Harry nodded understandingly. “So, are you staying here for a while?”
“No, just passing through, lad. I’m up this way on business and thought I’d look you all up. I wouldn’t have known where you were, except I’d read about your accident and recognised your father’s picture in the paper and knew you were in this area.”
‘Cool answer,’ thought George. Doesn’t anything faze the man?
“Do you fancy a game of chess?”
“Love to.”
“It’s up in my room, would you like to come up?”
“Why don’t you bring it down here, then we can continue our chat with your dad too?”
“Uh…”
“I’ll get it. In fact, I don’t need to, there’s another set in the sideboard. I think it’s all there.” George got up quickly and went over to the sideboard. He found the game and brought it out. Harry set it up on the table.
“Black or white?” Harry asked.
“Black, I think.”
‘Appropriate,’ thought George and settled down for another nerve-wracking hour, although it was interesting watching them play, for Harry was every bit as good, if not better, than Lucian.
“You’re very good,” Lucian said, admiringly. “I really thought I had you there but you managed to outwit me, lad. Can we have a cuppa tea? I’m parched.”
“I’ll do it,” said George, getting up.
“No, let Harry do it. You don’t mind, do you, Harry? Let your old man and uncle have the chance to catch up some more. I won’t be around much longer. I’ll just wait to say hello to your mum when she comes and then I’ll be off. I have to be in Leeds tonight because I’ve a big business meeting in the morning.”
“Of course I don’t mind, although you’ll have to help me carry it through. Do you like a cup and saucer, or will a mug be okay?”
“Mug’s fine. Black with one sugar, please.”
“Okay.” Harry walked carefully towards the kitchen and George heard the click of the kettle. It seemed an age until he came back, carefully carrying a mug which he handed to Lucian.
“I’ll fetch yours, Dad.”
“Just pop it on the table there, thanks. I’ll get it when I want it. You have yours.”
And so the afternoon ticked slowly by. Normally, Harry would have gone up to his bedroom by now to work on the computer but he seemed to know that George wanted him to stay. George was thankful that he had such a sensitive son and the remembrance of forcing him to go canoeing turned a knife in his heart again. How could he have done that? He’d turned into such a bad-tempered person, so unlike his usual self and all because he’d been out of work for so long. They were really paying the price for it now, and Sally too.
It was with relief when George heard the back door open and in breezed his wife. She came straight through to the living room, where she stopped dead.
“Oh! George, what are you doing home from work? And who is this?”
“This is my step-brother, Luke, Netta. He’s been paying me a visit but he’ll be going soon.”
Lucian stood and took her hand and kissed it in an old-fashioned gesture. “I’m pleased to meet you, Annette. You are even more beautiful than in your picture. I can see I’ve missed out these past fifteen years or so. I’ve enjoyed meeting Harry, we’ve had a game of chess and he beat me!”
“Oh,” Netta was flustered at such flattering words. “Harry’s good at chess.”
“So, when will I meet your lovely daughter? I can’t go until I’ve met her too.”
“Isn’t she here yet?” Netta turned to George. “She usually comes straight from school. She should have been home an hour ago.”
“Well, she’s not home, my love. Could she be at a friend’s house?”
“Try not to worry, Annette. Kids go off to their friends’ houses without a thought about their mothers worrying about them. Perhaps she had a project she needed to do with someone.”
“I’ll call her.”
Netta tapped her phone and held it to her ear. “It’s gone to answer phone. She must have it switched off. I know her friends’ numbers. I have them written down somewhere.”
She went out of the room and came back ten minutes later with a worried look on her face.
“I called Fiona, her best friend. She said Rowena wasn’t at school today. Oh, my goodness! Where can she be? She’s been missing all day!”
“Well, she definitely set off this morning because she called cheerio to me as she usually does,” said Harry. “Do you think she decided to go into town instead?”
“Why would she? She went there on Saturday with her friends.”
