She's Gone (A psychological thriller)

by M A Comley

  “Thanks. I hate to ask, but is there any way you can get in touch with the local police for us? Apprise them of the situation?”

  “I’ve already spoken to a DI Lance Cooper. He told me he’d leave it a day or two and then visit you to lend his support. Do you want me to get in touch with him, ask him to come and see you ASAP?”

  “Yes, if you wouldn’t mind. Thank you for thinking of us.”

  “Of course. Any problems, be sure to ring me. I’ll do the same the second we hear any good news, I promise.”

  “Thank you. We’ll do that. Goodbye, Inspector.”

  “Take care of each other.”

  “We will.” Martin ended the call and dropped his mobile onto the table.

  Debs’ shoulders trembled and the emotion she’d been suppressing broke free. “I can’t cope with this, Martin. Why are they doing this to us? We’re in a living hell. All I want is our baby back.”

  He cradled her head against his chest. His whole world was collapsing around him and he could do nothing to put things right. Frustration seared his veins. He was tempted to go outside and give the journalists what for, but what good would that do? “Come on, love. I’ll put some music on instead of the TV, how about that? At least, it’ll drown out the noise of them talking outside.”

  “Okay, but it won’t drive them away, will it? Why do they insist on badgering people who are suffering the worst loss imaginable? If Adele had died, at least we’d be sorting out her funeral right now. This is so much more traumatic. Or is it just me thinking that?”

  “No, I feel it too, love. It’s the not knowing. The inability to get out there and search for our baby, that’s twisting my bloody insides to shreds.” His gaze landed on the tray of food he’d prepared and he turned his nose up at the thought of trying to swallow down anything larger than the size of a pea, in case it got wedged in his throat by the constant lump that seemed to have embedded itself there. “Want me to get rid of this?”

  “Yes, sorry. I just can’t face it.”

  “You’re not alone. I’ll be right back.” He took the tray into the kitchen and covered it over with a tea towel in case they changed their minds a little later. Martin returned to the living room on weary legs and plonked down onto the sofa next to Debs to comfort her.

  Before long, the soothing music helped to relax them and they both drifted off to sleep, only to be woken by the doorbell ringing.

  Martin leapt out of his seat and stormed across the room to peer out of the window, only to find a smartly dressed man and woman standing on the doorstep, ahead of the reporters. If he didn’t know any better, he would have said the couple were police officers. He noticed the wary looks on the faces of the journalists who had backed up a little since their arrival.

  He rushed through the house and opened the front door. The tall well-groomed male offered up his warrant card for him to study. “Mr Jenkins, I’m DI Lance Cooper and this is my partner, DS Karen Dorning. Would it be possible to chat inside?”

  “Of course. I’ve been expecting you. DI Cobbs rang to explain she’d been in touch with you.” Standing back, he gestured for them to enter. He secured the front door with the chain once more, then showed the detectives through to the living room and made the introductions to Debs.

  “Have you heard something?” Debs asked, her hands clenched in her lap.

  “I’m sorry, no. This visit is to introduce ourselves and to let you know that we’re going to do everything we can to assist you,” Lance replied.

  Martin motioned for them to take a seat. “How will that work? Sorry, can I get you a drink?”

  “No, don’t go to any bother on our account. Of course, we realise that DI Cobbs will be in charge of the investigation up in The Lakes, that won’t change. All we can do at this end is offer our support, as and when you need it.”

  “How will that manifest itself?”

  “We’ll be here to hold your hand. If, for instance, you get problems from the press, we can come along and help ease the stress.”

  “If that’s the case, why are the press still out there, taking root on our doorstep then?” Martin queried, his temple pulled into a confused frown.

  “I’ve had a word with them, told them at the first hint of trouble we’ll come down here and force them to move on if necessary. In my experience, they’ll get tired of hounding you soon enough, providing you don’t react to them.”

  “I hope so. They’re upsetting Debs, making this a darn sight more difficult to cope with.”

