Chapter 4: The Interview

James sat on the simple wooden chair beside the desk, his wrists still cuffed behind him. A uniformed officer stood beside the door, ignoring him. Her tailored and laundered uniform contrasted with the shabby surroundings. Her jet black pencil skirt showed no speck of dust, her short sleeved shirt bright white, pressed and cut to fit exactly, her black tie as thin as her the look in her eyes, her belt as shiny as the gloss on her lips. An identity tag, "Constable 70748, Margery Dennis," hung from her belt.

James caught himself staring at her. He knew there would be trouble if she noticed. He looked down quickly, staring at the table.

The woman that had arrested him and another plain clothes officer came into the cell and sat down opposite him.

The second woman slipped a mini-disk into a box at one side of the table and flicked down a switch on. "Interview with suspect James Leonard. DI Collins and DS Haste interviewing. PC Dennis in attendance. Interview started at 21:05."

"Hello James," the second woman said. "I'm Inspector Collins. This is Detective Sergeant Haste. Do you know why you were arrested?"

"Yes, Inspector," James thought that the best approach would be to be as un-confrontational as possible. He knew from what others had said that there wasn't any point in suggesting they might like to let him get a lawyer; even if he knew one. "There were some magazines and papers found in my flat but I didn't..."

"One step at a time, please," Inspector Collins said.

"You know of course that possession of violent, anti-female, pornography is illegal?"

James nodded.

"Answer the question out loud," Haste ordered.

"Sorry. Yes," said James.

"And that promoting or espousing the views of proscribed organisations is illegal too."

"Yes, of course, but I didn't. I hadn't seen those things before."

Sergeant Haste pulled two clear plastic envelopes from her briefcase. She pushed the first across the desk towards James. "All right Leonard, Do you recognise this?"

"Yes, it's a copy of 'Babes in Bondage'. It was under my bed. I mean you found it under my bed."

"How long have you had it?

"I haven't seen it before?"

"Your sort of thing is it? Ropes and gags? Like to use your handcuffs on the officer over there, would you?" Haste nodded towards the uniformed policewoman by the cell door.

"No," said James. The officer looked back at him with an expression that said, "I bet."

"If you haven't seen this before, how come it was under your bed?"

"I don't know."

"But you knew it was under your bed, didn't you? You said it was there," the Sergeant went on.

"I only knew about it after your officer brought it out. As far as I know she could have put it there herself."

Inspector Collins cut in. "I'd really advise against making accusations like that," she said. "That's only going to make things more difficult for you."

"Oh, I wasn't ... I mean I didn't really mean that..."

The sergeant started in again. "Look, why don't you admit you're involved with these people. Tell us where we can find the rest of the group. Why should you let yourself go to the camps for them?"

The mention of the camps sent a chill down James's spine. What you heard about going on in sponsored houses was bad enough but the rumours about the camps were worse.

The inspector saw his reaction. "Look," she said, "no one's trying to say you've done anything wrong. We just want to get at the people that are behind all this. I'd have a thought a bright chap like you would see that. Wouldn't you sergeant?" James looked across at Sergeant Haste. She didn't look as though she was going to give him any credit. At that moment the Inspector's pager went. She took out the device, peered at it and said to Haste. "I'm needed upstairs. I'll let you keep an eye on our friend for a minute or two." She leant across the recorder. "Interview stopped at 21:35," she said as she pressed a button on the box.

James watched her go. No sooner had the door shut behind her than Sergeant Haste grabbed James by the shirt collar. "While the Inspector's out perhaps I can convince you of the value of cooperating," she snarled, twisting his collar until he was almost choking. The officer by the door carried on standing there, looking into space as if nothing was happening. Haste lifted one foot pushing it between his thighs until the toe of her boot was pushing up against his crotch. "Tell me about the other members of the group," she said. "We can get it on the recorder later once you've had the chance to think more clearly." She slid her toe forward.