“Of course I do, but I don’t know where Alexis is. I was hoping you’d be able to tell me.”
“Who are you and what are you doing with her phone.”
“I’ve come by her mobile and I’m trying to get it back to her.”
“Come by… how.”
“I’m not sure.”
“You’ve knicked it?”
“No, I haven't.”
“Found it then.”
“Sort of. So you don’t know where she is.”
“No and if I did, I’d…”
“Sorry to trouble you,” Beth said, and hung up. “One down, two to go. Simon might be complicated, so next is friend Veronica.”
Scrolling down, she highlighted Veronica’s name and pressed ‘call’. It immediately went through to her answerphone.
“Hi. My name is… erm, I’ve got Alexis’ phone and I’m trying to find out… I’m trying to get it back to her. Can you give me a ring on my mobile number. Alexis’ is… I haven’t got it at the moment but… I know where it is but… oh, will you just ring me.” Beth relayed her number and hung up. She’d expected to speak to Veronica so had more of a speech ready. She’d be more prepared when she rang back, and hoped that it would be before she had to go to work.
Next she rang Simon on the ‘Home’ number. It also went to answerphone. She left a more coherent message and again, asked him to call her on her mobile. She wondered why she was going to so much bother for a missing mobile, especially if it was going to land Nate in trouble but it seemed to be far more complicated than she’d expected and she was more than happy to dabble in a little excitement for a while.
She leaned back against the sink and tapped her right foot on the lino. She wasn’t sure what to do next other than clean the kitchen and she wasn’t in the mood for that. She switched on the kettle for another cuppa and was just getting the milk from the fridge when her mobile went.
“Hello?”
“It’s Veronica. You rang about Alexis.”
“Oh, yes. Thanks for calling back.”
“Sure. You say you have her mobile…”
“Well, yes.”
“And you got it from her?”
“Not exactly.”
“How then… exactly?”
“I came by it.” Beth then winced as she’d used the same phrase with Daniel and remembered his reaction.
“You found it?”
Beth couldn’t, didn’t want to, explain. “Er, yes.”
“So why are you ringing me?”
“I thought you might be able to tell me where she is. Jessica’s brother’s been ringing.”
“Simon?”
“You know him?”
“Only since this morning. I spoke to him briefly. Where did you find the phone?”
“In the street,” Beth lied.
Veronica laughed. “No, I didn’t mean specifically.”
Beth paused, not an expert at trying to make things up as she went along. “Camden. Can you get a message to her?”
“Alexis? I would if I could.”
“You don’t know where she is either?”
“No. It appears we’re all after her.”
“Do you know why Simon is?”
“I don’t know. I guess it’s to do with Jessica’s death.”
“Jessica’s dead?”
“Yes. Simon didn’t tell you?”
“No, but then with conversation with him was also brief. I tried to ring him again but got his answerphone. I’m glad I spoke to you first.”
“So what do we do next?”
“I don’t know, Veronica. You see I’m just looking to get her phone back to her but Simon seemed worried and you…”
“It’s not like her, but then her actions haven’t been normal recently.”
There was an uncomfortable silence, which Beth finally broke. “Thanks, Veronica. I’ll ring you if I hear from her. You know, if she calls her phone. Should I ring the others on her address book?”
“Who else is there?
“Daniel…”
“Shit! You haven’t rung him!”
“I have, and he thought I was Alexis and…”
“And I bet he wasn’t pleased to hear from you.”
“Yeah, you could say that. He said he didn’t know...”
“No, he doesn’t have a clue. Keen to find her as we are. And the other names?”
“Three: her home line, Cherry and Sindy. I was going to ring–”
“No need,” Veronica interrupted, “I’ve already rung them. They’re… colleagues.”
“That’s strange.”
“Why?”
“Because that means that there are no friends listed on the mobile.”
“So it’s a work phone then.”
“Maybe, but you’d have friends on it too though, wouldn’t you?”
“I guess so.”
“Thanks again, Veronica.”
“OK,” Veronica said and hung up.
###
Chapter 25: Beth and the Neighbours
Beth looked at her watch. She had an hour and a half until she had to leave for work. Time enough for a shower, quick lunch and some advice.
Grabbing her keys, she headed out the front door and took a left at the gate. She knocked on her neighbour’s door.
“Hi, Emily.”
“Hello, Beth. How are you?”
“OK, thank you. Is…?”
“Have you told him about the baby?”
“Last night.”
“How did it go?”
“Surprisingly well.”
“Let’s not talk on the doorstep. Come in.”
“I have to go to work in an hour. It was actually Frank I wanted to speak to.”
“Oh, dear. What’s he done?”
“Nothing. I’d like to pick his brain.”
“Goodness. He’ll be chuffed. I think he’s in the shed. Please, come in.”
“Thanks.”
Beth followed Emily through to the back of the house and across a path dividing the neatly manicured lawn. She then noticed the gardening implements in the older lady’s hands.
