by El Edwards
“My pleasure. Did you break your phone?”
“Not exactly. It was stolen yesterday.”
“That’s awful! Have you reported it to the police?”
“I know who did it. I just need to catch him.”
“How about your mobile phone provider? My friend Lorraine got stung with a huge bill because she didn’t report her phone as stolen.”
“Ouch! Okay, thanks for the tip. I’ll head over to the phone shop next.”
With another errand to add to my already long list, I decided it was lucky I’d woken so early. I got in the van and headed back in the direction of town. Without my phone’s sat nav to guide me, finding somewhere to park took longer than the day before but I followed my nose and eventually found my way. I made an educated guess that the phone shops would be in the main shopping centre and was rewarded half an hour later with a replacement. As irritating as it was to have to buy a new phone when I hadn’t chosen to be parted from my old one, I couldn’t help but smile. I was long overdue an upgrade and this new one was lovely. I wouldn’t get my old number back for about a day but the new one worked straight away so I sent a message each to Louise and Grace. Hi, this is mum. This is my number for now. Back later today xox I’d already told them a little about my escapades the day before so they were expecting a different number. What they weren’t expecting was me home today. I hoped I wouldn’t walk into too much of a disaster zone.
I smiled at the thought of home. It had only been a day but it felt like much longer and I couldn’t wait to get back. First though, I owed Muriel a quick return visit, so that’s where I went next. I parked the van a short distance from her house and tried the buzzer for Ryan’s flat. I knew it was too much to hope that he’d be there but I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t at least try. There would have been something wonderfully satisfying about catching him in his own home but alas, it was not to be. With Ryan away from home I went to Muriel’s house and rang the bell.
“Charlotte, you’re back! Are you coming in for a cuppa?”
“I need to get home Muriel but I wanted to leave you my new number, just in case.”
“Are you okay though love? How did you sleep?”
I smiled. “Like a log.” I decided not to tell her about the threat Ryan had left in my van. She was dealing with the news that he was a scumbag pretty well but I didn’t know what the thought of death threats would do to her ticker. I handed her the paper with my number. “If you happen to see Ryan or Toby, give me a ring?”
“Of course. That Ryan had better not show his dirty little face round ‘ere though. I’ll give ‘im a piece of me mind!”
“I’d rather you didn’t. Just ring me, let me deal with him.” She didn’t say anything. “Muriel, I mean it. If he did anything to you I’d not forgive myself.”
After making her promise she wouldn’t try and apprehend Ryan herself, Muriel waved me off and I headed back down the motorway towards Wales. First stop would be Abigail’s house. I’d had just about enough of people giving me the run around. It was time for Abigail to be straight with me and that would start with the state of her relationship with Toby’s parents.
THIRTY-FOUR
I parked the van outside Abigail’s house and checked my new phone for messages. Neither of the girls had replied but that wasn’t unusual. It was only when they actually wanted something that they could be relied upon to make contact. Sometimes I didn’t know why they even bothered having mobile phones but the alternative was unthinkable. I liked being able to reach them.
I looked up at Abigail’s house and watched it for a few minutes, as if by just being there I could will some minor miracle to occur and I’d witness something critical to the case. Nothing happened of course, it was all just wishful thinking, so I walked up the path to Abigail’s house, rang the bell and waited. This time the front door was firmly shut but I thought about my promise to Abigail the last time I’d been here. I was still no closer to finding the source of Toby’s debt and if the bailiffs decided the grace period was over, there was nothing I could do to stop them taking Abigail’s stuff.
When Abigail came to the door I was shocked by her appearance. She had bags under her eyes and her hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in a week. She had a stain on the front of her blouse and her trousers were wrinkled. She smiled when she saw me though and it lightened her whole face. “Charlie! It’s so good to see you, come in.”
She led me into the kitchen and offered me a seat. After I’d sat down and she’d made us both a cup of tea I couldn’t ignore the obvious any more. “Is everything okay Abigail? I mean, except the usual. You look like you’ve had a difficult week.” Diplomacy was never my strong suit but I didn’t think it would help to tell her she looked like she’d crawled out of a dustbin.
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands and yawned. “I’ve not been sleeping very well.” She paused to take a sip of tea then looked at me as if she were considering carefully what to say next. “Do you ever have times when things just feel more difficult than usual?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “It’s not like anything’s different from last week or the week before, but it just feels like I’m pedalling through mud.”
“I guess that’s to be expected. Good days and bad days.”
She nodded. “That’s what my mum said but sometimes it’s just so difficult. I could barely get up this morning.”
“You’re not doing so well?” That had to be the understatement of the year if her appearance was anything to go by.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine. You just caught me on a bad day I suppose.” She smiled. “But let’s talk about something else. Any news?”
I knew that was my cue to finally ask her about Barnstaple and Toby’s parents so I took a deep breath and got ready for the fireworks.
“I went back to Barnstaple yesterday, thought I might have a lead, someone who saw Toby last week.” I watched her and saw her eyes widen. “But it was a hoax. I’m sorry Abigail.”
