Lenny Tomlinson lived with his Mum. Lenny was twenty but a simple lad. Well built, he also possessed a very real temper. Mrs Tomlinson worried herself sick about her lad wondering what would happen to him were she not there to look after him. Mr Tomlinson had died just after the war from battle injuries and she had brought up Lenny alone. She'd know the minute Lenny was born he wasn't, well, right and since then it had been very hard. Yet she'd managed to bring him up, even keep him out of trouble and get him a job but of late things weren't going well.

She'd found Lenny a job through a friend of a friend at a hotel in Ashfordly. The owner was affable and gave the big simple lad jobs such as carrying guests luggage to their rooms, maintaining the grounds, any simple maintenance jobs that had to be done. It seemed to work and the owner Mr Maitland was good with Lenny and patient.

But he had now retired and sold the hotel and Mr Webster who was now in charge was not as patient. In truth he wanted Lenny fired and the situation was obviously going to end badly.

So this Tuesday morning and Mrs Tomlinson wanted to go to Whitby to see her sister who wasn't well. She looked at the kitchen clock. Lenny was still eating his breakfast.

"You'd best be on your way lad," she said. "Mr Webster won't stand for you being late."

Lenny shrugged but got up anyway and reached for his coat.

"I'm going to go to Whitby to see your Aunt Mary," said his mother. "I'll be home for your tea."

"All right Mam."

"Try and have a good day, son."

"He hates me Mam," Lenny said sullenly.

"Well, I'm sure that's not true, son. You just go and do your best and he can't complain can he?"

She bit her lip as Lenny left the house. If he lost this job…he'd never get another one. And what then? Him sitting around the house all day angry and bored?

About the time his Mum was getting on the Whitby bus Lenny's shift at the hotel was coming to an abrupt end.

Mr Webster pulled him up in the lobby of the hotel. "For God's sake lad, tidy yourself up, you look like something the cat's dragged in!" he snapped. As Lenny hastily adjusted his clothing Webster went on, "I want you to unblock the staff toilet. And cut down those bushes by the front gates. I'm sure I told you to do that yesterday. The chef needs help in the kitchens this morning. I don't know what, just try and do as you're told and keep out of bother. Oh and whilst I think on a dripping tap wants sorting in Room Seven's bathroom - that room's empty at the minute."

Lenny stared at him firstly trying to remember what he'd been told and secondly trying to work out in which order things should be done.

"For God's sake, lad, don't gawp at me!"

"Well Mr Maitland, he'd write things down for me and tell me when to do them like," Lenny said helplessly.

"Like I've got time for that! I've given you, your orders just get the work done. Sort that dripping tap out first!" Webster walked off.

By the time Lenny had pulled some tools together he just couldn't remember which room had the dripping tap. "Room 7 or Room 11?" he wondered aloud. "No, Eleven. Definitely Eleven."

So he went off to Room Eleven, and let himself into the room. All the rooms were ensuite. He crossed to the bathroom door and opened it startling the lady guest enjoying a long hot soak in the bath very much indeed.

Webster was incoherent.

Storming around his office, he raged at the lad in front of him.

"Room 7! I told you room bloody 7! You went into room 11 you stupid, great lumbering oaf! I've had to give that guest her money back to sweeten her up! You're lucky she didn't demand I call the police!"

"I – well, you got me all confused -!"

"Oh my fault is it?"

"No – but!"

"Out!" Webster screamed. "I've had enough of you! I want you out of here – now! You're fired – get it?"

"No! No you can't fire me!"

"Why?" Webster railed facing up to Lenny. "Why can't I? My bloody hotel isn't it? You're fired you stupid –"

His words were cut off by the neat punch Lenny landed on him. Turning, the lad fled the room, and the hotel, leaving his boss on the floor with a bloody nose.

Lenny only knew one place to go when in distress. Home.

Mrs Buckley who lived next door was scrubbing her front step and was startled to see Lenny marching along the road home. "Lenny, lad!" She stood up. "Are you all right? Your Mam's not home!"

"I know that you stupid cow!"

