For Your Own Protection(14)

‘Do you know how he became so successful?’

‘No.’

‘Through terrorisin’ people. He weren’t a bad person, he just did his best under the circumstances to be a success.’

Matt didn’t really know what to say.

‘He died with a knife through the heart. Ran for over a mile to get away, but they caught him, sliced him up, and left him to bleed all over the playground. That’s where he died – in a children’s playground, by the slide. They’ve closed it down now, grassed it over. None of the parents wanted to use it no more. It was the bloodstain. They couldn’t get rid of it.’

‘I’m really sorry.’

Harvey shrugged. ‘The police, social services, they think that’s what really turned me. The shock of what happened, the grief of losin’ my brother, the anger. They think it was the definin’ point for me. But they’re wrong.’

‘Something like that happening, I can understand how it might change things, make someone do—’

‘No,’ Harvey interrupted, pushing himself upright in the seat. ‘No excuses. I chose that way. Free choice. The same when I was younger. When my dad ran out on us, left us without a goodbye, my mum, my teachers, counsellors, they made excuses for me. I was the kid who was sufferin’, the poor kid whose dad had upped and left.’

‘I think maybe you’re being a little hard on yourself.’

Harvey got up and paced to the front desk, tracing his fingers across the whiteboard. ‘I’m not a victim.’ His eyes burned with passion and determination.

Matt was beginning to understand. Harvey was being hard on himself, that was certain. After all, who wouldn’t react to being abandoned by a parent and seeing your brother murdered? But he could see where he was coming from. This bright, articulate, thoughtful young man didn’t want to be labelled a victim of events, at the mercy of factors beyond his control. And yet as Matt looked into his eyes, he could see a certain helplessness, a need for something.

But could he give it to him?

‘Why are you doin’ this?’ Harvey said, turning his chair around and sitting back down with his legs either side of the backrest.

‘What?’

‘Teachin’ us lot. You don’t need to, do you?’

To feel valued? ‘I guess not.’

‘It can’t be easy, with us.’ Harvey smiled.

‘I enjoy it.’

‘I know you do. You can tell. Those other tutors, they were here for the money, to pay their bills and mortgage. I could see it.’

‘Is that why you took against them?’

He grinned. ‘So you do know what happened.’

‘Amy told me you scared off a few of the tutors. She didn’t give any details.’

‘Maybe she was afraid of scarin’ you off?’

‘Maybe.’

‘I’m not proud, really, of what I did. But it was for the best.’

‘What did you do?’

‘Enough.’

‘You were careful not to go too far,’ Matt noted, ‘because you didn’t want to be kicked off the programme.’

Harvey smirked. ‘You might be right.’

‘So, why do you want to do this?’

Harvey paused to think. ‘Because I’m sick of definin’ my success by how many people fear me.’

Matt nodded. ‘Do you know what you might want to do?’

‘Maybe I can be a rich banker like you.’

He misread Matt’s negative facial expression.

‘What, man, you don’t think I could do it?’

‘No, it’s not that.’ Matt searched for the right words. ‘There might be better things to aim for in life, that’s all.’

‘So that’s why you’re doin’ this, teachin’ us – aimin’ for something better?’

‘Maybe I am.’

‘Funny,’ Harvey said, musing on Matt’s response. ‘We’re both in a similar situation.’ He thought of something. ‘It must be tricky, doin’ this on top of your day job. I thought you guys, the suits in the City, work long hours?’

‘They . . . we do.’ Matt wondered how far to go with the explanation. But Harvey was opening up to him, so he should at least meet him halfway. ‘I’ve been on a break from work.’

‘Suspended?’

‘Thankfully nothing that exciting.’

‘So why the break?’

‘I wanted to take some time out, do something different.’

There were limits to how much he was prepared to tell Harvey about the most traumatic of times. ‘Nice watch,’ he noted, nodding towards the Rolex dangling loosely from Harvey’s wrist.

‘I bought this, you know.’ The young man’s brow knotted defensively. ‘It’s not stolen.’

‘I didn’t say it was.’ On reflection, it probably had come out sounding a little bit like an accusation. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it.’

Harvey straightened the watch on his arm, its diamonds catching the light. ‘Bought it in a store, opposite the Ritz. You wanted to see their faces, man, when I walked in. I could tell what they were thinkin’. They had a security guy on the door, face like a pit bull. Don’t think he wanted to let me in really. There weren’t no other customers.’ He was still looking at the watch as he spoke. ‘Then the assistants, two old women plastered in make-up, I could see them stiffen. Probably thought I was going to pull out a gun.’ His mouth twisted at the thought. ‘I asked about the watches, tried on a few. Dogface from outside came in, stood at the entrance, puffin’ out his chest. Assistants probably had their hands hoverin’ over the panic button. I asked for some more expensive options, and they brought out this little beauty. Knew I had to have it. So I pulled out the cash, slapped it down on the counter, and the watch was mine.’