Family Secrets

by Lane, Jenny

  She sat at her laptop and began to make a list. She included people from work she knew about and several friends they met often. Then she began to list places he liked to go to. They spent so much of their time together, this was easier. Once she had finished, she went to print them off.

  ‘I’m going to take these to the police station. Then, I’ll go and call on Joe’s parents. They must be going frantic by now.’

  ‘Take care, dear. And give them my love won’t you?’

  ‘I will. See you later.’

  She drove to the police station and gave them her lists of friends, saying she’d done her best. Nobody seemed terribly interested and she felt extremely frustrated.

  ‘Doesn’t anyone care? He’s been missing for getting on for two days.’

  ‘He’s an adult Miss. He’s entitled to go off on his own if he wants to. We are looking. I promise you,’ said the sergeant.

  ‘But he drove away and left me at the race track. He’d never have done that willingly. Don’t you understand? He’d never do that.’ She found herself crying as she was speaking. ‘He’d never have done it,’ she sobbed.

  ‘Now then, now then. Come on dear. We are looking and your lists will help us a lot. Come on, cheer up. Crying isn’t going to help.’

  ‘I’m sorry. Someone has to do something though. I’m going to the hospital. Perhaps he’s there. Perhaps he’s lost his memory. Yes, that must be it. He must have lost his memory and that’s why he drove away.’

  ‘Did he show any signs of that? I mean, from what you told us, you were only separated for a few minutes.’

  ‘Yes, we were. Oh I don’t know. I didn’t sleep much last night.’

  ‘Then go home and go to sleep now. We’ll call if we find any trace of him. Go on.’

  She turned and went out of the station. She got into her car and drove round to see his parents. They seemed remarkably calm.

  ‘We think he may have gone to stay with one of his mates. I’ve called some but not everyone yet. I have to say, I do feel a bit silly. He’s a grown man for goodness sake.’

  ‘But he would never have left me at the race track. Not like that,’ protested Rachel. ‘He loves me and would never just abandon me.’

  ‘Perhaps he doesn’t care as much as you think, love.’ His mother looked slightly diffident about saying it. ‘I’m sorry to put it like that but perhaps you’re seeing more into it than there really is.’

  ‘I don’t understand. You’re agreeing with the police? You think he’s taking a break from me? From all of us?’

  ‘He might be. He wouldn’t be the first one now, would he?’

  ‘Well, I hope you’re right. If he wanted a break from me, all he needed to do was to tell me. I’d never have stopped him from doing whatever he wanted to do. I’d better go home then. Let me know if you do hear from him. Whatever he says I want to know.’

  She sat in the car outside his house. She could scarcely believe what she’d heard. His own mother felt the same way as the police. They didn’t seem to be worried that their son was missing. That he had driven away from the race track and left her standing there? Surely they must realise it was out of character for him to do anything like that?

  Another day went by and still she heard nothing. No trace of his car and no trace of him. She felt it was distinctly odd that nobody had seen his car. Someone must know where it was and therefore where he was. Dear Joe. She felt herself growing teary again as she thought of him. He was so good looking. His blond hair curled like crazy, especially when it was wet. He had pale blue eyes, eyes which went well with his blond hair. He was tall and very slim. They fitted together beautifully. But now, he was missing and everyone thought he was merely taking a break from her. She knew they were wrong.

  Rachel had decided she must go back to work the next day. If nobody was willing to help her, she needed something to keep her busy. After another restless night she got up and was ready to leave for her job in an office.

  ‘I hope you’ll be all right,’ said her mother anxiously. ‘You must come home if you can’t cope. Promise me you will?’

  ‘I’ll be fine Mum. Don’t worry. I’ll call the police again later and see if they’ve any news. I doubt they’ll even have bothered looking anymore.’

  ‘I’m so sorry love. Try to concentrate on your work and don’t worry. I know it’s easy for me to say but you know what I mean.’

  ‘Thanks Mum. I’ll see you this evening, unless they find him, of course. I don’t suppose Mr Greenhalgh will be particularly sympathetic but hey, so what?’

  It seemed a very long day. Each time the phone rang, she picked it up, half expecting it to be the police with some news. Before she left that evening, she dialled the number again and asked her usual questions. She got the same answers ... nothing.

  ‘Where are you Joe? It’s been three days since you left me.’ She made the same comment over and over again but never got any satisfaction. Wearily, she packed up her briefcase and left the office. Maybe there would be something the next day. A phone call from him.

  Sorry ... I went to stay with Charlie or Billie or someone ... hope you weren’t worried.

  Some chance.