Bad Things Happen: when a child goes missing

by K Leitch

  Maya listened without interrupting as Helen told her of her devastation at Will’s betrayal and how she had then thrown herself at another man only to have him reject her cruelly as well. She described how she had poured herself a pint glass of Will’s most expensive whisky and had started popping her sleeping tablets one by one, each washed down with a large swig of the fiery alcohol, until she had felt herself falling asleep. She had been vaguely aware of Maggie’s screams of distress and terror; when her friend had come in to find her comatose on the living room floor, and she had fleeting memories of the rush in the ambulance. The next thing she had been aware of was an exhausted weeping Maggie, sitting by her bed holding onto her hand for dear life.

  Maya was crying while Helen told her the sad tale and she grabbed her hand when she had finished talking.

  ‘Never again Helen, I will not allow such sadness to come to you…never again,’ she said fiercely.

  Helen was really moved and she squeezed Maya’s hand and smiled into her eyes, revelling in the love she saw shining there.

  But Maya looked concerned, ‘I worry though about your friend, Maggie…you keep baby secret from her, she is good friend Helen…she may be hurt. You should tell her I think.’

  ‘Oh I don’t know…I think I’ve left it so long…and after all the baby will be here in a week or two…and I like it just the two of us knowing. Do you think I’m a terrible friend?’

  ‘No of course not…I just worry, you would not like to lose this friendship with Maggie I think…but it is for you to decide Helen. You have witches meeting tonight?’ Helen nodded. ‘Well why not tell tonight…go on, what worries you? They love you these girls…they understand for sure.’

  Helen said she would think about it, but she really wasn’t sure she was ready to let anybody else into her perfect little world yet. For one thing it might mean she’d have to come to terms with what she was feeling for Maya, and she had no idea how she was going to do that yet!

  CHAPTER 36 - CARLA

  As she walked the now familiar route from the car park to the caravan site, Carla thought over all she had learnt from the files that Detective Farrell had sent over. It hadn’t made easy reading, Farrell had not been exaggerating about how corrupt and dysfunctional a family the O’Bruin’s were. Their list of offences just about covered every crime you could think of, from petty theft to drug trafficking and running a brothel, with a whole host of GBH and aggravated burglaries thrown in for good measure. Mary had been one of seven grandchildren that Orla O’Bruin had brought up while her various offspring were either doing time in prison or had just simply buggered off. Mary’s mum had died of an overdose when she was little, so she and her brother Craig had been put into Orla’s not so tender care. Craig O’Bruin was a chip off his father’s block, following him into a life of crime with a nasty reputation as a sadistic thug. His father made the most of his son’s cruel nature, and sent him to ‘sort out’ anyone who crossed him or owed him money, a role that Craig seemed to excel at.

  But what was puzzling Carla was that, up until now, Mary had kept her head down, there was nothing much on her accept for a couple of shop lifting incidents when she was a minor, and she was pulled in for soliciting a few times. She wasn’t a known drug user and, unlike the majority of her family she didn’t seem to have a tendency towards violence. So why now; why did she suddenly decide to steal a child? This was what was Carla couldn’t figure out. She was on her way to speak to Finney who had surfaced at last, to see if he could shed any light on the death of Terry Dobson and maybe she would be able to find out more about Mary at the same time. She was seriously worried about the girl, from the amount of blood that was found on little Owen, she had suffered a serious injury and could be lying somewhere dying or even dead.

  The dog that had been with Owen had been identified as Hattie, Dobson’s springer spaniel, and the dog team were working with her to see if she could lead them to where Owen had been held. It was a long shot, for all they knew Owen could have come across the dog as he walked through the woods, but at this stage anything was worth a try.

  Gabe Finney was waiting for her outside Duncan’s van when she arrived a few minutes later. He was a scruffy looking man, shorter than average with greasy dark hair which he had pulled back in a pony tail. He seemed extremely nervous and was constantly scratching at a scab on his hand. Duncan smiled when he saw her and asked if it was ok for him to sit in with them.

