by Wyer, Carol
He’s off school yet again today. This time it’s tonsillitis that’s made his throat raw and has knocked him out for over a week, but today he feels well enough to eat something and sit in the room they use for both meals and watching television. His mother’s turned on the set and he’s watching He-Man attacking his arch-enemy Skeletor, whose yellow skull is hidden under a hood, making him even scarier than he already is. He prefers the blue-skinned Skeletor, who is cunning, performs magic and is an expert in martial arts, to the hero of the cartoon.
‘I have to go out for an hour. Will you be okay on your own?’ his mother asks.
‘Yeah.’
‘You make sure to stay indoors. You’re not well enough to go out. I don’t want you off for another week.’
He nods again, vaguely aware of his mother putting his baby brother into the carry cot, and the door to the flat shutting with a loud click.
The cartoon ends and he wanders across to the window overlooking the wasteland. A group of girls from his tower block are running and shrieking. They’re often together in their clique, led by Faye Boynton, a thirteen-year-old tomboy who lives with her two older brothers and their dad, on the same landing as him. She’s tough. He’s seen her fighting on several occasions, and witnessed the damage she can cause. She gave one boy a broken nose and a split lip that needed several stitches.
The girls are headed to the dump. He screws up his eyes and watches as Faye keeps lookout and one of the other girls yanks at the bottom of the fence then slips under. Faye goes last and the trio dash away, out of sight. He can’t understand why his mother doesn’t want him to go to the dump. It’s obviously a great place to mess about. One day soon, he is going to explore it, regardless of what his mother says.
Twelve
Tuesday, 17 April – Night
He listened to the screams and smiled to himself. Harriet hadn’t been a match for him. She’d been overpowered so easily – too easily. A delicious feeling of warmth filled his veins and he was aware of the snake moving across his skin. Soon it would get its reward.
She begged to be let out, her fists bashing against the door. It was pitch-black inside her prison and she was terrified. Good!
He refused to answer her. She could suffer in the full knowledge nobody was coming to her rescue, and she could tremble with fear, knowing that when she was finally released, she would meet her end. The snake would wrap itself around her throat and squeeze the very life from her. He had one more thing to do – a little treat for the detectives who were searching for the girl and him. If they were clever enough, they’d find it, although by the time they did, it would be too late to help Harriet.
A twisted grin lifted the corners of his mouth as he felt for her mobile phone and lifted it from his pocket. He searched for the camera app, chose the video function and then began recording the cries.
* * *
The front door opened as soon as Natalie approached it and she found herself swept into her husband’s arms. An aroma of garlic and red wine rushed up to greet her and she found her face being grazed by slight stubble. His lips were on hers in a brief embrace, and before she knew it, she was being ushered inside to the warmth and the rich, spicy aromas from an Indian curry.
The hall lamp glowed welcomingly, diffusing gentle beams of light across the table, where she dropped her car keys. The door to the lounge was open and a burst of laughter exploded from the television. With soft, furry slippers now replacing her work boots, she padded to the room where David was waiting for her, smile on his face. He turned the sound down on the television.
‘That was quite some homecoming,’ she said invitingly.
‘And I haven’t finished saying hello properly,’ he replied. A bottle of wine stood open on the coffee table in front of the worn settee along with two glasses. ‘Sit down.’
She did as bid and watched him as he poured out the wine, lifting it to the light to check for sediment. This was the David she’d married – a man with a sense of fun, eyes burning intensely, a slim body that was still in good shape for a man in his late forties. He handed her the glass with a wink. She sniffed the wine – a full-bodied, oaky aroma.
‘Go on, taste it,’ he said, picking up the bottle and hiding the label with his hand.
Natalie raised it to her lips and sipped, allowing the rich, fruity flavours to wash over her taste buds. It was good – very good and expensive. She made an approving sound that made him grin further.
‘What is it?’
‘Guess.’
‘I can’t. I’m not a wine buff. It’s good, fruity and hits the spot. Must be something that cost a fortune.’
