by T L Blake
“If you want to help me, then cover for me. I don’t have any more lessons and I’m getting out of here.” His eyes bore into hers, they were so expressive, filled with a mixture of anger and concern, but he released his grip.
“I’ll cover. As long as you’re out of here you can’t upset the Head anymore.” He turned and left.
Robyn went out the fire door at the back of her room and ran to the car. She peeled out of the car park with little concern for who was watching.
She knew exactly what she was going to do and Andrew Obursen wasn’t going to like it, but if she was right, Kat could very well be in danger, or worse.
Two hours later, Robyn was sat in her lounge with local police officer, PC Godwin. She had given him an outline of Kat’s disappearance, made a statement and officially reported her missing. After showing him Kat’s room, where there were still clothes and toiletries and Kats abandoned car, the PC had begun to take her seriously.
Now, it was the holes in her knowledge of her friend that was giving him cause for concern. Robyn couldn’t say much about Kat’s other friends. She only knew first names, no surnames. She didn’t even know exactly who Kat was running with during her trip or where she was supposed to be staying. She did know Kat’s parent’s names, Susan and Daniel, but she didn’t think anyone knew exactly where they were, even Kat. All she could provide was a recent photograph.
Then the hard questions came.
“Why didn’t you report her missing on Wednesday when she didn’t show up?” PC Godwin looked at her, pen in hand.
“Um, I thought that she had extended her trip or something.”
“And was extending her trip without telling you, something she was likely to do?” He focused on Robyn’s face, trying to discern the sincerity of her answer.
“Yeah, I guess it was. I thought that she would have phoned, but we had a falling out just before she left, and I found her charger here. I thought that her phone was out of charge.”
“So why report her missing today?”
“She didn’t turn up for work. That’s when I knew something was wrong. She might have extended her trip but she wouldn’t miss work.”
“Where is it she works?” He wrote down her every answer.
“The secondary school, she’s a PE teacher.”
He was nodding as he wrote. Robyn was certain he had known that fact before walking through the door. Kat and Robyn were already well known in the small town and Kat was hardly a person who would go unnoticed.
“What did school do when she didn’t turn up today?” He looked up at her now.
Robyn sipped tea, trying to stop the slight quiver in her hands.
“Um, initially they didn’t know, but I went to the office as soon as I was told and they were cross about having to put emergency cover in place and then they said that she phoned and quit and won’t be back.”
It came out in a garbled rush but the police officer missed nothing. He sat back against the sofa, picked up the tea she had made him, drank and sighed “So why are you reporting her missing if she rang the school to explain?”
“It’s wrong, it’s all wrong. I know Kat. I know that she wouldn’t just make a decision like this without talking to me. I know that she meant to come back. Something is not right, I just know it.” Robyn was begging and she knew it. Her voice pleaded what her heart wanted to say.
The officer looked at her, assessing and making judgements about her no doubt.
“Look! I know how it sounds and yes, Kat wasn’t the most reliable person but we were, are, friends and she would have said something. The Head took that call. How would he know that it was definitely her? She wouldn’t just quit. Kat’s made of sterner stuff, I’m sure of it.” Robyn found that resolve was stiffening her spine. She returned the PC’s stare head on, trying to show that she spoke only the truth.
“Does Katherine have a Facebook account or Twitter or anything other than the email address you’ve given me?”
“She has a Facebook account, not Twitter. She used it occasionally to keep in touch with old friends, but I always got the feeling that she wasn’t too concerned about it. She lives for the moment, not the past. If you know what I mean?” He noted that down before staring at Robyn again.
“Do you?”
Robyn looked at the floor before answering. “No. There’s no-one for me to keep in touch with anymore.”
She kept her gaze lowered. This conversation was hard enough without seeing the pity that would be on his face.
“Has Katherine ever expressed any ideas or plans to hurt herself that you know of?”