“Maybe she has a boyfriend?” suggested Lucian.
“I believe there is a boy she likes but I have no idea who it is.”
“There you are then! She’s gone off somewhere with him. She’ll be back soon, I’m sure. Why not give her until six, then, if she’s not back, George and I will go out and look for her. How about that?”
Netta nodded. “If that is what she’s done, I’ll give her what-for when she gets home. I’ll get tea ready. Will you have some with us, Luke?”
“I’d be honoured, thank you. Can I give you a hand?”
“Oh no, I’ll manage. The kitchen isn’t really big enough for two people to work. Harry can give me a hand if I need it. I made a cottage pie yesterday so I only need to heat it up. Won’t be long.”
Fifteen minutes later, a cottage pie with carrots, peas, corn and gravy was presented. Only Lucian ate heartily, complimenting Netta on her wonderful cooking. She nodded absent-mindedly, obviously her thoughts were elsewhere.
Just before six, Lucian said. “Why not try her phone again? She might have switched it on by now.”
Still sitting at the table, Netta touched her phone and held it to her ear. She put it down. “Nothing.”
“It may have run out of charge, of course.” Lucian pushed his chair back. “I think we should go look for her. We’ll take my car. We’ll call you if we find her. Come on, George, let’s go.”
George fetched his coat and kissed Netta. “I’ll call you. Stay here in case she comes home. If she does, send me a message.”
Netta nodded dumbly and grabbed his hand. He turned to look at her and she opened her mouth to speak, then, glancing behind him, she shook her head slightly and he knew Lucian was watching. He kissed her again. “I love you”, he whispered, and was gone.
**********
Netta watched the door close and flung her arms around Harry, who was standing behind her.
“Oh Harry! I have such a bad feeling about this! Do you think Row has been taken, like those other poor kids?”
“I don’t know, Mum, but I do know something funny is going on. I don’t like that guy who says he’s Dad’s brother and Dad was definitely acting strange around him.”
“I know what you mean. He acted charmingly but when I looked in his eyes, he gave me the creeps. Do you think he’s really Dad’s brother?”
“If he isn’t, he knows a lot about him as a little boy and Dad’s mother.”
“I suppose he must be then. I wonder why we didn’t know about him?”
“Well, he and Dad gave the reason as him being so much older that they weren’t really like brothers and so never kept in touch. But, thinking about the way Dad has acted all afternoon, I’d say the real reason Dad’s never kept in touch with Luke is because he’s afraid of him.”
Netta nodded slowly, remembering the ‘hunted’ look in George’s eyes as he’d bade her goodbye. When he’d told her he loved her, it was as if he thought he wasn’t going to see her again. Netta’s heart jumped in fear. She’d been horrible to him over Harry’s accident but she loved him. He’d been a good husband to her and a good step-father to her little lad and to their daughter. It was unbearable to think she’d never see him again.
She let Harry lead her back into the living room, where she sank down on the sofa. Harry put his arms around her and she sobbed. Was this the end of
her family?
Chapter 26
“Now, Jimmy. The first thing you’re going to do is write a note to Sally. I’ll tell you what to write.”
They were in the back of a car with blackened windows, in a country lane. George hadn’t clue where.
Lucian pulled a shelf out from the door and gave him a pen and paper.
George wrote what Lucian dictated, then the man took it, read it, and put it in an envelope.
“Good. Jake will see to that.” He knocked on the window and the car started up again. They came to a deserted house with a small Fiesta parked outside. A man got out of their car and went to the Fiesta and drove it away. They stayed where they were. About fifteen minutes later, Lucian’s phone rang. ‘yes?’ He listened and smiled. ‘Good’. He snapped the phone shut and looked at his watch.
“Right. The plan is set. We’ll wait for Jake to come back.”
Another fifteen minutes later, the Fiesta reappeared and the man called Jake got out and came over to the car they were in. He got in the front seat, and Lucian picked up the car’s intercom.
