He was staring at his phone, willing it to ring. So she didn’t have her mobile, she could use a public phone. But would she know his number without her phone? Hell, he didn’t know his own number. He didn’t know her number. He didn’t know any numbers any more. He used to write them in his diary but gave that up ages ago.
The diary.
Adam raced up the stairs and went into the bedroom. Louise’s diary was next to the bed like always. He picked it up and flicked through, shaking it to see if anything came out.
Nothing.
There’d been an address in Alnwick. She was clearly trying to hide it from him, but why? Was that something to do with this? Was that where she’d gone? Who did she know that lived in Alnwick? She’d never mentioned it before. But if she was hiding something, she wouldn’t have. Was there someone else? Was she cheating on him?
He put the diary down, refusing to think that way, and went back down to the living room and over to the window, pulling the curtain back. Where was she?
He dropped the curtain and went out into the kitchen. The windowpane in the back door was covered in the bubble-wrap he’d put up hastily before going out looking for her. Now he wondered if it was a mistake, if he’d messed up evidence. Not that the police gave a shit.
He opened the door and looked out into the yard, hoping there was something he’d missed earlier. Something he could take to the police and say, ‘Look, someone took her.’ Sure, he knew that a grown woman missing for a few hours wasn’t going to set off a major investigation, but they could’ve shown some interest. The officer was nice enough but he bet she’d forgotten all about Louise by now.
He stood in the doorway and watched his breath steam out into the air. He didn’t believe in God but he couldn’t keep count of the number of times he’d caught himself thinking Please God, let her come through that door. He didn’t care that he’d look foolish having to tell the police that she was back. He didn’t care that she’d been selfish enough to just disappear like that. All he cared about was her coming back to where she belonged.
He thought he was imagining it at first. But on the second knock he realised that it was actually his door. He raced into the hallway, praying it’d be Louise on the other side, locked out.
He opened the door and found PC Lawton standing there. His heart sank. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Mr Quinn,’ Lawton said. ‘Can I come in?’
Adam felt like the blood had stopped running through his veins. ‘Yes,’ he replied, his hand shaking, waving for her to enter. He led her into the living room and stood still, waiting for whatever it was she had to say.
‘Have you heard from Louise yet?’ Lawton asked, looking around the room as if she expected to find her there.
‘No,’ Adam said. ‘I thought . . . You haven’t found her?’
‘No,’ Lawton told him. ‘Sorry, I should’ve explained. I think I was a little dismissive when you came to the station. We’re a bit short of staff at the moment. But—’
‘You think something’s happened to her?’
‘No,’ Lawton said, head shaking like a bobblehead. ‘I have no idea. That’s why I’d like you to take me through it again.’
Adam slumped onto the chair. Why were they suddenly interested now? Something had to have happened.
‘Mr Quinn?’ Lawton said, notebook in hand.
Adam closed his eyes. ‘Okay,’ he said. As he started telling her his story again, he noticed Lawton glancing at the clock.
Chapter 70
17 December 2010
Freeman was on her way to Ben’s, still reeling, when Ray called her. She saw his name come up on her phone and she panicked. She needed to tell him it wasn’t Emma’s body, that Emma was alive and well and living as someone else. Or at least she was a few hours ago. But it wasn’t something she wanted to do over the phone. And right now she needed to get to Ben’s. She declined the call and felt the guilt welling up. He had a right to know, but not like this; she needed to tell him face to face. Plus she didn’t want to get his hopes up. Lucas Yates was out there looking for Emma too. This wasn’t necessarily going to have a happy ending.
She’d asked Gardner to organise getting prints from the house in Middlesbrough. She didn’t even know whose house to call it – Emma’s, Jenny’s or Louise’s. She wondered if Lucas Yates had been there. If he’d done something to Emma. Lawton had mentioned a broken door.
But how did he even know? She couldn’t get her head around it all. She’d been sure Lucas was her guy and she was doing everything possible to prove it. It made sense after everything that’d happened between Lucas and Emma, everything he’d done to her. But now she knew it wasn’t Emma who was dead.
