Stolen

by Rebecca Muddiman

  A phone rang behind her and she looked up at the same time as the pathologist. Gardner excused himself and stepped outside. She could see him through the little window, pacing as he talked. He was nodding and then suddenly he stopped. Abby wondered what he was being told. Whether Simon had admitted killing Paul or if they’d found Beth and Helen, or if it was nothing to do with her at all. Gardner held the phone against his shoulder and pulled a notebook from his pocket, to scribble something down. He caught Abby’s eye and she turned away, back to her dead ex-husband. The pathologist was watching her now, getting impatient.

  She gave Paul one last look and then said ‘Yes.’ The pathologist seemed surprised by her voice and dropped his pose. ‘It’s Paul,’ she said and the man nodded and covered him over.

  That’s the last time I’ll see him, she thought. She hadn’t seen him for a long time but it seemed strange that she couldn’t anymore. But more than anything it meant she would never know why he did it.

  Abby opened the door and stood behind Gardner.

  ‘Has he seen her today? She hasn’t checked out?’ Gardner said to whoever was on the other end of the phone. ‘Alright,’ he said eventually. ‘Thanks.’ He turned to Abby. ‘Are you alright?’ he asked.

  ‘Who was that?’ Abby said, ignoring him. He looked at the phone and notebook in his hand. ‘Was it about Helen?’

  Gardner guided her out of the way as a porter wheeled a trolley, covered with a dark blue tarp, into the morgue. ‘Yes, we may have a lead on Helen.’

  ‘Where is she?’ Abby asked.

  ‘Some old guy who runs a B&B in Whitby saw her picture on the news. He thinks she’s been staying there.’

  ‘And Beth? He’s seen her?’

  Gardner shook his head. ‘He claims she didn’t have a kid with her. I’m going to check it out anyway.’

  ‘I want to come with you,’ Abby said and Gardner started to argue. ‘Please. Please, I can’t just sit and wait.’

  Gardner sighed.

  ‘Please,’ she said again, her hand on his arm. ‘We’re closer to Whitby than home anyway.’

  ‘Fine,’ he said. ‘But you stay in the car.’

  Chapter Eighty-Nine

  As they drove along the winding roads towards Whitby, Abby listened to half of Gardner’s conversations, trying to work out what the other people were saying. He’d said things about coordinated efforts and investigations and yes, back up from the police in Whitby would be useful but, no, he couldn’t be sure Helen would be there, it was just a lead he was following up. He never mentioned the fact that Abby was sitting next to him in the car and every time he was asked about Abby or Simon, Gardner gave her a sideways glance and tried to talk about her without talking about her.

  Abby tried to ignore his voice and concentrate on what they were doing. She had been praying that Helen would be there and that this would be over. Having an end in sight was all that was keeping her sane. She couldn’t think about Simon and Paul and how long she’d been living this nightmare. She just wanted it to end. She stared at the road ahead, watching it disappear under the car. She counted the seconds between road signs or trees. She didn’t let her mind slip into other, darker areas.

  ‘Abby?’ Gardner said and she turned to him, realising he was no longer on the phone. He looked concerned and she wondered what had been said to him, what she’d missed when she zoned out. ‘Are you alright?’ he asked and she felt the dampness on her cheeks.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she said and wiped her face. ‘How long until we get there?’

  ‘Ten minutes, maybe,’ he said. ‘We’ve got all units looking for her car. A black Range Rover. That should be easy to spot in the country,’ he added and Abby tried to smile. ‘Several cars have been stopped in the area but none with the right registration. I doubt Helen would’ve changed plates but still...’ Abby could feel him watching her but she couldn’t respond. She wanted him to keep talking even if she wasn’t really listening to the words. At least then she didn’t have to listen to her own thoughts.

  Abby stared out of the window and noticed a sign for Whitby. The pain in her stomach worsened and she started wondering if she really wanted to be there. What if she came face to face with Helen Deal? She didn’t know if she could handle it.