‘Correct. It’s a 2008 Masi Costasera, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.’ He revealed the label, like a magician producing a rabbit from a hat.
She recognised the name. It was an Italian wine that they’d enjoyed for their fifteenth wedding anniversary – a gift from Eric, David’s father.
‘David! That must have set you back at least twenty pounds!’
‘Thirty,’ he replied smugly and lifted his own glass. ‘To my fabulous wife!’
‘What are we celebrating exactly?’ she asked cautiously.
‘An advance on a contract – a thousand pounds upfront.’
Natalie took in his flushed cheeks and her heart filled with happiness for him. Gone was the sulky man who’d been moping about the house for months, hiding away in his office and hating the world for not giving him a chance. She was extraordinarily pleased for him. He deserved this break. She raised her own glass happily. ‘To my talented husband.’
‘Cheers!’
She sipped again, holding the wine long enough to enjoy the sweetness before allowing it to slide smoothly down the back of her throat. Tiredness and frustration gave way to a mellowness. It had been so tough with David fighting to get translation work. This was good news.
‘How much will you earn in total?’
‘Another grand so that’ll be two in total,’ he said with a shrug, ‘and further opportunities if this client is satisfied and spreads the word.’
‘I’m truly happy for you,’ she said, meaning every word.
‘Yeah. Me too. It’s so good to finally bring home some money and feel like a breadwinner again.’ He slugged his glass back and licked his lips, lifting the bottle immediately for a top-up.
Natalie savoured hers more slowly and consciously untightened the muscles in her neck and shoulders. ‘Kids okay?’
‘The usual. Josh managed several grunts and almost a complete sentence at teatime. I thought when his braces came off he’d be keen to flash his teeth, but if anything, he’s quieter.’
‘Hormones.’
‘Most likely and I suspect there’s a girl on the scene. He couldn’t tear his eyes from his mobile tonight, and Leigh wasn’t very hungry. She said she had some difficult maths homework to do but when I offered to help her out she said she could manage.’
‘They’re growing up, David. They weren’t very happy that I drove them to school today. Apparently, I shouldn’t have waited in that confounded drop-off queue. I have to say it’s a stupid new system. There wasn’t anything wrong with the way we did it before.’
‘True. You can be stuck for flipping ages now. Some of the parents get really het up about it. I witnessed a full-blown row between two mothers vying for the same space the first week it was enforced. They spent so long shouting at each other and the officials, we were all late for school! I usually tip Josh and Leigh out beforehand. They walk the last few hundred metres.’
‘That’s what Leigh told me after she’d rolled her eyes a hundred times and sighed in that irritating bored manner she’s recently adopted.’
‘But you didn’t do it?’
Natalie shook her head. ‘Nah. I’m a copper, aren’t I? Have to play by the rules. I waited until we got to the actual drop zone. Besides, I’m not going to be dictated to by a stroppy fourteen-year-old.’
David chuckled. ‘And you were never
stroppy, of course.’
‘Not at that age. I wouldn’t have said boo to a goose, let alone played up.’
He studied her for a moment, a smile playing across his lips. ‘My, how you’ve changed.’
She couldn’t help but return his smile. His good mood was infectious.
He put his glass down and spoke again. ‘There’s some takeaway left over if you fancy it.’
‘That’d be good. Not eaten since a sandwich at lunchtime. What did you save me?’
‘Your favourite – butter chicken and a naan.’
She smiled at his thoughtfulness. This could be the turning point they’d been waiting for. If David got more work, things could only get better.
He stood up. ‘I’ll reheat it for you.’
‘You don’t have to do that. You’ve had a long day too. You left at the crack of dawn.’
‘I’m not tired. Guess I’m still on a high.’