  ‘I don’t mind as long as Mr Finney doesn’t,’ said Carla as she sat down opposite them. She turned to Gabe, ‘Mr Finney, can I ask you what you were doing on the night that Terry was killed?’

  ‘I was in me van…Terry an me, well we’d ‘ad a bit of a row, ‘cus ‘e said ‘e ‘ad to see that girl and I told ‘im ‘e was fucki…er…really stupid, and that ‘e should give ‘er the swerve an come out rabbiting wiv me. Any’ow ‘e wasn’t ‘aving none of it, ‘e said that it wouldn’t take ‘im long to get rid of ‘er and then ‘e’d be back. So I told ‘im to Fu…er flaming go ahead then and I decided to ‘ave a bit of a drink by meself…that was the last I seen of ‘im, till I went out in the morning looking. Fu…bloody stupid idiot, why couldn’t ‘e just listen to me…I told ‘im she was trouble…wiv ‘er sob stories and schemes and all.’

  ‘Did Terry tell you why he needed to see Mary that night Gabe?’ said Carla smiling as she took a mug of tea from Duncan.

  ‘Na…not really, ‘e said ‘e had some money for ‘er…so she could go away like. Terry never wanted to get mixed up in all this, ‘e told ‘er to give up on the idea loads of times, but she was like a dog wiv a bone…so I guess she wore ‘im down.’

  ‘Was there any reason why it was Owen Marshall that she wanted, did Terry ever tell you why she wanted to take him?’ Gabe looked confused and shook his head.

  ‘Na, ‘e thought she just wanted them to be like a little family, ’cus that’s what she kept going on about, them getting a place in Ireland and being a proper family. Terry told me that she’d lost a baby when she was young, so maybe…you know some women get weird don’t they…’ormones and stuff.’

  Carla suppressed a smile. ‘When Terry and Mary were seeing each other before she left the camp did they ever fight do you know? Did she tell Terry about her plans then?’

  ‘Oh god yes, those two could barney for England, they were always fighting and Terry had to give ‘er a slap a couple of times to shut ‘er up. She was a right feisty one that Mary. I never knew whether she’d told ‘im about taking a kid though, I don’t fink so ‘e would’ve told me, Terry would’ve…’e told me most fings,’ he finished lighting up another cigarette from the one he’d just finished.

  ‘Can you remember where it was in Ireland that they were planning on setting up home, once they had the child?’

  ‘Oh I can’t remember, nowhere near Cork I know that much…that’s where ‘er family were; and she was terrified of them seemed like. Always worried that they were going to find ‘er and take ‘er ‘ome she was.’

  ‘Did Terry ever mention where Mary was living while she was in Kenley, it can’t have been too far away if they were able to meet so often.’

  ‘Not really, ‘e said she had a squat…nice gaff though by the sounds of it, garden and everyfing. Owners gone away for a while…ha! They’re in for a shock when they get back,’ Gabe seemed to get some sort of pleasure from that thought.

  ‘But he didn’t tell you where? Think hard Gabe this is really important,’ Carla pressed him.

  ‘Na sorry, I don’t fink ‘e ever did tell me, else I would’ve gone round there and told that no good cu…bitch to sling ‘er ‘ook,’ Gabe was clearly getting upset again so Carla thought she’d leave it at that for today.

  ‘I’ll need you to come in and make a statement at some point, you too Duncan if you don’t mind, and I wonder if you could look at a couple of faces for me see if any match the mystery stranger from the other night.’

  She set up her laptop and went into the files from Irelan
d until she got an image of Mary’s brother and father, which she showed to Duncan. He immediately recognised Craig O’Bruin as being the man he had spoken to. Which meant that Mary’s family were over here looking for her; Carla needed to make sure she found her before they did!

  CHAPTER 37 - TRACY

  ‘Tralala…life is just a bowl of cherries,’ thought Tracy as she cleared up two empty coke cans, a crisp packet and a half eaten apple from down the side of the sofa. It had been nearly a week since her little sister had shown up on her doorstep and so far it was a miracle that she hadn’t killed her. Thank goodness it was a cauldron meeting tonight so that she could have a rant with the girls and maybe get some suggestions about how to deal with lazy conniving and manipulative teenagers.

