by Wyer, Carol
‘You can’t think that way so don’t punish yourself. Go home, be with your family. Wait it out.’
She gave him one last look then left the sanctuary of his car and headed inside. David and his father were sat at the kitchen table.
Eric threw her a wan smile. ‘I’ll get off. Call me if you hear anything.’
‘You don’t have to go, Eric…’ Natalie began.
‘It’s best if I do. You need time together and some rest.’ He lifted his hand in farewell.
David looked at her through red-rimmed eyes. ‘I have to talk to you about this mess I’ve created.’
‘I can’t do this now, David.’
‘Please. Please, Natalie. It’s all bottled up inside me and if I don’t explain I feel like my head will explode.’
Mike’s words swam in her head. She sat down opposite him. He rubbed a hand over his face again and she noticed how old he suddenly looked. Lines had appeared on his forehead and around his eyes that hinted at the David he would become. Her grabbed her hands and held them between his own sweaty palms and she listened.
‘I swear this will never happen again. I have to clarify why I was at the bookies yesterday afternoon.’
She studied his face as he fought to find the right words to justify his gambling. He wet his lips and began. ‘I’ve not been able to get any translation work recently. I’ve only had one contract since March.’
‘But what about the big—’
He shook his head and spoke over her. ‘There was no big contract. There was no conference. I went to meetings at a couple of agencies in Birmingham on Monday purely to try and get some work, but it’s tough, and with all the translation software programs available, people like me are finding it harder. They had nothing for me. I came home disillusioned. I didn’t know what else to do. I went to the pub and then the bookies, placed a small bet and it came up trumps. I won five hundred quid, and all of a sudden, I felt like the king of the world. I felt so alive. It was like a wonder drug. I got carried away and wanted to share this good fortune but I couldn’t tell you the truth, so I came up with total bullshit that I was going to earn a packet on some new translation. Shit! I don’t even know what made me say that – maybe it was simply because I wanted to see the look of pride you used to have for me in your eyes again.’
She didn’t interrupt, mindful only of Mike’s suggestion that David was ill. He certainly had an illness – gambling, an addiction that wouldn’t leave his body.
‘The following day, I put all the remaining money I’d won on more races thinking, no… believing, I could get the couple of grand I told you about and pass it off as my translation fee, but I lost. I lost it all. I was out of pocket and even that didn’t stop me. I was desperate to win money that you’d believe had come from my work so I visited Dad and told him I needed to borrow some cash for a surprise gift for you. I didn’t help him with any washing machine on Wednesday night. I went to scrounge betting money from him. You’d know if I took anything from our account so I needed to get it from elsewhere, and after the loan debacle I couldn’t try that option.’
‘You utter idiot.’ Her words were soft but accompanied by the further hardening of her heart. Poor Eric had fallen victim to his compulsion too – dear, faithful Eric who had never let either of them down.
‘I know how awful that was. Believe me, I feel dreadful about it. I took five hundred quid from him. I told myself I shouldn’t do it but there were some really good runners on Thursday so I went to the bookmakers while the children were out. I had a couple of small wins on the first two races and was convinced luck was on my side so I placed a large bet on the third race and lost. I couldn’t give up, Nat. I’d lost most of Dad’s money but I was sure I knew which horse to back for the last race of the day. It was a dead cert and I stayed to watch the race, just to be certain I’d clawed back what I’d lost, but it didn’t win. I was in the betting shop watching horse races, desperately hoping I’d come away a winner. That’s why I didn’t have my phone switched on or know that Leigh hadn’t gone to Zoe’s house. And now you know what a horrible, shallow person I am. I’m so ashamed of myself but I promise you, Natalie. This time I shall stop. I’ll get a job doing something, anything, but I’ll never gamble again.’
‘Did you tell Eric about the horse racing?’
He nodded and his hands clung to hers more tightly still. ‘If I’d been here, Natalie, I’d have known about Leigh. I’d have gone searching for her. If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in thoughts of winning money, I might have even noticed she was unhappy. I’ve been the worst sort of father to her… and husband to you.’
Her thoughts stuck together like damp cotton wool balls. David had been weak-willed. He’d wanted self-esteem and to bring them closer again, as they once had been. Instead, he’d only caused a bigger rift. She could never trust him again. They’d limped along since the first time he’d gambled and lost all their money. They’d managed to overcome that hurdle and had been on the path to recovery, but if David had to find a solution in gambling every time he had a moment of self-doubt, they’d never recover from this. As it was, with Leigh missing, it was unlikely they’d manage a future together.