  A black Range Rover pulled up alongside them at the lights and Abby thought her heart would stop. A kid in the back pressed his face into the window and Abby turned back to the road ahead.

  Gardner leaned forward, like he was looking at street names. They were getting close. He’d told her she’d have to stay in the car and she’d wanted to argue but now she didn’t think she’d be able to stand anyway. She would just sit and watch and wait for something to happen.

  Abby looked around her at the tall houses looking out over the harbour, surrounded by fish and chip shops and tacky souvenir stands.

  Gardner slowed the car outside a soft-brown brick house with a “Vacancies” sign in the window. Gardner pulled up in front. ‘Wait here,’ he said and Abby nodded. She watched him walk to the door, and then got out, following him inside. Gardner approached the desk. An old man came out and shook his hand.

  ‘Mr Carter?’ Gardner asked and the old man nodded, glancing at his warrant card. Gardner took out a picture of Helen and Beth and showed it to Carter. ‘She’s been here?’

  Carter took the picture, holding it close to his face. ‘Definitely her,’ he said. ‘She didn’t have a kid with her though.’

  ‘When did she check in?’

  Carter shuffled back behind the desk and turned the page of the guest book. His finger traced down the page, slowly. Abby wanted to shake him.

  ‘There,’ Carter said and pointed to a neatly written name. Catherine Portman.

  ‘Her mother’s name,’ Gardner said. ‘She hasn’t checked out yet?’ he asked Carter, who shook his head. ‘Can I see her room?’

  Carter found a key and trundled back round to Abby and Gardner. ‘This way,’ he said.

  Carter opened the door and Gardner stepped inside, holding his arm up to prevent Abby from following him. The bed was unmade. A few items of clothing were thrown on a chair. A toiletry bag sat on the windowsill. Gardner bent down, looking at something under the bed. He stood up. In his hand was a pink and white bag with a mouse on it.

  Abby sat in the lobby as Gardner made call after call. He wanted someone to come and take prints in the room. Another man had called with another alleged sighting of Helen in his B&B so he wanted every B&B and hotel in Whitby checking. He wanted someone at Helen’s mother’s house.

  Gardner hung up the phone and went to put it back into his pocket when he did a double take. Abby turned to follow his gaze and she saw it. A black Range Rover stopped outside.

  Chapter Ninety

  Abby ran after Gardner as he jumped into the car. She climbed in as he reversed, watching as Helen’s car sped off, swerving around parked cars. They followed her onto the main road; she was heading out of town. Gardner swerved in and out of traffic, trying to overtake Helen. Abby tried to see into the car, see if her daughter was in there.

  Gardner slammed his foot on the brakes. ‘Shit!’

  He ground to a halt an inch behind an SUV, which had backed out onto the road. He slammed his fist onto the horn and the SUV pulled back in, letting Gardner pass. The gap between them and Helen widened. ‘Fuck,’ he muttered and turned on his siren.

  They could see Helen’s car up ahead before it turned off, swerving violently around a corner, barely missing oncoming traffic.

  The Range Rover seemed too far away. The road was fairly narrow but otherwise empty as far as she could see. She held onto the door handle, her fingers white. Gardner put his foot down, the gap closing. For the first time Abby thought they might catch her. Maybe things would be okay.

  It didn’t seem real at first,
like something off the TV. Helen’s car seemed to drift sideways before tipping over onto its side, sliding across the road on its roof and rolling over, upright again, before stopping at the edge where the tarmac met the grass. Abby lurched forward as Gardner slammed the brakes. She could hear Gardner talking, asking if she was okay and then saying something about an ambulance and she was going to say she was fine and didn’t need it until she realised he was on the phone again and it was probably for Helen and it crossed her mind that they should just leave her there.

  And then she thought about Beth in the back of the car.

  Gardner tried to grab hold of Abby and stop her but she pulled away from him, running towards the car, calling Beth’s name. Gardner took her arm and pulled her back. He could see Helen slumped over in the front.

