Forget Me Never

by Gina Blaxill

  ‘Been anywhere tropical?’

  Reece narrowed his eyes. ‘What do you want?’

  Zoe gasped. ‘Oh, Reece, I didn’t see you there! Sorry, I just assumed Sophie didn’t hang out with you any more.’

  ‘Why would you assume that?’

  ‘Because Sophie doesn’t fancy you.’ Zoe opened her eyes very wide, as though it was obvious. All facial expressions were exaggerated with her; she fancied herself as an actress. ‘There’s someone else you like, isn’t there, Sophie?’

  Reece glanced at me and raised his eyebrows in a question: What’s she on about? I shook my head, swallowing. Suddenly it was like I was at school again – all the whispering behind my back, the laughter. My throat was constricting, making me feel like I was choking.

  ‘Leave me alone,’ I managed.

  Zoe tilted her head to one side. ‘Doesn’t Reece know, Sophie? Did you not tell him?’

  ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Reece demanded. I saw that his hands had balled into fists; for a moment I thought he was going to hit her.

  ‘Oh, of course. You weren’t at the party,’ Zoe said in a pitying voice, ‘so you wouldn’t know, but Sophie had a very interesting time—’

  ‘Leave me alone!’ I couldn’t bear making a scene like this; I pushed past Zoe and walked quickly into the nearest shop. Reece ran after me. To my relief, Zoe and her friend were walking off sniggering.

  ‘What was that all about?’ he asked, catching my arm. It reminded me of how Aiden had held me yesterday; I shook him off.

  ‘Don’t want to talk about it.’

  Reece opened his mouth – but then he paused and turned around to look at the stage.

  ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘Where’s Neve?’

  REECE

  I looked around. The Disney characters in the Summer Grotto were still dancing, but the kids who’d been there with Neve had moved on. Forgetting about Zoe, I ran to the stage, pushing through the crowd milling around it. Children in white T-shirts and shorts and pleated skirts and sparkly sandals – but no blue-and-white-check dresses. Telling myself to get a grip, I waved Snow White over to the edge of the stage.

  ‘Do you know where my little sister went?’ My voice came out sounding a little high-pitched. ‘She was up here just a moment ago. Three years old, dark hair, check dress.’

  Snow White shook her head. I looked around at the sea of faces thronging the stage, then scanned the entrances to the nearby shops. No sign of her! Neve must have wandered inside one of them. Which one?

  Zara had the most colourful window display. Come on, Neve, I thought, stepping in and craning my neck to see above the shoppers’ heads. Don’t do this to me. Damn it, she knew she wasn’t supposed to run off. How many times had Mum told her? But then when Neve was with Mum she never got the opportunity to stray – Mum was always so careful. I was the sloppy one who’d thought Neve was safe on that stage and had forgotten about her when Zoe had come along.

  Christ, Mum would kill me if anything had happened to Neve! Actually, she wouldn’t – I’d kill myself!

  She wasn’t in Zara. Desperate now, I ran into the shop next door and then across the aisle into a health-food store. Suddenly it seemed that Brent Cross was overrun by children. Sophie grabbed my arm when I came out.

  ‘Reece! Calm down. We won’t find her if you’re in headless-chicken mode.’

  ‘Of course I’m in headless-chicken mode! My sister’s vanished! She’s only three. I’m meant to be looking after her!’

  I must have been shouting. People were staring at us.

  ‘Maybe she went back to the trains,’ Sophie said.

  Of course! Neve loved that train set. She hadn’t wanted to leave earlier. That was where she would be!

  ‘Little idiot!’ I said as we hurried along. ‘She’d never try this on with Mum. When we find her we’re going straight home!’

  We entered the Early Learning Centre. Lots of children were playing with the trains. None of them was Neve. I turned away feeling like I was about to pass out.

  ‘Someone might have taken her.’ Sophie’s voice seemed to come from a long way away. ‘We’ve got to consider that, Reece . . .’

  I couldn’t speak. Images of Neve walking off with people, out into the car park and away to their houses, never to be seen again, were shooting through my head. She’d been wearing that new dress. Didn’t the sickos always go for the cute ones? It would have been so easy, just taking her hand when she stepped off that stage . . .

