首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)-第15章

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g　on　an　English　project。　Krystal　seemed　to　understand　what　they　were　going　to　do；　she　seemed　up　for　it。　She　had　so　far　allowed　him　to　insert　two　fingers　inside　her；　hot　and　firm　and　slippery；　he　had　unhooked　her　bra　and　been　permitted　to　place　his　hands　on　her　warm；　heavy　breasts。　He　had　sought　her　out　deliberately　at　the　Christmas　disco；　led　her　out　of　the　hall　under　Andrew’s　and　the　others’　incredulous　gazes；　round　the　back　of　the　drama　hall。　She　had　seemed　quite　as　surprised　as　anybody　else；　but　had　offered；　as　he　had　hoped　and　expected；　virtually　no　resistance。　His　targeting　of　Krystal　had　been　a　deliberate　act；　and　he　had　had　his　cool　and　brazen　retort　ready；　when　it　had　e　to　facing　down　his　mates’　jeers　and　taunts。

‘If　you　want　chips；　you　don’t　go　to　a　fucking　salad　bar。’

He　had　thought　out　that　analogy　in　advance；　but　he　had　still　had　to　spell　it　out　for　them。

‘You　boys　keep　wanking。　I　want　a　shag。’

That　had　wiped　the　smiles　off　their　faces。　He　could　tell　that　all　of　them；　Andrew　included；　were　forced　to　choke　down　their　jeers　at　his　choice；　in　admiration　of　his　unabashed　pursuit　of　the　one；　the　only　true　goal。　Fats　had　undoubtedly　chosen　the　most　direct　route　to　get　there；　none　of　them　could　argue　with　his　mon…sense　practicality；　and　Fats　could　tell　that　every　single　one　of　them　was　asking　himself　why　he　had　not　had　the　guts　to　consider　this　means　to　a　most　satisfactory　end。

‘Do　me　a　favour；　and　don’t　mention　this　to　my　mother；　all　right？’　Fats　had　muttered　to　Krystal；　ing　up　for　air　in　between　long；　wet　explorations　of　each　other’s　mouths；　while　his　thumbs　had　rubbed　backwards　and　forwards　over　her　nipples。

She　had　half　sniggered；　then　kissed　him　with　more　aggression。　She　had　not　asked　him　why　he　had　picked　her；　had　not　asked　him　anything　really；　she　seemed；　like　him；　to　be　pleased　by　the　reactions　of　their　entirely　separate　tribes；　to　glory　in　the　watchers’　confusion；　even　in　his　friends’　pantomime　of　disgust。　He　and　Krystal　had　barely　spoken　to　each　other　during　three　further　bouts　of　carnal　exploration　and　experimentation。　Fats　had　engineered　all　of　them；　but　she　had　made　herself　more　readily　available　than　usual；　choosing　to　hang　about　in　places　he　might　find　her　easily。　Friday　night　was　the　first　time　they　would　meet　by　pre…arrangement。　He　had　bought　condoms。

The　prospect　of　finally　going　all　the　way　had　something　to　do　with　him　truanting　today　and　ing　to　the　Fields；　although　he　had　not　thought　of　Krystal　herself　（as　opposed　to　her　splendid　breasts　and　that　miraculously　unguarded　vagina）　until　he　saw　the　name　of　her　street。

Fats　doubled　back；　lighting　another　cigarette。　Something　about　seeing　the　name　of　Foley　Road　had　given　him　a　strange　sense　that　his　timing　was　wrong。　The　Fields　today　were　banal　and　inscrutable；　and　that　which　he　sought；　the　thing　he　hoped　to　recognize　when　he　found　it；　was　curled　up　somewhere；　out　of　sight。　And　so　he　walked　back　to　school。