“Oh.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “I just hoped, I don’t know, hoped there’d be something by now.”
“Well there is one thing.” I paused, wondering how much of Ryan’s story I should share with her. “He was there.”
“Toby was?” She couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice. “My Toby?”
I nodded and smiled to see her face brighten.
“When? How?”
“I don’t know yet. But I’m working on it. Do you know why Toby would go to Barnstaple? Have you got friends there? Family?”
She shook her head. “None that I know of. I’ve been thinking about that ever since the bank statements arrived. All those places, I’ve never heard of any of them.”
“And there’s no chance Toby went there, for work maybe?”
“I’m sure he’d have mentioned it if he did. I mean, he travelled all over the place, but never said anything about Devon. I looked on a map,” she added by way of explanation. She ran her fingers through her hair. “I just can’t believe it. This is incredible!” She got up, came round to my side of the table and gave me a hug. “Thank you so much Charlie.”
“Hold on, we’re not there yet.” I understood her excitement but we were no closer to getting Toby home in time for Christmas and the only people who’d seen him were an old lady with terrible eyesight, a nosy neighbour who’d say anything to get a reaction and the thieving bastard who’d stolen my van and left me alone in the middle of the woods. They were hardly the SAS.
“I wonder if his parents might know about a family member in Barnstaple?” I said, crossing my fingers.
Abigail didn’t say anything. I held my breath and waited. I had to believe she’d do anything she could to help make that connection. If I could find out why he’d gone to Barnstaple it might be the missing piece I needed to bring him home. I knew the relationship between Abigail and her in-laws was fraught but they all loved Toby. That had to count for something.
“Abigail?” I reached across the table and touched her hand. “Do you think they could help?”
She brushed my hand away and stood up. “Can I get you another cup of tea? Coffee?”
“Forget about the tea. What’s going on?” I didn’t need her permission to go and see them again but I wanted to get to the bottom of their relationship. I needed to know if there was any truth to their allegations, and I wanted to hear in her own words exactly why they felt she was to blame for the move west. If she refused to even acknowledge their existence it was going to make things very difficult.
THIRTY-FIVE
An hour later as I walked into my own little home back in Gloddfa Bont I took a moment to appreciate the relative simplicity of my life. We’d had our fair share of dramas over the last couple of years but I was grateful that, right now at least, ours was an easy, normal existence. Abigail’s life by contrast was a hot mess. She’d dug her heels in and refused to talk about Toby’s parents. It didn’t matter how much I told her she might be jeopardising our chances of finding Toby, she wouldn’t budge and I could feel myself starting to sympathise with them. All thoughts of Abigail were rushed out of my head when I walked into the kitchen though.
“Mum, you’re home!” Louise leaped up from the kitchen table and hugged me.
“Where’s Grace?” I looked round. “And Missy. Don’t tell me she’s taken the dog out?” I feigned shock and Louise laughed.
“Yep, I’m surprised you didn’t see them when you came up the hill. Won’t be long.”
“What’s brought this on?”
Grace was usually the last person to volunteer to walk anywhere. She was the kind of person for whom the idea of window shopping meant driving from one store to the next and if I ever dared suggest she might like to walk down to the shop for me, would find herself temporarily deaf.
“Might have something to do with the new boy in the village.” Louise smirked. “But don't tell her I told you. She'll kill me!”
“My lips are sealed.” I smiled. “Is he cute?”
“Mum!”
“What? Am I not allowed to take an interest in my daughter’s life?”
“I am not discussing cute with you. Yuck!” She pulled a face but then smiled and hugged me again. “So, you’re home.”
I nodded. “I am.” I knew what was coming next and I played along.
“Do you remember what you promised before you left?”
“Maybe.” It was my turn to smirk. “First though we need to unload the shopping from the van.”
“Oh Mum!”
“Don’t ‘oh Mum’ me. Just give me a hand and it’ll soon be done, then we can think about Christmas decorations.”
I watched as she huffed and complained her way to the front door and followed as she headed towards the van. When she got there, her complaining soon turned to squeals of delight.
“You got a tree!” She grinned. “It looks huge! How the hell did you get it in?”
“A very nice man put it in for me. I take it you approve?”
“It’s brilliant! Just wait until Grace sees this!”
Together we pulled the tree carefully out of the back and into the house. Not for the first time I found myself thankful that I’d kept my plumbing van, despite how few jobs I was going to these days. I couldn’t imagine how I’d have got it home if I drove a car. I sent Louise out to the garage to find the tree stand and while she was looking for it, phoned Grace’s mobile. It went to voicemail so I left a message telling her I was home, that we had a tree to decorate and could she please hurry up and bring Missy home so we could get on with it.
Twenty minutes later the tree was securely fixed in its stand and the lights were on. I looked out the window. It was almost dark and Grace still wasn’t home. I felt vaguely uneasy and was about to try her mobile again when the front door crashed open and in rushed Missy, swiftly followed by Grace. I slipped my mobile out of sight, reluctant for her to know I’d been worried, and rushed to give her a hug.