‘You shouldn’t have lied to me, David. If you’d told me you were gambling or that you had no work, I could have coped with it. If you’d become unemployed and just stayed at home with our children, I’d have held you in as much esteem as I did when you worked for the law firm. What you earn isn’t important. What I can’t cope with is being lied to, and you knew that. You knew how I’d react but you did it all the same. You knew, after what Frances did, I’d never be able to forgive you if you lied to me, but you still did it.’ Every ounce of energy drained from her body.
‘Natalie, if Leigh comes back, please forgive me. Please try. For her sake.’
She couldn’t answer. Leigh had been gone twenty-nine hours and there was every chance Mitchell Cox had killed her and dumped her body.
‘I don’t know if I can.’ She pulled her hands away and went to the sink. She ran the cold water tap and filled a glass. Mike had told her she should try. She’d been trying to hold the family together ever since the first time David had let them all down. How much more could she take?
‘I’m going to watch television,’ she said.
‘I’ll come with you.’
‘No. Stay here. I need time alone. Where’s Josh?’
‘In his room. He didn’t go to school. He’s been online asking Leigh’s friends if they have any idea where she might be.’
She headed up to see her son, who was sitting on his bed, arms wrapped around his knees. He looked up hopefully.
‘No news yet,’ she said and sat on the edge of his bed. ‘Dad said you’ve been helping to find her.’
‘No one knows where she is. I tried all her friends and mine too. She’s vanished.’
‘Somebody knows where she is, Josh. It’s almost impossible to stay hidden in this country. We’ll track her down.’
‘Did you find the other girl – Katy?’ His lip trembled and Natalie’s heart went out to him. Her big, grown-up, sixteen-year-old son was as frightened for his sister’s well-being as they all were.
‘We were too late,’ said Natalie. ‘But we caught the killer.’
‘Did he admit to having taken Leigh too?’
‘No.’
‘You think he took her, don’t you?’
‘In all honesty, I don’t know what to think.’
He pulled his knees in closer. ‘If she comes back, I’m never going to tease her again.’
‘She didn’t run away because you teased her, Josh. Please don’t think that for one second.’
‘Then why did she go?’
‘Probably because your dad and I have been fighting a lot lately. You must have noticed.’
He shook his head. ‘Not really.’
‘Well, Leigh noticed. I’m going to watch television. Do you want to join me?’
‘I’d rather stay up here. I don’t f
eel like doing anything.’
‘If you change your mind, come down. And don’t blame yourself. Okay?’
He gave a brief nod and she kissed his forehead. She noticed his cheeks were stained with dry tears. He missed Leigh too.
* * *
Lucy was glued to the image on the screen. Bethany had downloaded the scan and Lucy couldn’t tear her eyes away from the small form lying on its back. It had the tiniest hands and feet and it actually looked like a baby. She took Bethany’s hand and squeezed it.
‘She’s beautiful,’ she said.
‘What makes you think it’s a girl?’ asked Bethany.
‘I just know she is.’
‘We’ll both have to wait and see.’
Lucy lifted up a hand and touched the screen. She was looking at her future daughter and she hoped with all her heart she could keep her safe. It was a big ask. Natalie was a great mother, and her daughter had gone missing. None of them knew what the future held for their children. All they could do was be there for them and hope they navigated the dangers and terrors that were out there.
Lucy would do her utmost to bring her child up so she could stand on her own two feet and be aware of all the pitfalls life had to offer, and she’d pour every ounce of love she had into the child. She stroked the baby’s cheek, the screen cool to her fingers, and whispered, ‘Hi, Spud. I’m your other mummy.’
* * *
Natalie’s eyelids were heavy but she didn’t move. She wasn’t even sure what she was watching. It was just sound and movement, anything to stop her thinking too hard or feeling too deeply. David sat in the other chair. She’d given in and let him sit with her in the same room although they hadn’t spoken since. He’d dozed off, exhausted by the events of the last few days, and she was glad. She couldn’t bear looking at his guilt-ridden face.
Some gaily coloured birds flew across the television screen and a gazelle bounced behind them. She had no energy to turn the set off. Had Mitchell taken her daughter? Where would he have left her? Natalie’s body gradually shut down, little by little, worn by fatigue. She was beginning to sink into oblivion when the doorbell sounded, jolting her awake.
David jumped from the chair then froze. ‘What if…?’
She pushed herself up. ‘I’ll go.’
‘We’ll go together,’ he said.
