Forgotten

Two days later.

JOSH'S POV.

"That's all of it," said Dad, handing over a photo album, a black notebook and some framed pictures of us to this freaky looking police officer guy.

"Hmmm, let me see," he said, opening the photo album and looking through it. I caught Robbie's eye and we both smirked at the first picture. The two of us about two years old, having just had a food fight, both of us covered in stuff which resembled porridge of some kind.

There was no mistaking the hand-print bruise on my right arm in the picture, that took the smirk right off my face. I could remember that far back, it was from when Darren had picked me up by my arm and swung me around.

The officer looking through the rest of the pictures, occasionally making a note on his sheet of paper and glancing at either me or Robbie.

"The suspect is denying all charges," he said matter-of factly, putting down the photos, his pen and his sheet of paper and looking at the four of us.

"We're going to press charges, we can prove it," said Dad confidently.

"I hope you can sir," said the officer.

"What kind of sentence could he be expected to receive should we take him to court and win the case?"

"Well, he will be tried with three counts of GBH, three counts of child abuse and cruelty to children."

I wanted to but in, to say something, but Robbie beat me to it.

"That's it?"

"What do you mean young man? Is there something more about which I should be aware?"

"Dad take Cassie outside," I said firmly.

"Take her outside, I want to hear this," said officer whateverthehell.

Dad looked at both Robbie and I carefully, before walking outside the room with Cassie and closing the door behind him.

"You are aware everything you say is on tape, everything you say is being recorded and everything you say can and may be used as evidence in the court of law?" he said in a very official tone.

"We understand," said Robbie. I'd never seen him acting so serious.

"Grevious Bodily Harm, Child abuse, cruelty to children. You tell me there's more?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

I glanced at Robbie, he had gone very pale and I knew I would have to speak.

"Sexual abuse," I said and officer whateverthehell choked a little on his coffee.

"Murder," said Robbie bluntly, looking at the floor.

"This is preposterous! You cannot accuse the man of such things!"

"You think we're bullshitting? You think we want some attention?" sat Robbie, jumping up out of seat. Officer whateverthefuck stood up slowly, shooting my brother the filthiest look I have ever seen.

"Murder, and sexual abuse, you have no proof of such things."

"We do," I said, thinking carefully.

"You.. you do?" said officer fuckface, sitting down slowly.

"My medical records. Since I was seven or eight years old he would do things to me which were inappropriate, then he started ra-"

"I've heard enough, go and get the others back in," said officer asswipehead.

"Don't you have a duty, officer, of helping us? Of standing up for whats right?" said Robbie, I knew where he was going with this.

"Yes I-I do, but the fact of the matter is-"

"Do you not have a duty to catch people who break the law?" I said, officer assholeface seemed to be getting pissed off with us.

"Yes I do but-"

"Do you not have to punish those people?" I said, getting to my feet slowly.

"Yes, that would be my Duty to ensure that-"

"WELL WHY THE FUCK AREN'T YOU DOING YOUR JOB?!" yelled Robbie. His voice reverberated around the room for a few moments and then a deathly silence filled the room.

"Get out," said the officer.

"My pleasure," said Robbie, walking to the doorway and leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.

I could hear him yelling at Dad in the corridor and I flinched when I heard the sound of another door slamming.

"Your brother has quite the temper," said officer cocksucker.

"He never used to. He used to be a completely different person, he used to be my brother, and now I don't know who he is," I said, my eyes filling with tears.

"You have to understand, you have to help us," I said and he looked at me sympathetically.

"You tell me what happened and then you can provide us with evidence," he said, settling in his chair and looking at me expectantly.

"D-darren has raped both of us, our mother too. We think... we think her death was caused my him."

"Your mother... Nicola Phillips?" he asked, flicking through a file on his desk.

"Yes."

"It says here she was killed by hanging herself, nobody was responsible but her."

"Read her diary."

The door to the room opened and Dad and Cassie sidled back into the room. Cassie had tears on her face and Dad looked really shaken.

"What did he say to you?" I asked but Dad just shook his head.

"He's not in his right mind, we have to make allowances," he said and sat down with Cassie on his lap, still crying silently.

I watched officer buttlicker's face change as he read the diary. He went paler with each page he turned and he eventually slammed the small black book shut.

"I'm keeping this book, as evidence," he said, his voice sounding somehow strangled, as if his throat was constricting like he was going to cry.

"That's fine but I would appreciate the children get it back, once the case is over. I think they should have something of their mothers so she is never forgotten."

"I understand."

"I asked you a question earlier officer, how much time could Darren Sharpe be facing under the current charges?" said Dad. He knew that the rape had been left off the list of charges.

Officer knobhead thought for a moment before speaking.

"He could be expected to pay an unlimited fine or face up to ten years in jail."

"Well I'm sorry," said Dad, getting to his feet and taking Cassie's hand.

"But that isn't enough," he said before looking at me. I jumped up and we all left the room. Dad stood at the doorway and looked back into the questioning room.

"I'll be contacting a lawyer, preparing a case and then I'll expect to meet Darren Sharpe in court Officer Davies."

He seemed taken-aback by our behaviour.

"I- alright. I will contact you very soon," he said and we walked away from the doorway.

"What's going on with Robbie?" I asked instantly.

"I don't have a clue, he's sat in the car. I could hear him yelling in the room from outside in the corridor. He's really scared Cassie when he was yelling at me," he said sadly, squeezing Cassie's hand. She didn't respond, she just kept walking, her head down.

"What did he say to you?" I asked as we approached the car.

"He was just telling me I'm a useless father and that this is all my fault and stuff," he said. He looked so hurt. I couldn't believe Robbie had said something like that to him.

"No. He doesn't mean that, it's not true."

"Well, whatever, he still said it."

The ride home was silent. Robbie slouched moodily in his seat behind me, I sat up front next to Dad and Cassie sat behind Dad.

When we got home Dad made a quick phone call and then we all sat around the kitchen table, writing down every incident involving Darren. We had decided not to tell Cassie about the rape or the suspected murder, we didn't want to upset her any more.

About twenty minutes later the doorbell rang and Dad got up to answer it, an unusual spring in his step.

"Kids! Come here!" he yelled a few moments after we heard the door open.

"OK guys, I want you to meet somebody. She was an old high school friend of mine, and she's grown up to be quite a successful lawyer. At the moment she doesn't have a case, so she's agreed to represent us and help us. Her name is Cam and you have to be nice to her, OK?" he said hurriedly in the hallway.

"Alright," I said.

He walked over to the now open door and I heard him speak for a few moments before re-entering the house, accompanied by a very smart looking woman.

"Hi there, I'm Cam," she said with a smile.

I smiled and introduced myself.

She was really friendly and easy to get along with, I just hoped she would be able to convince officer knobhead that Darren should go to jail, and go to jail for a long time.