Chapter 36 (Revised)   Simon Jones is Eve Jones. But she didn't know.

 
Previously:

 
Eve and her mum saw the two David Stevens being arrested after Eve proposed to Claire.

 
Now the story continues.
 
 
Eve Chapter 36
 
 
Monday 12th Oct
 
We were at the court by nine thirty so we could speak to Mr Dixon. Also waiting there was the former school bursar Ms Holts, and Mr Davis, the Chair of the school governing body. He walked over to us.

"Good morning all, I had a call last night suggesting I should be here."

There was a hiss from across the room and the former school employee was pointing her finger at our group. A suited man, the court usher, spoke to her abruptly and she put her arm down but continued to stare. We moved to a corner, leaving Mr Davis to become the subject of Ms Holts' seething as he'd plainly had an involvement in her sacking, even if it was called resignation. Our solicitor, Mr Dixon, started his briefing.

"Ladies, the charges for the father are going to be theft, handling stolen property, assault and resisting arrest. The son has attempted murder, assault on a police officer, affray, theft, criminal damage, and breaching an ASBO. Apparently the ASBO was granted last Monday after a request by the shopping precinct management and the local council. I only found out this morning."

Mum picked up on this, "Attempted murder? Which charges relate to which incidents?"

"I believe the criminal damage is your car, the affray covers incidents in the town centre, theft is for shoplifting and then there's yesterday's alleged assault on a police officer which seems to have involved a knife. The father's charges are connected to the son's shoplifting and yesterday's incident. It is possible you may be called as a witness, but you do realise, as this is an initial hearing, nothing of substance may actually happen today."

"Why?"

"The magistrates have various options including passing it all up to a higher court, we'll have to see what happens first."

"Oh."

The court lobby was starting to fill up so we stopped discussing the case, concentrating our gossiping to clothes and TV, mostly. Mr Davis wandered back and saw the ring on my finger, then on Claire's. He was obviously thinking for a moment before he spoke.

"Miss Jones, Miss Johnson, are I to believe that you have some news?"

"Yes Mr Davis, as of yesterday we are engaged."

"This should prove interesting at the school, if you have no objections I'll inform the headmaster."

"He'll find out by tomorrow no doubt, so we don't mind, do we Claire?

Claire shook her head and Mr Davis walked away. Mr Dixon now took interest in the rings but said nothing. We held hands, unafraid of anyone's opinions.

The Court Usher called for all parties in the case of Stevens and Stevens to proceed to the court room. In the end it was a distinct anti-climax and we left rather bemused with little achieved. It would have made good telly though.

The father was processed first and pleaded not guilty to all charges, the magistrates simply committed him for trial at the Crown Court. He was then bailed, albeit with a severe curfew and a ban from every pub and store in the district.

For the son, the charge of assault on a police officer had overnight become attempted murder and was sufficient for committal to the Crown Court, he was remanded to a Young Offenders Institute fifty miles away. His solicitor had attempted to argue that, due to his age, he should be tried in a youth court but was almost laughed at by the lead Magistrate who questioned if the solicitor was aware of the severity of the main charge. No application for bail was made so he was taken down to the cells.

At that point Ms Holts, aunt of the son, screamed and swore at the magistrates. She was told to be quiet but refused. She was threatened with thirty days for this outburst but continued, in the end she was also sent to the cells. She was added to the day's list, probably to be dealt with after three o'clock.

We gathered outside and spoke to our solicitor. It was my turn to do the questioning. "So what happens next?"

"Oh, the father won't now be in court for three months unless he changes his plea. The boy will be in court again in two weeks and could apply for bail, but it's unlikely given the charges. There'll also be a social services enquiry into the family circumstances. If the son is found guilty he could be looking at a long sentence, or there could be some bargaining over the lesser charges, or they could be dropped entirely."

"Great." It wasn't an upbeat comment.

"Look, he's in the system now and you have to let the system deal with him. I'll make sure you get your moment in court, if you still want it. If you don't mind I need to get back to my office, I'll let you know later what happens to Ms Holts."

We said goodbye to Mr Dixon, Mr Davis had already disappeared. It was midday now, the whole proceedings had been very slow, considering how little was achieved.

As we walked out of the building the sun shone brightly, someone's bad joke perhaps? We walked the short distance into town and sat outside a newly opened cafe. A young Italian man came out for our orders, he smiled at me and Claire then saw us holding hands. The smile became a little forced as he reached for his order pad.

We each had a panini and a fruit juice, somehow coffee wasn't on any of our minds today. We ate in silence then took a stroll into the shopping precinct. Outside M&S we bumped into the assistant manager who we'd met weeks earlier, he saw our hands, I don't think we'll be letting go of each other too soon. Mum told him about the court case.

"I was at the court last week applying for the ASBO as we'd run out of options with his anti-social behaviour. We had the council's and the police's support so the magistrates granted it in a few minutes. We had to eject him from the precinct a few days later but haven't seen him since, thankfully."

"That must be why he was out of town?" I thought out loud.

The four of us wandered around a few shops but left the town centre empty handed. We had parked out of the way, in case of retaliation, but, as it's turned out, that's difficult when the lad is inside a lock-up. We drove home and headed with Sharon into her house, establishing a war cabinet in the kitchen, Claire provided the coffee that everyone finally needed.

Ultimately, we weren't at all happy with the day's proceedings but there was nothing we could do about it, at least one of them was off the streets. That's where Annie found us when she arrived back from school.

"They want to see your rings!"

"Who?"

"All the girls, the boys are just upset that you're off the market, sis."

"They'll get over it, eventually. How do they know?"

"Not sure, but news like this goes round the school in minutes. I gave Andrea and Suzie the news about Friday, they want to finally meet you Eve."

"That could be interesting." I was the master of understatement today.

"Eve, they never met Simon, and they don't believe everything they're told. You'll meet them on Friday, we'll deal with the rest of the sixth form when you get back in a few weeks."

"I need to see the head before then."

"Yes, oh did Claire give you the message?"

"What message?"

"The one from last week? A few teachers were asking."

"What message?"

"About the homework. It's overdue."

"Claire, what was the message?"

"They gave me some coursework for you last Wednesday, it was due back today. Didn't I tell you?"

"Claire!"

"Look, you were otherwise occupied last week."

Sharon joined in the discussion, "Claire do you still have the coursework?"

"I don't know."

"Right, if you can't find it tonight then you will apologise to each of Eve's teachers tomorrow morning."

"Yes mum."

"Then you'll ask them to give anything else to Annie, as of right now."

We had pizza together and I wouldn't have left if we weren't forced apart. As it was we were all shattered and I was in bed by nine. Neither of us checked the answerphone.

It really felt odd to be in bed on my own.