Donna sighed, she glanced back inside at Roberta and Martin. They were both clearly distraught. “Yes, boss,” she replied.
...
Earlier that day
Nadia sat on the train in one of the rare table seats. Auntie Fatima was sat on the opposite side by the aisle, where Nadia had a window seat. They had just gone through the Severn junction tunnel and were now officially in England, Auntie Fatima had fallen asleep.
Nadia took her phone out of her pocket and tried to join onto the free train Wi-Fi. She saw a WhatsApp message from Amy, one of her school friends.
Nadia, where are you? Mr Jones was a right twat in Chemistry.
You feeling rough? Message me, OK?
Nadia thought for a moment about whether she should reply. She had been really tempted to tell Amy what her plans were. However, knowing that Amy’s mum and her mum were quite chatty had put her off. What if Amy accidentally told her mother? It was a risk that Nadia had decided wasn’t worth taking. Now that she was already on her way, would it be safe to reply?
She decided that she would take a selfie with Auntie Fatima and send that. She turned around in her seat so her back faced the table, and made sure that both herself and Auntie Fatima were in the screen view, she pulled a cheesy grin and snapped the photo, then sent it, adding a comment.
I’m fine, just on a train to London with my Auntie Fatima.
She’s taking me to Morocco to see my Dad.
Mum doesn’t know yet, I’ve left her a note.
See you in just over a week xx
Nadia smiled, as she saw the two blue ticks next to her message. Amy had read it, then she saw the notification that Amy was typing back and she grinned in anticipation.
OMG!!!!!! How exciting!!!! Your mother is going to freak! LOL xx
Nadia replied.
I know!!! I can’t wait to meet my Dad again.
Nadia clicked away from the messenger app, and went to Facebook, she scrolled through her timeline. It was the same old crap as always, friends moaning about school or saying spiteful things to people they didn’t like, adverts for clothes shops, advert for Lego (she guessed that Toby had used her phone again!), posts from some groups she was in. Boring, boring, boring! Then she looked at Instagram, she saw her favourite influencer sat on a beach, with a comment about how she was trying a new sun cream. It looked exciting and glamorous. Her life would be exciting now, she couldn’t wait to show off to all of her friends once she arrived in Morocco, she would be posting pictures with her Dad.
The train manager came into the carriage.
“Tickets from Cardiff and Newport, please,” she announced as she entered through the automatic door.
Auntie Fatima stirred, and began fumbling in her pocket for her ticket. She noticed Nadia on her phone.
“What are you doing on your phone?” she asked, in an angry manner that surprised Nadia.
“Just looking on Instagram,” Nadia replied.
“Switch that off and give that to me.” she said.
The train manager reached their table. Fatima handed over her ticket, as did Nadia, who was still holding on to her phone.
“Your mum doesn’t understand how important social media is, does she?” the train manager said. “Us girls have to make sure we are on fleek, isn’t that right?”
She smiled at the teenager.
“She’s my Auntie,” Nadia replied, smiling at the friendly train manager. Nadia admired how pretty she was, with her perfect eyebrows and simple make up.
“Oh Auntie, mun,” the train manager replied. “You’re meant to be the cool one.”
“Kids need a break from their screens!” Fatima replied.
The train manager smiled, shrugged and winked at Nadia before heading to the next table, as she walked off she said, “Probably for the best anyway, the WiFi is ropey as hell, it’ll do your head in before we reach Swindon!”
“Give it here now!” Fatima demanded.
Nadia thought that her Auntie was overreacting, but she didn’t want to upset her. If she didn’t do as she was told maybe Auntie Fatima would change her mind about taking her to Morocco and would send her back home to Cardiff.
“I’m sorry,” Nadia said.
She switched her phone off and handed it to her Auntie.
6
Donna sat with Roberta at the dining room table. Martin had taken Toby out for some food. The eight-year-old boy was not doing well with seeing his mum so upset and not knowing where his sister was.
Roberta’s eyes were puffy and swollen, and she continued to shake as Donna continued to gather information in readiness for the detectives.
“That is really good,” Donna reassured. “We know she was last showing online on WhatsApp at just before 10.15am this morning. The techie guys will be able to trace where she was at that time. Let’s continue with a list of her friends, their telephone numbers if you have them, and their addresses.”
Roberta fought through the sobs. “Amy is her closest friend. I don’t have her number, but I have her Mum’s.”
“That is excellent, Roberta. You’re doing really well,” Donna continued.
“Shouldn’t there be police in all the airports? They should be stopping my little girl leaving the country!” Roberta said, her voice shaking as she spoke.
“We’re tracing all airports, Roberta,” Donna replied. “We’ll know if her passport has been used. Trust us, we’re doing everything we possibly can to get your daughter home safely.”
Roberta tried her hardest to stay composed, but she was failing. All she could think about was that someone had abducted her child.
“Do you know her passwords for her social media accounts?” Donna asked.
“No, I don’t,” Roberta answered, adding, “You must think I’m a dreadful mother.”
“Not at all,” Donna replied, hastily. “We can get a trace on her online activity, it just would have been simpler if you’d known them. Honestly, it’s not a problem.”
