Joanna Weston paid a visit to the Jacksons after school that day with no idea of what had taken place earlier. She felt a little bit apprehensive as she pulled her car up outside the falling down farmhouse. As she stood at the gate a small figure came round the side of the house. He was dressed in trousers with the knees pretty well worn through, a holey pull over worn over a tatty, grubby shirt and he was none too clean. This little urchin had to be Nat.

Joanna smiled. "Hallo there. Are you Nat?"

"What do you want?" Nat growled.

"I'm your new teacher, Miss Weston, Nat. I've come to see where you were today. I was worried when you weren't at school."

"Couldn't come to school." Nat eyed Joanna slyly. "The coppers came. They've took my Dad. And I had to stay and look after me Mam."

"Your Dad's been arrested? Do you know why Nat?"

"They reckon he's been pinching again." Nat shrugged. "One o't' coppers gave me a going over and all, coz I was trying to stop 'em taking him."

"I don't think so Nat," Joanna said gently. "I'm sure the police wouldn't do that."

"Yeah?" Nat pulled down the collar of his grubby shirt slightly. Joanna took a breath. The child's neck was badly marked and bruised.

"What happened to you?" she asked. "The truth, Nat."

"Told you. The coppers. One of them got hold of me didn't he, proper roughed me up." The boy scowled at her. "What's the use? You don't believe me. No one believes us."

At that point a small fiery woman came down the path. "Nat! Who're you talking to? Get inside! And you!" she pointed at Joanna, "Clear off, I've had enough today!"

"Mrs Jackson? I'm Nat's teacher from school, Miss Weston. Nat's been telling me you've had the police round today. Please let me help."

"Oh aye? What can you do like?"

"Tell me about Nat for a start. He's bruised round his neck." Joanna took a breath. "Nat said that one of the police officers who was here did that. I can't believe it. He's just a little boy!"

Nat and his mother exchanged complicit glances.

"Well, I mean, young Nat here got upset when the police arrived. Stands to reason he would. They'd come to take his Dad off hadn't they. So he starts getting a bit mouthy and next thing one of the bobbies proper had hold of him, really roughed him up. He's only a youngster Miss -"

"Weston."

"Aye. Well, as I said he's only a youngster. And when I told that Sergeant, Sergeant Blaketon it were over at Ashfordly, right bully he is, to tell his copper to lay off our Nat he threatened to have our Nat charged. Said he would have done it an' all if Nat were old enough." Mrs Jackson took a breath. "Then there's me husband. He's not been well Miss Weston, I've been worried but he wouldn't go to the doctor would he. He's been coughing, wheezing. Our Nat'll tell you. Now I won't deny I think he's been up to his thieving tricks but if he were, its because money's been that tight - he can't work with this chest he's got." The woman paused. "Any road, they arrested him and he were coughing and wheezing away but they still dragged him off in handcuffs. In front of our Nat an' all. Poor lad, been beside himself."

Nat gave a sniff and wiped his sleeve across his nose.

"Oh Nat, don't get upset," Joanna said gently feeling quite helpless. "I'm sure we can sort this out." She looked at Mrs Jackson. "Have you heard anything about your husband?"

"Been charged." The woman shrugged. "I dont know rightly what we'll do if he goes to prison. I mean that's us finished I suppose round here. Well maybe its not a bad thing. We're not wanted round here."

"Please don't say that Mrs Jackson," Joanna said. "I'm sure there's something I can do to help. I think I'll start by raising this with the local PC here - PC Rowan."

"He's as bad. He were here with the others this morning - now he weren't the one as roughed up our Nat, but he were the one who dragged off our Tom, and the state he was in an' all."

Joanna bit her lip. "This isn't good enough. You can leave this with me Mrs Jackson. I'll make sure something is done. I don't know what yet - but trust me, somethng will be done." She turned to go back to her car. "I'll get in touch. And Nat, I know you want to look after your Mum but do you think you could come to school for me tomorrow?"

"Yes Miss," Nat said meekly.

They watched Joanna drive off and BridgetJackson gave a broad smile. "By heck our Nat, you pulled a blinder there," she said with satisfaction.

"Aye Mam."

