Endangering Innocents Read Online Free PDF

his head to stare at her.
    “You don’t know nothin’,” he said.
    It was time she made her point. “You’re causing a problem, sitting here, watching the children. The parents don’t like it. The teachers worry and we don’t like it either. We want you to move on.”
    His chin jutted out very slightly. It was the only sign that he had heard what she had said, but it was also an indication of stubbornness.
    “And if I don’t - move on?”
    “I don’t want to threaten you, Mr Baldwin,” Joanna said softly. “It isn’t the way I work. But I want you to think - very carefully. Public feeling is very high against people who show too much interest in children. This is an old van. And I daresay you need it for work. But it’s surprising how bits wear out on old vehicles. If, say, I was to find faulty brakes - or lights not working - or even three or four bald tyres it would be very expensive for you - besides costing you points on your licence. It could mean losing your van - and I suppose that could mean your livelihood.”
    His eyes were startled. He had not expected this. And he knew she wasn’t bluffing. “Are you warnin’ me off?”
    She laughed. “Perish the thought, Mr Baldwin. All I’m saying is that we don’t want you hanging around this school - or any other. If you can’t fall in with this we may even be forced to find a way to make sure you do.”
    “And if there isn’t?” It was the first sign of spirit.
    For a moment she was puzzled. “Isn’t what?”
    “Anything wrong with the car?”
    “Put it like this, Mr Baldwin. If your car was in such fine shape that even my Detective Sergeant was unable to find any fault with it we might have to resort to a ‘Breach of the Peace’ charge. The trouble with that is that we would need to bring you in to the police station for ‘a chat’. And then tongues would start to wag. I don’t need to tell you that Leek is a small town. Rumours start from nowhere and spread like a forest fire after a drought. Rumours. They don’t have to be the truth. Understand? But if even a rumour began spreading around this town that we wanted to chat to you about hanging round a local primary school I wouldn’t give you, your home, or anyone you came into contact with, a minute. You would not be safe. Even if you were innocent.”
    He wasn’t listening. He was leaning forward, an expression on his face of utter absorption. Joanna followed his gaze and saw the child with the pudding-basin haircut being dragged along the pavement by an irate parent.
    Baldwin jabbed a finger in her direction. “That’s what you ought to be warnin’ off,” he said furiously. “Never mind me. I never touched a kid in my life. I’m fond of ‘em. I just miss company. That’s all. But ‘im. Well.”
    Joanna’s hand was opening the door. “Don’t come hanging round here again, Baldwin,” she warned. “We’ve had a nice chat today. Next time…” In the wing mirror she could see Mike striding towards the car. “Well, just don’t let there be a next time. OK?”
    There was no response.
    Mike raised questioning eyebrows at her.
    “Talkative creature, I must say.”
    “Have you warned him off?”
    “Tried to. Can’t guarantee I’ve got through. He is a strange man.”
    “How strange?”
    She watched the blue van pull away from the kerb and inch towards the lolly lady brandishing her Children Crossing pole like a battle standard. “I don’t know, Mike.”
     
    The school building appeared deserted as they filed back in but both Vicky Salisbury and the headmistress were waiting for them in the classroom. “The guy hasn’t got a record,” Joanna said. “I’ve explained the situation to him. But to actually remove him would take time. We’d have to take him into custody, and then apply for an order preventing him from being here. You would need to make full statements. And we’ve nothing to go on. Itwould be a flimsy charge at best. We’d have trouble making it