“If you call Pamela, that’s Amy’s mum, I’m sure she’ll get Amy to share what she knows,” Roberta said.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be doing exactly that,” Donna confirmed. “Once DI Matthews is back, we will have clearer steps on how we move forwards. He’s an expert with missing person enquiries.”
...
Earlier
The train pulled in to Paddington station. Nadia grabbed her backpack and followed Fatima into the busy metropolis. The late morning noise hit her, as crowds of people swarmed around the display boards and hurried along on their daily duties. Business people in suits, couples holding hands, young travellers with large backpacks, people of all ages, genders, shapes, sizes and colours all frantically moving through the crowds.
The smell from the food stalls hit her, and she felt a growl in her stomach. She hadn’t been able to finish her breakfast she had been so excited. She tried to remember if she had put her uneaten toast in the bin or whether she had left it on the plate in the living room. Her mum always got furious when they left food hanging around.
“Auntie Fatima?” Nadia began to ask. “Any chance I can get a sandwich? I’m really hungry.”
Fatima looked at her, then reached for her purse in her handbag. She pulled out a note and handed it to the teenager.
“Here, pop in the shop and get us a meal deal each. I’m vegetarian, so get me a cheese sandwich or something, and a bottle of water. You have what you want. I’m going to make a call, I’ll meet you back out here.”
Nadia took the money and went into the shop. Near the doorway was the fridge with meal deal display. She found a cheese salad sandwich for Fatima and then looked at what else was on offer. Everything seemed to have tomato in it. She hated raw tomato. She always found it odd as she loved tomato-based sauces, but there was something about raw tomato she really didn’t like. She found a ham and cheese sandwich and hesitated for a moment. Should she also choose something vegetarian because her Auntie didn’t eat meat? She decided th
at was ridiculous, and grabbed the ham and cheese off the shelf and put in a basket. She added two bags of crisps, a bottle each of still and sparkling water, as she didn’t know what Auntie Fatima would prefer and she was happy with either, and headed for the checkout.
She decided to go to the checkout which was manned, as the self-service tills always scared her slightly. She paid the extra to have a carrier bag, made sure that she had her receipt and change and went outside to meet Fatima.
“Slight change of plan,” Fatima said. “My friend is going to meet us here, and drive us to Southampton.”
“Southampton?” Nadia questioned. “That’s not Gatwick.”
“We are going to travel by boat instead.” Fatima replied. “Now let’s sit on a bench and eat our sandwiches before he arrives.”
7
Six Months Later
“Airport security does my head in!” Gemma moaned, as they stood in the queue at Cardiff airport.
“This is far worse than the last time I flew,” Jen answered. “You didn’t have anywhere near the number of rules.”
As they reached the front of the queue, Gemma grabbed a grey plastic container and placed her flight bag into it. She grabbed a second and put in her mobile phone, her Kindle, and a clear bag which contained her toiletries.
Jen grabbed one for herself and placed it on the conveyor belt. She added her own bag and the jacket she had been wearing, taking out her mobile phone from the pocket and placing that in separately.
Gemma went through the scanner first and grabbed her bag from the other side.
Jen went through second, and was asked to stand with the security as they checked through her bag.
When she caught up with her friend she exclaimed, “They bloody always stop me, do I look dodgy or something?”
“No more than usual!” Gemma laughed.
They started walking through the duty-free shop which was conveniently placed for maximum sales opportunities, preventing you from walking into the departure lounge without guiding you through the shop first. Gemma paused by a designer make-up stand.
“Will you stop looking at that crap?” Jen moaned. “I can’t think about shopping at this time, I just want a coffee and some breakfast.”
“Alright, I’ll look in a bit,” Gemma replied.
They made their way to the on-site Costa. Jen found a quiet table in the corner, whilst Gemma joined the queue.
“Fancy a teacake?” Gemma asked. “I love the Costa teacakes.”
“Perfect,” Jen replied. “But get an extra butter.”
Jen got out her mobile phone whilst she waited for her friend to return, and quickly sent a text message to Troy.
Just through security. They stopped me. Just having breakfast now.
I’ll ring you when we get there. Have a good day. Jen xx
Gemma hadn’t even got to pay when the message came back.
I don’t blame them, you look a right suspicious character!
Have a safe flight. Miss you already xxx
Jen grinned to herself. Her relationship with Troy was becoming very special to her. She knew from that first time they had gone for coffee that he was different from other men. He had a sensitivity, a sense of humanity that really appealed to her. He had told her early on about how his mother had been a victim of domestic abuse, and how that had led him to the research at Project Payback.
Knowing this made Jen feel even more safe with him. She felt that he was slowly returning her to her confident self. They had been dating for nearly seven months, but had only recently been intimate. Troy hadn’t rushed her in the slightest, and even when Jen said that she was ready, he had kept telling her that they could stop at any time. But as she lay in his arms after they had first made love, she felt at peace. He was so gentle and caring. She was hoping that their relationship would have a future.
“What are you grinning about?” Gemma asked, as she placed the tray on the table.
