‘I don’t know now, I really don’t. I’m sorry, I can’t suggest anything else’ Kester puts his hand to his brow, absently scratching his temple and looking at once defeated and exasperated.
‘Ohh God’ Marilyn looks behind her and into the alley they have walked between the shopping centre and the car park, ever hopeful of seeing Leonie. A car door slams nearby and she turns back again.
‘Nothing’ Kester spreads his hands. ‘Nobody seems to have seen her’
‘Where now?’ Andy asks.
‘I was just saying, I can’t think of anything else and your Mum’s out of ideas’
‘It’s okay, she’ll turn up’ Beth stands next to Marilyn and puts an arm around her shoulder. ‘She wouldn’t have gone to Nathan’s would she?’ she directs her question to Kester ‘She seemed to have made it up with him’
‘First place we went’ he replies. ‘I’ve rung him on his mobile too…he’s out on a job but I’ve told him to keep an eye open for her, you never know’
‘That leaves us with the police then doesn’t it?’ Marilyn says, looking first to Andy and then Kester for confirmation.
‘Are they going to be bothered?’ Andy shrugs ‘She’s only been gone a few hours’
‘But she’s been very down, Andy. You know that. I’m worried….really worried, now. I don’t know how I thought we were just going to come across her …’ she sighs ‘ But it didn’t seem so hopeless somehow…not when we left home’
‘Come on, Mum. No point in getting upset…’ he says gruffly.
‘No point? No point!’ Marilyn retorts angrily as tears flood into her eyes. ‘We’ve let her down….we all have. Nobody saw what she was going through…nobody…we all thought she was just being difficult…’
‘Difficult? She was downright vicious…an absolute bitch’ Andy snaps back, his eyes widening incredulously.
‘How can you say that…how could you? She’s probably lying dead somewhere and…’
‘Hey!’ Kester interrupts, putting himself between them and looking from one to the other ‘Enough…all right? We’ll find her…. someone will find her. We’ve got so many people keeping an eye out for her now; it’s only a matter of time before somebody sees her or knows someone who has. Police or no police, the only decision we’ve got to make is whether we get them involved. Time for the whys and wherefores later….okay?’
Woodbury Town Centre
Chapter Sixteen
Manor Road
‘Mister James…Kester?….A minute, please?’ The man looks quickly both ways before starting to cross the road at a trot.
Kester turns from opening the gates to Tawny House, scowling. ‘If you’re press, you can piss off and piss off now’
To his surprise, the man stops at the edge of the grass verge that curves towards the gates and does not step onto the driveway. ‘Your grandmother put it a little more politely’ he says with a brief smile, dipping his head in acknowledgement of Kester’s request. ‘Yes….I am... of sorts’ he admits. ‘Not paparazzi…but, believe me, they’ll be following on behind in their droves once this gets out’
‘What gets out?’
‘Can we talk?’
‘Look..’ Kester closes his eyes and sighs wearily ‘Now is not a good time… Whatever you want, the answer is no. I’m sorry…Excuse me’
‘Okay……’ The man allows, stepping further back onto the verge as Kester pulls the car door fully open again and prepares to get in ‘But I think you’ll be interested in what I’ve got to say. Your comment… your side of the story would be the icing on the cake…but I can go with it or without it. I’ve got enough’
Kester pauses with one foot already in the car and his hand atop the door to turn and glare. ‘You print anything that is remotely libellous and, believe me, I will sue!’ he snarls.
‘Nothing libellous…every bit of it is the God’s honest truth. You will know that’ the man says, crossing the drive.
‘I will?’
‘Kester…this is as much your story as it is mine’ he says with quiet earnestness. ‘She is out to destroy me but I’ve seen enough to get in first’
‘Who?’
‘Your mother! Who else? I want to see her suffer like no other bitch has ever suffered. I don’t have to have your help…but you needed mine….once’
Kester’s brows draw together as he studies the man’s face.
‘My card’ the man flicks a business card from the pocket of his waistcoat. ‘Ring me when it’s a better time…but don’t leave it too long. Things are about to get very hot. I’m lighting a fire under that evil cow once and for all’ He walks away, turning only once as he gets into his own car to put a thumb to his ear while his little finger forms a mouthpiece. ‘Ring me, Okay?’