  ‘We’ve got to report this,’ Sophie said. ‘The sooner they get a message out there, the sooner people will be on the alert.’

  My arms and legs felt wooden, like they could barely move. I managed to get going. We went up the escalators and along to the information desk, stationed in the middle of the shopping centre. The woman in charge introduced herself as Ann. She sat us down behind the desk and got me to give a description of Neve and explain exactly what had happened. Sophie chipped in with details I missed. It felt like my brain was dissolving into goo, incapable of processing anything. All I could think about was how much I loved my little sister and wanted her safe.

  ‘We’re going to have to call your mum,’ said Ann. ‘Can you give me her number?’

  ‘D’you have to?’ I asked. ‘She’ll go insane!’

  Ann nodded, giving me a sympathetic look. Feeling like I was plunging from a great height, I gave her Mum’s number.

  Ten minutes crawled by. Ann had called Mum and had made an announcement over the PA system, describing Neve and asking people to keep an eye out. She’d also sent a message round to alert the security guards.

  I felt useless and pathetic. Sitting here hoping each second that the phone would ring, just waiting . . . If Neve was anywhere in the shopping centre, someone would have spotted her by now. Ann and her colleagues were starting to look worried . . .

  And then the obvious struck. I gave a start and looked at Sophie. She was wearing a stony expression which told me she’d already got there.

  ‘Cherie . . .’ I whispered.

  ‘She said your mum and sister would get hurt. She meant it.’

  ‘All I did was turn up on Friday! I just wanted to show them they couldn’t boss me about!’

  Sophie glanced down. She’d been picking the varnish off her nails. Black flakes were scattered over her denim shorts. Softly she said, ‘And they wanted to show you that they could.’

  Ann came up. ‘I know we’re waiting for your mum, but I’ve passed the information on to the police. There’s an officer on the way over. Missing children usually turn up very quickly, but I think it’s for the best.’

  Ann didn’t voice what everyone was already thinking. Neve had been taken. Should I tell the police about Cherie and Aiden? They had to be involved. It was too much of a coincidence. Surely . . . surely they wouldn’t hurt Neve. She was a little kid! She’d done nothing, knew nothing and shouldn’t even be a part of this. But if Danielle had been murdered – Danielle, who was an adult and could defend herself – then Neve didn’t stand a chance . . .

  I knew I’d have to mention Cherie soon. Neve’s safety was on the line. But I really, really didn’t want to. It would antagonize Cherie even more. If she knew I’d blabbed, then she might really hurt Neve. Not only that, but exactly what Sophie and I had been up to all summer would come tumbling out. I could see how far-fetched it would sound, and I just knew that Mum would blame Soph. I could hear it now: ‘If you hadn’t got tangled up with that girl and her issues your sister would never be in danger!’

  There was also the much worse fact that I couldn’t ignore – that this was my fault for provoking Cherie, and soon everyone would know it.

  In a few hours the car park would be starting to clear out. Happy people laden with bags of shopping would leave, with no idea what we were going through up here. Then we’d really have to face up to the facts.

  Someone cleared their throat. I looked up. It was a smiling security guard – and he had Neve w
ith him. Unharmed.

  Relief slammed into me when I saw Neve. I felt like I’d aged a hundred years while she’d been missing, though apparently it had only been thirty-five minutes. A lady had spotted Neve shortly after Ann had made the announcement and alerted the guard. It seemed she’d simply wandered off.

  ‘I was drawing.’ Neve didn’t seem remotely upset. ‘Lady was nice.’

  ‘Good job someone had their eyes peeled!’ I didn’t have the heart to be angry with her. ‘Never ever do that again!’

  ‘Look at my picture,’ Neve said, pushing her notebook at me.

  ‘Not now. I need to ring Mum,’ I said, and at that moment I spotted her coming up the escalator, looking in a hell of a state. When she saw me with Neve she froze. Feeling sheepish, I called, ‘It’s OK.’

  The expression on Mum’s face said it was very far from OK. She thanked Ann and her team, apologizing for the trouble we’d caused. It was only in the car park that she let rip.

