‘Who? Who is it you want?’
‘Manson? Where is he?’
‘I don’t know who you’re talking about. I don’t know anybody called Manson.’
‘Where’s Danielle?’
‘She’s out. I told you.’
Tracy shrieked as she was pushed into the lounge and then she and Jackson were forced backwards onto the sofa where they were ordered to stay. Tracy pulled Jackson onto her lap and they sat and listened to the flat being ransacked.
I can’t sit here and do nothing… thought Tracy. Her bag was the other side of the sofa where she’d put it when she was going to bath Jackson. Tracy kept one eye on the door to the lounge as she edged closer to it, still managing to hold on tightly to Jackson. She slid her hand over the side of the sofa and reached inside the bag for her phone. In one movement one of the men leapt into the lounge and snatched it out of her hands and threw it to the floor. She heard it crack as it landed on the wood veneer. He kicked it across the room and it slid beneath the television stand. She tried to shrink back into the sofa as he pushed Jackson to one side and pulled her up by the arm and shouted in her face.
‘Tell Manson he has two days. We hear nothing? We’re coming back. You listening?’ He breathed an inch away from Tracy’s face. ‘You tell the police? Then… we’re coming for you and him.’ He pointed to Jackson then jabbed Tracy’s chest hard to make sure she understood. After that the men left as dramatically as they had arrived.
Tracy rushed to the door to lock it with the remaining locks and she slipped the safety chain across and came back to Jackson, who was looking just about ready to start howling. Tracy couldn’t stop herself shaking.
‘Okay. Okay.’ She repeated the word to reassure herself and see how it sounded. She tried it on Jackson. ‘It’s okay, Jackson. We’re not hurt, are we? It could have been a lot worse, couldn’t it? We’re okay now. She sat beside him on the sofa and hugged him to her while at the same time looking at the mess and wondering if it had all really happened. Should she ring the police now? She kept thinking about what the man had threatened. Would he come for her and Jackson? He didn’t look like he’d think twice about slitting their throats. No – she wouldn’t be calling anyone, not just yet. They were gone, a few things broken in the flat probably – but she and Jackson were okay. She needed to ask Danielle first before doing anything. What did she know about this world? What did she know about any of it? All she knew was that Jackson was a little boy who was very scared right now and he depended on her as the adult to look after him. She would stay calm and talk to Danielle when she got back. Yes, she told herself, that was what she’d do – tidy up and wait for Danielle to come home and then tell her what had happened and let her deal with it.
‘Nanny needs you to be a good boy now while I tidy up a little bit.’ She found Jackson something to watch on the television and a plate of snacks he wasn’t really supposed to have. She put the furniture back where they’d pulled it out and tipped it over. She retrieved her phone from where it had ended up under the telly – the screen was cracked but it still worked. Tracy was momentarily sad. She wouldn’t be able to get a new phone for months; she’d have to make do with it, put some tape over it.
After an hour of doing her best to restore order in the flat she gave Jackson his bath and read him a bedtime story and tucked him up with his Peppa Pig toy. She sat on his bed and listened to his breathing grow deep and when she was sure he was asleep she came back into the lounge and turned the telly off. She sat in silence and listened to the echoes of footsteps outside in the hallway and felt her heart race every time it seemed like someone was stopping at the door. When she finally heard a light knock at the door she jumped and almost scalded herself with her hot cup of tea.
She crept into the hallway and stood at the other side of the locked door.
‘Who is it?’
‘Me.’
Tracy unlocked the chain and Danielle looked at the broken lock on the door. As the realization that there’d been trouble crossed her face she rushed past Tracy towards Jackson’s room.
‘He’s fine. He’s fast asleep.’
Danielle stopped and rested against the wall.
‘What happened?’
‘I don’t know. Three men burst in here and turned the place upside down looking for someone called Manson or something and then they threatened us.’
‘Did you call the police?’
Tracy shook her head. ‘They said they’d hurt Jackson if I did. I wanted to wait and ask you. I didn’t know what to do. I’m sorry if I didn’t do the right thing.’
‘Bastards.’ Danielle went into the kitchen and put the kettle on.
Tracy followed her into the kitchen. ‘Who were they?’ Danielle opened a cupboard and got a mug and took tea from a container. She was taking her time answering. Tracy stood in the doorway waiting. ‘Do you know them? Do you know who they were talking about, this person called Manson?’
Danielle nodded, turned back and made herself some tea. When she was done she turned to face Tracy: ‘That’s Jackson’s dad, Niall. My ex. Can we go and sit in the lounge; I’ve had a few drinks. I’m not used to it any more. I feel a bit pissed.’
‘What did they want? What do you think they were looking for?’
‘He must have been dealing. He must have given this address.’
‘Dealing? As in drugs? From here? With Jackson here?’
‘I told you – that’s why I left him.’
‘I didn’t know whether to phone the police or not but they said they’d come back for me and Jackson if I did.’ Tracy’s voice was getting shriller. Danielle slumped in the sofa. She reached inside her bag and took out tobacco and began rolling a cigarette. Tracy looked at her as if she were about to shoot heroin into her arm.
‘What’s that?’
‘Tobacco,’ she snapped. ‘What do you think it is?’
Tracy stared, wide-eyed, as Danielle rolled and lit the cigarette and then sat back on the sofa and smoked it as she stared straight ahead; they sat in silence.
‘What are you going to do?’ Tracy waved the smoke away from her face.
‘Nothing. They found nothing. They can see he’s not living here. They’ll know he lied. They’ll leave us alone now.’
‘How do you know it won’t happen again?’
‘I’ll get hold of him and make sure he doesn’t use this address again. I’m not going to make any trouble for myself.’
‘Will you let him see Jackson?’
‘I told you. I don’t. He doesn’t see him anyway. I wouldn’t allow him and he’s not interested.’
Tracy stood and picked up her bag.
‘I can’t put up with things like this happening. I mean – I’ve never seen anything like that. No one’s ever been so aggressive towards me – and to threaten Jackson. What kind of people do you know, Danielle?’
‘They are people I used to know. Not any more. Now it’s just me and Jackson and I hoped it would be you but if it’s all too much for you then you better go. Because, you know what? I won’t take any fucking criticism from you, Tracy. You’ve no right. You’re either on our side or you’re out for good. We don’t need it.’
‘I didn’t say that. It’s just…’ Tracy shook her head. ‘You seem to think it’s nothing, but it terrified me.’
Danielle switched the telly on as she kicked off her shoes and sat back in the sofa.
‘You’d better go.’
Chapter 12
Pam was just leaving. She’d already stayed beyond ten and Robbo thanked her. Pam and Robbo had worked together for many years in his former life as a detective and although both had long marriages at home, Pam was Robbo’s ‘work wife’. They had worked together in the Major Incident Room, manning the telephones, and feeding all incoming information into HOLMES.