Chapter 3: A Lot of Them About

‘She had always felt uncomfortable being alone in the office with Stephen, but as he had never given her any cause to expect any trouble. She kept her feelings to herself. But a week last Friday, at the end of the day, he attempted to kiss her against her wishes and refused to stop.’

‘Jade slapped him hard across the face and he backed off. Then he told her that if she reported him, he would say she came on to him, and no one would believe her. So, she said nothing. But she was scared what might happen the next Friday and came to me for advice.’

‘I thought you were worried about something,’ Mr Holdsworth told her, ‘You should have told me. I’ve known you long enough to know you don’t tell lies.’ ‘I did though,’ she told him sounding sad. ‘My friend isn’t ill. I felt terrible when you were so sympathetic and offered me time off to go and visit her.’

‘I think you can be forgiven for that,’ Mr Holdsworth told her, ‘I’d never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you because of me.’ ‘Jade tells me you have been part of her life as far back as she can remember.’ Cliff said.

‘Yes,’ Mr Holdsworth said, ‘I first saw her just after she was born. My late wife and I never had any children, and Jade was always so happy to see me. I always thought of her as someone very special to me. Then after her father died, I started pretending to myself that she was my daughter.’

‘I’m sorry my dear,’ he said, ‘I meant no disrespect to your father.’ Jade went over and gave him a hug. ‘My dad was perfect,’ she said, ‘But I can’t imagine anyone who could stand in for him better than you.’ They hugged, both with wet eyes.

Cliff cleared his throat and they parted. ‘I told Jade that I would fit a listening device in here, and that I would be outside the door at four o’clock on Friday, just in case.’ Cliff continued. ‘On Thursday night I signed into my device on the internet to check it was working.’

‘Now I had told Jade it was a listening device. I didn’t tell her it was a camera as well, because in my experience if people know it’s a camera they can’t stop looking at it, often without realising they are doing it. That would have given it away to Stephen.’

‘Sorry Jade.’ he said smiling at her. ‘It was just after six o’clock and I expected to see a dark office. Instead, I saw a man around thirty that I assumed was Stephen, sitting working at your desk. He was taking files out of that cupboard,’ Cliff pointed again, ‘And typing details into his computer.’

‘After an hour, he started the printer and printed out fifty letters and address labels. Then he put them together before running them through your franking machine. Then he left, taking the envelopes with him. On Friday, at my request, Jade checked the printer.’

She was able to obtain a copy of one of the letters. I’ll show it you in a moment. At four o’clock on Friday, I was outside the office door with a friend who is bigger and stronger than me.’ he grinned and Mr Holdsworth smiled back.

‘I was on my phone watching what was happening in here. As Jade was putting files in that trolley,’ he pointed to it. ‘Stephen came up behind her, grabbed her and told her that he was going to have sex with her. He pushed her top half down over the trolley.’

‘My friend and I came charging in and grabbed him before he could do anything. He was thrown down onto the floor and told to stay there. Now, although I had evidence of his intent to rape, Jade didn’t want it to become public knowledge.’

‘I was so embarrassed about it all.’ she said going red as she looked at Mr Holdsworth. ‘Also,’ Cliff continued, ‘As he hadn’t actually raped her, he might have talked his way out of it and got off. So, no action has been taken on that.’

‘But you asked about the police?’ Mr Holdsworth said. ‘Yes, Stephen was arrested on Saturday and was charged with theft from here, and from the other two offices he worked at. Acting on what I told a constable friend, he went to Stephens flat and arrested him.’

‘He appeared in court this morning. The magistrate sentenced him to twelve months in prison, so you won’t see him again. The main charge against him was the theft of eleven thousand seven hundred pounds worth of postage.’