As his wife paddled and kicked distractedly through the artic like water, George held the palm of his hand to his forehead and sighed heavily with a moan of utter misery. Not wishing to stand any longer, George led Peel off of the sand and back up onto the promenade. With a tut of annoyance, he cleared away old chip wrappings that were left scattered on the stainless steel bench and sat, wearily. He looked sideways, almost pleadingly at Peel and then with shame, down at his feet.

George spoke softly but quickly, trying not to let his voice to break into a sob. He needed to get everything out before tears rendered him mute.

"It happened back in May. We'd not long been home from a naming ceremony for a local community center. You know the type, funded and built by the community's best and soon to be ruined by their worst. It would have been nice for a couple of weeks, but it wouldn't have taken long before it became just another hangout for taggers, drunks, and dealers. Well, anyway, as soon as we were home from the naming ceremony, Angie went upstairs to turn down the bed and take a bath. I, as always, excused myself to the study. Endless piles of files, folders, and forms waited for me. I don't know how long I had my nose buried in paperwork, a good while I guess. I was disturbed from my scribbling by two heavy thumps from above. I thought Angie must have dropped something or maybe she was giving me a hurry-up call. I popped my head around the door and called up the stairs. There was no reply, nothing but an unsettling silence, so I went up to see if she was alright"

George choked up for a moment but with a force of will, he swallowed his upset back down. Peel placed a hand on George's shoulder and said "Take your time"

George shook his head, shrugged of Peels hand and forged on.

"I entered our bedroom calling her name. There was a cold draught coming from the bay window. Angie likes a cool room at night, it helps her sleep better. Her dressing table by the window was in disarray and several bottles had spilled to the floor. I knew something was wrong, so I slowed as I rounded the door to take in the whole room. My heart stopped. An intruder stood behind my beautiful Angel. He held a large kitchen carver at her throat. With her hair in his fist, he snapped her head back violently. I stared uselessly as I desperately thought of what to do. Angie had already changed into her black nightgown, which had ridden up, revealing her red scuffed knees, where she had been forced to the floor. It was terrible"

George shook his head vigorously side to side in pain at the memory. With a stone face, Peel asked "Was there just the one, did you see his face at any time. How about any distinguishing marks or features"

George held up a hand to stop the questioning "Just listen. I need to get this out"

With a deep breath, he continued

"He threatened to cut her throat if I didn't bind my feet and hands with large plastic ties he threw at me. I knew that if I didn't do what he asked, he would kill her but I also knew we would be completely at his mercy if I did. What could I do, so I did as he demanded. I shouldn't have, I should have fought him, but I didn't, I didn't"

Peel shook his head "No, you did what you thought was best. You had no other choice. You did what you needed to do to save Angie. You did what you needed to survive"

George barked a laugh "Survive, yeah, we survived alright but not until he stripped and raped Angela right there in front of me, whilst I screamed until my lungs were raw and my wrists and ankles were bleeding. The scariest thing was how quiet and still she was, she didn't cry, scream or fight, she just let him rape her. I know that's exactly what she should have done, to survive the attack but she was so quiet, so quiet. She completely switched off from the horror as it happened. I'm afraid that she hasn't switched herself back on yet. A month later she tried to commit suicide. I found her unresponsive after taking a lot of pills. Luckily she didn't suffer much damage to her health"

"How's she doing now. How are you doing?" Peel asked.

"I'm fine, coping. Angie though isn't. She's separated herself from everything that mattered to her. She puts a show on for everyone but when the doors are closed she barely moves, barely talks, she just sits in the recliner in the conservatory and cries into the sleeve of her cardigan"

George shook his head in resignation "I don't know what to do, Robert. I just don't know how to help her"

Peel sighed as he spoke "she needs specialist help, George, a psychiatrist. Someone who can guide her through her trauma. Has she seen anyone?"

George's groan of misery grew loader "Yes, yes, she saw a psychiatrist. Normally in the case's like this we arrange for victims to get help but it was different for us. Angie wouldn't let me get the force involved. She screamed at me to keep this whole thing a secret. And to my shame I did. I shut down any chance of an investigation, scrubbed the logs, ordered the first responders to secrecy and hid the evidence collected. Once the DNA results came back, I hid them too"

George screwed up his face and violently nodded "Damn, damn, why did I do that, why"

Peel said "You thought you were protecting her from shame and embarrassment. It's understandable"

George shook his head in disagreement "No, not her shame and embarrassment, mine. I guess I was ashamed of my failure to protect her. I was scared of the embarrassment it would cause me professionally and politically. I'm a despicable man. I don't deserve someone as wonderful as her"

Peel asked, "And the psychiatrist?"

George look knowingly at Peel "Can't you guess already"

Peel groaned himself "Oh, no!"

George laughed without humor or mirth "Oh, yes. He hadn't retired back then, he wasn't on your radar yet and he was still the forces, number one psychiatrist and the logical one to call and so I did. Funny thing is, he was very good, very kind and considerate. He showed her an understanding I hadn't, couldn't and she responded to it. It was I who was failing to care for her as I should. Whilst Doctor Harleson was helping her and doing a damned good job too, I had shut her out, using work as a reason to avoid having to deal with her and the, em, situation" George slammed his clenched fist into the bench "Damn, damn"

Shaking the pain out of his hand, George said "Somehow Harleson got his hands on the hidden DNA results of our attacker. How I haven't a clue, but he knew, as I did, the identity of our attacker"

George saw Peel about to launch a barrage of questions at him but quickly stalled him with a raised hand.

"Yes, I know who attacked us. As I said, I ordered complete secrecy, all reports were scrubbed and the DNA destroyed but not before I got the results. I promised myself that I would track down the bastard and deal with him myself. I found it difficult to help Angie but at least I could avenge what had been done to her. At least I could kill the bastard. I told her what I intended to do, she didn't even acknowledge I was in the room with her. Doctor Harleson cornered me after Angie's next session and suggested that I shouldn't do or risk anything stupid but rather that I should allow him to help in that regard. Shit, what a mess!"