‘Good boy. Very good.’
Jeanie took out two more male puppets. ‘Was there more than one man, Jackson? How many men were there in the flat, Jackson?’ He held up one finger in the air.
‘Where is Mummy now, do you know?’ He shook his head; his eyes focused ahead, his face confused and sad. ‘When you last saw Mummy, where was she standing Jackson?’
He didn’t reply. His face was clouded with thought.
‘Was there someone else there with Mummy?’
He nodded. ‘Mummy said don’t hurt my son. Mummy said you bastard. Poor Mummy…’ Jackson looked at his hands; he turned the palms over and shook his head. ‘Poor Mummy hurt her hand. Get out. Get out.’ Jackson looked up and shouted across the room towards the lounge door. ‘Bastard!’
Jeanie reached out and soothed him.
‘Can you draw that other person for me, Jackson?’
Jackson picked up a brown crayon and begun to draw a head but he stopped and picked up a red crayon and began to scribble.
‘Mummy loves Jackson.’ Jackson tore the paper as he held the crayon in his fist and scoured the paper. ‘Leave Mummy alone. Get out. Get out.’
Jeanie reached inside a bag she’d brought with her and pulled out another doll. ‘Does this look like Nanny?’ He nodded. ‘Hello, Nanny.’ Jeanie talked to the puppet and set it down on the table.
‘Who is this one do you think, Jackson?’ Jeanie handed a dog puppet to Jackson. He held it in both hands and wiped his nose on it.
‘Doggy.’
‘Yes. Do you think this doggy is like Scruffy?’
‘Yes. Scruffy.’
‘And who is this then?’ Jeanie held up a little boy doll with short blond hair. Jackson shook his head.
‘This is Jackson.’ Jeanie galloped along with a toy in each hand. She pretended to have the dog jump all over the little boy and lick him furiously. Jackson laughed and said:
‘No, Scruffy. Don’t even think about it.’
Jeanie smiled at him.
‘Is that what Mummy says to Scruffy? “Don’t even think about it?”’ Jackson nodded. Jackson picked up the dog toy and galloped across the table with it in the same way Jeanie had.
‘Clever boy. That’s right. Now, Jackson…’ Jeanie pulled out another doll from the bag and she held it up. ‘Who do you think this is?’
He looked at the blue-eyed doll with its brown hair: ‘Mummy.’
‘So this is Jackson and Mummy and Scruffy.’ Jeanie held the three puppets and placed them on the table in front of Jackson.
Jeanie pulled out two different puppets. One was black, one was white.
‘Which one of these looks like the man with Mummy, Jackson?’ He took a good look at the puppets and touched the white one.
‘What colour hair has this man got?’ She took out a bald puppet, one with black, one with brown and one with blond hair and held them out one by one and then laid them in a row on the table. Jackson picked up the brown-haired puppet. Then he picked up the puppet representing himself and held it up to show it to Tracy.
‘Yes, that’s Jackson, isn’t it?’ He was losing concentration; Jeanie knew the session was coming to a close.
‘Shall we find the one of Nanny?’ Jeanie looked back inside the bag and pulled out the Nanny puppet again.
‘There, Jackson, this one is Nanny, isn’t it?’
Jeanie packed away the puppets.
‘All right, Jackson. I think that’s enough for today. He’s getting tired. We’ll do some more tomorrow.’ Jeanie started packing the crayons away; she left them in a tub on the corner of the table. ‘It’s a good start though.’ Tracy didn’t say anything. She was in shock. ‘Tracy, let’s get Jackson some tea and the bath and bed. Tracy?’
Tracy nodded.
‘Yes.’ Jackson looked up at her. He looked as if he were about to cry.
‘Jackson needs a cuddle, Tracy.’
‘Of course. Come here, Jackson. Nanny loves you such a lot. Shall we see what Scruffy’s doing?’ She led him into the kitchen. Jeanie gathered up the drawings and numbered them. She finished up her notes and closed her pad.
Tracy gave Jackson his tea and bathed him and left Jeanie reading a book about Spot the Dog to him whilst she went into the kitchen to tidy.
‘It’s late, Jackson.’ Tracy heard Jeanie’s words as she stood in the kitchen staring out at the dark. She was wondering what she’d say to Steve. Jeanie checked her watch; she’d promised Peter she’d be back an hour ago. She had lost all track of the time. It was gone eight o’clock. She had promised to make it home in time to read to her own daughter Christa. She would have missed bathtime now. She’d have missed playing with Christa. She must try and get back to put her to bed. ‘Spot is getting very tired. I think it’s time for Spot and Jackson to go to bed.’ Jackson watched Jeanie’s face for a few seconds before he nodded and jumped down off the sofa. Jeanie looked up at Tracy as she came in from the kitchen. Tracy nodded.
‘Come with Nanny and I’ll tuck you in.’
Tracy took his hand. ‘Say goodnight to Jeanie.’ Jeanie bent down for him to give her a kiss.
Jackson went across to Scruffy and hugged his neck. He kissed him and wiped his face in Scruffy’s fur. ‘Night night.’ Jackson was looking for something. He went to the table where he’d sat with Jeanie and the puppets and he climbed up on the chair and leant his weight across the table.
‘Careful Jackson.’ Tracy rushed towards him.
Jeanie held up her hand for her to take her time. Jackson looked back from Tracy to the table and he found what he was looking for, he kissed the Mummy puppet. Then he got down from the chair and came towards Tracy.
‘Night. See you in the morning.’ She looked up at Tracy as she came back out of the bedroom having settled Jackson down.
‘I’m going home now, Tracy.’ Tracy nodded and smiled. She sympathized with Jeanie – she could see she wanted to be going – but she needed to clarify something first:
‘What Jackson said about there only being one man in the flat when Danielle left, could that be his dad?’
‘I think he would have said so if it was,’ Jeanie answered.
‘But I know it’s been a long time since he saw him.’
Jeanie shook her head. ‘Nothing is certain, Tracy.’ She smiled kindly. ‘We’re bringing in Niall Manson and we’ll start from there. You must be shattered.’
‘Yes, I am.’
‘Please get some sleep and let’s hope it all gets resolved in the morning. I’ve left my number on the kitchen worktop. You call me if you need anything and I’ll bring more things for Jackson tomorrow.’
Tracy watched through the lounge window and saw Jeanie’s car tail-lights disappear down the road.
Jeanie tried Carter’s phone but it was busy. She rang Robbo.
‘The child has Down’s syndrome, right?’ asked Robbo.
‘Yes, but I think we have a bright child, despite that. He is perfectly able to count, to recognize colours. He draws to a good ability for his years.’
‘Have you been able to interview him?’
‘I’ve made a start. I think we can be sure that someone took her out of that flat in full view of her little boy. From what Jackson has said, I feel that she must have known her abductor. She must have known enough to trust that if he said he wouldn’t harm Jackson then he wouldn’t. She felt secure enough to think the best option was to go. Seems like there was just one man in the flat with him and his mother. I have a description of sorts: white, brown hair. I’ll keep chipping away.’
Tracy went to lie in bed next to Jackson and listened to his breathing.
She had given him a penguin toy she had got from the women working on the nail bar. It was being given away free with a Christmas manicure. She lay there listening to him and felt such a deep panic that she couldn’t have closed her eyes if she wanted. Only the sound of his rhythmical breathing calmed her.