‘Was there anyone else in the room?’ Forest asked.
I woke up. Lexi on bed all blood. Elisha told me stay there, go tell Daddy.
‘Did Elisha tell Daddy, or you?’
Jaxon picked up a black crayon and scribbled with it, pressing so hard it snapped in his hand, then he threw it down on the floor. Elisha. Told. Daddy. He signed this without looking up, his signs jerky, with pauses in between. Suddenly, he swept all the paper and the pots of crayons onto the floor, making Forest and Hannah Lachlan jump.
Jaxon climbed onto the sofa, standing up on it and jumping up and down. Hannah Lachlan got up and took his hand, encouraging him to sit down again, which he did, kicking his heels on the base of the sofa.
‘Jaxon, was anyone else in the room? Did you see any other person in your bedroom?’
He sat still for a moment, and signed very clearly. Bad man killed my sister Lexi.
Forest leant forward slightly. ‘Did you see a bad man?’
Jaxon shook his head, and I heard Singh exhale as if he’d been holding his breath. Grandma said.
There was a pause, but he didn’t sign anything else.
‘What did Grandma say?’ Forest asked.
Grandma told me bad man. Bad man killed my sister Lexi. Jaxon looked at Forest as he signed this, then turned to the car mat, pushing his communication support worker out of the way to get to it. He began to play with the cars, and refused to look around when Hannah Lachlan tried to get his attention again.
Picking up a car, he pretended to drive it around the mat, then across the floor towards Forest. He drove it over Forest’s feet, up one of her shins, across her knees then back down to the floor, then clambered onto the sofa again. He ran the toy car along the back of the sofa, then stood on the cushion and traced a pattern up the wall with it. Hannah Lachlan moved forward to try and get him down again, but he spun around and flung the car at her, striking her just above her eye. She cried out, and Forest got up to help her, but Jaxon just carried on playing with the other cars.
‘I think that’s enough,’ Singh muttered as he rushed out, and I watched the scene in the room as he ushered Laura in and she scooped up her son.
Behind me, the notetaker packed up and left, but I continued to stand behind the mirrored glass, shock at Jaxon’s behaviour rendering me inert. As Laura led Jaxon out, he pointed at the bump already forming on Hannah Lachlan’s face and laughed. Laura looked mortified, and hurried him out of the room.
‘Well, that was livelier than I expected,’ Forest said, and I realised she was talking to Singh. They were the only people left in the other room now, and they didn’t know I was still in the side room, listening. I should leave, I told myself. I couldn’t stay there and listen to them. But I didn’t move.
‘I think Bridget Weston has coached him about what happened, so I don’t think what he’s said is going to be of any use to us.’ Singh shook his head in exasperation.
‘I think you’re right. Plus I don’t think anyone would accept that interview as valid. His behaviour could have been caused by distress and trauma.’
‘Given what we’ve heard about his behavioural problems, I don’t think that was completely out of character. I suppose we should have been better prepared.’ Singh picked up the folder that was sitting on Forest’s chair and read for a minute, letting out a low whistle. He looked up at Forest with a raised eyebrow.
‘He’s only six.’
‘I know.’
I knew that if Forest caught me listening in on their conversation, she’d fire me on the spot, but I couldn’t resist. Nobody would give me any information, so I had to find ways of keeping myself informed. At least, that’s how I justified it to myself.
Singh blew air out of his cheeks as he read the file, his eyebrows threatening to meet his hairline. ‘And he did all this?’
Forest nodded. ‘And apparently every time the school try to address it, Bridget Weston turns it around on them. Tells them they’re not supporting him properly, he’s frustrated because he’s not being stimulated, people can’t communicate with him, and so on.’
This exchange didn’t surprise me. I could picture Bridget insisting Jaxon wasn’t to blame for his own behaviour. I was desperate to read that file and find out what had shocked Singh.
‘They need to get someone to assess him, get to the bottom of why he behaves like this. Now social work are involved with the family, perhaps they can push through some referrals. It could be something serious.’
The detectives shot each other a look, and I dreaded to think what they were implying.
‘Hannah Lachlan seems to be the one who gets it in the neck the most,’ Forest continued. ‘The school had to send her on a course so she’s allowed to physically restrain him if necessary. The woman looked terrified. I wondered if we were going to have to postpone, get another communicator.’ Forest grimaced. ‘And now for another shit job.’ She waved another sheet of paper at Singh.
‘Post-mortem results?’
I took a deep breath. I had been dreading this part. On the other side of the glass, Forest nodded.
‘How much do we need to share with the mother?’
Forest rubbed her face. ‘Enough that she knows what happened, but no more.’
‘Right. I’d better speak to Paige,’ Singh said, his glance flicking to the mirror.
My heart leapt into my mouth and I lunged for the door, dashing into the corridor and leaning against the opposite wall. I hoped I looked casual, but the door hadn’t quite closed when Singh stepped out into the corridor. He looked from the door to me and cocked his head on one side ever so slightly. I felt a blush begin to rise up my face and prayed he wouldn’t notice.
‘We need to chat with Laura,’ Singh said to me, ‘give her a bit more information, but she asked if she could take Jaxon home first.’
I assumed Hannah Lachlan had interpreted that request, but didn’t trust myself to speak until my heart stopped racing.
‘Can you meet us there in about half an hour?’
‘Of course.’
He turned to leave, but I stopped him. ‘Is it okay if Anna comes too? She wants to help Laura, if she can.’ I held back from telling him she was my sister; I thought Singh would probably give me the benefit of the doubt, but I had no idea how Forest would react.
‘Sure, as long as Laura’s happy for her to be there.’ He gave me a sad smile and walked off, leaving me trying to process what I’d heard about Jaxon. Was his behaviour in there a reaction to the death of his sister, or was there something deeper at the root of it?
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