Gardner had suggested that maybe Emma and Ben were more likely candidates to have killed Jenny. Emma taking on her ID proved that she at least knew the other girl was dead. But if Lucas didn’t kill Jenny, why had he been sniffing around? Why was he desperate to find Ben?
Her gut told her Lucas was still the most likely person to be the killer. Maybe Ben and Emma found out about it and Lucas was trying to find them to keep them quiet.
She tried to focus. Her head was all over the place. She’d have to inform Ray Thorley eventually that Emma wasn’t dead. She didn’t know what she would tell him about the rest of it – it would break his heart all over again.
Was it possible Emma would go there? And would Ray call Freeman if she did? Was that what he was just doing a moment ago? Calling to say Emma had turned up on his doorstep, alive and well? She checked the time. No. If Emma was in trouble the last place she’d go was home. She’d go to the person she’d gone to before.
She needed to get to Ben’s.
Chapter 71
17 December 2010
Gardner got out of the car outside Adam Quinn’s house, DC Lloyd in tow, wondering what he was going to say to the man. Wondering what Adam would say to him. He knocked on the door and a slim man in his thirties opened the door. Lawton stood behind him, a concerned look on her face. Gardner felt bad about making Lawton babysit for him, but he’d needed Adam Quinn to stay put.
‘Adam, this is DI Gardner,’ Lawton said and Adam glanced back at her, questioning.
Gardner extended his hand and Adam shook it. Gardner nodded at Lloyd. ‘This is DC Lloyd.’ Adam glanced at the other detective before stepping back to allow them in.
‘What’s going on?’ he said and closed the door.
Gardner noticed the movement in the kitchen, a SOCO he vaguely recognised taking prints. He glanced at Adam before looking towards the living room. ‘Should we go through?’ he asked.
Adam walked past Gardner, leading the way, but stopped in the doorway. ‘Please. If something’s happened—’ He stopped and let out a slow breath. ‘If you’ve found something, found Louise . . .’ He looked from Lawton to Gardner, his eyes pleading.
Gardner realised what Adam thought he was there for and felt a stab of guilt. He guided Adam into the room and they all sat down. ‘Tell me what you told PC Lawton.’
Adam sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair, no doubt sick of saying the same thing. ‘I came home and Louise was gone. The back door was broken; all her stuff is still here. Her phone, her handbag, money, everything. I spoke to her yesterday afternoon. She was fine.’ He looked at Gardner. ‘It’s like she was here one minute and then she was just gone.’
Gardner frowned. ‘Did she give any indication that she was unhappy, that she might want to leave?’
‘No,’ Adam said. ‘She was fine. I’ve said all this. When we talked on the phone she was joking around, there was nothing wrong.’ Adam looked at his feet.
‘But?’ Gardner said and Adam looked up at him and shook his head. ‘Mr Quinn, if you don’t tell me everything then I can’t help you.’
Adam’s jaw clenched and he looked over at the Christmas tree. ‘She was a bit upset the other day. She wouldn’t tell me what’d happened.’ He turned back to Gardner. ‘But then she was fine again.’
Gardner waited. He knew he should just tell Adam the truth but first he wanted to know what Adam Quinn knew about his girlfriend.
‘I know it sounds stupid that I reported her missing after a few hours and that it seems like she might’ve run off, but I know she wouldn’t do that. And even if she would, why would she leave her stuff behind? And the back door? What about that?’
‘Maybe she wanted you to think that something had happened to her. Maybe she didn’t want it to look like she just left,’ Gardner said.
‘Why? What reason would anyone have to do that?’
‘You’d be surprised,’ Gardner said.
Adam glanced at Lawton, who just looked down at her feet. ‘Louise wouldn’t do that.’
‘Tell me about her,’ Gardner said. ‘Where did you meet, how long have you been together?’
