Gone

by Rebecca Muddiman

  Freeman told the security guy to go back half an hour, starting with the cameras near the exits. At least this guy – Wayne, she thought he’d said – was helpful, even if he was a little too keen. The other one had seemed more interested in finishing his curry.

  She tried to zone Wayne out as he explained the intricacies of the hospital security CCTV system and instead focused on the activity on screen. Dozens of people came in and out but no Emma so far. The fast motion on screen was making her eyes lose focus and there was a sudden rush of activity she couldn’t make out.

  ‘Stop it there,’ she said. ‘Go back and play in normal time.’

  Wayne ran the tape back and pressed play. ‘So who are we looking for?’ he asked and Freeman had to suppress the urge to say, ‘We’re not looking for anyone.’

  ‘Young woman, about five-two, five-three, brown hair,’ she said. Her eyes skimmed the throng of people but she didn’t see her. Would Emma think about the security cameras? Would she think to hide amongst groups of people?

  She tried to focus on another section of the screen but still there was nothing that stood out. The group dispersed and the corridor was suddenly empty save a doctor talking on a phone, pacing up and down.

  ‘Should I speed up again?’ Wayne asked and she nodded. As the people moved about at Benny Hill speed her eyes darted after them. ‘Stop,’ she said and put her hand over Wayne’s. ‘Go back.’ On screen a woman came into shot, head down and walking quickly. ‘Pause it.’ He squinted at the fuzzy image. ‘That could be her,’ she said. ‘Press play again.’ Wayne started the tape and they watched the woman walk around the corner out of view.

  ‘Where’s the next camera?’ Freeman asked and Wayne twiddled with buttons and mumbled to himself about the time code.

  ‘Okay, I picked her up again here,’ Wayne said, pointing at a figure on the screen. ‘Here she is on the main corridor, heading towards the exit.’

  Freeman leaned forward. The image was still grainy but as she got closer to the camera it became clear they were looking at Emma Thorley.

  ‘We lose her here when she walks behind the pillars but there’s a camera outside if you bear with me . . .’ Wayne played around with the controls, letting the corridor tape run.

  ‘Wait,’ Freeman said and leaned forward, pointing at the screen as it changed to the exterior. ‘There.’ She saw a man walk towards Emma.

  ‘Shit.’

  Chapter 85

  17 December 2010

  Lucas listened to the noises Emma made from the boot. She was doing his head in. He wondered if anyone else could hear her. He’d been driving around trying to find somewhere to go for what seemed like forever. He wanted to do it right. Wanted to show her that she couldn’t get away with fucking with him. But there were people everywhere and he didn’t have a clue where the fuck he was. He was going to run out of petrol shortly and unless the police were complete idiots they were going to catch up with him soon. He wondered how he’d got clear of the city after those busybody bitches had interfered.

  He passed by streams of traffic, thankfully no cop cars, until he got to the smaller roads and the number of cars dwindled. He was running on fumes now. He could stop here. There was no one around. They hadn’t passed another car for ten minutes. He slowed down and pulled in to the side of the road. They’d been passing woods for a long time. Maybe he’d found the perfect place.

  Emma wanted to play dead? Playtime was over. He was going to give her precisely what she wanted and then he’d disappear. Be free from it all. And no one – especially Emma Thorley, Detective Freeman, or any of the other stupid bitches that thought they could get to him – would ever fuck with him again.

  He was going to put her in the ground – just like she’d done to Jenny.

  Freeman ran out of the security office, back into the corridor, and bumped into Gardner, who hung up the phone as she appeared.

  ‘Lucas was here. He’s found her,’ she said.

  ‘I know.’ Gardner held up his phone as they headed towards the exit. ‘Local police got a report forty minutes ago about a possible abduction not far from the hospital grounds. Two women saw a couple fighting. The man dragged the woman to a car, kicking and screaming, threw her in the boot and drove away.’

  ‘Description?’

  ‘Matches Lucas and Emma,’ Gardner said, dodging an old lady who was trying to find something in her handbag.