  ‘Abby, I need you to go back to the car,’ he said but Abby just stood there, staring at the car. ‘Abby,’ he shouted. ‘Go back.’ She finally looked at him and stepped back onto the road. She made no attempt to get into the car but at least she was out of the way. He took a deep breath and walked along to the driver’s side. He had no idea if Helen was alright. The car didn’t appear to have too much damage.

  He looked through the window to the backseat. He saw the vague shape of something but it was impossible to tell what it was. He realised that he was holding his breath as he stepped to the front of the car. He edged along so he could see Helen in the front and saw her eyes flicker open.

  Gardner and Helen looked at each other and then Helen’s mouth began to move. He couldn’t hear her from outside the car but it seemed like she was repeating something over and over.

  ‘Helen?’ he said, his voice raised enough for her to hear but hoping it wasn’t aggressive enough to spook her. ‘It’s DI Gardner. Do you remember me?’ She showed no sign that she had even heard him let alone recognised him. Gardner swallowed. ‘Can you move?’

  Helen’s mouth kept moving but her body stayed motionless. He wiped his hand across his mouth, noticing how dry it felt.

  ‘Helen?’ he tried again, his voice raspy. He stepped towards the door and her hands moved to the wheel. ‘I’m going to open the door, alright?’ Her eyes followed him to the door. He focused on her hands and pulled it open. The interior light blinked on. Gardner checked her lap and the passenger seat but couldn’t see a weapon of any kind. Helen looked at him. She was still speaking but he had to strain to hear her.

  ‘You can’t have her. You can’t take her away. You can’t have her...’ she said.

  Gardner looked to the back seat. A blanket was thrown across it. He looked back to Helen.

  ‘Who, Helen? Who can’t I have?’ Helen’s eyes flicked behind her. Gardner looked at the backseat again. ‘Do you mean Casey?’ he said. Helen’s voice cracked and her chant sped up. ‘Is she here, Helen?’ he asked. ‘Is Casey with you?’ He watched as Helen’s hands slid down the wheel. ‘Helen?’ he said. ‘I want you to keep your hands on the wheel.’ She stopped moving. ‘That’s right. Just keep them like that.’

  He shifted his weight to his other foot and tried to peer into the backseat. He needed to know where the girl was. It was possible she could be under the blanket but surely she would’ve moved by now unless she was seriously injured. He looked at the blanket but saw no movement. Whatever was under the there was completely still.

  Gardner turned his attention back to Helen. She was still sitting with her hands in front of her but she was no longer speaking. ‘Helen?’ he said. ‘I’d like you to come out of the car. I’d like to talk to you. Can you do that? Can you move?’

  Helen kept her eyes straight ahead. ‘You can’t have her...’ she started again.

  ‘Helen, please. I just want to talk. Just for a little while-’

  ‘You can’t have her. You can’t take her away.’

  ‘Helen,’ Gardner said and moved to the back door. ‘I’d really like you to come out and talk to me.’ He reached out to the handle and saw Helen shift in her seat. ‘But I can get in here if you’d prefer.’ He pulled the handle and heard the click as the door opened. Gardner paused, the door was barely open an inch. Helen stopped speaking. He eased it open another inch and she span around in her seat.

  ‘Leave us alone,’ she said.

  ‘Who?’ he said and pulled the door wider. Helen jumped from the car. Gardner slammed the back door shut and reached for Helen at the same moment as he saw the knife.

  He grabbed hold of Helen’s arm as she swung the knife towards him. He pushed her arm up and heard the clatter of the knife hitting the tarmac. Helen screamed and clawed at his face. He grabbed her other arm and turned her around, pushing her up against the car.

  ‘You can’t take her,’ Helen said, furious tears rolling down her face.

  Gardner pulled his cuffs out. ‘Helen Deal, I am arresting you on suspicion of the abduction of Beth Henshaw, and the conspiracy to rape and assault Abigail Henshaw. You don’t have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be taken down and given in evidence.’

  ‘No. You can’t. She’s my baby. She needs me.’

