‘Not until you calm down.’
‘Get OFF!’ he shouted back, twisting again.
‘If I have to restrain you, I will.’
‘My mum’s in there. Please, she’s still in there.’
So this was Callum Roberts. Even now, Helen refused to relinquish her grip. Denise’s son was desperate with worry, consumed by the idea that his mother was alone in that terrible fire, but there was nothing he could do and Helen couldn’t risk further injuries or fatalities by letting him go.
‘The firefighters are doing everything they can, Callum. Jesus -’
The young man had sunk his teeth into Helen’s hand and was bucking violently once more. Helen removed her hand quickly, but as she did so brought Callum’s right arm up sharply behind his back. He screamed out in pain.
‘I’m not letting you go, so unless you want to be charged with assaulting a police officer, I suggest you calm down. Ok?’
Finally the fight seemed to go out of him.
‘Where is she? Is she ok?’ he begged.
‘We don’t know, but we’re doing everything we can, believe me.’
She tried to sound upbeat, but Helen already feared the worst. There had been no sign of Denise Roberts since the fire was reported and neighbours said she was very much a homebody. Even more concerning was the fact that when the firefighters had managed to gain entry to the house through the front door – not three minutes ago – the chain and deadlock had been secured from the inside. They had had to barrel charge their way in. It looked very much like someone had been in the house when the blaze started.
‘Jesus Christ, what have I done?’
‘What do you mean, Callum?’
‘Oh God…’
‘Talk to me. What’s worrying you?’
‘I… I told her I pitied her. That was the last thing I said to her. Jesus Christ, she must have thought I fucking hated her…’
Now the floodgates opened, the devastated young man sobbing on to the dusty ground beneath him. Finally, Helen relinquished her grip, helping the young man up on to his haunches and wrapping her arms around him. He refused to look at the fire and seemed powerless to move now, so he just sat there, sobbing into his hands. Helen gave what comfort she could, but he barely seemed to register her presence. So they sat there silently, entwined together in desperation and sadness, their faces illuminated by the dancing flames that continued to consume his home.
