Demons from the Past
By Olivia Sutton
Part 5
Disclaimer: This
fanfic is written for fun, for the enjoyment of other fans, and for
reviews, but never for profit, so please don't sue! Based on the new
(2000-2001) version of Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)starring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, copyright to the BBC
2000-2001. (previous version copyrighted 1969 by ITC).
PLEASE
PLEASE NOTE: the individuals, places, and institutions portrayed
in this story are absolutely fictional,
no real person or persons are meant to be implied or suggested in
this fanfic. Any resemblance to real people, teachers, schools or
anything or anyone else is absolutely a co-incidence and accidental.
Warnings:Again, dealing with adult topics, adult situations, and violence (including the aftermath of violence). Please do not read if easily offended or under-age. This story is reluctantly rated R, no one under 18 admitted without parent or guardian. And if you are under-age, for god's sake don't tell me. 'Nuff said.
Demons from the Past
by Olivia Sutton
Part 5
The next morning
Jeff sat at his desk in the office, his head in his hands. It was a few days after he had found Clive's body and the coroner's report lay in a file on his desk. Jeff sat up straighter, then opened the file, but he had a good idea what it would say. Jeff scanned the report, but avoided looking at the pictures, he felt sick as he read the report. As he was reading, the door opened and Jeannie walked in.
"Jeff?" she said, as she entered the office.
Jeff jumped, and dropped the file.
"Oh, Jeannie, I didn't hear you come in," he stretched and sat back casually in his desk chair.
Jeannie looked at him, then moved over to his desk, sitting on the edge, "Jeff, are you all right?"
"Not really, Jeannie," Jeff answered, softly.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"What is there to talk about, Jeannie? I failed. I failed Sir Worthington, and I failed Clive."
"It wasn't your fault, Jeff, and now it's a matter for the police."
"I know that, Jeannie, but... I don't think I can leave it. I need to find out what happened, why it happened," Jeff pushed his chair back towards the corner, and stood. Avoiding Jeannie he walked over to the window behind Marty's desk. "I don't suppose you've looked at the coroner's report, Jeannie?"
"Not yet, Jeff."
"Clive Worthington was... he was molested, assaulted and murdered. And he was only thirteen years old! How am I supposed to just forget about that? I want to find the people responsible, Jeannie, and I think I need to go back to the school to do that."
Jeannie looked at Jeff, in his earnestness, then said, "Jeff, I understand, I do, but this case has taken a lot out of you, already. I think the police..."
"I don't think you do understand, Jeannie, I don't! You cannot possibly understand."
"Jeff..."
"Jeannie, you can't know, all right? You can try, you can be sympathetic, but you can't know. You have no idea what Marty was like when it happened to him, Jeannie."
"Marty? Jeff... you keep talking about Marty, since Sir Worthington came into the office, you keep bringing up Marty, and I don't understand why, Jeff."
"Oh, you don't? Jeannie, he did tell you, didn't he? Sometimes, Jeannie..." Jeff stopped, then turned to the window, looking at the painting on the wall.
"Jeff, talk to me, calmly, please," Jeannie insisted, from her position, sitting on the edge of Jeff's desk.
Jeff turned, tears in his eyes, "Jeannie, Marty was... he was only fourteen, Jeannie, and I was only a few months older than he was. His mother's boyfriend," Jeff spat the word, then started again, "He was sexually abused for months, Jeannie. He was raped. It was so bad, he thought of killing himself, and..."
"And he told me you saved his life, Jeff."
"I suppose I did. He was me mate, I would have done anything for him, Jeannie," tears came to Jeff's eyes, "Clive was only a year younger, and his mate Mark..." Jeff stopped, and swallowed hard. He moved to her, bent slightly, put his hands on her shoulders then said, "I couldn't stop it, Jeannie, I knew, I was sure, that Clive was in the same danger that Marty had been in all those years ago, and I couldn't stop it," Jeff pulled back from her, and straightened up, "I have to solve this, Jeannie, for my sake, for Clive's sake, for Mark's sake, even for Marty's sake, I have to find out who killed Clive and... And if someone at that school helped him, I need to find out who it was."
