Ben gritted his teeth and considered his options. He did not speak about what Simon had been involved in. It didn't matter that his son was dead. Ben didn't want to taint his memory. He didn't want his children to hear of such things. And... if Ben had known then what had been going on... perhaps things would have turned out different. He would have acted differently.

He didn't speak of it... usually, but he might well go to prison and Mr. Meijer could carry on preying on vulnerable poor youths.

It wasn't taken down, the constable said. Slowly, with hands balled on his thighs, Ben spoke: "That man I attacked... we 'ave a history. 'E's..." He didn't know how to get it past his lips. "Rich folk like him, they think they own the world and can do as they like... they wave their money around and use our children for their own depraved desires.... 'E's been preyin' on me bairns, and I did what any father would!" He glanced up at the constable with an expression between anger and despair.