Reconciled - 4. Chapter 4

After Tom had left Arran found his father in the living room. He stood watching from the doorway. His dad was sat in the armchair drinking, a half empty whisky bottle on the coffee table. Musìc was playing softly. Arran listened, it was something melancholic, a violin and orchestra. The sound drifted in waves.

His father shifted in his seat and noticed Arran. "What are you doing standing there? Come in."

Arran walked a few paces across the room. His father looked drawn, tired, he was slumped in the armchair, as if the furniture were swallowing him.

"Sit down," his dad said. His eyes followed Arran as he moved to the sofa. Those eyes looked sad, apologetic. "I need to talk to you."

That registered as serious with Arran. What about? He wondered if his dad had noticed Tom leaving.

Arran waited, looking around the room, not looking at his father. He didn't want that direct contact which would possibly reveal what he didn't want to see, because his father looked beaten. A man defeated.

"I have a court date for next week. Friday afternoon."

Arran said nothing, hardly nodding his head.

"It could go either way, but Vicky has a lot going for her."

Finally he had to speak. Had to refute the reality that was there in front of him. "You're not giving up, are you? It's her word against yours. And she's lying. I know she is."

His dad gave him a weak smile. "I'm not giving up, but it isn't so simple. You need to be prepared."

"Prepared?" Arran frowned.

"If... Only an if, Arran, but worse case, I won't be coming home."

Arran felt the blood draining from his face, he felt dizzy. Was this really happening to them? He'd been here before. Two years ago with the divorce. But this was different.

His father pulled out his wallet, then slid out a credit card and placed it on the table.

"You can use this if you need money. You can take care of yourself if you need to. I hope it won't go that way, but in case."

He watched his father raise the glass tumbler to his lips. The music reached a quiet crescendo and fell almost silent, like a wave rolling over its apex and collapsing. He said nothing to his father, but he had made up his mind to go and see Detective Hammer. He would give him the tape, it proved Vicky was making it all up. Still, a sense of guilt invaded him, if he were stronger he would tell his father, but for now he couldn't.

How would his dad react when he knew, and he would have to tell him about breaking up with Ali, about Tom, about being... gay.

That card, he still had it, carefully saved upstairs in his bedroom. He knew exactly where it was and went to fetch it and with the card, the cassette. His dad had left for work, Arran didn't need to be at college that morning, he could skip the morning. He came back downstairs and picked up the telephone. He held up the card looking at the printed badge of the Metropolitan Police. Flipping it over, he read: 'Detective Joseph M. Hammer. Criminal Investigation Division.' Underneath was the telephone number. Arran tapped the digits on the phone, then hesitated. In his mind, the question arose as to whether he was doing the best thing. Maybe he could simply play the tape to Vicky and she would have to withdraw the charge against his father.

She wouldn't, he knew she wouldn't, she'd gone too far. And even if she did, if she changed her statement, the prosecution could still go ahead. He'd read about it, it might even make things worse. No, the best course of action was to see Detective Hammer. He hit the call button.

Around half an hour later he was being let into the back of the police station and a young woman police officer was leading him up the stairs and along to Detective Hammer's office. Walking along the corridor he glanced left and right, noticed empty rooms, desks, filing cabinets, and of course uniformed police. It was his first time inside a police station and it made him feel nervous. That wasn't simply because he was about to hand over the tape and explain things to Detective Hammer, but he had a feeling of being guilty just by being there.

Joseph M Hammer sat behind his desk. It was his desk, his name plaque was on the top in gold letters with a white background. That was the first thing Arran noticed.

"Sit down," Detective Hammer said, and nodded to the police woman, who left, closing the door behind her. "You said you had something to tell me," he smiled.

Arran sat uncomfortably in the plastic chair in front of Detective Hammer' s desk. Joseph Hammer leaned back in his chair looking at the boy.

"My friend Tom Rustle, we go to the same school, same year," he began, feeling even more nervous than when he first arrived. "He is Vicky' s cousin, Victoria, Victoria Haughton."

Detective Hammer seemed to be scrutinising him, his eyes appeared like they were about to drill holes right through him.

"So, I told Tom about what happened. With my dad. What Vicky, Victoria, said, accused my dad of doing."

"Yes, alright, but where is this going?" Detective Hammer seemed rather less than sympathetic.

"Well Tom talked to her and asked her about it. What happened and everything, and she told him she had made it all up. My dad... He never raped her. It didn't happen."

Detective Hammer raised his eyebrows and shuffled forward in his chair. "And how exactly am I to believe your friend... Tom Rustle?"

