.

‘Has Mr Kinnock seen Tom since the court case?’

Margaret shakes her head, lips tasting something sour. ‘Lizzie won’t allow it. She keeps Tom hidden away. I get what I can out of her when we meet up. Little by little. One of these days, I’ll find out where she’s staying.’

My phone rings again. Tessa, of course.

‘I need to get this,’ I say. ‘Here are my contact details. If you see your son, please pass them on.’

I press a folded notepad page into Margaret’s hand, on which I’ve handwritten my name, job title, telephone number and email. The Comms department still haven’t printed me any business cards (probably thinking I’ll quit before they need to), so I write out contact pages whenever I’m stuck in traffic.

Margaret considers the white paper slip. ‘You’ll send Tom my love, won’t you? I don’t see nearly enough of him.’ Her mouth screws tight and wrinkles stretch from her cheeks to her ears. ‘Lizzie is too hard on Olly. It isn’t right. He needs to see his son.’

I wonder, quietly, if she was there in court. I’ve read the court documents a number of times now. Police records and medical evidence.

Olly Kinnock was accused of grievous bodily harm towards his wife and son, including breaking Tom’s wrist, actual bodily harm and sexual assault. The sexual assault allegedly followed a physical fight between Olly and his neighbour, after which Lizzie claimed that he forced her to perform a sexual act.

Olly denied the charges.

Tom’s broken wrist was later deemed a possible accident – even though Tom provided a video testimony citing his father as the cause.

The case was ultimately dismissed due to lack of sufficient evidence. This is how it often goes with domestic violence cases. No witnesses. The human body heals, destroying years of evidence. Fortunately, the courts gave Lizzie sole custody and Olly only supervised access. The restraining order was upheld for Lizzie, so he can’t come near her. And he can only see Tom if Tom wants to see him. Which he doesn’t.

A decent outcome, when all is said and done. At least we’ve worked to keep Tom safe.

Margaret probably didn’t attend the hearing. It would have been too painful.

If there’s one thing I’m learning on this job, it’s the power of denial.

Lizzie

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