by El Edwards
“You mean you think he’s …”
“Possibly. It’s too soon to tell. But we have one lead, which is why I’m here.”
I told her about the mystery transactions, explained how far I’d travelled to get this information today, even mentioned Toby’s beautiful wife and two dear children but no matter what I said, Annabel’s answer was the same. “I’m afraid we don’t have CCTV. Such a small town, we’ve never needed it.”
I was about to admit defeat when she said five words that filled my heart with hope. “Have you tried the council?”
Half an hour later I was sitting in another office in another part of town, crossing my fingers and hoping. A pilot CCTV system was in operation in some parts of Barnstaple. Low key and completely under the radar of most of the town’s population, the local council were secretly worried about an increase in anti-social behaviour, hence the CCTV. I smiled when the sincere looking man in front of me spoke. It was clear he loved the town and took any slights against its reputation very personally. He introduced himself as Steve, council employee for the last nineteen years, he told me proudly. I shook his hand and did my best to look suitably impressed. Pleasantries over with, I pulled the folder from my bag, took one of my cards out to give to him, and got ready with my best interrogation face on. I pressed the button to start the voice recorder on my phone and cleared my throat.
“So Steve, do you have any cameras in …” I looked down at my notes. “Queen Street. Near the bank?”
“Ah now that’s an interesting question. What you really need is Boutport Street but …”
I felt my eyes glazing over as he spoke. I didn’t care who was at which meeting when a decision was finally voted on. It didn’t matter to me that Mr whoever objected on whatever grounds. I just wanted a simple yes or no.
“Let me stop you there Steve. Do you have cameras on the junction between Queen Street and Boutport Street?”
“Yes.”
“That’s brilliant! Can I see it?”
I was so excited, I was amazed he couldn’t hear the blood rushing through my ears. They had CCTV. I could prove with actual concrete evidence that the person using the cash machine to make the withdrawal was Toby. If not Toby, at the very least I could prove that it wasn’t Abigail. That had to be grounds enough for Rob and his colleagues to put some weight behind my investigation. I was so caught up in congratulating myself on another job well done, it took me a moment to register Steve’s reply.
He shook his head solemnly. “No.”
Oh. “That’s disappointing Steve.” I showed him my card again. “Did I mention that there’s a wife at home in South Wales missing her husband? Would be lovely to see them reunited in time for Christmas, don’t you think?”
“I’m sure that would be quite delightful Ms Diamond, family is important, but the Protection of Freedoms Act exists for a reason. We are not beyond reproach.”
“I understand but …”
“No buts Ms Diamond.”
“And there are no exceptions to be made? Under any circumstances?” I crossed my fingers under the desk and gave him what I hoped was a winning smile.
He looked at the floor, at his watch, at the door, anywhere other than at me. The silence was deafening. “Well, there could be one exception. But I don’t think you’re going to like it.”
My stomach lurched. “Go on?”
SIXTEEN
I walked into my hotel room, dumped my bag and keycard onto the dressing table and threw myself onto the bed. This trip was definitely not working out the way it was meant to. Not only had I still not been able to access the CCTV footage from outside the bank, according to council jobsworth Steve my only hope now of doing so involved going back to Rob, cap in hand, asking for his help. Not only was it frustrating, it was downright bloody unfair! Just because he had an official badge, as if that made him any more trustworthy than me, it was a joke.
Logically I knew that the rules were only there to protect people, that anyone could print themselves a business card and set up shop as an investigator but logic didn’t come into it right now when those same rules were stopping me from doing my job. I was so wound up, I toyed with the idea of getting back in the van and driving all the way home. I wanted to see my daughters, I wanted to sleep in my own bed, and I definitely wanted to leave this dump of a town far behind me. If Toby really had come here he was crazy and maybe it was better if he stayed disappeared. Abigail was too nice a girl to be shackled with a crazy man for a husband. I’d be doing her a favour.
Slowly my racing pulse slowed to a gentle meander and I could feel myself relaxing. I replayed the events of the day over in my mind and thought about Abigail. There was still so much about her I didn’t know. She felt like an enigma. I wanted to pick her up and examine her from all sides under a microscope, to find out what really made her tick. Only then, I felt, would I have any hope of finding her missing husband. And I meant what I’d said to Steve, I really did want to reunite them in time for Christmas, if such a happy ending were still possible.
My phone rang. I looked at the screen, saw it was Rob, and immediately sent it to voicemail. If it was important he’d leave a message. A couple of minutes later my phone pinged with a text message. Rob, again. Answer the phone or I’m calling your mother. I couldn’t help but smile. I waited for the phone to ring again and this time I answered it.
“What are we, five?” I adopted a baby voice. “I’m telling mummy!”
“Well you wouldn’t answer the phone, again. And you said you’d phone me back. That was hours ago.”
“I’ve been busy Rob. Things to do, people to see.”
“Are you going to tell me what you’re doing in Barnstaple?”
As much as I didn’t want to ask him for help, I knew Rob could sidestep the rules in a way I’d never be able to, not unless I joined the job. I shook the thought away. Never going to happen.
