Faces........part 2. By Vic Davey

 FACES Part 2

I had seen Leah safely in and was driving past the Comprehensive School located in the next street and which was connected in some way to hers. I had been by it many times, barely glancing at the gaggle of young teenagers gathered at the gate. 

But today I noticed a couple of older guys, perhaps in their early 20’s, hanging around, a little way away and standing close to a brightly coloured car. It had been customized, suspension lowered, chrome wheels, spoiler on the back, definitely not your typical school run vehicle. 

Curious, I drove around the block and approached the school gates again and drove by, slowly. The two guys were still there but most of the other youngsters had gone in. A couple of older teenagers were chatting to one of the guys and I thought I saw something being exchanged between them. I couldn't be sure, they may have just been shaking hands but I had to continue on my way as I was holding up traffic. 

When I returned to collect Leah later that afternoon, I drove round to the Comprehensive again but the car was nowhere to be seen. Everything looked as it should, young people streaming out into the street and getting into cars. 

Over the next couple of days, I deliberately kept a lookout as I drove Leah to and from school but there was no sign of the two guys,... until about a week later, when they reappeared, this time with no flashy car. I remember thinking that if they were up to no good, the car was too noticeable, stood out too much.

Again, I drove around the block and instead of continuing, managed to find a parking space between two driveways. I intended to observe on foot, at a distance but hopefully close enough to have a clear view if something was going down. 

I casually strolled along and passed by the two guys who were talking to another young chap in a school uniform as others streamed around them and walked in. I tried to catch their conversation, but could only pick up snatches which I couldn't really piece together. I stopped some metres away and crouched to fiddle with my shoe laces and peered at them, I hoped without being spotted.

As before, there was a hand shake but something definitely passed from the guy to the youth. I had a pretty good idea what it was…..

I went back to my car and set off for home, thinking about what I had seen and had no doubt that I had to do something about it, report it and stop what I was sure was happening. 

I arrived home, had a cup of coffee and thought about my next step. I had a Video Call scheduled with my boss which lasted for an hour or so, then I Googled for information on drugs in Schools. It appeared to be a major problem.  In the end I decided to contact the school directly. 

I looked up the phone number and called. I spoke to a lady who I took to be the School Secretary and asked to be put through to the Head Teacher. Unfortunately he was in a meeting with the Governor's and was not available, so I requested an appointment so I could meet him face to face, explaining that although my niece attended the Primary school, I had one or two things I needed to discuss with the Head.

She put me on hold while she checked his diary and then said that he had a space for the following morning at 10 am which I agreed to take. 

I dropped Leah as usual, and had an hour to kill. The parking space I'd had previously was taken and I had to drive around to find another which ended up around 10 minutes walk away from the school. I was still a little early when I knocked at the School Office door. 

I was greeted by the Secretary I had spoken to yesterday who asked me to wait and directed me to one of the chairs lined up along a wall by the office. I tried to imagine all the pupils who had been sent to the Head’s office for some kind of misdemeanor, sitting there anxiously awaiting their confrontation with the Head.

The Office door opened and a man appeared and ushered me into his sanctum. He was, I guessed, late forties, about 5’10, Brown hair cut short and with greying temples. A dark jacket hung over his chair and he wore a plain white shirt,  nondescript tie and dark trousers. We shook hands and he asked if I would like a coffee. “I usually have one about this time,” he said. 

“That would be great, thanks, black, two sugars, please.”

He opened his door and gave our order to the Secretary.

He moved around his desk, which was scattered with Manila folders surrounding an open laptop and sat down, motioning me to a chair in front of it.

“So, what can I do for you?” he asked. “I believe you have a niece in the Primary school, but I'm afraid I have no authority over there if you have problems?”

“It's nothing to do with Leah,” I replied. 

Just then, after a couple of knocks, the door opened  and the Secretary came in carrying a tray. We took our coffees and the Head, who I learned from the nameplate on his desk was John Mitchell, thanked her and she left.

I decided to come straight out with it. “Is there a drug problem in this school!”

He leaned back in his chair and frowned. “Why do you ask,” he said, guardedly.

