Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:46:01 EDT
From: Djedoric58@aol.com
Subject: The Bull ~Singer, chapter twenty-six

THE BULL SINGER
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

From chapter twenty five

He indicated the comfortable settees set round a coffee table. "What I'm
going to say is not easy," he said as we sat down with him. "You must
understand that although we have own rules and procedures in this private
clinic, there are some rules that, by law, we have to follow. One of those
rules governs what we have to do when we discover any child abuse." Sam
fixed his gaze on me, and my heart pounded in my chest as he added, "You
know full well what I'm talking about, Mags; we've both seen the
evidence. I'm sorry, Mags, I have to do what I must."

Now read on

"Woe, woe there! Hang on just a minute, Sam." The sharpness in Dad's voice
made Sam sit up. "This isn't something you've just discovered. You knew the
boy had been abused and you didn't do anything about it then. Neither did
you tell Mags to back off at Marble House."

Already feeling the hands of a blue clad officer at my collar, I watched
Sam shake his head. "I'm sorry Edward, at Marble House I take orders from
Elias. Here I have joint responsibility with my colleague although, being a
senior partner, his word has more weight than mine. Had it been just me who
examined Joey when he was admitted, I could have kept things quiet. As it
is, my colleague happened to be still on duty when I was called away to
deal with an urgent admission. By the time I got back, my colleague had
completed Joey's admission and before I could speak to him, he had called
our resident pediatrician in. There was nothing I could do except to ask
him not to call the police till I had a chance to talk to you two and
Joey. The kid won't be in any state to answer any questions for at least
twenty-four hours any way. That will give you time to decide what you're
going to say to them."

While I tried to put my rattled brain back together, Dad shook his head
once more. "I don't think Mags or I need to talk to the police or anyone
else. Whatever damage was done, happened a long time ago, and certainly
before Mags ever met him."

"I know that, Mr. Alton, but samples have been taken for DNA matching, and
if Mags had sex with Joey within the last five days -."

Dad glowered at Sam. "Who's to say they had sex?"

Sam looked from Dad to me then back to Dad, an expression of uncertainty on
his face. "I just assumed -."

"Assuming things can get you into a load of trouble, Sam," Dad snapped. "As
far as you or this clinic's concerned, we are his family, and Mags is his
uncle, his mother's brother. And if anyone says otherwise we'll know who's
been talking, won't we?"

Djavu, I thought.  It seemed Dad was fond of that phrase. It hadn't worked
with Joey's schoolmates so why should work with Sam? "Let's put that on one
side for the moment, you haven't told us the results of the tests yet. How
is Joey?"

 Sam's face lightened. "It was as I suspected. Joey is completely stressed
out, and I'm not surprised. I did get him to tell me a bit about his mother
before I gave him a sedative to help him sleep. In fact, I hope it will
keep him fairly well sedated for another twenty-four hours or so. He is so
stressed out, it's a good thing you called me when you did. Another few
days and I'm sure he would have collapsed, both mentally as well as
physically. Stress can manifest itself in all sorts of ways, from a series
of psychosomatic ailments that aren't really there to putting a strain on
the heart."

"Surely not!"

Sam smiled at my disbelief. "Oh yes. There was a case in the Evening News
only last week, of a sixteen-year old soccer player dying on the pitch? He
had a heart attack brought on by stress because he knew he wasn't going to
pass his GCSEs next June. It turned out he'd been messing about with a
girlfriend instead of studying for the exams. The thought of his
overbearing father being angry with his low end of term marks put too much
strain on his heart. Apparently his dad expected straight `A's and nothing
less. Now, if we can persuade the CP people and the police that you aren't
involved with Joey other than as his concerned relatives, they might work
in our favour. I agree with Elias, the boy needs to be kept away from his
mother. Edward, Elias thinks you and your sisters should follow up your
idea of applying for custody as foster parents. Get the CP people on your
side and they'll sort things out for you. Meanwhile, the police will look
for Joey's mother and take the necessary steps to throw the book at her."

"What about her threats against Elias?" Dad asked him.

