‘Have you called the police?’
‘Yes, they’re looking for her.’
Shall I tell him about the accident?
‘I wish I could help,’ he murmurs, sounding really concerned. ‘Unfortunately, I am very busy Helen, but if I see her I will call you.’
I breathe a sigh of relief and close my phone. I knew he had nothing to do with it.
36
MIGUEL & BETH
Easter Sunday
Later that night
‘Keep still I told you not to move!’
He kicks open the front door, pushes me outside and into his car.
I sit staring in front of me, he sits waiting. Suddenly he leans over me, grabs the belt and starts fastening it, but he doesn't let it go, he gives it a shake, pulls me to him then grabs my face with his hands and stares into my eyes, then he pushes me back and starts driving fast.
I sit not saying a word staring at the road in front of us.
Suddenly he pulls up, leans over me, takes something from the cubbyhole in the dashboard, it’s a scarf. He wraps it around my eyes then drives on.
Ten or fifteen minutes later the car screeches to a halt. He gets me out of the car and walks me to a door, opens it and pushes me inside. I nearly fall over, he grabs me and leads me into a room. He pulls off the scarf and stares at me for a long time. ‘Stay here, do you understand?’
I nod. The door slams shut behind him, then he locks it. I can hear him talking to someone.
‘No, la toques (don’t touch her),’ he suddenly shouts.
The man he’s talking to laughs, he screams something in Spanish I don’t understand, then it’s silent.
There’s a very basic looking bed in the room with a mattress like the ones you get from Ikea, that’s it, just a bed, a pillow and a white duvet. There is one window with beige blinds that are pulled down. I don’t have my bag, my phone, nothing, Miguel took them from me.
I stand waiting to hear the sound of his car, but nothing happens, he must still be here.
Ten, twenty minutes pass. I’m getting tired of walking around the room so sit on the end of the bed. On closer inspection, it looks almost new and smells clean, I lay down and start to doze off.
I can hear voices. It sounds like women talking very quietly in the room next to mine. I must have nodded off for a few minutes, I wonder what time it is? I lay listening to them talking trying to make out what they’re saying but I don’t understand the language.
After a few minutes I slowly sit up. Jamie must be so worried, I’ve got to get out of here and fast. I pad over to the window and slowly raise the side of the blind just a millimetre, it’s dark outside, I can’t see a thing.
The next minute there’s the sound of a door opening, it’s the room next to mine. The women’s voices stop, then I hear a slap then another. A woman cries out, men laugh - more slaps - more cries, then grunting. I hold my breath, I feel sick, I know what they’re doing to them.
About ten minutes later a car drives up outside the house. Then all hell breaks loose in the room next door. It’s Miguel, he starts screaming at the men, they shout back then there’s silence. The door slams then the door to my room opens.
Miguel stands staring at me then walks over to the bed.
My heart’s thumping so hard the adrenalin’s pumping inside me. He pulls me up and takes me out of the room over to his car. I’m just about to turn and kick him but he’s holding me tight around my waist.
‘I said don’t do anything, don’t you understand?’
I say nothing.
He lowers his face close to mine and whispers. ‘I am not weak like your friend Nick.’ Then he pushes me into his car, buckles me up, walks to the driver’s side, slides into the car, and sits staring ahead.
Then he turns and looks at me. ‘You have a son, don’t you?’
I nod.
He starts the engine, puts his foot down and he’s driving fast, up and up the mountain road. In a way I’m glad it’s dark, the sheer drops and hairpin bends at this speed are terrifying. He’s a good driver but... the car goes faster and faster around the bends; I press my foot to the floor of the car willing him to slow down.
He glances at me then slows down a little. ‘You must never tell anyone what you saw,’ he murmurs. ‘Do you understand?’
‘Yes,’ I mutter. I want to ask where he’s taking me but maybe now is not a good time, he might just stop and push me over…
As if reading my mind, he suddenly looks at me. ‘Don’t worry, we are nearly there.’