Adam looked at the ceiling. ‘We’ve been together four, four and a half years.’ Gardner raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He was surprised anyone could keep up a lie that long. ‘We met in Sheffield. I was teaching at the uni and she came to some of my lectures. I later found out she wasn’t actually enrolled. She couldn’t afford the fees so she just sneaked in to lectures, hoping no one would notice.’
‘But you did,’ Gardner said.
‘Eventually,’ Adam said. ‘She was always very quiet. Never asked anything, never answered a question. One day I stopped her after a class and asked if she was all right. She looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. I asked her name and then later I looked her up and found out she wasn’t a student there. She didn’t come back after that. But a month or so later I saw her in the university library and went to talk to her.’ He shrugged. ‘That’s how we met.’
Gardner nodded. ‘So what brought you up here?’
‘A job,’ Adam said. ‘I was only part-time in Sheffield but I was offered a full-time position at Teesside so we moved.’
‘And Louise didn’t mind? How long had you been together then?’
‘About eighteen months, slightly longer,’ he said. ‘But no, she didn’t mind.’ He paused.
‘Adam?’
‘She was reluctant to begin with.’
‘About moving?’
‘About everything,’ Adam said. He looked away from Gardner again. ‘She was shy. She was nervous about moving in together, she thought we were rushing things, but it made sense. She doesn’t always make that much money.’ He shook his head and frowned. ‘I’m sorry, I’m rambling.’
Gardner shook his head. ‘No, go on.’
‘When I got the job here she was fine with moving. She didn’t seem attached to Sheffield. But I suggested buying a house and she was less enthusiastic. I think she just fears being tied down,’ he said and then looked at Gardner as if he’d just admitted something he shouldn’t have. ‘I mean, she wanted it but because she doesn’t have a lot of money she felt like she’d be in debt to me. She didn’t want that.’
‘Okay,’ Gardner said. ‘What about her family? She ever mention them? Could she have gone to stay with a relative?’
Adam shook his head. ‘No. She doesn’t have any family. Her mum died when she was quite young, her dad a few years later. She doesn’t talk about them much.’
Gardner sighed. He couldn’t put it off any longer. Adam Quinn was clearly in the dark about his girlfriend’s real life. He sat forward in his chair and waited for Adam to look at him.
‘Mr Quinn, there’s something I need to tell you about your girlfriend.’ He noticed Adam stiffen. Gardner picked up the photograph that Adam had given to Lawton at the station. ‘This is her, right?’ he said, pointing at her on the picture.
‘Yes,’ Adam said. ‘That’s Louise.’
Gardner pulled another picture out, the much older photo sent from Blyth. He handed it to Adam, who frowned.
‘What’s this?’ he asked.
‘That’s a picture of her when she was fifteen. Her father reported her missing and this was the photo he gave us.’
Adam swallowed and shuffled in his seat. ‘So you’re saying she’s gone missing before?’ His eyes went back to the photo. ‘That doesn’t mean she ran away now.’
‘No, not necessarily. But that picture,’ Gardner said, nodding to the photo in Adam’s hand, ‘is of a girl called Emma Thorley.’ Adam looked up. ‘As is this one,’ Gardner held up Adam’s photo. ‘Mr Quinn, your girlfriend isn’t who she says she is.’
Chapter 72
17 December 2010
Adam sat there, staring. Your girlfriend isn’t who she says she is. Your girlfriend is not Louise Taylor. She’s Emma Thorley.
His mind was racing. How could this be? Gardner kept on talking but he wasn’t listening. His voice was just a noise in the background. Adam kept thinking it was a mistake. He knew her. He knew Louise. How could she be someone else?
And yet . . .
He thought about the news stories he’d heard the last few days. That was why the name Emma Thorley was familiar. Gardner reminded him that the police had originally thought the dead girl in Blyth was Emma Thorley. But it turned out it was likely to be Jenny Taylor. Jenny Taylor, his girlfriend. Her first name was Jenny but she said no one ever called her that. She said she’d always gone by Louise.
Except she hadn’t.
Adam squeezed his eyes shut. Trying to process it, trying to make sense of it.
He guessed he knew why she was upset the last couple of days. But why would she lie about her name? Why would she become someone else?