  Lance nodded. “I know. Hang in there. Their bosses will move them on soon enough, once another big story hits the headlines. Try to ignore them the best you can.”

  “I hope you’re right. I know I spoke to the press before returning home, you know, while we were back in The Lakes, but I stupidly thought that would be the end of it. I presumed it would help our cause; instead, I feel it’s hindered it.” He ran a hand through his short hair and tugged it at the end.

  “You felt it was the right thing at the time. I’m surprised DI Cobbs allowed you to do it and didn’t advise you against giving an interview.”

  “Umm… I can’t remember, I think she did advise against it, if I’m honest. Like everything else surrounding our daughter’s disappearance, everything’s hazy, to the point where it sometimes feels like we’re in a dream and all this is happening to someone else. Or is that just wishful thinking on my part?”

  “Others have said the same. Our hearts go out to you both. It’s not an easy situation to deal with. We’re going to do our best to ease the stress and strain on your shoulders. First though, I’m going to need to ask you a few questions, are you up for that?”

  Martin gripped Debs’ hand and nodded. “Of course. What do you want to know?”

  DS Dorning withdrew her notebook and flipped it open. Once she was poised, ready to jot down the answers, DI Cooper asked his first question. “Just answer the best you can, okay? In recent months, have either of you noticed any strangers hanging around the house?”

  Martin glanced in Debs’ direction. She thought it over for a few seconds and then shook her head. “No.”

  “What about you, Martin?”

  “No. I’m not sure if you’re aware of our situation, but I’ll fill you in, anyway. Debs and I were separated at the time of Adele’s disappearance. I was on holiday with my daughter and my new girlfriend and her two children.”

  “I see. No, I wasn’t aware of that fact. I’m glad you’ve got over your differences and have come back to support Deborah,” Lance said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

  “Oh no. We’re back together again. You see, I blame my ex-girlfriend for not keeping an eye on Adele, who was in her care at the time.”

  Cooper inclined his head. “Really? May I ask where you were?”

  He sighed heavily. “I was amusing Jake, her son, playing football with him. It was agreed that Louise would look after the two girls. Matilda, Louise’s daughter, had something wrong with her, so Louise was seeing to her when Adele went missing.”

  “I see. That must have been a very traumatic experience for all of you to be confronted with.”

  “I know what you’re thinking… I shouldn’t have blamed Louise, and she’s probably feeling like shit right now. You’d be right, but once Debs came to The Lakes… well, I realised that I still loved her and the rest is history. We should never have split up, Debs and Adele mean the world to me.”

  Lance tilted his head to the other side. “And yet you chose to leave them? Sorry if that sounds unsympathetic, I’m just trying to form a picture of the family dynamics in my head.”

  Martin smiled. “Yeah, you’re not the only one. I was an idiot to leave my wife and child in the first place. Blame it on a man’s egotistical need to feel wanted. None of it makes much sense when I say it out loud. It is what it is, I’ve made amends for my mistake, which has come at a cost neither of us was expecting or could ever imagine.”

  “And you, Deborah, can I
ask how you feel about the situation?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Are you happy Martin is back home?”

  “Of course I am. I’d be even happier if Adele was here with us as well. All we want now is for the police to find our daughter.” She let out a gasp and clamped a hand over her mouth.

  Martin twisted in his seat to face her, his heart racing as his fear rose. “What is it? What’s wrong, Debs?”

  “I’ve just had a thought. What if… umm… if someone took her and headed straight to the airport with our baby?”

  Lance raised a hand. “I think that’s highly unlikely. The culprit would have needed to have had a passport for your daughter in place before they attempted to abduct her. They would only have that if the abduction had been premeditated. Which, in my opinion, is unlikely, unless you have any proof to the contrary?”

  Debs and Martin looked at each other and shook their heads. “No one we know would be capable of causing us this much pain,” Martin said.

