I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT 'S CHARACTERS...THEY BELONG TO ITV1
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*37*
MID JUNE 2014
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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Inside the house, Aaron and Jackson laid back on their bed. Nothing was said. Jackson had come up first. Aaron had followed.
Aaron rolled his head on the pillow, and looked at Jackson, he was staring up at the ceiling, "Jackson...?"
Jackson rolled his head and met his gaze, he shot him a questioning look," Do you..."
Aaron shook his head, he instantly knew what the builder was going to ask, " Don't even think that..."
Jackson screwed his face up, the sobs were coming back, " Do you think Jack's dead?"
Aaron heaved himself off the bed and stared out of the window, a tear running down his cheek, the pain stabbing at his heart.
"Don't say that! He's not dead, Jackson, he's not dead, DO YOU HEAR ME!"
Jackson sat up and wiped his eyes with his sleeve, " Yeah, but...HE COULD BE...WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO FACE UP TO IT!"
Aaron snapped his head round angrily, " DON'T YOU GO GIVING UP ON HIM! HE'S ALIVE, I'LL KNOW IF HE WAS DEAD! I'D FEEL IT!"
Jackson widened his eyes, " and DO YOU think I don't!? Or do you think he was closer to you than me..."
Aaron was abit taken aback by that, " don't talk daft..."
Jackson shrugged, " It's true, isn't it? He always went to you...I was always so wrapped up in the whole new baby thing, sticking my big fat ore in where it's not wanted"
Aaron went to have a go, but Jerry was standing in the doorway, both Jackson and Aaron quickly pulled themselves together.
"Sorry to interrupt, lads, but you two better get your arses down them stairs, now..."
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Sarah was adament now, " HE pulled up in his car! He did...when we came to drop Jack off, that lad drove up in his car!"
Mike was shaking his head in full agreement, as he pulled his shaking wife close to him on the couch.
DC Collins leaned forward, " Are you sure? Because there is NO car registered to Jacob Harrington around here...we've checked"
Aaron came into the lounge, he had caught the end of DC Collins reply, " Jacob had one of them classic cars...Capri...yellow one with a red stripe"
Jerry turned to him, " Are you sure about that?"
Aaron glared at him, " COURSE I'M BLOODY SURE! HIS DAD BOUGHT IT FOR HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK FOR HIS BIRTHDAY! HE CAME ROUND THE GARAGE TO SHOW IT OFF!"
DC Collins stood up and moved into the hall to make some enquires. Jerry turned his attention to Sarah, " You're a silly mare, leaving your son with somebody you haven't ever clapped your eyes on..."
Jackson sighed, and shook his head, " Dad, don't start..." he murmured quietly.
Jerry faced him, " I'M ONLY SAYING...SHE SHOULD OF THOUGHT AHEAD...YOU HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS IN THE PAPER ALL THE TIME!"
Jackson shot him a glare, " Yeah alright dad! Thanks for that revelation!"
Aaron tapped the builders shoulder, as DC Collins stepped back into the lounge, " The control room is organising a search of the car in question...", she was cut off by her radio crackling to life, and a voice rattled on about a FORD CAPRI registered to a Frank Harrington.
"That's his DAD! He bought him the car!" cried Aaron, listening to what was going on.
DC Collins was on the radio again, a search of the car was pushed forward, as priority.
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It was now evening...Jack had been missing for a whole 24 hours now. Sarah had gone for a lie down on Jack's bed. Mike kept out of the way, and stood in the back garden chain smoking. Jerry glanced at him from the kitchen window and then looked down at his watch.
Jackson was sat at the table, " You can go home if you want...it's fine"
Jerry shook his head, " No, it's alright, Eileen'll understand...but I CAN GO if you want me to...if you think I'm just getting in the way, like"
Jackson looked up from facing the floor, " Course I don't...I would LIKE you to stay..."
Jerry smiled at him, " Then I'll stay...if you need me, then I'll be there for you son...nevermind what's gone on before...since your Mum died, life's too short to hold..."
"grudges?"
Jerry nodded, "Yeah...and it's ME whose been holding them...I know I can be stubborn"
Jackson blew out a laugh, "And there's me wondering where I got that from..."