Jeannie looked at Jeff, "You think you know, don't you? You think you know who it was."
"I think it was Williams," said Jeff.
Jeannie nodded, "What do we do?"
"We don't do anything. You will stay here at the office. I am going back to that school, I'll talk to Mark, to any of the boys in Williams' class. I'll poke around. Somebody might have seen something. I'll find out why no one believed Mark Daley, when he reported Clive's kidnapping. I'm going to crack this, Jeannie."
"I'll go with you."
"NO! No, Jeannie, stay here. This is a nasty one, it's dangerous, and in your state, I mean, no, Jeannie."
"Jeff, you are probably in more danger than me on this, I'm going."
Jeff put his hands on Jeannie's arms, "No, you're not! I won't have you in that type of danger, Jeannie, I promised Marty I'd look after you if anything ever happened to him, and I will. I know he wouldn't have approved of you working as a detective as it is, and this is too dangerous. Stay here."
"And how would Marty have felt if you got yourself killed, Jeff? Ask yourself that! It is too dangerous to work on cases alone, especially this case, Jeff. And especially for you. I am going with you, and you can't stop me!"
Jeff sighed, looking at her determined face, then relented, "All right, Jeannie, all right. It's you I was thinking of, though, you and Marty's baby."
"And it's you, I'm thinking of, Jeff, I mean, my god, you've... you've been, well, erratic, since this started, and..."
Jeff nodded, "I know, Jeannie, I know I have, and I don't understand, myself, why."
Jeannie stepped forward and hugged him, then stepped back, "Maybe you should see someone, Jeff, a professional."
"That's the second time you've mentioned that in the last week, Jeannie."
"I'm worried."
"I know. But I'll be all right, I will. I don't need to have any doctors telling me how to think or feel, Jeannie."
Jeannie sighed, "Let's go over to Clive's school, then, come on, I'll drive."
Jeff nodded and followed her out of the office and to her convertible.
Jeannie parked her convertible in the car park, at Abbotts Field Comprehensive, and Jeff got out of the car and walked quickly towards the school. Jeannie sat in the car, slightly annoyed that Jeff hadn't waited for her then rushed after him. Jeff went into the building, walked up the stairs, and headed for George Williams' classroom. Jeannie caught up to him, outside the classroom.
"Jeff, wait, what are you doing?" said Jeannie.
Jeff ignored her, and slammed open the door to the classroom. Williams was standing near a male student, by an easel near the windows.
"That does it," said Jeff, under his breath. He rushed at Williams, grabbing him by the front of his shirt, and slamming him into the classroom wall. The student nearby, rushed off to the corner of the room. Jeff shoved Williams into the wall and shouted, "What did you think you were doing? What did you think? Did Clive Worthington have to die so we wouldn't find out about your little scheme?"
"Let go of me! Who do you think you are? What are you talking about?"
"I know you knew about it, Professor! I know you were behind it, so talk. Tell me who your partners are, and I might not push you through your classroom windows."
"What? You're mad! Let me go at once!"
Jeannie had recovered from staring at Jeff, and walked to his side, she put a hand on his arm and said, "Jeff, let him go."
Jeff looked at her, "I want him to talk!"
Williams glared at Jeff, "Let me go, now, and I might not press assault charges!"
Jeff pushed Williams into the wall one last time, then let go, "Tell me! Tell me about Clive! And how many others, Williams? Hum! Tell me!"
"For the last time, I don't know what you are talking about! And I intend on asking the Headmaster to boot you out of here!"
"You don't, eh?"
Williams glared at Jeff, "Get out! Get out or I will press charges!"
Jeff shook himself, spun on his heel and walked out.
Jeannie stared at Jeff as he left, then glared at Williams, before saying quietly, "I'm sorry, he's not normally like this," then she walked out of the room.
