A/N: Two updates in as many days, must be the thrill of exam results. Got two A's if anyone's interested.

The door shot open, Adrian shrank back into the sofa and Tony looked up with irritation- the kid had just been about to start talking.

However his irritation turned to minor terror as he saw DI Manson flanked by Ramani and Samantha. Adrian looked terrified and the two women obviously noticed it as they exchanged a glance with each other and then Tony.

'PC Stamp,' Manson said. 'I'd like to speak to this boy.'

'His name's Adrian,' Tony answered with distaste. 'I just brought him in, he was getting a beating.'

'Yeah, I saw you bring him in.'

Tony's brain registered his comforting gesture to Adrian in the yard and he mentally kicked himself. 'Really, Sir?'

Ramani stepped forward. 'Adrian, why don't you come with me?'

'I want to stay with Tony,' he protested quietly.

'I'm afraid that isn't possible,' Manson put in sharply. 'Ramani, take him up to my office.'

'No!' Adrian shouted pulling as far back as he could. Manson shot a look at Tony before moving towards the boy.

'You can't stay with PC Stamp, Adrian,' he said. 'We need to talk to you.'

Ramani held her hand out and thankfully Adrian took it. Tony watched as the pair walked out followed by Manson, Sam, however, lingered.

'I'm sorry, Tony,' she muttered.

'What's going on? Why does he want Adrian?'

Sam sighed. 'He's got it into his head that you're abusing the boy.'

'What?! I just met him this morning.'

'Oh, I know that,' she said. 'But Manson's on a personal crusade and it's not only about you and me anymore.'

'What do you mean?'

'Jim Carver,' she answered. 'Using his old alcohol problem against him, just as he was getting back with June.'

Tony snorted. 'What's his problem?'

Sam thought this over. 'I know why he doesn't like me, he hates the idea of women in the job but you and Jim... Maybe he just thinks you're flawed in some way.'

'Everyone's flawed in some way or other,' Tony countered.

'I'll try and persuade him,' Sam promised.

'Are you getting anywhere?' he asked hesitantly. 'Over Manson, I mean.'

'Maybe,' she replied mysteriously. 'But there's one thing I need to clear up with you.'

'What?'

'I didn't leak that story,' she said. 'I haven't had a chance to tell you before.'

'I never thought you had, not really,' he answered. 'But you sound like you know who did.'

She shrugged unconvincingly. 'A few suspicions, that's all.'

'Fair enough,' Tony said shortly. 'You better go help Ramani hold Adrian together, poor kid.'

Sam paused. 'What do you think about the kid? What's wrong with him?'

'I reckon he's been abused,' Tony said recalling the boy's silence in the car. 'Maybe sexually, I dunno. But I can guess how Manson'll take it if he has.'


Jim wasn't thinking straight. How dare Manson go and say something like that to June, especially after his earlier threat to spread it around the station that he'd been drinking if he hadn't taken a sip of that pint?

He just took pleasure in causing other people pain, it was the only logical explanation.

Ha, logical explanations! Jim didn't feel he was in any position to start talking about logic, it wasn't logic that dictated feelings and the love he had in his heart for June. It was blinding him in some way but he'd been so close to getting what he wanted!

Instead he'd given Manson the satisfaction of knowing he'd managed to wreak yet another life.


'We need you to tell us what happened, Adrian,' Ramani said gently on her fifth attempt to coax Adrian into talking. He'd been silent ever since Sam arrived in the office five minutes earlier.

'I want to talk to Tony.'

Manson huffed impatiently. 'Why will you only talk to PC Stamp?'

'He wants to listen.'

'We want to listen,' Ramani said.

'Is there another reason you want PC Stamp?' Manson asked earning himself glares from both Sam and Ramani.

'What are you trying to say, Sir?' Ramani questioned sharply.

'Let the boy answer,' Manson insisted.

Adrian balked under all the eyes. 'No.'

Manson turned to Ramani. 'Take him to the FME, check for all the usual signs.'

'Yes, Sir.'

Ramani took Adrian by the hand and led him out. Sam waited until the pair were safely out of earshot before she asked; 'Was that really necessary?'

'I think it was, Samantha.'

'Tony hasn't touched Adrian,' Sam said. 'I don't believe how you can seriously suspect that.'

'I'm interested in that old allegation, why the boy chose to accuse Stamp if the man hadn't done anything to him. There's something not right there.'

'Here's a radical idea, why not ask Tony?'

'He's hardly about to tell me the truth!' he scoffed.

'He will if he hasn't got anything to hide.'