  “On the one hand, that’s a good thing. What about family? Are you in touch with everyone there? No conflicts at all?”

  After chewing his lip while considering his answer, Martin replied, “I fell out with my mother a few months back, when I split up with Debs.”

  “Where does she live?”

  “Here in Liverpool. But she’s rung me twice since Adele went missing. She said she saw me making a plea to the public on the TV and decided to get in touch. Actually, my sister Morgan rang me first and I was a little short with her. Mum called to chastise me. You know what mothers are like when a family falls out.”

  “Do you believe either of them is capable of snatching Adele?”

  Martin scratched his head and stared at the two detectives. “No. I really don’t. Like I said, we haven’t been in touch for months and they only contacted me once the story aired.” He turned to look at Debs. “What do you think?”

  She shrugged and shook her head. “I can’t see it. But who knows?”

  Martin left his seat and paced the floor a few times, heaved out a sigh, then sank onto the sofa again. “Oh God, you’ve got me thinking now. Will you go and question them? Or should I go?”

  Lance raised a hand. “Let’s not do anything rash. We’ll see to it, as part of our enquiries. What about you, Debs? Do you have any family members who are likely to have taken Adele?”

  “No. Sadly, I’m all alone. My parents died within a few years of each other when I was younger and I don’t have any siblings.”

  Fresh tears dripped onto her cheeks, and Martin flung a comforting arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay, love. He had to ask.”

  She sniffled. “I know. It doesn’t stop the pain from resurfacing. I wish Mum and Dad were here to offer their support when we need it the most.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. Okay, let’s leave that for now. Martin we’ll need the addresses of both your mother and your sister before we go. Let’s move on, can I ask what jobs you both have?”

  “I’m a sales manager for an import and export firm. Debs doesn’t work, Adele has only just started primary school, she’s still settling in.”

  “It’s difficult finding a job in the current climate, if you’ve been off for the past few years, looking after your child. I’m hoping that will change soon… if she ever comes home,” Debs added.

  “She will, love,” Martin assured her, gripping her hand once more.

  “And with your firm, Martin, can you cast your mind back a few months to anything that might have angered someone you’ve recently done business with?”

  “No, not at all. I get on well with all my clients. They say I’ve got the gift of the gab, but I’m super friendly with it. I’ve never once got annoyed with a customer, ever. So there’s no reason to suspect anyone of doing this to me, to us.”

  “I have to ask this, please forgive me if you believe I’m way off the mark. Your export business is above board?”

  “Crikey, yes, definitely. Wayne is a much-respected businessman. He’s the owner. He prides himself on being an utter professional and only employs people, such as myself, who treat the business in the same way.”

  “That’s good to know. There are so many dodgy haulage and export companies around at the moment, who are intent on trafficking people into the country. It’s mind-blowing, as you can imagine. It’s also getting harder to enforce with our limited funds.”

  “Ah yes, I understand what you’re getting at now. Yes, we’re aware of what’s going on in this country. We’ve been shafted a number of times by such companies, but Wayne has always taken the moral high ground and risen above the threats he’s had to deal with.”

  Cooper’s intrigue piqued. “Wait, your boss has been threatened in the past? Has anything come of those threats?”

  Saliva filled Martin’s mouth. “Umm… not as far as I know. You don’t think…?”

  “It’s a possibility, one we’d be foolish to ignore at this stage. I’ll need to chase things up with your boss, Wayne, you said?”

  “Yes, Wayne Turnbull. I’ll get you his number now.”

  “The address of the business would be preferable. I’d much rather interview him face to face, if possible.”

  “Of course, I can supply you with that. Oh, God, the connotations of this could be far reaching, couldn’t they?”

  “They always are during any investigation. Which is why it’s always advisable for people to tell us the truth, and provide us with all the facts no matter how insignificant those facts may seem at the time. It’s surprising where things lead to in the end.”

