Finding Stevie: Part 2 of 3: A teenager in crisis

‘It crossed my mind,’ I said, ‘but I would have hoped he could have told me as he did before.’

‘Unless it’s something much worse.’

I shivered, but not from the cold. ‘Like what?’ I asked, glancing at him. ‘Stevie never goes out apart from going to school and seeing his grandparents. And I’m sure he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice online.’

Adrian shrugged. ‘Unless it was something he did before he came to us and he’s only just been found out.’

How true those words would turn out to be.

Chapter Thirteen

Confession (#u924d1451-b3f9-5872-b71d-8944dba6858c)

The police station I had to collect Stevie from was open twenty-four hours, and even at 4 a.m. there were two people in the waiting area. Adrian and I went up to the counter where the duty officer was standing behind a computer screen. Adrian gave our names and said we were here to collect Stevie.

‘I’m his foster carer and this is my son,’ I added.

The duty officer tapped the keyboard of his computer and then told us to take a seat and that an officer would bring Stevie to us. The other two waiting looked as though they’d been there a while, but we’d only just sat down when a door opened and Stevie appeared with a female police officer. Dressed in his school uniform and with his head hung low, he looked guilty and remorseful. Adrian and I stood and went over.