I told him what I had seen outside. The two guys, the pupil possibly being handed something.

“I know drugs and alcohol are a big problem in some schools, I've read the reports…but not here,” he said, firmly.

“Well, if what I've witnessed was a drug deal, then you do have a problem because they would have been bought in by that pupil,” I replied. 

He glared at me. “Would you recognize the boy again if you saw him?”

I thought for a moment. I would certainly recognize the guy, the pusher because I'd seen him twice, but was not so sure about the boy, I was mainly watching the guy.

“I don't know,” I replied truthfully. 

“We have 500 pupils in this school, about 50/50 boys to girls. I don't have the resources to search all of them each day, which is what it would mean,  all their bags, desks, clothes. So I'm sorry, but thank you for coming to me.” 

“You are going to do nothing”?

“I will contact the Police and advise them of what might be happening outside my school. It will be up to them if they take any action.” 

With that, the conversation was over. He stood, shook my hand and thanked me again. 

I left, somewhat deflated. I was expecting and hoping for more. Hoping for what exactly, I was not sure, but I got the impression I was brushed off. His lack of real concern worried me. I saw his point about searching every pupil every day, but he could at least post a Teacher at the gate each morning. That might be a deterrent. I wish now I had thought of mentioning it at the time. 

Anyway, I tried to move on, not to think about it anymore and get on with my work. However, I was reminded every day I took Leah to school and found myself watching out for the guys again as I drove past. But there was nothing, so hopefully, Mr Mitchell had issued a warning to his staff and pupils or maybe the Police had been in to issue warnings.

One evening I was in a Pub in Town having a drink with an old work colleague I hadn't seen for some time, we couldn't find a seat, so stood at the bar, which wasn't that comfortable as we had to keep moving for people to order. 

We were chatting away when, through the crowd, I spotted a young guy I thought I had seen somewhere before. I couldn't place him at first until he turned away to talk to someone. And then it clicked….it was the guy I'd seen outside the school handing something to the pupil. 

I tried to look over the crowd to see who he was with but they had pushed through before I could see his face. I waited until the guy I had spotted had got their beers and followed him. There was a small area out the back with some garden chairs where customers could go and smoke and the two men had slipped out the door. I still didn't want to be seen, so I opened the door a little and peered out. 

A dull glow from a wall light lit them. They were alone and talking quietly. The new guy I didn't recognize. He was tall, late 30s I guessed, with a mop of dark unruly hair. I slipped my mobile out and pointed it in their direction hoping to sneak a photo of them and hoping there was enough light so the flash wouldn't go off. 

I was lucky, and just caught them exchanging something which looked suspiciously like an envelope. I didn't hang around, didn't want to push my luck so I quietly closed the door and returned to my friend. 

I kept my eyes open, watching for them to come back in. The tall man came in first and made straight for the Exit. On impulse, I apologized to my friend and decided to follow again. I got outside and just spotted him turning into the Pub Car Park where, fortunately, I had also parked. My car was a few rows back from his but I was able to slip out onto the main road behind him and followed at a discrete distance. The road was busy and I managed to keep a couple vehicles between us but still keep him in sight as we headed through the town. 

He eventually turned onto a housing estate and into a cul-de-sac. I pulled in just past the turning, slipped out of the car to see which house he went into. I wanted to find out who he was and what his connection was to the drug dealer because I was sure by now that's what he was.

I was busy with work over the following few days. Rosie took some holiday she was owed and continued the school run, so it was nearly two weeks when I had any free time to think about what I thought I had witnessed. I still had no actual proof of course, except for the photo on my phone, which in itself wasn't evidence of any wrong- doing. Certainly nothing the already overstretched Police would be interested in. There could be all kinds of explanations for it, but putting it together with what I had seen going down outside the school, it was suspicious to say the least.

Anyway, I decided to follow up and try to find out who the guy was I'd followed home, assuming that was his house. I had no name, only an address, so as far as I was aware, I could consult the Electoral Roll, a copy of which I believed was held at the Library, to find his name. But I wanted more than just a name............