"I heard that!" Mr Buckley shot out of the front door. "You apologise young Lenny!"

"No, Ted," Mrs Buckley whispered but too late.

"Just all leave me alone will yer!" Lenny screamed. "Leave me alone!" He advanced on his neighbour who hastily pushed his wife inside their house, followed her in and locked the door. The next thing there was an almighty crash. Lenny had thrown a half brick through their window.

"That's it you mad bugger!" shouted Mr Buckley from inside. "We're getting the police!"

The only answer was the sound of the front door locking next door. Lenny had holed himself up in the sanctuary of home.

But he couldn't avoid the consequences of his actions. PC Bellamy was soon at the hotel taking a statement off Mr Webster. He got back to the car feeling weary. He knew of Lenny and was depressed Webster wanted to press charges. He felt Lenny if handled right wouldn't have lashed out at Webster.

As he got back in the car Alf radioed through.

"Lenny Tomlinson has thrown a brick through his neighbour's window," he informed Phil. "Meet Nick at the house would you Phil? Carlton Terrace."

"He's in a bit of bother is our Lenny," Phil said dryly. "Webster wants to press assault charges."

"Aye the neighbour wants to press charges and all," Alf remarked. "Not Lenny's day is it?"

Phil drove slowly over to 1 Carlton Terrace where Lenny lived. It was on the end of the row with a ginnel running down the side. No 1's rear gate opened into the ginnel.

Nick Rowan was speaking to Mr Buckley and went up to the car as Phil arrived.

"How's Lenny's boss?" he asked Phil.

"Going to the hospital to see if his nose is broken," Phil said. "How's the neighbour?"

"Lenny came storming home and they exchanged words," Nick replied. "End up of which, he put a brick through their window. His Mum's in Whitby today which is a shame. She'd be the best one to calm him down I reckon."

"He's in no end of bother," Phil remarked.

"I'll go and knock on the front door see if I can coax him out," Nick said. "Can you keep an eye on the rear Phil, make sure he doesn't leg it out the back?"

Phil nodded. "Hope he doesn't," he said, "He's a big bugger is Lenny."

He stood in the ginnel watching the side gate as Nick went up to the front door so that essentially he had the back exit covered but could also see Nick and step in if needed.

Nick calmly but authoritatively banged on the door.

"Lenny? Lenny its PC Rowan from Ashfordly Police. I need you to open the door Lenny so we can talk."

"Go away!" Lenny shouted from inside.

"I can't do that Lenny. We need to have a chat about whats happened. Sort things out."

No reply. Cautiously Nick opened the letter box and looked through. Lenny wasn't in the hallway. The front window curtains were pulled across. He must be in the front room.

Straightening up Nick tried again, "The longer this goes on Lenny, the worse it gets. You need to open the door and come out."

"No!"

"Its not that bad Lenny. You've broken a window and thumped someone on the nose. We can deal with those things but you have to open the door and talk to us."

Mr Buckley standing on the pavement with his wife muttered, "He'll pay for that window!"

"At least talk to me Lenny," Nick went on, "I need to know you're all right."

"You want me to come out?" Lenny suddenly screamed out.

"I do Lenny. Nice and calm. Just to talk to us."

Agitated beyond all telling Lenny suddenly made for the front door. He grabbed something stood by the kitchen door on the way. It was the axe they used for firewood chopping in winter.

"Lenny? Are you there?" Nick asked again.

The front door flew open and Lenny appeared in the doorway, brandishing the axe. He did not give Nick any time or opportunity to back away but lashed out with the weapon in both hands.

Phil standing in the ginnel , saw Nick take the blow in his stomach, saw him fall first to his knees then onto his back. He screamed his colleague's name and leapt up the steps as Lenny dropped the axe, shocked into submission. Phil took a minute to cuff Lenny to a drainpipe for all their sakes and then got to Nick. To his credit Mr Buckley also appeared at Nick's side. The pair of them exchanged horrified glances as they saw the amount of blood Nick was losing…..he was haemorrhaging fast, and clearly already going into shock, his eyes glazed with shock and pain…