“Have I interrupted you? I’m sorry.”
Emily looked down at the trowel and fork. “I was going to break for lunch anyway. Bit too cold to do any more. Just the basics; weeding and so on.”
“Rather you than me. I don’t touch the garden once the ground gets too hard. There’s always too much to do indoors.”
“You wait until you retire. There seems to be more than ever to do.”
“Can’t wait.” Beth said with a smile.
The women reached the shed and Emily tapped on the plastic window. Frank looked up from his bench and nodded. Emily opened the door and smiled at Beth.
“Thanks, Emily.”
The shed was an Aladdin’s cave. Packed with tools, pieces of wood and camping equipment, Beth looked at the bench. Frank, working on something intricate, was wearing a magnifying glass on an elastic strap around his forehead.
Beth burst out laughing at the Mr Magoo figure in front of her. Frank took off the strap.
“I’m sorry, Frank.” Beth said, stifling another laugh.
“It’s fine, Beth.” Emily butted in. “I think it’s hilarious.” She turned to her husband. “Frank dear, Beth wants to pick your brain. So doesn’t have long, which is just as well.” She winked at Beth then returned to the lawn.
Frank patted the seat of a chair next to his.
Beth smiled and sat down. “You’ve got quite a collection here, Frank.”
“Impressive, isn’t it?”
“Makes my house look truly minimalistic.”
“Thankfully it’s not all mine.”
“Oh?”
“Emily’s son, Andrew, asked me to store some bits and pieces when he moved house and it’s still here, despite him living three miles up the road!”
“He moved recently?”
Frank laughed. “Not exactly; five years ago.”
&n
bsp; “Oh. He’s like my brother then with his stuff at my mum’s house, except he only left it about six months ago. I still suggested she should car boot it. If he’s not used it for six months then he doesn’t need it, does he?”
“That’s what I keep saying to Em’ but she says that it’s his stuff and we can’t sell it. Of course, having been in our possession for so long, it’s legally ours but…”
“Sorry, Frank, to interrupt… it’s actually your technical expertise that I want to ask you about.”
“OK. I’ll try.”
“Nate bought a mobile phone from the market and has had a few phone calls on it. I’ve spoken to the people who rang and there seems to be something odd about the whole thing.”
“Odd? How?”
“It seems to have belonged to a woman called Alexis. A colleague of hers has rung a number of times, as has a friend’s brother.”
“And you’re thinking that it’s stolen?”
Beth noticed a certain look in Frank’s eyes. She knew she had to tread carefully. “Oh, I don’t think so, as he said it was from the market, but there’s something quite urgent about these people trying to get hold of this woman Alexis.”
“In their tone or what they say?”
“The friend’s brother, Simon, rang first.”
“Looking for Alexis.”
“Yes. But then I dug deeper and found messages from a woman called Veronica, also looking for her.”
“Has either of them called the police?”
“I don’t know. I don’t… think so. I didn’t think to ask. Another odd thing. The mobile only has five contact numbers stored in it.”
“Maybe it’s new and she’s only got around to…”
“That’s what I thought, only it doesn’t look particularly new to me.”
“Have you got it with you?”
“No. I had to put it back in Nate’s pocket in case he came home while I was here. He doesn’t know that I’ve been looking through it. He’d do his nut.”
“Doesn’t he trust you?”
“Usually, but I quizzed him about it the night before when Simon rang on it and he said he’d bought it fair and square so I had to let it go.”
“If it’s not new, maybe it’s a work phone?”
“That’s the conclusion I came to. Veronica said she and two other people on the list were colleagues.”
“And you think she’s gone AWOL from work?”
“Yes. And another name in the book has also been trying to find Alexis. A guy called Daniel who seems far from pleased. Veronica knows him but wouldn’t say the connection. I thought a boyfriend but I got the impression he wasn’t.”
“Good detective work, Beth,” Frank said with a genuine smile. “But what makes you think that something’s not quite right?”
“For Alexis to have gone missing and her friend’s brother to ask if I know his sister. It just felt odd.”
“I see. Maybe she’s gone on a last minute holiday and not told anyone. What did the guy’s sister have to say?”
“She died recently.”
“Alexis?”
“No, his sister, Jessica.”
“And that’s why Simon’s trying to find Alexis, so he can tell her?”
“I suppose so.”
“But he seemed concerned he couldn’t reach her.”
“That does make sense. He would want her to know. But Alexis’ colleague didn’t know where she was either.”
“Have you asked Nate?”
“I didn’t see the point. If he bought it from the market he wouldn’t know its history.”
“If? You don’t believe him.”
“Oh, I do. It’s just… I didn’t see how he could help.”
“I’m not sure how I can either.”
“An expert ear. You must have dealt with missing persons.”
“Of course. I’m happy to be a sounding board but…”
Beth looked at her watch. “I’m sorry. I have to go to get ready for work. Can I pop in tomorrow?”