Arran reached into his pocket and pulled out the cassette tape, placing it on the desk in front of Detective Hammer, next to his shiny name plate.

Joseph Hammer picked up the cassette and pressed a button on his intercom. "Mary, can you find a cassette player and bring it to my office, please."

There were crackles behind her voice as Mary replied. "Yes Sir."

As they waited, Detective Hammer broke the short silence. "And your friend just happens to walk around taping conversations?"

"Well no," Arran looked across the desk, focusing on the little cassette the detective was holding. "He did it to help me. To prove my dad is innocent."

Joseph smiled., "And was Victoria aware her cousin was taping their conversation."

"No, of course not, else she would never have admitted it, would she?"

"Probably not."

The same young woman who had shown him in arrived with an old cassette player. Detective Hammer placed the cassette in and pressed the chunky switch to play it.

"I don't understand why you would want to say that to the police..."

"Why? What's your problem? He deserved to pay for dumping me."

There was some background noise, but the conversation was clear.

"You know you're not only hurting him with these lies, but Arran as well."

"Why should I give a damn about Arran? You know he dumped Ali? Do you know why?"

There was some hissing and a clunk.

"I'll tell you. Because he's gay. He didn't want sex... with his so-called girlfriend. All a fucking pretence! Just like his dad. You know, like father, like son. So why should I fucking care about him?"

"You sound really bitter, but you should know that I care about Arran."

"Yeah, you would. Anyway it doesn't matter anymore. I've moved on. I don't care about him anymore."

"So why the accusation of rape?"

"Because he hurt me. He deserves to pay."

"But he didn't rape you?"

"Nah, of course not..."

There was a hissing sound. Detective Hammer stopped the tape and rewound it. The machine whirred as the tape spun backwards. When it had stopped, he ejected it.

"I'll keep this," he told Arran. "What you should know is that in court it might easily be ruled as inadmissible."

"What!" Arran couldn't believe what he just heard. "Why?"

"Because there are laws about infringement of privacy and using illegal means to obtain evidence. Especially when the person being recorded is incriminating themselves."

Arran sat back, feeling upset, but he managed to ask Detective Hammer one important thing. "My dad doesn't know I'm gay. I'd rather he didn't find out, at least not unless he has to. And if he does I would like to be the one to tell him."

"Thank you for coming in and giving me this." He held up the cassette.

"If the CPS decide it should be used... well I'll try and let you know. I don't think your friend," he emphasised the last word, friend, "will get in any trouble."

"I don't understand," Arran told him.

"Tom, he could be deemed to have obtained the evidence, this tape recording, illegally. He could be held criminally responsible. But, don't worry, I doubt that will happen.

Detective Hammer once again summoned Mary with the intercom. He stood up, they shook hands, and Mary led Arran back down stairs and showed him out.

Arran felt rather numb. It didn't go at all as he had imagined. He hadn't cleared his dad of charges, he might have got Tom into trouble, and there was no guarantee his father wouldn't find out he was gay.

Arran was pleased to find Mark when he got back to college. They walked together to the canteen. Once sat at their table, Arran began explaining his morning.

"So, Detective Hammer said the cassette might not be accepted as evidence. Actually, Tom could get in trouble for taping Vicky, but that wasn't too likely. The problem was his father would be in court next Friday and it was still her word against his."

Mark studied his friend, conscious of his anguish, but unable to do much by way of support, other than listening. The noise of the canteen buzzed around them.

"My dad probably gets to find out about me. Shit, the whole thing's one big mess."

"And if you told Vicky. About the tape, I mean?"

"Yeah, I thought about it. But she is... I just thought that would make it worse. Really I thought the police would use the tape, clear my dad, end of story!"

"We could try talking to her again." Mark realised how lame that idea was. Hadn't Arran just now dismissed the idea. "I mean, like, all of us, together."

"Ali has talked to her, Jen, Tom, no I don't think so."

Mark looked up and saw Jennifer walking across carrying her tray. He made room beside him and she joined them.

"Hello, Arran."

Arran nodded to her and watched as she gave Mark a peck on the cheek.

"There's only one thing to do," Arran said. "Put pressure on her."

He stood up and picked up his tray.

"Don't do anything stupid. Talk to me first, okay?" Mark looked up at him seriously.

Jennifer smiled and Arran left them there together.

"So what was that all about?" Jennifer asked.

"Vicky." Mark started on his dessert.

"What is Arran planning?" She asked.

"I don't know. That's what worries me."