Chapter 18 (Revised)   Simon Jones is Eve Jones. But she didn't know.

 
 
Previously:

 
Eve's mum has revealed that her late husband did not register Eve's birth

 
Now the story continues.
 
 
 
Eve Chapter 18
 
 
 

I'd really wanted to ask mum more questions about my birth certificate but her one answer had floored me. What had really happened? I tried to put it to the back of my mind until I could ask the right questions; I didn't want to get stressed so I'd gone to my room to do some work on my essay as a distraction. Finally I fell asleep.

Wednesday's breakfast was quiet and today's diary seemed simple, I had an appointment at the hospital at ten with Dr Bishop. We had to get out by nine fifteen and take two buses. Not having the car was a bind, but we got there a few minutes early, mum went to check me in.

"I'm sorry but you're not on today's list."

"But this is a regular appointment for my daughter."

"I'll check."

Mum stood there, trying to be calm, and failing.

"Ah, it says here that your husband called yesterday afternoon to cancel. I took the call myself."

"Well, I want to see a manager. No, make that Mr Bishop."

"But you don't have an appointment."

"Neither do I have a husband. He died sixteen years ago."

"Oh."

"So get me Mr Bishop, this is his clinic, isn't it?"

She went red and vanished into the back room.

A few minutes later mum was becoming very impatient and a manager appeared.

"Mrs Jones, there appears to be a misunderstanding."

"No, there appears to be someone impersonating my late husband and fraudulently cancelling my daughter's appointment. I want to see Mr Bishop now."

"Mrs Jones, Mr Bishop is in theatre. You were actually to see Dr Bennett from Mr Bishop's team. However the Deputy Chief Exec needs to see you and I've been asked to escort you. We are re-arranging your daughter's appointment."

"Today?"

"If we can. Please follow me."

We arrived in the administration block and were taken to the fifth floor. To our surprise Mr Dixon, our solicitor, was waiting there.

"Ladies, I was just about to see the Deputy Chief Executive about the confidential information issue when there was a call from the out-patients clinic. Shall we go in?"

Mr Dixon outlined the earlier problems we'd had and the possible leak of my medical records. Mum was then asked to describe what had happened this morning. It appeared the senior manager already knew most of it.

"Ladies, Mr Dixon. I've overseen an investigation into these allegations and until now was not prepared to accept that anything malicious had happened. However, following this morning's incident I have asked the IT department to urgently investigate the phone call. While we wait for that, would you like something to drink?"

Mum was still uptight but we settled for a coffee to calm us down. Some ginger nut biscuits appeared as well. I resisted the urge to dunk the biccies. We had just finished the coffee when a woman was let into the room.

"Ladies, Mr Dixon, this is my IT Director Susan Yates. Susan, what can you tell us?"

"As you may know all external phone calls, are digitally recorded along with the call information. We have isolated the call concerned."

She turned to her boss, "I've emailed you the call."

The call was played. It was a clumsy call, I was called Simon twice, but I thought I knew the voice.

"We've identified that the call was made from the porters rest room at 1655 yesterday. It was made as an external call but the system is setup to trap those and present them as internal calls, as well as to record them anyway. It was designed to save money and to identify who was dialling internal numbers externally. We don't advertise this feature to staff."

The porters, now I knew the voice.

"I know who it is."

All their heads turned to me.

"I don't know his name but I've met this person. He took me for my second MRI and he was outside when I came for my first outpatients appointment. I'm sure of it."

Mum had recognised the voice as well supplying the relevant dates, "and he made an anonymous call to me. Mr Dixon, you're already aware of that call."

The Deputy Chief Executive realised that the issue was growing and spoke to his PA, "Can you get the relevant department head up here immediately."

She nodded, left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Mrs Jones, we do indeed appear to have a problem amongst our staff. Believe me, we are treating this very seriously."

Mr Dixon asked if mum and I could speak to him privately. The Deputy Chief Exec suggested the adjoining meeting room.

"Miss Jones, Mrs Jones, things are moving very quickly. The school told me yesterday that they will exclude David Stevens permanently and have suspended the bursar with immediate effect for alleged disclosure of your school records and for misuse of the school computer system."

"The emails?"

"Yes Eve."

We were called back into the office. The facilities manager was waiting there.

"Right, George can you tell me what you have found?"

"I've compared the staff lists for yesterday afternoon and the dates you gave me. The only name that is common to those times is Derek Stevens."

I bit my tongue and looked straight at mum who also desperately wanted to say something. The Deputy Chief Exec was speaking.

"Where is he now?"

"Off duty, a 'domestic emergency' he called it."

"Get him here at two this afternoon. Get his union rep here as well, I want the Hospital Trust's solicitor in on this."

He waited until George had left the room and then turned to us.

"Ladies, Mr Dixon, I can assure you that we will deal with this appropriately. I do not like fraud or harassment in any capacity. Can I call you later this afternoon?"

We agreed and left with our solicitor, but at his suggestion we went first to the café in the main building.

"I don't know what's going on here but it looks like harassment on several fronts."

"Yes Mr Dixon. What can we do?" Asked mum.

"Firstly we have the criminal damage case against the boy. That will be next Monday."

"Plus the ASBO." I suggested.

"ASBO?"

"The precinct will be applying to magistrates for an anti-social behaviour order against him."

"I'll speak to the precinct manager, I may be able to help them. Now, regarding Anne Holts, the school bursar. The school has identified that her terminal was used to access Gmail to send those emails. While the LEA IT department wouldn't tell me themselves, it appears they did tell the Acting Head."

He paused for breath, "they have also identified several, unspecified, administrative and disciplinary anomalies that Ms Holts is unwilling to explain. One other thing, they have re-interviewed the Head and have accepted that he has made some errors but not enough to constitute dismissal. He'll be back at the school next week."

"Oh."

"The Chairman of the school's Governing Body wants to meet you and your mother next Tuesday afternoon at my offices."

"Right."

We went home, again there was no sign of Claire. I was getting very worried.

Mum found a message from the hospital on the answerphone saying there were no free slots before next Wednesday. That did not help our situation..

After dinner I walked across to the Johnson's house. Annie opened the door.

"Claire doesn't want to see you."

"Why?"

"Mum had a talk with her on Monday evening and she flipped. She hasn't been to school and mum can't coax her out of her room."

"Can you ask your mum to speak to mine?"

"Will do."

"Thanks Annie."

I walked the short distance home and told mum what Annie had said. I flopped in the lounge.

"Eve, I know this is difficult for you. I did warn you."

"Yes, but you never said this would affect me and Claire like this."

"Eve, I know I couldn't predict this, but don't worry, Claire will sort herself out."

"That's fine for you to say!"

I stormed upstairs and slammed my bedroom door. I thought I could hear mum on the phone but anger and fatigue got to me.