  ‘How many times have I told you?’ she cried. ‘It only takes a moment for something to happen. I can’t believe you were so careless!’

  ‘It only was a moment,’ I protested, opening the passenger door. ‘Some girls from Broom Hill were taking the mick out of Soph —’

  Too late I realized that this was totally the wrong thing to say. Mum stared at Sophie. In a glacial voice she said, ‘I think you can find your own way home, Sophie. And if you don’t mind, I’d rather you didn’t come to the house in future. You’ve done enough damage. If you and Reece still wish to see each other, that’s your business, but not under my roof.’

  Sophie flinched, but she turned and left without a word. Incredulous, I looked at Mum.

  ‘You can’t do that! This had nothing to do with Soph!’

  ‘I think it did,’ Mum said, helping Neve into her car seat. ‘If you hadn’t been distracted by her, Neve would never have wandered off. I’m not harsh enough to forbid you to be friends, but I can at least control who comes into my home. That girl is a bad influence. I’ve never liked the amount of time you spend together, and enough is enough!’

  I argued, but Mum was adamant. When we got home she took Neve upstairs to have a bath, making a big fuss of her. She didn’t say anything more, but it was clear I was in for it later. Feeling wretched, I sank down at the kitchen table. Neve’s bag was hanging over the back of the chair. My sister and her bloody crayons!

  I must have been sat there a while, because Neve appeared, hair wet and in her pyjamas. She went to her bag and opened the notebook.

  ‘Look at my drawing.’

  ‘Aren’t you going to bed?’ I said, but Neve just pushed the book at me.

  ‘Lady said show you. Look.’

  I sighed and took the notebook – and stared, unable to believe what I was seeing. Neve had drawn what was clearly meant to be a lady wearing a dress with very big high-heeled shoes. The shoes were red – and so was her hair.

  ‘No way,’ I whispered.

  ‘Good picture?’ Neve asked, sounding hopeful. ‘Lady liked it. She said draw her. She said show you and Sophie.’

  The childish drawing stared back at me. The crude lines suddenly looked very sinister.

  Neve hadn’t wandered off at all. Lady was nice, she’d said. She wasn’t talking about some woman who’d found her.

  She’d been talking about Cherie.

  Cherie must have been watching us all afternoon. When we got caught up with Zoe she saw her opportunity. She took Neve off, sat her down and kept her amused. When the announcement came through, she just handed Neve over and walked away, cool as you like. She’d made Neve draw her and told her to show us the picture. She knew we’d know what she was trying to tell us. It was a threat, a warning that she really did mean business . . .

  SOPHIE

  I wasn’t surprised Effie had banned me from the house. She hated me already – it figured she’d hold me to blame. What did surprise me was Reece appearing at my house later that evening. We went up into my room and closed the door. Reece perched on the edge of my bed, clutching one of my pillows to his chest. He handed me a notepad.

  ‘Look.’

  I took in Neve’s drawing, realizing at once what it meant. In a low voice I said, ‘Crap. This is serious.’

  ‘You said it. Good job Mum doesn’t know – she’d do worse than chuck you out of the house!’

  I winced. ‘D’you believe me now – about Danielle being murdered?’

  Reece let out an exasperated sigh. ‘I just know this is fricking dangerous!’

  ‘What happened today proves they think we know enough to worry them. Today was a warning – they were trying to scare us.’

  ‘Know something? It worked!’

  I sat on the computer chair and spun to and fro, waiting for Reece to say something else. When he didn’t, I said, ‘They were showing us what they’re capable of. We’re going to have to be more careful in future.’

  Reece stared at me. ‘D’you have any idea how monomaniacal you’ve become since we started this?’

  ‘No, because I don’t know what that word means.’

  ‘Obsessive. Only able to think of one thing.’ Reece shoved the pillow to one side and leaned forward, serious and unsmiling. ‘My kid sister just got abducted! And all you can talk about is “Where next?” That half-hour was the worst of my life! I never want to feel that wretched again or to let Mum down like that. This was my fault – because I was helping you!’ He paused. ‘OK, Cherie let Neve go. Next time she might not. Maybe she and the others did kill Danielle somehow. And maybe they’ll do something equally nasty to Neve or Mum or one of us! Do you get that? I reckon it’s time we dropped this whole damn thing!’