  “I can understand that now. Oh, God, the thought of Adele getting caught up in something as sinister as people trafficking.” He raked his hand through his hair again. “I can’t even comprehend how bad that could be. No, correction, I refuse to even think about it.”

  Cooper shook his head and smiled. “Then don’t. You leave the worrying to us, okay? The last thing I wanted to do was heap more stress and anxiety on your shoulders.”

  “I’ll try and ignore it for now, it’s not going to be easy, though.”

  “I know. Is there anything else you think we should know before we go? What about you, Deborah?” DS Dorning asked. “Any hassle at the school gates? Anything along those lines that you believe we should be delving into?”

  “No. I truly can’t think of anything. I get on well with all the mothers, and the odd father, who drop their children off at primary school.”

  “That’s good to hear. We can cross them off our list of suspects then. Okay, I think we’ve covered everything now. If you can give us the three addresses, we’ll be on our way.”

  DS Dorning handed Martin her notebook. He looked up the addresses for his mother and sister and wrote them on a clean sheet of paper, then added his work address. Passing it back, he smiled. “Mum’s and Morgan’s, plus my work address. I take it you don’t want me to ring ahead and warn them that you’re going to be in touch?”

  “No, not advisable. If either one of them is involved, us showing up unannounced will send them into a panic. We know what to look out for. I’m going to leave you my card. Please, ring me day or night if you need to speak to me, or if you think of anything else we need to speak about.”

  Martin rose to his feet, took the proffered card and placed it on the sideboard on his way out into the passage. At the front door, he shook both the detectives’ hands. “Is there any chance you can have a word with the press? They’re only making the situation worse.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. Keep your heads low, try not to leave the house. They’ve been known to follow people and cause all sorts of mayhem in the process.”

  “We’re staying put for now. No need for us to go out. I’m still on holiday at the moment and the cupboards are pretty well stocked up.”

  “Good. I’ll be in touch soon, should I uncover anything of importance during the interviews.”

  “Thank you.”

  A
s soon as Martin opened the door he was blinded by flashes and the journalists all jostled to get a better look at him. He tucked himself behind the door and listened to DI Cooper exerting his authority over the ravenous pack.

  “Get back. You guys need to show this couple the respect they deserve. Don’t you think they’re going through enough at the moment? Why do you persist in making their lives a bloody misery? Have some heart for a change. Go on, get back. You have no right encroaching on their personal space at this unbearable time.” Cooper and Dorning pushed through the pack. Cooper took a swipe at one of the journalists who rammed a camera in his face, bashing him on the nose. “Right, I’ve given you fair warning. Either you stand back ten yards or I call for backup and start arresting some of you. Maybe you’ll listen then. What’s it to be? The decision is yours.”

  A few of them shifted backwards, but most of them stood their ground in a defiant stance. Todd Wilkins cleared his throat and shouted, “We have a right to be here. The public are interested in this case. If you can persuade the parents to speak to us, then we’d leave immediately, Inspector. You, of all people, know how these things work.”

  “And you, Wilkins, are the lowest of the low. If the parents wanted to chat with you, they would have done it by now.”

  Martin had heard enough. He straightened his shoulders and emerged from his hiding place behind the door to confront them. “If that’s what it will take to get rid of you. Here it is. My beautiful daughter has gone missing; we’re presuming she has been abducted. Two kind inspectors and their teams are doing their best for us to get our daughter back. I’m pleading with you not to hamper their progress in any way. Answer me this, how would you feel if it was your child who had been taken? Bear that little nugget in mind. Thank you, that’s all I have to say. Now kindly leave us alone.” He firmly shut the door and stood behind it until his heart rate slowed down.

  Debs came into the hallway and found him in the same position a few minutes later. “Everything all right, Martin? Did someone hurt you? Say anything to you?”

  “All’s fine. I gave them what they wanted in the hope they would leave us alone, but it knocked me for six. I was just catching my breath again.” He nudged away from the door, took a look through the spyhole and let out a relieved sigh. “I think it’s worked.”