Page 60 of The Making of Jonty Bloom
Eww.“Please stop this,” Jonty whispered. “It’s not going to make me want to get back with you. You’ve been following me, too. And watching me. I’ve seen you. It’s not…healthy.”
“I just want to keep you safe.”
From what? You’re the fucking threat!
“What’s all this about?” asked a gruff voice.
“Just talking to my boyfriend.”
“What’s your name?”
“Brad Greene.”
“Address?”
“18 Edison Heights, Alnwick. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“One of my colleagues spoke to you before about harassing Mr Bloom.”
Jonty opened the door, relieved to see a policeman standing there and that Brad hadn’t pulled some sort of trick.
“Tell him, Jonty. I’m not bothering you, am I?”
Jonty looked up into Brad’s smug, smiling face and clenched his fists. “We went out a total of six times. Six too many. I told you I didn’t want to see you again and you won’t listen.” He pulled the plastic bag out of his backpack. “You’ve sent me all this stuff and I don’t want it.” He faced the policeman. “Yesterday he sent a big black dildo to where I work and today, he pushed a bag of used condoms through my letterbox. I’ve had enough.”
“Used condoms?” The policeman turned to Brad.
Brad shrugged. “It was a joke.”
“I didn’t find it funny,” Jonty snapped. “It’s revolting. I reported you to the police before and I’m reporting you again today. You need help. You need to take your meds. You don’t listen to no. I want you to leave me alone.”
Could he be any clearer?
“You heard him,” the policeman said. “Stop pestering him.”
“I’m sorry.” Brad ‘s lower jaw wobbled.
Jonty would have laughed if he hadn’t been so worried. Brad wasn’t sorry.
“Has he threatened you with physical violence?” the policeman asked Jonty.
What Brad was doing now was almost worse than hitting him. “Not recently.”
“Do you want to make this official? Make a statement?”
Part of Jonty wanted to say yes, but he didn’t want to get trawled up in a court case, not the way he wanted to be found by his mother, so he shook his head and stared at Brad. “If you turn up here again or send me anything else, Iwillmake it official. You’ll have to go to court and I’ll get a restraining order. I’m asking you to leave me alone. Please.”
“Is there somebody else?” Brad asked.
“No.” Because saying yes would only make things worse and yes might be a stretch anyway.
“Well?” the policeman stared at Brad.
“Okay.” Brad stared at the ground. “I’m sorry.”
“One more call about you from Mr Bloom and you’re in real trouble,” the policeman said. “Get out of here.”
Brad fled and the policeman faced Jonty. “You think that’s it?”