37
MIGUEL & BETH
Granada
Ten minutes later he pulls up outside a small farmhouse, he slams the door, comes round, waits for me to get out of the car, then walks with me to the house.
We go inside, he switches on the light then turns and looks at me, his dark eyes search my face as if waiting for me to say something.
I say nothing.
He walks into the small kitchen and opens the fridge. ‘There is everything you need I will be back later so…’
Now’s my chance, he left the keys to his car in the ignition, it’s now or never!
I run to the door, open it, and run as fast as I can to his car, open the door and am just about to slide in when Miguel pulls me out, he doesn’t look happy.
‘I told you not to do that!’ he snaps.
I kick him in the crotch, he doubles over and stares at me in astonishment.
I’m back in his car, I turn the ignition on but the car door opens, Miguel leans over me and pulls out the key. ‘Get out!’
He yanks me out of the car, I go to hit him, he raises his hand to slap me then stops. ‘You want to fight me!’ he says, looking at me in amazement.
I say nothing.
‘I asked you a question?’
Still I say nothing.
He grabs me, pulls me back into the house.
‘Get off me,’ I yell, pushing him away, but he’s too strong. I’m shaking with rage, I feel icy cold all over.
He grabs me to him and growls. ‘Stop fighting!’
Very slowly I raise my knee, but he swerves just in time, he laughs and pulls me closer. ‘If you do that again, I will...’ His lips are on mine, I try to fight him off but his arms are like iron, he’s strong.
Suddenly he stops and looks at me for a long time, then he opens the front door and just stands there.
Then he’s back. ‘I’m not going to hurt you Beth, but you must do as I say. Go to the bedroom, take off your clothes, all of them, then give them to me.’
I don’t move, he looks at me and smiles slightly. ‘I have to make sure you don’t leave, you can wrap a sheet around you, now go, hurry.’
I just stand there. He sighs, takes me by the arm, opens the bedroom door, waits till I go inside, then closes it.
I stand staring around the room. Now what?
‘If you don’t do it quickly,’ he shouts. ‘I’ll do it for you!’
One minute later I open the door, I have the sheet wrapped around me.
He takes my clothes from the bed, walks to the door, then swings round. ‘Be good while I’m away, I will be back in the morning, then we will talk.’
38
HELEN
Hotel Costa Tropical
Easter Sunday - Late evening
Jamie’s gone to sleep in Jose’s room, Christina’s hovering around reception, and I’m sitting in the bar drinking brandy and waiting for a call from Dev.
I’m wracking my mind trying to think if I’ve missed something, I’m going over everything that happened when I was with Miguel, then I stop and start thinking about Nick. What he did in Evesly with Major Oliver and the rest of them, and then what he did to Beth…
I sit swirling the brandy around in the glass thinking about Nick. He had a thing for Beth, she didn’t even realize till it was too late. I take a big sip of the brandy, then another. If it is Nick, then what the hell’s he doing with Miguel!
Grabbing m
y phone from the table I walk over to the terrace. ‘Miguel, sorry to call so late, I’m just so worried about Beth and wondered if you’d seen her or ...’
‘Helen! I was just thinking about you. I’m sorry but I haven’t seen your friend.’ He stops for a minute as if thinking. ‘I can be there in fifteen minutes. If you would like to go for a drink, maybe it will do you good to get out of the hotel for a while.’
He’s so concerned about Beth I knew he had nothing to do with it. ‘Yes, that’s a good idea, I’ll be outside waiting for you.’
The lights of his sports car dip as I near the hotel entrance, he opens the car door, I slide inside. He leans over and kisses me. ‘I’m taking you somewhere nice for a drink, I think you will like it.’
In no time at all we’re on the mountain road going to a place he says I will like. Soft flamenco music plays but Miguel doesn’t sing, he looks serious tonight, his eyes are intent on the road ahead.