  ‘They get a licence plate?’

  ‘Yep. Assaulted the driver before he went. The car was spotted heading north on the B1340 about fifteen minutes ago.’

  ‘I guess that’s where we’re going, then,’ Freeman said, as they ran out into the cold.

  ‘Have you found her?’

  Freeman and Gardner stopped short and turned around to see Adam staring at them.

  ‘I told you to wait upstairs,’ said Gardner, walking towards the car.

  ‘We’re going to look for her now,’ Freeman told Adam and opened her car door.

  ‘Where is she?’ Adam looked scared.

  ‘We’ll let you know as soon as we get any information,’ Gardner said and climbed in the passenger seat. ‘Go back upstairs. Wait for us here.’

  Freeman pulled away, seeing Adam standing there in the car park, watching them disappear.

  Chapter 86

  17 December 2010

  Adam walked onto the ward and looked down at Ben Swales. He’d lied to the nurse, said he was his brother.

  He saw Ben’s eyelids flutter. Slowly, Adam walked towards his bed and took a seat beside him. Compared to Ben, it looked like he’d got off lightly in his altercation with Lucas Yates. It was almost a relief until he thought of her out there . . . somewhere . . . with him. What would he do to her?

  Ben coughed and Adam turned to see if there was a nurse about. He looked back at Ben. ‘Do you want me to get someone? Do you need anything?’

  Ben shook his head. ‘Who are you?’ he asked.

  ‘Adam,’ he replied. ‘I’m Louise— I’m Emma’s boyfriend.’

  ‘Emma?’ Ben said and looked past Adam. ‘Is she here?’

  ‘No,’ Adam told him. ‘But she’s been here.’ He looked out of the window. He didn’t know who this guy was, how he was involved. What he did know was that this man knew Louise, Emma, whatever her name was, better than he did. He knew about her past, her family, her secrets. He’d been the one person she trusted with her life. What did that leave him with?

  ‘Where’s she gone?’ Ben asked.

  ‘He took her. They’re looking for the car.’

  Ben struggled to sit up. ‘Lucas found her?’

  Adam gave a slight nod. ‘I heard them talking. Someone spotted the car; they’ve gone after them. Detective Freeman. And Gardner.’

  Ben looked like he wanted to get out of bed. ‘He’ll kill her,’ he said, closing his eyes. ‘He’s going to kill her.’

  Adam couldn’t fight it any more. The tears came and he was gasping for breath. He felt useless. He’d failed her. He should’ve done something. Should’ve stopped Yates when he had the chance. Should’ve known something was wrong with her from the start. But he’d done nothing. He was helpless. No wonder she couldn’t trust him, couldn’t tell him the truth.

  ‘She didn’t do anything wrong,’ Ben said.

  Adam just stared, his face red hot with tears. He shook his head. ‘She lied to me. All this time she pretended to be something she’s not. They think she killed that girl.’

  Ben’s eyes filled up. ‘She’s a good person,’ he said. ‘If she lied to you, it was to protect you from the truth. Everything she did was to get away from him. Lucas. They have to stop him.’

  Adam felt a stab in his heart. She was protecting him. It should’ve been the other way round. He looked out of the window to the car park, which was thick with sleet. Adam pushed back the chair and thanked Ben before running out of the ward and down the stairs. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe he could do something after all.

  Chapter 87


  17 December 2010

  Lucas dragged Emma through the woods, spade in the other hand. The car he’d stolen had been full of gardening shit. If Ben had been there he might’ve said it was his guardian angel looking out for him.

  The branches scratched at his face and kept catching in Emma’s hair. He’d gagged her with a rag and some twine from the car but he could still hear her muffled cries. In the distance ahead he could see lights, though he was sure the road was behind him. He turned slightly, moving away from the lights. He’d got this far, he didn’t need someone seeing him and calling the cops now.

  Emma tried to dig her heels in, slowing them down. The ground beneath them was slippery, the muddy sleet spattering his jeans. It was starting to snow again but he didn’t care any more about the cold. After he’d finished with her he wouldn’t care about anything. He’d disappear and start again somewhere new.