Jeff was leaning against the hallway wall opposite the classroom. Jeannie could tell he was shaking.
Jeannie walked over to him, stood in front of him, and said, "What the hell was that about?"
"Shaking things up, Jeannie, shaking things up. I don't have any evidence at all, Jeannie. And I'm not going to wait for the police to look for forensic evidence. I suspect Williams is involved. Now he knows that. Hopefully, he'll react and we can nail him! And whoever else is involved!"
Jeannie looked at Jeff, "THAT was your plan?"
Jeff nodded, "Part of it. Come on, now for part two," Jeff lead the way to the Headmaster's office.
Jeannie followed, not sure what would happen.
Jeff entered the business office, smiled at the secretary, and said, very politely, "Hello, I'd, we'd like to speak to the headmaster, please."
The secretary nodded, "You don't have an appointment?"
"No, but... He knows we've been looking into a few things, we would like to speak to him if we may?" Jeff smiled again.
"All right, I'll just tell him you're here. Please wait, it should only be a few minutes."
Jeff nodded, and smiled at the secretary one last time.
After the secretary had entered the head's office, Jeannie looked at Jeff. Jeff had exhaled and dropped the smile and innocent manner, "What was that, Jeff?"
"Marty was always better at that than me, Jeannie. That was 'smooze the secretary'. I wasn't sure it would work, he was always the best at it. But I think I managed it."
Jeannie looked at him, "You know, I think you are better at this detective stuff than you ever let on, Jeff."
Jeff nodded, "Well, I have some experience, Jeannie."
A few minutes later the secretary returned. Jeff smiled at the secretary. Then she led Jeff and Jeannie to the Headmaster's office.
"Mr. Randall?" said Headmaster Farnham.
"Hello, there," said Jeff.
"Do you have any information for me, Mr. Randall?"
Jeff nodded and resumed a business-like demeanor, "Yes, I do. You know that I was the one that found Clive Worthington?"
"Yes, terrible business, I've talked with the parents."
"I'd like to know why, when you knew he was missing, you ignored a student that told you Clive had been bundled off in a large, black, 4-door car, with a sunroof."
The Headmaster looked startled, "What?"
"One of the students told me that he witnessed Clive being bundled off in a car. He said no one believed him when he reported it."
"Which student?" asked the Headmaster.
"I'm not sure I should say. I think you need to tell me why he was ignored."
"Mister Randall! No student ever came in here and told me he saw Clive bundled off, in a black car or otherwise. We most certainly would have taken such an account seriously! Who told you this?"
Jeff didn't answer.
"Are you making this up? Trying to get a rise out of me?"
"No, no I'm not. I'm protecting a witness. Until I know more, I'm not entirely sure who I can trust here at Abbotts Field Comprehensive."
"That's it! I've given you as much time and access to my school as I am going to! You can leave!"
Jeff nodded, "There was a witness, Headmaster."
"Leave!"
Jeff nodded again, "All right, we'll go. Come on, Jeannie."
They left the Headmaster's office and walked out of the school office into the hallway. Jeff stopped and turned to Jeannie, "That didn't go as well as I planned."
Jeannie glared at him, and raised an eyebrow.
There was a clatter in the hall as a group of boys approached them, Mark Daley was at the front of the group.
"Mr. Randall?" asked Mark, shakily.
"Yes, What's wrong, Mark?" asked Jeff, softly.
"We... we heard about what you did to Professor Williams. Um, we were wondering if you'd talk to us."
"Sure, sure, Mark, does it have to do with Clive?"
"Yes, but not here. Can you meet us at the teashop over on High Street? At lunchtime?"
"Sure, sure I can do that. All of you?"
The boys all nodded, then looked over their shoulders.
"And it can wait until lunch?"
Again, all the boys nodded.
"I'll see you then, then!" said Jeff.
The boys all turned away and walked off in different directions.
Jeff turned to Jeannie and smiled, "See, Jeannie? Something did shake out!"
