‘Emily Styles’ parents say she had a phobia about needles – can’t see her “popping”,’ said Carter.
‘There’s no heroin in her system.’
‘Well, if it’s not contaminated heroin what is it?’ asked Carter.
‘Could be many types of bacteria,’ Harding answered. ‘I told you it takes time for the lab to get results.’
‘If he was looking after her, holding her, then he was also nursing her.’ Ebony was looking at Harding’s hanging woman diagram. ‘He seems to want to preserve her face so that he can mock her with the make-up, whilst destroying her body.’
‘Yes, she would have been a walking gangrenous site,’ said Harding.
Ebony began drawing a make-up mask onto Harding’s hanging woman. ‘That’s what he likes.’
Chapter 11
It was Monday morning and Tracy was anxious for Steve to leave for work but he didn’t seem to want to go. She looked at the clock. He should have left ten minutes earlier. She didn’t understand what was keeping him.
‘You’ll be late for work, love.’ She stated the obvious. He didn’t answer. He was making heavy weather of the last few things he always did: check his briefcase, check he had his phone, check for any specks on his shoulders and give his shoes a little polish with the cloth that Tracy kept just by them for that very purpose. Tracy believed in taking pride in your appearance and always making sure you looked immaculate for work. She had tried to instil the routine into him, to make his life easier.
‘Will you miss your train?’
‘There’ll be another one,’ he growled.
She watched him from the corner of her eye; he looked like he was itching to get something off his chest. But Tracy knew when he was spoiling for a fight and right now she didn’t need it. Tracy wasn’t prepared for an argument about Danielle and Jackson again. She said nothing and waited patiently.
‘What are you going to do today? It’s your day off, isn’t it?’ he mumbled.
‘I’ve got plenty to do; don’t worry about me,’ she replied in short sharp fashion.
He responded with an irritable snatch-up of his briefcase and grunted a goodbye as he left.
Tracy breathed a sigh of relief as she watched from the lounge window and saw him walk away down the street; he was walking on the road as the pavement was icy. She thought how sad he looked – something about his demeanour had changed recently, his shoulders had dropped, eyes on the ground. If he didn’t get a move on he’d miss another train, thought Tracy.
Alone at last, she spent the day tidying and sorting out old photos. She couldn’t help but spend some time looking online for Christmas presents for Jackson. She also rang a few gyms in the area to see how much it would cost her to join after Christmas. They would all have offers on in the New Year. New Year, New You, they promised her. She liked the sound of that. At six in the evening Tracy got ready to go to Danielle’s. She left a meal for Steve in the fridge and an apology for not being there. She drove to Danielle’s estate and parked her immaculate old yellow Fiat as far away as she could get from the abandoned-looking car that seemed to have a party going on in it. The entrance was off a side street and the five tower blocks were laid out around a courtyard. It was already pitch dark outside but the landings were lit by security lights all night.
‘Thanks for coming, Tracy. I’ll just be gone for a few hours,’ Danielle greeted her as she opened door.
‘That’s no problem,’ Tracy said as she stepped inside the flat. ‘Are you going anywhere nice?’ She took her coat off.
‘Just meeting a friend for a few drinks, that’s all. I’ll be back by eleven.’
‘You enjoy yourself. I’ll be okay. I’ve got my car outside so I can get home, and the roads are gritted from door to door so don’t you worry.’
Tracy went into the lounge to sit with Jackson whilst Danielle got ready to go out. Tracy resisted the temptation to ask to help with her daughter’s makeup. She was still smarting from the last time she’d offered. Jackson was excited to see her and got all of his toys out to show her. She sat on the floor and helped him build a pretend beauty salon with his Duplo.
Danielle came into the lounge whilst the news was on. Reporters stood next to the Regent’s Canal; behind them the crime scene tent had gone but the canal boats were still stuck in the frozen water. The area was still taped off.
Danielle turned the television off.
‘I’m almost ready to go now. Will you be all right to give him a bath and put him to bed? I don’t like him watching too much television before he goes to bed. He likes you to read to him. He’ll choose a book.’
Tracy jumped up and followed Danielle out into the hall. ‘Can you just run through exactly what he has and when? And where everything is? I want to get it right.’
Danielle laughed. ‘You can’t get it wrong. There is no wrong way. Ask Jackson and he’ll tell you where things are.’
‘But he must have routines, things he always likes doing a certain way.’
Danielle smiled. ‘You can make it up as you go along, Tracy, honestly. Jackson is usually in bed by seven-thirty but just do your best.’ Tracy nodded. ‘Don’t look so worried – honestly, he’s an easy kid.’ Danielle went in to kiss Jackson and give him a hug before coming back to Tracy. ‘Double-lock the door and put the chain across when I’ve gone,’ she said and then she raced out of the door.
‘Mummy?’ Jackson looked ready to cry. His eyes were on Tracy as she came back into the lounge. Tracy smiled and tried to look confident.
‘Mummy will be back in a little while, Jackson. She’s gone out to see some friends; that’s nice, isn’t it? We are going to have such fun, aren’t we?’ He nodded but his eyes were wide and full of fast-forming tears. ‘Come and show Nanny what else you can make with your Duplo.’ Once she felt he’d settled she left him and went into the bathroom and began running a bath. She was running it through in her head: anything she’d ever heard about small children and bath and bedtime routines. She finished running the bath and was on her way in to get Jackson when a banging on the door stopped her in her tracks.
Someone’s flat hand began thumping hard against the front door.
‘Hello?’ Tracy called out. There was a glance between Tracy and Jackson. He watched her from his seat on the lounge floor. She stood, frozen in the hallway. Her heart was racing.
‘Danielle? Open the door!’ someone shouted.
‘What do you want? Danielle’s not here.’
Tracy edged forward towards the door to double-lock it. She’d been so keen to distract Jackson when Danielle had first left that she’d not done it. She didn’t want to panic. She didn’t want to scare Jackson.
‘Tell Manson to get out here.’
‘I don’t know who you’re talking about.’
‘We only want to talk to Manson. Open the door.’
‘Go away; there’s no one here by that name.’ Tracy watched as Jackson put down his Duplo and crept towards her. She held up her hand to make him stay where he was. ‘I’ll call the police if you don’t go.’
Tracy screamed as the door flew open and crashed against the hallway wall and she was pushed backwards. Three men burst through. She rushed to pick up Jackson.
‘Get out! Who do you think you are? Get out now…!’
One of them came to stand in front of her as she held tightly onto Jackson.
‘Where is he?’
Tracy tried to stay back from him but he was in her face and shouting. She was trying to stay calm as Jackson began crying and clinging to her so tightly that his fingers were like needles in her arms. Tracy shook her head.