A few minute later he starts slowing down.
‘We are here,’ he says, pulling up outside a lovely old-style Andalusian hotel.
The red and golden lights from inside cast a magical glow on the flowers and trees that surround the courtyard. As usual Miguel seems to know them. He orders a bottle of sparkling wine, chats for a while with the owner, then leads me into a cozy looking room, then through an archway and up to the terrace where ornate heaters keep guests warm. The room is lit with candles, the scent of flowers from the terrace clings to the night air.
A waitress appears with wine and glasses, Miguel thanks her then tops up my glass and hands it to me. ‘So, what do you think has happened to your friend.’
I sip the wine and frown. ‘I don’t know, I wish I did.’
‘How is her son?’
‘He’s terribly upset, he’s worried about her.’ I’m just about to tell him about the car then stop myself.
Should I tell him they found the car but she wasn’t inside it?
‘What age is he?’
‘He’s twelve.’
‘Ah, so he’s not so little.’
I really like this guy, he’s exciting, good looking, amazing in bed, but there’s a softer side to him that he rarely shows. He’s kind and considerate, he doesn’t even know Beth very well and yet he cares so much about her and Jamie. I lean over and kiss him.
He twirls my long brown hair around with his fingers, his dark eyes search my face.
‘You must have some idea where your friend is, don’t you, Helen?’
‘I keep trying to re-live the last few days we were together and keep coming back to...’
‘What?’
I shrug.
‘Tell me.’
‘When we were in Granada I thought I saw someone I know.’
‘Who was it?’
‘Someone from the village I grew up in.’
I think of Beth and look at my phone, it’s 12.20. No message from Dev! No phone call. I turn and look at Miguel. ‘I must get back to the hotel.’
Ten minutes later we’re back in his car, but instead of going down toward the coast Miguel starts driving the other way.
I give him a questioning look, he just carries on driving.
‘We’re going the wrong way, Miguel.’
He doesn’t reply immediately then he turns and looks at me. ‘I know.’
39
BETH
Farmhouse in Granada
Later that night
As soon as the sound of Miguel’s car fades into the distance I start looking around for something to wear, I must get back to Jamie.
After searching every nook and cranny in the house I realize there’s nothing.
The front door creaks as I open it, I slowly poke my head out and look around. No other houses just a mountain track and a star filled sky above me.
Where the hell am I?
The sound of an owl hooting scares the shit out of me, I turn and close the door.
The kitchen’s traditionally Spanish, there’s a fridge, a cooker and a small table. Inside the fridge there are bottles of water, cheese, half a melon and half a bottle of wine, which I grab. There’s a rack on the draining board with a few glasses, plates and kitchen utensils.
I take a glass, the bottle of wine and a slice of the melon into the living room. There’s a small round table covered with a dark red tablecloth, a few chairs and a black leather sofa.
I perch on one of the chairs which is covered in a type of tapestry cloth, the wine’s okay, better than nothing, the melon’s a bit old but tastes good.
Two glasses of wine later I’m still trying to work out where I am. If I knew which direction the sea was in I could walk towards it, but it’s dark outside and I don’t have any clothes, or do I?
Maybe I can make this sheet I’m wearing into a dress?
I take my refilled glass of wine outside, if I can locate the North Star then maybe I can work out which way to go. I gaze at the star filled sky until I find one that seems to shine the brightest of them all, but what if it isn’t the North Star and I start walking in the wrong direction?
I drain the remnants of the wine into my glass, glug it down, then look around for some scissors. I’m in luck, I find some in a drawer in the kitchen, they don’t cut very well, but they’ll do. I cut a hole in the center of the sheet then look around for something to pin the sides together. There’s nothing so I just tie the loose bits together.
After ten or so minutes I have something that resembles a dress. The sheet is unbelievably soft so it falls well.
It’s a bit chilly up here in the mountains, there’s no central heating, no wood to make a fire…
There must be a heater somewhere!