Jeannie looked at Jeff and smiled back, "So now what?"
Jeff looked down at the floor, then looked up at her, "Jeannie, I think I should speak to those boys alone at the teashop."
"What?" said Jeannie.
"I talked to Mark yesterday, he trusts me, I think he might be more open if I meet him alone."
"Jeff, we're partners! I can handle myself just fine, stop trying to protect me!"
"It not that, but... I need to get those boys to talk, to tell me everything they can, and... I think it would be better if I spoke to them, alone."
"I was standing right here when they asked to meet us!"
"To meet me."
Jeannie looked at him, "Do you really think they'll be more open with you? Alone?"
Jeff nodded his head vigorously, "I do, Jeannie, I really do, for once I'm not being over-protective. I honestly think I'll get more information if I talk to them alone."
"On one condition, Jeff."
"What's that?"
"You do not follow up on any leads by yourself. Anything you find out, anything those boys tell you, you tell me. I will not have you rushing off and getting hurt or killed, Jeff. I won't!"
"I promise."
"I mean it, Jeff, no heroics, no following up on your own, alone, or I swear I'll just go with you and if I make those boys uncomfortable, so be it."
Jeff nodded, "I swear it, Jeannie, I won't go after any leads alone. Thanks, Jeannie!"
Jeannie nodded, "All right, Jeff, I suppose I can trust your promise. So what now?"
"I'll take you back to the office," Jeff caught her glare, and quickly added, "We'll pick up my car and you can follow me over to the teashop. It will take a little time, driving to London and back, and that way we'll have both cars available if we need them. You can even wait outside the teashop while I talk to the boys, all right, Jeannie?"
Jeannie nodded, "All right, Jeff."
Jeff opened the door of a small teashop, and saw a group of five boys in Abbotts Field Comprehensive school uniforms, gathered around a table, he went over to them.
"Hello, boys, I'm Jeff Randall," Jeff introduced himself, then sat at the table with the boys. Once he was sat down, Marty appeared. As the boys introduced themselves, Marty paced next to each one, stopping behind the one who spoke.
One by one each of the boys nodded at Jeff and told him his name.
"We saw you when you came into Professor Williams' room, sir," said Malcolm, who sat at the table next to Mark.
"That was brilliant! No one has ever done anything like that to Professor Williams!" said David, who was dark-haired, and stocky and sat besides Malcolm to the right.
"So you REALLY want to find out what happened to Clive? And why? You're not working for the school?" Asked Brett, a tall blond, who sat next to David.
"I'm not working for the school," Jeff said, "Clive's father hired me, but I'm really working for Clive Worthington. If you boys know something about what happened or who might have wanted to hurt him, please tell me," Jeff looked at the group of boys, "You won't get into any trouble if you help me and tell me the truth."
Brett and David whispered to each other and then to Mark.
Then Mark Daley spoke up, "I know, I know, sir, but I'm scared, I... we don't want to get in trouble. Clive had more than enough trouble as it is, and..." the boy broke off, his voice wavering.
Jeff took a deep breath, "Listen, you aren't in any trouble. I'm here to find out what happened to Clive, honestly, boys, you can tell me anything. Does it have to do with Professor Williams? Did he threaten Clive or try to hurt him?"
A couple of the boys nodded.
Marty looked from Jeff as he asked the question to the boys as they nodded, and shuddered.
"Tell me everything, please."
Mark spoke up, "Prof... Professor Williams... he... he likes games, sir."
"What sort of games, Mark?"
Marty walked behind Mark, and stood behind him, protectively, saying, "Jeff..."
"He brings boys to his flat... to, um, I remember from last year, and... Clive didn't want to play. He hated being in Professor's class, so I told him we could skip, but when we took off... he was..."
"I know, Mark, I know. He was taken in a car. And whoever took him..." Jeff stopped, then said softly, "Boys, they've told you haven't they? You know what happened?"
All the boys nodded, then Todd, said quietly, "Clive was killed."