Aaron then came into the kitchen, he hovered in the doorway at first not wanting to interrupt anything. Jackson turned his head, " Come in! Don't just stand there making the place look untidy"
Aaron shrugged his shoulders, " I didn't know whether I'd be welcome in here"
Jerry sighed, and leaned on the counter, " Just park your backside down lad, and sit with him...I'm gonna see if there's any news", he moved to the doorway.
"ohhh, don't go hassling them, dad...they'd tell us if they found owt"
Jerry pointed his finger, " No, you have to keep chasing them...make sure them are DOING their job"
He walked out. Aaron pulled a big sigh and looked at Jackson, " He's trying with yah, I'll give him that"
"Maybe"
Aaron reached and clutched the builders hand, then opened his mouth as if a penny had dropped for him.
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Jerry came out of the front door and lit a cigeratte. He then saw DC Collins come up the path, "I hope you've come back here with good news" he told gruffly.
DC Collins sighed, and pulled her hair back, it was getting dark now, " I wish I did, there's no word yet on the car front, but we'll continue the search"
"What about that father of his, this Frank whatshisface...could he have it over at his place"
"One of the first places we searched, no sign, and Mr Harrington has no idea where the car is..."
Aaron was then coming out of the house, he was gasping with words, " I think I know where that motor is!"
Jerry turned to him, " YOU KNOW?! HOW?"
Aaron shook his head like mad, " I don't know! It's just a hunch..."
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It was dark now, and most of the residents in Emmerdale village were in the Woolpack reeling, after a long day of a fruitless search.
At the garage, a couple of police cars pulled up with their lights flashing, DC Wicks came out of the lead car and hurried over to the garage doors. There was a huge padlock.
Aaron hurried along the forecourt and pulled out his set of keys, he went to grab the padlock, but DC Wicks moved him aside, " Hand over the keys please sir...and then you can stand well back"
"What! But..."
"The keys please, Mr Dingle"
"It's LIVESY actually...", and he handed him the keys...the detective glanced up at his colleague, took in a couple of deep breaths and unlocked the door.
Aaron stood back with Jackson, the builder swallowed, nervous of what they were going to find, if they found anything at all.
As soon as the doors were pulled aside, the Yellow Capri's rear was showing itself to them, the police went inside with their torches.
Jerry stood behind the lads, one hand on each of their shoulders. Jackson's hand reached to hold Aaron's hand. They were both shaking.
Inside the garage a uniformed officer shone his torch beam into the backseat of the car, "SIR! There's something in the back!"
DC Collins came forward and saw that the back window was lightly open.
From outside, Jackson jumped as he heard the glass smash, Aaron went to run forward but Jackson stopped him, both of them holding eachothers nervous stare.
A uniformed officer came out of the garage, and was on the radio, calling for an ambulance. That was all he needed to hear, Jackson broke hold of Aaron's hand and raced up to the garage, " HAVE YOU FOUND HIM! IS HE HERE?", he yelled.
DC Wicks had the back door open to the capri, his face was grave, " Mr Walsh, I suggest..."
"I WANNA SEE HIM!"
He forced his gaze to the back seat of the car, Jack was lying there pale and still.
"JACK! JACK!" he stuttered through sobs.
Aaron was then at his side, he too staring into the car, and placed a hand over his mouth in shock, "Is...is he...?"
The police medic was hurrying into the gloom. Somebody had switched the lights on, as the fluerencants blinked into life.
Jackson and Aaron stood aside, both of them breathing hard. Hearts threatening to beat right out of their chests.
The Police medic crawled back out of the car, " He's alive..." he reasured, "But we need that ambulance now!"
Jackson burst into tears and fell to his knees, Aaron had his hands cupping over his nose and mouth and was backing away.
The medic carried out a prelimary examination, and making sure Aaron and Jackson were out of earshot, spoke into DC Wicks ear, " the boys pulse is weak, and there is signs of strangulation...", he warned.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW. AT LEAST YOU KNOW JACK IS SAFE...BUT IT IS JUST THE START OF ANOTHER STORYLINE...
**ON A LIGHTER NOTE I AM BRINGING THINGS FULL CIRCLE, JACKSON AND HIS DAD WILL GET CLOSER AGAIN, NOW HAZEL's DEAD, I THINK IT'S BEST. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE JACKSON PREQUEL STORY WILL KNOW THEY USED TO HAVE A GOOD FATHER-SON RELATIONSHIP**
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