Sarah tortured herself with the all-consuming thought that Greg’s reason for living was to see her kids displaced, with the older two in care and the younger two under his roof.  He would also dearly love to see her locked up somewhere, in jail or in a mental asylum and since all influential people seemed to be on his side and the fact that no one was helping her, it seemed highly likely that he’d get his wish.  She was so obsessed with collusion theories that she was desperately in need of some strong support; she wanted people who knew him to come forward and testify for her.  Cara was not a willing candidate.... yet, although Sarah fully intended working on her!  Her next best ally was the headmistress of Dingleton High, the school that Kim and Lee used to attend.  She’d met Miss Jones once before to discuss Kim’s school problems and she remembered that the head had told her that both Kim and Lee suffered emotionally when their mother had fled and that she had found it necessary to consult social services.  Sarah felt sure Miss Jones would be sympathetic and she hoped that she’d be of valuable assistance.

            The headmistress was indeed warm and responsive to her plight.  She remembered their meeting and she knew Greg and his family well.  Sarah learned that there had been a lot of trouble, that Kim and Lee had suffered enormously, that they were very unhappy and confused and that Cara was treated abominably by Greg and the Authorities.   Miss Jones told her that Greg had battered his son and his ex wife and that he should be charged with child abuse.  She mentioned being extremely concerned about violence against Kim and Lee, inflicted by Greg, on one particular occasion, but she wasn’t willing to elaborate.  Sarah got the feeling that Miss Jones knew quite a lot about Greg’s ugly behaviour but she wasn’t giving too much away.  Miss Jones did say that the head teacher of Kim’s and Lee’s primary school had been prompted to call in social services and she had felt compelled to contact social services herself on numerous occasions because of grave fears for their welfare.  But their attitude had been, “Keep your nose out, we know all about it; there have been other referrals”. 

            She told Sarah that eventually the educational welfare officer Miss Nora Smallwood was called in to investigate but even then no action was taken to help Kim and Lee, which always amazed Miss Jones.  It was her belief that they should’ve been registered by the council ‘At Risk’ and preferably taken into their mother’s care.  But astonishingly not even a conference was ever called to discuss their pitiful situation.  She never understood why.  She said that Kim and Lee loved their mother and wanted to be with her but they didn’t want to hurt or upset their father and they were scared of him. 

            It was confirmed that Cara had been badly beaten by Greg and that she’d been denied all contact with her children.  Miss Jones made it clear that Greg had blocked Cara’s attempts to see her children and that he had poisoned their minds.  She told Sarah that Greg even held a gun to Cara’s head on one occasion, which was witnessed by his neighbours, but that no charges were brought because he’d intimidated everyone into silence.  He’d even threatened Miss Jones and her staff, telling them to keep their noses out of his affairs.

            Sarah was horror-stricken and wanted the details, in writing.  She told Miss Jones that she felt entitled to see the official documentation on Kim and Lee, made by social services and the EWO, because there was evidence of child neglect and abuse.  This was especially important because incidences had been witnessed by professional sources and not some vengeful, troublemaker.  She made the point that, although Kim and Lee weren’t her kids, their father [the man who was under strong suspicion of being a danger to his children] is the father of her babies and he is fighting bitterly in court for residence of them.

            Sarah also expressed her worries that there appears to be a ‘neutrality’ culture regarding contact and residence issues, with everyone playing the “you are both to blame” game, which means that there would be no reason why Greg could not be awarded residence in light of the absence of vital documents which would, undoubtedly, strongly advise otherwise.

            Miss Jones advised her to get her solicitor to request the documents, indicating that the contents would shock anyone and that as far as testifying was concerned, she’d check with the school governors.

            Sarah was relieved that she would now have solid proof that Greg is an unfit father and that if Jason and Jessica were placed in his care they’d be at risk.  But she also began to worry about what exactly Greg had done to warrant such persistent concern from the staff of two schools and neighbours and why Miss Jones should be so flabbergasted that the authorities took no action to protect Kim and Lee.  She recalled that Greg’s mother often remarked that Kim and Lee had really suffered and were harbouring such awful secrets to do with their parents of which Cara was always blamed.  Sarah was convinced that it was more probable that Greg had done something awful to them or in front of them.  Her mind raced into overdrive.  What if he’d sexually abused them?  What if they’d seen him raping and beating their mother?  What if he’d raped Kim and/or Lee and they were now sworn to secrecy or else their throats would be cut?  What if they’d been subjected to those little words “It’s our little secret?”  What if....?  What if....?  It was too awful to contemplate, but something terrible had happened.  It was vitally important that she get her hands on those records.

Over the next few days, Sarah managed to track down and chat to a handful of Greg’s old neighbours.  They painted the same gruesome picture of Greg that she was already very familiar with.  They all feared him, disliked him and described him as “dubious”.  They said that there was always someone looking for him for money and that he was always on the fiddle.  No one knew what he had over the police but he never ever got nabbed.  Everyone’s opinion of the Dingleton police was “incompetent” and “corrupt” anyway.  They emphasized his irresponsibility and cruelty towards dogs and everyone was aware of his violent temper and threats and that his ex wife and kids were his punching bags.  It was verified that Cara had been forced to flee and that Greg had made it impossible for her to have access to her kids.  They knew that she was not allowed to set foot in Dingleton once she’d left but everyone was puzzled as to why he had so much control and why she was denied her kids because she was an excellent loving mother and Kim and Lee adored her. 