"That's right. And I want to find the person responsible, now," Jeff took a deep breath, then asked, "What sort of games does Professor Williams play boys? Does he hurt you?"
Again a Mark, Brett and David nodded.
Marty disappeared and appeared next to Jeff, supporting him quietly.
Jeff glanced quickly at Marty, then looked down, before looking up at the five boys in front of him. "Does he touch you?" he asked quietly, as his stomach turned to ice.
Again a few boys nodded, and Mark said, "He'd... he'd get me undressed, force me down and hurt me, touch me. I thought I was the only one he did it to, but then he did the same thing to Clive. And then Clive and I found out that he had done the same thing to several boys in his classes," Mark began to cry. The other boys nodded.
Tears came to Marty's eyes as he looked at the five teen-aged boys, "No, my god Jeff, no... you need to stop this Jeff, please."
Jeff gave a brief, tiny nod to Marty.
"All of you?" Jeff asked, feeling sick.
All the boys nodded, silently.
Brett, said, "He'd get us to his flat for extra projects. He threatened us, Mr. Randall, he said no one would believe a group of trouble-making boys over a teacher. Clive..." the boy's voice trembled but he continued on, "Clive said he was gonna see to it that Professor Williams never hurt any of us again. We thought he was going to tell his father."
"When did Clive say that?" asked Jeff.
"On Monday, in the morning," Brett answered.
Mark nodded. "He told me the same thing when I talked to him, when he asked me to skip with him."
Jeff looked at the boys, then said, "Okay, Mark, I need to know exactly what happened on Monday, all right? Exactly!"
Marty again moved behind Mark, protectively.
"But I told you. The other day, I told you what happened."
"I know, but tell me again."
"I met Clive after his history class, and we... we walked out of the school. We left the building."
"Where did you go?"
"We walked off towards High Street. Clive was talking about getting even with Professor Williams, about hurting him. I thought he was just talking."
Jeff nodded.
"We were on the street and a car came by, a big one, and... and a man jumped out and he... he grabbed Clive, and then the car took off."
Jeff looked at him, "Like you told me the other day, okay, now Mark, this is important, very important, and you will not get in any trouble if you tell me the truth, right now. Did you tell anyone, Mark? Did you tell anyone on Monday what you saw when Clive was taken in that car?"
Mark looked down, then said, "No. I lied to you the other day. I didn't tell anyone. I was scared. Professor Williams had something to do with it, I know he did. I didn't know who to trust here at school."
Jeff nodded, "And your parents, Mark? Did you tell them about the car? Or about Professor Williams?"
Mark's face went white, "N... no... I..."
"Shush, Mark, it's okay, I understand, it's all right, I do."
Mark looked at Jeff in amazement, "You understand?"
"Um-hum," Jeff closed his eyes, as painful memories flooded into his thoughts, and nodded, then opened his eyes, "Mark..." he glanced briefly at Marty, then said, "I know you were afraid to talk to anyone, Williams threatened you, he controlled you, so he could hurt you, isn't that right?"
Mark nodded, "Uh-huh. He said... he said no one would believe me, and I'd... we'd, all of us, would get it worse if we ever said anything."
"Mark, no. Listen, it's okay, you're talking to me, now, and that's absolutely the right thing for you to be doing, it's..." Jeff stopped, choking up, then continued, "Telling me as much as you can, Mark..." he looked at each of the boys in turn, "all of you, is the best way to help Clive, and yourselves, OK?"
There were nods all 'round the table from the boys.
Jeff nodded, "Now, Mark, all of you, I need to know where that flat is. Where did Williams take you for his 'games'?" Jeff spit the word in disgust.
Marty disappeared and appeared behind Jeff, "Jeff, be careful. I want you to stop Williams, but please. Be careful!"
David spoke up, giving Jeff an address.
Jeff looked at the boys, "Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything at all?"
The boys looked at one another, then the Brett said, "Sir, what do we do now? Professor Williams said if any of us ever talked, he'd kill us. All of us. And now Clive is... he's..."