IV
Nobody　was　answering　their　telephone。　Back　in　the　Child　Protection　team’s　room；　Kay　had　been　punching　in　numbers　on　and　off　for　nearly　two　hours；　leaving　messages；　asking　everyone　to　call　her　back：　the　Weedons’　health　visitor；　their　family　doctor；　the　Cantermill　Nursery　and　the　Bellchapel　Addiction　Clinic。　Terri　Weedon’s　file　lay　open　on　the　desk　in　front　of　her；　bulging　and　battered。

‘Using　again；　is　she？’　said　Alex；　one　of　the　women　with　whom　Kay　shared　an　office。　‘Bellchapel’ll　kick　her　out　for　good　this　time。　She　claims　she’s　terrified　Robbie’ll　be　taken　off　her；　but　she　can’t　keep　off　the　smack。’

‘It’s　the　third　time　she’s　been　through　Bellchapel；’　said　Una。

On　the　basis　of　what　she　had　seen　that　afternoon；　Kay　thought　the　time　was　right　for　a　case　review；　to　pull　together　those　professionals　who　shared　responsibility　for　individual　fragments　of　Terri　Weedon’s　life。　She　continued　to　press　redial　between　dealing　with　other　work；　while　in　the　corner　of　the　office　their　own　telephone　rang　repeatedly　and　clicked　immediately　onto　the　answering　machine。　The　Child　Protection　team’s　room　was　cramped　and　cluttered；　and　it　smelt　of　spoilt　milk；　because　Alex　and　Una　had　a　habit　of　emptying　the　dregs　of　their　coffee　cups　into　the　pot　of　a　depressed…looking　yucca　plant　in　the　corner。

Mattie’s　most　recent　notes　were　untidy　and　chaotic；　peppered　with　crossings　out；　misdated　and　partial。　Several　key　documents　were　missing　from　the　file；　including　a　letter　sent　by　the　addiction　clinic　a　fortnight　previously。　It　was　quicker　to　ask　Alex　and　Una　for　information。

‘Last　case　review　woulda　been　…’　said　Alex；　frowning　at　the　yucca　plant；　‘over　a　year　ago；　I　reckon。’

‘And　they　thought　Robbie　was　OK　to　stay　with　her　then；　obviously；’　said　Kay；　the　receiver　pressed　between　ear　and　shoulder　as　she　tried　and　failed　to　find　the　notes　of　the　review　in　the　bulging　folder。

‘It　wasn’t　a　case　of　him　staying　with　her；　it　was　whether　he　was　going　to　go　back　to　her　or　not。　He　was　put　out　to　a　foster　mother；　because　Terri　was　beaten　up　by　a　client　and　ended　up　in　hospital。　She　got　clean；　got　out；　and　was　mad　to　get　Robbie　back。　She　went　back　on　the　Bellchapel　programme；　she　was　off　the　game　and　makin’　a　proper　effort。　Her　mother　was　saying　she’d　help。　So　she　got　him　home　and　a　few　months　later　she’d　started　shooting　up　again。’

‘It’s　not　Terri’s　mother　who　helps；　though；　is　it？’　said　Kay；　whose　head　was　starting　to　ache；　as　she　tried　to　decipher　Mattie’s　big；　untidy　writing。　‘It’s　her　grandmother；　the　kids’　great…grandmother。　So　she　must　be　knocking　on；　and　Terri　said　something　about　her　being　ill；　this　morning。　If　Terri’s　the　only　carer　now　…’

‘The　daughter’s　sixteen；’　said　Una。　‘She　mostly　takes　care　of　Robbie。’

‘Well；　she’s　not　doing　a　great　job；’　said　Kay。　‘He　was　in　a　pretty　bad　state　when　I　got　there　this　morning。’