Josh had heard the bell too and was already at the bottom of the stairs, his face ashen. Natalie made out the distorted head and shoulders of Graham Kilburn through the glass of the front door and drew a breath.
She opened the door but her eyes weren’t drawn to his sombre face. They fell onto the lowered head of the person standing next to him. ‘Thank goodness. Oh, Leigh! Leigh!’
She pulled the girl into her arms and held onto her, shaking with relief. She bent to kiss her head and whispered, ‘You okay?’
The girl nodded dumbly.
Natalie caught David’s eye and beckoned him to join them. He moved swiftly, wrapping his arms around them both and holding them tightly.
‘It’s going to be fine,’ he said, tears trickling down his face.
They pulled away from Leigh and Natalie wrapped an arm around the girl’s shoulders as she walked into the house.
‘Hey! Welcome home. Missed you,’ said Josh, looking awkward.
Leigh gave him a smile. ‘Missed you too.’
‘Come on. Come in and I’ll make you your favourite, a banana milkshake. How about that?’ said David.
The girl edged forwards.
Natalie looked at Graham, who spoke. ‘She walked to a village outside Samford called Loxley. She was making her way back home when we picked her up. She’d walked a fair way – almost eleven miles.’
‘Where did you stay, sweetie? Where did you spend the night?’
‘A church.’
‘A church?’ Natalie repeated.
‘I wanted to pray that you and Dad would stop arguing,’ she said quietly.
Natalie blinked back tears of her own. Leigh had run away on their account. Mike had advised her to pull together with David. He had regrets for not trying harder with his own marriage, and now he only got to see his daughter on odd weekends. Nothing was more important to her than her family. For the time being, Natalie had to put those she loved first. She pulled her daughter closer to her, felt the girl’s bony shoulder against her ribcage and was reminded of the day she’d first held her precious child in her arms.
‘Your prayer worked. We’ve stopped arguing,’ she replied.
David stepped forwards and enveloped them both in an embrace, grazing Natalie’s cheeks with his stubble. They remained motionless for a moment before breaking away.
Leigh looked from one parent to the other. ‘So, everything’s okay again?’ she asked.
‘Everything’s good,’ said David.
Natalie swallowed hard and managed a smile. She owed it to her children to forgive David – they were the most important thing in her life. But she wasn’t sure she could. Not this time.
* * *
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Books by Carol Wyer
The DI Natalie Ward series:
The Birthday
Last Lullaby
The Dare
The DI Robyn Carter series:
Little Girl Lost
Secrets of the Dead
The Missing Girls
The Silent Children
The Chosen Ones
Other titles:
Life Swap
Take a Chance on Me
Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines
Surfing in Stilettos
Just Add Spice
Grumpy Old Menopause
How Not to Murder Your Grumpy
Grumpies On Board
Love Hurts
Available in audio:
The DI Natalie Ward series:
The Birthday (UK listeners | US listeners)
Last Lullaby (UK listeners | US listeners)
The DI Robyn Carter series:
Little Girl Lost (UK listeners | US listeners)
Secrets of the Dead (UK listeners | US listeners)
The Missing Girls (UK listeners | US listeners)
The Silent Children (UK listeners | US listeners)
The Chosen Ones (UK listeners | US listeners)
A Letter from Carol
Hello, dear reader,
Thank you for buying and reading The Dare. I truly hope you enjoyed it.
If you’d like to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
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This is the third book in the DI Natalie Ward series and actually the twentieth book I’ve written, so it holds a special place in my heart – a landmark, if you like.
The idea for the book came about after reading several disturbing reports regarding teenagers’ obsessions with social media dares. Like many parents, I worry that our children are not policed or protected online, and that as vigilant a parent might be, there is always a chance they don’t know what their offspring is actually up to when they’re using their smartphones or computers.
Teenagers can be very secretive and aloof, and I drew on my own experiences as a parent for some of the scenes in the book.
If you enjoyed reading The Dare, please would you take a few minutes to write a review, no matter how short it is? I would really be most grateful. Your recommendations are very important.
I love hearing from my readers – you can get in touch on my Facebook page, through Twitter or my website.
I hope you’ll join Natalie and her team again later this year.
Thank you,
Carol
www.carolwyer.co.uk
The Birthday
Detective Natalie Ward Book 1
One hot summer’s afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home…
When five-year-old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a local garden centre, the police are bewildered by the lack of leads. That is until two years later, when Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party…
Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.
Natalie soon discovers that Ava’s mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she’s sure Ava’s father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she’s not telling Natalie…
Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn’t come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?
Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will send shivers down your spine. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.