Learning English

Evan
You know what, Pip, is doing really well. But he’s fast asleep now – I think all the excitement of the day must have worn him out. He loves that toy elephant he’s cuddling.

Lucy
That’s Mr Pom Pom. So, can I see him again now?

Evan
Of course – in a moment – can I ask you about these drawings?

Lucy
Drawings?

Evan
Yes, I got him to draw what he’d seen with some crayons. Look...

Lucy
Well that’s obviously his daddy.

Evan
Are you sure? He said it was Woody.

Lucy
Woody? Like in Toy Story?

Evan
I guess so. Does that mean anything to you?

Lucy
Err, not really – except he likes Woody – especially his cowboy hat.

OFFICE

Nikesh
There’s something I don’t get. People who top themselves, dads, there’s like two patterns, isn’t there. There’s the ones who want to destroy everything, kill themselves, kill their families, these family annihilators. Then there’s the usual one, dad’s depressed, desperate; kills himself to save his family. In some mad logic. But who leaves their kid by the side of a dual carriageway?

Callie
I don’t think he’s dead. I think he’s done a runner. I would if she was my wife.

Nikesh
What’s your problem with her?

Evan
Can I have a quick word in the other room?

INTERVIEW ROOM

Evan
Right, I can’t tell if he’s witnessed anything truly traumatic. He’s not particularly chatty, which is fair enough, poor sod. He’s tired, I think he’s walked quite a way.

Callie
How...

Evan
Hang on. From what I can gather, dad left him in the car, didn’t come back, Pip went looking for him. I think when he got to the big road, he didn’t know what to do.

Callie
How far can a four year old walk?

Evan
Farther than you’d think. A few miles.

Nikesh
And has he drawn something?

Evan
Yes. A couple. This is Pip’s picture of where he was this morning with his dad. So, we’ve got a hill, birds, grass, sand. I asked him what it sounded like and he did a sort of roaring sound.

Nikesh
Waves. The sound of the sea.

Evan
Bang on.

Callie
Just a sec.

Nikesh
What are you looking for?

Callie
Map

Nikesh
Just use your phone.

Callie
Got it. OK, right... Here we are. This is where Pip was found, right? And let’s say he could walk four miles. That makes our search area… a three mile stretch of coastline. We can discard this bit becasue it's inland. So that leaves us with a three mile stretch of coastline.

Nikesh
And he had the car, right? So…. there are parking spots, here, here and here.

Callie
In Pip’s picture he can hear the sea, but he can’t see it. Now I know these two car parks – Neil and I walk down there sometimes. They’re a bit away from the water. You can’t see the sea. This one… I’m not so sure… Evan, can we have one more go with Pip? I want to know anything Jamie might have said to him…. What’s that?

Nikesh
Oh no, she’s gone.

Callie
What’s she playing at?

Evan
Excuse me. DS Pritchard. You might want to take a look at Pip’s other picture.

Callie
Pip and Daddy?

Evan
Daddy and Woody. The character from Toy Story.

END