  They came to a clearing. It wasn’t a big space, maybe eight by ten feet, but it was big enough for what he wanted and still had the cover of trees. He doubted anyone would be out walking in this weather. Not unless they were burying bodies too.

  Lucas let go of Emma, throwing her to the ground. She landed face down, putting her hands in front of her to break her fall and then scrambled to her feet, trying to run away.

  ‘I don’t think so,’ he said and grabbed hold of her. He held her tight against his body but she struggled and tried to elbow him in the guts. He pulled the twine from his pocket and pushed her down, straddling her. She tried to claw at him. He brought his fist down on her jaw and she stopped. He turned her over, pulling her arms behind her back and tied them up. She flailed about in the mud, writhing on her stomach, and he took a second to laugh at her before moving down to her feet and binding her ankles. When he was done he flipped her over and straddled her again. He couldn’t tell if she was crying or if it was the rain streaking her face but he could see the fear in her eyes and it was all he wanted. He pressed himself into her and leaned forward, his mouth next to her ear.

  ‘The last thing you’re ever going to see is the soil I throw down on your face,’ he said and she started to squirm against him. He laughed and got off her, pulling her up to a seated position, leaning her against a tree. He took one last look around. He could no longer see any lights. They were alone. Completely. He started digging. Under the slush at the top the ground was hard. Each time he struck it reverberated up his arm. But with each strike he felt more and more excitement. He kept his gaze on her, enjoying the terror in her eyes. He’d get the grave dug; that was the important thing, to get that done. And then maybe, just maybe, there’d be time left for some fun.

  Chapter 88

  17 December 2010

  Gardner looked at the map in his hand as Freeman swerved around another corner. She had that look you get when things snowball, when suddenly things start to happen. He knew the look well; he’d seen it hundreds of times. He was probably wearing it himself.

  ‘So far they’ve been picked up on the cameras three times. First heading north. Then west. And then going north again on the B6346. That was almost half an hour ago. There’re units heading that way but so far, nothing,’ Freeman said.

  ‘B6346,’ Gardner said and spread his map out. ‘Plenty of woods around.’ He stopped as Freeman’s phone rang.

  ‘The car’s been spotted,’ she said, after speaking to someone at the other end. ‘Officer approached the vehicle but it was empty.’

  ‘How far?’

  ‘About ten minutes.’

  ‘All right,’ Gardner said, ‘let’s go.’ Freeman did a U-turn and Gardner hung on for dear life.

  Adam checked the road signs, trying to make out where he was. He’d heard Gardner say the car was spotted on the B1340. But that was a while ago. They could be anywhere now. But surely someone would’ve seen them? Someone would notice her struggling? He tried not to picture what Lucas might be doing to her.

  There’d been a part of him that felt relief when he’d discovered what was going on. When he knew that she hadn’t left him by choice, that she hadn’t wanted to disappear with Lucas. The relief was huge. But maybe he’d have preferred it if she had gone with Lucas voluntarily. At least then she might not be in danger. She might not be dead.

  Adam felt sick at the thought. Images of her dying alone and thinking he’d done nothing to help her rushed through his head. He needed to find her. He pulled over and grabbed his phone to call Gardner. As he answered, Adam could hear traffic rushing in the background.

  ‘What’s going on? Have you found her?’ Adam asked.

  ‘Not yet, but the car we believe they were in was spotted outside some woods not long ago. We’re heading that way now. Stay put with Ben and I’ll call you as soon as possible.’

  Adam listened as Freeman spoke in the background, asking for back-up at Shipley Woods. He hung up and looked down at the map, trying to make out his location.

  He tried not to think about how much time she’d been in there with Lucas, how much time she’d been suffering, alone. At least they were on their way. They were going to find her. He was going to find her. He just hoped he’d get there in time.