‘Adam?’ Gardner said and brought him out of his thoughts.
Adam looked at the detective, unsure if he’d asked him a question or not. He wondered if Gardner was suddenly showing interest because he thought Louise was a criminal rather than a missing person. He was holding some pictures in his hand.
‘Do you recognise either of these men?’ Gardner asked, showing him two photographs. Adam took them and looked, wondering who they were.
‘The one on the right is Lucas Yates. Does the name mean anything to you?’ Gardner asked.
Adam frowned. ‘No. Who is he?’
‘He’s Emma’s ex-boyfriend,’ Gardner said and Adam’s head shot up. ‘You’re sure she never mentioned his name?’
‘No,’ Adam said. ‘Never.’
‘And Emma never had any visitors, men you didn’t know?’ Gardner continued.
‘No,’ Adam said. ‘For God’s sake. You think she was still seeing this guy?’
‘No, I think it’s unlikely. Let me ask you about this man,’ he went on, pointing at the other picture. ‘You recognise him?’
Adam glanced at this one, a photocopy from a driving licence. This guy was older. He didn’t imagine he was also an ex of Emma’s. He shook his head. ‘No, I don’t know him,’ he said. ‘Who is he?’
‘His name’s Ben Swales,’ Gardner said. ‘He worked at a drug rehab clinic in Blyth. He worked with Emma.’
Drug clinic? He looked at Gardner. ‘When you say he worked with her . . .’
‘Emma had a drug problem when she was a teenager. She attended the clinic that Ben worked at,’ Gardner said.
Adam let the words sink in. They couldn’t be talking about the same woman. The Louise he knew wasn’t this girl. But that was it. She wasn’t this girl at all. He could feel Louise slipping further and further away from him. The woman he loved was an illusion. We all have pasts, we all have secrets, but this? She was a drug addict, a runaway, a liar.
A killer?
No, that wasn’t her. He knew it. She wasn’t the person they said she was. They didn’t know her.
‘Did Emma ever go away by herself? Maybe not to stay, but trips for work or something?’ Gardner asked. ‘Did she ever go to Alnwick, for instance?’
‘Alnwick?’ Adam’s head was spinning. He tried to make sense of the question, of everything they were throwing at him. ‘No. No she’s never been there.’
‘You sure?’ Gardner asked. ‘She could’ve gone without telling you.’
�
�Then I wouldn’t know, would I?’ Adam shouted and stood up. ‘Excuse me,’ he said and hurried out of the room.
He’d been standing in the kitchen for a couple of minutes, head against the fridge door, when Gardner came in.
‘You all right?’ Gardner asked him.
‘Fine,’ Adam said without looking up. He wished they’d leave. They weren’t helping. They weren’t finding Louise. Or Emma, rather. They weren’t bringing her back to him. They were just filling his head with crap. Saying things that weren’t true. So she’d made some mistakes. Who hadn’t? But he knew she wasn’t a killer. You couldn’t live with someone for four years and not know something like that.
‘Why do you think she did it?’ Adam asked. ‘Took this girl’s name?’
Gardner glanced back at Lawton before saying, ‘I don’t know.’
‘The news said her ID was on the body,’ Adam said, recalling the report he’d read. Gardner nodded. ‘You think she put it there? Louise?’
Gardner shrugged again. ‘I don’t know. It’s possible.’
‘You think she killed her?’ Adam asked.
Gardner blew out a breath. ‘I couldn’t say. Look, she obviously had something to do with it being there or else she wouldn’t be using Jenny Taylor’s identity. What that something is, I can’t say. Only Emma can. And she’s gone.’
Adam flinched at her name. She wasn’t Emma. She wasn’t even Jenny. She was Louise. She would always be Louise to him. And he knew that Louise wouldn’t have hurt anyone.
‘Look, I’m not saying Emma killed anyone,’ Gardner said. ‘But she ran away for a reason. And whatever the reason she took this other girl’s identity, now it’s come back to bite her and she’s had to run again.’
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