“What?” shocked, Robyn looked up and put her cup back onto the table, “Of course she hasn’t. She’s not like that. She’s strong.” She swallowed as the uncomfortable thought had left her throat dry. “She’s not suicidal.” She spoke the words but did she truly believe them? Today had thrown her self-belief into turmoil. Could she be certain of anything anymore?
“Has Katherine any reason to leave? For instance, is there anyone who she might be hiding from?” Again he looked at Robyn intently.
“No,” she said, calmly meeting his gaze.
They sat in silence for a moment before a hollow disjointed voice sounded from the radio speaker on the officer’s shoulder. He looked at Robyn solemnly before rising from the sofa and heading out of the house.
“Go ahead.” She heard the PC say as he pulled the front door closed behind him.
When he walked back in, Robyn was on tenterhooks. PC Godwin sat down, indecision obvious on his face before he spoke. “Okay! Look, I’ll admit that she left some stuff here, including her car, which is unusual if she had planned to leave, and not contacting you, in particular, is peculiar. But it could just be that she just left.”
“I can’t believe that.”
His shoulders dropped a little as he sighed. “I know.” He sat forwards. “I’ve just been informed that no person with the name Katherine or Kat Harris has been admitted to hospital or picked up by the police in the last few days, so we can rule out incidents or injuries for now.”
Robyn heaved a large sigh.
“Normally we wouldn’t investigate the disappearance of an adult unless there were extenuating circumstances but I can see how certain you are and I have a little time at the moment to look into it. I can’t promise anything though and you have to understand that this is not going to take priority.”
Robyn sighed “Yes, I understand.” She had to accept whatever he offered.
“I’ll check around and tell you what I find, but Katherine is an adult, she has never expressed any interest in hurting herself. She doesn’t suffer from any kind of mental illness and has received no threats against her. The fact is, that in most of these cases, the person in question has disappeared because they want to disappear.”
“But the car?”
“Vehicles are too traceable. If I wanted to disappear, I’d go for the train just as Kat might have done. If you purchase a ticket with cash, there’s no trace.”
Robyn frowned. He was right, but she didn’t want to think about that.
“In the meantime,” the PC stood, “if she should contact you or if you have anything else to add, you have my contact details there, alright?” He pointed to the information pack that he had given her at the start of their conversation, finished his tea and collected his notepad and the photo she had given him.
“I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding,” he said as he opened the door to leave, “but I can assure you that I will look into it.”
“Thank you.”
Replacing his hat, and giving Robyn a reassuring smile, PC Godwin walked away and took with him Robyn’s only hope as he trudged to his car. She stayed at the door, watched him get in and start the engine and knew that she had done the right thing, because for the first time in days, she didn’t have knots in her stomach.
CHAPTER TEN
A sleepless night had Robyn arriving early the next morning. There had b
een no use trying to sleep any longer.
Scurrying to her classroom, Robyn kept her head down and was putting out the textbooks for her first lesson when she noticed the police car cruising up the school drive. White paint with the familiar checks pushed through the drifting fog until the lights on the roof slowly crept past her window.
There was no way that it could be a coincidence, but Robyn hadn’t expected to see the police at school when it was supposed to be a low priority investigation. Robyn was happy that her report was being taken seriously, but worried that the Head Teacher, who already had issues with her after yesterday, would not take kindly to further interruption.
Needing time to bolster herself for the inevitable break-time discussions, Robyn hoped that the morning would go slowly. Unfortunately, the threat of the police car, parked right outside her window, made the pupils attentive and hard working. The time flashed by and all too soon it was morning break. Anxious to find out what was happening with the police, who were still parked outside, Robyn decided to head to the staffroom.
Descending the staircase, Robyn expected to hear the drone of voices engaged in the usual chatter but strangely, she could hear nothing. It wasn’t until she got through the door that she realised why.