Eventually I find one tucked away in a small cupboard, it’s an old electric thing, I plug it in and amazingly it works. There’s no TV, no radio so nothing else to do but sleep.
I lock the door just in case Miguel comes back so I have some warning. I’ll wait till it gets light then I’ll leave. I curl up in the duvet and start thinking about Miguel. He said we will talk when he gets back, talk about what? He knows I know what he’s up to. Then I think about Helen and what just happened with Miguel. My eyes are closing, I try to keep them open, the wine must have been strong probably homemade brew, I feel so sleepy...
What was that?
I must have fallen asleep, something woke me, it must be Miguel. With the duvet wrapped around me I roll off the bed and stand listening.
Cock-a-doodle-doo
It’s a rooster, it’s early morning!
Throwing open the front door I inhale the fresh morning air and take a look around. It all looks so beautiful, I can see the sea, it looks a long way away but I can see it.
I’m making a quick mug of coffee to wake me up, my head still feels muzzy from the wine I drank last night. My hot black coffee tastes good, I wonder if there’s anything to eat in the cupboard. There are tins and jars of food but I don’t have much time, Miguel said he’d be back in the morning.
Then I spot a packet of galletas – Spanish María biscuits.
Ten minutes later I’m walking in the direction of the sea. A small plastic shopping bag hangs over my shoulder, I found it in the kitchen, inside is a small bottle of water I took from the fridge and some of the biscuits. It’s still chilly but if I walk fast I’ll warm up.
40
DEV & DAVID
Hotel Costa Tropical
Easter Monday – 8.30 Breakfast
Dev looks at his phone, stands up and starts walking around the restaurant, then comes back and sits down.
‘So, where is Helen, it's 8.30, what time does she get up?’
David looks up from his phone, gets up and starts walking over to reception. ‘I'll get them to call her room to see if she's asleep.’
He talks to the receptionist, then waits while she calls Helen.
Dev’s watching from his table. When he sees the receptionist hand David a key he walks over.
‘She’s not answering?’
‘No, I'm going to see if she's OK.’
‘Wait, I’m coming with you.’
After knocking on the door twice, David inserts the key into the lock and opens it. The bed is empty, it hasn't been slept in. He opens the balcony door, then unlocks the inter-connecting door into Beth’s room, that’s also empty.
He hits his head with his hand and groans. ‘She’s with Miguel.’
Dev stands looking around the room then looks at David. ‘Have the police searched Beth’s room?’
‘Not yet, they’re coming today.’
He slides the balcony door open – it’s empty. ‘She must have gone with him last night,’ he mutters, then starts cursing in Spanish and pulls out his phone.
Dev follows him out of the room. ‘Who are you calling?’
‘The police, I’ll get them to put an APB out on Helen, she’s a missing person.’
Dev looks concerned. ‘But what if she’s on her way back, maybe they went for a drink and one thing led to another —’
David shakes his head. ‘No, I must do something, I have a friend he’s a detective, he’ll know what to do.’
Dev frowns. ‘Try calling her, you never know she may answer, if she doesn’t, call the police.’
The doors of the elevator open and a group of tourists jump in. David and Dev ease their way out and make their way to the terrace.
David walks over to the bar and calls Helen, no reply. Shaking his head, he walks out to the terrace where Dev’s waiting. ‘What the hell’s happening, first Beth and now Helen!’
‘Call the police,’ Dev says, taking out his phone. ‘I’ll get my people onto it also. Don’t worry we’ll find them.’
‘There are many dangerous people here, it used to be drugs but now it’s …’
Dev nods and starts talking to someone. ‘Yes, we have another missing person, get onto it now. I’ll send photos along with the description and the information we have, do it quickly.’ He stands listening to their reply, then quickly adds. ‘Any news on Beth Papadakis?’
The Beth Papadakis Thriller Box Set Page 43