"That's a chance Elias will have to take. Our priority is Joey's safety,
and Elias will understand that. I can assure you, Elias can well take care
of himself. And by the way, he has already dealt with Bernie Reece and his
family. Two of Benjamin's men nabbed Bernie coming out a youth club last
night and took him for a walk. Apparently Angela used him as a plant to
keep an eye on Joey in school. I think you'll find the invitation for Joey
to join Paper Dolls was Bernie's idea, but he got a bit jealous when he
found Jimmy sharing Joey's bed at Top Farm. Guess who encouraged the boys
to play matadors with your bull?"

A soft whistle of relief escaped my lips. "So I was right. Bernie's dad and
uncle are working for Angela Street!"

"Not at first, they weren't. According to what Benjamin found out, Bernie
was the first to have dealings with Angela through her porn movie empire
and her liking of young lovers. That's how Benjamin traced the Reece
family, through a recently released hardcore porn movie starring none other
than Bernie himself. His dad and uncle are a pair of unemployed thugs
willing to make a bit of money for themselves by helping Angela out from
time to time. And you'll be glad to hear that his dad and his uncle have
been persuaded to move to a safer climate and sever all links with their
past employer. Bernie won't be going with them, of course; I can't see him
being all that safe when his dad finds out he opened his mouth.  But I'm
digressing here. Our immediate concern now is persuading Alister not to
pursue things any further till we can explain things to Joey."

"And just who is Alister?"

"My colleague."

Dad frowned at him. "Can he be persuaded?"

"It might take some doing, but we do have a weapon we can use."

"What?"

"Not a what, a who." Sam stood up and walked to the bedroom door. He
knocked, opened it and stuck his head round the edge. "Marge, can you spare
us a few minutes?"

A minute later, the blue uniformed nurse came out and sat down beside
Sam. She looked round at our puzzled faces before Sam said, "Marge, we have
problem which I hope you agree to helps us with. Alister has called the CPS
and the police in about Joey."

Marge's face took on a solemn expression. "Oh, I see. Is Alister still in
the clinic?"

"I think so."

"Ah! And you want me to persuade him to back off. I agree the boy needs to
be left alone for a while?  No problem. I'll go and see him now." She stood
up and smoothed her uniform down. "Magnus, would you like to help Joey
finish his breakfast? He's had a wash but he may need to use the bathroom
afterwards."

Bemused, I watched her march out of the suite, and then turned my attention
back to Sam. "I don't understand. How can Marge help?"

Sam grinned. "When your mother's on the warpath, you either comply or have
a hell of a life. She might look like your favourite cuddly Gran but
believe me, that is one mother I'd hate to cross swords with"

*

I entered Joey's room and found him lying back against a mound of
pillows. Marge had drawn a rolling table across his legs and he was gazing
down, sleepy eyed, at the half eaten breakfast Marge had set on it.  He
glanced up at me and his mouth pulled into a slight smile. I leaned down
and placed a kiss on his lips. "Hi Kiddo. How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

I looked at the breakfast. "You've hardly eaten anything. Aren't you
hungry?"

"Yeah, but I don't seem to have the energy. I keep on dropping things."

I noticed there were several bits of scrambled egg on the sheets, and the
fingers of his right hand only just grasped a spoon. I caught it as it
slipped onto the sheet. "Here, let me help you." I sat down on the chair by
the bed, and lifted the plate of toast and eggs, picked up the spoon and
proceeded to feed him small spoonfuls. It took some time but he managed to
eat a fair amount of egg, and one slice of toast, which I tore into tiny
pieces.

After that, he rested for a few minutes, with his eyes closed, and I
thought he had fallen asleep when he said in a sleepy voice, "I need to pee
pretty bad."  I looked round for a bottle and finding none asked him if he
would like to use the bathroom instead. "You'll have to help me. My ankle
isn't right yet."

"Sure." I pulled the table away and drew back the sheets to reveal the neat
pair of paper shorts he was wearing. "I see; modelling the latest in
gentlemen's undies are we?" At least it got a smile from Joey as he sat up
and swung his legs to the side of the bed. I picked him up in my arms and
carried him into the bathroom, which would have done the London Hilton
justice.

Joey stared round at the place. "Wow, swank! We could fit a whole ice
hockey team in here!"

"Well, old Elias must have the means. This is his private suite." I set
Joey down in front of the toilet. "Can you manage to balance yourself or
should I stay with you?"