Two uniformed police officers stood against the wall near the door with the Head Teacher, his secretary and the bursar. Staff hurried through the kitchen before getting a seat and awaiting further instruction, their faces unanimously intrigued and wary.
Too late to turn around, especially as one of the uniforms was PC Godwin, Robyn skirted the room and perched on a chair in the far corner.
It was then that Andrew walked through the doorway. His black suit had a razor sharp pin stripe and was, as always, cut perfectly, but Robyn’s speeding heart was not caused by Andrew’s physique. Her nerves were tripped waiting to hear what the police had to say. At least, that was the reason until Andrew looked around the room and finally set eyes on her.
He was furious. Andrew stopped walking, stood near the Head at the opposite end of the room, showing that his camaraderie did not lie with Robyn, and stared at her, letting the full force of his wrath burn into her with not a blink.
Robyn couldn’t breathe. Instead of a nervous thrum, her heart began to pound heavily. She couldn’t avert her eyes despite the animosity in the stare. Andrew’s anger was a solid presence between them. It was as if a long arm reached out and strangled the life out of her. She knew Andrew’s eyes were expressive, a true window to his soul, but she had not seen the full power in them until now. Her instincts cried out, screamed of danger, as she glared back, but trapped as she was, she could only sit and take it as she clung to the chair beneath her.
The Head cleared his throat and stepped forwards to speak.
“Just a quick word to keep you informed of recent events.” He looked around the room and stopped when his eyes fell on Robyn’s face. He examined her shrewdly, a hawk marking its prey. “Sorry for the inconvenience to you all, but PCs Godwin and Driscoll here will be in and around school today, and probably tomorrow, to speak to several of you about Katherine Harris. Please give them your time and answer their questions as fully as you can, so that we can get this over with as quickly as possible and get on with our work. Thank you.”
With that, the Head turned and left the room, the secretary and bursar in tow. He neither looked at nor acknowledged the two police officers as he left and neither did his entourage; the ignorance being David Rowe’s way of dismissing the police, and their interruption, without being obviously difficult.
The staff, silent at first, slowly started to talk to each other and as the noise level rose, Robyn was of no misapprehension as to the topic. Mouths moved and bodies twisted but eyes remained steadily on her.
The two PCs began mingling, engaging in chatter and clearly hoping to get some information about Kat, but their presence didn’t appear to interest the other teachers as much as Robyn’s did.
Everywhere she turned, Robyn met a pair of inquisitive eyes; until she looked back at Andrew. He was half way across the room, heading in her direction. Hampered by other staff members, who now stood talking in groups, gossiping no doubt, his progress was slowed but his eyes never wavered.
The urge to be away from that stare pushed Robyn to her feet.
Inside the kitchenette, at the back of the staffroom, there was a fire door. Glass paned, top and bottom, it opened out onto the school sports field. Robyn headed for it, intent on making her escape. She got to the door quickly, no-one stopping her, and pushed the bar to disengage the lock. Flying out into the cold morning air, the fog was damp against her face as she marched as fast as she could away from Andrew. Following a path, she headed around the building intending to go past the car park and up and around to reception. When she was on the last of three steps up to the front of the school, she was yanked off the path.
Andrew pulled Robyn onto the grass of the playing field and behind a large collection of overgrown shrubs and trees. Secluded from prying eyes, he spun her around to face him before letting go of her arm. Robyn, for once, didn’t notice the perfect line of his jaw or the contrast between the blackness of his lashes and his flawlessly pale skin. She only saw his rage, burning bright in his irises. When he spoke, he almost spat his words.
“Did I not make it absolutely clear yesterday, that you shouldn’t stir things up? Wasn’t it bad enough to insult the Head Teacher and be threatened with your job?” His teeth were tightly clenched and anger pulsated off of him. He was magnificent in his deadliness and Robyn could tell he wanted to shout, to let the rage go, but instead he kept tight control to avoid being overheard.
