I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT 'S CHARACTERS...THEY BELONG TO ITV1
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*36*
MID JUNE 2014
The dog was barking. It was barking from the nearby woods, that bordered the southern end of the moorland.
There was an officer hurrying over the moor on his radio.
Marlon and Paddy looked at one another, and went to move into the direction of the wood. A uniformed officer came rushing over to them both.
"If I can ask you to remain here please, lads"
"Have you found anything..." began Paddy.
"I said if you can remain here, please..."
The dogs were barking again. Paddy swallowed down and looked up at Marlon...both didn't know what to say, or do.
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DC Collins came out of the kitchen with the radio to her mouth, " I am heading up there now"
Lisa was in the hall, " What's wrong? Is something happened?" concern crept into her voice.
DC Collins nodded, " Just stay here please..."
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DC Wicks was already there. He was making his way through the trees and came to a stop to where the other policeman stood in a clearing restraining the dogs, waiting for him...
"What have you got?"
And then he gasped.
The body was swinging from the tree. He had seen this several times in his career, and it always made his blood run cold.
It was a lad of about 19 or 20. He had hanged himself with an old piece of rope. DC Wicks put his radio to his mouth, " Control, can contact DCI Swanley, and send up the medic...we have something..."
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Frank Harrington came out of the big house to be greeted by a police squad car. Apart from the two uniformed officers, a plain clothes detective was with them. A female.
"Mr Harrington? I need to speak to you..."
Frank shook his head at her, " I'm on me way to the hospital, to see fiancee...anyway, I've told you lot all I know, last night"
DC Collins came forward, " Sir please, in the past hour we have come across...a body..."
Frank's heart sank, what had Jacob done now? Had he really hurt that boy...A BOY! How could he do that!
DC Collins went on, " We need something from you...we need a recent photograph of your son Jacob..."
Alarm bells started to ring inside him, " Recent picture? Body? Oh no...not Jacob...NOT JACOB!"
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The Helicopter noisely went over head at the house, heading in the direction of the moor. Jackson looked up at it from where he stood at the front of the house. Hands dug deep in his pockets, his focus then hit the road, where a blue BMW was parking up onto the verge opposite.
He took in a deep breath, and saw his dad coming over to him. Tears welled up in Jackson's eyes, "Dad! I'm sorry, I didn't know who else to call..."
Jerry crossed over to him, " What the hells going on? Eileen told me earlier that she had heard a kiddie going missing on the radio...I didn't think it would've been yours, son"
Jackson sniffed back the snot that was running down his nose, " Yep! It's him! Dad, I'm going out me head here...I don't know what to do...what if they find him...what if they find him dead...I'm not gonna be able to cope with that, dad...I'm not gonna...", he stuttered to a sob, because he couldn't get the words out no more.
Jerry pulled his son into an embrace and hugged him tightly...of ALL that's gone on between them in their lives...he would NEVER wish this on anyone...
"you stop talking rubbish like that son, Jack's gonna be okay...he's cracking lad...am I getting through to yah..." he said raising his voice a tad.
Jackson shook his head in Jerry shoulder, " Then lets get in that house...I wanna know EXACTLY what's gone off"
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Paddy and Marlon were stood near the verge. There was something going off in the nearby woods, and they were not allowed anywhere near. It had been an hour now, and there seemed to be more police than ever now.
"Do you think they've found something...", muttered Paddy.
Marlon looked at him, " What? Jack you mean...if they have, they would've brought him out, wouldn't they? No it's not that"
Paddy was still not convinced, " Yeah, but...If...if Jack was ermm...you know"
Marlon pulled a face at him, " DEAD you mean! Come off it Paddy, stop looking on the blackside, will yah...it's proberly just some clue or something..."
Paddy wanted to believe that, " then why arn't they letting us anywhere near...", Marlon couldn't answer that. The vet pulled his phone out of his pocket, " I'm gonna try Aaron again...he's still not picking up..."
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At the house, Jackson was sat in the armchair, explaining what he knew to his dad. Mike and Sarah stood nearby.
"So...this Jacob lad...are you telling me that Sarah left MY grandson with a stranger, is that what you're saying to me, son"
Mike was outraged, blaming Sarah! He wasn't going to have that, she was blaming herself as much as it was, he stepped forward,
"Just wait one minute! There's MORE to it that, that-"
Jerry cut him off with a icy stare and, an acid tongue, " SHUT IT! I'M SPEAKING TO ME SON!"
Mike glared at Jerry, then backed off, Jackson's father looked like a right no nonsense character and gruff with it.
"Carry on, son..."
Jackson sighed, there wasn't that much more to tell...they DIDN'T KNOW anymore, " They're out looking, like I said...have been since last night...they've come up with nowt...nowt but that trainer..."