  ‘How can you say that?’ I managed to get in. ‘This isn’t about playing detective – this is about the truth. It matters!

  ‘Is the truth worth getting my family hurt for?’

  ‘That was your choice!’ I felt frustration begin to rise. ‘You were the one playing it down, all that macho “I’m not afraid” crap. And this isn’t about your family – it’s about mine!’

  ‘No, it isn’t! You don’t have any family any more, which is why you’re totally unable to understand what being scared for Mum and Neve feels like!’

  That really stung – and he knew it.

  ‘Thanks for reminding me how alone I am.’ My voice sounded funny – surely I wasn’t going to cry? ‘Dani might not be here any more, but that doesn’t mean she’s not important. I’m not giving up.’

  ‘Don’t you care that you’re putting my mum and sister in danger?’

  ‘That’s totally unfair! You’re the one who was putting them in danger!’

  Reece shook his head. ‘Maybe I was. Maybe I was stupid. But I did it because I wanted to impress you! I don’t even know why I bother when it’s glaringly apparent that you don’t give a damn about me. You just wanted someone to help you out, a Watson to your Holmes or something.’

  I looked away. ‘It’s not like that.’

  ‘What is it like then? Tell me, because I’d love to know!’

  I got up, wanting to put some space between us. I couldn’t take this; we’d argued before, but I’d never seen Reece this angry.

  ‘To begin with I just wanted to ask you about the memory stick . . . then I realized I’d missed you. I’d never use anyone. If you think that, you must have a pretty low opinion of me. And even if you don’t want to help me any more . . .’ I stopped; it was really hard to find the words. I was terrible at telling people what they meant to me – life was easier when I pretended I didn’t care. ‘I don’t want to fall out again, Reece . . . I really like having you around.’

  Reece slid off the bed and stood up, brushing down his jeans. For the first time I could remember, he looked awkward.

  ‘It’s difficult to tell with you,’ he said quietly. ‘Some days you make me mad because you’re so prickly and hard-hearted, and then other days I remember the moments you’ve let your guard down, and . . .’
<
br />   ‘And what?’

  He looked at me. I looked at him.

  ‘This has messed with my head too long,’ Reece said in a funny kind of voice. He actually sounded vulnerable. ‘Oh God, I think I’m going to tell you.’

  ‘Tell me what?’

  ‘Sophie . . .’ He took a deep breath. ‘Have you taken a look at yourself recently? I mean . . . you’re looking really good.’

  I blinked. Now I was really confused. ‘What?’

  Reece shifted from one foot to the other, looking even more awkward. He stuck his hands in his pockets. ‘Well, you’re a girl. And I’m a guy. And, um, I like you.’

  ‘Like me?’ It leaped out of my mouth before I could even think.

  Reece’s cheeks were scarlet. ‘Christ, Soph, you must have had some idea! Yeah, I like you. I’ve liked you for ages.’

  I stared at him. I really ought to have realized this sooner – we’d been teased about it enough over the years, but we’d always laughed it off. The idea of someone as brash as Reece admitting to fancying someone, let alone me . . . it was so out of character.

  Reece turned his head away. ‘Guessing from that reaction that you’re not exactly overjoyed.’

  ‘I don’t know what I think.’ But even as I said the words I knew that I really wanted him to leave so I could have some space. It wasn’t that he was unattractive. He really wasn’t. And I did like him a lot, but . . . I wasn’t capable of being someone’s girlfriend! I had too much baggage. Letting someone get that close, touch me . . . it wouldn’t work.

  Without meaning to I squirmed. ‘I’m flattered, but I, um, just don’t see it happening.’ Crap, that wasn’t how I’d meant to put it. ‘I just can’t—’

  ‘There’s so much you “just can’t” do, isn’t there?’ Reece sounded bitter. ‘You need to get over yourself cos unless one day you take a risk, you’re never going to get past everything that’s happened to you. I’m going. I’m fed up with all this and I’m fed up with you. Least now I know how you feel.’

  I looked away and heard him leave, closing the door behind him. It felt like something inside me was snapping.