  Simon had taken it all in his stride, not taking any of her rubbish and putting her in her place with a few well chosen words. Consequently Lisa had fallen head over heels for him and followed him round like a puppy when he was at home, she also constantly found opportunities to make Tracy look bad in front of him, which was slowly driving Tracy mad!

  If that wasn’t bad enough she was hanging around the house all day long while Tracy was out at work, eating all the food and making a mess. She only once offered to take Buster out for a walk (it had been Simon that had suggested it). She had taken him as far as the row of shops on the high street; but then had got so wrapped up in looking at the vintage clothes in ‘gone but not forgotten’ the new trendy village boutique, that she had forgotten she had left him tied up outside. Tracy had to rescue him a couple of hours later, after getting a call at work from Jessica (the owner of said boutique), complaining about him howling at her customers and weeing up her shop sign. Meanwhile Lisa was breezing around the village showing off a new very skimpy top to a couple of very interested builders who were working on the village hall roof, and were quite happy to spend a flirty half an hour with a pretty young girl.

  Lisa came home, quite unrepentant, an hour or so after Tracy had dragged the neglected Buster home, and blamed Tracy for the whole thing.

  ‘Well if you can’t be bothered to take some time off work when your only sister comes to stay what can you expect.’

  ‘Keep calm Tracy keep calm,’ she said to herself for the millionth time. But then her conscience began to nag her, maybe Lisa did have a point she would see if she could get a couple of days off next week. She plucked up the courage and rang the school secretary Juno, who was not at all impressed and Tracy had to do some serious grovelling until she gave in at last very grudgingly.

  ‘You owe me Tracy,’ she had said, ‘and I know who I will be calling on to help sort out the clothes for the next Jumble sale.’ Tracy grimaced but even the awful prospect of sorting through grotty bags of old clothes couldn’t dampen her enthusiasm. It would be good to spend some girlie time with her sister. And maybe have a heart to heart with her and find out why she was really slumming it in Kenley when she could be on the Costa Brava.

  So when Lisa finally came home for dinner, Tracy told her that she had a couple of days off next week and to think of things that she would like to do.

  ‘What? You and me?’ said Lisa dubiously.

  ‘Yes, I thought maybe we could take Buster to Headly Heath, that’s not too far a drive and it’s a gorgeous walk, we could take a picnic…’ she stopped as she caught Lisa’s look of absolute horror.

  ‘Well maybe not Headly Heath, but what about Brighton. We could walk along the prom, and let Buster run along the beach, he’d love that. And maybe even have fish and chips out of the paper…you always used to like doing that didn’t you?’

  ‘Yes…when I was eight years old!’ shouted Lisa rudely. ‘Bloody hell Tracy why the hell would I want to do that! I’ve just come over here from Spain for Christ sakes, if I’d wanted the seaside I would have stayed there wouldn’t I? Der, you can be so dumb at times.’

  ‘You little madam!’ interrupted Simon crossly, ‘don’t be so ungrateful; Tracy is just trying to think of ways to entertain you. Although why she bothers when you talk to her in such a nasty way I don’t know. If you can’t think of anything nice to say then keep it buttoned!’

  Lisa had the grace to look shamefaced and ate her meal in silence, but Tracy could see from the look in her eye that she would pay her back for what she would see as Tracy humiliating her in front of Simon.

  She got her chance later in the day as Tracy was talking to Carla on the phone arranging to pick her up on the way to the cauldron meeting.

  ‘So,’ Carla was saying, ‘have you told him yet?’

  Not yet…I know, I know and I am going to, but what with Lisa and everything there just never seems to be the right moment. I mean when is the right moment to tell someone you’re pregnant… yes well that easy for you to say, you’d been married to James for years before you had Harry. I still don’t know whether Simon is ready for this…yes I know I’ll never know unless I tell him…ok ok…’ she broke off as she caught a glimpse of Lisa standing just outside the door, ‘listen Carla I’ve got to go but I’ll see you at seven thirty outside the station…yep ok…bye.’

  Lisa came into the room. ‘Did I just hear right, you’re going to have a baby?’ she said smiling snidely.