She listened to his soft whistling as he went about microwaving the curry and reflected on this turning point in their relationship. There had been sour moments and uncertainties ever since she’d discovered David had taken out a loan, but finally the niggling doubts were subsiding. With his focus on work again, David wouldn’t be tempted to gamble, and she had to admit, he was a good father. She sometimes took for granted everything he did. She polished off the last of her wine and poured another glass. Her job was stressful but coming back to a happy, safe family made it bearable.
David returned sometime later with a bowl of steaming food and the flat, white bread on a side plate. ‘Voila!’ He passed it to her and she breathed in the delicious aromas. She stabbed at an extra-succulent piece of chicken and popped it into her mouth, all the while making appreciative noises. David sat down again and turned his attention to the television. After a couple of mouthfuls, she said, ‘Mike says he hasn’t seen you for ages and you need to arrange a night out.’
‘True. I’ll give him a call and sort out—’ The gentle ring of the doorbell stopped him in his tracks. ‘Who’s that at this time of night?’
Natalie’s stomach sank. She had a fair idea who it might be and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard Murray’s voice. He shuffled into the lounge behind David.
‘Sorry, Natalie. I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t urgent,’ Murray said.
‘What is it?’
‘Harriet Long’s mother, Melissa, rang me during her break. She’d picked up my phone message and tried to get hold of her daughter but she wasn’t at home. Melissa’s boyfriend, Kyle, told her he thought Harriet was staying overnight with a friend – Emily Rowley – except that isn’t the case. Emily didn’t invite her to stay. Harriet’s phone goes straight to answerphone and Melissa doesn’t know where she is. She’s tried all the girl’s friends. Looks like Harriet’s disappeared.’
Natalie pushed her food to one side.
‘We’ll need to talk to Stu Oldfields again. If they are an item, she might be with him.’ She looked over at David. ‘Sorry about this.’
‘It’s okay. I’ll see you when you get in.’
Natalie raced out to the hall while Murray walked on ahead to the car. She yanked on her boots once more and turned to face David who’d followed her out. ‘It’s good news about your contract.’
‘Yeah.’ This time the smile didn’t reach his eyes but he held onto the door and watched as she and Murray pulled away from the kerb.
‘Sorry to drag you—’ Murray began.
‘No need to apologise. You were right to jump on this. What about Harriet’s mother? Is she at home?’
‘She was on her way there when she rang me. She’s called the Missing Persons team too.’
Natalie shook her head. ‘We’ll speak to her as soon as we’ve tried Stu.’
‘Odd, isn’t it? We want to talk to Harriet about Stu’s alibi and whoosh, she disappears.’
‘I know. It doesn’t bode well.’
The road, like a huge, black tongue, was swallowed up by Murray’s Jeep Renegade as it sped towards Watfield. They passed shadowy shapes, blurred images of bushes and trees, and onto unlit roads. Natalie sank deeper into thought. She had to act quickly. A missing girl was a concern. A missing girl who was tenuously linked to the murder investigation of another girl was an even bigger worry. Natalie didn’t believe in coincidences. There was some factor linking Harriet Long and Savannah Hopkins, and at the moment the one connection they were aware of was Stu Oldfields.
The entrance to Watfield was marked with a painted sign and a notice claiming it was twinned with a city in Germany that Natalie hadn’t heard of. Crossing a large roundabout in the direction of the city centre, they came upon a residential area with large detached houses set back from wide pavements planted with leafy trees. Gradually these gave way to denser settlements of smaller houses and finally opened out to a retail park. Natalie spotted a large sign for Tenby House and Garden Services, where Stu worked. The satnav indicated they had almost reached his house, and within minutes they were drawing up outside a bland, terraced house on Mulberry Close.
Murray accompanied Natalie to the door, and an external security light came on automatically as they approached the house. A flicker of blue light coming from curtains that weren’t quite pulled together alerted them to the fact somebody was upstairs watching television. Natalie rang the doorbell and waited. A scuffling sound preceded the sliding of a chain bolt and the door opened quietly. Stu looked out, a deep frown between his eyes.
‘Yes?’ he asked.
‘Hello, Stu. We’re here about Harriet Long.’