  Helen struggled against Gardner and fell to the ground. She brought her knees up to her chest and cried. Gardner bent down in front of her. ‘Do you understand?’

  Helen shook her head. ‘You can’t take her.’

  Gardner stood and went to the back door of the Range Rover. Helen screamed as Gardner opened it and grabbed the blanket, pulling it back. There was nothing there.

  Chapter Ninety-One

  Helen closed her eyes. So this was it? This was how it would end? Paul was right. She’d lost another child. Only she didn’t lose her. He’d taken her away. He’d forced her hand, he’d driven her to it. But even in taking his life she’d been too late. Even as she’d felt the blade going in, the warm caress of his blood on her hands, she knew it was too late. They were going to take her away. She tried to stop it, tried to get away. But in the end she knew what would happen. They’d find her. She knew what she had to do.

  You can’t take her. I’m her mother.

  Helen slumped on the floor by the car, still muttering to herself, seemingly oblivious to Gardner’s presence. Gardner leant against the door frame and took a breath. He’d been sure Beth was there, in the car. He was sure he’d found her. He checked the rest of the car while Helen sat there staring into space. But he found nothing. Abby stood there, watching. She took a couple of steps towards Gardner and then stopped again, looking from him to Helen and back again.

  ‘She’s not here,’ he said to Abby and then turned back to Helen. He needed her to tell him where Beth was, what had happened to her. He’d seen what she was capable of and he was beginning to get that feeling he’d had five years ago. That Beth Henshaw was no longer alive. He felt that this was nearly over, that this was the end. He really wished Abby wasn’t there. ‘Where is she, Helen?’

  Helen stared through him and continued muttering under her breath. Gardner crouched down in front of her and took hold of her chin, pulling her face up, forcing her to look at him. ‘Where is she?’ he said.

  Helen stopped and stared into his eyes. A smile spread across her face. ‘I’ll never tell,’ she said and started laughing. ‘I’ll never tell.’ She pulled away from him and turned towards the car, blood trickling down her forehead. Gardner grabbed her again and turned her around, slamming her against the car.

  ‘Tell me where she is!’ he said.

  She started laughing louder and tears rolled down her face. ‘You’ll never find her.’

  Gardner let go of her. Helen kept laughing and he stepped back. He wanted to hurt her. He wanted to hurt her until she told him what he wanted to know. He walked away and took a deep breath. Abby was standing there, frozen. When he turned around Helen had stopped laughing and wa
s staring at him.

  ‘You don’t have children, I can tell,’ she said and smiled at him. Gardner started walking back to her, his fists clenched when he felt Abby’s hand on his arm. She walked past him and stopped.

  ‘She won’t tell us anything,’ Gardner said.

  Abby bent down and smacked Helen across the face with the back of her hand and Gardner flinched.

  ‘Where is she?’ Abby asked. Helen didn’t blink, just stared out across the road, blood trickling down her nose now. Abby took Helen’s face in her hands. ‘Look at me,’ Abby said. Helen kept her eyes on the road. Abby shook her but she still refused to meet her eye. ‘Do you think you’re helping her?’ she said. ‘You think she’s happy wherever she is, on her own?’ She paused, waiting for some reaction, but got none. ‘What happens when you’re locked up and she’s left alone? Then what? What kind of mother would do that?’ Helen finally turned her eyes to Abby. ‘You have to tell us where she is. You’re hurting her. Where’s Beth?’ she asked.

  ‘Who?’ Helen asked.

  Abby swallowed and bit her lip. ‘Casey,’ Abby tried. ‘Where’s Casey?’ She watched as Helen’s face changed from confusion to a strange sort of serenity and then to anger.

  ‘What do you want with her? Why won’t you leave us alone?’ Helen said.

  ‘I just want to know she’s okay.’

  ‘She’s my daughter!’ Helen shouted.

  Abby flinched and moved back, glancing at Gardner. Her hand curled into a fist. ‘I know,’ she said.