*** APPROACHING THE MATTHEWS RESIDENCE - 2:05 PM ***

Viv and Tommy are driving towards the house that Greg shares with Anne and her children. Their relationship is still somewhat strained but they have more or less agreed to differ in the face of a common enemy.

DS Burnside:

So what do you know about this Greg character, Martella?

WPC Martella:

His name's Gregory Matthews. He's thirty-three years old and he married Polly's mother back in 1978.

DS Burnside:

Any previous?

WPC Martella:

Nothing worth mentioning, just a few speeding convictions.

Tommy grunts appreciatively.

DS Burnside:

That'll change.

WPC Martella:

Oh so you actually believe her now, do you? After treating her like a criminal during that interview it's finally dawned on you that she's the victim here!

Tommy ignores Viv's comment. He changes the subject.

DS Burnside:

You and Ackland must be pleased, getting all this overtime approved.

WPC Martella:

I would prefer it if there was no need for overtime in the first place.

The officers fall silent as the car pulls up beside Greg's house. Tommy stops the vehicle halfway along the driveway.

DS Burnside:

Why don't you nip round the back just in case he tries to do a runner?

WPC Martella:

Forget it. I want to see this guy face to face.

DS Burnside:

Okay, but if he escapes you can explain it to your little friend.

Tommy bangs on the front door and calls out at the top of his voice.

DS Burnside:

Open up!

Greg comes to the door and cautiously opens it. He is somewhat surprised to find two angry strangers on his doorstep glaring at him.

Greg Matthews:

What's going on? Who are you?

DS Burnside:

We're the police. Are you Mr Matthews?

Greg Matthews:

Yeah. What do you want?

DS Burnside:

We want you.

Greg is knocked off-balance by Tommy's smooth reply.

Greg Matthews:

What do you mean? What's this all about?

DS Burnside:

Your stepdaughter. Young girl by the name of Polly Page. We'd like to ask you some questions about her if we may.

Greg Matthews:

Why, has something happened to her?

DS Burnside:

Something like that. I'm arresting you for having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

Greg looks at the officers incredulously.

Greg Matthews:

I beg your pardon?

DS Burnside:

Unlawful sexual intercourse. Minor. Heaps of trouble for you. I can't put it much more clearly than that. You raped your stepdaughter and we're here to lock you up for your troubles.

Greg Matthews:

This is nonsense! You can't just come round to my house and start making outrageous accusations on my own doorstep. I demand to speak to a lawyer.

DS Burnside:

We're not accusing you. We're telling you. As for your lawyer, I'm sure you'll be seeing an awful lot of him from now on. Now are you gonna come quietly or would you like to see some police brutality?

Greg gives Tommy an angry look but realises that he has no choice but to come quietly. Tommy handcuffs Greg as he steps outside and escorts him towards the car. Viv follows a short distance behind, keeping a close watch on Greg's movements.

DS Burnside:

By the way, where is your stepson?

Greg Matthews:

Ian? He's still at school.

DS Burnside:

Which school?

Greg Matthews:

Canley Comprehensive.

DS Burnside:

Good. Probably the safest place for him all things considered.

*** CUSTODY SUITE - SUN HILL POLICE STATION - 2:20 PM ***

Viv leads Polly into the station's medical room. Doctor Hilary Harding turns around to greet the officer and the child. Viv has already filled Hilary in about the details of the case so the doctor gives Polly a sympathetic smile.

Doctor Harding:

Hello Polly. My name is Hilary. Has Viv talked to you about what we need you to do for us?

WPC Martella:

I haven't told her anything yet.

Hilary purses her lips.

Doctor Harding:

All right then. Polly, you know how you did the right thing by telling Viv about what's been happening to you at home?

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Doctor Harding:

And you know that we both believe you and we won't make you go back home if you don't want to.

Polly Page:

Yeth, I know.

Polly is beginning to feel a little bit apprehensive.

Doctor Harding:

Great. But you have to understand that's it's not enough for you to just say that he did these things. We have to have evidence as well. Do you understand what I mean?

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Doctor Harding:

Okay. In order to get the evidence that we need for this case I will have to examine you. Do you know what I mean by that?

Polly Page:

I don't think so.

Viv and Hilary look suddenly uncomfortable.

WPC Martella:

Well, you know how you told me about the sexual things Greg does to you?

Polly nods.

WPC Martella:

In order to prove that it was him and put him in jail we will need to have evidence. He might have left some evidence on your body. That's why Hilary has to examine you.

Polly looks fearfully up at the police officer.

Polly Page:

What are you going to do?

Doctor Harding:

Okay, well firstly I would like you to lie down on the exam table over here. I will need you to show me exactly how your stepfather hurt you and I will also need to look at the burns Viv said you have on your arm. After that I'm afraid I have to do an internal exam. It may hurt a little but I'll be as gentle as I can and Viv can stay here with us if you want. Do you have any questions?

Polly Page:

How much is it going to hurt?

WPC Martella:

Don't worry, Polly. There might be a little bit of pain but it will only take a couple of minutes then it will be all over. We just have to get through this then you can see Ian, yeah?

Polly nods her head glumly.

WPC Martella:

So would you like to get up on the table so that Hilary can examine you?

Polly nods her head again then reluctantly gets up onto the table. Hilary makes her way over to the young girl's side.

