Trembling and crying with relief and exhaustion and feeling a sense of being utterly overwhelmed, Sarah gave the truthful facts of the evening to a sympathetic WPC while her ex gave a totally fabricated story to the young male constable.  She heard snippets of his conversation and was absolutely appalled at his barefaced lies.  His rather chillingly plausible version of events was that she was a manic-depressive, a crazed and clingy woman who just wouldn’t accept that their relationship was over.  He declared that he could no longer tolerate her jealousy and possessiveness and constant demands of affection and that when he’d tried to leave her after gently making it clear to her that he wanted out, she had gone berserk throwing curry, plates and glasses all over the living room.  She’d freaked out, mutilating in blind frenzy while racing all over the house like a mad dog screaming obscenities as she flung open every window and door before bolting out into the night crying “rape”.

            Sarah listened open-mouthed as he calmly explained to the young police officer that his fiancee was out of control because she constantly took a mixture of brandy and valium which totally exacerbated her schizophrenic condition and that as far as he was concerned tonight was the last straw.  He pointed out that when his girlfriend is high on such a lethal cocktail she acquires such superhuman strength that it is impossible for him to restrain her, so he just has to let her get it out of her system and behave like a raving loony.  He said he’d darted after her because he was worried that she’d do something stupid like run into the path of a car.  He added that she’d also turned to stealing to feed her alcoholism and that he’d tried everything to help her with her problems but that she was beyond help because she wouldn’t admit that she was mentally unstable.

            Sarah was so stunned she was speechless.  The nerve of him was beyond belief!  He then continued his unflinching account of events ending with the ominous statement that he is beside himself with worry about his darling babies being left alone with their psychopathic, neurotic mother and that the only reason he’d stayed so long with her was to make sure the babies were looked after since he was their main carer.  He also babbled on about being worried about the welfare of David and Anna now that he would not be around to keep an eye on them and that this was upsetting for him because he’d grown very fond of them both.  He ascertained that he’d be back tomorrow to collect his babies as they would be a lot safer and happier living with him.

            Sarah swung around, glared at Greg and snapped, “You contemptible bastard.... You bare-faced, low-life, unimaginable liar....”

            The WPC draped a reassuring arm over her, led her away and said, “I believe you.  You don’t have to live that kind of a life anymore.  Don’t worry, the court is on your side and because you aren’t married he has no automatic right to your children and must apply to the court for Parental Responsibility.”  She then urged Sarah to contact a solicitor as soon as possible and told her to go home and look after her little ones.

            Feeling so pleased and relieved to hear such reassuring, authoritative words, Sarah immediately dismissed the nagging doubts about Greg being somehow ‘special’ and ‘in’ with the police and therefore ‘powerful’ as airy fairy romanticism.