‘He got violent?’
‘Not physically, but he turned red and I saw him clench his fists a few times.’
‘Bloody hell. Where’s Linda now?’
‘Craig put her to bed.’
‘Jesus,’ Matilda pinched the bridge of her nose hard. Sally had been growing stronger in recent months, but something like this could be a setback. ‘I’ll have to go round and see Sally later, check on how she’s doing.’
‘Don’t blame Linda, ma’am, she’s desperate. Craig said she’d never asked anyone for anything before in her life. All the special stuff they need for Riley, they’ve bought it all themselves, or raised the money. They’ve never asked for loans or handouts.’
‘I won’t. But she needs to be one hundred per cent focussed for this afternoon.’
‘She will be. I’ll talk to her,’ Ellen said with a placatory smile.
‘Any phone calls or emails?’
‘A few from family members. They’ve been using their mobiles though. I told them to keep the landline free. Oh, before I forget, the next-door neighbour came round earlier, Amanda Raine. She remembered Jodie said something to her last night and thought we should know. Apparently, when Jodie found out Keeley had been kidnapped, she asked her mum if Keeley had had PE yesterday with Mr Page.’
‘And had she?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why’s that significant?’
‘Jodie wouldn’t say.’
‘Ok. Let’s go and have a word with Jodie then.’
***
Riley’s bedroom had been adapted from the garage attached to the house. In one corner was an en suite wet room and opposite was a large framed bed with foam protectors so Riley wouldn’t hurt himself while he was asleep.
The room was equipped with soft lighting. The blind at the window was closed and in two corners were large colour-changing LED sensory mood bubble water towers which cast a soothing glow around the room.
On the carpet, Riley was sitting in a large bean bag. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt with a penguin on the front. His favourite toy, a penguin, was nestled in his lap. Opposite him, Jodie was blowing bubbles towards him. When they hit his face and burst, he giggled. This made Jodie smile. Other toys and teddy bears were strewn around the floor.
‘Are they tickling you, Riley?’ Jodie asked as he gurgled loudly. ‘Do you like the bubbles?’
‘Jodie, can we have a word?’ Matilda asked quietly from the doorway.
She looked over her shoulder and nodded. Riley didn’t register their presence.
‘This is a nice room,’ Matilda said.
‘It’s relaxing. Riley can get stressed at times. The changing colours, the bubbles, and the music help to calm him.’
‘How old is he?’ Matilda asked, even though she knew the answer.
‘Four. He goes to school in the new year. Only a couple of days a week. I’ll miss him.’
‘You look after him a lot, don’t you?’
‘No. Mum looks after him more.’ Jodie blew more bubbles. Riley giggled and clapped his hands.
Matilda sat down on the floor next to Jodie. ‘Jodie, I want to ask you about something you said yesterday. When you found out Keeley was missing, you mentioned a teacher. Mr Page? Who is he?’
‘He’s a teacher at Keeley’s school.’
‘Why did you mention him?’
‘I don’t know,’ she shrugged, blowing more bubbles. ‘Oops, Mr Penguin is getting wet,’ she said to Riley.
‘Jodie, do you think Mr Page might have something to do with Keeley going missing?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Then why bring him up?’
‘It’s … I don’t know.’
‘Jodie, you’re not going to get anybody into trouble. If you think you know something, you really need to tell us so we can find your sister. You might not think it’s important, but we need to find out.’ Matilda wondered why Jodie would bring Mr Page up in the first place if she didn’t think it important. It may be something and nothing but right now it was the first sign of a hint of progress. Matilda wasn’t going to let it slide.
Jodie continued to play with Riley. She reached for a plastic spiral tower all in different bright colours which she placed in front of her brother. She handed him a ball. He placed it on the top of the tower and as the ball ran down, it made a jingling sound. He gurgled and smiled.
‘He loves this game,’ Jodie said, copying his smile. ‘He loves the sound of the bell inside the balls.’ She handed him another ball.
‘You love Riley, don’t you?’
‘Of course I do.’
‘And you love Keeley?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then tell us about Mr Page, Jodie.’
She let out a heavy sigh. ‘Mr Page is Keeley’s PE teacher. She’s said a couple of times that he’s been a bit too … close.’
‘What do you mean by close?’
‘She said he puts his arm around her, and he helps her get changed after PE. She said she thinks it’s weird.’
‘Does he do this with other girls?’
‘She didn’t say.’
‘Other boys?’
‘She didn’t say.’
‘Who else has she told?’
‘Nobody.’
‘Why did she tell you? How did it come up in conversation?’ Matilda asked quickly.
‘She’s not wanted to do PE a few times and I asked her why not. She loves PE, loves going outside and running. For her to suddenly not want to do it, I knew something must have been wrong. I thought she was being bullied at first.’
‘What advice did you give her?’
‘I told her that if she was uncomfortable, she should either tell the head teacher or Mum and Dad.’
‘Did she?’
‘No. I don’t think so.’
‘How long ago was this?’
‘Towards the end of last term. Before the summer holidays.’ She handed Riley another ball and he giggled as he watched the ball roll down the spiral tower.
‘Was she still not looking forward to PE again this term?’
‘No.’
‘Thank you, Jodie. You’ve been a big help.’
Matilda stood up to leave the room when Jodie called her back.
‘Will you be here, at four o’clock, when the kidnappers ring again?’
‘Yes.’
‘What will we do when they call?’
‘I don’t know. It depends what they have to say.’
‘We’re not going to get her back, are we?’
‘You will. I promise. We will do everything we can to bring her home.’
If any of Matilda’s officers had made such a promise, she’d have chastised them at the earliest opportunity. Every time she entered this house, saw the torment Craig, Linda, and Jodie were going through, she was reminded of Carl and his parents. She didn’t remember making them a promise, but her mind had been all over the place with James’s cancer weighing on her mind. Now, she had one task and one goal. She felt she could make a promise and make good on it.
‘Do you think the same people who took Carl Meagan have taken her?’