But　she　had　seen　far　worse：　welts　and　sores；　gashes　and　burns；　tar…black　bruises；　scabies　and　nits；　babies　lying　on　carpets　covered　in　dog　shit；　kids　crawling　on　broken　bones；　and　once　（she　dreamed　of　it；　still）；　a　child　who　had　been　locked　in　a　cupboard　for　five　days　by　his　psychotic　stepfather。　That　one　had　made　the　national　news。　The　most　immediate　danger　to　Robbie　Weedon’s　safety　had　been　the　pile　of　heavy　boxes　in　his　mother’s　sitting　room；　which　he　had　attempted　to　climb　when　he　realized　that　it　attracted　Kay’s　full　attention。　Kay　had　carefully　restacked　them　into　two　lower　piles　before　leaving。　Terri　had　not　liked　her　touching　the　boxes；　nor　had　she　liked　Kay　telling　her　that　she　ought　to　take　off　Robbie’s　sodden　nappy。　Terri　had　been　roused；　in　fact；　to　foul…mouthed；　though　still　slightly　hazy；　fury；　and　had　told　Kay　to　fuck　off　and　stay　away。

Kay’s　mobile　rang　and　she　picked　it　up。　It　was　Terri’s　key　drug　worker。

‘I’ve　been　trying　to　get　you　for　days；’　said　the　woman　crossly。　It　took　several　minutes　for　Kay　to　explain　that　she　was　not　Mattie；　but　this　did　not　much　reduce　the　woman’s　antagonism。

‘Yeah；　we’re　still　seeing　her；　but　she　tested　positive　last　week。　If　she　uses　again；　she’s　out。　We’ve　got　twenty　people　right　now　who　could　take　her　place　on　the　programme　and　maybe　get　some　benefit　from　it。　This　is　the　third　time　she’s　been　through。’

Kay　did　not　say　she　knew　that　Terri　had　used　that　morning。

‘Have　either　of　you　got　any　paracetamol？’　Kay　asked　Alex　and　Una；　once　the　drug　worker　had　given　her　full　details　of　Terri’s　attendance　and　lack　of　progress　at　the　clinic；　and　rung　off。

Kay　took　her　painkillers　with　tepid　tea；　lacking　the　energy　to　get　up　and　go　to　the　water　cooler　in　the　corridor。　The　office　was　stuffy；　the　radiator　cranked　up　high。　As　the　daylight　faded　from　the　sky　outside；　the　strip…lighting　over　her　desk　intensified：　it　turned　her　multitude　of　papers　a　bright　yellow…white；　buzzing　black　words　marched　in　endless　lines。

‘They’re　going　to　close　down　Bellchapel　Clinic；　you　watch；’　said　Una；　who　was　working　at　her　PC　with　her　back　to　Kay。　‘Got　to　make　cuts。　Council　funds　one　of　the　drug　workers。　Pagford　Parish　owns　the　building。　I　heard　they’re　planning　to　tart　it　up　and　try　and　rent　to　a　better…paying　client。　They’ve　had　it　in　for　that　clinic　for　years。’

Kay’s　temple　throbbed。　The　name　of　her　new　hometown　made　her　feel　sad。　Without　pausing　to　think；　she　did　the　thing　that　she　had　vowed　not　to　do　after　he　had　failed　to　call　the　previous　evening：　she　picked　up　her　mobile　and　keyed　in　Gavin’s　office　number。

‘Edward　Collins　and　Co；’　said　a　woman’s　voice；　after　the　third　ring。　They　answered　your　calls　immediately　out　in　the　private　sector；　when　money　might　depend　on　it。

‘Could　I　speak　to　Gavin　Hughes；　please？’　said　Kay；　staring　down　at　Terri’s　file。

‘Who’s　speaking；　please？’

‘Kay　Bawden；’　said　Kay。

She　did　not　look　up；　she　did　not　want　to　catch　either　Alex’s　or　Una’s　eyes。　The　pause　seemed　interminable。

（They　had　met　in　London　at　Gavin’s　brother’s　birthday　party。　Kay　had　not　known　anyone　there；　except　for　the　friend　who　had　dragged　her　along　for　support。　Gavin　had　just　split　up　with　Lisa；　he　had　been　a　little　drunk；　but　had　seemed　decent；　reliable　and　conventional；　not　at　all　the　kind　of　man　that　Kay　usually　went　for。　He　had　poured　out　the　story　of　his　broken