“Any trouble?”
“No, Boss. That village is so quiet, there wasn’t a soul around. I posted the note and drove away without anyone seeing.”
A few moments later, George’s phone rang. He took it out of his pocket. It was a number he didn’t know. Recieving a nod from Lucian, he answered it.
“Hello? Yes.”
At the sound of Sally’s voice on the other end, his heart beat faster. He didn’t want to do this, he really didn’t. For a moment, he didn’t speak but Lucian held up the photo from the sideboard and scratched one of his large rings across Rowena’s smiling face, cutting the glass. George swallowed hard, getting the message loud and clear.
“Sal, I have to speak with you, it’s very urgent. No, I can’t tell you over the phone, it’s too dangerous. When can you meet me? Yes. Yes, that would be okay. I’m not sure what I’ll tell Netta for being out so late but I’ll manage somehow. No need to worry, but please do come. Don’t tell anyone, not even Alex. This is dangerous but I’ll risk it for you, Sally. Same place as last time? Yes, I’ll be there. See you later.”
He closed the phone, feeling sick. He shut his eyes as Lucian patted him on the shoulder. “Well done. What time?”
“She said around half eleven. They’ll be closing then and she can make the excuse of needing some air as she often walks outside at that time.”
“Perfect. Now, ring Netta and tell her to call the police.”
“What?”
“Call your wife and tell her to report Rowena’s disappearance to the police. Tell her that you are going to continue searching and will call her again later. Tell her that I’m still with you but I will have to go soon to Leeds.”
George did as Lucian said.
Lucian held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
He handed it over reluctantly. Lucian opened the window and threw the phone out. It landed amid the undergrowth at the side of the road. George opened his mouth to protest, then thought better of it.
“Drive.” Lucian ordered and the car pulled out of the gateway. As they did so, the Fiesta that Jake had used, burst into flames. It looked like there would be no one to see it being scorched to death. George had a moment of sympathy for whoever had lost their car, for he had no doubt it had been stolen.
**********
Dan recieved the message just after eight o’clock that evening.
“Oh no! Not another kid gone missing,” he groaned. “Come on, Grant, Coombs, let’s go. At least we don’t have to go far, only up to Bobblestock.”
When the Thompsons’ door opened, Dan nearly fell over in surprise.
“Lucy! What are you doing here?”
“Oh, Inspector Cooke, I’m glad to see you! I came to be with Netta and Harry.”
“Harry?” Dan frowned. “Not Harry from hospital?”
“Yes. It’s his sister, Rowena, that’s gone missing. Come on in.”
Grant and Collins followed their boss into the living room, where they found Kenny, Harry and Netta. Harry had his arm around his mother, who sat, tears running down her cheeks.
“Mrs Thompson,” said Dan gently. “I’m so sorry about your daughter. This is Detective Sergeant Grant and Detective Constable Coombs. Are you up to answering some questions?”
She nodded, sniffing back another sob.
“I’m sure I can probably tell you more than Mum,” said Harry.
Dan nodded. “Okay, then, Harry. You answer my questions, then if your mum wants to add anything, she can. Is that okay with you, Mrs Thompson?”
She nodded again. Grant and Coombs both took out notebooks, discreetly sitting on chairs at the back of the room. Dan sat on an armchair, the very one that Lucian had sat on earlier.
“Now, did Rowena go off to school as usual?”
“Yes,” said Harry. “Mum goes to work for eight o’clock on Tuesdays, so she was already out. Row always hollars ‘cheerio’ to me as she leaves because I’m usually still upstairs when she goes out.”
“What time does she leave?”
“About eight-fifteen. She has to be there at eight-thirty but it only takes five minutes to get there.”
“Does she go to Whitecross School?”
“Yes.”
Dan nodded. “So, was she as usual this morning? She’s not had any upsets with anyone, no rows at school?”