Hill House, Boundary Road
‘He’s coming home’ Andy announces flatly, finding Marilyn in Leonie’s bedroom. ‘A bit annoyed we didn’t get hold of him earlier and totally confused you won’t talk to him now’
‘I can’t’ Marilyn shakes her head, her hands clasped in her lap and her head bowed as she sits on the bed ‘I might go to pieces completely if I put it into words. It’s admitting that she’s…’
‘Gone walkabout, that’s all’ Andy lets out a long breath and crosses to the window to look out.
‘Andrew!’ His mother twists round. ‘The police are taking it seriously. They didn’t dismiss it out of hand…they thought there was cause to be worried…they didn’t think I was making a fuss. We should have got hold of them the minute we thought something was wrong!’ she accuses bitterly.
Andy turns to gape with open-mouthed anger. ‘You decided not to, not me. Don’t lay that one at my door!’ He jabs a finger at her.
‘Kester said…’
‘I know what Kes said’ he retorts ‘And no way did he try and persuade you one way or the other’ He pushes both hands through his hair and sighs apologetically ‘Look, it’s late; we’re both tired. Get to bed’
‘You’re not going home?’ Marilyn queries shrilly as he walks past her.
He sighs again. ‘You think I’d leave you on your own now? Thanks a lot’ he growls ‘No, I’ll kip down in my old room’ He thumbs over his shoulder. ‘I’ll hear the phone if I leave the door open…but what we both need is rest…..I’m knackered so you must be’
Marilyn follows him through the door and onto the landing. ‘I couldn’t sleep a wink, knowing that she’s out there somewhere’
‘But you’ve got to try’
‘I’ll lie on the sofa…just in case…and if Dad’s coming home…’
‘Right…’ Andy’s ill temper rises to the surface once more ‘So we lay awake worrying when she’s probably tucked up somewhere not giving a damn what’s happening back home?’
‘How can you say that? You’ve not been that bothered all along have you? I don’t suppose you’d be here at all if it hadn’t been Kester that rang you. If it’d been me, you wouldn’t have dropped everything to help us look…’
‘Thanks again. You seem to have forgotten the time she took herself off for the weekend without telling anyone’
‘That was years ago…she was a teenager. Teenager’s are always thoughtless’
‘Yeah…and didn’t we get in a bloody row when she got back for annoying her friend’s parents?’
‘This isn’t the same! She said she wanted to BE WITH HER NAN! Doesn’t that say something to you? Marilyn screeches. ‘You know how down she’s been. I don’t understand you; I really don’t’ Her tirade comes to an abrupt halt as Andy swears and fishes for his car keys in his pocket. ‘Where are you going? I’m sorry, Andy, really…I’m tired and I’m scared to death…I didn’t mean to speak to you like that…’
‘No’ He shakes his head and clatters down the stairs, grabbing a coat from the hall cupboard before he looks back at her. ‘Just an idea…Stay here and don’t block that phone. I’ll ring you’ he says, pulling it on.
‘Andy?’ Marilyn hovers, half way down the stairs, her hand at her throat.
‘Bearspool. We forgot bloody Bearspool!’
‘I’m coming with you’ she decides, taking the last few steps at speed and throwing open the cupboard again to retrieve her shoes
‘Mum…no…you stay here. She might come in any minute…and then there’s Dad. It’s a long drive’ Andy stands from fastening his laces to grip her by the upper arms.
‘I don’t care!’
‘Mum…it’s only another idea. I’m probably wrong’
‘Ring the police…’ she pleads ‘they’d get there quicker than you can. They can see..’
‘If she’s there, she needs family…not some clodhopping copper. I’ll call Beth, she can come over and stay with you. Ring me if you hear anything else. Let it ring.. I’ll pull over and ring you back. Use your mobile, keep the landline free, that’s the number the police have got. Okay?’
‘Oh, Andy…be careful’
‘I will…and don’t get your hopes up, probably a wild goose chase…but I’ve got it in my head now’ He drops a perfunctory kiss on her cheek before opening the front door.