“If I tell you, will you help me?”
“Depends what you’re doing. But if you don’t tell me, I definitely won’t be able to help you.”
“Abigail’s bank statements showed cash withdrawals from several weird locations. Places she’s never been to.”
“Let me guess. One of the was Barnstaple?”
I nodded and then remembered he couldn’t see me. “Yep.”
“So you drove all the way there, for what? To prove a point?”
“To get footage from CCTV, showing that it wasn’t Abigail at the cash machine.”
“What good would that have done?”
“If I can prove she didn’t take the money, it means he might have done. And then you can stop bleating about him being low risk and actually move your arse and do something helpful. Track his phone. Alert other divisions.” I stopped talking when I heard him laughing. “What’s so bloody funny?!?”
“I can’t believe you drove all the way to Devon to prove that a man who is allegedly missing isn’t actually missing at all.”
“That’s not what I said. If he took the money then …”
“If he withdrew the money, and by the sounds of things, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he did, then it only proves what I’ve been telling you all along. There’s no case here. Leave the guy alone. If he wants to stay missing, let him.”
“But what about his wife?”
“What about her?”
“She misses him. Worries about him. Wants him home with her and the kids.”
“Aren’t you the one who told me you didn’t believe in all her ‘happily ever after’ nonsense?”
“Yes but …”
“And didn’t you just tell me she couldn’t have travelled all the way there to withdraw the money?”
“Probably not but …”
“So do yourself a favour, go back to your client and tell her there’s no case. You’re a private investigator Charlie, not her bloody social worker. If she needs a shoulder to cry on because her husband’s too spineless to dump her properly that’s not your proble
m.”
“You’re impossible!” I could feel myself getting wound up again.
“I’m just being pragmatic. You know I’m right, you wouldn’t be reacting like this if you didn’t.”
I didn’t want him to be right, he couldn’t be, and if he’d actually met Abigail he’d know why I was determined to prove it. I’d had my doubts about her and I wasn’t ready to buy into her brand of happy ending but there was definitely something fishy about this whole case and I was ready to find out what. I took a deep breath to calm my voice before I spoke again.
“Thanks for your input Rob, always appreciated.”
“You’re going to completely ignore me and look for him anyway, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
“And when you prove me wrong you’re going to expect me to buy you dinner so you can rub my nose in it?”
“I was thinking lunch but sure, dinner sounds delightful. Bye Rob.”
I hung up, pulled Abigail’s file and a pen from my bag, and started making notes. I had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
SEVENTEEN
The following morning dawned bright and clear. It was the kind of day that would normally see me itching to get outside with Missy but she was nearly two hundred miles away and I’d woken with a pain in my neck from falling asleep sitting up. The bed was covered with the litter of late night note taking and I just had to hope I’d still be able to read my own handwriting the morning after the night before. My tummy rumbled and I knew the very first thing on the agenda would have to be breakfast but not before phoning home to check on the girls.
The phone rang five times before Grace finally answered. “Hello?”
“Hi Grace it’s me, mum. How are you doing?”
“Why’d you tell Sophie’s mum to check on us? We’re not kids!”
I sighed. We’d been over this before. “That’s not strictly true. You’re sixteen.”
“And old enough to look after ourselves. Even Louise thinks so. Don’t you?”
I heard noise in the background which I could only assume was Louise voicing her discontent.
“Never mind about that. I just wanted to see how you both are?”
“We’re fine. Missy’s fine. Everyone is fine.” I could tell from the tone of her voice that Grace was already tired of this conversation. “Do you want to speak to Lou?”
“Sure.” I listened as the phone was passed to her sister. “Hi Louise. How are you?”
“Hi Mum. Yeah, all good. When are you coming home?”
“Today. I just need to make a few enquires here but I should be back in time for dinner.”
We said our goodbyes with them promising to be good and me promising to take them out for food as a welcome home treat, then I got showered and dressed and ready to check out. Half an hour later I had my stuff safely stored in the van and I was back in the town centre. I might not have got the answer I wanted from the town’s CCTV but I’d decided last night that my trip didn’t have to be a complete waste of time. If Toby had used the cash point here, there had to be a reason for his visit and if he’d called into one of the local businesses, I was determined to find out about it.
My first stop was the library and as I walked into the red brick building I tried to imagine Toby here before me. I wandered around, looking for someone to introduce myself to and accidentally walked in on what appeared to be story time. The small group of children looked totally absorbed by the lady sitting in front of them while a collection of parents, mostly mums, sat behind them enjoying the peace and quiet.
“Can I help you?”
I turned and saw a smiley looking lady in a Christmas jumper looking at me. She spoke in hushed tones and seemed keen not to disrupt the storytelling session in progress.
“Hi. Yes. I hope so. Is there somewhere we can talk?”
When we were away from the children’s library she turned to me, smile still in place. “So how can I help?”
I took Toby’s photograph out of my bag. “I just wondered if you might have seen this man?” I pulled my card from my bag and handed it to her. “I’m Charlie Diamond, a private investigator. My client, this man’s wife, is very worried about him.”