"You go to school tomorrow. Keep her on our side. She might be useful, like." The woman sighed. "Any road, chances are your Dad will be back then and I can't be doing having the two of you hanging round the house all day."


Nick did not always have the chance to do the bedtime routine with his lively two year old daughter so it was something they both enjoyed when he did. That evening was one such occasion. She was in bed and he was reading to her in the nursery, when Eileen appeared in the doorway.

"Nick, I am sorry," she said. "But the new teacher at the school is here, Joanna Weston. I asked her into the house but she insisted on waiting in the office."

"I thought she might call," Nick admitted. "I didn't think that boyfriend of hers would give up so easily." He gave Katie a kiss. "All right love, Eileen will finish reading your story and then I'll come back."

Katie grumbled a bit but settled down as Eileen took over the story. Nick went downstairs where Joanna was waiting in the police office.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Her tone was chilly. "I understand you were putting your daughter to bed, but this is important."

"Right." Nick was puzzled by her manner. "Is Maxwell bothering you?"

"No, I told you, I can deal with him." Joanna paused. "A boy called Nat Jackson is in my class at school and he didn't come in today so I called round at his home after school to find out where he was."

Nick nodded.

"But you know he wasn't at school because you and your colleagues were at the house this morning," Joanna went on.

"We had a warrant, to arrest Nat's father," Nick suddenly felt defensive and he didn't know why.

"One of your colleagues, I don't know who, as I understand it restrained Nat because, understandably, Nat got upset when police officers arrived to take his father away. And that officer has left Nat with severe bruising. I've seen it, you can't deny it."

Nick felt a sudden surge of anger as he realised why Joanna was at the police house and he fought to keep it in check.

"I'm not denying anything as we've nothing to hide," he said. "There was an altercation but Nat instigated it. Did his mother tell you he left PC Bellamy with a badly bitten hand for which he had to go and get medical attention? No I thought she'd leave that bit out. My Sergeant was seriously considering making a report to Social Services this afternoon - as he's every right to do if he thinks Nat's mother is incapable of controlling him and keeping him safe. If Nat had been a bit older he would have been charged." Nick drew a breath. "And as for the bruising, well, either of Nat's parents might have had a hand in that."

Joanna began to feel she was on very shaky ground.

"I understand from Mrs Jackson you arrested his father even though he was showing signs of being quite ill," she said.

"He was arrested after evidence, good evidence, put him at the scene of a burglary last week. We also found some of the stolen goods in his possession." Nick paused. "We had him checked over at the station. The doctor's made a report. He's got early stage pulmonary disease- not serious at this stage but it will keep him out of prison. So he'll probably be back home tomorrow."

"Right. Well maybe I need to go back and speak to Mrs Jackson again."

"Maybe you do." Nick hesitated. "Did you speak to anyone at the school before you went to see the Jacksons?"

"My Head Teacher."

"What did she say?"

"All right, she gave me a warning about the Jacksons." Joanna sighed "I admit perhaps things aren't quite as what I was led to believe."

Nick said, "Right. So if you don't mind then, I'll go back and finish putting my daughter to bed." He opened the door of the police house. Joanna hesitated then as if to say something but sensed it wasn't a good idea.

Getting back in her car she hit the steering wheel with her hand. "Damn!" she exclaimed.

She sat and thought for a moment, then drove off, not home but to Maggie Bolton's cottage hoping against hope Maggie was in.

To her intense relief she was. "Hi Jo!" she exclaimed as she opened the front door. "How did your first day go?"

"Started off too well and ended up spectacularly badly. I've made an awful fool of myself Maggie."

Maggie raised her eyebrows. "Well, come in and tell me about it," she said "I'm sure it can't be that bad."

"I've just been to see Nick Rowan and accused him and his colleagues of police brutality against the Jackson family, Nat Jackson in particular," Jo admitted as she stepped into Maggie's pretty cottage. "It didn't go down very well. Especially as on reflection I don't think there's a grain of truth in it. I've had the wool well and truly pulled over my eyes."

Maggie pointed at a chair by the fire. "Sit down," she said. "I'll make some tea and we'll see if we can sort this out."