It Takes One to Know One
Part 51
It had taken him a good hour to get here, it was an area of the Dales he hadn't been to before but it had been well signposted and he'd found the edge of town industrial estate easy enough. He was now looking at a set of steel security gates, the sign on which read Jerry Walsh Roofing Contractor telling him he'd just reached his destination.
The business premises occupied a corner plot and looked to be of a fair size, and in the few minutes he'd been sat in the car staring at it he'd seen quite a bit of activity within its confines. Business was obviously good. A van emblazoned with the company name was now being driven out through the gates; he knew that neither the driver nor the passenger could be Jackson's father as they were way too young. He had to be onsite, in the office...unless he was hands-on and already out on a job. He hadn't thought about that, about him coming and Walsh not being here. That was typical of him, not thinking things through, but hopefully this wouldn't turn out to be another one of his half baked ideas.
He could see into the office from where he was parked, could make out movement but that was about all, he didn't know how many people were in there but there was certainly more than one and he didn't want an audience when he did get to speak to Walsh.
He decided to bide his time, suss things out some more before he made a move, he still hadn't worked out what he was going to say but he did know he had to choose his words carefully. He hadn't come here to have a confrontation he just wanted some insight into Jerry Walsh's feelings towards his son now. He was in no hurry, he had a good few hours to spare, he didn't need to be home until four, which was when they were expecting a visit from Gary Elias, Cai's social worker. That thought had immediately taken him back to the day before; when all hell had broken loose at Smithy cottage and all before breakfast. The violent banging on the front door heralding the upset.
He and the older two men had been left angry, viciously smarting over the ugly and heated exchange that had taken place. They had also been left more concerned than ever for fifteen year old Jon Hardy.
His father had apparently found his room empty that morning, his bed unslept-in and knowing the teen had been at their place when he'd previously done a disappearing act he had come looking for him there.
Paddy was already up and in the kitchen and had been the first to reach the door, finding a livid Drew Hardy on the other side of it. Hardy hadn't believed Paddy when he'd first assured him his son wasn't with them, irked at being called a liar he'd invited him in to look for himself. But the older man had made no attempt to enter the house, the fact he could seemingly convincing him that Jon wasn't at Smithy cottage. He'd turned his attention to Cai then, the boy had been standing on the stairs behind him and Jackson, the older man had wanted to know if he'd heard from Jon, if he knew where he was, Cai had said no and they hadn't doubted him for a second.
Hardy had then glared at him and Jackson and made some sick comment about them luring boys into their home, he'd seen red at that and had lunged at him intent on making him eat his words, Jackson and Paddy had had to restrain him, although they were equally angered by the slur they hadn't let it get to them like he had. He hadn't lost control like that in a long time and as usual he regretted it, especially as Cai had witnessed it.
Jon's father had stormed back to his car then but not before threatening them with the police, he'd been convinced they knew more than they were letting on. Paddy had shouted after him, telling him the police were exactly who he should be calling, that he needed to report his son as missing. He rarely lost his cool but their unexpected visitor's actions had left him fuming. He'd slammed the front door shut and had then shepherded them all into the kitchen, where he'd paced back and forth walking off his agitation making his intentions clear as he did so, he was going to involve social services.
He and Jackson had been all for doing that, both agreed it was time to take some action, and just when it seemed some order had been restored at the Smithy, Cai had dropped his bombshell sheepishly telling them...
"I know where Jon is... he's up in my room."
They'd all been taken aback at that. Paddy the first to react, exasperatedly reminding Cai he'd just swore blind to Jon's father that he wasn't under his roof, before going on to demand an explanation from the teen, that's when Jon himself had walked into the room...
The office door had opened snapping him out of his reverie. Two men had just stepped out through it into the morning chill, chatting as they made their way over to another company van, the younger of the two getting into it and driving away. He eyed the older man with interest, was he Jerry Walsh? He was in the right age bracket, was of a similar height if not taller than Jackson, he carried a bit more weight than he did though. He had curly, sandy coloured hair. Apart from the curls he could see nothing of Jackson in him, yet something told him it was his dad. There was only one way to know for sure.
Getting out of the car he made his way through the entrance and over to where the man was now standing reading through some paperwork. When a few yards away he made his presence known,
"Jerry Walsh?"
"Yes. Can I help you?"
The words had been accompanied by a smile, he felt sure it wouldn't remain on his face very long.
"I need to talk to you."
"If you're looking for a job then I'm sorry I'm not taking anyone on..."
"I'm not..."
"Are you after a quote?"
"No." Walsh was already showing the impatience Jackson had mentioned, he couldn't really pick him up on that though, it was a fault he had too.
"Then what..."
"I'm here about Jackson."
The older man looked visible shaken at his words and there was a long uncomfortable silence before he finally said, "And you are?"
He could have said his name but that wouldn't have meant a thing to Jerry Walsh, so instead he said something he felt certain would get a reaction, "I'm his boyfriend."
TBC