“No. She’s always cheerful and loves school. There hasn’t been any trouble as far as we’re concerned. She was as she always is.”
“Right. So, when did you become aware that she was missing?”
“Not until this afternoon when Mum got home from work and Rowena wasn’t at home.”
“Does she always come home, or does she sometimes go to a friend’s house after school?”
“She sometimes goes to a friend’s house but if she does, she usually texts Mum, or me if Mum is at work.”
“And you didn’t get a text?”
“No. Mum tried to call her but it went straight to answer phone.”
“What did you do then?”
“Mum has the number of Row’s friends. Row’s best friend Fiona told Mum that she hadn’t been at school all day.”
“The school didn’t call you, Mrs Thompson, to ask where she was?”
Netta looked up for a moment and shook her head.
“We’ll talk to the school in the morning.” Dan looked towards Grant, who nodded slightly.
“So, once you knew she hadn’tt been to school, what did you do?”
“We had tea.”
Dan looked up in surprise. They knew their daughter was missing and they had tea?
“I know what you’re thinking, Sir, and you’re right really. It was Uncle Luke’s fault…”
“Uncle Luke?”
“Yes. When I got back from the hospital, Dad was here with a man, who he said was Luke his step-brother. He hadn’t seen him for years because Luke has been abroad but he was going to Leeds on business and thought he’d look Dad up on his way there.”
“And where is your dad? And this Luke?”
“They went out to look for Rowena. Luke told Mum that teenagers are often inconsiderate and play truant or go off somewhere, not giving a thought to their mothers worrying about where they are. He suggested that we give it until six o’clock, then if she wasn’t home by then, he and Dad would go out and look for her. So, we ate, then she tried calling Rowena again and got no answer, so Dad and Uncle Luke went out to look for her. Then, about quarter to eight, Dad called and said to ring the police but he was going to keep looking. That’s when we called the police, and I called Lucy because I thought having Lucy here would help Mum.”
“I see. So, where is Uncle Luke now?”
“He had to leave Dad to get to Leeds. That’s why he called us, I guess.”
“Your dad went off in Luke’s car?”
Harry frowned. “He must have done, because Dad’s car is still here.�
�
“So, if this man had to go on to Leeds, your dad must be on foot.”
“I suppose he is. But the bus service is good, so I suppose he’ll catch one to come home.”
“Why don’t you call him and tell him to come home? Your mother needs him.”
Harry pulled out his phone and tapped around on it. He listened for a while, then said,
“His phone’s ringing but he’s not picking up.”
At that, Netta started crying again. “It’s that man! He’s done something to George! I know it, he was awful, he made my flesh creep.”
Dan looked at her and then at Harry, a questioning look on his face. Harry nodded empathically.
“Yes. Mum is right. There was something very wrong about that man – my so-called ‘uncle’. I spent all afternoon with him and Dad, and I got a strong impression that Dad was afraid of him. It was also strange that, at lunch-time, Dad asked me to get the food. He said to me ‘you know I’m not very domesticated’ and looked at me intensely for a minute. It puzzled me because Dad is very domesticated, he can cook a meal and do all sorts in the house. It was as if he was trying to tell me something.”
“Trying to tell you that something wasn’t right?”
“Yes! Yes, that’s it! Although Luke was friendly and played a game of chess with me, I definitely got the feeling that he was something other than what he was trying to show me. I suppose I watch too many films, but he kindof made me think of a mafia boss, or something. Like he was used to people obeying him. Certainly Dad was complying with everything he said and did.”
“A mafia boss eh?” Dan stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Kenny suddenly said, “I’ve just remembered. My mother told me that someone called with a message for George. He said Netta needed him at home because she’d either been taken ill or had an accident. Apparently, the caller wasn’t sure what had happened. He said his wife gave him the number of the nursery and told him to call for George. Mum took the message to George and he left work straight away.”
Fear Has Long Fingers Page 13