  ‘Shit!’ thought Tracy but she hid her irritation as she said, ‘Yes I am, but I’m keeping it quiet for while just until I’ve told Simon so I’d rather you didn’t.’

  ‘You mean you haven’t even told him yet,’ Lisa said shocked, ‘what are you playing at Tracy, why would you not tell him…unless it’s not his!’ she turned on Tracy accusingly. ‘That’s it isn’t it…how could you Tracy, I mean I knew you slept around but to have another man’s child and pretend that it’s Simons that’s just sick.’

  Tracy looked at her in horror. ‘No no no Lisa you’ve got it all wrong of course this is Simon’s baby, I would never cheat on him.’

  ‘Then why haven’t you told him yet then?’ Lisa said with such a look of triumph on her face that Tracy realised Lisa was enjoying her sister’s discomfort, and more importantly, she couldn’t trust her to keep this secret. She would have to tell Simon now…before Lisa did…damn!

  ‘Look Lisa,’ she said patiently, ‘the only reason I haven’t told Simon yet is…’

  ‘Haven’t told me what?’ said Simon coming into the room. Tracy froze mid-sentence…she felt like she was about to throw up, and Lisa could hardly keep the smile off her face.

  ‘Tracy has something to tell you Simon, and make her explain why she’s kept it from you for so long won’t you?’ she said spitefully, as she left the room satisfied that her revenge was complete.

  Simon looked at Tracy, ‘What is it love? You don’t look at all well, what has that little minx been up to?’

  Tracy put up her hand, ‘No this isn’t her fault …not this time. The thing is…um you know how much I love you don’t you?’ she said as the tears that had been threatening to fall, rolled down her cheeks.

  ‘Hey come on…what’s the matter?’ he said taking her into his arms.

  Tracy took a deep breath, ‘I’m pregnant Simon, that’s what’s the matter,’ she looked up at him trying to gage his reaction and she saw, or she thought she saw, pure joy on his face for just a split second before it was replaced by a worried look.

  ‘Oh,’ he said digesting this piece of information, ’right… I see… how far gone are you?’

  ‘I’m nearly four months, I was…’ Tracy began nervously.

  ‘Four months! Four fucking months,’ Simon exploded, ‘when were you going to tell me Tracy, when your waters broke?’ he pushed her away from him. ‘Why the delay Tracy? Why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘I meant to tell you…I’ve tried so many times but there always seemed to be a reason not to. Either you were too tired or I was…or you were in a hurry or…oh I don’t know I’m just a coward I guess,’ she finished tearfully.

  Simon stood and looked at her for a moment, worry and concern furrowing his brow.

  ‘What did
Lisa mean, “You had better find out why she hasn’t told you”, what was she getting at? Is there more to this than meet the eye Trace, I mean surely I’m not so scary that you were afraid to tell me, unless there’s something I should know…is there?’

  ‘Simon no!’ said Tracy urgently. ‘There is absolutely nothing…Lisa is just trying to cause trouble as usual. I am so sorry that I have been such a coward about telling you. If you must know I was terrified of losing you; I love you so much and the thought of you leaving me was just…’

  She stopped when she saw Simon’s expression; he had just gone from annoyed to furious. ‘So that is how little you think of me is it?’ he growled, ‘that I’m the sort of man who just runs off at the first sign of trouble. Not only that, but apparently I am capable of abandoning my own child as well am I? I’m surprised you even want to be with me Tracy; I just can’t understand how you can say you love me, but then in the next breath make me out to be some sort of unfeeling bastard.’ Tracy tried to put her arms round him, but he shook her off. ‘No, I’m sorry, but it’s going to take a while for me to get my head around this…I don’t think you realise how much you have hurt me Tracy,’ and with that he walked out of the room and couple of minutes later Tracy heard the front door slam and then the sound of Simon’s Land Rover pulling out of the drive.

  Tracy sat down on the end of the bed and cried her eyes out. She had no one to blame but herself for this; all the girls had told her to trust him and tell him straight away…she was such a fool and now he hated her and she couldn’t think of a way to make things right again.