Matthew opts for silence, needing a beat to regroup. Alex waits too but then swings his legs to and fro as if to taunt Matthew, turning to stare right at him. Like a dare.
‘So – I’m right? They sent you over to pretend to be nice to me?’
‘I’m not pretending. I am actually quite nice.’ This makes Alex laugh for the first time and Matthew feels another shift inside; the guy in the blanket no longer sounding like or looking like a man who has any intention whatsoever of ending his life.
It’s risky but Matthew decides to push forward. Bull. Horns. ‘Look. You watch the telly. You’re a bright guy. You clearly know the score here. The tactics. But I really do want to help. So we need to work out an exit strategy.’
‘And what precisely do you suggest, Mr Nice Guy?’
‘It’s time to move to the next phase, Alex. To deal with the police. And yeah – that’s going to be a pain in the arse but that’s just how it is after a protest like this. But the media are also going to want to do more on this. And that’s what you want, isn’t it?’
‘So we’re still pretending you’re not the police?’
‘I’m not.’
Alex appears to be thinking about this just as Matthew’s phone rings.
‘I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to take this. You stay calm now. Are you OK to wait, just for a moment?’
Alex shrugs as if he doesn’t care.
It’s Mel. ‘We have some more background info on Alex. Family issues. He’s estranged from his adoptive parents. They say he has been trying to find his birth mother and has cut them out of his life. Behaviour issues going right back to primary school. Sounds like controlling behaviour to me. Possibly abandonment issues. We need to look into this more and tread very carefully, Matt.’
‘Understood.’
‘Who’s that? What are they saying?’ Alex narrows his eyes.
Matthew puts the mobile to his chest. ‘They want to know if we need anything else. I’m going to tell them we’re moving down. Is that OK?’
Alex shrugs again.
Matthew puts the phone back to his ear. ‘No more coffee, thanks. We’re coming down now.’ He hangs up. ‘That right, Alex, isn’t it? You ready?’
Alex shifts his position. He looks at the office block opposite – no faces at the window any more. Moved out by the police. Then he turns his head back to look again at Matthew intently, again narrowing his eyes.
‘OK. Yeah. I’m ready now.’ Alex suddenly swings both his legs back over the ledge and turns his whole body to face the inside of the car park. He’s still sitting on the wall but with his back now to the drop. He’s glaring at Matthew and rocks to and fro.
‘I could still do it, you know.’ A pause. ‘And you’d be in a lot of trouble, wouldn’t you?’
Matthew takes in the new and sinister expression on Alex’s face. They lock eyes – unblinking – and both keep very still. Silent.
And then Alex suddenly laughs.
CHAPTER 38
THE MOTHER
‘What’s happening?’ I’m frowning as we both stare at the television. The TV reporter has turned his head to the side again and is pressing his earpiece in place.
‘No idea.’ Ed’s eyes are wide. He sits down while we wait, crossing his legs and jiggling his right foot up and down.
I glance at Gemma, her face as still as ever, the headphones in place. A sweep of dread as I think of all the horrible things we have to tell her when she wakes up.
Suddenly the reporter is looking at the camera with the update. ‘I’m being told the situation has been resolved safely.’
I feel my shoulders slump. We wait in silence as words scroll across the screen, confirming that Alex is now in police custody. The news feed immediately updates to live pictures and we watch as uniformed officers remove the banner Alex hung from the top ledge of the car park.
I can feel my heart still beating too fast as my phone goes. I pick it up from the side table to see an unknown number.
‘It’s probably the media. Don’t answer.’ Ed sounds nervous.
‘How would they get my mobile number? I’ll just listen. See what it is.’
I don’t know what to expect but the voice is measured and calm. ‘Hello. It’s Amanda here. Helen’s sister. Helen got your text and asked me to ring you, but please say if it’s a bad time to talk.’
‘Oh, no. It’s fine. I’m grateful Helen passed on the message.’