            Sarah learned that when Cara had gone, Kim and Lee had withdrawn into their shells and had become very mixed up and subdued.  The neighbours said that Lee had tried to run away and was once kept in hiding by the mother of one of his pals, until Greg discovered him and dragged him back home to his fate.  No one knew exactly what type of punishment he’d received but they said he was locked in the house for about a month afterwards, so they could only guess at his injuries.  Sarah recalled herself once going to a pal’s house to try and persuade Lee to return home.  The neighbours said that Kim did not dare to defy her dad and she just obediently took over her mother’s role in the house.  Neither was able to talk about the horror of their existence and both had become very adept liars, having been forced to conceal the truth.  Sarah found out that all the neighbours had made numerous referrals to social services and the police at various times but that no one felt confident that officials were doing their jobs and making enquiries.  They felt they were politely being told to mind their own business.  They felt that Kim and Lee were sometimes distraught and often frightened and miserable yet the authorities didn’t seem to care.

            Sarah asked them all to testify in court but they all refused, apologised profusely but stated quite categorically that the reason was fear of retribution.  They all made it clear that Greg was a man that nobody messes with and that he had quite a formidable reputation.  One even told her that she has always dreaded him turning up on her doorstep with one of his shotguns.  No one would even risk signing a short statement just to back her up a little bit. Sarah was desperate for some written confirmation so that social services, police and the court welfare officer would start listening to her.

Sarah’s next telephone contact was the Griffin family.  They knew Greg and his kids through their daughter Fiona who was friends with Kim.  Fiona and her sister Rachel and their mother Della had attended some of the get-togethers that Greg had hosted and they had witnessed some of the assaults that Greg had inflicted on Sarah.

            Della began telling Sarah:

            “About a week after you and Greg split up, he turned up at my door wanting me to sign a statement, basically confirming that he is an upright member of society and a decent loving father to his children.  I felt so pressured by him and so worried about what he’d do if I refused so I signed it.  I feed so bad about that now but he was standing over me, virtually ordering me.  He said he needed it for the welfare officer because you’d be blackening his good name and he fully intended getting custody because Jason and Jessie were at risk of you.  I knew that wasn’t true.  Oh I wish I hadn’t signed it.  I knew he was bad news.  I always thought that there was something not right about that family.  I feel so sorry for Kim and Lee.  They are both so disturbed and lonely.  Fi doesn’t have anything to do with Kim anymore.”

            “Greg’s so smarmy and slippery, it’s enough to make you sick,” spat Sarah.  “Trying to get the truth out against him is nigh on impossible.  I’m going frantic here thinking that I might lose my babies or that he’ll harm them.  It could easily happen.  Is there any way you could retract your statement and submit a more appropriate one?”

            “I’ll give it some thought,” Della declared.  “But it might be too late now anyway.  Surely the court won’t allow two little babies to leave their mother?”

            “Well you’d think that, wouldn’t you?  But none of it seems to be about what’s right.  They’re presenting the situation as me and Greg hating each other, and that’s it.  The fact that Greg is harassing, threatening and damaging my property and that such things and worse happened to his ex wife and that there were umpteen referrals to the police and social services by head-teachers of Kim’s and Lee’s previous schools, doesn’t seem to matter.  Such things are being conveniently overlooked by the authorities.  Even my own solicitor doesn’t seem to be fighting very hard for me and is pushing me to agree visitation.  I’m just praying that I can get copies of the official reports on Kim and Lee.  Failing that, my only other hope would be for Kim and Lee to find the strength to stand up to their father once and for all and to face the truth and reveal it; for their own sakes too.  Of course, there’s probably more chance of me getting struck by a bolt of lightning! 

            I perhaps could’ve done more to help them but they didn’t really want my input, although Lee did confide some things in me and did try to challenge his dad.  I had quite a soft spot for him; Kim too, despite the resentment she felt for me and the hard time she gave me at times which I guess was understandable.  She was a good girl and quite resilient and she did try to intervene when her father was in destructive mode.  Maybe there is hope that she and Lee will turn up trumps at the end of the day,” Sarah sighed.

“Well I know that Kim has taken a lot of time off school here and that there has been a lot of intervention by social services but I don’t know why.  Fiona does not want to know her anymore; in fact Kim doesn’t have any friends now.  There is a rumour that Greg has been in and out of hospital recently for various tests and that he’s even had some overnight stays there.  Some are saying that, amongst other things, he might have a damaged liver due to his high levels of alcohol consumption.  I know the manageress of the off license that he uses and she can’t believe the amount of strong lagers that he goes through every night.  It’s in the region of around thirty odd,” Della informed her.

            “Not much has changed then,” Sarah remarked.  “Wonder where he gets the readies!  The court welfare officer isn’t bothered by the amount he drinks; she says Alcoholics Anonymous can’t be used as proof.  So what kind of proof can you use?  Any other form, such as the shopkeeper’s opinion, would just be considered unreliable spiteful gossip.  She’s even prepared to accept his word that I’m also an alcoholic, just because his church friends [one of which happens to be an AA counsellor] stated that we both attended AA in need of help, without even trying to find out the truth!  If she turned up on him once or twice of an evening, unexpectedly, just like social workers barged in on me [on Greg’s orders], she’d soon see him stoned out of his brains.  But these people don’t seem to do what’s right and logical, they do the opposite.  They pick and choose their “evidence” and paint their own pictures - images totally at odds with the facts.”