“And you think he might have been in here? You don’t sound local.”
I smiled. “We think he might have visited Barnstaple in the last couple of weeks, made some cash withdrawals, so I’m speaking to as many local businesses as I can, just in case anyone remembers seeing him.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t recognise him at all. I can ask my colleagues if you like?”
“If you could that would be great. I’ll leave you my card and his photo. Give me a ring if you see him or if anyone remembers him.”
After thanking the lady for her time, I headed outside and followed the same routine in some of the smaller independent shops. When that too drew a blank I found my way to the shopping centre and started asking in some of the shops in there. With every shake of the head and negative reply I started to feel a little less hopeful. I couldn’t believe he’d have come all the way here only to use a cash machine but if he’d spoken to anyone, it was clear he’d been totally and completely forgettable.
I’d given myself a deadline of noon, I had to get back home in time for dinner, so at five past twelve I admitted defeat and started the journey back towards Wales. I’d not been on the road long when my tummy starting complaining again and I realised I’d forgotten all about breakfast. The golden glow of the yellow arches on the outskirts of the town drew me in like a beacon. I looked at the clock and made a quick calculation. Ten minutes for a bit of food wouldn’t make or break my schedule so I pulled in and ordered myself a Big Mac meal with a coffee.
“Eat in or takeaway?” The young lad behind the counter sounded bored.
I looked around the restaurant and saw a table with a half decent view. “Eat in please.”
When my food was ready I took it to the table I’d spied earlier and got myself settled. Fries in the lid of the Big Mac box and a little pot of tomato ketchup to dip and I was all set. As I ate I flicked through Abigail’s folder and settled on the picture of Toby. It had been taken on New Years Eve, Abigail had told me. He was wearing one of those ridiculous Christmas jumpers and was laughing into the camera.
“Awww, sweetheart of yours?”
I looked up to see a middle-aged woman peering over my shoulder as she cleaned a nearby table.
“Um, not exactly.”
“Complicated is it?”
I smiled. “Something like that.” I hesitated but then thought better of it. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen him around here have you?”
The woman roared with laughter. “So complicated you’ve only gone and lost him eh?” She looked at the photo. “Oh, that’s Jim.”
“Excuse me?”
She leaned in to look more closely. “Looks just like Jim. Worked here for a few weeks. Dunno what happened to him. Was nice but one day he didn’t come in. Not seen him since.”
My heart was thundering in my ears. I took a deep breath. “Any chance I could speak to the manager?”
“Sure. I’ll see if I can find him.” She started to walk away but then turned back to me. “Have I said something wrong?”
“No, not at all. You’ve been really helpful.”
I knew a forwarding address would be too much to hope for but this was the closest I’d come to a break all week and I wasn’t about to let it slip away.
EIGHTEEN
When the bored looking lad from behind the counter came and sat opposite me at the table I wanted to laugh. If he was the manager then I was on the fast train to crazy. The contents of my fruit bowl had more personality than this kid.
“Hi I’m Ryan. Beth said you wanted to speak to me.”
“You’re the manager?” I tried to keep the disbelief out of my voice.
“Duty manager, yep.” He pointed to his name badge with its five gold stars on the front.
I sho
wed him the photo of Toby. “Do you know this man?”
I watched him for a twitch of recognition but he looked at the photo for the briefest of seconds then looked away. “Nope, can’t say I do. Sorry.”
“Are you sure? Would you look again please?”
“What’s this about? Is he in some kind of trouble?”
“You don’t know him so I can’t tell you.” I took a bite of my burger and waited, the photo on the table between us, slowly counting to ten in my head. When I got to six he picked up the photo and looked at it again, studying it more intently this time.
“It’s Jim.” He sounded sad, disappointed.
Bingo! “Jim? Hmm, that’s interesting. How do you know him?”
“He was sleeping on my sofa. Got him a job here too. Look, what’s all this about?”
I gave him the short version of the story and waited to see if he could tell me any more. “Have you seen him recently?”
“No. Not for weeks. Got a bit of shit actually. When he didn’t turn up they blamed me.”
“Sorry to hear that. And he didn’t leave a forwarding address? Phone number?”
“Nothing. If I knew anything I’d tell you. I swear.”
I nodded. “It’s okay. I believe you. Can I take your name and contact details? And I’ll leave you my card. If he shows up again, ring me right away.” I pointed to my number on the card.
He wrote his address and mobile number in my notebook then went back to his position behind the counter. I watched him as I finished my burger and saw his eyes flick to me. I looked at the time on my phone. If I wanted to keep my promise to Louise I really needed to be heading home but I was torn. I’d come all this way. What I really wanted to do now was knock on a few doors around Ryan’s place, see if anyone remembered Toby. It seemed like madness to go home now when I was a little bit closer to finding him.
I checked for travel updates on my phone. The road was moving smoothly, if a little snarled in the usual places, and based on current conditions, I could expect to be home in a little over three hours. Dinner time was relatively flexible, I decided, so after finishing my food, I got in the van and headed back towards Barnstaple.