  Chapter 89

  17 December 2010

  Lucas wiped the sweat from his face with cold hands. He’d dug maybe a foot. If that. Who’d have thought digging a grave would be so fucking hard. He stepped back and wondered if he should just leave her there. The police would be onto him by now. It was unlikely she’d be left to rot as long as Jenny anyway.

  He turned to Emma and watched as she tried to tear the twine off her wrists and ankles, tried to pull them apart. He wiped his face again. It was pitch black now; he could barely see past the tree she was sitting against. His arms were aching and he’d pulled a muscle in his back. This wasn’t how he’d imagined it would go down.

  As he threw the spade onto the ground he thought about everything she had done to him. How she’d rejected him. How she’d murdered his baby. How she’d gone running to that prick Ben for help. How they’d set him up.

  He looked over at Emma, still struggling, still crying under her gag. She thought she was better than him but she wasn’t. She was as guilty as he was. Worse, even. She’d picked at that girl’s bones like carrion.

  Lucas stood over her, looking down. Emma stopped moving. He crouched down in front of her. He wanted to pull the gag from her mouth but he was afraid she’d scream, afraid someone would hear and come running. But he needed answers.

  ‘Did you think you’d get away with it, Em?’ he said. ‘Did you really think I wouldn’t work it out? Wouldn’t find you?’

  Emma whimpered and he pulled the gag away.

  ‘You always thought you were better than me. Better than everyone. But you’re just as bad. A liar, a killer.’

  ‘I didn’t kill her,’ she said, her voice shaking.

  Lucas punched her in the stomach. She cried out and keeled over and Lucas grabbed her by the throat. ‘Don’t you fucking lie to me.’ Spit came out as he screamed in her face. He let go of her and sat back, wiping his mouth. ‘And then you have the fucking gall to set me up.’ He pulled her upright again.

  ‘How did you know what’d happened with us? Why her?’ he asked, and she just looked at him like she didn’t know what he was talking about. ‘I know you set me up. You put your ID on her body. You wanted them to think I’d killed you. Didn’t you?’

  ‘I just wanted to get away,’ Emma said.

  ‘But how did you know about me and her? How did you know to do it to her?’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I swear,’ Emma said through her sobs. ‘We found her. Ben was trying to help her. We went looking for her and we found her in the flat.’

  ‘So you and the bent lad helped her by killing her? Finishing her off? Finishing what I started?’

  ‘No. It wasn’t like that. We found her like that. She was already dead.’ Emma looked confused before the realisation hit her. ‘It was you. You killed her
. You killed Jenny.’

  Lucas sat back, his hands on his head. After all this time, he was starting to understand. He looked at Emma, squinting to see her face in the gloom. And it was a picture. They both knew. After all this time they were finally on the same page. Lucas started to laugh.

  Chapter 90

  8 July 1999

  Emma jumped up from the bench as Ben came out of the clinic. She’d rather have spent the day in there instead of loitering outside, but Ben couldn’t watch her 24/7 and after she’d sat in the waiting room for a couple of hours, Ben’s colleagues started getting uppity. So much for helping those in need.

  After walking around for hours the night before, she’d finally gone to Ben’s and told him about Lucas. She knew she couldn’t go home. Not after Lucas had threatened her dad, too. She couldn’t bear knowing she would be responsible for her dad getting hurt. Ben had tried to get her to go to the police but it was pointless. They never did anything. A slap on the wrists and he was free to do whatever he wanted. If that man hadn’t come out of the bookies when he did, Lucas would’ve done something there and then. She’d seen him angry before; that was pretty much all he ever was these days. But it had been different the other day. She’d seen something new in his eyes and she was sure that he wouldn’t stop coming after her. She wasn’t sure Ben would be able to protect her from Lucas if he found her, but at least she wouldn’t be alone.

  Ben nodded at her and glanced over his shoulder as his boss locked up the clinic. Emma walked across to him. His boss was trying to pretend she wasn’t watching them but was failing miserably. Emma turned her back to the other woman. ‘Can we go now?’

  ‘See you tomorrow, Ben,’ his boss said as she passed them.