“Oh, nothing,” Jen replied. “I’ve just been messaging Troy.”
“Well, that explains that then!” Gemma laughed.
She took the two drinks off the tray first, placing them on the table. Then she took the plates containing the teacakes.
“Extra butter, as requested,” Gemma said, putting the plates on the table. She flipped the tray and placed it against the wall at the side of her.
“I hope the apartment will be ready when we arrive,” Gemma continued.
“If it isn’t, I’m sure we can leave our luggage and go for lunch somewhere,” Jen replied.
“Good plan!” Gemma said. “I’ve had a look online, there are some lovely restaurants by the looks of it.”
“What are we like!” Jen laughed. “Eating breakfast and already thinking about lunch!”
“But we will be in a different country by then,” Gemma said. “Oh, Jen, I’m so excited about our holiday!”
“I’m just looking forward to getting away and forgetting what has happened.” There was a sadness in Jen’s eyes.
Gemma felt her pain. Whilst Jen was improving every day, there were glimpses of the trauma seeping through. It was hardly surprising after everything that Jen had been through, in both her marriage to Oliver and losing the baby to his violence.
“And forget we will,” Gemma said, lifting her latte glass in a pseudo toast. “To us, and our holiday.”
Jen smiled and held her own cup of cappuccino aloft. “To us!”
8
Six Months Before
Fatima’s phone rang.
“OK, Biscuit, we’ll be right out,” she said.
She nudged Nadia, who was mid sip of her water, the nudge made her spill some down her chin.
“Come on, clumsy,” she said. “Our lift is just outside.”
Nadia put the top back on her water bottle, lifted her rucksack from between her legs and threw it over her right shoulder. She followed Fatima through the concourse, and out of the exit.
Leaning against an old silver Mercedes was a man. He was completely bald, but what he lacked in hair on his head he made up for by a big bushy ginger beard. He was dressed in a fairly scruffy manner, with an old eighties rock band t-shirt and jeans that it was clear had faded through years of wear rather than it being the design of the fabric. His gut poked out of the top of his jeans, forcing the t-shirt fabric taut.
As Fatima and Nadia reached him, he gave Fatima a hug.
“Lovely to see you,” he said.
“You too, Biscuit,” she replied. “It’s been too long.”
Biscuit eyed Nadia up and down in a manner that made Nadia feel rather uncomfortable.
“And who do we have here?” he asked.
“This is Nadia,” Fatima replied.
“Right. Well get in, Nadia, we have a long drive,” Biscuit said. He reached for Nadia’s backpack. “I’ll pop this in the boot.”
Nadia wanted to protest, to say that she would keep it on her lap, but he’d already began prizing it off her shoulder.
“Get in, then,” Fatima said, pushing her into the back seat.
Nadia climbed in. She could see another man sat in the passenger seat.
“Mateo!” Fatima exclaimed on spotting him. “I didn’t know that you were with Biscuit today.”
Mateo responded in perfect English but with a clear trace of a Spanish accent. “We want to make sure that you ladies arrive without a hiccup.”
Nadia turned to Fatima, “Why are you calling the other man Biscuit?” she asked.
Fatima laughed. “His name is Gary and he’s bald. So, Gary Baldy! You know, like the biscuit.”
Nadia nodded, pretending she understood even though she had never heard of those biscuits before.
Biscuit jumped in the front seat and started the engine. “Let’s get going.”
...
The drive down to Southampton had been fairly quiet. Biscuit had some loud eighties rock on the CD player in the car. It amused Nadia as she couldn’t remember when she had seen a CD play
er in a car before. Martin still had a load of CDs on a shelf in their living room at home, but everything was digital now. What a dinosaur Biscuit was.
They had stopped quickly in a service station on the motorway. Fatima had gone with Nadia to the toilet, whilst Mateo had nipped to the shop. He’d bought Nadia one of those posh doughnuts and a bottle of milkshake. Nadia had asked if she could have her phone back whilst they were stopped at the services, but Fatima had told her it was locked in the boot.
As she sat in the car, eating her doughnut, she could see Fatima and Biscuit having what looked like a very serious conversation and Fatima seemed annoyed. She heard something about how that was not the deal and where was her money. When Fatima saw that Nadia was watching, she pulled Biscuit further away.
“What’s that all about?” Nadia asked Mateo.
“Those two are always fighting. They are like a married couple,” Mateo replied, smiling. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about them.”
When Fatima and Biscuit returned to the car the atmosphere turned sour. There was a tension in the air that made Nadia feel uncomfortable. Nobody said a word for the rest of the journey.
...
As they arrived into Southampton, they started to follow roads turning away from the port.
Mateo turned to face the back seat. “We are going to a smaller marina; the boat is there,” he said by way of explanation.
A few minutes later they pulled into a large gravel car park. The old Mercedes looked out of place amongst the brand-new sports cars and range rovers.
“We’re here,” Biscuit said, as he brought the car to a stop.
“Out you get, then,” Fatima said.
The four of them got out of the car, Biscuit opened the boot and took out the rucksack. Nadia reached out to take it from him.
No Escape (Sinister Minds Quick Reads Book 2) Page 2