Joey thought for a moment. "I think I`ll be okay. Just lift the lid and
turn me round. I, um, I think I need to do the other. I'll call you when
I'm finished."

I helped him tear the pants away and once he was seated, I let him have his
privacy and made myself comfortable on a nearby chair. After a few minutes,
I heard his give a groan. I shot to my feet and burst into the bathroom
expecting to see him writhing in agony. Far from it. He'd finished using
the toilet and was leaning, bare arsed, against the washbasin, and he had a
glum expression on his face as he stared at himself in the mirror above
it. "What's wrong, sport?"

"Take a look," he grumped and turned to face me.

At first I saw nothing different about him, then I moved closer and he
tilted his face so I could see better. Then I realised what he was on about
and started to laugh. "What is this? Do I spy a trace of fuzz above that
sweet upper lip?"

I traced it with my left index finger and he swatted my hand away with a
scowl. "It's not funny."

"Sorry. I just don't understand why you're so grumpy about the first
definite signs if adulthood. I think you'd look good with a moustache."

"Well I don't like it." Joey's head dropped forward so he didn't have to
look at me. "All that scraping and razor blades and stuff. I don't want to
grow up."

"No one can stay in their childhood for ever."

"Some childhood, I've had."

I put a hand under his chin and raised it, and I saw the tears in his
eyes. "Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." I chuckled again. "It
won't be the first time you've used a razor; you didn't think twice then,
did you?" He jerked his head out of my hand and tried to turn away from me.

I let go of him and he took a deep breath and said, "Okay, if I have to
grow up, so, I'll grow up." He nodded toward the beautifully tiled open
style shower where a seat stood over the drainage hole in the sloped
floor. "Perhaps I could take a shower. I guess I must stink a bit."

"Wait here," I said with a smile. "I'll go an check with Marge."

Joey blinked at me. "Marge? Who's Marge?"

"Your ministering angel in blue. Actually she's the mother of Sam's partner
and also a friend of Elias and Benjamin." I left the bathroom to look for
Marge and found two nurses changing the sheets and tidying up the place.
"Is it alright for Joey to have a shower?" I asked.

The elder of the nurses smiled and grabbed a roll of something that looked
like cling film from the cleaning trolley. "No problem, sir. I'll have to
wrap the cast first," and she marched towards the bathroom.

"Ladies approaching," I managed to shout as she pushed the door open, and I
had to laugh at the sight of Joey grabbing a towel off a rail by the basin
to hide his crotch with, his face reddening with embarrassment.

"Oh, my! Aren't we the shy one?" the nurse chuckled. "It won't be the first
time I've seen what you're hiding since you took up residence in your
grandfather's bed. Now then, come and sit down on the shower seat while I
wrap your ankle." With him refusing to let go of the towel and glaring at
me for grinning at his plight, I helped him to the shower and sat him down
and the nurse unrolled a good length of the clear plastic and wrapped it
round the injured ankle till it was fully enclosed. "There we are. Now you
can stay in the shower as long as you want." Turning to me she showed me a
built in cupboard containing everything Joey needed, from huge snow-white
bath sheets to a new toothbrush. When I asked her if there was a shaving
kit there, she shook her head but said she would go and get one while I
helped Joey with his shower. After showing me how to use the shower, she
left and I chose some toiletries and towels from the cupboard. After
setting these on a table by the shower, I took off my jacket and unbuttoned
my shirt.

Joey raised his eyebrows at me. "What're you doing?"

"Making sure I don't get soaked." I slipped my shoes off and turned the
shower on. Soon the water was flowing at a comfortable temperature and I
handed Joey the shampoo while I lathered a sponge and attacked his back and
shoulders. By the time he had finished shampooing his hair, I was ready to
help him wash his feet; a difficult task as Joey had such ticklish feet.
The next minute was filled with Joey's noisy giggles and shouts of protest
but at last the job was done and I was about to rise to my feet when we
heard the sound of someone shouting in the bedroom. I heard Marge shouting
angrily for someone not to come into the bathroom, that it was private;
then the door burst open and the place as full of people. One of them was
Angela.

With a smile of cold triumph on the face, she turned to the men behind her,
and said, "There you are gentlemen. There's your abuser."