“Hiya Grace! Am I glad to see you!” I led her into the front room where the biggest Christmas tree we’d ever had was standing proudly in front of the window. “Surprise!”
“I saw it from halfway down the road! Amateurs!” She grinned though and together with Louise, started covering the tree in tinsel and baubles.
While they were decorating the tree, I got the box of Christmas tea-light holders from on top of my wardrobe and started arranging them neatly along the mantelpiece and windowsills. Before long there wasn’t a surface in the house that wasn’t adorned with a Christmas themed tea-light holder. I would never admit it to the girls, they liked to pretend I was Scrooge, but the place had never looked more beautiful. It felt wonderful to be home.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, when the tree was almost finished. “I’ve got a couple of pizzas. I thought we could have dinner by candle light.”
“Cheese and tomato?”
I nodded. “One cheese and tomato and one pepperoni.”
“Yummy!” Louise stood up and gave me a hug. “Thanks Mum.”
I put the oven on and was so busy concentrating on not burning the pizza, I didn’t hear my mobile ring. Grace walked into the kitchen holding it out in front of her. “It’s for you.”
“What? Oh, thanks Grace.” I took the phone from her. “Hello, Charlie Diamond speaking.” I listened carefully but all I could hear were sobs. “Sorry, I can’t understand what you’re saying. Can you take a deep breath and try again?”
I listened as the person on the other end of the phone sniffed. When they spoke again, the voice came out in a croaky whisper. “Charlie?”
I recognised the voice instantly. “Abigail? What’s happened?” Still she sobbed. “Abigail, you’re going to have to calm down, please. I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
After a series of sniffs I heard her trying again. “A … note.”
My stomach landed in my boots. “You’ve received a note?” She didn’t say anything but I heard her wail. “I’ll be right over.”
I hung up and went went into the hallway to find my keys. Grace followed me out. “You’re not going again already?”
“I’m sorry love, I have to.”
“But you’ve only just got home. What about dinner by candlelight? And the tree?”
I kissed her on the head. “You girls start without me. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Promise.”
I hated leaving them but a ransom note was huge and Abigail sounded distraught. It was at times like this that I could easily kill Jonathan for what he did. It wasn’t fair that they should be left on their own again but I didn’t see what option I had. All I could hope was that this was the breakthrough I’d been waiting for. If I could find Toby we could all have a very merry Christmas and I could stay home and make sure it was a happy new year.
THIRTY-SIX
Abigail let me in and we went straight through to the kitchen. All the usual pleasantries around tea were forgotten. She reached for a letter that was lying open on the kitchen table and offered it to me. I took a pair of gloves from my coat pocket and put them on, keen to avoid touching it too much and destroying any prints that might be on it. The note was short and to the point.
£50,000 IF YOU WANT TO SEE TOBY AGAIN. NO POLICE. WILL BE IN TOUCH TO ARRANGE DROP-OFF.
I turned the paper over but there were no marks on the other side. The paper appeared to be regular printer paper, the words written in black ink.
I put the paper back on the table and turned to Abigail. “When did this arrive?”
Her face was streaked with tears and her eyes red and puffy but she’d stopped sobbing. “I don’t know. I found it on the mat by the front door when I went out to get the kids shoes to clean them.”
“Any chance it came earlier and you just didn’t notice it?”
“Shouldn’t think so. It definitely wasn’t with the regular mail, that arrived this morning.” She showed me an envelope. “This didn’t have a stamp.”
> The front of the envelope was written in the same print as the note with just Abigail’s name and the first line of her address.
“Have you phoned the police?”
She shook her head. “I’m afraid to. What if they’re watching?” Her face crumbled and she started sobbing again. “This is exactly what I was afraid of.” Her whole body shook as she cried. “What do we do? I don’t have that kind of money.”
This was my case and I’d been determined to prove to Rob that happily married men don’t just vanish for no good reason but as stubborn as I could be, I knew we had to get expert help if we were to have any hope of getting Toby home in one piece. Don’t engage with kidnappers, that’s the golden rule, but this was going to take careful handling and I wasn’t prepared to risk going alone.
“I think it’s time our friends from the local constabulary got involved with your case again Abigail.”
“No!” Abigail shook her head firmly. “Please Charlie. You can’t. You said you’d help. What if they, if they …” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.
“The police have resources I don’t have access to. They can check the letter for finger prints. Run plates on any cars seen hanging about. This was hand delivered. That means someone’s been here, someone who knows where Toby is.”
Abigail’s hand flew to her mouth and she shrieked. “They were here?!”
“Maybe not them, but someone delivered this letter.”
She ran to the windows and started pulling at the curtains. “What if they’re still out there?” All the colour had drained from her face and I was afraid she might faint.
I took her hand and guided her back to the table. “Sit down, I’ll do that.”
I closed the curtains then sat opposite her at the table. “I know this is difficult but you’ve got to try and keep calm.”
“I’m not going to the police. You can’t make me!”
“Let me make you a cup of tea and we can talk about it.”