Jerry glanced at the trainer, that was now in a see through specimen bag on the coffee table. The older Walsh man patted the younger ones shoulder, " It will be fine...So'a where's happy harry? He not bothered or what?"
Jackson shot a glare at his dad, " COURSE HE'S BOTHERED! WHY TO FOLK HAVE TO KEEP ASKING THAT!"
Mike looked pretty smug at that statement, " Because it's true, deal with it!"
Jackson was on his feet...Jerry stopped him, and pointed a finger at Mike, " IF YOU HAVE NOTHING HELPFUL TO SAY, I SUGGEST YOU DO ONE PAL"
Aaron was then stood at the doorway with his hands in his hoodie pockets, he met Jackson's gaze, " blaming ME, are yah?, Thought you might"
"Errrr...YES" chipped in Mike.
Jackson threw a glare his way, and stood up, holding Aaron's gaze, " You been out all night looking for him?
Aaron nodded. The sadness clearly in his blue eyes.
"Do you? Blame me", he wanted Jackson's take on it, nobody elses.
"No mate never"
Jerry stood up and came to stand behind Jackson, " So...what are the police saying, lad? Have they told you ought"
Aaron shook his head, " No..." staring back at Jackson he burst out into tears, " I'VE TRIED ME BEST JACKSON, I'VE CALLED FOR HIM AT THE TOP OF ME VOICE...I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO STAY AWAY"
Jackson was tearful as well and laid his hands onto Aaron's shoulders looking meaningful at him, " I know you have...You've done well mate, I DON'T blame you for ANY of this"
Mike pulled a face, " Done well? Errrrr, I beg to differ...HE WASN'T EVEN AROUND WHEN WE WERE MENT TO DROP HIM OFF! DONE WELL? DONE WELL MY ARSE"
Jerry turned around and pulled him into the hallway, " I've never been a fan of Aaron, in there...I'll admit that...I dislike him, but I tolerate him for Jackson...but, do you know what? I dislike YOU even MORE! and I DON'T HAVE TO TOLERATE YOU!"
Paddy was then coming in through the back door. Sarah rushed forward, " Have they found him?!"
The vet nodded, " No...but somethings going off in the woods..." Sarah's eyes flickers a brief second of panic, Paddy quickly carried on, " ...NOT JACK...I'M SURE THEY WOULD OF COME TOLD YOU"
DC Wicks was then at the doorway with two of his officers, " I have some news..."
Paddy moved out of the way, to let DC Wicks into the house, Sarah waved her hand into the lounge where Jackson was looking up, open mouthed.
DC Wicks cleared his throat, " I thought i'd stop by to inform you that we have discovered a body of a MAN in the woodland..."
Jackson swallowed, " a man?"
"We can't be 100 percent sure at this time, but we do believe it to be Jacob Harrington, that's all i'm obliged to tell you at this time..."
Sarah had a hand over her mouth, " But...that was the guy we left Jack with..."
DC Wicks shook his head, " DC Collins is at Frank Harrington's place now, if there is anymore news I'll inform you..." he then marched off.
Sarah was shaking, " well that's it then...Jacks' dead...that Jacobs' killed him and now has killed himself..." she quivered.
Jackson looked at her in dispair, then went out into the hallway, pausing at the base of the stairs. Then he hurried up them two at a time.
Aaron shook his head at her, " You silly mare, why did you have to say THAT for!"
Sarah had tears in her eyes, " Well it's true, isn't it!"
Aaron's heart raced as he backed away and hurried up the stairs, he felt like he was going to vomit.
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Outside DC Collins was organising somthing through is radio, Jerry came out of the house and tapped him on the shoulder.
The detective ended the call and turned to him.
"I'm Jerry Walsh, the missing boys grandad. Is there anything you can tell us...I KNOW you can't speculate, but I have to KNOW what you're thinking...I have to prepare my son..."
DC Wicks moved him to the side, " Look...there is NO sign of the boy...we've done an extensive search within a miles radius of this place..."
"But he's only 9 years old...he couldn't of got THAT far surely" he said more gruffly, feeling like he was just being brushed off.
"Jacob Harrington is the last person to see Jack alive...if we-"
Jerry cut him off, "...he killed himself, didn't he? That's why you're acting all vague with us...you think he killed Jack and killed himself"
DC Collins, shook his head, " I DON'T want to speculate, Mr Walsh...BUT...Jack may still be around here...it's just that he might not be...visible, that's all I'm going to say...now I must get on"
Jerry felt his heart sink, THEY DID think Jack was dead...and it was only going to be a matter of time before they would all know...
...for sure.
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I GO ON HOLIDAY ON SATURDAY, BUT I AM SURE I CAN FIT IN ANOTHER CHAPTER BY THEN...I KNOW YOU ALL WANT TO KNOW LITTLE JACK'S FATE BEFORE I GO...
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