“You had to go and get the police involved didn’t you?” He snarled. His knuckles were white where he clenched his hands into tight fists. The ferocity of his anger was obvious but rather than worry Robyn, it just fuelled her own.
“My best friend is missing,” Robyn surprised herself with the amount of malice in her voice, “Why shouldn’t I call the police?”
Why should she explain herself? Why was Andrew so opposed to her finding out what had happened to Kat? Calling in the police was the right thing to do. If Kat had a family, they would be doing just that. Robyn was not going to be ridiculed for doing the right thing.
“She called in, she explained, she left. Why won’t you accept that?” Andrew gestured with jerky arm movements.
“Because it’s wrong.” Her voice was raised, unlike his. She could not control the ire that flowed within her and actually, she liked it. “She would not have made such a monumental decision without me. She’s my friend. I know her. She just wouldn’t do this. I did not drive her away.” Each word was accentuated with arm gestures as Robyn’s body shook with anger. She stared at Andrew until he got it, until he understood that she wouldn’t give up on this and she watched him raise his arms in defeat.
“Don’t you understand what will happen if you continue?” He grabbed her shoulders and shook her.
“What are you talking about?” She shrugged him off and stepped back.
“They’re going to get rid of you. You’ll be replaced if you don’t stop.” His hand ran through his hair in frustration.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Lifting her chin, Robyn shouted back.
“You’re causing all this. . . ” Andrew gestured towards the school, “disruption. You’ve got the police here. They’re not going to like that and you’ve already been warned.” His body was shaking with fury yet Robyn wasn’t afraid. She watched as Andrew closed his eyes tightly, trying to remain in control. When he opened them, some of the anger had gone.
“She’s been missing for six days, Andrew. Because of me, she’s been missing for six days.” The truth in those few words held a deeper meaning than Robyn could possibly have expressed at that moment. “If anything has happened to her during that time, it’s my fault. I should have reported her missing on Wednesday, the moment that she was not on that train. I knew something was wrong and I
should have contacted the police then. It doesn’t matter how much trouble I get into now. I have to find her.”
Andrew stormed forwards. It took all Robyn had not to step away. “I doesn’t matter how much trouble you get into?” Too late, Robyn saw the tempestuous look in Andrew’s eyes. “It matters a great deal.” Her arms were suddenly caught in his solid grip and then with a swift jerk he pulled her to him.
Robyn stood pinned, Andrew’s face precariously close to hers, his gaze fiery and searching. She could see indecision, anger and a healthy dose of fear and she knew he thought about taking her, then and there, closing his mouth over hers.
He was enraged. A dangerous emotion when he held her like this. She was like a limp puppet in his arms and he knew she would yield to him. The fight had gone out of her the moment her body had slammed into his. She felt so bloody good moulded against him. She looked at him with such need. Her eyes were wide with yearning and her breasts pushed against his chest with each panted breath she took. He knew it would feel good to taste her, to take her, but he also knew that was dangerous. It took the last thread of his control to push her back and walk away.
Robyn stood breathless and watched Andrew’s retreating form. He’d held her until she was melting, falling into a fluid puddle at his feet, and then he’d pushed her away. She’d yearned for him to close the gap between them. She could no longer deny her attraction. There was something powerful drawing them to each other. Robyn trembled. She knew that Andrew was someone she should not tangle with and yet, she didn’t know if she could stay away.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The police cruiser returned the next morning during registration and sat, parked ominously, underneath Robyn’s window once again.
After a disturbed night where thoughts of both Kat and Andrew had plagued her dreams, Robyn’s morning flew. Year seven made their own indicators from fruit teas, red cabbage, and various berries that she had picked up from the supermarket; then tested their concoctions with weak acid and alkali to see any colour changes. Year thirteen kept her busy and awake with the difficult concept of lattice enthalpy. The idea that you needed energy to make or break a chemical lattice was not the problem. It was the complex way that you needed to go about working out the value of that energy that stumped them.