Doctor Harding:

Can you show me these burns Viv told me about?

Polly lifts her arm and points to the patches of discoloured skin along her forearm. Hilary makes a note on her clipboard and reaches for a camera.

Doctor Harding:

I just have to take a photo of this, Polly. I would appreciate it if you could keep your arm nice and still for me.

Polly Page:

I'll twy.

Hilary takes several photos of Polly's forearm.

Doctor Harding:

Very good. Okay, now are there any other burns or anything else on your body that you didn't tell Viv about?

Polly Page:

I'm a little bit thore 'ere.

Polly points to her side.

Doctor Harding:

Can you pull your top up so I can see?

Polly nods and slowly lifts her top until the side of her body is exposed. She points to three different places on her abdomen.

Polly Page:

It hurts there, there and there.

Viv turns her head away, sickened by the sight. Hilary gently runs her fingers along the dark bruising on the left side of Polly's ribcage and makes a few notes as Polly winces at her touch.

Doctor Harding:

How long have you had this bruising?

Polly shrugs.

Polly Page:

A couple of weekth now.

Hilary finishes noting the details then takes several more photos.

Doctor Harding:

Okay, you can put your shirt back down now Polly. What happened to your eye?

Polly Page:

Gweg punched me. He doeth it all the time but not uthually on my face. He uthually hits me where it won't show.

Hilary carefully examines the cut above Polly's right eye.

Doctor Harding:

Did you see a doctor about this?

Polly Page:

No. He didn't want me to thee a doctor. He thaid it wath just a scratch.

Hilary cleans up the infected cut and carefully puts a pink Band-Aid over it.

Doctor Harding:

There we go. It'll match your arm now.

Hilary smiles warmly at Polly and after a moment's hesitation the young girl returns the smile. Hilary turns away for a few moments to arrange the instruments and slip on a pair of rubber gloves.

Doctor Harding:

I'll tell you exactly what I'm going to do before I do it. That way at least you'll know what to expect.

Polly Page:

All right.

Hilary reaches across for an instrument and holds it up.

Doctor Harding:

Okay, this is a speculum. As I said before, in order to get the evidence we need we have to do an internal examination. Basically, I will insert this instrument into your vagina to see whether any damage has been done inside. This should help us to get the evidence we need. It won't take very long and it shouldn't hurt too much but you'll have to be brave and lie completely still during the examination.

Polly's eyes have grown wide but she nods slowly, understanding Hilary's words.

Polly Page:

Kinda like putting in a tampon, you mean?

Hilary looks across at Viv with one eyebrow raised. Viv shrugs.

Doctor Harding:

Very much so. When did you start your periods, Polly?

Polly Page:

A few months ago. Mum told me all about it. So this won't hurt any more than putting in a tampon?

Doctor Harding:

It shouldn't. But if it does just let me know and I'll stop, all right?

Polly Page:

Okay.

Hilary instructs Polly to change into a white gown. After reassuring the young girl one last time, Hilary begins to carry out the internal examination. Polly grabs hold of Viv's hand and clenches her eyes tightly closed for a few minutes until Hilary is finished.

Doctor Harding:

I'm finished now. You were very brave, Polly. We'll leave you in here to get dressed again because I need to have a word with Viv outside. Is that all right?

Polly nods and reaches for her shirt. Viv and Hilary make their way out of the office and speak softly to each other in the corridor outside.

WPC Martella:

What have you found?

Doctor Harding:

Well to be perfectly frank with you I haven't seen injuries this severe for a long time. As well as her external injuries I strongly suspect that she has several fractured ribs which have not been treated and have thus worsened accordingly. The internal examination more or less confirms her story. There was significant vaginal tearing along with evidence of unprotected sexual intercourse. Looking on the bright side, the DNA evidence I was able to collect should be sufficient to prove that sexual intercourse did occur between her and the stepfather. If his DNA matches, of course.

WPC Martella:

Will she be okay though? In the long run?

Hilary hesitates before replying.

Doctor Harding:

Well, it's hard to say at this stage. Physically she may have a few scars but I am confident of a full recovery. Mentally, it largely depends on what happens from here. I still have to run a few blood tests on her, just to be on the safe side.

WPC Martella:

Is there any chance that she could have caught some sort of sexually transmitted disease?

Doctor Harding:

Well I'm more concerned about the possibility of pregnancy.

The two women fall silent as Viv struggles to cope with this idea.

Doctor Harding:

Anyway, we won't know that until we get the results back from the blood tests. I'll mark it as 'urgent' so hopefully we'll hear from the lab by tomorrow.

WPC Martella:

Right. Let's get this over with. I'm off to interview the bastard that did this to her!

Doctor Harding:

Good luck. To be honest, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes.

WPC Martella:

I wouldn't want to be in his shoes!

Hilary and Viv head back into the room. Polly has finished dressing and is sitting quietly in the chair chewing her fingernails.

Doctor Harding:

Right Polly, all I have to do now is take a blood sample from you and then everything's done. I just need you to pop your sleeve up for a moment.

Polly does as she is asked and Hilary carefully takes the sample.

WPC Martella:

It's over now, Polly. June's sitting with Ian in the canteen. I'll take you over there to see them in a minute.

Polly's face lights up. Viv thanks Hilary then the officer and the young girl proceed out of the office.

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