Jeff nodded, "I know. But I swear that won't happen to the rest of you. I swear it. I will see to it personally. What he did was... it's wrong, boys, do you understand me?"
Marty looked at Jeff, and then at the boys, then he shuddered and tears came to his eyes, his voice shaking he said, "Jeff, you'll put a stop to this? You'll find him and stop him?"
Jeff glanced briefly at Marty, and continued to the boys, "It was wrong, he shouldn't have done it."
Several boys nodded. Marty looked at Jeff and the boys, then disappeared.
Mark asked, "What... what do we do? I don't think I want to go back to school."
"No, no, Mark, all of you, you are going to go with me to the police. They can protect you. And Williams will be arrested. I promise. What he did to you boys was horrible," Jeff shuddered, "And it wasn't right, not at all. Come on, come with me, I think we should go to the station, right now."
Jeff lead the group of five teenaged boys out of the teashop.
Outside the shop, Jeannie waved from her convertible. Jeff looked at her, and brought the boys to the car. "Boys, this is Jeannie Hurst."
Jeannie stepped out of the convertible, and looked at Jeff, and then at the five boys.
The boys looked at Jeff suspiciously, "Jeannie, this is Mark, Todd, Malcolm, Brett and David. You need to take them to the police station, Jeannie. Get them protective custody, at least temporarily."
"What? Jeff, what are you talking about?"
"Listen, Jeannie, I was right, about everything. I'll explain later, but these boys need to be protected. They gave me an address..."
"Oh, no, Jeff! You promised! I'm not playing driver while you risk your life!"
"Jeannie, listen. Williams hurt all these boys. ALL of them, Jeannie, and Clive. If I'm lucky, he and his partner will still be at the flat the boys talked about. But they need protection. Take all five of them to the police."
Jeannie looked at the boys and swallowed, hard, remembering how Marty had been, his voice and behaviour the night he'd told her what he'd suffered. Jeannie took another deep breath, "Okay, Jeff, but I'm sending the police to the same address."
Jeff nodded, "Boys, Jeannie, is my partner. She'll take care of you. She'll make sure you're all right, all of you, you'll be safe with her."
There were nods all around.
"Jeannie, take my car, and give me your keys."
Jeannie looked at Jeff, then at the boys, and nodded, "All right, Jeff."
Jeff walked over to his tan Mercedes and opened the passenger side door, "Get in, three in back and two in front."
The boys piled into the car, and shut the door, then Jeff gave Jeannie his keys. "Go, Jeannie, take them to the police station."
Jeannie handed Jeff her keys, then impulsively kissed his cheek, "Take care of yourself, Jeff." She opened the driver's side door of the Mercedes and got in.
Jeff smiled, nodding in acknowledgement, and then he shut the door to the Mercedes.
Jeannie looked at the tight fit, then said, "Well, at least it isn't far," she rolled down the window and shouted to Jeff, "Be careful, for god's sake, Jeff. Please."
"I will, Jeannie, I will. Take care, Jeannie, bye."
"Bye, Jeff."
Jeff nodded and watched the filled car pull into traffic, then he got into Jeannie's convertible, and drove towards the flat.
Marty appeared next to him in the car.
Jeff jumped, "Hi, Marty, you all right?"
"Yeah, Jeff, listening to those boys... I mean, five of them, six including Clive..."
"I know, Marty, I know... it brings up, memories, doesn't it?"
Marty nodded, "Jeff... How about you, Jeff, are you all right?"
"I will be when I catch him, when I stop him," said Jeff, his voice set with determination.
"Jeff... What are you doing? Where are you going?" Marty asked, fearfully.
"Williams' flat. My god, Marty. Williams had... he hurt all of those boys. And Clive. And who knows how many others? But the boys were all hurt at Williams' flat. I have the address. That is where I'm going!"
"Be careful, Jeff!"
"I will, you'll be there with me?"
"Of course, Jeff, of course I will."