He glanced behind him and spoke in a whisper. ‘My mum’s in bed. I don’t want her to wake up.’
‘Can we come inside then?’
‘Not really. I don’t want her to suddenly come downstairs and find you.’
‘You don’t quite understand. I’m insisting we come in.’ Natalie pushed forwards and, surprised by her actions, Stu took a step backwards.
‘Okay, but please don’t wake my mother.’
Murray followed them both into the kitchen, where he pulled the door to after himself.
‘What do you want to know?’ Stu said.
‘Is Harriet here?’
‘No, why would she be here?’
‘She’s not at home and no one knows where she is. You’re seeing each other so I thought it logical she might be with you. Is she?’
He shook his head slowly. ‘No. I haven’t spoken to her since yesterday. She hasn’t been answering my messages. I assumed she was ghosting me.’
‘You thought she’d broken things off between you without telling you?’ Natalie asked.
‘Yeah… ghosting,’ he repeated.
‘Can you prove that?’
‘I can show you the messages I sent her but she didn’t text back. Normally she replies straight away.’
‘Would you fetch your phone so we can double-check that? In fact, I’d like DS Anderson to accompany you upstairs.’
‘He doesn’t need to come upstairs. Harriet isn’t here,’ Stu said.
‘If you have nothing to hide, then it shouldn’t be a problem.’
‘Nah. It’s late and my mum’s asleep. Don’t you need a warrant to search people’s homes?’ he asked, suddenly adopting a more aggressive response, with legs suddenly planted wide.
‘We’re not searching. DS Anderson would merely like to accompany you while you help us with our enquiries, so, do you mind?’ She kept her eyes trained on him and he caved under her steely gaze.
‘I guess not,’ he mumbled and led the way, Murray trailing behind.
A few minutes later they both returned and Stu held out his phone. Natalie glanced at the call log, flicked through the applications quickly and noted there was nothing from Harriet. The fact there weren’t any messages didn’t mean they hadn’t been deleted. She needed the technical team to examine the device. A floorboard creaked and Stu let out a sigh as the kitchen door opened quietly.
‘Stu, what’s going on?�
��
‘Nothing, Mum. The police wanted to ask me some more questions about Savannah.’
A woman in a deep-blue dressing gown that swamped her tiny frame glared at Natalie. ‘It’s gone midnight.’
‘I’m very sorry to interrupt you so late. Your son has been helping us with our investigation.’
‘You spoke to him earlier. Why are you back again at this time of the night? Can’t it wait until a more civilised time?’
‘Another teenage girl’s gone missing and we need to act quickly to find her.’
‘Oh, that’s terrible. Another girl. I’m sorry but I don’t see what it has to do with Stu.’
‘I knew her too, Mum.’ Stu rubbed a hand over his head, his eyes downcast.
‘Oh! How come? Was she a client’s daughter as well?’
Stu shook his head and threw Natalie a pleading look that she ignored. His mother had no idea of his involvement with Harriet, but he could explain that one himself. Natalie pocketed the phone.
‘I’ll have this returned as soon as possible,’ she said.
Stu’s shoulders slumped but he didn’t argue.
His mother stepped forwards. ‘Why have you taken his phone? Stu, what’s really going on?’ she asked, sharply.
Murray spoke up. ‘Your son is friends with the missing girl, Harriet Long. We’ve confiscated his mobile to check exchanges between them in case there’s anything that might give us a clue to her whereabouts. Have you ever met her, Mrs Oldfields?’
A deep frown line appeared on her forehead. ‘This is the first I’ve heard of her.’
‘She’s never been to this house?’ Natalie asked.
‘Not to my knowledge. Who is this girl you’ve been in contact with, Stu?’
Stu’s face had turned ghostly white. ‘A friend, that’s all, Mum.’ He faced Natalie again. ‘I swear I haven’t a clue where she is. Honest.’
‘If she turns up here, let us know immediately.’ Natalie threw a stern look at the young man before leaving.