“Of course, any time. It’s always lovely to see you. Oh, and congratulations. Emily told me.”
Beth blushed. “Thank you.”
“When are you due?”
“Mid-September.”
“Lovely time of year. Andy was a September baby. It was an Indian summer that year, Em’ tells me. He’s her son. We met… Anyway, yes, so warm, she said. After the terrible summers we’ve been having recently, it may well be again.”
“I’m not sure that I’d want it that warm when I’m built like a hippopotamus.”
Frank laughed. “It’s not that bad. Em’ only did it the once but she sailed through it, despite the heat.”
“I’ll have to pick her brain next time I get to chat to her.”
Frank laughed. “She’d love that. With the absence of grand kiddies, it’ll give her a new lease of life.”
“So Andy doesn’t want children?”
Frank shook his head. “I think it’s unlikely, although there are ways and means these days. And of course he needs to find someone to have children with first.”
Beth smiled. “Thanks again, Frank. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sure. We’ll have a cuppa and a good chat. I’ll have a think in the meantime and see what I can come up with.”
“I’ve not given you much to go on.”
“You’d be surprised. We’d have the tiniest shred of evidence and build a whole case around it.”
“And you solve them?”
“Sometimes, Beth. Yes, sometimes.”
###
Chapter 26: Simon and Marion
The kettle boiled and Simon made the teas.
He and his mum sat at her kitchen table looking at the box, which Marion had refilled with Jessica’s things, all except for the purse, which Marion held in her left hand.
“Simon, have you phoned the credit card companies to cancel her cards?”
“I have, yes. Jess’ study is scarily organised. She’s got files for just about everyone so it was easy.”
“That’s so typical; her whole life so structured, everything in its place.”
Simon thought about the piles of paperwork stuffed into the drawers in his dining room. “Doesn’t take after me, that’s for sure.”
Marion stared into the hall. “I keep expecting her to walk through the door. Simon?”
“Yes, Mum.”
Marion pulled a photograph from the purse and laid both on the table. “Do you know any of the people?”
Simon shrugged. “Colleagues? Friends? Both? One of her colleagues, Daph, left a message on her landline on Monday. I spoke to her Tuesday afternoon by which time she’d heard the news. Sounded in bits.”
The mood in the room remained sombre until Simon was distracted by Buttons brushing his feet. “Hello, chap.”
Buttons purred then meowed.
Marion smiled weakly.
Simon nodded. He couldn’t believe what had happened in the past seventy-two hours and was amazed at how composed his mum was. He wondered when the wall was going to come down, when it was going to sink in that her daughter had gone.
And to him that he no longer had a sister.
###
Chapter 27: Simon and Marion
Bringing the teas to the table, Simon spoke. “There’s something I haven’t told you, about something I found at Jessica’s house.”
“Oh?” Marion looked at the serious expression on his face. “Should I be worried?”
“No. A few things aren’t adding up.”
“Like what?”
“Three thousand pounds in a lounge drawer.”
Marion mouthed a ‘w’. “Three thousand pounds? What was she doing with that kind of money?”
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe she was planning a holiday.”
“She didn’t say anything.”
“You know what she’s like; going away on a whim. Though hopefully not for a year like when she went to Austral
ia with whatever his name was. What other explanation can you think of?”
“Shaun. That’s not the only thing. Did you know she’d paid her mortgage off?”
“What? On her secretary’s wages? She can’t have done.”
“That’s what I thought but I found two bank accounts; a standard one with normal incomings and outgoings, like wages and bills, which was ticking over, but the other one had loads of money in it.”
“How much?”
“Twenty-seven thousand.”
Marion laughed. “Had she won the lottery or something?”
“She would have told us, we’re family. Besides it couldn’t be anything like that because there were steady lump sums paid in, little going out.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know. I’ve been struggling to figure it out. The account was in her name and a woman called Alexis Starr.”
“Alexis Starr? Who’s that?”
“Not sure. I’ve spoken to Alexis’ boss but she wasn’t very helpful.”
“Why not?”
“It appears that Alexis has gone missing.”
“And Jessica never mentioned any of this to you?”
“No, nothing.”
“Then what’s the next step? What happens if you can’t find Alexis? Can you close the account without her?”
“I’d not thought that far ahead but I doubt it. If it takes two people to open it, it would probably need her approval to close it. Besides, some of the money’s bound to be hers.”
“Have you told the police any of this?”
“Why?”
“If someone’s missing and there’s all this money involved.”
“Oh, Mum. I don’t think it’s a police matter. She’s probably just away. I don’t think it’s anything dubious.”
“Thirty thousand pounds in just a few years. It doesn’t sound right, unless this Alexis was a high-flying executive and most of it’s hers.”
“The bank manager didn’t seem to think there was anything to worry about.”
“Could this Alexis be away on business?”
“Her boss said she wasn’t.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t.”
Simon looked at his mother across the kitchen table. “I’ve got to make the call, you know.”
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